Russia has come forward and acknowledged the existence of significant challenges concerning its oil and gas revenues, which have reached their lowest point in several years. During a public video conference with President Vladimir Putin, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov openly acknowledged these issues. 1/6

Unlocking Frozen Assets: Fulfilling the Moral Obligation to Aid Ukraine In the face of Russia's ongoing aggression and the dire situation in Ukraine, the international community has a moral obligation to take action. 1/16

In today's crazy geopolitical situation, where Europe is facing some serious challenges and Russia is flexing its muscles and has idiotically started a war, it's time for all NATO countries to step up their game. 1/5 We can't just settle for the 2% GDP defence spending requirement anymore; we need to aim higher.
We should consider the 2% GDP as a floor, and not as a ceiling.
Sure, some of our NATO buddies have met or even surpassed the 2% GDP defense spending target. 2/5

It's time to move to retirement, Mr. Hersh.

Is your mind stuck in the years before 1993? There is no country named Czechoslovakia.

Mr Hersh, once again, like so many times before, claims to have secret sources that no one else seems to find. 1/6 Not even afterwards when their claims have been proven false. He is quite a dedicated reporter, protecting even the sources that feed him incorrect information. 2/6

EU firms operating in Russia made a deliberate choice to stay despite the increasing reputational risks associated with the country's actions. Now, they are facing the consequences of their decision. 1/8 These companies were aware of the potential harm to their reputation due to Russia's war and even before that.

By staying in Russia, they willingly associated themselves with a nation that has been largely condemned by international community. 2/8

Ukraine on Tuesday morning shot down a barrage of Russian weapons, including six hypersonic missiles, thanks to its newly souped-up air defence system. 1/6 Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the Kinzhal hypersonic missiles are 10 times faster than the speed of sound, making them almost impossible to shoot down. 2/6

Why Olympic Athletes Should Take a Stand Against Russian Participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics 1/16 The Olympic Games are a symbol of international unity and peace, bringing athletes from all corners of the world together to compete in a spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship. 2/16

From Doping to Display: How Russia Weaponizes Sports and the Olympics for Propaganda Purposes

Russia’s use of sports and the Olympics as propaganda tools has become increasingly evident in recent years. 1/12

https://twitter.com/_/status/1639600077747437570

One of the most prominent examples of Russia’s weaponization of sports is the country’s state-sponsored doping program, which was implemented to provide its athletes with performance-enhancing drugs and then concealed from international authorities. 2/12

The Olympics are inherently political
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach, that the Olympics “are not about politics” is not only false but also shows a lack of understanding of the historical significance of the Games. 1/13 From the very beginning, the Olympics have been a platform for countries to promote their politics and agendas. In ancient Greece, the Games were used as a means of showing off a city-state’s strength and superiority over others. 2/13

Did you know that under Article 8(2)(a)(iv) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the misappropriation, pillage, or embezzlement of property, committed within the context of an armed conflict, is considered a war crime? 1/7 This is because such actions can violate international humanitarian law, which aims to protect civilians and combatants during armed conflicts. 2/7

@elonmusk @Twitter @TwitterBlue
First and foremost, I'd like to give props to Elon Musk for his Twitter game, I salute you for doing all the wrong things to this platform. 1/13 I am disappointed with Twitter's/Elons recent decision to revoke verified badges from users and make them pay for new ones. This is a slap in the face to the platform's users, and it will create chaos and mistrust among them. 2/13

History of Perkele
The mighty god of thunder Ukko or as some elude Perkunas had been watching over the Finns for centuries. He had seen their struggles in the frozen lands, where winters were so harsh and cold that even the sun was too afraid to peek over the horizon. 1/9 But he had also seen their inner strength, their unwavering resilience in the face of darkness. 2/9

The ICC Indictment of Putin: Consequences for Russia and the World
#ICC #Putin #WarCrimes #GlobalPolitics #InternationalRelations #Europe #Russia #NATO #UnitedNations #G20 #HumanRights The recent International Criminal Court (ICC) indictment of Vladimir Putin on charges of war crimes may seem like a symbolic victory, but its impact goes far beyond symbolism. 1/16

How to speed up the delivery of artillery shells to Ukraine 1/11 Joint purchasing: The European Union is considering pooling its resources to order and purchase up to one million shells for Ukraine, which is similar to the approach used to secure vaccines early in the Covid-19 pandemic. 2/11

For centuries, Russian imperialism has been a hotly debated topic, with the nation projecting its desires onto its neighbours. In recent years, Russia has been insisting that its neighbours are eager to invade them, but this notion is unfounded. 1/13 No one has any interest in invading Russia, mainly because it would be exorbitantly expensive to maintain. Furthermore, Russia's infrastructure is in shambles, and it would take billions or trillions of pounds to fix. 2/13

Reporting nothing new.

"New intelligence reviewed by U.S. officials suggests that a pro-Ukrainian group carried out the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines last year" This was always the option. 1/4 "U.S. officials said that they had no evidence President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine or his top lieutenants were involved in the operation, or that the perpetrators were acting at the direction of any Ukrainian government officials." 2/4

Mitä lakeja haluaisitte seuraavan eduskunnan säätävän?

Kaksoiskansalaisuuden poistaminen tai lain muuttaminen siten että hakija jolle kansalaisuus on myönnetty joko väärien tietojen tai väärin perustein menettää kansalaisuuden. 1/4 Tämä kattaisi myös tapaukset jossa hakija on luopunut toisen maan kansalaisuudesta ja ottanut sen itselleen takaisin myöhemmin. 2/4

POLAND – HIGH MOBILITY ARTILLERY ROCKET SYSTEM (HIMARS) 1/5 The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Poland of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers and related equipment for an estimated cost of $10 billion. 2/5

My opinion

The security order in Europe is changing, and the main objective is crystal clear: to protect Europe from Russian aggression. 1/12 This means that the mantra of building security "together with Russia" is no longer an option; the only way to guarantee the safety of our continent is to stand "against Russia." 2/12

From Paris with love

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo changed her position on Tuesday, stating that she no longer wants Russian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympics. This stance has sparked a heated debate. Hidalgo stated that she "was not in favor" of allowing Russian athletes to compete as neutrals or under the Olympic Games banner, which is a shift from her previous position last month.

On 13 December 2022, the Russian State Duma passed in the first reading a bill concerning the use of Russian criminal law in the territories of Ukraine that Russia occupies. 1/11 The bill includes a provision stipulating that a deed considered criminal under both Ukrainian and Russian laws, is not to be qualified as a crime if it is “aimed to protect interests of the Russian Federation”. 2/11