February 20, 2022 Newsletter #14.0

Good morning everyone,

I am going to upfront and say this news letter is going to be mostly about Ukraine because that is all I have been focusing on the past couple weeks. On a separate note, we are still trying to get atlas.news2 back, but Instagram moves at its own speed and doesn't give a fuck about pages taken down for BS reasons. Thankfully the website and app are still on track to roll out next month so I hope you are all as excited as I am. Like I have hinted at before these new platforms will be a place for my page and others like mine to post freely without being taken down.

So with that, let's dive in:

Table of Contents

• RUSSIA/ UKRAINE

  • Taking a Look at Russian Narratives

  • Assessment on Russian Troop Totals

  • Up to Putin to Recognize DPR and LPR Independence

  • Russia Blamed for Recent Cyber Attacks

  • Russia Responds to the United State's Rejection of Their Security Demands

  • Ceasefire Violations Update

  • Donbas Mobilization and Evacuation

• CURATED ARTICLES

  • Epstein Associate Gets Epsteined

UKRAINE/ RUSSIA UPDATES

TAKING A LOOK AT FALSE FLAGS AND RUSSIAN NARRATIVES

It may not come as a surprise to many of you that the past 48 hours have seen a flurry of accusations by Russian media and officials aimed at Ukraine claiming they have carried out seemingly random and obscure attacks. For weeks now, NATO and Western powers have warned of potential false flag operations by Russia to be used as a pretext for military intervention and what they say could amount to a full-scale invasion to take over Ukraine. Putting whether or not an invasion will happen aside, the information environment regarding Ukraine has become very fluid (yes I know I like to use that word a lot). Taking a look at Russian media coverage of the Ukraine conflict, they follow two key narratives: Ukraine is carrying out a genocide against Russian-speaking peoples of Donbas and Ukraine is actually the aggressor and is planning to fully invade Donbass.

Looking at the past few days, there have been a number of incidents that are being used to fuel these narratives, all of which have been scrutinized by Ukraine and NATO as being pre-planned false flag attacks by Russia.

The first was a car bombing on Thursday in Donetsk. Earlier that day, leaders of both the DPR and LPR announced evacuations of civilians to Russia for what they claim was an impending Ukrainian invasion into Donbas. The target of the bombing was allegedly DPR Militia Major General Denis Sinenkov and DPR government offices the vehicle was parked in front of. The blast did not cause any casualties or damage to the building. Russian media claimed on Friday that a Ukrainian operative involved in the bombing was captured, who stated that a Ukrainian invasion was imminent, Ukraine has denied involvement and enounced every aspect of this incident as a false flag.

That same day, Russian media claimed a local gas pipeline and refueling station in Luhansk were damaged by Ukrainian sabotage and shelling. There were no casualties and damage was minimal, only impacting less than 100 households. Ukraine also denied involvement and called it a false flag.

On Thursday as well, Russian media claimed that two Ukrainian saboteurs were killed when they attempted to destroy an ammonia (or chlorine, the information has been inconsistent) plant in Horlivka. Ukraine’s MoD has warned that month that chemical plants in the area would likely be the subject of false flag operations, with Russian media already trying to push a planned chemical attack narrative at the same time. Russia media’s largest piece of “evidence” was purported helmet camera footage taken from one of the saboteurs (video can be seen on the page if you haven’t yet). According to the metadata, the video was created two weeks prior to the alleged event. Likewise, Bellingcat took a deeper look into the metadata and discovered a “M72A5 LAW and APILAS live fire” mp4 file. If you haven’t guessed already, there is a video on YouTube called “M72A5 LAW and APILAS live fire” from 11 years ago, which matches the background explosions in the video exactly.

On Thursday, Russian media accused Ukraine of firing artillery into Rostov, Russia, which sits directly on the border. The only thing that was destroyed was an abandoned barn house and there were no casualties reported. Ukraine denied involvement, stating “We resolutely refute all accusations of any alleged Ukrainian shells falling on the Russian territory. Ukraine has never opened any such fire. We call for an immediate and impartial international investigation of the incidents reported by Russian media.”

Lastly, there has been a flurry of claims that explosive devices have been discovered along civilian evacuation routes across Donbas, with Russian media claiming that Ukraine is trying to kill civilians. Ukraine has refuted all claims.

ASSESSMENT ON RUSSIAN TROOP TOTALS

Recent assessments of Russian troop totals on or near the Ukraine border are now at 105 Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs), with 14 more potentially on their way. 105 BTGs alone is over 60 percent of the entire active-duty ground combat force of the Russian military alone. Recent assessments also put the number of attack aircraft along the border at 500 with over three dozen combat vessels in the Black Sea. It's unclear exactly how many tanks, anti-aircraft systems, missile launchers, and support vehicles are along the border, but they likely reach into the thousands.

The number of Russian forces along the border is growing despite claims by their Ministry of Defense that troops are withdrawing. On Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has accused Russia of continuing to build up forces along Ukraine’s border, adding that Russia’s actions have contradicted diplomatic efforts, further stating “What we see is that they have increased the number of troops and more troops are on their way. So, so far, no de-escalation." Likewise, American officials told the Washington Post that the “withdrawals” were a “deliberate ruse” to mislead Ukraine and NATO. 

PUTIN HOLDS OFF ON DPR/LPR INDEPENDENCE DECISION FOR NOW

Wednesday, February 16, 2020: Russian President Vladimir Putin has seemingly rejected the proposal by the State Duma to recognize the independence of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic from Ukraine for the time being, stating “I’ve just been informed by my administration [of the draft]. Deputies [of the Duma] follow public opinion. It’s clear the overwhelming majority sympathize with #Donbass citizens, but need to resolve the problem… via the Minsk Agreements.”

CNA Russia Studies Director Michael Kofman shared part of the proposal, which states “Such recognition will create grounds for guaranteeing the security and protection of their peoples from external threats and for the implementation of a policy [against the genocide of] the inhabitants of the republics, as well as for strengthening international peace and regional stability in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and will initiate the process of international recognition both states.”

On Tuesday, Russia’s State Duma appealed to President Vladimir Putin to recognize the draft. The Duma stated that it “expresses its unequivocal and consolidated support for the adequate measures taken for humanitarian purposes to support residents of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine who have expressed a desire to speak and write in Russian, who want to respect freedom of religion, and who do not agree with the actions of the Ukrainian authorities that violate their rights and freedoms.”

RUSSIA BLAMED FOR UKRAINE CYBER ATTACKS

Wednesday, February 16, 2022: The United States and the United Kingdom have accused Russian military intelligence hackers of being behind the large-scale DDoS attacks that targeted the websites of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces, as well as major banks Privatbank and Oschadbank. The websites were able to come back online later on in the day. Ukraine and NATO continue to warn of increased cyber attacks by Russia that may not only target banks, but infrastructure as well.

RUSSIA RESPONDS TO US REJECTION OF SECURITY DEMANDS

Thursday, February 17, 2022: Russian response highlights to United States rejection of security demands below:

“We note that the American side did not give a constructive answer to the basic elements of the draft agreement with the United States on security assurances prepared by the Russian side. We are talking about the refusal to further expand NATO, the withdrawal of the "Bukharest formula" that "Ukraine and Georgia will become members of NATO", and the refusal to establish military bases on the territory of states that were previously part of the #USSR and were not members of the alliance, including the use of their infrastructure to conduct any military activities.”

“The growing #military activity of the United States and NATO directly at the Russian borders is alarming, while our "red lines" and fundamental security interests, as well as Russia's sovereign right to protect them, continue to be ignored.”

“There is no "Russian invasion" of Ukraine, as the U.S. and its allies have been officially declared at the official level since last autumn, so allegations of "Russia's responsibility for escalation" cannot be regarded other than an attempt to exert pressure and devalue Russia's proposals for security assurances.”

“If Ukraine joins NATO, there will be a real threat that the regime in Kiev will try to "return" Crimea by force, pulling the United States and its allies, in accordance with Art. 5 of the Washington Treaty, in a direct armed conflict with Russia with all the ensuing consequences.”

“To de-escalate the situation around Ukraine, it is fundamentally important to take the following steps. These are forcing Kiev to implement a set of measures, stopping the supply of weapons to Ukraine, recalling all Western advisers and instructors from there, refusal of NATO countries from any joint exercises with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the withdrawal of all foreign weapons previously supplied to Kiev outside Ukrainian territory.”

CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS IN DONBAS

PER OSCE

Saturday: Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 591 ceasefire violations, including 553 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 222 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 975 ceasefire violations, including 860 explosions.

Friday: Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 222 ceasefire violations, including 135 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 189 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 648 ceasefire violations, including 519 explosions.

Thursday: Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 189 ceasefire violations, including 128 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 24 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 402 ceasefire violations, including 188 explosions.

DONBAS EVACUATION AND MILITARY MOBILIZATION

Friday, February 18, 2020: Separatist leaders from the DPR and LPR declared an evacuation of civilians from Donbas into Russia, claiming that Ukraine is set to launch an all-out offensive on the region, which they deny. Civilians rushed to banks and gas stations before either leaving on buses or in their own vehicles. Ukraine and NATO fear this evacuation will be used to start false flag attacks against civilians to justify a Russian invasion. As mentioned previously, since the start of the evacuation there have been a number of incidents Ukraine has denounced as false flags. Meanwhile, Separatist leaders have ordered a general military mobilization of its forces, which come as clashes along the frontlines intensify greatly.

CURATED ARTICLES

EPSTEIN ASSOCIATE EPSTEINED

By @OurWarsToday

Jeffery Epstein associate, French model agent, and accused rapist and human trafficker Jean Luc Brunel was found hanged in his Paris prison cell early on Saturday morning within the La Santé prison. The 75-year-old was found dead during an overnight check at 1am. He was being held in an investigation involving rape, sexual assault, criminal conspiracy, and human trafficking after already being indicted in late 2021 on a rape charge of a 17-year-old girl in the 1990s. Brunel’s attorneys said that the apparent suicide of their client “was not driven by guilt, but by a deep sense of injustice.” Brunel had always plead his innocence involved in the various charges. Several accusers expressed dismay at his death, mourning lost justice. Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a key Prince Andrew accuser who had said in court documents that Epstein pressured her to have sex with Brunel when she was a teenager, tweeted out that “The suicide of Jean-Luc Brunel, who abused me and countless girls and young women, ends another chapter… I’m disappointed that I wasn’t able to face him in a final trial to hold him accountable, but gratified that I was able to testify in person last year to keep him in prison.”

Former model Thysia Huisman, 48, who accused Brunel of spiking her drink and raping her when she was 18 in 1991 said “This is a completely different ending without any real justice for his victims,”. Virginia Giuffre, also accused Brunel of having sexually trafficked girls for Epstein. Giuffre claimed in a 2015 affidavit that Epstein bragged to her that he had “slept with over 1,000 of Brunel’s girls.” Brunel responded by denying involvement in any illegal activities with Epstein, saying, "I strongly deny having committed any illicit act or any wrongdoing in the course of my work as a scouter or model agencies manager." Giuffre alleges that she was sexually trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell to several high-profile individuals, including Brunel, while she was underage in the early 2000s. Giuffre, who was abused by Epstein, had claimed she had sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, the first of which when she was 17 years old. The prince had denied her claims. This comes days after Britain’s Prince Andrew settled the sexual abuse lawsuit brought by Giuffre.

From 1998 to 2005, Brunel was listed as a passenger in flight logs for Epstein's private plane on 25 trips.  He was also a regular visitor to the jail where Epstein was held in 2008, with at least 70 recorded visits. Following Epstein's death in August 2019, Brunel went into hiding. In December 2020, Brunel was intercepted by police while at a Paris airport attempting to board a flight to Senegal. He was placed into custody in relation to rape, sexual assault, criminal conspiracy, and human trafficking, with all of the allegations involving minors. After a few months Brunel was formally indicted in September 2021 on a single count of rape. The indictment stemmed from an allegation that Brunel drugged a 17-year-old model at a nightclub and raped her in the 1990s. He also faced drug abuse accusations, Brunel defended his use by stating that he did not have a drug problem since he refrained from using cocaine during the day.

Brunel met Ghislaine Maxwell in the 1980’s and she had introduced him to Epstein. In the 1990s, Brunel was a model talent scout and boss at the Karin Models agency, he would end up being banned from the agency in 1999 after abuse reports were uncovered by the BBC. He then moved to the U.S and founded MC2 Model Management with funding from Epstein, he would then be known for discovering a number of supermodels including Christy Turlington and Milla Jovovich. Maxwell is currently in prison in the U.S, having been convicted of sex trafficking for Epstein. French prosecutors said Brunel’s death would put an end to the legal case unless other suspects were put under investigation.

END OF NEWSLETTER

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