In lockstep with their higher power in Washington, other Western regimes imposed illegal sanctions on nonbelligerent, nonthreatening Russia for its legitimate recognition of Donbass self-determination as affirmed by international law.
EU bloc nations illegally sanctioned Russian lawmakers — ones who followed the rule of law by voting for Donbass independence.
Sanctions imposed visa bans and froze assets in EU countries, if any.
France currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
Its so-called foreign minister Le Drian defied reality by falsely accusing Russia of “breaching its commitments (and) violating international law (sic).”
Along with Russian lawmakers, its banks and other entities were targeted — on the phony pretext of “undermining or threatening Ukrainian territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence (sic).”
A scheduled visit by Sergey Lavrov to Paris was cancelled.
On Wednesday, the WSJ reported that EU bloc regimes intend “to sanction Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and the country’s Internet Research Agency.”
US, UK, and EU sanctions imposed so far represent an initial round ahead of more to follow.
Further ones may include a tech transfer ban and sanctions on more senior Russian officials, perhaps on Vladimir Putin.
No Russian occupation of Ukrainian territory exists, no evidence of plans to seize it or engage in unlawful actions of any kind — what US-dominated NATO is infamous for.
In cahoots with the Biden regime, Britain and Brussels are plotting their next hostile to peace and the rule of law moves.
According to an unnamed EU official, Brussels intends to cut off Russia’s access to bloc capital markets and central bank.
Other Western options include possible high-tech export bans, prohibiting new investments in Russian energy and other sectors, as well as other ways to escalate war by other means.
In response to illegal US, UK, EU actions, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the following:
US-led “sanctions (on Russia) are illegitimate.”
“We have long understood that this is the only tool the leaders of Western countries can use against us in order to restrain our development.”
They’re an example of what I call waging war by other means.
In response on Wednesday, a Russian Foreign Ministry statement said the following:
“There should be no doubts.”
Illegally imposed “sanctions (on Russia) will result in a strong response, not necessarily symmetric, but well-calculated (to be) painful.”
“Russia has proved that, despite all the costs, we are able to minimize the damage.”
“(E)ven more so, sanctions pressure can’t affect our determination to defend our interests” according to the rule of law the US-dominated West long ago abandoned.
Separately on Wednesday, Germany’s economic affairs minister Robert Habeck suggested that the Sholz regime may cease use of Russian gas.
Germany and other EU countries rely on Russia for nearly 60% of their energy needs.
The amount is slightly higher for Germany.
In 2019, two-thirds of German energy came from Russia.
It’s currently over 60%.
Access to Russian gas is especially important for EU bloc countries like Germany that depend on it.
It cannot be easily replaced by other foreign suppliers.
Nor can they match Russia’s readily available low-cost gas.
Over the next decade or longer-term, natural gas will remain the main energy source for heating residences and other buildings in Germany and other European countries.
Russia is an indispensable supplier of what they need.
In response to Germany’s suspension of Nord Stream 2’s certification, European gas prices spiked 10% higher on Tuesday.
The longer the pipeline remains uncertified for operations, the higher gas prices are likely to go.
Separately on Wednesday, Ukrainian regime websites and banks experienced a “denial-of-service attack,” according to a Zelensky regime official.
Similar incidents were reported before.
Were they, and the current incident, made-in-the-USA/West cyberattacks on Ukraine to falsely blame Russia for what no evidence suggests it had anything to do with?
Was what happened Wednesday a manufactured pretext for stiffer sanctions on Russia?
On the same day, the Zelensky regime declared a national emergency when none exists.
Will martial law follow to eliminate what little remains of a free and open society?
Will Eastern and other European regimes take similar actions?
Will Kiev escalate increased aggression on Donbass?
According to the Donetsk News Agency, Ukraine forces fired nearly 900 shells at the DPR in the last 24 hours through Wednesday.
The threat of greater made-in-the-USA war along Russia’s border with Ukraine is ominously real.
The Biden regime and complicit NATO ones are playing with fire.
Instead of stepping back from the risk of setting central Europe ablaze, they’re pushing things ominously in that direction.
The Stephen Lendman Blog 
Ukraine is already a Nato country except in name. They want to destroy Moscow, aka the 3rd Rome for protecting the New Testament Greek manuscripts that escaped Constantinople after its fall.
Economic sanctions were prophesized nearly 2,000 years ago, namely in Revelation 13:17-18 which states that: “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the Beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”
Members of the Beast are those imposing the sanctions. This prophesy was fulfilled when the USA and Nato started imposing blockades and sanctions.
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