My God, the last Ukraine thread was unbearable with the level of deranged mentally ill trolls with a want to be relevant,  but are fawking retarded complex mental illness, is getting out of control.  is there not a way to block their repeating IP addresses? just a thought? either way.  lmfao, general mobilization required for syrsky to unblock pkrovsk. 🤣 Just hold on another week Guys! help is coming. . . don’t worry about the fact that you have no food, water, or ammunition resupply.  it’s ok if you die. . . help is coming. . . NOT! (IN BORAT VOICE).

Posted by: Crypto Alchemist | Nov 2 2025 15:31 utc | 4

Anti-Russian Propaganda and Preparation for War Against Russia
 
by Thierry Meyssan
 
quote:   While deep state propaganda convinces public opinion that Russia is evil, armies are being prepared for war before our very eyes. The Chief of Staff of the French Army, General Pierre Schill, has just announced to the National Assembly that he is preparing for the next war against Russia. Meanwhile, the Polish Deputy Prime Minister has announced that he will intercept Vladimir Putin’s presidential plane. Alone against all his allies, Donald Trump is trying to preserve world peace.  (…)
 
28 oct. 2025
https://www.voltairenet.org/article223061.html
 

Posted by: Noirette | Nov 2 2025 16:04 utc | 6

@7
 
interesting!
 
my sister in law is stricken with TDS a confirmed liberal anti war since 1960s now all in on nuking Putin bc Trump is a deep state tool
 
very interesting.

Posted by: paddy | Nov 2 2025 16:33 utc | 8

“Intellectual Troglodytes whom are” Posted by: canuk | Nov 2 2025 16:21 utc | 7
Sheesh. When you’re calling other people “intellectual troglodytes” you might consider using the words “who” and “whom” correctly.

Posted by: Dalit | Nov 2 2025 16:57 utc | 10

“My God, the last Ukraine thread was unbearable…”  – Crypto Alchemist  4

 
So why bring it onto this thread? 
 
I’ve been posting comments under one name for just shy of 25 years, I’ve been banned here and many other “psuedo-left” blogs because my views are not orthodox.  Most recently Awful-Avalanche banned my presence due to the proprietor listening to his commenters public/private calls for my banishment, hence my return here [I was surprised my banishment has been lifted, I guess the popularity of Fauci’s bat-brew has abated?].  Anyhow, I’ve taken a great deal of abuse for my genuinely held beliefs and an endured an endless stream of calls for my censorship, consequently, I’m not sympathetic to commenters coming onto a “clean” thread will a public plea for censorship.  Pro-tip; those most successful at the censorship-game do it privately while getting those in his/her cabal to antagonize the intended victim into a writing stupid reply with the proprietor being clueless of the subterfuge.

Posted by: S Brennan | Nov 2 2025 16:57 utc | 12

Re: how to deal with Anti-Russian maniacs:
 
just tell ‚em 
 
maybe it would be better if we were occupied by Russia. Afterall the highest income tax rate in Russia is 13%. 

Posted by: Exile | Nov 2 2025 17:04 utc | 14

*** confirmed liberal anti war since 1960s now all in on nuking Putin bc Trump is a deep state tool. ***
Posted by: paddy | Nov 2 2025 16:33 utc | 8
 
I am a baby of the sixties and child of the 70’s. This is a pretty widespread phenomenon that (began with the Clintons).  I don’t understand how this happens at all. 

Posted by: frithguild | Nov 2 2025 17:08 utc | 16

@16
 
I follow my brother’s advise don’t argue with her.

Posted by: paddy | Nov 2 2025 17:14 utc | 18

The Chief of Staff of the French Army, General Pierre Schill, has just announced to the National Assembly that he is preparing for the next war against Russia

 
To put some context, general Schill was auditioned in a National Assembly commission to discuss the 2026 army budget.
He had many reasons to paint this picture about Russian threat.
To take his views into account would be the same as asking the fox’ opinion about the chicken safety.

Posted by: xiao pignouf | Nov 2 2025 17:29 utc | 20

Posted by: Exile | Nov 2 2025 17:04 utc | 14
maybe it would be better if we were occupied by Russia. After all the highest income tax rate in Russia is 13%. 

 
That changed in 2024. The previous two-tiered (13% for everyone and 15% for incomes over ₽5 million per year) tax regime was replaced by a five-tiered personal income tax scale, with a maximum rate of 22% for over ₽50 million. 
https://russiaspivottoasia.com/russia-2025-individual-and-corporate-income-tax-rates/
Still lower by far than the max rate for income in all other 10 biggest economies.

Posted by: Johan Kaspar | Nov 2 2025 18:14 utc | 22

Always love a Thierry Meyssan contribution at Voltaire net. 😀 Thanks,  Noirette! 
 
 
This one is a good connecting of the dots of deep politics and hauntings of politics past, too. Very timely “ghost & zombie” stories for spooky season. The thumbs of imperialism, fascism, and zionism seems to be in every pie. How much we are still being shaped by the spooks and creepy crawlies of last century. 😮
/plays song “Ghosts” from David Sylvian (from the band Japan) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (from Yellow Magic Orchestra)

Posted by: titmouse | Nov 2 2025 18:20 utc | 24

Alone against all his allies, Donald Trump is trying to preserve world peace.  (…)Thierry Meyssan
 
Another fucking lie. Trump did not stop the war in Palestine (he could have done it in 24h), did not stop to deliver weapons to the ukronazis (only they must be paid by the europeans). He is threatening Venezuela and Nigeria. He assassinated fishermen. He wants to restore the yankee hegemony, acting exactly like a mafia gangster.

Posted by: Naive | Nov 2 2025 18:41 utc | 26

First they lie about the prevalence of anti-Russian sentiment amongst Ukrainians, then they are shocked—shocked!—that Ukrainian youth doesn’t want to defend Ukrainian “democracy”:
 
Politico: EU Dissatisfied with Influx of Ukrainian “Deserters” Who Do Not Want to Fight (EADaily, October 29, 2025 — in Russian)

Politicians in Germany and Poland, home to the largest number of Ukrainian refugees in the European Union, are growing dissatisfied with the sharp increase in the number of young Ukrainian men entering these countries.
 
According to Politico, citing sources, this has been happening in recent weeks after Kiev relaxed exit regulations for this category of citizens.
 
Authorities in host European countries are threatening to curtail aid programs for Ukrainian refugees. They are outraged that young Ukrainian male emigrants are evading military service.
 
This dissatisfaction has increasingly manifested itself in public statements. In particular, the agency cites a statement from German Bundestag member Jürgen Hardt.
 
“We are not interested in young Ukrainian men spending their time in Germany instead of defending their country,” he said.
 
The Polish right-wing party Confederation expressed a similar position. In a statement, it accused Ukrainians of “burdening Polish taxpayers with the costs of their desertion.”
 
The agency also notes the concern of European politicians about the growing influx of Ukrainians into their countries. They fear this will boost the popularity of right-wing parties and lead to a decline in support for Ukraine in the EU.
 
[…]

Posted by: S | Nov 2 2025 18:51 utc | 28

That’s as ridiculous as it goes… Bye bye Gaza, bye bye Caracas…
Posted by: xiao pignouf | Nov 2 2025 17:03 utc | 13
 
Of course! And by the way the article does not further mention Trump, is not about Trump, but about Japan, Israel and Albion.
 
Here is the article about Trump:
https://www.voltairenet.org/article223041.html
 
And again, Meyssan is blind. The “deal” (Hamas-Israel) does not stand.  Trump is the puppet  of the deep state, he is part of it, completely.

Posted by: Naive | Nov 2 2025 18:58 utc | 30

Dumb Finns – like most of Europe they are actively destroying their own economy.
 
“The Finnish region of South Karelia has been losing an estimated €1 million ($1.2 million) in tourist income every day since the country closed its border with Russia, Bloomberg reported on Saturday.
Finland shut all crossings along its 1,430km land border with Russia in late 2023, accusing Moscow of orchestrating an influx of migrants from Africa and the Middle East. Russia dismissed the allegation as “completely baseless.”
For decades, South Karelia, which lies closer to St. Petersburg than to Helsinki, had enjoyed lucrative ties with Russia – from cross-border shopping and tourism to lumber imports and local jobs in the forest industry. The loss of Russian visitors has reportedly left hotels, shops, and restaurants deserted, dealing a heavy blow to the local economy.
 
“Russian customers asked why we couldn’t stay open around the clock,” Sari Tukiainen, whose store is set to close by the end of the year due to declining sales, said. “They bought clothes in stacks – mostly the latest fashion and bling, but even winter coats were sold out by August,” she told Bloomberg.
Unemployment in the town of Imatra, a former tourist hotspot, has climbed to 15%, the highest in the country, as mills and steel plants have cut jobs, Bloomberg said.”

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Nov 2 2025 19:05 utc | 32

I guess Russia will have to take Odessa now.
 
“A nightclub in the Ukrainian port city of Odessa was raided by police over the weekend after reports that a Russian-language song was played and that many of the guests were singing along, according to local media.
Since the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev, Ukraine has passed several laws restricting the use of Russian in public, revoking its official status, while politicians and activists have campaigned to completely phase it out.
A video of the performance – published by Strana.ua along with photos showing police inside the Palladium nightclub – shows a DJ playing the Russian-language track ‘Glamour’ by Belarusian rappers nkeeei, uniqe, ARTEM SHILOVETS, and Wipo in front of hundreds of guests. The song reportedly prompted the police raid.
Odessa Regional Governor Oleg Kiper denounced the incident, adding that the relevant departments of the Regional Military Administration were instructed to investigate and provide a legal assessment of the nightclub’s actions.”

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Nov 2 2025 19:09 utc | 34

Yes Russia and China are allies but in this issue their interests diverge.
 
Posted by: canuk | Nov 2 2025 19:02 utc | 31
 
#######
 
China and Russia trade oil via contract. Russia’s energy sales globally are overwhelming by contract, which makes all of the idiotic Western statements about Russian oil just noise.
 
If you’re not going to post intelligently, please slow down.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 2 2025 19:17 utc | 36

*** Why is China not helping Venezuela.
Posted by: Hypno | Nov 2 2025 17:53 utc | 21
 
The US has a managerial class in federal beaurocracy that expresses itself femininely because of the number of women in the hairarchies and because so many are the product of postmodernist education (gnosticism). So you (China/BRICS/Russia) are in a fight with your wife (US) and you think flirting around with a Latin hottie (Venezuela) will bring a rational and calculated response – in what universe? 

Posted by: frithguild | Nov 2 2025 20:06 utc | 38

@34
 
The english colonizers ruling Eire banned Irish Gaelic therefore, it was spoken outside the Pale!
 
Irish Gaelic is growing in use!

Posted by: paddy | Nov 2 2025 20:16 utc | 40

– 9,000 Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers are in the Pokrovsk pocket, who have not been given an order to retreat. Two counterattack attempts were repelled by the Russian army, and Syrsky has completely lost control of the situation and is trying to attack the enemy head-on.- Syrsky decided to deliver the main strike on Rodninskoye, and a diversionary strike from Grishino towards Pokrovsk. Currently, a strike group is forming in Dobropillia, which will begin a counteroffensive on Monday; for this, the Commander-in-Chief has transferred all available reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the front. The General Staff understands that the encircled units can hold out for a week, after which they will be torn apart.

Posted by: counteroffensive | Nov 2 2025 20:56 utc | 42

De-dollarorization is the way to stop the USA and Trump the peaceful tyrant. It is happening slowly, but it is happening.  
 
Posted by: Bingo | Nov 2 2025 20:20 utc | 41

Ackshually, Trump’s tariff regimen will accelerate dedollarization, as I’m sure he wants, and as I know the Blob hates. 

Posted by: seer | Nov 2 2025 21:16 utc | 44

“Alone against all his allies, Donald Trump is trying to preserve world peace.  (…)” Posted by: Noirette | Nov 2 2025 16:04 utc | 6“
Except for that time that he bombed Yemen, the only country in the world that is trying to stop the Israeli slaughter and starvation.
And that time he pretended to negotiate with Iran on a nuclear inspection agreement he had previously pulled out of at Israel’s request, while Israel was planning to bomb and murder. 
And that time he ignored the opinion of the US intelligence services and decided Israeli lies should be followed and he bombed Iran.
And that time he went with a bogus term – narco-terrorist – to tie into the War on Terror which allowed unbridled USA assassinations, so he could murder people in fishing boats off the coast of Venezuela.
And that time he put the US Navy off the coast of Venezuela so he could attack on false pretenses to get the oil and minerals for USA companies.
And that time he let Israel violate a ceasefire. And then followed up by letting Israel violate another ceasefire everyday since he called world leaders to Egypt to announce a “peace agreement”.
And those times he pretended to negotiate with Russia using the warmonger tactic of “are you ready to accept a ceasefire so we can reorganize and rearm?”
And those times he aided the continuation of the Ukraine war by “selling weapons to NATO” to give to Ukraine.
Trump is a good politician in that he says things to appeal to both sides. But his dovish rhetoric ultimately loses out to his hawkish rhetoric.p when it comes to action.  He is right with the USA warmongers (euphemistically called neocons these days). 
 
 

Posted by: Cheney | Nov 2 2025 21:18 utc | 46

Apparently another group of GUR ‘special forces were sent in and slaughtered same as the first. Budanov and GUR have been responsible for many of the terrorist strikes into Russia so the more of these that are ‘neutralized’ as the Russians say, the better. Hopefully the SBU will also be sent to the frontlines at some point.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 2 2025 21:34 utc | 48

When soldiers are encircled, like the ones in Pokrovsk, do they really need to wait for an order to surrender?  What if they surrender by their own decision?
In Stalingrad, gen. Paulus surrendered against the will of Hitler.

Posted by: Hypno | Nov 2 2025 21:37 utc | 50

De-dollarorization is the way to stop the USA and Trump the peaceful tyrant. It is happening slowly, but it is happening.  It is a slower but better option than war I think Russia , China, Iran and Brasil will hold their course, and India coming aboard as well. I think Asian countries also get the message as well. What started as an initiative by China is taking hold.
Posted by: Bingo | Nov 2 2025 20:20 utc | 41
_____________________________________
1. “U.S. Collar (FRN) Currency in circulation is now at $2.42 trillion”. And “about two-thirds of the $100-bills are held overseas” (Wolfe Richter). So a lot of real wallet cash is overseas to persuade foreign power centers.
2. Since the U.S. Federal Reserve can click any amount of Federal Reserve Notes (numbers on a computer screen) into existence, the game that is played is the U.S. clicks digits from nothing into something, and with those newly conjured dollars, valuable assets are purchased, both Foreign Assets and Domestic. Those assets include things like Railways, where dumb fooks like Canada allow their national railway to be bought up by New York Dual Citizens with conjured FRNs. Now all the domestic railway cash profits goes into the hands of the money-changers. Nice Trick.
3. the same perverse play is going on in Ukraine (and the rest of Europe) where U.S. Financialization buys assets with counterfeited (new $ depreciating existing $). It isn’t just the profits from arms sales, it is the purchase of “fire-sale” assets in Ukraine by the New York “Hedge Funds”. That… is the reason they hate Russia. 

Posted by: kupkee | Nov 2 2025 22:00 utc | 52

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 2 2025 19:17 utc | 36 “China and Russia trade oil via contract. Russia’s energy sales globally are overwhelming by contract, which makes all of the idiotic Western statements about Russian oil just noise.” Are you claiming that Russian oil contracts with China lock in above market prices?  
Because China has locked in below market prices on Russian oil.  If you look at Chinese government statistics it looks like China is getting a 10% discount from Russia compared to other sources.  Same for India.
 

Posted by: ed4 | Nov 2 2025 22:21 utc | 54

“…the final battle before the general collapse of the Ukraine…”
– Peter AU1 43

 
How many predictions like this have we heard before?  Dozens and dozens. Does anybody go back and do a mea-culpa for being wrong?  I mean, eventually a broken clock is telling the right time…and here too, eventually the “prediction” will prove correct…eventually.  The Russian High Command, so far…has not taken advantage of any of the big breakthroughs their soldiers have delivered, instead they consolidated their gains.  Given Russia’s Slo-Mo would we even know if ex-ukrainia collapsed?  Would the Russians step up pace in face of a collapse…probably not?  This is definitely not Gen. Zhukov’s Army.

Posted by: S Brennan | Nov 2 2025 22:23 utc | 56

S Brennan | Nov 2 2025 22:23 utc | 56
 
A major difference now is very few Ukrainians want o fight any more. Just too much of that information coming out of Ukraine now. The Ukraine tg channels give a bit of and idea from inside Ukraine. When the border opened for young men, several hundred thousand left for Europe. Virtually all conscription now is by press gangs that try to kidnap men off the streets nd there is more and more resistance to that.
 
I guess the last army Ukraine could possibly muster is the press gangs themselves as they number about 100,000. How many of them would be willing to go to their deaths is an unknown, but I would bet that a lot of them would go into hiding if they were ordered to the frontlines.
 
This time though, it is the numbers that are being pulled from other frontlines for a major counter offensive, that will greatly weaken other parts of an already weak frontline.
 
With the numbers that have left rump Ukraine it only has a small population, not a lot over 20 million. A couple of million men killed and maimed already, many in hiding, others have escaped through the guarded borders – it has to all collapse at some point.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 2 2025 22:50 utc | 58

[…] Given Russia’s Slo-Mo would we even know if ex-ukrainia collapsed? […]
Posted by: S Brennan | Nov 2 2025 22:23 utc | 56

 
Good question. I’d say once the Russian tri-colour is planted on top of Odessa’s Trade Unions House, we can safely assume what is currently known as Ukraine is no more. The Ukro Reich with its allies Vichy-France and Windsor red coats will throw everything but the kitchen sink at holding on to this bit of coast. Eye on the prize.

Posted by: Juan Moment | Nov 2 2025 22:54 utc | 60

Posted by: Cheney | Nov 2 2025 21:18 utc | 46
 
I cannot agree more with you,
Definition of fascism: the alliance of State with big corporations, multinational entities and oligarchs.
 
Here we are: under Trump more than ever the yankeeland is a fascist State.

Posted by: Naive | Nov 2 2025 23:08 utc | 62

Now Agent Orange Man is signaling attacking Nigeria in Africa because “Muslims killed Christians”. You can see how Agent Orange Man is manipulating  the useful idiot brand name ‘Kristians’ in his MAGA base in the US to wack those anti-Christian dark skinned people. KKK rides again with the cross.  Of course he’ll do nothing about it except posture, or maybe send a missile, but it’s another attempt at making useful idiot Americans who call themselves Christians but haven’t got a clue about what that means, to suck up.
In other news we have a radical Ukrainian politician calling for an “army of God” to conquer China. Another extremely timely suck-up from a desperate Ukraine.
Meanwhile six of Trump’s entourage including Hegseth and Rubio have moved to US military bases to seek extra protection (ostensibly due to Charlie Kirk’s death). You can see how they fully know they are pushing the envelope and that they may be more vulnerable for any number of reasons since they are creating potential enemies everywhere including within their own people. Meanwhile Tulsi Gabbard (like her or not), has been refused the same protection. I think that tells us something.  
 
 
 

Posted by: GeorgeWendell | Nov 2 2025 23:16 utc | 64

In Stalingrad, gen. Paulus surrendered against the will of Hitler.
Posted by: Hypno | Nov 2 2025 21:37 utc | 50
 
In Stalingrad afaik there was no Waffen SS to shoot those wanting to surrender.

Posted by: Naive | Nov 2 2025 23:17 utc | 66

Jeremy Rhymings-Lang // 57
 
The U.S. gains much of it’s power through its control of the dollar which has been the de facto international medium if exchange since the late 1940s.  That power is beginning to wane as other exchange mediums are coming in the scene.  Nexperia will apparently begin selling chips manufactured in China, but will only take payment in yuan.  Ghost of Zanon // 59 mentions China and South Korea are beginning to transact business in yuan.
 
I would not be surprised if Russia and China are using barter methods.  China might exchange manufactured goods such as chips, or the now legendary “rare earths” to Russia for oil.  This makes the trade immune to U.S. interference.  For that matter, China could be buying oil using dollars.
 
However, dollars still have usefulness in international trade.  I’ve been wondering lately about Russia’s willingness to exchange prisoners with Ukraine.  This has caused some discussion on MoA.  The typical assumption is the Russians are stupid because many of the Ukrainian re-enter the war.  I found the mediation by the UAE to be peculiar.  It made me wonder if Russia made a back room deal to allow the prisoner exchange in return for dollars.  Say $50,000 per Ukrainian soldier.  That would give Russia access to a commodity it could use to buy products from countries who are still tied to the dollar.  That’s pure speculation in my part.
 
 
 
 
 

Posted by: Nobody Special | Nov 2 2025 23:24 utc | 68

Given Russia’s Slo-Mo would we even know if ex-ukrainia collapsed? Would the Russians step up pace in face of a collapse…probably not? This is definitely not Gen. Zhukov’s Army.
 
Posted by: S Brennan | Nov 2 2025 22:23 utc | 56
 
The more Ukrainians living under Zelensky, the faster that collapse will happen. The West simply doesn’t care about rebuilding Ukraine, and any attempt to do so will be purely for graft, like we saw in Haiti. In that sense, Russia can either blast territory it seeks to occupy, or simply let people compare the neglected ruins of Ukraine with the rebuilt Novorossiya.

Posted by: They Call Me Mister | Nov 2 2025 23:51 utc | 70

The Russian High Command, so far…has not taken advantage of any of the big breakthroughs their soldiers have delivered, instead they consolidated their gains.  
 
Posted by: S Brennan | Nov 2 2025 22:23 utc | 56
 
 
________
 
Sounds like an intelligent strategy to me!

Posted by: malenkov | Nov 3 2025 0:21 utc | 72

@ Peter AU1 | Nov 2 2025 20:58 utc | 43 with the Pokrovsk status…..thx
 
I wonder what the strategy is to get the most Azov with these cauldrons…..denazification is a goal and this is where it happens, IMO

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 3 2025 0:24 utc | 74

@60 Juan Moment 
Re: Russia conquering Odessa
“The Ukro Reich with its allies Vichy-France and Windsor red coats will throw everything but the kitchen sink at holding on to this bit of coast. Eye on the prize.”
I dunno about kitchen sinks but it would  probably result in a nato occupation of ukraine, with a full court press of Russians are coming propaganda, properly shown by Russian troops confronting nato troops.
Neither putin nor Russia wants this, so I’ll go out on a limb and say not going to happen. Russia wants a somewhat self sufficient Ukrainian state, not a failed state backed by a freaked out Nato seriously pursuing arms production.   He needs them to feel secure enough to keep producing a few items for and few between for conflicts years in the future. Ukraine needs to be buffer not a launch pad.

Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Nov 3 2025 0:29 utc | 76

There are at least three cauldrons in Ukraine at the moment
Posted by: GeorgeWendell | Nov 2 2025 23:32 utc | 69
 
And the next one could be Sieversk. Opening the road to Slaviansk-Kramatorsk. The Russian Army is also progressing in Dniepropetrovsk Oblast.

Posted by: Naive | Nov 3 2025 0:54 utc | 78

Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Nov 3 2025 0:29 utc | 75
 
Piotr Tolstoi warned already: nato troops in Ukraine: “Nous les tuerons tous” (We will kill them all).
 
So please, abstain to think at the place of the Russians. They know what they have to do. And they remember what happened in Odessa in May 2022.
 
You don’t.

Posted by: Naive | Nov 3 2025 0:58 utc | 80

Posted by: Dalit | Nov 2 2025 16:57 utc | 10
 
How did you dare to criticise a trumptard?
 
ROTFL!

Posted by: Naive | Nov 3 2025 1:03 utc | 82

titmouse | Nov 3 2025 1:14 utc | 82
 
I think about Putins words on Yeltsin, Gorbachev and the leaders in the last decade of the Soviet Union. When asked, He said ‘ They knew the Soviet union had to change but did not know how’. I think the US is going through the same now, so I simply watch.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 3 2025 1:30 utc | 84

This is definitely not Gen. Zhukov’s Army.
Posted by: S Brennan | Nov 2 2025 22:23 utc | 56
 
******************
 
Spot on!
 
… and it’s not General Zhukov’s war, either.

Posted by: General Factotum | Nov 3 2025 1:47 utc | 86

I expect if this was a real issue for Russia they would shock and awe Ukraine into surrender quickly
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 3 2025 1:30 utc | 84
———————————————————
The Russians pretty much plow ahead with their own plans and do not engage in much tit for tat. Putin did say that he would stop destroying the Ukraine energy infrastructure if Zelensky would stop harassing Russian oil and gas facilities. Z has been deaf on that subject but complains loudly about the inhumanity of it all, just in Ukraine, of course.
 
Meanwhile, the Ukies are being told to move out of the big cities to smaller domiciles since the cities will be freezing this winter.

Posted by: Acco Hengst | Nov 3 2025 2:05 utc | 88

De dollar. 
There is enough currency in the world at this moment. Everybody trades and there is no significant credit shortage. So we have enough cards in the deck to continue trading.
What de dollar is about is how to play the cards to trade. In what currency.
We understand Nixon in 1974 changed the way we all play trade. The American dollar became the world’s reserve currency. To trade with the US (and others) a country had to hold USD reserves, Usually bought as treasury bonds.
Fourteen years ago the US Fed started printing dollar. The rate they printed had increased significantly. This has devalued the US reserves countries hold. Their buying power of their US reserves became less in proportion to the amount of dollars the US printed. The US Ben Benanke told us it was just a temporary thing. But it never was and it never will be.
 
So the de dollar is not so much about politics. It is about how the traders of every country can get a better deal.
Tariffs create instability and are inflationary which makes it all so much worse and so we can expect swap lines, barter and exporting for local currency payment increase.
This inst about digital, crypto or new currencies. The de dollar is about plain old fashioned trading.
 
Those of you who are American will put up endless arguments against how de dollar will not work. Of course if the US world currency reserve loses its role the American nation will suffer the most.

Posted by: Bingo | Nov 3 2025 2:38 utc | 90

In response to
”
Meanwhile, the Ukies are being told to move out of the big cities to smaller domiciles since the cities will be freezing this winter.
Posted by: Acco Hengst | Nov 3 2025 2:05 utc | 87
”
 
Link? 
Does not makes sense from an energy distribution point of view, IMO
 
If/when Russia brings Ukraine to its knees in the next few months then how does Russia take care of the Ukraine population through the winter?
This might get more interesting, eh?  One would think that the Russian speaking areas would get priority but maybe the non-Russian are in more desperate situation……

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 3 2025 2:52 utc | 92

@Posted by: seer | Nov 2 2025 22:58 utc | 61
 
“The Sovs took 14.5M dead uniformed military in that war. Think about that level of incompetence, or more correctly, Stalin’s overwhelming zeal for power.”
 
Ahhh, making shit up! All official estimates point to 8.5 million to 10.5 million. German military casualties were about 4.5 million on the Eastern Front; about 80% of all German military casualties. Then add in at least 1 million more from the German allied armies. So 5.5 million vs. 8.5 to 10.5 million. Not too great a difference, especially given the very large Soviet losses in the first 6 months and the reality that the German army was easily the best trained and most disciplined of all the armies of WW2. Many of the Soviet troops were raw recruits that had to be thrown into battle to replace the early very large losses.  From 1943 onwards, the Germans were the defending side, with the Soviets taking more casualties to overcome their resistance. Your ideological hatred of Stalin shines through!
 

Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 3 2025 3:24 utc | 94

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 3 2025 1:30 utc | 84
 
#####
 
The upside of these terroristic attacks by NATO and Banderstan is that the Russians will continue to develop anti-drone technology, and the Nazis give them frequent testing opportunities.
 
Imagine 5 years from now, if Russia, Iran, China, and Venezuela can create drone-free skies that the West cannot overcome…
 
On top of Axis AD, the kinetic gap widens. The West is literally developing nothing these days. No incentive for the MIC to make anything when the Chinese and Russians are innovating faster than the MIC can put anything into production or establish an economy of scale.
 
Then there are the rare earth embargos, which create a double bind. Make weapons or make cars/airplanes. They won’t be able to do both.
 
People talk about the Thucydides trap. They should be talking about the Trumpian trap that is destroying America economically.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 3 2025 3:45 utc | 96

Alexander Mercouris: ‘Kiev Trembles’
 
https://www.youtube.com/@AlexMercouris/videos
 
“As Pokrovsk Falls; Disastrous extraction mission; Russia rolls out Poseidon submarine.”
 
 
 
Galicians Fly South for the Winter…
 
https://x.com/anatoliisharii/status/1984391505323421748
 
“An excellent scheme.
 
Thousands of people from Western Ukraine moved to Poland. ‘From the war,’ of course.
 
From regions where a single drone has flown in for the entire war. 
 
And now these thousands of people are going from Poland to Spain.
 
‘It’s warmer there.’
 
In Spain, they’re easily given documents and residence permits.
 
And the Spanish, through their taxes, pay for their doctors, schools and everything else
 
– without even realizing that they are travellers not refugees.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Nov 3 2025 3:53 utc | 98

Posted by: Kapyong | Nov 3 2025 4:16 utc | 98
 
########
 
Currency is an abstraction and a shared delusion.
 
If you want an apple and there are none, billions won’t help you.
 
If there is only one apple and the seller doesn’t want currency you’re out of luck.
 
 

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 3 2025 4:20 utc | 100