Lieutenant General Trevor Cadieu and Azovstal

For the last three days civilians held in the tunnels of the Azovstal industrial complex have been evacuated during ceasefire intervals agreed by Russia for that purpose. Up to now 182 civilians have been released in these latest evacuations. Russian media outlet Ria Novosti reports that those wishing to go to Kiev-held territory have been handed over to the Red Cross and representatives of the UN.

Equally, those civilians wishing to evacuate to Russian territory have also been helped by the Red Cross. Russia has been offering humanitarian corridors in both directions since at least late March. Remember, it is less than two months since Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, Irina Vereschuk, accused the Red Cross of ‘working for the enemy’ in allowing civilians who wanted to evacuate to Russia any such option.

In typical MSM-fashion The Guardian and BBC sowed the seeds of “unwilling abductions” by Russian authorities for these evacuations, getting the usual anonymous, or pro-Kiev spokespeople, to create their pro-NATO propaganda for them, while the Red Cross was actually monitoring individual preferences.

Who is left in the Azovstal tunnels?

There are soldiers still resisting, though they are no doubt weary, and allegedly running out of supplies. Many are wounded. Russian and pro-Russian armies of the Donbas region have been accused of breaking the humanitarian ceasefire. This is likely true, especially since on Saturday (7 May 2022) a video was released of Azov soldiers using the humanitarian window as an opportunity to mine entrances to the tunnels.

Alexander Khodakovskycommander of the East forces showed the video footage of Ukrainian nationalists preparing another sabotage against the Russian military at Azovstal. He wrote:

“While we demonstrate humanism, the enemy uses the moment to mine the passages. Then, when they shout about our treachery again, like yesterday, after they calculated an anti-tank guided-missille, you will understand why we do this.”

It is widely-held, from both sides in the conflict, that there are no civilians left in the catacombs – though whether that is true remains to be seen. There are thought to be scientists and civilian personnel in the biochemical laboratories funded by the west, and also military advisors from a number of NATO countries. If this is true no doubt the spin-doctors are working flat-out on a story to mitigate the damage over NATO involvement.

Russia claims that one of its reasons for the pre-emptive attack was because Kiev, aided by NATO, planned to take military control of the Donbas regions. Kiev denies this, despite documents being found suggesting otherwise.

A priority now is to get the wounded soldiers and doctors out and into hospital. It is unlikely any of Azov battalion soldiers will be allowed to go to Kiev when they have recovered.

A number of those holed up in the tunnels have tried to escape, some dressed as women, others pretending to be civilians, some in daring outside attempts from Kiev and French forces by helicopter. Up to now 115 of Ukraine’s 148-strong fleet of helicopters have been destroyed according to Russian sources. It is suspected that few, if any escape attempts, have succeeded. The latest to be captured, it is claimed, is Canadian Lieutenant General Trevor Cadieu.

What, another Lieutenant General?

Some will recall that western paid fact-checkers worked tirelessly to dispel information that US Lieutenant General Roger Cloutier, had been captured.

Major Brian Andries, deputy public affairs officer at NATO Allied Land Command, emailed Politifact, to say that:

“These rumors are completely false. . .Our commander is currently commanding NATO Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey, and has not been to Ukraine since the Land Staff Talks we conducted in July of 2021. While NATO nations are sending financial and military aid to Ukraine, no NATO soldiers or leaders are deployed to the country.”

Andries, as well as his role in NATO, turns out to be an actor and script editor with Fox News among many other theatrical talents. Anyway, he and the fact-checkers seem to have gone quiet on this lately and Lieutenant General Cloutier seems to have vanished into thin air.

First Cloutier, now Cadieu

On 1 May 2022 a second Lieutenant General, Trevor Cadieu, made the Russian news briefly when, allegations were made, he was captured trying to escape from the Azovstal industrial complex in Mariupol. Details are still scant, but not as scant as here in the free west.

His capture was first reported on the 360° channel but that report appears now to have disappeared. The report made reference to Cadieu being in charge 18 lab-assistants working on deadly viruses at Biolab 1. Subsequent reports seem to be based on the initial 360° channel report and internet leaks. Svetlana Nikolaevna gave the most thorough account but was unable to reveal her source, only saying that it was from somebody on the front line and that no official statement had been made.

She said that the laboratory Cadieu supervised was working on dangerous viruses such as Ebola and Nipah. The importance of the Canadian Lieutenant’s capture is significant, since Svetlana Nikolaevna states that four helicopters and two boats were sent to rescue him, all destroyed by the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Her source informed that Cadieu had been taken to Lefortovo (FSB investigation department) Moscow awaiting trial by military tribunal. She believes that the Azovstal plant could hold documents relating to the genocide, murder and tortures alleged to have taken place at the complex.

Something does not add up

The short piece by Vera Basilaya refers to earlier interceptions claiming a mercenary Canadian General was in direct contact with President Zelensky from the Azovstal plant. Margarita Menshikova (translated by John Helmer) reported for SOTT that since “the end of March-beginning of April, information about a large group of officers from NATO member countries stuck in Mariupol began to spread in the Russian segment of Telegram and in the press” and that by 20 April the remaining Azov battalion troops and foreign military had been driven to take refuge in the Azovstal factory complex. This date, 20 April, is extremely important in the Cadieu case.

Another important date is 17 April. On that day Russian spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov, in his daily briefing, spoke of “up to 400 foreign mercenaries” being trapped in the Azovstal plant. Though most were Europeans he also mentioned Canadians being among them.

Lieutenant General Trevor Cadieu was in line for the top military post in the country but for a sex scandal which broke in autumn last year. After that nothing was heard of him until 21 April 2022, when a tsunami of Canadian press reports like this hit the news. They all reported on the retirement of the Lieutenant General from the army “after 30 years in uniform” some giving the date of his retirement as 5 April.

Several things do not ring true.

First of all, if Cadieu retired on 5 April it was actually news on 6 April at the very latest. Yet it did not appear until 21 April – the day after fascist troops and mercenaries had taken up positions in their last bastion of defence – the Azovstal plant. After that it was only a matter of time before the catacombs revealed their secrets.

Secondly, and this is really crucial, there was no way in or out of Mariupol from 5 April and most people were actually looking for a way out. The then mayor, Boychenko, had long since left. Certainly, a lab-supervisor and “former” high-ranking military officer, would perhaps think twice about going to the place where the most intense fighting was taking place.

Thirdly, if Cadieu had “retired and travelled to Ukraine to help defend the country from Russia’s invasion” in what way could he help if he was in charge of Biolab 1? The answers to this do not bear thinking about – chemical attack, false-flag attack.

Fourthly, if Cadieu was no longer a NATO lieutenant general, simply a mercenary helping out Kiev from the goodness of his heart, why would there be so many attempts to rescue him?

Whatever the outcome of the court cases in Moscow – and these things can take a long time – the prospects for the two lieutenant generals do not look good. The prospects for the reputation of NATO, already in tatters, and for international law, look even worse.