Putin accuses West of stoking global war to destroy Russia, vows to continue fighting in Ukraine

Published

3 years ago

February 21, 2023

admin

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday vowed to continue with his countrys year-long war in Ukraine and accused the United States-led Nato military alliance of fanning the flames of the conflict in the mistaken belief that it could defeat Moscow in a global confrontation.

He updated Russias political and military elite on the war nearly one year to the day since ordering the invasion that has triggered the biggest confrontation with the West since the depths of the Cold War.

He said the events leading to Moscows special military operation on Feb 24, 2022, were forced upon Russia.

We did everything possible, genuinely everything possible, in order to solve this problem (in Ukraine) by peaceful means. We were patient, we were negotiating a peaceful way out of this difficult conflict, but a completely different scenario was being prepared behind our backs, he said from Russias Parliament.

Flanked by four Russian tricolour flags, Mr Putin said Russia would carefully and consistently resolve the tasks facing us.

Mr Putin said Western countries, led by the US, were seeking unlimited power in world affairs and that Kyiv was speaking to the West about weapon supplies even before the beginning of the invasion.

The President added that Russia had done everything it could to avoid war, but that Western-backed Ukraine had been planning to attack Russian-controlled Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.

The West, he said, had let the genie out of the bottle in a host of regions across the world by sowing chaos and war.

The people of Ukraine have become the hostage of the Kyiv regime and its Western overlords, who have effectively occupied this country in the political, military and economic sense, Mr Putin said.

They intend to translate the local conflict into a global confrontation, we understand it this way and will react accordingly.

Defeating Russia, the 70-year-old said, was impossible.

Mr Putin said Russia would never yield to Western attempts to divide its society, adding that a majority of Russians supported the war.

He warned the West may incite a backlash over money flows to the war that were not diminishing.

Mr Putin said: The more long-range Western systems are being delivered to Ukraine, the farther we will be forced to move the threat from our borders. Russian National Guard officers patrol on Red Square prior to Mr Putin’s annual state address, in central Moscow, on Feb 21. PHOTO: AFP When he spoke about the annexation of four Ukrainian territories in 2022, he got a standing ovation at the Gostiny Dvor exhibition centre, just a few steps from the Kremlin.

Towards the end of the speech, Mr Putin said Russia was suspending its participation in the New Start treaty with the US that limits the two sides strategic nuclear arsenals.

Together, Russia and the US hold around 90 per cent of the worlds nuclear warheads enough to destroy the planet many times over.

Mr Putin asked the audience, which included lawmakers, soldiers, spy chiefs and state company bosses, to stand to remember those who had lost their lives in the war.

He promised a special fund for the families of those killed in the war.

He said the West was supporting traitors who opposed Russias actions, and thanked Russians for their courage and resolution in supporting Moscows operation in Ukraine.

Mr Putin said he understood how difficult it was for relatives of Russian soldiers who had died fighting in Ukraine. Mr Vladimir Putin arrives to deliver his annual address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow, on Feb 21, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS We all understand, I understand how unbearably hard it is now for the wives, sons, daughters of fallen soldiers, their parents, who raised worthy defenders of the Fatherland, he said.

The Ukraine conflict is by far the biggest bet by a Kremlin chief since at least the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union and a gamble Western leaders such as US President Joe Biden say Mr Putin must lose.

Russian forces have suffered three major battlefield reversals since the war began, but still control around one-fifth of Ukraine.

Tens of thousands of men have been killed, and Mr Putin has said Russia is locked in an existential battle with an arrogant West, which he says wants to carve up Russia and steal its vast natural resources.

The West and Ukraine reject that narrative, and say Nato expansion eastwards is no justification for what they say is an imperial-style land grab doomed to failure.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan described Mr Putins accusations that Russia had been threatened by the West as justification for invading Ukraine as absurdity.

Nobody is attacking Russia. Theres a kind of absurdity in the notion that Russia was under some form of military threat from Ukraine or anyone else, he told reporters. People gather for Mr Vladimir Putins address to the Federal Assembly at the Gostiny Dvor conference centre in Moscow, on Feb 21. PHOTO: EPA-EFE More On This Topic US slams 'absurdity' of Putin's anti-West speech Putin set for major Ukraine war speech after Biden walks streets of Kyiv Speaking hours ahead of Mr Biden delivering his own speech in Warsaw to mark the anniversary of the war, Mr Sullivan said the Kremlin leader was the aggressor.

This was a war of choice. Putin chose to fight it. He could have chosen not to. And he can choose even now to end it, to go home, he added.

Russia stops fighting the war in Ukraine and goes home, the war ends. Ukraine stops fighting and the United States and the coalition stops helping them fight then Ukraine disappears from the map.

Mr Putin, who frequently decries Western gender and sexual freedoms as an existential danger, said on Tuesday that paedophilia had become the norm in the West.

Look at what they do to their own people: the destruction of families, of cultural and national identities and the perversion that is child abuse all the way up to paedophilia are advertised as the norm… and priests are forced to bless same-sex marriages, he said. Mr Vladimir Putin is seen on screens of a shopping mall as he delivers his annual address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow, on Feb 21. PHOTO: REUTERS Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said that Mr Putins speech showed he has lost touch with reality.

He is in a completely different reality, where there is no opportunity to conduct a dialogue about justice and international law, said the adviser to Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky. Tilt to Asia?

Mr Putin, who was handed the presidency in 1999 by Boris Yeltsin, said the West had failed to destroy the Russian economy with the severest sanctions in modern history.

They want to make the people suffer… but their calculation did not materialise. The Russian economy and the management turned out to be much stronger than they thought, he added.

Russias US$2.1 trillion (S$2.8 trillion) economy is forecast by the International Monetary Fund to grow 0.3 per cent this year, far below China and Indias growth rates but a much better result than was forecast when the war began.

Russia was turning to major Asian powers, e said, and will expand ties and build economic cooperation with countries such as India, Iran and Pakistan. REUTERS More On This Topic Beijing hopes peace between Russia and Ukraine can be Made in China Zelensky: Its obvious Ukraine wont be Putins last stop

US

US has seized oil tanker off coast of Venezuela, Donald Trump says

Published

13 mins ago

December 11, 2025

admin

US has seized oil tanker off coast of Venezuela, Donald Trump says

The US has intercepted and seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, Donald Trump has said.

President Trump confirmed the operation at a meeting with business leaders at the White House on Wednesday.

“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually,” he said at the start of the meeting.

It marks the latest escalation from the Trump administration, which has in recent months ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The US accuses Mr Maduro of presiding over a narcotrafficking operation in Venezuela, which he denies

Tanker ‘used to transport sanctioned’ oil, US claims

Later, Attorney General Pam Bondi shared a video of the operation, confirming that the FBI, Homeland Security, US Coast Guard, and Department of Defence were involved.

She said on X that the US forces “executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran”.

“For multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organisations,” she added.

“This seizure, completed off the coast of Venezuela, was conducted safely and securely-and our investigation alongside the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the transport of sanctioned oil continues.”

She did not name the vessel, what flag the vessel sailed under, or exactly where the incident took place.

UK maritime risk management group Vanguard said that the tanker Skipper – which the US sanctioned for alleged involvement in Iranian oil trading under the name Adisa – was believed to have been seized.

US interception of oil tanker raises more questions about international law

The seizing of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela is a significant escalation in US tactics.

By targeting an oil shipment, rather than a suspected drug boat, Washington has signalled its willingness to disrupt exports.

President Trump seems determined to shut down one of the last major sources of funding for Nicholas Maduro’s embattled government.

Nine months ago, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all goods imported into the US from any country buying oil or gas from Venezuela.

This is even more aggressive and will be viewed in Caracas as a direct threat to the country’s economy and sovereignty.

The interception of the tanker raises more questions about international maritime law and the reach of US enforcement powers.

In the space of four months, the US has bombed 23 boats, killing 87 people, accusing the occupants of being “narco-terrorists”.

It will also fuel speculation that airstrikes are imminent, President Trump having posted two weeks ago that he had closed the airspace.

Trump on seized oil: ‘We keep it’

Without giving additional information on the operation, Mr Trump added during the White House meeting with business leaders that “other things are happening”.

Later, Mr Trump said that the tanker was “seized for a very good reason,” and when asked what will happen to the oil on board the vessel, he added: “Well, we keep it, I suppose”.

He also suggested that Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who angered the Trump administration by speaking at a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the UN in September, could “be next” if his country doesn’t “wise up” on alleged drug trafficking.

The US has escalated military deployments against the Latin American country over the last few months, with Mr Trump suggesting that American forces could launch a land attack on Venezuela.

On 2 September, the White House posted on X that it had conducted a strike against so-called “narcoterrorists” shipping fentanyl to the US, without providing direct evidence of the alleged crime.

Sky’s Data & Forensics unit has verified that in the past four months since strikes began, 23 boats have been targeted in 22 strikes, killing 87 people.

Geoffrey Corn, director of the Centre for Military Law at Texas Tech University, told Sky News’s Mark Austin on The World that Mr Trump’s remarks on land strikes “ostensibly” refer to drug cartel members.

Formerly a senior adviser to the US army on warfare law, Mr Corn added: “That could very easily provide the pretext for some confrontation between Venezuelan armed forces and US armed forces.

“And then that would open the door to a broader campaign to basically negate the power of the Venezuelan military.”

Venezuela ‘prepared to break the teeth’ of US

Speaking to Politico on Tuesday, Mr Trump declined to comment on whether US troops would enter Venezuela, but said that Mr Maduro’s “days are numbered”.

According to Bloomberg, the Maduro government describes US actions as a grab for Venezuela’s oil reserves – among the biggest in the world.

Meanwhile, at a rally before a ruling-party-organised demonstration in Caracas, Mr Maduro did not address the seizure, but told supporters that Venezuela is “prepared to break the teeth of the North American empire if necessary”.

Flanked by senior officials, he said that only the ruling party can “guarantee peace, stability, and the harmonious development of Venezuela, South America and the Caribbean”.

Environment

bp pulse cranks up DC fast charging with Arizona debut

Published

33 mins ago

December 10, 2025

admin

bp pulse cranks up DC fast charging with Arizona debut

bp pulse fast charging Arizona — Photo: bp pulse

bp pulse is continuing to roll out public DC fast charging across the US, and the company has opened its first-ever site in Arizona, along with new fast-charging locations in Texas, Florida, and Ohio.

In Arizona, bp pulse’s first site is now online at the Petro Travel Center in Eloy, just off Interstate 10 at Exit 200 (pictured). The location features 16 charging bays delivering up to 400 kilowatts, with both CCS and NACS connectors available. While charging, drivers can take advantage of the travel center’s onsite diner, convenience store, ATM, barber shop, and restrooms.

In South Florida, bp pulse’s new fast-charging site is at 2400 Miami Road in Fort Lauderdale, about three miles from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport. The site features 16 charging bays, offering a mix of 150 kW and 400 kW speeds, with both CCS and NACS connectors. Its proximity to the airport makes it a handy stop for ride-hail drivers, EV rental returns, and airport pickups and drop-offs, with hotels, restaurants, and convenience stores nearby.

Texas is also getting more high-power charging, with a new bp pulse site at the Petro Travel Center in El Paso, located off Interstate 10 at Exit 37. This location offers 12 charging bays capable of delivering up to 400 kW, again with both CCS and NACS connectors. Drivers can take advantage of the diner, convenience store, barber shop, and restrooms while they charge.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

In Ohio, bp pulse has opened a smaller but still high-powered site at a TravelCenters of America location in Hebron, just off Interstate 70 at Exit 126. The site includes six 400 kW charging bays with CCS and NACS connectors, along with access to a convenience store, fast-food options, and restrooms.

These openings are part of bp pulse’s broader plan to build out EV charging across bp’s retail footprint, including bp, Amoco, ampm, Thorntons, and TravelCenters of America locations. Many of those sites are designed to combine fast charging with food, restrooms, and other travel amenities. bp has also said it plans to begin adding EV chargers at Waffle House locations starting in 2026.

If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!

Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad

Add Electrek as a preferred source on Google

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Sports

U-M fires Moore for inappropriate relationship

Published

1 hour ago

December 10, 2025

admin

U-M fires Moore for inappropriate relationship

Dec 10, 2025, 04:44 PM ET

Michigan fired coach Sherrone Moore for cause Wednesday after a university investigation that found “credible evidence” he was engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

“This conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior,” athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement Wednesday.

Biff Poggi was named interim coach. Michigan is slated to play Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31.

The news ends Moore’s Michigan coaching career at 17-8, with his final game a 27-9 loss to Ohio State to conclude a 9-3 season. The 39-year-old had gone through two years of his five-year contract as the Wolverines’ head coach, and the school’s firing for cause means it isn’t planning to pay the nearly $12.3 million it would have owed him on his deal.

Moore was promoted to Michigan’s head coach in the wake of Jim Harbaugh’s departure for the NFL after Michigan’s 2023 national title.

Moore endured some off-field controversies before his firing, including a suspension in Week 3 and Week 4 of this season tied to the Connor Stalions illegal advanced scouting scheme.

Moore was set to serve an additional one-game suspension for the start of the 2026 season as well. He was also suspended for the season opener in 2023 as part of self-imposed penalties for breaking recruiting rules.

Moore was a successful offensive line coach and offensive coordinator before being promoted to head coach. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award in 2023, when he was the playcaller on Michigan’s national title team.

The firing puts Michigan in a difficult position of finding a coach in the wake of what’s been considered the most volatile coaching carousel in recent college football history. There’s already been a flurry of hires and extensions, which will complicate Michigan’s search.