About the recent comment by a Russian official that, legally, the dissolution of USSR required a referendum in Ukraine (referendum that hasn’t been done), I have the feeling that it is to introduce the idea that ALL ukrainian oblasts should vote by referendum if they wish to (1) join Russia (2) join their fate to the Galicians in a demilitarized and denazified shithole.
SMO, not war, because Ukraine is not a foreign country. Slow SMO so that the inhabitants of Ukraine have some time to come to reality about which side has decency, morality and a future, and which one hasn’t. A master trap.

Posted by: Asian Frog | May 22 2025 13:12 utc | 3

About the recent comment by a Russian official that, legally, the dissolution of USSR required a referendum in Ukraine (referendum that hasn’t been done), I have the feeling that it is to introduce the idea that ALL ukrainian oblasts should vote by referendum if they wish to (1) join Russia (2) join their fate to the Galicians in a demilitarized and denazified shithole.
SMO, not war, because Ukraine is not a foreign country. Slow SMO so that the inhabitants of Ukraine have some time to come to reality about which side has decency, morality and a future, and which one hasn’t. A master trap.
Posted by: Asian Frog | May 22 2025 13:12 utc | 3
Overkill for ukraine, and dangerous for former republics…
Found it bizarre.
As I mentioned, would be “all in” for a “Status quo ante”… 1991? 1989?

Posted by: Newbie | May 22 2025 13:27 utc | 5

Overkill for ukraine, and dangerous for former republics…
Found it bizarre.
As I mentioned, would be “all in” for a “Status quo ante”… 1991? 1989?
Posted by: Newbie | May 22 2025 13:27 utc | 5
————
Maybe, but it’s a real point with genuine implications. The dissolution of the U.S.S.R de-facto was utterly illegal, undemocratic and treasonous.
So the Russian Federation *is* de-jure the Soviet Union under a different name legally speaking and thus potentially the only legitimate government in the whole former U S.S.R.

Posted by: Urban Fox | May 22 2025 13:49 utc | 7

@3
US and vassals want the Stalin established borders including conquered (1945) land of the Hapsburg’s and Poland to be held sacred, when these lands were stitched together by the USSR.
Why the adoration of Stalin?
Holding USSR creation sacrosanct is a scheme to break up Russia as a number of EU colonies to be plundered for Berlin, Paris and London. Why van der leyen says Russia is a threat……..
Not only is the coup government of Kiev not legitimate, it statehood is contrived by the US to form a weapons platform against Russia. No matter how many are destoyed.
Russia will be Palestine if US prevails.

Posted by: paddy | May 22 2025 14:23 utc | 9

@5
Status quo ante 1914.
The lands the Tsar ruled were not empire until US wants them to destroy Moscow and grab all those resources.
Send the Ukraine speaking Ruthenians and Galicians back to the Hapsburg.

Posted by: paddy | May 22 2025 14:27 utc | 11

Kobyakov: The USSR still legally exists, so the Ukrainian crisis is an internal matter
The Soviet Union legally still exists, since the procedure for its dissolution in 1991 was violated, so the Ukrainian crisis is an internal issue. This was stated by Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of Russia, following the results of the International Legal Forum in St. Petersburg.
“But if the USSR is not dissolved, then logically, from a legal point of view, it turns out that the Ukrainian crisis is an internal process… the collapse of the USSR should be given a proper legal assessment in order to understand modern events,” Kobyakov said, quoted by TASS.
According to him, “the USSR legally exists somewhere, as constitutional law experts have been talking about for a long time, including in Western countries, in the USA, in France.”
“They say so because the procedure of the so-called dissolution of the USSR was violated. If the Congress of People’s Deputies, it is The Congress of Soviets in 1922 created the USSR, then it was necessary to dissolve it by decision of the Congress of these very deputies. And if the legal procedure was violated, then, it turns out, legally the USSR exists, as experts in constitutional law say,” the presidential adviser noted.
Therefore, the conclusion of the Belovezhskaya Accord, according to which the Soviet Union was dissolved, looks “completely strange from a legal point of view,” the presidential adviser noted. According to him, these acts were then ratified by the Supreme Soviets of the RSFSR, the Ukrainian SSR, and the BSSR, which “was not in their competence at all.”
The XIII St. Petersburg International Legal Forum is being held from May 19 to 21.

https://eadaily.com/en/news/2025/05/21/kobyakov-the-ussr-still-legally-exists-so-the-ukrainian-crisis-is-an-internal-matter
Does seem strange timing to give this topic an airing, but Mr. Kobyakov is close to the centre of what might be termed the “collegiate thought” in the Russian government, so presumably this represents an official strand of thought.
Personally I think it is a bit of kite-flying, to see if and where (and with whom) consternation breaks out.

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | May 22 2025 14:35 utc | 13

Giving the pot another stir:

Ukrainians should elect a new leadership to sign an agreement with Russia — Foreign Ministry
The current leadership of the Kiev regime is not legitimate, and therefore has no right to sign international agreements. Therefore, in order to sign a memorandum with Russia, the people of Ukraine must elect new leaders.
This opinion was expressed to the TASS news agency by Maxim Musikhin, director of the legal department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, commenting on the possible signing of any agreements by the conflicting parties.
He pointed to the fact that the current head of the regime, Vladimir Zelensky, has lost not only external, but even internal legitimacy. In this regard, his signature on any international act will not cost anything.
The diplomat stressed that it is fundamentally important for the Russian side that the agreement on a peaceful settlement be signed by “a person who has the mandate of the people” of Ukraine. According to Musikhin, Zelensky does not fit this role in any way.
“It is necessary that the Ukrainian people, in the free expression of their will, determine their new leader. Then there will be a legitimate signatory,” concluded the head of the Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier, EADaily reported that former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov agrees with this approach. In his opinion, in Ukraine, first of all, it is necessary to restore the constitutional system, which will be guided by the genuine interests of the state.

https://eadaily.com/en/news/2025/05/22/ukrainians-should-elect-a-new-leadership-to-sign-an-agreement-with-russia-foreign-ministry

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | May 22 2025 14:45 utc | 15

“Slightly earlier, problems began with GB”
Posted by: Newbie | May 22 2025 14:43 utc | 14
You are right.
Everyone thinks that the US bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million dollars worth of gold.
Not correct.
in the American civil war Russia blockaded American ports to stop the British from resupplying its army.
In 1867 Russia presented the bill for the embargo (7.2 million ) and transferred Alaska to the US.
Why?
Because Russia was worried about the British navy blockading Alaska and eastern Siberia being blockaded as well as the British navy was more superior to the Russian so they gave the land to the US when US/British acrimony was evident.
And, don’t forget the trans Siberian railway was not completed till 1904 so the Russian would have a hard time defending Vladistock [sic] et al on the East coast.

Posted by: canuck | May 22 2025 14:52 utc | 17

Does seem strange timing to give this topic an airing, but Mr. Kobyakov is close to the centre of what might be termed the “collegiate thought” in the Russian government, so presumably this represents an official strand of thought.
Personally I think it is a bit of kite-flying, to see if and where (and with whom) consternation breaks out.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | May 22 2025 14:35 utc | 13
Agreed, but a scary one for most
And people were scared, on the other sense, that kremlin would fold/minsk the negotiations
Maybe… Maybe… its just a reminder of how big a win RF is still giving the west…

Posted by: Newbie | May 22 2025 15:18 utc | 19

A contributor to the Colonel’s old site looks at the problem of remnant Ukraine:-
“- – says:-
“I can’t tell if Putin still intends to occupy all of Ukraine or just the oblasts he is publicly demanding right now, but if he intends to occupy all of it he’s a damned fool.”
Thus identifying a problem that’s been facing the Russians since February 2022. My view:-
“–, I agree. That’s the Russians’ problem. Occupying remnant Ukraine would plunge them into a never-ending Northern Ireland. Except that it’d be worse. Far more weapons around than there were in Northern Ireland and some of them much more powerful. Very many more men we’ve trained to use them.
Also external support to a degree we never saw in Northern Ireland.
There was never that much external support for the terrorists in Northern Ireland. None, as far as I know, for the terrorists on the Loyalist side. For the other side, Semtex from the old Czechoslovakia, money from Noraid until that dried up. Bit of training and encouragement from elsewhere but nothing serious.
There was of course considerable sympathy from the neighbouring country, Ireland – there’s an appalling history of British oppression in Ireland right up to modern times and few have forgotten it – but as far as the Irish authorities were concerned their customs and police and military not only didn’t assist the terrorists. They were actively working with the British authorities to suppress terrorist activity.
Different here. Remnant Ukraine would be a happy hunting ground for the Western outfits dedicated to subversion and terrorism. It’d be like the 50’s all over again and in exactly the same region, western Ukraine. Same tools, too. The Bandera enthusiasts.
In Northern Ireland British Military and Intelligence eventually got on top of the problem and defeated the terrorists. Gerry Adams said as much later. That led to a political solution that was fragile in the extreme but did quieten things down. No chance of any of that in an occupied remnant Ukraine. It’d be a running sore for good, permanently kept going by the West as a means of destabilising Russia. In Sleboda’s words, a permanent “zone of destabilisation and insecurity”.
That’s why the Russians didn’t steamroller into the place in ’22 as we expected – apart from the fact they didn’t have enough men available to do it then! – and why they don’t want to occupy now. It’d be buying trouble.
A political solution would be far preferable. The conditions for a political solution have been clear from the start. The West to stop using Ukraine or any part of it as a NATO forward base – no more “look no hands” drones and missiles sent over into Russia, no more Western supported terrorist groups running sabotage and assassination missions into Russia. No more persecution of minorities. And, if only for the look of the thing, the Nazi-collaborationist monuments and memorials would have to come down, all over remnant Ukraine and right up to Lvov.
A tall order, all that. But it’s what the Russians will insist on. Trump might go along with that, if he can get over his own internal political difficulties. The Europeans, never.
Or not the current crop of European politicians. They need Cold War II if they’re to have a hope of remaining in power and Cold War II, certainly for the politicians in Germany and England at least, will have one thing in common with the first one. The BND and UK Intel, already well practised in subversion and destabilisation in the region, will be using the region for that purpose just as they did in the ’50’s and just as they’ve been doing ever since.
Bit of a problem for the Russians, Mr -, as you observe. The Russians’d be fools to occupy the place. But as things are, they’d be fools not to.
Since ’22 there have been two questions above all that stand out a mile.
The first, will the Russians impose counter-sanctions? They could wreck the European economy at the stroke of a pen if they wanted. That question’s not so interesting now. The Europeans are wrecking it quite happily all by themselves.
But the second question cannot be so easily dismissed. How will the Russians cope with the problem of remnant Ukraine? On that one, I’m still wondering. As I have been since ’22. Just have to wait and see, I suppose.”
This is where Donald Trump could really assist in getting a viable peace in remnant Ukraine. He could work with the Russians to achieve a permanent settlement. Or he could remain too worried about internal American opposition to do so.
This ties in with the article just above, by Debs is Dead. Is the US President under too much pressure from his internal opposition to be able to act forcefully to stop both the fighting in Ukraine and the atrocities in the ME?
I hadn’t listened to Alec Krainer before. Knew the name but that’s just about it. But I found him discussing exactly the same question in an interview just now. First, Trump’s difficulties in the ME. Then, his difficulties in the case of the Ukrainian war. (Set to 20.57) A look at Trump’s problems in the foreign policy field when confronted with a most formidable internal opposition:-
https://youtu.be/J6J5TgPFFeY?t=1257
Got to say, I found Krainer impressive. But then, I suppose I would because I agree with what he so cogently sets out.

Posted by: English Outsider | May 22 2025 15:32 utc | 21

Lindsey Anne and Danang Dick have lined up what they claim are 81 potential Senate votes to slap 500% tariffs on countries which buy oil/gas from Russia. The bill especially would target China, which is a major consumer of Russian energy products.
The legislation is stalled, however, awaiting the high sign from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, which may never happen, because DJT is disinclined to use additional financial tools against Russia.
Importantly: financial tools imposed by the West have not dented Russia’s economy. The Senate is sanctioning to nowhere.
BTW: Russia’s fossil fuel export revenues in April 2025 were $662 million per day, per the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
That shakes out to $242 billion a year.

Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 22 2025 15:41 utc | 23

@ English Outsider | May 22 2025 15:32 utc | 21 who is early in appreciation of Alex Krainer perspective…thanks.
Alex and I are on the same page in believing that global private finance needs to be eliminated from our form of social organization or we will never change.
I also think that patriarchal domination of our form of social organization needs to be deprecated to include female agency in balance.

Posted by: psychohistorian | May 22 2025 15:48 utc | 25

Vladimir Putin : A decision has been made to create a security buffer zone along the border between Russia and Ukraine. The Russian Armed Forces are currently solving this problem.
@voenkorKotenok

Posted by: MiniMO | May 22 2025 16:17 utc | 27

Medvedev has so often played the Bad Cop as opposed to VVP’s Good Cop in public statements regarding Project Ukraine, even functioning as Russia’s unfiltered Id in his social media posts, that his high-profile address @ the legal forum in Saint Petersburg showcased his serious-minded, pragmatic & analytical side, devoid of smack or trash talk, an absolutely level-headed assessment of where the SMO stands.
The WSJ confirms that the next round of talks will take place in the Vatican, and the Russian team is prepping a Memorandum for how the war can end, while the Ukrainian team is prepping the steps toward a ceasefire.
Russia’s Memorandum will be capitulation papers, a legally-binding document of non-negotiables aligned w/ VVP’s remarks on 14 June 2024. This is an ultimatum to Kiev.
When Zelensky rejects it, the EU Coalition will back him. They continue to support the government in Kiev. They continue to promote Ukraine as a paragon of European-style democracy. They stay mute when a former member of the government in Kiev gets executed on the street in Spain after dropping his child off at school.
The EU Coalition now appears wiling to blame DJT for a military defeat of Ukraine. This may be their own kind of Narrative-to-Nowhere, in which they’re quite skilled.
Importantly, DJT can deflect this blame by pointing out how the Europeans willingly funneled through their coffers and into Ukraine billions of dollars from a mendacious government helmed by a non compose mentis president when the ceaseless grift suited them.
As much as DJT can blame Antony B, Lloyd the 3rd and Jake “Steve” Sullivan for the debacle in Ukraine, he can especially finger the Europeans too, who at all costs sought to keep that money stream flowing.
And still do.

Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 22 2025 16:36 utc | 29

Quite a lengthy piece here, reporting on a growing mood of mutiny and rebellion in the ranks of the Ukrainian field commanders and their troops: https://eadaily.com/en/news/2025/05/22/a-murmur-in-the-armed-forces-of-ukraine-will-it-turn-into-a-mutiny-and-lawlessness-of-the-makhnovshchina
Some snips:

Ukrainian media and public are increasingly writing that a mutiny of field commanders is brewing in the army. It is reported that among the officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a chain reaction of anger began against the top leadership and specifically against commander-in-chief Alexander Syrsky.

~~~

Yes, the anger towards him is growing by leaps and bounds, — says our old acquaintance, a Russian from Kiev and a former military commissar Vasily. — Former colleagues constantly report to me about this. At the front, as they say, there is no such day that the officers do not curse him.

~~~

Candidates for the replacement of Syrsky at the Headquarters do not seem to be available yet. “Technicians” do not have authority in the army, but front-line soldiers OP considers them too dangerous for themselves
Therefore, for the time being, Yermak, according to informed sources, demands that the commander-in-chief calm down the field commanders and fully restore control over the army. At the same time, claims are made to him that there are no victories on the front line and that he has not been able to carry out a single successful operation since the invasion of the Kursk region. Although, in truth, he invaded there to please Zelensky. But now, given the mood in the army, this is not put to him as a “credit”.

There’s quite a bit more, including a claim that Banderite extremists in the Lvov region are hiding en masse from the TCC press-gangs, at the same time they are building caches of small arms, which doesn’t bode well for the future of Ukraine’s internal stability.

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | May 22 2025 16:43 utc | 31

Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 22 2025 16:36 utc | 29
RE: about the EU and its Narrative-to-Nowhere
<< Sooner or later your Narrative runs into artillery.

Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 22 2025 16:51 utc | 33

The DRG Group has been training just outside Sumy—the very spot Russia hit w/ an Iskandr strike on 20 May.
Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 22 2025 16:57 utc | 34
No regard for the men.
No lessons learnt from the recent past.
And the butcher’s bill grows.

Posted by: jpc | May 22 2025 17:07 utc | 35

@29
As VVP and other Russian leaders have pointed out: there is no de jure government in Kiev.
They tout two objections to legitimacy: the political leaders are without constitutional authority all terms expired, the whole of Ukraine is no country, it is de facto by U.S.
Russia demands will first be plebiscites on which Oblast want to be: Russia, Rumania, Poland, stumped to Kiev.
Ukraine is a Soviet fiction, an admin convenience now a tool for US dominion

Posted by: paddy | May 22 2025 17:37 utc | 37

@ Melaleuca | May 22 2025 15:31 utc | 20
What a shame indeed. Anyway, for the two people here who are interested, here’s the latest from the Simplicius article. Sourced from Lostarmour.

Average daily advancement of the Russian Armed Forces in the SMO zone. Updated data from May 14 to May 17, 2025. The rate of advance is 31.5 km² per day for the period, the total advance is 126 km². In May, no less than 400 km will be captured, clearly marking a return to the offensive operations that began around this time in 2024 and lasted until early 2025.

Posted by: boneless | May 22 2025 18:26 utc | 39

No doubt the escalating desperation over the next several months will accelerate various terror-tactics in urban spaces.
Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 22 2025 17:11 utc | 36
No, there’s no difference. They were doing it one, two or three years ago as well. Kursk was hit by himars too, the news said 12 wounded. After so many years it’s clear Putin likes it, Russian government likes it, the population likes since none is complaining that there is zero protection and no MoD, so let them live the cluster beach life while they kiss Trump’s ass begging for Swift

Posted by: rk | May 22 2025 18:49 utc | 41

There is a theme of ethernal punishment based on repeating or doing something forever
Tantalos trying to drink and trying to eat an apple
Sysyphos rolling boulder up a hill
Ghostriders chasing devils’s cow heard through endless sky
European commissioners working on a sanction package

Posted by: Piotr Berman | May 22 2025 19:01 utc | 43

Commenters here have not mentioned a key decision Russia will make, or has made. The 4 borders will not be reached simultaneously. Will they stop near the earliest Western edges of the Donbass until the rest are done? — It is true they have gone into the Kharkov oblast but I guess due to the strategic value of the Siverskyi-Donets River?? I am saying that front is not a sure indication on this as they plan a buffer zone anyway.
I mean the Western border of Donetsk most of all. if Russia waits (with exceptions) this will effectively extend by months the time of the their current offer on the table. Does this not not make sense? Let’s say November-January the 4 are fully taken, By that point Ukraine won’t have to humiliatingly retreat from the line of contact. Makes it easier for them to say ‘yes’.
in contrast- if waiting on Kherson, Russia enters the Diepropetrovsk oblast in force, more than West of Lugansk seriously beyond the Donbass, they will not want to retreat themselves. If that happens the tabled offer will slowly vaporize, I think. This may be the earliest indication.
Final thought: Maybe Russia will move into Zaporizhzhia while explaining this to the West -to impel them as best as possible.

Posted by: JustSomeOldGuy | May 22 2025 20:09 utc | 45

@ Tips | May 22 2025 20:27 utc | 46
Why is it that you praise a known liar for the proven to be inaccurate data he has been copy-pasting here?

Posted by: boneless | May 22 2025 21:06 utc | 47

To correct false information.
Posted by: rk | May 22 2025 21:16 utc | 49

uhuh, like the tall tale of the hms defender that you always tell.
“they even sponsored them with gas transit money.” this is yet another prime example of perfidious albion “correcting information”. keep it up, starmer.

Posted by: Justpassinby | May 22 2025 21:25 utc | 49

US and vassals want the Stalin established borders including conquered (1945) land of the Hapsburg’s and Poland to be held sacred, when these lands were stitched together by the USSR.
Why the adoration of Stalin?
Holding USSR creation sacrosanct is a scheme to break up Russia as a number of EU colonies to be plundered for Berlin, Paris and London. Why van der leyen says Russia is a threat……..
Not only is the coup government of Kiev not legitimate, it statehood is contrived by the US to form a weapons platform against Russia. No matter how many are destoyed.
Russia will be Palestine if US prevails.
Posted by: paddy | May 22 2025 14:23 utc | 9

In the ’90’s, the US was not nearly so concerned about the former Yugoslavia’s sanctity as a functioning state or its borders, in fact the US was quite eager to see it broken up into ethnic enclaves to ‘free’ the suffering peoples, except for the Serbs, who were made into pariahs and blamed for everything. Seems the US only embraces the ‘principles’ that serve its agenda.

Posted by: Mike R | May 22 2025 21:51 utc | 51

There was never that much external support for the terrorists in Northern Ireland. None, as far as I know, for the terrorists on the Loyalist side. For the other side, Semtex from the old Czechoslovakia, money from Noraid until that dried up. Bit of training and encouragement from elsewhere but nothing serious.
There was of course considerable sympathy from the neighbouring country, Ireland
In Northern Ireland British Military and Intelligence eventually got on top of the problem and defeated the terrorists. Gerry Adams said as much later. That led to a political solution that was fragile in the extreme but did quieten things down.
Posted by: English Outsider | May 22 2025 15:32 utc | 21
In what was an otherwise interesting post, Ireland is NOT a neighbouring country of Northern Ireland – Ireland is one country with the British occupying the northeastern Six Counties (the clue is in the name Northern Ireland). Furthermore, the British Army and British Intelligence agencies NEVER defeated the IRA despite having massive resources to do so. Gerry Adams also never said what you claimed. As the leader of the Irish Republican movement, it was Adams’ strategy to transition from armed struggle to political struggle which they more or less did from July 1997 onwards. The British state was powerless to prevent IRA attacks up to that time – demolition of numerous town centres in the North (too numerous to mention); the England bombing campaign (Clapham Rail Junction 1991, Baltic Exchange 1992, Bishopsgate 1993, Canary Wharf 1996, Manchester City Centre 1996 – too numerous to mention); the successful elimination of numerous high-ranking British politicians, judges, Army officers, senior Intelligence agents, British-controlled Ulster loyalists of all ranks, prison officers, etc., etc. (again, too numerous to mention); the near-elimination of the entire British government TWICE in the Brighton Bomb of 1984 agus Dowling Street Attack in 1991; numerous successful prison escapes; the loss of London’s bid to be European capital of Finance in 1992 (because of IRA bombs too numerous to mention); periodic paralysing of the British economy, particularly in the 1990s; Britain’s considerable loss of soldiers (all ranks), special forces operatives (SAS), policemen, prison officers (which was much higher than what was offically acknowledged), etc, etc.
The IRA ended its military campaign because it wasn’t making political progress and was deadlocked in a military stalemate. This fact, despite revisionist attempts now to obfuscate this (snatch victory from the jaws of failure), was readily acknowledged by the British Army high command and most British politicians and journalists at the time. It seems that a very large segment of English society has an intellectual inability to admit their failure to defeat the IRA. The Irish Republicans political campaign has clearly paid off as they are now the largest political force in Ireland – North and South – something that wasn’t remotely true in the 1990s!

Posted by: Gaelach | May 22 2025 22:18 utc | 53

While on the subject of the inability to admit failure, or defeat in this case, the entire Western Establishment will soon have that problem as a Russian victory over Western-controlled puppet Ukraine is imminent!

Posted by: Gaelach | May 22 2025 22:26 utc | 55

What’s odd is that after several centuries of fighting the Brits and each other, they chose to use independence to open their borders to half the world, with Sinn Fein at the forefront of opening the gates.
(Ot, but then so was the preceding post)
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 22 2025 22:25 utc | 54
Sinn Féin aren’t the ones in government making any such decision to open the gates to mass immigration – that would be the corrupt Irish political Establishment of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

Posted by: Gaelach | May 22 2025 22:35 utc | 57

Back on May 9th, when Russian President Putin announced a willingness to negotiate with Ukraine, the normal idiots flooded MoA with their ridiculous claims that Putin’s offer came because “he was selling out Russia,” or “Russia was losing,” etc.
I pointed out that the Russians have a pattern: offer to negotiate, then when they fail, announce their intention to expand their war goals.
Well, we are beginning to see the Russian’s expanded war goals: Russia’s new war goals
I don’t have a link, but the Russian’s have also announced that Ukraine never officially withdrew from the USSR; therefore, Ukraine is still legally part of Russia, as the successor to the USSR. They also stated that Ukraine needs a national referendum to withdraw from the Russian Federation. Wow! I think the Russians intend to do a referendum in each oblast to determine which want to remain part of the Russian Federation and which want to have independence.
This sets up a situation where each Ukrainian oblast is granted their independence. The Russians will then allow those oblasts to become small independent countries. In other words, the Russians intend to break up whatever remains of Ukraine into multiple independent micro countries, somewhat similar to what happened to Yugoslavia.
Ukraine really should have taken the Russian’s Istanbul+ offer.

Posted by: Nobody Special | May 22 2025 23:33 utc | 59

What has Trumpian Phoneyfart said on his soap box about the 480 drones the Ukrainians fired at Russia ?
“Zelenskyy stop” ?
Has he said anything ?

Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | May 22 2025 23:35 utc | 61

@64
Imagine if you read a headline: “BRICS member states allocated a fixed portion of their GDP to fund Russia’s armed forces. BRICS leaders have pledged continued military support for Russia to colonize the west.”
Money for Ukraine to kill Russians is a fine idea but when it buys shoddy, high profit munitions…… that arrive late.

Posted by: paddy | May 22 2025 23:58 utc | 63

Imagine if you read a headline: “BRICS member states allocated a fixed portion of their GDP to fund Russia’s armed forces. BRICS leaders have pledged continued military support for Russia to colonize the west.”
Posted by: paddy | May 22 2025 23:58 utc | 65
Crazy ain’t it paddy. Voters are like a bunch of zombies.

Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | May 23 2025 0:10 utc | 65

Sun Of Alabama | May 23 2025 0:10 utc | 67

Voters are like a bunch of zombies.

Agreed. I like the term “copper-top (q.v. The Matrix),” too.

Posted by: robjira | May 23 2025 0:16 utc | 67

I don’t think so. He wants his 4? 5? Russian speaking oblasts plus a passive security beyond it.
Posted by: Indulis Kradzins | May 23 2025 0:42 utc | 70
Novorossiya.

Posted by: TJandTheBear | May 23 2025 1:30 utc | 69

No, there’s no difference. They were doing it one, two or three years ago as well. Kursk was hit by himars too, the news said 12 wounded. After so many years it’s clear Putin likes it, Russian government likes it, the population likes since none is complaining that there is zero protection and no MoD, so let them live the cluster beach life while they kiss Trump’s ass begging for Swift
Posted by: rk | May 22 2025 18:49 utc | 41
That’s a tremendous amount of dumbassery for one comment.

Posted by: Screwdriver | May 23 2025 3:24 utc | 71

Putin presented Lavrov with the highest Russian honour at a ceremony the other day.
Lavrov seemed quite chuffed and emotional.
I guess even someone like Lavrov can do with a bit of positive affirmation every now and again.
This is not necessarily the best vid, of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfc0o1-Oez0

Posted by: Melaleuca | May 23 2025 4:54 utc | 73

Posted by: morongobill | May 22 2025 13:01 utc | 1
Ukraine’s partisans.
More patriots, Centuria:
https://avalonlibrary.net/Ukraine/Nazi_groups_in_Ukraine/2024-04-07_Meet_Centuria_Ukraine%92s_Western-trained_neo-Nazi_army_by_Kit_Klarenberg_%28The_Grayzone%29.pdf

Posted by: Paul from Norway | May 23 2025 7:00 utc | 75

Maybe Bukovina back to Romania too – but only if Romania behaves, which is unlikely now that their Government has been captured in an MI6 style election steal.”
Posted by: Paul from Norway | May 23 2025 6:57 utc | 74
They don’t want it. Romania is the only country that had an official statement that they have no territorial demands. You can find the news anywhere you like. It was after one of Putin’s speeches when he hinted at the possibility. Poland and Hungary did not say anything.
Romania is interested only in Moldova because it’s and old Nato plan for a new expansion. France, Germany and UK keep sending soldiers there, US is building a base. When everything will be ready, the opposition in Moldova and Romania in jail, Maia and the corresponding Romanian clown will receive a phone call.

Posted by: rk | May 23 2025 7:40 utc | 77

Spanish A400m transport left Constanza in Romania this morning, presumably a delivery for Ukraine or the NATO base

Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 23 2025 8:26 utc | 79

English Outsider @21
My take is that Ukraine will collapse slowly and then all at once beginning with the military. Desertion rates of up to 50% now indicate this is coming and will begin to crescendo. It reminds me of the Tsar forces walking away from the front lines in WWI.
Zelinksy is incapable of any negotiating and cannot give in on any issues at all. He faces death from his Banderist allies and is currently under guard by the French Foreign Legion bodyguards. He will, at some point, perhaps soon, get on a plane and never return and the the stand he will defend Ukraine from abroad, of course with his billions$ with him.
That would leave a military coup to replace the current regime and perhaps one favourable to Russia. Should that happen then de-nazification will begin immediately and we wills see a mass exodus into Europe of the Nazi scum. They will, of course, blame the US and NATO for getting them into the war in the first place and instead of terrorist operations inside Ukraine or Russia will begin carrying them out in Europe and the US.
So, it all depends on how far the attrition has weakened what military and how soon the collapse occurs. My guess is by late Summer we will see it begin in earnest.

Posted by: Old Microbiologist | May 23 2025 8:43 utc | 81

Thank you for weekly updates, Rob! Always appreciated.

Posted by: Konami | May 23 2025 8:57 utc | 83

59
Hmmmm interesting…ta.

Posted by: Jo | May 23 2025 9:15 utc | 85

@ Rob Campbell, the Busker:
You mention the 17th EU sanctions package and the Russian “shadow fleet” (a concept as illogical as the “rules-based order”, as you know). But I think there is one more bit in this package that is worth mentioning, and actually has frightened many.
The sanctions packages always include individuals too. But this is the first time that two persons are on the list that are *only* EU citizens. These are Alina Lipp and Thomas Röper, both German. This is an extreme measure because sanctions mean: they cannot travel to the EU (there is discussion if they would be allowed to enter Germany or not); cannot receive money (Röper asked his supporters to stop donating for now because it is illegal); cannot spend money (formally, they can appeal to some authority to spend money on living). This is strikingly close to outlaw/banish/damn someone in medieval times. In particular, assuming this goes through without a large cry –there is no outcry expected– then putting citizens on future sanctions lists will become the easiest way to deal with any form of opposition.
The 17th sanctions package may not look like much but it has opened the doors for EUropean totalitarism very wide.

Posted by: Konami | May 23 2025 10:04 utc | 87

Posted by: Old Microbiologist | May 23 2025 8:43 utc | 81
best post I have read today-thanks.

Posted by: canuck | May 23 2025 11:00 utc | 89

BRICS / Global South would be orgasmic with joy if the USSR reformed. China would be relieved that they then have a civilizational ally rather than one only forced into their orbit by the stupidity of their adversaries.
I don’t see a reformation of the USSR happening anytime soon, but I also don’t see that there would be much angst in the world about such a thing except from the Empire and its henchmen. On the contrary, most in the world would celebrate.

Posted by: William Gruff | May 23 2025 11:06 utc | 91

Tied at the hip
The Collective West
The Ziofascists/Natzios – not a cigarette paper between them.
This is ‘us’, the Collective Wasters.
‘Lord Bebo
@MyLordBebo
1h
🇺🇦🇷🇺🇮🇱 BREAKING: Ukrainian actor, Maxim Nelipa, was killed last week by the Russian army.
He is the father of, Artem Nalipa, an IDF soldier off the Golani Brigade stationed Gaza.
Now Artyom can’t go to the funeral of his dad, due to forces conscription in Ukraine. ‘
——————
You see it’s connected?
Dynasties and the common factor is the shapeshifters through history – their final throw of the die? An open ziofascist Yankee Doodle Gangster from Chicago Pope in the original conspiracy – that of the Holy Roman Empire and its fantasy religion invented to keep slaves in order – demanding that its long ago schismed better half of their Garden of Eden comes and bends a knee and rejoins it in Rome – willingly! Having failed to coerce it militarily through genocide for centuries.
It beats and kills Palestinians as punishment to force such a surrender.
I do so hope that Drumpff pulls out of the Iran nuke deal and NuttyYahoos attempt an attack on Iran. That dead Nazi fathers son can join him immediately as equally toasted ziofascist child murderers of the apartheid entity.
Let the oreshniks bloom!

Posted by: DunGroanin | May 23 2025 11:22 utc | 93

Konami | May 23 2025 10:04 utc | 87
The UK are way ahead of the EU – see pro-Donbass Brit Graham Phillips:
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/08/graham-phillips-british-reporter-exiled-banking-accounts-frozen-telling-truth/
“Giving credit where it’s due, Hitchens explained the implications of being deprived of access to a bank account. Phillips cannot pay bills, utility supply to his London home will be cut, bailiffs will be buzzing around, and any damage to his property cannot be repaired. His insurance will be annulled. Phillips, if he wanted to challenge his plight in court, could not pay for the air fare – although that’s probably for the best. If he returned he would surely be arrested at Heathrow and thrown into prison without trial. On YouTube, Phillips remarked on his extra-judicial punishment, and the bypassing of a system of justice built over centuries on the foundations of Magna Carta, as ‘Kafkaesque’. As Hitchens noted, Phillips has committed no crime. The government’s justification was that he is ‘a video blogger who has produced and promoted content that supports and promotes actions and policies which destabilise Ukraine and undermine or throttle the territorial integrity, sovereignty, or independence of Ukraine.’ ”

Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 23 2025 11:26 utc | 95

YetAnotherAnon: Thank you, I did not know. 2022 already, the UK is leading the pack!
I do know that the UK is the most consistent purveyor of Russophobia, discounting Ukraine. But I don’t get the impression that average Brits make the connection between cost-of-living crisis, NHS on-going privatisation, bad domestic news always and the billions spent on Ukraine. Those that I know personally would still vote (bad enough in itself if you ask me) and then for “Labour” again, lesser evil and so on. How many Blairs and Starmers does it take to get it??

Posted by: Konami | May 23 2025 11:38 utc | 97

reply to 92
I was surprised that bridges still exist across the river. What was Ukraine thinking?

Posted by: Eighthman | May 23 2025 11:53 utc | 99