What is Putin’s exit strategy? He must know that this is lost and Europe is united? Or is it denial?

Posted by: er det en abe | Sep 2 2023 5:57 utc | 503

Europe is so united that there are people staring fires in Spain and Greece and authorities can’t hide it anymore. So united that Poland and several other western countries reject Ukrainian grain corridors despite aiding it militarily. So united that EU non-elected beurocratic government went with deal wiht Algiers (it becoming essentially a blockpost for migrants from Africa and EU pays for it) behind EU members back, so united that they cried that there was no rains in summer and that autumn is rainy for no reason like they don’t even have bare concept of how seasons of the year work.
Putin’s exit strategy is to win againt Ukraine and since Ukraine has zero chances of winning – it’s the future that you can deny but cannot hide from.

Posted by: CreamySheevPalpatin | Sep 2 2023 6:01 utc | 505

German officials are eager for a negotiated solution and are talking about how Russia might be brought to the negotiating table, but are only doing so in private and with trusted think tank specialists, several of them said. But the officials also understand that they can’t push Ukraine in any way, because they don’t want Russia to smell weakness.
Still, there is a desire in Berlin as in Washington that the war not continue indefinitely, in part because political willingness for indefinite military and financial support for Ukraine is already beginning to wane, especially among those on the right and far right, who are gaining ground.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/01/world/europe/ukraine-fight-negotiations.html

Posted by: Magic S | Sep 2 2023 6:05 utc | 507

I doubt that is the reason. If the New York Times information is accurate then it is foolish to think that they have better information than Russia does. (And even if they did then the whole information advantage would be lost by someone in Russia, perhaps Putin, simply investing in a NYTs subscription. It’s much more likely that the issue is that once it is discussed publicly the public support for continuing the war indefinitely instantly becomes much more vulnerable to collapse. The propaganda effort necessary to get the public in Europe especially but the U.S. to a lesser degree to accept a massive self-inflicted wound for the sake of a region the had never heard of in a country they never cared about has been remarkable but that arrangement has always been fragile. To keep our most recent forever war going it really has to appear to be almost cost free (so people forget about it completely) or else a glorious success, and there are no signs of it being either.

Posted by: draw discard | Sep 2 2023 6:08 utc | 509

@5 inkan1969
Re: slow Ukrainian attacks
They tried fast at first, received a bloody nose, then tried a few more times, or a lot.
Then they decided to change tactics, talking about saving lives copying russian tactics because they were losing and russia was winning this campaign.
It wasn’t plan A, don’t get it wrong some of us were paying attention.
Since then they’ve been just trying to advance one infantry rush at a time, depending on russia to trade territory for casualties, ie the demilitarization.
Now they hope to perfect infantry rush with counter battery fire. So far they’ve used their elite reserves to make the latest advances. Further ones will depend on conscripts to fill the ranks,which are on their way.
Weep for Ukraine they’ve sacrificed their future for today’s hate.

Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Sep 2 2023 6:15 utc | 511

Vassago@255
I believe that Russia is prepared to bear those costs and in return it will receive the economic benefits of the new regions and their population over time. Ukraine was economically integrated with the USSR and was one of the economically most powerful. It can become that again united with Russia. Integration with the EU was never a good or viable option for the territory for many reasons – social, political, and economic. The security benefit alone for Russia was deemed worth the price in blood and treasure.

Posted by: the pessimist | Sep 2 2023 6:27 utc | 513

Posted by: SCCC | Sep 1 2023 11:07 utc | 148
I never said the power and decision to change isn’t in the person himself. Nor did I say that everyone can be changed. But the fact remains that the tiniest action can sometimes change another person completely, whether it’s through giving them knowledge they didn’t have before, or concretely teaching them to do something they would have not known how to do otherwise, or by giving them the tiny missing bit of support or confirmation.
In addition, when people experience positive change, they will usually be much more capable of doing it again.
You’re right that some are incapable, unchangeable and unteachable. Like most of my family. They’re speedily running to their deaths and nothing I do can help. But I can try to help others.
Thank you for being a teacher. It’s a divine work when done right.

Posted by: Jusses | Sep 2 2023 8:10 utc | 515

One element of the “going slow” campaign is that it allows for events to proceed at their natural pace.
In this vein Kolomoisky has been arrested for fraud.

Posted by: too scents | Sep 2 2023 8:15 utc | 517

In this vein Kolomoisky has been arrested for fraud.
Posted by: too scents | Sep 2 2023 8:15 utc | 263

Wasn’t he in Israel?
If true this means that the Dnipro mafia is kaputt and Zelensky has switched sides. That was known.
What did he do in Ukraine?

Posted by: Catilina | Sep 2 2023 8:31 utc | 519

https://t.me/milinfolive/105879

The U.S. administration will soon announce the inclusion of armor-piercing feathered sub-caliber shells with a depleted uranium core in the military aid package for Ukraine.
Such shells are standard ammunition for M1A1 Abrams tanks, which were recently trained by the first batch of Ukrainian tankers. It is expected that the first Abrams will enter service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine in September.
Most likely, the transferred projectile will be the 120-mm M829A2 produced in the 90s, however, it is possible that the modern M829A3 will be transferred from zero, designed to combat the most modern dynamic protection.

https://t.me/milinfolive/105878

The State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus reported that the Mi-24 of Poland violated the state border, flying 1200 meters into the territory of Belarus.
The published video clearly shows the state border line and the fence, so the pilot of the Polish helicopter could hardly have accidentally crossed it.

Posted by: anon2020 | Sep 2 2023 9:21 utc | 521

The problem is that there isn’t very many worthwhile targets inside Ukraine.
Posted by: unimperator | Sep 1 2023 21:06 utc | 227
Are you sure? All the local weapon and related industry is fine, fuel is everywhere, trains, eletricity, hubs, barracks, military buildings never touched. When a batch of 1000 kamikaze attack in a day, they don’t teleport right there by surprise.
They already use cluster ammo on civilians almost daily. Next week it seems DU from Vicky will arrive. Isn’t that a wonderful target to blow up in the middle of large nazi nest like Lvov or Kiev? If not, they’ll explode Donetsk a few days later, then in Crimea and Moscow. Not shot by Abrams, adapted to other delivery methods like they do with cluster ammo they cut to extract the little bombs.

Posted by: rk | Sep 2 2023 9:24 utc | 523

Thank you for being a teacher. It’s a divine work when done right.
Posted by: Jusses | Sep 2 2023 8:10 utc | 262
####
Lol. No. Nothing spooky, religious, spiritual, mystical, or divine about it. Just humanism (when it works). A good dharma teacher is just a mirror. They “do” nothing. That was my original point. Only the receiver is the doer … if they “get it”, if they are open to changing. A true teacher just shows you your shit or your light. What one does with that reflection is up to them. I don’t care cos it’s actually none of my business.

Posted by: SCCC | Sep 2 2023 9:43 utc | 525

With photos:

According to local media, Igor Kolomoisky was handed a suspicion [notice]
He is accused under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
▪️ Art. 190 (fraud);
▪️ Art. 209 (legalization (laundering) of property obtained by criminal means).

https://t.me/ukr_leaks_eng/5515

Posted by: Norwegian | Sep 2 2023 9:46 utc | 527

From my favorite US newspaper, the NY Post.
Suddenly Russia no longer needs to scavenge washing machines to get microchips. Note the “Ukraine says” in the title – the journalist wants to cover his back.
Drone strike sets fire to Russian factory making missile microchips, Ukraine says

A drone struck and set on fire a Russian factory that churns out microchips used in the production of missiles on the outskirts of Moscow on Friday, Ukraine’s military intelligence claimed.

Article about the Russian “Sarmat” missile.
Russia puts nuclear-capable ‘superweapon’ Satan II missiles on combat duty

The Sarmat — or Satan II — missile will replace the aging Soviet-era Voyevoda intercontinental ballistic missile

The article does not provide context. Before 2014, Russian “Satan” nuclear missiles were manufactured by a friendly country – Ukraine. After the 2014 Maidan coup, Russian “Satan” nuclear missiles suddenly were manufactured by a country that wanted to join NATO – Ukraine. So Russia developed new missiles; and added improvents like Avantgard. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian rocket engines ended up in North Korea.
We have not seen the last of the blowback from the Maidan coup.

Posted by: Passerby | Sep 2 2023 9:54 utc | 529

How is it possible that Ukraine has so many tanks left?

Posted by: simplex | Sep 2 2023 9:58 utc | 531

How is it possible that Ukraine has so many tanks left?
Posted by: simplex | Sep 2 2023 9:58 utc | 270
Why do trolls ask questions to insinuate Ukrainia has “so many tanks left”?

Posted by: Passerby | Sep 2 2023 10:07 utc | 533

The wannabe-nazi leadership of Ukraine went to the next level by ordering execution of any RU paratrooper surrendering. No more Geneva convention.
Also:
” Military expert Alexander Zimovsky: “I’ll tell you this: as soon as the West throws tactical nuclear weapons to Ukraine (and it will definitely do this within the next year), Kyiv will use it right there, and with all its might.
And it may turn out that there will be no one to hide behind the thesis “we are not them, we are not like that”. Depending on where the Ukrainian tactical nuclear weapons will be able to bring the latest Ukrainian drone.”
Zimovsky is right, the Ukrainian Nazis will be given nuclear weapons and they will use them. So maybe Russia does not need to wait for this moment and destroy the Nazi Ukrainian state while this did the war go nuclear?”

Posted by: unimperator | Sep 2 2023 10:30 utc | 535

….. “What is Putin’s exit strategy? He must know that this is lost and Europe is united? Or is it denial?
Posted by: er det en abe | Sep 2 2023 5:57 utc | 256 …. ”
—————————————————————-
Give me strength …. On both counts.
Ridiculous comment !!

Posted by: Engineer-John | Sep 2 2023 11:24 utc | 537

Posted by: simplex | Sep 2 2023 9:58 utc | 270
How is it possible that Ukraine has so few tanks left, or, equivalently, so little dietary iodine?

Posted by: anon2020 | Sep 2 2023 11:29 utc | 539

“The Russian MoD never do anything about Ukrainian drone attacks”
Battlegroup East strikes Ukrainian drone control center — Russian Defense Ministry
https://tass.com/defense/1668923
Proportionate. Effective. Non-Escalatory.

Posted by: Lev Davidovich | Sep 2 2023 11:44 utc | 541

The NAZIS weren’t defeated. Neither were the Japanese imperialists. They just slipped their skins for a better host.
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Sep 2 2023 4:11 utc | 251
In my view, patriotism morphs into nationalism morphs into ultra-nationalism morphs into fascism morphs into neo-nazism.
Posted by: SCCC | Sep 2 2023 5:03 utc | 252
The Nazis and the Japanese imperialists were defeated.
The ideas and ideology of Naziism, supremacy and empire were not. That is because ideas can not be “defeated”, they can be debunked, proclaimed shameful, even criminalised, but they remain, slipping in and out of the shadows.
They acquire force when they are “normalised” (as is the case in Europe with fascism) and when they are adopted by the main political forces, and when they become government policy. That is when they turn into practice.
Genuine patriotism is nothing more than love of one’s homeland and its culture coupled with constructive criticism of the negative traits, customs, practices and policies which stand in the way a good and caring society which nurtures a culture of peace and honest, cooperative relations with other nations on an equal footing for mutual benefit.
Genuine patriotism does not morph into its opposite. In times of crisis, manufactured or real, genuine patriots remain who they are. I have seen it close up in past dramatic historical events, and I see it in the present.
It is others, who present themselves as patriots, that then show their (true) colours. They are the ones embracing, or displaying, chauvinism, fascism and nazism. Some opportunistically, but quite a few genuinely, because they have always harboured such ideas and were hoping for the moment when those ideas step out from the shadows and are accepted and celebrated. They are then free to be who they are, with impunity.

Posted by: JB | Sep 2 2023 12:34 utc | 543

Judging by Weeb Union report:
-AFU has somewhat overextended position to the SE of Robotyne, while they are actually now further away of taking complete control of Robotyne vs. before
-AFU tries to use this position to make some attack toward Novopokrivka, but RU can hit their advanced position with more stuff, including guided bombs, than compared to stuff which Ukraine can use to hit RU positions in Novopokrivka and south(because position is extended)
-AFU changed attack focus toward Verbove, probably simply due to the fact that it’s “easier” to advance in that direction
-No ground change in Staramayorsk or Urozhaine sector
-AFU maintains its pressure on Kleschevka and Andryivka, AFU has the highest concentration of troops on this front, RU seems to have no solution here

Posted by: unimperator | Sep 2 2023 12:53 utc | 545

“lunatic and imperialistic” intentions of President Putin?
words, empty words…troll jargon without a single educated thought behind them.
I don’t know if their is any president less lunatic than President Putin (though of course each troll would make for a very superior president if only they got the chance: it’s not their fault if they failed in college, is it?).
And imperialstic…now let me think, which country was it with all those overseas bases…And which country would like “to rule the waves” again?

Posted by: Anthony | Sep 2 2023 13:02 utc | 547

.What is Putin’s exit strategy? He must know that this is lost and Europe is united? Or is it denial?
Posted by: er det en abe | Sep 2 2023 5:57 utc | 256
Typisk dansk tanketom torsk.
Venlig hilsen

Posted by: g wiltek | Sep 2 2023 13:02 utc | 549

This morning at ZH “Foreign fighters back from the front lines report a mismanaged and chaotic Ukrainian military using ill conceived tactics. Some say that the units they were assigned to have lost 80% or more of their men in recent months. Ukraine military leadership has also been misusing their fleet of tanks and armored vehicles from NATO, sending them ‘straight into mine fields’ in some cases. As volunteers note, the Ukrainians were given training on how to operate the vehicles, but no training on how to use them effectively in a fight. There is also a flurry of reports suggesting that friendly fire has been doing significant damage, so much so that “mercenaries” have taken to covering themselves in reflective blue or yellow tape so that they aren’t mistaken for Russian troops. ” w/appropriate stoned taped photo.

Posted by: SwissArmyMan | Sep 2 2023 13:14 utc | 551

the Ukrainians were given training on how to operate the vehicles, but no training on how to use them effectively in a fight.
Posted by: SwissArmyMan | Sep 2 2023 13:14 utc | 280

They were given training how to use them effectively all right, Nato style.
That is precisely the reason why Ukraine went back to Soviet doctrines and Nato chiefs are angry.

Posted by: unimperator | Sep 2 2023 13:35 utc | 553

This morning at ZH “Foreign fighters back from the front lines report a mismanaged and chaotic Ukrainian military using ill conceived tactics. Some say that the units they were assigned to have lost 80% or more of their men in recent months. Ukraine military leadership has also been misusing their fleet of tanks and armored vehicles from NATO, sending them ‘straight into mine fields’ in some cases. As volunteers note, the Ukrainians were given training on how to operate the vehicles, but no training on how to use them effectively in a fight. There is also a flurry of reports suggesting that friendly fire has been doing significant damage, so much so that “mercenaries” have taken to covering themselves in reflective blue or yellow tape so that they aren’t mistaken for Russian troops. ” w/appropriate stoned taped photo.
Posted by: SwissArmyMan | Sep 2 2023 13:14 utc | 280
I don’t want to sound rude, but we’ve seen such reports since day 1 of the SMO. Every now and then we get the apocalyptic report from unnamed “foreign fighters” who tell us that the Ukrainian military could barely find its own ass with two hands and a searchlight.
I’m sorry to tell you that but these reports are not truthful. They also do not pass the smell test. Mostly likely they are overblowing some local issue.
Just think about it : how is it possible that an army in such a chaotic state has been able to successfully resist and in some cases roll back the (supposedly) perfectly administered and ruthlessly efficient Russian army, for 18 months ? how is it possible that the Ukrainian army is still solidly entrenched in Avdeevka and Ugledar ? That they are able to swiftly transfer vast masses of soldiers, armor and artillery, all over the front, to stop Russian advances ?
Case in point : Kupyansk. A few weeks back we heard (as usual again) wide-eyed predictions that Russia had started its offensive and would soon overrun Kupyansk. Reality : the mighty offensive has now stopped without any appreciable results. And that’s the same everywhere.

Posted by: Micron | Sep 2 2023 13:38 utc | 555

@ SwissArmyMan | Sep 2 2023 13:14 utc | 280
—
This video highlights the issues of your post.
Captured Ukrainian Soldiers Speak Out, Forced to Take Drugs To Fight ==> https://youtu.be/UiC-ZghUYYs

Posted by: too scents | Sep 2 2023 13:41 utc | 557

This greater fool ignores the N-S transport corridor and the Northern Sea Route, and Trans-Siberian Express..
Take for instance this one: Then NATO goal of eliminating Russia’s ability to export oil/gas/fertilizer/grain/manufactures… FAILED
Part of the grain deal had a specific part to allow Russia to export the fertilizer. And the oil cap is at $60, not $0. But the cap appears to have done some damage. Look at the 2nd quarter earnings of Gazprom this year versus last year. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russias-gazprom-neft-q2-net-profit-falls-43-yy-2023-08-24/
Posted by: Ed4 | Sep 1 2023 19:03 utc | 216
Oil price cap now exceeded… Russia now commanding much higher prices…
Grain and fertilizer now exported via N-S Transport Corridor via Iran, Northern Sea Route, and Trans-Siberian Rail Corridor(s).
GazProm Earnings are priced in Roubles…. little or no investors outside Russia…is an SOE…
What counts is how it serves the Russian State…
INDY

Posted by: Dr. George W Oprisko | Sep 2 2023 13:42 utc | 559

.What is Putin’s exit strategy? He must know that this is lost and Europe is united? Or is it denial?
Posted by: er det en abe | Sep 2 2023 5:57 utc | 256
Typisk dansk tanketom torsk.
Venlig hilsen
Posted by: g wiltek | Sep 2 2023 13:02 utc | 279
The Russians have an exit strategy…
1. De-Nazification of Ukraine
2. De-militarization of Ukraine
3. NATO reverts to it’s 1991 Configuration
4. Removal of Ageis Ashore and any other missile installations from The FSU and Former Warsaw Pact countries.
They will persist until the above is achieved…
Meanwhile De-militarization continues with > 1 million Ukie soldiers KIA and ~ 5,000 more Ukie KIA / week. See my earlier posts on this.
INDY

Posted by: Dr. George W Oprisko | Sep 2 2023 13:47 utc | 561

reply to 282
A fair point, only time will tell. For now, I think Russia wants a fight that is cheap while Ukraine’s fight is dear and desperate.

Posted by: Eighthman | Sep 2 2023 14:01 utc | 563

DPA is complaining that the Russian ministry of defence doesn’t even write daily reports no more, nothing to report, so they just write a summary of the week’s action. So the Ukies can’t attack and the Russians can’t be bothered to attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMgacA7e_Bk

Posted by: gT | Sep 2 2023 14:15 utc | 565

Latest MSM ISW (Institute of War) Report:
Apparently new reserve unit brought into campaign are of “low quality” and show Russian “desperation” of “fearing break through”…
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-september-1-2023
In this alternate universe, Ukraine bringing in all their most qualified reserves shows “winning”…

Posted by: Trubind1 | Sep 2 2023 14:17 utc | 567

Posted by: JB | Sep 2 2023 12:34 utc | 276
>>>Genuine patriotism does not morph into its opposite. In times of crisis, manufactured or real, genuine patriots remain who they are. <<< ###### Can't agree, as the evidence contradicts you. And I did not say patriotism morphed into its opposite. I said it morphs into nationalism and fascism. They are not mutually exclusive. There are plenty of fascist patriots and plenty of patriotic nazis. Please delineate between what you call "genuine patriotism" and non-genuine patriotism, the kind which then develops into nationalism and its nasty cousins. You do not account for how patriotism is subtly, socially, politically spun into cultural supremism, eg via Hollywood and its mythos of America The Greatest Country on Earth; or The British Empire upon which the sun never sets; or how neo-Banderism arose out of Ukrainian Independence in 1991; or how the Japanese Bushido Ethos became the Rape of Nanking. Many national anthems which patriots sing every day are full of exclusionism, supremism, racism, hatred, threats. Have you read the Marseilles lately? Or Ukraine's National Anthem? Then compare them to the Russian one, which has no hint of supremacy over other peoples nor battle cries of war. Whereas love of one's actual country, ie the landscape, one's cultural heritage, is a personal emotion and not a competitive urge, nationalism and regionalism are just territorial boundaries within some arbitrarily designated border line. It produces us and them, mine and yours -- like how international sports foment battles between nations; like how American so-called "Patriots" storm their own elected congress, screaming "I'm more of a patriot than you"; or how the US military unconscionably murders civilian Arabs in countries which don't threaten them ... just because they can. As I said, it is a thin line between patriotism and fanatacism for a national (or religious) cause. It suits leaders and Governments to conflate love of country with fighting wars. Zelensky is the current epitome of that. Here's their anthem. Says it all. >>>Ukraine is not yet dead, nor its glory and freedom,
Luck will still smile on us brother-Ukrainians.
Our enemies will die, as the dew does in the sunshine,
And we, too, brothers, we’ll live happily in our land.
We’ll not spare either our souls or bodies to get freedom
And we’ll prove that we brothers are of Kozak kin. <<< Ha, in the last line, the irony is that many Russians are in fact Kozak descended. So, VVP is dead right -- they ARE fighting their own brothers. This war came about BECAUSE OF their very patriotism and nationalism, ie "You fkn Donbass Russians aren't real Ukranians like us". Poroshenko said it outright. My point is fully proven.

Posted by: SCCC | Sep 2 2023 14:22 utc | 569

Posted by: gT | Sep 2 2023 14:15 utc | 287
If a source, who regularly gives information about a situation, one days stops, you can infer that:
a) the source has nothing to tell anymore, this might lead to further questions about why the sudden lack of activity.
b) the source is no longer authorised or able to give you the regular updates. Unlikely here, due to the particular source.
c) the source is only giving general updates because control of the flow of information is important at the present time.
d) the source’s relaying of information was used for a particular purpose that is no longer required.
e) the sources distributors have used the information in a manner that the source disapproves of.

Posted by: Milites | Sep 2 2023 16:25 utc | 571

-AFU has somewhat overextended position to the SE of Robotyne, while they are actually now further away of taking complete control of Robotyne vs. before
Posted by: unimperator | Sep 2 2023 12:53 utc | 277
“Bebo” says a very good position outside Rabotino was lost due to a badly coordinated RF rotation of troops. I don’t know what is the source of that info, doesn’t say

Posted by: rk | Sep 2 2023 16:37 utc | 573

Alastair Crooke: “The Ukraine military is showing very clear signs that it is… fed up with NATO’s… military doctrines that force them to go full out… and lose 10,000 men a month in the process. …the hard right will not allow him [Zelensky] to negotiate with Russia. They want the war to go on one way or another.”
U.S. Seeking Perpetual War in Ukraine? w/ Alastair Crooke fmr Brit ambassador
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33A0GIrLT1Q
24 minutes

Posted by: Toby C | Sep 2 2023 16:47 utc | 575

@Micron | Sep 2 2023 13:38 utc | 282
Kupyansk isn’t stopped at all, there is small progress reported. Who said it was halted? All high expectations were invented by talking heads of yt for fun and click bait. All from natostan.
Hope for something new only when you’ll see more than 5 soldiers in Ukr

Posted by: rk | Sep 2 2023 17:19 utc | 577

Posted by: SCCC | Sep 2 2023 14:22 utc | 289
And I did not say patriotism morphed into its opposite. I said it morphs into nationalism and fascism. They are not mutually exclusive. There are plenty of fascist patriots and plenty of patriotic nazis.
Thank you for your comment.
We disagree. I did define genuine patriotism, which you seem to have skipped or not understood. Or perhaps you do not agree with my “definition”. Based on my understanding of what genuine patriotism is, I say, not you, that all the isms mentioned in your post are opposite of patriotism. If you analyse them, not simply describe their rhetoric, actions and manifestations, I believe you will see what I mean.
In any event, that is a relevant discussion but does not properly fall under ‘Ukraine open thread’, which we should respect.

Posted by: JB | Sep 2 2023 17:35 utc | 579

Putin and the RF Duma have frequently stated that they want:
All US/NATO missiles back to 1991 positions.
A whole new European Security Framework written, taking RF interests into account.
Denazification of Ukraine. This will require dissolution and reorganisation of a new Ukrainian Constitution to outlaw Banderism, hence full regime change in Kiev and regional governance.
Demilitarisation of Ukraine, which means either no army, navy, airfore, or one restricted purely to defence.
Removal of sanctions and return of foreign monies stolen under them.
Re-constitution or compensation for Nordstream 2 sabotage.
Trials of all Ukrainian war criminals.
How much of all that they eventually get is the moot point.
Putin/Medvedev/Lavrov have clearly stated that RF is not gunna quit till they attain their goals by complete Western capitulation, either at a table or via the battlefield.
Posted by: SCCC | Sep 1 2023 7:23 utc | 129
—————————————————
What the f**k SCCC, are you complaining? It all sounds fair enough to me, considering that the US and NATO started this whole f**ing mess in the first place.
You chided Rune Denmark’ about being new to this site, but you must be aware that the US (and some EU) countries are responsible for the 2014 Maidan coup which led to the present conflict. I am also sure that you know that the CIA/NED agitated, directed, and financed the demonstrations, working with neo-Nazi groups, for a year leading up to the final confrontation in March 2014 when the elected president of Ukraine was ousted and replaced with pro US Ukrainian stooges: We are on the same page here, right!
I am also sure that also know that the US, France, Germany, and the illegally US appointed stooges in Ukraine lied about its support for the Minsk 1 &2 agreements to stall for time to prepare Kiev for war with the people of the Donbass and Russia. You also know that about 14,000 people were murdered in the Donbass while the West stalled: Right?
Surely you know that Biden destroyed the Nord Stream 1 & 2 pipelines, and compensation is due: Right.
I would say that the demands you posted above are fair and just: Wouldn’t you agree SCCC?
I only ask because you did not say so in your comment to Rune; and by the way, Rune Denmark’s comment Sep 1 2023 5:41 utc @ 130 (I think you meant @ #122) is not precluded by your comment.

Posted by: Ed | Sep 2 2023 17:57 utc | 581

reply to 282
A fair point, only time will tell. For now, I think Russia wants a fight that is cheap while Ukraine’s fight is dear and desperate.
Posted by: Eighthman | Sep 2 2023 14:01 utc | 286
———————————————————-
I disagree Eighthman, Russia does not want to fight on the cheap; the US and NATO does.
Russia (and the Russian people) doesn’t want to sacrifice the lives of its troops just to impress some western bloggers on the internet, and as far as Ukraine’s dear and desperate fight; that only applies to the US/ NATO/ Zelensky and his band of neo-Nazis running the Ukrainian Military. We don’t know what the people of Ukraine want because all the opposition voices have been silenced by Zelensky and his Nazis. If the opposition hasn’t fled Ukraine yet, they were murdered on the front lines, many of them shot in the back of the head.

Posted by: Ed | Sep 2 2023 18:43 utc | 583

Posted by: Ed | Sep 2 2023 17:57 utc | 295
I’ve made no sense of your comment. I think you’ve completely misunderstood all my intentions. They were not complaining or hostile to @RuneDenmark in any way. They were simply meant to be informative and had ! marks to indicate friendliness.
Peace.

Posted by: SCCC | Sep 2 2023 21:30 utc | 585

SCCC | Sep 2 2023 14:22 utc | 289 quotes (Kiev-) Ukraine anthem
*** And we, too, brothers, we’ll live happily in our land.***
Hardly theirs any more, since it will all be owned by Blackrock etc., or Poland.
Perhaps with a new Khazaria too, as Zelensky seems to want?
*** We’ll not spare either our souls or bodies to get freedom ***
West Ukrainians are stupid enough to think *freedom* is the imposition of NATO “values”, servitude to a self-appointing globalist Overclass of oligarchs, and perpetual debt-enslavement?
To call them vegetables would be terribly unfair to the latter.

Posted by: Cynic | Sep 3 2023 0:23 utc | 587

I disagree Eighthman, Russia does not want to fight on the cheap; the US and NATO does.
Posted by: Ed | Sep 2 2023 18:43 utc | 296
What do you mean by “fighting on the cheap”? My impression always was that Russia tries to minimize risks & losses by withdrawing from Kherson & Kharkov, taking on a defensive posture etc.
As for NATO, there’s very different interests within the alliance imo.
UK is the only country that actually wants this war to go on & escalate.

Posted by: smuks | Sep 3 2023 1:07 utc | 589

reply to 299, 296
It’s all relative. Russia loses comparatively few, Ukraine loses many – especially given its demographics. Russia could do blitzkreig but doesn’t. Either Russia is too weak in a defensive war OR they are draining Ukraine with horrific losses. War is hell.

Posted by: Eighthman | Sep 3 2023 15:49 utc | 591

Posted by: SCCC | Sep 1 2023 11:07 utc | 154
“We cannot change any other only ourselves”
Stage 1. We can change everybody >:-D
Stage 2. We cannot change anybody except ourselves <:-C Stage 3. We can be open with others and with humility and a fair wind sometimes mutual change occurs.

Posted by: Tim G | Sep 4 2023 9:20 utc | 593