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[herukapadmajungiansworld]

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

Some people who admire Putin never admit the fact he’s a brutal dictator.

Some people who admire Putin develop extremist beliefs and like the fact he’s a brutal dictator.

But how do we explain those who fiercely criticised Putin as a brutal dictator then suddenly became an admirer of him despite no obvious change to their political outlook or other explained reasoning?

It’s a phenomenon that happens quite suddenly to public figures, usually after they visit Moscow. The phenomenon increased in 2014, which also happens to be when - according to US intelligence reports - Russia massively increased its foreign covert political funding and other means of influence campaigns (AKA bribery and blackmail).

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

My beloved city, we will definitely endure💙💛The last few days have been the toughest nights of the entire war. The aggressors have attacked us with missiles and Shaheed. I feel such a mixture of pain and pride for our people.

Last night,

my niece stayed over,

and when the explosions began,

I hesitated to wake the child.

I sat on the floor next to her bed, prepared to shield her with my body if needed.

The attacks intensified, and eventually,

I had to wake her up.

My dog ❤️ lay at our feet,

we all sat on the floor together,

hoping for God's protection 🙏 and relying on our Ukrainian Air Defense💙💛.

You know, after such nights, my questions are not directed at God, nor at ordinary people, or even the aggressors.

My one question is for the world leaders: why do you say that we cannot use Western weapons to attack russians territory ?

⭐Do you consider the lives of our people less valuable?

⭐ Have you ever shielded your children with your own body?

⭐Why has everyone forgotten about Kherson, Bucha, Mariupol?

⭐Why isn't the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant equally terrifying?

After such sleepless nights for our children, 💥we have every right to wipe the kremlin off the face of the earth. 💥

I feel the pain for our people, but we are not broken 💪 .

We continue to move forward.

There's still champagne in the fridge that I will open on Victory Day.

I love you, my city❤️you are our fortress, you give us strength🫶

#Odesa

#GloryToGod

#GlorytoAFU

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

Switzerland has for years been the destination of choice for Russian oligarchs and corrupt officials to hide their stolen money. Swiss banks are estimated to hold over $200 billion in stashed Russian cash.

The United States recently opened an investigation into Swiss banks helping #Russia to evade sanctions, subpoenaing the two largest Swiss banks at the time. Switzerland is also key to Russian #evasion of export controls meant to ensure Russia cannot resupply its military and continue its war.

Russian-induced corruption within the Swiss law enforcement system led to the resignation of the former top prosecutor of Switzerland and the conviction of a senior Swiss law enforcement official on bribery charges. Switzerland is now primed to send millions in frozen Russian dirty money related to the revelations of Sergei Magnitsky to the Russians who stole it.

This hearing will examine Switzerland’s key role in laundering Russian money. Witnesses will discuss how Switzerland came to be a favorite destination for Russian dirty money, how Russian corruption in Switzerland endangers U.S. national security and the ability of Ukraine to defend itself, and possible policy responses. This hearing builds on years of work by the #Commission to hold Switzerland to account for its role in Russian money laundering and corruption.

The following witnesses are scheduled to testify:

1Bill Browder, Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign

2Drew Sullivan, Co-Founder, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)

3Olena Tregub, Secretary General, Independent Defense Anti-Corruption Committee (NAKO)

HEARING

Russia’s Alpine Assets: Money Laundering and Sanctions Evasion in Switzerland

July 18, 2023

1:00 p.m.

Senate Dirksen Building G50

Live stream:

youtube.com/watch?v=dxX98X…

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

Decolonisation is beautiful.

Here’s just one example from one small corner of one small Estonian town, Viljandi.

Picture 1: An ugly communist party building and car park, built by the soviet occupiers on top of a memorial they demolished for local people who died fighting for independence.

Pictures 2 & 3: The memorial, lovingly recreated down to every last detail, is back at the heart of a public square.

There are some commentators abroad who like to lecture russia’s neighbours not to “erase history” by removing the scars of occupation.

It’s weird because this kind of thing is normal everywhere else in the world. In fact, the very same people who get particularly upset about occupation monuments being removed here also tend to be very articulate about the importance of removing statues to ousted oppressors elsewhere. They just think russian imperialism gets a free pass.

Newsflash: It doesn’t.

Rather than erase history, plenty of occupation junk across the Baltic countries has been transferred to museums so that future generations can learn about it in its proper context. But it doesn’t belong in our public spaces. Local people here hated that brutal communist party building, which desecrated the memorial in a way so symbolic of the wider ugliness of russian imperialism.

Public spaces belong to the people who actually live here and should reflect the kind of free, modern, open, independent countries that we are - and which remember those who made it possible.

The other bad take on this issue is to constantly frame this kind of thing as a ‘reaction/response/message to russia’. That, again, is imperialist thinking. We make decisions for our countries based on what we want our countries to be. We’d want to remove this kind of junk even if russia had ceased to exist in 1991 or if it had flourished into a friendly democracy.

In fact, here in Viljandi, it took three decades of planning and sculpting to recreate the monument based off grainy photos of the original. The building was finally knocked down a couple of years ago and the memorial unveiled this midsummer.

In the interim, the building was expanded after the occupation to serve as Tourist Information, which was pretty ironic considering the communist aim was to keep us closed to the world. But that has a new home and the time has come to return the space.

There was quite a debate locally about whether to recreate it exactly or update it with some kind of modern reinterpretation. Both are legitimate, interesting ideas.

In the end, the only difference is that the materials are now of a much higher quality. I think they made the right decision.

And the fact that it was recreated in perfect detail by people who never saw the original but emerged from occupation with the same determination to live free does send its own new message from our time too. We will continue to exist.

Decolonisation can suffer setbacks, horrendously painful as we see in Ukraine, but the long term trend is unstoppable. The special protection that russian imperialism still enjoys in the minds of many around the world is starting to shatter.

I stopped by to take a photo of it for you all and a rainbow appeared. 🙂

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

Ben Wallace on Vladimir Putin’s response to Nato:

“An ever more aggressive President Putin, with constant threatening red lines that then usually melt away, he hasn’t dared go near Nato.

Russia has been very very cautious of respecting Nato’s territory. We have not seen lashings out into areas like Estonia or Latvia. They have been absolutely considerate of Nato. They have been really really cautious to make sure that they don’t provoke.

You could argue that the alliance in itself does function. The deterrent of Article 45 functions.”

Wallace added that the War in Ukraine has seen a “reinvigoration” of Nato, having “stagnated” years ago. He also said Russia is weaker than they let on.

“ Post 1991, Nato had just stagnated … Many populations in Europe would have been surprised that Nato was a nuclear alliance. They’d just forgotten to talk about it. So, it didn’t have plans to do ‘what happens if’. They had just died.

We’ve seen a reinvigoration of what Nato needs and the supreme allied commander needs to do it’s job and new domains.

I think [the war] is winnable. I think Russia is much more fragile than the Russian’s want to admit … The splinter in the hierarchy of the Russian army is very real, the casualty rates are atrocious.”

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

Accept or not accept? That is the question

Arresting Russia’s President Vladimir Putin would amount to a declaration of war on Russia, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote in court papers released on Tuesday as the country wrangles over hosting the Russian leader.

Putin has been invited to a BRICS summit in Johannesburg next month but is the target of an international criminal court arrest warrant – a provision that Pretoria as an ICC member would be expected to implement were he to attend, AFP reports.

South Africa’s diplomatic dilemma is playing out in court, where the leading opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), is trying to force the government’s hand and ensure the Kremlin leader is held and handed over to the ICC if he steps foot in the country.

But in a responding affidavit, described the DA’s application as “irresponsible” and said national security was at stake.

Ramaphosa said:

Russia has made it clear that arresting its sitting President would be a declaration of war.

It would be inconsistent with our constitution to risk engaging in war with Russia.

Guardian

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

[herukapadmajungiansworld]

This week was a real nightmare for Putin.

His Turkish friend betrayed him on all levels.

⁃Erdogan angers Putin with ‘betrayal’ of Azov prisoner release.

⁃The Turkish leader performed a major U-turn over Sweden NATO membership.

⁃EU and Erdogan agree to 're-energise' EU-Turkey ties.

Putin went to war because he wanted less NATO. He's getting much more NATO.

The Group of Seven (G7) coalition revealed a long-term security framework for Ukraine.

Ukraine will not need an action plan on its way to NATO.

NATO is strengthening borders with Russia.

⭐President Zelensky will go home with a cady overflowing with weapons.

U.S. will send cluster munition to Ukraine.

⭐France will provide Ukraine with long range weapons.

Germany announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth about €686 million.

⭐Norway is sending 2 more NASAMS air defense systems including 2 additional fire control centers, 2 launchers and spare parts as well as 1,000 Black Hornet reconnaissance drones.

Denmark handed over drones for mine scanning as part of the aid package for Ukraine.

⭐Australia will send an additional fleet of 30 armored Bushmaster infantry vehicles at a cost of $67 million.

Canada will send an unspecified number or types of armored vehicles.

⭐Japan will send an unspecified drone detection system.

The UK will send more than 70 combat and transport vehicles and thousands of rounds of ammunition for Challenger 2 tanks.

⭐Sweden signed agreements on the exchange of classified intelligence and defense procurement.

➡️➡️The possibility of supplying Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles to be discussed at the White House.⬅️⬅️

⭐Turkey plans to build a drone production plant in Ukraine.

South Africa asks to send Foreign Minister instead of Putin to the BRICS summit.

⭐Wagner boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin refused to let his fighters serve under someone else's command.

😁😄Putin had to weaken his army by imprisoning competent generals😁😄