#sergei ryabkov

[dadsinsuits]

Sergei Ryabkov

#suitdaddy #suiteddaddy #suit and tie #suited daddy #men in suits #daddy #suited grandpa #suitedman #silverfox #suit daddy #suitfetish #suited men #buisness suit #suited man #suitedmen #Russian man #Russian men #Russian daddy #Sergei Ryabkov #Сергей Рябков

[tomorrowusa]

The apologists for Putin's Russia – both Trumpsters and tankies – say that Ukraine must "negotiate" an end of Putin's illegal invasion.

Those folks are either oblivious to Russia's recent history of negotiations or are intentionally ignoring that history for political reasons.

In the years leading up to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, diplomats lost their authority, their role reduced to echoing the Kremlin's aggressive rhetoric. BBC Russian asks former diplomats, as well as ex-Kremlin and White House insiders, how Russian diplomacy broke down.

This was four month's before the invasion.

In October 2021, US Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland went to a meeting at the Russian foreign ministry in Moscow. The man across the table was Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who Ms Nuland had known for decades and always got along with. Mr Rybakov's American counterparts saw him as a practical, calm negotiator - someone they could talk to even as the two countries' relationship frayed. This time, things were different. Mr Ryabkov read Moscow's official position from a piece of paper and resisted Ms Nuland's attempts to start a discussion. Ms Nuland was shocked, according to two people who discussed the incident with her. She described Mr Ryabkov and one of his colleagues as "robots with papers", the people said (the State Department declined to comment on the incident). And outside the negotiating room, Russian diplomats were using increasingly undiplomatic language. "We spit on Western sanctions." "Let me speak. Otherwise, you will really hear what Russian Grad missiles are capable of." "Morons" - preceded by an expletive. These are all quotes from people in positions of authority at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in recent years.

If you are thinking that this doesn't sound like serious negotiating, you are entirely correct.

This attitude didn't begin in 2021, it's been ongoing since at least 2007.

The first signal that a new Cold War was beginning came in 2007 with a speech Mr Putin made to the Munich Security Conference. In a 30-minute diatribe, he accused Western countries of attempting to build a unipolar world. Russia's diplomats followed his lead. A year later, when Russia invaded Georgia, Moscow's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reportedly swore at his UK counterpart, David Miliband, asking: "Who are you to lecture me?" Western officials still thought it was worth trying to work with Russia. In 2009, Mr Lavrov and the then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed a giant red "reset button" in relations, and the two countries seemed to be building co-operation - especially on security issues. But it soon became obvious to US officials that their Russian counterparts were simply parroting Mr Putin's growing anti-Western views, says Ben Rhodes, deputy national security advisor to former US President Barack Obama. Mr Rhodes recalls President Obama having breakfast with Mr Putin in 2009, accompanied by a folk orchestra. He says Mr Putin was more interested in presenting his view of the world than discussing co-operation and that the Russian leader blamed Mr Obama's predecessor, George W Bush, for betraying Russia. As the Arab Spring, the US involvement in Libya, and the Russian street protests unfolded in 2011 and 2012, Mr Putin decided that diplomacy wouldn't get him anywhere, Mr Rhodes says. "On certain issues - Ukraine in particular - I did not get the sense that [diplomats] had much influence at all," says Mr Rhodes.

The arrival of Maria Zakharova as spokesperson for Russia's Foreign Ministry in 2015 signaled another deterioration in diplomacy.

[W]ith Ms Zakharova's arrival, foreign ministry briefings became a spectacle. Ms Zakharova often yelled at reporters who asked her difficult questions and responded to criticism from other countries with insults. Her diplomatic colleagues were going the same way. Mr [Boris] Bondarev, who used to work for Moscow's mission to the UN in Geneva, recalls one meeting where Russia blocked all proposed initiatives, prompting colleagues from Switzerland to complain. "We said to them: 'Well, what's the problem? We are a great power, and you are just Switzerland!' "That's [Russian] diplomacy for you," he says.

Getting back to the eve of the invasion. (emphasis added)

Mr Bondarev recalls a dinner in Geneva in January 2022 when Mr Ryabkov, from the foreign ministry, met US officials. US First Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman hoped to avert the invasion of Ukraine through 11th-hour negotiations. "It was awful," says Mr Bondarev. "The Americans were like, 'Let's negotiate.' And instead Ryabkov starts shouting, 'We need Ukraine! We won't go anywhere without Ukraine! Take all your stuff and go back to the 1997 [Nato] borders!' Sherman is an iron lady, but I think even her jaw dropped at this. "[Ryabkov] was always very polite and really nice to talk to. And now he's banging his fist on the table and talking nonsense."

The war hasn't changed things.

Ukrainian authorities complain that Russia is once again offering ultimatums instead of compromises, such as demanding that Ukraine accepts the annexation of occupied territories. Kyiv has no intention to negotiate under such conditions, and its Western allies publicly support this decision. Russia seems set on relying on its military machine, intelligence services and geo-economic power for influence - rather than diplomacy.

Some people won't like hearing this, but the only way to end this war is militarily.

Judy Dempsey is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie Europe and editor in chief of Strategic Europe. At Carnegie Europe she writes:

Negotiations can only begin if Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is in a strong enough position to set the terms. Those terms are not just about restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity. They are about ensuring that Russia does not attack or threaten Kyiv again. An end to the war is about ending Russia’s imperial ambitions in this part of Europe. [ ... ] It is not enough for leaders and defense ministers to say ad nauseam that they will support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” or that Ukraine must win. How is that going to happen if the country is not provided with the essential military equipment? And if there are mutterings in some Europeans capitals and in Washington that the Ukrainian offensive has not been quick enough or effective enough, the reason is that Ukraine lacks the military support to achieve it. [ ... ] The war is a test for Europe in particular and the West in general. It is about security, conviction, and trying to uphold values based on the pursuit of democracy. Ultimately, that’s what the Ukrainians are fighting for. A fudged compromise will damage the West and appease—indeed embolden—Russia and its supporters.

Exactly. This is not just an unprovoked war against Ukraine, it's a war against the West and liberal democratic values.

#invasion of ukraine #diplomacy #negotiations #russia's war of aggression #russian imperialism #sergei lavrov #vladimir putin #maria zakharova #victoria nuland #sergei ryabkov #boris bondarev #judy dempsey #hillary clinton #wendy sherman #ben rhodes #россия #русский мiръ #агрессивная война россии #владимир путин #путин хуйло #сергей лавров #сергей рябков #борис бондарев #руки прочь от украины! #союз постсоветских клептократических ватников #геть з україни #вторгнення оркостану в україну #україна переможе #слава україні! #героям слава!

[some-user56]

Demolition Boys/Borg drawing

•Looked at references

•8/16/23

•I've only drawn Tala Prior

•this my first time drawing Bryan/Boris,Spencer/Sergei, and Ian/Ivan

•my camera might be a bit blurry

*Likes and reblogs are appreciated*

× Don't repost my artwork without my permission×

#beyblade #original beyblade #bakuten shoot beyblade #demolition boys #tala ivanov #yuriy ivanov #bryan kuznetsov #boris kuznetsov #Spencer beyblade #sergei ryabkov #ian papov #ivan papov #my drawings

[aquariasmoon]

Chapter two is up! 

This took me far too long to update sorry lol. This chapter goes more into how they act with each other in a domestic setting after a few years. 

It’s a bit silly I wanted it to be more lighthearted than the previous chapter but also involve the other two more and not just Bryan and Tala. The next chapter will be a bit more serious again going into more backstory I have headcanoned for the guys : ) ! Hope you guys enjoy it.

#beyblade #bakuten shoot beyblade #fanfic #fanfiction #bryan kuznetsov #boris kuznetsov #tala valkov #tala ivanov #yuriy ivanov #spencer petrov #sergei petrov #sergei ryabkov #spencer ryabkov #ivan papov #ian papov #blitzkrieg boys #neoborg #yubo if you want #I'm fine with either tbh

[gwydionmisha]

#Sergei Ryabkov #Russian War on Ukraine #Military Aid #Foreign Policy #News

[fikrikadim]

ABD Rusya'da darbe organize etmeye çalışıyor

Dışişleri Bakan Yardımcısı Sergey Ryabkov Washington’u ülkedeki liderlik değişimini desteklemekle suçladı Rusya Dışişleri Bakan Yardımcısı Sergey Ryabkov, ABD’nin Rusya içinde huzursuzluk yaratmaya giderek daha fazla odaklandığını ve ülkenin liderliğini ortadan kaldırmaya niyetli olduğunu iddia etti. TASS’ın Ryabkov’dan aktardığına göre Ryabkov Salı günü yaptığı açıklamada, Moskova ve Washington…

View On WordPress

#Sergey Ryabkov #Washington

[timesofocean]

Russia announces deputy foreign minister met U.S. ambassador

New Post has been published on https://www.timesofocean.com/russia-announces-deputy-foreign-minister-met-u-s-ambassador/

Russia announces deputy foreign minister met U.S. ambassador

Moscow (The Times Groupe)- The Russian foreign ministry said on Friday that Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov met with U.S. ambassador John Sullivan.

The ministry announced it in a statement on its website.

It stated the men had discussed “bilateral issues”, without providing any further details.

The meeting took place a day after the self-proclaimed Russian-backed state court in the Donetsk region sentenced to death two British nationals and a Moroccan, who allegedly took part in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

#FUTURE OF U.S.-RUSSIA RELATIONS #latest News #russia news #Russia Ukraine War #Russia–United States relations #Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov #Russian Foreign Ministry #The Times Groupe #Times #Times Of Ocean #U.S. ambassador John Sullivan #U.S. Relations With Russia #Unravel News #us news

[zvaigzdelasas]

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters that Moscow will rescind the ratification of the nuclear test ban treaty to “mirror” the action by the U.S. He added that if the U.S. conducts a nuclear test, “we will be forced to mirror that as well.”

10 Oct 23

[dadsinsuits]

Sergei Ryabkov

#suitdaddy #suiteddaddy #suit and tie #suited daddy #men in suits #silverfox #suitfetish #suited men #suited grandpa #suitedman #suit daddy #suited man #buisness suit #suitedmen #russian man #russian men #Sergei Ryabkov #Сергей Алексеевич Рябков #Сергей Рябков

[theculturedmarxist]

The U.S. conducted a high-explosive experiment at a nuclear test site in Nevada hours after Russia revoked a ban on atomic-weapons testing, which Moscow said would put it on par with the United States. 

Wednesday's test used chemicals and radioisotopes to "validate new predictive explosion models" that can help detect atomic blasts in other countries, Bloomberg reported, citing the Department of Energy. 

"These experiments advance our efforts to develop new technology in support of U.S. nuclear nonproliferation goals," Corey Hinderstein, Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration, said in a statement. "They will help reduce global nuclear threats by improving the detection of underground nuclear explosive tests.

The test is notable because of its timing. Russian lawmakers announced their intention to revoke the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

A bill will go to the Russian upper house, the Federation Council, which will consider it next week. Federation Council lawmakers have already said they will support the bill.

The treaty, adopted in 1996, bans all nuclear explosions anywhere in the world, although it has never fully entered into force. In addition to the U.S., it is yet to be ratified by China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran and Egypt.

American officials have said more transparency is needed because while the U.S. and Russia don’t test warheads, they do conduct so-called sub-critical experiments — explosions that verify weapon designs without the amount of atomic material needed to sustain a chain reaction, the Bloomberg report said. 

There are widespread concerns that Russia could resume nuclear tests to try to discourage the West its continued support of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that while some experts have talked about the need to conduct nuclear tests, he hasn’t yet formed an opinion on the issue.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said last week that Moscow will continue to respect the ban and will only resume nuclear tests if Washington does so first.

#nuclear weapons #nuclear test ban treaty #nuclear war

[ukrainenews]

Daily Wrap Up February 22, 2023

Under the cut:

Switzerland has announced plans for a new $150 million humanitarian aid package for Ukraine and Moldova, according to a government statement published Wednesday.

Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the New Start nuclear arms reduction treaty with the US will not increase the risk of a nuclear war, Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, has said.

Parts of Ukraine will heighten security this week for the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of the country, according to local officials. Additional safety measures will be implemented in Ukraine's Kherson region, the region's military administration said in a statement Wednesday.

Russia shelled the village of Novotiahynka in Kherson Oblast on Feb. 22, reports Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the regional military administration. An 81-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man were killed on the spot.

Ukraine deepens Bystre Canal on Danube, aims to boost exports

Two people were injured as a result of Ukrainian shelling in the town of Shebekino in Russia's Belgorod region, the region's Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said Wednesday on his Telegram channel. The two hurt in the shelling were taken to the hospital. One is in medium-severity condition and the other is in critical condition, Gladkov said.

“Switzerland has announced plans for a new $150 million humanitarian aid package for Ukraine and Moldova, according to a government statement published Wednesday.

The Swiss parliament will now have to approve the package to provide approximately $123 million to Ukraine and $28 million to neighboring Moldova.  

Since the beginning of the war, Switzerland has allocated around $1.4 billion in aid for Ukraine. This includes over $291 million as support for Ukraine in cooperation with allies, as well as about $1.12 billion for hosting people from Ukraine seeking asylum, the statement said.  

Switzerland has already taken in more than 75,000 asylum seekers from Ukraine following Russia's invasion, and citizens have housed around 25,000 Ukrainians in their residences, according to the government.

The Swiss government on Wednesday reiterated its “condemnation of the attack in the strongest possible terms“ and called for the “cessation of hostilities and withdrawal of Russian troops from the entire territory of Ukraine.”

“Russia's military attack against Ukraine on 24 February 2022 marked a paradigm shift in the continent's recent history," it added.”-via CNN

~

“Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the New Start nuclear arms reduction treaty with the US will not increase the risk of a nuclear war, Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, has said.

Both chambers of Russia’s parliament voted today in favour of Vladimir Putin’s decision to suspend the treaty.

Interfax news agency has quoted Ryabkov as saying:

I do not believe that the decision to suspend the New Start Treaty brings us closer to nuclear war.

Meanwhile, a senior Russian defence official said Moscow will stick to agreed limits on nuclear missiles and keep informing the US about changes in its deployments, despite the treaty’s suspension.

A top defence ministry official, Maj-Gen Yevgeny Ilyin, told the Duma that Russia would continue to observe agreed restrictions on nuclear delivery systems - meaning missiles and strategic bomber planes, Russian state-owned Ria news agency reported.

Russia would also continue to provide the US with notifications on nuclear deployments in order “to prevent false alarms, which is important for maintaining strategic stability”, Ilyin was quoted as saying.”-via The Guardian

~

“Parts of Ukraine will heighten security this week for the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of the country, according to local officials.

Additional safety measures will be implemented in Ukraine's Kherson region, the region's military administration said in a statement Wednesday.

From February 23 to 25, additional security measures will be implemented "in connection with the possible escalation of hostilities by the enemy," the regional military administration said.

Most public offices and businesses will work remotely, with the exception of critical infrastructure facilities, it said.

The distribution of humanitarian aid and cash payments at post offices will be limited. Law enforcement officers will intensify patrols in places where possible crowds can gather, the administration said.

However, the so-called invincibility points, where people can warm up and charge their devices, will work around the clock, it said.

"We urge you to take care of your own safety and the safety of your family during this period," the administration added.

More on safety measures: The mayor of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, said Wednesday that security measures in the city will also be strengthened on February 23 and 24.

"A lot of people now ask: what will happen? I cannot say what will happen, because it depends on our opponent, our enemy. Nobody understands what is in his head, nobody knows," Terekhov said in a video address.

"Security measures will certainly be strengthened. That's for sure. A lot of people are asking whether they should go to work or not. I told my colleagues that those who find it difficult, those who are afraid, they may stay home and work remotely from there," he said. "For those who are not afraid, we are operating in the mode we always have," he added."”-via CNN

~

“Russia shelled the village of Novotiahynka in Kherson Oblast on Feb. 22, reports Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the regional military administration.

An 81-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man were killed on the spot.

Kherson Oblast has been persistently targeted by Russia, particularly in regions located on the western bank of the Dnipro River, since the regional capital Kherson was liberated in November 2022. The Russians were expelled to the river's east bank and have since been bombarding villages and cities.

Yesterday, Kherson was shelled by Russian troops while Russian President Vladimir Putin was giving a speech to the Russian political elite about how they are "not at war" with the people of Ukraine. Six people waiting at a public transport stop were killed, and 12 were injured.”-via Kyiv Independent

~

“Ukraine has not violated any agreements by deepening the Bystre Canal on the Danube to increase food exports from its river ports, and is ready to show Romania the work it has carried out, a senior Ukrainian official said on Wednesday.

Romania said this week it was concerned by signs that neighbouring Ukraine was dredging the canal that slices through a shared, ecologically sensitive coastal region, and asked if it could check the site.

Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia a year ago, said last week the draught of ships passing through the Bystre Canal had deepened to 6.5 metres from 3.9 metres.

Romania has said it is concerned that any works on the waterway through the shared Danube Delta area could threaten wildlife in the UNESCO World Heritage Site and break international environmental protection treaties.

"We officially notified the Romanian side back in August 2022 that we would carry out operational dredging, i.e. sediment clearance, and received no comments," Yuriy Vaskov, Ukraine's deputy minister for restoration, told Reuters in an interview.

The canal was 6.5 metres deep in the mid-1990s, but Ukraine has not done any dredging in recent years, resulting in an accumulation of silt.

"We see no problem - this is not new construction but operational deepening," Vaskov stated, adding that the dredging work was aimed at ensuring the canal was deep enough to allow ships of up to 6.5 metres draught.

Ukraine has been transporting grain on the Bystre Canal as it develops alternative routes for its exports while access to its Black Sea ports has been limited since”-via Reuters

~

“Two people were injured as a result of Ukrainian shelling in the town of Shebekino in Russia's Belgorod region, the region's Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said Wednesday on his Telegram channel.

The two hurt in the shelling were taken to the hospital. One is in medium-severity condition and the other is in critical condition, Gladkov said.

Because of the shelling, a fire broke out in the local mall but was extinguished, he said.

Gladkov said the village of Pervoye Tseplyaevo in the Shebekinsky urban district came under fire as well There were no casualties, but the shelling caused damage to three private houses, he said.

The “Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to shell civilian targets,” Gladkov said. “As a result of the shelling, two outbuildings caught fire. Fire crews are already at the scene,” he said.

CNN has not been able to independently verify Gladkov's claims.”-via CNN

#daily update #ukraine #russia #war in ukraine #belgorod #danube #kherson #Switzerland

[aquariasmoon]

Ok here is my actual birthday art lmao, it's still kinda shitposty and thrown together but I just wanted to draw something silly I guess 😂 I was looking up Russian birthday traditions and apparently, birthday Pie is a thing? As someone who isn't really into cake that sounds great to me. Also if your gonna light candles please be careful not to light your hair on fire, is easier than you think \(≧∇≦)ﾉ !

I liked how Yuriy's and Ivan's faces came out so here have some bonus zooms

Drawing chibis is hard! so to actually get some cute faces out is a job well done in my book lmao.

#It's still kinda a shitpost sorry lmao #beyblade #bakuten shoot beyblade #yuriy ivanov #tala ivanov #tala valkov #bryan kuznetsov #boris kuznetsov #sergei rybakov #spencer ryabkov #borg #neoborg #ivan papov #ian papov #sketch

[mariacallous]

Jan 30 (Reuters) - The United States' new ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, was heckled by a crowd of people chanting anti-U.S. slogans on Monday as she entered the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow to present her diplomatic credentials.

The group held hand-painted placards carrying messages criticising Washington, one of which read "Your tanks are killing civilians".

Protests in Russia - particularly on issues related to the war - are effectively banned unless they have the backing of the authorities.

Relations between Washington and Moscow are near all-time lows. The United States has responded to Russia's invasion of Ukraine by supplying Kyiv with weaponry - soon to include main battle tanks - and imposing a swathe of new economic sanctions on Russia, all in concert with Western allies.

While there have been occasional diplomatic accommodations, including prisoner swaps involving U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed and basketball star Brittney Griner, high-level contact between the two sides has been scarce.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Tracy he expected her to follow the principle of not interfering in Russia's internal affairs, the state-owned RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The U.S. Embassy said: "Ambassador Tracy is focused on maintaining dialogue between our capitals at a time of unprecedented tension, protecting the interests of U.S. citizens detained in Russia, and supporting ties between the American and Russian peoples."

[newstfionline]

Sunday, March 5, 2023

Storms roll east after slamming South; 10 deaths reported (AP) A large storm system took aim at the Northeast on Friday, threatening heavy snow and coastal flooding after heavy winds and possible tornadoes damaged homes and buildings, left thousands without power and caused 10 deaths in a wide swath of the South and Midwest. Three people were killed by falling trees in Alabama as severe weather swept through the state. In Mississippi, a woman died inside her SUV after a rotted tree branch struck her vehicle, and in Arkansas a man drowned after he drove into high floodwaters. News outlets reported two people died in Tennessee when trees fell on them. Three weather-related deaths also were reported in Kentucky in three different counties as storms with straight-line winds moved through the state. The National Weather Service in Louisville called the storm Friday “powerful and historic” with peak wind gusts between 60-80 mph (96-128 kph).

Technology Replaces Even The Repo Guy (Car and Driver) While companies like Google and Amazon are looking into autonomous driving technology in order to operate self-driving taxis and freight vehicles, Ford Motors is implementing the technology for a different purpose: repossessing cars. Recently, a Ford patent was formally published outlining a new suite of features in the field of vehicle repos, including a fully self-driving system that could have repo’d Fords drive themselves back to the dealer. The patent includes full- and semi-autonomous systems to aid in car repossession, alongside a few other features that might make holding onto a repo’d vehicle just plain exhausting. For example, Ford could remotely shut off an owner’s access to air conditioning, radio, or cruise control, or even play annoying sounds through the car stereo to ward off an owner from using their car. The systems could even escalate to fully turning off the car’s ability to drive. Most of these intermediary steps would be taken before the car actually up and drives itself back to a dealership.

Argentina inflation seen speeding in 2023, central bank poll shows (Reuters) Argentina’s inflation rate is seen hitting 99.9% in 2023, speeding up from last year’s rate and topping previous estimates which saw a slightly slower rise, according to a central bank poll of analysts released Friday. The forecast, which is 2.3 percentage points above the 2023 rate projected in last month’s poll, comes amid a prolonged financial and social crisis in one of Latin America’s largest economies. The annual inflation rate in 2022 hit 94.8%, according to Argentina’s statistics institute.

In Britain, ‘warm hubs’ emerge to beat soaring energy costs (AP) On a blustery late-winter day in Shakespeare’s birthplace, the foyer of the Other Place theater is a cozy refuge. Visitors are having meetings over coffee, checking emails, writing poetry, learning to sew. It looks and feels like an arty café in the picturesque streets of Stratford-upon-Avon, but it’s a “warm hub” set up by the Royal Shakespeare Company drama troupe to welcome people struggling to heat their homes because of sky-high energy prices. Warm hubs have sprouted across Britain by the thousands this winter as soaring food and energy prices drive millions to turn down the thermostat or skimp on hot meals. Research by the opposition Labour Party counted almost 13,000 such hubs, funded by a mix of charities, community groups and the government and nestled in libraries, churches, community centers and even a tearoom at King Charles III’s Highgrove country estate.

U.N. Russian Official Warns of Nuclear Clashes (Foreign Policy) Speaking at a U.N. conference in Geneva on the subject of nuclear disarmament, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that western support for Ukraine could lead to a nuclear conflict. Ryabkov blamed “the U.S. and NATO policy of fueling the conflict in Ukraine” and warned “increasing involvement in the military confrontation is fraught with a direct military clash of nuclear powers with catastrophic consequences.” That Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended Russian participation in the 2010 New START nuclear treaty was, Ryabkov stressed, a response to this involvement. Ryabkov did say that Russia would continue to respect caps on nuclear weapons under the treaty.

Heavy fighting as Russians advance in Bakhmut (Washington Post) The battle for Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine continued to rage Friday, with Russian forces “constantly hitting the city randomly with artillery, Grads and mortars,” Ukrainian soldier Yuriy Syrotyuk, 46, who is stationed in the north of the city with Ukraine’s Fifth Independent Assault Brigade, said by phone. But Ukrainian forces were still in control of some parts of Bakhmut and have not been ordered to retreat, Syrotyuk said, despite new claims Friday from Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, that Russian forces have “practically surrounded” the city. Other Ukrainian soldiers said that further reinforcements were being deployed to Bakhmut, even as some specialized units were told to redeploy to long-planned fallback positions. Ukrainian troops have pleaded for additional support from the West to push back the Russians from the city, whose value has become largely symbolic over the past months as the Ukrainians have resisted ceding territory in the east. One of the greatest challenges continues to be a lack of ammunition.

The E.U. Offered to Embrace Ukraine, but Now What? (NYT) When the European Union offered Ukraine a path to membership last year, it was in many ways an emotional response to the Russian invasion. Leaders were under pressure to show solidarity with the victims of aggression, even though many opposed the idea. Since then, preoccupied with passing sanctions, scrounging up aid and scouring military inventories to send Ukraine weapons, few in Europe have focused seriously on what that commitment might actually mean. But this is a courtship with consequences for the future, not only for Ukraine’s aspirations and survival, but also for Europe’s own security and finances. Ukrainian membership would reshape the bloc and its relationship with a post-conflict Russia. Tensions are already growing between Europe’s desire to maintain its tough requirements and Ukraine’s demand for quick entry into a promised land that has given hope to the embattled country. European Union officials like Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, have been slow-walking expectations for Ukraine, a country that nearly all agree is fundamentally unprepared to join.

Afghan Women, Banned From Working, Can’t Provide for Their Children (WSJ) Since toppling the U.S.-backed government in 2021, the Taliban has introduced a series of restrictions aimed at squeezing women out of public life in Afghanistan. Girls over sixth grade can no longer go to school, Afghan universities no longer accept female students and women are barred from most public-sector jobs. The employment ban is deepening a humanitarian crisis and putting the livelihood of whole families at risk. Widows are especially vulnerable.

Protests break out in Iran over schoolgirl illnesses (Reuters) Worried parents protested in Iran's capital Tehran and other cities on Saturday over a wave of suspected poison attacks that have affected schoolgirls in dozens of schools, according to Iranian news agencies and social media videos. The so-far unexplained illnesses have affected hundreds of schoolgirls in recent months. Iranian officials believe the girls may have been poisoned and have blamed Tehran's enemies. The country's health minister has said the girls have suffered "mild poison" attacks and some politicians have suggested the girls could have been targeted by hardline Islamist groups opposed to girls' education. Sickness affected more than 30 schools in at least 10 of Iran's 31 provinces on Saturday. Videos posted on social media showed parents gathered at schools to take their children home and some students being taken to hospitals by ambulance or buses.

The proud Pakistani tradition of feeding the hungry is strained as food prices soar (NPR) Since the pandemic, Pakistan has been battered by calamities that have pushed up the price of food and fuel: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and two events made more extreme by climate change: a spring heatwave that shriveled harvests, then summer floods that drowned them. Now there’s an economic crisis so dire, the country risks default. Inflation reached nearly 25% last year, but the figure conceals dramatic variations. In poorer rural areas, prices of food rose even higher. Now, the World Food Programme expects that 5.1 million people are likely to be a step away from famine-levels of hunger by the end of March—an increase of 1.1 million people from the previous quarter. “That number is frightening,” says Chris Kaye, the Pakistan country director of the WFP. And it has put a proud Pakistani tradition of feeding the hungry under strain just when it is needed the most.

Why are China’s tech leaders still disappearing if the crackdown is over? (Washington Post) China’s legendary tech dealmaker Bao Fan hasn’t been seen for almost three weeks. Stock prices have plunged for his investment bank China Renaissance, once known for brokering the country’s biggest tech mergers, and all it has said is that Bao is “assisting the government of the People’s Republic of China with an investigation.” Another titan of China’s tech world, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, was spotted days ago in Melbourne, Australia. While keeping a low profile since regulators put the brakes on his planned record-breaking IPO after he criticized them publicly, Ma has also turned up in Spain and Japan. Bao and Ma aren’t the only tech leaders in China who have vanished from public view seemingly at the peak of their influence. Many of the country’s top business executives and influencers—bankers, property developers, movie stars like Fan Bingbing and e-commerce superseller Austin Li—have gone missing without explanation as their power and influence have grown. Some were later hit with fines and accused of offenses like tax evasion or fraud. Officials have said that the crackdown on the tech industry, which saw a flurry of regulations torpedo the influence of companies from gaming to online education, has ended. But Bao Fan’s disappearance—the latest evidence of the government’s willingness to rein in even the most powerful executives—has shaken investor confidence and undermined Beijing’s insistence it supports the private sector.

World Bank: Quake caused damage worth $5.1 billion in Syria (AP) The World Bank said Friday that Syria sustained an estimated $5.1 billion in damages in last month’s massive earthquake that struck southeast Turkey and northern parts of the war-torn country. The quake killed at least 50,000 people, including about 6,000 in Syria, according to the United Nations. Tens of thousands are still missing and hundreds of thousands were left homeless. In a report released Friday, the World Bank says the level of the damage in Syria is about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product. Syria’s northern province of Aleppo was the most severely hit region, accounting for 45% of the total damages in Syria and amounting to about $2.3 billion in damages. Also badly hit was the rebel-held region in the northwest, home to some 4.6 million people, many of them previously displaced by Syria’s war.

#headlines #news

[beardedmrbean]

US basketball player Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian court but has denied deliberately breaking the law.

The Olympic gold medallist was detained in February at an airport near Moscow when cannabis oil vape cartridges were allegedly found in her luggage.

"I was in a rush packing and the cartridges accidentally ended up in my bag," she told the court in Khimki.

Her trial began last week on charges that could mean 10 years in jail.

Griner's wife earlier called on President Joe Biden to do "whatever is necessary" to secure her release. Mr Biden told Cherelle Griner he was working to have her freed as soon as possible.

The 31-year-old basketball star, who is accused of possessing and smuggling drugs, had already sent the president a letter saying she was "terrified [she] might be here forever".

Russian government officials have warned the US not to "make noise in public about the case". "The hype and working on the public, with all the love for this genre among modern politicians, currently only disturbs" the court process, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

"I'd like to plead guilty, your honour. But there was no intent. I didn't want to break the law," Brittney Griner told the court in English. In handcuffs and wearing a red T-shirt and trousers, she said she would like to give her testimony later and needed time to prepare. The trial was then adjourned for a week.

Griner is one of the most successful players in the women's professional league in the US, with WNBA team Phoenix Mercury. She has won WNBA and Euroleague titles as well as two Olympic golds. She had travelled to Russia to play club basketball during the off-season and has featured in EuroLeague team UMMC Ekaterinburg since 2014.

Cannabis oil is illegal in Russia, but her high-profile arrest at Sheremetyevo airport near Moscow came a week before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Relations between the US and Russia are in a parlous state and it took several months before the Biden administration made her case a priority. A US National Security Council spokeswoman said on Thursday she was wrongfully detained by Russia under "intolerable circumstances".

Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted that US embassy officials had attended Thursday's hearing and had handed Griner a letter from President Biden: "We will not relent until Brittney, Paul Whelan, and all other wrongfully detained Americans are reunited with their loved ones."

Whelan is serving a 16-year jail term on spying charges rejected by his family as nonsense.

Russia has denied that the player's detention is connected to the icy diplomatic relations with the US, but John Garamendi, a member of the US Congress, warned last month that the war could exacerbate the issue. "We don't want Ms Griner to become a pawn in the political battle that's being waged throughout the world right now."

There has been speculation that even if Brittney Griner is given a jail term Russia may be prepared to exchange her or Paul Whelan for a high-profile Russian prisoner in a US jail, such as arms dealer Viktor Bout. Dubbed "Merchant of Death", Bout was jailed for 25 years after he was caught in a US sting operation in Thailand.

Cherelle Griner earlier told a rally organised by her wife's Phoenix Mercury team: "I'm frustrated that 140 days have passed since my wife has been able to speak to me, to our family and to our friends. I'm frustrated that my wife is not going to get justice."

#nunyas news #now to see if clemency is granted

[christinamac1]

US nuclear weapons in Poland would be priority military target – Moscow

Warsaw wants to host NATO arms under the bloc’s sharing scheme  https://www.rt.com/russia/596553-ryabkov-nuclear-weapons-poland/ Russia would consider foreign deployments of nuclear weapons in Poland a primary military target, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has warned. Warsaw is in talks with Washington on potentially hosting nuclear arms as part of a NATO program. President Andrzej…

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