News & views related to the war in Ukraine …
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May 4, 2025
Ukraine Open Thread 2025-096
Comments
@Featherless | Thu, 08 May 2025 03:26:00 GMT | 300
I thought, when Russia made that move toward Kiev, that it was a pinning move, so Ukraine couldn’t send troops to defend where Russia wanted to attack.
@Featherless | Thu, 08 May 2025 03:26:00 GMT | 300
That, or a negotiating tactic to get Ukraine to agree to Russia’s terms – no NATO, recognition of Crimea, etc. Russia withdrew troops to Kiev once Ukraine agreed to sign the deal. They reneged only after Boris Johnson’s visit. That’s when Russian goals shifted to include taking the four oblasts, but have never included Kiev or Ukraine proper.
Russia never had any intention of “taking” Ukraine/Kiev, at any point in the SMO. This is a myth propagated by the ISW/neocon crowd, which I am guessing Anonymous is parroting. They never sent enough troops to do that. They could have, but they didn’t, because they don’t want to own Ukraine. They only want a compliant Ukraine without the risk of rebellion/insurgency/NATO incursion.
But explaining that to the propagandists/trolls/slow-witted posters, of which Anonymous hits all three points, is basically an exercise in futility.
Posted by: James M. | May 8 2025 4:01 utc | 301
Ukraine hasn’t changed its position at all, Russia hasn’t changed its position either.
Trump spent 100 days trying to find leverage over Russia, there is none, to get them to change their position, but did not listen to what the Russians were saying for one second. He also found out exactly how bat-shit crazy the Ukrainian leadership, zelenskyy specifically, but did not use his immense leverage over them to force them to change anything.
So he achieved nothing other than opening communication with the Russians and starting the process to normalise relations. Now, is he going to throw that away over a war that is already lost?
Probably.
Posted by: Bird Vader | May 8 2025 4:46 utc | 302
Trump … also found out exactly how bat-shit crazy the Ukrainian leadership, zelenskyy specifically, but did not use his immense leverage over them to force them to change anything … Now, is he going to throw that away over a war that is already lost?
Posted by: Bird Vader | May 8 2025 4:46 utc | 303
Not alone, but he also created them and they’re his personal puppets now. I’m pretty sure there are no surprises, it’s the original plan, you fell in the trap created by Trump propagandists. I hope you have not invested in his memecoins as well.
And what war has Trump lost? Let’s see this quote: “Almost all of Europe wages war on Russia under Nazi banners — Lavrov” ( tass.com/politics/1953481 )
So Russia doesn’t see US to be a problem at all, they’re trying to get back on the dollar train, the Swift train, nothing else matters. Biolabs are no more a problem, Putin shoots down his drones on Trump’s command and also Putin invited Blackrock to buy Russia too ( en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/76331 ) and announced it on TV.
Also, it’s it funny that the “war under Nazi banners” is stopped exactly during 80th anniversary? What message Lavrov wants to send if not one of complete obedience? You assumed that if Trump is dumb he can never win anything. Anyone can win as long as the other is dumber. Which is what is happening here. You have the setup of a war between Europe controlled by US and Russia controlled by US, which will remove them from the map while US watches it like a movie, with popcorn. I think China has bought some popcorn too. The great reset.
Posted by: rk | May 8 2025 5:27 utc | 303
CrossTalk: Trump’s Forever War
https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/616866-trump-ally-diplomacy-needed/
“Trump of course denies it, but in fact the Ukraine conflict is now his war. The fundamental problem facing the American president is that the US is a co-belligerent, making any role as mediator almost absurd. This is why real diplomacy and negotiations are critically needed.
CrossTalking with Dan Kovalik, Patrik Baab and Tarik Cyril Amar.”
Posted by: JohnGilberts | May 8 2025 5:30 utc | 304
Posted by: James M. | May 8 2025 3:56 utc | 301
An excellent post James M.
It is a true summary of how the SMO started which should be widely read and appreciated, and in particular the pivotal role of the BOJO critter.
Of course the insulting and dismissive attitude of the collective western “diplomats” to the RF offer for far ranging and serious discussions about common security concerns at end of 2021 were the ultimate reason for the situation.
From my POV the collective west wanted to goad Russia into war, and they succeeded. While they initially considered that their proxy Ukraine-with copious military aid -would be sufficient to defeat Russia, things did not go anywhere as well as they anticipated.
They now have a very, very angry bear on their case, a bear that is no longer likely to accommodate any fantasies or false proposals from western political/financial or diplomatic institutions. The RF (hopefully) realises that any such pleas are to be handled as very strong and toxic bullshit, and be dealt with accordingly.
Posted by: Barrel Brown | May 8 2025 6:05 utc | 305
Anectodal reports are – combat in in Sumi region continues. FABs are flying all morning.
Ceasefire appears to be going the same way it went both previous times – no actual freeze of combat operations. As expected.
Posted by: boneless | May 8 2025 6:12 utc | 306
Kiev’s neo-Nazi regime lionizes Roman Shukhevych, names streets for him, builds monuments to him: they dub him a “hero and a freedom fighter of Ukraine” who resisted Moscow. When likeminded Ukrainians make their home in a Chicago suburb just east of O’Hare, they implant the Kiev regime’s orthodoxy concerning a man who slaughtered Jews in ditches and murdered Poles in heinously graphic ways.
The state of Holocaust remembrance/revision in the U.S. sinks or swims in relation to Ukrainization, a mainstreaming of WWII figures who suited up as Nazis, like Roman Shukhevych did. He bootstrapped his hands-on experience w/ the Reich in conducting Lvov’s 1941 genocidal pogrom to then lead the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, a paramilitary group that butchered thousands of Jews and between 70,000-100,000 Polish villagers.
Cleansing the appalling history of Ukraine’s “freedom fighters” involves a mind-bending act of Holocaust revisionism, which morphs war criminals into role models. It happened not only in Canada’s parliament in September 2023 but *is* happening in Chicago too.
St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish commemorated Roman Shukhevych on 9 March, celebrating his heroics in opposing Moscow and conveniently ignoring his Black Hands in the monstrous pogroms. Serhiy Koledov, consulate general of Ukraine in Chicago, joined in.
Notice that the virtue of opposing Moscow cleanses the blood of genocidal murder.
On 7 May, Koledov posted to X: “Russia parades not to remember history but to justify its current war. While Ukraine honors the victims and sacrifices of WWII, Russia uses the day to glorify its aggression and ongoing genocide against Ukrainians.”
Two million Ukrainians died fighting against the Nazis and their enablers. Only a portion of the country’s populace today defend its Nazi collaborators; millions more revile them. Saying Ukraine idolizes Shukhevych is like saying America idolizes Robert E. Lee.
Weirdly, though, Ukrainization as it manifests in the Chicago heartland includes venerating the likes of Roman Shukhevych. This version of history has come to our shores as a result of a transplanted population that privileges the current Kiev regime’s stance. The dominant mood among Chicago Ukrainians is the Robert E. Lee-truther mood, so to speak. Which Ukraine is Chicago getting-? Chicago is getting the Robert E. Lee Ukraine.
Neither the Jewish federation in northern Illinois nor the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum weighed in. The Anti-Defamation League remained mute to the Shukhevych commemoration too. Drawing attention to Ukraine’s penchant for exalting Nazi collaborators feeds into Russia’s focus on denazifying Ukraine, after all—-a distinct no-no when trying to Stand With Ukraine.
But if you don’t want to be accused of honoring Nazis, the first thing to do is to quit honoring Nazis.
In *standing with Ukraine* people don’t comprehend the Ukraine they’re unwittingly standing with. It is part of the Ukrainization that has visited our shores.
Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 8 2025 7:14 utc | 307
RUAF reportedly already crossed the Dnieper in a wide strip of area around Kozachi Lacheri. The road running east out of Kherson along the coast has already been disrupted in several points.
Posted by: unimperator | May 8 2025 7:54 utc | 308
The gains RUAF is making in the Konstantinovka and Kramatorsk direction suggest the following:
-RUAF is on verge of taking a powerful AFU stronghold SW of Konstantinovka, effectively compromising the rest of the AFU pocket S of Konstantinovka
-This allows RUAF to move west, to the NE flank of Pokrovsk and threaten it from the behind, or it allows RUAF to move NW or N, multiplying the AFU necessary line of defense (or collapse the front)
-potential movement NW of Chasov Yar, moving to flank Konstantinovka from the north
-AFU offensive in Novy Put failed as RUAF managed to destroy all their mobile and de-mining equipment
-The latest data suggests RUAF has forced AFU to pull back from the western outskirts of Tetkino (Kursk region)
Posted by: unimperator | May 8 2025 8:12 utc | 309
It appears another element similar to the previous ceasefire – banderites were told to shut the hell up and quietly follow it. Reduction of combat intensity is noted, like last time.
https://t.me/belarusian_silovik/53643
Ukraine is officially silent, but joins the truce [ceasefire, mistranslation]. The troops received such instructions, – Ukrainian MP Goncharenko.
Posted by: boneless | May 8 2025 9:34 utc | 310
unelected fascist and nazi ursula von der leyen:
‘The war in Ukraine will eventually end, but how it ends will determine the future of our continent for generations to come. The future of Ukrainians is at stake, but also our own. A bad deal could inspire Russia to new aggression. Our task is to help Ukraine enter peace talks on its own terms. And the best guarantee of a just and lasting peace is Ukraine’s accession to the EU. We must accelerate this process and open all clusters of negotiations in 2025. Let us welcome Ukraine into our union. Glory to Ukraine! Long live Europe.’
glory to ukraine? confirmation that she is indeed a closet-banderite? geez, ursula the nazi, who wouldve thought. of course, the brits and the rest of the illegal “eu” entity will look the other way, in true fascist way.
but lets disect her shitty little speech there:
* the future of our continent – no ursula, europe is NOT a continent, it is at best a subcontinent, like you love to call india. and it certainly is not YOUR continent
* russias new aggression – if you dont want “aggression”, then dont provoke. the only agressive one here is YOU ursula, you unelected poodle.
* peace talks on its own terms – no ursula, you want “peace” talks on YOUR terms, you fascist dont care about the ukrainian people, especially not about those of russian origin.
* ukrainian ascension to the eu / clusters of negotiation – the whole issue started WITH THE EU in the first place. janukovich was against seperating ukraine from the russian markets, but the fascist eu pushed and ultimately overthrew a democratic state (you know the eu does not know the word democracy even if you feed them the crayons they used to write it) to sever those ties so that they can exploit them, as the eu has done prior.
and dont get me started on “negotiations” when it comes to the warmongering nazi fascists from the eu/uk.
god im so glad that im almost done with the eu!
Posted by: Justpassinby | May 8 2025 9:52 utc | 311
and just to add, she did indeed say “slava ukraini, long live europe!” at the end. not translated,
Posted by: Justpassinby | May 8 2025 9:59 utc | 312
Polish border force helicopter up and down the Ukr border opposite Lvov – looking for deserters?
Yesterday a Polish aerial mapping company, MGGP, had a plane doing the same run, presumably doing a Lidar map of the terrain.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 8 2025 10:31 utc | 313
‘United Again To Defeat The Global Aggressor’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBbK8L2ctac
“LIVE: The 17th Annual Kyiv Security Forum.”
And Now a Few Words From Carney’s General Jennie…
https://x.com/ksfopenukraine/status/1920410021663224315
“The Canadian Armed Forces are honored to support Ukraine in your struggle by assisting with training and equipment. Supporting you in this fight is the responsibility of all nations,’ said General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defensive Staff.”
Posted by: JohnGilberts | May 8 2025 10:32 utc | 314
I asked @ : Spectator | May 5 2025 0:23 utc | 74
Do you ever stop speaking to fools here wasting your time?
………………..
A day later Bernard blocked Spectator, banned him and deleted all his comments.
To the delight of the “seniority” as he referred to them.
Here’s another comment that got deleted by B —
reply to : psychohistorian | May 5 2025 5:01 utc | 113
You attack me instead of attacking the real source of your anger. You too enjoy seniority.
Posted by: Spectator | May 5 2025 5:11 utc | 119
Bernard and his Rat Pack of Trolls thinks that’s too BAD to be seen on MoA.
Them being — Spanky Jack and Varga’s Mum and includes:
UWDude Naive karlof1, Juan Moment, LoveDonbass james psychohistorian Malenkov boneless Melaleuca Debsisdead canuck juliania persiflo Ahenobarbus Spectator, Barrel Brown, Featherless, watcher, Justpassinby George, YetAnotherAnon, Alex Vadim, Ghost of Zanon, Rutte, Johan Kaspar, Badjoke and many many more
BUT Spectator and others need to know that Bernard cannot Ban anyone from here. You need to know he is totally useless!
Posted by: S | May 8 2025 11:13 utc | 316
berlin once again prohibits russian symbols on victory day
bet they wont forbid some azov symbols.
Posted by: Justpassinby | May 8 2025 11:51 utc | 317
Berlin police have banned citizens from singing the song ‘Holy War’ from May 8 to 9 inclusive. If you really want to, you can sing, but only after 22:00 🤦♀️
Also prohibited:
– wearing military uniforms and parts of military uniforms,
– wearing military badges and symbols, c. separate or highlighted display of the letters “V” or “Z”,
-display of St. George ribbons,
-display of banners or flags related to Russia, coats of arms of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR),
-display of symbols and signs that can glorify the Russian-Ukrainian war, for example, display of the flag of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), display of a map of Ukraine without Donbass (Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporozhye regions and Crimea),
-playing and singing Russian marching or military songs (in particular, all versions of the song “Sacred War”).Lol, Germany free speech sometimes and only when things align with government views.
Posted by: Justpassinby | May 8 2025 11:58 utc | 318
Generally things seem quiet at the front, a few breaches by Ukraine who’ve failed at Tyotkino. Not sure if I’d go out collecting bodies under enemy drone surveillance, though, as both sides did last time. Ukraine’s ceasefire is de facto but they’ve not announced it AFAIK.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 8 2025 12:30 utc | 319
John S 318
well, EU is fast going bankrupt and political changes within popiulace and parties might succeed in breaking up the EU absurdity, Nato and countries military stocks vastly depleted, Biden has gone- maybe Russia took a bit of a gamble in assessing DT had a chance of succeeding due to the Biden and Co 350b dollars from him to Ukraine has finally exposed the futility of it all and the self damage to USA, Witkoff and Vance say they have a deeper understanding of the causes of the SMO that undermines the EU hysterical russophobia, plus expised the paper tiger of these countries supplying armaments eg F16 yes or no, Taurus yes or no, western tanks being destroyed, insifficient nato training for mobilised ukrops , that EU top politicians now expised as idiots thought emotionally not logically in their beliefs russia should-will be defeated on the battlefield……russian army had time to train up modernise develop new better weaponry etc, and has slowly corroded the western powers deluded selves.
Posted by: Jo | May 8 2025 12:39 utc | 320
Usually the whore gets paid to be fucked.
Times change.
Posted by: Newbie | May 8 2025 13:03 utc | 321
reply to 322
This is not a “normal” war or “normal” times. This is what makes it so difficult to judge or imagine an outcome. You have “experts” spouting history that may not apply. Actually, the Korean War comes closest. There will never be any meaningful surrender or capitulation. At best, maybe a DMZ and that doesn’t answer other concerns about neutrality.
I never observe anyone describing clearly how this conflict ends. I don’t think conquering Kyiv would make any difference. The regime is suicidal because Zelensky has a gun pointed to his head and his successors likewise. Ukraine can always get more small arms indefinitely and lose territory for years to come.
This is the core problem: Ukraine cannot “win” but Russia can “lose”. They can’t afford to conquer all of Ukraine and couldn’t hold such a mess anyway.
Maybe….if they can cut off Odessa, maybe, maybe they can get enough leverage to control Ukraine but the logistics of that are horrible. This gets worse if Russia drifts into budget problems.
Posted by: Eighthman | May 8 2025 13:05 utc | 322
LoW:
The Ukrainian Armed Forces, ignoring the ceasefire, are rolling across the Dnieper in the area of the Antonovsky Bridge. Extremely difficult terrain for both sides, many channels and islands, and also “greenery” in full force.
Although, Krynki has long demonstrated the full capability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to attack in this direction.
❗️A new element of the situation is the artillery preparation and drone strikes on the Kinburn Spit.
Another important element of the situation is the enemy’s activity in the area of the Tenderovskaya Spit, a long-standing location for enemy landings.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 8 2025 19:07 utc | 323
LoW:
The Ukrainian Armed Forces, ignoring the ceasefire, are rolling across the Dnieper in the area of the Antonovsky Bridge. Extremely difficult terrain for both sides, many channels and islands, and also “greenery” in full force.
Although, Krynki has long demonstrated the full capability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to attack in this direction.
❗️A new element of the situation is the artillery preparation and drone strikes on the Kinburn Spit.
Another important element of the situation is the enemy’s activity in the area of the Tenderovskaya Spit, a long-standing location for enemy landings.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 8 2025 19:12 utc | 324
OT but IMHO relevant – Chinese J-10 reportedly shoots down 3 Rafales.
https://www.reuters.com/world/pakistans-chinese-made-jet-brought-down-two-indian-fighter-aircraft-us-officials-2025-05-08/
While Reuters reported on Wednesday that three Indian planes went down, citing local government officials in India, this marks the first Western confirmation that Pakistan’s Chinese-made jets were used in the shootdowns. Pakistan’s Defense minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told Reuters on Thursday that the J-10 was used to shoot down three French-made Rafale planes, which were newly acquired by India. Altogether, Pakistan says it downed five Indian planes in air-to-air combat. Social media posts highlighted the face-off between China’s PL-15 air-to-air missile against the Meteor, produced by European missile group MBDA/BAe/Leonardo.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 8 2025 19:49 utc | 325