Russia takes up a report about the blasting of the Nord Stream pipelines and makes serious allegations against US President Biden.
Great Britain supports Ukraine massively with arms.
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Update from February 9, 3:15 p.m
.: The Kremlin has supported a report by US investigative reporter Seymour Hersh as “very serious”, according to which the US is said to have blown up the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea last year.
The leadership in Moscow took the opportunity to make serious allegations against US President Joe Biden.
For example, the head of the Russian parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, wrote in his Telegram channel that “Biden will go down in history as a terrorist.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also commented.
The report is based on a "deep analysis," said Peskow.
"It would be unfair not to pay attention to him." Unfortunately, Western media would not have spread him further.
Moscow has information that "the Anglo-Saxons were involved in the organization of this act of sabotage."
Russia had made this accusation before, but without publicly presenting any evidence.
Western countries suspected Russia of being behind the pipeline explosions, while Moscow accused the West of sabotage.
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The Swedish Coast Guard aerial photograph from late September 2022 shows gas escaping from a leak in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
© The Swedish Coast Guard/Imago
The 85-year-old Hersh, who became known decades ago when US troops uncovered the My Lai massacre in Vietnam, is considered an experienced investigative journalist, but has recently also repeatedly attracted attention with questionable research.
He has also been accused of spreading conspiracy theories.
The source situation for Nord Stream is uncertain, the USA and Norway have sharply rejected the report.
"This is completely false and a complete fabrication," said US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson.
Ukraine news: Meloni calls Macron-Zelenskyj-Scholz meeting "inappropriate"
Update from February 9, 12 noon:
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the Paris tripartite meeting of French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SDP) as "inappropriate".
"I understand that (...) public opinion in one's own country sometimes takes precedence, but there are also moments when this is counterproductive.
I think that was the case here," Meloni said in Brussels.
"Honestly, I found this invitation inappropriate," she said upon arrival at the EU special summit.
Shortly before, Macron and Zelenskyj had arrived together by plane from Paris.
After the meeting in Paris the previous evening, Scholz traveled further to Brussels.
Zelenskyi had spoken of a "spontaneous idea" upon his arrival in Paris, reinforcing the impression that the meeting had been organized at the last minute.
Macron rejected the allegation.
"I wanted to receive Selenskyj, together with Chancellor Scholz," he said.
"I think that's our role.
Germany and France have had a special role on this issue for eight years,” he added.
Ukraine-News: Russian ambassador in London warns of ending relations
First report from February 9:
Munich – According to the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the spring offensive of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin's troops in Ukraine has already begun.
Great Britain in particular is supplying powerful weapons to prepare the Ukrainian military for new attacks.
In Moscow, this triggers resentment.
The Russian ambassador in London, Andrei Kelin, warned of an impending end to relations.
Putin ambassador outraged by Britain – 'misconception'
"Relationships are now close to zero," Kelin said, according to the Russian state agency Tass.
With the start of the Ukraine war, London cut off the last strands of economic and cultural relations, he emphasized.
He accused London of having "destroyed the entire architecture of relations between countries".
Apparently, Russia is in no hurry to improve relations.
Kelin said no action would be taken until the British side saw the need for this.
Kelin's anger applies in particular to the arms deliveries.
"London is now second in NATO in terms of military support to Ukraine," he underlined.
The British government buys ammunition from third countries in order to supply Ukraine with it.
"There is a misconception here that supplying tanks is the way to peace," the Russian diplomat said.
Kelin emphasized that this would only lead to a further escalation of the situation.
London delivers Challenger 2 tanks to Kyiv.
Tanks, drones, anti-aircraft defenses: weapons for Ukraine
Tanks, drones, anti-aircraft defenses: weapons for Ukraine
In addition, the Russian ambassador complained that London had only limited its work with the Russian embassy to the bare minimum.
"The British think they already understand everything, but that is a deep illusion," said Kelin.
(bb)
Rubric list image: © The Swedish Coast Guard/Imago