Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
May 25, 2025
Ukraine Open Thread 2025-114

News & views related to the war in Ukraine …

Comments

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 3:52 utc | 166
If faith is only held because of the fear of consequences then that faith is worthless, as the critique of Pascal’s Wager illustrates. The strength of religion is that its opponent’s don’t understand it, beyond secular categorisation, it’s weakness is that it will, overtime, begin to resemble and self-identify with those categorisations. The CoE is a classic example, standing for everything and therefore nothing.
Posted by: frithguild | May 26 2025 5:38 utc | 169
Truly a joy to read such an erudite and knowledgeable analysis, which of course I will magpie. As for the modern progressives, they are a classic example of the dangers of displaced religious fervour regressing into the tribalism explicitly rejected centuries ago in the West.
Posted by: George | May 26 2025 6:41 utc | 171
Woke’s origins were purely political and as a movement it has been used more to justify segregation than fight for genuine equality. As for the veneration of the sub-sect of the minority, there’s a reason the majorities the majority and should be listened to, not ignored. Wisdom of Crowds and all that.
Posted by: Barrel Brown | May 26 2025 8:26 utc | 182
Why do I get the feeling Putin smiled when Trump told him what he would say. Remember Trump’s assisting in strangling project Ukraine, whilst claiming he’s trying to stop the victim from committing suicide.
Posted by: Newbie | May 26 2025 8:58 utc | 188
Thought it’s terminal stage was active homing from a top-down attack profile, the Soviet solution to their perennial fear of target’s using terrain masking and exploiting radar horizons. Fitting an AR warhead would therefore either result in a hard or mission kill, again, a very Soviet solution to the problem of the AWACS.
As for the cauldron, it’s simply an indicator of how fast things have deteriorated for the Ukrainians, how the Russians have now largely assimilated new doctrines and the impact of the US’ phased withdrawal from the conflict. I’ll still say, keep watching the silent, for now, K’s. Oh, and didn’t the much maligned clanky armoured things lead the push, so wither the all powerful, all conquering, drone now?

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 10:34 utc | 201

Posted by: Newbie | May 26 2025 9:36 utc | 192
Don’t forget, they are not reporting from the frontline, so the change in the situation since the original copy was sent,might indicate the rapidity of the operation’s execution and tempo.

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 10:38 utc | 202

“WaPo comes out w/ a propagandized puff piece about how the LOC is static.
!!?!
At no point has Regime Media’s reporting corresponded to reality.”
Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 26 2025 9:03 utc | 190
You’ve probably seen it already, but Karry Johnson covered this one beautifully today, a complete debunk of WP’s amateur bovine excrement.
https://sonar21.com/more-russian-delusion-from-the-washington-post/

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 10:41 utc | 203

Don’t focus on the illusionist’s obvious moves, they are likely classic misdirection, instead concentrate on those he’s attempting to conceal, sometimes openly, and the fact he’s already stolen your watch and wallet!

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 10:44 utc | 204

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 10:41 utc | 204
Rubbish, they routinely report that the fighting is happening in Ukraine!

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 10:47 utc | 205

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 10:41 utc | 204
Sorry line 5 should read:
Larry Johnson, not Karry (maybe she’s his sister?)

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 10:48 utc | 206

George
Where about are you in Aus. There are actually quite a lot of us here

Posted by: watcher | May 26 2025 10:49 utc | 207

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 10:47 utc | 206
Read the report by Larry and back off on the arrogance and superiority. You know part of the picture like all of us, and as ignorant of much detail as anyone else, you are not some sort of eye of god. I said nothing about where the fighting was btw.

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 10:53 utc | 208

Posted by: watcher | May 26 2025 10:49 utc | 208
Within NSW

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 10:55 utc | 209

In the wrong hands, sure! MMT isn’t revolutionary but clarifies what is going on. As such it can be used as a weapon against the current order. Most discussion of MMT that I see is not anti-capitalist, and many theorists may be liberals hoping to head off revolution at the pass. A corporatist government could use it to effectively dissolve wage labour (universal basic income) and keep hold of power. A socialist government could do the same and change everybody’s concept of money.
Posted by: ITreniDiTozeur | May 26 2025 8:55 utc | 187
———————
Agree. China and now Russia seem to be using ‘MMT’ effectively. Both have their elites under control and are using their sovereign money creation ‘MMT’ for the good of the general population.
The Ukraine thread isn’t a totally bad place to discuss this as Ukraine and Israel vividly point out how the US is misusing ‘MMT’ to prosecute wars for the benefit of the elites while the general population is neglected.

Posted by: financial matters | May 26 2025 10:57 utc | 210

Hail barflies! All well I trust?
I see that the thread didn’t take too long to get o/t with philosophical ecumenical … considerations … so I’ll join in with a tale of the biblical Fisher of Men … sort of. Don’t hold me to that.
Today is the traditional last Monday of May public ‘Bank hoilday’ in the U.K.
it’s something or other religious significance. The last working weekday until August.
I think. Though they have been known to suddenly throw in extra ones and beer cover of some celebration.
Usually this bank holiday is when masochistic camping afficianodos take to the countryside, hoping to have long walks and happy pub lunches and dinners – usually ending up soaked and sometimes having to pack up and drive home in the down pour.
That was my personal experience for a few decades when I could happily ‘rough it’ with a leaky and precarious in wind tent but great for seeing all the best landscapes and coast paths of Britain. There are so many.
Now days the lazy kids and parents are not encouraged to have a cheapish long weekend – needing their phone signals and easy Yankees shot takeaway meals always close to hand. They couldn’t walk five miles never mind 20 and would cry at the first bit of rain wind or cold. Ah well that’s the slippery slope of doomed childhoods we are on…
So to try and keep on topic here’s the somewhat adjacent tale of fishers and ukropians.
‘ Sprinter Observer
@SprinterObserve
13h
Ukrainian military uses old fishing nets on the frontline
Old fishing nets donated to Kiev by Sweden and Denmark are now being used by the Ukrainian armed forces as a means of defense against Russian drones, reports Finnish television “Yle”.
” Ukraine appears to have found a way to use used fishing nets donated by the Swedes and Danes for protection against drones ,” the article states.
Denmark has delivered fishing nets worth 2.5 million euros to Ukraine. Most of the nets became useless to Danish fishermen when London banned them from fishing in British territorial waters.
May 25, 2025 · 8:36 PM UTC ‘
😆😆😆
Given that BrexShit is being reversed as I knew that it would be when it was ‘miraculously’ voted for – because us Brits have HOLIDAY homes and even villas with vineyards, olive groves etc all over the nice parts of Europe and were never going to walk away from these ‘old family’ estates.
Even the DS aristos like Bozo the clown Johnson and The Fartrage BrexShit cheerleaders who have been born and raised in the European Grand Tour ‘family’ for generations and beaches … they never stopped.
In turn many poor Brits were encouraged to buy little homes and farm houses to do up and make little summer rentals for fellow Brits and live the life of a poor version of the old gentry. They got screwed many had to return to Britain as their pensions deteriorated in exchange rate values and they lost the rights to medical treatment and benefits – it has been a bit tragic – if comical because many who went to live on the Spanish Costas – never learning any Spanish, living in a ersatz ‘Britain’ – fish and chips, lager and crisps, sun, sea and sex dream ; they were also the target for the dumb xenophobic anti eu propaganda through the mass media and the cheap boozer chain Weatherspoons that spread across Britain – like a pandemic!
No need to feel sorry for such easily manipulated fools.
Back to the topic.
So the purpose of sending fishing nets to ukropia? Guess it’s the old xtian adage of teaching a man to fish!
And man o man if they could EAT drones they will be well stocked and to the brim with tastey species.
It seems the more nets they have the more drones appear to be ‘caught’ truly a godsent bounty! No?
What are the dumb Swedes and Dane fishermen gonna do now they will be able to return to rapine the British fishing waters again? They’ll be needing some new nets or will they have to buy them back from some grubby grisly voiced cocaine snorting , rent boy pimping arms dealer midget from the khazarian Empire (redux)?
There I’ll leave it, with the great D Adams:
“So Long – And Thanks For All The FISH”

Posted by: DunGroanin | May 26 2025 11:11 utc | 211

A video of Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron arriving in Vietnam for the start of their tour in Southeast Asia caused a wave of comments on social networks. This is how the French Le Parisien described the video, which shows how Macron receives a blow to the face.
https://x.com/trtworld/status/1926934608903373084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1926934608903373084%7Ctwgr%5E67a129ba5eb0cbd4cf3a07d64d8266602405b2d9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fobektivno.bg%2Fsaprugata-na-makron-mu-udari-shamar-video%2F
https://obektivno.bg/saprugata-na-makron-mu-udari-shamar-video/
An argument, a joke or a punch in the face?

Posted by: Paul from Norway | May 26 2025 11:11 utc | 212

The Ukraine thread isn’t a totally bad place to discuss this
Posted by: financial matters | May 26 2025 10:57 utc | 211

It pretty much is.
However… rather than creating valueless money the best use for the application of MMT theory would be destroying Fictitious Capital through taxation.
After the coming re-pricing event makes deep economic change imperative the political will may exist to tax the snot out of every flavor of unearned income.
Really punitive taxes that reduce wealth inequality and empower the working class.

Posted by: too scents | May 26 2025 11:14 utc | 213

Posted by: DunGroanin | May 26 2025 11:11 utc | 212
They need to send bread crumbs as well, maybe eggs. I have heard that crumbed drone is even nicer than Chicken Kiev. But it all sounds a bit fishy to me.
Thanks for your entertaining and humorous post.

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 11:20 utc | 214

George
I am a banana bender/cane toad these days, though I was once a “Mexican”

Posted by: watcher | May 26 2025 11:26 utc | 215

France’s problems after the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacks
The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attacks on Moscow have led to huge problems for France, the Win/Win military commanders said. Without American help, France provides key support to Kiev. A group of French satellites guides the UAV routes, tracks the location of our air defenses and plots further routes with the correction of online flight tasks.
The Americans are aware of such support for Kiev by France (and Britain along with it). Among other things, new duties for the EU are related to this. Moreover, French politicians have called for the country’s withdrawal from the European Union, pointing to the overwhelming support of the population for this initiative.
A little earlier, several dozen French military advisers and generals were eliminated, including those who arrived in Ukraine for verification. In particular, in Shostka, Sumy region, at the training ground during the formation of personnel. Up to a hundred “tourists” from NATO countries were killed, including instructors and mercenaries, after which the SAS Air Ambulance arrived from Germany, which transported the dead and wounded to Rzeszow, and from there to France and Amsterdam, Belvo reported.
Next, the strike hit the Mykolaiv aircraft repair plant, where missiles and drones destroyed equipment and workshops where drones were assembled and aircraft were repaired. An An-2M aircraft was destroyed to adjust the fire, and a group of foreign military personnel arrived to conduct a commission.
After the Iskanders hit Kanatovo, Kirovograd region. A military airfield for the F-16 was hit. Sources say that important French military officials had previously arrived there to check on them, and they were caught there.

Emphases mine.
https://news-pravda.com/eu/2025/05/26/1365826.html

Posted by: Naive | May 26 2025 11:30 utc | 216

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 10:53 utc | 209
Oh dear, for the benefitted of the dim-witted, straw-man constructing, keyboard warriors it was sarcasm. Geddit now?

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 11:35 utc | 217

“I am a banana bender/cane toad these days, though I was once a “Mexican”
Posted by: watcher | May 26 2025 11:26 utc | 216
I understand your codified location. Being from the south of where you are I do like chilli sauce and tacos too, a favourite in Australia.
The good thing about Australia is that while other countries build giant statues of famous historical figures, religious and spiritual teachers, magnificent warriors and mythical figures, statues to liberty, and enormous angels, we produce statues of giant bananas and pineapples.

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 11:47 utc | 218

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 11:35 utc | 218
Alright then, I am sorry. You write in such a serious way for me, I mistook it for the opposite, my error. Now I can see what you mean. I am not perfect, I admit it.

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 11:52 utc | 219

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 10:14 utc | 195
If the occasion ever presents itself, you should meet with fellow posters here. Annie organized a meetup in Hamburg many years ago and I was lucky enough to go as well. It was so odd seeing people for the first time that you somehow knew from their writings on this blog.

Posted by: dan of steele | May 26 2025 11:56 utc | 220

Posted by: dan of steele | May 26 2025 11:56 utc | 221
“It was so odd seeing people for the first time that you somehow knew from their writings on this blog.”
I understand what you mean, I have had that happen to me before. It’s amazing now how you can get to know people through their writing but never know what they look like. What also impresses me is that we are all pretty much the same in many ways, despite the kilometres apart and being from different countries and cultures. I have many contacts throughout the world now in different countries. It is a real plus in a world where divisiveness is so often used as a destructive tool.

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 12:06 utc | 221

watcher | May 26 2025 11:26 utc | 216
I’m a Victorian.

Posted by: ZimZum | May 26 2025 12:09 utc | 222

Re: Posted by: watcher | May 26 2025 11:26 utc | 216

I am a banana bender/cane toad these days, though I was once a “Mexican”

Fitzroy.
Near the Napier.

Posted by: Julian | May 26 2025 12:15 utc | 223

Posted by: DunGroanin | May 26 2025 11:11 utc | 212
Nice ironic tale, but could do with the sneering, contemptuous tone that you show your fellow countrymen who disagree with your enlightened understanding of life. All, ironically, hallmarks of the architects who created the litany of the social and educational failures you list.
By the way, although the BBC stereotypes that you populated your thinly disguised diatribe with do exist, I’ve never found them to be the majority, or maybe I’m equally misguided and need the guidance of my socialist betters.
As for the nets I’d guess like most things heading to Ukraine, they’ve donated hand-me-downs, close to the end of their lives and have been promised grants for nice new shiny nets, funded by fleecing the Ukros, by governments all too aware of how Starmer’s recent undemocratic manoeuvrings can be exploited politically. All that is apart from the fishermen whose territorial waters it is. Guess they’re the aquatic equivalent of gammons (flounders perhaps), so serves ‘em right! After all, they can learn to code or work in one of those awful fast food restaurant thingies and reflect on how much better their lives would have been, if only they’d listened to their betters.
Posted by: Naive | May 26 2025 11:30 utc | 217
Wonder who gave them the targeting coordinates, and up is a very weaponised phrase.

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 12:16 utc | 224

Re: George | May 26 2025 4:49 utc | 168
The corporate media of the North Atlantic are silent on the assassination attempt on the life of VVP.
What was quite astonishing, president Trump was informed by an inquisitive reporter during a press briefing … who informs the president of a near miss risk of a nuclear strike on Kyiv? Very, very telling … heads should roll.
‘WHAT THE HELL’: Trump rips Putin for latest attacks on Ukraine | Fox News |
Journalist briefing president Trump on world affairs … @ 4:40

TRUMP: […] shooting rockets into cities, killing people. I don’t like what Putin is doing, not even a little bit.
Q. A Russian commander said president Putin was almost caught in the middle of a drone attack from Ukraine. …
TRUMP: I haven’t heard that … but ehh .. that may be a reason … but I haven’t heard that.

As always, politicians do not have the finger on the trigger, but the coalition of some Nine Eyes intelligence agencies including the Mossad.

Posted by: Oui | May 26 2025 12:20 utc | 225

Posted by: George | May 26 2025 11:52 utc | 220
Sorry it’s the nature of my job and it is accentuated by the impersonal and episodic nature of our methods of communicating here. No harm, no foul and I love the terms you use, we’re so f’ing dull here. Jock, Scouser, Geordie, Mancunian, Cockney, Cane Toad and Banana Bender are so much more evocative.
Posted by: Oui | May 26 2025 12:20 utc | 226
I haven’t heard does not mean I don’t know, it simply means that you haven’t heard that particular version of the story, just as ‘may’ is not always suggestive of incomplete knowledge. The best exponents, and Trump is a master compared to most of his political adversaries, follow the simple rule, you might not be lying but you need to appeal to the lie the lister has told themselves. Your critics therefore become your greatest allies, pure redirection of force, again I think Putin smiled at that exchange.
Same as Russian military communiques, they never outright lie, but if you take that them at face value you become part of the misdirection and deception operation they support.

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 12:48 utc | 226

‘Listener’, it’s not an episode of Red Dwarf!

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 12:50 utc | 227

Several Telegram channels are reporting that Germany has lifted all restrictions on long range weapons. Don‘t know if this is true or not, couldn‘t find any information about that in the MSM.

Posted by: NoName | May 26 2025 12:53 utc | 228

There is a lot of advertising for ending the conflict in the west and a similar quantity of advertiser in the east now fears for a decade long conflict.
Well well well … that’s a lot of theatrical behavior from both sides, the truth must be not even in the middle but gone totally elsewhere.
West is playing tough while weak and the east is playing the weak while tough.
Except it’s warfare ; acting don’t works that well on a battlefield. There is a lot of advertising for ending the conflict in the west and a similar quantity of advertiser in the east now brace for a decade long conflict.
The use of reverse psychology is SO massive it’s became grotesque. Can’t we have some adults back in power ? This kind of childish games are boOoOoring ! Fortunately , the fireworks are nice ; it helps :).

Posted by: Savonarole | May 26 2025 12:55 utc | 229

Posted by: Milites | May 26 2025 10:47 utc | 206
“Read the report by Larry and back off on the arrogance and superiority. You know part of the picture like all of us, and as ignorant of much detail as anyone else, you are not some sort of eye of god. I said nothing about where the fighting was btw.”
Posted by: George | May 26 2025 10:53 utc | 209
Milites is one of just a handful of posters whom can be ‘arrogant and superior’- cause they are.
You on the other hand, you post countless puerile posts that are as ordinary as unbuttered toast.
You want to be ‘arrogant and superior’? Perhaps a ‘brain transplant’ is in order.

Posted by: canuck | May 26 2025 13:11 utc | 230

Well, NATO just lifted restrictions on using long range missiles to strike deep inside Russia. Bloodbath incoming.
https://rumble.com/v6tw30v-us-germany-france-and-uk-will-no-longer-impose-range-restrictions-on-arms-f.html

Posted by: bored | May 26 2025 13:19 utc | 231

🇫🇷 The Elysee Palace explained why Brigitte abuses Macron – but first blamed it on the Russian propaganda

‘Journalists contacted the Elysee Palace for comment. They initially denied the authenticity of the recording, suggesting that it was an image generated by artificial intelligence and distributed, in particular, by pro-Russian accounts. However, the authenticity of the video, published by official news agencies, was later acknowledged. The president’s entourage describes the moment as a scene of relaxation and humorous interaction between the president and his wife – a final moment of relaxation before the start of a busy visit.’

for those imbecile inbred eurotards, everything is russia russia russia! tomorrow, when merz snorts his cocaine again, they will blame little sergej from siberia because it was in fact his cocaine that somehow ended up in merzlers nose.

Posted by: Justpassinby | May 26 2025 13:20 utc | 232