I am shocked, shocked to find out that the Ribbentrop-Molotov carving board is alive, well, and claiming its newest carcass to be butchered: Ukraine.
Old Merkel whore whoring Ukraine over to her Bolshoi pimp
(… in exchange for cheap gas = total Kraut Kontrol of the EU)
Posted by: CommiesGOFY | Dec 11 2022 15:41 utc | 21
Well, now that you got that off your chest you can crawl into you little snake hole and shed your skin.

Posted by: Ed | Dec 11 2022 20:39 utc | 103

Posted by: logosApplied | Dec 11 2022 19:34 utc | 86
IMHO, the Wehrmacht spine was broken by the Belarussian offensive of June 22nd, 1944 – also named “Bagration Operation”. It inflicted around 600,000 casualties to the German Center Army Group while cutting off the German North Army Group from the rest of main German forces, keeping them useless and corraled into Kurland up to their capitulation on may 9th 1945.
Stalingrad was a terrible setback, a blow that stopped for good the attempts at seizing the Caucasus oil but Manstein’s counter strikes in early 1943 dealt terrible punches to the Red Army, which suffered losses that made them even (more or less) with the loss of 6th German Army.
Kursk was the second setback for the German army after Hitler stopped it against the advice of Manstein (the third if one includes the defense of Moscow in 41).
But as late as in the 1944 spring the German were still able to hold their lines in eastern Europe, including parts of Ukraine or Belarus, giving some painful counterpunches to soviet offensives (see the two battles of Targu Frumos in Romania for example).
After Bagration there was nothing but crumbling back painfully to Hitler’s bunker.
The rhythm was then given by Red Army logistical capabilities, which were huge but not unlimited.

Posted by: Greg Galloway | Dec 11 2022 20:51 utc | 105

The Serb Army prevailed by leaving Kosovo? NATO’s KFOR hasn’t spent the 20+ years there?
Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 11 2022 20:42 utc | 102
That is true Bill; in other words, they lost: Resolution 1244/1999 and 1244/2007 were not a victory for Serbia, it was an agreement to end hostilities, more or less on US / NATO terms. Witness the big US/NATO base in Kosovo, Camp Bondsteel.

Posted by: Ed | Dec 11 2022 20:57 utc | 107

Patrick Boyle’s examination of fraudsters makes me think of Zelensky.
Here
Besides its a good laugh for a bleak topic.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 11 2022 21:05 utc | 109

Good evening,
I’m reading all your valuable opinions with much interest for a while but here is my first post mainly linked to #16 #42. Sorry for my poor english. I’m french but I spent 12 years on the payroll of one of the past « most admired US company » before it was ousted of S&P500 a couple of years later.
I share point of # 16 that macron lacks of personal qualifications, himself proved that in so many occasions for more than 5 years now. He has no family, no children, no friends he is only spiteful. He is not a political leader but a toy poodle of german and US leaders. He is strong with the weak people and weak in front of the leaders (remember the 10 months old pic where Putin debunked him, letting him sit alone at the opposite side of a 6m long table….).
However at 2017’s presidential election, with the support of the MSM, macron well managed to oust Fillon who was the designated leader of the center-right party (who was also a specimen of crook). Anyway, just to note that at that time Fillon was seconded by a guy named Eric Ciotti.
Although MSM and others bet on his opponent and expecting that this party would become the crutch of Macron’s troops, today, Ciotti now a right-wing hardliner, was elected as leader of the les Republicain’s party. Macron will hence be deprived of the additional support he was expecting at french National Assembly.
Moreover, among other things, Ciotti already said : Je prône une nouvelle amitié avec la Russie. Je refuse le suivisme atlantiste. Nos ennemis sont les islamistes, pas les Russes ! L’intervention russe en Syrie a été déterminante face à l’Etat islamique.» » I advocate a new friendship with Russia. I reject any blind conformity with altanticism.Our ennemies are the islamisc fundamentalists, not the russians.
Is he going to implement what he said ? What’s going to be the left and Macron’s reactions ? Is that going to influence the french position vis à vis Russia and Ukraine war ?Time will tell !

Posted by: Baerenkopf | Dec 11 2022 21:05 utc | 111

NeoFeudal (39)
“The ussr was all hollow only saved by Nazi tech and slave scientists. Otherwise Patton and Churchill would’ve rolled up the red menace in the 50s.”
Patton was mostly talk, fighting a second-rate German Army because the Russians were demolishing Adolf’s Finest on the Eastern Front.
The T34 tank, by far the best and most economic weapon on either side, and the Katyusha Rocket, Soviet-made, were of the best weapons that defeated the German Army.
Patton the Movie, was utter nonsense.

Posted by: kupkee | Dec 11 2022 21:14 utc | 113

“I don’t think the propaganda is as intense in this land of free speech”
JESSdTruth… oh my… you need to study your history of propaganda. The USA have been the world’s leader in propaganda for over a hundred years. Goebbels just copied the Americans. Bernays even brings it up in his autobiography.

Posted by: Goldhoarder | Dec 11 2022 21:27 utc | 115

Merkel had no influence.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 11 2022 14:38 utc | 7
Not sure what image any practicing politicians would prefer: one of treacherous but dangerous and influencung evil overload, or one of inept universally locked goody-two-doormats.
I can imagine Merkel and her wingmen prefered to be seen controvercial rather than junk.

Posted by: Arioch | Dec 11 2022 21:34 utc | 117

In my mind more US weapons and facilities going to Poland is a sort of slow creep into the war. Much needs to be prepared.
EU digs out millions to prepare rail for military use
As such the US would never get involved unless all was in place and that will take quite some time. In the meantime they are slowly moving in that direction. They are using their Ukrainian pawns to take assessment of Russian capabilities. It could be that they hope this initial phase will tire the Russian population like what happened to US with the Vietnam experience.
The all draft army was a pain in the ass for the US military in Nam. They know what it entails politically and socially. A 10 year war is nothing for these guys, gals, and alt gender types.
The goal is all the same for all the leadership in the west. Gain control of Russian resources for the New York and London capitalist class. I would hate to be their target as they have much chaos they can rain down on you.

Posted by: circumspect | Dec 11 2022 21:37 utc | 119

#2-#16
I’m wondering what means the recent German leaders last stances ? What’s is the purpose and the goals of those stances now ?
First Van der Leyen who disclosed the number of ukrainian KIA, data who was supposed to be kept secret
Second, Merkel who more or less openly declared that the West stood straight with Ukraine to not implement the Misk accord?
Hard to believe that these 2 high level close officials made mistakes ? Being Prime minister and DOD minister of the same german government at the time of Minsk agreement negotiation accord, I think that these two stances are linked and should have a political sense ! I’m curious to know ?

Posted by: Baerenkopf | Dec 11 2022 21:46 utc | 121

Vucic:
“It is so strange to me that the Russian special services did not know, it is incredible that they were so irresponsible not to see this.”
“We’re on our own now”
” We can no longer trust anyone”
Putin the 5D chessmaster has fallen into Mama Merkels trap.
Putin, Lavrov and Peskov are Russian gravedigger.
They were only focused on Minsk 1.2 and NS2.
They didnt care about donbass or modernisation of russian arm forces
Posted by: Ćevapčići | Dec 11 2022 20:16 utc | 92

See my comment at 80. The more logical conclusion is that Russia did know. Donbass originally wanted independence, not to become part of Russia. So Russia said fine, here is what independence looks like, with very limited arms and humanitarian support.
Merkel is likely telling the truth about her prior knowledge and duplicity. But her recent statement confirms to the Russian public, Putin’s position that the west is “not agreement capable” and gives Russia no alternative but to continue the conflict and not negotiate. One has to assume then that was the intention of her remarks.

Posted by: Opport Knocks | Dec 11 2022 21:50 utc | 123

K @119
has it occurred to anyone that Merkel … could be lying about her past intentions with Minsk?
That is exactly the theory B has proposed in his article on the Merkel interview.

Posted by: grunzt | Dec 11 2022 21:54 utc | 125

The Ukrainian Twitterverse and others are boasting that Wagner HQ in Donbass was hit with a missile.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-regional-official-says-strike-hits-wagner-group-headquarters-2022-12-11/
Will be interesting to hear what really happened.

Posted by: Opport Knocks | Dec 11 2022 22:00 utc | 127

“US reluctant to send cluster munitions to Ukraine – media”
“Banned by over 100 nations, most of these weapons leave behind unexploded elements that pose a threat to civilians”
(RT 12/11/22)
When the Biden Administration says that they are reluctant to send Ukraine some kind of weapons, or weapons system (generally a weapon system that escalates the war), it means that they are already in the process of sending the weapons and once that have arrived in Ukraine, then the US will decide that they are no longer “relucent.” This pattern is a well-worn path by now.

Posted by: Ed | Dec 11 2022 22:13 utc | 129

B9k9 | Dec 11 2022 15:02 utc | 13
The Empire is collapsing but the Republic can easily be a great power for another century…but only if the can give up the Empire.
If the US continues on this ridiculous path of not tolerating peer competitors then things are very bleak indeed.
The chances of nuclear war breaking out rest with the USA. Unfortunately events of this year show that something is seriously wrong in the US state department. Nothing they try is working out and in desperation they keep doubling down.
What happens next year is crucial. Its going to be the most interesting year of these interesting times.

Posted by: Klaatu | Dec 11 2022 22:28 utc | 131

Likklemore | Dec 11 2022 17:41 utc | 55
meet the new boss, same as the old boss? now the MbS is not wanted for murder, he can get back to building a brighter future for us all.
soon we’ll ask, what’s chinese for “camp david”? (yeah, how long before Xi is in Tel Aviv shaking hands with Bibi?) finance minister li can be found on any and every occasion pledging China’s unwavering loyalty to the gods of international finance.

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Dec 11 2022 22:36 utc | 133

.British foreign secretary James Cleverly issues a statement supporting the U.S. assessment, adding that “the UK will continue to expose this desperate alliance and hold both countries to account. Iran is now one of Russia’s top military backers,” Cleverly said.
LOL. “Desperate” alliance?
Spare me.
It’s NATO that’s becoming the desperate alliance.

Posted by: Michigan Dude | Dec 11 2022 22:43 utc | 135

Hugo | Dec 11 2022 14:12 utc | 2
“She knows very well who are the devils”
And yet, she opened the door for them and gave them a home.
—
GoFast | Dec 11 2022 14:43 utc | 9
“A good book about the history of Russia and Ukraine.”
Please tell me if you find one, I’m looking myself. All I can offer at this point is a book called “Explaining the Low Intensity of Ethnopolitical Conflict in Ukraine” by one Susan Stewart. As you can probably guess from the “low intensity” it predates the current war by a lot. It’s a thesis from 2004. It covers the first 15 years of Ukraine’s development and Ukraine’s internal relations plus relations with Russia. It’s about a nation that’s half Russian itself, and knows it. And it makes you wonder: so much could have turned ugly when Ukraine and Russia went separate ways, but instead everything went rather smoothly. No border dispute, the Red Army was split and distributed without problems, the question of the nuclear arsenal was solved rather elegantly, the Black Sea fleet was split and the 2 new and sovereign parts continued to share one base, Sevastopol. No hatred, no expulsions of minorities, no language discrimination. Amazing, in retrospect. ISBN would be 3-8258-8331-0. But it’s a thesis, so there’s lots of boring methodology and ethnological jargon too.
—
JessDTruth | Dec 11 2022 15:14 utc | 16
Bowing to your comment!
—
Down South | Dec 11 2022 15:19 utc | 17
Thanks a lot for this run-down! The thing about the ‘islands’ made me prick my ears.
—
Sam | Dec 11 2022 15:46 utc | 24
Have you heard the woman speak, man? This cr*p about speaking Russian fluently, she doesn’t even speak her mother tongue fluently, let alone a foreign language. That’s the mental capabilities we’re dealing with in her case.
—
Sparta78 | Dec 11 2022 15:58 utc | 27
“In Germany, for example, they are entitled to ALG-2, i.e. 449 euros (soon 502) and rent (if they find a flat). For organisational reasons, some of these payments were made in advance for several months. These sums are above the average Ukrainian income (if there is one).”
Exactly. Ukrainian civilians always have a fallback position, which is a real boost to Ukraine’s ability to keep this thing going. Not sure if Russian big-wigs have factored that in appropriately. With regard to finding a flat and getting rent for it – they don’t necessarily have to find a flat to actually live in. To get the money they just need to register a plausible address and have their mail forwarded to their actual place of residence, so they can react to letters by government agencies. Meanwhile, they can live much cheaper in Poland, or with their grandparents in rural Ukraine or something.

Posted by: Scotch Bingeington | Dec 11 2022 22:52 utc | 137

«You guys should read the western Google curated news feeds. It may be full of propoganda but they wrap it around actual information.»
As to that kind of thing this article is quite amazing:
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htlog/articles/20221211.aspx
“in February 2022, the Ukrainian armed forces had nearly a quarter million personnel on active duty. Since then, Ukraine has added over half a million more personnel (volunteers and conscripts) and, unlike Russia, most of the new personnel did not go into combat units but were instead assigned to support units. […] The troops were also kept supplied with adequate cold-weather uniforms and other items that maintain health and morale. This included medical care and rapid movement of severe casualties to hospitals. […]
Unlike the Russians, Ukraine support troops used forklifts to move ammunition and other supplies onto and off trucks. The Russians still do it by hand, which often means that it doesn’t get done if there are not enough troops to do it. The invading Russians forces had few or none of the support services Ukraine provides for its own troops. This has provided Ukrainian troops with a major advantage. Unlike Russian troops in Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers suffer less from malnutrition, cold weather, and untreated wounds. […]
Russia never put as much emphasis on material support for the troops as Western nations did. The Russian approach was to apply overwhelming force initially to defeat the enemy. If that failed, as it increasingly did in the 20th century, so did Russian losses.
Ukraine understood that and with NATO assistance, was able, especially after 2014, to adopt a Western style of military operations. Some western military leaders underestimated the impact of this on Ukrainian successes and lower casualties. While Western militaries accept these support policies for their own troops and the resulting lower combat casualties, they were surprised and initially incredulous at the rapidity with which Ukrainians adopted and benefitted from Western practices.»

Posted by: Blissex | Dec 11 2022 23:09 utc | 139

@Don Bacon (7). ” Merkel was in a strange manner, and implicitly giving putin the causus belli for the start of SMO.
No, it was all US/Ukraine who instigated the war. Merkel had no influence.”
Whether Merkel had influence is not the issue here. She absolutely had knowledge of the plan not to implement the Minsk Accord. And as far as we know, she made no effort to pressure Ukrainian officials to move ahead with implementation.

Posted by: Rob | Dec 11 2022 23:23 utc | 141

The Empire is collapsing but the Republic can easily be a great power for another century.
Posted by: Klaatu | Dec 11 2022 22:28 utc | 130
—
Half the country agrees, but due to wide spread voter fraud, the only voice heard is the mic
This is why Russia has us supporters. If the fed.res, Media and mic are dealt a crushing blow, fed.gov might possibly be brought under control.

Posted by: B9k9 | Dec 11 2022 23:36 utc | 143

Hard to believe that these 2 high level close officials made mistakes ? Being Prime minister and DOD minister of the same german government at the time of Minsk agreement negotiation accord, I think that these two stances are linked and should have a political sense ! I’m curious to know ?
Posted by: Baerenkopf | Dec 11 2022 21:46 utc | 120
Absolutely not an accident. It is on purpose, they ALWAYS slip out the truth at one point or the other. It’s a pattern every time.
Merkel did it years after the fact had already occurred – and it’s no longer critical on any political manner, to keep it a secret Minsk II was preparation for war. Ursula VDL slipped out the 100k+ ukie KIA info, because it is no longer relevant to keep secret. For what reason? My guess is that Ukraine and EU vassals are already sucked in SO deep that they have strong assurances that ukies will fight until everyone of them is dead, and EU vassals will provide free stuff until their economies simply cease to exist. They are fully committed to uncle Schmuel’s interests, no turning back. V1 speed achieved.
So it’s no longer relevant to keep it secret, they told it, but it’s a code that they always tell the truth, usually with “freudian slips”.

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 11 2022 23:48 utc | 145

unimperator | Dec 11 2022 15:59 utc | 28
(Source- Brian Berletic, citing US Presidential Draw Down Assistance Package for Ukraine…
Brian notes:
“……No more pickup trucks or HMMWVs for troop movements, instead ambulances for growing medical emergency in Bakhmut.”
Err. Except. Ukraine has been using ambulances for troop transport from Day 1..
In the very first reports in Feb22, CNN were in Kiev and filmed something, …. an ambulance pulls up in the background, and 10-15 Ukraine soldiers (able bodied, uninjured, armed) jump out.
Being dumb as rocks journos…(CNN, thus, I do repeat myself).. they happily film this, feature it on air.
Until it’s pointed out using ambulances as troop transports is actually forbidden under Geneva Convention.
But. No one cares, until Russia bombs an “ambulance”…. (Or a school kindergarten, filled with Ukrainian soldiers).
Brian has a vid up at his New Atlas yt.
“The Ukraine Arms Drain: Now and in the Future”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wZfjd-byNk

Posted by: Melaleuca | Dec 12 2022 0:00 utc | 147

Posted by: Melaleuca | Dec 12 2022 0:00 utc | 146
In addition to ambulances, also “school buses” are provided. That’s laughable, because a few months ago, one of those “school buses” was destroyed by an ATGM in the Donbass along with 20 Polish mercenaries inside. The bus was visibly driving into the middle of a forest, probably not many schools there or an active bus routes. Apparently mercs use it to get around and into positions.
There was also a huge bus depot in Zaporizhe, that was destroyed earlier. Reportedly 40 busses got torched, hence EU sending more lol.

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 12 2022 0:11 utc | 149

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Dec 11 2022 22:36 utc | 132
[.]soon we’ll ask, what’s chinese for “camp david”? (yeah, how long before Xi is in Tel Aviv shaking hands with Bibi?) finance minister li can be found on any and every occasion pledging China’s unwavering loyalty to the gods of international finance.[.]
Thanks for dropping in.
Well, we are in the era of deception -propaganda, censorship to coverup the lies. Just as with CV-19 the Ukraine conflict is a very convenient distraction as the economy continues to collapse.
Take note the gods of international finance from Tel Aviv, London, to NYC are going down with Titanic 2.0. We, the useless people, won’t be spared.
$300 trillion of global debt and $2.5 quadrillion of derivatives..
One of the sparks likely to blow through the hull (financial system), consider the BIS recent report …$80 trillion of secret derivative debt that is 10 Times their Capital held off the books by pension funds, non-financial institutions and foreign banks. The GFC in 2008 will be renamed.

Posted by: Likklemore | Dec 12 2022 0:19 utc | 151

If you want top quality commentary on Ukraines civil war and Russias SMO, then you wont get better than:
Alex Mercouris
Alex Christoforou
The Duran
Also, please try:
Brian Berletic
Redacted with Natalie and Clayton Morris
The Left Lens
Earl Grey
Gonzalo Lira
For on the ground honest reporting please try:
Patrick Lancaster
Graham Phillips
Eva Bartlett
John Mark Duggan
All have popular YT chanels. Just type their names in YT search bar.
Sorry, if Ive missed anyone off the lists.

Posted by: HERMIUS | Dec 12 2022 0:29 utc | 153

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 12 2022 0:09 utc | 147
Ah, come on, some, okay, a little of what @ Blissex | Dec 11 2022 23:09 utc | 13 posted is true.

Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 12 2022 2:21 utc | 155

According these news it was a restaurant out of use.
RIA News Agency (last night Saturday)
00:13 12/11/2022 (updated: 10:00 12/11/2022)
© RIA Novosti / Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
….
Posted by: ka | Dec 11 2022 23:41 utc | 143

That was Saturday, Melitopol is not in Donbass. I am referring to reports there was a missile attack on Wagner HQ in Kadiivka, Luhansk region on Sunday. The MSM reports all say Ukrainian officials were the source, but not independently confirmed. So likely an exaggeration or outright lie.

Posted by: Opport Knocks | Dec 12 2022 2:38 utc | 157

From the Kremlin: “The United States approved directly striking Russia. territory. In its turn, Russia will directly strike the United States, Putin says.”
Imaginary by a centimeter.

Posted by: Elmagnostic | Dec 12 2022 2:53 utc | 159

⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚔️ #Chronicle of the Special Military Operation for 10-11 Dec 2022⚡️
♦️#Crimea:
▪️ Ukrainian kamikaze drones attempted strikes against #Simferopol, but Russian air defences shot down all targets on approach.
♦️#Starobelsk Direction (MAP):
▪️ In the #Kupyansk – #Svatovo section, units of the AFU’s 14th Mechanized Brigade and the 32nd Battalion of the Terrotorial Defence attempted to storm the #Sinkovka – #Lyman 1st line, but failed.
➖ The RF Armed Forces intercepted an Ukrainian SRG near #Dachnoye, most of the group was destroyed and the rest fled into the woods.
▪️ In the #Lyman sector, fighting is continues west of #Ploshchanka, where RF forces had previously managed to capture several enemy strongholds. The AFU is trying unsuccessfully to retake lost positions.
➖ Fighting continues in the grey zone at the #Chervonopopovka – #Makeyevka line.
▪️ In the #Lysychansk sector, Russian troops have occupied an observation post near #Belogorovka.
♦️#Lugansk People’s Republic:
▪️ The Ukrainian militants launched rocket and barrel artillery strikes on #Svatovo and #Stakhanov, civilian infrastructure was damaged.
♦️#Donetsk Direction (MAP):
▪️ Fighting continues in the centre of #Maryinka, where Russian troops are trying to overcome enemy defences on the central Druzhba Street.
▪️ In the #Avdeyevka sector, DPR People’s Militia units are fighting in the vicinity of #Pervomayskoye and #Vodyanyoye.
▪️ In the #Ugledar sector, the RF Armed Forces have begun an offensive near Bolshaya Novoselka, trying to take advantageous positions.
▪️ The enemy militants continue intense shelling of the #Donetsk agglomeration with strikes on the centre of #Donetsk and other settlements, civilians killed.
♦️#Zaporozhye Direction:
▪️ Ukrainian militants shelled #Melitopol with HIMARS MLRS. The shells hit the Hunters’ Rest Base and killed civilians. Despite the massive strike, not a single military facility was hit. There were no casualties among the military personnel.
▪️ Artillery duels continue along the entire line of contact. The RF Armed Forces shelled targets in #Yulyevka, #Orekhov, #Gulyaypole, #Olgovskoye and #Nikopol, while enemy militants shelled #Energodar.
♦️#Kherson Direction:
▪️ Russian forces hit AFU positions at the Kherson cotton mill in #Kherson.
▪️ In addition, targetshave been hit in #Dudchany, #Berislav, #Zimevka and #Dneprovskoye.
▪️ The RF Armed Forces destroyed an enemy SRG on Bolshoy Potemkin Island at the mouth of the #Dnipro River. At least 3 AFU fighters were killed, their bodies fell into the river.
♦️#Odessa Region:
▪️ On the night of Friday to Saturday, Russian troops have hit the Novovodesskaya power substation with a Geran-2 kamikaze drone.
In #Odessa, the attack led to a prolonged almost complete loss of electricity supply and problems with the operation of pumping stations.

https://t.me/sitreports/1997

Posted by: Down South | Dec 12 2022 3:43 utc | 161

How many tanks did the Ukrainian Armed Forces lose in Bakhmut?
According to the Military Chronicle, from the end of August to the beginning of December, the 54th and 59th brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine could irretrievably lose about six to eight tank companies in Bakhmut (Artyomovsk)—from 84 to 112 vehicles. The equipment remaining in service with the Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut is on the verge of failure.
Most of the T-64, T-64BV, and Polish T-72M1 tanks were lost by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the battles in the north of the city in the Podgorodny area and during several counterattacks in the south in the area of Kurdyumovka, Zelenopolye, and Ozaryanovka. Tanks were also lost in the battles near Opytny, where Ukrainian forces tried to stop the advance of the RF Armed Forces but retreated due to high losses. Interruptions in electricity and a lack of spare parts prevent quick repairs of equipment.
Almost all vehicles have high gun wear, and the crews of Ukrainian Armed Forces tanks regularly encounter bursts of ammunition in the gun breech, after which the vehicle is put out of action. The activity of the artillery of Wagner PMC and the RF Armed Forces also led to high losses of tanks: when a platoon (or company) of tanks is detected, heavy artillery fire of high density opens on armoured vehicles, which does not allow the equipment to manoeuvre and fire.
     There are also tactical errors. Short daylight hours limit the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in observation and reconnaissance using UAVs, and cold weather forces them to keep vehicles with running engines, which strongly unmasks them and makes them a target for sabotage groups of the RF Armed Forces with Kornet anti-tank systems and Irony surveillance devices that detect enemy equipment in the dark at a distance of 7 km.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/24545

Posted by: Down South | Dec 12 2022 3:45 utc | 163

At the instigation of Western journalists, the term “Bakhmut meat grinder” took root in Ukrainian media space, as did the comments that the city could not be held and was not worth such a sacrifice by the AFU at all. To break the negative trend, channels affiliated with Bankova started posting videos in which unidentified fighters with closed faces say that they will not give up Bakhmut. However, observant Ukrainians immediately noticed the clean uniforms and equipment of the speakers and considered it a staged performance.
Ukrainian channels reported that Bankova had to shell out money to get Zelensky on the cover of the British FT (Financial Times) as “man of the year.” Everyone knows that such “awards” are like beauty contests. Whoever pays (the price can be several million dollars) becomes the “man of the year.” Rumour has it that it was Ermak who gave the boss a New Year’s present, as Zelenski was very upset that he was not included in the Nobel laureates. His vanity is very well known in Ukraine. However, they say at Bankova that this was necessary for preparation for the elections and also to boost morale during a difficult period.
Another media achievement of Zelenski that provoked a mixed reaction in Ukraine was his signing of a decree that, from now on, Ukrainians celebrate Human Rights Day on December 10 to assert and defend human rights. It was on this day that the Ukrainian security forces carried out the most extensive “searches” of Orthodox churches, with numerous provocations organized by them. Ukrainians joke darkly, “It’s good that Zelensky has managed to retain his sense of humor after becoming president. In order to shift the informational emphasis from unwanted appeals of the UOC militants in defense of the UOC, the political technologists of Bankova tried to introduce a new slogan, “Our God is the UOC!” They logically pointed out that the Orthodox would not take communion of the body and blood of the AFU.
It was reported to Zelensky that a shortage of wheat and other agricultural products was looming, threatening a real famine, and he was advised to suspend exports from the country, even though he blamed Russia for it. However, according to Ukrainian sources, Zelensky was furious and replied very harshly that everything was enough and there was no need to panic. Although experts explicitly warn of a food shortage in 2023, which will provoke an even greater rise in prices, Zelensky does not want to hear about stopping food exports, as he is one of the beneficiaries of the “grain deal.”

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/24570

Posted by: Down South | Dec 12 2022 3:51 utc | 165

Opport Knocks | Dec 12 2022 2:38 utc | 157
>…”reports there was a missile attack on Wagner HQ in Kadiivka, Luhansk region on Sunday.”
I too am trawling for info on this. ^
1/ A US merc team is established with the name “Mozart” to troll and taunt “Wagner”
2/ Mozart “enters the chat” in east Ukraine/ new Russiya and promptly discovers arty barrages and no air support is not your Iraq/Afghanistan war.
3/ Gives an interview saying reports of 70% of Ukraine platoons and battalions is not an exaggeration
4/ Interview states Mozart believes it is being especially targeted by Wagner
5/ US directs and controls HiMARS strikes
6 A long range (140km?) HiMARS allegedly not seen on the battlefront previously (and previously said to deliberately *not* supplied to Ukraine) is used for this attack(?) (Seeking sources to confirm)…
7/ What are the odds….a U$ surveillance + targeting team “sent a message” to Wagner, “regards from Mozart”…………?

Posted by: Melaleuca | Dec 12 2022 4:43 utc | 167

@ B9k9 142
@ rjb1.5 132
The same algorithms used for banking interest are used for election fraud.
One of the main criticisms of Islam is that it goes too far, banning free mixing of sees and banning music. But big diseases are caused by micro-organisms.
Micro interest is too small to see, micro lust is too small to see, micro adjustment of voters wishes is totally invisible.
You have to have the intention to eliminate even the miniscule of evil in order to achieve its removal.
Of course Mbs is going to be corrupted when he is on the Roller coaster of Western money trash. Of course Pres. Xi is going to be corrupted when he starts to use the levers of military force. Both of those things are inevitable . They expose themselves to lethal germs and will catch the Western colds.
There is another way, but Westerners always say ‘ oh , but that is going too far ‘. So be it. Ameen. China would be as destructive an imperial power as any other, and Saudi Arabia already is one of the most destructive empires of all time, causing the eradication of Muslim life in countless Muslim countries over just the last 40 years. Corona savages.
If when Sunak talks of China, he would look in the mirror at what Modi nationalism is doing to India, he could start taking the woodchips out of his British eyes.
Butvthey never learn the basic teachings ofvthe prophets, peace be upon them all.
‘ oh that would be going too far.’
The keys to peace and war lie in the discipline of the human soul. Britain always says it projects soft power. No, it projects the stinking corruption of its own politics onto the ‘ others ‘, like Russia. Hence Ukraine, for which Bumbling BoJo is entirely to blame , from the internal catastrophe of his own broken moral compass.

Posted by: Giyane | Dec 12 2022 5:21 utc | 169

⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦💡 @Rybar: Another Consequence of Systematic Fire Attacks on Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure⚡️
🔥 Another power transformer burned down in #Kiev. Apparently, there was a switching overvoltage in the device.
It happened due to the release of overvoltage pulses into the grid from high-voltage line switching caused by the RF Armed Forces’ defeat of autotransformers at city substations and thermal power plants. A breakdown occurs inside the windings, an electric arc ignites and then the oil starts to burn. The gas pressure in the tank increases sharply, leading to a depressurisation and subsequent fire.
The incident is further evidence of the cumulative effect of Russian missile strikes. Even in the absence of new raids, elements fail on their own.
🩸 Is this a Clear Sign of the Collapse of Ukraine’s Power System?
No: The general control points (GCP) of most facilities are still intact, which theoretically allows, see 👉 Recent Comprehensive Assessment, replacing destroyed equipment and assembling back-up circuits.
But it is not the first time transformer fires have occurred that suggests instability and reduced sustainability of the power system. And if strikes continue, the possibility of rebuilding it in the short term will be negligible.

https://t.me/sitreports/2000

Posted by: Down South | Dec 12 2022 6:12 utc | 171

Angela Merkel on the Minsk agreements:
5 March 2015: “If the Minsk Agreements are seriously violated, European leaders and the European Commission stand ready to prepare and impose new sanctions.”
October 20, 2016: “We discussed a work process that has many sides and that needs to be taken into account when working on topics such as security, political process. And this should continue within the framework of the roadmap for the various steps of the Set of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements. And that’s progress.”
February 18, 2017: Minsk is all we have. Unfortunately, I cannot say that all points of the Minsk agreements have been fulfilled. A long-term ceasefire is needed. My opinion is that we shouldn’t throw away the only thing we have.”
March 17, 2017: “I was very pleased to learn that the US administration and the president personally are committed to the Minsk process. We need to find a solution to this problem. A safe and secure solution must be found for Ukraine, but relations with Russia must also be improved as the situation becomes clearer. The Minsk agreements are a good basis, but, unfortunately, we have not yet reached the process we expected. However, in the coming months, we will continue to work on this issue together with our experts.”
May 20, 2017: “The issue of security, as presented in the Minsk agreements, is a prerequisite for further progress in the political process.”
September 2 2017: “In the field of security policy in Europe, we must do everything to improve our contacts again. This includes the implementation of “Minsk”. If this works out, then we would have a starting point for even more and more intensive dialogue.”
April 10, 2018: “We discussed the situation that is developing in connection with the implementation of the Minsk agreements. Despite the complexity of the situation, we must not relax efforts, because we are talking about people. Germany and France will continue to look for a way out of the situation together with Ukraine and the Russian Federation.”
August 18, 2018: “We must work to find a solution. This concerns, firstly, the issue of Ukraine. We’ve been working on this for quite some time now. The basis is and remains – it is the Minsk Agreements. Although it must be stated that we do not yet have a stable truce.”
November 1, 2018: “If there is progress, then we can ease these sanctions. Unfortunately, now the situation is such that the “Minsk agreements” are not observed. If something is done, then only a millimeter forward and immediately back. Germany will also advocate the continuation of these sanctions.”
December 10, 2019: “There is a question, is this document set in stone, or can it be changed. After all, there are certain proposals by President Zelensky to change it. <...> We hope that this document will again be flexible, and it will be revived.”
December 7, 2022: “The Minsk agreements of 2014 were an attempt to give Ukraine time. It used this time to become stronger, as you can see today. Ukraine 2014-2015 is not Ukraine today. <...> It was clear to all of us that the conflict was frozen, that the problem had not been resolved, but this gave Ukraine precious time.”

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/24617

Posted by: Down South | Dec 12 2022 6:14 utc | 173

Wonder what this portends if accurate?
“According to The Insider’s sources, the presidential administration is about to undergo a serious shakeup: a number of prominent figures in charge of foreign policy will be leaving their posts. Some of the forthcoming resignations include Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s aide in charge of foreign policy; Igor Maslov, head of the Presidential Directorate for Interregional and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries; Valery Fedorov, overseer of the Transcaucasia; and Filipp Ilyichev, overseer of Africa and Israel. Their activities in recent years have been accompanied by humiliating failures”
https://theins.ru/en/politics/257740

Posted by: Jerr | Dec 12 2022 6:31 utc | 175

Re:
blues | Dec 12 2022 3:44 utc | 162
you wrote:
”-// From the Kremlin: “The United States approved directly striking Russia. territory. In its turn, Russia will directly strike the United States, Putin says.” //
Can you please provide a link for that? thanks

Posted by: Perimetr | Dec 12 2022 6:39 utc | 177

The ussr was all hollow only saved by Nazi tech and slave scientists. Otherwise Patton and Churchill would’ve rolled up the red menace in the 50s.
Well fantasy is available to hallucinogenic consumers !
USSR had huge manufacturing capacity 1945 – it was able to rebuilt Ukraine SSR without Marshall Aid. It was able to produce a hydrogen bomb before the UK and an atom bomb 3 years before UK.
Nazi technology was not so special but it did save US industry with all those stolen patents and scientists –
Churchill was comatose during his 1951 Government and a total disaster……..he started mass-immigration to provide cheap labour for London buses.
Churchill tried to attack USSR 1945 – Operation Unthinkable – Truman refused to back him and Churchill lost the 1945 Election in a landslide

Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Dec 12 2022 7:08 utc | 179

American submarines are enormous, noisy, and trivially tracked by side scan satellite radar originally intended to track wave heights. Even Norh Korean and Iranian diesel electric submarines have repeatedly proved capable of evading, tracking, attacking and defeating US submarines
Posted by: Hermit | Dec 12 2022 6:17 utc | 174

If true – and I tend to believe it – then Russia has capability for Strategic First Strike upon continental US (with very little odd of retaliation).

Posted by: Greg Galloway | Dec 12 2022 7:32 utc | 181

Translated from Russian FYI:
ПЕРЕХВАТ (Z) (Transformation (Z)) (Public/No TG app needed, browse-able link – includes Situ map)
Situation on the Bakhmut direction – December 11, 2022
▪️To the southeast of Bakhmut, the Wagner PMCs advanced to the southern part of Fyodor Maksimenko Street and came close to the waste-sorting plant;
▪ At the same time, developing an offensive from the direction of the Asphalt Plant, the musicians’ units also occupied the northern part of Fyodor Maksimenko Street;
▪️The Wagner PMCs fully control the Artemivsk Champagne Factory and the Siniat factory;
▪️North of the industrial zone, the Wagnerians came out from the south to Trudovykh Resursov Street;
▪️ fierce fighting continues in Opytnoye.
@ Mary
IntelSlavaZ likely just taking a break, other TG channels active.
Posted by: Outraged | Dec 11 2022 15:03 utc | 14

I have a bottle of “Krimskoye” champagne at home, which was produced in that factory. As soon as they conquered Bakhmut completely I will open it 😉
But I wonder if these bottles will rise in price in the future. At the moment there are still plenty of them in all the supermarkets here in Germany, for a reasonable price. Maybe a good investment (?)

Posted by: Helmuth von Moltke | Dec 12 2022 7:56 utc | 183

K @119
has it occurred to anyone that Merkel … could be lying about her past intentions with Minsk?
That is exactly the theory B has proposed in his article on the Merkel interview.
Posted by: grunzt | Dec 11 2022 21:54 utc | 124
Maybe she didn’t lie. But the question remains is why she said what she said.
I wonder if she is trying to send a -strong- message to her protege Ursula von der Leyen.
Ursula von der Leyen wants to start war crime trials against Russia – maybe Merkel intends to remind her that war crimes trials cut in several directions, and that Germany’s government is implicated in war crimes of the past 8 years. For which Russia collected evidence. Ursula was Merkel’S minsiter of defence before she became commission president. Maybe Merkel reminded her that any real war crimes trials will include her as one of the defendants – not as one of the judges.
Merkel might have also intended the messages for her successor Olaf Scholz and his cabinet. Olaf Scholz has also been part of her governments. He cannot claim not to know German intentions pressing for the Minsk agreements – or what the Minsk ageements actually entailed. Yet his government still propagates the lie that Russia did not “fulfill its obligations under the Minsk agreements”. Olaf Scholz attacked Merkel sharply for her interview, saying that she is no longer part of the government, therefore should keep her mouth shut. It would seem that Merkel scored a hit.

Posted by: Martina | Dec 12 2022 8:12 utc | 185

Posted by: MiniMo | Dec 12 2022 6:46 utc | 178
I went on holiday to Serbia this summer, walking in the unspoilt countryside. I found it very civilised, very friendly and very cheap. An enormous contrast from when I last visited just after the war when it was in a desperate state. Strongly recommended for anyone looking for a break (but not in winter when I am told it is miserable!!)

Posted by: Tim | Dec 12 2022 8:26 utc | 187

@ Hermit | Dec 12 2022 6:17 utc | 174
In addition, expect a significant number of unexpected total catastrophic losses of ‘modern’ US Navy subs, when under threat in true combat conditions, are forced to exceed maximum safe dive depth. ALL US sub hull alloys used in manufacture for over more than two decades now were built & commissioned with falsely certified (ie fraudulently lab tested & certified(substandard – non-spec)) metals.
Oops. Late stage endemic corruption & Empire decline. So sad.
@ Paul Greenwood | Dec 12 2022 7:08 utc | 179
Indeed. Dog, what utter dross that was …
@ Helmuth von Moltke | Dec 12 2022 7:56 utc | 183
Prost ! 🙂

Brian Berletic’s Newatlas Channel
NEW VIDEO: The Ukraine Arms Drain: Now and in the Future Youtube. Runtime 33m37s.
Update on Russian military operations in Ukraine for December 12, 2022.
▪️ Russia continues its war of attrition – focusing on exhausting and overwhelming critical Ukrainian defenses around Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine/western Russia;
▪️ Despite claims that Russian missile stockpiles are depleted, Russia continues carrying out regular, large-scale missile barrages against Ukrainian infrastructure;
▪️Latest US assistance package for Ukraine continues the trend of dwindling, inadequate support for Ukraine;
▪️ US government procurement numbers over the course of the next 2-5 years indicates that at no time in the near future will the US be capable of producing let alone supplying Ukraine with the number of weapons and ammunition it requires;
▪️While Russian production data is not available, the fact that Russia’s stockpiles and military were configured for large-scale protracted and intense combat suggests its military industrial output is likewise configured for such demands;
▪️The Western media is now admitting that Ukraine can neither win, nor is there any moral imperative to ensure that it does…

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 12 2022 8:45 utc | 189

Greg Galloway @ 181
.
Yes. Has been that way for some time. US has exactly 14 submarines armed with nukes and 11 carrier groups and all can be and I would assume are tracked full time. And are all merely targets.
And then crap like a forty year old Tu-141 gets through to the Engels airbase, which is a premier target. At the capital S Strategic level Russia could pull off a first strike. The cost would still be very high.
Only place submarines can fully hide is at the pole under two meters or more of ice. Disregard the ideologue morons telling you about rebound in Arctic ice. The submarine visibility issue is why US Navy tracks sea ice. Take a look at current HYCOM chart. You will have to go to archived charts to even see it clearly , the dark gray line at about 2.25 meters thickness does not make sense for constructing a color scale unless that is the only important part of the chart. Inside that line is where Russia cannot see. It is winter and there are only tiny areas in which to hide. Maybe 1% of Arctic Ocean. The Northern Sea Route is shipping Russian oil year round. With the much increased sea traffic the ability to pick up military activity is enhanced.

Posted by: oldhippie | Dec 12 2022 8:55 utc | 191

Passerby @ 111
Let those Abrams tanks end up in Ukraine. Overweight junk. Sinks in wet soil where Russian gear floats. Prefers to be transported to battle on a flatbed truck. Requires large amounts of special fuel. Requires infinite maintenance. Designed and built for desert operation and fourth world operation. Product of General Dynamics, which is straight mafia. When you can still claim major involvement in Kennedy assasination you can get appropriations for any crap you want to sell.

Posted by: oldhipie | Dec 12 2022 9:19 utc | 193

Posted by: DunGroanin | Dec 12 2022 8:32 utc | 188
Yes, that court is a court of monkeys, or is it kangaroos.
A court in name, not much more.
“Between 2007 and 2017, the number of cases dealt with each year was relatively constant (between 1,280 and 1,550); two-thirds of cases were repetitive and most concerned a few countries: Turkey (2,401), Russia (2,110), Romania (1,341), and Poland (1,272).”
Quite interesting that Poland has such a noble position in case load. What’s up with that ?
Someone who is very busy in this World however is missing from the “most concerned a few countries” category. If this Court was for real, then they would be at the head of the list.
“In 2010, the court received the Freedom Medal from the Roosevelt Institute.[122] In 2020, the Greek government nominated the court for the Nobel Peace Prize.[123]
I take that as a Joke. Similar to the one where Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize. Giving institutions prizes like this is pure PR to convince the Masses of “What a Wonderful World We Live In”.

Posted by: Tom_12 | Dec 12 2022 9:33 utc | 195

Russia fires old missiles:
BBC: “From a forensic analysis of the remains, our experts have determined Russia is using old Soviet missiles. This must mean their stocks are close to depleted!”
Russia fires new missiles:
BBC: “From a forensic analysis of the remains, our experts have determined Russia has been forced to manufacture new missiles. This must mean their stocks are close to depleted!”
… There’s just no winning the propaganda narrative …

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Dec 12 2022 10:26 utc | 197

The British tend to be underestimated here. They have been active in distant wars for a very long time (hundreds of years). As they are today, their intelligence services may employ more persons than their army, navy or air force. In all of their chicanery only the Americans have bested them and bested them badly. Think of FDR bankrupting them and the Eisenhower stripping them of their role as a global player at Suez. Those things left a mark.
If you look around you will find opinions that British intelligence somewhat controls different elements of the US government. The State Department is said to be very anglicized. Who know what is going on with the different US intelligence agencies. We do know from public information that all the strands of the plot to unseat Trump had a British connection. Every escalatory action in The Ukraine against the Russians seems to have British finger prints on it.
Could this entire Ukraine episode be the British doing a reverse Suez on the Americans? Just today I saw (on Zerohedge) Boris urging the Americans to give the Ukrainians long range missiles and fighter planes. “Dismisses risk of stumbling into nuclear conflict as “total nonsense”…”. Sounds a lot like urging a drunk person to pick a fight with the biggest bruiser in the place.

Posted by: Leander Starr | Dec 12 2022 10:47 utc | 199