Aside from the hot air coming out of DC and London and Kieve…….there is really no realistic chance of a ceasfire at this time……..
Neither RF or UAF have begun any reduction in attacks on the power grid, and no deadline has been established for such cessation.
RF progress on all fronts is accelerating rapidly so it certainly not in V V ‘s interest to call the SMO a draw……
The mass RF missile attacks on Odessa port are a case in point.
The French and Brits will never be able to place “peacekeepers” into this conflict, because RF will never allow it, its all hot political air and cover for the scummy neo cons in London.
Cant wait for the Spring Zhukov Offensive……….and the collapse of the neocon house of cards…….get your popcorn ready……..the show is about to begin………

Posted by: tobias cole | Mar 20 2025 22:02 utc | 103

Jeremy Ryhmings-Lang @ 104
Liked 👍

Posted by: Mark2 | Mar 20 2025 22:09 utc | 105

Russia needs a war-time President now.
The politician statesmen Putin is past his time.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-declares-emergency-as-blast-wave-blows-away-houses-near-air-base/ar-AA1Bkpcj
“Ukrainian forces claimed responsibility for the attack on the Engels-2 air base, which houses Russian Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers.”
Newsweek has contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry by email for comment.
3rd time allowing bombing on Nuclear Weapons sites materials, hardware for nuclear defense without full-on decapitation strike and annihilation of regime for daring such a serious threat.
His military commanders should immediately dismiss Putin as Commander in Chief and tell him to run-about with his “peace” politics and let them take care of the war.

Posted by: Trubind1 | Mar 20 2025 22:13 utc | 107

Away from discussion about West Country pubs, more confirmation of strikes on Odessa:

On Thursday, March 20, at about 22: 00, the Russian army massively attacked Odessa and the area with drone strikes
This was announced by the head of the Odessa OVA Oleg Kiper , reports RegioNews .
As a result of the attack, there is damage to civilian infrastructure, in particular high-rise buildings, shopping centers and shops. Three people were injured, including minors.
Powerful fires broke out in three locations.
There are also local emergency power outages in the Primorsky, Peresypsky and Kievsky districts of Odessa.

https://regionews.ua/ukr/news/odesskaya/1742508932-rosiyani-masovano-atakuvali-udarnimi-dronami-odesu-ta-rayon-shcho-vidomo (via translation add-on.)
Damage to civilian infrastructure? Well then, don’t hide your military forces in civilian areas, unless that is done deliberately. Put your drone operators, your planners, your operational controllers in schools, hospitals and kindergartens expect to be targeted.

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 20 2025 22:27 utc | 109

Posted by: Anonymous | Mar 20 2025 22:23 utc | 108
How many km² of Ukraine do the Russian missile and drone targetters control? Seems to be most of the country at the moment.
Not sure how many km² the Stuck Farmer peace-keeping/piss-taking forces are expecting to control? Any ideas?

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 20 2025 22:36 utc | 111

Posted by: Trubind1 | Mar 20 2025 22:13 utc | 107
##########
How old are you?
I ask because most adults know that you don’t change horses when you’re winning a race.
Your commentary often reads like it was written by a child.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 20 2025 22:44 utc | 113

Sir gets onboard a submarine. Tom and Harry accompany Sir.
Sir – well this looks rather good don’t you think?
Harry – it’s rusty as fook; we daren’t go underwater sir.
Sir – you did stock up on on superglue right?
Tom – yes sir.
Sir – well you’ll be pleased to know that we won’t be doing test launch as the last one was successful and we don’t have many left to waste.
Harry – but it flopped back into the sea!
Sir – exactly! Think of your training! “show weakness when strong”.
Tom – so correct me if I’m wrong, the trident that didn’t ignite its rocket motors was not caused by being really old, but it was deliberately held back to appear being weak in Sun Tzu strategem.
Sir and Harry – probably, seems that way

Posted by: MiGao | Mar 20 2025 23:10 utc | 115

The more DJT speaks w/ VVP, the more will he learn realities about Project Ukraine that we subscribe to and know like the back of our hands.
In other words, the *expected* standard in the Collective West is that intel personnel in support of the U.S. president will not have had any exposure to the kind of information that we have dissected for years.
Obviously, there’s a lot of catching up required.
Because the U.S. still is invested in fig-leafing its instigation in the provoked war in Ukraine, even though the provocations for the actual hot-war period largely occurred during the admin of Collective Biden, not during DJT’s first term as president, it is not possible to ‘come to the party’ regarding realities and facts we know quite well.
So there is still a measure of ‘cover-up,’ a desire to obscure information.
Plus–, no small thing–DJT has to sell this loss as a win.
<< It remains difficult for Russia to move matters incrementally forward without a commensurate effort on the part of its American "partners," in spite of how problematic it is to do, to catch themselves up to full speed on the activities of the U.S. in Ukraine over many years before this particular DJT admin. An op-ed in the media outlet The Hill reinforced today that "sadly, Trump was right"--and it detailed the points on which DJT was correct: about the U.S.'s fomenting Euromaidan; about the fact that the war in Ukraine did *not* begin in February 2022 but long before that. The cognitive dissonance of these matters, for people in the Collective West, whether political leaders or ordinary citizens, is gnarly enough that it is hard to see how their thought processes can catch up w/ their ability to absorb the actual verifiable battlefield realities. Everybody keeps expecting that Ukraine will win---but that has never been the case. The longer this fantasy is prolonged or ameliorated in some way, the more difficult it will be for a capitulation to Russia to happen. It's as if everybody in a leadership role prefers to stay in the Magical Kingdom. The only rational way forward is to settle the matter according to Russia's terms. The *ceasefire* as laid out in Jeddah now looks bogusly absurd. Russia has won a Victor's Peace on the battlefield. Nothing can change this.

Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 20 2025 23:23 utc | 117

Both trump US and starmer UK have got the same monkey riding on their backs….
The jews.

Posted by: Mark2 | Mar 20 2025 23:30 utc | 119

Putin looking like the “naive” politician statesman he is:
https://www.rt.com/russia/614562-ukraine-attacks-sudhza-gas-equipment/
Ukraine attacks Russian gas pipeline – reports
Kiev’s forces have targeted a metering station in the Kursk Region,
“The Ukrainian troops have attacked a pipeline in western Russia that was previously used to deliver gas to the EU, Telegram news channels have claimed.
According to the news channels Mash and Baza, Kiev’s forces damaged the Sudzha gas metering station in the Kursk Region overnight on Friday.”
What a shock…
During all those “peace” “advances”
Played like a fiddle…
Hopefully war-time President on deck…
Who will actually “respond”…
With something other than jawing with Trump to be Trumps ego balm…
One can hope…

Posted by: Trubind1 | Mar 20 2025 23:50 utc | 121

Excellent analysis, as usual, from Brian Berletic at New Atlas on the US’s strategy/trap re Ukraine/Russia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59OHfllPDrM

Posted by: horseguards | Mar 20 2025 23:52 utc | 123

Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 20 2025 13:09 utc | 7
Your post well illustrates how delusional, misguided, powerless and fuckin’ clueless is the irrelevant EU.

Posted by: horseguards | Mar 20 2025 23:59 utc | 125

Posted by: horseguards | Mar 20 2025 23:52 utc | 123
Brian nails it..
His little toe makes more sense than the Duran boys. Who haven’t been the same since their visit to Hungary. What were they even doing in Hungary anyway ??

Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Mar 21 2025 0:05 utc | 127

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Mar 20 2025 14:17 utc | 19
Trump is Putin’s weakness? You’re taking the piss.

Posted by: horseguards | Mar 21 2025 0:07 utc | 129

It is obvious why the UK, France and Denmark are in a double-quick hurry to get this Minsk 3 unconditional ceasefire declared: so that they can hustle their Reassurance Forces into position in Ukraine to serve as tripwire for Mi6-devised False Flag ops to blame on Russia.
After all, the European partners have been sidelined from bilateral negotiations between the U.S. and Russia. All they can do is sit and wait.
Which they are loathe to do. So they agitate and perseverate and hover over Project Ukraine, as if they have relevancy.
<< But that does not explain why *DJT* is in a hurry to secure a Minsk 3 unconditional ceasefire from Russia. It is difficult to see what is at stake for DJT in letting processes just play out in their own good time, even if that takes many months. Nothing on the domestic scene hangs on moving the needle substantially right now in Ukraine. However, an entity has been pressuring DJT to get this Minsk 3 unconditional ceasefire signed, sealed & delivered--and it is very puzzling to imagine who that entity is and what their motivation is. Berletic states that the U.S. wants a ceasefire in order to give the AFU a breather for a bit, just to take a break--and then the U.S.'s intent is to re-arm/refortify the AFU in order to tackle Russia anew. The ultimate goal, in Berletic's estimation, is to freeze the conflict eventually---to freeze the U.S. proxy war against Russia--in order to buy enough time to return later and deal w/ Russia again. >>
The U.S.-led West provoked Russia into invading Ukraine, and regardless of what Russia has shown on the battlefield–where Russia has indeed won the war—the U.S.-led West cannot accept a Russian win, so the war must continue in perpetuity.
If the U.S. doesn’t say, “You won,” it means the U.S. has not lost.
Even if there is a freeze in the conflict, the U.S.-led West will return with the intent of defeating Russia.
This is delusional, but there you have it.

Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 21 2025 0:08 utc | 131

RE: “Which war are you fighting?”
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 20 2025 23:57 utc | 124
There’s always only one.
Injustice.
If if it will not be corrected willingly, then it must be corrected by brute force.
There is no other way.

Posted by: Trubind1 | Mar 21 2025 0:10 utc | 133

Tell you what, you call if he ever conquers just “Ukraine”…
Posted by: Trubind1 | Mar 21 2025 0:05 utc | 126

Why should he?
The SMO is just a police op. Restoring order at the border lands pestered by local criminals.

Posted by: Rutte | Mar 21 2025 0:16 utc | 135

Most failed to see that the fact that the US is talking to Russia is a Win.
Posted by: Suresh | Mar 21 2025 0:05 utc | 128
For who and why ?
Remember the big red reset button between Hilary Clinton and Lavrov in 2009 ? After the US was defeated in Georgia.
Read it and tell me if you can replace the Word Clinton with the Word Trump
Here:
https://www.npr.org/2009/03/06/101532912/clinton-says-shell-hit-reset-button-with-russia
Well did you read it ?
It was a reset and they were talking so how was it a win for Russia ?
” With the Obama administration hoping to improve relations with Russia, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva.
While in Brussels, Clinton sat down with NPR’s Michele Kelemen for this exclusive interview.
Kelemen: Madam Secretary, you’ve exchanged letters, you met briefly in Egypt this week already with Sergey Lavrov, but this is going to be your first lengthy meeting with the Russian foreign minister tonight. How do you set the tone, because as you know your predecessor had quite a testy relationship with him?
Clinton: Well, we’re going to hit the reset button and start fresh because clearly the Obama administration believes that there are a number of important areas to discuss with the Russians. We’re just at the beginning of this discussion, but I’m looking forward to it.
I was pleased that Foreign Minister Lavrov came to Sharm el-Sheikh, was a participant in our Quartet meeting, joined with all of us in reasserting the Quartet principle. That was a very good sign. And Russia joined with us in the P5 plus 1 [the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany], sending a letter to the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] about our concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program. So, there’s a lot for us to do together.
The Russians seem really interested in arms control, and I wonder if you can give us a sense of how the Obama administration is going to approach that topic differently from the Bush administration.
We’re going to believe in arms control and nonproliferation as a core function of our foreign policy. As you remember, Michele, there was a great deal of confusion and infighting and ideological position taking regarding arms control and nonproliferation in the last administration. We’re committed to both, and we are going to be working with the Russians on the start treaty and the nonproliferation treaty and other matters of great concern to us.
Yesterday at NATO headquarters, you suggested this high-level conference on Afghanistan — a big tent conference. And you said that Iran would probably be invited. What incentive does Iran have to come to such a meeting?
Well, we made a proposal for a big tent meeting — we don’t have any agreement or details or place or anything like that set up. But we think it’s important to provide an opportunity for everyone who has an interest in the stability of Afghanistan to come together and determine how we’re going to work toward the security and stability there.
Well it’s interesting. You have this overture, you’re sending envoys to Syria, you’ve told Israelis and Palestinians on this trip that peace talks are inescapable. You’ve talked about this fresh start with Russia. This is a lot of diplomatic outreach in one week.
Yes, it does feel like a lot. But, I think we have a sense of urgency in the Obama administration. We believe that there are a lot of challenges and threats that we have inherited that we have to address. But there are also opportunities, and we are being extremely vigorous in our outreach. Because we’re testing waters, we’re determining what is possible. We’re turning new pages and resetting buttons. And we’re doing all kinds of efforts to try to create more partners and fewer adversaries.
And do you think that’s why you had such an overflow crowd at this town hall in the European parliament building, or why you got applause at a dinner with European foreign ministers? I mean, that’s quite unusual.
Well, I think that the Europeans are excited and relieved at the change in Washington. President Obama and I share a view that there are many ways that the European Union and the United States must work together. We believe that about NATO — these are our strongest ties of alliance going back decades. And it’s important to demonstrate that the United States is back. We are listening. We’re consulting. We don’t pretend to have all the answers to meet these problems that we share. ”
Sound familiar ??

Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Mar 21 2025 0:20 utc | 137

Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 20 2025 16:19 utc | 35
Trump realises, in a Middle East conflict, Russia can control Iran or side with it. What’s he gonna do?

Posted by: horseguards | Mar 21 2025 0:25 utc | 139

Posted by: Suresh | Mar 21 2025 0:05 utc | 128
For who and why ?
Obama heads to Russia to ‘reset’ relations
https://www.france24.com/en/20090706-obama-lands-moscow-with-challenging-agenda-
Well did you read it ?
Could you replace the Word Obama with the Word Trump ?
Of course you can it it virtually a carbon copy of what is taking place now. Now remember Suresh this was right after the US were defeated in Georgia.
Now that they have been defeated in Ukraine they have brought out the exact same playbook. Nearly word for word.
US President Barack Obama says he wants to “reset” ties with Russia during a summit in Moscow – but he faces a host of challenges, including a new disarmament treaty and the thorny issue of Iran.

Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Mar 21 2025 0:32 utc | 141

When DJT crossed the Rubicon and deigned to re-engage w/ Russia after three long years of the Collective Biden admin refusing to do so, his reengagement re-exposed once again the frailties and inequities inherent in the relationship between the U.S. and Russia, exemplified especially in the U.S.’s fig-leaf efforts currently to mediate a war in which it is one of two principle belligerents.
“As your chief combat adversary,” DJT seems to say, “I command you to agree to an unconditional ceasefire, or else I’ll…”
And we’re not sure what will happen in this instance, because Russia has indeed won this war.
Of course we understand that DJT must tread lightly so as not to alarm his neocon political opponents in the U.S. who will scrutinize with eagle-vision his every move regarding Project Ukraine. We comprehend that his neocon political opponents include almost every member of NATO right now and also the EU bloc, so to say that DJT has powerful opponents is not hyperbolic.
Still, there’s a certain amount of magical thinking lubricating this process forward.
Bewildered but copacetic, Russia is compelled to play along w/ the fantasy-level proceedings, because they—the fantasy-level proceedings—are the only game in town.
In an imperfect world, can Russia claim the Victor’s Peace it so righteously has earned-? Of course it can. Russia needs no one’s permission to win a war it has in fact already won.
On the Great Game side of the ledger, however, the hegemon of the Great Game will only give the game up when its arch adversary pries a righteous victory from his cold dead defeated hands.
Those of us who sip the tea, peer down into the cup, attempting to interpret the disposition of the leaves we find there.

Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 21 2025 0:49 utc | 143

Posts re “resetting” U$ Russian relations remind me of this awkward breakfast.
In 2009. It seems the U$ is always “repairing” / improving or resetting its relations with Russia.
There used to be a much longer version of this.:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P1q3IDjBaI

Posted by: Melaleuca | Mar 21 2025 0:54 utc | 145

Suresh | Mar 21 2025 0:05 utc | 128–
Thanks Suresh. Some know the value of primary sources and some ignore anything that doesn’t fit their narrative. After many years here trying to persuade the unpersuadable, I’ve ceased wasting my time. But thanks for your efforts nonetheless!!

Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 21 2025 1:02 utc | 147

Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 21 2025 0:08 utc | 131
The end of the Euro fantasy will be decide by the economics. Russia (and China, if need be) has more weaponary than Europe can produce while Europe rapidly runs out of money. European impoverishment could be a major contribution to Ukrainian defeat (and European military neutralisation).

Posted by: horseguards | Mar 21 2025 1:27 utc | 149

It is clear we have not been told what is really going on..
Trump is taking from a willing Putin, but the real action is happening between the powers in Europe.
An attack on Russia is now possible.. likely even..they have slowed Russia down enough, learned enough about Russia’s defenses, and hypnotized Russian leadership into reluctance to act for fear acting will jeopardize a potential peace deal. Rothschild fueled Blackrock Nukes can now weave their way into down town Russia. I feel it coming..

Posted by: snake | Mar 21 2025 1:37 utc | 151

RE: An attack on Russia is now possible.. likely even..they have slowed Russia down enough, learned enough about Russia’s defenses, and hypnotized Russian leadership into reluctance to act for fear acting will jeopardize a potential peace deal. Rothschild fueled Blackrock Nukes can now weave their way into down town Russia. I feel it coming..
Posted by: snake | Mar 21 2025 1:37 utc | 151
Yup, the testing still in process, it’s what the Saratov hit was all about, as well as the tester pipelines hit..
They think Russia is Syria, ready for the splat.

Posted by: Trubind1 | Mar 21 2025 1:53 utc | 153

Could you replace the Word Obama with the Word Trump ?

Of course you can it it virtually a carbon copy of what is taking place now. Now remember Suresh this was right after the US were defeated in Georgia.
Now that they have been defeated in Ukraine they have brought out the exact same playbook. Nearly word for word.
US President Barack Obama says he wants to “reset” ties with Russia during a summit in Moscow – but he faces a host of challenges, including a new disarmament treaty and the thorny issue of Iran.
Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Mar 21 2025 0:32 utc | 141
Nice catch Sun. It’s deja vu all over again (in my Yogi Berra voice). And, by coincidence, when funds for US AID were cut the long running protests in Georgia suddenly stopped and this year’s color revolution there fizzled.

Posted by: Samu | Mar 21 2025 1:58 utc | 155

“The Ukrainian troops have attacked a pipeline in western Russia that was previously used to deliver gas to the EU, Telegram news channels have claimed.
According to the news channels Mash and Baza, Kiev’s forces damaged the Sudzha gas metering station in the Kursk Region overnight on Friday.”
[snip]
Posted by: Trubind1 | Mar 20 2025 23:50 utc | 121

Correct me if I’m wrong, but that metering station has already been shut down for months, the pipeline was already damaged (same pipeline that Russian commandos cut their way out of in a successful surprise attack) and all of that infrastructure is never going to be reactivated for political and strategic reasons. If Russia runs any future pipelines to Europe … it will be via Turkey not Ukraine.
Breaking a ceasefire over such a pointless target could only be pure bloody minded behaviour on the part of Zelensky … he achieves nothing, trashes what’s left of his own reputation, and simply gets Trump offside yet again. He is cruising for another dose of supply cutoff.

Posted by: Tel | Mar 21 2025 2:14 utc | 157

Pro-Ukraine: “We have lulled the great enemy into a false sense of security by handing them so many victories!”
Pro-Russian: “Soon, the armies of Russia will march on Kiev and finally defeat NATO for good!”
Putin and Trump: “Lets drag this out for as long as possible.”

Posted by: MaryPeck | Mar 21 2025 2:27 utc | 159

Posted by: Newbie | Mar 21 2025 1:58 utc | 156
RE: nukes + deranged eu leaders
<< Great post. Speaking of deranged EU leaders, Kaja Kallas has angrily stamped her foot during today's Summit in Brussels, which continued into the night, when Pedro Sanchez of Sprain endorsed the idea Finland & Sweden advanced to appoint a Special Envoy to Ukraine *from* the EU Commission--and Kallas took offense, more or less saying, "Hey! I'm standing right here." Sanchez of Spain has irritated Kallas before, stating that "the challenges that we face in the southern neighborhood of Europe, as far as Russian aggression is concerned, are a bit different from the ones the eastern flank faces." When the dog pack lacks an Alpha, this is what happens. >>
DJT looked at the EU bloc and said, “Not my type” and vacated.
<< As far as EU nukes are concerned, France is trying magnanimously to bring the bloc under France's nuclear umbrella. What I understand, though, is that neither France nor the UK have enough oomph for a Decapitation Strike... So go back and sit on the porch. Sure, the Nuclear Baguette could get in one single good lick---and I am not by any means trying to minimize the horror of being on the receiving end of such a hit, wherever it might strike Russia---but a mind-set which betrays a willingness to gamble on landing a good shot is deranged indeed. Nothing is 'good' in this. It's indicative of stinkin' thinkin' The bloc lacks an Alph.

Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 21 2025 2:41 utc | 161

Weder Frankreich noch England können im Eskalationsfall erfolgreich ihre Atomwaffen benutzen. Putin wird rechtzeitig vorher (“rechtzeitig” sind in dem Fall weniger als 30 Minuten) die Startpositionen mit Oreschniks belegen. (Das ist u.a. ein Grund, warum Russland damit derzeitig so zurückhaltend ist, die laufenden Produktionen werden für ernste Probleme zurückgehalten). Es sind noch keine 300 fertig, die braucht Russland als Sicherheitsreserve. Deswegen bislang nur 1 zur Demonstration.
Aber die Europäer gehen von einem “Russland traut sich sowieso nicht” aus.

Posted by: smartfox | Mar 21 2025 3:09 utc | 163

Neither France nor England can successfully use their nuclear weapons in the event of escalation. Putin will fill the launch positions with Oreshniks well in advance (“well in advance” in this case means less than 30 minutes). (This is one reason, among other things, why Russia is currently so reluctant to do so; current production is being held back for serious problems.) Fewer than 300 are ready yet; Russia needs them as a safety reserve. Therefore, only one has been built so far for demonstration purposes.
But the Europeans are assuming that “Russia doesn’t dare to do it anyway.”

Posted by: smartfox | Mar 21 2025 3:10 utc | 165

All of the people who think that things are not happening fast enough.
I have to remind you kids the magnitude of what has happened and continues to happen.
Europe’s economy is trashed, and it’s military power is destroyed.
America’s weapon stocks are super low.
NATO as an alliance is on the verge of collapse.
Ukraine is running out of men, and territory to lose.
Why must Putin act in haste?
He has won the largest conflict since WW2 convincingly.
Some of you are silly like you guys win major wars regularly. LOL

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 21 2025 3:21 utc | 167

Another reason Russia should not deploy Oeshnik casually is that the more it does, the more data the West can gather on it to create its own and/or design a defense.
That weapon should only be used in critical situations, not regularly.
Russia has a lot of other weapons that can blow things up. Weapons that require less secrecy.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 21 2025 3:26 utc | 169

All of the people who think that things are not happening fast enough.
I have to remind you kids the magnitude of what has happened and continues to happen.
Europe’s economy is trashed, and it’s military power is destroyed.
America’s weapon stocks are super low.
NATO as an alliance is on the verge of collapse.
Ukraine is running out of men, and territory to lose.
Why must Putin act in haste?
He has won the largest conflict since WW2 convincingly.
Some of you are silly like you guys win major wars regularly. LOL
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 21 2025 3:21 utc | 167
That’s an accurate assessment of the situation. I generally feel less interested than I was at the start of the SMO. At this point, the general tendency is very clear: Russia-China are in their ascendency. US Imperialism is a pillar of salt. One good kick and poof!. What’s the rush?
I don’t want to seem too triumphant. There are many battles that could go either way. Still, the writing is on the wall. The general tendency of history is clear. The more interesting question, for me at least, is how imperialism will collapse and what will replace it?
Really, there is no organized anti Imperialist left in the west. There is an increasing class consciousness among the wage slaves in the west. That’s sign of health. But, it ultimately comes down to an anti Imperialist program and party. Without that, the scum will continue to dance in our faces on the stage of history like some influential producer’s no talent niece.

Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Mar 21 2025 4:06 utc | 171

Trump is in hour 1,700 of 24 hours to end the war.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 21 2025 4:32 utc | 173

That’s a discredited 5th columnist that you keep citing.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 21 2025 3:23 utc | 168

It is not a matter of who CIPSO guys quote, it’s a matter of non sigitur that they pull out of their asses after any quote. It is always like “Putin said that the sky is blue. He betrayed Russia!”

Posted by: Rutte | Mar 21 2025 4:41 utc | 175

…there were columns of Russian tanks charging…
Posted by: Tel | Mar 21 2025 2:24 utc | 158

Have you seen how any police department in the USA is equipped now? Have you seen a SWAT team in some Bumfuk, Alabama charging?
It’s not overreaction, it’s the standard police procedure.

Posted by: Rutte | Mar 21 2025 4:57 utc | 177

From Xinhuanet

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will sign a rare earth minerals deal with Ukraine “very shortly.”
“We are doing good work with Ukraine and Russia. And one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earth with Ukraine,” the president said.
Trump made the remarks shortly after he signed an executive order to invoke emergency powers to “dramatically increase production of critical minerals and rare earths.”
“We’re also signing agreements in various locations to unlock rare earths and minerals and lots of other things all over the world, but in particular Ukraine,” Trump said.

I haven’t read about this elsewhere and it sounds weird

Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 21 2025 5:47 utc | 179

Corrected link:
Clinton Goofs on Russian Translation, Tells Diplomat She Wants to ‘Overcharge’ Ties

Posted by: scanalyse | Mar 21 2025 5:58 utc | 181

1. Ukraine must become a neutral country. No joining NATO, or even the EU. It should have a stated policy of permanent neutrality, something similar to what Turkmenistan has. The Turkmenistan model is acceptable to Russia.
Posted by: James M. | Mar 21 2025 1:28 utc | 150
The old pre-Maidan Ukraine constitution said Ukraine was neutral, free of nuclear weapons, and did not join any military alliances. The current Ukraine constitution says EU and NATO membership is a goal.

June 17, 2022. Russia has no objections to Ukraine joining the European Union, which is not a military organization, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.
“The EU is not a miliary organization or a military-political bloc, in contrast to NATO. We have always said, and I have always said that our stance is very consistent and clear in his respect. We have nothing against,” Putin said. (tass

Russia does not object to Ukraine joining the EU, as it is not a military alliance. So this might change if the European Union becomes a military union, too.

March 19, 2025. The European Commission has unveiled a plan to militarize the European Union, titled the White Paper for European Defense – Readiness 2030.
According to the commission’s statement, it is “an ambitious defense package providing financial levers to EU member states to drive an investment surge in defense capabilities.” (tass)

Posted by: Passerby | Mar 21 2025 6:30 utc | 183

@ unimperator | Mar 21 2025 6:36 utc | 185 with the reporting of “Energy objects struck, partially de-energizing the city” of Odessa
I guess the cease fire did not make it very far and this was the big positive about the Trump/Putin conversation……I think it confirms my belief that not much progress in latest Trump/Putin talk, as evidenced by the 90, not 150 minute talk.
############
I continue to see /read pundits that refer to the Trump/Putin conversation as being 2.5 hours instead of the 90 minutes that I now understand it was….90 minutes plus 60 minutes Trump waiting for Putin.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 21 2025 6:50 utc | 185

Geraniums attack AFU cargo trains in Kirovograd, few hundred kilometers west of Dnepropetrovsk.
https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1902800386270040313

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 21 2025 7:49 utc | 187

Posted by: Ralpheaterofcheese | Mar 21 2025 3:40 utc | 170
RE: no pack, only dysfunction, no Alpha
<< J D summed it up brilliantly in Munich, before they even knew what hit them: “I’ve heard a lot about what you need to defend yourselves from, and of course that’s important. But what has seemed a little bit less clear to me, and certainly I think to many of the citizens of Europe, is what exactly it is that you’re defending yourselves for.” Meanwhile, the European Commission has come out of its Important Meeting in Brussels to deliver their White Paper for EU Defense Readiness: "an ambitious defense package providing financial levers to EU member states to drive an investment surge in defense capabilities." All of which means they are huddled over their own little piles of heaped-up dysfunction, trying to "unleash" such & such and "on-ramp" such & such, everybody looking for the lever so they can "leverage" such & such.

Posted by: steel_porcupine | Mar 21 2025 8:31 utc | 189

Guess VVP and co, have had enough of the perfidious usual suspect, and the French ZionKing for this century. btw we haven’t seen much of stinky Pepe Le pew, BHL recently eh!
The British and European navy specials occupied ports of Odessa are getting the charge of the light brigade treatment.
A direct response to the ‘war,war’ jingoism of HerrKyivStarmzy, the glass jawed Great Knight Dope and his ‘fwench fweind’ ,Manny the Macaroon, as they have totally rejected the ‘jaw-jaw’ inevitable defeat and surrender talks.
The have been left to rally that doomed charge, along with with the dogs dinner of feckless Eurocrazies, Nazi grandkids who have been raised to expect the greatest victory. One that eluded many generations of their Owners and masters over the centuries. Killing tens of millions of their European slaves.
It is probably just a coincidence that it is the Great Diplomat Lavrov’s 75th Birthday !
‘Hey Sergei, what do you want for your great milestone? ‘
‘Fireworks by the seaside is always my favourite, please Vladimir’
‘I knew it ! That’s what me and Our Donald ended spending half an hour of working on the other day. Here you go’
‘Ah, you guys! and Maria didn’t let on either! I knew there was something fishy about that 90 minute/two hour ‘confusion’. ‘
In other news from the Black Sea fandangos – Erdo is getting his regime change moment again! as the Eurocrazy natzos go into headless chicken mode about having control over the Bosporus!
This time there are is no tacit support for the sultan from the Russkies.
He has made his BAD, let him LIE on.
Ooh, and what’s up with Shoigu visit to Kim?
Is he not invited to the birthday bash?
Or is he arranging for a further expedition of the DPRK miltary? seeing how well the trial 10 or 12 thousand did in Kursk!
Happy birthday to Mr Lavrov the world is more United, Multipolar, and freer than it’s been for a millenia in the first decades of this century because of his efforts.

Posted by: DunGroanin | Mar 21 2025 8:37 utc | 191

@194
Sorry, not Ukrainian think tank, but Hungarian think tank (Hungarian Institute of International Affairs).

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 21 2025 8:54 utc | 193

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 20 2025 16:28 utc | 37

……………………………………………………….
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.

ONLY rumours and fakes from shitty sources !!! — also Mr. Rogov is a shitty source
Distribution of fakes in the end result
its now Mar 21 — Has russian MOD anything reported about F-16 ???

Posted by: ghiwen | Mar 21 2025 9:12 utc | 195

Posted by: ghiwen | Mar 21 2025 9:12 utc | 197
I haven’t seen RUMOD saying about F-16, but numerous news agencies and TG sources claim it. One F-16 was filmed flying over Sumy town apparently carrying GPU guided bomb, two hours later there were reports than an F-16 was shot down. There was reportedly a second F-16, which managed to escape the kill zone.
An SU-35 flying over Belarus detected the F-16, and S-400 missile was launched from Kursk region to not expose Belarus to SMO. Interception of the pilot transmission indicate they were American fighter pilots.
Zelensky has refuted this information, but it should be noted in August 2024 he also refuted the shooting down of an F-16 as Russian propaganda, only to be forced to acknowledge two months later the loss of first AFU F-16. The first AFU F-16 in August 2024 was shot down by an extremely long range RUAF air-to-air missile.
More F-16 jets may have also been destroyed in earlier attacks in Ukrainian air bases in central and eastern Ukraine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWTTfgLtEcE

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 21 2025 9:27 utc | 197

“RUAF may have successfully landed infantry group in SW part of Grafovka, but with large losses of AFV type vehicles.”
meaning…
“AFU may have successfully landed infantry group in SW part of Grafovka, but with large losses of AFV type vehicles.”

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 21 2025 10:09 utc | 199