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Anti-Russian sanctions

US anti-Russian propaganda biased and misleading as never before

"Indeed, in my four-plus decades in journalism, I have never seen a more thoroughly biased and misleading performance by the major US news media," writes Robert Parry, Consortium News founder

© EPA/MARC MUELLER

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WASHINGTON, April 18. /ITAR-TASS/. As the post-coup regime in Ukraine sends troops and paramilitaries to crack down on ethnic Russian protesters in the east, the US news media continues to feed the American public a steady dose of anti-Russian propaganda, often wrapped in accusations of "Russian propaganda", writes Robert Parry, Consortium News founder and editor in chief. The well-known investigative reporter worked with The Associated Press and Newsweek and has awards, including the George Polk Award conferred in recognition of special achievements in journalism. He founded the Consortium US-based independent news service in 1995.

"Indeed, in my four-plus decades in journalism, I have never seen a more thoroughly biased and misleading performance by the major US news media. Even during the days of Ronald Reagan - when much of the government’s modern propaganda structure was created - there was more independence in major news outlets. There were media stampedes off the reality cliff during George H.W. Bush’s Persian Gulf War and George W. Bush’s Iraq War, both of which were marked by demonstrably false claims that were readily swallowed by the big US news outlets.

But there is something utterly Orwellian in the current coverage of the Ukraine crisis, including accusing others of “propaganda” when their accounts - though surely not perfect - are much more honest and more accurate than what the US press corps has been producing.

There’s also the added risk that this latest failure by the US press corps is occurring on the border of Russia, a nuclear-armed state that - along with the United States - could exterminate all life on the planet. The biased US news coverage is now feeding into political demands to send US military aid to Ukraine’s coup regime.

The casualness of this propaganda - as it spreads across the US media spectrum from Fox News to MSNBC, from the Washington Post to the New York Times - is not just wretched journalism but it is reckless malfeasance jeopardizing the lives of many Ukrainians and the future of the planet," the journalist notes.

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Sanctions vs. Russia

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Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

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Israel to not take responsibility for attack on Iran — newspaper

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Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

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The Foreign Minister pointed to the fact that Switzerland is on board with all Western sanctions

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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A total of 12 countries, including Russia and China, voted in favor of the document

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Wang Wen stated that it’s still very hard to achieve a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva welcomed Gustavo Petro’s initiative, "being committed to promotion of Colombia’s candidacy"

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Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

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Israeli Air Force attacks airfield in southern Syria during strike on Iran

According to local sources, a radar station located at a military site along a highway connecting the towns of Qarfa and Izraa was disabled in the attack

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The top Russian diplomat pointed out that the anti-Russian rhetoric of Western politicians in power intensifies as the elections approach

Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

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EU border checkpoint closest to Russia’s St. Petersburg to cut its working hours

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EU plans to invest first profits from Russian assets in military aid to Kiev

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Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

Fox News said the Jewish state delivered a limited strike on Iran

US blackmails other countries at United Nations — Russian mission

Dmitry Polyansky said "this shameful neocolonial tactics are fully exposed now in the context of Gaza War"

Zelensky's formula should be put aside for Ukraine talks, Lavrov says

"One should clearly support the need to seek solutions that take into account the balance of security interests and ensure the indivisibility of security," the top Russian diplomat underlined

One crew member of jet crashed in Stavropol Region killed, search for another continues

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US gives nod to Israeli operation in Rafah in exchange for canceling major attack on Iran

According to the media outlet, "the US administration will support the plan for a military operation in Rafah put forward earlier," which provides for dividing the city into numbered sectors that will be mopped up one by one

Russian instructors help train over 10,000 Central African troops — CAR president

According to Faustin-Archange Touadera, since becoming the president, his actions have been guided by the need "to modernize the army and take into account new challenges"

Situation in Iran’s Isfahan stabilizes after drone attack — media

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Senior Chinese official to take part in conference on security in Russia — diplomat

The conference will take place from April 23 to 25 in St. Petersburg

Moscow-based embassies of NATO countries helped anti-government groups, Lavrov says

The top Russian diplomat also spoke about the detention in Germany of two people suspected of spying for Russia

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Russia will not 'shake up' relations with Argentina due to its partnership with NATO — MFA

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Iran says drones downed over Isfahan launched from country's territory

"A failed attack with a few quadcopters that were shot down cannot be considered a real attack anywhere in the world," a spokesman for Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace said

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At least 16 Syrian troops killed in terrorists’ ambush in east Syria — TV

According to the Al Hadath television, a military bus was ambushed by members of the Islamic State terrorist group

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Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

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Russian Aerospace Forces strike five militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

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Security guarantees on Ukraine did not apply to Crimea, Donbass — Lavrov

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Vladimir Zelensky asked his country’s supporters to provide "everything that helps to hold the frontline," including shells, military vehicles and drones

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"They would have been scared had anyone come down on them with similar ferocity," the Russian foreign minister added

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NATO discussing transfer of ‘deep precision strike capabilities’ to Ukraine — Stoltenberg

Stoltenberg said NATO believes Ukraine has the right to strike "legitimate military targets" inside Russia

Lavrov describes Georgia’s bill on foreign agents as 'mildest of all'

The top Russian diplomat stressed that the Georgian bill on foreign agents suggested only the need to declare funds, if the organization in question received more than 20% of its funding from abroad

Water in Kurgan above dam, breaking records

More than 100 employees of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies are fencing the shores and filling the least reliable dam segments

Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

Donald Tusk said that German Chancellor’s call to send more air defense systems to Kiev had no relation to Poland, provided the country's geographical position near the frontline

Russian military closely monitors all Ukrainian 'novelties' — Kremlin on UAVs

Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine had developed a UAV with a range of up to 3,000 kilometers

Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

Ahmad Haghtalab said on April 18 that Tehran has identified the location of Israel's "nuclear centers" and will be ready to destroy them in case the Jewish state responds to the recent Iranian attack on Israeli military facilities

Israel assesses effectiveness, consequences of strike on Iran — media

A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the reports of the strike

Syrian ministry says Israeli jets struck air defense facilities in country’s south

Earlier, the media reported that one of the strikes hit Tha'lah Military Airbase, with several explosions going off there

Nuclear sites in Iran’s Isfahan province are safe — Tasnim agency

Tasnim refuted foreign media reports about an incident at a nuclear site in Isfahan

French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

Emmanuel Macron added that Europe’s resources are limited, and the European Union will continue helping Kiev keeping in mind its own reserves

CIA chief says Ukraine could lose by end of this year — Politico

William Burns said "there is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement"

Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate to attack on its soil — agency

"We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," a senior Iranian official reported

Hezbollah warns Israel it will fight back if attacks on Lebanon continue

The Lebanese Shiite organization "would not accept that the Israelis transgress the rules of engagement that are currently set in the south" of Lebanon

US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

"In any case, whatever the modality of providing this aid, de facto it is about provoking Ukraine into further hostilities down to the last Ukrainian, putting guarantted money in the pockets of the US," Dmitry Peskov said

Lavrov speaks of West’s agony, Russia’s approach to any future talks with Kiev

The Russian foreign minister also described Armenia and Russia as more than formal allies

Russia not to go for settlement on Ukraine based on 'Zelensky formula' — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat referred to a swindling trick used by a thimblerigger who puts a small round object, such as a ball or pea, under one of three thimbles or cups and asks the player to guess under which the object is, while unfairly manipulating this object

Sounds in Isfahan due to air defense work to repel attacks by suspicious objects — general

According to Iranian media reports, three drones were downed by air defenses in the skies over the city of Isfahan

Chinese car plant to start production at former Mercedes site in Moscow region in May

Earlier it was reported that the German automobile concern Mercedes-Benz plans to sell its enterprise located in the Solnechnogorsk district of the Moscow region

Argentina’s NATO partnership bid to let US tighten its grip — expert

According to Andrey Pyatakov, the Argentinian authorities' decision is both a declarative step and evidence of the wish to close economic gaps by expanding military-technical cooperation

Final statement by G7 top diplomats to call for supplying more air defenses to Kiev

Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister said Kiev required US-made Patriot systems and Italian-French Samp-T theatre antimissile systems

French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova described France’s decision to place its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, directly under NATO control as a symbolic move marking the end of "the era of an independent Paris in the international arena"

Iran intends to bolster military cooperation with Russia — envoy to Moscow

Kazem Jalali noted that Iran had demonstrated its ability to ensure security and nudge the region toward a de-escalation

No plans for pauses in fighting if talks on Ukraine begin, Lavrov says

The Russian foreign minister emphasized that the situation on the ground had changed significantly

Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

The law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Igor Krasnov said

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fact that Ukraine's special services do not give up attempts to "massacre their former compatriots"

No foreign state attacks Iran — TV

Earlier, the media reported, citing a US official, that Israel had launched a missile strike on a site in Iranian territory

Kiev lacks both troops and equipment near Chasov Yar in DPR, says retired general

Military commanders of Ukrainian army brigades "lack both personnel and the required amount of equipment" while Russian troops enjoy a considerable superiority, especially in artillery, Sergey Krivonos noted

Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

At the same time, the top Russian diplomat pointed out that "there is information that not only French mercenaries, but also instructors, maybe even together, but along with some other representatives of military and special services of European countries are working there [in Ukraine]"

Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

The first negotiations between Russia and Ukraine after the start of the special military operation took place in early March 2022 in Belarus, but they did not bring tangible results

Tehran’s two major airports cancel international flights — Mehr

Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport suspended their operations until 10:30 a.m. local time

Russia won’t allow NATO to move closer in Ukraine — Lavrov

There is still no full clarity regarding the future of Ukraine's western regions, the Russian foreign minister went on to say

Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

The sources said that Iranian forces managed to destroy several small drones near the city of Tabriz, about 800 kilometers from Isfahan

Ukraine turns from sovereign country into Western protectorate, Hungarian PM says

Viktor Orban noted that there should be a buffer zone between NATO and Russia and Ukraine could serve as one

Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

The group contains US finance and justice ministers, representatives of Australia, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, as well as the European Commission

Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

Russia’s top diplomat noted that Josep Borrell may made the statement in a moment of weakness

Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

UN Security Council vote exposes practically full isolation of US — Russia’s UN mission

Vasily Nebenzya described the US veto as a "fruitless attempt to stop the inexorable course of history"