Can Russia also respond with cluster ammunition?
Posted by: simplex | Aug 26 2023 18:29 utc | 10
Will it bring victory, or merely vengeance.
Victory is all that matters in the end.
I hope the Russians do use cluster weapons, if it means mass destruction of Ukrainian formations other methods can not achieve.
However, using them just cuz the Ukrainians did is asinine.

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 26 2023 18:32 utc | 4

The NAFO propaganda mill spins a new one today: The Russians are infecting Poland with Legionnares disease.
I’d commend their originality but there’s nothing original about blaming every misfortune on Russia:

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s internal security officers were searching for the source of a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease which has killed seven people and infected more than 100 others in the strategic city of Rzeszow, near the border with Ukraine, authorities said Friday.
The region of Rzeszow, in Poland’s southeast, is a key transit hub for international military support for Ukraine, following Russia’s full-scale invasion last year. Some 10,000 U.S. troops are also stationed in the area.
Officials from the Internal Security Agency were inspecting various sites in Rzeszow, but primarily the water pipelines, where experts suppose the bacteria might be coming from.

Legionnaires’ disease kills 7 people in a strategic Polish city on the Ukrainian border
Imagine that? So many NATO ‘mercenaries’ around they’re beginning to spread pestilence!
This is what you get for packing thousands of mercenaries into dinghy little Polish tourist hovels out of desperation.
What next, the Black Plague?

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Aug 26 2023 19:08 utc | 6

Arch Bungle @ 15

What next, the Black Plague?

Nah, you can cure that with antibiotics, they’ll stick to viruses.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Aug 26 2023 19:20 utc | 8

Thank you -b-
Read through your post and articles.
Going to cite this site as an FYI… long read, but insightful as to US analysis. RAND: The Russian “Firehose of Falsehood” Propoganda Model
https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE198.html
I’m including (way way bottom #5 “solutions”… just as confirmation that censorship is government sanctioned, and we’re not all conspiracy theorists for suggesting it.
Rand:
“Our fifth and final suggestion for addressing the challenge of Russian propaganda is to use various technical means to turn off (or turn down) the flow. If the firehose of falsehood is being employed as part of active hostilities, or if counterpropaganda efforts escalate to include the use of a wider range of information warfare capabilities, then jamming, corrupting, degrading, destroying, usurping, or otherwise interfering with the ability of the propagandists to broadcast and disseminate their messages could diminish the impact of their efforts. Anything from aggressive enforcement of terms of service agreements with Internet providers and social media services to electronic warfare or cyberspace operations could lower the volume—and the impact—of Russian propaganda.”

Posted by: Trubind1 | Aug 26 2023 19:37 utc | 10

Legionnaires Disease.
Arch Bungle @1908.
Expensive energy = reduced temperature in hot water systems, showers, heating systems,= Legionnaires disease.
Add in overcrowding and a mobile population from multiple origins.
There will be more of it; energy saving measures suggest Germany will also be at risk.

Posted by: CitizenSmith | Aug 26 2023 19:43 utc | 12

Are you in all seriousness comparing murdering innocent civilians out of the sky, on purpose, with accidents in cities?
I dont always agree with shadowbanned because of his ideological background, but on this he is correct. Russia is not showing a lot of regard for its citizens in this way. There should be consequences and if not, explain why not. Evacuate the people. Do something within the bounds of your ability.
But no, sparing Ukrainian civilians so that Russia looks good in the eyes of the World is more important.
And how does that World judge the Russian leadership then? Unwilling to use all available means to protect its citizens?
When you start something you need to finish it decisively, not by picking at the sides and grand strategizing.
Posted by: alek_a | Aug 26 2023 19:43 utc | 20
1. Yes. I am comparing the impact it has on the daily lives of the inhabitants of those cities. Don’t take my word for it, just ask the hundreds of thousands of people still living ng on the front why they haven’t fled when their is possible “murder from the skies”
2. The old shad-o-spam canard, “Putin does nothing to stop it”,. Except, of course the SMO itself, to stop the previous unabated eight years of shelling of Donetsk, all the AA systems on the front, the constant EW measures… But if 1 / 50 get through, it means “Putin has done nothing”.
2. Why should they evacuate all cities on the front? What kind of nightmares would spring from that? If, say, Legionnaires Disease were to break put in the refugee camps, (which of course, I am sure the front civilians would be thrilled to know they’ve been forced to evacuate their ancestral homes into refugee camps because you and shadowspam think its a good idea), would you then again blame Putin for not stopping the Legionaires disease? Maybe not you, but I am sure shades-of-spammer would.
3. As always, the final and simplistic argument, “Go big or go home!” “Charge the minefields under cover of daylight surprise!” Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead, this is taking too long!”
Easy for you to say, because if you lose, you just restart the game, and see if your luck is better next time.
In the meantime, in the real world, as has been mentioned at least 10,000 times before, even if Russia conquered Ukraine tomorrow, the war will be far from over.

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 26 2023 20:01 utc | 14

Telegram channels: Hero of Russia Anton Elizarov can become the new head of Wagner PMC

Posted by: OttoE | Aug 26 2023 20:05 utc | 16

#15 Posted by: Arch Bungle | Aug 26 2023 19:08 utc | 15
Re: Posted “Legionnaires” article you sited. Buried in article:
“The deputy minister for state special services, Stanislaw Zaryn, said Russia’s attempts to sow “panic” among Ukraine’s allies were among the reasons for the inspection.”
Russia did it! Add to “Litany of Lies” catalog maybe??
Since we’re tossing out meaningless speculations… here’s mine:
“Poles in bar refused to chant “Slava Ukrania” resulting in physical assaults that led to the arrest of Ukraine (Nazi) soldiers who therefore sought revenge by poisoning water supply and running cowardly back across border to Ukraine”. It’s just speculation.
Gosh you’d think the reason for the inspection would be … wait for it… that people were getting sick!!
But no, it was “Russia’s attempt to sow panic” that led to the inspection 🧐

Posted by: Trubind1 | Aug 26 2023 20:16 utc | 18

CitizenSmith @ 21

Expensive energy = reduced temperature in hot water systems, showers, heating systems,= Legionnaires disease.

That’s pretty sharp. I nominate you for MoA chief epidemiologist.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Aug 26 2023 20:28 utc | 20

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Unthinkable#Defensive
If anyone is still naive enough to ignore the lunacy of the West, consider the above. It wasn’t enough to have cities bombed into rubble or rationing that lasted well after WW2 ended, the Brits thought about attacking their immediate allies (Soviet Union).
Here we are with slaughter in Ukraine as pushed by Boris Johnson. A man leading a nation with a long tradition of hating Russians – while hallucinating that they somehow are still a Great Power in the world. Never mind the faltering NHS or budget cut military.
Somehow, the West is driven by noble motives of “democracy” ( as long as the Untermensch vote the right way) and Russia is ruled by ‘thugs’ and ‘oligarchs’, driven by the basest motives. Like so many of you, I can’t wait for this nonsense to be resolved, sadly by the battlefield.

Posted by: Eighthman | Aug 26 2023 20:29 utc | 22

Re: Posted by: CitizenSmith | Aug 26 2023 19:43 utc | 21
Posted by: Martina | Aug 26 2023 20:05 utc | 25
Both of you made excellent “medical” facts and observations, the “article” didn’t even bother with that, gave some basic instruction on how to treat water and then ended the article with planting a seed, that well, “maybe” Russia was doing some nasty “hybrid” stuff.
The “concern” for Poles was underwhelming here.
“NATO member Poland is supporting Ukraine in the military, political and humanitarian area. Poland’s government says that the nation has been exposed to various forms of Russia’s hybrid war.”

Posted by: Trubind1 | Aug 26 2023 20:31 utc | 24

Anybody hearing anything about Gonzalo? Heard reports on Ukrainian TG channels that his body had been found. Hard to make it out because it was pretty decomposed. Hope not, but I am losing hope since his last tweets in July.

Posted by: IrishLead | Aug 26 2023 20:34 utc | 26

I never understood this line of thinking. Basically, anyone can be killed in a war except the head of state ? Why, as it seems thats one of the quickest ways to decapitate a nation’s command structure and cause instant chaos ?
Posted by: Shocked | Aug 26 2023 20:29 utc | 34

Most importantly, NATO has no qualms about doing it. They killed Qaddafi as soon as they managed to locate him, and in the most brutal and humiliating way possible. Then bragged and laughed about it.
And this year they tried to assassinate Putin.
Again, all of this is seen, analyzed and thought about in Russian society.
And the conclusion is that the Kremlin is looking for a deal and surrender terms, not for a decisive win.
Why that is I am tired of explaining.

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Aug 26 2023 20:36 utc | 28

Yes, Moscow is getting bombed daily. Those 6 days were extended to 7 and 8, and tonight their will be more attacks.
But we are not talking about skyscrapers getting windows broken.
We are talking about civilians dying daily, and not as a result of collateral damage, but very deliberate targeting by the AFU, and not even just in the LDNR anymore, but all over pre-war Russia. The Kremlin has the duty to protect those civilians, and has all the tools to very successfully start doing it literally tomorrow if there was the political will. This isn’t 1995 and they are not dealing with guerilla warfare in the mountains. There are certain advantages to dealing with an actual state, even if it’s a Nazi one.
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Aug 26 2023 20:32 utc |
Nobody is getting bombed if no bombs are being dropped. If drones are being shot down or destroyed before their payload is being delivered, nothing was bombed. And this is the case for most incidents.
“very deliberate targeting ”
Oh, what is difference between, “very deliberate targeting”, “deliberate targetting” and “targeting” of civilians?
Furthermore, I must add, that it must not be bad, bevause you did not say “super critical deliberate targetting of especially innocent women and even young children with extra horrible weapons of terror”
Try that next time, to make your point.

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 26 2023 20:42 utc | 30

Legionnaires’ disease kills 7 people in a strategic Polish city on the Ukrainian border
Imagine that? So many NATO ‘mercenaries’ around they’re beginning to spread pestilence!
This is what you get for packing thousands of mercenaries into dinghy little Polish tourist hovels out of desperation.
What next, the Black Plague?
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Aug 26 2023 19:08 utc | 15
Poland’s Achilles Heel is the genetic indisposition to compromise, negotiate. Surrounded by non-Poles on all sides might trigger a Diplomatic response in certain people, yet the Poles, in lock step with their temporary BFF’s, Ukrainians, would prefer to agitate. Ukraine agitated, for more than 9 years, enlisted dirty American money, and are now eating their own. And the Poles, immune to learning History, march dutifully, blissfully into the Russian cannons.
Russia wants Zelenski dead? Zelenski is a Russian asset, even if unwittingly. Voluntarily killing thousands of Ukrainians, stripping the country of youth, by death and export, and best of all, assisting the Bankruptcy of the dying American Empire by wasting precious, scarce resources and funds.
No. No. Russia should volunteer to supply a Protective Detail to keep Z alive as long as possible.

Posted by: kupkee | Aug 26 2023 20:43 utc | 32

UWDude | Aug 26 2023 20:01 utc | 24

But no, sparing Ukrainian civilians so that Russia looks good in the eyes of the World is more important.

RF spares UA civilians, as they are brothers, many (if not most in half the country) even sympathetic to RF. The post war time would become much more difficult, if RF makes these people to hate RF. This role is reserved for Nazis, NATO and the Polish in particular. RF cannot act like such criminal, amoral scum.
I even believe that one of the considerations to not to pursue land gains but rather limit combat to a few theaters and to go forth and back there (let UAF come in, drive them out, repeat and repeat) is the wish to limit the total destruction of villages and towns, as they are the homes of Ukrainian citizens. As long as UA’s ressources are wiped out… mission accomplished. On the pro-Russian Telegram channels I vist, regretful statements about utter destruction appear frequently. Recently Rabotino, not a single house remained intact. A perfect location to allow UA to caputure it a thousand times.

Posted by: OttoE | Aug 26 2023 20:48 utc | 34

1. Yes. I am comparing the impact it has on the daily lives of the inhabitants of those cities. Don’t take my word for it, just ask the hundreds of thousands of people still living ng on the front why they haven’t fled when their is possible “murder from the skies”

Sure, everyone in Russia is a multimillionaire and can just move to their second home far away from the front line whenever they wish…

2. The old shad-o-spam canard, “Putin does nothing to stop it”,. Except, of course the SMO itself, to stop the previous unabated eight years of shelling of Donetsk, all the AA systems on the front, the constant EW measures… But if 1 / 50 get through, it means “Putin has done nothing”.

Putin indeed does nothing to stop it. And no, don’t come with the “what is the SMO for” canard.
Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod were not shelled at all the previous eight years, now people get killed there daily. And Donetsk has never been shelled this badly previously. Now with cluster munitions too.
Were drones flying at Moscow daily in those eight years?
The situation is much much worse than it has ever been, and indeed nothing is done to stop it. Worse, Putin is largely pretending it is not happening.
I am tired of explaining it — he can stop it tomorrow. He comes out and says “for every civilian killed, we will take someone from the leadership, here is the list of people”. There should be zero worries about “how it looks to the world” — you have explained very clearly why it is done, and you show the bodies of the killed civilians too. Then when the Banderites ignore that threat, he indeed starts taking them out. Did he do that? No, he shows up in public once in a blue moon and babbles demented nonsense about how strong Russia is for not bombing Bankova Street…

In the meantime, in the real world, as has been mentioned at least 10,000 times before, even if Russia conquered Ukraine tomorrow, the war will be far from over.
Posted by: UWDude | Aug 26 2023 20:01 utc | 24

Conquering Ukraine is a prerequistive though. And it should have been done ASAP in order to prevent runaway escalation. Which we are very close to now.
The Kremlin now might be months away from having to make the decision of whether there will be a nuclear war, or whether they will surrender unconditionally.
Given that they have not yet even brought back their children and mistresses from the West, we can readily assess which way they are leaning.
They would not have been in this situation had they not been looking for yet another deal all this time.

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Aug 26 2023 20:49 utc | 36

” Don’t ever move to an American inner city then, because you would be far more likely to get beat or mugged or robbed or burglarized than getting a drone bomb on your head living in Russia.
Posted by: UWDude | Aug 26 2023 20:51 utc | 50 ”
By who ? Why the inner cities ?

Posted by: Shocked | Aug 26 2023 20:54 utc | 38

Massive explosion at liquefied gas station in Bucharest, Romania.
https://t.me/TrFormer/12678
Posted by: unimperator | Aug 26 2023 20:45 utc | 46
Can’t be Putin, someone says, “he doesn’t lift a finger”

Posted by: Lev Davidovich | Aug 26 2023 20:56 utc | 40

And this year they tried to assassinate Putin.
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Aug 26 2023 20:36 utc | 41
Again, you bely your simple minded thinking about the ease of assassinations of heads of state with this bullshit.
If they were going to “try to assassinate Putin”, they would have been sure he was at least within a few blocks of the assassination device first.
Unfortunately for them, Putin knows a thing or two about security, secrecy, and avoiding assassination, so the real trick of assassination, (having weapon at exact same time and place as mark), so real attempts are rare.
Therefore, the kremlin drone was a stunt, not an assassination attempt. Now, breathe into the paper bag until you relax.

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 26 2023 20:58 utc | 42

Dima had an analysis of the Ukrainian offensives.
He said that the Ukrainian counter-offensive since early June did not only start in Zaporozhye, but in 4 other locations: Vremievka, Avdeevka, Klischevka/Kurdumyivka, and Dubovo-Vasylivka. And of course, Orekhov.
Ukraine has pretty much stopped offensive actions in every other area, except Orekhov. Because of losses, they can’t continue offensive now but in a single direction.
The Orekhov battle is soon over. They have managed to gain the field east of Robotyne, to the longitude of Novopokrivka.
Robotyne itself still isn’t fully in control. But they haven’t really gained much exploitable advantage from this offensive in Orekhov. We’ll see in the coming days what happens. Anyway, we know Ukraine will make another mobilization of potentially several hundred thousands.

Posted by: unimperator | Aug 26 2023 21:03 utc | 44

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Aug 26 2023 20:36 utc | 41
And the conclusion is that the Kremlin is looking for a deal and surrender terms, not for a decisive win.
================================================
Is it just getting to a deal with external players like Ukraine, NATO etc.? Or are there also wheels within wheels within the Russian polity that the SMO and geopolitics are effecting and which require time and effort to channel into desired outcomes?
Put another way: where do you think Russia and/or Putin want to end up after all this and what are the main stress points or obstacles on the way?

Posted by: Scorpion | Aug 26 2023 21:11 utc | 46

The capital of the largest nuclear superpower in the world is getting attacked by drones daily, and this is no big deal.
P.S. This is what happens when people start worshiping living people as demigods who will save them from the shitty conditions of their own lives. Complete disconnect from reality.
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Aug 26 2023 20:56 utc | 54
Dont you mean “bombed” daily, shadowspammer? Why the change of phrase?
P.S.
Is putin a demi-god saving Russia, or traitor-demon destroying it?
I know you believe it is the latter, and will claw at any propaganda stunt as truth to fortify your delusion.

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 26 2023 21:16 utc | 48

Kramatorsk an extremely successful and powerful hit in the airfield area
For several minutes now, the BC warehouse has been detonating.

Posted by: unimperator | Aug 26 2023 21:21 utc | 50

All evidence points to the British spy agencies to sabotage the Wagner chef’s plane but the British are in forefront of blaming the bomb in plane to the Russian general near to president Putin.
This is typical English pirate’s tactics. This will continue until Russia kills the British spy chief and bomb Cheltenham spy house and Mi5 HQ in London.
Wish Putin had some ounce of wisdom and guts left.

Posted by: Sam | Aug 26 2023 21:45 utc | 52

” If they were going to “try to assassinate Putin”, they would have been sure he was at least within a few blocks of the assassination device first.
Posted by: UWDude | Aug 26 2023 20:58 utc | 55 ”
Sadly, Putin does take threats of Western assassination or arrest seriously as recently demonstrated by his absence at the very important BRICS meeting. He also will not go to the G20 meeting in India. Yet, Putin , inexplicably , promised not to harm Zelensky . At this point , I would be surprised if Putin ever travels out of Russia to any western connected nations again.
It seems the threat of assassination does work.

Posted by: Shocked | Aug 26 2023 21:54 utc | 54

Most importantly, NATO has no qualms about doing it. They killed Qaddafi as soon as they managed to locate him, and in the most brutal and humiliating way possible. Then bragged and laughed about it.
And this year they tried to assassinate Putin.
Again, all of this is seen, analyzed and thought about in Russian society.
And the conclusion is that the Kremlin is looking for a deal and surrender terms, not for a decisive win.
Why that is I am tired of explaining.
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Aug 26 2023 20:36 utc | 41
Amen to that. Do you remember in September last year, when ZAnon (I really like this term coined by Rolo Slavskiy, err I mean Rurik Skywalker now) claimed that the formal annexation of the four oblasts were a legal prerequisite by the ever punctilious Russian government before unleashing hell on the Banderites ?
Since then, Kherson has been dropped silently without being mentioned in any official speech. Russian border towns are regularly attacked. It’s Russian territory for God’s sake ! And the same people who 10 months ago bragged about the sanctity of Russian statehood and implied that Ukrainian attacks would magically stop once the annexations would be completed now go ho-hum, no big deal, just a few poor civilian bastard being killed, let’s not get our panties in a bunch shall we ?
Let’s compare with the Ukrainian side. They have dozens of people working on the Crimea Platform, brainstorming about the day where Crimea will be Ukrainian again. Not a day passes without Zelensky and his ilk clamoring that they’ll get back to the 1991 borders. Say what you will about these bastards, they know what they want and they have rock solid determination.
And in Russia ? Is there a Kherson Platform ? A Kharkov Platform ? Are there people even thinking about how the new, future oblasts will be administered ? Is there anything beyond Medvedev’s empty bluster ?
For the man on the street, the difference in resolve couldn’t be clearer. Putin and the Russian leadership just don’t have the balls for this conflict. Zelensky should have been offed a long time ago. Bankovaya Street should be a parking lot. If they don’t do it, it is that, contrary to what they say, they still harbour the hope of being “respectable” again and concluding at some time a deal with the western partners.

Posted by: Micron | Aug 26 2023 22:02 utc | 56

” You could argue, and in fact, it’s been already spelled out loud that skipping G20 is because the G20 is basically dead, redundant, and all focus is given on BRICS.
Posted by: unimperator | Aug 26 2023 21:57 utc | 74 ”
Well India, the “I” , in BRICS doesn’t seem to think so. I also still stand by my assertion, Putin wont even travel to India because Russia suspects its dangerous for him to.

Posted by: Shocked | Aug 26 2023 22:33 utc | 58

The purpose of the #SMO is to #Denazify #Demilitarise the pervert Biden vassal regime and has had the benefit of bleeding the #EU and #American imperialists of trillions and the world laughing a tens of trillions of their military equipment rendered expensive useless obsolete rubbish.
#NATO is a corrupt perverted deviant rotting Zombie organisation that is a rotted and soon to die like the grubby depraved Biden thriving animal. Even his #Epstein #CIA kiddie fiddlers and their caught dirrty oligarchs won’t save the filth that is America.

Posted by: Tim | Aug 26 2023 23:36 utc | 60

“Only the shadow knows” is a phrase that is often used to express uncertainty or the idea that something is not fully understood. It is often used in situations where the truth is not clear or when someone is hiding something. The phrase is most commonly used in the United States, but it is not specific to any particular region or culture.
———————————————————————
Maybe on uppers today? Back to being prolific, the annoying part never did stop.
Posted by: Acco Hengst | Aug 26 2023 23:33 utc | 92
Yep. And it comes from a comic or from the radio show of the comic, intro line:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow

Posted by: arthur brogard | Aug 26 2023 23:55 utc | 62

A fire at a fueling station in Romania caused an explosion that killed at least one person and injured at least eight others Saturday, prompting an evacuation of the immediate area, authorities said.
A second explosion at the station then injured at least 26 firefighters, emergency officials said. The victim count so far has reached 46.
The explosions happened at a fueling station that provides liquefied petroleum gas, a fuel used in household appliances and as a gasoline and diesel alternative in some vehicles.
https://www.themirror.com/news/world-news/breaking-romania-explosion-deaths-feared-73553
—————————————————————————————
My father’s car ran on LPG, simply a gasification ring in between the carburetor (olden days) and the intake manifold. We used bottled gas for cooking also.

Posted by: Acco Hengst | Aug 27 2023 0:00 utc | 64

And Donetsk has never been shelled this badly previously.
-shafowspammer
Total lie. In 2014 and 2015 Donetsk got ripped way worse.
Posted by: UWDude | Aug 26 2023 21:35 utc | 68
Yep but I think the point he’s trying to make is that Donetsk is now shelled worse than in most of the preceding two years: i.e. the situation is getting worse for them not better and this in context of just who and what they are: capital of THE oblast that it is all about.
I think he makes a very fair point. I thought that maybe a year before he made it. It’s good to address the points I think, to progress a discussion.

Posted by: arthur brogard | Aug 27 2023 0:10 utc | 66

Where is that famous Mi 8 pilot who allegedly defected to Ukranazistan? Why is he not in Ukranazi television, and stamps, and the cover of Time Magazine?
…oh, right, because he doesn’t exist.

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Aug 27 2023 1:05 utc | 68

So, Gonzalo Lira was caught (again) and has a new trial date? Something is not right. The Ukrainians are coming across as the good guys. Imagine a Muslim showing up in NYC on 9/12/01 solely to talk shit about America and openly supporting Bin Laden. Then imagine him getting picked up by the FBI, fleeing, missing a court date, releasing more angry messages, and trying to escape to Mexico! Do you have any clue what would have happened to him!?
Either Gonzalo is full of shit or Ukrainians are extremely gentle folks.

Posted by: TruthCanHurt | Aug 27 2023 1:18 utc | 70

Re: Shocked | Aug 26 2023 20:29 utc | 34
I never understood this line of thinking. Basically, anyone can be killed in a war except the head of state ? Why, as it seems thats one of the quickest ways to decapitate a nation’s command structure and cause instant chaos ?
There’s one very good reason why Russia won’t assassinate Zelensky. Namely because he is a very bad strategist, and an egotistical coke fiend. His ego is what keep him ramming his troops face first into the Russian meat grinders. If he was killed the next leader would be guaranteed to be smarter, with better strategies.
So Zel stays alive, because for Russia, he is the gift which keeps on giving.

Posted by: spindz | Aug 27 2023 1:30 utc | 72

I think we can all agree that Zelensky, just like Biden, has very little to do with strategy or decision making.
Posted by: Shocked | Aug 27 2023 1:47 utc | 118
If this were true, and Ukraine was a complete puppet, then they would never deviate from the mandated outdated NATO tactics. But while slow, eventually they realized those tactics weren’t working, and abandoned them. And the US continues to express concern that Ukraine isn’t attacking where and when the US would like them to. Also the tragedy of Bahkmut (Artemovsk) was solely due to Zelensky’s ego and unwillingness to retreat there.

Posted by: spindz | Aug 27 2023 2:08 utc | 74

Russia allowed civilians to evacuate, and many did. Those who chose to stay behind contribute to the war effort in various ways, including by keeping power on, growing food, keeping water flowing, manning patrols and checkpoints, and operating the medical facilities.
Twenty years ago, I would have sent my family to safety, but I would have stayed behind to help protect and run the city. Now, with my current age and health, I would be a liability if I stayed behind, so I would evacuate. (OK, maybe not. I have been accused of being too stubborn, and that by a mule.)

Posted by: barstool | Aug 27 2023 2:18 utc | 76

Culling the Ukrainian population. This is all this war is actually about IMHO. The Ukrainian conscripts who are getting slaughtered in the hundred of thousands so far aren’t nazis but just average people who are still willing to go and fight on the front because they are made to believe they are on a winning momentum and can free their country.
This is why the Russians don’t target the Ukrainian leadership. This is why the Russians stalled and now slightly retreat. This is why Russian territory is increasingly successfully targeted.
Also, the fact Russia made no effort to protect Donetsk City helps recruit Donbas people to fight on the Russian side, as these too are those who must be culled in this operation.
This is meant to last for a long time and cull a maximum of these people as well as weaken the Chechens as much as possible by culling them too in this meat grinder.
It does not really matter how it will end as long as it doesn’t escalate into a nuclear conflict with the West as those who will be benefit from all this culling will migrate into these territories equally as easily from the East than from the West.
If this was about repelling NATO eastward expansion and direct threat to Moscow, why not start by threatening nuclear war and force everybody to the negotiation table, avoiding this conflict altogether.
If this was about saving the people of Donbas, why is it not done yet? Why are the people of Donetsk City still shelled daily after a year and a half? This while you ear Putin saying Russia hasn’t even started yet. What are you waiting for then?
If this was about denazification, then why free captured nazis, including their leadership?

Posted by: Mushroom | Aug 27 2023 3:03 utc | 78

a radical nationalist Dazyuk’s (Дацюк Сергій Аркадійович) recent interviews:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYa8C8QiKKg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldPqKZLKk3E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PBT5H7WEhI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MpLqZ1pPFg
in 2015 he was advocating for cleansings, deporations, filtration camps and long-term deprivation of civic rights of population of LDNR and Crimea until they actively prove their loyalty to Ukraine.
in last interviews, he speaks that Ukraine is collapsing even if it takes back territories of 1991 borders. he says what is going on now is its own fault, because Ukraine deceived Russia while being not a sovereign country and it did not commit to preparing for war, so its real enemy is inside. he claims that the ukrainian society has passed the stage of anger, and coming now to bargain (from 5 stages of grief). however, due to inability of ukrainian elites to negotiate with each other, the situation is going to be worse, and so he sees existence of the country as doubtful and explains his motivation as fighting for saving its ruins.

Posted by: dreadwhitegazebo | Aug 27 2023 3:10 utc | 80

those who speak russian might find interesting this stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjfHlymrHfs it’s an interview with a DNR officer who served in a engineer sapper squadron, his opinion on that “formidable” military tactics, the one ukrainians implement in the battle, and his experience how he used to solve the same challenges.
few highlights:
15 min: he says the tactics in this german bundeswehr video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTNxYetYVqY is bs. a sapper never enjoys comfort of coverup. how he completes such tasks – they sneaked at 4am and demined a corridor before offensive using a mine probing rod (it took 2 hours for 3 couples of engineers to demine a 400-meter deep corridor, he personally demined 24 objects in that operation). they learned this tactics in internet, from books about the great patriotic war. he believes this tactics won’t change in the next hundred years. he attributes a failure of counteroffensive to ukrainian sappers being too careful.
40 min: he advises to analyze a dnr offensive of Pishevick as an example of a successful head-on attack.
46 min: he recommends another effective tactics they used in Debaltsevo – a tank is slowly moving, 2 sappers are walking in front of it in the wheel track, a tank commander is sitting on the tank top with AK and reminds sappers that if they leave the tracks, he is going to shoot them on spot.
48 min: sappers are supposed to be expendable supplies. if a unit lost them, they must be replaced with new sappers. the current ukrainian tactics is different – they do not replace the lost sappers on spot but send units forward without sappers. and are patiently waiting till those sent forward are eliminated. then, they send a new unit. rinse and repeat.
50 min: they are discussing the new ukrainian small-unit/combined arms tactics https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/02/us/politics/ukraine-troops-counteroffensive-training.html he says it sucks. small units imply proportionally small goals. the worst paper thin APC-1 is better than your own feet. he feels something is wrong with their intra-brigade coordination. or maybe it is a bad habit they inherited from post-minsk situation when it was effective due to ldnr having extremely limited resources. he rejects the comparison of the current ukrainian tactics to vietnam or iran human-waves attacks. he says the current small-unit tactics is just infantry diffusion, an imitation of the real offensive due to the loss of heavy equipment and he is totally happy with ukrainians using it forever.
1 hr 18 min: he heavily criticises scott ritter and advises no one to listen to him because his content dumbs down everything.

Posted by: dreadwhitegazebo | Aug 27 2023 3:26 utc | 82

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Aug 27 2023 1:09 utc | 108
Donetsk will be shelled even worse as the Ukranazis begin losing control of the part that they still hold. Just like as the Pakistani control over what is now Bangladesh began collapsing in mid December 1971 their militias went on a rampage murdering professionals, intellectuals, and anyone else who might be instrumental in building the new country.
It is a sign of desperation and as desperation gets worse so will the shelling.
Russia has been the one that has been shelling nonstop and trying to destroy Ukraine’s ability to rebuild. Do you call that desperation?
Posted by: UWDude | Aug 27 2023 2:41 utc | 128
Sorry not sorry i beat up shadowbanned today.
How do you beat somebody up with blog posts?
Posted by: Mushroom | Aug 27 2023 3:03 utc | 130
Culling the Ukrainian population. This is all this war is actually about IMHO. The Ukrainian conscripts who are getting slaughtered in the hundred of thousands so far aren’t nazis but just average people who are still willing to go and fight on the front because they are made to believe they are on a winning momentum and can free their country.
Yet people on this board are more than eager to label all those people as Nazis.

Posted by: Inkan1969 | Aug 27 2023 3:39 utc | 84

There’s one very good reason why Russia won’t assassinate Zelensky. Namely because he is a very bad strategist, and an egotistical coke fiend. His ego is what keep him ramming his troops face first into the Russian meat grinders. If he was killed the next leader would be guaranteed to be smarter, with better strategies.
So Zel stays alive, because for Russia, he is the gift which keeps on giving.
Posted by: spindz | Aug 27 2023 1:30 utc | 111

You see two arguments, often from the same people — Zelensky is a bad strategist, so it is better to keep him ther, and Zelensky is a puppet so it doesn’t matter if he is there or not.
Something doesn’t compute here…

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Aug 27 2023 3:54 utc | 86

Posted by: arthur brogard | Aug 26 2023 23:52 utc | 98

Is there a link somewhere to the whole list as at the current time? I would pass it on for all to see if it were there.

Perhaps our host can provide one (I can then dump the whole lot) ? @b ? … O’ Beeernhhaaaaaard … yoohooo?

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Aug 27 2023 3:57 utc | 88

@shаdοwbanned
One could say that Zelensky is both a puppet and an overall weak strategist. A rational opponent might thus like to have him hang around indefinitely, as he can be counted upon to act foolishly (on average).
As for Putin, can you imagine that rather than being “afraid”, he might simply be playing his hand in the best way?
From the cheap seats, that’s how it looks.

Posted by: Boris Badenov | Aug 27 2023 4:01 utc | 90

For anyone who wants to block a user or users at their discretion.
I am re-posting it as someone may want to use it to improve the readability of the blog by removing the noise.
The script works in all web browsers that have the Tamper Monkey add-on/extension available.
@Posted by: Madame Guillotine | Jun 8 2023 16:24 utc | 81
>This is the updated script: https://pastebin.com/raw/htQe7FHM
>And this is the needed extension: https://www.tampermonkey.net/
>
>1) Copy the script and ask the extension to create a new script.
>2) Remove the default script, paste the new and save it.>
>3) Reload MoA website and there will be a small button icon at top right of the screen.
>4) The button opens a popin window with all the commenteers in that particular thread page.
>5) Select the offenders and close the window and offenders will be gone from all threads and pages.

Posted by: JSM | Aug 27 2023 4:07 utc | 92

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Aug 27 2023 3:54 utc | 139
It’s absurd to claim that “Russia is totally winning” and yet in the same time Zelensky jet sets all around the glove while Putin is afraid to leave Russian airspace.
####
Sorry mate but you are making false equivalents there. The fact that Putin may be afraid to step out the door due to a VERY REAL fear of assassination by SBU, MI6, CIA, Mossad — and that Zelensky is not afraid to travel the world IS NOT, IS NOT, IS NOT, indicative of winningness. Clearly so.
Winningness must be judged by attainment of strategic and tactical goals — ie constant demilitarisation [tick], weakening NATO [tick], Donbass territorial possession [tick], national RF unity for the cause [tick], global support for de-hegemoning [tick]. It upsets you and others only because it is a PR win for the Ukronazis. Sure, it looks embarrassing and weak. True, it does LOOK like that. But Putin doesn’t care. He has a mission to deliver, and “staying indoors” is clearly sensible for him whilst in a war with fkn anarchic political loonies. The situation merely shows the desperation and hate and fantasy delusions those Russophobes/Putinphobes have — that repressing his travel can affect his mission. It can’t, it won’t. It is irrelevant.
In a year, it will be Zelensky dead (or off the scene), not Putin. Is that not a better outcome than a missile into his plane sponsored by Kiev or Washington or London or an SBU bomb in the dining room of some international talkfest he feels “free to go to”?
You fail to see the reality of the security threat Putin actually faces these days. There is NOTHING Biden and Zelensky would love more than to see “regime change in Russia” by ***any*** means. The USA could down his plane anywhere in the world with the push of a button (just as the RFAF could do so to Zelensky). But the US admin would prefer it done by Kiev. That’s not to say they wouldnt “assist” with intelligence. So yes, it’s true that Putin has been locked in his box by the fanaticism of the Ukrops. All the more reason to keep him out of harm’s way till the job on the ground is completed. As many have said, a live Zelensky quickens that process.

Posted by: SCCC | Aug 27 2023 4:56 utc | 94

Posted by: Boris Badenov | Aug 27 2023 4:01 utc | 142

As for Putin, can you imagine that rather than being “afraid”, he might simply be playing his hand in the best way?

I would think “fear” on Putin’s part is well advisable.
More logically, that fear is not Putin’s but Russia’s.
The man has a job to do and dying is not an option now.

The fact that a useless bag of shit like Zelensky can fly free is merely an indication that he is not worth killing.
The fact that Putin has to be protected by the world’s most powerful defensive network is an indication of his value.

It’s merely a theory of value:

Diamonds are protected while turds are allowed to float free.

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Aug 27 2023 5:04 utc | 96

150 moonraker your analogy works only when reality of 50 plus other nations sending money arms trooos and training to help that tiny nation ( used to be second largest army in EU ). Not so tiny anymore and the pledges of “whatever it takes “makes it seem like its RF that is the tiny nation v the collective west. include their (non)values on culture and religion. its an attack on the fabric of humanity when winners like WEF get to dictate our existance from then on.

Posted by: hankster | Aug 27 2023 5:12 utc | 98

…the only change to Surovikin’s status was being in charge of the Air Force, nothing about his being removed of his operational position.
Posted by: Thomas | Aug 26 2023 19:36 utc | 18
Great observation.
But no, sparing Ukrainian civilians so that Russia looks good in the eyes of the World is more important.
Posted by: alek_a | Aug 26 2023 19:43 utc | 20
Check this out, riffing on Shadowbrain’s droppings! Here I was thinking sparing the lives of civilians and for that matter, prisoners of war was not only paramount, but a moral principle with near universal assent. Geneva Convention 1949, International Humanitarian Law…. will be very interesting times when Ukraine capitulates.
Zelensky is Dead Man Walking, no brainer really, unless you’re Shawdowbraindead.
But, hey, according to alek a, Putin is only doing it to look good…., thanks for playing. alek.
G.Lira
Posted by: IrishLead | Aug 26 2023 20:34 utc | 39
According to the non-female military spokesman for Ukraine, Sarah on X, “Ask Hungary”.
Why that is I am tired of explaining. Do you morons even take a ..But then you are the total retard ….
Posted by: shаdοwbrain| 41, 54 & 56
AHA! Told you! Must be tired, unhinged or both, forgot to include “Always 1 step behind” and “Nukes”.
If you’re not contractual, then take a break, seek psychological support to help overcome this obsession. It’s harsh if the contract forces you to keep posting.
Posted by: Lev Davidovich | 61 in respond to Shadowbraindead.
Word!
Apparently 17 airmen from 1 particular US airbase have died of unspecified causes. Patriot battery operators?
The way MSM is dumping on Ukraine and the “counteroffensive” tactics leads me to believe moves against the current puppet “regime” are in the makings.
MSM is also making noises about needing at least 10000 bodies per month to hold off the Russians. So, not just weapons, but 404 is running of manpower too.
Brace yourself and grab a warm Mulled Wine. General Winter is coming.

Posted by: Suresh | Aug 27 2023 5:36 utc | 100