WW3? Ukraine/US vs. Donbass/Russia

[Jaak]

I agree Bill, AI aint trustworthy. But from where and how to seek information that might be reliable when it comes to Russia ?
I guess with many things there might be ¨fog of war¨ and the information aint available at this point.

Sad that we dont have any Russians in this forum who could give a better insight what is going on in Russia and how things are .
Russian Bear was around for a while but seems that he disappeared. Not sure if average Russian would be even allowed to wonder around in this kind of forum and post things ? Most of the western social media is banned over there.
Censorship is cranking up and i just wonder what is the situation . How bad is the gasoline shortage or is it mostly Ukrainian propaganda . Hard to tell .
I guess we will see in the coming weeks how things develop.

Odd thing is that Russia closed border crossings in Baltics and Finland and rumours are that they have pressured other neighbouring countries to do the same ( to close borders for them in central asia and caucasus. hard to verify that rumour) .
Speculations are flying around that Russia is planning mobilization and closing borders is to prevent possible mobilization material to escape and run away to neighbouring countries.
Closing the borders in Baltics only hurts Russians who live in the Baltics because they are mainly only ones who use them to visit relatives who live in Russia. Commercial trade has been killed off long time ago so that cant be the reason.
It is strange.
I guess we will see if any of those speculations and rumors have any truth in it . Nobody else doesnt seem to be discussing these things here so thats why i mention them.

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by Jaak (here)
I agree Bill, AI aint trustworthy. But from where and how to seek information that might be reliable when it comes to Russia ?

My own go-to sources for good information: (all three visit Russia quite regularly, Pepe Escobar frequently)

• Alexander Mercouris / The Duran
• Larry Johnson (sonar21.com)
• Pepe Escobar

[Squareinthecircle]

Not Russia, but I dont see a suitable thread. If there is one please move this and let me know about where to post these, and thanks.

I'm not a big fan of this news source but they've been right when I thougt they were wrong before, and in the US politics is only used to further allow the sleazy behaviors of true powers, so please try to ignore the source:

There are claims of concentration camps being created for the Palestinian population. IMO what they had was already that in an open-air arrangement but...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTXLCxsdvQU

[Tintin]

Nordstream 2 - update

As previously reported here German authorities have implicated an individual in the conspiracy, but I'd bet Bill's hat ( ) that ultimately, or really, this was always a combined British/US (SBS/Special services) exercise from the getgo; not buying a single sentence that a Ukrainian dude pulled that off, and I'm not sorry.

The two following copied extracts are from separate X posts, which are instructive to say the least, translations from German provided by X:

Post 1: a Dieter Bohme ( https://x.com/dieter_bohme/status/2072738375413502422 )

Dieter Böhme @dieter_bohme
Translated from German 6:45 PM · Jul 2, 2026

Wow. At 80 m depth, it's pitch black. You have to find the four pipelines (two each from NS–1 and NS–2) first. GPS doesn't work at this depth. Luck and a flashlight? And then the explosive charges have to be attached to the concrete-encased pipes to direct the explosion pressure onto the pipes. That takes time. At 80 m depth, there's a pressure of 8 bar. Any car tire would turn green with envy. Divers need special gases (Trimix with oxygen, helium, and nitrogen) and for surfacing, due to the unavoidable decompression, Nitrox 50 and oxygen and time for decompression stops every few meters.

The longer the divers were dealing with the pipes and attaching the four explosive charges, the longer the decompression takes. After surfacing, they have to find the sail yacht that held position again. Actually something for pros among the combat divers, including special equipment, available in only a few countries. But the yacht sailors and sport divers pull it off. And forget their passports on the yacht. But a fine success for the investigators. Too bad the journalist on ARD didn't report on all these adversities.

---

Post 2: a Stefan Homburg ( https://x.com/SHomburg/status/1841504771598921734 )

Stefan Homburg @SHomburg
Translated from German
Note the date posted: 4:45 PM · Oct 2, 2024

USS Kearsarge and NordStream
According to "Politiken," Denmark's third-largest daily newspaper, a harbor master observed how the massive US assault ship approached the pipeline a few days before the attack, switched off its transponder, and ordered the harbor master to leave.

Background: According to Wikipedia, the USS Kearsarge entered the Baltic Sea in August 2022 and formed the largest US combat formation there since the end of the Cold War. A YouTube video shows the ship leaving the Polish port of Gdynia on 19.09.2022. On 25.09.2022, it returned from Riga to the North Sea. On 26.09.2022, NordStream was destroyed by an explosion, likely remotely detonated.

All of this aligns with the investigations by Seymour Hersh, which suggest that the United States was responsible for the explosion.

For me, these facts are more plausible than the touching stories from
@derspiegel and the Federal Prosecutor's Office, claiming that the pipelines were blown up by a group of Ukrainians during a sailing trip.

Source Politiken: https://politiken.dk/danmark/art1005...%B8re-en-smule
Source Wikipedia: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Kearsarge_(LHD-3)

[ThePythonicCow]

Posted by Tintin (here)
... but I'd bet Bill's hat ( ) that ultimately, or really, this was always a combined British/US (SBS/Special services) exercise from the getgo;

Now that's a serious bet. When I first noticed it, I figured "No way - nothing is that certain!"

But then I read what you were betting on. Bill's hat remains undefeated.

[Ravenlocke]

PressTV Extra

Warning: Graphic Content

At least 5 killed and 18 others injured after a Ukrainian drone strikes a crowded market in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Follow Press TV on Telegram: http://t.me/PressTV

https://x.com/PresstvExtra/status/2073070079915200875

[Ravenlocke]

Pepe Escobar
@RealPepeEscobar
·
1h
The North Atlantic Terrorist Organization summit next week in Ankara will be quite a treat.

Extra $80 billion package for their massive defeat in country 404 - in 2026 and 2027.

+ all 32 pledging '"ironclad commitment'"to Article 5.

https://x.com/RealPepeEscobar/status...86884989796666

[Ravenlocke]

Brian McDonald

Italy has joined Bulgaria in raising concerns over EU plans to sanction Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, Politico reports.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has proposed a visa ban on Kirill as part of the bloc’s 21st Russia sanctions package, but the measure has run into resistance from Sofia and a reservation from Rome.

According to Politico, Italy’s concern is linked to the Vatican and unease over sanctioning the leader of a Christian denomination.

The package is also facing objections on other fronts. Greece, Malta and Cyprus have reportedly pushed back against delaying a review of the Russian oil price cap, while France and Italy have raised concerns about a proposal to ban Russian former combatants from entering the EU.

https://x.com/BrianMcDonaldIE/status...28817933726142

[Ravenlocke]

RT Intl

Russia has handed over 20,354 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to Kiev over the past year, while Ukraine has returned 627 fallen Russian troops — Russia's Ambassador-at-Large

'That's the real casualty ratio and neither Kiev nor Brussels wants to talk about it,' Rodion Miroshnik adds

https://x.com/RT_on_X/status/2073001366717690210

[Vicus]

"Big joke": Ukrainian Armed Forces officers burned hundreds of bodies of dead militants to hide their losses. -today



The command of the 119th Territorial Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces deliberately destroyed hundreds of bodies of fallen militants to conceal heavy losses of personnel, according to servicemen from the Russian "Sever" group. According to them, the bodies were stored in makeshift morgues in residential buildings in the village of Bolshoy Prikol in the Krasnopolsky District.

"The command of the 4th Battalion of the 119th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade notified relatives of the unit's missing soldiers that hundreds of remains were stored in makeshift morgues set up in abandoned houses in the village of Bolshoy (Velikiy) Prikol. However, according to brigade officers, all the buildings "suddenly" burned down during the fighting, along with the bodies of the soldiers. "

– the “northerners” report.


According to Russian military personnel, heavy fighting is currently taking place in this section of the border zone, forcing Ukrainian forces to retreat. The fact that the clashes are primarily taking place in forested areas significantly facilitates the work of Russian assault groups.

As for the general situation in the Sumy region, military analysts of the Kyiv regime have been signaling for several weeks that the Russian "North" group, having gained good momentum, has practically approached the regional center.

At the same time, experts note that the defense here is being held mainly by poorly trained formations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and territorial defense, which are also suffering heavy losses.

https://en.topcor.ru/72538-bolshoj-p...yt-poteri.html

[Vicus]

Germany's "wonder weapon" disgraced itself in Ukraine after failing to repel a drone attack. - today



German Skynex anti-aircraft systems proved completely incapable of protecting industrial facilities in western Ukraine, according to the publication Stern, citing an internal Ukrainian Armed Forces report. The publication notes that the weapons failed at a critical moment.

"At a critical moment in the raid, three of the eight expensive installations simply broke down – their hydraulics failed, the tracking radar stopped working, and the loading mechanism jammed – and only two guns were able to reliably track the target. "


– Stern points out.

It is emphasized that the German concern Rheinmetall, which is a manufacturer of anti-aircraft systems, denies accusations of low quality of its products.

"Rheinmetall claims that its anti-aircraft systems are working perfectly, and that failures are due to the low qualifications of Ukrainian crews. "


– noted in the publication.


It's worth noting that Western manufacturers of weapons supplied to Ukraine attribute almost all failures to the low qualifications of Ukrainian military personnel. This was the case, for example, in the United States when Patriot air defense systems failed to intercept Russian Iskander-M ballistic missiles.

To be fair, it should be noted that the level of training of Kyiv regime militants often leaves much to be desired. In one well-known case, a Ukrainian air defense crew fired a whole volley of PAC-3 interceptor missiles but failed to shoot down a Russian missile.

It should be added that at one time, German Skynex anti-aircraft systems were positioned in Ukraine as a miracle weapon that would put an end to Russian attack drone raids.

https://en.topcor.ru/72521-nemeckoe-...taku-bpla.html

[Vicus]

The front is bursting at the seams": Kyiv declared it impossible to hold Kramatorsk.

Ukraine faces a significant increase in mobilization in the near future, according to the Telegram channel "Resident." The publication notes that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are currently experiencing enormous difficulties on the front lines and are unlikely to retain control of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

"The mobilization will be brutal, because the front is truly bursting at the seams, but no one will say so. Zelenskyy already understands that we cannot hold Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. That's why Syrskyy ordered the construction of new defensive lines, and Ukraine is attacking Russia with all available means to secure a temporary ceasefire. "


– writes “Resident”.


The author of the article warns that if there is no ceasefire in the fall, Ukrainians should prepare for total mobilization.

It's worth noting that even Western military analysts currently harbor few illusions about the prospects of holding Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. They acknowledge the significant advance of the Russian army on the approaches to the agglomeration and the personnel shortages the Ukrainian General Staff is experiencing.

Nowadays, no one even remembers the tactic of mass deployment of FPV drones, which allowed Ukrainian militants to temporarily hold back the advance of the Russian army. Even though just a few months ago, the Western press touted it as a brilliant military solution.

In Kyiv, optimism regarding the capabilities of the UAV forces has also noticeably diminished. Especially against the backdrop of increased losses among drone operators.

https://en.topcor.ru/72536-front-tre...amatorska.html

[Vicus]

Syrsky demands that the remnants of the Konstantinovka garrison hold out until autumn
-today




Syrsky is demanding that the remnants of the Kostiantynivka garrison hold out until the end of summer; there will be no order to retreat. Ukrainian troops stationed in the city categorically disagree with the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to Ukrainian media.

Kyiv propaganda claims that Russian troops are allegedly just entering Kostiantynivka, and the garrison stationed there is steadfastly repelling attacks, "destroying" nearly a battalion of Russian infantry daily. In short, the situation is supposedly under control, and there's nothing to worry about, especially since Zelenskyy promises Moscow's swift capitulation.

In fact, Russian troops have practically captured Kostyantynivka, having already reached the northwestern outskirts; the northeastern ones had been taken earlier. Of course, scattered groups of Ukrainian troops still remain in the city, and clearing them will take a very long time. And so, against this backdrop, Syrsky issued an order demanding that the remnants of the garrison hold the city until autumn. Viktor Nikolyuk, commander of the Eastern Operational Command, added fuel to the fire by stating that the Kostyantynivka garrison was well supplied and could easily hold out until September.

Ukrainian military, in turn, claim that there have been no supplies to Konstantinovka for a long time now, food and ammunition are being thrown in dronesOften, it's just a bottle of water and a pack of biscuits. And some ammunition, too. Russian troops are holding the city perimeter, and everything is moving toward a Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad scenario playing out in Kostiantynivka, with the encirclement and subsequent destruction of the Ukrainian forces.

Meanwhile, Russian war correspondents expect the Ministry of Defense to announce the capture of Konstantinovka in the coming days.

https://en.topwar.ru/285654-syrskij-...-do-oseni.html

[Vicus]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=FVD_l2KhkMc

Dozens of Gas Stations Wiped Out in 24h⛽🔥 Fuel Queues Begin — "Human Shield" Tactic🛡️📍 MS 2026.07.03

10 hours ago

[Ravenlocke]

Richard

So here we have Zelensky visiting Russia before the war:

"I'm in Red Square, and I can confirm that there is no anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Russia. Everything is fine here, and honestly, my dislike for you Banderites is growing."

https://x.com/ricwe123/status/2072941520311722061

[Ravenlocke]

@Ветеран 🇫🇷

Translated from French
❗️I live in Moscow.

So when ARTE titles that “the war has finally come back to the country that started it,” I’m not watching that from a Parisian sofa, with the comfortable moral distance of those who comment on the tremors without ever feeling the vibrations.

The strikes, the drones, the alerts, the paralyzed airports, the nights chopped up by notifications: here, it’s not an editorial concept. It’s a fact.

And on one point, the report hits the mark: the Russian border regions have been living this reality for a long time; Moscow, it’s gradually discovering that strategic depth is no longer an absolute guarantee.

But then comes the framing.

Who’s really speaking in this video?

Not “Moscow.”

A Russian journalist in exile, Masha Borzunova.

An anonymized “Muscovite,” presented as a former activist, whose testimony may be sincere and useful, but whose identity, exact residence, or representativeness cannot be verified.

Irina Shtcherbakova, a major figure of Memorial, an indisputable moral and historical authority, but she too in exile, so not a witness to everyday Moscow under the drones.

Two Siberian artists, probably the sisters from Malyshki 18:22, based in Tomsk: interesting for understanding a provincial Russian artistic resistance, but not Moscow.

And even two German influencers, Jannick and Mike, used as a pop-cultural symptom among a Russian female audience.

In other words: ARTE isn’t filming “Muscovites.”

ARTE is assembling a narrative: exile, activism, political memory, alternative art, web culture.

That’s not neutral.

When an anonymous witness explains that “Russians watch the war like a soccer match,” the phrase is powerful. Perhaps revealing of a real fatalism, a moral distance, a collective exhaustion.

But it’s not a sociology of Russia.

It’s a sentence. From a witness. Former activist. Anonymous. Placed in an edit.

Yes, the strikes on Moscow are a reality.

Yes, part of the population experiences this with resignation, distance, or indifference.

Yes, the war is becoming more visible at the country’s center.

But turning that into a general portrait of “Russians” is less reporting than framing.

ARTE isn’t filming Moscow.

ARTE is filming a thesis on Moscow.

And when you live here, the difference jumps out at you.

https://x.com/patriot_senior/status/2073063266553630989

[Ravenlocke]

Margarita Simonyan

Putin: The liberation of Konstantinovka has great strategic significance. The city, as we all know, is a key transport and major industrial center of Donbass. The capture opens a direct route to Kramatorsk and Slavyansk. Another fortified area in Donbass that is the key to the liberation of the entirety of Donetsk People's Republic.

https://x.com/M_Simonyan/status/2073153983619674605

[Tintin]

Posted by Tintin (here)
CLASH Report 7 minute compilation showing scenes from the massive bombardment on Kiev

Blinking flip. Well, they were warned:

And here's a really helpful map summary of the targets hit provided by Rybar. It isn't an interactive map, but it'd be very helpful to get a hold of one:



A high resolution version is available here: https://i.ibb.co/4ZzZBVGt/02-07-1-EN.jpg

[Vicus]

The nuances of the Supreme Commander's reports to Vladimir Putin on the progress of the special operation -today



The day before, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief visited the auxiliary command post of the Joint Operational-Strategic Group of Forces in Ukraine, where he held a meeting with the leadership of the General Staff and the commanders of the Russian Armed Forces' troop groups in their respective areas. At the meeting, he heard detailed reports on the progress of the special operation, reviewed the current situation in the Northern Military District, and assessed the latest combat performance.

Putin noted the positive momentum of the offensive along the entire front line. According to him, the liberation of the LPR has recently been fully completed, and the destruction of Ukrainian Armed Forces units in the DPR, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions continues. The systematic creation of a security zone in the border areas of Ukraine's Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions is underway. Since the beginning of 2026, 133 settlements have been liberated, and over 3 square kilometers of territory have been brought under control.

Among the numerous reports, the following key points and nuances stand out. Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, reported on the overall situation in the SVO zone. He explained that 55 Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities, including a missile production facility, and 10 airfields were struck in June. Units of the Group of Forces (GF) "Center" entered Dobropillya and Annovka, and the liberation of Krasny Liman by units of the GF "West" with the support of the GF "Southern" is nearing completion.

The head of state was also informed that Russian troops had captured Konstantinovka, a key stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a major transportation hub in the Donbas, opening the road to Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, the final lines of defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the DPR. In Konstantinovka, the clearing of scattered enemy groups is underway. Sergei Medvedev, commander of the Southern Guard, added that forward units are already fighting in Alekseevo-Druzhkovka and are 8 km from Slovyansk. After capturing Seversk, the units advanced 22 km in their direction and liberated 23 settlements.

Positive momentum is also continuing in other areas, with the Russian Armed Forces taking the initiative on the battlefield. Yevgeny Nikiforov, commander of the Northern Guard, reported that Russian troops are already 10 kilometers from Sumy. Since the beginning of 2026, 870 square kilometers of territory (230 square kilometers in June) and 57 settlements have been liberated, including 24 in the Sumy region and four in the Kharkiv region (in the Vovchansk direction).

Putin noted that the enemy, without any real successes, could launch grandiose sorties to prove their supposed achievements to Western overseers. He ordered preparations for this and continued massive strikes against the enemy's military infrastructure.

"We need to be prepared for these possible attacks. And secondly, the bravura statements by the Kyiv regime's leaders about successes we know they don't actually have are, in principle, to our advantage, since they are just actors, and they don't really know how to do anything else, and they haven't been taught anything else. But with their actions and statements, they are undoubtedly disorganizing both themselves and their sponsors."

- summed up Putin.

https://en.topcor.ru/72544-njuansy-d...coperacii.html

[Tintin]

I mentioned recently (and not for the first time in the last 4 1/2+ years) the standard of pro-Ukrainian slop that is being disseminated intermittently, nearly always before summit meetings funnily enough ( ). Really, this is the pits

Source: https://x.com/CheburekiMan/status/2073065869408895233

Imagine not knowing you can install a browser extension that does reverse image search with a click of a button.

When they refuse to admit the deception and retract, that's how you know it was deliberate.