I want to touch on three issues. First, the dependence of the U.S. military industrial complex on rare earth minerals supplied by China and what that portends for war in the Pacific. Second, the bipartisan proposal in the U.S. Senate that is pushing the United States towards a nuclear confrontation with Russia. And finally, the psychotic break of Yevgeny Prigozhin and his suicide attempt.
The Financial Times published earlier this week dire news about the dependence of the U.S. Defense industry on rare earth minerals supplied by China:
Western manufacturers face the complex task of reducing risks associated with their operations in China, but completely severing ties with the country is an insurmountable challenge according to Greg Hayes, the CEO of Raytheon, one of the US’s major aerospace and defense companies.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Hayes emphasized that while de-risking is possible, full decoupling is not feasible for his company and others in the industry.
“We can de-risk but not decouple,” he said. “Think about the $500 billion of trade that goes from China to the US every year. More than 95% of rare earth materials or metals come from, or are processed in, China. There is no alternative.”
He further explained that if Raytheon were to withdraw from China, it would take many years to rebuild the necessary capabilities either domestically or in other friendly nations.
The three key points by Hayes:
- The U.S. defense industry CANNOT decouple from China.
- There is no mid-term alternative to the rare earth materials or metals mined or processed in China.
- It will take Raytheon and other members of the U.S. defense industry MANY YEARS to create alternative capabilities.
This is another card that China can play, if it chooses, to punish the West and handcuff its ability to mount a military operation against China — suspend the export of rare earth metals to U.S. and European military manufacturers. This will hinder, if not prevent, the continued production of combat air craft, cruise missiles and other weapons systems.
Entrepreneur Arnaud Bertrand’s wry observations sums it up:
This is hilarious. The boss of Raytheon, one of the US top weapons manufacturers, says the company has “several thousand suppliers in China and decoupling . . . is impossible”.
https://t.co/HngUrIBwAv
We need China to fight China… Actually good news, makes war less likely.
I hope he is right.
Next up is the insane, maniacal proposal by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Lindsey Graham.
US Senators Lindsey Graham (Republican) and Blumenthal (Democrat) introduced a bipartisan resolution declaring Russia’s use of nuclear weapons or the destruction of the occupied Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in Ukraine as an attack on NATO, which requires the application of Article 5 of NATO.
Senator Blumenthal: “This resolution is intended to send a signal to Vladimir Putin, and even more so to his military, that they will be destroyed. They will be destroyed if they use tactical nukes or blow up a nuclear plant.”
“Article 5 exists for a reason. It protects not only from the fact that a particular soldier crosses the border. But when the damage to our NATO allies (Poland) causes our obligations, when it comes from hostile forces, as would happen if there was a spread of radiation.”
To summarize — Graham and Blumenthal are proposing the U.S. Senate pass a resolution that would create a reason to invoke Article 5 and bring NATO full force into the war in Ukraine. This may be just a desperate propaganda ploy. It is not the first time that Graham and Blumenthal have teamed up to turn up the heat on the already boiling pot of U.S./Russian relations.
Last September, Senators Richard Blumenthal and Lindsey Graham submitted to Congress a new draft to include Russia in the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, bypassing the position of the State Department. That resolution was rejected by the Biden Administration.
Graham and Blumenthal, hell bent on going to war in Russia, went to Kiev in January 2023, accompanied by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and called on Biden to supply Western main battle tanks and F-16 fighters to Ukraine. I doubt that the subsequent decision of some NATO members — specifically the U.K., France and Germany — to send “modern tanks” to Ukraine was a consequence of the Graham/Blumenthal plea, but given the results of Ukraine’s counter offensive, those tanks have joined the ranks of cannon fodder and scrap metal.
The antics of Graham and Blumenthal are a reminder that the U.S. policy towards Russia and how to support Ukraine militarily is not a partisan issue. There is bipartisan support for the Biden policy and no powerful, credible voices are being raised in the United States to counter the madness of trying to provoke an expanded war with Russia.
Last, and certainly not least, we have what appears to be a coup attempt by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the figurehead of the Wagner Group. It is essential to understand that Prigozhin has no military experience and is not the “commander” of Wagner. Simplicius the Thinker provides a quick update of what is going on:
Prigozhin appears to have initiated a coup attempt. Information is still developing constantly so nothing is definitive or confirmed. That’s why I wanted to focus more on the potential causes rather than the speculative and constantly-changing informational noise. But just for those who may be completely unaware of the happenings:
Prigozhin published the following video claiming that the Russian MOD has “bombed” a Wagner rear area with many Wagner dead. The video, however, shows no dead and only what looks like some minor staged burning leaves. . . .
One thing that’s important to note is the incident appears, on the surface, to have come out of the blue. But in reality, things have been developing for quite a while. Most notably, if you’ll recall that the Russian MOD a few weeks back issued a new ruling for all volunteers and PMCs to register under the yoke of the Russian MOD. On the surface, the justification was to give equal ‘benefits’ to all volunteers that Russian servicemen get for their service.
I think Andrei Martyanov’s assessment is the most sound:
Well, Now It Could Be Stated Openly that Prigozhin is not only a criminal, but, highly likely, the asset of Ukie-NATO axis. A lot of things point out to that, including “rumors” (in reality, reliable information) of Prigozhin and some Wagner people providing information on positions of Russian Army to VSU. Per Wagner: I am on record–they are good storm group but as a serious force they are nothing without Russian Armed Forces. The media BS about them, as well as grossly exaggerated stories about Bakhmut have been designed primarily for the consumption of fanboys who masturbate on tactical minutiae. Me and my friends discussed it for months in the media e.g. PolitWera et al. So, this is over for Prigozhin and, eventually, for Wagner.
I do not know if this is a last minute desperate ploy by Prigozhin to try to thwart the Wagner Group from being put completely under the command of the Russian MOD, or if it is an elaborate psychological operation or if the man has suffered a catastrophic psychotic break. We will know by Monday if Prigozhin is a Russian version of Benedict Arnold or an actor on par with Richard Burton or Robert DeNiro. Come to think of it, Prigozhin’s demeanor reminds me a bit of DeNiro’s role as Al Capone:
Given the timing of Prigozhin’s eruption, which coincides with the disastrous lack of progress with the Ukrainian counter offensive, I am inclined, like Andrei, to believe that Prigozhin may have some anti-Putin oligarchs behind him and is trying to disrupt the Russian military successes on the battlefield. I think he will fail and I think he will not survive this scurrilous attack on the Russian Ministry of Defense.
However, Prigozhin’s crazed outburst could be an unprecedented Maskirovka move. If you have Russian troops moving in “response” to his call for a coup it could be a ploy to mask the concentration of Russian forces for an unexpected offensive. We will see.
Excellent analysis as always and full of essential facts. Its really hard to believe Graham and Blumenthal would propose an Article 5 declaration so idiotic and without legal basis that all of Europe would reject it, except for America’s puppet prime minister in London. I still find it hard to fathom British voters and even MPs would revolt over Sunak. German elections are still too far off, but the German people could reach a breaking point with Scholz and the neocon dark horse foreign minister, possibly a CIA plant? Thank you for presenting the facts on Prigozhin and the drama surrounding him. Yours and Simplicius’ theory is the most plausible. Regardless, I don’t think Putin has any other choice but to remove him and absorb Wagner into the Russian Army.
Sunak is only 25% behind in polls with 2024 election ahead
He has them where he wants them now.
The U.K. is getting ready to move from the faux-Conservative Globalists to the Far, Far Left Globalists in the next election. Whoever wins it, they will still be reporting to Langley, for the foreseeable future. I have family in London and they will vote for whomever is farthest Left, sad to say.
NATO member Turkey stands ready to deploy their army at the behest of Lie’n Lindsey and Danang Dick. Under the Bribed one’s command, of course.
“Actually good news, makes war less likely…”
Arnaud certainly doesn’t understand that such a situation would essentially give China impunity in the conduct of military operations. But who cares what the Chinese are doing, like bribing Biden, when you have all that US defense contract money coming your way.
Speaking of bribes, did you hear about the Biden’s? No? Good for the narrative, eh.
Why would you assume that Türkiye is going to act for the west? Erdogan plays a good game of footie with east and west. The observant might suggest Erdo is going to wait and see, just like always. There are unsolved animosities between Türkiye and their western neighbors. I would suggest that the next call for tourists might be; “Come to Türkiye and see the Acropolis”
Turkey will play the middle and win. Both sides want their armies for their side. Or at least to avoid them moving toward supporting their enemy by any means. Cat 1, mice 0.
Why would you bother to read the first comment in the string, other than to understand to whose comment mine was directed? Let me know if you need “Under the bribed one’s command ” explained to you also.
Michael,
There is literally No One To Vote For, the alternative is worse.
There is no democracy, it is all a charade to protect the establishment who actually run things from the shadows.
Things need to get really bad for the public to connect the dots.
Rgds
Jim
Pentagon has downgraded Wagner’s status from “Terrorist Organisation” to “Moderate Rebels”.
Russia follows suit, declaring the same. God bless the ‘rules-based international order’.
How on earth has this Prigozhin affair been left to fester for so long? This is unprecedented for the Russian military. We have never seen an open confrontation between a military underling and the Command lasting this long, or even coming to light for a moment.
Martyanov’s suggestion of treachery is certainly not far-fetched. Some time ago the man (Prigozhin) remarked that some of “his commanders” were foreigners, singling out a Norwegian and a US individual; is there high conspiracy here, even against the life of the President?
This turn of events seems to make Putin’s inaction in the matter very foolish indeed – as well as allowing the creation of a private army under the direction of an ambitious former convict (no wonder he has been so keen on recruiting convicts – the laws of fidelity of the criminal world give him a head start in any open rebellion)
Because he actually was useful. Now he has become a nuisance. To paraphrase George W. Bush, I think Prigozhin may have ‘misoverestimated’ his importance.
Well, Wagner’s now stood down and headed back to their camps per Prigozhin’s orders, so apparently they worked out some sweetheart deal, kind of like the DOJ and Junior.
Because it seems to be a huge psy-op to induce the Ukrainians to come out into the open with the bulk of their forces. At the same time a staged “coup” could be a technique to uncover infiltrated enemy assets/double agents inside Russia.
I think so too. IMHO, this looks like Putin’s counter move against the sixth columnists like Strelkov and similar ultra patriots whose main occupation is spewing hatred against the Russian government. They are growing more powerful, strident and dangerous day by day but as they are very careful about not crossing any red lines, there is little the officials can do against them legally. Putin cannot take cognizance of them because that will lower his prestige and give undeserved legitimacy to them. Then Putin moves his secret man Prigozhin who gains credibility for his work in Bakhmut and at the same time builds up an image that mirrors that of Strelkov and his ilk. At a convenient time, when there are no pressing matters at the Front, he gives a call for mutiny. NOW of course Putin is obliged to take cognizance. He speaks to the nation but does not refer to Prig by name. He refers to internal dissent, to 1917, to 1991. Clearly the 6th column has a bull’s eye painted on it. Now the next step would be that Prig is arrested and handed over to Military Police by his commanders. He undergoes a much publicized trial. His lawyer calls Strelkov and similar people as his witnesses who are forced to repeat under oath all that they have been writing. So the lawyer says “See poor Prig is as patriotic as these upright gentlemen and he believed them.” Now, the 6th columinsts are under the eye of the court. Putin has not said a word against them. And they and their readers are forced to admit in a very public manner that they were in error. All of them get a slap on the wrist. Prig is pardoned by Putin in view of his work in Bakhmut but is forced to move out of Wagner. All is well. No 6th column any more. Checkmate!
Its a January 6 situation. Create a crisis, or allow (and exaggerate) one, to justify a political program you have had in the works.
Nonsense.
I’ve written before and been attached for it, saying the confidence of the West does not come from nowhere. They are not as stupid obviously as people like Maryanov think.
Sugar coast and play let’s pretend but Russia has a serious problem. This guy is either a patriot who thinks things are super fucked up and is mad as hell or he was bought with his bitches ages ago.
This fucks not just Ukraine but every where Russia has put Wagner
Seems like the critics were not so wrong after all.
That said this is bittersweet as I want a multipolar world.
Question is who else in Russia have they bought because this is not accidental the West must be laughing their pants off. Russia has alot of corrupt fat guys
Shoigu also running his own mercenary unit. Wouldn’t surprise me if he’s in it.
This looks fucked. Period.
welcome back troll , it is funny you returned here to spew lies and FUD here at the same time the internet forum everywhere also filled with western trolls posting similar stuff as your’s
I belive “concern troll” is the proper term.
That and to put the fear of Jesus into western circles (assuming he’s not working in their interests).
Putin’s at least predictable. The West might like to instill chaos in their targets but there are limits, even with them. Lest they all go flying off into nuclear oblivion like a Leopard turret.
The west already has one loose cannon nut job called Ukraine to deal with. Then there are the western nut jobs. West’s hands are full already. The tragicomedy of western meddling marches on.
Leopard 2 turret is not good at flying off at all, because it’s way to heavy. It’s more of a “fizzle out” or “roll over” type. I don’t know about Leopard 1, because they have never been used in combat.
I would like to believe your take on attempted coupe is very plausible.
Are there left over Oligarchs in Russia today, who want to see Putin dethroned: YES.
Is the name ”Wagner” a German name associated with NAZI 3rd Reich: YES
Is Russia infiltrated by both foreign and domestic enemies: YES
How does Putin get rid of domestic enemies without being accused of being a dictator?
By giving them a chance to betray their Nation.
The betrayal will make the Russians people demand that the traitors be imprisoned.
Why would Putin risk letting Prigozhin cook his dinner?
Old Proverb: Keep you friends close, but your enemies even closer.
Btw:
Denmark is today hosting a summit for BRICKs Nations on behalf of Zelensky and Biden council Jake Sullivan, in order to convince Bricks Nations to betray Russia.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/biden-dispatches-sullivan-nuland-convince-war-skeptics-brics-turn-against-russia
And this ‘coup’ will help.
Yeah, I’m sure that’ll go over like a lead BRICK.
Richard Wagner died February 13, 1883, Venice, Italy. What has that got to do with NAZI and the 3rd Reich. Hollywood’s beloved and highly successful Hans Zimmer, who scored many blockbusters: Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, Last Samurai, Dune, Inception, Interstellar, The Dark Knight, the Lion King ….. Zimmer was sued for rights violation of Wagner’s music. Sounds just like him. Musical genius has nothing to do with 3rd Reich.
Wagner’s body of work is often described as paleo nationalist. He often took up germanic mythology and other folklore, which is intertwined with historical antisemitism i.e forcing non-christians to become money lenders, doctors, ghettoisation and pogroms, sense of superiority etc.
German propagandists happily coopted those themes into their mythology.
Just becasue you like music, it doesn’t mean it’s devoid of it’s historical context, nor does it imply that you’re a bad person for enjoying it.
Like that ancient dutch “Learn English” commercial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUEkOVdUjHc
That is very funny. It is Laugh Out Loud funny.
Hey, it’s Amsterdam. No biggie.
For those that might not know, it’s a real song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU8T7oY0iO8
I expect Beethoven was OK because he was…. Black?
No, Beethoven was more than OK because he had heart and soul, not Wagnerian schmalz.
Well, if you like stuffy old operas and the smell of velvet curtains, cigars and jackboots in 19th century concert halls.
Give me Stravinsky’s Rights of Spring any day. Wild and wooly Slavs at their best.
“Is the name ”Wagner” a German name associated with NAZI 3rd Reich: YES”
Hitler also liked dogs. Hence, dogs are associated with Nazis. Every German Shepherd owner must be a Neo-Nazi.
Hitler disliked smoking. Are strict smoking bans associated with Nazis? I’ve read somewhere, that some Germans think they are (smokers probably).
Hitler was a vegetarian. Never trust a vegetarian.
Considering the all those vegans supporting “the current thing”, and waving Ukro flags, you might be onto someting there.
Now we know why Prigozhin was so infuriated over the slow-burn through Bakhmut, many of his most experienced convict fighters/officers were killed or wounded, reducing the potential success of his future treasonous actions. He may also have been stockpiling weapons on the side, hence the continual agitation for MORE. Time will tell if the entire Wagner command structure is involved, or just a Nuland-NeoCon/CIA/Mossad/Soros splinter group.
The convicts would be easy to convince to make a bid for more than being freed, “time served”, in return for being well-paid to kill. That’s the thing about mercenaries, they do whatever those supplying the Captagon and paying the bills demand. If this isn’t a big Russian psyop, Putin has learned a hard lesson in who to NOT to trust.
As for Prigozihn being a mole since his “chef” days, Trudeau, Freeland and Singh were Rothschild/WEF/Soros moles for decades, Trudeau being one of the first WEF graduates, along with Merkel, in 1992. The fact Prigozhin has revealed himself now potentially shows how grave the situation is ON EITHER SIDE.
Would Putin risk a civil war to root out any high-level, Yeltisin-era traitors remaining in Russia? Or is the Nuland/Soros power-grab in real danger of failing, demolishing the Rothschild Project with it? Is this the Soros Cabal stepping out of the Rothschild umbrella, trying to seize Russia as the NeoCon Cabal attempt to seize Canada is not going well?
Macron is running around the world carrying the Rothschild water, looking for support in Africa and China, but doesn’t seem to be getting media support for this from the Nuland Cabal. “Peace” from the Rothschild camp means screwing all comers, even Schwab if it becomes clear he has sided with Soros.
My guess at this point? I think this “rebellion” move is indicative of desperation from the Nuland/Soros/NeoCon Cabal, seeing their vaunted Ukie/ZATO armies being demolished, one after another with diminishing future prospects. They realized given the complete failure of the Spring (sic) Offensive, they didn’t have the votes at the ZATO Vilnius meeting to flip Air Defender into an open US assault on Russia. No point in providing air cover for an army that doesn’t exist. Having air superiority in Syria didn’t oust Assad…
But like the “Titanic submersible crisis”, the reality will come to light soon enough, for good or for ill.
Excellent points– there is nothing more “fun”(sic) to watch then two organized criminal syndicates fight it out for who gets to lead the world and take everything we have. The First indication of the cracks in their “alliance” was a year ago when almost 100 yr old Kissinger was trotted out to effectively tell the Nuland camp to move onto the next losing war attempt (40 yrs and bupkis) But old Nazis with a grudge — Nuland and her ancestors are worse than a dog with a bone.- blind to reality. May it kill them.
Yup, also Freeland trying to finally erase her sordid Chomiak family history as well as her own neo-nazi insurrectionist activities when she was a student, supposedly studying the Ukrainian language (which she grew up speaking at home) at university in Kiev. Freeland was sanctioned and placed on a watch list by Russia in 2014.
There are photos of Freeland and Trudeau listening raptly at the knee of Soros Sr.
Agreed, but to what faction does Kissinger give his allegiance? Most probably the Rothschilds, as like Macron, he was trying to stop the Ukraine Debacle from drawing any further attention to the 200+-year-old Rothschild Pinky and the Brain project.
“These are not the pan-generational sociopaths you are looking for.” But apparently the Dark Force is not strong in Kissinger anymore… Jedi Master Putin listened politely, then sent Old Hank on his way back to the Old Sith retirement home.
Given the US idiocy towards China of the last week or so, I expect Xi and the BRICS/SCO etc. will simply remain the immovable object behind Russia’s unstoppable force.
Nice turn of phrase there at the end.
Kadyrov said he earlier had a heart to heart with Prigozhin and he revealed that St Pete’s mayor hadn’t given his daughter the plot of land he’d promised, or some such.
It’s a shitshow. The best part though is how all the west rallied around the guy that was decimating the AFU weeks before, with their fingers crossed praying “I hope he can, I hope he can.”
Does the world really need such idiots? And they want to run it to boot. Good grief.
West suddenly supporting Prigozin is all one need to know. He transitioned over night from terrorist into freedom fighting moderate rebel. He is now one of the trans people.
Prigozhin is on CIA payroll by now.
Quiet weekends are overated (laughing)!
Da Nang dick and friend of dick lindsie are upsetting, but not dangerous, at least not yet.
Simplicius76 is on point with this Prigozhin developing situation. His monitoring, sources, and analysis continue to be top-notch. Visual image can be powerful. Surovikin’s message with prop makes a powerful statement. Would have liked to Gerasimov’s, even if not yet in translation as well.
Prigozhin is dangerous. Been wondering for some time why his rants have not been squelched. Seemed that if he didn’t have high level support and protection, and the rants weren’t, ultimately a psyop, the fun-factor would have expired long ago. Unless…Andrei’s take, which does explain a lot of the drama, is on point. If Prigozhin was allowed to continue because of high-level backing and this is not another psyop, then he was allowed to continue to expose and ‘get the goods’ on his enablers, perhaps. Cleanup in aisle ‘P’ coming?
…Or it was an elaborate Maskirovka.
No casulties, Just a march down a road, that was allowed by RG. No downed helicopters or planes – the only video was of a plume of smoke in the distance, across an open field behind a tree line, with a couple of farm(?) buildings at the corners of the foreground to focus and provide perspective.
After a nice talk with Pres. Lukashenko, Proigozhen goes to Belarus, no charges, investigation dropped. Nothing to see here!
Except, increased securing at key cities, increased air defenses and movement of troops to behind the front to stop the ‘threat’ and to ‘disarm’ and vet the Wagner musicians that calmly went back to thier near frontline bases and put down thier arms… and patiently wait for their’exit’ interviews from service and bonuses.
Sure, works for me. Not expecting anything at all to happen over the next short while. Back to a boring regular weekend! Or, am I missing more….
… and also a CTO in certain areas (to be cancelled, to be sure, but “very shortly” – not like right now).
At the same time Kiev is being bombarded so was this just another Telegram distraction, remember last time there was a Wagner drama scene that amounted to nothing.
Let’s drop Danang Dick and Linda Graham off in Ukraine with a full complement of whatever infantry gear they need to fit the Untermenschen. Or maybe Danang Dick’s children and grandchildren. Linda obviously doesn’t have kids as she likes dudes.
Putin is utterly incompetent if this coup attempt by oligarchs is the real deal. I felt this way when Russia went in light which caused NATO to continually escalate. Red lines crossed so much NATO is basically directing, funding and arming the war now. Now this coup attempt when Putin was warned for months of loose cannon Prigozhin. Civil war in Russia will certainly lose Russia the war. Russia looks like Sudan not a first world country so the geoplotical war it will lose as well.
Lmao ok officer.
really?
^
^ This is what happens when you fall off the turnip truck too many times.
Vlad & Prigzy, one MAN and his dog.
Is always best to say nothing and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
“Fools rush in where sane men fear to tread.” Like Nuland, for example.
Bat Masterson
Defending your country against powerful individuals who genuinely are out to get you is a piece of piss. Steve and I could do it blindfolded.
Of course Putin is utterly incompetent. Everyone else would do a better job at leading Russia, especially random idiots on the Internet.
Well, we do have lots of ideas. Don’t that count for sumthin’? 😉
Prigozhin – haven’t been following his antics in detail but can’t help thinking it’s theatre to make us falsely believe the Russian leadership is divided. Surely a genuine opposition/coup plotter would be going around more quietly garnering support.
Graham and Blumenthal – despicable war mongers with no “skin in the game” – put them at ground zero and let’em fry.
Rare earths – reminds of the classic Billy Holiday song “God Bless the Child (that’s got its own.)”
Yes, it seems odd. Having decided to carry out a coup in Russia, that one immediately marches to Rostov on Don, rather than Moscow or St Petes. Perhaps geography isn’t Mr Prigozhin’s strongest subject, or he was confused reading the map and took a wrong turn in the dark wee hours?
There’s something very odd about this. Whilst it’s an emerging situation, yet to play out, it strikes me to have all the careful planning and attention to detail one’s come to expect of a neocon operation. It seems so brilliantly thought through, the kind of strategic political genius one might expect of Blinken or Biden.
Why now? For what purpose? Who benefits?
“There’s something very odd about this.”
And by something, you mean everything. 🙂
About Prigozhin I agree but I think it’s even more serious. And eventually Prigozhin doesn’t even have a clue. He may think he has the support of some oligarchs to stay in Wagner but he doesn’t know who is behind these oligarchs with interests outside Russia. Like Soros or the CIA. Because what is happening today is the big goal of the US in the conflict in Ukraine. Destabilize Russia and try to overthrow Putin. Even if today it is too risky to comment because Russian public television itself has warned that there is already a lot of external disinformation that may even imply false statements by Prigozhin!
But above all, I wanted to point out that with so much anti-Russian propaganda over the past two years, today many Russians look like Ukrainians in denial. And continue to push the troll Prigozhin version. Not attaching any importance to the fact that we see all public authorities in Russia moving. From televisions, TAS, Justice, Parliament, FSB, Rosgvardyia, etc. Perhaps they are all part of a military psyop. I don’t think so, as I said. For me Prigozhin should have disappeared soon when he defamed the Russian Federation and the Chechen state together. And today, being his statements, he only questions all of Russia’s intervention in Ukraine.
“the application of Article 5 of NATO.”
Requires that we get together and talk about it, that’s it.
The timing of Prigozhin’s meltdown and all the coverage is interesting. Always on a Friday!
Still we should know by Monday, what can happen in 72 hours?
The best explanation is that after the disastrous Ukrainian offensive, a big psyops effort began with faked videos of Prigozhin to distract people and keep the war alive. “See the Ruskies are cracking! Keep fighting!”
Interestingly enough, that explanation also works well from the other side.
From Russia’s POV, the Ukro offensive is a great thing that lets them efficiently destroy large amounts of equipment and troops. The greatest risk IMO is that the Ukro get smart, retreat into fortifications, and “turtle up” in a manner that means Russia faces multiple Bakhmut type scenarios.
So, Prigozhin is told or tricked by the Russian side into acting up (in a remote = safe location, no less) with the result that the Ukro feel encouraged and continue the disastrous offensive.
Well we all enjoy a nice, simple shoot out at the OK corral.
BUT this is a much a messier, complicated deception based the Mind War evolving in real time and real blood. When hunting for sharks in a sea of predators and prey, they best bait is live bait…the more familiar, splashy, and noisy, the better. The first hint of blood pulls in a swarm of frenzied feeders who never notice the cage closing around them. Then the old fisherman quietly spears them one by one.
Or as some wise person once said, believe only half of what you see, and none of what you hear.
The big issue is the rare minerals. As I’ve mentioned before, the US relies on “competitors: or “enemies” for critical elements such as chrome. No chrome, no stainless or chrome moly steels. Not titanium, from, oh, Russia or Ukraine, and a shortage of key aerospace parts. And, even if they got the minerals, they can’t process them. Great job of de-industrializing.
Sissy Graham and Bloomers didn’t get the memo on Russian missiles – try a first strike on Russia and get blasted off the map before the first one lands, that is if any get past Russian defenses.
Prigozhin is a conundrum, maybe he forgot his meds or something. I see an arrest warrant was issued for him, so it seems he shot his yip off one too many times. The arrest warrant, if it’s true (not sure on Sputnik, RT) would point to a more nefarious possibility that he was working both sides of the fence. We’ll see how that plays out. “Wagner” seems to be finished as an independent unit and as suggested may get absorbed by the Russian military.
The whole thing could also signal there’s something else in the works, much bigger where Wagner doesn’t have a “starring role.” That would set off Prigozhin too, as he loves the limelight. In that case it could just be sour grapes, but still and him in the same shit pile. If Russia kicks it up a notch or two and gets some bigger play going, I’d conclude it’s sour grapes. If the status quo stays, then maybe he’s taking cash from both sides. The Ukies did get a few embarrassing shots in, so maybe they got some inside intel. We’ll see how it all plays out.
As it is, Ukraine is the documentary that highlights NATO weaknesses and limitations. Even if they try to ramp up production, they need raw and/or processed materials. To get those, they need friends. That might be the problem.
Australia has plenty of rare earth deposits, and has been talking up the advantages of developing a processing industry within the country to take market share from the Chinese.
The largest Australian company in the rare earth business (Lynas Rare Earth) already has a very large processing facility in Malaysia, and already is building another in Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
So, yeah, the USA is dependent upon China for rare earths now, but it may not take that many years to decouple.
I don’t think that all events would just freeze for “not that many years” to pass. Rare eart stuff decoupling is not the end goal, but just one part of much bigger picture that is constantly evolving.
Or there may not be anything happening. The Wagner headquarters in St Pete isn’t surrounded by military, gunfire, people on the ground, or helicopters. And Rostov officials have been calm saying nothing happening there either.
https://t.me/s/Slavyangrad/51937
Prigozhin does hate Shoigu and doesn’t like the idea of Wagner being integrated into the regular Russian military as they lose their independence of action per Ritter, which is what he feels made them successful because they were able to do what they needed. Besides, he admitted before with the artillery rant in Bakhmut, that he wanted to create the impression they lacked ammo to suck in Ukronazis. I dunno. I think it will take a few days to know what’s really going on. However, I have heard the Ukronazis did try to amass on Bakhmut but were bombed. I heard UK and RF telegram channels were also claiming lots of bombs dropped all around.
Prigozhin now looks like Vlasov and that is dangerous for everyone in Wagner
Yes maybe a 3D Chess Psyops, ….
Why? …
With the failed conter-offensive, no perspectives other than escalation with only limited (radical) options left to choose …..Ukraine & NATO are now desparate and may do something really dumb like start WW3.
Well giving hope and distilling doutes that something might change (in Moscow) in the course of this war could calm down some of the “full monty” warmongers in Washington…
“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak” – Sun Tzu, The Art of War.
Those accounting errors are bribes to Prighozin?
Medvedev will not hesitate to push the button and the empire of sodomy and lies wants this outcome?
If China cuts us off from rare earth metals (and antipsychotic drugs), we’ll cut them off from Fast and Furious 11. They better be careful.
Seems to me like a Russian MOD psyop. I’ve long suspected Pirogzin of being a tool in psychological warfare. He regularly plays into western delusional beliefs – that Russians are divided, incompetent, undersupplied, etc.
The west and Ukraine are just now beginning to wake fron their dream of “a glorious Ukranian master race victory using superior western wunderwaffen to crush the inferior Russian untermensch army.” They have fed 10,000 men and hundreds of tanks and pieces of heavy equipement into the grinder, and are now beginning to wake from their dream as reality sets in. How to set them back on the path of delusional suicide?
Play into their delusions and biases. They want to believe Russia is divided, there is a massive amount of Russians who secretly hate Putin and are waiting for just the right chance to rise up and overthrow him. Take their delusional propaganda narrative and play it out before them. The infantalized west, currently unable to differentiate fantasy fron reality and desperate for the instantaneous emotional satisfaction they belueve is their right, will eat it up.
Result? Further pressure from the west for more suicidal ukranian attacks, believing that”Putin is on the ropes and if we just crank up the pressure a little more, he’ll be overthrown and the west will have total victory and the end of history and we can control the whole world in a glrious thousand year reich!”
Just play into the fantasies of the emtionally stunted man children, and they’ll fall for it every time….
“….there is a massive amount of Russians who secretly hate Putin”
Rubbish, he has more support from the public than any other president/PM/dictator anywhere.
Can anyone here explain to me how Prigozhin gives 24 hours notice that he is going to Rostov and still takes the host city of the Southern Military District? Russia has no soldiers in Russia? Will he also take Moscow? I already read a joke saying that in 2023 The Russian army is 2nd Army in Russia! Maybe Andrei Martyanov needs to write another book.
I very sincerely still hope that the MOD resolves the situation quickly and immediately disbands Wagner and incorporates the men into the Russian Army. As soon as possible so as not to affect the morale of Russian troops in Ukraine. That I think they would even like to see Wagner dissolved and their men incorporated into the Russian Army. But it is essential that the Russian MOD act quickly in arresting Prigozhin!
P.S. The humiliating situation of Surovikin who needed to record a video with a gun after being threatened by Wagner’s Telegram for leaving Kherson is regrettable. As well as other Generals of the Russian Army. Prigozhin should have been stopped many months ago!
In the wake of Prigozhin’s meltdown, various pro-Ukraine voice in the West are saying “See? Now’s the time to re-start the ‘counteroffensive’.” Russia commanders have probably been disappointed that the Ukie offensive has been called off. They’d have preferred it to continue until all of the Ukraine’s military had been utterly destroyed. So, it’s not inconceivable that Prigozhin’s show of disunity was staged to goad the Ukraine into feeding more soldiers into the meat grinder. That would be a complicated plot, though – one that might not work. It’s probably most likely that Prigozhin had a breakdown.
Do you collect fantasies? Do you think he took Rostov with a collapse? A collapse of rubles!
Yeah I wrote that comment before more details came out.
The Graham/Blumenthal resolution only poses risk in the event of a Ukrainian false flag (probably a dirty bomb) or an American false flag (using a tactical nuke and blaming Russia). Russia won’t use a nuke first. Graham could be setting up a false flag, but he also seems dumb enough to worry about a Russian first use. Either way, he’s a dangerous dolt.
Just checked with the Garden Gnomes.
I believe the Russians are moving.
“US Senators Lindsey Graham (Republican) and Blumenthal (Democrat) introduced a bipartisan resolution declaring Russia’s use of nuclear weapons or the destruction of the occupied Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in Ukraine as an attack on NATO, which requires the application of Article 5 of NATO.”
There is a grand plan afoot IMHO. Zelensky has been warning that the Russians are planning an attack on the Zaporozhye PP. Notwithstanding, he is desperate to save his skin and keep those $US and desirable weapons coming because he’s not cracking it, they are planning to attack the ZPP, blame it on the Russians, act suitably shocked and horrified, then NATO (i.e. the US/UK – the idiotic psychopathic contingency anyway) can enter the war.
There is an arrest warrant out for fraud charges on Yevgeny Prigozhin in the District of Columbia, I think he has been bought, he knows he will get picked up as soon as he sets foot in any country in the world who America can bully or threaten to arrest him, means he can’t travel or his travel is seriously restricted, maybe promise to drop the charges and remove all restrictions on his movement. Could even have been bought financially is he slanders the Russia military and damages its reputation world wide. Let face it Biden is bribing Modi, Prigozhin will be much cheaper than bribing India and we can see that India is taking the bribe to break up BRICS. As a British I never trusted Indians and I worked with plenty in Bradford, Yorkshire
He is a crook and crooks do what crooks do, he will look after his own skin and freedom before mother Russia which for him is just another business transaction,
My Mum gre up in Inja and used to give the locals in Tooting a hard time in Urdu and Hindustani.
Beware, she always maintained that they always poisoned their enemies.
Look around at the number of cases in you area Les.
Breaking: the coup has been officially declared in Russian media outlets and now, we know who Prighozin was working for all along…. Anyone’s guess??? In short, never ever trust mercs. I’d suggest reading a few history books to get a confirmation. Ramzan Kadyrov and the Chechens knew all along who Prighozin was and then we have to hand it to Larry’s buddy, Andrei Martynov who has been letting it leak for a while now what was really going on behind the scenes with Prighozin and the Russian DoD. Clear now as to why it took so long for Wagner to take over Bakhmut??????? The Chechens took much bigger Mariupol in a lot less time.
I tend to disagree with this (and martianov’s) on this subject. Time will tell…
To me, everytime prighozin made a rant about poor supply, complaining about MOD, etc… was when Ukraine was slowing the defense of Bakhmut. The effect has always been to bring more men and materiel in frant of the wagner troop to be destroyed.
Prighozin has always saif what the western press wanted to hear, and they swallowed his rants each time with such pleasure and no critical eye, so happy to be proved right that russian army is failing, badly organised, divided, russian top level on the verge of a coup, etc… To me, prighozin’s purpose has been to feed this narrative (while doing the opposite of what he was saying, and fighting quite well for a man with no ammo and no support).
I believe it took so long in bakhmut, because the purpose was not to take it quickly, but to do the fight in a location that seemed interesting and better for Russians with a good control of the ukrainians logisitcs. Taking Bakhmut quickly would have taken the next fight to Chasov Yar, which was maybe more favourable to Ukrainians? I have no expertise on the matter, just what I understand from my readings of others more experts than I.
So, what is different today? counteroffensive failed, Ukraine tanking and hesitating, they need a booster to keep going.
But then, if I am right, that’s a massive deception move, very complex to keep secret to be efficient, and the last one possible using prighozin, who will have to be put to retirement after that. So I hardly believe myself my theory. But a real coup seems too unprobable to me. Wagners mercs are russians before all (I believe, not foreigners), fighting for money, but also for their country. Would they all follow their leader in such a weird move? No one would try to quit and alert the russian govt? FSB must have human intel within wagner. I just find it too hard to believe this could really happen like that so easily.
And martianov, if he does the same analysis, and wants to help russia, would not want to uncover it, it is much more useful for everybody to believe it as real.
That’s where Larry would give us some interesting insight : how does the intel community analyse such open intel? Are they just happy it confirms their analysis of a divided russian elite, or do they weight all possiblities, including that they could be lied to and manipulated big time?
I don’t know if Prigozhin is having a nervous breakdown or not.
But you better remember that he’s just Wagner’s figurehead. Wagner was created by the GRU for external operation purpose in places it was not convenient for the Russian army to be sure!
But you gotta remember that Wagner Chain of command and even the majority of it’s member are all former military and/or special forces!
in Particular all the Wagner “Commanders” are former officers from lieutenant to major.
So Wagner rebelling is BS!
You may have a point, TheKrauzer, here’s a picture of Prigozhin talking to Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, the Deputy Defence Minister of the Russian Federation and the Chief of Staff Vladimir Alexeyev in the Rostov’s HQ.
https://politikus.info/v-rossii/153010-chvk-vagner-v-shtabe-yuvo-v-rostove.html
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2023/06/24/we-re-saving-russia
Btw, the Meduza outfit is good for info, but slanted against Putin.
Yep And martyanov that our dear blogger cites a lot is nice but he better remember the Russian term “Mazkirovka”
And the way operation Bagration was realized
“U.S. MILITARY SHACKLED TO CHINA BECAUSE OF RARE EARTH MINERALS”
These Gordians.
They don’t limit their knots but build fishing nets from collections of them, encouraging fish to wriggle in the netting dissipating efforts in attempts to “break free”, whilst increasing the export markets for knots.
Prigozhin is an Oligarch. He was playing a double game all the time, hoping Russians would be softer to “good oligarchs”. Notice he was always near the frontlines – qiite weird, no? The Russians realized he could anytime turn against them and pulled him back so he could not switch sides, as Oligarchs love to do for their only goal is money & power – they care for nothing else. Once he realized his plans were busted, he went mental. Now he is going to the Uranium mines for an eternal rest. I am almost certain that the Nulands were expecting him to stab Russia in the back during the counter-offensive, yet the Russians are not so stupid. He was the last hope for the Neocons – the counter-offensive would pierce through Wagner and create havoc for Russia. Game over.
“Senator Blumenthal: “This resolution is intended to send a signal to Vladimir Putin, and even more so to his military, that they will be destroyed. They will be destroyed if they use tactical nukes or blow up a nuclear plant.””
Apparently Mr. Blumenthal has not attentively read Presidential Decree Number 355 of The Russian Federation signed into law by Mr. Putin of 2nd June 2020 since Mr. Blumenthal hopes to send a copy of some of its contents to Mr. Putin – namely “They will be destroyed if they use tactical nukes or blow up a nuclear plant.”
First of all, the reason for a war with China could be exactly that: rare earths. If I don´t want to get on with China on a fair and equal basis (all are dispensable nations if you follow Obama and how can they be equals at the same time) and you need those rare earths then you have to take them. It happened before during the British Empire´s far east adventure. As a side effect, the USA would also control the cheap labor needed to keep things going.
The idea to evoke NATO´S Article 5, taken into context with the shelling of the power plant by the Ukies and the things Mr. Z has been sprouting about mines and the Russian destruction plans would open a way to get NATO involved as hoped for. If this idea finds followers then a false flag attack on this power plant is more likely than not.
Regarding Wagner I have, from the start worried how they could be integrated into the Russian military system. They had been built up as a super fighting force and “heroes”. I thought then that they could turn into a state inside a state. Or an army inside an army.
With their popularity it would be difficult for Putin and his Ministers to reign this organization in. This process seems, now to begin.
“We will see.”
No you will more likely continue to interpret/project/speculate within limited frameworks as a function of the illusions that “seeing is believing/what you see is what you get”.
https://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/2023/06/putin-verbatim.html
https://strategic-culture.org/news/2023/06/23/ukraine-human-organ-and-child-prostitution-trafficking-industries-does-only-russia-maria-zakharova-still-care/
With wide applications.
” I am inclined, like Andrei, to believe that Prigozhin may have some anti-Putin oligarchs behind him”
khodorkovsky the treasonous Russian jew has publicly supported him on his tg channel.
Everywhere you look, treacherous jews. I’m afraid to go to my local bagel shop any more after reading your posts. My dentist might needlessly pull my tooth just so his daughter can wish on a pillow. Is he really a sadist? Aaron Copland might have planted subliminal messaging in my beloved Appalachian Spring, turning me into a werewolf. Where will it all end? Please stop, you’re unnerving me.
“My dentist might needlessly pull my tooth just so his daughter can wish on a pillow.”
You will also get bonus unnecessary opioids to go with that.
https://dentalandpodiatricmalpractice.com/unnecessary-teeth-extractions/
https://www.vox.com/2015/1/13/7539983/wisdom-teeth-necessary
https://lowninstitute.org/unnecessary-wisdom-tooth-removal-and-opioid-overprescribing-go-hand-in-hand/
https://www.sciencealert.com/no-you-probably-don-t-need-to-get-your-wisdom-teeth-removed-ever
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/unwise-and-unnecessary-opioids-for-wisdom-teeth-extractions/2019/03/01/f3600a3c-2e33-11e9-86ab-5d02109aeb01_story.html
I think Martyanov’s remark about collusion with Russian Oligarch’s is the first really logical and cogent argument I have seen.
We know Mr. Putin is very legalistic, We know the oligarch’s did not want this war – can’t get to their palaces in UK etc. We know The internal economic policies in Russia is working and the economy is doing fine, relatively small loasses on the battlefield, Russia is winning the war.
So what do you do if you are an oligarch??
A putch! ,
You talk with western powers who promise you can have your yachts back and do as you like in Russia, as long as Mr. Putin is stopped.
As long as they aren’t showing their hands what can the legalistic Mr. Putin do?
But give Mr. Prigozhin enough rope and use him to draw out the other plotters and you have a perfect legal case and can stop this internal fifth column activity
Prighozin has made his military “career” of going off the rails, sucking Ukes into traps only to be decimated by Wagner et al.
Each time, he has escalated his crazy over the prior episode. Each time has ended the same way.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence or he would have been shut down long ago.
This time US has been obviously setting up nuke false flag.
I’m leaning toward Lucy the football, with all or nothing stakes this time around.
Well, it’s a real rebellion. Wagner has shot down three helicopters and an AN26 cargo plane, and controls the military airfield near Rostov, The Russians have blown up their own M4 highway to Moscow to impede the Wagner Forces, and Moscow the city itself is locked down. One needs to keep up:
https://avia-pro.net/
It’s a Russian outlet, not a pro-Wagner site. Been around for years.
Martyanov? Pfft.
Pinch me, I’m dreaming. Pfft
The guy’s either mental or he has secured backing either within Russia or from the outside, the might of the NATO’s Air power hasn’t yet moved back to the their bases, the fact that no MSM said anything about the biggest NATO exercise ever which lasted ten days ended two days ago could be a hint of things to come, Prigozhin can hardly afford making a deal directly with the West, the Russian unwashed wouldn’t like it, go for it, it would be his undoing, but he may camouflage it doing a deal with Kiev arguing ‘why should a brother kill a brother’.
On balance, one’s inclined to think the man’s a fruitcake, he has 25,000 fighters, there’s no sign of the regular Russian troops joining him in numbers of at all, he cannot but lose.
It would be of interest to know China’s take on the attempted coup, she can hardly afford to be surrounded on the north with a power even mildly sympathetic to the West.
“This is another card that China can play, if it chooses, to punish the West and handcuff its ability to mount a military operation against China — suspend the export of rare earth metals to U.S. and European military manufacturers.”
A card like that needs to be played very carefully. In the early 1940s the US played a very similar card and suspended the export of scrap steel to Japan, in 1941 the followed up with a ban on and oil/petroleum exports. The US may have hoped that Japan would scale down it’s operations in China. The Japanese Navy saw the oil embargo as an existential threat and decided to make use of it’s last 3 months supply by taking what it needed from the Dutch East Indies. To prevent any interference in the plan, they attacked the US Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor on 7 December.
The US knows this and would probably adjust any response accordingly.
Hi Larry and everyone.
Don’t know enough to comment on Prigozhin.
But the first two subjects of your post are spot-on. To paraphrase Shakespeare, “This it is when Men are ruled by Idiots!”. Until we fix our K-12, until we fix our post-secondary education, we are doomed to suffer the “Genius” of guys like Blumenthal & Graham, and the CEO of Raytheon. All they know how to do is count money and fill out spreadsheets.
I’ve posted this before, so I reiterate: I’ll gladly trade a million Web Designers for a couple thousand machinists and welders. Real people, Real manufacturing, Real wealth. Not this fake PC propaganda.
What to do? Dan Bongino has a good idea. Fire them all!
Actually, the Russians have an excellent education system. Their physicists make excellent New York City cab drivers.
We won’t have a choice. Once the developing world has an alternate path of development that doesn’t involve Western loans, we will no longer be able to loot these nations via financial abstraction. One way or another the physical economy will return.
Yeah Man!
Can’t come too soon in my opinion. Wouldn’t it be great to see that vast army of Congressional aides dressed in orange jumpsuits picking up roadkill alongside I-95? Or mowing lawns in trailer parks?
Gives me a hard-on just thinking about it.
I even have a workout program just for Vicki N to help her regain her svelte, youthful figure!
😇
Alexander Kots in Komsomolskaya Pravda https://www.kp.ru/daily/27520.5/4783514/
Our soldiers are now one on one with the enemy and beat him for his house and his dead friend Vanka
Russian servicemen in the Orekhovskoye direction beat off another enemy advance
… Knowing the value of a word in these moments, I will keep my opinion to myself. Here, from whatever side you look, everywhere … I operate with official statements: .
– President Putin is informed about all the events around Prigozhin. The necessary measures are being taken.
– As stated in the NAC, the allegations spread on behalf of Yevgeny Prigozhin have no basis.
“In connection with these statements, the FSB of Russia initiated a criminal case on the fact of calling for an armed rebellion. We demand that illegal actions be stopped immediately”
– Information about the “strike” on the rear camps of PMC “Wagner” is not true, follows from the statement of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
“All the messages and video footage spread on social networks on behalf of E. Prigozhin about “the strike by the Russian Defense Ministry on the rear camps of PMC Wagner” do not correspond to reality and are an informational provocation.”
Do not fall for the manipulation now, pushing you to take sides. There are only two sides – Russia and the enemy. And right now, Russian soldiers in the Orekhovsky direction are fighting off another enemy advance.
And they beat the enemy for their house, for the deceased friend Vanka, for Shebekino and for Donetsk. Through bloody skin and tooth crumbs.
They may not like some, they may hate others, but they are now there, one on one with the enemy. And now only this is important – to beat the enemy, burn his tanks, grind manpower. As in Mariupol, as in Kremennaya and Svatovo, as in Artemovsk…
Regarding Prigozhin, he really is bat-sh*t crazy. To understand Prigozhin, one is better off reading up on Carl Jung or Sigmund Freud than trying to explain him in political terms. I seriously doubt even many of the Wagner troops are going to follow him into the insane asylum.
I can’t believe Prlgzy would willingly wreck his retirement pension.
Serving hot dogs to Vlad et al on chilly days outside the Kremlin.
Why is this man still walking around?
His antics have always been an asset to west and a threat to Russia.
Either this is a huge ploy to deceive the west or an outright blatant coup. What does he expect to accomplish with this? Time to stop this clown show
“Either ” “or ” ?
“Why is this man still walking around?”
“What does he expect to accomplish with this?”
RE: MirrorGazers says
24 June 2023 at 04:43
Thank you for your illustration in 2 hours and 4 minutes.
Last videos by Prigozhin, accompanied bte by Viktor Bout, were rleated to compensations to the families of Wagner´s fallen…
I think that this military algarade has to do with well deserved compensations for the families of the fallen on comabt duty defending the sovereignty of the Russian Federation in the Artyomovsk “meat grinder”…..
I think this is a response by Prigozhin to the call by MoD that to enjoy those reparations the Wagner militants should come into the yoke of the Russiam MoD…
It seems to me that Prigozhin wants reparations, while remaining a private contractor with their own rules….
A pretension easy to understand in a capitalist well off Russia, as evidenced at the SPIEF…
I think there is a correlation between the show off at the succesfull SPIEF and this algarade intent by Prigozhin…as if, if you are doing so well, libearte some funds to compensate the families of the fallen….
I very much doubt Prigozhin has been sold to NATO….as assumed by US “military analysts”…..
If history serves of anything, the Spanish February 23rd 1981 ended in the reinforcement of the 78 regime in Spain….and the head of state…..
“I think”
“I think ”
“I think”
Wrong verb.
I believe, I guess, could be the correct verb…anyway, the goal is to froward the message….I am not going to win an English grammar championship, obviously…
Well, it seems that the Wagnerites had a bath of multitudes in Rostov…even young women came to great them….
Well deserved IMO….
Who says? ‘I think’ is perfectly fine. Take it from a native speaker.
Prigozhin is a member of the same tribe as Newland, Blinken and Blumenthal. Enough said.
Three Russian helicopters were supposedly shot down by Wagner. Any reports on casualties?
I don’t know how much loyalty this guy commands, but i doubt most Wagner members would want to go down with him.
I expect this to fizzle out by the end of the weekend.
I heard it was 3 SU-57s and they were taken out by one solo Wagnerite with a jar of pickles.
I gather that Prigozhin’s rants contained some quickly disproved falsehoods. Is that not a good way of highlighting coded messages, to broadcast them widely and quickly? My experience here is only from the world of fiction, but it seems a useful ploy.
The zek strikes, a face that should be sellin’ his wares,Eric Prince, where is he? Prometheism requires a disaffected minority-Chechens(Sufi just like our 1990s hideaway-Fetullah Gulen) but perhaps Prigozhin developed a heart similar to the Grinch:)
DEAD MAN WALKING
Larry… I know that you moderate all responses and responses are contingent upon your permission and I include the link below, not as a post but as a relay of information through the only means I have to contact you. The link is to a video of Dr. David Martin addressing the EU Parliment on the proof that Covid is a bio weapon. He concludes, the Vaccine wasn’t the tool by which to fight Covid but Covid was the tool by which to sell vaccines.
I wish to warn you that this video will anger you and sadden you. It did bring tears to my eyes thinking of all those dying trying to breath, suffocated so a few people can gather additional wealth while dominating us.
This adds another dimenssion to the war in Ukraine.
PS. I was amazed to find it on youTube and I downloaded the video for fear of what might follow as usual.
Thank You Larry for spreading the Truth.
https://youtu.be/GaD8qEWJglY
Here is the video with the presentation slides.
https://rumble.com/v2m0enk-dr-david-martin-european-parliament-international-covid-summit-iii-5-3-23.html
Actually, I don’t moderate all comments. I have not figured out the algorithm that selects only a few comments that I have to approve.
I tend to cuss. Do you have to approve me a lot?
Swearing’s OK but cussing’s a no no.
Presence of links in posts, and comments from people that have not posted before. This post should not wait for approval.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUEkOVdUjHc
This post should wait for approval.
Sorry Larry, for attracting delinquents.
Sorry, you go that way :-))
It’s a link posted earlier in this thread, that Larry reacted positively to. I just did copy-paste. 😉
This post should wait for approval too.
If you’ve gott’em, now is the time to drop’em.
Whenever I have seen Prigozhin, he looks like he is reading from a script. Crazy people don’t read from scripts. Crazy people are too psychotic to read. Both Surovikin and Shoigu look like they are reading from scripts. Are they crazy, too?
Something else is going on. The bottom line is that Prigozhin is just another Russian Oligarch. Sure, he’s funding a PMC, but so what? Putin has a lot of experience in dealing with Russian Oligarchs.
To “The Fog of War” add “The Fog on Craziness?”
As far as i’m aware most Wagner people are ex Russian army, and are ultimately paid by the Russian army. Why would they want to start blowing up Russian army helicopters at the behest of a clearly deranged leader who has clearly lost the plot?
Wouldn’t a lot of companies go bankrupt in the US? Companies like Harbor Freight, half of Walmart, Dollar Tree, a lot of clothing stores? I think it’s why China is not fighting back like Russia did, like when the US sends military trainers to Taiwan?
I don’t think I have every seen anything that said “made in Russia”.
Yes.
Three-fourths of Walmart, three-fourths of Amazon, nVidia, Apple, a boatload of pension funds invested in these stocks, and another boatload of unemployed workers. Neocons cannot do basic math, and we’re gonna be seriously screwed.
Other than a coveted Kalashnikov? BTW: Have you ever seen anything that said “Made in Israel”? I rest my case, whatever it was.
PS: Russian products have been embedded in everything from the tires you ride on to the airplane you fly in. They’re stealthy.
My favorite though is “Proudly assembled in the USA from domestic and foreign components.”
I wish Martyanov would accurately report on politics inside Russia rather than lecture on how dumb West Pointers are because they study General Patton’s strategy as a
tank commander. He has every
right to opine as he sees fit as I do to take his opinions with a grain of salt.
Putin playing chess …
The Problem: There is no question that Western sanctions have hurt the Russian oligarchs dearly. Western countries have frozen and/or seized their business and personal assets in the West and destroyed their privileged ways of life.
Well, maybe the oligarchs haven’t been so well-behaved. I’ve often wondered how the oligarchs behind the scenes have been reacting to the fracture between the West and Russia that is systematically destroying their fortunes. Some sort of action would almost be required … something that gets rid of Putin and returns Russia to the “good ol’ days” under Yeltsin. At the least, they would be funding an anti-Putin opposition.
I’ve read nothing about Prigozhin having ties to Russian oligarchs. But I recall reading that Putin was reluctant to move against the Yeltsin-era oligarchs in spite of their schemes because that would require “extra-legal” action … and Putin was adamant that the “New Russia” maintain a strict rule of law to separate it from the political anarchy of its Bolshevik/Communist/Yeltsinized past.
Hence, Putin (after imprisoning the worst of the bunch) early on decided to tolerate the remaining oligarchs as long as they stayed out of politics. But that does not mean Putin wasn’t carefully watching their every move,
The Solution: Give the oligarchs enough rope to hang themselves. The Prigozhin/Wagner crisis, therefore, might be a carefully laid trap on the part of Putin to envelop the last of the oligarchs into anti-state actions during a war that requires a state-level response. Going forward, Prignozhim will be accused of treason … because he has committed treason. Any ties Prigoshin might have had with the oligarchs will be considered evidence of a treasonous conspiracy against the Russian Federation and the Russian people in a time of war.
A Prediction: The Prigozhin incident is the opportunity for Putin to roll up the last of the Yeltsin-related economic and political corruption that created and sustained blatant contradictions in Russian society. The Yeltsin-era oligarchs will eventually become a penniless and powerless class of people on par with the Russian aristocracy that fled to the West after the Russian Revolution. They can never go “home”. Russia will be better for it.
The headline “The U.S. Military Shackled to China Because of Rare Earth Minerals” is just plain wrong, if for no other reason than the American People just don’t care one bit about what a worthless, incompetent, can’t do simple math, hasn’t won a war with a peer since 1945, U.S. Military wants, anymore. Not one bit.
China’s rare earths? China gets the majority of their rare earths from Russia, which where the United States government want to get their rare earths from. And it’s not just Russia’s rare earths, it’s Russia’s vast supplies of natural resources in coal, natural gas, crude oil, minerals AND rare earths.
This is why the United States and the West simply picked up where Nazi Germany left off after World War II, treating the Russians and the Russian People as sub-humans, not worthy of having a country containing natural resources in “shameful abundance.”
Since the Boxer Rebellion, followed almost immediately by the Communist Revolution, China had closed itself off from the West. It wasn’t until Nixon 1972 trip to China that things began to open up again. We are talking about 75-years that China was left alone to tend to its own interests — uninterrupted, un-interfered with, un-molested by outside interests.
Putin’s slow play has been a masterful and successful strategy. But the longer something goes on (think marriage) the more chances there are something goes wrong.
I do not believe this to be disinformation at this point. I believe the “Priz” got to reading his own press clippings. And he probably had some chats with some Russian oligarchs who always hated Putin for making the old glory days of raping Russia go away. And Putin’s legalistic mind frame will once again stretch this out.
Sometimes a wall and a bullet are the way. For the Priz and his oligarch friends.
Ty chto mumu yebyosh is a Russian colloquial phrase. It can mean drink up, or what are you waiting for. Literally it states – Why are you fucking a cow? Putin should take this phrase to heart.
This sounds odd as an Army E-5, but I sincerely believe Putin is the wall between the world and doom. I wish him well.
I’m sure Ramzan Kadyrov and his boys can handily deal with Prighozin and his gang. They’ll probably salivate at the opportunity.
The Ukrainians have paused their counter offensive to “re-evaluate their tactics.” Translation: the Ukrainians have a very nasty habit of willingly, almost eagerly, feeding brigades of men and material into the Russian meatgrinder. If the Ukrainians don’t break this nasty habit, there will be nothing left to stop the Russians from taking Kiev and marching all the way to the Polish border.
There’s that, or this is all a delaying action until the United States, NATO, the UK, and the EU ride to the rescue of the poor Ukrainian martyrs.
The Russians have to find a way to lure the Ukrainians back into the meatgrinder. What better way to “appear weak when you are strong” (Sun Tzu), than by shoving just one man out in front (Prigozhin), and a very crazy man to boot yelling: “Follow Me!”
I vote for an elaborate Russian psyop. It plays right into the hope of the neocons for an insurrection. But only time will tell.
As to Greg Hayes, I wonder if he is still having sleepless nights over George Floyd. I’m sure he only drink Bud Lite beer and gets his tuck underpants at Target. As an ex-employee, I despise the man and his ultra woke, forced Vax rule. Why did Raytheon ever have to merge with United Technologies?
The merger occurred to pay fees to the finance industry. Next step is to take it private, pay more fees and have less requirements on disclosures. Dream would be to make it a non-profit but that will take a couple decades.
The young today in woke schools will redefine stupidity. At least primitive 20th century cultures were scrappy in agriculture, animal husbandry,
medicine, maintaining law and order.
They could fix things and improvise.
The woke?
This is a bold move by Prigozhin. Of course he doesn’t want the Wagner Group put completely under the command of the Russian MOD because Shoigu, Gerasimov and the rest of the MOD are incompetent and this war, yes WAR not SMO, has been a disaster since day 1. If Prigozhin can gain the support of the civil population and get some units of the Russian Army to start defecting, he can gain momentum and then things could snowball out of Putin’s control very quickly. Meanwhile the Ukrainians need to take advantage of the chaos and the clown show in the Kremlin to step up their counteroffensive. We’ll see what happens, but it’s exciting to watch!
There’s nothing more exciting than the emotions of a real no-brainer. Petraeus also thinks that America’s role in the world today is to continue spinning plates like clowns in a circus. And he is also happy with the counter-offensive. Which as we all know is one of the greatest operational successes in military history.
The American plan as I understood it was to sacrifice enough Ukrainians in stage 1 of the offensive to make the conscripts that remained really, really mad.
Long term goal is creating bad blood, so that real peace could never be achieved. Some even said that the goal is for Ukraine to be like Israel.
Larry:
“Prigozhin’s crazed outburst could be an unprecedented Maskirovka move. If you have Russian troops moving in “response” to his call for a coup it could be a ploy to mask the concentration of Russian forces for an unexpected offensive.”
NO WAY, Larry!
The inclination (or hope) to believe this is a maskirovka move is due to the fact that it is hard to accept that Russia/Putin made the mistake of allowing the thief, fraudster, ex-con billionaire to grow his mercenary force outside the control of the Russian Min. of Def. to the point where it can become a threat to Russia’s stability. It is also unacceptable that Putin sought to placate him not too long ago, praising him and Wagner lavishly for their success in Artemyovsk, right after Prigozhin’s many vitriolic public attacks against the Russian military leadership.
The same tactic that Putin used unsuccessfully by “being nice” to those he called “Nashi partniori” long after it was clear that vinegar was needed not honey.
Second, Russia does not need to “mask the concentration of its forces.” Nor could it really do it given the satellite info the US can gather so this is no argument for maskirovka..
This is not Prigozhin’s first open challenge to the Russian military leadership and indirectly but clearly to. the political leadership as well, only the most serious. It plays well into the hands of Russia’s enemies by diverting the Russian focus on Ukraine in order to deal with the mutiny at home and by creating internal instability that favors a “regime change.”
The Wagner group must be cut to size. It has grown enormously (operates independently in Africa too) to the polnt where its billionaire owner has ambitions of power that threaten Russia. Never again must Russia allow a paramilitary force to exist outside of the total control of Russia’s DOD. Russia can emerge from this stronger in the Russian people’s and the world’s eyes only if it cleans up this mess rapidly and decisively.
Russia has only one weakness: Putin’s legalistic bend of mind. Almost like a guy viciously attacked by a gang of murderous thugs armed with butcher’s knives who first appeals to their brotherly feelings and then hesitates to use the Kalashnikov he carries because it would not be not fair and maybe even illegal by international laws…
China – more evidence that US lost hegemony to China some time ago – 2016 I would say when half US started to say MAG Again.
What we see is not resistance to China, nor serious threats to China, but a bad-tempered admission US lost combine with a domestic black out on the truth.
Prigozhin. He is talking a lot of nonsense that no rational person would take serious.
There is very clearly only one target audience for such nonsense – Kiev and the Nato countries that back Kiev. They actually believe this stuff (need to believe it).
Ergo an elaborate Maskirovka which wonderfully explains away large scale troop movements towards Ukraine while perhaps 3 or 4 ,000 Wagner go in the opposite direction.
If Kiev and nato fall for this they really are stupid.
(Hint Bakhmut down to last 20% held and it appears that Kiev might pull out. Prigozhin did his thing and Kiev threw a few thousand more poor souls in for their 4 hour war.
This could all be a ruse and a psyop by Prigozhin and Russia as an excuse to allow huge Russian troop movements around the country for a disguised large scale attack on Ukraine.
With US spy satellites monitoring all Russian movements Ukraine would not know if this is indeed an internal Russian coup attempt or something more sinister.
Regardless of what it is there are many hardliners in Russia who want a more aggressive approach against Ukraine.
I have resisted Larry’s view that Prigozhin acting out is an elaborate ploy by the Russian security services. Now it has come down to Wagner blowing up army helicopters and army helicopters blowing up Wagner trucks. The lady protests way, way too much. This is Russia, a country that took over from Byzantium. Bizzare plots have been plenty in its history, obscure figures, and at least one great general, came out of nowhere trying to grab power: two False Dmitrys (one actually got on the throne for a while), Emmelian Pugachev as Peter III., Rasputin, Pavel Skoropadsky (in Kiev 1918), Alexander Kolchak (in Siberia 1918-1919) and the much respected figure of the Afghanistan war and a hero of Soviet Union, Alexander Rutskoy, the former vice to Yeltsin who went mental and started the October putsch against his boss in October 1993.
This said, I don’t entirely discount the possibility that once Prigozhin has been ID’d as a crackhead, the security folks were not egging him on to go full Monty. Reasons? 1) Having 30 thousand Wagner troops in Rostov gives the army an opportunity to concentrate a large number of troops around there without arousing undue suspicion of western intelligence. Rostov is a staging area for operations in Donbas. 2) says Dima: a large mutiny makes it much easier for Putin to enact another large mobilization, and declare martial law in all of Russia. A Russian commenter on Alex Christoforou who lives in Rostov, says the locals are taking the happenings in the city with a dash of humour. There is no panic.
Kind of ironic that Russia when from Kyiv in 3 days to Moscow in 3 days. But then again, what can you expect when you let a private citizen assemble an army of prisoners, rapists, robbers and murderers. Maybe that was a bad idea?
It’s easy to go from one MSM made up thing to another.
Russian RT https://russian.rt.com/russia/news/1166240-vagner-pivzavod-voronezh
An employee of the enterprise: fighters of PMC “Wagner” occupied the territory of the brewery in Voronezh on June 24
Fighters of PMC “Wagner” today occupied the territory of the brewery in Voronezh. One of the employees told RT about this.
“Wagner” is standing, cordoned off the plant. They hide behind strategic objects. Now they [employees] are sitting there, they can’t leave, the director is rushing around there, how to evacuate the people,” she said .
At the same time, another RT source said that by that moment the Wagnerites had left the territory of the plant.
Earlier, Governor Alexander Gusev informed that the necessary operational and combat measures were being taken in the Voronezh Region as part of the counter-terrorist operation.
The NAC reported that a criminal case on incitement to an armed rebellion was initiated on the fact of messages spread on behalf of the founder of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Russian Armed Forces received the necessary order amid an attempted armed rebellion.
The President added that he would not allow a repetition of 1917 and civil war.
The Russian Ministry of Defense called on the Wagner PMC fighters to show prudence and get in touch with representatives of the defense department or law enforcement agencies as soon as possible.
The ministry guaranteed the security of the fighters who got in touch.
I think the the Russian higher ups have played Prigozhin like a fiddle to goad him into doing this. Probably some played the good cop by telling him they are behind him and will move with him while others played the bad cop pressuring him and threatening him. There may have also been some out side organizations “helping” him to make this move like the CIA and the like.
But it gave the west what they were looking for in order to continue to back Ukraine which was a coup attempt. This feeds into the wests perception that if they apply enough pressure the Russian people will crack and overthrow Putin so from a media stand point this was the perfect move and I’m sure that they are celebrating right now. Sad really, Prigozhim and Wagner are toast after this and if I was him I’d be on a fast boat to Israel with a suitcase full of cash.
Prigozhin is a ridiculous figure. There he stands, full body armor, storm trooper helmet and a chest full of loaded magazines as if he was an active front-line fighter. Give me a break.
He’s a cosplayer. He did active front-line photo-ops.
Big Serge on Twitter just cracked me the fuck up.
“Honestly it’s really funny watching the Ukrainian side instantly pivot from “Wagner was destroyed with mass casualties in Bakhmut” to “Wagner is powerful enough to topple the Russian state.””
Shhhh. Washington might figure out they’re bipolar not monopolar and stop funding them.
If this is an actual insurrection no one in the west should be resting easy or thinking they are going to take advantage of it. Listening to Putin’s address he seems deadly serious so unless he, too, is an actor on par with De Niro, what is going on with Prigozhin is real.
As to whether Prigozhin is in league with NATO or is on his own, we don’t know. As to what the situation is on the ground, RT is doing a pretty good job of updating us as information becomes available.
https://www.rt.com/russia/578553-prigozhin-armed-insurrection-updates/
A wong move by anyone at this point could be deadly for us all.
The West looks to have skinned this cat. They would not be so confident unless they OWN some part or person of the nuclear firing chain and my bet is they do.
This has a feel of game over from the time he pulled Surovikin out if command. And he was just put there to placate Russians in the first place.
FSB been replaced with equally shit Russian military intelligence.
Looks like US and UK upended the chess board
“If you have Russian troops moving in “response” to his call for a coup it could be a ploy to mask the concentration of Russian forces for an unexpected offensive.”
This was my gut reaction last night. It doesn’t have an organic feel and the western response is confused to non-existent.
I am watching Bryansk region with great interest this weekend.
A weird affair. The day after some men were arrested for an attempt to smuggling, from Russia to ukr, a kilo o radioactive celsius, that this ‘rebellion’.
Looks like NATO / Blackrock bought themselves a whole private military. I guess it was for sale after Bachmut. With enough money you can buy an army and a coup I guess.
Does anyone have any info on Putin fleeing Moscow? Stalin didn’t flee Moscow in the face of the Nazi invasion and Zelensky didn’t flee Kyiv in the face of the Russian invasion, so if Putin did that, it’s going to make him look incredibly cowardly and weak.
Just plead the fifth mate.
Putin flew to St. Petersburg … I think that’s in Russia, always has been right? Did you verify your source for Putin ‘fleeing’ ?
Russia did not ‘invade Ukraine … the US State Dept. did though… back in 2014. Russia is exercising a Special Military Operation – aka SMO (which does not refer to chocolate smores)
BBC reported that he fled to the bathrom because of slack bladder.
So, I keep having to remind myself: Watch what they DO, not what they say.
If Putin and the MOD thought Prigozhin’s frequent tantrums were due strictly to mental illness, he’d have been quietly reined in long ago. His tantrums must have served some higher agenda.
I have trouble imagining what that might be. Simplicius suggests the affair is a Kremlin-approved showdown meant to bring home to MOD the large public appetite for Russian forces to stop pussyfooting around. Prigozhin is meant to represent the ‘hardliners.’
But the practical effect of Wagner in control of Rostov is to give insurrectionists – now openly labeled as such by state media – a near stranglehold over supplies to RF forces in southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye.
Watch for another attack on the Kerch Bridge soon.
I very much fear that Prigozhin is now a NATO asset, posing as a hardliner to confuse the Russian public and Russian forces, maybe even to win sympathy and support.
This has greasy MI6 fingerprints all over it. Khodorkovsky’s support heightens that impression. Why would he support a genuine hardliner?
This is probably a last ditch western effort to stop Russia without irradiating Eastern Europe. If Prigozhin gets shut down quickly, maybe then they’ll try the nuke false flag.
I suppose there’s also the possibility Prigozhin is just playing along with the west, like those Russian pilots the Nazis approached last year to defect with their aircraft, who alerted FSB instead.
Regardless of the speculation to the contrary, Prigozhin’s verbal outbursts, and now direct actions, are very counterproductive to Russian interests. “It is essential to understand that Prigozhin has no military experience and is not the ‘commander’ of Wagner.”
For some reason that is not entirely clear he is playing a very dangerous game. Who are is benefactors or is he just psycho? It’s obvious this hurts the Russian war effort and is designed to cause political turmoil. So who benefits? Very strange situation here.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a similar situation unless one considers Truman’s removal of McArthur from Korea. Prigozhin will be lucky if that’s all that happens to him…..
Anyone cheering on the rebellion in Russia should ask themselves this question. Who would you rather have with their finger on the nuclear button, Putin or Prigozhin?
Prigozhin wants to pull off a discount Lenin. Nothing new under the sun.
The Prigozhin part of this page is gaining traction. It doesn’t alter the predicted outcome, however, feeds the MSM. If my gut feel is accurate, he is toast.
https://www.westernjournal.com/wagner-commander-charged-armed-rebellion-marches-moscow/
It’s too bad that 3 topics got put together, especially when one of them is the West’s long-desired coup against Putin. The other two shouldn’t be lost.
Raytheon is lying. The only reason there isn’t domestic production of rare earths is that the defense industry hasn’t allowed funding to be diverted away from themselves. Rare earths are not rare. There are plenty of sources of raw materials in North America. The technology exists to process them. The only thing missing is investment capital.
I’ve had small investments in rare earth mining and separation technologies for over a decade. None has been able to produce rare earth concentrates (except Lynas) independent of China. This is because China has kept prices too low to trigger investment in alternative infrastructure in the West. (This is similar to OPEC making fracking uneconomic.)
DoD has made rare earths a “priority,” but hasn’t pumped any significant money into the sector. If it had, there would be plentiful non-Chinese rare earths now.
Possibly but mining in the US, in general, is met with great resistance.
Processing is a known cost but the pandering is not.
I don’t believe RTX is lying. They just haven’t been asked the right question.
Prigozhin is bound up in his baby. He’s not fat catting it from the rear which is extraordinarily extraordinary. If it is not theater, then he needs some R&R.
Them that owe their position to loyalty are threatened by competence. I would ascribe validity to the claims of backstabbing emanating from MOD lackeys and that translates into deaths and a festering resentment. Loyalists instinctively band together against threats too. It’s like fucking telepathy.
i found these interesting. have been following this blog for a few months and this guy predicted a march on moscow awhile ago
https://roloslavskiy.substack.com/p/i-told-you-so
https://edwardslavsquat.substack.com/p/russia-braces-for-extreme-weirdness?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web
Military Coup Or Planned Action? Military Summary And Analysis For 2023_06_24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGnyi__DNHg
regards,
ralph
Like Nuland,Blinken and Zekensky Prighozin is a Jew. Does it matter. Maybe. Nulands family is Russian Jews after all. Old roots.
Nevertheless. Russia now has 25,000 soldiers on the other side behind their defensive lines. Enough to take Crimea and the Sea of Azov.
It doesn’t matter who is ‘really’ in charge of Wagner. Prig is the guy the troops think of as on their side and the boss.
Wagner also extensively recruits from abroad, lots of Western applicants, bet some special forces sitting pretty.
I doubt there will be an attack on Moscow, though who knows, I do think the West very cleverly breached Russian defensive lines.
Putin in my view has miscalculated. He should have done everything needed to put this to bed earlier. He looks weak and it looks like the intelligence services are not on his side.
You couldn’t be more wrong. Prighozin had no support from anyone. He overplayed his hand right from the beginning. Something has triggered his bad judgement. The deal was his only way out of this alive. He is maybe a smart businessman, but he is entirely unfit to command a group of trained mercenaries. Putin looks strong to have resolved that situation by his staff/supporters in less than 2 days.
Nothing is 100% for sure. The ability to manage difficult situations shows how good of a leader you are.
Circulating report, not verified authenticity
“Message from the press service of the President of the Republic of Belarus.
This morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin briefed his Belarusian counterpart on the situation in southern Russia with the private military company Wagner. The heads of state agreed on joint actions.
As a follow-up to the agreements, the President of Belarus, having additionally specified the situation through his own channels, and in agreement with the President of Russia, held talks with the head of Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Negotiations continued throughout the day. As a result, they came to agreements on the inadmissibility of unleashing a bloody massacre on the territory of Russia. Yevgeny Prigozhin accepted the proposal of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to stop the movement of armed persons of the Wagner company on the territory of Russia and take further steps to de-escalate tensions.
At the moment, an absolutely profitable and acceptable option for solving the situation is on the table, with security guarantees for the Wagner PMC fighters.
As previously reported, also during today, the President of Belarus held two meetings with the power bloc of the country on this situation.”
RT confirmed this report 17:32 GMT.
Larry, I disagree with the few years statement to bring US refining on line as out of touch with the reality – The professors who taught mining technology are retired, the departments downsized and there are no students. Aint happening for decades, if ever. Most chemical engineering departments are entirely biochemical these days. Big oil is growing refining departments in the middle east and africa – decommissioning these capabilities in the US.
The US graduates 1/10th the number of STEM as China – its not hard to see that US refining technology (and the technology to make the machines to do refining) are not going to be in the US.
Our leaders feel they can just keep printing IOUs (the US dollar – its only backed up by the value of the paper and the US military which is being de-militarized) for real stuff instead of making useful products and useful services to trade for real goods and products (US Ag exports are collapsing).
It is difficult to take down the entire Russia state…with 1/2 a tank of fuel… and a few small arms.
Wagner coup is already over.+
Yevgeny Prigozhin can spend some well earned rest time in the Thorzine wing of the Russia Veterans hospital.
https://twitter.com/PriapusIQ/status/1672655648108998656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1672655648108998656%7Ctwgr%5E06ab3fb84433cdd97fd1b3edbde8de68648ac0c1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zerohedge.com%2Fgeopolitical%2Fputin-blasts-wagner-treason-betrayal-clashes-erupt-southern-russia
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/putin-blasts-wagner-treason-betrayal-clashes-erupt-southern-russia
How is Wagner in Africa reacting to all of this?
I’ll try this again; I must have done something wrong, or my question was rejected. I’ll find out which.
Is there any word of how the Wagner group in Africa is reacting to all of this?
Thanks again Harry, what a exciting Saturday morning for a new episode of
war of thrones…and for free !
In this new episode the Slavers arrive in their ‘Titanic Submarine’ and threaten Princes Daenerys …
Telling her that her Reign has just finish !
But then after being insulted by slave master, Ukraznys, the mother of all Dragons decided enough was enough !
She clears her throat and pauses to collect herself, and with an utter word
“Dracarys” !!!
the sympathetic and pleasant ‘Drogon’ burst into flames this unwanted, improper advances…!!
Oh, my God !
What I love this Saturday-morning cartoons….
Nuland fingerprint, or a psychological breakdown after being too close to killing for too long? Both crazy dangerous and mad. All ex soldiers I’ve talked with who have been at war are all angry and opposing the military authorities they were subordinated.
Priz is definitely a two-pump chump. This does pose some questions for the future. Wagner is immensely useful in keeping Regular Army casualties down. You need them together for concentrated assaults though. But I “imagine” that is not going to be in the cards. I see a slow dissolution of Wagner down to a more manageable size. Which of course reduces their usefulness.
And of course, will this lead to more Russian mobilization? If I was Putin, I would already have pulled the trigger there. The war with NATO is coming. Ramp the Army up now.
Incredible times. The future of the world is changing on our Twitter feed.
The largest REE mine in the world use to be the Mountain Pass REE mine in California:
Mountain Pass mine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass_mine
It went under when China decided to undercut everybody else on REE. All you have to do is re-open the mine, and re-start other processing operations so I don’t get why the Raytheon CEO is stuck on REE from China. It is a bit messy (thoruim tends to get mixed in with REE ore, but we could use the thorium too), but mining is a messy business.
And somewhat contrary to the name “rare earth elements”, these don’t turn out to be particularly rare at all. There are other large REE deposits within the continental US which could be mined.
With the situation now seemingly resolved, it’s interesting to listen to Scott Ritter’s analysis as it was happening. He predicted this outcome and gives a lot of background information and insight that was new to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZZZmIvnX30
And so he will.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sledgehammer-execution-russian-mercenary-who-defected-ukraine-shown-video-2022-11-13/
Asked to comment on the execution video, Prigozhin said in remarks released by his spokeswoman that the video should be called “A dog receives a dog’s death”.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571523-prigozhin-sledgehammer-execution-hoax/
Prigzy, I fear, you have shot your bolt. After all you and your men have been through.
Both your beloved Motherland and its martyrs would not wish this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iABFZGzEjY
Prigozhin is Jewish. What else is there to know?
Since you wrote this, it looks like some kind of deal has emerged that will have Prigozhin more or less exile himself in Belarus, charges dropped, and no persecution/prosecution of his followers. Info as of now doesn’t indicate disposition of Wagner overall or whether Prigozhin maintains ties and front man status.
If the basic outline is as suggested, I (as a complete layman) might conclude two things….
1) Wagner will be broken up and spread across the Russian Armed Forces. They will also be watched. Carefully. Perhaps some elements will be retained in a PMC form for use overseas and as convenient, deniable assets. Whether Prigozhin will be allowed any contact, even with an overseas PMC component is unclear. It feels like the Russian powers that be have had enough of him.
2) The above deal, if roughly accurate, makes me wonder whether Prigozhin engineered this entire event as his own person “out”. Could he have realized that he had opened his mouth too often, acted out too often, resisted orders too often, etc.? Maybe he saw the writing on the wall. He was going to lose “control” of at least a major chunk of Wagner and there was at least some risk that he was in personal jeopardy of landing in jail (or worse). What if the entire “coup” was staged specifically to give Prigozhin a chance to negotiate a way out that allows him to stay out of prison, keep his billions, and, perhaps even keep some aspect of “control” in whatever Wagner becomes.
I have no proof or evidence for any of this, of course. Simply idle thoughts that jumped into my head when I saw the news and the outlines of the deal announced on RT. Some people will say that if Shoigu isn’t removed then Prigozhin really got nothing, but I wonder if Shoigu and Gerasimov were just frosting. The cake was creating an out for Prigozhin that kept him breathing, rich, and “free”. Just a thought.
PMC and PMC-like units come with risks. Some might remember the Algiers putsch and the role played by the FFL.
I tend to agree that there will be some overseas use of PMCs by RF, especially in Africa, where all the usual suspects are playing.
PMCs cannot operate on Russian territory/soil, apparently, as the RF Constitution forbids it (source: Ritter). This poses problems, as 4 oblasts of Ukraine were annexed by RF. Of course, if as an individual fighter you sign a contract directly with MoD, the problem goes away – the “P” in PMC is no more – or it’s “public” vs “private”.
Re: your second point, different folks have different takes. A mix of this, that and the other. Some are honest enough to say they have no idea, others are “talking their book”, as we say in the financial services industry.
Back to your first bullet, dispersal of course makes sense, and not just for caution/”defensive” purposes. If one wants to increase the quantity and quality of soldiers that can do the things Wagner does well, what better way than to have some of the best of the most battle-hardened Wagnerites train and help upskill those with less/no experience across the board? Under supervision and a very clear chain of command, of course.
Maskirovka. Wagner is nothing without the support of the MOD. The contract the convicts get is, fight for your county and get out of jail. This is an MOD contact. No private organization can offer this.
Prigozhin is a felon and traitor. you can’t trust his tribe.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjgqsvndn
In the unfolding coup d’etat, Scott Ritter suggests the West’s intelligence services, MI6, CIA, and SBU managed to turn Prighozin + Wagner, suggesting both Shoigu and Gerasimov’s misgivings all along with Prighozin were well-founded.
The core difference between the archetypical jew and the benevolent Christian goy is the inevitable “stab-in-the-back”.
I remember reading Russell Bentleys account of fighting with the battalions of soldiers of the Donbas. There was a growing resentment and anger toward the entitled “ones” over the border (in Russia proper) who flake out and were not doing the hard work fighting the enemy and holding the lines. They were especially contemptuous when the Russian army ran away after the failed Kiev offensive/initiative, stating that in 8 years of fighting in the donbas in extremely taut circumstances they never gave up ground.
I would think Prighozin is of the same attitude toward the top brass entitled ones, he wants some respect for his men and also he knows they want him gone now he did the hard lifting, so its a big middle finger as well.
Japan has discovered a few years back a “semi-infinite” (??) supply in deep sea mud.
I think mining to begin in 2025
No alternative to China?
https://www.science.org/content/article/global-trove-rare-earth-metals-found-japans-deep-sea-mud#:~:text=A%20%22semi%2Dinfinite%22%20supply,region%20of%20seabed%20holds%20more
They have also discovered water on Mars, but I doubt anyone would be drinking it anytime soon, in spite of promises.
One thing that cannot be overlooked is the possibility that the US, with the help of other members of the collective west, made Preghozin “an offer he can’t refuse.” (The Godfather)