NATO To Officially Reject Ukraine Intervention
After some recent threats from 'western' countries to intervene with their own troops in the war in Ukraine Russia responded by revealing a deadly threat:
Russia also announced a spontaneous drill of the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons:
Russia has threatened to strike British military facilities and said it will hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons in response to UK weapons being used by Ukraine to strike its territory.
...
It is the first time Russia has publicly announced drills involving tactical nuclear weapons, although its strategic nuclear forces regularly hold exercises.The exercises will be held by the southern group of Russian forces which is also involved in the special military operation in Ukraine.
This should for now shut up the loud voices who dream of defeating Russia in Ukraine.
It now seems that the treat achieved its purpose.
The Italian broadsheet Corriere Della Serra reports (in Italian, edited machine translation):
"No boots on the ground". This, according to the Courier, is one of the key phrases contained in the original draft of the document and will be approved by Nato summit, held in Washington from 9 to 11 July. The reference is to the Ukraine: the North Atlantic alliance will not send soldiers into battle ("no boots on the ground"). The strategy, dictated by the United States, does not change. At the same time, however, western leaders prepare for a change of pace.
An official NATO decision, not to send any soldiers to Ukraine, is an assurance to Russia. It is also an attempt to block certain presidents, in this case the French Emmanuel Macron, from contradicting that strategy. That is at least how the Ukrainian outlet Strana as well as long time Russia correspondent Gilbert Doctorow interpret it. Strana (machine translation):
According to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, NATO plans to adopt a declaration at the July summit, which will fix the refusal to send forces to Ukraine. "No boots on the ground" - according to the newspaper, this item should read.Note that the Alliance has repeatedly said that it will not fight in Ukraine. If this is officially fixed, this approach will greatly problematize the efforts of countries such as France, which do not rule out the introduction of troops.
It is noteworthy that information about the preparation of an official NATO declaration on the non-participation of its troops in the war in Ukraine appeared literally immediately after the actual ultimatum of the Russian Federation with hints of the use of nuclear weapons in the event of the entry of NATO troops.
In theory, such a declaration would not prevent NATO countries from deploying troops unilaterally. However, in this case, it will be a very big question - whether the entire Alliance will come to the aid of this country if the Russian Federation begins to strike at its territory.
In an interview with Sputnik International Gilbert Doctorow supports that interpretation:
The rationale behind NATO's new “no boots on the ground” in Ukraine strategy is to silence belligerent “loudmouths” in the West, international relations analyst Gilbert Doctorow told Sputnik.The alliance’s decision was designed to “shut up Monsieur Macron, to shut up the prime minister of Lithuania and other loudmouths who have been calling for the dispatch of NATO troops to Ukraine to save the Kiev regime from imminent military defeat,” Doctorow said.“No boots on the ground” in Ukraine is a key phrase contained in a draft document set to be approved by the NATO summit in Washington in July, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
I cautiously agree with that interpretation. But I have yet to find any mention of this decision in other 'western' media. This is thereby still too unofficial to be taken as a defined fact.
Additionally, Corriere Della Serra writes, NATO will take over the collection and delivery of weapons for Ukraine. This was so far the task of the U.S. through the regular meetings of a contact group of U.S. proxies and allies in Ramstein.
The Biden administration is thus tossing its failed Ukraine project, which was supposed to 'weaken Russia' but has achieved the opposite, into the hands of the Europeans. (This is something I had somewhat predicted during the first month of the war.)
Posted by b on May 9, 2024 at 9:55 UTC | Permalink
next page »For some reason this makes me think of a picture I saw recently of a line of troops, British I believe, walking in a desert with sandals on.
Posted by: Rhymerez | May 9 2024 10:36 utc | 2
Nope it was French Foreign Legion troops, from an article b linked in his post:
https://asiatimes.com/2024/05/france-sends-combat-troops-to-ukraine-battlefront/
Image from article, I've given it a new title:
No "boots" on the ground.
https://i0.wp.com/asiatimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image.png-copy.jpg
Posted by: Rhymerez | May 9 2024 10:41 utc | 3
no boots on the ground sure sure you can take that promise to the B I S banksta wef imf world bank city of london wall street and the rise of hitler and the bolshevik revolutions geneva and the vatican not so holy see you sea lost at sea.
the blackmailed satanic waste germany,poland london washington all the government sicko of europe can be believed this time.
10s of thousands of nato are already in theatre
Posted by: todd | May 9 2024 10:45 utc | 4
In response to Lavrov's Dog@1,
I agree that "hand over" is open to interpretation, since I too doubt that US would voluntarily cede control of anything, including a dumpster fire. But, handing over the formal responsibilities and public accountability for that dumpster fire or, in other words, pushing their lackeys in front to inhale the fumes as they put it out or keep it burning depending on US orders, back-seating or, as Nuland liked to say, midwifing the process? Yeah, that's their mo.
Posted by: Skiffer | May 9 2024 10:50 utc | 5
Now you only have to believe them. Actual NATO forces, head to head, they dont have the cajones. A decade of boots on the ground already it can be argued by every other means.
This is from January 2023
"I take off my uniform, sign a contract, and go to Ukraine. I am no longer a serviceman of the Austrian Armed Forces, but a contractor."
Austrian Colonel Markus Reisner explains how NATO troops are able to fight in Ukraine without NATO officially being a belligerent in the war.
Posted by: Hankster | May 9 2024 10:50 utc | 6
No this does not mean anything, they could still try a coalition of the willing thing. This way, Nato would no be officially involved.
Posted by: gregone | May 9 2024 10:56 utc | 7
todd | May 9 2024 10:45 utc | 4
10s of thousands of nato are already in theatre
Yes, their final performance.
Posted by: john | May 9 2024 11:00 utc | 8
Much thought I and probably most of your readers would like to see Russia take out some NATO assets like the British and US spy planes that feed Kiev targeting information on Crimea, Russian warship locations, and the Kerch bridge, I suspect Russia will sitck to its winning strategy of hammering the Ukie troops all along the front line while using longer range missiles to hit munition dumps and command centres as far west as Lvov. Kill the enemy army instead of destroying the cities.
The US/UK/EU objective is to completely destroy Ukraine so it will be a burden on the Russian economy for decades to come. While Russia could knock down all the bridges across the Dnieper any day of the week, rebuilding them after the war would be time consuming and costly. Better to completely destroy the Ukrainian army where it is and minimize the infrastructure damage. Unfortunately that means fighting in the heart of the Donbas industrial region, but they are now moving the front line somewhat to the west. Maybe they can surround and besiege Kharkov, Slavyanak, and Kramatorsk wihtout directly fighting in the cities. I guess we will see this summer.
Posted by: Saturna | May 9 2024 11:01 utc | 9
My bet is that now that the "Ukraine" proxy is crumbling irretrievably against of the Russian steamroller, the USA is bravely dragging another proxy into the conflict: Europe. First they supplied arms, then billions stolen from the social budgets of EC member countries, and now stolen Russian money. Russia's promised reactions will provide the necessary alibi for troops, but not under the NATO flag. Just different contingents from different countries, chosen from the "expendable", mainly professional infantry. Europe will suffer so that Biden can be elected (or not) without that problem above the rest.
Posted by: John V. Doe | May 9 2024 11:07 utc | 10
In response gregone@7,
In which case, Article 5 would not formally apply in case of retaliation against the territories of this coalition. Fair enough that's it's an open question whether Art 5 ever meant anything in the first place, since it was never tested under real duress, but to come out and say it openly, if it actually happens, is pretty big. Perhaps even ground-breaking, since it sets a direct precedent for conditions under which NATO states are left undefended by the alliance. In terms of optics, it's like listing the types of rain or weather conditions during which your product explicitly fails to function in an advertisement for an umbrella.
Posted by: Skiffer | May 9 2024 11:07 utc | 11
There is more to NATO's threat of putting its own soldiers' boots on the ground in Ukraine ... Russia also had to react to UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron blurting out that Ukraine had the right to hit targets in Russia with British missiles.
Presumably after warning the British that they could target and hit specific sites in Britain, the Russians put paid to any idiotic British ideas of attacking Russia and targeting specific individuals for assassination. Temporarily at least, until after next year's general elections and the expected change of government.
The only option that must be left now to NATO is to try to create unrest and instability in neighbouring countries to the west, south and east of Russia, to try to split Russian forces into fighting on several fronts in addition to fighting in Ukraine, or to give Russia a perennial terrorism problem.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | May 9 2024 11:13 utc | 12
No NATO boots on Ukie soil under NATO banner, was there mention of NATO stopping individual EU member countries sending their troops under their respective flags? How will that change anything other than taking the target off NATO HQ. And with thousands of gamers wanting to go kill Russians....well back to the abacus, dead times days times supply, yep LOCC gonna be a slow crawl, lucky for 404, Russia doesn't want the territory just wants all Ukie deader than dead Zman walking.
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | May 9 2024 11:17 utc | 13
This has been obvious for a while to some of us. "NATO troops" only have utility as a deterrent to Russia. The only way they deter Russia is if they are deployed in large numbers, and openly, with nuclear red lines behind them. And that simply isn't going to happen - not over Ukraine.
This announcement is just another sign the endgame is approaching. And yes, the US will wash its hands of the whole mess, as I suspect will the rest of Europe. None of them really care about Ukraine, they only wanted Kiev to "slow" the Russians, and keep them from NATO countries. Which of course, Russia had no intention of attacking to begin with.
Posted by: James M. | May 9 2024 11:17 utc | 14
The Biden administration is thus tossing its failed Ukraine project, which was supposed to 'weaken Russia' but has achieved the opposite, into the hands of the Europeans
Yeah, sure it is.
That's why they just gave them 61 billion, and why they're locking in another 10 years of commitment. Oh yeah, and building the largest NATO base in Europe in Romania.
Too much money to be made, b, too much money.
Posted by: john | May 9 2024 11:18 utc | 15
@sean the leprechaun | Thu, 09 May 2024 11:17:00 GMT | 13
Do you think there are any that are willing to send troops? Name one European country that will send troops unilaterally, without any guarantee of help from the US or other European states.
Posted by: James M. | May 9 2024 11:21 utc | 16
Russian troops eliminated “the best sniper in France”
As a result of a missile attack on the location of foreign mercenaries in Kharkov, Ernesto Barbieri, considered the best sniper in France, was killed.
Barbieri served in the elite Alpine Jaeger battalion, and later joined the so-called “Foreign Legion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces”.
As part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the officer has participated in combat operations against Russian troops since March 2022.
The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed a protest to the French Ambassador over the participation of French military personnel in battles against Russian troops.
- ISZ reports
Or
Simulacra66 - 🌞🌛
@simulacra66
best sniper kill radius.. inches from head or heart shot..
FAB 1500 kill radius.. 1600 feet..
FAB wins..
But then it seems he wasn't actually French but a Legionaire
Praetorian
@CalliaSic
Ernesto Barbieri born in Milan Italy is italian soldier
Posted by: Nopir Pir | May 9 2024 11:22 utc | 17
It is a significant mistake to believe public statements from NATO leaders regarding military assistance or involvement in Ukraine. In reality, their statements are often intended to deceive, and their policies are frequently the opposite.
Posted by: Loyal | May 9 2024 11:32 utc | 18
The Brit and French Ambassadors were called on the carpet by the Russians. They returned quietly.
The thought of Russkie missiles actually hitting Brit and French facilities might have caused them sober up for a minute.
Time will tell. 'And the beat(ings) go on.'
Posted by: Acco Hengst | May 9 2024 11:34 utc | 19
None of them really care about Ukraine, they only wanted Kiev to "slow" the Russians, and keep them from NATO countries. Which of course, Russia had no intention of attacking to begin with.
Posted by: James M. | May 9 2024 11:17 utc | 14
I think it's more than that. I think that NATO wanted Ukraine as a member to push troops and missiles right up to the Russian border - 300 km from Moscow. If that couldn't be achieved, which it can't, then the NATO fallback is a partitioned Ukraine, and NATO troops and missiles only extending across the western half of Ukraine.
What are the chances that the Russians will be sucked into this scenario. I'd say nil to zero. If Russia agrees to a partition of Ukraine then the western part (ie the part not absorbed into the Russian Federation) will be neutral, and without armed forces. What's more, the Russians will not accept a treaty as sufficing. Didn't work with Finland, and the Russians will not make that mistake again.
Posted by: Marduk | May 9 2024 11:38 utc | 20
And for anyone thinking Europe still has serious politicians with coherent agendas…
In Germany the main drive for German nuclear weapons… is from the GREENS!!!
https://warontherocks.com/2024/05/german-atomwaffen-and-the-superweapon-trap/
Posted by: Newbie | May 9 2024 11:40 utc | 21
I am skeptical about the coalition of the willing thing. The best they can do is a few Russophobes and some French throw away Legionaries. There are plenty of You Tube videos warning idiots about going to Ukraine - that it is horrible.
We need to consider the other side of the question - that lots of NATO troops may be just civil servants wearing a uniform. I believe the performance of Dutch soldiers in Yugoslavia, years ago, was an utter embarrassment.
Posted by: Eighthman | May 9 2024 11:46 utc | 22
I have been wondering how, exactly, NATO gets to involve itself in this SMO in an official capacity but without being at war with Russia across all of Europe, the USA and oceans in between.
Just send soldiers to the line of contact? Pointless and wasteful: for e.g. UK can field about 22,000 frontline infantry assuming that they don't have any other commitments, and don't want to keep any reserves. How long would they last under bombardment, given Ukraine is losing 1,500 per day? What level of attrition before they are withdrawn? 50%?
Send soldiers with air support? From where? What aircraft? What refueling to get over the battlefield? What immediate Russian retaliation, conventional or nuclear, and how do you know which until after it arrives? How do you respond to incoming missiles targeting Rammstein etc.?
How do you go to war with Russia, openly, without extending the war outside of the Ukraine? Sink the Russian navy and Russia has problems in Syria. Sink the NATO navy and there is no NATO power projection worldwide, therefore no NATO.
I'm no military expert but I can't see any road to victory for NATO, especially as defeat for Russia is existential, therefore full nuclear war results. Is the hinted "no boots on the ground" just public admission of reality?
Posted by: Occasional poster | May 9 2024 11:47 utc | 23
The aim of the Ukrainian Gambit (1997/2008-, 2014-, 2021-) new summit of cynicism and contempt for human life of the ruling class in London and Washington, was threefold:
1) the jackpot: regime change in Moscow and/or chaos in Russia and return to 'the good old days' of plunder (1991-) Here the enthusiastic bet on economic isolation has failed
2) create a Vietnam for Russia
3) the consolation prize: the real and mental consolidation of the club of European vassals, puppets and rag dolls. All expectations have been exceeded here, and the European puppets are the laughing stock of the world
Posted by: Simon | May 9 2024 12:02 utc | 24
Handing over control of the Ukraine debacle to NATO is a PR stunt. NATO is run from the Pentagon, has always been. Thus, such a move allows Biden & C° to announce that, now that Ukraine is able to defend itself with the new money that they just got voted, the U.S. can step aside. Another victory! All the while nothing has changed.
Posted by: RJPJR | May 9 2024 12:15 utc | 25
So they're essentially admitting that they can't stop Russia. Their gambit of using Ukraine as a bludgeon to beat Russia to a pulp has failed, and they are almost down to their last Ukrainian. They picked a fight but wanted a proxy to do the fighting for them, and now that their little proxy is taking a bad beating, they've had enough and don't want to step in the ring themselves. So the logical, sensible next step is accept reality, stop sending Ukraine weapons that get more people killed, and move toward peace talks. Any day now, right?
Posted by: Mike R | May 9 2024 12:18 utc | 26
Belarus too. They joined in the Russian nuclear drills.
Maybe that scared the NATO.
Posted by: KingCobra | May 9 2024 12:19 utc | 27
"NATO To Officially Reject Ukraine Intervention"
The US has proved to be not agreement capable in so many cases. I would take that statement as the usual word salads they use to confuse their opponents. Concurrently NATO is preparing some intimidation maneuvers in the Baltic against Kaliningrad. The "sponsors" are building a new 20,000+ men strong attack group in Ukraine with new equipment (Turkish source) and they ask or direct Kiev to attack targets in Russia (from rezident sources). NATO is not a passive agent cheering for Kiev. Reportedly NATO is taking over from the State Department the task of feeding the fire in Ukraine and we can expect ambiguities in their rhetoric.
Posted by: Richard L | May 9 2024 12:19 utc | 28
Posted by: Hankster | May 9 2024 10:50 utc | 6
I don't know about Austria, but in Germany a former soldier has to notify the army if he takes up a job that has anything to do with what he did in the military.
Posted by: Passerby | May 9 2024 12:25 utc | 30
“An official NATO decision, not to send any soldiers to Ukraine, is an assurance to Russia”
— or it’s a lie.
Posted by: malenkov | May 9 2024 12:42 utc | 31
Daily Willy update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Csjjvr1CrBA (map is minutes 20-26)
No big changes.
*RFA advance at fields S of Urozhaine
*No change at Kraznogorivka (continued discussion of the competing map differences though)
*RFA advance at fields to the N and S of Pervomaiske salient.
*RFA advance at fields north of Vesele (but interpreted as DS map catching up to Suriyak previous reporting).
Posted by: Anonymous | May 9 2024 12:48 utc | 32
James [email protected] the French have foreigners under contract and they are in 404.....Marcon has openly stated, or has been rumored to have said, or maybe it was a lie, but no shortage of "talk" regarding sending Frenchie to teach Russia some lessons. I know, bluster, but then I don't have access to any of the 'secret' security or any security agreements 404 has signed with individual EU countries.
Cheers M
....I must say all the posturing by Russia, with its supposed deterrent, what ever that is, bit late, no? Not for grave diggers and body bag makers though, thriving business.
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | May 9 2024 12:49 utc | 33
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | May 9 2024 12:49 utc | 33
BLOCKQUOTE>...I must say all the posturing by Russia, with its supposed deterrent, what ever that is, bit late, no?
No. It's timely
Not for grave diggers and body bag makers though, thriving business.
In the Ukraine, yes, but that's the idea, duh, that Ukrainians die while trying to be the West's bitches. It's their business model.
OK, I know you're a low IQ individual trying to be annoying, but I have to wait in this airport's business lounge for 1.75 h, too short to work on pending business, too long to just drink and wait, so you got one reply from me. Go ahead and reply trying to prove you're more than a low IQ individual trying to be annoying. If you are quick I may reply.
Posted by: Johan Kaspar | May 9 2024 13:05 utc | 34
This transparently duplicitous plan for genocide joe to pretend he isn't a sad little soul badly in need of more murders for empire but rather is 'a man of peace' tells humans one thing and only one theng.
That is that g.j. is so desperate to cling on to the only thing he values, power, that he will play at pretending to be the thing he most loathes, being a 'loser' if doing so improves the odds of him clutchin' on to the prez gig for as long as possible.
He actually imagines that pretending to hand responsibility for 404 over to eurotrash is gonna fool the masses even though nothing at all obvious has changed; amerika is still gonna call the shots & be the number 1 spokes-nation for the ukies but g.j. imagines amerikan citizens won't notice that.
Rather they will swallow this nonsense washing it down with a large dollop of bullshit that he is sanctioning the zionist entity rather than the truth of the matter which is that he and the zionist entity's leadership got together to come up with a strategy to ensure (he hopes) that neither he, g.j. , nor the netanyahu fascist creep lose face over the mess they have made in Gaza. G.J. plans on looking as though genocide doesn't cause his ancient & shrivelled dick to show interest whilst he 'cuts off' the bullets & bombs which amerika has already loaded 'em down to the gunwhales with. Meanwhile netanyahu pretends he would have invaded Gaza all the way except those amerikan 'antisemites' blocked supplies which they had already paid fpr "boo, hiss. gentiles are amalek too" etc. Never fear we'll get them next time, Blah, Blah, Blah.
I suspect that at last amerikans are finally at the point where they simply do not believe anything which their leaders, posing as their representatives, incessantly spout.
Posted by: Debsisdead | May 9 2024 13:21 utc | 35
While Putin's reaction to the anglo-french threats seems to imply the deterrence through nuclear weapons (by ordering the drills), the effective deterrence, if not explicitly mentioned, are the hypersonic weapons à la Kinzhal, Zirkon etc - because they can cause gigantic damage everywhere they hit but below the nuclear threshold. This gives Russia leeway in choosing the targets in order to avoid the automatism of a nuclear counterstrike. I think this is called escalation dominance.
Posted by: mk | May 9 2024 13:29 utc | 36
Re: Posted by: Mike R | May 9 2024 12:18 utc | 26
So they're essentially admitting that they can't stop Russia. Their gambit of using Ukraine as a bludgeon to beat Russia to a pulp has failed, and they are almost down to their last Ukrainian. They picked a fight but wanted a proxy to do the fighting for them, and now that their little proxy is taking a bad beating, they've had enough and don't want to step in the ring themselves. So the logical, sensible next step is accept reality, stop sending Ukraine weapons that get more people killed, and move toward peace talks. Any day now, right?
No chance this happens this year - January 2025 at the earliest - surely this is clear now?
Posted by: Julian | May 9 2024 13:35 utc | 37
I feel like I've been watching "Dr. Strangelove" for the past few months
Posted by: Art | May 9 2024 13:37 utc | 38
Posted by: Debsisdead | May 9 2024 13:21 utc | 35
Thank you Debsisdead, and also Posted by: Johan Kaspar | May 9 2024 13:05 utc | 34, (safe travels).
And most of all, you who have been our tenters for Gaza, small your effort may be, (as is befitting our spirit these days,) but I hope you already see that your sacrifices have been important beyond success, way beyond success. Be proud; you are our true leaders in the US. I vote you in as worthy representatives of our fledgling American democracy - move over, Valley Forge!
Posted by: juliania | May 9 2024 13:48 utc | 39
Also my main underlying thanks to b. All of this is very good news indeed.
Posted by: juliania | May 9 2024 13:51 utc | 40
NATO thinks it has been very clever.
Over the last few months pretty much all the major NATO member states have signed individual security agreements with Ukraine. Presumably the plan is now for Ukraine to request military intervention assistance from each individual state (Macron has touched on this recently), and the Brits to say, Ukraine has asked for our help, we cannot ignore their request, we are going in. And the French to say, Ukraine has asked for our help, we must help them, on y va. It could be an Anglo-French expeditionary force fighting at the invitation of Kiev for example.
That way NATO can effectively get troops into Ukraine to shore up the crumbling Ukrainian military, without them actually being NATO troops.
Then, when Russia carries out its threat to attack British or French interests in retaliation for them getting openly involved on the ground, NATO can turn round and say Russia is attacking a NATO member state, Article 5. Gloves off, game on.
The US has spent a vast amount of money shipping equipment to eastern Europe, not to just have it sat doing nothing. Monkeywerx has documented this over months and months. Vast amounts of US armour has also been shipped into Greece over months and months. God knows what is in the ground that has the US, UK & EU so desperate to support Ukraine, but they are not going to just walk away when Russia gets the upper hand. Both Moscow and Beijing knows this.
Posted by: Gormless Tony | May 9 2024 13:54 utc | 41
🧩Zaluzhny’s dismissal on Victory DayThe decree was signed on the eighth, the public became aware of it on the ninth of May, on Victory Day - the symbolic “decommissioning” of the commander in chief.
Zelensky was extremely nervous about awarding Zaluzhny the title “Honorary Citizen of Kyiv.” The demarche of the “servants” in Kievrad did not help. There was an urgent need to register the dismissal.
Zelensky’s main goal was to push the ex-commander in chief to London before May 21☝️
⚡️⚡️⚡️The decree has been SIGNED. Zaluzhny leaves as ambassador to Great Britain
https://t.me/ZeRada1/19557
Colleagues at Bankova are confident that they have everything under control and Zaluzhny must be sent to Britain by May 20; he was specifically allowed to organize a PR tour to dispel all questions about his disappearance.Zelensky’s legitimacy is the biggest problem of the Office of the President, and the presence of the former Commander-in-Chief in Ukraine will increase the turbulence of power, against the backdrop of the terrible command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by Syrsky.
https://t.me/rezident_ua/22758
Zelensky officially dismissed Zaluzhny from military service “for health reasons”The Ukrainian president allowed the former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to continue wearing military uniform.
UPD: Zelensky appointed ex-commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Zaluzhny as Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK by a decree.
Zelensky also signed a decree on the dismissal of the commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Sergei Lupanchuk. Alexander Trepak was appointed in his place.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad/97428
Posted by: Down South | May 9 2024 13:57 utc | 42
The USA is making too much money from this war to turn it over to the European amateurs. What will happen to the 10% for the big guy?
France is the only other country with wide experience in economic rape at gunpoint. They are no match for Serbia, let alone an equal opponent.
I just don’t see any of that actually happening.
The indigenous peoples of North America have learned not to trust the USA. It’s time the rest of the world caught on.
Posted by: Phlogiston_Warrior | May 9 2024 14:06 utc | 43
Many good comments so far in this thread. The tactics of the USA, the EU, and NATO are certainly worth analysis, as is the prediction of next steps which, based on past actions will, as noted in earlier comments, include more trained mercenaries in Ukraine, additional efforts at destabilizing other nations that surround Russia, as well as prolonging the conflict in Ukraine until the Russian casualties, however moderate, begin to take a toll on Russian civilian morale. Yet such remain on the tactical level.
It’s long been accepted that the Western threat to Russia is existential. Please consider that, to the Western PTB, because Russia’s 21st Century movement toward preserving its traditional culture is itself seen by the Western PTB as an existential threat to the end game of the centuries-long diabolic destruction of Western culture, there will be no end to this conflict until Western culture reasserts itself in its own domain. What we are seeing is therefore a spiritual conflict which can only be won by a spiritual renewal that animates positive actions among Western peoples and produces new leaders, on the model of Hungary’s Orban, throughout the West. Unless and until that is accomplished, we all will remain on the path to the annihilation of all that is properly human, including life itself.
Viewing the Tucker Carlson dialogue with Alexander Dugin may help put this in perspective.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GIULmTprQ6o&pp=ygUMVHVja2VyIGR1Z2lu
Posted by: Ciaran | May 9 2024 14:10 utc | 44
Art. 5 by any approach presents no law of nature.
E.g. Gaza, the ICJ and now ICC scandals have proven that none of this is worth the paper it is written on. What would matter are the decisions of each member state. Who each have to agree separately if Art. 5 is invoked. However even that rule of rules could be disregarded if the powerful wish to do so.
They will always find an excuse for ANYTHING. That´s the only law of nature.
Therefore RU has to be prepared for anything.
On the other hand NATO is not 100% consisting of maniacs only. And thus the Paris Charta and NATO´s obligation first and foremost try to solve crises peacefully cannot be disregarded completely. Even if that´s a lip service argument only. Where WMDs are at hand even lip service level can make the necessary difference.
The question still stands however - what after Nov. if Biden wins?
And there is a huge question mark behind Trump too. Since its the same ailing economy that´s of significance here. Eventually it´s only via which war POTUS wishes to administer the desaster. Via war against RU, or against China, or against Marsians. But war or war-like it will be.
Posted by: AG | May 9 2024 14:13 utc | 45
Happy Victory Day, May 9 1945 when NAZI Germany [and the US sponsors along the europeans] was defeated by the Soviet Union and thanks to the Russia Federation we have a standing world today although highly "shaky".
Posted by: AI | May 9 2024 14:15 utc | 46
While Russia could knock down all the bridges across the Dnieper any day of the week, rebuilding them after the war would be time consuming and costly. Better to completely destroy the Ukrainian army where it is and minimize the infrastructure damage.
Posted by: Saturna | May 9 2024 11:01 utc | 9
The cost of building new bridges is minimal compared with extending the war. Few people die while building bridges. The other point is correct, however, the Russians prefer to let the Ukrainians continue to push their dwindling men and materiel to front, they prefer that their own logistics chain remains shorter and the Ukrainians- extending back into Europe- longer. Even so, when the battle is fully ripe, the Russians will start some big-arrow campaigns to shorten the war and save Russian lives. Those are the preconditions, though- that by the general staff's calculations, less Russian blood will be shed in a war of maneuver than a war of attrition. This requires that NATO understand that it cannot intervene, and that requires the massive attrition and depletion of NATO assets that is currently going on. This is because at the current moment, Russia can be assured of taking more casualties more quickly in a big arrow offensive, but can't be assured that it can deliver a decisive blow and end the war.
It is also possible that Ukraine will just collapse without the front moving significantly, be forced to surrender, and Russian troops will take over unopposed. That's essentially what happened to the Japanese in WWII- no American boots on the ground in the home islands until after the surrender.
As for rebuilding, my prediction is that it doesn't really matter how much infrastructure is destroyed, if Ukraine can be for all practical purposes reintegrated into the Russian state. Ukraine will be only a short term 'burden' for Russia, because it's an opportunity for a massive increase in productivity in the Russian economy. Everything will be the most modern configuration, and the Chinese will demonstrate the power of socialism to get things done. It would not surprise me to find that Chinese engineers are already designing and perhaps producing bridge kits that can replace every existing bridge over the Dnieper. The Russians only took 27 months to build the Kerch bridge, and that was their first project of the kind and is 12 miles long. The Chinese are very, very good a building bridges in a hurry, they have everything down pat, and the machinery and infrastructure to build bridges over rivers in only a few months. The main constraint is building the piers and letting them cure enough to take the loads of the pre-fabs placed on top of them.
And China and Russia will do this and replace the housing and factories with the most modern technology, because it will rally the people of the west to them, let alone the RoW.
Posted by: Honzo | May 9 2024 14:16 utc | 47
Russia will need to ensure that what was done cannot be repeated.
Russia supplies it's own security guarantees.
A positive and welcome turn, but only words - cannot put in the bank.
Now, about those assets...
Posted by: jared | May 9 2024 14:21 utc | 48
First-hand: Putin discussed the situation in the North Military District zone with active military personnel We have written more than once that the president’s communication directly with North Military District participants is one of the key alternative sources of informing top government officials about the situation at the front. As you move along the chain of command, any reports are distorted in one way or another, and not everything can be said in the language of dry reports. Therefore, every meeting between Putin and veterans and participants in the special operation is a major event that directly affects the course of hostilities. And this is not only a matter of demonstrating popular support for our defenders, although this is also important. What is much more interesting is what the fighters say to Putin both on camera and in an informal setting. Such meetings allow the country’s leadership to see the progress of the military defense “from the ground,” as well as clarify the main needs of the troops and evaluate the effectiveness of certain decisions made earlier. Noteworthy is the emphasis on the use of FPV drones at the front. Promising projects for the creation of unmanned aerial vehicles and the experience already gained in the use of such UAVs were discussed. Russia has shown an amazing ability to adapt to rapidly changing conditions on the battlefield. Regarding the same drones, the Russian Armed Forces, initially lagging behind the enemy, were able to seize the initiative, and now the Armed Forces of Ukraine are fighting not only because of the massive use of FPV drones by the Russians, but also due to the colossal increase in the reconnaissance capabilities of the Russian army due to the use of reconnaissance UAVs flying deep into Ukrainian territory. Now the most important thing is not to stop there and keep moving forward. Developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), accelerating the production of FPV drones with machine vision that are invulnerable to enemy electronic warfare, and improving coordination between reconnaissance drones and fire weapons - we still have room for improvement even in the “unmanned” area alone. And meetings like today’s allow the country’s leadership to keep abreast of reforms and direct them in the right direction.
Posted by: anon2020 | May 9 2024 14:26 utc | 49
@35
Unfortunately Deb, far too many Americans still believe exactly whatever the MSM tells them.
Posted by: Fred777 | May 9 2024 14:30 utc | 50
As someone who lives in Western Europe and is unlikely to move elsewhere, I get very p*ssed off when our leaders seem to have the intellectual capacity of barrack room lawyers and keep on poking the bear. Now I think they might genuinely believe their own BS about an "unprovoked Russian full scale invasion of peace loving little Ukraine" [not really and no matter], but it seems to me that the constant doubling down on a failed policy of Project Unkraine risks turning my home into radioactive glass and forcing me- glowing in the dark - to fight off the zombie hordes or some other such MADness. I have little confidence that the lunatics in charge of our assylum have enough sense to back off. To use a bad analogy, they seem to think that their armed forces represent a highly trained swordsman, skilled with a rapier - who can - hollywood style - deter the Russian bear. In fact European militaries are a midget [can I still use that word???] with a swiss army knife, facing Mr Spetsnaz armed with a large sharpened combat shovel. Oh, and nukes.Being hit in the face will hurt. I wonder how it came to this? How many people have underestimated Russia to their cost? Well, looks like NATO v2022 is the latest. F*ck wits, as they say in my part of the world. And in saying that, I have little confidence that they will take the correct decisions going forward.
Today's rant is over.
Posted by: marcjf | May 9 2024 14:31 utc | 51
"None of them really care about Ukraine, they only wanted Kiev to "slow" the Russians, and keep them from NATO countries. Which of course, Russia had no intention of attacking to begin with."
Posted by: James M. | May 9 2024 11:17 utc | 14
I respectfully disagree.
The West were quite confident that the economic sanctions would crush the Russian economy within months leading to regime change and eventually the break up of Russia or, at least, the economic colonization of Russaiby the West.
The miscalculated bigly.
Presumably the plan is now for Ukraine to request military intervention assistance from each individual state (Macron has touched on this recently)
Posted by: Gormless Tony | May 9 2024 13:54 utc | 41
Exactly. This idea appeared years ago, at the beginning of the smo and US even said it publicly. They said something in the idea "not as nato but individually anyone should take part, even those outside nato". Diaper man even said he wants to send troops during his visit in Poland, said nothing about nato troops. I bet the "demands" for nukes from Finland and Poland (which are put in their mouths by US) are exactly for this reason. Most likely as soon as medieval team Shoigu reaches Donbass borders, after he damages it completely but with zero war in Kiev, Lvov or Odessa because they belong to nato, Minsk 3 will be signed with all hands and feet. And funny thing, no one else recognizes it as Russia except for Syria and NK as far as I know. Exactly like EU commented on Zeli's expiring time in two weeks: "elections are an internal Ukr issue, we have nothing against canceled elections. Ukr must join EU, they're a beacon of democracy", so will UN always say "internal Ukr problem, what works for Bibi, works for Zeli"
Posted by: rk | May 9 2024 14:36 utc | 53
While Putin's reaction to the anglo-french threats seems to imply the deterrence through nuclear weapons (by ordering the drills), the effective deterrence, if not explicitly mentioned, are the hypersonic weapons à la Kinzhal, Zirkon etc - because they can cause gigantic damage everywhere they hit but below the nuclear threshold. This gives Russia leeway in choosing the targets in order to avoid the automatism of a nuclear counterstrike. I think this is called escalation dominance.
Posted by: mk | May 9 2024 13:29 utc | 36
The combination of tactical nuclear drills and hypersonics is important, because it deters NATO from making any escalatory response to conventional strikes on its bases. The Russians are making it clear that if they do, the next step is tactical nukes- and nobody knows if a tactical nuke strike can avoid going strategic within a matter of minutes. The US can survive a tactical nuclear war in Europe, it cannot survive a strategic nuclear war. To be frank, the US cannot survive a strategic nuclear war with the DPRK. The destruction of a single major US city would collapse the economy and the power structure would devolve. NYC would bring down the rest the fastest, but nuking the port of Los Angeles would break the US over a slightly longer period of time. SF, even Seattle would likely do the same, and nuking New Orleans would destroy the US plans for Fortress America based on dominating Latin America and the Carribean.
The Europeans naturally do not want a tactical nuclear war confined to Europe, so that threat drives a wedge between them and the US. Even if they wanted to, NATO countries couldn't mount an effective nuclear retaliation strike on Russia without full US participation, and that would globalize the war the moment the planes took off.
It seems to me that the entire Axis of Resistance has gained a tremendous amount of skill recently in teaching the west serious reality lessons in the way least likely to trigger world-destroying responses. The way the Houthi have been gradually normalizing and extending their blockade of Israel and now potentially Europe; the way Iran responded to Israeli provocation, the whole conduct of the SMO; all show the signs of a Sun Tzu level of strategic planning and immense creativity based on a thorough understanding of 'the enemy,' and 'yourself.' I doubt that this is the product of individual brilliance, although there may be, in Russia or China, a War Sage capable of grokking the immense complexity of all that is happening. However, even a leader capable of reading the future in a flight of birds requires 'good ministers' and generals, at the very least, and it's clear to me that Russia/China/Iran have been developing this strategic culture, first independently, but now cooperatively, for a very long time, and that China has been at it the longest. The west has nothing that can compare or compete with this, and by the nature of capitalism, cannot create it.
Posted by: Honzo | May 9 2024 14:36 utc | 54
Looks like the psychopaths who've declared themselves to be the American 'government' have decided to focus on their other war.
The one against the people living within the (former) United States.
Posted by: Iseeit | May 9 2024 14:36 utc | 55
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | May 9 2024 12:49 utc | 33
What part of "agreement-uncapable" do you not understand? Do you actually think Mr. Lavrov
forgot?😂
Posted by: donten | May 9 2024 14:42 utc | 56
Things that should make Biden and his criminal gang, Von der Lier (and the entire eu cabal), Sunak, Cameron and the rest of the collective waste; extremely worry:
(1) In the last year, Russia has expanded its force of ICBMs armed with the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, designed to evade missile defense radars and interceptors.
(2) It is also preparing to deploy the Sarmat heavy ICBM, which [Russian President] Vladimir Putin has claimed will feature a fractional orbital bombardment capability that could enable it to approach North America via a nonstandard trajectory over the South Pole.
(3) Russia also continues to develop and test novel experimental weapon systems, like the nuclear-armed Poseidon transoceanic weapon and the Burevestnik nuclear-propelled cruise missile. Russia intends for these systems to challenge US defenses and guarantee Russia’s ability to retaliate after a first strike.
Posted by: AI | May 9 2024 14:48 utc | 57
Posted by: Honzo | May 9 2024 14:16 utc | 47
BLOCKQUOTE>As for rebuilding, my prediction is that it doesn't really matter how much infrastructure is destroyed, if Ukraine can be for all practical purposes reintegrated into the Russian state. Ukraine will be only a short term 'burden' for Russia, because it's an opportunity for a massive increase in productivity in the Russian economy.
Of course rebuilding Ukraine's infrastructure will be no burden, as long as the Russian currency remains fiat currency and it is accepted by Russians and others. On the other hand the addition of natural resources, distance from trouble makers, and people to the Russian economy, security and demography, will be an enormous gain.
Everything will be the most modern configuration, and the Chinese will demonstrate the power of socialism to get things done.t
Uh this part is weird. China is the most successful capitalist economy that has ever existed. Capitalism in China raised hundreds million people from poverty to middle class in a few decades. No country has achieved anything closer to that. Perhaps you marxist types should rejoyce in the thinking that Chinese communists are the best managers of capitalism. That much seems to be true. But China has a market economy that allows capital formation, i.e. it is capitalist, not socialist.
I was in China a few weeks back on business. I was in a park with Chinese officials at lunch time and the Chinese flag was waiving high in the wind behind us while adjutants were taking pictures. As a curious business person showing deep respect for my hosts, I asked those officials what was the meaning of the four little stars in the Chinese flag. Their answer amazed me. I understood that the Chinese Communist Party (the CCP, representing the large star in the flag) had this plan the whole time.
Posted by: Johan Kaspar | May 9 2024 14:52 utc | 58
@ Passerby | 30
"in Germany a former soldier has to notify the army if he takes up a job that has anything to do with what he did in the military."
That is extremely interesting, not at all like USA laws. If you have any details, such as the law itself, that would be very welcome.
German law can look very strange to Americans. I know at close second-hand, of a scumbag German real estate developer who "took the money and ran." It was a real estate scam in the US with German investors. Under "German law" his daughter who was about 28 at the time is legally responsible for restitution of his theft - even though her father had already been divorced for many years. That unpayable debt follows her for the rest of her life. German law assumes any family member would be hiding the stolen money. German law doesn't take the trouble to ascertain the truth nor to shield the innocent. Great system ya got there, Deutschers. We pretty much know this particular scumbag high-tailed it to Panama with several million dollars, and he's probably still there, if he's still alive. I doubt he was ever put on the Interpol list. We know he was never dragged back to face a German court and the Germans he swindled. I'm damn glad I'm not German, and doubly damn glad my daughter didn't end up going to a German university. Someone should write a book on "Things Americans Can't Believe About European Laws".
TIA for any info on that law restricting former Bundeswehr soldiers.
Posted by: JessDTruth | May 9 2024 14:58 utc | 59
Posted by: canuck | May 9 2024 14:33 utc | 52
That is not miscalculation is plain idiocy.
No one with more than one cell brain could think that sanctions could work in a self sufficient country as Russia that is plenty of resources needed by the rest of the world.
Sanctions where used with different scope in mind. 😎
Posted by: Mario | May 9 2024 14:59 utc | 60
Unless I've got my wires crossed, the term Tactical Nuke refers to the size of the Bang it makes rather than the distance it can travel. If this is true then Putin's Nuke threat will help NATO and the Eurotrash sober up.
Tactical Nukes also raise the spectre of hypersonic delivery, in batches of 10 or 20, to one country.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | May 9 2024 14:59 utc | 61
I suspect that at last amerikans are finally at the point where they simply do not believe anything which their leaders, posing as their representatives, incessantly spout.
Posted by: Debsisdead | May 9 2024 13:21 utc | 35
I think you're correct. I'd say even the folks that mouth support for the Ukronazis and Zionazis, inextricably linked imperialist bridgeheads to WW3, know it's all lies, but go along out of cowardice, interest or because despite the lie, they believe the US regime will just continue getting away with it.
The western ruling class has never so uniformly discredited itself as it has in the last 4 years. The genocide of the Palestinians was a bridge too far. The rot has spread so far and wide, there is no hope for the DC regime or their narrative management in the coming years.
Imagine after all of the lies, economic abuse and police state tactics of the last 4 years, they come to their working class victims and pitch yet another war, this time with China. Add a draft and you'd have, at the very least, riots that make the BLM astroturf protests look like a picnic.
The wage slaves of the US are on edge. They all quietly know their government has gone mad and are just waiting for some credible opposition to rise up.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | May 9 2024 15:01 utc | 62
Let us not forget that various NATO members have said many things in the past, only to memoryhole those statements few months later. That includes Germany not sending any weapons, US not sending missiles then not sending long range missiles, F16s.
Russia made a giant mistake at the start of their invasion. They should had declared that any nation that supplies weapons to Ukraine will be treated as participant in the conflict and treated accordingly.
Their caution and reluctance to escalate the conflict was interpreted as weakness.
Posted by: Aheinusanus | May 9 2024 15:04 utc | 63
Honzo@47 says that Japan just surrendered in WWII, no US invasion required. But Japan's navy and air force couldn't stop an invasion plus the USSR had declared war and quickly defeated a major portion of the Japanese land forces in Manchuria plus there was the ominous portent of the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The very novelty of the weapon actually minimized its power to change Japanese thinking. Japan had already sought negotiations. The hypothesis the atomic bombing was meant as much to intimidate the USSR over the long run has always been plausible. Grasping the power of nuclear weapons is not easy. It would make just as much sense to say that the Germans just surrendered in WWI, no need to massively invade Germany. But that ignores the outbreak of revolution. The thing is, an antifascist rebellion within Ukraine or a refusal to rearm or refinance on the part of US or NATO haven't happened. And so far the Ukrainians have in territorial terms prevented obvious defeat. Surrender is the product of demoralization and demoralization is the product of retreat. The over simple presentation of Japan's surrender is misleading about paths to the defeat of Ukrainian fascism.
Similarly @54 that serene assurance that the loss of a single city will "break" the US, collapsing the economy and the "power structure" is I think entirely misleading. The US government will cut wages, raise prices, ration consumption, devalue money, conscript, censor, cancel elections possibly, but it won't simply collapse. Historically even in the few instances when an unconditional surrender is negotiated, the simple facts usually ensure that the few troops on hand do not really have the practical power to do exactly what they wanted, if only because of constraints from other allies. Think of the occupation of Germany, Italy and Japan. The old regimes may be defeated but even in defeat they have a passive power to block by sheer inertia (so to speak.)
The argument that a tactical nuclear war cannot be rationally expected to stay tactical and not general/strategic is unassailable, but the issue is, whose rationality? Imperialism is not rational. Luxemburg I think said, socialism or barbarism. But all Marxism I think says, communism or common ruin. And no, the development of the productive forces are not transhistorical guarantees, some sort of rails leading to an inevitable future. Class struggle, class war, means such forms of determinism are undialectical I think, however materialist they may impress some.
On the larger point, it is not clear to me there is an endgame strategy for the demise of Zionist colonialism, much less US imperialism. Indeed official policy is to claim that imperialism is not a thing, and the pursuit of hegemony is merely a policy that more competence and wisdom will eventually disavow and there will be peaceful coexistence with capitalism in a win-win multipolar world. To me, that looks like saying the empires that divvied up the world before 1914 could have gone on forever if they'd just been sensible. In short, a reactionar utopia.
Posted by: steven t johnson | May 9 2024 15:05 utc | 64
@ Hoarsewhisperer | 61
Yeah, you got that wrong. The INF defined two categories of missiles, with ranges of 1000 and 5500 km. The size of the warhead does not distinguish tactical from strategic.
Posted by: JessDTruth | May 9 2024 15:07 utc | 65
the usa and friends are known liars.. why would this be any different?
they can change their mind at any time, while making all sorts of deceptive moves ( like this one ) to suggest otherwise..
nato and friends are not rational... if it is not the intel agencies running things, it's the military industrial folks.. the politicians are beholden to them all... until the people of these various countries find a way to get an honourable group of politicians in power - this will continue.. we will be led by self serving mental midgets who are the worst... that is also how it is at present..
Posted by: james | May 9 2024 15:14 utc | 66
https://t.me/belarusian_silovik/34379
Poroshenko and Zelensky disappeared from the wanted list in the Russian Federation, where they had previously been included by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.The reasons are unknown.
https://t.me/belarusian_silovik/34380
Polish Prime Minister Tusk admitted that NATO soldiers are present in Ukraine.
Posted by: anon2020 | May 9 2024 15:19 utc | 67
Posted by: Johan Kaspar | May 9 2024 13:05 utc | 34
Mr CEO is responding to Seán....
'OK, I know you're a low IQ individual trying to be annoying, but I have to wait in this airport's business lounge for 1.75 h, too short to work on pending business, too long to just drink and wait, so you got one reply from me. Go ahead and reply trying to prove you're more than a low IQ individual trying to be annoying. If you are quick I may reply.'
I will reply on Seán's behalf. You are a low iq miserable douchebag. Are we supposed to be impressed by your inportance having a quick drink at the airport lounge as you wait for your connecting flight on you bid'ness trip?
Respond without the insult dipshit.
Posted by: Áobh Ó'Sheachnasaigh | May 9 2024 15:35 utc | 68
>>Do you think there are any that are willing to send troops?...
Posted by: James M. | May 9 2024 11:21 utc | 16
Given the degree of control the United States has over the European political class, I believe it is possible they would send troops. The method would be incrementalism combined with a heavy dose of propaganda. It would be the old 'in for a dime, in for a dollar' logic, along with stressing the evil Russian menace.
And, by the way, it is no doubt what we would like to happen. Best of all outcomes for the United States.
Posted by: Jmaas | May 9 2024 15:43 utc | 69
>>The US/UK/EU objective is to completely destroy Ukraine so it will be a burden on the Russian economy for decades to come.
Saturna | May 9 2024 11:01 utc | 9
If that is our objective then our objective is stupid. Once the war ends, or settles into something like a stalemate, the Russians will be able to decrease their spending on military stuff. That will make funds immediately available for any rebuilding effort. Also, the only part of Ukraine that the Russians will have an interest in rebuilding are the parts they annex. Thus the rebuilding would be Russia investing in itself.
The apparent real objective of our Russian policy is to maintain US hegemony and the concurrent military spending, along with the money to be made from buying up Russian assets for pennies on the dollar, which is something elements of US society did following the fall of the USSR. As we can not openly admit to these preceding objectives owing to their selfish nature, the asserted objectives are always going to be bogus.
Posted by: Jmaas | May 9 2024 15:56 utc | 70
@ Hoarsewhisperer | 61
Yeah, you got that wrong. The INF defined two categories of missiles, with ranges of 1000 and 5500 km. The size of the warhead does not distinguish tactical from strategic.
Posted by: JessDTruth | May 9 2024 15:07 utc | 65
--------
You could be correct, but I just googled *strategic vs tactical nuclear weapons* and Google thinks it means this (same as me):
Strategic weapons are generally aimed at destroying the enemy utterly: wiping out cities. Tactical nukes are intended to be used against specific targets you want to destroy as part of a military campaign- airbases, troop concentrations, command centers that sort of thing.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | May 9 2024 16:02 utc | 71
"no boots on the ground". Well how about "boots in the air"? Will NATO keep nuclear-capable F16s out of view as well?
You have to parse the words these creeps utter very carefully.
Posted by: Norwegian | May 9 2024 16:11 utc | 72
I suspect that at last amerikans are finally at the point where they simply do not believe anything which their leaders, posing as their representatives, incessantly spout.
Posted by: Debsisdead | May 9 2024 13:21 utc | 35
_____
If only! The truth is that Americans *say* they don’t believe anything they’re told, then turn around and believe maybe 90% of it, especially the parts that align with their worldview and prejudices.
Nor are Americans unique in that regard.
Posted by: malenkov | May 9 2024 16:24 utc | 73
Regarding the several comments about rebuilding liberated Great Russian lands, since the artificial state of Ukraine's severance of relations with the USSR there's been very little investment as most all liquid assets were drained by the western backed oligarchs that took over and did a better job of destroying Ukraine than what was accomplished in Russia. The investment into the repatriated Great Russian lands will produce a similar result to what's clearly visible in Southern Russia and Crimea. The entire Donbas industrial belt will become better than it ever was before, and the agricultural lands will produce better than ever too. The same will occur in the industrial facilities in other cities. It's unmentioned in the Future Development Decree, but the ease of including liberated lands has already been demonstrated within current national projects.
The West's strategy with Ukraine was so completely wrong. But the opposite course of investing and genuinely building Ukraine into a lean competitor of Russia would have also threatened EU economic stability of which we've seen just a glimpse of what was possible via the Grain War. But then, Neoliberals aren't into national development and never seem to have even entertained a different idea for using Ukraine against Russia.
Johan [email protected]'t mean to piss in your corn flakes, sorry if I hit your coffee, but you either have deterrent or you don't.....reveling in dead bodies, if floats yer boat, sail on.
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | May 9 2024 16:52 utc | 75
Reading from the SVR press service report, "The Americans have intensified efforts to find an alternative to the current Ukrainian president.". Namely, Washington has been contacting former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko, the leader of the European Solidarity party, and Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klichko over this, the statement reads. Also, covert work is underway involving head of the Ukrainian presidential office Andrey Yermak, former Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzny and ex-Rada speaker Dmitry Razumkov. As far as I can see, Yermak is consolidating his power and he will replace Hellensky 'the terrorist'.
Posted by: AI | May 9 2024 16:58 utc | 76
And funny thing, no one else recognizes it as Russia except for Syria and NK as far as I know.
Posted by: rk | May 9 2024 14:36 utc | 53
______
Not so "funny" at all, really. Two principles are in collision here: a people's right to self-determination versus the territorial integrity of the state. Needless to say, states see the latter principle as paramount and tend to honor the former only in the breach -- or to satisfy their own agendas.
Thus the default attitude toward Crimea's desire for (re)union with Russia is "No way; if we allow that, then our own territorial integrity may be questioned someday." The forcible separation of Kosovo from Serbia, on the other hand, is welcomed by several states, mostly NATO states, because it satisfies a NATO agenda.
Posted by: malenkov | May 9 2024 17:03 utc | 77
[email protected], low IQ leprechaun here, but we know Russia's "partners" are not agreement capable, Mr Putin and Mr Lavrov point it out often enough....they have the patience of Saints, while we sinners look on in amazement, we count the dead, the bits and pieces, the infrastructure all tabbed up, patience, only 500k, maybe 1 million dead Ukie to go......is anyone counting, shit, just cull them all. No?
Cheers M
The Security agreements I referenced are between individual EU countries and the UK over providing Security assistance to the Ukraine. Brits are said to be signing on for 100 years. They don't seem deterred at all.
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | May 9 2024 17:10 utc | 78
Nowadays
Nowadays a German is not allowed to even be moderately patriotic in homeopathic quantities.
And yet, a German are required to enthusiastically applaud the nostalgic of the 14th Waffen SS used as a tool by our masters who, to top it all off, have a private hunting ground to hunt locals in the Levant: a furious identitarian Ethno-nationalism in other people's land.
Let us not forget that the great Temple was built by an Arab king, Herod the Great, not a rabbi from Lithuania or Ukraine.
Posted by: Simon | May 9 2024 17:18 utc | 79
If I was Russian.
I'd never forget the post Minsk Agreement lies.
These people aren't Agreement capable!
Never been!
Never will!
Posted by: jpc | May 9 2024 17:19 utc | 80
peace in are cern gran sasso speedy satanick times.
belief in nazi you can believe in the devils owned chabad mossadick blackmailed child fiddlers of europe and usa usa
why would they lie?
tel aviv and ukrainia are vital for the money laundry crime syndicate system this is not ending is not real and ukrainia are important because they do not exist in the sovereign
the spiders web doc and the gary oldman meryl streep movie the laundry do not mention ukraine tel aviv because they are the heart of the matter along with jersey the crown corporation and the fucking swiss
Posted by: todd | May 9 2024 17:21 utc | 81
If Russia and France came to blows over Ukraine, money would flee Europe and businesses that could might soon follow. The United States would get a lot of that, and so you could picture Uncle Sam as not lifting a finger, and instead just delivering a performance imitating Mr. Burns, saying "Excellent!".
https://youtu.be/YKUOB8MN4Kc?si=wHPL93W0S2pUaUQO
Posted by: Babel-17 | May 9 2024 17:40 utc | 83
IMO, troops on the ground is not a necessary condition of direct involvement.
Posted by: Sally | May 9 2024 18:03 utc | 84
TIA for any info on that law restricting former Bundeswehr soldiers.
Posted by: JessDTruth | May 9 2024 14:58 utc | 59
My point is that it is not legally obvious for an ex-soldier to enlist in another countries' army without official approval. Translation and link follows.
(Soldiers Act - SG)
§ Section 20a Activity after leaving military service
(1) A retired professional soldier or a former soldier entitled to a service pension shall give written notification before taking up any gainful employment or other employment outside the public service which is connected with his or her official duties in the five years prior to leaving military service and which may adversely affect his or her official interests. The obligation to notify ends five years after leaving military service. Sentences 1 and 2 shall also apply to former soldiers entitled to retirement pay under the Retirement Pay Act.
Rechtsstellung der Soldaten (Soldatengesetz - SG)
§ 20a Tätigkeit nach dem Ausscheiden aus dem Wehrdienst
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sg/__20a.
html
Posted by: Passerby | May 9 2024 18:04 utc | 85
Posted by: Norwegian | May 9 2024 16:11 utc | 72
Posted by: knighthawk | May 9 2024 17:38 utc | 82
Agreed, it’s all BS if previous events are anything to go by, which is why I prefer sword sharpening as a response, doesn’t really matter what anyone says, or how the conflict develops =)
Posted by: anon2020 | May 9 2024 18:19 utc | 87
@ Hoarsewhisperer | May 9 2024 16:02 utc | 71
*strategic vs tactical nuclear weapons*
Russian thoughts and Russian communications are generally expressed according to Russian Language and Russian Culture. Not according to Google.
Honest translators try to understand and interpret Russian Language and Russian Culture. There are many ignorant and dishonest translators. Google and the entire Anglo jungle-net are ignorant, with a soupcon of malicious intent.
Posted by: Otter | May 9 2024 18:21 utc | 88
"The US/UK/EU objective is to completely destroy Ukraine so it will be a burden on the Russian economy for decades to come."
Posted by: Saturna | May 9 2024 11:01 utc | 9
Yet I expect they can have these regions up and running within a year.
Posted by: David G Horsman | May 9 2024 18:25 utc | 89
>>Strategic weapons are generally aimed at destroying the enemy utterly: wiping out cities. Tactical nukes are intended to be used against specific targets you want to destroy as part of a military campaign- airbases, troop concentrations, command centers that sort of thing.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | May 9 2024 16:02 utc | 71
That is a painfully misleading definition. Utterly destroy is neither strategic or tactical. It is an expression of the degree of damage one wishes to cause. Tactical stuff is a reference to the things that refer to the direct confrontation with the enemies armed forces. Strategic can involve things that aren't even military. The various sanctions (usually trade restrictions) placed against Russia in our current period are strategic. They are an effort to damage the Russian economy. The sinking of cargo ships headed for Britain during WWII was strategic in nature because they were not an assaults against the German armed forces. The blockading of German ports during WWI by the British was also strategic.
Posted by: Jmaas | May 9 2024 18:26 utc | 90
Imetatronic
Lions and Dragons and Bears, Oh My!
WILLIAM SCHRYVER
MAY 09, 2024
Posted by: scanalyse | May 9 2024 18:34 utc | 91
Posted by: JessDTruth | May 9 2024 14:58 utc | 59
Posted by: Passerby | May 9 2024 18:04 utc | 85
It was previously reported here that at least one NATO country was allowing its military personnel to legally leave their national military, sign up in some way or form with Ukraine, with time served in Ukraine counting as time served in their home military from the standpoint of career advancement, financial entitlements and injury benefits.
I don’t have any links and this specific topic hasn’t come up since so it’s be interesting to know if these claims have been confirmed or refuted. There are bound to be a few “soldiers of fortune” who’d risk everything for an uninsured paycheque but it doesn’t seem plausible that a large contingent of senior officers and specialists are wandering around Ukraine in exchange for coke and taboo sex.
Posted by: anon2020 | May 9 2024 18:52 utc | 92
Give it a bit. We've heard lots of promises but of NATO not to escalate in the past, all of which were broken.
Posted by: Feral Finster | May 9 2024 19:19 utc | 93
IMHO, the individual state-to-state agreements between NATOstan countries and Ukraine are as much to hog tie future governments in those NATOstan regimes as any other goal. We ought to give credit to the NATO regimes in their understanding that the jig is up, Ukraine is lost, and they wish to absolve themselves of responsibility for the debacle as well as tie down future governments in their own country, to blame such governments if they don't continue to pour good money after bad, etc., etc..
They never cared about Ukrainians except as cannon fodder and they are more interested in getting themselves "elected" in the future than in carrying out any worthy foreign policy goals that benefit humanity in general.
What is continuous here is the shallowness of vision, spiritual and political impoverishment, and so on. They don't get it and they never will.
As the late, great Lou Reed put it, "stick a fork in them and turn them over. They're done."
Posted by: N Hanrahan | May 9 2024 19:24 utc | 94
It was previously reported here that at least one NATO country was allowing its military personnel to legally leave their national military,
Posted by: anon2020 | May 9 2024 18:52 utc | 92
That would be an interesting topic for parliamentary question time:
Honorable Minister of Defense, how many former soldiers have been allowed to join the Ukrainian army?
Posted by: Passerby | May 9 2024 19:26 utc | 95
The West were quite confident that the economic sanctions would crush the Russian economy within months leading to regime change and eventually the break up of Russia or, at least, the economic colonization of Russaiby the West.
The miscalculated bigly.
Posted by: canuck | May 9 2024 14:33 utc | 52
-------------------------------------------------------
Could not agree more.
Worked in DC Metro for 25 years and watching Blinken is seeing the height of arrogance. He and his cabal should be hung. The Pentagon has to go along to serve its civilian masters. I never underestimate DIA, what their flag rank does with what is given to them is none of their business.
Posted by: Acco Hengst | May 9 2024 20:24 utc | 96
"Posted by: canuck | May 9 2024 14:33 utc | 52
That is not miscalculation is plain idiocy.
No one with more than one cell brain could think that sanctions could work in a self sufficient country as Russia that is plenty of resources needed by the rest of the world.
Sanctions where used with different scope in mind. 😎"
Posted by: Mario | May 9 2024 14:59 utc | 60
Perhaps you are right yet I think there is a biger picture: the US is decling economically, militerailly, culturally and soiritually the PTB are not ignorant of that fact which lead to the US losing the privilege of have the world's reserve currency.
That is happening slowly and the pace will increase in the future-so when that happens US dollars come back to the US shores and hyperinflation occurs and the USA is fucked.
So what better method to staunch that wound by not allowing many, many individuals, companies and even countries from bringing US dollars back to the US as they are 'sanctioned.'
Blowing up Nordstream was another way to get more US dollars sold through LNG...same idea.
You get me?
Again, another US public slap-down against belligerent comments coming from Europe and some Democrats. A few days ago it was the ‘leaking’ of intel suggesting the Kerch Bridge was no longer a viable military target, to counter suggestions from the UK, Germany and France that it was.
Seems someone in the US is preparing to ‘manage’ Ukraine’s imminent territorial reduction, same thing with the near-simultaneous collapse of three out of four of Trump’s political trials. The headline news is pure kabuki, designed to fool people into thinking that most of the unfolding events are spontaneous occurrences, not carefully choreographed, and scripted, months in advance. I think the US and Russia have more than likely already agreed the fate of Ukraine, with the ‘will, they, won’t they’ drama, surrounding the last aid package, being pure theatre, with more gullible Democrats being sold the idea it might end Johnson’s speakership and allow Trump to be blocked from Presidency, by a majority Democratic House ruling.
Posted by: Milites | May 9 2024 20:37 utc | 98
Posted by: Acco Hengst | May 9 2024 20:24 utc | 96
Blinken’s the puppet, look for the Obama-proxy Susan Rice, to see who was the real string-puller. Same with all the positions of US institutional power, the leaders are DEI figureheads, compromised bloviators, or those seriously limited in ability, or a combination of all three!
Posted by: Milites | May 9 2024 20:50 utc | 99
The West's strategy with Ukraine was so completely wrong. But the opposite course of investing and genuinely building Ukraine into a lean competitor of Russia would have also threatened EU economic stability of which we've seen just a glimpse of what was possible via the Grain War. But then, Neoliberals aren't into national development and never seem to have even entertained a different idea for using Ukraine against Russia.
Posted by: karlof1 | May 9 2024 16:34 utc | 74
Probably the most highly endowed land in Europe if not the world agriculturally, minerals, energy and it has all been trashed with no regards to the people living there since 1991.
This was the fragment of the USSR that should have been the Eastern European powerhouse.
Your comment on the West's total failure to nurture and turn the Ukraine into a proper state is totally correct.
Then again as has been observed the Ukraine as it was post the USSR collapse wasn't a real nation to begin with.
And here things stand!
The Ukraine is a resource to be exploited.
That's the horrible part of this situation for the people of this land.
Yet again!
Posted by: jpc | May 9 2024 21:03 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
This Nato meeting is still 2 months away. A lot can happen. Are they genuine, flagging this in the italian media, or are they only bluffing, buying time to act in other ways than suggested? The ability of unilateral support and military actions with the 10 year security agreements signed by European nations in past months still hangs over Russia's head as a threat.
I'm inclined not to believe anything coming out of the US or Nato, especially in the near future saying 'we will do xyz' ... I also find it impossible to believe the US will simply hand over anything to the europeans and 'walk away' as suggested above. Very skeptical.
Until it actually happens. Because the US is totally untrustworthy 24/7
Posted by: Lavrov's Dog | May 9 2024 10:24 utc | 1