Conscription in Ukraine is in supersonic hyperdrive according to Slavyangrad’s info. There was also a recent video from Kharkov, military men scourging bars and discos for new eager and willing.

[ Album ]
📌 UNLIMITED STORIES ABOUT SUMMONSES IN UKRAINE
The military enlistment offices in Dnipro work overtime and go around with summonses after hours in the evenings.
In Kharkov, people have started to be sent to the military registration and enlistment offices on the day summonses are served. Subpoena recipients are given 4 hours to pack up and go to the recruitment center.
#Source (“>https://t.me/ukraina_ru/123520?single)
https://t.me/Slavyangrad/25909

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 22 2022 15:16 utc | 4

from New York Post
Biden claims arming Ukraine with advanced gear could break apart NATO

President Biden hinted at a rift in the alliance of Western nations arming Ukraine on Wednesday, making the alarming claim that giving Kyiv access to NATO’s most advanced gear could tear the alliance in two.
“The idea that we would give Ukraine material that is fundamentally different than is already going there would have a prospect of breaking up NATO and breaking up the European Union,” Biden said Wednesday after a Ukrainian reporter asked him why the US wasn’t giving its most advanced weaponry to the war-torn nation.
“They’re not looking to go to war with Russia — they’re not looking for a third World War,” he said.
“There’s more to say but I’ve probably already said too much,” he added before wrapping up a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following a face-to-face sit-down at the White House. . . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 22 2022 15:23 utc | 6

“What would it take for EU and NATO members to start leaving these orgs?”
Posted by: Featherless | Dec 22 2022 15:30 utc | 13
_____

Why EU Leaders Dread a Ukraine Peace Process
YANIS VAROUFAKIS 12/21/22
“After the 2008 financial crash, the European Union only papered over the internal North-South conflict that emerged, and the war in Ukraine has produced a new East-West divide. Once peace arrives, both fault lines will only grow deeper, uglier, and impossible to ignore.”
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/ukraine-peace-negotiations-would-divide-europe-by-yanis-varoufakis-2022-12

Posted by: Doug Hillman | Dec 22 2022 15:37 utc | 8

@ Kerensky | Dec 22 2022 15:22 utc | 10

It seems that Ukraine is able to compensate Russian technological superiority with manpower. (For now). That is how China was able to attack US forces in Korea.

Ah, an apparent connoisseur of absolute bullshit, who clearly enjoys regurgitating it.
PVA/DPRK vs US/UN forces during Korean war were ~1:1 ratio upon PRC entry into the war. There were no Chinese hordes. In fact, at peak strength, US/UN were up ~38,000.
CVA Fleets, absolute Air dominance, Armor, Arty, ammunition & materiel out the kazoo & yet utterly whooped by light infantry with only small arms & sweet FA shells for mortars let alone rare arty, dependent on 18th century logistics.
Damn, the longest retreat & greatest defeat of the ‘Paper Tiger’ looks even worse, does it not, how embarrasing ?
&

Russia warns Greece against S-300 missile supplies to Ukraine
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says possible transfer of S-300 air defense missile systems to Kyiv would be ‘gross violation’ of Moscow-Athens agreements.
Russia on Thursday warned Greece against supplying Ukraine with Russian-made S-300 air defense missile systems, urging Athens to drop such “provocative” plans.
Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the transfer of the S-300 systems to Kyiv would be “a gross violation” of the Russian-Greek intergovernmental agreements on military-technical cooperation and supply of military products.
“The violation of contractual obligations will inevitably have consequences, not to mention the weakening of Greece’s defense capability in the field of air defense,” she warned.
…

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 22 2022 15:39 utc | 10

If my recollection is correct, it was mostly Americans that talked about the SMO lasting only 3 days. I always thought that it was a stupid comment, another US lie like WMDs in Iraq.
I think this comment was referencing how the US lies about anything and everything as a means of gaining advantage

Posted by: Woke American | Dec 22 2022 15:44 utc | 12

All
At top of the Not Ukraine thread b has posted an English transcript of Putin and Shoigu adressing the Defence Ministry Board. Should be posted here. Go over there, link, read.
My editorial: The translation reads very well. Someone did it with care. The speeches are brilliant. This is how adults speak. Comparing to American clowns — you can’t compare this to American clowns.

Posted by: oldhippie | Dec 22 2022 15:46 utc | 14

Posted by: Kerensky | Dec 22 2022 15:22 utc | 10
It seems that Ukraine is able to compensate Russian technological superiority with manpower. (For now). That is how China was able to attack US forces in Korea.
The Chinese volunteer forces who entered the Korean war were highly skilled and experienced from fighting a civil war and a successful anti colonial war against the Japanese.
The ‘manpower’ you’re referring to is experienced at CoD and skilled at fapping to OnlyFans videos.
There’s not much “power” left in that ‘manpower’.

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Dec 22 2022 15:56 utc | 16

Don Bacon | Dec 22 2022 15:23 utc | 11
—
“Biden is a meat puppet. Nothing he says has any credibility.
Having said that, I’m dubious the patriot will be used to stop a drone and its more likely to hit a decoy missle than a real one.”
Neofeudalfuture | Dec 22 2022 15:39 utc | 16
_____
I’m sure Biden’s minders cringe whenever he shuffles away from the teleprompter.
To your point, Scott Ritter laughed about the deployment of a single Patriot battery … in maybe six months. Their performance is dubious and, assuming Ukraine still exists when deployed, also dubious, Ritter noted that the RF could send in a flock of geranium drones (“flying lawnmowers”) to toy with it (picture Ritter’s hands swooping and fluttering); and then, when the $3-million-a-pop battery is spent, send in a remaining kamikaze lawnmower to finish it. Why waste an Iskander?

Posted by: Doug Hillman | Dec 22 2022 16:04 utc | 18

The planners for America knew years ago that in order to maintain USA hegemony world wide, that Russia would have to be dealt with.
Their plan for at least the last 8 years has been to use Ukraine as the battering ram against Russia to weaken the bear both militarily and economically in order to see a regime change within Russia. The new “Russian” rulers would be subservient to USA’s interests. The current Russian leadership would be eliminated and the Russian people would be made vasals of the great USA empire just like the USA has done to many other nations and peoples throughout the world.
If the Ukrainian plan had worked out, this would have insured the continual hegemony of the USA for many years.
This was the USA’s plan. However, things have not worked out so great for the USA and the West.
The sanctions placed upon Russia did not cause a Russian goverment collapse. And the bear has been signficantly destroying the Ukrainian army and its NATO allies on the battle field.
The USA does not have a viable alternative plan to destroy Russia except to launch nuclear missiles.
If the USA went for peace, then the USD is going to lose its world reserve currency status even faster than if the Ukrainian plan had not been implemented. This will in effect cause the rapid end of the American empire.
I consider this Ukrainian plan and now the implementation of that plan to be the snare of Jeremiah 50:24.
The USA has not been able to get regime change in Russia. It is losing a lot of support for the Ukrainian war. It’s European allies are being economically decimated. And a lot of their military hardware is being eaten up by the Russian army. This is for sure turning out to be a trap or snare for the USA.
For sure the USA is now in a trap. It can’t get out. If it allows the Ukrainian plan to fail, it will lose the World Reserve Currency status of the United States Dollar at an even faster rate. Staying in the fight is causing loses on both the political and military fronts. This is a trap or a snare for the USA.
A snare is a type of trap in which the caught animal does not know at first it is a really bad situation. A snare hiddenly wraps around a leg or other part of the animal and tightens as that animal attempts to move away from the trap. This is exactly what is happening to the USA regarding the Ukraine plan.
The USA has been continually escalating the war in Ukraine. The appearing of Zelensky in the USA Congress this week is a sure sign that the USA is all in on its Ukraine plan even though it has consistently failed for not only the USA but also the West, that is the European allies of the USA.
This escalation will no doubt lead to a nuclear war somewhere down the road. I think the USA has a plan to launch nuclear missiles at Russia. Russia knows or at least strongly suspects this is now at least on the USA’s drawing board. Perhaps, Russia even has the USA’s exact launch dates.
It is impossible to know what Russia knows. But, for sure Russia knows the current situation is going to go nuclear. And they know that they will have a much better chance to survive by launching first and destroying the USA in a short period of time, like within one hour. This is exactly what the Apostle John wrote about in Revelation 18 regarding the end time Babylon. NOTE: The USA best meets the definition for this Babylon found within the Bible.
The USA has fewer options left as the escalation continues to ramp up. In other words the noose on the snare trap is tightening. This is how a snare works. And the USA is now in this trap. As the noose tightens the animal will become more desperate. Watch this play out in 2023.
If nuclear war is delayed throughout 2023, I will be very surprised. I am more than willing to be surprised. Yet, I see the continual escalation towards nuclear war with little or no movement towards a peaceable resolution. I suspect the USA will go down with a Russian first strike just after Russia takes and secures all of the Donbas.

Posted by: young | Dec 22 2022 16:09 utc | 20

Arch Bungle @16: ” There’s not much “power” left in that ‘manpower’.”
Nor much “man” for that matter, being as they are mostly non-binary these days.

Posted by: William Gruff | Dec 22 2022 16:36 utc | 22

The collective amnesia here in the U$A boggles the mind. The absolute silence and refusal to admit that we, the U$A, are totally and completely complicit and responsible for the “Ukraine problem” today. Our 2014 overthrow of the Ukraine Govt., was, and is, the genesis of where we are today.
Period, full stop….

Posted by: vetinLLA | Dec 22 2022 16:38 utc | 24

In very broad terms, from a Russian perspective, here is what happened, where they stand and where they are going. Initially the SMO was a combined military and intelligence operation. The KGB had approached the local commanders and bought them off (or applied other pressure). The deal being that when Russia Army (RA) invaded they would have their troops stand down, so that the RA would just roll in and take over. This worked in the South, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, (where the Ukrainian Army (AFU) area commanders were flown out of town just as the SMO started), but failed in the North with Kharkov and Kiev put up a defense. This is why the RA (a) went in undermanned, and (b) were stopped in the North. As you will recall the head of the FSB Sergei Beseda and his deputy were fired (actually arrested, which is how KGB agents are fired) in mid-March 2022 for failing in his job. The failure of the SMO in the North of Ukraine at the beginning of the SMO was more of an intelligence failure than a military one.
Being engaged in the battle with too few men for the job Putin and the Russian leadership needed to determine what their next move was going to be. If there is one thing that everyone agrees on, it’s that Putin is methodical and he does not panic. By April it was clear that the situation on the ground was not going to turn around, and then in June the commanding general and most of the area commanders were replaced. New goals had been decided on and a new overall strategy had been developed. The first thing to be done was to minimize losses, shorten lines of communications, and pull back when and where necessary to shorten defensive lines and make them more defensible. This is what happened in the Kharkov region, where the AFU did not so much as re-take territory from the RA as follow the RA as it was withdrawing to the Oskil river.
The next phase was to attrite the AFU by destroying as much material and causing as many casualties as possible. The RA would advance and take new territory wherever possible, but the goal was to inflict as much damage on men and material as possible. This happened in the summer and fall of 2022. At the same time Russia needed more men to accomplish it’s goal of separating the Donbas from Ukraine, so 300.000 reserve solders were called up, with the intention of giving them refresher training and having them on the battlefield by December, fully equipped and read to fight. The logistics of this is formidable. The RA has achieved this goal as there are 100,000+ Ukrainian KIA, and at least that many wounded. In comparison the RA and allied militias have suffered 15,000 to 20,000 KIA and perhaps twice that many wounded.
The final phase will be an offensive to take the entire Donbas, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, and while doing so engage and destroy whatever is left of the UA. This will start with the perpetration of the battlefield. This entails the destruction of the Ukrainian energy electrical grid, and its energy infrastructure, and causing the UAF to spread out and constantly re-deploy its troops. This is where the SMO is now.
It will be easy to see if I am correct in my assessment. If I am then this is what will happen next. In quick succession Russia will do the following; It will hit the UAF’s command and control ability and its military and intelligence facilities will be destroyed. The Russian Air Force will join in the battle destroying whatever remains of Ukraine’s air defense and gaining air supremacy. Finally, RA will take out the bridges over the Dnieper River, effectively cutting the country in half, but more importantly cutting the UAF off from supplies of arms, shells, food and water. In my assessment the last sign that a full blown attack is coming will be the destruction of the Dnieper River bridges. That is when Russia’s right arm comes out from behind its back wearing brass knuckles, and starts delivering blows that the UAF cannot withstand.
I would be very interested if anyone would comment and tell me where I have made any mistakes in this assessment.

Posted by: Thoughtcriminal | Dec 22 2022 16:46 utc | 26

This article for those who don’t believe the U$A has aided and abetted the debacle in Ukraine, there’s this:
https://therealnews.com/the-us-is-arming-and-assisting-neo-nazis-in-ukraine-while-congress-debates-prohibition

Posted by: vetinLA | Dec 22 2022 16:50 utc | 28

oldhippie | Dec 22 2022 16:42 utc | 25
“Avoided by leaving country. I see freshly arrived military age Ukrainians daily. Again paying bribes works if you have enough money…”
One of the ways we can tell this war is kayfabe for most elites is that for all its press-ganging, Kiev isn’t lifting a finger to demand the West repatriate all these moneyed draft-dodgers (the same gilded youth that supported Maidan, Borderland adherence to the EU and NATO etc.), nor is any western country lifting a finger to repatriate them.
It seems all these mobilizations and meat-grinding are for a show mutually agreed upon.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Dec 22 2022 16:55 utc | 30

Is this really about Russia at all?
I’m wondering if the US-Russia conflict it actually all about the US wanting to make an example of Russia for China to see.
ie it’s about trying to keep China in it’s box.

Posted by: Whatever | Dec 22 2022 17:09 utc | 32

Can you (or anyone) explain the process of getting the new recruits? Are they caught on the street and given a summons? Or is this something that is mailed to them?
Posted by: OdessaConnected | Dec 22 2022 16:11 utc | 21
There have been reports that recruiters have been waiting in “heating rooms” to catch those who couldn’t be get in other ways. Obviously that only works until word gets out but it shows the tactics…

Posted by: Zet | Dec 22 2022 17:14 utc | 34

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 22 2022 17:11 utc | 33
4-5 Migs or the same 1 or 2 reported in several different forums?

Posted by: catdog | Dec 22 2022 17:28 utc | 36

Posted by: catdog | Dec 22 2022 17:28 utc | 36
4 Mig-29 shot down in the locations: Sevchenko, Bogatyr, Stepanovka and Belozyorskoye, reported on 20th and 22th December. Also 1 Su-25 and 2 Mi-8s from what I can tell.

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 22 2022 17:34 utc | 38

Clearly, there are numerous people who didn’t read Putin’s and Shoigu’s words at yesterday’s meeting of Russia’s MoD Board. For those people, they can be read here.
Today, at 7:30pm Moscow time, Putin held a short presser. Unfortunately, the transcript is still incomplete, but the first Q&A is quite important and answers many general questions:

Vladimir Putin: Please.
Yu.Bubnova: Good afternoon!
TASS News Agency, Yulia Bubnova.
To be honest, I would like to start with some summing up. It is obvious that the year was not the easiest and not the most ordinary, but for you, what are its main results?
What have we achieved, what may not have been able to achieve, and how do you see our future, where are we going and what should we come to?
Thanks.
Vladimir Putin: There are never perfect situations. Ideal situations – only in plans, on paper, you always want something more. But in general, I think that Russia has passed this year quite confidently. We have no concerns that the current situation will prevent us from implementing our plans for the future, including for 2023.
I repeat once again, we believe – and I want to emphasize this – that everything that is happening and everything related to the special military operation is absolutely necessary and necessary. We should be grateful to our military, our soldiers, officers, and soldiers for what they do for Russia, protecting its interests, sovereignty, and protecting our people first of all. They act with dignity, achieve what the country needs.
As for the economy, as you know, despite the predicted collapses, devastation, and catastrophe in the economic sphere, nothing like this is happening. Moreover, Russia shows much better indicators than in many countries of the “twenty”, and confidently demonstrates. This also applies to the main macroeconomic indicators, as well as the volume of GDP. Yes, there is a slight drop. I said just recently – 2.9 [percent], according to our and international experts. Now they give a different figure, even less-2.5.
One of the main indicators around the world is the unemployment rate. It is lower than in the pre-pandemic period: let me remind you that at that time it was 4.7 percent, but now we have 3.8 – 3.9 percent unemployment. That means the labor market is stable.
Public finances are stable, and there are no worrying issues here either. All this is not the result of something that “fell from the sky”. This is the result of the work of the Government, regional teams, business and the mood in society, which demonstrates unity and the desire to work together to achieve common goals.
So, overall, we feel confident, and I have no doubt that everything we set for ourselves as goals will be achieved.

Prior to the presser, Putin presided over the traditional end-of-year Council of State Meeting, which this year centered on youth policy. And prior to conducting that meeting, Putin visited an exhibition called Youth House:

Accompanied by Governor of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Chairman of the Commission Of the State Council in the direction of “Youth Policy” Dmitry Artyukhova and Head of the Federal Agency On Youth Affairs Ksenia Razuvaeva, the Head of State got acquainted with the activities of key youth policy projects presented on the site of the House of Youth. Their participants were more than 25 thousand people aged 14 to 35 years.
The President inspected the stand ANO “Russia is a country of opportunities”, telling about 26 projects that are aimed at creating conditions for self-realization of children and youth. Here is the project area “Another thing” is an aggregator application that provides an opportunity to get incentive internships, tickets, trips for completing tasks in different categories.

There’s more at the link as well as a collection of 18 photos of his visit. Some of the youth at the exhibition were also present at the Council meeting. IMO, Putin’s POV on the young, on children, relates to his demographic concerns that are intrinsically linked to the national goal of building a strong and prosperous Russia and also the region in which its situated–Eurasia. This becomes somewhat apparent in Putin’s opening words at the meeting:

But I would like to start with the fact that, in principle, it is already well known to all of us, which is an obvious thing. The topic that we will touch upon today is certainly strategically important, because young people who represent our various younger generations today are starting their life path: in twenty years, and someone in ten years will carry out what we are doing today, what we are investing our resources in our own efforts-in the implementation of the country’s development goals that we define.
Their talents and achievements in various fields will directly influence the development of Russia, and their aspirations and thoughts, understanding of the Fatherland, the significance of its thousand-year history, values and traditions, and loyalty to the Motherland will, of course, determine its future.
Therefore, our key task is to ensure a deep, meaningful continuity of generations. Then the courage, energy, and desire for transformation that young people possess will work for Russia and contribute to the strengthening of their native country.
There are about 40 million young people in our country. By their very nature, they are called upon to move forward, to make breakthroughs that previously seemed impossible. We were just discussing, and one of those present here said and said absolutely the right thing, that young people tend not to repeat something or even improve something, but to look for something new and follow this new path. In fact, it is. We need to help them in every possible way on this path, to create conditions for the maximum development of their potential, so that they can prove themselves, find a business that will allow them to be realized and be in demand.
Today we will discuss what has already been done and what remains to be done, and what additional measures should be taken to support the self-realization of young Russian citizens.

The only time in my life that can recollect any US president saying anything similar was JFK in relation to the Space Race and his rather odd mantra: “Don’t ask what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Putin/Russia’s outlook is rather different–Your country will help prepare you to do whatever you can to help your country. And much of that effort is done in a collective fashion, so it becomes clear that all helps all so that all succeed. That’s Russian Communalism. And it’s very powerful.
The Ukraine could have had something similar, but it was polluted by the West. Instead of learning how to work as a collective, youth there were taught how to hate, how despite the fact that they looked the same and spoke nearly the same language, those others were somehow not right and deserved their hatred. That’s what the Outlaw US Empire instilled into the minds of Ukraine’s non-Russian youth, and that’s why so many of them die today. At Martyanov’s blog, someone posted one of the most accurate and ugly political cartoons I’ve ever seen–Uncle Sam smashing down massive numbers of people into a meat grinder named Ukraine, with arms and legs flailing out the top and blood and gore–the meat–coming out. A truer depiction I’ve yet to see.
Last night in one of my last comments, I wrote there’s an ideological/moral component to the current geopolitical competition: Anti-Human versus Pro-Human. As we move toward the annual Christmas observance, IMO that aspect of our reality ought to be talked about.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 22 2022 17:41 utc | 40

Posted by: young | Dec 22 2022 16:09 utc | 20
Your Christian eschatological interpretation accords closely with that of Sheikh Imran Hossein’s Islamic one.
Except, in the Islamic interpretation it is not known who will strike first (“the Sun will rise in the West”) but that there will certainly be nuclear war.
That same interpretation states that Muslim forces (Chechens? Iranians?) will join with the Christian remnants of Rome (Russia, via Byzantium) in order to fight the armies of the Anti-Christ (Ad-Dajjal, Gog of Magog).

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Dec 22 2022 17:41 utc | 42

Posted by: JessDTruth | Dec 22 2022 16:50 utc | 27
I can’t believe Varoufakis in particular would ever again be thought of as having anything worth paying attention to. Do people not know this relatively recent history ? Do people not notice which media is promoting this hollow man ?
Perhaps you’re asking too much of just one man?
Greece was a hollow shell by the time the ‘left’ was allowed to take the reigns of power.

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Dec 22 2022 17:49 utc | 44

Slow starting thread today. The initial burst of posters were some combination of concern-trolls, newbie trolls, regurgitaters of mainscream propaganda and one or two who actually presented an original thought or two.
The whole circus reminded me of a situation where there’s this “source” which has been carefully monitoring the appearance of B’s latest incisive and inclusive offering. The appointed and anointed troll posters have these beepers which inform them when it’s time to contact source and get their slotted number for screen time appearance. Scripted, one might say.
A relative handful of good postings and then a Bible-thumper, in quest of Armageddon, starts pumping out verses from Emperor Constantine’s highly selective holy book and then predicts that Russia would actually resort to a NUCLEAR first strike. Why, just why, would Russia even imagine such a course of action when if one carefully follows the action, it becomes abundantly clear that they are clearly WINNING.
Yes, a slow day, for the opening statements. They gradually improve, as per the comments on Ukraine now in its SEVENTH mobilization by means of press-gangs as per the British navy back in the days of four-deck cannon arrays during the days of the Napoleonic wars.
Meanwhile, beginning with the gentlemen from the Duran, along with a very knowledgeable guest, totally destroy the circus at the U$$A Capitol building in the Di$trict of Corruption. Not ONE single Congre$$critter had the stones to stand DOWN and boo the hell outta the little Piano Dick Tater. Rather, the full chorus of the best bought and paid-for pro$titicians that dirty big money (mostly major investors in the WarDefense Industry) could buy. That farce destroyed any conceivable respect that awakened individuals could possibly retain for the entire U$$A feral government.
Following the Duran panel, next step was to check out what Tucker Carlson had to say about the fiasco. He is a master of mordant humor and clever sides and snides. He tore them out a new one, particularly pouncing on Zelensky’s “thrift shop” attired, a probable first for someone begging money from the joint session of Congre$$.
Next stop was Redacted, where Clayton’s crew tellingly pointed out the looming collapse of the entire Ukrainian army, electrical grid and transportation. Like Tucker, Clayton brought up the reality of the genuine needs of the American people are currently playing fifth fiddle to the pleas and pleases of Ukraine’s Chief Pianist.
Try to imagine this whole can of worms as a movie script.
At this point the Neocons may well be wearing rubberized underpants as their Ukraine scheme is fast going down the Big Swirly and the folks under the puppet regimes in Europe are getting restive at an increasing tempo. One can imagine the Kristols, Kagans (but not Nudelman, as she is female) sweating their stones off….all this while the poor, deluded Ukie conscripts are revealing their positions by making small fires in their dugouts, to keep from freezing their extremities.
We are now in the final ten days of 2022. It has been quite the ride since late February…my suspicion is that we ain’t seen nothin yet.

Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 22 2022 17:56 utc | 46

@ ThoughtCriminal #26
That is about the most reasonable explanation of the SMO that I have read so far. It certainly makes sense, especially the part about the Kiev part being an intelligence failure rather than a military one
The only comment I would like to make is: one stated purpose of the Kiev move was to tie down troops so that they would not break the blockade of Mariupol. In this regard it could be viewed as having a very positive effect. I’ll have to ponder on the interplay of these ideas

Posted by: Woke American | Dec 22 2022 18:03 utc | 48

Posted by: JessDTruth | Dec 22 2022 16:50 utc | 27
I am a fan of Yanis. It was my sense that Tsipras torpedoed Yanis as he tried to work a magic trick and leave the Euro for a Greek sourced currency. I recall he was briefly charged with some criminal offense based on that effort to supplant the Euro with a parallel currency.
I also like that refused to wear a tie and rode his motorcycle and didn’t accept his “public expense limo”. He seems to exhibit some personal sovereignty unlike the eurocrats that kept gifting him ties.
Apparently his wife is quite rich and he taught at Uof Texas Austin for a while. Ya I like Yanis.
Posted by: KlutchKargo |

Posted by: KlutchKargo | Dec 22 2022 18:08 utc | 50

Any statements from 5D Vlad re like HOLLOW WORDS
Will be a total and unnecessary waste of time listening or reading 5D Vlad
But what is coming i havent ecpected at all
Santa 5D Vlad collapses completely and cries as a small girl who is taken away her christmas gifts

Posted by: Ćevapčići | Dec 22 2022 18:14 utc | 52

Posted by: KlutchKargo | Dec 22 2022 18:08 utc | 50
The fact that Varoufakis talks well, doesn’t mean that he was any good at the practice of government. It says a lot that the Greeks chose not to leave the EU. A lot of people talk about the EU breaking up, particularly on this blog, but nobody actually does it, for the simple reason that they all profit too much from the benefits. That is apart from the idiot Brits, who’ve since been suffering severely from having done it. Everybody else learnt the lesson.

Posted by: laguerre | Dec 22 2022 18:34 utc | 54

Posted by: Ćevapčići | Dec 22 2022 17:38 utc | 39
In all modern warfares SPEED is the key to success.
Without speed German Wehrmacht would notbbe able to occupy one meter territory.
And that’s because the Wehrmacht was actually outgunned, especially in the early phases of the war. In actuality, the speed of the Wehrmacht was literally speed. Germany as a whole and the Wehrmacht specifically was absolutely riddled with meth. The speed of early Wehrmacht advances were probably not even possible without heavy drug use. But speed only works if you can force capitulation in a short time frame, otherwise you end up tired, strung out and exposed. The US used speed in Iraq, won its media/political victory but had to leave the Iraqi army in the field to capture Baghdad. It got a decade plus long insurgency for its application of speed. Besides all that, the era of satellites and AWACs flights limits the practicality of speed because speed used to bring surprise and that’s harder (if not impossible) now. The speedy advance will be seen by all with plenty of time to perform any number of countermeasures. Drone usage doesn’t help either.
Maybe we’re entering post-modern warfare. We are seeing the first real, post-20th Century conflict and it seems fairly obvious that the rules of modern warfare written in the 40’s are not the rules of the 21st century.

Posted by: Lex | Dec 22 2022 18:39 utc | 56

Tooting Boy @49
You got it. The corrupted turnover of some of the finest and most productive farmlands, loaded with earthworms and micro-nutrients being granted for bribe money to the likes of Bayer/Monsanto and other chemical warfare entities, where that nearly virginal land would become the playground of the biggest and most profits uber all’s land-destroyers…has meaning will behind surface appearances.
The .00001% which make up the true ruling elite wish to have this planet for themselves and for such minions, acolytes, serfs and slaves as they might desire. Their clearly stated aim and intent is a mega-program of genocide for the vast majority of humans, whom they describe as “useless eaters”. By rapidly ruining some of the last non-chemically “modified” farmlands on the planet; they will be able to grasp we the people of Planet Earth by the short-hairs, imposing their will that all the rest of us meekly stand in line to receive their “vaccinations”.

Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 22 2022 18:44 utc | 58

oldhippie | Dec 22 2022 17:41 utc | 41
“Sometimes it seems there is a whole missing division here in Chicago. If you included recent years and not just ten months it would be a corps.”
One of the parks where I hike here in NJ abuts a Ukrainian summer camp of some sort. I hadn’t paid much attention to it prior to 2022. But this past year when I hike past and see two teams of athletic young men playing a soccer game I wonder if they were born and grew up here, or if they’re recently immigrated draft dodgers living pretty over here, or if they’re terrorists-in-training at the nearby Picatinny Arsenal or who knows what.
“I too wonder how much and which is kayfabe. And how much is intentional depopulation because there are or were other plans for that land. Right now demographics say there will never be anything called Ukraine except in history books. “We stand with Ukraine” does not give a shit that Ukraine is done and gone.”
In the long run the hohols hardly will have existed even in the history books, and good riddance. Even Zelensky sometimes lets slip that he was working to clean the place out to become the next Khazarian state as Palestine becomes untenable. As for agribusiness and other MNC sectors, they probably should’ve lobbied harder against the neocons since their interest would’ve been a supine but intact Ukraine which wasn’t overly provoking an existential crisis with its vastly more powerful immediate neighbor. Putin easily could have co-existed with Monsanto’s vision for the black soils of the Borderlands, but the imperial neocons refused to co-exist with him.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Dec 22 2022 18:45 utc | 60

@Thoughtcriminal | Dec 22 2022 16:46 utc | 26

In quick succession Russia will do the following; It will hit the UAF’s command and control ability and its military and intelligence facilities will be destroyed. The Russian Air Force will join in the battle destroying whatever remains of Ukraine’s air defense and gaining air supremacy. Finally, RA will take out the bridges over the Dnieper River, effectively cutting the country in half, but more importantly cutting the UAF off from supplies of arms, shells, food and water. In my assessment the last sign that a full blown attack is coming will be the destruction of the Dnieper River bridges. That is when Russia’s right arm comes out from behind its back wearing brass knuckles, and starts delivering blows that the UAF cannot withstand.

I don’t know, this sounds like the final segment of a Hollywood action movie, where everything is neatly wrapped up and everybody goes home. I don’t think it reflects reality. Clearly, Russia will win this, but they will do it their way. The goal is demilitarisation and denazification, but we also have to take into account the big battle which is not Ukraine but remove NATO from Russias borders according to the documents presented to NATO and US last year.

Posted by: Norwegian | Dec 22 2022 18:54 utc | 62

laguerre@54
A broken record. You barely pretend to argue your point any more- the crisis in the UK has many more causes than the decision to leave the EU. If it had taken the obvious next step and left NATO the country would be swimming in commercial and general alliances. And wealth for much fairer re-distribution.
As for Greece its mistake was not to do the same thing, restore its own currency and repudiate the odious debt to EU bankers. The people wanted to say NO. They said No but the politicians in Syriza (one of whom was recently arrested in Brussels for massive corruption) were not ready to fight, so they defied the electorate and gave everything away to EU backed pirates.
But the EU can’t last in anything like its present form except as a mustering station for American puppets.

Posted by: bevin | Dec 22 2022 18:58 utc | 64

Lex
“ Besides all that, the era of satellites and AWACs flights limits the practicality of speed because speed used to bring surprise and that’s harder (if not impossible) now.”
Great observation.
This is especially difficult for Russia given the absolute volume and superiority of Western intelligence.

Posted by: Johnycomelately | Dec 22 2022 19:05 utc | 66

Posted by: Don Bacon 6
Biden is standing next to Zelensky at a presser and says that he won’t let Ukraine get NATO’s most advanced gear because it will break apart NATO. In other words, ‘we’re not gonna let you have the good stuff because the rest of Europe is not looking for a third world war, so they’re going to send you the obsolete Soviet made stuff rusting in warehouses, along with a few more modern weapon systems until their reserves get too low.’ But still, the West is in it to win it, as long as it takes. So the commitment is hopeful, not total, and if the last Ukrainian dies without securing a victory, tough luck, sucks to be a Ukie, because the West is not going to send its soldiers to die in trenches. Right now it’s looking like Ukraine is headed off a cliff, Europe is going to suffer this winter, a whole generation of Ukrainians will be lost, for nothing, and we still may get a nuclear war as a cherry on top. The same brilliant neocon planning that brought the US a glorious victory in Iraq is well on its way to another great success.

Posted by: Mike R | Dec 22 2022 19:08 utc | 68

The presser transcript remains incomplete, but much has been asked and answered. Given the Z/Biden tango, here’s the Q&A related to that where Putin goes well beyond the initial question Emphasis is mine:

K. Golovanova: Interfax, Ksenia Golovanova.
Vladimir Vladimirovich, I would like to ask in connection with Zelensky’s visit to the United States and the agreement reached there on the supply of Patriot batteries to Ukraine: can we now talk about the full involvement of the United States in the conflict in Ukraine? What are the possible consequences of this decision? For example, can Russia move its systems closer to the borders of NATO countries or in close proximity to the United States?
Thanks.
Vladimir Putin: You just said: can we talk about a greater involvement of the United States in the conflict in Ukraine? Let me make a joke, I would suggest looking at this problem “shirshe and glybzhe” [“wider and more steeply”]. What exactly and why?
Because the United States has been doing this for a long time: they have long been involved in the processes that took place in the Soviet and post-Soviet space. Even in Soviet times, entire institutes worked in Ukraine, and they were well aware of the history of this issue. There are deep specialists there who are professionally versed in this. I repeat, back in Soviet times, the ground was prepared, people were searched for, meanings were determined, and so on. I don’t want to now – this is not the format where you could go deeper into the history of the issue, but nevertheless it is still clear where everything came from.
This is a very delicate issue – the unity of the Russian world. Divide and conquer – this slogan has been active since ancient times and is still actively used in real politics. That’s why our potential opponent, our opponents, always dreamed about it and always did it, tried to divide us up and then lead us in separate parts.
What’s new here? The idea was born long ago by itself of Ukrainian separatism, still within the framework of a single country. You see, I keep saying this: if someone thinks that a separate ethnic group has formed and wants to live independently, for God’s sake, they should never go against the will of the people.
But if this is so, then this principle should be universal, and in no case should we go against the will of that part of the people who feel themselves in a different hypostasis, consider themselves part of the Russian people and the Russian world, believe that they are part of this culture, part of this language, part of this history and traditions. And you can’t fight against them either.
And a war was launched against them in 2014-namely, a war. After all, this was discussed. And what is it if the air strikes were carried out directly on the center of cities with millions of inhabitants? And what is it if troops with armored vehicles are deployed against them? This is war, fighting. We all endured, endured, endured and hoped for some kind of peace agreement. Now it turns out that we were just led by the nose. So, a country like the United States has been doing this for a long time. Long ago.
In this sense, we can say that today’s events, if they led us to this, in this sense, we can say that they have achieved their result. But we also had no other choice than the actions that were launched at the end of February this year. Yes, this is the logic of the development of events, but our goal is primarily to protect people, I repeat once again, who feel part of our people, part of our culture.
After all, we proceeded from what at the time? We assumed that, okay, the Soviet Union had ceased to exist, but – as I said yesterday at the Defense Ministry board meeting-our common historical roots, the roots of culture and spiritual community, they will be stronger than what is pulling us apart, and such trends have always existed. What unites us is stronger. No – with the help of outside forces and with the fact that people of extremely nationalistic views actually came to power after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
And with the help of these forces, despite all our efforts, this disunity increased and increased. As I said once before: first we were pulled apart, separated, and then pitted against each other. In this sense, they have achieved results, of course, and we have suffered a certain fiasco in this sense. They didn’t leave us anything else: maybe they also deliberately pushed us to this, to this line. We had nowhere else to go, that’s the problem.
They [Outlaw US Empire] were always fully engaged, and they did their best. I don’t remember any more, then scroll through the history pages. One of the deputies of the tsarist State Duma said:: “If you want to lose Ukraine, join Galicia to it.” In the end, it turned out that he was a visionary. Why? Because people from this part behave very aggressively and actually suppress the silent majority in the rest of this territory.
But, I repeat once again, we assumed that the fundamental foundations of our unity would be stronger than the trends that are pulling us apart. No, it turned out that this was not the case. They began to suppress Russian culture, the Russian language, and divide our spiritual community, and in completely barbaric ways. And they pretend that no one notices. And why? But because they pursue the very goal that I said: “Divide and conquer.”
No one wants to unite the Russian people. Disunion – please, it is with pleasure, they will continue to shred. But no one wants to unite and strengthen-except for us, and we will do it and we will do it.
Military-technical [consequences]. You know what the point is: I said yesterday that the Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov frigate is entering combat service in early January, and new weapons systems are already being developed there.
We are not going to arrange any provocations, but still this is a factor of strengthening our actual strategic forces, although these systems are medium-range, but they have such high-speed characteristics that they give us certain advantages in this sense.
As for Patriot, this is a fairly old system. It doesn’t work like, say, our S-300. Nevertheless, those who oppose us assume that this is supposedly a defensive weapon. Well, all right. We’ll just keep it in mind, and there will always be an antidote. So those who do this are doing it for nothing: it’s just prolonging the conflict, that’s all.

Did Putin just provide a hint of what’s to come territorially for what remains of Ukraine? That Putin stood up for the rights of people to elect who governs them–self-determination–will be heard globally. That Putin was so frank in his answer was also very refreshing. How much gets reported to the Russian people remains to be seen/heard. And yet there’s more to the presser. But one more on negotiations:

A. Gereikhanova: Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Aysel Gereikhanova.
Vladimir Vladimirovich, in this situation, as far as possible, are there any real chances for a diplomatic resolution of the situation in Ukraine?
Vladimir Putin: All conflicts, all armed conflicts, end in one way or another with some kind of negotiations on the diplomatic track-and we have never refused. This Ukrainian leadership has forbidden itself to negotiate. This already looks somewhat unusual, even strange, I would say. Nevertheless, sooner or later, of course, any parties that are in a state of conflict sit down and negotiate. The sooner this realization comes to those who oppose us, the better. We’ve never given up on that.

When the transcript is complete, I’ll post it to my VK and announce that here.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 22 2022 19:14 utc | 70

I was only thinking that ukrainisation of europe would happen
but after the stunt today I guess also for US the same procedure
oh daaamn ;D

Posted by: Macpott | Dec 22 2022 19:19 utc | 72

Posted by: Dr. George W Oprisko | Dec 22 2022 18:36 utc | 55
“I would add the great likelyhood of a thrust south just east of the Polish Border to Transdinistra for the purpose of taking NATO out of the war.”
That won’t work. Ukraine would still get supplied through its border with Moldova/Romania and by Odessa. At this point it seems too late anyway as the only country with significant numbers of heavy weapons to supply is the US. And I don’t think that the hundreds of Abrams sitting in Poland and Romania would sit there idly while this offensive was happening.

Posted by: catdog | Dec 22 2022 19:22 utc | 74

Posted by: Lex | Dec 22 2022 18:39 utc | 56
Agree with you!
But Wehrmacht started in Czech continued to Poland marched to France jumped to Africa marched into Serbia and invated Russia in bermuda shorts without winter uniforms.
Breathtaking speed and distances on foreign territory.
It was only a question of time when the puffs respectivly fuel (supply) runs out over such unbelievable distances in 5 different coontries
But Ukraine is backdoor of Russia
I think 20 million Russians living there same people same language same history same culture…..
U cant compare with Wehrmacht speed and distances
Conditions are perfect for speedy occupation of Ukraine territory
with subsequent denazification by search & destroy units
S&D teams could now „slowly“ hunt down every SBU member and send him / her to Bandera
Task completed
But this SMO with all the whitewashing is braindead
Now after almost one year Nato is involved because of the stupid slow approach.
And then these nonstop excuses with „grinding“….,ridiculous…sorry
Only Nato is pleased of that stupid political SMO
I dont blame russian military because the complete SMO is a political project same like the withdrawal from Cherson

Posted by: Ćevapčići | Dec 22 2022 19:24 utc | 76

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 22 2022 19:14 utc | 70
thanks for this and for your daily efforts to keep us informed.

Posted by: pretzelattack | Dec 22 2022 19:27 utc | 78

in the medical field (I have several friends who are radiology nurses) there is a practice infromally referred to as “flogging” where a patient is artificially kept alive by IVs, drugs, shocks, etc. Once these are stopped, the patient dies. Ukraine is being “flogged” now with money and weapons. But it can’t last indefinitely and once either the money or the weapons stop, Ukraine collapses. So, yeah, imho, Ukraine is a dead man walking.

Posted by: ctiger | Dec 22 2022 19:32 utc | 80

Thoughtcriminal #26
Seems possible. Deep freeze permitting.
I will believe it when I see it.
The war though will continue for years as it is necessary to bring Europe to its knees and finally destroy nato.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 22 2022 19:37 utc | 82

Boris Rozhin’s summary of announcements made at Russia’s MoD board meeting yesterday:

From the statements of Putin and Shoygu at the final collegium of Russia’s Ministry of Defense on the results of the SMO in 2022.
The interesting parts.
1. The military potential of almost all NATO countries is used against Russia.
2. The capabilities of the Russian Armed Forces are constantly growing.
3. The soldiers and officers participating in the SMO are heroes comparable to the heroes of other wars, including the Great Patriotic War.
4. The SMO has highlighted a number of issues that “need to be worked on thoroughly.”
5. In all new territories that have become part of Russia, a safe life for citizens will be ensured.
6. Russia will continue to strengthen the nuclear triad. Sarmat, Yars, Tsirkon, etc. All of this will go into service. It’s already coming. The nuclear triad is the guarantor of the country’s sovereignty. (The nuclear arms race obliges. And thanks to Comrade Stalin for our nuclear club)
7. The military-industrial complex and society give the army everything it asks for. (The role of the rear is very important in a long war).
8. Information from drones should be available to every fighter. Starting from the platoon level. (More drones for the drone god).
9. In the Ukraine, Russia is confronted by a united West that has already spent $97 billion on this war. A satellite constellation of more than 500 satellites operates in the interests of the Armed Forces of the Ukraine.
10. The Ukraine uses terrorist methods of warfare and regularly commits war crimes.
11. 150,000 out of 300,000 mobilized are at the front. This, according to Putin, is enough for the SMO at the current stage. Another 20,000 were added through volunteers. 830,000 people were released from conscription.
12. Russia will continue to strike at Ukrainian infrastructure.
13. The system of military registration and enlistment offices should be modernized. The mobilization revealed the problems of the current structure. The reason is that mobilization plans have not been put into action since the Second World War, which is why the problems had to be solved on the fly (which I wrote about on the day the mobilization was announced).
14. Soldiers and officers who have distinguished themselves in the SMO should be promoted as a matter of priority.
15. Partial mobilization revealed various problems. It is necessary to hear those who do not hush up the problems. Putin called on Russia’s Defense Ministry to hear and consider even emotional criticism. (In fact, this is a call not to sweep issues under the rug and pretend that everything is fine when not everything is fine).
16. More than 100,000 people who took part in the SMO received various state awards. 120 people were awarded the Star of the Hero of Russia, some of them posthumously. More than 250,000 military personnel received combat experience in the SMO in the Ukraine. Let me remind you that a little less than 70,000 people served in Syria from 2015 to 2020. Just to have an idea of the scope of the conflict.
17. The supply of the most demanded weapons for the army has been brought forward from 2024–2025 to 2023. Given the intensification of the work of the military-industrial complex and its operation at full capacity, the volume of deliveries of military equipment to the troops should increase significantly. There are currently no restrictions on the financing of the army, according to Putin’s statement. Expenses for the army will grow, and its combat capabilities should grow accordingly.
18. According to Shoygu’s statement, two new inter-domain military districts will be created—Moscow and Leningrad.
19. The build-up of the threat from NATO will require the creation of a new grouping of troops in the north-west of Russia.
20. The size of the army is proposed to be increased to 1,500,000 people, of which 670,000 will be contract soldiers.
21. 2 new airborne divisions will be formed (who said the airborne troops were dead?)
22. It is also proposed to raise the age of conscription from 18 to 21 years, setting the age limit for conscription at 30 years.
23. The SMO will continue in 2023 until the goals of the SMO are achieved. That’s the way…
24. Each tank army must contain a mixed aviation division and an army aviation brigade of 80–100 combat helicopters
25. The transition to outsourcing in 2008–2012 led to a near complete destruction of military repair facilities, since 2012 measures have been taken to rebuild them (hello, defenders of Serdyukov)
26. The aim of the West in this war is the disintegration of Russia.
27. For a long time Russia has been trying to integrate into the “civilized West,” but they did not want it there, and now they are trying to “cancel” it. (For 30 years, we have been going in a somewhat wrong direction. Or rather, in a completely wrong direction).
28. Russia has been trying to build fraternal relations with the Ukraine for a long time, but nothing has worked (a diagnosis, so to speak, of the Ukrainian direction of the Russian policy of the last decade). Despite this, Putin considers the Ukrainian people a brotherly people. What is happening in the Ukraine is a tragedy that is happening through the fault of the West, which carried out a coup d’état in 2014.
29. A clash with Ukrainian Nazism was inevitable.
30. Putin has no doubt that all the goals of the SMO in the Ukraine will be achieved. Russia has everything it needs for this.
31. Russia will not completely switch to a military footing and completely militarize to the detriment of the economy.
32. In 2023, an increase in the supply of hypersonic weapons is expected.
33. In 2023, large-scale military exercises West-2023 will be held, focused on repelling the threat emanating from the West.
34. Putin is grateful to all citizens who are helping our armed forces.
35. Putin knows the real numbers of losses in the SMO. But there was no other way. War was inevitable. “Better today than tomorrow.”
36. The Ukraine will soon have nothing left but handouts.
To summarize the speeches of Putin and Shoygu at the collegium of Russia’s Defense Ministry:
1. The war with the West in the Ukraine will be long. The course towards achieving the goals of the SMO does not change. For the official list of SMO goals, see Putin’s February 24 speech (plus Kherson and Zaporozhye regions). Unofficial goals can be interpreted quite broadly.
2. There will be no agreements, because the West is not ready to recognize Russia’s rights to equal treaties with it. We did not fit into the “civilized world.” Fine.
3. The army will receive more resources—material, financial, human. But without fanaticism, so as not to undermine the economy. The concept of “guns instead of butter” is not our choice. They will try to find a reasonable balance. Next year, the army will receive lots of various weapons, much more than in 2021–2022. There will also be more drones.
4. Various mistakes of the pre-war period regarding the supply of troops, the mobilization system, repair capacities, underestimation of the role of drones and the concepts of multi-domain operations are indirectly recognized. Criticism of shortcomings is considered desirable.
5. The army will undergo a fairly significant reform, which is both a consequence of various shortcomings revealed during the SMO, and an increase in the threat from the United States and NATO. The sovereignty of the country will be based on the growth of the capabilities of our nuclear triad as the only reliable guarantor of military-political sovereignty.

Posted by: S | Dec 22 2022 19:44 utc | 84

Posted by: young | Dec 22 2022 16:09 utc | 20:

The planners for America knew years ago that in order to maintain USA hegemony world wide, that Russia would have to be dealt with.

Ain’t that the truth??? That was before China started their conspicuous development. When that glitch came to light and was realized, sometime around the mid-90’s, it became Russia AND China, but Russia first because of their nuke arsenal.
This obsession to put Russia AND China under the thumb, simultaneously, is gonna hasten the Empire’s trip to the waste dump.

Posted by: Oriental Voice | Dec 22 2022 19:54 utc | 86

Unimperator @ 4, RB @ 51:
I have to ask: who organises the discos and supports the bars, and pays for the advertising to draw in clubbers and bar regulars? Could it be the same military recruiters who go in and press-gang any male of military draft age into the army?

Posted by: Jen | Dec 22 2022 20:00 utc | 88

Jen @ 89
The mafia.

Posted by: Visitor2 | Dec 22 2022 20:05 utc | 90

On top of existing, lucrative tobacco-smuggling networks, NATO and EU officials believe that a large tobacco smuggling ring in Belgium exposed in September was sponsored by both Belarusian and Russian intelligence to raise funds for their operations in the face of sanctions.

in today’s CP, which has gone full Christopher Hitchens. i remember a mewling report from PBS Newshour circa 2010 or so where the “journalist” complained to the head of US ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) that the Taliban were stealing all the cigarettes!
btw, this same article complains that Russia is helping N Korea to evade sanctions. and that it is Russia’s fault that NATO’s weapons in Ukraine wind up back in the NATO countries that sent them. Remember: it’s Russia’s fault. they are stealing our fags!
bitchin’ about tobacco theft. bravo NATO!

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Dec 22 2022 20:20 utc | 92

I came for a piano concert, but all I got was to see an ugly kiss with Pelosi.

Posted by: Maracatu | Dec 22 2022 20:28 utc | 94

reply to 85
No, that’s a distortion of reality. Russia is playing with Ukraine. Rope a Dope continues. Ukraine is ending another 2.5K to Bakhmut to be killed. Russia doesn’t even have to seek out Ukrainian cannon fodder. They are conveniently brought to the kill zone for disposal.

Posted by: Eighthman | Dec 22 2022 20:33 utc | 96

Don Bacon #29
“Those troopers better have their flak jackets on.”
No need, as every Patriot battery comes with a truck fully loaded with roll out fake lawn patches to be set out a mile from each of the the other ten trucks.
Fake green lawn is a decoy for the Russian lawn mower drones. Bound to work 😉

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 22 2022 20:38 utc | 98

Tooting Boy 49 “One of Zelensky’s first acts was to repeal the law that prevented the sale of Ukrainian land to foreigners.”
Given that the most valuable land and resources are in the Donbass, the rump state that will be left of Ukraine may not have much appeal to the big corporate investors, although the vultures will surely pick at the bones. There won’t be any Black Sea coastal property available either.

Posted by: Mike R | Dec 22 2022 20:41 utc | 100