After the culprits are handcuffed, Russia to demand compensation for destruction of Nord Stream pipelines.
It’s an open secret no?
Compensation Claims for Nord Stream Blast After Identifying Responsible Justified: Kremlin
https://sputniknews.com/20230327/compensation-claims-for-nord-stream-blast-after-identifying-responsible-justified-kremlin-1108824665.html
= = = = = = =
Cue the targets
Ukraine Receives 18 German Leopard 2 Tanks: Report

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Ukraine has received 18 German leopard 2 tanks, as promised by Berlin, a German media reported on Monday. 
According to the report, Ukraine also received approximately 40 Marder armored infantry fighting vehicles. The German government is not disclosing the exact delivery route of military equipment for security reasons.[.]
https://sputniknews.com/20230327/ukraine-receives-18-german-leopard-2-tanks-report-1108836282.html

“not disclosing the exact route for delivery.”
Really midget heads!!!
Buddy, look overhead for a satellite readout.

Posted by: Likklemore | Mar 27 2023 15:25 utc | 3

Marder is a beautiful machine. That and the Sisu are good light infantry support.

Posted by: Fnord73 | Mar 27 2023 15:40 utc | 5

The caption to this video reads “This is what a unit commander should look like!”, hard not agree. That’s a stroll on the west side of the Bakhmutka river, not posted by the commander himself:
https://t.me/vladlentatarsky/20247
What Prigozhin posts in his TG channel it’s usually answers to questions, his answer to a Reuters question concerning a Tanzanian citizen fallen while fighting in the ranks of Wagner, here it is machine translated:
We publish a comment by Yevgeny Prigozhin:
“I offer you two answers, since this is really a Reuters question and it can be answered.
The first answer is: “I don’t know anything, I haven’t seen anything, contact the state authorities.”
The second answer is: “I recruited him personally in a colony in the Yaroslavl region. He died heroically – he defended his comrades. And his motives were as follows. When we were sitting in one of the offices in IK-2, I told him:
– “You have a term of 7 years. You’ve served almost two years. You’ll be out on parole soon. Why do you need this?”.
To which he replied to me:
– “The people of Donbass have been in the same situation for many years as a black man on the African continent. We exist, but we don’t, because any white man who comes from overseas treats you like an animal. And so I will learn to fight them.”
That’s what he told me. He convinced me that he needed to be taken, and I took him. Therefore, a great guy, he did the right thing to enlist. It’s a pity that he died, so he would have returned to Africa and put things in order there.”
https://t.me/Prigozhin_hat/2937

Posted by: Paco | Mar 27 2023 15:51 utc | 7

Our source has long pointed out that support for Ukraine is declining in Western society. The President of Slovakia said this publicly today.
This has long been known in the Office of the President and the Foreign Ministry, but they cannot correct the situation.
At one of the closed conference calls, they even raised the case that Western society reacts sluggishly even to “missiles hitting residential buildings.” Only larger tragedies with victims can situationally affect Western society.
Therefore, the risk that support may completely dry up by 2024 is not a rumor or a scarecrow, it is a reality.
There are only a few things that can fix the situation.
– a major man-made disaster.
– nuclear attack
– nuclear disaster
– chemical disaster
– biological disaster
– a large-scale tragedy on the air with a large number of dead civilians.
Well, and something similar, which the Russians will be accused of and this tragedy will be promoted to the whole world, using it as a trump card to continue financing the Ukrainian crisis.
The source points out that the victories of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the front are sometimes uninteresting to Western society, but on the contrary, they react to them with caution. Pointing out that such “successes” increase the risk of a nuclear/third world war.
Conclusion: Western society wants to “freeze” the conflict. Everyone is tired.

https://t.me/legitimniy/15033

Posted by: Down South | Mar 27 2023 15:56 utc | 9

Posted by: Down South | Mar 27 2023 15:56 utc | 9
A continuous stream of MI6 terror attacks in Europe will probably start soon to be blamed on Igor and Boris™.

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 27 2023 16:06 utc | 11

@ rk post 10
there are many avenues to get compensated. Ask the “Rules-Based Order ” neocons how that works. What’s good for the goose..
= = = = =
UKIES views of democracy rather unique:
Ukraine attacks UN human rights body
Kiev is unhappy with a report which said its crackdown on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church may be discriminatory

The UN’s human rights watchdog should “refrain from unbalanced political assessments,” a spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has said, following a report that questioned Kiev’s treatment of the largest religious denomination in the country.
“Ukraine is a democratic nation, where freedom of religion is guaranteed. But freedom does not equate to a right for activities that undermine national security,” Oleg Nikolenko told Ukrainian media on Monday. He urged the UN to “base its reports on facts.”
Last Friday, the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a report expressing concern about the crackdown on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which has historic links with the Russian Orthodox Church.
The SBU, Ukraine’s domestic security agency, has targeted UOC clergy and property in a series of raids over the past several months. The secret service claimed that churches could be hiding weapons and saboteurs and that the UOC served as an arm of the Russian government. The UN body said it was “concerned that the State’s activities targeting the UOC could be discriminatory.”
[bold emphasis added]
RT

To pray for peace and the ending of war undermines national security.
That statement by the UKR FM is taken from the Nazi Manual.

Posted by: Likklemore | Mar 27 2023 16:27 utc | 13

… Compensation Claims for Nord Stream Blast After Identifying Responsible Justified: Kremlin …
Posted by: Likklemore | Mar 27 2023 15:25 utc | 3
Empire bootlickers will just come up with counterclaims.
There was a window of opportunity right after the Nord Stream hit when USS Kearsarge was in the middle of the Atlantic, we’ll away from land, where RF could’ve dropped a fully loaded ICBM on it.
It’s too long after and the water’s been intentionally muddied numerous times since but the resulting message and its import would’ve been especially clear at the time.
If RF is determined to stick with slow-playing SMO they should at least adopt a coherent media strategy. At this stage the matter of financial compensation is irrelevant compared to getting Axis clowns on the defensive in front of RoW.

Posted by: anon2020 | Mar 27 2023 16:29 utc | 15

I don’t see the situation in Ukraine having an off-ramp that does not also include dealing with NATO, global financial hegemony and Occupied Palestine.
There is a lot of incentive on the China/Russia side to end the centuries of Western empire treatment of the RoW. Russia is now in a position to play Bad Cop to empire while China plays Good Cop and builds a new world order to replace that of empire.
I don’t consider a ground war in Taiwan a possibility like Ukraine is in our current civilization war.
Empire is facing economic turmoil that is forcing nations to band together around an alternative to the current global financial jackboot of BIS, IMF, World Bank, SWIFT, City of London and US Fed
The chance of empire banding together enough of the world population in a military war with the RoW is now delusional but that is where we are….no off-ramps for individual social “solutions” promulgated by empire.
Down with social bullies of all sorts…..and up with global multipolarity.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 27 2023 16:54 utc | 17

Of course Russia will get compensation for Nordstream. Germany does not yet know how it will pay it ! There are 30-Year Pay-or-Take Gas Contracts between Gazprom and German Buying Agencies that Germany believes are invalid “through force majeure” or “MACC” which resolution of culpability will excise.
Then there is the future of energy supply and industry in the EU. 25-30% Manufacturing Capacity of EU is inside Germany – a large part of that is Chemicals. Without German trade surpluses the Euro has no value. German trade surpluses used to cover the oil trade deficits of ALL Eu countries in Club Med.
Clearly EU is moving into energy import trade deficits which will affect external value of Euro.
As Poznar stated – Germany built a $2 Trillion economy on $27 billion of gas imports from Russia which is exponential operating leverage. Without that leverage either wages must fall dramatically in Germany (and net wages are nothing special owing to high deductions) or companies must exit Germany.
The FULL ADJUSTMENT to the EU economy has not even started…….it will be grinding over the next decade………

Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Mar 27 2023 16:57 utc | 19

Aging (who isn’t?) right wing, rock star guitarist Ted Nugent called Zelensky a “homosexual weirdo.”
I just thought he was a bad actor with a lousy voice and a penchant for blackmail. But maybe everyone is blackmailing everyone else.
Iran is still waiting to exact revenge for the assassination of Soleimani, one expects Russia to exact revenge for Nord Stream.
Unless the USA backs off there is no way Americans won’t feel the impact of this war very directly.

Posted by: gottlieb | Mar 27 2023 17:11 utc | 21

John “hit and miss” Helmer, has one of his better efforts up today…
https://johnhelmer.net/soldiers-understand-capitulation-better-than-politicians-and-professors-the-real-outcome-of-the-putin-xi-talks/

Posted by: Conan the Contrarian | Mar 27 2023 17:16 utc | 23

M.K.Bhadrakumar, of Indian Punchline fame, is featured at Consortium News today.
The subject of his article is crucial to Ukraine and an obvious explanation of Russia’s conservative miltary strategy. Surrounded by enemies and states vulnerable to imperialist bribery and subversion Russia’s first priority has been to establish the security of its eastern and southern flanks.
According to Bhadrakumar this has now been done- together with China and India Russia is taking steps to prevent yet another imperialist intervention in/attack on Afghanistan.
“…Prof. Melvin Goodman at Johns Hopkins and noted author who used to be a C.I.A. analyst, has described Blinken’s Central Asian tour, first by a senior Biden administration official to the region, to be “a fool’s errand that merely exposed the futility of U.S. efforts to practice dual containment against Russia and China … . All five Central Asian countries refused to support the United States in last month’s U.N. resolution calling for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine and to recognize Ukraine’s full sovereignty over its territory. All five Central Asian countries will need support from Russia or China if faced with internal opposition in their own countries.”
“The neutral stance of the Central Asian states is consistent with their independent position alike on the breakaway ex-Soviet regions of Abkhazia, Ossetia, Crimea, Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhya and Kherson. After all, Moscow never threatened the Central Asians with “Either you’re with us, or are against us.”
“The Central Asians witnessed the retreat of the Western alliance from Afghanistan and will not regard them as dependable providers of security. They are also wary of the West’s dalliance with extremist groups. The widely held belief in Central Asia is that the Islamic State is an American creation. Above all, the Western countries pursue mercantilist foreign policies eyeing the region’s mineral resources but take no interest in the region’s development. On the other hand, they are intrusive and prescriptive….”
https://consortiumnews.com/2023/03/27/foreign-devils-on-the-road-to-afghanistan/
Moscow’s obvious next priority is to secure its position within Russia itself, firstly by isolating the Fifth Column but more importantly by reforming a society still suffering from the evils introduced by Yeltsin under the influence of the US.
A House divided against itself, cannot stand, and will not survive an existential challenge. That this is so is, on the one hand, reason for Russian confidence- its NATO allies are bitterly divided and , as the war progresses, divisions within countries such as Germany and France are going to grow. In the end such divisions will cripple NATO’s ability to prop up its fascist puppets in Ukraine.
On the other hand, there are real divisions in Russian society too, divisions which patriotic support for war cannot long paper over. The gap between the living standards of the rich and the poor is not only wide but obviously unjustifiable-the wealth of the oligarchs is clearly plunder they received for assisting foreign capitalists to transfer the savings of generations of Soviet citizens abroad.
The case for socialist policies, reforms and strict regulations is unanswerable.
And then there is the reality that three decades of crony capitalism has corrupted all public institutions, including the military. The first consequence of any war is the replacement of incompetent, corrupt and cowardly leadership. It is the only alternative to accepting defeat.

Posted by: bevin | Mar 27 2023 17:32 utc | 25

Paul Greenwood (20).
He’s a Sturgeon puppet, she’ll be operating him from the background, the contest was clandestine deceitful and corrupt, and to make sure Yousaf won GCHQ (the enemy of Scottish independence) was invited in to oversee the the contest.
The SNP are no longer a party for Scottish independence.

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Mar 27 2023 17:51 utc | 27

unimperator (11).
We had this in Operation Gladio, and Gladio B, the latter exposed by Sibel Edmonds, the former Gladio, was responsible for bombings, kidnappings and assassinations to such an extent that the network was publicly exposed in Italy in the 1980s.

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Mar 27 2023 17:59 utc | 29

It’s too long after and the water’s been intentionally muddied numerous times since but the resulting message and its import would’ve been especially clear at the time.
At this stage the matter of financial compensation is irrelevant compared to getting Axis clowns on the defensive in front of RoW.
Posted by: anon2020 | Mar 27 2023 16:29 utc | 15
It’s too long after the water’s been intentionally muddied
Statute of limitations does not apply to an Act of War or acts of terror. Again, ask the Nazis. 20 years in Afghan and Iraq with the War on Terror.
If RF is determined to stick with slow-playing SMO they should at least adopt a coherent media strategy.
Apparently you are of the mindset it’s the propaganda in the media – the ‘print material ‘ – that wins the war and not the war material on the battleground.
Slow and steady wins the day. You rush you lose. This is not about making instant coffee or shock and awe. Urge you to consider the terrain and that the Nazis with US led NATO had 8 years to build fortifications in preparation.
= = = = = = =

Of course, Russia will get compensation for Nordstream. Germany does not yet know how it will pay it ! There are 30-Year Pay-or-Take Gas Contracts between Gazprom and German Buying Agencies that Germany believes are invalid “through force majeure” or “MACC” which resolution of culpability will excise.
Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Mar 27 2023 16:57 utc | 19
Biden, US president and his officials, are recorded making the promise to end NordStream, One Way or Another
When asked how? He acknowledged the wherewithal – the means. Intent and Means.


And the Sanctions from Hell façade – US continues to buy from Russia direct and indirectly. Bills of Lading are tricky documents in international trade.
So one way or another, USA will pay.
Gazprom AG (Germany), holds 49.1% ownership and also will be compensated. BASF, the world’s largest conglomerate is a shareholder.
Without cheap Russian gas, German industries are hulled out. Some are moving to China. German workers are restless.
= = = = =
@ the pessimist 23
Thanks for that link.

Posted by: Likklemore | Mar 27 2023 18:16 utc | 31

https://web.archive.org/web/20230327121033/https://sputniknews.com/20230327/compensation-claims-for-nord-stream-blast-after-identifying-responsible-justified-kremlin-1108824665.html

Posted by: SattaMassaGana | Mar 27 2023 18:20 utc | 33

Lack of training and why it matters … spot the difference
Telegram
Link: WarWebm
South Front
Link: South Front

Posted by: SattaMassaGana | Mar 27 2023 18:40 utc | 35

The second operative country involved according to Symour Hershs writing about origins of the NS1 and 2 explosions is becoming clearer –
*
“Ladieees and gennlemen” (drum roll) may I present the SWEDISH stealth ship that may have been part of the attack.
The “Visby” Class.
https://twitter.com/MichaKobs/status/1639997924133199874/photo/1
A ship of this class has participated in every BALTOPS since 2019
https://twitter.com/MichaKobs/status/1640023084731179009/photo/1
This ship has several useful advantages as well as being ultra-stealthy and being designed to be non-infrared or thermal emitting. It has a retractable crane that can descend robot subs down to 100 meters. (plus the subs of course). Robot arms for underwater manipultion. Ground Mine laying from a hatch at the stern. Helicopter pad. Being (probably?) in the “right” place at the right time, as a Swedish Spy plane covered any unexpected sortie from Kalingrad.
https://twitter.com/MichaKobs/status/1639992043203076097/photo/1
The track. They “forgot” to turn their transponders on of course.
https://twitter.com/MichaKobs/status/1639990740724924417/photo/1
They may not have had super efficient divers handy. These possibly came from the Kearsage, as described by Symour Hersh.They would have done guiding and placing of explosives on the joints. (The photographed segments seem to be complete sections)
***
This came about as one “OAlexander” tried to find some way to blame the Russians, and tie the passage of a RU convoy that “snuck in though NATO controlled territory in the fog” to place the explosives, without being seen (?). He should not have tried that as it refocussed attention.
***
Added info, it is the Swedes that cleaned up the underwater areas first. The “smoke” bomb that the Russins were invited to examine later, could then be used as an excuse to say the Russians “participated” in the enquiry. Putin was correct to decline as it did “not contain any explosive”, so they took the Danish word for it.

Posted by: Stonebird | Mar 27 2023 18:51 utc | 37

Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 27 2023 16:54 utc | 17:

I don’t consider a ground war in Taiwan a possibility like Ukraine is in our current civilization war.

You’re absolutely right! Land wise Taiwan is too small, less than 6% of Ukraine’s landmass while population is more than half of Ukies. But why would China tolerate the idea of Chinese land (Taiwan being part of it) being the battle ground? China has developed to the point of projecting formidable offensive forces towards and onto any enemy land, including the sacred mountain top where the self-crowned beacon of humanity resides. Used to be, North America is considered to far and too fortified for Chinese military forces to project, logistically as well as fire power effectively. Not anymore, at least no more than the vice versa scenario of Empire’s projection from Eastern Pacific to SCS. This has been the case for at least the past 5 years, maybe 10. Sustainability of war effort wise, it is hands down in China’s favor, as their industrial output exceeds the West, collectively, and even more modernized.
In the next war involving China, Chinese leadership has ensured that destructions on Chinese landmass will be reciprocated on opponents’ landmass, conventionally or otherwise. That has been the doctrine behind the weaponry buildup over the past 30 years–DF missiles; 4-5th gen fighter planes; long range nuke arsenals; aegis war ships; space technologies; you name it, China has done it. In China’s estimates, they are at the least on par with the West (i. e., collective West, on weapon proficiencies, not just the cluster who calls themselves Yankee/Sammy. Sammy’s only strategy for victory is the nuke route. That’s why Sammy wants to subdue Russia first, so that there ain’t no way in hell that Russian nuke arsenal can come to China’s assistant. In Sammy’s mind China is vastly inferior in nuke quantities in comparison. Remove the Russian wild card, China can be held at gun point. They thought!!!
The first venue of Empire/Sino Ground War will be the Kanto Basin, Yokosuki/Tokyo/Yokohama/Tokyo Bay. Japan as a nation will disintegrate in the first few days. Okinawa and Guam bases will be incinerated on day 1, and then the West/Sino war begins. How long it will last? Anyone’s guess.

Posted by: Oriental Voice | Mar 27 2023 19:05 utc | 39

@PaulGreenwood, #20:
Yeah, Sammy’s got Zelensky in a stranglehold. Both going wild in the street 🙂

Posted by: Oriental Voice | Mar 27 2023 19:16 utc | 41

Posted by: Likklemore | Mar 27 2023 18:16 utc | 31
I agree that the Nord Stream attackers should be pursued without time limit but a legalistic view of it is almost irrelevant, possibly deluded. The responsible parties will never pay in the conventional sense but they can be exposed as culpable in the eyes of RoW countries that have a say in their own international relations – this is the true value of pursuing the guilty, even if there is never a credible investigation. For example, these Baltic area punk countries all trying to pretend they don’t stink of Yankee shit are a global laughing stock.
As to the specifics of the military strategy in SMO, it should be possible to take Bakhmut and other fortifications by encircling them in 24/7 drone surveillance, waiting out the occupiers and blasting anything that moves with drones, artillery and rockets, a siege with absolutely minimal infantry exposure.
I can understand the blood and guts infantry strategy in the initial phase where the MoD needed to roll with the weapons and tactics they knew best but I cannot see why they are still slogging it out with heroics and real casualties. Would they have been able to continue in this way were it not for the off-books casualties of Wagner and LDPR units?
If there is a flaw in the strategy of laying drone & artillery siege to UA fortifications I’d be interested to hear it.

Posted by: anon2020 | Mar 27 2023 19:32 utc | 43

anon2020 @43–
You apparently missed my comment @26 above linked to Crooke’s column about the unleashing of Lawfare against Putin since all other means have failed. Russia and others can use the same means, which is one part related to Europe again not having thought through its actions. There’re actually many such actions that a host of attacked nations and their people could pursue against the Outlaw US Empire Axis. Trump being currently under indictment by Iran for his murder of Soleimani is only one of hundreds of examples.

Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 27 2023 19:50 utc | 45

More about the early March meeting between Scholz and Biden.
This has been concealed from the public. Don’t ask, just read.

Posted by: grunzt | Mar 27 2023 20:08 utc | 47

rjb1.5 | Mar 27 2023 20:09 utc | 48
so Hungary approves Finland’s NATO membership.
big surprise, right?

What did you expect? Given the current political climate in the West, I find it amazing how strongly Hungary resists the hegemon. It’s a small (approximately ten million) country, landlocked and surrounded by very pro-NATO entities.
I wish the Swiss had half the courage of Hungary. They lost their “neutrality” so badly.

Posted by: Konami | Mar 27 2023 20:18 utc | 49

Typepad prevented me from posting the Patrushev interview, however, it can be read in English here. Patrushev’s commentary on domestic issues within the Outlaw US Empire is very penetrating, for example:
“Nikolai Patrushev: Right. The antagonism between Republicans and Democrats is only growing. There are growing contradictions between various financial structures and transnational corporations that care only about their capitalization, and not about the well-being of America. The U.S. elites, who think of themselves as untouchables, have never associated themselves with the American people.
“Their projects such as BLM, that is, ‘Black Lives Matter,’ and the universal imposition of transgender theories are aimed at the spiritual degradation of the population, which is already in a state of apathy. The individualism and consumerism nurtured in Americans will play a cruel joke with their country. Ordinary citizens will not lift a finger for the sake of preserving the integrity of America, realizing that they do not need their authorities. Not knowing what they are doing, the US authorities are destroying themselves step by step.” [My Emphasis]

Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 27 2023 20:38 utc | 51

Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 27 2023 20:38 utc | 51
The part where Patrushev talks about Mexico and Latin America in general caught my attention, especially after Spain sponsored a summit in Dominican Republic, with head of state and prime minister present plus Borrell, all they wanted was to fulfill the task imposed by the empire and get a resolution condemning Russia, the effort was in vain, the south knows which way the wind is blowing and who has food and energy and who has a printing press. AMLO, Lula, Maduro or Fernández where not there, the important ones are looking at BRICS. The resolution was not adopted.
The establishment of the Guantanamo Bay base is considered a direct theft of Cuban sovereignty. And this is just one of many examples of systematic encroachments on the independence of Latin American countries. There is no doubt that sooner or later the southern neighbors of the United States will regain the territories stolen from them.

Posted by: Paco | Mar 27 2023 21:49 utc | 53

indian punchline today… relevant to the use of depleted uranium and having missiles in belarus..
Moscow calls out US’ rules-based order in Europe

Posted by: james | Mar 27 2023 22:00 utc | 55

Paco | Mar 27 2023 21:49 utc | 53

There is no doubt that sooner or later the southern neighbors of the United States will regain the territories stolen from them.

Optimist. Russia is still fighting for its existencen and you are already busy distributing its opponent’s fur…

Posted by: grunzt | Mar 27 2023 22:02 utc | 57

Paco @53–
Thanks for your reply. IMO, the overall importance of numerous nations globally turning their collective noses up regarding the Outlaw US Empire cannot be underestimated. As Crooke notes:
“Secondly, the U.S. has morphed from being a military to essentially a rent-seeking financialised hegemon. What price the enduring U.S. business prosperity should the U.S. lose dollar hegemony? Dollar ‘privilege’ has long sustained U.S. prosperity. But American sanctions, asset seizures, and new monetary arrangements pose the question: Is the global order changed so much that dollar hegemony, beyond the U.S. and its dependencies, is no longer sustainable?
“The western ruling classes are certain of the answer: Political and dollar hegemony are interconnected. Keeping power, enriching the ‘golden billion’, means sustaining both – even as the Élites plainly can see that the American narrative is losing traction around the world, and states are migrating to new trading blocs.”
That the Saudis will now accept Kenyan shillings for oil as reported @52 above is indicative of the emerging sea change. Back when Full Spectrum Dominance was being formulated prior to its introduction in 1996, I can’t help but wonder if someone pointed out that to try and control the world would mean having to wage war on all the world’s nations and that would be unfeasible.

Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 27 2023 22:17 utc | 59

LMAO:
https://twitter.com/Dpol_un/status/1640424558556528661
Apparently the Ukrainian delegation at the UN was caught listening to the Russian language translation stream.
This after banning the language and everything Russian…
P.S. I am not sure how familiar most people are with Stanislaw Lem, probably not much, especially aside from Solaris. But he also wrote the satirical collection of stories Star Diaries (read it if you can find), and this whole Ukrainian situation is 1:1 out of “The Eleventh Voyage”. The short summary is that Ijon Tichy (who is the main hero of all the stories) is sent to a distant planet where an Earth ship crashed some time ago, the ship computer went rogue, and populated the planet with human-hating robots. Earth then kept sending agents to investigate, and none of them returned. So Ijon Tichy is sent as one of the most elite cadres to figure it out. And he is disguised as a robot, which isn’t easy — he has to pretend to drink machine oil, he has to talk with a metallic voice, etc. And, most importantly for our purposes, he has to engage in various ritual activities that demonstrate how much, as a robot race faithful, he hates humans — e.g. brutal mutilation of mock human babies, symbolic consumption of human meat, and other stuff like that.
Now who does that remind you of? Some examples:
https://twitter.com/dosmasdos618/status/1611107625277751296
https://twitter.com/dosmasdos618/status/1611109007586111488
https://twitter.com/dosmasdos618/status/1574264162250723328
https://twitter.com/dosmasdos618/status/1574264695137087490
https://twitter.com/harrison_certi/status/1519655266404478977
In the end, of course, it turns out that there are no robots at all on the planet — it was too salty and humid and everything rusted to dust very quickly years ago, and all of the “robots”, who were viciously attacking everything human, were the Earth agents that were sent one by one to investigate, and who had to keep the appearance of being human out of fear of being discovered and killed.
Exact same situation with Ukies and Russia…

Posted by: shadowbanned | Mar 27 2023 23:09 utc | 61

The Star Diaries and other works by him are available at the link’s parent site. There’s also this official site. AT first glance, he seems very similar to Asimov. Lem was Polish.

Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 27 2023 23:42 utc | 63

Re. Stanislaw Lem
I haven’t read him in over 40 years so I will have to check out the site Karlof1 recommends. shadowbanned’s synopsis reminds me of the Futurological Congress.

Posted by: Quid Me Vexare | Mar 28 2023 0:51 utc | 65

Don’t know if this was posted while I was away over the weekend. Zakharova writing on MFA’s Telegram about refugee Ukies, especially children given the Howlers the EU has provided, picked up from Pepe Escobar:

Children who were sent to Europe after their evacuation from Ukraine regularly faced various types of marginalisation, and even sexual exploitation and sex trafficking.
I have already written that relevant statements were made by EU officials, in particular, in Sweden, Director-General of the National Board of Health and Welfare Olivia Wigzell had to warn all refugees that they needed to register with the National Agency for Migrants. She specifically emphasised why children should do this: “so as not to become a victim of exploitation.”
Authorities in Stockholm are aware of at least several hundred children and teenagers who have arrived in the country unaccompanied by their parents. A year ago, no one could say how many children and adults came to Scandinavia illegally and without registration. In general, the situation has not improved.
A similar situation can be observed in France, one of the most popular countries among Ukrainian refugees. I have also talked about this: Prefect Joseph Zimet complained to Le Monde that he had no idea where to accommodate 100,000 Ukrainians, of whom, at most, 3,000 work. In the same interview, he admitted that half of the refugees were simply lost, that is, the French authorities had no idea where they were, what they did and how they earned a living. After passing border control, they simply… disappeared.
All these problems forced some countries, in particular Estonia, to close their borders to refugees at some point after the start of the exodus.
Meanwhile, in Germany, which has received more than a million Ukrainians according to official data, juvenile services are actively removing children from refugee families, and the courts are depriving parents of their rights. Moreover, the intervention of guardianship authorities, as a rule, happens following a tip-off from the families with whom Ukrainians have been staying: for example, the parents raising their voices can be reason enough for taking away the child.
Considering the catastrophic problems that thousands of underage Ukrainians in EU countries constantly face, which are not being addressed but are only getting worse every day, the Euro-Atlanticists’ imaginary concern about the fate of children Russia has evacuated from the war zone looks hypocritical and especially cynical.

Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 28 2023 1:10 utc | 67

Well… at least it doesn’t say rabbit hospitality.

Posted by: Dalit | Mar 28 2023 2:41 utc | 69

This is an interesting take. So if there’s proof that the US blew up the pipelines, does/can Germany sue the US for the cost of the take-or-pay contracts? That’s probably less important than the German population and business sector realizing that their best friends stabbed them in the back, but it’s an interesting lawfare angle.
Posted by: Lex | Mar 27 2023 20:26 utc | 50
@Lex, Sholz was almost certainly appraised of it beforehand and approved. So the first German problem is that their head of state consented to it.

Posted by: Rhinoskerous | Mar 28 2023 4:01 utc | 71

Über Russlands Hyperschallwaffen
Der Teil von Domazets letztem Interview, den ich besonders interessant fand, war jedoch das, was er über Russlands Hyperschallwaffen sagte.
Es war im Jahr 2018, als Wladimir Putin die Bühne betrat, um Russlands neue Hyperschallwaffen zu präsentieren. Der Begriff „Hyperschall“ bezieht sich auf Raketen, die mit einer Geschwindigkeit von 5 Mach und mehr fliegen. Damals taten viele im Westen Putins Behauptungen ab und hielten sie für einen Bluff. Heute wissen wir, dass er nicht geblufft hat. Russland ist das einzige Land der Welt, das über einsatzbereite Hyperschallraketen verfügt – und zwar nicht nur eine, sondern gleich drei Typen: Zircons, Kinzhals und Avantguards.
Domazet erläuterte, warum diese Waffen einen radikalen Wandel in der Kriegsführung darstellen. Im Ersten Weltkrieg waren es die Panzer, die das Spiel der Militärtechnologie veränderten, seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg ist es die Luftwaffe. Flugzeugträgerverbände waren eine unwiderstehliche Macht, wo immer sie auftauchten, und beherrschten seither die Meere. Doch Hyperschall-Präzisionsraketen haben diese Streitkräfte über Nacht obsolet gemacht.
Die wichtigste militärische Front im heutigen globalen Konflikt sind laut Domazet die Anti-Ballistik-Batterien (ABM), die die USA auf der Achse Polen-Rumänien und die Russen auf der Achse Nordpol-Kaliningrad-Krim-Syrien aufgestellt haben. Dabei handelt es sich um Verteidigungssysteme, die ankommende Atomraketen abfangen sollen. Die heutigen ABM-Systeme sind jedoch nur gegen Raketen wirksam, die mit einer Geschwindigkeit von bis zu Mach 3,5 (3,5 x Schallgeschwindigkeit) fliegen.
Die Kinzhal macht mächtige Flugzeugträger-Sturmtruppen zu leichten Beute
Russlands neue Kinzhal-Rakete fliegt mit Geschwindigkeiten von Mach 12 bis Mach 15, und nichts in den westlichen Verteidigungsarsenalen kann ihren Schlag aufhalten. Während des Krieges in der Ukraine hat Russland eine beeindruckende Demonstration seiner Macht gezeigt. Der erste Kinzhal-Schlag, der einen Monat nach Beginn der Feindseligkeiten in der Ukraine erfolgte, war vielleicht der bedeutendste: Die russischen Streitkräfte griffen ein großes Waffendepot in der Ukraine an, das so gebaut worden war, dass es einem Atomschlag standhalten konnte. Es war 170 Meter unter der Erde vergraben und durch mehrere Lagen gepanzerten Betons geschützt.
Die Kinzhal fliegt in Höhen zwischen 20 und 40 km und hat eine maximale Reichweite von 2.000 km. Wenn sie sich über dem Ziel befindet, stürzt sie senkrecht ab und beschleunigt auf 15 Mach, wobei sie zusätzlich zu ihrer Sprengladung enorme kinetische Energie aufnimmt. Dieser Erstschlag mit einer einzigen Kinzhal-Rakete zerstörte das atomwaffenfeste unterirdische Waffendepot der Ukraine. Dies war eine Botschaft an den Westen.
Moskau ruft: Wir können ALLE eure Flugzeugträger versenken
Die Kinzhal wurde mit dem ausdrücklichen Ziel entwickelt, Flugzeugträgerkampfgruppen zu zerstören. Wenn sie ein Lagerhaus zerstören konnte, das für einen Atomschlag gebaut wurde, kann sie auch einen Flugzeugträger durchschneiden wie ein heißes Messer durch Butter.
Admiral Domazet zufolge verfügen weder die westlichen Mächte noch China auch nur annähernd über derartige Waffen. Er erklärte, das kritische Problem bei Hyperschallwaffen seien die extremen Temperaturen, die während des Hyperschallflugs auf der Oberfläche der Raketen erreicht werden und die dazu führen können, dass die Raketen während des Flugs auseinanderbrechen. Russland ist die einzige Nation, die spezielle Materialien entwickelt hat, die es den Raketen ermöglichen, dieser Belastung standzuhalten, sodass ihr Flug über die gesamte Flugbahn hinweg kontrolliert und mit hoher Treffsicherheit durchgeführt werden kann.
Nach Schätzungen westlicher Geheimdienste verfügte Russland zu Beginn des Krieges in der Ukraine über etwa 50 Kinzhals, von denen es bisher nur 9 eingesetzt hat. Vergangene Woche feuerten sie sechs Kinzhals in einer einzigen Salve ab. Auch das war eine Botschaft. Domazet erklärte dies folgendermaßen: Die Vereinigten Staaten verfügen über elf Flugzeugträgerkampfgruppen. Von diesen sind weniger als die Hälfte gleichzeitig aktiv (während andere zur Wartung im Dock liegen oder sich in Vorbereitung befinden). Sechs Kinzhals auf einmal abzufeuern ist Militärsprache für „wir haben die Fähigkeit, ALLE eure Flugzeugträger auf einmal zu versenken“.
Russland wird jeden Moment die Munition ausgehen (sagen Experten)…
Russland hat die Kapazität, etwa 200 Stück pro Jahr zu bauen, und verfügt nun über Mittel, um sie von Flugzeugen, Schiffen und U-Booten aus überallhin zu bringen. Sie können nicht nur Flugzeugträger zerstören, sondern auch die ABM-Raketenstationen der NATO. Kurz gesagt, Russland hat – vorerst – das Wettrüsten gewonnen.
Die westlichen Mächte könnten 10 Jahre oder länger benötigen, um aufzuholen, und bis dahin besteht die einzige Möglichkeit, den Krieg nicht zu verlieren, darin, entweder die Niederlage einzugestehen und Russlands Sicherheitsforderungen zu akzeptieren oder den Konflikt zu einem nuklearen Schlagabtausch zu eskalieren.
Nach einer vorsichtigen Schätzung würden in einem solchen Konflikt mindestens eine Milliarde Menschen umkommen, und niemand würde gewinnen. Wer würde so etwas tun? Der Gedanke an den Einsatz von Atomwaffen ist in der Tat so abstoßend, dass wir sicher sein können, dass unsere Führer niemals den Weg der Eskalation wählen werden. Sicherlich ist niemand so böse, oder?
Gepostet von Raaalph

Posted by: Raaalph | Mar 28 2023 4:58 utc | 73

Posted by: shadowbanned | Mar 27 2023 23:09 utc | 61
> P.S. I am not sure how familiar most people are with Stanislaw Lem, probably not much, especially aside from Solaris.
The Invincible and His Master’s Voice are my favorite.

Posted by: hopehely | Mar 28 2023 6:05 utc | 75

@karlof1 | Mar 27 2023 22:00 utc | 56

One other aspect many will find intriguing is how the Covid-19 episode was employed to prepare the Western public’s minds for this conflict so it could fit into the usual Western employment of Manicheanism.

The only ones to be surprised are those who refused to listen when they were told in 2020 this was the case.

Posted by: Norwegian | Mar 28 2023 6:10 utc | 77

Eyre Crow, in a memorandum, expressed the opinion that the British withdrawal from the Mediterranean would have a disastrous effect on
the international situation unless the place of the British Mediterranean squadron were effectively taken by a powerful French fleet.
I recommend you google “Eyre Crow” for a fascinating insight……..the thesis quoted above is very informative and might assist in viewing modern situations and just how incompetent diplomacy really is and can be……..with devastating consequences

Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Mar 28 2023 6:37 utc | 79

Our source reports that the Russians continue to strike with guided bombs in the Sumy region, as there is a possibility that they will come from there again, but for the wide encirclement of Kharkov and so on.
Purposes: hangars, warehouses, outbuildings, which are used to place weapons and other useful tools and military facilities there.
Also, the Russians continue to look for Ukrainian air defenses. Sometimes they get it.

https://t.me/legitimniy/15040

Posted by: Down South | Mar 28 2023 6:54 utc | 81

Posted by: Dingo | Mar 28 2023 6:10 utc | 77
>You find pleasure in repeating
Great, my point made for me. Thanks!

Posted by: Old Fart Legion | Mar 28 2023 7:18 utc | 83

So the first German problem is that their head of state consented to it.
Posted by: Rhinoskerous | Mar 28 2023 4:01 utc | 71
Other countries surely knew and approved it (not that they can say no to US anyway). It was a nato action. And won’t be the last, now that they saw it had no consequences. Russia even canceled the UNSC vote for an international investigation on NS.
There was a good thing these days, one of the fake generals from Donetsk and Zap. was changed by Putin.

Posted by: rk | Mar 28 2023 7:32 utc | 85

@87
Yes, and the whole western world is sending everything they can afford, and still cannot defend a single relatively small city in ukraine

Posted by: MiroslavIlic | Mar 28 2023 7:46 utc | 87

# 86
Russia, China, Brazil voted for an investigation
All other countries abstained
Not enough votes so no u.n investigation

Posted by: Dingo | Mar 28 2023 7:47 utc | 89

Adrianople.
The greatest defeat of Rome was not Cannae, or Carrhae, or the Teutoburg Forest. It was at the city of Adrianople (now Edirne in Turkey) when Emperor Valens marched to his doom against the Goths in 378 AD. The battle itself was, by Roman standards, quite small: some 20,000 of their soldiers fell, about two-thirds of the force engaged, after an overconfident Valens made a grave tactical mistake and failed to secure his flanks adequately against the Gothic cavalry. The Gothic horsemen quickly drove off their Roman counterparts and then enveloped the Roman infantry, leading to a massacre. This was itself hardly unusual by Roman standards, Hannibal executed such maneuvers a dozen times with bloodier results.
For the Roman Republic of the Punic Wars, owning a modest slice of Italy, Adrianople would have been a minor strategic setback. For the Late Empire, controlling the most developed parts of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, it was a catastrophe from which they arguably never recovered. This was in part because the Late Imperial Army was made up of professionals instead of the legendary citizen-soldiers of the Republic, but largely because the Late Empire was a failing state with a limited capacity to actually generate forces. The wealth of Rome at the time was squandered on everything but defense, to the point its carcass was ultimately colonized by migrants from the East who took what they wished. Attila should have been met by a million men in 451 – with the Empire itself on the line, Aetius was able to put a mere 40,000 into the field against him.
What does this have to do with Ukraine? Everything. The West was once able to produce tanks by the thousand, shells by the million, and trained divisions by the score. Now, despite far greater wealth, it struggles to produce a dozen tanks, a thousand shells, or a single brigade. And there’s no indication things are improving.
The Russian steppes howl just as loud, though.
– Alcibiades

https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/50979

Posted by: Down South | Mar 28 2023 8:15 utc | 91

Down south
I can’t remember if it was at MOA or not
Zalensky gave an interview to a Japanese newspaper
Complaining that Ukraine has nothing left to fight the conflict with
All munitions are depleted. So they might be fighting with their hands
As a last brave offensive,

Posted by: Dingo | Mar 28 2023 8:32 utc | 93

that should be 06:45. BST can be quite confusing 😉

Posted by: Lantern Dude | Mar 28 2023 8:51 utc | 95

Posted by: Dingo | Mar 28 2023 8:32 utc | 94
It was this interview here

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine’s counter-offensive against Russia cannot start until Western allies send more military support. He told a Japanese newspaper he would not send his troops to the front lines without more tanks, artillery and Himars rocket launchers.
In an interview with Yomiuri Shimbun, he said the situation in eastern Ukraine was “not good”. “We are waiting for ammunition to arrive from our partners,” he said. And when asked about the expected counter-offensive, he said: “We can’t start yet, we can’t send our brave soldiers to the front line without tanks, artillery and long-range rockets.”
He added: “If you have the political will, you can find a way to help us. We are at war and can’t wait.”
There has been talk for some weeks of Ukraine launching a spring offensive against Russian forces. Ukrainian commanders have hinted it might be imminent. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, said this week it might come “very soon”.
Some analysts say Ukraine’s military is talking up the idea of a counter-offensive to discomfit their Russian counterparts. They want Russian commanders to spread their forces thinly along the front lines, ready for any attack, rather than concentrate them in particular places, such as the eastern city of Bakhmut.
Other analysts believe a counter-offensive is possible soon. A US-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, last week suggested that Russia’s own offensive was potentially losing momentum and concluded: “Ukraine is therefore well positioned to regain the initiative and launch counter-offensives in critical sectors of the current front line.”
But President Zelensky is more pessimistic. He has often warned that the war could drag on for years unless Western allies speeded up the delivery of weapons. But this is the first time he has actually said the counter-offensive itself might be delayed by the lack of Western equipment.
His remarks reflect not only his desire to encourage more speed, but also his frustration at what he sees as the lack of haste.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65075952.amp

Posted by: Down South | Mar 28 2023 9:01 utc | 97

Posted by: Old Fart Legion | Mar 28 2023 7:40 utc | 87
LOFL you’re still running from a massive kill ratio discrepancy. bringing in some bullshit comparison to the Mexican War almost 200 years ago. maybe in 6 months you’ll figure it out. i bet you won’t though.

Posted by: pretzelattack | Mar 28 2023 9:11 utc | 99