Thursday, December 19, 2024

Norway Awards $100 Million to Advance Ammonia, Hydrogen, and Electric Ships

Green Ammonia bunker vessel — Green Ammonia, a bunker and distribution vessel for ammonia, was among those receiving awards (Greig Edge)

The Norwegian government through its Enova SF project designed to accelerate environmental-friendly technologies awarded a total of approximately $108 million in funding to 14 projects for ammonia, hydrogen, and battery-powered ships and the supporting technologies. The awards were part of the latest round in ongoing programs conducted by Enova designed to ensure the shipping industry is focusing on and accelerating the shift to future fuels.

The government strongly supports these programs. Enova highlights its funding has nearly tripled from $290 million to over $800 million annually since Jonas Gahr Støre became Prime Minister in October 2021. In 2024, Enova supported a total of 24 vessels that will use hydrogen (11 vessels) or ammonia (13 vessels) as their fuel. Further, the organization reports it will run its next round in March 2025 and plans calls for two rounds each in 2025 and 2026 focusing on ammonia and hydrogen programs.

There was a strong response to the just completed round with Enova reporting it received a total of 31 applications split between the calls for hydrogen and ammonia. Nine applications were granted for those programs and a further five for electric vessels.

Nearly $83 million was awarded for ammonia and hydrogen projects to companies. Among the ammonia projects were Eidesvik Shipping (supply vessel), Norbjørn (cargo vessel), DOF Group (supply vessel), Aurora Offshore (supply vessel) and Grieg Ammonia (bunkering and distribution vessel). Cruise Service AS was awarded nearly $15 million for two hydrogen-powered passenger vessels.

MS Green Ammonia under development by Greig Edge was awarded approximately $7 million of the total of $68 million awarded to ammonia projects. Greig highlights it continues to make progress on the project which started in 2021 and would be able to carry up to 5,000 tons of ammonia per trip acting as both a distribution and bunkering vessel. It is designed to operate either ship-to-ship or ship-to-terminal and would be powered by ammonia for up to 85 percent of the ship’s energy needs. It will also use batteries and shore power along with wind-assisted propulsion. Green ammonia is projected for delivery in 2028.

Aurora Offshore said the more than $20 million it was awarded is a significant step towards the realization of the newbuilds. It is working to secure commercial commitments and support a newbuild project for ammonia-powered platform supply vessels.

Ennova highlights these projects are part of its goal to demonstrate hydrogen and ammonia as zero-emission solutions for the maritime industry. It is working to support establishing the first functioning value chains for hydrogen and ammonia in Norway. To that end, in November it also awarded support to five projects of hydrogen production. They said this will help to ensure hydrogen becomes available as a fuel along the Norwegian coast.

Norway is also supporting elect vessels awarded five projects a total of approximately $25 million in this round. Enova reports it received 29 applications for electric projects and issued awards to Salten Shipping, K Saetre Rederi, and Nidarø each for bulk shipping vessels. The Fjords also received an award for a passenger vessel and Nova Sea for a workboat. To support the development of electric charging facilities, Enova also awarded approximately $3 million to Plug for stations in Austvika and Tomma.

In addition to the next round for ammonia and hydrogen, Enova also plans another round for electric vessels. It will have a deadline of March 2025 and the organization says it will be working with all the applicants from this round to encourage them to continue to submit in future rounds.

Report: IRGC Now Handles Half of Iran's Oil Exports

IRGC oil sales underpin the financing for the Houthi militant group's terrorist campaign against shipping in the Red Sea (Houthi Military Media)

Iran's oil exports are intimately linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' military training and assistance programs in the Middle East, including the weapons transfers that enable Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. The IRGC's share of Iran's oil export volume now exceeds 50 percent, according to Reuters - even as the isolated nation's oil sales have declined.

Under Western sanctions, Tehran is highly dependent on oil exports to keep government functions running. Iran's oil sector is state-run, and it was once a vertically-integrated enterprise under the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), which handled everything from exploration to production, marketing, terminal operations and tanker transport. When the Obama administration imposed sanctions on the Iranian economy in 2011-12, ordinary commercial channels for Iran's oil shipments began to shut down, and the IRGC stepped in to provide covert means of marketing and transport. “The IRGC guys were much, much better at smuggling," explained Richard Nephew, a researcher and former deputy special envoy for Iran, speaking to Reuters.

That pattern intensified when the Trump administration reimposed sanctions on Iran in 2018, and the IRGC has come to dominate Iran's oil export trade, underwriting the organization's influence at home and abroad. Security sources told Reuters that the IRGC sells its oil at an extra discount because of the risk of doing business with a U.S.-listed terrorist organization. China's teapot refiners buy the overwhelming majority of this black-market oil, leveraging its low cost to improve their narrow margins.

Iran's oil sales to China have slackened in recent months. According to TankerTrackers.com, which closely monitors tanker movements to determine real trade volumes, Iranian exports dropped to 1.2 million barrels per day in the first half of December, a decline of 500,000 bpd compared to the same period in the last three months. Iran's floating oil storage volume - unsold inventory stored on laden tankers, primarily near Singapore - has risen from 36 million barrels to 48 million barrels since September, according to Vortexa and Iran International.

The cuts in Iranian sales volume coincide with a contraction in the teapot refinery sector. China's oil demand has been sluggish, imposing economic stress on independent refiners. Refinery output fell for six months through October, and two of Shandong's small refineries folded in September.

U.S. sanctions on the Iranian "dark fleet" may also have helped reduce sales. The U.S. Treasury blacklisted 45 tankers with ties to Iranian oil earlier this month - though countless other vessels remain involved in the trade.

U.S. Conducts Airstrike on Houthis as Truman Strike Group Arrives in Region

Harry S Truman aircraft carrier — Truman Strike Group arrived in the region over the weekend (USN)

U.S. Central Command confirmed tonight, December 17, new attacks on Houthi command and control facilities just hours after reports of Houthi missiles aimed at Israel. Earlier, Central Command also confirmed the arrival of the carrier Harry S. Turman strike force in the region after transiting from the Mediterranean.

“CENTCOM forces conducted a precision airstrike against a key command and control facility operated by Iran-backed Houthis within Houthi-controlled territory in Sana’a, Yemen,” they reported in a brief update. No additional details were provided on the strike.

The strike came just three days after the Truman Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility for the first time since March 2020. The group is taking up the role after the Eisenhower Strike Group started the mission in late 2023 in response to the Houthi’s attacks.

The Eisenhower was on duty for approximately nine months along with the guided-missile destroyers USS Laboon and USS Carney which were in the thick of the fight. Returning to the U.S. in July 2024, the U.S. Navy reported the group had launched 155 standard missiles and 135 Tomahawk missiles as well as aircraft in the group expended nearly 60 air-to-air missiles and released 420 air-to-surface weapons. The USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Theodore Roosevelt also did shorter tours in the region.

The Truman carrier strike group is reported to include the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, and two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Stout and USS Jason Dunham.

Hary S Truman transeting the Suez Canal on December 15 (USN)

Centcom reports the target struck tonight was “a hub for coordinating Houthi operations, such as attacks against U.S. Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”

The Houthis in recent weeks have mostly focused their attacks on Israel, although the Pentagon did confirm that U.S. destroyers had been targeted twice in December as they were escorting civilian supply ships in the region. The Houthis today briefly claimed an attack on Ben Gurion Airport but later said they had launched a hypersonic missile into Haifa and targeted a military site in Ashkelon.

The Jerusalem Post reports sirens were sounded in Tel Aviv and that flights in and out of Ben Gurion were briefly stopped. The Israeli Defense Force is saying the attacks were intercepted and did not enter Israel but there are reports of possible debris falling on a building in Jerusalem. Last week, however, a Houthi drone did enter Israel hitting a residential building in Yavne, a central town north of Ashdod. There were no reports of injuries.

The Jerusalem Post says the Houthis have fired six ballistic missiles and five drones at Israel since November.

Centcom said the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is ready, if called upon, to execute the full spectrum of carrier operations including the defense of U.S. and partner forces.

Somali Pirates Up Demand to $10 Million for Release of Chinese Fishing Boat

Hijacked Chinese fishing vessel — Pirates in 2008 seized another Chinese fishing vessel (USN photo from 2008)

Negotiations are reportedly underway between a local representative for a Chinese fishing vessel and tribal elders representing the pirates that seized a Chinese-owned fishing boat off the coast of Somalia. Associated Press is confirming local reports that said the demand is set at $10 million for the 18 crewmembers aboard the unnamed vessel after lower offers from the owner’s representatives.

A local representative of the police in the Puntland region of Somalia told the media 10 days ago that they believed the vessel was seized in late November. They said the pirates had continued to move the vessel between various locations to avoid detection by the coast guard.

Unconfirmed reports indicate it might be an inside job with the vessel reported to have two locals aboard as security guards. The ship, which is reported to be registered in Taiwan, is said to have had a fishing license from the local government, but the license might have expired. The same reports said the security guards turned on the crew siding with the pirates.

The EU operation Atalanta reported on December 5 that it had been informed and investigated. The incident was labeled an alleged hijacking and later an armed robbery because the vessel was remaining within Somali coastal waters according to Atalanta. Its forces confirmed the presence of armed individuals with AK-47s aboard the fishing boat but said no crew had been harmed. Atalanta was monitoring the vessel but since it was in Somalia’s territorial waters it was being handled by the local forces.

Unconfirmed media reports said the initial ransom demand was for $5 million. The same stories said an initial offer of $300,000 was made and later raised to $1 million. The pirates are said to have increased their demand from $5 million to $10 million during the negotiations.

Atalanta reports that it has documented reports of 20 attacks in 2024 including ones that were not successful in seizing vessels. It however notes that there is an unknown number of unreported/unconfirmed incidents involving dhows and smaller vessels. Atalanta’s forces from the EU nations patrol the regional waters and have a proactive program of visiting the smaller vessels to encourage safety practices.

CAPITALI$T EFFICIENCY

Vineyard Resumes Blade Installation Five Months After Fracture

Vineyard Wind blade installation — Vineyard Wind resumed blade installation after a five-month suspension (Avangrid image of earleir installations)

The Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm being developed by Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners resumed blade installation last weekend five months after it was forced to suspend operations due to one blade fracturing. The project which is working with GE Vernova received permission from federal regulators for the work to proceed on a “case-by-case” basis and notified Nantucket’s elected official of the plans to resume blade installation.

A spokesperson for the wind farm developer confirmed to the local media in Massachusetts that it had received initial permission from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement which is responsible for oversight of the construction and operation of offshore wind farms. Previously, the regulators were only permitting cabling work, and then in late October permission was received to resume installing the additional monopile foundations with the DEME’s vessel Orion expected to resume work on or about October 28.

The initial clear was given for three blades after they completed intensive inspections which were also verified by an independent certified verification agent. Each turbine has three 351-foot-long blades. BSEE indicated to the local media around Martha’s Vineyard that it was requiring stringent safety and operation conditions before the work could proceed. The wind farm is located about 14 miles south of the Vineyard.

The notification to Nantucket was reported on December 13. The following day, Saturday, reports said offshore work started for the installation of the next three blades.

The fracture was initially reported on July 13 forcing the wind farm and installation efforts to be suspended. Parts of the blade landed on the tower while other debris landed in the ocean and began washing up on area beaches. Additional parts of the blade failed creating widespread concern as more fiberglass and other composite material washed ashore.

GE Vernova latest said the failure was due to a bonding problem in the manufacturing process which should have been detected by quality control. It was forced to launch a survey and review the quality surveys for all the blades while saying it believed the problem was limited in scope.

Shortly before the failure, Vineyard Wind had reported the wind farm while still under construction had already become the largest operating offshore wind farm in the United States. As of early July, the report said 10 turbines had been commissioned with the wind farm sending 136 MW of energy onto the Massachusetts power grid.

Status updates said 21 turbines in total were in place or preparing for commissioning out of a planned 62-turbine project. As of early July, a total of 47 foundations with transition pieces were reported to be in place.

The company declined earlier this week to provide updates to the local media on the status of the construction. Further blade installations will proceed only after each one has completed the verification process.

Norway Expels Russian Fishing Vessel for Security Reasons

Norway has expelled a Russian fishing vessel that overstayed its welcome at the Port of Batsfjord. The decision was made in a King-in-Council meeting held on December 6, and lawmakers cited security reasons.

The 39-meter-long vessel Azurit has been moored in Batsfjord since May, but the reasons for its prolonged stay are unknown. But some media reports indicate that a Norwegian firm, Indistrikulde AS, had done repair works on the vessel at a cost of $96,000. The amount was yet to be cleared, leading the vessel to be detained. The government has however instructed that no public or private claim should hinder the vessel from leaving the port.

Azurit is registered to the Russian company Oceanprom, with St. Petersburg as its home port.

“The captain/shipowner is ordered to ensure that the vessel Azurit has left the Batsfjord Harbor within five business days after this decision is announced. If the vessel will not have left the harbor within the issued deadline, Norwegian authorities are ordered to tow it out to sea,” said a statement from the Norwegian government.

However, ship tracking sites show that Azurit is yet to depart from Batsfjord as of Saturday morning. The Norwegian newspaper Barents Observer reported that the captain of Azurit was notified of the expulsion order on December 9. On this basis, the Finnmark county Deputy Chief of Police, Trond Nilsen, said that the count for the five days’ grace period started when the captain was notified.

“So, from Saturday the 14th, we have the authority to take the needed action,” Nilsen told the Barents Observer.

In October 2022, Norway limited Russian fishing vessels to just three of its ports - Kirkenes, Batsfjord and Tromsø. This was part of Norway’s economic sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine. In July, Norway further introduced tougher regulations on Russian fishing vessels landing catch in the three ports. The new regulations included time limits, with Russian vessels allowed a maximum of five working days at any port. In addition, the vessels would face increased scrutiny from the customs, the police and the Armed Forces. Specifically, Norway said it would increase police activity in the port of Batsfjord, and ensure the customs service and the police share information more closely.

Norway and Russia jointly manage the rich fish resources of the Barents Sea, with Båtsfjord as a key landing port.

Top image: Port of Batsfjord (Joachim Kohler / CC BY SA 4.0)

Russia's Shadow Fleet Tankers Could Get Naval Escorts

Russian frigate — File image courtesy Russian MOD

Days after six NATO members agreed to start checking the insurance paperwork of Russia's "shadow fleet" of tankers, Denmark's military intelligence service warned that Russia may begin dispatching naval escorts to follow along with these high-risk vessels.

Since the G7 "price cap" restriction on Russian oil shipping took effect in late 2022, Russia has built up a fleet of anonymously-owned, questionably-regulated tankers, thereby minimizing exposure to Western restrictions on its oil exports. As these gray-market ships cannot obtain cover from the well-capitalized insurance markets in Europe, coastal states in the Baltic - like Denmark - are uncertain whether the shipowners would be able to pay claims in the event of a major spill. The risk of pollution is amplified by the shadow fleet's high average age, uncertain management and tendency to avoid pilotage.

On Monday, six NATO nations with coastlines along Russia's Baltic and North Sea oil shipment route - the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Poland and Estonia - agreed to ask shadow fleet tankers for proof of insurance at key transit points, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal announced Tuesday. If the tankers do not answer the request, the non-response "will be assessed and addressed in coordination with our international partners," he said.

On Wednesday, the Danish Defense Intelligence Service cautioned that rising tensions in the Baltic could prompt Russia to assign naval escorts to its controversial tanker fleet, further increasing friction between NATO and Russian forces. Other likely Russian actions in the Baltic Sea could include more GPS jamming - already a serious issue - and other electronic warfare activity.

"We may also see Russia appear more threatening to Denmark and other NATO countries' military aircraft and ships. This entails a risk of misunderstandings and minor collisions between boats in the Baltic Sea," the agency warned.

That risk may also extend to the Arctic, an area of increasing strategic importance. "Russia will demonstrate strength in the region through aggressive and threatening behavior, which will entail a greater risk of escalation than previously seen in the Arctic," warned the Danish Defense Intelligence Service.

Mauritius' New Government Rejects Diego Garcia Deal

The UK Government’s chief negotiator, Jonathan Powell, made an emergency trip to Mauritius last week in an attempt to salvage the draft deal to surrender sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The incoming and newly-elected government of Mauritius had rejected the draft agreement, which it inherited from the previous government of Pravind Jugnauth. Incoming Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolamed described the draft deal as having failed to deliver ‘the benefits that the nation could expect from such an agreement’. On his visit, Jonathan Powell submitted an updated proposal, which the Mauritian government is now considering, and which potentially could increase the amount of money offered to Mauritius. Press speculation in the United Kingdom is that the deal may now be dead.

Since the surprise revelation in September that negotiations for a deal had been re-opened and a draft agreement reached, opposition to the deal in the United Kingdom has hardened. Critics of the deal suggest that it will provide a back door to Chinese interference with the U.S. naval base at Diego Garcia, and have claimed that opposition to continued British sovereignty in the United Nations General Assembly had been orchestrated by the Russians and Chinese to suit their interests.

There were also concerns that the Chagos Islanders were losing their British citizenship and being transferred to Mauritius without having been consulted, leading for calls amongst Chagos Islanders for a referendum on the matter - similar to those that have taken place amongst Falkland Islanders and Gibraltarians. Islanders are also pressing to be allowed to reoccupy one of the outer islands in the Chagos Archipelago, and have sought to remain British citizens, fearing discriminatory treatment by the Mauritian authorities.

The United Kingdom has owned Diego Garcia within the Chagos Archipelago since 1814, and had hitherto rebuffed attempts by Mauritius to assert that the archipelago should have been transferred to Mauritius when it gained independence from Britain in 1968. The United Kingdom has leased the island of Diego Garcia to the United States for its exclusive use as a military base since 1966. The lease runs without break clause until 2036, with a renewal option thereafter.

The United States maintains a secure major airfield on Diego Garcia, as well as a naval support base that can host a full range of naval vessels from nuclear submarines to aircraft carriers. The protected lagoon is used as an anchorage for ships of MPS Ships Squadron Two, a strategic logistic reserve kept afloat and ready for use by US Marines and the US Army in the Middle East region should the need arise. At such times, the airfield becomes a key base for long-range strike and reconnaissance aircraft.

Press reports suggest that the incoming Trump administration is opposed to the draft deal, and there is speculation that the British government will attempt to force an agreement through on revised terms before the presidential inauguration on January 20.

Video: Indian Navy Response Boat Hits Ferry, Killing 13

The Indian Navy response boat approaching the ferry at speed (Indian social media) — The Indian Navy response boat approaching the ferry at high speed (Indian social media)

On Wednesday, an Indian Navy fast response boat hit a ferry off the coast of Mumbai, killing 13 people. A massive search effort continued into Wednesday night to determine if there were any additional survivors.

Navy officials told Indian media that the response boat was out on speed trials after undergoing an engine replacement. At about 1830 hours, a malfunction caused the engine to get stuck on full throttle, creating a runaway disaster. The crew attempted unsuccessfully to maneuver, then struck the ferry.

A bystander video taken by passengers on the ferry shows the navy launch's final moments. It made a gentle S-turn away from the ferry, then turned around on an intercept course, maintaining high speed. The operator made several alternating course corrections to port and starboard before colliding. The ferry subsequently sank.

At the time of the collision, the ferry was underway to Elephanta Island off the coast of Mumbai, a popular pilgrimage site that houses a complex of ancient temples. There were roughly 110 people on board the vessel; 13 people died in the collision and the aftermath, including one Indian Navy sailor and two OEM contractors who had been aboard the response boat. 101 people were rescued, including four who were hospitalized in critical condition. After the initial response, 11 rescue boats and six helicopters remained operating in the area for signs of further survivors.

India's government is offering families of the deceased a condolence payment of two lakh rupees ($2,350) each.

How to interpret Russian general’s assassination in the heart of Moscow

Igor Kirillov, the head of the Russian army’s nuclear, chemical and biological operations, was accused by Kiev of using dirty weapons against Ukrainian populations.

MURAT SOFUOGLU
TRT/AA

19/12/2024

Maj. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the chief of the Russian military's radiation, chemical and biological protection unit, attends a briefing in Kubinka Patriot park outside Moscow, June 22, 2018.

Kiev claimed responsibility for the assassination of Igor Kirillov, a top Russian general, who is the most senior military officer killed by Ukraine in the course of the ongoing war between the two Orthodox Slavic-majority nations.

Kirillov, who oversaw the Russian military’s radiological, chemical and biological department, previously accused the US and its allies of running dangerous labs as “a front for illegal military and biological research” in Ukrainian territory.

The Krillov assassination in the heart of Moscow several kilometres away from the Kremlin has sent shockwaves across Russian elite circles, suggesting that even Moscovites might not be safe from the killing sprees stemming from the Ukraine war. His assistant Ilya Polikarpov was also killed in the attack.

“The assassination in Moscow can be interpreted in several ways. One such interpretation is that Ukraine's ‘allies’ have realised that the regime change they seek in Moscow can only be achieved from within through ‘decapitation’ - of critical human security infrastructure - among other hybrid actions/active measures,” says Ecaterina Matoi, a scholar at the Middle East Political and Economic Institute (MEPEI).

Ukraine claims to kill as many as 19 Russian generals, but Russia disputes Kiev’s death toll of its generals. Overall, military analysts assess that even losing several generals in combat is a big deal for a military force and Russia has lost at least eight generals up to date, according to Western sources.

Kirillov's killing means that “the Ukrainian special services have a very extensive surveillance network within Russia. They are able to target top Russian military and government officials at their private residences. Russian military leaders are not safe in the rear areas of this conflict,” says Keith Darden, a professor of politics, governance and economics at American University.

Kirillov was killed a day after a Ukrainian court indicted him in absentia for being instrumental in Russia’s use of banned chemical weapons against Ukrainians. Kiev threatened more killings after the Kirillov assassination.

A person walks past an apartment block in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, where a bomb killed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's Radiation, Biological and Chemical Defense Forces and his assistant, Ilya Polikarpov.

Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov

Spreading ‘terror’

“Obviously, one of the adjacent objectives is to spread terror among those Russian officials (military or otherwise) who know they may be next on an alleged assassination list,” Matoi tells TRT World, adding that the Moscow attack sends a message that “key Russian military generals are not safe anywhere.”

The Ukrainian killing of Kirillov is definitely “an escalation” in the Ukraine war, says Sergei Markov, a Russian political scientist, who advised President Vladimir Putin in the past, The “terrorist attack” on Kirillov can trigger Russia to target Ukrainian military and political leaders, according to Markov.

“We can see a big demand in Moscow now,” Markov tells TRT World, referring to harsh statements coming from Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council and a Putin ally, who said that “everything must be done to destroy the perpetrators who are in Kiev.”

But Matoi expects a more measured response from Russia, which will strike Ukraine harder after the recent killing as Moscow will tighten security in sensitive areas for the state, increasing security measures across border areas, particularly, regions bordering Central Asian states.

According to Russian authorities, one of the suspects of the recent attack is from Uzbekistan, a Central Asian state, which was a former Soviet republic. The 29-year-old suspect was detained by Russia.

Despite Kiev’s attack near the Kremlin, Harden, who focuses on nationalism, state-building, and the politics of Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, doubts that Moscow will escalate the war at this point as it is making progress on the battlefield in the Donbass.

Lionel Ingram, an expert on the Russian political system and a lecturer at University of New Hampshire, offered an assessment similar to Harden’s. “Russia has other serious issues at the moment that will deflect any focus on a response to this killing. They have not reacted strongly to other such events. Better, just replace the general and increase security,” Ingram tells TRT World.

Matoi also draws attention to the fact that the key Russian general’s killing happened a very short time after the fall of Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad, an ally of Moscow, whose demise has been seen as a sign of diminishing influence of the Kremlin in the Middle East and elsewhere. Ukrainians helped opposition forces topple Assad, according to reports.

“It may have something to do with spreading or accentuating a feeling of insecurity, not only at the leadership level but also among the military fighting on the Ukrainian front, damaging their morale and inducing a feeling of mistrust among the population in the state's ability to provide the security,” she says, referring to possible ties between Assad’s fall and the Kirillov killing.

Why targeting Kirillov

Kirillov had been known for his statements on US-led biological labs in Ukrainian territories, accusing American Democratic lawmakers of funding bioweapon activities.

During a 2022 speech, Kirillov claimed that Metabiota, one of the key Pentagon contractors receiving support from Hunter Biden’s Rosemont Seneca Technology Partners, which is an investment fund, involved raising money for biolab projects in Ukraine. The UK and US media confirmed this account based on obtained emails. Hunter Biden is the son of the US president.

Kirillov was “an active speaker and agonizer of investigations about secret illegal American biological and chemical laboratories” for the creation of weaponry related to those labs in Ukrainian territories, says Markov. “That’s why Americans hit General Krillov,” says Markov, adding that a lot of people in Russia believe the assassination order was given by the US.

The US media labels accusations against Hunter Biden and the existence of US laboratories in Ukraine as conspiracy theories.

Harden suspects that Kirillov was targeted by the Ukrainians “in order to elicit a significant response from Russia” because Kiev “seems eager to have the war escalate” to gain greater US and European involvement for its war effort.

“Ukraine is taking more provocative and bolder actions now while Biden is still in office. The hope seems to be that if escalation takes place while Biden is in office, Trump will have his hands tied and not be able to withdraw US support for Ukraine,” Harden tells TRT World.

Ukrainian war killed more than 67,000 people in 2024, marking the deadliest period in the conflict.

According to Matoi, Kirillov’s professional training and his critical military position has made him a persona non grata for Kiev's "allies" beyond Western accusations against the Russian general’s use of chemical munitions against Ukrainians.

“General Kirillov is of great importance in the context of the conflict in Ukraine in the light of the accusations that have been and still are hanging over Kiev and its allies with regard to the existence of the biological laboratories on Ukrainian territory because he was consistently and with the utmost interest following the subject,” she says.

Putin under pressure

Increasing fatal attacks on influential individuals like Kirillov and Darya Dugina, a nationalist Russian journalist and the daughter of Alexandr Dugin, who is one of the leading political and intellectual elites of Moscow, has made many “angry”, according to Markov.

Russian society is “critical” of their leaders “including Putin” that Moscow has shown no powerful response to “such terrorist attacks”, he says.

The recent attack has also increased anti-immigrant sentiment in Russia since the alleged attacker hailed from Uzbekistan, according to Russia. He also says that the deadly Crocus City Hall concert hall attack in Russia's Moscow region was orchestrated by Tajik nationals in March.

All this can increase anger across Russia against migrants particularly from Central Asian countries, forcing Moscow to change its immigration policy, he adds.

SOURCE: TRT WORLD

Murat Sofuoglu is a staff writer at TRT World.
@Readingavenue

Morocco to vote on abolition of death penalty

December 12, 2024

by MEMO

A FAVORITE FLAG

Flag of Morocco [Kristin Harvey/Flickr]

Morocco is set to vote on the abolition of the death penalty for the first time, marking a milestone in the country’s human rights history. Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi announced on 9 December that Morocco will support the UN resolution for a moratorium on the death penalty to be discussed at the UN General Assembly on 15 December.

“This is a commitment to protecting the right to life, in line with the Moroccan Constitution,” Ouahbi told Parliament, referencing Article 20 of the national document. The vote will introduce a two-year moratorium on executions, with plans to amend the penal code for permanent abolition.

The Moroccan Justice and Development Party (PJD) reaffirmed its position following an extraordinary leadership session on Tuesday and a communiqué issued yesterday. While acknowledging Morocco’s anticipated support for the UN resolution, the PJD stressed its principled stance on retaining the death penalty for the gravest crimes.

“We have reaffirmed our principled stance on maintaining the death penalty for the gravest crimes, such as premeditated murder and violations of the right to life, in line with the sanctions prescribed by the Holy Qur’an,” said the party.

The PJD argued further that the death penalty provides a “sense of justice” to victims’ families and serves as both a deterrent and a means of calming societal unrest.

Morocco has abstained from previous UN resolutions for over two decades. The country has not carried out an execution since 1993, although courts continue to sentence individuals to death, particularly for crimes like murder and terrorism. Currently, 88 people remain on death row, notes the New Arab.

Human rights activists see the decision as a significant step. The Moroccan Coalition for Human Rights stated: “We will continue our struggle until Morocco abolishes the death penalty from all civil and military laws.”

The National Human Rights Council reported that of Morocco’s 41 executions, 38 were politically motivated. Since 2020, 161 death sentences have been commuted to life imprisonment, reflecting Morocco’s gradual shift away from capital punishment.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment