Ukraine SitRep: Zelenski's Propaganda Outlet Is Leading His Decline
In early 2022, at the start of the war in Ukraine, the government of President Zelenski monopolized all television news:
Since the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the people of Ukraine have had access to a single source of television news — an all-day broadcast packed with footage of Ukrainian tanks blasting Russian positions, medics operating near the frontline and political leaders rallying support abroad.The show, Telemarathon United News, has been a major tool of Ukraine’s information war, praised by the government officials who regularly appear on it for its role in countering Russian disinformation and maintaining morale.
“It’s a weapon,” President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said last January of the program, which is jointly produced and broadcast 24/7 by the country’s biggest television channels.
The Telethon, as it is known in Ukraine, became the sole source of news on Ukrainian airwaves. It was partially financed by the Ukrainian regime. It soon developed into the main outlet for the Ukrainian government to spread its propaganda. It continuously presented alleged Ukrainian successes and derided Russia's capabilities.
It had deluded many Ukrainians into believing that their country can win the war.
But since the much propagandized 2023 'counteroffensive' has failed people have turned away from it.
A few still hang on. In a recent debate with military officers in Ukraine one pimpled youngster, drunk on Telethon disinformation, asked one of the Ukrainian officers about the 'bad quality of Russian weapons'.
He received an unexpected response. (I have seen the video of the exchange on Twitter but fail to re-find it.)
Strana, the Ukrainian news service prohibited in Ukraine and Russia, reported the exchange (machine translation):
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military is discussing that at the end of the second year of the war, the Russian army is better armed and equipped than the Ukrainian one. This was stated by the battalion commander of the third assault brigade (one of the main strike forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) Rollo.This is how he answered the question of what the average Russian military equipment is and "how much worse it is than ours."
"The Russian army is no worse than the Ukrainian one, even better. Technologically better equipped, more equipment, better weapons, better equipment than the Ukrainian one. What makes you think they're worse? This is even some kind of humiliation that turns out to be ours. Like, "f**k you're fighting the law and there's nothing you can do?". But because they are stronger - this is objective, " Rollo said.
According to him, the Russians not only have better equipment, but also state programs for equipping and providing the army.
"Don't underestimate the opponent, this is a very serious opponent. More serious than most armies in the world. Treating them like dol***bam and lo*am, that's what we do, dol***oby and lo*i, if we do that," Rollo added.
Other commanders advised turning off the telethon at home, which promotes the idea that the Russian army is weak.
(I do not know what "dol***bam" and "lo*am" stand for but they don't seem to be nice words.)
The third assault brigade is part of AZOV, the fascist organization that has grown exponentially under the Zelenski regime.
If even its ideological deluded officers freely admit that Russian forces are superior to them, imagine how the average Ukrainian soldier on the ground feels about his country's chances to win the war.
In early March 2022 I had warned that Lies Do Not Win Wars. Ukrainian propaganda, with support from western media, the neoconservative ISW and the disinformation branch of Britain's Ministry of Defense, has been full of lies and exaggerations. But the real war is lost on the ground and, over time, its reality seeps in.
The Telethon has lost its usefulness due to the constant disinformation it has spread. Its viewership is down to 10% as the Ukrainian people now get their news from Telegram and tune their TVs to reality shows and other diversions on different channels.
That the New York Times has finally picked up on this can be interpreted as a U.S. government attempt to further distance itself from the Zelenski regime in Ukraine:
Another concern is that Telemarathon has transformed into a public relations operation for Mr. Zelensky, who remains Ukraine’s most trusted political figure but has seen his approval ratings decrease in recent months.Figures compiled by Mr. Kulias show that members of Servant of the People, Mr. Zelensky’s party, accounted for more than 68 percent of the program’s political guests in 2023, with this proportion rising steadily throughout the year. Servant of the People controls half of the seats in Parliament.
“It’s like a unanimous point of view,” Andrii Khantil, a 41-year-old lawyer, said of Telemarathon on a recent evening near the Golden Gate, a reconstructed gateway that marked the entrance to Kyiv in medieval times. “It’s not really what we need. It’s not helpful."
This attack on Zelenski's propaganda outlet comes while there is a new spat between the president and the commander of the Ukrainian force over the additional mobilization of 500,000 men. Zelenski had said that this would fulfill a requirement that the military had made.
General Zaluzny publicly rejected that claim:
In response to recent statements suggesting a potential mobilization of up to half a million people in Ukraine, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valery Zaluzhny, said that the military command has not formally requested the mobilization.“The military command has not made a single request [to the authorities] for any figures. The military command continues to perform the function of protecting the state and, accordingly, forms its requests for ammunition, weapons and human resources,” Zaluzhny stated during a national telethon.
“This is done on an ongoing basis, but we do not carry out [such requests] in some separate format by submitting it to the government or the Verkhovna Rada,” he added.
Zelenski's attempt to pass the mobilization buck to Zaluzny has failed. As the reality of a lost war bubbles to the surface his public ratings will sink to new lows.
Gordon Hahn describes the atmosphere in Ukraine as pre-revolutionary:
Kiev is now gripped by crisis politics. With the Ukraine’s defense lines and army in slow-motion collapse and extreme discontent among top military commanders and across the political elite, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy is fighting for his political and personal survival. More importantly, the stakes could not be higher for the Maidan regime’s coalition of nationalists, neofascist, corruptionaires, new oligarchs, and the occasional republican. Meanwhile, the young Ukrainian state, based on still poorly consolidated quasi-republican institutions and a nationalist ideology, is at risk of disintegration, dissolution, and even disappearance. It surrounded by growing threats: the Russian army, angry Ukrainian soldiers and commanders, Kiev’s financial and economic insolvency and dissipation, popular desperation, and the risk of palace or military coups, even a new ‘Galician’ civil war.
Soon something will break.
The telethon that had helped Zelenski to gain the peoples' attention and admiration is now leading the path to his decline.
I doubt that he, at the end of this years, will still be the president of Ukraine.
Posted by b on January 4, 2024 at 10:21 UTC | Permalink
next page »In this link you can find another very interesting Sitrep, also with the video that b is talking about.
https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/first-of-the-year-sitrep-hypersonic
Posted by: Tacmelol | Jan 4 2024 10:50 utc | 3
A video of the exchange described by b: https://odysee.com/@Support4Z:b/%F0%9F%93%BD%EF%B8%8F-A,--Classic-example-of-how-poorly-informed-the-average-Ukrainian-citizen-is!:e
Posted by: fx | Jan 4 2024 10:50 utc | 4
Re: The NYT article
Everyone already knows that a telethon is an excellent case for laundering budget money for “their” projects and for their own. Plus, the telethon is convenient because it removed criticism of Zelensky, Ermak, etc. from the “box”.That’s why the government has resisted and continues to finance the telethon. Profitable!
By the way, many of our sources report that the fate of the telethon awaits the entire “media and telegram service of the authorities.” All these shitty public pages with clumsy propaganda will soon end up in the dustbin of history.
Now they are on horseback. They were given good budgets, they started working on everything, but this will kill interest in them, the source comments.
https://t.me/legitimniy/17002
Posted by: Down South | Jan 4 2024 10:52 utc | 5
Happy new year, b, Karlof, Bevin and many more, appreciate your input.
Долбоеб - Dolboyob, motherf*kr
Лох - Lokh, sucker.
Hopefully this will be over soon, if only Ukrainians would come to their senses and go back home, together with the Russians they would be yelling Bystro Bystro!! in the EU quarters in Brussels, Kantaria's grandson raising the red banner over VonDerKorrupten's office.
Cheers to all
Posted by: Paco | Jan 4 2024 10:57 utc | 6
Live by PR. Die by PR.
Is it the miltary realists campaign against the political appointees?
Maybe there will be a face saving ‘election’ and Arestovich doesn’t get a shoo in!
Looking forward to a civil war that ends with a very rump , runt, unarmed, denazified, neutral , piece of borderlands between the old European empires. Which can eventually reform and realise its position and become happy with that.
Posted by: DunGroanin | Jan 4 2024 11:22 utc | 7
Meanwhile Russian media is breaking through.
The Ministry of Culture has called for people to choose Ukrainian content instead of watching russian movies. At the same time, a real wave of hate has risen in Ukrainian society against the viral series. Find out what's wrong with the series "Slovo patsana" and whether there are alternatives
Posted by: too scents | Jan 4 2024 11:33 utc | 9
"The telethon that had helped Zelenski to gain the peoples' attention and admiration is now leading the path to his decline."
b
Insightful-you hit the nail on the head.
You said that by year's end, he will be gone-I guess he's gone by the end of the year's first quarter.
"Don't underestimate the opponent, this is a very serious opponent. More serious than most armies in the world. Treating them like dol***bam and lo*am, that's what we do, dol***oby and lo*i, if we do that," Rollo added."
This is early-1940s Germany. Where we all are. Again.
Posted by: Robert Italia | Jan 4 2024 12:19 utc | 11
"That the New York Times has finally picked up on this"
The New York Times does exactly the same Telemarathon United News does. It performs propaganda on Americans on a daily basis.Look they are bad, but we are good media bull shit.
Newspapers have always been propaganda outlets, it is what the printing press was invented for.
Posted by: Echo Chamber | Jan 4 2024 12:20 utc | 12
After all the handwringing in considerable parts of both pro-Russian and even anti-Russian crowds about "why Russia doesn't/didn't just crush the Banderites right away with going all-in and stop a long war from unfolding?" - this is why.
It's not just strategically sound to rely on verified crippling weaknesses to do your work for you. It's also poetic justice, or vengeance if you feel differently - Russians have seen the West do cataclysmic damage to their nation and society using precisely "slow-boiling" methods and gradual undermining of key nodes. And now Russia can put the West - and especially the Russophobic modern Ukraine as its willing attack dog that, to them, has committed unthinkable blood treason in their turn to hatred and violence against Russia after being part of it for ages - into a position where it can return the favour.
It's a whole flock of swan-geese with one stone. To avoid disruptive mass war-footing conversions (look at what embracing mass war-conversion is doing to Israel's economy and society in real time over just 3 months), to reduce the needed deployment of resources and people and thus minimize losses; to allow time to reveal the extent of truth in Russia's belief and words about the West being its irrational sworn enemy and the sheer magnitude of falsehood in Western belief about Russia's own nature and features; all done by simply putting the enemy in a chokehold it cannot, for a series of reasons, to escape. And now Russians get the satisfaction of seeing the people who hate them slowly choke themselves to death (sometimes metaphorically, sometimes not), on a national scale - seeing the Western forces bleed out and start doing damage to themselves more and more, exacting historic punishment upon the Ukraine for betraying Russia so completely, proving that the West's mythology about the world and itself is a sham and a scam, crashing the unspoken Western world-empire that relied on those myths being believed, and making other nations of the world come around to realize the real balance of power - and of truth, as well.
It's far from being just all about Putin, but the West should have never forgot that he's a master Judoka. The nation he governs is performing the greatest feat of Judo excellence in history now, certainly the most large-scale - using the strengths and weaknesses of its enemies to make them wreck themselves with minimal effort on its own part.
Posted by: Red Outsider | Jan 4 2024 12:24 utc | 13
After all the handwringing in considerable parts of both pro-Russian and even anti-Russian crowds about "why Russia doesn't/didn't just crush the Banderites right away with going all-in and stop a long war from unfolding?"
Posted by: Red Outsider | Jan 4 2024 12:24 utc | 12
That is exactly the notion that CIPSO plants like shadow want to achieve. They are not pro-Russian, but their whining is necessary for CIPSO as a proof that some self-declared Russian patriots disagree with the way the MO is running the SMO, that Russians hate Putin an Russians are crazy enough to go nuclear. Once again, Pro-Russians do not say things that you mention, they trust Putin and MO to run the SMO as they deem necessary, and what you mention is coming only from CIPSO plants.
Posted by: Poslan1 | Jan 4 2024 12:45 utc | 14
Where will the west get it's intelligence, if Telemarathon is terminated?
What difference does it make who is president of Ukraine (OK maybe to the west)?
Posted by: jared | Jan 4 2024 12:56 utc | 15
When Zelenski becomes Zelenskadoo,
where will he skidaddle to?
Posted by: librul | Jan 4 2024 13:06 utc | 16
The Ukrainian reliance on drones, as substitutes for conventional weapons, might be cruelly exposed if reports of the coming cold-weather front (-20 degrees C) hitting the region are true. Drones have numerous problems, affecting: their power source, flight stability, and sensitive electronics, to name but a few, when flying in cold temperatures, and certain sectors of the front, who heavily rely on these machines, might find themselves highly vulnerable to attacking Russian forces, using more conventionally balanced forces.
Posted by: Milites | Jan 4 2024 13:08 utc | 17
if reports of the coming cold-weather front (-20 degrees C) hitting the region are true.
Posted by: Milites | Jan 4 2024 13:08 utc | 16
---
According to nullschool.net the weather will be more moderate.
The date of their forecast can be set by clicking on the "earth ≡" menu.
Posted by: too scents | Jan 4 2024 13:24 utc | 18
This war is going to last long. Contrary to almost everybody here I think Russia is far from victory. This war is so cheap for the west. Even if Ukraine is defeated, the Poles would fight, then Germans, then Croats and Romanians....
Posted by: zorge | Jan 4 2024 13:35 utc | 19
The nation state system is a system of national prisons, Within it are 256 or so nations.. Each with its own culture, history, religion, educational, legal, political, military institutions. The propaganda system differentiates humanity into nations (patriotism) and segregates the people in each nation into divisions, classes and groups, etc.
The people in each nation are taught a different view for the same situation. This process polarizes the people of the world against each other. Information is continuously filtered, doctored and promoted to intensify the polarization. Intense polarization results in hate, fear, wrong or directed beliefs and establishes in its followers a sense of success or failure.
Polarization (causing many divisions of people to segregate into oppositely opposed beliefs, opinions, hopes, and fears) allows those who own the system to direct those who operate each nation to channel the behaviors, fears, hates and beliefs, of those who must follow (because those who follow are trapped within the scope and reach of the laws and forces of the nation state in which they reside) to hate. The result is fear, hate or jealously directed at those who live in the other nation states, or those who work for the other company or who play for, or who support the other sport team. Polarization is a feature of competition. Each team is outfitted with a different jersey, helmet, and equipment.
Training a nation of people to hate,fear, respect or discount the people of the other nation is the function of the nation state system and that system has divided the human world into its many opposed parts.. Its 256 dimensional chess..
Humanity does not have a Semite problem, a Palestinian problem, a Russian problem, a black problem, a German problem, a white problem, an American problem, a South African problem or an Israeli problem, humanity has a propaganda problem. Not all histories are the same on the same subject, not all news is the same on the same event or story, not all educational systems are the same, none of the religions are the same yet they all deal with exactly the same topics, subjects, events or whatever.. etc.
Could it be said that Ukraine has been polarized? WWI and WWII both were the result of polarization; but the people doing the polarizing were only interested in profits, power and control they were mostly the oil and gas companies. The French, Italians, Germans threatened the world, then it was the Bolsheviks, communist, nuclear weapons and so on..
Posted by: snake | Jan 4 2024 13:36 utc | 20
Time for the morning funnies!
“This war is going to last long.”
So?
“Contrary to almost everybody here I think Russia is far from victory.”
Looks to me like Russia is prolonging the victory for all it’s worth.
“This war is so cheap for the west.”
Guess that explains the European slide into recession.
“Even if Ukraine is defeated,”
Throwaway moment of lucidity!
“the Poles would fight, then Germans, then Croats and Romanians....”
Bring ‘em on! The more denazification, the better.
“Posted by:”
—who else?—
“zorge | Jan 4 2024 13:35 utc | 18”
Posted by: malenkov | Jan 4 2024 13:42 utc | 21
"Newspapers have always been propaganda outlets, it is what the printing press was invented for."
Posted by: Echo Chamber | Jan 4 2024 12:20 utc | 11
Incorrect.
The first thing printed, in the West (the East had movable type previous to the West), was the Gutenberg bible. (1)
1.Gutenberg used his press to print an edition of the Bible in 1455; this Bible is the first complete extant book in the West, and it is one of the earliest books printed from movable type. (Jikji, a book of the teachings of Buddhist priests, was printed by hand from movable type in Korea in 1377.)
- If even the New York Times is now picking up on this story then there is certainly a MAJOR shift in the position of the US government.
- I think all the body bags with the remains of the soldiers, that come back to their relatives also won't help to improve moral in the Ukraine.
Posted by: Mr. Market | Jan 4 2024 13:43 utc | 23
Topic:
"Disappearance of the Ukraine"
"Corruptionairs":
- I once heard a story that military commanders are not reporting their losses of soldiers because then they are able to keep the wages of those fallen soldiers and grow rich on those wages.
- There were also stories that the leaders of the Ukraine have lined their own pockets with A LOT OF the money/help the West has send to the Ukriane. And that has weakened the ukrainian military (more than a bit).
Posted by: Mr. Market | Jan 4 2024 13:54 utc | 24
This is a prophetic piece by William R. Mathews, editor of the Arizona Sun circa. 1950.
"I charge that the articulate publicists of our country, by their semi-hysterical words in print and speech in which they champion extremes of diplomatic and military policy, are driving us rapidly into a war of unlimited and unattainable objectives which will bring on a gigantic catastrophe of ruin and revolution at home and abroad.... By articulate publicists I mean those speakers and writers ranging from editors, novelists, magazine writers, columnists, dramatists, radio writers, lecturers, college professors, and educators, to senators and other elected officials, cabinet members, political leaders and presidents. When what they write and talk about becomes a united theme of agreement, action follows as certainly as butter follows the churning of sour cream.... After fighting two world wars within a generation to defend democracy and freedom, with no result other than to see those ideals recede throughout the world, we shall be blind if we do not understand that a third such war, fought for equally unlimited and unattainable objectives, will end in one of the great catastrophes of history. For us to imagine that we can fight such a war without exhausting ourselves and destroying much of the good faith required for the functioning of democracy is to indulge in the same wishful thinking that twice has proved our political undoing."
Barnes, Harry Elmer. Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace: A Critical Examination Of The Foreign Policy Of Franklin Delano Roosevelt And Its Aftermath . Hauraki Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Posted by: DesertBunny | Jan 4 2024 14:14 utc | 25
- If the ukrainian government disappears then I wouldn't be surprised to that Poland also will/could invade the Ukraine but this time from the west side of the Ukraine. Keep in mind: there are still A LOT OF people living in the west of Ukraine who speak polish.
- When I come to think of it then I realize that in the west of the Ukraine also people who speak polish (as mentioned above), romanian, slovak, hungarian. I could mean that these regions will will undergo a process that was called "Heim ins Reich" by Nazi Germany (think: . These regions then could be "returned" to Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary.
- More shrinkage of the Ukraine ahead ? I certainly hold this as a possibility for somewhere in the future.
Posted by: Mr. Market | Jan 4 2024 14:22 utc | 27
I will again play the contrarian here, but this fixation on ratings is not very serious.
Here, where I live (France), it has been routine for our presidents to reach ratings as low as in the 15-20%, be it Sarkozy, Hollande, or Macron. Macron did face a strong resistance, bordering a times on mutiny. But at no point was the vertical of power in France seriously threatened.
The beauty of the system is that there is no alternative, and people still prefer the known to the unknown. So, French people do complain, demonstrate, burn a few cars. And then 1 or 2 years later the next presidential election arrives, which always boils down to a one-to-one race, and then people get cold feet. Ok Macron - and Sarkozy - and Hollande - and Chirac - may have been bad... But not always for the same people, and besides what guarantees are there that a Marine Le Pen (who has consideraly watered down her discourse) will do better ?
And then it's off for five more years with the candidate du jour.
Why would it be different for Ukraine ? Zelenski may have a 20%-rating, if he is backed by powerful oligarchs at home and the American fist abroad, he has nothing to fear. In fact the most serious threat by far is if his American backers decide to bet on another horse. The peasants have no say in such matter. Just like in France ; people may demonstrate by the millions, but as long as you have the police and the military with you, you're set.
Posted by: Micron | Jan 4 2024 14:25 utc | 28
Let's face the facts : change will not come from the Ukrainian people. Those who were against the war voted with their feet. There are only retirees and fanatics left.
Real change can only come from three factors :
- American geostrategical plays. If the anti-Chinese faction gains the upper hand and re-allocates the bulk of the effort to countering China, then they may choose to sacrifice Ukraine in the process.
- Actual coup by the military. But I don't really believe in it, because the military is solidly affixed to the US and western teats. Notwithstanding the fact that Zaluzhny is in no way more peace-oriented that Zelensky and is a total Bandera-loving scum, if he ever had an epiphany and chose to play it like Orban, the US would simply turn off the spigot and find a local Lon Nol to be the strongman.
- Decisive military victory by Russia. Which does not seem very realistic on a short-term basis.
I really can't see any way the Ukrainian populace could affect the events. Maidan only worked because the populace was a conduit, a ramrod with which powerful and abundantly financed Sturmtrupps seized power. In the current context the military and SBU do not face such a threat. Let's say a million Ukrainians march in the street, so what ? They will be dispersed, teargassed, and mowed down if necessary. In this worst but improbable case, a nice story will be built for Western consumption, all the dead will be Russian provocateurs who had it coming.
It would be nice if people really stopped clinging to this romantic picture of the storming of the Winter palace. Things have changed and regimes are a lot more prepared now for all eventualities.
Posted by: Micron | Jan 4 2024 14:32 utc | 29
Posted by: canuck | Jan 4 2024 13:43 utc | 21
The bible, have you read it?
Greatest bit of propaganda ever written IMO.
Believe half of what you read and less of what you hear was the mantra practised when I was growing up.
I tell my kids this everyday and get them to tell their friends to practise it too.
Posted by: Eoin Clancy | Jan 4 2024 14:34 utc | 30
That is exactly the notion that CIPSO plants like shadow want to achieve. They are not pro-Russian, but their whining is necessary for CIPSO as a proof that some self-declared Russian patriots disagree with the way the MO is running the SMO, that Russians hate Putin an Russians are crazy enough to go nuclear. Once again, Pro-Russians do not say things that you mention, they trust Putin and MO to run the SMO as they deem necessary, and what you mention is coming only from CIPSO plants.
Posted by: Poslan1 | Jan 4 2024 12:45 utc | 13
Or maybe it's the exact opposite -- most people here have no real investment into what happens on the front lines, and they split into two groups:
1) those who see in Putin the savior that will one day make all their local dysfunction and grievances go away, and thus need to believe he is the omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent being that will make it all right one day and is not smashing the Banderites only because there is a higher strategy being executed here, one that us mortals are too stupid to understand.
2) those that see the whole thing as some kind of a game and are perfectly happy with hundreds of thousands of Slavs being sacrificed playing that game
But in the real world hundreds of thousands of Slavs are once again dying because the West engineered another big continental war in Europe, and Russia is once again being strategically weakened by it. Even though this time it has the tools to just overturn the table and refuse to play by the rules imposed on it by the West. And some people are not OK with that because they do in fact care.
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Jan 4 2024 15:00 utc | 31
Zelenski may have a 20%-rating, if he is backed by powerful oligarchs at home and the American fist abroad, he has nothing to fear. In fact the most serious threat by far is if his American backers decide to bet on another horse.
Posted by: Micron | Jan 4 2024 14:32 utc | 29
I don't know how their Parliamentary system is designed, but if it's anything like it is in Europe or here in Canada, you can lose the popular vote by quite a lot and still hold enough seats to remain in power. Trudeau is a good example of this. He lost the popular vote by hundreds of thousands in the last 2 elections, and yet his party retained 40 more seats in Parliament than the opposition. They've essentially figured out a way to hold power in perpetuity, and even if they "lose" and election, they just form a coalition gov't and handcuff the ruling party until there's a vote of no confidence. Rinse and repeat.
Posted by: Frank McGar | Jan 4 2024 15:00 utc | 32
In his Documentary , Ukraine on Fire, Oliver Stone explains the mechanics of the Maidan color revolution . One of the details was the creation of several media outlets.
We see the importance of controlling information flows to the jews here in America. Control how a people think, you control them.
it is good to see Truth ascending in both Ukraine and America although America has the longer road than the Ukrainians.
Today, information flow is global. When zelenski flees to Miami, he will be targetted and brought to justice there.
Posted by: timothy murray | Jan 4 2024 15:02 utc | 33
It would be nice if people really stopped clinging to this romantic picture of the storming of the Winter palace. Things have changed and regimes are a lot more prepared now for all eventualities.Posted by: Micron | Jan 4 2024 14:32 utc | 29
Good summary
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Jan 4 2024 15:03 utc | 34
I once heard a story that military commanders are not reporting their losses of soldiers because then they are able to keep the wages of those fallen soldiers and grow rich on those wages.
- There were also stories that the leaders of the Ukraine have lined their own pockets with A LOT OF the money/help the West has send to the Ukriane. And that has weakened the ukrainian military (more than a bit)
Posted by: Mr. Market | Jan 4 2024 13:54 utc | 23
Thats a major reason, why Mosul fell so quickly to ISIS years ago.
Many of the Iraqi solders "marched on paper" due to a payroll scam.
Posted by: Urban Fox | Jan 4 2024 15:05 utc | 35
- Actual coup by the military. But I don't really believe in it, because the military is solidly affixed to the US and western teats.
Posted by: Micron | Jan 4 2024 14:32 utc | 29
The senior officers, sure. The rest?
Nowhere as much. If they seriously get fed up there are probably not enough Azov types to keep everyone in line.
Army/fleet wide mutinies are definitively a thing and if you are fighting a total war you cannot just ignore them away as you can do with protests in the west.
Likely ? Probably not but not unheard of either.
Posted by: Satepestage | Jan 4 2024 15:07 utc | 36
The Bible, especially the King James version, is great literature. Read the Song of Solomon for beautiful poetry. Try reading the Bible as the many expressions of the beautiful and profound rather than as political and religious propaganda, though it is used for the latter.
Posted by: DesertBunny | Jan 4 2024 15:11 utc | 37
Posted by: DesertBunny | Jan 4 2024 15:11 utc | 37
This post is responding to Eoin Clancey @30
Posted by: DesertBunny | Jan 4 2024 15:17 utc | 38
But in the real world hundreds of thousands of Slavs are once again dying because the West engineered another big continental war in Europe
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Jan 4 2024 15:00 utc | 31
The ukrainians have largely willingly gone along with it, they will have to bash the head against the wall until they figure that out.
Posted by: Satepestage | Jan 4 2024 15:20 utc | 39
"And some people are not OK with that because they do in fact care."
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Jan 4 2024 15:00 utc | 31
keyboardwarriors never care. if they would, they would go and make a difference on the frontlines or support the military by other means.
not by whining on the internet.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Jan 4 2024 15:21 utc | 40
🇷🇺🇺🇦 For several days in a row, the Russian Armed Forces have been repelling Ukrainian attacks on populated areas of the Belgorod region.According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, last night air defense crews on duty intercepted two Tochka-U missiles and seven Vilkha MLRS missiles. Already in the morning, the department reported on repelling another attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces: six Tochka-U missiles and six more Vilkha MLRS missiles were shot down.
At the same time, shelling of border settlements continues. So in the Valuysky GO the village of Soloti came under attack. Currently, it is known that several residential buildings were damaged and a 14-year-old girl was injured.
The head of the region described the current situation as “tense.” They were also told that a meeting of the operational headquarters would be held on January 8, at which it was planned to consider the possibility of extending the winter holidays for a number of educational institutions in the Belgorod region.
#Belgorod #Russia #Ukraine
@rybar
Posted by: anon2020 | Jan 4 2024 15:29 utc | 41
"The tragedy of Ukraine":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVwtFUnzO8g
Length: 28 minutes.
"Neutrality Studies" has more of this kind of excellent videos in their YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@neutralitystudies
Posted by: Mr. Market | Jan 4 2024 15:36 utc | 42
"When Zelenski becomes Zelenskadoo,
where will he skidaddle to?"
His parting gift of a bottle of booze and hand grenades makes him miss the flight.
Thomas
Posted by: Thomas | Jan 4 2024 15:43 utc | 43
"When what they write and talk about becomes a united theme of agreement, action follows as certainly as butter follows the churning of sour cream.... After fighting two world wars within a generation to defend democracy and freedom, with no result other than to see those ideals recede throughout the world, we shall be blind if we do not understand that a third such war, fought for equally unlimited and unattainable objectives, will end in one of the great catastrophes of history. "
Posted by: DesertBunny | Jan 4 2024 14:14 utc | 24
-------------------------------------------------------------------
DesertBunny, WW1 & 2 were not fought for "democracy and freedom," they were wars fought for colonies and markets. The democracy and freedom bullshit is for the consumption of the non-ruling classes who actually have no stake in these wars: The same is true today in Ukraine and Gaza. The capitalist ruling class despise democracy as much as they despise socialism, and for the same reason: That is why they allow for only a democratic form without a majority content, at best. The trick of Capitalist "democracy" is to ensure that only ruling class approved candidates can actually win elections in a bourgeois economic system. A bourgeois democracy is a dictatorship of the capitalist ruling class, and if that is hard to wrap your head around, well that is the point.
Posted by: Ed | Jan 4 2024 15:45 utc | 44
You can be certain that the New Spork Crimes is not saying this out of any regard for truth. The New Cork Grimes cares nothing for truth. In the absence of the Bidet regime actually throwing in the towel on Ukranazistan, it is basically laying the ground for Dieming Elensky and replacing him with Zaluzhny or another less counterproductive puppet. Elensky passed his expiry date along with Ye Olde Greate Springe Counteroffensive last year.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Jan 4 2024 15:52 utc | 45
And yet, if you visit Reddit, the overweight incel keyboard warriors sitting in California still insist Ukranazistan is winning everywhere.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Jan 4 2024 15:54 utc | 46
It would seem that Putin's secret weapon to weaken and destroy the West is in the person of Department of Homeland Security Chief Alejandro Mayorkas, who is allowing millions of unvetted fighting age men to enter the U.S. from Russia, the PRC, Cuba, Iran, and other nations hostile to Washington. Rishi Sunak is also allowing "migrants" to just show up in boats or through the Chunnel into Britain. The "leaders" of NATO countries are busy arming and defending Ukraine while leaving their own nations open to invasion from unvetted "migrants" from around the globe. Diversity is the downfall of the former Free World. Putin has time on his side.
Paco | Jan 4 2024 10:57 utc | 6--
Thanks Paco, and a Happy New Year to you and your family! Recently providing more content at my substack than here. It appears the top Russian Brass are taking some time off, or perhaps they're having a pow-wow somewhere cozy since they have some much planned to do in 2024.
And yet, if you visit Reddit, the overweight incel keyboard warriors sitting in California still insist Ukranazistan is winning everywhere.Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Jan 4 2024 15:54 utc | 46
The rise of fascism is always accompanied by anti-intellectualism as intellectuals inevitably object to various stupid, clumsy or counterproductive approaches even if they are all in on the ideology. More than anything fascism requires information control and the appearance of competence of the State.
It is really quite a spectacle to behold, isn't it? The suppression and delegitimization of realist points of view by both explicit censorship and through sheer volume. Journalists have, with notable exceptions of course, revealed themselves to be obedient stenographers for power. It's worth remembering that the democratic West spends untold sums on 'information management'..countless bots and actual people posting Empire talking points official and unofficial.
For the second time I will post a most relevant quote:
As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he deems himself your master.
With thanks to Pravin Lal, fictional UN commissioner aboard a ship fleeing the dying Earth.
Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Jan 4 2024 16:22 utc | 49
It would be nice if people really stopped clinging to this romantic picture of the storming of the Winter palace. Things have changed and regimes are a lot more prepared now for all eventualities.
Posted by: Micron | Jan 4 2024 14:32 utc | 29
I think it hasn’t changed that much. Regime power is unassailable until it suddenly vanishes and people wonder why it hadn’t happened before.
Regime power is another societal myth that seems solid until it crumbles.
Posted by: Newbie | Jan 4 2024 16:25 utc | 50
I really can't see any way the Ukrainian populace could affect the events. Maidan only worked because the populace was a conduit, a ramrod with which powerful and abundantly financed Sturmtrupps seized power. In the current context the military and SBU do not face such a threat. Let's say a million Ukrainians march in the street, so what ? They will be dispersed, teargassed, and mowed down if necessary. In this worst but improbable case, a nice story will be built for Western consumption, all the dead will be Russian provocateurs who had it coming.It would be nice if people really stopped clinging to this romantic picture of the storming of the Winter palace. Things have changed and regimes are a lot more prepared now for all eventualities.
Posted by: Micron | Jan 4 2024 14:32 utc | 29
In addition to the support of the US, Maidan worked because the country was not locked down as it is now. Also, most of the protests were in Kiev, the seat of government, and home to a relatively large (for Ukraine) middle class that looked to the west as nirvana. Many of the military age people left while they could, but there are still students and professional class in Kiev that Zelensky hasn't conscripted - yet - because of the repercussions. The military is press-ganging laborers and unfit people from the dregs, while the manager class is still hanging out in Kiev coffee shops sipping their lattes. I just don't see how Ukraine has the human resource base to maintain its army, which will dwindle with attrition, and it doesn't look like Ukraine will get any of their expats back so they can be sent to the front lines. The recent missile attacks in Kiev may bring home the reality to people who, to this point, felt safe from the war, will no longer enjoy that sense of security. Where this will go this year is anyone's guess.
Posted by: Mike R | Jan 4 2024 16:28 utc | 51
Incorrect.
The first thing printed, in the West (the East had movable type previous to the West), was the Gutenberg bible. (1)
1.Gutenberg used his press to print an edition of the Bible in 1455; this Bible is the first complete extant book in the West, and it is one of the earliest books printed from movable type. (Jikji, a book of the teachings of Buddhist priests, was printed by hand from movable type in Korea in 1377.)
Posted by: canuck | Jan 4 2024 13:43 utc | 22
There are many who consider the Bible to be a hugely successful propaganda campaign.
Posted by: Mary | Jan 4 2024 16:29 utc | 52
Posted by: snake | Jan 4 2024 13:36 utc | 20
You're on to something re: nation state system, snake. But you forgot to mention the biggest contradiction. The entire world depends on one global economic system, yet each nation state has a rc that seeks to warp that global system to it's own benefit to the disadvantage of the rest. Some nation states through trade or war gain an advantage over the rest and some then seek through predatory wars to control the global economy in the interest of their own ruling class. Such states would be called imperialist. And of course in even the most successful imperialist states the majority of the citizens live hand to mouth or in boxes on the street.
The nation state, like the automobile, is a long outdated technology. But if it is abolished for an international system to manage the global economy on behalf of all citizens of the world, who is to run it? The leadership required for such an Olympian task would have to be drawn from all the working people of all the nation states in an international movement against imperialism. That political development is all that is missing in the current global context. With that or even the legitimate small beginnings of that hope will return to humanity with the real prospect of ending imperialism once and for all times. This is the social evolution man is meant for, but cannot yet reach.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Jan 4 2024 16:34 utc | 53
The democracy and freedom bullshit is for the consumption of the non-ruling classes who actually have no stake in these wars: The same is true today in Ukraine and Gaza...A bourgeois democracy is a dictatorship of the capitalist ruling class..
Posted by: Ed | Jan 4 2024 15:45 utc | 44
--------------------
Couldn't agree with you more. The independent/creative/productive individual who wants to work and reap the fruits of his labor and share/trade it in association with whomever he pleases is always fucked by democratic rule whether it's the dictatorship of oligarchs or the dictatorship of the proletariat. These groups of people use the state to get what they want by coercion rather than by voluntary trade.
Posted by: DesertBunny | Jan 4 2024 16:34 utc | 54
Posted by: anon2020 | Jan 4 2024 15:29 utc | 41
How are the Ukrainians able to do this? I thought they were running low on missiles and ammo? How can they afford to waste precious weapons attacking civilian targets?
Posted by: bored | Jan 4 2024 16:40 utc | 55
if reports of the coming cold-weather front (-20 degrees C) hitting the region are true.
Posted by: Milites | Jan 4 2024 13:08 utc | 16
Temperature in Moscow now at 19:36 MSK,4 January 2024 is minus 25 °C. In Kiev now — plus 4 °C.
January 2024 in Russia began with abnormal weather. Surprisingly, in some regions there is record-breaking warm weather, while in others, on the contrary, there are such frosts that have not happened in the entire history of meteorological observations!
In Moscow, the night of Wednesday, 3 January, was the frostiest in the last 75 years, Chief specialist of the Moscow Weather Bureau Tatyana Pozdnyakova told KP.RU. The air cooled down to -25.3 degrees. In the Moscow region, the cold almost reached -30 degrees: in Klin and Dmitrov, they froze at -29, in Volokolamsk -28.
Such weather would be normal in Chukotka, the forecasters of the Phobos centre stated with amazement. And for the middle zone of Russia, it is 12-13 degrees colder than the climatic norm. In Chukotka, by the way, it is much warmer now — “only” -15 degrees.
However, it did not reach the absolute record for this date for all 145 years of meteorological observations in Moscow. The most severe cold crackled on 3 January, 1942, -36.6 degrees. But in the neighboring Yaroslavl region, frost last night blocked all previous achievements: -31.6 degrees were recorded in Rybinsk. Until now, the coldest was considered January 3, 1979, -30.6 degrees.
[That’s the winter that defeated the Nazis and allegedly won the Great Patriotic War for the USSR, remember! — Moscow Exile.]
Even more severe frosts bound the Kostroma region — it was -36 degrees there at night! In Karelia, Murmansk, Leningrad and Ivanovo regions, thermometers showed -30…-33 degrees, in Vologda -30, in Arkhangelsk -41, state the Hydrometeorological Centre of Russia. And the” cold pole ” of the European part of Russia was the Republic of Komi, where it is -42 degrees!
Such temperatures are really abnormal, forecasters admit. The weather is 15-20 degrees colder than it should be according to climatic standards for the first days of January. In many regions, weather services have issued storm warnings due to dangerous frosts.
The next two nights are likely to be even colder, the Hydrometeorological Centre warns. In the Moscow region, on the morning of 4 January, the cold will get stronger to -31 degrees, in the Yaroslavl and Kostroma regions to -35 degrees, in the Arkhangelsk and Sverdlovsk regions to -42 degrees, and in the Komi Republic to -44 degrees. And even in the southern regions of the Central Federal District, it will freeze to -30…-31.
In general, the zone of abnormal cold weather up to 6 January will cover huge territories in the centre of Russia, in the north-west, in the Volga region and in the Urals. In the bulletin of dangerous and unfavorable weather events issued by the Hydrometeorological Centre of Russia on January 3, abnormally severe frosts are forecast on January 4-6 in the following regions:
The North-Western Federal District is located in Karelia, Leningrad, Novgorod, Pskov, Vologda, Arkhangelsk regions, and the Komi Republic.
Central Federal District — in all regions, especially in the Yaroslavl and Kostroma regions.
The Volga Federal District is located in the north of the district, i.e. in the Kirov, Nizhny Novgorod, Mari-El, Chuvashia, Udmurtia, and Perm Krai.
Ural Federal District-in the Sverdlovsk region
But there are places in the country where a strange January from the first days breaks records not for frosts, but for thaws! In Samara on January 1 +2.3 degrees (broke the temperature maximum, held since 1971, +1.5). In Magnitogorsk +1.1, in Omsk on 2 January recorded an unprecedented +1.2 degrees. But even there, after an amazing warmth, came cracking frosts. In Omsk already -25!
Posted by: Moscow Exile | Jan 4 2024 16:48 utc | 56
DesertBunny | Jan 4 2024 14:14 utc | 25--
The book you're citing was self-published in 1953 by a man who Wikipedia is not at all kind to:
Harry Elmer Barnes (June 15, 1889 – August 25, 1968) was an American historian who, in his later years, was known for his historical revisionism and Holocaust denial....Barnes was once highly regarded as a historian. By the 1950s, however, he had lost credibility and became a "professional pariah.
Books Google Russia has this to say about the book:
"A collection of nine revisionist essays edited by American historian and writer Harry Elmer Barnes, originally published in 1953, this intriguing volume offers a critical survey and appraisal of the development and implementation of American foreign policy of during the Presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt; the FDR Administration’s deliberate manipulation of events in Europe and Asia to bring the US—against the wishes of the majority of its citizens—into World War II; and its resultant aftermath in the course of world history."
The Mises Institute has this to say:
This book is a critical survey and appraisal of the development of American foreign policy during the Presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt and of its results, as they have affected the course of world history, the national interest of the United States, and the welfare of its citizens.The contributors to this volume represent the outstanding living revisionist historians, social scientists, and publicists who have thus far contributed actively to the furtherance of revisionist studies relative to the second World War. Each is a specialist in the field which he treats in his chapter. An effort has been made to cover adequately all the main aspects of the recent foreign policy of the United States.
There's a link at the above to freely download the book. Barnes's choice of who and what to provide as an opening quotation is odd to say the least for someone who opposes Empire:
"America goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She
is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is
the champion and vindicator only of her own. She will recommend
the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example. She well knows that by once
enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the
banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond
the power of extrication in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of
individual avarice, envy and ambition, which assume the colors and
usurp the standards of freedom. The fundamental maxims of her
policy would insensibly change from liberty to force.
—JOHN QUINCY ADAMS"
Adams is the author of the Monroe Doctrine claiming all the Western Hemisphere to be the USA's domain and has indeed been the Monster needing to be slain soon after that was declared.
Anyway, the book in question's an anthology having seven different authors. I'll note that the book's dedicated to Charles Beard, one of the Deans of American Historians.
Harry Elmer Barnes- Historical revisionism, Holocaust Denial AND a bad Wiki review, hard to get a better recommendation than that.
Posted by: SwissArmyMan | Jan 4 2024 17:11 utc | 59
Moscow Exile | Jan 4 2024 16:48 utc | 55--
Yes, the Arctic Oscillation is doing strange things again this year having already visited China. Such perturbations are what Climate Change hypotheses predict will occur. Alexei Miller commented about the issues related to this year's Heating Season for Russia in his meeting with Putin. And we've just entered the first portion of Winter, which will probably provide further surprises.
According to nullschool.net the weather will be more moderate.
The date of their forecast can be set by clicking on the "earth ≡" menu.
Posted by: too scents | Jan 4 2024 13:24 utc | 18
Ventusky has a pretty good cold snap hitting eastern 404 from the 11th to the 14th. Sub 0° F temps from Kharkiv to Odessa.
https://www.ventusky.com/?p=51.1;44.8;4&l=temperature-2m
You can change model forecasts and dates at the bottom
Them drones batteries wont last long with those temps.
Posted by: JoeDontSurf | Jan 4 2024 17:12 utc | 61
SwissArmyMan | Jan 4 2024 17:11 utc | 58--
As I noted, the book can be freely downloaded at the Mises link. One can then make their own judgments about its merits.
An exploration of the psychology of the American Elite. John Michael Greer, who used to write for a peak oil blog (I think it was called The Oil Drum) is an Archdruid, and always brings an interesting perspective. Anyway, for all of their hubris, the American Elite are not very bright or original.
https://www.ecosophia.net/the-three-stigmata-of-j-r-r-tolkien/
“The third bad habit of thought I have in mind didn’t feature so obviously in the total failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, but it’s had an overwhelming role in the entire Western response to the Russo-Ukrainian war. We can call this one the Sauron Fallacy: the conviction that the only reason there’s any trouble at all anywhere in the world is that some wicked individual makes it happen out of pure malicious evil, and somehow comes up with armies of orcs that have to be slain by Anduril. Sauron the Dark Lord, the Enemy, the Shadow in the East, is Tolkien’s most disastrous invention, and that same invention has been rehashed over, and over, and over again in the pop culture of our age. Lord Voldemort, Emperor Palpatine, Donald Trump—why, the list goes on and on”.
Posted by: KMRIA | Jan 4 2024 17:19 utc | 63
Posted by: snake | Jan 4 2024 13:36 utc | 20
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Jan 4 2024 16:34 utc | 52
----
There is a need for some kind of organization, otherwise billions of human beings are just an undifferentiated mass - easily manipulable by corporate propaganda, isolated and surveilled, the driest of tinder for fascism. If you eliminate government, the corporate stanglehold on power just gets more powerful.
The concept of nation arose in the 19th century, replacing the earlier organizations of feudal territories, with no rationale in location or language or culture, agglomerated into empires by marraige, like the Hapsburg Empire. The rise of nations coincided with and was fueled by the industrial revolution that allowed unherd of centralization and control. That fact will not go away if nations simply vanished.
Some nations used to be genuine, like France or Spain or Holland. A lot of other "nations" were deliberately carved up to create tension and chaos. The Sykes-Picot Agreement on Syria, etc. is a good example. These days, nations are all completely corrupt and run by globalist oligarchs who have no loyalty to their "nations". In that context, I agree that the current system is a divisive fraud. But let's not throw the baby of government out with the bathwater of corruption.
One of the more interesting counterproposals for government is to organize by cities, plus their hinterlands. The city, not the territorial state, is the natural unit of an industrial economy. Organizing by cities with good borders can eliminate the territorial game playing we see today at the state/province level. City populations on state borders flee into another, usually lower tax, state. New Hampshire drains Boston; Indiana drains Chicago, etc. The same thing happens at the nation level, where companies flee to third world sweat shop countries with minimal environmental or labor protections.
Another thing that makes nations a joke is that there are so few "representatives" that it is trivial for corporations and oligarchs to capture it. We need to give up the idea that everyone gets a vote on every issue, no matter how tiny. People need to become informed enough on a few topics that they can knowledgeably pushback against corporate grabocracy. That requires people to think about government, to prioritize what they expect from government. It makes democratic government a daily task, not something you vote for once every couple of years. Not likely to happen when the majority of people live a precarious, hand to mouth existence, with no time to think or reflect. But the example of involved citizens cannot be left to die.
I laid out such a counterproposal back in 2009. It went nowhere, but its still on the Wayback Machine if you are interested. The URL has nested h-t-t-p-s headers which the MoA site cannot handle. The URL is
https://web.archive.org/web/20090802184436/
followed immediately (no spaces) by
http://www.poly-ticker.org:80/index.php?title=Poly-Ticker_Home_Page
Posted by: john brewster | Jan 4 2024 17:20 utc | 64
I doubt that he, at the end of this years, will still be the president of Ukraine.I agree he will not be president of Ukraine by the end of the year, we shall see if there even is a Ukraine by the end of the year.Posted by b on January 4, 2024 at 10:21 UTC
I have also stated before that I doubt he will be able to mark the 10 year anniversary of the Maidan coup as president. I might be wrong about that, but we shall see.
Posted by: Norwegian | Jan 4 2024 17:23 utc | 65
"Newspapers have always been propaganda outlets, it is what the printing press was invented for."
Posted by: Echo Chamber | Jan 4 2024 12:20 utc | 11
Incorrect.
The first thing printed, in the West (the East had movable type previous to the West), was the Gutenberg bible. (1)
Posted by: canuck | Jan 4 2024 13:43 utc | 22
The "Gutenberg Bible".\
I echo Echo Chamber!
Just another useful invention to unfortunately be weaponized, BOTH the printing press and the Bible.
Exactly what has been done to money.
Posted by: Mann Friedmann | Jan 4 2024 17:32 utc | 66
@Milites | Jan 4 2024 13:08 utc | 17
The Ukrainian reliance on drones, as substitutes for conventional weapons, might be cruelly exposed if reports of the coming cold-weather front (-20 degrees C) hitting the region are true.Over here in southern Norway, the temperatures just took a significant nosedive, we are now down to -19C, by tomorrow we are likely down to -24C or lower.
According to windy.com, the temperatures in Northern Ukraine may drop to -20C in a couple of days, but it doesn't look like the Donbass area will be seeing such low temperatures.
Posted by: Norwegian | Jan 4 2024 17:34 utc | 67
I saw somewhere on Telegram that 81% of Ukrainians still believe that they can win the war.
Now, I understand why.
Posted by: Manage without me | Jan 4 2024 17:34 utc | 68
@canuck | Jan 4 2024 13:43 utc | 22
"Newspapers have always been propaganda outlets, it is what the printing press was invented for."They bible may not be a newspaper, but it certainly serves to control the people, i.e. the same objective as modern propaganda.Posted by: Echo Chamber | Jan 4 2024 12:20 utc | 11
Incorrect.
The first thing printed, in the West (the East had movable type previous to the West), was the Gutenberg bible. (1)
Posted by: Norwegian | Jan 4 2024 17:38 utc | 69
"Newspapers have always been propaganda outlets, it is what the printing press was invented for."
Posted by: Echo Chamber | Jan 4 2024 12:20 utc | 11
Incorrect.
The first thing printed, in the West (the East had movable type previous to the West), was the Gutenberg bible. (1)
(Jikji, a book of the teachings of Buddhist priests, was printed by hand from movable type in Korea in 1377.)
Posted by: canuck | Jan 4 2024 13:43 utc | 22
While not technically 'newspapers' both of your examples are certainly propaganda.
Posted by: Honzo | Jan 4 2024 17:39 utc | 70
Posted by: SwissArmyMan | Jan 4 2024 17:11 utc | 58
If I believed everything political I read in wiki I’d be looking up my ass.
Posted by: DesertBunny | Jan 4 2024 17:53 utc | 71
Professional German officers are not pacifists, but realists.
Of course, there are also "political" officers and citizens with a narrow horizon.
However, providing a larger combat unit for war against Russia would require "motivations" as currently applied in Ukraine.
Who would want to protect US military bases and beings from 'Lang' to 'Baerbock', let alone Romanians, Poles etc. from their democratically elected governments?
"
Several German generals also suggested that NATO might not be able to win the "first battle" in a defensive war on its eastern flank because it would have difficulty sending enough troops and equipment to the front quickly enough. "It could take at least 15 years before Germany is ready for war," the newspaper wrote.
"https://de.rt.com/meinung/191689-auch-2024-keine-aussichten-auf-waffenstillstand-in-der-ukraine/
Posted by: 600w | Jan 4 2024 18:14 utc | 72
⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚔️ Front #Summary for 4 Dec 2024 by 18:02⚡️🔹In #Kherson direction, they report on the expected AFU problems with logistics in connection with the gathering of ice on the #Dnieper. Serious cold weather is coming to the region. It will not be easy for ours either, but it is more difficult for the Ukrainian military in the ruins of the #Krynki village. In addition, the AFU from the field report a noticeable increase in counterbattery warfare on the part of our forces, the use of Lancets. Positional fighting in the village continues.
🔹In #Zaporozhye Direction, without changes on the #Rabotino - #Verbovoye line. The weather complicates the work of drones and movement.It is cloudy, muddy and damp. Our aviation, continues to hit the AFU deployments in the rear. On the ground, our military continues to fight for positions.
🔹In #SouthDonetsk Direction, after heavy fighting at #Pobeda, our forces managed to advance on the southeastern outskirts of the village. After the liberation of #Maryinka, the main efforts of our military are directed towards #Novomikhaylovka. There is fighting, so far without significant changes.
🔹In #Donetsk Direction, on the southern #Avdeyevka flank, our forces have significantly advanced on the outskirts of #Pervomayskoye. There are also progresses on the southeastern outskirts of the city in the private sector and near #Nevelskoye, where the situation seems to have turned. Our attacks on #Severnoye and #Tonenkoye have so far have rested on the AFU defence. On the northern flank, our army continues to advance on the #Berdychi - #Ocheretino - #Novokalinovo line. According to field information, our army periodically conducts reconnaissance raids into the territory of the Coke Plant, but there is no talk about full-fledged battles for the plant yet.
🔹In #Bakhmut Direction, our forces are once again building up pressure near #Bogdanovka. One of the restraining factors is the dense work of the AFU drones. Over the past few days, our intelligence has been focused on detecting the AFU drone operators, and the artillery is prioritising work on these targets. On the southern flank, our army continues to push the enemy back from #Kurdyumovka and #Andreyevka.
🔹In #Svatovo Direction, our forces have intensified artillery work on military facilities and AFU deployments near the Kupyansk-Uzlovoy station over the past few days. Our pressure continues in the area of #Sinkovka and #Kislovka, so far without significant territorial gains. In the #Kremennaya forests and near #Torskoye there are no major changes.
https://t.me/sitreports/20498
Posted by: Down South | Jan 4 2024 18:36 utc | 73
"It could take at least 15 years before Germany is ready for war," the newspaper wrote.
"https://de.rt.com/meinung/191689-auch-2024-keine-aussichten-auf-waffenstillstand-in-der-ukraine/
Posted by: 600w | Jan 4 2024 18:14 utc |
Some deranged imbeciles getting free press in Germany.
Mind you what Germany is going to be like in 2040.
Is another scenario.
A deindustrialised third world shite heap?
Posted by: jpc | Jan 4 2024 18:39 utc | 74
Our source in the OP said that the Office of the President is preparing the nationalization of several strategic enterprises of the oligarchs in order to stop the sabotage of the elites, which could become general.At Bankova they discussed which assets of Akhmetov could be symbolically nationalized in order to make the Fronde understand Zelensky/Ermak’s readiness to go to the end.
https://t.me/rezident_ua/21054
Posted by: Down South | Jan 4 2024 18:40 utc | 75
This time of year, the internet is loaded with all sorts of economic and related political predictions. The odd thing is that they ignore the fallout should the US/EU turn rogue and steal Russia's money.
To me, this would be a turning point in world history, a sort of economic Stalingrad for the West. It would lead to devastation to the US and EU in ways barely dreamed of. It would make losing the Ukraine proxy war look like a minor event. And yet, they seem crazy enough to do it.
Posted by: Eighthman | Jan 4 2024 18:53 utc | 76
Posted by: Echo Chamber | Jan 4 2024 12:20 utc | 12:
Newspapers have always been propaganda outlets, it is what the printing press was invented for
I respectfully disagree. There was a time, as I myself recall, when the press was the media through which most people keep up with events around the world to be reasonably informed. It's a blessing to a modern society in which the population doesn't have to spend too much of his/her own time to be aware of what is happening around Him/Her. Indeed, it is a very important facet of modernity.
But you're absolutely right about Newspapers being propaganda outlets these days. In my opinion the inflection point was the Vietnam War aftermath. Political pundits were rationalizing the loss of the war and pointed their fingers on public opinion turning against the war maker. Since then, oh boy, have things changed!!!
For the West, prior to the Vietnam shenanigan, Communistic media was rightfully scorned as propaganda outlets. That table has completely turned! These days, I don't know of any mass public journalistic outlets in the West that is not propagandistic, while I am finding Chinese press to be mostly objective and informative.
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Jan 4 2024 18:59 utc | 77
Posted by: Milites | Jan 4 2024 13:08 utc | 17
>The Ukrainian reliance on drones, as substitutes for conventional weapons, might be cruelly exposed if reports of the coming cold-weather front (-20 degrees C) hitting the region are true. Drones have numerous problems, affecting: their power source, flight stability, and sensitive electronics, to name but a few, when flying in cold temperatures, and certain sectors of the front, who heavily rely on these machines, might find themselves highly vulnerable to attacking Russian forces, using more conventionally balanced forces.
-20C is not a problem in theory. Aircraft have been flying in those temperatures for over 100 years, explosives carried by drones work in those temperatures, those temperatures no problem for electric motors that drive the drone propellers. Problem is only with batteries and electronics, but this is a small part of the drone and there are easy ways to solve the problem. For example, encasing batteries and electronics together with replaceable chemical heat packs inside closed cell foam container. This adds negligible weight and bulk to drone while keeping batteries and electronics at 0C or warmer, where they work fine.
As with all drone issues, the problem is they are still at the stage of rapid development. Evidently, nobody (or rather nobody at the decision making level) thought about low temperatures until this week.
Note that low temperatures also affect electronics other than drones (radios, GPS receivers, tablet computers, electronics used for gun laying, etc), with equally simple solutions: e.g. keep electronics at 0C or warmer temperature by storing inside someone's jacket while not in use, etc.
Posted by: anonposter | Jan 4 2024 19:03 utc | 78
Ed | Jan 4 2024 15:45 utc | 44
*** DesertBunny, WW1 & 2 were not fought for "democracy and freedom," they were wars fought for colonies and markets. The democracy and freedom bullshit is for the consumption of the non-ruling classes who actually have no stake in these wars: The same is true today in Ukraine and Gaza. The capitalist ruling class despise democracy as much as they despise socialism, and for the same reason: That is why they allow for only a democratic form without a majority content, at best. The trick of Capitalist "democracy" is to ensure that only ruling class approved candidates can actually win elections in a bourgeois economic system. A bourgeois democracy is a dictatorship of the capitalist ruling class, and if that is hard to wrap your head around, well that is the point.***
Precisely. In the UK, the first world war was supposedly to deliver "a land fit for heroes" -- instead of which the powers that be (so called "Labour" party included) delivered a mess of depression, recession and means-testing.
But only for the duped millions -- the Establishment were of course ok. Changes in Russia alarmed the Establishment, so they made sure to disarm more of the public anyway.
After the second world war the Establishment couldn't risk re-running the same scam, so grudgingly introduced the minimum they could get away with when it came to matters such as welfare and health services.
But since the 1970s the upper levels of socio-economic society have been steadily reeling in and subverting those reforms -- they'd fooled the public again; the improvements were not forever (as the public were led to believe) but only for the lifespan of the WW2 public.
Now the main political parties -- the only ones ever likely to win a government election -- compete with each other as to which can most decisively asset-strip and turn what remains of Britain into an even shittier copy of the worst of the USA (to which, along with Israel, their loyalties are absolutely devoted).
Total betrayal, as always masked in doublespeak, jargon, panic-inducement and lies.
While the deliberately dumbed-down, mass-media befuddled public are still naive enough to votingly participate in the Establishment's charade of so-called "democracy".
Posted by: Cynic | Jan 4 2024 19:08 utc | 79
BTW I went swimming in the Dnieper back on 19 Jan 2021 when it was -13C air temperature, along with thousands of others of all ages, and Russians routinely do it at -20C. Those are mild winter temperatures.
Posted by: anonposter | Jan 4 2024 19:09 utc | 80
Posted by: canuck | Jan 4 2024 13:43 utc | 21
The bible, have you read it?
Greatest bit of propaganda ever written IMO.
Believe half of what you read and less of what you hear was the mantra practised when I was growing up.
I tell my kids this everyday and get them to tell their friends to practise it too.
Posted by: Eoin Clancy | Jan 4 2024 14:34 utc | 30
It is magnificent literature; I feel sorry for you that you don't have the artistic capability to comprehend that fact.
"keyboardwarriors never care. if they would, they would go and make a difference on the frontlines or support the military by other means.
not by whining on the internet."
Posted by: Justpassinby | Jan 4 2024 15:21 utc | 40
I hate to admit it-being one of those ineffective warriors- but you make a solid point.
@ 600w | Jan 4 2024 18:14 utc | 71
do you think germany being in bed with the usa 24/7 is pacifist or realist? thanks...
Posted by: james | Jan 4 2024 19:41 utc | 83
Frank McGar@32
There is a lot wrong with the Canadian electoral system but it is fairly transparent. The Liberals did not win the popular vote because no party did: among others the Greens, the NDP and the Quebec separatists all took a slice of the vote.
The Liberals are obnoxious but they make sure not to be more obnoxious than the Conservatives, descended from the ultra right wing Socreds in Alberta and BC, who swallowed the Progressive Conservatives who managed, on occasion (Mulroney, Clark, Diefenbaker) to appear less dangerous than the Liberals-for a few years.
This means that when a minority party is trying to put together a coalition or something amounting to one (such as the current arrangement with the NDP) the Liberals generally succeed where the likes of Harper and his former secretary are feared and hated by most sentient beings.
Here's a three minute lesson- and a catchy tune- in Canadian Politics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x9eGfVknQI
Posted by: bevin | Jan 4 2024 19:43 utc | 84
Posted by: KMRIA | Jan 4 2024 17:19 utc | 62
TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING by John Michael Greer
Good read about a future America vs China war. Fiction.
Posted by: RB | Jan 4 2024 19:47 utc | 85
@ bevin | Jan 4 2024 19:43 utc | 83
not sure what that has to do with ukraine bevin... lets bring it back to ukraine.. do you really think there is any policy difference between any of the major parties with regard to ukraine? no.. they are all climbing in bed with the ukrainian vote in canada.. it is sickening.. the only person i know is maxine bernier who speaks of removing canada from nato..
Posted by: james | Jan 4 2024 19:49 utc | 86
Your arrogance encapsulated in your latest garbage post. Of the many diverse opinions on this forum, you demonstrate that you don’t read and digest any of these, by falsely categorising that full array of opinions into your two self created categories. Utterly wrong and offensive to the intelligence of those on this forum. Then you patronisingly declare that those of us who don’t agree with your bizarro narrative don’t live in “the real world”.
Well in your childish, angry ‘patriots’ club “real world” you have fired half a dozen nuclear strikes in this year of 2024 alone.
I’m not the first person to notice that you have no credibility. Give it up. Get a more honest job.
Posted by: Lev Davidovich | Jan 4 2024 19:53 utc | 87
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Jan 4 2024 15:00 utc | 31
Your arrogance encapsulated in your latest garbage post. Of the many diverse opinions on this forum, you demonstrate that you don’t read and digest any of these, by falsely categorising that full array of opinions into your two self created categories. Utterly wrong and offensive to the intelligence of those on this forum.
Then you patronisingly declare that those of us who don’t agree with your bizarro narrative don’t live in “the real world”.
Well in your childish, angry ‘patriots’ club “real world” you have fired half a dozen nuclear strikes in this year of 2024 alone.
I’m not the first person to notice that you have no credibility. Give it up. Get a more honest job.
Posted by: Lev Davidovich | Jan 4 2024 19:58 utc | 89
Ahenobarbus | Jan 4 2024 16:34 utc | 52
*** The nation state, like the automobile, is a long outdated technology. But if it is abolished for an international system to manage the global economy on behalf of all citizens of the world, who is to run it? The leadership required for such an Olympian task would have to be drawn from all the working people of all the nation states in an international movement against imperialism. That political development is all that is missing in the current global context. With that or even the legitimate small beginnings of that hope will return to humanity with the real prospect of ending imperialism once and for all times. This is the social evolution man is meant for, but cannot yet reach.***
Beware of those who present the delusion of a global government altruistically sorting all problems and conflicts (for the benefit of the public).
Absolute, unaccountable dictatorship by those serving only their own and big corporate/financial interests would be the reality ... as is already being concocted by Agenda 21/30 and the WEF.
They're keen to convince the population that vastly bigger government is better.
Yet most of the public cannot even get honest administration, truth and accountability from their own *local* Councils!
And as for that bastion of corrupt governance integrity calling itself the EU ......
Posted by: Cynic | Jan 4 2024 20:13 utc | 90
There was a time, as I myself recall, when the press was the media through which
most people keep up with events around the world to be reasonably informed.
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Jan 4 2024 18:59 utc | 76
Sooooo, just how old are you? :-)
“...You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.” William Randolph Hearst, 1897.
Posted by: waynorinorway | Jan 4 2024 20:19 utc | 91
Frank McGar @ 32, Bevin @ 84, James @ 86:
My understanding is that if presidential elections go ahead in Ukraine in late March next year, then parliamentary elections will take place a few months afterwards. The process is not quite the same as in govts with the Westminster system in which whichever party or coalition of parties win over 50% of seats becomes the governing power and nominates the Prime Minister as head of government.
I hear that according to the Ukrainian Constitution, elections cannot be held while the country is under martial law, which Zelensky invoked early on. He is under pressure though from the West to hold presidential elections - presumably because the West sees an opportunity to get rid of him without having to soil its own hands manoeuvring him out of Bankova Street.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Jan 4 2024 20:36 utc | 92
Posted by: Cynic | Jan 4 2024 20:13 utc | 90
Beware of those who present the delusion of a global government altruistically sorting all problems and conflicts (for the benefit of the public).
Absolute, unaccountable dictatorship by those serving only their own and big corporate/financial interests would be the reality ... as is already being concocted by Agenda 21/30 and the WEF.
They're keen to convince the population that vastly bigger government is better.
----
Again, I hear people assuming that government means big, centralized, global government; and that such a government would take orders from the WEF.
I agree that such an arrangement would be the end of even the possibility of democracy.
But, what is your solution to the problem? As with ahenobarus and snake, you don't want global dictatorship, but what kind of organization can stop that from happening?
I pointed at one, based on city-based governments in
john brewster | Jan 4 2024 17:20 utc | 64
Do you have any comment about that?
Posted by: john brewster | Jan 4 2024 20:45 utc | 93
@ Refinnejenna | Jan 4 2024 20:36 utc | 92
thanks... yes, posturing is very important for the political class today... how to ''be seen'' is everything... it is like the whole world has gone madison avenue.. it sort of fits with the off the chart level of propaganda we are being subject to at present.. now if only valery zalushny could dress regularly in an orange costume, it would be the green man against the orange man, lol... in fact, if i was valery, i would see about getting the rights to that amy winehouse song valerie - use it for his political campaign... well, they listened to boris before, so why not listen to amy winehouse now? lol... being silly is fun, lol..
Posted by: james | Jan 4 2024 20:48 utc | 94
@waynorinnorway, #91:
Yours truly is 75 :-). Not old enough to catch intrigued aspects of western history/press of the 19th Century, but old enough to reminiscence days when there was a norm in our society beyond which people would refrain themselves from crossing to the wild side. Yeah I do know the press has always lied, from time to time on different issues, but the way western press is behaving today, even Pravda or Xinhua in their 50's and 60's would have been ashamed to call themselves journalists the way western journalists still call themselves.
Is William Randolph Hearst the Hearst who build the media empire in California? Making that statement revealed honesty:-).
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Jan 4 2024 20:53 utc | 95
I am in France and am still astounded that after all these years ("Maidan , Minsk etc) and especially these two years of SMO, ALL the news on all the papers and channels are "according to Zelinsky" or "according to Ukraine", with never a contrary word, even right to today, word for word about the West needing to provide more money and weapons and defences to Ukraine to "help them win against Russia". No wonder the people I very rarely dare to discuss important issue with just say "Oh I never watch" but refuse to take a pov which is contrary.
Posted by: anaisanesse | Jan 4 2024 20:58 utc | 96
john brewster | Jan 4 2024 20:45 utc | 93
*** you don't want global dictatorship, but what kind of organization can stop that from happening?***
The "nation-state" is the most viable base for opposition. That's why the globalists andtheir fronts are so keen to undermine, dilute and ultimately destroy it.
Partly via their own impositions of divisive "ID politics".
*** I pointed at one, based on city-based governments in
john brewster | Jan 4 2024 17:20 utc | 64
Do you have any comment about that?***
Looking at it (the linked site) but it cannot be assessed quickly.
More difficult as it is somewhat USA orientated, and I'm in the UK.
An initial thought was that reliance on "internet" might now be a point of vulnerability, given how in recent times it has become a lot more intensively establishment / big-corporate controlled.
Posted by: Cynic | Jan 4 2024 21:10 utc | 97
@ 93
do you not see the writing on yonder wall?
there is no planned working outcome in europa, only survivors. WEF will deem that FEW worthy of breeding. And so it will unfold.
what fun, eh?
Posted by: rubberheid | Jan 4 2024 21:12 utc | 98
Micron | Jan 4 2024 14:32 utc | 29
"In the current context the military and SBU do not face such a threat."
I’m wondering, why doesn’t Russia take out those SBU offices all across the country? And while they’re at it, they could destroy recruitment offices as well. That way, they would show they still have a heart for ordinary Ukrainians.
---
Mike R | Jan 4 2024 16:28 utc | 51
“Maidan worked because the country was not locked down as it is now.“
Good point. In hindsight, it’s remarkable how easily the government and security apparatus was simply swept away.
Posted by: Scotch Bingeington | Jan 4 2024 21:16 utc | 99
Canuck: The first thing printed, in the West (the East had movable type previous to the West), was the Gutenberg bible. (1)
Exactly. Propaganda.
Posted by: nwwoods | Jan 4 2024 21:18 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
In the link below
https://t.me/Slavyangrad/82707
Posted by: Down South | Jan 4 2024 10:49 utc | 1