possibility in their own and be prepared if those kind of weapons were less available. we wouldn't have a lot of the shootings that we certainly wouldn't have. the number of desk join me every thursday on the alex simon. sure. i'll be speaking to guess when the world politics spoke. business i'm show business. i'll see you then. ah, european gas prices surged to all time records as the continent faces a double whammy of power shortages and freezing temperatures. to ship pretty sweetly contention in europe is the united states fulls. russia had to respond that every step. that's every step the situation was getting worse and worse. president putin criticize as america, anthony does use toward expansion, noting that moscow is ready to deal with hostile actions as russia's defense. cheap

ones that private u. s. military contractors in eastern crane are preparing provocations involving chemical components and the british prime minister approval ratings plummet to a historic low. as the fallout grows over revelations of repeated violations of cobra rules last year. at the same time as health workers are lining up to accuse him of exploitation the page, you know, they've done nothing to address the pay. there's been no way that i'd see from the government to, to tackle retention within the web portal. ah . are broadcasting live there. read from of studios in moscow. this is our to international. i'm john thomas. certainly glad to have you with us are now 1st natural gas prices in europe continue to break records. the commodity is now around 6 times more expensive than in early summer,

or these peter oliver brings us up to speed rack or breaking day when it comes to the price of gas in europe. that has topped $2000.00 per 1000 cubic meters of gas for the 1st time ever. it's come about after gas braun, the russian energy giant didn't book any gas transit through poland on the human europe pipeline in its most very basic sense. that meant no extra gas would be arriving in germany. now. gas from continues to live up to the contracts. it has with european nations like germany and others, but what it's not doing is sending any extra on to the market. what that means is there's an increased demand and well, not the supply as i said. so that means the prices have gone right up. in fact, they've gone through the roof this month alone. prices have risen by 40 percent since the summer they've gone up 300 percent. and that is start to take a toll on energy companies and number of them deciding that this is just too rich

for their blood. and they've had served while they fold it. they've had to file for bankruptcy. the latest to do that is neck and, and strong. here in germany they supplied power to some, 13000 homes across the country. they'll not be doing that anymore as they decided they just can't be part of this with the energy price. so high. now i said that gas brown continues to live up to the contracts which it signed. however, that hasn't stopped european leaders from suggesting that russia is using energy is using gas supply in an attempt to try and exert political influence over some countries in europe. rogers used energy as a tool for political influence, the for instance, in moldova. and while it is strictly speaking, fulfilling its commitments on gas supplies, many seats, current refusal to increase export volumes to europe, or to refill gas from own storage facilities as a means to exert pressure on the ear. and specifically to secure the regulatory

licensing of no string to the kremlin spokesman the method of his golf. as said, this isn't an issue for the russian government that this is an issue between europe and gas. prominent questions on this whole subject well shouldn't be directed towards the kremlin, they need to go to gas pran h q to mr to serve. now what is the reason for the decrease in gas deliveries via the amal europe pipeline with gas now going in the reverse direction? is there a link between a suspension of supplies, the germany and the north stream to pipeline is absurd? no, there is no link. it's a purely commercial issue and it's up to gus prompt to explain the reasons. well, when you look at the prices, it's clear to see why this is such a big su, $4.00 to $4.00 and a half time increases across europe when it comes to gas prices. as i said, huge demand for russian gas in europe at the moment, it had been hoped that the, the gnawed stream to gas pipeline would be able to, to slake some of that thirst for gas. the plan was that that would be able to

provide as much as 55000000000 cubic meters of gas every single year, directly into germany, and then on towards the rest of europe. however, it's found itself snarled opener and bureaucratic process when it comes to certification. here in germany right now, we're hearing it may well not be approved until the 2nd half of 2022. this is after we had thought it would be up and running by. well, now that was after the united states lifted sanctions against the north stream to company earlier in 2021 that had previously called the let caused delays on that project. private u. s. military contractors may be preparing a provocation involving chemical components in eastern ukraine. that's the warning from russia's defense chief at his ministry's annual meeting president put in also spoke there, outlining worries about nato's eastern expansion and saying that the block will be responsible for any escalation just to just preschool. the contention in europe is

the united states fault. russia had to respond that every step, that's every step the situation was getting worse and worse. and today we're in a situation where we have to make decisions. above vladimir prudent defense minister showing go outlined the security and defense situation. and russia where things stand the piece of modernization. they also mentioned that the degree of modernization, as in russia's military, is one of the highest in the world. but they also spoke about the challenges facing russia. missed the show go, for example, mentioning the more than a 100 american private military con practice were currently on the front lines in the civil war in ukraine, which is very close to russia's borders, how they're instructing a ukrainian military personnel there. and also, mister shaw, you mentioned that they have information that perhaps are american private military contractors are preparing a chemical provocation for those. and so in nato continues,

it's military assimilation of ukraine's territory. it's been established that there are currently more than a $120.00 employees of us private military companies present in that the next region. they are equipping firing positions and the residential buildings and, and public facilities assisting ukrainian special forces and radical on groups to prepare for active hostilities. some canisters, with an identified chemical components were delivered to carry out provocations in the region easier. with regards to international themes, vladimir putin himself spoke about the continuing encroachment of american un. nato forces towards russian borders. he reminisces about the past, for example, spoke about how close her relations were between rush and the united states. a scant decades ago when cia officers openly advising the russian government, telling them of what steps to take, what policies to pursue, where now,

american military personnel was stationed in russian nuclear silo, overseeing things there. how cosy relations between the united states and russia were at the time. but then things began to collapse. bit by bit the united states, he said, ah, perhaps hi on victory, a presumed victory in the cold war. we began funding, separatist and terrorist movements and organizations in chechnya, for example, which led to misery and countless debts. she said new things since then had grown worse and worse we have, she continued the waves of expansion, nato expansion to towards russia. despite the fact that nato promise russia that, that wouldn't happen after the collapse of the soviet union. the situation since then vladimir putin says, has continued to worst with nato, a considering ukraine's application to join, which potentially means american missiles stationed in ukraine. the flood of those

missiles would be at 10 minutes. flight time to moscow, they were hypersonic missiles, 5 minutes launch from ukraine to reach moscow, which for russia is entirely unacceptable. it leaves no time to react, which is why russia, as low as drawn its red line, which is why russia now demands security guarantees that noted, need her, won't expand that infrastructure into ukraine. this is a matter in which russia is prepared to take the most severe measures that may put in also said that even if security guarantees are given, that they can't be trusted because the united states has a habit of manipulating or, or using international law to, to suit its purposes when it needs the un, it uses the un, it mentioned that it or it remembers it when it doesn't need the un and forgets it exists. and similarly, the united states pulls out of international arms control. all other treaties at

will, from the intermediate nuclear forces treat you from the open skies treaty with or without explanation. and vladimir putin says russia stands ready to guarantee its own security. would you? but those renew you case. a western coal is continued to push the clearly aggressive line. we will respond with the appropriate military and technical measures will provide a tough response to any unfriendly moves. and i want to stress, we have the full right to do this. let me appleton also said that the russia doesn't want any bloodshed at once. stability once piece and cooperation, but that it will take steps to ensure its own security, as he said, is that it is russia's rise, as it is the right of of every state. you will do a made sure to mentor the brush doesn't want that exceptional special conditions for itself all at once. ease for its security to be guaranteed.

the beleaguered british prime ministers approval rating has nose dived to a record low. forced johnson currently has just half of the support he had started the pandemic. most people pulled now believe that he won't even be leading the government in a year's time. the main reason seems to be the almost daily deming revelations and photos suggesting the downing street staff conservative party workers, and even the pm self violated coven restrictions last year. the latest picture published by the guardian shows boris johnson with his family and staff, sharing wine and cheese in the downing street garden when the rest of the country was under strict laws against social mixing during the 1st lockout. but despite the photo evidence, johnson rejects that, there was any wrong doing do you normally have wine and cheese and when meetings with people at what those with meetings of people at work took. but this is where i live and so i work. those were meetings of people at work talking about work.

adding to the british prime ministers was, is an open letter by the national health service staff accusing his government of exploiting them. it's after he asked medics to help deliver the fastest and biggest vaccination drive to stave off. the surging omicron co variant. the health worker said that they are being asked for more than more and are getting nothing in return . we would like to ask each and every one of you why, despite our incredible efforts, you continue to exploit us on behalf of the whole and h s workforce. we want you to acknowledge the damage. you have cost apologize and let someone else fix your mess. the n a chest needs to be removed from the political playground people's lives aren't again. we spoke to an h s nurse who scaled back her work because of the immense pressure. she says. busy she sees no effort by the government to tackle the issues medical staff are facing everybody seeing like widespread shortages, but all having a massive impact on patient care. and not only that,

i think working under those conditions when you are short staffed, then impacts the work as well. and it's kind of like a cycle. it becomes unbearable. and so i think he's a massive reason why i just stay and people walk away and drive. i myself have left the road. i was in a contracted role. i've left that now and i just do agency type nothing. the page. you know, they've done nothing to address the pay on the 3 percent that they given, you know, inflation this year for them. so it's not felt by, by the stuff you know, why would they stay under this pressure doing this type of what if they're not being paid valley and they don't feel while there's been no, no s that i've seen from the government to, to tackle retention within the work on the way, i know so many colleagues of what, why the facts that we haven't had to pay addressed dispatch that way with now asked

to increase the amount of in a booster jobs that we're getting. and that is going to have an effect then on the services that we can offer off. it's a lot a lot of pressure at the moment and people are tired, they are devalued. that demoralized and i can't see anything that this government is doing at the moment. redress a former m p for the case liberal democrats says last week's defeat for the conservative party and local elections was another blow to boys. johnson's leadership, amid those plummeting poll ratings. no one really believes that the garden party was in fact to work meeting. the deputy prime minister made it worse by claiming we knew it was a work meeting because everyone was wearing suits. it's caused ridicule and boss could have avoided all of this by simply saying, we're not going to legislate for a long time. we just ask people to co operate in

a lockdown because no one's perfect. and it's that double standard, which has caused a lot of grieving people who couldn't even go to their parents or friends, funerals, to feel that they have been treated like fools by the prime minister. and that's not a sustainable position. both johnston has been the most successful party leader for the conservatives since margaret thatcher. and he has definitely been regarded as an intellectual asset, a desirable leader. when it comes to winning votes. the bi election, which the conservatives lost to the liberal democrats. after 200 years of holding a seat begins to call into question the one thing you could always depend on boris johnson to deliver which was victory without snots track record of victory. and with the continuing ongoing problems and accusations of hypocrisy or assumptions in trouble. and roy, as cupboards,

open con variant spreads rapidly across the us. the white house said joe biden would issue a start warning, but what the president ended up saying didn't quite come off as expected, or to kill them up and comments. well, jen, saki promised that a stark warning would come from joe biden, regarding those who are unvaccinated. however, the millions of americans who tuned in didn't exactly hear that. now it's worth noting that joe biden did defend his unpopular mandates that he says are for the good of the people. i know vaccination requirements are popular for many non pop or for those who are anxious to get them. my ministration has put them in place, not to control your life, but to save your life. now, those mandate have been quite unpopular. there have been big demonstrations and out pouring of discontent in response. and there's been a number of shortages among jobs such as firefighters, police officers,

airline pilots, and others. during his speech, he did brag about the new vaccination centers that have opened and the new wide spread ability availability of coven tests. now, one interesting thing to note about joe biden's remarks is he did actually make a point of acknowledging and thanking the previous administration for quote, making sure america was 1st to get the vaccine quote 1st to get the vaccine as the words he used. it's interesting because generally the problems of cobra in the united states are blamed on the previous administration. in this instance, he's actually acknowledging some achievement on the part of donald trump. his predecessor, joe biden's tone, got a little more harsh when talking about disinformation and the need for accurate information about the vaccines to be disseminated throughout the united states, dangerous misinformation on cable tv and social media. you know, these companies and personnel is making money. it's wrong, it's

a moral i call the purveyors of these lies misinformation to stop it. stop it now. obviously it all this information should be opposed as a threat to public health. but how much help is this coming from joe biden? who's disapproval rating is now at 55 percent. well, over half of americans disapprove of his job is president i. it's important to know that even independent voters in united states who don't consider themselves to be democrats or republicans, are moving away from joe biden. 66 percent of them disapprove of his leadership. there was a pole taken in december that showed that 67 percent of americans don't want joe biden to be on the ballot in 2024 while 59 percent. say they don't want donald trump to be on the ballot. so i guess the president of united states did his best. he gave a speech updating the public and calling for people to get vaccinated and take measures to protect public health. but that doesn't change the fact that the,

the background is the sinking approval ratings of the biden administration. and quite a bit of disappointment among the american people. committed increasing tensions between the u. s. and china, america's top diplomat says, his government stands behind the small eastern european nation of lithuania, in an escalating trade dispute with beijing. that's as the use biggest economy in germany was dragged into the spot. as media report say, china is pressuring german auto parts giant continental to stop using components made in lithuania, the news has sparked a wave of discontent among german manufacturers. the latest measures china has adopted against lithuania amount to a trade boycott that will impact the whole of the you. it shows that china is prepared to decouple economically from politically undesirable partners. it's clear that any damage to the value chains that are at the heart of the you, single market is not to be tolerated. beijing downgraded its diplomatic ties with lithuania last month after

a time when he is representative office opened in vilnius, beijing considers taiwan part of china, but the island sees itself as independent. that lithuania allowed the time when he's office to open was seen as undermining china's territorial integrity. with 20 or blatantly created one china, one time one precedent in the global community which completely deviates from the political commitment between china and lithuania, it violates the one china principal, the basic norm of the universal consensus in the international community and will inevitably be disdained and rejected it because i rise in the situation step by step by we john all, it's the promise in china. so of course of this become just like to come to the wall now also of course there is a trade war or you hold a war hymer. this can be more on the more paper, even us or other european counters not to, to catch you out the night however,

it is. so that's why i kind of have to use more stress. and of course, congress, germany. so if they use obesity, i mean if a component so this, well, they will be in you some trouble, i think with waiting says economic pressure from china has the potential to disrupt international supply chains. we discussed the situation with economist alexander khattab, who says the you should or could at least intervene if there is enough evidence of pressure from the chinese side. i think the you clearly stated the gathering evidence about any such measures being implemented by any damage that could have be affected

on you will be in the company. and once this is strong of the usual way. ready to, to sort of the dispute is to go through the international organizations, especially k, this is true, the war trade organization, which is most convenient for settling the gate of disputes. while i think the german businesses, of course, they could suffer some damage from, from that actions because they have some plans in you to in. yeah. so they are exposed to the consequences of this kind of situation. finally, for now,

it's that time of year for taking stock and planning. ahead and for the russian defense ministry. that means staying ahead of the technology game. so we will leave you this hour with a special report from our chief julia shop of oliver, who is looking at the military's latest drone system. take a look ah with we're showing this british for the 1st time or see film, the moment a guided missile launched by rushes around unmanned aerial vehicle and moving at target. ryan is the rushing on, is fast multi functional recognizance and strike the it's pass a number of stringent tests has now been ordered by the defense ministry of russia

and is in mass production. mm ryan also performed successfully in ministry operations and syria. iran is the production name, but in the russian army it's in a hold it which translates as pacing horse or ryan or in hot it's true, has a maximum take off weight of more than a ton carries a payload of 250 kilos. it's 8 meters long and has a wingspan of 16. me says it's flying. duration is more than 24 hours. it's ottomans can be placed on 3 attachment points. it kind of use corrected and then guided bombs and guided missiles in terms of it ties and capabilities a ryan can be compared with the american and key one, c great eagle. these railey home is 900 and the chinese wing for the tank is joined by iraq, tonya, and in russia for his participation in the now gotten a car back and steering conflicts as well. it's 4. it's used by neighboring ukraine

in the don boss is homicide. that voice carrying capacity is also half as much welcome to drone began in 2011 to come for the 1st time in 2016. and in april 20 to 20. it ended service with the russian army say in how this current has in a real combat in syria. it's even service with the russian army, while it's younger, yet larger brother, along with other trains are being developed by the concept company here in moscow. i really need that 1st domestic unmanned aerial vehicle belonging to the international nail clause, which stands for medium altitude, long endurance, u, a v. as mentioned earlier, it can stay aboard for more than 24 hours. initially it's mission was to conduct aero recognizance. then night. in a wide variety of climates including in the arctic and in the desert today around it, not only for reconnaissance, but also for strike purposes. one ground control center can handle several aircraft

at once. the complex comprises of their rural aircrafts exert up to 6 large drones in one complex. at the same time, the complex allows you to maintain your fleet controls and ensure that you saw out of world war drones in the air with the now we're working on a new modification. it will allow one control point a be to provide a simile, tenuous, control plan coordination to 20 aircraft, whether you in fact, this is already small technology also and the complex includes a ground take off and landing point b, a ground control station and ground support facilities this machine can lift to 150 kilos. these are optical electronic systems, video cameras and radars. for strike purposes it, he's as both standard small caliber albums and weapons designed specifically for drain. i was standing near by the chat with engines on you will hardly be able to

hear me around a different is distinctive feature is the low acoustic signature, which makes the device almost silent. so one of my is 1000 meters above the as the enemy can be taken by surprise. in order to can fly for such a long time, the device must have a perfect are a dynamic platform. in particular, a wing of high aspect ratio is designed on net plant with engine has low fuel consumption. iran is powered by a piston engine, which is also assembled internally by the manufacturer. but our complex has an open architecture, which allows integrating almost any payloads through to winning weapons in accordance with the customers requirements, because we produce both domestically or abroad. and the most important thing in the u. a. v is software, both on board and external. 90 percent of it is produced and crunched on to the group of companies. and this is the most vital and expensive work. this is a unified ground control center 4, medium and heavy. you avi's from here,

the aircraft is prepared for flight systems or trucks and if necessary, it's mission is controlled during the flight. also, the control center has the function of a built in simulator. so operators have the opportunity without lifting the aircrafts into the ad to train the control of its target loads. communication between other vehicles and interaction with other types of troops. wheel and the ground control center, which is capable to guide all the drones produced by the crunch that company. therefore they call it a universal control center. a lot of official intelligence is used here. and this is how the real, what happens, a ryan is jury is coming, mission flying over the firing range. rover is controlling. if remodeling it is about to capture and find it. an air target did by the way they do by asha no than the 2021,

the company rolled out and he automated workstation. if several such workstations are installed and a ground control center, it will be possible to control as many as 20 drones at once. and finally, another challenge for a ryans manufacturer is, is the very tight it lines that the minister of defense, the says for the company, that's all in order to increase the production volume of this and other larger size . drones. a new blonde is being built in dibner, near moscow. it's launch is scheduled for the end of this year. so it's obvious that business got off the ground and very soon flying robles will god and protected u dash above oliver aussie ah, with

oil and gas manufactory, electricity telecom dies potations. all of them now have your teeth type of infrastructure connected to the internet. when you clearly realizing that disruptive potential so that those countries cons, ignore it because it threatens national security issue. but if we take them to you countries, well actually all of them subscribe to certain doctrines and maintains selling but task forces. they are a cyber army on behalf of a country that's their job. when you listen to a sequence of tones and you think x is going to happen, you know, why happens instead of distinctive bringing responses gauge that are relevant to you, how we experience, reward and pleasure. while listening to some people looking at this is a kind of.