WW3? Ukraine/US vs. Donbass/Russia

[Ravenlocke]

https://www.rt.com/news/557664-eu-brics-hold-summits/

EU and BRICS launch key summits

Two major economic integration organizations – the European Union and BRICS – are holding key summits this week. The leaders of EU member states are gathering in Brussels on Thursday for a two-day meeting, while BRICS countries are holding a virtual gathering hosted by China on the same dates.

The situation in Ukraine and its bid to become part of the Union top the agenda at the EU summit. European leaders will discuss economic crises around the world and how they affect the continent, as well as key foreign policy issues.

Meanwhile, Beijing will this week be hosting the 14th summit of BRICS emerging economies, uniting Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Member states will chart plans for closer economic, security and public health cooperation, and set goals for reviving the global economy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

READ MORE: Russian SWIFT replacement ready for BRICS – Putin
Beijing, which holds the rotating presidency of BRICS, has argued for expanding the group by including Argentina as a full member. The Latin American nation has expressed its desire to join BRICS and will be attending the summit.

The virtual meeting of BRICS leaders will be the highest-profile international event for Russian President Vladimir Putin since he ordered an attack against Ukraine in February. As Western nations have sought to punish Moscow with economic sanctions, Russia has prioritized trade with nations including China and India, to mitigate the impact of Western trade restrictions.


https://www.rt.com/business/557620-russian-financial-messenger-brics/

Russian SWIFT replacement ready for BRICS – Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that banks from BRICS nations can freely connect to the System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS), Russia’s alternative to SWIFT.

While addressing a BRICS business forum, Putin said that together with its partners – Brazil, India, China and South Africa – Moscow is developing reliable alternatives for international payments.

“The Russian system for transmitting financial messages is open to connecting banks from the five countries,” he said, adding: “The geography of the use of the Russian payment system Mir is expanding.”

The Russian president also noted that work is underway to create an international reserve currency based on a basket of BRICS currencies.

READ MORE: China calls for BRICS expansion
SPFS has similar functionality to SWIFT and allows the transmission of messages between financial institutions in the same format. It was created by the Bank of Russia as an alternative to the Belgium-based system in 2014, when Moscow was hit with Western sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine.

In April, Russian Central Bank governor Elvira Nabiullina said most Russian lenders and 52 foreign organizations from 12 countries had received access to SPFS, and that the regulator would keep the identity of payment system members secret.


https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1539971547347263489

1539971547347263489

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/ChannelOne_eng/status/1539955273204465664
1539955273204465664

https://twitter.com/ChannelOne_eng/status/1539921278815162368

1539921278815162368

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/ReadovkaWorld/status/1539927245061468161

1539927245061468161

https://twitter.com/Cyberspec1/status/1539906830943416320
1539906830943416320


HeqO_cAaxOc

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/Russ_Warrior/status/1539973428203372545
1539973428203372545

https://twitter.com/Russ_Warrior/status/1539973760165769217
1539973760165769217

https://twitter.com/ReadovkaWorld/status/1540004512081010689
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[Ewan]

Meanwhile, the BBC ramp up their efforts to be first in place to assume the official designation of sole broadcaster for the Ministery of Truth.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O_zWb686lg

Never felt more inclined to write them a short missive but don't feel quite incensed enough to put so many expletives on a sheet of paper that never did anything to me.

[Goba]

I am flabbergasted by the number of people who fall for the Russian agitprop. Russia has always used the same names and the same channels to get their word out. They did not become reliable or even truthful overnight only because the US in similar ways has b/s-ed the world. What people here who seem to love taking sides for the perceived underdog Russia do not realize is this: NOBODY here wants to live in Russia - at least not as long as it is in its current political state which is VERY close to Germany in the 1930s.

Russia is not only not winning, it has already lost. It may even keep the Donbass which it has thoroughly ground to rubble - but it will NEVER ever get to the state of limited prosperity it enjoyed pre-war. Not even their most wealthy members.

In fact it will revert to something akin to 1990s industry without the western tech it now cant import.
Of course for those who live outside Moscow it makes little difference because those who die for the motherland are poor and mainly uneducated villagers without many other options to get funds outside the army.

Given the extreme imbalance in weaponry and manpower in favor of Russia one can only ask: how long will the RT believers predict the fall of Ukraine. It should have been evident months ago. Yet in the last 4 weeks the front lines have moved only marginally in Russia's favor.

There is an old rule of war some German generals told Hitler before he decided to invade Russia: You can invade with a small number but you can only hold with a vastly superior number of armed forces. Some say it has to be 4:1, some 6:1 - but in any case Russia has none of these numbers.
If the Ukrainians keep fighting there can only be one loser, the one that has lost already - Russia. And if NATO keeps supplying munitions the Ukrainians may even entirely rip apart any conventional power Russia once had. If that happens some elements of the Russian federation may rethink their plans for independence.

[Bill Ryan]

HeqO_cAaxOcI quite enjoyed watching that short video. It shows a Russian military train trundling quite quickly, and without any problems or resistance at all, through empty, green Ukrainian countryside — save for one lone cyclist who waved at the train as it passed. The camouflage was ostentatiously overpainted by huge letter 'Z's for all to see, rather as if it was a marketing campaign. :)

[Ravenlocke]

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/06/two-big-errors-about-russia-by-helmholtz-smith.html

Two Big Errors About Russia - By Helmholtz Smith
June 23, 2022

by Helmholtz Smith

American and Western policy towards Russia is founded on two serious errors. (A considerable understatement, of course – the past thirty years show that conventional Western ideas of Russia are almost completely wrong.)

But these two are endlessly repeated and, no matter how many times they are proven wrong, they remain the foundational assumptions of the West's attempts to change or control Russia.

First is the idea that the Russian economy is feeble, unbalanced and dependent on income from the West. The second is that Putin is the chief of a band of thieves who, who if made to feel pain, will get rid of him. Sanctions will collapse the first and bring the pain to cause the second. (Another delusion is that once Putin goes, everything will be to the West's liking – but I did say there was a multitude of misconceptions.)

First let's consider Russia's economy. Op-eds that say that the Russian economy is the size of Texas or Belgium or Luxembourg or whatever simply translate rubles into dollars and gallop to their preassigned conclusion. They never ask how big the space program of the country Russia is compared to is, or how many nuclear submarines it makes, or new subway stations, airports or bridges it opens, or whether that country makes all kinds of airplanes and trucks, or how much food it grows and exports or anything else that actually measures a real economy.

As soon as they did, of course, they would see that the Russian economy is much bigger than the puerile ruble-dollar comparison suggests. And, a slightly closer look would reveal that Russia's economy is almost self-sufficient. But the West carries on confident that Russia is a "gas station with nuclear weapons" and its feeble economy can be easily collapsed. RAND based a whole strategy on "Russia’s greatest vulnerability... is its economy, which is comparatively small and highly dependent on energy exports

They persist in the face of all experience to the contrary. The EU cut food exports to Russia to, I suppose, bring people out into the streets protesting the disappearance of exotic cheese (remember Masha Gessen's heartbreak about my little cheese?) Russia responded intelligently and is now self-sufficient in food and Europe has lost that market. Biden was going to reduce the ruble to rubble but Moscow effortlessly countered him and the ruble is now tied to energy – one of the strongest foundations a currency can have.

And still the sanctions pile on. But it's educational – now we know a lot more about what potash is used for and where it comes from. And neon – who knew that was important? Rare earths! Beer bottles! Moscow is only just now starting to counter-sanction and the world is discovering that Russia is a major producer of a lot of important things and if you sanction them, you will find yourself running short of lots of things you'd never heard of. (You'd think anyone who owned an atlas would be able to figure out that a country as large as Russia must be a big producer of most resources).

Biden can blame Putin all he likes, but sanctioning energy and potash is a certain way to drive up prices all round. Biden used to think that Russia had "nuclear weapons and oil wells and nothing else". Maybe the people running Russia are better at thinking things out and seeing reality than we thought they were. (Yet another mistaken Western assumption – what is there in the last twenty years that suggests we're smarter than they are?)

The idea that Russia is a big criminal conspiracy and Putin is the Boss of Bosses is the foundation of the personal sanctions strategy. So-and-so is deemed "close to Putin", whatever that means, and he's prevented from going to Paris to buy cheese and his yacht is stolen confiscated. Angry, he sits down with the other capos and decides it's time the Boss was found face down in a bowl of kasha and blood. The think tankers tell us that Putin is the Chief Thief holding onto power by spreading the loot around, fake elections and making critics disappear. (By the way, wasn't he supposed to have tried to kill Navalny, where's the oped savant explaining why he's still alive?)

All elections in Russia are fake, all opinion polls are fake, all media is controlled by the Kremlin, the underbosses are hurting so why is Putin still there? It surely couldn't be that he is the very popular and respected elected head of state – to suggest that would be to call into question three decades of US and EU think tankery. Therefore he must be just one more sanction away from being whacked out. And so more names – all "close to Putin" – are added to more lists. But nothing changes.

These two errors run on and on. Russia is now the most sanctioned country ever and Western politicians still think another round of "tough sanctions" will do the job. But the more sanctions it survives, the more sanction-proof Russia becomes.

Wars are irruptions of brutal reality into fantasy and the Ukraine war is laying bare the empty complacency at the root of the West's view of Russia. It's going to be a cold hungry winter in Europe and in parts of America. Can't blame Putin forever.

But the depressing truth is that minds are rarely changed, you have to change the man. How much longer will the West's leaders outlast their repeated failures?

[Ravenlocke]

https://tass.com/pressreview/1470099?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=smm_social_share

23 JUN, 06:00
Press review: How Russia can strike back at Lithuania and will oil top Lavrov’s Iran tour


Vedomosti: How Russia could retaliate for Lithuania’s transit ban

READ ALSO
Kaliningrad governor says blockade of region deliberate, rules out mistake
Russian officials are discussing measures to retaliate for Lithuania’s ban on the transit of certain goods through its territory over the EU sanctions, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Wednesday. The day before, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev warned that Moscow’s response would sting the Baltic nation’s population.

Russia could retaliate with economic, political or military measures, Alexander Nosovich, a political analyst at the Valdai think-tank, told Vedomosti. Symmetrical restrictions for Lithuania’s transit are likely to be the key. If Russia chooses to ban transit via Kaliningrad, Lithuania’s economy will be affected. Or Russia could opt for a proportionate scenario mirroring half of the goods banned by Lithuania. These would primarily include fertilizers as well as oil products from the majority of EU countries. Though Lithuania has formally stopped importing Russian oil products, one of its refineries, which is also the country’s largest taxpayer, has been processing oil brought from Poland via the Kaliningrad Region, Nosovich said. So, a ban on oil transit from Poland would hit Lithuania’s budget hard, the expert added.

Russia could also sue Lithuania in a Stockholm court, said Vladimir Olenchenko, a senior researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO). According to the expert, Moscow has already complained that Vilnius’ move runs counter to the 2002 agreements on the transit of goods to the EU, and could demand compensation for the costs of using a longer transit route via St. Petersburg, Ust-Luga and other northwestern ports.

It's clear that Russia’s trade with the EU will plunge even further, and a seventh package of sanctions will inevitably impose tougher restrictions, said Mikhail Burmistrov, CEO of Infoline Analytics. Therefore, Russia should use the situation to adjust to new EU restrictions, rather than put pressure on Lithuania.

[Bill Ryan]

There's a VERY interesting major segment of Alexander Mercouris' video for today, about Industrial Warfare. It's well worth listening to. Start in at 12:24, and it lasts for 40 minutes.

It's long, and there's a lot of fascinating detail, but here's my summary:

In a major protracted conflict such as Ukraine vs Russia right now, the country with the largest, most productive and most sustainable military industrial capacity is sure to win out. It's a much more important factor than (e.g.) number of troops on the ground.

Russia started to ramp up its military industrial production back in 2007, and so it's been steadily building and building its military strength (and weapons inventory) for the last 15 years. The US no longer has that capacity, and would take at least half that time to catch up with Russia — IF the political decision was made to give that any priority.

And given China's enormous manufacturing capacity, one can only guess at how easily China would be able to maintain and grow its weapons inventory if it had to. (Is it doing that right now? Surely yes.)

In recent war games of a conflict against Russia, the US expended all its ammunition and missiles in a few weeks, and the UK in 8 (eight!) days. In contrast, Russia's ability to manufacture sophisticated weapons and quickly replace any that are destroyed appears to be almost limitless.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqXC22fRCBE

[Goba]

Well, you seem not to watch a lot of YT made in Russia. I do. I have friends there and pre-war I planned a big motorcyle trip all over that place.

Russias space industry is pathetic. The band of thiefs around Putin include the Roskosmos boss. A fully corrupt individual who has not made ONE stride towards a reusable rocket in the last 10 years knowing its the ONLY way of the future. Russia fell behind even China - and big time.

There is a plethora of videos showing traffic (accidents, mostly) in Vodka country. Tell me how many civilian trucks you can recognize that are not western brands. Or how many civilian cars. None of which will receive any spares in the future. its one thing to repair a Lada, another to repair a complex modern electronic car.

The Oil extraction industry is almost entirely based on western technology with western engineers overseeing it. No more spares, it will take month for the first failure to show up, and that without Ukrainian commandos blowing them up.

China has all but left Russia alone. Not just that, it has back-stabbed it by making promises (yes, we will always supply computers to you) and then forgetting bout them (when Uncle sam waved the extended sanctions flag). Russia has about 4% of Chinese exports, guess how much the US has.
On top of this, if the Russian army fails in Ukraine China may remember it once owned Vladivostok.

"All elections in Russia are fake, all opinion polls are fake, all media is controlled by the Kremlin, the underbosses are hurting so why is Putin still there?" Why was Hitler still in power until almost the last day? Yes, all of the above is true. Elections are fake, opinion polls are mostly fake in that the people polled are avid TV watchers and those who can think for themselves have lost interest to get fined 500 US$ for having the wrong opinion (or they left Russia). Yes, all media is NOW controlled by the Kremlin.

I am not saying this - Russians I know who are still trapped in Russia are telling me. There is not a single source you can trust and unless you know how to navigate the darknet you have no access to real information.

The Russians living in the vast and undeveloped countryside will not feel much difference. They have been exploited by the Moskwitch gang of thiefs since forever. War or no war. But the people in the European cities of Russia will. They already do. There are various Russians showing it on YT albeit very carefully weighting their words. But if you read between the lines and look at what they show you the picture is clear: Sanctions work.

[Goba]

"In a major protracted conflict such as Ukraine vs Russia right now, the country with the largest, most productive and most sustainable military industrial capacity is sure to win out. It's a much more important factor than (e.g.) number of troops on the ground."

In a major war between NATO and Russia the ability to locate production factories are most important. I guess the US has them mapped out already. Modern explosives dont have to be nuclear to disable a factory and US long range cruise missiles will be there before the day ends because it is only a few hundred km from NATO borders to Russia while the Russians would have to get over the Atlantic or lose their subs to US attack subs if they launched from sea. Such a war is in any case extremely unlikely because no side could be sure what kind of warhead are heading towards them and therefor going nuclear would be almost a given.

In the end even with only Ukraine the Russians will use up their supply of willing idiots quite fast unless Putin declares war. That would be a game changer and I have no idea what would happen in that case. BUT it is already clear that the idea of Russia having nearly unlimited abilities to produce sophisticated (read: with western electronics) weaponry is a wet dream - one out of which they already awake as the very limited use in Ukraine shows. The Russians have nothing of note in terms of ships and their air force is a show force. Or a no-show force as seen on "victory day" where it was absent because what they have is spent in Ukraine. They have a lot of artillery and ****loads of ammunition. Thats why they make gains in Donbass. But its not the tripple seven kind that can hit with one shot.
The USA if forced to do so could probably revert to mass production of them within a month if needed. But I dont think it is. Just send what you have - its enough to get rid of the Russians.

[Baby Steps]

So currently we are on over usd100 per barrel oil. TPTB tell us that this plus all the other cost hikes are Russias fault. The incompetent Biden admin is making some small steps towards encouraging other producers to increase production.

A conspiracy view is that this is not just a local war but a pre planned strategy to choke off human prosperity and autonomy. TPTB hope we will accept our rations and sequestration of our assets and accept the ‘blame Putin’ pre arranged BS narrative.

What do we know about oil supply and production?

One important fact is that economic activity is stimulated by cheap oil - say under $60.

Another fact is that Russian exports of oil continue to friendly nations plus others via proxy ‘oil launderers’

Another fact is that the Russian and Saudi state need $100 oil to fund their state expenses.

So TPTB are effectively choking off their own populations while blaming someone else spuriously, meanwhile they are looking the other way while expensive oil actually props up the Russian war effort.

How to stick a needle is that BS bubble ? The coherent strategy to weaken Russia - likely more effective than sanctions - would be to flood the market with cheap oil. They cannot do that - are they close to being check mated ?

[Goba]

Before someone asks: I am of the opinion that using the military in a shooting war can ONLY be excused in a situation of self defense against an aggressor who ALSO uses lethal methods on a grand scale. Any political moves or dishonesty in keeping contracts (isn't that the definition of politics) is EXCLUDED from this right. That is my conviction and it is also international law. The fact that the US has violated that rule numerous times does not make it a bit better that this deranged KGB clown with severe psychological problems invaded a sovereign country.

There can be no two opinions on that - whoever starts is at fault. I do not care one bit what the political situation was on either side before the invasion began. Therefor I can and will only support Ukraine in this regard - knowing full well about all the political and corruption related misdeeds that country has done or allowed in the past.
Funny enough even CHINA is of the same opinion although probably not for the same reasons as I am.

I also assume that Putin at this point is fully aware how MUCH he actually f*cked up. And why. Being surrounded by bootlicking servants never works out. Now to get out of this situation without also being killed or at least kicked out he has to be inventive. How inventive the future will show. But his options diminish on a daily basis.

[kfm27917]

just read
With a weight of 4,200 kg (9,300 lb), the M777 is 41% lighter than the 7,154 kg (15,772 lb) M198 howitzer it
replaces. Much of the weight reduction is due to the extensive use of titanium.

Going to be fun replacing that without Ti from Russia

[Goba]

Oil much like money is a smoke screen. First off there are unlimited energy resources that are not being tapped and I do not even include "free energy" although I am convinced it exists (UFOs anyone?).

Money can and will be printed at will. So yes, this war is a theatrical show. All wars are bankers wars goes a bit into that but only limited to this earthly "reality". Nobody knows who exactly rules this planet. Its not Biden or Putin, so much is sure. Hell, we can't even agree if the afterlife is a manipulated show or for real LOL.

[Ravenlocke]

Caution! May be fake news.

https://twitter.com/12tmimi/status/1539184821808861184
1539184821808861184

https://twitter.com/DefenseNigeria/status/1536964029595406338
1536964029595406338

[kfm27917]

A quick update from from Andrei and with a few notes


It has now been a month since my last update, so I have decided to post this note to share a few thoughts with you.

First, the boring stuff: my health is definitely doing better and, while I very much regret having had to take that time off, I now am sure that it was the right decision, both for me and the blog. I hope to come back to full-time blogging by the end of July. Again, I apologize to you all for my absence, and I ask for your understanding.

Second, and as I had predicted, the situation in the world and in the Ukraine has changed a great deal over the past couple of months. I will just mention a few bullet-points of what I see as the highlights:

The “the glorious Ukrainians are winning” narrative has now quasi-officially faceplanted (heck, even the NYT changed its tune) and nobody sane is spewing this nonsense anymore. The reality is that the Ukrainians are, on average, losing about one battalion per day, and this is why they are now sending barely trained civilians to the East: most of the (often very well-trained and courageous) Ukrainian combat units are even dead, prisoners, MIA or in “cauldrons” (actual or by firepower) with no chance to escape.
It is now also undeniable that what began as a special military operation (SMO) has now turned into a open and full-scale war between the consolidated West (aka the Anglo-Zionist Empire) and Russia: the Empire has now “hit” Russia with everything it had short of a direct military attack. The (originally 200’000+ strong) Ukrainian military, arguably the strongest NATO military force (which is otherwise mostly composed of small and thoroughly woked-out “parade militaries”!), especially with the full support of the West (intelligence, weapons, money, political, etc. etc. etc.) is being “demilitarized” and “denazified” by a vastly superior Russian military force (but not one bigger in size: Russia has used only a fraction of her full military power). The outcome here is not in doubt.
This reality has now been fully accepted by the Russian society which now stands behind the Kremlin (at 80%+) which has made no secret that it is now locked into an existential war against the West. This has been the case since at least 2013, but now the original ratios (roughly 80% informational, 15% economic and 5% military) have shifted to what I would call “total war by proxy“.
The hardcore crazies in the West (US Neocons, UK, Poland and the 3B) are trying hard to trigger a fullscale war between NATO and Russia and, so far, the spineless Eurolemmings have let them set the agenda, however suicidal it might be for the EU and NATO. Frankly, my disgust with western Europe is total – I never had any illusions about the “new” Europeans – and all I can say is that they all richly deserve each other and what is coming their way. All I can say is this: continue to act like Nazis and you shall be denazified. It is really that simple.
The leaders of the Empire know that they lost yet again, and they are seeking refuge in their usual coping mechanisms: ideological self-gratification and deep, deep denial. While the EU is committing a straightforward economic, political and social suicide, the Biden Administration has gone “full woke”, as did corporate “America”(meaning the USA, of course, not the American continent): the so-called “minorities” are now shoved down the collective throats of the US people now, no matter how small, or freaky, the said “minorities” are. This is especially striking in the kind of advertisements the US corporations are now unanimously producing. I think, for example, of the morbidly obese black women in diapers (!!!) taking “ballerina poses” YouTube is now regularly showing. Watching these ads, one would think that blacks in the USA occupy all positions of authority and prestige, that most US women are lesbians, and millions of US kids (and even infants!) urgently need a sex change (watch the excellent “What is a Woman?” documentary to see how insane this has all become). When I see this collective woke insanity, I cannot help but wonder whether corporate “America” is not deliberately trying to really piss off the vast majority of US Americans and trigger some kind of major and violent internal crisis.
The Russians, in the meantime, are passing new laws against the propaganda of homosexuality: while in the past, such propaganda was only banned if directed at children, now this expanded to the entire population of Russia. Just to clarify: Russia is not banning homosexuals and their sexual practices, however pathological, remain fully legal. But what Russia IS doing is refusing to consider homosexuality as a “normal and natural variation in human sexuality” (Wikipedia). In other words, the Russians still consider homosexuality as a psychological disorder which might deserve compassion, but not affirmation (nevermind encouragement). Since “inclusiveness” and “positivity” are now key western “values” this is also a message from Russia: keep your woke-freaks and their ideology to yourselves, we want none of it!
In the meantime the Euroukrainians are now planning to ban and destroy over 100’000’000 copies of Russian language books. Hitler would be proud. The Eurolemmings have nothing to say. You know, “#cancelRussia” thingie (meaning both Russians themselves and the Russian culture in all its forms) and all that “it’s okay when we do it” or “our SOBs” stuff.
The Western economic Blitzkrieg against Russia has totally failed and the joke in Russia is that while McCain famously once said that “Russia is a gas station masquerading as a country” with contempt, “Biden” is now saying the same thing, but with deep envy :-)

Translation: for our Fatherland

I could go on and on, but the bottom line is this: the West has declared total war on Russia (and, de facto, to all of Zone B) and Russia has accepted this. For a decade and more the West has tried hard to wake up and provoke the proverbial Russian bear and these efforts have finally been successful: the bear is now out, and he is very, very angry. To clarify, by this I am not referring to former Atlantic Integrationists like Medvedev now “coming out” as a Eurasian Sovereignist hardliner (he is clearly setting himself up for a future Presidential election and says all the “right things”), but about the Russian people which are now in what I call a full “WWII” mode (“Rise up immense country” and all that). To the right is the kind of images now circulating on the Russian Internet and which expresses the awareness that Europe was never truly denazifed, at least not in the US occupied countries.

Russia is now determined to finish this ugly job, once and forever. You want to “cancel Russia”? In your dreams only, but Russia can, and will, “cancel Nazism” once and or all. 1000 years of that crap is enough!

From the first Crusades to the invasion of the USSR by the united Europe under Hitler’s command, the West has always has some kind of ideology to justify its wars of imperialist aggression. The interesting thing is that now this is over and rather than justify is acts of aggression in the name of some putatively universal religion or ideology, the western elites (and, alas, much of its population) have now finally shown their true face which is:

Virulent anti-Russian racism in its purest form (again, Hitler would be proud)
Pure and overt Satanism under the label of “Woke” ideology (the last western ideology it appears) with its focus on the destruction of the family and, especially, children (Satanists know that they cannot do anything against the Creator of all, hence they try to take out their hatred and revenge against His creatures, especially children)
Overt and even “in your face” hatred to any and all who oppose that agenda (as the French revolutionary Louis Antoine de Saint-Just famously declared “No freedom for the enemies of freedom“, right?!)
The truth is that the real West, the one born from the Middle-Ages (and *not* from the Roman or Greek civilizations!) has always been ruled by cynical, evil, thugs. In the past, these thugs always concealed their real worldview and agenda under all sorts of pious pretexts, now its only “ideology” left is pure hatred and wokism (same thing, really).

I submit that it is impossible to predict what will happen in the coming months and years – there are simply too many variables which can dramatically affect our future. What began as a special military operation (as opposed to a combined arms operation) has now morphed into what one could call WWIII or even WWIV (depending on your definitions). This war will last for several years unless, of course, the Neocons and their associated crazies in the EU get their way and trigger a nuclear conflict: in the latter case it will be short and very final.

Right now the focus is on the Donbass and the southern Ukraine, but we have to understand two things about this:

The Ukronazis and their NATO bosses have already long lost that war, and all the West and its Nazi puppets in Kiev are doing is trying to prolong this unwinnable war for as long as possible to get a maximum number of Ukrainians killed or maimed and to destroy as much of the Ukraine as possible and make Russia “pay the highest price” for her (quite inevitable) victory on the battlefield. What a paradox! The Russian “aggressors” are trying as hard as they can to save as many Ukrainians as possible (even at the cost of their own lives!) along with whatever is left of the Ukrainian infrastructure after 30 years of “independence”, while the western “defenders” and even “allies” of the Ukraine want to turn it into a desolate moonscape covered with corpses.
This is not a war about the Ukraine, at least not anymore, this is now a war for the future of the European continent and even the future international order. As I have said many times already, the Russians fully intend to denazify at least all of the European continent, preferably by economic and political means but, if needed, by military means too. Why? Because the West has left Russia no other choice. For Russia and, I would argue, all of Zone B the choice is both stark and simple: true and full sovereignty (economic, of course, but also cultural, spiritual and civilizational) or subjugation.
In other words, this is not a war Russia can afford to lose and the Russian people know it.

Last time around, Russia lost about 27 million people while China lost about 35 millions. That a total of 62 million people, about two thirds of which were civilians. Keep these figures in mind when you look at the quick and quite radical modernization of the Russian and Chinese armed forces (btw – the Chinese people also “get it” and they fully support Russia, as does the Chinese leadership, even if they try to keep a low profile for the time being and let Russia carry the burden of being on the frontline of this war: simply put, the Chinese are buying time which, frankly, they still need to achieve parity, or better, against the US and its protectorates in Asia such as Taiwan, Japan, ROK or Australia. The Russians also understand that as they themselves were in a similar position between 2000 and 2018. But they know that the Chinese Dragon will have to fully “wake up” sooner rather than later.

Yeah, I know, most folks in the West don’t know that, or don’t care, but the point is now what the folks in the West do not know, but rather it is what the people of Russia and China know and understand quite well. Only an utter fool would doubt or disregard the kind of determination which sits deep inside the souls of the Russian and Chinese people to never allow the West to subjugate them again. Ever.

[Sidebar: yes, I know, the Japanese Empire which attacked China was not part of the West (yet), but that is an extremely superficial argument which fails to understand that it was precisely western imperialism which created the conditions, in both China and Japan, which resulted in the Japanese imperialist attacks against the entire Asian-Pacific region!]

The above does not even begin to cover all the amazing developments which have taken place in the last few months. Not only have there been truly huge changes INSIDE Russia (and they are only accelerating), but also in Latin America, Africa and the Middle-East. And I will revisit all these topics in about a month or so, when I will come back to full-time blogging. Besides, in a month or so many of the things I mentioned above will become even more obvious for all to see so rather than trying to establish “fact X” we will be able to actually discuss and analyze it, its reality having been quite established.

[Sidebar: please remember who told you the truth and who lied to you over the past months. There were many, many such liars, ranging from the official propaganda machine (aka the “free press”) to the “Putin has lost it all” emo-Marxists and assorted 6th columnists who, whether they understood it or not, served the purpose of the Empire’s PSYOPs. Also please remember that Andrei Martynov, Bernard and Gonzalo Lira not only spoke truthfully, but they were right and their detractors totally wrong. We all owe them an immense debt of gratitude!]

Frankly, before my forced break, I was getting really frustrated trying to prove to misinformed or even fully brainwashed commentators that the official narrative (produced by the biggest strategic PSYOP in history) was a load of bull, based on lies and/or on a total “misunderstanding” (and I am being kind here!) of the real world outside the “mental Zone A”. Now most of that narrative has collapsed.

I am also confident that a month from today, things will be even more obvious than they are today.

So, my friends and readers, I leave you in the (very competent) hands of Amarynth, Herb and the rest of the Saker team and I very much look forward to my full return, God willing, in a month or so.

Kind regards to all, and many thanks for your support!

Andrei

PS: yesterday I was re-watching the superb movie by Costa Gavras “Z” which, at the end, lists all the works of art, literature, music, etc. which the (US CIA backed) Greek “colonels” banned and I thought to myself: “what leftist director would make such a movie today about how the entire West is now doing the same with all things Russian?“. None, of course. I also noticed the sweet irony of Costa Gavras’ movie being called “Z” (which in Greek stands for “Ζει” or “he lives”) and I wondered if the copyright owners of the movie will now have to rename it since the letter “Z” is now banned amongst doubleplusgoodthinking russophobes. Finally, there are some in the West who want to create two categories: “good Russians”, who are expected to publicly denounce their country and President, and “bad Russians” who refuse to do so. Hitler wanted Jews to wear a star of David, so could we see a day when “bad Russians” in Zone A will be told to wear a “Z”. Right now, no T-shirt or mugs printing companies in Zone A will accept to print a “Z” on their items (I know, I tried and failed!), but considering the collective rage and insanity of the western ruling elites, maybe the letter “Z” will become obligatory for “bad Russians” in Zone A? Just kidding, of course, but rewatching the movie “Z” felt quite eerie anyway.

surce http://thesaker.is/a-quick-update-from-from-andrei-and-a-with-a-few-notes/

[Bill Ryan]

Caution! May be fake news.

https://twitter.com/12tmimi/status/1539184821808861184
1539184821808861184

Yes, it's fake. It comes from a YouTube video about a hypothetical nuclear event posted a while back. Here it is:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ67hVlxM-8

[Bill Ryan]

Russia is not only not winning, it has already lost. It may even keep the Donbass which it has thoroughly ground to rubble...

Goba, many thanks for your posts, thoughts and comments, and I appreciate that you're sincere and intelligent. :highfive: (Many people are not! :) )

But just a couple of points here, if I may.


We may all have to watch this play out, and see for ourselves whether "Russia has lost" or not. In the end, the truth will have its way.
I do have to say, Russia has certainly not "thoroughly ground Donbass to rubble". It concerns me that you've allowed yourself to state that, because if you really believe that it means your sources of information are misguided at best.

I do have a question for you. It's not means as an insult, or in any way some kind of snide "attack". I'm genuinely curious.

It does seem evident that you dislike and disrespect Russia (and maybe Russians) a great deal. Can you explain why?

I have the opposite view — and so, even, does Scott Ritter, who had been trained in the US Marines to hate the Russians — and so I'm always suspect of someone's stated views which just might have been heavily influenced by cultural norms, and/or government or media propaganda. And there's a LOT of that, all over Europe and the US right now.

(Yes, I've seen the many traffic accidents recorded on Russian dashcams, but that's because every car there has one as an insurance requirement. The crazy road incidents we see from American and European dashcams, though there are far fewer of them recorded, are just as worrying. :) )

[JackMcThorn]

I think it would be worth pointing out that the ruble is worth 54.4o to 1 amerikan to-day or 57.16 to 1 euro.


https://russische-botschaft.ru/de/2022/06/20/foreign-minister-sergey-lavrovs-interview-with-the-bbc-tv-channel-st-petersburg-june-16-2022/


From the above interview of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov which is worth a read:

Question: How would you characterise relations with the UK now? Saying they are bad would be putting it mildly.

Sergey Lavrov: I think there is no room for manoeuvre left in the relationship. Boris Johnson and Elizabeth Truss say publicly that they must defeat Russia and bring it to its knees. Come on, do it!

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/ReadovkaWorld/status/1540014064277098497
1540014064277098497

https://readovka.world/news/101972

Сriminal case and 3 years of prison to German journalist for Donbass civilians interview

Alina Lipp is a journalist from Germany, the author of the Telegram channel "Neues aus Russland" ("New from Russia"), in which she covers the special operation from the scene, from Donetsk. The information she shares with her subscribers in German and in Russian is significantly different from what is written in foreign media, including German. She transmits first-hand information to her audience - the civilian population in the Donbas has been subjected to genocide by the Ukrainian military for eight years, and the barbaric shelling of residential quarters is not carried out by "Russian aggressors", but by "victims of a treacherous attack" – Ukrainians.

It would seem that the German media has one opinion, but Alina has another, because this is freedom of speech. But democratic and "honoring human rights" Germany turned out to have a different understanding of this freedom. At first, Alina and her father discovered that their bank accounts were blocked, and recently the girl received an official letter from the prosecutor's office notifying that a criminal case had been initiated against her.

- So, Alina, what are the charges that you have been charged with?

- I received a letter from the German Prosecutor's Office. This letter says that a criminal case has been opened against me because I support the Russian special operation. In Germany, a special operation is considered a crime, and a person who supports a crime, according to the law, there is article 140, is given three years in prison for this. Otherwise you have to pay a monetary fine. The letter says that, for example, I say in my Telegram channel that the population of Donbass supports the fact that Russia has launched a special operation. I also said that for several years Ukrainians have been killing civilians in the Donbass, and that this is genocide. And it turns out to be a crime for Germany, so they took 1,600 euro from my bank account and didn't even tell me about it. I only found out a month later why the money was taken from my account.

- Your father's account was also blocked. Has he been harassed in any way for being your father?

- No, they just closed my father's bank account and that's it.

- In a recent interview, you said that there is actually more freedom in Russia than in Germany. Does your case turn out to be a vivid confirmation of that?

- Of course, and this is not the only such case. Unfortunately, this has been happening in Germany for several years now. I have been doing journalism for several years, and, I would say, for five years they have been closing more and more channels - mostly on YouTube, deleting them or deleting videos. Then, about two years ago, they started closing bank accounts for journalists who simply had a different opinion, different from the state one. And it even got to such an extent that our main journalist from alternative media fled with his family to another country, his bank account was closed. He tried to open a new account in all EU countries, but they all refused him. This means that they have such power, a decree "no, we do not open an account for this person all over Europe." Therefore, of course, I said that there is more freedom of speech in Russia than in Germany.

- Did this journalist cover the situation in Ukraine or other issues?

- Various questions. He was just critical, telling things that were uncomfortable for the state. He didn't spread fake information, he had reliable sources, everything was exactly as he said. But this, of course, was simply not convenient for the state. And, of course, when he talked about topics that concerned Russia, it was also uncomfortable for them. Because for about 15 years, I would say, only in a bad way they talked about Russia in Germany, from the word at all.

- That is, the messages about Russia, which were written, let's say, in the wrong key, overlapped?

- Yes, and there is, for example, one person who wrote for Der Spiegel. In 2014, he started writing more neutrally. Not even pro-Russian, but really neutral about these events in Ukraine. And for this, he was fired and forced to sign a contract under which he cannot write for the next five years or even more, and he is paid for it.

- After your story, it is difficult not to recall the numerous cries of our supposedly liberal citizens that there is a totalitarian Mordor in Russia, and in Europe, in the same Germany, there is democracy, freedom of speech, human rights, and legality. They mostly go there or dream of leaving, they believe that they will find their freedom there. What would you say to people with such views?

- Well, look at my case! I've been here in Donbass for six months. I'm just filming what I see. I don't spread fake information, I interview civilians and translate them into German. And they closed my bank account because of this, closed my father's bank account and opened a criminal case? They'll imprison me in Germany for three years. Where is freedom of speech here? No, it's simple.

It should be said that such a "stab in the back" from Germany did not affect Alina's desire to continue to adhere to objectivity and tell what is really happening in the Donbass. She continues to work in Donetsk, which is being shelled daily by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, communicates with local residents actively – the feed of her channel, which has more than 175 thousand subscribers, is regularly updated with new posts, which tells about the situation not only in the frontline zone, but also in Europe in two languages.

If "democratic" Germany wanted in such a way, by opening a criminal case and actually stealing her bank savings, to intimidate the girl and make her silent, then they failed. Alina does not lose her spirit and, without lying, admits that she likes it even more here in the Donbass, even in conditions of constant danger, than in Germany.

[Mashika]

There are no nazis in Ukraine, only kids being brainwashed to act/believe nazi stuff, but they are NOT nazi.. yet

https://t.me/sputniknewsus/15778
8SK9r52RNKo

NOTE: Uploaded to my channel since the Telegram source is banned all over the world, for 'a good reason' as you can see on the youtube video. You don't want people to see those things, doyou!? :P

[Mashika]

I am flabbergasted by the number of people who fall for the Russian agitprop. Russia has always used the same names and the same channels to get their word out. They did not become reliable or even truthful overnight only because the US in similar ways has b/s-ed the world.

Or Germany, or the entire western world :)




What people here who seem to love taking sides for the perceived underdog Russia do not realize is this: NOBODY here wants to live in Russia - at least not as long as it is in its current political state which is VERY close to Germany in the 1930s.

This is lamentable, you have no idea what you say here, and actually there is one thing, nobody in Russia wants weak people to come live around, with all their ridiculous lamentable approaches to life, like safe spaces and a constant cry for attention and special treatment, that's for entitled weak people. So you may have a point there, no one wants to go live in Russia, among all those people who can't handle reality and lie to themselves and live in a bubble outside of the reality of this planet :P



Russia is not only not winning, it has already lost. It may even keep the Donbass which it has thoroughly ground to rubble - but it will NEVER ever get to the state of limited prosperity it enjoyed pre-war. Not even their most wealthy members.

In fact it will revert to something akin to 1990s industry without the western tech it now cant import.
Of course for those who live outside Moscow it makes little difference because those who die for the motherland are poor and mainly uneducated villagers without many other options to get funds outside the army.

This is projection at its best, wishful thinking and just plain born out of hate, but unlike in the western world in which Russia gets censured and banned, you at least get a voice here. I bet that's 'flabbergasting' lmao, since you don't find the terrible censure monster even if you have already assumed this is a pure Putin bootlicker thread somehow :D



Given the extreme imbalance in weaponry and manpower in favor of Russia one can only ask: how long will the RT believers predict the fall of Ukraine. It should have been evident months ago. Yet in the last 4 weeks the front lines have moved only marginally in Russia's favor.

No one here quotes or references RT, this just shows something bad on your side, you came here with a talking point about Russian propaganda erasing reality and brainwashing people, yet it shows the total opposite of you. But i don't know if you understand how you ended up on the wrong side of that talking point or argument, or how it completely works against you right now



There is an old rule of war some German generals told Hitler before he decided to invade Russia: You can invade with a small number but you can only hold with a vastly superior number of armed forces. Some say it has to be 4:1, some 6:1 - but in any case Russia has none of these numbers.
If the Ukrainians keep fighting there can only be one loser, the one that has lost already - Russia. And if NATO keeps supplying munitions the Ukrainians may even entirely rip apart any conventional power Russia once had. If that happens some elements of the Russian federation may rethink their plans for independence.
This is again just more hate and wishful thinking, are you perhaps born in a family that used to be on the Nazi German side? Only asking, not judging, by the way

In general you did not say anything the mainstream fake media has not said a thousand times

I wonder if your youtube sources are reliable, it would have been great if you had linked to them so we can see them as well. I do know a lot of people that are Russian and post videos on youtube lamenting they can't monetize their channels anymore and complain about the issues using facebook and other sites, it does look like they are not able to discern between they having to live without that money and the lives of people in Donbass. It doesn't really show informed people, more like very entitled idiots. Which in a way may actually show why they are so western-aligned at this point. It's the "me me me me me" effect

- What about me?
+ No, what about me?
- I said it first!
+ I don't care, what about meeeeeee

Sometimes, politicians are so childish, and dumb, and then they have followers. Politicians having followers and fans is one of the major reasons this entire world is a joke

There are no people here quoting RT or being a Putin fan, most of the info posted here comes from people on the ground in Donbass. It's plainly in the open and you can verify for yourself who and what is being posted

But you came and insulted and assumed and then threw out there a lot of stuff that is just plain mainstream media talking points, and you did not reference any sources or proved any of it. If you post your sources about what you said, then it's possible it would be taken more seriously, maybe?

But as said no one seems to be wanting to censure you

Here a good few question you may like to answer, if possible.


How do you know what RT says or does, wasn't it banned on your country?
Why are you looking at that site at all, if your government told you not to?
Do you also go read SputnikNews?
Why are you at all reading or watching Russia propaganda, aren't your views all very much set about this entire issue?


ETA: I wish you would not come out like this, with that much hate or Russian-hating side. I don't think you understand what is truly going on out there and that, at least for me, is very saddening, as if you would not 'take sides' based on that kind argument, but more on your own research and validation, then this could be a very different conversation, even if you would still don't believe that there's a lot more going on.

The problem is, if you close yourself to anything that goes against that preset belief, then it follows that you will consider every single thing that doesn't fit as 'Russian propaganda and lies', and then there's no possible way to have an honest/open conversation in which facts, and not feelings, are inspected

There are lots of videos and articles posted here, how about documenting them wrong with actual proof and/or evidence? That would be a game changer for sure! Do you have evidence other than mainstream media and old cultural cold war era misconceptions? I don't know, but i won't hold my breath waiting for it, and if you post stuff please don't rehash already debunked stuff from the Ukrainian side, like the gosht of kiev or similar embarrassing lies.

Very honestly, i think you are going to ignore this petition

And that, is very sad

ETA:

I suppose that when you say "nobody here wants to live to Russia", you somehow got upset about this article

"78% of UK citizens are seriously considering emigrating to Russia"
https://en.news-front.info/2022/06/23/78-of-uk-citizens-are-seriously-considering-emigrating-to-russia/?utm_source=google.com&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=google.com&utm_referrer=google.com

But i don't understand why you would be bothered by it at all, let them chose, if that's even true. It seems preposterous to me, honestly, 78%? Doesn't look realistic but who knows. I wonder how many other sites picked up this, and maybe it's a kind of joke or coming from one of those 'fake news' sites like the 'Russian' Moscow Times :) Who knows :thumbsup::ROFL:

[BMJ]

The Economic Fallout From The Ukraine Russian War

Stephen Andrew MP for Mirani on facebook 24.6.22

SANCTIONS ARE HURTING US, NOT RUSSIA

The West banned Oil imports from Russia and the price of oil immediately skyrocketed.

Australia’s RBA Governor, Philip Lowe, said on Tuesday that oil prices have risen 66% since last year.

Australia, he said, is facing the highest level of inflation seen in “many years”.

Now countries worldwide are being hit with crippling fuel shortages.

Many are scrambling to put in place national transportation emergency measures, including the UK, Australia, Canada and US.

Air travel has been smashed as airports across the UK, US and Europe cancel up to 60 percent of their flights because they don’t have enough jet fuel.

Can someone please explain how all this is a moral victory against Putin?

As far as I can see, all it has done is make Putin, the Saudis, Iran and Venezuela much, much richer - and us, a lot poorer.

Why?

Because higher oil prices only make them richer. The loser won’t be Putin, it will be US – the so-called ‘advanced economies’ of the West.

And it’s not just oil. Thanks to sanctions, commodities are up dramatically across the board: potash, fertilisers, wheat - wheat is huge. Nickel went up 250% in 2 days after sanctions were first announced.

Who’s going to pay for all this? You are.

It will be the biggest tax increase of your lives. And by the way, it could soon get worse.

Why?

Because, contrary to what you’ve been told, a large section of the world has not joined the West’s boycott and Russia is still able to sell its oil, wheat and gas on global markets.

Here’s the bigger truth.

World trade and the global financial system benefit countries like Australia, the most. That may not be fair, but it’s true. It is the basis of Western power and wealth. So if you destroy it in an effort to ‘get Putin’, who are you really destroying?

You’re destroying the West, and that’s what’s happening right now.

When you attack and destabilise world trade and the global financial system, you are attacking and destabilising Western economies, NOT Putin.

The West’s response to the invasion of Ukraine is probably the single most damaging thing any group of leaders has ever done to their own countries and the world.

Not to Putin. To their own people. And a lot of small countries who didn’t deserve it.

One day when all the hysteria finally lifts, I think we will review this moment with clear heads and when we do, we will be horrified.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=454749603317192&set=a.193290746129747

[Goba]

I absolutely do not hate Russia or Russians, quite the opposite, I have a lot of Russians friends, both in Germany and in India where I mostly reside these days. I do not even hate Putin although I am sure he has devolved into a rigid if not senile clown quite literally clinging to his position much like Stalin did.

Most of my Russian friends agree with me and some even predicted what has happened when I was still of the opinion "Putin aint that stupid". Little did I know.

Given the pictures and clips available on the net AND given the fact that most experts agree that all Russia really has in military advantage is its old and proven (re: Grosni) methodology to raze a place to the ground by indiscriminately plastering it with artillery I do not understand why you would believe propaganda outlets like this Ritter person or "The Saker" who funny enough does not even live in the "motherland". Their Agitprop machine runs overtime. A few days ago I could read on DW (a gov. German outlet) that a Russian Iskander had killed FIFTY Ukrainian generals that held a meeting somewhere. Then this funny "we can also make bunker busters" clip you already figured is a fake. Russian mouthpieces lie when they move their lips. Thats what they are paid for. Sometimes its "nobody wants to built a wall" like in Berlin and sometimes its "Invasion of Ukraine is a western conspiracy theory". Your hate for the "Anglo Saxon" gang makes you blind to that fact. Fog of war is on EVERY side.

As I stated in my earlier posts I planned to do a long trip thru Russia by bike From India crossing parts of China as inspired by friends I have in Finland - I add the YT on the bottom of this post. Now that is of course cancelled. I would likely not want to spend that much time in a country I hate.

Very few people would argue that Russia today has more in common with Germany in its 30s than with the USA (including all its shortcomings). Moreover the gang of thiefs that run Russia today have done very little to use Russias vast riches to create an equal or even only not impoverished public. In that they very much differ from the Germany of the 30s and without having much sympathies for Hitler he at least solved that problem (before he started the war).

Of course everyone if free to believe whatever they want. None of us has access to 100% reliable sources. So its a thing of weighting probabilities. I guess my sources have me weight them much against Russia.
Funny enough even the central bank of Russia agrees with me: THEY predict a 10 year recession as result of the war.

UPVgM9Ampco

[Mashika]

I absolutely do not hate Russia or Russians, quite the opposite




I have a lot of Russians friends, both in Germany and in India where I mostly reside these days.

I have a lot of American friends living in Russia, in Mexico, in Venezuela and other places like that, they mostly moved outside the US because they did not like it and speak horrors about their country. This means nothing to me, i know what you are trying to say. So now it is not people living in Russia but people who are NOT living in Russia for some reason. Could they, possibly, have moved out after the USSR dissolved in the early 90's, because their families belonged to a certain class that was not 'sold out enough'? Are they soviet bolsheviks? Are they part of a certain group of soviet bolsheviks that we don't name by name but we all know who they are?

Like the 'Cubans' living in the US because they had to run away from the country once the people got fed up with their abusive crap and sent them away and now they play victims and shamelessly try to take back a country that never belonged to them in the first place

Do your friends feel upset about songs like this? Perhaps?

6VqiMQoMXmw



I do not even hate Putin although I am sure he has devolved into a rigid if not senile clown quite literally clinging to his position much like Stalin did.

This is the kind of stuff that people say when they mean the opposite of it all, i don't even know why you added it, it weakens your position very much. It doesn't allow you to be taken seriously

So everything after that, is pointless to even read. I hope you understand why, but i will not wait or hold my breath

I did not read anything after that, because you clearly were following an inner hate and tried to troll and be fed, so i supposed this is "how the story ends"

Domo Arigato

[Goba]

Alina Lipp is such a great case in point. Of course Germany like all civilized countries upholds international law with regards to "support of war crimes" (at least as long the US is not involved). By intentional law Russia is the aggressor in this hot war there can be no doubt, not even among the followers of the Putin narrative. Much different to what was reported in that post above the truth as reported by the German NDR yesterday is this: (use the translator of your choice). In Germany you are considered innocent until proven guilty. The fact that the police and the DA has started INVESTIGATING her is based on her activity and I can only hope that she loses the case. Its quite obvious that she has zero understanding of what "sovereign country" means.
Its quite funny how the left and the green scream every time someone utters conservative positions and then hauling them in front of a judge and blocking all accounts is fine - but if their agenda clearly supports a criminal act of war and mass killing - then OMG what a dishonest country Germany is, how can they judge this heroic young female supporting the fight for "Russian Mir" - in a sovereign country that does not WANT Russian Mir!

here is the verbatim report as of yesterday:

Die Zentralstelle für Hasskriminalität im Internet bei der Staatsanwaltschaft Göttingen hat Ermittlungen gegen die YouTuberin Alina Lipp aus Lüneburg aufgenommen. Lipp soll im Internet dazu aufgerufen haben, sich mit dem russischen Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine zu solidarisieren. Das sei eine Straftat nach Artikel 13 des Völkerstrafgesetzbuchs so ein Sprecher der Staatsanwaltschaft, da damit Straftaten gebilligt werden. Lipp war früher Kommunalpolitikerin der Grünen und macht inzwischen in sozialen Netzwerken offenbar Propaganda für Russland. Die Staatsanwaltschaft hat eigenen Angaben zufolge auch Geld der Lüneburgerin beschlagnahmt, da sie damit offenbar rechtswidrige Taten habe finanzieren wollen.

[Mashika]

Alina Lipp is such a great case in point. Of course Germany like all civilized countries upholds international law with regards to "support of war crimes" (at least as long the US is not involved). By intentional law Russia is the aggressor in this hot war there can be no doubt, not even among the followers of the Putin narrative. Much different to what was reported in that post above the truth as reported by the German NDR yesterday is this: (use the translator of your choice). In Germany you are considered innocent until proven guilty. The fact that the police and the DA has started INVESTIGATING her is based on her activity and I can only hope that she loses the case. Its quite obvious that she has zero understanding of what "sovereign country" means.
Its quite funny how the left and the green scream every time someone utters conservative positions and then hauling them in front of a judge and blocking all accounts is fine - but if their agenda clearly supports a criminal act of war and mass killing - they OMG what a dishonest country Germany is, how can they judge this heroic young female supporting the fight for "Russian Mir" - in a sovereign country that does not WANT Russian Mir!

here is the verbatim report as of yesterday:

Die Zentralstelle für Hasskriminalität im Internet bei der Staatsanwaltschaft Göttingen hat Ermittlungen gegen die YouTuberin Alina Lipp aus Lüneburg aufgenommen. Lipp soll im Internet dazu aufgerufen haben, sich mit dem russischen Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine zu solidarisieren. Das sei eine Straftat nach Artikel 13 des Völkerstrafgesetzbuchs so ein Sprecher der Staatsanwaltschaft, da damit Straftaten gebilligt werden. Lipp war früher Kommunalpolitikerin der Grünen und macht inzwischen in sozialen Netzwerken offenbar Propaganda für Russland. Die Staatsanwaltschaft hat eigenen Angaben zufolge auch Geld der Lüneburgerin beschlagnahmt, da sie damit offenbar rechtswidrige Taten habe finanzieren wollen.



Its quite obvious that she has zero understanding of what "sovereign country" means.

This is way way beyond lmao

The fact that someone is stupid enough to consider this some kind of 'law abiding fact" coming from the west... It is truly a thing to behold, after the many times those countries have stepped over all the human laws and killed millions of people

Amazing.. And thanks for it, it clearly shows how brutal it has, the mentality come all until today. Or maybe the brutality never left, only 'transformed itself' until it was fit for other people under a we are Nazi but 'we changed' more acceptable fake-reality?

But you could not know about it, as of course you live inside the bubble

Did you know that most German people did not understand truly what their army was doing in Europe? And that they thought they were the ones being attacked, just like Ukraine people does? But look into it for yourself dude

I shall ask once again, prove any of the videos posted here wrong, or as fake. And the articles as well, prove them wrong without any doubt

Can you? I wonder

[Mashika]

Alina Lipp is such a great case in point. Of course Germany like all civilized countries upholds international law with regards to "support of war crimes" (at least as long the US is not involved). By intentional law Russia is the aggressor in this hot war there can be no doubt, not even among the followers of the Putin narrative. Much different to what was reported in that post above the truth as reported by the German NDR yesterday is this: (use the translator of your choice). In Germany you are considered innocent until proven guilty. The fact that the police and the DA has started INVESTIGATING her is based on her activity and I can only hope that she loses the case. Its quite obvious that she has zero understanding of what "sovereign country" means.
Its quite funny how the left and the green scream every time someone utters conservative positions and then hauling them in front of a judge and blocking all accounts is fine - but if their agenda clearly supports a criminal act of war and mass killing - then OMG what a dishonest country Germany is, how can they judge this heroic young female supporting the fight for "Russian Mir" - in a sovereign country that does not WANT Russian Mir!

here is the verbatim report as of yesterday:

Die Zentralstelle für Hasskriminalität im Internet bei der Staatsanwaltschaft Göttingen hat Ermittlungen gegen die YouTuberin Alina Lipp aus Lüneburg aufgenommen. Lipp soll im Internet dazu aufgerufen haben, sich mit dem russischen Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine zu solidarisieren. Das sei eine Straftat nach Artikel 13 des Völkerstrafgesetzbuchs so ein Sprecher der Staatsanwaltschaft, da damit Straftaten gebilligt werden. Lipp war früher Kommunalpolitikerin der Grünen und macht inzwischen in sozialen Netzwerken offenbar Propaganda für Russland. Die Staatsanwaltschaft hat eigenen Angaben zufolge auch Geld der Lüneburgerin beschlagnahmt, da sie damit offenbar rechtswidrige Taten habe finanzieren wollen.

It would serve you well to listen to this song, lookup the lyrics, translate it and understand the concept of "si hablamos de matar mis palabras matan"

pjPA7CXutDw

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%ADctor_Jara


Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈβiktoɾ ˈliðjo ˈxaɾa maɾˈtines]; 28 September 1932 – 16 September 1973)[1] was a Chilean teacher, theater director, poet, singer-songwriter and socialist[2] political activist tortured and killed by the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. He developed Chilean theater by directing a broad array of works, ranging from locally produced plays to world classics, as well as the experimental work of playwrights such as Ann Jellicoe. He also played a pivotal role among neo-folkloric musicians who established the Nueva Canción Chilena (New Chilean Song) movement. This led to an uprising of new sounds in popular music during the administration of President Salvador Allende.

Jara was arrested by Pinochet forces shortly after the Chilean coup of 11 September 1973, which overthrew Allende. He was tortured during interrogations and ultimately shot dead, and his body was thrown out on the street of a shantytown in Santiago.[3] The contrast between the themes of his songs—which focused on love, peace, and social justice—and the brutal way in which he was murdered transformed Jara into a "potent symbol of struggle for human rights and justice" for those killed during the Pinochet regime.[4][5][6] His preponderant role as an open admirer and propagandist for Che Guevara and Allende's government, in which he served as a cultural ambassador through the late 1960s and until the early 1970s crisis that ended in the coup against Allende, marked him for death.

In June 2016, a Florida jury found former Chilean Army officer Pedro Barrientos liable for Jara's murder.[7][8] In July 2018, eight retired Chilean military officers were sentenced to 15 years and a day in prison for Jara's murder.[9]


Just the same

Learn or not. Do as you must, it is up to you in the end

[Goba]

Or you could just ask any FINNISH PERSON if he thinks their "winter war" was in vain and if they should have surrendered to Stalin and become part of Russia.

[Mashika]

Or you could just ask any FINNISH PERSON if he thinks their "winter war" was in vain and if they should have surrendered to Stalin and become part of Russia.

You share something in common with all trolls, never dare to address directly any point made but just try to anger the person while running away from the truth

It's deplorable lmao

If you are going to say something about the FINNISH PERSON then you should start by something about all the millions of people Germany killed in WW2, isn't that something? LMFAO!

What do you have to say about the hundreds of thousands of Jews that Ukraine killed in WW2? Mostly Polish?

If you want to talk about history, you should at least know some of it, instead of using talking points, once again

See, Just now "the turns have tabled" around you lol

This is why being a troll is difficult, you usually don't know what you are talking about but lie and push forward stupid narratives, then you are found out

And a second question or observation

Since you don't have anything good to say about Nazi Ukraine. You had to go back in time to like 80 years ago to find something to criticize. You have no way to defend Nazi Ukraine, so you go so far back in the past to look for anything, that's "grasping at straws" argument

It just tells us that you have no idea what's truly going on in Donbass or Ukraine right now. You just came here to hate :)

You are dismissed, young padawan, you don't get to go to Jedi school, maybe next life

ETA: But i'll give you something, you at least were educated enough to this time quote me in your reply, we are making progress there in the manners department :thumbsup:

[Goba]

I have to say I had not heard about that Lipp person before I read it here.
A very quick google search uncovers a few interesting facts: her father is Russian, she works for and is paid by a Russian news agency and has visited Moscow only days before the invasion where she met with all the other mouthpieces of Russian agitprop.

Those who speak German have an advantage:

https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/ausland/id_91759336/alina-lipp-auf-telegramm-einst-bei-den-gruenen-jetzt-putins-infokriegerin-.html

https://www.volksverpetzer.de/analyse/alina-lipp/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=16493613297&utm_content=132045303257&utm_term=alina%20lipp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlKLEhcLF-AIVVPhRCh2a6QjYEAAYASAAEgL61_D_BwE

[Mashika]

I have to say I had not heard about that Lipp person before I read it here.
A very quick google search uncovers a few interesting facts: her father is Russian, she works for and is paid by a Russian news agency and has visited Moscow only days before the invasion where she met with all the other mouthpieces of Russian agitprop.

Those who speak German have an advantage:

https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/ausland/id_91759336/alina-lipp-auf-telegramm-einst-bei-den-gruenen-jetzt-putins-infokriegerin-.html

https://www.volksverpetzer.de/analyse/alina-lipp/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=16493613297&utm_content=132045303257&utm_term=alina%20lipp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlKLEhcLF-AIVVPhRCh2a6QjYEAAYASAAEgL61_D_BwE

Is your father German? That means you must be a Nazi! Or not?

Prove me wrong. This is a clear example of how nasty your 'western' style of narrative is. You are just trying to throw mud at her. No mention about what she found or exposed? Prove her wrong with videos or testimonies, not trying to 'find dirt'. But have you any?

I don't think you have, and once again, prove her wrong

I want to ask you to keep posting here, as every single post you make proves me correct in all i say, and every one else on this thread!

Thanks for your wonderful and invaluable contribution

Slava Germania! lmao!

[Mashika]

I have to say I had not heard about that Lipp person before I read it here.
A very quick google search uncovers a few interesting facts: her father is Russian, she works for and is paid by a Russian news agency and has visited Moscow only days before the invasion where she met with all the other mouthpieces of Russian agitprop.

Those who speak German have an advantage:

https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/ausland/id_91759336/alina-lipp-auf-telegramm-einst-bei-den-gruenen-jetzt-putins-infokriegerin-.html

https://www.volksverpetzer.de/analyse/alina-lipp/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=16493613297&utm_content=132045303257&utm_term=alina%20lipp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlKLEhcLF-AIVVPhRCh2a6QjYEAAYASAAEgL61_D_BwE

https://twitter.com/TeamPelosi/status/1503166519097761794
1503166519097761794
Slah-ba Uhkaneeh
Slah-ba Uhkaneeh
Slah-ba Uhkaneeh
Slah-ba Uhkaneeh
Slah-ba Uhkaneeh
:bigsmile::cheer2::alien::p:ROFL:

[Mashika]

I have to say I had not heard about that Lipp person before I read it here.
A very quick google search uncovers a few interesting facts: her father is Russian, she works for and is paid by a Russian news agency and has visited Moscow only days before the invasion where she met with all the other mouthpieces of Russian agitprop.

Those who speak German have an advantage:

https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/ausland/id_91759336/alina-lipp-auf-telegramm-einst-bei-den-gruenen-jetzt-putins-infokriegerin-.html

https://www.volksverpetzer.de/analyse/alina-lipp/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=16493613297&utm_content=132045303257&utm_term=alina%20lipp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlKLEhcLF-AIVVPhRCh2a6QjYEAAYASAAEgL61_D_BwE

I don't understand how you are so blind, unless you willed it to be, because even the beginning of the article proves you wrong in your assumption that this is not a narrative, nasty, paid for and willing to destroy her character piece



Beyond the front line, there are few journalists reporting on the Ukraine war. A German sends impressions from the other side. From Donetsk, she reports fully on the Kremlin course.


Where.Are.The.Other.Journalists.From.Germany.That.Can.Prove.Her.Wrong

All of them are posting from very far away, where they can't see anything going on in the ground, yet she's there and she, the only few that can 'send impressions from the other side" is the only one at wrong

How naive can people be to not see the issue here?

So yes, thanks for posting all you have posted as it is invaluable, i got a lot of good understanding of how western propaganda works at street level, and i hope other people will too. It's amazing to behold. And i hope you don't edit your posts, as mods can see and very much return them to the previous state if needed. I wish for this to be in full out there for the entire world to see

That was so good to prove the point of the western narrative that i had to save it, here's a link, but i also got a full PDF of it for later

https://web.archive.org/web/20220624081843/https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/ausland/id_91759336/alina-lipp-auf-telegramm-einst-bei-den-gruenen-jetzt-putins-infokriegerin-.html

It's just an amazing piece of work. I wonder if the writers of that stuff understand how much they expose about themselves with that kind of pieces :)

[Vangelo]

From ZeroHedge

"Russia is done with the West. The divorce is nearly complete"- Analysis (https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2022-06-22/russia-done-west-divorce-nearly-complete-analysis)

BY VBL
WEDNESDAY, JUN 22, 2022 - 17:16

Russia’s New Rules
Intro: We thought this latest missive by Tom Luongo very complementary to our recent post What Russia Thinks Will Happen Next. It’s always interesting when someone comes to similar conclusions using different (Political/realpolitik here) metrics. If you enjoyed our post, you should like this one as well.- GoldFix

Via Gold, Goats,'n Guns blog

Russia is done with the West. The divorce is nearly complete. In the past few days we’ve heard from all major Russian leaders the same thing, “The West will play by our rules now.”

You can decide for yourselves whether Russia is writing checks they can’t cash, but in the words of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov telling the BBC bluntly, “We do not care about the eyes of the West.” Lavrov has always been the soul of politeness and discretion when dealing with European media.

His open hostility towards his BBC interviewer was not only palpable, it was hard to argue with. He followed that up with:

“I don’t think there’s even room for maneuver left anymore,” Lavrov replied.

“Because both [Prime Minister Boris] Johnson and [Foreign Secretary Liz] Truss say publicly: ’We must defeat Russia, we must bring Russia to its knees. Go on, then, do it.”

Russia’s leadership never talks in such openly blunt terms. It’s almost like Lavrov was channeling comedian Dennis Miller who used to say, “Feeling froggy, take that leap.”

See where it gets you.

IRussia knows it has the West on the ropes. We need what they produce and now they are determined to set the rules on who gets them and for what price. It knows that European leaders are puppets with Klaus Schwab’s hand up their asses.

And it knows Davos has zero leverage over Russia’s actions from here on out.

Which brings me to the statements linked above by Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller, speaking at a panel at the St. Petersburg Economic Investment Forum (SPEIF) who just put the situation in the starkest terms there is.

“The game of nominal value of money is over, as this system does not allow to control the supply of resources. …Our product, our rules. We don’t play by the rules we didn’t create.”

Miller’s statement should be thought of as a statement of principle across all theatres of operation for Russia. This doesn’t just apply to natural gas or oil. This is everything, all of Russia’s dealings with the West from here on out will be on its terms not the West’s.

This is clearly the biggest geopolitical middle finger in the post WWII period.

Miller is clearly laying out the rules for a new, commodity-centric monetary system, one based on what Credit Suisse’s Zoltan Poszar called ‘outside money’ — commodities, gold, even bitcoin — rather than the West’s egregious use of ‘inside money’ — debt-based fiat and credit — to perpetuate old colonialist behavior well past its use-by date.

I laid out the basic problem in an article from March after Russia soft-pegged the ruble to gold.

Today’s “Inside Money” standard, known colloquially as the Dollar Reserve standard, is actually what I like to call “Milton Friedman’s Nightmare.” It is nothing more than a system of competitively devalued and inflated debt-based scrips running around drinking each other’s milkshakes until everyone’s glass is empty.

Miller is definitely a glass full kinda guy now.

These comments came after Gazprom began cutting gas flows to Europe through the Nordstream 1 pipeline using the cover story of repaired gas turbines trapped in fascist Canada which couldn’t be shipped back to Siemens because of sanctions.

Now Germany and Canada are trying to figure out how to circumvent the sanctions to get these turbines back.

At the same time Miller pledged more gas to China (up 67% yoy through May) because Russia is interested in energy stability for its friends, while its enemies can starve.

Reuters is reporting that “Russia’s Gazprom increased gas supplies to China by 67% in the first five months of this year, the company’s CEO Alexei Miller said on Thursday.”

It was also on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their second phone call since the Ukraine war began. Xi told Putin that China is “willing to continue to offer mutual support (to Russia) on issues concerning core interests and major concerns such as sovereignty and security,” as quoted in state broadcaster CCTV.

The arrogance of EU commissars never ceases to amaze me. These people all but declare war on Russia and then act shocked (Shocked, I say!) that Russia then treats them like that.

On the same day that four members of the EU Commission — France, Italy, Germany and Romania — approve fast-tracking Ukraine’s membership application, France’s Emmanuel Macron urges Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to go to the bargaining table with Russia.

Even if Zelenskyy were to make those overtures to Russia, given his public statements on what his terms are, there would be absolutely zero chance that Russia would agree to show up for talks.

At this point I see nothing more than Russia continuing to grind out the Ukrainian army, taking what territory they want and then shepherding through local elections by the conquered territory to either become independent states or part of Russia.

It’s likely the latter at this point since Russia is now issuing Russian passports in regions they’ve taken from Ukraine, which the EU, of course, will refuse to honor until no one cares what they think anymore.

The rules are changing rapidly. Looking ahead there is a real danger that what Russia has set in motion leads to something no one wants to contemplate. Of course the West helped create this situation by forcing Putin’s hand to invade Ukraine, so who’s to blame about where this all leads to may, ultimately, be an irrelevant point.

Let’s hope the noises coming from the West about the sanctions having gone too far and the chest-beating of the worst US and British neocons is no longer being taken seriously by anyone with their fingers anywhere near the launch codes.

If that’s the case than these new rules will be grudgingly accepted only after a lot of borders have been redrawn, new alliances formed and a different world order established.

This morning at the President Putin declared the old world order dead. He finished his speech where he detailed how the West was committing suicide to suit the wishes of The Davos Crowd with the following definitive statement:

“Russia is entering the coming era as a powerful sovereign country. We will definitely use the enormous new opportunities that time opens up for us. And we will become even stronger.”

Putin is correct here. Russia is getting stronger by the day. The West took their best shot at destroying Russia and missed the mark. He clearly identified the real culprits for Europe’s and the US’s problems, subservience to an oligarch class who feel entitled to rule the world.

When the war started I wrote about what I thought Putin’s intentions were. Then it was speculation:

Russia held all the cards in the negotiations over Ukraine and we recklessly pursued a policy of insults and amateurish propaganda, refusing to believe Russia wouldn’t make her final stand.

By putting boots on the ground, planes in the air and missiles up the ass of every Ukrainian military installation across the country, Russia turned the ‘might makes right’ argument of the US and Europe on its head.

The game has changed because the rules have changed. It’s no longer a game of rhetorical chicken and virtue signaling.

Today it is fact. When Putin made his move on Ukraine the ultimate goal was the end of Russia treating the West as an equal and leading the Global South out of what he has called “vassalage.” The reason Putin is hated is because he realizes there are two types of countries, “sovereigns” and “vassals.”

It’s been his life’s work to make Russia into a ‘sovereign’ state free from the West.

From Russia’s perspective their military operation in Ukraine was their Declaration of Independence from the old ‘rules-based order’ of the post-WWII era. Justified or not, we are now in a new age.

The question is now, how many will survive into it.

* * *

[Goba]

Its not even funny how the supporters of the Russian side use words in one way when they used them in a toally different way in a different context.

What does declaring war mean? IMO it is the start of a shooting war. People die. It happens ONLY between different countries bc if it happens within the same it is called CIVIL WAR. This meaning excludes all measures and means that are NOT related to shooting, e.g. sanctions, propaganda etc.
Has "The west" declared war on Russia? NO. Not a shot was fired.
Has the west misused its stronger economic position to exploit Russia? Certainly. Is that war? no. Nobody gets shot.

If you think starting to kill people en masse is justified by acts of injustice towards people who speak the same language you do - then I have no further thing to say to you.

If you think starting to kill people if people of your own (or any) ethnicity are forced to flee their homes (in another country) - even if they have your passport - I have no further thing to say to you.

If you think starting to kill people en masse because access to some island place your country owns is blocked - I have no further thing to say to you.

The ONLY thing I would like you to consider is: Those are EXACTLY the reasons Hitler attacked Poland in 1939. Exactly. German where killed en masse in Poland, they where thrown into concentration camps and had to flee the country if they wanted to live. And Poland blocked access to Danzig, a "freie Reichsstadt" at the time although under "Völkerbund" administration it was by all intents and purposes a German city.

Funny how one guy is a good guy and the other is the worst who ever lived ...

[jaybee]

.

IMO nothing that's happening in Ukraine at the moment can be understood properly without factoring in the aspirations of the Globalists who want a One World Government and a Global Digital Currency linked to a Chinese style Social Credit system linked to AI and 5G...

There can never be a One World Government while nations retain their sovereignty especially a huge country like Russia.... the Globalist Forces want regime change in Russia so they can basically take over the country from within - like they have in the West - the US (Globalists) took things up a notch with the coup in 2014 and creating a civil war situation in the East of the country - NATO has crept closer to the Russian border and pressurized Russia psychologically and militarily - but they have a problem now that Russia has acted to solve the problems on it's doorstep... with the Special Operation...

A hot world war will set back the Globalist's One World Technocracy/Dictatorship - maybe wreck it completely so while they want the regime change and they want Russia in the NWO fold they can't officially declare war and have to fight the proxy war in Ukraine -

Putin and his political allies obviously decided they had had enough and that attack was the best form of defense and they appear to have massive support in their country - 80% + ?

In the West we are being manipulated with a psychological operation to support Ukraine and WEF puppet Zelensky no matter what - even to our own detriment...

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1540302748557754368
1540302748557754368

https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1540304375494631425

1540304375494631425

https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1540310698605125633

1540310698605125633

https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1540301087705546752

1540301087705546752

[Bill Ryan]

Well, that was all fun to read. (Ukraine/US/Goba vs. Donbass/Russia/Mashika :) )

I'd have happily bet everything I owned that Mashika would come out with all guns blazing. (That's a metaphor! :P )

The problem here I think is this. It's sometimes been argued that in open discussion on social media of any kind, if all views are allowed to be presented, then "good ideas get to be acknowledged by more and more people and bad ideas go away."

But that's a kind of Socratean ideal that I just don't think is true. Or, if it was true in Socrates' forum (a real one) in Athens in 400 BC, it's not true any more.

Ideas tend to get polarized and defended, because ego is at stake, inasmuch as these days people tend to associate their ego-strength and their very identity, their sense of self, with the ideas they profess, believe, and hold as true.
One has to be immensely intellectually honest to change one's mind about a strongly held opinion or belief, and that simply rarely happens.I wrote this on this thread on 24 February, the day the Special Military Operation was launched.


We all need to figure out together, if we can, what's happening here. We've done it very successfully with a whole bunch of other issues that seem to bewilder quite a lot of people, so this should not be beyond us.

I'll say again: it's not about whether Putin is a bad guy or not. I'd suggest it's about


What the Globalist/NWO/WEF agenda may be;
What the US agenda may be;
What Putin's agenda may be;
What the impact may be on regular people round the world;
How this may escalate (or not);
Reliable news reports (and/or other information that we may not have easy access to) about what the heck is really happening in various critical places;
And while one's view of history may depend on where one lives and what one has been exposed to or influenced by, reliable historical information may also be very helpful to us all.

Many Avalon members are watching this thread, and all day there have been many more visitor guests. They're here because they're looking for reliable news updates, good information about every aspect of this, and/or because they may be concerned. I'd like to ask everyone to please do their best to share the highest quality information (and insights) that they can. THX.



It was interesting for me to read that again, the first time I've done so. What I do remember writing was
We all need to figure out together, if we can, what's happening here. We've done it very successfully with a whole bunch of other issues that seem to bewilder quite a lot of people, so this should not be beyond us.I wrote that because I felt I didn't really know much about this for sure, though (as usual) Mashika was ahead of most of us. :) So I set to work on reading, watching, and listening to everything I could find (including much information shared here).

I continue to do that, literally every day, because this whole issue (and in particular, the wider consequence for us all) is very very important, and too important for simply held ideologies to be the dominating factor.It might be interesting for some to read what I wrote on 1 June to a close friend of mine in the UK. (This was before Boris Johnson's [No] Confidence vote.)

I was pretty sure she would hold mainstream opinions, simply because that was her only real source of information, listening to the BBC every day while driving long distances in her car for work, and overhearing her husband watching Rachel Maddow when at home. (Since then, I have not had a reply, which unfortunately may possibly mean something.)

Do read it, if anyone may be interested in a fairly detailed summary of my views. But none of this will come as any surprise, and I suspect that 90+% of people reading this, members or otherwise, have already reached the same opinions.

I stand by everything I presented here.
I've not changed my conclusions since 1 June, and everything I was sure of them I'm sure of now.

~~~
It's going to be very tough in Europe later this year as the insane, suicidal, self-destructive sanctions policies against Russia really start to boomerang back and hit everyone in Europe except Russia.

Watching all this political lunacy play out is tough as well. It's the slow-motion train-wreck thing: hard to watch, but also hard to look away. One wonders if the policies of every European government except Hungary (and those of the US, too, hardly innocent in all this) are because of ignorance, unintelligence, or knowingly destructive malice. None of those three are encouraging, and there are no other possibilities.

I know you have little available time for videos, but here's the latest from Chris Martenson, a very very bright man who understands a LOT of stuff, and understands it well. You can miss all the analysis and go straight to the summary at 43:12 which runs for 8 minutes till the end. It's the kind of thing you could maybe listen to in the car. The title of the video is "Is Europe committing economic suicide?"

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0Sb-GsM2bfk

He's far from the only analyst who's talking with informed urgency about this, but he's probably the best, the most likeable and the clearest and most concise. I know the British government is starting to sound the alarm signals to the people there, but the situation is likely to be far worse than any European government feels safely able to explain — assuming that the governments understand it all, which may not even be the case.

You may know all this already! I do hope you do. :) But the summary is that the new oil sanctions against Russia won't hurt Russia one bit (they have willing buyers for everything they have to sell in China, India, and dozens of other countries). Meanwhile, wheat exports are way down (there's a serious global shortage of corn, wheat, and many other crops), and the BIG BIG BIG thing is lack of fertilizer. That means a poor harvest all over the world this year, with no end in sight.

Some countries will experience famine, riots and protests (which have already been seen in Sri Lanka, Peru and Iran), and there'll be a wave of tens of millions of hungry refugees to Europe, many more than at present. The economies of every European country will be in danger of collapse, with the US soon after.

There's good news from all this — after a fashion — which is a kind of least-worst option. The world will become a multipolar world, no longer a US-led unipolar one, and the major power bloc, both militarily and economically, will be centred around Russia/China/India, with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia, the south-east Asian manufacturing nations, and probably many African and South American countries joining in.

That's most of the world, and North America and Europe will be marginalised and economically crippled, with immense domestic and social problems. It's hard to say what Australia, New Zealand and Japan will do.

I'm no fan of Chinese social policy, but the Russians (who are good people: don't believe a single propaganda word claimed by Rachel Maddow or the BBC!), the Indians, and all the others may be moderating influences.

And (in case you might not be aware, which you truly might not be, so I'm NOT saying this in any way aggressively) Putin is not ill, he's not crazy, he's not a tyrant, but he's a highly intelligent man of great patience who's regarded in his own country as a moderate.

The entire Russian nation is now solidly behind him as they've become more and more outraged and angered by the expressed irrational hatred of the western world against Russia, Russians, and everything Russian (even cats, trees, art exhibitions, music, and athletes). The Russians have had too much of that in their history and they wont stand for it any more. The west has burned all its bridges and there'll be little forgiveness or tolerance now in response.

Meanwhile, Zelensky, who was always a CIA-backed creation from the start, is a paid-for-and-scripted actor (literally) who is being puppet-controlled by Washington, the EU and Boris Johnson, who has blood on his hands and a LOT to answer for. (He surely can't survive long as PM, but the greater problem is that there are no credible alternative leaders in sight anywhere in the UK, from any party.)

Re Ukraine, the Russians (a) have been entirely justified in everything they set out to do — to call the the Nazi Ukrainian thugs evil, barbaric and inhuman is like a mild rebuke :) — and (b) have been overwhelmingly winning the whole military operation since Day 1.

Most if not all of the UK media reports about the conflict have either been the poorest of non-fact-checked shoddy journalism, or knowing downright lies. (Again, there are no other possibilities, and neither is good.)

What will happen is that Russia will capture Donbass, go on to claim Odessa, and eventually the west, with the citizens losing interest and becoming increasingly worried about serious domestic issues, will strongarm Zelensky in being willing to sit down and talk, which he initially wanted to do but Boris Johnson instructed him not to.

Because of that, Johnson has been the indirect cause of the violent deaths of tens of thousands of brave but hopeless and ill-equipped Ukrainian men, few of whom have a chance any more unless they disobey orders and retreat or flee, which they have been instructed not to do.

Several other things are possible now. It seems likely the Ukrainian army will collapse quite suddenly. I've heard good arguments that there may be an internal military coup against Zelensky which would be a good thing for Ukraine, as then the senior Ukrainian military commander would sit down with Putin to save the remains of his country, and Putin would respect him and listen.

I don't think the Poles will get involved, but they may do. If they do, it may be to claim some of western Ukraine for themselves, and the Russians may well just look the other way.

After the shooting stops, there's going to be little of Ukraine left as a country of its own. And it does seem like there are sane voices in the Pentagon which are making sure the thing does NOT escalate, as at one point it seemed that it could do.

The outcomes will almost certainly be:


Russia absorbing much of south-eastern Ukraine (which will be greatly welcomed with relief by most of the people living there)
The ruble will remain a strong, stable currency (which it has become already, to the horror of all EU/US politicians).
There'll be new economic and military alliances formed between many of the non-EU and US countries in the world, maybe as much as 2/3 of the world's nations.
The US and EU/UK will be isolated, weakened, and will face great hardship, social unrest, and possibly political upheaval.
(probably) The dollar will cease being the world's reserve currency, but this might not happen till next year.

So there you have it. :) You may not hear any of that from Rachel Maddow any time soon.

[Goba]

Russian agitprop can be recognized easily mainly by the utterly outrageous claims they usually make. But then again, a new sucker is born every minute so I guess it works, somehow.

Much like the "we killed 50 generals with one rocket" I quoted earlier from DW (now DW has somehow retracted it but it can still be found there) someone here quoted this:


"78% of UK citizens are seriously considering emigrating to Russia"
https://en.news-front.info/2022/06/2...rer=google.com"

Pretty outrageous dont you think? well its easy to verify, if you look at the pages directly quoted here that is a Russian mouthpiece. - they however claim that the EXPRESS of London did this survey. OK, lets check, what do you get when you search EXPRESS for "emigrating to Russia" here are the relevant results:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1601987/Russia-Ukraine-invasion-news-Vladimir-Putin-war-latest-russian-flee-abroad-vn

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1589887/putin-news-russia-aggression-barbed-wire-future-eastern-europe

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1626894/russia-exodus-putin-nightmare-15-000-russian-millionaires-flee-fury-ukraine-war

No amount of "liking" makes propaganda any more truthful.
This shows that many (!) here are not even willing to spend 10 minutes to verify something as outlandish as this.

As to the abysmal state of the Russian army, they are not alone, the German army looks considerably worse. But then again our ex chancellor Merkel did trust Putin - and consequently did not invest in defense. I am sure Scholz - being a lefty - would have loved to love Putin as well, but alas - he let his pants down.

this is an interesting review of German defense capability (or lack thereof):

CmjoDUk336U

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/Russ_Warrior/status/1540286620230107137

1540286620230107137

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/escobar-exile-main-street-sound-unipolar-world-fading-away

Escobar: Exile On Main Street - The Sound Of The Unipolar World Fading Away
Authored by Pepe Escobar,

The future world order, already in progress, will be formed by strong sovereign states. The ship has sailed. There’s no turning back.



Let’s cut to the chase and roll in the Putin Top Ten of the New Era, announced by the Russian President live at the St. Petersburg forum for both the Global North and South.

The era of the unipolar world is over.

The rupture with the West is irreversible and definitive. No pressure from the West will change it.

Russia has renewed with its sovereignty. Reinforcement of political and economic sovereignty is an absolute priority.

The EU has completely lost its political sovereignty. The current crisis shows the EU is not ready to play the role of an independent, sovereign actor. It’s just en ensemble of American vassals deprived of any politico-military sovereignty.

Sovereignty cannot be partial. Either you’re a sovereign or a colony.

Hunger in the poorest nations will be on the conscience of the West and euro-democracy.

Russia will supply grains to the poorer nations in Africa and the Middle East.

Russia will invest in internal economic development and reorientation of trade towards nations independent of the U.S.

The future world order, already in progress, will be formed by strong sovereign states.

The ship has sailed. There’s no turning back.

How does it feel, for the collective West, to be caught in such a crossfire hurricane? Well, it gets more devastating when we add to the new roadmap the latest on the energy front.

Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, in St. Petersburg, stressed that the global economic crisis is gaining momentum not because of sanctions, but exacerbated by them; Europe “commits energy suicide” by sanctioning Russia; sanctions against Russia have done away with the much lauded “green transition”, as that is no longer needed to manipulate markets; and Russia, with its vast energy potential, “is the Noah’s Ark of the world economy.”

For his part Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller could not be more scathing on the sharp decline in the gas flow to the EU due to Siemens’ refusal and/or incapacity to repair the Nord Stream 1 pumping engine: “Well, of course, Gazprom was forced to reduce the volume of gas supplies to Europe by 20%+. But you know, prices have increased not by 20%+, but by several times! Therefore, I’m sorry if I say that we don’t feel offended by anyone, we are not particularly concerned by this situation.”

If this pain dial overdrive was not enough to hurl the collective West – or NATOstan – into Terminal Hysteria, then Putin’s sharp comment on possibly allowing Mr. Sarmat to present his business card to “decision-making centers in Kiev”, those that are ordering the current shelling and killing of civilians in Donetsk, definitely did the trick:

“As for the red lines, let me keep them to myself, because this will mean quite tough actions on the decision-making centers. But this is an area that shouldn’t be disclosed to people outside the military-political leadership of the country. Those who deserve appropriate actions on our part should draw a conclusion for themselves – what they may face if they cross the line.”

Baby please, stop breaking down

Alastair Crooke has masterfully outlined how the collective West’s zugzwang leaves it lumbering around, dazed and confused. Now let’s examine the state of play on the opposite side of the chessboard, focusing on the BRICS summit this Thursday in Beijing.

As much as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU) and ASEAN, now it’s time for a reinvigorated BRICS to step up its game. In conjunction, these are the key organizations/instruments that will be carving the pathways towards the post-unipolar era.

Both China and India (which between them were the largest economies in the world for centuries before the brief Western colonial interregnum) are already close and getting closer to “the Noah’s Ark of the world economy”.

The G20 – hostages of the Michael Hudson-defined FIRE scam that is the core of the financialized neoliberal casino – is slowly fading away, while a potential new G8 ramps up: and that is directly connected to BRICS expansion, one of the key themes of this week’s summit. An expanded BRICS with a parallel G8 configuration is bound to easily overtake the Western-centric one in importance as well as GDP by purchasing power parity (PPP).

BRICS in 2021 already added Bangladesh, Egypt, the UAE and Uruguay to its New Development Bank (NDB). In May, at Foreign Ministry-level debates, Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Thailand were added to the 5 BRICS members. Leaders of some of these nations will be connected to the Beijing summit.

BRICS plays a completely different game from the G20. They aim for the grassroots, and it’s all about slowly “building trust” – a very Chinese concept. They are creating an independent Credit Rating Agency – away from the Anglo-American racket – and deepening a Currency Reserves Arrangement. The NDB – including its regional offices in India and South Africa – has been involved in hundreds of projects. Time will tell: one day the NDB will make the World Bank superfluous.

Comparisons between BRICS and the Quad, a U.S. concoction, are silly. Quad is just another crude mechanism to contain China. Yet there’s no question India treads on tightrope walker territory, as it’s a member of both BRICS and Quad, and made a vastly misguided decision to walk out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – the largest free trade deal on the planet – opting instead to adhere to the American pie-in-the-sky Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

Yet India, long term, skillfully guided by Russia, is being steered to find essential common ground with China in several key issues.

BRICS, especially in its expanded BRICS+ version, is bound to increase cooperation on building truly stable supply chains, and a settlement mechanism for resources and raw material trade, which inevitably has to be based in local currencies. Then the path will be open for the Holy Grail: a BRICS payment system as a credible alternative to the weaponized U.S. dollar and SWIFT.

Meanwhile, a torrent of bilateral investments from both China and India in the manufacturing and services sector around their neighbors is bound to lift up smaller players in both Southeast Asia and South Asia: think Cambodia and Bangladesh as important cogs in a vast supply wheel.

Yaroslav Lissovolik had already proposed a BEAMS concept as the core of this BRICS integration drive, uniting “the key regional integration initiatives of BRICS economies such as BIMSTEC, EAEU, the ASEAN-China free trade agreement, Mercosur and SADC/SACU.”

It’s only (BRICS) rock’n roll

Now Beijing seems eager to promote “an inclusive format for dialogue spanning all the main regions of the Global South via aggregating the regional integration platforms in Eurasia, Africa and Latin America. Going forward this format may be further expanded to include other regional integration blocks from Eurasia, such as the GCC, EAEU and others.”

Lissovolik notes how the ideal path from now on should be “the greater inclusivity of BRICS via the BRICS+ framework that allows smaller economies that are the regional partners of BRICS to have a say in the new global governance framework.”

Before he addressed the St. Petersburg forum on video, President Xi called Putin personally to say, among other things, that he’s got China’s back on all “sovereignty and security” themes. They also, inevitably, discussed the relevance of BRICS as a key platform towards the multipolar world.

Meanwhile, the collective West plunges deeper into the maelstrom. A massive national demonstration of trade unions this past Monday paralyzed Brussels – the capital of the EU and NATO – as 80,000 people expressed their anger at the rising and rising cost of living; called for elites to “spend money on salaries, not on weapons”; and yelled in unison “Stop NATO.”

It’s zugzwang all over again. The EU’s “direct losses”, as Putin stressed, provoked by the sanctions hysteria, “could exceed $400 billion a year”. Russia’s energy earnings have hit record levels. The ruble is at a 7-year high against the euro.

It’s a blast that arguably the most powerful cultural artifact of the entire Cold War – and Western supremacy – era, the perennial Rolling Stones, is currently on tour across a “caught in a crossfire hurricane” EU. On every show they play, for the first time live, one of their early classics: ‘Out of Time’.

Sounds much like a requiem. So let’s all sing, “Baby baby baby / you’re out of time”, as one Vladimir “it’s a gas, gas, gas” Putin and his sidekick Dmitry “Under My Thumb” Medvedev seem to be the guys really getting their rocks off. It’s only (BRICS) rock’n roll, but we like it.

[Ravenlocke]

https://korybko.substack.com/p/lavrovs-right-the-west-is-scared

https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5f76660-db93-4563-b9c4-06e47fdd4cfa_800x600.jpeg

Lavrov’s Right: The West Is Scared Of Countries That Defend Their Sovereignty

The more that the Western elites “cancel” Russia, the more intrigued their people become about it as proven by Microsoft’s latest report confirming that its international media platforms reach more Americans nowadays than before the special operation and subsequent censorship began.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said on Friday in an interview with Belarusian media that “The West is scared of an honest competition, this is widely known. This is why they ‘cancel’ the culture of any country speaking from its own nationally oriented positions, prohibit TV channels from broadcasting, ban unwanted politicians on social networks and remove from the public space everything that disagrees with the neo-liberal concept of the world order.” His insight is sound since it’s indeed the case that the West is scared of countries that defend their sovereignty.

The New Cold War that’s being waged over the direction of the global systemic transition to multipolarity has catalyzed what can be described as “The Great Bifurcation” that’s unfolding over three levels: the systemic one between the Golden Billion vs. the Global South; the ideological one between the first-mentioned’s unipolar liberal-globalists (ULGs) and the second’s multipolar conservative-sovereigntists (MCS); and the tactical level between the establishment and populists. The Golden Billion’s ULGs fear the Global South’s MCS because the latter are genuinely popular.

For that reason, they’re resorting to information warfare to discredit their opponents’ governments and thus manipulate their people into thinking that they’re out of touch with the population. This modus operandi is being done in parallel with the artificially manufactured food crisis in order to catalyze regime change processes across the Global South, all because the ULGs truly fear the popular MCS governments in that part of the world. Russia’s the poster child of this emerging Hybrid War scheme but it certainly won’t be the last victim, which is why its partners must brace themselves for what’s to come.

Apart from the economic restrictions that have been unilaterally imposed on Russia following its ongoing special military operation in Ukraine and the unprecedentedly intense information warfare that followed, the Eurasian Great Power is also being “canceled” by the Golden Billion exactly as Lavrov said. This doesn’t harm Russia in any way whatsoever but is being done for purely domestic political reasons related to the Western elite’s fear of that country’s sovereign example inspiring a populist uprising against them.

After all, President Putin predicted in his speech at this month’s Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) that the West will see an upsurge of populism that’ll result in so-called “elite change”. The more that they “cancel” Russia, the more intrigued their people become about it as proven by Microsoft’s latest report confirming that its international media platforms reach more Americans nowadays than before the special operation and subsequent censorship began. This means that Western elites have more of a reason than ever to fear Russia’s sovereign example to their people.

¤=[Post Update]=¤

https://twitter.com/GonzaloLira1968/status/1540297134871908352
1540297134871908352

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/GonzaloLira1968/status/1540235409321562114
1540235409321562114

https://twitter.com/GonzaloLira1968/status/1540235430196645889
1540235430196645889

https://twitter.com/GonzaloLira1968/status/1540235434738974721

1540235434738974721

[Goba]

Alternatively the outcomes will possibly be:

- Russia will have to deal with severe economic problems - price hikes and possible revolts in some of the states that make up the Russian Federation.
- The Ruble, artificially kept at a high exchange rate towards the dollar, will reduce the state income severely because a strong currency only helps IMPORTS not EXPORTS. But Russia only exports stuff that is paid in Dollar (yes, they say they want Ruble but they are not getting any - instead a trick is used which ultimately exchanges Dollar for Ruble - but inside a Russian bank so the loss is the same)
- the dollar will still be the exchange currency for most commodities. Its demise has been predicted since the early 2000 but somehow it always comes out on top.
- meanwhile Russians wont be able to fly anywhere soon for lack of spares for the planes they highjacked. Forget about the Russia made Planes, the new ones dont have avionics nor turbines and the old ones are, well, old, and few.
- Oil exports to EU will seize around 2023 and come hell or high water there will be a sharp reduction in usage of Russian gas. How that happens I don't know but I guess German engineering will come up with a solution, or French, or British, or any of the other countries who do not want to be dependent on Russia anymore. Will India buy more? certainly, at a discount, and MUCH less in volume. The world at large is moving away from Fossil fuel. Time works against Russia, even without the war. And once the salt reactor problems are solved (I heard the Chinese did it) nuclear is safe and on the table again.
- Meanwhile the russian conventional army is reduced A LOT, not just by losses in Ukraine but also by the now evident obvious risk to join the army as a laid back job. One can actually get killed! Modern weaponry is all but impossible to produce as it is dependent on western supplies. Russia cant even make a mobile phone much less a precision guided shell like the tripple 7 one shot. Their cars now have no airbags and no ABS. Due to dashcams we will see the results soon enough. (Those dashcams are not only there for insurance reasons but also to keep the police from cashing in on stuff they made up).
- the extreme result may be (and that would depend on the amount of help Ukraine gets plus their willingness to keep fighting): Russian disintegrates and some parts get gobbled up by china and others declare independence. Not a nice prospect considering the nuclear stuff laying around everywhere.

we will know soon enough. Lets talk in June - next Year.

[Bill Ryan]

Russian agitprop can be recognized easily mainly by the utterly outrageous claims they usually make. But then again, a new sucker is born every minute so I guess it works, somehow.

Much like the "we killed 50 generals with one rocket"

But you see, that's not correct either. The number of generals might only have been 2 or 3. That's been misunderstood or misrepresented by quite a few.

Here's the source statement:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:9S4PLhAEa0UJ:https://eng.mil.ru/en/special_operation/news/more.htm?id%3D12425783@egNews&client=firefox-b-d&hl=en&gl=co&strip=1&vwsrc=0

[extract, an exact quote if you can't access the original, but with my added emphasis]
The attack has resulted in eliminating more than 50 generals and officers of the AFU, including those of the General Staff, the Kakhovka group, airborne assault troops and units that operate towards Nikolayev and Zaporozhye.
You have to get your facts right. That's important in these discussions. The Russian MoD often omits things, but what it does say is always accurate. They can't afford to make false claims, as they're under too much western scrutiny.



we will know soon enough. Lets talk in June - next Year.Yes! :) Maybe that's one thing we can all agree on. As I wrote yesterday (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?114491-WW3-Ukraine-US-vs.-Donbass-Russia&p=1504245&viewfull=1#post1504245):
In the end, the truth will have its way.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/jaccocharite/status/1538496137413410816
1538496137413410816

https://twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1538472289464877057
1538472289464877057

https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1538476063096971264
1538476063096971264

https://twitter.com/Levi_godman/status/1538468102584803329
1538468102584803329

https://twitter.com/Cyberspec1/status/1538714386440724480
1538714386440724480

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1538937364172652545
1538937364172652545

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/zelensky-says-russian-attacks-intensify-during-eu-summit-moscow-claims-single-strike

Zelensky Says Russian Attacks To Intensify During EU Summit As Moscow Claims Kalibr Strike Killed '50 Officers & Generals'
Earlier this month Ukrainian officials already described a more intensified Russian bombardment of its forces in the Donbas - which they stressed is more so that at any prior point in the war - but President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is now predicting that Russia will escalate its attacks even more this week in connection to the much anticipated European Union summit.

Last Friday the European Commission recommended Ukraine for EU candidate status, which will be the focus of discussion among the 27-nation bloc's leaders at their scheduled summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. "Obviously, this week we should expect from Russia an intensification of its hostile activities," Zelenskiy said Monday in a video address. "We are preparing. We are ready."

Ukrainian military drone monitoring station, via EUObserver

Indeed there are signs the fight is intensifying, as it's widely believed Russian troops are on the cusp of gaining total control of the large Luhansk city of Sievierodonetsk - scene of heavy, weekslong fighting - which would solidify Russia's hold over the whole of the province, after which it's expected to mount another attack on Ukraine's second largest nearby city, Kharkiv. Ukraine officials have begun sounding a dour tone related to the fight for Sievierodonetsk as the reality of overwhelming Russian troop numbers and sustained artillery capability become evident.

Zelensky and his top officials have been ramping up their call for urgent, heavier arms if they hope to stall the Kremlin advance over all of Donbas. The EU summit for end of this week is expected to answer that call, with officials stressing they will be "unwavering" in authorizing more arms, according to a draft memo seen by the EU Observer:

"The European Union is unwavering in its dedication to assist Ukraine train its inherent proper of self-defense towards Russian aggression," it additionally says.

EU states have to date pumped in €2bn of weapons into Ukraine from a joint fund, and rather more in bilateral phrases — regardless of Russian concentrating on of Western arms convoys and complaints a couple of "proxy battle".

Also high on the agenda will be the wheat blockade crisis which has been enduring for months, threatening to unleash famine in North African/Middle East regions which are most heavily dependent on Ukraine grain exports.

According Sunday reporting in Deutsche Welle:

EU foreign ministers will discuss ways to free a huge cache of grain stuck in Ukraine due to Russia's Black Sea port blockade at a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday.

More than 20 million tons have been trapped in silos since Russia invaded the country in February.

Brussels says it supports a United Nations effort to resume Ukraine's sea exports in return for facilitating Russian food and fertilizer exports.

Meanwhile, there are signs from the Russian side that its military is ramping up heavier bombardments of Ukrainian command and control centers, with the defense ministry (MoD) on Sunday claiming a major direct hit on a command target, killing "dozens" of officers - though the statement couldn't be verified.

Russian officials said Monday that Ukraine has attacked Russian Black sea oil drilling platforms:



Russian state sources asserted that "Russian warships have destroyed a Ukrainian command center with Kalibr cruise missiles, killing dozens officers, Moscow's Defense Ministry reported on Sunday."

"More than 50 generals and officers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were killed," the official MoD statement said, detailing that it took place near the Shirokaya Dacha in Dnepropetrovsk Region, allegedly striking a compound that was being used as a meeting of trop brass from multiple Ukrainian army units.

Prior footage of Kalibr cruise missile launches...



The ministry additionally detailed that "Kalibr missiles were also used to destroy 10 M777 howitzers and up to 20 armored vehicles that were recently delivered from the West, and had been stored inside a factory building in the southern city of Nikolayev," according to the readout in state media.

[Bill Ryan]

I wrote in my long post just above:





I stand by everything I presented here.
I've not changed my conclusions since 1 June, and everything I was sure of them I'm sure of now.

I'm thinking I might say a little more.


I don't have a crystal ball.
There's much that none of us know. (As Alexander Mercouris often says, "The Russian MoD doesn't share its plans with me.")

But besides what I feel confident will be outcomes, I can share what I would be happy, and also not happy, to see as outcomes.

That might give any reader an idea of what I'm rooting for. (Not WHO I'm rooting for. But WHAT.)

I'd be happy to see:


The disintegration and demise of the EU. (And NATO too, but that's far less likely.)
The decline of the US as a largely criminal, global bully.
The fall from power of all European and American politicians and advisers who are trying to escalate this conflict.
The fall from grace of Zelensky and all his cohorts.
The exposure of all US covert activity (financial and biological) in Ukraine.
The establishment of a "Fair World Order". (I'm using that term as shorthand as it's often been used by others.)

I'm not happy to see:


Innocent people suffering or dying.
Germany (or any other European country) losing its industrial base.
Famine, food shortages, and/or worse, anywhere in the world.
Corruption and despotism anywhere being rewarded in any way.
Any kind of escalation of the conflict.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/ProdanIonel1/status/1538522928026996736
1538522928026996736

https://www.dw.com/en/russia-claims-ukrainian-generals-killed-in-missile-strike-as-it-happened/a-62180427?maca=en-Twitter-sharing

Russia claims Ukrainian generals killed in missile strike — as it happened
Russian officials claim dozens of Ukrainian officers, including generals and members of Ukraine's high command, were killed in a missile strike. NATO chief Stoltenberg said the war "could take years." DW has the latest.

Pictured in this video grab is the March 2022 launch of Kalibr cruise missiles by a Russian Navy guided missile corvette in the Black Sea during a high-precision strike on Ukrainian military facilities located in the Zhitmomir Region. Image taken from Russian Defense Ministry video.
Western leaders prepare for long war
Luhansk governor demands more long-range weapons
G7 will support Ukraine 'for as long as necessary,' says Scholz
Russia's Defense Ministry claims senior Ukrainian officers eliminated in missile strike

[Mashika]

Russian agitprop can be recognized easily mainly by the utterly outrageous claims they usually make. But then again, a new sucker is born every minute so I guess it works, somehow.

Much like the "we killed 50 generals with one rocket" I quoted earlier from DW (now DW has somehow retracted it but it can still be found there) someone here quoted this:


"78% of UK citizens are seriously considering emigrating to Russia"
https://en.news-front.info/2022/06/2...rer=google.com"

Pretty outrageous dont you think? well its easy to verify, if you look at the pages directly quoted here that is a Russian mouthpiece. - they however claim that the EXPRESS of London did this survey. OK, lets check, what do you get when you search EXPRESS for "emigrating to Russia" here are the relevant results:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1601987/Russia-Ukraine-invasion-news-Vladimir-Putin-war-latest-russian-flee-abroad-vn

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1589887/putin-news-russia-aggression-barbed-wire-future-eastern-europe

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1626894/russia-exodus-putin-nightmare-15-000-russian-millionaires-flee-fury-ukraine-war

No amount of "liking" makes propaganda any more truthful.
This shows that many (!) here are not even willing to spend 10 minutes to verify something as outlandish as this.

It is almost as if you live in some alternative reality, you did not even bothered to post the original link correctly

That was a sample of how fake news are distributed, and you fell for the kind of thing that says "This is fake news but i will use it to attack 'the enemy' because i don't care, i'll just use it even if i know this did not came from a serious/valid source"

In your effort to discredit, you discredit yourself, you are being played badly dude and you just lost it by now :) lol

A person can be a victim of propaganda at several levels, at this point, when a person uses fake news to attack the enemy, they are, in the very end, attacking their own intellect and mind

Never allow yourself to become irrational out of pure hate driven by old obsolete ideologies , you lose yourself to other people's agendas and wills and become a tool and a bot in the zombie army



As to the abysmal state of the Russian army, they are not alone, the German army looks considerably worse. But then again our ex chancellor Merkel did trust Putin - and consequently did not invest in defense. I am sure Scholz - being a lefty - would have loved to love Putin as well, but alas - he let his pants down.

this is an interesting review of German defense capability (or lack thereof):

CmjoDUk336U

"As to the abysmal state of the Russian army"

I bet you could not describe what that 'state' is, with evidence or anything but talking points once again

Care to elaborate so that we are educated about what that truly means? As in numbers? stats, facts?

I'll wait peacefully for it not to happen once again :)

[ExomatrixTV]

Eu, Ukraine And Moldova; Rearranging Deck Chairs On The Titanic:

_Fn4vNYNRzA


https://yt3.ggpht.com/kJ9IEExbbxFmC25JjG2H37MJaX50aQiEFQUkx5sNOIPe_EfqHPofFdB2990wayiLPCoQ-s2rmg=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCay-Dvsd7LY31H28_Uet95A)

Ula Myson (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCay-Dvsd7LY31H28_Uet95A) quote:


"I'm an ordinary Russian teacher and I don't do politics. However, finding The Duran was like the breath of fresh air. I found myself literally crying! Thank you, gentlemen, for content-aware analysis, deep insight into international affairs and your open-mindedness". :pray:

[Mashika]

I wrote in my long post just above:





I stand by everything I presented here.
I've not changed my conclusions since 1 June, and everything I was sure of them I'm sure of now.

I'm thinking I might say a little more.


I don't have a crystal ball.
There's much that none of us know. (As Alexander Mercouris often says, "The Russian MoD doesn't share its plans with me.")

But besides what I feel confident will be outcomes, I can share what I would be happy, and also not happy, to see as outcomes.

That might give any reader an idea of what I'm rooting for. (Not WHO I'm rooting for. But WHAT.)

I'd be happy to see:


The disintegration and demise of the EU. (And NATO too, but that's far less likely.)
The decline of the US as a largely criminal, global bully.
The fall from power of all European and American politicians and advisers who are trying to escalate this conflict.
The fall from grace of Zelensky and all his cohorts.
The exposure of all US covert activity (financial and biological) in Ukraine.
The establishment of a "Fair World Order". (I'm using that term as shorthand as it's often been used by others.)

I'm not happy to see:


Innocent people suffering or dying.
Germany (or any other European country) losing its industrial base.
Famine, food shortages, and/or worse, anywhere in the world.
Corruption and despotism anywhere being rewarded in any way.
Any kind of escalation of the conflict.


A friend sent me this article from 2017 or so, i have to think about it, but comparing it to now, it looks odd for sure :)
"5 Reasons Why America Will Not Collapse Like the Roman Empire"
https://bigthink.com/the-present/5-reasons-why-america-will-not-fall-like-the-roman-empire/



The exposure of all US covert activity (financial and biological) in Ukraine

When the USSR fell, a lot of stuff was going on in Ukraine and in other places, but no one knew about it and it was suppressed from the world, i suppose if the US were to fall, the same thing would happen, other countries would hide that stuff away for their own purposes and gains. We'll never know the full truth since once the US falls everyone will scavenge all they can and lie about it so they get an advantage over every other country

[Ravenlocke]

Alina Lipp

She is aware that Germany considers anyone that supports the Russian special operation in Ukraine as committing a criminal act.
She explains the documents she has received from the German authorities notifying her that a criminal case has been opened against her and why specifically for a telegram post from February 24 as well as for a video she published on March 12.

However she is told she cannot be present at the hearing because it would disturb the prosecution.

The court document has the letter “Z” printed at the top and the letter “Z” is forbidden in Germany.

J8Dsd1HiuE0


Mountains of corn burned by UAF

https://twitter.com/TaranQ/status/1539697247998431232
1539697247998431232

https://twitter.com/ChannelOne_eng/status/1538796965420535810
1538796965420535810

https://twitter.com/TaranQ/status/1539484147659554816

1539484147659554816

[Bill Ryan]

EU, Ukraine And Moldova; Rearranging Deck Chairs On The Titanic:

_Fn4vNYNRzA
https://yt3.ggpht.com/kJ9IEExbbxFmC25JjG2H37MJaX50aQiEFQUkx5sNOIPe_EfqHPofFdB2990wayiLPCoQ-s2rmg=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCay-Dvsd7LY31H28_Uet95A)


Ula Myson (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCay-Dvsd7LY31H28_Uet95A) quote:


"I'm an ordinary Russian teacher and I don't do politics. However, finding The Duran was like the breath of fresh air. I found myself literally crying! Thank you, gentlemen, for content-aware analysis, deep insight into international affairs and your open-mindedness". :pray:It's part of my schedule to be sure I listen to The Duran every day. Alex Christoforou doesn't actually do or say very much, but Alexander Mercouris knows more than almost anyone else I'm aware of concerning the very wide-spectrum combo of law, history, economics and geopolitics (as well as many aspects of traditional music and culture).

His very British style may be an acquired taste for some (it actually was even for me), but now I take note of his every word, and inflection, and caveat, and very carefully constructed sentence. He continually takes me by surprise with his evident depth of knowledge, and not that many people do that. He has his own channel here (https://www.youtube.com/c/AlexanderMercourisReal/videos), which I also follow daily, just as valuable a source of analysis as The Duran.

[Mashika]

EU, Ukraine And Moldova; Rearranging Deck Chairs On The Titanic:

_Fn4vNYNRzA
https://yt3.ggpht.com/kJ9IEExbbxFmC25JjG2H37MJaX50aQiEFQUkx5sNOIPe_EfqHPofFdB2990wayiLPCoQ-s2rmg=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCay-Dvsd7LY31H28_Uet95A)


Ula Myson (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCay-Dvsd7LY31H28_Uet95A) quote:


"I'm an ordinary Russian teacher and I don't do politics. However, finding The Duran was like the breath of fresh air. I found myself literally crying! Thank you, gentlemen, for content-aware analysis, deep insight into international affairs and your open-mindedness". :pray:It's part of my schedule to be sure I listen to The Duran every day. Alex Christoforou doesn't actually do or say very much, but Alexander Mercouris knows more than almost anyone else I'm aware of concerning the very wide-spectrum combo of law, history, economics and geopolitics (as well as many aspects of traditional music and culture).

His very British style may be an acquired taste for some (it actually was even for me), but now I take note of his every word, and inflection, and caveat, and very carefully constructed sentence. He continually takes me by surprise with his evident depth of knowledge, and not that many people do that. He has his own channel here (https://www.youtube.com/c/AlexanderMercourisReal/videos), which I also follow daily, just as valuable a source of analysis as The Duran.

I found that the way he 'pronunciates' words helps me a lot to understand what he's saying, as opposed to the more 'fluid' usual way of talking, marking the words the way he does helps a lot when you are not native english speaker :)

And yes he's amazingly aware of what's going on, i wonder how much time he spends reading and watching about what's going on, does he even have a day job? He's always on top of things, it requires lots of energy to be able to do that :)

[Bill Ryan]

Alexander Mercouris

And yes he's amazingly aware of what's going on, i wonder how much time he spends reading and watching about what's going on, does he even have a day job? He's always on top of things, it requires lots of energy to be able to do that :)Yes, he has paid-for subscriptions to the Financial Times, The Times, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph (all from the UK) and The Washington Post and the New York Times in the US, as well as many other journals, blogs, periodicals and substacks which he reads every day.

The only other alt media commentator that does anything like that is Richard Dolan, who carefully reads the mainstream media every morning as he feels (maybe correctly) that he needs to keep up to date with what "regular" people are being fed and persuaded to believe all the time.


I found that the way he 'pronunciates' words helps me a lot to understand what he's saying, as opposed to the more 'fluid' usual way of talking, marking the words the way he does helps a lot when you are not native english speaker :)I do the same — to some degree! It's an English public school thing. (Translation: English "Public Schools" are actually quite expensive and exclusive private schools. :) )

[Mashika]

Being an imbecile has never been the way to show education, or awareness, or anything at all but displaying to the full world that you are an uneducated arrogant imbecile

This is one way to awake the monster, to the detriment of the imbecile :P

https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxislfoZZYUO3VToqjG7Iyz5-eqvYkh4YH


Sorry, this has been bugging me. At 10:13 Sergey Lavrov asked Steve Rosenberg a fair question; "What do you call what happened in 2014 in Ukraine? In Russia, we call it a coup"
To which the BBC journalist replies "I'm the one asking the questions"

Arrogant. Rude. Insulting.
A perfect example of the behaviour, attitude and hypocrisy of the collective West.

To paraphrase the supremely masterful Mr Lavrov "You want to bring Russia to it's knees? Try it".

hjWkfCSF52g

It's also very telling that at second :10 they show Ukraine hitting a building and that the western media and Ukraine claimed it was Russia, only to later be found out that it was Ukraine using an air defense missile they could not shoot properly because they lacked training. But here they still show it as some kind of 'Russian' attack, deplorable... :)

Garbage channel, garbage interviewer, garbage is all i can see, lies and more lies, manipulation and shameless lies. It's rotten to the very core

A few days ago another video got posted that showed the result of Ukraine's shelling of a market in Donetsk, and the video conveniently left out that part, it made it look like it was a Russian attack :)

[Mashika]

Updated map of the current Donbass situation :P

https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/12218
DonbassDevushka/12218

[Mashika]

The billions of dollars in "help" from the west are now showing up in the bank accounts of Elensky and associates

https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/12295
DonbassDevushka/12295

All paid for by western citizen taxes, for years and years to come :facepalm::happythumbsup:

[Mashika]

War crimes, civilians as shields, nothing new

https://t.me/ZradaXXII/6211
ZradaXXII/6211

[Mashika]

Directly from Clown World



https://t.me/SergeyKolyasnikov/39003
⚡️Глава МИД Украины Дмитрий Кулеба заявил, что украинская сторона готова к обсуждению с Россией возвращения к государственным границам по состоянию «до 24 февраля», что исключает территориальные претензии Украины относительно статуса Крыма и республик Донбасса.

"Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said that the Ukrainian side is ready to discuss with Russia the return to the state borders as of "before February 24", which excludes Ukraine's territorial claims regarding the status of Crimea and the republics of Donbass.
"

There are a few ways to describe this, from what i can remember:

- That ship has sailed
- Too little to late
- That train has left the station
- You bit more than you could chew
- Oh no, oh no, oh no no no no no.... :P

[Kamikaze]

Alina Lipp

She is aware that Germany considers anyone that supports the Russian special operation in Ukraine as committing a criminal act.
She explains the documents she has received from the German authorities notifying her that a criminal case has been opened against her and why specifically for a telegram post from February 24 as well as for a video she published on March 12.

However she is told she cannot be present at the hearing because it would disturb the prosecution.

The court document has the letter “Z” printed at the top and the letter “Z” is forbidden in Germany.

J8Dsd1HiuE0


Mountains of corn burned by UAF

https://twitter.com/TaranQ/status/1539697247998431232
1539697247998431232

https://twitter.com/ChannelOne_eng/status/1538796965420535810
1538796965420535810

https://twitter.com/TaranQ/status/1539484147659554816

1539484147659554816

Europe *EU with USA & UK (Canada/Australia) All western nations are AT WAR! WITH RUSSIA!

What do people expect?

You are aiding and abetting the enemy! You are engaging in subservient operations of hostile nations. You are being investigated for crimes of being a spy or a plethora of other crimes they can throw at you on moments notice if you decide it's wise to "show support" for something like Russian concerns.

YOU ARE TO ONLY AID IN THE WAR EFFORTS! KILL RUSSIANS!

They will HARM YOU AND THROW YOU UNDER THE DAMN ROLLING TANK if you stand in it's way.

War is real! DEAL WITH REALTY for ALL western citizens!
You are being watched by your local government for punishments & fines & crimes & freezing of assets at moment notice if you are not a sheep going along with the massacre.

This is planned to expand and play into their games of control. You the citizen is supposed to SHUT THE **** UP! Go and DIE!

It's pure blood thirst in the streets. War created opportunities for a plethora of people to do their evils.
You want to be a open case to throw in the "work well done" for your local bureaucrat or smart ass?
There are lots of points for them to gather and HARM THEIR OWN CITIZENS for pure FUN AND GAMES! And get rewards!

All people on this site are being "investigated" and categorized if they can be done "away" with. Either by direct criminal investigations or by seizure of assets.

Agents prowl the ****ing "WEB" to CATCH all outliers in regard to not adhering to expected wanted behaviours.
The whole internet is one whole "criminal investigation" where you gather you evidence to throw people into prison when you find someone who doesn't play ball with the ingrained interests.

Go and show you face and tell who you are and they are waiting with glee to go and attack you in the open at all places they can think off to cause you troubles.

At timers of war be the ****ing cautious of what you do if you nation is at WAR! You might ruin all future prospects of anything at all in your life for decades!

War is serious business. Gleeful righteousness is your worst enemy. Things get you killed or in prisoned for someone's selfish goals.

Western nations are NOT FREE! You are only a serf!
Propaganda rules the world to instil in your beliefs that are not true. Serf is not to know the truth of things or be a problem for the plantation at large.
You are indoctrinated with various things to make a world of make believe. Others just play their parts to instil that reality into you.

OTHERS TAKE ADVANTAGE.

You local police is there to check you stay in your place. [AS THE KINGS SOLDIERS...]

[Mashika]

https://t.me/SergeyKolyasnikov/39035
SergeyKolyasnikov/39035

This is a terrible sad video, it shows one side of the war that most people are not aware of, and it doesn't show any death on camera, but it is happening on the other side of it

This is the issue here, you are not on a movie, that gun is killing people all over the place. And those people:

- Won't be calling back home to say they are ok
- Won't be reading the next page of that book they were reading
- Won't be sending pictures to their kids or having video calls anymore
- Will never see their kids graduate from school
- Will never eat that mom home made food ever again
- Will never go see that movie they hoped to go see on their next break
- Will never hear that song they had in their mind
- Will never be able to do anything at all

And you ended it in a second

Do you see? "It was them or me", all of the above, it was you or the other person/family who would go through that. Becoming excellent at killing saves your life and makes your family happy that you did not die out there, but as in ying and yang, there is always an opposite to it, and here we are

Stupidity in the form of "we are better than you and you will lose", as the western world right now pushes so hard defending the undefendable thing out of idiotic pride and ignorance, is now causing inevitable death, for no reason at all!

"We will fight Russia to the last Ukrainian" said a person who is not even Ukrainian and who will never sacrifice anything at all, or their own family. "Some of you may die, but that's a sacrifice i'm willing to make for my own benefit"

That's how it is. And once you are hit, you mostly never get up, or do a ridiculous bloody mess and then 5 minutes later you are still in the battle, that's not how it works, once hit, you go down and can't get up, and it is not like a show of power of the soul, or any stupidity like that, you are dying and that's all there is to it, and you are dying as everyone moves around trying to save their own lives, and if they manage then they will help you, but if not, then you are going to die there on the floor like a stupid fool and your name will be forgotten except for some medal maybe that no one cares about and is for political show only

War is just like that, see? A stupid game

Back in 2014 or so, friends joked about my name, "Mashika" is my code name, or was, but they called me "Machina" because i happen to excel at shooting, i am so good at it that they joked i was "Machine gun girl" then Machina instead of Mashika

Now i'm very upset

[Mashika]

Here's a good 'story' so you can see how ****ed up this entire thing is

"Go to a small town and go to a home and pick up a couple bottles of water they are selling"

A kid comes around and has some wide eyed look and simply says "Mashika! Mashika!" And i turn and see him and say "hey how are you?"

And he says "Is it true that you took down lots of guys last week? Everyone is saying!" And you just stare at the 12 year old kid thinking what to say, then he says "It's true that you never miss a shot, right! You always hit!"

And what the **** is that? What do you even say to that kid? See?

And that's how people around Donbass see us, and is not because we are heroes or whatever, it's because they are lacking and desperate and everyone who comes help turns into a hero somehow, a movie hero capable of amazing irrational things. That's all the kids see, and people come and ask for food, or some come and just try to pray out there on the street saying things like "God give them health and don't let them die" and so on

That's all, **** this and **** that, God damn it all.

Most people will never understand the several levels of war, including what the people around the war location sees or feels. It's not about "me vs you" as in countries, there is a lot more going on. But this is all missed every single time by all the media. You need to be there to see it

[Baby Steps]

Here’s Azarov confirming plans uncovered by Russia for nuclear war on Russia

Note- this echoes the plan detailed in Bill Ryan’s thread on the subject which starts with details of a game strategy cooked up by us naval intelligence to destroy Russia

"The Russian government decided to stop this situation and restore order in Ukraine,” wrote Nikolai Azarov, who served as Ukrainian Prime Minister three times.
Through a message posted on Facebook on Friday, Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov claimed that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) planned a nuclear attack against Russia, taking advantage of the existence of geopolitical problems with Ukraine.
RELATED:

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/UNHRC-Sets-Commission-of-Inquiry-on-Russia-Ukraine-Conflict-20220304-0008.html


“NATO was planning to launch a Third World War using nuclear weapons against Russia and the main role in this was given to the current American-dominated ruling elite in Ukraine and the nationalists,” Azarov wrote.
“Since Dec. 2021, Russia has been receiving information about NATO's plans to deploy 4 military brigades (2 land, 1 navy, 1 air) on the territory of Ukraine," he added, explaining that an air brigade has the ability to carry nuclear warheads.
"NATO wanted approval of this deployment of troops in the summer of 2022 at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)," Azarov said, recalling that the organization sought to provoke a "launched large-scale military operations against Russia with the use of nuclear weapons.”
“In order to prevent the Third World War and the attack on Russia with the use of nuclear weapons, the Russian government decided to stop this situation and restore order in Ukraine,” wrote Azarov, who served as Ukrainian Prime Minister three times, the last of which occurred from March 2010 to January 2014.
“One day before the start of the war, fateful decisions were made to exterminate the Russian-speaking population in Donbass. The Ukrainian army, led by the National Brigades, was preparing to start a military operation in Donbass on Feb. 25, 22,” Azarov claims.
On March 4, however, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that his country and NATO will not play an active role in the Ukraine conflict. "It is absolutely clear to us that there will be no NATO military involvement in this conflict," he stressed, adding that Germany would use all diplomatic means "to ensure that the possibility of a joint way out of this crisis is attempted, although it has already come this far."

[Bill Ryan]

A neat 5-step summary of recent EU actions, from Chris Martenson in his most recent video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2rzrNgws_k).


Join sanctions against Russia.
Send heavy weapons into Ukraine.
Seize Russian assets.
Refuse to pay for Russian gas in rubles.
Blame Russia.

He compares this to what narcissists do. (The EU is the 'narcissist', and Russia is declaring 'independence' and setting the boundaries.)


When you set boundaries against a narcissist, you will experience abuse. The narcissist will interpret your boundaries as a narcissistic injury. You declaring your independence will be met with steep consequences.

[Philippe]

Alternatively the outcomes will possibly be:

- Russia will have to deal with severe economic problems - price hikes and possible revolts in some of the states that make up the Russian Federation.
- The Ruble, artificially kept at a high exchange rate towards the dollar, will reduce the state income severely because a strong currency only helps IMPORTS not EXPORTS. But Russia only exports stuff that is paid in Dollar (yes, they say they want Ruble but they are not getting any - instead a trick is used which ultimately exchanges Dollar for Ruble - but inside a Russian bank so the loss is the same)
- the dollar will still be the exchange currency for most commodities. Its demise has been predicted since the early 2000 but somehow it always comes out on top.
- meanwhile Russians wont be able to fly anywhere soon for lack of spares for the planes they highjacked. Forget about the Russia made Planes, the new ones dont have avionics nor turbines and the old ones are, well, old, and few.
- Oil exports to EU will seize around 2023 and come hell or high water there will be a sharp reduction in usage of Russian gas. How that happens I don't know but I guess German engineering will come up with a solution, or French, or British, or any of the other countries who do not want to be dependent on Russia anymore. Will India buy more? certainly, at a discount, and MUCH less in volume. The world at large is moving away from Fossil fuel. Time works against Russia, even without the war. And once the salt reactor problems are solved (I heard the Chinese did it) nuclear is safe and on the table again.
- Meanwhile the russian conventional army is reduced A LOT, not just by losses in Ukraine but also by the now evident obvious risk to join the army as a laid back job. One can actually get killed! Modern weaponry is all but impossible to produce as it is dependent on western supplies. Russia cant even make a mobile phone much less a precision guided shell like the tripple 7 one shot. Their cars now have no airbags and no ABS. Due to dashcams we will see the results soon enough. (Those dashcams are not only there for insurance reasons but also to keep the police from cashing in on stuff they made up).
- the extreme result may be (and that would depend on the amount of help Ukraine gets plus their willingness to keep fighting): Russian disintegrates and some parts get gobbled up by china and others declare independence. Not a nice prospect considering the nuclear stuff laying around everywhere.

we will know soon enough. Lets talk in June - next Year.

Russia is surrounded by the enemy and does all it can to fend it off. Is it really so? Or is the enemy well settled inside to harm and enslave? Take note of the following TASS press release that should be added to the evaluation of Russia's troubles.

https://tass.com/society/1466739

And this :



WHO inspection in Russia to recognise Sputnik V may take place in the coming months

18 June 2022, 14:13 - TASS

Media News

Mikhail Metzel/TASS

ST-PETERSBURG, 18 June. /TASS/. An inspection by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Russia as part of the recognition procedure for Sputnik V may take place in the coming months. WHO's representative in Russia, Melita Vujnovic, told TASS at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Saturday.

She said talks were underway between the Russian Investment Fund (RDIF) and the WHO headquarters in Geneva on the recognition of Sputnik V. "We deeply regret that due to all the problems with air traffic, we could not carry out the inspection in March as agreed. But I hope that these arrangements will be implemented in the coming months," Vujnovic said.

The WHO representative noted that cooperation with Russia is also developing in other areas, especially in the fight against tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, prevention of non-communicable diseases, school health. "There is a very active exchange of experiences with Russian and international experts on all this," Vujnovic said.

"The cooperation continues, despite the difficult moments. The World Health Organisation is a platform for multilateral cooperation in the field of health, and our main task is to remove all barriers, all obstacles to scientific and practical cooperation," she added.

In April, WHO Director-General Tedros Adanom Ghebreyesus announced that the issue of an inspection of the coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V in Russia had been suspended for the time being and that no dates had been set for the visit.[/I]


We should know by now that the Sputnik vaccine is not different from the AstraZeneca one. And we should remember the video that shows how the Sputnik vaccinated are emitting MAC addresses .
Be it Putin or Trump, they have not objected to or stopped the vaccination drive to control the population. Are we dealing with power hungry personalities that strive to be elected God in the final outcome?

[Mike Gorman]

A neat 5-step summary of recent EU actions, from Chris Martenson in his most recent video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2rzrNgws_k).


Join sanctions against Russia.
Send heavy weapons into Ukraine.
Seize Russian assets.
Refuse to pay for Russian gas in rubles.
Blame Russia.

He compares this to what narcissists do. (The EU is the 'narcissist', and Russia is declaring 'independence' and setting the boundaries.)


When you set boundaries against a narcissist, you will experience abuse. The narcissist will interpret your boundaries as a narcissistic injury. You declaring your independence will be met with steep consequences.


The analogy with dealing with narcissism holds for the United States also, except their personality defect includes delusions of grandeur and a sense they have a right to control the global community, this is why they never acknowledge Russia as being a fellow human society, a valid society - they always diminish and underestimate Russia, they are getting their arses (asses) handed to them in the proxy war, but the Dem shadow government- the City of London reptiles and the covert groups underpinning the military/industrial complex cannot fully comprehend the intentions of a multi-polar world (Khazarians?) - all hail Russia and the Slavic devotion to humanity.

[Mike Gorman]

I would like to discover much more about the Sputnik vax, and if they have mandated this like they did all over the West, how close is it truly to AstraZeneca, how has Covid played out in Russia, we don't hear about massive social unrest there, deaths and injury from the vax: anyone got credible sources to cover this?

[justntime2learn]

I would like to discover much more about the Sputnik vax, and if they have mandated this like they did all over the West, how close is it truly to AstraZeneca, how has Covid played out in Russia, we don't hear about massive social unrest there, deaths and injury from the vax: anyone got credible sources to cover this?

I've often wondered whether or not Russia and China's militaries have been vaccinated.

[Kryztian]

Not only is Ukraine loosing the battle to Russia, the G8/Nato countries are loosing the war to BRICS countries.

from "Most African countries support Russia" http://infobrics.org/post/35998


Apparently, Volodymir Zelensky's popularity in Ukraine is very low. The Ukrainian leader called for a virtual diplomatic meeting with African heads of state, but the event failed completely. Almost all African leaders declined to participate, hampering Zelensky's plans to make the meeting a pro-Kiev propaganda stage. Meanwhile, the Russian government's popularity is growing in Africa, where citizens take the streets in support for the special military operation in Ukraine and ask for Russian help in combating terrorism.

On June 20, the Ukrainian president met with representatives of the African Union in order to discuss matters concerning the current conflict situation in Eastern Europe and the role of Africa on the world arena. Of the fifty-five heads of state invited to the meeting, only four attended. The other countries sent only diplomats or ministers, with the heads of state and government not willing to attend, even with the meeting being virtual.

The heads of state who attended the meeting were Macky Sall of Senegal, Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, Mohammed el-Menfi, President of the Libyan Council, and Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo. It is important to note that Sall is the current president of the African Union, which is why his presence was essential for the event to take place. Therefore, his attendance does not necessarily mean an expression of his real desire - even more considering his recent conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the effort to increase Russia-Africa cooperation.

[Philippe]

I would like to discover much more about the Sputnik vax, and if they have mandated this like they did all over the West, how close is it truly to AstraZeneca, how has Covid played out in Russia, we don't hear about massive social unrest there, deaths and injury from the vax: anyone got credible sources to cover this?

I've often wondered whether or not Russia and China's militaries have been vaccinated.

The question should be with what they are injected? And we will not hear of any protests against it as is happening in the USA.

The Russian army is doing a great job for exposing and dismantling the military bio-labs in Ukraine. But as pointed out above there is the "civil" production of the vaccine Sputnik . The tentacles of the WHO and the vaccine industry are all over the world and also in Russia. From what I read the population is not complying much with the vaccination and the government did not use drastic lock-downs as in our western world. Are there figures that show that ?

Hereunder some links about the Sputnik vaccine I could dig up in my archives:

https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-67362100191-4/fulltext
The recombinant adenovirus route to protection is shared with the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine, which uses a chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAdOx),....

The suggestion that Putin is a WEF stooge has been well unbunked. But hereby an article that shows the past contacts

https://anti-empire.com/sputnik-v-is-the-model-great-reset-drug-with-the-most-obvious-direct-ties-to-the-world-economic-forum/

And the link that shows how the Sputnik vaccine is also used to connect the injected to the internet. They are criminally experimenting with this all over the planet.

https://www.bitchute.com/video/6qwZktSskbvz/

[happyuk]

Meanwhile, Zelensky, who was always a CIA-backed creation from the start, is a paid-for-and-scripted actor (literally) who is being puppet-controlled by Washington, the EU and Boris Johnson, who has blood on his hands and a LOT to answer for. (He surely can't survive long as PM, but the greater problem is that there are no credible alternative leaders in sight anywhere in the UK, from any party.)


I always knew Boris Johnson was a dunce who chirps the loudest for this because he has a Winston Churchill fetish (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ciSjn2AzN8) and fancies himself as a type of modern-day Churchill. (Outside his school in Eton is a cannon captured during the Crimea War.)
But I had no idea of the extent to which the man was such a vainglorious moron until recently.

Even if you despise Winston Churchill (as I do) you cannot deny the remarkable career he had prior to being Prime Minister of the UK during WW2, such as his military adventures being in a similar vein to that of a young Indiana Jones. Boris Johnson is a buffoon who openly confesses to reading Flashman novels, a fantasist who like Blair doesn't seem to care about actual government just making loud noises on the international stage.

[Mashika]

Ver interesting, the world view, how they see themselves and how they feel they are seen by the western "white people" vs the eastern "white people". There's a lot to unpack on that small sentence

"For the first time we came across white people who treated us as equal beings."

https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses/6537
UkraineHumanRightsAbuses/6537

[Mashika]

More pain and suffering, but the lies and war crimes keep going strong and repackaged in the west as 'heroic' actions

https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses/6543
UkraineHumanRightsAbuses/6543

[Mashika]

"Kak?"
"I can't even"

What kind of mental illness would this one be?

Were there destroyed Russian equipment in Bucha?
Yes
Who destroyed it?
Ukrainia
So who was shelling Bucha?
Russia

kak? This is beyond

https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses/6562
UkraineHumanRightsAbuses/6562

[kfm27917]

Importance Of Snake Island
Russia had captured the Snake Island at the beginning of the war, anticipating some form of naval action to take Odesa if the offensives at Mariupol and Donbas failed.

However, one can assume it decided against an amphibious landing to not escalate the war into western Ukraine, which has been nearly untouched. The island is also off the coast of Romania, where the British are deployed on a NATO base.

https://southfront.org/kyivs-forces-made-another-failed-attempt-to-recapture-zmeinyy-island/
A Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate (GUR) report also said Snake Island allows Russia to stage a tactical amphibious landing into Odesa. However, such an operation might also alienate the predominantly Russian sympathetic population.

Moreover, as the de-mining operations at Mariupol beach revealed, Ukrainians must have prepared for the contingency and mined the seas off Odesa, along with heavy urban defense within Odesa itself.

“If Russian troops succeed in occupying Snake Island and set up their long-range air-defense systems, they will control the sea, land, and air in the north-west part of the Black Sea and the south of Ukraine,” Ukrainian military expert Oleh Zhdanov had told the BBC. An S-400 missile system also endangers NATO’s southern flank.

Importance Of Snake Island
Russia had captured the Snake Island at the beginning of the war, anticipating some form of naval action to take Odesa if the offensives at Mariupol and Donbas failed.

However, one can assume it decided against an amphibious landing to not escalate the war into western Ukraine, which has been nearly untouched. The island is also off the coast of Romania, where the British are deployed on a NATO base.

A Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate (GUR) report also said Snake Island allows Russia to stage a tactical amphibious landing into Odesa. However, such an operation might also alienate the predominantly Russian sympathetic population.

Moreover, as the de-mining operations at Mariupol beach revealed, Ukrainians must have prepared for the contingency and mined the seas off Odesa, along with heavy urban defense within Odesa itself.

“If Russian troops succeed in occupying Snake Island and set up their long-range air-defense systems, they will control the sea, land, and air in the north-west part of the Black Sea and the south of Ukraine,” Ukrainian military expert Oleh Zhdanov had told the BBC. An S-400 missile system also endangers NATO’s southern flank.

Snake Island’s important strategic location allows complete control of the approaches to the port city of Odesa while providing Russia “with strategic air defense and coastal cruise missiles to dominate the north-western Black Sea,” according to a UK Defence Intelligence update on May 11.

The update was released following the first attempt on Zmeiny/Snake on May 8. allows complete control of the approaches to the port city of Odesa while providing Russia “with strategic air defense and coastal cruise missiles to dominate the north-western Black Sea,” according to a UK Defence Intelligence update on May 11.

The update was released following the first attempt on Zmeiny/Snake on May 8.

[Mashika]

Severodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast, Donbass Region, Russia

:P

[Mashika]

At the beginning of the war, there were several planes and helis shotdown by the Ukrainian air defenses and by small rockets.

Soon after, it was identified how they were shotdown and the fly patterns changed, so now you don't hear at all about any Russian air force units getting shootdown.

From this we can figure something out:

1. The western anti air equipment is not capable anymore of shooting down planes or other units. A limitation has been found on them and Russia has a way now to counter it. This is bad for the west
2. The West has identified their limitation and will work on something better
3. The west military has probably a new good strategy that would allow them to continue being effective, based on what they have observed in the field against a real army. But, they won't share it with the 'Ukrainian partners', since then Russia would find yet another way to counter it, and the intel is so precious to the west that they have decided to let the Ukro partners rot on the side of the road. They won't share the new found, very valuable information as they obviously need it to be hidden from world view. Imagine if all other countries would know how to make US/Western anti air defense systems useless?

That we don't see any more reports or videos of Russian planes/heli being shot down truly means a lot. There is constant talk about nlaws and other similar systems, but now i don't remember recently seeing/hearing anything about manpad systems being sent, it kind of is 'not news' and we only hear about anti-tank weapons *a lot*

*An army without any useful air defense systems is a gone army*

[Mashika]

When i see people saying the Russian army is incompetent, or lacking, or badly trained, i can only assume they have no clue or any kind of education about anything military. It also just says they have been ill informed by whatever news sources they read/listen to

Because once you are out there and see it for yourself, those words have nothing to do with reality, as for example on this video. These are amateur pilots, according to those who say the Russian air force is obsolete and incompetent

If you want to jump to something very cool, scroll to around 2:17 minute, then watch from there :)

zsdWm835MTc

[Mashika]

If this is true (i can't verify), then things for the west are waaaaaaaaaaaay worse than anything anyone could have assumed from what we were seeing

https://t.me/intelslava/31813
intelslava/31813


The US is done for
xTEB8jEWpz4

[Mashika]

Trying to find if the image with the instructions card was real, i ended up finding this other video.. oh God..

Something needs to be done. Honestly, this is not right anymore, how can this not be a reason to act right now? This is an action item, not a 'maybe we should think about it". This is An Action Item

I could joke about this in a thousand ways, but i can only say this out of not being an asshole: You may be right Joe Biden, that's what your version of America represents. Fortunately, that 'America' you described there, is not the one most people believe in, and doesn't exist for most people, we don't see you that way, but you do represent a specific group of people who have their own "America", which is separated from the other Americans. You live on a different world, i can relate to that, but you are stupid in the end

You are your friends and associates are what we here call "A very educated fool"
oqiOeiG4VNo

[shaberon]

If this is true (i can't verify), then things for the west are waaaaaaaaaaaay worse than anything anyone could have assumed from what we were seeing



Well, we have been saying something like this since around 1740. I guess that means on these shores. So obviously from before then. My best guess is that is was the Siege of Derry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Derry) 1689 that began to persuade "my people" that this situation was not something you could live with.

I can only say, it probably was temporarily, not too bad, from around 1776 to 1860. Just ask the guys from Gettysburg about shoes. Everything from the time of Lincoln's Empire only comes under the description of "increasingly bad". The point we are at now, is irrelevant, as long as everyone is prepared to return to the Stone Age. From what I can tell, there has been nothing to save, from some time before I checked on whether there was something that could be saved.


I have no interest in talk about how to regain control of the U. S. Federal Government from some other party, because I would say the whole thing should be kibboshed.

No one in the country has any interest in anything beyond a local level. Which one would have to admit is dependent on oil and technology that cannot be supplied locally.

I would be hard put to say we even have fifty states, I think we might have 5,000 counties with no real kind of unity or national consensus. At most, there are locales of a few counties, like Greek city-states. One of those is Baltimore. Don't go there. That's what they told me. I see no reason to recognize I might be under the same government as Baltimore.

Atlanta, for the most part, can just eat socks.

Chicago can burn for weeks.

Los Angeles is on track to get swallowed by the sea.

Just to tack on, at around the same time in a "local" sense, there was a murder on this street, someone I know was seriously injured by other people, and then I almost killed someone. So that resembles our "national unity", whatever that may be. They just tax it all under the same account.

[shaberon]

The people who write or think about that, lack a very basic knowledge of how Russia works, GPS is not the only tech around, there is an entire network around that is Russia specific, the GLONASS and other techs related to it. It has been around since the 70s but most people don't know about it



True in several respects such as even in the event of miraculous counter-jamming, they still keep backups of "dumb" systems such as radios based on vacuum tubes. And so there is very low tech that is actually still perfectly good. I would not even be surprised if they had a national corps of carrier pigeons. Plenty of reason to suggest that such things have value at a price far less than billions of dollars. This is my Su-57, this is my pigeon...I would think they are compatible.

There is a drifting program in the shortwave band that consists of apparently random recitals in multiple languages in Russian, Chinese, Filippino, English, Spanish, and so on...no one has ever been able to find the origin. Have you heard this?

[Mashika]

The people who write or think about that, lack a very basic knowledge of how Russia works, GPS is not the only tech around, there is an entire network around that is Russia specific, the GLONASS and other techs related to it. It has been around since the 70s but most people don't know about it

True in several respects such as even in the event of miraculous counter-jamming, they still keep backups of "dumb" systems such as radios based on vacuum tubes. And so there is very low tech that is actually still perfectly good. I would not even be surprised if they had a national corps of carrier pigeons. Plenty of reason to suggest that such things have value at a price far less than billions of dollars. This is my Su-57, this is my pigeon...I would think they are compatible.

All "nuclear delivery" planes in Russia are analog, an EMP would not kill them as there is a mechanism to prevent that, and the pilots use paper maps and other similar things like the controls are handled by cables and no computers are used, or in the modern versions, both the old analog and the new computer based systems are available.



There is a drifting program in the shortwave band that consists of apparently random recitals in multiple languages in Russian, Chinese, Filippino, English, Spanish, and so on...no one has ever been able to find the origin. Have you heard this?
Yes, the 'ping' radio signal, it allows to sync all the stations across the country, and to say "this one is off", it is a similar thing to the analog pilot control, it allows you to know what's going on even if there's no other way to communicate, but it also works as something else

The code words are meant to identify that the station or city location is still under 'our control', because the code words are unique and change constantly, so you expect to hear a word and if you don't, then you can write that location off the 'controlled region' map

"The buzzer" basically

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UVB-76

You "post", and a reply must be sent back in a pre-agreed format, if not, or if it's wrong, then "you know"

[Mashika]

Ping... or "Beep" maybe?

Anyways, here it is in all its might :P

I remember listening to it long ago, it's haunting when you listen to it in real time. And then there's the realization that if it gets interrupted, or a spoken message comes through non stop, the end of the world has started

bBGk0mFnug0

[Mashika]

This, actually, is a kind of "symbol of the times"

https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/12521
DonbassDevushka/12521

[Bill Ryan]

This was posted as a comment (https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/06/ukraine-open-thread-2022-94.html?cid=6a00d8341c640e53ef02a308d32fbf200c#comment-6a00d8341c640e53ef02a308d32fbf200c) on The Moon of Alabama on 23 June. It's a clever (and funny!) strategy for talking face to face with a friend who is critical of and angry with Putin and the SMO.

~~~

Tell your friend that you are also angry with Putin.

Tell your friend, and get them to nod with you, all the following:

Here is what Putin should have done instead of invading.


Putin should have negotiated a peace deal over the eastern Ukraine.
He should have gotten UN approval for his deal.
He should have dissuaded the Donbass from declaring their independence.
Year in and out, Putin should have ignored the artillery and missile attacks upon the civilian population of Donbass and continued to negotiate for peace.
— (remember to keep nodding so that your friend also nods in agreement)
Putin should have used diplomacy and negotiation for years instead of invading.
Putin should have ignored the build up of Ukrainian offensive forces at the line of contact with the Donbass.
Putin should have ignored the vicious ethnic-cleansing rhetoric from the Nazi elements in Ukraine and continued to use diplomacy.
— (keep nodding)
Putin should have urged the Donbass to remain as part of a federalized system with Ukraine one with protected rights for the citizens of the Donbass.
Putin should have dissuaded the US and EU from building up the offensive forces of Ukraine.
Putin should have used diplomacy and negotiations continuously for years, whatever it takes.
Putin should have ignored the increased attacks upon the Donbass by Ukraine.
Putin should not have invaded.

At this point you turn to your friend and ask if they agree.

They will completely agree.

Now you inform your friend that Putin did all of those things. For many years.

:)

[Bill Ryan]

Very interesting, the world view, how they see themselves and how they feel they are seen by the western "white people" vs the eastern "white people". There's a lot to unpack on that small sentence

"For the first time we came across white people who treated us as equal beings."

https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses/6537
UkraineHumanRightsAbuses/6537I have to say, that is so extraordinary, and so very great to hear.

(Many readers will know that I spent part of my childhood in Africa and returned later to visit and travel there many times. I have Africa in my blood.)
:happy dog:

[Bill Ryan]

When i see people saying the Russian army is incompetent, or lacking, or badly trained, i can only assume they have no clue or any kind of education about anything military. It also just says they have been ill informed by whatever news sources they read/listen to

Because once you are out there and see it for yourself, those words have nothing to do with reality, as for example on this video. These are amateur pilots, according to those who say the Russian air force is obsolete and incompetent

If you want to jump to something very cool, scroll to around 2:17 minute, then watch from there :)

zsdWm835MTcYes! You actually have to slow it down to 0.25x speed to catch all the detail. :)

Not only the Russian pilots, but also the Russian planes. They have the Su-57 in action now, which is arguably superior to the US's bug-ridden, hyper-expensive and much-criticized F-35. This is another cool video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST6EvvdqVEA

And not yet deployed at all in the SMO, Russia has the "White Swan of Death", the very advanced (and very fast) Tu-160 bomber.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HkmTKhYtdE

[Bill Ryan]

The US is done for
xTEB8jEWpz4That's hilarious :ROFL::ROFL::ROFL:


If this is true (i can't verify), then things for the west are waaaaaaaaaaaay worse than anything anyone could have assumed from what we were seeing

https://t.me/intelslava/31813
intelslava/31813And yes, true and verified. :facepalm:

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/Animosteles/status/1541049510947741702
1541049510947741702

https://twitter.com/Animosteles/status/1541049516262129670
1541049516262129670

https://twitter.com/Animosteles/status/1541049521202921474
1541049521202921474

https://twitter.com/Animosteles/status/1541049526433234946
1541049526433234946

https://twitter.com/Animosteles/status/1541049528924741632
1541049528924741632

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/Cyberspec1/status/1540982108231184385
1540982108231184385

https://twitter.com/Cyberspec1/status/1541002843959701505

1541002843959701505

https://twitter.com/Cyberspec1/status/1541007149823688705

1541007149823688705

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/VeraVanHorne/status/1540691554217742337

1540691554217742337

https://twitter.com/VeraVanHorne/status/1540703470948188161

1540703470948188161

[Ravenlocke]

The Russian speaks to him in English and kindly.
https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541008106586611713
1541008106586611713

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541040373383970817

1541040373383970817

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541039474905423872
1541039474905423872

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541039624159727622
1541039624159727622

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1540632678365597696
1540632678365597696

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1540990752511197184
1540990752511197184

https://www.rt.com/news/557828-congress-ukraine-russia-genocide/

US lawmakers attempt to declare Ukraine conflict a ‘genocide’ – media
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers introduced a resolution on Friday accusing Russia of committing “genocide” in Ukraine. The draft resolution reportedly accuses Russia of crimes that Moscow says were actually committed by Ukrainian forces and claims that Russian-speaking refugees were brought to Russian territory against their will.

The resolution, entitled ‘Recognizing Russian actions in Ukraine as a genocide,’ was introduced by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee) on Friday. While its text has not yet been made available on the US Congress’ website, Foreign Policy claimed on Saturday to have seen a draft.

According to Foreign Policy, the resolution “argues that atrocities committed by Russian troops in Ukraine, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians, the direct targeting of maternity hospitals and medical facilities” constitute genocide.

Russia condemns ‘barbaric’ shelling of Donetsk
Russia condemns ‘barbaric’ shelling of Donetsk
All of the above “atrocities” have been carried out by Ukrainian forces during the shelling of the predominantly Russian-speaking city of Donetsk in recent weeks, and at a lower intensity since 2014, according to Donetsk officials and reports from the city. At the beginning of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine in February, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that his forces were entering the country to stop the ongoing “humiliation and genocide” of the people of Donetsk and Lugansk.

The resolution also argues that “the forcible transfer of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to Russia and Russian-held territory” meets the criteria laid out by the United Nations in its Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Around 1.5 million mostly Russian-speaking Ukrainians have fled to Russia since the outbreak of hostilities in February, as refugees headed east rather than west. Tens of thousands entered Russia prior to the start of the conflict.

'This is just a lie': How Jeff Bezos' Washington Post twisted a report about Donbass refugees to fit its narrative
'This is just a lie': How Jeff Bezos' Washington Post twisted a report about Donbass refugees to fit its narrative
The resolution is reportedly supported by a bipartisan group of House lawmakers who sit on the Helsinki Commission, a US government agency that says it “promotes human rights, military security, and economic cooperation” in Europe and Eurasia. Back in April, the commission pushed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to back Kiev’s evidence-free claims that Russia was committing genocide.

The Helsinki Commission also argued this week for the breakup and “decolonization” of the Russian Federation.

Should Cohen’s resolution be adopted, it would result in a symbolic declaration rather than an official shift in US policy. Genocide is a serious charge to prove and the political implications of the accusation mean it can take centuries for the US to officially agree a genocide took place, as was the case when US President Joe Biden formally recognized the Armenian Genocide in April, 107 years after it occurred.

Biden publicly stated in April that “it sure seems” that Russia was committing genocide in Ukraine, prompting his aides to announce that this remark did not amount to a policy statement. The UN has stated that it has seen no evidence of genocide in Ukraine, and French President Emmanuel Macron has urged world leaders to “be very careful” about using such terms.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1541043600573734913
1541043600573734913

https://www.rt.com/news/557809-g7-summit-germany-ukraine-conflict/


G7 summit kicks off in Germany
The Group of Seven (G7) leaders are meeting in Germany for a three-day summit, which is expected to be dominated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Additional sanctions on Moscow, possible diplomatic solutions, and whether to put price caps on Russian oil are set to be on the agenda.

The G7 comprises the US, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. EU officials usually participate in the group’s events as well.

It is the first such meeting since Russia – a member of the organization until 2014 – launched its military campaign in Ukraine in late February. The G7 members have subsequently imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow and many are supplying weapons to Kiev, including missile launchers and other heavy weaponry.

The leaders are expected to coordinate further pressure on Russia and assistance to Ukraine. Prior to the current gathering, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Washington will continue to discuss “diplomatic strategies” with Ukraine and other partners.


British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, meanwhile, urged the G7 and NATO not to push Ukraine to “settle for a bad peace,” which would involve territorial concessions to Russia.

G7 denies sanctions are causing global food crisis READ MORE: G7 denies sanctions are causing global food crisis
Politico magazine has recently reported that Western countries are becoming “increasingly frustrated” that the bans on Russian oil have sparked petrol price hikes. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen proposed a price cap on Moscow's crude to tackle the price increase and curtail Russia's revenues. The proposal is on the agenda of the G7, the magazine said.

Ahead of the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed the global inflation increase on the “irresponsible” economic policies of G7 members.

Aside from Ukraine conflict, Reuters reports citing US sources, G7 is also set to address China's "coercive economic practices."

While Moscow and Beijing are likely to take central stage in the discussions of the G7 leaders, global climate challenges are also expected to get their fair share of attention.

“We want to work together to combat global warming, achieve industrial transformation towards carbon neutrality and still have good jobs all over the world,” German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said ahead of the gathering.

[Ravenlocke]

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/biden-g-7-will-ban-russian-gold-imports

Biden, G-7 Will Ban Russian Gold Imports

Having sparked hyperinflation in European gas prices and record energy costs around the globe with their poorly conceived and implemented Russian energy sanctions which have backfired spectacularly, allowing Moscow to reap record energy export profits and China and India to buy oil far below spot prices while leaving US motorists paying record prices at the pump, on Sunday the Biden admin alongside the G-7 announced that they will ban Russian gold imports to "further impose financial costs on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine."

The import ban will apply to gold leaving Russia for G-7 countries for the first time, and will be codified by the US Treasury Department on Tuesday.

A worker removes gold ingots from molds at a metals plant in Kasimov, Russia.Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg

“The United States has imposed unprecedented costs on Putin to deny him the revenue he needs to fund his war against Ukraine,” Biden tweeted on Sunday, the first day of a G7 meeting in Germany; a formal announcement is expected later on during the summit.

“Together, the G7 will announce that we will ban the import of Russian gold, a major export that rakes in tens of billions of dollars for Russia” he added.



While Western sanctions to punish Russia have largely closed European and US markets to gold from the world’s second-biggest bullion miner, the G-7 pledge would mark a total severance between Russia and the world’s top two trading centers, London and New York, largely a purely symbolic escalation.

“What this does is formalize what the gold industry has already done anyway,” said Adrian Ash, head of research at brokerage BullionVault.

As a reminder, back in March the LBMA, or London Bullion Market Association, removed Russian gold refineries from its accredited list. As a result, shipments between Russia and London have collapsed to almost zero since the invasion of Ukraine.

Furthermore, an executive order signed by Biden on April 15 explicitly prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in gold-related transactions involving Russia’s central bank, the country’s National Wealth Fund or its finance ministry.

While refineries in theory could still import Russian gold directly, most of have sworn off doing so. The association for Swiss refiners, which dominate the industry, denied that its members bought gold from Russia after trade data indicated the nation’s bullion had entered the country.

The official talking point here, encapsulated by the pro-Biden outlet, The Hill, is that "while it does not bring in as much money as energy, gold is a major source of revenue for the Russian economy. Restricting exports to G7 economies will cause more financial strain to Russia as it wages the war in."

That, of course, is incorrect: the biggest buyers of gold in recent years have not been G7 countries (United States, France, Canada, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy), many of whom naively sold much if not all their gold in the recent past and have refused or simply don't have the funds to restock; instead purchases have all been by developing nation central banks (like India and Turkey, and of course China which however has a habit of only revealing its true gold inventory every decade or so) who have been quietly preparing to do what Russia is doing by dedollarizing and instead allocating capital into a counterparty-free asset.



As for Russia, its central bank has been an aggressive buyer of gold, not seller, and if anything Biden's decision will only make the gold market the latest to follow the example of oil and bifurcate: cheaper for Russian-friends and much more expensive for Russian enemies.

Still, the Hill is right in that the U.S. and its allies have been searching for more and creative ways to punish Russia for the Ukraine war that recently entered its fifth month. And whereas Biden has announced waves of penalties coordinated with allies that range from sanctions on Russian officials and oligarchs to export controls to sanctions on major Russian banks, so far the Russian ruble, which Biden gladly mocked back in February as "rubble", has since risen to a seven-year high against the euro.



Meanwhile, Europeans are also limited in what they can do because of their dependence on Russian energy imports. European countries have vowed to phase out Russian oil but have not taken steps like the U.S. to do so immediately because they simply can't. And the ironic think is that while European should be buying more gold to protect the purchasing power of their currencies ahead of the mass printing tsunami that is coming when the next recession begins, they are now voluntarily barring themselves from doing so.

As for "punishing" Russia, here is a chart of the US vs Russian current account balance: guess who is at a record surplus and who is at a record deficit.



Biden administration officials also teased new announcements to squeeze Russia ahead of Biden’s trip to Europe and it’s possible there will be more announcements beyond the plan to ban Russian gold imports. We expect all of them to backfire, especially if Biden decides to also target other Russian metals exports. As a reminder, unlike gold, flows of other metals from Russia such as copper, nickel and palladium have continued uninterrupted as Russia is simply irreplaceable in those supply chains and the commodities industry grapples with managing a long-held relationship with a major supplier of the world’s raw materials.

As for the price of gold, what happens when the second biggest gold mining nation in the world and a major source of supply is cut off from the western market...



... even if it is still allowed to transact freely with the "rest of the world" which accounts for roughly 80% of the population, and will most likely simply boost sales to China and the Middle East, both of whom will be happy to continue purchasing Russian gold? We'll find out in a few hours.

[Ravenlocke]

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ukrainian-city-severodonetsk-now-completely-under-russian-occupation-mayor

Ukrainian City Of Severodonetsk Now 'Completely Under Russian Occupation': Mayor

The mayor of Severodonetsk on Saturday announced that Russian forces now occupy the entirety of the city, after on Friday the remaining Ukrainian troops attempting to mount a defense against the superior and better-armed Russians were ordered to withdraw by their own military command.

"The city is now under the full occupation of Russia. They are trying to establish their own order, as far as I know they have appointed some kind of commandant," Mayor Oleksandr Stryuk said in a national television broadcast.

As the last major Ukrainian stronghold of Luhansk province, its fall and forced Ukrainian treat now puts Luhansk firmly in the control of Russia, a key strategic victory for Moscow, which suggests all of Donbas will soon be next.

A Ukrainian military commander for Ukraine's eastern region, Serhiy Hayday, told CNN the decision was made to evacuate "because the number of dead in unfortified territories may grow every day."

"Currently, there is no possibility to leave the city, people can try to leave only in the direction of the occupied territory. We will facilitate the evacuation, but so far there is no such opportunity," a separate top Ukrainian commander, Oleksandr Striuk, said.

At the same time, a pro-Russian commander with the Lugansk People’s Republic declared that his forces have "taken full control of the Azot plant industrial zone" - where hundreds of Ukrainian civilians had been holed up for weeks, with nowhere to go amid the chaos of fighting outside. The Russian side has said it "evacuated" some 800 civilians from the chemical plant.

But the Ukraine side challenged this narrative as propaganda. The aforementioned Striuk described that "Civilians are leaving the territory of the Azot plant, they [the Russians] shoot propaganda videos with them. People spent almost 3 months in basements, shelters. At the moment, they need physical and psychological help."



Fighting has now intensified in Severodonetsk's nearby "twin city" of Lysychansk. "The people’s militia of the Lugansk People’s Republic and the Russian army have entered the city of Lysychansk,” a pro-separatist militia statement said, describing "street by street fighting" there.

As for Severodonetsk and its buildings, Ukraine officials have stressed the city has been "nearly turned to rubble" before they abandoned it to the Russians. It had a pre-war population of over 100,000 and it's believed there could be 10,000 or more civilians still there.

Besieged Lysychansk is likely to suffer a similar fate as Severodonetsk, also with at least an estimated 8,000 to15,00 civilians still there. Some European media sources have suggested that the Russian-speaking population does not want to leave, even as Ukrainian officials urge them to do so.



With both cities, Russian forces systematically destroyed key bridges in the area while issuing ultimatums to holdout Ukrainian fighters:

"You have two options," a commander of the pro-Russian separatists battling to take the city warned Ukraine's defenders. "Surrender or die."

Still, each major Ukrainian army exit is dubbed by its leadership a withdraw to more fortified positions, and not as defeat. Kiev, meanwhile, has continued to desperately urge NATO countries to send more weapons and ammunition, as they are facing vastly better supplied Russian artillery units.

[Bill Ryan]

This is the level of insanity prevailing in the UK.

It's rather hard to know what to comment here! :) One of many things to point out is that it's VERY likely that with the whole country rapidly falling apart on his watch, Boris Johnson will soon be asked to resign by members of his own cabinet.


Britain must be prepared to go to war with Russia
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:qhOp-V_CfywJ:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/06/23/britain-must-prepared-go-war-russia/&client=firefox-b-d&hl=en&gl=co&strip=1&vwsrc=0
(text-only cached version, otherwise there's a login wall on the Daily Telegraph article)

[Goba]

Apparently the Brits are close to reverting to cannibalism due to food shortage:

(However, some are still skeptical: As a Brit, I would just like to say that the stories of cannibalism are greatly exaggerated. The consumption of human flesh is only occurring in a few isolated areas, and even then it involves a small minority of the population.)

6x0O_oObJBU

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/GonzaloLira1968/status/1541111267468918790

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https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1541068263194595332
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[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541143151125176320
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https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541138733491228673
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https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541127161058295809
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https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541127764610359302
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[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/VeraVanHorne/status/1541128956929363969
1541128956929363969

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/06/russia-is-running-out-of-whatever-the-media-claim-.html

Russia Is Running Out Of [Whatever The Media Claim]
June 26, 2022


The main stream media have no problem with contradicting their own reporting:

U.S. Lacks a Clear Picture of Ukraine’s War Strategy, Officials Say - Jun 8, 2022 - New York Times
Intelligence agencies know far more about Russia’s military, even as the United States ships billions of dollars in weapons to the Ukrainians.
Commando Network Coordinates Flow of Weapons in Ukraine, Officials Say - Jun 25, 2022 - New York Times
A secretive operation involving U.S. Special Operations forces hints at the scale of the effort to assist Ukraine’s still outgunned military.
> [S]ome C.I.A. personnel have continued to operate in the country secretly, mostly in the capital, Kyiv, directing much of the vast amounts of intelligence the United States is sharing with Ukrainian forces, according to current and former officials.
At the same time, a few dozen commandos from other NATO countries, including Britain, France, Canada and Lithuania, also have been working inside Ukraine. <

---
Another such scheme:

Russia running out of precision munitions in Ukraine war- Pentagon official - Mar 25, 2022 - Yahoo/Reuters
Is Russia running out of missiles? US, Russia send mixed messages - May 16, 2022 - Jerusalem Post
Russia ‘running out’ of precision weapons - Jun 11, 2022 - UK Defense Journal
Russia Unleashes a Missile Barrage, While Inching Ahead in Eastern Ukraine - Jun 25, 2022 - New York Times
There are only a few 'western' sources who have a grip on reality:

The Return of Industrial Warfare - Jun 17, 2022 - RUSI
> The expenditure of cruise missiles and theatre ballistic missiles is just as massive. The Russians have fired between 1,100 and 2,100 missiles.
...
The initial stockpile in February 2022 is unknown, but considering expenditures and the requirement to hold substantial stockpiles back in case of war with NATO, it is unlikely that the Russians are worried. In fact, they seem to have enough to expend operational-level cruise missiles on tactical targets. The assumption that there are 4,000 cruise and ballistic missiles in the Russian inventory is not unreasonable. This production will probably increase despite Western sanctions. In April, ODK Saturn, which makes Kalibr missile motors, announced an additional 500 job openings. <
---
This 'Russia is running out of ...' thingy is by the way a recurring scheme:

Is Russia Running Out of Money? - Apr 26, 2022 - Trustnodes
Russia needs to sell oil. It's running out of options - May 9, 2022 - CNN Business
Russia running out of weapons, can be defeated by Ukraine – UK Secretary - May 9, 2022 - Daily Trust
'Russia is running out of manpower' and Putin may have to shrink his war aims more: national security analyst - May 16, 2022 - Raw Story
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is running out of steam, again - May 16, 2022 - Economiest
Vladimir Putin is running out of options to avoid defeat in Ukraine - May 17, 2022 - Atlantic Council
Crippled Russia running out of weapons as embarrassing war ending looms 'Shockingly inept' - May 21, 2022 - Express
Russia ‘running out of ideas’ in 3-month-old war. Can Ukraine win? - May 24, 2022 - Global News
The Russian Army Is Running Out Of Tanks For The War In Ukraine. These 60-Year-Old T-62s Are Proof. - May 25, 2022 - Forbes
Russia sanctions: Now the country is also running out of chips - Jun 2, 2022 - Basic Tutorials
Russia running out of troops and equipment as 'catastrophic' war hits 100 days - experts - Jun 3, 2022 - Daily Star
Time is running out for Russia, German economy minister says - Jun 2, 2022 - Reuters
Vladimir Putin running out of soldiers as catastrophic Ukraine invasion hits 100 days - Jun 4, 2022 - Mirror
Russian Army Running Out Of Ammo, But War To Continue For 'Long Time': Western Officials - Jun 22, 2022 - IBT
Russian Army Could Soon Run out of Weapons and Troops: Boris Johnson - Jun 22, 2022 - Newsweek
Russia will soon exhaust its combat capabilities, Western assessments predict - June 25, 2022 - Washington Post
Small shifts in territorial control matter less than the overall balance of forces, which analysts say could shift back in favor of Ukraine in the coming months
Yeah, sure!

Now cope with this and guess again what someone is is running out of:

Ukraine war: 80% of troops killed or injured in elite military unit, says commander. - Jun 25, 2022 - Skynews
> Speaking near the frontline, south of the city of Severodonetsk, company commander Oleksandr said a core of experienced soldiers who had been fighting together since 2018 have been lost.
"My unit was 100% made up of professional soldiers who have a lot of experience. Now, 80% are incapacitated from serious injuries or death," he says.

In comments which will alarm those backing Ukraine in its four-month long war with Russia, he says he does not know how long his unit can sustain such losses.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/Animosteles/status/1541102937161830400
1541102937161830400

Ukraine. Military Summary And Analysis 26.06.2022

This video describes the military situation in Ukraine on the 26th of June

HQg5UfqFgSI


https://tass.com/world/1471545?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=t.co&utm_referrer=t.co

MILITARY OPERATION IN UKRAINE26 JUN, 11:24
Over 120 mercenaries from UK, France, US fighting in Lisichansk - LPR interior ministry

According to Vitaly Kiselev, around 12,000 Ukrainian troops are concentrated near Lisichansk
LUGANSK, June 26. /TASS/. More than 120 mercenaries from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Poland are in Lisichanks, which is being stormed by militias of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), Vitaly Kiselev, an aide to the LPR interior minister, said on Sunday.

"They are trying to flee Lisichansk in small groups to Solidar and Kramatorsk, while mercenaries are fleeing still further - to Pavlograd. <…> In Lisichansk, there are the Poles (a private military company), 37 Britons, 21 Frenchmen, 64 Americans, according to preliminary reconnaissance data and reports coming from locals in Lisichansk," he told TASS.

According to Kiselev, around 12,000 Ukrainian troops are concentrated near Lisichansk.

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said earlier that Russian missile troops and aviation hit four munitions depots inn Lisichansk’s western suburb. He also said that Russian and LPR forces have blocked Lisichansk from the south.

[Kryztian]

In case you don't know what the "Azov battalion" is about and the origins of their ideology, this article from Russia Today breaks it down well.

Ukraine's neo-Nazi Azov battalion has built a 'state within a state,' and it despises both Russia and the liberal West
The Ukrainian regiment adheres to its own brand of ‘National Idea,’ loosely modelled on Mussolini's Italy
https://www.rt.com/russia/557743-neo-nazi-regiment-azov-ideology/

Despite the surrender of the Azov regiment at the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works during the fighting in Mariupol, last month, the legend of this unit has turned out to be enduring. The Ukrainian command has already announced that new Azov special operations forces will be created in Kharkov and Kiev.

At the same time, a partial rebranding has been carried out. A medieval heraldic symbol – a trident (the coat of arms of Ukraine) consisting of three swords – is now depicted on the chevron of the ‘new’ Azov in place of the stylized Wolfsangel (‘wolf's hook’) that has attracted so much criticism from not only Russia, but also the West and fellow Ukrainians. This condemnation is for good reason, as the symbol was used on the lapels of the SS’s Das Reich and Landstorm Nederland divisions, as well the logo of the Dutch Nazi Party.

The Azovites have rejected all such accusations, claiming their regimental symbol was not a Wolfsangel, but rather the first letters of the phrase ‘National Idea’, allegedly written in the old Ukrainian alphabet, which was a mix of Cyrillic and Latin letters. And this is not Azov’s first rebranding – at one time, the ‘wolf’s hook’ on their chevrons replaced the occult ‘black sun’ symbol, which was used in SS rituals and decorated the floor of the order’s castle in Wewelsburg. However, back then, the Azovites didn’t bother trying to explain how the ‘black sun’ had notional Ukrainian roots.

The rejection of the Wolfsangel is clearly intended to make it possible to say, “Yes, there used to be ultra-right elements in Azov, but that is all in the past now. The regiment is moving forward with new symbols and new ideas.”

However, this is not the case. On the contrary, the rebranding shows Azov has only strengthened its ideology, becoming more mature and discarding youthful outrage along with its Nazi symbolism, which alludes to an ideology that the regiment, as an organization, never really shared. To understand this, it is enough to look at Azov not only as a military movement, but also a political project.

Azov was founded by radicals crossing over from Patriot of Ukraine. This organization was based in Kharkov, a city in the northeast of the country, which has always had a predominantly Russian-speaking population. Therefore, Azov’s brand of nationalism was different. Unlike Ukrainian nationalists, they did not focus on issues pertaining to Ukraine’s language, ethnicity, or religion. They perceived the nation as a statist project in the spirit of Italian fascism. Actually, Patriot of Ukraine’s main ideologist, the 20th-century Ukrainian publicist Dmitry Dontsov (whose ideas were also a major influence on the Nazi collaborators of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists), called his ideology of ‘integral nationalism’ the Ukrainian version of nationalism developed in the 1920s, while repeatedly referring to the works of Benito Mussolini and Giovanni Gentile, the main authors of fascism.

At the same time, Dontsov equated the concepts of nation and race. The latter he divided into master and slave races. According to Dontsov, Ukrainians are a race of masters, while Russians are a race of slaves seeking to enslave Ukrainians. The clash between Ukrainians and Russians is of an absolute, existential nature and can only end with the destruction of one of the parties, Dontsov believed. Romanticism plays a key role in this struggle, which he defines as the will to sacrifice, the coherence of multiple individuals’ will to attain power, and directing all efforts towards one goal – the building of a Ukrainian nation. It is this romanticism that ensures that the individual belongs to the collective whole and directs the nation on the path of expansion.

Dontsov's romanticism is based on the myth of the ‘final battle’ from German-Scandinavian paganism. In this scenario, the destruction of the world and its subsequent rebirth will come. The worship of the idea espoused in this myth must take the form of religious fanaticism. This is the only way an idea can penetrate into the inner sanctum of a person’s character and bring about what Dontsov calls a radical revolution in the human psyche.

Aggression towards bearers of other views should be engendered in adherents to this idea, allowing them to reject universal morality and ideas about good and evil. The new morality should be anti-humanist, based only on the will to take power. Personal interests must submit to the common good, anything that makes the nation stronger should be considered ethical, and everything that prevents this should be declared immoral.

Dontsov's concept is completely elitist. To him, the people are just an inert mass with no independent will. The masses are deprived of the ability to develop their own ideas, they can only passively absorb them. The main role is reserved for the active minority, that is, a group capable of formulating an idea for the unconscious masses that is easy to understand and motivates them to engage in the struggle. The active minority should always be at the head of the nation, according to Dontsov.

What the Azovites took from the German Nazis was their strategy of attaining power. They tried to create a shadow ‘state within a state’ that was supposed to take control of all government institutions at a time of acute political crisis. A huge network of civil organizations has grown up around the Azov regiment over the eight years of its existence. These include book publishers, educational projects, scouting clubs, gyms, and other associations. It even has its own political party, the National Corps, with a paramilitary wing dubbed the National Militia. The regiment’s veterans play a key role here.

With the help of these organizations, recruits have been enlisted for both the regiment itself and Azov’s civil movement. Azov veterans have also actively joined Ukraine’s Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies, including its police, Army, and Security Service, where they continued to spread Azov’s ideology of integral nationalism.

A serious ritual component permeates all aspects of life within the Azov regiment itself and its civil movement. The three swords now depicted on the chevrons of the ‘new’ Azov are actually a reflection of a quite tangible symbol. A ceremonial complex with three wooden swords was built at Azov’s main base in the city of Urzuf near Mariupol, where almost all of the regiment’s rituals were carried out. The most significant of these is the commemoration of fallen comrades. During the ritual, the Azovites stand holding wooden shields and torches. The shields bear the regiment’s main symbols – the ‘black sun’ and Wolfsangel, as well as the names of fallen members. The master of the ceremony calls out each of their names, after which a soldier with the corresponding shield lights a memorial light and says “We remember!” to which the others answer, “We will take revenge!” This ritual is not an original invention. The Azovites borrowed it from the Italian fascists of the 1920s, who called it Presente! This and other rituals were developed by a special ideological unit within Azov, the ‘Standard-Bearer’ service.

In fact, the choice of the three swords as a new symbol is telling. A new generation is coming into Azov’s top positions. These are no longer the rowdy football fans who once created the battalion and for whom sporting SS symbols and spouting Nazi ideology was a form of protest. Now, the show is being run by people who were brought up within the Azov system with Azov’s ideology of integral nationalism. Ties with the European ultra-right, the so-called ‘white nationalist’ movement, are no longer as important to them. The center of their worldview is Ukrainian statehood and the Ukrainian nation, doomed to fight against both Russia and the liberal values of the West. Of course, for the Azovites, the best part of the Ukrainian nation is themselves.

The surrender of the main part of the regiment at Azovstal has only crystallized the Azov ideology. For the Azovites, the current Russian-Ukrainian conflict has become the very eschatological ‘final battle’ depicted in Wagner’s opera. It is to be waged against the Russians and the liberal West, which does not want to provide enough military assistance or enter into an open clash with Moscow. If necessary, it will even be waged against its own government, which promised to evacuate the defenders of Azovstal but did not keep its word. The last battle must be fought to the end, and the Azovites could not care less how many Ukrainian citizens will burn in its fire in the name of imposing their ‘National Idea.’

By Dmitry Plotnikov, a political journalist exploring the history and current events of ex-Soviet states

https://www.rt.com/russia/557743-neo-nazi-regiment-azov-ideology/

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541381470476201984
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https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541381476704743425
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https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541381483583385600
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[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541351292987387904
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https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541351297609527297
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https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541351302533611521
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[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541334229338181633
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https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541334234677518337
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https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541334240050429952
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https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541334243712040960
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[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/baronichitas/status/1541380312210571264
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[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/Consortiumnews/status/1540833848141008896
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https://consortiumnews.com/2022/06/25/scott-ritter-the-fantasy-of-fanaticism/


SCOTT RITTER: The Fantasy of Fanaticism
June 25, 2022

Despite what some “defense analysts” may be telling Western media, the longer the war continues, the more Ukrainians will die and the weaker NATO will become.


For a moment in time, it looked as if reality had managed to finally carve its way through the dense fog of propaganda-driven misinformation that had dominated Western media coverage of Russia’s “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine.

In a stunning admission, Oleksandr Danylyuk, a former senior adviser to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and Intelligence Services, noted that the optimism that existed in Ukraine following Russia’s decision to terminate “Phase One” of the SMO (a major military feint toward Kiev), and begin “Phase Two” (the liberation of the Donbass), was no longer warranted. “The strategies and tactics of the Russians are completely different right now,” Danylyuk noted. “They are being much more successful. They have more resources than us and they are not in a rush.”

“There’s much less space for optimism right now,” Danylyuk concluded.

In short, Russia was winning.

Danylyuk’s conclusions were not derived from some esoteric analysis drawn from Sun Tzu or Clausewitz, but rather basic military math. In a war that had become increasingly dominated by the role of artillery, Russia simply was able to bring to bear on the battlefield more firepower than Ukraine.


Oleksandr Danylyuk in 2015. (YouTube, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons)

Ukraine started the current conflict with an artillery inventory that included 540 122mm self-propelled artillery guns, 200 towed 122mm howitzers, 200 122mm multiple-rocket launch systems, 53 152mm self-propelled guns, 310 towed 152mm howitzers, and 96 203mm self-propelled guns, for approximately 1,200 artillery and 200 MLRS systems.

For the past 100-plus days, Russia has been relentlessly targeting both Ukraine’s artillery pieces and their associated ammunition storage facilities. By June 14, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that it had destroyed “521 installation of multiple launch rocket systems” and “1947 field artillery guns and mortars.”

Even if the Russian numbers are inflated (as is usually the case when it comes to wartime battle damage assessments), the bottom line is that Ukraine has suffered significant losses among the very weapons systems — artillery — which are needed most in countering the Russian invasion.

But even if Ukraine’s arsenal of Soviet-era 122mm and 152mm artillery pieces were still combat-worthy, the reality is that, according to Danylyuk, Ukraine has almost completely run out of ammunition for these systems and the stocks of ammunition sourced from the former Soviet-bloc Eastern European countries that used the same family of weapons have been depleted.

Ukraine is left doling out what is left of its former Soviet ammunition while trying to absorb modern Western 155mm artillery systems, such as the Caesar self-propelled gun from France and the U.S.-made M777 howitzer.

But the reduced capability means that Ukraine is only able to fire some 4,000-to-5,000 artillery rounds per day, while Russia responds with more than 50,000. This 10-fold disparity in firepower has proven to be one of the most decisive factors when it comes to the war in Ukraine, enabling Russia to destroy Ukrainian defensive positions with minimal risk to its own ground forces.

Casualties

This has led to a second level of military math imbalances, that being casualties.

Mykhaylo Podolyak, a senior aid to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, recently estimated that Ukraine was losing between 100 and 200 soldiers a day on the frontlines with Russia, and another 500 or so wounded. These are unsustainable losses, brought on by the ongoing disparity in combat capability between Russia and Ukraine symbolized, but not limited to, artillery.

In recognition of this reality, NATO Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg announced that Ukraine will more than likely have to make territorial concessions to Russia as part of any potential peace agreement, asking,

“what price are you willing to pay for peace? How much territory, how much independence, how much sovereignty…are you willing to sacrifice for peace?”

Stoltenberg, speaking in Finland, noted that similar territorial concessions made by Finland to the Soviet Union at the end of the Second World War was “one of the reasons Finland was able to come out of the Second World War as an independent sovereign nation.”


NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on June 22 discussing the alliance’s Madrid summit at the end of the month. (NATO)
To recap — the secretary general of the trans-Atlantic alliance responsible for pushing Ukraine into its current conflict with Russia is now proposing that Ukraine be willing to accept the permanent loss of sovereign territory because NATO miscalculated and Russia —instead of being humiliated on the field of battle and crushed economically — is winning on both fronts.

Decisively.

That the secretary general of NATO would make such an announcement is telling for several reasons.

Stunning Request

First, Ukraine is requesting 1,000 artillery pieces and 300 multiple-launch rocket systems, more than the entire active-duty inventory of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps combined. Ukraine is also requesting 500 main battle tanks — more than the combined inventories of Germany and the United Kingdom.

In short, to keep Ukraine competitive on the battlefield, NATO is being asked to strip its own defenses down to literally zero.

More telling, however, is what the numbers say about NATO’s combat strength versus Russia. If NATO is being asked to empty its armory to keep Ukraine in the game, one must consider the losses suffered by Ukraine up to that point and that Russia appears able to sustain its current level of combat activity indefinitely. That’s right — Russia just destroyed the equivalent of NATO’s main active-duty combat power and hasn’t blinked.

One can only imagine the calculations underway in Brussels as NATO military strategists ponder the fact that their alliance is incapable of defeating Russia in a large-scale European conventional land war.

But there is another conclusion that these numbers reveal — that no matter what the U.S. and NATO do in terms of serving as Ukraine’s arsenal, Russia is going to win the war. The question now is how much time the West can buy Ukraine, and at what cost, in a futile effort to discover Russia’s pain threshold in order to bring the conflict to an end in a manner that reflects anything but the current path toward unconditional surrender.

The only questions that need to be answered in Brussels, apparently, is how long can the West keep the Ukrainian Army in the field, and at what cost? Any rational actor would quickly realize that any answer is an unacceptable answer, given the certainty of a Russian victory, and that the West needs to stop feeding Ukraine’s suicidal fantasy of rearming itself to victory.

Enter The New York Times, stage right. While trying to completely reshape the narrative regarding the fighting in the Donbass after the damning reality check would be a bridge too far for even the creative minds at the Gray Lady — the writing equivalent of trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. But the editors were able to interview a pair of erstwhile “military analysts” who cobbled together a scenario that transformed Ukraine’s battlefield humiliation.

‘Military Analysts’

They described a crafty strategy designed to lure Russia into an urban warfare nightmare where, stripped of its advantages in artillery, it was forced to sacrifice soldiers in an effort to dig the resolute Ukrainian defenders from their hardened positions located amongst the rubble of a “dead” city — Severodonetsk. [Ukraine forces withdrew from the city Friday.]


Gustav Gressel in Berlin in February 2020. (Politikwissenschaftlerin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)

According to Gustav Gressel, a former Austrian military officer turned military analysts, “If the Ukrainians succeed in trying to drag them [the Russians] into house-to-house combat, there is a higher chance of inducing casualties on the Russians they cannot afford.”

According to Mykhailo Samus, a former Ukrainian naval officer turned think-tanks analyst, the Ukrainian strategy of dragging Russia into an urban combat nightmare is to buy time for rearming with the heavy weapons provided by the West, to “exhaust, or reduce, the enemy’s [Russia’s] offensive capabilities.”

The Ukrainian operational concepts in play in Severodonetsk, these analysts claim, have their roots in past Russian urban warfare experiences in Aleppo, Syria and Mariupol. What escapes the attention of these so-called military experts, is that both Aleppo and Mariupol were decisive Russian victories; there were no “excessive casualties,” no “strategic defeat.”

Had The New York Times bothered to check the resumes of the “military exerts” it consulted, it would have found two men so deeply entrenched into the Ukrainian propaganda mill as to make their respective opinions all but useless to any journalistic outlet possessing a modicum of impartiality. But this was The New York Times.

Gressel is the source of such wisdom as:

“If we stay tough, if the war ends in defeat for Russia, if the defeat is clear and internally painful, then next time he will think twice about invading a country. That is why Russia must lose this war.”

And:

“We in the West…all of us, must now turn over every stone and see what can be done to make Ukraine win this war.”

Apparently, the Gressel playbook for Ukrainian victory includes fabricating a Ukrainian strategy from whole cloth to influence perceptions regarding the possibility of a Ukrainian military victory.

Samus likewise seeks to transform the narrative of the Ukrainian frontline forces fighting in Severodonetsk. In a recent interview with the Russian-language journal Meduza, Samus declares that:

“Russia has concentrated a lot of forces [in the Donbass]. The Ukrainian armed forces are gradually withdrawing to prevent encirclement. They understand that the capture of Severodonetsk doesn’t change anything for the Russian or the Ukrainian army from a practical point of view. Now, the Russian army is wasting tremendous resources to achieve political objectives and I think they will be very difficult to replenish…[f]or the Ukrainian army, defending Severodonetsk isn’t advantageous. But if they retreat to Lysychansk they’ll be in more favorable tactical conditions. Therefore, the Ukrainian army is gradually withdrawing or leaving Severodonetsk, and upholding the combat mission. The combat mission is to destroy enemy troops and carry out offensive operations.”


Mykhailo Samus on March 27. (YouTube still)

The truth is, there is nothing deliberate about the Ukrainian defense of Severodonetsk. It is the byproduct of an army in full retreat, desperately trying to claw out some defensive space, only to be crushed by the brutal onslaught of superior Russian artillery-based firepower.

To the extent Ukraine is seeking to delay the Russian advance, it is being done by the full-scale sacrifice of the soldiers at the front, thousands of people thrown into battle with little or no preparation, training, or equipment, trading their lives for time so that Ukrainian negotiators can try to convince NATO countries to mortgage their military viability on the false promise of a Ukrainian military victory.

This is the ugly truth about Ukraine today — the longer the war continues, the more Ukrainians will die, and the weaker NATO will become. If left to people like Samus and Gressel, the result would be hundreds of thousands of dead Ukrainians, the destruction of Ukraine as a viable nation-state, and the gutting of NATO’s front-line combat capability, all sacrificed without meaningfully altering the inevitability of a strategic Russian victory.

Hopefully sanity will prevail, and the West will wean Ukraine off the addiction of heavy weaponry, and push it to accept a peace settlement which, although bitter to the taste, will leave something of Ukraine for future generations to rebuild.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/anon_candanga/status/1541325206328938497
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https://twitter.com/anon_candanga/status/1541359607670505472
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[Ravenlocke]

Zelensky tells G7 leaders he wants the war to finish by the end of 2022


In a virtual meeting at the G7 summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wants the war in Ukraine to be over by the end of 2022, a source has said. He called for a major push to end the war before the winter sets in in several months' time, the source added.

Z1GwAi7yBhs

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/snekotron/status/1541441899839557632
1541441899839557632

-Through official channels alone, the Ukrainian side requested
confirmation of the presence of over 15,000 Ukrainian servicemen
in captivity. The real numbers are much higher.
- The Ukrainian negotiators are demanding the release of female
servicemen (who are one and a half hundred in captivity) without
any formulas, urging them to show humanity, because there are
pregnant women among them,
- The Ukrainian side demands that Ukrainian officers and military
personnel of the Azov National Regiment be included in the
exchange formulas, counting on the maximum possible media
promotion of cases upon their return. This correlates with the
statement of the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of
Ukraine about the imminent release of all prisoners from Azovstal:
the Ukrainian side needs to show a media victory over Russia and
finally prove that the extraction operation really exists.
And the most interesting thing is that in the office of Deputy Prime
Minister Irina Vereshchuk they understand that the demands of the
GUR members are inappropriate and only harm. But representatives
of the GUR do not even think about real humanity and concern for
Their own population.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541457437684801536
1541457437684801536

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1541458837596786688
1541458837596786688

https://www.rt.com/russia/557906-moscow-strike-kiev-rocket-plant/


Russia strikes Kiev rocket plant
Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported on Monday that it successfully carried out a missile strike on a rocket manufacturing plant in Kiev, which was being used to produce ammunition for multiple launch rocket systems.

The strike was carried out on Sunday with four high precision missiles, all of which reached the Artyom rocket-manufacturing plant, located in the Shevchenkovskiy district of Kiev, without damaging civilian infrastructure in the city, the ministry reports.

The authorities in Kiev reportedly tried to intercept the Russian high precision missiles using anti-aircraft weapons stationed around the city, including S-300 and Buk M1 anti-aircraft missile systems, which reportedly launched 10 rockets during the strike.

The ministry also noted that due to the apparent lack of communication between the anti-aircraft defense systems located in the city, two S-300 rockets were shot down by Ukrainian Buks, one of which fell on a residential building.

Western media outlets, including NPR and AP, reported on Sunday that it was Russian missiles that fell on “at least two” apartment buildings in the Ukrainian capital, according to Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko, who called the attack symbolic, ahead of this week’s NATO summit in Madrid.

Ukraine accuses Russia of bombing civilian area of Kiev
Ukraine accuses Russia of bombing civilian area of Kiev
Klitschko wrote on his Telegram channel on Sunday that one person died and four people were hospitalized as a result of the incident, while 24 other residents were evacuated from the building.

A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force claimed that Russian aircraft had launched up to six missiles at Kiev on Sunday and that two of them were intercepted mid-air.

Russia attacked the neighboring state in late February, following Ukraine’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, first signed in 2014, and Moscow’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. The German- and French-brokered protocols were designed to give the breakaway regions special status within the Ukrainian state.

The Kremlin has since demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two republics by force.

[pounamuknight]

Rewinding back to those Israeli mercs


Living the dream!
Cgl9Zvpu3Z8

49202

Reality

ZjaV3CB2ibE

Interesting unverified update

https://twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1541405119639683074

[Vicus]

ISRAEL PROVOKES RUSSIA - GONZALO LIRA

7DIDtKnDBwhu/

[Vicus]

MINE-CLEARING OPERATION UNDERWAY IN MARIUPOL

eONmNTEG8Bfg/

[Vicus]

How to Destroy Russia. 2019 Rand Corporation Report: “Overextending and Unbalancing Russia”

Force the adversary to expand recklessly in order to unbalance him, and then destroy him. This is not the description of a judo hold, but a plan against Russia elaborated by the Rand Corporation, the most influential think tank in the USA. With a staff of thousands of experts, Rand presents itself as the world’s most reliable source for Intelligence and political analysis for the leaders of the United States and their allies.

The Rand Corp prides itself on having contributed to the elaboration of the long-term strategy which enabled the United States to win the Cold War, by forcing the Soviet Union to consume its own economic resources in the strategic confrontation.

It is this model which was the inspiration for the new plan, Overextending and Unbalancing Russia, published by Rand [1].


According to their analysts, Russia remains a powerful adversary for the United States in certain fundamental sectors. To handle this opposition, the USA and their allies will have to pursue a joint long-term strategy which exploits Russia’s vulnerabilities. So Rand analyses the various means with which to unbalance Russia, indicating for each the probabilities of success, the benefits, the cost, and the risks for the USA.

Rand analysts estimate that Russia’s greatest vulnerability is that of its economy, due to its heavy dependency on oil and gas exports. The income from these exports can be reduced by strengthening sanctions and increasing the energy exports of the United States. The goal is to oblige Europe to diminish its importation of Russian natural gas, and replace it by liquefied natural gas transported by sea from other countries.

Another way of destabilising the Russian economy in the long run is to encourage the emigration of qualified personnel, particularly young Russians with a high level of education.

In the ideological and information sectors, it would be necessary to encourage internal contestation and at the same time, to undermine Russia’s image on the exterior, by excluding it from international forums and boycotting the international sporting events that it organises.

In the geopolitical sector, arming Ukraine would enable the USA to exploit the central point of Russia’s exterior vulnerability, but this would have to be carefully calculated in order to hold Russia under pressure without slipping into a major conflict, which it would win.

In the military sector, the USA could enjoy high benefits, with low costs and risks, by increasing the number of land-based troops from the NATO countries working in an anti-Russian function.

The USA can enjoy high probabilities of success and high benefits, with moderate risks, especially by investing mainly in strategic bombers and long-range attack missiles directed against Russia.

Leaving the INF Treaty and deploying in Europe new intermediate-range nuclear missiles pointed at Russia would lead to high probabilities of success, but would also present high risks.

By calibrating each option to gain the desired effect – conclude the Rand analysts – Russia would end up by paying the hardest price in a confrontation, but the USA would also have to invest huge resources, which would therefore no longer be available for other objectives. This is also prior warning of a coming major increase in USA/NATO military spending, to the disadvantage of social budgets.

This is the future that is planned out for us by the Rand Corporation, the most influential think tank of the Deep State – in other words the underground centre of real power gripped by the economic, financial, and military oligarchies – which determines the strategic choices not only of the USA, but all of the Western world.

The “options” set out by the plan are in reality no more than variants of the same war strategy, of which the price in sacrifices and risks is paid by us all. :sherlock:


https://www.globalresearch.ca/rand-corp-how-destroy-russia/5678456

[Ewan]

Most of the British papers today running with a story of Russian missile strikes on a shopping centre and going as far as to claim crimes against humanity.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61956711 (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61956711)

The article contains the much loved 'get out' clause.

However, the BBC has been unable to verify this.

[Bill Ryan]

Most of the British papers today running with a story of Russian missile strikes on a shopping centre and going as far as to claim crimes against humanity.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61956711

Nonsense. :facepalm:

This was being discussed in The Moon of Alabama comments (https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/06/newsbits-on-ukraine-lysichansk-cauldron-civilian-damage-reserve-troops-russian-default.html#comments) yesterday. The Russian missile hit an industrial facility (repairing Ukrainian military equipment) next to the mall, which would have had very few if any people in it. The casualties came from the machine shop.

This will be old news to every single reader here, but it's astonishing and sometimes even shocking when we see so very blatantly what a tool of propaganda the western media has become over the years.

[Bill Ryan]

Mod note from Bill:

I moved 7 posts (and copied/edited another) which were discussing the Sputnik vaccine to this new thread:


The Russian Sputnik Vaccine (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?118904-The-Russian-Sputnik-Vaccine)

It's a very interesting topic, which I've refrained from posting about personally as I know almost nothing about it — and would definitely like to know more. Among my many questions are


What percentage of the Russian population has been vaxxed?
What's the policy (and % take up) with booster shots?
Are injuries being reported?
Russian alt media is very strong. Has there been analysis and discussion of the vaccine contents?
Has the Russian military been fully vaxxed?

But please comment on the new thread (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?118904-The-Russian-Sputnik-Vaccine) specifically for that topic... thanks to all.

:grouphug: :focus:

[Ewan]

Most of the British papers today running with a story of Russian missile strikes on a shopping centre and going as far as to claim crimes against humanity.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61956711

Nonsense. :facepalm:

This was being discussed in The Moon of Alabama comments (https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/06/newsbits-on-ukraine-lysichansk-cauldron-civilian-damage-reserve-troops-russian-default.html#comments) yesterday. The Russian missile hit an industrial facility (repairing Ukrainian military equipment) next to the mall, which would have had very few if any people in it. The casualties came from the machine shop.

This will be old news to every single reader here, but it's astonishing and sometimes even shocking when we see so very blatantly what a tool of propaganda the western media has become over the years.

Of course it is nonsense!

Perhaps I should have underlined and bolded the following as below...

The article contains the much loved 'get out' clause.

However, the BBC has been unable to verify this.

Headlines accusing the russians of war crimes and then saying it may not be true.

[Bill Ryan]

Most of the British papers today running with a story of Russian missile strikes on a shopping centre and going as far as to claim crimes against humanity.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61956711

Nonsense. :facepalm:

This was being discussed in The Moon of Alabama comments (https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/06/newsbits-on-ukraine-lysichansk-cauldron-civilian-damage-reserve-troops-russian-default.html#comments) yesterday. The Russian missile hit an industrial facility (repairing Ukrainian military equipment) next to the mall, which would have had very few if any people in it. The casualties came from the machine shop.

This will be old news to every single reader here, but it's astonishing and sometimes even shocking when we see so very blatantly what a tool of propaganda the western media has become over the years.

Of course it is nonsense!

Perhaps I should have underlined and bolded the following as below...

The article contains the much loved 'get out' clause.

However, the BBC has been unable to verify this.

Headlines accusing the Russians of war crimes and then saying it may not be true.Yes! My "nonsense" adjudication was intended for the BBC, not you. :) :thumbsup:

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/thesiriusreport/status/1541696772099264512
1541696772099264512

First Foreign Ship Sails From Mariupol Port, As Mariupol Starts To Rebuild

E8irsSCl6Co

https://twitter.com/Levi_godman/status/1541777354258894849
1541777354258894849

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/mission_russian/status/1541726885897453569
1541726885897453569

https://twitter.com/Levi_godman/status/1541757481130541056
1541757481130541056

https://twitter.com/VeraVanHorne/status/1541704974681444352
1541704974681444352

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/Russ_Warrior/status/1541728338548752385
1541728338548752385

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1541700430446571521

1541700430446571521

https://www.rt.com/russia/557948-moscow-threatens-kaliningrad-baltic/

Russia threatens ‘to cut off oxygen’ to EU member
Moscow’s response to the Lithuanian ban on Kaliningrad transit could be tough enough to “cut off oxygen” to the Baltic countries, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has warned.

Kaliningrad is a small Russian exclave nestled between Lithuania and Poland. Earlier this month, Vilnius’ national rail operator suspended the transit of sanctioned goods between Kaliningrad and the rest of Russia, citing instructions from Brussels.

In an interview with the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper, Medvedev claimed that the EU did not insist on imposing restrictions and thus Lithuania “obsequiously bowed to American benefactors, once again demonstrating its moronic Russophobic attitudes.”

Emphasizing that the transit ban was a part of a “proxy war” unleashed by the West against Russia, Medvedev promised that retaliatory measures from Moscow would be “very tough.”

Lithuania clarifies stance on transit to Russian exclave READ MORE: Lithuania clarifies stance on transit to Russian exclave
According to him, many of the possible retaliatory steps would be of an economic nature and “capable of cutting off the oxygen to the Baltic neighbors who have taken hostile actions.”

Medvedev, who is now deputy chair of the Russian National Security Council, stressed that Russia could also apply ‘asymmetric’ measures.

“Such an escalation is a bad choice. And those who suffer from it are the ordinary citizens of Lithuania, whose standard of living, by European standards, is just beggarly,” Medvedev claimed.

His remarks came two days after Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said that his country would maintain the ban and that “there cannot be any ‘corridors’, nor can there be any appeasement of Russia in response to the Kremlin’s threats.”

The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, earlier explained that the bloc was not seeking to impose a “blockade” on Russia’s Kaliningrad Region and would review its sanctions guidelines to avoid “blocking” traffic into and out of the exclave. He also explained that Lithuania’s actions were aimed foremost at preventing the circumvention of anti-Russia sanctions imposed over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.[COLOR="red"]

¤=[Post Update]=¤

[

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541799432978579456

1541799432978579456


https://twitter.com/jacksonhinklle/status/1541600395578859520
1541600395578859520


Video with English subtitles

https://twitter.com/luc_ma66/status/1541390937242406915
1541390937242406915

[Ravenlocke]

The group “O” bringing gifts to children

https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1541666860264980482
1541666860264980482

Humanitarian aid
https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1541528464582385665
1541528464582385665

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/tassagency_en/status/1541798795800985600
1541798795800985600

https://tass.com/politics/1472635?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=smm_social_share


Lavrov says BRICS starts preparatpry process for expansion

Russia's top diplomat stressed that both Argentina and Iran were worthy and respected candidates

Argentina and Iran are worthy of joining BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), the preparatory process for the bloc's expansion has been launched, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday following a meeting of foreign ministers of the Caspian states.

"Of course, both Argentina and Iran are worthy and respected candidates, as well as a number of other countries that are also mentioned in the discussions," the minister said, responding to a question from TASS.

According to Lavrov, the decision to join BRICS will be determined by consensus. "The most important thing is that the preparatory process has been launched," the Russian foreign minister stressed, "The main criterion here will be to ensure further effectiveness and increase the practical impact of the bloc’s work.".


https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1541745730200772608
1541745730200772608

https://www.rt.com/news/557941-iran-brics-argentina-membership/

Two countries apply to join BRICS
The Islamic Republic of Iran has officially submitted its application to join the group of five leading economies made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the foreign ministry in Tehran announced on Monday. The move comes after the Iranian president addressed the BRICS summit last week.

While BRICS is not a treaty bloc, it has a “very creative mechanism with broad aspects,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday, according to the Tasnim news agency. He added that Tehran has already had “a series of consultations” with BRICS about the application.

Iran’s membership would “add value” for everyone involved, said Khatibzadeh, noting that BRICS members account for up to 30% of the world’s GDP and 40% of the global population.

South American nation wants to join BRICS READ MORE: South American nation wants to join BRICS
On Friday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi addressed the BRICS virtual summit hosted by China, and expressed Tehran’s readiness to share its capabilities and potentials with the group.

Argentina has also applied to join BRICS. President Alberto Fernandez on Friday urged the creation of cooperation mechanisms that could represent the alternative to ostensibly private institutions run by – and in the interest of – the West.

During the session on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the five-member group was working on setting up a new global reserve currency “based on a basket of currencies of our countries.”

[Ravenlocke]

https://tass.com/world/1472505?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=smm_social_share


Hostilities to end if Kiev orders nationalists to lay down weapons — Kremlin spokesman

Earlier, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky remarked that he would like to end the hostilities before the cold comes

MOSCOW, June 28. /TASS/. Hostilities in Ukraine may end "before the end of today," if Kiev orders the nationalists to lay down their weapons, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Tuesday.

"The Ukrainian side can end all this before the end of this day; an order is necessary for the nationalist units to lay down their weapons, an order is necessary for the Ukrainian military to lay down their weapons; and they must fulfill all Russia’s demands. Then everything will be over before the day ends," the spokesman said, commenting on Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s remark that he would like to end the hostilities before the cold comes.

"Everything else are just speculations of the Ukrainian head of state," the spokesman added.

"We orient ourselves on the statements made by our President [Vladimir Putin] that the special military operation proceeds according to the plan and achieves its goals," the spokesman underscored.

When asked if the Russian side has any approximate timeframe for the end of the special operation, Peskov answered in a negative.

"No," he said.

[Ravenlocke]

https://www.rt.com/russia/557965-russia-comments-alleged-shopping-mall-strike/

Russia comments on alleged mall strike in Ukraine
The Russian military has confirmed an airstrike on the Ukrainian city of Kremenchug on Monday, but claimed it targeted a stockpile of Western weapons. The detonation caused damage to a nearby non-functioning shopping mall, Tuesday’s report said. Kiev had claimed that Russia attacked the shopping center, killing and injuring many civilians.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the location of the arms stockpile was near the Kredmash factory. The Amstor Mall, where a fire was reported by Ukrainian sources on Monday, is right next to it. The military claimed that the Western munitions detonated and caused a fire at the facility, which was no longer operating.

Ukrainian officials claim that the mall was packed with people at the moment Russia allegedly attacked it. However, video showed that the car park outside was almost empty.

According to the latest casualty report, 18 people were killed and 59 injured in the incident, with 25 of the wounded taken to the hospital for treatment.

READ MORE: Zelensky claims Russian missiles hit Ukrainian shopping mall
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the incident in Kremenchug as “one of the most blatant terrorist attacks in European history.” He stated that the site posed no threat to the Russian military and had no strategic value.

Kremenchug is a city in central Ukraine around 250km southeast from Kiev. The Russian military had previously attacked a major oil refinery in the city, denying the Ukrainian military fuel for their vehicles.

¤=[Post Update]=¤

https://twitter.com/Russ_Warrior/status/1541789299557154816
1541789299557154816

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541713764265115649
1541713764265115649

https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541713772305616896
1541713772305616896

https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541713778731274240
1541713778731274240

https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1541713781126209536

1541713781126209536

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1541798589910884353
1541798589910884353

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/RussianEmbassy/status/1541719320526479361

1541719320526479361

https://twitter.com/RussianEmbassy/status/1541719633660633088
1541719633660633088

[Bill Ryan]

A brief mention of the countries attending the 14th BRICS summit, chaired by China on 23-24 June, just a few days ago.

Besides the founding nations of Russia, China, India, South Africa and Brazil, present were


Algeria
Argentina
Cambodia
Egypt
Ethiopia
Fiji
Indonesia
Iran
Kazakhstan
Malaysia
Senegal (representing the 55 countries of the African Union)
Thailand
Uzbekistan.

There are some fairly major nations there (none in Europe, of course), and this is one of the steps towards the inevitable new multipolar world.

[marielle]

I really enjoyed Robert Barnes' analysis of the different factions within the U.S government and how they are handling the Ukraine war:

Cb9UjL_ZoKw

His discussion of the "Deep State Divide" is very interesting--parts of the deep state want OUT now and other factions, such as the State Department want to escalate.

Let's hope saner heads prevail.

[kfm27917]

severodonetsk has fallen


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81PRbWC9dgo

[Vicus]

0cZLquO2QTE

[Vicus]

d-BzyGQ_XSg

[Vicus]

The United Kingdom and its allies are facing a “1937 moment” in light of Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, and therefore must “mobilise” its armed forces to “meet today’s threat and thereby prevent war in Europe,” the head of the British Army said on Tuesday.

Speaking before an annual army conference in London, General Sir Patrick Sanders, who became the head of the Chief of the General Staff earlier this month, warned that while the UK is not officially at war with Russia it must “act rapidly so that we aren’t drawn into one through a failure to contain territorial expansion.”

“It is dangerous to assume that Ukraine is a limited conflict; one of its obvious lessons is that Putin’s calculations do not always follow our logic,” General Sanders said.

The Army chief went on to warn that while Ukraine may have secured early victories, he noted that the Russian military “wages war at the strategic, not the tactical level – its depth and resilience means it can suffer any number of campaigns, battles and engagements lost, regenerate and still ultimately prevail.”

“We don’t yet know how the war in Ukraine will end, but in most scenarios, Russia will be an even greater threat to European security after Ukraine than it was before. The Russian invasion has reminded us of the time-honoured maxim that if you want to avert conflict, you better be prepared to fight,” Sanders declared.

He went on to note that with the growing threat of Communist China, the United States will become more engaged militarily in the Pacific theatre and therefore the United Kingdom and European members of NATO will necessarily bear more of the brunt in confronting the threat posed by Russia.

Despite the British government allocating £41 billion to Army equipment over the next decade, prior to the war in Ukraine, the government had announced that it would be looking to decrease the number of active soldiers in its ranks in favour of drones and other cyberwarfare. Sanders said that this should be taken off the table due to the potential need for troops on the ground in a land war in Europe, describing the idea as “perverse”.

Other NATO nations have also been stepping up their spending on defence, notably Germany, which has consistently failed to meet the two per cent of GDP requirement of the treaty, a failure that was persistently noted by former President Donald Trump. Following the invasion of Ukraine in February, Chancellor Olaf announced that it would commit an additional €100 billion to defence spending annually.

The statements from the top commander of the British Army came amid the backdrop of the G7 summit in Bavaria, Germany. At the summit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the most hawkish ally of Ukraine — perhaps due to Britain being less reliant on Russian energy than its European counterparts — contended that the West should not engage in peace talks with Russia as the prospect of ceding Ukrainian territory in any agreement would only serve to embolden future territorial expansions through war.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2022/06/28/uk-army-chief-calls-for-mobilisation-of-military-compares-russian-invasion-to-world-war-ii-lead-up/

[Vicus]

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR NUCLEAR WAR IN 2022?

A horrific world war started in late February 2022. At present, NATO-allied nations are on a collision course with the Russian Federation. The Russians don’t want to fight the USA and Western Europe, but the American and European ruling classes want the war. A billion people could die sometime this year. Are you prepared for it?

https://www.trunews.com/stream/are-you-prepared-for-nuclear-war-in-2022

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/ILRUSSO1/status/1542151362028470272

1542151362028470272

Here is an article from The Barent Observer written in January 2022 about Rosneft :


Rosneft might have made a major discovery in the Pechora Sea

January 21, 2022

The Medynsko-Varandeyskoye license is believed to hold as much as 410 million tons of oil.

According to Interfax, the state company in the period 2020-2021 drilled an exploration well in the license area located along the southeastern coast of the Pechora Sea.

The drilling of the well named Madachagskaya-2 reportedly proved the “existence of industrial resources of oil,” information obtained from Rosneft shows.


Rosneft controls a total of 28 license areas in Arctic waters, among the Medynsko-Varandeysky area in the Pechora Sea. Map by Rosneft
Further exploration of the well is now under planning. That includes also the drilling of an additional well, Interfax reports.

The upcoming well is expected to be conducted in the period 2023-2024.

Rosneft is believed to have drilled a first well - the Madachagskaya-1 - in the area in 2017.

Project information indicates that the well drilling is conducted horizontally from the Pesyakov Island, the small piece of land along the Pechora Sea coast. Nearby is Varandey, the site of Lukoil’s oil terminal.

The license area is located closely also to the Prirazlomnoye, the offshore oil field that has been in production since 2013.

aters in the Pechora Sea are shallow and in the area of the license area — only between 10-19 meters.

The license was originally controlled by Arktikshelfneftegaz, the Murmansk-based company that ultimately was acquired by Rosneft. It is today called RN-Shelf-Arktika.

Reportedly, Rosneft negotiated with Chinese state oil company CNPC about joint development of the resources in the Pechora Sea. However, the Chinese company saw too many risks in the projects, Interfax informs.

Rosneft controls a total of 28 offshore licenses in the Arctic, eight of them in the Pechora Sea.

The rest is here

https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/industry-and-energy/2022/01/rosneft-might-have-made-major-discovery-pechora-sea



https://solicoop42.org/rosneft-reportedly-made-a-major-discovery-in-the-pechora-sea/

Rosneft Reportedly Made a Major Discovery in the Pechora Sea
Daniel H. Joyce
January 21, 2022
According to Interfax, the state-owned company during the period 2020-2021 drilled an exploration well in the license area located along the southeast coast of the Pechora Sea.

The drilling of the well named Madachagskaya-2 would have proven “the existence of industrial oil resources”, according to information obtained from Rosneft.

Rosneft controls a total of 28 license areas in Arctic waters, including the Medynsko-Varandeysky area in the Pechora Sea. Map by Rosneft
Further exploration of the well is being planned. This also includes the drilling of an additional well, Interfax reports.

The next well should be completed during the 2023-2024 period.

Rosneft reportedly drilled a first well – Madachagskaya-1 – in the area in 2017.

Project Information indicates that the drilling of the well is carried out horizontally from the island of Pesyakov, the small piece of land along the coast of the Pechora Sea. Nearby is Varandey, the site of Lukoil’s oil terminal.

The license area is also located near the Prirazlomnoye, the offshore oil field in production since 2013.

[kfm27917]

The New, New, New World Order

Voiced by Amazon Polly
History ended in 1991. That, at least, was the myth put about by a certain triumphalist brand of neoliberal. The West had won the cold war. The communist beast had been slayed. And the looming twenty-first century would be an American one. From that point on, there would be just one globalised system in which states traded and played according to the values and rules of the USA and its western vassals. This was, if you will, the New World Order 1.0 – the new American century and the economic Great Moderation.

There were detractors of course. The late Immanuel Wallerstein pointed out that peak America happened in 1945 not 1991, while the late Chalmers Johnson argued that the true meaning of 1991 was that the USSR had merely collapsed first, and that the USA would surely follow suit – not least as the consequences of its – often violent – attempt to dictate the global rules came home to roost. Although broadly correct, the detractors tended to mistake inevitability for imminence, and were disappointed by the two decades of western, debt-based economic growth which followed. Indeed, even the unravelling – following the peak of conventional oil production in 2005 and the resulting banking and financial crash in 2008 – has also proceeded at a snail’s pace. Nevertheless, the 2008 crash and the ensuing depression spurred the western elites to re-imagine their New World Order.

The New, New World Order was the somewhat amorphous Fourth Industrial Great Green New Reset promoted by western oligarchs like Mr Gates and by the disciples and minions of real-life Bond villain Herr Schwab and his World Economic Forum. This was the fantasy of a highly technological economy powered entirely by the solar energy arriving on Earth moment by moment rather than by the millions of years of solar energy stored in the oil, gas and coal which still provide 85 percent of the energy that drives the global economy. And as with climate change itself, so long as it was all a long way in the future, and so long as the costs didn’t have to be paid up front, the majority of western populations could buy into the narrative.

I say “western,” because our inward-looking worldview, fuelled by a narrow and imperialistic media and an intellectually bankrupt political class, tended to gloss over the fact that the overwhelming majority of the world’s states never bought into our imagined New World Order 2.0. Indeed, and for good reason, the majority of the world’s people had learned to despise a western empire which has systematically syphoned the wealth from their countries while thwarting – often violently – any attempt on their part to develop governments that act in their national interests. Not that this, in and of itself, would have been a problem for the western states – the USA is still by far the biggest military spender on the planet, and is fully capable of bombing a small country back to the stone age.



Largely ignored by an arrogant western technocracy though, was the fact that immediately after the 2008 crash, the non-western major economies of the world – Brazil, Russia, India, China and others – began planning the eventual move away from the dollar currency and trading system which has dominated global finance since the end of the Second World War. It is this dollar system, remember, that as early as 1968, Jacques Rueff, economic advisor to De Gaulle, called an:

“Exorbitant privilege [to run a] deficit without tears, [to] lend without borrowing, and purchase without paying.”

So long as the world had to trade in US dollars – and woe betide any leader or country that tried an alternative – the people of the non-western economies had to provide America with the equivalent value of a dollar for every dollar of imports they needed. Between 1944 and 1971, this meant providing exports worth a thirty-fifth of an ounce of gold for every dollar of imports. Later, after the Nixon administration’s deal with the Saudi royal family, it meant whatever the going dollar value of oil happened to be. For the USA in contrast, the only cost in obtaining a dollar’s worth of imports was the cost of the paper and ink used to print new dollars – and in the current system merely the additional bytes on a central bank computer somewhere. The USA getting something for nothing from everyone else – including developed vassals like France, which is why Reuff was so annoyed – was the very essence of empire, syphoning the world’s wealth back to the motherland where its elites could enjoy lifestyles which would have made the Gods of Olympus jealous.

For an undeveloped or developing country though, the dollar system was, and is, far more punitive. Without tradable goods to exchange for dollars, the only way of funding imports – including of commodities and goods required for economic development – was to go to western investors or to US-backed institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to borrow the dollars they needed. But in addition to wanting interest, these lenders have imposed stifling western, neoliberal austerity on these countries which, in practice, have worked to impoverish indigenous populations.

It should come as no surprise then, that the majority of the world’s population are fearful as well as sceptical about the various New World Orders that the western empire claims are universal when, in reality, only around twenty percent of the world’s countries have bought into them. Indeed, the majority of the world’s states have been looking for an alternative to the western empire’s version of a world order for decades.

For an increasingly tired and economically fading western empire, there were two geopolitical imperatives after 1991. The first was similar to Bismarck’s in 1891 – to prevent the empire from becoming a minority among the world’s Great Powers. Bismarck’s successors’ failure was the Germany ended up allied to the weakest Great Power – Austria – while Britain, France, and Russia drew closer into an alliance. Their twentieth century US equivalents made the same mistake by gradually alienating both China and Russia to the point that both, previously hostile, countries began to have more in common with each other than with the western empire.

Crucially, both China and Russia have developed a common interest in mutually supporting one another in any conflict with the western empire, whether economic or military – the western empire increasingly expanding its European borders eastward while simultaneously threatening a military clash with China over Taiwan. More importantly, and despite western perceptions to the contrary, there has been growing recognition that while the Eurasian (and African and Latin American) economies can get along just fine without the western empire, the same is not true in reverse. Central to the neoliberal turn within the western empire from the late 1970s, a large part of European and American manufacturing was offshored. At the same time, investment was pulled from commodities – including energy – leaving the western empire largely dependent upon the wider world for energy, commodities and part-finished components.

The theory – which is currently being tested to destruction – was that whoever controlled the world’s currency ruled the world. This is classic energy-blindness, of course, since it views currency separate from the material real wealth that ultimately gives it exchange value. Without the dollar oil trading system, the US dollar is just another middle-ranking piece of paper, while the European currencies derived from it are – most likely – of more use for setting fires now that the electricity and gas are going away.

It is only the dollar-based banking and financial system – itself on the life support of quantitative easing and low interest rates – which has kept the western empire in the game since 2008. And in such a weakened state it was paramount that the western states avoid doing anything foolish like, say, crashing their just-in-time supply chains or, even more catastrophically, starting an undeclared economic war with the new, resource-rich Eurasian-centred coalition. Even the vehemently neoliberal and Russophobic Guardian has begun to notice that the western empire may have inadvertently embargoed itself:

“The days when solidarity with Ukraine meant putting a blue and yellow flag on your social media profile and watching TikToks of farmers merrily stealing Russian tanks are over. Britain is not strictly speaking at war, but ours is now a wartime economy. This country has entered a new and unfamiliar form of conflict which does not risk the lives of British soldiers, but effectively puts our economic wellbeing on the frontline instead. Withstanding the economic storm now buffeting us, as war pushes the price of both oil and wheat ever higher, is the contribution most ordinary Britons didn’t quite realise we were going to be making to the war effort.

“Life is already tough for millions thanks to the soaring fuel and food prices, which have driven up what would have been rocketing inflation anyway (caused globally by countries roaring back to life post-pandemic, and exacerbated in Britain by Brexit). But it’s going to get tougher when the weather gets cold enough to put the central heating on…”

This though, is only the tip of the iceberg, because while the shooting war in Ukraine is likely to be over before the clocks go back, the damage to the western empire is permanent. The many countries that have chosen not to sanction Russia are increasingly being drawn into a new trading bloc based around Russia, India, and China (the 11th, 5th and 2nd largest – in dollar GDP terms – economies respectively) the bloc (in blue in the chart) accounting for more than 75 percent of the world’s population:



You don’t have to like or agree with Vladimir Putin to take seriously the speech he made to the St. Petersburg Economic Forum last week. Five paragraphs – from an otherwise long and somewhat dull presentation – stand out:

“Many trade, industrial and logistics chains, which were dislocated by the pandemic, have been subjected to new tests. Moreover, such fundamental business notions as business reputation, the inviolability of property and trust in global currencies have been seriously damaged. Regrettably, they have been undermined by our Western partners, who have done this deliberately, for the sake of their ambitions and in order to preserve obsolete geopolitical illusions…

“When I spoke at the Davos Forum a year and a half ago, I also stressed that the era of a unipolar world order has come to an end. I want to start with this, as there is no way around it. This era has ended despite all the attempts to maintain and preserve it at all costs. Change is a natural process of history, as it is difficult to reconcile the diversity of civilisations and the richness of cultures on the planet with political, economic or other stereotypes – these do not work here, they are imposed by one centre in a rough and no-compromise manner.

“The flaw is in the concept itself, as the concept says there is one, albeit strong, power with a limited circle of close allies, or, as they say, countries with granted access, and all business practices and international relations, when it is convenient, are interpreted solely in the interests of this power. They essentially work in one direction in a zero-sum game. A world built on a doctrine of this kind is definitely unstable…

“Russia will never follow the road of self-isolation and autarky although our so-called Western friends are literally dreaming about this. Moreover, we are expanding cooperation with all those who are interested in it, who want to work with us, and will continue to do so. There are many of them. I will not list them at this point. They make up the overwhelming majority of people on Earth. I will not list all these countries now. It is common knowledge…

“We believe the development of a convenient and independent payment infrastructure in national currencies is a solid and predictable basis for deepening international cooperation…”

What we are being told here – and what is obvious enough to anyone who has been paying attention to what the rest of the world has been up to since 2008 – is that the emerging economic bloc has chosen this moment of self-inflicted economic injury by the western empire to accelerate plans for a New, New, New World Order which claims to be a fairer, gold and commodities-backed system than the fiat US dollar system which had dominated – and exploited – the planet for the past eight decades.

To be clear, this is not about the BRICs system replacing the dollar. Rather, it is about the emergence of a multi-polar world similar to that of the late nineteenth century. Rather than a single currency backed by the threat of violence – what we euphemistically refer to as the military-industrial complex – the New, New, New World Order will operate multiple currencies whose value will be backed by commodities and determined by the true strength of the economy where they are issued.

This spells serious economic woes for western economies which have depended upon dollar privilege to enjoy wealth and lifestyles far in excess of anything their real economies could hope to achieve. Britain, for example – whose biggest export good is Scotch whisky – will struggle to find anything with which to trade with the New World Order 3.0 states once it becomes obvious to all concerned that the things we “manufacture,” like Nissan cars or pharmaceuticals are merely the final assembly of components made elsewhere. As someone once noted, “if you import and assemble all of the parts of a car, then spray it with paint before re-exporting it, you are not exporting cars, you are exporting paint!” Take away Britain’s re-exports in a post-dollar system in which our money-laundering banking and financial system no longer has value, and it is difficult to see how we pay our way in the world.

On the bright side though, as we shiver in the dark, our bellies gnawed with hunger, we can console ourselves with the fact that the human population is only in overshoot because of the excess consumption within the western economies in general and the affluent regions of the USA in particular. Only those exporting states with negative embedded energy trade scores (in blue in the chart) stand to thrive in the future. Those in orange will have to adjust their standard of living closer to the global average:



Moreover, since the obscene wealth of the western elites is about to be inflated and/or defaulted into oblivion, they will finally be able to look the rest of the world in the eye when they discuss carbon reduction without that nagging New World Order 2.0 feeling that they are viewed as inveterate hypocrites by everyone else… Collapse, it seems, is the greenest option of all!

https://consciousnessofsheep.co.uk/2022/06/22/the-new-new-new-world-order/

[Bill Ryan]

War reporter Andrey Rudenko is in an Azovstal bomb shelter, presenting evidence about how some of the foreign mercenaries (or their bodies, if they were already dead) may have been "disposed of".

Just 2 minutes. The video comments include a great deal of interesting speculation about what really may have happened here.

Foreign mercenaries (or their bodies) were burned as unnecessary witnesses at Azovstal

qwUmUK9JhqQC

[Bill Ryan]

A neat little comment (https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/06/ukraine-open-thread-2022-99.html?cid=6a00d8341c640e53ef02a2eeca1de6200d#comment-6a00d8341c640e53ef02a2eeca1de6200d) today at The Moon of Alabama.

The West turned Ukraine into a gun pointed at Russia's heart.
Russia slapped the gun away and kicked Ukraine in the balls.
The West said, "That's not nice!"

:)

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1542209681166327808
1542209681166327808

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1542211328936402945
1542211328936402945

https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1542202287631867907
1542202287631867907

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1542213179060752384
1542213179060752384

https://twitter.com/GeromanAT/status/1542222132138090498
1542222132138090498

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1542159234711830539
1542159234711830539

https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1542159242161004544
1542159242161004544

https://twitter.com/DeuNachrichten/status/1542159252713836552
1542159252713836552

[Bill Ryan]

A much-praised Twitter thread from Will Schryver. Here's the whole thing (https://twitter.com/imetatronink/status/1541780685937332224), and this is the text:

~~~

Observations on the Ukraine War, 28 June:

I've watched a LOT of drone footage from this war. I've seen, from a bird's eye view, the construction and logic of the field fortifications Ukraine constructed, with US guidance, over the course of eight years.

The logic of these ubiquitous pre-prepared fortifications harkens back to the 1864-65 Battle of Petersburg (US Civil War), with many WW1 innovations – a logic where victory depends on: - you not running out of men and ammo - the enemy being comparatively stupid.

Of course, when you think about it, the revealed logic of Ukraine’s long-prepared strategy for this war is, in many ways, a reflection of American military delusions and vanities, which multiplied and solidified over the course of the brief and fleeting “unipolar moment”.

Despite not having “won” a war since 1945 (and then only truly against the Japanese), the US military is consumed with the vanity that it has always dominated opposing forces in every conflict. There is some measure of truth in this perspective.

But it is irrelevant. Because, since no later than the Korean War, the US has not faced a peer or near-peer adversary in a high-intensity conflict. The US military has not been, for almost three-quarters of century, truly tested “under-fire”. This is an indisputable fact.

Consequently, the Pentagon’s self-perception of unquestioned supremacy has served to disinform and corrupt its doctrinal and procurement decisions for multiple generations of its officer corps. For most US generals and admirals, all putative opponents are underestimated.

That said, I believe a great many have now been awakened from their intellectual slumber by the manner in which the Russian armed forces quickly assessed the Ukrainian order of battle, and then professionally adapted their strengths and tactics to decisively defeat it.

Here is a brief summation of the Russian tactical approach to the Battle of the Donbass:

Step #1: advance reconnaissance units (often in force, with dozens or hundreds of drones overhead) to assess the situation; draw fire; relay to commanders raw video and geo-coordinates.

Step #2: with target-correcting drone swarms relaying real-time strike video, proceed to savage the fortifications with towed and mobile artillery, MLRS in gradations of strength and precision, and even horrific thermobaric munitions for particularly suitable targets.

Let smoke clear.
Repeat Step #1. Still something moving there?
Repeat Step #2. Repeat Step #1. Dead bodies everywhere?

Step #3: Send in tanks and infantry to mop up. Move to next series of fortifications. And so on and so forth.

This is why Ukraine now suffers hundreds of KIAs every day. And why, for months, the Russians have suffered very few casualties – at least a 1 to 10 ratio. Probably much lower. The artillery (with occasional air and precision missile strikes) is doing all the fighting.

But back to Ukraine’s apparent strategy for this war, and the apparent US influence on that strategy. I will preface my commentary on this issue by stating that I am now thoroughly convinced Ukraine’s fatal blunder was following NATO's advice.

I’ll grant the remote possibility that the Pentagon/CIA had a cogent view, far in advance, of the relative unlikelihood that a half-million-strong, well-armed, and presumptively well-trained (by NATO) Ukraine military didn’t have much chance against Russia.

But watching drone video of Ukrainian fortifications has convinced me the NATO brain trust effectively disdained Russian military capability, and its commanders, in the course of their eight-year-long preparation of the eastern Ukrainian battlefield.

They clearly believed the Russians would be stupid enough to assault Ukrainian fortifications using “modern” tactics entirely ill-suited to the task at hand. Their vanity persuaded them the Russians would beat themselves to pieces against an entrenched well-armed force.

Indeed, they were so confident of the genius of their plan that they persuasively encouraged many hundreds (if not thousands) of now-killed or captured NATO veterans to “share in the glory” of humiliating the Russians and bringing down the Putin regime once and for all.

They deluded themselves into believing the Russians lacked: strategic and logistical acumen, a sufficiently well-trained force, and – arguably the biggest miscalculation of all – sufficient stockpiles of ammo to conduct a protracted high-intensity conflict.

In short, I have come to believe the US/NATO actually persuaded themselves that this “Mother of All Proxy Armies” they built in Ukraine seriously had an excellent chance to soundly whip the Russians in a battle situated on their borders.

In other words, they not only grossly underestimated their enemy, but they ignored centuries of history that they somehow convinced themselves had no relevance to their 21st century aspirations to defeat Russia militarily and take a great spoil of its resources.

But, as is now readily apparent to all objective, knowledgeable military analysts around the globe, the US/NATO-trained Ukraine proxy army been savaged by a patient, methodical, and significantly outnumbered Russian force, using century-old doctrines and tactics.

Even more revealing is that once-vaunted and universally feared US/UK weaponry – almost all of it rather antiquated – has proven to be far less “game-changing” than the pea-brained strategists in Washington and Whitehall mistakenly believed.

Javelins, NLAWs, and Stingers have been exposed as effectively useless against their intended targets. M-777 howitzers break down after just a few fires. GPS-guided “precision” munitions are routinely jammed by Russian EW counter-measures.

Worse yet, the inculcation of NATO field doctrines in the minds of the AFU officer cadre has resulted in pervasively inflexible responses to battlefield events that developed contrary to expectations; discipline has disintegrated; improvisation has been paralyzed.

To be sure, if one were to go by the laughable assessments of western think-tank propagandists and their dutiful lackeys in the media, “Ukraine is winning” and “the inept Russian military has been humiliated”. But more discerning observers around the world know better.

What sober military men in potential adversary countries across the globe see is that Russia has, with one hand tied behind its back, eviscerated the massive, relatively well-armed and well-trained Ukraine military. The US intimidation factor has been forever compromised.

More geopolitically significant, at least in the near future, is that European NATO members can also read the scorecard of this war: they now understand as they never could previously that standing on the NATO side of the field is hardly a guarantee of security.

I am convinced NATO will not survive the results of this war in Ukraine. Sure, they’ll “keep up appearances” for the time being, but there can be no doubt that most now understand that siding with a rapidly declining empire is fraught with great risk and minimal gain.

More concerningly, the Chinese have been watching all of these developments with great interest. They are almost certain to be emboldened to act decisively to secure their sphere of influence in the emerging multipolar world. Great dangers now await in east Asia .

[Kryztian]

Another crack in the NATO/G8 wall. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz laughs and then doesn't answer the question when asked about giving the Ukraine "security guarantees" after the war is over. Pretty sure he wants that Nordstream pipeline turned on before the weather gets cold.

1542206273239674880

[kfm27917]

https://en.topwar.ru/198131-ukraina-poluchila-slovenskie-bmp-m-80a.html

Ukraine received Slovenian BMP M-80A

Challenges and limitations
Slovenian infantry fighting vehicles have recently arrived on Ukrainian territory and have not yet reached the combat zone. However, it is already clear that such a technique will not be able to change the situation. Moreover, along with it, the Ukrainian army receives a number of additional problems of various kinds.

First of all, a small amount of “new” technology becomes a problem. In recent months, Ukraine has lost hundreds of infantry fighting vehicles and other armored fighting vehicles. 35 Slovenian M-80A, even together with other equipment from other countries, will not make up for these losses. Accordingly, the infantry will still lack protected vehicles with a fire support function. Moreover, the number of equipment will continue to be reduced as a result of Russian strikes.

With all this, the combat value of the Yugoslav M-80A is low. So, they are protected only from bullets and small-caliber projectiles. Any anti-tank weapons, large caliber artillery or aviation armament almost with a guarantee strikes and destroys such equipment. Increasing the level of protection is possible only through attachments of various kinds, but this does not completely solve the problem.

Noteworthy is the specific composition of weapons. The M-80A carries a 20mm automatic cannon and an obsolete ATGM. This seriously limits the possible firepower, and in addition, leads to supply problems. So, for the HS.804 gun, 20x110 mm shells are required, which were not in service with the USSR and Ukraine. If they cannot be obtained from abroad, the already limited fire performance will become even worse.

Operational problems are to be expected. Even the newest serial M-80A is already over 30 years old and they managed to develop a significant part of the resource. Whether it will be possible to establish maintenance and repair processes, as well as to ensure the supply of the necessary spare parts, is a big question. However, the received cars may simply not survive until the next repair.

Thus, the Slovenian M-80A infantry fighting vehicles will practically not help the Ukrainian army in any way. At the same time, Slovenia was able to get rid of most of the obsolete cars, suitable only for recycling. In addition, she showed her loyalty to the Kyiv regime and its foreign partners, and also confirmed her readiness in principle to help with the supply of weapons and equipment.

However, such assistance will be very limited and may soon cease. Not so long ago, the Slovenian Minister of Defense stated bluntly that his country no longer has stocks of materiel to transfer to Ukraine. Accordingly, the current 35 infantry fighting vehicles may be the last aid from Slovenia. Whether the remaining cars will be transferred from storage, time will tell. But subsequent deliveries of other equipment, it seems, are no longer possible.

[kfm27917]

Lithuania pays €3 billion for Russian energy – could the dependence be cut?

https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1631705/lithuania-pays-eur3-billion-for-russian-energy-could-the-dependence-be-cut

[Mashika]

ha ha ha ha ha ha, oh no....

She's very pretty, but you can already see in her eyes how she's getting taken over by 'the beast' of war, she's going through a lot, i bet so. Those eyes are the ones that say "i have seen how people end up once hit by those shells, and now they are coming my way"

I know, i know dear sestra. Why did i come here? Why? What a stupid situation to be in

https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/13103
DonbassDevushka/13103

That this is a public video now, says that maybe, just maybe, the video was taken from the dead hand of whoever was there at the time recording it, and she did not made it out. It's just a 'maybe', but a big one these days

Just so you know, she's covering her eyes because she doesn't want to see dead coming, she's acting like a child just there, she just reverted into one. *because she knows she's about to die and hopes someone comes and makes everything safe*

And she was sent to die there, she understands that now. This is not new, the way her eyes moves is a very known thing, we just see it starting here

That's 'shell shock', and if you have not seen it before, look for it on youtube, is not something new at all

*Look at her eye movement* when she looks at the camera, it's already there, at initial stage

Look here at minute 0:49, she's starting that process right there, i have seen it before
X-elmAeX_4U

[Bill Ryan]

ha ha ha ha ha ha, oh no....

She's very pretty, but you can already see in her eyes how she's getting taken over by 'the beast' of war, she's going through a lot, i bet so. Those eyes are the ones that say "i have seen how people end up once hit by those shells, and now they are coming my way"

I know, i know dear sestra. Why did i come here? Why? What a stupid situation to be in

https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/13103
DonbassDevushka/13103

~~~

Yes. Thank you so much for sharing that. The realities of war. Almost no-one here will have seen this with their own eyes.

:flower::heart2::flower:

[Ravenlocke]

And also found here,

okYb26_EQLs

[Ravenlocke]

https://www.rt.com/russia/558083-russia-protest-norway-blockade/

Russia warns Norway over conflict in Arctic
Moscow has summoned, on Wednesday, Norway’s charge d’affaires Solveig Rossebo over the “unacceptable” ban on the delivery of supplies to a Russian Arctic mining operation in the Svalbard Islands, the Foreign Ministry has announced.

Norwegian media outlets had previously cited the authorities as confirming that the Russians on Svalbard were denied an exemption from sanctions that were imposed on Moscow over its conflict with Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that miners and other personnel have been unable to receive “critical” goods, including food, medical equipment, building materials, and spare parts.

Moscow promised “appropriate retaliatory measures” if the issue was not resolved.

READ MORE: Russians in Arctic face Norwegian blockade
Svalbard has been a flashpoint of diplomatic tensions between Moscow and Oslo before, when Norway tightened entry requirements following the 2015 visit of a senior Russian official under EU sanctions on account of Ukraine. Norway is not a member of the bloc.

Russia protested that such behavior was violating the 1920 treaty that established Norwegian rule over the islands.

This month, Moscow also accused Lithuania of breaking international law by suspending the transit of sanctioned goods in the Kaliningrad Region, a small Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea, and the rest of Russia.

[Ravenlocke]

https://tass.com/world/1473873?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=smm_social_share

30 JUN, 08:14
Transnistria detects ‘military movement’ near its borders, says top diplomat

At the end of April, a series of terrorist attacks occurred in Transnistria

MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Transnistrian authorities are closely monitoring the situation near its southern and western borders and register "certain military movements", the foreign minister of the unrecognized republic, Vitaly Ignatiev, said during a Rossiya-24 TV broadcast on Thursday.

"We are monitoring the situation. <...> We're working attentively on the entire perimeter of the border with Ukraine, we're also keeping an eye on the processes on the western border of Transnistria, on the Moldovan side. Of course, we are observing certain military movements there, a concentration of certain units. Work is being done in order to ensure maximum security, to protect the interests of our state, our citizens," he said.

Ignatiev noted that Tiraspol is ready for any scenarios of events. "But we would not want any provocations against Transnistria," Ignatiev stressed.

The minister recalled that in April, a group of 25-30 people had planted about 200 kilograms of explosives with the purpose of blowing up the antennas of the Mayak radio and TV center in Transnistria. "We know who was preparing, what was the path of this drone and who is involved in this kind of action, because the traces lead to the Yavorovo training ground in western Ukraine," Ignatiev pointed out.

According to him, the Transnistrian authorities are concerned and constantly call for "adequacy" from partners in Ukraine and Moldova.

Terrorist attacks in Transnistria

At the end of April, a series of terrorist attacks occurred in Transnistria: the State Security Ministry was shelled with grenade launchers and the antennas of one of the largest radio and television centers in the region in the village of Mayak were blown up. The military airfield near Tiraspol and the arsenal near the village of Kolbasna, where about 20,000 tons of ammunition were stored after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from European countries were under attack. The facility is guarded by the Operational Group of Russian Forces.

Transnistrian President Vadim Krasnoselsky said that the sabotage was organized from Ukrainian territory. According to him, employees of the Moldovan secret services were involved in the attempt to set fire to the military enlistment office in Tiraspol. After the terrorist attacks, the highest level of terrorist threat was introduced in the region and reinforced checkpoints were set up at the entrances to the cities. On May 25, the Transnistrian authorities lowered the terrorist threat level from red to yellow. Transnistrian authorities had repeatedly stated that Moldovan authorities were not cooperating in the investigation of these terrorist acts, although the Transnistrian side had provided them with relevant materials.

On June 27, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky declared his readiness to respond with a "blow" to a hypothetical threat from Transnistria.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/tassagency_en/status/1542174253902139395

1542174253902139395

https://tass.com/world/1473449?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=smm_social_share

Russia as a threat, China as a competitor: NATO adopts new Strategic Concept

MOSCOW, June 29. /TASS/. NATO considers Russia the "most significant and direct threat" to its security. Moscow has been excluded from NATO partners, according to the Strategic Concept, adopted during the summit in Madrid.

The bloc also intends to counter China, expand its partnership in the Asia Pacific Region and on the post-Soviet territory, and reinforce its own defense capabilities. The expansion of the bloc was called a "historic success."

Here are the key points of the new Strategic Concept.

Russia as a threat

- NATO recognizes Russia the most significant and direct threat to the alliance’s security.

- The organization no longer wants to view Russia as a partner, but it is ready to maintain communications channel open. NATO also claims it does not seek confrontation with Russia and does not pose a threat to it.

- The relations between NATO and Russia may change, but it depends on Moscow, the alliance believes.

Countering China

- NATO believes that deepening of partnership between Russia and China violates the alliance’s values and interests.

- According to the alliance, China seeks to undermine the current world order by controlling global logistics and economy.

- The alliance plans to deepen cooperation with its partners in the Indo-Pacific.

Reinforcement of the bloc

- NATO expansion has become a historic success for the alliance, reinforcing it and ensuring "security of millions of European citizens."

- NATO intends to "significantly strengthen" its forces for deterrence of Russia and self-defense. The member states agreed to expand their military budgets above 2% of GDP.

- The alliance views strategic nuclear forces, especially the US ones, as the highest guarantee of its security. The NATO nuclear deterrence strategy also depends on forward deployment of US nuclear weapons and contribution of interested allies.

- NATO plans to develop advanced technologies, including military application of artificial intelligence.

- The bloc considers external attack on its members possible.

Ties with Ukraine

- The bloc will continue reinforcing its partnership ties with Ukraine and Georgia, who seek to join the alliance.

- NATO leaders adopted a program of enhanced support to Ukraine, providing as much military and financial aid to Kiev as necessary.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1542249817870589955
1542249817870589955

https://twitter.com/Russiaconflict/status/1542519237175939073
1542519237175939073

https://twitter.com/stephenharper/status/1541799549173305350
1541799549173305350

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1542504715727998976
1542504715727998976

https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/europe/2022/06/30/natos-low-artillery-stockpile-threatens-deterrence-against-russia/

Nato's low artillery stockpile threatens deterrence against Russia
Governments need to order defence industry to ramp up supplies of shells and missiles to meet new challenges

Nato faces a significant challenge to adequately supply its new high readiness force with ammunition to defend against a potential Russian invasion, defence experts have said.

European countries have sent significant amounts of their weapon stockpiles to Ukraine creating concerns over equipping the alliance's new high readiness force of 300,000 troops on the eastern flank.

The National has learnt that there are a number of weapon systems that will take a long time to manufacture due to global supply shortages, including the NLAW anti-tank weapon.

While America has huge stockpiles of tanks, armoured vehicles and ammunition, European Nato forces do not and have witnessed a “noticeable reductions in inventory”, military analysts have said.

“There are issues around whether Nato has manufactured enough ammunition to meet its needs in the event of a war with Russia,” said military analyst Sam Cranny-Evans

“Parts of our defence industry have been neglected quite badly and the governments know that. To fix this is going to require a different type of relationship between defence departments and industry.”

The British-supplied NLAW anti-tank missile has proved highly successful against Russian tanks but it is difficult to obtain components for the system, including microchips provided by Taiwan.

The UK has given 5,000 NLAWs to Ukraine and it is understood that the government recently placed an order for a similar amount to the Belfast-based company that makes them.

However, the last major NLAW order was made in 2006 and now a number of components and machinery are difficult to replace.

Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, has held urgent talks with the top UK defence companies, including BAE Systems, requesting they ramp up production to resupply Ukraine and ensure the home defences are adequately supplied.

In its Strategic Concept announced on Wednesday Nato stated that it could not “discount the possibility of an attack against allies’ sovereignty” by Russia.

It will now assemble a force of 300,000 troops for the front line in Eastern Europe with 100,000 troops at “very high readiness” able to deploy within 10 days.

Light and heavy weapon systems, including air defence, artillery and tanks, will be “forward positioned” but there are questions whether they can be adequately supplied.

A number of smaller Nato countries have depleted their stockpiles, with the Czech Republic and Slovakia donating more relatively than any other country in terms of infantry fighting vehicles and tanks.

Poland has also supplied Ukraine with a quarter of its Soviet-era tank force sending 230 T72s out of its total of 860. It hopes to be “back-filled” by America supplying it with modern M1A1 Abrams tanks.

France has given about 15 out of its total of 70 advanced Caesar artillery pieces that have great accuracy and out-range Russian guns.

But there are questions over how readily Nato forces can build up stockpiles of artillery rounds that are proving effective in Ukraine.

Currently Ukraine is expending about 6,000 shells a day with the Russian figure approaching 20,000 rounds.

To build a credible deterrence Nato will have to create a stockpile to at least match the Russian expenditure, military experts have said.

“Can western industry meet the demand of 20,000 rounds a day when the demand signal for so long has been for exquisite precision-guided munitions as opposed to mass fires?” said Mr Cranny-Evans, of the London-based RUSI think tank.

“I personally don't believe they can right now. But if the political impetus is strong and determined enough, then there will be change. Because if you're not prepared to fight that long, grinding battle your deterrence is not credible.”

There is also a problem with the different sizes of various Nato ammunition as the artillery pieces sent to Ukraine have five different calibres.

However most of the combat vehicles sent are from stocks that are no longer widely used by Nato such as US Humvees or French VAB armoured vehicles.

US President Joe Biden speaks at a news conference on the final day of the Nato summit in Madrid. AP

Europe also retains strong air forces including fighter jets and attack helicopters that are largely superior to Russian aircraft.

Also, production lines for advanced precision guided munitions such as Javelin anti-tank missiles, Hellfire and Brimstone missiles are running well as there have been continuing orders.

Furthermore, defence observers say the weapons in Ukraine are causing significant attrition to Russian forces.

“Nato powers are drawing down their weapon systems but these are achieving real effects in Ukraine damaging and destroying Russian capabilities, which advances European security in places like the Baltics,” commented the defence blogger known as “Perun”.

A comment on his site mentioned Estonia sending 500 Javelin missiles to Ukraine in late February adding: “Every piece of Russian armour destroyed in Ukraine is one fewer system that can be used to invade the Baltics.”

Up to 800 Russian tanks have been lost in Ukraine.

[Ravenlocke]

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/06/no-nato-will-not-get-ready-for-war.html

No, NATO Will Not Get Ready For War
June 30, 2022

I had a good laugh when I read this nonsense:

NATO to boost troops on high alert to over 300,000 -Stoltenberg

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO will boost the number of troops on high alert by more than sevenfold to over 300,000, its secretary-general said on Monday, as allies prepared to adopt a new strategy describing Moscow as a direct threat four months into the Ukraine war.
...
Stoltenberg said NATO in future would have "well over 300,000" troops on high alert, compared to 40,000 troops that currently make up the alliance's existing quick reaction force, the NATO Response Force (NRF).
The new force model is meant to replace the NRF and "provide a larger pool of high readiness forces across domains, land, sea, air and cyber, which will be pre-assigned to specific plans for the defence of allies," a NATO official said.

NATO does not have 300,000 troops to put on high alert. The troops are controlled by member states and I see no willingness by any of them to shoulder the costs that a real high alert status would have. Units on high alert means that they fully manned with no one on vacation and with enough supplies ready to sustain weeks of battle. All of that costs money. Member states will instead designate existing units as 'high alert' ones and change nothing else in their usual equipment and training.

The statement is pure NATO public relations fluff. Stoltenberg did not even ask or inform member states before he made that announcement:

Stoltenberg’s announcement caught the top defense officials of many NATO members off guard, leading them to question which of their forces, if any, were being included in the 300,000 figure.
“Maybe it’s number magic?” said one senior European defense official, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk frankly about the confusion.

Several senior European security policymakers said they were taken by surprise, with no advance notice of the plan to expand NATO’s quick-response force from its current size of 40,000 in light of the Ukraine war and Russia’s ongoing military threats to NATO territory.

This was one of the ideas that are typical for NATO bureaucrats who live in their own fantasy world. They are the reason why the French president Macron has called NATO 'brain dead'. And no, it is really nothing more than an idea:

A NATO official, speaking on the condition of anonymity per the alliance’s ground rules, said that country-specific numbers still needed pinning down. Even the 300,000 total is theoretical for the moment: “The concept has not been fully worked up yet,” the official said. “We will have to do more to build up the model before we can work out what national commitments can be.”
Even so, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has already said her country will offer up 15,000 troops — a full division.

Lambrecht offered nothing. She will put the fake 'high alert' label on an existing division and change nothing else. That she did this is actually quite revealing. If Germany as one of the bigger NATO countries offers only one division size element where will the other 19 division size elements come from that are needed to make up a 300,000 strong force? Do they even exist?

NATO is just a shadow of its former self. Member states now have only a few troops that can be designated to work under NATO. Even those lack ammunition and depot weapons to make up for eventually losses. Some now even lack the industries to make more systems and grenades. They are also unable to make new ones that are fit for their purposes.

Neither of the big or small 'modern' weapons that were given to Ukraine has made a difference. The Javelins had empty batteries, the British NLAW anti-tank weapons were too weak to defeat Russian armor. Switchblade suicide drones are not controllable under Russian electronic warfare conditions. Stinger missiles have heat sensors that are too slow to acquire a fast moving target. The 'light' howitzer M-777 are too light for real battle conditions and tend to break.

NATO countries have put too much money into their air forces which will be unable to break through Russia's excellent air defenses. NATO's air defense is in contrast too weak. Just ask the Saudis how well their Patriot systems worked against Yemeni drones. Those systems can do nothing against Russia's medium range missiles. System like Iskander and Kalibr, of which Russia has many, are hard to find in NATO armies.

What is the last time NATO units have trained under electronic warfare conditions?

The New York Times interviewed nearly two dozen Ukrainian soldiers over the last several weeks who all pointed to similar problems: Russians jammed their radios constantly; they didn’t have enough communication gear; and they often had difficulty getting through to a commander to call for artillery support. Talking to units stationed nearby was also an issue, they said, which has led to Ukrainian forces occasionally firing on one another.
...
The General said that his two off-the-shelf radios were jammed constantly.
“They would use the stronger signal on the same frequency,” he said.

Troops in more specialized units have been issued U.S.-supplied encrypted radios and can speak to one another unhindered, one soldier said, but the radio’s high output means the Russians can find the locations they are broadcasting from.

“This is why we stopped communicating and only communicated the necessary minimum, such as if an evacuation was needed or an urgent help,” the soldier, who goes by the name Raccoon, added.

Materially NATO is not ready to fight. Politically it is also not ready.

John Helmer quotes excerpts from an interview with the former chief of staff of the Polish army, Miecyslaw Gocul:

You complain, and [NATO Secretary-General] Jens Stoltenberg has announced: “The NATO summit in Madrid will be groundbreaking. With a new strategic concept, we will make a fundamental change in NATO’s deterrence and defense.”
Before the NATO summit in Warsaw [in 2016]), at the Pact’s military committee, I asked Stoltenberg: what will be the guarantees for the eastern flank? He replied with a question: what else does Poland expect? I said straight out: security and prosperity, which is what the rest of us sitting at the table want.”

“Just like then, I hear the same slogans today, such as ‘do more with less’. There are also other fine-sounding calls, but these are only political slogans calculated for a positive public reaction and minimizing costs. They do not really bring about any political and military solutions.
...
Now the tension between Russia and Lithuania is growing, because the sanctions are blocking the Kaliningrad Oblast more and more. Could this be a hotspot?

If Putin wanted to start the war further and decided to cut a corridor through the Baltics to the Kaliningrad District at the Suwałki Gap, what forces could stop him? Could the forces of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland stop Putin? Not at all. Putin will not be stopped by the Americans, who are present on the eastern flank only in small numbers. I repeat, Russia talks and calculates only with strong countries and organizations. And NATO in our region is weak.

It indeed is. And except for few east European hot heads, everyone hopes that it will stay so. None of the bigger NATO member countries wants a large fight with Russia. That includes the United States. Why then prepare for it? Why buy weapons that will never be used?

On the other side Russia does not want anything from Europe. It does not have an ideology that seeks expansion. It wants to be left alone.

NATO is a cold war relict that was kept alive to give the U.S. some political advantages. Its real purpose has never changed: keep Germany down, Russia out and the U.S. in Europe. That will only change when western Europe starts to rebel against it.

Unfortunately the chances for that are low.

[Bill Ryan]

Light relief: (this isn't quite a 'Z' thing)


https://dnaindia.com/viral/report-russian-salad-on-the-menu-at-nato-summit-surprises-attendees-then-gets-sold-off-within-hours-2964478

‘Russian Salad’ on the menu at NATO summit surprises attendees, but it's so delicious it's sold out within hours

:)

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1542440301440163840
1542440301440163840

https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1542558643568222209
1542558643568222209
https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1542569264397357057
1542569264397357057

[Ravenlocke]

https://sputniknews.com/20220630/mod-russian-military-withdraws-forces-from-zmeiny-island-as-gesture-of-good-will-1096826022.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

MoD: Russian Military Withdraws Forces From Zmeiniy Island as Gesture of Good Will

Ostrov Zmeiniy, or Snake Island, located about 140 km south of Odessa, was seized by Russian forces during the first stage of the special operation, as... 30.06.2022, Sputnik International

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday that troops had left Zmeiniy Island in the Black Sea, stressing it was a demonstration of Moscow's good will amid the special op.
"On June 30, as a goodwill gesture, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation completed their assigned tasks on Zmeiniy Island and withdrew the garrison stationed there. Thus, it has been demonstrated to the world community that the Russian Federation does not interfere with the efforts of the UN to organize a humanitarian corridor for the export of agricultural products from the territory of Ukraine," the ministry said.

Moscow added that now it is up to Kiev to stop the blockade in the area, since Ukraine has not yet removed the sea mines which prevent ships from leaving Black Sea ports.The troop withdrawal also shows that Russia is not opposing the establishment of a UN humanitarian corridor which would allow shipments of grain to leave Ukraine.

Previously, this became a critical issue after the UN warned of the threat of a food crisis due to a shortage of grain exported from Ukraine. Moscow lambasted the reports suggesting that Russian forces may be impeding the deliveries, noting that the ports were blocked by the Ukrainian military.

At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry added that western countries have caused the crisis by their own decisions since Russian ships delivering grain abroad were sanctioned and could neither be insured nor accepted in European ports.

Zmeiniy, or Snake Island is a patch of land with a combined area of just 0.17 square km (51 acres), which is situated 40 km from Romania, currently a NATO member. It became part of Ukraine after the collapse of the USSR, but Bucharest has claimed it for itself, citing disagreements with Kiev about the delimitation of the continental shelf.

Over the past months, Ukrainian forces have tried to retake the island, but failed, losing warplanes, drones and troops.
Moscow launched the special operation on February 24 in order to put an end to an eight-year- long war, waged by Ukrainian forces in Donbass, which claimed over 13,000 lives since 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Kiev's actions in the region amount to genocide and stressed that Ukraine should be demilitarised and de-Nazified.

[Mashika]

Oh noooooo.....

This is hilarious, but also shows a very true reality. And like other people have said before, the current politicians in the west are very very far from the good ones that have long moved to other (worldly) tasks by now. It's just true, why is everyone some kind of clown and 'not presentable'? How did this happened? Is this truly the best and the very top? Would these clown show be any kind of presentable 30+ years ago? I don't know. Everyone over there seems to be brutally, mentally ill, honestly

https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/13203
DonbassDevushka/13203

[Mashika]

Oh look, a very, very interesting development

https://t.me/FilatovCorr/204
FilatovCorr/204

Polymer (hollow point) bullets have surfaced, provided by "NATO partners" to Ukraine, these are illegal in a war zone, and i believe considered a war crime just to produce them around, or something on those lines. This is a Hague prohibition

Have we just found the 'Western partners' in breach of international war laws? Is the Hague yet another lame/useless body of law or whatever?

This leads to lots of questions:

1. Did the Ukro gov knew? And did they agree to this?
2. It is impossible for the west to say "we did not know", as they provide this ammo from their own factories. They had to specifically order it for Ukraine, in the hundreds of thousands of rounds
3. They very much know this is a war crime and illegal and leads to a global war crime trial. Unless they already bought everyone on the group who could trial them? And if that's the case, then there's no 'international law' anymore

Plain and simple

ETA: let me explain more

There are hollow point rounds for other uses. But those on the picture, those are NOT supposed to be produced ever, at all, these are not for hunting, these are 'war zone' rounds. So now here's the question, did someone build a factory that produces those? Because i don't think they produced 2 or 100 and then shipped them over. That's a factory producing thousands of them and there's a backlog probably, and also someone had to engineer that thing and test it under some kind of budget and military approved environment

So, explanations are required, but not expected. The corrupt devil is not anymore 'under the shadows'

[Mashika]

The US made anti air guns, are obsolete, they assume specific patterns of flight

Here's the thing, they have not been able to see what happened after the Afghanistan war (of soviet times) mostly. And they are slow and assume things, but just now, a video from the Ukros has surfaced that shows something that, even if not new, displays in plain view why and how the entire US stockpile of anti-aircraft armament is obsolet

The US knows this, that's why they are dropping it non-stop into Ukraine, so that it gets burned there and then there's a reason to buy new/not obsolete, systems. They are using of course, Ukraine as a testing ground, because they know they are by now very very outdated, so they are trying to catch up and Ukraine is the testing bed and ground for it, they are sacrificing every single soldier out there so they can record the data and see the difference between guns and other stuff like tactics and strategy, and then build a new army out of that. To the last ukrainian if needed. But they will extract all possible knowledge out of this, even if it takes down the EU as well.

It is a matter of:

America: The US is going to overcome this
EU: And we too, right? We too!
America: .... yes, 'you too'
Ukraine: And we are going to be europeans, right?
Ukraine: Right?
Ukraine: Why are you not replying?
Ukraine: I hear something bad going out there, hold on let me go check
Ukraine: Oh my gooooood there's something out there i can't help to control, please help me!
Ukraine: Why is everyone silent on the chat?
US: We're here body, tell us all about it
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
Ukraine: Oh good, i thought you did not care for me, i have like a million dead out there now, can you help?
Biden: We're here body, tell us about it
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
Ukraine: yes, but.. help?
Biden: I have lots of old guns that i don't need, but i can give them to you, you pay in instances for several generations
EU: I too, have a lot of obsolete crap i need to throw away, but i'm with you bro!
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
Biden: I too, agree with whatever my already dumbed down partner said, whatever that is
Ukraine: Oh my god, a missile that is not supposed to exist just hit us with all its might!
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
Biden: I too, agree with whatever my already dumbed down partner said, whatever that is


ETA: Missed the video link :)

https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/13211
DonbassDevushka/13211

[Bill Ryan]

The US made anti air guns, are obsolete, they assume specific patterns of flight

Here's the thing, they have not been able to see what happened after the Afghanistan war (of soviet times) mostly. And they are slow and assume things, but just now, a video from the Ukros has surfaced that shows something that, even if not new, displays in plain view why and how the entire US stockpile of anti-aircraft armament is obsolet

The US knows this, that's why they are dropping it non-stop into Ukraine, so that it gets burned there and then there's a reason to buy new/not obsolete, systems. They are using of course, Ukraine as a testing ground, because they know they are by now very very outdated, so they are trying to catch up and Ukraine is the testing bed and ground for it, they are sacrificing every single soldier out there so they can record the data and see the difference between guns and other stuff like tactics and strategy, and then build a new army out of that. To the last ukrainian if needed. But they will extract all possible knowledge out of this, even if it takes down the EU as well.

It is a matter of:

America: The US is going to overcome this
EU: And we too, right? We too!
America: .... yes, 'you too'
Ukraine: And we are going to be europeans, right?
Ukraine: Right?
Ukraine: Why are you not replying?
Ukraine: I hear something bad going out there, hold on let me go check
Ukraine: Oh my gooooood there's something out there i can't help to control, please help me!
Ukraine: Why is everyone silent on the chat?
US: We're here body, tell us all about it
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
Ukraine: Oh good, i thought you did not care for me, i have like a million dead out there now, can you help?
Biden: We're here body, tell us about it
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
Ukraine: yes, but.. help?
Biden: I have lots of old guns that i don't need, but i can give them to you, you pay in instances for several generations
EU: I too, have a lot of obsolete crap i need to throw away, but i'm with you bro!
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
Biden: I too, agree with whatever my already dumbed down partner said, whatever that is
Ukraine: Oh my god, a missile that is not supposed to exist just hit us with all its might!
EU: I have clean roads and good TV channels
Biden: I too, agree with whatever my already dumbed down partner said, whatever that is
That's hilarious, and all too true! :) And also a sad commentary on psychopathic US cynicism.

It surely came as a shock for the Pentagon (and Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing and all the rest) to see how badly US weapons functioned in a "real war".

I'd be sure there was also an early plan to use Ukraine as a sales demonstration. But now, most of the rest of the non-US-EU world will be queuing up to buy Russian weapons instead. And China, no-one's fool, has been watching all this play out with great interest.

[Bill Ryan]

Oh look, a very, very interesting development

https://t.me/FilatovCorr/204
FilatovCorr/204
Polymer (hollow point) bullets have surfaced, provided by "NATO partners" to Ukraine, these are illegal in a war zone, and i believe considered a war crime just to produce them around, or something on those lines. This is a Hague prohibition
Yes — very very interesting. Here's one of many articles that may be relevant:


https://thetrace.org/2015/07/hollow-point-ammunition-us-army

U.S. Army Considers More-Lethal Hollow Point Bullets for New Sidearm

Despite their popularity with police and civilian populations, the rounds are banned in international warfare by the Hague Convention.

(My own comments —>)

It's always seemed highly strange to me that there are such things in war as 'illegal weapons'.

Meaning, it's considered perfectly ethical and moral, and just absolutely perfectly happily fine, to kill someone in one way, but not in another. Someone might die an agonizing, drawn-out, traumatic and terrible lonely death in a trench, with a leg or an arm blown off through "legal" artillery fire. But a much quicker and more merciful death via (e.g.) a nerve toxin, or cyanide, is somehow considered "immoral".

This is why the ETs don't land, even after all these years. They're still trying their best to understand how humans think. :)

[Mashika]

Oh look, a very, very interesting development

https://t.me/FilatovCorr/204
FilatovCorr/204
Polymer (hollow point) bullets have surfaced, provided by "NATO partners" to Ukraine, these are illegal in a war zone, and i believe considered a war crime just to produce them around, or something on those lines. This is a Hague prohibition
Yes — very very interesting. Here's one of many articles that may be relevant:


https://thetrace.org/2015/07/hollow-point-ammunition-us-army

U.S. Army Considers More-Lethal Hollow Point Bullets for New Sidearm

Despite their popularity with police and civilian populations, the rounds are banned in international warfare by the Hague Convention.

(My own comments —>)

It's always seemed highly strange to me that there are such things in war as 'illegal weapons'.

Meaning, it's considered perfectly ethical and moral, and just absolutely perfectly happily fine, to kill someone in one way, but not in another. Someone might die an agonizing, drawn-out, traumatic and terrible lonely death in a trench, with a leg or an arm blown off through "legal" artillery fire. But a much quicker and more merciful death via (e.g.) a nerve toxin, or cyanide, is somehow considered "immoral".

This is why the ETs don't land, even after all these years. They're still trying their best to understand how humans think. :)



They're still trying their best to understand how/IF humans think.

:ROFL:

I have thought that way too many times. Let's not shoot you to death, allow you to suffer the pain instead, or be resqued, but a mortar can take off your legs and arms and leave you out there in the field alive for 20 hours without food/water or any help and until your body dies out of the impossibility of it all, or how we call it "injuries incompatible with life"... lmfao! That's indeed a good way to put it "incompatible with life"

But if a bear bomber comes around and flattens the entire town and the only think remaining of you is some dust, that was "less human" as 'you didn't stand a chance'. A chance for you to die in 20 hours or until your body truly gives up, against a chance to die immediately and don't even know what happened? Have ever seen a person all dried up from the sun hitting them directly in the head, as they slowly died because they could not move? They look like dried potatoes, and the animals eat their eyes first, then the lips and the ears, and then everything else if they can

Are some humans compatible with 'rational thinking'? I wonder, lol

[kfm27917]

Luongo: The G-7 Squawks But They've Already Lost The War Against Russia

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/luongo-g-7-squawks-theyve-already-lost-war-against-russia

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/TheCradleMedia/status/1542845921406451712
1542845921406451712

https://thecradle.co/Article/news/12483

CIA recruits ISIS fighters from SDF-run prisons in Syria to fight in Ukraine: Report

The CIA is actively working to recruit ISIS militants imprisoned by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria to join the fight against the Russian army in Ukraine.

According to an informed source who spoke with Sputnik News, the US army is transferring the militants to the Al-Tanf military base in southern Syria to provide them with the necessary training.

The transfers are taking place under the pretext of “conducting additional investigations.”

“The Kurds have so far handed over several high-ranking leaders and about 90 ISIS fighters to the American side, most of whom are citizens of European Union countries and Iraq, as well as immigrants from Chechnya and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in China,” according to the Sputnik source.

“In the future, Washington intends to send these militants to Ukraine so that they can take part in hostilities against the Russian armed forces,” the source added.

This is the latest report coming from Syria that says extremist militants are being recruited to fight on the behalf of Kiev against the Kremlin forces.

Since the start of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of militants belonging to Al-Qaeda, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and ISIS have reportedly been transferred to eastern Europe after being trained at Al-Tanf.

Moscow has also warned that instructors from the controversial White Helmets non-government organization (NGO) have been deployed to Ukraine, allegedly for the purpose of staging a “false flag chemical attack” to blame on Russia.

According to a report by RT Arabic TV, approximately 500 ISIS fighters and militants from the Caucasus and Central Asian countries are undergoing training at the US base to carry out attacks against units of the Russian army both inside Syria and in Ukraine.

Last month, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said mercenaries and military specialists from 64 countries are involved in hostilities in Ukraine.

Foreign mercenaries from around the globe joined Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded for global assistance following Russia’s military invasion, with many of these mercenaries coming from Israel.

The US army has long been accused of offering support to ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria.

In 2015, following the start of the conflict between Ukraine and the separatist republics of the Donbass, the New York Times reported that ISIS fighters openly sided with Ukraine to fight against the Russian-backed separatists.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/Russ_Warrior/status/1542847392273563648

1542847392273563648

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1542254330543308804

1542254330543308804

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/LubimayaRussiya/status/1542159067828944900
1542159067828944900


https://twitter.com/Russ_Warrior/status/1542829116755705859
1542829116755705859

[Ravenlocke]

https://readovka.world/news/102826


Since July 1, the Polish Government will no longer pay 40 PLN (about 276 UAH) daily for food and accommodation of Ukrainian refugees


This was stated by Pavel Shefernaker, government commissioner for refugees and deputy chief of Poland’s Ministry of the Interior and Administration, reports Rzeczpospolita newspaper.

«We are convinced that many people in Poland are able to become independent and adapt», – he said. However, there also will be exceptions. Benefits will be expanded for a certain group of individuals: people with disabilities, pregnant women and large families.
With a special law on assistance to Ukrainian refugees, the government originally guaranteed benefits for the first 60 days. A month ago, the period was extended by another 60 days. This law will no longer apply.

«We pay huge social remedies – from 300 PLN for everyone up to 500 PLN per child, and another benefits. Furthermore, we see that many Ukrainians are looking for a job, finding it and getting by on their own. We want to encourage others to be active. Four months of full coverage is a sufficient time in our opinion», – said a senior politician of a «Law and Justice» political party.
It is noted that the Government’s decision was dictated by the very high cost of maintaining the refugees. In particular, the Silesian Voivodeship province estimated the operating expenses for 115 thousand refugees in 190 million PLN per month, of which 160 million PLN are the daily payments of 40 PLN per person.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1542804335070945282
1542804335070945282

[Mashika]

God Damn you Elensky, God Fing Damn you. And Biden too. Because your "get rich scheme" you learned from the west

The "business of war", and here's the product to sell, and then you expect the kids seeing it also go and go die into the meat grinder, also to provide you more cash.

That's who you are, idiots supporting the western lie, look at him, look and then try to say any explanation about why he's suffering and dying there

Stupid fools


https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/13221
DonbassDevushka/13221

[Bill Ryan]

God Damn you Elensky, God Fing Damn you. And Biden too. :bearhug: —> Mashika

Boris Johnson is right there on the list as well. He has a LOT of blood on his hands.

All three will be gone or disempowered pretty soon. Johnson within a month or two, Zelensky by September-October, and Biden will be emasculated even more than he currently is come November.

Some of this is very very hard to watch play out. There are many videos now that have been terrible to see, and witness reports that are terrible to hear. But it has to be possible that the outcome will actually be a better world in a number of ways, even though many of its citizens will be enduring various forms of individual hardship for the next 2-3 years.

:flower:

[Bill Ryan]

God Damn you Elensky, God Fing Damn you. And Biden too. Because your "get rich scheme" you learned from the west

The "business of war", and here's the product to sell, and then you expect the kids seeing it also go and go die into the meat grinder, also to provide you more cash.

That's who you are, idiots supporting the western lie, look at him, look and then try to say any explanation about why he's suffering and dying there

Stupid fools

https://t.me/DonbassDevushka/13221
DonbassDevushka/13221

I do have a question about the video itself. The poor guy is as white as a sheet (from shock or blood loss or both), but it did look like he was going to live.

What was in the video dialog? Was it one Spetsnaz soldier talking to his colleague, or was he talking to the wounded Ukrainian, or to the camera?

~~~

(aside, and rather less important)

Donbass Devushka does a more-than-wonderful job. I failed to find out anything about her personally, but language made searching tricky. What is known about her?

[Mike Gorman]

Boris, Zelensky, and all of the cohort who enable this feast of lying and death, I have no words that express my disgust, my utter rejection of their deeds, this is truly 'The Information War' - it looks as if the world will have to learn in the hardest possible way just what Truth looks like! We can only hope justice and balance can be reclaimed. You say Boris et all will be gone soon? Their time has surely expired.

[9ideon]

God Damn you Elensky, God Fing Damn you. And Biden too. :bearhug: —> Mashika

Boris Johnson is right there on the list as well. He has a LOT of blood on his hands.

All three will be gone or disempowered pretty soon. Johnson within a month or two, Zelensky by September-October, and Biden will be emasculated even more than he currently is come November.

Some of this is very very hard to watch play out. There are many videos now that have been terrible to see, and witness reports that are terrible to hear. But it has to be possible that the outcome will actually be a better world in a number of ways, even though many of its citizens will be enduring various forms of individual hardship for the next 2-3 years.

:flower:

List is long, should be longer, trees and wind and so on.

1-) Biden
2-) Trudeau
3-) Rutte
4-) Macron
5-) Johnson
6-) Scholz
7-) Andersson
8-) Marin
9-) de Croo/Di Rupo
10-) etc.

The so called NWo is already in effect, these country borders are just illusions for Citizens, go back to February, the Canadian uprising, Trudeau was freaking out and had no clue on what to do, suddenly he bypasses parliament and takes Peoples money by freezing it through the banking system, despotic behaviour of a little fecker with no backbone. That whole scheme came from somewhere else, it is also the future for us all, Trudeau in the meantime going on like nothing matters, well idiots like that are not very self conscious when it comes to the failures which they are.

I have included the names of the Finish and Swedish Pm's too, I mean really, if you're that eager to join NATO without any dialogue with Russia, well that stinks. In any case, the Govts are riddled with these types now, it really does not make any difference anymore left, right, (all wings of that same Bird) they change their tunes a little to ensure party policies/directives, but they are all directed by the same multiplier, to control the masses.

I did not include Zelenskyy, simply because it's a sockpuppet.

[jaybee]

God Damn you Elensky, God Fing Damn you. And Biden too. :bearhug: —> Mashika

Boris Johnson is right there on the list as well. He has a LOT of blood on his hands.

All three will be gone or disempowered pretty soon. Johnson within a month or two, Zelensky by September-October, and Biden will be emasculated even more than he currently is come November.

Some of this is very very hard to watch play out. There are many videos now that have been terrible to see, and witness reports that are terrible to hear. But it has to be possible that the outcome will actually be a better world in a number of ways, even though many of its citizens will be enduring various forms of individual hardship for the next 2-3 years.

:flower:


Boris Johnson is an absolute menace and a real and present danger not just to the citizens of Britain but to the whole world - he seems to think he is going to go on for years to come and that the Globalists have his back - although, in spite of his enthusiastic and reckless warmongering there could be another globalist faction that wants him gone and that's why such a fuss was made through the MSM of 'Partygate' etc.. (for those who don't know..Partygate was the MSM exposing Johnson's breaking of covid rules while at the same time lecturing the country and rubber stamping restrictions...he actually got fined for it eventually..)

Back when the Globalists were using the Islamic State and Al Qaeda to try and bring about regime change in Syria (before Russia stepped in and pulled the brakes on...) Boris Johnson was full of praise and support for the White Helmets - essentially a group of actors producing propaganda videos for Western consumption - I think they have been working in Ukraine as well now...

I think Johnson, like the other western political leaders who are betraying there own citizens - has an addiction to power and international politics of the Globalist variety ... they are vain people, easily flattered and manipulated - dumb and dangerous.... just the way the super rich Globalist Elite likes them...

[TomKat]

Paul Craig Roberts explains how the US is trying to force Russia into nuclear war
with the US:

https://usawatchdog.com/paul-craig-roberts-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win (https://usawatchdog.com/paul-craig-roberts-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win/)

https://rumble.com/v1ampzo-dr.-pcr-says-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win.html
v180k26

[onawah]

The Long Arm of the CIA: Behind Russia’s Ukraine War
F. William Engdahl <info@williamengdahl.com>
www.williamengdahl.com
7/2/22

"As with so much of modern history, the mainstream Western media does not tell the full story. The role of the CIA in destroying the Russian economy in the 1990s is essential background to understand the deep distrust between the Putin Kremlin and Washington going back to the Yeltsin years. The CIA followed that failed coup attempt in 2014 with a successful coup d’etat in Ukraine in which Washington installed an anti-Russian puppet regime in Kiev, many of whose key players in the Pravy Sektor (Right Sector) party and others were explicit neo-Nazis whose roots went back to the Banderistas who fought the Russians in World War II on the side of the German SS. That 2014 coup was led by then Assistant Secretary of State Viktoria Nuland and Vice President Joe Biden. Today Nuland is back and Biden is President. The following is a chapter from my best-selling book, Manifest Destiny. It details the criminal role of the CIA and US Presidents Bush Sr. and Bill Clinton in what can only be called the Rape of Russia in the 1990s.

If you have not yet done so, please consider support for my online voice. The relentless censorship of the Internet and social media by the private corporate social media companies since the 2020 Corona virus, and now the war in Ukraine, is alarming and damaging and can only be compared with book burnings in the Germany of the 1930s, or the Medieval Inquisitions with torture of heretics.

I thank you for your interest and support,

William Engdahl
www.williamengdahl.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manifest Destiny: Democracy as Cognitive Dissonance © F. William Engdahl

Chapter Four

Soros and the Harvard Boys Join Yeltsin and the KGB

“We learned today that officers of the United States’ CIA operated as consultants to Anatoly Chubais. But it is even funnier that upon returning to the US, they were prosecuted for violating their country’s laws and illegally enriching themselves in the course of privatization in the Russian Federation.”


—Vladimir Putin, 2013[i]

Soros’ Harvard Boys Go for the Kill

As soon as the rogue ex-KGB generals and their handpicked protégés had looted the gold reserves of the now defunct Soviet Union and stolen the significant financial assets of the now conveniently banned Communist Party—all with the blessing and complicity of Boris Yeltsin and his inner circle—Bush’s CIA old boys were ready to launch the next phase: the systematic takeover of strategic energy, raw materials, and military state industries in the Soviet Union via IMF-dictated privatization operations that were run by Yeltsin’s finance minister, Yegor Gaidar, and his accomplice, Anatoly Chubais.

In November 1991, Chubais became a minister in the Yeltsin cabinet, where he managed the portfolio of Rosimushchestvo—the Federal Agency for State Property Management, which Yeltsin decreed to be the agency responsible for devising Russia’s privatization of the state companies. Gaidar and Chubais worked in league with George Soros, the Wall Street speculator and “colleague" of the CIA front the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). Soros, in turn, brought Harvard’s Jeffrey Sachs—architect of the Polish “economic shock therapy”—and other of his American “friends” to the Yeltsin circles.

George Soros and his Open Society Foundations had been linked to the CIA by Chinese intelligence and others. His Open Society institutions seemed to appear operational, of course just by coincidence, in every situation where the CIA’s NED front and the US State Department sought regime change to a pro-Washington government.

Already as far back as 1987, while Gorbachev still headed the Soviet Union, Soros took advantage of the Soviet regime’s efforts to reform by founding his Open Society Institute in Moscow. There he could give money to key researchers and others to support “market economy research.”[ii]

All actions of Yeltsin were guided by Yeltsin’s CIA and KGB handlers, notably KGB Generals Philipp Bobkov, Alexei Kondaurov, and Yeltsin’s personal bodyguard, General Alexander Korzhakov. This was the cabal which, in coordination with George H.W. Bush and his CIA old boys, staged the phony KGB “coup” attempt against Gorbachev that propelled Yeltsin, with the support of mainstream Western media, as the new Russian champion of democracy.

In December 1991, four months after that fake coup, Yeltsin, then president of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic—the largest federated “republic” within the Soviet Union—met with the presidents of Ukraine and Belarus and signed what was called the Belavezha Accords, declaring the dissolution of the USSR that had formally existed since 1922. It was the key note in the US-backed coup to open up the rape of Russia. By that time Gorbachev had been utterly discredited and had resigned in disgrace.

Russia’s Shock Therapy

As part of the Belavezha Accords agreement, the newly created Russian Federation took legal title to all state assets of the former USSR, now nonexistent, and assumed all foreign debts of the USSR. Yeltsin was told to name a thirty-two-year-old friend of George Soros named Yegor Gaidar to become his economics czar. Gaidar, who formally was made finance minister of the new Russian Federation in February 1992, named another young economist, Anatoly Chubais, his director of state asset privatization.

ttp://www.nakedcapitalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Chubais.jpg

Two young US-steered economists, Anatoly Chubais (l) and Yegor Gaidar (r), implemented the Harvard shock therapy program to loot Russia for themselves and their Western friends.

Gaidar was then taken to Poland by the Soros circles in order to study the Polish “shock therapy” model, the process that had been introduced by George Soros’s young Harvard economist protégé, Jeffrey Sachs. Back in Moscow, Yegor Gaidar, using the Polish example of Sachs, convinced Yeltsin to “let prices rise to increase supply and to scrap trade barriers so that foreign commodities could begin to fill store shelves.” [iii]

It was a lie. The Soviet economy was self-sufficient in everything except perhaps bananas and coffee. The shops had been full until November 1991, when Yeltsin announced the exact date when price controls were to be lifted: December 31 of that year. Shop owners promptly hid their goods, waiting for the announced profit bonanza of price decontrol. Shops were suddenly empty. Within a week of Yeltsin’s speech, rationing was imposed on Muscovites. It was just the beginning of almost a decade of economic horror for most Russian citizens.[iv]

Harvard, the CIA and Larry Summers

Gaidar was instructed and guided by the US Treasury from a new Clinton Administration that had taken office in January 1993. The key person at the Treasury for the ensuing Gaidar–Chubais looting of Yeltsin’s Russia was a former Harvard economist named Larry Summers. Summers used the powerful influence of the US Treasury to funnel International Monetary Fund (IMF) dollars to the cash-hungry Yeltsin government, advising Yeltsin and Gaidar that Russia must open to unrestricted imports if they wanted to receive the IMF and other Western loans.

Gaidar soon delivered a policy that served the demands of Washington and of the KGB’s new banking oligarchs around Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s Menatep Bank and others. Under the Gaidar decrees, Russian manufacturing was to go bankrupt in the face of unrestricted foreign competition, but, curiously, domestic banking was to be protected from competition.[v]

After the November 1992 US election victory of Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, the new US Treasury deputy secretary responsible for Russian “reform”—himself a former Harvard economics professor—brought a group of his former Harvard colleagues, including George Soros’s Polish shock therapy adviser, Jeffrey Sachs, and economics professor Andrei Shleifer to Moscow under the auspices of their Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID). That Sachs–Shleifer–Summers triangle essentially orchestrated all key aspects in the implementation of the Gaidar–Chubais “shock therapy” in the early Yeltsin years.[vi]

In 1991, just months before joining the Clinton Treasury, Summers had been chief economist at the World Bank. There, Summers had named his former Harvard student Shleifer, a Russian-born American citizen, as World Bank “adviser” to the Yeltsin government. Soon after Summers became Deputy Secretary of the Treasury in the Clinton administration in early 1993, Shleifer would join Jeffrey Sachs’s HIID in Moscow as Project Director.

HIID had been chosen by Summers as the key advisory agency to work with Gaidar and Chubais to organize the colossal looting known as Russian privatization. From his Washington US Treasury office, Summers named all key actors in the Chubais privatization rape of Russia in the early 1990s. They were what could be called a Harvard mafia.

Summers hired David Lipton from Harvard, a former consulting partner of Jeffrey D. Sachs & Associates, to be Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. Sachs was named Director of HIID in 1995. Sachs’s HIID received USAID grants for the institute’s “work” in Russia from his former partner, now at the Treasury, David Lipton. It was a tight-knit circle Summers had created.[vii]

The USAID was known as a CIA front agency, keeping the CIA’s role of regime change and such hidden behind the veil of a charitable US government agency spending for economic development. It was a key money link for the directing of every step of the Chubais privatization operations through the Summers–Sachs Harvard boys.[viii]

Harvard was a clever choice to be the CIA’s hands-on operator for the Chubais privatization. CIA monies via a Harvard University front gave an aura of impartial academic respectability and of plausible deniability that the CIA and the US Treasury were actually responsible. Shleifer, a Russian-born émigré and protégé of Summers, was already a tenured professor of economics at Harvard in his early thirties. Shleifer became Sachs’s head of the HIID’s Russia project based in Moscow.

Then Summers brought in yet another Harvard boy, a former World Bank consultant of Summers named Jonathan Hay. In 1991, while still at Harvard Law School, Hay had also become a senior legal adviser to Chubais’s GKI state privatization agency. In 1992, Hay, a lawyer, was made the HIID’s General Director in Moscow. Hay assumed vast powers over contractors, policies, and program specifics. He not only controlled access to the Chubais circle but was its spokesperson as well.[ix]

Both Jonathan Hay and Andrei Shleifer were identified later as CIA agents. President Vladimir Putin, in an April 2013 annual dialogue with Russian citizens—though he discreetly did not name the names—referenced Hay and Shleifer as identified CIA agents working with Chubais and Gaidar in the criminal Russian privatization:

We learned today that officers of the United States’ CIA operated as consultants to Anatoly Chubais. But it is even funnier that upon returning to the US, they were prosecuted for violating their country’s laws and illegally enriching themselves in the course of privatization in the Russian Federation. They did not have the right to do this as active CIA officers. In accordance with US law, they were not allowed to engage in any kind of commercial activity, but they couldn’t resist—it’s corruption, you see.[x]

Both Hay and Shleifer were “protected” by Washington, despite having to pay multi-million dollar fines when, in 2006, the US District Court in Boston fined them personally $2 million and Harvard University $26.5 million for their Russian illegal activities. Summers—who by then had l eft Washington to become Harvard President—was forced to resign on the revelation of his role in the Moscow HIID scandals in 2006. Before he left, however, Summers managed to get Shleifer named to an endowed Harvard professorship chair. Hay later resurfaced as founder of the Ukrainian branch of the Polish “free market” Centre for Social and Economic Research (CASE) during the CIA coup d’état in Kiev in 2014.[xi]

Harvard’s Criminal Russian Privatization

The criminal Russian privatization of state assets that Hay and Shleifer had created together with Anatoly Chubais and Yegor Gaidar after 1992 was done to the last detail by Chubais’s new American advisers. When the announcement of the proposed vouchers-for-shares privatization received cold response from Russians already reeling from the economic shock of price de-freezing, Hay and Shleifer arranged for slick US public relations experts from Burson-Marsteller and the Sawyer Miller Group to devise an advertising campaign to be aired on the TV channels then owned by the newly created Russian oligarchs to convince Russians to accept the Gaidar–Chubais privatization scam.

The Harvard–Chubais privatization scheme which began in 1992 was as simple as it was criminally fraudulent. It was proclaimed by Yeltsin in August 1991 by presidential decree, bypassing a hostile Duma.

Anatoly Chubais, as head of the state GKI state property agency, issued 150 million “vouchers” to each and every Russian citizen. In turn, citizens could invest their voucher in a share in a Russian privatized state company or shop or sell it at an established market price pegged to the US dollar. As most Russians were concerned when, if ever, the next pension payment would be paid or where jobs could be found in the collapsing industrial economy that was a predictable result of the Sachs–Harvard–Chubais shock therapy, millions simply sold their vouchers for cash.

Vouchers could be bought or sold on every street corner in Russia in June 1992. They were traded at new Moscow “commodity exchanges” set up by Harvard’s Jonathan Hay and the USAID monies channeled via the HIID. Voucher investment funds sprung up everywhere to gather citizens’ vouchers by the millions. Gaidar, Chubais, and their Harvard advisers made certain those “investment funds” would be unregulated. The ruble was made domestically convertible to the US dollar on the advice of the Sachs HIID team, further weakening the ruble and dollarizing the economy.

In the twenty months that the voucher-for-shares program lasted, voucher prices swung from a high of $20 to a low of $4 a voucher. As they were made freely tradable, it was ripe for the billionaire oligarchs around Yeltsin to buy them up, which is precisely what they did.[xii]

Nearly six hundred voucher funds obtained forty-five million vouchers. The largest, calling itself First Voucher, collected four million vouchers.[xiii]

At the stated price for the vouchers, Chubais and his Harvard boys had de facto valued the entire Russian economy—which included the world’s largest nickel company; some of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, including Sibneft and Gazprom; RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminum company; vast gold mines and numerous high-tech defense companies—at a total that was less than the market value of the US General Electric company. In the privatization auctions, based on the number of total vouchers that were circulated, the entire Russian industrial system, including mines, oil companies, and factories, had a total valuation of under $12 billion. It was theft on a colossal scale. [xiv] The face value of each voucher was 10,000 rubles, which Chubais told the public was sufficient to buy two or even three Volga cars, at the time Russia’s finest auto. It was a lie.

Creating CIA Oligarchs

Because they had been allowed by the Bush CIA networks that controlled the financial side of the Yeltsin mafia to be the first Russians with big money, select Yeltsin oligarchs were able to buy up hundreds of thousands of vouchers and redeem them for entire industries, which would later be stripped and sold. Although they were supposedly acting on behalf of the Russian state, the bank auctioneers of oligarch-owned banks rigged the process. This was how Bank Menatep’s Mikhail Khodorkovsky got a 78 percent share of ownership in Yukos, worth about $5 billion, for a mere $310 million. It was how Boris Berezovsky got Sibneft, another oil giant worth $3 billion, for about $100 million. [xv]

https://churchmice253.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/article-2539519-1aaa9c6100000578-102_634x774.jpg

CIA-tied Russian oligarch Khodorkovsky manipulated Chubais’s voucher privatization to literally steal the huge Yukos Oil Company in league with Jacob Lord Rothschild, Henry Kissinger, and other Western shadowy figures.


Using his Yeltsin connections, Khodorkovsky was able to purchase several factories in investment tenders and large blocks of shares in timber, titanium, pipe, and copper-smelting companies. In total, Khodorkovsky gained control of more than one hundred companies before getting control of the giant Yukos Oil.

Under growing pressure from the Duma parliament, then dominated by Communist Party deputies, Chubais agreed to prohibit voucher sales of state companies to foreign investors.

There were, however, two notable exceptions. In 1995, in the wake of the Yeltsin referendum victory financed by George Soros, the Harvard Management Company (HMC), which invests the university’s large endowment, and George Soros, who brought Harvard’s Sachs to work with Chubais, were the only foreign entities allowed to participate. Both HMC and Soros became major shareholders in Novolipetsk Steel, Russia’s second-largest steel mill, and Sidanko Oil, which had estimated oil reserves exceeding those of Mobil Oil.

HMC and Soros also invested in Russia’s high-yielding, IMF-subsidized, domestic GKO short-term bond market. And in 1997 Soros bought 24 percent of Svyazinvest, the telecommunications giant, together with Uneximbank’s Vladimir Potanin, the nominal spokesman of the new Russian oligarchs.[xvi]

Soros to Yeltsin’s Rescue

This left many Russian citizens feeling cheated, royally screwed, and furious as their dreams of a promised share in “capitalist private property” vanished, along with their savings, during the Central Bank hyperinflation money printing, another part of George H. W. Bush’s Operation Hammer.

By 1993, pressures were growing from all sides, including the Duma. The population were demanding action. The Supreme Soviet, the Russian upper house, was drafting a bill that would freeze the entire privatization process. The opposition was becoming so great that Chubais ultimately had to rely largely on Yeltsin’s presidential decrees, not parliamentary approval, for implementation.

Harvard HIID’s Moscow man, the CIA’s Jonathan Hay, and his HIID associates drafted many of the decrees. As USAID’s Walter Coles, whose office funded the Chubais privatizations via HIID, described it, “If we needed a decree, Chubais didn’t have to go through the bureaucracy.”[xvii] Russia’s nascent efforts to establish some form of parliamentary democracy or even checks on dictatorial Presidential power were of little interest to Clinton, Summers, or other Washington officials.

At that point, as opposition threatened to get out of hand, Yeltsin felt forced to agree to a national referendum on the entire privatization process. The date was set for April 25, 1993.

The referendum contained four yes/no questions: (1) Do you support Yeltsin? (2) Do you support Yeltsin’s economic policy? (3) Do you want early elections for president? And (4) Do you want early elections for parliament?[xviii]

Facing sure defeat, Chubais, most likely on advice from his Harvard mentors, arranged to secretly meet with US billionaire George Soros, who agreed to finance—on behalf of Yeltsin—the Yeltsin referendum campaign. Soros funneled $1 million, a huge sum in Russia at the time, to offshore accounts set up for Chubais’s use to buy media exposure. Yeltsin survived the referendum by a slim 52 percent, and the privatization of major Russian industrial companies went forward.[xix] Yeltsin was giving the crown jewels and much more to a cabal of CIA-backed Russian oligarchs.


http://www.greanvillepost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/soros.jpg

Hungarian-born hedge fund speculator George Soros financed the 1993 Yeltsin referendum that kept the criminal Russian privatization alive.

From Washington, Larry Summers at the Treasury architected the Chubais–Gaidar privatization with Jeffrey Sachs and Andrei Shleifer, serving to directly convey the plans to Yeltsin’s economic advisers. It was a theft on a scale unprecedented in any nation, even in wartime. The US–French–British Versailles reparations of 1919 were almost humanitarian, in comparison to what was done to Russia in the 1990s under Yeltsin’s stewardship.

Oligarchs Buy Yeltsin’s Reelection

By 1996, with the Russian economy deep into hyperinflation, Yeltsin faced certain defeat in scheduled national elections. The head of the Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov, promising a return to stability, was far ahead in the polls. Some of Yeltsin’s close advisers even suggested canceling the elections and declaring a de facto dictatorship.

By then, Yeltsin’s daughter Tatyana Borisovna Yumasheva had become her father’s closest adviser, together with Berezovsky, Gusinsky, and the other USAID–CIA-made oligarchs. Russian media labeled the clique controlling Russia, especially after Yeltsin’s heart attack that year, “The Family,” as in mafia family, not blood family.[xx]

Following the Russian Communist Party’s success in the December 1995 Duma elections the International Monetary Fund in Washington—de facto controlled by the US Treasury--made an extraordinary $10.2 billion loan to the Yeltsin government. In that loan, $1 billion was secretly intended for the campaign to keep Yeltsin president in the 1996 elections. Tape recordings later made public of conversations between President Bill Clinton and Yeltsin showed that in return for the US support, Yeltsin would exempt longtime Clinton supporter, campaign donor, and Arkansas-based Tyson Chicken’s exports to Russia—then a $700 million annual business—from a threatened 20 percent import tariff increase. The corruption was seemingly unbounded.[xxi]

Berezovsky and Gusinsky, the Clinton–Summers–Harvard–Soros-backed new Russian oligarchs, fearing the loss of their stolen billions to the opposition communists, in turn formed what they called the “Group of Seven.” The group included Berezovsky, Gusinsky, Khodorkovsky, Potanin, Vinogradov, Smolensky, and Friedman. With aid the of US Madison Avenue spin doctors, the Group of Seven—which then owned the two major TV stations, with the third still state owned (i.e., Yeltsin controlled), and their control of major press—ran a US-style media campaign assault for Yeltsin’s reelection. At the same time, they blocked Zyuganov from buying media time.

Yeltsin posters carried the cynical Madison Avenue slogan, “Choose with Your Heart.” Another ad featured Yeltsin’s family in photos while Yeltsin recalled events in his childhood as an athlete, rebel, father, and grandfather. All the while, sentimental Russian music played in the background.[xxii]

The oligarchs hired Chubais, the man responsible for creating their fortunes, as Yeltsin’s campaign manager. He created a private fund aptly called the Center for the Protection of Private Property--his and the Yeltsin oligarchs’ private property in reality.

Chubais received $5 million from the Group of Seven for the campaign. Fake newspapers were created overnight, printing stories that claimed the “discovery of secret minutes” of a Communist Party leadership meeting where Zyuganov was alleged to have said, “We will not be able to give the people anything that we promised.” Gaidar’s re-election fund also funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars, a fortune in the time of hyperinflation of the ruble, to major Russian journalists to write fraudulent articles in praise of Yeltsin and discrediting Zyuganov.[xxiii]

During the 1996 pre-election campaign, polls showed that Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov would defeat Yeltsin. The Russian population rightly felt cheated and humiliated. Yeltin’s support was less than 4 percent. Gaidar, Chubais, and the other “reformers” around Yeltsin began to panic.

Chubais and Yeltsin turned to the new Oligarchs—called by cynical Russians as “Russia’s corporate politburo”—to save the day. Chubais called a press conference where he claimed that if the Communist Party returned to power, they would forbid the “free” press and put their political adversaries into prison, predicting a “big bloodshed in Russia.” The fact that the Yeltsin oligarchs had gotten a near monopoly on Russian TV and print media made it possible to tilt the vote to Yeltsin 54 percent. The Russian corporate politburo was now firmly in the saddle, with Yeltsin and Chubais their horses, or so they believed.[xxiv]

The Destruction of the Ruble

The next step in the rape of Russia for Washington and the secret CIA Operation Hammer was to create hyperinflation and ruin the ruble currency—state default.

By 1998, the casino of short-term debt in the state GKO bond market, at times paying interest of up to 290 percent or more, was reeling out of control. Billions of speculative hot dollars were pouring in from foreign hedge funds and other speculators. The improbable yields on three-month paper on the Russian market’s GKO bonds were paid with US taxpayers’ money via IMF loans.

By yielding those kinds of ultra-high returns, the bond market ensured that all the country’s resources and all it was capable of attracting went to the support of the state, the state apparatus then controlled by Yeltsin’s tight-knit mafia around Chubais and Gaidar.[xxv]

It also insured that the giant Ponzi scheme would soon topple. It did, triggered by an August 1998 op-ed in the influential London Financial Times by the US hedge-fund billionaire and Russian oligarch insider George Soros. By the time of the ruble crisis of August 1998, Russian industrial output had fallen by almost half and poverty had increased from 2 percent of the population to over 40 percent. Until August 1998, the ruble was overvalued, making it impossible for domestic producers to compete with imports.

The IMF did not want Russia to devalue, and it provided billions of dollars to prop up the exchange rate.[xxvi] That was to no avail, however. The devaluation was forced deliberately, part of the Operation Hammer agenda to destroy Russia.

On pressure from the Clinton Treasury, especially from Deputy Secretary Larry Summers, the IMF made a $22.6 billion Russian bailout to save the financial assets of their bankers and oligarchs, not to save the ruble. With the IMF money in the pipeline, Soros wrote a prominent guest article in the London Financial Times where he stated, “The meltdown in Russian financial markets . . . has reached terminal phase. Bankers and brokers who had borrowed against securities could not meet margin calls and forced selling swamped both the stock and bond markets.”[xxvii]

Given Soros’s financial market reputation as an uncanny and unusually well-informed trader, Western investors led a panic exit from ruble GKO bonds and Russian stock shares. Trading on the Russian stock market was suspended amid growing fears of debt default, devaluation of the ruble, banking collapses, or a combination of all three.

Then on August 18 Prime Minister Sergey Kiriyenko and the Russian Central Bank jointly announced a devaluation of the ruble, a suspension of trading in government GKOs, and a ninety-day moratorium on the repayment of ruble-denominated foreign debt. Short-term debt due by the year end was $20 billion, with $6.5 billion owed to foreigners. Foreign reserves totaled a mere $17.5 billion and were vanishing at the rate of $1 billion a week to try to support the ruble–dollar peg.[xxviii] That signaled the end of shock therapy and the Harvard Boys but the beginning of a dramatic change in fortunes of certain oligarchs.

The Silent Putsch

Following the Russian debt default and ruble crisis, the Yeltsin oligarch cabal in the Kremlin was forced to compromise in September 1998, when the Duma refused to approve the notoriously corrupt Viktor Chernomyrdin as Prime Minister. In a desperate bid to calm opposition, the Yeltsin cabal named a highly respected outsider to head the government, Yevgeny Primakov—a former head of the KGB foreign intelligence successor, SVR, and former foreign minister—as the new prime minister.

Primakov soon went after the most powerful Yeltsin oligarch, Boris Berezovsky. On April 5, 1999, prosecutors and armed men in camouflage and black masks raided Berezovsky’s companies in Moscow, and an arrest warrant was issued for Berezovsky for his involvement in a scam involving Aeroflot ticket sales. In May 1999, members of the state Duma tried to impeach President Yeltsin. The impeachment vote failed. It was rumored that votes had been bought by the Kremlin at $30,000 apiece.[xxix] Clearly the political tide was turning in Russia.

When Prime Minister Primakov learned of the illegal US bombing of Serbia in March 1999, he was aboard a Russian jet en route to Washington for meetings. He ordered the pilot to immediately return to Moscow in what came to be called in the Russian media the “Primakov loop.” Back in Moscow, Primakov vehemently protested that Yeltsin and the Russian government must act to support the Serbs. Yeltsin responded by firing Primakov some weeks later, using the economy as excuse.

On June 11, 1999, the Russian military rejected the Kremlin’s capitulation to the NATO bombing of Serbia and ordered Russian troops to seize the airport in Pristina, Kosovo. Yeltsin had lost control over his own military. This was the beginning of what would become a silent coup. With little choice, Yeltsin’s administration agreed to require the foreign ministry to coordinate its activities with the military and security apparatus that Primakov had headed.

An Unknown Named Putin Takes Over

On August 10, 1999, Yeltsin fired Prime Minister Sergei Sephashin and replaced him with Vladimir Putin, an unknown former KGB officer who had spent the Cold War in Dresden in communist East Germany. Putin briefly had been head of the FSB and otherwise seemed to be a man with little prior political experience other than a short time as deputy mayor of St. Petersburg. Berezovsky, Gusinsky, and the other Yeltsin oligarchs believed they could “do business” with the novice Putin. They made a major error.[xxx]

According to informed reports, Putin gave Yeltsin the ultimatum to resign or face serious consequences, an offer he apparently could not refuse. Yeltsin resigned on December 31, 1999, naming Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as acting president until the March 2000 elections. By then, the CIA and their undesirable NGOs had wreaked untold damage on Russia and the Russian people.

Once in office as president on December 31, 1999, Vladimir Putin made clear to the oligarchs he was not intending to be their man. Following an electoral victory in June 2000, Putin called to the Kremlin the eighteen most powerful oligarchs, those who had made staggering fortunes at the expense of Russia. He denounced the shocked oligarchs by calling them creators of a corrupt state through backroom deals and insider ties. Soon after that, Putin’s Kremlin launched criminal cases against media and banking oligarch Vladimir Gusinsky of Media-Most, the financial–industrial group Interros headed by Vladimir Potanin, and Sibneft, an oil company controlled by Roman Abramovich, as well as businesses connected with Boris Berezovsky.[xxxi]

Incalculable Human Economic Toll

The human cost of the US-imposed Russian shock therapy brought by Soros, Jeffrey Sachs, Larry Summers, and a stable of CIA-linked financial and legal operators, such as Jonathan Hay and Andrei Shleifer, was beyond belief. Between 1991 and 1997, the Russian GDP—the value of all goods and services that Russia produces—collapsed by 83 percent. Farm production had declined by a staggering 63 percent as state support for large farms ended. Investment into the economy decreased by 92 percent.

More than 70,000 factories were closed down. That led to Russia’s producing 88 percent fewer tractors, 76 percent fewer washing machines, 77 percent less cotton fabric, 78 percent fewer TVs, and on and on. In a country that had been without unemployment under the Soviet era, thirteen million people lost their jobs under Yeltsin’s “free market” Russia. Those who still had work had their wages cut in half. The average life span for men had been shortened by six years, down to the same level as in India, Egypt, or Bolivia. Alcoholism became epidemic as depression spread among the population. It was a shock therapy indeed, the kind of shock a country experiences only in a major war.[xxxii]

The CIA and their fake democracy NGOs had more than Russia and the destruction and looting of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in their sights. The People’s Republic of China was also being targeted for drastic regime change at the same time Washington brought the Soviet Union to collapse. Leading circles in the US and Britain had decided to try to destroy all state communist powers at the same time—a massive, if foolish ambition. "

Endnotes:

[i] Vladimir Putin, Direct Line with Vladimir Putin, Channel One, Rossiya-1 and Rossiya-24 TV, April 25, 2013, http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/17976.

[ii] Sebastian Mallaby, More Money than God: Hedge Funds and the Making of the New Elite, Council on Foreign Relations, New York, 2010, p. 212.

[iii] John Lloyd, The Russian Devolution, August 15, 1999, The New York Times Magazine, http://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/15/magazine/the-russian-devolution.html

[iv] Anne Williamson, Testimony Before the Committee on Banking and Financial Services of the United States House of Representatives September 21, 1999, http://www.thebirdman.org/Index/Others/Others-Doc-Economics&Finance/+Doc-Economics&Finance-GovernmentInfluence&Meddling/BankstersInRussiaAndGlobalEconomy.htm.

[v] Ibid.

[vi] Janine R. Wedel, The Harvard Boys Do Russia, The Nation, May 14, 1998, https://www.thenation.com/article/harvard-boys-do-russia/

[vii] Ibid.

[viii] Mark Ames, The murderous history of USAID-- the US Government agency behind Cuba’s fake Twitter clone, April 8, 2014, https://pando.com/2014/04/08/the-murderous-history-of-usaid-the-us-government-agency-behind-cubas-fake-twitter-clone/.

[ix] Janine R. Wedel, op. cit.

[x] Ibid.

[xi] Vladimir Putin, Direct Line with Vladimir Putin April 25, 2013, http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/17976.

[xii] David E. Hoffman, The Oligarchs: Wealth and Power in the New Russia, New York, Public Affairs Press, Chapter 8, p. 193.

[xiii] Ibid., p. 197.

[xiv] Ibid., p. 202.

[xv] Marshall I. Goldman, Putin and the Oligarchs, Foreign Affairs, November/December, 2004, http://www.cfr.org/world/putin-oligarchs/p7517

[xvi] Janine R. Wedel, op. cit.

[xvii] Ibid.

[xviii] David E. Hoffman, op. cit., p. 202.

[xix] Ibid.

[xx] Wikipedia, Tatyana Yumasheva.

[xxi] Anne Williamson, Testimony..., op. cit

[xxii] David E. Hoffman, op. cit., p. 345.

[xxiii] Ibid, p. 345.

[xxiv] Ibid., p. 327.

[xxv] Anne Williamson, Testimony..., op. cit

[xxvi] Joseph Stiglitz, The Ruin of Russia, The Guardian, 9 April, 2003, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/apr/09/russia.artsandhumanities.

[xxvii] Nick Beams, Russian question hangs over international markets, 18 August 1998, https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/1998/08/rus-a18.html.

[xxviii] Ibid.

[xxix] David E. Hoffman, op. cit., p. 461.

[xxx] Justin Cowgill, The Silent Coup: Putin vs. the Oligarchs, December 27, 2015, http://www.heinrichplatz.tv/?p=24157.

[xxxi] Ibid.

[xxxii] Dan Josefsson, Shock Therapy: The Art of Ruining a Country, 1 April, 1999, http://josefsson.net/artikelarkiv/51-shock-therapy-the-art-of-ruining-a-country.html

[Bill Ryan]

Paul Craig Roberts explains how the US is trying to force Russia into nuclear war
with the US:

https://usawatchdog.com/paul-craig-roberts-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win (https://usawatchdog.com/paul-craig-roberts-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win/)

https://rumble.com/v1ampzo-dr.-pcr-says-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win.html
v180k26I watched this with interest, and Paul Craig Roberts always has to be respected. But here, I think he's wrong.

The Russians don't care at all what the western media says about them, and the real western powerbrokers aren't influenced by the media either, as they understand the entire thing perfectly well — including Russia's very measured response to all the provocation.

Of course, there are hawks among the US neocons, but NATO is not as strong as it likes to pretend it is. One thing that's been very visible is how effective the Russian military machine is, and how ineffective western weapons are in a "real" war against a strong adversary.

The neocons may rattle their sabers and make a lot of noise, but as best I can see they're really doing this for one another. Everything I believe I know and understand suggests that Russia is in full control of all this, militarily, financially, and geopolitically.

And most of the world's nations are quietly behind them. However the western media tries to frame this, all politicians with any perception of reality at all (but maybe that excludes many in Europe, and of course Biden himself!) will understand this very clearly.

[Bill Ryan]

https://twitter.com/islamicworldupd/status/1542490354603237378
1542490354603237378
Reported by (https://zerohedge.com/geopolitical/video-israeli-ukrainian-captured-pro-russian-forces-circulates-social-media) Zero Hedge:

The Israeli-Ukrainian fighter, 40-year-old Vladimir Kozlovsky, said:
"We had foreign weapon systems but we didn't know how to use them. We were not trained to fight and nevertheless were sent to the battlefield. They didn't tell us we were going to fight either. We thought we'd stay in Western Ukraine, but we were deployed to Lysychansk. We were thrown to the battleground like cannon fodder."
Kozlovsky said Ukrainian military commanders encouraged the hapless conscripts to fight to the death.
"We've received messages from the Russians saying we'll be better off if we surrendered. The soldiers also discussed this before, but commanders tried to prevent these talks. They told us that if we surrendered, the Russians would torture us to death, so it is better not to be taken alive."
(my added emphasis)

[Bill Ryan]

According to Zero Hedge, as of a couple of hours ago:


Russia Asserts Full Control Over Luhansk Region With Fall Of Lysychansk (https://zerohedge.com/geopolitical/russia-claims-full-control-over-luhansk-region-fall-lysychansk)

Edit to add:

Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu reports that Luhansk territory is completely liberated.

https://t.me/RVvoenkor/18262

Translation:
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Putin on the liberation of the entire territory of the Luhansk People's Republic.
As a result of successful military operations, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, together with units of the People's Militia of the LPR, have established full control over the city of Lisichansk and a number of nearby settlements, the largest of which are Belogorovka, Novodruzhesk, Maloryazantsevo and Belaya Gora. The total area of the territories liberated over the past day amounted to 182 square kilometers.

Two photos, with probably many more to follow:

http://dxczjjuegupb.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/photo_2022-07-03_06-22-44.jpg

http://dxczjjuegupb.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/photo_2022-07-02_16-23-50-1024x607.jpg

[Spiral]

Interesting insight, you really wouldn't want to be a Ukrainian solder !


The retreating Ukrainian army suffers serious losses with every onslaught of our troops. I will describe one of our major offensive operations I participated in.

Before advancing on Ukrainian positions they are subjected to massive artillery fire, so massive that I'm not afraid to call it artillery terror. Even before the end of the preliminary bombardment the forces of our infantry begin to advance in the direction of the enemy (to the line).

At the end of the preliminary bombardment, the enemy without time to recover faces an assault on his positions. If the enemy finds the strength to show even slightest resistance our infantry does not continue the attack but retreats in an organized manner to the original position and the artillery terror begins again.

Then again our infantry approaches. This can be repeated multiple times, until the enemy finds himself in a position in which it is simply pointless to continue fighting - huge losses and destroyed fortifications. Very often our infantry take the positions already left by the enemy [and simply have no chance to kill someone].

denatofication/2774

[Spiral]

no_one_is_forgotten/5121

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/Idelija2/status/1543555224631185408
1543555224631185408

https://twitter.com/Levi_godman/status/1543327193052463107
1543327193052463107

https://twitter.com/AZmilitary1/status/1543274848490852355
1543274848490852355

https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1543596483710156803
1543596483710156803

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1543593387584065537

1543593387584065537

[Tintin]

Here's the most recent Wednesday briefing by Maria Zakharova from which I've extracted her updates on Ukraine. I always find them refreshingly candid, honest and informative:

Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, June 29, 2022

Source: MFA Russian Federation website (https://mid.ru/print/?id=1819949&lang=en)

Update on Ukraine

Almost the entire territory of the LPR, a considerable part of the DPR, all of the Kherson Region and big parts of the Kharkov and Zaporozhye regions, as well as the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk in the Sea of Azov have been liberated from the neo-Nazis since the start of the special military operation. In the liberated areas, people are returning to a peaceful life, restoring the economy and industry, and rebuilding infrastructure. Companies are starting up again and schools, kindergartens, outpatient clinics and hospitals are reopening. The resumption of freight and passenger railway traffic between Crimea and Melitopol is scheduled for July 1 this week.

As Russian leadership has stated more than once, our Armed Forces are striking only military facilities and using only precision weapons in the operation. A ceasefire is regularly established and humanitarian corridors are created for evacuating civilians from dangerous areas. Since the start of the operation, over 2,150,000 people, including over 340,000 children have left for Russia. Russia is providing humanitarian aid to the Ukrainians who have been freed from the neo-Nazis, as well as to people in the DPR and the LPR. Since February 24 of this year, it has delivered about 37,000 tonnes of food products, medications and other basic necessities to these areas.

The Vladimir Zelensky regime is stepping up its anti-Russia misinformation campaign against this background. New fabricated excuses are being invented to accuse our country of killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure (this is what they are saying). Thus, they allege that Russian Armed Forces attacked a residential building in Kiev’s Shevchenkovsky District with missiles resulting in the death of a 6 year-old girl. In reality, on June 26 of this year a Ukrainian anti-aircraft S-300 missile was downed by Ukrainian air defence and fell on a building that was damaged back in April. This was an abortive attempt to resist the Russian Aerospace Forces that destroyed with a precision missile strike the nearby Artem plant that made ammunition for Ukrainian multiple launch rocket systems. No damage was inflicted on civilian infrastructure.

Another outrageous provocation was the Zelensky regime’s attempts to accuse the Russian Armed Forces of striking a shopping centre in Kremenchug on June 27. According to Kiev, about a thousand civilians were in the mall at the time. Unfortunately, all these fake reports have multiplied and spread. According to the Kiev regime, there was a fire in the centre and some people were killed and wounded.

I’d like to draw your attention to the materials submitted by the Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation. Our foreign offices have also supported these materials at international organisations. They show that the shops of the Kremenchug Road Machine Plant – Kredmash Defence Plant – are located several dozen metres away from this shopping centre. These shops stored weapons and ammunition that were sent by the US and EU countries for use by Ukrainian Armed Forces units in Donbass.

Maybe the Western public should ask their governments why they delivered and stored weapons in the direct vicinity of a shopping centre? This question hasn’t occur to you, has it? Nobody thought of this – not Western correspondents, nor Western NGOs, nor the humanitarians that are so concerned about the situation in Ukraine. Why are the Western countries supplying Ukraine with weapons that are stored in direct proximity to densely populated civilian infrastructure? This is done deliberately. This is exactly what we call hiding behind civilians. They are used as shields and have become hostages to geopolitical interests. Russian Aerospace Forces’ precision strikes destroyed the plant’s shops, not the shopping center or the civilians.

Emotions are still running high around the artificially created myth of the global food apocalypse, allegedly provoked by Russia due to the blockade of Ukrainian grain. The most surprising thing is that neither the figures nor the facts, nor the data from international organisations, or the Western countries’ own data on food production, confirm this. None of these things are taken into account when repeating this myth. This picture was made up, and abstracts recorded in manuals are sent out. Not a single global fact with food production figures, nor the facts of grain deliveries to Western countries can impinge on this information campaign. This fabricated story has reached a global scale.

Just look at the unreasonable and unacceptable statements by Foreign Minister of Germany Annalena Baerbock: “Russia is consciously using hunger as a military weapon taking the whole world hostage.” She is not just lying, but lying arrogantly and cynically. Annalena Baerbock forgets that it was her country that historically used hunger as a weapon and took people hostage, destroying the civilian population in trying to wipe our country from the face of the earth.

I repeat: Russia is not preventing the export of grain from Ukraine. The Russian Defenсe Ministry opens safe corridors every day and informs its partners and the International Maritime Organisation about them. We are ready to ensure the safe passage of foreign merchant ships from the Bosporus to Ukrainian territorial waters and back. This has been repeatedly discussed at all levels. Of course, this is subject to ships being inspected for military equipment and provisions or not being escorted by foreign warships, aircraft, or drones.

What is the real obstacle to the export of Ukrainian grain? Right now it is the Ukrainian authorities that are responsible for ensuring the safe passage of merchant ships in their territorial waters by demining or by safe pilotage.

In addition, Russia is ready to export tens of millions of tonnes of its own grain if Western bans against it are lifted. What is the West worried about, preventing hunger in the world? Then stop blocking the food supply chain, which is what Washington, Brussels and London are doing. Let me remind you that Western prohibitions apply to ships calling at Russian ports, servicing Russian ships in foreign ports, shipping insurance, and bank transfers. Everything has been done to artificially escalate this situation. But it’s being done by Washington, London and Brussels. Unfortunately, the US, Great Britain and the EU are not ready to accept responsibility for their own actions even to eliminate the risk of the global hunger they always talk about. Conferences are being held on how to avoid hunger on the planet.

The same people who are developing new restrictions on logistical, financial and economic services are intelligently discussing what to do to freely distribute foodstuffs to all countries at the negotiating table. What is this? Cynicism? Stupidity? Impudence? I think this is a crime of universal scale and someone must be held responsible for it as is always the case when the Western countries want to hide or obscure what has become known to the public. Now it’s happening more quickly. We won’t have to wait five or ten years, or even a year. We will find out the truth about how and who fabricated this food apocalypse on our planet. We know that this is the work of Western regimes. There are specific names. I think we will find out soon enough.

The United States and its allies continue flooding Ukraine with weapons. According to Western analysts, the amount of military, financial and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine they pledged since January 24 totals over $80 billion, of which 45 percent goes towards purely military support. Arms supplies pose a security threat not only in Ukraine, but beyond its borders as well. Soon enough, thousands of Stinger MANPADS, Javelin ATGMs, grenade launchers and other military equipment may and will find their way to global black markets. Law enforcement agencies in several Western and Eastern European countries have already noted a significant increase in criminal trafficking in weapons coming from the Kiev-controlled territories. Don't say you weren't warned. We warn you every day. Every weapon that is supplied to Ukraine will make it back primarily to Europe through the black market.

The West continues to whip up tensions and artificially draw out the special military operation by providing Kiev with military assistance and political support. This is how we view the decision made during the EU summit of June 23-24 about granting Ukraine candidate status for European Union membership, which, in fact, is another case of the Western regimes trying to exploit Ukrainian territory and use it to contain Russia. It has nothing to do with developing Ukraine’s economy, or financial and democratic institutions. This is what their own assessments are saying as they point to Ukraine’s inadequacy in achieving the benchmarks set for the candidates. But who will be stopped by it when a political order is at stake and flooding Ukraine with all types of weapons must be accounted for? Dragging out the special operation will do nothing but increase the number of civilian casualties in the republics of Donbass and Ukraine. The West is aware of that.

They just don't care. These are the lives of people who, they believe, are unlike them. The Westerners are exceptional, but the people (and the West has always believed so throughout history) who live to the east of the “centre” of Europe do not deserve the same treatment, and their lives aren’t worth as much as the lives of the people who live in the West. The only question is where this centre of Europe is to be found? Why did Brussels decide that it was there? Anyone who is good at geography (we know that they aren’t) can take a ruler and find the centre of the European continent. I'm not even talking about Eurasia. Let's figure things out with Europe first.

The West’s aggressive attempts to push its vision of the world order on everyone and the cynical use of the Ukrainian factor towards this end is yet more proof of the relevance of the special military operation’s goals, which, as the Russian leadership made clear, will be fulfilled no matter what.

The UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine

An urgent meeting of the UN Security Council was convened by the Albanian chairmanship at the request of Kiev on June 28 in connection with the recent missile strikes that targeted a number of Ukrainian cities, including the city of Kremenchug.

In violation of established Security Council practice, the Western countries pushed through President Zelensky’s online participation in the meeting. His function is clear to everyone. He plays the role of showman, so his all-too-familiar face had to be seen by everyone this time as well. A week ago, Foreign Minister of the Central African Republic Sylvie Baipo-Temon was turned down as an online participant in the meeting. Is it racism? A representative of the African continent can’t get what the white man is entitled to? Are you okay? What century are you living in? How is it even possible that a white person can join a UN Security Council meeting online, whereas a representative of Africa cannot? Is that a new kind of segregation? Our country never knew racism or the slave trade. Historically, our country has combated these deeply shameful things around the world and stood strongly for decolonisation. It is unacceptable for this neo-colonial logic to gain dominance again, because a small group of countries thought for a moment that they could decide who can or cannot participate in the UN Security Council meetings, or who deserves to be connected via video and who doesn’t. I believe that those who made it impossible for a representative of the African continent to join a UN Security Council meeting should clarify why a representative of the “Western community” was accorded such an opportunity and privilege.

Clearly, Kiev's key goal was to overcome fatigue from the Ukrainian issue and create a favourable background for scaling up military support from Western states. However, Zelensky failed to fulfill his goals and turn up the “degree of discussion” in the Council even after he presented another product concocted by Ukrainian propaganda. We understand that the whole story around the city of Kremenchug is timed to coincide with the NATO summit in Madrid. That’s clear. We have a question for the Western regimes. Not even for them, because they will never tell the truth, but primarily for Western society. Do you understand where the weapons supplied by the Western regime are being stored? By and large, these Western “mines” of all kinds (I’m speaking figuratively) are laid under civilian infrastructure and are located in its immediate vicinity. Clearly, to use it as a cover. This is a case of the 21st century barbarism.

On our part, yet again we gave a resolute and well-grounded rebuff to Kiev’s attacks by providing a timeline of the activities of Ukraine’s “factory of fakes” starting with “Ukrainian defenders” from Zmeiny Island and ending with a “missile strike” on the city of Kremenchug. We noted again that as they continue the special military operation, the Russian Armed Forces do not target civilian sites, and flooding the Kiev regime with weapons will only bring more violence and casualties.

Ukraine’s withdrawal from nuclear security agreements with Russia

On June 24 of this year, Ukraine announced its withdrawal from the 1996 cooperation agreements between its Ministry for the Protection of the Environment and Nuclear Security and Russia’s Federal Service for Oversight on Nuclear and Radiation Safety. It also terminated the 2002 agreement on the exchange of information and cooperation in regulating safety in using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes between the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) and Russia’s Federal Service for Oversight on Nuclear and Radiation Safety (now Rostekhnadzor).

In the past, to implement these agreements, Russia and Ukraine held regular bilateral meetings, seminars and consultations in both countries. They cooperated on different aspects of regulating nuclear and radiation safety, including lawmaking, licensing and oversight.

Cooperation in these areas was also conducted on a multilateral basis, for instance, in the CIS Commission for the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy and the forum of regulatory bodies of the countries using NPPs with VVERs.

There has been no practical cooperation on the said agreements in the past decade. Moreover, as of today, the SNRIU is not a member of the aforementioned international associations. Considering the foregoing, we do not see any real damage to Russia from Ukraine’s withdrawal from these agreements because they have long been dead weight and not at our initiative.

That said, these actions by the Zelensky regime are unfortunate. They show once again that the Kiev regime is going down a very destructive road of breaking all ties with Russia and wrecking the normative foundation of bilateral relations. This is all the fault of the Kiev regime and its Western handlers.

Threats made by Vladimir Zelensky against Russian journalists

In his nightly video address, a sort of “Good Night, Adults” [allusion to “Good Night, Kiddies!”, a children’s television programme], posted on Ukraine’s official media resources on June 28, 2022, President Vladimir Zelensky allowed himself to make barefaced threats against Russian journalists, promising to “punish” them for doing their job. In other words, the Kiev regime decided to subject members of the Russian media to punishment as retribution for faithfully carrying out their professional duties.

Since Vladimir Zelensky did not deem it necessary to give details of how he was going to make good on his threats, comparisons with the terrorist act by Ukrainian Nazis that was disrupted on April 25, 2022 come straight to mind as it targeted several prominent members of the Russian media, including Vladimir Solovyov, Margarita Simonyan, Dmitry Kiselev, Olga Skabeyeva and Yevgeny Popov. By way of reminder, the Ukrainian intelligence service, with the knowledge of their Western curators, had coordinated the planning and execution of that terrorist act.

There are such people who were unaware for eight years that there was this internal Ukrainian conflict in Donbass and that civilians were being killed there. Such people do exist. I will say this specially for them, and it may sound strange that the Ukrainian intelligence service maintains some sort of relationships with journalists. Many will say that this cannot happen in a country that claims to be democratic. We are allegedly inventing all this.

It is an open and democratic system that espouses freedom of speech, pluralism and all forms of diversity. The Ukrainian intelligence service will confirm that they have nothing to do with journalists beyond official and legal contacts, to say nothing of attempts on their lives. This could be true, if we did not know how many journalists have been killed in Ukraine. Those assassinations have not been solved. The Western community often reproves Russia for failing, as they say, to fully investigate crimes committed against Russian public figures. That is, the perpetrators of the crimes were found and brought to trial, and they received the sentences which they deserved and which they are serving, but they still say in the West that the people who gave the criminal orders or the intermediaries have not been found. One is free to speculate on this as long as one wishes. I want to note that in a country that has been a protectorate of the West for many years the murders of journalists have not been investigated at all. Not even the killers were caught, let alone those who gave the orders or acted as intermediaries.

The Ukrainian intelligence service has been working closely with the journalistic milieu for a long time, masterminding horrendous provocations. They devised to kill Russian journalists. Just to remind you what they did with a person working on their territory. They threw pig’s blood on Arkady Babchenko or smeared ketchup on him to stage his “assassination”. Afterwards they fed this [story] to Pavel Klimkin, their Foreign Minister at the time, who referred to this information at a UN Security Council meeting, at least, he cited it as information that needed to be thoroughly investigated, linking it to our country. Later it transpired that it was a “harmless” special operation by the Ukrainian intelligence service and the journalist himself, who were in it together. They provided an entire “philosophical” justification, though nobody could understand why they did it.

As you see the Ukrainian intelligence service’s “ties” with journalists are twisted. We remember well how the Ukrainian intelligence service used the self-styled Ukrainian journalist Dmitry Gordon to achieve their ends. The man even takes pride in it. People can have very different sources of pride. This is his. We can only guess what the Ukrainian intelligence service might think up for Russian – though not only Russian – journalists. The logic is complete twisted, and that’s a fact.

In an attempt to intimidate our journalists with the specter of punishment, the Kiev regime is demonstrating a new level of lawlessness and misanthropy. This is not just cynicism or hypocrisy.

It is nothing short of lawlessness.

It is very symptomatic that Vladimir Zelensky’s video containing these threats was made public immediately after the Ukrainian President, speaking in the UN, tried to accuse our country of terrorism. This is how his mind operates. Those accusations were leveled by the head of state, a state where the military deliberately and systematically shells cities, uses civilians and civilian infrastructure as human shields, stages vile spectacles like those in Bucha, Kremenchug and Kramatorsk and sends terrorist groups to kill members of the media. Responding to the murderous histrionics of Vladimir Zelensky,

I want to note that the crimes committed by the Kiev regime are being meticulously documented. This will also be added to the files. All those guilty will be held accountable and will receive the sentences they deserve under the law.

Vladimir Zelensky, do you hear me? Stop bullying people working in the media and threatening them. You are living in the 21st century, and what you believe you can do in your country is unacceptable in Russia and in the world you call civilised.

Update on Kaliningrad transit

Official EU representatives promised to come up with the European Commission’s legally binding “recommendations” as soon as possible in order to resolve the situation artificially created by Brussels as it imposed restrictions on Kaliningrad freight transit. According to available information, Vilnius is reviewing these proposals. It points out that it will not succumb to the pressure that Russia allegedly exerts on Lithuania. I’m not sure who is putting pressure on whom. So far, we’ve been doing nothing but reading news from Lithuania and Brussels. In this regard, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis’ remarks to the effect that “Russia should not get a diplomatic victory on the issue of sanctions” are quite telling. In that case, you should be more consistent and honest to the end. If you are talking about victories, then, gentlemen from Brussels and Lithuania, politicians and officials, you should acknowledge that you have unleashed a war. Or, have we misunderstood you?

This Lithuanian politician is unable to understand the most important thing. There can be no barriers to connectivity between two parts of Russia in principle.

We are closely following the developments and provide our comments as requested by the media and as more materials become available.

To reiterate, Russia is preparing a response which Lithuania will find painful and which we will follow through with if the situation with Kaliningrad transit does not get back to normal. We hope our “partners” will show some common sense, although this situation can in no way be called partnership.

The Netherlands disrupting a Russian representative’s participation in a high-level meeting of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs donor support group in The Hague

A high-level meeting of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs donor support group is being held in The Hague on June 27-29. Contrary to its commitments as a host state, the Netherlands failed to issue an entry visa to a representative of Russia who was planning to travel to The Hague to attend this event.

We regard this obstructionist move as a deliberate attempt to limit Russia’s participation in the international organisations’ activities. This is not the first time that the Dutch authorities have shown their unwillingness to act properly as a country hosting international events as they extend their confrontational approach in bilateral relations to multilateral formats.

We condemn this practice.

[ExomatrixTV]

Ukraine has Collapsed & is a Failed State:

VlKYN5SPdcs

Mod addition from Bill:
This is Col. Douglas Macgregor, very highly recommended. He starts at 1:33.
:thumbsup:

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/GonzaloLira1968/status/1543672979804065793
1543672979804065793

https://twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1543475238322814976
1543475238322814976

https://twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1543475920526270464
1543475920526270464

[Michel Leclerc]

Paul Craig Roberts explains how the US is trying to force Russia into nuclear war
with the US:

https://usawatchdog.com/paul-craig-roberts-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win (https://usawatchdog.com/paul-craig-roberts-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win/)


https://rumble.com/v1ampzo-dr.-pcr-says-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win.html
v180k26I watched this with interest, and Paul Craig Roberts always has to be respected. But here, I think he's wrong.

The Russians don't care at all what the western media says about them, and the real western powerbrokers aren't influenced by the media either, as they understand the entire thing perfectly well — including Russia's very measured response to all the provocation.

Of course, there are hawks among the US neocons, but NATO is not as strong as it likes to pretend it is. One thing that's been very visible is how effective the Russian military machine is, and how ineffective western weapons are in a "real" war against a strong adversary.

The neocons may rattle their sabers and make a lot of noise, but as best I can see they're really doing this for one another. Everything I believe I know and understand suggests that Russia is in full control of all this, militarily, financially, and geopolitically.

And most of the world's nations are quietly behind them. However the western media tries to frame this, all politicians with any perception of reality at all (but maybe that excludes many in Europe, and of course Biden himself!) will understand this very clearly.

I agree fully Bill. What Paul Craig Roberts calls Russian strategic mistakes etc. aren’t strategic mistakes at all. If Russia had taken the Donbass region in 2014, the whole world would have condemned them. Now – apart from the US and their golden billion slaves and vassals – the whole world is either neutral or blatantly behind them. They can oppose the West at their own pace by building their forces of economic warfare. Moreover, and contrary to what the West thinks: they are not losing the information war in the world, they are only losing it in the G7 world and their full-fledged media propaganda arm. Once they have achieved the goal of creating that economic-geopolitic "second pole" and promoted a new "non-aligned" third pole, their non-nuclear military capability towards the West will be supplied for for by China if need be. In the Second World War, Japan and Germany were antipodes: divided geopolitically right from the start, so Germany was defeated by the American-armed Soviets, and Japan by the Americans. This time around, Russia and China are not divided but geopolitically united and will be able to sustain conventional attacks from the West (where the US will be seriously hampered by the Europeans’ unwillingness to be "Ukrainised") as well as from the East (where neither South Korea nor Japan will elect to be slaughtered by invading forces from China). The real danger is the metamorphosis into a nuclear exchange, which is possible at any moment, to start with tomorrow. The Neocons might reason "if we can’t be the hegemonic power, then nobody will be": the "Samson option", which their good friends in Israel know everything about. The key to this is that the US citizens must themselves rise up and disarm their warlords. I am not so sure they will have the courage to do this. Time is short.

[Bill Ryan]

An excellent and thought-provoking (for me!) analysis from Alexander Mercouris on every aspect of the bang-up-to-date military situation. I definitely don't post and share every video I watch (there'd be too many!), but for those interested in the finer strategic and tactical details of the conflict, while it's a full hour long, this might be very interesting.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBv2p8VCkgQ

[Michel Leclerc]

Here's the most recent Wednesday briefing by Maria Zakharova from which I've extracted her updates on Ukraine. I always find them refreshingly candid, honest and informative:

Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, June 29, 2022

Source: MFA Russian Federation website (https://mid.ru/print/?id=1819949&lang=en)

Update on Ukraine

Almost the entire territory of the LPR, a considerable part of the DPR, all of the Kherson Region and big parts of the Kharkov and Zaporozhye regions, (...) This is not the first time that the Dutch authorities have shown their unwillingness to act properly as a country hosting international events as they extend their confrontational approach in bilateral relations to multilateral formats.

We condemn this practice.

My God, how... superior, from the first word until the last. What a lively, “felt”, inspiring text. How “refreshingly candid, honest and informative” as your rightly call it, Tintin.

The wry humour of it. This sentence made me burst with laughter: “In an attempt to intimidate our journalists with the specter of punishment, the Kiev regime is demonstrating a new level of lawlessness and misanthropy.”

“Of misanthropy!”

How strong you must be to call all the Mafia-style warfare Russians are facing "misanthropy”. Hannibal Lecter chews people out of misanthropy. Khmer Rouge squash people’s heads out of misanthropy. SS gasses Jews, Gypsies and menloving men out of misanthropy.

I forgot to clear the nettles in my fence out of misanthropy. I walked on the lady’s dog’s paw out of misanthropy. I skinned the prisoner of war out of misanthropy.

The “unbearable lightness” of it.

Superior – to keep one’s wit amidst the deranged horror and the craving for ugliness, evil and lies.

And... how ashamed I am of the Dutch authorities. I am Belgian, and hence a citizen of the dismembered Seventeen Provinces (dismembered into Belgium and the Netherlands, that is). What slaves they are (the Belgians are no better). How they stoop.

[justntime2learn]

Is it over or a joke?

49241

[Bill Ryan]

Is it over or a joke?

https://projectavalon.net/forum4/attachment.php?attachmentid=49241&d=1656936284&thumb=1


Deepfake footage purports to show Ukrainian president capitulating
https://reuters.com/world/europe/deepfake-footage-purports-show-ukrainian-president-capitulating-2022-03-16

:) (https://reuters.com/world/europe/deepfake-footage-purports-show-ukrainian-president-capitulating-2022-03-16)

:focus:

[Ravenlocke]

Very sad😔

https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1543904340611678209
1543904340611678209




https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1543890140036304896
1543890140036304896

[Ravenlocke]

It was a joke as explained here,

https://twitter.com/ThisIsAndro/status/1543941321596993536
1543941321596993536


https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1543953356300980224
1543953356300980224

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1543963767649845249

1543963767649845249

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1543963967281831937
1543963967281831937

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1543957519944585216
1543957519944585216

https://twitter.com/uasupport999/status/1543942411424088065
1543942411424088065

https://twitter.com/Kler_Lacombe/status/1543932148310110208
1543932148310110208

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/FiorellaIsabelM/status/1543950215626887168
1543950215626887168


https://twitter.com/ChannelOne_eng/status/1543898740087463947
1543898740087463947

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/ParabellumSRB/status/1543947759723618307
1543947759723618307

https://twitter.com/ParabellumSRB/status/1543948068571209731
1543948068571209731

https://twitter.com/Idelija2/status/1543953622194655233
1543953622194655233

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/Animosteles/status/1543930636125233153

1543930636125233153

https://twitter.com/Animosteles/status/1543930638671167488

1543930638671167488

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1543911091121672192
1543911091121672192

https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1543909715327025153
1543909715327025153

https://twitter.com/Levi_godman/status/1543909237927059456
1543909237927059456

[Ravenlocke]

In Kherson

https://twitter.com/Levi_godman/status/1543960267939364866

1543960267939364866

https://twitter.com/ILRUSSO1/status/1543967831162851328
1543967831162851328

Sergey Eliseev


https://twitter.com/Catuvolcus/status/1426464062511190017

1426464062511190017

[ExomatrixTV]

NYT 'Bombshell' - CIA Massively Engaged On-Ground In Ukraine:

s9AhUhZ8yME
In another case of who is leaking and why, the New York Times has revealed that the CIA is heavily involved in training and advising Ukraine in its war with Russia. As former CIA official Larry Johnson writes, this is a very selective leak from the US government. So we need to read between the lines to answer why. Also today...one day before NATO's Madrid summit the talk is all about escalation.

[Bill Ryan]

This reminded me of the wonderful line in Dr Strangelove. :)
You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!
https://globaltimes.cn/page/202207/1269756.shtml

US, Russian envoys clash over Ukraine crisis at Beijing forum as Chinese experts call on major powers to control ‘spillover effect’

https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2022/2022-07-04/f117c5eb-27c1-4ec1-a1a4-6372575c8119.jpeg

Russian and Western diplomats clashed over the Russia-Ukraine conflict at a forum in Beijing on Monday, as Russia's Ambassador to China Andrey Ivanovich Denisov pushed back against a claim made the US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns that Russia's military operations in Ukraine posed the biggest threat to the current world order.

The rare, tense exchange at the 10th World Peace Forum underscored the escalating geopolitical tensions among major powers, Chinese experts noted, while calling on major powers to find a way of controlling the spillover effect of the conflicts and focus on areas of common interest, including safeguarding peace and the current international order underpinned by the UN Charter and international law.

[Bill Ryan]

Scott Ritter speaking at the Ron Paul institute, today (4 July). Just 25 minutes, but energized, emphatic, and presenting a compelling argument that the US military is far weaker than it once was, NATO is far weaker than it once was, while the Russians have a formidable military machine that won't and can't be beaten — and therefore pretending otherwise is asking for a very great deal of trouble.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIIoyh2LdCo

[Johnnycomelately]

Scott Ritter speaking at the Ron Paul institute, today (4 July). Just 25 minutes, but energized, emphatic, and presenting a compelling argument that the US military is far weaker than it once was, NATO is far weaker than it once was, while the Russians have a formidable military machine that won't and can't be beaten — and therefore pretending otherwise is asking for a very great deal of trouble.

Hey Bill. Am conflicted about the east-west mil balance presently, too much propaganda going round. Thought you might like this though.

Edit: to correct vid


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNeeYclhHFo

[Bill Ryan]

A livestream that started 40 minutes ago, featuring former CIA analyst Larry Johnson with The Duran. I've not actually seen Larry Johnson on video before, and so far I have to say I'm impressed.

:muscle:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNzh7EoxyD4

[Bill Ryan]

From Russia Today (and a number of other sites), published yesterday. I'll copy the whole article for those unable to access RT.


https://rt.com/russia/558350-ukraine-military-letters-church

Conscription letters served at Ukrainian churches

Religious Worshippers have been ordered to attend military enlistment offices

Officials were seen distributing conscription notices outside a church in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Sunday, a member of the nationlal parliament has claimed.

Ukraine declared a general mobilization of men aged 18 to 60 shortly after Russia launched its military campaign against the country in late February. The law does not specify where notices must be handed out, but they all must be served in person.

Nikolay Knyazhnitsky, a member of the European Solidarity party, criticized the practice of serving notices at places of worship in a Facebook post.

“It’s Sunday in Lviv. People are traditionally going to church. And someone had an idea to serve notices from military enlistment offices outside of church,” Knyazhitsky wrote.

“Outraged priests are making phone calls. They have a reason to be outraged.”

“There are many ways to invite people to an enlistment office. [Like serving a notice] at home, or a workplace. You certainly shouldn’t do it at church,” he added. “People go there for spiritual protection and support. It’s not a place where one has to walk around and serve notices in the middle of a prayer.”

At the same time, the lawmaker mentioned that “many people” want to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces but are “getting turned down.”

Last week, police and military officials inspected more than 400 establishments in Kiev, including night clubs, and served notices to 219 military-aged patrons.

Most military-aged men are barred from leaving Ukraine under a presidential decree issued in February. A group of MPs introduced a bill last month that would make it illegal for men aged 18 to 60 to leave Ukraine during martial law.

On Sunday, MP Georgy Mazurashu proposed granting more exemptions to military-aged men seeking to travel outside of the country, including those with small children or certain work contracts abroad.

The authorities have not released the precise numbers on mobilization, but Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said last month that “hundreds of thousands” had been mobilized.

[Spiral]

Is it over or a joke?

49241

Its a joke, but I don't think it's a deepfake.

I think it's a guy who looks a lot like him who has become famous for spoofing the Ukronazi President, often with a lot of white powder around his nose. He does video talks with unsuspecting Ukrainians & winds them up, much to the great amusement of his Russian speaking audience.

Probably the first conflict where trolling the enemy online is part & parcel of the warfare right at the highest levels.

[Spiral]

Any one on twitter ?

ukr_leaks_eng/461

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/JGForsyth/status/1544376203653435393
1544376203653435393


https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/who-will-join-sunak-and-javid-in-quitting-the-cabinet-


Who will join Sunak and Javid in quitting the cabinet?

The Chancellor and the Health Secretary have both resigned and at least one more cabinet minister is considering their position. This is the cabinet moving against Boris Johnson. It reflects the growing sense in cabinet that, as Sunak puts it, ‘we cannot continue like this’.

This puts Boris Johnson in the gravest danger of his premiership
This puts Boris Johnson in the gravest danger of his premiership. It is hard to see how he can continue when he is losing the confidence of so many of his cabinet who feel that the current situation is untenable for the country, the government and the Conservative party.

It is remarkable for two such senior cabinet ministers to resign at the same time. It reflects their deep frustration with how the government is being run, and the consequences of that.

In his letter, Sunak says that he has previously been prepared to compromise and accept collective responsibility for decisions that he didn’t agree with, but he can no longer do this because the differences between No. 10 and No. 11 are now too great to be bridged.

Javid writes to Johnson: ‘you have lost my confidence too’. Javid tells Johnson 'the party is bigger than any one individual' and that in a conflict of loyalties between the country and Johnson he had to put country first. We now wait to see if others follow these two, and I suspect they will.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1544362185408876544

1544362185408876544



https://twitter.com/coope125/status/1544369652196835330
1544369652196835330

[Bill Ryan]

https://twitter.com/JGForsyth/status/1544376203653435393
1544376203653435393

Well, good, and let's see if this tips him out of power. (It should, and if so, not a moment too soon.) Here's a running live-updates breaking news thread about this on the BBC website:


https://bbc.com/news/live/uk-politics-62048657

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1544375818104840194
1544375818104840194

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1544374787669168130
1544374787669168130

¤=[Post Update]=¤

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1544361910216302592
1544361910216302592

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1544376741640212484
1544376741640212484

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1544387901403848704
1544387901403848704

https://twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1544386045860626432
1544386045860626432

[Bill Ryan]

https://twitter.com/JGForsyth/status/1544376203653435393
1544376203653435393Well, good, and let's see if this tips him out of power. (It should, and if so, not a moment too soon.) Here's a running live-updates breaking news thread about this on the BBC website:


https://bbc.com/news/live/uk-politics-62048657

I'm also following The Guardian's live updates here:


https://theguardian.com/politics/live/2022/jul/05/boris-johnson-accused-not-telling-truth-chris-pincher-politics-live

Johnson loyalists are now resigning like dominoes. Not all of them, but so many now that his situation will very soon be impossible.

[Ravenlocke]

https://twitter.com/ChannelOne_eng/status/1544313799712378881
1544313799712378881

¤=[Post Update]=¤

https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1544357939917443072
1544357939917443072

https://www.rt.com/russia/558396-mercenaries-ukraine-killed-numbers/

Number of mercenaries recently killed in Ukraine revealed
Scores of foreign mercenaries have been killed in Ukraine over the past ten days, Russian Defense Minister, Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a ministry meeting, Shoigu said that “as a result of the successful offensive” by both Russian and Donbass republics’ forces, “the number of foreign mercenaries and employees of private military companies operating in the country has decreased.”

“Over the past 10 days, 170 foreign mercenaries have been killed, 99 have refused to participate in combat and left the territory of Ukraine,” he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Damien Magrou, a spokesman for the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine – a foreign military unit created in late February by the Ukrainian government at the request of President Volodymyr Zelensky – confirmed that a French fighter, named as Adrien D., had been killed in Kharkov Region.

Speaking to BFM TV, Magrou said the fighter died of injuries in a field hospital on June 25, after spending some time in a coma.

Mercenaries involved in murdering POWs eliminated – Russia READ MORE: (https://www.rt.com/russia/557932-russia-claims-eliminate-mercenaries/)
According to RTL radio, Adrien D. was one of the first foreigners to join the Ukrainian side. He is the second French national to be killed there.

On June 1, his compatriot Wilfried Bleriot was killed, also in Kharkov Region. His funeral took place on June 30 in France.

RTL reports that there are about fifty French nationals fighting for Kiev while in mid-June Magrou revealed that foreigners from 55 countries serve in the legion, with most of them coming from Poland, the US, the UK and Canada.

All members of the legion “are servicemen in the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” Magrou added, arguing that they should be considered as prisoners of war, protected by the Geneva Conventions, if captured.

“We hereby call on Russian authorities and Russian proxies to respect international humanitarian law and refrain from politically motivated criminal proceedings against lawful members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” Magrou said in a statement.

Russian military spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said last month that the best thing the foreign mercenaries could expect was a “long term in prison.” He also claimed that attempts by Ukrainian officials to provide the foreign fighters with legal protection by adding them to the list of the Armed Forces or giving them Ukrainian passports would not save them from prosecution.

He also revealed that hundreds of foreign mercenaries in Ukraine had been killed by Russian long-range precision weapons “shortly after their arrival at the places where they were undergoing additional training and where the tactical units were coordinated.” However, most of them, according to the spokesman, were killed “due to a low level of training and a lack of real combat experience.”

Data from the Russian defense ministry shows that 6,956 foreign citizens from 64 countries arrived in Ukraine to become pro-Kiev combatants between February 24 and June 17. Some 1,956 of those have been killed, while 1,779 have left the country, the ministry said.

[Ravenlocke]

https://www.rt.com/russia/558384-west-failed-support-confrontation/

Fyodor Lukyanov: Why the West has failed to get the rest of the world on board to support its confrontation with Russia
By Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs, chairman of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, and research director of the Valdai International Discussion Club.
The recent festival of big Western politics – which began with a meeting of the European Council, continued with the G7 Summit, and ended with a major NATO gathering – provides plenty of food for thought about the fate of the world.

On the surface, what we have seen is impressive: The West is showing unprecedented unity in the face of the Russian campaign in Ukraine.

America has gathered almost all of its allies. Right now, from Australia to Norway, from Singapore to Portugal, and from Japan to Iceland, the agenda is the same – to prevent the success of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who represents a rejection of the so-called ‘rules-based order’.

The brutality and irreversibility of what is happening in Ukraine gives the situation the character of a moral choice. Almost all statements from Western leaders refer to a confrontation between "civilization and barbarism". Accordingly, they believe, there should be no doubt about which side to take.

US believes it’s not yet time for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine
US believes it’s not yet time for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine
The Western community has now reached maximum capacity – its European flank (EU and NATO members plus Ukraine and Moldova), its Asian club (South Korea, Japan, and Singapore stopped wavering and took the ‘right’ side), the Oceania pairing, and of course, North America. The ‘free world’ has never been so vast.

This raises a serious question, however. Has the West reached its natural limit beyond which expansion is no longer possible? And if so, what does it mean?

In fact, the topic of the limits of Western influence stems from the notorious concept of the ‘end of history’, which is already so worn out that it is even inconvenient to bring it up. Nevertheless, it is appropriate in this context. Francis Fukuyama’s reflections (he was recently banned from entering Russia, as it happens) led him to conclude that with the collapse of the communist alternative, the only question that remained was how soon and how painlessly the Western economic and socio–political model – which had proved its virtues in the showdown with the USSR – would spread to the rest of the world. The author admitted that it would not be without snags, but in general, the direction was determined once and for all.

How things actually played out after the collapse of the USSR is well known, and despite the fact that numerous crises in developed countries have dimmed the view of the expected path of development, the system has been preserved – and no one has yet come close to the Western world in terms of well-being and comfort. And the Western media still has a near-monopoly on determining the picture of what is happening on a global scale. This means it has a huge head start. But the limit seems to have been reached.

Perhaps the main surprise resulting from the events of recent months is that the West has failed to engage so much of the world in a united front against Russia – the exceptions being those who are already part of the West and a few who passionately want to join the club.

This is unexpected, since few people approve of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Moscow is dealing with problems that are seemingly irrelevant to anyone but itself, and the harsh methods and humanitarian consequences of the conflict do not elicit much sympathy from outside. In other words, objectively, the West has an excellent chance to win over most of the rest of the world by taking the line that its cause here is about opposition to barbarism.

But this is not happening. Why? There are perhaps three main reasons.

Firstly, the non-Western world knows perfectly well that wars on the planet have never stopped, including in the last 30 years, and statements from the EU states about the era of ‘harmony and prosperity’ that Putin interrupted are perceived as both selfishness and hypocrisy. Telling people in the Middle East, for example, that Russia has violated every conceivable moral standard is, to put it mildly, difficult in light of what the region has experienced since the Cold War ended.

Decline in Western training of Ukrainian troops – media
Decline in Western training of Ukrainian troops – media
Secondly, most in the former third world see the current events as the culmination of a long-standing conflict related to the assertive policies of the US and its allies regarding the territories directly adjacent to Russia. Their attitude is something like: ‘What did you expect would happen when you provoked the tiger?’

Finally, the reaction of the majority of the planet illustrates their irritation with the West as a whole. It is perceived as a hegemon with a colonial history which is always abusing its powers. The reason is not support for Russia’s actions, but opposition to the West’s attempts to impose its will on others, which often harms their own interests. Also, schadenfreude over America’s failed attempts to impose its will compensates for any doubts about the legitimacy of Moscow’s actions.

In other words, it’s not about sympathy for Russia, but antipathy to the West.

Western leaders are both surprised and alarmed by this situation. If the initial calls to join the boycott of Russia amounted to orders, now the demands have been replaced by exhortations and attempts to promise something in return. The selection of the G7 Summit guests – the presidents of India, Indonesia, Senegal, Argentina, and South Africa – is indicative.

The invited parties were warmly welcomed. Everyone was in a hurry to tap Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the shoulder and give him attention. But apart from general statements, nothing happened. And almost in parallel with the events in Europe, Modi participated in a virtual BRICS summit, and Argentina, it seems, together with Iran, has applied to join this emerging association.

The position of non-Western states is dictated not only by anti-colonial instincts, although they do exist. More importantly, in the new conditions, it is difficult for the West to offer the leading countries of the rest of the world anything that would force them to radically change their positions. There are now alternative sources of resources for development – ​​a number of members of the former third world today have money, skills, and to some extent, technology. The West is still ahead of them in many ways, but – and this is fundamentally important – it has now completely lost the desire to share its advantages.

Simply because it now fears competition from them – the experience of American support for the development of China is considered a mistake by the current elites.

Developing countries are of course interested in Western investment, but the nature of interaction is also changing. To put it mildly, the former third world is becoming more demanding and picky, and the West’s ability to impose its own conditions has weakened amid large-scale global changes.

The series of meetings in Europe was intended to show that the West is still the undisputed vanguard of the world, which has both the right and responsibility to lead others. For instance, NATO is once again attempting to become a global organization rather than regional.

Russia comments on UN Security Council expansion prospects
Russia comments on UN Security Council expansion prospects
The bloc’s most recent experience of this kind – in Afghanistan – ended in embarrassment. But now the approach is more natural – opposition to Russia.

As they see it, Russia is a threat to Western European security (as it was in the glory days of NATO), but it is also a dangerous pariah for all mankind, so opposing it will help expand the US-led club globally. Moreover, the specter of China looms – a systemic competitor to the West and, even better, an accomplice of ‘the Russians’.

How much the Western world itself is united for the full implementation of such a mission is a topic for another article. There are a lot of nuances here. However, even assuming that this is the case, there is no reason to think that NATO’s ambition will meet with understanding beyond its borders.

As a consequence, the broad refusal to recognize the right of the West to lead means there will no longer be a world order based on Western rules.

[Vicus]

Putin Says Western Sanctions Speeding Up Russia-Belarus Unification

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that sanctions and other pressure from the West have sped up the "unification process" for Russia and Belarus.

The two nations signed an integration treaty in 1997. The process has been sped up since the US and its allies rejected the result of Belarus’ 2020 presidential election that saw Alexander Lukashenko win another term.

After the election, the US and EU started imposing sanctions on Belarus and threw support behind an exiled opposition leader. As a result, Lukashenko drew closer to Putin, and Russia was able to launch the initial phase of its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory.

Since the invasion, the West has targeted Belarus with the same sanctions Russia is being hit with. Putin said the pressure was "pushing us to speed up the unification process."

"After all, acting together it’s easier to minimize the damage from illegal sanctions, it’s easier to start production of products that are in demand, develop new competencies and expand cooperation with friendly countries," the Russian leader said.

Under the 1997 agreement, known as the Union State, Russia and Belarus would remain separate sovereign states, but people living in each country would get citizenship for the other and would be able to travel freely.

Russia and Belarus are also stepping up military cooperation, and Putin said this week that he will send nuclear-capable Iskander-M missiles to Belarusian territory. Putin also plans to help Belarus upgrade its fighter jets, so they are capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/putin-says-western-sanctions-speeding-russia-belarus-unification

[Ravenlocke]

Donetsk shelling victim
Heartbreaking😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

https://twitter.com/ReadovkaWorld/status/1544330909075267585
1544330909075267585

Not bringing the following here but it can be seen on Readovka World
Shocking video from murder scene of 10-year-old girl by a French CAESAR howitzer in Donetsk 18+

The body of the child literally collected in parts.

[kfm27917]

TIME IS NOT ON KYIV’S SIDE: TRAINING, WEAPONS, AND ATTRITION IN UKRAINE

https://mwi.usma.edu/time-is-not-on-kyivs-side-training-weapons-and-attrition-in-ukraine/

[Ravenlocke]

https://tass.com/politics/1475761?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=smm_social_share

Russia, Mongolia to bolster friendship — Lavrov

The foreign minister emphasized that Russia and Mongolia are united by a "shared history, a combat camaraderie forged and hardened in the fight against Nazism and militarism" and noted the goal of preserving the historical memory "in the hearts of Russian and Mongolian citizens"
© Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service/TASS
ULAANBAATAR, July 5. /TASS/. Russia and Mongolia intend to boost friendly ties, progress is observed in many spheres related to the implementation of joint projects, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh on Tuesday.

READ ALSO
Russia’s Lavrov arrives in Ulan Bator for working visit
"I would like to convey greetings and best regards from President Putin. He confirms our adherence to the implementation of all the agreements we reached last December. All these agreements are based on our shared aspiration to strengthen our friendship and preserve the historical memory," the Russian top diplomat noted.

He emphasized that Russia and Mongolia are united by a "shared history, a combat camaraderie forged and hardened in the fight against Nazism and militarism" and noted the goal of preserving the historical memory "in the hearts of Russian and Mongolian citizens." "Today, we [with Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg] discussed many directions of our strategic partnership, including trade, investments, ethics, transport, the protection of the environment, humanitarian and educational ties and future cooperation in the sphere of peaceful space exploration," the Russian foreign minister explained. "There is progress in many directions concerning the implementation of joint projects. Trade is recovering well," he added.

In his turn, the Mongolian leader stressed that Russia and Mongolia "have no disagreements" in the political sphere. "Nowadays, we should increase our interaction, <…> boost trade and economic cooperation," the head of state noted. "I think that the historical truth should always remain. All these initiatives and achievements that have been previously attained should continue," he added.

In Ulaanbaatar, Lavrov also met with Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene to whom he conveyed best regards from the Russian government and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin. "Progress is seen along the entire range of directions after many years when the advancement was very insignificant. And today we emphasized the important role of an intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation in translating this progress to the language of practical results," the Russian minister said.

[Vicus]

The agony of the West
by Thierry Meyssan

Sergey Lavrov used to compare the West to a wounded predator. According to him, it should not be provoked because it would be taken by madness and could break everything. It is better to accompany it to the graveyard. The West does not see it that way. Washington and London are leading a crusade against Moscow and Beijing. They roar and are ready for anything. But what can they really do?


The G7 summit in Bavaria and the Nato summit in Madrid were supposed to announce the West’s punishment of the Kremlin for its "special military operation in Ukraine". But, if the image given was that of Western unity, the reality attests to their disconnection from reality, their loss of audience in the world and ultimately the end of their supremacy.

The West has devised a narrative of the Russian "special military operation" in Ukraine that overlooks their own actions since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. They have forgotten their signing of the Charter for European Security (also known as the OSCE Istanbul Declaration) and the way they violated it by making almost all the former members of the Warsaw Pact and some of the new post-Soviet states join one by one. They have forgotten the way they changed the Ukrainian government in 2004 and the coup d’état by which they put Banderist nationalists in power in Kiev in 2014. Having made a clean sweep of the past, they blame Russia for all the ills. They refuse to question their own actions and consider, at the time, they were forced into power. For them, their victories make the Law.

To preserve this imaginary narrative, they have already silenced the Russian media at home.

No matter how much they claim to be "democrats", it is better to censor dissenting voices before lying.

Until now, the United States killed anyone who threatened the supremacy of the dollar. It hanged President Saddam Hussein for refusing it and looted the Iraqi Central Bank. They tortured and lynched the leader Muamar el-Gaddafi who was preparing a new pan-African currency and looted the Libyan Central Bank. The gigantic sums amassed by these oil states disappeared without a trace. The only thing we saw was GI’s taking tens of billions of dollars wrapped in large garbage bags. By excluding Russia from dollar trade, Washington itself has brought about what it so feared: the dollar is no longer the international reference currency.

The G7 tries to organize, at least intellectually, its supremacy [4].. This no longer works. The wind has changed. The four centuries of Western domination are over.

The only possible option for the rescue of Western domination is war. Nato must succeed in destroying Russia militarily as Rome once razed Carthage. But it’s too late: the Russian army has much more sophisticated weapons than the West. It has already experimented with them since 2014 in Syria. It can crush its enemies at any time. President Vladimir Putin exposed the staggering progress of its arsenal to his parliamentarians in 2018 [5]


The Nato summit in Madrid was a nice communication operation [6]. But it was only a swan song. The 32 member states proclaimed their unity with the despair of those who fear to die. As if nothing had happened, they first adopted a strategy to dominate the world for the next ten years, naming China’s "growth" as a concern [7]. In doing so, they admitted that their goal is not to ensure their own security, but to dominate the world. They then opened the accession process for Sweden and Finland and considered approaching China with, as a first step, the possible accession of Japan.

With this, they decided to increase the NATO Rapid Reaction Force from 40,000 to 300,000 men, 7.5 times, and station it on the Russian border. In doing so, they have once again violated their own signature, that of the Charter for Security in Europe, by directly threatening Russia. Russia has no possibility to defend its huge borders and can only ensure its security by ensuring that no foreign force sets up a military base on its borders (scorched earth strategy). Already, the Pentagon is circulating prospective maps of the dismantling of Russia that it hopes to implement.

The former Russian ambassador to NATO and current director of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, has responded by publishing on his Telegram account the coordinates of the NATO decision-making centers, including the Madrid summit room [9]. Russia has hypersonic launchers, for the moment impossible to intercept, which can carry a nuclear warhead in a few minutes to the NATO headquarters in Brussels and the Pentagon in Washington. To avoid any misunderstanding, Sergei Lavrov specified, alluding to the Straussians, that the martial decisions of the West were not taken by the military, but by the US State Department. It would be the first target.


So the question is: will the West play for all it’s worth? Will they take the risk of a Third World War, even though it has already been lost, just to avoid dying alone?


https://www.voltairenet.org/article217555.html

[kfm27917]

Russia threatens Western decision-making centers

the site provides the strike coordinates:
⠀🇺🇸 38.897542, -77.036505
⠀⠀🇺🇸 38.870960, -77.055935
⠀⠀🇬🇧 51.503049, -0.127727
⠀⠀🇫🇷 48.870433, 2.316842
⠀⠀🇩🇪 52.519903, 13.368921
⠀⠀🇧🇪 50.879986, 4.425771

https://www.voltairenet.org/article217482.html

[Gwin Ru]

[...]
Johnson loyalists are now resigning like dominoes. Not all of them, but so many now that his situation will very soon be impossible.
Resignations so far:
- Sajid Javid has resigned as health secretary

- Rishi Sunak has stepped down as chancellor

- Trade envoy to Morocco, Andrew Murrison

- Bim Afolami has resigned as Tory vice chair

- Jonathan Gullis has resigned as parliamentary private secretary to the Northern Ireland secretary

- Saqib Bhatti has resigned as parliamentary private secretary to the health secretary

- Nicola Richards has resigned as parliamentary private secretary for the Department for Transport

- Virginia Crosbie has quit her role as parliamentary private secretary at the Welsh Office

[Mashika]

Please stay home bros and sisters, don't come here. It's not what you think it is, please just stay home and be happy, i'm telling you because i know how things are. It will never be the same once you are hit, and you may never go back. Just stop

sE30qztWk_g

You will be hit Please just stop, you don't get it

Just please stay home, it's a lie all of it

[ExomatrixTV]

War, Controversy, and Political Polarization | Iceland Channel 2 Interview:

6kqBAfRjiro
Dr. Peterson sits down with Snorri Másson in Iceland to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, gender-affirming surgery, and political tensions in the United States.


Dr. Peterson's extensive catalog is available now on DailyWire+ (https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe-plus-jordan-peterson)

[avid]

https://cumbriacrack.com/2022/07/06/heart-stopping-images-from-ukraine-war-come-to-cumbria/?fbclid=IwAR3x9jM7r4T41Fy_aT2Slk844rELo8eu9pXMQ87FI48rpJ-Y0_HYb8Po3qw
Some thought-provoking situations as Mashika described.

[Vicus]

How Russia Saved the United States Twice :sherlock:
July 3, 2020

Today Americans are celebrating the most important national holiday — Independence Day. More than a year after the advent of the American Revolutionary War, on July 4, 1776, delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia signed a document, which laid the foundation for a new country. The Declaration of Independence officially announced the separation of 13 newly-independent mutinous colonies from the metropolis and explained the reasons why Americans were at war with the British crown. By positing that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, the Declaration set an agenda for all democratic state-building in the world for centuries to come. Both Russian and French constitutions have been defined by this narrative.

Inspired by the European enlightenment and its philosophers (Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau) as well as supported by the French expeditionary corps, George Washington’s army stood up for the newly-born nation’s very right to exist. After eight years of bloodshed, the United Kingdom eventually recognized America’s independence in 1783; coincidentally, the same year Crimea became a part of the Russian Empire.

However, in the Winter of 1775, victory was far beyond the horizon. Americans were gravely crashed at the Battle of Quebec. A couple of months later, the British were preparing for a counterattack in New York, which later became the most disastrous defeat of the Revolutionary Army over the course of the war. The Americans lost Fort Washington in Autumn 1776 and roughly 3,000 soldiers were taken hostage.

Meanwhile, intending to cut the supply of the rebellious colonies, Britannia tried to impose a naval blockade on the American continent. Being influenced by her correspondence with the French philosophers, an enlightened Russian Empress Catherine the Great from the very start was sympathetic to the Americans fighting for their freedom. Guided by her own country’s national interests, Catherine firmly opposed the British naval blockade. She continued to trade with the 13 former colonies. In 1780 Russia proclaimed the policy of armed neutrality, which meant that its ships would fight back if the British navy tried to stop them from crossing the Atlantic.

More than that, amidst the Revolutionary War George III, the British king, trying to appeal to Catherine’s monarchical sentiments, pleaded her to send 20-thousand Russian expeditionary corps to America to fight against the revolutionaries. The Russian Empress refused. Then the king tried to bribe Catherine by offering an island of Menorca in the Mediterranean Sea in exchange for convincing France to exit the war and thus forcing the American rebels to fight alone. And again, the offer was turned down.

Nowadays most Americans remember the French fighting alongside them in this nation-building war. Unfortunately, they are never reminded about Russia’s contribution to the U.S. independence.

The second most important conflict in America was the Civil War (1861-1865). This time, once again, Russia was on the right side of history.

We can draw some parallels between the two contemporaries, the first Republican President Abraham Lincoln and Russian Tsar Alexander II (also known as the Liberator). Both men initiated fundamental reforms to reconstruct their countries, both of them fought slavery. Alexander abolished serfdom in Russia in 1861, four years before the 13th Amendment was adopted in the United States. Another mysterious similarity, both rulers had a tragic destiny. Both men died for what they believed in. They were assassinated by terrorists.

Back to 1861, with the outbreak of the Civil War President Lincoln not only had to fight the Confederacy but also resist London and Paris plotting against the Union. This time France, pursuing its agenda in Mexico, betrayed the U.S. by secretly supplying the separatist South with weapons. And the United Kingdom, also guided by its self-interest, insidiously increased Confederacy’s legitimacy by recognizing it as a combatant party. By default, London and Paris were ready to join the war on the side of General Lee’s army. The major factor, which prevented it from happening was the position taken by the Russian Empire.

In 1863, Alexander II sent two Russian fleets under the command of Admirals Lessovski and Popov to New York and San Francisco in order to put pressure on London and fight the British navy if necessary. Russian ships patrolled the American shores for 10 months. Thus, Russia was the first European power, who officially supported the Union and President Lincoln. Soon the war was over.

Russia’s position towards the United States at the time can be best described by an affirmation of the most famous Russian diplomat, Chancellor Gorchakov: “Russia’s policy towards the United States is defined and will not change. Above all, we wish to keep the American Union as an undivided nation.”

Being deeply indebted to Russia, the American government in 1866 decided to send a special deputation to Petersburg to express to the Emperor and the Russian people the gratitude of the United States for the help provided by sending Russian fleets to America. The words, coined by an American diplomat Berg at an official reception organized a couple of years earlier in honor of the sailors who came to the side of the United States in its hour of need, happened to be prophetic: “There is a friendship between us that has not been overshadowed by any bad memories. It will continue, subject to the strict rule not to interfere in each other’s internal affairs. It is easy to imagine the enormous advantages that such a policy can give to all the governments of the globe if they carefully adhere to it."

Today it might be hard for our two countries to return to such an ideal state of affairs. Now Russian-American relations are overshadowed by lots of circumstances. This is why it is especially important to remember the positive moments of our common past. Twice in less than a century, Russia stood on behalf of the United States in its fight for freedom and unity. As much as Americans, Russians are always ready to fight for the right cause and for what they believe in.

Today, it's worth congratulating Americans as they celebrate their independence and the profound impact that American democracy has had on the world. At the same time, it's also worth remembering the instrumental role that Russia played in making the American experiment possible and that together the United States and Russia can do great things.

https://russiancouncil.ru/en/blogs/alexey-viryasov/how-russia-saved-the-united-states-twice/

[Vicus]

Russia says it destroyed American HIMARS in Ukraine

Ukraine has lost 'powerful tools' provided by Washington, Moscow claims.

Russian forces destroyed two US-made rocket launchers in Donbass, the defense ministry said on Wednesday.

The US provided Kiev with eight High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and ammunition since the beginning of the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, according to a Pentagon fact sheet published on Tuesday.

“In the area of the settlement of Malotaranovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, high-precision air-launched missiles destroyed two US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and two ammunition depots for them,” the Russian military said in a statement.

At the end of June, the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) said that an М142 HIMARS had been used by Ukrainian forces in Donbass, the first time that local authorities reported the US-supplied systems had been used in combat.

Prior to that, the chief of Ukraine’s General Staff, Valery Zaluzhny, posted a video purporting to show pro-Kiev forces operating the long-range rocket system.

On June 23, Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov welcomed the arrival of HIMARS and expressed gratitude to his “American colleague and friend Lloyd Austin (the Pentagon chief) for these powerful tools.”

Russia has constantly warned the US and its allies against providing Ukraine with weapons saying that it would only lead to the prolongation of the conflict and the creation of long-term problems.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday that some of the foreign weapons intended for Ukraine were spreading throughout the Middle East and are turning up on the black market.

Late last month G7 countries pledged to provide support to Ukraine in all possible forms “for as long as it takes.”

The Russian military also made it clear that any foreign arms on Ukrainian territory would be considered legitimate targets.


https://www.rt.com/russia/558482-himars-destroyed-russia-donbass/

[happyuk]

Paul Craig Roberts explains how the US is trying to force Russia into nuclear war
with the US:

https://usawatchdog.com/paul-craig-roberts-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win (https://usawatchdog.com/paul-craig-roberts-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win/)


https://rumble.com/v1ampzo-dr.-pcr-says-nuke-war-coming-mysterious-deaths-dont-stop-dems-cant-win.html
v180k26I watched this with interest, and Paul Craig Roberts always has to be respected. But here, I think he's wrong.

The Russians don't care at all what the western media says about them, and the real western powerbrokers aren't influenced by the media either, as they understand the entire thing perfectly well — including Russia's very measured response to all the provocation.

Of course, there are hawks among the US neocons, but NATO is not as strong as it likes to pretend it is. One thing that's been very visible is how effective the Russian military machine is, and how ineffective western weapons are in a "real" war against a strong adversary.

The neocons may rattle their sabers and make a lot of noise, but as best I can see they're really doing this for one another. Everything I believe I know and understand suggests that Russia is in full control of all this, militarily, financially, and geopolitically.

And most of the world's nations are quietly behind them. However the western media tries to frame this, all politicians with any perception of reality at all (but maybe that excludes many in Europe, and of course Biden himself!) will understand this very clearly.

I agree fully Bill. What Paul Craig Roberts calls Russian strategic mistakes etc. aren’t strategic mistakes at all. If Russia had taken the Donbass region in 2014, the whole world would have condemned them. Now – apart from the US and their golden billion slaves and vassals – the whole world is either neutral or blatantly behind them. They can oppose the West at their own pace by building their forces of economic warfare. Moreover, and contrary to what the West thinks: they are not losing the information war in the world, they are only losing it in the G7 world and their full-fledged media propaganda arm. Once they have achieved the goal of creating that economic-geopolitic "second pole" and promoted a new "non-aligned" third pole, their non-nuclear military capability towards the West will be supplied for for by China if need be. In the Second World War, Japan and Germany were antipodes: divided geopolitically right from the start, so Germany was defeated by the American-armed Soviets, and Japan by the Americans. This time around, Russia and China are not divided but geopolitically united and will be able to sustain conventional attacks from the West (where the US will be seriously hampered by the Europeans’ unwillingness to be "Ukrainised") as well as from the East (where neither South Korea nor Japan will elect to be slaughtered by invading forces from China). The real danger is the metamorphosis into a nuclear exchange, which is possible at any moment, to start with tomorrow. The Neocons might reason "if we can’t be the hegemonic power, then nobody will be": the "Samson option", which their good friends in Israel know everything about. The key to this is that the US citizens must themselves rise up and disarm their warlords. I am not so sure they will have the courage to do this. Time is short.

Deviating from the topic a little, but still I think part of this overall complex puzzle, MI5 director Ken McCallum and FBI chief Christopher Wray make an "historic" address on the subject of China.

49251

I would argue there's nothing "covert" about it, it has been out in the open for decades just like the intellectual property theft, disregard for international agreements they make with every nation, and debt-trap diplomacy with poor African nations.

Are our intelligence agencies really this incompetent? I would say the answer is yes.

[ExomatrixTV]

Ukraine Completely Withdraws From Lysychansk:

nCz84Qcvwg0

[shaberon]

“In the area of the settlement of Malotaranovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, high-precision air-launched missiles destroyed two US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and two ammunition depots for them,” the Russian military said in a statement.

At the end of June, the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) said that an М142 HIMARS had been used by Ukrainian forces in Donbass, the first time that local authorities reported the US-supplied systems had been used in combat.




"Combat" here has the definition of "firing on a city (https://sputniknews.com/20220704/ukrainian-forces-fire-himars-at-settlement-in-donetsk-peoples-republic-1096947722.html):


"According to military experts of the DPR JCCC, the enemy, situated in the area of the settlement of Konstantinovka, launched missiles from the M142 HIMARS Multiple Launch Rocket System supplied to the Ukrainian Armed Forces by NATO countries at the city of Snezhnoye," the press service of the JCCC said in a statement Monday.



Does that game look changed to anyone?


I had to clear my head of this for a few days, to which, I would add the following:


When last speaking of this great culture of hours, there was a murder on this street, a friend of mine showed up stapled together by more staples than I have ever seen, and, someone else got themselves within "one touch" of being slain by me personally.

Then I had to drive around town to get to work--assuming the cops were blocking the highway due to a wreck. But I could not see any wrecked cars. Found out later it was another shooting right there in the road.

That's what we have, not Covid, and anyone who might suppose a Russian was my enemy has got things very far backwards.


As far as I can tell, it is British central planners. I am prepared to blame them basically continuously since 1720. All that the stupid Americans did was re-join them.

This is despite having a national anthem from the War of 1812 which was a British attack to renew the central bank.

Well, at least we have some stories of that great American tech roasting in obliteration. Pansies.

The job of American Intelligence is to deliver the country to Britain. And to make the population ignorant. They are doing really good at this!

The only reason the British are losing right now is because their whole plan doesn't work. It costs something, but it doesn't work, and they do not understand this because they have jobs that robotically act like it does.

So far the equation send more weapons = get a lot more people killed with no achievements appears to be working.

I can only take it that Johnson and Biden are really enthusiastic about ruining everything they can possibly influence.


Strong language warning, here are some on-screen lyrics newly from some English friends of mine responding to BoJo.

Venom

Don't Feed Me Your Lies

9YzM2LsWYs0

[Vicus]

DPR People’s Militia has eliminated over 60 Ukrainian neo-Nazis in one day

The DPR People’s Militia supported by the Russian Armed Forces eliminated more than 60 Ukrainian nationalists and destroyed two Uragan and three Grads multiple rocket launchers over the past 24 hours. The press service of the DPR People’s Militia reported this on July 5.

“The joint actions of the military of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation destroyed the following enemy armament and military equipment: two Uragan multiple rocket launchers, three BM-21 Grad, five trucks and over 60 personnel. Three enemy firing points were suppressed in the areas of Avdeevka, Nevelskoye and Zhelannoye,” the statement reads.

The DPR People’s Militia noted that the Ukrainian side continues to terrorize the civilians of the Republic, carrying out massive artillery strikes on residential areas and civilian infrastructure, which in turn are not military objects and pose no danger to the enemy

In his congratulations on the 77th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, addressed on May 9 to the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Vladimir Putin stressed that the Russian Federation, the DPR and LPR are fighting shoulder to shoulder, like their ancestors, to liberate their native land from Nazi invaders, and expressed confidence in victory, as in 1945.

The Russian leader reminded that the common duty of all who honor the great memory of the war is to prevent the revival of Nazism, which brought so much suffering to the people of different countries.

http://eu.eot.su/2022/07/05/dpr-peoples-militia-has-eliminated-over-60-ukrainian-neo-nazis-in-one-day/

[Ravenlocke]

And really for all the innocent child victims killed horribly around the world…may their families somehow be consoled for their losses somehow. So many senseless, cruel deaths everywhere in this world..

https://twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1545073584837742593
1545073584837742593

[Ravenlocke]

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https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/07/u-s-generals-have-been-wrong-on-ukraine-we-shouldnt-be-shocked/

U.S. Generals Have Been Wrong On Ukraine. We Shouldn’t Be Shocked

Frederick B. Hodges, former commanding general of U.S. Army-Europe, claimed last month that Ukraine’s forces would soon slow Russia’s advance and, the New York Times reported, begin “to roll back its gains by late summer.” Hodges said his confidence was based on his belief that “the Ukrainian logistical situation getting better each week while the Russian logistical situation will slowly degrade.”

Such claims, however, are in contradiction to observable reality on the battlefield – and continue a disturbing, decades-long trend of poor and misleading advice given by America’s top military officers.

Listening over the past four months to what America’s retired generals and admirals have said on TV, one would be forgiven for believing that Ukraine is winning its war with Russia, that Putin’s troops and leaders are incompetent, and that soon Ukrainian troops will begin rolling the Russians back.

Such belief, however, would be badly misplaced, as substantial evidence indicates virtually the opposite.

A Rosy Look at the Brutal Battle in Ukraine

Rosy, optimistic – and inaccurate – assessments from U.S. flag officers have unfortunately become the norm over the past few decades. While some current and former generals give excellent and accurate assessments, there are far too many that don’t. The consequence to American policy has often been severe. It is time to reassess how much credibility we should place with American generals and admirals.

As I have chronicled on these pages, the conditions and military fundamentals clearly evident for years have strongly suggested that Ukraine could not win a war with Russia, and that both Kyiv and Washington should have made different policy choices based on that reality, both before and since Russia’s illegal invasion. But as graphically detailed below, active and retired flag officers have continually claimed that – ignoring clear evidence to the contrary – Ukraine has a chance to win the war.

Encouraging Ukraine to Keep Up the Fight

Such unwarranted assertions have led policymakers and the American public to believe, improperly, that we should continue encouraging Ukraine to maintain its fight against Russia. American official policy has been to provide Kyiv with substantial armaments to defend itself and overwhelming emotional support.

If the generals were right, if Ukraine were indeed close to winning the war, and if the aid we have offered could tip the scales in Kyiv’s favor, then our policy might make sense. But it doesn’t. Ukraine isn’t winning the war and isn’t even close to parity, much less superiority, to Russian forces.

In my most recent piece at 19FortyFive, I detail many of the practical, military reasons Ukraine is losing the war and is likely to continue losing. In my assessment, if Kyiv continues refusing to seek a negotiated settlement with Russia – something that is understandably repugnant to many Ukrainian citizens and government – they are in danger not merely of sliding into a long-term stalemate, but of outright losing the war.

I do not hesitate to admit that I can’t guarantee an outcome in this war. There are too many variables and information I don’t have, and do not have access to the secret council of either the Russian or Ukrainian general staff, or that of the western NATO leaders. A number of things could change the dynamics and trajectory of the war, which are not publicly known. Of course events that have yet to happen could result in major course changes.

But as I have laid out in detail, the current trends and military fundamentals reveal Ukraine is unquestionably losing this war. For the conditions to change dramatically enough to make an eventual Ukrainian military victory possible, as many generals continue to claim, would require a radical shift from today’s realities. Beyond mere rhetoric, there is no evidence such a radical shift is forthcoming. It is therefore irresponsible, I argue, to tell the American people that the desired outcome is possible when all evidence screams that it’s not – and downright cruel to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and civilian population, to foster a belief that they have a chance.

Should Washington Change Course?

To have the best chance to protect America’s vital national interests and save as many Ukrainian people as possible from being killed, Washington must change course and begin to form policy based on a frank and honest assessment of the combat, economic, and diplomatic realities of this war. It will be hard to get to that rational place, however, unless we first recognize the consistently rosy pictures painted by America’s flag officers over the past few decades have been atrocious.

My 21 years of active service in the U.S. Army, including four combat deployments, has put me in a position to personally observe many of the mistakes and bad judgments of both active and retired generals. The cumulative result of their frequently flawed advice has been uniformly bad for our country, resulting in some of the worst military and foreign policy decisions our country has made.

Whether it was routine claims, made over a 20-year period, of success in the Afghan War when events conclusively proved it was always a disastrous failure, or perpetual claims of success during and after the 2003 Iraq war – before the Iraqi Security Forces the U.S. trained melted away at the first contact with the Islamic State – senior American military leaders have consistently misled the American public on the true state of affairs.

Since virtually the beginning of the Ukraine-Russian war, American active and retired generals have consistently claimed that Russian troops were incompetent, that their troops were ill-disciplined, arrogant, unmotivated, and sometimes rebelled against their leaders and refused to fight. The Russians, many generals claimed, could not win, with Gen. Hodges claiming that Ukraine would begin rolling back Putin’s troops before the end of this summer.

Yet Russia controls more than 20 percent of Ukrainian territory and continues conquering urban center after urban center in the Donbas, killing upwards of 200 troops per day, wounding another 500 in the process.

Russia outguns Ukraine 20-1 in howitzers, 40-1 in artillery shells and Rockets, and has a significant advantage in air power. There is no rational basis upon which to claim that Ukraine can stop the Russians, much less roll them back.



It is appropriate, in light of the awful record active and retired general officers have amassed over the past few decades, that both the media and public should give more scrutiny to future claims made by generals. It is understandable why many would give blanket trust to the word of a senior commander: they typically have 30-plus years of experience and have served at the highest levels. But evidence confirms that this trust has been misplaced and it is up to the generals to earn that trust back. Telling the truth and giving honest assessments would be a good place to start.

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