News & views related to the war in Ukraine …
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February 23, 2025
Ukraine Open Thread 2025-036
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Another Putin quote of note from karlof1 link
In the current situation, we, oddly enough, frankly speaking, were interested in him sitting there and further corrupting the regime with which we are in an armed conflict. And from the point of view of the interests of strengthening Ukrainian statehood, here, of course, we need to act, apparently, more energetically and in a completely different direction–-to bring to power people who will enjoy the trust of the people of Ukraine.
I see Russia, if this conflict continues further to end up dividing the rump of Ukraine among the neighboring countries and I think Putin is hinting at that outcome above.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 25 2025 1:12 utc | 301
NigelTufnel1 @ 302
Ha ha ha Trump went Antifa.
And your butt hurt.
😎
Fuck of trolls
Posted by: Mark2 | Feb 25 2025 1:22 utc | 302
psychohistorian | Feb 25 2025 1:12 utc | 303–
IMO, Russia has its negotiating position all mapped out including contingencies and surprises. The amateurs are all on Team Trump.
The frenzied trolls are rather hilarious, although it’s become more difficult to tell who they’re working for.
I pray everyone understands what is going on with Trump and Musk and DOGE and American support for Lieutenants like Bondi, Kennedy, Gabbard, Hegseth, Rubio, Patel, etc. etc.
HANG IN THERE! Gonna be great around the WORLD except … yeah, the EU and NATO.
We’re living in crazy History, folks. It’s happening in USA and everything is pointin to the destruction of NATO and the EU. The EU is about to immolate. Goodbye Ursula!
God BLESS all you European citizens! But … be French, Italian and Spanish and Greek and Dutch and …. all the beauty and blessings of your culture and history.
Get OUT of the EC. Just be Italians again!
Posted by: NigelTufnel11 | Feb 25 2025 1:37 utc | 304
IMO, Russia has its negotiating position all mapped out including contingencies and surprises. The amateurs are all on Team Trump.
The frenzied trolls are rather hilarious, although it’s become more difficult to tell who they’re working for.
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 25 2025 1:22 utc | 305
Wow! Is this the INSIGHTFUL shit you constantly try to persoally monetize around here?
So … Trump has “amateurs” around him? No. No he DOES NOT.
Do you think when Lavrov looks at the team Trump has surrounded himself says to himself “Amatuers … piece of cake.” Of course not.
I get it … you make your LIVING off of your “I really am not an insider but I ‘know what’s going on;” bullshit Substack commentary.
You DO NOT KNOW SHIT. About anything, really. Correct?
Posted by: NigelTufnel11 | Feb 25 2025 1:57 utc | 305
Nice try, tough guy. Weren’t you this blog’s “hardass” who was threatening we normal Americans to some violent end? Well, that never was gonna work skippy.
Posted by: NigelTufnel11 | Feb 25 2025 1:12 utc | 302
#######
I do squats regularly but wouldn’t brag about the density of my posterior.
That said, America’s decline is in progress with more inevitable.
Trump’s tariffs have mostly flopped as several countries have realized that they can ignore negotiations. China has taken punitive actions in response, the Bank of Japan is turning American debt into Chinese debt as the global economic restructuring gains steam.
Maybe Trump could be successful on this track if he hadn’t lost the 2020 election. 4 years is an eternity at the current pace of global development.
The bread and circuses of firing bureaucrats won’t sustain him through the midterms. The deep State and Democrats will be heard from again.
I’m not saying that he will lose but that precious time and focus will be devoted to defense, which will further slow his advance towards MAGA’s goals.
His enemies (including the Axis) don’t have to win on the political or economic battlefields. They can run out the clock and deal with President Musk/Vance/Rubio/Kennedy who would all have less insight and less talent.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 2:03 utc | 306
Interesting development today…..rumors that DJT accepted a peacekeepers plan is unconfirmed……most likely EU propaganda………
The real deal will made in SA tomorrow…………lets see if the bird actually flies….I have my doubts….
RF needs to obtain all territory east of the Dnieper, and Odessa (absolute red line for RF, no UK or French troops in Odessa – ever) and the other Black Sea ports…….and a demilitarized Ukraine, and no EU or NATO membership………
RF needs to make no deal at this point, they are in drivers seat……not Volo (who will be leaving the scene for Haifa soon)………
Posted by: tobias cole | Feb 25 2025 2:16 utc | 307
So, here is what I’m going to say about this Trump American Administration:
It’s a force of Nature. And, it’s going to be transformational to every American taxpayer of EVERY demographic.
Hey, EU … no more. You’re the Demoncrats we Americans just steamrolled.
Posted by: NigelTufnel11 | Feb 25 2025 2:25 utc | 308
I do squats regularly but wouldn’t brag about the density of my posterior
That said, America’s decline is in progress with more inevitable.
Posted by: NigelTufnel11 | Feb 25 2025 2:33 utc | 309
karlof1 | Feb 25 2025 0:42 utc | 282
Thank you so much, karlof1, for your always timely reports on Putin’s conversations with his favorite interviewer. To me, they are extremely informative, much as were FDR’s fireside chats, I imagine, in similar difficult to understand times for the US public – banks being closed and all that was going on then, as he probably could not reveal future plans as needing some element of surprise.
And not only Putin but also Trump is in this position. He views the press as an enemy which has sought to destroy him – more so than Zelensky, more so even than the EU delegates. He rather likes Macron, as the Duran has observed. Maybe not enough to be swayed by him, but he feels comfortable saying what Macron will like to hear. And how is his manner towards Macron different, actually, from this response by Putin?
Zarubin: But do the Europeans generally understand, in your opinion, the essence of the current situation around Ukraine?
Vladimir Putin: You should ask them that. Judging by the way they act, I don’t think they really understand. But that’s not even the point. The fact is that, unlike the new President of the United States, the political leaders of European states are connected with the current regime and are biased. And they have said too much and promised too much, and now, sorry for the simplicity of the expression, it is very difficult or almost impossible for them to “steer away” from this position without losing face. And given that they are in a rather difficult and responsible internal political period of elections, re-elections, difficulties in parliaments, and so on, it is almost impossible for them to change their position…
[my bolds]
We have seen that there are answers (from Trump) and then there are answers. Perhaps he is waiting for the visit from the British PM to complete the twosome. Starmer is a different entity from Macron, just as Europe is very different from the ‘partner’ over the ocean.( I just watched that speech by Jeffrey Sachs to some from the EU Parliament, by the way, and also heard Alistair Crooke compare the EU politicos to the Deep State.) Maybe both ‘heads of state’ just need a shoulder to cry on.
There’s more going on than we see.
Posted by: juliania | Feb 25 2025 2:41 utc | 310
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 25 2025 0:42 utc | 282
##############
Do you think it is possible that Putin is trying to get America to invest in Russian industry to forge enduring ties between the two?
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 2:57 utc | 311
It goes like this:
Politicians lie to the journalists.
The journalists write what those politicians said.
The politicians read what the journalists wrote and believe it all.
Posted by: Naive | Feb 24 2025 21:03 utc | 245
Often the source of lies are the “journalists” (propagandists) themselves. They’ve been known to make up stories wholesale. For instance Jack Kelley of USA Today was found to have been making up most all of his stories.
Posted by: MiniMO | Feb 25 2025 3:23 utc | 312
The problem for everyone except Russia is that when the war ends whatever’s left of Ukraine is likely to collapse into a level of failed state that makes pre-2022 Ukraine look like utopia. The U.S., regardless of president, doesn’t do nation building. Europe doesn’t either and is probably incapable, physically and monetarily, in any case.
Which means that Europe is staring down the barrel of a failed state in its lap. The talks about peacekeepers don’t have fuck all to do with the Russians. Somebody’s going to have to deal with the Ukrainians. A few hundred thousand men scarred by the brutality of a war they lost in a rump state awash with weapons and an economy being openly pillaged by the U.S. The “stabbed in the back” motif will be an easy sell. Not to mention the rapid fascists that have have been feted by the west for three years.
Everyone’s now scrambling to figure out they can keep a lid on the mess they made that will almost certainly boil over. Not that 30,000 French and British troops stand a chance against even half as many pissed off ukrainian veterans. The plan for the last nearly two years has been to hold on and hope for the best. Trump is fucking that up because he’s an unintentional accelerationist. Biden would have done the same thing, he just wouldn’t have been so brazen nor so open about taking the only things that might make it worthwhile for Europe to shoulder the burden.
Posted by: Lex | Feb 25 2025 3:24 utc | 313
USA Today says reporter falsified major stories
USA Today said Friday that an examination of the work of five-time Pulitzer Prize nominee and ex-star foreign correspondent Jack Kelley found strong evidence that he fabricated substantial portions of at least eight major stories.
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4562064
Posted by: MiniMO | Feb 25 2025 3:28 utc | 314
Putin’s interview released today with Pavel Zarubin was so utterly dissapointing.
What are the boys on the front line even fighting for if Putin is giving dumb interviews like that? They may as well switch to active defense along the entire front line judging by Putin’s language. Why risk your life to liberate more territory if the objectives now are pretty murky and your President is implying an upcoming deal that more or less preserves the status quo?Appalling.
C*cksucking Trump is one thing, c”cksucking a war criminal like Zaluzhniy just to get at Zelensky is terrible. Having Zaluzhniy elected as President of Ukiestan should be even more unacceptable to Russia than Zelensky. Its a bigger sign of hatred towards Russia by voting him than it is towards Zelensky.
Posted by: Winston | Feb 25 2025 4:19 utc | 315
I forced myself to watch the before/after Trump/Marcon press meetings. Before I share my observations let me set the context…
Late last week I read of Starmer meeting Trump early this week and then later read of both Starmer and Marcon meeting with Trump and now we have the Trump/Marcon meeting with Starmer coming later in the week….Hmmm
My take is that the EU decided that Marcon is the best negotiator in this situation and sent him….I agree.
The press meetings
Trump still asserts that Russia has lost 700,000 troops.
Trump says he supports NATO if structured correctly or some such words.
Trump said that Russia refused to talk/negotiate at some point….
Trump talked about NAFTA briefly saying he read it and wondered why anyone would sign such and not admitting that he owns the current NAFTA wording.
Marcon started and ended his fawning by thanking Trump for the US might-makes-right capabilities projected over Europe.
Marcon in a indirect way seemed to say that if Ukraine signs the resource deal being negotiated with the Trump team then the US may provide X amount of security guarantees.
Marcon did talk about EU troops on the ground after the peace agreement is signed to provide security guarantees and he said that Trump told him that Russia has agreed to such.
Marcon was very much in a Russia blaming mode for the start of the SMO and believes that they owe reparations.
Those are the words and we will see what reality unfolds
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 25 2025 4:21 utc | 316
Upon further reflection let me add to my 319
Marcon used the word peace repeatedly and I think it is the signal that the EU/France only? is ready to pack it in for Ukraine. I think that Europe has expectations that will not be met and there will be further weeping and gnashing of teeth including accusing Trump of not being truthful, not negotiating in good faith and for the priority of Europe and being Putin’s puppet…..all childish responses but this is European leadership being thrown under the bus of multipolar reality.
In passing some time today I saw the group of European leaders meeting in Kiev today and this contrasts with my reporting of the Trump/Marcon meeting above, eh?….we will see…Starmer is next or will he back out?
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 25 2025 5:21 utc | 318
Those are the words and we will see what reality unfolds
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 25 2025 4:21 utc | 319
Yeah, Trump is playing the EU idiots like a fiddle. Kellogg’s been an unwitting part of that, saying just enough nice things to keep’em off balance.
NATO is dead, EU is dying, and Ukraine’s on the butcher’s block to be carved up. In the end it’s Trump, Putin & Xi meeting to define the global security arrangement for the foreseeable future.
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Feb 25 2025 5:22 utc | 319
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 25 2025 4:21 utc | 319
############
America (and the West at large) is still agreement incapable.
I think we all got a little swept up in the possibility this could end peacefully.
We must only judge Trump on what he does, not what he says.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 5:23 utc | 320
@ LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 5:23 utc | 324 with the follow up..thx
I agree that actions count and words don’t. I also agree that the negotiations haven’t really started yet and there is much bloviating to come.
@ TJandTheBear | Feb 25 2025 5:22 utc | 323 who wrote
”
NATO is dead, EU is dying, and Ukraine’s on the butcher’s block to be carved up. In the end it’s Trump, Putin & Xi meeting to define the global security arrangement for the foreseeable future.
”
I only disagree with the NATO is dead part of your first sentence and I think NATO could be the nuke umbrella security definition for Europe. If Europe was smart they would just buy into such a nuke umbrella and not develop there own broad military capability, but instead, use that money to rebuild their countries….this assumes they stop hating Russia and resume trade with them.
I also don’t see a trilateral division of global power sharing as you described. Neither China nor Russia have expressed a desire to be such a power….they want BRICS+ equality among nations which empire can’t handle so we will see if there is movement towards world peace and how it plays out.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 25 2025 5:44 utc | 321
I just watched a short video on Xinhuanet about Ukraine and the part that struck me was them saying the negotiations and ongoing military activities could go on simultaneously.
Sounds to me like someone thinks that there will be no cease fire in Ukraine and I agree with that path forward….gives incentive to negotiators and countries involved.
This is especially important when working with agreement incapable Western leadership.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 25 2025 6:19 utc | 322
Xinhuanet has a posting up with the title
Russia views U.S.-proposed resolution at UN Security Council “a starting point” for peace
quote
The adopted resolution appealed for a swift end to the conflict, mourned the loss of life, and urged a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine. The resolution received 10 votes in favor, none against, and five abstentions including France, Britain, Denmark, Greece and Slovenia.
Europe is conflicted and not ready to admit Ukraine defeat today…..how about tomorrow?
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 25 2025 6:30 utc | 323
@spider | Mon, 24 Feb 2025 23:43:00 GMT | 270
cause Europe isn’t hiding it’s goal of high intensity war with Russia in 10-15yrs and is actively preparing for it
Oh no, Dear Lord, save us from the fury of the Europeans…
That whole continent has been neutered for 80 years. Are the French going to preemptively surrender to Putin?
Posted by: James M. | Feb 25 2025 7:06 utc | 324
Why risk your life to liberate more territory if the objectives now are pretty murky
Posted by: Winston | Feb 25 2025 4:19 utc | 318
That is true for civilians as well. US and other unknown “foreign partners” were invited to milk the Donbass resources ( tass.com/politics/1918503) after they’ve killed tens of thousands there since 2014. “Moscow is ready to offer American and other foreign partners to participate in rare earth mining projects, including in Donbass and Novorossiya. Russia and the US could also consider joint work on aluminum production (…) in the Krasnoyarsk Region”
The objectives were murky from the beginning. Demil and denazi is not measurable, they basically went in a police action, died in much larger numbers than they expected, realized they have no resources, political will and public support for it so now they want to forget about it as quickly as possible. The smo started very unprepared and will end very unresolved. Nato’s methods of assassinations, civilians killed in large numbers, stolen money and properties worked. Artillery duels on empty fields and two missiles a month is not something anyone cares about, including Ukros, the suicide nation. China is even worse, their officials publish animations of imaginary battles on social media, the other Brics heroes are too afraid to even shoot real artillery on empty fields.
Posted by: rk | Feb 25 2025 7:10 utc | 325
@psychohistorian | Tue, 25 Feb 2025 05:44:00 GMT | 326
I only disagree with the NATO is dead part of your first sentence and I think NATO could be the nuke umbrella security definition for Europe.
This is actually the one thing that is true, that NATO is dead. NATO’s nuclear umbrella was only due to the US. But now the US has effectively withdrawn from NATO – de facto, not de jure. They won’t honor Article V requests, and will likely withdraw that nuclear deterrent, and the conventional tripwire (US troops in Europe), in short order.
Posted by: James M. | Feb 25 2025 7:12 utc | 326
@psychohistorian | Tue, 25 Feb 2025 06:30:00 GMT | 328
The resolution received 10 votes in favor, none against, and five abstentions including France, Britain, Denmark, Greece and Slovenia
France and the UK didn’t use their vetoes. They won’t challenge the US, and will likely kowtow now. Europe’s not helping Ukraine. The war is effectively over at this point. All that’s left is dividing up Ukraine.
Posted by: James M. | Feb 25 2025 7:17 utc | 327
Trump’s Incomprehension – ‘Thank You, Dear Donald’
https://johnhelmer.net/trumps-incomprehension-thank-you-dear-donald/
“The answers to press questions given by President Donald Trump, sitting beside Macron, revealed that Trump doesn’t understand what end-of-war terms President Vladimir Putin has announced, nor the substance of the conversations, back channel and front, in Riyadh, which have been going on between the Russians and Trump’s representatives.
As Trump stumbled over what he could remember and was trying to say, his staff published a tweet on the Truth Social platform, repeating Trump’s idee fixe on rare earth minerals and insulting Canada’s Prime Minister once again…”
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 25 2025 7:23 utc | 328
Trudeau Isn’t Ruling Out Sending Troops to Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3V2LjMWXeI
“Everything is on the table.”
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 25 2025 7:26 utc | 329
An Ukrainian source says AFU doesn’t have enough infantry in Velika Novoselka direction and a chunk are just running away.
https://x.com/AMK_Mapping_/status/1894289695095521294
This is ominous, at one could consider it the most crucial section of the front, as it could lead to the isolation of Zaporozhye against the river, and isolating Dnepropetrovsk from Donbass, leaving only long and perilous supply route through Kharkov.
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 25 2025 8:03 utc | 330
“Everything is on the table.”
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 25 2025 7:26 utc | 334
—
Everything is on the floor.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 25 2025 8:05 utc | 331
Interesting. https://apnews.com/article/un-russia-ukraine-war-resolution-trump-zelenskyy-cde221e5850196776525403e788c272c
“US refuses to blame Russia for Ukraine war, splitting with European allies in UN votes”
Posted by: Tichy | Feb 25 2025 8:31 utc | 332
I feel sorry for those nordic countrys no sooner they decide to embrace NATO for defence against Russia
Posted by: Mark2 | Feb 24 2025 15:09 utc | 196
Yes, that’s the official narrative. The truth, of course, is that neither Finland nor Sweden needed to “defend” against Russia, as Russia simply posed zero threat to us. Joining NATO was an act of pure aggression.
Oh, “Sweden,” not “swedan.”
Posted by: Tichy | Feb 25 2025 8:52 utc | 334
Trump’s job in Europe succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. Europe walked zombie-like into the rather obvious trap dug for them.
Project Ukraine or U-drain now is plastered emphatically with the corpse-blue and stars emblem of Europe. It is all-EU-blue. It is Europe’s possession and problem. Europe’s only.
So when it goes down the drain, it will be Europe, not the U.S., that goes right down with it.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer mob of racist-fascists.
Posted by: Andrew Sarchus | Feb 25 2025 9:07 utc | 335
And what do you all think of announcing future attacks on the news?
Russian army straightening frontline near Dvurechnaya bridgehead in Kharkov area — expert
“With the liberation of the settlement of Topoli, the situation at the administrative border of the Russian Federation will slightly improve,” Andrey Marochko said
LUGANSK, February 24. /TASS/. Russian troops are straightening the frontline near the Dvurechnaya bridgehead with the seizure of the settlement of Topoli in the Kharkov Region to create conditions for an offensive in the Kupyansk direction, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS on Monday.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported earlier on February 24 that Battlegroup West units had liberated the settlement of Topoli in the Kharkov Region.
“With the liberation of the settlement of Topoli, the situation at the administrative border of the Russian Federation will slightly improve. I would also like to note that we are straightening the front already far above the Dvurechnaya bridgehead and laying further basis for the advance of our troops and liberation operations,” the military expert explained.
Marochko told TASS on February 15 that Russian troops controlled about 20 km of the shoreline of the Dvurechnaya bridgehead. He further said that Russian troops were fighting for full control of the left bank of the Oskol River.
Posted by: Newbie | Feb 25 2025 9:07 utc | 336
So when it goes down the drain, it will be Europe, not the U.S., that goes right down with it.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer mob of racist-fascists.
Posted by: Andrew Sarchus | Feb 25 2025 9:07 utc | 340
It’s a bit cynical considering the US was the driving force behind the Ukraine war. It’s not like Germany blew up their own pipeline. That said, it’s pretty hard to feel any sympathy for the European cocksuckers, and that doesn’t feel great to say seeing as I am one of them… but the level of brainwashing here is simply through-the-roof. Most Swedes actually do think Putin is Hitler.
Posted by: Tichy | Feb 25 2025 9:28 utc | 337
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 25 2025 7:26 utc | 334
Castreau is trying to look tough to his domestic audience.
Otherwise meaningless.
Posted by: ChatNPC | Feb 25 2025 10:06 utc | 338
The point will be reached, that Trump and Putin are both aiming for, where the U.S. will disengage from Europe and Putin will be given the green light for missile strikes on European military targets with no U.S. retaliation.
Posted by: Andrew Sarchus | Feb 25 2025 10:29 utc | 339
Posted by: MiniMO | Feb 25 2025 3:28 utc | 318
“USA Today says reporter falsified major stories”
a) That was 20 years ago, thanks for the hot news
b) I wouldn’t click on that link of his
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Feb 25 2025 10:50 utc | 340
#344 The point will be reached, that Trump and Putin are both aiming for, where the U.S. will disengage from Europe and Putin will be given the green light for missile strikes on European military targets with no U.S. retaliation.
Those will be “pre-emptive strikes against NATO-Zionist-Nazi aggression”
Please get your terminology right!
Posted by: Noam A. Larkey | Feb 25 2025 11:17 utc | 341
england, europe and america are saying ther could be a truce in a couple of weeks.
Diplomatic speak for ukraine and europe surender, would be more honest and less likly to disapoint people later.
Bare in mind its the izzies pulling the strings of all these puppets.
We can see how their agreements go (massive understatement)
But i know how diplomacy works.
So let them talk the talk as long as they walk the walk.
Or else.
Posted by: Mark2 | Feb 25 2025 11:17 utc | 342
WTF I missed this one.
January and Z mentioned 980.000 AFU?!?!?
980k???
Unless He suddenly got his hands on over half a million fresh meat I’ll go for psy-op and fake troops.
Fake Brigades
What is seen on the ground are less and less AFU casualties and serious retreats without fighting, either there is something wrong or once again he got meat (and equipment for them) and is ready to go full lemming on some new front.
Milites? have you seen any news about recruitment drives beyond the contracts for sub-25? That wouldn’t make the cut but…
Posted by: Newbie | Feb 25 2025 11:23 utc | 343
And i’l point out the obveous, reports we here on the main media are a face saveing exeress for home public consumption, the great Vladimiri Putin will be aware of that and cut them some slack.
What a gentleman !
Its to his and Russias advantage.
Public perception manigment.
Posted by: Mark2 | Feb 25 2025 11:28 utc | 344
england, europe and america are saying ther could be a truce in a couple of weeks
Posted by: Mark2 | Feb 25 2025 11:17 utc | 347
That’s quite the optimistic estimate, isn’t there someone they forgot to ask?
In other news:
The Verkhovna Rada, on the second attempt, adopted a statement of support for Zelensky and against his resignation.
There are no meetings in Riyadh involving representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry today, the Ministry stated
Talks of a truce or even a ceasefire are rather premature.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov issued the words while on an official visit to Turkey, and warned that European countries are trying to sabotage Trump efforts at peace.
Via TASS
He he emphasized that Moscow stands ready and willing to negotiate with Ukraine, Europe or “any representatives who in good faith would like to help achieve peace.”
“But we will stop hostilities only when these negotiations produce a firm and sustainable result that suits the Russian Federation,” he said alongside his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan
Posted by: 5thcolumn | Feb 25 2025 11:31 utc | 345
Posted by: Mark2 | Feb 25 2025 11:28 utc | 349
Dear Lord.
Posted by: Tichy | Feb 25 2025 11:34 utc | 346
Seems like Russia will get everything it wants: (1) All the territory it conquered in the Donbass, (2) security guarantees concerning the future status of Ukraine, centered around the guarantee it never becomes a part of NATO, and (3) the lifting of all sanctions against Russia.
Trump seems prepared for accepting virtually everything listed above. Yet he must have something to sell his domestic audience as his negotiated achievement. Now, Putin cannot give up any part of his conquered territory, since that would mean leaving the population of these territories unprotected to Kiev’s revenge. He cannot make concessions in (2) either, since he has learnt that the Americans cannot be trusted for anything they promised – just think of the NATO east expansion as one example, and at the Minsk treaties as another. To the contrary, he must insist on the rest of Ukraine to become a Russian protectorate of sorts, where he has, at the very least, all the rights of on-site inspection and verification and intervention needed to protect Russia against a nuclear attack.
Trump has already publicly stated his intention to „un-unite“ Russia and China. He may therefore demand that Putin forfeit his close relations with China, Iran and North Korea. But, once again, these demands are completely unacceptable to the Russian side, as they amount to limiting Russian sovereignity, and also would be huge strategic mistakes.
So it seems like Trump will have to leave emptyhanded, which in turn is not acceptable for him. In yesterday’s Cross Talk, George Szamueli cautioned that Trump, unless being offered something meaningful in return, might turn around and take sides with Europe against Putin. The reason why I remember this detail, is my own MoA-post warning against exactly this scenario.
So what has Putin got to offer Trump? What comes to mind are (4) minerals and (5) Greenland. He may promise to look the other way once Trump starts putting his annexation plans into action. I‘ll take the Donbass, you‘ll take Greenland, so neither of us will step in the other’s way.
As to (4), I’ve learnt this morning from RT news that Putin offered Trump a cooperation exploiting Russia’s rare earth resources which are larger than Ukraine’s, and are hitherto untouched.
Posted by: grunzt | Feb 25 2025 11:39 utc | 347
191, Andrew:
That was the Siversk gain. Listed already. And included in the 14 kmsq.
If that front FINALLY takes off, we can discuss it then. I’ll wait until we start getting daily updates. Nothing today for instance.
Again, if it takes off, I will recognize it. And learn every village name and nuance. But, no, I won’t fall for the clickbait “about to take off” stuff, until it really does. We’ve heard that crap for years now. At this point, I only credit results and trends. Not “will take off”.
Posted by: Anonymous | Feb 25 2025 11:42 utc | 348
As to (4), I’ve learnt this morning from RT news that Putin offered Trump a cooperation exploiting Russia’s rare earth resources which are larger than Ukraine’s, and are hitherto untouched.
Posted by: grunzt | Feb 25 2025 11:39 utc | 352
this would rather be hilarious, seeing as how the eu with its constant “decolonizing russia” and “putting the redources of the newly balkanized russia under eu supervision” would yet again get nothing.
the eurotard fascists must be fuming.
get fooled by the us to start an unprovoked sanctions war against a nation that did nothing to them, egg them on with visions of grandeur about exploiting russias resources after they “definetly this time” win, have them invest all their money and stuff into a lost case…
and then the us simply goes and does business with russia, leaving the eu looking like the biggest cucks on planet earth.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Feb 25 2025 11:50 utc | 349
DS daily update:
https://deepstatemap.live/en#6/49.4324126/32.0581055
Overall: A very poor day for the RFA, with only 2.9 kmsq taken.
Specific gains S to N:
1. Two polygons N of Velyka Novasilka (on either side of Novoochertuvate). Shows continue progress after the fall of VN. However, the rate of advance seems much slower (look at the daily totals) than after the fall of Vuhledar. But yes, this is at least an active front.
2. Small area gain on the Dnipropokrovsk front, taking the one street hamlet of Zhaporizhzhia (yes, a different town from the main one with that name).
3. Small area loss on the Dniproppokrovsk front, losing a little of Uspenivka (yes, a different town from the main one with that name).
Posted by: Anonymous | Feb 25 2025 11:52 utc | 350
The Rada has apparently now, on the second try, voted for legitimizing eternal Zelensky presidency with 228 for and 0 against. I guess the EU had to spend another billion or two to ‘lubricate the deal’.
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 25 2025 11:54 utc | 351
Interesting – one wonders what the peoples of these regions think about this – if indeed they even know about it – which I myself doubt.
“When asked to comment on Trump’s claim of “major transactions” between Russia and the US, Putin told Russia 1 TV journalist Pavel Zarubin on Monday that discussions were indeed taking place.
“Yes, some of our companies are in contact with each other and are discussing such projects,” the Russian leader said. Putin added that Moscow is prepared to work with Washington in developing rare-earth mineral deposits, including those in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. At the same time, he noted that the rare-earth deal that the Trump administration is negotiating with Kiev “doesn’t concern” Moscow, as the actual value of Ukraine’s mineral deposits remains uncertain.”
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 25 2025 12:02 utc | 352
Because we’re at a key turning point, there is an unusual amount of lies, fake news, psy-ops, and bad reporting out there.
I’d echo what LoveDonbass said – Trump says a lot of things, 90% of them are complete BS. Don’t let yourself fall for it and get triggered.
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Feb 25 2025 12:36 utc | 353
Denazification and demilitarisation does not tally with boosting the militirised Nazi Zaluzhniy’s credentials to defeat Zelensky in an election.
We all know that 100 percent of VSU activity is dictated to by western planners, but at least on paper Zaluzhniy was in charge of it. Is it not appaling bad taste for the Russian President to talk in favourable terms about some Nazi oaf who , on paper, has been planning killing Russians for years?
Does that motivate the boys on the frontline?
The very simple thing Putin had to say in response to western bollocks is that just recently Kursk held gubernatorial elections as Ukiestan refuses engaging in any. Why not shout that from the rooftops? Its a great feat to have managed.
Facking hell, why is it left to the American vice president Vance to mention the stolen President vote in Romania but not Putin? Ukiestan is blustering about not voting due to the population currently abroad, yet here we have Eurocrats fistpumping the air because Moldovans living abroad gave the CIA puppet candidate Sandu victory as President she otherwise wouldn’t have had.
Kursk governor, Romania,Moldova. That’s all he has to mention. Words matter. But unfortunately his seemingly inept PA want him to rehash his Munich speech all the time. I’ve seen Stephen Miller , one of Trumps assistants , more often within the last week than I have of Putin’s Chief of Staff, Vaino, in his entirety in that position. Its not right.
The Romanian thing is like a gift from God.
At least try to convince non-Russians about the worthiness of your cause. Russia has many top notch technocrats in office and military officials but the Presidential Administration staff should do better
Posted by: Winston | Feb 25 2025 12:47 utc | 354
“There is great disorder under heaven: the situation is excellent”. (Mao)
Posted by: Don Firineach | Feb 25 2025 12:57 utc | 355
Starmer has just stated the following in the Houses of Parliament
‘Putin thought he would weaken Nato. He has achieved the exact opposite.’
Good to know.
He has pledged to increase military spending to 3.0% by the ne4xt parliament
Posted by: Night Tripper | Feb 25 2025 12:57 utc | 356
@ Republicofscotland | Feb 25 2025 12:02 utc | 357
To simplify, these statements say: “Lift sanctions if you want to talk business”. President Trump is a businessman and he is being talked to like a businessman.
Posted by: boneless | Feb 25 2025 13:00 utc | 357
Bottom line here is that the Ukrainian Fascist Police State headed, at least titularily, by Volo the First, is in a state of free fall, a development not covered by the MSM in the west…..
– Its free cash and ammo has been cut off from the US, in fact shipments from the US intrain have been halted on route.
– Negotiations between the US and RF continue today in SA without Ukrainian representatives present.
– Trump gave Macron no ground yesterday in meetings at the WH.
– Mass desertions of UAF army units continue on all fronts.
– UAF forces in Kursk are now cut off from their supply hubs and under constant FAB and drone attacks.
– The ground is still frozen, making RF advances even more likely.
– UAF AAD assets are fully expened, and no more Patriots are on the way.
– Many Kieve underlings are already “vactioning” abroad
– UK, French and Canadian governments are desperately offering “peacekeeping” troops, a sure sign the jig is up.
Ukraine is now well on its way, especially after the Tuesday negotiations in SA, to being a failed nation state.
The final kicker will be the surrender of all land east of the Dneiper, Odessa and all of the Black Sea ports, no NATO or EU membership ever, Volo’s exile, prompt national elections, and full demilitarization of the remainder of the Ukraine, with Poland, and Romania gaining territory…..its over Volo is just the last to know……..turn out the lights the party in over…….
Posted by: tobias cole | Feb 25 2025 13:05 utc | 358
So it seems like Trump will have to leave emptyhanded, which in turn is not acceptable for him. In yesterday’s Cross Talk, George Szamueli cautioned that Trump, unless being offered something meaningful in return, might turn around and take sides with Europe against Putin. The reason why I remember this detail, is my own MoA-post warning against exactly this scenario.
So what has Putin got to offer Trump? What comes to mind are (4) minerals and (5) Greenland. He may promise to look the other way once Trump starts putting his annexation plans into action. I‘ll take the Donbass, you‘ll take Greenland, so neither of us will step in the other’s way.
As to (4), I’ve learnt this morning from RT news that Putin offered Trump a cooperation exploiting Russia’s rare earth resources which are larger than Ukraine’s, and are hitherto untouched.
Posted by: grunzt | Feb 25 2025 11:39 utc | 352
Yes, the US needs extraction but mostly refining of rare earths to reduce dependence from china, that might do the trick.
And I still think syria was also part of the package. (and so might be iran)
Posted by: Newbie | Feb 25 2025 13:07 utc | 359
fyi
The “Collective West” Is Over. Russia Is Looking Ahead | Dr. Andrey Kortunov
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QST8pF5cVtA [55 mins today
Dr. Andrey Kortunov, the Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council. Last week, Dr. Kortunov published a short but highly interesting article about what he called “The Grand Bargain”. In the piece, Dr. Kortunov analyses the warming relations between Washington and Moscow and asks if the two Great Powers together will manage to rewrite history.
Posted by: Don Firineach | Feb 25 2025 13:08 utc | 360
Oh, and what is the harm in Putin mentioning that Kiev regime murdered one of its own negotiating team during the first talks after the SMO started?
Current western verbal diarrhoea is focused on the bollocks disinformation of “Ukraine must be at the negotiating table” but the Russian President is being negligent in not bringing this murder into current events. Again, lazy. Nobody else is going to bringup this topic if Putin doesn’t.
Kiev regime is evil, chaotic to the point of anarchy and untrustworthy
Posted by: Winston | Feb 25 2025 13:15 utc | 361
Posted by: Winston | Feb 25 2025 12:47 utc | 359
We all know that 100 percent of VSU activity is dictated to by western planners, but at least on paper Zaluzhniy was in charge of it. Is it not appaling bad taste for the Russian President to talk in favourable terms about some Nazi oaf who , on paper, has been planning killing Russians for years?
The Russians have known for centuries that there were Russophobes in Europe.
WW2 has been framed as German nazi’s vs the Soviets but it was really a European crusade against “jewish bolshivism” and Slavs were considered as subhuman. The Russians know this.
They know that the Waffen SS were volunteers from every country in Europe who were on a crusade to cleanse Europe of subhuman Slavs, Jews and others.
They know that the Ukrainians and Poles were among the most cruel and bloodthirsty participants in this crusade.
They know that Americans protected and arranged the escape of Nazi war criminals to the Americas.
Europeans themselves knew who the fascists among them and protected them.
The Russians know that NOTHING has changed in Europe in the 80 years since WW2. They know people like Valerii Zaluzhny exist and in some cases lead countries.
So why would they give two fucks as to who leads Ukraine? They know it’s going to be a nazi just like Zaluzhny … at least in Valerii Zaluzhnyi it’s the devil they know.
If they want to rid the world of people like Zaluzhnyi they’re going to have to ethnically cleansed from the entire continent … how many Russian lives will that cost?
Once Europe is cleansed they still have the USA and Canada to deal with.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 13:21 utc | 362
Anonymous // 355
Why is 2.9 kmsq “a very poor day for the RFA”?
Posted by: Nobody Special | Feb 25 2025 13:35 utc | 363
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 13:21 utc | 367
well said!
unfortunately, this wont end as long as “europe” can abuse nations bordering russia as a proxy. and thats ultimately what nato expansion is all about.
just look at what nato is doing in serbia and bosnia. chip away more and more land where serbs live. those unwanted “slavic subhumans” are slowly but surely beeing herded into an ever smaller area, until at some point in the future another gaza will be made, under some flimsy pretense.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Feb 25 2025 13:38 utc | 364
“@psychohistorian | Tue, 25 Feb 2025 06:30:00 GMT | 328
The resolution received 10 votes in favor, none against, and five abstentions including France, Britain, Denmark, Greece and Slovenia
France and the UK didn’t use their vetoes. They won’t challenge the US, and will likely kowtow now. Europe’s not helping Ukraine. The war is effectively over at this point. All that’s left is dividing up Ukraine.”
Posted by: James M. | Feb 25 2025 7:17 utc | 332
Best paragraph I have read today.
Thanks.
“As Trump stumbled over what he could remember and was trying to say, his staff published a tweet on the Truth Social platform, repeating Trump’s idee fixe on rare earth minerals and insulting Canada’s Prime Minister once again…””
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 25 2025 7:23 utc | 333
Justin Trudeau deserves all the insults that Trump, or any other person for that matter, delivers to the Woke tyrant.
unimperator@356……the Rada voted to reinstate Tiny Dancers powers? If correct, I’m looking forward to seeing how well he does sitting across the negotiation table from Lavrov and Putin….maybe they’ll be the ones retiring to Tel Aviv. Would serve them right…..
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Feb 25 2025 14:02 utc | 367
canuck | Feb 25 2025 13:59 utc | 371
“Justin Trudeau deserves all the insults that Trump, or any other person for that matter, delivers to the Woke tyrant.”
Has Trump cracked any jokes yet about Justine’s alleged real father, Castro? The way Trump’s been going it wouldn’t surprise me, and sure would be funny.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Feb 25 2025 14:24 utc | 368
Posted by: Nobody Special | Feb 25 2025 13:35 utc | 368
Looking at purely square kilometers changing hands is about 2% of the total issue.
The real factor are fortifications, garrison level, available FPV support, artillery support, supplies available for either side (defending usually requires less ‘stuff’), recon of assets, available forces and committed forces, terrain (heavy forest/light forest/swamp/clear), plans, deployments etc. These heavily affect the amount of square kilometers changing hands. These issues have effect who wins.
In fact, it’s not even that simple. The lines drawn on the map can be unclear, grey and very abstractive.
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 25 2025 14:31 utc | 369
Posted by: Newbie | Feb 25 2025 13:07 utc | 364
##########
Putin cannot trade Iran.
The Islamic Republic is essential to BRICS and China.
I’m trying to not be insulting but how do people come up with stuff like this?
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 14:32 utc | 370
unfortunately, this wont end as long as “europe” can abuse nations bordering russia as a proxy.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Feb 25 2025 13:38 utc | 369
And THAT is what’s important not childish shit like revenge or the ideology of EU leaders. Russian security is what this is all about not taking ground or having a Russian controlled Ukraine. Every leader in the EU can have Putin’s face on a dart board as long as they keep their hate on their side of the line.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 14:35 utc | 371
Why is 2.9 kmsq “a very poor day for the RFA”?
Posted by: Nobody Special | Feb 25 2025 13:35 utc | 368
Did they happen to mention how many Ukrainians were killed, surrendered or just ran away … that’s what’s important. The Russians perfer to walk into Ukraine territory not storm their way in. They’d rather kill Ukrainians from a safe distance rather than face to face.
Does this make sense to you?
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 14:38 utc | 372
Justin Trudeau is a full blown creation of the Georgiev Soros Open Society and WEF School of Neo Fascism. He is a grad of their “leadership” school too.
What do you expect from the son of Fidel Castro anyway?
He proved his stripes when he repressed the truckers nationwide anti vacs strike by jailing all the leaders on fake charges of being enemies of the state (sounds just like Cuba), and then bankrupted them by blocking all their bank accounts.
His handy dandy assistant in this fascistic pusch was none other than Krista Freeland, who has genuine connections to the 14th SS Ukrainian division and Banderites in Kieve, she is the Canadian Fascist Warrior Princess, kind of like Vicky Nuland, only smaller and more compact……….but more concerning is that she is one of the leading candidates to succeed Justin as Liberal Party generalissimo…………always deep state intrigue………..
Any nick name DJT can hang on Justin is much appreciated by oppressed Canadians……..believe me !
Posted by: tobias cole | Feb 25 2025 14:44 utc | 373
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 14:35 utc | 376
#########
Indeed with the 4th Industrial revolution emerging in the East.
The West will become less and less consequential.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 14:45 utc | 374
When the Ukrainian Fascist NATO/EU statelet collapses in a few weeks or days and is effectively neutralized, do not expect NATO and the EU to just slink away……….
NATO and the EU will soon enough turn their evil attentions toward Serbia next, including and specifically the Serbs living in Bosnia (now semi independent) and the Serb North belt in Kosovo.
They will be testing the resolve of VV by using some black flag incident in Sarajevo to gin up an excuse to take military action against Milo and the Bosnia Serb Republic, just as they did in 1995 with their black flag arty attack on Bosnian capital.
Remember it was the Croatan fascists and NATO who staged the attack on the Serb Republic of Krajina 1995, an attack that resulted in 250,000 Serb refugees and the death of thousands of ethnic Serbs, and the seizure of their homes, farms and villages (including those of my grandparents), pure ethnic cleansing, authorized by Bill Clinton and Madeline Albright.
Remember too the 1999 carefully co-ordinated false western MSM reports of the legit Serb counterinsurgency actions against KLA jihadii forces in Kosovo, that “triggered” 75 days of NATO air attacks on Serbia, and the eventual severence of the Serb home province of Kosovo from the rest of the nation. It would be equivalent of the severing Virginia from the US Republic…….
No NATO is not done with its evil neo con plans……not by a long shot…..
Posted by: tobias cole | Feb 25 2025 15:00 utc | 375
Putin cannot trade Iran.
The Islamic Republic is essential to BRICS and China.
I’m trying to not be insulting but how do people come up with stuff like this?
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 14:32 utc | 375
If china loses Iran it becomes more dependent on Russian oil.
In a way we have seen, IMHO, a reduction in RF commitment to Iran, the agreement fell short of expectations and letting go of Syria’s radars reduces part of the cover that RF could give. RF is still slow in delivering the su-35 and dangling the su-57 sounds too much of a tease that can be withheld at will.
Iran as never been a true ally, convenient, yes, but existential? Hardly. Particularly as two things have coalesced, on the one side the trump administration seems to be ME focused , on the other hand Iran seems to be wavering since the former president died.
If Iran decides to do an Assad RF cannot stop them but can profit from it. Not trying to be offensive to RF/putin’s position, just laying it out as I see it.
MOA is where we share our analysis/opinion. We two often agree, but sometimes we might disagree .
Posted by: Newbie | Feb 25 2025 15:06 utc | 376
Why are European female leaders so crazy? Did they not get enough attention from men?
Maybe we should ship them some marital aids. Dildos for peace?
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Feb 25 2025 15:09 utc | 377
Marat Khairullin
The great breakthrough is coming soon
Large frontline summary 18-24 February 2025
The most important thing to know about the situation at the front today is that our army doesn’t give a damn about Ukrainian fossils or even Trump himself, all of Europe and Musk to boot. The fighting continues as if there is no peace process. And not just continues, but accelerates. But this is the natural course of events – the Ukrainians are running out.
The military actions are going according to plan, according to which the second half of April should be dry, which means our troops will go on that very Big Offensive that everyone is talking about. Now preparatory work is underway – the Russian army is taking up initial positions for a decisive strike.
There are a few important points to be aware of in order to assess the likelihood of this important event.
The first is political. And, oddly enough, from the sphere of specifically American politics. In the very first week of Trump’s rule, his administration found out that Biden had depleted the US arsenals to critical levels. Moreover, in a number of cases, “personal idiots of the walking Alzheimer” began to disarm active US units in order to send weapons to the equally stupid Ukrainians.
It was assumed that huge investments in the defense sector would compensate for this gap. According to preliminary estimates, they wanted to direct at least $ 130 billion to the creation of new production. But in the end, nothing was created – the money was either stolen, or they could not spend it.
In other words, the US now simply has nothing to help the Ukrainians with – their support should dry up by summer anyway. This is what lies behind Trump’s active desire for peace – the Hegemon itself “was left without pants.” Therefore, it is urgent to put on a good face while playing badly. Like in that joke: they know that we know that they know.
Just think about it: last week our troops remotely destroyed 42 ammunition depots. 16 very large ones – at least five thousand tons of ammunition in each.
On average, per month, according to annual statistics, our troops destroy about 120 Ukrop depots – hundreds of thousands of tons.
Starting in 2023, NATO tried to maintain just one million tons of howitzer shells (Soviet and NATO calibers) per month. Now less than a quarter of this amount is being produced. Moreover, these are M483 series shells with a range of 15-17 km. Which has already affected the Ukrop losses.
Thus, our troops destroy more ammunition per month in depots alone than all of NATO is capable of producing.
The second equally important point. After the capture of Toretsk and Chasov Yar, movement began in the Seversky direction. Our advance in Belogorovka, the main fortress of the Ukrainian Armed Forces here, launches the unblocking of the Serebryansky forestry.If we look at the situation as a whole, then huge pincers are beginning to form – on the northern flank in the Severskaya-Liman area. And on the southern flank in the Velikaya Novoselovka area in the direction of Pokrovskoe. The enemy has less and less forces to resist the pressure. That is, the contours of the impending catastrophe of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are already clearly visible.
https://maratkhairullin.substack.com/p/brief-summary-from-the-front-on-february-473
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 25 2025 15:18 utc | 378
As someone who had a misspent youth in a tough neighborhood I can tell you that women are the cause of most fights and the LOVE it. IMHO women are at least as violent as men however they seldom do the fighting themselves.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 15:29 utc | 379
Of course anything can happen, but in the last month or so it feels like the world has taken two steps back from the brink of thermonuclear annihilation. Pray/hope the trend continues.
Posted by: UBAH | Feb 25 2025 15:34 utc | 380
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 13:21 utc | 367
I have one more point to mention about Zaluzhny and president of Ukraine. He’s a soldier who knows first hand the horrors of war. All other things being equal I’d rather have a Nazi who understands the consequences of going to war against Russia as opposed to a civilian whose never smelled his comrades rotting in a field.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 15:37 utc | 381
Posted by: Newbie | Feb 25 2025 15:06 utc | 381
###########
If you think Russia will sabotage China to sell some oil, you do not understand the Russia/China relationship at all.
Iran is not existential but with the instability in Syria it has become essential. The President of Iran wields little power when it comes to foreign relations or military matters. The Ayatollah runs those shows.
This weird perspective that Russia has to deal with Trump from a position of weakness is tres bizarre.
Russia and China are winning and dominating in their areas of expertise. They just aren’t arrogant or flashy about it.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 15:39 utc | 382
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 15:29 utc | 384
######
Related link re: women and fights
https://x.com/WorldDarkWeb2/status/1894118425292591451
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 15:42 utc | 383
#344 The point will be reached, that Trump and Putin are both aiming for, where the U.S. will disengage from Europe and Putin will be given the green light for missile strikes on European military targets with no U.S. retaliation.
“Those will be “pre-emptive strikes against NATO-Zionist-Nazi aggression”
Please get your terminology right!”
Posted by: Noam A. Larkey | Feb 25 2025 11:17 utc | 346
It doesn’t matter what you call it.
A couple of thousand oreshniks overnight and Europe no longer has an arms industry.
And the US saying to them “you made your bed you lie in it.”
Posted by: Andrew Sarchus | Feb 25 2025 15:43 utc | 384
The AFU reportedly has little or nothing left to deploy in Velika Novosilka direction. This front collapsing will also accelerate the process in which Pokrovsk becomes ultimately even more isolated and harder to supply.
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 25 2025 15:43 utc | 385
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 15:37 utc | 386
##########
Russia is unlikely to accept Zaluzhny, he is a creature of the UK.
Nazi or not, he’s unable to lead a neutral Ukraine.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 15:45 utc | 386
Why are European female leaders so crazy? Did they not get enough attention from men?
Maybe we should ship them some marital aids. Dildos for peace?
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Feb 25 2025 15:09 utc | 382
Ursulla has seven kids : it’s not about hormonal balance.
The problem with “representative” politicians is they’re rarely draw from the finest of our kind, it lead to a very particular social mix ; inheritors, idles bourgeois and control freaks. Sometimes the 3in1.
Add a rule of 50/50 male/female parity in some party systems structurally lacking of women and voila ! how a bunch of psychos are now ruling a continent.
Posted by: Savonarole | Feb 25 2025 15:45 utc | 387
368, Nobody Special:
At that pace, it would take the RFA over 30 years to acquire just the fraction of claimed oblasts, which they don’t have yet.
Posted by: Anonymous | Feb 25 2025 15:54 utc | 388
juliania | Feb 25 2025 2:41 utc | 314–
Thanks for your reply. Yes, there’s always more happening than we get to see, so we get to try and infer it somehow.
LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 2:57 utc | 315–
Yes, those are precisely the carrots Putin has cast in front of Trump’s face. However, the current very major point at issue is the restoration of trust as I’ve noted and is echoed by Peskov today reported by TASS:
Russia and the US have a long way to go to restore trust after all the difficulties of the past few years, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated.
When asked whether Russian leader Vladimir Putin trusted the Americans when he offered them cooperation on rare-earth elements, Peskov said: “We trust ourselves. In order to say if we trust the Americans or not, we need to go a long way.”
“We’ll have to develop measures to restore and strengthen mutual trust. We’ll have to take numerous small steps towards each other, which will help create and restore the atmosphere of trust. Much damage was done in the past four years and much was destroyed. It’s impossible to rebuild it all in an instant. We have a lot to do,” the Russian presidential spokesman pointed out. [My Emphasis]
I’m merely echoing what Lavrov’s been saying since the phone call. And now we have Trump saying May 9 may be too soon to visit, TASS picked up a report by Reuters:
US President Donald Trump said May 9 might be too soon for his visit to Moscow, Reuters reported.
He said he would be willing to travel to Russia at an “appropriate time,” according to the rep.
The many small steps means negotiations over Ukraine won’t begin until April at the earliest, and they won’t procede very quickly, IMO. The initial anticipation was a peace pact would be completed by May 9 that Trump would come to Moscow to sign.
I’ve yet to find any comment related to Macron’s visit and presser with Trump in English language Russian media, but I’m sure something will eventually be said.
Don Firineach | Feb 25 2025 13:08 utc | 365–
History won’t be “rewritten,” but the future is a blank slate that waits composition.
At that pace, it would take the RFA over 30 years to acquire just the fraction of claimed oblasts, which they don’t have yet.
Posted by: Anonymous | Feb 25 2025 15:54 utc | 393
You mean at pace an UKRAINIAN is painting squares on a ukraine run map, who is also known for falsifying ukraine gains and postpone russian gains for weeks? I get it, it is hard to get ammo as a cipso troll and Putin hater, but at least use a non ukronazi sources to push your agenda.
Posted by: 5thcolumn | Feb 25 2025 16:13 utc | 391
We still have our banderite map fetishist, bored and vargas lurking somewhere. Where are the rest? There has been too much genuine and informed discussion lately. So unusual.
Posted by: boneless | Feb 25 2025 16:19 utc | 392
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 15:45 utc | 391
I believe it’s wishful thinking on Russia’s part to expect a neutral Ukraine. Of all their objectives this would be the easiest to bargain away. Since 1918 they’ve tried violence numerous times, social engineering and even gifting them land complete with an industrial economy and they Russians are still hated.
I had Polish friends that I invited over for a pizza party. I had red stars on the sides of my wood fired pizza oven aptly named “The Boiling Hell” because it reminded me of one of those Soviet armoured trains from the civil war. They took one look at than and left … I never said a word about Russia … it offended them and never talked to me again.
I think they’re going to have to drop another iron curtain on Europe and turn east. If Europe come to their senses and want a trading relationship with Russia the Europeans are going to have to come knocking but if they don’t fuck’em. I don’t see Ukrainians accepting a Russian tolerant leader and it’s better to have a blatent Nazi complete with face tats as opposed to a clean cut nazi who pretends to be a gentleman.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Feb 25 2025 16:25 utc | 393
a while ago someone asked why russia has not invested in ai to become a world leader as china, or something along those lines.
well, russia successfully upgraded their hypersonic washinmashine ai to become sentient, as they now have war-donkeys on the field. no electronics required, no need for hefty computing power.
ослик-AI, beating nato with ass!
Posted by: Justpassinby | Feb 25 2025 16:27 utc | 394
If you think Russia will sabotage China to sell some oil, you do not understand the Russia/China relationship at all.
Russia and China are winning and dominating in their areas of expertise. They just aren’t arrogant or flashy about it.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 25 2025 15:39 utc | 387
I didn’t mention sabotage, the relationship holds best if there are needs from both sides, no senior or junior partner, equals and co-dependent.
BTW , just found this that goes in the sense of what I was saying “But let’s put it into prospective here–SMO and Russia’s victory over the combined West produced tectonic effects on Chinese plans which few could foresee in Beijing in 2021. It is a strain. This strain is not going to break close Russian-Chinese ties, but it surely changed the dyadic dynamics, and China now has to contend or resign herself to the fact that Russia reemerged as the premier global military superpower–a fact which many (not all, though, I stress it) in Beijing have been somewhat uncomfortable with and loved the idea of Russia being “a junior partner”–a cliche developed primarily in the West. So, China simply abstained, which, however, contrasts dramatically and historically with the US voting AGAINST anti-Russian Resolution. You gotta love this, LOL. Pop-corn time. ”
And yes neither flashy nor need to show off when wining and no problems on giving some shinny wins for the west to lose but save face.
(and iran is something that RF would rather not lose, it keeps the target on that region elsewhere and it’s currently critical for oil to india. And even if the ayatollahs still hold sway there are some worrying signs)
But maybe I was a bit to critical, apparently the ayatollahs and the republican guard are back on the driver’s seat on diplomacy (fresh news)
Getting back to ukraine, this thread, even the NYeT is changing tunes”If American support dries up, Kyiv could hold out on the battlefield as long as it can — which could be only a few months — hoping Mr. Trump acknowledges that peace talks cannot proceed without its involvement.”
Posted by: Newbie | Feb 25 2025 16:27 utc | 395
karlof1 | Feb 25 2025 16:11 utc | 395
The future is open.
Andrey Kortunov is very cautious – little steps on the way to more productive outcomes …
Posted by: Don Firineach | Feb 25 2025 16:29 utc | 396
Lavrov in his remarks after his meeting with Iran’s FM Araghchi said the following about yesterday’s UNSC Resolution:
“I would like to state that yesterday’s events at the UN General Assembly and Security Council showed one important thing. The understanding that there is no alternative to the approach aimed at eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, albeit slowly, is “making its way”. We will strengthen this trend in every possible way.”
There appears to be some misinformation about Russia-Iran relations mentioned up-thread. Here’s what Lavrov said today:
On February 17-18, a meeting of the Third Caspian Economic Forum was held in Tehran. It was a success. We congratulate our Iranian friends on this event.
We hope that in the coming months the dates for the meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation will be determined. Contacts continue in a multilateral format, primarily in the context of Iran obtaining observer status at the EAEU. In the near future, we expect the intergovernmental Free Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and its member states, on the one hand, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the other, to come into force. This will push up trade with our Iranian neighbours throughout our space. Despite the illegal sanctions restrictions, which everyone is well aware of, our trade is showing positive dynamics. In 2024, trade increased by more than 13%. There is every reason to believe that this trend will continue.
We expressed satisfaction with the fact that the Iranians are taking all the necessary steps before the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway line begins. We hope that it will begin in the very near future. For this purpose, a Russian export loan will be provided. The Rasht-Astara section will make it possible to take a very important step, since it is part of the stage necessary for the full launch of the North-South international transport corridor.
Relations appear to be humming with Iran becoming further integrated into the Eurasian economic sphere which will be Win-Win for all involved. There was no press Q&A today. The remainder of Lavrov’s report was positive and mentioned today’s launch of Syria’s critical All-Syrian National Congress, saying:
“Not everything is simple there. There are still contradictions, including those that sometimes result in clashes. We will do everything we can to calm down the situation and not create threats to the Syrian people (their fate is extremely important for us) or to the peoples of neighbouring states.”
@400
Russia has not been the premier military super power, ever.
Rope a roping the PNAC neocon Atlanticist axis in Dneipro is an operation of local consequence, no reason to proclaim it as a domino reversion.
Type less
Posted by: paddy | Feb 25 2025 16:34 utc | 398
It looks like if you kill 100k Russians putin will reward you, this is such a weird timeline.
Posted by: blackwind | Feb 25 2025 16:40 utc | 399
Don Firineach | Feb 25 2025 16:29 utc | 401–
Thanks for your reply. I see the original title of his essay is “An agreement or a reasonable compromise,” and since RT has taken to rewriting many op/eds there’re likely other glaring differences between the original and RT’s version. Given the original’s content, I don’t see where RT’s retooled title has any justification as it’s not history that’s to be rewritten but the future that’s undetermined except by those shaping it.