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Reprinted from caitlinjohnstone.com
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Vladimir Putin has approved the annexation of four territories in eastern Ukraine, whose addition to the Russian Federation now await authorization from Russia's other branches of government.
The Zelensky government responded to the move by applying to join NATO, only to be immediately shut down by US and NATO officials. Can't have sacrificial pawns trying to rise above their station on the grand chessboard, after all.
But the empire's proxy war against Russia continues, and the Ukrainian government has announced its intentions to drive out Russia from all of the Ukrainian territories it has claimed as its own.
"For our plans, [Russia's annexation] doesn't matter," Zelensky advisor Mykhailo Podolyak told Politico, adding that Ukraine will "protect our land using all our forces" and "should liberate all its territories."
Ukraine Vows To 'Liberate' Territory Annexed by Moscow
A top aide to President Zelensky said Russian forces will be "exterminated"
by Kyle Anzalone @KyleAnzalone_ #Ukraine #Russia https://t.co/tqUd3ALRhp pic.twitter.com/Gw1XQSJRcg"- Antiwar.com (@Antiwarcom) October 1, 2022
The plan to reclaim territories annexed by Russia will, according to Zelensky also include Crimea, which was annexed in 2014.
All this talk about preparing a massive western-backed counter-offensive to recapture annexed territories from Russia "- whose ranks are being reinforced with an additional 300,000 reservists "- comes as Putin suggests that nuclear weapons may be used to protect what Moscow considers parts of Russia. Russia, like the United States, is one of the nuclear-armed nations without a No First Use policy.
So we appear to be on a collision course toward a massive escalation between two nuclear-armed powers. The more things escalate the more likely it is that a nuclear weapon may be used, either deliberately or as a result of miscommunication or malfunction as nearly happened many times during the last cold war. Once one nuke is used the odds go up astronomically that a great many more will immediately follow, with variables on this outcome including the location where it detonates and how cool all the relevant heads happen to be at that particular historic moment.
It is therefore no exaggeration to say that the human species has a vested interest in de-escalation and detente right away. Avoiding nuclear war is the single most important agenda in the entire world, without exception. It is the single most important agenda that has ever existed in all of history.
But whenever you advocate for this supremely important agenda in any kind of public forum, you get a bunch of brainwashed empire automatons bleating about "appeasement" and accusing you of supporting a monstrous madman. And they do this because that's what they were trained to do.
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