Friday, January 12, 2024

U.S. Congressional Republicans unveil 'Plan for Victory in Ukraine'
SURRENDER IS NOT AN OPTION




© RBC-Ukraine (CA)

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have released a document titled "Proposed Plan for Victory in Ukraine," outlining how the United States should assist Ukraine and criticizing President Joe Biden's administration.

The plan was developed by three Republican-led committees in the House of Representatives: the Foreign Affairs Committee led by Michael McCaul, the Armed Services Committee led by Mike Rogers, and the Intelligence Committee led by Mike Turner. Although the document was drafted at the end of the previous year, discussions about it have only recently begun.

The 28-page plan features current dictators on its cover: Vladimir Putin, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Xi Jinping, and Ali Khamenei. The text is divided into five sections: The Threat, Proposed Plan for Victory, Oversight, Burden Sharing, and a Timeline of Biden’s Deadly Delays in Sending Weapons to Ukraine.

According to the document's authors, Russia and an alliance comprising China, Iran, and its "puppets" (referring to groups like HAMAS and Hezbollah) are attempting to undermine U.S. interests worldwide. Republicans argue that their goal is to weaken the U.S. economy, dissolve key alliances, and establish totalitarianism as a global order.

Republicans believe that Biden's mantra of supporting Ukraine "for as long as it takes" is a losing strategy. They want the White House to present a victory plan and provide Ukraine with the necessary weapons for the fight.

According to Republicans, the path to victory for Ukraine includes:

providing critical weapons to Ukraine at the speed of relevance tightening sanctions on the Putin regime transferring frozen Russian sovereign assets to Ukraine.

Congress members emphasize the need for oversight of American aid, acknowledging that checks have not revealed any violations. They also scrutinize the size of U.S. assistance to Ukraine, highlighting that the U.S. lags behind European countries.

Delay in funding

On October 1, the U.S. Congress passed a temporary budget bill, excluding new funding for Ukraine, which was to be considered separately. Following this, President Joe Biden proposed allocating $106 billion to Congress, with the majority ($60 billion) intended for Ukraine aid. The package also included assistance for Israel.

After prolonged debates, the U.S. approved a new temporary budget for the government without aid for Ukraine and Israel. Biden signed the law, averting a shutdown.

Debates are ongoing in the U.S. regarding strengthening the border with Mexico. Republicans demand the passage of immigration legislation, threatening not to support funding for Ukraine.

The White House expects Democrats and Republicans to reach an agreement in January 2024.

'Sabotage' as raging inferno rips through plant producing armour for Putin's troops

Story by Jasper King • METRO UK

A massive fire near Moscow has destroyed a plant that supplies body armour for Vladimir Putin’s troops.

Video footage shows flames engulfing the plant on Entuziastov Avenue, Obukhovo, in the Moscow region this morning, and no casualties have been reported.

Law enforcement in Russia is investigating whether the inferno was caused by an act of sabotage or arson.

The fire has destroyed 86,000 feet of a warehouse and a workshop.

Workers were evacuated from the plant just as it took hold and more than 100 firefighters tried to save the key production line.

It has been sanctioned by Ukraine for its production of polymer products as well as body armour, helmets, protective shoes and other items.

The destruction of strategic facilities is now a regular occurrence since the war in Ukraine started in 2022.

Ukraine struck a Russian gunpowder plant and missile factory in a suspected kamikaze drone attack in November 2023.



The massive fire broke out at a production facility in Obukhovo in the Moscow region (Picture: Emergency Ministry/east2west news)© Provided by Metro



Russian authorities are investigating whether the inferno was an act of sabotage or arson (Picture: Social media/east2west news)© Provided by Metro

Footage showed an explosion and massive fire at the gunpowder plant in Tambov region.

Locals heard an explosion before the giant blaze at the facility which supplies ammunition to the Russian army.

Russia also accused Ukraine of carrying out ‘an act of nuclear terrorism’ after a power plant was targeted in a drone attack in October 2023.

A Ukrainian drone reportedly hit a nuclear waste storage facility at a site in Kursk, western Russia.

The Russian foreign ministry said the strike risked causing ‘a full-scale nuclear catastrophe’ that would have ‘affected many countries’.

And last month a train containing munitions from North Korea was blown up by Ukrainian special forces operating deep behind enemy lines.

The oil train went up in flames after explosives were detonated inside a nine-mile-long tunnel in Siberia- the longest in Russia.

Successive explosions are then said to have happened on a bridge in Russia’s far east.

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