It is rare that one gets the opportunity to document, chapter and verse, the way our flagship propaganda outlet, the august BBC, is manipulating the news. I’ll dedicate this rant to this exercise because most people still listen to that lot and believe that something is true because ‘the BBC said so’.
First, a quick glimpse at what our MSM thought print-worthy this morning: we will be hit with an inflation of 11%, and there’s a heatwave (link). Yes, what amounts to a couple or three days of high temperatures is now a ‘heatwave’. Those of us who remember 1976 would beg to differ … As for that 11% inflation the papers say is coming: oh dear. It’s already here, as anyone who shops for groceries and petrol rather than fashion or holidays knows full well.
And so to that Lavrov interview. It must have been broadcast yesterday evening. A short video was published on the BBC website 11 hours ago (link, scroll down a bit), under the hair-raising title “Ukraine War: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov fact-checked”. I wish they’d ‘fact-check’ Miz Truss as well, and I do wonder how “we” would react if French or German MSM were to publish a ‘fact-checked’ video of selected snippets from an interview with Miz Truss.
I would have left it at that, but this morning the very first piece to hit me when I opened the BBC site to get to their paper compilation was this one, under the headline:
“Lavrov: Russia is not squeaky clean and not ashamed – By Steve Rosenberg, Russia Editor, Moscow – Published 2 hours ago” (link)
It is a selection of transcribed quotes from that video snippet, giving Mr Rosenberg’s spin. Yes, this is what Mr Lavrov said – but he said much more which we’ll look at next. We know what he said because the Russian FO published the transcript on their site, and the interview was certainly much longer than the brief, edited piece those of us who still watch the BBC got to hear.
Also impressive is the pure arrogance of the BBC’s Moscow editor on display. He clearly believes that it’s his task to correct Mr Lavrov ‘after the fact’, and in good old BBC fashion he’s working very hard at getting a ‘gotcha’ moment or two. One which backfired is this one:
“Russia has accused Ukraine of genocide. […] I suggested that if genocide really had taken place, then the Luhansk and Donetsk separatists would have been interested in us going there. Why were we not let in, I asked. “I don’t know,” said Mr Lavrov.” (link)
Let’s leave aside the fact that the Donbas regions weren’t Russia and thus the Russian FO had no jurisdiction there. Let’s not mention at all that freelance journalists were able to report from the Donbas in all those years and are doing so now. Far be it from me to suggest that perhaps BBC ‘journalists’ are a bit frit of getting shelled themselves should they go to report from towns and cities in the Donbas. Above all, let’s not mention that Mr Lavrov had more to say on this question – more on that below.
And so to what Mr Lavrov really said. Here is the link. It’s the official site of the Russian Foreign Office. Obviously, the British MSM, never mind the BBC ‘fact checkers’, cannot go there because that would be ‘illegal’, given the sanctions. Mr Rosenberg in Moscow however can see the site for himself. He wouldn’t even need a machine translator as I have to because he speaks fluent Russian.
Taken from the top, we note that the BBC has left the important segment regarding the background to the SMO on the cutting floor. Mr Lavrov speaks of the Minsk agreements which were not enforced by France or Germany – well, that’s a long time ago as far as the BBC is concerned. We then come to the BBC’s overarching theme of ‘seven or eight civilian deaths’ not ‘justifying an invasion’ and the segment not published by the BBC:
“Sergey Lavrov: I tell you again: we had no other way out. Many times, a thousand times we have explained all this. Now with your Western weapon, the Ukrainian regime is attacking civilians, cities, just as they did in 2014, when putschists came to power, when they bombed the center of Lugansk from planes, when 50 people were burned in Odessa. Does anyone remember it now?
Question: If they hadn’t attacked, there would have been no weapons from the West.
Sergey Lavrov: We didn’t attack anyone. Attacked Russians in Ukraine. […]
Question: I called you the numbers. Eight dead last year, seven…
Sergey Lavrov: I explain to you that the Ukrainian regime is bombing its own population. And you sell him weapons so that he can continue to do it.” (link)
No, history is not ‘a thing’ for the BBC, not when they aim to paint Russia as land-grabbing tyrant. Next is a lengthy segment about NATO and NATO troops in Eastern Europe which, according to the BBC, only came about because Russia had ‘invaded’ the Crimea in 2014. No, Mr Rosenberg doesn’t listen to what Mr Lavrow says. That’s not how a BBC interview works! You might like to read that segment for yourselves.
Mr Lavrov isn’t letting the BBC off the hook though. There’s another lengthy segment in which the BBC quotes the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, mentioning Bucha. This is the context which the BBC left out when creating the headline quoted above:
“Question: So Russia is “white and fluffy”?
Sergey Lavrov: Russia is neither white nor fluffy. She is what she is. We are not ashamed to show ourselves as we are. May I ask you to understand the policy of your media about the tragedy in Bucha. Did you report it? They probably said that Russia did it. Right? The Guardian newspaper, published in London, then received the results of a preliminary forensic examination, which showed that the vast majority of people whose corpses were shown on all television channels in the world were injured by an artillery shell explosion.
Question: The purpose of your question? We don’t have much time.” (link)
Ah yes – whenever the going gets rough and the interviewee asks about BBC ‘journalistic’ practices, the BBC ‘hasn’t got much time’. When the interviewee gives an unsuitable answer, well, that can be left on the cutting floor. Next, here’s Mr Lavrov’s complete answer regarding BBC ‘journalists’ not being allowed into the Donbas regions. The BBC cut this off at ‘I don’t know’. This is what he said in addition:
“Sergey Lavrov: I don’t know why you weren’t allowed in. Our journalists worked there 24/7 and showed the results of the bombing of Kiev battalions. You would go to the Ukrainian side of the “line of contact.” They don’t have such destruction there.” (link)
Ah. And immediately Mr Rosenberg deflects, asking about what Putin said about Peter the Great. Next, the inevitable segment about those Brits having been given the death penalty by a Donbas court. Mr Lavrov’s patience is running out:
“Question: In the eyes of the West, Russia is responsible for the fate of these people. You don’t think this death sentence…
Sergey Lavrov: I’m not interested in the eyes of the West at all. I am only interested in international law, under which mercenaries are not combatants. So it doesn’t matter what’s in your eyes.” (link)
I also have to leave the following segment about mercenaries and impartial courts on my cutting floor, sorry. However, as Mr Rosenberg harks back to ‘civilian deaths’, Mr Lavrov’s answer is significant but is of course not mentioned by the BBC:
“Sergey Lavrov: And I told you that these people are killed by neo-Nazis. I ask you, do you show the results of the bombing of the Armed Forces of Ukraine of settlements? Or don’t you show it in your reports? You don’t show it. Right? Therefore, you now need to pull out of me some words of regret about what is happening in order to send a report to London and use my words to confirm the false version of what is happening in Ukraine, which you constantly broadcast.
Question: You’re wrong about that.
Sergey Lavrov: Being in Moscow, you can’t help but see what journalists show in Donbass, what happens as a result of the bombing of peaceful settlements and citizens. Do you report it or not?
Question: I want to ask you…
Sergey Lavrov: So you don’t report it.” (link)
Indeed neither the BBC nor the rest of our propaganda outlets report this. That is the reason why so many of us are getting our information from other sources, even though our government and indeed our internet providers have made it very difficult.
No apologies for the lengthy quotes: many of you won’t be able to access this transcript. Even so, I had to “do a BBC” and leave many important segments out. If you can, go to the site and read for yourselves.
Later today there will be a most important speech by Mr Putin. We won’t be able to watch it on our news channels so we’ll have to go to alternative ones. There will be a proper transcript which I hope to bring you tomorrow.
Enjoy the ‘heatwave’ while it lasts … winter will come soon enough.
Just a thought as I was paying for groceries the other day with a debit card. Very convenient but I’m going to pay cash from now on before they use its limited use as reason to get rid of it.
Jack……….don’t give into the doom mongers including Biscotte whoever he is, who comes out with baseless tripe about surveillance, of which it is obviously he knows nothing about. Carry on using your card as you have always done. Look at it this way, if you go to the bank ATM in the street or into the bank itself and seen by unscrupulous people to draw out hundred plus pounds you are setting yourself up to be robbed.
”2,000 MULES” – it is free to download. Nothing to do with doom, gloom or how stupid our PM is.
Colin your credo is ignorance is strength.
As you don’t have time to read or to look things up, the comment will go over your head.
Less seriously, how did you do at the last local elections? Keep at it, but standing on one ‘hate the PM’ policy is not the way to go. You could make a difference if less abrasive – yes you could.
Biscotte 2000 Mules says it all, I don’t think I’ll bother. Nothing against the animals themselves mind you, and it hasn’t gone over my head, there’s just more important things to do. If you think my credo? is ignorance is strength, whatever that means, then fair enough. That’s your opinion and everybody is entitled to their opinion and there is nothing I can say or do to change your mind, and nor would I try to. I don’t know why you are bothering with the insults with regard to me standing at the last local elections. You can look up my electoral literature online. I use my own name, not a psuedonym/alias like yourself. For someone like you who is into conspiracy theories and government secrecies and cover ups etc you don’t believe in being open yourself, so not practicing what you’re preaching. As I said you would make a good Conservative politician…
“2000 Mules says it all, I don’t think I’ll bother.” Out of your own mouth you have proved Biscotte right. Incontrovertible evidence that the US election was stolen, but you won’t bother with it; you might have to change your mind for once.
The Duran has a session with iEarlGrey (Mike Jones) who has been living in St Petersburg for four years. It’s very long but full of interesting insights, on and off topic. No unrest amongst the Russian population; no meaningful shortages; life goes on; oil and gas sanctions have had the opposite effect to that intended (unless you think as I do that crippling the West WAS the intention) – high price of oil means Russia now has more money than it knows what to do with, and is the only place interest rates are falling. But what’s the latest in our press? Ladies in Moscow are facing shortages of Botox. You could not make it up; but they do. Until recently the more liberal educated classes still saw the West as bright lights and progress, but that myth has been busted; they have realised they are as good if not better, and will not strive to emigrate. The much mocked ersatz McDonalds shows Russia can and will make its own way; cut off from the West it has found it does not need the West.
Phil O’Sophical….well well what a surprise two individuals using aliases supporting each other (so much for being open). Peas from the same pod. However, how far do we or you persist with these conspiracy theories. I wasn’t happy with the US election result either, but there have been countless enquiries all of which have come to nothing. You have an opinion, Biscotte has an opinion, the author of 2000 Mules has an opinion, and Glenn Whatshisname who wrote that Book Biscotte was harping on about the other day, has opinion. It doesn’t mean to say that he, the author of 2000 Mules, me, you or Biscotte are right though does it. Its just an opinion and we are all expressing opinions on this site, are we not? However, on a personal basis I would be more likely to accept an opinion if the person making it was using their real name, rather than hiding behind an alias.
Thanks Viv. I agree with what you say about Ukraine and have been arguing with a Ukip ‘spokesman’ who said Boris did right to support Zelenski.
YES! I DO remember 1976! It took some doing to remember, but that was the Summer that I took all my vastly bloated ‘annual leave’ from Sheffield council in order to help a farmer in Derbyshire get his hay in.
And yesterday, I used your link from way back, to no.10 private office, to tell B.J. to tell Raab to get us out of the ECHR and the Global migration wotsit, instead of faffing about with our own ‘Bill of Rights’.
PLUS – something else I remember from even further back.
In the 1960’s there was great argument about how to ‘cure’ inflation. Should there be WAGE restraint? Or should it be PRICE control?
Wouldn’t you have expected by now some of the ‘Boffins’ would have seen the light?
How about increasing our PRODUCTIVITY.
Efficiently use our own resources.
E.g. Grow as much as possible of our own food. And use our own fossil fuels, to power our own manufacturing.
Viv- I have given up on GBN. Impartiality? My left elbow.
With no TV, I watched a bit of RT last night (for news), when I caught a part of the interview. The site you reference says to be continued – Probably more so far undocumented.
I particularly liked the bit where Lavrov said something about Liz Trust. That translated into ‘LizT says GB is going to bring Russia to it knees . . . well go on then’. (Nice one!)
Yes, that was a nice one! Miz Truss has burned all her boats as far as mr Lavrov is concerned, ever since she showed her ignorance about where Rostov is situated.
I liked it when mr Lavrov nails Rosenberg and the BBC.
Btw, the text of that interview is at the link I gave in the article, RT seems to try to go for ‘breaking news’ and thus leaves out full statements.
Link does not appear to work Viv.
Ah – that’s the sanctions … or the internet provider. i need to use a VPN when i want to read Russian sites, but when i want tog to the FO site, I need to switch it off.
Try this:
https://mid.ru
use a machine translator and scroll down the ‘News Feed’ to the date (16 June) and subject (BBC interview) …
The only thing necessary for the triumph of BBC evil is for good people to continue paying their licence fee!
Apologies to Burke.
To emphasise the inanity of Mr Rosenberg’s wail that BBC ‘journalists’ weren’t ‘allowed’ into the Donbas, and mr Lavrov’s remark that others are reporting from there, here is a short video by the wonderful Canadian freelance journalist Eva Bartlett from Donetsk …
Compare and contrast with the mighty BBC’s failures – intentional failures, I ought to say because this, as all the other independent reports, do not fit their narrative of ‘bad Russia’.
Btw, Mr Rosenberg: where are your tears about the civilians killed in Donetsk on just that one day, by Ukrainian military?
I heard today the the Russians and the US have been launching cyber attacks on each other’s infrastructure. I don’t know the full truth but it sounds likely and suggests that the Ukraine conflict is just getting started and will spread.
flyer- I spent time living in Russia and was surprised at the then outdated computers / machines but what could be done with them. Ingenuity and understanding are great levers to getting the best out of eqpmt. Try to imagine what they can do with decent kit – that they do have.
Although not lived in China so far, they do make more top ten fastest puters in the World leaving Cray in the dust.
Now, I know a professional hacker very well. We discussed the ‘quality of hackers’. Who is the bestest?
The answer he gave was – at the very top, all the big hacking countries such as uSA, Israel, Russia, America, China, Brazil, the united States are all comparable and all monster double good. But!
But what? It is all about numbers. If one pct of the Chinese population is computing that is say ten gazillion hackers. For Britain for comparison lets say it is 0.1 gazzilion. Sheer weight of numbers makes the difference.
Just as the top tier is hacking the Jerman Chancellor’s mobile phone, and digitally breaking into banks, the next tier down is performing slightly lesser tasks such as tracking Iranian scientists for assassination and suchlike.
Weight of numbers and training. And if China decides to take advantage of the digital tussle by uS / Russia . . . So, do you really want to escalate this warfare? Well do ya punk??
My belief Biscotte, is that there is nothing wrong with computers themselves. Computers themselves are incredible, and complexly beautiful. The problem is people. let us take this apart into separate categories …. There are TOO MANY. PROGRAMS QUALITY, poor, incorrect, misunderstood, corrupted, No ” Clean, Re-align with original spec., IT INAPROPRIATE ridiculously to the level of Carry on IT.. Rarely do IT know the programs etc.. INAPROPRIATE FUNCTION . And the biggest problem is TEMPTATIONS of convenience .
Really , nobody seems to even suspect computer problems which are not even included above but are potentially far more dangerous. Many or most were logged and/or the subject of theories in the 1950’s, by many interested societies in London.
Speaking of mainstream media propaganda, here’s something they would never admit to.
“The Unspeakable Source of the Housing Crisis” (see if you can guess what it is)
We have to consider that there was deliberate intent behind the failure to control immigration. Just another tool of oppression used against the native British people.
Jack. If Boris really was a Churchill, we would be ‘Fighting them on the Beaches’ !!
Boris probably due to ‘green think’, thinks beaches are trees and does not really understand.
Pauline……The nearest Boris Johnson would get to fighting on the beaches would be within the sandpit in his back garden with a pail of water and his son’s toy soldiers. Rather than face up to the myriad of problems here in this country and supporting those MP’s likely to lose their seats at the next GE, he would rather go to Ukraine and promise their president the supply of ever more weapons, training and finance, in order to get one more photograph for the album back home. If someone told me that he had changed his surname to ‘Mitty’ it wouldn’t surprise me.
JT- the media tells us all these illegal immigrants are doctors and nurses enriching our society. You have the wrong end of the stick (and that’s why they are all in four star hotels!!).
Consider???
Perhaps I was being too considerate… I’m sure on that point as with many other apparent “failures”.