Ukraine SitRep - Russians Break Through U.S. Bolsterism
On May 14 I noted that the U.S. had asked Russia for a ceasefire in Ukraine:
The U.S. readout of the call says:
On May 13, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu for the first time since February 18. Secretary Austin urged an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication.Austin initiated the call and the U.S. is seeking a ceasefire in Ukraine!!!
Yesterday the top officers of the U.S. and Russia had a call which, again, the U.S. side had initiated:
Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, held a conversation that the Pentagon declined to further detail beyond acknowledging it had happened.
Thinks must be bad in Ukraine for this to have happened. Indeed if one trusts the daily 'clobber list' the Russian Ministry of Defense puts out all positions of the Ukrainian army are under heavy artillery fire and it is losing about 500 men per day. There are additional Russian effective strikes on training camps, weapon storage sites and transport hubs all over the country.
On top of that the tactical situation at the eastern frontline has changed after Russian forces broke through the heavily fortified frontline.
Source: liveuamap.com - bigger
Cont. reading: Ukraine SitRep - Russians Break Through U.S. Bolsterism
Ukraine Open Thread 2022-69
Only news & views related to the Ukraine conflict ...
The open thread for other issues is here.
Open Thread 2022-68 (Not Ukraine)
News & views NOT related to the Ukraine conflict ...
How Europe Was Pushed Towards Economic Suicide
With the active help from Europe's 'leadership' the U.S. is succeeding in ruining Europe.
As Michael Hudson, a research professor of Economics at University of Missouri, Kansas City, wrote in early February, before Russia's intervention in Ukraine:
America no longer has the monetary power and seemingly chronic trade and balance-of-payments surplus that enabled it to draw up the world’s trade and investment rules in 1944-45. The threat to U.S. dominance is that China, Russia and Mackinder’s Eurasian World Island heartland are offering better trade and investment opportunities than are available from the United States with its increasingly desperate demand for sacrifices from its NATO and other allies.The most glaring example is the U.S. drive to block Germany from authorizing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to obtain Russian gas for the coming cold weather. Angela Merkel agreed with Donald Trump to spend $1 billion building a new LNG port to become more dependent on highly priced U.S. LNG. (The plan was cancelled after the U.S. and German elections changed both leaders.) But Germany has no other way of heating many of its houses and office buildings (or supplying its fertilizer companies) than with Russian gas.
The only way left for U.S. diplomats to block European purchases is to goad Russia into a military response and then claim that avenging this response outweighs any purely national economic interest. As hawkish Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, explained in a State Department press briefing on January 27: “If Russia invades Ukraine one way or another Nord Stream 2 will not move forward.” The problem is to create a suitably offensive incident and depict Russia as the aggressor.
In mid February OSCE observer noted that the artillery bombardment of Donbas by the Ukrainians increased from a handful to over 2,000 explosions per day. Russia reacted to these attack preparations by recognizing the Donbas republics, signing defense agreements with them and by finally coming to their help.
Shortly after the launch of the Russian military operation Professor Hudson further developed his earlier thoughts:
Cont. reading: How Europe Was Pushed Towards Economic Suicide
Ukraine - For Laughs
'Western' media are nothing but Zelenski regime megaphones.
Liveuamap @Liveuamap - 21:30 UTC · May 16, 2022
Zelensky confirms Azovstal troops evacuation: «Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive. This has been our principle»
https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/16-may... via @myroslavapetsa
The New York Times @nytimes - 22:59 UTC · May 16, 2022
Breaking News: Ukraine ended its “combat mission” in Mariupol and said fighters were being evacuated, signaling that the battle at a steel plant was over.
link
CNN International @cnni - 23:39 UTC · May 16, 2022
Ukrainian forces say they have ended their "combat mission" in besieged Mariupol, as hundreds are evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant. https://cnn.it/3FQALcV
Reuters @Reuters - 3:35 AM · May 17, 2022
Ukraine's military said it was working to evacuate all remaining troops from their last stronghold in the besieged port of Mariupol, ceding control of the city to Russia after months of bombardment https://reut.rs/3wlYbUG
From the false headline down the Washington Post report on the issue is a master piece of propaganda:
Cont. reading: Ukraine - For Laughs
Ukraine Open Thread 2022-67
Only news & views related to the Ukraine conflict ...
The open thread for other issues is here.
British Info-Warriors Kill Abroad And Sabotage Politics At Home
The British Guardian reports that 'black propaganda', issued by the British government, has helped to kill millions of people:
The British government ran a secret “black propaganda” campaign for decades, targeting Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia with leaflets and reports from fake sources aimed at destabilising cold war enemies by encouraging racial tensions, sowing chaos, inciting violence and reinforcing anti-communist ideas, newly declassified documents have revealed.The effort, run from the mid-1950s through to the late 70s by a unit in London that was part of the Foreign Office, was focused on cold war enemies such as the Soviet Union and China, leftwing liberation groups and leaders that the UK saw as threats to its interests
The campaign also sought to mobilise Muslims against Moscow, promoting greater religious conservatism and radical ideas. To appear authentic, documents encouraged hatred of Israel.
Recently declassified British government documents reveal hundreds of extensive and costly operations.
This isn't all new:
Cont. reading: British Info-Warriors Kill Abroad And Sabotage Politics At Home
Ukraine Open Thread 2022-66
Only news & views related to the Ukraine conflict ...
The open thread for other issues is here.
The MoA Week In Review - NOT Ukraine OT 2022-65
Last week's posts at Moon of Alabama:
- May 9 - Ukraine - Putin On Why The War Started, Failed Attempts On Snake Island, Other Issues
- May 11 - Ukraine - Congress Passes The Bucks, Realism Sneaks In, Poland Plans For More War
- May 13 - If Ukraine Is Winning Why Is The U.S. Requesting A Ceasefire?
Related:
- Why Ukraine war has no winners - Indian Punchline
- Putin, game master? - Jacques Baud (vid, Engl.subs) - Max Milo Éditions
- Saturday Morning Live With Scott Ritter And Ray McGovern (vid) - Garland Nixon
- May 12 - Matthew VanDyke - Some 3 Letter Agency Dude With An Obsessive Compulsion For Publicity
Related:
- The Covert Operation to Back Ukrainian Independence that Haunts the CIA - Politico
After WWII, officials in Washington sent scores of agents to their deaths in a misguided effort to create an uprising against Moscow.
- Army of Secret Propagandists in Ukraine Funded by U.S. to Win Western Hearts and Minds for NATO Policies - Covert Action Mag
- Ukraine war: Military intelligence chief 'optimistic' of Russian defeat saying war 'will be over by end of year' - Sky News
- Coup to remove cancer-stricken Putin underway in Russia, Ukrainian intelligence chief says - Fortune
- May 13 - U.S. Seeks ASEAN Proxy Willing To Poke China
Related:
- Indo-Pacific strategy adrift in an illusion - Indian Punchline
- Is the Biden Administration Serious About ‘ASEAN Centrality’? - The Diplomat
- Biden’s summit pushes ASEAN to confront China, runs counter to their interest - Global Times
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Other issues:
Cont. reading: The MoA Week In Review - NOT Ukraine OT 2022-65
If Ukraine Is Winning Why Is The U.S. Requesting A Ceasefire?
Yesterday the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu.
Why?
The U.S. readout of the call says:
On May 13, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu for the first time since February 18. Secretary Austin urged an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication.
Austin initiated the call and the U.S. is seeking a ceasefire in Ukraine!!!
Are we not told that the Ukraine is winning the war? That it will soon push the Russian forces back over the border? The operation to 'weaken Russia', which Austin had publicly announced two weeks ago, does not seem to go that well.
Told ya so!
Gonzalo Lira thinks that the call points to a soon coming collapse of the Ukrainian forces. Let us hope that this is indeed the case because it seems to be the only chance that the war will end soon.
The Ukraine is losing up to 15,000 men per month to the war. The total Ukrainian casualties, dead and wounded, are likely already at 50,000. The weapons the U.S. and others provide, are not sufficient to sustain the war. The Ukraine has only 3 days reserves of diesel and gasoline left. The main parts of its forces are immobile and are getting surrounded by Russian forces. Their situation is hopeless.
The Pentagon of course knows this all and that is why Austin initiated the call and asked for a ceasefire.
The Russia side will not agree to a ceasefire. At least not unless the 'west' offers to take back some of the 6,400 sanction measures it has initiated against Russia.
There are recently a number of other issues that also go in favor of Russia:
Cont. reading: If Ukraine Is Winning Why Is The U.S. Requesting A Ceasefire?