(2022-02-17). Russia tells NATO to 'calm down'. rt.com 
Western officials need to tone down 'hysteria' over an invasion, the Deputy Foreign Minister said | The reasons for Western panic about Russian aggression against Ukraine are entirely fictional, and the US-led NATO bloc needs to tone down its "hysteria," the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said on Thursday. | Speaking in an interview with Russian publication Kommersant, Alexander Grushko was responding to a statement made by the defense ministers of NATO member states, who met on Wednesday in Brussels to discuss the current tensions on the Ukrainian border. In particular, members of the bloc had expressed conc…
(2022-02-17). Moscow makes clear arguments to US response on security guarantees — Russian lawmaker. tass.com Leonid Slutsky reiterated his call to the US and NATO "to return to the implementation of measures in the field of peacekeeping, abandon the policy of containment and whipping up anti-Russian hysteria"
(2022-02-17). Russia likely to invade Ukraine after February 20 — media. rt.com 
Claims that February 16 was planned invasion date were unrealistic, analysts say | Failed predictions that Russia would invade Ukraine on February 16 were unrealistic, and the key date to focus on is actually February 20, American political analysts have claimed, blaming "hype" for having caused US officials to focus on the wrong date. | Earlier this month, numerous western media outlets claimed that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine in the early hours of Wednesday, citing claims by anonymous officials that US President Joe Biden had warned members of the NATO bloc that an invasion was imminent. This date…
(2022-02-17). US gives no response to Russia's proposal to return nuclear weapons to its soil — MFA. tass.com As the Russian Foreign Ministry also pointed out, the issues of non-strategic nuclear weapons cannot be discussed without resolving the issue of not deploying them in NATO's non-nuclear member states…
(2022-02-17). Putin tells Kishida about Russia's talks with US, NATO on security guarantees. tass.com The Russian president and the Japanese prime minister also discussed some current issues of bilateral relations and reaffirmed mutual interest in their constructive development based on existing agreements, including in trade and economic areas…
(2022-02-17). Headlines for February 17, 2022. democracynow.org NATO Defense Ministers Gather in Brussels, Dispute Russia's Claims of Troop Drawback, COVID-19 Pandemic Claimed 75,000 Lives Last Week, U.S. Centers for Disease Control Prepares to Roll Back Guidelines for COVID Restrictions, Hospitals in War-Ravaged Syria Forced to Close Amid Cuts in International Aid, U.N. Says 8 Million Yemenis Could Lose All Humanitarian Aid Next Month Due to Funding Shortages, Colombia Forced Displacement Crisis Worsened in 2021, Mexican Journalists Interrupt Congress to Demand Justice for Assassinated Colleagues, Amnesty International Condemns "Sham Trial" for Jailed Russi…
(2022-02-17). NATO Chief Stoltenberg Holds Presser on Day 2 of Ministerial Meeting. sputniknews.com The summit of NATO defence ministers in Belgium is being held after the US and the bloc delivered their answers to Russia's security guarantee proposals. The draft agreements offered by Moscow suggested a halt to NATO's eastward expansion as a way to de-escalate tensions.
(2022-02-17). 101st Airborne adds to 6,000-troop U.S. deployments to NATO's eastern flank. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Military.comFebruary 16, 2022 101st Airborne Soldiers Head to Europe as US Amasses 6,000 Troops to Deter Russia Hundreds of 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) soldiers are gearing up to deploy to Europe…. The soldiers from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, are expected to deploy soon and will include a mix of support personnel and ground combat units, …
(2022-02-17). Ex-U.S. Ambassador to USSR: Ukraine Crisis Stems Directly from Post-Cold War Push to Expand NATO. democracynow.org 
U.S. officials are accusing Russia of sending more forces to the Ukrainian border just days after Moscow announced it was pulling some troops back. This comes as Ukrainian authorities and Russian-backed separatists are both accusing the other side of violating a ceasefire in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine. For more on the history behind the present crisis in Ukraine, we speak with one of the last U.S. ambassadors to the Soviet Union prior to the collapse of the USSR, Ambassador Jack Matlock, who says the U.S.-led expansion of NATO following the end of the Cold War helped lay the groundwork for the current s…
(2022-02-17). US, NATO double down on war threats against Russia over Ukraine. wsws.org Even as Moscow released videos of its tanks leaving Crimea and Belarus after military exercises there, NATO said it would reinforce its troops and nuclear forces in Europe.
(2022-02-17). Zelensky: Ukraine Should Have Held Referendum on NATO Before Adding Membership Goal to Constitution. sputniknews.com Ukrainian plans to join the alliance have been a major bone of contention in the region, with Russia offering security guarantee proposals, suggesting that NATO refrain from expanding eastwards. The bloc, however, declared that it won't abandon its "open-door" policies.
(2022-02-17). US and Russian Officials at Odds Over Status of Russian Troops Near Ukraine. news.antiwar.com On Wednesday, US and NATO officials said they saw no sign of a Russian pullback from areas near Ukraine after the Russian Defense Ministry announced troops were starting to leave the region. | "There's what Russia says and then there's what Russia does. And we haven't seen any pullback of its forces," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also said he…
(2022-02-17). NATO builds up forces at Russian borders, accusing Moscow of doing this — Lavrov. tass.com The Russian Foreign Minister noted that the Russian forces are on their territory and are not invading anywhere…
(2022-02-17). NATO's pledge to give up actions damaging Russia's security remains an imperative — MFA. tass.com The ministry noted the US readiness to work on particular arms control and risk reduction measures…
(2022-02-17). Kiev stubbornly refuses to hold dialogue with Donbass — Russian Foreign Ministry. tass.com Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin stressed that over the past seven years Ukraine had failed to implement at least one provision of the package of measures to enforce the Minsk Agreements…
(2022-02-17). Russian diplomat blasts statements made at UN Security Council about State Duma appeal. tass.com "This is about proposing to consider the issue, although it does reflect the sentiment in the Russian society and in Donbass," Sergey Vershinin said…
(2022-02-17). Kiev makes no secret Minsk-2 is not on its agenda — Russian Foreign Ministry. tass.com Sergey Vershinin recalled a recent statement by Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk Kiev was not considering any new bills regarding the status of Donbass…
(2022-02-17). Belarus' Decision on Recognition of DPR, LPR Will Be Joint With Russia, Lukashenko Says. sputniknews.com Earlier, the Russian Parliament, the Duma, voted in favour of requesting the president to recognise the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. Commenting on the request, Putin said that Russia will always act in Donbass' interests and stressed the importance of the Minsk agreements.
(2022-02-17). UK makes new Russia allegation. rt.com 
The two regions of Donetsk and Lugansk have been ravaged by fierce fighting since 2014 | Reports of heavy shelling and explosions in war-torn regions of eastern Ukraine are merely Russian attempts to create a pretext for ordering an offensive against its neighbor, Britain's top diplomat has claimed, as Kiev and separatists blame each other for the attack. | On Thursday, leaders from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) reported that government troops had fired at several towns and villages using mortars, hand grenades, and rifles. | The Ukrainian Armed Forces subsequently disclosed that an area…
(2022-02-17). Kiev suggested meeting with Putin, but topic of discussion remains unknown — Kremlin. tass.com Earlier, the Russian president, commenting on the words of the Ukrainian leader about a personal meeting, noted that if they were to discuss the problems of Donbass, the Ukrainian leadership should first meet with the heads of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics…
(2022-02-17). Russian UN Ambassador Responds To US 'War Propaganda'. popularresistance.org Aaron Mate And Max Blumenthal Speak With Deputy Permanent Representative Of Russia To The UN Dmitri Polyanskiy On Escalated Tensions On The Russian-Ukraine Border, US Accusations Of An Imminent Russian Invasion, And The Context Missing From A US Media That Refuses To Interview Russian Officials.
(2022-02-17). What Is Going to Happen in Ukraine? dissidentvoice.org 
People gather in Rome to call for peace, February 15, 2022 | Photo Credit: Reuters Every day brings new noise and fury in the crisis over Ukraine, mostly from Washington. But what is really likely to happen? There are three possible scenarios: The first is that Russia will suddenly launch an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. …
(2022-02-17). US makes new Russian troop claim. rt.com 
American officials have expressed doubt about whether Moscow is actually withdrawing soldiers | Russia has increased its troop deployment near Ukraine by several thousand in recent days, an anonymous official in Washington has claimed, despite Moscow's announcement on Tuesday that it was pulling some soldiers back to their bases following the completion of military drills in Belarus. | On Wednesday, a US official, who refused to be quoted by name, told reporters that Moscow had sent 7,000 more troops to bolster its forces on the Ukrainian border, and directly accused Russia of lying about a withdrawal, claimin…
(2022-02-17). US warns of 'global fallout'. rt.com 
The world economy will pay a heavy price if the West imposes new sanctions on Moscow, the US Treasury warns | If Russia launches an invasion of Ukraine, the global economy will suffer an inevitable fallout as a result of newly unleashed Western sanctions on Moscow, the US Treasury secretary warned on Wednesday. | Speaking to French news agency AFP, Janet Yellen explained that the US and its European allies are preparing a "very substantial package of sanctions that will have severe consequences for the Russian economy." | However, despite Washington wanting the highest cost to fall on Moscow, she admitted that…
(2022-02-17). Ukraine reveals new gun plan. rt.com 
Legal gun ownership in Ukraine would make any aggressor think twice before attacking it, Kiev's defense chief believes | Allowing people in Ukraine to legally own handguns would greatly improve national security against outside "aggressors," Ukraine's Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov told news agency RBK Ukraine on Thursday. The move would "increase citizens' personal security, help law enforcement and certainly reduce crime rates," the minister claims. | Reznikov said on Thursday he has been a "longtime gun-rights supporter", adding that "as a lawyer" he believes a gun law is long overdue in Ukraine. In late…
(2022-02-17). Conflict with Russia is Raising your Gasoline Bill; an Electric Car is the Answer. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Reporters pressed White House spokesperson Jen Psaki on Wednesday about the likelihood that any Russian military engagement in Ukraine will raise petroleum prices further. Ensuing US sanctions on Russia would keep some of its petroleum off the market, as has already happened to Iran, at a time when demand is …
(2022-02-17). Selected Articles: Ukraine Invasion Scheduled for Wednesday Canceled. globalresearch.ca 
By Over recent weeks, AP's ace reporter Matthew Lee and colleagues had been repeatedly led down the White House garden path by the likes of broken-record "the-Russians-are-coming-and-it-could-be-Wednesday" national …
(2022-02-17). Formula for de-escalation and package approach: Russia releases its reply to US. tass.com Russia stressed the need to de-escalate the situation around Ukraine by forcing Kiev to comply with the Minsk agreements, urging the West to refuse from military cooperation with this country…
(2022-02-17). Situation On Ukrainian Borders Remains Stable. telesurenglish.net Ukrainian Defense Minister Olexiy Reznikov said on Wednesday that the situation on Ukrainian borders remains stable. | RELATED: | "This morning, as every day, I received another summary with figures and facts, and they are fully consistent with our forecasts, and do not contain anything unexpected," Reznikov said. | Some Western media and politicians have claimed that Russia could "invade" Ukraine on Feb. 16. And yet Moscow has re…
(2022-02-17). Ukraine keeps arguing Minsk agreements are against its interests — Russian diplomat. tass.com "if the task of building peace on the domestic soil is among Ukraine's national interests, there should be no place for such claims," Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said…
(2022-02-17). Moscow responds to US 'intelligence' on Russian invasion. rt.com 
The Foreign Ministry has previously claimed February 15 will be remembered as the day Western 'propaganda' failed | Attempts to work out when Russia might begin an invasion of Ukraine, despite the Kremlin's insistence that war isn't on the cards, only discredit Western intelligence agencies, Moscow has blasted as tensions continue to rise on the shared border between the two Eastern European nations. | In a series of comments issued on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova poured scorn on Washington's persistent announcements that an offensive is on the horizon. | According to her, Kiev, whic…
(2022-02-17). US denies making failed Ukraine invasion prediction. rt.com 
The Russian invasion of Ukraine can still happen at any time, the State Department said | Incorrect predictions that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine on February 16 did not come from Washington, and America stands by its assessment that the Kremlin may launch an all-out offensive at any moment, the US State Department has said. | The denial follows multiple reports in Western media outlets claiming that Moscow was planning to launch an attack on Wednesday. Citing anonymous sources, American and British outlets suggested that the US intelligence community thought Russia would invade in the early hours of F…
(2022-02-17). Kalashnikov Helps Boost Russia's Prestige on the International Stage. journal-neo.org 
Internationally, Russia has traditionally been seen as one of the leading suppliers of technology, especially in such areas as the arms and military hardware markets. Many countries, all over the world, purchase Russian-made military equipment, including anti-aircraft missile systems, fighter jets battleships, etc. But, globally, the most widely sold and well-known Russian weapon is the …
(2022-02-17). Venezuela and Russia Reinforce Military Ties. orinocotribune.com This Wednesday, February 16, Venezuela and Russia confirmed their commitment to a powerful military partnership to provide security and defend national borders. The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, met with the Russian Federation's Deputy Prime Minister, Yuri Borisov, during an official visit to Caracas by the Russian diplomat, within the framework of the Venezuela—Russia High Level Intergovernmental Commission (CIAN) . | "We have ratified the path of a powerful military cooperation between Russia and Venezuela, for the defense of peace, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," said the Venezuelan he…
(2022-02-17). The Western Allied Nations Bully the World While Warning of Threats From China and Russia. independentmediainstitute.org On January 21, 2022, Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schà∂nbach attended a talk in New Delhi, India, organized by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. Schà∂nbach was speaking as the chief of Germany's navy during his visit to the institute. "What he really wants is respect," Schà∂nbach said, referring to Russia's President Vladimir Putin. …
(2022-02-17). West is trying to change implementation of Minsk accords to Kiev's advantage — Lavrov. tass.com The Russian Foreign Minister also pointed to the West's unscrupulous attempts to evade responsibility for the actions of the Kiev authorities and put all the blame on Moscow…
(2022-02-17). Russia expects Western countries, news media to be more responsible in future — Kremlin. tass.com Dmitry Peskov said many Western news media "stop at nothing"
(2022-02-17). US fails to constructively respond to main points of Russia's security proposals — MFA. tass.com According to the document, "the US side deliberately chose the issues that it feels comfortable to discuss, which raises doubts that Washington is willing to settle the European security issue"
(2022-02-17). WWF proposes to limit shipping in Arctic for whales' safety. tass.com According to the fund, WWF Russia is also conducting research on underwater noise off the coast of Chukotka to understand how it affects whales…
(2022-02-17). US, Russian Aircraft Flew 'Dangerously' Close Over the Mediterranean Sea. news.antiwar.com The Pentagon said Wednesday The Pentagon statement appeared to confirm media reports that said US and Russian aircraft flew "dangerously" close to each other in three separate incidents over the Mediterranean. Citing unnamed Pentagon officials,
(2022-02-17). Some 20 Russian Warships of Caspian Flotilla Leave for Naval Exercises. sputniknews.com ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia (Sputnik) – Some 20 warships of the Caspian Flotilla have left their home basis in Russia's Dagestan for naval drills in the Caspian Sea, the Russian Southern Military District said on Thursday.
(2022-02-17). Russian Olympic Committee to ISU: Results of Team Event at Olympics Are Not Subject to Review. sputniknews.com The statement comes amid a controversy over Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, whose doping test taken in December, almost months before the start of the Olympics, came back positive for a banned substance as she was competing in Beijing. The tests she took at the games were all negative.
(2022-02-17). Putin congratulates Russian figure skating star Shcherbakova on Olympic gold. tass.com The Russian leader wished Shcherbakova "new achievements and all the best"
(2022-02-17). Russia expects US to seriously study Moscow's response to Washington's reply – diplomat. tass.com
(2022-02-17). IOC & WADA 'destroyed' Valieva, says skating icon. rt.com 
Alexander Zhulin accused international sports officials of ruining the 'brightest star of figure skating' | Former ice dance world champion Alexander Zhulin has said that international sporting authorities will have to live with the consequences of "ruining" Russian star Kamila Valieva's Olympic dreams after her doping case ordeal in Beijing. | What was expected to be Valieva's crowning triumph in the Chinese capital turned into a nightmare for the 15-year-old after a positive test for a doping sample taken in December was reported during the Games. | Valieva was cleared for continued competition by the Court…
(2022-02-17). Russian ice queen issues message to Valieva. rt.com 
The former world champion admitted she was lost for words after watching the drama at the Winter Olympics | Figure skating great Elizaveta Tuktamysheva has spoken of her heartbreak for Kamila Valieva after watching the pre-Winter Olympics favorite finish fourth in the individual competition, ending a campaign hindered by a high-profile doping case finish with a performance the 15-year-old was clearly unhappy with at the Beijing Games. | 2015 world champion Tuktamysheva has a strong relationship with Valieva, posing for playful photos when the pair have faced each other competitively and telling the prodigy to…
(2022-02-17). US journalist pours scorn on Russian skater's Beijing history. rt.com 
Christine Brennan was quick to question Alexandra Trusova's achievements in Beijing | American journalist Christine Brennan has continued her attacks on Russian figure skating by seemingly calling into question the historic performance given by Alexandra Trusova on her way to silver in Thursday's figure skating program in Beijing. | Trusova, 17, carved out a piece of history for herself by becoming the first woman in history to successfully to land five quads in a routine, as part of the 251.73 overall score she was given in the competition. | But Trusova barely had time to remove her skates before she found h…
(2022-02-17). Anti-Cancer Material Extracted From Tropical Plant Created in Russia. sputniknews.com Scientists from the National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" (NUST MISIS), as part of an international group of researchers, have synthesised a new material with unique antibacterial and anti-cancer properties.
(2022-02-17). Emotional Russian Olympic boss responds to Valieva drama. rt.com 
The Russian Olympic Committee president expressed empathy for Kamila Valieva and praised his team's podium one-two | Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) president Stanislav Pozdnyakov has expressed his organization's love for Winter Olympics figure skating champion Anna Shcherbakova and history-making silver medalist Alexandra Trusova, adding a note of sorrow for Kamila Valieva while noting her "talent and inner strength" at the Beijing Games. | On a dramatic final day of women's figure skating at the Games, world champion Shcherbakova secured glory in the individual competition and Trusova finished behind her, be…
(2022-02-17). US Escorts Russian Bombers From East Syria Coalition Airspace. news.antiwar.com While the US and Russia are both largely focused on fighting ISIS in Syria, they still get tangled up in a lot of side arguments. This week, The US says Russia's bombers didn't give them advanced notice, so US fighters were dispatch to escort them away. The bombers reportedly ended up in Latakia. | The area is seldom used, with Russia not crossing the area since last May. US tensi…