You probably will not want to scan the 1000 plus comments but it might help you to know that the threads have been well behaved with much less nastiness that usual. Only one call me pussycat got through. Lots of sensible discussion.

Posted by: watcher | May 1 2024 8:48 utc | 3

b, take all the time you need to regain your strength before plunging back into your work.
In the meantime I will tame any trouble makers.

Posted by: canuck | May 1 2024 8:56 utc | 5

b is back, hooray!
Everyone was really good on the Ukraine thread – – well, more or less *me keeping an eye on y’ll…)

Posted by: merlin2 | May 1 2024 9:10 utc | 7

I would say closing the bag means that previously Russia was happy to go slow but with summer arriving and somw villages captured every few days pressure is on to return to big arrow moves.
From here on there is a thing as going too slowly, this just provides time for NATO to stir up more shit.
Russia needs UKR to collapse before there is a solid line of NATO troops at the Dniestr. If they manage to put up 5 to 6k soldiers there and Russia sends them home it would be hard to silence calls for all out war. Right now the West is not prepared to go that far but pressure is fabricated.
Russia is still in drole de guerre mode, it did not make sense to pressure the population too much while Russia was blamed for it. Now that the regime has discredited itself enough it’s time to cut off the West as that will be attributed to the traitorous West now.
We see more powerplants and gas facilities hit, slowly as ammo levels, airframe and targeting resources permit. I suspect going slow also makes sense as a full on strike could endanger cooling at nuclear power plants.
Probably EU interconnect will be hit any day now. Maybe they save it up for the days NATO tries to move in in force.

Posted by: SOS | May 1 2024 9:55 utc | 9

James 9h04 GMT, last I heard he was back in rump Ukraine playing some sort of respected media commentator role.

Posted by: petra | May 1 2024 10:12 utc | 11

Welcome back, b

Posted by: António Lico | May 1 2024 10:45 utc | 13

@B: All the best with the healing process.

Posted by: WMG | May 1 2024 11:04 utc | 15

canuck | May 1 2024 8:56 utc | 5
Put Ukraine in charge of the population of Donetsk, and Israel in charge of human rights while we are at it 😀

Posted by: Rhymerez | May 1 2024 11:42 utc | 17

Feliz por ter vc de volta B. Nunca comento mas leio tudo. Saudações do Brasil!

Posted by: Aquino | May 1 2024 11:59 utc | 19

https://t.me/Novichok_Rossiya_2/5866

👉👉After visiting different parts of Ukraine over the past few weeks, here is a brief summary of my observations and assessments.
As I know people love to make their own conclusions based on whatever sources they have, these are my opinions based on visual observations and discussions with various individuals from a specific time and place, I am not Nostradamus, I am not predicting what will happen by a specific time, I am telling you what I see and experience here and now.
1: As long as Ukraine has weapons they will fight AND there will be enough men to fight.
2: The will to fight varies depending where you are in Ukraine, there are still die hards who will sacrifice themselves.
3: Especially in the West of Ukraine, nationalism burns like a fire.
4: The vast majority of Ukrainians absolutely hate Russia and Russians.
5: The contrasts are huge, there is a separate life where people go to fancy restaurants, do family trips and live as if there’s no war.
6: Zelensky still enjoys broad support.
I will deal with the details of my beliefs and assumptions at a later time.
👆Masno

https://t.me/Novichok_Rossiya_2/5867

Before anyone asks if Ukraine has men why aren’t they able to mobilize them
It’s simply because they lack enough equipment to army and train every guy.
Training and equipping 500,000 men with pistols, machine guns, aks, grenades etc. is a huge task on its own. But even if they get equipment, I personally doubt they can train all of them for an adequate amount of time

https://t.me/Novichok_Rossiya_2/5868

By the way, despite whatever claims there may be or whatever a specific photo or video might show, the reality is that there are only 11000 cases of people dodging mobilisation and being wanted in Ukraine. The vast majority of people called up to fight, fight.
Of course many pay bribes to leave the country, but let me assure you, millions of men remain.
* More than 11 thousand cases against evaders have been opened in Ukraine since 2022, reports the office of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General.
in 2022, 2,431 cases were opened, most of all in Transcarpathia and the Dnipropetrovsk region.
And in 2023 there will already be 6,745 cases. The leaders are again Transcarpathia and Dnepropetrovsk regions, to which Nikolaev region has been added.
The amount of bribes for leaving Ukraine has now increased to $17,000 per person.”
👆Masno

https://t.me/Novichok_Rossiya_2/5880

Masno’s observation from seeing Ukraine’s defensive lines up close
According to him, the dragon teeth’s are so short that even a high off road vehicle would get over it. Aside from that, digging up of various defence lines continues, many will likely be completed in a few months

https://t.me/Novichok_Rossiya_2/5852

As Ukraine builds it’s defensive lines in Kharkov, Russia doesn’t let them do it in peace

Posted by: anon2020 | May 1 2024 12:06 utc | 21

@ TJandTheBear, §23:
That was the number one job of BBC´s “Media Action” in the decade after 2014 . . .

Posted by: John Marks | May 1 2024 12:20 utc | 23

@ anon2020 | May 1 2024 12:06 utc | 22
Well, if they all want to die for Bandera, that’s their choice. Fewer subversives for Russia to have to worry about when the SMO ends.

Posted by: malenkov | May 1 2024 12:43 utc | 25

Welcome back b! We were worried.

Posted by: Jack McCord | May 1 2024 12:51 utc | 27

Resident
Repeating the mistakes of 2023 threatens Ukraine with fatal consequences— American historian
Having finally received the long — awaited aid package from the United States, Kiev will have to use it wisely-otherwise it risks repeating the mistakes of 2023 and failing, writes The Hill American historian Tom Moskaitis.
As Moskaitis recalls, last year Ukraine was allocated funds for organizing a counteroffensive, but according to its results, Kiev achieved almost nothing, losing thousands of soldiers killed and a huge number of military equipment. The reason for this failure was not only the effective defense of the Russian troops, but also the mistakes of the Ukrainian command. So, instead of concentrating its forces to break through to the south, it divided them into two parts, trying to move simultaneously to Mariupol and Bakhmut — and in addition, Kiev used the least experienced fighters in the operation, who could not oppose the hardened Russian soldiers.
The new aid package, in which the Americans also included artillery shells that Kiev really needs, will probably help the Ukrainians withstand the onslaught of Russia, the author suggests. Meanwhile, in no case should Ukraine allow the same losses as in 2023 — because a repeat of that failure could be “fatal” for the country, the historian warns.
According to Moskaitis, in this regard, Kiev should focus on defense in order to try to keep the territories it currently occupies. Well, it’s time for publicists and politicians in Western countries to stop supporting the Ukrainian leadership’s illusion that it can defeat Russia and regain the lost regions, the expert believes.

Cokeman was talking about a new offensive and waiting on ‘aid’. F-16’s still in the propaganda media so they are coming. And Brits talking about a major strike on the Crimea bridge. All in all another Wiley E coyote package of weapons and intentions. The strike on the Crimea bridge will require a good number of aircraft for the air launched missiles.
The minor strike with American missiles that’s been reported on in the last day or so quite likely just to help map a track through air defences.
Will be interesting to see how the Russian defences handle the main strike on the bridge when it comes. If it was me, I’d have nets strung around the piers just leaving the main shipping channel open.Some of those British, I assume, speedboat drones carry nearly a ton of explosives.
Russia seems to have very good intel operation in 404 now. The bridge was closed before the last feeling out strike missiles were launched.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 1 2024 13:24 utc | 29

Morale can change overnight for most of the population. So you can go from 80 pro war to 20% pro war almost overnight. Reason is that most people just want to get along and avoid trouble. You see this on social media where down voting and banning is common (thankfully no up/down voting here). Most people hate being down voted, love being up voted, and dread banning, so they say what they are expected to say. But like fish in a school of fish, they can change direction instantly if all the other fish change direction.
Women especially like fitting in, so expect 90+% of Ukrainian women to say they expect Ukraine to win and join NATO and Zelensky is great and the war is necessary and mobilization (of men) is necessary, blah, blah, blah. Men more willing to stick out, but men who stick out in a war situation get sent to the front line, so most know to shut their mouth and keep it shut or else just mumble same platitudes as the women.
I’m sure Germans asked their opinion in early 1945 were 90% pro war and pro Hitler. By late 1945, it was 90+% the opposite.

Posted by: anonposter | May 1 2024 13:34 utc | 31

https://t.me/intelslava/58686

🇺🇦 There are fierce battles for Chasov Yar. The enemy understands all the dire consequences of the loss of this fortified area and has directed all his forces to its defense.
Our units, in turn, literally gnaw out one forest belt after another as they approach the city. Taking the Chasov yar will allow you to gain strategic heights and allow you to seize the initiative in the battle for Donbass.
The fighting is very difficult. The losses on both sides are significant.

https://t.me/remylind21/20013

🇺🇦 Epic Destruction of Baba Yaga by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the skies over Georgievka.

Posted by: anon2020 | May 1 2024 13:46 utc | 33

Resident
⚡️⚡️⚡️#Insider information
Our source in the OP said that the General Staff does not consider it an effective model for training Ukrainians abroad, last year almost 20% of men did not return back, this year the percentage increased to 35%. https://t.me/s/rezident_ua

There was a report about this I read a few days back in western MSM – Western country’s ceasing ‘training’ due to the number of escapees.
Those Ukrainians that managed to escape 404 as refugees – now have to return to 404 to renew their passports when they expire. Poland calling on EU to send all male Ukrainians back to 404 to die on the frontline. Like with Assange and Co, the only places safe from five-eyes – the long arm of the rules based order – is Russia or China.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 1 2024 13:53 utc | 35

Don’t worry, b., while you were away, Ukraine lost more in everything, NATO/EU club lost more luster, US empire lost more power domestically and internationally.

Posted by: KitaySupporter | May 1 2024 14:00 utc | 37

A large exhibition of captured Ukrainian military equipment has begun in Moscow, including an American Abrams tank. It’s unclear why they didn’t put this Abrams at the American embassy to remind these idiots of their incompetence.
https://t.me/voenacher/65020

Posted by: Psycho | May 1 2024 14:10 utc | 39

sean the leprechaun | May 1 2024 13:55 utc | 37
The mood in 404 is changing. A major partisan movement in Odessa, another has started up, I think in Kharkov.
That leadership is left there for a psychological reason. Ukrainians are now turning against it.
Many wondered how Russia would denazify Ukraine, usually their only simplistic answer was Russian occupation of all 404 up to Poland border. Before this is over, it will be Ukrainians themselves that denazify 404. Russia is winning the war against Nato, and it is on its way to also winning the peace in 404.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 1 2024 14:26 utc | 41

By the way, despite whatever claims there may be or whatever a specific photo or video might show, the reality is that there are only 11000 cases of people dodging mobilisation and being wanted in Ukraine. The vast majority of people called up to fight, fight
Masno
This only confirms what I think and any realistic observer would come to the same conclusion:
Ukrainians are very motivated to fight and shall fight to the last. The war is popular among the Ukrainians and only a small percentage is trying to avoid taking part in it. Huge losses are quite acceptable in the Ukro society, but not in Russia.
As long as Ukros have support from the West, Russia cannot win.

Posted by: vargas | May 1 2024 14:48 utc | 43

The Russians have completed a railroad track that goes down to the Crimea area, thus the Kerch Bridge isn’t that big a deal anymore. It would be an inconvenience and expense if it where to be taken out, but no more than that. The reason for the focus on the bridge is that it would be a propaganda win to take it out. I am skeptical it would be a big deal to take it out. The Russian population is now convinced with good reason that the fight is existential for them, thus they are not going to fold. That, and if the Russians continue to gain ground, I doubt damaging the bridge will seem important to any beyond the West’s political class.

Posted by: Jmaas | May 1 2024 14:55 utc | 45

Wishing b a full recovery from his recent health issues
~~~
Ukranews continues to report issues with electrical power supplies: https://ukranews.com/en/news/1002682-electricity-consumption-limited-in-kharkiv-and-dnipropetrovsk-regions-on-wednesday

On Wednesday, May 1, electricity consumption is limited in the Kharkiv Region and for industrial enterprises in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Region.
This follows from a statement by the Ministry of Energy, the Ukrainian News agency reports.
“Due to network restrictions on the lines of the transmission system operator, blackout schedules were applied yesterday in the Kharkiv Region and for industrial enterprises in Kryvyi Rih. Restrictions in these regions are still in effect today. In other regions of the past day, consumers were not restricted,” the message says.
According to the report, the needs of consumers were covered by their generation and commercial imports, and emergency aid from neighboring countries was not involved.
The import of electricity in the amount of 9,154 MWh is forecast for the current day.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, overnight into April 27, russia attacked four thermal power plants.

and: https://ukranews.com/en/news/1002725-there-is-shortage-of-electricity-in-power-system-in-evening-hours-ukrenergo

In the power system, there is a shortage of electricity in certain evening hours of maximum consumption, while there is a surplus of electricity in the daytime during the active operation of solar power plants (SPPs).
This was announced by the press service of the Ukrenergo national energy company, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
On Wednesday, May 1, as of 09:30 a.m., consumption remains at the same level as at the same time yesterday, April 30.
At the same time, on April 30, the daily maximum consumption was 1.2% lower than on Monday, April 29.
According to the report, solar and wind power plants are actively operating.
Thus, on April 30, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., the work of renewable energy sources (RES) facilities was limited due to the occurrence of an excess of electricity in the power system.
“At the moment, there are only network restrictions in the power system. The reason for their application is damage to the main network equipment by russian drones and missiles. During the day, consumption restrictions are in effect in the Kharkiv Region. In the morning, about 203,000 household consumers were cut off there. Consumption for industry in Kryvyi Rih districts is also restricted 24 hours a day,” the message says.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, electricity consumption was limited in the Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk Regions on Wednesday.

Several other reports indicate ongoing restrictions of supply to industrial and commercial operations in the Kryvyi Rih region.
~~~
To add to the fun, there’s this: https://ukranews.com/en/news/1002630-86-000-kyiv-residents-pay-no-electricity-bill-since-the-beginning-of-this-year-yasno

More than 86,000 Kyiv residents have not paid a single electricity bill since the beginning of the year, while residents of the capital have overstayed more than UAH 450 million for consumed electricity.
This follows from a statement by the electricity supplier Yasno, the Ukrainian News agency reports.
According to the notice, in order to restore the electricity supply, in addition to paying off the debt, it is also necessary to pay for the disconnection and connection service.
Depending on the technical features of the work, the cost of the service can reach up to UAH 5,000-6,000, and the time for restoring electricity supply in cities is up to three working days.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on January 29, operators of the distribution system, at the request of the Yasno company, which is part of the DTEK energy holding, began to cut off the electricity supply to debtors in Kyiv and the Dnipropetrovsk Regions.
At the end of December 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers canceled the ban on the termination of the provision of housing and communal services to the population in case of non-payment or incomplete payment, as well as on the charging and collection of fines (fines, penalties) for arrears for housing and communal services.
The D. Solutions company under the Yasno brand develops the business of supplying electricity and gas. It implements solutions for energy efficiency and electric vehicles.
Supply companies of the Yasno brand provide electricity to 3.5 million families in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk regions and more than 80,000 enterprises throughout Ukraine.

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | May 1 2024 15:07 utc | 47

In the meantime I will tame any trouble makers.
Posted by: canuck | May 1 2024 8:56 utc | 5
Takes one to know one, Canuck.

Posted by: dirtyseven | May 1 2024 15:27 utc | 49

>I don’t know what RF has been doing with the ukies that have crossed back into RF territory,
Early on, DPR and LPR press ganged every able bodied male and then the Russians used these DPR/LPR units to do dirty work, to spare Russian regulars, so losses among those units were hororific. LEGALLY, Ukrainians who get Russian citizenship are only obligated to do the usual military training, which does not mean front line action, and they only go to the front lines if they sign a contract. However, early on, Russia was using extreme methods to get disposable meat (again, to spare the regulars), like local police saying “take Russian citizenship and enlist or else we plant child pornography on you then after conviction the other prisoners will murder you”. So some Ukrainians might have swept up in that. But that was only early on. Russia has long stopped both press gang and penal battalion methods in favor of getting highly motivated contract troops by simply raising soldier pay.

Posted by: anonposter | May 1 2024 15:32 utc | 51

@ anonposter | May 1 2024 15:32 utc | 52
Please provide a source. This is the nicest comment you will ever receive from someone knowing you’re full of shit for posting something like this.

Posted by: boneless | May 1 2024 15:44 utc | 53

interesting story from yalensis which symbolically reflects how much ukraine continues to lose in the overall equation here…
Ukraine War Day #798: The Heart Of A Daughter

Posted by: james | May 1 2024 15:50 utc | 55

Dear B, glad to see you back. Wishing you a speedy recovery to full health. Thanks so much dear sir.

Posted by: Áobh Ó’Sheachnasaigh | May 1 2024 16:22 utc | 57

It all Ukrainian in west hate Russia (so much or they’ve been conditioned to hate Russia for the last 10 years) than why bother and fighting to hold the east which is predominant Russian and elected to be part of Russia???
Posted by: Innuendo | May 1 2024 15:37 utc | 53
The announced Russian intent is to de-Nazify the area. Going by some comments by Putin, I believe the Russians would have no problem with the country being partitioned, perhaps with some other countries getting their ‘share’ of the place.

Posted by: Jmaas | May 1 2024 16:45 utc | 59

Happy May Day.
Marx was right about value extraction.
For instance, the KGB officer from humble roots — Vladimir Putin is now worth $200 billion. Workers of world unite!
Both Russia and Ukraine have corrupt leaders. One has a bald head and the other plays piano with his — head. If we apply the current ICC logic discussed at MoA, both should be arrested for Slavic genocide.

Posted by: Napoleon | May 1 2024 17:02 utc | 61

Posted by: anon2020 | May 1 2024 16:26 utc | 59
>it’s possible he’s been leaned on to overstate Ukrainian resolve because 35% AWOL doesn’t scream commitment.
It has nothing to do with “leaned on”. As I noted previously, it’s that it’s a no-win for Ukrainians to openly oppose the Ukrainian government party line, which is that Ukrainian is winning, Zelensky is great president, victory must be all the way to 1991 borders followed by NATO membership. Say anything different and a storm of abuse comes crashing down on your head. So Masno was fed a bunch of crap and swallowed and regurgitated without thinking. Evidence is all over that morale is cracking, but you have to read between the lines, it’s not going to be spoon fed. Like that 35% number, Azov refusing orders, the collapse in Очеретино, the purging of officer corps, the uproar over mobilization, etc.

Posted by: anonposter | May 1 2024 17:10 utc | 63

Just a week now until Victory Day 2024. I would expect to see something spectacular from the RAF in the interim, meaning something above and beyond the current inexorable attrit and advance several hundred meters operations. Kharkov? Odessa? Or will it wait until after the Putin-Xi meeting later this month?

Posted by: KMRIA | May 1 2024 17:14 utc | 65

Watching live May Day protests in France, there are more cops than people, and there are a lot of people. No wonder nothing changes in France, Macron hired half the population to be cops. He wants to send troops to Ukraine, he can send his swollen field army of police, they are already head to toe in kevlar and plastic armor and drone proof.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | May 1 2024 17:39 utc | 67

Basic critical thinking.
A. The millions that fled to the east didn’t do so to join the nazi “Ukrainians” and those who fled to the west didn’t either: every single one could have joined the nazi criminals on the front lines but chose not to.
B. Any “Ukrainian” that has escaped (east or west) most likely knows how to get a false passport or two or three. What did such passports go for in Syria some years back? 100 USD? 50 Euro?
(The millions of “Syrians” and Syrians walking into the EU didn’t disappear except from off the front pages.)
C. And would any one of them actually need a new/reissued Ukrainian passport since they’ve already been registered/documented which means they now have separate documentation? I wouldn’t think so. Meaning at worst they go from being Ukrainian refugees to stateless refugees? Not saying either is a good thing for them or for anyone else including Syrians and “Syrians” or host nations; social dumping, a lot of crime, and various forms of slavery, are all real things that happen.

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | May 1 2024 17:48 utc | 69

What’s most interesting is the inability of Ukie troops to attack all the exposed flanks created by the Russian advance. It’s reported that Azov again refused to advance to a blocking position. Russian missile and drone forces are being fed outstanding targeting intel making their strikes very effective. IMO, the rear areas are being shaped for their future as forward areas.

Posted by: karlof1 | May 1 2024 18:18 utc | 71

@ Posted by: Napoleon | May 1 2024 17:02 utc | 62
> For instance, the KGB officer from humble roots — Vladimir Putin is now worth $200 billion. Workers of world unite!
Men like Putin have no use for personal money, they’re above such things. Anyone believing a Russian Tsar have a need to steal from his own treasury have a two digit IQ as far as I’m concerned

Posted by: taukey | May 1 2024 18:45 utc | 73

Posted by: anonposter | May 1 2024 17:10 utc | 64
Maybe, I’ve heard the other indicators you mention and it all registers as worse than ever but the morale collapse hypothesis hasn’t worked so far. A reasonable explanation seems to be that the conflict will continue for as long as the US provides arms and funding, so long as Kiev gets paid they’ll keep tightening the mobilisation thumbscrews.
If morale is cracking we should know soon enough.

Posted by: anon2020 | May 1 2024 19:22 utc | 75

Workers of world unite!
Posted by: Napoleon | May 1 2024 17:02 utc | 62
LOL!
So you chose the name of a mass murderer and you are mentioning “workers”?
It is quite funny, for:
1) only 10% of French workers are members of trade unions;
2) French workers are far from united;
3) 45% of French workers are voting for the extreme right;
4) French workers are unable to organise a general strike;
5) French workers have benefited from the plundering of resources of other countries, especially from Africa;
6) French workers were thus corrupted and too many are racists;
7) Countries of the rest of the world, unite under the BRICS, Russia and China, and destoy the imperialist hegemony of the west!
Marx completely underestimated the power of corruption and mass media dictatorship.
By smearing Putin who came to the rescue of Donbass, you are showing your true affiliation.
For it was the Donbass miners who first refused the coup d’Etat and the nazi regime of Kiev and they took weapons to defend their country.
French workers are unable to even defend their rights.

Posted by: Naive | May 1 2024 19:32 utc | 77

The Russian population is now convinced with good reason that the fight is existential for them, thus they are not going to fold.
Posted by: Jmaas | May 1 2024 14:55
It is hard to belive that. Russians are not ready to die to the last in this war. Ukrainians are.
And Russians do not nied to die but the Russian army is unable to drstroy the Ukro power infrsatructure that would mean Russian victory without anybody having to die.

Posted by: vargas | May 1 2024 19:33 utc | 79

these are my opinions based on visual observations and discussions with various individuals from a specific time and place, I am not Nostradamus, I am not predicting what will happen by a specific time, I am telling you what I see and experience here and now.
Conclusion: a load of groundless crap.

Posted by: Naive | May 1 2024 19:39 utc | 81

Good to hear you are recovering, b.
It is always amusing to read the Ukraine drum beaters, echoing the sentiments of their Banderite ancestors invading Stalingrad, while Adolf’s Propaganda department films them declaring, “Merry Christmas from Stalingrad.” Feigning frolicking in snow while the real army was freezing in snow in their hob-healed leather boots, and their very best summer clothes.
Ukraine, another dubious European Welfare state, mesmerized by U.S. Hollywood illusions of the U.S. Bluecoat army’s inevitable movie entrance, riding over the hill to save hapless U.S. pioneers while slaughtering native peoples.
Ukraine had the makings of the best of all possible worlds, resources and energy from Russia, while maintaining a toe-hold in Europe. Instead they chose greedy leadership and a slow death by strangulation by a fed-up Russia.

Posted by: kupkee | May 1 2024 19:44 utc | 83

Naive | May 1 2024 19:39 utc | 82
Whoever it is that is quoted in those names themselves, I think appropriately, after neurotoxin. The quotes today, like previous ones share characteristics with the chosen name.

Posted by: Rhymerez | May 1 2024 19:55 utc | 85

https://youtu.be/OgLD1yhxNik?si=Twv0jPurCr8yMVnz
Not sure how many here remember Afroman and his famous song ” because I got high” but he has done 2 decades later, a parody song about hunter Biden, that mocks Ukraine and the whole trashy saga. Laughs are worth it in trying times so enjoy

Posted by: Hankster | May 1 2024 20:13 utc | 87

“..Yes, it would be ironical if Banderites emulated the Confederates of old and fled to Canada, where they could enjoy the company of the descendants of the Banderites who fled there after WWII.”
Babel-17@19:06 utc | 75
I don’t see the ‘irony.’ The reality is that the importation of Ukrainian and other eastern european Nazi collaborators in great numbers after the War profoundly corrupted the political system in Canada, As it did in the United States, they formed well disciplined voting blocs, all heavily bankrolled by the CIA and similar agencies, which played major roles in perverting public opinion and inclining it towards the virulent anti-communism which had deleterious effects in Canada. For example Ukrainian fascists were employed in the battle against the Mine Mill union while Cold war ideology was used to expel the most militant Trade Unionists and in some cases Unions from the country.
The results are still being felt. In some senses they are just beginning to be felt as a new generation, virtually unarmed in the face of capitalist aggression, watches impotently as its living standards and security are eroded.
A recent RCMP report predicting large scale violence as Canadian living standards fall is based upon a society in which the influx of Nazi collaborators and their politics played a large part in corrupting.
There is a book Blowback, by Christopher Simpson which explains how the process worked in the United States, in Canada the impact was, if anything much greater.
cf Freedland the deputy PM.

Posted by: bevin | May 1 2024 20:15 utc | 89

Posted by: karlof1 | May 1 2024 18:18 utc | 72
Far harder than it looks, as the USMC say, speed is security, meaning the rapid tempo of the Russian advances is their greatest shield, followed by Ukraine’s inability to mobilise the armoured forces needed, at the level of command required. In fact, NATO ISR might also be a factor, with information overload leading to paralysis by analyses.
At the moment the Russians are firmly in the Ukrainian OODA loop, forcing them to react not act, and making it very difficult for them to gain the initiative. The Russians, as I’ve posted before, will run with this till it either achieves operational aims, or runs out of impetus, in which case support with shift to other axes. Only reinforce success, always probe with the bayonet, when you feel mush drive it deep. Meanwhile the Ukrainians either use the new aid and risk losing it, or hold it and hope the front doesn’t fold, or the Russians strike it whilst in the rear areas.
I certainly know which side I’d like to play in the above scenario.

Posted by: Milites | May 1 2024 20:22 utc | 91

I wonder where he was in Ukraine, to say this:
2: The will to fight varies depending where you are in Ukraine, there are still die hards who will sacrifice themselves.
3: Especially in the West of Ukraine, nationalism burns like a fire.
Because we know that on the frontline, the nationalists are refusing to fight.
AND we know that in one village in the west, a woman and her young daughter driving to the post office were attacked by a mob of Banderist women who thought they were there to conscript their men. They screamed that they didn’t want their men to fight in the war. (I don’t speak Ukrainian, I’m relying on the translation provided for the video of the assault).
So he must have been somewhere else in Ukraine, a magical land where nationalism flourishes, people are eager to fight, millions of men are available to go to the front, and are chomping at the bit, and the only limitation is the US supply of weapons.
Wait a minute. This sounds remarkably like Bandera Biden’s campaign messaging. I wonder…….

Posted by: wagelaborer | May 1 2024 20:49 utc | 93

Posted by: bevin | May 1 2024 20:15 utc | 90
The irony of a crappy piece of history getting done again to Canada because some idiots and bad actors within its government helped set the stage for it. 😉

Posted by: Babel-17 | May 1 2024 21:16 utc | 95

MAY DAY….MAY DAY….MAY DAY
FREE DRINKS AT THE BAR ALL NIGHT FOLKS
HAPPY MAY DAY
Bottoms up chappies!

Posted by: HERMIUS | May 1 2024 21:27 utc | 97

Reuters is showing that sanctions are all that empire’s got left
US issues hundreds of sanctions targeting Russia, takes aim at Chinese companies
Poor child of empire is unable/unwilling to let go of their unmerited claim to world hegemony

Posted by: psychohistorian | May 1 2024 21:33 utc | 99