@1 – that’s also why it will never pass the House.
Johnson again re-iterated that he won’t bring it to the floor.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Feb 14 2024 16:50 utc | 4

Engineer-John | Feb 14 2024 16:38 utc | 3
There seems to have been a style manual handed out to all UK journalists, in which it is made clear that the conflict MUST be described as either “Russia’s full scale invasion” or “Putin’s full scale invasion”.
The adjectives “unprovoked” and “brutal” may be added to taste.

Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Feb 14 2024 17:11 utc | 6

Btw, without going all shadowbanned, they really must do something about these drone boats, while they still have vessels on the Black Sea. No good having a fleet base without a fleet.
So far Russia has managed to match each technological innovation of the NATO powers, but this one seems to be harder to tackle than most. To lose one ship is a misfortune, three(?) starts to look careless.
Don’t have a clue what the answer is – more radar planes or radar drones, though of course they become targets in themselves? Do they have underwater detection systems?
I’m not saying this’ll affect the inevitable outcome, but it’s not good.
I remember a year or so back a Russian drone boat hit a bridge not far from the Romanian border. What countermeasures did NATO forces take, I wonder? Definitely need to strike back.

Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Feb 14 2024 17:22 utc | 8

Read that the US Congress critters set a trap for Trump.
The latest bill going thru Congress to continue funding Ukronazis and ongoing slaughter of Ukrainians
has a date in it. Funding is to continue well into Trump’s (or whoever) next term. It is in the funding bill.
They attempted to impeach Trump before when he interrupted funding to Ukraine that Congress had allocated.
Whoever is next Prez has hurdle to jump if he/she wants to negotiate peace in Ukraine.
Posted by: librul | Feb 14 2024 16:23 utc | 1
And for some reason this passes as “democracy.”

Posted by: Tichy | Feb 14 2024 17:28 utc | 10

Ghost of Zanon | Feb 14 2024 17:26 utc | 9
“What about shooting down NATO drones over the Black Sea?”
That would be the shadowbanned solution – but might the reaction start WW3?
The drones are imho in international airspace.

Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Feb 14 2024 17:36 utc | 12

Tichy @11
You are right. Some of his posts are useful. The problem, which he shares with one or two (hundred) other posters is that he tends to be obsessive. He seems to believe that the way to get people to agree with an opinion they have rejected is to repeat it, preferably in even starker terms. Persuasion is an art.

Posted by: bevin | Feb 14 2024 17:39 utc | 14

Now, Tichy, I disagree: it is having an effect on the West’s standing in the world which, given the enormous dividends it has collected from its ‘soft power’ is critical to its policies. If all that is left to the Empire is its capacity for ultra-violence it begins to lose that- gradually, then all at once.
And that is what is happening- the UNSC is staring to look like a moral desert with the US and its zombie like satraps, the living corpses of once great powers, and its clients, their mouths stuffed with dollar bills, on one side and a disdainful world on the other.

Posted by: bevin | Feb 14 2024 17:47 utc | 16

As long as I’m early, a comment on a general theme here that Europe is an economic basket caste to be followed soon by US. While I share the anti imperialist sentiment, it’s no use being delusional. The Dax and cac40 are up a little for the year and since prepandemic. The FTSE is off about 5%. Normalized interest rates have helped all the markets including US. While general overtaking by BRICS may be inevitable, there’s no evidence this is 1929. Good luck to all at bar!

Posted by: Mbartv | Feb 14 2024 17:50 utc | 18

⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚔️ Front #Summary for 14 Feb 2024 by 19:30⚡️
🔹In #Kherson Direction, ours report from the field that for quite some time now the entire AFU operation in #Krynki has been led by AFU sergeants, while there are no officers on the left bank. This is probably wrong from the point of view of classical military theory, but if we abstract from the number of losses and the poor outlook of the whole operation, they seem to be coping and holding on.
🔹In #Zaporozhye Direction, there were oncoming battles in the west of #Rabotino; ours tried to counterattack from #Novoprokopovka, without success.
🔹In #SouthDonetsk Direction, our forces advanced in the eastern part of #Novomikhaylovka up to 0.8km wide and up to 0.5km deep. Yesterday our military expanded the bridgehead at #Pobeda, and today ours attacked with armoured vehicles and hit a concentration of AFU infantry, disrupting preparations for a counterattack.
🔹In #Donetsk Direction, our army reached Industrial Avenue and cut off the Coke Plant from the rest of #Avdeyevka. Further ours extended the zone of control. To the west – to the Brevno Restaurant and to the east – to the Railway Station. Our groups on the eastern flank have broken through from #Kamenka and are rushing to support ours in the center. All relatively convenient AFU supply and evacuation routes are either cut off by ours or under heavy fire. On the southern coverage of #Avdeevka, ours cut off the enemy positions around the Zenit and Cheburashka fortifications. A section of the road connecting them to the Khimik microdistrict has also been taken under control. The AFU tried to counterattack in a number of areas, everywhere to no avail. Our aviation is hitting Khimik with FABs, where are snipers’ and machine gunners’ firing points and UAV launching points in multi-storey buildings.
📌 It is reported that the 3rd Assault Brigade with Azov, came into the Coke Plant area. Probability Syrsky’s idea, to try to hold with this brigade the flanks along the Coke Plant – #Lastochkino – #Severnoye line. And the garrison of Southern #Avdeyevka has probably been ordered to “stand to the end” actually surrounded. Although Ukrainian resources do not lose hope that the personnel can still be withdrawn at night and in the fog.
🔹In #Bakhmut Direction, our army is bypassing the AFU positions in #Ivanovskoye (#Krasnoye). The village itself is in a lowland, so the goal is to take the heights around it and establish fire control. To the north, the AFU on a tank tried to counterattack from Chasov Yar towards our new positions in the Popovsky Forest. A strike by our kamikaze drone foiled the attempt. From the #Bakhmut front, some AFU troops have been moved to #Avdeyevka.
💥 In addition to the attack of sea drones on the landing ship “Caesar Kunikov” near #Crimea (heavily damaged or sunk), the AFU at night tried to attack the peninsula itself with six UAVs, all shot down/intercepted. Another 5 drones were eliminated over various areas.
🎯 Our Aerospace Forces, at night, carried out strikes in the #Kupyansk district and a second one in the #Selidovo area. This town is used as a staging point for the transfer of AFU units to the entire #Donetsk front. Strikes on logistics facilities in #Slavyansk and #Kramatorsk are also reported. The MoD in the summary said that our military destroyed 5 anti-aircraft missile systems over the day. This has not happened for a very long time.

https://t.me/sitreports/22939

Posted by: Down South | Feb 14 2024 17:53 utc | 20

When you read “the Patriot crew switched its radar on for only a few seconds”, please substitute “the Patriot missile battery was connected to the NATO radar network, and received targeting data from NATO so they knew when the plane was overhead”

Posted by: Passerby | Feb 14 2024 18:20 utc | 22

the pessimist | Feb 14 2024 17:51 utc | 19
“I expect that Russia wishes to retain the ability to do it’s own surveillance using international air space which would be jeopardized if it went after the western surveillance assets around the Black sea”
I’m sure if Russia flew Global Hawk equivalents in the same international airspace, they’d be targeted by “Ukrainian” missiles, even if the Ukrainian flags were stuck on straight over the NATO logo.

Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Feb 14 2024 18:25 utc | 24

thepessimist@19….if the drones comms is through Star Link, Russia is also using it in the same area. Smells Musky if you ask me.
Not sure why there are no fast attack boats with these ships capable of engaging surface sea drones……hmm, maybe anti drone depth charges….for sub surface.
Cheers M

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Feb 14 2024 18:32 utc | 26

Borrowed from Russian media. Time is running out, Ukrainian ‘reserves’ for ‘breaking the siege’ are merely ‘rabble from the street’.

Plan to destroy the Ukrainian Armed Forces group in Avdeevka: ultimatum and tank “fist”
The situation in Avdiivka is close to disaster for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. All paved roads into and out of the city are under the fire control of our army. The enemy can transport reserves at his own peril and risk only along dirt roads, through fields from Orlovka. According to reports from the field, units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Avdiivka are waiting for Zelensky’s decision regarding the besieged city, and are no longer hiding their desire to leave their positions.
A number of analysts do not rule out that the enemy may soon be given an ultimatum demanding surrender, which may be followed by an even larger attack if the leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces ignores the proposal to lay down arms.
The general situation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Avdiivka continues to deteriorate, primarily due to logistics violations. Communication routes between the northern and southern fortified areas of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are tightly blocked. The Ukrainian Armed Forces actually admitted the loss of the main asphalt road along which the Avdeevka garrison was supplied. Now the “Western Forces” have to transport ammunition and fuel along dirt roads and through fields. At the same time, above-zero temperatures and rainy weather set in—the front literally drowned in the mud.
The fighting does not stop day or night. They are going behind the station, the clinic, warehouses on Industrial Avenue, the Khimik microdistrict and the private sector in the south… According to our fighters, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will not leave on their own yet.
During the day, the Aerospace Forces launch massive missile and bomb attacks on targets that are still held by the enemy. Over the past 24 hours alone, more than 60 FAB-500 and FAB-1500 glide bombs were fired at Avdeevka.
Information about the transfer of the 3rd assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which until today was at the level of rumors, has finally received confirmation. The arrival of attack aircraft from Zaluzhny’s “golden fund” in Avdeevka was confirmed by radio interceptions, as well as obituaries that began to appear en masse on the Internet. On average, the life of an Ukrainian Armed Forces fighter on the front line is no more than a week.
The transportation of “Azovites” (an organization recognized as terrorist and banned on Russian territory) is carried out in small groups. Most likely, they will replace the 110th brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which was withdrawn from the city for a long time, at night and with heavy losses.
Ukrainian channels note that the confused “Western Security Service” members also do not stop trying to leave Avdiivka without permission. Thus, in just two days the Avdeevka garrison was reduced by 30%.
https://k-politika.ru/plan-po-unichtozheniyu-gruppirovki-vsu-v-avdeevke-ultimatum-i-tankovyj-kulak/?utm_source=warfiles.ru

Posted by: unimperator | Feb 14 2024 18:38 utc | 28

Also, cope cages for ships might be necessary to have a second hull that can be blasted and far enough away to keep the inner one safe. Maybe look for brand new ship designs to incorporate this.

Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Feb 14 2024 18:58 utc | 30

As long as I’m early, a comment on a general theme here that Europe is an economic basket caste to be followed soon by US. While I share the anti imperialist sentiment, it’s no use being delusional. The Dax and cac40 are up a little for the year and since prepandemic. The FTSE is off about 5%. Normalized interest rates have helped all the markets including US. While general overtaking by BRICS may be inevitable, there’s no evidence this is 1929. Good luck to all at bar!
Posted by: Mbartv | Feb 14 2024 17:50 utc | 18

Yeah, sure, because the stock market is such a great indicator of the economic conditions. Likewise, more money printing means better economy. And the fact that the stock market happens to be near the top right next to the money spigot where it flows through means nothing.

Posted by: unimperator | Feb 14 2024 19:00 utc | 32

I’m sure if Russia flew Global Hawk equivalents in the same international airspace, they’d be targeted by “Ukrainian” missiles, even if the Ukrainian flags were stuck on straight over the NATO logo.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Feb 14 2024 18:25 utc | 24

this is the crux of this whole issue. as long as the proxy, ie the ukraine in this case, remains, then nato can use plausible deniability for all escalatory steps as long as they are not shooting from nato countries.

Start sinking NATO ships with UAVs and UUVs of unknown origin. RU in fact has the most advanced such tech — after all, they have the Poseidon, which is the fanciest such tool, it should be trivial for them to churn out a large number of non-nuclear UUVs and start doing real damage to US and UK fleets, with plausible deniability.
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Feb 14 2024 18:35 utc | 27

this is once again where you think wrong. how exactly would this be plausible deniability?
all it takes is for nato to then get some remains of those uav/uuv and determine that it was russia that attacked them. done deal.
plausible deniability would be if some other country or faction would take responsibility for that action. just as nato does with ukraine.
and bombing the whole of the ukrainian coast and shipping, ergo creating a blockade, would be an act of war. so not anymore smo, and now nato could go in for some “humanitarian intervention” or some other bullshit buzzwords they love to use. thus giving nato exactly what it desires.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Feb 14 2024 19:13 utc | 34

Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Feb 14 2024 18:56 utc | 29
Yes, there is no defense yet against stealthy subsurface and underwater drone groups. It has been like this for a while, the black sea fleet is actually on the losing end of the battle. They are losing 2-3 of ships per month nowadays. More than production rate, so replacement is negative.
It is very asymmetrical: a dozen or so drones costing x can affect a loss costing 10x. Or 100x sometimes.
It is also true that the problem is increased via NATO support from international waters. The ultimate solution is to retake the whole coast so that any attack will be obviously from NATO waters.
If there is any consolation, any navy will have the same problem.
I am sure the RF navy staff is on the case but the question is if they can solve it before losses accumulate so much that the black sea fleet becomes ineffective and they lose the dominance there.
One solution will be kamikaze defensive drone swarms but I somehow doubt if this solves it as stealth/sneakiness seems to be the issue. I think it is a sensing issue, detecting them with good probability.

Posted by: alek_a | Feb 14 2024 19:21 utc | 36

One by one the US (not Ukraine!) is picking off Russia’s once much vaunted Black Sea fleet, The US is having a field day at no cost to itself. One can only imagine the cheers and high-fives all around today.
And remember the A-50 loss a few weeks ago. Ouch!
And more celebrations will be held in the US stock markets today and probably all week.

Posted by: Bye-bye Russia | Feb 14 2024 19:30 utc | 38

This one I didn’t know about:
https://twitter.com/vicktop55/status/1757798409992278095

The Civil War in Ukraine. Zelensky’s adviser Podolyak admitted that his brother lives in Russia. Please note that he speaks in pure Russian, which is his native language.
The adviser to the President’s Office was asked to comment on the statement by former Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alfred Koch that his brother, who “served in the FSB,” lives in Moscow.
Podolyak said that his family members made decisions about their place of residence back in Soviet times, and also that he does not communicate with some of his relatives.
“I don’t know about the KGB, the FSB and so on, of course not. If a person is 60 years old, I’m 51, should I be responsible for other people? People in the Soviet Union chose to live in another country and I don’t communicate with people, so I have to be responsible for them?” said Podolyak.
Russian media previously wrote that Podolyak’s brother (born in 1965), Vladimir, is the current colonel of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian Federation (Russian military intelligence). Podolyak commented on this back in June 2021 in an interview with Glavkom and stated that his brother “has long been an ordinary military pensioner.”

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Feb 14 2024 19:32 utc | 40

Germany’s “defense” against the eastern hordes took a new step with Christian Lindner’s proposal to arm nukular, him being quoted on public screens.
Now FAZ explained to me that Mr. Lindner, currently the Bundesregierung Finanzminister, wants to position himself for the upcoming Bundestagswahl elections against Sergeant Scholz.
I’ll believe them. Yet the remarkable sentence is the last: who else are you going to count on, as la France will not agree to shared command, and after brexit — ??

Posted by: persiflo | Feb 14 2024 19:36 utc | 42

The way I understand it, if the Russians double-tapped the first responders and/or hit the hospital full of wounded, those would be war crimes.
That is typical of US tactics, but I hadn’t seen Russia do that before.

Posted by: wagelaborer | Feb 14 2024 19:41 utc | 44

The drone hitting Russian ships come from the UK. But the UK is not “directly responsible”.
It will be the same if a UK ship is sunk in the middle of the Atlantic. Prove that it was the Russians that did it. Or don’t bother and go to war directly.
Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Feb 14 2024 19:32 utc | 39

yes, we all know that the drones are british and only re-assembled or whatever in the ukraine, but this is the crucial part. ukraine takes the responsibility, and thus the british have plausible deniability.
“it was not us, the ukrainians already admitted it!”
in your scenario there is no “middleman”. and no plausible deniability.
“oh we didnt do it”- “well we found the remnants build by you” – “oh prove it!” – “okay, give us access to factory x that made them!” – “we wont do this” – “this is an admission that you did it!”
and thus they can spin it that it is russia that attacked nato assets in international waters.
now if ansar allah (houtis) would get some of those russian made drones and sink one of the british agressor ships in the red sea, then there would be plausible deniability.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Feb 14 2024 19:50 utc | 46

Russia’s core inflation keeps on rising.
https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/core-inflation-rate
Well done Elvira Nabiullina. Start cutting rates you fool.

Posted by: Echo Chamber | Feb 14 2024 19:56 utc | 48

CBC in Canada has a 10 min video about the un-interceptable Zircon missile that was allegedly used in an attack on Kiev. See:
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2309011523529
(Be warned that the link is to a media player that includes interminable advertising.)

Posted by: N Hanrahan | Feb 14 2024 19:58 utc | 50

plausible deniability would be if some other country or faction would take responsibility for that action. just as nato does with ukraine.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Feb 14 2024 19:13 utc | 34
By the way, has anyone taken responsibility for the Nordstream bombing?
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sweden-ends-investigation-into-nord-stream-pipeline-blasts-2024-02-07/

Posted by: Tichy | Feb 14 2024 20:03 utc | 52

The entire Russian Black Sea Fleet is targeted and any time Russia has any sort of success on the battlefield or a spectacular hit such as yesterday in Selidovo, the command is given by the US to sink another ship.
The bad news for Ukraine is twisted into non-news and suppressed until another Russian ship is sunk by the US and that newer news is wildly exploited for days.
It’s obviously not just the Black Sea Fleet that is targeted (as already mentioned, the A-50 for example, or the Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevestapol). The US can destroy any valuable Russian target at will with no consequences whatsoever. I wonder if the US has gone so far as to send Russia a list of such targets promising that each one will be destroyed as Russia escalates or wins on the battlefield. The US is mocking Russia and brilliantly using the Ukraine as cover.
It must be brutally difficult for Russia to maintain a stoic stance. All part of the psych war being waged.

Posted by: Bye-bye Russia | Feb 14 2024 20:10 utc | 54

“What about shooting down NATO drones over the Black Sea?”
That would be the shadowbanned solution – but might the reaction start WW3?
The drones are imho in international airspace.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Feb 14 2024 17:36 utc | 12
1) Yes, it might start WWIII.
2) Everybody knows that if you fire a missile from a ship in international waters at another nation, it’s an act of war. The west wants to provide that providing the weapons and guidance from ‘outside’ the country makes it okay under international law to participate in acts of war. It does not.
3) It’s quite clear that US/NATO forces are operating weapons systems on the ground in Ukraine to kill Russians. This makes them co-belligerents. Putin knows this, of course, but elects not to start WWIII over that, either. Because he’s winning. Don’t start WWIII when you’re winning the regional war.

Posted by: Honzo | Feb 14 2024 20:11 utc | 56

A ship here a ship there, now it’s routine, USA is working up to hitting the modern powerful missile ships and subs I’m sure, as long as it’s done through the UKR proxy the USA can get away with it. Wars with Russia over the centuries have always been over ownership of the Black Sea.
People comment the old ships were expendable, maybe, but the crews were not, last two ships that went down went down fast, hard to judge from the vid as it’s edited, could be 20min could be an hour but I doubt the filming drone had infinite power to loiter. The pervious ship was small with big holes and went right down, this one was a transport so, like a ferry, open w/o compartments and bulkheads. I really doubt all the crew was saved on either ship, it’s probably very bad and Russia is saying little, judge for yourself at the end how fast it rolls over.
https://t.me/TXDPR/12257
My guess is Russia is getting ready for the confrontation with NATO, it’s buying time and for China, DPRK, and Iran. For itself it needs to first concentrate on taking the Donbas, consolidate and build strong defense there, after that it can escalate. Peace is not an option anywhere. If Ukraine implodes it will be like a tree falling in the forest with no one to hear it, USA NATO will simply ignore the crash, kludge together something like Libya and continue pouring in money, men, and weapons for years. The only victory Russia will have is when it defeats NATO.
BTW this is the second transport I believe, I don’t think they were targets of opportunity, these ship would have been important for the MoD if the Crimea Bridge is taken out, and be useful too if Odessa is ever sieged. USA is also honing their skills, old ships are the appetizer, before they start on the main course, the missile ships.
As I said before, Pentagon, UK, NATO are in wargasm mode, they are not going to settle for blue balls, killing and destroying is their reason to live, after 78ys they are unleashed. They’ll rip anyone’s face off who tries to put them back in the cage.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Feb 14 2024 20:15 utc | 58

Also, cope cages for ships might be necessary to have a second hull that can be blasted and far enough away to keep the inner one safe. Maybe look for brand new ship designs to incorporate this.
Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Feb 14 2024 18:58 utc | 30
Torpedo nets are ancient technology, but with greater explosive load of a surface drone, they must be put further from the ship than is practical. What is practical, however, are barriers rigged to buoys or small boats. For a navy moving to attack, it’s not practical, but in a defensive posture close to home it could be done.

Posted by: Honzo | Feb 14 2024 20:22 utc | 60

BTW this is the second transport I believe, I don’t think they were targets of opportunity, these ship would have been important for the MoD if the Crimea Bridge is taken out, and be useful too if Odessa is ever sieged. USA is also honing their skills, old ships are the appetizer, before they start on the main course, the missile ships.
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Feb 14 2024 20:15 utc | 58

The US strategy is very sound. At no cost to itself, none!
The noose tightens.

Posted by: Bye-bye Russia | Feb 14 2024 20:26 utc | 62

just read this on aviapro, there was an planed assasination attempt by ukrainians on macron that was planned for that cancelled visit of macron to kiev. this was allegedly shown by france24.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Feb 14 2024 20:33 utc | 64

Regarding “double-tapping”, as referred to at the bar. I’m far from expert or even well informed, but I think it’s important to distinguish the difference between striking an ambulance, or attacking a medic with their patient, and reattacking an enemy position that already has wounded in it.
An obvious example would be that if you hit a tank, and the driver was applying first aid to a crewman, the tank doesn’t suddenly become illegal to target. Neither would a truck full of soldiers that took some fragmentary damage, and stopped to do a repair and allow the wounded to be treated.
This is related to why medics wear the red cross, and so do ambulances. A medic shouldn’t be shot, but an infantrymen applying pressure to his buddy’s wound would be.
So I think it plausible to apply that logic to dropping bombs. If you hit an area really bad, you shouldn’t come back and target any ambulances, nor should the drones fire on medics. But a bombing initiative can fairly be said to not be concluded until all the combatants were turned into casualties.
It is perhaps a moral quagmire, given that those who are getting bombed can’t surrender, but this particular war has already traveled far down the road of playing for keeps, and with loads of dead and wounded from both sides to confirm that reality.

Posted by: Babel-17 | Feb 14 2024 20:36 utc | 66

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9TOgYrMXLA
An interview with Steve Sweeney about The Donetsk Declaration, do you know where you can find it?

Posted by: Northern Eve | Feb 14 2024 20:40 utc | 68

Echo Chamber | Feb 14 2024 19:56 utc | 48–
Bullshit! From Putin’s meeting on economic issues on the 12th:
“Of course, special attention should be paid to inflation, its containment. At the end of January, it was 7.2 percent of the annual Expression. Of course, we know that at the end of last year, consumer Prices rose by 7.4 percent, that is, there was a decrease in inflation. I would like to note the joint actions of the Government and the Bank of Russia.”
Here’s what followed in that brief transcript as it appears the broader economic discussion merited classification:

At the same time, against the backdrop of an increase in the key rate The Central Bank – of course, this was a predictable phenomenon – slowed down and lending. Thus, in January, the loan portfolio of legal entities decreased by 0.2 per cent, while the number of individuals, on the contrary, decreased insignificantly added the same 0.2 percent. I know that my colleagues are closely monitoring these parameters. Of course, we will talk about this today.
The parameters I mentioned, of course, affect the growth rate of our economy both in the short term and in the short term. and in the long run. There are some disadvantages to this, And the pros in everything – I won’t go into details now, We are well aware of this. To reiterate, it is extremely important to endure balance between the objectives of development, increasing investment and lending, maintaining employment and ensuring price stability.
I would also like to note that in the coming years, Taking into account the challenges facing the Russian and We need a proactive, stimulating a policy that will allow us to unleash the industrial, agrarian, transport, high-tech potential of Russia and to create, modernize production facilities with modern, well-paid workers in all regions of the Russian Federation.
Now the work on the Socio-Economic Action Plan for the next six years. That Among other things, it will cover such key areas as investment support, Ensuring technological sovereignty, renewal and construction infrastructure, integrated development of settlements, and much more other. At the same time, our main task, our absolute priority is improving the incomes and quality of life of citizens, as well as the well-being of Russian families.
I would like to reiterate that in the implementation of all It is important to maintain the sustainability of public finances, adhere to the same principles of ensuring macroeconomic stability, as in previous years, which, in fact, allowed us to It is so worthy to pass today’s trials. I ask my colleagues to proceed for these basic reasons.

We can get an idea of what was discussed from the agenda Putin outlined at the meeting’s start:
“Today, as agreed, we will discuss The Situation in the Domestic Economy: Let’s Discuss the Results last year, current trends in key industries and, of course, we will talk about on further plans to strengthen industry, the financial sector, foreign trade and the economy as a whole. Moreover, I propose to focus on the immediate tasks and on the work for the future – in the horizon up to 2030.”
Those of us keeping pace with the many meetings dealing with Russia’s development have an idea of Russia’s fiscal ability to accomplish the tasks it’s setting for itself. The riff on science continues as Putin today participated in two major events and toured a new facility in Moscow, the “Scientific and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, where he got acquainted with the work of the reference center for radiation Diagnostics.” There’s not much text, but the accompanying photos show a top-notch facility.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 14 2024 20:44 utc | 70

Posted by: Thomas | Feb 14 2024 17:02 utc | 5
I just saw that Aleks dropped an analysis about the Putin/Carlson interview.
Very interesting. Especially, the part about what denazification means…
https://bmanalysis.substack.com/p/vladimir-putin-and-tucker-carlson’
There are two very interesting things about that comment:
Aleks: ‘What was done in Chechnya from 1999 until 2010 is something that I can’t write about here because I would be afraid of getting into conflict with some laws.’
Aleks here is referring to the 15-year prison sentence that could await him in his home country for criticism of the Russian armed forces. The reason why he is so coy is because if he told the truth about Chechnya he would be in big trouble with the Russian authorities.
This is in marked contrast to the west, where the likes of our host have much more latitude to speak their minds. And Tucker can go to Moscow.
Aleks: ‘The reality [of ‘denazification] is slightly… different… And it is certainly in violation of… I will stop here.’
He means that the Russians engaged in a variety of atrocities, from execution of civilians to arson and rape. These atrocities were signed off by Putin, who of course kept his own dainty hands clean.
That’s why the Ukrainians fight. Like the Chechens, the Ukrainians have suffered Russian bombings and atrocities, so they know that if they surrender, Putin’s dainty hands will once again be drenched in blood.

Posted by: Mr B | Feb 14 2024 20:51 utc | 72

@ karlof1 | Feb 14 2024 20:44 utc | 69 showing Echo Chamber to be the vomitorium of economic lies and obfuscation.
Thanks for that Karl. I never read their BS anymore but do read your comments.
I am now saying the global shit show is going to come to a head in 6 weeks…..I am a dreamer but I am not the only one.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 14 2024 20:52 utc | 74

My guess is Russia is getting ready for the confrontation with NATO, it’s buying time and for China, DPRK, and Iran.
Posted by: Tichy | Feb 14 2024 20:39 utc | 66
The British alone, through their involvement in sinking russian ships, have created a situation for which, sooner or later, there will be Russian retaliation. Sad for the British, who couldn’t choose their rulers any more than we could – but really fine for Great Britain.

Posted by: Oliver Krug | Feb 14 2024 20:59 utc | 76

@ UWDude | Feb 14 2024 21:01 utc | 76 who needs to be reminded this is an all ages bar and you must include the /s tag at the end of what seems to you to be an obvious sarcastic response to something because there are those among us incapable of nuance.
Thanks, and a beverage for you please barkeep

Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 14 2024 21:06 utc | 78

Pepe Escobar’s been in Donbass for the last several says and his first report’s been published, “Pepe Escobar: Life During Wartime – On the Road in Donbass”. Some barflies have followed his exploits on his Telegram particularly the photos he’s posted. The report is long and contains some of the mentioned photos, and it begins with a poem that’s very appropriate. Here’s a short excerpt from its beginning:

There are between 28 and 30 Orthodox Christian battalion fighting in Donbass. That’s the power of Orthodox Christianity. To see them at work is to understand the essentials: how the Russian soul is capable of any sacrifice to protect the core values of its civilization. Throughout Russian history, it’s individuals that sacrifice their lives to protect the community – and not vice-versa. Those who survived – or perished – in the siege of Leningrad are only one among countless examples.
So the Orthodox Christian battalion were my guardian angels as I returned to Novorossiya to revisit the rich black soil where the old “rules-based” world order came to die.

It’s clear why the Outlaw US Empire via its Ukie proxy wages war on the Orthodox Church, although that part of the conflict doesn’t get discussed much here. Orthodoxy is very much like The Force that provides spiritual strength for all Russian believers–If you believe, you are able to do things you wouldn’t attempt if you didn’t. Meanwhile, the Ukies have made it very clear that God isn’t on their side by destroying Orthodoxy–Imagine how that affects soldiers and public alike.
I find it important that those of the Deep State seem to be quite obviously godless as their Neoliberalism destroys society in a manner no God would ever allow–not even Yahweh. One very powerful Cold War propaganda narrative labeled Communists as Godless and thus anti-human. IMO, that same narrative point can be turned around and used against the Deep State and would find millions of followers globally.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 14 2024 21:09 utc | 80

There is another option regarding the ship, I thought it strange after I found out it wasn’t even moving, wasn’t heading anywhere, and as Russia knows how vulnerable its ships are using it to move tanks and trucks would be stupid. So, why an old lightly armored empty transport, at sea but not moving, at night all lit up, left in known drone territory (Yalta)? It was recently fixed up, an investment, best would be to park it with the rest of the fleet on the far side of the Black Sea where it could come in handy if the Kerch Bridge is taken out?
It’s not impossible it was bait with a skeleton crew on board, it had been quickly re-floated for just that reason. Then I read this post on TG. Ultimately, I think it’s unlikely, a big ship is a lot of money to use as bait, most likely Russian Navy quickly re-floated it and set it at sea to show they are uncowed, military dick waving.
Looking incompetent to build support is an odd strategy, but, who knows – “Remember the Maine!”
About that “space threat” from Russia – would be funny if we see some US / NATO drones disappear from the radar over the Black Sea soon – they had a lot of time to learn about NATO capabilities during the attacks on Crimea and the Fleet – and the rhetoric on Russian TG is pretty agressive against Russian MoD now after another Landing Ship was sunk. So all are prepared – the Russian people want it – the Russian Forces need it – and NATO provoked it. Perfect setup – including that drama in USA about “The National Security Threat”
https://t.me/geromanat/19905

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Feb 14 2024 21:16 utc | 82

kupkee | Feb 14 2024 20:46 utc | 70
On Crimea bridge they use smoke and something like nets. Nato msm showed detailed photos. I guess smoke costs more than the ships so they don’t use anything for protection in Crimea. Just the guy with the ship cannon and good vision. After all, medieval is the theme.
But it’s still not a confirmed event. So far, it’s as real as the big big huge huge Russian strikes on barracks in Salidovo. But depending on the church, some believe one or another very strongly. Or that either of them, if true, will have any effect outside soldier’s family.
In other news, I liked this one: “The only thing that can be regretted is that Russia did not start active operations in Ukraine earlier” – Putin.

Posted by: rk | Feb 14 2024 21:22 utc | 84

That’s why the Ukrainians fight. Like the Chechens, the Ukrainians have suffered Russian bombings and atrocities, so they know that if they surrender, Putin’s dainty hands will once again be drenched in blood.
Posted by: Mr B | Feb 14 2024 20:51 utc | 71

What atrocities, FFS?
We weren’t born yesterday, we were all consciously alive when Kherson was taken without a fight and when Melitopol was taken largely without a fight too. Same in the Kupyansk area in 2022.
Where were the “bombings and atrocities” in those areas? There were none, and there still are none in Melitopol. But there is a lot of investment into infrastructure, higher pensions and other benefits, Ukrainian is still an official language (as it has been in Crimea since 2014), etc, and unlike Russian in Ukraine (even though nobody speaks Ukrainian natively in the now Russian areas and most people are native Russian speakers almost everywhere in Ukraine). Where’s the genocide exactly?
And really, how absurd is it to talk about Russians committing a genocide against Ukrainians when pretty much nobody east of Zhytomyr is actually an Ukrainian, they are all ethnic Russians, and, most importantly, this is how Russians see it too. Who would do a genocide against themselves?
The Chechens on the other hand have real and entirely justified beef with the Russians going back to the 19th century. Chechens are not Slavs, and not even Indo-Europeans. And the one time in its history when Russia did commit real atrocities was in the mid-19th century in the North Caucasus region. What was done to the Circiassians was an outright genocide, and the Chechens got it nearly as bad too (at least they were not actually removed from the land at that time; Circassians were expelled to Turkey). Generally, eastern empires are not settler colonialist but accommodating to diversity, as long as you don’t rebel. It has been that way for millennia, and it’s why China has a hundred different ethnic groups in it today, despite Han being dominant, why the USSR had over 200, and modern Russia still has most of them, why Iran is successfully multiethnic (just as Persia had been for 2500 years), etc. The problem as that in the mid-19th century there was the geopolitical imperative to move the border beyond the mountains, but the mountain people resisted, and the Russians, at their imperial peak at the time, borrowed from the Anglo-Saxons and burned villages and massacred civilians on a large scale to suppress resistance, something that they have otherwise very rarely done.
The animosity between the Chechens and Russians dates back to that time. Then Stalin had them deported after the Germans were pushed out of the region because some of them allied with the Nazis, and they only returned in the late 1950s, only to find Russians have moved into their homes and lands, which didn’t help with generating goodwill at all. And then there were the 1990s, though that was actively instigated by the Americans.
No other group has more real grievances against Russia than the Chechens, and yet they realized they were being used by outsiders, that the past should stay in the past, and that they are in fact better off being allies with Russia and reaping the benefits.
But the Ukrainians? It is all made up mythology and propaganda about both the more distant past and the events of the last couple years.

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Feb 14 2024 21:28 utc | 86

“64 hypersonic Zircon missiles with a nuclear warhead could permanently close the UK project”
Russian response to UK fantasies of nuking Moscow.
https://en.topwar.ru/235883-64-giperzvukovye-rakety-cirkon-s-jadernoj-boevoj-chastju-mogut-navsegda-zakryt-proekt-velikobritanija.html

Posted by: unimperator | Feb 14 2024 21:32 utc | 88

Putin says it is good Western leaders have seen his interview with Carlson
“MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said it is a good fact that Western leaders have watched his interview and thanked journalist Tucker Carlson for being a mediator in communication.
“It’s good that they watch and listen to what I say. If we cannot be engaged in a direct dialogue now for some reasons associated with them, we should be grateful to Mr. Carlson for being able to do so through him as a mediator. That is why it is good that they listen or watch,” Putin said in an interview with Pavel Zarubin, a journalist for the Rossiya-1 television channel.”
TASS
…
US to show its true nature if Carlson is arrested, says Putin
“MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. The US authorities will show their true face of a “liberal-democratic dictatorship” in case journalist Tucker Carlson is prosecuted, President Vladimir Putin opined in an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin uploaded to the Kremlin’s Telegram channel.
“From the point of view of Carlson himself it would be sad, I don’t envy him, but it’s his choice, he knew what he was going for. But from the point of view of making people around the world realize what a modern liberal-democratic dictatorship is, which is vividly represented in today’s US ruling class, it would probably be a good thing. They would then show their true face,” Putin said when asked whether he admitted the possibility of Carlson being arrested in the US for interviewing him.”
TASS

Posted by: chop | Feb 14 2024 21:39 utc | 90

“64 hypersonic Zircon missiles with a nuclear warhead could permanently close the UK project”
Russian response to UK fantasies of nuking Moscow.
https://en.topwar.ru/235883-64-giperzvukovye-rakety-cirkon-s-jadernoj-boevoj-chastju-mogut-navsegda-zakryt-proekt-velikobritanija.html
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 14 2024 21:32 utc | 87

Funny how ever since the doomsday clock scientists back in January were convinced (purely for propaganda reasons, avoiding panic, etc.) not to nudge the doomsday clock from the 90 seconds level where it’s been for two years, the nuclear war rhetoric has ramped right up with new US nuclear missiles being deployed to the UK, etc.
The claim for not nudging was “…because we are making progress and the situation is beginning to improve…”
The propaganda machine is almighty and will not be denied until we are incinerated.

Posted by: Bye-bye Russia | Feb 14 2024 21:50 utc | 92

An interesting point on above article is that – given 2 submarines carrying 64 Kinzhal missiles could destroy the UK nuclear assets, intelligence and government and other critical locations without any US or UK early recon assets even seeing the strike occurs. Clyde naval base and all UK bombers and airfields would be destroyed. And it is not at all given that US would react to this sort of strike.
Arguably, there might be a window of attack on UK, when the crews of all 4 UK SSBNs happen to be on an LGBTQ strike, while US is having its own internal problems with an effectively half-brain dead president.
UK will never see it coming and there is a decent chance US might not even respond.

Posted by: unimperator | Feb 14 2024 21:52 utc | 94

Someone doesn’t get it. Why did the Soviet Union and Russia today need aircraft carriers? Their only purpose after WW2 is gunboat diplomacy, which, to their credit, to the USSR didn’t and the RF doesn’t do. Their aircraft carrier was built by the Soviets to parade their snazz as a super power. Putin’s RF saw no point in building “floating coffins” as Larry Wilkerson tagged them and moth balled their old one. What the RF is building is a whole ton of light fast expendable missile frigates, ships that put the “coffin” in “floating coffin”.
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Feb 14 2024 21:42 utc | 90>/blockquote>
If that’s the case I’m not sure why Russia is bothering to hang on to even the one. Dismantle it already.
Russian floating coffins are sinking in the Black Sea right now! Maybe scrap the whole lot.

Posted by: Bye-bye Russia | Feb 14 2024 21:59 utc | 96

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 14 2024 21:09 utc | 79
Yep… and the Catholic Church is no saint in this battle. (Polish/ Catholic connection in Northwest Ukraine.) You also have a class struggle that’s been going on for years. The hobnobbing uppies “Ukies” from the north (Galicia) still living their Austria/Hungary empire dream, covered in “bling bling” looking pretty for the cameras. The Donbass Ukrainian to them, the “working class..the “scum” always looked down upon by the north.

Posted by: heavymetal101 | Feb 14 2024 22:01 utc | 98

This is really worth the 40USd a year-an excellent daily summary:
https://askeptic.substack.com/p/war-reports-2024-02-14
Remember to support Moon, Larry, Andrei, Brian, Caitlin, Simp, Sheerpost, Consortium, Grayzone, Intercept, Alaister Crooke, Mintpress and all the rest.

Posted by: Paul from Norway | Feb 14 2024 22:15 utc | 100