Russian Foreign Ministry on Syria, Ukraine, and Alleged Cyberattacks
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
“Conditions in Syria remain tense,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (MZ below) explained.
Endless conflict continues because the US, NATO, Israel, and the Saudis oppose resolution.
Idlib province remains infested with US-supported terrorists. Al Nusra jihadists refuse to comply with Russian/Turkish agreed on buffer zone terms.
They continue shelling residential areas with US/European supplied heavy weapons, along with committing other atrocities.
MZ: “(D)evelopments on the eastern bank of the Euphrates are cause for increasing concern. (T)he Americans are in charge of this area, relying on their allies from among Kurds.”
“The efforts they are making to set up a sort of special administration that is unrelated to the current Constitution of Syria are yielding results that are far from positive, judging by the developments we see ‘on the ground.’ ”
US aims remain unchanged since the Obama regime launch naked aggression in March 2011 – seeking regime change, partition of Syria for easier control, and looting of its resources.
Endless war continues with no prospect for resolution any time soon. US forces pretend to be combatting ISIS they support, deploying their fighters to parts of the country where the Pentagon and CIA want them used.
MZ accused US and allied forces of operating in Syria illegally, uninvited by Damascus, unlike Russian and Hezbollah forces along with Iranian military advisors.
The presence of US forces in the country, along with Washington’s support for ISIS and other terrorists makes conflict resolution unattainable.
On October 9, Assad issued Legislative Decree No. 18, granting general amnesty to Syrians inside and outside the country who avoided military conscription.
They’re exempt from criminal liability under the 1950 Military Penalties Law. Moscow welcomed the move, another step toward reconciliation with all Syrians.
Ukraine is a US-installed, Nazi-infested, fascist dictatorship at war with its own people, encouraged and supported by Washington.
Its puppet parliament “approved…the most radical” option to make the Ukrainian language the only official one – despite over eight million Russians in the country.
“Ukrainization” aims to marginalize and discriminate against its Russian-speaking citizens and residents.
“The bill introduces a mandatory national Ukrainian language test for all citizens involved in areas specified by law, who must use the national language in their professional activity,” MZ explained.
Other provisions violate ethnic minority rights, guaranteed by the Law on Ethnic Minorities, including free expression and use of their native language.
MZ: “We see this as an attempt by the governing regime to play the ‘language card’ for the sake of preserving power. It appears that Kiev is not bothered by the growing tension and discord in Ukrainian society as a consequence of the violation of the rights and interests of millions of citizens.”
A parliamentary resolution “impose(s) severe restrictions on a number of television channels including 112 Ukraine and NewsOne by among other things freezing their assets and banning their licenses and use of frequencies.”
“The developments are presented as countering ‘foreign propaganda and spreading terrorism ideology.’ ”
Other media outlets were targeted the same way. “This is a real war in the domestic information space, a fight against dissident thinking, an assault on the independent media.”
Democratic values in Ukraine are nonexistent, speech, media, and academic freedoms prohibited.
MZ called Kiev’s control over the media “information banditry.” Its ruling authorities shut down media conflicting with their official narrative.
Independent journalists face criminal prosecution on fake charges. All despotic regimes operate the same way, Ukraine a fascist dictatorship in Europe’s heartland.
Hardliners in Washington and Britain falsely accused Russia of cyberattacks, part of longstanding Kremlin and Putin bashing.
MZ: “(W)e hear groundless accusations stemming entirely from the desire to engage in propaganda, using the commonest pretexts and the simplest messages of explanation.”
It’s a fabricated “anti-Russian campaign,” falsely claiming “cyber attacks…allegedly took place in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and a whole number of European countries.”
“(I)t was easy to see through it all.” Russia “has long been working to combat” cyber crime…But who needs rules, if the trend in the Western community is to drop rules, walk out of them and promote one’s own exclusion from them?”
Cyber attacks aim at Russia, not from the country against others. Claims otherwise are fabricated.
“We hope that the international community will be guided by common sense and facts and will not let itself be fooled by a group of countries attempting to seize control of the international information space and dictate its will from a position of strength to the whole world,” MZ stressed.
My newest book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
