Additionally to my comment at 296, small amounts of Polonium 210 are allegedly made in other countries; from the reference at Slate I cited earlier:
“Or the diversion could have come from outside Russia. A number of other countries with nuclear reactors have been suspected of clandestinely producing or buying polonium-210, including Iran (where it was detected by IAEA inspectors in 2000), North Korea (where it was detected by U.S. airborne sampling), Israel (where several scientists died from accidental leaks of it in the 1950s and 1960s), Pakistan, and China. But whatever its source, the polonium diversion has serious implications. The real problem is not its toxicity, since its alpha particles can’t penetrate the surface of the skin and therefore have to be ingested or breathed in to cause any damage. (That can happen if you have polonium-210 on your person or clothes.) The more serious danger is that it could be sold to a country that wanted to set off a nuclear device, clean or dirty.”
I remember from the screaming-headline stories on Litvinenko’s death that traces of Polonium 210 were found all over London – including, among other places, the fax machine at Boris Berzovsky’s place. But neither of the two alleged Russian assassins were ever there. Litvinenko was, but as the above provides, Polonium 210’s alpha particles are weak and cannot penetrate the skin. Presumably that means either way; from the inside as well as the outside. Litvinenko was allegedly poisoned by drinking it, in tea. But now it’s inside Litvinenko, and presumably cannot get out. How did it get on the fax machine at Berzovsky’s place? How did it get all over the car in which Litvinenko was traveling with Scaramella, but where the two alleged assassins had never been? Was Litvinenko licking these things?

Posted by: Mark | Oct 25 2022 4:04 utc | 303

thanks maxx.. cheers james

Posted by: james | Oct 25 2022 4:33 utc | 305

Elmer Fudd | Oct 25 2022 2:18 utc | 283
The Polonium-210 isotope that so many of Putin’s enemies die from…
Here is where you can buy a lethal dose of Polonium 210 for mere $156.
https://amstat.com/products/anti-static-brush-with-ionizing-cartridge-1.html
Only totally oblivious fools think Po210 is somehow exclusive to Putin or hard to obtain.

Posted by: averros | Oct 25 2022 4:42 utc | 307

Stop being manipulated by propaganda.
Posted by: Muthaucker | Oct 24 2022 15:05 utc | 73
I’m certainly no expert, and in addition not smart enough to understand why anyone would push such bulls*hit, but I do know that billions of highly radioactive particles being released into the air has nothing in common with background radiation.

Posted by: Gene Poole | Oct 25 2022 4:50 utc | 309

@PavewayIV | thx very much for the George webb tip. Thoroughly enjoyable distraction. Will keep my eyes open to see what comes next.

Posted by: SeanAU | Oct 25 2022 5:22 utc | 311

marcjf @99
I think you are close to the truth.One thing that goes unmentioned is the sudden flight to Washington by the UK Defense Minister Wallace right after his call from Shoigu because what he had to say was to sensitive for communications. I believe Shoigu revealed they have voice intercepts of the UK plotting to create a dirty bomb with Ukraine (probably on the Ukraine end). Revealing that they have been intercepting high level communications is not something done lightly which is further evidence this is a real thing and a very imminent threat.
I also believe the rational actors are the various defense ministers, secretaries, etc. of nuclear armed militaries hence the phone calls to all of them. The political side is not so rational so I can easily imagine in the UK that MI-6 might be doing something that the military had no knowledge of and the same true for the CIA and the Pentagon. In the latter case we have the addition of highly irrational ideologues over at the State Department, many of who are either former Ukrainians or descended from Banderists that emigrated to the West.
Te reaction is as predicted but very clearly what Russia has done is to call those in a position to act to thwart this plot and to control the nazi terrorists in Ukraine. If they carry it out of blow off the control efforts then I expect some actions to take place inside Ukraine perhaps forcible removal or assassination of the plotters. Would also expect a Spetznatz operation to try and obtain the weapon. The problem is that the town of Yellow waters is chock-filled with nuclear material and there is somewhere on the order of 50,000 cubic meters of nuclear waste stored there. This is in addition to what is at Chernobyl and the 3 nuclear power plants still in the control of Ukraine. There could also be a major Russian military assault north to Kravy Rij to take control of the entire area where the waste is stored. I fear the timing is wrong for this though and that it is much more imminent a threat hence why Russia is making all the calls.
Going back to the what-if’s it boggles the imagination what all could happen in response.
As for the 101st Airborne being in Romania. This is a single Brigade Combat Team that arrived in May as part of the permanent basing of the US forces (NATO) in Romania and they followed the previous deployment of the 82nd Airborne Division. It is a planned and normal rotation. Why suddenly in October it is released as a serious deployment is yet another provocation in the MSM which Russia has obviously ignored. They are no real threat and incapable of any actual military actions in Ukraine. They are 100% reliant on aviation (they are air mobile not airborne anymore) which requires 100% control of the air. Russia has that area locked up well so not an actual threat.
We still haven’t seen any of the real EW weapons used yet in Ukraine. Plus an incursion into Ukraine would result in hypersonics taking out all the runways of US/NATO bases in Europe, shooting down of all AWACS, and also all US/UK military satellites. Russia has these capabilities. There are 18 LNG tankers sitting off the coast of Spain waiting to discharge their gas so are completely full and nice big juicy targets for Russian submarines. Lot’s of things can happen should any NATO forces actually go into Ukraine. Russia will not respond with nuclear as they simply don’t need to. The one hyper-sonic missile against Lyviv showed what even one can do alone and it shocked everyone.

Posted by: Old Microbiologist | Oct 25 2022 5:56 utc | 313

I tend to think Gonzalo Lira has made a decent case that the US/UK dirty bomb/intervention plan is thus:
1) Currently 100,000 US troops are deployed to Europe in toto, with at least 4-5,000 101st Airborne Division within a few hundred kilometers of Odessa.
2) Nikalaev is being evacuated of civilians – not any other big city near the Russian lines, and on a direct route between Kherson and Odessa.
3) Set off a dirty bomb in Nicolaev.
4) Send the 101st in reinforce the Ukrainian forces in and around Odessa as a “peace-keeping, de-escalation, de-confliction” or whatever other BS excuse the US uses.
5) Twist Turkey’s arm to allow US reinforcing warships into the Black Sea. (This one I have some doubts about that Erdogan can be convinced to do this, especially since he is reportedly allowing Russian submarines to enter the Black Sea via the Dardanelles – but we’ll see.)
6) The radioactive area around Nicolaev inhibits any Russian push toward Odessa.
7) Romanian and Polish troops then enter Ukraine from the West in cooperation with Ukraine forces to seize western Ukraine and reinforce Odessa.
Now, before the howls start, obviously this plan has massive flaws in it. Some of them are:
1) Turkey may not cooperate in allowing NATO ships in – unless Erdogan can be convinced to go along with NATO.
2) Even if US warships are allowed by Turkey in the Black Sea, Russia won’t allow them and they have the means to sink any such ship, both missiles and submarines.
3) How is the 101st going to get to Odessa without being detected – even before takeoff – and having their helicopters (or transport aircraft) shot down by the Russians?
4) How is the US going to reinforce the forces in Odessa and keep them supplied against Russian air power without attacking Russian AD directly inside Ukraine and in the Black Sea?
5) If the US is unable to reinforce Odessa, how do they keep control once the Russian start whatever counter-offensive they develop to counter these moves?
6) Once Russia makes a counter-move, what does the US and NATO do? (Always ask the next question.)
There are obviously an absurd amount of unanswered questions in this scenario. Nonetheless the confluence of the presence of the 101st (regardless of whether they are as part of “normal rotation”, which is irrelevant – they’re there, which is all that matters), the evacuation of Nicolaev which is not on Russia’s radar as yet, and the possibility of the US seizing Odessa precisely to prevent Russia from land-locking Ukraine makes for a decent case.
The point is, it’s a stupid plan – which is exactly what the US and the neocons are known for, or haven’t you been paying attention for the last thirty years?
I’m inclined to think that Gonzalo is right in this case, and that Russia does have the goods on this dirty bomb plan. It’s either that or it’s one big Russian propaganda ploy, which I find doubtful because I can’t see the point of it if no dirty bomb ends up being exploded. Would Shoigu call his counterparts just to make a prediction that turns out false and is forgotten in the next week or two, like all the other “false flag” rumors we’ve seen repeatedly over the last ten months, since before the war started? What would be the point? We know Russia isn’t going to set off a dirty bomb or any other kind of nuke.
The other possibility is that the whole thing is a big CIA-MI6 propaganda ploy to paint the Russians as paranoid by allowing them to get bogus intel about a dirty bomb, raise a stink, accuse the Russians of planning it themselves, then it’s forgotten in two weeks when it doesn’t happen. Wouldn’t put it past the US and UK to do this, but again, this ends up being a meaningless ploy – which is also something the US, neocons and Ukraine are known for.
The idea is that this is all for the US mid-terms. But that applies both ways – if it’s a fake or if it’s real. If it’s a fake, it won’t help Biden. If it’s real, however, it becomes the “October surprise” everyone has been talking about. The Democrats may or may not get a poll bump if Biden can pull this off in the next two weeks. So if no bomb goes off in the next two weeks, we can assume the whole thing was another stupid propaganda and political ploy.
But what if a bomb does go off as a Biden-CIA-neocon-MI-6 “Hail Mary”? Something to think about. As Gonzalo says after every video, “Know what’s going on.”
2022.10.24 The Americans Are Evil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meBMKIe5d0M
2022.10.24 Why I Think This Is An American Plan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw84nOmGLcw

Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Oct 25 2022 6:12 utc | 315

Marko @223….fuck off.
What a sad sack of shit you ar we.

Posted by: Sisofia | Oct 25 2022 6:37 utc | 317

DaVinci | Oct 24 2022 19:20 utc | 172
“………will Sunak REALLY be PM or kept out of the loop in defence matters.”
Ben Wallace is remaining in the Defence post precisely so he can continue to control UK (->US IS) Ukraine war.
Wallace didn’t want the PM post…. Defence is the real power.
ranger | Oct 24 2022 19:24 utc | 174
When you hear the planes… consult Flightrader24 and maybe you can where they are headed…. Military is often, of course, “dark”, but it is surprising what OSINT is available.
unimperator | Oct 24 2022 19:45 utc | 181
“………There’s really no reason to assume they would perform any better, against Russian long range AD and AWACS and effective antitank weapons like Kornets…
Here’s a Finnish shiny new toy, looking a bit shabby….
(Sorry. Can’t re find the Finnish vid… instead..here’s Macedonian and Slovenian tanks. )
https://mobile.twitter.com/MaimunkaNews/status/1583737300801835008?cxt=HHwWgMCi_eOryPorAAAA
Ed Nelson | Oct 24 2022 21:11 utc | 208
“……the point of a dirty bomb is to blame it on Russia,
[yep]
“Ukraine wants to bring in NATO and, if possible, US military forces to save it …
[yep]
…”The US and the EU also know this is going to happen and the dirty bomb is just an invitation, i.e. an excuse for any outside armed forces to enter the conflict directly and save Ukraine’s butt.
[yep]
Which is why placement of an array of chess pieces ~ such as the 101st in Romania ~ should be seen as part of a bigger game plan….. not just “Muh 101st can’t do shit”………
Go onto the @NATO and affiliated sites and see what “interoperability” drills have been conducted…..all year…(and last) ……
Orgel | Oct 24 2022 23:09 utc | 246
“……… doesn’t matter … how a dirty bomb is built and if its ingredients can be linked to Russia. We are well beyond these considerations. If the public believes in russians who attack their own……(gas pipeline)..nuclear powerplant (iconic bridges) dams ….. [the public will easily believe Russia “did it” with a newk]
Yep….
Skiffer | Oct 24 2022 23:29 utc | 249
They need a pretext to get NATO involved. Ukraine has failed.
The west fought Russia “to the last Ukrainian”.
NATO has declared Russia cannot be allowed to win. Therefore NATO now has to step in…
karlof1 | Oct 25 2022 0:51 utc | 270
“………Pentagon stopped Obama in Syria …and that they’ll need to stop Biden too.”
Obama then purged those guys from the military ….. there’s almost no one of that caliber and intellect and fortitude to thwart Biden….
Lex | Oct 25 2022 2:29 utc | 285
NATO entering the war would be a way to activate air assets and stand off missiles….. they don’t need a million men marching.
An aerial war is what NATO wants to fight…
And why it is confounded in Ukraine to date…. The premise is always that the US NATO own the skies….. and despite months of encountering Russian AD they just can’t let go of their belief in their air supremacy …..
Old Microbiologist | Oct 25 2022 5:56 utc | 318
“101st…..is just a rotation.”
But this is a designated “combat mission”….
I don’t think the 86th were tasked with entering Ukraine and fight Russians?
(“If necessary”)????
@US military barflies…. Would appreciate a definition of the difference when something is just a standard “overseas placement”… like to Germany and Romania (pick any one of 800+ options), …. and a designated “combat mission”.
Up until now, the US rhetoric has been to “partner” with NATO…. “Deter” Russia.
Now the rhetoric is to enter Ukraine and fight Russians?
And you’re saying….. “nah…it’s nothing”????
Interested in understanding why what seems a major escalation in rhetoric is so easily dismissed???

Posted by: Melaleuca | Oct 25 2022 6:45 utc | 319

🇬🇧🇺🇦 Ukrainians are afraid of the transfer of new Arash-2 UAVs to Russia
Oleksandr Musiyenko is a Ukrainian head of the military research center.
In an interview with TSN, he suggested that Iran could transfer Arash-2 drones to Russia, capable of hitting not only stationary targets, like the Shahed-136, but also air defense systems.
▪️Arash-2 UAVs have a declared range of up to 2000 km.
▪️Cruising speed – up to 100km/h.
Arash-2 can be equipped with optical and thermal imaging scanners to capture various types of targets.
This allows him to change direction several times before hitting the target. One of its main tasks is to suppress air defense systems.
Since they are so confident in the supply, let them come up with new witty names for our funds.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/16533

Posted by: Down South | Oct 25 2022 7:01 utc | 321

The storming of Bakhmut continues.
Units continue to target the enemy to the south and east of the town.
In addition, the area of the industrial zone, where the militants have entrenched, is being worked on. The video shows the arrivals and the aftermath of the air raids on the asphalt plant, from where the Ukrainians are trying to dislodge the Wagner units from their occupied positions on the territory of the asphalt plant.
Along with this, the Orchestra’s stormtroopers are moving forward, including from the southeastern part of the Bakhmut area.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/16541

⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦👻 Ukrainian Fake News Refuted – Asphalt Plant at #Bakhmut⚡️
I have been asked about the Khohols’ grunt, saying that they knocked the Wagners out of the asphalt plant near #Artemovsk (#Bakhmut) – good riddance. I thought it was just nonsense myself, but the Khokhols carried out a whole information operation. A friend involved in OSINT told me the following:
“The AFU posted a video of the SINIAT plant and pretended as if they had taken it from the Wagners, although the Wagners were not there. And then other Khokhols confused SINIAT and the asphalt plant, and started celebrating that they had knocked the Wagners out of the asphalt plant and pushed them away from Artomovsk.”
On the map the blue circled SINIAT, the red the asphalt plant.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/16537

Posted by: Down South | Oct 25 2022 7:06 utc | 323

Ukrainian TG-channel “Legitimny” writes:
“While everyone is busy with the topic of a nuclear dirty bomb, we will warn the society that it is no longer possible to cancel what officials want to hide from society, constantly shifting emphasis.
Rising unemployment.
There are no real jobs right now. The real unemployment rate is 70%, but according to government statistics, it is only 30%. They probably consider all those mobilized to be employed as well.
About what it says. The economy of Ukraine began to die already from the inside. There is no money circulation (as in the human body of blood circulation) – this leads to economic slow death.
Therefore, the puppet of the Office of the President, Prime Minister Shmygal, is blackmailing the West that if he does not give money, then pensioners and state employees of Ukraine will be left without maintenance.
Yes, he is right, but as usual, they are shifting their responsibility for what is happening, either to their enemies, the Russians, or to the Europeans, who are gradually starting to freeze from financing this “feast on blood”.
Conclusion: everything flies in a full pipe. The country will feel the real consequences only in 4-6 months, they cannot even be stopped. Even if the military case freezes, the fall will be strong. It’s just that with the ongoing war, we will constantly update the bottom, and the rate of 100 hryvnia for $ 1 will no longer be so fantastic.
Take care of yourself and get ready not only for this difficult winter, but also for the difficult hungry and cold 2023-2024. After a war, hunger always comes.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/16552

Posted by: Down South | Oct 25 2022 7:07 utc | 325

Posted by: Melaleuca | Oct 25 2022 7:00 utc | 325
I suspect you are right, but I am hoping you are wrong.

Posted by: watcher | Oct 25 2022 7:14 utc | 327

Incompetence by Russia keeps on…
No protection in LPR
“Ukrainian military fires eight HIMARS rockets at LPR territory in past day”
https://tass.com/defense/1526949
No protection in Donetsk
“Ukraine fires eight shells, including from Grad MLRS, at Donetsk in nine minites”
https://tass.com/defense/1526961
7 explosions in Melitopol
“Massive explosions heard in Melitopol — administration”
https://tass.com/emergencies/1526937

Posted by: Zanon | Oct 25 2022 7:49 utc | 329

Here’s another fun idea for everyone to think about…
What if Ukraine is building a dirty bomb with the intent of blowing up the dam in Kherson region and flood the region with radioactive water?
How they get the bomb there and whether it is powerful enough to breach the dam is of course problematic, but who knows what the plan might be?
It’s what I would do if I were Ukraine. Why blow up Nicolaev on the way to Odessa when you can irradiate Kherson and force the Russians to retreat to Crimea? All the while blaming Russia for the bomb and as a cherry on top claim the Russians were incompetent and blew themselves up? After all, the Western media has been claiming this for months, that the Russians are incompetent, dumb, etc.

Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Oct 25 2022 7:54 utc | 331

Misc reports via TG-
For the second time, the Indian Foreign Ministry strongly advises its citizens who are in Ukraine to leave the country as soon as possible – The Indian Foreign Ministry recommends that Indians in Ukraine leave for neighboring countries as soon as possible, the Economic Times newspaper reports.
A terrorist attack done by Dawlat al-Ukraini took place near the building of the Zaporozhye regional TV company “Atv” in Melitopol.According to preliminary information,a car bomb exploded. The building is badly damaged.5 people were injured.The TV and radio company was chosen for a reason: Ukrainian saboteurs of Dawlat al-Ukraini are purposefully trying to intimidate media employees and create chaos in the territories controlled by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
A member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation said that the explosion near the ZaTV office occurred at the moment when the journalists were going to work. According to him, the studio suffered significant damage.
NATO announced the transfer of additional contingents of American, Spanish and French troops to Romanian territory to strengthen the eastern flank.
Large AFU forces have been moving across the Oskol River from Izyum to Rubtsy. Probably for the first time in the war the bulk of the troops are represented by Poles and Polish equipment. You can’t hear the Ukrainian language behind the Polish speech. Pshek is moving towards Borovaya and Krasny Liman. Kiev could be preparing an attack on Svatovo, throwing an untouchable reserve into battle.
Russia requested a discussion in the UN Security Council on October 25 about the situation with the impending provocation of Kiev using a “dirty nuclear bomb”.

Some passing wisdoms of Caitlin Johnstone
Friendly reminder that saying a nation’s economic model is a failure because your nation was able to use economic warfare to impoverish that nation is like saying your personal philosophy is better than your neighbor’s because you beat him unconscious in his driveway.
If discussing facts and criticizing the foreign aggressions of the most powerful government in the world is taboo, you might be ruled by tyrants and surrounded by their brainwashed human livestock.
It’s absolutely insane how literally ANY criticism of the indisputable well-documented western provocations in Ukraine gets shouted down and raged at. You’re only allowed to say this war is completely unprovoked and began solely because Vladimir Putin is evil and hates freedom.
Criticizing the extensively documented western aggressions that led to this war is not the same as saying the invasion is good or that Vladimir Putin is a wonderful person. If this isn’t obvious to you, it’s because US propaganda has turned your brain into soup. Hope that helps
https://nitter.net/caitoz

Posted by: SeanAU | Oct 25 2022 8:03 utc | 333

whirlX | Oct 25 2022 7:34 utc | 333
Thanks for your reply…
I’m not as sanguine as some here❗️
—————
The rationale for the dirty bomb…. The US intends to escalate…..
David Petraeus just stated a “multinational force” led by the US may intervene in Ukraine…..
Petraeus: US would destroy Russia’s troops if Putin uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/02/us-russia-putin-ukraine-war-david-petraeus
Former CIA director and retired army general says Moscow’s leader is ‘desperate’ and ‘battlefield reality he faces is irreversible’
The US and its allies would destroy Russia’s troops and equipment in Ukraine – as well as sink its Black Sea fleet – if the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, uses nuclear weapons in the country, former CIA director and retired four-star army general David Petraeus warned on Sunday.
He told ABC News: “Just to give you a hypothetical, we would respond by leading a Nato – a collective – effort that would take out every Russian conventional force that we can see and identify on the battlefield in Ukraine and also in Crimea and every ship in the Black Sea.”
Asked if the use of nuclear weapons by Russia in Ukraine would bring America and Nato into the war, Petraeus said that it would not be a situation triggering the alliance’s Article 5, which calls for a collective defense. That is because Ukraine is not part of Nato – nonetheless, a “US and Nato response” would be in order, Petraeus said.
David Petraeus: US May Lead Multinational Force Against Russia in Ukraine
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/10/david-petraeus-us-may-lead-multinational-force-russia-ukraine/
in an interview with L’Express from France, David Petraeus stated a “multinational force” led by the US may intervene in Ukraine.
“We are talking about the intervention of the North Atlantic Alliance in the event of an attack on one of the NATO members. But it is necessary to consider the option of using not NATO forces in Ukraine, but multinational forces that have nothing to do with NATO,” Petraeus said.
Gateway Pundit quotes RT:
“…… Washington might form a new coalition of the willing in such a scenario and use it instead of NATO, Petraeus, who also briefly served as the CIA director, believes.
“Russia could take some actions in Ukraine that would be “so shocking and so horrific” that it would prompt a response from the US and other nations, he said, adding that they “might react in one way or another, but as a multinational force led by the US and not as a NATO force.”

Posted by: Melaleuca | Oct 25 2022 8:07 utc | 335

unimperator | Oct 25 2022 7:59 utc | 337
I think most of them don’t know. Some are nazis from other countries, lots of videos for that. Some are terrorists collected from Syria and other places. And regular soldiers from natoland, more or less for the money.
The population has no idea about their losses either. Since they weren’t affected by anything, until recently, they had zero contact with any war. Party all day long. Even now their problems with power are too few to change anything. Baldie guy stopped too soon. And he isn’t taking advantage of the situation in any way, just sit and do nothing. And after that disaster first interview about difficult decisions he probably will be changed very soon.
All tv stations, the internet they see, shows great successes. All Western leaders telling them they’re winning, free money and weapons forever. Official number is 9k dead and I bet most of them believe it. I’ve seen a bit of protest about missing people in nazi wives community. It’s so funny

Posted by: rk | Oct 25 2022 8:17 utc | 337

Ok, gonna call it here. Nothing re. Nato participation happens, SMO will continue like this for 4-6 months, Nato will send a few old junk Leopard tanks, some F-15 / F-16s, Russia builds more forts and more or less holds out.
The Ukraine economy crashes and 5 million people will rush to Germany after lucrative factory jobs caused by the new economic boom.

Posted by: unimperator | Oct 25 2022 8:23 utc | 339

Listening to Mercouris’ video today.
He bends over backwards assuming that the Western militaries found out that Ukraine was planning a dirty bomb, and thus Ben Wallace went to the US, and then everyone called everyone and he assumes they then all called Ukraine to tell Ukraine not to do it.
He overlooks the part of the Russian MoD report which said that Russia had intel that Ukraine was in contact with the UK for assistance in constructing the dirty bomb.
Let’s consider the Ben Wallace visit to Washington. Supposedly Wallace explained his personal visit as due to the idea that the communications between Washington and the UK were being “compromised” and that the purpose of his visit was to alert the Pentagon about Ukraine’s dirty bomb. He does wonder why Wallace would admit such an intelligence breach, which leads me to consider the following.
There’s another alternative explanation which is more sinister. It is that the UK was assisting Ukraine in constructing a dirty bomb, that the Russians picked up on this either from a mole in Ukraine or a mole in the British MoD, and then the UK discovered the plan was blown, and thus Wallace rushes to Washington to warn the neocons that the plan has been exposed.
After Shoigu calls the four Defense Ministries to complain about the Ukraine plan, the ministries get together and deny the whole thing, thus distancing themselves from the event if an when it happens.
I think assuming everyone called Ukraine and begged them not to do it is naive in the extreme on Mercouris’ part. But he tends to be a “softy” and frequently finds it hard to believe that people are as big asshats as they actually are – even the neocons.

Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Oct 25 2022 8:28 utc | 341

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Oct 25 2022 8:19 utc | 343
Yes, but how long will that take? It also depends on where the radioactive material drifts to – it won’t likely be confined to the bridge depending on the environmental conditions and how the bomb is delivered.
And it also doesn’t preclude the propaganda victory for Ukraine, even if they deny they did it.
So it doesn’t help to diminish the effect when we don’t know the consequences of what effect does occur, both environmentally, militarily and politically.

Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Oct 25 2022 8:31 utc | 343

Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Oct 25 2022 8:28 utc | 346
One has to wonder the possibility that the IRA would get a dirty bomb? Or perhaps the Mexican Drug cartels. There’s no difference at all.

Posted by: unimperator | Oct 25 2022 8:34 utc | 345

Posted by: watcher | Oct 25 2022 8:33 utc | 349
Luckily for us, Petraeus is a nobody and represents nothing except his own fried brain, nowadays.But clearly there is a risk. The US plan is to destroy Russia and thereafter China.
My bet is not on Ukraine, but Transnistria. If you look at what’s going on in Moldova – pretty big riots against Maia Sandu and cost of living crisis. Maia Sandu is putting rioters in jail and weeding out any thought resistance. They were already talking about “mobilization in Moldova” if / when the Russians advance closer to Odessa. There were some who think Moldova will get swallowed up by Romania.

Posted by: unimperator | Oct 25 2022 8:42 utc | 347

German President Steinmeier is in Kiev.

Posted by: rk | Oct 25 2022 8:52 utc | 349

Posted by: Down South | Oct 25 2022 8:49 utc | 353
Correct – drone guided artillery, drone and air strikes become much more effective. The terrain suddenly turns more “target rich”.

Posted by: unimperator | Oct 25 2022 8:54 utc | 351

watcher | Oct 25 2022 8:33 utc | 349
if Russia has actual evidence of this that would stand up in a court, then it is arguable that Russia could attack the UK, without triggering a NATO response.
Agree.
Only…..parts of NATO (and Eu) are salivating at the idea of “boys, we going in yeeeeeehaaaaa!”.
So, they’d ignore Article 5 if it suited….. or … there’s now…and some are even attempting to conflate Article5 with Ukraine, which of course isn’t NATO,
As I replied to karlof1 above, the sober Pentagon military minds got purged after they thwarted Obama in Syria….. a few were still around to caution Trump not to escalate with Iran, after he assassinated Soleimani….
Petraeus is of course speaking for the CIA, and they’ve been dicking around in Ukraine for a half century now… Some of these guys have been wanting a Mano a Mano with Russia since they were spermatozoa in their grandfather’s sac. it’s literally their DNA.
I see that the language changed very recently… about the time talk picked up about a dirty bomb….. and the Petraeus interview shows they are connecte

Posted by: Melaleuca | Oct 25 2022 8:57 utc | 353

@Mark | Oct 25 2022 4:04 utc | 308

I remember from the screaming-headline stories on Litvinenko’s death that traces of Polonium 210 were found all over London – including, among other places, the fax machine at Boris Berzovsky’s place. But neither of the two alleged Russian assassins were ever there. Litvinenko was, but as the above provides, Polonium 210’s alpha particles are weak and cannot penetrate the skin. Presumably that means either way; from the inside as well as the outside. Litvinenko was allegedly poisoned by drinking it, in tea. But now it’s inside Litvinenko, and presumably cannot get out. How did it get on the fax machine at Berzovsky’s place? How did it get all over the car in which Litvinenko was traveling with Scaramella, but where the two alleged assassins had never been? Was Litvinenko licking these things?

The polonium came from the “Polonium Letter from Hell”, that Scaramella gave to Litvinenko in a London restaurant.
The use of polonium in the assassination does not prove a state actor was involved. The same amount of polonium was found in any film laboratory in the alpha particle sources used for removing static charge from film.

Posted by: Petri Krohn | Oct 25 2022 9:13 utc | 355

8 months of winning: Ukrainian military is shelling Donetsk and multiple other settlements since early morning and hasn’t stopped yet. 155mm and 152mm shells.

Posted by: rk | Oct 25 2022 9:32 utc | 357

Those arguing about the lethality of a ‘dirty bomb’ are missing the point. The yield, or radiological potency of the device is irrelevant. The danger is that it points to Russia … a country with 1500 nuclear weapons aimed at us. Russia’s road mobile ICBM’s have left their bases and are roaming the countryside … this is the first time they’ve ever done this where it wasn’t a planned exercise.
There is no such thing as a limited nuclear war. The idea that one side fires off a couple of nukes in retaliation or as an indication of something is ridiculous. You have to launch an all out nuclear strike or nothing because a limited strike opens you up to a massive retaliation where you lose all your missiles. The only possible way to ‘win’ a nuclear war is with a massive sucker punch and hope your missile defence and attack subs can tale care of the SLBM’s.

Posted by: Dave_k | Oct 25 2022 9:34 utc | 359

… I think assuming everyone called Ukraine and begged them not to do it is naive in the extreme on Mercouris’ part. But he tends to be a “softy” and frequently finds it hard to believe that people are as big asshats as they actually are – even the neocons.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Oct 25 2022 8:28 utc | 346
Interesting points, thank you. Agreed that it’s almost a given that Ukraine would have to have someone’s approval for anything as provocative as dirty bomb, it’s not credible to suppose otherwise without specific evidence. Those rotten skanks always know which side of their bread the butter is on.
Wallace’s visit does beg a believable explanation … the idea that their off-books scheme was blown and he couldn’t use official channels to strategise with neocon mutants is plausible.

Posted by: anon2020 | Oct 25 2022 9:44 utc | 361

rk @357

The West wants to provide assistance to Ukraine for decades, we are talking about the Marshall plan of the XXI century – Scholz

The Marshall Plan was in a planned Keynesian high growth full employment postwar economy where the USA invested its money in order to recycle the surplus while preventing the repeat of post WW1 errors and the spread of Communism in the western EU. Win-win at the time.
Now try a Marshall Plan in a neoliberal economy structured on high unemployment, built in austerity, financialized asset inflation rather than real economic growth, off-shored production of the real economy, and petro-dollar recycling of ‘other people’s’ surpluses. Either the plan is to finally abandon neo-liberaism (yeh, right!) or these idiots actually believe their own bullshit and Scholz has his head so far up his ass he can see daylight.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Oct 25 2022 10:08 utc | 363

The goal of the European Union is not to freeze, but to confiscate Russian assets in Europe, but for this it is necessary to prepare a legal framework – Ursula

Posted by: rk | Oct 25 2022 10:17 utc | 365

The European Union will provide Ukraine with 1 billion euros and 400 electric generators for the urgent restoration of energy supply – Ursula
I offer to donate my bicycle dynamo. As long as you don’t stop, there is light!

Posted by: rk | Oct 25 2022 10:24 utc | 367

The Ukraine dilemma would depend on what Rishi Sunak would say or not say about Ukraine
Posted by: Paulg | Oct 25 2022 8:16 utc | 341
What do you think? In March he said this:
“I urge asset owners and managers to think very carefully about any investment that could somehow support Putin and his regime. Diplomatically, politically, economically, and also militarily, this barbaric adventure of Vladimir Putin must end in failure”

Posted by: rk | Oct 25 2022 10:29 utc | 369

Peskov: “The head of the US Defense Ministry, Lloyd Austin, showed a frivolous and impermissible approach, rejecting Russia’s warnings about the possible use of a “dirty bomb” by Kiev”

Posted by: rk | Oct 25 2022 10:37 utc | 371

Forward Operating Base Poland.
7-8 plane loads of troops flew in since Saturday…
According to Monkeywerx OSINT
Jump to 29mins45secs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76AryZfvxIY
Comments:
>I’m outside Louisville KY…we have had more crazy stuff in the sky the last couple weeks than I’ve ever seen before. It was so obvious that even “normies” looked confused.
> was with 10th MD when I served in the Army. I was a member of the 4th brigade that was actually stationed in Fort Polk, LA (we joked and called it 10th Swamp Division) .. It has since been de-commissioned, back in 2014 I believe.. But I will say this – if they’re moving 10th MD troops around, they’re getting ready for something.
> my boss said that he saw trains running armor east this weekend at Perry la-compton thats upper north west of Lawrence KS. If we moving armor we are getting set for war. Saw it back in the 90s and 2001
> Lots of fighters up around Jax Fl. Don’t ever see that many, just an observation.
> Saturday night about 6 of Cargoaire airlines 747 8 , took off from different locations , Eastern half of US and were all in a line going to Luxembourg
> am in Central Arkansas. Usually C130 fly two to three at a time. Today was five running routes at a time
> Yes the frequency has increased 3-4 times a day in my area as well instead of twice a day in north central.
> live in Az in the west valley close to the US 60. Ive been seeing a lot of military vehicles being shipped. Yesterday and today I saw 2 large military vehicles being hauled on the back of semis. Anyone else seeing this, Any ideal where they are headed?
> I see them traveling on US 60 that heads towards Las Vegas. They are very large military vehicles unlike any that I have seen before.
And many many more.
So… It’s all just “business as usual “ ?

Posted by: Melaleuca | Oct 25 2022 10:44 utc | 373

A two-fer | two front war is always the best option…..right?
Japan Undertakes Biggest Military Buildup Since WWII; ‘Landmark’ Moment in Pacific History Underway
Amid fear of what China might do in the coming years, Japan is reaching out to turn a former enemy into an ally while increasing its military spending.
On Saturday, World War II foes Australia and Japan signed a security agreement to share intelligence and assist each other.
The deal was inked by Prime Ministers Fumio Kishida and Anthony Albanese in the western Australian city of Perth, according to the Voice of America.
“This landmark declaration sends a strong signal to the region of our strategic alignment,” Albanese said, according to VOA.
Ken Kotani of Nihon University, an expert in the history of Japanese intelligence, called the deal “an epoch-making event,” VOA reported.
Bryce Wakefield, director of the Australian Institute of International Affairs, told VOA the Japan-Australia agreement is a sign that Japan wants and needs allies.
While Australia and Japan have forged strong economic ties in the decades since World War II, the document signed Saturday takes the country’s relations to a new level.
[[so… that’s why Kishida flew to Perth… ]]

Posted by: Melaleuca | Oct 25 2022 10:52 utc | 375

Melaleuca @ 381
Japan’s General Koji Yamasaki was also in Ottawa recently, meeting with Chief of Defence Staff, General Eyre.
https://twitter.com/CDS_Canada_CEMD/status/1583534070599860225
“We used this visit to discuss shared concerns on global and regional security issues, and opportunities to work together more.” says Eyre

Posted by: Bruised Northerner | Oct 25 2022 11:01 utc | 377

🇬🇧🇷🇺Rishi Sunak played a leading role in the”sanctions offensive” against Russia
As the finance minister, he urged British companies to leave Moscow. Russian assets in London also became the targets of his sanctions.
“I urge asset owners and managers to think very carefully about any investment that could somehow support Putin and his regime. Diplomatically, politically, economically, and also militarily, this barbaric adventure of Vladimir Putin must end in failure,” Sunak said in March 2022.
Sunak is smarter than Liz Truss, and this is dangerous for the settlement of this conflict.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/16581

Posted by: Down South | Oct 25 2022 11:14 utc | 379

The US likely is mobilizing forces and NATO is being reenforced in Romania, but the fact remains that the west likely does not have an avenue to effectively apply that force. The mystique of the US military is a lot bigger than its might. The army is currently trying to pivot to fighting this kind of war but is still a long way from it. No doubt that the US or some portions of NATO directly entering the Ukraine conflict will cause great damage to Russian forces. But the damage is two way and there’s not any evidence that the US can take damage or sustain a conflict. Sure, 90 planes on an aircraft career but one can’t assume all 90 make it back to the carrier.
The US directly entering Ukraine is always a possibility, but it would be a terrible idea from the US perspective unless it can be sure that it would win decisively and quickly.

Posted by: Lex | Oct 25 2022 11:20 utc | 381

Et Tu | Oct 25 2022 9:36 utc | 366
Thank you, this is some high stakes gamesmanship going on. The Americans are psychopathic crazies. (nothing new there – I hope Russia doesn’t blink )

Posted by: SeanAU | Oct 25 2022 11:24 utc | 383

@blues 260
The trouble with this assertion is principally that there are not “large numbers of people dying of radiation poisoning” except in the USA and Marshall islands, where the US detonated test bombs. Even Chernobyl caused a total of 31 recognized deaths and fewer than 150 cases of radiation toxicity related illness.
If you imagine that I am wrong, provide a citation from a recognized, peer reviewed, medical journal. Not half baked assertions of unknown provenance.
As for the claim that the US is shipping and shooting seriously pricey HEU, where a lot of the HEU in the US since the mid 1990s was sold to them by Russia, and this is definitely not going to happen again, there is not the slightest chance. Every gram is tracked by the IAEA and we know this diversion is not happening at any level of significance. We also know that the US government has around a million tonnes of depleted uranium to protect for the next billion years or so If they can dump it elsewhere, particularly in lieu of paying for something else expensive, why wouldn’t they?
@oldhippie 236
I am well aware of that. Depleted uranium’s mass and pyrophoric nature might have lead to it being weaponized even if the US government were not forced to pay to store a mountain of it. However, the level of ionizing U235 in depleted uranium is negligible, some 0.2 to 0.3 per cent by weight, and even if each projectile were fully aerosolized the amount of ionizing radiation experienced in the direct vicinity would likely remain significantly under that experienced by Uranium miners (3 – 20 mSv/a (avg. 4.45 mSv/a) for underground miners, and within the range of 1 – 5 mSv/a (avg. 1.56 mSv/a) for open pit miners. So while U238 bearing compounds are potentially much nastier when internal (because the only way alpha particles can get into the body is if the emitter is internal, and toxicity is more of a concern than radiation), I don’t think that we need be too concerned about depleted uranium unless shot with it, in which case there would likely be more urgent concerns than possibly developing a radiation based illness.

Posted by: Hermit | Oct 25 2022 11:26 utc | 385

In March, Sunak was Johnsoniuk’s minister, but now he is the prime minister. If he wants/needs to safeguard the British economy, he has to stop wasting money in non-British areas. Right now, most of the political “experts” of western MSM are running around commenting. Funny hearing them, and not only in English.

Posted by: Paulg | Oct 25 2022 11:32 utc | 387

Prigozhin addressing Washington Post:
You are a publication with colossal experience, more than 140 years, your teachers and people who owned and worked in your publication kept their face and tried to objectively cover various events for a century and a half, so try not look like hysterical women in the kitchen, who collect gossip and speculations and try to create some kind of information field by publishing ridiculous provocative and offensive questions.
I understand that as of today most American journalists, especially those belonging to the Democratic camp, suffer from boorish vulgar populism. However, if each of you does a little bit to restore some element of objectivity to American journalism, you can become a really important tool for solving global problems of the world.
At the moment, you have become a “garbage dump”.
( Ouch! )

Posted by: SeanAU | Oct 25 2022 11:42 utc | 389

Incompetence by Russia keeps on …
Posted by: Zanon | Oct 25 2022 7:49 utc | 334
Try an experiment: grab some friend with a shotgun, get in front of him and once he fires, dodge ALL these many tiny bullets. If some still hits you, you are as incompetent as the Russians.

Posted by: CM of Berlin | Oct 25 2022 11:46 utc | 391

Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Oct 25 2022 11:26 utc | 390
“…if it doesn’t happen in the next 2-8 weeks, say, we can assume the plan never existed.”
Disagree once again. You’re repeating the same flawed assumption.
“The only reason a plan like this would be canceled if 1) it’s become physically impossible for some reason, or 2) the instigators have gotten cold feet because of the possible consequences of Russian retaliation against them specifically.”
Yes. The second reason you cited is exactly the point I made in my previous reply.
I agree with you that the more important question is “What happens next?” if a dirty bomb is detonated. Many here and elsewhere have already speculated US/NATO would use that as the pretext to directly enter the conflict. Lots of existing commentary on that already which I don’t need to repeat.
My view (shared by others) is that the highest chance of a dirty bomb (or other major event) happening is before the US mid-terms on Nov 8. Just 2 weeks today. I will be a lot more relaxed if on Nov 9th nothing has happened.
Cheers.

Posted by: Jax | Oct 25 2022 11:48 utc | 393

Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Oct 25 2022 11:26 utc | 390
One more thing: Yesterday, I shared the following:

Kiev’s provocation using a dirty bomb can be carried out with support of Western countries, Russia will regard the use of a dirty bomb by Kiev as an act of NUCLEAR TERRORISM, calls on West to influence the Kiev regime to ABANDON plans for such a provocation – Russian Permanent Representative to UN Nebenzya in a letter to UN Secretary General.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said that Moscow has VERIFIED information that Ukraine is preparing a dirty bomb.
“>https://t.me/IntelRepublic/7451

The important part is “Russia will regard the use of a dirty bomb by Kiev as an act of NUCLEAR TERRORISM, calls on West to influence the Kiev regime to ABANDON plans for such a provocation”.
I think it’s safe to say the four foreign ministries would have been advised the same by telephone. Dirty bomb = Nuclear terrorism. The consequences will be clear to all parties.

Posted by: Jax | Oct 25 2022 12:04 utc | 395

Lex @ 387

Sure, 90 planes on an aircraft career but one can’t assume all 90 make it back to the carrier.

Or that the carrier will be there.
Col. Douglas Macgregor called them floating coffins. Today the only use for carriers is against poor countries, China and Russia can sink a carrier with one hit in any ocean on the planet. When China landed its little rover on Mars, perfectly and on the first try it was also to give the same message as the US space program in the 1950s-60s. Our missile technology works, works well, is robust, reliable, accurate, and global.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Oct 25 2022 12:10 utc | 397

Richard Steven Hack | Oct 25 2022 11:26 utc | 390
What about Bali? The week after the election will be especially ripe for performative atrocities to improve project continuity. The lame duck sessions of Congress tend to generate particularly unpleasant laws and institutions. Yet more Ukraine appropriations would fit right in there.

Posted by: sippy the shot glass | Oct 25 2022 12:13 utc | 399