Nov. 24—Construction of Uganda’s standard gauge railway (SGR) was initiated this month and will be completed in 4 years. “This upcoming SGR project is a crucial part of a long-term plan. The plan is foreseen to address the congestion that is usually experienced in Ugandan roads,” Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, said during ceremony earlier this month that began the project. The 272 km railway will connect the country’s capital, Kampala with Tororo on the border with Kenya, where it will connect with Kenya’s SGR network at Malaba on the Uganda-Kenya border and on to the port of Mombasa. The Turkish Yapi Merkezi engineering and construction company has been contracted to build the project at the cost of $3 billion. Yapi Merkezi has built railways throughout Türkiye, Tanzania, Ethiopia and other countries. According to Construction Review, the railway will have an annual cargo capacity of 25 million tons with speeds of 100km/h for cargo trains and 120km/h for passengers. The railway will give landlocked Uganda direct railway access to the port of Mombasa, in Kenya, considerably reducing transportation costs. It is proposed that at Kampala two additional railways will be built. One running north into landlocked South Sudan and one running east into the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first phase of Tanzania’s SGR began operations from the port of Dar Es Salaam to the capital Dodoma earlier this month. When completed it will reach the border of landlocked Burundi, on to Rwanda, and eventually to Uganda and the D.R. Congo. The railways will be a major boost to the economies of landlocked central Africa. One of obstacles to the integration of the African economies is that under colonial rule, any rail lines were built in multiple gauges so that they deliberately could not connect.
Nov. 24—The following was originally written Nov. 9, but could not be posted due to our site outage. We publish it now because of its urgent current significance. Sometimes, it is possible to introduce “frontier concepts” of great power and depth—what are sometimes called “heavy ideas”—into societies that normally prefer to ignore or avoid their world-shaking implications. We are now living in such a moment. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, speaking in Sochi at the Valdai Discussion Club on a multiplicity of topics, including the Nov. 5 Presidential elections in the United States, offered the following international thought-experiment. “The rise of nations and cultures that have previously remained on the periphery of global politics for one reason or another means that their own distinct ideas of law and justice are playing an increasingly important role,” Putin said in his opening remarks. “They are diverse. This may give the impression of discord and perhaps cacophony, but this is only the initial phase. It is my deep conviction that the only new international system possible is one embracing polyphony, where many tones and many musical themes are sounded together to form harmony. If you like, we are moving towards a world system that is going to be polyphonic rather than polycentric, one in which all voices are heard and, most importantly, absolutely must be heard. Those who are used to soloing and want to keep it that way will have to get used to the new ‘scores’ now.” In this way, Vladimir Putin is not merely invoking the “better angels” of the nature of Western Civilization. His reference to a “polyphonic world system” should not be instantly misunderstood as a clever rhetorical pivot from the politically-charged term “multipolarity.” Indeed, the above proposal—the immediate basis for a way out of thermonuclear war, if implemented—is only capable of being competently comprehended for action, from the standpoint of the Ten Principles for a New International Strategic and Development Architecture composed by Schiller Institute founder, Helga Zepp-LaRouche. This document, particularly in the remaining days between last Tuesday, November 5, and the inauguration of the American President on Martin Luther King Day, January 20, 2025, should be closely studied. For example, Principle Four of that document states: “Since mankind is the only creative species known so far in the universe, and given the fact that human creativity is the only source of wealth through the potentially limitless discovery of new universal principles, one of the main aims of the new International Security and Development Architecture must be providing access to universal education for every child and adult person living. The true nature of man is to become a beautiful soul, as Friedrich Schiller discusses this, and the only person that can fulfill that condition is the genius.” But aren’t these only “nice words”? How does this Fourth Principle pertain in any way to what Putin said? And, again: Why is Putin’s idea of a “polyphonic world system” not only the immediate, narrow pathway out of otherwise-inevitable thermonuclear war, but also the way forward to a potentially unprecedented, worldwide renaissance out of our present, century-plus trans-Atlantic New Dark Age—the latest phase of which was sparked by the November 22, 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy? That very President John F. Kennedy hinted the answer to this question in his own way, three weeks before he was killed: “The artist, however faithful to his personal vision of reality, becomes the last champion of the individual mind and sensibility against an intrusive society and an officious state…. I see little of more importance to the future of our country and our civilization than full recognition of the place of the artist.” Polyphony is a musical term, but perhaps our Idea of music must first be expanded, in order to understand what the actual topic is, that what both Vladimir Putin and Helga Zepp-LaRouche are proposing be discussed for an actually new strategic and development architecture to arise in the world today. The late economist and statesman Lyndon LaRouche, who spoke about this matter often, said, in his document “Music and Science: Before and After the 1815 Treaty of Vienna”: “As Beethoven emphasized, for example, the secret of the great Classical composers was the reciting of poetry as the root of musical ideas. It follows, as is the case, that instrumental music is merely an abstraction from the singing of poetry by choruses. Similarly, the music of a nation is differentiated, essentially, according to the differences in the manner in which the most influential poetry is composed in that language, as Schiller’s poetry, according to Beethoven, captures the essence of the principle of composition of German Classical music and as the poetry of Dante and Petrarca is the standard of reference for compositions of music in Italian. Hence, as the poetry composed in a language degenerates, so the power of musical composition of a user of that language degenerates.” The ability of a society to articulate its origin and deeper purpose degenerates. Soon a nation’s population can no longer recognize either their nation, or themselves. Compare, for example, the speeches of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King to the best of public orations from any American figure today. Who recognizes the better angels of America’s nature in the common political or social parlance of our time? For the Schiller Institute, founded 40 years ago with the original intent to reverse the then-ongoing cultural collapse of Western nations by an emphasis on Classical poetry, drama and musical composition and performance, these matters are not secondary. Two weeks ago, the LaRouche Independent candidates Diane Sare and Jose Vega co-hosted an event, “Build a Chorus of Peace Against the Ghouls of War,” which employed Classical or Classically inspired musical compositions from around the world as the medium through which the speeches by the various participants, and the two candidates, were delivered. At the event, music was not an interlude; it was very fabric of the composition of, and the driver of the message of peace. Candidate Diane Sare conducted the chorus, performed in a brass quintet, and delivered one of the peace addresses, demonstrating the unity of effect of the whole. Return, now, to consider Putin’s remarks reported above. Russia’s President is identifying polyphony as the potential basis for a renewed relationship with a morally degenerating, economically unraveling trans-Atlantic world—a new polyphonic system of international relations. It would be a good idea, it would seem, therefore if everyone interested in peace investigated what polyphony is. To respond to that proposal, Western nations need to revisit, re-examine and revive one the most powerful and misunderstood revolutions in human thinking of the past 300-plus years—the well-tempered, polyphonic revolution in musical composition and human thought, embodied in the person and compositions of J.S. Bach, and advanced by musicians and composers such as Bach’s sons, Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Robert and Clara Schumann, Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, Giuseppe Verdi, Johannes Brahms, Antonin Dvorak, and certain of their associates and collaborators. President-elect Donald Trump should take note of this. A “Special Musical Operation” should be launched by the American people, if not the new Administration, which energetically colludes with Russia, China, and all other nations committed to the cause of polyphony. (It would also help to fully reject the obscene State Department “Global Musical Initiative” that Tony Blinken inaugurated last year with his awful guitar-playing, which is probably a “Color Revolution” front.) Putin knows that Beethoven’s great Missa Solemnis was premiered in his hometown, St. Petersburg, Russia, April 7, 1824, two hundred years ago. Beethoven demanded this because he believed that Russia had many of the best singers in the world, and they were needed. Thermonuclear war may well be able to be avoided, if we dare to think like Beethoven, and build a world system of polyphony. The New World Taking Shape Must Be Polyphonic, Putin Says Nov. 8--Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the new system of international relations characterized by the BRICS and the new role of the Global South, must be polyphonic. “The rise of nations and cultures that have previously remained on the periphery of global politics for one reason or another means that their own distinct ideas of law and justice are playing an increasingly important role,” Putin said. "They are diverse. This may give the impression of discord and perhaps cacophony, but this is only the initial phase. It is my deep conviction that the only new international system possible is one embracing polyphony, where many tones and many musical themes are sounded together to form harmony. If you like, we are moving towards a world system that is going to be polyphonic rather than polycentric, one in which all voices are heard and, most importantly, absolutely must be heard. Those who are used to soloing and want to keep it that way will have to get used to the new ‘scores’ now. “The former world arrangement is irreversibly passing away, actually it has already passed away, and a serious, irreconcilable struggle is unfolding for the development of a new world order.. It is irreconcilable, above all, because this is not even a fight for power or geopolitical influence. It is a clash of the very principles that will underlie the relations of countries and peoples at the next historical stage. Its outcome will determine whether we will be able, through joint efforts, to build a world that will allow all nations to develop and resolve emerging contradictions based on mutual respect for cultures and civilizations, without coercion and use of force. And finally, whether human society will be able to retain its ethical humanistic principles, and whether an individual will be able to remain human.” Putin also issued a warning to those who are intent on continuing the same aggressive policy: "I have previously stated that we have reached red lines. The West’s calls to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, a nation with the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, reveal the reckless adventurism of certain Western politicians. Such blind faith in their own impunity and exceptionalism could lead to a global catastrophe. Meanwhile, the former hegemons, who have been accustomed to ruling the world since colonial times, are increasingly astonished that their commands are no longer heeded. Efforts to cling to their diminishing power through force result only in widespread instability and more tensions, leading to casualties and destruction. However, these efforts fail to achieve the desired outcome of maintaining absolute, unchallenged power. For the march of history cannot be halted. “Instead of recognizing the futility of their ambitions and the objective nature of change, certain Western elites seem poised to go to any lengths to thwart the development of a new international system that aligns with the interests of the global majority. In the recent policies of the United States and its allies, for instance, the principle of ‘You shall not belong to anyone!’ or ‘You’re either with us or against us’ has become increasingly evident. I mean to say, such a formula is very dangerous. After all, as the saying of our and many other countries goes, ‘What goes around comes around.’ “Chaos, a systemic crisis is already escalating in the very nations that attempt to implement such strategies. The pursuit of exclusivity, liberal and globalist messianism and ideological, military, and political monopoly is steadily depleting those countries that pursue these paths, pushing the world towards decline and starkly contradicting the genuine interests of the people in the United States and European countries. “I am confident that sooner or later the West will come to this realization. Historically, its great achievements have always been rooted in a pragmatic, clear-eyed approach based on a tough, sometimes cynical but rational evaluation of circumstances and their own capabilities. “In this context, I wish to emphasize once more: unlike our counterparts, Russia does not view Western civilization as an adversary, nor does it pose the question of ‘us or them.’ I reiterate: ‘You’re either with us or against us’ is not part of our vocabulary. We have no desire to teach anyone or impose our worldview upon anyone. Our stance is open and it is as follows. “The West has indeed amassed significant human, intellectual, cultural, and material resources which enable it to thrive as one of the key elements of the global system. However, it is precisely ‘one of’ alongside other rapidly advancing nations and groups. Hegemony in the new international order is not a consideration. When, for instance, Washington and other Western capitals understand and acknowledge this incontrovertible fact, the process of building a world system that addresses future challenges will finally enter the phase of genuine creation. God willing, this should happen as soon as possible. This is in the shared interest, especially for the West itself. “So far, we—meaning all those interested in creating a just and stable world—have been using too much energy to resist the destructive activities of our opponents, who are clinging to their monopoly. This is obvious, and everyone in the west, the east, the south and everywhere else is aware of this. They are trying to preserve their power and monopoly, which is obvious. “These efforts could be directed with much better results towards addressing the common problems that concern everyone, from demography and social inequality to climate change, food security, medicine and new technology. This is where we should focus our energy, and this is what all of us should be doing.”
Nov. 24—The following is an edited transcript of former UN Weapons Inspector and NATO critic Scott Ritter's second comments at the Nov. 22 meeting of the International Peace Coalition. We present them as a cogent report on the current strategic significance of Russia's deployment of a hypersonic IRBM in its Nov. 21 attack on the Ukraine.. SCOTT RITTER: I want to applaud Steven Starr for laying out this case succinctly, accurately, dispassionately; almost too dispassionately. It’s not a criticism, it’s a reflection of his professionalism, except that people should be changing their underwear in fear after listening to what he said, and yet, I think his soothing voice has calmed us into believing that maybe this was just another academic presentation; it wasn’t. He was laying out the imminent demise of mankind. I want to reinforce that point. The Russian weapon that was used—I’m getting ready to publish a paper on this today, if we make it; that breaks down what I think it is. There’s not much literature out there, but if you know the history of Russian ballistic missile design and such, this was a weapon that is related to a weapon that the Soviets were developing back in the early 1980s called the Skorost. The Skorost missile, 15Zh66, was quickly developed by then-Minister of Defense Ustinov, to respond to the planned deployment of Pershing II missiles by the United States into Germany. The Russians were very afraid of the Pershing II, because once you launched the Pershing II, seven minutes later it hit Moscow. The Russians were not happy about that. So, they built this missile, the Skorost, which was an amalgam of components drawn from the SS-20 Pioneer, the Mod-3 version of the Pioneer, the SS-25 (which was still under development), the SS-27 (which was top secret under development; nobody even knew it existed). They put it all together in a two-stage missile topped with conventional warheads. They were going to flood Czechoslovakia and East Germany with these systems and monitor on a continuous basis the Pershing II bases. And the moment the Pershing II went to the field in a manner that looked suspicious, they would take it out; preemptively. That was what the Skorost was all about; to preemptively take out emerging threats. The system was nearing production when the INF Treaty—in fact, it was ready to go into production in March of 1987. But in December, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, so the Skorost went the way of history. And in doing so, the Skorost … People need to understand—again, I keep telling people—there was a time when we talked to the Soviets; there was a time when we talked to the Russians. I spent a lot of time at the Russian Embassy in the last two years, attending functions and talking to Anatoly Antonov, the ambassador; talking to Major General Bobkin, the Defense Attaché, and talking to his officers, and having very detailed conversations. Bobkin was a former, when we started talking, he was—he’s a Strategic Rocket Forces guy, who was in an SS-25 unit in Novosibirsk when I inspected it in 1990. What a small world we live in. And he was sent to the United States to help facilitate arms control talks, how to prevent the very crisis that we’re in. Anatoly Antonov is an expert on the United States. He speaks English fluently. He was, of course, the man who negotiated the new START Treaty with Rose Gottemoeller. He was ready to engage again on extending the new START Treaty to prevent exactly what’s happening. Anatoly Antonov was here for seven years, and the U.S. didn’t talk to him. Bobkin arrived, and the first thing that happened was that the Ukrainians got him blackballed in the defense attaché circuits, so nobody talked to him. Had they talked to him—as I did—they would have gotten an insight into how the Strategic Rocket Forces felt about the INF Treaty, about the START Treaty, about disarmament; about what Gorbachev did to them, and how they feel that impacted their national security. And you would understand that they were very bitter about this entire experience. They felt that they had been weakened by it. They were ready to regain the former glory of the Soviet Strategic Rocket Forces. If you’ve studied Russian military history, Soviet military history, you understand that the present day is very much influenced by the past. So, when the United States withdraws from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, under President Trump, Putin said we see this treaty as being very important to prevent war. So, we will not develop new intermediate-range systems, and we’ll act as if the treaty is in force, so long as you don’t deploy intermediate-range systems into Europe. Of course, earlier this year in a NATO exercise in Denmark, we deployed intermediate-range missiles, nuclear-capable, to Denmark. And Putin said, OK, we’re moving forward. And the byproduct of this is the missile that was tested the other day. But people don’t understand what this missile is. This missile is the modern-day version of the Skorost. You see, the Russians are building a missile that can be pushed forward and be ready to preempt Dark Eagle, our intermediate-range missile. The Russians just put the Mark-41 [Mk-41] Aegis Ashore on notice in Poland that it is a target—a target that will destroy it is this. Look at what this was. This is a missile that makes use of not the Yars—which is what the Rubezh, the RS-26 is, which this is derived from, used the Yars first stage. This uses the Kedr first stage, the Cedar. Most people don’t know what the Cedar is, but the Ukrainians just came out and said that. It’s the Cedar. How would they know that? They have got the debris. On the debris are serial numbers, and the serial numbers show what the booster was. This is the most modern booster that the Russians have. Similar in size to the Yars, so it doesn’t change the configuration of the system, but it has unique solid-fuel principles that allow the missile to burn in variable speeds, making it impossible to target. The other thing it does, is, it doesn’t use traditional MIRVs. I keep hearing people say “multiple independently-targetted reentry vehicles.” That not what this was—not at all. This is the new system. The new system is, instead of bus—a plate, so to speak—where the warheads are attached, that separates from the missile, and then comes in and releases the warheads to their target—on a trajectory though, because it’s still moving, as this happens. What we have now, is independent mini-missiles that are there. They fire themselves. So the first stage takes it up, second stage puts it in, and then you fire these independent missiles. And these missiles, each one of them had six large sub-munitions on them. This is where the name Hazelnut [Oreshnik] comes from. Because if you look at a hazelnut tree, you look at the pod of nuts, it’s exactly what you see with these sub-munitions coming down. This missile was developed specifically to take out Dark Eagle missile arrays. If you take a look at the layout, the footprint of the Dark Eagle, where the radar is, where the command and communications are: This missile is designed to annihilate that! People kept saying, “Where’s the explosion?” It’s not meant to be high-explosive. It’s meant to be a kinetic kill. These sub-munitions come down, and they will kinetically kill everything on the ground. These sub-munitions come down at such a velocity, that if they hit the Aegis Ashore, it will be a smoky hole in the ground. This is what this missile is designed for. Putin just put us on notice, that he has a conventional missile system that is designed to preempt anything and everything NATO plans on doing to Russia! And there is no NATO response. There’s nothing they can do about it. This is literally the equivalent of the most alpha wolf in the world coming in and pissing all over your home! That’s what Putin just did! And it didn’t have to be this way. Putin said, right there, your withdrawal from the INF Treaty was the greatest mistake you have ever made. Because now you have compelled us to do this; and here we are. We didn’t want to be here, but because of all the provocations you’ve done, we have checkmated you. And that’s the case. I don’t think the West has woken up to what has just happened. It is over! Over for the West! The only thing we can do is nuclear war. And sadly, we have somebody who believes that we can have a nuclear exchange. I just again want to have people reflect on what that means. It means the Biden administration is ready to sacrifice 100 million Americans, for Ukraine. The Biden administration is willing to sacrifice 100 million Americans for Ukraine. Is that we want? I want to thank Professor Starr for his presentation, it was fantastic. But guys, this is as real as it gets. This isn’t theoretical. The reason I went through all the stuff about this missile, is to point out that sometimes when people talk about weapons systems and all that, people feel a little remote from it. They don’t identify with it, because it’s something they don’t understand. So, I wanted to bring it in, in a way that hopefully everybody understood what is going on, what this represents, how real this missile is. And what the consequences of our actions are, in compelling Russia to develop this missile. And now, the impossible situation it’s put us in. Because understand, it has put us in an impossible situation—a very dangerous situation. By revealing this missile and showing his willingness to use this, Putin has literally given the West two options: Capitulate, or nuclear war. We have to find a way to find a third option. We have to find a way to get in between. We have to find a way to communicate. This is a communication; it isn’t just amongst an American audience. We have to communicate with the Russians. And we can’t do it directly—because that’s against the law, apparently; that’s the Logan Act. But we can do it indirectly. For instance, me talking to you. If a Russian is listening to this; copy it to another Russian; and copy it to another Russian; and get this goddamned mess (excuse my language, but I’m very upset guys). Because we’re going to die, and I sort of wanted to spend Christmas with my family. I had big plans for Christmas, and I don’t think we’re going to have a Christmas right now. That’s how dangerous this situation is. We have to stop it! We have to pull out all the stops; we have to communicate with our fellow Americans. We have to send a signal to Donald Trump that you can’t just sit there and let this happen. You were elected to prevent this, and they’re going around you. You must speak out now! I’ve invited Trump to come to the rally to speak out; to let his voice be heard; to rally the American people around him. I’m not asking for a January 6th; I’m asking for a December 7th. It’s a beautiful day to do it on—Pearl Harbor Day. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could actually reverse the historical legacy of Pearl Harbor; and instead of celebrating December 7th every year as a day when the Japanese attacked us, celebrate it as a day that the American people saved their lives and saved the world while they’re at it? And after we do it on December 7th, we can then on December 8th reflect on the fact that that’s when the INF Treaty was signed. And maybe we can start promoting arms control and get a new INF Treaty signed, so that this new missile that the Russians have developed can go back into the trash heap of history. And the Dark Eagle goes into the trash heap of history. And once again, sanity prevails as we eliminate the single most destabilizing weapons in the world, which are these intermediate-range nuclear weapons. December 7th and December 8th; you couldn’t have picked two more historically relevant dates. Let’s help make them relevant. Let’s redefine December 7th, and let’s breathe new life into December 8th. Again, thank you, Professor Starr.
Nov. 24—The New York Times was quite alarmed at Russia’s use of its new Oreshnik IRBM against Ukraine on Nov. 21. “Russia’s military fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile at Ukraine that Western officials and analysts said was meant to instill fear in Kyiv and the West,” the Times said in an article co-authored by five reporters. “Though the missile carried only conventional warheads, using it signaled that Russia could strike with nuclear weapons if it chooses.” The Times continued: “The use of an intermediate-range missile drawn from Russia’s strategic arsenal was notable, Ukrainian and Western officials said. The target inside Ukraine was well within the range of the conventional weapons that Moscow has routinely used throughout the war. But this time, Russia launched a longer-range missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads that is mainly intended as nuclear deterrence; that choice, the officials and military analysts said, signals a warning aimed at striking fear into Kyiv and its allies.” The Times quoted Fabian René Hoffmann, a weapons expert at the University of Oslo, saying that from a Russian perspective, “what they would like to tell us today is that ‘Look, last night’s strike was non-nuclear in payload, but, you know, if whatever you do continues, the next strike might be with a nuclear warhead.’” London’s The Economist saw the Oreshnik strike as a harbinger of a new era of missile warfare. “Simply put, Mr. Putin wants Ukraine and its Western allies to believe that he might escalate either ‘vertically’ within Ukraine or ‘horizontally,’ by directly attacking NATO states,” it reported. “‘We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons,’ he noted on November 21st, as he described Oreshnik, ‘against the military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities.’ On the same day, Ukrainian lawmakers were warned that the country’s parliament building in Kyiv was at risk of Russian missile attack.” It continued: “These threats ought to be taken seriously, but not always literally…. More broadly, the use of Oreshnik and its ilk is part of a new era of missile warfare…. Oreshnik is the first-ever intermediate-range missile with multiple warheads to be fired in combat. It may not be the last.”
Nov. 24—The new Oreshnik hypersonic missile, successfully tested yesterday against Ukraine, is to go into major production, as announced Nov. 22 in a meeting called by Russian President Vladimir Putin of leaders of the Defense Ministry and missile system developers. Both the immediate military advantage that it provides and the NASA-style team pulled together in the crash program over the last year were stressed. Here are some highlights from the official English translation on the President’s website. Putin: “You know that yesterday I informed the Armed Forces personnel, the citizens of Russia, our allies around the world as well as those who are trying to blackmail us by force, about Russia’s newest medium-range missile system…. As we all know based on the objective control data, the test was a success. I congratulate you on this. And, as I have already said, we will continue these tests, including in combat conditions, depending on the situation and the nature of the security threats posed to Russia. All the more so as we have a stockpile of such products, a reserve of such systems ready for use.” Putin thanked "the entire cooperative network which encompasses designers, researchers, engineers, and workers who developed hypersonic technologies, analyzed the ballistics, and mastered the production of cutting-edge materials, control systems, microelectronics, and much more. “Your achievements and the short time it took you to develop this new system inspire pride and admiration. They convincingly show that the domestic school of rocket engineering possesses tremendous potential and is capable of addressing the most complex tasks to ensure Russia’s security and sovereignty. “In this context, importantly, the Oreshnik system is not an upgrade of old Soviet-era systems…. However, this system is, in fact, the result of your work that was done in modern Russia, new Russia. The system relies entirely on contemporary cutting-edge innovations. “I must say that in today’s circumstances, when we face new and mounting threats and challenges, the development of such weapons systems holds special, one might even say vital, importance for our country…. “The weapon system tested yesterday serves as yet another reliable guarantor of Russia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. “No one else in the world has such weapons yet, as we and you know. Indeed, sooner or later other leading countries will have them, we know what kind of designs are being worked on there. However, it will be tomorrow, or in a year or two. Meanwhile, we have this system today. And this is essential.” Further: "Due to its striking power, especially when used en masse and in combination with other long-range precision systems that Russia also has, using it against enemy targets will be comparable in effect and power to using strategic weapons. Although in fact the Oreshnik system is not a strategic weapon; in any case, it is not an intercontinental ballistic missile and it is not a means of mass destruction, also because it is a high-precision weapon. “At the same time, as I have already mentioned, there are no means of countering such a missile; no means of intercepting it exist in the world today…. “We need to launch its serial production. Let us assume that the decision on the serial production of this system has been made. As a matter of fact, it has already been essentially organized. Given the particular strength of this weapon, its power, it will be put into service with the Strategic Missile Forces. … “It is also important that along with the Oreshnik system, several similar systems are currently being tested in Russia. Based on the test results, these weapons will also go into production. In other words, we have a whole line of medium- and shorter-range systems.” Putin finished by emphasizing Russia’s success “in the creation of new technologies, new weapons systems and economic development. But, as I have repeatedly said, people are our greatest asset, the courage of those who fight at the front, the talent and stamina of those who work at factories and design bureaus, scientific centers and enterprises in all sectors of the economy. And we are certainly proud of such people. Given such people, all the tasks of the special military operation, as I said, will definitely be solved and Russia’s security will be reliably ensured.” First Deputy Chair of the Military-Industry Commission of Russia Vasily Tonkoshkurov followed, saying that the “System was indeed developed in the shortest possible time and is entirely based on Russian technologies. Import substitution issues have been resolved. The defense industry enterprises’ research, development and production base makes it possible to launch a serial production of this type of weapon as quickly as possible.” Director General of the Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities Yury Borisov reported that the “design, technological, production, and, most importantly, personnel potential enables us to create products with unique characteristics, as you have already noted, unparalleled in the world. As for the production capacity, the practice has shown that we are able to multiply the output of the most in-demand weapons within the shortest time, especially when it comes to high-precision class weapons.” Finally, the Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces Sergei Karakayev said that the "advanced medium-range missile complex Oreshnik is unmatched in terms of its capabilities. The missile’s combat equipment guarantees overcoming all existing and future missile defense systems. The complex is equipped with hypersonic warheads and can effectively strike a wide range of targets ranging from standalone to wide-area targets, including highly fortified ones. Given the weapon’s designated tasks and range, it can hit targets across Europe, offering significant advantages over other types of long-range precision weapons. As you earlier noted, the mass use of this weapon would be comparable to the use of nuclear weapons. … “Considering the positive results of this launch, it seems reasonable to adopt the complex into service, continue its deployment, improve its capabilities, and to refine the operational skills of personnel when using and maintaining it. That concludes my report.” Putin: “We will do just that. Thank you.”
Nov. 24—Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs, and the research director of the Valdai Discussion Club who chaired Valdai’s Nov. 7 in-depth strategic discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin, wrote in RT Nov. 21 that “it’s on the Ukrainian issue that the differences between the outgoing and incoming American administrations is most visible,” and that “the Biden administration is trying to secure its historical legacy and make it as difficult as possible for Trump’s new team to get out of the Ukraine quagmire.” This, of course, “presents significant potential for escalation, the limit of which is unclear.” Lukyanov’s overall evaluation is on the mark: “Meanwhile, everyone is entering a dangerous phase in which the chances of descending into unmanageable confrontation are greater than before. The final days of Democrat rule in Washington promise to be risky.”
Nov. 24—Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Nov. 22 that last night’s national broadcast message by President Vladimir Putin was designed to warn the West against further escalation. Peskov had been asked, in particular, about Putin’s comment that “the regional conflict in Ukraine provoked by the West has assumed elements of a global nature,” and warned of a backlash if tensions escalate further. Peskov responded: “Yesterday’s statement was explicit, easy to understand, and reasonable. We have no doubt that the current administration in Washington had an opportunity to take it into account.” Peskov explained that the President’s message was intended to make clear that “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries, which produce missiles and supply them to Ukraine and subsequently take part in strikes on Russian territory, cannot remain without a response... [Russia]had clearly demonstrated its capabilities,” and outlined a possible retaliatory scenario if “our concerns are not taken into account.” The Kremlin spokesman stressed that Russia would have preferred an outcome in which the U.S. had heeded Moscow’s warnings against authorizing long-range strikes months earlier, before the current escalation. “However, we see that the outgoing [U.S.] administration has opted for escalation,” he said. Moscow was still open to “any contacts” to end the crisis or at least avoid further escalation.
Nov. 24—Following the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Nov. 19, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivered stark answers to reporters regarding the U.S. escalation in Ukraine. Asked about the prospects of peace in Ukraine now, Lavrov replied: "Well… There is still no confirmation either from the White House or from the Pentagon. “We basically take our position on the basis of what is going on physically. And physically, ATACMS, apparently not as long as 300 kilometers, are being used, including this early morning in Russia, against the Bryansk Region of Russia, which is bordering Ukraine. And we proceed from the understanding that this is happening, and that any modification of ATACMS cannot be used without American experts and instructors, including satellite data, programming, and targeting. The President mentioned this several times: If long-range missiles are going to be applied from Ukraine into Russian territory, it will also mean that they are operated by American experts, military experts. And we will be taking this as a qualitatively new phase of the Western war against Russia, and we’ll react accordingly.” Next, Lavrov was asked about Putin’s having signed the decision to change Russia’s nuclear doctrine that day, and “Should the world be prepared for a nuclear response from Russia after the U.S. decision adopted this weekend, and the first attack on the Russian territory today?” Lavrov replied: “We are strongly in favor of doing everything possible to prevent a nuclear war. We were the first to suggest it to the United States during the Soviet Union times. [Mikhail Gorbachev and President Reagan made a joint statement, which said that nuclear war can never be won and must never be started. The same statement we confirmed in January 2022 in the format of P5.” He mentioned the reckless nuclear rhetoric which came from the U.K., Germany, and France beginning in 2022, and continued: “We never started this conversation. The update of the military doctrine does not add anything that the West does not know and that is different from the American doctrinal documents on conditions of using nuclear weapons. We are convinced that the nuclear weapon is first and foremost a weapon to deter and to prevent any nuclear war. This is how we handle this situation.”
Nov. 20—Kit Klarenberg, an investigative journalist regularly writing for the Grayzone, published an article on Nov. 16, “Leaks Expose Secret British Military Cell Plotting To ‘Keep Ukraine Fighting,’|” exposing a secret British intelligence/military operation to keep the war in Ukraine going, and to escalate towards a full-scale war with Russia. The operation, codenamed Project Alchemy, was launched under the direction of Royal Marines Lt. Gen. Charlie Stickland, immediately after the February 2022 invasion by Russian military forces into Ukraine. Gen. Stickland is charged with “planning, executing and integrating U.K.-led joint and multinational overseas military operations” as the head of Britain’s Permanent Joint Headquarters. Klarenberg adds: “It appears the British Premier Keir Starmer fell under the influence of the Project Alchemy cabal soon after his election in July, when he eagerly embraced the role of ‘wartime prime minister.’|” Klarenberg writes: “The secret cell even put forward a plan to ‘aggressively pursue’ and ‘dismantle’ independent media outlets—including The Grayzone—through an aggressive campaign of legal harassment and online censorship, so they ‘would be forced to close.’” The plans have been partially implemented, including the attack on the Kerch Bridge connecting Crimea to the Russian mainland, and “the construction of a secret, Gladio-style army of Ukrainian partisan fighters to carry out assassination, sabotage, and terror missions behind enemy lines.” The Alchemy Project paper that Klarenberg leaked “consisted of a series of proposals for the British government to ‘defeat Putin in Ukraine and set the conditions for the reshaping of an open international order of the future.’ Throughout the document, the need to ‘keep Ukraine fighting’ was described as London’s ‘main effort’ in the conflict.” Information operations of Operation Alchemy "were to be headed by a still-to-be determined member of Britain’s 77th Psychological Operations Brigade. Also listed as a participant in information operations was longtime British psychological warfare operative Amil Khan, founder of the ‘counter-disinformation’ analysis firm Valent Projects. “In 2021, The Grayzone revealed how the then-Prince of Wales, King Charles, enlisted Khan’s Valent Projects create a pseudo-socialist YouTube influencer to attack skeptics of the government’s ham-fisted response to Covid. Previously, Khan participated in the U.K. Foreign Office’s program to foment regime change in Syria.” Khan also was central to the effort to shut down the Grayzone and other anti-war platforms. Klarenberg writes that “Project Alchemy members openly fantasized about absorbing Russia into the Western-dominated financial order afterwards under the guise of a ‘Post Putin Marshall Plan.’ Of particular interest was London’s ‘re-engagement’ with Moscow ‘in global energy and commodity markets,’ a seeming reference to the West’s desire for cheap Russian gas and wheat.” Most interesting is Klarenberg’s note to the effect that: "To accomplish the balkanization of Russia, Project Alchemy’s plotters took inspiration from Operation Gladio, a CIA and NATO-orchestrated covert operation that saw fascist paramilitaries carry out false flag terrorist attacks across Western Europe after World War II in a bid to prevent communism from taking root. Gladio was epxosed decades ago by EIR. Not, stated is that there has been a long-standing effort by British intelligence to connect with what constitutes a faction inside Russia that subscribes to the idea that Moscow is the "Third Rome<" and center of a new Roman Empire. The idea, which was actively pursued by Lord Bertrand Russell, among others in the last century to make sure that Russia sees itself no as an Asian or Eurasian, but as a European power. This faction, which includes many within the Anglo-American intelligence community, thinks it ultimately possible to split Russia from its current alliance partner, China. “A section detailing potential ‘discreet operations’ in Alchemy’s strategy paper, which stressed the ‘need to intervene in every way except “official,”’ explicitly recommended ‘Stay-behind Gladio handbooks/ Partisan Pamphlets’ which would be ‘updated for Information Age.’” That included “a PowerPoint presentation entitled, ‘Training a Ukrainian Commando Force To Restore Maritime Sovereignty—Elders,’ outlining plans to construct a 1,000-strong Ukrainian commando force ‘trained in Britain by military veterans equipped with British equipment’ to ‘degrade the Russian Navy and open another flank in the fight for Kherson and the south of Ukraine.’”
Nov. 20—The Kremlin announced yesterday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree approving the Foundations of State Policy in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence. “Today, a very important presidential decree was signed, which approves the Foundations of Russia’s State Policy in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Nov. 19, reported TASS, adding that the document had been published. “This is a very important document. Clearly, it requires in-depth analysis both in our country and, perhaps, abroad, too,” he stressed. The fundamental principle of the doctrine is that the use of nuclear weapons is a measure of last resort to protect the country’s sovereignty. The emergence of new military threats and risks prompted Russia to clarify the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons, TASS reported separately. In particular, the amended doctrine expands the range of countries and military alliances subject to nuclear deterrence, as well as the list of military threats that such deterrence is designed to counter. In addition, the document states that Russia will now view any attack by a non-nuclear country, supported by a nuclear power, as a joint attack. Moscow also reserves the right to consider a nuclear response to a conventional weapons attack threatening its sovereignty, a large-scale launch of enemy aircraft, missiles, and drones targeting Russian territory, their crossing of the Russian border, and an attack on its ally Belarus. The document was signed, as the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that NATO, using its Ukrainian puppets as a cover, had launched missiles fired from the American provided and targeted ATACMS system at a military target 119 miles inside Russia.