Ukraine - The Power Scuffle Continues
The scuffle in Kiev over replacing the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine General Valeri Zaluzny continues.
CNN reports that he will be fired within the next 48 hours.
Zelensky set to announce dismissal of Ukraine’s top commander within days as rift grows over war, source says - CNN, Jan 31, 2024
This will not go down well with the electorate and, moreover, with the soldiers of the Ukrainian forces:
A poll published by the Kyiv Institute of Sociology in December found 88% of Ukrainians supported the top general. Zelensky’s approval rating, though also high, was considerably lower at 62%.
Or, as the Washington Post provides:
It is far from clear that any new commander will be able to improve Ukraine’s difficult situation on the battlefield without significantly more forces and weapons — precisely what Zaluzhny has demanded of Zelensky, adding tension to what was already a fraying relationship.Zaluzhny’s popularity — both within the military and among ordinary citizens — makes his removal a political gamble for Zelensky. It also poses strategic risks at a time when Russia has intensified its attacks and Western security assistance for Kyiv has slowed. The general has built strong rapport with his Western counterparts and has often been able to advocate directly for certain materiel and seek counsel on battlefield strategy.
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Both Budanov and Syrsky are considered favorites of Zelensky and Andriy Yermak, the chief of the presidential office and Zelensky’s closest adviser. Nearer the front, however, there seems to be little appetite for change.“My personal opinion is you can’t do something like this right now — Zaluzhny is someone 80 percent of the military considers a good authority,” said Oleksandr, a battalion commander fighting in eastern Ukraine.
“For what is he being removed? It’s not clear. And who will replace him? Syrsky? God, I hope not. No one in the army likes Syrsky,” Oleksandr added.
The German boulevard broadsheet Bild names one of the plausible reasons for the current conflict:
The Bild publication writes that Zaluzhny wanted to withdraw troops from Avdiivka a few weeks ago, but Zelensky refused him this and on December 30 he personally went to the city to the front line to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces fighters.So all the coffins that arrived from near Avdeevka to Ukraine since December 30 are solely on the conscience of Zelensky and his passion for narcissism.
Avdeevka is nearly surrounded and any attempts to hold onto it will cost many valuable lives of soldiers for no discernible advantage. But, just like with Bakhmut, Zelenski wants to hold on to the city to be be able point his western sponsors to some 'successes'.
My hunch is that, after Monday's kerfuffle in Kiev, the decision to fire Zaluzny was still hanging in balance.
The change now only happened after the noeconservative destroyer of Ukraine, Victoria Nuland, had landed in Kiev.
She made some awkward predictions:
When asked by a journalist whether Nuland had learned about Kyiv's plans on the battlefield, she replied that, in her opinion, Ukraine would achieve great success."I have to say that I leave Kyiv tonight more encouraged about the unity and the resolve, about 2024 and its absolute strategic importance for Ukraine. I also leave more confident that, even as Ukraine strengthens its defenses, Mr. Putin is going to get some nice surprises on the battlefield and that Ukraine will make some very strong success," the U.S. Under Secretary of State emphasized.
This hint does not foresee success on the ground but asymmetric operations within Russia or the Black Sea. More to the like of this which has happen last night:
Ukraine sinks Russian ship.During a night attack by drones in the Donuzlav area, the Black Sea Fleet lost the Ivanovets MRK, built in 1989, 493 tons of displacement, armed with Moskit missiles.
Sinking that ship will do nothing to change the outcome at the battlefront. Nor would any attacks on Russia oil and gas infrastructure change anything.
Nuland's remark also hints that the replacement of General Zaluzny will not come in the form of Army General Alexander Syrski, who is disliked by the troops for unsuccessfully holding grounds in Bakhmut and elsewhere at too high costs in men and material.
Nuland's hint towards asymmetric operations points to the elevation of the Chief of Military Intelligence Directorate Major-General Kyrylo Budanov as a incoming replacement for Zaluzny.
Budanov has been responsible for some daring, if mostly unsuccessful, terror attacks on Russian land and interests.
Back in June 2023 the Economist explained why Zelenski might seek to elevate Bundanov:
Aides huddle close when the general speaks. Under his leadership, Ukraine’s main directorate of intelligence—HUR—has become a plucky, autonomous authority that punches above its weight. It resembles a gang. “Before we had managers, now we have a leader,” says one veteran officer. Oleg, an operative who has known General Budanov for decades, speaks approvingly of his ability to infect others with his fervour, comparing him to a snake “hypnotising you before he comes in for the kill. Restrained, measured, never panicked. You do anything he asks.”
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As a confidant of the president—those in government call them kindred spirits—General Budanov is understood to be playing an ever-bigger role in behind-the-scenes peace negotiations. Sources say he is a conduit to secret talks with the Chinese, and he has also been in contact with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s mercenary Wagner outfit.In conversation it is clear that General Budanov has been thinking hard about post-war Ukraine. Last winter there was talk of him becoming defence minister. He insists his only ambition is victory. Yet secret polls conducted by Mr Zelensky’s office show they are thinking about using the cult of their hero spymaster to counterbalance a perceived rivalry emanating from Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s likeable and independent commander-in-chief. General Budanov’s colleagues say they are convinced he is destined for a big political role once peace comes—if he lives that long.
To the TV producers (Yermak) around the former comedian actor Zelenski it is all about ratings.
Budanov may be good at marketing his image as a successful terrorist.
But he has zero experience of leading any size of unit in combat. You can not lead a company, battalion, brigade or army by 'huddling close' with aides. It needs long term strategic thinking just as detailed attention to all kinds of day to day logistics.
Leading an army is like conducting a huge orchestra through a four year long Wagner epos. Having played the first fiddle in a chamber quartet does not qualify for that.
I am sure that U.S. military is not happy about this move. While there were some disagreements with Zaluzny about the right strategies those were between military professional who allowed for diverting opinions. Zaluzny was seen as an experienced professional soldier. Budanov is seen as a spook who had never been in command of any real military. He well not be talked to at the same level.
When Zaluzny goes the experienced people in his staff are likely to follow:
According to one source, Zaluzhnyi’s senior staff are also expected to be removed from their positions.
With the new inexperienced leadership the situation on the ground will soon become a catastrophic mess for forces of Ukraine. There will be wrong priorities, miss-allocations of resources and large scale losses of men and ground.
On the other side terror attacks on Russian targets, industrial equipment as well as population centers, are likely to sharply increase.
The larger U.S. aim of all this, first announced as a 2019 RAND study, is still unchanged:
Overextending and Unbalancing Russia - RAND, 2019
The study at that time recommended the arming of Ukrainian's army as the best way to unbalance Russia. We have since seen the escalation of that strategy. The move from the battlefield to the realm of terror is a response to the degradation of the first by empathizing the psychological effects of the second.
The foreseeable outcome though is unchanged. Ukraine will be smashed, Russia's power will increase and the global view of the U.S. as a reliable partner will be diminished.
Posted by b on February 1, 2024 at 14:48 UTC | Permalink
next page »Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation (as of February 1, 2024)
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to conduct a special military operation.
In the Kupyansk direction, units of the "Western" grouping of troops, with active actions with the support of aviation, repelled seven attacks by assault groups of 30 and 44 mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Sinkovka, Kharkiv region and Terny, Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost over 125 soldiers, three armored combat vehicles and two vehicles.
During the counter-battery struggle, the following were hit: a Polish-made self-propelled Krab artillery installation and two self-propelled Gvozdika artillery installations.
In the Krasnolimansk direction, coordinated actions by units of the Center group of troops improved the situation along the front line and defeated units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard of Ukraine in the area of the Serebryansk forestry.
Three attacks by assault groups of 60 and 63 mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were repelled in the areas of the settlements of Yampolovka of the Donetsk People's Republic and Chervonaya Dibrova of the Luhansk People's Republic.
The enemy's losses amounted to more than 290 soldiers, a tank, two armored combat vehicles, six vehicles and a self-propelled artillery installation "Paladin" manufactured by the United States.
In the Donetsk direction, as a result of the active actions of the units of the "Southern" grouping of troops, more advantageous lines and positions were occupied, clusters of manpower and equipment 28, 42, 54, 93 mechanized, 81 airmobile, 5 assault, 95 airborne assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Belogorovka, Kleshcheyevka and Kurdyumovka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Four attacks by assault groups of 22 mechanized, 46 airmobile, 79 airborne assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Georgievka, Novomikhailovka and Krasnoe of the Donetsk People's Republic were reflected.
The enemy lost over 210 soldiers, three armored combat vehicles and six vehicles.
In addition, during the counter-battery struggle during the day, the following were hit: the Grad MLRS combat vehicle, the AS-90 self-propelled artillery unit manufactured in Great Britain, three M777 artillery systems manufactured in the USA, two Msta-B howitzers, the Acacia self-propelled artillery unit, the Hyacinth-B gun, five self-propelled artillery the Gvozdika installations, the Bukovel electronic warfare station, as well as an ammunition depot.
In the South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok group of forces, with the support of aviation and artillery, repelled two attacks and defeated formations of 127, 128 air defense brigades in the areas of the settlements of Staromayorskoye, Urozhodnoye of the Donetsk People's Republic and Priyutnoye of the Zaporozhye region.
The losses of the Armed Forces amounted to up to 80 soldiers, a tank, two armored personnel carriers and two cars.
During the counter-battery struggle, the following were hit: the Grad MLRS combat vehicle, two FH-70 howitzers manufactured in Great Britain, the M777 artillery system manufactured in the USA, as well as the D-30 cannon.
In the Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian group of troops, in cooperation with aviation, repelled an attack and defeated the manpower and equipment of 128 mountain assault, 33, 65 mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Lugovskoye, Rabodino, Zherebyanka and Malaya Tokmachka of the Zaporozhye region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 50 servicemen and three pickups.
In addition, during the counter-battery struggle, the Grad MLRS combat vehicle, two D-20 howitzers and two D-30 howitzers were hit.
In the Kherson direction, as a result of the competent actions of the units of the Dnepr group of forces and complex fire damage, enemy losses amounted to up to 50 soldiers, three tanks, two armored personnel carriers, two cars, as well as two US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar stations.
Operational and tactical aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of groups of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation destroyed the radar station of the Norwegian-made NASAMS anti-aircraft missile system, the 35D6M air target detection radar station, two fuel depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as manpower and military equipment in 137 districts.
Air defense means shot down 20 aircraft guided missiles and 17 HIMARS multiple rocket launchers. In addition, 68 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Olshana, Berestovoye, Kharkiv region, Zhitlovka, Krivosheevka, Luhansk People's Republic, Yasinovataya, Makeyevka, Donetsk People's Republic, Pology, Gulyai-pole, Tokmak, Zaporizhia region, Radensk and Novaya Kakhovka, Kherson region.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 568 aircraft, 265 helicopters, 11580 unmanned aerial vehicles, 457 anti-aircraft missile systems, 14,877 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,214 multiple rocket launchers, 7,931 field artillery and mortars, as well as 18,124 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed.
Posted by: rumod report | Feb 1 2024 14:56 utc | 2
Adveevka has been a graveyard for a tremendous amount of Russian armor, and has slowed any potential Russian advance to a crawl. It’s also questionable just how one sided the losses are as it is Russia that is attacking and visually losing a lot of armor. Even some of the most prominent pro-Z bloggers like simplicius acknowledge this. The soap opera in Kyiv isn’t helping Russia advance any faster or win the war any faster, it’s mostly just a cope to show something on the other side going badly as the war is clearly stalemated.
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 15:00 utc | 3
At this stage of the Game, it's all about getting as many people killed as possible - read the Talmud folks - Bi Bi certainly is into it.
Posted by: GMC | Feb 1 2024 15:09 utc | 4
I believe that Ms. Nuland was looking for Mr. Austin and her general Aguto.
Ivonovets was sunk by Budenov and was the first gift to Putin from Ms. Nuland.
Ukraina is starting industrial production of Cannabis this year
https://zn.ua/ukr/ECONOMICS/v-ukrajini-skasovujut-litsenziji-i-dozvoli-na-viroshchuvannja-tekhnichnikh-konopel-.html
Posted by: Paul from Norway | Feb 1 2024 15:15 utc | 5
...
Leading an army is like conducting a huge orchestra through a four year long Wagner epos. Having played the first fiddle in a chamber quartet does not qualify for that.
...
lol
Posted by: SattaMassaGana | Feb 1 2024 15:16 utc | 6
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 15:00 utc | 3
Cope harder, NAFO troll!
There are reasonable explanations why the situation as it is right now, and it has nothing to do with a stalemate. It's a waiting game according to Sladkov on his channel, you can find his (and his sources) opinion.
Posted by: Boo | Feb 1 2024 15:16 utc | 7
It is absolutely terrifying that Victoria Nuland is the adult in the room.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 1 2024 15:17 utc | 8
Perhaps the boneheaded move to keep trying to establish a bridgehead at Krynky is a sign that Zaluzhny is already out.
Orban folding was sad but predictable. The money won't show up until March, though. So Russia ought to make as much progress as possible until then, when mud season will likely set in.
Meanwhile, there appears to be no hope of getting the larger pot of money from the US. The Dems badly miscalculated that Speaker Johnson would fold, and they're now lashing out in bitter anger:
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/31/white-house-republicans-border-deal-00138835
Posted by: ChrisFromGA | Feb 1 2024 15:20 utc | 9
@7 “bro, bro, how naive do you have to be to think that the Adveevka offensive is about taking Adveevka? Russia is not trying to take Adveevka, if they were they would have taken it a long time ago. Bro you gotta see the 5D chess goin on here, it’s not for shallow thinkers ok?”
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 15:22 utc | 10
Dont worry Boo#7, they have to send the Fellaz anywhere there is action in hopes of swaying the narrative. They eventually realize that they have come to the wrong place and that their efforts are wasted. Meanwhile have a laugh at watching them get a good and proper smackdown?
Posted by: Chevrus | Feb 1 2024 15:24 utc | 11
Nuland's real master: The City
"Everyday Ukrainian officials are asked, where's the so-called Ukraine Counter Offensive: Zionists, Rothschild's appear to be sending mixed signals on the non-existent counteroffensive as talking points to spawn confusion. — RT Russia & Former Soviet Union https://rt.com/russia/576907-ukraine-officials-counteroffensive-mixed-messages/"
https://twitter.com/arbo_hg/status/1663024100749574144
"On the other side terror attacks on Russian targets, industrial equipment as well as population centers, are likely to sharply increase."
oh I am sure that Russia will just sit there and take it.
I suspect they will soon take down some major US and UK surveillance drones and aircraft, or even UAS satellites
I still fail to understand why the Russians let the like of Zelensky and Budanov survive....
Posted by: michaelj72 | Feb 1 2024 15:28 utc | 13
Nuland's real master: The City
Posted by: canuck | Feb 1 2024 15:26 utc | 12
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Get off it.
A psychopath has no master.
And lose your 'City' fixation. It is not doing your ability to think any favors.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 1 2024 15:29 utc | 14
Posted by: too scents | Feb 1 2024 15:29 utc | 14
If you don't like my ideas why don't you just ignore my posts?
You are the one with an obvious obsession.
E.U. throws Ukraine $54 billion lifeline after Hungary drops opposition
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/01/eu-ukraine-brussels-summit-orban/
US weapons exports up 50 percent in 2023
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/29/us-foreign-arms-sales-russia-china-00138390
Posted by: Apollyon | Feb 1 2024 15:45 utc | 16
I am sure that U.S. military is not happy about this move. While there were some disagreements with Zaluzny about the right strategies those were between military professional who allowed for diverting opinions. Zaluzny was seen as an experienced professional soldier. Budanov is seen as a spook who had never been in command of any real military. He well not be talked to at the same level.
Posted by b on February 1, 2024 at 14:48 UTC | Permalink
I think that might be the smallest of any US reluctance to accept Budanov
as per the following (from intelligenceonline if someone cares to search)
"All these leads lead back to Ukraine, where Kyrylo Budanov, the director of GUR military intelligence, has been stepping up his daring amphibious special operations in recent months. His special forces have increased their skills at sea and on the coast, thanks to British expertise"
1. It's him who was set-up to take the blame for Nordstream
2. He might be too close to the UK for comfort
3. And lest we forget, attacks and target murdering (including civilians) in RF territory are his department
Zelensky's choice would be tacitly condoning 1 and 3 (and signaling 2) ... too much for comfort in the political arena
My 2 cents
Posted by: Newbie | Feb 1 2024 15:53 utc | 17
I watched the DW News broadcast from Jan 31 half an hour ago. It would seem that ~27 members of the Eurotrash.org Collective have been bullied into helping divert attention from the Gaza genocide.
The Collective has agreed to contribute 50 Billion Euros to a Support Ukraine fund. Predictably, no mention was made of the fact that this empty gesture from the so-called West is at least 6 months too late to "save Ukraine."
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Feb 1 2024 15:55 utc | 18
If Budanov takes over I wonder if Russia will specifically target him. He will have to operate in a different way than before since he will ahve to do more out in the open.
Equally, Russia is building in resilience to any terrorist attacks. Yes, they will succeed on occasion but not always and if the terror gangs are eliminated it will make it harder to mount successful future events. One should remember that Russia was subjected to some pretty horrendous terrorist outrages in the past and knows they need to prevail. Every such move will further the "conquer Ukraine" crowd at the expense of those who might see negotiations. Just recently, Putin alluded to the need to move the front away from Russian territory due to ongoing terrorist acts.
Posted by: The Scots bloke | Feb 1 2024 15:55 utc | 19
The Collective has agreed to contribute 50 Billion Euros to a Support Ukraine fund.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Feb 1 2024 15:55 utc | 18
Zeli not happy. He then made a video call to EC and said 50 is far from enough. He specifically wants a minimum of 5bn/year from the EU Peace Fund.
Posted by: rk | Feb 1 2024 16:01 utc | 20
Posted by: Apollyon | Feb 1 2024 15:45 utc | 16
The printing press fuming and the Euro rushing to become colored confetti. In three years the price of olive oil in Spain has quadrupled, Spain is the number one producer in the world. There you have it gardener Borrell, the side kick of the German VonDerMonster. There is no bread have some cake they say, you can abandon those Mediterranean bad eating habits and have some canola or palm oil, destroy the jungles of Indonesia and grow your asses just like the yankees, walruses rolling around to have a Royale with cheese.
Posted by: Paco | Feb 1 2024 16:05 utc | 21
Watching the ukies is like watching one clown after another come out of a tiny car. At first it's fascinating...then disturbing...then boring as hell!
Posted by: nook | Feb 1 2024 16:08 utc | 22
"It is absolutely terrifying that Victoria Nuland is the adult in the room."
What is terrifying to me is that people of this nature are in the lead, and still alive!
It is long to wait for divine retribution.!
Posted by: g wiltek | Feb 1 2024 16:09 utc | 23
The preceding factors in Avdeevka are very much the same as in Bakhmut. Zelensky made Avdeevka into a similar 'we will hold the fort to show are sponsors we are worth money' as Bakhmut was. Consequentially, a lot of fronts were stripped of AFU troops, artillery and tanks to shovel them in and around Avdeevka.
But Russia is gaining more strength, and it can deploy that strength in more places than Avdeevka. Especially now relatively much progress is being made in Torske-Yampovolivka line and east of Kupyansk around Tabaivka-Kotlayrivka. Synkivka remains a hard to maintain extension for AFU due to the fact that they must cross a river east and then travel north far outside Kupyansk to maintain it, while they are losing flanks around Kupyansk leading to cross fire.
AFU also keeps shoveling more troops around Krynky. Why, no one knows, but the best guess is they can still say they can 'one day reach Crimea', per Budanov in the last few days.
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 1 2024 16:09 utc | 24
"Remember when the Poohtin Buttboys said Kiev would fall in 3 days?"
No, that was the murican propaganda ministers that made that claim.
Posted by: nook | Feb 1 2024 16:10 utc | 25
Remember when the Poohtin Buttboys said Kiev would fall in 3 days?
Posted by: Abraham Linsky | Feb 1 2024 16:01 utc | 20
And it took you almost 2 years to figure out that Kiev lasted longer than 3 days?
Or did it just take you this long to figure out how to submit a post in the comment section?
Posted by: Martina | Feb 1 2024 16:11 utc | 26
Posted by: ChrisFromGA | Feb 1 2024 15:20 utc | 9
You can give "Ukraine" a gazillion $$.. In the end, will not make a difference. The only thing that will happen the grifters will keep on grifting and the people of the west will suffer for it.
Posted by: heavymetal101 | Feb 1 2024 16:12 utc | 27
And since we are at the "Do you remember game", Abraham Linsky.
Do you remember how so called analysts claimed Russia would run out of ammunition / tanks / soldiers / rockets / what have you in 3 days ( at the end of next week at the latest ) ? What names should we call these non-Putin experts? Any suggestions?
Posted by: Martina | Feb 1 2024 16:19 utc | 28
Posted by: Paco | Feb 1 2024 16:05 utc | 22
EU losing significant part of extra-EU exports, while churning up the printing press is a sure pathway to demise of the euro and eurozone. That is probably why they want to bring 'Disease X' to make everyone stay home to counter-act any potential economic activity that could increase inflation. Of course, that would also accelerate debt bubble bursting.
Look, they say they give 50 billion western currency to Ukraine. A large part of it will go to Raytheon and piled up in the order queue which must be 10+ years long at this point and no one wants to increase production volume because low volume production is the sweet spot for lowed fixed and variable costs per unit. It's even doubtful US could physically increase production, because as Martyanov said, US industries have lost a lot of the upstream portions which enables domestic production, skilled workforce ain't there.
So here he are. EU throws more dozens of billions to Raytheon, and dozens of billions to Ukraine, most of which ends up in the pockets of politicians and contractors who buy real estate in Switzerland, Ukraine servicemen are buried in the forest and marked as MIA while commanders steal the pay, all the basic rights of Ukrainians are stripped and public services are merely on life support.
But yeah, sure, they can get a few random high profile strikes in Russia occasionally hyped disproportionately to the moon by MSM - Nafo.
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 1 2024 16:24 utc | 29
Nuland is CRAP. Her predictions are predictable and worthless.
Posted by: JustTruth | Feb 1 2024 16:26 utc | 30
I remember Russia were going to run out of ammo, they were cannibalising washing machines to guide missiles and drones, Putin was dying of 20 different deadly diseases, sanctions were going to destroy the economy.
Only the last of these was true, and it was the German economy.
Meanwhile India are absolutely loving getting all that Russian crude and selling the refined products to Europe.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Feb 1 2024 16:28 utc | 31
if the usa is going to support terrorism publicly - which is what they are doing here 24/7 - at some point russia is going to see the need to throw it back at them.. essentially victoria nulands coaching ukraine, along with all the increases in longer range missiles and etc - is direct involvement in this war... the usa may like to think it can hide behind the ukrainians actions, they can't.. at some point russia is going to hit the power behind the front.. it has to... that is my take, unless this conflict ends sooner then later, which i can't see happening at this point...
and thanks b for the update!
Posted by: james | Feb 1 2024 16:29 utc | 32
Sinking that ship will do nothing to change the outcome at the battlefront. Nor would any attacks on Russia oil and gas infrastructure change anything.
Not really sure about that. All those actions do change the outcome at the battlefront, if only because they are lengthening the conflict. It would be silly to simply dismiss all these as inconsequent pinpricks. Attacks on Russian oil and gas infrastructure have an impact on Russia's revenues.
Posted by: Micron | Feb 1 2024 16:30 utc | 33
@30 let’s keep things in perspective here. EU GDP is approximately $19 trillion a year, and this current package is spread over 4 years, so roughly it’s 1/1000th of total EU GDP over that 4 year period. This will have zero effect on EU wide inflation or lead to a demise in the euro. Same thing with American spending, assuming the current package is ever passed. We are talking rounding errors of Western GDP being spent on Ukraine. And for that money, they have stalemated Russia into banging its head against a suburb of Donetsk City for 6 months, 2 years into the war, and regularly take out Russian ships and planes for sh*ts and giggles basically.
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 16:31 utc | 34
Boo | Feb 1 2024 15:16 utc | 7--
Actually, Zee You Later is correct about high Russian loses around Avdeevka as History Legends latest production shows quite well. In war, successes don't come without costs.
As for the Kiev soap opera, if Zaluzhny and team are replaced, the ability to react to Russia's offensive will be compromised, and attacking while such a change is occurring would be a bonus for Russia, which is probably what Nuland was sent to say.
Paco | Feb 1 2024 16:05 utc | 22--
So, core inflation in Spain is 25-50%? How long before the Spanish copy their French neighbors?
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 15:00 utc | 3
Adviyivka is as hard to conquer as they come. Massively staffed, no reserves spared to save it. Fortified for years, sitting on a hill. Industrial facilities that can't be bombed to rubble.
It's a little surprising no larger pincer movement was attempted through the fields, I think this is a function of the Russian catch-up race due to their late start. Images of Russian soldiers getting pummeled by homemade civilian drones have been replaced by onesided artillery duels on trenches for a while. Gradually this shifts to FAB and Cluster glide bombs and assault squads.
Have you noticed how the village names in the news have changed after being the same for nearly a year? This is happening in spite of Rasputitsa and Winter. I think John Helmer is right, we are in the shaping phase of a larger assault. Rumors of reserve armies, new fronts in the north, new weapon systems rolled out, new battalions. Last year's recruitment and conscript drive will now have filtered through training, just the weather is too bad for any real assault.
Regarding the hinterland the gloves are slowly coming off. Hardly any important infrastructure was hit yet, probably to placate oligarchs that deal in those areas. Now refineries are hit and surprisingly they burn well.
So far infantry and vehicle meatgrinders were a good choice, active defense just will not win the war.
You can also see that nothing was built behind the current trenches, this is a major oversight on UKR side. Trenches with little minefields and fortifications will not allow UKR to stop until they reach the river. Once pushed out of these 3-4km of depth, there is nothing to fall back on. Retreats have always been bad, now try them under drone surveillance. Imagine they tell you to fall back and you won't know where your next dugout or shelter will be.. it's an immediate rout.
No news of production ramp-up paraded on western news, just random countries buying fleets of F35 to be delivered a dozen years out. UKR can't even lock in 5bln a year.. how to keep the lights on like that?
Let's see what happens after March 17 elections.
Posted by: SOS | Feb 1 2024 16:41 utc | 36
@35
Seems the GDP is mostly based on fluff and standing on clay feet. Europe can't produce much, most German weapon systems have been proven as failures and US won't or even can't produce more stuff due to the profit oriented system.
US owns the media, so of course they won't report on the destroyed Patriot batteries, so German industry can get all the negative publicity.
You see, you can't convert derivative, real estate and debt based GDP growth into weapons if there is no prerequisites in place needed to do that.
▪️Bloomberg: Due to production delays and concerns about the depletion of its own reserves, the EU will not be able to supply 1 million shells to Ukraine by early MarchIt will only be possible to supply 600 thousand shells. EU defense ministers are trying to find a solution to this problem and increase this number, but so far without success.
@ukr_leaks_eng
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 1 2024 16:41 utc | 37
Everyone started writing that it was very difficult for office workers to collect votes for the new mobilization bill.
We are the first to insider that deputies will first be offered good money for their vote. The price reaches a million dollars (that’s how much conscience was valued so that deputies would drive their people into slavery).The rats from the OPZZH will vote for, otherwise they will start downloading the zradnykiv case against them and everything will be squeezed out of them. Of course, your own shirt is closer to your body. They sneezed at the people they had been fleecing all these years. Now everyone is bargaining for nothing.
The source adds that the loan from the EU was allocated precisely under the behind-the-scenes conditions that Zelensky will be able to force everyone into the army to fight as infantry (there will be a shortage of equipment and ammunition).
https://t.me/legitimniy/17165
Our sources in parliamentary factions said that people's deputies are afraid of being extreme for the new mobilization bill, which became even worse after revision.The society is tired of the war, so far it is a silent protest, but everything can change after the adoption of the mobilization bill, when the TCC will receive even more powers.
https://t.me/rezident_ua/21468
Our source in the OP said that the Office of the President has begun collecting votes for the mobilization bill, and Stolar and Boyko’s group are ready to support Bankova.At the moment, 170-180 people’s deputies are ready to support the bill, of which only 120 are Servants of the People.
https://t.me/rezident_ua/21472
Our source in the OP said that the Office of the President will launch an information campaign about the need to urgently vote for the mobilization bill in the first reading, and then it will be adjusted taking into account public opinion.On Bankova they don’t want to rewrite the bill anymore and will push through it using technology, whoever is against it is an agent of the Kremlin.
https://t.me/rezident_ua/21474
Posted by: Down South | Feb 1 2024 16:42 utc | 38
If I were Zaluzhny I would defect to Russia now, assuming it was possible, with all the secret files I could bring along. Zaluzhny if dismissed will still be a potential threat to Elensky's position and will be a dead man walking if he remains in Ukranazistan. If he leaves for the west he will at best be as irrelevant as the White leaders after the Russian Civil War, or may be used as a CIA puppet until killed off when no longer useful. In Russia he would at least be safe and might even get a job in some capacity in the military.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Feb 1 2024 16:43 utc | 39
@ ChrisFromGA | Feb 1 2024 15:20 utc | 9
i wonder how much of this euro money goes to pay the ongoing imf loans?? it must go to at least part of it in order to keep the western banking system running..
from march 2023
IMF approves $15.6 bln Ukraine loan, part of $115 billion in global support
that is very generous of the west to support the western run banks using imf like a loan shark uses some dumbass off the street...
"IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath said the program faced "exceptionally high" risks, and its success depended on the size, composition and timing of external financing to help close fiscal and external financing gaps and restore Ukraine's debt sustainability."
and "IMF official Gavin Gray told reporters the fund's baseline scenario assumed the war would wind down in mid-2024, resulting in the projected financing gap of $115 billion, which would be covered by the multilateral and bilateral donors and creditors."
lol... i don't think the western military industrial complex wants the gravy train to end by mid 2024... keep the money coming imf!!
Posted by: james | Feb 1 2024 16:43 utc | 40
it’s 1/1000th of total EU GDP over that 4 year period. This will have zero effect on EU wide inflation
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 16:31 utc | 35
Your doorman logic says 50bn should have been found in a day. But they wanted to kill Orban for it and 50 is far from enough, now they try hard to find another 5bn from EU Peace Fund. And that doesn't even cover weapons. So you have to decide which is it: 0.0000001% or an effort.
Better finish high-school, you'll find a job during daytime.
Posted by: rk | Feb 1 2024 16:46 utc | 41
add on to my conclusion @ 33
"Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the use of a US-made system in the killing of Ukrainian POWs means that US President Joe Biden and his administration have made regular American citizens “complicit in the bloody tragedy.”
Posted by: james | Feb 1 2024 16:46 utc | 42
@38 yes yes America and Europe make nothing besides financial derivatives and new gender definitions. But wait, how many millions of automobiles are made in the USA and Europe? How many large aircraft are made in the USA and Europe? How many industrial robots are there in America and Europe? And then let us compare all those numbers to what Russia produces?
If you claim that America and Europe have gone through significant deindustrialization and that China is now the world’s leading industrial power by a country mile, I would agree with you. But the West together still dwarfs Russia in terms of industrial output and technological capacity. It’s not even close. Right now most of that western output is not focused on artillery shells or tanks, and that is how Putin would like to keep it. If the west ever got serious about converting some of its auto or commercial airliner production to military use, forget about it for Russia
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 16:48 utc | 43
But yeah, sure, they can get a few random high profile strikes in Russia occasionally hyped disproportionately to the moon by MSM - Nafo.
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 1 2024 16:24 utc | 30
They base their military actions on what sells well in the US media. Apparently well advised by people who want to drag America into this war.
Posted by: Oliver Krug | Feb 1 2024 16:50 utc | 44
A less than 500 tonne corvette might be "insignificant" in terms of the war but it shows a few things:
1. There is no chance, absolutely zero, of a Russian naval landing to liberate Nikolayev and Odessa. Any such liberation along the coast will have to successfully retake Kherson which at the moment looks equally improbable. The only real opportunity is any such outcome is destroying Ukranazistan until Russia can impose its territorial terms, just as the Allies did on Germany after WWI without having occupied any German home soil whatsoever.
2. If the Houthi missile which almost hit the Amerikastani destroyer didn't make the point already, it is now clear: surface warships are now obsolete against anyone who can shoot back. Forget aircraft carriers, even frigates are all but sitting ducks.
3. Ukranazistan is still displaying a tremendous amount of resilience and innovation with drones. Remember the grifter the Faker predicting on his Junkyard that Ukranazistani military were drunk, demoralised, and would give up and switch sides in case of war with Russia? Reality is a bit different, isn't it now?
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Feb 1 2024 16:50 utc | 45
i wonder how much of this euro money goes to pay the ongoing imf loans??
Posted by: james | Feb 1 2024 16:43 utc | 41
---
Bloomberg headlined an IMF story about a $10B Egyptian obligation.
Their IMF Egypt story nowhere mentions that Egypt has joined BRICS.
"Prolonged" ... LOL.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 1 2024 16:51 utc | 46
@ Biswapriya Purkayast | Feb 1 2024 16:50 utc | 46
---
Something about the naval drone attack on the Russian corvette doesn't add up.
That corvette was turbine powered and able to make +45kts. It should have been able to easily outrun motorboat drones unless the sea was dead calm.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 1 2024 16:56 utc | 47
@ too scents | Feb 1 2024 16:51 utc | 47
that is interesting... outside of israel, egypt has always relied heavily on usa/imf largess.... i am not sure how that works in the long run..
Posted by: james | Feb 1 2024 16:57 utc | 48
nosense @14
IF you even bothered to read the links @ 12 you need to realize that Nathaniel's "message" to the UK parliament wasn't a freaking suggestion dummy, it was a directive!!
Wake up and smell the matzos...
Posted by: bisfugged | Feb 1 2024 16:57 utc | 49
"That is probably why they want to bring 'Disease X' to make everyone stay home to counter-act any potential economic activity that could increase inflation."
Or the truth that they have always implied is they want to kill off as many as possible, even on their own side. Perhaps the "Conspiracy Theorists” were correct about the vaccine and the world is about to discover it was a precursor to the main event.
I wonder which one of Biological Laboratories around the world won the doomsday designer contest?
(…And the Final Award for creating a Biologically Enhanced Naturally Induced Existential Eliminator of Humanity goes to the... Lviv Lab!
Congratulations!
Unfortunately, no one remains to collect the prize as the damn thing mutated to kill its creators. Oh well at least WE get to keep the prize money...)
Thomas
Posted by: Thomas | Feb 1 2024 16:58 utc | 50
Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 16:31 utc | 35--
The problem of course is the EU's GDP is way overstated just like the Outlaw US Empire's as overhead costs and financial gains are counted as production when they are the opposite--Neoliberalism's Junk Economics. But the real problem is inability to produce weapons that work and ammo. The most important and effective Ukie weapons now are FPV drones followed by mines. Plus, as I've noted from the outset, the current FEBA was built up over ten years and is thus very difficult to crack. The new defensive lines being built will not be nearly as formidable as they're too new.
I expect to see new types of sapper drones employed by Russia to deal with the mine problem along with new anti-drone defensive measures. Ukies are still playing into Russia's attritional war tactics, and I doubt very highly that an organized well executed withdrawal can be executed by what are now mostly green units who've never trained for such a maneuver. Plus, Zelensky is averse to ordering anything beneficial for his troops, but his supply of pawns isn't endless.
The Scots bloke | Feb 1 2024 15:55 utc | 19
"If Budanov takes over I wonder if Russia will specifically target him. He will have to operate in a different way than before since he will ahve to do more out in the open."
Certainly not. The Russians never target anybody. We just saw how Nuland, who probably more than any single person is responsible for this whole war, can gallivant and grandstand around Kiev free as a bird. Indeed, lots of people think the US simply needs to pick up a phone and tell the Russians where she or any other VIP will be and forbid them to launch any strikes near such persons, and the Russians say "Yes sir!" and obey. Wouldn't surprise me. It would be typical of this kayfabe shitshow.
Of course Budanov might be better left alone as an incompetent military commander than as the semi-competent terrorist he's been so far.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Feb 1 2024 17:01 utc | 52
Apollon @16
You provided two links but one is behind a damn paywall and the other I stopped reading after a couple of paragraphs cuz the stink of propaganda bs was thick in the air. Try harder!
Posted by: bisfugged | Feb 1 2024 17:02 utc | 53
Increasingly looking like the start of the end game....
I'm wondering what happens next? Or to be more specific, what occurs when the majority of the (relatively small number) of UAF fighting men decide they are no longer prepared to put their lives on the line for this clown show?
Posted by: marcjf | Feb 1 2024 17:04 utc | 54
@52 if you just look at industrial output and forget about all financial derivatives, McDonald’s hamburgers and assorted useless services, the West still absolutely dwarfs Russia. To a shocking degree if you follow pro-Z glue sniffing. If the west were to ever convert a significant portion of their industrial base to military production, it would be game set match in any conventional war with Russia. I think this is a big reason Putin never escalates or even responds to western escalation. He knows that the West completely outclasses Russia industrially and doesn’t want to wake it from its slumber.
As for Adveevka being so formidable, what about Ugledar? Here is a village of a few khrushchevki (Soviet era midrise apartment buildings) that has absolutely stymied Russian assaults for a year. If you have some reinforced concrete buildings, preferably 5+ floors high, that is the kryptonite of Russian offensives. No need for anything fancy. Again, just look at Ugledar
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:10 utc | 55
Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 16:48 utc | 44--
I see someone needs a lesson in the vast differences between Russia and NATO economically. Russia is outproducing NATO by every measure except the amount of money it spends, which is 75% less because its 75% more efficient. Are you aware that Russia's MIC is mostly a public utility, meaning it isn't operated for profit? Also, genuine Outlaw US Empire GDP is about $15 Trillion, not the $25 Trillion cited since $10 Trillion of that are overhead costs and rents that aren't actual production--the $1+ Trillion spent annually on the Outlaw US Empire's overseas empire is a cost not a productive product, and that same equation applies to the outcomes of Neoliberal financialization.
Is Zelensky helping with the Russian denazification of Ukraine? Zaluzny is a banderite:
Ukrainian parliament, army leadership celebrate birthday of the fascist mass murderer Bandera
To celebrate the birthday of this fascist mass murderer, the Ukrainian parliament (Rada) on Sunday tweeted an image of Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the head of the armed forces, under a portrait of Bandera. The tweet quoted Bandera, “The complete and final victory of Ukrainian nationalism will come when the Russian empire ceases to exist.” The Ukrainian parliament’s account added, “A fight against the Russian empire is currently underway. And the guidelines of Stepan Bandera are well known to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.”
Posted by: Tobin Paz | Feb 1 2024 17:13 utc | 57
"She made some awkward predictions:"
The political huffle in Ukraine is just a small part of a much larger move. Just as Russia prepared for the vaunted southern offensive, it has also been preparing for the main war to come which now looks to be very close. Signs of this are suddenly everywhere.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 1 2024 17:14 utc | 58
If the west were to ever convert a significant portion of their industrial base to military production, it would be game set match in any conventional war with Russia
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:10 utc | 56
Your doorman logic doesn't explain why they don't. What's stopping them, little boy?
Posted by: rk | Feb 1 2024 17:16 utc | 59
Budanov Is a threat to terror attack the Russians non stop.
These NATO drills are NATO seriously ramping up the war. Russia is in a tough spot
Posted by: OhhCanada | Feb 1 2024 17:16 utc | 60
"The foreseeable outcome though is unchanged. Ukraine will be smashed, Russia's power will increase and the global view of the U.S. as a reliable partner will be diminished."
Thank you for that summary.
Could the above be why the US and Nato leaders are pushing the going to war with Russia trope.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 1 2024 17:16 utc | 61
West still absolutely dwarfs Russia.
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:10 utc | 56
---
Keep it simple. Just look at steel.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 1 2024 17:18 utc | 62
It's really hard to believe that Zelensky is such an independent actor as to care about ratings right now.
A successful terrorist spymaster as a Commander-in-Chief would seem to mean that somebody wants an army to conduct a war of terror.
Nuland is bringing more daring insanity to this whole affair, I'm afraid.
Posted by: js | Feb 1 2024 17:18 utc | 63
So even with all this drama going on (the Zel vs Zal infighting, the thieving of weapons and aid by some Ukrainian higher ups, and the corruption at all levels of government), Russia still can't make any significant headway and the fight is more or less stalled. A ceasefire should be called now. This war is doing nothing except destroying Southern Ukraine/Crimea and bleeding Russia white. I'd mention the Ukrainian casualties and such but they don't seem to care and are still hungry for more fighting.
Posted by: bored | Feb 1 2024 17:18 utc | 64
So, core inflation in Spain is 25-50%? How long before the Spanish copy their French neighbors?
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 1 2024 16:39 utc | 36
Spanish farmers prepare to join Europe-wide protests, 31 Jan
The protests are part of a larger European movement, with SOS Rural organizing nationwide demonstrations in Spain on February 6 and a planned national demonstration in Madrid in May.Austrian farmers protest against Ukrainian grain imports, call for tariffs, 2 Feb
They emphasize the need for further measures, especially for crops, to reduce competition with Ukrainian grain.And, of course, value chain resistance in Romania, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary is still running interference through EC "solidarity lanes".
Posted by: sln2002 | Feb 1 2024 17:20 utc | 65
Yes because raw steel rather than automobile production is more relevant if a country wants to build tanks or APCs. Raw steel rather than commercial airline production is more relevant if a country wants to make military aircraft. In fact modern aircraft and tanks are made of raw steel and not various alloys. Electronics which go into everything and which the East Asian satellites of the West dominate are made of raw steel.
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:22 utc | 66
ZUL8ter @44
There was a real eye-opening article linked yesterday that stated unequivocally that NO munitions/aircraft/tank corp will increase production without an ironclad long-term contract. Too much risk for them so...no.
Posted by: bisfugged | Feb 1 2024 17:26 utc | 67
I have not kept up with MoA so maybe this has already been mentioned elsewhere.
The ICJ today ruled mostly against Ukraine in their Ukraine vs. Russia case according to Sputnik.
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Feb 1 2024 17:27 utc | 68
i guess that is the new name for shadowbanned.. oh well..
Posted by: james | Feb 1 2024 17:27 utc | 69
@ OhhCanada
These NATO drills are NATO seriously ramping up the war. Russia is in a tough spot
Things will calm down again when Russia nukes London and Warsaw.
Posted by: Apollyon | Feb 1 2024 17:28 utc | 70
Russian civilian industrial production is absolutely dwarfed by the west. Cars, trucks, machine tools, civilian aircraft, everything. Russia makes more artillery shells and tanks than the West. But this is only a tiny tiny sliver of the West’s total industrial output. If the west ever shifted a significant portion of its civilian production into military production, that would be the end of Russia militarily in Ukraine. The west hasn’t done this because it’s inconvenient to a population at peace. America and Germany are not the countries losing 70k KIA like Russia is, or having their cities, ships and airplanes hit by missiles. And it’s not even necessary. With 0.25% of western GDP, they have stalemated Russia in Ukraine, forcing it into progress measured at a few km here and there per year
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:32 utc | 71
Good golly do I love to see the “USA! Bestest firstest!” cockroaches pour out from under the floorboards the moment that slut Vicky Nuland’s name gets mentioned. All of those same-colored sociopaths love to insist that Russia is losing, even though every objective metric out there proves them wrong.
The US is plummeting like a gull with a broken wing, and these idiots pretend as if the winds are taking them higher.
The only hope I have for the CIA/FBI, these days, is that their officers get angry enough to carry out revenge assassinations once this period of history reveals its ultimate resolution.
Watching them murder a bunch of Senators, former Preznits, and sitting Oligarchs might nearly make all their other crimes tolerable, if not excusable.
Posted by: Pacifica Advocate | Feb 1 2024 17:34 utc | 72
Zee @56
No and WRONG....
There will be no ramp up of military production until there's LT signed agreements in place, what are you 12??
Posted by: bisfugged | Feb 1 2024 17:35 utc | 74
@ Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:32 utc | 72
i guess you like repeating yourself... when someone challenges you, you rattle off on the same theme and skip responding, lol... an interesting approach!
Posted by: james | Feb 1 2024 17:35 utc | 75
@ the pessimist | Feb 1 2024 17:35 utc | 74
''broken record'' would be a better name, lol..
Posted by: james | Feb 1 2024 17:36 utc | 76
Tobin Paz @ 58
Looks like someone is being thrown under a bus!! Lol.
Posted by: bisfugged | Feb 1 2024 17:38 utc | 77
Adviyivka is as hard to conquer as they come. Massively staffed, no reserves spared to save it. Fortified for years, sitting on a hill. Industrial facilities that can't be bombed to rubble.
Then why is Russia trying to conquer it ? I thought their strategy was just to sit in their fortified strongholds while waves of Ukrainians crash against the wall, a la Battle of the Helm ?
It's a little surprising no larger pincer movement was attempted through the fields, I think this is a function of the Russian catch-up race due to their late start. Images of Russian soldiers getting pummeled by homemade civilian drones have been replaced by onesided artillery duels on trenches for a while. Gradually this shifts to FAB and Cluster glide bombs and assault squads.
Not surprising at all if you pay attention to all the videos from the front. Fields are heavily mined, drones can see everything, ISR and satellites are there. Any attempt to cross open fields is suicide and gets instantly punished. To date Russia has not found the solution.
Have you noticed how the village names in the news have changed after being the same for nearly a year? This is happening in spite of Rasputitsa and Winter. I think John Helmer is right, we are in the shaping phase of a larger assault. Rumors of reserve armies, new fronts in the north, new weapon systems rolled out, new battalions. Last year's recruitment and conscript drive will now have filtered through training, just the weather is too bad for any real assault.
Oh no not the "shaping" again *eyeroll*. Just like the Russians were supposed to "shape the battlefield" by going near Kiev in March 2022. We all know how that went. And the weather. In summer there's too much foliage, in sprint or autumn there's too much mud, in december it's too cold. There's always an excuse.
You can also see that nothing was built behind the current trenches, this is a major oversight on UKR side. Trenches with little minefields and fortifications will not allow UKR to stop until they reach the river. Once pushed out of these 3-4km of depth, there is nothing to fall back on. Retreats have always been bad, now try them under drone surveillance. Imagine they tell you to fall back and you won't know where your next dugout or shelter will be.. it's an immediate rout.
That may happen. But such a collapse has been predicted "any day now" since March 22. It's a nice story, but just a theory.
No news of production ramp-up paraded on western news, just random countries buying fleets of F35 to be delivered a dozen years out. UKR can't even lock in 5bln a year.. how to keep the lights on like that?
Let's see what happens after March 17 elections.
Well I don't know but until now the only fact that matters is that Ukraine holds its lines, and there is no rout to speak of. As for elections... "If elections changed anything, they would be forbidden."
Posted by: Micron | Feb 1 2024 17:39 utc | 78
Zee @ 67
Lol wtf, another great article this week stated that there is only one (1) large steel processing plant left in the west. EU nation just shut down the last large aluminum processing plant recently. De-industrialization is a bitch!!
Posted by: bisfugged | Feb 1 2024 17:44 utc | 79
It’s always fun when a stupid person calls you stupid. The method by which any country would shift resources into military production is through military contracts. The west hasn’t done so at scale because the west is not at war. It is enjoying this proxy fight from a distance, finding that its existing military stocks are more than enough to force Russia into a stalemate
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:45 utc | 80
Putin said that Russian prisoners in Ucronazi hands are 1 in 10,
therefore calculating by default 35,000 Ucronazis in Russian hands there would be 3,500 Russian prisoners in Ukrainian hands,
who knows the tens and tens of thousands of deaths,
moreover, today he realized that Russia needs a wide security belt to ensure that the Ucronazis do not attack Russian cities,
wake up friend, adveca, the Russian army in 2 years has failed to cut off the supply routes for the Ucronazi army,
perhaps the much vaunted Russian super strategists should study Julius Caesar's campaigns and his sieges,
Posted by: A.cagliostro | Feb 1 2024 17:47 utc | 81
As to elections in Ukraine, do they mean anything? Does anything actually happen after March to Zelensky? We don't count down about 60 days?
Posted by: Eighthman | Feb 1 2024 17:51 utc | 82
>>>Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:45 utc | 81
>>>”The method by which any country would shift resources into military production is through military contracts.”
Literal LOL moment, here.
The dumbest and least informed of stupid parading about without the slightest sense of shame, naked as a j-bird,
Posted by: Pacifica Advocate | Feb 1 2024 17:51 utc | 83
Just look at steel.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 1 2024 17:18 utc | 63
yeah, the Price Cap Coalition's racketeering operation is closing in on the end of "strategic autonomy" World Steel Association (estimated gross a/o 31 Dec 2023), cold blast furnaces, and better living with ESG-certified critical minerals that one day will but the "green" in Ukrainian metallurgy and Made-in-Europe EVs and MBTs.
Posted by: sln2002 | Feb 1 2024 17:55 utc | 84
@84 lol no America did not shift its automobile factories into tank and airplane production in WW2 through military contracts. They did it some other way. Also Russia produces more vehicles and planes and machine tools than the west, which only makes gendered bathrooms and financial derivatives.
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:59 utc | 85
What about the alleged sinking of a missile ship / corvette?
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Feb 1 2024 18:04 utc | 86
Choice of December 2023 vintage abbynormal UKRAINE poll smoke
(a) Kiev International Institute of Sociology, "DYNAMICS OF TRUST IN SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN 2021-2023"
(b) Rating Group, anti-Zelensk* ELECTION 2024 coalition "inside and outside of Ukraine"
Posted by: sln2002 | Feb 1 2024 18:07 utc | 87
Posted by: sln2002 | Feb 1 2024 17:20 utc | 66
All of this keeps pointing in one direction: the downfall of the West. The Reset proposition kinda-sorta fits though one feels silly saying so. But whatever the explanation for sure something is up and probably far from over.
For me one question overhangs: is it WEF with BRICS, perhaps with different policies for different, bifurcating blocs, or is it WEF versus BRICs with one side trying to harm or supersede the other? Good arguments can be made on both sides.
Either way, to understand Ukraine and now Middle East this must first be understood.
@ sln2002 | Feb 1 2024 17:55 utc | 85
It is bullshit misleading propaganda to bundle Russia's production statistic with Ukraine's.
And blending crap steel with quality big steel is bullshit too.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 1 2024 18:09 utc | 89
More funnily, the posters here are like “the West produces nothing, it’s just a Potemkin economy that makes derivatives and services”. I say “what about those millions of cars and trucks and the great majority of the world’s aircraft and machine tools built”. Followed by “the West produces nothing, it’s just a Potemkin economy”. I’m like “are you serous, I just told you a moment ago all the things it produces a huge amount of”. Then there is a genius who says “why do you always repeat yourself?” Because you people are idiots lol
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 18:12 utc | 90
Zee you later is a pathetic NAFO troll. How much armor do you think the Russians lost there? A few dozen? And that broke their necks? It's obvious you don't know anything about it.
Posted by: Hestroy | Feb 1 2024 18:17 utc | 91
Yes because raw steel rather than automobile production is more relevant if a country wants to build tanks or APCs.
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:22 utc | 67
@84 lol no America did not shift its automobile factories into tank and airplane production in WW2 through military contracts.
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 17:59 utc | 86
Well it is to an extent and strictly speaking it did not. Sherman tanks were produced mainly at a combination of existing or newly built dedicated tank plants and converted locomotive/rolling stocks works. You need heavier equipment than automotive for tanks or at least that is what is optimal.
Posted by: Satepestage | Feb 1 2024 18:20 utc | 92
Well, all i know is this.
For all the talk of Russia 'winning', they have lost 40-50k soldiers and bunch of ships now, and every red line of theirs has been ignored, over and over. Russian civilians are regularly being murdered with NATO weapons and there is no operational end in sight to prevent these attacks, no matter what Putin says about 'we will push them back'. You mean like for those poor people in Donetsk, 2 years into the war still getting shelled? Last week, 27 dead? Don't we think that is only going up, leading into his march election?
Meanwhile, the US hasn't lost a single plane, let alone ship, and is about to kick up a sh1tstorm over just 3 dead soldiers, or at least are saying they will.
It sure would help feed the narrative that NATO is losing, how much it sux and how the US is so impotent, if some of these basic figures started being reversed..
If the US is so powerless, why is it that only the US can still enforce deterrence and safeguard its assets and personnel, particularly its navy, in order to avoid a major war? You would have thought Russians would have learned how to deal with bullies by now. They keep going until they get a bloody nose.
Losing ships and sailors by getting screwed by the US' proxy and having no proxy of your own to get back at them with the same plausible deniability is a major failure of imagination and policy by Russia. Even Iran has long figured it out, and guess who's ships the US doesn't wanna mess with, while still being engaged, threatened, and the most important of all, DETERRED?
Posted by: Rubiconned | Feb 1 2024 18:23 utc | 93
They did it some other way
sumbuddy jes fell off the truck LOL!
CRS, The Defense Production Act of 1950: History,
[...]Gen. Hugh Johnson's Blue Eagle command on the "home-front" and...
The DPA was inspired by the First and Second War Powers Acts of 1941 and 1942, which gave the executive branch broad authority to regulate industry during World War II. authority lapsed at the end of that war, but the beginning of the Cold War with the Soviet Union in the late 1940s and the North Korean invasion of South Korea in June of 1950 caused the Truman Administration to reconsider the need for stronger executive authority in the interest of national defense
[...]
How Detroit Factories Retooled During WWII to Defeat Hitler
[...]
William Knudsen, president of General Motors ... went on to become a lieutenant general in the Army, the first and only civilian American to receive this honor, and those Detroit auto men became heroes in the battle of the assembly lines. As Arthur Herman wrote in his book Freedom’s Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II
[...]
Posted by: sln2002 | Feb 1 2024 18:27 utc | 94
So Orban acts true to form like the other reactionary poser Erdogan and kisses his masters’ arses. No surprise. Probably Fico too will turn out a wet fart.
Posted by: Vragtes | Feb 1 2024 18:33 utc | 95
Posted by: Rubiconned | Feb 1 2024 18:23 utc | 93
Somebody hasn't been paying attention. The Houthis have already knocked an important US ship out of service and struck others. They got an F18 causing an emergency landing. Their missiles have begun to get too close for comfort to the Aegis system. And that's just what we are allowed to know. And now the US desperately seeks Iran's permission to make symbolic retaliation strikes on its territory DENIED so we shall see what goes down next.
Oh and remember leaving Afghanistan? Lol trust me no other president would have been any more or less successful, it was the culmination of 20 years of military failure to quash a rebellion of goat herders.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Feb 1 2024 18:39 utc | 96
@ sln2002 | Feb 1 2024 18:27 utc | 94
If you think the USA is polarized now just imagine how a modern DPA would effect regional politics. The consequences would be much bigger than the straw that broke the camels back.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 1 2024 18:42 utc | 97
Nuland threat, “nice surprises on the battlefield” should have us all concerned. Just as the west cares not about the tens of thousands of deaths in Palestine (not to mention previous US slaughters), tactical nukes are clearly on the table. “F the EU can also be carried further. The she uttered words cause me concern.
Posted by: Merv Ritchie | Feb 1 2024 18:43 utc | 98
@94 I must have missed the part where the US government nationalized Ford & GM in WW2 and did not place contracts for huge numbers of weapons from them.
But this is all irrelevant because the USA and Europe produce nothing except non-gendered bathrooms and microchip containing vaccines anymore, so there is nothing in the civilian sector to shift over to military production. Not like Russia with its enormous automobile, civilian aircraft and machine tool industries like Volkswagen, Tesla, Airbus, GM, etc oh wait
Posted by: Zee You Later | Feb 1 2024 18:45 utc | 99
Interesting
Same playbook like against Serbia!
Front runners against orthodox slavs re JEWS!
Antirussian Jew:
Nuland => Nudlman
Antiserbian Jew:
Albright = Marie Jana Körbelová & Madeleine Jana Korbel Albright
Serbs saved the Korbel Jews life 1943 in Belgrade from beeing deported to Ausschwitz
Later she payed them back huge & bloody!
Never ever trust a Jews!
Posted by: SlowSoft | Feb 1 2024 18:45 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
I vote: Cyrillo.
Posted by: jared | Feb 1 2024 14:52 utc | 1