My thought this morning was that in making Ukraine a priority here, b, you keep the subject of war front and center in the same way the western press kept the Vietnam war front and center, and considerable opposition to western ways was able to be heard.
As it should be. We may not have the best news concerning this special operation, the best ‘boots on the ground’ narrative, as we did back then. But we are paying attention.
Thank you for doing this. If anyone in Ukraine can see this, you are not forgotten. Be well; have peace; hang in there.

Posted by: juliania | Jul 7 2022 14:28 utc | 3

▫️ As a result of Russian Aerospace Forces high-precision weapons strikes on Ukrainian combat positions in Soledar direction, the total losses of the 24th mechanized brigade of AFU already amount to about 2.5 thousand people, or 60 per cent of its personnel.
▫️79th Airborne Assault Brigade of AFU has been almost completely destroyed, with losses exceeding 80 per cent of its personnel.

In my understanding a brigade was about 4,500 people.
Does anybody know how many Ukrainian brigades still operate in Ukraine? Or how many were at the beginning of the war (in February) and how many are now?

Posted by: Fred | Jul 7 2022 14:42 utc | 5

Harley Schlanger forecast Boris’ resignation and its relation to Ukraine a monmth ago:
Boris Johnson Pushes War with Russia to Save the Empire’s Global Britain Project
2,199 views Jun 8, 2022 “Global Britain” is a rebranding of the British Empire, designed to defend the “Rules Based Order” which serves City of London and Wall Street oligarchs as they move to impose the “Great Reset”. His strut with Zelensky through the streets of Kiev, his promise to deliver multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine, and his praise of veterans of Thatcher’s “Falklands War” are signs that he is committed to maintaining Britain’s provocative role within the Special Relationship, while promoting neoliberal economics and war to defend the collapsing Empire.
SEARCH: Boris Johnson Pushes War with Russia to Save the Empire’s Global Britain Project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVJUp2dWhPw&t=3s

Posted by: GEORGE M CHAMBERLAIN | Jul 7 2022 15:20 utc | 7

If you want to see some deluded people, visit any Ukraine thread on Reddit. There are legions of Redditors who seriously think that Ukraine is kicking ass right now. Anyone expressing a view to the contrary, no matter how benign, is downvoted to hell.

Posted by: Gigo | Jul 7 2022 15:28 utc | 9

Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia U prof – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Sachs – sets the record straight ….
Ukraine Is the Latest Neocon Disaster
Jeffrey D. Sachs | June 27, 2022 | OtherNews
The war in Ukraine is the culmination of a 30-year project of the American neoconservative movement. The Biden Administration is packed with the same neocons who championed the US wars of choice in Serbia (1999), Afghanistan (2001), Iraq (2003), Syria (2011), Libya (2011), and who did so much to provoke Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The neocon track record is one of unmitigated disaster, yet Biden has staffed his team with neocons. As a result, Biden is steering Ukraine, the US, and the European Union towards yet another geopolitical debacle. If Europe has any insight, it will separate itself from these US foreign policy debacles.
Etc.

Posted by: Saggy | Jul 7 2022 15:36 utc | 11

https://t.me/s/intelslava/32716
Today, during the successful offensive of the units of the Vostok group northwest of Slavyansk, the elite of the airborne assault troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine surrendered.
Against the background of the rapid actions of the assault detachments of the 29th, 35th and 36th armies of the “Victory” group, with the support of artillery and army aviation, the enemy, without offering resistance, chooses the only chance to survive – to surrender.

Posted by: crone | Jul 7 2022 16:01 utc | 13

Re Saggy’s citation of Sachs: Sachs is trying to make up for his involvement in the clumsy dismantling of the Soviet economy, which also subjected the economies of other Soviet bloc countries to severe downturns. In the essay you cite you’ll see that he’s critical of the neocons without acknowledging that his “big bang” approach to dismantling state-based economic structures went hand and glove with their aims. His criticisms are useful, mainly because he has maintained his elite status and so has some cred, but they are disingenuous.

Posted by: dadooronron | Jul 7 2022 16:02 utc | 15

Fred | Jul 7 2022 15:36 utc | 12, re: what’s happening in the territories liberated by the allies.
For what its worth, I follow https://awfulavalanche.wordpress.com/
He or she is all over the place, but I find it very entertaining and informative, as I don’t read Russian.
On the type of info you’re looking for, see for example Ukraine War Day #132: Who’s Who In The New Kherson Government!

Posted by: htyul | Jul 7 2022 16:14 utc | 17

@ juliania | Jul 7 2022 14:28 utc | 3
ditto your last line in particular.. thanks b and juliania
@ crone | Jul 7 2022 16:01 utc | 13
that is positive news.. the more that surrender, the better for everyone involved…
@ ETA | Jul 7 2022 16:16 utc | 18
this has been asked repeatedly at moa.. i believe it is not possible based on the typepad format here, or b probably would have done so… use the time stamp as a reference…

Posted by: james | Jul 7 2022 16:22 utc | 19

Here is English Outsider’s response to my post at juliania | Jul 6 2022 23:17 utc | 79 on the previous Ukraine Open thread:

“The state of public opinion in the UK is difficult to gauge. So too in Germany.
Many are anti-Russian because they don’t know the facts. I don’t know whether the facts will eventually come out but at present most just don’t know they’ve been scammed.
This contrasts with the then state of knowledge about, say, Iraq or Libya or Syria. On those occasions enough did know the facts and opposition to the ventures there could emerge, though that opposition was ineffectual.
In this case, Ukraine, there’s very little sign of informed opposition amongst the general public. There cannot be. As Eva Bartletts said recently, “I don’t really blame the Western public for being ill-informed about what’s happening here”. If one doesn’t know of Minsk 2, or the Revolution of Dignity, or of Azov, or of a thousand other pertinent facts, how can one be other than ill-informed?
Unfortunate but how it is. Maybe the facts’ll come out later.
But it may go deeper than that. Certainly in some parts of Europe hatred of Russia is deep seated and will be expressed whatever the facts. Whether that’s the case in England I can’t tell. Is this a hangover from the Cold War? Are we, like many in the Baltic States, pre-disposed to hate Russia no matter the rights and wrongs of the case? Or do we in England, sensing as many of us do that we’re in deep economic trouble anyway, need an enemy to strike out at, any enemy, and our politicians have presented us with an enemy that fits the bill: Russia.
So all that is, as said, difficult to gauge. But there’s no doubt that, whatever the cause, anti-Russian sentiment is widespread in the Northern European general public.
This presents the politicians with a difficulty. I think they’ve realised that the sanctions war is lost. Not only lost, but destructive for a West already weakened economically. But they cannot row back from that sanctions war to the extent needed without arriving at least some rapprochement with Russia.
How can they arrive at that without losing face with their electorates? “When you turn the shower thermostat down, say “Take that, Putin!” has been, almost in those words, the politicians’ cry. We’ve been told no sacrifice is too great if that sacrifice will defeat the sinister Putin. They can’t now say, well, he’s not that sinister after all and we can do business with him.
And if the politicians could manage to square that circle without losing face, what of the Russians themselves?
They don’t like us. We’re sending guns over to kill Russian soldiers. We have attempted, explicitly attempted, to break their economy. We would many of us like to see the RF dismembered. Our media promulgates values they do not share. And what the Russians see coming from our politicians and media is a dislike and contempt they can scarcely not reciprocate.
So, with both the Western and the Russian publics in that state of mutual dislike and contempt, I don’t believe the position is retrievable. The politicians on neither side will be able to pull back.
Ok for the Russians, more or less. They can get along without Europe. One gets the feeling they’d quite like to do that anyway. But we’re in no state to get along without them. Meersheimer recently described the situation as a train wreck. It’s now a wreck we’re heading towards whether we like it or not. The politicians can do no other.
Posted by: English Outsider | Jul 7 2022 14:52 utc | 188″

Thanks, very much, English Outsider. You have the advantage, being a British citizen, I assume, so your assessment may be valid. I will address it in the following post.

Posted by: juliania | Jul 7 2022 16:39 utc | 21

Homing in as my post at 79 on the previous thread had been, specifically on the British reservations about the war operation in Ukraine, I will simply answer English Outsider’s comment at juliania | Jul 7 2022 16:39 utc | 25 thusly:
You have the advantage, English Outsider, and you may indeed be correct in your assessment of the present British populace. I am in the US, but I was a British subject once. I have hopes for British subjects yet. So I stand by my previous assessment.
I do not think you have it right with respect to Russia. But that is a subject for the open forum, as it doesn’t concern Ukraine specifically. Although, in the terms I would formulate cohesion, Ukraine occupies a major historical literary focal point. I have in mind the blowback influence of “cancelculture” versus the Russians’ respect for British literature, and specifically, Shakespeare.
I think, if Britain itself still has threads remaining of this respect for its own classical heritage, there is common ground there.
We might discuss it on the open forum/not Ukraine. Be my guest there, if you like.

Posted by: juliania | Jul 7 2022 17:01 utc | 23

We have many parties, the Motherland – one.
After February 24, all branches of power needed to act decisively, in concert and quickly, and the Duma worked just like that.
We managed to maintain macroeconomic stability. which is important for our economy.
They should have realized that they had already lost with the start of the SMO.
The collective West is the culprit of what is happening now.
The attempts of the West to impose its world order on the world are doomed.
Today we hear that they want to defeat us on the battlefield, well, what can I say, let them try.
By and large, we haven’t started anything there [in Ukraine] yet.
We do not refuse peace negotiations, but those who refuse should know that the longer it takes, the more difficult it will be to negotiate.
The desire of the West to fight us to the last Ukrainian is a tragedy for the Ukrainian people. But it looks like it’s all coming to this.

Putin

Posted by: ostro | Jul 7 2022 17:11 utc | 25

@ Paco, @ htyul
Thanks, that is the kind of info I was looking for

Posted by: Fred | Jul 7 2022 17:25 utc | 27

And the ‘french spoken’ world is also guilty of not keeping his culture alive and kicking. De Gaulle is dead, twice.

Posted by: Fabrice | Jul 7 2022 17:36 utc | 29

@Bemildred | Jul 7 2022 16:18 utc | 18
MSM is hiding any reconstruction, the switch to rubles and cell numbers, banks etc. They also like to say cities are completely destroyed but even Mariupol is far from being all affected. Nato movie must hide that areas liberated from nazis are no longer part of what was Ukr. Even French tv showed how happy locals are that Russians have arrived.
It’s also a problem in the regions near Hungary, some protests. Zelly is collecting new soldiers from those parts again. If he starts killing them in large numbers, Orban might use the new powers he has since last month or two.

Posted by: rk | Jul 7 2022 17:52 utc | 31

You can widely publish a rumor for free. It is best when they are believable.

Russian intelligence conducted a multi-pronged operation that resulted in the purchase of an American HIMARS missile defence system

https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxBeblsak5WvYpRChj2KR4P_pAhzbmsMPT

Posted by: too scents | Jul 7 2022 18:06 utc | 33

@28 Fabrice
Welcome to the bar. Your English is way better than my French. 🙂
Since you’re French, can you comment on how the French are evaluating the effect of U.S./NATO policy on France’s interests? Do you have a sense of how the political mood is developing?
And what is the assessment by the French of Germany’s economic and industrial situation (impact of sanctions, etc.)

Posted by: Tom Pfotzer | Jul 7 2022 18:35 utc | 35

You can widely publish a rumor for free. It is best when they are believable.
Russian intelligence conducted a multi-pronged operation that resulted in the purchase of an American HIMARS missile defence system
…
Posted by: too scents | Jul 7 2022 18:06 utc | 32
It’s not something I’ve been following so I don’t know if the rumour is believable or not – though I am trying very hard not to be surprised by anything =)
Do you think it’s believable, is that what you were hinting at in the other thread with the disposition of forces in the field?

Posted by: anon2020 | Jul 7 2022 18:49 utc | 37

The end result of the SMO will be achieved in any case, there is no doubt about it.

Putin today

Posted by: ostro | Jul 7 2022 19:02 utc | 39

@ The Toad Prophet
Then the logic part would be to cut Ukraine from the Black sea access to prevent a NATO land bridge, and to get rid of the Baltic states, just because they don’t play nice and are full of NAZIs. Poland may need some trimming, also

Posted by: Fred | Jul 7 2022 19:06 utc | 41

@Carl #33
So simple – imagine why no one else thought of that!
Why don’t you go right ahead and turn the spigot off?
I won’t be holding my breath…

Posted by: c1ue | Jul 7 2022 19:12 utc | 43

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the leadership of the State Duma and heads of factions of political parties.
Main theses:
🔷 The West, led by the United States, has been extremely aggressive towards Russia for decades. Our proposals to create a system of equal security in Europe have been rejected.
🔷 We have many supporters, including in the US itself, and in Europe, and even more so on other continents and in other countries, and there will be more and more of them.
🔷 We are told that we started a war in the Donbass, in Ukraine. No, it was unleashed by this collective West, organizing and supporting an anti-constitutional armed coup in Ukraine in 2014, and then encouraging and justifying genocide against people in the Donbass.
🔷 The truth and reality is that the peoples of most countries really strive not for formal, decorative, but for substantive, real sovereignty and are simply tired of kneeling, humiliating themselves in front of those who consider themselves exceptional.

Posted by: ostro | Jul 7 2022 19:24 utc | 45

It is believable that Ukraine is a weapons bazaar, and rife with corruption. It is also believable that the Ukrainians don’t operate the HIMARS by themselves.
Posted by: too scents | Jul 7 2022 19:04 utc | 44
Agreed. Similarly, it’s possible that the Caesar howitzers were accompanied by at least one French “volunteer” to “advise” on correct usage, so rumours of RF having managed to buy one might be problematic on that score,
For large systems, like MLRS and artillery, there’s also the question of Yankee satellite surveillance and any onboard tracking / locator beacons.
There’s almost always a way, though.

Posted by: anon2020 | Jul 7 2022 19:32 utc | 47

@ The Toad Prophet | Jul 7 2022 19:01 utc | 42
The motive for the Russian intervention, from 2014 on and in 2022, remains the aggressive interference of the United States and NATO and the threat of their stationing nuclear weapons on Russia’s borders. It is not really correct to say that it is about ports, as Russia has the highly-developed port of Novorossiysk in the undisputed territory of Russia on the Black Sea east of Crimea, so it wasn’t being blocked from access to a Black Sea port. This is the largest port in Russia and in the Black Sea and the third largest in Europe. So Russia itself does not need Odessa or Mariupol as ports, and Russia’s motivation here is not materialist or expansionist but is defensive against the perceived US/NATO aggression and intrusion into Ukraine, particularly that that happened through the coup of 2014 in Ukraine.
While I haven’t seen elsewhere an argument that Russia simply needed ports in general, the argument that it wanted to keep its naval base and port in Sevastopol is often made, and certainly Sevastopol resonates with Russians owing to the history of the Crimean War of 1853-1856. However, in a peaceful, equitable world, Russia could still have done fine without Sevastopol, but her motivation there was specifically to prevent the Americans from getting it, which relates back to Russia’s main motivation throughout the entire conflict: defense against the dominationist aggression of the US policy elite.
As for the actual annexation of Crimea, that was because, as Ukraine was under a hostile, anti-Russian regime actually persecuting ethnic Russians, and Crimea had previously petitioned to join Russia, it was time to honor the inhabitants’ request. Also, I think a major motivation for that annexation may have been to establish a claim to the undersea Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Crimea, which is very large in the Black Sea, to prevent any possibility of US or other western capitalist intrusion there to exploit the undersea resources. Even if Russia’s title is not recognized by western countries, western corporations cannot and will not go into a disputed space, so the annexation completely checkmated such intentions.

Posted by: Cabe | Jul 7 2022 19:38 utc | 49

@ Fred nr. 5
Yes a brigade is roughly there about’s depending on military. It is in many militaries recognized as the smallest independent unit operational. It is commanded by, surprise, surprise a brigadier General (one BIG star) and is capable of performing operations on its own, with options of air support or even special artillery units.
There are huge differences between traditional East and traditional west. East once had a favour of huge tank brigades or even Armies, 1. Guards Tank Army, elite unit, and huge, an example.

Posted by: Den Lille Abe | Jul 7 2022 19:41 utc | 51

@ Den Lille Abe
Any idea how many Ukrainian brigades were in February, and how many are still around, now?

Posted by: Fred | Jul 7 2022 19:52 utc | 53

Putin on a roll:
https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/live-post/2022/07/07/putin-in-ucraina-non-abbiamo-ancora-iniziato-seriamente-piu-andremo-avanti-piu-sara-difficile-negoziare-con-noi/6652996/
(Google Translate)
(20:06) Putin: “The West has failed to sow discord in Russia”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the West has failed to sow discord in the country. “Of course, they didn’t just want to hit the Russian economy hard. Their goal was to sow discord and devastate society, demoralize people. But they miscalculated: it did not happen and I am sure it will not happen , “Putin said in a meeting with the leadership of the Duma deputies, according to reports from the Tass news agency.
(19:49) Putin: “The further we go, the more difficult it will be to negotiate with us”
Those who reject the peace talks “should know that the further we go, the more difficult it will be for them to negotiate with us”. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with the leaders of the Duma, according to reports from Interfax . “Does the West want to defeat us in battle? Try it, ”he added later.
(19:48) Putin: “In Ukraine we haven’t started seriously yet”
“Everyone should know that we have not, in principle, started anything serious in Ukraine yet . At the same time, we don’t even refuse to hold peace talks . But those who refuse must know that the further we go , the more difficult it will be for them to negotiate with us ”. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a meeting with the leaders of the State Duma , as reported by Interfax.

Posted by: anon2020 | Jul 7 2022 19:55 utc | 55

@ Oriental Voice
// Rather, it’s a continuation of the ‘Whiteman Exceptionalism’ mentality of Europeans since the colonial scrambling days. They did similar feats in the Americas, Africa, and Asia throughout the 1700’s, 1800’s and 1900’s. Just that in the 2000’s their power has waned and their dictates turned into debacles //
You may want to notice that BOTH Russians and Ukrainians are VERY white
If anything this war is to exterminate white men.

Posted by: Fred | Jul 7 2022 20:03 utc | 57

Posted by: Joe6pack | Jul 7 2022 18:59 utc | 41
Wouldn’t it be hilarious if Russia would offer to sell a battery of HIMARS or CAESAR or Pzh2000 back to the country that donated them to Ukraine?

Posted by: Scotch Bingeington | Jul 7 2022 20:10 utc | 59

@34 Tom Pfotzer
Thank you for your kind words, Tom !
>> Since you’re French, can you comment on how the French are evaluating the effect of U.S./NATO policy on France’s interests? Do you have a sense of how the political mood is developing?
You will find me resigned… I hate to say that, but :
Maybe only 1 or 2 % might have an opinion on that matter. Because politics do not interest people anymore.
To “survive”, they accepted to segregate un’vaccinated’ people.
The factory of digital morons is working at full scale here. Nothing to develop anymore.
People think what the TV tells them to. Better ask : Netfix, or Amazon prime ? Then people would have an opinion.
Just tell them that the Russians want to kill them, they will accept anything.
Macron knows better, it seems. People do think they don’t have the knownledge, they just want to be told what to do or not to do, to be in a feeling of security.
There are psychanalytic studies around the “scientific medical pragmatic totalitarism” we are experiencing.
Political parties all tell the same story. Take that, Putin !
>> And what is the assessment by the French of Germany’s economic and industrial situation (impact of sanctions, etc.)
I think most people won’t even understand your question, because there is no problem, no ?
But I can speak for myself :
My grand father, as a communist, fighted against the nazis during WWII in the so called “résistance”. I was born in a city with a communist major since the end of the war. Youri Gagarine himself inaugurated the city’s festival hall ! The city gave food to the passengers of the “Exodus” boat. All my family was simple workers, my father a kind of anarchist. So I am a little bit oriented…
And yes I do not recognize my own country.
For me this is : Anything but the US imperialism ! Anything but the European Commission diktat !
It is not even a pragmatic choice based on food or energy supply.
Call that ideology.
There are a few people like this left in France.
“Fossilized peoples” 😉
There is a strange thing happening, a little bit like during the war : right wing and left wing start sharing the same understanding of the situation. A call for liberty and mutual respect.
I don’t think I did answer your questions, Tom.
Best regards,

Posted by: Fabrice | Jul 7 2022 20:12 utc | 61

@Oriental Voice | Jul 7 2022 20:07 utc | 63
It already happened ~8200 years ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storegga_Slide

Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 7 2022 20:13 utc | 63

@ too scents
Anything Google is banned on my devices :]

Posted by: Fred | Jul 7 2022 20:14 utc | 65

@Fred, #61:
Yes I’m aware that Russians and Ukrainians are White. Actually they may both be genetically closer to each other than any other ethnicities. But my Whiteman Exceptionalism mentality comment wasn’t racially intended. It’s just a cliche. Maybe Colonialist mentality is a better (and more accurate) characterization :-). No offense intended.

Posted by: Oriental Voice | Jul 7 2022 20:17 utc | 67

@Fred | Jul 7 2022 20:14 utc | 70
https://rumble.com/v1bfupn-ukraine.-military-summary-and-analysis-07.07.2022.html

Posted by: too scents | Jul 7 2022 20:22 utc | 69

Posted by: Fabrice | Jul 7 2022 20:12 utc | 66
——————–
What’s the attitude of French toward to EU? Do the French want to get out of it? Do the French consider the high prices, unemployment as problem brought to France by the EU?

Posted by: ostro | Jul 7 2022 20:28 utc | 71

“Ukraine Is the Latest Neocon Disaster
Jeffrey D. Sachs | June 27, 2022 | OtherNews”
Ukraine Is The Latest Neocon Disaster
He is right, but he omits two key facts: (1) Neocon ideology is uniformly of Ashkenazy Jewish descent (chosen people, exceptional nation, greatest people on earth, etc.), and (2) neocons were brought into USG in force during the Ronald Reagan administration.

Posted by: The Rev. David R. Gr | Jul 7 2022 20:31 utc | 73

One has to wonder who the encryption keys are entrusted to, for the equipment that uses NATO targeting data.
Posted by: too scents | Jul 7 2022 19:39 utc | 54
NATO+ is apparently aware of potential “conflicts of interest” =)
It was said, of the m777s in Ukraine, that they lacked the advanced targeting electronics, to avoid the tech falling into RF hands.
Also, supposedly, RF has previously overrun UA command posts and captured “NATO laptops” that were configured to access live NATO battlefield information sources.
Loss / capture of access credentials surely results in them being revoked but captured hardware might reveal exploits or jamming strategies, just guessing.

Posted by: anon2020 | Jul 7 2022 20:34 utc | 75

Kiev was a Russian capital, and always will be a Russian city, sooner or later.

Posted by: Fred | Jul 7 2022 20:42 utc | 77

For those having difficulty accessing strategic culture, a suggestion: change the DNS provider in your router settings.
I started having trouble reaching the site during the last 2 days which was puzzling, but then it occurred to me that a recent lightning strike close to my home resulted in a ‘fried’ modem which needed replacing and that’s when the troubles started. I changed the DNS provider to quad9 from telus and it’s been good since.
Instructions here for telus (probably similar for other ISPs)

Posted by: deNatofied | Jul 7 2022 20:47 utc | 79

Posted by: Fabrice | Jul 7 2022 20:12 utc | 66
A beautiful comment.

Posted by: anon2020 | Jul 7 2022 20:58 utc | 81

@34 Tom Pfotzer
@ Fabrice
I’m French too and agree with Fabrice

>> Since you’re French, can you comment on how the French are evaluating the effect of U.S./NATO?

Maybe only 1 or 2 % might have an opinion on that matter.
[…]
People think what the TV tells them to. […] they will accept anything.
[…]
Political parties all tell the same story. Take that, Putin !
>> And what is the assessment by the French of Germany’s economic and industrial situation (impact of sanctions, etc.)
I think most people won’t even understand your question, because there is no problem, no ?

The media system in France is 99% controlled. And, yes, unfortunately even the so-called “far left” is talking about “support Ukraine” “evil Putin”….and badmouthing LePen for “pro Putin’s stances”.

Macron had increased an abyssal debt from €2200 to €2800 billion in just the last 2 years but sending more helicopter money to erase some effects of his “war for European democracy”.
But as Fabrice said

”
there is no problem, no ?”

But that’s just on the short term.
The problem is probably like in Germany and UK that even if people don’t want to know more about the coming crisis and the causes, some and a large majority of peoples in charge of economics KNOWS WHAT IS COMING AND ARE BECOMING AFRAID.
The next yellow vests insurrection could be violent.

Posted by: La Bastille | Jul 7 2022 21:06 utc | 83

Maria Zakharova

The German vice-chancellor has publicly asked the Canadian government to return the turbine, which is under sanctions against Russia and is critical for gas flows to Europe: “I will be the first to fight for a further strong package of EU sanctions, but strong sanctions mean that they should hurt and harm Russia and Putin more than our economy.So I ask you to understand that we must take away this “turbine” excuse from Putin.”
Inspired by:
Турбину Берлину скорее верните
И газопотоки восстановите.
Назло Кремлю её запретили,
Теперь на зло же обратно решили.
Оттаве приказано это понять,
Турбиноправданье у русских отнять.
Да вредоболь России чинить,
Чтоб и самим нормально не жить.

Well, not easy to translate the “short poem”

Posted by: ostro | Jul 7 2022 21:17 utc | 85

Really impressed by the quality of the comments !
Thank you all, it really lifts my spirit, in these troubled times.

Posted by: Fabrice | Jul 7 2022 21:32 utc | 87

i see a number of folks thoughtfully replying to fred, but not getting any response in return… what does that tell you?
@Cabe | Jul 7 2022 19:38 utc | 53
thanks for articulating all that cabe.. cheers james

Posted by: james | Jul 7 2022 21:46 utc | 89

“I do not understand why in propaganda as a rhetorical counterweight to the Western accusations that Russia had “invaded” a country, the concept of “forward defense..”
I agree. Forward defense is another formulation of “just preemptive war,” …
Posted by: dadooronron | Jul 7 2022 15:02 utc | 6
Sorry, but it is not an invasion, nor a forward defense, it is a liberation operation. Like in 1944.
https://youtu.be/x9qWq0Z_DFA
Sorry if you don’t understand Russian. It is never too late to learn. For the future.

Posted by: Olivier | Jul 7 2022 22:16 utc | 91

Russia offers a social safety net to the people of Ukraine. The US offers the same thing to Ukraine that it offers its own people. That is – increasing austerity.
The road “The West” offers Ukraine is the road to austerity for the commons and exploitation of labor and resources. Same as it ever was.
It’s amazing that they can bullshit people so much. Their track record shows their modus operandi. Closest example may be Yugoslavia.

Posted by: Chaka Khagan | Jul 7 2022 22:29 utc | 93

I remember reading only on Moon about how the only facility that repairs and maintains the gas turbines used in Nordstream 1 was in Canada and one of the turbines was being blocked from being returned by the Canadian government weeks ago. MSM and German gov at time said Russia was making up the technical problems excuse to shut off the gas, never mentioned Canada or gas turbine at all.
Well, now the German government is publicly pleading with Trudeau to let the turbine go and saying without it there won’t be any gas flow no matter what the Russians would prefer while Ukraine is asking them to not. I don’t know how this helps Ukraine to have Germany industry and with it, the German political establishment implode but again, bold strategy Cotton, let’s see how it pays off for him.
https://www.reuters.com/world/exclusive-ukraine-urges-canada-not-hand-over-gas-turbine-russia-2022-07-07/

Posted by: Altai | Jul 7 2022 22:37 utc | 95

I don’t know how this helps Ukraine to have Germany industry and with it, the German political establishment implode but again, bold strategy Cotton, let’s see how it pays off for him.
Posted by: Altai | Jul 7 2022 22:37 utc | 102
One of the goals of this sorry NATO-drive mess is to ‘keep Germany down’ (along with keeping the US in and keeping Russia out).
Also, some of the movers and shakers of this thing hate Germans almost as much as they hate Russians.

Posted by: Scorpion | Jul 7 2022 22:40 utc | 97

Has “theSaker.IS” been down? My Safari couldn’t connect to its server for some time.
Thanks much.

Posted by: KitaySupporter | Jul 7 2022 23:05 utc | 99