News & views related to the war in Ukraine …
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August 10, 2025
Ukraine Open Thread 2025-180
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Haven’t seen this widely picked up, Yermak was in London meeting with Lammy and Vance:
Kyiv will not accept the results of the negotiations between Russia and the United States if Ukraine is not present at the meeting. This was stated by the head of Zelensky’s office Andriy Yermak following negotiations with US Vice President DJ Vance and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
While Zelensky makes statements, Ukraine’s grey cardinal Yermak is holding meetings with representatives of the US and UK, hoping to reach an agreement. The day before, he and Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Umerov asked to meet with Vance and Lammy, who were negotiating in the UK.
Yermak’s meeting with representatives of the US and Britain suggests that Zelensky’s statements are a screen behind which active bargaining is taking place. At the meeting in Britain, Yermak demanded that Vance involve Kyiv in the negotiations, as well as security guarantees along with arms supplies, so that the war with Russia could continue. However, judging by his writings on the Telegram channel, this was not achieved. At least in the matter of guarantees and Kyiv’s participation in the negotiations.
“A reliable, lasting peace is possible only with Ukraine at the negotiating table, with respect for our sovereignty and without recognizing the occupation. A ceasefire is necessary. The front line is not a border.”
— wrote Ermak.
As previously reported, it was at the meeting in Britain that Yermak presented a “joint” plan from Ukraine and Europe, which envisaged a ceasefire before the talks, as well as guarantees from the US and Europe in exchange for the loss of some territory. In this case, the talk was about lands already occupied by Russia, including Crimea.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Aug 10 2025 12:59 utc | 2
Sounds like they’re starting to see the light, but just barely so.
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 13:02 utc | 3
Seem to have commented on a closed thread. Might I submit it here?
……………….
Among some extremely interesting comments in “b’s” comment section today is this (my italics):-
“Since we are back mulling the Feb 2022 Thunder Run to Kiev.
“Yes, it was a feint. Successful. Ukraine immediately participated in negotiations in Belarus. (With their phones on speakerphone so the U$ State Dept could listen in). The talks floundered and Ukraine killed one of its own negotiators for being a Russian spy.
“In addition to being a successful feint, the Thunder Run pinned Ukrainian troops in Sumy, defending the Capital. The Ukrainian forces greatly outnumbered the Russians at that moment. Keeping a sizeable number pinned, meant they were unavailable in Donbass.
During that first week/ 10 days, Russia reached and disabled about 30 bio weapons labs across eastern Ukraine. PeterAu and Karlof have some of the records on this.
Once the Ukrainians and their UKU$ sponsors elected for a full bloody conflict, Russian military took strategic military decisions and withdrew from Kherson and other points where they were overextended.
“The ensuing bloody War of Attrition has taken longer than the goldfish attention span of western audiences and mockingbirds can accommodate. But the conflict has run into 2025, which I recall was a Shoigu-Gerasimov| Russian military prediction in 2022.”
~~
Posted by: Melaleuca | Aug 10 2025 2:43 utc | 186
That’s the true story and it goes entirely against the story given us by the Western politicians and press. The real action was further south and there we’re looking at a quite brilliant initial “blitzkrieg” incursion that prevented for good any chance of a Kiev incursion into the Donbass and according to many accounts wrecked the Ukrainian army as a coherent fighting force.
Not sure about that last bit. We never trained up or equipped the Ukrainian army to be a coherent combined arms force in the first place and judging by our later performances (Summer Offensive, Kursk, etc.) we wouldn’t have known how if we’d wanted to. But certainly in that initial action a great deal of damage was done to such equipment and such command structure as there was at the disposal of the Kiev forces.
To use the term “quite brilliant” of a Russian military offensive labels one as a Putin troll straight off. It did me in ’22. But that merely underlines how paranoid we in the West were at that time. The Russians had to be evil and incompetent and anything asserted to the contrary was subversive and dangerous.
Nonsense of course. That initial Russian action in the south was a masterpiece. One can say that without being partisan. As one can say that the unfortunate Ukrainian regulars fought like heroes, still are in the main, without approving their cause either.
So then from those early days on, after setting the scene, the attrition war. We’ve been watching that ever since and still are. Combined with the “internal self-attrition” of the Kiev regime that I saw Daniel Davis identifying only recently and that Baud seems to know a lot about. As does the commenter Jeremy Rhymings-Lang here, keeping an eye on the internal tensions within remnant Ukraine that I believe the Russians are not only monitoring but working with, as they did in Syria and as they did before that in Chechnya.
I suppose all have their reasons for coming to “b’s” comment section, their particular area of interest. Mine is the wish to get more established about that crucial early period of the SMO. I believe if we in the West don’t get an accurate assessment of what happened then and why, and a more accurate account of what happened in the run-up to February 2022, we’re going to go down without ever knowing why or how.
Posted by: English Outsider | Aug 10 2025 13:15 utc | 4
Brian Berletic and Glenn Diesen: Is the U.S. Setting a Trap for Russia in Alaska?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1fwXBgu6Z5I&pp=0gcJCa0JAYcqIYzv
Brian who has called EVERYTHING right so far.
I know Brian isn’t right wing enough for most and ideologues would rather listen to right wingers who have been consistently wrong than somebody who has consistently nailed it.
But that is just a more broader issue of what’s been wrong with society over the last 50 years. As any new information is just moulded incorrectly into prior held beliefs.
There’s no better example of such tomfoolery as with the election of Trump.
Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Aug 10 2025 13:44 utc | 5
“That’s the true story and it goes entirely against the story given us by the Western politicians and press. The real action was further south and there we’re looking at a quite brilliant initial “blitzkrieg” incursion that prevented for good any chance of a Kiev incursion into the Donbass and according to many accounts wrecked the Ukrainian army as a coherent fighting force.”
I would say this is partially correct. Yes, RF spoiled any AFU incursion into Donbass, big points for them. However, where they messed up big time was Kharkov. It was supposed to fall almost instantly and when it didn’t they had to figure out their next moves on the fly (which is normal, nothing ever goes entirely to plan) and the results after that were very mixed. With the city only being 40km from the border, no one on either side expected it to hold out very long.
RF thought it would go quick with maybe a few pockets of die-hard defenders they’d have to deal with- basically a repeat of Crimea but with a bit of isolated combat, and they planned for this accordingly. AFU thought they’d do as much damage as possible and make the RF pay for taking the city, but they never thought they could hold it. Then when various unsupported RF units started entering the city and getting completely wiped out or captured, lights went on for the AFU as to what was happening and that’s when the Russians hit their first serious trouble.
To their credit, the AFU seriously exploited this miscalculation and the RF were far too slow and cantankerous bureaucratically to shift on the fly in the face of their plan falling apart so unexpectedly. Instead of acknowledging they had messed up in a big way, senior commanders just sent more units at the city in piecemeal fashion “clearly we’ve hurt them, just a few more troops and they’ll crumble!” kind of thing. The result was a VERY messy sort-of-not-quite siege with Kharkov semi-encircled and plenty of nasty back and forth ambushes that neither side seriously expected or planned for.
What happened in Kharkov was mirrored in some parts of the front, whereas others did go more or less as the RF expected. Places like Kupyansk there they pretty much strolled in and took over, or Melitopol where there was very little fighting and then they had the city. And while this was all going down, Strelkov was trying to sound the alarm bell as loudly as possible. I remember reading his doom and gloom proclamations and thinking “yikes, what is this guy on?” Turns out he was 100% right. RF went in way too light thinking many parts wouldn’t seriously resist and when that assumption was proven wrong, instead of adapting to this they went into hardcore denial (Strelkov was thanked by being imprisoned)
Eventually the Russians came to term with reality but by then it was too late, or at least too late for a quick victory. The rest is history, partial mobilization, practical commanders like Surovikin who came onto the field far too late, etc.
So yes, Russians had a great victory in that they managed to keep Donbass and Crimea. They also had a big defeat in that it took them way too long to face reality that their initial plan was fatally flawed. Their plan being wrong wasn’t the mistake. It was taking as long as they did to finally admit it (half-hearted, grudgingly)
Posted by: Clown Shoes | Aug 10 2025 13:54 utc | 6
I believe if we in the West don’t get an accurate assessment of what happened then and why, and a more accurate account of what happened in the run-up to February 2022, we’re going to go down without ever knowing why or how.
Posted by: English Outsider | Aug 10 2025 13:15 utc | 4
I assume by “we” you mean the general population? I’ve been following events in Ukraine for 20 years and none of Russia’s actions have been a surprise.
I’ve always said that if you substitute Mexico for Ukraine then the US would’ve gone Gaza on our southern neighbor long before Putin started the SMO.
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 13:56 utc | 7
Zelenskyy’s position is that they must be at the table AND that they will give up no territory. Similarly, a majority of Ukrainians now want the war to end by a majority wants Ukraine to give up no territory. So this can’t be a success unless Russia wants to leave 2013 Ukraine or the entire west stops arming and supporting Ukraine.
Posted by: Cheney | Aug 10 2025 13:56 utc | 8
I don’t understand why Putin is going to Alaska. it is at best just going to be more political theater, no benefit to Russia.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Aug 10 2025 14:02 utc | 9
Ukraine and World Affairs: Weekly Update, 8th August 2025: May be useful to some: https://robcampbell.substack.com/p/ukraine-and-world-affairs-weekly-3fe
Posted by: The Busker | Aug 10 2025 14:05 utc | 10
So yes, Russians had a great victory in that they managed to keep Donbass and Crimea. They also had a big defeat in that it took them way too long to face reality that their initial plan was fatally flawed.
Posted by: Clown Shoes | Aug 10 2025 13:54 utc | 6
That’s a Western rationalization. As EO pointed out the RF never intended to actually defeat Ukraine, just scare them into the peace agreement while clearing out the Azovs down south. The obvious, deliberate actions — that notably didn’t directly target Kiev leadership — were all plain to see.
And your Kharkov story is the AFU’s wet dream. Again, a quick peace deal and there wouldn’t have been a fight, but when Z issued marching orders the RF knew they were (intentionally) overextended and beat a hasty retreat to consolidate on more defensible lines, extracting heavy casualties on the AFU every step of the way.
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 14:12 utc | 11
Related to Russia/Ukraine
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: “The Zangezur gambling move” by Aliyev and Pashinyan is worse than Zelensky’s mistake
The Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for Political Affairs, General Yadollah Javani, warned Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that their decision to involve the US and NATO in the Caucasus is “an even bigger mistake than Zelensky’s.”
Javani stated that if the two leaders had considered the consequences, they would not have fallen for “Trump’s risky gambler’s bet.” He compared their move to Zelensky’s miscalculation that provoked Russia — only this time the consequences could be far more severe.
Javani noted that Zelensky’s mistake dragged Ukraine into a direct conflict with Russia. But the agreement between Aliyev and Pashinyan with the White House — granting the US exclusive lease of the Zangezur corridor for 99 years — has united multiple powers against them.
“This destructive act,” Javani warned, “will not go unanswered by Iran, Russia, or India.”
https://x.com/PalestineIssues/status/1954545448452047098
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 14:14 utc | 12
The Jewish-Neoliberal Trojan horse was, is and always will be THE TRAITOR to the Russian Federation…His mission is to kick the Russian Federation finally into the Abyss since the day he was installed as the Chief of the FSB. And EVERY Russian with two brain cells left will tell you Exactly that…
https://legitim.ch/putin-entlaesst-hochrangigen-beamten-der-die-chabad-als-rassistischen-kult-bezeichnete-der-fuer-den-krieg-verantwortlich-sei/
Posted by: Brigitte Mohnhaupt | Aug 10 2025 14:15 utc | 13
I don’t understand why Putin is going to Alaska.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Aug 10 2025 14:02 utc | 9
Because Russia believes in diplomacy and is setting an example of statesmanship to the entire world… and everyone outside of the Western clownleaders respects that. Russia continues to demonstrate that they’re the only adults in the room.
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 14:15 utc | 14
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 14:15 utc | 14
The US is not agreement capable, and Russia has already demonstrated that it is to the rest of the world outside US and bootlicker countries. . too much risk for imo no concrete benefit.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Aug 10 2025 14:20 utc | 15
@ Brigitte Mohnhaupt | Aug 10 2025 14:15 utc | 13
OK, so I follow your link and what do I see at the bottom of the page?
Source: The Times Of Israel
Just sayin’…
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Aug 10 2025 14:29 utc | 16
From the Zangezur to David’s Corridor: The Silent Redrawing of Global Trade and the Road to War with Iran
In the shifting chessboard of global geopolitics, few developments are as consequential and as underreported as the emergence of two corridors: the Zangezur Corridor and David’s Corridor.
Stretching from the South Caucasus to northern Iraq, these projects are not just infrastructure, they are instruments of a new geopolitical order.
What’s being reshaped is not only global trade and energy flows, but also the strategic landscape of any future war on Iran.
The Zangezur Corridor: Breaking Iran’s East-West Link
The Zangezur Corridor, cutting through Armenia’s Syunik province, is envisioned as a land bridge connecting Azerbaijan with its exclave of Nakhchivan, and further with Turkey.
Backed by Turkey and Israel, and heavily supported by Western-aligned energy interests, this corridor effectively bypasses Iran as a regional transit hub undermining its geopolitical value along the East-West Silk Road.
-Strategic Energy Bypass: The Zangezur project is closely tied to energy transit. It allows Caspian gas from Azerbaijan and Central Asia to reach Europe via Turkey, without relying on Iran or Russia.
-Choking Iran Economically: As China’s Belt and Road and Russia’s North-South Transport Corridor once relied on Iran, this shift redirects trade around Iran economically isolating it from major Eurasian markets.
-Israeli and NATO Influence: Israeli military and intelligence presence in Azerbaijan has grown significantly, taking advantage of this corridor to gather intelligence and in the future establish military bases on Iran’s northern front.
David’s Corridor: A Backdoor into Iran’s Western Flank
While the Zangezur Corridor disrupts Iran from the north, the David’s Corridor a term coined for the emerging land route from occupied palestine through Jordan, Syria, and into Iraq, serves a dual role: logistical and military.
-Strategic Israeli Access: This route grants Israel a potential land link with U.S. and allied forces based in Iraqi Kurdistan. It’s a game-changer in terms of deploying logistics, surveillance, and even weapons.
-Destabilizing the Levant: The corridor’s success relies on fragmenting Syria and Iraq, keeping both countries too weak or too divided to resist its formation.
-Proxy Control in Iraq: Northern Iraq, particularly the Kurdish region, has become a staging ground not only for U.S. and Israeli military but also for energy extraction that is beyond Baghdad’s control.
Redrawing the Global Trade Map Under Military Cover
Together, these corridors represent a dual-pronged strategy:
-From the north, the Zangezur Corridor aims to cut off Iran’s economic arteries, redirecting pipelines, railways, and digital infrastructure away from Tehran’s control.
-From the west, the David’s Corridor offers a militarized logistics pathway directly into Iran’s vulnerable western flank shortening the battlefield for a potential future war.
This isn’t just trade; it’s infrastructure warfare.
The Bigger Picture: Encirclement and Isolation of Iran
These corridors are not isolated phenomena they are part of a coordinated encirclement strategy:
-Azerbaijan is now effectively a forward operating base for Israeli operations near Iran’s north.
-Northern Iraq is being transformed into a soft military zone with high Israeli and U.S. presence.
-The Levant, plagued by wars and division, provides just enough chaos to allow the David’s Corridor to expand under the radar.
Meanwhile, Iran’s military exercises on the Azerbaijan border, its deepening ties with Russia and China, and its efforts to secure alternate eastward routes are all signs that Tehran sees the trap forming.
Whether or not the war begins soon, the battlefield is already being paved one corridor at a time.
https://x.com/ibrahimtmajed/status/1948675409358303289
I am posting this here because it is another NATO front on Russia’s border now including the Kurds.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 14:32 utc | 17
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Aug 10 2025 14:29 utc | 16
https://youtu.be/Lpwb67x_6tc?si=mgvva2GfaqRPMt5X
Posted by: Brigitte Mohnhaupt | Aug 10 2025 14:34 utc | 18
New Russian Weapon!
❗️Russia has another latest weapon besides the “Oreshnik,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov. But he did not specify what it is.
“I cannot name what I am not allowed to name, but [it] exists,” the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation clarified in an interview with Skabeeva.
https://x.com/Zlatti_71/status/1954544197710512234
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 14:36 utc | 19
Lindsey Graham on TV supporting Trump’s meeting in what looks like a hostage video
https://x.com/RT_com/status/1954538567528534452
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 14:37 utc | 20
Re: JRL #2
Has been covered with debate on previous thread.
Posted by: Oui | Aug 9 2025 15:03 utc | 615
The Crimean war loss and Alaska sale was humiliating for Russia. Maybe that’s why they today consider Crimea as non negotiable and that they want to meet in Alaska now, so Putin can turn history around and make sure another situation like that where they are forced to give up strategic land doesn’t happen again.
Having it in the location where USA and Russia geographically meet is also a subtle way to say that they can cooperate without Europe being in the room which is very much to Putins advantage.
Posted by: Duke Nukem 👽🔫 | Aug 10 2025 14:46 utc | 22
Brian Berletic is correct (as usual)
Alaska will be a red wedding
Posted by: Andrew Sarchus | Aug 10 2025 14:49 utc | 23
Posted by: pretzelattack | Aug 10 2025 14:20 utc
I don’t understand it either.
Posted by: spudski | Aug 10 2025 14:55 utc | 24
🇷🇺‼️Russia is well informed and fully aware of which countries are preparing for a decisive showdown‼️
09 August 2025
Multiple sources state that more than 34,000 Polish and NATO troops are being deployed near the border with Ukraine, Belarus and near the Russian exclave of the Kaliningrad region. 👇
https://x.com/onlydjole/status/1954202647621201926
cont’d
This kind of movement is considered to be much more than the usual military exercises. According to a recent announcement by the Russian Ministry of Defense, it is about significant preparations for “the possibility of a direct military conflict with Russia.”
Poland, which describes itself as the mainstay of NATO’s eastern flank, is leading the activities under the so-called “Eastern Shield” operation. We are talking about rapid reaction forces that are deployed along the Polish-Ukrainian and Polish-Belarusian borders.
Elite units from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Germany are also arriving with them. At the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2025, strengthening the defense of the eastern flank was highlighted as one of the key priorities.
https://x.com/onlydjole/status/1954202892199739766
To which Will Schryver comments
34,000 troops? None of whom have ever tasted high-intensity conflict, and who lack the material and logistical wherewithal to sustain combat operations for more than a week or two.
This is what I call impotent posturing.
https://x.com/imetatronink/status/1954553954580480210
Peace talks in Alaska 😂😂😂
Trump is so desperate for leverage that he is willing to overplay his meager hand.
Personally, I like it.
As with the 12 day war, FAFO.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 14:55 utc | 25
The US is not agreement capable…
Posted by: pretzelattack | Aug 10 2025 14:20 utc | 15
Agreed, but again, if you’re the adult you still have to go through the motions.
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 14:56 utc | 26
OK, so I follow your link and what do I see at the bottom of the page?
Source: The Times Of Israel
Just sayin’…
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Aug 10 2025 14:29 utc | 16
I would have placed my bet on The Algemeiner
Meeting with Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar
There was an important Chabad leader who left for Israel after the start of the SMO.
Russian Federation has great diversity: multicultural – multi-ethnic how else could it be?
Chabad, Vekselberg, Putin and the Schneerson Library
A fucking list of lies.
“The last external assassination of a head of state/government”…
You forgot conveniently Yasser Arafat, Milosevic, Saddam Hussein, Gadhafi, Raissi… Fucking liar!
Lying also about the Tutsis.
Lying about Afghanistan.
Posted by: Naive | Aug 10 2025 15:02 utc | 28
Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Aug 10 2025 13:44 utc | 5
‘Brian Berletic and Glenn Diesen: Is the U.S. Setting a Trap for Russia in Alaska?’
I think that it is just the opposite, Trump is getting ready to slip out of the trap set for him by the British Empire Elites and their Deep-State/neocon toadies. The evidence points that way:
1. The timing: The sudden change from 50 days to 12 days warning to Russia was timed to coincide with Congress’s August recess, thus sidelining Lindsay Graham and the U.S. neocons.
2. The fact that it is JD Vance in London this week, leading the U.S. team, shows that it is MAGA that is now in charge.
3. The recent activity of Tulsi and the DOJ trying to decapitate the U.S. Deep-state.
It looks like Putin is trying to help Trump out of this Globalist trap. I am waiting with baited breath to see if they succeed.
Posted by: dh-mtl | Aug 10 2025 15:07 utc | 29
pretzelattack @9: “I don’t understand why Putin is going to Alaska. it is at best just going to be more political theater, no benefit to Russia.”
No direct benefit to Russia, so indeed it makes no sense unless there is something unsaid about the deal. The only thing that makes sense is the idea that the deal isn’t intended to be implemented. It is indeed just political theater, but it is political theater that if it goes right extracts the US from the conflict (big concessions from both the US and Russia, but the EU and kosher Nazi reject it). This isn’t a favor for Trump (though he will benefit “Yuuugely!” from it). If the US mostly gets out of the way, then the rest of the forces in the Ukraine become easily manageable for Russia. That might make it worth Putin’s while to play along with the theater.
Posted by: William Gruff | Aug 10 2025 15:11 utc | 30
It looks like Putin is trying to help Trump out of this Globalist trap. I am waiting with baited breath to see if they succeed.
Posted by: dh-mtl | Aug 10 2025 15:07 utc | 29
####
People see what they want to see.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 15:11 utc | 31
People’s hopes and dreams regardless of evidence are fascinating to observe.
As the US attacks China in Africa and tries to drive a physical wedge between Russia and Iran, supposedly Donald Epstein is fighting a 50D battle against the “Globalists” with Putin’s secret help.
-Or-
America is a psychopathic Judaic colony of pornography, sex grooming, and genocide.
Occam’s Razor, you decide.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 15:18 utc | 32
Given that the US/Israel have murdered multiple foreign leaders this year, Hugo Chavez, Yasser Arafat and likely nudged Gorbachev into power by bumping off rivals it makes zero sense for Putin to travel to the USA. There are serious people in the USA who would happily be rid of Putin and Trump.
Posted by: SB | Aug 10 2025 15:20 utc | 33
Susan Singer said today in her blog:
“Georgia […] has offered to cover all costs associated with the repatriation of 87 Ukrainians stuck in a “neutral zone” between Georgia and Russia. Dying from lack of food and medical care, Ukraine refuses to repatriate them. Kiev is also refusing to consider Tbilisi’s offer.”
Here we have 87 Ukrainian POWs that Russia offered to send back to Ukraine and Ukraine first accepted, then refused to take ostensibly after Russia had sent them towards the border. Or something. I don’t know the details.
I can’t stop thinking of this utterly nauseating situation. Does anyone know anything about it?
Posted by: Avtonom | Aug 10 2025 15:23 utc | 34
European citizens will now fund the Neo-Nazi dictatorship in Ukraine – EU citizens need to rise up and remove the Brussels warmongers.
“Washington is not going to fund Ukraine anymore, US Vice President J.D. Vance told Fox News on Sunday.
Ukraine’s European backers can buy the weapons from American producers if they want to continue supporting Kiev, and the US will be “okay with that,” Vance added. “But we’re not going to fund it ourselves anymore,” he said.”
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 15:25 utc | 35
Germany’s citizens need to remove the current lot from office – or they will start a war with Russia – just now they are pretending that Russia will star a war with them, to squeeze more money out of German citizens and with that comes a cut to public spending.
“Germany is reportedly planning to establish the National Security Council later this month to address internal and external threats, dpa news agency has reported.
The German Defense Ministry previously reported the sharpest growth in military recruitment in years, saying it is aimed at countering what Berlin describes as the “threat” from Russia. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also called for developing the Bundeswehr into the “strongest conventional army in Europe” and increasing military spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029. Berlin has also been considering reintroducing conscription to address what it calls a “changing security situation in Europe.””
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 15:28 utc | 36
Zelensky will be lucky to escape this conflict with his life, let alone regain any hard fought for lands, that the Russians have acquired, Putin would be a fool to return lands – that many Russians fought and died for.
“Vladimir Zelensky has reiterated his commitment to the country’s territorial integrity, confirming that Kiev still lays claim to all the territories which have been incorporated into Russia.
The remarks come shortly after US President Donald Trump suggested that a potential peace deal between Moscow and Kiev could involve a “swapping of territories” between Moscow and Kiev “to the betterment of both.”
Zelensky firmly rejected the idea of making any territorial concessions on Saturday, claiming that was exactly what Russian President Vladimir Putin was after, and accusing him of seeking to exchange a “pause in war” for the “legalization of occupation of our land.””
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 15:31 utc | 37
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 15:25 utc | 35
######
Like America, the EU will end in collapse, not “democracy”.
America will keep finding Ukraine because that is how they launder money (and human traffic) in Eastern Europe and that is also how they hope to keep their zombie MIC alive to fund their congressmen.
If America wanted out, they could just do it.
Instead there is this dog and pony show to keep people from talking about Trump molesting girls alongside Epstein.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 15:32 utc | 38
Its not just Loch Long the English nuclear subs have polluted – they have polluted the surrounding waters as well, whistleblower – Willie McNeilly also reported that the subs are unsafe, and practices onboard are downright dangerous, and he was surprised that there hadn’t been a major incident yet.
As for SEPA its a toothless captured body, that’s subservient to the English MoD – and of no use to the people of Scotland – who need to declare UDI and send the English subs down to England to berth on the Thames – the dangerous nuclear subs currently reside only 30 miles from Scotland’s largest city Glasgow – and Christ only knows, what the English and the Yanks are storing deep in the mountain at Coulport.
“Radioactive water from the UK’s Coulport weapons depot leaked into Loch Long in western Scotland on several occasions after aging pipes burst, according to files from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) published by The Ferret, an investigative journalism platform.
The Royal Naval Armaments Depot stores the nuclear warheads for the British Royal Navy’s Trident-class submarines. SEPA said up to half of its 1,500 water pipes were past their design life when the leaks happened. It blamed “shortfalls in maintenance” for flooding that released low levels of tritium, a radioactive substance used in warheads, into the loch, which is popular with swimmers, divers, kayakers and fishers. Small amounts of tritium are generally harmless, but high or prolonged exposure can raise cancer risks.”
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 15:39 utc | 40
Further to my post # 34. There seem to be nuances.
https://eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/67119
Posted by: Avtonom | Aug 10 2025 15:40 utc | 41
From RT: “US aiming for Ukraine settlement based on current front line – Vance”
“The path to ending the Ukraine conflict should be based on the existing battle lines, US Vice President J.D. Vance has said. He described it as a realistic if imperfect foundation for a negotiated peace.”
And: ““If you take where the current line of contact between Russia and Ukraine is, we’re going to try to find some negotiated settlement that the Ukrainians and the Russians can live with… where the killing stops,” Vance said, admitting that “it’s not going to make anybody super happy.””
Full article: https://www.rt.com/russia/622732-vance-conflict-line-ukraine/
On the one hand it would be great if the fighting comes to an end and on the other hand I would consider a “settlement based on current front line” as a defeat for Russia (not that it would be a win for Ukraine). But I’m not Russian, maybe it would be an acceptable solution for them?
Posted by: NoName | Aug 10 2025 15:41 utc | 42
There are serious people in the USA who would happily be rid of Putin and Trump.
Posted by: SB | Aug 10 2025 15:20 utc | 33
If they want to knock off Putin they could do that virtually anywhere outside the US.
Alaska makes a lot of sense as a meeting spot, aside from the obvious historical aspects which always appeal to Russians. Remote, sparsely populated, and the airbases there are easily locked down. They can easily pick a small National Guard base somewhere along the coast and cede part or all of it to a Russian advance security team. Putin’s plane would land moments after leaving Russian airspace and could easily be back minutes later if necessary. They don’t even need accommodations, just a comfortably insulated hangar for the meeting. In, meet and out.
You’re simply not going to have any unwanted visitors there whatsoever.
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 15:42 utc | 43
Here we go:
JD Vance announced the termination of US funding for the war in Ukraine
The United States announced the cessation of direct funding for military operations in Ukraine and expressed its intention to promote a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
This was stated by the US Vice President in an interview with Fox News, reports RegioNews .
He noted that Washington does not object to European countries buying weapons from American manufacturers, but the Americans themselves no longer plan to invest in the war.
The Vice President stressed that the US desire is to find a compromise solution that could satisfy the interests of both Ukraine and Russia, although he acknowledged that in the end, neither side will be completely satisfied with such a result. According to him, earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin refused to hold talks with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, but changes in the political dynamics, in particular the position of former US President Donald Trump, open up new opportunities for dialogue.
The US Vice President also said that preparations are now underway for a meeting of the three leaders-Trump, Zelensky and Putin – to discuss ways to end the war. This step is seen as a potential opportunity to start the negotiation process and find mutually acceptable solutions.
https://regionews.ua/ukr/news/ukraine/1754837892-dzhey-di-vens-zayaviv-pro-pripinennya-ssha-finansuvannya-viyni-v-ukrayini (via translation add-on.)
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Aug 10 2025 15:43 utc | 44
Posted by: dh-mtl | Aug 10 2025 15:07 utc | 29 re Sun Of Alabama | Aug 10 2025 13:44 utc | 5
comment ” ‘Brian Berletic and Glenn Diesen: Is the U.S. Setting a Trap for Russia in Alaska?’ ”
dh-mtl responds “I think that it is just the opposite, Trump is getting ready to slip out of the trap set for him by the British Empire Elites and their Deep-State/neocon toadies. The evidence points that way:
It looks like Putin is trying to help Trump out of this Globalist trap. I am waiting with baited breath to see if they succeed.”
<= I agree, if the big deal was that Trump asked Putin to help him out.. that could explain the Alaska meeting.. the real risk to survival in Alaska will be the British Empire Elites and their Deep-state/neocon toadies. If you don't believe it ask General Gaddiffi and Hilary But then Alaska is home to Sara Pallin.. so all will be just fine.. until the results of the Pallin commission (1930s) in what is now called Israel and occupied Palestine are reconsidered. ..
Posted by: snake | Aug 10 2025 15:43 utc | 45
Posted by: NoName | Aug 10 2025 15:41 utc | 42
#####
I think it is important to remember 3 things.
The US is not agreement capable
Trump has nothing the Russians need
Russia is winning
And one more for good measure…
For Russia NATO is an existential threat. In Ukraine, Finland, and now in Azerbaijan.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 15:46 utc | 46
i agree with the posters english outsider, TJandTheBear and dh-mtl… no comment from me other then this…
Posted by: james | Aug 10 2025 15:47 utc | 47
LoveDonbass 938).
The sooner the EU collapses the better – its an utterly corrupt and authoritarian lead body, that backed the Zionists, ergo the genocide – and it also backs the Neo-Nazi dictatorship in Ukraine – sure the US will have a part in Ukraine, on top of what it has already done, but going by what Vance said – the US MIC will sell the weapons to the US military, and they will sell them on (no doubt at a profit) to the EU – who will saddle the EU citizens with the costs – as the weapons make their way to the Neo-Nazi’s in Ukraine.
The EU needs to be broken up – and its members countries need to return to there former selves pre-the EU.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 15:47 utc | 48
The EU needs to be broken up – and its members countries need to return to there former selves pre-the EU.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 15:47 utc | 48
100%. IMHO it’s inevitable, but it’ll take longer than we all want.
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 15:49 utc | 49
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 15:49 utc | 49
#####
Yes. Whatever can end, will end.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 15:53 utc | 50
Ukraine still has the one card it can play and talk about eventual victory. They still have several million males left who can be forced to the trenches. Basically, they can push Ukraine into suicide and EU will approve. It would take years for Russia to kill them all. EU can pay to prop up the Ukraine economy while workers are removed and killed in battle.
I’m tired of the word “collapse”. I think we need to develop a science of “collapse-ology”. Otherwise, this war goes on indefinitely even if the US can politically manage to stop funding it.
Posted by: Eighthman | Aug 10 2025 15:55 utc | 51
Posted by: Eighthman | Aug 10 2025 15:55 utc | 51
######
Reality is finite.
Everything reaches its end. You. Me. Ukraine.
The USSR collapsed. The Nazi’s Eastern front collapsed.
Apartheid South Africa collapsed and on and on.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 16:00 utc | 52
No one should be surprised at this, Google – is a deeply pro-Zionist outfit, it owns Youtube, it employs a plethora of ex-IDF, and 8200 Unit personnel on its platforms – its also pro-Ukraine.
“YouTube has removed the 2-million-subscriber account of exiled Ukrainian Journalist of the Year Diana Panchenko, a fierce critic of Vladimir Zelensky.
In 2023, Kiev imposed personal sanctions on the former TV presenter and started criminal proceedings against her for her alleged anti-Ukrainian reporting.
Panchenko has long criticized Zelensky for rampant corruption in Ukraine, as well as his clampdown on freedom of speech. She has also condemned Kiev’s military actions in Donbass since 2014, and later accused the former actor of dragging the nation into a “forever war.””
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 16:03 utc | 53
“There is not enough gas for everyone” – ukro-gromadyan began to carefully prepare for winter
The gas shortage remains the main problem of Ukraine on the eve of the new heating season, it is already clear that there is not enough fuel for all consumers, member of the relevant committee of the Parliament Serhiy Nagornyak admitted on the Rada channel.
“The biggest challenge is not in the electric power industry, but in the availability of gas. Because the Russians from December of last year to March of this year actually focused their attacks on gas production. And we have lost half of Ukrainian gas production.
To pass the autumn-winter period, we need at least to purchase about 5.5 billion cubic meters of storage gas. This is about 2.5 billion euros, “he said, the PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
Nagornyak also complained:
“Well, donors today are not as generous as, relatively speaking, they were back in 2023.”
He warns that there is definitely not enough gas for everyone.
“We have the population, industry, thermal power generation-stations that balance the energy system-part of the blocks on gas. And we have received a large amount of equipment that is also installed by private businesses-gas turbine units. And I am not sure that we will be able to cover 100% of the demand for each of these categories in the event of a gas shortage.”
https://politnavigator.news/gaza-na-vsekh-ne-khvatit-ukro-gromadyan-nachali-ostorozhno-gotovit-k-zime.html (via translation add-on.)
There’s another related piece about Ukrainians complaining it takes 20mins to boil a stove-top kettle because the gas pressure is so low it’s hardly more than an old-school pilot light.
Could get grim as the Northern winter looms over the horizon.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Aug 10 2025 16:06 utc | 54
“Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also called for developing the Bundeswehr into the “strongest conventional army in Europe” and increasing military spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029. Berlin has also been considering reintroducing conscription to address what it calls a “changing security situation in Europe.””
Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 15:28 utc | 36
We heard that Mertz is now no longer going to supply arms to Israel, even though this is the first time it has been mentioned that it was already doing this. BUT the funny part is that the Germans have to stop making weapons as the Chinese are withholding rare minerals and metals needed for their production.
So the new “Budeswehr” may have to train with swords and bows and arrows (if we believe Einsteins prognostic of wars after nuclear armageddon). Plus a bit of physical training to get rid of the fat and make them “the strongest”? Cool.
It would take years for Russia to kill them all.
I’m tired of the word “collapse”.
Posted by: Eighthman | Aug 10 2025 15:55 utc | 51
Plenty of videos showing them having difficulty kidnapping people off the street; try that with young men and you’ll have Ukraine in full-on civil war.
Even if they did get them they simply can’t train & equip them.
Collapse is an entirely appropriate characterization of what’s happening to the AFU and it’s accelerating.
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 16:08 utc | 56
TJandTheBear (49).
Agreed.
Time, is as they say the great leveller.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 16:09 utc | 57
Does anyone know anything about it?
Posted by: Avtonom | Aug 10 2025 15:23 utc | 34
EX-prisoners, not POW.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/features/2025/7/23/unbearable-ukrainians-deported-by-russia-stranded-at-georgia-border
“…
Most of these men – along with a handful of women – are former prisoners in Russia who have been deported after serving their sentences, but some have been expelled for other reasons, such as problems with their immigration documents.
…”
Posted by: BlindSpot | Aug 10 2025 16:10 utc | 58
So the new “Budeswehr” may have to train with swords and bows and arrows
Posted by: Stonebird | Aug 10 2025 16:08 utc | 55
The RF should offer to show them how to defeat anyone using only shovels.
Posted by: TJandTheBear | Aug 10 2025 16:11 utc | 59
Difficulty kidnapping men? Sure, but it doesn’t stop. Ukraine has needed a civil war for a long time and it never happens – possibly because civil war needs young men to fight and Ukraine sends those off to die, draining any challenge away.
Training isn’t needed beyond a few days. Give them a gun, point towards Russia and shoot. Fill trenches and Russia must attack a defended position. Surrender? Shoot them in the back. Rinse, repeat through several million males.
Does collapse require violent rebellion? Then forget it. I don’t see any collapse whatsoever. It’s decay and retreat. Darwin has eliminated the brave and resourceful, at least through escaping the borders. What’s left? The weak and foolish who don’t rebel in a useful organized fashion. Accelerating? At this rate, major cities will escape Russia for years.
Posted by: Eighthman | Aug 10 2025 16:22 utc | 60
The Ukrainian Civil War started in 2014.
when 40% of the population takes up arms against the central gov‘t thats called a Civil War.
Posted by: Exile | Aug 10 2025 16:30 utc | 61
To English-O 4 and Clown-S 6 excellent posts/point[s]/questions I want to single out one thing.
“[Russia’s] plan being wrong”
To which I reply, it wasn’t “wrong”, in fact, it was brilliant and yet it approximated a “failure”. Why? For the cheerleaders here the answer was simple, it was another betrayal by the west? There’s some truth to that but let me digress a bit…first off.
Let me admit to being completely wrong at the time, I looked at the forces Russia had assembled prior to it’s incursion into it’s former lands and thought; “no way, this is a bluff to try to get the neocolonialists administration of Team-Biden to back off from their plan to ethnically-cleanse eastern ex-ukrainia”. I didn’t think the Russians had assembled an invasion force, it looked too small of an assembly.
I was wrong. Kinda.
The Russian hadn’t assembled a true invasion force and I don’t think I was the only one caught with his pants down, clearly the alliance of Galacia’s Waffen SS and their Anglo-American-planners were too. As I said, the Russian plan worked brilliantly at first, then the Russians stopped and waited.
The Russians stopped moving, forward, backward, sideways…they just stopped. Bad move. Well, perhaps not the best metaphor. After the initial force’s amazing success they needed to be pouring in resources into the areas that were most valuable to hold, which is not the same as the areas that are most valuable. That’s not to say they shouldn’t have planned to withdraw from areas that could be retaken at later date. Those areas that would be most difficult to retake, Russia’s supply routes and those of the Waffen-SS/Anglo-American-alliance should have been prioritized. Negotiations, sure, just don’t stop fighting until the bell.
That was the mistake, they stopped, you can’t stop. period. And general withdrawal across the board? I speculate one half of the Russian High Command wanted the initial plan to fail so they could go back to war as laid out in their textbooks. And I also suspect that many in the military, wanted a protracted war to reshape Russian society. Those Russian commanders wanted the respect they held in the Soviet system restored and to a great degree they got what they wanted…at the cost of 120-135,000 of their comrades killed in action.
Posted by: S Brennan | Aug 10 2025 16:34 utc | 62
Let us hope that Putin’s penchant for “setting an example of statesmanship to the entire world” doesn’t get him killed.
There are many in the Deep State and the UK who would love take out both Putin and Trump, and as Brian Berletic has pointed out, this Alaskan visit will provide just such an opportunity.
Posted by: Perimetr | Aug 10 2025 16:36 utc | 63
@ Brigitte Mohnhaupt
Sind Sie die echte Brigitte Mohnhaupt?
Posted by: Apollyon | Aug 10 2025 16:37 utc | 64
Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Aug 10 2025 13:44 utc | 5
“There’s no better example of such tomfoolery as with the election of Trump.”
You miss the point: regardless of who stands for US president, it is unfortunate for the world that an American will win.
Posted by: horseguards | Aug 10 2025 16:42 utc | 65
Eighthman 60,
Exactly; “civil war needs young men to fight and Ukraine sends those off to die, draining any challenge away…Training isn’t needed…fill the trenches Russia must attack…Surrender? Shoot them in the back. Rinse, repeat through several million males”
When Russia regressed to attritional warfare, Galicia’s-Waffen-SS, in consort with their Anglo-American puppet-masters, saw an opportunity to achieve their original goals of ethnically cleansing ex-ukrainai of all non-Nazis who do not hate Russia and they used Russia’s adherence attritional warfare to accomplish this goal.
Posted by: S Brennan | Aug 10 2025 16:47 utc | 66
the centralization of segments of the world populations into territorially defined nation states has made it possible for mafia, idealist, and profit seeking psychopaths to use the awesome forces of government to take control over the people who populate the world..
until the people wake up to that fact there will be no improvement.. further the entire organization of the world needs to be based on human rights.. No nation state should have the power and no leader of a nation state the authority to use or lead a nation state in ways which infringe human rights.
The obligation to protect Human rights must become the basis upon which all organizations, governments, courts etc in the world are assembled and managed.. All of humanity, each person individually, has a duty to defend the uninalienable human rights against all powers, all leaders and all organizations infringing human rights.
ASAE masses understand this obligation and do the things it takes to fulfill this duty most of the wars will disappear as will the use of government to enable and protect the economies and life styles of the elite. Leaders will re-focus their energies from solving the problems of who their government should shoot next to the problems of how to use the resources of government as a means to improve everyone’s quality of life.
Achieving peace and promoting progress is really that simple..
Posted by: snake | Aug 10 2025 16:49 utc | 67
US Ambassador To NATO Says ‘It’s Possible’ Zelensky Could Join Trump-Putin Summit in Alaska
https://x.com/CNNSOTU/status/1954551279096615195
Will US proxy war organ-grinder bring his monkey too?
Posted by: JohnGilberts | Aug 10 2025 16:53 utc | 68
Duke Nukem 22,
Additionally, Anchorage is almost equidistant between DC & Moscow ~ 4,300 miles.
Posted by: S Brennan | Aug 10 2025 16:55 utc | 69
Russia has declared a NOTAM from August 7-12 in the region
Russia’s nuclear-powered, radar-evading, unlimited-range, Burevestnik aka SKYFALL missile test spark fear of radioactive emission in arctic
h/t Stonebird | Aug 9 2025 18:03 utc | 672
I’ve seen several comments regarding the possibility of an assassination attempt on President Putin, with or without DJT as “collateral damage”. Leaving aside the profoundly dangerous diplomatic and military implications, what happens to global financial markets after such an incident? As soon as the news hit the wire services it would be a complete meltdown, straight to ‘limit down’ in many cases, with the distinct prospect of never re-opening.
A lot of powerful interests command their power precisely because of the “wealth” bestowed upon them, as measured by these same markets. Why would they support a plot that puts themselves in jeopardy?
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Aug 10 2025 17:00 utc | 71
Putin-Trump Summit Sabotage Risk is Real – Senior Russian Negotiator
https://www.rt.com/russia/622702-trump-putin-summit-sabotage/
“Titanic’ provocation and disinformation efforts are incoming, Kirill Dmitriev has warned. Countries with a vested interest in prolonging the Ukraine conflict will likely go to great lengths to derail the planned meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart…”
Posted by: JohnGilberts | Aug 10 2025 17:06 utc | 72
Re: JohnGilberts #68
Will not be at the table of Trump-Putin. Volodymyr wants to be in the neighborhood just in case it would be suicide to return to Kyiv. May seek asylum in Alaska. 😂
Brian Berletic with Glen Diesen: Is the U.S. Setting a Trap for Russia in Alaska?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fwXBgu6Z5I [45 mins; recommended
Posted by: Don Firineach | Aug 10 2025 17:11 utc | 74
“Germany significantly relies on China for rare earth elements, with approximately 65.5% of its imports coming from China in 2024. This dependency is crucial for various industries, including high-tech manufacturing and defense systems, as these elements are essential for producing batteries, electric motors, and semiconductors25. The German government is actively working to diversify its supply chains and reduce reliance on Chinese imports, committing €1 billion to support domestic processing and explore international partnerships3. However, the high dependency poses risks, as supply disruptions could have severe economic consequences for Germany’s manufacturing sector”
Stonebird (55).
A wee search brings the above up.
I’m sure the BND has an office in Washington DC – of course the EU/Germany has been spouting the shit, that Russia will invade Europe in five-years time, to beat the European public into submission on raising spending on weapons and defence – I doubt five-years is enough time build a formidable and up-to-date fighting force, so that in itself shows that Merz and Co are lying – and its all about keeping Russia as the bogeyman, and diverting much needed public money into the pockets of the MIC, with kickbacks and greased palms – for politicians and middle-men/women up and down the line.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 17:12 utc | 75
Alexander Mercouris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GawAwUwW6zU
“Zelensky UK/EU plot to gatecrash Alaska summit; Russia breaks through Pokorovsk defences; BRICS unite.”
Posted by: JohnGilberts | Aug 10 2025 17:17 utc | 76
My take:
1) Trump self-imposed tariff-the-World cuz Russian “oil”backfire …backed Trump into corner
2) Trump already signed Putin papers & returned them with Witkoff.
3) More than Ukraine in agreement (ie Iran/Syria/Gaza ect- Trade)
Why do I say this:
Every other article in Tass the last few days is: Putin relating agreement/negotiation terms to:
UAE
Kyrgyzstan
Tajik
Belarus
China
Brazil
India
Uzbek
This is not exaggerated. These countries were informed by Russia Putin himself of the “negotiations”.
Why bother just to announce an Alaskan meeting to “discuss” them? Why bother personally calling and talking with all these heads of states to inform them of the “progress and assessments” of the negotiations if receiving only verbal assurances?
Trump is merely informing all of EU/UK/Ukraine what he’s going to announce.
Trump stated “I may need Zelensky there to sign some papers”…
Lastly, it all blows up.
Nothing happens as clearly, Trump is in charge of no one.
All global leaders and not global leaders have been informed by Putin what was “suppose” to happen.
IMO, the deal is done. Just awaiting signatures.
Which is an unknown, and lame anyways, cuz none of it will come to pass on the ground…
In addition, in the usual USReal fashion, the US will have “amendments” that Russia will be unable to accept.
Posted by: Trubind1 | Aug 10 2025 17:22 utc | 77
Excellent geopolitical analysis:
From the Zangezur to David’s Corridor: The Silent Redrawing of Global Trade and the Road to War with Iran
“>https://x.com/ibrahimtmajed/status/1948675409358303289
I am posting this here because it is another NATO front on Russia’s border now including the Kurds.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 14:32 utc | 17
Many thanks to LoveDonbass for the link. I recall the concern over the ‘soft underbelly’ of Russia around the time of their military support for Syria in 2015.
Instead our NATO overlords (in a reversal of WWII Anglo-American strategy in Europe) opted to first open up the Eastern Front via Ukraine (perhaps these days Operation Barbarossa is more of an ideological inspiration).
This suggests that even if the Ukrainian conflict eventually cools, Russia (and Iran) will find themselves facing renewed NATO backed meddling in this region
As for the upcoming Trump-Putin ‘peace’ summit, both perspectives outlined by various barflies (Russia walking into a trap versus Ukraine & the Europeans walking into a trap) are equally plausible. Essentially it’s Schrodinger’s Cat until the orange man sings (though J.D. Vance appears to have announced the first line in the song). It will be interesting to see which perspective prevails.
Posted by: FakeBelieve | Aug 10 2025 17:31 utc | 78
regardless of who stands for US president, it is unfortunate for the world that an American will win.
Posted by: horseguards | Aug 10 2025 16:42 utc | 65
“it is unfortunate for the world that Israel will win.”
FIFY
Posted by: Nooneuknow | Aug 10 2025 17:31 utc | 79
@LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 14:36 utc | 19
Since it is mentioned along with the Oreshnik, this unnamed weapon is supposedly based on “new physical principles” as well?
Posted by: Norwegian | Aug 10 2025 17:32 utc | 80
Dr Jeffrey Sachs: ‘The Next Ukraine’?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8P-_0es3YI
“Destabilizing operation in the Caucasus…”
Posted by: JohnGilberts | Aug 10 2025 17:32 utc | 81
H/T @ Newbie for posting this link on an earlier thread, but it really deserves front-page visibility, so reposting it here: https://maratkhairullin.substack.com/p/the-russia-i-dream-of-forgetting
I sincerely urge everyone to read it, and challenge everyone to remain unmoved. As @ Newbie observed with his post, if you still don’t understand after reading it you need a new heart, because your present one is dead.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Aug 10 2025 17:39 utc | 82
@LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 14:37 utc | 20
Lindsey Graham on TV supporting Trump’s meeting in what looks like a hostage video
https://x.com/RT_com/status/1954538567528534452
That Miss Lindsey talks about Trump speaking in Alaska “from a position of strength” reminds me of the meeting in Anchorage March 2021 between Chinese diplomats Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi speaking to Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan:
“Let me be clear that in front of the Chinese side, the United States does not have the qualification to say that it wants to speak to China from a position of strength,” Yang emphasized.
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-03-19/First-session-of-China-U-S-talks-in-Alaska-concludes-YKnP3QNxEQ/index.html
For sure, Trump does not speak from a position of strength to the Russians today.
Posted by: Norwegian | Aug 10 2025 17:42 utc | 83
Norwegian | Aug 10 2025 17:32 utc | 80
The new weapon/rocket was already named a couple of weeks ago but not detailed, by a Security official in the Dima if I’m not mistaken. The article I read, the dude called it a Deboll or Debold something like that. He said it was something the world will not believe or understand…
Posted by: bisfab | Aug 10 2025 17:43 utc | 84
“Planatob“, begins her/his first appearance at MOA, her/his 11 word sentence at MOA with ad hominems such as troll and propaganda…hmmm?
I read the first sentence, checked the name and skipped the rest. I read a most comments that way now and that’s when I don’t I read bottom up so can skip the cheerleaders, non-thinkers, spamish-posters, the embittered, the-blue-no-matter-who-wilsonian-DNCers…et al. Often these are one and the same…which does save much effort.
All the crap just makes those commenters who make a real effort that much more interesting to read. So, in that way, folks like “Planatob” perform a real service, they are the void, the intellectually black matrix upon which the bright pixels of thoughtful comments may shine.
So all you worthless commenters, keep it up, however ironically, you do perform a service.
Posted by: S Brennan | Aug 10 2025 17:46 utc | 85
TNA: Brian Berletic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp0wfO-r2Bo
“Russia-US meet – US prepares dagger of betrayal (again).”
See also #73
Posted by: JohnGilberts | Aug 10 2025 17:48 utc | 86
Posted by: Norwegian | Aug 10 2025 17:32 utc | 80
######
Everything I have seen from new Russian gear is clever and novel. They aren’t adding another missile hardpoint and calling it the latest generation.
Personally, I’d like to see a targeted EMP weapon.
The Chinese are getting pretty creative in their newer stuff.
Because the Axis of Resistance powers don’t have private MIC, they can pursue a lot more ideas and differently/
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 10 2025 17:49 utc | 87
@Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 15:47 utc | 48
The EU needs to be broken up – and its members countries need to return to there former selves pre-the EU.
200%
Norway had referendums on membership in 1972 and 1994, both ended in “NO”. Still, we have this monstrosity pushed down on us. Now that the corrupt EU also is actively participating in warfare, the responsibles in Brussels need to go to jail yesterday, along with most “leaders” in European countries.
Posted by: Norwegian | Aug 10 2025 17:57 utc | 88
@Apollyon | Aug 10 2025 16:37 utc | 64
I was wondering the same thing. I remember the RAF (no, not the British one).
Posted by: Norwegian | Aug 10 2025 18:03 utc | 89
@22
another situation like that where they are forced to give up strategic land . . .
=============
How strategic would Alaska really have been, being separated from the Russian mainland by a wide strait, and difficult to impossible to defend from the land side?
Posted by: Jane | Aug 10 2025 18:09 utc | 90
Posted by: Norwegian | Aug 10 2025 17:57 utc | 88
Norway had referendums on [EU] membership in 1972 and 1994, both ended in “NO”. Still, we have this monstrosity pushed down on us.
So, how did that happen? Primarily I’m curious about the legal mechanism. And secondarily on how could Norwegian people just let, or how they couldn’t help, politicians do that against their expressed will?
Posted by: Johan Kaspar | Aug 10 2025 18:13 utc | 91
@ JohnGilberts, §81:
Azerbaijan is being set up to be used as a proxy against Iran, backed by Turkey.
Turkey seeks to unite with Azerbaijan by seizing the Turkish-speaking province of Tabriz.
Erdoğan would realize his dream of ruling all Turks from the Aegean to the Caucasus. Plus Baku´s oil . . .
America & Israel will be delighted to see the start of dismembering of Iran.
Russia may well go along with it, the price being the slice of Azerbaijan north of the Caucasus: Quba & Xizi (both Lezgian speaking).
The Russians would then have Turkey to the south, but maybe Russia thinks better the devil you know?
Posted by: John Marks | Aug 10 2025 18:14 utc | 92
“The EU needs to be broken up – and its members countries need to return to there former selves pre-the EU” – Republicofscotland 48
“200% [Agree]” – Norwegian 88
Not European so, I have no say in the matter. But, in my opinion, the EU has been a horrible mistake and the Euro far worse. Europeans have traded being asked “passport please” for the phrase “pull-up…PULL-UP” as their respective countries perform a controlled flight into terrain. I treasure my pre-EU memories, and hope to drink my post-EU memories away..knowing full well I’ll never be able to visit what once was. So sad.
Posted by: S Brennan | Aug 10 2025 18:14 utc | 93
Just finished watching Austria’s ORF2 evening news, on the intended Alaska summit. The Europeans, who have done nothing to end this war, now feel excluded (because they are, alright) and want to participate. And the one who can never be missing is, of course, Zelenski.
I can only hope that Trump ignores Z’s bid to participate. If there ever is a chance to dicover new ways, this can only happen without Z at the table. He is the one who blocks any reasonable proposal, and keeps the Europeans involved, thereby inviting their toxic influence and keeping the war going.
Putin is strictly opposed to having Z in Alaska. Trump’s intuition has been just as good in the past (if one remembers the Oval Office showdown some time ago), but he has people around him trying to change his ways.
Following Olaf Scholz, they will argue that Ukraine’s future must not be discussed without Ukraine. This sounds convincing at first, yet there is nothing absolute about it: In 1945, Germany’s fate was decided without consultation with the (remnants of) the Nazi government.
Posted by: grunzt | Aug 10 2025 18:15 utc | 94
Norwegian (88).
It looks like the if the below is anything to go by – that Norwegian politician, have tied Norway close to the EU – to try and get around Norwegians not wanting to join the corrupt institution. Of course if the EU was broken up, Norway could still trade with those partners that were once in the EU – but with less bureaucracy.
“Norway has a close relationship with the EU, primarily through the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement, which allows Norway to participate in the EU’s internal market alongside EU member states. This cooperation is based on shared values and strong cultural ties. Historically, Norway applied for EU membership in 1962 but did not join, opting instead for a partnership through the EEA. Economically, the EU is Norway’s largest trading partner, accounting for 61.9% of Norway’s total trade in goods in 2024.”
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 10 2025 18:15 utc | 95
Posted by: bisfab | Aug 10 2025 17:43 utc | 84
He said it was something the world will not believe or understand…
So Russia has a Wunderwaffe in addition to Oreshnik?
Posted by: Johan Kaspar | Aug 10 2025 18:17 utc | 96
@ Johan Kaspar, §91:
Ask the English.
They voted to leave the EU.
But no British government has respected this and the current government is trying to rejoin the EU!
Posted by: John Marks | Aug 10 2025 18:18 utc | 97
@94
“He is the one who blocks any reasonable proposal, and keeps the Europeans involved, thereby inviting their toxic influence and keeping the war going.”
=====================
Ukraine has been Europe’s cat’s paw for decades. Before Zelensky.
I would not be surprised if Russia were to pull out of Anchorage if Zelensky is allowed to show boat there. Because the latter situation totally neutralizes and negates the point of the meeting.
And the location, BTW.
This is between the USA and Russia.
The location symbolizes their parity.
Trump flies west, Putin flies east, and they meet in the middle.
How would Z even get there?
Ukraine is nothing. A province of Russia.
That’s my take!!
Posted by: Jane | Aug 10 2025 18:20 utc | 98
@Johan Kaspar | Aug 10 2025 18:13 utc | 91
So, how did that happen? Primarily I’m curious about the legal mechanism. And secondarily on how could Norwegian people just let, or how they couldn’t help, politicians do that against their expressed will?
The political “mother” of Jens Stoltenberg, then PM Gro Harlem Brundtland (later director-general of the WHO) expressed after the 1994 referendum “we have other methods”. That is how the EEA came about, where Norway essentially became a member without voting rights
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Area
How did this happen? Well, Norway used to be a democracy with high level of trust (i.e. short distance) between people an politicians. When I was a kid I could observe from my window the then PM (former nacht und nebel prisoner in WWII) walking alone in Oslo on his way to the PM office. This trust was abused by less than democratic people. It takes a long time convince the general public that such trust has been broken. All you have to do is call those who protest “conspiracy theorists”.
Posted by: Norwegian | Aug 10 2025 18:26 utc | 99
Posted by: BlindSpot | Aug 10 2025 16:10 utc | 58
Thanks a lot. Interesting, and for those involved potentially deadly, situation.
Posted by: Avtonom | Aug 10 2025 18:29 utc | 100