The EU and G7 have agreed to a $60 per-barrel ceiling for the purchase of Russian crude | Moscow is not planning to recognize a Western-imposed price cap on Russian seaborne oil exports, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday, adding that the government is currently carrying out a review of the situation. 💬 “Now we are analyzing,” Peskov told journalists. “Some preparation was carried out for such a ceiling. We will not accept this ceiling, and we will provide further information on how the work will be organized after the review.” ● On Friday, the EU finally agreed to cap the price of Russian seaborne crude at $60 per barrel, which had been proposed by the US and backed by the Group of Seven in September. The step paves the way for official approval of the measure over the weekend. ● The cap, which seeks to further sanction Moscow over the military operation in Ukraine, will prohibit Western companies from insuring or financing vessels transporting Russian oil, unless the cargo is purchased at or below the artificial price level. It is set to take effect on December 5 or “very soon thereafter.”

As the first wave of the pandemic died down in 2020, the narrative was already being pushed that vaccines were the only way out. However, even before it was clear that the vaccines would predominantly be mRNA based, many were rightly hesitant to receive a novel vaccine that had been produced at warp speed. ● With The Science™ so convinced that their solution was the only solution, something had to be done to increase uptake. Even though there were many opposing opinions (that were ignored), it was thought that without high rates of vaccine uptake, the pandemic would likely be prolonged. ● Something had to be done about vaccine hesitancy, so along came Yale University with a study which began in July 2020. The study, which was not published online until October 2021 (once everyone was vaccinated) was to test “how persuasive messaging affects COVID-19 vaccine uptake intentions”. ●  ●  ● They wanted you to get angry in order to get vaccinated but they failed. But they wanted you to get angry, so get angry. Get angry that the population was psychologically manipulated to turn on one another. Get angry that your friends and family were nudged into parroting the phrases used in the study to make you feel guilty, stupid or embarrassed. Get angry that you were socially ostracised and de-invited from events. Get angry that your colleagues made you lose your job. And if you were one of those who tried to convince someone to get vaccinated, get angry that you were so easily manipulated.

Fighters in Ukraine's foreign legion say Western-supplied weapons are being stolen by corrupt commanders who are also bullying their subordinates and abusing their power to dismiss anyone who questions them on trumped-up charges. | Sasha Kapuscinski, a Polish gangster-turned-officer now in charge of operations for one of the two branches of the foreign legion is singled out for particular criticism in a wide-ranging investigation by the Kyiv Independent. Kapuscinski is accused of 'acting like a Mafia boss' by stealing weapons including US rifles and anti-tank launchers in order to sell them - sometimes back to his own men - as well as sexually harassing a female recruit, and of pointing a loaded gun at one man who defied him.

Elena Panina (Елена Панина) | No need to fear nuclear weapons: Atlantic Council comes up with Kiev's winning strategy | Russia should be robbed and given the money to Kiev; if that is not enough, the EU should be obliged to pay more. Ukraine's attempts to attack new Russian territories should be encouraged, and Russia should not be afraid of nuclear weapons. The Atlantic Council's strategy has several directions. ● Military. The U.S. should emphasize that it is only satisfied with Ukraine's victory and Russia's defeat. The US President, party leaders and other high-ranking politicians should constantly tell the US population why they should give Ukraine a lot of money. Weapons aid packages to Ukraine should be formed according to the requests Kiev gives. And best of all: the US should publicly state that "Russia's nuclear threats" are not something to be taken into account. ● Economics. It would be fair to expect Europe to provide economic support to Kiev. And grants, rather than loans, should be used more often. It is necessary to confiscate the assets of the Central Bank of Russia, other banks and oligarchs, i.e. private individuals. The latter looks the most promising, less legal difficulties. ● Energy. Germany should extend the operation of nuclear reactors for at least a year, and the EU should buy more US LNG. Ukrainians should be given priority rights in vocational education. ● Politics. The United States, the EU and international financial organizations should facilitate the appointment of "reformers" in Ukrainian courts and prosecutors' offices. Ukrainian media must be supported. ● Diplomacy. Kiev and the West should reject negotiations whose condition would be to fix "Russia's territorial acquisitions". Sanctions should not be lifted "until Russian troops have withdrawn from Ukrainian territory and Russia has paid compensation for the damage caused by its invasion". ● Ukraine must "be able to contain Russia" to prevent a repeat of the war. NATO should not be involved in a war with Russia. Instead, Ukraine should be saturated with enough weapons to counter Russia. What does this mean in a nutshell? There can be no peace with the modern West. Simply because peace on the terms of the West excludes the existence of Russia. (Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator)

@POTUS If Billions to Ukraine Was a Picture...

As smuggled arms coming from Ukraine begin to appear in more and more countries, leaders who want to stem the flow are beginning to realize they’ll have to take a collective approach. | Weapons shipped from Western countries to Ukraine are “beginning to filter” to the Lake Chad basin region, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari warned this week. 💬 "Regrettably, the situation in the Sahel and the raging war in Ukraine serve as major sources of weapons and fighters that bolster the ranks of the terrorists in the region," Buhari told heads of states from neighboring states participating in the Lake Chad Basin Commission on Tuesday in the Nigerian capital of Abuja. ● Buhari went on to urge his counterparts to step up security cooperation in the interest of combating the threat of weapons smuggling. Alongside the leaders of Benin, Chad, Niger, and Central African Republic, the Nigerian president agreed to step up military coordination in their countries’ fight against Boko Haram and ISIS* terrorists: who are now reportedly receiving guns from Ukraine. ● Russian political leaders and Interpol officials alike have warned for months that weapons sent to Ukrainian nationalists are likely to end up in the hands of hardened criminals in Europe and beyond.

Wormhole — The United States is concerned about weapons for Ukraine are going onto the black market

Restricting Russian seaborne crude supply may shatter the energy market, according to the outlet | As the European Union’s sanctions on Russian oil are about to kick in next week, the measure could result in price shocks on the global market, The Economist reported on Friday. The EU has agreed on a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian seaborne oil. According to the report, European insurers and shipping firms have long had a “vice-like hold” on energy markets. Fully 95% of property and indemnity insurance for all oil tankers has been handled by firms from the UK and the EU. This appeared to be a lever with which the West could control the sale of Russian oil globally.

Alla Poedie has also called for the Russian Cultural Center in Paris to be dismantled | During an appearance on French television, Ukrainian-born analyst Alla Poedie compared Russian citizens to pests and urged France to crack down on them and their culture. Poedie, who describes herself as an expert on the former Soviet Union countries, made the controversial claims on the LCI news channel on Tuesday during a talk show dedicated to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. 💬 "It’s necessary to make sure that Russia is held responsible [for its military operation in Ukraine] with all its citizens around the globe, who sometimes cause a lot of harm," she said. The expert insisted that it was "shameful" that the Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Center remained open in the center of Paris. The complex, which also includes the Holy Trinity Cathedral, was "packed with [Russian] spies," she said, without providing any proof for her claim.

■ ‘Pressure on UOC’: Russian Orthodox Church on OCU registration of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (TASS)
■ Kiev to crack down on Russian Orthodox Church (12/02/22)