Ukraine Open Thread 2022-26
Only news & views related to the Ukraine conflict ...
Posted by b on March 13, 2022 at 15:24 UTC | Permalink
next page »New play seems to be to allow for “accidental” death of Western journalists in Ukraine at hands of “Russians” combined with tear-jerking tweets from other embedded journalists holed up in Kiev with western mercenaries (and you have to believe at least a few US special ops or CIA operatives). The point of all this is to create such a degree of war hysteria in the West that US will be forced to involve NATO in order to “save Western civilization” from Putin-Hitler.
The US *really* does not want to see Kiev fall. Some factions within US government are willing to risk WW3 in order to prevent this.
Posted by: WJ | Mar 13 2022 15:34 utc | 2
New York Times not saying how an American journalist was killed in Irpin.
"the details of his death were not immediately clear".
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/13/world/ukraine-russia-war#brent-renaud-irpin
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2022 15:38 utc | 3
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2022 15:38 utc | 3
He was killed in area controlled by Ukraine and according to a witness report relayed on Telegram he was shot through the eye. Not sure that this is how you die from large scale shelling from Russian infantry. It is how you die from automatic rifle fire at close or medium range.
Posted by: Wj | Mar 13 2022 15:42 utc | 4
b | Mar 13 2022 15:30 utc | 1
That looks like a good return on investment. I've seen pics of the deceased NATO training base.
Would be interesting to also see pics of the deceased mossad establishment in the US consulate in Erbil.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 13 2022 15:44 utc | 5
Posted by: Wj | Mar 13 2022 15:42 utc | 4
Imagine how obvious a fact must be before the NYT doesn't deny it.
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2022 15:50 utc | 6
From the BBC...
'They started shooting at us' - US journalist's colleague
We have more about the events leading to the death of US journalist Brent Renaud.
Another US journalist, Juan Arredondo, was taken to hospital after the incident. He told an Italian reporter that he was with Brent Renaud when they came under fire, in a video published on Twitter:
"We were across one of the first bridges in Irpin, going to film other refugees leaving, and we got into a car, somebody offered to take us to the other bridge and we crossed a checkpoint, and they start shooting at us.
"So the driver turned around, and they kept shooting; there's two of us. My friend is Brent Renaud, and he's been shot and left behind."
He goes on to say he doesn't know what happened to Renaud.
"I saw him being shot in the neck, and we got split," adding he was brought to a hospital by ambulance.
Posted by: dh | Mar 13 2022 15:59 utc | 7
Soliciting barfly opinions of Kenya's UN Ambassador Martin Kimani's Feb 21 "powerful" speech. The former counterterrorism director argues that post-colonial Africa "wisely" didn't seek to redraw its national boundaries.
Is this really relevant to the DLPR?
In 1990-2007 Africa had 88 times more conflict deaths than the entire Western Hemisphere. Could that perhaps have been mitigated by making work for cartographers?
https://www.globalissues.org/article/84/conflicts-in-africa-introduction
Is Kimani's argument attractive to some people because it promotes forgiveness and unaccountability for the West?
Amazing that the republics' "declaration of independence" has no resonance even in America.
Posted by: Question | Mar 13 2022 16:09 utc | 8
Sputniknews just now banners “MOD reports “Up to 180 Foreign Merceneries Killed in Russian Strikes on Ukrainian Training Centres. “
Some worthy headliners from Sputniknews this Sunday, March 13, 2022, posits the question, under the financial war being inflicted why should anyone think their property is safe, bank accounts, houses taken without due process?
UK May Use Sanctioned houses of Russians to Relocate Ukrainian Refugees {Forever Gone}
Sanctions – Hit Russian Banks Offers Customers Yuan Deposits
West is piling pressure on China to Limit Russia’s Access to Yuan {Good Luck}
US Ready to Sacrifice Iranian Nuclear Deal to Keep Anti-Russian Sanctions in Place
The West will print fiat until their mouse batteries expire……
Let’s start with sending checks to taxpayers to help out with food and energy costs. Nothing like politicos bribing and gifting voters using their tax dollars.
Posted by: Likklemore | Mar 13 2022 16:14 utc | 9
@ dh | Mar 13 2022 15:59 utc | 7....... i guess those folks in keiv are making good use of the guns the gov't handed out to anyone earlier...
Posted by: james | Mar 13 2022 16:17 utc | 10
Can someone explain these developments to me ?
1) After all the US has done to Venezuela ? Seriously ? Why would Venezuela even talk to the US dogs ?
- Venezuela is Russia’s ally, but is ready to sell oil to US – minister -
https://www.rt.com/russia/551785-venezuela-russia-ally-oil-us/
2) The US has stolen 300 billion from Russia and will never give it back. What has Russia done in retaliation ?
- The country’s finance minister confirmed that nearly $300 billion of Russia’s forex holdings have been seized -
https://www.rt.com/business/551803-siluanov-russia-reserves-frozen/
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Mar 13 2022 16:18 utc | 11
@10 Something strange about that incident for sure james. It might be hard to blame that one on the Russians.
Posted by: dh | Mar 13 2022 16:26 utc | 12
I read somewhere that estimated value of western investment in Russia exceeds 300 billion. There is also around 500 planes (Boing and Airbus) currently stuck in Russia. Also the western investors hold close to 300 billion worth of Russian bonds.
Posted by: Milos | Mar 13 2022 16:26 utc | 13
The US *really* does not want to see Kiev fall. Some factions within US government are willing to risk WW3 in order to prevent this.
Posted by: WJ | Mar 13 2022 15:34 utc | 2
I've said this from the beginning and I will repeat it: some parts of the US "government" will NOT accept Kiev or Ukraine to fall; they will involve NATO or risk WW3 before that is happening. Other parts of the US government don't care about Ukraine and will be happy as long as they can crush Russia.
Posted by: zet | Mar 13 2022 16:27 utc | 14
Curious. After Mr. Shoigu gives Ukraine eternal sleep what of the financial war?
Will the West just kiss and make up? I posit that will be very hard to do. When you pick a fight using the sanctions money weapon there are unintended consequences.
Zoltan Pozsar, Credit Suisse analyst, opines on the likely scenario ahead.
Breton Woods III (.PDF)
“We are witnessing the birth of Bretton Woods 111 – a new world (monetary) order centered around commodity-based currencies in the East that will likely weaken the Eurodollar system and also contribute to inflationary forces in the West.A crisis is unfolding. A crisis of commodities. Commodities are collateral, and collateral is money, and this crisis is about the risisng allure of outside money over inside money. Bretton Woods II was built on inside money, and its foundations crumbled a week ago when the G7 seized Russia’s FX reserves…. [.] (emphasis added)
https://plus2.credit-suisse.com/shorturlpdf.html?v=4ZR9-WTBd-V
What is the Eurodollar?
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/eurodollar.asp
Unchartered waters without a life jacket. Sanctions are easy on without an off-switch. Ask Iran, Cuba, Russia.
Posted by: Likklemore | Mar 13 2022 16:27 utc | 15
@ 11 quote " US has stolen 300 billion from Russia and will never give it back. "
@ 13 quote "western investors hold close to 300 billion worth of Russian bonds."
seems like a straight trade to me....
Posted by: james | Mar 13 2022 16:29 utc | 16
More than 700 Russian Aircraft have had their airworthiness certification revoked by Bermuda authority.
Posted by: kim | Mar 13 2022 16:34 utc | 17
@ kim | Mar 13 2022 16:34 utc | 17... did they do this with the boeing 737 maxs too?? bermuda - usa colony...
Posted by: james | Mar 13 2022 16:44 utc | 18
Looks as if the U$ plan to create a "new Afghanistan" in Ukraine, to bog down the Russians is coming together nicely.
Hope the Russians understand that.
Posted by: vetinLA | Mar 13 2022 16:44 utc | 19
dh | Mar 13 2022 15:59 utc | 7
I watched a bit f BBC propaganda video the other day. Nazi's showing the 'journalist' dead russians in the snow and how easy it was to shoot them. lots of uniforms but all uniforms were face down... then he shows some civilian, a real one who had bee walking with backs to the Russian lines. The nazi explained how the civilian had got to close to the Russian lines and the evil Russians shot him. How the evil Russians shot him in the back was not explained.
Now the same propaganda merchants are becoming source material for their own propaganda. let the bastards provide their own bodies for their snuff propaganda. It makes for a good laugh.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 13 2022 16:44 utc | 20
Posted by: kim | Mar 13 2022 16:34 utc | 17
---
Now more than ever aircraft are held aloft by paperwork. This is good news for flying taxis.
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2022 16:49 utc | 21
Looks like today is shaping up to be quite momentous, let's hope for the better.
Russian missile strike on Ukrainian base 10 miles from Polish border used to assemble weapons shipped in from the US and Co. led to Jake Sullivan issuing the first explicit threat of NATO involvement.
Meanwhile, in the Middle East, Iran claimed responsibility for a precision missile strike on a Mossad base in Erbil, Iraq.
Will anyone in the "West" start the necessary climb-down?
Posted by: expat | Mar 13 2022 16:49 utc | 22
@Posted by: kim | Mar 13 2022 16:34 utc | 17
LOL as if bermuda really gives two hoots about safety as long as the bills are paid and the paperworks pass muster.
Western tax havens and flags of convenience like Switzerland, bermuda, cayman, jersey, panama etc etc are FOR the west. Anyone else who thinks their affairs are safe in these places have rocks in their heads.
And the lessons are being learnt now.
This war prompts the demise of the whole western world order.
The Russian planes will just have to fly friendly routes that'll recognize the new Russian ownership and certs. Other airlines will pick up the slack.
Some pain, not terminal. Not as terminal as the western aircraft leasing companies and their western bankers.
Posted by: A.L. | Mar 13 2022 16:56 utc | 23
US will convince itself that it must act. This is the usual course I think. Biden is tosser although he hopes that war will save his butt.
Russia needs a draft. The absence of conventional capability leads to escalation. Way things are going, there be missiles landing in Russia soon. This becomes less likely if Russia is prepared.
Posted by: jared | Mar 13 2022 16:59 utc | 24
@20 The BBC manages to give everything an anti-Russian slant. It will be interesting to see how they 'explain' the dead US journalist.
Posted by: dh | Mar 13 2022 17:03 utc | 25
Posted by: expat | Mar 13 2022 16:49 utc | 22
That'll happen when the petrol riot starts. The increased fuel cost is already making the entire western logistical chain unsustainable.
They can subsidize or reduce fuel tax in the short term, but again it's not sustainable and it will continues to play into Russia's hand. Ka-ching....
I read small and medium businesses in Germany (big biz will be counting on govt bailouts as usual) are telegraphing wholesale bankruptcies in the coming months. Any truth to it b?
Posted by: A.L. | Mar 13 2022 17:04 utc | 26
@23 Bermuda might be trying to dodge some painful re-insurance issues.
Posted by: dh | Mar 13 2022 17:04 utc | 27
@Deplorable Commissar #11
Re: Venezuela
Why wouldn't Venezuela sell oil to the US? After it gets its "frozen" and/or confiscated gold and bank reserves and bank accounts back...
Re: CBR reserves, Russian government and individual assets
That which is stolen (oligarch assets) is going to get litigated in Western courts for a long long time.
That which is frozen isn't "gone" yet, but could be. And the same can be said for the wide range of US and EU assets in Russia ranging from manufacturing plants to patents to civilian jets to stakes in Russian companies, etc etc.
This isn't a finished story by a long shot.
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 13 2022 17:05 utc | 28
AL @ 23 said;"This war prompts the demise of the whole western world order."
IMO, many around the globe are wishing for that very scenario.
Posted by: vetinLA | Mar 13 2022 17:06 utc | 29
@ jared | Mar 13 2022 16:59 utc | 24
never underestimate the stupidity of the usa leadership is what you are basically saying, i think.... i agree with that... pretty sure russia already knows that..
Posted by: james | Mar 13 2022 17:07 utc | 30
@Likklemore #9
I dunno about that (the money printing). I posted on inflation in the other thread - it is already well past the "expiration date" point where money printing will not show up as inflation...
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 13 2022 17:07 utc | 31
Europe opening the door to the refugees from Ukraine may badly backfire.
Posted by: OldMike | Mar 13 2022 17:09 utc | 32
Interesting thread, yes, the thrill is gone together with McDonalds and Coke.
https://twitter.com/nolanwpeterson/status/1503004351975075845
Posted by: Paco | Mar 13 2022 17:15 utc | 33
Correspondent "The New York Times" Rene Brent died during the fighting in Irpin. Another journalist was wounded.
Telegram post with picture of his body and photos of his us passport and New York Times correspondent press card.
Posted by: Kim | Mar 13 2022 17:15 utc | 34
@c1ue #31 True...
More money + less product = high inflation
Also true...
More money + less product + reduced demand = moderate inflation
Posted by: Opport Knocks | Mar 13 2022 17:22 utc | 35
Ukrainian PfP Training Centre - NATO
https://www.nato.int/structur/nmlo/links/yavoriv-training-centre.pdf
NATO Partnership Training and Education Centres Info
https://www.act.nato.int/ptecs
Related reading ...
History of Polish town of Jaworów (today's Yavoriv)
The trials of Dutchman Pieter Menten and war crimes in Lwów, Galicia (Poland)
Very well acquainted with the trial and his defense lawyer Van Heijningen. An investigative journalist Hans Knoop traced the history of the massacre and Menten's involvement.
I read small and medium businesses in Germany (big biz will be counting on govt bailouts as usual) are telegraphing wholesale bankruptcies in the coming months. Any truth to it b?
Posted by: A.L. | Mar 13 2022 17:04 utc | 26
Aye, two big energy corps already had to be bailed out this weekend. And a lot of smaller transportation corps can't handle the fuel costs and are really near falling off the cliff.
Posted by: zet | Mar 13 2022 17:26 utc | 37
IMO, many around the globe are wishing for that very scenario.
Posted by: vetinLA | Mar 13 2022 17:06 utc | 29
My only hope is that Russia, China and friends can engineer a softish landing as i believe the "old world order" might prefer the samson option than to retire gracefully into the pages of history.
...unless there're pitchforks on the street and politicians on lampposts.
Sadly given the orwell-esq brainwashing that's been going on for decades i can't see the sheeples fire up their 2 neurons to see what's really going on.
Posted by: A.L. | Mar 13 2022 17:26 utc | 38
@Kim | Mar 13 2022 17:15 utc | 34
The name is Brent Renaud, and he was shot at a UA checkpoint, not killed during fighting between UA and RU.
Anyway, the journalists obviously fell for the western beltway narrative, and did not realize that public order in Ukraine is gone. At the checkpoints are "Territorial Defense Units", Volkssturm as the Russians call them. often lacking any experience, sometimes shooting at one another due to misunderstandings, or disputes over looting, or different factions of the security apparatus, like special police executing a SBU officer last week in Kiew.
No journalist should go to a frontline without papers from the command in charge, best with some experienced soldiers as company and bodyguard. It seems possible that the killed photographer took out his camera, and the soldiers perceived him as spy. Darwin award, sorta.
The soldiers at the checkpoint
Posted by: aquadraht | Mar 13 2022 17:28 utc | 39
Ukraine resolution scenarios
I have been thinking about this for some time: what are some of the scenarios by which the Russian "military police operation" in Ukraine conclude?
I see it in several broad terms:
1) Some return to status quo after "de-Nazification".
1a) This is basically federalization: making official the Minsk Accords. I see this as highly unlikely given what has now happened.
1b) Some kind of UN peacekeeping permanent setup with US/EU and Russian monitored regions. This keeps Ukraine intact (minus Crimea) but is the end of Ukrainian sovereignty for the foreseeable future. I see this as unlikely given US/EU rhetoric to date.
1c) Some kind of UN peacekeeping permanent setup 3rd party monitoring. Chinese and other nations forces monitoring regions. This keeps Ukraine intact (minus Crimea) but is the end of Ukrainian sovereignty for the foreseeable future. Maybe but highly depends on whether China/3rd parties are willing/able to do so, and of course if the EU/US will accept it.
1d) A negotiated end: Ukraine constitution changes and appropriate guarantees to Russia as accepted by the Ukrainian government. I see this as extremely low chance given the golden parachutes certainly in hand by said leadership plus the extremist's anyone they see as wavering.
2) Division of Ukraine
2a) Donetsk and Lugansk only - highly unlikely given what has now happened
2b) Along the Dniepr river including splitting Kiev a la Berlin in 1945. Pretty unlikely given the facts on the ground plus there's no reason for Russia to let Ukraine keep a Black Sea port. I don't see this as likely because there aren't approaching NATO divisions as with the US/UK in 1945 plus it doesn't resolve Russia's strategic concerns in Ukraine.
2c) Along the Dniepr river but cutting diagonally from Cherkasy to the Moldovan border. No Black Sea port, no Black Sea gas. Solves Russia's strategic issues with Ukraine but won't help assuage angry US/EU.
3) Full occupation by Russia of some sort
3a) The full boot on Ukraine's neck: highly unlikely. Too much opportunity for Western fuckery via arming Ukrainian radicals.
3b) Some version of pre 2/24 Donetsk/Lugansk, Transnistria/South Ossetia but with at least some active resistance.
4) unilateral withdrawal - i.e. defeat. I see this as being 0% chance; certainly in the short term.
Comments? Criticisms? Expansions? Corrections?
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 13 2022 17:31 utc | 40
@Opport Knocks #35
Do you see some evidence for reduced demand?
Please provide links.
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 13 2022 17:32 utc | 41
Deplorable Commissar | Mar 13 2022 16:18 utc | 11
Can someone explain these developments to me ?
1) After all the US has done to Venezuela ? Seriously ? Why would Venezuela even talk to the US dogs ?
- Venezuela is Russia’s ally, but is ready to sell oil to US – minister -
MSM reported - Reuters, Wapo, WSJ, Bloomberg, FT, and NBC among them.
However, in deep embarrassment at mid-week, 2nd VP Jen Psaki stated "the US was not engaged with Venezuela in discussing oil purchase."
Oh and the US appointed interim president Guaido was not consulted prior to the US delegation’s visit.
Perhaps the opening question was about the Venezuelan gold; stolen by the UK on behalf of the US. Loooong gone. Leased out to the City. Can't be located.
Russia and China are Maduro’s lifelines.
Not surprised. Reuters reported:
U.S., Venezuela discuss easing sanctions, make little progress: sources,
the takeaway in article:
"Yes, Maduro is anxious for sanctions relief. No, he is not interested in shifting alliances..[.]
Sanctions = burnt bridges.
Posted by: Likklemore | Mar 13 2022 17:33 utc | 42
@A.L. #38
Soft landing for who?
And how could China etc engineer a softer landing for Americans and Europeans - when it is American and European leaders responsible for the break?
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 13 2022 17:33 utc | 43
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 13 2022 17:31 utc | 40
---
Both Putin and Lavrov have been hammering on rolling back NATO to pre-Clinton enlargement.
Maybe you should consider the current action in Ukraine as only a coincidence of meeting that goal.
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2022 17:40 utc | 44
Nolan Paterson wrote the article from the first comment.
Posted by: b | Mar 13 2022 15:30 utc | 1
I guess his tone will dramatically change now. See his latest Twitter tread at number 33.
Posted by: Milos | Mar 13 2022 17:51 utc | 45
Gilbert Doctorow sees a false flag chemical attack coming: "Warning: it is “highly likely” the United States is now about to carry out a ‘false flag’ operation in Ukraine in which it will accuse the Russians of using chemical weapons
"Unfortunately, it appears the Biden Administration does not listen closely to the President, or simply ignores him at times...." https://gilbertdoctorow.com/
Re Venezuela The US is just attempting to provoke another coup, from inside the country by rich compradors who could make a fortune out of renewed trade. As to random Guiado there are plenty more where he came from. And where he is going-Miami.
This will test the highly developed sophistry of London Judges however- how top justify stealing the gold reserves of a government the boss in Washington recognises as the legitimate and de facto power.
Posted by: bevin | Mar 13 2022 17:54 utc | 46
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2022 17:40 utc | 44
Yes I see pressure on NATO from Ukraine western border, From Belarus and possibly from Transdniestria to roll back as a new “friendly” ultimatum. It would not surprise me if pressure on the US occur simultaneously elsewhere. Middle East, Far East, Central America ....
Posted by: Milos | Mar 13 2022 18:07 utc | 47
A comment I placed over at Saker's Vineyard
...........................................
Andrei, I think the "popular" support for the war against Russia is overstated in western media.
I am on a work assignment in a northwestern city in the US, a city I used to live in; yesterday, I saw two people standing catty-corner at a relatively low volume intersection with homemade looking "F*** Russia / support Ukraine" signs. I was stopped at the light and observed about one in ten cars honking in support. I pulled through and parked and lowered my window and observing through my rear view window, confirmed my count.
The "hippie-looking" mid-aged woman on my side of the street walked over to my truck and asked me what I was doing; I answered truthfully and asked "did she, or any of her living relatives serve in the military"? "Why did I want to know that" she asked as I noticed her BLM tee-shirt? I mentioned, "it might be relevant when advocating war...I take it the answer is no"? She looked at me blankly and said "you don't seem Russian". "I'm not" I replied, "but, I have served in the US Army, read history, can read a map, know a thing or two about logistics and stupid wars". Then this "hippie-looking" mid-aged woman went into a rage calling me a traitor for holding a view contrary to her media bestowed narrative. I rolled-up my window and merged back into traffic with a raging woman in my mirror.
No Andrei, not everybody in the US is as nutty as our "leaders" but when I see a "hippie-looking" mid-aged woman advocating war I must admit, we have crossed into unknown territory and I am at a loss as to where this trail leads.
Posted by: S Brennan | Mar 13 2022 18:15 utc | 48
The Russian government has now acknowledged that half (about 300 billion dollars) of its foreign exchange reserves have been frozen:
https://nitter.net/RealPepeEscobar/status/1503070314523156482
Finance Minister Anton Siluanov confirmed that HALF of Russia's gold and foreign reserves have been frozen.This imbecile and other 5th/6th columnists better come up with a very good reason for placing Russia's wealth where it can be easily stolen by the Empire of Thieves.
Mar 13, 2022 · 6:07 PM UTC
This without a doubt qualifies as one of the dumbest things any state has ever done in history. I have to wonder why Putin allowed this. Is he really that weak in relation to the Western neoliberals and fifth columnists? To what extent does he actually think like them? (Some on these comment pages like to argue that Putin is committed to different economic policies than Western neoliberalism, but then you have to look at actual examples from real life like this one.) If neoliberal Western brainwashing and loyalties are so entrenched in the senior leadership, will even the current situation really change policy in Russia?
Posted by: Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 18:20 utc | 49
A Ukraine-based videogame developer company recently added an overlay on their website, https://www.gsc-game.com/index.htm?lang=ru, including a version in Russian, in which it asks all the visitors to donate money for Ukrainian cause. The first account number in the list of possible donation targets is, allegedly, for the Ukrainian army, and the small addendum after it states that money transfers to that account can be made from anywhere in the world. For anyone in Russia to follow that direction and to donate money to Ukraine this way is a sure way to get prison time, because funding an army of a country that your own country is in active military conflict with - that's a textbook definition of treason.
When GSC Game World was asked to amend the message to mention that fact, since the majority of its fanbase is in CIS countries generally and in Russia specifically, GSC Game World refused to do so. As of this moment the message on their website remains unchanged.
Posted by: Dropper | Mar 13 2022 18:23 utc | 50
@too scents #44
Are you saying that you think Russia is going to "de-NATO-fy" Eastern Europe?
If so, Putin/Russia really has lost its shit.
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 13 2022 18:27 utc | 51
@c1ue | Mar 13 2022 17:31 utc | 40
How about a line through Zhytomyr / Vinnytsia extended to the borders of Belarus and Moldova? That would put Kiev well within the eastern part.
Posted by: Norwegian | Mar 13 2022 18:29 utc | 52
@ Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 18:20 utc | 49 with the drive by hit on Putin for putting 300 billion of foreign exchange reserves at risk by being part of the current Bretton Woods agreement.
We live on spaceship earth and that gold or fiat paper, if it exists, hasn't gone anywhere. Yes, Russia still has a mixed public/private financial system and it is only now that might change as Russia nationalizes everything appropriate....like finance/Central Bank.
Your Putin bashing doesn't make it reality but go ask your boss for your 30 pieces of silver. Get it while you can because in the new world you will be measured by personal merit not the vomit volume of your propaganda
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2022 18:40 utc | 53
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2022 18:40 utc | 53
Why would someone who supports Russia not be pissed off that 300 billion dollars were left where they could easily be stolen? Instead of being used to buy whatever, gold, silver, copper, machinery? Go fuck yourself, and keep your dumb accusations to yourself.
Posted by: Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 18:45 utc | 54
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 13 2022 18:27 utc | 51
I'm not saying. I'm repeating what Putin and Lavrov have already clearly stated multiple times. NATO's expansion is in violation of the principle of 'indivisible security' enshrined in multiple treaties to which the expansive members where signatories.
Either the European Community or NATO or both are violating the letter and the principle of treaties they are party to.
I expect that Putin doesn't care to much about what needs to be cleaned away to restore Russia's security.
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2022 18:47 utc | 55
And how could China etc engineer a softer landing for Americans and Europeans - when it is American and European leaders responsible for the break?
Posted by: c1ue | Mar 13 2022 17:33 utc | 43
It can start by shipping them a bunch of push bikes.
Posted by: A.L. | Mar 13 2022 18:48 utc | 56
Ukrainian, Russian Negotiators Say Significant ‘Progress’ Made in Ceasefire Talks
Not so sure about this but it is making the rounds on Zero hedge and other sites. More fodder for the stock market I suppose.
Posted by: circumspect | Mar 13 2022 18:54 utc | 57
@ Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 18:45 utc | 54 who seems offended by me calling them out for their lack of context.
LOL!
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2022 18:55 utc | 58
@c1ue #31
Re inflation. how tabulated? Current US BLS (aka BS) tabulation excludes food and energy. Shadowstats, Feb. 2022 has inflation at 16.05% v. BLS 7.87%. Per Shadowstats the steepest inflation in 75 years.
Some financial scholars view inflation as a currency event.
Opport Knocks @ 35 observes, More money in circulation chasing less goods = high inflation.
I question the “less demand” scenario. Take energy specific to gas. Workers and businesses will be subsidized.
A financial crisis looms large.
Shortages of food, daily essentials, unaffordable fuel and its by products will trigger chaos.
Posted by: Likklemore | Mar 13 2022 19:00 utc | 59
British press claims the American reporter was shot by the "Russians". This will likely be quietly revised.
Anecdotally, I am on a discussion list with reasonably intelligent and geopolitically aware (if US-centric) Americans and they are completely hysterical over Ukraine. Along with the surge of "cancellations" of musicians and dead writers etc, this seems similar to the mass hysterias seen during events like WW1 - which in hindsight seemed completely crazy and not replicable...but they are indeed replicable. A false flag event could right now be the most obvious fraud but public emotions would steamroll...The US/EU political leadership has clearly decided that "Putin must be seen to fail" and this will work against release valves toning down manufactured hysterics or even negotiations seeking resolution.
To the people mentioned above, I haver pointed out that reasonable negotiation over security architecture could have and should have been engaged following the Burns memo (Feb 2008) which spelled out the Russian red lines to the highest levels of US national security leadership. Instead: Neo-con directed provocations. This thinking is currently being dismissed in US liberal circles via a New Yorker Magazine interview with a "Russia expert" who argues that realists such as Mearshimer fail to account for an essentialist reading which basically argues that Russian DNA is inherently and unchangeably bent on domination and imperialism. What load of bollocks, but this is what people want to believe these days.
Posted by: jayc | Mar 13 2022 19:02 utc | 60
S Brennan @ 48
I live in a rural area near Portland, OR. I have lots of friends here and a fair number on FB. Very, very few are doing the yellow/blue-fight-on-forever thing. Plenty of folks are upset about the war due to concerns for civilians, but, if they are blaming Russia, it is not apparent in their - very few - remarks. Folks are upset about inflation and lack of attention to growth of homelessness, of course, but blame is assigned where it actually belongs by most, whatever they choose to call the source - i.e., Deep State, NWO, Biden administration, Dems, Repubs, etc.
Interesting to me that some of the 'right wing' analyses of both foreign and domestic policy are snubbing (rope technique metaphor) the impact of the MICIMATT (courtesy of Ray McGovern) propaganda. Strong case in point is the Ron Paul Institute's take on U.S. foreign policy. Quite critical of NATO, etc.
Posted by: Paul Spencer | Mar 13 2022 19:08 utc | 61
@All: what a surprise! I was able to find „Texas" Russsell. But it is the usual „Schmierlappenstück“, straightout propaganda.
Posted by: Hausmeister | Mar 13 2022 19:08 utc | 62
First the simple bits
- Mariupol;
Those inside are now trying to get out. Probably using civilians (Russian speaking of course) as shields. The Uke high command has ruled out trying to get INTO the area as they do not have enough men/materials.The situation (shortages of ammunition, fuel, food) Will ensure something WILL happen.
*
The next "cauldron" nearest Luhansk is being closed rapidly. Those fleeing towards the river, (Dnipro) and the last remaining bridges are being shelled by long range artillery - as they approach the river. This may form a larger cauldron in the coming days, as the Russian do not seem to be "consoldating" but speeding up advances.
*****
Kiev may be next in line to be closed off and the Chechens sent in (Kadyrov is there in person!)
***
The bombing of the "training center" presumably had some NATO personnel still there, but no one is going to admit it. Expect more, and in answer to a question yesterday - yes the Russians are aware of who and where arms supplies are arriving. They are naturally using the "dumps" as targets.
New while I was writing; One group more or less wiped out were Brazilain mercenaries, who have fled to Poland to "regroup" and then will go and help Ukrainian authorities "evacuate civilians to the EU".
The Russian MoD claim 180 mercenaries were wiped out.
****
Othernews which should be considered as part of the ongoing hostlities, East v. west (or 'lite v. us);
The WEF reacts:
Forwarded from
Alexander Dugin | Z
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced that it has severed "all relations" with the Russian government and Vladimir Putin over the ongoing “invasion of Ukraine”. This is great news. Russia has finally broken with globalism and the Great Reset fanatics, the perverted global oligarchic elite of Schwab and his associates. It is now obvious to everyone: Moscow is the capital of Great Awakening on the world scale. For everyone on earth is now clear - this is not a regional conflict, supposedly "Russians" with supposedly "Ukrainians", this is the beginning of liberation of humanity from the liberal dictatorship of global monopolies. Ukraine is only a local hub for these elites, founded on the land of the Eastern Slavs against their will and in their total ignorance. The population itself has been turned into zombies by the Nazi-liberal propaganda. That is who the real war is with - not with Ukraine, and not even with the West as such, but with the World Economic Forum and its infernal plans of the Great Reset, aimed at the extermination of humanity - through the legalization of all kinds of perversions, sins, crimes and, in the end, by turning people into robots and mutants and transferring power to the Artificial Intelligence. Have no illusions: on the other end of the optical sight we are dealing with the devil himself...
Lucky people.
****
Iran and Mossad. What did you expect? There is a tie up with Soleimani's assasination as well as "now we shoot back". There are several choice targets (ie Socotra) where theft of Iranian tankers and oil are concerned.
*****
China and Nickel-
Worth watching, as it seems JPMorgan are the counterparty to the "bailout" of the Chinese Ologarch. They are also one of the two the main vectors for the black derivatives market (Many of the shorts were from "inside" there and therefore hidden).
I take this as a financial attempt to get control of a major system asset of the Chinese, by using hidden dollar derivatives. ($700 trillion, but does anyone really know?) Note that the breakup of Bear Sterns and Lehman (Banks) were accompanied by masssive naked short selling as well as standard shorting. In both of those cases real assets were "remained/taken" afterwards (Barclays was one who profited), and the "spike" may have been organised by the major Banks and the Fed according to talk at the time.
However, What will/have the Chinese done? They have said they will stop using the Dollar altogether. (From Sunday!) I do not have confirmation of this but we will see tomorrow.
*****
Comment about the Journalist. He was shot about 2km from the nearest Russian troops and there was high ground and houses between them. They are unlikely to have been the ones who shot, as they could not see him.
****
Good news ? Belmarsh have fixed the date of Assanges' and Sheila Morris' wedding for the 23 March.
Posted by: Stonebird | Mar 13 2022 19:09 utc | 63
" Posted by: vetinLA | Mar 13 2022 17:06 utc | 29
My only hope is that Russia, China and friends can engineer a softish landing as i believe the "old world order" might prefer the samson option than to retire gracefully into the pages of history. "
Why ?? So that the oligarchs of the West retain all their wealth and influence ? To preserve the current usury based central banking system ? To maintain the Zio infiltrated corrupt institutions of the world ( i.e. UN, WHO, WEF, AND SO FORTH )?
No, I say let it all burn down so that humanity can start over under new paradigms. The decrepit, evil, order is coming to an end. Its time to dispatch to hell where it belongs.
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Mar 13 2022 19:10 utc | 64
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2022 18:55 utc | 58
And what the hell is the context? Are you arguing that leaving 300 billion dollars for the West to freeze with a mouse click is for some reason not a massive fuckup? There's just some context missing that explains it? Here is the question, in case you failed to grasp it: If you know that you are going to war, why not move those holdings into other asset classes as quickly as you can?
This is precisely what I and others hoped that Russia had at least begun to do, as it was known that the figures, on which the idea of "half" of gold and forex holdings in Western currencies was based, were eight months old (from June 2021). But now it has been officially confirmed that the exact same proportion was kept as in Western currencies as in June 2021. That is absolutely extraordinary. Russia spent many months preparing for a massive military confrontation with Ukraine (which turned out to be an invasion), but did nothing on the front of the foreign exchange reserves, apparently thinking that the two areas were unrelated.
Apparently Nabiullina and other neoliberals explained that if you don't have dollars and euros to intervene in the forex markets (which of course requires their actual cooperation, by allowing Russia to liquidate their dollar, euro and yen holdings as opposed to freezing them, and they for some reason chose not to cooperate with Russia in doing this), the world comes crashing down, and Putin acquiesced. It's pathetic.
Posted by: Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 19:12 utc | 65
Posted by: circumspect | Mar 13 2022 18:54 utc | 57
Obviously Russians are polite and respectful, but isn’t it a bit cynical now that Azov Battalion is nearly whipped out in Mariupol and Ukrainian forces surrounded in Donbas and Kiev almost completely surrounded. I guess probably nothing but an unconditional surrender will do now. They might put some irrelevant items in the documents just to make Ukrainians feel better.
Posted by: Milos | Mar 13 2022 19:14 utc | 66
c1ue | Mar 13 2022 17:31 utc | 40 - my take..
1d
2c
3b
the future is hazy and speculation is a fools game..
@ bevin | Mar 13 2022 17:54 utc | 46... i agree with you about the agenda here for venezuala... the london judges will do what they are told from their masters regardless.. that is a reflection on law in the uk at present..
@ S Brennan | Mar 13 2022 18:15 utc | 48 // jayc | Mar 13 2022 19:02 utc | 60 - thanks both for your personal stories / commentary..
@ Stonebird | Mar 13 2022 19:09 utc | 63... thanks for that overview! much appreciated...
Posted by: james | Mar 13 2022 19:17 utc | 67
No, I say let it all burn down so that humanity can start over under new paradigms....
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Mar 13 2022 19:10 utc | 64
I'm not disagreeing. I just wouldn't want nuclear winter for my children
Posted by: A.L. | Mar 13 2022 19:25 utc | 68
james | Mar 13 2022 19:17 utc | 67
A question for you. I think you mentioned the 14 March in one of your posts about astrology. Where a major figure would be involved. Was it you?
Posted by: Stonebird | Mar 13 2022 19:26 utc | 69
@ Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 19:12 utc | 65 who still fails at context
The amount at stake is probably the minimum foreign exchange money necessary to keep playing the existing global private money mafia game.
Read the nickel/China part of the comment by Stonebird | Mar 13 2022 19:09 utc | 63 and my comments about the LME pause on nickel trading.....this next week, IMO, you will read scary number in the trillions at stake here and there.....FEAR!!!!!
You are taking one part of a very complex form of civilization war and trying to make into a big thing when is is just part of playing the shit show game until it stops and then the losers are forced to make good on their perfidy.
Where is your huffing and puffing about the private oligarchs abuse of Ukraine natural resources? Pick something else to show us your propaganda chops.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2022 19:26 utc | 70
Scott Ritter
1/3 Some harsh realities are about to come home to roost in Ukraine.
War is all about logistics; you can’t fight if you don’t have food, water, fuel, and ammunition. People say Ukraine enjoys the advantage of interior lines of communication. This is true, to a point.
2/3 Interior lines only help if you have material that can be transported or the means to transport those materials. Russia has destroyed Ukraine’s fuel and ammunition dumps, and their logistics hubs. Russia is destroying Ukrainian supply convoys. Ukraine is running on empty.
3/3 When was the last time Ukrainian maneuver units resupplied? No fuel means tanks can’t move; tanks can’t move, they die. No ammo means artillery can’t shoot. No food and water means men can’t fight.
Logistics wins wars. Ukrainian logistics are no longer functioning.
https://twitter.com/RealScottRitter
Happy snaps from NATO training facility
https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1502899572644978690
.........
my thoughts - US/UK is trying to flood Ukraine with mercenaries. When they are captured they will be trying to save their own skins. Not as if they are fighting for home and family. Just off to the killing fields for a licence to kill. Will be a lot of targeting information coming from them.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 13 2022 19:26 utc | 71
currently unable to access the remarkable videos at this link, posted earlier:
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1500175827161554946.html/
Posted by: rjb1.5 | Mar 13 2022 19:29 utc | 72
@ Stonebird | Mar 13 2022 19:26 utc | 69
i mentioned early march and early april with the astro... early april around the 5th is very volatile... early march had the ukrainian negotiator murdered.. i was thinking it might have been zelensky or someone of that nature... early april is different, and basically a war signature - mars-saturn conjunction in the bends of the nodal axis and more... after early april, things out to get better - i hope! that is the quick astro take from me..
Posted by: james | Mar 13 2022 19:33 utc | 73
S Brennan @48 <-- I think this poster is correct. We saw a surge of stupidity in America at the start of the war, as can be expected when the Mockingbird mass media cranks up the jingoism to 11, but the lust for war seems to be decaying quickly. Much more quickly than any previous war that I can remember, that's for sure. Furthermore, Biden's popularity war bump was only a few percentage points and already seems to be waning. Sure, Twatter and Farcebook users seem overwhelmingly bound to the official narrative about the Ukraine, but how much of that is because anyone with an opposing view is banned, shadow banned, or otherwise silenced?
Despite how shrill and loud the western propaganda is, I get the feeling that it is not as effective as it was in previous conflicts.
Posted by: William Gruff | Mar 13 2022 19:33 utc | 74
Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 19:12 utc | 65
Has it occurred to you that Russia’s actions may have been deliberately neglectful? The first and most logical outcome is that no country will consider their reserves safe in the hand of Western authorities. If I wanted to weaken the whole $US sector I could not think of a better way.
Second the funds are only frozen and are in any case able to be offset against any Russian liabilities.
Third Russian income earning capacity has been at least doubled by their own actions in terms of the value of commodities like oil and wheat. I think they’ll get their $150 million or so back fairly quickly
Posted by: Cyberhorse | Mar 13 2022 19:40 utc | 75
The president of Serbia wished had done a deal at the time.
"Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic says he regrets his November decision to scrap the gas deal offered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The comment comes amid the energy crunch Europe has been struggling with over recent months.
According to Vucic, the price of $400 per thousand cubic meters offered by Russia didn’t seem good for Serbia back then, but soaring gas prices in the region are forcing the Serbian authorities to revise their energy policy.
“During talks with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, I didn’t want to settle for a gas price of $400 per 1,000 cubic meters,” Vucic said in an interview with local channel TV Pink, adding that now he would sign such a contract “with both hands.”
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Mar 13 2022 19:45 utc | 76
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2022 19:26 utc | 70
And why the fuck would I direct my anger at the mismanagement and corruption of Ukrainian oligarchs? None of this is moral outrage, in case you didn't get that. I couldn't care less about Ukrainian oligarchs - in fact given what the Ukrainians have shown that they're all about, I hope they continue to rob that country (or whatever Western rump state that remains) blind, robbing it of its long-term war-waging and industrial capacity and its state viability. Same thing with the oligarchs/plutocrats in the West, where a vast majority of the population is screaming for war with Russia (at least for now).
This is about a massive strategic error on the part of Russia, why it occurred and what needs to be done to avoid similar errors in the future. If you can't get that, I'm not sure what to tell you. Aside from the observation that old, leftist boomers (for which this page is of course infamous) can be very limited in their thinking along these lines. Ironic, since some might have expected older left-wingers to be more and not less attuned to objective, Marxian material analysis as opposed to liberal moralism. (vk was of course banned precisely for providing the former and driving people into rage for it.)
Posted by: Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 19:45 utc | 77
@ c1ue | Mar 13 2022 17:31 utc | 40
Well, that's pretty bleak. You don't seem to say which outcome you consider most likely. For what it is worth, I would favor 1d, a negotiated settlement where the Ukrainian government gave in to Russia's security demands. But I understand why you see that as unlikely.
My candidate for the most likely outcome is 5) full-on nuclear apocalypse, because of the stupidity and arrogant stubbornness of the US leadership, and because anyone suggesting moderation can be immediately accused to surrenderism. Here, one wants to cite Herman Goering's comments in 1946 to Gustave Gilbert about how easy it is to stampede the people into war, as well as Thucydides on the revolt in Corcyra in 427 BC.
As for the exact nature of the nuclear apocalypse, perhaps it would not annihilate every human being, but the damage it would cause would nonetheless not permit any of the current institutions to remain standing, including the exist social class structure, nor could its perpetrators possibly live in the pleasant ways they had previously been accustomed to. In other words, they too would pay a price for their crimes.
It seems to me that the whole issue is that Russia has revolted against US hegemony by refusing to submit to "full spectrum dominance" and the US elite are in a frenzy over that, as well as the incipient revolt to their own citizens against the exploitative systems they live under. Because both Russia and the US possess the Great Equalizer of thousands of atomic weapons, the situation is very dangerous, because both see it as an existential matter. While the US has had no moral right to any of its murderous and criminal behavior as an imperial power, the thing that counts now is only that it also has no pragmatic, expedient "right" to claim "full spectrum dominance," because Russia has the Great Equalizer too, so that ends the matter. The only way out then is negotiation, but it seems our elite would rather kill the planet and ruin themselves than submit to the least iota of dimunition of their power.
Posted by: Cabe | Mar 13 2022 19:48 utc | 78
one reason why Russia is so hated is because of its classic writers' insights into the operations of the modern state, specifically the personality type we call a "bureaucrat," the only type found in "western democracies".
no matter what is happening, when the bureaucrat opens his mouth, he speaks the mission statement of his department or org. the only goal is ambitious participation. from the lowliest grocery clerk to academic and politician and business leader. and so we have all been deeply educated and encultured to believe and to practice that the truth of any and every situation is what the boss or authority figure wants to hear. it's a nation of brain dead sycophantic sheep. one dare not deviate even in thought, or your amerikkka won't be running on dunkin donuts. and so, like Tolstoy's Ivan Ilych, the best thing for us will be some tragedy.
btw, it was great to see from vids and pix of Kiev how much Mcdonald's, KFC's, and Domino's already run Kiev. does Ukraine have a movie industry, or do they just watch Disney like everyone else? how much do you think the porn and sex trade will boom, w/the hyper-militarization of Ukraine?
Posted by: rjb1.5 | Mar 13 2022 19:52 utc | 79
Posted by: Cyberhorse | Mar 13 2022 19:40 utc | 75
Yes, that has occurred to me, and others have suggested it. If there is anything good to come out of it, it is certainly the massive uncertainty that this creates. We've seen the Saudis come out and publicly state that they're considering "moving investments away from the US", and there was even an article in the Asia Times about the Bank of Japan fretting over the possibility that China, Saudi Arabia and others would begin dumping dollar and euro holdings (the Japanese would obviously never, as loyal lapdogs of the US, make such an initiative themselves). Also, I recommend reading Zoltan Poszar's note "Bretton Woods III" on this subject. It is available for free online but I can't find the link at the moment.
However, 300 billion dollars - half of the total reserves - is a bit excessive to leave for the West to grab. The same point would have been made with the West confiscating a lot less than that. Very few countries have anywhere close to 300 billion dollars in forex reserves to worry about. And also, I really don't think there is much besides Q-style "plan trusting" that suggests this was intentional on the part of the Russians. Again, the fact that Siluanov confirmed effectively that there was no change in the allocation of foreign exchange reserves from June 2021 to Febuary 2022 speaks volumes. There doesn't seem to have been much planning or thought going into this at all.
Posted by: Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 19:59 utc | 80
This old adage comes to mind. "Never bite off more than you can chew." and I may add, "never threaten your banker.....unless"
Jake Sullivan says,
China faces consequences if it helps Russia evade sanctions over Ukraine
4 hours ago, as I write
WASHINGTON — U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who is due to meet with China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi in Rome on Monday, warned Beijing that it would “absolutely” face consequences if it helped Moscow evade sweeping sanctions over the war in Ukraine.
Sullivan told CNN the United States believed China was aware that Russia was planning some action in Ukraine before the invasion took place, although Beijing may not have understood the full extent of what was planned.
Now, he said, Washington was watching closely to see to what extent Beijing provided economic or material support to Russia, and would impose consequences if that occurred
“We are communicating directly, privately to Beijing, that there will absolutely be consequences for large-scale sanctions, evasion efforts or support to Russia to backfill them,” Sullivan said. “We will not allow that to go forward and allow there to be a lifeline to Russia from these economic sanctions from any country, anywhere in the world.”
.[.]
I guess the Biden/Obama groupies are not tired of being schooled.
Posted by: Likklemore | Mar 13 2022 20:00 utc | 81
some of this analysis has value, but aren’t we still falling for the lead story trap?
the powers that be wanted us to tunnel vision on covid.
they want us to tunnel vision on ukraine.
Posted by: Rae | Mar 13 2022 20:01 utc | 82
@Likklemore | Mar 13 2022 16:27 utc | 15
You beat me to it.
I think this is a very interesting look into the consequences of these sanctions. But I don't think a single commodity currency or bitcoin will come out ahead when this is all over. Many people have assumed that China wants its national currency to take over the place of the usd. But this is not really in Chinese interest. The mandate of a national currency often diverges from that of the international reserve currency. I think the push is towards a basket of major manufacturing and commodity cbdc, to the great disadvantage of the usd obviously. It's the awareness of the threat, yes bretton woods III, that prompted Biden's change of heart regarding digital dollar a couple of days ago. When the dust settles, the financial world as we know it will be over.
Posted by: cindy6 | Mar 13 2022 20:02 utc | 83
@ Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 19:45 utc | 77 who continues to state
"
This is about a massive strategic error on the part of Russia, why it occurred and what needs to be done to avoid similar errors in the future.
"
Did you read Cyberhorse | Mar 13 2022 19:40 utc | 75?
Please explain how any amount of fiat Reserve Currency money is strategic for Russia at this time. The 300 billion is a number and many numbers will be written about the global world of finance in the next few weeks but I posit that it is a inconsequential number in the process of birthing an alternative to the Bretton Woods system.
Tell us of this strategic context because I and others seem to not see it.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2022 20:05 utc | 84
Ukraine (Kiev) is/was famous for producing high quality music videos. Many Russian pop stars used to go there to film. They have a bit of a film industry. I think it was a Jet Li film that I recall being made there some years back.
Posted by: the pessimist | Mar 13 2022 20:08 utc | 85
Posted by: kim | Mar 13 2022 16:34 utc | 17
More than 700 Russian Aircraft have had their airworthiness certification revoked by Bermuda authority.
CAN RUSSIA FLY AFTER WESTERN SANCTIONS?
(This is a short note I wrote to my late friend Jon Hellevig four years ago, on March 12, 2018. Russia wasted these four years and now has about one month to put this plan into operation.)
The Russian aviation authorities should start issuing type certificates to all Western aircraft operating in Russia. This would make it possible to replace the Western parts with analog Russian parts.
When the embargo and subsequent sanctions strike, all Russian aircraft will be banned. Spare parts are no longer available from the West and Western companies refuse to certify maintenance performed in Russia.
Re-certification of a whole airplane design can be difficult for Russia without the original drawings. But it may be possible to issue a supplemental type certificate for a variant in which some part has been replaced by a corresponding Russian-made part.
During the Soviet era, Russian passenger planes had no difficulty flying to the West. Soviet type certificates were approved by the Western aviation authorities.
The methods of current economic warfare are to exclude Russia from international organizations such as IATA, or perhaps ICAO.
Empty sky: what damage do the Western sanctions cause to Russian aviation - Profile.ru, March 4, 2022On February 25, the EU leadership banned "the sale and export of any aircraft, spare parts for them, equipment for their maintenance, as well as the provision of services for their repair, maintenance and leasing." If the sanctions on joint projects (European companies participate in the Sukhoi Superjet 100 and MS-21 programs) were generally expected, as was the ban on the sale of new aircraft, then the ban on servicing the existing fleet and supplying spare parts is absolutely monstrous.
Posted by: Petri Krohn | Mar 13 2022 20:10 utc | 86
A bouquet of consequences ahead for UK jobs.
The BBC reports:
Major UK businesses are lining up to offer jobs to Ukrainian refugees when they start to arrive in the UK.A group of more than 45 large businesses is pressing the government to make it easier for those driven out by Russia's invasion to come to the UK.
...
Ms Sinclair, who is co-ordinating the initiative at the moment despite a recent head injury, told the BBC that many of her ancestors were from Eastern Europe, including Ukraine.
The aim of the project is to help "tens of thousands" of refugees not only get jobs in the UK, but to help them find accommodation, and gain language skills.
...
However, Ms Sinclair said the consortium was "purely altruistic" and not acting to promote any particular corporate agenda.
The companies involved, especially the recruitment firms, have got "thousands of jobs to fill every day of the week" - this is not a new situation for them, she said.
Tolerant post-Brexit Britain loves an eager labour force.
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2022 20:11 utc | 87
Rae | Mar 13 2022 20:01 utc | 82
most of us have 2 eyes. chew gum and walk. stuff like that. the people responding to the covid virus are not different people than those enflaming Ukraine. the people allowing the british NHS to collapse. the people crushing the US education system. the people dumping opioids and meth all over the populace. the people, like Norwegian, who live in a constant state of denial that anything could interrupt their capitalist fairy tales. stuff like the laws of physics. try telling the commenters around here that gasoline is a poison and will never be anything else. "but it makes my machines go boom!" that's all they need to know.
Posted by: rjb1.5 | Mar 13 2022 20:14 utc | 88
Regarding the mutual security agreement proposed by Russia back in December, Lavrov some days ago stated everything has changed.Mutual security it seems is out the window.
Makes me wonder if the Russian flag flying atop the white house is what Russia sees as a means of securing its security.
Napoleon and Hitler were up front rape and pillage conventional warfare. The US poo jabbers are a bit more sneaky with their full spectrum hybrid warfare but still aiming for the same goal.
Russian sanctions will be interesting.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 13 2022 20:14 utc | 89
@ Likklemore | Mar 13 2022 20:00 utc | 81 with the China/US meet about Russia
The ZH posting I read says the US is meeting with China to get China to be the mediator in the Russia/Ukraine situation.
I noted elsewhere that the US congresscritters have passed legislation that says all future maps must show Taiwan as not being part of China.
After a while you have to wonder how much of what we are seeing has been scripted beforehand.....
Reality is coming to our world of shit show social organization. Will the Plato's Cave Display breathers come out and engage with other than top/bottom aka God of Mammon humans?
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2022 20:14 utc | 90
The mayor of Irpin said that journalists will be denied access to the settlement from tomorrow. According to him, media representatives are filming soldiers and revealing the location of the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The mayor's order completes the picture of today's death of ex-New York Times contributor Brent Renaud in Irpin. Apparently, the deceased journalist tried to take pictures from his car, but the territorial defense fighters mistook these actions for espionage and immediately opened fire on the car.
https://twitter.com/ah114088/status/1503058452003893256
Posted by: Andreas | Mar 13 2022 20:21 utc | 91
james | Mar 13 2022 19:33 utc | 73
Thanks. We will see as "Ukraine" may be moving towards some sort of negociated deal and the US definitey doesn't want that.
*
Zelensky murdered in early March? The latest "movie go round" with Zelensky visitng wounded soldiers, included a lady next to him who died on the 24 February. (Family says so). So either some form of walking afterlife has been filmed or some (or all?) of Zelenskyi's movements have been pre-recorded. You never know the capabilities of animations these days. No wonder he changes his opinions daily, they must have got the vids mixed up.
Posted by: Stonebird | Mar 13 2022 20:23 utc | 92
Petri Krohn | Mar 13 2022 20:10 utc | 86
It is war and Russia recognizes it as such. Sit back and enjoy the show.(not much else many of us can do)
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 13 2022 20:24 utc | 93
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2022 20:05 utc | 84
Russia will adapt to the new situation and it will get by without access to these reserves. But it's in a weaker state than it could have been in, and above all, it would have been easy to avoid it. Those reserves might be frozen money now and just numbers in a computer. But a year or even a few months ago they could have been spent on imports Russia needed, for example capital goods to be better prepared for autarky, or even on raw materials like copper, iron ore, etc. Alternatively, Russia could simply have exported less minerals and energy. 300 billion dollars get you a lot of stuff. It's as simple as that. Laughing it off as nothing to care about is absolutely bizarre.
For Russia to export years' worth of actual, limited, real raw materials and products of labor with tremendous (and irreplaceable) value, just to satisfy the superstitions (or worse, foreign loyalties) of neoliberal economists and officials (whom Putin even in the extremely serious situation of the last few years has chosen to continue to humor) is stupid and unnecessary. Having done so is also an enormous propaganda defeat and psychological blow to Russia that shouldn't be underestimated.
Posted by: Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 20:25 utc | 94
On March 14, NATO begins large-scale military exercises near the Russian borders. They will be attended by 35 thousand soldiers, 200 aircraft and 50 warships.
Posted by: Kim | Mar 13 2022 20:27 utc | 95
Unnamed | Mar 13 2022 20:25 utc | 94
Russia needs to import raw materials? What universe are you living in?
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 13 2022 20:32 utc | 96
https://t.me/rogers_kitchen/3666
Russian airforce shoot at Ukraine while hiding in civilian buildings.
In Korosten town Rusisan tankers shot their aircrafts at civil citizens and buildings.
You can't make this coke up.
Posted by: Arioch | Mar 13 2022 20:34 utc | 97
Those reserves had to be kept over seas for balance of payment issues. The reality is if Russian reserves are not released, there is far more in PHYSICAL assets owned by foreign companies in Russia to compensate. Factories, real estate, inventory . Game over.
Posted by: norb | Mar 13 2022 20:34 utc | 98
@77 unnamed
I’m not in disagreement with your arguments w psychohistorian, per se.
(The exchange seems like a misunderstanding, imo)
But rather in your assessment of the vk banning:
It’s my understanding that vk was given time out because he was breaking trolling rules
During the Rittenhouse threads, not because of his Marxist analysis of events.
That’s nit picking your argument, and I apologize. But that’s how I see the vk thing.
Posted by: Cadence calls | Mar 13 2022 20:37 utc | 99
Stonebird and james
I'm not into superstition - fire power and strategy seem to trump that... no offence intended james
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 13 2022 20:37 utc | 100
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The Russian missile attack on the Yavoriv International Peacekeeping and Security Centre has killed 35 and wounded a hundred.
The 'peacekeeping' center was where foreign fighters and weapons from nearby Poland were welcome and assigned.
The attack will lower the appetite for foreigners and NATO to take part in the war.
The U.S. had used the base since 2015 to train the Ukrainian military:
Exclusive Dispatch: US Guardsmen Train Ukrainian Troops for a New Kind of War
Posted by: b | Mar 13 2022 15:30 utc | 1