Ivan says he won’t use nukes…Germans send artillery…Putin apologizes to Israel…Dubya over his fanboy crush on Putin.

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Russians say they won’t use nukes in Ukraine. They also said they were not going to invade Ukraine. Russian spox Alexei Zaitsev said Friday that “we have repeatedly refuted insinuations about Russia’s possible use of nuclear weapons in the course of the special military operation in Ukraine…Russia adheres to the principal that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it must not be unleashed,” Zaitsev added, according to a translation from Reuters.

And…”Russia is aware of the threat posed by irresponsible behavior in this area,” he also said. “Scenarios for Russia’s possible use of nuclear weapons are clearly spelled out in Russian doctrine. They are not applicable to tasks in the special military operation in Ukraine.”

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In related Russian news…Even Vladimir Putin knew his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had stepped in diplomatic excrement over his recent Jew baiting spree. So Putin apologized to Israeli PM Bennett over the remarks. Vladimir does not like to apologize. Lavrov should now watch his back.

Bennett “accepted President Putin’s apology for Lavrov’s remarks and thanked him for clarifying his attitude towards the Jewish people and the memory of the Holocaust,” said the Israelis. The Russian version?

“The President of Russia recalled that of the 6 million Jews tortured in ghettos and concentration camps, killed by the Nazis during punitive operations, 40% were citizens of the USSR, and asked to convey wishes of health and well-being to the veterans living in Israel,” according to a translation of the readout from the Kremlin.

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FNC: Germany plans to send seven self-propelled howitzers in the coming weeks that can hit targets 25 miles away to Ukraine after it reversed a policy against supplying heavy artillery in battle, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said Friday, according to report.

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Germans will be training a group of Ukrainian soldiers, who have experience with Soviet-made howitzers, starting next week in Germany, Reuters reported. The Netherlands also plans to send five howitzers.

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Ukes still holding out at Azovstal.

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We didn’t help the Ukes sink Russian ships. So says the Pentagon. Pity. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said “the Ukrainians have their own intelligence capabilities to track and target Russian naval vessels, as they did in this case…We did not provide Ukraine with specific targeting information for the Moskva,” Kirby added, “We were not involved in the Ukrainians’ decision to strike the ship or in the operation they carried out.”

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Amnesty International wants war crimes trials for Russians. “The pattern of crimes committed by Russian forces that we have documented includes both unlawful attacks and willful killings of civilians,” Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said in a Friday statement. “It is vital that all those responsible, including up the chain of command, are brought to justice.”

“We have met families whose loved ones were killed in horrific attacks, and whose lives have changed forever because of the Russian invasion,” Callamard added. “We support their demands for justice, and call on the Ukrainian authorities, the International Criminal Court and others to ensure evidence is preserved that could support future war crime prosecutions.”

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George W. Bush has gotten over his mancrush on Putin and has switched his affections elsewhere. “I was honored to spend a few minutes talking with President Zelenskyy – the Winston Churchill of our time – this morning. I thanked the President for his leadership, his example, and his commitment to liberty, and I saluted the courage of the Ukrainian people,” Bush said.

“President Zelenskyy assured me that they will not waver in their fight against Putin’s barbarism and thuggery. Americans are inspired by their fortitude and resilience. We will continue to stand with Ukrainians as they stand up for their freedom,” he added. Nice you finally got with the program, George.