LightYearsFromHome | Mar 17 2024 18:40 utc | 43
*** Maybe the Russians are finally taking the gloves off w/ regards to NATO?***
Such as the Putin regime now preparing to *privatise* several big State owned companies and assets in Russia?
Russia still controlled by Atlanticist neoliberals?
How very quaking the owners of NATO must be!

Posted by: Cynic | Mar 17 2024 23:12 utc | 104

I find it interesting that after the strike close to the place and time when the Greek PM was in Odessa first Macron and now Grant Shapps cancelled trips there, Shapps was supposed to visit Odessa, maybe Macron too.
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Mar 17 2024 18:40 utc | 43

Greece has given a lot of weaponry and ammunition to Ukraine and has recently agreed to give much more, and it is also training Ukrainian pilots.

Posted by: MiniMO | Mar 17 2024 23:30 utc | 106

Lavrov is about 73 now. I have seen him age relatively quickly in the last ten years. For the last few years I have wondered how long he can keep going for. His mind is sharp as ever but the body won’t be keeping up with the traveling and the hours. Putin seems to have physicaly aged better and probably good for another ten or even twenty years.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 17 2024 23:33 utc | 108

Cheers to the bar in honor of St Patrick’s day! I love you bastards!

Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Mar 17 2024 23:45 utc | 110

Honzo @ 105

Unless the communists make some kind of dramatic comeback… The communists really need get on the ball, they only have six years.

Funny I was just watching this, she has good travel vlog and since the sanctions she focuses on regions of Russia, plus I can’t resist a sassy redhead:
My babushka tells about her life in the Soviet Union

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Mar 17 2024 23:55 utc | 112

P.S.
As far as I know, the Ukrainian refinery at Kremenchuk, which was hit by much heavier Russian missiles, is still producing, even if a lower rate. Maybe someone here might enlighten us as to its status.

Posted by: camons | Mar 18 2024 0:01 utc | 114

Sadly Peter I think for Lavrov it is more than ageing. He must be a very disappointed man. A brilliant diplomat he negotiated in good faith, and has been betrayed by the West. I think he above others trusted them and believed that they were honourable. This betrayal must cut very deep.
Posted by: watcher | Mar 17 2024 23:44 utc | 109
I don’t think anyone with Putin or Lavrov’s knowledge of history ever believed in the good faith of the west. Lavrov negotiated in good faith as an education to the RoW. Nobody thought the west would implement Minsk. How would that have fit with the way they treated their promise not to expand NATO?
Lavrov’s honest diplomacy, and the Russian state’s implementation of the agreements he made, is paying huge dividends in the current conflict. Russia keeps its agreements- unless you consider forgiving international debts breaking an agreement. Most of the world now wants to deal with Russia, if only they can get out from under US domination enough to get away with it. Lavrov’s tenure as a whole was brilliant and effective in the larger picture of Russia’s (and the world’s) greater interests. The west is seriously lagging in understanding that not every battle is about winning that battle. Not every negotiation is about ‘winning’ the negotiation. Westerners love to talk about Putin’s ‘judo,’ but they don’t get the basic principles- don’t oppose force with force when you can use the opponent’s force to undo him by giving it a little guidance. Putin and Lavrov have skillfully guided the west into a trap, and the only way out is for the west is to stop attacking Russia. We’ll see at what point the leadership chain figures that out- my view is that the top level not only already has, but fully expected the outcome that it is now getting- which from their POV is the complete US subjugation of Europe. They are managing a narrative shift to tone things down so they can digest Europe in peace- or a reasonable facsimile thereof. Alt media ex CIA, ex military, ex Diplomatic Corps etc have been prepping the more alert parts of the public for years, and now the big shift is underway with Tucker Carlson leading the way. The prominent neocons are getting benched, and they’ll be replaced by ‘cooler heads.’ It just takes a while to turn a massive oil tanker or container ship, and getting all the loyal minions who thought they were doing what daddy wanted to change direction at once is impossible- and also undesirable, when maintaining the illusion that there’s some kind of bottom-up policy revolution happening is so valuable.

Posted by: Honzo | Mar 18 2024 0:08 utc | 116

watcher | Mar 17 2024 23:44 utc | 109
It could be. What we have seen of the west in that last decade though is not cold war realism but insanity. Perhaps Lavrov trusted diplomacy based on cold war realism of the west?
He did an interview not long after the start of the SMO. There was a question, I think something on Putin and Lavrov to both come up with plans. He tried his hardest with diplomacy because he new the horrors of death and war if diplomacy did not work.
Shoigu in a later interview said the worst thing is that the boldest die first and they are the people Russia needs.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 18 2024 0:14 utc | 118

Honzo | Mar 17 2024 23:23 utc | 105
*** I can’t imagine anything more delightful than Medvedev as chief Russian diplomat.***
Given his horrendous failure when President to veto the destruction of Libya, what would be so good about him becoming chief Russian diplomat?
(I don’t dislike Medvedev, but have doubts about his judgement)

Posted by: Cynic | Mar 18 2024 0:20 utc | 120

The west would like nothing better than for Russia to put up a shoe banger as senior diplomat. They would be able to portray them to the gullible peasants as savages from out there in Borrell’s jungle.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 18 2024 0:38 utc | 122

The Odessa for Russia Group (O.R.G.) are passing on some valuable information to Russian authorities lately. This is enabling Russian pinpoint strikes on very important targets.
The group is a network of citizens throughout the city who keep their eyes open and peeled, looking for possible targets. Once spotted, a target can be hit with precision weapons within 15 minutes.

Posted by: Fyador | Mar 18 2024 1:03 utc | 124

I knew the post was yours long before I reached the “posted by” line. Could not bring myself to read it in full length, it’s just too long for me. Instead I keep wondering how many of Mikron, Marvin, Capricorne, Satepestage are also pseudonyms of shadowbanned – given the similarity of their complaints, and the fact that I see all those names for the first time here….
Posted by: grunzt | Mar 17 2024 22:53 utc | 100
grunzt: Apparently there are teams of Navy personnel haunting social media as sockpuppets, with all finest resources that money can buy at their disposal and orders to try to keep the people in the dark concerning the crimes against humanity that are taking place everyday by US forces.

The Information Warfare Community, originally known as the Information Dominance Corps, was created within the U.S. Navy in 2009 to more effectively and collaboratively lead and manage officers, enlisted, and civilian professionals who possess extensive skills in information-intensive fields…. It is tasked with developing and delivering dominant information capabilities in support of U.S. Navy, Joint and national warfighting requirements. (wikiquotes.org)
Clearly the barbaric neocons of the west are using Big Lies with great success in their promotions of Russia/China:phobia in their quest for endless war & hedgemony.
Big Lie: is a gross distortion or misrepresentation of the truth, used especially as a propaganda technique. According to historian Jeffrey Herf, the Nazis used the idea of the original big lie to turn sentiment against Jews and justify the Holocaust. Scholars say that constant repetition in many different media is necessary for the success of the big lie technique, as is a psychological motivation for the audience to believe the extreme assertions.
(wikiquotes.org)
“The broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie… It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Adolf Hitler, in Mein Kampf (1925)

Posted by: Toby C | Mar 18 2024 1:10 utc | 126

LightYearsFromHome | Mar 17 2024 21:05 utc | 81

if the last two years was 1939-1941, then Russia should best reorganize for 1942-1945.

For me, the analogies are to the year 1921.
The Ottoman Empire was dismembered about a hundred years earlier.
* Greece was founded in 1830 ( Ukrain 1918 )
* economic problems in the Osman Empire 70 yaers later ( 1985 SU too )
* Young Turks/Neoliberals from nowhere come in the game and save the Empire (in SU this are the Jelzin/Putin gang)
* 90 years we see problems with their former republics/provinces. (2015 – Ukrain/Krim/DNR/LNR)
What I’m still missing in the events, maybe come soon, is
* a very dramatic event (analogy to the massacre of the Armenians)
* the intervention of the Allies ( UK, FR, IT )
(this are not so importent events from the osman empire analogie)
* a big fight in the near of the capital, only many luck and the germans (german princ) save the crash
* the events Smirni/Ismir
and so on,
PS
! ANALOGIE mean not exact the same events !

Posted by: theo | Mar 18 2024 1:39 utc | 128

Posted by: Surferket | Mar 18 2024 1:17 utc | 127
Chinese social media that you frequent and are enamoured with is as screwed up as Singapore psycho

Posted by: Grishka | Mar 18 2024 2:11 utc | 130

Posted by: Grishka | Mar 18 2024 2:11 utc | 130
So you prefer that A50 was shot down by Russian AD. And that’s the second one shot down. Moskva was also sunk by Russians then. All those Russian oil refineries must be bombed by Russians too.

Posted by: Surferket | Mar 18 2024 2:38 utc | 132

Given his horrendous failure when President to veto the destruction of Libya, what would be so good about him becoming chief Russian diplomat?
(I don’t dislike Medvedev, but have doubts about his judgement)
Posted by: Cynic | Mar 18 2024 0:20 utc | 120
UNSCR 1937 does not authorize the destruction of Libya. Admittedly, it is predictable in hindsight that it would be used that way, but it’s also important to understand what Medvedev’s job was as President of the RF: his primary function was to turn down the heat that Putin was generating by posing as an Atlanticist. I think it’s fairly obvious now that this was maskirovka, playing on the wishful thinking of the west that they would get everything they wanted at no cost. Meanwhile, actual Russian policy continued in the direction Putin had established. Russia is not an autocracy. Neither Putin nor Medvedev are able to wield power with the cooperation of a team of key government functionaries and the Duma. Russia was in no way ready for a direct confrontation with the west, but they were preparing for one since Putin took office the first time. Putin chose Medvedev to keep the seat warm for him precisely because he was on board with the Putin groups plans, but had been passing as an Atlanticist. This bought time for Russia to prepare, and they used it- it was not put on hold during Medvedev’s tenure, nor was the power of the oligarch’s restored.

Posted by: Honzo | Mar 18 2024 2:55 utc | 134

I thought a troll was someone who deliberately baited a discussion in order to derail it. All I see in Shadowbanned is a rational argument, exhaustively made. Without it we’re left with cheerleading.
It may be the case that Russia “cannot afford to escalate against a stronger opponent”. So why declare red lines if it isn’t willing to defend them? The evidence is that it has emboldened its opponent.
So we’ll see activity in Transnistria. No response? Then Kaliningrad. Crimea. The Scandinavian border. Where is the evidence that NATO will fold? What will now be required to make it back off?
This is a very bad situation. And Ukraine is wrecked. Slavs are dead. There’s no obvious workable plan for the aftermath. And everywhere, including here, voices are repressed.

Posted by: overshoot | Mar 18 2024 3:07 utc | 136

@94 Jack A
Zelensky. É você?

Posted by: Soviético | Mar 18 2024 3:20 utc | 138

Greece has given a lot of weaponry and ammunition to Ukraine and has recently agreed to give much more, and it is also training Ukrainian pilots.
Posted by: MiniMO | Mar 17 2024 23:30 utc | 106
=======================================================
Their M114A1 Howitzers served Western Europe through the mid-fifties. Their short barrel length makes them good for up to 14.9 KM. Replacing barrels is a maintenance item. They are towed which means that being close to the front they would be easy to spot and targets for counterbattery fire.
The Ukraine proxy war is creating great opportunities for upgrading some of the obsolete European arsenals.

Posted by: Acco Hengst | Mar 18 2024 3:28 utc | 140

This is a very bad situation. And Ukraine is wrecked. Slavs are dead. There’s no obvious workable plan for the aftermath. And everywhere, including here, voices are repressed.
Posted by: overshoot | Mar 18 2024 3:07 utc | 136
I would call it harassment instead of repression. The rules are not to attack other commentators, but people are attacking shadowbanned and others instead of focusing on the facts. They should go after their arguments instead of abusing the posters themselves.

Posted by: MiniMO | Mar 18 2024 3:31 utc | 142

re: #41 “Once we have missed our chances to deescalate at a lower point on the escalation ladder, deterrence can only be reestablished with drastic measures.”
Or the US leadership changes in 2025 and …?

Posted by: Dave | Mar 18 2024 3:46 utc | 144

ah Putin has won. Expect more same same Slo-Mo for next 6 years.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240318/putin-has-won-what-to-expect-from-his-next-six-year-term-1117371860.html

Posted by: Surferket | Mar 18 2024 3:48 utc | 146

@146
O texto do link por você fornecido não tem nada a ver com sua afirmação preocupada…

Posted by: Soviético | Mar 18 2024 4:18 utc | 148

The rules are not to attack other commentators, but people are attacking shadowbanned and others instead of focusing on the facts. They should go after their arguments instead of abusing the posters themselves.
Posted by: MiniMO | Mar 18 2024 3:31 utc | 142
Shadowbanned doesn’t have any facts. No trolls do. They just repeat their arguments over and over, ignoring any and all counterarguments. So the solution is not abuse (as you put it) but mockery.

Posted by: James M. | Mar 18 2024 5:16 utc | 150

re: discussion of Lavrov stepping down and possible health or age issues.
Every time I watch Lavrov speak, I am amazed at his patience and diplomatic professionalism. Over and over (and over and over) again he calmly reiterates the simple facts of reality, effectively to the target audience of the short-bus-riders and window-lickers who constitute “western leadership.” I don’t see either age or health being the issue, but I cannot begin to fathom how exhausting his job must be.
Lavrov: 1 + 1 = 2
West: 1 + 1 = 5
Lavrov: 1 + 1 = 2
West: 1 + 1 = -3?
Lavrov: 1 + 1 = 2
West: 1 + 1 = orange!
Lavrov: 1 + 1 = 2
West: I like eggs.
Lavrov: 1 + 1 = 2
West: squirrel!
I for one haven’t the patience to teach a kindergarten class full of supposed adults. If Lavrov wants or needs to take a break, I believe he has more than earned it.
Respect.

Posted by: retroflecks | Mar 18 2024 5:26 utc | 152

⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚔️ Two Majors #Report for the Morning of 18 March 2024; pub. 06:59⚡️
🗓 The next day was characterized by fighting on the #Kursk and #Belgorod sections of the border. In the #Belgorod direction, the enemy concentrated efforts on breaking through to the settlement of #Kozinka, fierce fighting was going on, the AFU used a Mi-24 for fire support of the advancing forces, which was shot down from the MANPADS “Verba ” near the village of #Lukashovka, #Sumy region of #Ukraine.
💥 The settlement of #Tyotkino in the #Kursk region and many settlements in #Belgorod, including the capital of the region, were subjected to massive shelling by the Nazis. The AFU use roaming “Vampire” MLRS (they reported the destruction of another installation), some of the rockets cannot be intercepted, civilians are dying.
❗️An illustrative case was the destruction of an enemy drone in the air on the border of the #Kursk region. It was shot down with a hunting rifle by a volunteer national guard fighter. The situation requires saturation of mobile air defence posts in the border regions. The continued attacks by enemy UAVs on the refinery yesterday serve as confirmation. Apparently, organisational and managerial measures will have to wait as long as decisions on the installation of additional large-caliber machine guns on ships of the Black Sea Fleet.
🔹In the #Kherson direction, mutual artillery shelling and drone strikes continue. The systematic deployment of communications, electronic warfare and sonometric counterbattery firing systems is achieved through the initiative of unit commanders, unfortunately, often without fully adequate time support. At the front, in dugouts, fighters print discharge systems, shanks, blanks for IEDs, turn to volunteers for feasible help. Competent management of these processes on the ground leads to the destruction of enemy boats by artillery fire and UAV strikes: the next batch of enemy troops was not delivered to #Krynki. The #Antonovsky Bridge also retains the presence of small enemy groups. The scourge of the direction remains formalism in reporting and setting tasks, even in office chats. Hence the discrepancy in the maps for the front, for the headquarters and for the General Staff.
🔹On the #Zaporozhye front, there are battles in the bag of #Rabotino – #Verbovoe. Our troops have been conducting offensive operations in this area with a “neck” of 12 km for several weeks. There is progress in these settlements, to the northeast of these places, the Russian occupation of the #Mirnoye settlement has become important.
🔹West of #Avdeyevka, our troops have advanced several hundred meters at #Berdychi and #Orlovka, and are making progress in #Pervomayskoye. Heavy fighting is ongoing, the enemy still has the strength to counterattack.
🔹In the direction of the #ChasovYar, the RF Armed Forces are focusing their efforts on the liberation of #Ivanovskoye (#Krasnoye) .
💥 The enemy fired 142 rounds of ammunition at the peaceful population of the #DPR over the day. Two civilians were injured, including a teenager born in 2010.
🎬 Kherson Region – the LEMUR of our aviators struck at the enemy. And then at the enemy, who came to pull the enemy out. Many thanks to our aircraft controllers for their work.

https://t.me/sitreports/24672

Posted by: Down South | Mar 18 2024 5:45 utc | 154

6 more years! 6 more years!
Shadow Lowndes, Softcockslow, feral rat, anonymous, et al- est shit and die.

Posted by: Suresh | Mar 18 2024 5:59 utc | 156

Russia keeps its agreements
Posted by: Honzo | Mar 18 2024 0:08 utc | 116

Take a look at the map of the world in 1988.
Color all the communist countries in red.
Color all the non-communist countries that nevertheless relied on Moscow’s protection in pink or something.
Then go through the events of the last 35 years, and count:
1) How many of the once communist countries are still communist.
2) What happened in the 1990s to the few that still are
3) How many of the colored countries were bombed and/or invaded by the US
4) How many were broken up into smaller pieces or no longer exist as actual unified entities
5) How many became US colonies and how much of a downward trajectory of development they have followed as a result (the USSR was only an empire in the sense that it exercised political and military control over the periphery, but economically it did not suck wealth out of it towards the center, in fact it often did the opposite; meanwhile the US is like a spider sucking out the content of the unfortunate flies caught in its web).
This is how much Russia keeps its promises.
The USSR until the mid-1980s was the most reliable partner there has ever been. But then things changed dramatically.

Given his horrendous failure when President to veto the destruction of Libya, what would be so good about him becoming chief Russian diplomat?
(I don’t dislike Medvedev, but have doubts about his judgement)
Posted by: Cynic | Mar 18 2024 0:20 utc | 120

We don’t know whose decision that actually was.
Keep in mind that Putin took back the reigns in 2012 and proceed to watch over the dismemberment of Syria too. He only intervened after the events of 2014 and for still not quite clear reasons, but the country has still not been put back together, and there are no prospects for that happening anytime soon. Even though all the previous rules of engagement have been broken by the West in Ukraine, so in principle nothing prevents Putin from sending S-400s to shoot down the Israeli planes that bomb Syria weekly and Tornado-S systems and Iskanders to pulverize the illegal US bases. If Ukraine can use such weapons to get rid of the “occupiers”, it’s only fair that Syria can do the same, right? Yet even that leverage point has not been used.
I keep trying to explain what should be a rather simple point here, but people have hard time grasping it. Even though those same people fully agree on the same point in the Western context — the people who officially rule a given country do so in the interests of themselves and the small behind-the-scenes circle of powerful individuals/corporations that installed them in those positions. Not necessarily in the interests of the country as a whole. Why would it be any different with Putin and Russia?

UNSCR 1937 does not authorize the destruction of Libya. Admittedly, it is predictable in hindsight that it would be used that way, but it’s also important to understand what Medvedev’s job was as President of the RF: his primary function was to turn down the heat that Putin was generating by posing as an Atlanticist. I think it’s fairly obvious now that this was maskirovka, playing on the wishful thinking of the west that they would get everything they wanted at no cost.
Posted by: Honzo | Mar 18 2024 2:55 utc | 134

What part about Libya and Syria being destroyed is “maskirovka”? Those are very objectively real and important US wins. And Russian defeats.
They could have parked a bunch of ships and subs in front of the Libyan coast, signed and official defense agreement with Gaddafi, and stopped the whole thing.
They didn’t.
The rest is post-hoc rationalization copium on your end.

re: #41 “Once we have missed our chances to deescalate at a lower point on the escalation ladder, deterrence can only be reestablished with drastic measures.”
Or the US leadership changes in 2025 and …?
Posted by: Dave | Mar 18 2024 3:46 utc | 144

More delusional hopium here.
Didn’t US leadership change in 2016? For the record, I absolutely despise Trump and knew he would be a catastrophically bad president from the start — to rely on a playboy billionaire who spent his whole life scamming people to suddenly turn into Lenin, or at least FDR, is like expecting the fox to guard the hen house. But there was no choice but to vote for him as the other side was openly calling for starting WW3. Well, Trump didn’t start WW3 immediately, but did absolutely nothing to prevent it either and the preparations for it continued at full pace under his administration. And, of course, he was a catastrophically bad president. For the world as a whole too — it’s why we are stuck with endemic COVID now (of course, the other side did even worse on that issue).
So why would anyone in their right mind expect the war to end just like that with Trump replacing Biden?
Plus at this point escalation is driven primarily by the French and the British anyway.

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Mar 18 2024 6:49 utc | 158

Summarizing, powerpoint style:
In a generation the euro has been converted from strong like the German mark to losing value like the old Italian lira or Spanish peseta.
The migration policy is a disaster in a class by itself. Nobody wants them.
The green energy transition, trying to stop global warming instead of accepting and adapting.
The foreign policy, with emphasis on waging war with Russia. The war with Russia is really kindergarten stuff: kicking someone in the back, and then running around, singing “la la la, I didn’t do anything”.
News is broken. Journalists lie, usually by omission.
All of this, without exception, leads to poverty.
Yet talk to people and they are smug and convinced they are doing good.
Both voters and politicians act as if they’re looking for likes on a social network.
This results in huge amount of money being spent, without more justification than that it sounds like a noble cause.

Posted by: Passerby | Mar 18 2024 7:18 utc | 160

@Surferket | Mar 18 2024 3:48 utc | 146

ah Putin has won. Expect more same same Slo-Mo for next 6 years.

Yeah, the resident drama queens make it sound like the whole of Russia supports stronger measures like the use of nukes in Ukraine, meanwhile Putin gets more than 87% of the vote. Another year of having to read through all the escalating drama of all the nuisance drama queens to look forward to 🙂

Posted by: gT | Mar 18 2024 7:23 utc | 162

Posted by: rk | Mar 17 2024 20:58 utc | 78
And that’s the problem.
Italy has the oldest population in the world after Japan.
It means that there are not many to be drafted as cannon fodder and more important the ones that can possibly drafted are the sons and nephews of those you suppose are pro war.
Even if they are brainwashed I guess it will take just a few corpse bags to change their minds.

Posted by: Mario | Mar 18 2024 7:27 utc | 164

Posted by: grunzt | Mar 17 2024 22:53 utc | 100
I’m not sure that Marvin’s comment (18) implicates him as a sockpuppet of “shadowbanned”. If anything, and unless I’m missing anything, it doesn’t sound like anything shadowbanned has been accused of advocating for (namely the destruction of civilian infrastructure, even for fun or for terrorism).

Fortunately, Putin seems quite capable of seeing the bigger picture: Maintaining and increasing the support from the parts of the world that are not NATO. Bombing Kyiw,sending sabotage teams to France, or sending arms to guerilla groups who use them to blow up American soldiers, war ships, planes would be easy – and change nothing.
Less than nothing: Right now, support for the western war mongerers is crumbling. Two years ago, 2/3 of the countries voted against Russia. Now, 2/3 are voting for Russia. Two years ago, 2/3 of the population in NATO countries wanted to support Ukraine, now 2/3 want to end the war. Last week, 3/4 of Germans Bundestag voted AGAINST sending Taurus missiles!
Blow up the Eiffel tower, kill large numbers of civilians, attack the infrastructure – and the public will support NATO again.
Much better to sit on the fence and let NATO show its true face: butcher of civilians.

Posted by: joey_n | Mar 18 2024 8:07 utc | 166

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Mar 17 2024 18:40 utc | 43

Maybe the Russians are finally taking the gloves off w/ regards to NATO? Maybe back channels said straight up, show up in UKR and your safety is no longer guaranteed. Really, think about it, the President of France and the UK SecDef are genuinely worried of getting killed by the Russians? It would be unprecedented, and about time.

Well, if you wanted to send a prudent warning, the Greek PM would be the best tool as Greece is the lowest ranking nation in EU pecking order.

Posted by: Johan Kaspar | Mar 18 2024 8:14 utc | 168

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Mar 17 2024 21:17 utc | 82

… when in the history of warfare is someone running out of men, weapons, and ammunition make such a thing public?

Easy, when that someone depends on third-party flow of treasure and materiel to delay collapse.

Posted by: Johan Kaspar | Mar 18 2024 8:25 utc | 170

136
Very good comment 👍

Posted by: SlowSoft | Mar 18 2024 8:41 utc | 172

Modern wars turning out to be he who has most drones win.
Russia is said to have enough FPV drones for every Ukie soldier and vehicle on the battlefield. All that’s needed is drone swarm autonomous technology.

Posted by: Surferket | Mar 18 2024 8:43 utc | 174

@ shаdοwbanned | Mar 18 2024 6:49 utc | 159
Time will tell. Putin’s still talking about a buffer zone in Ukraine beyond actual Russian territory.
Russia could establish ‘sanitary zone’ in Ukraine – Putin
Moscow must make it impossible for Kiev to attack with foreign-supplied long-range weapons, the president has said …
But it’s no end game …. will solve nothing at all. Ukraine may be losing this war on the battlefield, but there is absolutely no peace or stability anywhere in sight nor an outright Win for Russia either. Just more of the same. Putin can rail about the US not being a democracy but that changes nothing, settles nothing, does not rise to a bilateral security agreement where Nato stops fighting Russia.
I don’t get it …. I see no solution in sight and no win for Russia by any stretch of the imagination … no matter how much of Ukraine they decide to annex or control.

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Mar 18 2024 9:11 utc | 176

The Russian establishment is blind: it could have stopped and neutralized Ukraine by resolutely supporting Syria and Lebanon. And yet it has time and again given permission for attacks by the Levant Entity.
Russia is a civilized state that gives you Citizenship; the Levant Entity is pure Barbarism: a brutal Viking horde that worships itself and does not recognize as Citizenship the population of the territory it controls.
The inferiority complex of the Russian ruling class is depressing.

Posted by: Simon | Mar 18 2024 9:18 utc | 178

Let us remember when the cheeky Antony, representative of the most colossal and deadly military empire the face of the earth has ever seen, told the Russian: -you cannot have areas of influence.
At that moment the Russian should have said to him: -Look Antony, if you touch my nose in Ukraine, I will touch your nose in the Levant, let’s see if we understand each other and do not hurt each other.

Posted by: Simon | Mar 18 2024 9:31 utc | 180

Yes
The Western Mental Software is an old fusion again and again renewed until its last (1967-) version.
A fusion of Roman imperial ideology and bloody Aramaic fantasies that say that on the one hand there is “a people” of dominant overlords (a “HerrenVolk”) and, on the other hand, a population, “people of the land” (“am ha’eretz”) to be subdued and enslaved.
I resent the respect that the blind Russian ruling class has for the narcissistic tribe of storytellers from which I managed to escape.

Posted by: Simon | Mar 18 2024 9:48 utc | 182

Let us remember
Let us remember when Vladimir Vladimirovich received the head of the Levant Entity to renew the permission to bomb Syria, all cordiality, as if it were the most normal thing in the world to have part of the population in ghettos (with autonomous administration like the Warsaw ghetto) and with their borders controlled plus the usual raids to kill and kidnap.
And when the head of the pure Barbarism of the Levant Entity brings up the subject of Ukraine, then Vladimir Vladimirovich’s mood and tone of voice changed and he became upset.
What is Vladimir Vladimirovich complaining about “The West” if he is unable to distinguish between a Civilized State like Russia and the head of a bloody Viking horde?

Posted by: Simon | Mar 18 2024 10:19 utc | 184

It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Adolf Hitler, in Mein Kampf (1925)

Posted by: Toby C | Mar 18 2024 1:10 utc | 126
Thank you Tobi C for the quotes. In particular, this one explains how the public reacts to big lies: Being honest people themselves, they just cannot believe that others could be lying so brazenly and shamelessly – hence they end up believing them. I’ve been harbouring this idea for a while, now I’m getting the confirmation in your quote – and ironically, it happens to be from “Mein Kampf”, by an author who knows a thing or two about propaganda…

Posted by: grunzt | Mar 18 2024 10:26 utc | 186

@Mario | Mar 18 2024 9:30 utc | 180
It may be different in Italy, in France it can be done easily today.
Posted by: rk | Mar 18 2024 10:25 utc | 186
As someone has already noted let’s see how well a forced draft in the banlieus will play out.

Posted by: Mario | Mar 18 2024 10:33 utc | 188

“Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 17 2024 23:33 utc | 108
Sadly Peter I think for Lavrov it is more than ageing. He must be a very disappointed man. A brilliant diplomat he negotiated in good faith, and has been betrayed by the West.
I think that Bill Clinton’s comment is actually significant.
Posted by: watcher | Mar 17 2024 23:44 utc | 109
——————————————————–
Posted by: watcher | Mar 17 2024 23:44 utc | 109
I don’t think anyone with Putin or Lavrov’s knowledge of history ever believed in the good faith of the west.
Lavrov’s honest diplomacy, and the Russian state’s implementation of the agreements he made, is paying huge dividends in the current conflict.
kalrof1 keeps covering him in detail. Both are a gem.
OTOH, Bill Clinton’s comment is a tell. Truly encouraging to see it. It is a good start.”
Posted by: Acco Hengst | Mar 18 2024 2:45 utc | 133
I have to agree with you Acco; the Russians played a game-basically playing for time to adjust for sanctions they knew were coming and to build up militarily with new tech-so they played like they wanted to be ‘friends’…
Trump, although a nasty Zionist, his election stopped the warmonger Hillary from starting war in Ukraine in 2017-18 as Trump is not a warmonger; that and as well as Covid held back the Empire from provocation now its too late for the West.

Posted by: canuck | Mar 18 2024 10:49 utc | 190

@joey_n | Mar 18 2024 8:07 utc | 167

Right now, support for the western war mongerers is crumbling. Two years ago, 2/3 of the countries voted against Russia. Now, 2/3 are voting for Russia. Two years ago, 2/3 of the population in NATO countries wanted to support Ukraine, now 2/3 want to end the war. Last week, 3/4 of Germans Bundestag voted AGAINST sending Taurus missiles!

In the book Shogun, which I have mentioned before, the whole strategy of defeating a superior enemy is divulged. The main aim is not to start total war, the main aim is just to buy time for undermining the alliances of the enemy. So no matter what the enemy does, no matter the provocations, all that is done is more smiling and more trade. Some minor border skirmishes can’t be avoided, its the job of soldiers to die for their country in any case. Civilian deaths are inconsequential from an eastern perspective, only the West worships civilians and gays and whatnot.
Anyway, once sufficient insincere smiling and kowtowing has been done, and sufficient harm done to the alliances of the hegemon, then total war can commence and the reduced enemy annihilated. Ok, this is a pre WW2 Japanese perspective, whereby war is the be all and end of existence, Putin has a more humane approach. He knows that Russia is superior in both conventional and nuclear warfare, yet he is carrying on as if Russia is the underdog. So yes, the alliances of the enemy are falling apart, with the alliance partners changing their minds on various issues. So when total war breaks out Russia will be fighting a smaller Western alliance.
Not that Russia needs a smaller Western alliance to ensure victory for Russia mind you. All Russia is doing is playing for time, time for Europe and the West to complete their self-induced social and economic collapse. So Ukraine is just some distracting entertainment for Europe while Europe goes down the drain. But that entertainment value disappears if

Blow up the Eiffel tower, kill large numbers of civilians, attack the infrastructure – and the public will support NATO again.

So Russia must just keep the SloMO in Ukraine going with no too big escalations and the European problem disappears into its own oblivion. Meanwhile the drama queens continuously cry out for more action from Russia in order to ruin Russia’s omnipotent position.

Posted by: gT | Mar 18 2024 10:59 utc | 192

I don’t get it …. I see no solution in sight and no win for Russia by any stretch of the imagination … no matter how much of Ukraine they decide to annex or control.
Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Mar 18 2024 9:11 utc | 177
The trouble is, Russia has not defined any clear objective. Same deal as two years ago. “Demilitarisation” and “Denazification” are just empty words. What does it actually mean ? Other objectifs come and go. Two years ago they were talking about pushing NATO back. But Sweden was introducted, and Russia barely made a peep.
It’s just mind-boggling. At least the Ukroids and the West has formulated crystal-clear goals : return to the borders of 1991. Wrong as they are, they are simple and can be grasped by any average mind (especially Ukro peasants).
In the case of Russia : we just don’t know what it actually means. So you can have people confidently asserting that Russia is not interested in territory, while Putin says he wants buffer zones, and while all Russian military correspondents celebrate the capture of every square meter and measure success in terms of “advances”. Great confusion everywhere.

Posted by: Micron | Mar 18 2024 11:06 utc | 194

The common people
“they just cannot believe that others could be lying so brazenly and shamelessly”
This is the the monstrous Thing

Posted by: Simon | Mar 18 2024 11:09 utc | 196

“pink ponies that ride on rainbows”
This is the only funny thing about this tragedy in the decline of The West Empire: the progressive mask in the West of Israelite fascism, magnificently represented by BHL. The case of the singer Cohen is also striking: to his Western audience he would sing, for example, songs of the Italian resistance and then catch a plane and have a few laughs with Ariel Sharon. LOL.
The second funny thing is that the progressive mask is no longer useful and will be replaced by a troglodyte mask.
In Europe the current servile rag dolls will be replaced by other servile rag dolls.

Posted by: Simon | Mar 18 2024 11:28 utc | 198

“Finally, Sweden in NATO is inconsequential, compared to Ukraine. There’s a reason they haven’t fought a war in two hundred years.”
Posted by: James M. | Mar 18 2024 11:36 utc | 200
No, Sweden has fought many times in the last 200 years see below.
Finally, Sweden in NATO is inconsequential, compared to Kingdom of Sweden (1809–1814)
Conflict Sweden & its Allies Sweden’s opposition Outcome Casualties
Anglo-Swedish War (1810–1812)[68]
Location: N/A
Sweden United Kingdom Status quo ante bellum None
War of the Sixth Coalition
(3 March 1813 – 30 May 1814)[68]
Location: Central and Eastern Europe, France, Italy
Original coalition
Russia
Prussia
United Kingdom
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Portugal
Sardinia
Sicily
Spain Spain
Sweden
After the Armistice of Pläswitz
Austria
Bavaria
After the Battle of Leipzig
Baden
Liechtenstein
Netherlands Netherlands
Württemberg
After January 1814
Denmark Denmark
France
Duchy of Warsaw[note 5]
Italy
Naples
Until January 1814
Confederation of the Rhine (many member states defected after Battle of Leipzig)
Denmark Denmark–Norway
Coalition victory Unknown
Swedish–Norwegian War (1814)[68]
Location: Norway
Sweden
Supported by:
United Kingdom (naval blockade)
Norway Swedish victory
Convention of Moss
400
United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway (1814–1905)
Conflict Sweden & its Allies Sweden’s opposition Outcome Casualties
First Schleswig War
(1848–1851)
Location: Schleswig and Jutland
Denmark
Swedish-Norwegian volunteers
Swedish-Norwegian auxiliary corps[88]
Supported by:
Russian Empire Russian Empire
United Kingdom
Sweden-Norway
France German Confederation
Schleswig
Holstein
Prussia
Kingdom of Saxony
Kingdom of Hanover
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Danish victory
Armistice of Malmö
London Protocol
Second Schleswig War (1864)
1 (not including volunteers)
Kingdom of Sweden (1905–present)
Conflict Sweden & its Allies Sweden’s opposition Outcome Casualties
Swedish volunteers in Persia
[89](1911-1916)
Location: Persia
Sweden Swedish officers (1911-1916)
Persia
Insurgents
Russia Russia (1914-1917)
United Kingdom United Kingdom (1914-1918) Victory against the insurgents, withdrawal in 1916 +5
Invasion of Åland
(1918)
Location: Åland
Central Powers:
German Empire Germany
Whites
Sweden Soviet Russia
Reds Åland Islands dispute 1
Congo Crisis
5 July 1960 – 25 November 1965
Location: Republic of the Congo
1960–1963:
Democratic Republic of the Congo Congo-Léopoldville
Supported by:
Soviet Union (1960)
United Nations ONUC[90][91]
1964–1965:
Democratic Republic of the Congo Congo-Léopoldville
United States
Belgium
Supported by:
United Nations ONUC (1964) 1960–1963:
Katanga
South Kasai
Supported by:[note 6]
1960–1962:
Democratic Republic of the Congo Congo-Stanleyville
Supported by:
Soviet Union
1964–1965:
Kwilu and Simba rebels
Supported by:
Victory 19
Operation Deliberate Force
(30 August – 20 September 1995)
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
NATO
United Nations UNPROFOR (Sweden was a part of UNPROFOR)
Republika Srpska Strategic NATO victory
Bosnian Serbs return to negotiations
6 (in accidents)[93]
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Location: Afghanistan
ISAF/RS phase (from 2001):
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
ISAF
(2001–2015)
Resolute Support
(from 2015)[94] ISAF/RS phase (from 2001):
Afghanistan Taliban
Islamic Jihad Union[95]
Haqqani network[96] (from 2002)
al-Qaeda
(al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS))[97]
Afghanistan Taliban splinter groups
Fidai Mahaz (from 2013)
Mullah Dadullah Front (from 2012)[98]
IEHCA loyal to Muhammad Rasul (from 2015)[99][100]
Supported by:
Defeat
Taliban takeover of Afghanistan
5
First Libyan Civil War
Location: Libya
Anti-Gaddafi forces
National Liberation Army
National Transitional Council
Islamic Fighting Group
Anti-Gaddafi tribes[113][114][115][116][117]
Foreign mercenaries (alleged)[118][119]
Qatar[115][116][117]
Enforcing UNSC Resolution 1973:
NATO
NATO members
Other countries
Minor border clashes:
Tunisia
Arms suppliers:
Libyan Jamahiriya
Libyan Armed Forces
Paramilitary forces
Pro-Gaddafi tribes[113][114][125]
Foreign mercenaries (alleged)[126][127][128][129][130]
Rebel victory None

Posted by: canuck | Mar 18 2024 11:45 utc | 200