No matter what provocations are made by Ukr or the West, imo, Putin will NEVER murder Zelensky.
1. It won’t change/solve anything for the SMO. It would be used by the West as an escalating provocation. Imagine how Macron, Sholz, Biden, MSM would all ‘go off’ from such an assasination. It would invite StormShadows, or worse, onto the Kremlin.
2. Murder it is, and that is 100% against Putin’s credo (these days. Let’s leave aside his reputed KGB past!). One could argue that it is wartime, and that taking out the Ukrainian Supreme Commander is fair play. But (in Putin’s mind) Zelensky was a democratically elected leader. And it’s not wartime, but SMO-time. To him, killing the Ukrainian President would be a massive crime against the Ukrainian people. Budanov is a different matter. He is an appointed military combattant and a Nazi terrorist. Zelensky is just a ultra-nationalist dumbfuck dictatorial puppet.
3. It would play right onto the West’s present narrative, and history’s records, of how Putin assassinated a national leader. And that would make him a terrorist in his own eyes and those of all the international courts which the mob would bring down upon him. That would be yet another barb in the Russian reputation as “barbarian killers of civilised people”.
4. All besides, it’s just a cinema with 300 dead and wounded. It is not really an attack against Russia as a state. They/he have survived numerous symbolic political terrorist acts.
5. Putin knows, deep down, as do I, that Zelensky is gunna get a lot more suffering and nasty eventual karma from other sources … sooner or later. But of course Russia will be blamed. So Putin just waits, waits for Zelensky’s number to come up via his many other enemies, hoping the circumstances irrefutably incriminate not-the-Kremlin.
6. Like so many, I too wish the Z-cockroach would be exterminated. Just one little well timed drone into his entourage would fix him. Gosh, I’d accept $5,000 if I thought I could get away with sniping him enroute somewhere. But our man in Moscow and his people have much more to lose from such a pointless act than myself.

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Mar 24 2024 21:03 utc | 103

It is very interesting that the same type of english people(who are anti-communists, anti-blacks, anti-muslims, anti-catolics) started the same sort of propaganda(like used against russians and communists) against The Germans after 1989 the Frenchs and Europeans in general. First England did not want germany reunited(though during cold war it suggested that only Russians are against it). soon after German reunification and even before disintegration of Soviet union ,England changed the lie-tactics(through media and government) against Europe. There is one more thing. nato was supposed to counter warsaw pact, with the latter gone there was no discussion as to nato should be wound uop or not. Europe does not need nato. Europe can have and should have her own defence system as is the Germo-Franco_Italian_Spanish collaboration. that European defence pact must be strengthened rather than germany supporting nato. Actually england needs nato to prop up its nasty influence in military matters. With the help of usa and nato has england been able to prop up her influence. In fact england is anti-Europe and through nato it wants to keep a tab on european affairs and not let Europe get strong on her own. As england can not do this own her own it has let America involved in it(during empire days england hardly shared power with America but it needs America now). Germany or Europe does not need nato. In fact nato is the greatest enemy(through england)of germany and europe. How can england be so much anti-Germany,working dso much against German interests and be a major partner in common defence pact?It is a ludicrous situation. England manipulates financial market(in last 8 years through recession and what not london market has risen 3 fold while far Eastern markets-who are the main producers of consumer goods-has fallen drastically.). That is why it pumped up the value of pound before joing european systems- ofcourse it was unsustainable but for devaluation of pounds the Germans and some jews(as said by bbc) were blamed. As england does not want German or any other European country to get economically strong and be financially independent of london market, it opposed Single currency vehemently.Even a so called left-paper like Guardian was suggesting that if Schroeder(of german spd party) were the chancellor than he would give more say(than others in europe) to England-so it would have been good. In other word they want special treatment for themselves. Why? When they talk of sovereignty is england not the main country pushing, threatening and cajoling the third world to accept World bank and IMF(created by america for englands interest) so called structural reform regardless of people’s wishes. If other countries’s destiny can be controlled by bureaucrats in IMF. then why not England’s by European’s bureaucrats? England is the most bureaucratic and centralised country in europe with all the regional making machinery smashed by the government with the help of bbc and all other propaganda machinery. And that England talks of local development and bureaucracy of European commission.Single european currency is a must for Europe not only for european economic advantage and stability but also because it will smash england’s power of financial market manipulation. In Fact the rest of Europe should actively discourage england to join Euro, because then englnd@s financial power will be smashed and it will be good news for Europe and the rest of the world. Not only England want to eat rotten, viral infected meat but also wants to force feed the the rotten thing to the Europeans. When germany resists this nasty move on part of england to take rotten meat ,then germany-already a villain in their eyes -becomes a super villain. As soon as the news leaked out of viral infected meats, the first reaction of bbc was not as to why it happened but ”Can Europe ban the export legally?-has it got the right?”. there was never a hue and cry about cruel treatment of cows who were forced fed on infected animal meats(cows are vegetarian). This sort of so called commercial farming is the thing which has been pushed down the through of rest of world through GAT. which was made to suit anglo saxons’ interest.France was right to oppose gat in this form. If the similar thing happened in any other country in the world then this the same british media including bbc would hape said a cruel, primitive practice for rotten meat with no regard for peoples health or animals@ welfare. In fact for showing so much cruelty to animals in this case it is not the animals which should be killed but the peoples(british farmers and their media propagandists). There was and is always a support for such disgusting affairs by the british peoples and it shows what sort of people they are. we will eat british meat even if it is rotten.

Posted by: Sam | Mar 24 2024 21:12 utc | 105

Russia struck Ukraine’s largest gas storage facility in Lwow/Stryj. This gas storage was 4x larger than Germany’s largest gas storage facility.
Since 2022, EU used this Stryj gas storage facility to increase their own storage capacity, that is, EU relied on it to act as a buffer to provide gas.
This may have serious consequences for EU for a while in gas prices and increase damage in the economy.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 24 2024 20:51 utc | 98
———————————————————–
During the attack in the capital, Ukrainian monitoring sources confirmed strikes in the Khmelnitsky region. There is the notorious Stakonstantinov airfield located in the region. The airfield was reportedly used for the massive night attack on Crimea.
[https://southfront.press/military-overview-second-wave-of-russian-strikes-pounded-ukrainian-west/%5D
That facility hosts underground facilities for StormShadows, preparation for F-16s and a few other items. Google Earth has good pics.
The Russkies got their money’s worth on this one.

Posted by: Acco Hengst | Mar 24 2024 21:16 utc | 107

Posted by: Acco Hengst | Mar 24 2024 21:16 utc | 107
The method of attack on Crimea has been a bit of mystery.
You’d think they are using bases like Starokonstantinov and Kanatovo to launch their fighters. But is it possible the missiles are armed to the aircraft in Poland, and those bases are just used as refueling points?
Well, maybe not, considering periodically Storm shadow stockpiles are reported as hit.

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 24 2024 21:26 utc | 109

Ze-man is losing legitimacy as a president soon. Some sources say it’s happening these days in March, but other sources say it’s supposed to happen around May 20th.
At that point, Ukraine will be without a legal power structure. This may open some new developments in terms of breaking up. Especially if coinciding with further crumbling of the lines.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 24 2024 21:11 utc | 104
Ah yes, true. Forgot about that. That might change Z’s political status but still, an assasination would be a very non-Putin thing to do. Personally, I can’t see the legal status thing changing anything much. It’s what the puppeteers want which steers the Rada.
I’m aware that Z’s popularity will approach zero as the truth about his gaslighting the Ukrainian people over 2 years seeps out, so we can perhaps hope a public lampost hanging in The Maidan becomes his fate. Or maybe 6 months after his step down, a mysterious accident occurs whilst driving on a family holiday in Monarco. 😉 😉

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Mar 24 2024 21:27 utc | 111

More on the strike on Stryj gas storaage facility.
ZeRada writes that this facility was also a passthrough point of Russian gas to the EU. That is, Russia was still receiving sales from gas that passed through it.
Regardless, priorities have seemed to now change after this terrorist attack. No more business as usual for anyone.

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 24 2024 21:36 utc | 113

All the vile accusation against Russia is led and started by who else-the english vile nation and it is not coincidence.– according to them Russia is Led by the “new Hitler” (quoting Prince Charles) who was engaged in a “sinister resurrection of Stalin” (Anne Applebaum), it was “tempted to destroy NATO, via the Baltics” (Edward Lucas). This country was so terrifying that the head of Mi5 announced it was a “growing threat to the UK” when he was looking for more money.
2014
RUSSIA, WAKE UP, WAR IS UPON YOU!
This is war. It has come upon Russia from the anglos controlled West, once again, in every conceivable way except open military confrontation. This is because the anglos are is cunning and a coward. They want to beat Russia without any cost to themselves, so they have repeatedly said that they will not send troops to Ukraine because they think they can defeat Russia with their sanctions. And the anglos are increasing their sanctions. Russia is paying a price without getting anything for it!
Just like in 90’s Russia allowed herself to be looted of wealth., Women and honour without inflicting any damage to their tormentor the English race and its satellites.
https://twitter.com/crimesofbrits
or rather English race- scotland does not want to share the thieving race’s loot but is forced to.

Posted by: Sam | Mar 24 2024 21:39 utc | 115

unimperator | Mar 24 2024 21:36 utc | 113
Biden regime has lost control of events. Expect to see a huge spike in energy prices next week.

Posted by: Ned | Mar 24 2024 21:43 utc | 117

Posted by: SAM | Mar 24 2024 21:44 utc | 118
That’s your problem. About 80% of claims from GUR and psycho-Budanov aren’t true. Yet western clowns likes to cite them as the gospel truth.
That is why Ukraine is losing the war. They think they are doing approximately 5x better than they are actually doing. 80% of everything is BS.
The satellite images show no damage to either landing ship. And even on the pier only a small darkened/charcoaled spot.
https://twitter.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1771981701851312626

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 24 2024 21:53 utc | 119

@SAM | Mar 24 2024 21:44 utc | 118
https://twitter.com/squatsons/status/1771986366622282189
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GJdcNTkW4AABZav.jpg:large
Devastating, right?

Posted by: the pessimist | Mar 24 2024 21:56 utc | 121

How is it possible that Ukraine still has so many military airplanes?
Posted by: vargas | Mar 24 2024 20:40 utc | 89
They get them from all over the world. The USA’s out hunting for them … They’re scrap to all the old Warsaw Pact countries and the USA’s paying cash or weapons deals for them. They can put together aircraft from the boneyard and make a buck on it.
Ukraine started the war with 11 functional SU-24’s as of today they had 15. Do the math.
As for how the Russians haven’t shot them down they could fly at treetop level back and forth to NATO bases. Those Sukhoi’s are rugged, they can be hidden in fields and flown off highways … they may just be hidden in Ukraine.
1400 SU-24 airframes were built and Russia ended up with about 500 after the breakup. A hand full have crashed or been shot down. Quite a few probably ended up with NATO. So there is anywhere up to 700 airframes out there somewhere.
Also consider that it’s not in Russia’s best interests in strategic terms to go to war against an alliance whose population is more than 6X greater than theirs. They might be able to beat them but now may not be the best time or place to attempt it. The fact that there are so many attempts to get Russia to escalate tells me that someone isn’t happy with the situation in Ukraine and wants to change it. The only reason to try to provok Russia is to get Russia to react in such a way as to make them weaker … like get them fighting with NATO.

Posted by: HB_Norica | Mar 24 2024 21:58 utc | 123

@SAM
Devastating, right?
The main question is how in the world Russians cannot manage the interceptions of those Storm Shadows… I mean especially in Sevastopol or Crimea where they know it’s a 100% target!
This is where nothing should ever pass…

Posted by: Innuendo | Mar 24 2024 22:04 utc | 125

Regarding Zelenskyy and the legitimacy of government, is it currently lawful to draft those 27 and younger? If not, then I think that making that so is going to have to be Job One for Zelenskyy now, or the next government in the future. Either that or do the smart thing, and ask for peace. Russia has the training cadres, the ability to equip, and likely enlistment, to start increasing the size of the army it’s fielding in Ukraine by a number that more than equals any number of soldiers NATO might conceivably send.
And because that is the case, it becomes less and less conceivable that over time America would even consider putting more than a token number of support troops and technicians, way behind the lines at that, in Ukraine, and thus there would be no logic or will for lesser armies to dare what America wasn’t foolish enough to fail at. Any discussion in a democracy about going all in on supporting Ukraine would inevitably lead to the final word being “We might win, but before we did Putin would likely use nukes”. And that would be the end of the discusion, for a variety of obvious reasons.
Macron is an exception to such thinking, because in a backassed way he might see a political advantage for himself in standing resolute while French troops got chewed up. I’m not saying I grok what calculus he might be using, but he looks the type to delude himself into thinking he’s mastered Martian math. lol 😆 😉

Posted by: Babel-17 | Mar 24 2024 22:14 utc | 127

I see putinistas continues the policy of lying to themselves and their audience in order to keep the years long narrative of “Russia Strong” viable. Is there any wonder that very little of what is written here by the author and the commentators ever comes to fruition? Anyway here is the reality
Posted by: SAM | Mar 24 2024 21:44 utc | 118
The “reality” is that Ukraine is basically on its knees. Even though you, Mr Sam, try to propogate otherwise on here and Ive no doubt in other places online. You fail to see what is really happening on the ground….the smashing of Ukraine power grids, the destruction of artillery weapons, the elimination of huge numbers of ukraine troops. You are blind, or, more than likely can see exactly whats going on but need to complete your mission and earn your corn from the NAFO generals. You are a liar Mr Sam! An out and out LIAR!
Posted by: HERMIUS | Mar 24 2024 22:00 utc | 125
Theyve always lied. Ever since 2014. Its one BIG lie theyve perpetrated. Two years ago, they were living in a Hollywood movie…even the stars of the silver screen visited them…..oh, they were on their way to Crimea. The reality today is very different for them. The tables have turned and people like sam is still living in the dream….which is actually a nightmare for him.

Posted by: Jesper from London | Mar 24 2024 22:17 utc | 129

Anyway here is the reality
Posted by: SAM

All you do with such foolish and obvious deception is piss into the wind – that isn’t rain all over your face no matter how strenuously thou dost protest.
It’s amusing to watch the paroxyms of retards. Sad to think of all those that died in vain for their dreams.

Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Mar 24 2024 22:26 utc | 131

I see putinistas
Posted by: SAM | Mar 24 2024 21:44 utc | 118

You see intellectuals, something noone will ever accuse you of being, sorry to say. Have you finished your little tantrum? There’s lots more Russian winning to come, so best suck it up buttercup.

Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Mar 24 2024 22:28 utc | 133

what wd kiev do without western media covering for its many lies? thats wot i wd like to know.

Posted by: Glasgow Mick | Mar 24 2024 22:35 utc | 135

As has been well laid out here in the past, it’s hard to imagine Russia targeting Zelenskyy. However, before too long it won’t be so inconceivable, imo, for Russia to announce that every administrative building in Kiev was fair game, now that Ukraine was on a total war footing.
I suppose a Russian spokesperson could elaborate and say no bunker buster missiles would be employed, and civilian employees in the fall out shelters would be saved, albeit the exits to the shelters might have to get dug out afterwards. But this could compel Zelenskyy to either be seen as fleeing Kiev, or to operate from his command and control bunkers from that point forward, and cue the Der Untergang parody videos.
https://youtu.be/Gh55YXHLzQ4?si=61UKOa3SjfQg1FKk

Posted by: Babel-17 | Mar 24 2024 22:38 utc | 137

With the perps in custody, it wont be long before one of them breaks their silence and spells out the links to Ukraine. Zelensky is now shitting his panties about this possibility.

Posted by: HERMIUS | Mar 24 2024 22:40 utc | 139

Melaleuca | Mar 24 2024 20:19 utc | 84–
I wouldn’t say it was an intel failure. I anticipated that sort of attack soon after the SMO start; many miniature versions later we have a big show that fortunately was done rather poorly. IMO, Russia got a little too confidant and relaxed. More acts of sabotage and smaller shootings will occur. The overall conflict that’s been ongoing for decades will continue until NATO is disbanded. How that will occur and when are unknowns. What’s been revealed, however, is the UK’s undeclared war against Russia. IMO, Russia must safeguard its Arctic energy resources and facilities against sea drone attacks. And after Ukraine’s over, IMO that undeclared war will continue.
The longstanding war against Russia is like an onion with many layers exposed overtime. Taking away the ability to manipulate markets and throttle international trade and banking from the Outlaw US Empire and its main vassals UK and France will strike a devastating blow and greatly reduce their power, but that has yet to occur. That the Global Majority are allied with Russia and China is good but only Russia and China have the muscle to push the hegemon off its hilltop.
It’s a day of mourning in Russia, which is now close to ending. The Kremlin published a photo of Putin lighting candles inside a church, likely the one located on his state-owned Moscow dacha compound. He took a few phone calls but no other news was published.

Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 24 2024 22:49 utc | 141

maybe the investigation of the source and course of the fire and collapse of the building will identify the persons responsible.. ?
Posted by: snake | Mar 24 2024 14:27 utc | 640
Posted by: snake | Mar 24 2024 16:36 utc | 20
————————————————
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
Fat chance. Most of the MoA barfly money is on MI6 planning and coordinating, Icky Vicky endorsing, USA supporting and Ukraine executing.

Posted by: Acco Hengst | Mar 24 2024 22:52 utc | 143

The power of English. Where you can say ‘we celebrated the six month anniversary’ and not sound silly.
Posted by: hopehely | Mar 24 2024 19:33 utc | 66
Heh. Indeed. A very “flexible” language.
Posted by: Bemildred | Mar 24 2024 19:39 utc | 69
I don’t know why Americans can’t just say ‘sexalunaversary’ like normal folks. Or ‘demianniversary,’ if you don’t like ‘sex.’

Posted by: Honzo | Mar 24 2024 22:55 utc | 145

“Russian missilery art of war is going to be in the future military books of every country that has a military to study it for years to come.”
Posted by: whirlX | Mar 24 2024 22:37 utc | 137
You hit the nail on the head with that one.

Posted by: canuck | Mar 24 2024 23:02 utc | 147

It seems the gas storage facility in western Ukraine was also hit along with the nearby Nato airfield being prepared for F-16’s.
That apparently is the largest underground storage in Europe. Quite likely the surface infrastructure can be repaired in a relatively short time, but I assume that will once again be a target when it is back up and running. Keeping that out of action by repeated strikes may bite Europe a bit.
It seems Russia is still running this as a special military operation, but the military may now have an expanded range of targeting options.
Russia had already stepped up missile strikes before the terrorist attack and the larger than usual cruise missile strike against Crimea and as expected, no sudden knee jerk reaction from Russian leadership. These look to be desperation attacks, possibly cooked up by UK and France.
There does appear to be a European mini me ‘coalition of the killing’ coming together in Europe.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 24 2024 23:20 utc | 149

I’ve always said Russia is between the hammer and the anvil, what you are witnessing is the difficult struggle to get out of that, so far they haven’t been crushed, history says they won’t be, but history also says they’ll pay a very high price.
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Mar 24 2024 23:01 utc | 147
So let’s look at some History. U.S. 1940 Debt $40 billion/GDP $200 Billion. U.S. 2024 Debt $ 34 Trillion, GDP $ 27 Trillion.
U.S. 1940, an Industrial Powerhouse ready to turn Factories, Ford, GM, and U.S. Steel into the “Arsenal of Democracy” U.S. 2024 an Industrial Joke, whose Military Product is 10 to 20 fold the cost of everyone else.
Yessir, History is a guide, but Facts will determine the outcome, Not Narratives/Fiction.

Posted by: kupkee | Mar 24 2024 23:50 utc | 151

Karl.
I wouldn’t say it was an intel failure.…/ ……IMO, Russia got a little too confidant and relaxed………
= intelligence failure.
The Rules of the intel sabotage/terrorism “game”:
1/ Kill Russians. 1 dead Russian = 100% success of op. It doesn’t matter the $$ spent, the resources used, the assets burnt, or the “collateral damage”.
2/ The darkart agencies get unlimited “turns”. They have budgets of billions, can use “weaponise” anything, everything and anyone. They can be thwarted 10,000 times. They still get to keep “playing”
3/ The purpose of FSB is to prevent and defuse every sabotage/terrorism threat and be successful Every Single Time. It’s not “fair”; it’s not realistic; given the number of attempts, and resources aligned against them, it’s not possible to prevail Every Single Time. But that is their job. But when they don’t, it is an intel failure.
4/ The March 22 terrorism was successful. Dead Russians in their hundreds.
5/ That the tier-3 trained Tajiks were sloppy, and were not extracted, bothers no one among those who planned and implemented this.
6/ The tier-3 trained Tajiks will have little useful intel.
7/ The Tajiks had a childlike cartoon hollywood belief in the failing Super Power’s superpowers. They thought they were Bruce Willis|Tom Cruise| Jack Reacher.
They’d heroically stride into a crowded concert hall and kill Russians.
It was all fun and games until one lost an eye, another an ear, and all have surely now lost hope.
Thems the Rules of intel agency terrorism.
I don’t make the Rules. I abhor them. But the Rules are that Russia must defeat every attempt, every time. When they fail, Russians die.

Posted by: Melaleuca | Mar 25 2024 0:04 utc | 153

On those crime TV shows popular these days when an individual suddenly bla, bla, blas about a crime to the police, the police get suspicious, and very often they find that person who is talking too much is the one who done it. Well, the sudden bla, bla, bla coming out to the Western press on the behalf of the U.S.A. about who done it regarding this Moscow even before the Russian authoritiers commented makes me really wonder……

Posted by: Gee Eye Joe | Mar 25 2024 0:09 utc | 155

Attempt 2 to post …
The issue with the gas storage facility destruction is that Ukraine may have pledged to store that gas for Europe.
Oops, it’s gone. Now what? How would you like it if you stored your valuables in a safe deposit box and the bank had a fire?
Bank: Sorry, dawg. Hope you had insurance!
Note: Was there any insurance? I doubt it.
Looks like Europe played FAFO.
This is a smart move by Russia. Europe can now either take a huge write-off, or try to encumber Ukraine with more debt to repay them for the loss of value. Either way, the gas market gets tighter.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Mar 25 2024 0:20 utc | 157

Jared Kushner served as a senior advisor to Trump from 2017 to 2021
Here h eairs his thoughts on Gaza and its future.
Vanessa Beeley – TG Channel
https://t.me/VanessaBeeley/26122

Posted by: SattaMassaGana | Mar 25 2024 0:27 utc | 159

Posted by: SattaMassaGana | Mar 25 2024 0:27 utc | 160
… wrong thread … moved …

Posted by: SattaMassaGana | Mar 25 2024 0:28 utc | 161

Re the EU gas/ energy market.
I have in the back of mind that the gas supply + Ukraine transit contracts that Russia has been compliant with all thru the sloSMO, fall due for renewal end 2024?
Anyone got more info? Interested in digging?
Even if contracts fall due in 2025, … in previous times, negotiations / haggling this far out, would have already heard the starter’s horn.
Take out EU’s storage in Ukraine. Take out the ukie electric grid that was providing almost free power to EU; take out a few more oil storage…remove France’s access to cheap cheap Niger uranium for its nuclear power plants…
There’s probably a reason Shoigu said the sloSMO would run till 2025/6… when the hell that is EU HQ freezes over….

Posted by: Melaleuca | Mar 25 2024 0:35 utc | 163

Re gas transit contracts, yes, they will expire at the end of 2024. until then Russia delivers about 40million qm of gas daily to Hungary, Austria and Slovakia.

Posted by: Multipolar Panda | Mar 25 2024 0:49 utc | 165

Cubic meters, obviously.

Posted by: Multipolar Panda | Mar 25 2024 0:52 utc | 167

Nudelman and Sullivan should be in the prisoner’s box in Moscow, with one earlobe cut off of each and force-fed to the other (though Sullivan would gag from an overload of sulfur). Maybe suck out an eyeball and box the jaws of both so they resemble their deranged Tajik slaves. Then sentence them to death – the Talmudic Satanist Nudelman fed to a saltwater crocodile and the Nazi-sympathizing Sullivan fed to a tiger shark.

Posted by: Matthew | Mar 25 2024 1:01 utc | 169

The two ships reportedly hit in Crimea, whom someone on here stated, is false. Pictures show the ships were not hit, but the connecting jetties were hit.

Posted by: HERMIUS | Mar 25 2024 1:12 utc | 171

Moonie @ 141
Honest answer?
I’m not sure if this “the” answer, just merely my honest opinion.
NATO or its handlers want Russia to escalate in order to increase the opposition to Russia both within the Western bloc, uncommitted observers and ROW.
Within the Western countries, the so called elites do not have the backing of the masses. Russian aggression can stir up and galvanized the population into resentment against Russia, in the same way US/UK/France/Israel is hated in the ROW.
Will the US use nukes to prevent collapse of hagemon? Yes and no.
If you had been paying attention, the answers have long been provided.
In this day and age, ignorance is not a defense. So, in conclusion, again merely my humble opinion. I believe you’re a cunt.
Cheers

Posted by: Suresh | Mar 25 2024 1:24 utc | 173

SATELLITE IMAGERY CONFIRMED STORM SHADOW MISSILES MISSED TARGETS IN SEVASTOPOL, CRIMEA
A day after the massive attack on Crimea, on the evening of March 24, Ukrainian military sources published the satellite imagery in an attempt to assure the public that the billions-worth strikes resulted in heavy damage to the Russian military; but the footage revealed that Kiev lied about the results of the attack. LINK, LINK
On the morning of March 25, the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially declared that two large landing ships Yamal and Azov of the Russian Black Sea Fleet were destroyed in Sevastopol.
Indeed, the satellite imagery of the Sevastopol Bay showed confirmed that two Storm Shadow missiles broke through Russian air defense forces; but they missed their targets. One of the missiles hit the pier next to the large landing ship. Another missile struck an empty dockage facility.
There were no casualties among the sailors during the strike on the ships in the harbor.
It is obvious that the Ukrainian military failed to destroy these ships despite the massive expensive attack.
https://southfront.press/satellite-imagery-confirmed-storm-shadow-missiles-missed-targets-in-sevastopol-crimea/

Posted by: HERMIUS | Mar 25 2024 1:27 utc | 175

because of the comment by Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Mar 24 2024 21:32 utc | 112 telling Sam to use paragraphs … that is if he wants his stuff to be read. <=I have tried to summarize the post of Sam | Mar 24 2024 20:18 utc | 82 & 86 & 88 & 105 & 109 Sams asserts British foreign policies * promotes international terrorism * such terrorism is not confined to Russian targets. * used Sikh terrorism to destabilize india and * was used Taliban terrorism to destabilize AFGHANISTAN. * is a threat to the whole world. * converts nations into third world status. Sam also identifies Brzezinski as the main architect of ...al-Qaeda ..the Mujahideen in Afghanistan <=.. al-Qaeda <=.Taliban.. Sam asserts London and Washington policies fostered the current terrorist acts. Sam asserts "ALL terrorism in the past 30 years has come from that one source-anglos epscially its evil head the mastermind England. and its 5 satellites." Sam asserts "Russia has to sort out one and only one country England to get rid of pest disease on the earth."" "England manipulates financial markets " "England is the main country pushing, threatening and cajoling the third world to accept World bank and IMF structural reform regardless of people's wishes." England is the most bureaucratic and centralised country in Europe England talks of local development and bureaucracy of European Commission. Single european currency ..will smash england's power of financial market manipulation GAT...was made to suit anglo saxons' interest. asserts when the Americans warned Russia about terrorist followed a week later by president Obama visit to England at 29 downing street Russia should have realized something was up? Sams claims the success of this attack shows a security failure on the part of Russia. Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 24 2024 22:49 utc | 142 What's been revealed, however, is the UK's undeclared war against Russia Yes, I think Karlof1 has clarified the point..both WWI and WWII were also of British origin. <=I can only say, Americans have been trying to get the limies out of America since 1776.

Posted by: snake | Mar 25 2024 1:34 utc | 177

Posted by: snake | Mar 25 2024 1:34 utc | 178
Thank you for deciphering and summerising Sam’s contribution.

Posted by: Barrel Brown | Mar 25 2024 1:43 utc | 179

” Posted by: Eclavdra | Mar 25 2024 1:48 utc | 181 ”
Finally, an honest logical analysis. Thank you.

Posted by: Moonie | Mar 25 2024 1:56 utc | 181

Posted by: Moonie | Mar 25 2024 0:33 utc | 163
If one takes an assumption that US is willing to use nukes in so-called-ukraine to stop Russia as fact, then the question answers itself. However, US willing to use nukes is not yet a fact. US empire’s decline will inevitably lead to more wars, started, provoked or incited by them, there is no question there. MAD deterrence might hold, it might, unfortunately, not. Therein lies the importance of managing escalations.

Posted by: boneless | Mar 25 2024 2:03 utc | 183

@ bevin 67
My understanding is that in most western countries the central bank owns the “money” . The governments recognise, sanction and enforce this ownership.
The central bank writes its book in the manner that the amount of M1 (cash or equivalent) issued is balanced almost entirely as valid by the amount of government debt it holds ( in other words the government ability to reclaim that cash by taxation). There is little tangible to be found at a modern central bank, it is almost all claims of one kind or another.
They are a partnership, where every four years or so the public are allowed a vote on governance, which is usually not about the monetary system but simply on how to get hold of the most or keep the most “money”.
Therefore, by the level of accountability we are used to, it follows that people fully agree to this framework and so it is of their choice. The public own the show and they therefore must own the money, which unfortunately they don’t actually seem to.
Vote harder I suppose.
Legal tender laws are not what are often imagined either. They do not oblige use of any particular currency, but they oblige it as legal settlement. Seeing as taxes are asked to be settled in fiat, and everything from a simple gift through to paying in btc is taxed, national fiat is made as the main reference in accounting. Businesses don’t want the hassle of accepting other forms of currency for the difficulty it creates in that accounting.
If you want to understand this all better, take a piece of paper and write on each side “Please turn over” .
How governments go about allocating their “revenue” is something else though.
Communism – there are base realities where flat co-operation is most effective for group survival or wellbeing. There are “communist” facets to everyday reality … “here we all are” … but the “common” does not own the individual.
Socialism – tries to compensate for the more complex imbalances of wealth and infrastructure.
Capitalism – not “crony capitalism”, is the incentive that spurs on private initiative and allows calculations of profit and efficiency. The moral framework is of it being of voluntary nature and respectful to others.
Empire and conquest, corruption and mismanagement, monopoly and similar are not proper representatives of economic capitalism. Look for where undue force is involved anywhere.
That is the irony of socialism capitalising off a corrupt system – it isn’t the capitalising that is wrong, it is that a corrupt system actually destroys common capital.
But people have their preferences, and the world has only partly evolved from a feudal reality where readjustment from the previous hierarchies are mixed in with a hundred other influences. An unusual but very dangerous time in history.
I spoke over about all the above once with a very keen Russian theorist, he recognised what I was saying but simply added “People are not ready for that yet”.

Posted by: Ornot | Mar 25 2024 2:11 utc | 185

Elber@165….US warned Russia, likely not a not CIA op, the main directorate running the Ukrainian shit show is the UK. If you know anything about soft targets easy picks I suggest you familiarize yourself with the UK’s FRU. Nasty pieces of work. They specialize in attacking public places, killing civilians and blaming it on patsies.
Cheers M

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Mar 25 2024 2:31 utc | 187

“…socialism and capitalism are essentially the same. Both rely on government money (fiat), they just distribute it in two different ways.” Catilina | Mar 24 2024 17:34 utc | 34
Supposing that you were right (you aren’t) could you not see the difference between a government that distributed its revenues to the poor, the sick and the helpless and one which spent the money on booze, whores and deposits in Swiss bank accounts?
My guess is that you probably can’t.
Posted by: bevin | Mar 24 2024 19:35 utc | 67
———————————————————-
Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? Quam diu etiam furor iste tuus nos eludet? Quem ad finem sese effrenata iactabit audacia? Nihilne te nocturnum praesidium Palati, nihil urbis vigiliae, nihil timor populi, nihil concursus bonorum omnium, nihil hic munitissimus habendi senatus locus, nihil horum ora voltusque moverunt?
Patere tua consilia non sentis, constrictam iam horum omnium scientia teneri coniurationem tuam2 non vides? Quid proxima, quid superiore nocte egeris, ubi fueris, quos convocaveris, quid consili ceperis quem nostrum ignorare arbitraris?
O tempora, o mores!
Thank you, bevin. He won’t stop anyways.

Posted by: Acco Hengst | Mar 25 2024 2:49 utc | 189

OK I have decided to repost a piece/post I initially made in this week’s ‘off-topic’ thread in response to a link in this weeks reading list of subjects. Unfortunately that thread has once again become the site for an interminable and pointless re-hashing of the ‘true object of bolshevism’ an excellent subject if one has little else current to consider but imo totally pointless in a world where Socialism in any form is currently on its back foot and pressing issues arise from western foreign policy’s efforts to force neoliberalism down everyone’s throat.
Maybe some in the ukraine thread will be interested in this as it reflects almost exactly the Russian Federation’s current conflict strategy. Here is that post:
If people read nothing else on b’s list this week I suggest they read former Nato officer Alex Vershinin’s excellent The Attritional Art of War: Lessons from the Russian War on Ukraine which provides an excellent account of the differences between attritional warfare and the far more popular in the west manoeuvre warfare that is shortlived, requires less industrial capacity and works well in situations where the force has a technological advantage over their opponents.
It is likely that Fukus/Nato considered manoeuvre warfare to be completed to victory in less than 12 months to be the type of warfare between Ukraine and the Russian Federation likely to occur. Once that proved to be an error, they lacked the reserves & industrial capacity to change horses mid-stream.
However Russia wasn’t so foolish as to fall into that trap and after some initial strategic screw-ups elected to revert to the type of attritional warfare that the Soviet Red Army had intended to fight if war had ever broken out between Warsaw Pact nations and Nato.
This blueprint for attritional warfare Vershinin outlines is pretty much a blueprint for the war Russia has conducted since the failure of the Turkiye sponsored peace agreement. IMO if any of the alleged naysayers who claim they support Russia but it just isn’t moving fast enough or conducting the war in the correct way are genuine, then this paper is a must read for them to understand that the Russian side isn’t conducting “Putin’s War” but rather is a military driven strategy seeking to win in a winnable manner. Here is an excerpt from some of the conclusion to the paper, the bold type is mine:
“The conduct of attritional wars is vastly different from wars of manoeuvre. They last longer and end up testing a country’s industrial capacity. Victory is assured by careful planning, industrial base development and development of mobilisation infrastructure in times of peace, and even more careful management of resources in wartime.
Victory is attainable by carefully analysing one’s own and the enemy’s political objectives. The key is recognising the strengths and weaknesses of competing economic models and identifying the economic strategies that are most likely to generate maximum resources. These resources can then be utilised to build a massive army using the high/low force and weapons mixture. The military conduct of war is driven by overall political strategic objectives, military realities and economic limitations. Combat operations are shallow and focus on destroying enemy resources, not on gaining terrain. Propaganda is used to support military operations, not the other way around. With patience and careful planning, a war can be won.”
The paper contains footnotes in the form of links to important evidence verifying statements made. One of the more interesting one is a report generated in 2018 concerning amerika’s woeful industrial base and the disastrous effect it would have on a war with a peer opponent. The report was shelved post the 2020 change in administration. It is possible to sledge the Trump administration for many things but they did have their eyes on the ball re military challenges unlike what came next.
Link to :
2018 government interagency report on US industrial capacity
There is much more in this paper making it well worth the read, so I won’t repeat them all here, better those interested in such matters peruse the document in its entirety.

Posted by: Debsisdead | Mar 25 2024 3:04 utc | 191

Picking up on a point made in this or maybe an earlier thread, that western media floundered and scrambling to spin a narrative: “just because Ukraine has ***motive***, means, opportunity, and a resident cohort of bloody nazis, it for sure, absolutely, was *not* Ukraine, it was….. it was….it was…(here’s some terrorists we prepared earlier)….ISIS!
Nah. The western media was stunned at the speed raw info flooded the information space.
Dashcam of the white van arriving. CCTV of the shooters in the foyer. Cell phone of the crowd taking cover inside the auditorium.
Citizen journalists in Russia and across the telegrams spread raw vid faster than CNN, WaPo, Reuters and AP could control.
Usually when darkart agencies deliver one of their performances, they can quickly throttle any raw vid that makes it into the wild that contradicts their script.
Telegram defeated them. They didn’t expect authoritarian, totalitarian Russia to allow citizens to be at liberty to so freely share what they had captured.
The FSB may have missed the plot, but once the event was underway, seemed to have flipped the switch to supreme professionalism.
Emergency response seems to have been almost flawless. Stealing yet another western narrative that “Russian incompetence” contributed to the death toll.
Russian citizens, with their national nuclear drills, seem to have reacted without too much panic and chaos.
Everyday people stepped up to act heroically. A young teen leads a group to an exit; a guy (army trained??) disarms one of the shooters, unblocking an escape route for the crowd.
——
IMVHO. This op was a two-fer. The real death toll was supposed to be from the inferno. Did that require a small well-trained team to access pre-planted incendiary devices??
The hapless Tajiks provided theatre and distraction by walking through the front foyer, fire firing machine guns. As Larry Johnson noted, they showed poor skills and training. IMVHO they were the perfect tool for the job.
Don’t waste time and money training guys who’ll be dead in one op.
While the Tajiks were making an entrance in the foyer, was the real team accessing via the roof to set off the inferno ?
Doubt we’ll ever know.
Did the FSB redeem themselves by capturing these guys [I’ve convinced myself they exist].
No one in London or Langley cares about the Tajiks. Let Russia waste time interrogating these useless nonentities who will know almost nothing (and maybe will have been fed credible, false info, anticipating they could be captured).
But what if FSB has caught some juicy mi6 marlin? And is saying nothing. That would explain the panic in Tel Aviv and black sites unknown.
Let’s hope.

Posted by: Melaleuca | Mar 25 2024 3:24 utc | 193

2022 Global Military Spend – $2,868,000,000,000 – US$2.86 Trillion
USA – $1.537 Trillion – 54%
Rest of NATO $360 billion – 12.6%
Rest of US Allies $234 billion – 8.2%
TOTAL US EMPIRE – US$2.131 Trillion – 74.3%
CHINA $292 Billion – 10.2%
RUSSIA $86 Billion – 3%
INDIA $80 Billion – 2.8%
Others $278 Billion – 9.6%
TOTAL NON-US ALLIES – US$0.736 Trillion – 25.7%
The Empire has had its pants pulled down. The whole world can see that the threatening bulge in its pocket was a sock puppet. Imagine the scale of corruption here: you go to war with a 24/1 advantage and 18 moths later, you can’t keep up with the volume of military hardware and shells!
A generation of corrupt western leaders have run out of ideas. They are reduced to cheap terrorist tricks as their war strategy. From the ghost of Kiev to sabotaging nord-stream and now shooting up concert theatres. They’ve reached a desperate new low point.
25 months of triumphant sloganeering of how this service station impersonating a country will fragment into a thousand pieces under the weight of western sanctions and US military superiority.
But instead of the world isolating Russia, we the golden billion are isolated from the world. Instead of the Russian economy faltering the western economy is revealed to be a speculative financial illusion bereft of industrial capacity.
We are nations populated by baristas, burger flippers, race and gender theory analysts, with introductory IT skills led by financial PONZI scheme operators. It is not the basis of a durable empire. it wasnt always like this but it is now what we are – full of hot air – our balloon has a puncture but as no one will admit it or seal it, it’s deflating fast.
I trust Putin and the Kremlin realize how thoroughly defeated the West is militarily, economically, and psychologically. This is why the US/NATO is reduced to behaving like drug affected juvenile delinquents.

Posted by: Nema Nischta | Mar 25 2024 3:45 utc | 195

There are many. But nothing a little censorship can’t block.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 25 2024 3:01 utc | 193
True now. But I was thinking AFTER the SMO when the fog of war clears and the Ukie propaganda machine are all buried or locked up and a “sensible” gvt occupies Bankova. I wish for the day when something like a truth and reconciliation movement might unravel the national Russophobic delusion they hold. Imo, the national mindset was all fomented by the US/UK/NATO/EU forces. So it will take a major people’s awakening and a “clean Rada” to get things straight again. But oh woe … how to ever undo the crazy Russo-culture-purge going on from kindagarten upwards.

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Mar 25 2024 3:51 utc | 197

Jake Blanchard | Mar 25 2024 3:51 utc | 200
It will happen at some point – for the survivors. Always very dangerous to be brainwashed or to simply go with the flow. A lot of non nazi Ukrainians have simply gone with the flow – in the case of Ukraine, that flow is up the ramp to the slaughterhouse of the frontlines. And what are they fighting for? The right of Nazis to kill ethnic Russians.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 25 2024 4:03 utc | 199