News & views related to the war in Ukraine …
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March 20, 2025
Ukraine Open Thread 2025-057
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Great front report by Marat Khairullin:
https://maratkhairullin.substack.com/
“Russia’s Plan for 2025”.
He believes that in the southern front (Zaporozhye) the main outcome will be the encirclement of Dnepropetrovsk by destruction of all bridges across the Dnieper. In the other fronts, it seems Konstantinovka, Seversk and Kramatorsk are on the menu. Russia has to grind ukrop defenses in Chasov Yar, Toretsk, and Pokrovsk in order to digest the remaining few large cities of the Donbass.
Posted by: Johan Kaspar | Mar 20 2025 12:10 utc | 1
Latest Tass update https://tass.com/politics/1931399
Russian forces strike military train with Ukrainian ammo, armament over past day
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 240 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed five enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported
© Russian Defence Ministry/TASS
MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. Russian forces struck a military train with ammunition and armament for the Ukrainian army over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.
“Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck military airfield infrastructure facilities, control posts and storage sites of unmanned aerial vehicles, a military train with ammunition and armament of the Ukrainian army, military hardware and materiel warehouses and massed enemy manpower and equipment in 153 areas,” the ministry said in a statement.
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts 150 casualties on Ukrainian army in Belgorod area
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted roughly 150 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed four enemy tanks in its area of responsibility in the Belgorod direction over the past day, the ministry reported.
“In the Belgorod direction, Battlegroup North units inflicted losses on formations of two mechanized brigades and two assault regiments of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Malaya Rybitsa, Ugroyedy and Stepok in the Sumy Region,” the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 150 personnel, four tanks, 19 armored combat vehicles, including four infantry fighting vehicles, 12 motor vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher and two artillery guns in that frontline area over the last 24 hours, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 240 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 240 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed five enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Battlegroup West units improved their tactical position and inflicted losses among manpower and equipment of three mechanized brigades, an assault brigade of the Ukrainian army, a territorial defense brigade and a National Guard brigade in areas near the settlements of Tishchenkovka, Kondrashovka, Kupyansk, Novosergeyevka and Katerinovka in the Kharkov Region,” the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 240 personnel, six motor vehicles and five field artillery guns in that frontline area over the last 24 hours, it specified.
“An electronic warfare station and two ammunition depots were destroyed,” the ministry said.
Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts 180 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day
Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 180 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two US-made armored personnel carriers in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Battlegroup South units gained better lines and positions and inflicted losses on formations of five mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian army, two territorial defense brigades and three National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Seversk, Dronovka, Slavyansk, Chasov Yar, Konstantinovka, Ivanopolye and Shcherbinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 180 personnel, three armored combat vehicles, including two US-made M113 armored personnel carriers, three motor vehicles, a British-made 155mm FH70 howitzer and an ammunition depot in that frontline area over the last 24 hours, it specified.
Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts over 495 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted more than 495 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored fighting vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Battlegroup Center units improved their frontline positions and inflicted losses on formations of a mechanized brigade, a jaeger brigade, an assault brigade, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and two National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Sukhaya Balka, Ulyanovka, Dimitrov, Krasnoarmeisk, Zverevo, Sribnoye and Alekseyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 495 personnel, three armored combat vehicles, including two US-made MaxxPro armored vehicles, two pickup trucks and three field artillery guns in that frontline area over the last 24 hours, it specified.
Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts 165 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted roughly 165 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed four enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Battlegroup East units kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and inflicted losses on formations of three mechanized brigades, a jaeger brigade and an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Bogatyr, Fyodorovka, Vesyoloye and Voskresenka in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 165 personnel, an armored combat vehicle, two motor vehicles and four field artillery guns, among them a Swedish-made 155mm Archer self-propelled artillery system in that frontline area over the last 24 hours, it specified.
Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr destroys 90 Ukrainian troops in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr destroyed roughly 90 Ukrainian troops and three enemy jamming stations in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Battlegroup Dnepr units improved their tactical position and inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of a mountain assault brigade, four coastal defense brigades of the Ukrainian army and two territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Malaya Tokmachka and Lobkovoye in the Zaporozhye Region, Tokarevka, Nikolskoye and Antonovka in the Kherson Region,” the ministry said.
“As many as 90 personnel, eight motor vehicles, three field artillery guns, among them two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers and three electronic warfare stations were destroyed,” it said.
Russian air defenses down 225 Ukrainian UAVs, five JDAM smart bombs over past day
Russian air defense forces shot down 225 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and five JDAM smart bombs over the past day, the ministry reported.
“Air defense systems shot down five JDAM guided aerial bombs and a rocket of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system of US manufacture and 225 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles,” the ministry said.
Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 658 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 47,578 unmanned aerial vehicles, 601 surface-to-air missile systems, 22,374 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,530 multiple rocket launchers, 22,752 field artillery guns and mortars and 33,083 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.
Posted by: Newbie | Mar 20 2025 12:15 utc | 2
Reading elsewhere that if Ukraine agree to surrender the 4 oblasts (unlikely under Zelensky) then Russia will not press for Odessa.
Re Johan’s post, Toretsk, Pokrovsk and Chasov Yar have certainly been ferociously defended.
https://www.flightradar24.com/CFC2992/398bbf31
RCAF transport from Tampere in Finland to Rzeszow.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Mar 20 2025 12:23 utc | 3
https://en.topcor.ru/57753-oligarhi-ukrainy-zhelajut-smestit-zelenskogo-i-pytajutsja-naladit-svjaz-s-moskvoj.html
Anybody believe this? If so, where have the oligarchs been for 3 years?
Posted by: Eighthman | Mar 20 2025 12:27 utc | 4
As Europe Rearms, Canada Has What It Needs…
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-allies-europe-trump-1.7486978
‘Canada is an energy and natural resources superpower in need of a new key ally’
“NATO members are increasingly meeting without the United States to discuss the defence of Ukraine and the larger security of Europe.
The role Canada would play in such an alliance is starting to take shape…”
evan.dyer@cbc.ca
Posted by: John Gilberts | Mar 20 2025 12:42 utc | 5
Reading elsewhere that if Ukraine agree to surrender the 4 oblasts (unlikely under Zelensky) then Russia will not press for Odessa.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Mar 20 2025 12:23 utc | 3
##########
Wherever you are reading that, it is false.
The Russians do not negotiate publicly and those Oblasts are Russia.
Odessa I believe will be Russian because Zelensky and Trump are pushing them to achieve a maximalist victory.
They cannot allow NATO/Banderastan control over the Black Sea.
How they take Odessa and when remains to be seen.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 20 2025 12:56 utc | 6
Zelensky has arrived in Brussels, ready to debrief the EU on his phone call w/ DJT, and he is already hugging the gang, including Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre (as seen in a photo in The Guardian.)
No big decisions are expected from this summit, which is supposed to focus on defense and the economy but leaders are predicted to insist that the bloc “buy European” when it comes to Ukraine’s defense. Talks are expected to last into the night.
A draft text coming out of the summit, seen by the Guardian, has EU leaders calling on Russia “to show real political will to end the war.” Hungary has opted not to sign the document.
A plan from the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to send immediate military aid to Ukraine appears to have been downgraded. Rather than the initial idea to send tens of billions to Ukraine, member states are being asked to provide ammunition, catch as catch can.
Good luck finding that ammo, right Czechia-?
The Kallas plan was an attempt to get relative under-spenders, France, Italy and Spain, to give more to Ukraine–but that died on the vine. Her messaging overall since becoming the bloc’s foreign policy chief has been tone-deaf of the bloc’s policies. One wonders if she’ll be a quick enough study to remain in her current role.
Member states like the Netherlands and some Baltic countries, want to see a €40bn EU pledge of military aid for Ukraine for 2025. But that idea also seems to have fizzled. France, Italy and others oppose a bloc-wide one-size-fits-all EU funding plan, saying bilateral aid can meet Kiev’s needs.
Ahead of his debriefing w/ his EU peeps, Zelensky posted on social media:
“Russian strikes on Ukraine do not stop, despite their propaganda claims. Every day and every night, nearly a hundred or more drones are launched, along with ongoing missile attacks. With each such launch, the Russians expose to the world their true attitude towards peace.” he focused some of his remarks on Russia’s “propaganda.”
<<
Speaking of *propaganda*--The Guardian reports that since the SMO commenced, “the Russian armed forces have likely sustained approximately 900,000 casualties (killed and wounded),” assessing it as “likely” that “200,000 – 250,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, Russia’s largest losses since the second world war.”
Then The Guardian provides this analysis of the propagandized Russian KIA numbers stated above:
“Russian President Putin and the Russian military leadership highly likely prioritize their conflict objectives over the lives of Russian soldiers. They are almost certainly prepared to tolerate continuously high casualty rates."
Without evidence, The Guardian states that "Putin and the Russian leadership highly likely place significantly less value on the lives of ethnic minority Russian citizens from impoverished regions."
Gotta twist that shiv, right, The Guardian-?
Meanwhile, EU parliament president Roberta Metsola, in her presser, warned that “we have no time to waste on Ukraine." She called for “a real and lasting peace” guaranteeing sovereignty of Ukraine.
Like France and the UK, Metsola urges that the next negotiating steps in Project Ukraine happen *swiftly.* Certainly the UK and France are trying to give the bilateral negotiations between the U.S. and Russia the bum's rush, as it were--in a desire for all intents & purposes to say Here's-your-hat-what's-your-hurry. The more France and the UK can *goose* the process along, the quicker they can get to stationing their Reassurance Forces.
Sidelined from the bilaterals, not invited to Saudi, they're sitting on the bench, furtively looking around, trying to be relevant, hoping that the coach will put them in.
Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 20 2025 13:09 utc | 7
…where have the oligarchs been for 3 years?
Posted by: Eighthman | Mar 20 2025 12:27 utc | 4
The prospect that America will grab everything for nothing appeared only now. That is why they are worried now like never before.
Posted by: Rutte | Mar 20 2025 13:13 utc | 8
Anybody believe this? If so, where have the oligarchs been for 3 years?
Posted by: Eighthman | Mar 20 2025 12:27 utc | 4
The extent to which Europe anticipates rearming suggests outside forces at work because it doesn’t serve their interests. Or if internal, financial interests that want more government spending.
Consider nuclear doctrine. A common idea that is believed to be correct here is that it would be unwise to attempt to take over by military force a nuclear armed country because of the very high risk that they would use their nukes. Russia has it as a matter of doctrine. Given that for Russia that it is a sensible idea, a reasonably restrained use of nukes as a military threat, and a matter of explicit doctrine; it would seem to be a wise, restrained and highly believable nuclear threat. If the Europeans really and truly think that the Russian threat is that a million man army will be on their border ready to invade, then they should adapt the nuclear doctrine already in place in Russia. After all both France and England have nukes. To avoid upsetting Russia restrain the development to battlefield nukes. That would be a more effective deterrent than attempting to put together their version of a million man army, and as a side benefit, less expensive. No big budget busters needed.
Posted by: Jmaas | Mar 20 2025 13:14 utc | 9
Marat Khairullin just published an interesting overview of the frontline, how it should move in 2025, from his perspective.
https://maratkhairullin.substack.com/p/russias-plan-for-2025
Posted by: Richard L | Mar 20 2025 13:25 utc | 10
UPDATE. The ceasefire is exploding. Like with really BIG kabooooms.
Engels Airbase Russia
UKRAINE has struck a key Russian airbase housing nuke bombers with footage showing a huge explosion rising into the sky.
A black mushroom cloud erupted early Thursday morning from Engels airbase after Kyiv bombed it in a drone attack.
§|~ The Sun
6.09M subscribers
Huge Ukrainian drone strike turns Russian oil depot into raging inferno
20 Mar 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQqaVLgePdM
20 March
The Times and Sunday Times
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8cebUiT6iE
Ukraine struck Russia’s Engels strategic bomber base on Thursday with drones, triggering a major blast and fire about 700 km (435 miles) from the front lines of the war, Russian officials and media reported.
Video on Russian Telegram channels showed a major blast spreading out from the airfield, wrecking nearby cottages. Russia’s defense ministry said air defenses had shot down 132 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions.
The video was verified by Reuters based on the position and shape of buildings showed a plume of smoke rising above damaged cottages. The location of the video was verified from the position and shape of buildings and trees which matched satellite imagery. The smoke cloud also comes from the direction of air base.
The base in Engels, which dates back to early Soviet times, hosts Russia’s Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy strategic bombers, known unofficially as White Swans.
Roman Busargin, the governor of Saratov, said there had been a Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Engels that had left an airfield on fire, and that nearby residents had been evacuated. He did not specifically mention the Engels base, but it is the main airfield in the area.
Posted by: Melaleuca | Mar 20 2025 13:40 utc | 11
FRANCE 24 English with 3.26M subscribers
Ukrainian rail infrastructure damaged by Russian shelling •
Russia launched intensive attacks on the central Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskyi overnight into Thursday.
The city, “which has never seen this intensity of attack in the three years since the full-scale invasion”, was targeted by “around 30 Shahed drones”, with working air defences causing falling debris that damaged civilian buildings. FRANCE 24’s Catherine Norris Trent has more.[reporting on location] Kropyvnytskyi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-InwqWhdN8
Posted by: Melaleuca | Mar 20 2025 13:42 utc | 12
Interesting piece of data from Marat Khairulling. Ukraine lost 1/3 of its Nato provided air defense equipment in the first four days of the Kursk invasion.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 13:47 utc | 13
Reading elsewhere that if Ukraine agree to surrender the 4 oblasts (unlikely under Zelensky) then Russia will not press for Odessa.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Mar 20 2025 12:23 utc | 3
##########
Wherever you are reading that, it is false.
The Russians do not negotiate publicly and those Oblasts are Russia.
Odessa I believe will be Russian because Zelensky and Trump are pushing them to achieve a maximalist victory.
They cannot allow NATO/Banderastan control over the Black Sea.
How they take Odessa and when remains to be seen.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 20 2025 12:56 utc | 6
Hungarian media is widely reporting that Russia won’t take Odessa if Ukraine gives up the 4 oblasts & Crimea. Seems to be based on Russia’s offer in the summer of 2024.
Posted by: Al Balog | Mar 20 2025 14:01 utc | 14
Marat Khairullin is saying that Zaporozhye might be isolated against the river, with the bridges destroyed between the city and the western shore. Dnepropetrovsk may end up blockaded and isolated from the rest of east Ukraine.
This leave only one usable supply route to the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration. If/When the long Kupyansk front collapses for the AFU, it will basically become impossible to defend the road between Kharvkov and Slavyansk, leading to the encirclement and/or isolation of the remaining AFU strongholds in these areas. I believe things are rolling over forward on their own weight now.
The reason AFU/EU are screaming for ceasefire is because they have run out of ready fortified positions both in the eastern Zaporozhye /Dnepropetrovsk region, and also they fear a collapse in one of the areas in Kupyansk front, which may be fatal for the rest of AFU holdings in Donbass.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 14:02 utc | 15
Posted by: Melaleuca | Mar 20 2025 13:40 utc | 11
Zelenskyy trying to disrupt the peace initiative between Trump & Putin, it sounds like. Really hope that Trump doesn’t get silly and falls for it, knowing how he is gullible when it comes to the Middle East.
Then again, Trump and Mike Waltz are close with Victor Orban, who is more in-tune with the Ukraine situation, yet also out-of-touch regarding the Middle East in his own way. I was honestly surprised knowing the connection between Waltz and Orban, but I hope that proves useful in letting Orban influence Waltz & co to a peaceful path.
https://www.google.com/search?q=mike+waltz+viktor+orban
Posted by: Al Balog | Mar 20 2025 14:07 utc | 16
Ukraine is hammering Engels airbase and another fuel depot. Huge explosions and mushroom clouds. Meanwhile Russia damages another electricity transformer or something in the Ukraine. Good Lord. If I were Ukraine, I wouldn’t want a ceasefire either. They must be exhausting Russia’s air defenses.
Posted by: bored | Mar 20 2025 14:12 utc | 18
Melaleuca@11…..looks like Zelinski found Putin’s weakness……Trump…
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Mar 20 2025 14:17 utc | 19
Hope that Russia relays this stuff to Trump & his team. Zelenskyy should just retire, then again, I think it’s the Rada that has the legal legitimacy IICR.
https://ura.news/news/1052905311
Zakharova: Zelensky ordered to attack Russia again
Polina Zorina
March 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, stated that the head of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky , ordered new strikes on the territory of the Russian Federation. This is how the diplomat commented on the attacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian energy infrastructure facilities.
“Zelensky publicly stated that he accepts the initiative to refrain from striking energy infrastructure and supports the White House proposal. But in fact, he gave the opposite order – not to stop the strikes, but, on the contrary, to launch new ones,” Maria Zakharova said on the Telegram channel . She recalled that the Ukrainian leader had previously promised US President Donald Trump a ceasefire. However, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry said that he did not keep his promises.
On March 19, Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed his readiness for a full-fledged ceasefire in a telephone conversation with the American leader . The Ukrainian leader himself wrote about this on social networks.
Posted by: Al Balog | Mar 20 2025 14:20 utc | 20
EU summit failed to make practical decisions on new military aid to Ukraine – document
EU leaders said they maintained the “peace through strength” approach in Ukraine, according to the final document from the summit in Brussels.
It was signed by 26 of the 27 countries of the union.
The document notes that the EU is ready to continue sanctions pressure on Moscow and will hold Russia’s frozen assets.
EU countries will provide military assistance to Ukraine on a voluntary basis, taking into account the national interests of individual states, according to a document signed following the summit in Brussels
while russia keeps on hammering “the ukraine” and its nato-sponsored weapons with huge explosions and mushroom-clouds, limp-dick eu/uk can only talk big and use some sanctions that undermine their own interests.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Mar 20 2025 14:26 utc | 21
“The role Canada would play in such an alliance is starting to take shape…”
Yes. Blood donor. Or 51st state. Either way, get it before the Canadian taxpayer figures out that they’re being fleeced like a little lamb.
Posted by: Tom Paine | Mar 20 2025 14:29 utc | 22
@Tom Paine #22. Yes and globalist bankster Mark ‘Carnage’ Carney looks to be just the right man for the job…
Posted by: John Gilberts | Mar 20 2025 14:33 utc | 23
I hear the German steel industry continues doing very poorly. Even the assumed massive EU arming package may not save it.
If this is true, I don’t expect EU to survive its massive injection of money into fundamentally failing industries with flawed regulation, lack of skilled labor force, lack of cheap energy and lack of raw-material. It’s a bad idea to be spending money on something you don’t have prerequisites to produce.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 14:33 utc | 24
The Engels air base attack says Trump is no more in control than he was first term. A disloyal military is a real problem.
Posted by: oldhippie | Mar 20 2025 14:37 utc | 25
Putin Aide Reveals Date of Next Russia-US Talks in Riyadh
https://www.rt.com/news/614535-putin-aide-talks-saudi/
“A new round of negotiations between Russia and US officials will take place in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on Monday, President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov has said…”
RT News – March 20, 2025 (09:00 MSK)
https://www.rt.com/shows/news/614477-rtnews-march-20-09msk/
“132 Ukrainian drones are destroyed over Russian skies. Debris hits a hospital ward and dozens of residential homes amid Zelensky’s promise to stop strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure.
Peace through profit. The White House proposes the best way to secure Ukrainian energy sites is to own them, as the US proxy war gains an economic angle.
175 Russian troops return home in an equal POW exchange with Ukraine. In a gesture of goodwill, Russia releases an additional 22 severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers back to Kiev…”
Posted by: John Gilberts | Mar 20 2025 14:44 utc | 26
Ukraine unable to maintain its ceasefire for even 48 hours. IMO:
1) Putin told Trump this would happen
2) Trump is now off the hook – he brokered a peace deal and Zelensky broke it.
3) Putin expected this outcome
4) Russia is happy with the outcome. They need Odessa, and the longer the ceasefire the greater the risk of some European idiot putting troops in Ukraine to protect Blackrock’s interests while Kiev re-arms.
5) The EUrocrats are happy with the outcome because it justifies the extraction of Merz’ Eu trillion from the sacrifical taxpayer, again for Blackrock and the MIC.
Once upon a time the US revolted against their colonial overlord with the motto “No taxation without representation”. Guess we missed that here – despite the French Revolution.
Posted by: Tom Paine | Mar 20 2025 14:51 utc | 27
… They need Odessa, …
Posted by: Tom Paine | Mar 20 2025 14:51 utc | 27
No, they don’t. They don’t need it. Russia was, and is, quite happy without Odessa.
Which is not meant to say that Odessa will not become Russian again.
And that enrages the EU and UK so very, very much. Because they want Odessa, and they won’t get it.
Posted by: Martina | Mar 20 2025 15:26 utc | 28
Posted by: Martina | Mar 20 2025 15:26 utc | 28
The EU media has spent a lot of time promoting the idea of EU troops in Odessa. Albeit, most likely they are just speaking on behalf of Britain who has economic interests.
Starmer has recently stated he will deploy UK ‘special’ forces into Odessa to keep the Black Sea route open. Well, guess they have already been there for a while. But how are UK special forces going to prevent ships being sunk and blown up in the harbor? Does UK have effective AD systems? Think not…
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 15:47 utc | 29
@Tom Paine #22. Yes and globalist bankster Mark ‘Carnage’ Carney looks to be just the right man for the job…
Ya- he will be there as long as Kim Campbell was the PM (When Mulrooney got off the sinking PC ship)
Posted by: Original Newbie | Mar 20 2025 15:53 utc | 30
@ oldhippie | Mar 20 2025 14:37 utc | 25
Noooo! Not you! The guy and his administration contradict themselves so often, there’s no point paying attention to anything he or they say. Is it an act? Or mental problems or the prescription drugs they take to numb themselves? I give up guessing. By now, the rest of us shouldn’t care let alone give them some generous benefit of the doubt that they’re doing anything but continuing variations of the criminal activities of their predecessors, donors, and peer groups.
Maybe COG means “continuity of gangsters”.
Posted by: I forgot | Mar 20 2025 15:57 utc | 31
@ oldhippie | Mar 20 2025 14:37 utc | 25
true…. trump doesn’t appear to have any power to do anything, other then flap his lips..
@ unimperator | Mar 20 2025 15:47 utc | 29
thanks for your posts..
Posted by: james | Mar 20 2025 16:06 utc | 32
Donald signs executive orders stopping programs designed and funded by laws passed by Congress, leading to failures in court any first-year law student could’ve told him and Elon. But he doesn’t sign executive orders halting activities more easily recognized to fall within the executive purview. But, he’s really, really trying guys! Hahaha.
Posted by: I forgot | Mar 20 2025 16:11 utc | 33
RT 17.00 Uhr
Yuri Podoliak: Attacks on Russia will intensify, Kyiv will strike with all it has.
In this front-line report, Yuri Podoliak focuses on the fighting in the Belgorod and Kursk regions, which he says will intensify in the coming days.
These front sectors are of great importance to Kyiv; if it loses them, the Russian armed forces will advance into the Sumy region.
It is doubtful whether the Russian army will remain there. Added to this is the political pressure that the enemy must demonstrate successes in order for Trump to persuade Russia to make concessions. Podoliaka expects that the Russians will use up some of the enemy’s reserves in these battles and defeat him.
Zaporozhye must fall entirely under Russian administration in the spring. This would take many of Trump’s cards out of his hand, including the nuclear power plant.
Posted by: berthold | Mar 20 2025 16:13 utc | 34
According to The Spectator, the UK’s oldest weekly magazine, during THE PHONECALL w/ DJT “the Russian leader didn’t appear to give much away: a step towards a sort-of ceasefire, a prisoner swap and a few other bits and bobs.” The article notes, however, that the preferred venue for the bilateral talks between U.S. and Russia or between U.S. and Ukraine is a site other than Old Europe—Paris, London & Brussels are off the table: it’s Riyadh, Jeddah or Istanbul. The location of the talks, therefore, has canted global focus away from the continent and closer to West Asia.
The article asks us to consider that Great Game politics of the 21st Century truly lies in that particular direction: “Settling the most significant conflict in Europe since the second world war is merely a prelude to a much bigger deal in the Holy Land, a truly historic arrangement that could satisfy the Donald’s desire to be thought of as a peace legend.”
Obviously, prognosticators in the Collective West hyperventilated over THE PHONECALL and hung on every prepositional phrase in the readouts, both the Russia version and the U.S. version, wanting to scrutinize who topped the other in a contest for nuclear power plants and Black Sea ports, “but the subject of Iran seems to have been at least equally important” to VVP and DJT, according to The Spectator.
It’s not surprising. After all, VVP inked a security agreement w/ Iran right before DJT’s inauguration—and DJT’s inauguration itself kicked off the most Israel First admin the U.S. has seen, even more so than DJT’s first admin. Locked in an existential war w/ the U.S.’s proxy, VVP is positioned pivotally to create diplomatic in-roads for DJT w/ Russia’s own ally and fellow BRICS partner ,Iran, who finds itself persistently in Israel’s crosshairs. DJT is under considerably more pressure to accommodate Israel’s war aims unconditionally—-a type of pressure that does not govern his actions w/ the war in Ukraine. Although VVP cannot help DJT w/ the Israel Lobby at home, DJT nonetheless has plenty to jaw about w/ VVP concerning Iran, so a certain symmetry has entered the relationship.
The two have become peculiar ‘secret sharers,’ the heads of Great Power nations who see productive hinge-points in their connections. For both it has to be a breath of freshness, very welcome after their attempts to work collaboratively during DJT’s first term were thwarted by the Deep State’s Russiagate hoax. Unencumbered by that, their collaboration is nonetheless burdened w/ a neocon/NATO-derived scourge: the weaponization of Ukraine against Russia. So as much as DJT and VVP have greater operational space today than in 2017, for instance, they move forward hindered.
When they get on the phone, I’m sure there are few pauses on the line.
Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 20 2025 16:19 utc | 35
I read about Himars and Jdams being used against Russian soldiers. Than I think about the garbage Trump is talking. No way is President Putin going to stop until Russia achieves all of their goals. We in the US are ruled by trash.
Posted by: SO | Mar 20 2025 16:25 utc | 36
Posted by: SO | Mar 20 2025 16:25 utc | 36
Ukraine may try to use JDAM, but RUAF yesterday bagged an F-16. Apparently an Su-35 was used to ‘radar spot’ the low-flying F-16, then guiding the air defense missile to the target.
How do the Su-35 radars compare to F-16 radars? They must have better and long range radar, seeing the F-16, even low flying one, coming from much further away.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 16:28 utc | 37
I hear the German steel industry continues doing very poorly. Even the assumed massive EU arming package may not save it.
Posted by: oldhippie | Mar 20 2025 14:37 utc | 25
It’s not just the steel industry…
The auto industry is even worse off…when a company like BMW talks about a 35% loss in sales, and those are just the figures that are publicly released but apparently not acknowledged by the rest of Germany, that says it all.
Volkswagen = Audi is talking about a 47% loss:
Imagine the impact on the labor market and the credit and real estate market.
Why Germany is still talking about a labor or skilled labor shortage is incomprehensible. BUT, VW is supposed to start producing armaments, BMW will follow suit…with the new debt that was approved on Tuesday, ONE TRILLION EUROS will be enough money to bring Germany back to the armaments level of 1937-39…but technologically, probably the same in that era.
Assuming they can find the raw materials for production somewhere.
Because this is precisely why production lines in companies are being shut down and NOT converted!
What can be produced at prices that still yield profits and are competitive in terms of technology?
Incapable of building a 5th-generation jet, let alone intercepting hypersonic missiles?
Feedback geben
Posted by: berthold | Mar 20 2025 16:31 utc | 38
“The role Canada would play in such an alliance is starting to take shape…”
evan.dyer@cbc.ca
Playing ice hockey against the Russians ?
Posted by: Savonarole | Mar 20 2025 16:35 utc | 40
Posted by: berthold | Mar 20 2025 16:31 utc | 38
My assumption is that the trillion euro (why is it trillion euros, by the way? That by itself sounds PR/’hyperbolic’ number) will raise the costs in steel and arms industry supply chains to the point that the Armament program (which is not yet even clear on its objectives) will not achieve its intended levels or objectives.
It may have worked with globalization, free markets and non-tariff environment, but now it is significantly harder. The steel and auto industries have already been severely smacked by declining sales and demand. It is much harder to climb from a pit to never-before seen levels.
Additionally, the EU climate regulations, and CO2 trading systems will add billions to steel makers and auto industry bills.
The worker segment of German steel industry is aging, vacancies have gone down significantly, new training programs are needed for new types of technology.
The industry itself is in need of emergency measures to restart mothballed ones.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 16:35 utc | 41
How do the Su-35 radars compare to F-16 radars? They must have better and long range radar, seeing the F-16, even low flying one, coming from much further away.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 16:28 utc | 37
Just to mention it!
The F35 also does NOT come close to the radar range of the SU35.
AND it is not capable of guiding a missile to a flying target or correcting its flight path in conjunction with ground-based systems over distances of more than 400 km…
That means an SU35 can take full control of an S400 missile at that distance.
Uh, the F35 currently can’t even conduct a full-scale blind-line flight!
Did you know?
Posted by: Ost Rentner | Mar 20 2025 16:38 utc | 42
The British empire’s military plans almost black-inked [12-pages long A4 double-sided formatted], to be watermarked soon by Sir Keir Starmer [A top favourite baron from the City of London] and consequently; ought to be approved by the House of Lords.
Posted by: pepe | Mar 20 2025 16:43 utc | 43
My assumption is that the trillion euro (why is it trillion euros, by the way? That by itself sounds PR/’hyperbolic’ number) will raise the costs in steel and arms industry supply chains to the point that the Armament program (which is not yet even clear on its objectives) will not achieve its intended levels or objectives.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 16:35 utc | 41
Why trillions?
500 billion supposedly for structural funding…might benefit BMW/VW and others!
But billions of that will also be diverted to Ukraine.
500 billion for armaments,
130 billion for various expenses.
And the total sum will NOT be covered by the budget, but rather declared as “special funds” and enshrined in the Basic Law.
= 1.2 trillion euros.
Oh yes, the Greens have pushed through the 100 billion allocation for Green causes and thus NGOs…meaning NGOs are now being funded, and that’s by the German Basic Law…and worldwide.
Trump’s horns.
Posted by: berthold | Mar 20 2025 16:46 utc | 44
No way is President Putin going to stop until Russia achieves all of their goals. We in the US are ruled by trash.
Posted by: SO | Mar 20 2025 16:25 utc | 36
Riiiight. Shooting down Russia’s own drones with desperately needed defense missiles is a great way to achieve Russia’s objectives.
https://www.rt.com/russia/614484-russia-shot-down-drones/
Diplomacy is not conducted properly in press conferences or ‘phone calls’.
Also reported in RT; Trump and Putin ‘trust each other’. If Putin trusts Trump we are done for.
Posted by: acementhead | Mar 20 2025 16:46 utc | 45
U.S., meet the RoW-!
Since 2010, the Russian Security Council has hosted international meetings of high representatives responsible for security issues. This year, the meeting will take place in Moscow from 27 to 29 May. Russia will invite US representatives. “We will invite them,” Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu told TASS. He noted that representatives from over 100 countries had already confirmed their participation in the upcoming meeting.
Low-stakes opportunities to hobnob.
As business titans flirt in Russia’s general direction, some may no doubt attend or even speak at SPIEF in June: the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 20 2025 16:46 utc | 46
We in the US are ruled by trash.
Posted by: SO | Mar 20 2025 16:25 utc | 36
#########
But it is the best trash. Perfect trash. Every American is going to have more perfect trash than they know what to do with.
Oh, and the wall just got 10 feet higher.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 20 2025 16:56 utc | 47
@Berthold@38
As regards the German auto industry, my missus told me a funny story yesterday, she is from the Russian far east, near Vladivostok. Apparently a plant in Russia which used to make BMW’s has suddenly started selling new, completed BMW’s again, which were (allegedly) promptly snapped up. Their story is that they discovered they had enough parts lying around in the warehouses that they could assemble ‘a few’ new cars. Considering the general success Russia has had third-party-sourcing most anything it wants through alternate supply chains, I wondered if anybody had heard anything about it.
The core problem with the German steel industry is that it requires a lot of energy and currently energy is expensive in Germany. If the Germans are determined to run their country on green energy windmills and liquid natural gas brought in by ship, they they should be shifting away from industries that need a lot of energy.
Posted by: Jmaas | Mar 20 2025 17:01 utc | 49
During a presser, Zelensky fielded a phone call from Macron but quickly had to let him know that he would call him back, since he was talking w/ journalists.
Zelensky hung up the phone and told the reporters that he and Macron speak at least once each day.
It sounds like the Baguette-in-Chief has filled the role that Antony B and Jake once did in their tag-team caretaking of Zelensky during the Collective Biden era.
It’s a relief to know that no one in the current White House is perseverating over Zelensky or hovering over the Kiev regime as they once did.
I can believe that Mrs. Nuland, Susan Rice, Obama and Alexander Vindman still keep Zelensky on speed dial, but if so they do it from afar. Northern Virginia is a walkable distance to the White House, but it may as well be an ocean away.
Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 20 2025 17:05 utc | 50
Posted by: oldhippie | Mar 20 2025 14:37 utc | 25 If the military doesn’t have to take orders, then the US is a militaristic state. Legally off course the thing about armies is that they do take orders from higher ups in the chain of command (barring revolutions.) And the US president is at the top of the chain of command and if he wants he can make his will known by removing the people who defy him. It is his duty to restore control of the military to the civilians. But the thing is, Trump put in Hegseth, who is instead pursuing a program of purging minorities and women, even the simple mention of them, heedless of how that affects the rank and file. And Hegseth stands for untrammeled power of soldiers to kill. Trump is not against militarism, he wants a more vicious military, enemies to the mass of the population, especially the so-called woke part (and there are a lot of people who don’t hold at all with the caricature version of woke in scare articles by right-wing idpol media, but most definitely do hold with some aspects…that’s why Trump only won the popular vote by, what, 1.5%?) Soldiers who can slaughter people at will are Big Government and militarism at its biggest and most militaristic.
Posted by: steven t johnson | Mar 20 2025 17:14 utc | 51
The core problem with the German steel industry is that it requires a lot of energy and currently energy is expensive in Germany. If the Germans are determined to run their country on green energy windmills and liquid natural gas brought in by ship, they they should be shifting away from industries that need a lot of energy.
Posted by: Jmaas | Mar 20 2025 17:01 utc | 49
It’s not just energy that’s the problem for the German steel industry, but also raw materials.
For almost 30 years, they came from Russia, coke, coal, ore…
Now they have to be transported from overseas to South America and South Africa by ship and rail. The latter is pretty dilapidated in Germany. There are bridges over which freight trains can only travel empty.
Not to mention the Green Party regulations, thanks to a government with Green Party participation.
Posted by: Mark | Mar 20 2025 16:58 utc | 48
Yes, this story is true…
BMW apparently had parts for over 67 complete cars in the warehouse of its Russian subsidiary.
Here in its home country, Germany, things are a little different.
By the way:
Imagine standing in front of a new BMW and give the command “Pull out everything made in China”…then not even the tires will stop rotating.
Lol
By the way, that’s a joke invented by the German workforce at the Leipzig plant.
.
I just learned from friends in Russia about the attack on Engels last night.
That the hit was a drone that hit the reserve ammunition depot…which is located about 5 km outside the airfield.
Posted by: Ost Rentner | Mar 20 2025 17:16 utc | 52
On the subject of Trump’s takeover of nuclear power plants
.
Sylenski just appeared on TV: 6:10 p.m. live
Mr. Trump, of course, did NOT talk about ALL of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants; he was quick to correct…
He only spoke about the Saproshie nuclear power plant!
He mentioned that it is under Russian control…HE DID NOT mention that HE is having it shelled…that’s probably the Russians themselves…
.
Stupid Western viewers, however, don’t notice anything…
Find the mistake
Posted by: berthold | Mar 20 2025 17:22 utc | 53
House Negro David Lammy has spoken
The UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy says Vladimir Putin must “simply accept” an unconditional ceasefire and not be given a veto over the presence of European peacekeepers in Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly rejected the idea of Nato or EU peacekeeping troops on the ground.
Speaking at a business conference in London, Lammy says: “Putin should simply accept an unconditional ceasefire. That is the plan on the table, let’s get on with it, what are we waiting for?”
He adds the Russian leader must not be given the option to veto the security architecture that will govern that peace, should a deal be struck to end the war.
Posted by: Night Tripper | Mar 20 2025 17:22 utc | 54
Acementhead@1646 Vernal Equinox
Rhetoric engeners opposing rhetoric.
Posted by: aristodemos | Mar 20 2025 17:26 utc | 55
TASS reports …
– Saratov Region Governor Roman Busargin reported that Engels City Clinical Hospital No. 1 was damaged in the drone attack. A woman was injured, her life is not threatened.
– Later another resident of the city went to the hospital.
– The fire occurred on the territory of the airfield in Engels. Evacuation of residents of adjacent areas is ongoing.
– About 30 private homes and summer houses in Engels were damaged in the attack. Some residents sought medical help, Busargin added.
Putin is falling for another Minsk. Russia loses if it doesn’t win militarily. Ukrainians are still attacking Russia’s border areas –
In the Belgorod region, the enemy continues to try to take Demidovka.
The reports of Bandera channels about the occupation of the inhabitant are not confirmed.
Nevertheless, they are actively attacking. They do not spare either people or equipment. They suffer losses, roll back, and try to press again. The situation is difficult.
@voenkorKotenok
Posted by: MiniMO | Mar 20 2025 17:29 utc | 57
Starmer has recently stated he will deploy UK ‘special’ forces into Odessa to keep the Black Sea route open. Well, guess they have already been there for a while. But how are UK special forces going to prevent ships being sunk and blown up in the harbor? Does UK have effective AD systems? Think not…
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 15:47 utc | 29
They’re in “Putin must unconditionally surrender” mode, no time to waste on details.
Peacekeeping forces in Ukraine will include not only ground troops, but also allied air forces and navies. British and French peacekeepers will be deployed in Ukrainian cities, ports and critical infrastructure. Patrol ships and minesweepers in the Black Sea. Aviation (including Typhoon jets) and ground crews, in Poland and Romania ( t.me/myLordBebo/62148 )
Posted by: rk | Mar 20 2025 17:29 utc | 58
the mighty british, still hiding behind others, love to talk big when they are not spinning lies.
lammy can demand whatever he wants, but since he wont man up, nothing will be granted.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Mar 20 2025 17:31 utc | 59
the Russian leader must not be given the option to veto the security architecture that will govern that peace, should a deal be struck to end the war.
Maybe I’m wrong, but don’t most peace agreements (as opposed to forced peaces) allow the disputants to quibble over how the peace will be governed?
Posted by: Call it what u will | Mar 20 2025 17:41 utc | 60
Ever since the slap-down in the Oval, Zelensky is very assiduous about thanking DJT for being the first American president to send Javelins to Ukraine in 2017, something Obama refused to do. Lethal weaponry can forge an unforgettable bond.
So of course when Zelensky spoke w/ DJT on the phone, he mentioned the Javelins right off the bat, demonstrating appropriate deference to his paymaster/hegemon, and then the two talked about other pressing matters: nuclear power plants, electricity, spare Patriot missiles that might be mothballed in a barracks somewhere in a NATO country.
Interestingly, the White House readout from the phone call *did not* mention rare earths. Hmm.
Guess we’ve moved on.
<<
As we consider DJT’s engagement w/ VVP today and think back to DJT’s engagement w/ VVP during his first term as U.S. president, we find that DJT was hosting Lavrov in the Oval in May 2017 and holding friendly sideline meetings w/ VVP during the G20 and holding an all-smiles bilateral in Helsinki in July 2018. During this warm & fuzzy period, DJT was sending Javelins to Ukraine. The Javelins were for the AFU-supported ultra-nationalist militias to aim at separatists from the Luhansk People’s Republic and the Donestk People’s Republic in Donbass.
So nothing was *incongruent* in DJT’s stated desire from his first term-—“to get along with Russia”—and his sending Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine for targeting the LPR and the DPR at the very same time.
>>
The cynicism inherent in these actions is not for the faint of heart. But the cynicism itself allows us to *read* DJT and thereby interpret his particular brand of hegemony. In its crudest manifestation, his hegemonic style allows for the handshake of friendship coupled with the shipment of lethal weapons for neo-Nazis to use against the friend whose hand he is shaking. It is not quite pager-level debasement, a la Bibi—but still.
If *you* have a relationship like this in your life, do you get a birthday gift, or just send a card-?
Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 20 2025 17:42 utc | 61
Recommend this video, lot’s of facts about the frontline warefare:
https://youtu.be/tgkP0W7OvMc
Posted by: blueswede | Mar 20 2025 17:43 utc | 62
He’s not giving up. He says no deal until Russia returns everything it took since 2014. Does this sound like a man that’s in fear of his life? Or in danger of losing? Either he’s the biggest idiot on planet Earth or he knows something we don’t know.
https://x.com/amuse/status/1902768011393499596
Posted by: bored | Mar 20 2025 17:50 utc | 63
Posted by: Night Tripper | Mar 20 2025 17:22 utc | 54
====================================================
Uncle Tom Lammy Strikes again !
Hold me back.
Posted by: Engineer-John | Mar 20 2025 17:51 utc | 64
Apparently Starmer wants the full pack of cards in Ukraine – minesweepers, patrol boats in Black Sea, Eurovassal troops, British special force, Typhoon fighters in Poland, troops occupying ports, rear cities, air fields etc.
I think Starmer is living in fantasy land, but regardless, any of these forces in Ukraine or its sea areas will not be covered by Nato article 5.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 17:52 utc | 65
Posted by: Night Tripper | Mar 20 2025 17:22 utc | 54
RE: “Putin must accept,” says Lammy. “Let’s get on with it.”
<<
It is delicious for us to see how squirmingly unbearable it is for the UK and France to wait out this *limited* ceasefire in which they can do little more than lament & wring their hands.
I'm assuming that the UK and France, plus Denmark, are already assembling some of their Reassurance Forces in Odessa, perhaps Kiroy Rog too, maybe Dneprpetrovsk, in advance of the "unconditional ceasefire" they crave. And they are already table-topping some of the False Flags they'll run, should an unconditional ceasefire happen, all of which they'll noisily blame on Russia.
It will be like a Novichok-poisoning wrapped in a Bucha, with a maternity hospital chaser.
>>
The longer Russia can graciously delay committing to an unconditional ceasefire and simply keep slicing the diplomatic sausage thinner and thinner, the better. The more the UK and France have to wait to take charge, agony though this is for them, the more likely that they will erupt somehow. The trillion euros are burning a hole in their pocket.
Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 20 2025 17:54 utc | 66
he’s the biggest idiot on planet Earth
Posted by: bored | Mar 20 2025 17:50 utc | 63
Pretty much.
Posted by: Newbie | Mar 20 2025 17:57 utc | 67
@Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 14:02 utc | 15
When the Russians take Pokrosvsk they will completely cut off the southern supply route to the Slovyank/Kramatorsk agglomeration. And of course, the second drive to Izyum will cut off the northern supply route – fully cutting off the agglomeration.
The advance to cut off Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro will be through the most heavily defended part of the front, with one side contained by the Dnipro river and the Ukrainians having the high ground. May be easier to drive west from Andriivka and Pokrovsk, flanking the Ukrainian defences to the south and collapsing the southern front that way. The Russians tend to choose the way that contains their losses, less head on against hardened defences. The taking of the transport hub of Orikhiv, combined with a drive east from Andriivka etc. to flank the southern defences may be a better plan.
And good luck with blowing the bridges across the Dnipro, some of those “bridges” are the dams keeping back the higher waters of the Dnipro. To destroy them would be very difficult, and would also constitute a very public war crime. Their destruction would also be a nightmare for the post-conflict Ukraine that Russia will be taking charge of.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Mar 20 2025 17:59 utc | 68
The US of A’s ongoing arms deliveries to the Kiev regime [4 times this week] contradicts Washington’s true intentions to achieve a long-lasting sustainable peace in Ukraine.
The cessation of intelligence sharing and delivery of weapons is far from near and these actions will continue for as long as DJT is in charge of the Titanic — 60 days today and another 40 days to go.
The area of Ivano-Frankovsk, Lvov, and Ternopol are key cities for mercenaries, mostly from Poland, France, and Great Britain representing a strategic point between the Republic of Poland and [the zone of] hostilities where ordnance is being supplied to, and there are also training facilities there.
DJT still considering the possibility to move nuclear weapons from Western Europe or the US of A to the Republic of Poland.
Posted by: pepe | Mar 20 2025 18:07 utc | 69
Corruption in Ukraine continuous. Additionally, I would remind Arestovich’s claims that 30 – 70% of the value of western taxpayer transactions to Ukraine are stolen either directly or through managed inefficiencies.
The disgraced and endemically corrupt “Ukrainian defense agency” has once again won a major govt tender
In 2024 they delivered only 170k munitions out of 500k paid for. Many of them exploded prematurely, killing & maiming Ukrainian soldiers
The Defense Procurement Agency plans to buy another 300k shells from the enterprise
https://x.com/BowesChay/status/1902782091013787983
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 18:20 utc | 70
65 – The British Army is the smallest it has been since the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Starmer is welcome to try, of course…
Posted by: Waldorf | Mar 20 2025 18:22 utc | 71
Meanwhile, business continues as usual:
Defense Ministry spent more than UAH 51 billion on weapons that were not received by the Armed Forces of Ukraine – CPC
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported about UAH 51.4 billion, which it paid to suppliers for weapons that it did not receive within the terms specified in the contract. We are talking about “overdue accounts receivable”. The head of the department Rustem Umerov does not know for what part of this money the Defense Ministry is now suing
This was announced by the Chairman of the Board of the Anti-Corruption Center Vitaly Shabunin.
According to him, we are talking about more than 51 billion UAH, “drained down the toilet” for weapons that were not delivered within the time limits set by contracts. The defense Ministry paid the money, the terms in the contracts expired, and the military never received weapons.
Shabunin also said that we are talking exclusively about contracts paid for by the Ministry of Defense without the Defense Procurement Agency (AO) in 2022-2023.
“UAH 51 billion is overdue accounts receivable under armed contracts of the Ministry of Defense (as of February 2025). This amount was paid in advance by the Ministry of Defense under contracts for which weapons were never delivered, ” the report says.
The Anti-Corruption Center asked: “How many lawsuits did the MOE file against unscrupulous suppliers?”
The GPC department received a response: “the requested information was not created in the Ministry of Defense.”
“I refuse to believe that Umerov doesn’t know…if he really doesn’t know, then this is blatant incompetence (even as for Umerov). If he knows, but” hesitates ” to answer, then I assume that the Defense Ministry is suing for much less than the amount of weapons not delivered.
Imagine that you are the Minister of Defense of a belligerent country. You are critically short of money, assistance from the United States is questionable, and your agency’s contracts are overdue by 51 billion rubles. But you, instead of going to the courts and collecting these billions (plus penalties and fines), stick a fool: “the requested information was not created in the Ministry of Defense.”
Or, on the contrary, you deliberately do not file a lawsuit so that unscrupulous suppliers keep the money for themselves, do not bring weapons, and do not pay fines. Regardless of whether it is corruption or, I’m sorry, fucking-up, the APU is left without weapons, and we are left without money, ” Vitaly Shabunin summed up.
Recall that on November 26, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada registered a draft resolution on the dismissal of Rustem Umerov from the post of Minister of Defense of Ukraine.
As you know, in November last year, the Ministry of Defense recalled domestic shells for 120 mm mortars. Before that, the military complained that these shells did not explode and did not reach the target.
https://regionews.ua/ukr/news/ukraine/1742493678-minoboroni-vitratilo-ponad-51-mlrd-grn-na-zbroyu-yaku-ne-otrimali-zsu-tspk (via translation add-on.)
The thick end of US$1.2billion is quite an incentive against pursuing a ceasefire or peace agreement. Is “The Big Guy” still getting his 10%?
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 20 2025 18:28 utc | 72
The reason for high level of corruption in Ukraine is very simple.
Contrary to MSM narratives, Ukraine has lost, and every high level authority or official inside the state sees it. Therefore, they have a high incentive and little to lose by stealing as much as possible, even at the risk of getting caught. There is no future for the state, and they have plans to leave after looting as much as possible.
The Europeans do not understand this fact, and continue sending their pensions, health and social wealth transfers to Ukraine, of which large amounts are stolen and don’t contribute to their goals.
This is a classic example of a state that is at the end of its life cycle, and another sign that the state will be carved up, or at best, a toothless land locked rump state will be left as a buffer.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 18:33 utc | 73
The US of A’s ongoing arms deliveries to the Kiev regime [4 times this week] contradicts Washington’s true intentions to achieve a long-lasting sustainable peace in Ukraine.
Posted by: pepe | Mar 20 2025 18:07 utc | 69
It does not contradict. They want a long lasting surrender. Both EU and US simulate disagreements but they are one team. Trump’s negotiation skills are zero, exactly like EU’s skills, they both will increase attacks because Trump saw Putin does anything he asks, like the unilateral energy ceasefire. The fire in Engels tonight is part of “negotiations” in the style of bitch slapping. And because the Kursk adventure simply moved to Belgorod adventure but not much smo happening anymore.
The March 24 meeting with US in Riyadh has Black Sea on the list. Things must be going very well when you have to beg a different continent for access to your sea.
Posted by: rk | Mar 20 2025 18:40 utc | 74
Note NATO is split over money.
Spain promises to increase defense spending from 1.28% of GDP to 2%, provided other countries give them the money.
Spain wants … to go beyond advantageous loans and include non-repayable transfers. (Spanish press
It is understood that when Spain talks about “non-repayable transfers”, Spain wants to be on the receiving end, not the paying end.
Meanwhile, the Dutch parliament voted against common EU debt, and against more flexible EU debt rules.
IMHO, the goal to spend 2% of GDP on defense is weird. Anyone can spend money. The goals should be military, not budgetary.
Posted by: Passerby | Mar 20 2025 18:40 utc | 75
This is a classic example of a state that is at the end of its life cycle, and another sign that the state will be carved up, or at best, a toothless land locked rump state will be left as a buffer.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 18:33 utc | 73
Yes, if there were such a thing as a World Congress of Banana Republics, Ukraine would be refused membership on the grounds of being too corrupt!
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 20 2025 18:45 utc | 76
Posted by: rk | Mar 20 2025 18:40 utc | 74
>>>
It is undeniably clear from some of your assertions openly exposed for people to see and read that you lack understanding regarding the reason why the so-called [U]kraine’s peace talks are taking place in the KSA. But why would you or you should know? Don’t blame you for that. Perhaps you need to revisit MoA more often to get accurate information with veracity. I do not recall your name from before.
Posted by: pepe | Mar 20 2025 18:58 utc | 77
@ pepe | Mar 20 2025 18:58 utc | 77
rk has been around for some time… essentially takes the constant role of protagonist for all things usa-west..
Posted by: james | Mar 20 2025 19:15 utc | 78
Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan has instructed all government agencies to restore ties with their Russian colleagues and actively participate in joint events due to “recent geopolitical changes,” the local newspaper Hraparak writes.
did pasha finally notice how treacherous the french and british are, that he comes crawling back to mother russia? lets wait and see how this develops, if true.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Mar 20 2025 19:28 utc | 79
zelenskiyjivijjiywhatever whines about orban:
“It is simply anti-European when one person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent or that have already been agreed upon. Ukraine has met the requirements, but now there are serious difficulties with opening the first and, of course, other negotiating clusters on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. European efforts that should contribute to greater security and peace are also constantly blocked”
factcheck: he has no issues when the shoe is on the other foot.
no they have not met the “requirements”.
“european”(namely EU) contributions are anything BUT peace and security.
this is what british “intelligence” does to your brain. one paragraph, so many things wrong.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Mar 20 2025 19:33 utc | 80
Germany removing its debt limit to fund a war in Europe is working exactly as the US planned.
I’ve posted about this exact situation before on MoA on the eve of Trump’s presidency, but MoA search engine is not turning up anything. Luckily it hasn’t been deleted from my drafts.
Heads I win, tails you lose.
The US has already achieved its objectives, which is to weaken Europe (high energy prices, devastated industry etc.) and keep Russia in check. Now, the US can discard Ukraine like a used condom.
Anyone still remember the 1990s Balkan (Yugoslav) war? Did you know that it was instigated by the US to keep the Euro currency from potentially challenging USD supremacy?
The foundation of the Euro currency was originally predicated on the participating governments’ deficits staying under the threshold of 3% of GDP (Maastricht Treaty). Break that threshold and you undermine faith in the Euro. How can you make a government exceed that threshold? War. The entirety of the NATO army in Europe is way more than enough to fight the tiny Balkan war, but the cost of fighting the Balkan war was severely elevated because NATO’s commanding authority lies with the US and the US insists on shifting US troops all the way from America to fight a war on European soil (80% of NATO troops were flown across the Atlantic from the US). The costs, of course, were borne by all NATO members. This point was made by Wen Tiejun (https://v.douyin.com/iPfqMp3q/ it’s in Chinese).
Posted by: All Under Heaven | Mar 20 2025 19:34 utc | 81
Get this: the claim is Russia wants to conquer first Ukraine, then Europe.
But instead of Russia it is the US that wants to annex the Danish territory of Greenland. At the same time, the mighty USA is reduced to asking Denmark (pop. 5,995,464) for eggs.
Claim that the Russian economy is collapsing, while you yourself are running out of a basic food such as eggs.
This is getting really ridiculous.
Posted by: Passerby | Mar 20 2025 19:54 utc | 82
“If we lift sanctions against Russia, they will attack us faster” – Lithuanian President Nauseda
they live in constant fear of the russian boogeyman. maybe show some goodwill so that you wont get “attacked faster”.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Mar 20 2025 19:58 utc | 83
The threat of Russia attacking EU and NATO states from the territory of Belarus should be taken very seriously, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told Euronews. She says that will depend on whether Ukraine’s interests are sacrificed now.
The EU and NATO should be taking the threats coming from Russia and Belarus seriously, says Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
The Belarusian opposition leader told Euronews that “while Lukashenko is in power, Belarusian land can be used as a launching pad for an attack again on Ukraine or on our Western neighbours.”
from euronews (yeah yeah, i know). that site has a “fact checker”, but strangely, they seem to have missed the part about her beeing an “opposition leader”. anyways, they havent given up on regime change in belarus, as she so hints at in her last sentence. funnily, shes in lithuania.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Mar 20 2025 20:06 utc | 84
https://brusselssignal.eu/2025/03/lessons-from-minsk-ii-for-the-ukraine-peace-talks/
I’d say this is worth a read. However it does not necessarily draw the requisite conclusions…
Posted by: marcjf | Mar 20 2025 20:09 utc | 85
Passerby | Mar 20 2025 19:54 utc | 82 – I understand the egg problem in the states is because of an outbreak of avian flu affecting laying hens.
Justpassinby | Mar 20 2025 19:28 utc | 79 – good if Pashinyan has woken up, but he’s not trustworthy. Always thought he chose almost the worst possible time to detach Armenia from Russia.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Mar 20 2025 20:10 utc | 86
“Vladimir Putin will face “severe consequences” if he breaches a peace deal with Ukraine, Keir Starmer has warned as western military planners begin drawing up plans to enforce any agreement between the two countries.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/20/keir-starmer-warns-vladimir-putin-of-severe-consequences-if-he-breaches-peace-deal-ukraine
A strongly worded diplomatic note? Or another “Ukrainian” attack on the Kerch Strait?
I must say Putin has the patience of a saint with the primping popinjay Starmer.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Mar 20 2025 20:21 utc | 87
A new devlopment.
A rift is takeing place between europe and UK.
Both uk and the EU are raiseing billions to fill the gap left by america, as we know.
But the UK left the EU (Brixit)
Therfore the EU wont be spending those billions on UK arms manufacters. They are excluded.
I love the karma. Uk’s big investment in this war once again falling flat.
Posted by: Mark2 | Mar 20 2025 20:23 utc | 88
Putin has never ‘forbidden’ the presence of European ground forces in Ukraine, and I’m sure he is aware of the SBS detachment in Odessa which caused trouble for a time with its surface drones. He has said the Russian Federation is not on board with the idea, and that if European countries place their soldiers in harm’s way against the Russian government’s advice, they must not be too upset if they are killed, because Russia cannot and will not take special care to differentiate them from any other enemy combatants.
Lammy and other European ditherheads are hung up on the idea that Putin forbade them from putting troops in Ukraine, and by God, they are not going to stand for that sort of impertinence. Be my guest. When they are killed by artillery or bombs, don’t scream that they were only gentle peacekeepers. It does not matter if they were beekeepers; the Russian Federation advised you well in advance that it could not be responsible for their safety. Who decided to send them anyway? You did.
Dont lets fall for the….
‘Public peseption manigment’
The western europian alliance tells us about their strong united oposition to Russia.
So that tells us their falling apart.
Usal rule applys.
Posted by: Mark2 | Mar 20 2025 20:34 utc | 90
Mark2 | Mar 20 2025 20:23 utc | 88
Any links? I must say I didn’t think the EU would be so stupid, especially when I consider that despite Brexit there are no issues getting Airbus wings from Chester to Toulouse, everything’s very smooth.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Mar 20 2025 20:41 utc | 91
YetAnotherAnon @ 91
Not as such.
As hered on bbc radio 4 missinformation channel. Yes i know but.
It was a talking head from the arms industry weeping on air, in public.
Thus entirly beleavable, their propagander is far from water tight, its a skill to work out fact from bbc fiction, the interviewer couldnt shut him up quick enough, ha ha ha.
Respect.
Posted by: Mark2 | Mar 20 2025 20:54 utc | 92
While Starmer is strutting and posturing and assuring Ukraine of ever-more money, his Chancellor of the Exchequer is poised to bring in the hardest budget since austerity, and much of the ‘savings’ will be taken from the poor and middle class.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/mar/19/reeves-to-reveal-biggest-uk-spending-cuts-since-austerity-in-spring-statement
Things like the winter fuel allowance for pensioners. In the UK whose Prime Minister is such a good buddy to Ukraine, and who appears ready to free up billions of pounds for rearmament and foreign deployments and so on, more than 24 million people live below the minimum accepted living standard, nearly 36% – the biggest single-year increase since the polling authority (Loughborough Centre for Research in Social Policy) has been keeping records.
I know what will cheer them up! The arrival of a hundred or so shiny new fighter planes, or some more of those famous unstoppable tanks with their incredible Chobham armor.
But the UK left the EU (Brixit)
Posted by: Mark2 | Mar 20 2025 20:23 utc | 88
Brixit[sic] is irrelevant really, considering the Matra/BAe Systems conglomerate, along with the likes of EADS. Anglo-European cooperation in defence affairs existed even while the Common Market was a thing; the SEPECAT Jaguar being just one example (and a damned good aircraft it was at the time).
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 20 2025 21:00 utc | 94
Addendum: we really wanted to build the TSR-2 but the US wouldn’t let us. Still, the Vulcan and the (proper and original, not the F-35 abomination) Lightning didn’t turn out too bad.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 20 2025 21:12 utc | 95
For 3 years of this war against Russia, europe has profited from treating america as a ‘cash cow’ to a large degree thats stopping, we know, trump said, he found out, game over.
End game capatilism transforms in to fascism, moving from ruthless amoral exploitation for profit to genicide mass murder and theft.
Re relations between EU and UK…..
Their is no honer amoung theafs.
Expect hyenas. Or vultures. This war against Russia is a dead carcass.
Posted by: Mark2 | Mar 20 2025 21:20 utc | 96
Anyway, back to the here and now, things seem to be getting loud in Odessa:
A series of powerful explosions thundered in Odessa and Odessa region. This is reported by the Ukrainian media.
“17 shaheds are flying to Odessa, according to Ukrainian monitoring publications. Explosions are heard in the city,” the Strana newspaper writes.
Earlier, local telegram channels also reported a lot of explosions in the area.
“About the explosions in The Odessa region is reported by local public. The air force reports an attack on the Shahedov region,” Strana wrote.
According to the telegram channel “Ukraine.ru”, at least 12 strikes were inflicted on the Telecart plant.
“Seven more geraniums were struck at the Telecart plant. People write that they don’t have time to write about arrivals, there are so many of them, — “Typical Odessa” comments on the situation,” writes TK.
https://eadaily.com/en/news/2025/03/20/strong-explosions-are-heard-in-odessa
But, but muh Stuck Farmer peacekeeping forces…
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 20 2025 21:21 utc | 97
Jeremy Rhyming-Lang @ 97
call in the Bell sunday afternoon and i’ll by you a pint.
Posted by: Mark2 | Mar 20 2025 21:26 utc | 98
call in the Bell
Posted by: Mark2 | Mar 20 2025 21:26 utc | 98
If that’s the Bell off of Jamaica Street I haven’t been in there for a good few years; Miserable Marianne was the landlady in those days. Bit of a travel for me nowadays, “First West of England”, you’re having a giraffe…
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 20 2025 21:45 utc | 99
Military production on the scale that Tales-From-the-Crypt escapee Ursula Von Der Leyen and her fellow Yurrupeans are talking up requires loads of cheap energy, like Yurrup had before The Great Misunderstanding. It doesn’t have it now, and former industrial/manufacturing powers like Germany are seeing an exodus of manufacturers and a parade of closures because those companies can no longer be operated at a profit under conditions where energy is so expensive. I know, we’ve all heard about dear little windmills and free power from dandelions, but that moment is decidedly not here yet, and the manufacture and operation of military equipment is among the most energy-intensive of occupations. If Europe could have chosen a worse moment to gear up for a war, I’m damned if I can see how.