never mind. this is the right thread.
Bernhard your titles at the top can be confusing as the link to the non thread title, is larger than the title of the thread itself.
Food for thought on making it easier to see what is what.
anywho, my original comment on Ukraine for the day
Russia is playing the long game. as she always does.
the west is throwing everything it has to Ukraine, only to still see a defeated ukronazi failure. Russia continues to set the trap for Ukrainians around izum kharkov and kherson regions. although the south is pretty much already wiped out. The same will happen in the Izum attack in the coming days. with MASSIVE amounts of Ukrainian hardware being taken out. Expect a major Russian push by the end of September or early October. with the Russians taking the Donbass by the end of this winter. there will be nothing left of Ukrainians forces come spring time, and that is when we can expect Russia to take Odessa.
The Russians let the Ukrainians commit suicide time and time again, The izum offensive is no different.
Simmer Down Concern Trolls…

Posted by: BurnEye Minds3rdEye | Sep 8 2022 11:53 utc | 3

as a Russian Canadian, There is truly no one i hate more than that C-U_n-T Chrystia Freeland!
I vote for her being sent to the donbass front lines! Don’t give her Nato General power. that bitch is INSANE and will Nuke us all! I live in her country, and still fear her nuking me!

Posted by: BurnEye Minds3rdEye | Sep 8 2022 11:58 utc | 5

⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚔️ Situation in the #Kharkov direction at 13.30 on 8 Sep 2022⚡️
The situation near #Balakleya remains difficult. Nevertheless, the enemy has not yet succeeded in fully mastering the road network to the north and west of the city, cutting off the supply of the Russian grouping near #Izyum.
▪️ The AFU is trying to storm the village of #Shevchenkovo on the Balakleya-Kupyansk trunk road. The deployed reserves of the Russian Armed Forces have so far repelled the Ukrainian attacks on the village. The enemy is not trying to launch an offensive to the north.
▪️ #Balakleya remains operationally encircled and all access roads are shot. However, the city remains under the control of Russian forces: according to some sources, they have even managed to bring reinforcements there. There is also information about the successful withdrawal of SOBR units from the encirclement.
▪️ Throughout the night, the Russian Air Force operated in the air, carrying out intensive missile and bomb attacks on the advancing AFU units and their reserves. The artillery of the Russian forces, including heavy TOS-1A flame-thrower systems, also continuously struck targets. These measures partially contained the enemy, causing casualties and slowing the pace of advance.
The Ukrainian command’s closest objective is to reach the villages of #Veseloye and #Kunye and further to the Oskolskoye water reservoir. This would practically encircle the Russian Forces grouping near #Izyum, so the AFU will throw all forces to achieve the plan in the near future.
If this does not succeed, the fighting will turn into positional fighting and the Russian forces will be able to use local superiority in artillery and aviation to inflict heavy losses on the enemy.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad/7425

Posted by: unimperator | Sep 8 2022 12:06 utc | 7

What does Truss announce on her first day in the drivers seat? That she’s accepted an invitation to visit ‘Keev’. At least she follows orders promptly.

Posted by: Steve Darkmatter | Sep 8 2022 12:16 utc | 9

G7 securities trading and regulation (wut regulation?!) UPDATE!
(UA $6b/mo working capital, $600B-$700B re-cap pkg d/b/a “recovery” ask) background:
• DW | EU to set up a PLATFORM for Ukrainian reconstruction, 4 July
• euractiv | EIB to raise €100 billion to help rebuild Ukraine, 4 July
• v1.Ukrinform | Ukraine Recovery: Lugano Conference participants sign Outcome Declaration, 5 July
“guarantors“: EU-EC, AT, BE, HR, CY, ET, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IE, IT, LA, LT, LI, LU, MT, MD, NL, MK, PO, RO, SK, SI, ES; SE, NO, DK; CH, UA; US, UK, CA, TR, IS; JP, AU, KR, IL, AL; COE, EBRD, EIB, OECD
• v2. July 4-5 Ukraine Recovery/Reconstruction Conference in Lugano, CH
[road show IMAGE]
NEW! IPO prospectus inna *flation “environment”:
Economic Truth | Zelensky opened trading on the New York Stock Exchange, 6 Sep

President Volodymyr Zelensk* virtually opened stock trading at the New York Stock Exchange and presented the Advantage Ukraine portal with opportunities to invest in the Ukrainian economy. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Economy.
[…]
The Advantage Ukraine initiative is aimed at attracting investments to the country. The platform collects investment projects and opportunities in 10 industries such as: defense-industrial complex, metallurgy, energy, agro-complex, woodworking and furniture manufacturing, innovative technologies, logistics and infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, natural resources, industrial production.
Ukraine offers everyone interested a menu of potential opportunities worth more than $400 billion. The portal covers public-private partnerships, privatization[,] and private enterprises. It is noted that the Ukrainian delegation presented an investment plan in Lugano, and currently the list of real projects is increasing and becoming more diverse.
[…]
In order to create a safe and transparent environment for attracting business, Ukraine seeks to obtain investment guarantees from the “Big Seven” [ie. G7] countries and [?] the EU, and also wants to reform the tax system and is forming a legislative framework.

ROI? never o’clock

Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 8 2022 12:16 utc | 11

Re: Post #1
The twin Ukrainian offensives have indeed been a smashing success.
It would have taken weeks and months to winkle out that many Ukrainian/Polish/NATO tanks and planes.
The Ukrainian wood is definitely successfully pushing back against the Russian circular saw…

Posted by: c1ue | Sep 8 2022 12:35 utc | 13

Report of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation on the territory of Ukraine – as of September 8, 2022
🔻 In the Nikolaev-Kryvyi Rih direction, due to heavy losses in the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which formed the basis of the strike force, no offensive operations were carried out by Ukrainian troops.
▪️The Russian Aerospace Forces, missile troops and artillery continue to deliver precision strikes on units and reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this direction.
▪️The command posts of the 63rd mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of ​​BEREZNEGOVATOE of the Nikolaev region, the manpower and military equipment of the 46th airmobile, 57th motorized infantry and 28th mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of DRY STAVOK, PETROVSKOE, the tract Plotnitskoye of the Kherson region were hit , MURAKHOVKA and THORNY PODS of the Nikolaev region. In the MURAKHOVKA area of ​​the Nikolaev region, an ammunition depot was destroyed.
▪️Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Su-25 of the Ukrainian Air Force in the area of ​​​​KONSTANTINOVKA, Mykolaiv region.
▪️ As a result of heavy losses from concentrated fire strikes of the Russian Armed Forces on the positions of the 59th motorized infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of UKRAINKA, ZELENY GAY and NOVOGRIHORIEVKA of the Nikolaev region, Ukrainian servicemen refused to carry out combat missions and began an unauthorized retreat to the rear areas.
▪️In total, in the Nikolaev-Krivoy Rog direction, the enemy lost 2 tanks, 6 infantry fighting vehicles and 5 other armored vehicles, 7 pickup trucks with heavy machine guns and more than 190 military personnel per day.
▪️High-precision strikes of the Russian Aerospace Forces defeated the points of temporary deployment of units of the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade in the SLAVYANSK region and the 81st Airborne Brigade in the KRAMATORSK region of the Donetsk People’s Republic. Up to 120 Ukrainian servicemen, 15 units of armored and motor vehicles were destroyed.
🔻The strikes by operational-tactical and army aviation, missile forces and artillery on military facilities on the territory of Ukraine continue.
▪️Five command posts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit during the day, including the 72nd mechanized, 58th and 53rd motorized infantry brigades in the areas of the settlements of DZERZHINSK, SOLEDAR and ARTYOMOVSK of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the 1st tank brigade in the area of ​​​​the settlement of NOVONIKOLAEVKA, Zaporozhye region, as well as fifty-one artillery units, manpower and military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 167 districts.
▪️Five depots of rocket and artillery weapons and ammunition were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of LABOR in the Zaporozhye region, KURAKHOVO, KONSTANTINOVKA, SEVERSK of the Donetsk People’s Republic and BALAKLEYA in the Kharkiv region.
▪️In addition, in the area of ​​​​the settlement of BELAYA KRYNYTSA, Mykolaiv region, a launcher of the Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system was destroyed, and in the area of ​​MALOMIKHAILOVKA, Dnepropetrovsk region, a radar station for detecting and tracking air targets.
▪️The air defense systems of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down 13 unmanned aerial vehicles in the areas of the settlements of CHERVONOSELOVKA, OCHERETOVATE and ALEKSANDROVKA in the Zaporozhye region, VLADIMIROVKA, the railway station MANDRYKINO, KIRILLOVKA and NOVOANDREEVKA in the Donetsk People’s Republic, LYUBIMOVKA, KRESCHENOVKA, KIROVALOVKA in TOMSON BIROVOVKA region, ALISOVKA in Kharkiv region, SENKOVKA in Chernihiv region, as well as the Tochka-U ballistic missile in the area of ​​RAKOVKA in Kherson region.
▪️In addition, 19 rocket launchers of multiple launch rocket systems were intercepted in the air, including 16 – HIMARS in the areas of NOVAYA KAKHOVKA, YOUTH, Kherson region, NOVOSINOVO, GRUSHEVKA, Kharkiv region and 3 rockets of the Alder multiple launch rocket system – in the area of ​​ANTONOVKA, Kherson region .
▪️In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 293 aircraft, 152 helicopters, 1910 unmanned aerial vehicles, 374 anti-aircraft missile systems, 4863 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 826 combat vehicles of multiple launch rocket systems, 3369 field artillery guns and mortars, and also 5387 units of special military vehicles.

Posted by: Summary | Sep 8 2022 12:41 utc | 15

btw
EC | EU-U.S. LNG TRADE a/o Jan 2022, illustrated

Europe is currently importing around 90% of the gas it needs […] Since the meeting of US and EU Commission Presidents in 2018, U.S. LNG exports into Europe increased by 2240%.[…]The fact is that U.S. LNG, if priced competitively, can play an important role in EU gas supply, enhancing diversification and EU energy security.

Then, three (3) miracles occurred!
• the discovery of EU “Russian gas embargo” price-fixing and bid-rigging

Yellen said she would use the forum to continue to push for a cap on Russian oil prices that would limit Moscow’s ability to finance its war and while curbing global inflation.

• APsplainin

Russian pipeline gas accounted for 40% [~ 155 bcm] of all imported gas into Europe before Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February but now only accounts for 9%, von der Leyen [eh?]. Norway now delivers more gas to the bloc than Russia.

• Ukraine will increase electricity exports to EU to 300 MW during peak hours

The European Network of Transmission System Operators ENTSO] for Electricity has increased the available capacity for the export of electricity from Ukraine to the European Union
[…]
On the first day of delivery on September 5, it will be distributed in the direction of Romania in the amount of 125 MW, and Slovakia – 175 MW in the day and night hours of the auctions for access to interstate crossings.As Ukrainian News reported, since the end of June, Ukraine has earned UAH 2 billion [EUR 54,690,849] from exporting electricity to Europe.

Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 8 2022 12:52 utc | 17

A very interesting op-ed at RT today by Dmitry Trenin. He argues that Russia’s strategic objectives expanded after Ukraine-at NATO insistence- ended peace talks earlier this year. In particular he says, to ‘de-Nazification’ and ‘de-militarisation’ it is now necessary to add the return of all the Russian territories transferred by the USSR to the Ukrainian SSR. For those who cannot access RT here is a taste:
“….From the spring of 2022, as the fighting continued, Moscow expanded its aims. These now included the “de-Nazification” of Ukraine, meaning not only the removal of ultra-nationalist and anti-Russian elements from the Ukrainian government (increasingly characterized by Russian officials now as the “Kiev regime”), but the extirpation of their underlying ideology (based around the World War Two Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera) and its influence in society, including in education, the media, culture and other spheres.
“Next to this, Moscow added something that Putin called, in his trademark caustic way, the “de-Communization” of Ukraine, meaning ridding that country, whose leadership was rejecting its Soviet past, of the Russian-populated or Russian-speaking territories that had been awarded to the Soviet Ukrainian republic of the USSR by the Communist leaders in Moscow, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev. These include, besides Donbass, the entire southeast of Ukraine, from Kharkov to Odessa.
“This change of policy led to dropping the early signals about Russia honoring Ukraine’s statehood outside Donbass, and to establishing Russian military government bodies in the territory seized by the Russian forces. Immediately following that, a drive started to de facto integrate these territories with Moscow. By the early fall of 2022, all of Kherson, much of Zaporozhye and part of Kharkov oblasts were being drawn into the Russian economic system; started to use the Russian ruble; adopted the Russian education system; and their population was offered a fast-track way to Russian citizenship.
“As the fighting in Ukraine quickly became a proxy war between Russia and the US-led West, Russia’s views on Ukraine’s future radicalized further. While a quick cessation of hostilities and a peace settlement on Russian terms in the spring would have left Ukraine, minus Donbass, demilitarized and outside NATO, but otherwise under the present leadership with its virulently anti-Russian ideology and reliance on the West, the new thinking, as Putin’s remarks in Kaliningrad suggest, tends to regard any Ukrainian state that is not fully and securely cleansed of ultranationalist ideology and its agents as a clear and present danger; in fact, a ticking bomb right on Russia’s borders not far from its capital.
“Under these circumstances, in view of all the losses and hardships sustained, it would not suffice that Russia wins control of what was once known as Novorossiya, the northern coast of the Black Sea all the way to Transnistria. This would mean that Ukraine would be completely cut off from the sea, and Russia would gain – via referenda, it is assumed – a large swath of territory and millions of new citizens. To reach that objective, of course, the Russian forces still need to seize Nikolaev and Odessa in the south, as well as Kharkov in the east. A logical next step would be to expand Russian control to all of Ukraine east of the Dnieper River, as well as the city of Kiev that lies mostly on the right bank. If this were to happen, the Ukrainian state would shrink to the central and western regions of the country….”
https://www.rt.com/russia/562349-moscow-is-aiming-ukraine/

Posted by: bevin | Sep 8 2022 13:11 utc | 19

For those interested, the official Kremlin transcript in English of Putin’s speech to the Eastern Economic Forum is on the Saker site.
Here in France, media Russophobia is becoming – if that’s possible – more vicious, more mendacious and more lying-evil-monster-Putin-obsessed, perhaps through desperation. A poll shows over 70% of people believe sanctions are ineffective and over 50% think the war will be long.
Almost the only information on the Ukrainian ‘counter-offensives’ is what Zelensky trumpets about them. Apart from that, we are now largely being fed sob stories: the brave Ukrainian military drone pilot who lost an arm but can’t wait to get back to the front to ‘kill orcs’ (he actually said that – an own goal, in my opinion); the brave Ukrainian lady who went through the hell of Russia’s ‘filtration camps’ at Mariupol (it is not explained that the Russians were looking for Azov Nazis); the father and son bravely fighting together in an artillery unit; the wife of an Azov fighter weeping over her husband’s capture by the Russians; a teenage girl in a ‘remote Siberian village’ lamenting the death in combat of a local youth and wondering tearfully what it is all for (implicit subtext: Russians do not understand or support the SMO). The sob stories are tending to replace the previous ‘Russian atrocity’ stories, which are now taken for established truth.
I am not saying Ukrainians aren’t brave, just that there is never one single honest MSM report on the war, nothing even remotely objective on the Russian viewpoint or which actually informs the public of the geopolitical stakes outside NATO’s idea of them. The only exception is the monthly Le Monde Diplomatique newspaper, but even they are treading carefully.
PS – Ségolène Royale is a former socialist minister and presidential candidate (she lost to Sarkozy in the election runoff in 2007). She was the long-time partner of François Hollande, French president from 2012-17 – although never formally married, they had several children, but were separated by the time Hollande was elected. In any case, she is a political heavyweight in France. In a recent TV interview she cast doubt on the reliability of some ‘Russian atrocity’ reports, and got seriously dumped on in the media. She has since backtracked somewhat. In this shining beacon of Freedom and Democracy, it is simply impossible to contradict the official narrative.

Posted by: B. Wildered | Sep 8 2022 13:21 utc | 21

German Press show Natural Gas Price at retail now 39 cents a kWh. In 2020 retail price was around 7 cents.
39/7 = 5 1/2 times increase.
Let that sink in.

Posted by: Exile | Sep 8 2022 13:23 utc | 23

According to intelslava (well, consider the source!) the offensive in south Ukraine/Kherson has been halted by the AFU in order to redirect troops to the Kharkiv/Izyum front. They’re reporting that from pro-Ukrainian sources.
Very interesting if that’s indeed the case and this isn’t some kind of feint. But it would track with predictions made here that the Kherson offensive was stalled militarily. We’ll see if pro-Ukraine war mappers quietly return territory lost by Russia during this offensive on their maps.

Posted by: fnord | Sep 8 2022 13:27 utc | 25

Posted by: c1ue | Sep 8 2022 13:13 utc | 20
Viewpoints expand a very wide range, like light and colors, from the Ukraine is winning pole to the Russia should just demolish Ukraine with a general mobilization and economy on war footing camp. And in between there are all shades. I watch almost daily a fellow known as Vladlen Tatarsky, he is not so extreme as Strelkov but belongs to the camp convinced of a Russia victory but truly impatient and pissed of by the great price Russia is paying for victory. Somehow I like his opinion better than Strelkov, maybe wrongly but I perceive a bit of sour grapes on the side of Strelkov. All viewpoints should be considered, truth will prevail even if it takes time.

Posted by: Paco | Sep 8 2022 13:34 utc | 27

The force in Khakov was surprisingly small. MoD for 2 consecutive days have reported no operations in Kherson. It’s a costly feint which didn’t really appear to pull anything significant from the Donbas front? MoD said they took Kodema yesterday( finally?) which puts forther pressure on Bakhmut. If you don’t capitalise on the intial thrust,attrition favours Russia,especially in the east.

Posted by: Bob | Sep 8 2022 13:37 utc | 29

Et Tu | 24
Grossi is an Argentinan, not italian

Posted by: Frenziedfrog | Sep 8 2022 13:54 utc | 31

Breaking news Blinken (US Minister) changes program and traveled straight from Rammstein to Kyiv to speak to Zelensky in person!
Official reason : I have another $ 2 billion to commit .
Why he suddenly changed his rice program remains unclear, according to the reporter from Rammstein!

Posted by: Mo3 | Sep 8 2022 14:00 utc | 33

ICYMI
ICYMI
Norway

Norway does not plan to sell gas at below market price, as some analysts and media have proposed.[…]He added Norway did not plan to introduce a windfall tax on Norwegian oil companies, despite them reaping record-high cash flows.

UPDATE!Qatar, May, Qatar, Aug; OPEC+ agrees small oil production cut
Economic Development in Africa Report 2022
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) published a message in July guided by G7 concern trolls who had previously condemned tax regimes of “vulnerable” UNCTAD members. Its board recommended that “resource-rich” African nations “diversify exports” with “the increased use of financial services and technology,” AKA debt marketing. Ostensibly, this structural adjustment will mitigate future “price volatility and global shocks” to downstream supply chain profit margins on which the so-called national security of developed countries’ GDP growths depend.
UPDATE! ‘We are not the problem’—Africa insists on gas as transition fuel
EU Weighs Gas Price Caps and Benchmarks to combat [“shrinking”] Russian [GAS EMBARGO]

As part of preparations for the gathering, the European Commission is also assessing options to subject the Dutch Title Transfer Facility — the virtual gas marketplace whose main index is used for long-term contracts in Europe — to financial supervision to avoid speculation, according to internal EU documents seen by Bloomberg News on Monday.
[…]
As a last resort in case of supply disruption in Europe, the EU could also explore temporarily pegging the TTF to the JKM Asian benchmark as a dynamic cap. Yet that would require the use of other hubs or mechanisms to allocate gas inside Europe, the commission said in the document on benchmarks for The Wholesale Gas Market.

UPDATE! Global gas-to-oil [!] fuel switching to jump 80% as European [TTF], Asian [JKM] gas prices soar; EU sends Global Gateway envoy to ASEAN seeking collusion in LNG prix fixe and bid-rigging, possibly “extra capacity” in exchange for Ukrainian KORN.

Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 8 2022 14:06 utc | 35

the system of networks in the shape of a rectangle called the “island” was made up of a series of communicating rooms, five in all.
It started from the “large chamber” located on the north side, through which the tuna were sent to the last, located to the west, called the “death chamber”, the only one to have the net also on the bottom.
The big trap with no way out was triggered only when enough tuna had entered and the absolute great leader, called “raìs”, ordered the terminal part of the “cannamu” (mobile net) to be lifted which, when raised, closed the chamber.
The Tonnara was supported by a series of boats, the largest of which “U Caparrassu” (“Capo Rais”), was the one from which all orders left. The boats of the tonnara, heavy barges blackened by the “tar”, had their own specific nomenclature, depending on the tasks to be performed.
Once the tuna were trapped in the “death chamber” the so-called “slaughter” took place.
The tiring action that the sailors carried out in harpooning and hoisting the big tuna on board the boats, proceeded to the rhythm of the song of an ancient dirge, “A levata”.
here is my impression the ucronazi are the tuna sent to the capture chambers the tonnarotti slaughtering on the orders of the rais (command) begin the slaughter of the tuna.

Posted by: A.cagliostro | Sep 8 2022 14:10 utc | 37

36
she is dead jim she is dead.
kirk out
in fact she was never a dejour queen because of the theft of a rock a stone under the thrown in 1950
it was all an act and it passed more than a year ago.

Posted by: gordon | Sep 8 2022 14:17 utc | 39

Her name is Elizabeth O’Leary
Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Sep 8 2022 12:38 utc | 14
Shurely shome mistake ??
Her name is Mary E. O’Leary

Posted by: Lapin | Sep 8 2022 14:30 utc | 41

Bicolor is flying over the district admin building in downtown Balakliya. The town appears to be liberated.
Further east, Ukrainian troops have reached the outskirts of Shevchenkove.

Posted by: Yenwoda | Sep 8 2022 14:41 utc | 43

Yenwoda @43
Probably worth adding:
It looks like a large amount of Ukrainian forces have been pulls from Artemovsk/Donbass for this offensive. The Chechens have taken full advantage of this weakness and gone on the offensive. If Artemovsk falls it will cause a major collapse in the Ukrainian controlled DPR. Its incredibly difficult to go on two separate costly offensives when you’re running out of well trained infantry and armour. If you’re looking at the whole map and not just where the Ukrainians are trying to pull your attention, things are not looking so great.
https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/23665

Posted by: aquileia | Sep 8 2022 15:01 utc | 45

Why are you replying to retards like Shitoda? Ignore trolls, it’s easy

Posted by: rk | Sep 8 2022 15:07 utc | 47

Ukraine expects to transport up to 2M tonnes of vegetable oil through pipeline annually – Solskyi
ewwwwwwww

Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 8 2022 15:24 utc | 49

@aquileia #45, I’m not sure we can say exactly where the troops currently on the offensive north of Izyum were previously, but you are correct in general and that’s the push-pull of war. Russia drew down forces in the east to reinforce Kherson, which may have created this opportunity… while Ukraine’s concentration of troops for its offensives may create weaknesses elsewhere in its line. Everything is fluid, contingent, etc.

Posted by: Yenwoda | Sep 8 2022 15:27 utc | 51

https://t.me/ETAgenda/2674 – Telegram channel Expose the Agenda posted a leaked memorandum by the U.S. Army on NATO training in Europe of conscripted Ukrainians
“Under the bilateral arrangements, Ukraine authorities had to provide 10k personnel who had had at least basic military skills and experience. However, the cross-examination of 1214 armed servicemen showed that 100% lacks any combat experience. The reason is that servicemen joined the armed forces of Ukraine due to coercive mobilization procedures. That fact aggravates the education process as the express basic course program requires already trained soldiers.”
“…According to the data gathered from the instructors and advisors Ukrainian servicemen fail to reach our lowest military standards in Close Quarters Combat exercises and PE…”
Conclusion:
“Taking into account the comprehensive assessment result, I can state that Ukrainian personnel fails to get necessary combat skills and knowledge under the current express basic training program. In my opinion that fact would lead to heavy casualties in the event trainees face the enemy during an engagement…”
Dated 08/22
This Kherson advancement by Ukraine military was obviously planned in the spring.
Following several Russian telegram channels daily, many uploads included Ukraine’s SBU chasing men down on the streets of Ukraine in the spring and early summer. The individuals caught by the SBU were drafted immediately into the Ukrainian army.
Once the military met the 10k man goal, those uploads ceased. One doesn’t see them anymore and haven’t for some time.
This is Z’s 10k man force who lacked any combat experience let alone meaningful military training prior to being scooped up and held hostage by the SBU then trained in an “express basic military” course by NATO. A good majority of these allegedly ‘trained’ souls were nothing more than warm bodies and cannon fodder to the Ukrainian military and political leadership. They knew in the spring Ukrainian enlistment numbers were paltry so they literally chased these boys/men down the streets, held them hostage until trained and then physically sent them to the frontline.
Ukrainian military and political leadership would have known they sent boys/young men with no military training whatsoever to the NATO training so as to prepare them for the Kherson advancement. The U.S. military certainly knew.
If this was the plan on the part of the Ukrainian military then they absolutely knew their Kherson offensive was more for show than decisive military advancement. And if Ukraine’s political leadership knowingly orchestrated this tragedy knowing full well the men they conscripted, trained and sent to the frontline, were utterly unprepared, as this memo states, then they also knew casualty rates would be off the charts high.
It doesn’t get any darker than this. Pure evil…

Posted by: h | Sep 8 2022 15:33 utc | 53

Blinken is in Kiev today bearing gifts for Zelensky. Surely the American public must say enough is enough we need this cash to and aid to stay at home and help our own people who are suffering. Is the US now have corporatocracy government.
“US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has made a surprise visit to Kiev. Washington has approved $2.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine and its allies.
Blinken traveled in secrecy on Thursday on his second trip to the Ukrainian capital since Russia commenced its “special military operation” in the ex-Soviet country on February 24. He met with his Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.”
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/09/08/688862/Russia-US-Ukraine-Blinken-military-aid-Zelensky-

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Sep 8 2022 15:53 utc | 55

Republicofscotland @ 56
It will never be enough. The tempo will increase with time and eventually NATO troops will be introduced as volunteers. NATO will be in this on the ground in large numbers eventually.

Posted by: circumspect | Sep 8 2022 16:03 utc | 57

Blinken is in Kiev today bearing gifts for Zelensky.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Sep 8 2022 15:53 utc | 55
—
A Cornucopia of Consequences issues forth.

Posted by: too scents | Sep 8 2022 16:10 utc | 59

Have the Ukrainians succeeded in jamming the meat grinder with the bodies of their countrymen yet? After all, even industrial scale grinders have a limit to how much meat and metal they can dispose of at once. The Nazis must be getting close to that limit right about now.

Posted by: William Gruff | Sep 8 2022 16:12 utc | 61

Lou Cypher@38
“Brilliant minds?” Same thought about Russia financing North Korean “volunteers” to get some valuable blooded combat experience occurred also to me in the last few days. Seems logical. N.K. could use the financial assistance and whatever goodies Russia would choose to sweeten the pot. Russia would be relieved from a higher level of mobilization.
Best part is that the Western pre$$titute media would be driven bonkers by this arrangement. What they would never acknowledge is that “sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander”. All that U$$A and NATO support for the Ukies would now be balanced off by a Korean equivalent.

Posted by: aristodemos | Sep 8 2022 16:23 utc | 63

Yentawoda @ 43
You are a world-class expert at getting things precisely bass-ackwards. Congrats. You win yet another Big Brass Ringalingadingdong.

Posted by: aristodemos | Sep 8 2022 16:26 utc | 65

Mall of America Observer@58
“Most of the brotherly Slavs…” How do you know that? Is it nothing more than an ex-cathedra pronunciamento? Or are you just blowing gas?
“Putinist Oligarchs”? This is yet another of your many digs at the world’s leading statesman. His people in the main regard him as a “Good Tsar”. However, he is neither a dictator, nor an oligarch. Undoubtedly there are plenty of honest and able Ukrainians biding their time until the regime’s army collapses and Mama Bear can rescue her wayward cubs.
You do appear to be a disinformation agent for the hidden powers…or a deeply deluded boobtoob addict.

Posted by: aristodemos | Sep 8 2022 16:38 utc | 67

The Guardian’s latest article is full of Ukrainian & Western “experts” praising the Ukrainians’ great successes on the battlefield.
I guess we’ll know in a month or so whether these are solid gains or ephemeral last gasps.

Posted by: Observer | Sep 8 2022 16:47 utc | 69

there’s been a surge of pro Nato trolls at the bar lately. the original surge was a PR exercise to allow the Bush Administration to claim some success in Iraq. now some trolls are citing it as an example of what Russia should do. the truth is the US is losing this proxy war as Ukraine is being decimated, but the US doesn’t care, any more than it cared about the Kurds or the Mujahideen or the Hmong or any of the other tools it has used over the decades.

Posted by: pretzelattack | Sep 8 2022 16:54 utc | 71

@Paco #27
Everyone is entitled to their viewpoint – but nobody is entitled to credibility.
My issue isn’t what Strelkov posts – he can say whatever he wants.
What puzzles me is why anyone believes it.
He is obviously a loose cannon with no grasp of anything beyond the range of the weapon he is presently using.

Posted by: c1ue | Sep 8 2022 17:05 utc | 73

What I find somewhat surprising right now, is that the Russian command apparently didn’t withdraw Russian troops from Balakleya. There are videos of street fighting going on.
So, they are choosing to try to hold the towns as long as possibile even though the Russians are surrouded. Are reinforcements on the way while the troops in Balakleya are buying time? Because otherwise it feels like a pointless sacrifice.

Posted by: Leonardo | Sep 8 2022 17:23 utc | 75

Posted by: c1ue | Sep 8 2022 17:10 utc | 74
Problem for RU side stems from the fact that there are limited forces overall. You can do only a handful of local operations, be it defense or attack at one time. This SE Kharkov direction had been a relatively quiet front for a while, naturally when you don’t have a lot available it makes no sense to place them to defend some backwater where some attack may or may not form.
During WW2 Soviets had to, more or less keep 15 rifle divisions, some special mountain and tank/mech division sitting on the Manchurian border despite having the non-aggression pact with Japan. Just think what they would do in the west. Now there is no such luxury, keep them sitting just on a half-suspicion.

Posted by: unimperator | Sep 8 2022 17:26 utc | 77

” they have ready kill list of russia traitors…” denazi@60
Like the one they had in Bucha, where they slaughtered anyone suspected of having cooperated with the Russians?

Posted by: bevin | Sep 8 2022 17:31 utc | 79

@all
I don’t rely on any one source. MoD Ukraine/Russia, Rybar, Cassad, Grey Zone, etc. most English speaking pundits are useless except for b.
My general impression is shared by Russian speaking commentators. More or less “wtf are stavka doing” and concern about corruption. English speakers appear to be terrified of any criticism or negativity.
From Grey Zone, 16:25 today:
Alas, a day later, information about the withdrawal from Balakleya begins to be confirmed. The Armed Forces of Ukraine raised the Ukrainian flag over the building of the city administration and the central park of the city. Fighting is reported to be taking place on the outskirts of the city.
In turn, the commander of the Akhmat regiment, Apty Alaudinov, through the prism of his experience, said:
“What is happening today was planned. This is a tactical ploy that helped us to pull all their forces and means to the territory where it is convenient for us to fight with them. If someone believes that the leadership of the Russian Federation, the leadership of the Defense Ministry did not know that the enemy was gathering forces, then these people do not understand anything either in politics or in military affairs.”

Posted by: Moaobserver | Sep 8 2022 17:38 utc | 81

“Maybe the plan really is to weaken the US, the UK, EU and NATO … and throw away as many weapons in a lost cause as possible” – Snoopy | Sep 8 2022 16:28 utc | 66

Could be, as the venerable Larry Johnson observes.
In his most recent post, he lays out some basic facts about the war worth reviewing:

At risk of being accused of beating a dead horse, I want to re-emphasize some critical points:
Russia attacked Ukraine with a small force that was one-third the size of the defending Ukrainian force. Advantage Ukraine and yet, despite the fact that Russia was outnumbered, Russia steadily pushed Ukraine back, taking Mariupol, Kherson and Luhansk.
At no point did Russia declare any kind of timeline for accomplishing its stated mission of demilitarization and denazification.
The bulk of the fighting from the Russian side is being handled by the militias from the Donbas. Russia has committed only a small fraction of its troops.
Despite a massive influx of western military aid, Ukraine has been unable to force the Russians to retreat.
Those who want to point to the current Ukrainian offensive as a stunning success are ignoring Ukraine’s massive losses in men and equipment during the past week. Capturing a couple of isolated, unihabited rural villages is not exactly a 21st Century version of Omar Bradley’s Operation Cobra, which was led by General Patton and broke out of hedge row country in Normandy.

After pointing-out the flaws in a couple of the most recent commentaries, Johnson – who has an extensive background in Western Intelligence – provides his analysis:

Let me suggest an alternative explanation for Russia’s slow, methodical approach in Ukraine. Russia is committed to the demilitarization of Ukraine. Russia’s current campaign not only is destroying Ukraine’s army and the tanks, planes, helicopters and vehicles, but it also is forcing the United States and NATO to strip themselves of weapons that will not be quickly replaced in the near term. In other words, without risking a direct confrontation with NATO, Russia also is weakening NATO. And Putin does not have to turn Ukraine into a smoldering, nuclear wasteland with millions of dead Ukrainians. Seems like a reasonable approach to me.
The weakening of NATO also is being accelerated with economic weapons–i.e., cutting off the sale of gas and oil. Without gas and oil, Europe’s war industry is grinding to a halt. I do not know if this is part of the Russian plan for the Special Military Operation or just a happy serendipity that serves Russia’s interests. Regardless, the effect hurts NATO.
I do not pretend to know what plan Russia’s General Staff is following. What I do know is that none of the weapons supplied by the United States and NATO have changed the strategic goal of Russia to demilitarize Ukraine and eliminate a NATO threat on the western border. That means Russia’s ability to continue moving west is not eliminated and Ukraine’s prospects grow more bleak.

Check out the link above; his SONAR blog is generally good and worthwhile.

Posted by: DocHollywood | Sep 8 2022 17:45 utc | 83

Further to this topic, The Guardian has an amusing article out today:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/08/we-have-already-lost-far-right-russian-bloggers-slam-kremlin-over-army-response
Strelkov has the best last word.

Posted by: Moaobserver | Sep 8 2022 17:52 utc | 85

Posted by: denazi | Sep 8 2022 17:25 utc | 76
How it’s been explained millions of times Russia has no hurry in conquering anything..the aims of the SMO are demilitarization and denazification..whatever it takes..time,losses,tactical retreats.etc.All is done without rush and will be achieved in the right times.

Posted by: LuBa | Sep 8 2022 18:08 utc | 87

Locals cheering their liberators somewhere around Balakliya:
https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1567935609737461768

Posted by: Yenwoda | Sep 8 2022 18:12 utc | 89

Boris Rozhin:
Comrades, end with alarmism and the search for the guilty. Now the main task of the command is to stabilize the front and the lamentations “oh, everything is bad” does not help the cause at all. There is no need to do their work for TsIPSo. Debriefing will be after the completion of the Balakley-Kupyansk defensive operation.
Over the years of covering various wars, I have long been convinced in practice that not a single war consists only of victories. Learn to accept failure like a man.

Posted by: Moaobserver | Sep 8 2022 18:15 utc | 91

How is it possible that Russians are surprised with Ukrainian attacks in the north?

Posted by: mario2 | Sep 8 2022 18:53 utc | 93

Looks like the Ukies’ Big Push got a town… while still being pummeled on the other 1200 km field of battle. Kinda embarrassing to have to wave that banner as your only Big Win. Every day that The Grind chews up NATO assets without the real horror of a declared war is a Big Win for the Allies.
I’m sad for losses for our side, hoping the death of the west is their reward.

Posted by: comrade simba | Sep 8 2022 19:12 utc | 95

Frequency of opponent voices will become high (like yenwoda), even deafening, as they have been on the receiving end of the war for quite a while now but got something to hang on to and confirm their worldview (the feeling of “see, I am right!”).
Its normal and will reverse again when the fortunes reverse. He was nowhere to be found when they took Severodonestk and Lyschiansk.
These people scour the internet and collect stories that they then post on hostile places to demoralize and simply provoke the others. It is the way of the internet and its assorted bubbles. There are such people in real life as well. Annoying but necessary to keep us real. They have no further purpose.
Especially loud are the voices claiming a reversal in the course because of HIMARS and more advanced missiles that broke the back of the RF forces. Funny how that was supposed to happen on the southern front.
What actually happens is that Ukraine is using their numerical advantage to maximum extent. The technological advantage of RF is now gone, NATO took care of that. They will be doing this for a long time now with a danger that the war devolves in a back – and – forth going on for years with varying intensity until some sort of balance is achieved (like in Syria).
It has become clear to me that the solution to the conflict will not be found on the Ukrainian battlefield as the match had become too even. NATO and the West actually wanted to achieve exactly that, they were open about it, in order to give Ukraine a better place at the negotiating table. Its what war is about: who can get better terms at the table at the end.
Some wars havent really ended, like the Koreas.
It has also become clear to me that Ukraine is now fully dependent on NATO support (like the areas in Syria) and if that is gone then they instantly lose. How long can the West pour resources in the war? Can the russians outlast them?

Posted by: alek_a | Sep 8 2022 19:17 utc | 97

The hour of the smooth speakers and brave dilettantes has arrived.
The sheer incompentence of russian military leadership is breathtaking.
I feel sorry for the people of donbass and russian fighters.
They re paying the price for this militarily senseless and ineffective SMO
This world war one style forth and back COST MORE CIVILIAN and fighters lifes than any other strategy.
FROM
https://t.me/s/asbmil
The front line has moved by at least 50KM from 3 days ago.
Without filter, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THIS WAR THAT RUSSIAN ARE GETTING STRAIGHT UP FUCKED. This is due to the change of tactics. They will adjust, no doubt about that but the front line will keep moving until they do. Now to push them back, lives will be lost again, for no reason.
Funny thing is that we, and many other channels wrote about many of the things, tactics and developments that are happening now — weeks ago. How the Russians did not see this coming is beyond us.

Posted by: Chessmaster | Sep 8 2022 19:37 utc | 99