Cuba, Pentagon and White House dismiss reports of China building a spy base in Cuba

Pentagon Dismisses WSJ Report on China Spy Station in Cuba

“I can tell you based on the information that we have, that that is not accurate, that we are not aware of China and Cuba developing a new type of spy station,” said Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder.

Related:

White House Denies Report That China Is Building a Spy Base on Cuba

“I’ve seen that press report. It’s not accurate,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in an interview on MSNBC.

Cuba to Host Secret Chinese Spy Base Focusing on U.S. [according to no one]

The U.S. has intervened before to stop foreign powers from extending their influence in the Western Hemisphere, most notably during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. The U.S. and the Soviet Union came to the brink of nuclear war after the Soviets deployed nuclear-capable missiles to Cuba, prompting a U.S. Navy quarantine of the island.

The Soviets backed down and removed the missiles. A few months later, the U.S. quietly removed intermediate-range ballistic missiles from Turkey that the Soviets had complained about.

H/T: Emil Cosman

Drugs And Arms Smuggling In Europe: A Source Of Financing Ukraine War

Drugs And Arms Smuggling In Europe: A Source Of Financing Ukraine War

Another EU problem is arms smuggling from the war zone. According to Atlantico, Europe has been flooded with weapons transported from Ukraine along with flows of refugees. The most indicative fact cited by French journalists is that since the beginning of the Ukraine war, the price of a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the Marseille black market has collapsed from 2,500 to 300 euros.

Related:

Carpathian ‘gray zone’ narcotics are flooding Europe

UNRAVELING THE WESTERN ROOTS OF THE UKRAINIAN CRISIS – COMPILATION

In this video, I’ve compiled a series of my recent videos that delve into the intricate history of Western powers in Ukraine. Starting from World War 2 and spanning through the Cold War era, I explore the significant events that have shaped the region. From there, I take you on a journey through the events of the recent decades, leading up to the fateful day when Russia launched its Special Military Operation on February 24th, 2022.

Read More »

Kuleba: China did not offer to give occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Polish, German, French and Belgian diplomats do not confirm that Chinese Special Envoy Li Hui proposed to leave the occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia.

On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that a Chinese delegation headed by Li Hui, during a tour of the EU, urged European leaders to demand an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, leaving Russia with the territories it seized.

Kuleba: China did not offer to give occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia

Watch Decimated Remains of Ukrainian Terror Group That Attempted Assault on Belgorod Region (18+)

Dozens of Ukrainian saboteurs attempted to slip across the border into the Russian region of Belgorod on Monday. On Tuesday, the Russian military reported that the formations had been blocked and eliminated, with over 70 Ukrainian saboteurs killed, and four armored fighting vehicles and five pickups destroyed.

Watch Decimated Remains of Ukrainian Terror Group That Attempted Assault on Belgorod Region

H/T: Emil Cosman

Related:

Military Overview: Ukrainian Losses On Russian Territory (18+)

West Wants Relationship with Ukraine to Follow the ‘Israel Model’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits the Western Wall, in Jerusalem’s Old City on January 23, 2020 (Shlomi Cohen/Flash90)

The United States and some of its NATO allies plan to increase weapons-sharing and provide additional security guarantees to Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda told the Wall Street Journal that Western leaders were supportive of developing ties with Kiev similar to the relationship Washington keeps with Tel Aviv.

West Wants Relationship with Ukraine to Follow the ‘Israel Model’

Related:

Archived: To Aid Ukraine in Fight Against Russia, Allies Look to Security Model Like Israel’s

Israel isn’t a member of NATO, and the U.S. isn’t treaty-bound to come to the country’s aid. But for decades Israel has enjoyed a special relationship with the U.S. as Washington’s most stalwart partner in the Middle East, and it is also the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II.

U.S. assistance to Israel is currently outlined in 10-year agreements, and the most recent one commits Washington to providing $38 billion in military aid between 2019 and 2028.

Zelensky did say that he wanted Ukraine to be a “big Israel”. /sarcasm

F-16s won’t fundamentally alter the course of Ukraine War

“NATO and allied nations operate near-24 hour surveillance of Ukraine’s battlefield, using a massive radar mounted on specialized aircraft. (David Common/CBC)”

F-16s won’t fundamentally alter the course of Ukraine War

Secondly, while the F-16 is clearly one of the best fourth-generation fighter jets in the world, its primary effectiveness is predicated on being one component in an integrated command and control battle management system of sensors. While the jet is capable of operating on its own, it is far less capable without additional acquisition assets, such as the E-3 Sentry AWACS. To date, there has been no discussion of providing this capability to Ukraine.

NATO already has AWACS in the area, though.