Kim JongUn in Russia - Indication of Military Talks

凤凰網 is a TV station in Shenzhen and Hong Kong serving China Mainland.

据央视新闻报道，当地时间9月15日，朝鲜最高领导人金正恩抵达俄罗斯阿穆尔河畔共青城并前往加加林飞机制造厂。

韩国媒体援引情报机构消息源称，金正恩参观俄飞机制造厂，是此次访俄的“重头戏”。外界表示，这传递出了十分重要的信号，就是朝鲜渴望升级其规模庞大的老旧空中力量，甚至一举解决战机代差问题。

According to a CCTV news report, on September 15 local time, North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia, and went to the Gagarin aircraft factory.

South Korean media quoted intelligence agency sources as saying that Kim Jong-un's visit to a Russian aircraft factory was the "highlight of his visit" to Russia. The outside world said that this sends a very important signal that North Korea is eager to upgrade its large and aging air power and equally solve the question of another fighter generation.

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2002年，苏霍伊设计局在竞标中击败米高扬设计局，赢得研发俄罗斯第五代战机项目后，第一时间选择与加加林飞机制造厂合作。目前加加林飞机制造厂已向俄国防部分批交付第五代隐身战机苏-57。据塔斯社8月30日报道，俄罗斯军工综合体的一名消息人士说，苏-57在特别军事行动中击中了距离120公里的目标，未来短期内还将获得能击中300公里内目标的航空导弹。

In 2002, after defeating the Mikoyan Design Bureau [ => MIG-41 ] in a competitive bid to win the project for the development of a Russian fifth-generation fighter, the Sukhoi Design Bureau immediately chose to cooperate with the Gagarin aircraft plant. At present, the Gagarin aircraft factory has delivered the fifth-generation stealth fighter Su-57 to the Russian Defense Ministry. According to TASS on August 30, a source in the Russian military-industrial complex said the Su-57 hit targets at a distance of 120 km during the special military operation [ => Ukraine ], and soon in the future, aviation missiles capable of hitting targets within 300 km will be obtained.

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韩国统一部长金永浩说：“俄防长绍伊古访朝后，从朝俄间的动向、金正恩最近数次视察军需工厂、此次首脑会谈的随行人员、俄罗斯暗示向朝鲜提供人造卫星等来看，双方正在持续加强军事交易。”

South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yong-ho said: "After the visit of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to the DPRK, judging from the movements between North Korea and Russia, Kim Jong-un's recent inspections of munitions factories, the entourage of the summit, and Russia's hint at providing artificial satellites to North Korea, the two sides are continuing to strengthen military transactions."

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Did Ukraine use North Korean Weapons ?N Korean Leader meets Russian President

The following article is referring to Russian battle field experience and has already been published one month ago.

国际上发生一件有意思的事，这边俄罗斯外长访问朝鲜，进行军售交易。那边俄罗斯前线阵地被朝鲜军火袭击，这可就尴尬了。本应该救援自己的武器，居然被敌人收到，用来打击自己。俄罗斯当时应该很懵逼，可能也怀疑朝鲜的用心。

An interesting thing happened in the international community when the Russian foreign minister visited North Korea and carried out arms sales transactions. It is embarrassing that Russian front-line positions over there were attacked by North Korean arms. Weapons that were supposed to rescue themselves [i.e. the Russians] were actually received by the enemy and used to strike at themselves. Russia should have been confused at the time, and probably suspected North Korea's intentions.

I am trying to recount the gist of this story; it is therefore some kind of a 'commented translation'.

It is said that North Korean weapons used by Ukraine have been provided by the US who could have seized them from a ship. That ship, however, was not operated by North Korea but simply transporting such ugly things from the battle fields of the Middle East, where they should have protected Russian units [i.e. especially in Syria], to anywhere else. As can be seen in the photo below, transferring rotten ammunition is not necessarily a secretive matter. For a US spy satellite it should not be too difficult to detect and identify them on a slowly moving vessel. From there it sounds understandable the US seized the North Korean weapons on the basis of international sanctions and gave them away to the Ukrainians who might have used them.

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Early in the morning: Russian officials receive Kim JongUn at
the border station Khasan between North Korea and Russia.

The private train of Kim JongUn entered the yard of Khasan Railway
Station at 6:00 AM local time. Kim was greeted by Alexandr Kozlov,
the minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of Russia, and Oleg
Kozhemyako, the governor of the Maritime Territory Administration.
[Workers Party News - North Korean news site]

Kim JongUn meets Putin at Russia's far-eastern spaceport.
[KCNA News - North Korean news site]

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War on Ukraine - Russia's New Friend in Combat

UPDATE added on September 11

The day before, I already guessed that the chief propagandist of Russia's state TV, Margarita Simonyan, was => preparing for a change <= in her pro-Putin campaign; - today we have the proof for it. North Korea is emerging as a 'friend in combat' to Putin in Russia's war on Ukraine !

Against the backdrop of Ukraine accelerating its counterattack and the situation on the Korean Peninsula continuing to be tense, news suddenly spread that Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un would meet in the Russian Far East city of Vladivostok. According to Western media, Putin invited Kim Jong-un to "come over" with the intention of seeking arms assistance from North Korea. This news immediately exploded in the Western camp. If Kim Jong-un agreed to Russia's request, it would be extremely detrimental to the Ukrainian army, so Western countries must find ways to stop it. Sullivan, the national security adviser to the US president, warned the DPRK that if the United States finds out that North Korea is providing weapons to the Russian army, the United States will make the DPRK "get into a jam". [China's NetEase 网易 on September 9, 2023]

DPRK = Democratic People's Republic of Korea

North Korea's Workers Party News about Russia's
contribution to N Korea's 75th Anniversary. [Sept.11]

State TV Boss - Russia has No Allies in the Ukraine War

On September 6, Newsweek confronted us with a rather strange comment on the Russian-Ukrainian war, launched by 'Russia's State TV Boss' Margarita Simonovna Simonyan, chief editor of RT ('Russia Today') and saying: Russia has no allies in the Ukraine war and is waging the "most difficult, toughest and generally unprecedented war in our history" while Russia's traditional allies are only watching the scene with some sympathy.

Subtitled Video : RT editor Margarita Simonyan deliberating on Russia's lonely war on Ukraine
A certain Anton Gerashchenko, the provider of English subtitles to the official video, describes himself on his Twitter/X-account as "a Ukrainian patriot, advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and founder of the Institute of the Future, as well as an official enemy of Russian propaganda."

The video prepared by Gerashchenko, however, can be regarded as authentic because the same stance of Margarita Simonovna Simonyan has already been quoted by other sources, including China's Tencent 腾讯 news center.

There are public comments to the Chinese article mentioned above, including one that introduces a brandnew aspect, the role of North Korea :

在侵略乌克兰的战争中，俄罗斯只有朝鲜，白俄罗斯两个盟友。
[这说明了得道多助失道寡助的道理。]
In the battle of invading Ukraine, Russia has only two friends: North Korea and Belarus.
[This is clearly the reason for mentioning a little help when speaking of all help would be wrong.]

Editor's Opinion: This point of view can be easily understood when it comes to a recent North Korean offer to provide weapons for Russia in its war on Ukraine. In addition to weapons, North Korea could rent out, as well, a mercenary army of almost any size in order to benefit the financial needs of the Kim family. So there could be some kind of: Two misunderstood and sanctioned countries brotherly united against the rest of the world. Maybe this is what Russia's Margarita Simonyan had in mind and wants to lead on. In her video performance, however, she only mentioned Belarus.

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朝中社：朝鲜第一艘战术核攻击潜艇下水，金正恩出席典礼
KCNA: N-Korea's 1st tactical nuclear attack submarine launched.
Kim Jong-un attended the ceremony.

Source: KNCA (Korean Central News Agency) quoted by
China's Global Network (环球网) on September 8, 2023.

What Happened Today in the World of Islam ?Ending of Mourning Period for Imam Hussein

Today, on 6 September 2023, Shiite pilgrims celebrate the holiday of Arbaeen (الأربعين) in Karbala, Iraq. The holiday marks the end of the fourty-day mourning period for Imam Hussein after the anniversary of his martyrdom, the Ashura عاشوراء). Karbala in Iraq is the location where Husayn ibn Ali الحسين بن علي lost his life in a battle against the ruling caliph Yazid in 680. Hussein was a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Imam (or protector of the faith), and Muhammad's daughter Fatima. It is therefore that Hussein is being venerated by the followers of Shia Islam as the 3rd Imam after his predecessors Ali, his father, and Hassan, his elder brother. Shia Islam is practised especially in Iraq, Iran and Lebanon. The Lebanese TV station Al-Manar is therefore concentrating on the subject in today's broadcast and news edition.

The Mosque of Karbala in Iraq, center of veneration for
Hussein, is hosting the shrine containing his remains.

Ukrainian Drone Attack on Remote Russian Airfield

Three hours ago, the Chinese news center 腾讯 quoted Russian, Ukrainian and Western reports about Ukrainian drones having attacked a remote Russian military airfield on August 30.

卫星照片曝光，至少2架伊尔-76受损！俄媒称乌军已在地面炸毁24架战机

Satellite photos exposed that at least 2 Il-76s were damaged ! Russian media said the Ukrainian army has blown up 24 war planes on the ground.

美国遥感卫星数据公司星球实验室(Planet Labs)发布了遭无人机袭击后的俄罗斯普斯科夫机场卫星照片，在卫星照片上能明显看到两架伊尔-76运输机受损，从受损位置推测无人机试图攻击伊尔-76运输机的油箱部分，在其中一架伊尔-76运输机附近，还有两辆疑似消防车的红色汽车。

Planet Labs, a US remote sensing satellite data company, released satellite photos of Pskov airport in Russia after the drone attack. On the satellite photos two damaged Il-76 transport aircraft can clearly be seen. From the damaged position it is speculated that the drones tried to attack the fuel tank part of the Il-76 transport aircraft. Near one of the Il-76 transport aircraft, there are two red cars suspected as fire engines.

Editor's Note: Russia's Pskov airfield (普斯科夫机场) is situated north of Belarus, near the border to the Baltic states Estland and Lettland. That means it is more difficult to reach than most other military airfields in Western Russia.

需要说明的是，由于当地云层太厚，卫星并未拍到普斯科夫机场的整体照片。稍早一些，乌克兰军情总局（GUR）宣称，在对普斯科夫机场的发起的自杀式无人机袭击中，乌克兰军队摧毁了4架伊尔-76运输机，机场的加油设施也受到了攻击。俄罗斯方面否认了这些说法，并称没有任何人员和物质损失。

It should be noted that due to the thick local clouds, the satellite did not take an overall photo of Pskov airfield. Earlier, the Main Intelligence Service of Ukraine (GUR) announced that Ukrainian forces destroyed four Il-76 transport planes in a suicide drone attack on Pskov airfield. The airport's refueling facilities were attacked, as well. The Russian side denied such claims and said there were no human and material losses.

在分析了俄罗斯国防部、媒体和开源情报机构的报告后，俄罗斯媒体Verstka称自去年开战后，截至目前，乌克兰军队对俄罗斯、克里米亚和白俄罗斯的空军基地发起了至少9次袭击，在这些袭击中，至少有24架飞机被损坏。

After analyzing reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense, media and open-source intelligence agencies, Russian media outlet Verstka said that since the start of war last year, the Ukrainian army has launched at least nine attacks on air bases in Russia, Crimea and Belarus so far, in which at least 24 aircraft have been damaged.

Map of Russian military airfields attacked and aircraft damaged (number/type) by
Ukrainian suicide drone attacks since the beginning of war (2022 - August 2023).

Die Berliner Mauer 1961-1989Erinnerungen von Zeitzeugen

The Berlin Wall 1961-1989 - Memories of Contemporary Witnesses

The Berlin Wall in August 1961 - Course of the sector border (red line)
Die Berliner Mauer im August 1961 - Verlauf der Sektorengrenze (rote Linie)
Originalaufnahme: Presse- und Informationsamt der Bundesregierung

In einigen Fällen verlief die Sektorengrenze direkt an der Häuserfront. Gehörte das Haus zum Westen, dann wurden Durchbrüche zu den Kellern der Nachbarhäuser geschaffen, damit die Bewohner von einer Nebenstraße aus in ihre Wohnungen gelangen konnten. Soweit die Keller während des Krieges als Luftschutzkeller vorgesehen waren, existierten bereits vorbereitete Mauerdurchbrüche, um die Druckwelle explodierender Bomben abzufangen und die Flucht der Schutzsuchenden durch einen anderen Hauskeller zu ermöglichen. Gehörte das Haus zum Osten, dann wurden die Fenster in den unteren Etagen zugemauert und die Bewohner möglichst bald zwangsweise umgesiedelt. Später wurde das Haus abgerissen, wobei manchmal eine "Geisterfassade" übrig blieb.

Am Tag des Mauerbaus und vereinzelt auch danach, gab es in solchen Ostberliner Grenzhäusern noch Bewohner, denen es in einem unbeobachteten Moment gelang, aus dem Fenster oder vom Balkon zu springen, - in ein bereit gehaltenes Sprungtuch der Westberliner Feuerwehr. Die hatte am 13. August einen unerwarteten Goßeinsatz. W.W. (=> Bericht der Berliner Feuerwehr zum Mauerbau 1961)

English Version:
In some cases, the sector boundary ran directly along the front of the houses. If the house belonged to the West, then openings were made to the basement walls of neighbouring houses so that residents could get to their apartments from a side street. As far as such cellars had been intended as air-raid shelters during the war, there were certain wall spots already prepared to intercept the blast wave of exploding bombs and to enable those seeking protection to escape through another basement. If the house belonged to the East, then all windows on the lower floors were bricked up and residents were forcibly resettled as soon as possible. Later, these houses were demolished, sometimes leaving a "ghost façade".

On the day the Wall was built and occasionally afterwards, there were still residents left in East Berlin border houses who managed to jump out of the window or from a balcony, - just into a jumping mat held ready by the West-Berlin fire brigade. Therefore, the fire brigade had an unexpected large-scale operation on August 13 (=> Link to a Berlin Fire Brigade report referring to 1961). W.W.

PDF-Link:

Erinnerungen eines Westberliners
an die Berliner Mauer 1961-1989

Ein Resümee von Wolfgang Wiesner © 2023

Die folgende Tonaufnahme lässt einen Zeitzeugen zu Worte kommen,
dessen Schicksal in meinem Resümee ausführlich beschrieben wird.

India Celebrates - Russia is Shocked

India accomplishes its first ever spacecraft landing on the moon, — days after Russia failed. The Chandrayaan-3 uncrewed spacecraft made a “soft landing” on the southern polar region of the moon on Wednesday, August 23 shortly after 6 p.m. Indian time.

Video: The technical details of a time-consuming but low-cost Indian moon mission.


Russia's foreign minister Lavrov congratulates
his Indian counterpart at the BRICS Summit.

Only some days earlier, on Saturday, August 19, Russia’s first moon mission in 47 years had failed when its Luna-25 spacecraft had spun out of control and crashed into the moon after a problem preparing for pre-landing orbit, thus underscoring the post-Soviet decline of a once mighty space program.

The crash of a Russian business plane near Moscow is adding to the gloomy situation after Russia's space failure. It is at the origin of today's breaking news, as Russia's 'warlord' Yevgeny Prigozhin was listed as a passenger and is now believed to be dead. Speculations about the reason of that air crash are now spreading worldwide.

Jeddah Summit - How to reach Global Peace ?

Last UPDATE included at Midnight

Today, Saturday August 5, 2023, the Jeddah Summit is to begin.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host peace talks regarding Ukraine, in the city of Jeddah, provided that the talks will include the United States and a number of Western and developing countries.

The talks, according to US officials, are aimed at developing common principles for ending the war and discussing what kind of military assistance Kiev needs to deter a Russian invasion from attacking Ukraine again.

Earlier, US officials said that US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will be present on behalf of the United States. Ukraine said other major developing countries, such as India and Brazil, would also attend.

The talks are the second in a series of meetings organized by Ukrainian President Andriy Yermak's chief of staff, and the first took place earlier this year in Copenhagen.

The photo is showing Zelensky together with Saudi Crown Prince Salman
in an article published today, 5 August 2023. [Al-Youm Assaabiae اليوم السابع]

Here is a quotation from Al-Youm Assabiae / The Seventh Day اليوم السابع:

عبر الرئيس الأوكراني فولوديمير زيلينسكي عن شكره للمملكة العربية السعودية على تقديم منصة لمفاوضات السلام في أوكرانيا، في إشارة إلى قمة جدة التي تنعقد اليوم السبت.

وقال زيلينسكي ـ في بيان نُشر على الموقع الرسمي للرئاسة الأوكرانية - "في جدة بالمملكة العربية السعودية، سيبدأ اجتماع لمستشاري رؤساء الدول وممثلي وزارة الخارجية بشأن صيغة السلام، وسيتم تمثيل العديد من البلدان من قارات مختلفة، بما في ذلك بلدان الجنوب العالمي".

وأشار زيلينسكي إلى أن اجتماعا مماثلا (لقمة جدة) عُقد مؤخرًا في كوبنهاجن، مضيفا: "نحن نتحرك خطوة بخطوة نحو عقد قمة عالمية للسلام"، موجها الشكر لجميع الداعمين لخطة السلام والذين انضموا بالفعل إلى الجهود المشتركة من أجل التنفيذ الكامل لها.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for providing a platform for peace negotiations in Ukraine, referring to the Jeddah summit that will be held today [Saturday August 5, 2023].

Zelensky said - in a statement posted on the official website of the Ukrainian presidency - "In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a meeting of advisers to heads of state and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will begin on the peace formula, and many countries from different continents, including countries of the Global South, will be represented. "

Zelensky pointed out that a similar meeting like the Jeddah Summit was only recently held in Copenhagen, adding: "We are moving step by step towards convening a global peace summit," thanking all the supporters of the peace plan who have already agreed on joint efforts for its full implementation .

China's Role in Jeddah

[China Times 中时新闻网 August 6]

中國外交部網站4日晚發布，中方將派團，由中國政府歐亞事務特別代表李輝出席在沙烏地阿拉伯吉達舉行的烏克蘭和平峰會，外媒一致認為中國將是此次談判的關鍵。烏克蘭總統澤倫斯基則在會議期間的當地時間5日下午2點04分，在社群媒體以烏克蘭文和中文發文，對中國持續受洪災影響的民眾，表示慰問及支持。

The website of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs released on the evening of the 4th that China will send a delegation, including Li Hui, the special representative of the Chinese government for Eurasian affairs, to attend the Ukrainian peace summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Foreign media agreed that China will be the key to this negotiation . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a message in Ukrainian and Chinese on social media at 2:04 pm local time on the 5th during the meeting, expressing condolences and support to the people in China who continue to be affected by the flood.

Niger - The Russian Aspect of the Coup

UPDATE included on August 4.

Yesterday, July 30, the Arabic news center El-AIN العين from the Emirates stressed the pro-Russian aspect of mass demonstrations directed against France, Niger's former colonial power. They are asking the following question:

انقلاب النيجر.. هل مخطط من "فاغنر" للإطاحة بفرنسا؟
The Niger Coup - What is the Wagner [group's] plan to subdue France ?

متظاهرون أمام السفارة الفرنسية بنيامي

وحاول بعض المتظاهرين اقتحام مبنى السفارة بينما انتزع آخرون اللوحة التي تحمل عبارة "سفارة فرنسا في النيجر" وداسوا عليها ووضعوا مكانها علمي روسيا والنيجر وسط هتافات "تحيا روسيا" و"لتسقط فرنسا".

وكانت "رابطة الضباط من أجل الأمن الدولي" التي تعتبرها الولايات المتحدة واجهة لمجموعة فاغنر في جمهورية أفريقيا الوسطى، بثت تسجيلاً صوتياً نسبته لزعيمها يفغيني بريغوجين مساء الخميس، يؤكد فيه أن محاولة الانقلاب في النيجر "كفاح ضد المستعمرين".

ويمكن التعرّف من خلال المقطع المنشور على تطبيق تليغرام على صوت بريغوجين ونبرته، لكن لم يتمكن مراسلو وكالة فرانس برس من التأكد من صحة التسجيل تمامًا. ومنذ 26 يونيو/حزيران الماضي بعد محاولة تمرده الفاشلة في روسيا لم يصدر رئيس فاغنر أي إعلان رسمي على حسابات منظمته.

Demonstrations in front of the French Embassy in Niamey

Some of the demonstrators tried to storm the embassy building, while others grabbed the plaque bearing the phrase "France's Embassy in Niger" and trampled on it, placing the flags of Russia and Niger in its place, amid chants of "Long live Russia" and "Down with France."

The "Association of Officers for International Security," which the United States considers a front for the Wagner Group in the Central African Republic, broadcast an audio recording attributed to its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Thursday evening, confirming that the coup attempt in Niger is "a struggle against the colonialists."

Prigozhin's voice and tone can be identified from the clip posted on Telegram, but AFP reporters were unable to verify the authenticity of the recording. Since last June 26, after his failed rebellion attempt in Russia, Wagner's president has not made any official announcement on his organization's accounts.

My UPDATE on August 4 is quoting an earlier article about Wagner chief Prigozhin, deliberating on the Niger coup and the fight against colonialism. It was published by the Saudi government near paper Al-Shark Al-Awsad (The Middle-East) الشرق الأوسط two days before, on July 28.

Russia Strikes Grain Port on Border to NATO Member

Russia’s surgical strike on the Moldovan-Romanian-Ukrainian Tri-Border on July 24 damaged Ukraine's grain port of Reni [Рени] on river Danube, - only within a stone's throw away from NATO territory. The West remained silent.

Russian forces targeting Ukraine's grain port of Reni [Рени]
right on the Danube river border to NATO member Romania.




Another video of Ukrainian military origin, hosted on a pro-Ukrainian twitter account and showing the moment of attack on Reni port more directly, couldn't be linked to this site for technical reasons. It is quoted by europereloaded on some military analysis website, dated July 25.

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The Consequences: Rising Prices for Grain and Fertilizer

The below quoted information comes from Phenix Net and refers to (official) information from Beijing.

On July 25, Russia launched an air strike on Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine further escalated. And just the day before, Russia bombed the port of Reni on the Danube River in Ukraine, near the Romanian border, causing irreversible damage to the port and making it impossible to continue to use it. This port was once used by Ukraine as the last port for grain export after the black sea grain export agreement was interrupted. an alternate channel. In addition to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukraine’s shipping ports were completely blocked, and its grain exports through land transport and inland rivers were also boycotted by five neighboring countries. Ukrainian food is also difficult to export. Ukraine is a major grain producer and exporter in the world. Affected by the further intensification of conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, the global prices of major grain futures such as wheat, corn, and soybeans have risen to varying degrees. On July 24, the Bloomberg Grain Sub-Index rose 5.02%. CBOT (*) corn futures rose 6.45%; wheat futures rose 8.6%; soybean futures rose 1.68%. Industry insiders said that with the sharp rise in international grain prices again, the prices of the three major fertilizers, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are necessary for grain cultivation, may be further affected and are expected to stabilize and rise. Among them, due to the higher concentration and stronger monopoly of global potassium resources, and being at the core of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, it affects SINOTRANS (*) in Russia and Belarus, the main suppliers of potassium fertilizers. This event has a more positive impact on potassium fertilizer prices. In addition, one of the most direct results is that farmers in some countries will profitably sell futures to lock in grain sales prices, ensuring the planting area and increasing the demand for potassium fertilizers, which will also support the continuous rise in potassium fertilizer prices.

* SINOTRANS: Sinotrans Ltd. is a logistics enterprise under China Merchants Group and listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. 中國外運股份有限公司（简称“中国外运”）是招商局集团下属的物流企业，在上交所和港交所挂牌上市。

* CBOT: The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) is a designated contract market offering products subject to CBOT rules and regulations.

While the above text is quoting CBOT, here are latest market prices from another source, published by Easy Net on July 26:

The impact of rising food prices on Africa's population as a result of Russia obstructing any grain export from Ukraine, became a subject of discussion on the 2nd Russian-African Summit in Saint Petersburg in July 2023. On July 28 Al-Jazeera therefore dealt with the subject in the following evaluation.

اعتماد غالبية الدول الأفريقية على واردات القمح الروسي والأوكراني؛ فعلى سبيل المثال يعتمد الصومال وبنين اعتمادا كاملا على البلدين، في حين تستورد مصر ما يزيد على 80% من احتياجاتها منهما، تليها السودان بـ75% ثم الكونغو 69% والسنغال 66%، وفق تقارير.

The majority of African countries rely on imports of Russian and Ukrainian wheat; for example, Somalia and Benin are completely dependent on the two countries. Egypt imports more than 80% of its needs, followed by Sudan with 75%, Congo with 69% and Senegal with 66%, according to reports.

UNO - China Calls on "Fellow Traveler" Russia to Comply

News Report from India TV: In a session of the United Nations Security Council, China showed its support for an international call on Russia to enable further grain exports from Ukraine.

By the way, it should be added that India belongs to the countries unwilling to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

China's deputy UN ambassador Geng Shuang said that he hoped Russia and the UN would work together to resume grain exports from both countries at "an early date" for maintaining international food security and alleviating the food crisis in developing countries.

This is the mildest form of protest China is willing to express in order to critisize its long-standing partner Russia.

On the same day, the Chinese news center NetEase published an article that clarifies China's strategy in its fight for supremacy against the West. As usual, NetEase marked that article as kind of 'personal opinion' and denies any responsibility.

而俄乌战争，就给我们制造了一个良机。被制裁的俄罗斯，和我们的关系也越来越好，原油天然气等便宜出售给我们，双方谈成了好几笔大单子。

大量的资源输入我国，也造福了我们人民。俄乌战争开战一年多，我们的汽油价格基本稳定，而反观欧洲地区，汽油价格飙升，各项生活成本也迅速增加，社会随之变得动荡不安。

The Russo-Ukraine war created a good opportunity for us. Russia, which has been sanctioned, has a better and better relationship with us. Crude oil and natural gas are sold to us cheaply, and the two sides have negotiated several big deals.

A large amount of resources have been imported into our country, which has also benefited our people. The Russo-Ukrainian war has been going on for more than a year, and our gasoline prices are basically stable. In contrast, in Europe, gasoline prices have soared, various living costs have also increased rapidly, and society has become turbulent.

..........

为了遏制俄罗斯，美国被迫放松对我国的遏制，给我们经济恢复创造良机。因此，对于我们来说，俄罗斯，是不能输的，他的战败并不符合我国的利益。

In order to contain Russia, the United States is forced to relax its containment of our country, creating a good opportunity for our economic recovery. Therefore, for us, Russia cannot lose, and its defeat is not in the interests of our country.

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In order to understand different strategic positions of China and India in comparison with those of rich Western countries, the global development of industrial production might be a key factor, as economic aspects have always driven geopolitical decisions.

Some Chinese language open platform on economy [爱集微] put it that way, using the followwing title for their related article published on July 17:

经济学人：欧美政客重金押注芯片和新能源，但他们注定会失望
The Economist: European and American politicians bet heavily on chips and new energy, but they are destined to be disappointed

在西方国家，目标是扭转工业衰退的趋势，这一点选民们深感其重要性。作为全球经济产出的一部分，制造业的占比已从1997年的19%下降至今天的16%，其中富裕国家的下降幅度最大。在中国和印度，工业在经济产出中的份额似乎与三十年前相差不大，但即使在这些国家，近年来工业的份额也有所下降（参见图表1）。

In Western countries, the goal is to reverse the trend of industrial decline, which voters feel deeply important. As a share of global economic output, manufacturing has fallen from 19 per cent in 1997 to 16 per cent today, with the largest declines in rich countries. In China and India, industry's share of economic output appears to be about the same as it was three decades ago, but even in these countries, industry's share has declined in recent years.



The video, named Europe's Deindustrialization: Ukraine War's Ripple Effect [Asia Times], presents an intelligent perception of the subject by David Woo, some Wall Street expert of Chinese extraction. It seems to support the above quoted Chinese article in a certain way.

Ukraine - Bigger Damage Inflicted on Crimean Bridge

Here some excerpts from different Chinese sources that published their reports about the 2nd Ukrainian attack, targeting the strategically important Kerch Bridge in Russian occupied Crimea on July 17. They are quoting today's news from China's CCTV (July 19).

主管交通运输的俄罗斯联邦副总理马拉特·胡斯努林说：“克里米亚大桥公路部分的一跨已被摧毁且无法修复”。此外，“大桥的一条铁轨有轻微损坏。”克里米亚刻赤海峡大桥被炸以后，如何恢复与克里米亚半岛的交通成了头等大事。[NetEase]

"A span of the highway section of the Crimea Bridge has been destroyed beyond repair," said Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin of the Russian Federation in charge of transport. In addition, "one rail of the bridge was slightly damaged." After the Kerch Strait Bridge in Crimea was bombed, how to restore traffic with the Crimea Peninsula became a top priority.

The Chinese source emphasizes that US satellites are obviously monitoring every move in the Russian-Ukrainian war theater almost 24 hours a day.

.................

克里米亚大桥17日凌晨再遭破坏，造成两人死亡、一人受伤，大桥公路路面受损。俄罗斯副总理胡斯努林18日表示，须拆除通往刻赤方向被摧毁的桥段，修复所需的材料和构件17日已经从陶里亚蒂[Толья́тти]启运。由于桥墩位于汽车车道和铁路车道之间，无法使用浮吊，需建造一座250米长的临时桥，预计这一工作将耗时2个月。初步预计，修复费用可能为10亿至13亿卢布（约合人民币8000万至1亿元）。[Sohu]

The Crimea Bridge was damaged again in the early morning of the 17th, resulting in two deaths, one injury, and damage to the road surface of the bridge. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Khusnullin said on the 18th that the destroyed bridge section leading to Kerch must be dismantled, and the materials and components needed for repair have been shipped from Togliatti [former Stavropol in Samara Oblast] on the 17th. Since the pier is located between the car lane and the railway lane, floating cranes cannot be used, and a 250-meter-long temporary bridge needs to be built. This work is expected to take 2 months. It is initially estimated that the repair cost may be 1 billion to 1.3 billion rubles (about 80 million to 100 million yuan).

Ukraine - Diplomatic Activity after 500 Days of War

Security in Lithuania enforced ahead of NATO summit about Ukraine on July 11.


Turkish president Erdogan willing to support Ukraine's entry into NATO after war with Russia.


German language news report on Zelensky's visit to Turkey.