Geopolitics in Quotes

James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent Travelling with Rishi Sunak (12/01/2024) wrote: The UK will give Ukraine a further £2.5bn in military support, Rishi Sunak has said...   The PM made the announcement during a visit to Ukraine, where he will also sign a new agreement supporting Ukraine's long-term security.

Officials said the package will provide Ukraine with long-range missiles, air defence and artillery shells.  Some £200m will be spent on drones, most of which will be UK-made.  Officials said the military package - for the next financial year beginning in April - would result in the largest delivery of drones to Ukraine by any country... Mr Sunak has chosen to spend £200m more than the last two years, when the UK's annual military commitment to Ukraine was worth £2.3bn.

Downing Street said the package of support would form the first step in what it called "an unshakeable hundred-year partnership between Ukraine and the UK".

It will also include £18bn £18m for humanitarian aid, help fortifying Ukraine's energy infrastructure and more funding for online English language training.

Mr Sunak, who last visited Ukraine 15 months ago in November 2022, said: "I am here today with one message: the UK will not falter. We will stand with Ukraine in their darkest hours and in better times to come.  Today we are going further, increasing our military aid, delivering thousands of cutting-edge drones and signing a historic new security agreement to provide Ukraine with the assurances it needs for the long term.  For two years, Ukraine has fought with great courage to repel a brutal Russian invasion. They are still fighting, unfaltering in their determination to defend their country and defend the principles of freedom and democracy."  ...

The UK-Ukraine agreement - being signed today - comprises a raft of bilateral assurances of military and economic support, designed to deter Russian aggression before Ukraine joins NATO.  Officials said the UK is the first G7 country to sign such a pact...

BBC (11-12/01/2024) wrote:US and UK strike Houthis in Yemen
Summary of the US and UK air strikes launched against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen early on Friday.

>US President Joe Biden and UK PM Rishi Sunak confirmed the strikes, saying they were a response to repeated Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

>US warship-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles and US jets attacked more than 12 sites, including in the capital, Sanaa, and Hudaydah, the Houthi Red Sea port stronghold, US officials say.

>Four RAF Typhoon jets bombed two Houthi targets, flying from Akrotiri base in Cyprus.

>President Biden warned of possible further measures to ensure the free flow of commerce.

>A Houthi official warned the US and UK would "pay a heavy price" for this "blatant aggression".

BBC (12/01/2024) update wrote:Four RAF Typhoons left their base at Akrotiri on Cyprus last night at around 19.30 local time. They were carrying Paveway IV, 500 lbs, guided bombs. The round trip of several thousand miles required refuelling from an RAF Voyager tanker – which accompanied them.

The jets reached their targets over Yemen at approximately 23.30 local time.

The Ministry of Defence says the Typhoons hit two separate locations being used by the Houthis to launch drones and missiles. A UK defence source described the mission as a success.

The four jets landed back at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus around 3.30 local time this morning – a mission which took them around 8 hours.

Neither of the two Royal Navy warships currently in the Red Sea were directly involved in the strikes – the air defence destroyer HMS Diamond and the frigate HMS Lancaster.

No name Bertie wrote:

James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent Travelling with Rishi Sunak (12/01/2024) wrote: The UK will give Ukraine a further £2.5bn in military support, Rishi Sunak has said...   The PM made the announcement during a visit to Ukraine, where he will also sign a new agreement supporting Ukraine's long-term security.

Officials said the package will provide Ukraine with long-range missiles, air defence and artillery shells.  Some £200m will be spent on drones, most of which will be UK-made.  Officials said the military package - for the next financial year beginning in April - would result in the largest delivery of drones to Ukraine by any country... Mr Sunak has chosen to spend £200m more than the last two years, when the UK's annual military commitment to Ukraine was worth £2.3bn.

Downing Street said the package of support would form the first step in what it called "an unshakeable hundred-year partnership between Ukraine and the UK".

It will also include £18bn for humanitarian aid, help fortifying Ukraine's energy infrastructure and more funding for online English language training.

Mr Sunak, who last visited Ukraine 15 months ago in November 2022, said: "I am here today with one message: the UK will not falter. We will stand with Ukraine in their darkest hours and in better times to come.  Today we are going further, increasing our military aid, delivering thousands of cutting-edge drones and signing a historic new security agreement to provide Ukraine with the assurances it needs for the long term.  For two years, Ukraine has fought with great courage to repel a brutal Russian invasion. They are still fighting, unfaltering in their determination to defend their country and defend the principles of freedom and democracy."  ...

The UK-Ukraine agreement - being signed today - comprises a raft of bilateral assurances of military and economic support, designed to deter Russian aggression before Ukraine joins NATO.  Officials said the UK is the first G7 country to sign such a pact...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67954152

navyblueshorts wrote:

No name Bertie wrote:

James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent Travelling with Rishi Sunak (12/01/2024) wrote: ...It will also include £18bn for humanitarian aid, help fortifying Ukraine's energy infrastructure and more funding for online English language training...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67954152

Umm, think the article says £18m....

No name Bertie wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:

No name Bertie wrote:

James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent Travelling with Rishi Sunak (12/01/2024) wrote: ...It will also include £18bn for humanitarian aid, help fortifying Ukraine's energy infrastructure and more funding for online English language training...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67954152

Umm, think the article says £18m....

The original article when it was listed as breaking news had £18bn.   I see that it has since been changed by a factor of a thousand less which makes a big difference and makes it insignificant compared to the annual military support for this year (up from previous years to £2.5bn).  The BBC have also opened this article up to "Have Your Say" which is always interesting to read and which gives the BBC feedback on how the BBC viewing public are responding to such policies and reports.  

My intention for this thread is to quote or paraphrase sources rather than give my own opinions of which there are other threads (to avoid the often heated and personalised responses that characterises those threads).

MEMO (15/10/2023) wrote:Egypt reinforces Gaza border with concrete barriers as it ‘indefinitely’ closes Rafah crossing
Egypt is continuing to keep its border with the Gaza Strip closed to Palestinians attempting to flee the Israeli bombardment of the territory, completing the construction of its concrete wall in the process.

Since the start of the Israeli aerial assault on Gaza which began after an offensive operation by the Palestinian resistance group last Saturday, Egypt closed its Rafah border crossing with the strip as many of its residents fled to the south of the besieged territory...

Cairo began its construction of a concrete wall along the border with Gaza back in 2020, but it has now become incentivised to complete or reinforce it due to the exodus of Palestinians from the north of the Gaza Strip to the south, many of whom reportedly intend to cross into Egypt in order to seek refuge from the ongoing Israeli bombardment.

The closure is preventing Palestinians from escaping the bombardment...

This week, Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi further insisted on ruling out the entry of Palestinians into Egypt’s territory, saying that the Gazans should “stay steadfast and remain on their land”.

Wikipedia wrote:The Egypt–Gaza barrier is a steel border barrier constructed by Egypt along its 14 kilometres (7.5 miles) border with the Gaza Strip. The Rafah border crossing is the only border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

In December 2009, with help from the United States, Egypt started building a steel wall along the Gaza border. If it is finished, the wall will be 10–11 km (6–7 miles) long and extend 18 metres (60 feet) below the surface. The wall was to be completed in 18 months.

On 29 October 2014, Egypt began demolishing homes on its side of the border with the Gaza Strip as part of a planned 500 metres (550 yards) buffer zone ...

In February 2020, Egypt began building a new 3 kilometre (2 mile) concrete wall along its border with the Gaza Strip, from Gaza's southeastern tip at Kerem Shalom to the Rafah border crossing. The new wall is in addition to the old wall, and will not be more than 8 metres from the old one. Both walls are within Egyptian territory. The wall will be 7 metres (20') high and will be equipped with electronic sensors.

US Dept. of State (Weds 31/01/24) wrote:Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine on January 31. While there, she met with senior Ukrainian government officials ...

CNN (Weds 31/01/24) wrote:Zelensky set to announce dismissal of Ukraine’s top commander ... Ukraine’s popular army chief Valery Zaluzhny was called to a meeting at the president’s office on Monday and told he was being fired, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN, following weeks of growing speculation over tensions between Volodymyr Zelensky and his top commander.  A formal announcement has not been made, meaning Zaluzhny was still in post as of Wednesday evening, however, a presidential decree is expected by the end of the week, one of the sources told CNN ....

The Guardian (Tues 30/01/24) wrote:Ukraine’s top general refuses request from Zelenskiy to step down ... Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked his most senior military commander, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, to step down on Monday but the popular general refused, triggering speculation that he will be dismissed instead.

Tensions between the two have been simmering for weeks amid the failure of Ukraine’s summer counter-offensive ...

Washington Post (Fri 02/02/24) wrote:Zelensky move to fire general leaves Ukraine guessing who will command war.  

KYIV — Four days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told his top general that he would soon be fired, a replacement still has not been selected, a senior defense official said Friday, leaving the warring country uncertain why its popular military chief is being sacked and who will lead its troops amid intensifying Russian attacks.

Notifying Gen. Valery Zaluzhny of his imminent dismissal without having a successor ready appeared increasingly to be an impulsive and ill-prepared decision by Zelensky and his team. Reports of the ousting in Ukrainian and international media prompted a backlash among civilians and soldiers who admire Zaluzhny and are waiting for an explanation...

RBC Ukraine (Wed 31/01/24) wrote:Victoria Nuland in Kyiv:  Putin will get 'nice surprises on battlefield' ...  "I leave Kyiv tonight more encouraged about the unity and the result ... for Ukraine. I also leave more confident that, even as Ukraine strengthens its defenses, Mr.Putin is going to get some nice surprises on the battlefield and that Ukraine will make some very strong success"

CNN (Thurs 01/02/24) wrote:Ukraine says it sank Russian warship off coast of Crimea and unleashed ‘massive’ missile barrage on peninsula ... Ukraine’s military intelligence says it sank a Russian warship off the coast of Crimea overnight into Thursday, landing the latest in a series of blows to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet after mounting a “massive” missile attack on the occupied peninsula hours earlier.  Russia’s guided missile ship, the “Ivanovets,” suffered multiple hits to its hull before it sank overnight in the harbor of Lake Donuzlav, Crimea’s deepest lake, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence said ...

Kyiv Post (Mon 26/2/24) wrote:... Ukraine's intelligence says cause of Russian oppositionist's death aligns with initial assertions made by Kremlin.

Head of Ukraine's Military Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov ... has said that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died of a blood clot.

“I may disappoint you, but as far as we know, he indeed died as a result of a blood clot. And this has been more or less confirmed,” Budanov told journalists on the sidelines at the “Ukraine. Year of 2024” forum on Sunday.

"This wasn't sourced from the internet, but, unfortunately, natural causes,” he added.

... Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critic, died on February 16 ...

No name Bertie wrote:

Kyiv Post (Mon 26/2/24) wrote:... Ukraine's intelligence says cause of Russian oppositionist's death aligns with initial assertions made by Kremlin.

Head of Ukraine's Military Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov ... has said that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died of a blood clot.

“I may disappoint you, but as far as we know, he indeed died as a result of a blood clot. And this has been more or less confirmed,” Budanov told journalists on the sidelines at the “Ukraine. Year of 2024” forum on Sunday.

"This wasn't sourced from the internet, but, unfortunately, natural causes,” he added.

... Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critic, died on February 16 ...

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/28630

No name Bertie wrote:My intention for this thread is to quote or paraphrase sources rather than give my own opinions of which there are other threads (to avoid the often heated and personalised responses that characterises those threads).

navyblueshorts wrote:Cut out the highlighting. We can read and your highlighting suggests an 'opinion'...

Given the highlighting, I'll comment. I presume Ukraine has had the time to do a full toxicology report on Navalny's body by now? No; didn't think so. It may be natural; it may not be. Russia has more than enough form re. those that disagree w/ Putin, so allow us a little scepticism.

No name Bertie wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:Cut out the highlighting. We can read and your highlighting suggests an 'opinion'...

Given the highlighting, I'll comment. I presume Ukraine has had the time to do a full toxicology report on Navalny's body by now? No; didn't think so. It may be natural; it may not be. Russia has more than enough form re. those that disagree w/ Putin, so allow us a little scepticism.

a) So now I can't highlight published material.  Are you threatening me with a ban from this website?  
b) I quoted the head of Ukraine's intelligence.   Take the matter up with him, not me.

navyblueshorts wrote:

No name Bertie wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:Cut out the highlighting. We can read and your highlighting suggests an 'opinion'...

Given the highlighting, I'll comment. I presume Ukraine has had the time to do a full toxicology report on Navalny's body by now? No; didn't think so. It may be natural; it may not be. Russia has more than enough form re. those that disagree w/ Putin, so allow us a little scepticism.

a) So now I can't highlight published material.  Are you threatening me with a ban from this website?  
b) I quoted the head of Ukraine's intelligence.   Take the matter up with him, not me.

What a ridiculous position to take.

No name Bertie wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:

No name Bertie wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:Cut out the highlighting. We can read and your highlighting suggests an 'opinion'...

Given the highlighting, I'll comment. I presume Ukraine has had the time to do a full toxicology report on Navalny's body by now? No; didn't think so. It may be natural; it may not be. Russia has more than enough form re. those that disagree w/ Putin, so allow us a little scepticism.

a) So now I can't highlight published material.  Are you threatening me with a ban from this website?  
b) I quoted the head of Ukraine's intelligence.   Take the matter up with him, not me.

What a ridiculous position to take.

This is the reason why I stopped giving opinion to avoid abusive responses such as this.  But you have now imagined that quoting sources (highlighting) is opinion and thus self-justified a return to posting mocking or abusive comments (opinioniated assertions).  Moderators have power over non-moderator commentators although it is the administrators that pay for this site - a site that is being reduced to a play-thing for a few and fewer.   I can do without this abuse in my life.  I had thought that quoting facts and published material from reputable sources would have been safe but clearly not for this forum.