Ukraine Atrocities: The Illegal Use of White Phosphorous Fire Bombs Against Donetsk Civilians

By Eric Zuesse

Global Research, August 19, 2014

Region: Russia and FSU

Theme: Crimes against Humanity, Militarization and WMD,US NATO War Agenda

In-depth Report: UKRAINE REPORT

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A report on August 15th from Russian Television alleged that the Ukrainian government that the U.S. installed in February of this year was resorting to internationally banned white phosphorous firebombs in order to help destroy the million people who lived in the now Ukrainian separatist capital of Donetsk. It lands super-hot and starts fires and burns to death almost anyone it touches.

The Ukrainian separatists are the residents in Ukraine’s southeast, where Viktor Yanukovych, the Ukrainian President, was elected overwhelmingly by the votes of the people in this region in 2010. They reject the government that Obama installed, and are therefore seeking independence from it. They reject that government not so much because Obama is forcing it on them, as because that government is trying to exterminate them.

Here is the original televised news report on the alleged August 14th firebombing of the Leninsky District in Donetsk:

And here is a raw video of this August 14th firebombing, taken from the distance:

A separate local Donetsk video of it is here:

That video opens with this picture, but doesn’t say whether the fire shown in it resulted from the apparent firebombing:

And here is alleged to be a picture of the resulting burnt rubble.

Since this type of thing has been going on for months, there has been a mass-evacuation of the area by the families, leaving only their fathers who are the resistance fighters, and when an OSCE official from the western “democracies” came to visit the former residents, at refugee camps in Russia, these refugees were asking why only Russia is offering them any help.

Meanwhile, Russia opens more refugee camps, and the West blocks Russia from sending aid into the Ukrainian cities that are being bombed: food, water, and medicines.

But then, a news report on August 16th from eturbonews was headlined “Alleged War Crime: White Phosphorus Used in Residential Areas of Donetsk?” and it reported why there had not been immediate news-reporting of the results of this firebombing, if it had indeed occurred:

“According to eTN sources in Donetsk, WP bombs landed in residential areas in Donetsk at the Lenin district of Donetsk city, Petrovski district of Donetsk city and near the railway station Mandrykino. … The situation in Luhansk without electricity, water and food can be compared with activities used when committing genocide. Ukrainian forces isolated [the] East Ukrainian city and are not allowing water, food and medicine through after destroying electricity and communication services. According to an eyewitness statement Ukrainian army check points let travelers drive to the Eastern Ukraine, but no one is able to leave the Eastern part of the country. It’s like a big prison with hundred[s of] thousands of people and without food, water and electricity. … Scenes of devastation are emerging from across the city, with many buildings burned out or riddled with shell-holes. A large number of private homes in Donetsk have been burned down as firefighters fail to extinguish fires caused by shelling.” So, their source confirmed it.

A report had, indeed, been uploaded on August 14th, the very night of the attack, indicating that “the Lenin district of Donetsk” was among the specific areas firebombed, and it’s the second one shown above:

So: the Ukrainian regime that the U.S. installed has simply been blocking off any ability of official ‘news’ media into Donetsk to report on the massacre. In other words: anyone who is still waiting for ‘news’ media to tell them about this firebombing will be waiting until everyone is dead and no one even cares, because it’ll then no longer be even ‘news’ at all — by then it’ll be only history. But that’s what it indeed will be.

And so will the people who had lived in Donetsk, just history, like the people who lived in Hiroshima, or in Dresden, or who were bombed to death by Germany’s Nazis in London, etc. Of course, the determinant of whether the victims here will be viewed sympathetically by history will be which side ultimately writes the history books on this war. But did the residents of Dresden and Hiroshima have any guilt that justified their being destroyed in this way? Perhaps one might say that most of them were either fascists or nazis and supported such barbarians, who would do such things.

However, one can’t even assert that here, because these victims in southeast Ukraine were instead trying to protect

themselves from Ukraine’s nazis, who are our people in Ukraine. It’s “our side” that are the barbarians, the nazis, here. The victims are trying to protect themselves from us — from the people that the U.S. installed into power.

Are we guilty? If we support this government, we certainly are. Those of us who support it are the guilty ones here; those are the people who willingly share in Obama’s clear guilt on this matter (Obama being the person who appointed the persons, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, who appointed the person, Victoria Nuland, who appointed the person, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who appointed the new Ukrainian Defense Minister, Mikhail Koval, who designed this ethnic-cleansing program and who even announced it to the public. And anyone in the U.S. House of Representatives who fails to introduce an impeachment resolution against Obama for his nazism in this regard is certainly guilty, along with Obama. If Obama isn’t even impeached and removed from office for bringing about and endorsing the perpetrators of this and other such atrocities in Ukraine, as he has done, then Americans have no reason to expect ultimately to be treated any better by the nazis that we then allow to remain in power  over us Americans. Nazism is profoundly un-American.

Any member of the U.S. House of Representatives who opposes impeaching Obama over this should certainly be removed by his or her voters this fall. That’s crystal clear, because Obama is the first-ever U.S. President to install a nazi regime anywhere in the world. He is veritably spitting not only onto the graves of all U.S. soldiers who died fighting nazis in World War II; he is even spitting onto the graves of America’s Founders, who would be shocked and appalled that between America’s greatness in WW II and today, America has descended so, from heaven, into hell.

What we do now will determine whether that’s where we will stay and where we belong. Because any country that continues to back this, belongs in hell. That’s for sure.

As to why Obama is doing that, I have written many articles about that, such as here and here. And that produces this, which produces this.

As they used to say: “Never again.” But this time, it’s up to us, not up to Germans or anybody else. It’s up to us, alone, to stop doing this.

On which side of this will the American people be? America’s heroic Founders, and our heroic soldiers who were killed in WWII, ask us this question from the beyond. Are we on this side, or on Obama’s? Each American, and especially each member of the U.S. House of Representatives, must ask and answer  that question.

These are extraordinary times, if for no other reason that this is the first U.S. President who has ever been (despite his deceptively liberal rhetoric) a nazi in the White House. No other one has ever done this.

Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of  They’re Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010,  and of  CHRIST’S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.

"Europe may suffer serious damage as a result of its dancing to the Washington’s tune."

On Threshold of New World System

Alexander DONETSKY | 21.08.2014 | 00:00

Europe was really shocked by the sanctions Russia introduced in retaliation to the punitive actions imposed by the European Union, the United States and some other states. It’s not only the psychological effect defined by Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet as, «Today only the United States and the European Union have a right to punish bad boys, and Russia does not have such a right». The real cause is gloomy outlook for many EU members as a result of Moscow’s reaction.  At first Western media enthusiastically reported that the Russia’s leadership is going to make its people die of hunger. But these assessments happened to be as far from the truth as the dubious professionalism of their authors from the real skills required for serious analytical work.  First, there are few products which have no analogues produced in other countries. Their absence is a problem for a narrow circle of people with unique tastes and needs, not general public. It’s not a big thing if there is no original Parma ham in Buryatia, it won’t spark hunger riots there. If Veuve Clicquot champagne is not seen on the shelves in Slavyansk-na-Kubani, it will hardly change drastically the life of local people.  Second, markets are never empty. Russia-produced poultry will substitute for "Bush legs" (a prevailing term in the post-Soviet states that denotes chicken leg quarters from the United States), license produced or similar cheese from Kazakhstan and Belarus will fill the shops and markets of Russian provincial areas instead of the «public» cheese produced in the Netherlands and Italy. Kazakhstan and Belarus compete to increase dairy sales. Many people who like apples will know that Almaty, not Warsaw, is translated as «father of apples».  Third, those who have joined the new economic association built together with Moscow and its would-be members will be grateful to Washington and Brussels for imposing sanctions on Russia. The countries allied with Moscow will get more profits at the expense of European farmers.  The policy of sanctions implemented by the United States and the European Union is like cutting off the nose to spite the face. The European Union may lose up to 12 billion euro ($16 billion) because of Russia's ban on food imports. It had been forecast even before Russia hit back with retaliatory measures that the Baltic States would lose 10% of GDP. Latvia exported 90% of its fish to Russia. Now many fish and sea food producers of the country face bankruptcy. Lithuania is in trouble having lost the market for two thirds of exported pork. Estonia is going through hard times as it exported from one forth to one third of its agricultural products to Russia. Finish butter producers are in panic. They have exported their product to Russia since the start of the last century. Polish gardeners are in for trouble. Dutch, Hungarian, Bulgarian, German, French and Italian farmers and Norwegian fishermen will lose a profit measured in billions of euros.  Europe may suffer serious damage as a result of its dancing to the Washington’s tune. According to estimations of Finish politicians, Finland faces a political crisis and snap elections under the slogan «Away from Brussels!» Hungary has been a traditional economic and trade partner of Russia. Its leadership openly expresses reluctance to comply with the decisions by European Commission. The discontent with the European Union is getting ripe in Bulgaria and Greece as Russia accounts for 20, 2% and 12, 4% of their exports accordingly.  Recklessly following the US-led policy of sanctions Germany, Italy and France are already facing grave implications as a result. These countries are the main sources of income for the EU budget. Paris has zero economic growth, the GDP is down by 0, 2% in Italy and Germany. There is nothing to compensate the losses with. Making concessions to Washington, Europe makes itself doomed to face another crisis. It may take as many as ten years to make GDP reach again the level of 2008; Finland knows what it’s like to tackle the implications of economic slump.  Europeans have really hurt themselves. They have launched the process of restructuration to affect an entire segment of world economy and voluntarily ceded positions to Asian and South American competitors with vibrant economies.  China, Turkey and Israel have already said they are ready to substitute for European exports of vegetables and fruits. Brazil, Argentina and New Zealand are ready to increase exports of meat. New Zealand has refused to lose the Russian market by joining the US and EU sanctions. Switzerland sticks to its own policy and the Swiss milk and cheese are second to none in comparison with what Italy, France and the Netherlands have to offer. No matter Tokyo formally supports the United States, its fishermen will hardly lose the chance to take the place left vacant by their European competitors.  Of course the United States and the European Union are exerting pressure on these states trying to make them join the anti-Russian sanctions. But it has been done: the agricultures of EU poorest nations have started to go through the process of decay. A new round of economic crisis has hit Europe. It may freeze the growth of Europeans’ well-being or even destroy the European Union. BRICS, the Customs Union and other developing economies of «world periphery» will get a new impetus for economic growth instead of the European Union.  It’s not the limit. Washington and Brussels are on the way to ultimately eliminate the European economy making Asian competitors happy. Now they are discussing the possibility of energy sanctions against Russia. One can only guess what kind of implications it may have for the European Union members who depend 10 to 100 percent on Russia’s energy supplies. But one thing is sure, ladies and gentlemen, one can confidently say that even without energy sanctions Europe downgrades against the background of vibrant economic growth in Asia and Latin America!

http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2014/08/21/on-threshold-of-new-world-system.html Tags: European Union Russia Ukraine US

More NATO False Claims: Ukraine Humanitarian Aid Flounders

By Renee Parsons

Global Research, August 20, 2014

Counterpunch

Region: Russia and FSU

Theme: Media Disinformation, US NATO War Agenda

In-depth Report: UKRAINE REPORT

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As the violence in east Ukraine continues to spiral out of control, it is readily apparent that US diplomatic efforts to bring peace to the region are non existent – except to stir opposition against a 280 vehicle humanitarian convoy stalled at the border and to reiterate a cycle of uncorroborated fictions against Russia.

With intensified fighting in Ukraine, new allegations that a column of 23 Russian armored personnel carriers had crossed the border and beendestroyed by Ukraine artillery in rebel-held territory have proven to be totally unfounded – and yet an acquiescent media continues to repeat the unsubstantiated charges as if factual.

At the same time, as the massacre of a civilian population in Gaza revealed the gross inhumanity of the Obama Administration, the currentblocking of urgently needed humanitarian and medical aid from Russia to east Ukraine is the latest provocation by the US-supported Kiev government.

Since earlier incitements failed in its desired effect to lure Russian troops across the border and the downing of MH 17 failed to prove that Putin was to blame, the US has moved on to the strategy of using the Ukraine’s civilian population, an estimated 1,200 of which are abandoned orphans, as bait to achieve the hoped-for result of encouraging a Russian military intervention.

Not that there is not already a wealth of evidence from Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen and elsewhere that a defenseless civilian population is always an expendable commodity in the larger aim of US global dominance.  The president and other US officials continue to do their best to undermine the urgency of the convoy as well as spreading panic that Russia is imminently planning an unprovoked invasion.

Despite  newly elected President Poroshenko’s approval for the humanitarian fleet (which is carrying 2,000 tons of food, water, blankets, sleeping bags, condensed milk and other necessities) with the support of the International Red Cross, the Russian convoy remains stuck 30 kms from the Ukraine border.   In spite of Proshenko’s agreement to allow access, the convey is still being denied entry by border guards into Ukraine.

Caught in the diplomatic cross-hairs of the Kiev government’s efforts to derail the convoy, the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) formally petitioned the government to allow humanitarian aid to travel through east Ukraine as an ICRC team arrived to negotiate the stalemate with Ukraine border guards.  Six hours later, the convoy received official designation as humanitarian aid and a tentative green light only to be stalled again.  Agreed-upon conditions include inspection of the 280 trucks by Red Cross personnel with a Red Cross employee required to accompany each truck into Ukraine.   While a random inspection has begun, it is uncertain how long inspections might take with the expectation that it will be at least another week before the convoy is allowed to roll again.

Even as the UN conservatively estimates over 2,000 citizen fatalities to date, what has not been agreed-upon is a ceasefire without which the convoy will be traversing through an exceedingly dangerous war-torn territory.  With a ceasefire nowhere in sight, Ukraine security forces have intensified their offensive shelling of residential neighborhoods in six Donetsk cities as the Kiev government is also fighting for control of the Yuzivska shale gas field.  Located near Slavyansk on the Kharkov Donetsk border, residents had organized protests against the Yuzivska  development including a planned ballot referendum.  Today, as the conflict spreads creating more casualties, the humanitarian convoy waits at the border.

With fighting in the beleaguered Luhansk, a city of over 400,000 without water and electricity for at least the last two weeks and desperately awaiting arrival of the convoy,  the alarming report of planned road attacks by one of the several neo-Nazi militias in the area continues to fan the fears of more violence.   If and when the unarmed convoy, its drivers unequipped with helmets or defensive gear crosses into Ukraine and heads for the Donbas, confronts a hostile military presence, Putin may be forced to act in a way he has so far resisted – that is, to order the Russian army into Ukraine to protect the convoy and its Russian citizens.

While NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a rabid Russophobe, suggested that “a Russian incursion” had occurred “through a gap in a barbed wire fence that demarcates the border.” Seriously – 23 APC’s ‘through a gap in a barbed wire fence’?  The Russian Defense ministry has denied the claim as ‘fantasy’ and ‘fabrications’ and that “such statements should not be subject for a serious discussion by top officials of any country.”

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has further testified that no Russian ammunition or military has crossed the border at the two most populated checkpoints.   It is not as if the Kiev and US governments have not, in the past, provided speculative assertions of wrongdoing on the part of the ‘rebels,’ this latest narrative is more transparent than their other constructed fiction.

It is no more possible to imagine that a column of 23 Russian tanks had moved quietly across the border (through a gap of barbed wire) and into Ukraine without any detection and been so devastatingly annihilated as described without any photos of the wreckage, satellite images or other evidence on display than it would be if President Obama had missed the opportunity to provide irrefutable evidence of a Russian ‘invasion’ of Ukraine on primetime tv.   Is it reasonable to believe that the movement of that large a force of APC’s would not have immediately brought down the full wrath of the US military and NATO in an immediate apocalyptic armed response?  And yet all the major players remain strangely silent, not one word of outrage and no presidential announcement to the nation that Russia had invaded Ukraine.

As if the aforementioned crises were not enough to heighten the already fraught tensions that threaten to expand the battlefield beyond its current boundaries, the upcoming annual NATO Heads of State Summit in early September, a gesture to the dying dinosaur,  promises to add more fuel to the fire.

While it appears that the promised approval of NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine may remain on the backburner for the short term, every NATO member fully understands that the depth of Russia’s antagonism in an already volatile environment is rooted in a vehement opposition to a missile presence on its borders.

Rasmussen, who rivals US Secretary of State John Kerry’s indiscreet hyperbole offered that the summit will be a ‘turning point’ for the Alliance and that “We are at a crucial point in history: our peace and security are once again being tested …by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.”   If that was not enough to sound like a prelude to military action, then

“We will adopt an action plan to boost our readiness….  We are looking closely at the forces we need, where they should be deployed, how fast they should be able to respond and how to reinforce them”  depth of today’s Russian antagonism in an already volatile environment.

In contrast to US and NATO blathering officials who only know how to bully, cajole and speak in a coercive, threatening manner is Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.   A career diplomat, reliably erudite, poised and focused, Lavrov’s recent comments accurately nailed the Ukraine crisis as NATO’s pretext for existing:

“Previously Afghanistan helped NATO justify its being,” and “NATO is looking for a new reason to exist.”

“…when the West said that Assad can’t be a partner anymore, while we still adhered to the principle that you can’t just overthrow regimes, negotiations [are] needed”

“NATO’s policy is based on the desire to assert their will at any price.”

“And for those who do not agree, they apply sanctions… take revenge, I know no other way to call it, but avenge for independence and for the unwillingness to follow the one-sided, unipolar world.”

Renee Parsons was a staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives and a lobbyist on nuclear energy issues with Friends of the Earth.  in 2005, she was elected to the Durango City Council and served as Councilor and Mayor.  Currently, she is a member of the Treasure Coast ACLU Board.