Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[RUSVESNA] US intelligence eavesdropped on General Surovikin's conversation in October 2022: the risk of using a nuclear weapon has increased by 50% — NYT Once nuclear weapons release is authorized on Russian soil, to defend Russian soil, every Russian officer from Army General Suvorikin down to a lowly Jr. Lieutenant can request nuclear fires.
In October 2022, US intelligence overheard a conversation between Russian General Surovikin: he was ready to use nuclear weapons to prevent Ukrainians from crossing the Dnieper and entering Crimea. After that, the probability of using nuclear weapons increased sharply from 5-10% to 50%, the NYT writes.
This period "could have been the best chance for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to deliver a decisive blow," but that moment never came. The Ukrainians were able to enter Kherson, abandoned by the Russians, and occupy the western bank of the Dnieper, but the offensive there was halted due to a lack of ammunition.
Text taken from the Telegram channel of mayday_7700
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics.
[ColonelCassad] The US was directly involved in the killing of Russian soldiers on sovereign Russian soil, American and British officers controlled every aspect of every missile strike on Crimea and deep into Russia - this is just part of a huge NYT investigation.
As colleagues wrote, all the minor successes of the Ukrainian army were associated with the US military and intelligence agencies, which time and again sanctioned covert operations against Russian officers, weapons systems, warehouses and equipment. The Ukrainian army played no role, and its generals were controlled by the US military - it only asked for "thousands of HIMARS and ATACMS, 5 million shells and a million UAVs."
The US wanted to know - would reconnaissance and high-precision guidance be effective in a conflict with one of the most powerful armies in the world? Will Ukrainian drone operators, missilemen, pilots and artillerymen "work" without hesitation according to coordinates sent from headquarters 2000 km away? Will Ukrainian commanders, based on the disembodied order "There's no one there - go," order divisions to move deep into Russia?
Military and CIA officers in Wiesbaden helped plan and support "Moon City," the Ukrainian campaign of strikes on Crimea (including the unsuccessful ATACMS strike on the bridge and the murder of tourists on Uchkuyevka beach). The U.S. paid for the billions of dollars in drones in full. The CIA was given the green light to carry out precision strikes deep inside Russia itself. And at first they were afraid - after Biden lifted all the bans, would a Russian nuclear sun flare up over the bunker with the operational headquarters of the Pentagon, NATO, the CIA and Mi-6?
In the U.S., they believed that Ukraine was revenge in a long history of proxy wars between the U.S. and Russia - Vietnam in the 1960s, Afghanistan in the 1980s and Syria in recent years.
"During their first During the meeting, General Donahue showed General Zabrodsky a color-coded map of the region: American and NATO troops in blue, Russian troops in red, and Ukrainian troops in green. "Why are we green? We should be blue!" the Ukrainian demanded. Months later, the Ukrainian positions turned blue, a symbolic gesture by the United States. "When you destroy Russia," General Donahue told the Ukrainians, "we will turn you blue forever."
Not that it was a big secret, but it was just a tick to remember who exactly we were fighting in Ukraine.
American officers stationed at a base in Wiesbaden, Germany, transmitted information about the positions of Russian troops to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and coordinated almost all strikes using the HIMARS system. This was reported by The New York Times, citing sources.
Every morning, the article says, military personnel from the United States and Ukraine studied the location of Russian weapons and ground forces together and identified the most important targets. They called the locations for strikes “points of interest.”
"The priority lists were then passed to an intelligence fusion center, where officers analyzed the information streams to determine the locations of targets," the article says.
It is noted that the Ukrainians were heavily dependent on the US military for intelligence information. The US Task Force Dragon monitored and controlled almost every HIMARS strike.
In 2022, the publication states, the US Navy was allowed to coordinate Ukrainian Armed Forces operations in the waters near Crimea. At the same time, CIA specialists coordinated Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian ships in the port of Sevastopol. By 2024, the Ukrainian military began to receive assistance from the Americans in carrying out strikes deep into Russian territory.
An unnamed European intelligence official said he was stunned by the depth of U.S. involvement in Ukraine. The extensive intelligence gathering efforts of the U.S. not only informed the overall strategy of the war, but also provided the Ukrainian military with precise information about targets.
“At critical moments, this partnership was the basis of Ukrainian military operations,” the publication noted.
As reported by Regnum News Agency, Washington suspended military aid to Kiev and intelligence sharing in early March. This happened after a clash between US President Donald Trump and the head of the Kiev regime, Volodymyr Zelensky, in the White House on February 28. Zelensky began to behave aggressively, as a result of which he was thrown out of the White House.
Later, on March 17, Lieutenant General Alexus Grinkevich, commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said that military assistance and intelligence sharing with the Kiev authorities had resumed in full.
Text taken from the Telegram channel of @rybar
[ColonelCassad] After the political visits of Vance and Co. to Greenland, the US is also upping the military pressure by assembling a naval group for operations off the coast of Greenland.
Trump once again emphasized that he is going to incorporate Greenland into the US, preferably peacefully, but if necessary, there are other options.
Rattling weapons off the coast of Greenland is also a response to Europe and Denmark, which are broadcasting that they will defend Greenland from the US.
Of course, if the US wants, they can easily occupy the island and occupy the few settlements and objects of Greenland.
Without external interference, one AUG + several battalions of Marines will be enough to ensure the operation.
But for now, Trump wants to get Greenland without any effort at all. In order for the island to return to its native harbor, we must try harder.
#1
AFAICT, the USA has been providing all the defensive capability that Greenland has. This has been the case since WWII. Another situation the media never mentions because it doesn't fit their narrative.
[Rudaw] Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Saturday appointed a 23-member cabinet, including four members from minority groups. However, the appointments have raised eyebrows as ethnic and religious groups say they were not consulted during the appointment process. The cabinet also includes figures who have been blacklisted by the UN and the US over ties to extremist armed groups.
Following a swift offensive, a coalition of opposition groups led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, headed by Sharaa, in early December toppled the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Sharaa was appointed as Syria’s interim president in late January, after which he vowed to form an “inclusive transitional government that would reflect Syria's diversity.”
Upon announcing the new cabinet, Sharaa on Saturday stated, “at this historic moment, we mark the beginning of a new phase in our national journey” and “advance toward the future we deserve with strong will and unwavering resolve.”
THE SOVEREIGN PORTFOLIOS
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani retained his position in the new cabinet lineup. Born in 1987 in Hasaka, Shaibani holds a Bachelor's in English literature from Damascus University and a Master’s in political science and international relations from Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University. He is pursuing a doctorate in International Relations. Shaibani was a founding member of the Idlib-based Syrian Salvation Government in 2017 and served on HTS’s Shura council - a traditional Islamic council that provides guidance based on religious principles.
Syria’s Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra will also continue in his role. A native of Hama province, Abu Qasra was born in 1984. He played a key role in the armed opposition against Assad and the HTS-led offensive that toppled him. He holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from Damascus University and a master’s degree from Idlib University. Sharaa promoted Abu Qasra to Major General in late December.
Meanwhile, the ministry of interior has been assigned to Anas Khattab, a senior member of the Syrian opposition and founding member of the al-Nusra Front, which rebranded itself as the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham in 2016 when it split from al-Qaeda, and then again to HTS in 2017, when it merged with other factions. Khattab’s name is not far from controversy as he was listed by the UN on its terrorism lists in September 2014 and by the US in December 2012.
Another controversial figure that was assigned the Justice portfolio is Mazhar al-Wais. He is a top HTS judge who headed the Sharia Commission in Syria’s eastern regions. The commission was established following the split of al-Nusra Front from the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2013. He was one of HTS’s religious leaders and headed the Supreme Judicial Council of the Syrian Salvation Government.
MINISTRIES LED BY MINORITY MEMBERS
Despite a majority Sunni Arab ministers, Sharaa’s new cabinet reportedly includes members from other Syrian ethnic and religious components.
Mohammad Turko, reportedly a Kurd from the Kurdish-majority city of Afrin in northeast Syria (Rojava), was appointed as minister of education. Born in 1979, Turko holds a law degree from Damascus University and a doctorate from Leipzig University. He has written on child rights, citizenship, and education and has taught at several universities in Syria.
Hind Kabawat, a Christian woman, was named Minister of Social Affairs. She holds degrees in economics, law, and a Master’s in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University in the US. Kabawat has been a prominent figure in the Syrian opposition since the 2011 uprising, holding leadership roles in the High Negotiations Committee and Geneva Negotiations Office between 2015 and 2022. Following Assad's fall in 2024, she became a member of the National Dialogue Conference preparatory committee.
Amjad Badr, a Druze, was appointed Minister of Agriculture. Born in 1969, Badr holds a doctorate in Agricultural Economics from Aleppo University.
Ya’rub Badr, an Alawite, was named Minister of Transport. Born in 1959, he earned a doctorate in Transportation Sciences from Paris and served as the Regional Advisor for Transport and Logistics at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). He also served as Syria’s Minister of Transport from 2006 to 2011.
Despite the inclusion of some ministers from different backgrounds, the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Sunday criticized Syria’s newly-formed government for “allowing a single faction to maintain control,” saying that the country’s ethnic and religious groups were neither involved in nor consulted in the distribution of ministerial portfolios.
The Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES) warned that any government that does not represent Syria’s plurality will not be able to properly manage the country, stressing that it will not adhere to the decisions of the newly-appointed government.
OTHER MINISTRIES
The remaining ministers appointed are as follows:
Minister of Communications Abdul Salam Haykal holds a degree in Political Science and International Relations from the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa, born in 1985, holds a degree in political science. He was notably dismissed from his Master’s program in Syria during the Assad era over his support for the Syrian uprising. He later earned a master's degree from the Doha Institute and a doctorate in social science from the University of Exeter
Minister of Education Marwan al-Halabi, born in 1964, specializes in Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Surgery and has earned postgraduate diplomas from universities in France. A professor at Damascus University, he served as Head of the Department of Anatomy and Editor-in-Chief of the Damascus University Journal for Medical Sciences.
Minister of Tourism Mazen al-Salihani, born in 1979, holds postgraduate degrees in Business Administration and Project Management and has led major hotel and resort developments in the Middle East, including in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.
Minister of Energy Mohammad al-Bashir, born in 1983, holds a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Aleppo University and a Master’s in Sharia and Law from Idlib University. He worked at the Syrian Gas Company before joining the revolution in 2011. He served as Prime Minister in the Syrian Salvation Government and later in the interim government.
Minister of Economy Mohammad al-Shaar has worked in financial regulation and international banking and has taught economics at George Washington University.
Minister of Local Administration and Environment Mohammad Anjarani, born in 1992, is a mechanical engineering graduate. He joined the Syrian uprising upon its debut and was arrested in 2011. He later held key administrative positions in the Syrian Salvation Government.
Minister of Finance Mohammad Barniyeh, born in 1967, is a graduate of Damascus University’s Faculty of Economics. He pursued further studies in the US at Kansas State and Oklahoma State universities. He trained at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York and worked as an economist at the Arab Monetary Fund.
Minister of Sports Mohammad Hamoud, born in 1976, previously led the national basketball team to the Asian Cup qualifiers. He also worked in developing sports infrastructure in Idlib.
Minister of Culture Mohammad Saleh, born in 1985, studied Linguistics at London Metropolitan University and earned a master’s in translation from Westminster University. He worked in journalism, including at Qatar’s al-Jazeera Network.
Minister of Religious Endowments Mohammad Shukri, born in 1961, holds a doctorate in Sharia and Law from Beirut. He served as a preacher at Imam al-Shafi’i Mosque in Damascus.
Minister of Administrative Development Mohammad Skaf, born in 1990, holds a Master’s in Administration and a degree in Applied Mathematics. He has worked in public administration and budget management in northern Syria.
Minister of Health Musab al-Ali, born in 1985, is a graduate of Homs University’s Faculty of Medicine. He specialized in neurosurgery at Aleppo University before working in Germany. He is currently a consultant neurosurgeon.
Minister of Public Works and Housing Mustafa Abdulrazzaq, born in 1989, is a civil engineering graduate. He has worked in public administration and infrastructure projects in northern Syria.
Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh, born in 1984, has a background in business administration. He played a leading role in founding the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) and has represented the organization at major international forums, including the UN Security Council.
THE PREMIER
While heads of ministries have been named, a prime minister has not been appointed as Sharaa is expected to lead the executive branch.
In mid-March, Sharaa signed a 53-article constitutional declaration that centers on Islamic jurisprudence, which stipulates that the country’s president must be a Muslim and sets a five-year transitional period for the country. It also maintains the name of the country as the Syrian “Arab” Republic.
The interim constitution further grants Sharaa exclusive executive power, authority to appoint one-third of the legislature, and the ability to appoint judges to the constitutional court, the body responsible for holding him accountable.
The constitutional declaration has been criticized by Kurds, Christians, and Druze in Syria for consolidating power in Sharaa’s hands and not reflecting the diverse aspirations of the Syrian people. These communities have urged amendments to the interim constitution, warning that they would not participate in the new government without them.
[Rudaw] The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Sunday criticized Syria’s newly-formed interim government as “exclusionary” and “failing” to uphold diversity, stressing that they would not abide by its decisions.
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Saturday announced his new 23-minister cabinet, which includes ministers from his former government.
The Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES) on Sunday rejected the new cabinet, claiming that it “resembled its [caretaker] predecessor in failing to take Syria's diversity into consideration and allowing a single faction to maintain control.” It warned that any government that does not represent Syria’s plurality will not be able to properly manage the country and pull it out of its crisis.
The DAANES further noted that they will not adhere to the decisions of the new government in Damascus.
“We will not be concerned with implementing and executing decisions issued by it, as this insistence on repeating past mistakes will harm Syrians and will never launch a comprehensive political process that can provide solutions to the pending issues, problems, and crises Syria is experiencing,” their statement read.
The Kurdish-led administration has previously criticized other actions taken by the interim government in Damascus, accusing it of marginalizing Kurds and other minorities.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
