(2020-02-28). Putin, Erdogan speak by phone, could meet soon — Kremlin. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan do not rule out that they could meet in the immediate future, the Kremlin press service has said. | The two leaders held a telephone conversation on Friday. "Both sides highlighted the need for additional measures to stabilize the situation in northwestern Syria," according to the statement that comes after a flare-up of tensions in Syria's Idlib. | Putin and Erdogan "agreed to intensify relevant inter-agency consultations and explore the possibility of holding a top-level meeting in the immediate future," the Kremlin said. | Ank…
(2020-02-28). Catastrophic Humanitarian Crisis in Idlib as Syrian Troops Advance & Children Freeze to Death. democracynow.org 
In Syria, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Russia-backed Syrian forces in rebel-held Idlib in a major escalation on Thursday. Turkey has vowed to respond in kind, as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres calls for an immediate ceasefire, saying "the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly spoke by phone on Friday to discuss the crisis, as NATO urged rapid deescalation. The all-out offensive by the Syrian government is the single largest displacement in a nine-year war that has forced 13 million t…
(2020-02-28). 'Stakes higher' in Idlib but NATO 'won't run to Erdogan's aid' despite efforts to have allies intervene in Syria. rt.com 
NATO will not offer anything more than words of support to its member Turkey despite Ankara's efforts to rally its allies after Turkish soldiers came under fire from the Syrian Army in the Idlib 'de-escalation' zone, RT was told. | NATO's collective defense pledge is "not applicable in the case of Turkey because we have an armed conflict on Syrian soil," Sergey Balmasov, an expert with the Russian International Affairs Council and the Moscow-based Institute for the Near East, told RT. Ankara requested an urgent NATO meeting on Friday, shortly after 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by the Russian…
(2020-02-28). Big war in Idlib will have grim consequences for everyone, including Turkey — Russian senator. rt.com 
Turkey should take into account that it will suffer too if it starts a large-scale operation in Syria's Idlib, a Russian senator has warned. If Ankara hopes to get NATO backing for it, it will be disappointed, he added. | The already volatile situation in northwestern Syrian region significantly escalated after 33 Turkish soldiers were killed there by a Syrian airstrike on Thursday. Ankara called an emergency NATO meeting in response, and threatened to launch a large-scale military operation to force Syrian government forces out of the province. | Hopefully, the tension would be defused because a big war in th…
(2020-02-28). Article 5 or 'Oh my gosh'? What will US do after Turkish troops die in Syrian strike. rt.com 
Turkey has reached out to NATO and the US following the deaths of its troops in Syria's Idlib province, fueling speculation that it might invoke Article 5 and get the alliance involved in a shooting war with Damascus — and Russia.
(2020-02-28). Iran ready to help reduce tensions in Idlib — Foreign Ministry. rt.com 
Tehran reacted on Friday to the escalation of conflict in northwestern Syria, saying it is ready to take every measure to help reduce tensions. "We are carefully monitoring the field developments and regional outcomes of the developments in Idlib, and we will continue our efforts to end the current tensions," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Friday. | The statement stressed the need for the sides to properly manage the situation so as to ease the tensions over the Syrian province as soon as possible. | Tehran said it was also working to convene Russia-Turkey-Iran summit in light of the tensions in Idlib. I…
(2020-02-28). 'We fought Russia 16 times and will fight it again,' warns Erdogan's adviser amid Idlib escalation. rt.com 
A member of an expert body advising Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted that Ankara is prepared to go to war with Russia after tensions over Syria's Idlib province escalated over the past 24 hours. | Mesut Hakki Casin, who is a member of Turkey's Security and Foreign Policy Board advising Erdogan, made his comments shortly after 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Russian-backed Syrian government forces in Idlib province. | We have fought Russia 16 times in the past, and we will fight it again. | The official pointed to Russia's sizeable Muslim population and claimed that the country "
(2020-02-28). Russian missile frigates passing through Turkish straits amid Idlib escalation. rt.com 
A pair of advanced Russian missiles frigates is passing through the Turkey-controlled straits while en-route to the Mediterranean. It comes as dilomatic tensions between Moscow and Ankara over Syria's Idlib are not letting down. | The 'Admiral Grigorovich' and its sister ship 'Admiral Makarov' are among the more modern assets of the Russian Navy, capable of firing the advanced Kalibr-NK cruise missiles. Part of the Russian Black Sea fleet, they are currently moving to join Russia's naval forces in the Mediterranean as part of a scheduled rotation. | "The third frigate of the class, the 'Admiral Essen' has been…
(2020-02-28). Syria has every right to fight terrorists in Idlib and Russia can't interfere — Moscow. rt.com 
Damascus has the right to fight back when attacked by terrorists and Moscow is in no position to stop Syrians from doing what the UN Security Council endorsed, Russia's foreign minister has said after the latest Idlib flare-up. | Ankara lost 33 soldiers in the northwestern Syrian province after they were targeted by a Syrian airstrike. Commenting on the tragedy on Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the deaths were undoubtedly a tragedy, for which Moscow expresses its condolences. However, Ankara shares part of the blame for what happened, both because it failed to notify Russia about the locat…
(2020-02-28). 'Aggressive designs': Pakistan blasts India's $3bn arms deal with Washington for 'destabilizing already volatile region'. rt.com 
Islamabad has voiced concern over a recent multi-billion dollar weapons deal signed between Washington and New Delhi, insisting its nuclear-armed rival is upsetting stability in southern Asia. | On the heels of the $3 billion exchange inked last week — which will see India purchase 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters from US arms giant Lockheed Martin — Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said the move was alarming and revealed New Delhi's hostile intent toward Islamabad. | "Pakistan has concerns regarding defence deals with India, particularly the sale of sophisticated weapon systems to…
(2020-02-28). Election 2020: Those Meddling Kids … counterpunch.org According to selected members of the "US intelligence community" ("selected" for their loyalty to, and willingness to promote the line of, the Democratic Party establishment) Vladimir Putin and the Russian government just love them some Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Can't get enough of 'em. If November is a Trump/Sanders shoot-out, the Kremlin wins either
(2020-02-28). Turkey bombs Syria after losing dozens of troops to Syrian-Russian airstrike. wsws.org The danger is growing that all-out war could erupt between the NATO alliance and the Syrian government's major international backers, Iran and Russia.
(2020-02-28). The Space Force Becomes a Weapons System, Arms Companies Profit. counterpunch.org As the world gets used to what the US military calls "Full Spectrum Dominance," the complex uplinks/downlinks, spurious RADAR returns, cyber glitches, and misinterpretations of big data bring the world closer to its ends, especially as US systems—including possibly nuclear—are orbited or put into the loop of the new Space Force. But the news isn't
(2020-02-28). Turkey, Russia tiptoe toward 'unnecessary war'. iranian.com A military confrontation between Turkey and Syria has erupted in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib. Latest reports say that at least 34 Turkish soldiers were killed on Thursday in a Syrian air attack. A Turkish retaliation commenced last night itself. The Syrian airstrike in Idlib took place in an area between the towns Baluon and …
(2020-02-27). Putin's here, there & everywhere? Russian President says idea of using lookalike once floated. rt.com 
For a long time, rumors persisted in Russia that Vladimir Putin was using a double or two. Now the Russian President has revealed the idea was once considered, but rejected. | The notion that the original Putin, who became Russian prime minister in 1999, is long dead is among the more popular conspiracy theories doing the rounds. Believers have come up with diagrams showing purported lookalikes of the Russian president, each alleged to have a specific purpose. | –ì–¥–µ –Ω–∞—Å—Ç–æ—è—â–&…
(2020-02-27). They dive from the sky & gun down panicked enemy: Russian special forces day celebrated with action-packed VIDEO. rt.com 
Russia's highly secretive Special Operations Forces, which get the most demanding and sensitive tasks and may go deep into enemy territory, are marking their professional day. Here is how the commandos look in action. | The SpecOp branch of the Russian military fields highly trained fighters, who know how to infiltrate behind enemy lines and wreak havoc with sabotage, organizing guerilla forces and other forms of clandestine action. | It was created over a decade ago as a distinct command, directly answering to the General Staff, but it only got a professional holiday in 2015. A video showcasing skills and equ…
(2020-02-27). MSM's insatiable anti-Sanders venom forces them to dig through archives & smear veteran American reporter (because Russia!). rt.com 
Mainstream outlets are so determined to derail Bernie Sanders' campaign, they've dug up a 2016 interview of his wife with RT's late host Ed Schultz — shot before the "collusion" was a thing — to smear both as Russian stooges. | A clip of the Democratic presidential hopeful's wife Jane Sanders complaining on RT America about the unfairness of closed primaries — in which only registered Democrats can vote for the party's nominee — was trending on Wednesday morning, boosted by smug blue-checks crowing some variation on "I told you so." | Bernie Sanders' wife went on Russian TV to explain wh…
(2020-02-27). World Cup-winner Del Piero prevented from receiving Russian visa over killer coronavirus fears – reports. rt.com 
A Russian visa is notriously difficult to obtain, so spare a thought for World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero who was prevented from obtaining a visa in Italy, instead traveling from LA to Armenia due to coronavirus fears. | For those of you who have ever attempted traveling to Russia, you'll know that ahead of the extreme climate and imposing language barrier, there is one roadblock that stands above all as the most difficult to circumvent: the Russian visa process. | Jumping through the obligatory hoops to get your hands on a visa can be exasperating, so spare a thought for Italian World Cup winner Alesssan…
(2020-02-27). US rejected key talks on extending soon-to-expire treaty that limits strategic nuclear arms — Russia. rt.com 
The US has declined an invitation to hold a formal meeting to discuss the legal details of extending the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which is due to expire in a year, a senior Russian diplomat has said. | Washington has decided to ditch important talks on the bilateral treaty's fate, the Deputy Director of the Foreign Ministry's Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department, Vladimir Leontyev, told a strategic arms-themed event in the Russian parliament on Thursday. | We offered a meeting between our legal experts to make sure that we're on the same page and to negotiate a common understanding of…
(2020-02-27). 'Trolling of the highest order': Russian communists FURIOUS after Lenin's birthday chosen as date for major public vote. rt.com 
He died almost a century ago, but they still haven't gotten around to burying him. So, it's fair to say Vladimir Lenin still casts a long shadow on the Russian political scene. | For obvious reasons, Russia's Communist Party has made itself the protector of the Bolshevik leader's legacy and it tends to react sensitively to any perceived slight. Now many of its members are up in arms over plans to hold a forthcoming national vote on Lenin's birthday. | When the date for the general ballot on changing the constitution was announced, most Russians were simply happy to have a day off work. However, Communists quic…
(2020-02-27). It's just business: US & Britain buying more and more oil from Russia. rt.com 
Russia more than doubled crude oil supplies to the United States and Britain in 2019, data from the Federal Customs Service (FCS) has revealed. | A fall in prices for the Russian Urals oil, combined with US sanctions against Venezuela and Iran, were among the reasons for such an increase in purchases. | According to the data cited by business news outlet RBC, in October Russia became the second-largest supplier of oil and petroleum products to the United States. At the end of 2019, crude oil exports from Russia amounted to almost $2.2 billion, 2.4 times more than in 2018. In physical terms, the volume of oil e…
(2020-02-27). Don't Equate Russia's Purely Speculative Preference for US President with "Election Meddling" globalresearch.ca Democrats and Republicans alike are weaponizing purely speculative reports about Russia's supposed preference for President by deceptively equating them with imagined so-called "meddling" in support of their opponent, which amounts to nothing more than the American elite waging a sophisticated …
(2020-02-27). Russia: First Ship Test for Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile. telesurenglish.net Russia has test-launched the RELATED: | The missile was fired in early January from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate in the Barents Sea against a ground target over 500 km away, TASS said, quoting two sources in the defense circle of the country's northwestern Federal Dist…
(2020-02-27). Situation in Syria's Idlib 'in favor of Turkey'. yenisafak.com "The developments in Idlib are now in favor of Turkey," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during orientation day of first batch of Diplomacy Academy in his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party headquarter in Ankara.On Jan. 12, the parties to the conflict in Syria announced a cease-fire in response to a joint call by Turkey and Russia.Syria has been mired in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests.Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million others displaced, according to UN figures.Idlib, near Turkey's south…
(2020-02-27). Putin Not Currently Planning Talks With Erdogan in Istanbul on 5 March – Kremlin. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Erdogan said on Wednesday that he was most likely to discuss the developments in Syria's Idlib with Putin on 5 March in Istanbul.
(2020-02-27). US and Britain Increased Imports of Crude Oil From Russia in 2019 — Report. sputniknews.com In 2017, the US left the Iran nuclear deal and subsequently reinstated all previous sanctions against Tehran including on the nation's oil industry. Russia's Ministry of Economic Development earlier said that this factor could have largely contributed to the rise in popularity of Russian oil worldwide.
(2020-02-27). No Space For War Between Nuclear Nations But Ready to Respond to India – Pakistan Military. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): The two South Asian nuclear-armed nations have been at loggerheads over the disputed region of Kashmir and have fought three wars in the past. Relations dipped to a new low after India in a surprise move revoked the decades-old special status of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India.
(2020-02-27). America's Iran Policy Backed Into a Corner By MEK in Albania. iranian.com Since well before President Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, the U.S. and Iran have been in a de facto state of non-military warfare with sanctions, economic sabotage, cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns and social media attacks the weapons of choice. Both countries have exploited conflict in the region, especially after the rise …
(2020-02-26). Russiagate: The Toxic Gift That Keeps on Giving. counterpunch.org All smears are boomerang smears. That is why anyone worth a damn does not engage in it. That goes for the Russia-Gaters, the left/right smears on Gabbard, the years of left/right smears on Assange, the attacks on the Green Party and now the Russia narrative attacks on Sanders. Falling into line with the secret police
(2020-02-26). "Sick People" — Russian Lawmakers Blast US for Nuclear War Exercise. globalresearch.ca US Defense Secretary Mark Esper participated in a war exercise late last week at the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) HQ in Omaha, Nebraska, which featured how the Pentagon would respond to a Russian nuclear attack on Europe,
(2020-02-26). Turkey's Request for U.S. Patriot Missiles to Pressure Russia in Syria Will Not Work. globalresearch.ca Ankara's statements about an imminent military operation in Syria and the Turkish authorities' request for Washington to supply them with U.S.-made Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems are just Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's manoeuvres to leverage against Russia that his …
(2020-02-26). Anti-Russian Xenophobia Reaches Ridiculous Levels. counterpunch.org Following his resounding defeat in Nevada in the Democratic Party Caucus, Joe Biden blamed the Russians, telling CBS News that the "Russians don't want me to be the nominee, they like Bernie." The intelligence communities a few days earlier accused Russia of favoring Bernie Sanders and Donald J. Trump. Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic Party
(2020-02-26). Putin Urges Russian Police to Increase Crime Solving Rate. telesurenglish.net Russian police should significantly intensify work to increase the solving rate of crimes, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday. | RELATED: | "This is one of your main tasks. The operating, investigative and all other units should concentrate efforts on it," Putin said at an annual meeting of senior officials of the Putin also urged the ministry to ensure the rule of law durin…
(2020-02-26). The Pentagon's New Map: How to Know if America Is Your Enemy. globalresearch.ca If your country is friendly toward Russia, China, or Iran, then today's American Government is probably applying subversion, economic sanctions, or maybe even planning a coup, or (if none of those will succeed) probably is war-gaming now for a possible …
(2020-02-26). UN disarmament chief hopes upcoming conference will address current nuclear challenges. news.un.org With division and distrust rife among countries that possess nuclear arsenals, the UN disarmament chief is hopeful that the issue will be addressed during an upcoming conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
(2020-02-26). JCPOA Members Remain Committed to the Deal: Russian Official. iranian.com The Permanent Representative of Russia to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said on Wednesday that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is regarded as an important part of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Mikhail Ulyanov made the remarks in tweet about the meeting of the Joint Commission of the …
(2020-02-26). 'Taking a Page From His Dictator Friends Around the World': Sanders Hits Trump Over NYT Libel Lawsuit. commondreams.org The 2020 Democratic frontrunner said the president is "trying to dismantle the right to a free press in the First Amendment by suing the New York Times for publishing an opinion column about his dangerous relationship with Russia." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_sanders_iowa_trump_impeachment_0.jpg …
(2020-02-25). Trump says Russian interference 'highly exaggerated', blames Adam Schiff for leaking report. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has called reports that Russia is interfering with the 2020 election "highly exaggerated," and blamed the rumor on House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff. | The specter of 'Russian interference' raised its head again last week, when the Washington Post ran an article claiming the Kremlin is interfering in the upcoming presidential election on behalf of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, with the ultimate goal of getting Trump re-elected. The story provided no specifics on what form the supposed interference took, but claimed that Sanders and Trump had both been briefed on the thr…
(2020-02-25). The Russiagate Racket targets the Bernie Sanders surge. thegrayzone.com With a familiar playbook of evidence-free, anonymously sourced red-baiting, the forces behind Russiagate try to stop Bernie Sanders' primary success….
(2020-02-25). The Failed Russiagate Playbook Can't Stop Bernie Sanders. thenation.com The Failed Russiagate Playbook Can't Stop Bernie Sanders…
(2020-02-24). At least they'll have an off switch: Pentagon adopts 'AI Ethical Principles' for its killer robots. rt.com 
As the United States looks to develop artificial intelligence weapons to keep up with Russia and China, the Pentagon has adopted a set of guidelines that it says will keep its killer androids under human control. | The Department of Defense adopted a set of "Ethical Principles for Artificial Intelligence" on Monday, following the recommendations by the Defense Innovation Board last October. | "AI technology will change much about the battlefield of the future, but nothing will change America's steadfast commitment to responsible and lawful behavior," Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a statement. | Also on…
(2020-02-23). Russiagate 3.0 drowns out Trump's reckless escalation of US-Russia nuclear arms race. thegrayzone.com Amid new fear-mongering about "Russian interference," former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter on Trump's overlooked, reckless escalation of the US-Russia…
(2020-02-22). How Bernie Sanders Will Destroy the Deep State if He Becomes President. dissidentvoice.org 
Joe Lauria at Consortium News headlined on February 21st, "Apparent US Intel Meddling in US Election With 'Report' Russia is Aiding Sanders", and he noted that, If the story is true and if intelligence agencies are truly committed to protecting U.S. citizens, the Sanders campaign would have been quietly informed and shown evidence to back …
(2020-02-21). Headlines for February 21, 2020. democracynow.org Roger Stone Sentenced to 40-Month Prison Term, Trump Lashed at Intel Chief over Warning of Russian Meddling in 2020 Election, Germany Mourns Victims of Right-Wing Terror Attacks, Suspect Arrested in Stabbing at London Mosque, U.K. to Close Borders to "Unskilled" and Non-English-Speaking Immigrants, Protests Erupt as Acting ICE Director Challenges New York Pro-Immigrant Laws, Mexican Radio Journalist Murdered in Ciudad Juárez, February Flowers Bloom in Moscow Amid Record-High Winter Temperatures, 28 Arrested in Seattle Protesting Chase Bank Fossil Fuel Ties, Rail Blockades Continue as Protests Grow Against Coastal…
(2020-02-21). Iran Slams Plans to Add It to Money Laundering Blacklist. iranian.com Created in 1989 in Paris on the initiative of the Western industrial powers, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) includes the European Union, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Israel, China, Russia, and nearly three dozen other countries and entities, with its formal goal being to fight terror financing and money laundering. FATF has added …
(2020-02-21). Ooops: Pentagon 'Accidentally' Tells The Truth About Idlib. iranian.com The Pentagon has in a rare moment gone off the mainstream narrative script concerning Idlib. The UK's Sky News interviewed US coalition spokesman Col. Myles Caggins as part of its coverage focusing on Syrian and Russian forces "indiscriminately" attacking civilians and "bombing hospitals" — however, the Army colonel gave a counter angle, instead focusing on the jihadist groups ruling Idlib as the fundamental …
(2020-02-20). Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive. theantimedia.com Russia called the situation a "worst case scenario."
(2020-02-17). DOJ Investigating Former CIA Director's Role in Russiagate. theantimedia.com The Justice Department is investigating the role of John Brennan in the assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
(2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.
(2020-02-08). Iraq and Russia Prepare to Boost Military Ties as US Threatens Sanctions. theantimedia.com Iraq and Russia are preparing for deepening military coordination.