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Marine Lepen had 14 million votes at 9.20 pm, and she had only 11 million votes left at 10.45 pm. Where did all these votes go? [...] In the same time macron miraculously gained a staggering 4, 236,699 votes! All day long he couldn’t lead over Ms Lepen but in the odd hours after the voting ended, and behind closed doors, he gets 4 million votes…

[RE: white helmets] This alleged “non-governmental association” (sic) was created by a former British officer, James Le Measurer, Knight of the Order of the British Empire. It was publicized by the Foreign Office subcontracting communication company, ARK (Analysis, Research and Knowledge) and funded by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Canada and Japan. The majority of its “volunteers” (sic) were members of Al-Qaeda and, later, Daesh. The White Helmets have been banned from entering US territory under that country’s anti-terrorist laws. However, former President Barack Obama persuaded Netflix, where he is a producer, to devote a praiseful “documentary” to them.

U.S. GDP fell at a 1.4% pace to start the year as pandemic recovery takes a hit (CNBC)

The military maneuvers planned by Poland may be a preparation for the transfer of troops to Ukraine, says China’s Sohu magazine. Washington is pushing Warsaw to take active anti-Russian actions.

The Defense Ministry of Poland announced the upcoming military exercises in May, which will affect the north and east of the country. Citizens were warned that military equipment would move in large numbers along the roads. This will be needed to work out the mechanisms for "receiving and transferring allied forces," the Defense Ministry assured.

Analysts of the Chinese edition of Sohu noticed that the news about the exercises was published immediately after the warning of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service about a possible invasion of the Polish army into the territory of Ukraine. Experts are confident that Washington is pushing Warsaw to act aggressively, seeking to escalate the Ukrainian crisis. Poland has long been the most ardent opponent of Russia in the European Union. Now that the United States has promised economic benefits and patronage to Warsaw, the Polish authorities may decide on various reckless actions, Chinese experts say. But do not forget that the Kremlin will not leave any encroachments of the Polish army without attention.

Poland has secret plan for Ukraine, Moscow claims (RT.com)

The World Majority Refuses to Back US Sanctions: [The] dissenting countries of the Global South are no longer as poor as they were during the Cold War. Of the top 10 countries in PPP-GDP, 5 do not support the sanctions. And these include China (number one) and India (number 3). So the first and third most powerful economies stand against the US on this matter. (Russia is number 6 on that list about equal to Germany, number 5, the two being close to equal, belying the idea that Russia’s economy is negligible.) These stands are vastly more significant than any UN vote. Such votes can be coerced by a great power and little attention is paid to them in the world. But the economic interests of a nation and its view of the main danger in the world are important determinants of how it reacts economically – for example to sanctions. A "no" to US sanctions is putting one’s money where one’s mouth is.

As saber-rattling with Russia and China continues, the UK announces their new ‘Global NATO’ initiative, and using the G7 as an ‘economic NATO.’ Meanwhile, Russia has cut off gas to EU members Poland and Bulgaria for failing to abide by Putin’s latest ‘Rubles for Gas’ decree, and so we explain how Russia’s new gas purchasing system works, and why the EU sanctions against Russia are bound to fail. Also, who is Ursula Von Der Leyen, and how did she rise to power? Meanwhile, a senile Joe Biden continues to struggle forming sentences, while his radical deep state gaggle push ahead with their new ‘Ministry of Truth’ censorship police known as the “Disinformation Governance Board.” And to keep the war going, the US and its allies are pledging billions more for the Zelensky regime, as the West prepares to make the conflict last for years. All this and more. Co-hosts Mike Robinson and Patrick Henningsen with the end of week news round-up.

Congress Goes to War | Vox Popoli | Karl Denninger points out that under long-established international law, the US Congress has effectively declared the United States to be in a state of war with Russia: Congress has explicitly authorized, and Biden will sign, this bill that specifically permits the transfer to Ukraine of basically anything other than nuclear material. Seriously folks — that’s the only real exception found in the referenced definition. By agreeing to provide direct weaponry that can be and will be used in the waging of war by one of the two parties to same we have entered the conflict. That our GIs are not directly involved there is of no consequence. This is no different than shipping arms to Britain during WWI in the Lusitania or the lend-lease provisions in early WWII that ultimately led us to get involved there in Europe. Indeed Pelosi directly referenced those early WWII provisions indicating that she knows damn well the implications of what Congress just did. [...] We are now a belligerent in this conflict having crossed the line when we went from providing food, medical assistance and similar to military goods and the definition in this act does not draw a distinction, not that there really is one that is internationally recognized in the first place, between offensive and defensive arms. [H/T Gamer Uprising]

Biden Asks Congress for $33 Billion for New Ukraine Aid (Antiwar.com)

Voxeurop: We’re in the final phase of Julian Assange’s extradition procedure. What are the next steps?

Stella Moris Assange: There are still some appeals in the UK process available to us, once the Home Secretary Priti Patel approves the extradition – if she does so. Then we can appeal to the High Court, and potentially to the Supreme Court. But ultimately, the most likely scenario is that it ends up before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which can issue a binding decision that will block the extradition. This is why it is so important for the European Continent to understand what is at stake: Once it reaches the ECHR, the case will create jurisprudence that will affect the scope of press freedom for journalists within the European space. The importance of this case could not be greater: It’s wrong to think that it only affects Julian Assange, or Wikileaks, or the US. The US prosecution has effectively criminalised journalistic activity. There is a political persecution against Julian, and in this process, a new standard has been set by which journalists everywhere are at risk, not just because they might risk being extradited to the United States, but also because it has created a new global standard.

The US has long been a defender of free speech, but it is now furthering the most dangerous attack on free speech, both legal and political, through this case that reaches beyond its borders and into foreign jurisdictions. Foreign countries will take advantage of this and apply the same principles. So if you can go after journalists anywhere, you just need a cooperative government, and there are plenty of countries who persecute dissidents and want to persecute journalists, and have cooperative allies within the European space. It’s a terrible case for press freedom and for what it means in Europe. It also sends the signal that not only will there never be justice for the victims of crimes committed by states, and anyone who acts with a conscience in exposing those war crimes will be hounded and punished by the perpetrator of those war crimes. It is a complete inversion of everything that democratic countries say they stand for.

The lawsuit alleges that the 15-year-old boy, who was initially the target of false rumors that he was not vaccinated, was constantly bullied until he took his own life in January of this year. Democracy, freedom, freedom to make decisions for yourself. All this was done by the democracy that Western societies have finally ended in the last two years.

The US isn’t interested in peace in Ukraine but is instead doing everything it can for the conflict in the country to last as long as possible, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said during a briefing on Friday.

💬 “While the international community is calling for the end to hostilities, the US keeps adding fuel to the fire and shows readiness to fight until the last Ukrainian,” Zhao insisted, referring to the ongoing financial aid and deliveries of weapons from Washington to Kiev. “Their actual goal isn't achieving peace, but making sure that the conflict drags on. As [the Americans] say it themselves, they're looking to weaken Russia,” he said. “As for whether the US brings peace or war, security or chaos – I suppose we all know the answers to those questions,” the spokesman added.

Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova: Mechanisms for information attacks with a new thesis that target the public space have been launched in the West at the highest level in a transboundary and trans-format manner. The thesis is primitive and completely horrifying: the Russians are threatening a nuclear war, and the Russians are waving the nuclear stick. Do I even need to say that this thesis is absolutely incorrect and false? Apparently, I do.

They are pushing this exact thesis because it plays on basic human fears, the experience of the older generation, which throughout the second half of the 20th century was bracing for the Third World War against global communism, and Western youth, for which their respective governments have come up with a new mechanism called “cancel culture” (cancelling everything Russian this time). Moreover, the West absolutely does not care what Moscow says, and the meaning of words is distorted and outwardly perverted. Let’s consider the specifics. [Also on MFA Telegram]

US Ambassador Sullivan slams Lavrov’s recent statement as ‘nuclear blackmail’ (TASS)

Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko returned home after spending some 10 years in a US prison over his alleged involvement in a drug-smuggling scheme. Yaroshenko spoke to RT about the horrors he has endured.

💬 “I was kidnapped by the US authorities, their intelligence, the DEA, and Liberia’s NSA on May 28, 2010 from a hotel and subsequently transferred to the NSA’s headquarters,” Yaroshenko said. “There was a torture room where I was tortured for two-and-a-half days. It was inhuman torture, physical and psychological, with enormous pressure. At some point, I didn’t even want to live, to come to my senses, when I lost consciousness, I didn’t want to return back into this world,” he went on, adding that the agents who tortured him were very good at their ‘job.’

Donetsk market shelling death toll reaches five, 23 people wounded - Health Ministry (Donetsk News Agency)

What could possibly go wrong when the National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, organizes a “minister level launch of the Declaration for the Future of the Internet.” Put more succinctly, that would be 50 nation intelligence ministers getting together to decide what they will permit on the internet. Apparently, a collective partner rule book is forthcoming. Big Tech will be given specific instructions on how to comply. The global rulebook on how to handle, define and eliminate ‘disinformation’, ‘misinformation’ and ‘malinformation’ on the world-wide internet.

Comment by American Buddhist Net: I don’t trust them for a second and expect them to use some illusion of consensus to impose an international standard on USA, thus subverting the First Amendment. Pretty sure the launch will be 100% PR mind-control and that Deep State-driven standards will be “agreed upon” behind the scenes. I hope Musk and Trump can find ways to avoid complying with these standards as a matter of principle and also as protection against inevitable overreach sure to come in the future.

Residents won’t be given a choice on whether to join the bloc, PM says.

💬 “I don’t think it is an issue that is suitable for a referendum,” the Swedish leader told reporters, implying that Parliament’s support was sufficient. “There is a lot of information about national security that is confidential, so there are important issues in such a referendum that cannot be discussed and important facts that cannot be put on the table,” she explained.

Sweden does not plan to hold a referendum on the subject of NATO membership if its Parliament approves of the measure, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced on Thursday, suggesting that putting the matter to a vote would be a “bad idea.” [...] Sweden and Finland are planning to simultaneously submit membership applications to NATO in mid-May, local media have reported, citing government sources. The Nordic countries’ leaders claim Russia’s invasion of Ukraine altered the “whole security landscape” of the region. Moscow, however, has warned against such a move, suggesting it will be forced to strengthen its regional defenses should NATO expand to its borders.

Since the 1970s, the number of road deaths in Germany and Austria has dropped by almost 90 percent. But now there are apparently signs of a trend reversal – and a nasty suspicion is doing the rounds.

After the person involved in the accident has been admitted to hospital, a hitherto very rare explanation then emerges, which, as is well known, has also been accumulating on sports fields for a good year: the patient suffered a “medical emergency”. Mostly heart attacks are diagnosed, more rarely strokes and pulmonary embolisms. The number of unreported cases is still unclear. [...] The bottom line is that in the second year of the vaccination campaign, vaccinated people could become a greater risk factor than drunk drivers. It is therefore necessary to systematically examine accident statistics for accumulating vaccination consequences.

According to Maria Zakharova, Kiev has taken this as a guide to action: over the past few weeks, the Ukrainian armed forces have shelled Russian border territories, resulting in casualties and destruction.

Western countries are openly calling on Ukraine to attack Russian territory using the weapons they supply to Kiev, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday.

💬 "We have already commented the other day on statements by British Deputy Defense Minister [James] Heappey about okaying Ukraine's strikes on Russian military targets," she said, "In other words, the West is openly calling on Kiev to attack Russia, even with weapons received from NATO countries."

Putin promises ‘lightning’ response to strategic threats to Russia (04/27/22)

It’s not US/NATO or its Ukrainian proxy troops. They’re being systematically degraded and eliminated by superior Russian military strength and tactics. According to Nightvision: “Not only are there dozens of daily surrenders on every front, but huge” numbers of Ukrainian fighters are being eliminated. Reality forced Kiev to press reservist conscripts into action against Russian forces, ones “with little training” or stomach for war. On Monday, Russian forces destroyed electrical power-generation stations in Krasnoye, Zdolbunov, Zhmerinka, Berdichev, Kovel, and Korosten railway hubs. Located in Ukraine’s West, they’re out of action, no longer able to resupply Ukrainian forces by rail. Rail lines and bridges from west to east in the country were destroyed. (More)

Ex-NATO analyst paints a completely different picture of Ukraine war| Jacques Baud | There are three reasons for this war: the expansion of NATO, refusal of the West to implement the Minsk agreements and the large-scale attacks on the civilian population of Donbass over the past eight years. (The Postil Magazine)

A Recap Of The War In Ukraine - by Gonzalo Lira (ThreadReader)

Gonzalo Lira: 💬 With Anthony Blinken suggesting that Ukraine and Russia should resume negotiations, the US is signaling that they know the war is lost. NATO will NEVER get into this war, even if there's a Ukraine provocation in Transnistria—because NATO knows it will lose to Russia. So expect a lot of other international news—Iran, China, Solomon Islands, etc.—to start taking up the attention bandwidth. The only play for the Biden administration at this point is to distract and divert, and make people forget about Ukraine. You have to understand what Blinken and Lloyd Austin's visit with Zelensky in “Kiev” (probably Poland) really was—It was a kiss-off. It was the signal to the Zelensky regime that US/NATO will not supply heavy weapons or planes, and will not get into this war. It's over. (via ABN)

A Recap Of The War In Ukraine - by Gonzalo Lira (ThreadReader)
A /pol anon delivered an outstanding précis of what has happened in Ukraine just prior to the war (GonzaloLira1968)

US/Poland May Occupy Wstern Ukraine (21st Century Wire)

Poland has secret plan for Ukraine, Moscow claims| RT.com | Intelligence obtained by Russia suggests that Poland and the US are working on a plan for Warsaw to regain control of Ukrainian areas that Warsaw considers as “historically belonging” to it, Moscow's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) chief Sergey Naryshkin has said. According to the alleged plan, the first stage of this “reunification” will see Polish “peacekeepers” deployed in western Ukraine under the pretext of “protection from Russian aggression,” Naryshkin outlined in a statement on Thursday. The details of the operation are now being discussed between Warsaw and the US government, he claimed, adding that the operation is designed to be executed without a NATO mandate, and only volunteer states taking part.