I was wondering why the trolls were out en force yesterday and was trying to find a decent map on Russian advances through Ukraine – looking at Marat’s frontline summary, it’s easy to see that Putin wasn’t wrong when he said they’re very close to achieving the goals of the SMO.
Russia going nuclear/attacking NATO bases outside of Ukraine so they can escalate, seems to be the elitists only hope of winning, or at least not losing badly.
It’s maddening and I personally would love to see Russia nuke a few 5-eyes bases too.
But on reflection, winning the SMO decisively does seem like the best way for Russia to stick it to NATO and the west.
IT’S SCARED!
^^^Obligatory Starship Troopers reference

Posted by: Ezzie | Dec 12 2024 14:28 utc | 3

I wonder if it isn’t time for Russia and Turkey to do a deal involving SA-4s etc…which ultimately kicks the US and Israel out of Syria, while keeping Turkey onside in the Ukraine situation….

Posted by: pyrrhus | Dec 12 2024 14:48 utc | 5

Now Ukrainian assassins are dispatching Russian scientists in Russia :
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14185597/Putin-missile-scientist-gunned-Moscow-park-Ukrainian-military-hit-squad.html

A leading Putin missile scientist has reportedly been gunned down in a Moscow park by a Ukrainian military assassin.
Mikhail Shatsky, the Deputy Chief Designer at the Mars Design Bureau, which develops and manufactures onboard guidance systems for the Russian military and space industry, was allegedly eliminated by an unknown assassin in Kuzminsky forest park, at Kotelniki, eight miles southeast of the Kremlin.

Posted by: bored | Dec 12 2024 15:05 utc | 7

A leading Putin missile scientist has reportedly been gunned down in a Moscow park by a Ukrainian military assassin.
Posted by: bored | Dec 12 2024 15:05 utc | 7
Another sign of Russian incompetence.
How many Ukro scientists has Russia managed to kill?

Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 15:12 utc | 9

This is an expert that I highly recommend.
Black Mountain.
https://bmanalysis.substack.com/p/israel-and-the-fall-of-syria-and?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1105422&post_id=152913238&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=27ovue&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 15:24 utc | 11

This is an expert that I highly recommend.
Black Mountain.
Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 15:24 utc | 11
Read it last night. Right up your alley Vargas. The author is a crypto Zionazi IMHO. Nonetheless, it’s a good reflection of what the enemy is telling itself at this point.

Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Dec 12 2024 15:31 utc | 13

Also, is its permissable to quote a movie like starship troopers?
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Dec 12 2024 15:02 utc | 6
I’m from the meme generation – Heinlein’s intent notwithstanding, I’ll still make use of it!

Posted by: Ezzie | Dec 12 2024 15:49 utc | 15

Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 15:24 utc | 11
Black Mountain Analysis is very good on Russia & Ukraine, macroeconomics, & weapons analysis.
However, they are very pro-Israel & their bias shows. I don’t waste much time on their ME analysis.

Posted by: Mary | Dec 12 2024 16:07 utc | 17

DH: Putin Sets Devastating Trap for NATO – Ukraine Collapses as Syria Explodes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUwROTbh3c
“Has Putin made a strategic power play and stroke of genius or suffered a huge defeat in the Middle East? Find out in this must see with Brian Berletic of The New Atlas.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Dec 12 2024 16:12 utc | 19

Correction of url @ #19: Berletic on Syria/Ukraine/Putin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUwvROTbh3c

Posted by: John Gilberts | Dec 12 2024 16:17 utc | 21

Another sign of Russian incompetence.
How many Ukro scientists has Russia managed to kill?
Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 15:12 utc | 9
Most scientists are considered civilians. Trying to kill civilians is considered a crime.
Maybe, just maybe, it’s not a sign of incompetence if Russia didn’t kill any scientists.
Maybe they just don’t want to murder civilians in order to gain your approval.
Oh, and killing soldiers is considered criminal, too, unless a state of war exists, and the soldiers are fighting on the other side.
Even the attempt to kill someone is criminal. Just in case you plan to prove how competent you are.

Posted by: Martina | Dec 12 2024 16:20 utc | 23

For: NATO may keep harassing Russia from dump Ukraine, and in places as far flung as Syria, Georgia, and Armenia, indefinitely. It’s not clear that Russia can survive a war of attrition all along its periphery for decades. Also, Putin might end up looking weak to the Global South.
Posted by: Afro | Dec 12 2024 16:14 utc | 20
So you think NATO has the wherewithal to carry on like this for “decades”?

Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Dec 12 2024 16:29 utc | 25

So you think NATO has the wherewithal to carry on like this for “decades”?
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Dec 12 2024 16:29 utc | 25
I can’t tell you exactly how long, but I suspect it might be a long time. Several years for sure. And it’s a big hit if missiles and drones keep hitting infrastructure, and now they’re killing scientists too. What if they go for regime change in Kazakhstan next?
Meanwhile, there is no prospect for the global South to flip Canada, Israel, or Japan, and China continues to be neutral.

Posted by: Afro | Dec 12 2024 16:36 utc | 27

Posted by: Afro | Dec 12 2024 16:18 utc | 22
Every people parroting Izz language elements about “Iranian supply line” don’t know the fuck they are talking about.
You see Gaza ? It’s basically a prison … yet it’s still flooded with weapons.
As long as it pays enough, some can smuggle whatever he wants wherever he wants. That’s also the reason the so called “war on drugs” failed. Basic offer and demand rules.

Posted by: Savonarole | Dec 12 2024 16:50 utc | 29

Afro@1614 Dec 12
Poppycock and bull$hit. You have things precisely bass-ackwards. It is the collective Wa$te, with the 36 Trillion dollar deficit in the U$$A alone, which is economically existing on borrowed time.
And if you think that Izzies are thriving…their ecoonomy is totally dependent upon Uncle $hmuel, their ground pounders are still licking their wounds…having lost waaaaaaaaay more KIA’s, wounded and mentally collapsed than they dare to admit…and their fuhrer, Nuts n’ Yahoos is doing all he can to ward off his trial on corruption charges.
The Evil Ones and their enablers have managed to collapse Syria…along with the disintegrating consciousness of Assad after brutal U$$A sanctions and constant bombardment by those Evil Ones who claim to be “chosen”.
Oh, and BTW, it looks to be your strategy to claim African ancestry. I tend to doubt whether that is true.

Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 12 2024 16:56 utc | 31

“Poppycock and bull$hit. You have things precisely bass-ackwards. It is the collective Wa$te, with the 36 Trillion dollar deficit in the U$$A alone, which is economically existing on borrowed time.”
Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 12 2024 16:56 utc | 31
100% right on.
That’s why the Empire’s desperation -without more pillaging the Empire is doomed because of the HUGE debt; they don’t have much time and the psychopaths know it!!.

Posted by: canuck | Dec 12 2024 17:19 utc | 33

vargas has won an unprecedented 8 th , “The Most Retarded Post I Have Ever Read”
“Another sign of Russian incompetence.
How many Ukro scientists has Russia managed to kill?”
Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 15:12 utc | 9
And you retarded, insensitive b Bot-scientists are civilians you morally vacant Ogre!

Posted by: canuck | Dec 12 2024 17:23 utc | 35

US Super weapons are super!
“Ten months after the first deployments of American-supplied M1A1 Abrams tanks by the Ukrainian Army in combat, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has concluded that the vehicles were “not useful” for Ukraine’s war effort. When asked whether the Biden administration could have better prepared Ukraine for offensives against Russian forces, Sullivan cited the Abrams as an example of how many kinds of American weapons did not have the desired impact in the theatre.” But he could have gone on for a further hour or so listing all the lame US ‘super-weapons’ which have dismally failed in the last 30 years. Even now, they can’t produce a working hypersonic missile, the current ICBM’s are rotting in their silos, and they have abandoned the attempt to replace them.
https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/u-s-concludes-abrams-tanks-not-useful-for-ukraine-following-heavy-losses
“It is expected that Syria’s stockpiles of artillery and tank rounds will be priorities for transfer to Ukraine, followed by its T-62, T-72 and T-90 tanks and other armoured vehicles.”
That’s if the Israeli air strikes have left any. And if the zionists have succeeded in destroying a lot, then the head-choppers will want to keep what’s left. So, good luck with that.
https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/blinken-heading-turkey-discuss-syria-stockpiles-ukraine

Posted by: Jams O’Donnell | Dec 12 2024 17:31 utc | 37

❗️🇷🇺🇺🇦 A large military formation consisting of former servicemen and employees of the special services of Ukraine participates in a special military operation on the side of the Russian Armed Forces.
Ukrainian security forces are defecting to Russia and are ready to liberate Ukraine from Nazi and NATO occupation with weapons in their hands.
Vasily Prozorov, a former SBU officer, told TASS about this in an interview.

https://t.me/ZandVchannel/137158

Posted by: Norwegian | Dec 12 2024 17:40 utc | 39

Reposting from the other thread with apologies, it’s very tiring to address the repetitive and childish fantasies and general asserted nonsense from the NAFO brigade resident here. Signifcantly, telling yourself comforting lies isn’t going to save the Western financial system.
——-
The fact that the usual suspects have ignored my clearly stated analysis speaks to its truth, while they endlessly whine about the successful Russian prosecution of this war.
The West is desperate for Russia to strike hard enough to justify their direct involvement. Because those bills are going to come due, and Maerica cannot pay the vig for much longer.
This war is not in Maerican interests anymore, since it cannot be won. Russia has turned lemons into lemonade, using the opportunity to restructure supply chains and impose itself as the dominant military power worldwide while turning strategically from the falling West to the rising East.
As I said several years ago, Maerica thought it was sticking it’s dick in some young sweet thing, but to their surprise found out its a steel jawed bear trap. Everything since is dissimulation, posturing, and impotence. Including the babbling of the deluded here who think Russia needs to slap NATO directly because of a couple of weak ass ATACMS failing to strike facilities on the coast of the sea of Azov. In other words, next door to Ukraine, not ‘deep in Russia’.
Attacking directly is what NATO wants because they think it will cause the component nations to ‘rally round the flag’ helping them manufacture the consent they need to plunge (eg. Poland, Germany, the Baltic chihuahuas) into the conflict.
The Poles themselves want fuck all to do with fighting Russia,.the hope is if Russia hits them they will attack back. See, the Americans only have enough blackmail and bribes for the elite..the people on the other hand are blissfully unaware.. so far..that their leaders have betrayed then for a foreign allegiance. But this will change.
Some shallow minded person claimed Syria a ‘victory’ for the Maericans over Russia. I wasn’t aware the Russians had left Syria, but please do elaborate on your tenuous extrapolations. From my perspective, Maerica has a whole new quagmire to deal with, while Russia still has its bases. The ‘rebel alliance’ does not challenge Russian movements in country. I wonder, why?

Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Dec 12 2024 18:21 utc | 41

It looks Ukraine supplied (HTS) with a plethora of drones and other weapons, to help attack SAA troops which helped depose Assad quicker. Discussions between Turkey and Ukraine led to this decision to supply the drones. The Neo-Nazi dictatorship running Ukraine also trained (HTS) terrorists on how to use the drones. The overall goal is to weaken Iran’s influence in the region.
Turkey appears to be playing both sides. As I said, Erdoğan is a sly old fox.

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Dec 12 2024 18:42 utc | 43

Turkey and Russia are arch enemies of old. It is almost inbuilt in their genes. It was of greatest stupidity to believe or hope that they ever could be friends or at least cooperate.
Syria is gone. Russia didn’t take the bait and to a two wars. Just cut the losses. There aren’t very much of those anyway. Let the Waste cope with what they have released.

Posted by: Catilina | Dec 12 2024 18:54 utc | 45

Another sign of Russian incompetence.
How many Ukro scientists has Russia managed to kill?
Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 15:12 utc | 9
Most scientists are considered civilians. Trying to kill civilians is considered a crime.
Maybe, just maybe, it’s not a sign of incompetence if Russia didn’t kill any scientists.
Maybe they just don’t want to murder civilians in order to gain your approval.
Oh, and killing soldiers is considered criminal, too, unless a state of war exists, and the soldiers are fighting on the other side.
Even the attempt to kill someone is criminal. Just in case you plan to prove how competent you are.
Posted by: Martina | Dec 12 2024 16:20 utc | 23
Why is this moral law obligatory for Russia and not, lets say for Israel or the USA? What is the difference?
Isn’t it so that in the end only victory counts?
What do you have from being morally right if you are dead and destroyed in the end?

Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 19:09 utc | 47

Repeat after vargas, everybody, “Evil! Evil! Evil!”

Posted by: boneless | Dec 12 2024 19:28 utc | 49

More Trump retardation statements:
https://tass.com/world/1886737
UKRAINE CRISIS
12 DEC, 13:00
“Trump suggests that European troops monitor potential ceasefire in Ukraine — report
“It is noted that Europe should play the main role in defending and supporting Ukraine”
“NEW YORK, December 12. /TASS/. US President-elect Donald Trump suggested that Europe deploy its troops to Ukraine to monitor a potential ceasefire, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing officials.
At a meeting in Paris on December 7, Trump told Vladimir Zelensky of Ukraine and French President Emmanuel Macron that “he doesn’t support Ukrainian membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but that he wanted to see a strong, well-armed Ukraine,” according to the report.
Trump said Europe should play the main role in defending and supporting Ukraine. The **US could support the effort, although it **wouldn’t send any of its troops, the newspaper said.
Is there some kind of difference between NATO & EU Troops? A “well armed Ukraine”?
Must have missed the “de-militarization” goal of the SMO?
And what if these EU troops are fired on… ? Is that a NATO Article 5? Even though Ukraine is not a “NATO member”, yet station NATO forces in Ukraine anyways?
As I stated. Trump is not interested in getting out of Ukraine. The grift and laundry mat will now be his to pocket.
The 20 billion, now his. All this hype for domestic idiots like Ritter who thinks this charlatan will avoid WW3. He’s fine with WW3 as long as it stays in the EU.

Posted by: Trubind1 | Dec 12 2024 19:36 utc | 51

@ concerned | Dec 12 2024 19:45 utc | 52
Sounds like a party over there. May I join the tag team too, or are you full?

Posted by: boneless | Dec 12 2024 19:56 utc | 53

Posted by: concerned | Dec 12 2024 19:45 utc | 52
Ah, another new name I can ask: do you happen to know the current whereabouts of Ukraine’s national gold reserves? Nobody seems to know…
.. although it is probably just as well that they weren’t stored at Yuzhmash…

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Dec 12 2024 20:19 utc | 55

Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 19:09 utc | 47
It’s a moral choice Russia has apparently made knowing some people will die. But for one who die, how many ended up on FSB’s jails is an unknown quantity.
And also don’t forget what US officials said to ICC : “You are here to process Africans leaders and thugs like Putin only.” Didn’t you see Matew Miller contorsionist exercises with the press when he spoke about sendind Assad to ICC ? Peak clown world. Since WWII, it’s safer for non-americans to fight as if you have to go to Nuremberg in the end anyway.
Also I’ll never not fully agree with Russia’s 0 terrorism policy : helping partizans or letting them at the mercy of the TCR must have been an harsh choice.
The difference with USA and the zionist entity is simple : the dollar. Don’t look further.

Posted by: Hiro Masamune | Dec 12 2024 20:21 utc | 57

55 – They sucked Zelensky’s brains out…

Posted by: Waldorf | Dec 12 2024 20:22 utc | 59

On my Facebook account, I quoted the line “I’m from Buenos Aires and I say kill them all!” This earned me a brief ban from FB as I must have triggered some bot or something…

Posted by: Waldorf | Dec 12 2024 20:28 utc | 61

Some of the more accelerationist tendency that sometimes post reams of waffle about why Russia doesn’t do this, that or the other, such as taking down bridges over the Dniepr River in Kiev may (or may not) be interested in this:

“Tired” bridges of Kiev: is the capital threatened by a transport collapse between the two banks of the Dnieper
On December 1, 2024, the Podilsky Bridge connecting the two banks of the Dnieper River was finally opened to private transport in Kiev. Citizens have been waiting for this event for several decades, and the bridge itself has long received the status of long-term construction. Thus, today in the capital there are six bridges over the main river of the country. RegioNews analyzed the condition of the remaining five bridges and whether Kiev is in danger of a transport collapse due to their condition.

[snip]

North Bridge
One of the busiest bridges in the capital is Severny. It is this ferry that tens of thousands of Kievans use to reach the right bank every morning. The North Bridge was put into operation at the end of 1976. For the past 10 years, it has been undergoing roadway repairs every summer, but it all boils down to the fact that utilities lay asphalt on only one or two lanes. Repair of the bridge creates big problems first of all for residents of Troyeschyna, because for them there is virtually no other way to get to the right bank. Since two out of the four lanes of traffic on the bridge are usually blocked during repairs, the frenzied traffic jams extend for several kilometers. The Moscow City Hall recognizes that the North Bridge needs major repairs, because almost 50 years of its existence, such repairs have not been carried out. However, officials assure that the crossing itself is not an emergency. At the same time, Kyivavtodor says that when the North Bridge was built, the traffic intensity during its design was calculated at the level of 10 thousand cars per day, but the strength was laid with a margin of 50 thousand cars, and today this figure is almost 150 thousand cars per day. In other words, the load on the bridge is now three times higher than it was designed for. The Mayor’s office can’t even say when the bridge overhaul will start, but in the meantime, Kyivavtodor wants to completely replace the roadbed along with the bridge bed, or repair it, in the coming years. During these works, they plan to arrange modern waterproofing, which can improve the bridge’s resistance to damage until it is completely repaired.
Metro Bridge
This bridge is one of the oldest in Kiev, connecting the Right and left banks with automobile traffic. In addition, trains of the red line of the metro run over this bridge. The ferry was opened in 1965 and for 59 years of its existence, it has also never been completely repaired. The fact that the bridge is in disrepair has been discussed for the last few years, but only at the end of the summer of 2024, work began that will at least make it safe to use this bridge. Currently, temporary metal support structures are being installed in the girders of the bridge. They will serve as some kind of “crutches” in the most emergency sections of the bridge. After these works are completed, the restoration of the ferry will begin. By the way, even now on the Metro Bridge, the movement of large-sized transport that has an extra-large weight is restricted. At the same time, officials promise that during the restoration work, the bridge itself will not be blocked for traffic.
South Bridge
This bridge is one of the newest in the capital — it was put into operation at the end of 1990. In addition to the automobile part of this ferry across the Dnieper, trains of the green line of the metro also run. Even before the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine, repairs were carried out every summer on the South Bridge, which led to huge traffic jams. In March 2022, traffic on the bridge was generally banned for private transport for security reasons. In June 2022, the Kiev Defense Council issued a special order, according to which only military transport, emergency and emergency services, public transport, as well as transit trucks are allowed to move along the South Bridge. Vehicles with a special pass can also use the bridge to pass through. At the same time, the Moscow City Hall plans to carry out the current repair of the South Bridge by the end of 2025, but the need for its major repair is not yet discussed.
Paton Bridge
The Paton Bridge was commissioned in November 1953. During its more than 70-year history, this crossing of the Dnieper River has never been overhauled. Moreover, since Paton Bridge is an architectural monument, it can only be restored, and reconstruction is prohibited. In 2020, there were even some estimates that the complete restoration of this crossing over the Dnieper River would cost about 5 billion UAH, which at the time rate was almost 200 million dollars. For comparison, the capital’s budget in 2020 amounted to almost UAH 60 billion. In recent years, the bridge has been undergoing routine roadway repairs.
In the summer of 2023, the government and, in particular, the Ministry of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure insisted that the Kiev authorities transfer the authority to put the Paton Bridge in order to the Big Construction Project, and the Service for the Restoration of the Kiev region became the customer of the work after that. In turn, at the end of the summer of 2024, the director of the Institute of Electric Welding. Igor Krivtsun called on Paton to close the bridge altogether, because the thickness of the metal of the so-called lower belt of the structure has greatly decreased. At the same time, the media already wrote that the restoration of the Paton Bridge could cost about 500 million euros, which is 2.5 times more than estimated in 2020. At the same time, at the end of November 2024, the director of the Department of Transport Infrastructure of Kiev, Ruslan Kandibor, in an interview with journalists, said that the capital’s authorities want the government to transfer to it the right to carry out repair work on the Paton Bridge. They say that the capital will then be able to attract funds for repairs not only from the budget, but also possibly credit. In the meantime, according to Kandibor, Kyivavtodormost specialists monitor the operational condition of the bridge’s load-bearing structures around the clock.
Darnytskyi Bridge
This bridge is the newest in the capital-the automobile part of it was fully launched in 2011, and a year earlier, railway trains began to run over the bridge. However, almost immediately in the operation of the Darnytskyi bridge by motorists there were problems. If there were a sufficient number of exits and entrances to the bridge on the right bank, then there were practically no exits on the left bank. That is, crossing the Darnytskyi Bridge from the right bank, it was immediately impossible to get to the Dnieper embankment — for this you had to go further, along the lake Nizhny Telbin, getting to the Dnieper Embankment from other streets. Full-fledged exits to the Dnieper embankment, both in the direction of Osokorkov and in the direction of Bereznyakov, were opened only in 2023.
However, now the Darnytskyi Bridge has another problem caused by bureaucracy. The fact is that on the balance of Kiev only one part of the crossing from the left to the right bank. At the same time, the way from the right to the left bank is still under the control of Ukrzaliznytsia, which at one time built this entire bridge. Thus, metropolitan drivers regularly complain about a large number of holes on the part of the bridge leading to the left bank, and in the capital’s city hall they nod at Ukrzaliznytsya, which holds this part of the bridge. The city authorities have already asked to transfer the entire roadbed in both directions to its balance sheet, but this issue is not being resolved yet.
So, today, in addition to the Podolsk bridge crossing, which is still quite “raw” to call it a full-fledged bridge, which solves the problems of communication between the right and left banks of the capital, there are five bridges across the Dnieper in Kiev. Of these, only Darnytskyi and Yuzhny bridges are in fairly good condition. The latter, as already mentioned, is currently being used to a limited extent. At the same time, the North Bridge has been “tampered with” for years to delay its major repairs, which sooner or later will still be needed. The Paton Bridge and the Metro Bridge generally need restoration, and if officials at different levels do not start working more quickly in this direction, at some point the capital may actually be left without two crossings across the Dnieper. This threatens the collapse of the city’s transport system, because even if four other bridges are fully launched, they will still not be able to “digest” the traffic flow that runs every day between the two banks of the capital.

https://regionews.ua/ukr/articles/1733920766-vtomleni-mosti-kieva-chi-zagrozhue-stolitsi-transportniy-kolaps-mizh-dvoma-beregami-dnipra (via translation add-on.)
Video of a district heating steam main across the Paton bridge leaking: https://youtu.be/cV2AvjnNadk
Why bomb infrastructure, if it is creaking from neglect and disrepair anyway?

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Dec 12 2024 20:38 utc | 63

Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 19:09 utc | 47
Fuck off fascist!

Posted by: Naive | Dec 12 2024 20:47 utc | 65

The proposals floated by Western press are absolute garbage. They are making it as if Trump will go meet Putin and throw his “peace through strength” proposal as if Russia is some sort of 3rd world country to accept anything.
While there might be some elite in RU inner circle that would agree to some shameful proposal, I don’t think that RU didn’t already analyzed such a scenario.
A scenario like the one discussed in the press is basically another war in 4 years when Democrats are again in office.
While such scenarios don’t make any sense from RU point of view, my fear is that they don’t have any sort of backing from their BRICS “partners”. As such, RU might agree to even such a pathetic plan because it seems that even China today during a meeting with Medvedev suggested a “detente” in Ukraine. How to f*** is that a good idea for your main ally in BRICS?

Posted by: JamesBond | Dec 12 2024 20:50 utc | 67

I don’t expect Trump to come up with some deal that Putin can’t refuse.
The only thing I expect from Trump is to stop the provocations and escalations of the current regime. That is enough for me.
Remember last time he got elected, 6 Russian ambassadors died suddenly and unexpectedly, (especially the one shot in Turkey), between Nov and Feb. Then they stopped dying.
That is what I expect this time also.

Posted by: wagelaborer | Dec 12 2024 21:03 utc | 69

@71,
Yes, true. The only good thing that Orange Man can do is to cut the funding & avoid escalation. The rest will come by itself in time.

Posted by: JamesBond | Dec 12 2024 21:06 utc | 71

Posted by: canuck | Dec 12 2024 17:16 utc | 32
You may be right, in fact I would like this hypothesis to be correct
because I rather fear that the hypothesis *provoking to the “fault”* is the one which prevails.
Hyenas are excited by the taste of Syrian, Palestinian, Lebanese (etc.) blood, without forgetting Russian one, they have lost all measure.
Russians have seen others and I hope they will manage, fortunately the Russians, including Putin, have “sang froid”.
Unlike MoA’s wana-nuke-trolls.
Peace.

Posted by: Tak-Tik | Dec 12 2024 21:14 utc | 73

@74,
I am aware that BRICS is just an economic alliance at best. But even here, they are quite divided in their takes (sufficient to look at the monetary discussion). While reaching common ground between members is good, they will be bullied one by one if they don’t try to make a united front against the hegemon. Sadly we live in times where a bit more decisiveness would work wonders for BRICS.
RU is one important pillar inside BRICS both by it’s size and economic resources and military potential. A defeat for RU (I consider a bad deal a defeat for RU on the long term considering the sacrifices made so far) will mean that both BRICS and SCO don’t have the stomach to actually stand against the Western rule when it matters.
China should work diplomatically so its partner (Russia) get the best deal possible as it will increase the image of BRICS and itself around the world. They have done a good job with Iran-SaudiArabia deal, they shouldn’t let US dictate the terms to Russia.
I know I might sound like a concerned troll but it is crucial to get a correct deal in order for this conflict to die down forever not just temporary as NATO and US seem to want (for obvious reasons). But for this to happen, RU needs to be shown by it’s partners that it’s not alone and has their backing.
Sometimes it’s better to work as a team because if not, then you don’t really need to be in alliances like BRICS, SCO, NATO etc.

Posted by: JamesBond | Dec 12 2024 21:27 utc | 75

My take on this lat ATACAM strike.
The Empire did it so they could get a full fledged Oreshik [sic] with explosives attack so they can study it , analyze it so they can counter it.
They don’t give a fuck if some Ukes and their equipment gets blasted the want more info on the new tech.
Otherwise their Gambit makes no sense.
Posted by: canuck | Dec 12 2024 17:16 utc | 32
In this way, it makes sense to me:
Lots of people keep saying “The West, ie, the US” are shooting the ATACMS. I’m not so sure anymore.
* At the beginning, yes. It was maybe a special, secret tech. But not anymore. They are a useless weapon. They don’t threaten the SMO at all.
* It can’t be that hard to teach the Ukie operators how to send them. Yes, the intel comes from US tech. But programming a missile flight path can’t be THAT hard!
* The Ukie ATACMS attacks seem like childish tantrums, not good solid strategic hits as the US might do in a war that truly matters to them. They are the results of idiots with little other mud to throw.
* The ambiguity of their control works well for the US and Ukraine.
* As provocations to escalation, it is Zelensky who wants this more than anyone. I think HE is the manager/dispatcher of them.

Posted by: Just a Voice | Dec 12 2024 21:49 utc | 77

Sec Blinken is in Turkey (the new master of Syria) to discuss sending the huge massive weapons and ammo Syrian stockpiles to Ukraine to kill much more Russians:
https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/blinken-heading-turkey-discuss-syria-stockpiles-ukraine
Win-win scenario = defeat the Axis of Resistance, child-murderers anex new terrotories (zionist Lebensraum), remove Russia from the Med, and send all the weapons and ammo from Syria and may be in the future some thousands jihadis to (try) to collapse Russia (and also may be China), divide it in many crapstan republics managed by Black Rock and CIA and plunder all their natural resources while reducing the russian population to the minimum (as in the good old days of the drunken Yeltsin).
Or may be Russia could….

Posted by: Dave | Dec 12 2024 21:57 utc | 79

Posted by: Just a Voice | Dec 12 2024 21:49 utc | 79
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ATACMs require Western specialists to operate. That is why people keep saying that the West is behind it.
Any deeper strike weapons require ISR for targeting, and Ukraine doesn’t have an ISR complex, it uses the West for that.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 12 2024 22:05 utc | 81

Sec Blinken is in Turkey (the new master of Syria) to discuss sending the huge massive weapons and ammo Syrian stockpiles to Ukraine to kill much more Russia
Posted by: Dave | Dec 12 2024 21:57 utc | 81
That sounds like an open invitation to the Russian Air Force to bomb those “huge massive” stockpiles.

Posted by: KMRIA | Dec 12 2024 22:16 utc | 83

Dave @ 81:
If the US and Turkey do indeed intend to send whatever Syria may have in the way of ammunition, weapons and equipment to the Ukrainians, they’ll need to hurry as Israel is currently hell bent on destroying Syria’s arsenals of materiel before (the Israelis fear) the HTS takfiris get their hands on them.

Posted by: Refinnejenna | Dec 12 2024 22:21 utc | 85

If the US and Turkey do indeed intend to send whatever Syria may have in the way of ammunition, weapons and equipment to the Ukrainians, they’ll need to hurry as Israel is currently hell bent on destroying Syria’s arsenals of materiel before (the Israelis fear) the HTS takfiris get their hands on them.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Dec 12 2024 22:21 utc | 87
Yes, of course, the US and Turkey will allow IAF to destroy all the syrians air defenses, short range missiles, planes, helicos, etc…all that can prevent IAF turn Damascus or any other Sirian city in a Gaza 3.0 (Beirut is Gaza 2.0), but the tanks, the artillery guns and shells, the RPG, mortars, ATGM, etc…all will be send to Ukraine and I think also close to the China border, and may many thousands jihadis “to fight North Koreans” in Donbass

Posted by: Dave | Dec 12 2024 22:32 utc | 87

ATACMs require Western specialists to operate. That is why people keep saying that the West is behind it.
Any deeper strike weapons require ISR for targeting, and Ukraine doesn’t have an ISR complex, it uses the West for that.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 12 2024 22:05 utc | 83
I know that’s what many say and many believe. And I did say they draw upon US intel. And maybe in *full combat mode* they do. But, they are pretty similar to long range HIMARS. They fire from the same tubes on the same trucks. Perhaps, just perhaps, the Americans have disabled their hi-end faculties and longest range capabilities (300kms) to allow the Ukies to use them like HIMARS+. Notice that no ATACMS have yet flown more than about 150kms! Why not??? I do not call that “deep Russia” and I’m sure Putin doesn’t either.
LD, you ignored all my quite reasonable rationales against the popular wiki narratives and what every RF supporter WANTS to believe. Please don’t be so rigidly, condescendingly, dismissive of anything outside of the usual mythos.
Canuck first asked for reasoning beyond what was obvious. I simply suggested that.

Posted by: Just a Voice | Dec 12 2024 23:05 utc | 89

Why is this moral law obligatory for Russia and not, lets say for Israel or the USA? What is the difference?
Isn’t it so that in the end only victory counts?
What do you have from being morally right if you are dead and destroyed in the end?
Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 19:09 utc | 47
Because the U.S. and Israel aren’t moral actors. If everyone on the planet acted like the U.S. and Israel it would be an even worse place than it is. No, it is not so that in the end only victory counts. That is the sort of thinking that drives US/Israeli behavior. That is the sort of thinking that leads a U.S. Secretary of State to say that killing 500,000 children was “worth it”.

Posted by: Lex | Dec 12 2024 23:17 utc | 91

3) States believes desperate act lame duck President & Russia will most likely not hit US/NATO, but will possibly hit another NATO hidey hole in Ukraine.
Posted by: Trubind1 | Dec 12 2024 23:11 utc | 93
Yep, gotta be another juicy little underground facility, otherwise they’d just send an Iskander. Could be they’re waiting until it’s populated with NATO personnel as well.

Posted by: TJandTheBear | Dec 12 2024 23:20 utc | 93

Jo | Dec 12 2024 22:44 utc | 91
multiple drones flying around USA bases in USA …being blamed on Russia and Iran
And China.
I think North Korea should feel miffed they aren’t in the mix. After all, they’ve done exceptionally well as bogey-men in Kursk.

Posted by: Melaleuca | Dec 12 2024 23:34 utc | 95

LD, you ignored all my quite reasonable rationales against the popular wiki narratives and what every RF supporter WANTS to believe. Please don’t be so rigidly, condescendingly, dismissive of anything outside of the usual mythos.
Posted by: Just a Voice | Dec 12 2024 23:05 utc | 92
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It may confuse you to find out that very few of my “takes” come from mainstream sources. I *try* to “do the math” myself with all of the possibilities for error that entails.
As far as being condescending and dismissive, how you feel about anything is a YOU problem. You’re in charge of your opinions and emotions, not me.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 12 2024 23:43 utc | 97

What do you have from being morally right if you are dead and destroyed in the end?
Posted by: vargas | Dec 12 2024 19:09 utc | 47

Answer: a soul.
Q2: What do you have from NOT being morally right?
A2: “you are dead and destroyed (inside)” …even if you “won” and are still breathing.

Posted by: retroflecks | Dec 12 2024 23:50 utc | 99