WW3? Ukraine/US vs. Donbass/Russia

[Ravenlocke]

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
Text:
Semyon Yeremin, a military correspondent of the Russian media outlet Izvestiya, has died in the special operation zone in Ukraine

He was killed in an attack by a Ukrainian FPV drone, Izvestia reported.

Yeremin, who had been a special correspondent for the outlet since 2017, worked extensively in various areas of the special operation zone, particularly in Mariupol, Azovstal, and Maryinka, Izvestia reports.

He was near Volnovakha and entered the liberated city together with a rotation of storm troopers and came under mortar fire near Ugledar in August 2022, according to the publication.

It was then that a video was found on Ukrainian social networks that actually proved that the Ukrainian army was deliberately killing Russian journalists.

https://x.com/SputnikInt/status/1781423882399814041

Text:
Propagandist Sladkov is furious after the death of “military correspondent” Semyon Eremin due to a Ukrainian FPV drone. I have never seen him like this, as a rule, he follows the official line.

However, he is dissatisfied with the attitude towards "military reporters", who are not considered participants of hostilities with all that entails: lack of payments and benefits to the family. That is, Sladkov directly states that all Russian “journalists” should be considered combatants.

Semyon Eremin, a propagandist for pro-Kremlin "Izvestia", illegally crossed the border into Ukraine, where he was killed in the Zaporizhzhia region. He constantly hung around the contact line, covering events in the war since February 2022. His car was attacked by an FPV drone, and he died from his injuries.

Sladkov is most likely very worried about his ass - after all, he has been successfully running away from fate for a very long time.


https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1781606672739270773

[Reinhard]

Posted by Tintin (here)

Posted by Vicus (here)
Russians ‘undesirable’ at death camp commemoration events in Germany – Moscow 18 Apr, 2024

Berlin’s “provocative attack” is an attempt to distort the history of World War II, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said

Russia’s diplomatic mission in Berlin has received a notice that the presence of Russian officials at events in Germany marking the liberation of Nazi concentration camps is “undesirable,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

The letter was sent earlier this month by the administrations of several memorial complexes at the sites of former death camps, Zakharova explained. It came ahead of International Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps Day, observed annually on April 11 to commemorate the freeing of prisoners from Buchenwald – one of the largest Nazi death camps of World War II.

“Our embassy in Berlin received a notice that it is undesirable for Russian officials to participate in commemorative events marking the 79th anniversary of the liberation of death camp prisoners,” Zakharova said during a briefing. She noted that the letter targeted people who have dedicated their lives to preserving the memory of World War II.

Zakharova stressed that Moscow regards the move as a “provocative attack” and yet another attempt to portray the war in a politicized “anti-Russian vein.”

“We believe that this is the destruction of historical memory and the truth about the Second World War by Berlin,” the spokeswoman said

Zakharova also criticized Germany for continuing to ignore Russia’s demands to recognize Nazi crimes against the USSR as genocide, stressing that Berlin “will not be able to remain silent and avoid answering.”

In January, on the 80th anniversary of the lifting of the siege of Leningrad during World War II, Berlin said it was “committed to ensuring that the memory of the atrocities of German War crimes in the Second World War” and acknowledged “its historical responsibility for the crimes committed in Leningrad by the German Wehrmacht.”

Russian diplomats, however, have argued that Berlin’s statements do not go far enough, and expressed dismay that Germany is seemingly hesitant to recognize the Leningrad blockade and other Nazi crimes against the people of the USSR as acts of genocide.


https://swentr.site/russia/596203-ge...tration-camps/

That's about as graceless, crass, squalid, disingenuous and racist a position as one could imagine from a German government FFS, that has completely rolled off the skids and is hurtling toward one of Dante Alighieri's 9 rings at quite some rate of knots, and dragging her poor citizens along as well.

Despicable.

I TOTALLY agree..............it definately didn't happen in my name!!!

[Kryztian]

West plotting to assassinate Zelensky – Medvedev
Polish claims of a thwarted “Russian plot” against the Ukrainian president are a warning sign, the senior official believes
Russia Today * 19 Apr, 2024 11:20
https://www.rt.com/russia/596234-med...sination-plot/

Allegations that a Polish man was plotting with Moscow to assassinate Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky are a sign that Kiev’s Western backers want to “liquidate” the Ukrainian leader, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has claimed.

On Thursday, Polish officials reported the arrest of a man who is accused of trying to provide sensitive information to the Russian intelligence services. The information could have been used in an attempt to kill Zelensky, Warsaw and Kiev have claimed.

Deputy head of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev. © Sputnik / Pavel Bednyakov

“An attempt on the life of the chief Banderite [Zelensky] in Poland? That is truly serious,” Medvedev, who serves as deputy head of the Russian Security Council, wrote on social media on Friday in response to the claims.

“It may be the first piece of evidence that people in the West have made a decision to liquidate him. Be afraid, clown!”

The term ‘Banderite’ refers to the Ukrainian nationalist movement of Stepan Bandera, which was responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Poles during World War II. The Nazi collaborator is considered a national hero in modern Ukraine.

The Polish citizen, identified as Pawel K. by the National Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw, faces up to eight years in jail if convicted on charges of attempting to work with a foreign power against national interests.

Specifically, Pawel K. is accused of trying to share information with Moscow about Rzeszow–Jasionka Airport in southeastern Poland. The facility is used to ship weapons and munitions that NATO members donate to Ukraine to fight Russia.

Polish officials, however, have claimed that his tips could “among other things” have helped Moscow plan a hit on Zelensky during a visit to Poland. Kiev’s successor to the KGB, the SBU, repeated the allegations in a statement of its own.

Warsaw has claimed Pawel K. was in contact with Russian nationals who are “directly involved” in the Ukraine conflict. Polish authorities were tipped off about the alleged threat by Ukrainian security services.

Zelensky has told Western media that Russia has been trying to kill him for years, with multiple attempts prevented by his security detail.

[Ravenlocke]

Text:

🇷🇺🇺🇦💡 AFU attacks on the Russian energy system

Last night, as part of a combined strike on Russian territory, the AFU attacked Novobryanskaya 750 kV high-voltage substation with drones.

Images circulating online show two fires at the 220 kV and 750 kV open switchgear (OSD) of the substation. Autotransformers may have been damaged.

https://x.com/rybar_force/status/1781761706609234302

Text:
🇺🇦⚔️🇷🇺 Massive night UAV attack on Russian territory

At night, Ukrainian formations carried out a massive attack on various regions of Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on the destruction of 50 drones shot down and intercepted by electronic warfare and air defense systems.

Everything was shot down:
▪️26 UAVs in the Belgorod region;
▪️10 UAVs in the Bryansk region;
▪️eight UAVs in the Kursk region;
▪️two in the Tula region;
▪️one each in Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga and Moscow regions.

In addition, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked several objects in the border zone of the Belgorod region with drones. A UAV fell at night in the village of Istobnoye, but there were no casualties. And in Poroz, as a result of a drone drop, a private house caught fire, killing two civilians.

In addition, in Kardymovo, Smolensk region, according to some reports, a fire broke out in the area of an oil depot, and in Vygonichi, ...

Lord of War

https://x.com/dana916/status/1781641339253182935

[Ravenlocke]

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
https://x.com/dana916/status/1780709053070786720

https://x.com/MaimunkaNews/status/1780647193008828551

https://x.com/Zlatti_71/status/1780520924430663973

¤=[Post Update]=¤

https://x.com/Zlatti_71/status/1780549840490963053

Or was it this?


While Ukraine aims at Russian military targets, the Russians continue to indiscriminately target residential areas, launching missiles at hospitals in broad daylight, like today in Chernihiv. A little later they will certainly announce that a "French mercenary base” or something like that was attacked.

Even if military personnel were treated there, such a strike on a civilian object is undoubtedly a war crime.

Western “partners” who have lost their balls, as always, watch from the sidelines and condemn. After all, there were no US military bases in this hospital.


https://x.com/GeromanAT/status/1780512626180493327

https://x.com/GeromanAT/status/1780514192124002634

https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1781588438304641209

Text:

Russian military analyst Vlad Shlepchenko in his article for the radical Russian publication Tsargrad, said that a breakthrough in Ukraine’s defenses should not be expected, that Ukraine not only has not weakened, but also strengthened, and that Ukraine will not fall either this year or next.

At the same time, he also did not give a forecast for future years, saying only that there was a high probability of the war continuing in 2026-2027.

You can read the article on the Constantinople website using the page translation: https://tsargrad.tv/news/proryva-zhd...nfliktu_989320

* ”Constantinople” in this case is an incorrect auto-translation of “Tsargrad”, i.e. “Tsar-city”, the legacy name for Constantinople.

https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1781244469766922515

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
Or was it this?

[...referencing WarTranslated (Dmitri), an unashamed Estonian propagandist who lies at every opportunity...]

While Ukraine aims at Russian military targets, the Russians continue to indiscriminately target residential areas

I think we can stop reading there!

[Ravenlocke]

My point was about War Translated(Dmitri),

since he was mentioned here,
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/sho...=1#post1610157

as maybe a reliable, credible source?

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by norman (here)
Being MSN, I have to consider it's possibly fake news but the video at the link looks like a plane falling out of the sky, I just don't know who's plane or where.

Russian Tu-22 bomber crashes in Stavropol

https://www.msn.com/en-in/foodanddri...ol/vi-AA1nhLhS

Yes, it was a Russian Tu-22M, and the crash happened in Stavropol, over 300 km inside Russian territory. It encountered engine problems, and 3 out of the crew of 4 survived.

(Of course, Ukrainian channels are claiming it was shot down, but that's more pure nonsense. )

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
🇺🇸🇺🇦💰❗️UKRAINE AID BILL PASSED BY U.S. CONGRESS: American lawmakers chant "UKRAINE!" (00:08 in vid) and wave Ukrainian flags as they vote to give Kiev regime $61 BILLION to "assist fight against Russia".

Bill will now go to U.S. Senate for vote next week, before it’ll be sent to Old Joe so he can wake up from nap and sign it.

Who cares about ordinary Americans? American politicians sure seem to care more about Ukraine judging by the video.

IntelRepublic


https://x.com/dana916/status/1781747314035441950

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
My point was about War Translated(Dmitri),

since he was mentioned here,
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/sho...=1#post1610157

as maybe a reliable, credible source?

That was cited by christian, who (as much as I respect him and count him as a friend), does NOT always choose his sources of information very well or wisely.

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
Medvedev:

“No one doubted that American lawmakers would approve "aid" to a gang of neo-Nazis. It was a vote by the joyous bastards of the state:
a) in favor of continuing the civil war of the divided people of our formerly united country;
b) in favor of maximizing the casualties of this war.

We will win, of course, despite the 61 billion bloody dollars that will mostly go down the throats of their insatiable MIC. Strength and Truth are behind us.

But in view of the Russophobic decision that took place, I cannot in all sincerity not wish the US to plunge into a new civil war itself as soon as possible. Which, I hope, will be radically different from the war between North and South in the XIX century and will be fought with the use of airplanes, tanks, artillery, MLRS, all kinds of missiles and other weapons. And which will finally lead to the ignominious collapse of the vile evil empire of the 21st century - the United States of America.”


https://x.com/Zlatti_71/status/1781782338604544297

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Text:
US mulls posting more military advisers to Kiev embassy

The US is considering sending more military advisers to the US Embassy in Kiev, the US Department of Defense spokesman Patrick Ryder said.

"Throughout this conflict, the DOD has reviewed and adjusted our presence in-country, as security conditions have evolved. Currently, we are considering sending several additional advisers to augment the Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) at the Embassy," he told Politico.

The Pentagon spokesperson added that the office performed advisory and non-combat support missions despite being staffed exclusively with Department of Defense personnel.

"The US is getting more and more personally involved in this [Ukrainian] conflict. They are getting involved, it's an obvious thing. And let no one say that they have nothing to do with it. We believe that they do," Russian President Vladimir Putin noted earlier.

https://x.com/SputnikInt/status/1781814886147760183

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Text:
#MariaTelegram
#Zakharova
Maria Zakharova, 20 April

The allocation of military assistance by the United States to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan will exacerbate the global crisis: military assistance to the Kiev regime is direct sponsorship of terrorist activities, to Taiwan - interference in China's internal affairs, to Israel - a direct road to the escalation of unprecedented aggravation in the region.

👉https://t.me/s/MariaVladimirovnaZakharova

https://x.com/_MariaZakharova/status...74576172646673

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/MayadeenEnglish/status...32252989870488

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/...land--german-p

NATO can shoot down missiles over Ukr. from Poland: German Politician
A senior researcher at the Munich Security Conference and former chief of staff at the German Ministry of Defense from 2019-2022, Nico Lange suggested in an interview with Tagesschau, that NATO allies should use anti-craft systems to shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine from Poland's territory.

As Ukraine is currently struggling on the battlefield due to manpower shortages and hardware losses, Lange stressed "From now on, partners should use the numerous 'Patriot' systems on our eastern borders to shoot down all Russian missiles and drones that they have within range over Ukraine," referencing mainly the alliance’s air defense systems in eastern Poland.

"This would be fully covered under international law," Lange emphasized, using the example of Western assistance for "Israel" last week against the retaliatory Iranian strike.

Lange further argued that there is a need for an "unconventional solution", urging a "change in strategy" in Western support for Ukraine.

He also believes that simultaneously and in the long term, there should be an increase in the production of air defense systems in Europe.

A senior official of the Zaporizhzhia regional administration, Vladimir Rogov, told Sputnik on April 19 that Poland is preparing its military personnel for entry into Ukraine, with some already arriving in the operation zone in small groups disguised as mercenaries.

Poland's PM warned Europe has entered 'pre-war era'

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned on March 29 of the "real" threat of conflict in Europe, saying that for the first time since the end of World War II, the continent has entered a "pre-war era".

"War is no longer a concept from the past. It is real, and it started over two years ago. The most worrying thing at the moment is that literally any scenario is possible. We haven't seen a situation like this since 1945," Tusk said in an interview for the European media grouping LENA on March 29.

"I know it sounds devastating, especially for the younger generation, but we have to get used to the fact that a new era has begun: the pre-war era. I'm not exaggerating; it's becoming clearer every day."

Polish FM said NATO troops already in Ukraine

NATO forces are already in Ukraine, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on March 10, declining to elaborate.

Sikorski expressed at a gathering commemorating Poland's 25th anniversary of NATO membership that "NATO soldiers are already present in Ukraine," thanking leaders from NATO member states who purportedly supplied soldiers to Ukraine, but refused to comment on the number of troops and their places of origin.

On March 8, Sikorski stated that the presence of NATO military in Ukraine "was not unthinkable," and praised Macron's intention to send Western troops to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Polish President Andrzej Duda stated that Poland needed to build a large airport to facilitate the transit of NATO soldiers.




NATO affirmed on Friday that they possess air defense systems that can be dispatched to Ukraine, as stated by the head of the alliance.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that announcements regarding this matter are anticipated "soon," following a virtual summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO defense ministers.

Zelenskyy convened this urgent session, held within the framework of the NATO-Ukraine Council.

"NATO defense ministers have agreed to step up and provide further military support, including more air defense. NATO has mapped out existing capabilities across the lines and there are systems that can be made available to Ukraine," Stoltenberg said.

This comes as the US House passed a bill today that would grant Kiev $61 billion to aid Ukraine in its war against Russia.

https://x.com/MayadeenEnglish/status...26987901718543

[Ravenlocke]

🇩🇰The new Commander-in-Chief of the Danish Army, General Michael Viggers Hildgaard, visited Ukraine - Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.

In Kiev, Hildgaard met with Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Aleksandr Syrsky. According to him, during their meeting they discussed the urgent needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in various areas, as well as ways and possibilities for further support from the Danish government.

http://t.me/ukraine_watch

https://x.com/Zlatti_71/status/1781703570196160701

[Tintin]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
Or was it this?

[...referencing WarTranslated (Dmitri), an unashamed Estonian propagandist who lies at every opportunity...]

While Ukraine aims at Russian military targets, the Russians continue to indiscriminately target residential areas

I think we can stop reading there!

Yes, a propagandist, and a not very good one at that ( ) who I blocked a long time ago on our Avalon 'X' account.

[christian]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
My point was about War Translated(Dmitri) […] as maybe a reliable, credible source?

That was cited by christian, who (as much as I respect him and count him as a friend), does NOT always choose his sources of information very well or wisely.

I'm honored to count you as a friend, and I appreciate that you don't let disagreements over the Russia-Ukraine War get in the way of that. Thomas Jefferson said, "I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend." I would go even further: I prefer someone who lives and acts well and doesn't share my opinions over someone who shares my opinions but doesn't live and act well.

In the tweet I cited, WarTranslated shared a video clip of Olga Skabeyeva, a renowned media personality who works for Russian state TV. The clip is authentic and the translation is accurate; I checked with a native Russian speaker. It's a significant admission of bias and propaganda. Such bias can also be found in the Western media, they're just usually not as candid about it.

In another tweet cited by Ravenlocke, WarTranslated commented on the Russian attack on Chernihiv, claiming that "Ukraine aims at Russian military targets [while] the Russians continue to indiscriminately target residential areas." In making this statement, WarTranslated displays the same bias pro-Ukraine that Olga Skabeyeva admits to having pro-Russia.

Media bias and propaganda regarding kinetic warfare is a universal phenomenon. Anne Morelli summarized it in The Basic Principles of War Propaganda:

1. We don't want war, we are only defending ourselves
2. Our adversary is solely responsible for this war
3. Our adversary's leader is inherently evil and resembles the devil
4. We are defending a noble cause, not our particular interests
5. The enemy is purposefully committing atrocities; if we are making mistakes this happens without intention
6. The enemy makes use of illegal weapons
7. We suffer few losses, the enemy's losses are considerable
8. Recognized intellectuals and artists support our cause
9. Our cause is sacred
10. Whoever casts doubt on our propaganda helps the enemy and is a traitor

Virtually all governments and their associated media follow these principles. My commitment is not to any government, but to the truth. I don't accept or dismiss information wholesale because of the source who shared it, because I know that even an untrustworthy source can sometimes share authentic information and even a trustworthy source can sometimes get things wrong.

Evaluating each piece of information on its own merits, I find truths and falsehoods embraced by both sides in the Russia-Ukraine War. Neither side is always right, and neither side is always wrong. That shouldn't come as a surprise. Life just isn't that simple, the world is more complex than that.

I think it's vital to appreciate the complexity of political intercourse in particular. The welfare of humanity depends on it. We're not getting anywhere by siding with any of the big governments present today.

[Tintin]

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
Text:
🇺🇸🇺🇦💰❗️UKRAINE AID BILL PASSED BY U.S. CONGRESS: American lawmakers chant "UKRAINE!" (00:08 in vid) and wave Ukrainian flags as they vote to give Kiev regime $61 BILLION to "assist fight against Russia".

Bill will now go to U.S. Senate for vote next week, before it’ll be sent to Old Joe so he can wake up from nap and sign it.

Who cares about ordinary Americans? American politicians sure seem to care more about Ukraine judging by the video.

IntelRepublic


https://x.com/dana916/status/1781747314035441950

Well, of course it did!

It's a gigantic money laundering scheme of course, in full view. Many of us contributing here figured that out yonks ago, but it may be worth providing some further material to support that.

This extracted from Simplicius' latest written up just before the 'vote' and published April 20th:


******

However, while the pro-Ukrainian crowd rejoices, it’s not clear what real benefit the aid would bring, should it pass. For instance, days ago the provisions of the alleged bill had leaked which apparently showed the vast majority of the $48B Ukrainian aid going to various American DOD scams:

If there’s any accuracy to the above, it appears that when you take away the civil funds to the Ukrainian government, and the DOD’s own beak-wetting double-dip, all that’s really left for Ukrainian ‘weapons’ is about $14B or less. And in fact Johnson appears to confirm this when he says that he changed the bill so that 80% of it now represents replenishment of American stocks, rather than new weapons for Ukraine

-----------------------

[Tintin]

Video below, which can be played without the sound on: having 'softened' up the Aviatorskoye airfield in Dnepropetrovsk region a day or so ago the Russian armed forces now appear to have destroyed the MiG-29s stationed there. Here's more confirmation:



The Russian "Dnepr" Cossack brigade successfully neutralised two Ukrainian reconnaissance boats near the Kinburn Spit in the Mykolaev Oblast. It's an impressive direct hit. The boat/s was/were carrying personnel and equipment:



Usually the Russian Armed Forces turn NATO hardware into toasted scrap metal but this time, believed to be a first, they've acquired a German Leopard 2 tank fully intact and have brought it to the rear as a trophy:

[Tintin]

Update from Novomikhailovka, now liberated, via IntelSlava Z on Telegram. Video here without subtitles but you can get the gist of the message from the text, below:

The 155th Marine Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces knocked out the Ukrainian Armed Forces from Novomikhailovka. Photos and videos from marines from Novomikhailovka. The village has actually been liberated; there remains a little work on the western outskirts and cleanup. After Novomikhailovka, battles for Paraskovievka will begin. Well, then Konstantinovka, through which the main road passes, along which the Ugledar garrison is supplied. There will be a serious battle there

[Tintin]

Zelensky Unmasked
Produced: Truth in Media with Ben Swann
Released: 2024
Source: Truth in Media

The following two parts of a mini-series by Ben Swann and team at Truth in Media serves as a useful digest with the focus on Volodomyr Zelensky but which also contains interesting snippets that may have not been seen before, many of which are from interviews that TiM have conducted over the past couple years.

Many of us here who have been doing the research won't find much here ever so revealing but there are occasional interesting segments of footage that are included to form a part of the record.

******


Part 1 - Who is Volodomyr Zelensky?

Duration: 16:43

Description:

"Zelensky Unmasked": The American independent media platform Truthinmedia presented the first film in a series dedicated to the Ukrainian conflict. The creators of the project warned that there will be no "black and white" picture, as portrayed to the residents of the US by the White House and the largest pro-democratic media.

✔️ This part discusses Zelensky's connections with the oligarchs;
✔️ His promise to bring peace to Donbass, but continued anti-Russian stance;
✔️ The implementation of a law prohibiting the Russian language and his inaction regarding the rise of nationalism;
✔️ The repression against the UOC is also far from democratic.

💬 After watching all the parts, viewers will be able to answer: Is Ukraine an apologist for democracy or is it still a country with a tyrant at its helm?

Part 2 -

Duration: 11:18

Description:

"Zelensky Unmasked": the second episode focuses on Zelenksy’s carefully crafted image and the PR-machine responsible for it.

✔️ This part tells how one of the most notorious gangsters, Igor Kolomoisky, assisted an actor in becoming president;
✔️ Nothing has changed in the country under the "main fighter against corruption". All his promises were not fulfilled;
✔️ During the war, Zelensky is not hesitant to appear in photos for prestigious magazines and record videos for Grammy and Golden Globe ceremonies, even when the fate of the country is at stake;
✔️ The new episode will provide more details about Zelensky being a puppet in this global show.

❗️He plays the role of a good Marvel hero, a symbol of democracy, and this story is successful in the US due to the absence of alternative perspectives, but this will likely change in the future.

[Tintin]

Posted by Tintin (here)

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
https://x.com/dana916/status/1781747314035441950

Well, of course it did!

It's a gigantic money laundering scheme of course, in full view. Many of us contributing here figured that out yonks ago, but it may be worth providing some further material to support that.

This extracted from Simplicius' latest written up just before the 'vote' and published April 20th:


******

However, while the pro-Ukrainian crowd rejoices, it’s not clear what real benefit the aid would bring, should it pass. For instance, days ago the provisions of the alleged bill had leaked which apparently showed the vast majority of the $48B Ukrainian aid going to various American DOD scams:

If there’s any accuracy to the above, it appears that when you take away the civil funds to the Ukrainian government, and the DOD’s own beak-wetting double-dip, all that’s really left for Ukrainian ‘weapons’ is about $14B or less. And in fact Johnson appears to confirm this when he says that he changed the bill so that 80% of it now represents replenishment of American stocks, rather than new weapons for Ukraine

-----------------------

And yet more pertinent commentary from David Sacks, here:

“These scenes of celebration are going to look particularly foolish when Ukraine collapses anyway. The federal government can print more money; it can’t just print more artillery shells and air defense missiles,” he wrote. He further quipped, “And I should have added, they can’t print more soldiers.”