Press review: Biden’s political career looks doomed and S. Africa wagers on Russia, China

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, January 23rd

https://russiancouncil.ru/analytics-and-comments/analytics/bengalskie-ogni-dlya-poyasa-i-puti-spetsifika-kursa-bangladesh/
РСМД :: Бенгальские огни для «Пояса и пути»: специфика курса Бангладеш

❗️Dmitry Medvedev has made a number of statements:

• The past year has shown who is Russia's friend and "with whom there is nothing to negotiate";

• The SMO was a forced last resort in response to preparations for aggression by the US and its satellites;

• The world came close to the threat of the Third World War because of the forthcoming aggression against Russia;

• United Russia party should build a dialogue with ideologically close parties abroad.

Poland Considered Carving Up Parts Of Ukraine — Official

Radek Sikorski, a Polish MEP and his country’s former foreign minister, has said that Warsaw initially considered taking over parts of Ukraine during the early days of Russia’s special military operation.

Speaking to a local radio station, Sikorski gave a response to whether Poland sought to partition its neighbor. “I think [the Polish government] had a moment of hesitation in the first 10 days of the war, when we all didn't know how it would go, that maybe Ukraine would fall,” the official said, adding, “were it not for Zelensky’s heroism and the help of the West, things could have been different.”

Sikorski was lambasted for making the comments, including by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who accused the MEP of parroting “Russian propaganda.”

In his turn, Sikorski accused the PM of “feeding Russian propaganda” by proposing to send NATO forces into Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia, back in March.

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Russia condemns Quran burning in Stockholm — ambassador at large
On Saturday, January 21, Rasmus Paludan, leader of the extreme rightist party Hard Line, burned a sacred for the Muslims book, the Holy Quran, in protest against Turkey's position on a number of issues on the international agenda

#Opinion by Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

💬 The American mainstream media has once again provided a platform for the “Russian opposition.” This role has traditionally been played by Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Garry Kasparov. This time, the “collective Garry Khodor” published an article in Foreign Affairs on their plans for “rebuilding Russia.” These marginal figures’ decline is so obvious that the stupidity of Western propaganda is actually embarrassing. Khodorkovsky and Kasparov shared with the world how they would change Russia, after they betrayed Russia.

However, their article is basically plagiarism as it lacks any reference to their source of inspiration or the original creators of the concept.

Compare for yourself.

👇👇👇

Khodorkovsky and Kasparov: “Pro-democracy Russians who reject the totalitarian Putin regime—a group to which the authors belong—are doing what they can to help Ukraine <…>”

A quote from their role model: “There is a growing awareness in the leading circles of the army and the general public of the futility and pointlessness of further warfare, which only leads to millions of deaths and the destruction of material values.”

Khodorkovsky and Kasparov: “Putin’s military defeat would help catalyze a political transformation in Russia, making it possible for those seeking a brighter future to dismantle the old regime and forge a new political reality. The Russian Action Committee has laid out a blueprint for this transformation, aiming to reestablish the Russian state.”

Their inspirer: “To unite the Russian people and lead their struggle against the hated regime, to cooperate with Germany in the fight against Bolshevism for the construction of a New Europe, we, the sons of our people and patriots of our Fatherland, have created the Russian Committee."

Khodorkovsky and Kasparov: “The Russian Action Committee, a coalition of opposition groups in exile that we co-founded in May 2022, aims to ensure that Ukraine is justly compensated for the damage caused by Putin’s aggression, that all war criminals are held accountable, and that Russia is transformed.”

Original author yet to be named: “Taking into account the internal situation of the Soviet Union, the growing opposition against the existing regime, as well as the international situation <...> the Russian army will give legitimacy to the opposition movement and with one blow, will eliminate most doubts and hesitations that exist in the occupied and non-occupied areas and hinder the creation of a new order.” “Therefore, the Committee for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia supports all revolutionary and opposition forces.”

Kasparov and Khodorkovsky: “Immediately after assuming power, the state council would conclude a peace agreement with Ukraine”

The founder of this philosophy: “The Committee for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia aims to end the war and conclude an honourable peace.”

Khodorkovsky and Kasparov: “And deeper integration with Europe, coupled with the conditional easing of Western sanctions, could help Russia do the same [overcome a fascist heritage].”

The founder of the idea: “The place of the Russian people in the family of European peoples, its place in New Europe will depend on the degree of its involvement in the struggle <...> The Russian Committee aims to create a New Russia in commonwealth with Germany and other peoples of Europe.”

So, Garry Khodor's inspiration came from none other than Lieutenant General Andrei Vlasov – one of the most eminent traitors to the Russian people and our country.

<...>

❗️ Khodorkovsky and Kasparov with their minions are Vlasov's heirs and propagators of his ideas. They are petty plagiarists as well.

Bhola North-2 to produce 20mmcfd gas | Print Version
https://www.daily-sun.com/printversion/details/669945/Bhola-North2-to-produce-20mmcfd-gas

⚡️Brazil President Lula Proposes Talks on Creation of BRICS Currency & Common Market (Reports)

BREAKING @RT_India_official

⚡️ Заявление Специального представителя Министра иностранных дел Российской Федерации по вопросам сотрудничества в области соблюдения права на свободу вероисповедания, посла по особым поручениям МИД России Г.И.Аскальдовича об очередном провокационном акте исламофобии

💬 В субботу 21 января в Стокгольме прошла очередная безобразная и провокационная атака радикалов на ислам. Известный своими выходками лидер правоэкстремистской партии «Жесткий курс» Р.Палудан в знак протеста против позиции Турции по ряду вопросов международной повестки сжег сакральную для мусульман книгу – священный Коран. Акция была проведена с ведома шведских правоохранительных органов, прикрывшихся «свободой слова».

❗️Мы стали свидетелями того, как политическая распущенность и вседозволенность, прикрытая благовидными словами о «свободе слова и самовыражения», выливается в разжигание межрелигиозной розни, оскорбление чувств верующих – на этот раз мусульман.

💬 "Looking at what Meta is doing here, it's actually the social media arm of the State Department effectively saying, they've been incorporated into the military. Well, yes, there is a significant far-right fascist neo-Nazi force in the Ukrainian military that's been known for many years now," says Chris Garaffa, a technologist and cohost of the CovertAction Bulletin podcast.

🎧 Listen to more of Garaffa's analysis in our podcast Fault Lines: NATO in Brussels, Belmarsh Tribunal, GA Trooper Kills Protestor

❗️ The president of Belarus, Alexandr Lukashenko, said that the West has not abandoned its plans regarding Belarus, and the West continues to train militants and extremists in Ukraine.

💬 "I do not know why the Ukrainians did this. On the one hand, they ask us not to fight with Ukraine under any circumstances, so that our troops haven't moved there. A non-aggression pact is proposed to be concluded. And on the other hand, they prepare this explosive mixture and arm them. Poland and Lithuania are generally crazy. Why do they need it? Unclear. Therefore, we are forced to react harshly." Lukashenko added.

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❗️ Lavrov: Russia, Eswatini have agreed to send a request to the UN to find a solution, so that Russian grain stuck at European ports be sent on to countries in need, specifically Eswatini

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⚡️Lavrov: French President Macron Blames Russia - But Mali asked for assistance through private military company to resolve pressing situation

The Russian FM added that Africa is a special interest zone for Europe but it holds a neo-colonial mindset. France has its own PMCs in Africa, but nobody questions that, while Paris questions our interests. Russia works with close partners.

Now Europe is asking Ukraine to choose... Russia or Europe. There's no middle ground.

Question More @RT_India_official

⚡Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine
(24 January 2023)

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.

◻️ In Kupyansk direction, aviation and artillery of the Western MD inflicted a fire damage on the AFU's 14th Mechanised Brigade and 103rd Territorial Defence Brigade close to Timkovka and Berestovoye (Kharkov region).

💥 Over 40 Ukrainian servicemen, an armoured fighting vehicle, and a motor vehicle were eliminated.

◻️ In Krasny Liman direction, artillery fire of the Central Military District hit units of the 80th and 95th airborne assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic) and Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic).

💥 Over 30 Ukrainian troops, five armoured combat vehicles, an M-777 artillery system, and two US-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar stations were destroyed.

◻️ In Donetsk direction, troops of the Southern MD continue an offensive. Army Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery engaged 25th Airborne Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Seversk (Donetsk People's Republic).

💥 Total enemy losses amounted to up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, an armoured personnel carrier, two pickups, a Grad MLRS vehicle, and an Msta-B howitzer.

◻️ In Zaporozhye direction, during the day, artillery fire and active actions of the Eastern MD's units have destroyed more than 25 Ukrainian servicemen of the 108th Territorial Defence Brigade near Prechistovka and Novoselka (Donetsk People's Republic), as well as an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, two D-20 and D-30 howitzers, and three motor vehicles.

◻️ In Kherson direction, artillery of the Airborne Troops has destroyed a US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station near Antonovka (Kherson region).

💥 Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of Russian Federation hit the command post of the 57th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a dump of artillery munition close to Artemovsk and Novoukrainka (Donetsk People's Republic).

💥 In addition, 64 artillery units were hit on firing positions, as well as manpower and military hardware in 102 areas.

✈️ Russian Aerospace Forces obliterated a self-propelled fire unit of the Ukrainian Buk-M1 SAM system.

💥 Ten Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by anti-aircraft defence forces near Novochervonoye and Zolotarevka (Lugansk People's Republic), Nikolskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Chubarevka, Ternovatoye, and Mikhailovka (Zaporozhye region), Krynki, Vasylyevka, Novaya Kakhovka, and Knyaze-Grigorovka (Kherson region).

📊 In total, 376 airplanes and 203 helicopters, 2,944 unmanned aerial vehicles, 402 anti-aircraft missile systems, 7,614 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 988 combat vehicles equipped with multiple rocket-launching systems, 3,898 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 8,159 units of special military hardware have been destroyed during the special military operation.

#MoD #Russia #Ukraine #report
@mod_russia_en