The gulf between what Ukraine thinks it is achieving vis-a-vis its defeat of the Russian invasion and the reality on the ground is growing astronomically. There are some stark facts that must be acknowledged:
- Ukraine’s air force is inactive. Whatever still exists is not providing close air support to besieged Ukrainian troops or carrying out aerial attacks against Russian positions.
- Ukraine’s rotary wing aircraft–i.e., helicopters–also is inactive. Only a few helicopters remain and they rarely venture to the front. They are not hitting Russian truck and tank columns with air launched rockets.
- Ukraine’s tank battalions are non-existent in the Donbas and Kherson. Ukraine keeps its tanks dispersed and camouflaged to protect what remains from air and artillery strikes.
- Ukraine has shown no ability to reinforce besieged troops and launch a counter attack that pushes the Russians back permanently.
- Ukraine has used HIMARS, artillery and saboteurs to hit some key Russian ammo depots, but these, so far, are isolated incidents and have not changed the strategic picture.
I have been a target of criticism for taking on the media and opinion reports that portray Russia as desperate and losing. I do this because it is important that someone try to objectively weigh the facts. Propaganda and misinformation can be very dangerous if left unchallenged. Ukraine is a case in point. If you think the facts I outlined above are understood and appreciated by the leaders of Ukraine, think again. They apparently genuinely believe that they will mount an offensive in southern Ukraine that will eventually expel Russia from Crimea. Why? They believe the intelligence and media reports coming from U.S. and European sources that claim Russia is on the ropes and its ground troops are demoralized.
Ukraine reminds me of a character from the second season of the HBO series, The Wire. Ziggy Sobotka, son of the leader of the Baltimore dock workers, is a dysfunctional mess. He also is Polish. The only thing in his favor is his abnormally large genitalia (he identifies as a man). One day at the port, he is goaded into fighting a much larger, more dangerous man. I think this is an apt metaphor for Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine is Ziggy. The other dock workers telling him that he can whip Maui (the big guy) are the United States and NATO. And Maui is Russia.
So what is the west encouraging Ukraine to do? How about staging a nuclear incident at the largest nuclear power plant in Europe? Ukraine is insisting that Russia is shelling its own troops and the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant the Russians hold. Russia insists that it is Ukraine that is shelling the facility:
Kiev is preparing a provocation at the Zaporozhye NPP.
It is scheduled for August 19 and is connected with the visit of the UN Secretary General to Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. The purpose of the provocation is to accuse Russia of creating a man-made disaster.
To prepare it, the Ukrainian command will deploy radiation observation posts in the Zaporozhye region by August 19 and conduct anti-radiation exercises.
I think both sides are guilty of a bit of hype. Robert Kelley, the former head of the IAEA, offered up some sound analysis the other day about the reality of Zaporozhye:
This is pure brinkmanship and, like any good poker player, Russia knows it holds the strongest hand and is not going to be bluffed into folding.
There are two critical factors that are sustaining this conflict. First, the willingness of the west to continue to fund and arm Ukraine. Second, Ukraine’s gullibility in believing the encouragement from Washington and Europe that it can really beat Russia. Like good old Ziggy Subotka, Ukraine, if it continues to press the conflict, will find itself beaten up and stranded on top of empty shipping containers.
Dear Mr Johnson, I think the Ukrainian Nazi’s are desperate. They know they will end up in Siberia or the grave, with the grave perhaps preferable. Getting international intervention, with this false flag they are deluded they will somehow survive.
don’t you worry.. zelensky and co. have already thought how to flee and leave the ukries in the s…t . he owns houses in uk . usa, italy, a villa worth 1,200,000 euro in viareggio. and probably 30,40 millions of $ in the caymans .
Its half a billion and that was we’ll before the SMO revealed in the Panama Papers
I suspect the Russian SVR, via numerous backchannels, has already communicated to this American patsy, that he should not dream of spending the rest of his miserable life somewhere in Italian villa (or some gloomy british village) as he and his “loved ones” (if this druggy is even capable of this sort of emotion) will be dealt with by, well, SVR (the Mossad style)… Which might explain why this cocaine-addict shows up completely high in every video since the beginning of the SMO. So, whatever millions/billions CIA and their EU whores have transferred to this guy for his “service” ain’t gonna help much, IMHO.
True
Larry J: *They believe the intelligence and media reports coming from U.S. and European sources that claim Russia is on the ropes and its ground troops are demoralized.*
Are they really that stupid at the top of the Kiev power structure? I struggle to believe that, though I suppose it’s within the realm of possibility. My assumption has been all alongthat it’s about the payoffs awaiting Zelensky and his crew in the West. Hard on the Ukrainian cannon fodder, but there it is.
Yeah, that sounds like a very possible motive. I have been wondering all along what Zelensky is thinking. He seems corrupt and narcissistic enough to do something like that.
I doubt that the putsch regime has much choice, try to do a deal (even at this late stage) and the Americans will kill you.
There are Russian reports that Ukraine has 200k dead and 300k non-returning injured.
Frankly that seems quite likely to me.
Additionally we have heard of many many long distance strikes on command centres (and pretty much every report of attacks on Ukrainian Civilians goes rapidly quiet so my assumption is that international media soon discover they were a military target).
100k left out of 600k is not much given that it will be the 100k that never expected to actually fire a rifle, let alone be on the front line and there appears to be no experienced officer corps left.
I think Kiev/Zelensky is waiting for the senior military officers to take control of Kiev and surrender to Russia. The problem is that there is no one left able to do that. And neither US nor UK have the leadership to make them do it. And the two countries that really should be acting in the interests of Ukraine (France and Germany) haven’t a clue and would much rather crawl away under a stone and pretend not to exist.
I disagree then, I think everyone knows the situation, and everyone knows what has to be done next. But no leadership.
(Of course an ounce of leadership by Kiev, Paris or Berlin and the Nazis would have been cut out of the command structure, the shelling of civilians stopped years ago, the black bio-labs never opened and the SMO never need happen. It is a Russian Police operation because those three cities failed to Police Ukraine).
Kiev, Paris or Berlin? How about Obama, Nuland and NAZI terrorist coup?
And how about Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s Banderist deputy prime minister? She fully supported the Ukrainian apartheid state that emerged after the CIA coup.
Thank you for providing sone sober perspective. It seems that Ukraine, aside from trying to cause another media offensive, elected to join in self imposed energy crisis. ( shut down of gas pipes, attempt to shut down oil pipes and not willing to work with Russia on the electricity-where Russia sparred the infrastructure for the mist parr. US legislation authorizes intervention in event of nuclear, etc incident in Ukraine and there is a view that NATO might intervene once Dombas is lost and Russia does not stop there
Everybody involved is prison to the rest in a collective psychosis.
It’s like the masks and everybody pretending they’re accomplishing something against all public scientific knowledge over a century. People go along, even if they don’t personally believe it, in order not to be shunned. There’s a theory (‘public knowledge game’) about the difference between public knowledge, private belief, and common knowledge … the last step only occurs when people admit publically that they know something is true or not, and that everybody knows it about the others. Something can be outside common knowledge even if all the facts are public and everybody privately acknowledges them, but no one is admitting to it.
This was @Mark Pontin, but somehow the web page had changed invisibly upon posting, and cannot edit.
“A foundation associated with the Bolton family sponsored the development of a dirty atomic bomb at a closed research institute in Kharkov and was going to test it in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in March 2022. But before March always comes February.” — Image of the future
The US and NATO have been in the Ukraine from at least 2014, perhaps 2008. The Americans are the ones operating the HIMARS, the Uki’s have not been trained to use them. Any more direct intervention from NATO would see command centres all over Europe destroyed immediately. People don’t seem to realise this is a war for Russia’s very existence, they stated their red lines in Dec 21 and they were casually and foolishly dismissed.
Near my house, in Madrid, Spain, foreigners blew up a bank and its ATM with explosives, causing a cloud of banknotes and a chaos of people collecting money floating in the air, obstructing the main avenue.
Nothing like this has ever happened in Spain, explosives are highly controlled here, as well as firearms (quasi-prohibited).
Where did they get the explosives and military weapons? courtesy of Ukraine? Are the objective conditions (Lenin) given for social disorders in Europe to weaken the EU?
Who benefits?
Humans are pretty adept at getting around obstacles that nature or other humans put in their way. Think of the booming drug trade world wide despite draconian laws. A farmer friend of mine sold topsoil from his garden and gave away raw goat’s milk from his goat to counter state laws that prohibit the sale raw milk to willing customers. It’s kinda fun to beat these sanctimonious “experts” at their own game.
Even the squirrels often beat me at my game of keeping them out of my bird feeders.
I fear there is more risk, but not to the reactors, which shut down or not, are NOT the biggest risk. The biggest risk at almost all nuclear plants are the spent fuel rods … these were the most critical risk at Fukushima too, for the first period, damaged buildings and no reliable way to cool the pools. The pools are not protected by concrete containment cupola’s.
Don’t forget we’re dealing with a death cult … they don’t make rational decisions, otherwise they would have sat down to talk at Putin’s invitation on Feb 23 instead of shelling Russian troops in Donetsk. ‘See you in Walhala’ is not a sign of rationality.
Dear Mr Johnson. Thank you for another snap shot of the back stage antics of this crazy comedy routine.
Can’t remember if Ziggy and his duck survived, I think not. Sadly a lot of young men have not.
On a more cheerful note Raytheon shares are up, and the cute little Finnish snow bunny PM is up to her nose in snow.
THEY HAVE ALREADY MADE THE MOVIE.
“The Bunker. 1981 film. Director George Schaefer.”
It’s brilliant. Want to know how Kiev collapses.
Wait, there is more.
Go back in time to Brandon’s bunker -fast forward to 2024…..it’s time travel.
The weekend is coming, get this movie, snacks and beer. You too can see Americas political future before it happens : because the future has already happened in 1945.
Scary alert 10.
Note. This is a non intellectual post. All bruised feeling will the ignored.
The plan? They have slowed the weapons flow. Because the West is out. Europe never honored their financial commitment, and they are just out of munitions. The untold story is that the US is also. I was a E-5, I know my US Army. They can finance diversity training, but not the rifle range. But Ukraine is out of cannon fodder. Everyone with enough money to bribe the border guards left months ago. The poor 60 year old guys drafted at gunpoint are dying in droves. No one left to throw under the tank treads. The Russians are getting ready to start a big offensive to get as much as they can before winter. And the West will just slink away. You see it already. How much headline news? Now much network news? Just be quiet and back away from the debacle. The real story will be the internal warfare between the Ukrainians. Will the Nazi’s kill Zelensky? Will the military pull a putsch? Who the hell would take that job? Here fix it lol. But then the economic disaster of Europe. Which is the war the US won. We set Europe to destroy themselves, and they stuck their head in the noose.
Zelensky will be Diemed by Washington. Washington will need a fall guy.
I can see a big similarity in Zelensky’s scorched earth policies. He has been killing civilians with abandon. He doesn’t mind sending inexperienced soldiers to their deaths merely as a speed bump for the Russians. There is more to come with the nuclear reactors. He is a madman and he will destroy Ukraine. What are the US and the UK thinking? They are supporting Hitler.
The US supported head choppers in Syria. Of course the US claimed they were “moderate” head choppers, but then it turned out that Al Qaeda was deemed moderate compared to ISIS and, yes, the US was supporting AQ.
What are they think? The US has no principles. Nothing to think about.
Anything can happen , war is fluid and it brings out the absolute evil in men. The one thing our species is good at is hurting and destroying one another. There is conflict all over the world , our own country is so divided there is actually hatred for one another. We cannot lead anyone in peace , we cannot achieve it ourselves. I have taught my sons we can’t change the hatred and decay in this world ,but we can be better individuals and strive not to hate but to be kind long suffering with those who are in our lives . I am glad there are people out there like you MR JOHNSON who are educating people on the reality of the real world, but I don’t believe it will get better, only worse.The very heart of humans must change and we are not capable of doing that. There is a better world coming but we will not be leading it , I think humans have shown our absolute inability of governing ourselves.
I go back and forth as to whether Zelensky, his cabal and masters really believe they can win or they just are willing to create as much havoc and death as possible to please the US before they head off to Israel or their grand houses in Switzerland. Either way the US likely couldn’t force them to intentionally destroy their country without one of those two options.
The ruling class and most whites’ desire to live in an information bubble is definitely playing a key role as witnessed by Finland and Sweden wanting to join NATO, something that has no upside and only downside unless they really believe that the evil Russians are coming for them next.
So who knows with Ukrainian leaders? It is clear that by giving Jewish males safe passage out of Ukraine but requiring goys to stay and fight that the Ukrainian people are not at the top of their concerns
Switzerland?! It used to be “neutral” (and ruled and controlled by Jews). But for whatever unfathomable reason decided to take sides this time around. So, unlike sitting it out and coming out intact during WW2, this time around they are are a fair game. And any rich idiot who thinks they are safe now because they are in “Switzerland”, I suspect will be in for a very big surprise.
I think some things are a lot simpler than we expect.
Zelensky has hundreds of millions in a private bank here in Costa Rica. I forgot the actual amount buy 350 or 850 million. (panama papers).
He is an actor, and performs for pay.
No ethical barrier, no empathy, just another job.
See how he switches from Vogue model to emotional wreck begging to have Russia declared a terrorist state. Oscar material, in his case the actor from hell.
I am glad no repsonsibility for decisions in this matter rests on my shoulders, but I personally think his demise is imminent.
The people calling the shots aren’t in Kiev. They are in Washington.
Actually, the people calling the shots are in London. The attacks on the three different nuclear plants are being coordinated from British special forces.
I have to agree, the US has moved on, they have the mids coming, in the UK they’ve always had a racist hate for Russia, like an ex boyfriend they can’t let go of, look at the Bond movies, literature etc. UK SF are very good at clever little meaningless tricks and actions, the Skirpal event never happened, unless you believe that a dozen Special Branch were there tramping all over the place for full 24 hours before a hazmat suit came into view!
In reply to comments about Zelensky’s motivation, there may be a stick as well as a carrot, for example, “These are dangerous times; take care of your beautiful wife” (or boyfriend in the background, who knows?). We see this kind of thing in films all the time. I am sure the people pulling the strings know their business very well.
Im sure Zelensky got rich, but afraid he will be assassinated in a short term, as son as great players from Washington decide so. One witness less of the game with Ukraine!
Look! shelling a Nuclear Facility Its just not a “clever” thing to do…In fact its downright reckless and only an idiot and the politically insane would do it.
Despite the enormous casualties it appears the Ukronazis have no quit in them. Crimean airbase was severely damaged by infiltrated terrorists an Kerch bridge came under missile attack today something considered impossible a while back.
Hang crepe elsewhere, Lou. Ukraine is losing and the hrivnas that you get for posting here won’t buy anywhere near as much lard as they used to.
The question is always asked as to whether the criminals in wash with the sycophants in kiev and brussels are really that stupid in continuing to urge this bloodbath and carnage.
Of course, I have no insight but it seems on a certain level that they really are that stupid, or in other words, money is a powerful incentive for stupidity.
However, I have noted the rabid zionists, the neo con ideologues, continue to double down in the face of complete disaster, it is cynical beyond belief, and criminal beyond belief.
I do not believe anyone with rational thought can comprehend the level of cynicism and criminality that this doubling down exercise reflects.
kudos though are due. I have never seen a more effective propaganda campaign than was presented in the USA at the start of the Russian SMO.
Yes. Concur. But its target was the American public. Doesn’t change a thing in terms of Russia’s strategy.
You don’t lose until give up Vietnamese found that out and fighting United States and China. As long as Ukrainians can be pushed into battle they have a chance to exhaust Russian will. I read Russian telegrams and it’s not great for Russian moral or recruiting either taking 6 months and still not even taken Donbass yet. there is a large contingent of russan bloggersworried about Putin’s slow roll strategy it enabledmore western support and due to stalling it enables more death because you have less troops to execute cauldrons and overwhelming victories. Jury is still out who wins imo
Agree. Since Vietnam the strategy across the globe seems to frequently be to suck big militaries into a “quagmire” and bleed and exhaust them until they quit and go home to their often damaged economies and stressed societies. The communist did it to us in VN. We helped do it to Russia in Afghanistan (we saw it as a great victory). Bin Laden wanted to do it to us as somewhat succeeded. Now we’re back at it against Russia in UKR.
The people behind this are not far sighted geniuses. Rather, they are small minded, short sighted blood thirsty little mosquitos – and they have disdain for the every day Joes and Janes that pay the taxes that fund all the mosquitos’ fun and games. So they don’t if some Joes and Janes wake up to the con. There are plenty that don’t and the state controlled media will just spin and marginalize the “red pilled” sector. That’s where we’re at.
Nuke(civil or military) false flag is imminent. Erdogan failed to cancel escalation in Lvov today.Decision has been taken by neocons…by Russia also just in case.
Three Mig-31 supersonic interceptor aircraft carrying Kinzhal air-to-surface hypersonic missiles have been deployed to Russia’s western exclave of Kaliningrad, the country’s Defense Ministry has announced. On Thursday, the planes were relocated to Chkalovsk airfield in Kaliningrad Region as part of “additional strategic deterrence measures,” the ministry explained. During their flight, the Mig-31s worked out interactions with Russian forces stationed in the area, as well as the naval aviation of the Baltic Fleet, it added. The planes will be placed on 24/7 combat duty in Kaliningrad, according to the Defense Ministry.
With Kinzhal’s own range of 2,000 kilometers, it is clear what is in store for NATO C2 centers in case they decide to play stupid game.
Nuke(civil or military) false flag is imminent. Erdogan failed to cancel escalation in Lvov today.Decision has been taken by neocons…by Russia also just in case.
Three Mig-31 supersonic interceptor aircraft carrying Kinzhal air-to-surface hypersonic missiles have been deployed to Russia’s western exclave of Kaliningrad, the country’s Defense Ministry has announced. On Thursday, the planes were relocated to Chkalovsk airfield in Kaliningrad Region as part of “additional strategic deterrence measures,” the ministry explained. During their flight, the Mig-31s worked out interactions with Russian forces stationed in the area, as well as the naval aviation of the Baltic Fleet, it added. The planes will be placed on 24/7 combat duty in Kaliningrad, according to the Defense Ministry.
With Kinzhal’s own range of 2,000 kilometers, it is clear what is in store for NATO C2 centers in case they decide to play stupid game.
Agree with all of this.
Zero leadership in the West. It can only come from the US President. So right now it will not.
Russia will dictate whatever peace terms she ultimately chooses and the West will have either to recognize those terms or continue behaving like children. With silly little people like Liz Truss on the scene and Biden’s clear inability to think properly, I fear the latter.
In your third paragraph you discussed what Ukrainian leaders genuinely believe in .
Too easy. Money. Or in its less abstract forms : luxury, power , prestige and sex.
While people are dying . Right now. Disgusting beyond belief.
They have learned from their US masters. Look at your history.
Erwan Le castel is a good source of info since he’s been fighting in the dombass for years. He reviews the situation on a weekly basis on reseauinternational.net.
About the HIMAARS, he states that eventhough they are not a game changer, they still can inflict troubles in the rear front. What i suspect is that by extending the range of the missiles with US approval, the zelinsky clan hopes that russia will also extend its counterpunches. The more russia strikes close to the polish border the better it is for zelinksy narrative and his hue and cry against for a full nato warfare.
I thought the Dnierp reach would be a negociation tipping point. im not so sure now.
From my point of view as a US Army veteran, the most disappointing factor of this debacle is how casually and blindly our political class intervened in a conflict between two non-NATO countries with NO thought about the ramifications. Just like our political class deluded themselves about Iraqi WMD, they deluded themselves that a few howitzers and himars would make Ukraine a viable opponent against Russia. They deluded themselves about the power of sanctions, which Russia is partially evading by building economic systems bypassing US sanctions and the US dollar. They deluded themselves that intervention would make “the western rules ordered systems” stronger when it actually strengthens a rules system outside of the West over which our “rules” don’t mean anything. The lemmings in the DC hive mind display hubris and incompetence that is staggering. We – Americans – will forever be poorer for this even if the war doesn’t escalate to American engaging in direct combat.
Washington didn’t intervene. Washington created the crisis. 2014 and all that
“Washington didn’t intervene. Washington created the crisis. 2014 and all that”
Some social relations are bound by limited horizons thereby obfuscating causalities.
The crisis was not created in 2014 but has been almost continually encouraged by “The United States of America” since at least 1917 and the derived divide and rule efforts/opportunities of the Treaty of Versailles from 1919 onwards, including intentionally creating countries on the bases of inherent conflicting ethnic nationalisms from inception, including but not restricted to the Second Polish Republic (1919-1939), which included the provinces of Galicia and Volyn largely encommpasing and facilitatating the present construct known as Western Ukraine.
The “American Empire” was not conceived in 1945, just as sexual intercourse was not conceived in 1963 after Chistine Keeler and the Beatles first LP, but its development has been subject to lateral processes of interaction with others from the 1620’s until the 2020’s.
” in 1963 after Chistine Keeler and the Beatles first LP”
Apologies Mr. Larkin’s quote should read :
“in 1963 after Christine Keeler and before the Beatles first LP”.
“At least 24 of my ancestors, men and women, fought to free the American Colonies from British rule. Some died for the cause of liberty. “
Omniscience is never an option and hence we all make “mistakes” as a function of ignorance – Mr. Rumsfeld’s uknown unknows refer.
Oaths are often used to extend the half-lives of illusions deemed necessary to sustain a linearly modified “status quo” which is in itself is an illusion since time and constituents are subject to and hence are, lateral processes.
Knowledge is a lateral process often catalysed by perceiving and attempting to rectify “mistakes, whilst others seek to circumvent such lateral process through the encouragement of belief in absolutes in attempts to assuage/bridge “ignorance” through its emulation, ergo the denial of time and tides – an ill perceived obfuscation in the endeavours of Mr. Taylor in “Scientific Management”, and the Boeing Corporation in their various hopes and wishes.
“ITS WAR STRATEGY?”
Divisions of labour and “specialisation” encourage resort to reliance to some degree on emulative expectations derived from experiences, sometimes interpreted as history.
This is further “advanced” by the conflation of “an answer” with “the answer” thereby limiting perceptions of laterally interacting networks of vectors.
“War” is not restricted to things that go bang, whilst some practicitioners intuit that to some degree that is not the case, whilst some “practitioners” don’t know and don’t care.
The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley, “Ukrainian Nationalism” being particularly “sucessful” in this regard, and unlike their sponsors, are informed by the interactions of their “historical “experiences including What ever happended to Stepan Bandera ?, in interaction with the observations of Mr. Dmytro Dontsev and others perceived as illuminaries, hence wise potential losers including “Ukrainian Nationalists” ponder – What is for afters ?
Among the interacting networks of vectors are the inter-dependencies of “Ukrainian Nationalists” and their “sponsors” who harbour illusions of being their controllers predicated on derivatives of exceptionalism and we are the indispensible nationness/NATOness.
Hence for some “Ukrainian Nationalists”, Ukrainian Nationalism has become an ill fitting cloak fraying at the elbows, increasing their emphases on – what is for afters and how is this to be facilitated ? – the inept facilitation including but not being restricted to attempts at various forms of blackmail of their “sponsors”, including ineptly shelling Nuclear energy facilities including dumps, in emulation of the song – When we played our charade, we were like children posing, and the Kissinger/Nixon double act that the leader is mad you best be carefulness in hoped for co-ordination/multiplication – the actors not being completely naïve in matters theatrical, except in regard to their opponents, since the lover of medals and his cohorts are no longer in the audience.
To paraphrase Ms. Dionne Warwick – “That’s what aid is for.”, being one vector within the laterally interacting networks of vectors.
“The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley, “Ukrainian Nationalism” being particularly “sucessful” in this regard, and unlike their sponsors, are informed by the interactions of their “historical “experiences including What ever happended to Stepan Bandera ?, in interaction with the observations of Mr. Dmytro Dontsev and others perceived as illuminaries, hence wise potential losers including “Ukrainian Nationalists” ponder – What is for afters ?”
“Among the interacting networks of vectors are the inter-dependencies of “Ukrainian Nationalists” and their “sponsors” who harbour illusions of being their controllers predicated on derivatives of exceptionalism and we are the indispensible nationness/NATOness.”
Hence for some “Ukrainian Nationalists”, Ukrainian Nationalism has become an ill fitting cloak fraying at the elbows,”
and hence the response to What is for afters is attempted to be befores.
https://www.voltairenet.org/article217765.html
Personally, I think corruption in Ukrainian leaders is keeping their participation going.
That said, thanks for writing about the strategic problem with believing your own propaganda.
Now a rational US motive would be to fight Russia in Ukraine so as not to have to fight them in Eastern Europe. Russia was very clear – they expect demilitarization of eastern Europe. So from their point of view, destroying western weapons faster than they can be replaced is a worthy goal. Given the Covid/Covid policy destruction of US / Western supply chains, there is no chance Western military production can accelerate (even if the MIC was nationalized) – in fact, with each wave, US production becomes more dysfunctional.
Sadly, there seems no reason to worry about an outbreak of rationality in the US or West.
Germany and Netherlands had delivered in total 15 Howitzers PZH 2000, which are said to be a very efficient weapon.
As I read in Berliner zeitung from 10.8. , after only an few weeks only 5 of them are in state of use.
Not because the other 10 were destroyed by russians.
No, because they were misused by ukranian forces.
Instead doing few, but precise hits, and then removing ot other positions, They used for permanent fire.
Ukraine to Use Bunker-Busting Bomb
on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station?Such would be not just a crime against Ukrainians and Russians, but against all of humanity.Where do we draw a line and force the Pentagon and NATO to stop?
If where there’s smoke, there’s fire holds true here, then I hope Russia places numerous S500 anti-air defense units around this giant nuclear plant. And although I know it will never happen, I hope those in the U.S. and NATO who order and facilitate what the Ukraine could never ever do by itself hang for the war crime of polluting a vast swath of Ukrainian soil and the waters of the River Dnipr and Black Sea with toxic radioactive matter. QUESTION: Does the Ukraine possess either any such thing as a “bunker-busting bomb,” or any way to actually deliver such?Gonzalo Lira writes from Kharkiv, where he has lived for years, done business of various kinds, and married and had children.https://twitter.com/GonzaloLira1968/status/1560496324348362752 (three-Tweet thread) RUMOR: I’m hearing this from so many independent sources online that I’ll run it up the flagpole:The RUMOR is the Zelensky regime—ordered and abetted by Washington—will use some sort of bunker-buster bomb on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, perhaps even a tactical nuke. The reasons are manifold: Cause a giant nuclear accident—and blame it on the Russians. An excuse for Zelensky and his goons to decamp to the West. An excuse for the US/NATO to give up on Ukraine. Forever ostracize Russia, so Europe never trades with her again. This is an incredibly farfetched RUMOR. But frankly I wouldn’t put it past the insane clowns in Washington and Brussels and Kiev—which is the true horror.
Anyway, according to this RUMOR, it’ll happen if not this weekend then over the course of this week.
We’ll see. The Russian Federation has captured, now occupies, and now oversees operations at this giant nuclear facility. It has personnel surrounding and inside every part of it. For some in the West to allege that Russia has some kind of incentive to torch its own people–when 1.) it is winning by leaps and bounds and 2.) when it has sedulously avoided killing and injuring Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure (and those who cannot see this are just willfully blind), and 3.) clearly intending that this powerplant and indeed the entire oblast of Zaporizhzhia shall presently be a permanent part of the Russian Federation; well, what, exactly could motivate it to damage the place in any way at all?
Plurals don’t take apostrophes.
Nazis, not Nazi’s.
And so many more examples by so many people, everywhere.
I think the Ukranians know what the situation is without relying on Western intelligence. They know they are losing people left right and centre.
What they are holding out for is promisee from the West of reinforcements and weapons.
I think they accurately assess that Russia has little appetite to govern western Ukraine and will present keeping West Ukraine as a victory.
The rotation of Ukranians out and NATO special forces in is probably accelerating in the West
My guess a deal will be done and presented as the Ukranian gov saving western Ukrainie.
The problem is the army leaders, Nazis and the US need to be on board.
The leadership needs money and passports abroad. They can’t afford to turn on those who got them in this mess. The British and Americans with a side of Canadian and French.
The Ukranians aren’t stupid. They know economically they are done. It’s now about maximising what they get. In the meantime terrorist attacks are not hard.
Crimea may be a Kazarian aspiration for Nuland and the Jews running Ukrainie but I can’t see the army and Nazis doing it for them. Crimea is gone.
Interestingly, Andrei Martyanov tonight cited someone he credits with serious and accurate information as saying that Ukrainian Killed In Action = 200,000, with “sanitary” (wounded beyond ability to return to action) = 300,000. Compare these figures with the widely cited figure of 250,000 Ukrainian effectives at the commencement of Russia’s Special Military Operation . . . Looks mighty bleak.
He also said that a Kraken unit had summarily executed something like 50 soldiers who either deserted or refused to fight by way of instilling fear into other units.
As to what might be left, or what might reflect a stopping point for Russia, somewhere (but embarrassed to say I failed to capture a link and do not recall where) I saw a map that had the Ukraine only the single oblast of Kyiv, with seven western oblasts to Poland, one small one to hungary, and two to Romania; the rest–perhaps 2/3 of the country–to become essentially oblasts of the Russian Federation. Whoever prepared that map certainly has an interesting point of view (was that your own good self, Mr. Johnson?) that would be interesting to hear more about.
Elsewhere, Alex Christoforou noted that Erdogan has a big incentive for the Ukraine to win–if a settlement came at something like current territorial holdings, it would deny Russia control of the Black Sea, something Turkiye wants to make sure does not happen. Shrewd man. Seems to be skillfully negotiating a tightrope with friendship or at least relationships with both Ukraine and Russia.
Great
Yes, Zap NPP is & remains a Big Big Problem. But also watch out for Crimea & Crimea bridge as well.
Hasn’t US recently dropped its somewhat restraint against UA willing to bomb Crimea & esp. Crimea bridge ? Which it sees as UA territory to be “liberated” soon (obviously mostly populated by traitors, with which to deal some, ehm, very special formations (someone might see similarities to historic predecessors in WW2) of this superdemocratic State are surely keen to deal with. (West would be acquiescent with that, as it was & is with UA terrorbombing of “traitors” in Donbass + everywhere else)
And shelling & terror bombing civilians, especially without any “strategic” sense (weren’t even some random russian villages or toll stations, e.g. in Voronezh region, bombed ?), is something Ukies are still quite good at.
As long as Nato & the west are helping out with ammo. Fine !
Sure, bombs, rockets and grenades on Rrussian or pro Rrussian civilians & infrastructure bring back no lost territory. But who cares. In this maybe last stage of civilization as we know it.
May hate flourish, that seems to be
the most important now !
(remains the question, what’s exactly the West’s rationale with that, or is meanwhile ev’rything rational dumped, hate for hate’s sake, full goin’ suicidal ? Backup suicide mechanism, if Zap not works out, then Kerch bridge or sth. like that ??)
The plan:
A: Cause Russia as much economic, physical and cultural damage as possible.
B: This space is left intentionally blank.
C: Russia is ruled by a pro western puppet state of Greater Pokrania … US / EU corporations
manage the joint.
Would be interesting to see some comments about this WaPo investigation:
“Russia’s spies misread Ukraine and misled Kremlin as war loomed, By Greg Miller and Catherine Belton, Aug. 19 at 7:00 a.m.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2022/russia-fsb-intelligence-ukraine-war/?itid=mr_world_1&commentID=088be50a-519c-4927-9410-9008c499087f
I had to hold myself together and not laugh too hard at “WaPo investigation” part…. You are either extremely gullible to believe that this bezos garbage cesspool is capable of “investigating” anything or you are a paid CIA / State Dpt troll to pose a question like this on this board…
The MSM lies about the conflict are pointed at the politicians as much as the average citizen. If the politicians read the truth in the press policies would start to change. All we can do is keep pushing reality with hopes it will start to reach people.
Excllent article Larry-J. It is my impression that the B-Strategy in Ukraine aims to deflect the necessary confrontation of our interests in Taiwan and Africa. We have not much to gain in Ukraine, other than lifting Up Russia which is very necessary to counterbalance China expansionism, yet that is omitted in the WH spin. OurTheatre ops in Poland have not changed, and a Z-Nazi spin on ideology to prop up Ukraine, has simpliy turned them into the EU-scapegoat so EU can advance their SOROS-SHARED AGENDA. Thanks again for all u do. U are a patriot/.