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June 16, 2022
Ukraine Open Thread 2022-88
Comments
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 8:17 utc | 190
Another moron. How unexpected. You guys just come out at 2AM because you know no one else is here to hear your crap, is that it?
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Jun 17 2022 9:07 utc | 201
Posted by: Micron | Jun 17 2022 8:54 utc | 195
“the fact that the lines have barely budged for two weeks now.”
Another moron concern troll who hasn’t bothered to read the fifteen posts in every thread which answer that question just about every fucking day here to the point that people want the answer pinned to every Ukraine thread. Why hasn’t he bothered to read it? Because he doesn’t want to. He just wants to concern troll like the rest of this crowd represented by AU and Oslo and Et Tu and the rest of the trolls.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Jun 17 2022 9:11 utc | 202
Well, I got Legacies to watch right now, so all your concern trolls can go to bed now.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Jun 17 2022 9:12 utc | 203
(Bolshevik revolution does not count as it was foreign operation).
Posted by: Tigger | Jun 16 2022 21:58 utc | 119
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.
What a joke. 😂
Rightoids and their addiction to historical revisionism, one of the most pathetic attitudes soiling this cursed planet.
Still butthurt over crowned leeches overdosing on lead pills?
It’s okay, you can start mumbling about Lenin and a train now 🤭
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 9:13 utc | 204
“Another moron concern troll who hasn’t bothered to read the fifteen posts in every thread which answer that question just about every fucking day here to the point that people want the answer pinned to every Ukraine thread. Why hasn’t he bothered to read it? Because he doesn’t want to. He just wants to concern troll like the rest of this crowd represented by AU and Oslo and Et Tu and the rest of the trolls.”
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Jun 17 2022 9:11 utc | 199
Sorry to elicit such strong reactions. The value of MoA for me is the possibility to debate. If what you are looking for is just rah-rah turbopatriotism, just watch intel Slava and do not bother coming here.
I don’t know if I’m a concern troll, but yes I’m concerned. I’m also unnerved by the too categorical affirmations of Saker, Martyanov, and to a lesser extent bernhard himself. The show is far from over. Just now I learned on colonel cassad that the ukies just got a russian small ship with a missile (Harpoon). Same missiles Martyanov pooh-poohed, as if the Russian ECW measures were just on a different level. Well tell that to the 10 dead sailors, Marty.
I do not want to say that the Ukies will win and march to Moscow. What I’m saying is that there is a lack of a middleground between the MSM bullshit (although they toned it down quite a bit recently) and the Saker-Martyanov line, according to which it’s all just a big walk in the park. Very few analysts have been able to give a sober and realistic assessment until now.
Posted by: Micron | Jun 17 2022 9:23 utc | 205
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Jun 17 2022 9:07 utc | 198
————————————————————
Oh, another demented from the Empire of Lies…
By the way, it’s 11:25 here…and sun is shining…
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 9:23 utc | 206
Its interesting why the Empire of Lies and its poodles want to keep Zelensky the Jew in power…😏
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 9:27 utc | 207
Arganthonios 201 AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.
arthur koestler the 13th tribe
his book is good you should love it
read douglas reed his book on zion
and anthony c sutton
wall street city of london hitler and the bolsheviks
molech needs feeding Arganthonios and all you give is wind stale khazarian mafia air
Posted by: norman wisdom | Jun 17 2022 9:34 utc | 208
The Russian Defense Ministry publishes statistics on foreign mercenaries who arrived in Ukraine:
Among European countries, the leader in the number of both arrived and dead mercenaries is Poland. Since the beginning of the special operation, 1,831 people have arrived in Ukraine from there, of which 378 have already been killed and 272 have left for their homeland.
Romania – 504 arrived, 102 died, 98 left.
Britain – 422 arrived, 101 died, 95 left.
Canada is leading from the American continent – 601 arrived, 162 destroyed, 169 left.
USA – 530 arrived, 214 died, 227 left.
From the Middle East, Transcaucasia and Asia, most of all, 355 mercenaries arrived from Georgia, of which 120 were destroyed and 90 left Ukraine.
Next, the militants of terrorist groups deployed from the US-controlled areas of the Syrian Trans-Euphrates – 200 people, 80 of them were destroyed and 66 left.
In total, the lists of the Ministry of Defense as of June 17 include mercenaries and specialists in the operation of weapons from 64 countries. With the start of the special operation, 6,956 people arrived in Ukraine, 1,956 have already been killed, and 1,779 have left.
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 9:34 utc | 209
ostro @ 204
For some, quality matters, not ethnicity..But obviously RF does things differently.
As can be seen from their shipbuilding skills. No jews designing or repairing Admiral Kuznetsov that is certain. Muthafuka of a ship. Gonna f*uck whole NATO by itself.
Posted by: Joe6pack | Jun 17 2022 9:44 utc | 210
Posted by: norman wisdom | Jun 17 2022 9:34 utc | 205
Are you going to explain why on earth would financiers bound together by religious ties would ever lift a finger to help a political faction hellbent on eradicating the financial economy and religions’ control over civil life? Except by gross mistake?
No? Then stop peddling bullshit books.
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 9:55 utc | 211
The special military operation in Ukraine has led to a reunified NATO, we are told. However, NATO has no answer to key global challenges such as climate change and the socio-economic divide. A referendum in Finland and Sweden on NATO membership would open the door to reflection about the pros and cons. Increased defense spending is fueling a global arms race in which everyone loses. The West has apparently learned nothing from the mistakes of the past.
Those are the main issues in my new article “Stoltenberg’s poisoned trophy: Europe to 2% on defence” which appeared this morning:
https://geopolitiekincontext.wordpress.com/2022/06/17/stoltenbergs-vergiftigde-trofee-europa-naar-2-voor-defensie/
Just hit the translate box in the right upper corner.
Posted by: Paul-Robert | Jun 17 2022 9:55 utc | 212
I am no military analyst, but I can look at a map and i suspect that the objectives of Russia from February on would have been something in this order
1. South Donesk countryside 2. Mariupol
3. South Zaporizhia (including Nuclear power plant) 4. Berdansk 5. Melitopol
6. South Kherson (including water supply to Crimea) 7. Kherson city 8.Nova Kakovna
These objectives essential for securing the Sea of Azov. They would have been seen as essential and I very much doubt Russia would give them up without a huge fight. All 8 of these objectives have been achieved and no matter what else happens Russia has had a significant victory.
Again just from looking at a map I think the next group of objectives would be securing
9. Eastern Lukansk, 10. South Lukansk, 11. Lukhansk city 12. North Eastern Lukansk
13. Donetsk city and eastward surrounds
14. Eastern Kharkov, 15. Northern Kharkov, 16. Kharkov city
17. Sumy and surrounds 18. Northern Cherniv
Again I am guessing just based on looking at a map and thinking about distance from Russian borders. Now of these 8-13 were achieved before the SMO and 14. is largely complete. Note however that none of the objectives talked about eg the rest of the Donbass etc are even on the second phase agenda. The danger to Russia from Kharkov, is much greater than that from Donetsk. I would be surprised in Russian troops concentrated in the Western part of Donetsk until Kharkov is subdued. This is not proving easy.
A next set of strategic goals for Russia would I guess include much the rest of lands east of the Dnieper River and this is where much of the battle now lies. So we would have:
18. North West Lukansk 19. Sieverodonetsk 20. Western Lukansk 21. Kadivka 22.Lisichansk
23. North Donetsk 24. Western Donetsk
24. Southern Kharkov 25. Izium
26. Northern Zaporizhia 27. Zaporizhia city
28-30. Whatever is left east of the river.
A lot of progress has been made in this third tranche of goals. Again I am mainly thinking of distance from the border and obvious geographic features. They are not yet complete and I suspect the two big cities will be hard to crack.
The next very important set of strategic goal is the rest of the black sea. This is very difficult and it is hard to see how it is to be achieved. Subduing Nikolayev and Odessa at least the cities and southern lands, seems very important, but I suspect a new strategy other than the grind may be needed. This is where my military understanding falls into a huge hole, so I will not comment.
As for the rest of Ukraine, I think it is a little silly to even think about it until the other objectives are fully achieved. By October we may know more and can make a sensible assessment.
Posted by: watcher | Jun 17 2022 9:58 utc | 213
Right now, VD Leyen talking about Ukraine’s EU candidate status…quite funny…
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 10:05 utc | 214
I don’t know if I’m a concern troll, but yes I’m concerned. I’m also unnerved by the too categorical affirmations of Saker, Martyanov, and to a lesser extent bernhard himself. The show is far from over. Just now I learned on colonel cassad that the ukies just got a russian small ship with a missile (Harpoon). Same missiles Martyanov pooh-poohed, as if the Russian ECW measures were just on a different level. Well tell that to the 10 dead sailors, Marty.
Which version of Colonel Cassad are you referring to??? The fake one published in Kiev??
BECAUSE….
The real one from Krim… published no such report…..
As…..
I know personally….
I agree with Richard…. You are a MI6/CIA/NSA troll….
INDY
Posted by: Dr. George W Oprisko | Jun 17 2022 10:11 utc | 215
For all the people concerned about the “front not moving”: Go back to b’s post where he mentions Clausewitz. Prior #1 in war: destroy the enemy’s army. Russia has throttled the resupply from the west by taking out substations along the railway. Russia has relatively short supply lines towards her own homeland. If we not consider AFU the enemy, but the whole NATO, as long as weapon stocks in the west are not exhausted, the RF better not move but keep the convenient scenario. Actually, preventing the AFU from collapsing too quickly makes sense, in a way. I think it is probable we will see an advance not before NATO reduces the supply for the Ukraine. One thing I really learned here, lurking most of the time: Think logistics, not arms.
Posted by: TomD | Jun 17 2022 10:20 utc | 216
@John Kennard | Jun 17 2022 4:45 utc | 165
I fail to see that an attack on Taiwan would be problem for Chinese planners. The western shores of Taiwan are mainly flat sandy beaches, ideal for any kind of landing operation.
And “blue water”? I beg to differ. The width of the Taiwan strait is between 80 and 120 miles, not really a lot. Hu Xijin in Global Times substantiated that any attack on Taiwan would be preceded by saturation attacks on Taiwan military assets, suppressing most resistance against a landing. First beachheads would be from airborne units, and landing ships establishing beach heads, until some floating piers for RoRo ferries being established allowing hundreds of armoured vehicles or thousands of troops being unloaded at a time by each of those ships. Mind that Taiwan forces are about 60,000 in total, it is fairly doubtful that they would hold out longer than 24 hours.
Other than in Ukraine, there is not a third of the populace being regarded subhumans (nyeliudy) which could be taken hostage as human shields. And the DPP people may be idiots, but they are not murderous fascists like the Azov and other Banderite death squads forming the backbone of the UA military.
Posted by: aquadraht | Jun 17 2022 10:20 utc | 217
Vladimir Putin’s speech at SPIEF on June 17, 2022: live online broadcast starts at 14:00 Moscow time, that’s roughly in about 36 minutes. kp.ru
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 10:24 utc | 218
Posted by: Arioch | Jun 16 2022 21:29 utc | 109
I was saying for some weeks now, that for Russia it would be good to stretch the war until approx. April next year, than ask post-EU countries how they like their winters.
Agreen. “General Winter” destroyed nazi Wehrmacht (so they say), it is fitting to do the same to EU/NATO nazi’s too, this time offensively, out or Russian borders.
Posted by: Abe | Jun 17 2022 10:27 utc | 219
You can watch on Youtube too, by the way, https://youtu.be/n3DkAAUX0Qs
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 10:30 utc | 221
Richard Steven Hack @ 178
The US had 600,000 troops in Vietnam and many others in theater in support roles and Vietnam had 800,000 on the books in ’68 and they failed. 1.4 million men plus in ’68. Comparing that to the SMO one can see Russia has not taken the gloves off or entered with a Pickets charge type of assault.
Slow enricling operations designed to force them to retreat. Avoid the strong points and probe to find the soft spot. Eventually they will wear them down.
Posted by: circumspect | Jun 17 2022 10:43 utc | 222
“Russia has not taken the gloves off or entered with a Pickets charge type of assault.”
Posted by: circumspect | Jun 17 2022 10:43 utc | 219
Don’t forget the whole “fraternal peoples” argument.
If/when this gets out of Ukraine, elsewhere it will get much uglier, much faster.
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 10:47 utc | 223
I agree with Micron. I’m only here for realistic analysis, and some informed discussion, not endless ad hominem attacks about “concern trolls” – aka anyone who is not triumphalist.
There is a paranoia about spreading defeatism where it can be read by anyone around the globe, and given the “butterfly effect” noted by chaos theory, I do sort of understand it.
OK, anyone see the Guardian? It quotes an interview with the head of the UK Armed Forces – Admiral Sir Tony Radakin – who states the official Western line. Can’t find original interview anywhere, of course – typical for the modern internet.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/17/russia-has-strategically-lost-war-declares-uk-admiral-as-lavrov-says-no-shame-in-war-crimes
The narrative is: Russia has strategically lost the war.
“This is a dreadful mistake by Russia. Russia will never take control of Ukraine,” Tony Radakin told PA Media in an interview published on Friday.
The country’s highest-ranking military officer said the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, had lost 25% of Russia’s land power for only “tiny” gains and it would emerge a “more diminished power” while strengthening Nato.
“Russia has strategically lost already. Nato is stronger, Finland and Sweden are looking to join,” he said.
Radakin said that while Putin may achieve “tactical successes” in the weeks to come, it had come at the expense of a quarter of his country’s army power for “tiny” gains and was running out of troops and hi-tech missiles.
“The Russian machine is grinding away, and it’s gaining a couple of – two, three, five – kilometres every day,” the admiral said.
“And Russia has vulnerabilities because it’s running out of people, it’s running out of hi-tech missiles.
“President Putin has used about 25% of his army’s power to gain a tiny amount of territory and 50,000 people either dead or injured. Russia is failing.”
Radakin’s claims echo British intelligence reports, the latest of which said some Russian battalion tactical groups (BTGs) – typically established at about 600 to 800 personnel – have only been able to muster as few as 30 soldiers.
“Measured against Russia’s original plan, none of the strategic objectives have been achieved. In order for Russia to achieve any form of success will require continued huge investment of manpower and equipment, and is likely to take considerable further time,” a report read.
This seems to be – yes, Russia is slowly winning – but at what cost?
Remember the two tools of the sociopath – projection and condescension.
So the tone – we are the best and smartest and richest people in the universe – you are weak, foolish, stupid, and getting weaker. /smirk
Quite typical for narcissists.
The same attitude was displayed in the Lavrov BBC interview, and this attitude infuriated Lavrov, which was of course the desired effect.
However these people are innately cunning, so they relentlessly highlight actual weaknesses and problems. This creates confusion in their targets/victims.
What we would like to know is a more objective high level view of the situation. The Military Summary channel is quite good but on the internet good sources are difficult to find. Really qualified people have jobs to do and don’t post. That leaves people on the on the ground on the sidelines at lower levels and armchair generals.
The internet open source community has a long way to go to set up infrastructure and methodologies IMO. We are still in a protean Dark Age.
Posted by: moabeobachter | Jun 17 2022 11:04 utc | 224
@Abe | Jun 17 2022 10:27 utc | 216
The “General Winter” excuse of the Wehrmacht losers is crap. Winter 1941 was not exceptionally cold, only a few weeks earlier in November the OKW was happy about as it shortened the mud season of autumn. Certainly additional problems arose for the Wehrmacht after the defeat around Moskow as they had not cared for enough winter clothing while being forced to retreat amid already insufficient logistics. Typical fascist hubris of believing to “defeat Russia in a fast campaign”.
Similar to Barbarossa recently was Baerbock’s plan Barbaverde to “ruin Russia in a fast sanction campaign”. They never learn.
Posted by: aquadraht | Jun 17 2022 11:07 utc | 225
You can watch on Youtube too, by the way, https://youtu.be/n3DkAAUX0Qs
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 10:30 utc | 218
Is there any site where i can listen to the english translation?
Posted by: R. | Jun 17 2022 11:07 utc | 226
Looks like Putin’s speech is going to at 15:00 Moscow time, due to a massive DDos attack on the the forum’s accreditation system. Izvestiya reports.
Oh boy, the “west” is so afraid even to hear him out. 😏
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 11:08 utc | 227
Posted by: aquadraht | Jun 17 2022 11:07 utc | 222
Of course, it was not winter that destroyed WW2 nazi’s, same as it will not be the winter that is really the problem with EU in 6 months, but their incompetence and inflated egos that lead them there in the first place.
Posted by: Abe | Jun 17 2022 11:17 utc | 228
Interesting that the West resorts to cyberterrorism. The US already declared that they would consider cyberterrorist attacks like acts of war. What about nuking Langley?
Posted by: aquadraht | Jun 17 2022 11:18 utc | 229
From IntelSlava
🇪🇺🇺🇦❗❗️The leaders of the EU countries, who visited Kyiv on June 16 – French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi – advocated granting Ukraine the status of a candidate member of the EU.
However, according to Die Welt, in return, they “behind closed doors” called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to sit down at the negotiating table with Russian President Vladimir Putin 😁
Not hard to see why
🇷🇺🇫🇷🇮🇹⚡Russian gas supplies to France have completely stopped.
Deliveries of Russian gas to Italy were reduced by 50%.
Posted by: Down South | Jun 17 2022 11:26 utc | 230
Posted by: aquadraht | Jun 17 2022 11:18 utc | 226
—————–
In due time…😃
By the way, the 3 stooges were shown are shown the “progress of hostilities” on the March 20 ISW map…yesterday!
https://ibb.co/NKwfSBr
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 11:28 utc | 231
Posted by: moabeobachter | Jun 17 2022 11:04 utc | 221
Thanks. But, you see, as the risk of ruining my burgeoning reputation as a NSA employee, I will not agree with Radakin on the strategic loss of Russia in this war. I think Russia has registered quite significant gains : Mariupol, Kherson, especially the full control of the sea of Azov is a strategic asset.
Also, Radakin ignores the economic aspect of the war and here for me it’s an unqualified success : Russia has decoupled even more from the West, Western economies are hard hit by inflation, and the trade balance of Russia is exploding, with China showing no signs of desolidarizing.
To recap : militarily it’s so-so, economically it’s exceeding expectations. Unfortunately few people seem to be able to examine different scenarios and evaluate both best and worst cases. I agree of course that for the masses, such reflexion is to be avoided, they only need simple, black and white stories. But we MoA barflies can afford to play contrarian and debate. Who want to read 100+ posts all singing in unison the same things ?
Posted by: Micron | Jun 17 2022 11:41 utc | 232
Is there any site where i can listen to the english translation?
Posted by: R. | Jun 17 2022 11:07 utc | 223
———————–
Try here, https://www.youtube.com/c/videomix3de
Maybe the subtitles would work
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 11:42 utc | 233
Latest from IntelSlavaZ:
Intel Slava Z, [17/06/2022 12:14]
🇷🇺🇺🇦❗️❗️Part of the military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the Azot plant in Severodonetsk began to surrender
“During the conduct of a special military operation on the territory of the Azot enterprise in the city of Severodonetsk, indeed, some Ukrainian military made the right decision and began to surrender,” Lieutenant Colonel of the People’s Militia of the LNR Andrey Marochko told the LPR.
Posted by: Barofsky | Jun 17 2022 11:42 utc | 234
Regarding the EU, Russia is in a commanding position since the LNG terminal at Freeport, Texas is out due to repair for months. The US cant deliver on her promise to secure parts of Europe’s LNG needs. So the EU is left with complete reliance on Russian gas. Now Russia has cut gas delivery to Germany, Italy and France, ironically the countries that went to Kiev to show suppoort for Big Z. For me, it looks like the EU countries have backed themselves into a corner and keep digging in hope for a miracle. If Russia wants, it can force the complete destruction of German energy intensive manufacturers like the car or the chemical industry. The German state cant help these companies, because they wont have the energy needed to produce goods. Once they are out of business, their trading partners will look for replacements and wont come back due to uncertainty.
Posted by: Arne Hartmann | Jun 17 2022 11:45 utc | 235
In the information war Russia remains mum.
This lets opponents in the fog of war mainly fostered by their own BS.
Reflexion is as biased as discourse.
Our role here is mostly to increase confusion.
Posted by: Greg Galloway | Jun 17 2022 11:46 utc | 236
militarily it’s so-so
Posted by: Micron | Jun 17 2022 11:41 utc | 229
As measured according to which standard? 🤔
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 11:49 utc | 238
aquadraht @ 226
Must be under consideration. When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
Posted by: Joe6pack | Jun 17 2022 11:51 utc | 239
208
deconstruction is the game break it down build back prisons year zero the devil is in the khazar detail jacob frank Sabbatai Zevi the donmeh
whatever. blood rituals ritual murder collecting souls
Arganthonios 201 AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.
read the books
In February 1920, Winston Churchill wrote an article for the British Illustrated Daily Herald on ‘Zionism versus Bolshevism’
” …the schemes of the International Jews. The adherents of this sinister confederacy are mostly men reared up among the unhappy populations of countries where Jews are persecuted on account of their race. Most, if not all of them, have forsaken the faith of their forefathers, and divorced from their minds all spiritual hopes of the next world. This movement among the Jews is not new. From the days of Spartacus-Weishaupt to those of Karl Marx, and down to Trotsky (Russia), Bela Kun (Hungary), Rosa Luxembourg (Germany), and Emma Goldman (United States), this world-wide conspiracy for the overthrow of civilisation and for the reconstitution of society on the basis of arrested development, of envious malevolence, and impossible equality, has been steadily growing. It played, as a modern writer, Mrs. Webster, has so ably shown, a definitely recognisable part in the tragedy of the French Revolution. It has been the mainspring of every subversive movement during the Nineteenth Century; and now at last this band of extraordinary personalities from the underworld of the great cities of Europe and America have gripped the Russian people by the hair of their heads and have become practically the undisputed masters of that enormous empire.”
Posted by: norman wisdom | Jun 17 2022 11:52 utc | 240
Western media shills, having little clue, content themselves with parroting up Ukrop services babble.
Insane narrative results in confusing western audience but as well western ‘leadership’ too. It is made easy by current dementia reigning at the highest level in USA. In Europe it’s more of some gay pride at the wheel, if not a degraded flavor of Rio Carnival (O disfarco sem o jeito=the disguise without the chic).
Posted by: Greg Galloway | Jun 17 2022 11:56 utc | 241
A reminder:
It took from January 1943 to mid summer 1944 to liberate Ukraine from the nazis… so present pace is moderately fast.
Posted by: Greg Galloway | Jun 17 2022 11:59 utc | 242
Greg @239
Timely reminder. Probably news to many here. I have seen comments with wildly longer timeframe.
Posted by: Joe6pack | Jun 17 2022 12:03 utc | 243
Besides if ever it took 18 months for Russia to conquer 404, Europe’s shape would degrade so deeply that they’d ask to be annexed to Russia and Nordstream 2 to be prolonged to Lisbon.
Posted by: Greg Galloway | Jun 17 2022 12:06 utc | 244
Baghdad Bob Lives!
Ukraine has it’s own Bob
and he has written an article
for your Bemusement.
boB has chosen the title for his article wisely:
How Ukraine Will Win
Kyiv’s Theory of Victory
By Dmytro Kuleba
June 17, 2022
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/ukraine/2022-06-17/how-ukraine-will-win
[DMYTRO KULE-BAAH is Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.]
Posted by: librul | Jun 17 2022 12:07 utc | 245
This twitter post from von der Leyen is unbelieavble cynical:
Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective.
We want them to live with us the European dream.
https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1537739940942991360
This twitter post from von der Leyen is unbelieavble cynica. On top of that, von der Leyen puts a picture of herself into the tweet, equating herself with the EU and attaching herself to the pile of Ukrainian corpses. Who does this? Does she have a personality disorder?
Posted by: Arne Hartmann | Jun 17 2022 12:08 utc | 246
Posted by: Arne Hartmann | Jun 17 2022 12:08 utc | 243
VD Leyen…venereal disease…😋
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 12:13 utc | 247
Google Censorship!
This site, mine and I assume any other site that opposes the Empire, are being blocked by Google search algorithms. Thus searching for MoA yields only the home page, an About page and links to external site stats. I’ve checked a few other independent sites and the ‘search results’ are identical.
Posted by: norman wisdom | Jun 17 2022 11:52 utc | 237
But the joos, the JOOOS, THE JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS
THEEE JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSS
I’ll gladly spit on Churchill, his every word, and everything he stood for 🙂
Boy did a jooooo bite you when you were little?
Most, if not all of them, have forsaken the faith of their forefathers, and divorced from their minds all spiritual hopes of the next world.
THEN HOW THE F**K ARE THEY STILL JEWS.
You cannot convert to an ethnicity.
You can convert to Judaism.
Therefore, “Jew” is not an ethnic descriptor.
It’s a religious descriptor.
If you hold that Jews are an ethnicity, by the same reason it would hold that Christians are an ethnicity, which is patently false. And Muslims and so on.
The only way around this is believing in some sort of exceptional principle whereby the religious initiation of jews miraculously sets their ethnicity. Which is obvious chosenite “we are the very special pets of magical sky daddy because dusty book says so!” bullshit.
Nice job swallowing judaic myths!
OY VEY THOSE CRAFTY JOOS WHAT HAVE THEY DONE!!!
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 12:23 utc | 249
aquadraht | Jun 17 2022 11:07 utc | 222
Similar to Barbarossa recently was Baerbock’s plan Barbaverde to “ruin Russia in a fast sanction campaign”. They never learn.
That reminds me of the plan of Wilhelmine intellectuals and the General Staff for a “frisch froelisch” (brisk jolly) war. As you say, they never learn.
Posted by: cirsium | Jun 17 2022 12:24 utc | 250
Posted by: moabeobachter | Jun 17 2022 11:04 utc | 221
You give Radakin too much credit. He is a nonentity with no real naval experience. He is a lawyer and well-suited to the committee-room and hob-nobbing with politicians routine that comes with being a “military bureaucrat”.
Having had very close contact with another senior British military figure oft quoted in media I recall that particular general as unintelligent, uninspired, and frankly middle management quality. There is no excellence in peacetime officer cadres – no-one with better prospects would waste their time in the British Military. It is nothing more than a branch of the US War Machine on a plug-n-play basis fitting into US units inter operatively.
Posted by: Arne Hartmann | Jun 17 2022 12:08 utc | 243
Ursula von der Leyen is not “cynical” as you put it – she is palpably stupid. She has a motor mouth and is unaware of what she is saying. Ukraine is finished – it will be a non-viable failed state with huge debts. USA wants EU to repay those debts for Ukraine to USA.
Von der Leyen probably excites as much derision in Berlin or Paris as on this thread. Scholz knew her when he was Finance Minister and she was the hapless Defence Minister with a lesbian adviser from McKinsey handing out contracts to favourites without tender or scrutiny – go and google “Katrin Suder”
The Brussels job kept von der Leyen safe from prosecution in Germany and Merkel had to protect her Schutzlinge. Merkel promoted incompetent women in series – the Defence Ministry ended up with two in series and now has a third under Scholz. Weak and easy to cut the budgets.
So vdL whose contract expires in 2024 is hoping to suck up to Washington in hope of another sinecure in some international agency when she is fired from EU Commission. – she has so many enemies in London, Berlin, Paris after botching everything from BreXit to Vaccines
.
Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Jun 17 2022 12:36 utc | 251
Posted by: Barofsky | Jun 17 2022 12:22 utc | 245
What search terms did you use? startpage dot com gives for “moon of alabama” this site as the first hit Baofsky leads leads to one Neil Barofsky, that is probably not you. “The New Dark Age” shows mainly a book of James Bridle. “The New Dark Age soxialism or barbarism” show your site on top. The search terms are not exactly intuitive, so I am curious what you tried.
Posted by: TomD | Jun 17 2022 12:36 utc | 252
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 12:23 utc | 246
Had the same argument with my brother; are you a Jew by religion? No; Are you a Jew by Race? No; Are you a Jew culturally/ethnically? Yes.
So it has much to do with self-identification. I’m a Jew because my mother done told me so, to paraphrase but had she not told me, what would I be now? It’s all bullshit!
The plenary session is starting now https://youtu.be/n3DkAAUX0Qs
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 12:40 utc | 254
@248, Paul Greenwood:
But Admiral Radakin looks terrific in his naval uniform, does he not?
And he is also Vice Admiral of the Royal Navy Sailing Association!
Posted by: moabeobachter | Jun 17 2022 12:46 utc | 255
European Commission recommends Ukraine be granted EU candidate status
“Ukraine has clearly demonstrated its aspiration and determination to live up to European values and standards,” President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said.
• European Court of Auditors | Special Report 23: Reducing grand corruption in Ukraine, 2021
The Commission on Friday also proposed making Moldova an EU membership candidate. The EU’s executive said that this was premised on the understanding that the country would carry out reforms.
Von der Leyen said that Moldova “is on a real pro-reform, anti-corruption and European path,” adding, “It still has a long way to go. But we believe it has the potential to live up to the criteria.”
The country shares a long stretch of border with Ukraine.
Posted by: sln2002 | Jun 17 2022 12:55 utc | 256
The “General Winter” excuse of the Wehrmacht losers is crap. Winter 1941 was not exceptionally cold, only a few weeks earlier in November the OKW was happy about as it shortened the mud season of autumn. Certainly additional problems arose for the Wehrmacht after the defeat around Moskow as they had not cared for enough winter clothing while being forced to retreat amid already insufficient logistics. Typical fascist hubris of believing to “defeat Russia in a fast campaign”.
Similar to Barbarossa recently was Baerbock’s plan Barbaverde to “ruin Russia in a fast sanction campaign”. They never learn.
Posted by: aquadraht | Jun 17 2022 11:07 utc | 222
Speaking about “hubris” … you don`t show much restraint either. The OKW obviously was not in the trenches and on the fields in autumn / winter 1941 with summer equipment some kilometers outside of Moscow, tents and all. Youwant to try that for yourself?
Posted by: CM of Berlin | Jun 17 2022 13:14 utc | 257
juliania | Jun 16 2022 20:52 utc | 90
Andrew Celestina | Jun 16 2022 19:15 utc | 65
______
To both, thanks for the antidotes to cynicism. After decades of suffering the calculated deceit and corruption of western politician-reptiles (Obama, Biden et al), the reality of genuine humanist leaders (Putin, Lavrov, Zakharova, et al) seems to good to be true. It will take time, I suppose, like the SMO itself, to absorb this progressive revelation of a new paradigm.
Posted by: Doug Hillman | Jun 17 2022 13:22 utc | 258
ostro | Jun 16 2022 21:02 utc | 94
_____
Yes, and to a future in good hands, add Maria Zakharova. She’d be an excellent successor to VVP.
Posted by: Doug Hillman | Jun 17 2022 13:31 utc | 259
Posted by: CM of Berlin | Jun 17 2022 13:14 utc | 254
General Winter is a useful shortcut for a situation where German tanks had petrol-engines it is clear they would have winter problems. 1933 Germany decided in favour of Otto-Motoren for tanks.
When German logistics were unable to re-supply it was clear winter played a role. Germans simply could not supply an army of the size they had deployed with the equipment they had available.
Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Jun 17 2022 13:41 utc | 260
Which version of Colonel Cassad are you referring to??? The fake one published in Kiev??
BECAUSE….
The real one from Krim… published no such report…..
Posted by: Dr. George W Oprisko | Jun 17 2022 10:11 utc | 212
Except that he did – https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/7682871.html
Posted by: Arioch | Jun 17 2022 13:45 utc | 261
Are you a Jew culturally/ethnically? Yes.
Posted by: Barofsky | Jun 17 2022 12:39 utc | 250
A jew from where? [You don’t have to answer, it’s a rhetorical question].
These f*cks act like it ABSOLUTELY overwrites being Polish, American, or what-have-you (((MORE PROPERLY SPEAKING – GERMAN, RUSSIAN OR UKRAINIAN, WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE))) – AND IT FREAKING DOESN’T.
At least not in any singularly special capacity that other heritages don’t; whether they’re tied together by religious history, geography or language, each in different ways.
Insisting otherwise is either plain exceptionalism or willfully courting it, whether supremacist or scapegoating.
For f*cks sake, what a boring obsession, with the joos, the jooos, the joooos, it’s jooooos all the way doooowwwwn; I bet each one of these dumpfkopfen is more of a jew out of sheer obsession than a sizable proportion of actually existing jews, whether they’re actual practitioners of the religion or only somehow related to.
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 13:47 utc | 262
Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Jun 17 2022 13:41 utc | 257
In other words, a copout for Nazi stupidity.
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 13:50 utc | 263
from DefenseOne
At a press conference in Brussels after the third meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group, a collection of now 50 countries supporting Kyiv with weapons or humanitarian assistance, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Army Gen. Mark Milley faced questions from reporters on whether some of the weapons will arrive too late to prevent Russia from taking control of the Donbass.
The U.S. is still training Ukrainians to use HIMARS; the four donated long-range artillery systems are not expected to be on the battlefield before the end of the month.
“The Ukrainians are fighting them street by street house by house,” Milley said. “And it’s not a done deal. There are no inevitabilities in war. War takes many, many turns. So I wouldn’t say it’s an inevitability. But I would say that the numbers clearly favor the Russians.” . . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 17 2022 13:52 utc | 264
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 13:50 utc | 260
Go smoke some crack cause it looks like you are losing it.
Posted by: Tom_12 | Jun 17 2022 13:53 utc | 265
Pagan @ 108
I agree and iterate that Putin is not Russia. Old US Russia experts warned that Russia would oppose NATO expansion before Putin ascended to power. It’s a typical propaganda move and US/UK have been building Putin into the metonym of evil Russia with various assassination plots (et al.) for quite a while.
Micron @ 202
Your point is valid re: the US (read MICIMATT and WALL STREET) will probably not stop trying to attain its objectives. They never do, and they don’t care if the population of any country, including their own, suffers or dies. They will continue to try to find ways to undermine and dismantle forces that do not acquiesce to their demands. Consider the continued western expansion of the US – it didn’t matter how many battles the US lost to indigenous nations. The US simply took a few years, restocked, repopulated the military with fresh immigrants who were pouring in, then went back and fought again. The various tribes simply couldn’t unite and couldn’t repopulate fast enough. Plus the US used booze, money, and the myth (and some truth) of science/progress to undercut tribal unity and beliefs (read Fool’s Crow by Richard Welch for US illustration with the Blackfeet of Montana and Things Fall Apart for UK illustration in Nigeria).
That said, The power of the US is not inexorable, nothing is. RUSSIA and CHINA are much more economically sound, culturally united, geopolitically aware, and militarily prepared for the US/UK/NATO onslaught than the Blackfeet or Igbo/Ibo peoples of the 19th century.
We do, indeed, live in interesting (and dangerous) times.
Posted by: Objective Observer | Jun 17 2022 13:56 utc | 266
@ 48 thanks Paco.
And isn’t it funny that Nobody noticed/mentioned that when Russia entered Ukraine for their Special Operation, there were 70,000+ troops, just walkin around – waiting for them on the Crimean and Donbass borders and another 100,000 hangin out behind them, ready for action.
Posted by: GMC | Jun 17 2022 13:56 utc | 267
Arganthonios@259
“ joos, joos etc…” sarc
Well we know that Zuckerberg was instrumental in stealing the 2020 election with his “zuck bucks”. I think Bloomberg was also instrumental as well as Soros of course. These billionaire Jews are what seem to be problematic for democracy. Is Klaus Schwab of the WEF also a Jew. Not sure. But wow that guy is a creep. Does the WEF propose communism in their great reset, yes, absolutely
Posted by: Bobolinski | Jun 17 2022 14:01 utc | 268
CM of Berlin@254
You are really underlining aquadraht’s point.
The weather did not turn in the USSR’s favour. The Germans were simply unprepared for it. Obviously they felt that it would all be over in a few weeks, and equipment for winter would be unnecessary.
It sounds like hubris to me, as does believing that a quick sanctions campaign would terrify Russia into changing regime surrendering the Donbas and looking around for a few more natural monopolies to give away to the Bill Browders in charge of NATO.
Of course it didn’t help that Barbarossa was postponed for six weeks.
So we’re agreed: and that’s a good thing.
Posted by: bevin | Jun 17 2022 14:03 utc | 269
from AsiaTimes
Biden tries to climb down from Ukraine ledge
Twin strategic and economic crises prompt search for a way out of Ukraine trap
The Biden Administration faces a double disaster after its Ukraine miscalculation, namely a US recession and a second strategic humiliation in the space of a year.
The United States economy is almost certainly in recession, while oil prices drive inflation that has cut workers’ real pay by about 6% year on year.
Washington’s earlier boasts of driving Putin from power, destroying Russia’s capacity to make war and halving the size of the Russian economy look ridiculous in retrospect.
The world economy is reeling from supply shocks in energy and food provoked by Western sanctions on Russia. Monetary policy can reduce inflation only by forcing consumers to stop buying, which forces retailers to liquidate inventory at lower prices and crushes demand for raw materials – a cure that is worse than the disease.
Russia meanwhile earned a record EUR 93 billion from energy exports during the first 100 days of the war, a Finnish study concluded. China and India, which refused to join G-7 sanctions against Russia, reportedly are buying oil at a $30 to $40 per barrel discount, while American and European consumers are paying the full price. . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 17 2022 14:13 utc | 270
As measured according to which standard? 🤔
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 11:49 utc | 235
As measured against some guest posts on the Saker blog as well as op-eds penned by the Saker itself. I particularly well remember a very nice fiction work written a few weeks before the SMO, where the author described a scenario where the war would only last 5 days, ending with complete defeat of the Ukies. In this scenario, all Ukrainian positions on the LOC were obliterated in the first 48 hours.
I will admit that Saker was more careful, however his past writings are replete with statements implying or saying out loud that for instance Russian counter-battery would instantly annihilate Ukie artillery once actual operations would start. The reality is much more mixed. I’m sorry to harp on the Saker as he has done an immense work over the past years by giving a voice to a slew of independent thinkers, but I’m just slightly miffed as at the beginning of the operation I relied on his statements to confidently tell my entourage that the war would only last a few weeks.
Thankfully my family is rather sympathetic to the Russian cause, but I still feel like having egg on my face and I don’t like that. I would like Saker and a few others to acknowledge honestly, at some point, what they got wrong and what they got right.
Posted by: Micron | Jun 17 2022 14:15 utc | 271
In other words, a copout for Nazi stupidity.
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 13:50 utc | 260
The Nazis were mediocrities but that is a German trait. I simply have no idea why they held off Russian Empire, British Empire and France for 4 years 1914-18 and for 6 years 1939-45………I really cannot understand why either war lasted so long against a mediocre nation which simply overwhelmed its opponents who wallowed in incompetence
Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Jun 17 2022 14:18 utc | 272
The president of Egypt speaking now live at SPIEF on June 17, 2022.
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 14:18 utc | 273
Arganthonios AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.
ashkanazim and khazar donmeh house of saud most of the folks in knesset
is ra hell heil are not semite and are not really jewish the semites are the lovely arab children of palestine
you can boo hoo or mock joo all you want deception inversion satanism zionism marxism ho hum you are a turkic thieving magpie cookoo khazar pirate
a group of vagabonds who self identify as jewisher
Posted by: norman wisdom | Jun 17 2022 14:22 utc | 274
Chairman Xi Jinping is speaking now now live at SPIEF on June 17, 2022.
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 14:25 utc | 275
Russian MoD has published data on foreign fighters in the Ukraine (PDF). Their website is blocked in some Western countries, so I’m posting their data here (I’ve merged the subtables for different continents into one table, which is more useful, in my opinion):
NUMBER OF FOREIGN MERCENARIES IN UKRAINE
Country Arrived Elim Depa Total since inat rted as of Feb 24 ed Jun 17
Poland 1831 378 272 1181 Canada 601 162 169 270 USA 530 214 227 89 Romania 504 102 98 304 UK 422 101 95 226 Georgia 355 120 90 145 Croatia 204 74 51 79 Syria 200 80 66 54 Belarus 197 69 59 69 France 183 59 45 79 BiH 167 51 46 70 Estonia 164 55 49 60 Kosovo 156 61 60 35 Albania 150 42 40 68 Lithuania 130 50 44 36 Portugal 103 19 16 68 Germany 99 33 34 32 Nigeria 85 38 35 12 N. Macedonia 79 21 19 39 Finland 74 20 27 27 Ireland 71 23 14 34 Italy 71 21 26 24 Turkey 61 19 0 42 Switzerland 55 15 18 22 Bolivia 50 13 25 12 Netherlands 42 12 13 17 Columbia 40 10 9 21 Brasil 39 12 15 12 Sweden 36 5 30 1 Israel 35 9 8 18 Czechia 33 14 15 4 South Africa 25 9 11 5 Spain 20 4 4 12 Latvia 18 7 3 8 Norway 15 6 6 3 Senegal 15 4 6 5 Belgium 14 2 9 3 South Korea 13 4 8 1 Guinea 10 4 4 2 Denmark 7 2 2 3 Austria 5 2 1 2 Gabon 5 2 1 2 Liberia 5 2 1 2 Australia 4 2 1 1 Greece 4 1 2 1 Bulgaria 3 0 1 2 Peru 3 0 1 2 Slovakia 3 0 1 2 Argentina 2 0 1 1 Eq. Guinea 2 1 0 1 Moldova 2 0 1 1 Montenegro 2 1 0 1 Azerbaijan 1 1 0 0 Chile 1 0 0 1 China 1 0 0 1 Cyprus 1 0 0 1 Hungary 1 0 0 1 Iran 1 0 0 1 Japan 1 0 0 1 Kazakhstan 1 0 0 1 Luxembourg 1 0 0 1 New Zealand 1 0 0 1 Uzbekistan 1 0 0 1 Venezuela 1 0 0 1
Europe 4866 1250 1101 2515 Americas 1267 411 447 409 Asia 671 233 172 266 Africa 147 60 58 29 Oceania 5 2 1 2
Total 6956 1956 1779 3221
Posted by: S | Jun 17 2022 14:26 utc | 276
Some people have said that it is great for the Russians that the Ukrainian forces come to them to be killed, saving the Russians the trouble of looking for them. But other people have said that the Russians want to keep a functioning Ukrainian army to keep order in the immediate aftermath of the SMO.
On the face of it, it is baffling that the US (via Zelensky) is ordering tens of thousands of civilian defence people to the front to be killed. But since it is clear that is this what is happening, it must be on purpose.
So I conclude that the US intends the civilian defence force to be wiped out, since they would be a force for order and the rule of law in Ukraine, and the US wants chaos and lawlessness.
Posted by: Tim | Jun 17 2022 14:32 utc | 277
Russian MoD has published data on foreign … Posted by: S | Jun 17 2022 14:26 utc | 273
—
This data needs a footnote or two of supporting methodology.
Posted by: too scents | Jun 17 2022 14:36 utc | 278
Posted by: Bobolinski | Jun 17 2022 14:01 utc | 265
There’s a lot of speculation about this doorknob but nothing convincing. One thing is certain, he had the right qualifications (genealogy) to be given this high profile gig in Davos. We can only guess what they are.
https://twitter.com/CVT1001/status/1496367428510617601
However someone needs to be blind and dumb not to notice a pattern at the top level personnel running the shit show for the Empire of Lies Global Corp. It is what it is., and its fruits of labor are seen in the Failed State.
Posted by: Tom_12 | Jun 17 2022 14:40 utc | 279
Paul Greenwood @269
Germany had a very competitive military but they obviously bit off more than they could chew when they invaded Russia. The reason why Germany was so successful against Russia in 1941 was because Russia had been about to launch an invasion into Europe and they were not prepared to defend themselves. This is supported, among other things, by the fact that Russian tank crews had maps for German-held territory but not for their own territory. If the Red Army had attacked first, the war would have been over much sooner.
Posted by: aquileia | Jun 17 2022 14:41 utc | 280
Another interesting phenomenon is that Hollywierd Jews seem to be the most vocal and vitriolic in their hatred of Trump and his supporters. Just look at all the loons in the media like Kathy Griffin, Joy Bihar, Bette Midler. Why do these lefty Jews hate MAGA movement so intensely?
Posted by: Bobolinski | Jun 17 2022 14:42 utc | 281
Posted by: S | Jun 17 2022 14:26 utc | 273
Foreign fighter data :
To my knowledge , it is the first detailled data rendered public by the Russian MoD on that matter, and it is pretty interresting, Defense Politic Asia exttrapolate from it on the total ukrainian casualties with a warning : “”If you are pro-Ukranian this is emotional damage warning”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRvqmtaQgkA
Posted by: malamatias | Jun 17 2022 14:42 utc | 282
Starting Barbarossa in April or May of 1941 was a nonstarter. Reason: rasputitsa. The Russian muddy season occurs not just in the fall but also in the spring. Starting Barbarossa in late June, as happened, was ideal for German panzer Blitzkrieg tactics. Attempting those tactics in April or May would have resulted in a mess.
Posted by: Lysias | Jun 17 2022 14:45 utc | 283
boris johnson donmeh turkic khazar city of london tool is in poland today talking to pantomime khazarian mafia clown actor named z
poland has lovely quality green screen and blue screen technology and plenty of cocaine crack and ukrainian hookers and rent boys
party time a time for z and boris bozo to work out a zio division of the spoils of war craft
Posted by: norman wisdom | Jun 17 2022 14:49 utc | 284
Posted by: moabeobachter | Jun 17 2022 11:04 utc | 221
IMHO, the United States is failing. Both Trump and Biden wanted to pivot to Asia, to try and contain China. Because of manpower limits the US containing China required withdrawing troops from other theaters, such as Europe. But instead of “pivoting towards Asia” the US has had to send all available resources to Europe, and even so the Russia policy can hardly be called a success.
Second, the whole US narrative is the old Mackinder “World Island” theory, where it is seen as imperative for Anglo interests there should be no cooperation between Germany – as technological powerhouse – and Russia – as raw materials supplier. However, in 1904,when Mackinder put his ideas on paper, Europe was at its peak and China was going through its “century of humiliation” by the West. Today, German technological leadership is largely a thing of the past; many of Germany’s leading industries – cars, chemicals – date from the Kaiser and it is not obvious which industries will take the relay. Also, migration means German society has the cohesion of wet sand; a century may well be needed to digest, and who knows what the end result will be.
On the other hand, China is going places technologically speaking. From basic scientific research to engineering of new electronic components, the innovations just keep on coming.
As far as education goes, I get the impression students who wish to enter a top-notch Chinese university have to be not only talented but also dedicated, while in Europe students are waved through who would not have been given a passing grade a few decades ago. I guess this bodes well for China’s immediate future.
If Mackinder were alive today, I guess he would say: “By all means let Russians and Europeans cooperate, but keep the Russians and Chinese away from each other. Above all, avoid Russian engineering and Chinese manufacturing coming together.”
Posted by: Passerby | Jun 17 2022 14:49 utc | 285
Posted by: Tom_12 | Jun 17 2022 13:53 utc | 262
Impossible, your mom is turning down my calls, she must be so busy with the BBC.
****************************
“Well we know that Zuckerberg was instrumental in stealing the 2020 election with his “zuck bucks”.”
Posted by: Bobolinski | Jun 17 2022 14:01 utc | 265
I cannot give a **** about your pretend american elections, I have enough worries with my own country’s pretend elections.
” I think Bloomberg was also instrumental as well as Soros of course. These billionaire Jews are what seem to be problematic for democracy. Is Klaus Schwab of the WEF also a Jew. Not sure. But wow that guy is a creep.”
I’m sure the problem is whatever magical skydaddy they or their grandparents have a fetish for, and not the inordinate amounts of wealth and information control they wield.
Sure, of course.
Protestant millionaires would fuck us over so much more tenderly!
Does the WEF propose communism in their great reset, yes, absolutely
No, it doesn’t, and it cannot – because apprehending, expropriating and reeducating them would be the first, second and third points in the order of the day.
You don’t know what communism is, or you’re just throwing shit around, or both.
***********************
“As measured against some guest posts on the Saker blog as well as op-eds penned by the Saker itself.”
Posted by: Micron | Jun 17 2022 14:15 utc | 268
So, according to NO objective standard and according to NO historical comparisons.
According to what is essentially a pro-russian digital magazine, that is – largely opinion.
This says much less about the SMO, than it says about Saker’s editorial line, about which it says: somewhat exaggerated optimism.
**************
Posted by: norman wisdom | Jun 17 2022 14:22 utc | 271
English, motherf****r! Do you speak it?!
Posted by: Arganthonios | Jun 17 2022 14:49 utc | 286
It is wonderful to see the Russians hanging the West by their own hypocrisy with respect to European gas supplies. Just as the winter heating season is over, and European gas prices starts to fall, Russia raises the issue that compressors on Nordstream 1 that were sent to Canada by Siemens for maintenance are not being returned due to sanctions.
So, now there are “technical” issues on Nordstream 1 that have lead to a reduction in gas supplies, re-upping European gas prices and making sure that European gas storage will not be fully refilled for the next winter heating season. The parallel shutdown of one of the major US LNG terminals for 90 days due to a fire just adds to the impact of the Russian actions. The Germans are bleating that this is all “political”, but what did they expect? The Russians to keep providing cheap energy while Europe attempts to destroy the Russian economy, sends arms to Ukraine to kill Russian soldiers, throws slurs at Russian leaders, and openly discriminates against Russian citizens?
Its like a certain country is run by highly competent managers and politicians, who want to slowly increase the level of pain on Europe rather than creating an immediate existential crisis that could get out of hand, while their opponents desperately try to create such crises but then start wetting their lederhosen when it all starts backfiring (who could have known?!)
Germans told to conserve energy as Russia cuts gas flows to Europe
Currently reading through Michael Hudson’s latest, such a clear description of what ails modern neoliberal economies and why China is outperforming (and the dangers of those Chinese liberal economists). Was annoyed that it wasn’t available in e-book form, but it is actually quite pleasurable to read an actual physical book for a change – sitting in the park in a Canadian summer eating ice cream.
Argonthonios@283
“ you don’t know what communism is” WEF topic
Caught you! You have no idea what the WEF is and what they stand for. Go look it up. Here is their famous quote
“ in 2035 you will own nothing and be happy”
Posted by: Bobolinski | Jun 17 2022 14:59 utc | 288
@too scents #275:
This data needs a footnote or two of supporting methodology.
The announcement of the data release is here. The relevant paragraphs are:
Moreover, it is not only mercenaries directly involved in combat operations as part of Ukrainian units that are now included in our databases. We also take into account the trainers who have come to train, assist in the operation and repair of Western weapons supplied to Ukraine.
We will publish these statistics today.
…
In total, our lists as at June 17, 2022, include mercenaries and weapons operating specialists from 64 countries. …
So all foreign trainers, special equipment operators and repair specialists—most of whom are likely active duty personnel of Western countries—are included as “mercenaries”. I think a better term would be “unlawful combatants”.
Posted by: S | Jun 17 2022 15:01 utc | 289
Those, who want to hear live Plenary session at SPIEF on June 17, 2022 in English, https://odysee.com/@RT:fd/RTlivestream:8
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 15:04 utc | 290
Partial text of Vladimir Putin’s speech at SPIEF on June 17, 2022:
https://www.kp.ru/daily/27407.5/4603800/
(machine translation)
Thanks a lot! Dear Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich! Dear friends, colleagues!
I greet the participants and guests of the anniversary XXV St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
It takes place at a difficult time for the entire world community, when the economy, markets, and the very principles of the global economic system are under attack. Many trade, production, and logistics ties that were previously disrupted by the pandemic are now going through new tests. Moreover, such key concepts for business as business reputation, inviolability of property and trust in world currencies have been fundamentally undermined – undermined, unfortunately, by our partners in the West, and this was done intentionally, for the sake of ambition, in the name of preserving outdated geopolitical illusions.
Today ours – when I say “ours”, I mean the Russian leadership – has our own view of the situation in which the global economy finds itself. I will dwell in detail on how Russia is acting in these conditions and how it is planning its development in a dynamically changing environment.
A year and a half ago, speaking at the Davos Forum, I once again emphasized that the era of the unipolar world order is over – I want to start with this, there is no getting away from it – it has ended despite all attempts to preserve it, to conserve it by any means. Changes are a natural course of history, since the civilizational diversity of the planet, the richness of cultures is difficult to combine with political, economic and other patterns, patterns do not work here, patterns that are rudely, without alternative, imposed from one center.
The flaw lies in the very idea, according to which there is one, albeit a strong power with a limited circle of approximate or, as they say, states admitted to it, and all the rules of business turnover and international relations – when it becomes necessary – are interpreted exclusively in the interests of this power , as they say, work in one direction, the game goes in one direction. A world based on such “dogmas” is definitely unsustainable.
The United States, having declared victory in the Cold War, declared itself to be the messengers of the Lord on Earth, who have no obligations, but only interests, and these interests are declared sacred. They do not seem to notice that over the past decades, new powerful centers have been formed on the planet and are louder and louder. Each of them develops its own political systems and public institutions, implements its own models of economic growth and, of course, has the right to protect them, to ensure national sovereignty.
We are talking about objective processes, about truly revolutionary, tectonic changes in geopolitics, the global economy, in the technological sphere, in the entire system of international relations, where the role of dynamic, promising states and regions is significantly increasing, whose interests can no longer be ignored.
I repeat: these changes are fundamental, pivotal and inexorable. And it is a mistake to believe that the time of turbulent changes can, as they say, sit out, wait out, that, supposedly, everything will return to normal, everything will be as before. Will not.
However, it seems that the ruling elites of some Western states are just in such illusions. They do not want to notice obvious things, but stubbornly cling to the shadows of the past. For example, they believe that the dominance of the West in global politics and economics is an unchanging, eternal value. Nothing is eternal.
Moreover, our colleagues do not simply deny reality. They are trying to counteract the course of history. They think in terms of the last century. They are in captivity of their own delusions about countries outside the so-called “golden billion”: they consider everything else to be the periphery, their backyard, they still treat them like colonies, and the peoples living there consider them second-class people, because consider themselves exceptional. If they are exceptional, then everyone else is second-class.
Hence the irrepressible desire to punish, economically crush those who stand out from the general ranks, do not want to blindly obey. Moreover, they rudely and shamelessly impose their own ethics, views on culture and ideas about history, and sometimes question the sovereignty and integrity of states, create a threat to their existence. Suffice it to recall the fate of Yugoslavia and Syria, Libya and Iraq.
If some “rebel” cannot be hounded, pacified, then they try to isolate him or, as they say now, “cancel”. Everything is used, even sports, the Olympic movement, a ban on culture, masterpieces of art – for the sole reason that their authors are of “wrong” origin.
This is the nature of the current attack of Russophobia in the West and insane sanctions against Russia. Crazy and, I would say, thoughtless. Their number, as well as the speed of stamping, knows no precedents.
The calculation was clear: impudently, with a swoop, crush the Russian economy, due to the destruction of business chains, the forced recall of Western companies from the Russian market, the freezing of domestic assets, to hit industry, finance, and the standard of living of people.
Did not work out. Obviously, it did not work out, did not take place. Russian entrepreneurs and authorities worked in a focused and professional manner, citizens showed solidarity and responsibility.
We are gradually normalizing the economic situation. First, we stabilized the financial markets, the banking system and the trading network. Then they began to saturate the economy with liquidity and working capital to maintain the stability of enterprises and companies, employment and jobs.
The gloomy forecasts regarding the prospects for the Russian economy, which sounded at the beginning of spring, did not come true. At the same time, it is clear why this propaganda campaign was inflated, where all these spells about a dollar for 200 rubles and about the collapse of our economy as a whole come from – all this was and remains an instrument of information warfare, a factor of psychological impact on Russian society, on domestic business circles.
By the way, some of our experts succumbed to such external pressure, in their forecasts they also proceeded from the inevitable collapse of the Russian economy and the critical weakening of the national currency – the ruble.
Life has refuted such predictions. However, I would like to emphasize and would like to note that in order to continue to achieve success, we must assess the situation as honestly and realistically as possible, at the same time be independent in our conclusions and, of course, believe in our own strength, this is very important. We are strong people and we can handle any challenge. Like our ancestors, we will solve any problem. This is evidenced by the entire thousand-year history of our country.
Literally three months after the massive package of sanctions, we suppressed the inflation surge. After peaking at 17.8 percent, as you know, inflation is now at 16.7 percent and continues to decline. Economic dynamics are stabilizing, public finances are stable. I will then make a comparison with other regions. Yes, it’s too much for us, of course. 16.7 percent is high inflation. We must work with this and we will do it, and I am sure we will achieve a positive result.
According to the results of the first five months of this year, the federal budget was executed with a surplus of 1.5 trillion rubles, and the consolidated budget with a surplus of 3.3 trillion rubles. At the same time, the federal budget surplus in May alone amounted to almost half a trillion rubles, exceeding last year’s May figure by more than four times.
Today, our task is to create conditions for increasing production, for increasing supply in the domestic market and, in a balanced way with the growth in supply, to restore final demand and bank lending to the economy.
Already said, we have taken special measures to replenish the working capital of companies. Including business in almost all industries received the right to deferral of insurance premiums for the second quarter of this year. At the same time, manufacturing enterprises have more opportunities – they will be able to take advantage of the delay in the third quarter. In fact, we are talking about an interest-free loan from the state.
In the future, deferred payments on insurance premiums will not need to be paid, as they say, at once. This can be done in equal shares within 12 months, starting from June next year.
Further. Since May, the rate on preferential mortgages has been reduced. Now it is nine percent. At the same time, the preferential mortgage program itself has been extended until the end of this year. As I have already said, the purpose of such a measure is to help citizens solve housing problems, support the construction and related industries, and we employ millions of workers there.
After a sharp rise in the spring, interest rates in the Russian economy are gradually declining, the Central Bank lowers the key rate. In this regard, I consider it possible to once again lower the rate on preferential mortgages, now to seven percent.
But what would you like to pay attention to? The duration of the program remains the same – until the end of this year. This means that those of our citizens who want to improve their living conditions with this benefit must use it before the end of this year.
The maximum loan amounts are also preserved: 12 million rubles for Moscow and St. Petersburg and six million rubles for other subjects of the Federation.
I would add that it is important for us in general to increase the availability of long-term financial resources and credit for the economy. In the near future, the emphasis in supporting business activity should shift from fiscal stimulus measures to market bank lending mechanisms.
This process should definitely be supported. Thus, to increase the capacity of the VEB Project Finance Factory, we will allocate 120 billion rubles from the National Welfare Fund. Such a measure will provide additional lending for demanded initiatives and projects in the amount of about half a trillion rubles.
Dear colleagues!
I have already said that the economic blitzkrieg against Russia initially had no chance of success. At the same time, the sanctioned weapon, as you know, and the practice of recent years shows this well, is double-edged. It inflicts comparable, and even greater damage to the very same ideologists and designers of it.
And it’s not just about the current obvious consequences. We know that among the leaders of European countries, at the level of informal conversations, as they say, very disturbing prospects are being furtively discussed, that sanctions can be applied not only against Russia, but also against any objectionable state, sooner or later they can affect everyone, including the EU members themselves and European companies.
So far, things have not come to this, but European politicians have already dealt a serious blow to their economy – they themselves did it with their own hands. We see how social and economic problems have become aggravated in Europe, and in the United States too, how the cost of goods, food, electricity and automobile fuel is growing, how the quality of life of Europeans is declining, and the competitiveness of enterprises is being lost.
According to experts, only direct, “countable” losses of the European Union from the sanctions fever over the coming year may exceed $400 billion. Such is the price of decisions divorced from reality and taken contrary to common sense.
These costs are directly borne by the population and companies of the European Union. Inflation growth in some eurozone countries has already exceeded 20 percent. I spoke about our inflation, but the countries of the eurozone do not conduct any special military operations, and inflation has risen in them – in some of them – up to 20 percent. The United States also has unacceptable inflation, the highest in 40 years.
Yes, of course, inflation in Russia is also still at double-digit levels. However, we have already carried out the indexation of social payments and pensions, raised the minimum wage and the living wage, thus protecting the least well-to-do citizens. And, in turn, high interest rates made it possible to keep people’s savings in the Russian banking system.
Of course, for business representatives it is understandable: a high key rate is pressing the economy – understandably. For citizens, in most cases, this is a plus: they returned a significant amount of money to banks at a high interest rate.
This is the main difference from the countries of the European Union, where the growth of inflation directly leads to a decrease in the real incomes of the population and eats up their savings, and the current crisis is a burden primarily on low-income citizens.
The rise in costs of European companies and their loss of the Russian market also have serious long-term consequences. The result here is obvious – the loss of global competitiveness and a systemic slowdown in the growth rate of the European economy, and for years to come.
All this leads to an aggravation of deep problems in Western societies. Yes, of course, we have enough problems of our own, but I have to talk about this now, because they point fingers at us all the time, but they themselves have enough problems. I also spoke about this in Davos. A direct consequence of the actions of European politicians and the events of this year will be a further aggravation of inequality in these countries, which, in turn, will further split their societies, and the issue is not only in the level of well-being, but also in the value orientations of various groups in this society.
Yes, now these contradictions are suppressed, swept under the rug. Democratic procedures, elections in the same Europe – to be honest, sometimes you look at what is happening there, what forces are coming to power – all this looks like a screen, because political parties similar to twins change each other in power. However, the essence of this does not change. The real interests of citizens and national business are being pushed further and further to the backyard, to the periphery.
Such a separation from reality, from the demands of society will inevitably lead to a surge of populism and the growth of extreme, radical movements, to serious socio-economic changes, to degradation, and in the near future, to a change of elites. Traditional games, as you can see, lose all the time. Some new formations appear, but if they differ little from the traditional ones, they also have little chance of survival.
All attempts to put on a “good face on a bad game”, all talk about allegedly acceptable costs in the name of pseudo-unity cannot hide the main thing: the European Union has finally lost its political sovereignty, and its bureaucratic elites are dancing to someone else’s tune, accepting everything they are told from above, causing harm to their own population and their own economy, their own business.
What else is of fundamental importance here? The worsening of the situation in the global economy is not a matter of recent months. Now I will focus on things that I consider extremely important. What is happening is not the result of recent months, of course not. Moreover, it is not the result of a special military operation carried out by Russia in the Donbass. Such statements are frank and deliberate distortion of facts.
A sharp increase in inflation in the commodity and raw materials markets became a fact long before the events of this year. The world has been consistently driven into such a situation by many years of irresponsible macroeconomic policies of the so-called G7 countries, including uncontrolled emission and accumulation of unsecured debts. Moreover, these processes only accelerated and intensified with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic back in 2020, when both supply and demand for goods and services drastically decreased globally.
The question is: what does our military operation in the Donbass have to do with it? It has nothing to do with it at all.
Without inventing or not wishing to use other recipes, the authorities of the leading Western economies simply launched a “printing press”. In such a simple way they began to cover previously unprecedented budget deficits.
I have already mentioned this figure: over the past two years, the money supply in the United States has grown by more than 38 percent. Previously, there was such an increase for decades, but here in two years 38 percent is 5.9 trillion dollars. In comparison, only a few countries in the world have a larger gross domestic product.
The money supply of the European Union, in turn, also increased sharply during this period. Its volume increased by about 20 percent, or 2.5 trillion euros.
Lately, I’ve been hearing more and more about the so-called – if you’ll excuse me, I don’t like to study here, and I don’t like to mention myself in any way, but I can’t help but say – we all hear about the so-called Putin’s inflation in the West. When I see this, I always think: who is this stupidity designed for – those who cannot read and write, that’s all. People who can at least read understand what’s really going on.
Russia, our actions to liberate Donbass have absolutely nothing to do with it. Today’s rise in prices, inflation, problems with food and fuel, gasoline, in the energy sector as a whole are the result of systemic mistakes in the economic policy of the current US administration and the European bureaucracy. Here are the reasons, and only in this.
I will also say about our operation: yes, it had some significance, but the root is precisely in this – in their erroneous economic policy. For them, the beginning of our operation in the Donbas is a lifeline that allows them to blame their own miscalculations on others, in this case, on Russia. But everyone who has at least a primary school education understands the true reasons for the current situation.
They printed money in huge quantities, and then what? Where did all these funds go? Obviously: including the purchase of goods and services outside Western countries – that’s where they flowed, this money is printed. They literally began to “vacuum”, to rake out the global markets. Of course, no one thought about the interests of other states, including the poorest ones, and did not want to think about it. They were left only what is called, as our people say, lumps, and even at astronomical prices.
So, if at the end of 2019 imports, imports of goods to the United States amounted to about 250 billion dollars a month, by now it has grown to 350 billion dollars. It is noteworthy that the growth amounted to 40 percent – in proportion, this corresponds exactly to the unsecured pumping of the dollar money supply in recent years. They printed, distributed money, and for this money they raked out all the goods from the markets of third countries.
Let me add one more thing: the United States has long been a major supplier of food to the world market, deservedly, indeed, deservedly proud of – and there was something – of their agriculture, farming traditions, this is an example for many, and for us, by the way, too. But today America’s role has changed dramatically. From a net exporter of food, it has become a net importer. Roughly speaking, they print money and draw commodity flows over themselves, buying food all over the world.
Even higher rates of increase in imports of goods are observed in the European Union. It is clear that such a sharp increase in demand, unsupported by the product supply, launched a wave of shortages and global inflation. That’s where it comes from, this global inflation. Over the past couple of years, almost everything in the world has risen in price: raw materials, consumer goods, and especially food.
Yes, of course, these countries, including the States, they continue to import, but the balance between exports and imports is already in the opposite direction: there are already, in my opinion, 17 billion more imports than exports. That’s what it’s all about.
According to the UN, back in February this year, the global food cost index was 50 percent higher than in May 2020, and the composite commodity index doubled over the same period.
In the context of an inflationary storm, many developing countries have a reasonable question: why exchange goods for dollars and euros, which are losing weight before our eyes? The conclusion suggests itself: the economy of imaginary entities is inevitably replaced by the economy of real values and assets.
According to the IMF, there are now $7.1 trillion and €2.5 trillion in global foreign exchange reserves, and this money is depreciating at a rate of about eight percent per year. But besides, at any moment they can also be confiscated, stolen, if the United States does not like something in the policy of certain states. Well, this, in my opinion, has become absolutely real for very many countries that keep their gold and foreign exchange reserves in these currencies.
According to experts, in the coming years, this is an objective analysis, the process of converting global reserves will be launched – they just have nowhere to go with such deficits – from currencies losing their value into real resources – other countries, of course, will do this, – such as food, energy, and other raw materials. Obviously, this process will further spur global dollar inflation.
…….(to be continued)
Posted by: Andrew Celestina | Jun 17 2022 15:05 utc | 291
Posted by: Bobolinski | Jun 17 2022 14:59 utc | 285
you just proved his point, that you don’t know what communism is.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Jun 17 2022 15:08 utc | 292
@aquileia #277:
The reason why Germany was so successful against Russia in 1941 was because Russia had been about to launch an invasion into Europe and they were not prepared to defend themselves.
A lie pushed by Soviet traitor and an agent of British government black propaganda organization Information Research Department “Viktor Suvorov” (real name Vladimir Rezun).
Posted by: S | Jun 17 2022 15:11 utc | 293
CM of Berlin @254 aquadraht@222, a minor but important correction. OKW (Ober Command Der Wehrmacht – military high command) was concerned with all fronts except the eastern front and was Hitler’s creature. OKH (Oberkommando des Heers – army high command) was the traditional German/Prussian nexus of military organisation and represented the power of the Junkers (young lord in old Prussian) in the National Socialist state.
Why is this important and not laughable pedantry? The relationship between the OKH and OKW is the key to understanding the internal military dynamics that governed Germany’s prosecution of the war. The answer to some of the thorniest historical questions concerning Germany’s military policy are to be found in this often disfunctional relationship.
On “General Winter” etc, I read a detailed discussion of this in Stolfi’s “Hitler’s Panzers East”. Applies new data to the old shibboleths. It didn’t totally convince me but a fair attempt at demystification, IMHO.
Cheers
Posted by: Foxbat | Jun 17 2022 15:12 utc | 294
@Posted by: Passerby | Jun 17 2022 14:49 utc | 282
Excellent points, with the US basically fighting the “last war” of Mackinder. Germany is absolutely a pale shadow of its former self, with its automobile industry under great threat from the move to EV’s and its industrial engineering firms facing extinction as China moves up the learning curve at a much lower costs base. The German share of the Chinese car market (which is 30-40% of their sales) is getting decimated as China moves rapidly to EVs
Global automakers such as General Motors, Volkswagen face electric shock in China
Russia+China+Central Asia plus neutral ASEAN, India and Brazil is the real threat, more than half of humanity, the fastest growing economies, and vast natural resources. Europe is rapidly becoming an economic and political backwater, which will be in severe decline without cheap Russian fossil fuel supplies.
@Posted by: Bobolinski | Jun 17 2022 14:59 utc | 285
That’s called rentier capitalism, go read Michael Hudson’s latest book and fix your misconceptions. It’s what the WEF is all about, capitalist rentier oligarchy.
Boris Johnson back in Kiev???
In town immediately after departure of The Three Stooges (+ 1 )
https://twitter.com/olliecarroll
What
Why
Hmmmm
Posted by: Melaleuca | Jun 17 2022 15:19 utc | 297
Re comments 277 & 280 re Soviet German War
I would recommend reading David Glantz , a US military historian who is probably the best Anglophone historian of the Great Patriotic War – a good primer of his is here
– https://www.glscott.org/uploads/2/1/3/3/21330938/soviet-german-war_1941-45.pdf
also worth watching nay lectures by Glantz or Jonathan House on you tube
Regarding the 1941 pre-emptive soviet offensive plans controversy propagated by Vladimir Rezun (pen name Viktor Suvorov) Glantz thinks that this is nonsense as the Red Army was not in a state for any offensive or as demonstrated in a state to defend itself
Posted by: Aslangeo | Jun 17 2022 15:25 utc | 298
Roger@293
“ rentier capitalism” (not communism WEF)
Yes I know they want to be rentier oligarchs. The point is that they want the rest of society to live under a technocracy. Technocracy is communism by another name. They also want to use biotechnology and digital currency to enable a technological police state. They seem to be in control of all the western governments at this time. The Biden regime “ build back better” slogan was taken right from a WEF symposium.
Posted by: Bobolinski | Jun 17 2022 15:32 utc | 299
Posted by: Aslangeo | Jun 17 2022 15:25 utc | 295
This guy Glantz, has he ever been to Russia? Or, know what is the Russian winter in the steppes? It looks like this Glantz guy was there killing the Vietnamese as US army soldier.
Anyway, have anyone here felt -45 centigrade?
Posted by: ostro | Jun 17 2022 15:37 utc | 300