China's Spy Station Jostles Washington --- Planned listening post in Cuba comes as Blinken prepares to go to Beijing on June 18.

"China's plans for an eavesdropping station in Cuba serves as a marker for Beijing's global power ambitions, planting its spiraling rivalry with the U.S. on America's doorstep.

The listening post, which will be 100 miles off Florida, could give the Chinese military capabilities to monitor communications across a wide stretch of the southern U.S.

More important, the facility roots China in a region of economic and geopolitical importance, broadens the playing field as it jostles Washington for influence and turns the tables on an enduring sore point for Beijing -- U.S. spying off Chinese shores.

"The symbolism is much bigger," said Michael Mazarr, an international security specialist at Rand Corp. "The days of the United States thinking of the China challenge as one limited to the Indo-Pacific, with the U.S. being the one to encroach on the other's region in security terms, those days are over."

Washington and Beijing are preparing for a visit to Beijing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken that could include a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to officials on both sides. Blinken is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on June 18, a U.S. official said, his visit having been postponed from February after the appearance of a suspected Chinese spy balloon.

Beijing has for decades decried what it sees as U.S. intrusiveness for flying surveillance aircraft and sailing military survey vessels and other warships near Chinese shores or through the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, areas China sees as vital for its security.

China's defense minister recently blamed the U.S. for recent close encounters between their militaries and urged Washington to retreat. "What's the point of going there?" asked Gen. Li Shangfu at a regional security conference in Singapore.

While a Cuba eavesdropping facility will give Beijing the opportunity to engage in tit-for-tat, it is unlikely meant as a bargaining chip. The U.S. isn't likely to pull back military deployments from China's periphery, given Washington's concerns about Beijing's more assertive posture and American security commitments to allies from Japan to Australia.

Rather, the Cuba post is a sign that China sees its struggle with the U.S. as global and that it must operate worldwide to fend off Washington and protect Chinese interests.China has set up facilities that could service its navy in Asia and the Pacific and is on a global search for basing sites.

China has for many years looked to Cuba, with its Communist government, as a possible entry point to expand influence in Latin America and edge the U.S. aside in a region Washington long considered an American preserve.

The Soviet Union, and later Russia, for decades operated a monitoring facility near Havana, setting a precedent. So, security specialists said, China's listening post, while angering Washington, isn't apt to cross U.S. red lines.

China over the last 20 years has become an economic player in Latin America, increasing trade and investment in agriculture, energy, mining and other sectors. It has become the top trading partner for many countries in the region.

The engagement has given Chinese companies access to copper, oil, soybeans and other resources that Beijing deems critical to grow the Chinese economy and underpin widening influence.

In recent years, the focus has broadened to include materials critical to energy-saving technologies; a Chinese consortium in January won a bid to develop lithium in Bolivia, home to the world's largest resources of the metal, which is a component of batteries for electric vehicles.

"China's engagement in Latin America is about China getting what China needs for its own prosperity," said R. Evan Ellis, a professor at the U.S. Army War College who tracks Beijing's relations in the region.

Xi has said that the U.S. is out to contain China as it rises to become a global peer.

At the conference where Li spoke, he and other Chinese officials warned that the U.S. is attempting to bring the North Atlantic Treaty Organization into Asia to serve as a check on China.

With that in mind, according to Chinese officials and foreign-policy specialists, Xi has placed a priority on preparing the Chinese economy to withstand the kind of sanctions and economic pressure the U.S. and its NATO allies have placed on Russia over events in Ukraine." [1]

1.  World News: China's Spy Station Jostles Washington --- Planned listening post in Cuba comes as Blinken prepares to go to Beijing on June 18. Hutzler, Charles; Vyas, Kejal. 
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 10 June 2023: A.9.

 

„Nord Stream“ sabotažo įkalčiai rasti Lenkijoje

  „Vokietijos tyrėjai tiria įrodymus, leidžiančius manyti, kad sabotažo komanda naudojo Lenkiją, Europos Sąjungos narę ir NATO sąjungininkę, kaip operatyvinę bazę, kad susprogdintų „Nord Stream“ dujotiekius, nutiestus rusiškoms dujoms transportuoti per Baltijos jūrą.

 

     Vokietijos federalinės kriminalinės policijos biuras tiria, kodėl jachta, kuri, jų manymu, buvo panaudota operacijai, nukeliavo į Lenkijos vandenis. Kitos išvados rodo, kad Lenkija buvo logistikos ir finansavimo centras praėjusį rugsėjį povandeniniam sabotažo išpuoliui, kuris nutraukė stipriausią Berlyną ir Maskvą siejantį ryšį. Lenkija, kuri atlieka savo tyrimą, sunkiai sužinojo, ką tiria Vokietija.

 

     Vokiečių tyrėjai visiškai atkūrė visą dvi savaites trukusią kelionę Andromeda – 50 pėdų baltąja pramogine jachta, kuri, kaip įtariama, dalyvavo viename didžiausių sabotažo aktų žemyne nuo Antrojo pasaulinio karo laikų, ir nustatė, kad ji nukrypo nuo savo tikslo, kad įplaukti į Lenkijos vandenis.

 

     Anksčiau nepaskelbti radiniai buvo sujungti su duomenimis iš Andromedos radijo ir navigacijos įrangos, taip pat palydovų ir mobiliųjų telefonų bei „Gmail“ paskyrų, kuriomis naudojosi kaltininkai, ir laive paliktais DNR mėginiais, kuriuos Vokietija bandė prilyginti bent vienam ukrainiečiui kareiviui.

 

     Apibendrinant, detalės rodo, kad kateris plaukiojo aplink kiekvieną vietą, kur vėliau įvyko sprogimai – tai įrodymai, patvirtinantys tyrėjų įsitikinimą, kad Andromeda prisidėjo prie praėjusių metų dujotiekio sunaikinimo. Tyrėjai padarė išvadą, kad vienas sprogmuo, panaudotas operacijoje, buvo HMX, dar žinomas, kaip aštuongenis, bespalvė medžiaga, puikiai tinkanti griauti povandeninę infrastruktūrą.

 

     Vokietijos tyrėjai teigia taip pat tiriantys, kodėl jachta buvo išnuomota, padedant kelionių agentūrai, įsikūrusiai Varšuvoje, kuri, kaip teigia su ja susipažinę žmonės, atrodo, priklauso ukrainiečiams priklausančių fiktyviųjų kompanijų tinklui, įtariamam ryšiais su Ukrainos žvalgyba. Ir nors pastarieji atradimai, atrodo, sustiprino tyrėjų nuomonę, kad ukrainiečiai surengė sąmokslą, jie taip pat tiria, ar išpuoliui galėjo būti panaudota Lenkijos teritorija. Jų tyrimas taip pat nustatė, kad baltas furgonas, kurį Vokietijos uoste pastebėjo apsaugos kameros ir liudininkai, turėjo lenkiškus valstybinius numerius ir buvo naudojamas aprūpinti savo įgulą, teigia su tyrimu susipažinę žmonės.

 

     Abiejų šalių pareigūnai teigė, kad Lenkijos vyriausybė buvo nežinioje apie Andromedos judėjimo ir įgulos tyrimą ir apie tai sužinojo iš žiniasklaidos pranešimų – neįprasta situacija dviem ES narėms, kurios dalijasi teisiniais instrumentais vykdyti tarpvalstybinius veiksmus.  Pasklidus žinioms apie laivą, Lenkijos valdžia paprašė Vokietijos pateikti daugiau informacijos. Gegužės viduryje – praėjus penkiems mėnesiams po to, kai Berlynas nustatė Andromedą – abi pusės surengė darbo susitikimą, kurį taip pavadino Lenkijos teisingumo ministerijos pareigūnas.

 

     Tyrėjai pirmą kartą aptiko jachtą po to, kai spalį gavo Vakarų žvalgybos tarnybos pranešimą. Informacija atkeliavo iš asmens Ukrainoje, kuris renka žvalgybos duomenis mažos Europos šalies naudai. Nuo to laiko tos Europos šalies pareigūnai suabejojo, kodėl Ukrainoje didesnės galios, turinčios didelius stebėjimo pajėgumus ir personalą, pačios nesugebėjo išgirsti apie sąmokslą arba perspėti kitus, jei tai padarė.

 

     Tyrimas gali sustiprinti įtampą NATO ir dar labiau įtempti Lenkijos ir Vokietijos santykius. Lenkija, kaip ir daugelis jos kaimynių, taip pat JAV, priešinosi „Nord Stream“ dujotiekiui, kurį laikė Rusijos prezidento Vladimiro Putino geopolitiniu ginklu, siekiant padaryti Europą priklausomą nuo Rusijos energijos.

 

     Tyrimui vadovaujančio Vokietijos federalinio generalinio prokuroro atstovė atsisakė komentuoti, ar tyrimas išplito į Lenkiją, ar buvo prašoma Lenkijos valdžios pagalbos. Kiti su tyrimu susipažinę Vokietijos pareigūnai teigė neturintys jokių įrodymų, kad Varšuva būtų susijusi su sąmokslu.

 

     Lenkijos pareigūnai pripažino, kad šalies ilga Baltijos pakrantė, 320 mylių siena su Ukraina ir didelis ukrainiečių skaičius suteikia akivaizdžių pranašumų tokią operaciją organizuojantiems asmenims. Tačiau šie pareigūnai teigė, kad vyriausybė neatliko jokio vaidmens „Nord Stream“ atakoje.

 

     „Galiu jus užtikrinti, kad jokia Lenkijos institucija nėra susijusi su šia istorija“, – sakė aukštas Lenkijos nacionalinio saugumo pareigūnas. „Negaliu atmesti, kad su šia byla susijusi kokia nors Lenkijos įmonė ar kas nors kita."

 

     Kitas aukštas Lenkijos pareigūnas sakė, kad Varšuvoje atliktas siauresnis tyrimas įtariamojų nenustatė. Lenkijos pareigūnai suabejojo, kad „Andromeda“ dalyvavo operacijoje, ir toliau teigia, kad Rusija galėjo surengti ataką, kad įrėmintų Ukrainą.

 

     2011 m. tuometinės Vokietijos kanclerės Angelos Merkel pradėtas kurti „Nord Stream“ buvo masinis statymas dėl pigių rusiškų dujų. Antrasis dujotiekis „Nord Stream 2“ buvo nutiestas po įvykių Kryme, prieštaraujant JAV ir beveik visoms rytinėms Vokietijos kaimynėms.

 

     Po praėjusių metų įvykių Ukrainoje šių šalių spaudimas padėjo Berlynui atidėti projektą.

 

     Rugsėjo 26 d. povandeniniai sprogimai suplėšė tris iš keturių pagrindinių „Nord Stream“ vamzdžių. Dėl sprogimų Baltijos jūroje atsirado didžiuliai burbuliuojantys geizeriai, kurie ilgainiui į atmosferą išmetė daugiau šiltnamio efektą sukeliančių dujų, nei visa Danijos metinė emisija.

 

     Nuo tada tyrėjai iš Vokietijos, Švedijos ir Danijos bei kitų Vakarų sąjungininkų bandė išsiaiškinti, kas buvo už atakos ir kaip ji buvo įvykdyta. Kitaip, nei su Lenkija, Vokietija, vykdydama tyrimą, glaudžiai bendradarbiavo su šiomis ir kitomis valstybėmis.

 

     Jie įslaptino savo tyrimus, o Vokietijos pareigūnai priminė, kad pagal įstatymus už informacijos nutekinimą jiems gali grėsti kalėjimas.

 

     Ši ataskaita paremta interviu su septynių Europos šalių saugumo pareigūnais ir praėjusių metų rugsėjo mėnesio jachtos kelionės rekonstrukcija.

 

     Trečiadienį Ukrainos prezidentas Volodymyras Zelenskis pareiškė, kad Kijevas nepuolė dujotiekio ir niekada nebūtų to įsakęs." [1]

 

Zelenskis apsimeta idiotu, prašė jam nekalbėti apie tokius nusikaltimus. Taigi, Zelenskis gali lengvai viską neigti ir apsimesti Vokietijos draugu.

 

1. Nord Stream Sabotage Clues Found in Poland. Pancevski, Bojan; Hinshaw, Drew;
Parkinson, Joe.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 10 June 2023: A.1.

Nord Stream Sabotage Clues Found in Poland.

"German investigators are examining evidence that suggests a sabotage team used Poland, a European Union member and NATO ally, as an operating base to blow up the Nord Stream pipelines built to transport Russian gas through the Baltic Sea.

The probe by Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office is examining why the yacht they believe was used to carry out the operation journeyed into Polish waters. Other findings suggest Poland was a hub for the logistics and financing of last September's undersea sabotage attack that severed the strongest bond tying Berlin to Moscow. Poland, which is conducting its own inquiry, has struggled to learn what Germany is investigating.

German investigators have fully reconstructed the entire two-week long voyage of the Andromeda -- the 50-foot white pleasure yacht suspected of being involved in one of the biggest acts of sabotage on the continent since World War II -- and pinpointed that it deviated from its target to venture into Polish waters.

The previously unreported findings were pieced together with data from the Andromeda's radio and navigation equipment, as well as satellite and mobile phones and Gmail accounts used by the culprits -- and DNA samples left aboard, which Germany has tried to match to at least one Ukrainian soldier.

Taken together, the details show that the boat sailed around each of the locations where the blasts later took place -- evidence that fortified investigators' belief that the Andromeda was instrumental in last year's destruction of the pipeline. Investigators have concluded that one explosive used in the operation was HMX, also known as octogen, a colorless substance well-suited for demolishing underwater infrastructure.

German investigators say they also are looking into why the yacht was rented with the help of a travel agency based in Warsaw that appears to be part of a network of Ukrainian-owned front companies with suspected links to Ukrainian intelligence, according to people familiar with the investigation. And while recent findings appear to have strengthened the view of investigators that Ukrainians staged the plot, they also are examining whether Polish territory may have been used for the attack. Their probe also found that a white van -- sighted in a German port by security cameras and eye witnesses -- carried Polish license plates and was used to supply its crew, according to people familiar with the investigation.

Officials from both countries said Poland's government was kept in the dark about the investigation into the Andromeda's movements and crew and found out about it from media reports -- an unusual situation for two members of the EU, which shares legal instruments for conducting cross-border probes. After news about the boat broke, Polish authorities requested Germany provide more information. In mid-May -- five months after Berlin identified the Andromeda -- the two sides had what a Polish Justice Ministry official called a working meeting.

Investigators first found the yacht following an October tip-off from a western intelligence service. The information came from a person in Ukraine who gathers intelligence for a small European country. Officials in that European country have since questioned why bigger powers with extensive surveillance capabilities and personnel in Ukraine didn't get wind of the plot on their own or alert others if they did.

The probe could worsen tensions within NATO, further straining the relationship between Poland and Germany. Poland, like many of its neighbors as well as the U.S., opposed the Nord Stream pipelines, which they viewed as Russian President Vladimir Putin's geopolitical weapon to make Europe dependent on Russian energy.

A spokeswoman for the German federal prosecutor general, who leads the investigation, declined to comment on whether the probe expanded into Poland or whether Polish authorities were asked to help. Other German officials familiar with the investigation said they had no evidence Warsaw being involved in the plot.

Polish officials have acknowledged that the country's long Baltic coastline, its 320-mile border with Ukraine and its sizable population of Ukrainians offers obvious advantages for individuals staging such an operation. But these officials said the government played no role in the Nord Stream attack.

"I can assure you that no Polish institution is involved in this story," said a senior Polish national security official. "I cannot exclude that some Polish company or whatever is involved in this case."

Another senior Polish official said Warsaw's own more limited investigation hasn't identified a suspect. Polish officials have cast doubt that the Andromeda was involved in the operation, and continue to say Russia may have staged the attack to frame Ukraine.

Ushered into existence in 2011 by then German chancellor Angela Merkel, Nord Stream was a massive bet on cheap Russian gas. A second pipeline, Nord Stream 2, was built after the events in Crimea amid opposition by the U.S. and nearly all of Germany's eastern neighbors.

After events in Ukraine last year pressure from these countries helped push Berlin to shelve the project.

The underwater explosions on Sept. 26 tore apart three of the four main Nord Stream pipes. The blasts created vast bubbling geysers in the Baltic Sea that eventually released more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere than the entire annual emissions of Denmark.

Since then, investigators from Germany, Sweden and Denmark and other Western allies have sought to figure out who was behind the attack and how it was carried out. Unlike with Poland, Germany has closely cooperated with those and other nations while conducting the probe.

They have classified their investigations, with German officials reminded that under law, they could face jail time for leaking details.

This account is based on interviews with security officials in seven European nations and a reconstruction of the yacht's voyage from last September.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv didn't attack the pipeline, and that he would never have ordered it." [1]

Zelensky is pretending to be an idiot, he asked not to tell him about such crimes. So Zelensky can deny everything with ease, and pretend to be a best friend of Germany.

1. Nord Stream Sabotage Clues Found in Poland. Pancevski, Bojan; Hinshaw, Drew;
Parkinson, Joe.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 10 June 2023: A.1.