A great interview with my friend Aleks! One of the things I like about Aleks is that he has a way of asking the right questions (as he says, an “outside observer”–which identify the main issues.That applies both to the US– and to the Ukraine. Thank you for this — both of you!
Mutiny on Zaparozhe front line yesterday night. Ukros refuse to get pined down. Seems to intensify. Also videos of ukros standing by their Leopard and Bradley fuming carcasses like they dont give a damn anymore
Glad to see these Ukrainian soldiers have a chance at life again. I assume most of the ones being impressed into service would also like to avoid being sacrificed in this forlorn conflict but know if they don’t cooperate, their family members will be threatened by the Kiev regime. Does anyone have confirmation of this possibility?
Only for those that understand Spanish, and like S&M outfit.
Marziosays
Larry despite what NATO, US and other countries (like Italy under the cleptocrat D’Alema did) Serbia is still existing and stay deep with roots in Europe!!!
[Irrelevant]
I was re-listening the Depeche mode discography yesterday. Then a wild question grow : what is politicians/military personnel implied in the Ukraine conflict was a depeche mode song ? So I did a playlist like someone would copy songs on an old Cassette player :
Side R :
Prigozhin : I just can’t get enough.
Choïgu : everything counts (in large amounts).
Lavrov : Policy of truth.
Gerasimov : To Have and to Hold
Maria Zakharova : Sweetest perfection.
Putin : Personal Jesus.
Side U :
Zhalujny : It’s no good.
Budanov : Enjoy the silence.
Zelensky : Just a question of time.
Nulland : Behind the wheel.
Kirby : Master and servant.
Biden : Never let you down.
Scholtz : I sometimes wish I was dead.
Bonus Track :
Xi : People are People (What can I do ?).
That’s all , a perfectly stupid and without any usefulness post of mine … but the title and sometimes the lyrics fits so well I felt kind of obliged to share ! (everything count has a very relevant lyrics).
This should be must view. Getting the perspective and questions of people close to Russian is truly the only way to develop the correct perspective. Unfortunately in the US we have a climate of labeling anything close to understanding Russia’s perspective as being against the US. When Bush stood with his megaphone and claimed ‘you are either with us or against us’ will forever stand out in my mind as the start of this ideology. Nowhere is it allowed to question “our” decisions. The ‘infallibility of the pope’ thing is something I remember as a child. This arrogance and hubris is dangerous.
Thank you for clearing up the 9/11 conspiracy BS. It has always been a slightly nagging question. Reminds me of a quote ‘ Never assign to malice what can easily be explained by stupidity’.
Thank you Larry! You have become a daily read.
Speaking of 9/11 – I wonder if given Saudi Arabia’s new attitude toward the US, if the redacted portion of the evidence about Saudi government involvement will be declassified, or whether it would just generate too many questions?
UKRAINE SOLDIERS SHOWING SIGNS DONT WANT TO FIGHT> STARTING TO SURRENDER.
* Wednesday a group of Ukraine soldiers surrendered to the Russians to save their lives.
* Yesterday 20 more soldiers from the 28th mechanized brigade surrendered. They surrender after being deployed to the front. Upon arriving they witnessed the field strewn with fellow dead Ukraine soldiers. After surrender they told the Russians they did so because it was obvious they were sent on a suicide mission to be sacrificed to die.
* THEN WHILE PREPARING FOR A MAJOR OFFENSE LAST NIGHT THE 47th MECHANIZED BRIGADE (the whole Brigade) refused to follow orders and FIGHT. The offensive was delayed and the 47th was severely punished.
Ukraine soldiers are being sacrifices for the $100s of Billions invested by US and UK Investment Banks , Cargill, Monsanto, Shell, Chevron, etc. etc. etc. (Just one example as of Sept ’21 . . . two years ago . . . the US companies had bought 46,000,000 acres farmland in eastern Ukraine. Cargill even bought a grain export port just upstream from Odessa. Currently US Midwest farmland avg cost $4,000.00 /acres farmland. Investment Banks, Cargill, Monsanto, Shell Energy, Chevron, Exxon, etc. etc. etc. etc. .
“THEN WHILE PREPARING FOR A MAJOR OFFENSE LAST NIGHT THE 47th MECHANIZED BRIGADE (the whole Brigade) refused to follow orders and FIGHT. The offensive was delayed and the 47th was severely punished.”
47th brigade already took some beating, and is nowhere near whole. It is also one of their “elite” units. This version makes more sense, although it’s still nothing more than just a rumor:
“Judging by radio intercepts of the 47th and 82nd AFU brigades they have many soldiers who refused to fight and many wounded.” https://t.me/Slavyangrad/51018
Thé Russians should confiscate that land from Cargill. To the last handful of soil. Who cares what Cargill parasites want. They already have enough loot around the world.
Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau both need a foreign enemy. It doesn’t matter that the war is going badly. It’s a time-honoured practice that goes back at least to the Nazis, and probably much further than that.
I gave an honest answer based on what I know from my experience. I’m always fascinated by people who believe the US Government is capable of running a complex conspiracy that remains hidden while that same group of people can’t even organize proper training for Ukrainian troops. Ditto for the U.S. misadventures in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, etc. How do you square that circle of incompetence?
Simple Larry. Two very different divisions of the Government. The Government can be very, very efficient and effective in some areas, such as income taxes. Any government can be stupid and careless in areas where it only matters to the poor citizens who are not getting the money’s worth out of “City Hall”. But you stroll down the hallway from the mayor’s office and such to the property tax division, and My Word! those folks don’t miss a thing!
The United States Federal Government exists on two tiers. The charade called Congress and the Presidency, which have no power; and the other tier is the permanent establishment, Trump’s Deep State which is composed of government “employees” who never lose their jobs. They are the apprachtnicks of the Deep State which is controlled by the real Power at the top of the Pyramid.
The real power has been working steadily for decades on eliminating the American Middle Class, infiltrating the education system starting at the colleges and working down from that. They are adept at theft in various forms and in various ways that most people do not even understand. Of late we’ve had General Accounting Office and others contend that 21 trillion dollars of the U.S. taxpayers money is missing. Donald rumsfeld said as much the day before 9/11. It’s on the record; look it up.
And that 21 trillion is probably just the tip of the iceberg of theft going on since the establishment of the banker’s Federal Reserve system (and income tax) in 1913. The top of the Pyramid pirates have been stealing from American for over a hundred years.
Look with that kind of money you can do ANYTHING. Buy anyone. Assassinate anyone. Take over countries. Steal elections. You name it. The Cabal in control of that mass of money can certainly afford protection. You can’t get near them. You probably do not even know their names. Guys like Soros and the late David Rockefeller may not even be at the top, though I reckon they are near.
Like you said Larry, after the USSR collapsed and the Cabal needed a new enemy they created Terrorism and that began with the Big Bang in NYC on September 11, 2001. You know that George W. Bush was clueless. Dick Cheney was installed at Bush’s VP to control him and he ran the 9/11 operation. There’s eye witness testimony to that effect.
I subscribe to this argument.
Based on the estimation that “the West” and therefore the USA, is more than anything a big marketing operation, since they are in control of the narrative through the iron control of the mass media in this part of the world (apart from the printing press of money); then they can make you believe that they are capable of doing unthinkable things for others, and control you by fear, until someone realizes that “the king is naked”.
But also remember, that when David figured out the trick, he was able to defeat Goliath with just one stone… and that’s what’s happening now with the so-called global South.
I am old enough to find myself, as one of my favorite comedians, Jonathan Winters, once said, in the low-altitude glide pattern before landing. I honestly don’t remember when was the last time someone thought me fascinating for so little.
Seriously…
Just because they are incompetent does not mean they don’t pull off dastardly deeds of huge impact that have their bloody thumbprints on them for any sentient person to see. It only means that it takes massive propaganda and repressive measures against free speech to stop us asking questions about it.
I have no idea how many Americans wondered if Mohamed Atta’s passport was found intact on the fire and ashes ruins of the Towers why didn’t we rush to analyze the indestructible material it was made of so we could use it for the fuselage of our planes. That is just one small example of the many incompetent lies. If there’s something that puzzles me is how come with such a long history of lying we never got any better at it. We are incompetent liars but pretty efficient destroyers.
Why would incompetence at just about all levels not coexist with the elite running a complex conspiracy? It is hard to find good help. They are not as discreet as English butlers. That is why Norman Minetta blurted out to the press about Chenney refusing to scramble planes to intercept the 19 Arab boys with boxcutters. Dumb goy. Even Silverman, not a goy, could no resist boasting that he had ordered, “Pull it.”
To paraphrase the deepest thinker (or the great wit) of the neocon coup of 9/11, Rummy, you don’t run a conspiracy with the operatives you wish you had, you run it with those you have. I guess you have to take chances with the “known unknowns.” Where is he now? If still alive he surely must be in the ‘glide pattern before landing’ by now.
No, it did not “remain hidden.” It remained sheltered from serious investigation.
If I were a devout believer in the existence of pigs that fly, for whatever reason, but I knew that most people viewed that idea with contempt, I know I would not be brave enough to proclaim my belief in public with steadfast sincerity. I’d be a coward and I’d just avoid any public mention of any porcine subject.
But that’s just me.
You can read this book: “In front of our eyes.” Thierry Meyssan
And you can also consult his website: “voltairenet.org”.
It is quite illuminating.
Larry, I have a good friend who is in the military, he was in the Yugoslavia war, and he is a seasoned professional. But one day, talking about pistol calibers, I mentioned .40 cal to him and he told me that caliber doesn’t exist. )
My respects and thanks for your great work for all of us.
That was the plan all along. Making Slavs kill Slavs for the benefit of the West. It already happended to South Slavs. Next ones to join the fray are Poles.
Rumor has it that Budanov fell into a coma and died without regaining consciousness, according to a UKR politician via word from the German Embassy. (Budanov was in Berlin in hospital).
If the US were willing to lend some technical help Budan would not need to die. He could live and make videos just like Bin Laden did. But Zelensky would have to sign off on that and he may not want to,
MIC and corruption.
As a result the US spends 3% of GDP (as Larry says perhaps 4% fully counted).
And gets a military that would cost 2% or maybe less in a well run country.
Other countries spend 2%
BUT this is peanuts.
Health – US spends 18% on health and get results that are worse than European countries get on 10-12%.
US corruption is everywhere. MIC is just a small part.
Anti-Russian propaganda has nothing to do with Russia – it is all about US denialism about its collapse from world leadership.
That is the big secret that MUST be denied.
Trump said Make America Great AGAIN. And everyone, Trump included, has been determined to deny anything has changed.
On the Kharkov withdrawal, I don’t think I have heard anyone really consider why 50k Russians were moved into areas which they could not hope to hold, not why 5k people were left to defend 6000 sqkm.
So 1. The initial military challenge was the well dug in military that had prepared for 8 years outside Donbas to kill Russian speaking civilians. That required a remarkable positioning of Russian Artillery between dug in Ukrainian forces and rebel region civilians.
Big challenge.
2. This was enabled by the Rajd or the distraction event. Note that the most serious fighting was West of Kiev, Hostomel airport, Bucha.
And note that the pull back was sudden and complete. But challenge 1 was completed.
(The US prediction of a Russian invasion was clearly never expected by Ukraine. Rather it was repeated so much to highlight what was supposed to be the start of the Russian effort, an attack directly on the prepared Ukrainian forces outside Donbas. The increased shelling was desired to provoke that and I daresay some false flag incident had been planned to increase the shelling soon.
3. That left 5k or so reservists or so defending huge amounts of territories. That Ukraine took so many months to regain that territory speaks volumes – about how confused and weak Ukraine was at that time. Probably the biggest lie of the war is that regaining the 6000 sqkm was an achievement rather than evidence of weakness and lack of leadership. (Mind true Ukrainian leaders would have only been considering a negotiation at that point.)
A great interview with my friend Aleks! One of the things I like about Aleks is that he has a way of asking the right questions (as he says, an “outside observer”–which identify the main issues.That applies both to the US– and to the Ukraine. Thank you for this — both of you!
“We are witnessing how war transforms a country and not for the better”.
Bravo, Larry! Great statement on the US.
Mutiny on Zaparozhe front line yesterday night. Ukros refuse to get pined down. Seems to intensify. Also videos of ukros standing by their Leopard and Bradley fuming carcasses like they dont give a damn anymore
Do you have sources? Vids?
Twitter / jacques freres
https://twitter.com/circonscripti18/status/1669627200746684416?s=46&t=V3QcL868ENqDSkk_irlMzg
Ukros surrender
Glad to see these Ukrainian soldiers have a chance at life again. I assume most of the ones being impressed into service would also like to avoid being sacrificed in this forlorn conflict but know if they don’t cooperate, their family members will be threatened by the Kiev regime. Does anyone have confirmation of this possibility?
The thinnest carrying the wounded, and the fattest with hands up their necks… Those two in the middle should be carrying the wounded….
Source? Telegram, what else. All frontline news/rumors/videos come from there. All other sources are mostly copy-pasting.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad/50992
https://t.me/intelslava/48875
https://t.me/NewResistance/20223
MSM recently published a list of (not)approved and (not)recommended Telegram channels in English language:
https://t.me/AussieCossack/7658
And also Miss Liu Sivaya. t.me/liusivaya
Only for those that understand Spanish, and like S&M outfit.
Larry despite what NATO, US and other countries (like Italy under the cleptocrat D’Alema did) Serbia is still existing and stay deep with roots in Europe!!!
[Irrelevant]
I was re-listening the Depeche mode discography yesterday. Then a wild question grow : what is politicians/military personnel implied in the Ukraine conflict was a depeche mode song ? So I did a playlist like someone would copy songs on an old Cassette player :
Side R :
Prigozhin : I just can’t get enough.
Choïgu : everything counts (in large amounts).
Lavrov : Policy of truth.
Gerasimov : To Have and to Hold
Maria Zakharova : Sweetest perfection.
Putin : Personal Jesus.
Side U :
Zhalujny : It’s no good.
Budanov : Enjoy the silence.
Zelensky : Just a question of time.
Nulland : Behind the wheel.
Kirby : Master and servant.
Biden : Never let you down.
Scholtz : I sometimes wish I was dead.
Bonus Track :
Xi : People are People (What can I do ?).
That’s all , a perfectly stupid and without any usefulness post of mine … but the title and sometimes the lyrics fits so well I felt kind of obliged to share ! (everything count has a very relevant lyrics).
ha ha I GET YOU!!!
lol
“Gen X” knows.
Love Depeche!
This should be must view. Getting the perspective and questions of people close to Russian is truly the only way to develop the correct perspective. Unfortunately in the US we have a climate of labeling anything close to understanding Russia’s perspective as being against the US. When Bush stood with his megaphone and claimed ‘you are either with us or against us’ will forever stand out in my mind as the start of this ideology. Nowhere is it allowed to question “our” decisions. The ‘infallibility of the pope’ thing is something I remember as a child. This arrogance and hubris is dangerous.
Thank you for clearing up the 9/11 conspiracy BS. It has always been a slightly nagging question. Reminds me of a quote ‘ Never assign to malice what can easily be explained by stupidity’.
Thank you Larry! You have become a daily read.
That’s called Hanlon’s Razor, a less well-know theory like Occam’s Razor
Speaking of 9/11 – I wonder if given Saudi Arabia’s new attitude toward the US, if the redacted portion of the evidence about Saudi government involvement will be declassified, or whether it would just generate too many questions?
“Ukraine is a transgender country.”
Excellent quote.
In Swampite dreams.
Also Millie, Austin, and all the Pentagon fat cats.
Much of the redacted 28 pages is largely known and supported by recent news implicating the Saudi’s supporting known hijackers:
https://www.floridabulldog.org/2023/04/ex-fbi-agents-accuse-top-cia-fbi-officials-9-11-coverup-cia-domestic-spying/
Perhaps a bit abstract, but could one of the problems be the feminization of the west?
I’ve often felt that VVP, when dealing with the west, at times must feel like a father going through a divorce and custody battle.
OT but worth a watch.
https://zerohedge.com/political/watch-rfk-jr-says-he-must-be-careful-cia-doesnt-assassinate-him
Larry, given your background, I would love to hear your thoughts on the jfk assassination.
UKRAINE SOLDIERS SHOWING SIGNS DONT WANT TO FIGHT> STARTING TO SURRENDER.
* Wednesday a group of Ukraine soldiers surrendered to the Russians to save their lives.
* Yesterday 20 more soldiers from the 28th mechanized brigade surrendered. They surrender after being deployed to the front. Upon arriving they witnessed the field strewn with fellow dead Ukraine soldiers. After surrender they told the Russians they did so because it was obvious they were sent on a suicide mission to be sacrificed to die.
* THEN WHILE PREPARING FOR A MAJOR OFFENSE LAST NIGHT THE 47th MECHANIZED BRIGADE (the whole Brigade) refused to follow orders and FIGHT. The offensive was delayed and the 47th was severely punished.
Ukraine soldiers are being sacrifices for the $100s of Billions invested by US and UK Investment Banks , Cargill, Monsanto, Shell, Chevron, etc. etc. etc. (Just one example as of Sept ’21 . . . two years ago . . . the US companies had bought 46,000,000 acres farmland in eastern Ukraine. Cargill even bought a grain export port just upstream from Odessa. Currently US Midwest farmland avg cost $4,000.00 /acres farmland. Investment Banks, Cargill, Monsanto, Shell Energy, Chevron, Exxon, etc. etc. etc. etc. .
“THEN WHILE PREPARING FOR A MAJOR OFFENSE LAST NIGHT THE 47th MECHANIZED BRIGADE (the whole Brigade) refused to follow orders and FIGHT. The offensive was delayed and the 47th was severely punished.”
47th brigade already took some beating, and is nowhere near whole. It is also one of their “elite” units. This version makes more sense, although it’s still nothing more than just a rumor:
“Judging by radio intercepts of the 47th and 82nd AFU brigades they have many soldiers who refused to fight and many wounded.”
https://t.me/Slavyangrad/51018
Thé Russians should confiscate that land from Cargill. To the last handful of soil. Who cares what Cargill parasites want. They already have enough loot around the world.
Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau both need a foreign enemy. It doesn’t matter that the war is going badly. It’s a time-honoured practice that goes back at least to the Nazis, and probably much further than that.
https://bruceohara.substack.com/p/justin-got-his-dirty-tricks-from
A good interview. Too bad Larry could not find a way to avoid answering the question about 9/11.
It puts a crimp in his credibility.
I gave an honest answer based on what I know from my experience. I’m always fascinated by people who believe the US Government is capable of running a complex conspiracy that remains hidden while that same group of people can’t even organize proper training for Ukrainian troops. Ditto for the U.S. misadventures in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, etc. How do you square that circle of incompetence?
Simple Larry. Two very different divisions of the Government. The Government can be very, very efficient and effective in some areas, such as income taxes. Any government can be stupid and careless in areas where it only matters to the poor citizens who are not getting the money’s worth out of “City Hall”. But you stroll down the hallway from the mayor’s office and such to the property tax division, and My Word! those folks don’t miss a thing!
The United States Federal Government exists on two tiers. The charade called Congress and the Presidency, which have no power; and the other tier is the permanent establishment, Trump’s Deep State which is composed of government “employees” who never lose their jobs. They are the apprachtnicks of the Deep State which is controlled by the real Power at the top of the Pyramid.
The real power has been working steadily for decades on eliminating the American Middle Class, infiltrating the education system starting at the colleges and working down from that. They are adept at theft in various forms and in various ways that most people do not even understand. Of late we’ve had General Accounting Office and others contend that 21 trillion dollars of the U.S. taxpayers money is missing. Donald rumsfeld said as much the day before 9/11. It’s on the record; look it up.
And that 21 trillion is probably just the tip of the iceberg of theft going on since the establishment of the banker’s Federal Reserve system (and income tax) in 1913. The top of the Pyramid pirates have been stealing from American for over a hundred years.
Look with that kind of money you can do ANYTHING. Buy anyone. Assassinate anyone. Take over countries. Steal elections. You name it. The Cabal in control of that mass of money can certainly afford protection. You can’t get near them. You probably do not even know their names. Guys like Soros and the late David Rockefeller may not even be at the top, though I reckon they are near.
Like you said Larry, after the USSR collapsed and the Cabal needed a new enemy they created Terrorism and that began with the Big Bang in NYC on September 11, 2001. You know that George W. Bush was clueless. Dick Cheney was installed at Bush’s VP to control him and he ran the 9/11 operation. There’s eye witness testimony to that effect.
You clearly have never worked for a US intelligence outfit.
You are clearly right!
I subscribe to this argument.
Based on the estimation that “the West” and therefore the USA, is more than anything a big marketing operation, since they are in control of the narrative through the iron control of the mass media in this part of the world (apart from the printing press of money); then they can make you believe that they are capable of doing unthinkable things for others, and control you by fear, until someone realizes that “the king is naked”.
But also remember, that when David figured out the trick, he was able to defeat Goliath with just one stone… and that’s what’s happening now with the so-called global South.
I am old enough to find myself, as one of my favorite comedians, Jonathan Winters, once said, in the low-altitude glide pattern before landing. I honestly don’t remember when was the last time someone thought me fascinating for so little.
Seriously…
Just because they are incompetent does not mean they don’t pull off dastardly deeds of huge impact that have their bloody thumbprints on them for any sentient person to see. It only means that it takes massive propaganda and repressive measures against free speech to stop us asking questions about it.
I have no idea how many Americans wondered if Mohamed Atta’s passport was found intact on the fire and ashes ruins of the Towers why didn’t we rush to analyze the indestructible material it was made of so we could use it for the fuselage of our planes. That is just one small example of the many incompetent lies. If there’s something that puzzles me is how come with such a long history of lying we never got any better at it. We are incompetent liars but pretty efficient destroyers.
Why would incompetence at just about all levels not coexist with the elite running a complex conspiracy? It is hard to find good help. They are not as discreet as English butlers. That is why Norman Minetta blurted out to the press about Chenney refusing to scramble planes to intercept the 19 Arab boys with boxcutters. Dumb goy. Even Silverman, not a goy, could no resist boasting that he had ordered, “Pull it.”
To paraphrase the deepest thinker (or the great wit) of the neocon coup of 9/11, Rummy, you don’t run a conspiracy with the operatives you wish you had, you run it with those you have. I guess you have to take chances with the “known unknowns.” Where is he now? If still alive he surely must be in the ‘glide pattern before landing’ by now.
No, it did not “remain hidden.” It remained sheltered from serious investigation.
If I were a devout believer in the existence of pigs that fly, for whatever reason, but I knew that most people viewed that idea with contempt, I know I would not be brave enough to proclaim my belief in public with steadfast sincerity. I’d be a coward and I’d just avoid any public mention of any porcine subject.
But that’s just me.
Hello, everyone!
Larry, I totally agree with what Mr. FGB3.
You can read this book: “In front of our eyes.” Thierry Meyssan
And you can also consult his website: “voltairenet.org”.
It is quite illuminating.
Larry, I have a good friend who is in the military, he was in the Yugoslavia war, and he is a seasoned professional. But one day, talking about pistol calibers, I mentioned .40 cal to him and he told me that caliber doesn’t exist. )
My respects and thanks for your great work for all of us.
Suddenly thought:
If casualty ratio is 10:1, then if you can get 2mn Ukies to die for their cause, you can get 200,000 Russians dead.
Considering France with a similar population lost similar amount in WW1, it would have seemed to be a good idea.
That was the plan all along. Making Slavs kill Slavs for the benefit of the West. It already happended to South Slavs. Next ones to join the fray are Poles.
Good intervieer and interviewee . Vid on Ukrainians surrendered. https://www.bitchute.com/video/1mr1pppKh5mW/
Rumor has it that Budanov fell into a coma and died without regaining consciousness, according to a UKR politician via word from the German Embassy. (Budanov was in Berlin in hospital).
If the US were willing to lend some technical help Budan would not need to die. He could live and make videos just like Bin Laden did. But Zelensky would have to sign off on that and he may not want to,
MIC and corruption.
As a result the US spends 3% of GDP (as Larry says perhaps 4% fully counted).
And gets a military that would cost 2% or maybe less in a well run country.
Other countries spend 2%
BUT this is peanuts.
Health – US spends 18% on health and get results that are worse than European countries get on 10-12%.
US corruption is everywhere. MIC is just a small part.
Anti-Russian propaganda has nothing to do with Russia – it is all about US denialism about its collapse from world leadership.
That is the big secret that MUST be denied.
Trump said Make America Great AGAIN. And everyone, Trump included, has been determined to deny anything has changed.
On the Kharkov withdrawal, I don’t think I have heard anyone really consider why 50k Russians were moved into areas which they could not hope to hold, not why 5k people were left to defend 6000 sqkm.
So 1. The initial military challenge was the well dug in military that had prepared for 8 years outside Donbas to kill Russian speaking civilians. That required a remarkable positioning of Russian Artillery between dug in Ukrainian forces and rebel region civilians.
Big challenge.
2. This was enabled by the Rajd or the distraction event. Note that the most serious fighting was West of Kiev, Hostomel airport, Bucha.
And note that the pull back was sudden and complete. But challenge 1 was completed.
(The US prediction of a Russian invasion was clearly never expected by Ukraine. Rather it was repeated so much to highlight what was supposed to be the start of the Russian effort, an attack directly on the prepared Ukrainian forces outside Donbas. The increased shelling was desired to provoke that and I daresay some false flag incident had been planned to increase the shelling soon.
3. That left 5k or so reservists or so defending huge amounts of territories. That Ukraine took so many months to regain that territory speaks volumes – about how confused and weak Ukraine was at that time. Probably the biggest lie of the war is that regaining the 6000 sqkm was an achievement rather than evidence of weakness and lack of leadership. (Mind true Ukrainian leaders would have only been considering a negotiation at that point.)