Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
August 03, 2022

Ukraine SitRep - On The Ground Report - Ukrainian Frontline Collapses

Below is a slightly edited machine translation of a piece which appeared yesterday on the Ukrainian side censor.net. The piece was promoted by Yuri Butusov, a well known Ukrainian military correspondent. It is originally a social media post by someone who was on the frontline in Pisky, immediately northwest of Donetsk city.

Context:

Over the last two to three months the Ukrainian side has used its positions in the vicinity of Donetsk city to more or less randomly shell the civilian population on the Russian affiliated side. After some serious protests the Russian military command agreed to launch a dedicated counter-artillery operation to shut down the deadly Ukrainian harassment.

Its daily 'clobber reports', here is yesterday's, have since included lines like these on nearly each and every day:

As part of counter-battery warfare 2 artillery batteries of Giatsint howitzers near Dzerzhinsk and Novhorodskoye, Donetsk People's Republic have been hit.

4 platoons of Grad MLRS and 9 artillery platoons at firing positions near Seversk, Kirovo, Artemovsk, Avdeevka, Peski, Orlovka, Shakhterskoye, Velikaya Novoselka in Donetsk People's Republic, Dobropolie in Zaporozhye Region, Shirokoye, Bereznevatoye in Nikolaev Region, Russkaya Lozovaya and Nortsovka in Kharkov Region.

The systematic counter-artillery campaign has seriously deteriorated the already rare Ukrainian fire power.

The Russian side has also changed the primary direction of its thrust from the northern front of the Sievierdonetsk-Lysichansk-Siversk direction to a push further south. The current offensive operation is concentrated north-west and west of Donetsk city in the direction of Avdivka. There is an envelope operation going on its north and south to surround that extremely heavily fortified town.

The red territory to the left of the red line marks parts of recent progress.


Source: Live UA map - bigger

Pisky is the southern part of that envelope operation.


bigger

Following intense artillery preparations Russian forces are currently - slowly, slowly - clearing the lines of reinforced concrete bunkers and ditches that have been build on the Ukrainian side over the last 8 years. Here now is the view of that battle from the Ukrainian side (edited machine translation, for an alternative translation see this.) (Note: 300 is the military cargo designator for wounded people, 200 is for dead soldiers):

Pisky. Meat grinder
Author: Serhiy Gnezdilov

What is there to lose, what else can be taken from me on the sixth day of my personal hell, in Pisky, a kilometer from the first street of Donetsk, Ukraine? The bodies of those who were dearer to me than my family are lying under the heat in the trenches, broken by 152 caliber. As I wrote earlier, 6,500 shells per damn village in less than a day.

It's been six such days already, and I can't imagine how even a small number of our infantry survived in this barrage of enemy fire.

No, I'm not whining.

Two mortars 82 and 120 are working on our side.

Sometimes they wake up and "sneeze" two artillery barrels in the direction of Donetsk.

We hardly respond. There is no counter-battery fire, from the word go, the enemy puts artillery shells in our trenches without any problems, dismantles very strong, concrete positions in tens of minutes, pushing our defense line without pause or minimal rest.

The day before yesterday, the line broke, and a river of 200 or 300 [killed/wounded] was poured. I will not publish any statistics, it is forbidden in our country, but you have no idea the number and percentage of losses.

This is a hell of a meat grinder, where the battalion simply holds back the onslaught with their bodies.

For almost a week, we have been waiting for at least some kind of help that would hit the enemy's artillery, we, I repeat, are being fired with impunity with everything that the Russian military system is rich in, their aviation was working today.

I am proud of the leadership of the battalion that remained here with us. The combatant is with us, everyone is with us, contused, light 300, bandaged and returned after a couple of hours to the position, if you can call these bottomless ravines that way.

There is a war going on.

But without a counter-battery fight, it turns into a senseless meat grinder, where an insane amount of our infantry is ground up in a day.

Did you really want the truth? Here it is, the naked truth.

The reserve goes to the position, closes the breakthrough, and after five minutes, only one of the 15 people remains intact.

The bodies lie on the ground. If it's a light 300, maybe you'll be lucky, you'll faint, and you'll get out on foot, you'll reach the medics.

They just took a 300 [wounded]. He shouted all the way: - "Where is the support? Where is the artillery? Why were we abandoned? Why didn't anyone cover us?"

I don't know, my friend, why no one covered us... He screams, and I'm ashamed that I'm still safe and sound, only a couple of good deafening.

I threw up, I pissed myself, I'm sorry, and I'm back in action.

All reserves are destroyed, military equipment is on fire, the enemy approaches and without any problems occupies our positions after another barrage of artillery.

Right now we are losing Pisky, all our human and material resources are almost exhausted.

Denys, a resident of Mariupol, who told me "well, I trust the arrestee [Zelenski advisor Arestovich], we will return everything back very soon" is dead. He was wounded twice, they bandaged him right in the trench, they told him, Denchyk, go to the evacuation, but he answered "guys, I will not abandon you."

Both wounded for the first time, and after the second wounding, he continued to shoot back.

We still haven't taken his body. On the ruins of Pisky, he lies with his arms outstretched and his gaze frozen. He asks for revenge. How can I refuse his latest request? How can we all leave Dan?

I believe that Dimka survived after all. Because he could not die, having recently returned from the hospital, having just proposed to his girlfriend. They say that after one of the parishes he simply disappeared. It fell asleep with earth. But, I believe that this is a mistake, and he is alive. Foolish hope and expectation.

I know, my country does not like to think aloud. But, I was left with no choice between victory and arrest. The truth should be heard, not whispers in the kitchen. Of course, he will fly separately for this post, because how? Yes, does the state lie to its own citizens?

I won't be surprised if someone says today: "Kremlin agent Sirozh talked about the brilliant plan of the victors on the Donetsk front, let's hang him on the peacemaker."

I amused to say that everything is under control. Now in Pisky, everything is not under anyone's control, but for some reason the situation is being hushed up.

Ring broken bells while we cover Pisky with bodies.

We need artillery.

Give us something here to hold on to.

Now put yourself into the position of Serhiy Gnezdilov, Denys or Dimka. Then think about the politicians who sweet talk of heroic Ukrainian resistance and send these men to be slaughtered for no possible gain.

Sorry Serhiy, more artillery wont do it. The Russian side would just grind it up within days. How many of the 120 U.S. M-777 howitzers that were given to Ukraine still exist? Maybe 10 or so, most of them damaged?

There are other operations going on. North of the Donetsk front there is a thrust towards Bakhmut (also known as Artomovsk). Yesterday Soledar, north of Bakhmut was reported to be mostly captured. Vershyna and Zaiseve, south of it, are also gone or will fall soon.


bigger

The Ukrainian side has loudly announce an upcoming counter offensive on the southern front towards Kherson city. But the number of Russian units in that larger area have since been increased to a level that makes a new Russian offensive towards Mykolaiv (Nikolaev), Kryvyv Rih (Krivoy Rog) or Zaporitzhia more likely than anything the Ukrainian side could possibly do.


bigger

The Russian side also wages a continuous campaign against Ukrainian reserves, brigade headquarters and military installations or temporary storage sides far behind the immediate front line. These less visible attacks kill huge numbers of Ukrainian troops. From yesterday's 'clobber report' (also here):

As a result of Russian Aerospace Forces strike on combat positions of 54th Mechanized Brigade of AFU near Mar'inka in Donetsk People's Republic, more than 50 nationalists of 2nd Battalion of this unit have been destroyed.

High-precision weapons of the Russian Aerospace Forces struck on a temporary deployment point of the Ukrainian Foreign Legion near Nikolaev city. The attacks have resulted in the elimination of up to 250 nationalists and 20 units of military equipment.

High-precision strikes of the Russian Aerospace Forces have eliminated up to 500 nationalists of 92nd Mechanised Brigade of AFU and large amount of military equipment in Merefa and Chuguyiv in Kharkov Region.

Shelling of combat positions of 16th Battalion of 58th AFU Motorized Infantry Brigade near Artemovsk have resulted in the elimination of over 130 nationalists. The remaining battalion servicemen, numbering up to 70, hurriedly left their positions and departed for Konotop, Sumy Region, where they were disarmed and declared deserters.

21st Battalion of 56th Motorized Infantry Brigade, which had suffered significant losses near Peski, came under artillery fire of AFU during its retreat to Vodyanoye and was almost completely eliminated.

Notice the last paragraph. The unit in Pisky (Peski), where Serhiy Gnezdilov reported from, was retreating towards Vodiane (Vodyanoye), north of Pisky (see the second map above). On their way the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) opened fire on them, killing nearly everyone who had survived the Russian attacks against Pisky.

Was this punishment for the already late retreat? Or was it a misidentification by a forward artillery observer who thought that those retreating Ukrainian forces were attacking Russian units? I don't know, but ...

By the way - the opponent casualties numbers given by the Russian ministry of defense are likely over estimated (as all such numbers are). But even if only half of those ~900 claimed yesterday really were wounded or killed on the day before the losses are still devastating. In 1967, at the very height of the Vietnam war, U.S. casualties, dead and wounded, were at maximum about 200 per day. We see a multiple of those on the Ukrainian side each and every day.

This is not sustainable. The Ukrainian government should have given up the uneven fight months ago. It is an immense crime to further urge it on.

Posted by b on August 3, 2022 at 8:07 UTC | Permalink

Comments
next page »

To the last Ukrainian!

Posted by: leaf | Aug 3 2022 8:12 utc | 1

"The unit in Pisky (Peski), where Serhiy Gnezdilov reported from, was retreating towards Vodiane (Vodyanoye), north of Pisky (see the second map above). On their way the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) opened fire on them, killing nearly everyone who had survived the Russian attacks against Pisky."

Well, they did keep begging for Ukrainian artillery.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Aug 3 2022 8:33 utc | 2

The Ukrainian government should have given up the uneven fight months ago. It is an immense crime to further urge it on.

I’m not a military analyst but when they started conscripting, women, the elderly (above 60 yrs) and the disabled it became patently obvious in which direction the war was moving. Unfortunately for the Ukrainians the US is driving this war.

The US/NATO cannot afford a second Afghanistan so close to the first (even though that is exactly what is going to happen).

Posted by: Down South | Aug 3 2022 8:34 utc | 3

Is there any truth in this AP report about the nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhya? Rafael Grossi, the U.N. nuclear chief, claims that “…the plant is out of control…” and lots more fear mongering.

Report is here: UN nuclear chief: Ukraine nuclear plant is 'out of control'.

Posted by: phiw13 | Aug 3 2022 8:35 utc | 4

Well. Someone is doing a beautiful job of reducing Ukraine's future carbon footprint.

Posted by: Jacq | Aug 3 2022 8:35 utc | 5

It is an immense crime to further urge it on.

Cui bono?

Posted by: too scents | Aug 3 2022 8:35 utc | 6

On one side I feel sorry for the average Ukrainians but on the other side, they prefer to kill Russians than their own government which is working in US not Ukraine interests.All they had to do was recognize the Minsk 2 agreement and act on it, basically giving ethnic Russians the status of humans.
Life is not something you can keep just by going with the flow as sheeple.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 9:07 utc | 7

I am actually beginning to feel sorry for these Ukies. But then I remember the last 8 years where they have killed over 14,000 of their own citizens in Donstek. The same fate awaits the Taiwanese if they don't change course. Some people learn from history but most just repeat it.

Posted by: Sam Smith | Aug 3 2022 9:11 utc | 8

@Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 9:07 utc | 8

Lisichansk City Library ==> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fsGeM1mWD4

Posted by: too scents | Aug 3 2022 9:14 utc | 9

too scents | Aug 3 2022 9:14 utc | 10

Thanks for that link.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 9:19 utc | 10

Thank you for this post b.

It is so sad to read first hand of such futility and then to have been 'friendly fired' to oblivion is truly revolting. This, on top of the shelling of the captive audience from azofstahl in the prison, is enraging.

I look forward to the months ahead and the relentless destruction of these 'born again' nazis.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Aug 3 2022 9:21 utc | 11

After the reports of cluster bomb shelling of civilians in Donetsk oblast last week, I find it hard to retain much compassion for the canon-fodder being pulverised by Russian artillery. However they did not create this war. That trophy goes to the USA, a war machine which makes Pol Pot look moderate. Buddhists consider war one of the calamities caused by 'three poisons' of greed, anger and stupidity. The others are famine and inflated grain prices, and pestilence. Funny how over 2000 years of experience points squarely to the US today. The US hungers for war, without ever caring that karma is simply cause and effect, not mysticism.

Posted by: TPaine | Aug 3 2022 9:24 utc | 12

anti-spiegel.ru reports "A spokesman for Ukraine's defense ministry said in an interview that US intelligence agencies have the final say in choosing targets for HIMARS missiles in Ukraine."

including a prison of late....

https://www-anti--spiegel-ru.translate.goog/2022/kiew-die-usa-haben-bei-der-zielwahl-der-himars-raketen-das-letzte-wort/?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Aug 3 2022 9:27 utc | 13

aaaaaargh the goblin ate my anti-spiegel.ru linked post.

"A spokesman for Ukraine's defense ministry said in an interview that US intelligence agencies have the final say in choosing targets for HIMARS missiles in Ukraine."

... including a prison...

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Aug 3 2022 9:29 utc | 14

:)..... hehe.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Aug 3 2022 9:29 utc | 15

The genocide of the Slavic peoples continues. Blinken and Nudelman smile.

Posted by: Jill | Aug 3 2022 9:30 utc | 16

The common theme coming out of Ukraine from various units is that they lose 60% withing three weeks. Attrition rate from b's report now appears much higher.

Zelensky's handlers ordering the forces evacuation of civiliand from Donetsk oblast - basically taking the ethnic Russian inhabitants as hostages before Ukie forces collapse completely.

There is also the law passed sometime back for conscripting women beginning August. That will be another Ukrainian export wasted. But as they say - equal opportunity.

Sooner the yanks start getting droned, shock and awed, sanctioned, no fly zoned, color revolutioned, decolonized, fundamental Muslim freedom fightered, ..., ...., the better.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 9:37 utc | 17

Looks like Ukraine is going the way of Paraguay back in the Triple Alliance War. Actually, possibly worse if they're really going to conscript women and send them to the front - though I'd hope that at this point some would have the sense to arrest or shoot their leaders.

Posted by: Clueless Joe | Aug 3 2022 9:48 utc | 19

Down South | Aug 3 2022 8:34 utc | 3

re ...The US/NATO cannot afford a second Afghanistan...and s/g on Bitcoin


Long ago as Afghanistan came to an apparent climax, there was speculation how odd it was the AngloAmers shifted their viewpoints so swiftly with careless abandon and not giving a damn about appearances or any other consequences.

Well, inductive reasoning at that time noted that "could mean that things would be hotting-up in another area", and on a far-larger scale, would be a fitting explanation.

No other explanation fit so well.

Now it has a name: Ukraine war activities coincident with global "resets" [financial, trade, mushrooming fiat and digital currency games, starvation to control populations, culture shocks of biowarfare/migration, monitoring billions of persons' movements/attention/thoughts].

Afghanistan was a sideshow whose usefulness was ONLY distraction and no longer necessary. Let go of it to see the juggernaut coming on fast.

IMO...It cannot be stopped. Only deflected and possibly shunned to weaken it enough as 7 billion persons shift their viewpoints/change to mutual-aid modes of life to survive.

Replacing a .gov of multiple-passport elites of schizophrenic [split] loyalty Blinkens by electing educated [not just schooled] Lincolns is not going to happen; too late. And World War 3 seem unlikely improve the lives of the global 99%.

BTW, there are rumors that Bitcoin fits so perfectly with a deliberate scheme to offer "store of wealth" ...in order to enable a shift away/undercut/lessen demand for holding gold [metal. not paper promises to deliver] by manipulating the minds of wealth-holders. Brilliant! Could be.

End my 3 a.m. thoughts. G'nite.

Posted by: chu teh | Aug 3 2022 9:54 utc | 20

This is not sustainable. The Ukrainian government should have given up the uneven fight months ago. It is an immense crime to further urge it on.
Too bad McCain is not alive to witness this disaster. He would be pushing hard for more like his buddy Lindsey Graham. Is is a sickness so deep and so sad that is easy prey for the Anglo-American NATO death cult. They thrive on death.

Posted by: circumspect | Aug 3 2022 10:03 utc | 21

“an immense crime”? I’d not argue but then I’m not running NATO. Were I running NATO I’d be of the opinion that I was fighting for its very existence in Ukraine. I’d think I was on SunTzu-ian death ground. After all, when NATO gets its hat handed to it here militarily and the subsequent war crimes tribunal places the blames (plural) where they ought to lie can NATO continue? The western media might try to hush it up and the man on the Clapham omnibus may never hear of it but the leaderships will hear of it. And want to exeunt stage left asap. And the rest of the world will hear of it. China will make sure of that now.

Posted by: Nat Green | Aug 3 2022 10:03 utc | 22

Clueless Joe | Aug 3 2022 9:48 utc | 19

Looks like Ukraine is going the way of Paraguay back in the Triple Alliance War.

Paraguay fate at the end of the Triple Alliance War:
90% of Paraguayan males dead
Two thirds of overall population dead (wikipedia)

What would it mean a similar fate for Ukraine at the end of the SMO?
18 million Ukrainians males dead
29 million Ukrainians (males and females) dead, out of 43 millian total population 2021

Not plausible

Posted by: António Ferrão | Aug 3 2022 10:09 utc | 23

Let's not forget these are the same Ukies who scattered thousands of petal mines across a city to maim children and animals. The clean-up just has to miss one and a child loses a hand, or an eye, or a foot. I think they're all getting far less than they deserve.

Posted by: Patroklos | Aug 3 2022 10:27 utc | 24

To b
The front line collapse remains to be confirmed.
One could have thought one such collapse was close to take place following Lysichank’s liberation ; it was since then not confirmed.
Rather a sequence of heavy shelling during a month or so took place; are the Allied about to take the benefit of this period ?

Posted by: Daniel | Aug 3 2022 10:29 utc | 25

The male population of Ukraine is being eliminated for who's benefit?
This has generated into an obscene slaughter.
When is that reality going to occur to the moron's of Europe?
That is what they are supporting.
The backlash will be interesting.
Lots of weapons everywhere unaccountable!

Posted by: Jpc | Aug 3 2022 10:30 utc | 26

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 9:37 utc | 17

Right on Pete. We could be waiting a while though. CN/RU can afford to wait it out until all the US needs is a little push and it will colour revolutionise itself.

Posted by: Patroklos | Aug 3 2022 10:32 utc | 27

Fortunately, 20+ million Ukrainians voted with their feet since 2014 - let’s oray they remain out of reach from the press gangs.

Yes - after this is all finished; there will be international war crimes trials with stunning revelations. Tens of thousands of NATOland commanders, foot soldiers, clerks, political leaders, and all sorts of bureaucrat ‘war planners’ will be indicted and tried.

War Crimes have no statue of limitations - that 21 year old US Army drone operator sitting in Ramstein will have to lay low for 70 more years.

Posted by: Exile | Aug 3 2022 10:39 utc | 28

Another map of Peski area
https://twitter.com/GeromanAT/status/1554142154301349891/photo/1

Note the intensity of all the small blue lines, each of which represents a trench or fortification. Circular "wall" around Peski (now fallen?).
The "red" lines are by Geroman to show general movements.
***
Plus a map of the general situation around Bakhmut.
https://twitter.com/GeromanAT/status/1554599206651838464/photo/1
****

For me, the US/Neocons are the ones throwing ALL Ukrainians into the fire. They also control the Ukie central command, and many of the units on the front directly. BUT, HIMARS and other artillery is used sparingly for targets that follow US interests. NOT for saving or supporting Ikrainians.
*****

PS
They are losing so they sent a 82 year old woman somewhere to divert the attention from their failure in Ukraine. She is being "recalled" before the thursday deadline cuts her off.

Posted by: Stonebird | Aug 3 2022 10:41 utc | 29

Lindsay Graham the neo-confederate lady from South Carolina: fight Russia to the last Ukrainian. Truly despicable people. I expect that in due time, the nazi remnants of Azov, Pravy Sektor, Tornado, Kraken will turn on their western sponsors. Switchblading the politicians who betrayed them in western capitals, Zelensky and Arestovich days are numbered…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MSWezIB06g

Posted by: Boss Tweet | Aug 3 2022 10:42 utc | 30

It is an immense crime to further urge it on.
Cui bono?
Posted by: too scents
Yes, that is the question we are all asking.
I am actually beginning to feel sorry for these Ukies. But then I remember the last 8 years where they have killed over 14,000 of their own citizens in Donstek.
Posted by: Sam Smith
I think a bit like that too, but... a lot of the young people have grown up in a society where they have been trained to see the Russians as enemy or 'Orcs'. So I do feel sorry for them for both their current predicament and for the upbringing they have had. Gunter Grass joined the SS as a 17 year old in 1944. What was not to like, getting in to an elite unit of the army when your country is at war?
I despise the Western politicians who have supported the Ukrainian state since 2014 knowing about it extreme nationalist and Nazi nature. One accepts that politicians accept corruption..

Posted by: James | Aug 3 2022 10:42 utc | 31

Small correction, Bernard. I think the US losing "200 a day" during worst stages of Vietnam war is actually what the US were losing a week - therefore making Ukrainian losses 7 times higher.

Posted by: Martin | Aug 3 2022 10:45 utc | 32

@Martin I had linked this piece to support my number claim:

July 28, 1967: A UPI (United Press International) story on the front page of the StarNews reported that in the previous week 164 Americans had been killed in Vietnam and 1,146 wounded.

That's nearly some 1,400 over 7 days i.e. ~200 per day.

Posted by: b | Aug 3 2022 10:55 utc | 33

Well, it’s a fact that Ukraine’s is a formidable army. After 5 months of pounding they still hold the line in Donbas. I am interested in the morale of the soldiers. And who they are.

20 years olds were 12 in 2014. 8 years of brain washing in schools plus media propaganda must have had a tremendous effect. We keep hearing that people in the west of Ukraine don’t want to fight for Donbas. That the Ukrainian soldiers are surrendering. That they are complaining about lack of support. And yet Ukrainian army is not collapsing. I’ve never served in military. Is the organization so strong that even unwilling persons are compelled to fight to death? Or are nationalist feelings strong enough even among some of the Russian speaking young people, due to aforementioned brainwashing, that the majority of the soldiers willingly subject themselves to slaughter.

Posted by: RB | Aug 3 2022 10:57 utc | 34

RB | Aug 3 2022 10:57 utc | 33

As for their ability to stay at the frontlines, they have the quality as the Russians, being that they were one in the great patriotic war.
Difference now being is that Ukraine SSR after declaring its independence chose to follow the american pied piper.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 11:16 utc | 35

@too scents #9

Thanks for that link.

Posted by: S | Aug 3 2022 11:23 utc | 36

Posted by: Boss Tweet | Aug 3 2022 10:42 utc | 29

''Lindsay Graham the neo-confederate lady from South Carolina: fight Russia to the last Ukrainian.''

Lindsay Graham is actually male, although the name and him having a lack of balls might have thrown you off. :3

Posted by: Minkz | Aug 3 2022 11:31 utc | 37

Ukraine Needs Solutions, Not Endless War

Ukrainian forces’ impressive military performance has reinforced the view that an outright victory against Russia is possible. But an unqualified Ukrainian win that dislodges the Russian forces from eastern Ukraine is increasingly improbable. Grinding attrition that makes dangerous escalation a tantalizing option for both countries is more likely. Accordingly, a ceasefire and separation of forces should be a priority for the United States and its allies. The United States has the tools and experience to make it happen.

The rest of the article is the usual nonsense, but what matters is who wrote it:

Steven Simon is the Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow at MIT and a senior analyst at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and served in the State Department and on the National Security Council staff in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and Obama administrations.

Jonathan Stevenson is a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and managing editor of Survival, and served on the National Security Council staff in the Obama administration.

The voice speaking is the Deep State...

Posted by: c1ue | Aug 3 2022 11:48 utc | 38

I posted this on the wrong thread so will repost here.

The coked up clown in green tee shirt now being broadcast into Australian universities
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-03/ukrainian-president-volodomyr-zelenskyy-addresses-anu/101296872

Being the highest paid comedian in mafia history, I guess he has to earn his keep.
As for Australian politicians allowing this shit to be broadcast in universities... I hope China has a few missiles lined on parliament house for when push comes to shove and the shit hits the fan.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 11:49 utc | 39

Yesterday I got stuck in a space where the NPR newsfeed was playing. It included a BBC segment. 100% pure delusion. The funniest was some Oxonian don going on about how UK would solve it's energy problems with increased domestic production. Investment=gas. All European countries should do the same. Ukraine news was similar fantasy. I survived about 15 minutes of this and had to leave.

In America, which is after all the source of this war, no one even knows there is a war in Ukraine unless they listen to the official newsfeed. No one pays any attention to CNN. The only people distantly aware are the NYT/NPR crowd. They are fed pure rubbish. Below the top levels of the military and bureaucracy there is nothing but the NYT/NPR feed. At the top level, the decision makers, information other than NPR/NYT feeds is a minuscule portion of known universe.

Real people get to die because America is oblivious.

Posted by: oldhippie | Aug 3 2022 11:57 utc | 40

RB | Aug 3 2022 10:57 utc | 33

I don't think you can say that the Ukrainian army is homogene in either ability or morale.
My impression is that; ie. The "Maginot" line created in front of Donetsk, consists of fortifed places (Peski or other villages/towns/ natural defensive points) with a gap before the next one. The strongest (and probably mainly western Ukrainian sourced troops) are in the strong points, with concrete command centres etc. and the "infill" is made up of "lesser" troops, such as OAP's and unwilling recruits with minimal training, in spaced out trenches.
**

During WWI it was normal to have a seargent standing behind the troops, to shoot in the back those soliers would not go over the top. Behind him was a officer of some sort who was there for the same purpose. There was little or no sympathy between the officers and their tropps. This in itself was due to the time spent on the front between rotations. (3-4 months for the officers and four to six for the toops if memory serves me) This meant that "New" officers were always arriving, whereas the troops were battle hardened. (later "New" meant straight out of Officer training. There was a high rate of attrition among the officer class)
***

So we do not know how long the troops stationed inside fortifications have been there, but they may well have had an "easier" time up to now than the "reinforcements" defending the surrounding countryside. Their motivations will be different obviously.

Posted by: Stonebird | Aug 3 2022 12:02 utc | 41

Don't you know that Russia is "losing"? Their economy is "doomed"? They are "exhausted" and cannot find more troops to fight?

I will keep saying that EU/US are playing a coldly cynical game in apparent unity with Russia !!

They are wiping out the next generation of Ukrainians - so that Russia has peace and so that EU/US don't have to pay for a wrecked nation - that will be mostly extinct.

Posted by: Eighthman | Aug 3 2022 12:08 utc | 42

Typo; "to shoot in the back those soliers would not go over the top"
Should be; to shoot in the back those soldiers who would not go over the top

Sorry.

Posted by: Stonebird | Aug 3 2022 12:09 utc | 43

Re: Pesky

For eight years of war the positions in Peski remained exactly where they were in July 2014. The trenches can be clearly seen on satellite view on Google Maps. Note the blue and yellow power pylons right in front of the DPR lines.

This is one of the most memorable videos from the eight years of civil war in the Ukraine: A call from the bank in Kiev.

"A call to the frontline" - video from the trenches and dugouts of Donetsk – Forbes ru
The fighter in Vostok Battalion tries to tell the "devushka" at the the other end of the line there is no bank, no house, no nothing. There is war, everything is in ruins. The people in Kiev refused to believe, until eight years later the war came to their doorsteps.

Posted by: Petri Krohn | Aug 3 2022 12:12 utc | 44

Posted by: James | Aug 3 2022 10:42 utc | 30

I despise the Western politicians who have supported the Ukrainian state since 2014 knowing about it extreme nationalist and Nazi nature. One accepts that politicians accept corruption.

There exists no statute of limitations for war crime.
Providing material support to those who commit war crime is itself a war crime.

The Sgt Schultze defence of "I know nothing" does not apply. There will at some point be a formal war crimes tribunal established and evidence of war crime will be presented and made available for the entire world to judge.

I doubt Trudeau's legacy will be one which he wants even his children to contemplate.

Posted by: Sushi | Aug 3 2022 12:22 utc | 45

The comments to that article on the Ukropian propaganda site that our host linked exhibit the tragedy of delusion crashing into reality.

"I don't understand...!"
"What about the himars...?"
"How can this be...?"

As amazing and unbelievable as it may seem to be, many people in the West actually entirely believe that the Ukraine is achieving success upon success on the battlefield while the Russians are being destroyed. What so many in the West believe is an almost perfect inversion of reality.

Reality abides, though, and when it reasserts itself over delusion the experience can be quite traumatic for the delusional. I certainly wish there were an easier way to retrieve people from delusion.

Posted by: William Gruff | Aug 3 2022 12:29 utc | 46

POLITICIANS ARE JUST CRIMINALS!
So mutch personal tragedies for some 5 km of land and unimportant town named 'Sand' (Peski, Piski) which eventualy will become boring statistics in historical annals.

Heroes are ment to be dead or maybe captives somewhere far away. When they are alive with all the human toughts they are not sutch. "Nation of Heroes" could not be alive eather. This is so sad.

Posted by: Alef | Aug 3 2022 12:31 utc | 47

"Accordingly, a ceasefire and separation of forces should be a priority for the United States and its allies. The United States has the tools and experience to make it happen"

The voice speaking is the Deep State...

Posted by: c1ue | Aug 3 2022 11:48 utc | 38

That's going to be a first!

Grotesquely bad joke!

Posted by: Jpc | Aug 3 2022 12:34 utc | 48

b chronicles the first step in a breakthrough.

Once the DPR/LPR/RF are through the 404 version of the Maginot Line (under construction since 2014) there is little beyond but open steppe. If hell is encountered in a system of trenches and concrete emplacements image what it will be lke to come under the same fire when out on the open steppe, devoid of protections and subject to air and artillery attack. Read descriptions of the first day on the Somme to gain some perspective on the degree of destruction.

At some point the 404 forces no longer constitute an effective fighting force. This point of collapse is coming closer and becoming apparent even to them. The will to resist will cease and a retreat to the north and west will follow similar to the German retreat following the Falaise pocket. The Wehrmacht retreated so quickly the allies had difficulty keeping up.

Once this collapse and retreat commences I suspect we will see the start of Phase III which will seek the capture of the remaining Black Sea littoral, the city of Odessa, and creation of a link to the Russian population in Transinistra.

Once this is achieved the DPR/LPR/RF may then be willing to open negotiations with what remains of the Z regime. If Z participates it will be from his estate in Miami. If he is lucky enough to get that far.

Posted by: Sushi | Aug 3 2022 12:39 utc | 49

Sushi @48: "If he is lucky enough to get that far."

Nazis are hideous monsters, and they are not really all that bright, but they most certainly are expecting a Jewish president to sell them out if he gets the chance. For this reason I would bet that the Nazis have their guard dogs watching Z-boy's every step.

Now the Nazis' handlers in the CIA could probably throw the dogs some red meat and extract Z-boy while the Nazis are distracted, but why would they bother? Once Z-boy's utility to the empire in Kiev is expended the CIA will not waste another dime on him.

Z-boy will be very lucky indeed if he gets to enjoy his Miami mansion.

Posted by: William Gruff | Aug 3 2022 13:03 utc | 50

@ Alef | Aug 3 2022 12:31 utc | 46

Yes. I feel terrible about what USUK is doing or has done to these people and so many others.

@ William Gruff | Aug 3 2022 12:29 utc | 45

I wonder whether the scumbags can potentially close the gap between fantasy and reality by way of a nuke false flag.

Or maybe opening a new front (Taiwan) will so distract any semi-woke sheeple that the narrative can be changed with no explanation?

@ : c1ue | Aug 3 2022 11:48 utc

>> The voice speaking is the Deep State...

Hmmm… But, doesn’t it read as though it were written by Elensky’s comedy team?

Posted by: dfg | Aug 3 2022 13:03 utc | 51

I think we need to make it clear that there is no such thing as a "war crime" if there is no such thing as international law. The USA has refused bit by bit to honor international law and have systematically and deliberately violated every part of what was once part of international law--just look at the violations of the Geneva Conventions on War in Iraq and elsewhere. So those of you who talk about war crimes just stop it. There is no generally recognized court, no enforcement mechanism and the great superpower has replaced international law with a "rule-based order" manufactured in Washington. These rules change as the mafia-state changes its policies.

As for the nobility of the Ukrainian soldier--when people experience danger and death as part of a common ethnic group heroism is normal and for people deeply committed to an ideology that helps them feel they are part of something bigger than their own petty concerns death is almost welcomed and danger becomes addictive. For me it was always hard for me to understand the loyalty so many US vets are proud of their role in "defending our freedoms" when that idea is not even slightly accurate but a convenient story they must tell themselves. Chris Hedges wrote about the psychology of war (War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning) some twenty hears ago and should be part of our understanding of that subject and the account of the Ukrainian soldier.

Posted by: Chris Cosmos | Aug 3 2022 13:05 utc | 52

RB | Aug 3 2022 10:57 utc | 33

As for their ability to stay at the frontlines, they have the quality as the Russians, being that they were one in the great patriotic war.
Difference now being is that Ukraine SSR after declaring its independence chose to follow the american pied piper.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 11:16 utc | 34


I don't think it's becouse America. At first it's mostly becouse of ukrainians. America could teach a lot of bad things but ultimately it is up to them to chose. Alsou europeans particulary poles did a lot to create this situation. I don't think it is always american guilt.
If you would listen to ukrainian sources just everything is the guilt of Putin, russians, jews, oligarchs whatever, just not themselves. They always are not guilty. Now it is alsou american guilt. (Who teached ukrainian regime to kill wrong journalists, Putin or the USA?)


Ukrainian army certainly is strong, stronger than most of the armies of the world. I think ukrainians are mostly simmilar to russians, maybe more talkative, dark haired and eyed like population to the south often does. More creative in arts.
Constant lies, criminality and all the features of failed nations and those that lived ower numbers of foreign conquerors. Ukrainian politics is very fun and full of jokes and comedy. All the good politics are boring, throught. Russia after mongol conquest sweared never again to allow foreign rule. There is a small Belarus, they are kind of slow and engage in trickery, more scandinavian like. They are so blond that belarussians made soviet army of Red Finland- Karelia. Dictator of Belarus killed some oponents but at least he is mostly good willed. So he standed for the peace as mutch as he could.

Some of them were actualy a nazi followers with a lot of crimes against humanity. The new ukrainian nation did not chose to confess their sins instead they angaged in pride.

In Ukraine they have nihilistic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misanthropic_Division with motto "Töten für Wotan" (Death for Odin). In Russia folowers of these ideas were publicly ridiculed as national-homosexualists, non russians, just every nazi leader was found to have a jewish ancestry and eventualy they all ended in prison in cells with a muslim inmates.

Ukrainians plaied a mayor role in Soviet Union empire.

In loving memory of Ukraine...

Posted by: Alef | Aug 3 2022 13:06 utc | 53

It is a mystery that the line hasn't collapsed already. Also, the situation around the city Donetsk. Hopefully the line is rolled back soon, or firing ceases and terms.

Posted by: Josh | Aug 3 2022 13:11 utc | 54

This situation report and the announced evacuation of Donetsk by Zelensky over the weekend suggests that the Ukrainian side will use longer range missiles to obliterate the area completely. A last flailing of the fists before total chaos erupts.
We are entering what will probably be the most dangerous phase of this war.

Posted by: VtObserver | Aug 3 2022 13:17 utc | 55

U.S. MSM reporting ... 'Ukrainian counter-battery fire is devastating Russian artillery.'

Their algorithm is quite simple, report the exact opposite of what is happening. I recently read how 'the world is shocked by pictures of Russians mutilating Ukrainian POWs'

Posted by: Christian J. Chuba | Aug 3 2022 13:20 utc | 56

The war crimes. To what length will the governments of Russia and the breakaway republics go after this war is over to arrest the war criminals? I’m sure the US won’t hand over any US war criminals for trial. So will the need for unofficial methods of taking custody of the criminals be used? Like was done with Eichmann, snatched from South America, tried and executed. Z won’t be safe in Miami, Lindsay won’t be safe in DC etc.

Posted by: Neal | Aug 3 2022 13:21 utc | 57

Killing the Nazi prisoners with the himars is kinda like throwing a grenade into a pit trap full of rats. While it is difficult to feel sympathy for the Nazi rats, being bombed while in a cage is still a rather gruesome end. I am confident this is something that the Ukrainian Nazis are thinking on as deeply as their rodent minds can manage. I doubt they are at all convinced by Z-boy's claim that the Russians did it, and as such they may be moving up the deadline for Z-boy's forced retirement.

Posted by: William Gruff | Aug 3 2022 13:22 utc | 58

Posted by: Christian J. Chuba | Aug 3 2022 13:20 utc | 56

There is certain psychology. Look at what they say about their enemy. And you 'll notice they are talking about their own wrongs.

Posted by: Alef | Aug 3 2022 13:24 utc | 59

Unless, of course, there are some decision makers who believe themselves to be somehow immune to unpredictable situations.

Posted by: Josh | Aug 3 2022 13:25 utc | 60

Funny how over 2000 years of experience points squarely to the US today. The US hungers for war, without ever caring that karma is simply cause and effect, not mysticism.

Posted by: TPaine | Aug 3 2022 9:24 utc | 12

Most of "the US" are cannon fodder sheeple like those being ground up in Ukraine today. None of them want any of this and never have. So I think we have to narrow things down a lot better than using simplistic terms like US, China, Nazis, fascists etc. Until we can better name and specifically identify who is responsible for what we will continue to flounder.

For what you didn't mention is that the wheel of samsara spins from ignorance, the prime lubricant and fuel for karmically driven phenomena in this apparently solid, lasting world. That ignorance is the essential contribution that We The Sheeple provide for this whole sorry business to keep spinning this infinitely interwoven tartan of self-perpetuating sorrow, or dukkha.

Posted by: Scorpion | Aug 3 2022 13:28 utc | 61

Alef | Aug 3 2022 13:06 utc | 53

Alef you seem genuine but this look at US through rose coloured glasses with so much of its modus operandi now known...?

Goering's quote is what US/UK have done to Ukraine...
“Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

That is how easy it is.

Literally. US has the added advantage of the Galician nazi's/facists who are no different to ISIS and other UN designated US terrorist proxies. Just as Islamic extremists multiplied rapidly under the US war of terror, so too have the Ukraine extremists after Ukraine came under US control in 2014.

A large number of those that followed the US pied piper are now in mass graves on the battlefields of Ukraine unrecognized by the Kiev proxy government which saves paying compensation to the families.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 13:32 utc | 62

The one thing that can end the war without more suffering would be the Ukrainian working class uniting around an anti-war, anti-militarist, platform and saying "enough is enough," and bringing the war front home via general strike. But this is a pipe dream. Nationalism is a death cult in which most of our society participates. Class consciousness is systematically repressed and derided in favor of nationalist delusions. But the delusions are being confronted with a reality that the Ukrainian nationalist project is close to defeat.

Posted by: fnord | Aug 3 2022 13:34 utc | 63

At some point the truth will out to the wider American public, despite the MSM and Wash DC’s propaganda that implies Ukraine is winning against Russia, “they just need more American tax dollars and weapons.”

Douglas MacGregor was telling the truth from the very beginning, and for his truth he was essentially banned from most news outlets.

Not only is our Ukraine policy going to destroy Ukraine, it is also going to destroy whatever vestige of credibility remains of the MSM and globalist politicians.

It’s as if our “ruling elite” are either completely incompetent, or they are purposefully sowing harm and destruction.

Posted by: A A Ron | Aug 3 2022 13:36 utc | 64

Scorpion | Aug 3 2022 13:28 utc | 61

Anyone who questions enough to find their way to media other than official propaganda are not "we the sheeple". The Goering quote covers the sheeple. It is the best observation I know of, of basic human character - the social or herd animal.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 13:40 utc | 65

Looks like it's time to determine exactly who will be "the last Ukrainian." The USA probably assumes he or she will be the very last Ukrainian alive in the Ukraine. Everyone else will have already been killed, gloriously sacrificing their lives to kill Russians for the USA. The Ukrainians, however, may have a different idea. They could hold a lottery to decide. It would be different from most lotteries because everyone would be a winner except for one. But prizes could be offered to the family of "the last Ukrainian." There is much opportunity here and it would be a shame to waste it by allowing chance, or the Russians, to determine who will be "the last Ukrainian."

Posted by: Chas | Aug 3 2022 13:41 utc | 66

VtObserver @55: "...suggests that the Ukrainian side will use longer range missiles to obliterate the area completely."

If they could they would have already. It is not as if the Nazi regime in the Ukraine cares about civilians. If they did they wouldn't be using the civilians as shields. The Ukropians wouldn't be setting up firing points in schools and hospitals and apartment buildings if they cared about civilians. They would be firing their artillery from fields far from civilians rather then from downtown if they cared at all about civilians.

The fact of the matter is that the Nazi regime in the Ukraine doesn't care about civilian casualties at all. In fact, since moronic consumers of mass media in the West so readily believe the lies that it is always the Russians slaughtering the civilians, the Nazi regime wants there to be more dead civilians. The Nazis can kill as many civilians as they want and moronic mouth-breathing presstitutes in the West will chant in unison that the Russians did it. The Nazis get to kill a civilian population that doesn't like them and the killing gets blamed on the Russians. Slaughtering civilians is thus win-win for the Ukropian Nazis thanks to how stupid and delusional people in the West are.

Posted by: William Gruff | Aug 3 2022 13:48 utc | 67

Cursedze, compare him to shitler in his last days, delusional, a satanic liar, and doesn't do ANY fighting, throwing the old and/or untrained (or criminally too little) into almost certain death - unless they are fortunate enough to surrender, i.e. survive the massive Allied artillery bombardment.

So far, 12 people have been maimed by the petal mines in the DPR.

Posted by: Ralph | Aug 3 2022 13:51 utc | 68

# RB
Wrote : " I have never served in the military. Is the organization so strong that even the unwilling are forced to fight to the death?
Well, I served in the NVA (GDR), do you think that WE voluntarily shot at the Bundeswehr?
There are and were 100% convinced in every unit, here probably Asov supporters !!
Means you refuse or just say out loud that the senseless is dying, and a bullet hits you from behind!
Why do you think the rest of the retreating Ukrainian units were fired on by their own artillery?
coincidence, accidental? Or command to deter others?
I know what I'm talking about, it would have been the same for us back then, NO ONE in East Germany (NVA) wanted to fight the West = Bundeswehr, but it would have had to. In a company you are never sure who will shoot you or betray you!

Posted by: mm6 | Aug 3 2022 13:53 utc | 69

Before the War started I was listening to long and very serious speach by Putin. He said that if they so mutch don't like soviet past, lets give up their soviet territorial gifts. I guess they planned to take only most recent ukrainian teritorial gains not including Odessa. I hope so. I would not want this to continiue.

I once read some comment by russian nazi, that they so often heard that russian nazi leader have jewish ancestry that in they nazi march they were afraid to shout antisemitic slogans becouse their leader could be offended. I don't think they truly believe in Hitlers ideas. It must be more like total nihilism and hate for just everything. As openly states: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misanthropic_Division
After loads of conspiracy theories they could finaly accepted that their leader would be jewish;)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ihor_Kolomoyskyi sponsored nationalist batallions with neo nazi simbolics and at the same time founded a European Jewish Union. Ukraine is not USA or Germany but mostly they don't have an ideology at all. I guess they just follow those with power.

Posted by: Alef | Aug 3 2022 13:55 utc | 70

Give Galicia the freedom it so deserves!

Here is the original post by Serhiy Hnezdilov / Sergey Gnezdilov. His Facebook page gives this information:

Chairman of the Board/Founder at LYUDY

Functionary at Ukrainian Students for Freedom

Studied at Lviv Polytechnic National University

Went to Vilkovo school-lyceum №2

Followed by 8,311 people

Evidently he survived the retreat from Peski, as he made his latest post four hours ago.

The web page of Ukrainian Students for Freedom tells us the meaning of "freedom"; absolute subjugation to The Empire! (Note the picture of the torch from the Statue of Liberty.)

Serhiy mentions the reservists.

The reserve goes to the position, closes the breakthrough, and after five minutes, only one of the 15 people remains intact.

These are Russian-speaking cannon fodder fed into the trenches.

Russian telegram channels have more information on what are likely these same 15 men. Five of them survived and surrendered to DPR forces.

All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company reporter Andrey Rudenko @RtrDonetsk

Today, Somalia fighters took the first Ukrainian military prisoners in the village of Peski. Our units have already entered it and are fighting inside the settlement.

Why do I write that the military, and not the Nazis? Yes, everything is very simple. The Nazis fled their positions. And instead of them, frightened mobilized from the Nikolaev region were brought at night.

They brought them at night, unloaded them and said that now they will be in these positions. They weren't even told what the locality was.

And most importantly, the commander took their documents from them so that they would not run away.

At the positions where they were transferred, there were 12 more people from the 23rd brigade (motorized infantry). There was not a single officer or even a sergeant in the trenches. All of them, according to the gallant tradition of the Ukrainian army, remained in the rear.

More precisely, there was one sergeant, and this is the oldest of the five mobilized. Apparently, this title was given to him because he is the most respectable in age. And so he is a builder, if that.

A few hours later, shelling began, and then the realization came to them that they were at the forefront. After a while the shelling died down and they went out to see what was going on. But no one was in position. A brave platoon from the 23rd brigade vanished like morning mist and even took away the radios.

A little later, our battalion "Somalia" went on the attack in this direction. The mobilized Ukrainians made the right decision - not to resist. And so they were captured unharmed. They themselves thank the Somali fighters for the fact that their war is over and they are now safe with us.

@rt_special

https://t.me/swodki/142220 - Aug 1 at 21:16

Posted by: Petri Krohn | Aug 3 2022 14:05 utc | 71

Posted by: William Gruff | Aug 3 2022 12:29 utc | 46
"As amazing and unbelievable as it may seem to be, many people in the West actually entirely believe that the Ukraine is achieving success upon success on the battlefield while the Russians are being destroyed."

People believe what TV says. In addition there's censorship for Russian websites and channels, cia and all those generals and experts that appear on TV, politicians they all lie about Ukr.

I'm convinced that they had at least two ideas. One is to dumb down Western population to accept sanctions that hurt them more and make them haters of everything Russian. Because EU are idiots and puppets, they expected Russia's economy to collapse ("it's smaller than Italy, they only sell some oil and gas" msm said), they didn't expect it was them who are going to collapse. That explains the crazy sanctions, they thought it was going to last 3-6 months and then free energy from Russia.
The second is to brainwash Ukr army and population to suicide. zely and the nazis also take part in this brainwashing movie. I bet that most of Ukr have no idea how many of them are already dead. Ukr army doesn't collect most of dead bodies, they list everyone as missing. No money for family, no contact. Surely Starlink has a censored internet, we don't know what soldiers see or what messages they get.

When it's over, msm propaganda will say that Russians are lying, they've lost millions of soldiers and all their weapons and money, Putin is hiding, things like that.

Talking about idiots: shooting lessons will become mandatory in Polish schools

Posted by: rk | Aug 3 2022 14:05 utc | 72

With this horror increasing, the Chinese were very wise to not respond to the deliberate provocation and attempted distraction.

I know now I will not see the restoration of honor to this country, the US; I only hope my children will.

This is murder most foul.

Posted by: juliania | Aug 3 2022 14:09 utc | 73

Lots of weapons everywhere unaccountable!

Posted by: Jpc | Aug 3 2022 10:30 utc | 25

This last line of your comment reminds me of . . .

"In the mid-1990's , Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma ordered a parliamentary commission to investigate the rate at which arms went missing from his bases. The report found that of Ukraine's eighty-nine billion dollars in military stocks in 1992, by 1998 thirty-two billion dollars had mysteriously evaporated. "
"No sooner was the report ready , however, than the commission was mysteriously closed down. All seventeen volumes of work dissappeared. The head of the commission, General Olesksandr Ignatenko, was court-martialled and stripped of his rank. The only publisher willing to go public about the findings, a Kiev newsletter editor named Sehry Odarych, was ambushed one night outside his apartment , shot in the leg as a warning and told as he writhed in pain . . . 'Stop getting mixed up in politics, or we'll eliminate you .' ".

Quote Outlaws inc. by Matt Potter. ( read about Bout here too )

Posted by: Fíréan | Aug 3 2022 14:11 utc | 74

Posted by: juliania | Aug 3 2022 14:09 utc | 73

That which never existed cannot be restored.

Posted by: David F | Aug 3 2022 14:17 utc | 75

Chris Cosmos @52: "As for the nobility of the Ukrainian soldier...[mystical nonsense follows]"

Bullshit.

Check out the video linked by too scents @9 above. There is no "nobility" among the Ukropian troops, only brainwashing. The Ukrainian Nazi regime are not the victims, they are the aggressors. The common Ukrainian troops can be considered victims, but not of "Russian aggression". They are victims of outright lies fed to them by National Endowment for Democracy (that is CIA) propaganda reinforced by years of jingoism and yellow journalism, and not just in the Ukraine. The lies that turned the Ukrainian people into rabid dogs were and remain 100% aided and abetted by all of the presstitues of western mass media and the selective censoring of social media.

Every last individual working for western mass media (no exceptions here at all) is a whore for the war machine and is responsible for feeding poison to the Ukrainian people. If you work in any capacity for western mass media then know that you are why Ukrainians are dying. Accept your culpability and stop trying to pass the blame off on the Russians, or worse trying to ascribe Ukrainian psychosis to some mystical bullshit. You created the psychosis that turned Ukrainians into mad dogs that have to be put down.

Posted by: William Gruff | Aug 3 2022 14:20 utc | 76

Unverified veracity, but I’ve read reports suggesting that there are almost no Russian forces fighting in Donbas right now. This is all militias and Wagner. In fact, judging by social media output it doesn’t even look like many Chechens are fighting along this line. That would mean this pressure on the Ukrainian line is coming from the minimum “Russian” force and still making enough progress to threaten serious Ukrainian collapse. If this is true, the serious buildup in the south puts the Ukr command in a tough spot: where to put limited reinforcements. The Kherson “counter offensive” was never real, it was an excuse to move material south from watching Russia’s buildup. But now what?

I thought Phase II was liberation of Donbas and phase III wouldn’t start until that was complete. That may be correct and the buildup for Phase III is to help that, but leaving it to the militias entirely suggests I’m wrong (I thought primarily for the historical facet of them liberating their own lands). Perhaps there’s a planned overlap of the phases and Russia is waiting for Ukraine to move troops back to Donbas or waiting for a big crack to appear on the Donbas line and then take advantage of the chaos.

Or, Russia is simply in no hurry because it can manage this pace of operations indefinitely and through winter even. Every day of it makes western populations a little more unhappy with their lot for the sake of Ukraine and gets closer and closer to the complete breakdown of the Ukrainian state. The point where the AFU turns on the state is impossible to predict, but the trajectory towards it seems set.

Posted by: Lex | Aug 3 2022 14:25 utc | 77

USA have hundreds of proxies. Most of them are not willing to kill their compatriots as "colorado beetles" or murder journalists with wrong opinions. (Some even are not willing to have US military in their country prefaring units of 51th state.) Alsou the corruption and theft is becouse of russians, communists or whatever just not themselves.
Their hate slogans are their invention and ultimately ukrainians could chose any other senior instead of USA. Some even wanted China as their senior. 10 - 20 years agou they alsou could chose the independance.

* * *

Some eastern european authors are speaking about death of their nations. If you look at demographics or deindustrialisation it looks so. Ukraine pretty mutch would alsou be the case.

Now the european (and imigrant) men will have a lot of free and beautifull woman. Ukrainian woman alredy was very welcome as their grooms are in the meat grinder.

Posted by: Alef | Aug 3 2022 14:26 utc | 78

Yes - after this is all finished; there will be international war crimes trials with stunning revelations. Tens of thousands of NATOland commanders, foot soldiers, clerks, political leaders, and all sorts of bureaucrat ‘war planners’ will be indicted and tried.

Posted by: Exile | Aug 3 2022 10:39 utc | 28

Wishful thinking, who is going to round them all up and assemble or manufacture the evidence?

There was a war crimes trial for Bush, Blair, Cheney, etc. in-absentia in Malaysia a few years back. The outcome... Malaysia Airlines lost a couple of planes.

Posted by: Opport Knocks | Aug 3 2022 14:30 utc | 79

Alef @70: "Ukraine is not USA or Germany but mostly they don't have an ideology at all."

Of course. The Ukraine was never any more than an artificial construct created by the Soviet Union in an effort to craft the most perfect state. The Soviet Union gave the Ukraine the best of everything so that when it matured it would be the greatest country in human history.

Sadly the USSR got dismantled while the Ukraine was still barely more than an infant, whereupon the Ukraine was immediately gang-raped by the West. The idea of Ukrainian culture could not exist outside of its cradle in the Soviet Union for many more decades to come, so the Ukrainian identity became whatever western pimps told the Ukrainians that they were.

It sure is a tragedy.

Posted by: William Gruff | Aug 3 2022 14:41 utc | 80

b,
Thanks for this.

These are human beings, brothers fighting against brothers.

It's an absolute tragedy. Only made possible and encouraged by malevolent outside forces.

Posted by: Parfum | Aug 3 2022 14:45 utc | 81

Gnezdilov crying over heaps of corpses that are not worth one child's life stolen by Nazi hands. I hope more of them are wiped from the face of the earth.
Zero Sympathy

Posted by: ld | Aug 3 2022 14:53 utc | 82

Lex | Aug 3 2022 14:25 utc | 77

Shoigu ordered a stepping up of counter battery operations. Russian artillery clears the path and once nothing is moving Donbas forces stroll in.
Writing that reminds of something in grandfathers diary. He and his mate were scouts. There was to be two consecutive raids on the German trenches that night so they go out to find the gaps in the German wire before dark.
The thing that blew me was that they walked up to the wire in daylight. His mate got wacked though grandfather survived both the enemy machine gun fire that pinned him at the wire and the artillery barrage that rolled through to cut the wire.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 14:59 utc | 83

If this is true and is possibly a common thread with Ukrainian commanders on the front line, one could expect them to break ranks and retreat soon.

"Commanders of the units of the 132nd reconnaissance battalion of the Ukrainian military near Kharkov refused to follow the orders of the command because of high losses, follows from the summary of the Ministry of Defense of Russia.
"In the vicinity of the village of Nortsovka Kharkiv region due to high losses from artillery fire, the commanders of the units of the 132nd reconnaissance battalion refused to follow the orders of the command,"

https://ria.ru/20220803/spetsoperatsiya-1806887206.html

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 3 2022 14:59 utc | 84

The RF yet again destroys another warehouse full of foreign made weapons.


" Russian military strikes with high-precision long-range missiles from the air destroyed a base in the Lviv region where foreign-made weapons and ammunition received by Ukraine from Poland were stored, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
"High-precision air-launched long-range missiles near the village of Radekhiv Lviv region the storage base with the received by the Kiev regime from Poland weapons and ammunition of foreign production," the military department said in a summary."


https://ria.ru/20220803/spetsoperatsiya-1806885890.html

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 3 2022 15:02 utc | 85

The United States clumsily tries to excuse the Kiev regime, claiming that its strike on the Yelenovka settlement was unpremeditated, although Washington earlier pointed to the HIMARS high accuracy, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said on Wednesday.

"Moreover, in planning strikes, the Ukrainian military actively uses space and air reconnaissance data received from the Army of the United States and its allies while US representatives prepare assignments for firing,"

Premeditated more like.


https://tass.com/politics/1488855

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 3 2022 15:05 utc | 86

This confirms my (86) comment.

"The United States controls the Kiev regime’s strikes by HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) to avoid expending rockets on false targets, Vladimir Rogov, a member of the chief council of the Zaporozhye Region military-civilian administration told TASS on Wednesday.

Ukrainian intelligence official Vadim Skibitsky said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph newspaper on Tuesday that Ukraine held consultations with the United States before using HIMARS weapons and Washington had an opportunity to cancel strikes, if it was dissatisfied with the intended target."


https://tass.com/politics/1488529

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 3 2022 15:07 utc | 87

@ Republicofscotland | Aug 3 2022 15:07 utc | 87 with the report of US control over HIMAR usage

But no boots on the ground/s

Part of the education of the public that needs to occur is to understand what a proxy war is. There are US and NATO boots on the ground all through the Ukraine nightmare but we are not talking much about that, why? I agree with others that note that high profile folks were captured at azvostal and they have yet to be reported about which, IMO, could turn Western public support against this ongoing murder of humans in their name.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Aug 3 2022 15:14 utc | 88

When I was young, the were often articles in the media of Israel hunting down WWII nazi's - war criminals. Now all the the heirs of Nazism apartheid state can do is endorse the rise of those that took a large enthusiastic part in the killing of jews, communists, russians, poles, roma and whoever else. Nazi's led by a Jewish comedian...Tattooed swastikas, tattooed portraits of bandera ect ect.
Sorry b but the hypocrisy of the Jewish apartheid state is a bit much for me.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 15:16 utc | 89

Wow..so many Russian genocidal Nazis here promoting their wishful bullshit, while 40 000 Nazi shitheads have been killed already and Russia is begging for talks every day before their Nazi state will be destroyed by brave Ukrainian freedom fighters.

Posted by: wow | Aug 3 2022 15:22 utc | 90

Re: post-war war crimes trials
….,who is going to round them all up and assemble or (gather) the evidence?…..

The new gov‘ts in erstwhile NATOland will be more than pleased to hand over their indicted henchmen from the prior regime.

Posted by: Exile | Aug 3 2022 15:24 utc | 91

wow | Aug 3 2022 15:22 utc | 90

Cool satire, bro! I laughed!

Posted by: William Gruff | Aug 3 2022 15:27 utc | 92

psychohistorian | Aug 3 2022 15:14 utc | 88

US Taiwan relations act and its redoing of the Taiwan Embassy after officially recognizing PRC as the government of China gives an understanding of how US mans its HMARS.

https://vk.com/@739151204-taiwan-relations-act-of-1979
Provides for relations between the United States and Taiwan to be conducted by or through the American Institute in Taiwan (or such comparable successor nongovernmental entity as the President may designate) and an instrumentality established by the people of Taiwan.

Sets forth the duties the Institute may authorize any of its employees in Taiwan to perform, including, but not limited to, administration or taking from any person an oath, affirmation, affidavit, or deposition and any other acts such as are authorized to be performed for consular purposes which assist or protect the persons and property of citizens or entities of United States nationality.

Stipulates that the Institute shall be treated as a tax-exempt organization.

Authorizes U.S. departments and agencies to furnish and accept service to and from the Institute.

Authorizes the President to extend to the instrumentality established by the people on Taiwan the same number of offices and complement of personnel as previously operated in the United States by the government recognized as the Republic of China prior to January 1, 1979.

Authorizes the President to extend to the instrumentality established by the people on Taiwan privileges and immunities comparable to those provided to missions of foreign countries, upon the condition that similar privileges and immunities are extended on a reciprocal basis to the Institute.

Authorizes U.S. departments and agencies to allow Federal officers and employees to separate from Federal service and accept employment with the Institute. Provides for the reinstatement of such employees with their former department or agency with no loss of rights and benefits. Stipulates that alien employees of U.S. departments and agencies be transferred to the Institute. Stipulates that employees of the Institute shall not be Federal employees. Exempts certain amounts received by employees of the Institute from taxation.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 3 2022 15:27 utc | 93

@34 RB
If history can be an approximate guide, the proxy army can usually keep going regardless of losses, as long as the supplies and payola are plentiful. Also necessary, are a handful of 'trainers' in each big unit, to bolster the command. Mercenaries can take the place of official trainers, provided they can convincingly play the part, ie represent the sponsor countries in the minds of the proxy commanders. Something like 1:100 ratio at least.

Posted by: ptb | Aug 3 2022 15:34 utc | 94

The new gov‘ts in erstwhile NATOland will be more than pleased to hand over their indicted henchmen from the prior regime.

Posted by: Exile | Aug 3 2022 15:24 utc | 91

Proving it really is a short hop from wishful thinking to delusional.

Posted by: Opport Knocks | Aug 3 2022 15:53 utc | 95

Of course, if you prefer, you can go ahead and have 'Pelosi' airlifted into Avdeevka to stand in solidarity with Ukrainian freedom fighters, and find out just how much stupid shit your local populations will actually put up with.
Dealer's choice, I suppose...

Posted by: Josh | Aug 3 2022 15:54 utc | 96

o/t Taiwan situation

The People's Daily once again carries the article of the Global Times. This isn't just the voice of the hawkish fringe. Core message: had enough, done playing.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2022/0803/c90000-10130506.html

In addition to violating the one-China principle and the Three Communiqués between China and the US, the visit also violates the United Nations Resolution 2758. Some politicians in the US use the so-called separation of powers as a guise to try to shirk responsibility. Their argument doesn't hold water at all.
...
China's countermeasures will not be one-off but a combination of long-term, resolute and steadily advancing actions.
...
From the de facto breaking of the "median line" of the Taiwan Straits, to PLA's regular patrols in Taiwan's southwest "airspace" and full circle flights around the island, to the clear emphasis that the Taiwan Straits are not international waters, every provocation by the US and Taiwan in recent years has been countered by the mainland's further strengthening of actual control over the Straits. This time won't be an exception.

Posted by: ptb | Aug 3 2022 15:55 utc | 97

Hm, flightradar24 shows a French Boeing (AF292) as approaching Russian skies and flying over Crimea. Is that an incorrect display by flightradar24 or what? This shouldn't be happening, should it?

Posted by: Scotch Bingeington | Aug 3 2022 15:58 utc | 98

Posted by: Fíréan | Aug 3 2022 14:11 utc | 74

I seem to remember something about a few train cargos of ammunition going missit.
Each equivalent to the total UK ammunition stocks.
That was the small stuff!
Maybe someone has confirmation of that story

Posted by: Jpc | Aug 3 2022 16:00 utc | 99

thanks b...

the way i see it, western media is a direct accomplice to all of this death and destruction.. they are working for the same military industrial corps and banks..

@ too scents | Aug 3 2022 9:14 utc | 9

thanks.. everyone ought to watch that 2 minute video...

@ william gruff... thanks for your numerous posts here today.. bang on..

@ Lex | Aug 3 2022 14:25 utc | 77

interesting.. thanks..... yes, i agree with your conclusion at the end too..

Posted by: james | Aug 3 2022 16:01 utc | 100

next page »

The comments to this entry are closed.