Showing posts with label Vladimir Putin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vladimir Putin. Show all posts

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Take Putin Seriously or Risk World War III, Former Head of British Army Warns

Feb 24, 2024 | “This is a late 1930s moment, and if we don’t react to it, we’re doomed not to learn the lessons of history.” Lord Dannatt warns the UK government and our NATO allies to take the threat of Putin seriously.

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

‘Putin Will Spark a Third World War If Russia Claims Victory in Ukraine’

THE TELEGRAPH: Ukrainian steel magnate Yuriy Ryzhenkov warns of global fallout from the Kremlin’s war

Vladimir Putin will spark a third world war if the Russian president is allowed to declare victory in Ukraine, according to the boss of the country’s biggest private employer.

Yuriy Ryzhenkov, chief executive of Metinvest, which ran the sprawling Azovstal steelworks that became the site of a relentless Russian assault at the start of the 2022 invasion, warned of the consequences of a Kremlin victory.

“I don’t believe that if Ukraine fails, Putin will stop,” he said in an interview ahead of the two year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. “The Baltic states, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia are the next targets.”

Ryzhenkov’s comments were made just days before Putin threatened the US with a global war that will “bring humanity to the brink” if Capitol Hill deploys troops to Ukraine. » | Szu Ping Chan |Wednesday, February 21, 2024 [£]

Jon Danzig: A Vote for Brexit Was a Vote for Putin

Putin’s fingerprints are all over Brexit. There’s been suspicions of this for some time, but the evidence is now compelling and urgently needs proper investigation.

Motive is the key incentive for any crime. There have never been any benefits for Britain doing Brexit. Not even one. Any apparent motive for leaving the EU was based on a pack of astonishing, outrageous lies.

But the benefits to Russia from Brexit are both clear and enormous.

For almost two decades, Putin has harboured antagonism over the loss of the Soviet empire, to be successfully replaced by the enlargement of the EU, encroaching on what he considered to be Russian territory.

In 2005 he declared: “the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster”

Putin has used covert techniques to destabilise the European Union in his imperial goal to create a new Russian empire, starting with his invasions of Ukraine.

A win for ‘Leave’ was all part of that agenda.

𝗔 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲.

The lies that led to Brexit, in part fuelled and funded by Putin, were compelling, convincing, and used the powerful techniques of psychological warfare.

All of us were misled. But now Britain and Britons must decide where we stand and which side we support.

Our political elite allowed our country to become a stooge for Putin’s nefarious intentions, with absolutely no benefits to us.

But the reality is that it’s the EU we should be supporting, not Putin. The EU stands for what Britain and Britons really stand for and have always stood for.

We must support the EU project and start our journey – however long it takes – to rejoining our true family in Europe.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻, 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗨. – © Jon Danzig


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Jon Danzig’s article can be found on his blog here.

Monday, February 19, 2024

Fareed to Tucker Carlson: You Need to Get Out More

Feb 19, 2024 | CNN's Fareed Zakaria weighs in on Tucker Carlson's visit to Russia, and how impressed he was with the city of Moscow.

As Putin Threatens, Despair and Hedging in Europe

THE NEW YORK TIMES: There is a dawning recognition that the continent urgently needs to step up its own defense, especially as the U.S. wavers, but the commitments still are not coming.

As the leaders of the West gathered in Munich over the past three days, President Vladimir V. Putin had a message for them: Nothing they’ve done so far — sanctions, condemnation, attempted containment — would alter his intentions to disrupt the current world order.

Russia made its first major gain in Ukraine in nearly a year, taking the ruined city of Avdiivka, at huge human cost to both sides, the bodies littered along the roads a warning, perhaps, of a new course in the two-year-old war. Aleksei Navalny’s suspicious death in a remote Arctic prison made ever clearer that Mr. Putin will tolerate no dissent as elections approach.

And the American discovery, disclosed in recent days, that Mr. Putin may be planning to place a nuclear weapon in space — a bomb designed to wipe out the connective tissue of global communications if Mr. Putin is pushed too far — was a potent reminder of his capacity to strike back at his adversaries with the asymmetric weapons that remain a key source of his power.

In Munich, the mood was both anxious and unmoored, as leaders faced confrontations they had not anticipated. Warnings about Mr. Putin’s possible next moves were mixed with Europe’s growing worries that it could soon be abandoned by the United States, the one power that has been at the core of its defense strategy for 75 years. » | David E. Sanger and Steven Erlanger, Reporting from Munich | Sunday, February 18, 2024

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is absolutely right, Europe must be able to defend itself. It needs its own military as soon as possible. Visitors and followers of my blog will be aware that I have stated the same many times over the years. Europe needs to unite; and it needs to be able to defend itself – properly. This is not rocket science; rather, it is common sense. Unity brings strength; division brings weakness. To use an Arabic expression, Europe needs to work as one hand! That means to say, in harmony and in co-operation.

Britain should be part of this, too. That is why we should never have left the EU. In doing that, we Brits played right into Putin’s hands. Our exit from the EU was exactly what Putin wanted: he wanted to sow chaos and disunity in Europe. Our British politicians were too blinkered to be able to see it, too blinkered to see that they were being manipulated. This is why this stupid move needs to be reversed as soon as possible. By now, even the most blinkered and dense of our politicians should be able to see how important it is for Europe to have a full-scale military to be able to defend itself. Especially with people like Trump hovering on the horizon, ready to inflict full-scale damage on his own country and the world with his ridiculous policies and stated lack of willingness to defend "delinquent" NATO countries, and quite possibly, nay probably, dragging the US out of NATO altogether! – © Mark Alexander

What Next for Putin? After Navalny’s Death, Many Fear What Leader Will Move On to

THE GUARDIAN: With Ukraine retreating and western sanctions having little impact, the Russian president is growing bolder and may embark on more reckless moves

Vladimir Putin smiled and looked unusually festive on Friday as he praised factory workers and joked with state reporters at an industrial plant in the Ural city of Chelyabinsk.

Putin’s confidence was unmistakable – a sign of his full belief that he would get away with the death that day of his biggest critic in jail while outlasting Ukraine on the battlefield. The world might never know what specifically happened on the day of Alexei Navalny’s death at a remote prison above the Arctic Circle. As of Sunday, his family has not yet even been allowed to see his body. » | Pjotr Sauer | Sunday, February 18, 2024

Sunday, February 18, 2024

'Putin Trolling the Entire World' with Navalny's Death: Bill Browder | DW News

Feb 18, 2024 | Bill Browder, the American-born British co-founder of Hermitage Capital Management and an adamant critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, spoke to DW at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) regarding the death of Alexei Navalny.

The death of the Russian opposition leader has been confirmed by Navalny's allies, but they say the Russian government is refusing to hand over his body. Browder noted that Russian officials are no longer welcome at the MSC and said that Navalny's death is a "way for Putin to effectively troll the entire world."


Saturday, February 17, 2024

Tucker Carlson’s Lesson in the Perils of Giving Airtime to an Autocrat

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The death of Aleksei Navalny, the Kremlin’s most vocal domestic opponent, prompted fresh criticism on Friday of the right-wing host’s recent interview with Vladimir Putin.

Tucker Carlson interviewing President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, in a photo released by Russian state media. | Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik

Tucker Carlson left Moscow more than a week ago, riding high from an interview with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia that returned him to the spotlight after his abrupt cancellation by Fox News last spring.

But the interview with the wartime autocrat, mocked in various corners of the political-media world for its soft touch, continues to have a long and tortured afterlife — becoming a trending topic all over again on Friday after Mr. Putin’s most vocal domestic opponent, Aleksei A. Navalny, turned up dead in a Russian prison.

“This is what Putin’s Russia is, @TuckerCarlson,” Liz Cheney, the former Republican congresswoman from Wyoming, wrote on X after the news of Mr. Navalny’s death broke on Friday. “And you are Putin’s useful idiot.”

Naomi Biden, President Biden’s granddaughter, also weighed in, pointing to a video that Mr. Carlson had recently posted in which he contrasted the supposed splendors of Russia under Mr. Putin’s leadership with the “filth and crime” of the United States. “Has anything aged so poorly, so quickly before?” Ms. Biden wrote on X. » | Jim Rutenberg and Michael M. Grynbaum | Friday, February 16, 2024

On the off-chance that you missed Tucker Carlson’s interview of Vladimir Putin, here it is IN FULL.

‘American Idiot’: Joy Rips Trump and Tucker Carlson's Putin Support amid Navalny Death

Feb 17, 2024 | Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who survived a poisoning he attributed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, has died in a Russian prison. Joy Reid honors this Russian patriot and condemns Donald Trump and the Republicans who apparently support Putin.

How Will Russia Remember Alexei Navalny?

Feb 16, 2024 | The prominent Russian opposition activist has died in prison aged 47. A tireless political organiser, he had personally angered Vladimir Putin, along with the president's closest allies, with his scathing investigations into government corruption. The Guardian's Andrew Roth looks at Navalny's rise in politics, his legacy and how his death robs Russia’s beleaguered opposition of one of its most dynamic leaders.


Western leaders point finger at Putin after Alexei Navalny’s death in jail: Russian opposition leader’s death described as political assassination attributable to president »

Friday, February 16, 2024

Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Has Died, Russian Media Report | BBC News | BBC News

Feb 16, 2024 | Russia's most significant opposition leader for the past decade, Alexei Navalny, has died in prison inside the Arctic Circle, Russian news agencies report, quoting the prison service.

Seen as President Vladimir Putin's most vociferous critic, Navalny was serving a 19-year jail term for offences widely considered politically motivated. He was moved to an Arctic penal colony, considered one of the toughest jails, late last year.

The prison service in the Yamalo-Nenets district said he had "felt unwell" after a walk on Friday. He had "almost immediately lost consciousness", it said in a statement. The causes of his death were being established, Tass news agency reported.



Related articles/material in German, French here.

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Vladimir Putin Surprised by Lack of ‘Sharp Questions’ in Tucker Carlson Interview

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Russian president says he was grateful to the former Fox News host for the two-hour interview, which made headlines around the world

Russian president Vladimir Putin has said he is grateful to rightwing US television host Tucker Carlson for his interview last week, but was surprised by a lack of “sharp questions”.

Former Fox News star Carlson released a two-hour interview with Putin in Moscow on Thursday last week which made headlines around the world.

Putin told Russian TV presenter, Pavel Zarubin, on Wednesday that he had wanted Carlson to behave more aggressively, which would have given him the right to reply just as pointedly.

“To be honest, I thought that he would behave aggressively and ask so-called sharp questions. I was not just prepared for this, I wanted it, because it would give me the opportunity to respond in the same way,” Putin said in comments broadcast on Wednesday.

There was no sign of a response from Carlson in the hours following the Zarubin interview, other than a glowing endorsement of the quality of Moscow’s subway system. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Thursday, February 15, 2024

‘Talkshow or a serious conversation?’ Tucker Carlson’s interview of Putin offered neither: Wide-eyed former Fox host tagged along as Russian president steered the conversation through Russian history and justifications for war »

FULL INTERVIEW: Exclusive: Tucker Carlson Interviews Vladimir Putin »

Monday, February 12, 2024

Tucker Carlson on US-Russia after Putin Interview | Ukraine War | World Government Summit

Feb 12, 2024 | Tucker Carlson on US-Russia After Putin Interview | Ukraine War | World Government Summit At the World Government Summit, Tucker Carlson of The Tucker Carlson Network delved into the US-Russia relations, following his recent headline-making interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The interview, which has sparked a wave of criticism from Western commentators, was in the news over Putin's claims about Ukraine.



„Führung erfordert das Töten von Menschen“: Auf dem World Governments Summit in Dubai schwärmt Tucker Carlson von seinem Treffen mit Wladimir Putin. Unterschiede zwischen Russland und den USA sieht er kaum. Und Todesopfer hält er für normal. »

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Decoding Putin's Interview with Tucker Carlson

Feb 9, 2024 | Get insights into Vladimir Putin's recent interview with Tucker Carlson on Scripps News. Delve into Putin's assertions about Ukraine, military support, and diplomatic strategies with commentary from Jack Barsky, a former KGB operative.

Friday, February 09, 2024

Key Takeaways from Tucker Carlson's Interview with Russia's Putin | DW News

Feb 9, 2024 | Russia's President Vladimir Putin has given his first one-on-one interview to Western media since 2019 – to a controversial right-wing US talk show host.

Tucker Carlson is a former Fox News host, a key ally of 2024 election candidate Donald Trump – and a vocal opponent to US military aid for Ukraine. He travelled to Moscow to conduct the interview, which was broadcast on the 'Tucker Carlson Network'. The Russian president used the occasion to push for recognition of Moscow's interests – depicting Russia as a victim of Western betrayal and fearmongering.

Carlson left Putin largely unchallenged. In video from Tucker Carlson Network, some questions led to jokes rather than real answers.


Putin Gives First Western Interview with Tucker Carlson

Feb 9, 2024 | President Putin of Russia has given his first interview to a western journalist since the start of the war in Ukraine and used it to blame the conflict on the United States and Britain, saying it had been triggered by Nato expansion and prolonged by Boris Johnson.

He also claimed that the detained American journalist Evan Gershkovich was “caught red-handed” handling confidential information in Russia, but added that an agreement might be reached with the US to release him.

Putin was speaking in a highly anticipated interview with the American former Fox News host and conspiracy theorist Tucker Carlson.


Putin Hints at Russia's Military Strategy for Ukraine in Tucker Carlson Interview

Feb 9, 2024 | In the Russian presidents first interview with a western journalist since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Vladimir Putin hints at his future military strategy.

Russia Could Attack Nato within Three Years, Warns Denmark

THE TELEGRAPH: The Danish defence minister has warned Russia could go to war with Nato in as little as three years.

Troels Lund Poulsen, who also serves as Denmark’s deputy prime minister, has joined colleagues from the UK, Sweden, Romania, Germany and others in raising the alarm about increased Russian defence spending and manufacturing.

“It cannot be ruled out that within a three- to five-year period, Russia will test Article 5 and Nato’s solidarity. That was not Nato’s assessment in 2023. This is new information that is coming to the fore now,” Mr Poulsen told Jyllands-Posten, a Danish newspaper. » | Friday, February 9, 2024

Tucker Carlson Is ‘Putin’s Mouthpiece’ | Charles Kupchan

Feb 9, 2024 | “It serves Putin's interest because he has a mouthpiece in Tucker Carlson.” Charles Kupchan, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, tells Times Radio how Putin's interview with Tucker Carlson could influence US opinion.