New Phase of Russia's Special Military Operation in Ukraine

by Stephen Lendman

On Tuesday, Sergey Lavrov was quoted as following, saying:

"Another stage of (Russia's) operation (in Ukraine) is beginning, and I am sure this will be a very important moment of this entire special operation," adding:

"We are not up for regime change in Ukraine."

Intensified Kiev attacks on Donbass ahead of planned invasion left Russia no choice but to launch its special operation, Lavrov stressed.

On the same day, Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said the following:

Russian armed forces will "introduc(e) new methods of combat operations (to) help better adapt troops to the present-day conditions of armed confrontation" — with no further elaboration at this time.

Also on Tuesday, head of Russia's Defense Ministry's National Defense Control Center, General Mikhail Mizintsev, said the following:

"Given the catastrophic situation that has developed at the Azovstal metallurgical plant, and also guided by purely humane principles, the Russian armed forces once again offer (Nazified thugs) and foreign mercenaries (a chance to) lay down their arms starting 12pm Moscow time on April 19, 2022." 

"All who lay down their weapons are guaranteed the preservation of life."

They were told to make contact with  Russian forces, cease hostilities and raise white flags if willing to comply with the above offer, adding:

"(S)top senseless resistance" and surrender.

"But, understanding that they're not going to receive such orders and commands from the Kiev authorities, we call upon (them) to make such a decision on their own and lay down their arms."

The alternative is perishing from continued combat or starvation and dehydration.

They're isolated inside the plant without food and water.

Continued resistance is suicidal.

Separately on Monday, Russia's US envoy Anatoly Antonov said that dominant Biden regime hardliners at the White House and State Department broke off contact with him.

"Frankly, we are in a blockade," he said.

"When I came to Washington, my idea was to use the word 'improvement' to describe his goals for the relationship." 

"Now I prefer to use the word 'stabilization.' "

He should have explained that the Biden regime broke off what little remained of bilateral relations.

Russian Defense Ministry officials won't communicate with their US counterparts.

A state of US/Western sanctions and proxy hot war exists against Russia.

Multiple rounds of draconian sanctions aren't enough for Treasury secretary Yellen.

She's pushing European regimes to pile on more. 

The diabolical US plan goes way beyond trying to harm Russia — a scheme that already failed.

Dominant Biden regime hardliners have the same objective in Europe.

The more sanctions they impose on Russia, the more greatly they sanction themselves — the greater US Big Oil, its weapons makers and Wall Street crooks benefit at Europe's expense.

Their economies and people are paying the price for allying with hegemon USA against Russia.

In their latest editions, MSM continue their daily drumbeat of all-out Russia bashing in cahoots with their ruling regimes.

According to NYT fake news, Ukrainian forces are "resisting (sic) Russia's initial thrusts in an offensive that may grow to define the next phase of" its special military operation, adding:

Puppet Zelensky was again quoted overnight hyperventilating the following:

"No matter how many Russian soldiers are (involved), we will fight (sic)." 

While he hides out in Poland, he refuses to explain.

Remaining Nazified fighters and likeminded mercenaries in Mariupol's Azovstal steel plant are not "waging…the last defense of the city," as the Times falsely claimed, leaving unexplained the following:

Based on intercepted radio communications between them and Kiev, they were ordered not to surrender — threatened with execution if take this step and return home.

Surprisingly, the Times belatedly admitted that Ukrainian forces are using banned cluster munitions.

All along, the broadsheet falsely accused Russian forces of using banned weapons, including cluster bombs.

Providing no evidence exposed their Big Lies, part of Times and other MSM war of words on Russia by making stuff up.

The Times repeated the thoroughly debunked claim that "fierce (Ukrainian) resistance" prevented Russian forces from taking Kiev and other Ukrainian cities.

No attempt was made to take these cities. It's unknown whether that strategy will change ahead.

At this time, liberating Donbass entirely is Russia's top priority — from what remains of occupation by Ukrainian Nazified fighters and conscripts.

Ukrainian forces suffered heavy losses of men, weapons and equipment.

They failed to contain Russian advances — not the other way around as the Times falsely reported.

A know-nothing/so-called US analyst sounded daft, saying:

"No matter what happens in Donbass, the Russian military will be a spent force (sic).

And this from notorious prostitute of the press Tom Friedman:

"Moscow and Beijing find themselves contending with much more powerful and relentless forces and systems than they ever anticipated (sic). 

It shows "the whole world and their own people the weaknesses of their own systems (sic)."

Geopolitical analysis was never Friedman's long suit. Nor analysis of anything else.

He's paid to lie and mass deceive —  and does a damn poor job of it.

Truth-telling would get him sacked.

He sounded delusional claiming that "Ukraine's highly motivated army (sic) and its homegrown weapons industry (sic), backed with some of NATO's best precision weapons and training (sic) (is) maul(ing) Russia's tanks and logistic forces…into multiple junkyards of burning hulks in western Ukraine (sic)."

Was Friedman drunk or high on illicit drugs when preparing this fake news column?

Apparently he's even unable to distinguish between west and east, latter areas where Russian forces are deployed.

Remarks like the above are an embarrassment to the already disgraced Times.

Misreporting and disreporting its longstanding stock and trade, truth-telling on invented US enemies and other major issues are banned in its daily editions.

So is journalism as it should be overall.