Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
January 15, 2025

Preventing Peace With Russia Russia - By Sanctions And Kinetic Means

The U.S. and its NATO proxies are losing on the battle fields of Ukraine. The Biden administration, attempting to  'Trump proof', i.e. prolong, the conflict, is thus (again) trying to defeat Russia by targeting its economic means.

This predominantly by cutting the sales of Russian resources. That third parties, the buyers in need of those products, will also be hurt by this is not of concern but can be seen as an additional feature.

The new wave of measures started on January 1 with the blocking of the last pipeline through Ukraine from Russia to Europe:

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the move means Russia can no longer “earn billions on our blood”.

His energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, confirmed on Wednesday morning that Kyiv had stopped the gas flows “in the interest of national security”.

“This is a historic event,” he wrote on the social media platform Telegram. “Russia is losing markets and will incur financial losses.”

The deal had allowed for Russian gas to travel through Ukraine’s pipeline networks into European countries, primarily Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.

With the end of this pipeline Ukraine will lose $640 million rent per year. It will expect the Europeans to make up for this. At the same time Hungary, Slovakia and Austria will now have to pay significant higher prices for gas.

For Russia though the losses due to selling that gas through other channels, like the TurkStream pipelines, are marginal.

The next step followed last week with the announcement of additional sanctions:

The sanctions will cover two major Russian petroleum producers and exporters — Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas — both of which are involved in the export of liquified natural gas and efforts to expand the Russian energy sector into the Arctic. They are expected to cut off Moscow’s revenue stream to the tune of billions of dollars per month, putting new strain on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war effort against Ukraine.

Separately, the State Department will also block “two active liquefied natural gas projects, a large Russian oil project, and third-country entities supporting Russia’s energy exports” from access to the American financial system and add “numerous Russia-based oilfield service providers and senior officials of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom” to its list of “designated entities” who are banned from the United States.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement that the U.S. is “taking sweeping action against Russia’s key source of revenue for funding its brutal and illegal war against Ukraine.”
...
A second administration official who also briefed reporters on condition of anonymity said the new sanctions will target 183 maritime vessels that are understood to be part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet,” as well as “dozens” of oil traders and oil field services providers based in Russia.

These sanctions will increase the price of oil and gas for everyone.

A senior Biden administration official who briefed reporters on the move said the White House was choosing to impose the new sanctions just days before President Joe Biden leaves office because both oil markets and the American economy are “in a fundamentally better place” than they were at any other point during the war.

The coming price rise caused by these sanctions will thus be explained as a failure of Trump.

A day later Ukrainian forces attacked the compressor station on Russian ground that is feeding the TurkStream pipeline system:

On 11 January 2025, in an attempt to disrupt gas supplies to European countries, the Kiev's regime launched an attack by nine fixed-wing UAVs at the Russkaya Compressor Station near Gay-Kodzor (Krasnodar region), which ensures gas supply over the TurkStream pipeline.

While repelling the attack, air defence units shot down all UAVs.

Russian officials left no doubt of who is to hold responsible for this:

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov alleged at a news conference on Tuesday that Washington is encouraging “terrorist” attacks on his country’s energy infrastructure, and claimed there are plans to target TurkStream.

“The US does not tolerate competition in any sphere, including energy. They are recklessly endorsing terrorist activities aimed at undermining the energy stability of the European Union,” Lavrov said, according to Turkiye’s Anadolu news agency.
...
The pipeline is the last carrying Russian gas into the EU after Ukraine refused to renew a transit contract that expired at the end of 2024. The halt on that route has further disrupted EU unity on the war, with Slovakia claiming it will cause a crisis and threatening to block EU support for Kyiv.

The attack on TurkStream was followed two days later by another large scale assault on Russian oil infrastructure:

Ukraine struck several targets deep inside Russia on Tuesday in what it says is its "most massive" attack of the war so far.
...
Russia said it had shot down US-supplied Atacms missiles as well as UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, and vowed to respond to the attack.
...
Strikes in the border region of Bryansk caused explosions at a refinery, ammunition depots and a chemical plant said to produce gunpowder and explosives, a Ukrainian security source told the BBC.
...
But Kyiv also struck far deeper into the country, with the General Staff claiming to have hit targets up to 1,100km (700 miles) from the border.

In the western region of Saratov, officials reported a "massive" drone attack.

Two industrial plants in the cities of Engels and Saratov were damaged, regional governor Roman Busargin wrote on Telegram.

Russia promptly promised to retaliate:

Last night, the AFU launched a missile strike at objects in Bryansk region by six U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, six UK-made Storm Shadow air-based cruise missiles, and 31 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles from the territory of Ukraine.

During the air defence battle, all air attack means were shot down by air defence crews. There were no casualties or wounded as a result of the attack.

In addition, two UK-made Storm Shadow air-based cruise missiles were shot down over the Black Sea waters.

These actions of the Kiev regime, supported by Western curators, will not go unanswered.

The answer came last night when a barrage of drones and missiles hit Ukrainian electricity and gas infrastructure. The  main target was Europe's biggest gas storage facility near Lviv in western Ukraine.


bigger

Ukraine has little to win from waging an infrastructure war against Russia. But Zelensky as well as the U.S. 'war party' still hope to profit from it.

As Strana analyses (machine translation):

[I]n addition to the purely military aspect, these strikes also have an informational and political aspect. And it lies roughly on the same plane as allowing Western long-range weapons attacks on the Russian Federation, the murder of a Russian general and military-industrial complex figures, Vladimir Zelensky's policy against Vladimir Putin and his promise to "take revenge" on Russia even after the end of hostilities.

We have already written that all this is working to strengthen the position of the Russian "war party", which declares that "there is nothing to negotiate with Ukraine, this is a terrorist state that will always pose a threat to Russia, and therefore it must be destroyed. There is also nothing to negotiate with the West.

The goal of such statements and actions is to minimize the likelihood that Putin will find a common language with Donald Trump on a compromise basis in order to end the war on the front line in the near future.

The Ukrainian authorities do not want this option to end the war. ...

To continue attacks which incite the Russian public against Ukraine is an additional method to make a peace agreement more unlikely.

The over arching aim of the Zelensky regime and the Biden administration is to prevent a peace agreement between the U.S. and Russia.

War will keep the money flowing to Zelensky's Ukraine. As long as Russian gas supplies can be kept from European markets the U.S. will profit from it. Europe's industry will falter while the U.S. military industrial complex can strive.

Posted by b on January 15, 2025 at 15:44 UTC | Permalink

Comments
next page »

Duplicate "Russia" in title line.

Posted by: john brewster | Jan 15 2025 15:47 utc | 1

"India halts trade with US-sanctioned Russian companies and oil tankers." https://x.com/BRICSinfo/status/1879215408110293349

Posted by: Maracatu | Jan 15 2025 15:56 utc | 2

These actions of the Kiev regime, supported by Western curators, will not go unanswered.

Right with this sentence alone Russia has folded once again.

Putin came out publicly multiple times very openly stating that any such strike would be a direct act of aggression by the US/UK/France.

Then they did it anyway, he "answered" with some fireworks in Dnepropetrovsk (which was not a real answer because it did not touch the US/UK/France in anyway, not even their direct NATO proxies), then they continued to do it anyway (because why would they stop if they were not punished?), and he didn't do anything further to stop it, so it became the new normal.

And now apparently even the view that this is a direct attack by the US/UK/France has been walked back. Because it clearly says "actions of the Kiev regime".

Not that even the Kiev regime itself is being touched in any way, of course.

Just pathetic humiliation all around.

People now have to to breathe the toxic air in Saratov after the jet fuel tanks have been burning for days, or those in Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk, they have drones smashing into their windows and hunting their cars and buses daily, and now increasingly in Voronezh, Tambov, Rostov, Saratov, Kaluga, etc. all over the second ring of regions beyond the immediately adjacent ones, cities are bombed every night. How do those people feel about the situation?

Could it be that the questions "What do we have all these missiles for if we are getting bombed every day?", and "Why is the botoxed slimebag in the Kremlin once again MIA as if nothing is happening while we are getting killed?" are starting to be asked more and more?

Posted by: ANON2022 | Jan 15 2025 15:57 utc | 3

Here are some tidbits from Intel Slava https://t.me/s/intelslava

The headquarters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces group with senior officers leading the Kursk operation was destroyed.

The missile strike was carried out on a concentration of manpower and the headquarters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Sumy.
Numerous casualties and SBU cordon at the moment. Strings of ambulances. At least three BTRGs were preparing for night rotation.
Posted by: ctigetr | Jan 15 2025 12:36 utc | 361

The Ukronazis and NATO have been in Kursk for six months now. Only now is the HQ supporting the operation destroyed?

What are we even talking about here...

And, of course, watch how they will still be in Kursk for another at least three months even after that strike. If it even happened as described...

Posted by: ANON2022 | Jan 15 2025 16:01 utc | 4

About this last Russian "retaliation"? Was that a real attack or something that Ukrainians always manage to repair in 2-3 days?

Posted by: vargas | Jan 15 2025 15:55 utc | 3

Wasn't even that. No power outages.

They hit the gas storage in Stryi once again (for what reason it remains a mystery), plus some empty airfields, and it wasn't even a large strike, less than 40 missiles.

Posted by: ANON2022 | Jan 15 2025 16:03 utc | 5

Not trying to /. The actions by nato in the Baltic against RF shipping concerns me more. Would be a nice follow up. But about the above piece, mange tusen takk, many thousand thank you's.

Posted by: paxmark1 | Jan 15 2025 16:04 utc | 6

No mention of Japan. So we can assume Japan is still telling Biden "so solly", and expanding their Russian energy buys and infrastructure expansions.

Posted by: seer | Jan 15 2025 16:07 utc | 7

when a missile hits Russia, its the end of the war, and catastrophic smoke.

When ten missiles hit Ukraine, its nothing, will be fixed in a few days.

why is shadowbanned allowed to sock here? was ANON2022 his original name, and "shadowbanned" his sock account or something?

Posted by: UWDude | Jan 15 2025 16:09 utc | 8

"... the U.S. military industrial complex can strive." I think you meant 'thrive'.

There is nothing to discuss and no reason for Russia to stop the SMO. Let Trump do what he will the empire cannot win and the Imperial MIC can thrive all it wants no-one will buy their expensive and very slowly produced stuff when they can buy reasonably priced superior armaments else where.

Posted by: Lantern Dude | Jan 15 2025 16:11 utc | 9

Wasn't even that. No power outages.

They hit the gas storage in Stryi once again (for what reason it remains a mystery), plus some empty airfields, and it wasn't even a large strike, less than 40 missiles.

Posted by: ANON2022 | Jan 15 2025 16:03 utc | 7


1. there were power outages reported all over Ukraine.

2. many more targets were hit, than just "Stryi and some empty airfields".

And as I have noted many times before, these aren't "retaliatory" strikes anyway. Moscow just calls them that for propaganda purposes, and for good reason, as Russia hits Ukraine with at least ten time the explosive power every night, that Ukraine hits Russia with any time.

Posted by: UWDude | Jan 15 2025 16:20 utc | 10

Sanctions used to be a powerful tool maybe 25 years ago, now sanctions only serve to accelerate De-Dollarization as well as to further isolate the US and its vassals from 87% of the world

Posted by: Exile | Jan 15 2025 16:22 utc | 11

"War will keep money flowing to Zelensky Ukraine". Where is that money going to come from, when the major donor (the EU) has been impoverished?

Posted by: Steve | Jan 15 2025 16:24 utc | 12

re: "These sanctions will increase the price of oil and gas for everyone."

Oil has already increased due to other factors. Brent crude was trading at $81.09 per barrel, with WTI at $79.12 per barrel, both up from opening. . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Jan 15 2025 16:25 utc | 13

4,

Good, some of these BRICS "partners" can go fu** themselves somewhere else to buy oil. While they are at it, maybe they should also talk less about multipolarity as well.

Posted by: JamesBond | Jan 15 2025 16:30 utc | 14

Thanks for the posting b

Reuters is noting the success of Biden prolonging the SMO

Trump advisers concede Ukraine peace deal is months away

The message to me here is that the initial contexting of Ukraine surrender did not look good so another approach needs to be developed.....Its called kicking the can down the road.

I think at some point there will no longer be an off ramp for Ukraine and surrender will just happen.......Z's demise would provide that opportunity for cover

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jan 15 2025 16:34 utc | 15

thanks b..

continuing on with ww3.... i guess we are in the early chapters... wasn't ww2 about cutting japan off from oil? i guess everyone read blinkens book 'ally versus ally' and know what has to happen next - for the good of the world, democracy and freedom!!

it will be interesting to see if trump can pull a rabbit out of his hat.. maybe president musk is also good with magic tricks..

Posted by: james | Jan 15 2025 16:37 utc | 16

European nations need to fight back - and say to hell with US sanctions - sanctions which benefit the USA's economy, many European nations rely on Russian energy, and to have that taken away, will damage their economies and leave their citizens out in the cold - okay they'll face US sanctions - but at least the light will be on, at a reasonable cost.

Serbia and Hungary.

Budapest and Belgrade will speed up construction of a new pipeline to supply Serbia with Russian crude via the Druzhba energy system, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said. The decision comes in the wake of the latest US sanctions on Russia.

Szijjarto announced the plan on Wednesday following a phone call with Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic.

I also believe that the Slovakian Premier Fico - has been making noises with regards to re-establishing Russian energy somehow. Europe needs to revolt against the Yanks, or suffer the consequences of doing nothing.

With Ukraine in mind - its Neo-Nazi dictatorship doesn't care about its European neighbours, if it did - the Neo-Nazi's wouldn't be trying to blow Europe's largest nuclear power plant the ZNPP - or the nuclear power plant in Kursk - which if destroyed would have unimaginable consequences for Europeans - and possibly further afield as well.

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 15 2025 16:39 utc | 17

some of these BRICS "partners" can go fu** themselves somewhere else

Posted by: JamesBond | Jan 15 2025 16:30 utc | 16

---

The Class structure of BRICS countries is pretty much the same as it is everywhere else. It doesn't take more that a few oligarchs to push through their agenda.

Regardless, the debt overhang of the US Dollar is an unstoppable force.

Posted by: too scents | Jan 15 2025 16:39 utc | 18

Posted by: vargas | Jan 15 2025 16:39 utc | 19

can you please stop beeing stupid? i know its a tall order, but at least try.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Jan 15 2025 16:44 utc | 19

You mean Pootin never expected US to wage total economic war on Russia?
Such a Pollyanaya.

Posted by: Surferket | Jan 15 2025 16:47 utc | 20

Germany walking away from X, good!. I was right again. In fact, all US of A social media should be abolished, period.

Posted by: pepe | Jan 15 2025 16:48 utc | 21

I think there might be a tipping point coming up - with regards to US/EU sanctions on Russian fuel - with the US talking of placing sanctions on India for doing business with Russia on fuel - if Modi takes the stance that the US can go and take a hike, with regards to its sanctions - then other nations, including some European ones may follow suit - one does wonder just how apathetic some nations will be in allowing the USA to all but destroy their economies - so the USA's corporations can prosper at their expense.

We must remember - US sanctions ARE war by other means - US governments - past and present think nothing of slapping sanctions on entire countries, or individuals, who don't comply with the USA's agenda.

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 15 2025 16:50 utc | 22

UWDude @12

Stryi has gas pumping stations for a local Ukrainian oil/gas field that came on-stream in about 2017. Knocking that off-stream disables Ukraine's ability to sell/use its own oil/gas. It is also the key junction point for most gas pipelines transiting Ukraine heading to the EU. There is also a 2.5 bcm (billion cubic meter) underground gas storage system not too far away.

Posted by: JohnDoe | Jan 15 2025 16:51 utc | 23

@21,

I have no idea how these BRICS "members" think that they will get a better deal somewhere else. Frankly I got tired of reading shitty articles in the last 2 years where the RU oil was sold cheaper than the one from other nations such as Saudi Arabia or others.
I guess it's no longer "cheap" that they prefer to compete with other richer countries for the same oil from somewhere else.
Hope RU diversified it's economy sufficiently in the last few years to not depend on these partners. It's obvious by now that they cannot rely on any of them when big bad Uncle Sam comes knocking. Sovereignty my ass.

Posted by: JamesBond | Jan 15 2025 16:54 utc | 24

Sanctions are like ICC arrest warrant. Everyone brags about it but nobody dares to enforce them.
"It's not Bibi Netanyahoo : it's a lookalike dear judge"
"This LNG came from Kazakhstan right ... right ? "
This is what's left of the "international rules based order" now : PR for dummies, bots and NPCs... so it's not a surprise to see Hellenskyi going kinetic (and failing).

Posted by: Savonarole | Jan 15 2025 16:54 utc | 25

b Last word in article should be "thrive", not "strive

Posted by: zeke2u | Jan 15 2025 16:55 utc | 26

vacuous vargas has just won his 13th "The Most Retarded Post I Have Read Today Award" for this gibberish:

"Russia is so weak. Terribly weak.
Nobody respects Russia today.
It is all Putin's fault."

Posted by: vacuous vargas | Jan 15 2025 16:39 utc | 19

Posted by: canuck | Jan 15 2025 16:57 utc | 27

I wonder if Erdogan will bend over, aka do a Scholz, when his friend Trump bombs TurkStream.

Posted by: Deniz 152 | Jan 15 2025 16:59 utc | 28

These sanctions will increase the price of oil and gas for everyone. b.

Unstable petroleum prices will probably scare more motorists into cheaper to run and maintain Chinese EVs.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 15 2025 17:04 utc | 29

- My feeling is that the Biden admin wants UKrain to be the mad dog. Like a junkyard dog is trained to be vicious. I feel for the UKrain people and their suffering, they have been whipped and starved and treated poorly. You don't hate the dog, you hate the wretched kreeper of the ju nkyard.

The Trump reign will rein in the chain on UKrain, a time of all pain and no gain.

He will let the mideast ju nkyard dog keep attacking women and children.

Slava Chutzpahyiim !

- Successfully hitting Turkstream would further alienate Turkey from NATO. They can not be happy about an attempt, if successful it may galvanize the Russian gas dependent EU countries to actively counter the UKrain. Utter idiots in the US state/so called intel dept.

- The halting and destruction of the northern gas pipelines have to economically hurt. Mitigated some, yes, but still a reduction in revenue.

- Another thread someone posted about China's counter to Starlink. Good info, seems the counter is just in the prototype stage, and the informational numbers were incorrect. They were saying they could eventually knock out 1,400 Starlink, and there are 2,300 deployed. There are approx. 7,000 currently deployed and growing. So the Chinese media engages in wet dreams like the ROW countries.

- The same article mentioned how the Taiwan fiber optic cables have been recently damaged by sabotage, the Baltic Seas getting the light of attention.

- If the Trump admin stops shipping missiles to UKrain, then these attacks on Russian interior will stop. They have to have some for a potential Chinese conflagration.

- Just as the original sanctions counted on the ROTW compliance to be effective, and were plausible deniability ignored, these latest round of sanctions will harden the stance of the ROTW. Strategic mistake on my countries part, it has the potential to finally break the power of US embargoes. Digital WWIII incoming.

It's funny, back in the 70s there was a group of people saying that this cabal of money worshippers used embargoes for the last 150 years to keep and grow their financial power. Continuous US sanctions since then.

Posted by: jopalolive | Jan 15 2025 17:06 utc | 30

About this last Russian "retaliation"? Was that a real attack or something that Ukrainians always manage to repair in 2-3 days?

Posted by: vargas | Jan 15 2025 15:55 utc | 3

A more fitting question would be: was this latest attack by Russia appropriate response to these?

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-drones-attack-city-where-russian-strategic-bomber-fleet-is-based-local-2025-01-08/

https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/14/europe/ukraine-fires-us-british-missiles-intl-hnk


As an American, I don't even want to imagine what Washington's response would be if another state launched such attacks against us. It would be overwhelming; exceedingly destructive.

Posted by: ReinhardVonSiegfried | Jan 15 2025 17:09 utc | 31

continuing on with ww3.... i guess we are in the early chapters...

Posted by: james | Jan 15 2025 16:37 utc | 18

Yes, we are already in WW3 and most people just don't realize it. When historians look back (and hopefully there will be a future from which to look back), I think the triggering of Russia's SMO in Ukraine back in 2022 will be seen as the beginning of outright war.

Posted by: Clever Dog | Jan 15 2025 17:11 utc | 32

"As an American, I don't even want to imagine what Washington's response would be if another state launched such attacks against us. It would be overwhelming; exceedingly destructive."

Posted by: ReinhardVonSiegfried | Jan 15 2025 17:09 utc | 34

Russia, under4 Putin, is a civilized nation; unlike the US of A-that is the difference.

Posted by: canuck | Jan 15 2025 17:13 utc | 33

@vargas

You claim to live in Serbia, and Serbia is a western media country subject to the usual attempts at disinformation from the Western media.

We don't really know the status of Ukraine's energy facilities because the West lies and propagandizes us. Unless we're on the ground or have friends there, and even then, they might be killed by the Nazis if they told the truth or posted on social media.

It was admitted by Ukraine against their interest that 60% of Ukraine's energy production was destroyed back in September, and things have only gotten worse since. As I've told you ad nauseum, the word "collapse" is overused and hyperbole. People are resilient and can use generators fueled by gas or solar for some essential needs. What is lost is the ability of Ukrainian industry to compete or even keep the lights on.

Ukraine's GDP is probably approaching that of the Sudan by now.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 15 2025 17:13 utc | 34

"It means that Europe is under pincer attack from both west and east. In the past four months, Russia has nearly succeeded in rigging elections in EU member state Romania and EU candidate Moldova by using TikTok and Meta. Now, it appears that Musk may buy the US arm of TikTok too..."

The Guardian almost gets it or, most likely, continues to misdirect its ostensible readership. Yes, the EU is ripe for despoil and is indeed subject to a pincer movement from both Russia and the US, though the former only after being repeatedly spurned as a more or less equal partner, while the latter out of a neo-voracious appetite for imperialism and hegemony: i.e. the kind that would reduce EU more fully to another Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, UK, Canada, Australia, if not an outright Argentina.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/14/big-tech-picking-apart-europe-democracy-switch-off-algorithms

Posted by: Ludovic | Jan 15 2025 17:14 utc | 35

Strana assumes there is a ‘war party’ – within the General Staff – at odds with the position consistently taken by President Putin. I’m not convinced. All along, the position has been that all conditions of the SMO must be met, in order to guarantee Ukraine’s security. ‘The War Party’ is supposed to urge The Kremlin to go all in – reject any negotiations and simply pursue victory on the battlefield. Why negotiate with an enemy that has shown it cannot be trusted? And the longer the war continues the more Washington escalates their attacks – by long-range missile, by preparing troops along borders in The Baltic states, Poland and Romania, by terrorism inside Russia.
Is it all a bluff? Brinkmanship? I suspect Mr Putin’s talk of negotiations is just as much a bluff. He knows Washington cannot enter any negotiations without tacitly acknowledging defeat or at least compromise on principles like ‘ international rule based order’ (i.e. tyranny). So it’s not going to happen. He can take the high ground for the moment, knowing he will not be challenged there. If people think he’s playing a dangerous game there – possibly betraying his nation – they have to keep in mind the bigger picture, remember this is a hybrid war.

Posted by: Gerry Bell | Jan 15 2025 17:15 utc | 36

Same shit different day with the collective Biden. Worst scourge on the world in my lifetime. No post WW2 American administration has embodied the wickedness of Imperialism like this motley crew of Zionazi lunatics. May they all reap what they've sown!

However, nice to hear Russia directly targeting Lviv. I really think it's time to hit the decision making centers and banderite nests directly. I know Biden is trying to provoke Russia, but these nuts need to feel some real pain and fear to bring them back down to earth.

Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Jan 15 2025 17:18 utc | 37

@ Clever Dog | Jan 15 2025 17:11 utc | 35

It was 911.

PNAC and Wesley Clarke told us about a plan for global conquest starting with regional conquest. 911 was the fireworks heralding aggressive coordinated widespread hot war — world war.

Posted by: I forgot | Jan 15 2025 17:20 utc | 38

Republicofscotland@1650 Dec 15

As Trump is huge on the American petroleum industry, he may be getting set up to continue the Biden policies of assault on Russian petroleum infrastructure. If the Electee is serious about reducing tensions, he would eliminate or at least reduce this form of economic warfare...a scenario where the possibility of peace is being sabotaged.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 15 2025 17:22 utc | 39

During his International Press Conference yesterday, Lavrov made it very plain that the only way the SMO will conclude is when an Eurasian Security Structure is agreed to with the Outlaw US Empire, which means NATO's elimination. The Biden pukes' moves during January have no impact on Russia's position, which has been in-place for months now. The main takeaway from the presser was Lavrov's ability to illustrate just how far the Empire has moved from being considered civilized--a condition that's infected the "Collective West."

The tens of thousands of illegal sanctions levied on Russia have done zilch to stem its economic development or hinder its ability to support the SMO. A presstitute tried to ridicule Russia's "loss" of Syria, framing it as Russia having evacuated like the Empire did Afghanistan. Lavrov smacked it down very smartly: Our Embassy and bases are still there functioning in a normal manner, and we're engaged with talks with all Syrian factions. There was one other attempt where the questioner tried to get Lavrov to characterize AfD as a terroristic far-right organization that Lavrov also tactfully parried. The upshot is the truths that matter are not on the West's side, meaning that in the Information War to sway Global Opinion, the West continues to lose credibility because it continues to push false narratives and commit illegal acts--behavior closely imitated by the fleas that pester the bar's patrons.

The Big Truth is the West has lost its 100+ yearlong war against USSR/Russia and it cannot summon the intestinal fortitude to admit it has failed.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 15 2025 17:27 utc | 40

Strana assumes there is a ‘war party’ – within the General Staff – at odds with the position consistently taken by President Putin.

Posted by: Gerry Bell | Jan 15 2025 17:15 utc | 39

---

Nikolai Patrushev, while not technically on the General Staff, is a close to it as can be.

A rare interview with him was published yesterday. He says remarkable things. It is worth reading.

Nikolai Patrushev: “It is possible that Ukraine will cease to exist in the coming year” ==> https://www.kp.ru/daily/27651/5036217/

Posted by: too scents | Jan 15 2025 17:27 utc | 41

Wow, the blackpillers are out in force today.

"The trolls yip, but the SMO rolls on."

Posted by: Hunsdon | Jan 15 2025 17:28 utc | 42

🇪🇺🇷🇺 The EU is contemplating the gradual implementation of restrictions on Russian LNG and aluminum as part of its 16th sanctions package, according to Bloomberg.

Prior reports from Reuters, citing European diplomats, indicated that Europe is proposing a ban on the import of primary aluminum from Russia within the same package.

Additionally, Bloomberg reports that the EU may impose sanctions on numerous ships and disconnect new banks from SWIFT as part of these fresh measures against Russia.

@ukraine_watch

Posted by: Jo | Jan 15 2025 17:31 utc | 43

Lottsa trolling going on in this thread...particularly targeting the earlier postings zone. Kinda interesting how the intel agencies do their thang. Some of them are the same old same olds...others appear to be the backup corps.

Take: They are getting desperate.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 15 2025 17:34 utc | 44

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 15 2025 17:04 utc | 32
"Unstable petroleum prices will probably scare more motorists into cheaper to run and maintain Chinese EVs."

Cheaper to run? Funny thing about --as the price of gas and oil increase the price of electricity does, too. It's almost as if there's an inexplicable relationship between fossil fuels and electricity generation. Weird, huh?

Posted by: Paranaense | Jan 15 2025 17:35 utc | 45

Jo@1731 Dec 15

Looks like those pissants in the EU are humbly obeying orders/ordures from the ruling elite. Curious as to how this system will play out after the 20th.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 15 2025 17:36 utc | 46

Witness the parade of concern trolls and morons.
Kursk is a debacle for the Ukraine.
So long as Ukraine keeps feeding their best equipment and troops there, why would Russia want to stop them?

Posted by: c1ue | Jan 15 2025 17:40 utc | 47

I read this story yesterday and posted it and remarked on Andrei's site:

In addition to throwing the world into turmoil, I am sure a lot of people "in the know" made a lot..a Lot..a LOT of money on this asinine move. With the right leveraged futures bet you could easily triple your money in a three day window. This has all the earmarks of last minute insider trading.

Posted by: S Brennan | Jan 15 2025 17:43 utc | 48

Posted by: Ludovic | Jan 15 2025 17:14 utc | 38

your writing is incoherent and false, starting with the rigging of elections using Meta [an extremist social media platform banned in Russia]

Posted by: pepe | Jan 15 2025 17:44 utc | 49

These sanctions will increase the price of oil and gas for everyone...

The coming price rise caused by these sanctions will thus be explained as a failure of Trump.

Excised our host's citation of the excuse given by administration spokesman for doing this now, which I judge about as relevant to the post as it is believable.

There are two points at issue I think. First, it is entirely unclear why Trump would oppose higher oil and gas prices, given the US produces so much of it and he boasts of planning to produce more, as they say, drill, baby, drill. High oil and gas prices for oil and gas producers is generally deemed good business. It's not like these sanctions are judicial appointments, they are in fact reversible. If Trump doesn't reverse them, then it's because he or interests he wishes to conciliate finds them on balance acceptable. This move is not Trump-proof at all, which calls into question every word after the second sentence.

Second, the question of oil and gas prices blends in practice into the issue of inflation. The thing about that is simple enough: The President does not command the economy. The economy is commanded by the so-called market, Wall Street, the stock markets, the bond markets, giant corporations and local businesses, all of them by design in private hands. Even the supposedly public institutions like the Federal Reserve are not under direct control of the President, or indeed much oversight by public authorities of any sort, presidential or congressional, not even judicial. Again, this is by design. America is not the PRC. There is much worthless cynicism about how who's president doesn't really matter. People confused by BS about the Deep State or the PMC don't seem to grasp that institutions like Wall Street and the officer corps are the Deep State---except of course they're not hidden, they're right at the surface. It's true they're not elected, but very few if any Deep State/PMC believers object to that, in fact they object to mere politicians using their votes from the filthy masses to obstruct the owners' wishes. The so-called swamp is imagined to be in DC, or maybe so-called blue states (despite all of them being plenty red in patches!) but never the Pentagon or Wall Street or the Fed.

So what this boils down to, is, blaming Biden not only for things beyond his control like inflation, but preemptively blaming Biden for inflation under Trump. And attributing this purely to malice on top of that! Trumpery is not helpful. On a general note, if your theory is really that only social welfare spending can possibly be inflationary, you should try to defend this (hare-brained) theory on its own (lack of) merits. If your theory is that only government deficits can be inflationary, the same...but explain why Trump's bloated military budget magically isn't. Trump's Republicans had a lot of responsibility for that already and he promises more (for what his word is worth.) If you think leaving the banks in private hands may be inflationary, or all manner of different problems may result from leaving the economy in private owners' hands, well, then you're talking socialism (maybe even Marxism) and thus an opponent of selectively supporting Republicans (or Democrats, if there are any here?)

Posted by: steven t johnson | Jan 15 2025 17:48 utc | 50

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 15 2025 17:04 utc | 32
"Unstable petroleum prices will probably scare more motorists into cheaper to run and maintain Chinese EVs."

IRT Hoarsewhisperer Paranaense | Jan 15 2025 17:35 utc | 49 says
Cheaper to run? Funny thing about --as the price of gas and oil increase the price of electricity does, too. It's almost as if there's an inexplicable relationship between fossil fuels and electricity generation. Weird, huh?

<= The only way to retire the USA debt is via inflation.. raising the global price of energy is an important, invisible to the class 4 persons in the USA ruled America, feature of the program to inflate the values in the economy. Default will never come to the hegemon as it can print as much money as its needs and price its money at any value it desires.

Prices in Russia's economy do not seem to track the global inflation..? The higher the external to Russian prices are the more attractive Russian oil and gas will be to the NATO nations? Seems Russian industries do not import much?


Posted by: snake | Jan 15 2025 17:53 utc | 51

Ahenobarbus@40....."you think it's time"......thanks for the laugh, I'm sure the RF MOD is on it. Did you notify Mr Putin......like you know something he doesn't?

The morons should have shit and tipped the pot over three years ago, made BoJo walk through it when he left after fucking the peace treaty negotiations.....

Cheers M

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Jan 15 2025 18:00 utc | 52

In addition to my remark [52] I'd add,

Since ukrainia's lands are not now a NATO state, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria may find it in their interests to attack/feign-attack into ukrainia's rear. This under the guise of taking back their lands that were stolen from them by WW I colonialists, particularly the US's-Woodrow [the racist] Wilson. Make the Galicians ruling Kiev get a little payback and encourage the bear to border their recovered land. Austrians, Slovaks and Hungarians all were taught by their fathers not to go out into the forest and poke bears in their den.

Posted by: S Brennan | Jan 15 2025 18:07 utc | 53

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 15 2025 17:13 utc | 37

Nah, vargas is a low IQ french frog.

Posted by: pepe | Jan 15 2025 18:08 utc | 54

The takeaway here is that the West will escalate its war against Russia, both in intensity and in form.

Does anyone know what became of the seized tankers? Can operations like these undermine Russian exports of oil products and what are Russia's options?

Posted by: robin | Jan 15 2025 18:09 utc | 55

Posted by: ANON2022 | Jan 15 2025 15:57 utc | 5,6 & 7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

What we are witnessing right now is a tantrum by the Biden Administration on their way out. This is a desperate effort to push Russia into a corner and force them to react in a stupid way that will again force Trump's hand as well. What can Biden do that Trump can undo later?

You, of course, know this, so your bitching is all about your support for what Genocide Joe is doing to prevent peace in Ukraine, which makes you a lying concern troll.

Posted by: Ed | Jan 15 2025 18:11 utc | 56

too scents | Jan 15 2025 17:27 utc | 45--

Thanks for that FYI and link. The headline hook, "It is possible that in the coming year Ukraine will cease to exist altogether," is unsupported as in how might that happen? The issue of Russian mistreatment abroad has paralleled the Ukraine crisis, and once the SMO ends political pressure will rise demanding something be done. The question of Armenia was omitted. That Trump talks about continuing US Imperialism--so what else is new: "It is an American tradition to redraw the map of the world to suit one's interests and interfere in the affairs of countries on different continents."

An interesting addition to Lavrov's presser.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 15 2025 18:16 utc | 57

"Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 15 2025 17:13 utc | 37

Nah, vargas is a low IQ french frog."

Posted by: pepe | Jan 15 2025 18:08 utc | 58

no, I heard different; apparently, vacuous vargas was a pretty fancy MI6 bot; but there was an 'accident' and a large amount of hydrochloric acid was spilled on the hardware, and after that terrible accident vv is struggling along with his greatly reduced power is left struggles on...

Posted by: canuck | Jan 15 2025 18:29 utc | 58

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 15 2025 17:04 utc | 32
"Unstable petroleum prices will probably scare more motorists into cheaper to run and maintain Chinese EVs."

"Cheaper to run? Funny thing about --as the price of gas and oil increase the price of electricity does, too. It's almost as if there's an inexplicable relationship between fossil fuels and electricity generation. Weird, huh?"

Posted by: Paranaense | Jan 15 2025 17:35 utc | 49

Ha, ha-the Church of the Woke doesn't bother to question where the electricity comes from...do they realize that once the heavy, lithium EV battery is done after 5-8 years its toxic hull is put into landfills-eventually leaching in to the water table-real Green that is!

Posted by: canuck | Jan 15 2025 18:33 utc | 59

Watch this, the always erudite Noh breaks down the latest on what went down in S.Korea, the coup attempt was a small part of a very big deal, @~15min. The first half on Redbook/TikTok is also worthy:

KJ Noh US Pushed South Korean Forces To Fight In Ukraine Using Martial Law & False Flag To Do It

I'm not for abandoning pets but someone needs to take vargas for a drive down the highway and "accidentally" forget him at the rest area.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 15 2025 18:46 utc | 60

Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 15 2025 18:16 utc | 61

I think Armenia's fate has been sealed. The next country 404 -- formerly known as Ukraine -- in the making.

Posted by: pepe | Jan 15 2025 18:48 utc | 61

Ha, ha-the Church of the Woke doesn't bother to question where the electricity comes from...do they realize that once the heavy, lithium EV battery is done after 5-8 years its toxic hull is put into landfills-eventually leaching in to the water table-real Green that is!

Posted by: canuck | Jan 15 2025 18:33 utc | 63

As long as the landfills are located in Africa, they don't care.

Posted by: Martina | Jan 15 2025 18:50 utc | 62

The strike on the Lviv gaz storage facility may well affect the EU consumers …non or maybe later on, depending on temperatures during next few winter weeks

Posted by: Dany | Jan 15 2025 18:56 utc | 63

The West is slowly building its armies and approaching Russia. The western spirit is high as they dare to escalate.
Russia is sinking deeper and deaper as tge Russian strategic assets are being hit daily.
I see no mutinies on Ukrainian side. No massive surrender. Ukrainians are happy.

Posted by: vargas | Jan 15 2025 17:23 utc | 43
---------------------------------------------------------------

I wonder how high the Western spirit will be when they are eating nuclear particles and/or hazel muffins. You may not see mutinies yet; they wouldn't show it to you on MSM anyway, but AFU troops are abandoning their posts in large numbers; approximately 1700 troops trained by the French in France just walked away; did CNN or FOX News report it?

Many more would surrender on the battlefield, but they are concerned for their families at home or about being shot in the back, should they even try. When recruiters must beat the shit out of people to force them to fight, there might be a problem; wouldn't you say vargas (or is it Vargas, the known troll).

Don't let Biden's desperate tantrums fool you, it is made for Western MSM viewers: Russia is winning the SMO.

Posted by: Ed | Jan 15 2025 18:57 utc | 64

If there was no change in the us administration I’m not sure we wouldn’t already be in a hot stage of ww3

The current situation is way beyond north koreaing the RF, way way beyond the sanctions that forced ww2 Japan to attack the us and only comparable to … maybe Iraq or Syria .

As it is the us is playing a very dangerous good cop/bad cop game that can only be mantained for a short while.

As for Western Europe, the term suicidal comes to mind.

If this goes on a strategic exchange in Europe seems like the least bad scenario. Have the Americans game-played this scenario enough to be sure they can pull it off without being dragged into it?

A scenario with RF winning a destroyed Europe, critical connections to china destroyed (and resources needed for recovery) could, bring forth the dreamt situation of china without RF to assure energy and other raw materials critical to face the us…

I usually prefer not to dwell in nightmare scenarios, but it could be a designed scenario.

This is an ugly chessboard right now? Hope it’s changed back to something more hopeful next week.

Posted by: Newbie | Jan 15 2025 18:57 utc | 65

I'm not for abandoning pets but someone needs to take vargas for a drive down the highway and "accidentally" forget him at the rest area.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 15 2025 18:46 utc | 64

Better call PETA ^^.

Posted by: Savonarole | Jan 15 2025 18:58 utc | 66

Posted by: vargas | Jan 15 2025 15:55 utc | 3

Fuck off liar!

Posted by: Naive | Jan 15 2025 19:08 utc | 67

people "in the know" made a lot..a Lot..a LOT of money on this asinine move. With the right leveraged futures bet you could easily triple your money in a three day window. This has all the earmarks of last minute insider trading.
Posted by: S Brennan | Jan 15 2025 17:43 utc | 52

This.
Trumps policy by tweets, Biden admins attacks on this, prior knowledge of sanctions on that.

Posted by: jopalolive | Jan 15 2025 19:09 utc | 68

@robin #59
Seized tankers will be resolved, one way or the other.
Consider this simple question: who is more dependent on seaborne trade? Russia or the West?
This is not the 1500s and 1600s where *wink wink* pirates attacked Spanish treasure ships.

Posted by: c1ue | Jan 15 2025 19:15 utc | 69

@vargas #43
Like hell they are.
Lee Slusher says nothing new here but summarizes the situational perfectly:
The State of Western Warcraft

Posted by: c1ue | Jan 15 2025 19:17 utc | 70

c1ue | Jan 15 2025 19:15 utc | 73--

Who has the better ability to protect their seaborne trade--Russia or Outlaw US Empire?

Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 15 2025 19:20 utc | 71

Duplicate "Russia" in title line.

Posted by: john brewster | Jan 15 2025 15:47 utc | 1

This is no duplicate. It's on purpose.

It's a reference to the mainstream media constantly screaming:

Russia Russia (bad / guilty / crazy / [insert your own here]) !!

Posted by: Stephane | Jan 15 2025 19:21 utc | 72

They know its happening, they know what's causing it - yet they persist on making it worse by obeying their Washington masters.

"The German economy contracted for a second straight year in 2024 for the first time in more than two decades, according to a report by the country’s federal statistics office Destatis, issued on Wednesday.

Official figures showed that gross domestic product fell by 0.2% last year after dropping by 0.3% in 2023.

The Eurozone’s largest economy has been falling behind its peers in recent years, largely due to a prolonged manufacturing downturn. The country’s shift from affordable Russian gas to more expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US has driven up energy costs, severely affecting manufacturers and small businesses.

The downturn was caused by “cyclical and structural pressures,” according to Destatis president Ruth Brand.

“These include increasing competition for the German export industry on key sales markets, high energy costs, an interest rate level that remains high, and an uncertain economic outlook,” she stated."

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 15 2025 19:23 utc | 73

Meanwhile, even the most rabid anti Russian person I know (in the Northeast US: the Democratic Party heartland) has suddenly noticed that the price of natural gas has gone up 10% in the past year. Maybe she'll connect support for Ukraine with the increased prices....

Posted by: Peter VE | Jan 15 2025 19:26 utc | 74

Newbie @ 69

This is an ugly chessboard right now? Hope it’s changed back to something more hopeful next week.

Check out the link to the Noh interview, the Biden team came very close to getting their WW3, only some very clever DPRK deescalating trash balloons saved us, imagine if the DPRK took the bait and responded with armed drones or an artillery strike as they were wont to do in the cold war past. I'm also betting on some sort intervention by some very brave people in the S.Korean military to prevent madness. One day it'll be one of the stranger chapters in the history of the era, if we make it.

The Trump neocons believe the woke Dem neocons fucked up the lead up to the War For USA Hegemony, whatever Trump is up too it'll be a reset, a course correction, my spidey-sense says Trump is the perfect re-brand to take non pussified, non woke MAGA, once known as the working class, to war.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 15 2025 19:29 utc | 75

This is no duplicate. It's on purpose.

It's a reference to the mainstream media constantly screaming:

Russia Russia (bad / guilty / crazy / [insert your own here]) !!

Posted by: Stephane | Jan 15 2025 19:21 utc | 76

_____

Should be “Russia Russia Russia!” — three times — Jan Brady voice of course.

Posted by: malenkov | Jan 15 2025 19:33 utc | 76

Russia Strikes Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure - MOD

https://www.rt.com/russia/610928-ukraine-gas-energy-strike/

"The Russian military has carried out a combined strike against Ukraine's gas and energy infrastructure which feeds Kiev's military-industrial complex, Moscow's Defense Ministry has said.

'The objective of the strike has been achieved. All of the designated facilities were hit,' the statement read.

The country's state-run energy company, Ukrenego, said in a statement that due to 'the massive missile attack', emergency power outages occurred in Kharkov, Sumy, Poltava and Dnepropetrovsk as well as in other areas..."

Posted by: John Gilberts | Jan 15 2025 19:33 utc | 77

The Lord Haw, Haw of the bully boys club Nato - is trying to frighten the natives.

"NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called on members of the US-led military bloc to adopt a “wartime mindset” and significantly increase defense spending, citing supposed threats from Russia and other nations.

The bloc’s “future security is at stake,” Rutte claimed in his opening remarks at a meeting of the Military Committee in Chiefs of Defense in Brussels on Wednesday. He accused Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran of attempting to “weaken our democracies and chip away at our freedom.”

“To prevent war, we need to prepare for it. It is time to shift to a wartime mindset,” Rutte asserted, urging NATO states to fund “more and better defense capabilities.”"

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 15 2025 19:34 utc | 78

Robin@1809 Jan 15

A tinker, a tanker, a midnight wanker. Two can play at that game.

Just ONE of those monstrous LNG ships crossing the big Pond from the "Gulf of America", mysteriously exploding and sinking, would send such shivers reverberating throughout the Collective Wa$te, as to be basically uncomprehendable.

Predictably, the Trumpeting Elephant would hoot and honk, even after receiving word from certain sources that this demonstration is but a one-off. The rhetoric would go ionospheric. However, such a game changing event and the promise to not proceed by that strategy...might just possibly throw cold, Atlantic water on any and all hostile moves.

After all, only one nation has both hypersonic missiles and Poseidons. The threat of instant obliteration, even without using the nuclear option, would chill the D. of C.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 15 2025 19:35 utc | 79

That which doesn't kill you makes your stronger, applies here, the American Governing elite is not smart, they couldn't hurt North Korea, they are unlikely to cause much pain to Russia, however much they sanction the country, the sanctions will backfire spectacularly as did the one preventing the US refineries to buy Russia's heavy Ural crude.

Posted by: Baron | Jan 15 2025 19:36 utc | 80

The hoopla over the Ruskie Ghost Fleet is more than meets the eye, oil is secondary if not incidental, it's to create a narrative to enable a blockade of the Baltic Sea to Russian and Chinese shipping, a Baltic Cuban Missile Crisis. For USA-NATO to use power where it's strong, naval and air as an alternative to sending infantry in Ukraine. It's to military isolate Russia and the ultimate red line provocation, maybe a bargaining bluff, but you don't make a bluff like this if you can't pay the tab, you will wind up in cement galoshes at the bottom of the East River. The Pentagon knows the risks and must be ready.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 15 2025 19:44 utc | 81

It's to military isolate Russia and the ultimate red line provocation, maybe a bargaining bluff, but you don't make a bluff like this if you can't pay the tab, you will wind up in cement galoshes at the bottom of the East River. The Pentagon knows the risks and must be ready.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 15 2025 19:44 utc | 85

TBH
These fuckers couldn't care less.
There's a sense of no consequences and arrogance that is powered by invulnerability.

Posted by: jpc | Jan 15 2025 19:52 utc | 82

I can’t say I’m surprised by this – nor am I surprised that EU bigwigs have not only turned a blind eye to the Zionists genocide, but in some cases actually aided and abetted them.

“An eye opening episode of the investigative journalism show, Report, aired on Sunday January 12, 2025, by Italy’s state broadcaster Rai TV, exposed the high level of lobbying activity by Israeli groups inside the European institutions over the past two decades.”

“The show revealed how more than 20 Israeli lobbying entities, including the Transatlantic Institute, the Brussels-based EU office of the American Jewish Committee, have been increasingly active in luring more than 200 high-ranking EU figures and lawmakers to unconditionally support Israel in exchange for luxurious trips to Tel Aviv and al-Quds and other in kind benefits.”

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 15 2025 19:54 utc | 83

.."continuing on with ww3.... i guess we are in the early chapters..."
Posted by: james | Jan 15 2025 16:37 utc | 18

"Yes, we are already in WW3 and most people just don't realize it. When historians look back (and hopefully there will be a future from which to look back), I think the triggering of Russia's SMO in Ukraine back in 2022 will be seen as the beginning of outright war."

Posted by: Clever Dog | Jan 15 2025 17:11 utc | 35

I agree that WW#3 is already here -though I think the historians will start the War in 2014 with the Maidan Coup or they could go back to the roots of WW#3 with the 'Empire lying they wouldn't go one more inch to the East in 1991.."

Posted by: canuck | Jan 15 2025 19:54 utc | 84

Two mutually-exclusive propositions put forth by TPTB and its hired-shills vis-a-vis Russia:

1) That it is in terminal decline, a glorified gas station posing as a country, and

2) That Vladimir Putin is the most-evilist whilst most-feckless dictator this side of history and also Hitler 2.0.

If the former, why so much struggle with Russia, then? Wouldn't it be better to just wait out its terminal decline to its inevitable collapse?

If the latter, why do we claim that Russia is finished? Why would you declare a country to be evil and in need of a cleansing but also already dead? Wouldn't this contradiction fly in the face of mobilizing efforts to come to the aid of Ukrainians? Why should I bleed red in an effort whose culminating event has already been decided?

If Russia is a threat, label it as such. Otherwise, your messaging will appear schizophrenic and retarded. And it is. And that is why Russia remains quiet and quietly marches on: there is no need to speak to those on the other side of the iron curtain any longer.

Trolls abound but they are easy to spot.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jan 15 2025 19:54 utc | 85

Posted by: vargas | Jan 15 2025 16:39 utc | 19

Vargas is so weak. Terribly weak.
Nobody respects Vargas today.
It is all Vargas's fault.

Posted by: Sagrav | Jan 15 2025 20:00 utc | 86

@persiflo @90

damn, you beat me to it ! :)

Posted by: Sagrav | Jan 15 2025 20:03 utc | 87

Posted by: canuck | Jan 15 2025 19:54 utc | 88

I vote for February 22, 2014 as the official start date for future historians.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 15 2025 19:35 utc | 83

Sounds about right.

Det er vanskeligt at spaa, især naar det gælder Fremtiden.

It is difficult to make predictions, especially about the future.

(Seems like it's difficult to figure out the attibution for that quote, too.)

There's Got to Be a Morning After - King of the Hill

Posted by: lex talionis | Jan 15 2025 20:11 utc | 88

Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 15 2025 17:27 utc | 44

Salud Karl, Lavrov, Patrushev and today a short note by Khairulin on his TG channel, that makes it strike three. I'll just post the machine translation of his first paragraph:

Victory is already visible. Ukraine has lost the war. This is not even an axiom, but a ready-made, well-established foundation, on which the walls of the future building are being poured right now. What is happening on the field is nothing more than regime convulsions.

https://t.me/voenkorkhayrullin/4130

Posted by: Paco | Jan 15 2025 20:13 utc | 89

Posted by: vargas | Jan 15 2025 19:56 utc | 91

A blockade ? When was the last blockade of a major country succeeding ? WWI ?

Posted by: Hiro Masamune | Jan 15 2025 20:14 utc | 90

One wonders if there's some kind of logical thinking or even endgame in the echelons of US governance. Dispel any of those with this end of regime interview with arguably one of the dumbest/evil people ever to inhabit their office.

https://consortiumnews.com/2025/01/15/patrick-lawrence-the-nihilism-of-antony-blinken/
In a send-off interview with The New York Times, Biden’s secretary of state renders a sober-sounding account of the world as the retiring regime now leaves it that is so shockingly far from reality as to be frightening.

transcript:
https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-with-lulu-garcia-navarro-of-nyts-the-interview-podcast/

Posted by: motorslug | Jan 15 2025 20:40 utc | 91

What if the west begins a naval blockade of the Russian ports?
Nobody thought over that possibility.
I can predict that happening very soon.

Posted by: vargas | Jan 15 2025 19:56 utc | 91


well heres the gist of it. a naval blockade is an act of war.
now think a bit further. currently, russia is only attacking the "ukraine".
what do YOU think (if thats even possible, you just repeat your nafo propaganda) happens if another military block like nato (does not matter in this case if its only the nordics/balts that "blockade") declares war on russia?

Posted by: Justpassinby | Jan 15 2025 20:40 utc | 92

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 15 2025 19:35 utc | 83

A tinker, a tanker, a midnight wanker. Two can play at that game...

But are you expecting Russia to play the same game or are you simply stating hypotheticals?

Posted by: robin | Jan 15 2025 20:45 utc | 93

More irritating but not meaningful annoyances from the Western side and Ukraine, as their economies stagnate/contract (two years now of falling German GDP) and the Russians take more ground while bleeding out the Ukrainian army and economy. Same old same ... just like the South Korean president, the Western oligacrhy and their tools will delusionally hold onto a losing position until forced to concede. Just like in Iraq, and in Afghanistan, and pretty soon in Georgia etc.

Posted by: Roger Boyd | Jan 15 2025 20:46 utc | 94

Posted by: c1ue | Jan 15 2025 19:15 utc | 73


Seized tankers will be resolved, one way or the other.
Consider this simple question: who is more dependent on seaborne trade? Russia or the West?
This is not the 1500s and 1600s where *wink wink* pirates attacked Spanish treasure ships.
Same answer as above @ 100: do you expect Russia to act in a way that would impact Western shipping? If so, how?

Posted by: robin | Jan 15 2025 20:48 utc | 95

I agree that WW#3 is already here -though I think the historians will start the War in 2014 with the Maidan Coup or they could go back to the roots of WW#3 with the 'Empire lying they wouldn't go one more inch to the East in 1991.."

Posted by: canuck | Jan 15 2025 19:54 utc | 88


I noticed recently that Wikipedia now refers to the Maidan Coup as the 'Revolution of Dignity' - when did that start ? Around the same time they prefacing mention of any Ukrainian atrocity with
"Russian claims that Ukraine ... " ?

Posted by: Red Star | Jan 15 2025 20:48 utc | 96

Posted by: Ed | Jan 15 2025 20:25 utc | 97 "Steven T. Johnson, which of these inflation indicators can the President of the U.S. and Congress most directly affect?" Answering the direct question, military spending.

That said, my belief is the amount of inflation is not determined solely by government deficits. The inflationary effects of those, bank loans, commercial and private debt, mortgage debt are dependent upon the movements in the overall rate and mass of profits, I think, as well as the degree of market concentration. Further discussion is merited but won't be read anyhow, so I'm skipping the labor.

Posted by: steven t johnson | Jan 15 2025 20:49 utc | 97

[email protected] would anyone ever declare war on Russia
That's insanity. Smart money goes to sinking Russia merchant ships, check. Sinking Russian Navel ships, check. Confiscation of Russian shadow fleet, check. Reduced Russian Navel footprint in the Med Sea, check. Blowing up Russian oil infrastructure crippling delivery of energy to ports, check, and the Cherry on Top, blew up the NS2, check. Attempting to blow up Turk Stream, is in the works.

No country needs to declare war or blockade Russia, it's already being done......oh, and it may well get worse.

Cheers M

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Jan 15 2025 20:52 utc | 98

vargas is so weak. Terribly weak.
Nobody respects vargas today.
It is all Putin's fault.

Posted by: persiflo | Jan 15 2025 19:55 utc | 90


Out of curiosity, I posted the line : "Vargas is so weak. Terribly weak" into an AI haiku writing programme (at boredhumans.com).

This is what it returned :

"We are unable to work with inappropriate or offensive content so please rephrase your request."

Well, I suppose I can see their point ...

Posted by: Red Star | Jan 15 2025 20:53 utc | 99

Newbie @ 69

This is an ugly chessboard right now? Hope it’s changed back to something more hopeful next week.

Check out the link to the Noh interview, the Biden team came very close to getting their WW3, only some very clever DPRK deescalating trash balloons saved us, imagine if the DPRK took the bait and responded with armed drones or an artillery strike as they were wont to do in the cold war past. I'm also betting on some sort intervention by some very brave people in the S.Korean military to prevent madness. One day it'll be one of the stranger chapters in the history of the era, if we make it.

The Trump neocons believe the woke Dem neocons fucked up the lead up to the War For USA Hegemony, whatever Trump is up too it'll be a reset, a course correction, my spidey-sense says Trump is the perfect re-brand to take non pussified, non woke MAGA, once known as the working class, to war.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 15 2025 19:29 utc | 79

I agree that WW#3 is already here -though I think the historians will start the War in 2014 with the Maidan Coup or they could go back to the roots of WW#3 with the 'Empire lying they wouldn't go one more inch to the East in 1991.."

Posted by: canuck | Jan 15 2025 19:54 utc | 88


Hope you're wrong and I'm right that things will change enough for a pause.

Even the new kinetic stage in a decade should still fall short of WW levels, I'd prefer being far away when things get shity just before entering the 2060's and dead before things go full cycle.

I'll take this as a win

Neutered ukraine, lifting of sanctions (and more important the general attitude of knowing the us will have to give)

https://tass.com/world/1899833

Talks on Ukraine should touch upon neutrality, anti-Russian sanctions — Trump’s nominee
Speaking about the possibility of negotiations on Ukraine, Marco Rubio said: "When you get and sit at the table, <…> you're going to have to give, not just get"

WASHINGTON, January 15. /TASS/. Questions of Kiev’s neutral status and the possible easing of anti-Russian sanctions will ultimately be on the agenda of any Ukrainian conflict settlement talks, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to the post of the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said.

Speaking about the possibility of negotiations on Ukraine, he said: "When you get and sit at the table, <…> you're going to have to give, not just get. And sanctions, and the release of sanctions could be a part of that, assuming that the conditions are appropriate."

Commenting on the subject of Ukraine’s neutral status, Rubio emphasized: "Well, obviously that's something that will ultimately be part of any negotiation.".


Posted by: Newbie | Jan 15 2025 21:01 utc | 100

next page »

The comments to this entry are closed.