How does the war in Ukraine end?
This is precisely the question no one is supposed to ask these days. The supposition by our thought leaders seems to be that if we keep up the pressure on Vladimir Putin in Ukraine, he’ll fold and go home; his threats to use tactical nuclear weapons on the battlefield is nothing more than saber-rattling. He will then retrench on the domestic front, re-solidify his power, and continue throwing his prospective enemies from third-story windows. 
Perhaps that’s actually best case scenario. Because if Joe Biden gets his wish – if Putin is indeed ousted from power in Russia – what would follow could easily be even worse than Putin: the Russian public remains highly supportive of aggressive foreign action to expand the “empire”; other than the military, there are no well-organized or powerful groups in Russia, and Putin does have an inner circle of possible successors who are, if anything, more anti-West even than he is. If none of those successors take the fore, the possibility of internecine warfare akin to Syria isn’t totally out of the realm of possibility either – and that, in a country armed with a massive and aging nuclear arsenal.
Then there’s the other possibility: that Putin is serious, and that if he sees his mission in Ukraine failing, he actually unleashes nuclear weapons. Most observers thought Putin was saber-rattling over his threats to invade Ukraine in the first place; underestimating Putin’s aggressive radicalism now could be foolish. And there are no real plans to deal with Putin unleashing a nuke: while former CIA director David Petraeus has suggested that America would respond by “leading a NATO, a collective effort, that would take out every Russian conventional force that we can see and identify on the battlefield in Ukraine and also in Crimea and every ship in the Black Sea,” that could also lead Putin to escalate even further, perhaps even trying to directly threaten a civilian center in NATO territory with nuclear weapons.
In November 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Finland, attempting to place a puppet communist government in place; the West united in opposition to Soviet intervention, shipping weaponry to the Finns, who bravely stood against the forces of Stalin. The USSR lost at least 126,000 soldiers over the course of the three-and-a-half month war, but responded in the late going with a massive infusion of troops and a heavy offensive that drove the Finns back on their heels. Faced with the prospect of open war with the Western powers, Stalin signed the Moscow Peace Treaty in March 1940, with the Finns ceding 9 percent of their territory to Stalin. 
Was the mutual stand-down the best solution? Should the West have pressed Stalin to the brink in Finland? Perhaps. But the West was facing down Stalin and Hitler simultaneously. Today, the threat isn’t a second front from a powerful enemy, but the direct threat of nuclear weapons. Henry Kissinger has been publicly excoriated for suggesting that the off-ramp to this conflict will be territorial concessions by Ukraine to Russia – a repeat of the Moscow Peace Treaty. But he may be correct, particularly if the West is unwilling to bear the full economic and military cost of a larger war with Russia – as historian Niall Ferguson writes, “Thus far, the West have given Zelensky and his brave people enough military and economic support to avoid losing. We are not yet giving them enough to win – and the window for victory is not infinite.” In the end, it may be that the least-bad scenario is about simply preventing the worst case scenario.

Ben Shapiro 10 (1)

Should The West Seek An Off-Ramp In Ukraine?

Ben Shapiro

Readers Pass

Russia

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/europe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European</a> households and businesses will need to significantly reduce <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">energy</a> consumption in order to maintain reserves through the upcoming winter, according to the International Energy Agency.
The group’s <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/gas-market-report-q4-2022/cold-comfort" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a>, written before <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> severed natural gas flow through the Nord Stream 1 natural gas pipeline and prior to the Nord Stream system witnessing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unprecedented damage</a> last week, warned that “a complete shutdown of Russian pipeline flows to the European Union cannot be ruled out.” Ministers are contending with energy prices that have increased <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-climate-bureaucrats-are-dooming-the-continent-to-a-very-dark-winter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as much as twentyfold</a> in some countries.
“As the summer ends in the northern hemisphere on new highs for natural gas prices and volatility and markets brace themselves for a winter of unprecedented uncertainty of supply due to Russia’s behaviour, security of energy supply has become a priority issue for consumers and policy makers across major consuming markets,” the International Energy Agency said.
Several nations, including France and Spain, have called for residents to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/french-president-calls-for-10-cut-in-energy-use-will-ration-power-as-a-last-resort" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduce power consumption</a> ahead of the winter months. The International Energy Agency found that a failure to reduce demand would bring power inventory to 18% of working capacity by March 2023, while a 9% or 13% reduction in power usage would lead to inventories of 38% and 45%, respectively.
“Implementing gas saving measures will be crucial to minimise storage withdrawals and keep inventories at an adequate level until the end of the heating season,” the group explained, particularly noting that changed household energy consumption would ideally account for over 40% of the 13% demand reduction scenario.
French President Emmanuel Macron accordingly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/french-president-calls-for-10-cut-in-energy-use-will-ration-power-as-a-last-resort" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged citizens</a> last month to use air conditioning and heating a “bit less than usual” — such as by keeping indoor temperatures no more than 19 degrees Celsius, roughly 66 degrees Fahrenheit, through the winter. The nation’s government is preparing energy rationing initiatives that officials could pursue “as a last resort.”
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-union-intends-to-flatten-the-curve-for-electricity-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that the European Union would propose a “mandatory target” for reducing electricity consumption among member states during peak hours. International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol previously exhorted leaders in Europe to <a href="https://www.iea.org/commentaries/coordinated-actions-across-europe-are-essential-to-prevent-a-major-gas-crunch-here-are-5-immediate-measures" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adopt several policies</a> to save natural gas — including auction platforms designed for demand reduction, an increase in coal and oil-fired power generation, and temperature controls for households.
“The first immediate step towards filling European gas storage to adequate levels before winter is to reduce Europe’s current gas consumption, and to put the saved gas into storage,” he argued. “This is a big ask, but it does not exaggerate the scale of what is needed — or what is possible if the right measures are taken. It is categorically not enough to just rely on gas from non-Russian sources — these supplies are simply not available in the volumes required to substitute for missing deliveries from Russia.”
Russian shipments accounted for 40% of the European natural gas supply last year — a rate that had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-union-social-market-economy-might-redistribute-fossil-fuel-profits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped</a> to 9% as of last month. Germany, the continent’s largest economy, has seen dependence on Russian natural gas decrease from 55% to 35%.
The producer price index for industrial products in Germany has risen 45.8% year-over-year as of August 2022, according to <a href="https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Economy/Prices/Producer-Price-Index-For-Industrial-Products/_node.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, which followed increases of 37.2% in July 2022 and 32.7% in June 2022. Several firms are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-companies-pause-production-as-energy-prices-soar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">halting production</a> in factories or laying off employees.

Austria, Salzkammergut, view of Hallstatt and Dachstein over lake Hallstaetter See at sunrise in winter

European Households Must Cut Power Usage This Winter, Energy Agency Says

Europe Must Cut Power Usage To Have Energy Left Over In The Spring

Energy

Europe

Germany

Oil and Gas

The Nord Stream pipeline system is the center of Europe’s geopolitical tensions as Russia invades Ukraine — at least until a few days ago.
Europeans, already battling to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-climate-bureaucrats-are-dooming-the-continent-to-a-very-dark-winter">secure enough power</a> for the winter thanks to its rapid transition toward green energy, were met on September 26 with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">unprecedented damage</a> to the pipelines, which run natural gas from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Officials in Sweden reported two leaks in Nord Stream 1 shortly after a leak on the nearby Nord Stream 2 was found, while Nord Stream AG, the energy company that runs the pipeline system, remains unable to “estimate the timing of the restoration of the gas transport infrastructure.”
Ministers across Europe quickly began pointing fingers as natural gas spewed into the Baltic Sea. Given the conflict that has characterized the pipeline system, through which Russia had stopped sending natural gas a few weeks earlier, one would have to be off their rockers to not call foul. The German government, for example, has already ruled out seismic activity as a cause for the disaster and presumes the system was intentionally destroyed.
Russia, for its part, denies any involvement. When asked about the possibility of sabotage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “no option can be ruled out” at the moment. However, as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace noted in a recent <a href="https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/88062">report</a>, Russia could benefit from the end of Nord Stream 1 by claiming a “force majeure” for breaching contracts to avoid delivering natural gas to Europe. 
Gazprom, the Russian energy conglomerate which owns a majority stake in Nord Stream AG, could also benefit from insurance claims. Others speculate that Russia destroyed its own pipelines to increase gas prices or even frame the United States.
While plenty of European leaders have blamed Russia, some have indeed noted the United States had the most to gain from the suddenly disabled pipelines. President Joe Biden <a href="https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1574685985115607040?s=20&amp;t=exDoFSWQyGXDG_Cpl8TgOQ">said</a> days before the invasion that he would “bring an end” to Nord Stream 2 if Russian troops entered Ukraine. After the pipelines were destroyed, Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-canadian-foreign-minister-melanie-joly-at-a-joint-press-availability/">called</a> the phenomenon a “tremendous opportunity” to end European reliance on Russian energy. 
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/economist-makes-waves-after-arguing-the-biden-admin-destroyed-the-nord-stream-pipeline">noted</a> by economist Jeffrey Sachs, the rhetoric from the White House is a “strange way to talk” if they were truly “worried about piracy on international infrastructure of vital significance.”
When asked to justify his assertion, Sachs claimed radar data indicated that American military helicopters typically based in Poland had been circling over the area of the destruction. Some have noted the United States and other NATO members had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-navy-nato-recently-tested-underwater-technology-near-location-nord-stream-pipelines-were-damaged">tested</a> underwater technology months before the pipelines were destroyed.
 Meanwhile, one report <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">revealed</a> that the CIA had cautioned Germany about possible attacks on the pipelines weeks earlier.
Even though the pipelines were not pumping gas due to Western sanctions, protesters in Germany had been calling for the energy flow to resume as electricity prices increased <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-climate-bureaucrats-are-dooming-the-continent-to-a-very-dark-winter">more than twentyfold</a>. Crippling the pipelines would likely eliminate the possibility of Germany lifting the sanctions in time to import energy for the winter — a compromise that would compel Ukraine to lose support from the largest economy in Europe.
Other Americans <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tucker-carlson-fuels-suspicion-u-s-behind-nord-stream-sabotage">suspicious</a> of their own government’s motives included Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who warned of possible retaliation from the Russian government. “If we actually blew up the Nord Stream pipelines, why wouldn’t Russia sever undersea internet cables?” Carlson wondered, noting that such a move would overthrow the worldwide banking system. “Have the people behind this… considered the effects? Maybe they have. Maybe that was the point.”

3D render of the construction of the gas pipe Nord Stream 2. The concept of sanctions and economic war, an anvil falling on a gas pipe. 3D rendering

Did The United States Sabotage The Nord Stream Pipelines?

Nord Stream Pipeline

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/columbia-university" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Columbia University</a> economist Jeffrey Sachs made waves on Monday after arguing that the United States was responsible for destroying part of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nord-stream-pipeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nord Stream</a> pipeline system in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/europe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Europe</a>.
The pipelines, which carry <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">natural gas</a> under the Baltic Sea from <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> to <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/germany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Germany</a>, have been the center of geopolitical strife since the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invasion of Ukraine</a>. Russia nixed shipments through Nord Stream 1 several weeks ago, while Germany blocked the adjacent Nord Stream 2 from beginning shipments days before. Sweden and Denmark <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">reported</a> damage to the pipelines last week as the system operator confirmed that the destruction was “unprecedented.”
During an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESG14_DsUIA">appearance</a> on Bloomberg TV, Sachs — who directs Columbia University’s Center for Sustainable Development — agreed with some Europeans who have suggested that the United States had the strongest motive to carry out the alleged attack.
&#8220;The European economy is getting hammered by the sudden cutoff of energy,” Sachs contended. “And now to make it definitive, the destruction of the Nord Stream Pipeline — which I would bet was a U.S. action, perhaps U.S. and Poland.”
When asked to justify his assertion, Sachs claimed that radar data indicated that American military helicopters typically based in Gdansk, Poland, had been circling over the area. He also noted that President Joe Biden <a href="https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1574685985115607040?s=20&amp;t=exDoFSWQyGXDG_Cpl8TgOQ">said</a> days before the invasion that he would “bring an end” to Nord Stream 2 if Russian troops entered Ukraine. After the pipelines were destroyed, Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-canadian-foreign-minister-melanie-joly-at-a-joint-press-availability/">called</a> the phenomenon a “tremendous opportunity” to end European reliance on Russian energy.
“That&#8217;s a strange way to talk if you&#8217;re worried about piracy on international infrastructure of vital significance,” Sachs said. “I know it runs counter to our narrative — you&#8217;re not allowed to say these things in the West — but the fact of the matter is all over the world when I talk to people, they think the U.S. did it. Even reporters on our papers that are involved tell me ‘Of course,’ but it doesn&#8217;t show up in our media.”
While some European ministers said Russia may have destroyed its own pipelines to increase gas prices, others <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tucker-carlson-fuels-suspicion-u-s-behind-nord-stream-sabotage">blamed</a> the United States for the damage, which caused natural gas to spew toward the surface of the Baltic Sea. Disabling the pipelines would remove the possibility of Germany caving to Russia and ending sanctions in time to import energy for the winter.
The German government assumes the destruction emerged from an intentional attack rather than seismic activity. Some have noted that the United States and other NATO members had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-navy-nato-recently-tested-underwater-technology-near-location-nord-stream-pipelines-were-damaged">tested underwater technology</a> months before the pipelines were destroyed. Meanwhile, a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/cia-warned-berlin-about-possible-attacks-gas-pipelines-summer-spiegel-2022-09-27/">report</a> from German news outlet Spiegel pointed out that the CIA had cautioned Germany about possible attacks on the pipelines weeks earlier.
Ministers in the European Union are contending with energy prices that have increased <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-climate-bureaucrats-are-dooming-the-continent-to-a-very-dark-winter">as much as twentyfold</a> in some member states. In accordance with the European Green Deal and the Paris Climate Agreement, nations in the bloc abide by the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/climate-strategies-targets/2050-long-term-strategy_en">official goal</a> of becoming “a climate-neutral society” by 2050. As power prices continue to rise, manufacturers across Europe have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-companies-pause-production-as-energy-prices-soar">paused operations</a> through the winter, while some nations are considering implementing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/french-president-unveils-massive-green-power-development-proposal-as-energy-crisis-continues">energy quotas</a> and other regulations for power consumption.

Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs Interview

Economist Makes Waves After Arguing The Biden Admin Destroyed The Nord Stream Pipeline

Columbia Economist Argues The United States Destroyed Nord Stream Pipeline

Ocean logistics companies are canceling orders amid declines in worldwide consumer <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demand</a>, according to a Monday <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/03/ocean-shipping-orders-are-signaling-a-big-drop-in-consumer-demand.html">report</a> from CNBC.
As the world’s leading economies battle <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inflation</a>, <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supply chain</a> crises, and geopolitical tensions from the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian invasion of Ukraine</a>, logistics managers told CNBC that they are seeing 20% declines in ocean freight orders — a reality arising from uncertain consumer demand outlooks and the accumulation of existing inventory.
“Inventory levels are high as consumerism shifts further to off-price,” United National Consumer Suppliers CEO Brett Rose told the outlet. “Bigger brands are very conscious of current season and trends. A Bloomingdale’s consumer doesn’t want last season’s shoes or handbags. These items will be attractive to consumers of retailers like T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Ross Stores.”
Falling demand has impacted multiple industries, from machinery and industrials to housing and clothing, according to CNBC. Demand for some goods, such as retail displays and ultrasound machines, remains strong. The growth of the global economy is expected to decline from 5.7% last year to 2.9% in 2022, according to June <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/06/07/stagflation-risk-rises-amid-sharp-slowdown-in-growth-energy-markets#:~:text=Global%20growth%20is%20expected%20to,that%20was%20anticipated%20in%20January.">forecasts</a> from the World Bank, which marked a downgrade from predictions made in January.
“The war in Ukraine, lockdowns in China, supply-chain disruptions, and the risk of stagflation are hammering growth. For many countries, recession will be hard to avoid,” World Bank President David Malpass explained. “Markets look forward, so it is urgent to encourage production and avoid trade restrictions.”
Companies are canceling voyages to match lower customer demand with vessel space. HSL Logistics said in a note to clients that it cut vessels by nearly 50%, while other companies, such as DHL Ocean Freight, told CNBC that demand is expected to remain flat through October.
Meanwhile, ports on the east coast of the United States are witnessing heightened vessel congestion — a phenomenon worsened by Hurricane Ian, which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-were-incredibly-hard-hit-stunning-video-shows-submerged-houses-blown-out-bridges-following-hurricane-ian">made landfalls</a> in Florida and South Carolina last week. With winds exceeding 150 miles per hour, the system was tied for the fourth-strongest hurricane ever to hit the Sunshine State.
Despite lower consumer demand, central banks across the globe are cutting target interest rates — a move that leads to lower economic activity and a higher cost of borrowing money — in order to quell soaring inflation. Among G20 economies, price levels increased by an average of 9.2% between August 2021 and August 2022, according to <a href="https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=G20_PRICES">data</a> from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The Federal Reserve Bank of the United States <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-the-federal-reserves-recent-rate-hike-means-for-the-economy">raised</a> the target federal funds rate by 0.75% last month, mirroring two identical rate hikes in June and July. The higher interest rates triggered a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/if-hes-elected-the-stock-market-will-crash-trumps-2020-warning-about-biden-comes-true">stock market selloff</a>, with the Dow Jones <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-reserve-announces-rate-hike-of-0-75">tumbling</a> roughly 500 points upon the news. Additional fears gripped Wall Street on Monday as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-investment-bank-could-soon-be-the-next-lehman-brothers-some-on-wall-street-worry">rumors</a> regarding potential insolvency at Swiss investment bank Credit Suisse began to circulate.
To stimulate the economy during the lockdown-induced recession, policymakers at the Federal Reserve had initially <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-reserve-releases-plan-to-more-urgently-address-high-inflation">pegged</a> a near-zero target interest rate and purchased government bonds from the market. Several leading companies across multiple industries — including Meta, Bed Bath &amp; Beyond, Ford, and Goldman Sachs — have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-retailer-will-lay-off-20-of-staff-close-150-stores">announced layoffs</a> amid uncertain demand conditions induced by the new contractionary monetary policy regime.

US-ECONOMY-SHIPPING

Ocean Shippers Reveal Major Sign That The Global Economy Is In Dire Straits

Ocean Shippers Reveal Huge Decline In Shipping Volumes

Economy

Inflation

Supply Chain

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> troops withdrew from another <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukrainian</a> city on the frontline of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">war</a> Saturday as Ukraine’s fighters surrounded Lyman in the Donetsk Oblast.
The retreat comes just a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vladimir-putin-set-to-claim-wide-swaths-of-ukraine-after-sham-referenda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annexed</a> large swaths of Ukraine following what many are calling sham referenda across four eastern and southern Ukrainian regions. Putin claims the referenda signaled support for the regions joining Russia, but for now, Ukraine can claim yet another victory for its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/good-decision-for-them-to-run-russian-forces-retreating-as-ukraines-counteroffensive-sees-success" target="_blank" rel="noopener">counteroffensive</a>.
“In connection with the creation of a threat of encirclement, allied troops were withdrawn from the settlement of [Lyman] to more advantageous lines,” Russia’s Defense Ministry <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/01/europe/ukraine-russia-lyman-donetsk-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. The Russian government also blamed the withdrawal on Ukraine using “Western-made artillery and intelligence from North Atlantic alliance countries [NATO].”
Ukrainian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a> celebrated the news in an address Saturday night. “The Ukrainian flag is already in Lyman, Donetsk region. Fighting is still going on there. But there is no trace of any pseudo-referendum there,” he <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-kidnapping-government-and-politics-cce973f2c43dc0d85883d46642fc970c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Zelensky announced Friday that his country had submitted an expedited application for NATO membership. “Ukraine was and remains a leader in negotiation efforts. It was our state that always offered Russia to reach an agreement on coexistence on equal, honest, decent and fair terms,” Zelensky said in a video message. “It is obvious that this is impossible with this Russian president. He does not know what dignity and honesty are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia, but already with another president of Russia.”
Russia’s latest retreat is sure to anger the Kremlin after the government attempted to soften the blow of last month’s troop fallback. Russian officials have even admitted recently that their operation in Ukraine has slowed, claiming the reason is to “avoid casualties among civilians.” It has been reported that 5,600 civilians have perished since the onset of the war, and there are allegations of Russia purposely targeting civilians.
Russian official Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya, called for “more drastic measures” to be taken as troops flee Lyman, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-kidnapping-government-and-politics-cce973f2c43dc0d85883d46642fc970c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press. He also claimed that one Russian general was being “covered up for by higher-up leaders in the General Staff.”
Meanwhile, lawmakers in the U.S. continue to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-passes-bill-to-avoid-government-shutdown-send-billions-more-in-aid-to-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seek billions of dollars</a> in more aid for Ukraine. The U.S. has already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-simply-have-to-step-back-the-realist-approach-to-war-in-ukraine-and-americas-european-allies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">committed</a> upwards of $40 billion to Ukraine since the end of January, more than every country in the world combined, <a href="https://www.ifw-kiel.de/topics/war-against-ukraine/ukraine-support-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to figures from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. The American government’s military aid to Ukraine has, no doubt, helped the country fend off its Russian invaders. After seven months of fighting, Vladimir Putin’s forces have caused death and destruction, but remain far from accomplishing a full-scale takeover of the country.

Russians On The Run: Putin’s Forces Flee Another Strategic City Day After Annexation

Putin's Forces Flee Another Strategic City As Ukrainian Counteroffensive Continues

Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukrainian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a> announced on Friday that his nation has formally submitted an expedited application to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nato" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NATO</a>).
NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance launched after World War II as a counter against Soviet aggression in Europe. The announcement occurs as the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian invasion of Ukraine</a> enters its seventh month.
&#8220;Ukraine was and remains a leader in negotiation efforts. It was our state that always offered Russia to reach an agreement on coexistence on equal, honest, decent and fair terms,&#8221; Zelensky said in a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/sep/30/russia-ukraine-war-live-news-biden-and-zelenskiy-reject-expected-annexations-ahead-of-putin-speech#top-of-blog">video message</a>. &#8220;It is obvious that this is impossible with this Russian president. He does not know what dignity and honesty are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia, but already with another president of Russia.&#8221;
Russian President Vladimir Putin officially <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-informs-russian-parliament-plan-annex-ukrainian-regions-2022-09-30/">revealed</a> on Friday that he would annex the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine after residents voted to join his nation. The referendum, which local Ukrainian officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vladimir-putin-set-to-claim-wide-swaths-of-ukraine-after-sham-referenda">said</a> was coerced by Russian soldiers, took place earlier this week, with results in each region appearing to be strikingly lopsided in favor of Russia.
“The Kremlin’s sham referenda are a futile effort to mask what amounts to a further attempt at a land grab in Ukraine,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a Thursday <a href="https://www.state.gov/russias-sham-referenda-in-ukraine/">statement</a>. “To be clear: the results were orchestrated in Moscow and do not reflect the will of the people of Ukraine.”
Member states of NATO sent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nato-takes-unprecedented-action-to-respond-to-russia-putins-objectives-not-limited-to-ukraine">thousands of troops</a> to neighboring eastern European countries in February after Putin ordered the invasion. The United States has sent more than $9.8 billion in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-sending-5-5-billion-more-in-aid-to-ukraine">civilian and military assistance</a> to Ukraine over the past several months. USAID Administrator Samantha Power remarked earlier this year that as the “assault on Ukraine’s public services continues, the United States is rushing in with financial support to help the government keep the lights on, provide essential services to innocent citizens and pay the health care workers who are providing lifesaving support on the frontlines.”
On Thursday evening, the Senate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-passes-bill-to-avoid-government-shutdown-send-billions-more-in-aid-to-ukraine">approved</a> more than $12 billion in additional aid for Ukraine. Lawmakers in the House of Representatives must advance the bill to President Joe Biden by Friday night, which marks the end of the current fiscal year.
Ukraine’s application to join NATO also comes days after the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline system <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">saw</a> “unprecedented” damage. As fuel poured into the Baltic Sea, some European leaders began <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-navy-nato-recently-tested-underwater-technology-near-location-nord-stream-pipelines-were-damaged">pointing fingers</a> at Russia, which had severed flow through the pipelines one month earlier, as well as the United States. Germany, the continent’s largest economy, relied upon Russian natural gas for 55% of its imports before the beginning of the conflict.
“The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented,” Nord Stream AG, the Russian company that operates the pipelines, said in a statement. “It is not yet possible to estimate the timing of the restoration of the gas transport infrastructure.”
After Russia invaded Ukraine, other European countries — including Sweden and Finland — pursued membership in NATO. The parliament of Slovakia <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/slovak-parliament-approves-nato-membership-finland-sweden-2022-09-27/">approved</a> the entry of the two Nordic nations into the alliance, becoming one of the last governments to ratify the expansion. Hungary and Turkey have not yet greenlit the move.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukraine Applies For NATO Membership

NATO

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-calls-up-reservists-plane-tickets-exiting-russia-sold-out-as-frantic-russians-panic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a>’s latest conscript will need extra meal rations and a custom-tailored uniform.
Nikolai Valuev, a 7-foot-tall, 350-pound former two-time <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/earnie-shavers-boxing-legend-whose-power-shook-ali-and-even-sylvester-stallone-dead-at-78/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world heavyweight champion</a>, told the Russian news outlet <a href="https://iz.ru/1402986/2022-09-29/deputat-nikolai-valuev-soobshchil-o-poluchenii-povestki-iz-voenkomata" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Izvestia</a> that he has been called on to fight in Ukraine. Valuev, who retired from the ring in 2009, said he intended to enlist immediately.
“In my opinion, everyone has received a summons, I also received a summons,” Valuev said. “Will I go? Of course, I will go to the enlistment office now.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Looks like we are finally getting the Klitschko &#8211; Valuev showdown that Valuev backed down from in 2010.
My money is on Klitschko, HIMARS is going to give him an enormous reach advantage.
I am expecting a first round knockout. <a href="https://t.co/rP0Rf8mTTj">https://t.co/rP0Rf8mTTj</a>
&mdash; Oliver Alexander (@OAlexanderDK) <a href="https://twitter.com/OAlexanderDK/status/1575463367761879040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Valuev is the tallest world heavyweight champion of all time and posted a career record of 50-2-1. He lost his final fight to David Haye by decision. That fight followed a win over former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield. Following his retirement, doctors warned him that degenerative bone and joint problems could jeopardize his longterm health.
After his ring career ended, Valuev, 49, became television host and a member of the Russian Duma, representing Putin’s United Russia Party. He has served in the nation’s parliament for a decade.
Valuev was in Donbas, the Russian-breakaway region of eastern Ukraine, when he was summoned. He said other members of parliament were also called to fight.
“My colleagues are good, they were registered for military service in the State Duma and received summons here, but I have to go home,” he said.
Putin is desperately trying to raise a bigger army after the invasion he launched in February has faltered. Russian soldiers have reportedly surrendered to their Ukrainian counterparts and men who are being called up are reportedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-boosts-russian-troop-numbers-as-invasion-of-ukraine-stalls/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">purposely breaking limbs</a> to avoid fighting in the unpopular war.
Ukraine has a pair of former heavyweight champs in brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. Vitali, a three-time world champ who posted a 45-2 record, is now the mayor of Kyiv. Wladimir, who held world title belts twice and posted a career record of 64-5, was later engaged to actress Hayden Panettiere, with whom he had a child. Both Klitschko brothers enlisted in the Ukrainian army following the invasion.
Neither the Klitschko brothers nor Valuev ever fought each other during their careers.

RUSSIA-VALUEV

Putin’s Latest Conscript Is A 7-Foot, 350-Pound Ex-Heavyweight Champ

Putin's Latest Conscript Is A 7-Foot, 350-Pound Ex-Heavyweight Champ

Boxing

The U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-navy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Navy</a> recently tested technology and completed training exercises near the portion of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nord-stream-pipeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nord Stream</a> pipeline system that saw damage on Monday.
The pipelines, which carry <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">natural gas</a> under the Baltic Sea from <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> to <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/germany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Germany</a>, have been the center of geopolitical strife since the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invasion of Ukraine</a>. Russia severed shipments through Nord Stream 1 a month ago, while Germany blocked the adjacent Nord Stream 2 from beginning shipments immediately before the invasion. Sweden and Denmark <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">reported</a> two leaks in Nord Stream 1 and one leak in Nord Stream 2 on Monday, while the system’s operator confirmed that the destruction was “unprecedented.”
In June, the U.S. Navy <a href="https://sfn.nato.int/newsroom/news-archive/2022/baltops-22-a-perfect-opportunity-for-research-and-testing-new-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joined</a> other NATO members for BALTOPS 22, a series of maritime exercises in the Baltic Sea near the Danish island of Bornholm — the location of the Nord Stream pipeline leaks. Among other initiatives, scientists from five nations tested unmanned underwater mine hunting technology.
&#8220;BALTOPS, with the high degree of complexity, tested our collective readiness and adaptability, while also highlighting the strength of our Alliance and resolve in providing a maritime domain with freedom of navigation for all,&#8221; Vice Admiral Gene Black said in a <a href="https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3066830/baltops-22-the-premier-baltic-sea-maritime-exercise-concludes-in-kiel/">statement</a>.
While some European officials suspect Russia may have destroyed its own pipelines to increase gas prices, others have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tucker-carlson-fuels-suspicion-u-s-behind-nord-stream-sabotage">blamed</a> the United States for the damage, which is causing natural gas to spew toward the surface. Disabling the pipelines would remove the possibility of Germany nixing sanctions against Russia in time to import energy for the winter.
Radoslaw Sikorski, a Polish member of European Parliament, commented on social media that the United States was responsible for the destruction — a claim that earned him <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/poland-slams-politician-who-suggested-u-s-blew-up-pipelines-what-an-act-of-gross-irresponsibility">rebukes</a> from Polish Secretary of State Stanislaw Zaryn. “There’s no shortage of pipeline capacity for taking gas from Russia to Western Europe, including Germany,” Sikorski had claimed, adding that the “only logic” behind the pipeline system “was for Putin to be able to blackmail or wage war on Eastern Europe with impunity.”
Meanwhile, footage of President Joe Biden threatening to oppose the Nord Stream 2 pipeline days before the beginning of the war <a href="https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1574685985115607040?s=20&amp;t=exDoFSWQyGXDG_Cpl8TgOQ">resurfaced</a> on social media. The commander-in-chief had initially <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-sanctions-russian-owned-company-behind-nord-stream-2-pipeline">waived</a> sanctions against the Russian-owned company behind Nord Stream 2, although he reimposed sanctions shortly before the conflict began.
“If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2,” Biden said. “We will bring an end to it.”
After a reporter pressed him, Biden responded: “I promise you — we will be able to do it.”
When asked about the possibility of Russian sabotage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters “no option can be ruled out” at the moment. “This is a very concerning news. Indeed, we are talking about some damage of an unclear nature to the pipeline in Denmark’s economic zone,” Peskov said. “This is an issue related to the energy security of the entire continent.”
A <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/cia-warned-berlin-about-possible-attacks-gas-pipelines-summer-spiegel-2022-09-27/">report</a> from German news outlet Spiegel noted that the CIA had cautioned Germany about possible attacks on the pipelines weeks ago. Berlin is presently assuming the destruction emerged from intentional attacks.

SWEDEN-US-NATO-DEFENCE-MILITARY

U.S. Navy, NATO Recently Tested Underwater Technology Near Location Nord Stream Pipelines Were Damaged

American Military, Allies Tested Tech Near Location Nord Stream Pipelines Were Damaged

U.S. Navy

The U.S. Embassy in Russia has warned all Americans to leave the country immediately following President Vladimir Putin&#8217;s partial mobilization decree last week.
The embassy warned that transportation options to leave Russia could suddenly become more limited and that those with dual American-Russian citizenship could be called for military service.
&#8220;Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals’ U.S. citizenship, deny their access to U.S. consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service,&#8221; the <a href="https://ru.usembassy.gov/security-alert-for-u-s-citizens-in-russia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">security alert</a> stated.
&#8220;Commercial flight options are extremely limited at present and are often unavailable on short notice. Overland routes by car and bus are still open,&#8221; the alert continued. &#8220;If you wish to depart Russia, you should make independent arrangements as soon as possible. The U.S. Embassy has severe limitations on its ability to assist U.S. citizens, and conditions, including transportation options, may suddenly become even more limited.&#8221;
The alert also warned American citizens not to travel to Russia and that those already traveling within Russia should leave right away.
&#8220;U.S. citizens should not travel to Russia and those residing or travelling in Russia should depart Russia immediately while limited commercial travel options remain,&#8221; the embassy stated.
Since August 15, the State Department&#8217;s <a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/Russia-travel-advisory-do-not-travel-leave-immediately.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">travel advisory</a> for Russia has been raised to level 4, which states the recommendation for Americans is, &#8220;Do not travel and leave immediately.&#8221; The most recent update from the U.S. Embassy in Russia expands the previous warning to urge Americans with dual Russian citizenship to flee, along with increasing urgency following Putin&#8217;s latest military announcement.
The new warning also comes as Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the U.S. is coming close to &#8220;becoming a party to the conflict&#8221; in Ukraine.
“More and more, the American side is getting into this conflict, getting closer to becoming a party to the conflict, which is extremely dangerous,” Peskov told reporters on Wednesday, <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/news/6262130/ukraine-news-war-latest-russia-vladimir-putin-nuclear/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> a report by The Sun.
On Tuesday, Russia announced referendums in four captured regions in an effort to take areas under Ukrainian sovereignty. Western nations have largely condemned the actions.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Russia is orchestrating sham referendums in a transparent attempt to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory.
All countries should reject this charade and refuse to recognise the results.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StandWithUkraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StandWithUkraine</a> <a href="https://t.co/CpW9dO0arb">pic.twitter.com/CpW9dO0arb</a>
&mdash; Foreign, Commonwealth &amp; Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCDOGovUK/status/1575111896835018753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
During a virtual address with students and staff at Harvard University, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky blasted the Russian effort to annex its land.
&#8220;If it is not clear that we have regained our land, the war is over and there is peace, and instead something is always under a question mark, some part is not de-occupied, and the other part is in some kind of compromise, then, believe me, Russia will return to the occupation of our land,&#8221; Zelensky said in a <a href="https://president.gov.ua/en/news/ukrayina-maye-povernuti-vsi-svoyi-teritoriyi-ce-stane-peremo-78069" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> from the event released on Wednesday.
&#8220;Because there will be many more such threats. So that there are fewer of them, it should be systematically written out what the reaction will be. Even to words or intentions. For such military and political leaders to be afraid to even think of threatening any state with anything &#8211; with nuclear weapons, hunger, annexation, or occupation,&#8221; the Ukrainian president added.

Russia border

U.S. Embassy Tells Americans To Leave Russia Immediately

Putin

White House

In a remarkable turn of events, former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/trump-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">President Donald J. Trump</a> offered to &#8220;head up [a] group&#8221; of peace negotiators between <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war">Russia and Ukraine</a> on Wednesday morning, cautioning that the United States must act prudently in the wake of the suspected sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
President Joe Biden, who claims he is committed to ending the war, should accept Trump&#8217;s suggestion for the good of Europe, America, and the world. Of course, we don&#8217;t expect him to actually do so, but Trump&#8217;s latest advice is still valuable.
&#8220;U.S. &#8216;Leadership&#8217; should remain &#8216;cool, calm, and dry&#8217; on the SABOTAGE of the Nord Stream Pipelines,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/109075693097650167" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;This is a big event that should not entail a big solution, at least not yet.&#8221;
On Tuesday, the Nord Stream pipelines began leaking millions of cubic meters of natural gas into the ocean. The evidence so far suggests that it was sabotaged — by who and what country remains unclear.
In a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tucker-carlson-fuels-suspicion-u-s-behind-nord-stream-sabotage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">monologue</a> Tuesday night, Fox News&#8217;s Tucker Carlson put forth several reasons that the Biden administration possibly could have committed the act: First, Biden himself suggested that he would take out the pipelines. Second, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suggested that it would allow the world to transition to green energy. And third, it provides cover to escalate the war with Russia by blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As of now, that is all speculation. What is clear is that at this time, Biden is not calling for peace. On the contrary, he is willing to support the war however long it takes to defeat Putin.
Only Trump is demanding that the war end through negotiations.
&#8220;The Russia/Ukraine catastrophe should NEVER have happened, and would definitely not have happened if I were President,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/109075693097650167" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> on his Truth Social platform. &#8220;Do not make matters worse with the pipeline blowup. Be strategic, be smart (brilliant!), get a negotiated deal done NOW. Both sides need and want it. The entire World is at stake. I will head up group???&#8221;
It is easy to dismiss the message as a banal social media post, but it is a pretty extraordinary message when you think about it. A former president of the U.S. is using his platform to call for world peace, even offering to help his 2020 political opponent.
Critics of course would laugh at the very idea of Trump leading negotiations — they still think he is a maniac. Those critics either forget or ignore the relative peace during his administration. Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcQRWgxCYdE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">started</a> no new wars, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-trump-secures-another-peace-deal-between-israel-and-an-arab-nation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crafted</a> historic deals in the Middle East, and essentially <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/us-immediately-withdraw-all-troops-syria-joseph-curl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defeated</a> ISIS.
Putin, it should be remembered, acted aggressively against Ukraine under former President Barack Obama&#8217;s term, neglected to do so while Trump was in office, and then restarted his hostility shortly after Biden was inaugurated.
According to some reports, Biden&#8217;s incompetence in handling Afghanistan was the turning point for Putin&#8217;s decision to invade Ukraine. After seeing how feckless the new administration acted, Putin was emboldened, <a href="https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article258426478.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to folks like Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Yet Trump proved he was not afraid to use force when necessary, never revealed his plans fully, and even successfully pressured NATO countries to pay more of their share for defense measures. In other words, it isn&#8217;t a stretch to say that Putin feared Trump, based on his actions as president.
Now, it seems obvious that Putin doesn&#8217;t fear Biden at all. He invaded Ukraine after months of being warned not to engage in conflict.
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/it-sure-sounds-like-biden-wants-world-war-over-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">observed</a> last week, we have now had seven months of sanctions and boycotts on Russia while billions of U.S. dollars and military aid flood Ukraine. In turn, Russia has shown zero inclination to retreat.
But now, as pointed out by Trump, the war is on the precipice of escalating quickly. It is clear that Biden&#8217;s strategy has not been working. He should be looking for all possible avenues to peace. It would be an incredible sign of reconciliation if Biden actually tapped Trump for the job.
Trump, yet again, stands practically alone calling for a different course of action. Despite his record of success, Trump will more likely than not be ignored. It seems that Biden — as well as the establishments of both political parties in D.C. — want the war to continue.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Trump,. Putin, Biden

Trump Just Offered To Lead Russia-Ukraine Peace Negotiations. Biden Should Accept.

Biden

Donald Trump

Nordstream Pipeline

Fox News host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tucker-carlson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tucker Carlson</a> joined a suspicious internet chorus Tuesday in pointing the finger at the U.S. for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines</a> as a deep-sea, international mystery widened.
The two Russian-owned pipelines were damaged on the floor of the Baltic Sea Monday, and have been spewing natural gas up to the surface since. The pipelines were built to send natural gas from Russia to Europe and contained gas but were not operational. European experts agree that the damage was almost certainly intentionally inflicted and not due to seismic activity.
“This was an act of industrial terrorism,” the Fox News Channel star said Tuesday night, before pointing the finger at the Biden administration.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Tucker Carlson Discusses Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage, Almost Certainly a U.S. Covert Action Against Russia<a href="https://t.co/U5iOFF4O2j">https://t.co/U5iOFF4O2j</a>
&mdash; TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLastRefuge2/status/1574960176939106304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Even though the pipelines had not been pumping due to sanctions imposed by the West after Russia invaded Ukraine, German protesters had been calling for the energy flow to resume. Disabling the pipelines would likely remove the possibility of Germany lifting the sanctions in time to import energy for the winter.
Russia shut off the 760-mile Nord Stream 1 pipeline during the war, while Germany blocked the parallel Nord Stream 2 from going online just before the invasion. Germany relied upon Russian natural gas for more than half of its gas imports before the invasion, and its economy has been severely crippled since the cutoff.
Some suspect Russia may have been behind the destruction of its own pipeline, possibly to raise gas prices, exert pressure on Ukraine’s western allies, or even to frame the U.S.
&#8220;Gas leak from NS-1 [Nord Stream 1] is nothing more than a terrorist attack planned by Russia and an act of aggression towards the EU. Russia wants to destabilize the economic situation in Europe and cause pre-winter panic,&#8221; Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak tweeted Tuesday.
German government spokesman Roderich Kiesewetter tweeted Tuesday night that Moscow was likely behind the undersea caper.
&#8220;It is likely that Russia is trying in this way, on the one hand, to stir up uncertainty among the European population and, on the other hand, to once again point out at the state level the possibility of an attack on critical infrastructure,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Such an act of sabotage would also fit with Russia&#8217;s state-terrorism and hybrid approach.&#8221;
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines served &#8220;no one&#8217;s interest.&#8221; The White House National Security Council said the U.S. would not &#8220;speculate on the cause.&#8221;
Fueling suspicion of U.S. involvement is a <a href="https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1574685985115607040?s=20&amp;t=exDoFSWQyGXDG_Cpl8TgOQ">resurfaced video clip</a> of a cryptic threat President Joe Biden made on February 7, as it became clear that Russia was preparing to invade Ukraine.
&#8220;If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2,&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;We will bring an end to it.&#8221;
When a reporter asked how that would happen given that the pipeline was a German project, a resolute Biden replied, &#8220;I promise you: We will be able to do it.&#8221;
The statement from Biden came a week after Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland made a similar vow.
&#8220;If Russia invades Ukraine, one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward,” Nuland said on January 27.
On Tuesday, Polish member of European Parliament Radoslaw Sikorski seemed to blame – or credit – the U.S. for the apparent attack.
“Thank you, USA,” he tweeted, along with a picture that showed methane bubbling up from the ruptured pipelines to the Baltic Sea surface. Polish officials later rebuked Sikorsi for the “irresponsible” statement.
Carlson warned that destruction of Russian infrastructure by the U.S. would be a dangerous escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has pitted Moscow against the West.
“If we actually blew up the Nord Stream pipelines, why wouldn’t Russia sever undersea internet cables?” Carlson wondered, noting that such a move could wreck the western banking system. “Have the people behind this, the geniuses like Toria Nuland, considered the effects? Maybe they have. Maybe that was the point.”

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