A News Aggregator That Covers The World's Major Wars And Conflicts. Military, Political, And Intelligence News Are Also Covered. Occasionally We Will Have Our Own Opinions Or Observations To Make.
WNU Editor: A friend told me this news just a few minutes ago. I have no way to verify its accuracy. The wire services are saying nothing. Both the UN and NATO press offices are quiet.
I also have no information on what will be said.
My friend thinks it will be an acceptance of Ukraine's application to quickly join NATO.
I doubt it.
But if it happens a joint statement from the heads of NATO and the UN on a Friday evening is unprecedented. And if it is support of Ukraine's fast track application to join NATO, war tensions are going to escalate.
I am about to give a presentation to a business group on the current geopolitical situation in the world, and what I see trending in 2023. I will not be in front of a computer until later this evening.
If this joint statement does come out later today, I will (of course) post and analyze it. If this is all a false alarm. I will be relieved, and will sleep easier tonight.
Update: In separate announcements, N Secretary General Guterres and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg denounced Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory.
KYIV (Reuters) -President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced a surprise bid for fast-track membership of the NATO military alliance on Friday and ruled out talks with President Vladimir Putin, striking back at Moscow after it said it had annexed four Ukrainian regions.
Zelenskiy signed the NATO application papers in an online video clearly intended as a forceful rebuttal to the Kremlin after Putin held a ceremony in Moscow to proclaim the four partially occupied regions as annexed Russian land.
"We are taking our decisive step by signing Ukraine's application for accelerated accession to NATO," Zelenskiy said in the video on the Telegram app.
WNU Editor: NATO is not going to accept to Ukraine's application in the current environment. If accepted this would mean war between NATO and Russia. This has all the looks of desperation.
Ukraine President Zelensky Formally Applies For Fast-Track NATO Membership
* President Putin has declared that four region of Ukraine which his troops partly occupy are now part of Russia
* He ordered Ukraine and its Western allies to stop attacks on them, vowing to use 'all forces' to protect them
* That raises fears he will resort to using Russia's huge nuclear arsenal, as the war enters a dangerous moment
* Vow could be put to immediate test, with thousands of Russian troops thought to be surrounded in Donetsk
Vladimir Putin has declared that occupied parts of Ukraine are now part of Russia after staging sham referendums in four regions, vowing to use 'all our forces to defend them' as the war enters a dangerous new phase.
The Russian despot, speaking in front of his cronies in Moscow, gave his own warped interpretation of events - saying that 'millions of people' in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia had 'opted' to become vassals of Russia and he would accept their choice, despite voting being carried out at gunpoint and in the midst of a war.
'They are our people, forever,' he said to a standing ovation inside the Kremlin's grand Georgian Hall before calling on Ukraine and its Western allies to abandon hopes of re-taking them, repeating a threat to use 'all forces' to defend the 'new territories' - once again raising fears that he could escalate to using Russia's huge nuclear arsenal.
The US will never recognize Russia's claims on Ukrainian territory, said President Biden, calling the annexation 'referendums' an absolute sham. pic.twitter.com/4s4jho1lok
#BREAKING Nord Stream leaks in Baltic Sea due to blasts equal to 'several hundred kilos' of TNT explosive: Danish-Swedish report to UN pic.twitter.com/l1mThrAP1z
• Blast at a Kabul education center leaves at least 19 dead • Russia set to announce annexation of up to 15% of Ukraine's territory • After Florida, Hurricane Ian regains strength as it heads for South Carolina
A revived Hurricane Ian is bearing down on South Carolina’s coast and the historic city of Charleston, with forecasters predicting a storm surge and floods. Earlier, the megastorm caused catastrophic damage in Florida, causing at least four deaths. https://t.co/WAcHRh9UZB
#UPDATE Eurozone consumer prices skyrocketed by a record 10% in September, official data showed on Friday, as inflation reached double digits on the back of soaring energy prices caused by Russia's war in Ukraine ▶️ https://t.co/QMYanrVTR3pic.twitter.com/WifGyQydOv
South Korea, U.S. and Japanese warships have launched their first anti-submarine drills in five years, after North Korea renewed ballistic missile tests this week. https://t.co/2eewg5vaGJ
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit in Kyiv, Ukraine September 8, 2022. Genya Savilov/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
KYIV, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will hold an emergency top-level meeting on Friday where "fundamental decisions" will be taken in the wake of Russian plans to annex four Ukrainian regions, an official said on Thursday.
The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin will sign documents on Friday proclaiming Moscow's annexation of regions where Russia organised what Kyiv and the West said were sham referendums staged on Russian-held Ukrainian territory.
WNU Editor: With the Kremlin announcing the annexation of four regions later today and with 300,000 Russian soldiers being called-up to be deployed to Ukraine in the next few months, the war is now entering a very different phase, and Zelensky knows it.
Morgan Stanley’s Chief U.S. Equity Strategist Michael Wilson said that he’s convinced a corporate earnings recession is coming—and that it could be worse than a “normal” recession.
Wilson said in a Sept. 26 interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that his team at Morgan Stanley is looking closely at the U.S. business earnings story and the impact of corporate profits on equities, which have been on a wild ride in recent months.
“We think it’s unavoidable … to avoid an earnings recession and that’s what matters for stocks,” Wilson said, with his remarks coming on the same day that the so-called Wall Street fear gauge soared to its highest level since mid-June when U.S. equities last hit a bear market bottom.
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary cannot support the European Union's planned eighth round of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine if those contain energy sanctions, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday.
The EU executive proposed on Wednesday fresh sanctions against Russia, including tighter trade restrictions, more individual blacklistings and an oil price cap for third countries.
The proposed sanctions fall short of harder-hitting measures, including a ban on importing Russian diamonds, sought by Russia hawks Poland and the three Baltic countries.
The US urged energy infrastructure operators, including LNG carriers heading for Europe, to be on high alert after suspected sabotage hit gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany.
“Everybody should be on high alert,” US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Wednesday in Vienna. She called for an “expedited investigation” into who bears responsibility for three blasts that targeted the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines off the German coast.
The Biden administration’s top energy official spoke in an interview at the International Atomic Energy Agency, where the US has this week been warning about Russia’s stranglehold on nuclear fuel markets. Germany’s Interior Ministry issued a general security threat on Wednesday after ruling out natural causes for the blasts on the Baltic Sea pipelines.
WNU Editor: I will not be surprised that besides the U.S. and northern Europe a number of other countries around the world are now increasing their security on critical infrastructure. The Nord Stream pipeline attacks have clearly shaken most governments, and I shudder on what would be the reaction if another attack that is equivalent to the Nord Stream attack should happen again somewhere in the world.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a meeting on the sidelines of a summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies in the Japanese city of Osaka, June 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)
“They could let Mr. Putin know what a disastrously bad idea any use of nuclear weapons would be,” one U.S. official said.
The U.S. and its allies are hoping to rally the international community to send an unmistakable message to Vladimir Putin: Using nuclear weapons would prompt a crippling economic and diplomatic response, even from Russia’s friends.
In particular, calls are growing inside and outside the Biden administration to enlist China and India, two major powers with close ties to Moscow, to amp up the pressure on Putin by signaling that even a limited nuclear strike in Ukraine would sever what few global lifelines Russia has left.
WNU Editor: India is going to stay neutral, and China is not going to undermine their strategic partner Russia. In fact. Chinese state media is now openly "hinting" that it was the US that sabotaged the Nord Stream pipelines, and is the one that is escalating the Russia - Ukraine war .... Nord Stream pipeline leaks fuel West-Russia info war, intensify confrontation (Global Times).
Europe is home to the most Chinese 'overseas police service stations'
China has opened dozens of "overseas police service stations" around the globe to monitor its citizens living abroad, including one location in New York City and three in Toronto.
"These operations eschew official bilateral police and judicial cooperation and violate the international rule of law, and may violate the territorial integrity in third countries involved in setting up a parallel policing mechanism using illegal methods," reads a report by Safeguard Defenders, a human rights watchdog, released earlier this month.
The report, titled "110 Overseas: Chinese Transnational Policing Gone Wild," details China's extensive efforts to combat "fraud" by its citizens living overseas, in part by opening several police stations on five continents that have assisted Chinese authorities in "carrying out policing operations on foreign soil."
* The US Navy is ready to deploy a new first-in-class supercarrier for the first time in over four decades.
* The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford will set sail on its maiden deployment next week from Hampton Roads, Virginia.
* The Ford's first deployment comes four years after the ship was first expected to deploy.
The $13 billion lead ship of a new class of advanced US Navy aircraft carriers is about to finally set sail on its first deployment after years of costly setbacks and delays that have at times made it the target of fierce criticism.
The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which was commissioned over five years ago and has been over a decade in the making, will deploy for the first time next week on a short, service-retained deployment, Vice Adm. Daniel Dwyer, US 2nd Fleet commander, told reporters.
Norway and Denmark will increase security and surveillance around their energy infrastructure sites after the alleged sabotage of Russia's Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea.
Major leaks struck two underwater natural gas pipelines running from Russia to Germany, with experts reporting that explosions rattled the Baltic Sea beforehand.
Norway -- an oil-rich nation and Europe's biggest supplier of gas -- will strengthen security at its land and offshore installations, the country's energy minister said.
WNU Editor: The Nord Stream pipeline attacks occurred in a region where the maritime security was the responsibility of Denmark and Sweden. This is a major failure on their part, and not surprising they are now reacting to it.
European Nations Tighten Energy Infrastructure Security After Nord Stream Gas Pipeline 'Attack'
* Reuters reported that China told state-owned banks to get ready to sell dollars and buy yuan in an effort to prop up the local currency.
* The move could stem the yuan's fall, as it remains on track for its largest annual loss against the dollar since 1994.
* A hawkish Fed has pushed the dollar to 20-year highs this year, pressuring currencies around the world.
The People's Bank of China has told major state-run banks to prepare to shed dollar holdings while snapping up offshore yuan, which has continued to fall despite prior interventions, sources told Reuters.
The scale of this latest effort to prop up the yuan will be big and could provide a floor to the Chinese currency, according to the report.
The amount of dollars to be sold hasn't been decided yet, but Reuters said it will primarily involve the state banks' currency reserves. Their offshore branches, including those based in Hong Kong, New York and London, were ordered to review offshore yuan holdings and check to see that dollar reserves are ready.
WNU Editor: IMHO there are three reasons why China will start to dump the US dollar. (1) The first is to prop up the yuan. (2) The second is to not possess US dollar reserves. China saw how the U.S. seized Russia's foreign currency holdings, and Beijing does not want to be positioned to have the same thing happen to them. (3) The third reason is that many in China believe the U.S. economy is on the road to a slow collapse, and what better way to bail-out is when the US dollar is as high as high as it is right now .... Is the US economy about to tank? (Gregory K. Tanaka, China Daily).
DUBAI, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Leading OPEC+ members have begun discussions about an oil output cut at the group's next meeting on Oct. 5, three sources told Reuters.
One OPEC source told Reuters a cut was "likely", while two other OPEC+ sources said key members had spoken about the topic.
A source familiar with Russian thinking told Reuters earlier this week that Moscow could suggest a cut of up to 1 million barrels per day (bpd).
The latest comments suggest that key OPEC members have started communicating over the matter, although the volume of any potential cut is still unclear.
Next week's meeting takes place against a backdrop of falling oil prices from multi-year highs hit in March, and severe market volatility.
WNU Editor: My gut tells me that there will be a push at this OPEC+ meeting to cut production that will deliberately and significantly raise oil and gas prices to impact the US midterm elections, while bleeding the US strategic oil reserves at the same time.
OPEC+ To Meet On October 5 To Discuss Production Cuts
KABUL (Reuters) - The Taliban have signed a provisional deal with Russia to supply gasoline, diesel, gas and wheat to Afghanistan, Acting Afghan Commerce and Industry Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi told Reuters.
Azizi said his ministry was working to diversify its trading partners and that Russia had offered the Taliban administration a discount to average global commodity prices.
The move, the first known major international economic deal struck by the Taliban since they returned to power more than a year ago, could help to ease the Islamist movement's isolation that has effectively cut it off from the global banking system.
"Any deliberate attack against allies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response,” the military alliance said after the Nord Stream explosions.
LONDON — NATO on Thursday left the door open to possible military action in response to what it said was deliberate sabotage after explosions on underwater natural gas pipelines between Russia and Europe.
“All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage,” it said in a statement.
Western governments have pointed the finger of blame for the leaks at Russia, which has flatly denied any suggestion it was responsible for explosions that caused them.
WNU Editor: The NATO statement is brief and very clear (link here) ....
.... The damage to the Nordstream 1 and Nordstream 2 pipelines in international waters in the Baltic Sea is of deep concern. All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage. We support the investigations underway to determine the origin of the damage.
“We, as allies, have committed to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics by state and non-state actors. Any deliberate attack against allies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response.”
Even though Russia is the majority owner of the Nord Stream pipelines, it has European partners in what is (was) a critical part of Europe's energy infrastructure.
Brazil’s upcoming presidential election has been shrouded by an unprecedented climate of tension and violence.
As the Oct. 2 vote approaches, episodes of harassment and attacks have intensified, with even neutral players like poll institutes turning into targets.
Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who aims to be reelected, is currently lagging in the main polls behind leftwing former President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva.
And the battle between these two very different household names has divided the nation – with experts saying the level of political anger is different this year.
DAVIDKOVO, Bulgaria (Reuters) - Bulgarians bracing for their fourth election in less than two years face a winter of want amid soaring inflation driven by the war in Ukraine, making many yearn for good government and stability after years of political turmoil.
At stake is the next government's ability to tackle rocketing energy costs and secure gas supplies at affordable prices after Russia's cutoff in April over Bulgaria's refusal to pay in roubles following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
But fractious coalition-building is expected to drag out after the Oct. 2 vote amid deep rifts within the political elite over how to root out entrenched corruption, and the failure of a smattering of new parties to build a sustainable voter base.
WNU Editor: This is the fourth election in two years, and there are 28 political parties on the ballot. And while more than half are defending or actively promoting the Kremlin’s positions, the expectation is that there will be no clear winner when the results are finalized.
Bulgarians Go to The Polls To Elect A New Government On Sunday
#UPDATE Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed the leaks on "international terrorism".
He described them as "unprecedented sabotage" in a phone call with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to a Kremlin readout https://t.co/ZoLbKedbkS
President Biden said the U.S. will never recognize Russia’s claims on Ukraine's sovereign territory. Biden denounced referendums that pro-Russian forces conducted in areas of Ukraine as an ‘absolute sham,' saying the results were ‘manufactured in Moscow' https://t.co/6jgKcOjsLupic.twitter.com/njfbErD0Sf
Many draft-age men in Russia are hastily marrying their partners after President Vladimir Putin announced a martial mobilization order to bolster his army in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/g8VKx8Bewq
A fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines has been reported off southern Sweden. Earlier, three leaks had been reported on the two underwater pipelines running from Russia to Germany. https://t.co/mtxEtRpjAi
Emergency crews took to helicopters and boats to rescue residents of Florida's Gulf Coast stranded by floodwaters, downed power lines and piles of debris left behind by Hurricane Ian's destructive march across the state https://t.co/UZnWja8BWgpic.twitter.com/OlEhnrdAgG
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) September 29, 2022
Hurricane Ian has been downgraded to a tropical storm, but is forecast to return to near-hurricane strength ahead of a second predicted landfall in South Carolina on Friday.@marthakelner is in Florida, assessing the devastation wrought by the storm.https://t.co/ywCmozmdM2pic.twitter.com/ZkdItBiN2u
Stocks fell broadly on Wall Street Thursday as worries about a possible recession and rising bond yields put the squeeze back on markets. The S&P 500 fell 2.1%, reaching its lowest level since late 2020. https://t.co/GEJdwLiSZo
Germany's coalition government has approved new arms export deals to Saudi Arabia — the contracts were reportedly approved before Chancellor Scholz's visit to the Gulf last weekend. https://t.co/Q6KBSXBDal
VP Harris visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to show America's 'rock-solid commitment' to South Korea's security
Vice President Kamala Harris made an unfortunate gaffe during her speech at the Korean Peninsula's Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Thursday, saying that the U.S. has a "strong alliance" with "the Republic of North Korea."
"It is an alliance that is strong and enduring," she added, intending to refer to the Republic of Korea, which is South Korea's official name.
The vice president then continued her remarks by professing the U.S.' support for South Korea's defense against the increasingly aggressive North Korean government.
Russia will on Friday begin formally annexing up to 18% of Ukrainian territory, with President Vladimir Putin expected to host a ceremony in the Kremlin to declare four occupied Ukrainian territories part of Russia.
The ceremony would take place on Friday at 15:00 local time (08:00 ET) in the Kremlin’s St. George’s Hall, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Putin will deliver a speech and meet with Russian-backed leaders of the four occupied regions on the sidelines of the ceremony, he added.
Next week, Russia’s two houses of parliament – the State Duma and Federation Council – will consider the annexation.
WNU Editor: Russia’s two houses of parliament, the State Duma and Federation Council, will make this into law next week.
After this passage I expect the rules of engagement and deployment of forces to the Ukraine war-zone will be radically changing. For example. This will no longer be classified as a "special operation". Instead it will be classified as an "anti-terrorism" operation.
In A Kremlin Ceremony Tomorrow Russia Will Formally Annex Four Regions Of Ukraine
Giving a presentation in Toronto tomorrow. It is a rush thing, and I am preparing for it right now. Flying out tonight, and returning Saturday evening.
I gave a presentation last week to a business group on what to expect geopolitically in the spring of 2023 and beyond. Apparently I freaked-out a lot of people who were there on what I see is trending, especially on the war, and after the Nord Stream pipeline attacks this week they now want me to present it to a larger audience tomorrow.
Needless to say blogging will be light until then, but I have time posted a number of interesting stories for Friday and Saturday that I know will be of interest to the followers of this blog.
Dariali, Georgia CNN — With one bag in each hand and another on his back, Denis makes his way up a hill on foot, having just crossed the border from Russia into Georgia.
“I’m just tired. That’s the only thing I feel,” the 27-year-old says as he tries to catch his breath.
Denis has just spent six days on the road, most of them just waiting in line to cross the border. He is one of the hundreds of thousands of Russians enduring a grueling marathon journey to leave their country.
Though women and children are among those crossing, most are fighting-age men who fear the possibility that they will be drafted to fight the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.
According to the Georgian Interior Ministry, at least 10,000 have been coming through the Lars border crossing daily.
WNU Editor: Some are wondering if this partial mobilization announcement is a step too far for Putin ..... Is Vladimir Putin's 'partial' Ukraine War mobilization a step too far for Russians? (Peter Weber, The Week). I do not think so. A certain percentage of Russians are against Putin and this war (I would estimate around 20%), and a certain portion of this 20% are the ones who are leaving and/or trying to leave. I expect this flood of Russians leaving the country to decrease in the coming weeks.
I do agree with the growing sentiment among those who are fleeing Russia that the worst is yet to come.
The Ukraine war is seen by the Kremlin, and by the vast majority of Russians, as an existential fight that must be won at all cost. The US President is also on the public record that Russia cannot be permitted to win in Ukraine, and all the resources of the US government will be used to make sure that happens. In such an environment where there are no brakes to stop any escalation. It can only get worse.
Ukrainian army soldier Dasha, 22, checks her phone after a military sweep on the outskirts of Kyiv last Friday (April 6, 2022). Smartphones have been essential for combatants and civilians in the war and have provided a means to share footage directly from the scene of fighting. (Rodrigo Abd/The Associated Press)
Stunning audio intercepted by Ukrainian law enforcement of Russian soldiers calling home reveals potential evidence of war crimes and the rank and file’s pure contempt for Vladimir Putin.
In the shocking audio obtained by The New York Times, the soldiers paint a truly dire picture of their circumstance and rage against the man responsible for putting them there.
“Putin is a fool,” a soldier identified as Aleksandr said on one call.
“He wants to take Kyiv, but there’s no way we can do it.”
“When I come home, I’m quitting,” said soldier Vlad. “Fuck the army.”
“I’ve never seen so many corpses in my fucking life,” added a soldier named Sergey.
“It’s just completely fucked.”
In one call to his girlfriend, Sergey said that he’d been given an order to kill civilians.
WNU Editor: I read the New York Times article (behind a paywall), and I am skeptical. Russian soldiers are strictly prohibited (under heavy penalties) to have a cell phone as explained by Moon of Alabama below:
Recordings "obtained by Ukrainian law enforcement agencies". Only one identity confirmed. Other 'verified' by comparing "social media profiles" (faked or not - we don't know). Calls "edited for clarity and length".
Reminder: Soldiers of the Army of the Russian Federation are NOT allowed to carry or use mobile phones. The policy is strongly enforced on all levels. Despite that the Ukrainian Secret Service has published many "Russian phone calls" with lots of nonsense. https://t.co/1dyRCmQjCS
Russian media is also posting similar stories on what Ukrainian soldiers are saying on their cell phones. I am also skeptical about that. Ukrainian soldiers are now facing the same prohibitions of having a mobile phone in a war-zone.
I do acknowledge that some soldiers will go out of their way to try and have a mobile phone in a war-zone. But the risks are great, and you are only painting a target sign on your back.
