Ukraine Open Thread 2022-20
Only news & views related to the Ukraine conflict ...
Posted by b on March 3, 2022 at 13:04 UTC | Permalink
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Posted by: Jonathan W | Mar 3 2022 13:15 utc | 2
How much more obviously hopeless will their situation have to become before Ukrainians beg their government to surrender?
Posted by: too scents | Mar 3 2022 13:15 utc | 3
Posted by: Arioch | Mar 3 2022 13:08 utc | 1
is that tank destroyed? looks recoverable to me (or undamaged).
Posted by: laguerre | Mar 3 2022 13:17 utc | 4
According to Southfront, the next 72 hours are critical:
"The overall slowdown of the Russian Armed Forces’ offensive amid tiredness from eight days of fighting, the local successes of the AFU, the mass arrival of weapons from NATO countries and mercenaries, mistakes of the tactical command in certain parts of the front raise difficult questions for the strategic command of the Russian Armed Forces. If Moscow fails to reverse the situation in the next 72 hours, the war in Ukraine will inevitably develop into a long-term, bloody conflict. In this case, NATO forces will sooner or later become direct participants of the conflict, while Russia will be mobilized."
Posted by: Maracatu | Mar 3 2022 13:22 utc | 5
Reports of uncontrolled looting in Kiev, especially by Zelensky's latest Volkssturm batch of armed convicts. Meanwhile, the Ukranazi coup regime military has officially declared that it will murder Russian artillery crew on capture. Here's the link:
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Mar 3 2022 13:22 utc | 6
@Arioch:
Looks like a tank recovery vehicle could winch it out without damage.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Mar 3 2022 13:25 utc | 7
Lamenting Germany’s WW1 defeat at the 1934 Nuremberg Rally, Joseph Goebbels acknowledges a hard lesson learned:
“While the enemy states produced unprecedented atrocity propaganda aimed at Germany throughout the whole world, we did nothing and were completely defenseless against it…Just as we were militarily and economically unprepared for the war, so also with propaganda. We lost the war in this area more than in any other. The cleverest trick used in propaganda against Germany during the war was to accuse Germany of what our enemies themselves were doing.”
Posted by: Boindub | Mar 3 2022 13:31 utc | 8
After all, could anyone tell me how the siege of the Chechens would be? Well, there are many fashionistas posting pictures armed to the teeth in Kiev, probably among civilians. So would it be better to cut supplies and wait for them to leave, or heavy artillery?
Anything like the siege of Leningrad here?
Does passing Russian troops through Belarus automatically authorize Poland to do the same with equipment and troops?
In the last post I saw a lot of Yankees here talking nonsense. I'm new here and I don't know much but I think that if you think what Russia is doing is absurd and what the US is doing in Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria etc... Clint Eastwood or Ridley Scott. I'm sorry you're either a retard or just a scoundrel. Thank Friends
Posted by: Oisin | Mar 3 2022 13:34 utc | 9
Something weird with south front 1st of all that tank picture looks too old to be Russian and it’s on what looks like a tank training ground with the slope behind it similar to what is usually used
Maybe the site has been hacked?
Posted by: Paul43 | Mar 3 2022 13:35 utc | 10
@Boinbud,
that is called projection, i.e. accusing other people of what you yourself are guilty of.
It's a favourite tool of narcissists and psychopaths, so not surprising that it should be so prevalent during wartime, since they are the ones who usually start wars.
Posted by: Manage without me | Mar 3 2022 13:40 utc | 11
I'm reposting this. I originally posted it at the end of the Disarming Ukraine - Day 7 thread, but I figure more people will see it here and I really would like an answer — if there is one.
From The Australian newspaper: ‘Please leave’: Stan Grant ejects audience member in sensational Q&A blow up over Russia:
ABC host Stan Grant has ejected a Q&A audience member in a sensational blow up over the Ukraine conflict.The extraordinary moment was triggered by widely discredited pro-Russian claims about killings in Ukraine.
After taking an inflammatory question from a Russian-Australian man that appeared to advocate retaliatory violence, the show moved on, but its host could not.
Almost 20 minutes after the question was uncomfortably deflected, Grant decided to take action, booting the questioner in emotional scenes.
ABC host Stan Grant has ejected a Q&A audience member in a sensational blow up over the Ukraine conflict.“Something has been bothering me … people here have been talking about family who are suffering and people who are dying. Can I just say – I’m just not comfortable with you being here. Could you please leave?,” Grant said.
The questioner tried to argue his case but Grant was having none of it.
Emphasis is mine. I haven't encountered any article which discredits the Russian (and Donbasian) claims. The only articles I can find pretty much confirm it. And my google skills are failing me.
Can anyone point me to an article that actually discredits these claims? I'm serious; I really can't find anything and would like to know what the evidence against the claims is.
Posted by: Kukulkan | Mar 3 2022 13:40 utc | 12
A very interesting statement just now made by MbS in Saudi Arabia:
JUST IN - Saudi Arabia "considers options" of reducing investments in the US, says crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.The Kingdom's investments in China are less than $100 billion, but growing very fast, he added.
https://nitter.net/disclosetv/status/1499371133027729415
The entire vile tapestry of US financial imperialism is beginning to unravel. For those who happen to understand Swedish, here is the soundtrack to what is going on: Knutna Nävar - Rickard Dollarhjärta
Posted by: Unnamed | Mar 3 2022 13:42 utc | 13
What is wrong with RT? Showing their Atlantist true colors or what?
I posted the following two comments on RT RE: https://www.rt.com/news/551092-un-resolution-condemns-russian-ukraine-invasion/
1) Why so much vitriol against Putin & Russia @ RT of all places??? Judging from the comments section employees and volunteers of western lack of intelligence agencies, catholic and protesting (probably still sore from not getting their indulgences granted) churches, and synagogues must be busy at work. Or the Banderite & Zionist corporatists won???
2) I can understand the UN Security Council, but does the Global South and Global East want to commit seppuku like the Global North???
My two comments above did not last two minutes on RT.
No comments apparently on Sputnik now.
Posted by: William Haught | Mar 3 2022 13:42 utc | 14
Paul43 at 10:
I have no idea. It is the same photo that Arioch posted at 1.
Posted by: Maracatu | Mar 3 2022 13:43 utc | 15
Putin's biggest miscalculation was attemptimg to use military strategy to get an intelligence outcome, this is no suprise since his background is intelligence not military.
Spy's are like ninjas they like to do a swift-clean job, taking their target by surprise under the "cover of information darknesses". This is where Putin's miscalculation might cost him more than he bargained for, there is also an element of "international/national law-abidance" which must be factored into his gameplay.
This is why he failed to utilize the initial momentum of "shock and awe" to swiftly and cleanly (i.e. without civilian fatalities), cut off the enemies' will to resist. He ought to have cut Ukraine's electricity which would have given him the "cover of information darkness" to operate without scrutiny, because no electricity means no internet or television more panic more chaos in the enemies' camp and the less they would be able to assert authority over the narrative and the people, thus the necessity of cutting off the information umblical cord, not even Elon Musk would have been able to keep the information flow necessary for propaganda going.
Next would have been to unleash the full potential of the Russian military-intelligence strategy, there would be deaths, probably in great number but there won't be anyone (except the Russian forces) around filming and blaming, so the "information pressure" would be absent, then the intelligence side would have used "head hunters" targeting the heads and securing the radio-media complex, this ensures any information the "world" gets would be framed, remember the medium is the message.
His forces near Kyiv look like sitting ducks under the watchful eye of the enemy, so the element of surprise is lost, the momentum of shock and awe is sapped, the fatalies will rise so there is no "swift-clean" way out of this, the mess is just going to get messier, while the medium projects the message into the world.
@Posted by: Unnamed | Mar 3 2022 13:42 utc | 13
MBS would not live long, he would lose his CIA "protection".
Posted by: librul | Mar 3 2022 13:54 utc | 17
One source: What we are seeing now is the first Russian wave, marked "Z", and there is a second wave coming, marked "V".
Posted by: Jonathan W | Mar 3 2022 13:55 utc | 18
There is still no condemnation of the Iraq 2003 and Syrian invasions and bombing by Trump more recently, at least that I know of. It was a week or less and the perpetrators of supreme crimes want to try Putin and Russia for their R2P?
Posted by: William Haught | Mar 3 2022 13:56 utc | 19
Re the mass arrival of NATO weaponry in Ukraine, couldn't Russia destroy such equipment as soon as it crosses any NATO border onto Ukrainian territory? The Russians are claiming they have full control of Ukrainian airspace, after all.
Southfront have been somewhat critical of Russian tactics, logistics and command in the last few days, but said some of the more useless commanders have now been replaced by experienced ones, especially around Kharkov.
RT is out on both TV and internet in France.
Posted by: B. Wildered | Mar 3 2022 14:00 utc | 20
Jonathan W | Mar 3 2022 13:55 utc | 18
One source: What we are seeing now is the first Russian wave, marked "Z", and there is a second wave coming, marked "V".AFAIK, there are already "Z" and "V" markings.
Someone, somewhere, claimed that "Z" = Zapad (west) and "V" = vostok (east)
Posted by: Norwegian | Mar 3 2022 14:02 utc | 21
Maximus: “Putin’s biggest miscalculation?”
Proceeding as planned!
https://time.com/3259699/putin-boast-kiev-2-weeks/?amp=true
Posted by: ThatGuy | Mar 3 2022 14:04 utc | 22
Arioc@1 looks more like a mechanized rifle type cannon, but does not look like a tank. That said, it landed on some railway tracks, I'd expect any trains to be running a tad late. My money would be on it being Orc.
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Mar 3 2022 14:08 utc | 23
Posted by: Maximus
Sounds like you should email your suggestions to Shoigu. He’ll be happy you’ve caught all his errors. This is not a war and it is almost finished.
Posted by: Macmuir | Mar 3 2022 14:12 utc | 24
Postado por: Máximo | 3 de março de 2022 13:48 utc | 16
You forgot a man called Shoigu
Posted by: Oisin | Mar 3 2022 14:12 utc | 25
I have heard claims by a poster at The Saker blog and a video by Richard Medhurst that speaking out in favor of Putin and Russia will get you 20 years in Slovakia. Also, Medhurst claims Bush signed a law that if anyone from the U.$. is prosecuted in The Hague, the U.$. will invade The Netherlands. Even using Yandex, I find nothing, at least in English. As for Spanish, no recuerdo nada, well, obviously, almost. Real or Smog of War worse than the London Smog?
Posted by: William Haught | Mar 3 2022 14:18 utc | 26
@William Haught | Mar 3 2022 14:18 utc | 26
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Service-Members%27_Protection_Act
Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Mar 3 2022 14:23 utc | 27
@26 I cannot speak for Slovakia, but Czechia passed a law making it a crime to say anything positive about Russia in any outlet (online or otherwise) punishable by up to 3 years in prison. So it wouldn’t surprise me if the Slovaks are more psychotic.
As for the Bush invading The Hague claim, I do recall reading that many times back during the Bush regime era, but it has probably been memory holed as part of the Democratic Party embrace of Bush.
Posted by: Krungle | Mar 3 2022 14:29 utc | 28
Question re anti-russian sanctions: isn't there a valid risk of creating an anti-western terror org by those sanctions? I mean, a lot of (all) young russians are being treated like trash now so couldn't that backfire in the future?
Oh, and meanwhile, Georgia has finally applied for EU membership :D :D :D
Posted by: qubix | Mar 3 2022 14:31 utc | 29
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Mar 3 2022 14:08 utc | 23
No, it is a tank definitely, smoothbore 125mm, dozer blade on belly, and judging by the side ERA panels it is T-72/90 family. Just from a glance.
Posted by: Abe | Mar 3 2022 14:31 utc | 30
The sanctions in the West against Russia have reached demented proportions from yachts being seized in Germany to Russian cats being banned from competitions. Maybe the Western powers realise that change is coming and the all things Russian need to be demonised to get people onside.
Of course I don't recall any sanctions against Nato when it invaded Iraq and murdered up to one million folk, along with Madeline Albright justifying the killing of 500,000 Iraqi kids. Nor was Nato sanctioned when it attacked Libya, and then there was the illegal attacks on Syria that are still ongoing, and the murder of an Irainian general in Iraq by the USA, these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to US/Nato crimes and not one sanction has been implemented against them for their warmongering illegal actions.
I could imagine the usa's response if Russia opened military bases and placed nukes in them nnear the border in Mexico or Canada, the UN and Nato and the EU would be condemning it and screaming for sanctions on Russia, ad the US military would be applauded if it invaded the countries to stop it.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Mar 3 2022 14:36 utc | 31
Some keep mentioning that Russia has lost the war of information. I don’t think Russia cares much at this point. The Russia-phobia in the west has been always there, but seasonal, like a seasonal flu. The vast majority of the western population is brainwashed towards Russia and towards anything the government decides to brainwash. They are hopeless, it is already in their DNA. You should never expect revelation will come down to them from sky overnight. So forget about who is winning the war information in the west, it does not count.
That leaves us with the rest of the world. Those who left at the UN meeting when the Russian foreign minister was talking were smart enough to do it with or without receiving the orders, but I am sure their governments and some of their people know the story behind Russia’s action. Whatever information has been passed to them in the last week, and the weeks to come, it will eventually be forgotten.
In my opinion, China has lost the war of information in a bigger scale at the beginning of Covid, but seems like ordinary people, fortunately, have the tendency to forget when the information feeding tap is turned off or set at low stream, and even forget faster than we expect!
It all comes down to whether Russia and China were expecting and prepared for all this reaction from the US?
If there is democracy to allow the planet population to vote, Russia already secured 1.4 billon vote, that’s if someone is still wondering where China stands now.
And regarding Israel, I see in one of the comments that they are listed in the non-sanctioning countries. I think they got exempted from the US pressure to sanction Russia in the fear that Russia might retaliate in Syria against Israel.
Posted by: Man | Mar 3 2022 14:38 utc | 32
I read on south front and other website that logistics are slowing Russian advance.
Surely that can’t be the case with Russia next to Ukraine?
Posted by: Justin | Mar 3 2022 14:39 utc | 33
@Kukulkan #12 The "information space" is dominated by the west. Western media is a propaganda megaphone. What they can't control they censure. History has been rewritten through selective editing and webscrubbing.
Russia released a blistering humanitarian report on Ukrainian atrocities in Donbas. The website that this was released this was immediately attacked and is no longer available.
WMDs in Iraq. Saddam was behind 9/11. Russia hacked the election. Epstein committed suicide. The question is not does media lie, but whether they ever tell the truth. It's all bullshit, all the time.
Posted by: Black Cloud | Mar 3 2022 14:41 utc | 34
Looks like south front dot org is turning coat for no particular reason.
Posted by: Greg Galloway | Mar 3 2022 14:44 utc | 35
@Arioch, picture is Fake. Easy to spot if you look at the non-matching lighting of tank and background. Always try to find out where the light comes from and check if all objects are lighted accordingly.
Posted by: abroso | Mar 3 2022 14:46 utc | 36
Ukraine's puppet president Zelensky, claims that 16,0000 international mad dogs a coming to fight in Ukraine against Russia including seventy fighters from Japan.
Meanwhile Roscosmos will stop supplying rocket engines to the USA, and will no longer service those engines that are in service
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Mar 3 2022 14:48 utc | 37
some guy that knew Epstein died recently in a prison, supposedly another "suicide". no cameras.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Mar 3 2022 14:50 utc | 38
Black Cloud | Mar 3 2022 14:41 utc | 34@
Russia released a blistering humanitarian report on Ukrainian atrocities in Donbas. The website that this was released this was immediately attacked and is no longer available.
I downloaded a copy of the report while it was available. That's why I'm interested in reading a rebuttal or an article that discredits the claims. To weigh the evidence.
Apparently the discrediting is widely available, and yet I don't seem to be able to find it anywhere.
Posted by: Kukulkan | Mar 3 2022 14:50 utc | 39
Sputnik: Russia ends cooperation on experiments at the International Space Station (ISS) with Germany.
Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin: "Taking into account the completely unacceptable actions of our German colleagues, primarily the German Centre for Aviation and Cosmonautics, I turned off one of the telescopes of our space observatory 'Spektr-RG', which is located at a distance of 1.5 million kilometres from Earth at the La Grange point L2. This is a completely civilian international mission to explore the starry sky", Rogozin elaborated, saying that Russia has all the essential resources to conduct the experiments by itself.
Posted by: Norwegian | Mar 3 2022 14:50 utc | 40
Let us see if they go after Karelian Bobtail, Kurilian Bobtail, Mekong Bobtail, Russian Blue, Siberian Cat, and Toybob (and whatever else I missed) regardless of where they were born. They will probably mistake Donskoy, for ET and Peterbald as their cosmic cousins. If I did not know better, I would.
Posted by: William Haught | Mar 3 2022 14:51 utc | 41
Apparently the discrediting is widely available, and yet I don't seem to be able to find it anywhere.
Posted by: Kukulkan | Mar 3 2022 14:50 utc | 39
---
The discrediting is guarded by Azov in Mariupol.
Posted by: too scents | Mar 3 2022 14:54 utc | 42
@Maximus #16 You seem to be advocating the US method of war: completely destroy a country's infrastructure. This is not only illegal under international law and the Geneva Convention (both things that the US utterly ignores) it also makes enemies of the country's citizens, which is clearly not the desired outcome.
Russia wants peaceful, stable nations and trade partners on their borders. Aside from the fact that many Ukrainians are ethnic Russians and there are many family ties between the two countries.
It looks to me like the action is going largely as planned. Civilians and infrastructure have been protected and the Ukrainian population is now seeing the neonazi faction that is holding them hostage as the enemy.
Posted by: Black Cloud | Mar 3 2022 14:54 utc | 43
@William Haught | Mar 3 2022 14:18 utc | 26
"In 2002, then-President George W. Bush signed the American Service-Members’ Protection Act into law, authorizing the use of military force to free its citizens from incarceration in the Hague and trial by the International Criminal Court."
https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/us-can-invade-the-hague/
Posted by: Loocust | Mar 3 2022 14:55 utc | 44
as far as I know Bush still doesn't travel outside the country, tho he would probably not be arrested.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Mar 3 2022 14:57 utc | 45
As the UAE took over from Russia this month as chairman of the Council, Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a political scientist whose views often reflect thinking in official Emirati circles, said the UAE’s abstention in the UN votes "was consistent with the new UAE foreign policy activism, which stems from being confident of its decisions and its approach to global and regional politics."Mr. Abdulla went on to say that "finally we are independent enough, competent enough to take this kind of position, which is consistent with our own way of doing things. Maybe it doesn't resonate too well in Washington, but that's the way things are going to be from now on."
Time will tell. It wouldn't be the first time that the UAE has made risky geopolitical bets that have backfired, such as its interventions in Yemen alongside Saudi Arabia and Libya. The interventions were part of a broader regional effort to roll back the achievements of the 2011 popular Arab revolts that toppled four autocrats, and to counter Islamists.
Ok, started well, but then
Even if protest in the UAE, one of the region’s wealthiest countries, is unlikely, Middle Eastern autocrats could well discover that like Ukrainians putting their lives on the line to stop the Russians, Middle Easterners can only be intimidated that much. [Threat #1: "Arab Spring Part 2"]...
In contrast to the United States, the UAE and Russia may see eye to eye on their perceived need to prevent or roll back popular uprisings like the Arab revolts or colored revolutions in Ukraine and elsewhere in the former communist world. Yet, that will not do much for the UAE's regional security needs if the Gulf state and the United States increasingly go different ways.
[Threat #2: US won't help you if you get into trouble with Iran, Yemen, whoever]...
As the United States and Europe tighten the noose around Moscow’s neck, the UAE may find that diversifying economic relations is one thing, diversifying alliances another.
[Threat #3: Russia/China aren't good alliance partners]If Russian armed forces emerged a winner from propping up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, they've already wasted that reputation in Ukraine in less than a week of fighting. That is unlikely to change irrespective of the outcome of a battle for the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, particularly if Russia is dragged into fighting a long-drawn-out insurgency.
[How exactly does Russia in Ukraine affect Russia keeping Assad in power and defeating the Syrian Salafi insurgency?]
Then the esteemed professor totally lost it
In addition, Russian military planning in Ukraine miscalculated, and advances were bogged down not only by Ukrainian resistance but also by equipment failures.
This is just idiotic. Military vehicles aren't like Toyotas - they break down all the time.
WaPo story on Iraqi Freedom experiences
A mechanized infantry company, Bravo 1/41 was 130 men strong and was divided into three combat platoons. Thirteen Bradleys were in the company, each carrying nine or 10 soldiers....
Bravo 1/41 began passing burning hulks already destroyed in the battle. Ahead, in the direction the wide-eyed soldiers were headed, the night was lit by ferocious explosions.
One Bradley went dead -- mechanical failure. The company commander, Capt. Lee Wilson, took over the Bradley that Dienstag and Skaggs were riding in.
I've read that in a single armoed unit, military equipment breaks down every 20-30 miles on average. I don't know how true that is but mechanical breakdowns are definitely a thing.
The above describes 1 of 13 AFVs in a single company, breaking down in a single advance.
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 3 2022 14:58 utc | 46
Now, if only the Ukraine would stop using Russian weapons and petroleum (oil and gas) immediately, would that not be great???!!!
Posted by: William Haught | Mar 3 2022 15:01 utc | 47
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Mar 3 2022 14:08 utc | 23
It is claimed to be T-72 tank mod. Б3
Here is this model photo form Tank Biathlon:
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A2-72#/media/%D0%A4%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BB:T-72B3_-_TankBiathlon2013-09.jpg
Just consider the angle "from underbelly" so that the turrent is mostly not visible.
~~~~~~~~~~
Posted by: laguerre | Mar 3 2022 13:17 utc | 4
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Mar 3 2022 13:25 utc | 7
I said "blown with" not destroyed. We don't know how much internal damage about gears it has.
My blind guess - it is probably not immediately functioning, but probably can be put back to service after medium repairs (gear, checking engine, etc).
~~~~~
1st of all that tank picture looks too old to be Russian
Posted by: Paul43 | Mar 3 2022 13:35 utc | 10
1) Ukraine would name LDPR tanks as Russian, they always claimed there is no LDPR army but a Russian one in disguise
2) T-72B3 tanks are used by Russian army, why ditch a good tool? It is not iPhone to through into garbage bin just because it is not more trendy and fashionable.
3) It could be some other older T-72 model too, or even T-80 (my gut feeling suggests T-80 would have a somewhat wider "face" but not sure)
But let's apply common sense.
1) There is no point for Russian or LDPR army to blow bridges - they are on offensive
2) There is a perfect reason for Ukrainian army to blow bridges - but would be no point to blow THEIR OWN tank on a pre-planned, scheduled bridge destruction.
So i think Ukrainian version makes sense here.
P.S. and anyway, whatever the event there i just find the photo itself be eerily atractive.
Posted by: Arioch | Mar 3 2022 15:04 utc | 48
Machine translation ==> https://t.me/rybar/27118
🇬🇧 🇺🇦 Briefing by the official representative of the RF Ministry of Defense Igor Konashenkov as of 15.30 March 3, 2022▪️ The grouping of troops of the Lugansk People's Republic , with fire support from the Russian Armed Forces, continued offensive operations and took control of the road direction SPRING - RED ESTATE - PRIVOLIE .
The units of the armed forces of the Donetsk People's Republic carried out successful offensive operations, advanced 8 kilometers and took control of the settlements of NOVOKRASNOVKA and KRASNOVKA .
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continued the offensive, acting on the adjacent flank with the units of the DPR and took control of the settlements of SINYAYA GORA , , PETROVSKOE , SHEVCHENKOVSKOE SLAKAYA , BALKA , ILCHENKOVO , OCHEREVATAYA and NOVOPROKOPOVKA .
▪️ Against the backdrop of the encirclement and destruction of the main groups of Ukrainian nationalists by the Russian Armed Forces, Western countries have increased the dispatch of contract soldiers from private military companies to the combat areas.
Foreign mercenaries who have arrived in Ukraine are committing sabotage and raids on Russian convoys of equipment and material supplies, as well as aircraft covering them.
It is they who, in the propaganda videos distributed on social networks by the Ukrainian special services, evade getting into the frame of the phones of supposedly “local residents”.
▪️ All attacks by foreign mercenaries are carried out using weapons supplied by the West to the Kiev regime. We are talking about anti-tank systems Javelin (USA) and NLOW (Great Britain) and man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems Stinger, the development of which requires serious training.
▪️ The US military intelligence has launched a large-scale campaign to recruit PMC contractors to be sent to Ukraine. First of all, employees of the American PMCs "Academi" , "Kubik" and "Dean Corporation" .
GREAT BRITAIN , DENMARK , LATVIA , POLAND and CROATIA legally allowed their citizens to participate in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. The command of the French Foreign Legion plans to send military personnel - ethnic Ukrainians to help the Kiev regime.
▪️ expected to arrive in Ukraine in About 16,000 foreign mercenaries to the existing ones in order to compensate for the crushing military failures of the Ukrainian security forces. For them, a visa-free regime is officially introduced. through Poland last week about 200 mercenaries from Croatia arrived alone and joined one of the nationalist battalions in southeastern Ukraine.
Today, the Defense Attache at the Croatian in Moscow was summoned to the Russian Defense Ministry. The military attache was pointed out to the illegal activities of Croatian citizen Denis Scheler, who participated in the hostilities in the south-east of Ukraine in 2015, forming detachments of Croatian mercenaries to be sent to Ukraine.
We noticed that we are aware of the arrival in Ukraine of about 200 Croatian mercenaries.▪️ All mercenaries sent by the West to help the Kiev nationalist regime are not combatants . They are not entitled to prisoner of war status.
The best thing that awaits foreign mercenaries upon arrest is criminal prosecution . We urge citizens of foreign countries planning to go to fight for the Kyiv nationalist regime to think twice before the trip.
#Russia Ukraine
@rybar
Posted by: too scents | Mar 3 2022 15:10 utc | 49
picture is Fake. Easy to spot if you look at the non-matching lighting of tank and background. Always try to find out where the light comes from and check if all objects are lighted accordingly.
Posted by: abroso | Mar 3 2022 14:46 utc | 36
The days is cloudy, there is not much of a direction "light comes from" - it is diffused.
That said, electric grid macht on the right has something that _might_ be a short shadow down its left leg.
It seems consistent to me to how the upper part of right track (left one for us) looks dark under the "skirt".
If that photo is made up - then at least they noticeably boosted diligence they put into making ones.
However, it does not mean their modus operandi. They seem to strive for short-term goals relying on sheer number of fakes, and target them at people more emotional then rational. It would, i suppose, just be way too much effort to make a hi-qualtiy fake for Ukraine now. Would be no ROI.
Posted by: Arioch | Mar 3 2022 15:14 utc | 50
@Kukulkan | 12,
If you try too hard to make sense of the West propaganda and outright lies you would be doing yourself harm. Of course, the crimes of the Ukrainian Nazis have not been discredited anywhere, except for the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz's, insensitive comment about the claim of genocide in the Donbass being ridiculous. A comment that has caused many of his compatriots an uneasiness. The Australian bootlicker is only following the script of the master in Washington, just like the ones in EU are doing. It is a sign of desperation and insecurity. In most part of the West you cannot access any .ru site. If that is not arbitrary censorship, what is it? The Eurocrats have thrown away the toga of liberality and tolerance, which have always been pseudo anyway.
Posted by: Steve | Mar 3 2022 15:17 utc | 51
too scents @ 49
If true, that is a serious escalation by the West. Sending units in from NATO nations under contractor status could spiral things out control.
Posted by: circumspect | Mar 3 2022 15:21 utc | 52
I've read that in a single armoed unit, military equipment breaks down every 20-30 miles on average.
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 3 2022 14:58 utc | 46
It used to be the case in 1930-s - and that is why so many nations then entertained the notion of wheeled or semi-wheeled tanks.
No one then could make tracks with many short segments and made of strong yet flexible special steel.
Check the track segment size (and the stresses it would endure on the wheels curves) in the first photo above and in the famous soviet "fast tanks"
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Khalkhin_Gol_Soviet_tanks_1939.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ru/9/94/Kristy_t.jpg
Granted, USA seemed to have industries advanced enough to produce small-segment tracks, but being naval power they did not cared much about tanks.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ru/7/79/Kt-t2.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Christie_T3E2_tank_LOC.hec41007.jpg
Posted by: Arioch | Mar 3 2022 15:25 utc | 53
Posted by: pretzelattack | Mar 3 2022 14:50 utc | 38
high profile criminals will live happy forever after far away under "witness protection" crappy system ...
Posted by: Greg Galloway | Mar 3 2022 15:27 utc | 54
I’m disappointed with Putin. Granted, I can offer no alternative. But what is genius if not the ability to imagine a solution no one else could’ve thought of? Who but Einstein could’ve dreamt that the speed of light is more of an absolute than time itself? Putin is no political genius. He just went down the path laid out for him by the Americans. His lengthy justifications make him sound like he’s still fighting old wars.
1) It dont matter how gently the war is conducted. The Ukies wont be more grateful to the Russians. They might not even notice it. In the end, they’ll still hate the Russians. The 1962 war between India and China lasted just one month with limited casualties on both sides. The Indians still hate the Chinese to this day. Putin may succeed in installing a pro-Russian government in Ukraine, but it’ll be a restive country like Poland or Hungary in Soviet times, dreaming only of defecting to the West.
2) I had high hopes Putin would find a way to give Europe the chance to stay neutral in cold war 2.0. Now the full industrial power of Europe is firmly behind the US. Cold war 2.0 can drag on for decades.
3) A wedge can be driven in the Sino-Russian alliance. The Chinese would probably have preferred some less disruptive solution. They would’ve liked to bask longer in the glow of their Olympics. So far their support for Russia has been tepid at best: abstention at the UN vote, some insipid blather about diplomacy. So, Russia can blame China for tepid support and China can blame Russia for reckless adventurism.
4) The incompetent Western leaders will get away with the economic depression. After inflation is done with us, standards of living will have plummeted everywhere across the West. Now, that can be blamed on war or war + covid rather than on gross mismanagement.
The future of the world is still uncertain. Even without rebuilding its industrial base, the US still has a path to victory. Russia can be greatly weakened by a prolonged war. Putin may become unpopular. A weakened Russia would be tempted to join the US against China, especially owing to the resentment for China’s tepid support. The US could offer Russia some parts of China as a carrot. China is done if Russia joins the US. The Russian military might would be at the disposal of the West. China would be completely surrounded and strangled energetically. The West wins again. Neoliberalism reigns supreme over the world until there’s no world to be reigned upon.
What am I writing? Have the psy-ops got to me? I’m losing faith.
Posted by: Robert Macaire | Mar 3 2022 15:31 utc | 55
What Are Putin’s Next Steps in Ukraine?
Tom Luongo makes an argument for the fragility of the Eurozone banking system in consequence of the Ukraine conflict.
. . . with both the ECB and its national central bank shareholders already having liabilities greater than their assets. In other words, rising interest rates have broken the euro system and an economic and financial catastrophe on its eastern flank will probably trigger its collapse.
He also makes a number of other interesting observations / claims:
1) That the UA conflict is not about Ukraine: This isn’t a war for Ukraine, it’s a war for the future of the entire world.
I suggest that what what we are seeing, and what many MoA posters are reacting against, is the "NAZIfication" of the West. Before today who would have believed the "Democratic" West would support an overt NAZI regime complete with Brownshirt armies and an avowed intent to eradicate a specific population? This NAZIfication is also evident in the intolerance shown toward Russian speakers, Russian students studying at Western institutions, or attacks on persons of Russian heritage who left Russia aeons ago. Reports of such attacks and ostracization are contained in personal postings on MoA.
2) Luongo asks the following about the West's rabid response:
Is it because the West thinks it’s winning or because it’s trying desperately to pivot domestic populations to solidarity after losing massive credibility during the last year with COVID-19 related lockdowns, vax passes, and the unpersoning of whole swaths of Western society?
I think Luongo correct in the observation that the Western response is due to a systemic shock to rule by appointed elite's. The West has been waging internal information warfare for years. Would Macron, Trudeau, Brandon, Boris, have achieved high office without significant information operations? Consider the Democrats destruction of Saunders and the current revelations with respect to the Clinton campaign as the hidden agent behind the Trump/Russia allegations.
I believe Luongo is also correct in linking the present reaction to the authoritarianism demonstrated during the COVID pandemic. The associated degree of repression is such you cannot even present a science based critique of state policy in social or alternate media. Voice an alternate opinion is grounds for immediate cancellation. Science is not about facts; scepticism lies at its heart. Can science operate within a cancel culture?
3) Luongo asks an interesting question: Why has Putin not shut off the gas to a Europe that is rapidly running out of it? His answer:
Because to do so would target civilian populations. If he’s not targeting civilians in Ukraine to minimize their anger at being invaded, then why would he use that weapon now against civilians in Germany who hold the key to getting overthrowing the insane politicians and oligarchs who provoked this war in the first place?
Putin does not need to embargo RF energy supply to the West. The West has embargoed itself. Approximately six RF LNG ships have been refused entry to Western ports. It is now impossible for the RF to charter vessels for loading crude. The TD Bank now forecasts crude to reach $140 a bbl. Other forecasters are suggesting $200 a bbl. Can you operate any form of industrial society when oil is $200 a bbl? I worked for the state during the 1970's Arab Oil Embargo. To put it bluntly even the state was unable to operate at the associated high prices. Fielding any form of NATO military force will become prohibitively expensive if energy prices spiral into the stratosphere. If this is true for the state then what about the impact on the citizen?
Finally, Luongo introduces a quote from Luke Gromen which I think is prescient:
Russia will soon begin to demonstrate in very stark terms that in the Petrodollar system, it is the "Petro-" portion that is the true value, not the "-dollar" portion, via either price or shortages or both.
SOURCE:
https://tomluongo.me/2022/03/02/opening-salvos-tossed-putin-next-moves-ukraine/
Posted by: Sushi | Mar 3 2022 15:34 utc | 56
https://www.rt.com/business/551151-russia-nationalise-boeing-airbus-jets/
Russia may nationalize Boeing and Airbus jets – media
Officials from Russia’s Transport Ministry, along with top managers from the country’s major air carriers, have reportedly discussed the possibility of nationalizing Airbus and Boeing planes. That’s according to unnamed people close to the matter, as quoted by Russian business daily RBK.
The measure could be used as one way of combating the ban on selling and leasing planes to Russian airlines, which was introduced by the European Union last week.
The issue was reportedly discussed by Deputy Transport Minister Igor Chalik and top officials from the Aeroflot Group, S7 Group, Ural Airlines, and Utair.
Last week, Brussels gave leasing companies until March 28 to wind up current rental contracts in Russia.
“This ban on the sale of all aircraft, spare parts and equipment to Russian airlines will degrade one of the key sectors of Russia’s economy and the country’s connectivity, as three-quarters of Russia’s current commercial air fleet were built in the EU, the US and Canada,” the European Council said in a press release published on February 25.
Moscow warned the West it would retaliate against sanctions targeting its aviation industry. The final decision regarding the nationalization of foreign aircraft hasn’t been made, however an announcement is expected by the end of the week, the sources said.
“The nationalization of the fleet is the most realistic scenario, there are no other options [to maintain efficiency] right now,” one person close to the discussion said, stressing that the carriers have no right to hold onto the jets when lessors demand them back.
The source added that the decision must be taken by the Russian government. If they opt to purchase the liners, the possibility will have to be discussed with the US and the EU.
Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency told the media that the issue is at the stage of evaluation, when asked about the possible nationalization of foreign airliners.
According to the agency, the largest Russian airlines operated 491 aircraft manufactured by Airbus, Boeing and Embraer as of mid-February 2022. At the end of 2021, they carried 80 million people, or 72% of the total passenger traffic of Russian airlines.
Interesting move if it happens, but maybe spare parts will be an issue. But for sure it will hurt the leasing companies in the west.
Posted by: Norwegian | Mar 3 2022 15:36 utc | 58
@Arioch #53
Track failure is certainly a major cause - but tracks can be replaced.
However, there are many other mechanical systems that are stressed when a multi-dozen ton vehicle drives about, including steering, braking, engine, electrical systems etc.
Given that nobody makes tens of thousands, much less millions, of armored vehicles, it seems highly unlikely that they could be anywhere as well as finely tuned for reliability as civilian vehicles.
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 3 2022 15:37 utc | 59
Posted by: too scents | Mar 3 2022 15:10 utc | 49
The best thing that awaits foreign mercenaries upon arrest is criminal prosecution .
What's the chances of seeing a face off between Academi and the Wagner group? Mercenary vs. Mercenary ...
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Mar 3 2022 15:38 utc | 60
@Robert Macaire | Mar 3 2022 15:31 utc | 55
What am I writing?
You are writing concern troll nonsense.
Posted by: Norwegian | Mar 3 2022 15:38 utc | 61
Posted by: Norwegian | Mar 3 2022 15:36 utc | 58
Interesting move if it happens, but maybe spare parts will be an issue.
I think they plan to use the same strategy Iran used for some years: Use half the planes as spare parts for the remainder.
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Mar 3 2022 15:40 utc | 62
Oil Price Forecast
Nenner also sees that world leaders are not taking this seriously and points out:
“What’s going on in this country (America), what are they busy with and what is it compared to a nuclear war? —Nothing. Even Biden’s decisions now are based on public relations. If the United States were independent with oil, like it was before with the pipeline and like Trump pushed, we would not be in this situation that oil could go up another $50 per barrel. It looks like now oil can go to $150 per barrel, and it can even get to $250 per barrel.”
A great many people will say $250 per bbl oil is highly unlikely, me included. But then a great many people also said a full-on RF invasion of Ukraine was highly unlikely.
We live in a present in which one system is on the verge of collapse and an entirely new system is being born. Birth is a bloody and very messy event.
SOURCE
https://usawatchdog.com/casualties-worse-than-ww1-wwii-combined-charles-nenner/
Posted by: Sushi | Mar 3 2022 15:43 utc | 63
Posted by: Robert Macaire | Mar 3 2022 15:31 utc | 55
I’m disappointed with Putin. Granted, I can offer no alternative.
This is why War is called the last resort.
This is how to tell there's no other option.
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Mar 3 2022 15:43 utc | 64
In case of a Russian-NATO armed confrontation, it may be useful to bear in mind (if I recall correctly) that NATO troops in Afghanistan (including US troops) had only 5% of personnel actually handling a weapon and doing some fighting. All the rest were in admin, logistics, support, cleaning, cooking etc. etc.
Add to that the presence of women, LGBTQ-whatever and pampered minorities and one can only conclude NATO armies are, to say the least, not truly equipped for a war against a highly trained and organised fighting force such as the Russian army. Also, it seems to me that all those NATO soldiers equipped with personal communication devices, are constantly receiving orders from superiors sitting safely in some bunker. This would seem to be the epitome of "Befehlstaktik," which is usually not the command style that wins battles.
What about the Russian army? Of those 400 men units operating in the Ukraine, what percentage is handling a weapon, does anyone know?
Posted by: Enrico | Mar 3 2022 15:44 utc | 65
@Robert Macaire | 55
Have the psy-ops got to me?
Got it in one! Stop watching and reading the BS.
If you're 'disappointed with Putin' then that's clearly Russia's fault, right?
Posted by: Idiocrates | Mar 3 2022 15:44 utc | 66
Re: Posted by: William Haught | Mar 3 2022 13:42 utc | 14
Not sure about the 2nd comment, but you obviously can't say "Zionist" on there.
Have you noticed how Russia handles Israel in Syria?
Posted by: Julian | Mar 3 2022 15:44 utc | 67
Posted by: Kukulkan | Mar 3 2022 14:50 utc | 39
Posted by: Black Cloud | Mar 3 2022 14:41 utc | 34
Are you referring to this?
https://geneva.mid.ru/en_US/web/geneva_en/donbasstragedy
Posted by: Blue Dotterel | Mar 3 2022 15:45 utc | 68
@Arch Bungle | Mar 3 2022 15:40 utc | 62
Yes, that is an obvious option. I don't know what 491 aircraft represent in money, but for sure it is a huge sum. Since the west confiscated the Russian central banks money, they already paid for the planes?
Posted by: Norwegian | Mar 3 2022 15:45 utc | 69
More on the biolabs:
https://journal-neo.org/2022/03/03/russia-prevents-washington-from-unleashing-biological-warfare/
Posted by: bevin | Mar 3 2022 15:48 utc | 70
@B.Wildered | Mar 3 2022 14:00 utc | 20
RT is out on both TV and internet in France.
In Germany, the internet site de.rt.com is still online, but has a red bar "Es tut uns sehr leid. Unser Livestream ist in der EU nicht verfügbar " (We are sorry, but our Livestream is not available in the EU".
Using a Tor browser, I get the same message, but the livestream is broadcasted, also that on francais.rt.com
Posted by: aquadraht | Mar 3 2022 15:48 utc | 71
Steve Bannon: you're now a combatant in the Third World War.
Posted by: Jomathan W | Mar 3 2022 15:48 utc | 72
@Black Cloud: "@Maximus #16 You seem to be advocating the US method of war: completely destroy a country's infrastructure. This is not only illegal under international law and the Geneva Convention (both things that the US utterly ignores) it also makes enemies of the country's citizens, which is clearly not the desired outcome."
Depends on what you mean by "US method of war" because war has always meant deception, from Sun Tzu to West Point, any "method" that facilities deception is a "method of war".
I am not advocating for senselessly destroying a country's infrastructure, but rather sensibly directing the destructive potential of assualt weaponry, towards certain infrastructures like electrical grids, since by their destruction you eliminate your enemy's ability to direct information-flow, giving you the advantage of the "cover of information darkness" to guide the narrative to paralyze your enemy's will to resist and his allies will to assist, and if used correctly, minimize civilian casualities, by sowing panic and confusion within the enemy's ranks.
Putin tried, or is trying to use the mindset of a spy to deal with a military operation, while it might help maintain his reputation of an "international/national law-abiding" statesman who did a clean-swift effecient job with minimum fatalities or at least that was the initial plan, it will invariably increase the cost in lives (both combatant and non) and livelihood (both Russians and non).
The failure to get "information dominance" by cutting off the information flow that would have followed had the electricity grid been totally destroyed, means more resources and manpower goes into countering the effects of the "information dominance" the adversary has on your allies as well as foes, and your citizens.
Remember "all warfare is deception" as Sun Tzu pointed out more than two millenia back, and to deceive is to make you believe true what you perceive to be false, therefore if the information you perceive is false then the conviction you believe becomes true. Which is why the electrical grid should have been one of the first targets, that way any information anyone perceives about what is happening there would be Russo-framed, the "fog of war" would have allowed them the rapidity of execution and flexibility of method.
Keep in mind, electricity is not a necessity, people can and do survive without it, just like the nervous system malfunctioning in your body due to a vaccine doesn't mean your death, it just means you will be paralyzed, partially or totally, the same applies for war, electricity is the nervous system, and Putin didn't give Ukraine a Pfizer jab, no they are filming damages.
@16 Maximus
Alas, hindsight is 20/20. I think Putin started off with the mindset of inflicting the least collateral damage, mostly regarding civilian casualties.
However, my life experience has taught me this: Life is a bitch; the enemy is a bitch and you have to be the biggest, most unrelenting bitch of all with a cunning ten steps ahead to survive.
Unfortunately, when the lines between good and evil are so blurred, and those who pretend to be good guys like USNATO arbitrarily break and corrupt the law for advantage, or allow allies like Israel and KSA to do same; today what it takes is bitch survival mentality.
So now that the front-loaded sanctions and propaganda war are scorching the earth beneath Russia, and the Ukrainians are so vicious in their tactics and deception; together they stupidly opened the gates of Hell, so I ask, what's left to lose from now on? Give them what they want!
LET IT RAIN-ALL'S FAIR IN WAR.
Posted by: Circe | Mar 3 2022 15:50 utc | 74
Posted by: Enrico | Mar 3 2022 15:44 utc | 65
If NATO engages Russia in kinetic warfare, within three days the entire population of the United States and Europe and Australia, and seventy-five percent of the population of Russia, will be decimated. The subsequent radiation burn off will leave large portions of the United States and Russia and Europe unfarmable; the nuclear winter will spread across the globe, leading to famines, starvation, and unrest. China, India, and Africa--if China somehow escapes the bombardment--will inherit a very de-populated planet indeed.
Can you imagine what that would be like? Insane possibility. In just a week or so, we all might be gone forever.
Posted by: WJ | Mar 3 2022 15:52 utc | 75
@Maximus | 73
Putin tried, or is trying to use the mindset of a spy to deal with a military operation
Wow, you have insight into Putin's head! Bravo
You have had too much MSM...me thinks.
Posted by: Idiocrates | Mar 3 2022 15:54 utc | 76
Ruble Backed by Gold?
Zoltan Pozsar - former NY Fed staffer, current repo guru and Credit Suisse money market guru - said that the response to Russia may have set off a sequence of events in motion that eventually leads to the demise of the dollar as the reserve currency.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Pozsar - who this weekend warned that the lockout of Russia from the global financial system could prompt central banks to aggressively pump liquidity to stabilize markets - said noted that wars tend to turn into major junctures for global currencies, and with Russia losing access to its foreign currency reserves, a message has been sent to all countries that they can’t count on these money stashes to actually be theirs in the event of tension.As such, he echoes the opinions voiced above that it may make less and less sense for global reserve managers to hold dollars for safety, as they could be taken away right when they’re most needed.
And:
“I don't know if it'll come to that, but if things get worse, you could basically re-anchor the ruble to a pile of gold because you need an anchor in situations like this”, he said, echoing what we have said for years, namely that in case Russia wanted to truly extricate itself from the current "dollar reserve" world, it should unveil a gold-backed currency, one which is co-sponsored by the Chinese yuan, which would then also announce it is becoming gold-backed.
I am unable to locate the source link (it may have been in one of the Russian Telegram channels) it was stated that Russia is implementing a gold backed Ruble. Cannot find confirmation but if true the reign of the USD as world reserve currency has ended.
Posted by: Sushi | Mar 3 2022 15:56 utc | 77
Manage without me 11,
Projection as a tool of narcissists and psychopaths.
We can tighten that up a little bit.
For psychopaths it's a tool for sure, but for narcissists it's just a chronic failing of their subconscious shadow.
For generally well-functioning people like you and me, projection is more common than we like to admit. It takes sincere, consistent effort to keep it in check.
Posted by: reante | Mar 3 2022 15:58 utc | 79
A good article from Paul Craig Roberts on why Russia needs to win this war fairly quickly before the Nato/Wests supply lines to Ukraine are cemented, if that happens we could be in for the long haul, and a wider conflict.
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2022/03/03/ukraine-update-4/
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Mar 3 2022 16:00 utc | 80
@ peter au...
got your note on the previous thread.. thank you..
Posted by: james | Mar 3 2022 16:03 utc | 81
it seems highly unlikely that they could be anywhere as well as finely tuned for reliability as civilian vehicles.
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 3 2022 15:37 utc | 59
Tanks do not live long in battles, they either destory enemies - or are destroyed.
And you might expect cargo tractors would be hauling tanks to and from battle, kind of.
However i heard that late-WW2 Soviet tanks could run about 100km before repairs. Of course - that runnign through clear steppes if there is no enemy. Acocrding to other unsourced data - https://military.wikireading.ru/63211 - even those WW2 time tanks if produced and mantaine properly had ranges like 1-2 thousand km between repairs. Granted, in real total war both production quality and mantainance were very poor initially, T-34 test in USA Aberdine range was full of quality complains.
Late Soviet tanks in use today, according to http://www.compancommand.com/index/mezhremontnyj_resurs/0-2062 , are designed to have thousands of km and hundreds of motor-hours between repairs.
Afteral lthat is what blitzkrieg and Soviet "Deep Operation" are about. You can not idly wait for hawlers after breakign through defense lines - you have to immediately rush as deep as you can and destroy enemy's structure. Tank should be reliable enough to run at maximum speed at least until out of fuel.
Posted by: Arioch | Mar 3 2022 16:04 utc | 82
R of Scotland @ 31 said;
"Of course I don't recall any sanctions against Nato when it invaded Iraq and murdered up to one million folk, along with Madeline Albright justifying the killing of 500,000 Iraqi kids. Nor was Nato sanctioned when it attacked Libya, and then there was the illegal attacks on Syria that are still ongoing, and the murder of an Irainian general in Iraq by the USA, these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to US/Nato crimes and not one sanction has been implemented against them for their warmongering illegal actions."
Don't hold yer'breath while these facts are presented to the world.
NATO is the U$A. period...
Posted by: vetinLA | Mar 3 2022 16:04 utc | 83
@Robert Macaire #55
Let's examine your points:
1) You said
1) It dont matter how gently the war is conducted. The Ukies wont be more grateful to the Russians. They might not even notice it. In the end, they’ll still hate the Russians.
The issue I have with this statement is the assumption that Putin needs Ukrainians to be grateful for being invaded. This is invalid on its face.
The real questions are:
a) Do Ukrainians have faith in their existing government?
I would posit that the answer to this is no. None of Ukraine's governments, since independence, have led that country to a better tomorrow. Ukrainian standards of living have severely lagged literally every other European or Eastern European nation.
If Ukrainians don't have faith in their existing government, they'll hardly be angry if it gets changed. In this context, the next question becomes relevant.
b) Are Ukrainians suffering enormously and inordinately because of the invasion? In the cities, this is likely true due to supply chain disruption. If this persists for many months, it will likely harden into something memorable, but let's not forget that Ukraine has seen massive disruptions, multiple times, in recent memory starting with the collapse of the USSR, to the 1990s independence and associated economic changes vis a vis the rest of the former USSR, to the post 2014 Maidan coup and its "shock" separations of what remaining Russian and Donetsk/Luhask economic ties.
Net net: I am not the least bit convinced by your argument. Actual non-Atlanticist Ukrainians that I know, mostly believe their government is bad and corrupt but that is only anecdote. Atlanticist Ukrainians have mostly either migrated to the US or EU or are in government :)
2) You said
I had high hopes Putin would find a way to give Europe the chance to stay neutral in cold war 2.0. Now the full industrial power of Europe is firmly behind the US. Cold war 2.0 can drag on for decades.
One way to look at it is that the EU was "neutral" and Putin's "invasion" changed that.
The other way to look at it was the EU was never really neutral - the existence of sanctions on Russia for over a decade is a counter-proof of neutrality. In this context, all Putin did was break the facade of neutrality.
A third way to look at it is that Putin believes that his talk since 2007 up until January 2022 was ignored, and that there were no prospects for success. I firmly believe this is what Putin and Russia is operating under.
I am unconvinced that your assertion that "Putin would find a way" is possible outside of abject surrender.
3)
A wedge can be driven in the Sino-Russian alliance. The Chinese would probably have preferred some less disruptive solution. They would’ve liked to bask longer in the glow of their Olympics. So far their support for Russia has been tepid at best: abstention at the UN vote, some insipid blather about diplomacy. So, Russia can blame China for tepid support and China can blame Russia for reckless adventurism.
As I've noted before, there are 2 ways to look at China's part of the Sino-Russian alliance:
a) China just wants to be able to sell to everyone as long as possible, so will "support" Russia only from the far back.
b) China is focused on breaking the economic part of US hegemony even as Russia focuses on the military part (NATO and the myth of US military superiority). BRI counteracts World Bank and IMF; China consumer goods and intermediate manufacturing input dominance offsets US dollar trade reserve; China's being the largest oil importer offsets some part of the petrodollar.
Most likely, it is part of both.
Put another way: would China inserting itself into EU/US sanctions help Russia in any way, other than truly starting on the path to World War 3? I say no.
4)
The incompetent Western leaders will get away with the economic depression. After inflation is done with us, standards of living will have plummeted everywhere across the West. Now, that can be blamed on war or war + covid rather than on gross mismanagement.
Maybe.
I can't speak for Europe, but in the US - Americans don't give a crap about anything outside their borders, and these borders tend to be city or state not even the US national borders.
This myopia means real or perceived suffering is directed at their own leaders unless America is attacked.
Biden is certainly trying to blame rising inflation and gasoline prices on Russia, but they were rising before February 25 and are continuing to rise. World average gasoline price jumped from ~$2.60/gallon on roughly 2/24 to $3.31 now. This increase will only be relatively small in Europe due to the massive gas taxes in most EU nations, but is an enormous jump in the US. We'll see in a couple weeks if Biden's approval rating ceases its relentless fall into sub-Trumpian territory.
I think not.
The EU, in turn, has enormous natural gas price jumps. Natural gas cost in the Netherland index hit a new all time high - well over 12x past average price - just yesterday. I have heard many direct reports from people in Europe of their winter gas bills being 2x, 3x or more of past pyears, and it is not at all clear this will get better (See Sushi's Luongo post about self-sanctioning). And note that the majority of these bills have already been received and paid.
So let's just say that it is far from clear that Western leaders are going to get away with it.
What I can say is to stop listening to MSM. The only thing useful about MSM is understanding what the US and EU oligarchy want you to believe; the actual factual and/or intellectual content is negative - i.e. makes you angrier and stupider.
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 3 2022 16:05 utc | 84
3) Luongo asks an interesting question: Why has Putin not shut off the gas to a Europe that is rapidly running out of it? His answer:Because to do so would target civilian populations. If he’s not targeting civilians in Ukraine to minimize their anger at being invaded, then why would he use that weapon now against civilians in Germany who hold the key to getting overthrowing the insane politicians and oligarchs who provoked this war in the first place?
Luongo's answer may be correct (i.e., it may reflect high-level thinking in Moscow) but it is unsatisfactory. Not only will Germans not overthrow their insane politicians and oligarchs; they cannot. Even Die Linke supports the official Western line/lie. There are no alternatives short of the tiny Trotskyite party and a general strike cum armed revolution, and both of these alternatives are beyond unrealistic.
Posted by: malenkov | Mar 3 2022 16:06 utc | 85
quickly before the Nato/Wests
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Mar 3 2022 16:00 utc | 80
---
Russia has yet to escalate up to the point of shutting off the gas.
Posted by: too scents | Mar 3 2022 16:06 utc | 86
CBC radio has a "report from Russia", meaning they phoned up anti Putin types. A professor(?) said that the sanctions would mostly affect the elites, who can no longer fly West for shopping, but they won't affect ordinary folks much.
Posted by: Keith McClary | Mar 3 2022 16:07 utc | 87
@Sushi #56
Interesting, but the amount of self sanctioning is relatively small.
The hundreds of bcm in natural gas and the millions of barrels per day of oil, as well as kilotons of coal which Russia supplies to Europe right now is 2 orders of magnitude higher than the "self sanctioning" described above.
I posted in the new OT about the UK not actually sanctioning cargoes going to Russia from the UK if they are on non-Russian cargo ships, and that is corroborated by a direct firsthand experience that is ongoing.
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 3 2022 16:08 utc | 88
Ukraine destroyed large Russian navy ship!
...except that it was US Navy ship that caught fire in 2020
Going back to "picture is Fake" by abroso | Mar 3 2022 14:46 utc | 36 - the quality of Ukrainian fake-producton is not consistent with the idea that tank-and-bridge photo was carefully and diligently "photoshooped". The level of acto ukro-fakes is totally different. Just grab any picture and slap any unrelated but politically correct decription to it.
Posted by: Arioch | Mar 3 2022 16:10 utc | 89
@Arioch #82
What you wrote may be true, but it also may be "theoretical" or "design" specifications.
Certainly American equipment rarely, if ever, meets its "theoretical" or "design" capabilities these days.
I would suspect there is also a big difference between driving tanks on base or during exercises vs. during actual times of war.
Peacetime performance is with regular scheduled maintenance along with pre- and post- movement inspections.
I very much doubt the same regime is being followed as Russian armored formations advance in Ukraine.
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 3 2022 16:13 utc | 90
@Sushi | 77
Related: https://twitter.com/KingKong9888/status/1499010224744644609
Russia's Finance Ministry has removed VAT on gold purchases. That's the first step in remonetizing gold.
Posted by: Idiocrates | Mar 3 2022 16:13 utc | 91
Lavrov's Speech Today
hard to find
watch now before it is gone
sorry for the repost if it has already been posted
Posted by: ld | Mar 3 2022 16:14 utc | 92
Russia needs to finish moping up the entire southern coast by end of this weekend. If that does not happen I dont see how this operation can be called anything but a disaster in the making.
The Russians can keep Kiyv surrounded and concentrate defense of the Western front. They absolutely cannot stay bogged in the South while lunatics stream through West.
I said from day one this is a miscalculation on Russian side. But hope Im wrong and the quicker Russian victories miunt the quicker peace might break.
Posted by: comandante | Mar 3 2022 16:15 utc | 93
vetinLA (83)
If you notice only African or unfavourable Eastern European warlords end up in the dock at the Hague, no Blair or Bush or minion European PM's presidents are held accountable for their bloody actions abroad.
The decks stacked in their favour.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Mar 3 2022 16:15 utc | 94
or How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb...
This is WWIII. It won't end until Russia unconditionally surrenders, or we are obliterated. Russia is committed to its (entirely justifiable) course, and for-profit Empire is in its own existential crisis that, except for bouts of mass formation psychosis, has lost the hearts and minds of 'the people.'
It is not hard to imagine the worst as imperial leadership has more hubris than intelligence. Many of us 'knew' conflict was inevitable and clearly said so because we understand the enemy that is nothing less than evil.
The hope for humanity is found in resistance to the Money Borg. As for Putin, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Posted by: gottlieb | Mar 3 2022 16:16 utc | 95
Unnamed 13,
Regarding House of Saud 'investing in China and divesting in the US.
As I said yesterday in the Ukraine thread, the House of Saud is slated to be toppled by the US so that the US can control Saudi production during collapse.
The elites are a consortium of mafias. Remember how in The Sopranos if, for whatever reason, a municipal garbage collection contract switched hands from one mafia to another, there would have to be a transfer payment of some kind, for the rights. And if the mafias in question had their hooks deep enough into the municipality's bureaucracy, they would make the woebegone municipality itself pay the transfer fee, with its slush fund!
MbS is similarly on the hook for paying the transfer fee that China requires in order to release future claims to oil contracts. (Because MbS knows what's good for him.) Even though the US handed Iraq over to China already, each horsetrade still requires transfer fees, because that's how mafioso roll.
The Kashoggi incident was just laying the groundwork of public opinion, ahead of 'the fall' of the House of Saud.
Posted by: reante | Mar 3 2022 16:17 utc | 96
Is my opinion that US, to stop/ slow the rise of China and kill the BRI has been willing to sacrifice the economy of Europe, after all major reason for BRI was a traditional land route to Western Europe market without Russia and the divide that is created, BRI may not be as viable or even profitable. Without a secure stable Europe and Russia there is no will for major connectivity investment.
Posted by: Kooshy | Mar 3 2022 16:18 utc | 97
Reportedly Ukrainian refugees to the west (Moldova, Baltic states, etc) show the similarly arrogant behavior as sadly many ukrainian refugees to Russia years ago. They demand top-class housing and being serviced in Ukrainian while many of them do not know foreign languages, which creates communication problem. When western entities (Moldova government, Microsoft, etc) scramble to find any volunteers t o aid Ukrainians - they can scarcely find Russian-speakign ones, and almost no Ukrainian-speakers. However, reportedly, when being aided by such volunteers Ukrainians became aggressive and consider themselves not only entitled but insulted too.
----
Russian Paralympics sportsmen were banned (they already were 4 years ago, but now the ban is allregedly watertight).
They now sing the anthem and re-decorate the dresses with national symbol, because "nothing to loose any more"
Targetting disabled ones and children - the moral high-ground a la West...
Posted by: Arioch | Mar 3 2022 16:19 utc | 98
For those that can't access RT on their tv anymore like me, RT have loaded their channel on here.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Mar 3 2022 16:21 utc | 99
@gottlieb | 95
Its not *yet* WWIII. The Empire of Lies would like you to think that it is.
Posted by: Idiocrates | Mar 3 2022 16:22 utc | 100
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Allegedly a Russian tank blown with the viaduct near Nikolaev town.
https://img.novosti-n.org/upload/news/683404.jpg
Whether true or not - the scenery looks impressive, if short of iconic.
Posted by: Arioch | Mar 3 2022 13:08 utc | 1