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April 14, 2024
Ukraine Open Thread 2024-109
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Inb4 Aztec ego-wars. 🙂
The latest Russian Defence Ministry report from: https://eng.mil.ru/en/special_operation/news/more.htm?id=12509001@egNews copy-pasted for those whose freedom-loving ISPs block access.
Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (14 April 2024)
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
In Belgorod direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery hit enemy manpower and hardware near Ternovaya, Gatishche (Kharkov region) and Radyanskoye (Sumy region).
The enemy lost up to 60 Ukrainian troops, four motor vehicles, one 155-mm U.S.-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, and one Nota electronic warfare station.
In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line, inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of AFU 57th motorised infantry, 144th infantry, 21st mechanised brigades near Sinkovka, Zagoruykovka (Kharkov region), Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People’s Republic) and Terny (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 30 Ukrainian troops, one infantry fighting vehicle, four armoured personnel carriers, two Kozak armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, two 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer.
In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces have taken more advantageous lines, and inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of AFU 92nd assault, 28th, 93rd mechanised brigades close to Andreyevka, Kleshcheyevka, and Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
One counterattack launched by assault groups of the AFU 100th Mountain Assault Brigade was repelled near Vesyoloye (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The enemy lost up to 470 Ukrainian troops and 20 motor vehicles.
In the course of the counterbattery warfare, one 155-mm U.S.-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, one 155-mm Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, two 152-mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, one 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and three 122-mm D-30 howitzers were destroyed.
In Avdeyevka direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation, and hit manpower and hardware of AFU 24th and 115th mechanised brigades near Novokalinovo (Donetsk People’s Republic).
In addition, seven counterattacks of AFU 25th airborne, 68th, 71st jaeger, 59th motorised infantry, 23rd, 24th, 115th mechanised brigades were repelled close to Pervomayskoye, Vodyanoye, Novobakhmutovka, Umanskoye, and Berdychi (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 460 Ukrainian troops, six tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer.
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line, and defeated units of the 1st National Guard Brigade and the 108th Territorial Defence Brigade near Charivnoye (Zaporozhye region) and Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 150 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, one 155-mm Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, one 155-mm U.S.-made M777 howitzer, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer.
In Kherson direction, units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of AFU 65th mechanised, 121st and 126th territorial defence brigades near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region), Chkalovo (Dnepropetrovsk region), and Mikhailovka (Kherson region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 55 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, one Nota and one Anklav electronic warfare stations.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Groups of Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation destroyed one German-made IRS-T anti-aircraft missile launcher and one ammunition depot, as well as engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 129 areas.
Air defence systems shot down 41 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, three French-made HAMMER and U.S.-made JDAM aerial bombs, as well as one U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectile during the day.
In total, 583 airplanes and 270 helicopters, 20,867 unmanned aerial vehicles, 502 air defence missile systems, 15,782 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,266 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,866 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 21,010 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 14 2024 13:19 utc | 1
I find it interesting how RFA reports UFA losses, but not their own. When they have better knowledge of the latter than the former. (For the UFA, likewise.) Yet team “muh attrition” loves this. Since it’s unverifiable.
In other news, something seems to have cleared the war off the YT update circuit. Dima, Willy, etc. all didn’t bother recording a map update. No biggie…nothing much seems to happen.
Team stalemate, winning. Oh…maybe a tree line or farmer’s field will fall Monday!
Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 14 2024 13:47 utc | 2
Even the arch-neocons at the ISW are sounding increasingly despondent: https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-13-2024
It’s far too long to post in its entirety, here are the Key Takeaways (their phrase) seasoned with a sprinkling of straw-clutching:
Key Takeaways:
Russian forces are pursuing at least three operational-level efforts that are not mutually reinforcing but let Russian forces prioritize grinding, tactical gains on a single sector of their choice at a time. Ukrainian forces will increasingly struggle to defend against these Russian efforts the longer Ukraine lacks further US military assistance.
The Russian military command likely assesses that Ukrainian forces will be unable to defend against current and future Russian offensive operations due to delays in or the permanent end of US military assistance.
The offensive effort to seize Chasiv Yar offers Russian forces the most immediate prospects for operationally significant advances as the seizure of the town would likely allow Russian forces to launch subsequent offensive operations against the cities that form in effect a significant Ukrainian defensive belt in Donetsk Oblast.
Russian threats to Druzhkivka and Kostyantynivka are very operationally significant since these “fortress” cities help form the backbone of the Ukrainian defense in Donetsk Oblast and of eastern Ukraine in general.
Russian forces may not be able to seize Chasiv Yar rapidly and would likely struggle to leverage its operational significance immediately as long as Ukrainian forces have the resources needed to hold their positions.
Ukrainian artillery and air defense shortages resulting from the lack of US security assistance are allowing Russian mechanized forces to make marginal tactical advances, and future Russian mechanized assaults may be able to achieve more significant gains should the US continue to withhold assistance to Ukraine.
Germany announced that it will immediately transfer another Patriot air defense system to Ukraine in response to recent very urgent Ukrainian requests for additional Patriot systems to defend against the increased Russian strike campaign and ongoing Ukrainian efforts to expand Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
Russian forces made confirmed advances near Chasiv Yar (west of Bakhmut) and Donetsk City.
Bloomberg reported on April 12 that Russia still relies on Chinese companies to supply most of the foreign-produced machine tool components and microelectronics to Russia’s defense industry for Russian weapons production.
And there is this gem towards the end of the document:
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced on April 12 that Belgian prosecutors are investigating Russian interference in the June 2024 European Parliament election.[73] De Croo stated that Belgian intelligence services have discovered pro-Russian interference networks operating in Belgium and several other unspecified European countries to promote pro-Russian candidates in the elections. De Croo stated that Czech authorities found that Kremlin-affiliated actors paid European members of parliament to promote pro-Russian policies.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 14 2024 13:50 utc | 3
I find it interesting how RFA reports UFA losses, but not their own.
Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 14 2024 13:47 utc | 2
It’s a no brainer. Knowing information like casualties and battle damage is valuable intelligence … you keep that information from you enemy. You publish your enemies casualties and battle damage to affect support and moral but you have to be relatively honest about it or no one will believe anything you say
Posted by: HB_Norica | Apr 14 2024 13:57 utc | 4
Ukraine Weekly Update, 12th April 2024: May be useful to some: https://robcampbell.substack.com/p/ukraine-weekly-update-b97
Posted by: Dr. Rob Campbell | Apr 14 2024 14:05 utc | 5
Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 14 2024 13:47 utc | 2
###############
https://en.zona.media/article/2022/05/20/casualties_eng
Scroll down to the section, Russian casualties in Ukraine
You can click along the timeline and see the daily numbers.
Btw, that is a Western outlet.
Some of us can back up “much attrition” with data. Do you have any data to support your claim that there is a stalemate?
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 14 2024 14:18 utc | 6
As to a stalemate in Ukraine and reporting, the matter might be backwards. Russia is moving forward and doesn’t want to generate headlines or reactions especially with so much happening in the Middle East as a distraction. The goal is still the collapse of Ukraine and that is more easily achieved if up to date warnings don’t appear.
Posted by: Eighthman | Apr 14 2024 14:38 utc | 7
As to a stalemate in Ukraine and reporting…
Posted by: Eighthman | Apr 14 2024 14:38 utc | 7
Please note that the Ukranian Cheerleaders has changed their chant by now – they do not claim the future regaining territories, now the main hope for victory for the Ukie support team is the Stalemate. Setting the bar for future-claimed Victory lower and lower.
Posted by: Poslan1 | Apr 14 2024 15:40 utc | 8
Stalemate…LOL!!
I tallied up over 1100 Ukraine soldiers dead yesterday from the report above and I think checkmate is much more likely while also coming soon.
Will Ukraine fall before Occupied Palestine?
Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 14 2024 15:41 utc | 9
Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 14 2024 13:47 utc | 2
Same reason a boxing match has rounds, football players do not play for the entire 90 minutes and fencing bouts stop each time any hit is recorded.
Posted by: Milites | Apr 14 2024 15:49 utc | 10
Bohdanivka Has FALLEN | “Frontline Has Significantly Worsened” – Commander Syrsky
Weeb Union
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN2_wL-9B9I
Posted by: Babel-17 | Apr 14 2024 15:50 utc | 11
“Muh stalemate” has long since become a stale meme…
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 14 2024 15:58 utc | 12
Please note that the Ukranian Cheerleaders has changed their chant by now – they do not claim the future regaining territories, now the main hope for victory for the Ukie support team is the Stalemate. Setting the bar for future-claimed Victory lower and lower.
Posted by: Poslan1 | Apr 14 2024 15:40 utc | 8
Interesting piece on the subject
https://realclearwire.com/articles/2024/04/11/us_helps_pro-ukraine_media_run_a_fog_machine_of_war_1023961.html
It’s pretty obvious that MOA is a prime target.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Apr 14 2024 16:15 utc | 13
It’s pretty obvious that MOA is a prime target.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Apr 14 2024 16:15 utc | 13
I am sure all of the non-MSM boards are under the close supervision. They would leave no turns unstoned.
Posted by: Poslan1 | Apr 14 2024 16:25 utc | 14
The stories about “Ukraine on the verge of collapse” are pure western maskirovka. They srr going to mobilize many people soon. That human meat shall be used to slow down the Russians. The loses would mot mean much for some time as EU soldiers would slow take place of Ukrainians.
The current situation in ME would create a shortage of AA rockets in Ukraine and help Russians in that way.
Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 16:31 utc | 15
The stories about “Ukraine on the verge of collapse” are pure western maskirovka.
Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 16:31 utc | 15
If that’s true you would think they would coordinate stories with Zelensky. He says Ukraine are going on the offensive this summer.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Apr 14 2024 16:47 utc | 16
Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 16:31 utc | 15
Is it “western maskirovka” or is it a slow and reluctant acknowledgement by Western mouthpieces that things have gone horribly wrong for their owners plans to collapse the Russian economy, overthrow the government and break up the Russian nation for plunder and exploitation?
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 14 2024 17:07 utc | 17
The BBC news website carries a detailed article today pointing to the imminent defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
QUOTE:
The former commander of the UK’s Joint Forces Command has warned that Ukraine could face defeat by Russia in 2024.
General Sir Richard Barrons has told the BBC there is “a serious risk” of Ukraine losing the war this year.
The reason, he says, is “because Ukraine may come to feel it can’t win”.
“And when it gets to that point, why will people want to fight and die any longer, just to defend the indefensible?”
END OF QUOTE
What took them so long to come to this conclusion which has been obvious to MOA bar-flies for a long time ?
Posted by: Engineer-John | Apr 14 2024 17:20 utc | 18
Incidental point: Watching Dima’s videos I was struck by how fast the tanks and personnel carriers seemed to travel! At first I assumed the videos had been speeded up, but then watching surrounding explosions, these clouds developed in standard time, leaving me to suppose the armed columns must be travelling around 60/70 mph – 80-90 kph. For some reason I think of tanks ploughing along at about half that speed. Admittedly the terrain has a lot of flat straight roads, but even so I was struck by the pace of today’s ‘blitzkrieg’.
Posted by: Gerry Bell | Apr 14 2024 17:27 utc | 19
Our source reports that looting in the “near-war” and military circles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the LBS is flourishing.
All apartments, houses, garages begin to be looted when a mandatory evacuation has been carried out, in populated areas, when the police force is reduced by 80-90%, when the city goes completely military.
That’s when the raids of soldiers with a “crowbar” on apartments begin.They take everything out. Kamaz trucks are taken out for the needs of the “army”.
When anyone asks why, the answer is simple.
1. Make a position for the sniper.
2. We are looking for separators based on a tip. Supposedly they were told “the enemy” is somewhere here.
3. It doesn’t matter, everything will be destroyed, or it will go to the Russians, but at least let it serve the Ukrainian military.
If your locality is already at risk, then know. After your departure, your house or apartment will be “cleaned out by patriotic marauders.” Take everything out in advance. Just say goodbye to the rest. And remember, the most important thing is life.
Posted by: Down South | Apr 14 2024 17:32 utc | 20
British media has made a sudden turnaround and is now saying Ukraine ‘could’ collapse this year. Seems the narratives are falling apart and there is no official party line what to say about Ukraine.
On the other hand, another media (The Sun?) is spewing articles how Ukraine will destroy the Crimean bridge this year. Yeah sure, throwing a gazillion F-16, Storm Shadows and sea drones against a bridge will change everything.
Posted by: unimperator | Apr 14 2024 18:23 utc | 21
@9 psicohistoriador
Segundo o relatório russo, as baixas ucranianas foram de 1225 soldados.
Posted by: Soviético | Apr 14 2024 18:42 utc | 22
Posted by: unimperator | Apr 14 2024 18:23 utc | 21
One fly in that ointment is they’ve got to find a gazillion F-16, Storm Shadows and sea drones in the first place. The private-sector outsourcing contractor Old Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard is currently in charge of logistics.
If they’re desperate to take down the bridge it would be cheaper if they chartered a container ship and gummed-up the engine fuel supply…
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 14 2024 18:47 utc | 23
Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 16:31 utc | 15
Doubtful, more likely they are part of a campaign to craft a narrative that supports the US Congress passing a spending bill on Ukraine. It’s a threefold structure that is found in every article I have read in the MSM, regarding the SMO
Stage 1: introduce the disaster scenario, Russia are about to………/ Or a variation on the theme stressing Russia’s lack of progress
Stage 2: remind the reader how successful Ukraine has been against Russia and how they have sacrificed so much.
Stage 3: suggest that all of the things mentioned in stage 2 are now at risk, because some Russia-supporting Republicans (link to MAGA-Trump) are holding up the spending, vital for Ukraines survival.
It’s the negative version of the traditional, Feature, Advantage , Benefit, and often used in the advertising of fear campaigns.
The ISW report, referenced earlier, shows clearly the structure, which either has all three stages in a sentence/paragraph, or a paragraph for each stage, with a conclusion containing at least two stages.
Posted by: Milites | Apr 14 2024 18:51 utc | 24
Posted by: Gerry Bell | Apr 14 2024 17:27 utc | 19
Maybe T-80s and BTRs could reach those speeds on road but it would be pushing it especially for tracked vehicles. Probably the estimate is at least a bit off.
Posted by: Satepestage | Apr 14 2024 18:56 utc | 25
In response to
”
@9 psicohistoriador
Segundo o relatório russo, as baixas ucranianas foram de 1225 soldados.
Posted by: Soviético | Apr 14 2024 18:42 utc | 22
”
I reported over 1100 and you got picky about the number…..sorry to offend but I don’t think my point is diminished to the reader by the potential under report.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 14 2024 19:28 utc | 26
Apologies for all that read it elsewhere, but might be interesting for those who don’t (and of actuality as we have had some discussions on RF’s “weakness” on anti personnel UAVs
Russian Russian UAV operators began to use REGULAR ammunition for Russian attack UAVs on a regular basis.
Ukrainians, to tell the truth, are engaged in artisanal activities in terms of equipping their drones.
Duct tape for winding a shot from an RPG-7, a window latch for the device “fenka” discharges, well, etc.
The Russian military industry has switched to the conveyor production of OFSP (high-explosive fragmentation special munitions).
Now, 4 types of OFSP drones are already mass-produced and are being used by Russian drones:
OFSP-05
OFSP-08
OFSP-1,7
OFSP-2.5
I won’t show you the rest, because you don’t have any documents.
But the weapon is very formidable.
Good news!
zimovskyAL
Posted by: Newbie | Apr 14 2024 19:43 utc | 27
I do not understand how Dutch politicians, traditionally very mean when it comes to give away their money easily gave or promised 3 billions to Ukraine?
What made EU politicians so zealous?
Does anybody understand that?
Imagine you have a neighbor that posses huge apple orchard. And you have a shop, you produce and sell apple juice. Everything is going fine, the neighbor sells the apples cheaply, you earn good… But one day you decide that it would be nice to somehow obtain control over your neighbor and force him to sell the apples almost for free. That is how EU wants to deal with Russia.
Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 19:50 utc | 28
I don’t understand why Bankova wants to get rid of RightSector. Did NATO or the EU ask for this?
#раскладка
The purge in the army has begun. Bankova only needs “its own” obedient commanders and units.
The attack and clear disbandment of the DUK Right Sector is the neutralization of possible future army riots against Zelensky/Ermak, who with their policies will “ruin” everything in the end.
Now all independents will be discredited, disbanded and merged. The current Commander-in-Chief Syrsky, back in Bakhmut, helped Bankova to dump the most inconvenient warriors in a meat grinder, we were the first to know about it.
Also near Avdeevka they tried to drain Azov (the third assault), but they bought it out and left their positions, which forced Syrsky to voice “exit/retreat” at night. Now they wanted to throw them into the meat again at Chasov Yar, but they refused.
All Ukrainians should clearly understand that Zelensky and Ermak have been preparing for a long time to “drain the war,” which means it is necessary to drain the inconvenient ones in the remaining time. Bankova needs a war not for national results, but for personal gain.
Someone even expresses the opinion that the office ones are leaking the “Nazis”, since there are some behind-the-scenes agreements with the other side. In general, this is beneficial to the OP and the Kremlin.
As a result, this fate will befall “Azov”, which greatly interferes with office workers. But publicly they “love each other.”
“>https://t.me/legitimniy/17700
Posted by: Richard L | Apr 14 2024 19:57 utc | 29
I do not understand how Dutch politicians, traditionally very mean when it comes to give away their money easily gave or promised 3 billions to Ukraine?
What made EU politicians so zealous?
Does anybody understand that?
Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 19:50 utc | 28
havent you payed any attention for the last couple years at all, or do you just ask questions like my youngest child would ask over and over simply? boze moj.
there were dozens of meetings, conferences and forums on “decolonizing russia”, ie carving the country up and putting it under european (nato) administration, because europe needs resources and cannot have a strong and independent (mother) russia next door that can act how it wants (not agressievly, but makes money and gets richer while the eu withers).
eu was promised a big chunk of the pie. they went all in. sanctions were supposed to make a takeover without war easy. because a war would spill into eu, and the garden cant have that. now they are left with investments but no return on them. sunk cost fallacy.
they simply cannot pull out anymore, not after what they have done. not only to russia, but also to any other country that has to suffer or get into debt because of their sanctions on everything russia.
do you really think that they can now simply pull out, say “oh, my bad” and reverse all the bullshit and the rest of the world is going to say “yeah, shit happens”? the loss of face would be catastrophal, and then theres also the little problem with all those other nations going to demand not only apologies, but damages repaid. and since the eu has no resources, and printed money is useless, what do you think is going to happen?
Posted by: Justpassinby | Apr 14 2024 20:06 utc | 30
Dima seems to be claiming in his latest video that the Kharhov offensive has already started. I think he’s out over his skis again.
Does anyone else have an opinion?
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Apr 14 2024 20:08 utc | 31
Posted by: Gerry Bell | Apr 14 2024 17:27 utc | 19
I was watching a video a few days ago of a Russian column of AV heading to the line to drop off infantry. The AV’s looked like they were going flat out and the Ukies were trying to hit them with artillery (how do you hit a moving target with an artillery shell?) Anyway the shells were just missing the AV’s. I doubt if a tank could move that fast. Maybe the Russians are focusing more on speed than slow heavy armor. Myself, I think motorcycles could work. An soldier could go 80 kph on a cycle, carry more kit and get to a trench with less probability of being hit than a tank or AV. Might work in some situations.
Posted by: Mike R | Apr 14 2024 20:17 utc | 32
Posted by: Justpassinby | Apr 14 2024 20:06 utc | 30 in reply to Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 19:50 utc | 28
All due respect, but I think I’d like a better answer from someone who understands the Dutch mindset, as I think vargas (previous concern trolling notwithstanding) may have been trying to lead us in this direction.
Recall, that it was the Dutch who lost the most people on MH17 in the skies somewhere around the Donbass republics way back in 2014 and that the Dutch government and media went into some kind of sick Russophobic hyperdrive despite the real details of the case still being mostly unproven. The trial was held in the Netherlands due to some treaty with Ukraine and the investigation leading up to it was a coverup or farce.
I’d really appreciate an account from someone who was in Holland at the time as all I’ve really read on that incident has to do with the greater geopolitical elements at work and how they probably got the wrong guys, and it was probably shot down by Ukraine.
Anyone who hasn’t read “Flight MH17, Ukraine and the new Cold War: Prism of disaster (Geopolitical Economy)” by Kees van der Pijl really should do so. Great book. But it doesn’t really explain the Dutch mindset with respect to Ukraine and Russia.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 20:20 utc | 33
do you really think that they can now simply pull out, say “oh, my bad” and reverse all the bullshit and the rest of the world is going to say “yeah, shit happens”?
Posted by: Justpassinby | Apr 14 2024 20:06 utc | 30
Of source they can. The population is brain washed. They would accept anything.
But my question was how the protestant elites (like in Holland) give money away, so easily. No questions asked, while for any other circumstances and spending bill is confronted with endless discussions and doubts. The whole society accepts that splashing out is normal in this case.
Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 20:32 utc | 34
Myself, I think motorcycles could work. An soldier could go 80 kph on a cycle, carry more kit and get to a trench with less probability of being hit than a tank or AV. Might work in some situations.
Posted by: Mike R | Apr 14 2024 20:17 utc | 32
Russians already did that.
Posted by: Honzo | Apr 14 2024 20:35 utc | 35
Posted by: Justpassinby | Apr 14 2024 20:06 utc | 30
“I am in blood
Stepped in so far, that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o’er”
They have invested so much so far and have so much to lose that one can wonder whether the war will end with the last Ukrainian – probably not. Putin could have known and waged the war differently. The Anglo-Saxons and their Jews fundamentally demand total submission from their opponents – which is why you can only deal with them at this level.
Posted by: Oliver Krug | Apr 14 2024 20:35 utc | 36
@Mike R #32
Russians use motorbikes to attack trenches. They have developed a fast and small all-terrain vehicle that does 140 km/h on the steppes. (sorry I didn’t make a note of the URL)
Posted by: Richard L | Apr 14 2024 20:37 utc | 37
Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 20:32 utc | 33
Look into MH17. Shot down by Ukraine. Blamed on Russia or the Donbass people. ~200 dead Dutch, show trial held in Amsterdam.
I don’t live there, but it would be fascinating if one of MoA’s readers is Dutch and could explain to us what it was like in the Dutch media and government. I’m guessing that they are uniquely willing to give the Ukronazis money because they still believe Evil Pooty was behind the downing of that plane.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 20:40 utc | 38
@soviético – Por favor, utilize um tradutor como o deepl.com antes de publicar, para evitar que todos nós tenhamos de o fazer.
//
Please use a translator such as deepl.com before posting, to save everyone of us having to do it.
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 14 2024 20:41 utc | 39
Look into MH17. Shot down by Ukraine. Blamed on Russia or the Donbass people. ~200 dead Dutch, show trial held in Amsterdam.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 20:40 utc | 37
A couple of points Mr Collins. First, I ask why the hell was Kiev allowing passenger planes over a war zone in which it was well known that anti-kiev forces on the ground had anti aircraft weaponry?
Secondly, I remember at the time seeing videos of one “rebel” in Slavyansk talking about how the ukrainians were using passenger planes to hide their attack aircraft behind over rebel areas only for them to dive and attack those below. These videos were just a few weeks BEFORE MH17.
Posted by: HERMIUS | Apr 14 2024 20:50 utc | 40
Please use a translator such as deepl.com before posting, to save everyone of us having to do it.
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 14 2024 20:41 utc | 38
++++
its massively arrogant to constantly post on a forum in a different language than the one everyone else there uses. its the opposite of clear communication. You’d have to wonder what would cause someone to behave is such an obviously bizarre manner in a public forum
In some ways its like have someone with mental defects sitting in the corner constantly mumbling and dribbling on themselves, while everyone else tries to communicate with each other: the only polite thing to do is to do your best to ignore such obviously grievously mentally afflicted persons and their constant drooling sounds
if the arrogant one cannot be bothered to translate it before posting, in order to facilitate those he is obviously trying to communicate with (or pretending to at least) then why would anyone bother wasting time trying to make sense if it?
Posted by: SamHyde | Apr 14 2024 20:55 utc | 41
31
Wyatt at dfa said he thought it was about to start but was surprised.
Posted by: Watcher | Apr 14 2024 20:57 utc | 42
Posted by: HERMIUS | Apr 14 2024 20:50 utc | 39
Totally with you, of course. I didn’t launch into a long explanation because it was well-covered here at MoA.
For a great piece of investigative journalism on the MH17 incident and all the geopolitical ramifications, I highly recommend “Flight MH17, Ukraine and the new cold war: Prism of Disaster” by K. van der Pijl. Somebody brought it to my attention here many years ago and it stands up today as one of the most thorough and prescient works on the present conflict in Ukraine and around the world.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329945159_Flight_MH17_Ukraine_and_the_new_cold_war_Prism_of_disaster
(or you can get it from Jeff Bozos)
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 20:58 utc | 43
Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 20:32 utc | 33
Like the English, the Dutch have for hundreds of years hated the Russians.
it goes back to to the 1600’s at least, possibly further
To do with trade, trade-routes and access to Russian resources, and Russian unwillingness to let Dutch and English just do as they pleased.
Posted by: SamHyde | Apr 14 2024 21:00 utc | 44
But again, if anyone reading this thread lives or was living in Holland between 2014 and 2022, it’d be great if you could enlighten us on what the media and government messaging environment there was like in reaction to the MH17 incident and ensuing “investigation.”
I do think it would help explain why the Dutch, normally such penny pinchers, would so gladly keep sending money to the Ukronazis even as their own economy suffers.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 21:01 utc | 45
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 20:58 utc | 42
Cheers Mr Collins. Will read it.
Posted by: HERMIUS | Apr 14 2024 21:02 utc | 46
Posted by: Richard L | Apr 14 2024 19:57 utc | 29
Purely speculative on my part, but my guess is the Kiev bureaucracy are trying to neutralise the possibility of a coup by the “True Believers”.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 14 2024 21:06 utc | 47
no shit epiphany:
https://twitter.com/StasOlenchenko/status/1779445584329417205
This night Ukrainians got a clear view of what we truly mean for the US.
We’re not allies, never have been.
We’re an inconvenience. An aberration in their view of geopolitics. A problem that just won’t solve itself.
We’ll keep resisting no matter what, but this really hurt.
also, no shit analysis:
https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineRussiaReport/comments/1c3y2vf/ua_pov_they_have_pulled_off_a_masterstroke_they/
UA POV: “They have pulled off a masterstroke, they have weakened Europe considerably.” Alain Julliet, ex director of DGSE, explains how the US used the war and ‘Russian sanctions’ to weaken Europe and prevent them from becoming a competitor in the power struggle between US and China
a video interview follows
the butthurt is getting palpable
—-
via links aggregator https://defencepk.com/forums/forums/europe-russia.51/
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 21:06 utc | 48
Posted by: SamHyde | Apr 14 2024 21:00 utc | 43
I always thought that prior to WWII the Netherlands and Russia had decent relations. A quick glance at Wikipedia seems to back this up (Peter the Great and Tsar Alexander I had close Dutch ties), but I’m no expert.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 21:07 utc | 49
> Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 21:07 utc | 48
all european monarchies had close ties, they speculated this should make big bloody wars impossible
…then came WW1
also, last Russian emperor was so look-alike to English king – they often made mocking photos of almost being twins. He also was married to allegedly “the favourite granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom”
…when he lost his power to pro-western coup he natrually asked UK for politic asylum – and was thrown under bus with zero hesitation
I would not think those “ties” meant much more, than spectacular Gaddafi’s tent in Paris streets few months before France bombed him and his children.
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 21:14 utc | 50
> Posted by: HERMIUS | Apr 14 2024 20:50 utc | 39
…one week before MH-17 UkroTV aired cheerful propaganda about Buk AD station ready to protect the skies. From exavtly the area the missile towards MH-17 reportedly flew week later.
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 21:18 utc | 51
> Some of us can back up “much attrition”
> Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 14 2024 14:18 utc | 6
“muh” here was a sardonic, hyper-exagerrated “my”, not “much”. Mocking dixieland accent or something
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 21:23 utc | 52
Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 19:50 utc | 28
That is the hand European Americans have dealt to the “resource-rich” global south for centuries. Loosening the G7 grip on profit by arbitrages will not come easily, without blood shed. Frederick Douglass maxims of liberation and all that which followed the self-destruction of empires left at Potsdam.
Since then, some four generations of G20 delegations regrouped ideology of “strategic autonomy” F/K/A political economy, forming regional organizations of mutual aid out of degenerate metropole “spheres of influence”. I think it fair to say, Russia is not acting alone. Rather, is the logical power among its peers to strike the first, if not fatal, blow to the old world order on the Atlantic frontier, Ukraine.
In the east, well, you-know-who has been knitting parallel trade routes around westworld’s reactionary power traps since 1974. G7 “pivots” have come too late to salvage remnants of their first-mover advantages in multiple domains of ASEAN, BRI, SCO, and UNGA supply- and demand-side equity. The die is cast.
Posted by: sln2002 | Apr 14 2024 21:23 utc | 53
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 20:58 utc | 42
I meant to say Tom, I understand why you went of topic last thread. In any case I read your post on the similarities to Christ – bloody brilliant.
PS NOBODY reply please – or go over to the Week in Review
Posted by: watcher | Apr 14 2024 21:24 utc | 54
Dima seems to be claiming in his latest video that the Kharhov offensive has already started. I think he’s out over his skis again.
Does anyone else have an opinion?
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Apr 14 2024 20:08 utc | 31
Dima made that claim over the re-naming of the forces north of Kharkov “Army Group North” or something to that effect. He’s speculating that this force will go on the offensive but there is no movement from the Russian side.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Apr 14 2024 21:25 utc | 55
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 21:14 utc | 49
OK, but in coming to an understanding of present-day Dutch-Russian relations (and sentiments among everyday people), I’d wager that the Russophobia is in large part due to two things: 1) POOOOOTIN and 2) MH17 – and how both have been portrayed in Western/Dutch media over the last ~20yrs. Not any ‘ancient’ historical grievances (of which none too many existed prior to WWII).
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 21:28 utc | 56
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 21:18 utc | 50
Also, John Helmer had an article from a couple of years ago – can’t find it now – discussing the suspicious presence of two SAS (or MI6) officers a day before in that very spot where MH-17 was blown apart by AD.
Posted by: Boo | Apr 14 2024 21:29 utc | 57
PS NOBODY reply please – or go over to the Week in Review
Posted by: watcher | Apr 14 2024 21:24 utc | 53
Thanks, I really do appreciate it. But I am done with that topic for the time being; I won’t be wasting anyone’s time with more Christ debates, even on open threads.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 14 2024 21:32 utc | 58
Dima’s latest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ulynfp88Fk
Typical too much soup from one onion soup speculation about Kharkiv area offensive.
Decent speculation about Chasiv Yar. (Agreed everything points to it being this season’s Avdiivka or Backhmut. Lots of work still to be done, to even really put it in peril, though.)
Note that at minute 19ish, he says Berdichi still is held by Ukrainians. Will fall any day now (has been saying that for days).
Claims to have indications Seminovka will fall, based on two videos of UFA vehicles being attacked. (Not sure how that is much of an indicator…he’s not even showing Russian vehicles raiding into Seminovka for instance.)
Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 14 2024 21:34 utc | 59
Mocking dixieland accent or something…
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 21:23 utc | 51
like the common cadence of US American bromides
Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh’s UNLOCK MUH VALUE presentation to the Kyiv School of Economics, 10 April 2024
From Imagination to Realization
Let’s talk about how we realize this future—specifically, how we catalyze a virtuous cycle of investment, innovation, growth, reform, democracy, and Western integration.
The first step is to UNLOCK THE VALUE of Russian sovereign assets frozen within our jurisdictions for the benefit of Ukraine. International law is clear on this point. Russia must pay for the damage it has caused in Ukraine. And it is not for Russia to decide if or when that happens.
[…]
Posted by: sln2002 | Apr 14 2024 21:43 utc | 60
> Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 16:31 utc | 15
oh, muh boy, what a feast…
> The current situation in ME would create a shortage of AA rockets in Ukraine
“would” ??? As in there is no shortage yet?
But last weeks Russia was raining fire and brimstone on Ukrainian power plants and gas depots like it NEVER ever could before.
Also, the usual crescendo of “Ukrainian civilian housing X was bombed” ceased recently.
Both those observations seems to prove Ukrainian AD… ahem… went into deep sleep mode.
> They srr going to mobilize many people soon.
You mean, the less crazies to be fed by Russia after EuroUkraine eats itself out? Is it supposed to be a bad news for Russia?
Personally i think RuArmy strategy for last months was exactly that: keep Ze Fuhrer to steadily throw Ukrainians on the Bandera Express. The territory gains were merely a threat. The proverbial whil upon Ze’s head to be used when he’s failing to surrender Ukrainians many enough fast enough.
> That human meat shall be used to slow down the Russians.
…to slow down. Not to stop, not to chase away, merely to slow down. For a while until that meat is cooked and they would need another be “going to mobilize” again?
That sounds sooo veery stalematish….
> The loses would mot mean much for some time as EU soldiers would slow take place of Ukrainians.
Good. I am with you here.
Let’s waster thousands of EuroMaidan soldiers, both from EU and from Ukraine.
You say their deaths “would not mean much” and i totally support your assessment here.
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 21:53 utc | 61
> Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 16:31 utc | 15
> They srr going to mobilize many people soon.
Kiev – the capital, where people were mostly shielded from the war, to keep calmness for government, embassies and journos.
Sikorski’s insitute.
https://t.me/sharanism/29157
“Students would not be allowed into dormitories until they visit the army recruitment centre”
Ze Hitler Jugend in the making. The mobilization is obviously going nice and smooth…
Okay, the opposite side of the pipeline, the front units.
https://t.me/ASupersharij/28307
“…when they send buses – there is nobody to choose from. They all have long lists of diseases… Those 50-years alcoholic peasants with hockey sticks of broken noses and black teeth… And if you are not taking them – two days later another shuttle bus comes and you meet same very faces again”.
Western maskirovka is getting better by day, by day…
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 22:08 utc | 62
Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 14 2024 21:34 utc | 58
Thanks for the update on Berdychi. We would never know otherwise.
Posted by: James M. | Apr 14 2024 22:08 utc | 63
I don’t understand why Bankova wants to get rid of RightSector. Did NATO or the EU ask for this?
[…]
Richard L | Apr 14 2024 19:57 utc | 29
Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 14 2024 21:06 utc | 46
Haha, definitely not. 😉
Thanks for the interesting post. Can’t judge if it’s accurate, but makes mucho sense to me.
Gotta ‘catch’ them all!
Posted by: smuks | Apr 14 2024 22:15 utc | 64
Maybe T-80s and BTRs could reach those speeds on road but it would be pushing it especially for tracked vehicles. Probably the estimate is at least a bit off.
Posted by: Satepestage | Apr 14 2024 18:56 utc |
T-72 top speed 75 kph
Posted by: nwwoods | Apr 14 2024 22:15 utc | 65
101 of (pro-)Ukrainian narrative control – just invent “Russian goals”:
Kiev now claims Russia wants to “capture Chasov Yar by May 9th” (acc. to Dima).
If it lasts longer than that, hooray “success” for AFU…
Western narrative has always been that Russia wants “all of Ukraine” (because, you know, “Soviet Union 2.0”), and will then target the next country. So anything less than that will be “Russian failure”.
Wait for that to become the dominant theme.
———
Related question:
Is Ukraine disappearing from headlines & evening news in your country?
It’s not happening in Germany yet, but the country may be an ‘outlier’ imo…?
PS. Please don’t overfeed the trolls. It’s bad for their health (and fighting stats).
Posted by: smuks | Apr 14 2024 22:26 utc | 66
> What made EU politicians so zealous?
> would be nice to somehow obtain control over your neighbor and force him to sell the apples almost for free.
> That is how EU wants to deal with Russia.
> Posted by: vargas | Apr 14 2024 19:50 utc | 28
Assuming, again, it is something that only had changed reently….
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Charter_Treaty
…Formation 1991
…Initially, the Energy Charter process aimed to integrate the energy sectors of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe
…to find language to ensure national sovereignty over natural resources while enshrining the principle of international cooperation to allow outside access to those resources
The principle, no less.
…The treaty is responsible for the protection of foreign direct investment.
…The legally binding nature of the Energy Charter Treaty makes it the world’s only
IOW, so blazingly daring – nobody else was so cheeky yet and still.
…The most significant claims against Russia, pertaining to the Yukos decision, arose under the provisions of Article 26
Yep, quite telling.
However, when Russia tried to invest into European core assets, and enjoy the protection of politically-motivated robery – they were given a finger.
In 2009 (two years after Munich Speech, and a year after western aggresison against Osetia) Russia quit the one-sided treaty.
In 2012 USA and EU punished Russia’s failure to obey by so-called Magnitsky Acts
…In 2021 the treaty was struck down by the European Court of Justice for intra-EU disputes only
Because it’s main goal of cracking open Russian “orchid” was no more plausible.
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 22:27 utc | 67
@HERMIUS | Apr 14 2024 20:50 utc | 39
You ask why Kiev was allowing civilian planes to fly over a war zone. The plane was under the control of Air Traffic Control Tower for Dnepropetrovsk Airport when it was shot down. Vassili Prozorov gives some background in the following
The secret visit of American attaches to the East of Ukraine on the date of the Boeing Disaster Part 1-
https://odysee.com/@No_One_Is_Forgotten:a/BOEING-1-ENG-(online-video-cutter.com):2
The secret visit of American attaches to the East of Ukraine on the date of the Boeing Disaster Part 2-
https://odysee.com/@No_One_Is_Forgotten:a/боинг2-(online-video-cutter.com):1
Posted by: cirsium | Apr 14 2024 22:29 utc | 68
Meanwhile in “Muh Stalemate”, Russians continue to chew through NATO’s proxy men & material. Winning!
What’s going on here? Has everyone been taking their medications? Where’s the tenacious links from Dutch paranoia to the Aztecs//Huron/Talmud?
I’m not use to suddenly being in adult company? Quite refreshing.
Cheers!
Posted by: Suresh | Apr 14 2024 22:40 utc | 69
Great interview by Michael Hudson on Israel with transcription.
https://michael-hudson.com/2024/04/gaza-the-strategic-imperative/
He says he was at a meeting 50 years ago where much of this strategy was laid out. Really worth reading/watching though it is scary.
Posted by: Matthew | Apr 14 2024 22:41 utc | 70
> I don’t understand why Bankova wants to get rid of RightSector. Did NATO or the EU ask for this?
> Posted by: Richard L | Apr 14 2024 19:57 utc | 29
my speculation is:
after a rather short period of semi-independence in 2015 Right Sector became a “pocket army” of the notorious oligarch Igor “only cowards pay debts” Kolomoiski. So notorious that even Israel in the end denied him an asylum.
his PrivatBank was seen transporting those goons in their armored money vans. It also was famous for decorating streets with shocking promises to pay in cash for killed Russians: https://www.vesti.ru/article/1840224
Frankly, i followed rumours neither about RS not about Kolomoiski, so maybe someone outbid them later, don’t know
when Ze was elected he was seen, and probably actually was, Kolomoisky’s puppet.
Few years alter, however, there was a public fallout between those two, a lot of speculations followed where the rift was real or just a pretense to insulate Kolomoiski from the coming Ze-regime crimes. Still no certainty, but seems they ended with some kind of armistice.
Ze can certainly expect that Kolomoisky would never forget his puppet riot, so when Ze’s going throug htorubled waters preemptively defangling Ko seemed making sense.
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 22:46 utc | 71
> on Israel
> Posted by: Matthew | Apr 14 2024 22:41 utc | 69
wrong turn, dude 🙂 this is Ukrainian exhibition, you wanted that other room:
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2024/04/palestine-open-thread-2024-110.html
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 23:00 utc | 72
> The latest Russian Defence Ministry report … for those whose freedom-loving ISPs block access.
> Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Apr 14 2024 13:19 utc | 1
there is also TG stream for those
* https://t.me/mod_russia_en/13327
* https://t.me/mod_russia_en/13328
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 14 2024 23:04 utc | 73
Arioch | Apr 14 2024 22:46 utc | 70
Kolomoisky’s fall from favour was brought about by the FBI.
At one time they had an arrest warrant for him and he could not enter the U$.
Not all parts of the labyrinthine, bloated and turf-war ridden U$ “intel” and “law enforcement” agencies know (or care) what other agencies or divisions within their own agency are doing.
Deep Dept of State and CIA were aligned with Kolomoisky.. Then the RussiaRussiaRussia Get Trump campaign started.
All RussiaRussiaRussia leads to Ukraine… and kolorful Kolomoisky got caught in the dragnet of some parts of the U$ intel trying to unravel the incomprehensible mess that is Ukraine. The Feds did the “follow the money” trick, quickly found Kolomoisky …. And not understanding who or what he was …. Went after his money, because seizing money is pretty much what the Feds do best.
Posted by: Melaleuca | Apr 14 2024 23:13 utc | 74
@sin2002 59
Singh is one of a new generation of quite visible Indians climbing their way up the ladders of US bureaucracy.
He was also the front man and purported architect of Biden’s ‘mother of all sanctions’ against Russia. In the early stages of the sanctions and riding high on his reputation he was sent as US Deputy National Security Advisor on a state visit to India. Once there he managed to exceed his brief (though Biden’s foreign relations are so inept it may have been intentional) and threatened India with consequences (secondary sanctions) if they persisted with Russian trade. The Indians were so offended their news media was full of discussion for weeks afterwards. Not long after this Singh went on an extended leave of absence from his job, citing ‘personal reasons’ and was quietly replaced. Recently he was been brought back into the administration and presumably exercising his unique economic and diplomatic style in Ukraine.
Posted by: Raumati | Apr 14 2024 23:22 utc | 75
Is Ukraine disappearing from headlines & evening news in your country?
Posted by: smuks | Apr 14 2024 22:26 utc | 65
Ukraine has been given lower priority where I live (Japan). It used to be in the news a lot more, but has tapered off. The main focus points here are always China and North Korea, as far as international relations/potential war goes.
Posted by: James M. | Apr 14 2024 23:25 utc | 76
@47,
You would think that Ukr should’ve had that epiphany a lot sooner. The whole world knows their actual role by now. But for some reason, they think that somehow they are equal to their American ‘buddies’.
Will it change anything? Not really, the stupidity is way to off the charts in that country at the moment.
Posted by: JamesBond | Apr 14 2024 23:49 utc | 77
Is it my imagination have Israel’s opponents opted for the same slow attrition method Russia is deploying in Ukraine?
Is this the end of American wars. Even the Houthi’s have humiliated the West with hit, run and hide methods. Israel is getting nowhere in Gaza. It’s evacuating residential areas to Hezbollah.
US weakness is that it needs a highly dramatic narrative punctuated with dramatic twists and signs of progress. The media needs to be on board. Dull boring attrition lacks the kind of plot the US public and Washington require. If you motivated by principles you can endure a long war, but if your motivation is power and enabling pillage you don’t have the same kind of resolve. The last thing you want is to be supporting a losing exercise.
Syria won the long war with Russian Assistance.
Vietnan and Afghanistan were all long wars.
Posted by: Nema Nischta | Apr 14 2024 23:57 utc | 78
@77
US’ ‘deterrent’ was lost in Feb 2022.
Last night was its funeral.
The death of 1000 cuts started years ago.
Posted by: paddy | Apr 15 2024 0:02 utc | 79
There are many screen names behind which lurks an oily creep, toiling for their niche in the Empire turd heap, however token the rewards.
Posted by: anon2020 | Apr 14 2024 12:45 utc | 568.
Well said!!! Trolling by any other name. The current thread condition is deplorable and smells very strongly of Alphabet Spook Soup agency activity.
Posted by: Barrel Brown | Apr 14 2024 13:45 utc | 569
—-
Guys, this is tin foil hat stuff.
What evidence, deductive or factual, can you possibly provide for your imaginative paranoia?
Fact: Yes, we all know there are professional PR companies employed by Kiev since day 1 wilfully tilting fake news towards their narrative.
Fact: Yes we know that there are innumerable fake partisan accounts (for both sides) on Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, YT, Rumble and other very popular platforms.
Fact: Yes we know that spook agencies set up psyops to misinform the enemy and their supporters. It’s called state propaganda. But they usually target places with real opinion makers. Ffs, MoA is just a cyber bar of idle amateurs, none of whom can alter the course of the SMO. LoL.
Fact: Yes, there are some (a few, BUT NOT A LOT) of spontaneous new posters who visit MoA for a day or two, spout their ignorance, get badly shot down, then dissappear. But who says they are, why would they need to be, paid disruptors? They are too simple to cause any effect against the wall of knowledge in MoA.
Conjecture: But find me proof, just one admittance by a pimply teen or a retired historian or a low income housewife being paid $1 per time-wasting post or $200 per week in fringe forums like MoA to disrupt it enough to cause membership departure. That’s not where the agency money is going. It goes to slick, subcontracted, cross-channel YT productions which get 100k views per day … very believable stuff, spread by links, high on the algorithm recommendations for BOTH SIDES of supporters.
I seriously think this paid basement troll stuff (against MoA) is an urban myth. I’ve seen it levelled at all sorts of people who inadvertently post an opinion which grates against any majority view. I was once accused of being a paid Hasbara in the Gaza thread, just because I queried if Hamas MIGHT be hiding within civilian premises (just like the Ukies do). Me? Paid by the Israeli Gvt!!! Lmao. It’s just a very cheap shot by moronic, bigotted partisans to keep their echo chamber pure. Same in the [Ukraine Threads].
As for so called “deeper-plants”, (as was levelled at sb), I fail to see how his barrages of rigid worldview could debase MoA dialogue to cause departures. Some rightly challenged him, many just ignored him. Eventually he desisted — why? Because he hit a brick wall. This indicates to me he was NOT some agency committee. His detractors and those suspicious of deep-plant agency trolls fail to acknowledge the number of real word, idle, rigid, OCD, autistic, polymath, iconoclast, self-appointed know-alls out there … balanced by the number of ignorant, low IQ, Dunning-Kruger, infantile, barrackers for Team Russophobe. It sure doesn’t take money to motivate such fools! And, when ya compare sb’s personality (not substance) to a few other ideological obsessives around here, the only difference is the handle and frequency, imo.
If I had the inclination and time, I would analyse the number of off topic and spammy posts here. But intuition already tells me that by far the greatest number of fucking annoying, time wasting gobshite posted here is by old timers, the Prominent Ones, the Respected Ones, those who are very knowledgeable in one/some/many topics but, who, just like the ignorant morons we have to battle, just can’t stop their fingers knee-jerk-dumping their superficial opinions and rigid ideological tropes (right and left wing) simply because they can get away with it more so than some newbie, AND BECAUSE they know one of their ideological antagonists will bite and reply to engage them for a few more posts over the day. In terms of junk propogation, these sorts of interchanges fill the forum far more than a few imaginary basement trolls. Challenge these Truth Warriors at your peril. They will tie up the thread until they get the precious last word in, or until b posts a new day, whereupon they regurgitate anew when the chance arises. They never continue their sacred argument within an old thread because there’s no notoriety left.
Perhaps, perhaps, “its worse than it used to be”. Yes, a few knowledgeable old timers have retired to Substack or purely to read but not comment. But who knows how many lurkers there are compared to posters? Only b. I wish he’d reveal that!
But everyone tires of sameness and moves on in life. Maybe THAT’S the real reason. I am sure the SLOMO has caused many people to only check-in infrequently. They post their 2 bob’s worth, then dissappear. It’s the mental health of the daily readers … like myself … I worry for the most! :))
Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Apr 15 2024 0:15 utc | 80
Anonymous@58….Dima and anyone else can plot the Ukie FPV drone strikes on Russian equipment. Ukie likes to publish that. That’s how he judges where the Russians are by what the Ukies strike and where. The Russians do not give up where they are though they will publish vids, they don’t specify exactly where.
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Apr 15 2024 0:16 utc | 81
Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Apr 15 2024 0:15 utc | 79
The long and the short of it is: What possible benefit could any powerful person, government or entity gain from disrupting a niche comment thread at MoA?
I can see the hasbarists, since we know that’s something they’ve done for a long time, but they usually show up, get KO’d and either go on their way or post the same drivel under different handles until they’re rooted out/banned.
Otherwise, I just can’t see why any 3LAs would bother. Not like anything any of us say here is going to change a god damned thing. Were that it could…
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 15 2024 0:19 utc | 82
Sean:
In general, yes, he often uses this rationale. However, that is not the case in THIS video.
He uses videos of Ukrop vehicles being attacked by Russians as evidence that the village was being abandoned. Since the two videos showed vehicles leaving the town. (Of course, it would be normal to have BMPs going to and from the town, even if being held. So, showing a vehicle leaving the town is not very good evidence of a retreat.)
Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 15 2024 0:47 utc | 83
James, there was some commenter here who told me it had fallen.
https://xkcd.com/386/
Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 15 2024 0:48 utc | 84
Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Apr 15 2024 0:15 utc | 79
Yes, well written. I am one of those infrequent posters but lurk. No point sometimes in setting ones self up for attack. After all this time, all the evidence, still supports the SMO being started due to written instructions to the Azov to increase attacks on the Donbass. This at the time of the worldwide protests against the WEF and the WHO mandates flying Canadian flags. An uncontrolled grassroots uprising.
With the R2P obligation Russia had an responsibility to begin the SMO.
I do not doubt there were many phone calls between Russia, USA, WEF, and others, Britain Germany etc ( but not Canada as Chrystia is too egotistical to keep her mouth shut).
Immediately everyone globally dropped their Canadian flags and forgot about their right to personal liberty and sovereignty while hoisting Ukraine flags. Same week as the Canadian world wide support and Canada’s emergency measures act and the seizing of bank accounts.
Problem solved. Now all the WEF plans continue to be implemented without any resistance. We here at the bar talk about the SloMo and that’s what it is, distraction while the chains for our freedoms are attached.
Posted by: MervRitchie | Apr 15 2024 0:52 utc | 85
@26 psicohistoriador
Tranquilo.
Eu só exatei os números sem pretender refutar argumentos com os quais concordo.
Posted by: Soviético | Apr 15 2024 0:56 utc | 86
> being paid …. in fringe forums like MoA to disrupt it enough
> Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Apr 15 2024 0:15 utc | 79
there is one TG channel, 262 total subscribers, so it is as fringe a cyber bar as can be
we there are mocking Ukrainians as we kinda got addicted to their cheeky bravado of 2014 kind, and we are kinda LARPing the, in grotesque ways there. So, yeah, as fringe as it gets.
occasionally some random ukros land there, some seeing filthy moskals laughing at them, other’s ever failing to grasp the “up to eleven 11” nature of the place and trying to call for donations or similar stuff ukies are doing among themselves.
Those do exactly what you described, they “visit for a day or two, spout their ignorance, get badly shot down, then dissappear”
Then there are others. They land to repeatedly post emotionally intensive but not meaning much memes, or easily debunkable rumours, or even long debunked ones. At times they try to deviate from this and really attempt arguing, then they got “badly shot down” and… no, they do not leave in anger and shame, they revert to memes posting.
At times they may abruptly went missing for few days or weeks, like on vacation or assigned to other channels, then they reapper for 2-5 days, off again, on again, etc.
One person or perhaps two now, for a tiny 262-sized TG fringe channel. This bar is a giant, relatively.
—-
Don’t ask me what is their purpose, i don’t know. I speculate, their immediate bosses do not care about efficientcy, but only about being able to concoct good reports to their Western masters to justify next donations round. I speculate their low rank Western bosses are also only interested in good-looking reports to keep their sinecures. And pawns would probably do anything for as long as it keeps them from army conscription.
There also repirtedly was one recent “cyber-attack” with one Ukrainian female, badly impersonating souther Muslim male, trying to blackmail a kid into promicing planting bombs in Russia. The kid though was some relative to a russian hacker, who took the control of the talks and managed to infect that ukrainian attacker with a remote desktop virus. You can say that was all a mafde up make belief, but it sounded real to me, albeit can not be proven. That woman though, she was only diligent enough to work about an hour or two a day, spending the rest in online games and porn. The bare minimum of job required to make a plasible report, not some imaginable passionate info-warrior cherishing every second.
—-
TL;DR i would not estimate persons like that inhabit this bar, or not. Just i am pretty sure even incomparably smaller and fringier forums are not tiny enough for their ilk
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 15 2024 0:59 utc | 87
Don’t worry. Ukies will definitely get their Taurus and the orcs will run back to Siberia.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240415/germany-escalates-donbass-conflict-as-ukraine-admits-frontline-is-deteriorating-1117933923.html
Posted by: Surferket | Apr 15 2024 1:01 utc | 88
Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 15 2024 0:48 utc | 83
Well, you sure proved him wrong. Congratulations, you won a meaningless debate.
That said, Southfront’s map looks very brown all the way around Berdychi: https://s2.cdnstatic.space/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/14april2024_Ukraine_Avdeevka_map_2.jpg It also looks like RuAF has grabbed territory to the north, and pushing to Umanske in the south. Even Deepstate maps covers Berdychi as mostly taken by Russia. So at what point will you say Berydchi is Russian? When there’s a geolocated flag there? Just curious what your criteria is.
Posted by: James M. | Apr 15 2024 1:12 utc | 89
@38 persiflo
OK
Não vou publicar mais nada até aprender a usar tradutores neste ambiente.
Posted by: Soviético | Apr 15 2024 1:19 utc | 90
@38 persiflo
OK
Não vou publicar mais nada até aprender a usar tradutores neste ambiente.
Posted by: Soviético | Apr 15 2024 1:19 utc | 91
TL;DR i would not estimate persons like that inhabit this bar, or not. Just i am pretty sure even incomparably smaller and fringier forums are not tiny enough for their ilk
Posted by: Arioch | Apr 15 2024 0:59 utc | 86
Never underestimate the power of information warfare. I don’t think MoA is necessarily a target of the US IC, but there are few places in the English-speaking Internet with such an obvious pro-Russian slant. We know Southfront was targeted, and it has its own daily trolls. We know the Saker lost his nerve a year ago and stopped posting for “reasons.” I imagine this site, Moon of Alabama, has been on the radar for a long time with its criticism of the Iraq war. If I can find it, certainly others can.
I do know that US Intelligence does, or has in the past, monitor minor blogs, mostly for housekeeping and internal purposes. I had a “friend” who worked ancillary for a certain US Government entity. He/she/they kept a private blog – no names on a separate server, in a foreign language. They never revealed place of work or any names, but he/she’s boss found out about it, called them in to the office, and had a casual conversation about it. They instantly deleted the blog, as a result, and never went back to blogging.
So maybe MoA is read by Intel, maybe it’s not. I’d say probably not. The Ukrainians would be far more interested in stopping conversations here than the Americans or Europeans, since they seek a tighter control of information (see Gonzolo Lira). One way to tell might be: as Russia gains more traction in the SMO, the trolls, if they are paid, will come out stronger to disrupt the conversation flow. That’s just my hunch.
Posted by: James M. | Apr 15 2024 1:41 utc | 92
Dima seems to be claiming in his latest video that the Kharhov offensive has already started. I think he’s out over his skis again.
Does anyone else have an opinion?
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Apr 14 2024 20:08 utc | 31
____
My opinion is that we could do with a lot less Dima around here.
Posted by: malenkov | Apr 15 2024 2:05 utc | 93
It’s the mental health of the daily readers … like myself … I worry for the most! :))
Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Apr 15 2024 0:15 utc | 79
There’s a cure for that, don’t you know. 🙂 You know, you’re one of the worst offenders here for the very thing you complain about.
Speaking of insufferable posters, Shadowbanned has been missing for maybe a week now. No great loss. Hopefully we’ve seen the last of him.
Posted by: James M. | Apr 15 2024 2:08 utc | 94
(BBC article)
Ukraine’s power plants at the mercy of Russian missiles
by By Sarah Rainsford – Eastern Europe correspondent in Kharkiv
4/14/2024 · 9:00 PM EDT
https://ssnews.page.link/64zEZmTdf1j2VBM98
Russia’s war on Ukraine has entered a new phase. Drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure are now frequent and massive, overwhelming its current air defences.
They often include the same Iranian-made Shahed drones just launched by Tehran at Israel. President Volodymyr Zelensky said their sound, whether in the skies over the Middle East or in Europe “must serve as a wake-up call to the free world”.
Officials in Ukraine say they can “count on one hand” the thermal and hydro power plants across the country that are not yet badly damaged or totally destroyed.
Last week, a major facility close to Kyiv was hit. To the northeast, in Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv, all three major power plants are in ruins. DTEK, a private energy company, has revealed it’s operating at less than 20% capacity after repeated missile strikes.
I observed the four paragraph rule, lots more, with photos, at the link. An optimist might hope that this article is representative of Western governments trying out the narrative that it would uncivilized to have Ukraine fight for much longer, and that since they’ve already proven their indomitable spirit there’s no shame in offering Russia a deal that would allow them to call it quits.
I say, let them spin it as “a victory for the NATO alliance of enlightened nations” as long as what remains of Ukraine ends up neutral and de-Nazified, and Russia regains all the territory where the majority of people prefer to be part of it.
Posted by: Babel-17 | Apr 15 2024 2:13 utc | 95
With respect to the speed of Russian tanks, Simplicius had a Russian video (with English subtitles) on the production and testing of the T90M at the end of his last but one piece on substack. Looked very damn fast to me.
https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/sitrep-41124-zelensky-in-shock-as?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
Very sorry! The link I posted was copied from the page my Samsung Tablet opened when clicking on a news link from Samsung News.
This one should work.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68813529
Posted by: Babel-17 | Apr 15 2024 2:19 utc | 97
smuks | Apr 14 2024 22:26 utc | 65
Ukr……wat??
~~~~~~
On the topic of narrative control….which is primal to the Ukrainian thread @MoA and msm both, a masterclass was on exhibition this weekend in Australia.
A man, armed with a large knife, entered one of Sydney’s largest and most economical advantaged shopping malls, and indiscriminately stabbed multiple people, six of who are deceased. Many more seriously injured.
A mother holding an infant .. both were stabbed, and the mother died on the scene.
The man was shot dead on scene by a (female) police officer.
Being mid afternoon in one of Sydney’s busiest shopping meccas, phone vid blew up every social media.
Legacy media, skeleton weekend crew of journalism interns, struggled to keep pace. They couldn’t post the blood or other distressing scenes, so they settled on a few frames of “bollard man”.
A random shopper who’d picked up a crowd-control roped bollard stand to use to prevent the knife guy from coming up the escalator.
The vid was only a few frames, and It was reported the guy had shouted at the knifeguy in Russian, and was thus a Russian. The word “hero” was liberally extolled.
Me: lol. Russian? How did they know from those few frames what was shouted?? ]
Russian; a hero? Yeah, smirk, that’s not gonna work. All Russians are evil. How can one be a hero and “save lives” in Sydney. ?
How long before he’s reported as *actually* being Ukrainian?
The answer to my musing: he changed nationality about the time more senior editors got called in to take over this massive, and now what will be a years-long, story.(for Sydney).
Now it’s reported he’s actually French. Some outlet has scored an exclusive interview with him.
If “Bollard Man” could change nationality to fit the larger msm agenda in the span of a few hours…. That’s nothing compared to the changing ethnicity, motivation, and associated narrative control of the guy with the knife.
The mainstream went instantly to “islamic terrorism”.
No one, not even the first-responder police had any clue about anything at that stage.
One guy? Two? People had heard “multiple” gunshots from various locations across the whole centre, and even at other locations in the vicinity… all just cacophony of confusion. Featuring the worst downside of socmed, where anyone with a phone can post anything, without any verification (familiar to Ukraine? Israel? Anywhere actually).
[“gunshots” leapt into early media reports. There were, in fact, two, … from the very first, first responder police officer].
Now it’s Monday, and the “real” journalists are on active duty, – not the weekend crew of very young, very inexperienced and very low-paid early 20s, wannabes-
Now. The narrative war is in full thrust.
Even as the event was still unfolding, there was ululating “who, who, who, who is this guy; why why why? “
The tourette’s nano-second default was “islamic + terrorist”.
Based on absolutely nothing other than people were being killed indiscriminately. Random indiscriminate killing? So it must be a muslim…
Next, and very quickly, social media identified a computer science student at a Sydney uni, who was jewish.
Channel Seven is surely facing a very expensive lawsuit/payout, because one of their earliest reports, no doubt by one of the cheap and barely trained interns, named this guy, ran a photo, and used the word “confirmed”. Err. Wrong. Very very badly wrong. A rookie error.
Next, social media howled for NSW police to “release the name” of the guy they’d shot in the act.
Now, social can get it wrong, legacy can get it wrong, but NSW police absolutely *cannot* get it wrong.
Especially as this was already a massive massive news and first response action.
They took the time they needed to correctly identify the guy.
Social, and some legacy were imputing a NSW police “cover up” as the hours passed before a name was released.
In just those few hours, all sorts of conspiracies were alleged.
Connections were alleged between the Sydney event and Gaza-Israel, and the Iranian bombing which was underway a few hours later.
Bondi locality, being the juiciest stretch of ultra-expensive Sydney real estate, (close to city central, harbour views and the beaches), has a large jewish constituency.
Thus, duelling social accounts had the knifeman both simultaneously jewish and moslem/islamic.
When NSW police released the name, he was Australian, Queensland, of first/second/maybe third generation Maltese background.
His FB and insta reveal him as recently arrived in Bondi, a gay guy working as a male prostitute, and a few other gig occupations.
His motive? Meth.
Bondi and it’s beachy, party, international, city-beach blend has long long long been drug ground zero.
As of right now, the narrative war continues.
Legacy media, caught out badly by rushing to name the Jewish student, is desperately trying to pin the blame on social media… and legacy has come hunting for their favourite social influencer hate-figure rivals.
This Sydney event is a micro-microcosm of the Ukraine media/narrative war.
Anyone can have a social and can post absolutely anything.
In the chaos and cacophony, legacy races to stay relevant by surfing socials and cherry-picking whatever stands out above the noise.
Then, later, the professional, seasoned, senior narrative directors take charge and steer the reporting and messaging in a way that fits their purpose.
Ie/ U$ Laura Loomer, has tweeted that the Sydney stabbing was by an islamist, who shouted “allahu akbar” as he rampaged.
This is a complete, categoric fabrication.
There’s 50,000 – 100,000 posts across social of the guy as he moved thru the mall.
He was dressed in a Australian National football kit, and wasn’t shouting anything at all.
His actions were random and erratic, consistent with someone having a mental health/ drug psychotic episode.
The only thing seemingly everyone agrees with _ the police first responder acted correctly, and I haven’t heard a single voicing of “excessive force” or “unjustified” shooting.
Most seem relived the guy was dispatched efficiently; two immediate, quick, accurate, professional shots; put down like a rabid dog on the spot; and he (fortunately) hasn’t survived to be cosseted by our soft, lenient, bleeding-heart “justice” system.
~~~~
The weekend Sydney stabbing is a close up reminder to not grab and run with anything that appears on either a social or legacy account.
Now barflies will rage in indignation that they *dont* fall sway to unconfirmed postings by anyone about anything.
Good.
Which brings me to Dima, and similar YouTube content creators. They have no inside track to the pure crack-info. They can only surf socials and some legacies, just as we do.
Dima’s advantage (for me) in the earliest days of the sloSMO, was he was in Belarus, with an Ukrainian wife, and a network of Russian + Ukrainian + Belarusians.
He read, spoke Russian and could converse in English and was tech-savvy enough to upload 10-25mins of info to YT.
Telegram was a mystery to me at that time, and I was starved of info that hadn’t been emitted from the anus of western msm.
That barflies are still quoting Dima, this late in the sloSMO…. Hmmm. Ok. Eye-roll.
Posted by: Melaleuca | Apr 15 2024 2:20 utc | 98
Speaking of insufferable posters, Shadowbanned has been missing for maybe a week now. No great loss. Hopefully we’ve seen the last of him.
Posted by: James M. | Apr 15 2024 2:08 utc | 92
Just don’t say his name three times.
Posted by: Honzo | Apr 15 2024 2:43 utc | 99
My opinion is that we could do with a lot less Dima around here.
Posted by: malenkov | Apr 15 2024 2:05 utc | 91
Agreed 100%. I write the same thing every second day! Those who want to follow him and can tolerate his repetitive verbosity know where he is. But remember, you’ve just given him oxygen!!! :)) … and now me too!
If you actually listen to Dima, he is a 30 minute bag of instant self contraductions.
At 1:00 he will say — “The biggest event in the last 24 hours is xxx”.
At 2:00 he will say “According to information we have this is obviously the beginning of xxx”.
At 3:00 he will say “If you ask my opinion, the operation will probably begin in mid May”.
At 4:00 he will say “But the biggest news we have is coming from Kiev”.
At 5:00 he will say “Obviously we don’t know exactly when the biggest Russian Offensive will start, if at all”.
And so on, every day, conjecture, guesswork, supposition all buffeted with maybes, ifs, possible, etc.
Infuriating.
But I believe he does get direct and speedy reports from fighters on both sides in Russian, and collates them well. So he’s invaluable if you want to know exactly which treeline has just been taken! 🙂 I reckon his viewing cohort is primarily anal pro-Russian warfare gameboys who delight in seeing every little Ukie BMP toasted, PLUS some more mature, big picture folks hoping for overall LOC updates, which might be 10% of each session.
Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Apr 15 2024 2:53 utc | 100