Ukraine News mashup, 4 stories quick

(1) International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief: Ukraine war and inflation threaten global economy

The head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday that Russia's war against Ukraine was weakening the economic prospects for most of the world’s countries and called high inflation “a clear and present danger’’ to the global economy.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the consequences of Russia's invasion were contributing to economic downgrades for 143 countries, although most of them should continue to grow. The war has disrupted global trade in energy and grain and is threatening to cause food shortages in Africa and Middle East. ...

Chronically high inflation, which is forcing the world’s central banks to raise interest rates and likely slow economic growth in the process, amounts to “a massive setback for the global recovery,’’ Georgieva said.

Georgieva also warned of “the fragmentation of the world economy into geopolitical blocs," with the West imposing far-reaching sanctions on Russia and China expressing support for the autocratic Russian regime of President Vladimir Putin. (Full story Here). 

Russian Sanctions may cause Global Economic Crash. So, are the sanctions hurting Russia more than the West? Are we shooting ourselves in the foot, or perhaps, even in the head?

(2) Israeli weapon used by Neo-Nazi Ukrainian unit against Russia - Jerusalem Post

The MATADOR is an anti-armor weapon joint produced with Israel and has recently seen used by the Azov Battalion, which is widely characterized as Neo-Nazi. ...

An anti-armor weapon jointly developed by Israel, Singapore and a German company has been seen in operational use by the Neo-Nazi Azov Battalion against Russian military forces. In a video published by the Azov Battalion, a Ukrainian fighter, ostensibly affiliated with the controversial unit, can be seen firing the portable anti-tank weapon at what appears to be a Russian armored personnel carrier (APC).

As Western countries have undertaken massive arms transfers to Ukraine to support it in its war against Russia, critics such as The Intercept’s Sara Sirota have expressed concern that these weapons could end up in the Azov Battalion, which was integrated into Ukraine’s National Force in 2014.

Anti-tank and armor weapons such as the Javelin, NLAW and MATADOR have been a mainstay of arms transfers to Ukraine. In a March 16 briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said “anti-armor and air-defense systems, they are effectively defending the country.” ...

The recently published video shows that these partly Israeli-developed weapons are now in the hands of the Azov Battalion, which has been widely characterized as a neo-Nazi militia. ... [which] still has prominent neo-Nazis in its ranks and features white supremacist symbols.

The Battalion’s logo still has the Black Sun, a common white supremacist symbol, and the Wolfsangel symbol used by the Nazi SS. ...

This is not the first time concerns have been raised about Israeli weapons and Ukraine. In February, Interfax Ukraine reported that the Israeli Defense Ministry told Baltic states that it wouldn’t meet requests for third-party transfer of Israeli-made weapons to Ukraine.

In 2018, Haaretz reported that human rights activists filed a petition to the High Court of Justice demanding an end to arms exports to Ukraine over concern they would reach Azov militants. (Full story Here).

Odd to see a Jewish nation arming a Nazi Battalion.

(3) Bernier Tweet on Ukraine

"Zelensky could have prevented the war by declaring Ukraine’s neutrality. He refused and said Ukrainians want to join NATO. Why are we getting involved in a dangerous conflict that could have been avoided?" Tweet found Here.

This is true. Russia warned for months that they would only invade to stop Ukraine's NATO membership.

(4) ADL Defends Ukraine's Neo-Nazis

The Anti-Defamation League, the leading pro-Israel lobbying group in America, published a Q&A defending Ukraine's neo-Nazi groups on the grounds that they "don't attack Jews or Jewish institutions."

In an article titled, "Why is Putin Calling the Ukrainian Government a Bunch of Nazis?" the ADL interviewed David Fishman, professor of Jewish History at The Jewish Theological Seminary, to explain why Ukraine's neo-Nazis aren't so bad.

"There are neo-Nazis in Ukraine ... But they are a very marginal group with no political influence and who don't attack Jews or Jewish institutions in Ukraine," Fishman said. (Full story Here). 

So, the ADL is saying that there are good and bad types of Nazis? WTF? And doesn't that mean that Canada is likely arming Nazis?