Some things to consider before watching the 40-minute interview:
Aiden Aslin is considered a mercenary fighting alongside Ukraine‘s 36th Marine Brigade. His family disputes that designation since he has dual-citizenship.
As a mercenary, he’s not subject to the Geneva Conventions. As a member of Ukraine’s armed forces, he is subject to the Geneva Conventions.
On April 12, Aslin announced on Twitter that he had “no choice but to surrender to Russian forces” in Mariupol after running out of ammo.
Aslin is a POW in Russian custody in Donetsk. That is the capital city of the Donetsk People’s Republic in the Donbas region. They have declared their independence from Ukraine and Russia has recognized their independence. They are actively engaged in hostilities with Ukraine, and have been for 8 years.
The fact that Aiden is a POW could affect what he says during the interview.
Graham Phillips (British journalist) used to work for Russian news agency RT (Russia Today) and is pro-Russian. His bias does show in the interview with Aiden.
Some of what Aiden alleges has been confirmed as true through my own reporting, independent journalists on the ground, and refugees. That doesn’t mean Russia hasn’t committed its own war crimes, they have.
I don’t post this to take Russia’s side, as will undoubtedly be proclaimed. I have posted interviews with captured Russian soldiers too. The point is for you to see it and come to your own conclusions.
You have a right to information that you are being denied. It’s usually easy to see if a POW believes their own statements. If I’m honest, Aiden doesn’t seem to exhibit the usual tells. Neither did the statements by captured Russian soldiers for that matter. This doesn’t mean that you should forget that he is still in Russian custody and giving an interview with a pro-Russian journalist from the UK for propaganda purposes, and is likely compelled to do so.
I’d also like to point out that Aiden released a video shortly before he surrendered without a cut on his forehead. When pictures of him were released by Russia, he had a gash on his head. It’s not apparent how he got it but it’s assumed he was roughed up by Russians. In this interview, his hair is covering the cut on his head.
It would be interesting to see if Aiden changes his story if he’s freed, which I sincerely hope is soon.
This was posted on Instagram and allegedly shows a conversation between a soldier in Kabul and her husband. She tells him they are having their flights home delayed until the airport was cleaned for the Taliban. Our troops have complained about the conditions at the airport for some time but the bathroom facilities weren’t cleaned for our people.
The Japanese owner of the Kokuka Courageous, one of two oil tankers targeted near the Strait of Hormuz, said Friday that sailors on board saw “flying objects” just before it was hit, suggesting the vessel wasn’t damaged by mines.
That account contradicts what the U.S. military said as it released a video Friday it said shows Iranian forces removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the two ships that were hit.
The Japanese tanker was attacked twice Thursday, damaging the vessel and forcing all 21 crew members to evacuate.
Company president Yutaka Katada said Friday he believes the flying objects seen by the sailors could have been bullets. He denied any possibility of mines or torpedoes because the damage was above the ship’s waterline. He called reports of a mine attack “false.”
Katada said the crew members also spotted an Iranian naval ship nearby, but didn’t specify whether that was before or after the attacks.
Ok, I’m not really sure how he can definitively say a limpet mine attack is not possible. They are often set above the water line. The video allegedly shows the Iranians removing one from above water level.
Interesting he says they may have been shot at and there was an Iranian vessel nearby. Limpet mines can have anti-handling devices placed on them that cause them to detonate if messed with. I suppose it’s possible it could have been shot by the Iranians to detonate. Either way, I get why some are skeptical of this story, but the tanker owner’s comments don’t make any sense.
FYI, Iran is still holding the crew of one of the tankers.
Antifa is what they claim to oppose. They are violent, fascist bigots.
Both marines testified that Keenan, Massey, and approximately ten other people — men and women, some masked and some unmasked — then began attacking them with mace, punches, and kicks, and calling them “nazis” and “white supremacists.”
On the stand, Godinez said that he was “bewildered” by being called a white supremacist and immediately cried out, “I’m Mexican!” After that, as the attack continued, both men said that members of the group, including Keenan, repeatedly used ethnic slurs, including “spic” and “wetback,” against the marines. (There was no testimony that Massey used any such language).
Of course, media coverage of this is scant at best. John Sexton nails this point.
Why isn’t this story big news? So far as I can tell, CNN hasn’t devoted a single word to this story about actual violence by Antifa members since it happened nearly a month ago. I guess Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin were too busy with other things. Domestic political violence was all-the-rage last month, now it’s just old hat.
To be clear, I don’t blame CNN for violence by Antifa goons, but I do think CNN’s hosts ought to be accountable for defending those goons long after it should have been clear they were violent bullies.
Jones, who walks on two prosthetic legs, further claimed that he’s been permitted on similar rides at theme parks including Universal Studios, SeaWorld and Disney World without issue.
Jones first brought his issue with Six Flags to light on Sunday, telling his Twitter followers he was “just got kicked off” the ride at Six Flags Over Georgia by a teenage employee who noticed his prosthetic legs just as he was about to be seated.
Just got kicked off a fully enclosed ride @SixFlags (jut like one I’ve ridden @UniStudios for not having “real legs”
“Nah, bro, you have to have two real legs,” the employee told him, according to Jones’ account on Twitter.
A message to all those veterans out there unlucky in their service who now use prosthetics, @SeaWorld@UniStudios and @DisneyParks will literally move (magic) mountains for you. @SixFlags will tell you “nah bro, you gotta have two real legs”
