Theyre starting to vote on a referendum today on whether to join the Russian Federation and the u. S. Congress woman says washington is covering up the killing of the palestinian american journalists by israeli forces, and shes insisting on a transparent investigation with from moscow to the world. This is our international. Im Rachel Blevins and here are your top stories this hour. We begin with Russian Foreign minister survey lab. Robs address to the un Security Council. He said the collective west has escalated the conflict and ukraine, adding that is ultimate goal is to weaken russia. Let them fornia. So then the solution that was in the position of those states that pump military equipment into ukraine is cynical. And it doesnt hide the fact they wanted to plate and weaken russia by prolonging the conflict. The collective west. Kendalls, the fire, and it is with impunity. What really punish yourself . Will you . This is not latent racism against russia, but outright racism. The meeting opened up with reports, accusing russia of many things, not substantially presenting any evidence from there. We heard from the u. S. Secretary of state antony blank, anna who pounded the podium against russia and then all eyes were on the Security Council chamber when we heard from the Russian Foreign minister, sir gay lab rod. Now he took to the floor of the 15 member body that leads the united nations, and he gave remarks exposing all of these facts that are widely ignored and international, and us aligned media. When he spoke, he pointed out that while the United States seems to continue to maintain the idea that the government based in kiev is some kind of democracy, the reality of their actions on the ground with their food blockades and their suppression of political dissidence just doesnt match that narrative, heres what we heard from the Russian Foreign minister at the Security Council. Below we go a few months. So kids is imposed of Financial Energy and transport. Blockade of dumbass. His residence will cut off from social benefit, pension salaries, banking services, education and health care. They deprived of basic civil rights under the claim of the fight against russian aggression and separatism in ukraine. The persecution of distance is intensifying. We have no doubt that ukraine has find, he turned into a total italian state of the nazi kind where the gnomes of International Law flouted with impunity. Now the Russian Foreign minister also described other realities of what is taking place on the ground. He described the burning of both books and people by forces that admire those who collaborated with the nazis during in the 2nd world war and are pushing pro hitler narratives in ukrainian society. He went on to furthermore, describe the how weapons provided by the United States are being used to commit crimes against civilians and how there has been a huge effort by russia to document these crimes. Despite being ignored largely by international bodies. Heres what he said. But at the music you liam, no military or strategic targets were hidden. This settlement shall by ukraine. Any civilians have dumbass sofa is not surprising that Ukrainian Armed forces employ terrorist tactics, reducing civilians as human shields. Now, the Russian Foreign minister made a point of pointing out that soon the people of these eastern regions will have the ability to determine their own future in upcoming referendums, where they will vote on the future of their regions. This ability to determine their own destiny as people was deprived of them when the United States imposed a government upon them in the 2014 year old maiden cube. It was quite an important moment when we heard from Russian Foreign minister, sir gay lab rob. He was able to point out all kinds of realities that the United States and its allies have worked very, very hard to obscure and prevent the world from seeing in their efforts to demonize and isolate russia and continue this war. To alias our, our special coverage of thereafter and ends in the don ask and logans peoples republics as well as in this offer. Oh, she and her son regions of ukraine on whether to join russia, boning will begin today. Ah. The don bass, her song ends up arrow, she will each hold its own referendums on whether to join russia. Despite condemnation from the west. Moscow says it will support the decision of the people and also increase its defense of the regions. The 5 days of voting will continue until tuesday. Host of ortiz worlds apart on a boy co joined my colleague, rory sushi earlier in the studio to discuss the timing and significance of the upcoming referendums. There is massive significance, historically geopolitically, but what i would focus on is the military significance because essentially by supporting this referenda, what russia is saying is, well, its, i think, a nice trolling of nato charter, an attack against them will be an attack against us. And that completely changes the way this military operation will be perceived both in moscow and hopefully in the west as well, because it will allow russia to use different kinds of armaments. It will allow russia to use different kinds of strategies, and i hope that will impact Decision Making on the western side as well. Because, you know, ascending weapons to be far as against what russia considers its own territory, is something different. Its certainly things i put in is up in the anti right. How as well i am very conscious. They said, yeah. And, and, and i was what you were blinking in america was saying, just have a day and hes in his he said, in your here in washington, we are really worried with genuinely worried about what food is plenty to do. And you know what, im glad to hear that frankly looks on it. Its good to show washington a good to say to here with a, not a bluff. He said, yeah, yeah, thats why i like yeah, hes actually pretty straightforward edition. Hes not hiding behind the rhetoric, he says what he means and what hes going to do. Its not hard to make a sense of what is in his had there. So many criminologist in washington who for some reason just cannot take put his worst straight. And hes always very direct about his intentions that they should still shoot for 1160 years. We firmly learned that is mostly dangerous for russia to weaken its sovereignty even for a while to abandon national interests. During such periods, the very existence of russia was threatened that waiting for us to make such mistakes again, we will not succumb to black mountain. Intimidation will never betray or lose our sovereignty. And by strengthening it, were developing our country. Sovereignty has become the means of survival and development. Its an ability to make the decisions for your people, what the west has assumed until now until now is that essentially to was always the, the national south, south School Access to prosperity. The whole idea of globalization is based on the idea that you can participate in the Global Economic system. If you play along with the west, if you play along with washington, and thats why the west always introduces sections and tries to limit the countries participation in the Global Economy as a way to punish them for the recalls entrance or for that disagreement with western wisdom its not just russia, but all the countries major countries have benefited from globalization be china, india, south africa, brazil, many others to work here. For example. Theyre all saying that, okay, you know, what well economy is not the american economy. Its not for the american lead. Grab it, its for all of us, and we all have to leave find a way of living in this world, in mutual respect, but also mutual benefit, viewable. We asked people in don bass and the hearse on region, how they feel about the referenda. Heres what they had to say. Denise night, the lush enough. We have been waiting for this for 8 years, maybe even 30 years. 80 at russia was not ready before you got that bacon to fill in some assist, even until 2014 were considered ourselves part of russia. So the time has finally come. Russia wanted to maintain friendship will be a trade act almost at the nicorette the course thing of the street. This is a state of mind that has been going on since 2014, when we held a referendum for independence from ukraine. Well, well restore justice returned to our historical homeland for 8 years. We tried to get this done. That got that. I did it. Not that last piece will prevail. And again, my child is 9 years old, but she has been living and eternal war, all her life and her cuddle ship it, we are waiting for only good things. There will be no inter ethnic strife, as was the case in ukraine. I am foreign moodle priorities. Hawaii, this is a victory and historical justice. We will speak our native language without fear of terror. I choose to leave freely my younger brother for we are returning home for 30 years. Ukraine has destroyed what the u. S. S. Are left for it, i expect russia to restore our greatness for you over ukraines escalating political crisis since the might on coo and 2013 has led to countless tragedies for the russian speaking population protest across southern and Eastern Ukraine against the new government in p of war partially surprised. This includes the tragedy in odessa, where 42 people were killed by ukrainian nationalists. Ortiz, mariah garcia, takes us through those 8 years of waiting. Any way you look at its, this is going to be a historic referendum. The bay geopolitical make up of the u. P. And continent is like a going to change. And people to go to be asked after i had a very simple deceptively simple question. What flag would they like to live under . But alignment did middleton says public than mustnt the parliament of the a ganske added an escrow publics. And the registrations of these upper rogia and her son regents have made a decision to carry out a referendum about their future. And they appealed to us, russia to support this decision. We would like to emphasize we will do everything to provide safe conditions to hold a referendum so that they could express their will and make the decision about their future guns could than yet made their choice years ago, in 2014, shocked by the rise of ukrainian nationalists who sent tanks and jets to suppress the pro russian east. They held a referendum and voted to leave ukraine. 90 percent of the netscape 96 percent in la guns. It was hoped that succession could be peaceful. Moscow respects the will of the population of dennis can la ganske regions and proceeds from the fact that the practical implementation of the results of the referendums will take place in a civilized way without any recurrence of violence. And through a dialogue between the representatives of t f. Dennis can le ganske, there was no peace. Ukrainian authorities brutally cracked down on po, russian sentiments. Category activists were kidnapped and never seen again in odessa. Nationalists burned pro russian activists alive. Oh oh, toms, have changed old hopes the peace and reason from kiev has evaporated. Russias only choice it believes is to fight for the millions of civilians who want to leave ukraine. The west, which had shut its eyes on kevs atrocities. And the will of the people of the dumbass for years. This piped up and it is very, very clear that the sham referendums cannot be accepted and are not covered by International Law. If the thomas referendum idea wasnt so tragic, it would be funny. Russias foreign minister said a lover of offered very simple explanation for these referendums. He said these referendums in the midst logans separate ocean kill son. Allan answer answer to the ukrainian president school for russians who make up a significant portion of the ukrainian population for them to leave the country. And to get more insight on the don bass path to independence and self determination. Checkout, art is brand new documentary. Im alive telling the story about what the local population in the region has had to deal with as Ukrainian Forces attacked for years. The full version is on our website, r t dot com. Ah. What a loser. But you forget, yes you can do. The holes are really foreclosure. You talked to richard a senior, a told her shoulder, but the school is all full, but i see got a yellow, [000 00 00;00] a sick or did you have to do with financial grades . When i get your declaration, hell he scores, it is going to National Grades george gang that they exist calling with a dinner with dr. Leverage unit with them stop on video. Weve got a new up loyal spicy. Bob. I saw this by c basil lou dems up on your school. The videos of on your the 23, a reward or keep you updated with the latest news as, as historical 5 day referendum to decide the fate of several 1000000 people gets under way. Aah ukraine has offered up itself as a testing ground for new u. S. Weapons systems. Thats according to Ukraines Deputy defense minister whos tempting western arms manufacturers with increased profit to battle test their pilot projects. If you have some ideas, will some pilot projects to be tested before mass manufacturing, you can send it to us and well explain how to do it. And in the end, you will get the stem proved by the war and ukraine. You will send it to easy. Kiev has already received tens of billions of dollars worth a weapons provided by a number of western states and includes a wide range of military equipment from small firearms, through heavy armor and artillery systems. In particular, the u. S. Has been supplying ukraine with multiple launch rockets, systems known as high mars, widely used and attacks on civilians and done ask lugens and the hearse on region. Meanwhile, the constant flow is becoming a problem for European Security with both youre a pull and interpol organizations warning that a large amount of weapons are being smuggled out of the combat zone. To go further in depth on this. Lets bring in former marine corps intelligence officer, author and analyst scott ritter scott as great to have you on the program today. Now, what do you make of this statement made by Ukraines Deputy defense chief . I couldnt think of anything more callison insensitive to the plight of the ukrainian nation, Ukrainian Military and ukrainian people in short. I mean, lets just pause for a 2nd. Russian defense minister showing go in his presentation. The other day spoke of the casualties that have been suffered by the Ukrainian Armed forces in this conflict over 60000 dead, over 40000 wounded. These are real lives that have been terminated in a conflict. It was unnecessary, could have been avoided. But it came about because of the expansion desires of nato. And now we have the ukranian Deputy Defense minister turning to the United States. And i am sim, hes making similar offers to the nato membership saying, hey, use my countrys a test grant. Now it sounds copacetic, bring the weapon in, test them in combat, and then youll get a stamp of approval. But the reality is, bring the weapons in, turn them over to Ukrainian Military. Its not really configured to incorporate them and watch my soldiers die. Thats what he should be saying. Watch my soldiers die because thats the result is weapons are going to tilt the balance in favor of your brain. The test is going to be incomplete because before the test is finished, the ukrainians are going to be killed by the Russian Military. Thats what the history shows. It doesnt show that ukraine militarys prevailing on the battle that these weapons that have been brought in and change the course of, of the conflict. They chose the exact opposite that regardless of what natal provides, you create a military, the Russian Military as a solution. Nest solution comes with a heavy price tag in terms of human life lot. As certainly makes you wonder if he is paying attention to what has happened over the last few months. Now, the offer, i guess at least was made is on the table. Do you expect those american weapons manufacturers to accept it and to go along with this sort of plan . Well, 1st of all, the american weapons manufacturers dont get a vote. This is a decision that would be made by the department of defense and collaboration with United States congress. And one would only hope that if the ukrainians dont have a code of ethics, morality, if they dont have any sympathy for their own people, that United States congress would. Its one thing to send a finished Weapon System to ukraine. A system that has been tested that we know functions, we know how functions we know how to train people to use it. Its another thing to use ukraine as a testing ground. I get if anybody in congress believes that what theyre doing is designed to help you grade they would have to and that using ukraine as a testing ground for weapons that are on proven is just an invitation for slaughter. That it isnt. It almost makes you wonder if its worse, that the decision is up there, congress, or if its worse than and we up to the weapons manufacturers. Now, going back to the speech that Ukraines Deputy defense minister made, he did mention several successful arms test in ukraine. Then do you think this assertion may be proving putins words about Russia Fighting against the collective west here . Well, we dont need the Deputy Defense minister to talk about testing weapons to know that all we have to take a look is what nato admits to the provision of tens of billions of dollars of advanced non soviet weapons. Meaning that i think we need to