Russian troops stole $5 million in farm vehicles from a John Deere dealership in the occupied city of Melitopol, Ukraine, but were unable to use any of the equipment because it had been locked remotely, CNN reports.
"When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even turn them on, because the harvesters were locked remotely," a source familiar with the incident the news outlet.
The remote access of the equipment allows for GPS tracking and some of the vehicles to be remotely operated, preventing them from being used.
The equipment is currently lying idle in the Zakhan-Yurt village of Chechnya, about 700 miles away, according to the source.
Melitopol has been under Russian occupation since early March.
Russian troops are in contact with “consultants in Russia who are trying to bypass the protection,” according to the source who spoke with CNN.
Russian Troops Steal $5M in Farm Vehicles, Remotely Locked Out Via GPS
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/russia-troops-farm-loot/2022/05/02/id/1068170/
:silly: :silly: :silly: :silly:
YAYZ NANCY, BEST ADMIN EVER !!!
(https://i.giphy.com/3oFzmnl3d2TuYA8LMA.gif)
@mystery-ak
Russia taunts Finland by flying a military helicopter INTO its airspace as the Nordic country prepares to join NATO to the Kremlin’s fury
By AFP and ADAM SOLOMONS FOR MAILONLINE
4 May 2022
A Russian army helicopter violated Finland's airspace in an apparent attempt to frighten the country as it readies to join NATO.
The military Mi-17 transport chopper flew 2-3 miles inside the Finnish border after 10.30 this morning (7.30am GMT), according to the country's Ministry of Defence.
'The aircraft type is a Mi-17 helicopter and the depth of the suspected violation is about four to five kilometres', a ministry spokesman told AFP.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10782761/Russia-taunts-Finland-flying-military-helicopter-airspace-country-plans-NATO-entry.html
About 600 civilians were killed in a Russian airstrike on the Mariupol drama theater on March 16.
That's according to an investigation conducted by the AP news agency, Ukrinform reports.
"An Associated Press investigation has found evidence that the attack was in fact far deadlier than estimated, killing closer to 600 people inside and outside the building. That's almost double the death toll cited so far, and many survivors put the number even higher," the agency said.
According to the report, the AP investigation recreated what happened inside the theater on that day from the accounts of 23 survivors, rescuers, and people intimately familiar with its new life as a bomb shelter.
The AP also drew on two sets of floor plans of the theater, photos and video taken inside before, during and after that day and feedback from experts who reviewed the methodology.
All the witnesses said at least 100 people were at a field kitchen just outside, and none survived. They also said the rooms and hallways inside the building were packed, with about one person for every 3 square meters of free space.
Many survivors estimated around 1,000 people were inside at the time of the airstrike, but the most anyone saw escape, including rescuers, was around 200. The survivors primarily left through the main exit or one side entrance; the other side and the back were crushed.
The AP investigation also refutes Russian claims that the theater was demolished by Ukrainian forces or served as a Ukrainian military base. None of the witnesses saw Ukrainian soldiers operating inside the building. And not one person doubted that the theater was destroyed in a Russian air attack aimed with precision at a civilian target everyone knew was the city’s largest bomb shelter, with children in it.
Minsk enabled Moscow in its Ukraine war. Now, Belarusians are paying the price.
When Russia launched an attempted lightning assault on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in February, neighboring Belarus served as a staging area for Russian forces, making the country an accomplice in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.
In the early phases of the war, thousands of Russian troops swarmed over Belarus’s border with Ukraine, just a few hundred miles from Kyiv. As the Russians quickly racked up deaths, their soldiers filled Belarus’s hospitals and morgues. When the Russians withdrew from the Kyiv region, having been beaten back by fierce Ukrainian resistance and their own operational shortcomings, they did so through Belarus.
Long a close ally of Moscow, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko was left wholly dependent on the Kremlin, which came to his rescue after mass protests in 2020 threatened his decadeslong grip on power. This dependence helped make Moscow’s assault on Kyiv possible. It has also indelibly tied Belarus’s fate to that of Ukraine.
“We see Belarus as deeply tied to the outcome in Ukraine. It is among the many reasons that what happens in Ukraine is going to reverberate well beyond its own borders,” said Julie Fisher, U.S. special envoy for Belarus. “It is an immediate and direct link when it comes to Belarus.”
Leaders of the Belarusian opposition movement in exile have argued that the war underscored the illegitimacy of Lukashenko, who began a fifth term in office in 2020 following elections widely regarded as having been falsified. Western countries imposed sanctions on Belarus and the Lukashenko regime for the violent crackdown that followed the elections and for facilitating the attack on Ukraine.
“He allowed our lands to be used as an aircraft carrier for Putin,” said Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. “It was a cold shower for Belarusian people, how our country could be used to launch missiles on Ukrainian territory,” she said in an interview in Washington last week.
More at link.
MAD VLAD's so-called "victory over Ukraine parade" is set to be a sorry sight after the Russian tyrant is forced to scale it down by a THIRD, figures show.
The Russian president - who is rumoured to be "Cancer stricken" - will face public humiliation as he rolls out his massively depleted military stock on May 9 following horrendous losses in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin is set for a humiliating day on May 9 with a drastically cut back parade
The parade - held every year to commemorate the surrender of Nazi Germany in World War II - has been used by Russian leaders to flaunt their strength and demonstrate Russia’s military prowess.
But this year the show is 35-percent smaller, forcing Mad Vlad to dust down creaky equipment from the 1960s in a desperate effort to save face on Moscow's Red Square.
This will come as a massive blow to the tyrant who is understood to have set the May 9 date to declare some form of victory over Ukraine - whatever that may be.
But the invasion has been far from successful after facing massive resistance from hero Ukrainian fighters - forcing Putin's butchers to retreat and focus their operations in the eastern Donbas region.
The parade is therefore set to be a major humiliation, as it is revealed that the number of Russian Infantry Fighting Vehicles participating in the parade has been slashed by a whopping 50-percent.
More at link.
VLAD TO WORSE ‘Cancer-stricken’ Putin HUMILIATED as planned ‘victory over Ukraine’ parade is gutted by a third after massive losses
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/18462359/victory-over-ukraine-parade-cut-back-over-losses/ (https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/18462359/victory-over-ukraine-parade-cut-back-over-losses/)
Is Russia's rolling stock that depleted???
Apparently so.
YAYZ NANCY, BEST ADMIN EVER !!!
(https://i.giphy.com/3oFzmnl3d2TuYA8LMA.gif)
@mystery-ak
May 4, 2022 1:35pm EDT
Image appears to show bodies of Russian soldiers arranged in letter 'Z' after Ukraine recaptures village
The letter has become a sign of support for Russia's military and its invasion of Ukraine
By Greg Norman | Fox News
A grisly image has emerged purportedly showing bodies of Russian soldiers arranged in the letter "Z" after Ukraine’s military recaptured a village in the country’s east.
The photo was taken Monday outside the city of Kharkiv and shows four corpses lined up to form the letter that has become a sign of support for Russia’s military and its invasion of Ukraine.
The Associated Press described the area where its photographer took the image as having "the feel of an open-air morgue, where the dead lie unclaimed and unexplained, sometimes for weeks on end, as Ukrainian and Russian forces fight for control of slivers of land."
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE:
(https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/05/1862/1048/Kharkiv-bodies.png?ve=1&tl=1)
more
https://www.foxnews.com/weather/image-russian-soldiers-kharkiv-ukraine
This is a potential war crime, btw.
Potential? More like a kinetic one.
Russia has fired more than 2,125 precision-guided missiles in Ukraine since the invasion began, but the increased use of “dumb” bombs and firing of anti-ship missiles at land targets lead experts and officials to believe its stocks are running low.
Dozens of precision missiles strikes a day are taking a toll not only on Ukraine, but on Russia, according to western military officials and experts.
Over 70 days of war in Ukraine, sophisticated and costly Russian missiles have targeted Ukrainian train stations, airfields, military command posts, weapons depots and staging areas where soldiers and weapons gather before the fight.
They have claimed Ukrainian lives, destroyed infrastructure and taken donated western weapons out of the fight.
But suspected Russian vulnerabilities are also coming to light.
On top of reports of high Russian casualty numbers and strategic difficulties on the battlefield, there are claims that Russia’s stocks of precision-guided missiles — rockets armed with technology to strike specific targets from a distance of up to 2,500 kilometres in some cases — are running low.
The U.S. Defense Department said this week that 2,125 missiles have been fired since the invasion of Ukraine began.
“This is definitely a high number. It’s certainly more than they (Russia) had planned on,” said Ian Williams, deputy director of the Missile Defense Project and a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Security.
In the lead-up to the invasion, some estimated the Russians would take control of Ukraine within days. But as the conflict entered its third month, Ukraine’s deputy defence minister, Anna Malyar, said last week that reserves of Russian missiles have “more than halved” since Feb. 24.
More evidence that Russia could be running short of its most expensive missiles comes from the increased use of cheaper, but more dangerous, “dumb” bombs. So called because they lack the microchips, sensors and satellite positioning systems, such weapons are increasingly likely to miss their targets and kill civilians.
More at link.
'There will be no mercy': Russian TV host threatens 'concentration camps and sterilisation' for 'opponents of the letter Z'
By RACHAEL BUNYAN FOR MAILONLINE
5 May 2022
A prominent Russian state TV host has warned that opponents of Russia's war in Ukraine will face harsh punishments including 'concentration camps and sterilisation'.
Karen Shakhnazarov, a pro-Putin filmmaker, said any 'opponents to the letter Z' - the symbol of Russia's invasion - will face 'no mercy'.
'The opponents of the letter Z must understand that if they are counting on mercy, no, there will be no mercy for them,' Shakhnazarov, who leads the state-backed Mosfilm film studio, said on the state-owned Russian television channel Russia 1.
'It's all become very serious. In this case, it means concentration camps, re-education and sterilisation.'
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10785295/Russian-TV-host-threatens-concentration-camps-sterilisation-opponents-letter-Z.html
OSINT Aggregator
@AggregateOsint
Compilation of videos that shows the #Russian shelling of the Gorky Amusement Park in #Kharkiv. Many of the kids playgrounds and rides burned down after the strikes caused multiple fires.
7:05 PM · May 4, 2022
Gonzalo Lira
@GonzaloLira1968
I know this park intimately—I've taken my kids here many, many times.
Gorky Park is located 30km from the fighting—artillery shells do not travel 30km.
This was carried out by Zelensky regime forces—for the propaganda victory to blame the Russians.
12:13 AM · May 5, 2022
TruthZeeker
@ZeekerTruth
Replying to @GonzaloLira1968
Do not underestimate the power and range of RU artillery! They are far superior than western artillery with their puny range of 30 km. I understand you are used to western military standards, but this is Russian equipment!!
7:15 AM · May 5, 2022
Gonzalo Lira
@GonzaloLira1968
BTW, it's no surprise that they have such good footage from so many cameras with high frame rates.
The cameras are to spot lost children, and get good face pictures of bad actors.
What IS surprising is that the cameras were operating—when the park is most definitely closed.
12:39 AM · May 5, 2022
Another "whom to believe?" moment.
Sounds to me, if I were so inclined, "Parade Day" in Red Square would be an optimal time to strike Mother Russia.
@Cyber Liberty
Yeah,THAT's the ticket! Perform an actual military attack on "Holy Mother Russia" instead of verbal news attacks on the leadership!
Good thinking! Ain't NOTHING that will prevent another world-wide war than an actual military attack on Moscow on the anniversary of their annual "Victory over Germany Day" parade! </S>
Don't know many Russians,do you?
I did not say I approve of such an action, just pointing out that Russia has lost so much hardware in the stupid war that if they have a parade, it leaves nothing with which to actually fight.
Medic, 27, becomes the first female Russian soldier to be killed in Ukraine as she is fatally wounded by mortar strike in Mariupol
Galatova was born in Siberia but moved to Voronezh, around 170 miles north-west of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, when she was young.
* * *
@Kamaji
Well,now we know why she joined the Russian Army.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10785589/Ukraine-war-Medic-Russias-female-solider-killed-conflict.html
@Cyber Liberty
Don't believe that for a minute. NO nation is going to expend the arms needed for defense on anything BUT defense.
Russia will use those weapons and manpower ONLY if she is invaded. Assuming of course that someone is foolish enough to invade her.
The United States has provided intelligence that has helped Ukrainian forces kill several Russian generals since Vladimir Putin's troops invaded the country, senior US officials said.
Senior US officials are complete idiots, considering that their action is in violation of US law. I applaud the action, but am appalled at the idiocy of those bragging about it. Keep your mouths shut!
Russians to dress Ukrainian POWs in uniforms for Mariupol parade: official
By Snejana Farberov
May 5, 2022
Russian forces are planning to dress up thousands of Ukrainian prisoners of war in military uniforms during next week’s Victory Day parade in Mariupol, a Ukrainian official claimed Thursday.
Petro Andryushchenko, an aide to the mayor of the besieged port city, wrote on his Telegram channel that officials have learned that nearly 2,000 Ukrainians are being housed in three filtration camps in the hamlet of Bezimenne, which he likened to “ghettos.”
“These men are held there and they are told that they will be made to wear the Ukrainian [military] uniform and to participate in a so-called ‘war prisoners parade’ in Mariupol because they [the Russians] lack actual prisoners of war,” the adviser said on a national newscast, Ukrainian media reported.
“It will be a grotesque crowd scene for another propaganda image,” he added.
* * *
Source: https://nypost.com/2022/05/05/russians-to-dress-ukrainians-in-uniforms-for-mariupol-parade/
The Russian Army Wasn't Designed for War and Putin's War in Ukraine Is Proving It
By streiff
May 05, 2022
That was a fascinating read, thank you for posting.
Senior US officials are complete idiots, considering that their action is in violation of US law. I applaud the action, but am appalled at the idiocy of those bragging about it. Keep your mouths shut!
Russia faces 'sabotage' epidemic after arms manufacturers, chemical plants and a military enlistment office are all destroyed
@Kamaji
Ya kinda have to wonder what will happen first in Russia.
Will the geezers on the Politburo realize that Russia is no longer the police state of their father's and accept reality by retiring,or will they be dragged out of the Kremlin to be hanged from street lamps?
Putin sends his men to their deaths at Azovstal steelworks
(https://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2955607/enemy-at-the-gates-800.jpg)
@HoodatNo matter which year it is, this is still Russia after all.
That's a photo from WW-1 or WW-2. Notice all the soldiers are carrying bolt-action rifles.
Russian troops have begun sharing tips with one another on how to deliberately damage Russian tanks and disobey orders, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
Russian fighters have been sharing tips with one another about how to deliberately damage their own equipment and hamper Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war plans in Ukraine, according to recordings of alleged Russian troops’ phone calls that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) intercepted.
In one regiment, one Russian soldier allegedly said they’ve been pouring sand into the tanks’ fuel systems to clog them up.
“I don't follow stupid orders, I simply refuse,” one fighter can be heard telling a comrade. “The motherf*cker sent me to tanks, motherf*cking piece of shit. I f*cked it up and that's it.”
More at link.
Having failed to take over Ukraine, what are President Putin’s military prospects now? Three defence experts weigh in.
Russia’s Victory Day parade is an annual extravagance in Red Square. Falling on May 9, it commemorates the Nazi surrender of World War II with a lavish spectacle meant to project might. Formations, tanks and sophisticated hardware go on display to remind the world of Russia’s lasting power. Celebrating what is known locally as the “Great Patriotic War” is used to stir nationalism and pay homage to the 24 million lives lost to fend off Hitler.
Rehearsals on the streets in front of the Kremlin in recent days hint at the spectacle next week. Show stoppers include an intercontinental ballistic missile and 11,000 marching forces. Fighter jets will fly above in a Z formation, the symbol of the invasion of Ukraine.
The Kremlin does not have much to celebrate, however. President Vladimir Putin has failed at his aim to take over Ukraine, a country he wrongly assumed would be a walkover. Tactical mistakes led to catastrophic Russian losses that the United Kingdom estimates at 15,000 over just two months.
----
Al Jazeera sought answers from three defence experts who focus on the Russian military and security.
‘Putin’s proven himself quite capable of twisting truths’
–Margarita Konaev, research fellow at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology
Konaev expects that to save face, Putin will try to distract from the reality of the war and double down on the narrative that has worked thus far: a call to nationalism and the argument that this is a war forced on the Russians by NATO expansion and that Ukraine is not a real country. “He will insist that the US and NATO are willing to risk continued violence and economic downturn around the world just to humiliate Russia and limit its power in the international order,” she says.
“Since it is May 9, they will evoke the Great Patriotic War and portray this moment as another when the Russian people must be steadfast and heroic while under attack,” she says. “Putin’s proven himself quite capable of twisting truths and reorganising the narrative in a way that might seem logically unsound but resonates nonetheless. It’s not his first rodeo or Russia’s with propaganda.”
-----
‘A long way from winning militarily’
-Tracey German, professor of conflict and security at King’s College, London
German noted that there is a big difference between a military and a political victory. One can win on the battlefields but not politically. “And they’re a long way from winning militarily.”
For that reason, she believes, the Russians have made great fanfare domestically about “liberating” Mariupol, the strategic port that has been levelled by the worst carnage of the war. Putin’s rationale for invading was to free Ukrainians from a “genocidal” government and restore them to Mother Russia. For sure, controlling this strategic port would curtail Ukraine’s industrial and agricultural exports, and help Russia create a land bridge between the separatist regions and Crimea. It also scores a propaganda win. Another pretext for the war was to “de-Nazify” Ukraine, and the city’s defence has included the members of the far-right Azov battalion.
-----
A war of attrition that will last ‘as long as Putin is in place’
-Mathieu Boulege, senior research fellow at the Chatham House think tank in London
Boulege believes that, after initially receiving poor intelligence, Putin is finally cognisant that his forces are overstretched. He now knows that all in all, there is only so much his military can achieve. But he cannot be seen to be looking desperate.
“Putin will not admit defeat. The Kremlin will not compromise,” Boulege says. “Right before May 9 there will be a big moment for Putin to say, mission accomplished, this is my version of history. This is my legacy. It needs to be presented as a mission accomplished. Forget about taking over Kyiv. We’ve flattened Mariupol, we’ve liberated more parts of Donbas. Maybe they will announce a republic in Kherson [a city in the south that has been under Russian occupation since March].”
More at link.
The only real difference between the Nazi's and the Soviets were the uniforms.Patton wanted to just go ahead and fight the Soviets while we were already over there. He saw them for what they were--just a different flavor of totalitarian.
The prime reason Germany invaded Russia because NO dictator wants competition,and Nazi Germany thought they could do it and win. And,in truth,they came close.
https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1522509777053618176
@HoodatIt actually looks like a scene out of Enemy at the Gates. Those who are armed are carrying Mosin-Nagants.
That's a photo from WW-1 or WW-2. Notice all the soldiers who are carrying rifles are carrying bolt-action rifles,and that some of the soldiers in this assault don't even have rifles. Soviet doctrine was to save money by sending in some soldiers on assaults who were unarmed,and let them take the arms and ammo from other soldiers who were killed in the assault.
If the Germans happened to shoot and kill an unarmed soldier instead of one carrying arms,that was good too,because it left an experienced soldier still armed and still on the assault.
The unarmed soldiers were replacements for those who were previously wounded or killed in action.
It actually looks like a scene out of Enemy at the Gates. Those who are armed are carrying Mosin-Nagants.
Warship Moskva was Blind to Ukrainian Missile Attack, Analysis ShowsBy the same token, if you are running it, you are advertising your position. Is there a naval equivalent of a HARM type missile like those used against SAM sites in Vietnam? If not, why not?
Sam LaGrone • May 5, 2022 6:19 PM • Updated: May 5, 2022 10:10 PM
The crew of RTS Moskva (121) was blind to and not ready for the Ukrainian missile attack that sank Russia’s Black Sea flagship, according to a new analysis of the April 13 strike reviewed by USNI News.
The review of images following the strike of the two Neptune anti-ship missiles from open-source naval analyst and retired Navy Capt. Chris Carlson told USNI News that the guided-missile cruiser did not have its radars activated and could not see the threat from the two weapons.
In the photo of Moskva after the strike, the radars “are in their normal stowed position,” Carlson told USNI News on Monday.
“If you look at the pictures of Moskva, when she’s just dancing around going from place to place, or she’s anchored as a showboat, those directors are all facing aft every time,” he said. . .
(https://news.usni.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Screen-Shot-2022-05-05-at-6.08.57-PM.png)
Analysis from Chris Carlson shows how the radars on the ship were in their stowed position in photos following the missile strike. Images used with permission
. . . In particular, the radar system that would have directed Moskva’s OSA-M surface to air missiles to counter the Ukrainian missiles appears to not have been active with its emitters stowed, based on the photograph.
“If you’re not running it, your point defense [surface to air missiles] are not going to be playing,” Carlson said.
In addition, on Moskva, “you’ve got old stuff, which means it’s temperamental. It’s hard to maintain, and at-sea maintenance has not been a Russian strength.” . .
https://news.usni.org/2022/05/05/warship-moskva-was-blind-to-ukrainian-missile-attack-analysis-shows
@Smokin JoeI have a 91-30 and a Finnish-made equivalent to the carbine dated in the late 30s. Solid rifles, and cheap when I bought them.
I know. I have a Mosin-Nagant carbine I brought back from VN. Serial #200.
IIRC,the M-N were the standard issue Soviet infantry rifle in both WW's.
I have a 91-30 and a Finnish-made equivalent to the carbine dated in the late 30s. Solid rifles, and cheap when I bought them.
@Smokin JoeYes, and that's with the standard 147 grain ball round.
The recoil of the 7.65 mm Soviet round in those things is monstrous with that stock design and the steel buttplate.
Yes, and that's with the standard 147 grain ball round.
If someone sells you the yellow tip (187 grain aircraft machine gun round) it's even worse.
@Smokin JoeNowadays they'd have called out the SWAT Team...and 4 or 5 news channels...
I have what is now a funny story to tell about my nagant. I had just came back from VN,and had a layover in DC before I could catch the next airplane home. So,being more than a little drunk,I decided to take a cab to downtown DC to look around.
So,there I am,as innocent of any wrong doing as a baby,standing on a corner in downtown DC in the early afternoon,holding the Soviet Rifle in one hand,and a 5th of Jim Beam in another. Not doing much of anything at all,just admiring all the traffic following rules,and looking at the round-eyed wimmins.
Soooo,up comes a DC cop and asks,"Can I see the rifle?",so I say "Sure!",and hand it to him and admire the way the first thing he did was pull the bolt back to see if it was loaded.
He asks me what I am doing,and I tell him the truth,"Admiring the orderly traffic and the women while waiting for my plane home."
He smiles,hands the rifle back to me,tells me,"Welcome Home!",and walks away.
It didn't even occur to me until I was home and sobered up the next day that I had probably been violating several DC laws,and that if I hadn't been in uniform I would have been in deep trouble.
Sure wouldn't want to see any returning soldier try that these days!
@Smokin Joe
I have what is now a funny story to tell about my nagant. I had just came back from VN,and had a layover in DC before I could catch the next airplane home. So,being more than a little drunk,I decided to take a cab to downtown DC to look around.
So,there I am,as innocent of any wrong doing as a baby,standing on a corner in downtown DC in the early afternoon,holding the Soviet Rifle in one hand,and a 5th of Jim Beam in another. Not doing much of anything at all,just admiring all the traffic following rules,and looking at the round-eyed wimmins.
Soooo,up comes a DC cop and asks,"Can I see the rifle?",so I say "Sure!",and hand it to him and admire the way the first thing he did was pull the bolt back to see if it was loaded.
He asks me what I am doing,and I tell him the truth,"Admiring the orderly traffic and the women while waiting for my plane home."
He smiles,hands the rifle back to me,tells me,"Welcome Home!",and walks away.
It didn't even occur to me until I was home and sobered up the next day that I had probably been violating several DC laws,and that if I hadn't been in uniform I would have been in deep trouble.
Sure wouldn't want to see any returning soldier try that these days!
Shite! They kill children with BB guns!
But still... in downtown, D.C., @sneakypete ??
Shite! They kill children with BB guns!Washington ~50 years ago was a different place than it is now.
But still... in downtown, D.C., @sneakypete ??
Washington ~50 years ago was a different place than it is now.
We used to go there on elementary school class trips.
Keep seeing pics of dead soldiers in fields and streets of Ukraine. Caption usually reads, 'More Dead Russians'. They seem to be whole indicating that they were shot and not blown up.
But the question that comes to mind first is always, why do they still have clothing, boots, bullet proof vests, LBV, packs, and other sundry accessories? I would think all of these would be gone in hours. [/b]
@240B
I don't know what to believe, but many of the pictures look like staged propaganda to me.
@Smokin Joe @DCPatriotDC got ugly with the race riots in the 60s, and we were close enough that agitators were still causing trouble in High Schools as late as the early '70s. The integration issue was still an issue for the folks who told us we had to integrate our schools, and they were still burning buses in Boston when I graduated High School after I'd been going to integrated schools since the 6th grade. It was a lesson in Liberal hypocrisy.
All of America was a different place back then. Most people,even elected officials seemed to have some common sense back then.
BTW,I don't know how old you are,but don't believe everything you read about the hippies in the 60's. The old saying "The squeaky wheel gets the grease" was true. I hit San Francisco for the first time in 1966,wearing a Green Beret and army dress greens.
Even walking down Market Street I had not one minute of trouble with anyone. I did have some genuine hippies stop me and ask me questions about the VN War,but they were respectful,asked serious questions,and then offered me a place to stay with them for free while I was there. The "head hippie" was a really tall,skinny black guy and I not only ran into him again when I returned to the US in 68,but he remembered me and called me by name with a smile and a hug,and warned me to avoid the downtown area where the war protesters were rioting while I was in uniform. He didn't seem to like those people any better than I did. Stayed with him and his friends for a couple of days before coming back east. Never a minute of trouble with any of them.
It was easy to see what was really going on if you went to someplace like Market Street,and just watched what was going on. You would see expensive cars dropping off late teen girls and boys dressed like hippies,and they would hit the streets "playing the role" until mom or dad returned to pick them up later. THESE and the privileged college kids scared of getting drafted were the ones raising all the hell. The posers LOVED getting on the tv cameras,and the college punks were just afraid of the draft. Don't believe it? ALL the big war protests,especially by college kids on campuses stopped when the draft ended. That wasn't a coincidence.
Just like with any other crowd,it only takes a handful to give them all a bad name.
Russian forces are planning to dress up thousands of Ukrainian prisoners of war in military uniforms during next week’s Victory Day parade in Mariupol, a Ukrainian official claimed Thursday.
The school sheltering the ‘whole village’ was struck by Russian forces on Saturday
Around 60 people are feared dead in the Russian shelling of a school in the village of Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region, governor Serhiy Haidai said on Sunday.
He said that two people were confirmed dead while 30 others were rescued from the debris of the school, which was sheltering nearly 90 people at the time it was struck.
Local media reported that the two dead were children, though this has not been confirmed by officials.
More at link.
Russia will remain in southern Ukraine 'forever', a senior Russian politician has claimed during a visit to the Moscow-controlled city of Kherson.
Andrey Turchak, a senior member of the ruling United Russia party, warned on Friday there will be 'no return to the past' for Ukrainians.
Troubling Questions About How Many of Our Weapons Are Going to Ukraine and If They're Getting to Frontlines
By Nick Arama | May 07, 2022 7:30 PM ET
Congress passed a bill back in March allocating $13.6 billion in aid for Ukraine. Then, on April 28, Joe Biden asked for $33 billion more.
Senior Russian lawmaker accuses U.S. of being directly involved in Ukraine war
By Joseph Clark - The Washington Times - Saturday, May 7, 2022
The speaker of Russia’s State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, on Saturday accused the U.S. of being directly involved in military operations against Russia in Ukraine.
Mr. Volodin’s comments add to growing concern of a looming direct conflict between the U.S. and Russia following reports that the U.S. shared operational intelligence with Kyiv that Ukrainian forces used to kill Russian generals and sink Russia’s Black Sea flagship.
“Washington is essentially coordinating and developing military operations, thereby directly participating in military actions against our country,” Mr. Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel, according to Reuters.
more
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/may/7/senior-russian-lawmaker-accuses-us-being-directly-/
Finally, a Russian political leader tells the truth. So much for all that BS about Putin "liberating" the free 'independent' [sic] states of Donetsk and Luhansk and that nonsense about this being all about Ukraine joining NATO.
First lady Jill Biden makes surprise visit to war-torn Ukraine
Peter Aitken. | May 8, 2022 11:12am EDT
First Lady Jill Biden has visited Ukraine on Mother’s Day, marking a rare solo trip for the spouse of a sitting president into an active war zone.
Biden crossed the border from Slovakia on Sunday after visiting a processing center to meet with refugees, The Washington Post reported. She spoke with Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska, who has not appeared in public since the start of the Russian invasion
https://www.foxnews.com/world/jill-biden-visit-ukraine-tour-eastern-europe
Meanwhile, Joe eats pudding in Delaware.
https://twitter.com/MFA_Ukraine/status/1523314657477414912
This has to be among the biggest of the many irony's of this war. Now because of Putin's invasion Ukraine will end up being NATO compliant in their weaponry as they use up their old equipment and begin replacing it with the equipment that is being supplied by the USA and other NATO countries. Ukraine may not be formally a member of NATO, but they will have NATO's equipment.
Also, Putin hoped to destroy NATO by getting energy dependent countries like Germany to back off supporting Ukraine. Instead the NATO members are stronger in their resolve to help Ukraine defeat Russia as they are finding other sources for their oil and gas. Putin not only made NATO stronger he is losing some of Russia's biggest customers for their oil and gas.
Russia will become poorer because of this war and Ukraine will become richer because the west will help Ukraine rebuild.
The best thing Russia could do at this point is declare victory and remove all Russia troops from all of Ukraine. The longer they stay the weaker they become.
The whole denazification excuse was unbelievable from the beginning.Especially considering the Nazis were not known for being kind to Eastern Europeans in general, and Jews in particular. The Ukrainians and the Soviets have a past as well, especially considering the Holodomor, and I really think neither ideology would be particularly welcome. While previous regimes may not have been as free as we consider ourselves to be, the rejection of either dogma would be the most likely course.
Anyone paying attention has to recognize Russia is the evil force at work.
Especially considering the Nazis were not known for being kind to Eastern Europeans in general, and Jews in particular. The Ukrainians and the Soviets have a past as well, especially considering the Holodomor, and I really think neither ideology would be particularly welcome. While previous regimes may not have been as free as we consider ourselves to be, the rejection of either dogma would be the most likely course.
Putin just used the 'denazification' thing to drum up the former glory of the "Great Patriotic War" in which the Soviets defeated the Nazis with tremendous materiel and military help from America and the Allies (including tying up the Germans on the western front).
The whole denazification excuse was unbelievable from the beginning.
Anyone paying attention has to recognize Russia is the evil force at work.
It's a matter of degree. What compels a person to remain and shelter-in-place? Finances? Their own personal neutrality in the matter?I seem to recall something about shelling refugees trying to leave (the Russians doing the shelling) and roads that had been mined.
The Mariupol citizenry had MORE than enough warning to GTFO! And "...where to?" won't play after the first waves back in January.
The Mariupol citizenry had MORE than enough warning to GTFO!
the Russian Army is doing the same today in Ukraine.
I'm not sure how Russia can call their troops motivated and brave if they will be shot dead for not charging straight into the meatgrinder. It is little wonder that Russian troop defections are out of control.
Yeah, right. Putin was up front about how his soldiers were going to rape Ukrainian women and execute civilians in the streets, bomb schools and hospitals, and completely level Mariupol like the Germans did to the Czech village of Lidice after Heydrich was assassinated.
Oh wait, he didn't. Putin said that he was coming on a humanitarian mission to bring peace and freedom to the people of Donetsk.
You are essentially blaming the rape victim here for not running away faster from her rapist.
That's as obvious as a boil on one's face. You are correct, Russians refer to WW2 as the Great Patriotic War. That's a major league denial of the fact that the whole damned world was against Hitler, not just poor li'l Russia.
The Mariupol citizenry had MORE than enough warning to GTFO! And "...where to?" won't play after the first waves back in January.
It would be nice if our "intelligence" services could keep their mouths shut.
Contrary to the wildly popular and US Ministry of Truth approved propagnda, this conflict did not begin begin in February. @DCPatriot
The Russian-speaking, Russian passport-holding citizenry of Mariupol have been greeting the Russian army as liberators since WW2.
If these citizens are being killed at will, someone needs to check the origins of the weapons used before assuming responsibility.
Ukraine was actually split in its support of nazi Germany in WW2. @Cyber Liberty
The Western, Ukrainan-speaking part of the country supported nazi Germany, considered them liberators and fought along side them, including in the the murder of Ukrainian Jews. The Eastern, Russian-speaking part of the couuntry fought with the Russian forces and considered them liberators.
Sound familiar?
That's as obvious as a boil on one's face. You are correct, Russians refer to WW2 as the Great Patriotic War. That's a major league denial of the fact that the whole damned world was against Hitler, not just poor li'l Russia.
Boiled down, it allows them to freeze and define the enemy as they see fit. Alinsky years and years before Alinsky.
You conveniently leave out the fact that Russia was allied with Germany's NAZIs from 1939 to 1941 before they had their falling out during WWII... In addition, since Russia signed a non-aggression pact with Germany in 1939 it opened the door for Germany to invade Poland and so began WWII.
You know the tide has turned when instead of offering a ride out of town to Zelenskyy everyone wants to come visit him, or his wife, for a photo op.Between U2 and Jill, who is more annoying, though?
Ukraine was actually split in its support of nazi Germany in WW2. @Cyber Liberty
The Western, Ukrainan-speaking part of the country supported nazi Germany, considered them liberators and fought along side them, including in the the murder of Ukrainian Jews. The Eastern, Russian-speaking part of the couuntry fought with the Russian forces and considered them liberators.
Sound familiar?
Sounds like complete bullshit to me. To insinuate that Ukrainian-speaking Ukrainians were nazis while Russian-speaking Ukrainians were patriots to Mother Russia is a total fabrication with no basis in truth. The fact is that all of Ukraine hated Soviet Russia due to the decade-long persecution that Stalin had enacted on them. Yes, there were Ukrainians that took on the Wehrmacht uniform. Yes, there were Ukrainians that joined the Einsatzgruppen - both Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking. But when it came to the Jews, Stalin killed more Ukrainian Jews than did Hitler.
And none of this has a damn thing to do with Russia's invasion, depopulation, and planned annexation of a sovereign nation. This new (and false) historical invention of a dividing line between right and wrong drawn up during WWII as a new justification excusing Putin's actions is beyond pathetic.
Between U2 and Jill, who is more annoying, though?
Jill.
Jill.
Ukrainian troops retreated from the eastern Ukrainian city of Popasna, the governor of Luhansk region said on Sunday, confirming previous reports that it had been taken.
The head of Russia's republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, had said on Sunday his troops had taken control of most of Popasna.
Luhansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai told Ukraine television that Ukrainian troops had retreated to take up more fortified positions, adding: "Everything was destroyed there."
A deadly fire at an aerospace research institute in Tver, northwest of Moscow. Another blaze at a munitions factory in Perm, more than 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) to the east. And fires in two separate oil depots in Bryansk, near Belarus.
Coincidences, or a sign that Ukrainians or their supporters are mounting a campaign of sabotage inside Russia to punish Moscow for invading their country?
Since the blaze at the Central Research Institute of the Aerospace Defense Forces in Tver on April 21, which killed at least 17 people, social media has leapt on every report of a fire somewhere in Russia -- especially at a sensitive location -- as a sign that the country is under covert attack.
No one is claiming responsibility, but analysts say at least some of the incidents, particularly those in Bryansk, point to a possible effort by Kyiv to bring the war to their invaders.
In a post on Telegram, Mykhaylo Podolyak, a senior advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, called the fires "divine intervention."
"Large fuel depots periodically burn... for different reasons," he wrote. "Karma is a cruel thing."
- 'We don't deny' -
In a massive country such as Russia, a fire at a remote factory or building would normally not be particularly eyebrow-raising.
More at link.
Is Ukraine conducting a sabotage campaign inside Russia?
https://www.iol.co.za/news/world/is-ukraine-conducting-a-sabotage-campaign-inside-russia-3e859999-e689-4d90-9dfc-67cbbc356eb6 (https://www.iol.co.za/news/world/is-ukraine-conducting-a-sabotage-campaign-inside-russia-3e859999-e689-4d90-9dfc-67cbbc356eb6)
It's "Dr. Jill" to you, buddy! :laugh:
Is Ukraine conducting a sabotage campaign inside Russia?
Is Ukraine conducting a sabotage campaign inside Russia?
Russian President Vladimir Putin in his Victory Day speech before a military parade in Moscow's Red Square defended his ongoing invasion in Ukraine as the "only right solution," without mentioning the neighboring country by name.
Speaking at the 77th annual commemoration of the end of World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War, Putin laid out his goals in Ukraine nearly 80 days into his so-called "special military operation," where Russian forces have been unable to achieve most of their strategic objectives.
Defending his invasion, which began in February, the Russian leader said he believed the West was arming Kyiv to attack Crimea. His forces annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
"NATO countries did not want to listen to us. They had different plans, and we saw it," Putin said. "They were planning an invasion into our historic lands, including Crimea."
"It was a threat we couldn't accept, it was a threat directly to our border. Everything showed that we are dealing with Nazis and we have to do something about it," Putin said, circling back to his rhetoric that one of the Kremlin's key goals is to "de-nazify" Ukraine.
More at link.
Vladimir Putin Defends War, Ignores 'Ukraine' in Victory Day Parade Speech
https://www.newsweek.com/vladimir-putin-victory-day-speech-may-9-defends-war-ignores-ukraine-donbas-1704715 (https://www.newsweek.com/vladimir-putin-victory-day-speech-may-9-defends-war-ignores-ukraine-donbas-1704715)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a surprise visit to Irpin, Ukraine on Sunday, the town's mayor Olexander Markushyn said in a Telegram post alongside photos of Trudeau walking around the town.
Driving the news: Trudeau also traveled to Kyiv, where he presided over the raising of the Canadian flag at the country's embassy and announced its reopening, per Politico.
• During a joint press conference in Kyiv alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trudeau announced more military assistance for Ukraine, including for drone cameras, satellite imagery, small arms and ammunition.
• Trudeau also announced additional funding for demining operations, women's and human rights organizations, and the World Food Program. Canada will impose new sanctions on 40 Russians and five Russian entities, and remove trade tariffs on Ukrainian imports coming to Canada for the next year, he added.
What they're saying: "He has just had the honor of speaking with the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau," Markushyn wrote. "He came to Irpin to see with his own eyes all the horror that the Russian occupiers had done to our city."
More at link.
A Ukrainian bomb-sniffing dog and his owner were awarded a service medal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday during a ceremony in Kyiv alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The Jack Russell terrier, named "Patron," has been credited with sniffing out more than 200 explosive devices since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Patron has become a symbol of Ukrainian patriotism, and his mine hunting has been chronicled by media worldwide since the start of the war. Patron struggled to maintain his composure during the ceremony and barked at the Canadian prime minister as he was awarded his medal.
Mine-sniffing dog 'Patron' barks at Trudeau as Zelensky awards him medal
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ukrainian-mine-sniffing-dog-patron-barks-at-canadian-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-as-volodymyr-zelensky-awards-him-medal
To insinuate that Ukrainian-speaking Ukrainians were nazis while Russian-speaking Ukrainians were patriots to Mother Russia is a total fabrication with no basis in truth.
Drop-ins by Pelosi, Jill, U2, Trudeau - is this a war or a tourist attraction? :pondering:
To me the greatest irony is the fact that Putin has loudly cried for years that he cannot tolerate a NATO country on his border, and when this is done he'll likely have two. Finland will get in, and so will Ukraine when Russia loses the war. This is worse than a disaster for Russia, it's a blunder.
I agree with you about Finland. I'm not so sure about Ukraine. I think it will be more likely that they will be NATO compliant, but not in NATO in name. Another thought, Belarus may be the next domino to fall. The current govt., is a puppet of Russia but they won't stay in power forever and as Ukraine rebuilds, becomes more connected to the West, and prospers I would imagine the people of Belarus will want the same.
It's a matter of degree. What compels a person to remain and shelter-in-place? Finances? Their own personal neutrality in the matter?
The Mariupol citizenry had MORE than enough warning to GTFO! And "...where to?" won't play after the first waves back in January.
But silence doesn't goad Russia into a wider war or open a false flag chemical attack window for the US to use.
Remember, removing Putin is our goal and we are prepared to fight to the last Ukrainian --- and if need be, the last American ---- to make this happen.
There's no going back now.
This is just another talking point of an isolationalist perspective.
1. No one supports American troops getting into the war.
2. Putin can stay in power as long as Russians allow it.
3. No one is supporting an invasion of Russia.
I realize that a lot of isolationists think supporting Ukraine will lead to an expansion of globalization. The opposite is what is occurring. European nations have been awakened to the reality that they are far too dependent on the good graces of the USA for their defense and too easily blackmailed by Russia because of their energy dependence. These European nations are now starting to look to expand their defense spending and are looking to other sources than Russia for energy. The issues following this invasion by Russia involving food shortages and supply chain disruptions will further increase individual nations desire to become more self sufficient. NATO will become more of a peace keeping pact among it's members than a counter weight to potential Russian expansion because Russia is going to die as a result of this war.
IMO, if they have camera lens capability to read your wrist watch from orbit, they also have the capability to send a laser beam to your center mass to 'disrupt your internal rhythm'...aka heart attack...brain aneurysm.
Let's ask Andrew Breitbart. /s
I agree with you about Finland. I'm not so sure about Ukraine. I think it will be more likely that they will be NATO compliant, but not in NATO in name. Another thought, Belarus may be the next domino to fall. The current govt., is a puppet of Russia but they won't stay in power forever and as Ukraine rebuilds, becomes more connected to the West, and prospers I would imagine the people of Belarus will want the same.
Putin sparks more health speculation by covering legs with blanket at parade
By Yaron Steinbuch
May 9, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin sat with a heavy blanket across his legs and appeared to be limping during a massive Victory Parade on Monday — renewing speculation about the strongman’s health.
Putin, 69, appeared to be the only one covering his knees with the blanket while surrounded by far older World War II vets, the Mirror reported.
“President Vladimir Putin throws aside his Russian Wool blanket to stride manfully to the unknown,” one user commented on Twitter.
Another quipped that Putin “stole a blanket from a veteran.”
* * *
Source: https://nypost.com/2022/05/09/putin-sparks-health-speculation-for-covering-legs-with-blanket/
Elon Musk is threatened by the head of Russia's space agency for providing internet to Ukrainians: SpaceX CEO jokes 'if I die under mysterious circumstances, it's been nice knowin' ya' - but his mom Maye doesn't find it funnyMusk also has the benefit of testing his security against hostile hackers who really want to be successful (at least officially) at breaching security. How many social media/internet platforms will be able to say they've been tested against weapons grade hackers?
By STEPHEN M. LEPORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
9 May 2022
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been threatened by the head of Russia's space agency over his attempts to provide Ukraine with internet service.
Musk, 50, has been using Starlink - a constellation of more than 2,000 satellites in low Earth orbit - to beam internet connections to dishes around the world.
The service has a large presence in Ukraine, introduced with the explicit intention of keeping the country online amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
The billionaire said they had 'resisted hacking and jamming attempts' from the Russians back in April and were focusing SpaceX efforts on counter measures - at the expense of other projects.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10796113/Elon-Musk-claims-hes-threatened-Russian-space-agency-head-providing-Ukraine-internet.html
Musk also has the benefit of testing his security against hostile hackers who really want to be successful (at least officially) at breaching security. How many social media/internet platforms will be able to say they've been tested against weapons grade hackers?
Pentagon: Russian military continues to struggle with poor morale, refusal to obey ordersUkraine would be wise to find ways to keep the ground muddy, to keep the Russian advance (literally) bogged down. Dry ground corridors would allow Russians to advance into kill zones as well.
by TheHill.com - 05/09/22 1:42 PM ET
Russian forces have not made any significant progress in Moscow’s new offensive in eastern Ukraine, a situation partly due to poor morale and some troops “refusing to obey orders,” a senior U.S. defense official said Monday.
“We still see anecdotal reports of poor morale of troops, indeed officers, refusing to obey orders and move and not really sound command and control from a leadership perspective,” the official told reporters.
The official later said “midgrade officers at various levels, even up to the battalion level” either have refused to obey orders “or are not obeying them with the same measure of alacrity that you would expect an officer to obey.”
Russian forces have struggled to make major gains in the Donbas region of Ukraine since beginning a new offensive in the area last month.
On top of dealing with morale issues that have lingered since the start of the war on Feb. 24, the Kremlin also is struggling to resupply its troops and move its weapons and equipment in muddy spring weather, the official said.
more
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3481944-pentagon-russian-military-continues-to-struggle-with-poor-morale-refusal-to-obey-orders/
To insinuate that Ukrainian-speaking Ukrainians were nazis while Russian-speaking Ukrainians were patriots to Mother Russia is a total fabrication with no basis in truth.
In late April, Putin signed a decree obliging the government to pay RUB 3 million to families of wounded soldiers and RUB 5 million – to those of the servicemen killed in action. However, Russia's military leadership files most of its KIAs as missing, therefore their families will not receive any compensation.
The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) at the National Security and Defense Council wrote about this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.
"These grand promises should have had a positive effect on mobilization because for such money many ruscists are willing to risk their lives. But these statements are a bitter reality where Russia files most of the fallen soldiers as missing, so as not to pay compensation," the officials note.
Yegor Shkrebets, a conscript who was killed on the Moskva Cruiser before being officially declared missing by the Russian prosecutor's office is a bright example of such practices.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, from February 24 to May 9, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liquidated about 25,650 (+150) Russian servicemen.
Russian army files most of its KIAs as missing not to pay families compensation
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3479187-russian-army-files-most-of-its-kias-as-missing-not-to-pay-families-compensation.html (https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3479187-russian-army-files-most-of-its-kias-as-missing-not-to-pay-families-compensation.html)
Russian army files most of its KIAs as missing not to pay families compensationConsidering this, photographing dead soldiers and sending those images to next of kin becomes a kindness, not the horror some characterized it as.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3479187-russian-army-files-most-of-its-kias-as-missing-not-to-pay-families-compensation.html (https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3479187-russian-army-files-most-of-its-kias-as-missing-not-to-pay-families-compensation.html)
Considering this, photographing dead soldiers and sending those images to next of kin becomes a kindness, not the horror some characterized it as.
The Guardian
@guardian · May 8
Ukraine will prevail as Europe did in 1945, Scholz says in VE Day speech
More: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/08/ukraine-will-prevail-as-europe-did-in-1945-scholz-says-in-ve-day-speech?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_gu&utm_medium&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1652028901
Arnaud Bertrand
@RnaudBertrand
I think someone is very confused about their WW2 history.QuoteThe Guardian
@guardian · May 8
Ukraine will prevail as Europe did in 1945, Scholz says in VE Day speech
More: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/08/ukraine-will-prevail-as-europe-did-in-1945-scholz-says-in-ve-day-speech?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_gu&utm_medium&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1652028901
10:07 PM · May 8, 2022 Twitter Web App
In WW2, Western Ukraine sided with nazi Germany, fought along side them and considered nazi German the Ukranian liberator. Eastern Ukraine sided with Russia, fought with them and considered Russia to be Ukraine's liberator.
You see this same pro/anti Russia geographical spllt in Ukraine today.
Another split you still see in Ukraine today is language. Western Ukraine today, as in WW2, speaks Ukrainian and Eastern Ukraine speaks Russian. Kiev's removal of Russian as an official language in Ukraine was in the mix of triggers for Donbas declaring its separation from Kiev and the start of Ukraine's battle with the region back in 2014.
@txradioguy
What's the media hiding?
@narrative_hole
You guys have no idea how much damage Russia causes DAILY with air-defense, ballistic, cruise & air-to-ground missiles.
Every day the Russian MoD runs a briefing and moves on.
I will let you know what got destroyed today, so you understand the scope of Ukrainian losses:
1- unspecified number of Ukrainian helicopters destroyed in the ground by and Onyx missile in Artsiz, Odessa region
2- 1 ammunition depot destroyed near Gulkhov
3- 4 MLRS “Smerch” and 1 S300 in the Bohodukhov area
4- air-defense shot down 2 MiG-29 in Iverskoe and Novodonetskoe
5- one Su-25 shot down near Pogonovka in the Kharkiv region
6- 3 UAV’s shot down near Snake Island inc 2 Bayraktar TB2’s
7- 12 UAV’s shot down in Balakleya, Shiikovka, Goptovka, Kamienka, Aveevka + a few other places
8- a US supplied counter-battery radar destroyed in Zolotoy
9- 1 MLRS “Grad” & 2 command posts near Popasna
10- Russia MLRS and artillery hit 26 command posts, 26 artillery units in firing positions & 211 areas of manpower and equipment concentration resulting in up to 350 kills
THIS WAS 1 DAY
It happens literally every day
7:50 AM · May 9, 2022·Twitter for iPhone
You guys have no idea how much damage Russia causes DAILY with air-defense, ballistic, cruise & air-to-ground missiles.
"#Russian troops in liberated #Mariupol" (Video)
Liberated?
(https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fny%2Fapi%2Fres%2F1.2%2FAOpWom6m8090CtUQBm2Ztg--%2FYXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD02NDY-%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2F2022-04%2Fbe34b100-ba35-11ec-abfb-56c4b68529ef&f=1&nofb=1)
They were liberated of everything they had.
If you gave him a thousand billion dollars today, tomorrow he will say he needs 100,000 thousand billion dollars. There is no end to it. And as long as Congress gets their "Big Guy 10% kickback", they will keep feeding him.
https://twitter.com/USATODAY/status/1522705767911944192 (https://twitter.com/USATODAY/status/1522705767911944192)
Thanks to the Azov/Ukrainian army who's shelling them for eight years.
If you gave him a thousand billion dollars today, tomorrow he will say he needs 100,000 thousand billion dollars. There is no end to it. And as long as Congress gets their "Big Guy 10% kickback", they will keep feeding him.
$600, 000, 000, 000 is 600 thousand million dollars.
But why stop there? Let's give him ...
$100, 000, 000, 000, 000 a hundred trillion dollars.
Hell man, lets give him a million trillion dollars?
It is all Monopoly Money anyway ...
Russia is responsible of the destruction. Russia can pay the bill.
If you gave him a thousand billion dollars today, tomorrow he will say he needs 100,000 thousand billion dollars. There is no end to it. And as long as Congress gets their "Big Guy 10% kickback", they will keep feeding him.Rebuilding is not our job. That is up to the Ukraine, Not the US, not NATO, and if they can squeeze Russia for the damages Russia has done there, all the better.
$600, 000, 000, 000 is 600 thousand million dollars.
But why stop there? Let's give him ...
$100, 000, 000, 000, 000 a hundred trillion dollars.
Hell man, lets give him a million trillion dollars?
It is all Monopoly Money anyway ...
(https://www.privateislandsonline.com/uploads/resize/_597_image_fe02c338d8.jpg-1074-822.jpg)A single meal? Where is this restaurant?
You can buy this private island and live there forever with 24 naked maids for a paltry tip of $160 million dollars $160,000,000.
This is how much Zelinsky would spend on a single meal. Pocket change.
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/avA9WoO_460s.jpg)
(A) That certainly isn't the same Putin who used to ride around on a horse bare-chested, and
(B) His face looks a little puffy and swollen; he doesnt' look well.
Considering this, photographing dead soldiers and sending those images to next of kin becomes a kindness, not the horror some characterized it as.
I doubt it would make much difference. If the government does not want to pay then they simply will not pay. A photograph will not change the situation in Russia. What is worse is the guys returning with no legs or other disabilities. Russia gives them something like a bottle of vodka, a loaf of bread, a bottle of cooking oil, 500 rubles, and maybe a chicken. Then it is, 'so long. see you later. bah by.'
Russia is responsible of the destruction. Russia can pay the bill.
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/avA9WoO_460s.jpg)
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
What strikes me the most when I see footage from Donetsk is how the people are... used to this. Everyone knows what to do when they hear artillery, "duck & cover", fire brigades move swiftly on muscle memory. 16-year-olds have lived half their lives like this.
7:13 AM · May 10, 2022·Twitter Web App
Irkutyanin
@Irkutyanin1 · 19h
If it’s just a unit or two of regular army and then the national guard when those cities are surrounded, I think we can say that a definite intention to Ukrainian operations can be pointed out. Ukraine’s leadership quietly ensuring the annihilation of its own national guard.
"AFU still shelling residential areas in Donetsk - Kirovsky district, today" (Video)
https://mobile.twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1523984023957221378
Putin has forcibly deported 1.2MILLION Ukrainians to Russia and put them in 'filtration camps' – including mother of four-year-old girl who 'was snatched off the street and separated from her daughter
By CHRIS JEWERS FOR MAILONLINE and AFP and ASSOCIATED PRESS
9 May 2022
Ukrainians are being taken against their will into Russia, the U.S. has said, with some reports suggesting more than 1 million have been taken - including a mother who was separated from her four-year-old daughter.
A senior defence official said Tuesday that the Pentagon has seen indications that Ukrainians caught up in Russia's invasion are being forcibly removed from their homeland and sent across the border by Vladimir Putin's forces.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that camps were involved in the process.
'I can't speak to how many camps or what they look like,' Kirby told reporters. 'But we do have indications that Ukrainians are being taken against their will into Russia.'
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10798771/Putins-troops-forcibly-removed-nearly-1-2MILLION-Ukrainians-sent-Russia-officials-say.html
Just stop already. Ok? Just stop.
"Lindsey Graham declares, "let's take out Putin" and says there is "no off-ramp in this war" -- also continues to suggest a No Fly Zone. "We can win this war on behalf of Ukraine," he adds. (Video)
https://mobile.twitter.com/mtracey/status/1523678611898703872
Just stop already. Ok? Just stop.
It's getting kinda sad.
Okay, boys. I've got to scoot.
Play nice until I get back ..... and promise me you'll wear your helmets and won't run in the street. Mommy loves you both.
(https://aipetcher.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/boys_playing_soldiersb.jpg)
@Hoodat @txradioguy
As a famous Congressman once said, 'A hundred million here ... and a trillion dollars there, the next thing you know we are talking about serious money?'
Putin is preparing for a 'prolonged conflict' in Ukraine, Biden's top spy chief warns, and will grow 'more unpredictable' and 'escalatory' in his invasion
By EMILY GOODIN, SENIOR U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER
10 May 2022
Vladimir Putin is preparing for a 'prolonged' war in the Ukraine, President Joe Biden's spy chief warned on Tuesday, and he will grow more 'unpredictable' and 'escalatory' in his invasion.
U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines warned the fighting will grow worse and that Putin will expand his reach beyond the Donbass region in southeast Ukraine.
'The next month or two of fighting will be significant as the Russians attempt to reinvigorate their efforts,' Haines said in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10801747/Putin-preparing-prolonged-conflict-Ukraine-Bidens-spy-chief-warns.html
They're going to be prolonged broke then...
Even Putin's media stooges are forced to admit Russia's invasion has stalled due to 'shameful' lack of equipment and reinforcements as Ukraine counter-strikes in the Donbas
By CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE
10 May 2022
Putin's propagandists have begun openly criticising the state of Russia's military as even the Kremlin's most-hardened of supporters struggle to ignore the scope of its failings in Ukraine.
Vladimir Solovyov, one of Putin's most-prominent puppets, moaned last week about the 'shameful' length of time it takes for weapons to reach the front while guests on Russian state TV talk shows complained that men are being sent into battle 'with weapons of yesteryear' and the Russian economy cannot sustain the war.
Mikhail Khodaryonok, a retired Russia colonel, told viewers that even a much-feared general mobilisation of Russian forces would do little to turn the war in Moscow's favour because it lacks equipment and men to build new units. 'We don't have the reserves,' he told viewers.
Meanwhile Solovyov himself fumed that Russian troops are unable to get drones because so few are being produced, and even those that are made take too long to get into battle. 'Just try to bring something to the Donbas,' he said, 'it's easier to bring it in via Ukrainian customs in Lviv. They let any weapons through.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10800327/Ukraine-war-Russian-state-media-admits-shameful-military-failings.html
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
What strikes me the most when I see footage from Donetsk is how the people are... used to this. Everyone knows what to do when they hear artillery, "duck & cover", fire brigades move swiftly on muscle memory. 16-year-olds have lived half their lives like this.
7:13 AM · May 10, 2022·Twitter Web App
Russia pounds vital port of Odesa, targeting supply lines
By ELENA BECATOROS and JON GAMBRELL
May 10, 2022
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops pounded away at the vital port of Odesa, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday, apparently as part of efforts to disrupt the supply lines and weapons shipments that have been critical to Kyiv’s defense.
Ukraine’s ability to stymie a larger, better armed Russian military has surprised many observers, who had anticipated a much quicker conflict. With the war now in its 11th week and Kyiv bogging Russian forces down in many places and even staging a counteroffensive in others, Ukraine’s foreign minister appeared to suggest that the country could expand its aims beyond merely pushing Russia back to areas it or its allies held on the day of Feb. 24 invasion.
One of the most dramatic examples of Ukraine’s ability to deny Russia easy victories has been Mariupol, where Ukrainian fighters remain holed up at a steel plant despite a monthslong siege. The regiment defending the plant said Tuesday that Russian war planes continued pounding it.
* * *
Source: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-business-nato-moscow-c8e00f7bbc4f24aa40d70a4ac2d97adb
"Donetsk People's Republic leader holds Victory Day Parade in Mariupol" (Video)
Yes, the people of Donetsk and Luhansk have gotten used to eight years of Russian shelling.
Russians With AttitudeVirtually any aerosol can has isobutane as the propellant. Isobutane is just slightly structurally different from Normal Butane, with the same chemical formula (C4H10). It burns, and with heat and or pressure the cans rupture and ignite. In other words, hit the average drug store, beauty salon, paint, or hardware store with a rocket with an explosive warhead and there will be plenty of fuel and loads of things popping off in the fire.
@RWApodcast
A shopping mall on the outskirts of Odessa is reported to be on fire after a missile strike. No information yet what the target was. "Patriotic" business owners have been offering up their businesses to the AFU (& sometimes they don't ask) - maybe we'll see
4:32 PM · May 9, 2022·Twitter for Android
"it does sound/look like something exploded after the missile hit" (Video)
https://mobile.twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1523781986116333570
Virtually any aerosol can has isobutane as the propellant. Isobutane is just slightly structurally different from Normal Butane, with the same chemical formula (C4H10). It burns, and with heat and or pressure the cans rupture and ignite. In other words, hit the average drug store, beauty salon, paint, or hardware store with a rocket with an explosive warhead and there will be plenty of fuel and loads of things popping off in the fire.
It might have just been shaving cream... :shrug: (Helps the gas masks seal to be clean shaven--which is why wearing the covid masks over a full beard was an absolute farce.)
OMG!!!
The Ukrainian bastards are hiding extra supplies of hairspray for the Ukraine army - how dare they keep their boyish good looks (and locks) while fighting the divine Russian army.
It might have just been shaving cream... :shrug: (Helps the gas masks seal to be clean shaven--which is why wearing the covid masks over a full beard was an absolute farce.)
That too!!! How dare they appear clean-shaven and guapo in the midst of the Holy Russian liberation!Out in the patch where you might be required to mask up, the limit of the moustache used to be at the edges of your mouth. Same rules when I was a fireman. It's pretty relaxed up here any more (the Bakken has proven to be Sweet throughout, so no masks on the drilling rigs any more).
Gas masks - that was the reason for Hitler's little chopped off toothbrush of a mustache, if I recall correctly.
FIGHTING IN AZOVSTAL CONTINUES. UKRAINIAN MILITANTS BEG FOR EVACUATION (VIDEOS, PHOTOS)
May 9, 2022
On May 9, shelling on the Azovstal facilities continued in the city of Mariupol. After humanitarian corridors in Mariupol were closed, the artillery of the DPR People’s Militia, supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS), are destroying the fortified areas of nationalist militants in Azovstal.
According to Azov militants, over the past day, 34 aircraft flights, including 8 sorties of strategic bombers, were carried out on the territory of the Azovstal plant. Russian naval and conventional artillery continue shelling of Azov military positions.
On May 9, battles were reported near the railway bridge on the north-eastern outskirts of the Azovstal plant
More than 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers are currently at the Azovstal plant, hundreds of them are wounded, according to Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk.
The deputy commander of the Azov regiment Svyatoslav Palamar (nickname Kalina) recently gave an interview to the BBC, that Ukrainian forces are suffering significant losses, counted in thousands of servicemen. The Azov militants reportedly have about 600 wounded. Many of the injured are dying due to the lack of medicines. Palamar also accused the Ukrainian command that it actually left the militants at Azovstal dying.
More w/video, photos: https://southfront.org/fighting-in-azovstal-continues-ukrainian-militants-beg-for-evacuation-videos-photos/
If you gave him a thousand billion dollars today, tomorrow he will say he needs 100,000 thousand billion dollars. There is no end to it. And as long as Congress gets their "Big Guy 10% kickback", they will keep feeding him.
$600, 000, 000, 000 is 600 thousand million dollars.
But why stop there? Let's give him ...
$100, 000, 000, 000, 000 a hundred trillion dollars.
Hell man, lets give him a million trillion dollars?
It is all Monopoly Money anyway ...
@Right_in_Virginia
What's with this "us stuff",bubba?
Is Lady Lindsey now saying she is going to "suit up" and go to war?
Qatar's Al Jazeera English, a 24-hour English-language TV channel, has reported on refrigerated trains filled with the bodies of Russian servicemen killed during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
According to Ukrinform, this is stated in the Al Jazeera English report on its YouTube channel.
"The real toll of this war for Russia – unclaimed body bags stacked in refrigerated trains," says the report by Al Jazeera English.
It is noted that in one bag carrying the body of an elite Russian military serviceman, jewelry was found, allegedly stolen from Ukrainian civilians in Kyiv region.
Read also: Some 44 civilian bodies found under rubble in Kharkiv Region’s Izium
"Ukraine treats the dead enemies better than they treated civilians. They will be kept as long as need be. The government will decide because Russia refuses to take them. It doesn’t want to. Each body is proof of a war crime. So if they refuse to take them, Ukraine will bury them at our own cost," said Ukraine Army Colonel Volodymyr Liamzin.
Officially, Russia claims only 1,300 KIAs in Ukraine, while the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine says Russian death toll has exceeded 26,000.
More at link.
QuoteOfficially, Russia claims only 1,300 KIAs in Ukraine, while the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine says Russian death toll has exceeded 26,000.
Out in the patch where you might be required to mask up, the limit of the moustache used to be at the edges of your mouth. Same rules when I was a fireman. It's pretty relaxed up here any more (the Bakken has proven to be Sweet throughout, so no masks on the drilling rigs any more).
With no power or water, little food, and neither phone or internet, its residents had been isolated from Ukraine's second-largest city - just 8km (5 miles) south. From the woods and hills nearby, Russian mortars and artillery shelled Kharkiv relentlessly.
* * *
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61378196
Facts on the ground are quite a contrast against the Russian propaganda that is being peddled.
@Hoodat
The sad,sad truth is that during wartime,you can never believe anything either side says. Yes,one side WILL lie more than the other because they happen to be losing at that time and NO government can admit they are losing a war and stay in power.
The plain fact is telling lies is a psychological warfare ploy and one more method to help win a war. That's why everybody does it.
Just one more tool in the bag of tricks.
Well that's how Reagan beat them before...he broke the Russian economy.Exactly, and it worked so well for Reagan that Biden is using the same plan against America.
Exactly, and it worked so well for Reagan that Biden is using the same plan against America.
The office of Ukraine's prosecutor general announced on Wednesday that it is opening its first war crimes trial, in the case of a Russian soldier accused of killing a civilian.
Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, writing on Facebook, identified the soldier as 21-year-old Vadim Shishimarin — a member of the elite 4th Guards Tank Division — and said he is currently in custody. The events in question took place Feb. 28 in Chupakhivka, a village in the Sumy region about 180 miles east of Kyiv.
A pretrial investigation found that Shishimarin and four colleagues, fleeing an attack by Ukrainian defense forces, fired at and seized a private car, which they used to drive into the village. On the way, they saw a man talking on a phone while walking his bicycle along the sidewalk.
Venediktova said that one of the other soldiers ordered Shishimarin to kill the civilian "so he would not report them to Ukrainian defenders." Investigators say Shishimarin fired his Kalashnikov several times through the car window, shooting the unarmed 62-year-old in the head.
More at link.
VLADIMIR PUTIN'S troops have been wiped out by Ukrainian forces in an attempt to cross the Seversky Donets river.
(https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/78/590x/Ukraine-LIVE-Putin-humiliated-as-satellite-pics-show-tanks-wiped-out-in-brutal-massacre-1608434.webp?r=1652290718691)
Satellite images show tanks destroyed and abandoned on the river bed following the failed crossing.
The latest figures from Ukraine's Armed Forces claim Russia has close 26,350 troops and around 1,187 tanks.
It comes as Ukrainian forces reportedly made battlefield gains with president Volodymyr Zelensky saying troops pushed Russian troops out of four villages near Kharkiv.
Putin humiliated as satellite pics show tanks wiped out in brutal massacre
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1608434/ukraine-live-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelensky-russia-invasion-war-FSB-latest-update (https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1608434/ukraine-live-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelensky-russia-invasion-war-FSB-latest-update)
Ukraine stopped the flow of Russian natural gas through one hub that feeds European homes and industry
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine shut down a pipeline Wednesday that carries Russian natural gas to homes and industries in Western Europe, while a Kremlin-installed official in a southern region seized by Russian troops said the area will ask Moscow to annex it.
The immediate effect of the energy cutoff is likely to be limited, in part because Russia can divert the gas to another pipeline and because Europe relies on a variety of suppliers. But it marked the first time since the start of the war that Ukraine disrupted the flow westward of one of Moscow's most lucrative exports.
Meanwhile, the talk of annexation in Kherson — and Russia's apparent willingness to consider such a request — raised the possibility that the Kremlin will seek to break off another piece of Ukraine as it tries to salvage an invasion gone awry. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
“The city of Kherson is Russia,” Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Kherson regional administration installed by Moscow, told Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency. He said regional officials want Russian President Vladimir Putin to make Kherson a “proper region” of Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that it would be “up to the residents of the Kherson region" to make such a request, and that any move to annex territory would would have to be closely evaluated by experts to make sure its legal basis is “absolutely clear.”
Russia has repeatedly used annexation or recognition of breakaway republics as tactics in recent years to gain pieces of fellow former Soviet republics Ukraine and Georgia. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 after holding a referendum on the peninsula over whether it wanted to become part of Russia.
Kherson, a Black Sea port of roughly 300,000, provides access to fresh water for neighboring Crimea and is seen a gateway to wider Russian control over southern Ukraine. It was captured early in the war, becoming Ukraine's first major city to fall.
More at link.
• Russia has ramped up efforts to hack SpaceX's Starlink internet in Ukraine, Elon Musk said.
• So far, Starlink has managed to resist Russia's attempts to hack the technology, Musk said.
• Starlink's satellite network has helped Ukrainians to stay online during the war.
Elon Musk said on Tuesday that Russia has increased its efforts to jam SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet in Ukraine, but hasn't succeeded.
"Starlink has resisted Russian cyberwar jamming & hacking attempts so far, but they're ramping up their efforts," Musk tweeted.
The SpaceX CEO linked a Reuters article, published on Tuesday, which reported that Russia carried out a cyberattack against satellite
broadband
provider Viasat on the day in February when President Vladimir Putin's troops advanced into Ukraine, according to Western officials.
The UK government said in a press release on Tuesday that the hack left thousands of Viasat users without internet connection, affecting people across Ukraine and other EU member countries. It was the most public cyberattack since Russia began its war on Ukraine, Reuters reported.
More at link.
Except that now, a lot of claims can be sanity-checked through satellite imagery. Disabled/damaged Russian tanks can be counted, more or less, from orbit.
The navigational equipment Russian air forces have relied on during their invasion of Ukraine is of such poor quality that some Russian fighter jets have resorted to taping basic Global Positioning System (GPS) devices to their dashboards so they know where they actually are, according to British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace this week.
In a speech at the National Army Museum in London on Monday, Wallace said Russian forces invading Ukraine have been hindered by inadequate equipment and support.
“Almost none of their vehicles contain situational awareness and digital battle management,” Wallace said. “Vehicles are frequently found with 1980s paper maps of Ukraine in them.”
“But it’s not just ground forces,” Wallace continued. “‘GPS’ receivers have been found taped to the dashboards of downed Russian SU-34s so the pilots knew where they were, due to the poor quality of their own systems.”
Wallace didn’t specify how many instances there had been of downed Russian aircraft being found with basic GPS devices on board. On Saturday, a Twitter shared images purporting to show a commercial GPS device c-clamped inside a Russian Su-34.
Patrick S. Tomlinson
@stealthygeek
I can't believe this. You're looking at the cockpit of a Russian Su-34 fighter/bomber. It entered service in 2014 as one of the most modern planes in their inventory and is flying against #Ukraine.
See the little box? It's a commercial GPS just C-clamped to the dash.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FNQfH2kXoAQRch6?format=jpg&name=large)
H2S is no joke. During the brief time I worked for my dad before I went back active duty I had to take a safety class on it.
My thought at the time was that it would make a great chemical weapon for the military.
I take it seriously. The highest concentration I have been in (without a mask) was 110 PPM, and I left, heading upwind quick and notified the other hands on location.
I know guys who have been knocked down One got a heavy lungful from an open hatch while strapping a 400 bbl upright tank and rolled backward off the tank. He landed flat on his back after about a 30' drop, which was credited with saving his life (The impact blew the H2S out of his lungs and likely restarted his heart when he hit). He had coal black hair before that incident, a white streak a couple inches wide in it after. He was the lucky one.
500 PPM will put you down in one breath.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FSdnO2NXMAACvot?format=jpg&name=medium)
LOL! I stopped at "liquidated personnel". Such bullsh*t.
If confirmed, it would mark the first time a Russian has been killed inside the country by Ukraine shelling since Moscow’s invasion in February.
One person was killed and seven were wounded in a Russian village bordering Ukraine in what may be the first death of a Russian civilian inside the country since Moscow launched the war.
Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of Russia’s Belgorod province said on Thursday the attack by Ukraine forces occurred in the village of Solokhi.
The village came under shelling from the Ukrainian side late Wednesday, and residents were later evacuated “to a safe place”, Gladkov said. With a population of 638, Solokhi lies 20km (12 miles) north of the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv.
“Seven wounded, another victim was brought late at night. Everyone is provided with qualified medical care, medicines are available in full. One person died. We will provide material assistance to all the victims and the family of the deceased,” Gladkov said on his Telegram channel.
More at link.
LOL! I stopped at "liquidated personnel". Such bullsh*t.
Finland to apply for Nato membership 'without delay'
1 hour ago
Finland's president and prime minister have called for the country to apply for Nato membership "without delay".
Sauli Niinisto and Sanna Marin said in a joint statement they expected a decision in the next few days.
The move comes amid a surge in public support for Nato membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow said Finland's move was a threat to Russia and the further expansion of Nato would make Europe less stable and secure.
Previously, Russia has threatened unspecified measures - and on this occasion too, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not say exactly how Russia would respond.
"Everything will depend on how this expansion process plays out, the extent to which military infrastructure moves closer to our borders," he said.
Finland shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border with Russia. Until now, it has stayed out of Nato to avoid antagonising its eastern neighbour. . .
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61420185
And so, Russia ends up with NATO closer to its borders.
So what's your estimate of what that number really is, @DCPatriot ? According to Russia, they haven't lost a single soldier in two months.
@Hoodat
"Liquidated Personnel"? LOL! Whatever happened to "Killed in Action" (KIA)?
Carry on....
Thread just above had a title "107K Overdoses in U.S. in 2021. Wonder how many could be prevented in 2022-2025 if zellinnnnski's $40B been apporopriated for that?
@Hoodat
"Liquidated Personnel"? LOL! Whatever happened to "Killed in Action" (KIA)?
@Hoodat
"Liquidated Personnel"? LOL! Whatever happened to "Killed in Action" (KIA)?
Carry on....
Thread just above had a title "107K Overdoses in U.S. in 2021. Wonder how many could be prevented in 2022-2025 ifzellinnnnski's$40B that Congress created out of thin air had been apporopriated for that?
Ukraine accused of deadly cross-border attack on Russian village
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/12/ukraine-accused-of-deadly-cross-border-attack-on-russian-village (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/12/ukraine-accused-of-deadly-cross-border-attack-on-russian-village)
@Elderberry
Did this really happen,or is it just more Russian propaganda? I suspect it is because the Ukrainians HAVE to know they are getting so much international support because THEY were invaded,and that they would lose this support if they invaded Russia and attacked a village.
Who else is reporting it as fact?
Firing from Ukraine has killed one person and wounded seven in the Russian border village of Solokhi in the province of Belgorod, the regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, has said.
@sneakypete
Very few reports and they are all using the same source:
Finland to apply for Nato membership 'without delay'
1 hour ago
Finland's president and prime minister have called for the country to apply for Nato membership "without delay".
Sauli Niinisto and Sanna Marin said in a joint statement they expected a decision in the next few days.
The move comes amid a surge in public support for Nato membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow said Finland's move was a threat to Russia and the further expansion of Nato would make Europe less stable and secure.
Previously, Russia has threatened unspecified measures - and on this occasion too, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not say exactly how Russia would respond.
"Everything will depend on how this expansion process plays out, the extent to which military infrastructure moves closer to our borders," he said.
Finland shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border with Russia. Until now, it has stayed out of Nato to avoid antagonising its eastern neighbour. . .
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61420185
Putin is demonstrating to all of Europe what happens to non-NATO members.
(https://manometcurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Mariupol-768x513.png)
@Elderberry
Did this really happen,or is it just more Russian propaganda? I suspect it is because the Ukrainians HAVE to know they are getting so much international support because THEY were invaded,and that they would lose this support if they invaded Russia and attacked a village.
Who else is reporting it as fact?
I'm with you on this!
The only reason I can see any bombing in Russian territory would be to destroy a supply depot, or cut a supply line. In both cases it would be a clear military target, not civilian. It's Russian military doctrine that seeks to destroy civilian areas.
On a side note, it seems that Ukrainian artillery is incredibly accurate.
So you're not disputing the number, but the terminology.
Ukrainian Trapped at Azovstal Begs Elon Musk for Help: 'If Not You, Who?'This is ridiculous.
Russia’s nearly three-month-old invasion of neighboring Ukraine has been punctuated by flawed planning, poor intelligence, barbarity and wanton destruction. But obscured in the daily fighting is the geographic reality that Russia has made gains on the ground.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday that its forces in eastern Ukraine had advanced to the border between Donetsk and Luhansk, the two Russian-speaking provinces where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukraine’s army for eight years.
The ministry’s assertion, if confirmed, strengthens the prospect that Russia could soon gain complete control over the region, known as the Donbas, compared with just a third of it before the Feb. 24 invasion.
Russian state TV warns of 'a new iron curtain' in furious response to Finland after Helsinki declared it wants to join NATO 'without delay' and alliance chief says it will be 'warmly welcomed'
By JACK NEWMAN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and GEOFF EARLE, DEPUTY U.S. POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN ALLIANCE, OHIO
12 May 2022
Russian state TV has accused the US of erecting a 'new iron curtain' in Europe in a furious response to Finland announcing its intention to join NATO, as the Kremlin's spokesman it will make the world less 'stable.'
This morning, president Sauli Niinisto and prime minister Sanna Marin said they want to join the security alliance 'without delay', with Sweden set to follow suit within days, drastically ramping up tensions between Russia and the West.
A senior Russian leader and the Kremlin had previously threatened it would secure 'the entire destruction' of the country' and 'the most undesirable consequences', and today said it would 'be forced to take retaliatory steps', both 'military-technical and other' against the 'threat'.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10809669/Russian-state-TV-warns-new-iron-curtain-furious-response-Finlands-NATO-bid.html
Talk about being blind to the consequences of actions you take.
The only reason any nation wants to be in NATO is to protect themselves from Russian aggression.
If Russia didn't invade it's neighbors there would be no need for a defensive alliance.
Ukrainian Trapped at Azovstal Begs Elon Musk for Help: 'If Not You, Who?'
JAKE THOMAS ON 5/11/22 AT 10:07 PM EDT
Exactly so. I don't know why they would be surprised that Western Europe would pull together in the face of demonstrated aggression.
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
I genuinely do not understand how anyone came up with the idea that fighters who are completely surrounded and who have refused evacuation without weapons into their own territory multiple times must be "rescued". Soldiers escape encirclement by victory, surrender or death.
8:07 PM · May 12, 2022 Twitter for Android
Lucky for us Zelenskyy didn't listen to Biden and flee. Russia will have destroyed themselves because of this. The war will end and Russia will be no more than a 3rd world country with nukes.
This is ridiculous.
Lucky for us Zelenskyy didn't listen to Biden and flee. Russia will have destroyed themselves because of this. The war will end and Russia will be no more than a 3rd world country with nukes.
This is and was a damn shame,because almost every Russian I ever met craved to be more educated and practically worshiped the idea of accumulating knowledge. Being called "uncultured" was one of the biggest insults they could imagine.
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/angGL25_460s.jpg)
The U.S. and other countries are sending M777 155mm howitzers to Ukraine.
American M777 howitzers could prove a major factor in turning the tide against Russian forces in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine thanks to their precision and power.
The howitzers are field artillery pieces that Ukrainian forces are already using to shell the Russians and represent an improvement on the equipment that the country’s military previously had.
The U.S. has begun sending 90 M777 Howitzers, while Australia is sending six and Canada is providing four. The M777s are the towed howitzers currently used by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. They have a maximum range of 15 miles and require a crew of eight to 10 people.
Illia Ponomarenko, a defense reporter with The Kyiv Independent, tweeted on Tuesday: “M777s are already in Donbas, engaging Russian lines – confirmed!”
Snip.
The M777 Howitzers generally fire precision-guided Excalibur rounds that use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to home in on targets and it is expected that Ukraine will have been provided with these rounds. Canada was reportedly providing Excalibur shells, according to an AFP report on April 25.
Here’s more background on the M777:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIhwO6TkhBs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIhwO6TkhBs)
A few brief takeaways:
• Using aluminum and titanium, they weigh half what the M198 they’re replacing weighed. This means they’re fare more air-portable (at least for the U.S., slung from an Osprey).
• Each costs about $4 million.
• Contrary to the article above, the video asserts they only need a crew of five.
• Fires seven rounds a minute.
• Excalibur shells cost about $70,000 each. Pricey, but way cheaper than a Tomahawk cruise missile.
More at link.
Exactly so. I don't know why they would be surprised that Western Europe would pull together in the face of demonstrated aggression.
As president, I am ready to talk to Putin, but only to him. Without any of his intermediaries. And in the framework of dialogue, not ultimatums.
Get out of this territory that you have occupied since February 24. This is the first clear step to talking about anything.
I'll be surprised if Zelenskyy lives through this regardless of the outcome.
The Marine brigade commander thinks very highly of Elon Musk.
Well in all honesty...since the end of the USSR and the wall coming down most of Western Europe up til now hadn't given him any reason to believe they would.
True. People I've spoken with from the Netherlands absolutely hate the USA precisely because we armed them and paid the lion's share of the NATO armament (just try to make sense of that). I told them to build their own stuff, I don't care.
True. People I've spoken with from the Netherlands absolutely hate the USA precisely because we armed them and paid the lion's share of the NATO armament (just try to make sense of that). I told them to build their own stuff, I don't care.
Top oligarch is secretly recorded saying Putin 'has blood cancer' as experts match his limp and extreme Covid distancing to recovery from surgery
By CHRIS JEWERS FOR MAILONLINE
13 May 2022
Vladimir Putin is 'very ill with blood cancer', a Russian oligarch has claimed according to a new report, amid on-going speculation about the strongman's health.
An audio recording of the oligarch's comments was obtained by a Western venture capitalist and shared with New Lines magazine, the publication said.
In it, the oligarch - who has close ties to the Kremlin and named only as 'Yuri' to protect his identity - claimed a number of the health problems Putin is believed to be suffering from are linked to him having blood cancer.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10813667/Top-oligarch-secretly-recorded-saying-Putin-blood-cancer.html
@Kamaji
The writing is on the wall. The Kremlin is preparing the ground for forcing him out of office without having to admit he blew it when he invaded Ukraine.
I don't think they'll force him out - I think right now they're all sitting around hoping he dies sooner rather than later. Of course, with that possibility being real, they are less likely to take any affirmative action to get rid of him, so if he lingers for a long time, so, too, will the war in Ukraine.
@Kamaji
You are forgetting that the war and the embargo are bankrupting Russia. The ONLY hope they have of preventing riots in the streets due to food,electricity,and even water shortages is to remove Putin,blame the whole thing on him,and hope to be forgiven by the west if they retreat back into Russia.
That may be a bitter pill to swallow,but it will be easier to swallow than a revolution.
Sounds to me, if I were so inclined, "Parade Day" in Red Square would be an optimal time to strike Mother Russia.
@Cyber Liberty
There is NO SUCH CRITTER as a "Good time to strike Holy Mother Russia"!
Just in case you are one of those people who think there is such a thing as "winning a nuclear war",there ARE no winners,only survivors trying to rebuild civilization while slowly dying of radiation poisoning.
This is why I included, "if I were so inclined" to my statement. I'm a live-and-let-live sort of person, the kind that doesn't care if the USSR wants to go to Hell with itself.
@Cyber Liberty
Thanks for clearing that up. You had me scared for a moment.
Biden defense secretary Lloyd Austin spoke for the first time to Russia's defense chief Shoigu for the first time since the conflict in Ukraine began, stressing that it was important to keep the lines of communications open and called for a ceasefire.— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 13, 2022
Ukraine Artillery Gets A GPS Boost
https://www.battleswarmblog.com/?p=51416 (https://www.battleswarmblog.com/?p=51416)
Well in all honesty...since the end of the USSR and the wall coming down most of Western Europe up til now hadn't given him any reason to believe they would.
Columbia BugleYes, it's just a smidgen disturbing that Democrats think we're at war. When did Congress make this declaration?
@ColumbiaBugle
US House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) is on the House floor right now stating that the United States is at war with Russia and that, because we are “in a time of war,” Republicans shouldn’t criticize Biden.
Are you paying attention yet?
1:03 PM · May 13, 2022·Twitter for iPhone
We are fortunate that Boris Johnson really stepped into the role our POTUS should have been in. We are seeing Johnson doing it again promising to send British troops to Finland if requested.
‘They were furious’: the Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine
Troops are saying no to officers, knowing that punishment is light while Russia is not technically at war
Pjotr Sauer
Thu 12 May 2022 13.58 EDT
Last modified on Fri 13 May 2022 00.28 EDT
When the soldiers of an elite Russian army brigade were told in early April to prepare for a second deployment to Ukraine, fear broke out among the ranks.
The unit, stationed in Russia’s far east during peacetime, first entered Ukraine from Belarus when the war started at the end of February and saw bitter combat with Ukrainian forces.
“It soon became clear that not everyone was onboard with it. Many of us simply did not want to go back,” said Dmitri, a member of the unit who asked not to be identified with his real name. “I want to return to my family – and not in a casket.”
Along with eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to rejoin the invasion. “They were furious. But they eventually calmed down because there wasn’t much they could do,” he said.
more
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/12/they-were-furious-the-russian-soldiers-refusing-to-fight-in-ukraine
‘They were furious’: the Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine
Troops are saying no to officers, knowing that punishment is light while Russia is not technically at war
Pjotr Sauer
Thu 12 May 2022 13.58 EDT
Last modified on Fri 13 May 2022 00.28 EDT
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/12/they-were-furious-the-russian-soldiers-refusing-to-fight-in-ukraine
May 13, 2022 2:33pm EDT
Russian lawmaker warns Poland is next in line for 'denazification after Ukraine'
Comment comes after Polish leaders criticized Putin, Russia
By Greg Norman | Fox News
A Russian lawmaker is warning Friday that recent comments from Poland’s leaders are encouraging Moscow to "put it in first place in the queue for denazification after Ukraine."
Russian State Duma Deputy Oleg Morozov, using language Russia has sought to justify its bloody invasion of Ukraine, made the remark on his Telegram page, according to Russian state media.
"By its statements about Russia as a 'cancer tumor' and about the 'indemnity' that we must pay to Ukraine, Poland encourages us to put it in first place in the queue for denazification after Ukraine," Morozov reportedly wrote.
more
https://www.foxnews.com/world/russian-lawmaker-poland-next-in-line-denazification-after-ukraine
May 13, 2022 2:33pm EDT
Russian lawmaker warns Poland is next in line for 'denazification after Ukraine'
Comment comes after Polish leaders criticized Putin, Russia
By Greg Norman | Fox News
A Russian lawmaker is warning Friday that recent comments from Poland’s leaders are encouraging Moscow to "put it in first place in the queue for denazification after Ukraine."
May 13, 2022 11:48am EDT
Defense Secretary Austin speaks with Russian defense minister for first time in months, urges cease-fire
Pentagon earlier said Russia wasn't answering US calls
By Greg Norman | Fox News
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke Friday with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for the first time in months, urging "an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby says.
The call between Austin and his Russian counterpart is the first since Feb. 18, according to Kirby. It’s also the first since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, which has now lasted 79 days.
"Secretary Austin urged an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication," Kirby said.
more
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/secretary-defense-austin-russia-shoigu-ukraine-call
@mystery-ak
Russian men have MASSIVE macho ego's,and SOMEBODY is going to have to figure out a way to let the Russians save "face" without actually having to admit they screwed up in order to get them to leave.
Frankly,I suspect they would be more than happy to accept an excuse that SEEMS to be valid,even though everybody would realize it was bogus.
Meanwhile,they are stuck in Ukraine,and don't know how to get out of there.
That's easy... Russia can say they killed all the "NAZIs" and leave...
That's easy... Russia can say they killed all the "NAZIs" and leave...
@mystery-ak
You HAVE to wonder if this loon had permission to utter that brain fart,or if he is just one more Senior Senile Soviet fool with diarrhea of the mouth.
That HAS to rate right up near the top of the most Damn Fool Thing Ever Said.
@mystery-ak
Russian men have MASSIVE macho ego's,and SOMEBODY is going to have to figure out a way to let the Russians save "face" without actually having to admit they screwed up in order to get them to leave.
Frankly,I suspect they would be more than happy to accept an excuse that SEEMS to be valid,even though everybody would realize it was bogus.
Meanwhile,they are stuck in Ukraine,and don't know how to get out of there.
FWIW, there are several credible reports that contradict this one.
That's easy... Russia can say they killed all the "NAZIs" and leave...
That could work.
And once they leave, there will no longer be any nazis in Ukraine.
They could always agree to completely leave all of Ukraine and have a UN peacekeeping force along the border.
Putin rumored to have fired another top Russian general as Ukraine invasion flounders
By Evan Simko-Bednarski
May 13, 2022
Speculation is swirling that Russian President Vladimir Putin has sacked his top commander in what is the latest rumored dismissal amid his floundering invasion into Ukraine, said an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Oleksiy Arestovych, a presidential adviser, said in an interview with Russian dissident lawyer Mark Feygin on Wednesday that “preliminary information” indicated that Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, had been fired.
The reported sacking could not be independently verified, and the Kremlin has not given any indications of an upper-echelon ouster.
However Gerasimov — who was famously seen briefing Russian President Vladimir Putin alongside Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu from the other end of a long table during the lead-up to the war — was notably absent from this week’s Victory Day parade in Moscow.
* * *
Source: https://nypost.com/2022/05/13/putin-rumored-to-have-fired-russian-general-valery-gerasimov/
@Kamaji
Am I the only one thinking "The Russian General Staff and their aides HAVE to be getting tired of having ALL the blame for this brain fart placed on THEIR heads,when all THEY were doing was following Putin's orders?
I am wondering how long it will take and how many Generals have to be removed under disgrace before the remaining Generals get fed up and remove him themselves.
Or maybe I am wrong. Has anyone out there ever met or known of such a creature as a "modest General Officer"?
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke Friday with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for the first time in months, urging "an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby says.
Idiots. Austin and Kirby want to draw up the new borders now before Russia loses more ground.
Columbia Bugle
@ColumbiaBugle
US House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) is on the House floor right now stating that the United States is at war with Russia and that, because we are “in a time of war,” Republicans shouldn’t criticize Biden.
Are you paying attention yet?
1:03 PM · May 13, 2022·Twitter for iPhone
Western Weapons in Ukraine Being Sold On via Encrypted Messaging App: Report
Chris Tomlinson 14 May 2022
Miliary-grade weaponry in Ukraine is allegedly being sold on to international buyers on the encrypted messaging app Telegram, including some hardware made in the United States.
Weapons that have been allegedly collected in Ukraine during the country’s ongoing war with Russia have been put up for sale on Telegram channels, including various kinds of automatic rifles and small arms.
Weapons said to be for sale include not just Ukrainian-origin arms such as old Soviet-era AK-47 rifles, but also American-made rifles like the M16 and the M4, along with other NATO member-origin firearms like the ARX 160 A1 manufactured by the Italian weapons company Beretta, newspaper Il Giornale reports.
It remains unclear whether the weapons are being sold by Ukrainians or by Russians who have collected them over the course of the war.
more
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2022/05/14/western-weapons-in-ukraine-being-sold-on-via-encrypted-messaging-app-report/
@mystery-ak
So what?
Are any of you foolish enough to think this didn't happen in every war that has ever been fought?
The answer to this is to have the Ukrainians,with the help of the US intelligence agencies,to track down the arms dealers and arrest them.
US intelligence agencies are probbly the ones selling them.
@Right_in_Virginia
IF that is the case,you have nothing to bitch about because the US is making money off the war.
@sneakypete This sh*tshow is not our war. Not even your apparent affinity for corruption can put lipstick on this pig.
@sneakypete
Weird transformation. You were the guy who said you would NEVER vote for Trump or any Democrat because they are all corrupt and incompetent; they are all the same thing.
And now suddenly you seem to be a RAH-RAH-CIS-BOOM-BAH cheerleader on the side of Ukraine, and the Democrat looting of the U.S. Treasury.
I do not say this is wrong or right. It is just surprising to me that you would take such a hard stance on promoting a war and America's involvement in it?
@bilo
NOT good enough to stand on it's own. It is a tactic admission of surrender. Subtle,but obvious.
Someone prominent needs to swallow a little pride and thank them for "making the world a safer place."
Which,ironically enough,would be exactly what they would be doing by pulling all their forces back to Russia.
It doesn't matter at all if you or I or anyone else in the west believes it as long as it is something the typical Russia can convince themselves to believe.
Idiots. Austin and Kirby want to draw up the new borders now before Russia loses more ground.
OK, whatever?
I may be wrong, but I don't recall @sneakypete every saying that. I think you have him confused with someone else.
This is a logical fallacy. The two do not go hand in hand but are independent of each other. It is entirely possible to support Ukraine while at the same time vehemently opposing the spending excesses of the US Congress, which incidentally have nothing to do with equipping Ukraine with the arms needed to push Russia out of their country.
Same logical fallacy. Keep in mind that the only side promoting war here is Russia. Our role has been to come to the aid of a country wrongly attacked - both morally and politically. As for American involvement, while there have been numerous posters here (myself included) calling for arms shipments to Ukraine, there is not a single poster here who has advocated for US troops to engage Russian or pro-Russian forces.
As a reminder, Ukraine is not asking for $3340 billion in aid. They are asking for the weapons needed to defeat Russia. If we had jumped on this early, half of Russia's entire armored force would be rusting away on the roads between Kyiv and Belarus. Instead, Russia was allowed to withdraw those forces and redeploy them into Luhansk, Donetsk, and Kherson.
@mystery-ak
So what?
Are any of you foolish enough to think this didn't happen in every war that has ever been fought?
The answer to this is to have the Ukrainians,with the help of the US intelligence agencies,to track down the arms dealers and arrest them.
@sneakypete This sh*tshow is not our war. Not even your apparent affinity for corruption can put lipstick on this pig.
@Right_in_Virginia
Yeah,and I am corrupt because I think we should help a free state remain free after being invaded by the Russians.
ROFLAMO!
OK, whatever?
the Democrats are intentionally escalating the Ukrainian conflict for their own purposes, namely the coming election. They are explicitly promoting and extolling that America is "at war with Russia" in order to excuse their catastrophic performance with all things concerning America by saying, "it is not us ... it is all because of the war!" Of course this is nonsense, but it is what the American Left has decided to run with.
If the Democrat self-serving policies incidentally happen to help Ukraine, then so much the better. But that is not the main point of anything the Democrats are doing. Everything Democrats and many Congressional Republicans do is specifically intended to enrich or empower themselves.
OK, whatever?
As I have always said, I respect all opinions. However in this case, the Democrats are intentionally escalating the Ukrainian conflict for their own purposes, namely the coming election. They are explicitly promoting and extolling that America is "at war with Russia" in order to excuse their catastrophic performance with all things concerning America by saying, "it is not us ... it is all because of the war!" Of course this is nonsense, but it is what the American Left has decided to run with.
If the Democrat self-serving policies incidentally happen to help Ukraine, then so much the better. But that is not the main point of anything the Democrats are doing. Everything Democrats and many Congressional Republicans do is specifically intended to enrich or empower themselves.
While supporting Ukraine may be a noble cause, it is important to remember that the people in charge of allocating the money and equipment necessary to do that, are rotten dirty sneaky bureaucratic thieves, who do not have the emotional capacity to care about anything or anyone beyond themselves.
I may be wrong, but I don't recall @sneakypete every saying that. I think you have him confused with someone else.
@Hoodat @240B
True dat. I would rather cut my nose off than vote for a Dim.
Everything I'm seeing indicates that Putin has a lot of support in Russia. They have been indoctrinated with the propaganda that Nazi's are a threat and NATO wants to destroy Russia. I think the people around Putin are to weak to put an end to the war just as a majority of Russians won't rise up and say the invasion should end.
Everything the Brandon admn. does is wrong. Thankfully in the case of Ukraine other leaders have stepped up and dragged the Brandon admn. into doing the right thing.
I think the worse thing to do is end the war before Russia's capability to fight a conventional war is destroyed. After that let Russia deal with all their neighbors who no longer want their boot on their throat.
I do think Sen. Paul has a good idea in having an inspector general overseeing where the money is going.
@bilo
This is the first I have heard of that,but I think it is an EXCELLENT idea. I also suspect it has outraged the American politicians,who had dreams of skimming most of it away before it even got there.
@bilo
And let's face it,Putin and the communists took back control of Russia and have been trying to return to Communism ever since he entered office...
Putin's hero is Peter the Great, not Stalin @sneakypete
@Right_in_Virginia
I fail to see the difference,other that Peter the Great was an actual warrior.
Beginning in 1682, Peter the Great modernized Russia—and transformed it into a major power. Through his reforms, Russia made incredible progress in the development of its economy and trade, education, science and culture, and foreign policy.
Peter's cause was to make Russia a European great power, capable of matching the likes of Austria, Britain, Prussia and France in both military might and the economic and bureaucratic foundations on which it is based. History proves Peter achieved this.
If anything, it is the Tsarist Russian Empire Putin is attempting to bring back, not the communist Soviet Union.
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aQXV1z2_460s.jpg)
McConnell, along with Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Tex.), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), made the trip just two days after their fellow Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, forced a temporary halt to the massive military and humanitarian aid bill.
Zelensky asks US to designate Russia a ‘terrorist state’ after McConnell visit
@mystery-akMy opinion, only one tenth of this money will actually make it to Ukraine.
I never thought I would ever post anything like this,but WTF is wrong with Ron Paul? Is he such an attention junkie now that he is willing to cut off his own nose to spite his face?
Does this idiot NOT understand the money spent now to weaken Russia militarily will be repaid back many times over in future defense budgets?
My opinion, only one tenth of this money will actually make it to Ukraine.
Only one tenth of the money which actually makes it to Ukraine, will end up being spent on "weakening Russia".
This is pie-in-the-sky thinking where everyone does what they say they will do, and everything is as it appears.
All Rand Paul is proposing, which turned Washington D.C. on its head, is that a senior general accountant be assigned to the money to monitor and document where it goes and where it is spent.
Glenn Greenwald
@ggreenwald
If the US continues to spend at this rate for war in Ukraine, that projected $554b will be far more than any nation spends for its *entire military*.
Excerpts from NYT article headlined: "House Passes $40 Billion More, **With Few Questions Asked**"
Total amount US has allocated to war in Ukraine **after 10 weeks**: $54 billion.
- Average *annual* amount US spent for its war in Afghanistan: $46b.
- Total Russian military budget for the entire year: $69b.
- Projected US expenditure on war in Ukraine for one year: $554b.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FSvPgEcWUAAEnv1?format=jpg&name=360x360)(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FSvPgEZX0AIHnkW?format=jpg&name=360x360)
More: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/10/us/politics/congress-ukraine-aid-questions.html
2:21 PM · May 14, 2022 Twitter Web App
Projected?
Whatever these people "project" is useless.
All Rand Paul is proposing, which turned Washington D.C. on its head, is that a senior general accountant be assigned to the money to monitor and document where it goes and where it is spent. This very normal small caveat was enough to send all the politicians supporting it into frenzied wails of consternation while wearing sack clothes and dumping ashes on their heads.I think you have three extra zeroes in there.
The united political opposition to any kind of oversight on $40, 000, 000, 000, 000 U.S. Dollars going to God-knows-where should show anyone what the politicians have in mind. They intend to steal it through kickbacks and laundering. And Zelinsky the Great has always been their go-to guy for just this sort of thing.
This 40 billion U.S. dollars has much more to do with the people pushing for it than it does with 'helping Ukraine' or 'weakening Russia'. Those are just the passwords the thieves are using to get the money released to the ethereal international economic 'cloud' where they can pick it off and skim it at will.
If the money is released on a Monday, and Putin dies and the war ends on Tuesday, not one single penny of this money will ever make it back to America. It will all just mysteriously vanish in a puff of smoke, with no record of where it went or who got paid. That's how this stuff always works.
No need to rob the bank, when the criminals own and run the bank to start with.
Where is the $56 billion 'to Ukraine' actually going?No one is debating that the "big guy" is getting a rake, and likely a lot is being skimmed or diverted along the way. The biggest crooks are on this side of the pond.
The Dossier, May 13, 2022, Jordan Schachtel
Wherever your opinion resides on this proxy war/inter-slavic spat 5,000 miles away on the Russia-Ukraine border region, reality cannot be denied.
The $56 billion and counting in “aid for Ukraine” that’s passing through the American legislature primarily serves the purpose of greasing the skids of the D.C. Beltway ruling class. And you’re paying for it.
If you think the people of Ukraine are going to see one dime of this money, think again. Not even the “humanitarian aid” portions of the assistance will reach the Ukrainian people, as it will be absorbed by a variety of DC lawyers, lobbyists, NGOs, and other well connected middle men. See: Afghanistan.
If they gave the bill a more accurate title, it would be called the “Money For Raytheon And Friends” bill, as the majority of the funds from the latest $40 billion behemoth will be used to supply weapons purchase orders, and resupply weapons that were already sent to Ukraine, which arrived with a seeming back room deal to add to the deep pockets of the weapons manufacturers back home.
Those who have become consumed by corporate press and government war propaganda are being used as useful marks for this agenda
Since the beginning of this conflict, our corporate press and government propagandists (yes, one in the same) have been labeling the war with a nonsensical good vs evil narrative, which has helped to demand consensus in D.C. Notably, not a single Democrat voted against the bill. Republicans largely support it, and the Uniparty is outraged that Rand Paul decided to hold up its “emergency” passage.
More: https://dossier.substack.com/p/where-is-the-56-billion-to-ukraine?r=ovl6s&s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
I think you have three extra zeroes in there.@Smokin Joe
My opinion, only one tenth of this money will actually make it to Ukraine.
Only one tenth of the money which actually makes it to Ukraine, will end up being spent on "weakening Russia".
@Smokin JoeMaybe you just got carried away typing those in...like Congress does. :laugh:
Yes. You are right. Cannot think of any reason for me doing that. Old age I guess?
That's a very optimistic assessment. You really think $400 million of it will be spent on offensive military equipment delivered to Ukraine? I would guess maybe a fourth of that. $100 million of a $40 billion package sounds about right.If "infrastructure" spending is any indicator of how much actually goes to the headline cause, you may be optimistic.
Russia’s Vladimir Putin ‘very ill’ with blood cancer: secret recording
By Eileen AJ Connelly
May 14, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin is “very ill with blood cancer,” an oligarch close to the Kremlin said in a secret recording obtained by New Lines Magazine. The type of cancer was unspecified, New Lines reported in a story discussing myriad rumors about Putin’s health.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10817905/Ukrainian-forces-launch-counter-offensive-NATO-official-says-Putins-advance-losing-momentum.html
Putin's commanders are slaughtering their own wounded soldiers rather than retrieving them from the battlefield for medical treatment, captured Russian soldiers reveal
Russian commanders are slaughtering their own wounded soldiers instead of retrieving them from the battlefield for treatment, Putin's own troops have said.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10820515/Putins-commanders-slaughtering-wounded-soldiers-captured-Russian-troops-reveal.html
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
Looks like the Ukrainians at Azovstal are getting ready to surrender their wounded into Russian custody; according to Khodakovsky they've asked for stretchers to carry them.
8:11 AM · May 16, 2022·Twitter for Android
How long before Russian soldiers start fragging their own officers?
Dramatic audio captures Russian warship’s final moments after Ukraine missile strike
By Yaron Steinbuch
May 16, 2022
Dramatic audio captured the final moments of the Russian Black Sea flagship Moskva after it was struck by a Ukrainian missile – as a crewman shouts that the doomed vessel was “lying on its side” and sinking.
“Moskva-1, two holes! Propeller stalled! Sinking! Lying on its side!” the sailor yells after the warship was hit April 14, the Kyiv Independent reported on the audio posted by Ukraine’s Operational Command “South.”
The frantic crew member also says a hole under the waterline sent the vaunted guided-missile cruiser into a roll of 30 degrees.
“There is no way to get closer to the tugboats,” he reportedly adds in the 42-second transmission. “We’re doing our best to save the crew.”
* * *
Source: https://nypost.com/2022/05/16/audio-captures-russian-ship-moskva-after-ukraine-missile-strike/
Russian forces retreat as Ukraine appears to win Battle of KharkivScorched earth withdrawal is a typically Russian tactic, going back to Stalin and beyond.
By Eileen AJ Connelly
May 14, 2022
Ukraine “appears to have won the Battle of Kharkiv,” a US think tank said.
The Russian military has withdrawn from its positions around Ukraine’s second-largest city “in the face of Ukrainian counteroffensives and the limited availability of reinforcements,” said the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Russian units were unable to hold ground against the Ukrainian fighters over the past several days, the ISW said, and were prevented from encircling the city in northeast Ukraine.
As they retreated, however, they continued to bombard the eastern Donetsk province in order to “deplete Ukrainian forces and destroy fortifications,” the Ukrainian military said Saturday.
Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said the country was “entering a new – long-term – phase of the war.”
The comments came two days after a major Ukranian victory at the Siverskiy Donets River, an area about 25 miles east of Kharkiv which Russia previously controlled. The battle ended with Russian tanks and other destroyed equipment littering the area around the river.
* * *
Source: https://nypost.com/2022/05/14/russian-forces-retreat-as-ukraine-appears-to-win-battle-of-kharkiv/
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
Looks like the Ukrainians at Azovstal are getting ready to surrender their wounded into Russian custody; according to Khodakovsky they've asked for stretchers to carry them.
8:11 AM · May 16, 2022·Twitter for Android
And Russia entirely lied about this event. They lied saying that the crew had been safely evacuated and they lied about the cause of the damage. Russia has proven itself no different than all the other dictatorships around the world - while claiming to be democratic.When only 120 showed up for the ceremony, of a crew of nearly 500, you knew the casualty figures were much higher than the Government was willing to admit.
Putin's commanders are slaughtering their own wounded soldiers rather than retrieving them from the battlefield for medical treatment, captured Russian soldiers revealIn that cold calculus, one wounded trooper will require between two and four others to evacuate and care for them. That slows an army down, reduces its effective numbers, and takes up transport and supplies for those who cannot fight. One dead soldier is one less, one wounded is five less on the battle front.
By WILL STEWART and JACK NEWMAN and CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE
16 May 2022
Russian commanders are slaughtering their own wounded soldiers instead of retrieving them from the battlefield for treatment, Putin's own troops have said.
A lieutenant-colonel was accused of personally shooting dead multiple troops as they lay injured.
It comes as investigations in the horror town of Bucha have revealed 650 civilians were shot rather than hit by shelling in what police say proves they were executed by Russian thugs.
But their barbarity is not directed only towards the Ukrainians, as Russians spoke out about the brutal killings of their own forces within the ranks.
Captured troops recalled one commander asking a soldier if he could walk after suffering an injury, and when the man replied he could not, the officer killed him instantly.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10820515/Putins-commanders-slaughtering-wounded-soldiers-captured-Russian-troops-reveal.html
War within Russia's secret services over bogus intelligence that led to invasion: Blame game erupts over 'worthless' info that meant 'Putin was the most uninformed person to decide about the war'
By WALTER FINCH and WILL STEWART FOR MAILONLINE
17 May 2022
A bitter new blame game has erupted in Russia's secret services over the bogus intelligence that led Putin to believing his troops would be welcomed in Ukraine with open arms.
Much of the blame is being pointed at the door of the FSB's 5th Service for gathering 'worthless' information that misled Russian President Vladimir Putin and left him 'the most uninformed person to decide about the war'.
Disputed reports in April stated that Col-General Sergei Beseda, 68, head of the 5th Service, and his deputy, Anatoly Bolyukh, had been detained in April either under house arrest or under pre-trial detention for leaking plans and embezzling funds.
The 5th Service is known as the foreign spying arm of the FSB, charged primarily with intelligence and political subversion in former Soviet republics such as Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
It is also reportedly in charge of the Kremlin's 'kill list' of Ukrainian senior officials and other dissidents who live in Ukraine.
Sources have told IStories, a media outlet linked to Russia's top investigative journalists, that 'the level of professionalism there is worthless.'
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10824065/War-Russias-secret-services-bogus-intelligence-Blame-game-erupts-worthless-info.html
The circular firing squad has begun.
Putin, Russia's paramount leader since 1999, has repeatedly pointed to the post-Soviet enlargement of NATO toward Russia's borders as a key driver behind his war in Ukraine.
But in a stunning declaration yesterday, the strongman abandoned his regime's typical sabre-rattling approach and instead offered a dramatically softened stance in the face of the biggest strategic consequence of the invasion to date.
A bitter new blame game has erupted in Russia's secret services over the bogus intelligence that led Putin to believing his troops would be welcomed in Ukraine with open arms.
I don't believe this for a second. Putin was quite open with his contempt for anything Ukrainian. At no point did he envision free independent Donbas states, but instead pushed for the total subjugation of the entire country. Drug addicts, indeed.
Russia had their bluff called, proving that their declared reason for invading Ukraine is pure bullshit.
• Putin takes personal control of faltering Donbas offensive
• Russian military recruitment centres hit by arson attacks
• Ukraine will get worse for us, retired Russian colonel admits
• Ukrainians rescued from Mariupol to be exchanged for Russians
• Listen to the latest episode of our daily Ukraine podcast
A Russian lawmaker who has taken part in peace talks with Kyiv said that Moscow should consider the death penalty for fighters from Ukraine's Azov regiment.
In a debate in the lower house of Russia's parliament after the defenders of Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks surrendered, lawmaker Leonid Slutsky said Russia should "think carefully" about capital punishment for the Azov fighters.
"They do not deserve to live after the monstrous crimes against humanity that they have committed and that are committed continuously against our prisoners", he added.
More at link.
Ukrainians rescued from Mariupol to be exchanged for Russians
The New York Times
@nytimes· 17h
Breaking News: Ukraine ended its “combat mission” in Mariupol and said fighters were being evacuated, signaling that the battle at a steel plant was over. https://nyti.ms/3sIon9B
" i don't think the pope was involved in federal penitentiary service vehicles transporting the azovstal soldiers to a POW camp in russia" (Video)
https://mobile.twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1526528654192304130
We actually have something in common with Ukraine: Patriots of both countries are called "Nazis."
There appears to be no hope for any correction of this when even Briefers constantly call the Ukes Nazis.
We actually have something in common with Ukraine: Patriots of both countries are called "Nazis."
There appears to be no hope for any correction of this when even Briefers constantly call the Ukes Nazis.
The Russians mis-appropriated the term "Nazi" to the Ukrainians as a propaganda tool to sell Putin's discretionary war of agression to Russian media's consumers. Putin certainly couldn't call them Communists, because Putin is trying to re-create the Soviet Empire.
The casual politcally rhetorical use of the term "Nazi" normalizes the evil of the Hitler regime, diminishes the sacrifice of those who fought them, and cheapens the horrors they inflicted upon millions of people.
The Russians mis-appropriated the term "Nazi" to the Ukrainians as a propaganda tool to sell Putin's discretionary war of agression to Russian media's consumers. Putin certainly couldn't call them Communists, because Putin is trying to re-create the Soviet Empire.
The casual politcally rhetorical use of the term "Nazi" normalizes the evil of the Hitler regime, diminishes the sacrifice of those who fought them, and cheapens the horrors they inflicted upon millions of people.
The Russians mis-appropriated the term "Nazi" to the Ukrainians as a propaganda tool to sell Putin's discretionary war of agression to Russian media's consumers. Putin certainly couldn't call them Communists, because Putin is trying to re-create the Soviet Empire.
The casual politcally rhetorical use of the term "Nazi" normalizes the evil of the Hitler regime, diminishes the sacrifice of those who fought them, and cheapens the horrors they inflicted upon millions of people.
Their cards are face up on the table now. And their illusion of military capability has been laid bare for all to see. I wonder what China is thinking right now...
Don't go to war against the West.
Ukraine was actually split in its support of nazi Germany in WW2. @DefiantMassRINO
The Western, Ukrainian-speaking part of the country supported nazi Germany, considered them liberators and fought along side them, including in the the murder of Ukrainian Jews. The Eastern, Russian-speaking part of the country fought with the Russian forces and considered them liberators.
The dynamics haven't changed much. The Azov Battalion, which is the offspring of Ukraine's nazi battalions during WW2, is still virulently anti-Russia and Russia remains virulently anti-nazi.
The Donbas region is still very pro-Russia ---- still speaking the language and since declaring independence from Kiev requesting/receiving Russian passports-----which is why the nazi Azov Battalion has enoyed slaughtering the citizens there for the past eight years.
Sometimes it helps to remember that WWII has really not ended for Europe ----
This is typical of how Mother Russia treats Ukraine:
The 1941 NKVD Prison Massacres in Western Ukraine
During the German invasion of the USSR, the Soviet Secret Police (NKVD) brutally murdered between 10,000 and 40,000 political prisoners in Western Ukraine over the course of eight day.
How would you have preferred the Russians had treated the German nazis and their Western Ukranian collaborators during WW2?
The fact is, the Ukrainians did, in fact, initially see the Germans as liberators - not because the Ukrainians were nazis, but because the Russians were abominably evil and did vile and disgustingly cruel things to the Ukrainian populace - Holodomor, anyone - and the Germans were kicking the Russians out.
It was only later on that the Ukrainians learned, to their lasting lament, that the Germans were only slightly better than the Russians.
It says something about the inherent evil of the Russians that Ukrainians would have seen the German nazis as liberators. That evil continues to this day.
By "Western Ukrainian collaborators", you mean the Ukrainians that were fighting for Poland against Germany in 1939 while Stalin was allied with Hitler?
Had Western Ukraine wanted to repel Nazi Germany, they would have had Russia's military help.
No. I refer to the Western Ukranians who joined with Nazi Germany in the killing of Ukranian Jews and fighting against Russia's victory.
lol
There weren't that many Jews left living in Ukraine once the Germans arrived. Stalin had already killed most of them.
" i don't think the pope was involved in federal penitentiary service vehicles transporting the azovstal soldiers to a POW camp in russia" (Video)
https://mobile.twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1526528654192304130
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
Nationalist Ukrainian bloggers complaining about Russia having the audacity to take Azov prisoner instead of evacuating them to Ukrainian territory, nationalist Russian bloggers complaining about Russia having the audacity to take Azov prisoner instead of shooting them on sight
5:48 PM · May 17, 2022·Twitter Web App
"Zelensky: "The evacuation mission from Azovstal continues. It is led by our military and intelligence."
Uhhh... They're being brought to prisons in Donetsk and Rostov in paddy wagons..." (Video)
https://mobile.twitter.com/RWApodcast/status/1526683778868977666
Strange, this doesn't match what you've been posting:
Strange, this doesn't match what you've been posting:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10826761/Russia-accused-double-crossing-Ukraine-deal-free-Azovstal-steelworks-fighters.html
I don't believe this for a second. Putin was quite open with his contempt for anything Ukrainian. At no point did he envision free independent Donbas states, but instead pushed for the total subjugation of the entire country. Drug addicts, indeed.
Their cards are face up on the table now. And their illusion of military capability has been laid bare for all to see. I wonder what China is thinking right now...How do you say "Eeny, meeny, miney, moe..." in Chinese?
Please, do NOT conflate Ukrainian nazis with American right wing conservatives ... ever. It would demonstrate a dangerous misunderstanding of both. While such a mistake would save the nazis, it would be a death blow to American conservatives.Wait, whoa. "our" Communists call anyone to the Right of Lenin a "Nazi" too. How convenient that anyone who disagrees with them is automatically a "Nazi" or the extended version, a "Neo-Nazi White Supremacist" (kinda like Larry Elder).
Ukrainian Insurgent Army
The Ukrainian Insurgent Army (Ukrainian language: Українська Повстанська Армія (УПА) , "Ukrayins’ka Povstans’ka Armiya", or UPA) was a large and well organized Ukrainian nationalist military and later partisan army that engaged in a series of guerrilla conflicts during World War II against Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, and both Underground and Communist Poland. The group was the military wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists — Bandera faction (the OUN-B), originally formed in Volyn (northwestern Ukraine) in the spring and summer of 1943. Its official date of creation is 14 October 1942,[1] day of Intercession of the Theotokos feast.
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Ukrainian_Insurgent_Army
Looks like Ukraine's resistance army fought BOTH the German nazis and the Soviet communists. Go figure.
The fact is, the Ukrainians did, in fact, initially see the Germans as liberators - not because the Ukrainians were nazis, but because the Russians were abominably evil and did vile and disgustingly cruel things to the Ukrainian populace - Holodomor, anyone - and the Germans were kicking the Russians out.Read this, and you will know why the Ukrainians were willing to try most anything to get out from under Stalin.
It was only later on that the Ukrainians learned, to their lasting lament, that the Germans were only slightly better than the Russians.
It says something about the inherent evil of the Russians that Ukrainians would have seen the German nazis as liberators. That evil continues to this day.
Let's not minimize the inherent evil of the willing collaboration by Western Ukranians with the goals of Nazi Germany. Had Western Ukraine wanted to repel Nazi Germany, they would have had Russia's military help.The Russia that starved millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s? That "Help"?
Excuse me, but I don't understand what you're laughing at.Russia (the Soviet Union) was fighting on no one's side but their own. It was to our benefit to feed them arms and supplies to keep the Nazis busy on two fronts (enabling the invasion of the continent and eventual advances across France by thinning out Axis armies), but Stalin was in it for Stalin, and gobbled up a significant chunk of Eastern Europe during and after the war as "Socialist Republics".
If you remember Russia was fighting on our side against Nazi Germany ---- then it makes sense that had Western Ukraine wanted to repel, not join, Nazi Germany ---- Russia would have helped them win militarily. All Western Ukraine did was make Russia's job against the nazi's more difficult.
Russia (the Soviet Union) was fighting on no one's side but their own. It was to our benefit to feed them arms and supplies to keep the Nazis busy on two fronts (enabling the invasion of the continent and eventual advances across France by thinning out Axis armies), but Stalin was in it for Stalin, and gobbled up a significant chunk of Eastern Europe during and after the war as "Socialist Republics".
Russia (the Soviet Union) was fighting on no one's side but their own. It was to our benefit to feed them arms and supplies to keep the Nazis busy on two fronts (enabling the invasion of the continent and eventual advances across France by thinning out Axis armies), but Stalin was in it for Stalin, and gobbled up a significant chunk of Eastern Europe during and after the war as "Socialist Republics".
Russia (the Soviet Union) was fighting on no one's side but their own. It was to our benefit to feed them arms and supplies to keep the Nazis busy on two fronts (enabling the invasion of the continent and eventual advances across France by thinning out Axis armies), but Stalin was in it for Stalin, and gobbled up a significant chunk of Eastern Europe during and after the war as "Socialist Republics".
Putin unleashes the Terminators: Russia's much-vaunted war vehicles are finally deployed as Ukraine continues to obliterate invading tanks with the help of British missiles
By WILL STEWART and RACHAEL BUNYAN FOR MAILONLINE
18 May 2022
Vladimir Putin has finally deployed his 'Terminator' military vehicles in battle in Ukraine as Kyiv continues to obliterate invading Russian tanks with the help of British missiles.
Video shows the much-vaunted armoured vehicles, which are designed to support infantry units fighting in urban areas, in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
The deployment of the BMPT Terminator comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has taken a heavy toll on Putin's main army tanks - the T-90M tank - after Ukrainian troops continue to obliterate them with rockets.
Ukraine said this week its armed forces had destroyed Russian tanks deep behind enemy lines in the Donbas region using British-made Brimstone missiles for the first time.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10829005/Putin-unleashes-Terminators-Russias-vaunted-war-vehicles-finally-deployed.html
Russia loses ANOTHER colonel... who had been sent into the field to replace the previous one Ukraine killed: Officer dies in river-crossing ambush
By WILL STEWART FOR MAILONLINE
18 May 2022
Vladimir Putin has suffered another grievous blow after he lost his 42nd colonel in his bloody war in Ukraine.
Colonel Denis Kozlov, 40, was the second commander of the 12th Separate Guards Engineers of Keningsbersko-Gorodokskaya Red Banner Brigade to die in the conflict.
Kozlov had replaced Colonel Sergei Porokhnya, 45, who was killed in Ukraine on 14 March.
But the officer was among Russian troops to perish on May 11 in a failed advance across the Donets River at Bilohorivka, west of the city of Lysychansk, in the Donbas region, after Ukrainian troops successfully ambushed them.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10828505/Russia-loses-colonel-sent-field-replace-previous-one-Ukraine-killed.html
At least there'll be plenty of promotional opportunities for any junior officers still left alive at the end of the Ukraine invasion.
And I am guessing they are getting a valuable lesson on how not to wage war.
The one best thing that will hopefully come out of this thing, is that Russia will finally realize that their days as the USSR are long gone, and that expanding borders will not be in their best interests. Second best? The Chicoms are watching closely, and their planned imperialistic dreams will be with great cost if they persue them.
And you can bet that the Taiwanese General Staff is looking very closely at the tactics the Ukraine forces are using to put the beat down on Russia as well.
Great point. And I am guessing the Chicoms are realizing that their window of opportunity will likely end with Biden's presidency. Hopefully January 20, 2025.
The so-called Terminator: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMPT_Terminator
Another cats-paw for the Ukrainians to start chewing up.
The Russia that starved millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s? That "Help"?
No wonder Ukraine was desperate enough to dance with the Devil to get out from under the Stalinst yoke.
It looks just as susceptible to Javelins as the rest of the tanks.Three different types of 'kill', there.
It looks just as susceptible to Javelins as the rest of the tanks.
When war broke out in Summer 1941, the Soviet response was to conscript as many Ukrainians as possible (beginning at age 16), put them in uniform, and throw them at the advancing German units with zero training. These Ukrainian formations suffered 97% casualties.
The Soviets also enacted a scorched-earth policy throughout Ukraine in the wake of their retreat. The Dneproges hydro plant was destroyed without informing the civilian population of the impending flood that would occur. Critical factories (along with their workers) were relocated east of the Urals, never to return. Anyone considered to be Ukrainian intelligentsia was murdered by Red Army troops, many of whom were crammed into basements and buried alive. Low lying areas were flooded with zero regard for civilians living in those areas. And wounded Red Army soldiers were murdered where they lay instead of evacuating them eastward.
A year earlier, before the German invasion began, Stalin had already conducted his own political purge of Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian citizens who were deemed a threat to the Soviet regime were arrested and shipped to Siberian gulags where most died at the hands of Stalin's brutality.
And let's not forget the Ukrainians in 1939 who volunteered for military service in the Polish Army and fought against their own German invasion after Stalin had helped provide training for those same Wehrmacht units.
So yes, this false dichotomy being offered of choosing Germany over Russia is an outright lie.
Supposedly, the newest version, based on the Armata tank, has armor that will protect against the Javelin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMPT_Terminator#BMP_T-15_(%22Terminator_3%22)
However, I would point out that the Ukrainians have apparently already succeeded in destroying at least one of the new Armata tanks, so the armor may not be all that's its supposed to be.
Russia (the Soviet Union) was fighting on no one's side but their own. It was to our benefit to feed them arms and supplies to keep the Nazis busy on two fronts (enabling the invasion of the continent and eventual advances across France by thinning out Axis armies), but Stalin was in it for Stalin, and gobbled up a significant chunk of Eastern Europe during and after the war as "Socialist Republics".
Great point. And I am guessing the Chicoms are realizing that their window of opportunity will likely end with Biden's presidency. Hopefully January 20, 2025.
On top of these problems they are lacking in sufficient agriculture to feed their populous.
- Russia will help with the restoration of the city
Russia will help with the restoration of the city
OFFS!
(https://www.memesmonkey.com/images/memesmonkey/22/2263198ead78c40ebb8524acd4c921f9.jpeg)
That's rich.
Most modern tank design still puts the bulk of the armor on the top, front and sides of the turret. The thinnest armor from what I understand is still towards the rear of the tank where the power pack (engine) is located. It could be that's where the Ukrainians are aiming the Javelins.Engines create heat. It has to go somewhere, so it will be vented, and thin armor helps get rid of it (louvers, and the like all compromise that armor). Between the tracks and engine compartments, mobility kills might be easier to pull off. Roadwheels can only provide so much protection. IIRC, the Russian/Soviet designs have their ammo storage where it will be detonated by a precise strike in the side below the turret between the roadwheels, and that's why the turrets blow off so frequently.
The first ever recorded kill of an M-1 Abrahams was in 2003 in Iraq. An anti tank fire team waited until the tank had passed by them popped up and fired their missile into the back of the vehicle destroying it. The crew escaped though.
Oh and the missile the Iraqi's used was the 9M133 Kornet anti-tank guided missile. It was a missile system the Iraqi's weren't supposed to have but mysteriously did and it coincided with the departure of Russian military advisers two weeks prior to the start of the ground war.
Applying this same strategy to today using the tactic of supplying weapons to Ukraine weakens Russia's ability to aggressive seize territory of it's neighbors and destroys Russia's ability to wage conventional war in the future. The best part is the USA does not have to put American soldiers at risk to neutralize Russia.Not even NATO forces need be directly involved.
Agree. In a more perfect world Kiev would pay for the restoration of Mariupol with the salaries earmarked for the Azov Battalion.Right.
But alas, here we are. :shrug:
Right.
Because Ukrainians shelled the city for nearly three months.
*****rollingeyes*****
Russians With AttitudeThe steel works was what the Russians were after.
@RWApodcast
DPR head Pushilin on Mariupol:
- 60% of houses can't be repaired and will have to be demolished;
- The city will be rebuilt with an emphasis on the resort business;
- Azovstal will be replaced with a park;
- Russia will help with the restoration of the city
7:12 AM · May 18, 2022·Twitter Web App
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
The Illich Steel and Iron Works will be rebuilt
7:15 AM · May 18, 2022·Twitter Web App
No, it doesn't, but there is no emoji for FFS.
*****rollingeyes***** doesn't even begin to cover it.
Engines create heat. It has to go somewhere, so it will be vented, and thin armor helps get rid of it (louvers, and the like all compromise that armor). Between the tracks and engine compartments, mobility kills might be easier to pull off. Roadwheels can only provide so much protection. IIRC, the Russian/Soviet designs have their ammo storage where it will be detonated by a precise strike in the side below the turret between the roadwheels, and that's why the turrets blow off so frequently.
Every design has an Achilles' heel, but the MI Abrams is known for crew survivability.
And the ammo is kept in the turret due to the auto loader. Also the auto loader stored ready propellant in a vertical position, with only the tank’s road wheels partially protecting it.I recall seeing a trainload of damaged M1s while on my way to a well during the Gulf War (in Utah, iirc, in transit eastward), and looking at the damage on them almost all had damage to either the engine area or suspension/tracks. No scorching or deformation to the turrets. I don't know how long it takes to build or rebuild a tank, but the crews take a while to train, and if they survive to fight another day, the rest is just getting them the gear.
That's deadly for the tank and anyone inside with a successful hit from an AGTM like the Javelin.
It's a tough tank with a proven track record. I remember the Iraqi's claiming we had some kind of magic armor on them because their RPG-7's were bouncing off the armor.
*****rollingeyes***** doesn't even begin to cover it.
This is the point where I start looking to the sky for lightning bolts to come down and strike those so boldly uttering lies of this magnitude.Yabbut. If God sent them two at a time, they'd swear He was a Nazi.
No, it doesn't, but there is no emoji for FFS.
I recall seeing a trainload of damaged M1s while on my way to a well during the Gulf War (in Utah, iirc, in transit eastward), and looking at the damage on them almost all had damage to either the engine area or suspension/tracks. No scorching or deformation to the turrets. I don't know how long it takes to build or rebuild a tank, but the crews take a while to train, and if they survive to fight another day, the rest is just getting them the gear.
Russian/Soviet disregard for the lives of their fighting men is epic though, and was particularly on display on the Eastern Front during WWII. Some things just don't change.
Most modern tank design still puts the bulk of the armor on the top, front and sides of the turret. The thinnest armor from what I understand is still towards the rear of the tank where the power pack (engine) is located. It could be that's where the Ukrainians are aiming the Javelins.
When the tanks are damaged or receive technology updates they all go to one place...Anniston Army Depot in Alabama. Repairs/modifications are done then swapped with the tanks in the line units which then head for the same upgrades the tanks that replaced them got.Not just theirs. My Dad served there during the war (which really is only at a cease fire, not ended), and said the ChiComs would round up local villagers and put them in the front of a human wave attack. Dad just said they tried to miss the villagers.
The ChiComs displayed the same lack of regard for their forces in Korea as well.
Not just theirs. My Dad served there during the war (which really is only at a cease fire, not ended), and said the ChiComs would round up local villagers and put them in the front of a human wave attack. Dad just said they tried to miss the villagers.
I couldn't imagine having to face that dilemma.Dad was a machine gunner. He hasn't talked about the war much, except to describe the action he was in when the Turkish Brigade got them out of a real jam (which was told me as background in describing the only fistfight to ever happen at my Grandmother's dinner table). He was one of only two guys in his outfit who could walk off that ridge. The rest were carried.
We have this:Might I suggest (https://i.imgur.com/ix8Beie.jpg?1)
what444
He came home, got a job, married mom, they had three kids, took us hunting and fishing, taught us how to handle a firearm from an early age, pushed us to get a real education, helped us with college, and served the community, too--he is still active (in administration) of the local VFD--at 90.
I have few heroes in this life, but he is at the top of my list, along with his bride (my Mom) of 69 years.
I have no illusions about just how lucky I have been to be their son.
Right.
Because Ukrainians shelled the city for nearly three months.
The steel works was what the Russians were after.
The people can eat dirt and live under bridges, if they can find one intact...
"Liberation" my ass, this is naked conquest.
Ukranians shelled the city since 2014 ---- eight years.
Bullshit.
The steel works was what the Russians were after.
The people can eat dirt and live under bridges, if they can find one intact...
"Liberation" my ass, this is naked conquest.
Ukraine, he said, will soon have mobilised more than a million soldiers who will be trained by the West and equipped with modern weapons, ready to fight and die to protect their homeland against Russia.
General Valery Gerasimov is also said to be making similar tactical decisions, micro-managing the war in minute detail which would normally be overseen by a colonel.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10823033/Putin-meddling-colonel-Russian-president-making-tactical-decisions-troops.html
Russia is hit with yet another mystery blaze: Flames engulf chemical plant adding to speculation over Ukrainian 'sabotage' after series of deadly fires at military sites
By WILL STEWART FOR MAILONLINE
17 May 2022
A mysterious fire has broken out at a Russian chemical plant today, amid mounting suspicion Ukraine is targeting infrastructure in Russia.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10824709/Flames-engulf-chemical-plant-Russia-adding-speculation-Ukrainian-sabotage.html
Sweden officially signs NATO application as Putin shows weakening resolve and admits he 'has no problem' with them or Finland and Lavrov says it is 'no big deal'
I don't believe this for a second. Putin was quite open with his contempt for anything Ukrainian. At no point did he envision free independent Donbas states, but instead pushed for the total subjugation of the entire country. Drug addicts, indeed.
Paying attention yet?
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FTDwIozWIAIsx8S?format=jpg&name=small)
Everything you wrote here is completely foreign to me. What a blessing it is to have two parents who love each other and who are involved in the upbringing of their children.I am only sorry more people have not had that.
Not even NATO forces need be directly involved.
Provision of weapons to the Ukrainians has cut the number of serviceable Russian tanks and APCs considerably. At some point the losses cannot be absorbed without feeling the pain, and IIRC, one of Russia's sources for the steel used in their armor was the plant the Russians have been busy destroying while the Ukrainians have been fighting in there. They may also be suffering from a chip shortage (Chinese/Taiwan are the main sources). At any rate, their replacement rate is likely not close to the attrition, and at some point if they are going to remain a military power of any credibility they are going to either have to win or withdraw.
Jankowicz worked in Ukraine in 2017 when Poroshenko was in power, not in 2019 after Zelenskiy was elected. The photo caption above is a complete lie. Paying attention yet?
The very fact she was already placed in Ukraine in the Poroshenko regime makes he unfit for any security clearance level herself.
Her denial of the Russian Dossier and the Hunter Biden laptop are Exhibits A & B that she should be furloughed immediately.
Jankowicz worked in Ukraine in 2017 when Poroshenko was in power, not in 2019 after Zelenskiy was elected. The photo caption above is a complete lie.
Russia admits losing TWO officers in day – including a colonel who was sent into the field to replace one killed earlier by Ukraine
By Will Stewart for MailOnline
18 May 2022
Russia has admitted losing two officers in a single day, including one who had been sent to replace a colonel who died fighting earlier in the war.
Lieutenant-Colonel Denis Sukhanov, 41, was reported to have died 'defending civilians' though the exact location and date of his death were not revealed.
Meanwhile Colonel Denis Kozlov, 40, was revealed to have died during a botched mission to cross the Donets River last week that ended with an entire Russian battalion being wiped out.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10828505/Russia-loses-colonel-sent-field-replace-previous-one-Ukraine-killed.html
Like this matters? When did you become such a champion of the O'Biden corruption machine?
Like this matters?
Russia Firing Senior Commanders Who Performed Poorly in Ukraine: U.K.
JACK DUTTON | 5/19/22 AT 8:09 AM EDT
Russia has fired senior military commanders who have been considered to have performed poorly during the early stages of the country's invasion of Ukraine, the British Ministry of Defense has said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on February 24, initially with the intention of capturing the capital Kyiv. However, the Russian army failed in its aims as Ukrainians put up a strong defense, leading Putin's forces to focus their attention on the eastern Donbas region, as well as Ukraine's southern port towns on the Black Sea.
Although Russia has captured the southern port city of Mariupol, its army's progress elsewhere in the Donbas has been slow. The war has killed thousands of people, including many civilians and displaced millions more.
In its daily Ukraine war update on Thursday, Britain's Ministry of Defense tweeted Thursday: "In recent weeks, Russia has fired senior commanders who are considered to have performed poorly during the opening stages of its invasion of Ukraine."
The ministry noted that Lieutenant General Sergey Kisel, who commanded the elite 1st Guards Tank Army, was suspended for his failure to capture Kharkiv. Vice Admiral Igor Osipov, who commanded Russia's Black Sea Fleet, has also likely been suspended following the sinking of the cruiser Moskva in April, the ministry added. . .
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-firing-senior-commanders-who-performed-poorly-ukraineu-k-1708140
A choice is presented: Be fired or face the angry Ukrainians and be slaughtered. I'd pick the Dacha choice.
Russia Firing Senior Commanders Who Performed Poorly in Ukraine: U.K.
JACK DUTTON | 5/19/22 AT 8:09 AM EDT
Russia has fired senior military commanders who have been considered to have performed poorly during the early stages of the country's invasion of Ukraine, the British Ministry of Defense has said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on February 24, initially with the intention of capturing the capital Kyiv. However, the Russian army failed in its aims as Ukrainians put up a strong defense, leading Putin's forces to focus their attention on the eastern Donbas region, as well as Ukraine's southern port towns on the Black Sea.
Although Russia has captured the southern port city of Mariupol, its army's progress elsewhere in the Donbas has been slow. The war has killed thousands of people, including many civilians and displaced millions more.
In its daily Ukraine war update on Thursday, Britain's Ministry of Defense tweeted Thursday: "In recent weeks, Russia has fired senior commanders who are considered to have performed poorly during the opening stages of its invasion of Ukraine."
The ministry noted that Lieutenant General Sergey Kisel, who commanded the elite 1st Guards Tank Army, was suspended for his failure to capture Kharkiv. Vice Admiral Igor Osipov, who commanded Russia's Black Sea Fleet, has also likely been suspended following the sinking of the cruiser Moskva in April, the ministry added. . .
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-firing-senior-commanders-who-performed-poorly-ukraineu-k-1708140
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
The DPR is working on the creation of a tribunal for the trial of Ukrainian war criminals. Cooperation between Russian, DPR and LPR agencies has already been established, the statute is currently being drafted.
Shouldn't they come up with some actual Ukrainian war crimes first before creating tribunals?
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
Azov second-in-command "Kalina" left Azovstal & surrendered last night, says war reporter Dmitry Steshin.
There is a threat of complete extinction of the Sea of Azov due to possible damage to the technical facility, which restrains the concentrated hydrogen sulfide solution, amid the Russian bombardment of the Azovstal steelworks.
"There is a threat of complete extinction of the Sea of Azov. The bombardment of Azovstal could damage a technical facility that restrains tens of thousands of tonnes of concentrated hydrogen sulfide solution. The leak will completely kill the flora and fauna of the Sea of Azov," the Mariupol City Council posted on Telegram.
It is noted that dangerous substances may further get into the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. According to Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko, international experts and the UN must be granted immediate access to the facility to examine the situation and prevent a global environmental catastrophe.
More at link.
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
The DPR is working on the creation of a tribunal for the trial of Ukrainian war criminals. Cooperation between Russian, DPR and LPR agencies has already been established, the statute is currently being drafted.
10:19 AM · May 19, 2022·Twitter Web App
In a massive development amid the devastating war in Eastern Europe, Ukraine's breakaway regions Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) have appointed their ambassadors to Moscow. DPR's head Denis Pushilin and LPR's head Leonid Pasechnik appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Russia. The corresponding decrees were published on Friday on the websites of the leaders of the Republics. As per a TASS report, the decrees entered into force from the date of signing.
Please note....
https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/russia-ukraine-war-separatist-dpr-and-lpr-regions-appoint-ambassadors-to-moscow-articleshow.html
Is it me, or does it bother anybody else that these Ukrainian "heroes" named their little tinpots "Peoples Republics?" That screams "Third-World hard core Communist." We're supposed to root for this??!?
Please note....
Is it me, or does it bother anybody else that these Ukrainian "heroes" named their little tinpots "Peoples Republics?" That screams "Third-World hard core Communist." We're supposed to root for this??!?
I've never seen a "People's Republic" that was ever truly by the people or for the people.
Shouldn't they come up with some actual Ukrainian war crimes first before creating tribunals?
Please note....
https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/russia-ukraine-war-separatist-dpr-and-lpr-regions-appoint-ambassadors-to-moscow-articleshow.html
Is it me, or does it bother anybody else that these Ukrainian "heroes" named their little tinpots "Peoples Republics?" That screams "Third-World hard core Communist." We're supposed to root for this??!?
"The battle for Severodonetsk began. Ukrainian Forces use the heavily populated centre to defend against the Russian offensive. No self-respecting analyst predicts Ukraine will hold this city, meaning Ukraine will sacrifice it and its civilians to DELAY Russian & LNR advances." (Video)
https://mobile.twitter.com/narrative_hole/status/1527400094277980166
Like I've said before. History is not going to be kind to you.
Russians With AttitudeYeah, right. And the fleet putting around the Black Sea isn't interference?
@RWApodcast
Russian Foreign Ministry: "Russia does not interfere with Ukraine's grain exports, the logistics problems were caused by Kiev: its troops mined their own ports"
2:49 PM · May 19, 2022·Twitter Web App
Deputy Commander of the Azov Regiment, Captain Sviatoslav Palamar (call sign Kalyna) recorded a video in which he denies the information that he left the territory of the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol and surrendered to Russian invaders.
Ukrainian war correspondent Andriy Tsaplienko published the relevant video on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.
"The command and I are in the territory of Azovstal steelworks. An operation is underway, the details of which I will not disclose. I want to thank the whole world and Ukraine for support. See you," he said.
The other day, Russian war correspondent Dmitry Steshin stated that Sviatoslav Palamar had left Azovstal and surrendered.
"The battle for Severodonetsk began. Ukrainian Forces use the heavily populated centre to defend against the Russian offensive.
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
Russian Foreign Ministry: "Russia does not interfere with Ukraine's grain exports
"EXCLUSIVE! AZOV Battalion Mariupol Headquarters Walkthrough" (Video)
Why are we just now seeing this video considering how the Russians have occupied this for several weeks now? And why are so many of the signs and stickers written in English instead of Ukrainian?
"EXCLUSIVE! AZOV Battalion Mariupol Headquarters Walkthrough" (Video)Interesting that the Azov Battalion headquarters has no bullet or shell holes, and is a fairly intact building compared to Mariupol.
https://youtu.be/dSKqqw511do
RWA lies. But then we knew that already.
Interesting that the Azov Battalion headquarters has no bullet or shell holes, and is a fairly intact building compared to Mariupol.
They make it sound like Ukraine is forcing Russia to attack/bomb/shell/destroy Severodonetsk.Yeah. Those Russians were just out helping with the spring tilling, and then those nasty Ukrainians went and shoved cities, schools, hospitals, and all other manner of buildings and things under the bombs and shells How bloody inconsiderate of those Ukrainians making those peaceful Russkies look bad while they were just trying to help the farmers.
Actually, according to the Azov spokesman, they're not in Mariupol.....but near it and have been there for 8 years.So this building was a well known target for those fighting the "Nazis" in Ukraine, and not even symbolically worth a bomb run? :pondering:
RWA lies. But then we knew that already.Oh, they aren't interfering with exports of Ukrainian Grain, in fact they're just being helpful.
Russian ships carrying stolen Ukrainian grain turned away from Mediterranean ports -- but not all of them
Tim Lister and Sanyo Fylyppov, CNN | Updated 7:47 AM ET, Thu May 12, 2022
A Russian merchant ship loaded with grain stolen in Ukraine has been turned away from at least one Mediterranean port and is now in the Syrian port of Latakia, according to shipping sources and Ukrainian officials.
CNN has identified the vessel as the bulk carrier Matros Pozynich.
On April 27, the ship weighed anchor off the coast of Crimea, and turned off its transponder. The next day it was seen at the port of Sevastopol, the main port in Crimea, according to photographs and satellite images.
The Matros Pozynich is one of three ships involved in the trade of stolen grain, according to open source research and Ukrainian officials. . .
https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/12/europe/russia-ship-stolen-ukraine-grain-intl-cmd/index.html
Eleanor Beardsley
@ElBeardsley
· May 17
Look who addressed the Cannes Film Festival as it opened tonight! #zelensky #ukraine
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FS-q-xoXoAAFGAn?format=jpg&name=360x360)
So this building was a well known target for those fighting the "Nazis" in Ukraine, and not even symbolically worth a bomb run? :pondering:
Rubbing your enemies's noses in defeat, especially something as symbolic as destroying their headquarters building, especially when you are out "hunting Nazis" would be a hard piece of propaganda to ignore.
I'm not sure this pointing-up military strategy holds up. IIRC, the majority of the battalion was hiding in the tunnels of a steel mill preparing to surrender.
I'd wager every bit of the set there could be bought somewhere on line.
Rubbing your enemies's noses in defeat, especially something as symbolic as destroying their headquarters building, especially when you are out "hunting Nazis" would be a hard piece of propaganda to ignore.
Unless you are out to make videos detailing how nasty those Nazis are (just look!--they even hate modern football).
Congress bans arms to Ukraine militia linked to neo-Nazis
The Hill, Mar 27, 2018
A little-noticed provision in the 2,232-page government spending bill passed last week bans U.S. arms from going to a controversial ultranationalist militia in Ukraine that has openly accepted neo-Nazis into its ranks.
House-passed spending bills for the past three years have included a ban on U.S. aid to Ukraine from going to the Azov Battalion, but the provision was stripped out before final passage each year.
This year, though, the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill signed into law last week stipulates that “none of the funds made available by this act may be used to provide arms, training or other assistance to the Azov Battalion.”
“White supremacy and neo-Nazism are unacceptable and have no place in our world,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), an outspoken critic of providing lethal aid to Ukraine, said in a statement to The Hill on Tuesday. “I am very pleased that the recently passed omnibus prevents the U.S. from providing arms and training assistance to the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion fighting in Ukraine.”
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/380483-congress-bans-arms-to-controversial-ukrainian-militia-linked-to-neo-nazis/
Congress bans arms to Ukraine militia linked to neo-Nazis
The Hill, Mar 27, 2018
A little-noticed provision in the 2,232-page government spending bill passed last week bans U.S. arms from going to a controversial ultranationalist militia in Ukraine that has openly accepted neo-Nazis into its ranks.
House-passed spending bills for the past three years have included a ban on U.S. aid to Ukraine from going to the Azov Battalion, but the provision was stripped out before final passage each year.
This year, though, the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill signed into law last week stipulates that “none of the funds made available by this act may be used to provide arms, training or other assistance to the Azov Battalion.”
The truth about the Azov Battalion has been know for years and years. I'm still trying to understand why so many have such difficulty accepting this.
The truth about the Azov Battalion has been know for years and years. I'm still trying to understand why so many have such difficulty accepting this.I wasn't questioning that there are a relatively few localized troops there who call themselves the Azov Battalion who harbor such severe anticommunist sentiments they are 'neo'-Nazis.
Their history is what prompted this Congressional (in)action.....
And you've still not explained what you mean by this hyperbole @DB ------ Why not give it a shot?
@Right_in_Virginia @DB
What he means is you are what is called "a surrender monkey". Back in the 50's,people like you were identified as the "Better Red than dead" crowd.
Well, @sneakypete --- lucky for me we're not living in the 1950s.
We've no reason to involve this nation in a border conflict 5,000 miles away that has been ongoing for 100 years and will continue for at least another hundred. Prioritizing Ukraine's border integrity over our own further weakens the United States and accelerates our own demise.
What I mean to say, Comrade… Russian colonel who dared to criticise Putin’s Ukraine invasion on state TV changes his tune days later to hail Russia's military might
By DAVID AVERRE and CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE
20 May 2022
A retired Russian military commander has re-appeared on state television warning Ukrainian officials not to underestimate Russia's military and economic might, despite having disparaged his nation's war efforts live on air just days ago.
Mikhail Khodaryonok, a former air defence commander and graduate of some of the Soviet Union's top military schools, took to the stage yesterday where he waxed lyrical about the quality of Russian weapons and boasted about the strength of the military.
'The Russian Federation has not yet committed even a tenth of its military and economic potential.. so be careful what you wish for, gentlemen!' the colonel quipped.
'When a country buys Western-made equipment, it sometimes stops working or malfunctions right in the heat of battle.... our arms are different in their reliability - you get exactly the weapons described,' he declared.
But his comments directly contradicted his interview broadcast just days ago, when he appeared on the same show and gave a distinctly bleak prognosis for Russia's war.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10837007/Retired-Kremlin-colonel-gave-damning-assessment-Ukraine-invasion-suddenly-backtracks-claim.html
Well, @sneakypete --- lucky for me we're not living in the 1950s.
We've no reason to involve this nation in a border conflict 5,000 miles away that has been ongoing for 100 years and will continue for at least another hundred.
Putin's top security officials believe 'the war is lost' and a coup is a realistic possibility, Russia analyst says
@Kamaji
That left the realm of "possibility" and turned into "Probability" almost immediately after the invasion began.
I don't know what passed through Putin's mind,other that to GUESS that he honestly believed the Ukrainians would just roll over on their backs and beg to not be hurt,but there is just no excuse for him to have continued the aggression after it because so obvious the invasion was stalled and there was no real hope of winning because the Ukrainians were NOT going to surrender.
And,to be honest,at that point it ceased being all about Putin because the few people in the Politburo that may have had the power/authority to tell him to back off didn't,so they all now share in the guilt and shame of losing a war THEY started.
It is no secret that one of the biggest challenges any of us face is to truly admit we made a mistake,and you can multiply this by a million when it comes to the creatures we call "national leaders". They all have egos the size of the known universe. This is what makes it so hard for them to admit to having made a mistake,and backing away from it.
The USUAL historic end-result has been the complete and total destruction of the losing nation,as well as the destruction of the culture they had been living under.
The problem here is that at no time in history has this ever happened to a nation that has nuclear arms.
All we can do is hope there are enough patriots in the Russian Army that are willing to place the survival of Russia and the Russian people ahead of self,and do whatever it is they have to do in order to get a leadership change and an end to the war.
This IS going to be hard to do because Russians seem to have an inferiority complex that makes them uber-defensive,and because the price they will have to pay will no only be high in Rubles to cover damages,but VERY high in bruised and battered egos.
The loss of money is nothing compared to the loss of ego. We can only hope the loss of their own lives and the lives of their families is more important to them than a big dent in their egos.
The only "bright star of hope" in this scenario is that some of the really "big boys in power" in Russia will be able to see through the temporary "bump in the road" to the point where they will come to be seen as "the saviors and new leaders of Russia" as Russia recovers and rebuilds.
Face it,ANY Russian pol that gets out ahead of this thing and calls for a retreat and the end of this war is going to take some dents at first,but the rewards are going to be enormous after the invasion ends and the troops come back to Russia.
Don't forget,this war was due to what the political leadership of Russia wanted,not the people of Russia. Once the typical Russian citizen finds out what it cost Russia in terms of global respect and status,dead and crippled for life young Russian troops,and national bankruptcy that will surely lead to things like food rationing and shortages of practically everything,it could really have a profound effect on the political direction Russia takes in the upcoming decades.
Who knows? She might even have actual elections?
This is a sincere, snark-free question: Have you a bottom line summary of your opinion?
Thanks in advance.
So this building was a well known target for those fighting the "Nazis" in Ukraine, and not even symbolically worth a bomb run?
It should become apparent once one checks.....
Hope that helps.
@Right_in_Virginia
"None are so blind as those who will not see."
Putin ally says the Ukraine war is a REHEARSAL for a bigger conflict between Russia and NATO and a 'learning experience'
By DAVID AVERRE FOR MAILONLINE
20 May 2022
A Russian political science professor has claimed the war in Ukraine could simply be a 'rehearsal' for a bigger conflict, allowing Russia's military to test and compare its firepower with that of NATO.
Alexei Fenenko, an associate professor at Moscow State University's school of world politics and a research fellow at the Institute of International Security Studies, made the incredible claim yesterday during a talk show on Kremlin-controlled TV channel Russia One.
'I think the war in Ukraine... is a rehearsal for a possible larger conflict in the future. We are testing our weapons against those of NATO, we will find out how much stronger our weapons are than theirs,' the professor declared.
'It could be a good learning experience for future conflicts,' he added, before talk show host Olga Skabeyeva interjected: 'It's a scary experiment.'
The outlandish statement is the latest example of the Kremlin's attempts to control the narrative surrounding its invasion of Ukraine, in which Putin's forces have suffered huge losses and are coming under counter-attacks along the eastern front in the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10837679/Putin-ally-says-Ukraine-war-REHEARSAL-bigger-conflict-Russia-NATO.html
Respecfully @Hoodat my post and question were not to you. Your 2,000 posts on these Ukraine threads have been illuminating enough for me.
Re: Reply #677Certainly. You have consistently sided with the Communists in this, or perhaps just against Ukraine, frequently citing the false dichotomy that because the Ukrainians are not Communist, and in fact a small minority of the Ukrainian army (one unit) have claimed or been claimed to be Nazis, that all are Nazis. Another common theme is that because the career Russian puppets before Zelenskyy were corrupt and in bed with the Biden Family, that somehow means a person who was rich when he took office without having previously held any political position must be corrupt, too.(Which would make as much sense as saying because Obama was corrupt, Trump (also a rich guy and first time office holder) must be corrupt, too.)
I read your post a few times @Smokin Joe and thank you for the reply.
I'd like to respond to it, but I'm a little confused. When I feel confident I've understood your thesis, you appear to modify it in the next paragraph.
This is a sincere, snark-free question: Have you a bottom line summary of your opinion?
Thanks in advance.
In this case I am having a hard time celebrating the demise of any who have resisted the Russian invasion of Ukraine, regardless of their ideology. They were willing to die for their beliefs, which commands a modicum of respect, and if they have been captured, there is a very good chance they will, in fact, die anyway, if the Russian treatment of prisoners in the past is any indication.does not contradict anything I said.
Putin's top security officials believe 'the war is lost' and a coup is a realistic possibility, Russia analyst says
By WILL STEWART FOR MAILONLINE
19 May 2022
Vladimir Putin's top security officials understand that the war in Ukraine is 'lost' and a coup is now a realistic possibility, a Russian analyst has predicted.
Christo Grozev, a Russia expert, believes GRU and FSB elites are the most likely to try and topple Putin, because they know the truth of what is happening on the ground.
And those elites are already looking for ways to move their money and families out of the country in anticipation of Putin falling, Grozev claims.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10833839/Ukraine-war-Putins-security-officials-know-war-lost-analyst-says.html
Certainly. You have consistently sided with the Communists in this, or perhaps just against Ukraine, frequently citing the false dichotomy that because the Ukrainians are not Communist, and in fact a small minority of the Ukrainian army (one unit) have claimed or been claimed to be Nazis, that all are Nazis. Another common theme is that because the career Russian puppets before Zelenskyy were corrupt and in bed with the Biden Family, that somehow means a person who was rich when he took office without having previously held any political position must be corrupt, too.(Which would make as much sense as saying because Obama was corrupt, Trump (also a rich guy and first time office holder) must be corrupt, too.)
Maybe the Nazi under the bed is the source of your angst, but frankly, the rare few who actually swallow that line of totalitarianism . . . .
A Russian political science professor has claimed the war in Ukraine could simply be a 'rehearsal' for a bigger conflict, allowing Russia's military to test and compare its firepower with that of NATO.
If Ukraine is a rehearsal, they need more more rehearsal time. They are not ready for opening night.
I guess they failed the test?Even a failed experiment is a source of data.
Even a failed experiment is a source of data.
Failure in Ukraine does not mean they will abandon their goals of seizing resources, from Ukraine or elsewhere, just that the plan will be modified before the next attempt.
Putin ally says the Ukraine war is a REHEARSAL for a bigger conflict between Russia and NATO and a 'learning experience'
....Even today, those who embrace Communism have been and are calling any opposition "Nazis". ......
If there was some other paragraph you had a problem with, be more specific, and perhaps I can address your confusion.
Lets hope there is truth in this. I think getting rid of Putin won't be very easy. He has been in power for a long time and in a country so corrupt that is no easy feat.
@Smokin JoeI think it is because the latter day Communists who are trying to sell their crap think it would be a bad thing if people all over realized that there is only a few seconds of separation (as opposed to degrees) between the totalitarian National Socialists and the totalitarian Bolshevik (Stalinist) brand Marxists. They were both reading from the same totalitarian playbook and were busy divvying up Eastern Europe and (looting it), murdering millions along the way (well, until Hitler got greedy) .
Joe,as I sure you are aware,the HISTORICAL FACT is that the Nazi's and the Communists were ALLIES when WW-2 began. In FACT,the Communists didn't break this pact until Russia was invaded by the Nazi's. Suddenly,overnight,their bestest goombas that they shared so much with,were evil villians!
The saddest part about this is that this FAR from being any sort of secret. I don't know about now,but it USED to be mentioned in every book about the history of WW-2 that was ever written. Yet,nobody even bothers to mention this today. Not even the politicians who claim to be anti-Communist.
Why isn't it?
Professional courtesy?
@biloTrue that. They may be greedy, evil totalitarians who have no qualm about their opponents having unfortunate accidents, food additives, or feeling suicidal, but they will keep an iron grip on power, and do so in a cold and calculating, even diabolical manner.
The plain hard fact is the Communist leadership is NOT composed of lunatics. They may have nothing but contempt for the proletariat that they are supposed to be protecting,but the one basic truth is the want themselves and their families to survive.
There is no way anyone with with a trace of sanity left can see Putin as anything but a threat to both them and to Russia. They might be playing kissy-face in public and posing right at the moment,but you just KNOW they have to be whispering to each other when the microphones and cameras are off.
In fact,it is MY belief all this sudden whispering about Putin's health is proof they are setting the stage to have him removed for "health reasons." If they can get by with doing that,they MIGHT be able to continue to hold onto power. If they don't,they might end up finding their own wrinkled old asses backed up against a brick wall when "Russian Revolution,Part 2" becomes a reality.
The typical Russian of today is no where near as misinformed and ignorant to reality as their grandfathers were. No matter how hard you might try,you really can't block radio and tv signals from crossing your border.
It depends on how well informed they actually are. Imagine only being able to get ABCNNBCBS on your teevee, and not having a shortwave set to listen to elsewhere... Even today, I would imagine there are limits to how well the average Russian is informed, but I would bet those so inclined have found means to determine when the government is really telling whoppers compared to ordinary every day lies.
@sneakypete From what I could see, there were some similarities between the Mari and the Natives of the Northeast US. By the time you get out to the plains, a different lifestyle because of different resources. Longhouses give way to wikiups, dugouts, and tipis, and instead of applique on the clothing, it was more quillwork, elk teeth, and bone until the white man started trading beads for fur. A notable exception, the Mandan Earthlodges, which are the oldest known 'permanent' structures in North Dakota, AFAIK, and likely there were shell and even a few copper ornaments here and there before the white man came. (Copper mined as native copper metal in Northern Michigan). Trade routes were phenomenal and it is amazing what made it from north to south, and east/west in the way of stuff. With those traveling salesmen, no doubt some gene pools got altered a mite, too, which is healthy for any small band.
@Smokin JoeWell, it really was follow the herds or starve. I have had reports of some of the coulees here with patches of edible food that may have been 'helped along', where something was there to eat almost any time of year now growing wild, but establishing permanent enough residence for agriculture some place generally just meant starvation. The Mandan were an exception who lived along the river, and did establish permanent villages. Most of the rest, though only occupied a site/area seasonally. Not so slack when you consider the distances involved, breaking camp fairly regularly, and setting the whole village back up. The river bottoms had the challenge of dealing with spring flooding, too. Small winter the Sioux wintered in the Black Hills on high ground (and trees!).
Creating deeper gene pools was in everyone's best interest,so they didn't really take it personally. Knowing they were going to do the same thing to any tribe within striking range probably had something to do with it,too.
Besides,that was what passed for fun for most of the Indian tribes. Kinda like an "early NFL".
The plains tribes were the slackers of the Indian nations. Lazy bastards mostly followed the buffalo herds,unlike the eastern (maybe even the far western tribes?),that were big into farming as well as breeding animals for food.
I freely admit to knowing nothing about the tribes native to the left coast.
Ukraine says giant Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant can't supply RussiaTell me the one about how this is to 'save' Ukraine from the Nazis and not steal their resources (and sell them back to them). Either that or any story that begins with "Once upon a time..."
Laurence Peter, BBC | 14 hours ago
Ukraine has dismissed as "wishful thinking" Russia's plan to connect a giant Ukrainian nuclear power station to the Russian electricity grid.
Russian troops are occupying the sprawling Zaporizhzhia plant by the Dnieper River in southern Ukraine.
It is Europe's biggest nuclear plant. The Ukrainian staff are still operating it, but Russia has sent its own nuclear experts to monitor their work.
Russia's deputy prime minister has vowed to sell power from it to Ukraine.
Marat Khusnullin said Russia would integrate the Zaporizhzhia plant with Russia's energy system if Kyiv refused to pay for the plant's electricity.
Visiting Russian-occupied southern Ukraine on Wednesday he said "if the Ukrainian energy system is ready to receive [electricity] and pay for it, then we'll work, but if not - then the plant will work for Russia". . . .
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61524376
Zaporizhzhia is not in either Luhansk or Donetsk. So all this Russian propaganda talk of liberating Donbas is complete bullshit.
Franklin Graham
@Franklin_Graham
.@SamaritansPurse has airlifted 101 metric tons of medical supplies to Ukraine since the conflict began. Continue to pray for those our teams and medical staff are helping in Jesus’ Name.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FTSSG1sXoAQl0v_?format=jpg&name=large)(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FTSSG1qWAAMT5hm?format=jpg&name=large)(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FTSSG1qWAAIue6w?format=jpg&name=large)
9:37 AM · May 21, 2022
Well, it really was follow the herds or starve.
Russia's deputy prime minister has vowed to sell power from it to Ukraine.
@Smokin JoeCorn and wheat further south and in the southwest, but those folks lived in hogans and rock shelters and pretty much stayed in the same place, and the Mandan may have practiced agriculture. But for the tribes roaming the prairie, not so much (besides, you can only camp somewhere for so long--it doesn't take long to crap behind every tree in sight in North Dakota). They were more nomadic in nature, following traditional patterns to stay with Buffalo herds moving to fresh grazing, within their tribal lands--especially when they got a hold of horses (which left the dogs to do light pack work/guard duty).
That's odd. I have heard rumors of stuff like corn and wheat being grown in the mid-west.
The eastern tribes were even growing tobacco and used it as trade goods.
I don't know,but am GUESSING some of the southern and south western tribes may have even grown some whacky tabaccy for fun and trade goods.
"Indiscriminate" artillery isn't very effective at taking out enemy soldiers/weapons. It is essentially a terror weapon against civilians. If Ukraine can acquire and hit their targets, they'll take out the Russian soldiers/weapons in far greater numbers.Counter-battery radar...(drones!)
"Indiscriminate" artillery isn't very effective at taking out enemy soldiers/weapons. It is essentially a terror weapon against civilians. If Ukraine can acquire and hit their targets, they'll take out the Russian soldiers/weapons in far greater numbers.
@DB
That is HorseHillary squared. Never been under artillery fire,have you?
Or even watched many war movies from any war from the Revolutionary War to the last war?
Artillery fire is NOT accurate fire like rifle fire,but it doesn't have to be because when the shell hits and explodes,it sends out shrapnel to shred anyone within range.
The modern 155mm and 175mm arty pieces are a LOT more accurate than the old "smooth bore cannon" balls were,and a hell of a lot more deadly.
You might as well try to claim that bombing isn't effective. Try telling that to someone who has been bombed,or has never been inserted into a target hit by arty fire or bombers to do a "BDA" (Bomb Damage Assessment").
Granted,even the mightly 175's don't do the damage the 500 lb B-52 bombs make,but it is still pretty damn impressive,as well as scary. Sometimes enemy soldiers even die from concussion created by a nearby blast.
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country has faced a barrage of cyberattacks from the West amid the invasion of Ukraine but has successfully fended them off.
Speaking Friday to members of Russia’s Security Council, Putin noted that “the challenges in this area have become even more pressing, serious and extensive.”
He charged that “an outright aggression has been unleashed against Russia, a war has been waged in the information space.”
Putin added that “the cyber-aggression against us, the same as the attack on Russia by sanctions in general, has failed.”
More at link.
• Putin has to break from meetings to take medical treatment continually, said one former spy.
• Christopher Steele told British talk radio station LBC of "increasing disarray in the Kremlin."
• Steele's comments follow weeks of rumors about the Russian president's health.
President Vladimir Putin's grip on power is fading, and he has to take regular breaks for medical treatment, according to former British spy Christopher Steele.
"Our understanding is that there's increasing disarray in the Kremlin and chaos," Steele said in an interview with British talk radio station LBC on Wednesday.
Steele is a former MI6 operative who worked for many years in Russia, including heading up the spy agency's Russia desk for three years.
He told LBC: "There's no clear political leadership coming from Putin, who is increasingly ill, and in military terms, the structures of command and so on are not functioning as they should."
He did not cite his sources but said he was "fairly confident" of his claims. Putin's top spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has repeatedly denied any issues.
More at link.
[Putin] charged that “an outright aggression has been unleashed against Russia, a war has been waged in the information space.”
"Indiscriminate" artillery isn't very effective at taking out enemy soldiers/weapons. It is essentially a terror weapon against civilians. If Ukraine can acquire and hit their targets, they'll take out the Russian soldiers/weapons in far greater numbers.
Putin complains about barrage of cyberattacks
https://www.navytimes.com/flashpoints/2022/05/20/putin-complains-about-barrage-of-cyberattacks/ (https://www.navytimes.com/flashpoints/2022/05/20/putin-complains-about-barrage-of-cyberattacks/)
What Russia lacks in accuracy, it makes up for in numbers. And by "indiscriminate", it means Russia is willing to shell anything.
If the current battle is reduced to a war of attrition through artillery, Russia has the advantage because they are destroying Ukrainian infrastructure while not losing Russian infrastructure. At some point, Ukraine is going to have to take the offensive. And that will require large units of armor, infantry, and mechanized infantry. Izyum and Kherson are two objectives that Ukraine needs to capture.
Russians have turned to a devastatingly random tactic in the Donbas - and they're still on the march
Alex Crawford | 21 May 2022 | 22:03, UK
Carpet bombing is indiscriminate - devastatingly destructive and utterly random.
But if you're an advancing army, it's a deadly and effective tactic, and it's being used mercilessly against the townspeople of Soledar.
The town in eastern Ukraine's Donbas has seen its topography alter dramatically in the last 72 hours as the Russians intensify their assault on the region.
There are now craters and huge pitted holes in the town's parks and high streets, and outside multiple apartment blocks.
Offices, shops, the main administration centre, the sanatorium and residential homes have all been left holed and gutted.
And the whole time we are in the town, there's a constant rumble of war: grad rockets (Russian weapons) going out, grad rockets coming in. . .
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-russians-have-turned-to-a-devastatingly-random-tactic-in-the-donbas-and-theyre-still-on-the-march-12618536
Good guys - Ukraine
Bad guys - Russia
It should become apparent once one checks the veracity of the claims that have been coming from Russia for the past ten years. Take the "Azov Battalion" narrative, for example. A militia unit was founded as a response to a 2014 Russian invasion, and was led by a political extremist. By the end of that year, that leader was expelled, entering the field of politics instead. The "Azov Battalion" was then incorporated into the Ukrainian National Guard, being given the new designation of "Azov Regiment". Under the new authority of the Ukrainian Military, the unit ceased being a political militia.
Yet Russian propaganda has continued for eight years, painting a false narrative on its current status and designation. That same false Russian propaganda has littered these boards for the past three months. And no matter how many times that propaganda is exposed and discredited for the lies they are, it keeps getting posted.
Hope that helps.
Putin ally says the Ukraine war is a REHEARSAL for a bigger conflict between Russia and NATO and a 'learning experience'
By DAVID AVERRE FOR MAILONLINE
20 May 2022
A Russian political science professor has claimed the war in Ukraine could simply be a 'rehearsal' for a bigger conflict, allowing Russia's military to test and compare its firepower with that of NATO.
Alexei Fenenko, an associate professor at Moscow State University's school of world politics and a research fellow at the Institute of International Security Studies, made the incredible claim yesterday during a talk show on Kremlin-controlled TV channel Russia One.
'I think the war in Ukraine... is a rehearsal for a possible larger conflict in the future. We are testing our weapons against those of NATO, we will find out how much stronger our weapons are than theirs,' the professor declared.
'It could be a good learning experience for future conflicts,' he added, before talk show host Olga Skabeyeva interjected: 'It's a scary experiment.'
The outlandish statement is the latest example of the Kremlin's attempts to control the narrative surrounding its invasion of Ukraine, in which Putin's forces have suffered huge losses and are coming under counter-attacks along the eastern front in the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10837679/Putin-ally-says-Ukraine-war-REHEARSAL-bigger-conflict-Russia-NATO.html
Since little or none of the latest $40 gazillion Congress has gifted Ukraine will go for the stated purpose of helping Ukraine, maybe the money should be managed by Samaritan's Purse, who actually spend money as advertised.QuoteFranklin Graham
@Franklin_Graham
.@SamaritansPurse has airlifted 101 metric tons of medical supplies to Ukraine since the conflict began. Continue to pray for those our teams and medical staff are helping in Jesus’ Name.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FTSSG1sXoAQl0v_?format=jpg&name=large)(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FTSSG1qWAAMT5hm?format=jpg&name=large)(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FTSSG1qWAAIue6w?format=jpg&name=large)
9:37 AM · May 21, 2022
Thanks for posting this. It makes me feel great for donating to Samaritan's Purse.
Putin's leadership is unraveling as he takes regular breaks for medical treatment and is constantly surrounded by doctors, says British ex-spy
https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-constantly-surrounded-by-doctors-kremlin-in-chaos-former-spy-2022-5 (https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-constantly-surrounded-by-doctors-kremlin-in-chaos-former-spy-2022-5)
I think most Ukrainians revere the members of this regiment that held out against overwhelming odds for 3 months.
@DBThis might be a game changer as far as artillery goes, and the Canadians are giving the Ukrainians some.
That is HorseHillary squared. Never been under artillery fire,have you?
Or even watched many war movies from any war from the Revolutionary War to the last war?
Artillery fire is NOT accurate fire like rifle fire,but it doesn't have to be because when the shell hits and explodes,it sends out shrapnel to shred anyone within range.
The modern 155mm and 175mm arty pieces are a LOT more accurate than the old "smooth bore cannon" balls were,and a hell of a lot more deadly.
You might as well try to claim that bombing isn't effective. Try telling that to someone who has been bombed,or has never been inserted into a target hit by arty fire or bombers to do a "BDA" (Bomb Damage Assessment").
Granted,even the mightly 175's don't do the damage the 500 lb B-52 bombs make,but it is still pretty damn impressive,as well as scary. Sometimes enemy soldiers even die from concussion created by a nearby blast.
Zelensky: Only diplomacy can end Ukraine warMore at BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61535353)
May 21, 2022
BBC
The war in Ukraine can only be resolved through "diplomacy", President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Speaking on national TV, he suggested his country could be victorious against Russia on the battlefield. However, he added that the war could only come to a conclusive halt "at the negotiating table".
Meanwhile, heavy fighting is taking place in and around Severodonetsk, as Russian forces step up efforts to seize the whole of the Luhansk region. The end of fighting in the southern port city of Mariupol has freed up Russian troops for redeployment elsewhere and allowed them to intensify their onslaught in the east. ...
Certainly. You have consistently sided with the Communists in this, or perhaps just against Ukraine
frequently citing the false dichotomy that because the Ukrainians are not Communist, and in fact a small minority of the Ukrainian army (one unit) have claimed or been claimed to be Nazis, that all are Nazis.
Another common theme is that because the career Russian puppets before Zelenskyy were corrupt and in bed with the Biden Family, that somehow means a person who was rich when he took office without having previously held any political position must be corrupt, too.(Which would make as much sense as saying because Obama was corrupt, Trump (also a rich guy and first time office holder) must be corrupt, too.)
The bottom line is that we have no boots on the ground in Ukraine, provide no air cover, and that the Ukrainians are fighting for their right to self-determination....
I side with neither @Smokin Joe
One can certainly defend the Azov Battalion's involvement as an alliance similar to the Western Alliance with the Soviets in WWII. But, to deny the history of the battalion and its role in the on-going attacks in the Dunbas region for eight years is rewritiing history ---- and to do this with such vehemence is inexplicable.
Ukraine's Burisma, Hunter Biden; Ukraine's biolabs, Hunter Biden. $1 billion dollars to change the prosecutor investigating Burmisa, Joe Biden.
10% to the big guy.
On December 10, 2019, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee announced they would levy two articles of impeachment, designated H. Res. 755: (1) abuse of power, and (2) obstruction of Congress, in its investigation of the President's conduct regarding Ukraine.
Ukraine was the vehicle driven to remove a sitting US President from office ----- after three years investigating Russia! Russia! Russia! hit the ground like a safe falling from a 20 story building. And here we are two short years later, with the same big guy now sitting at the helm, shoulder deep in a never-ending border conflict five thousand miles away writing blank checks to Ukraine, calling for the assassination of the Russian leader and helping the EU expand and fundmentally change NATO from a defensive alliance to an offensive one ---- with the US paying the lion's share of the bill.
And you fail to see even the possibiity of a connection between Russia/Ukrainegte and our current actions. Words fail me, Joe.
The bottom line is this is not our fight. We owe Ukraine no weapons, no training, no money. This is for the European Union to handle and solve to its satisfaction.
YouTube has taken down more than 70,000 videos and 9,000 channels related to the war in Ukraine for violating content guidelines, including removal of videos that referred to the invasion as a “liberation mission”.
The platform is hugely popular in Russia, where, unlike some of its US peers, it has not been shut down despite hosting content from opposition figures such as Alexei Navalny. YouTube has also been able to operate in Russia despite cracking down on pro-Kremlin content that has broken guidelines including its major violent events policy, which prohibits denying or trivialising the invasion.
Since the conflict began in February, YouTube has taken down channels including that of the pro-Kremlin journalist Vladimir Solovyov. Channels associated with Russia’s Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs have also been temporarily suspended from uploading videos in recent months for describing the war as a “liberation mission”.
YouTube’s chief product officer, Neal Mohan, said: “We have a major violent events policy and that applies to things like denial of major violent events: everything from the Holocaust to Sandy Hook. And of course, what’s happening in Ukraine is a major violent event. And so we’ve used that policy to take unprecedented action.”
In an interview with the Guardian, Mohan added that YouTube’s news content on the conflict had received more than 40m views in Ukraine alone.
“The first and probably most paramount responsibility is making sure that people who are looking for information about this event can get accurate, high-quality, credible information on YouTube,” he said. “The consumption of authoritative channels on our platform has grown significantly, of course in Ukraine, but also in countries surrounding Ukraine, Poland, and also within Russia itself.”
More at link.
OSINT Aggregator
@AggregateOsint
#Italy has circulated a 4-point peace plan to the #UnitedNations for the #UkraineRussiaWar - 1. Immediate ceasefire 2. Permanent #Ukrainian neutrality 3. De facto independence for #Crimea and #Donbas 4. Withdrawal of 🇷🇺 troops and end to 🇷🇺 sanctions.
Wall St. Journal: Italy Circulates 4-Point Peace Plan (https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-05-20/card/italy-circulates-4-point-peace-plan-h2o9EfwULf6P1mwDbjdn?mod=article_inline)
2:47 PM · May 22, 2022
Too bad they thought to involve the worthless corrupt UN in this process.
It's rotten on several levels. It allows Putin to cement the conquests he has done so far, namely Crimea and Dunbar. Caving on "some territory" is a guarantee there will be reasons (as yet unknown) that will crop up later to justify taking more.
It prohibits Ukraine from entering alliances as it sees fit. They can't even write a treaty without the UN's say so.
And it allows the evil empire UN to ensure their boot remains on Ukraine's neck forever.
So, it's a firm "No!" Hard pass.
OSINT Aggregator
@AggregateOsint
#Italy has circulated a 4-point peace plan to the #UnitedNations for the #UkraineRussiaWar - 1. Immediate ceasefire 2. Permanent #Ukrainian neutrality 3. De facto independence for #Crimea and #Donbas 4. Withdrawal of 🇷🇺 troops and end to 🇷🇺 sanctions.
Wall St. Journal: Italy Circulates 4-Point Peace Plan (https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-05-20/card/italy-circulates-4-point-peace-plan-h2o9EfwULf6P1mwDbjdn?mod=article_inline)
2:47 PM · May 22, 2022
Ukraine forces succeeded for the first time in taking out a Russian 2S4 Tyulpan artillery system near Rubizhne in the Luhansk region. The 2S4 Tyulpan is a powerful weapon and can fire massive 240 mm caliber 221-pound high explosive projectiles for up to 260 miles. Ukrainian soldiers were able to locate the deadly weapon after watching a TV broadcast from the frontline by a Russian journalist.
Viktor Kovalenko, a Ukrainian army veteran, wrote on his Twitter page: "Ukrainian military was able to destroy 2S4 Tyulpan immediately after watching the TV report by the Russian propagandist Alex Koz (useful idiot).
"He proudly reported about this deadly mortar on Russian TV and disclosed the exact location."
More at link.
Ukraine LIVE: Ukraine wipe out Russian weapons after 'useful idiot' reveals EXACT location
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1614065/ukraine-live-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelensky-russia-donbas-update (https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1614065/ukraine-live-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelensky-russia-donbas-update)
A RUSSIAN journalist unwittingly helped Ukrainian forces to locate and destroy Russian heavy artillery.
In the same way that an individual can have mental health conditions, a society can be impacted by emotional and psychological stressors that shape it.
Some Ukrainian psychological practitioners and social scientists have previously endorsed the idea that Ukraine suffers from chronic Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) which has historically accumulated through events such as the country’s experience under Russian imperialism, the Holodomor, World War II, and the systemic suppression of national and human rights during the Soviet era.
It follows that Ukraine’s national PTS has been severely exacerbated by the events of the past eight years. This includes the killing of protesters during the Euromaidan Revolution, the annexation of Crimea, the war in the Donbas and, of course, the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion since February 2022. This societal trauma is in addition to the acute PTS directly acquired through personal exposure to the war by more than half a million Ukrainian soldiers, thousands of social services personnel, and countless Ukrainian citizens.
While it may seem counterintuitive, Ukraine’s PTS could actually play a role in the country’s defense and future post-war recovery. This is because PTS tends to “play out” in different ways.
Critically, PTS isn’t static. Those who suffer from PTS often adapt to or compensate for their condition in variable situations. Let’s scale up from the individual level to the national level in how PTS “plays out”, particularly through cognition symptoms (how we think) and arousal symptoms (how we behave and react).
More at link.
Warsaw — One is a restaurateur who fled Belarus when he learned he was about to be arrested for criticizing President Alexander Lukashenko. Another was given the choice of either denouncing fellow opposition activists or being jailed. And one is certain his brother was killed by the country's security forces.
What united them is their determination to resist Lukashenko by fighting against Russian forces in Ukraine.
Belarusians are among those who have answered a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for foreign fighters to go to Ukraine and join the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine, given the high stakes in a conflict which many see as a battle pitting dictatorship against freedom.
For the Belarusians, who consider Ukrainians a brethren nation, the stakes feel especially high.
Russian troops used Belarusian territory to invade Ukraine early in the war, and Lukashenko has publicly stood by longtime ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing him as his "big brother." Russia, for its part, has pumped billions of dollars into shoring up Lukashenko's Soviet-style, state-controlled economy with cheap energy and loans.
Weakening Putin, the Belarusian volunteers believe, would also weaken Lukashenko, who has held power since 1994, and create an opening to topple his oppressive government and bring democratic change to the nation of nearly 10 million.
For many of the Belarusians, their base is Poland, a country on NATO's eastern flank that borders Belarus and Ukraine, and which has become a haven for pro-democracy Belarusian dissidents before becoming one for war refugees from Ukraine.
Some of the volunteer fighters are already in Poland, and some only pass through briefly on their way to Ukraine.
More at link.
New satellite imagery taken over the Ukrainian city of Mariupol has shown Russian forces digging mass graves, an expert said.
Russia has claimed full control of the strategic port city after Ukrainian defenders at the Azovstal steel plant surrendered after weeks of siege.
US satellite company Planet Labs said its latest imagery has revealed three mass graves on the outskirts of Mariupol.
Russian troops have been accused of committing atrocities in Ukraine including the mass killing of civilians.
US military expert Melissa Hanham, of Stanford University, said the apparent graves shown in imagery were capable of holding thousands of bodies.
More at link.
Viktor Kovalenko, a Ukrainian army veteran, wrote on his Twitter page: "Ukrainian military was able to destroy 2S4 Tyulpan immediately after watching the TV report by the Russian propagandist Alex Koz (useful idiot).
Viktor Kovalenko
Ukraine LIVE: Ukraine wipe out Russian weapons after 'useful idiot' reveals EXACT location
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1614065/ukraine-live-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelensky-russia-donbas-update (https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1614065/ukraine-live-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelensky-russia-donbas-update)
A RUSSIAN journalist unwittingly helped Ukrainian forces to locate and destroy Russian heavy artillery.
PUTIN humiliating to see Ukraine using E-BIKES bicycles to crush Russian attacking tank convoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrsMVGqKKmM
The response to Russia's invasion by Ukraine has been eye opening in how they have countered the heavy weapons of Russia. I sure hope our military is taking note.
@ElderberryRight. The last thing that Russians need is constructive criticism for their war effort, and doubtless the reporter will be punished for giving the location away, when the reporter might have done the same thing in the future, accidentally to Ukraine's benefit.
That stupid SOB should be severely beaten every time he shows his stupid face. Ukraine HAD a tactical advantage that was obviously unknown by the Russians,and he blew it by broadcasting it.
PUTIN humiliating to see Ukraine using E-BIKES bicycles to crush Russian attacking tank convoy.The essences of maneuver warfare are mobility and firepower. These vehicles add stealth as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrsMVGqKKmM
The response to Russia's invasion by Ukraine has been eye opening in how they have countered the heavy weapons of Russia. I sure hope our military is taking note.
Zelenskyy: Macron asked Ukraine to make concessions to help Putin save face
Politico, May 13, 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron asked Ukraine to make concessions on its sovereignty to help Russian leader Vladimir Putin save face, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
https://www.politico.eu/article/zelenskyy-macron-asked-ukraine-concession-help-putin-save-face/
Zelensky: Only diplomacy can end Ukraine War
May 21, 2022
BBC
The war in Ukraine can only be resolved through "diplomacy", President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Speaking on national TV, he suggested his country could be victorious against Russia on the battlefield. However, he added that the war could only come to a conclusive halt "at the negotiating table".
Meanwhile, heavy fighting is taking place in and around Severodonetsk, as Russian forces step up efforts to seize the whole of the Luhansk region.
The end of fighting in the southern port city of Mariupol has freed up Russian troops for redeployment elsewhere and allowed them to intensify their onslaught in the east. ...
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61535353
OSINT Aggregator
@AggregateOsint
#Italy has circulated a 4-point peace plan to the #UnitedNations for the #UkraineRussiaWar - 1. Immediate ceasefire 2. Permanent #Ukrainian neutrality 3. De facto independence for #Crimea and #Donbas 4. Withdrawal of 🇷🇺 troops and end to 🇷🇺 sanctions.
Wall St. Journal: Italy Circulates 4-Point Peace Plan:
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-05-20/card/italy-circulates-4-point-peace-plan-h2o9EfwULf6P1mwDbjdn?mod=article_inline
2:47 PM · May 22, 2022
France's European Minister: A Ukraine EU Bid Would Take At Least 15-20 Years
May 23, 2022
France’s European affairs minister said that any bid for Ukraine to join the European Union would take at least 15 to 20 years to complete, putting a damper on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's hopes of gaining a quick entry into the bloc.
"We have to be honest. If you say Ukraine is going to join the EU in six months, or a year or two, you're lying," Clement Beaune told France’s Radio J on May 22. "It's probably in 15 or 20 years -- it takes a long time."
"I don't want to offer Ukrainians any illusions or lies," he added.
The comments came after French President Emmanuel Macron suggested that Ukraine be invited to join some form of “associated” political community with the EU.
https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-france-european-union-bid/31862357.html
Adam Kinzinger
@AdamKinzinger
· May 21
Coincidently, I’m celebrating the 27,000 dead Russian soldiers and a bakers dozen dead GENERALS! How embarrassing for you!!
#SlavaUkraine twitter.com/Dpol_un/status…
Baby-faced Russian tank commander, 21, is sentenced to LIFE for killing 62-year-old civilian in Ukraine invasion's first war crime trial
By RACHAEL BUNYAN FOR MAILONLINE
23 May 2022
A baby-faced Russian tank commander has today been sentenced to life in prison for murdering an unarmed civilian in the first war crimes trial arising from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Vadim Shishimarin, 21, had pleaded guilty to killing 62-year-old Oleksandr Shelipov in the opening days of the war after being ordered to shoot him.
Judge Serhiy Agafonov said Shishimarin, carrying out a 'criminal order' by a soldier of higher rank, had fired several shots at the victim's head from an automatic weapon.
Shishimarin, wearing a blue and grey hooded sweatshirt, watched proceedings silently from a reinforced glass box in the courtroom and showed no emotion as the verdict was read out.
The Russian tank commander was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to charges of war crimes and murder for killing Oleksandr, who was shot in the northeastern village of Chupakhivka, Sumy region, on February 28 while pushing his bicycle along the road.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10845057/Russian-tank-commander-sentenced-LIFE-killing-civilian-Ukraines-war-crime-trial.html
Glenn Greenwald
@ggreenwald
I never understood how the USG can get Americans to believe it fights for democracy while propping up the Saudis, Egyptian generals, and supporting coups.
2:15 PM · May 22, 2022 Twitter Web App
The New York TimesLink to opinion piece (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/19/opinion/america-ukraine-war-support.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur)
@nytimes
May 19
In Opinion
Without clarity on its aims and strategy for the war in Ukraine, the White House not only risks losing Americans’ support but also jeopardizes long-term peace and security on the European continent, writes the editorial board.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1527407107682750468/p5g_WWvI?format=jpg&name=small)
9:50 PM · May 19, 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron asked Ukraine to make concessions on its sovereignty to help Russian leader Vladimir Putin save face, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Russia 'has lost as many men in its three-month Ukrainian invasion as it did during entire NINE-YEAR war in Afghanistan due to poor tactics and leadership'
By TOM BROWN FOR MAILONLINE
23 May 2022
Russian losses in Ukraine over the first three months are likely to have already surpassed those of the Soviet-Afghan war which lasted nine years, the UK Ministry of Defence has said.
The Soviet Union's losses are estimated to be around 15,000 killed in the Afghan war, with an additional 35,478 wounded and 311 missing.
'The Russian public has, in the past, proven sensitive to casualties suffered during wars of choice,' said the UK government ministry, which did not name the exact figure.
'As casualties suffered in Ukraine continue to rise they will become more apparent, and public dissatisfaction with the war and a willingness to voice it may grow.'
Poor tactics, limited air cover, a lack of flexibility, and a command approach reinforcing failure and repeating mistakes has led to the high casualty rate, said the ministry.
The UK's Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace previously estimated that approximately a quarter of Russia's battalion tactical groups were 'not combat effective.'
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10844747/Russia-lost-men-Ukraine-invasion-did-entire-NINE-YEAR-war-Afghanistan.html
@Kamaji
Ok,who here thinks these causality numbers are being reported by the Russian press?
Buehler?
Anyone?
It's not Russian propaganda to ask why the US supports corrupt and oppressive regimes - and, no, I'm not talking about Ukraine.
Most likely nobody in the Russian press; however, they are probably beginning to circulate in the old fashioned way, like the old samizdat.
The essences of maneuver warfare are mobility and firepower. These vehicles add stealth as well.
Good for this application, and relatively inexpensive.
Or would you maybe prefer we purposely supported regimes that are a threat to us?That's not at all what I said, and that certainly wasn't implied.
@Right_in_Virginia Some things never change. The French being "surrender monkeys" is one of them.
America supported Sadam Hussein before we opposed him.
America supported Osama bin Laden before he opposed us.
America supported Stalin in WWII before opposing him in the Cold War.
"Friend", "enemy", "ally", and "competitor" are all momentary transactional perspectives.
Ukraine was dumb enough to de-nuclearize with security "guarantees" at America's request.
We never supported Bin Laden.There was a lot of support for the Mujahedin though against the Russians.
There was a lot of support for the Mujahedin though against the Russians.
We have been here before.
That is true. We supplied the home grown rebels. OBL brought his own money and fighters.OBL was related to Saudi Royalty, so he had a bunch of money to work with.
Some things never change. The French being "surrender monkeys" is one of them.
From the generation that watched --- without a fight --- American soverenignty destroyed, the American education, economic, judicial and social fabrics stolen and reconstructed by American Marxists --- pointing "surrender monkey" fingers is pretty ironic. :laugh:And that somehow deserves a smiley face?
We never supported Bin Laden.
OSINT Aggregator
@AggregateOsint
#Italy has circulated a 4-point peace plan to the #UnitedNations for the #UkraineRussiaWar - 1. Immediate ceasefire 2. Permanent #Ukrainian neutrality 3. De facto independence for #Crimea and #Donbas 4. Withdrawal of 🇷🇺 troops and end to 🇷🇺 sanctions.
Wall St. Journal: Italy Circulates 4-Point Peace Plan (https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-05-20/card/italy-circulates-4-point-peace-plan-h2o9EfwULf6P1mwDbjdn?mod=article_inline)
2:47 PM · May 22, 2022
And that somehow deserves a smiley face?
Not all of that generation went along with that crap, by any means.
You are way out of line with that comment.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegations_of_CIA_assistance_to_Osama_bin_Laden (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegations_of_CIA_assistance_to_Osama_bin_Laden)
I am pretty sure there is no proof Charlie Wilson had direct ties to Bin Laden. OTOH...The evidence is pretty strong that our CIA allied with him during their Soviet WAR.
We were never at any time friends of the Americans. We knew that the Americans support the Jews in Palestine and that they are our enemies. Most of the weapons that came to Afghanistan were paid for by the Saudis on the orders of the Americans because Turki al-Faisal, the head of Saudi external intelligence, and the CIA were working together.
From the generation that watched --- without a fight --- American soverenignty destroyed, the American education, economic, judicial and social fabrics stolen and reconstructed by American Marxists --- pointing "surrender monkey" fingers is pretty ironic. :laugh:
‘Ashamed’ Russian diplomat resigns over ‘needless’ Ukraine war
By Snejana Farberov
May 23, 2022
A veteran Russian diplomat to the UN Office in Geneva resigned Monday, writing in a bombshell letter that he felt “ashamed” to play a part in Russia’s “bloody, witless and absolutely needless” war in Ukraine.
Boris Bondarev, 41, who identified himself on LinkedIn as a counselor at Russia’s permanent mission to the UN working on arms control,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegations_of_CIA_assistance_to_Osama_bin_Laden (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegations_of_CIA_assistance_to_Osama_bin_Laden)
I am pretty sure there is no proof Charlie Wilson had direct ties to Bin Laden. OTOH...The evidence is pretty strong that our CIA allied with him during their Soviet WAR.
@Kamaji
Holding that position at age 41 means his family is VERY politically connected in Russia.
Which indicates to ME,that there are a lot more Russians against the war than the news coming out of Russia would indicate.
Even after taking that into consideration,it was a VERY bold move for him to make.
"War reporter Aleksandr Kots says that Russian forces have entered Lyman & pushed the AFU back to the western part of the city. The advance is being accompanied by artillery"
@sneakypete
More and more Russians appear to be rejecting the invasion of Ukraine. Did you see the article on the concert in St. Petersburg?
@Kamaji
Yes,I did,and while I agree it WAS a bold move for those people to take,given the constant video surveillance by the Neo Soviet authorities,it takes some serious stones for a Russian official to come out in public against the leadership. Especially in regards to an aggressive offensive by the Russian Army against a neighbor nation.
There is just no way Putin can survive all this and maintain power. Thus,all the sudden news reports about his bad health.
BTW,I have been fighting against the urge to refer to the Russian officials as "Soviets",but decided to start referring to them as "Neo Soviets",because that IS what they are. Same clowns,different costumes.
Just read some Russian Parliament Member saying that Russia invaded Ukraine for the welfare and benefit of Ukrainian People. This is exactly what almost all invaders say. They are invading to make the country "better".
Russians indiscriminately shelling still more Ukrainian civilians.
Just read some Russian Parliament Member saying that Russia invaded Ukraine for the welfare and benefit of Ukrainian People. This is exactly what almost all invaders say. They are invading to make the country "better".
His words reminded me so much of what America always says when America invades this or that country killing hundreds of thousands or more citizens and destroying/wrecking the whole country. All the invasions America has been involved in for at least 50 years have all been promoted as 'saving' or 'helping' the people there.
Now, Russia is saying the exact same propaganda.
Zelensky Requests $5 Billion a Month from Global Community in World Economic Forum Speech
Gateway Pundit, May 23, 2022
In the three-day summit’s opening address, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, dressed in his trademark wartime olive-green T-shirt, and projected on monitors from Kyiv, told about 1,000 CEOs and government officials that Ukraine needs $5 billion a month, beginning immediately, in order to stave off full-blown economic collapse—a collapse that would have deep global ramifications.
“The amount of work is enormous,” he said. “We have more than a half a trillion dollars in losses, and tens of thousands of facilities destroyed. We need to rebuild entire cities and industries.”
Yet rather than describing the dire situation as a crisis, Zelensky cast it as a potentially lucrative opportunity for Western countries and companies.
“Patronage” for investors
Zelensky said Ukraine would have a “special, historically significant model of rebuilding,” in which companies and countries could choose a specific region or mine to rebuild. This system, which he called a “patronage,” is meant as a way of attracting the world’s top engineers and architects to Europe’s biggest reconstruction since the aftermath of the Second World War, nearly 80 years ago.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/05/zelensky-requests-5-billion-month-global-community-sells-investment-ukraine/
The Vietnam war was intended to prevent the Communist from confiscating all of the oil production infrastructure which had been established on land and offshore in the South. Kuwait was certainly about oil. Iraq was about oil and keeping Iran and Syria in check so they would not attack Saudi Arabia. I don't what the hell Afghanistan was about, except maybe nation building trying to create a new ally in the region? I don't know? The end goal was never defined in Afghan. All the crap that happened in South America with Oliver North had undefined/unknown nefarious political goals.
What territory have we annexed for ourselves? What country's resources have we taken by force?
Russia's blockade will increase starvation and global instability, UN organisation warns
Sky News has been given rare access to the port of Odesa where more than a quarter of a million tonnes of grain has been sitting for months with no means of getting it out to sea.
Dominic Waghorn | 23 May 2022 | 22:30, UK
Russia's blockade of Ukraine will lead to worsening starvation, famine and instability around the world if it cannot be lifted, the World Food Programme has said.
The warning came as Sky News gained rare access to Odesa port on Ukraine's Black Sea coast.
The port should be busy exporting tens of thousands of tonnes of grain but its huge grain elevators stand idle.
Sky was shown a huge grain cargo vessel loaded with 60,000 tonnes.
It should have sailed for Egypt in February but remains moored up thanks to Russia's naval blockade.
Opposite the ship, 30 huge silos stand full of grain.
A quarter of a million tonnes has been sitting there for months with no means of getting it out to sea.
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-russias-blockade-will-increase-starvation-and-global-instability-un-organisation-warns-12619892
@Right_in_Virginia
What is funny is YOU called ME a "Surrender Monkey"!
You're not a surrender monkey @sneakypete You are honorabe ---- a patriot committed to the security of the United States. I have true respect for you as a man ---- and a debate partner.
Where we differ on Ukraine is I think we're being played and you do not. IMO, we're being played by the same people who have been lying to us and destroying our country from within for 14 years and counting. They know this isn't our fight, they know we don't have the resources to write blank checks. They know our involvement is harming America on mutiple and vital levels----- but it fits their agenda and this should scare the hell out of all of us.
Again IMO, anything that accelerates the agenda of the American Marxist --- and Ukraine does --- is a greater threat to us than Vladimir Putin.
@Right_in_Virginia
9999hair out0000
The United States military and other Biden administration officials are considering sending special forces troops to Ukraine to guard the recently reopened U.S. embassy in Kyiv as the Russian invasion continues.
According to U.S. officials, President Joe Biden has not been approached about the plans yet, but if they are approved, the special forces troops would only serve as defense and security of the embassy, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.
Officials may also reinstate the Marine security guard detachment that typically provides security at embassies around the world.
While officials weigh sending dozens of American special forces troops to Ukraine, the State Department will provide its own security for the embassy, which will be comprised of guards in the Diplomatic Security Service.
More at link.
Reading the thread, it seems they're more interested in virtue-signaling and insulting whenever somebody even takes a neutral position/stance.
And it's amazing that the many intelligent, critical thinkers we have on the forum aren't even willing to acknowledge this.
Reading the thread, it seems they're more interested in virtue-signaling and insulting whenever somebody even takes a neutral position/stance.
@DCPatriot
How can anyone remain neutral on this? You are either for it,or against it.
The Ukrainians are fighting a brilliant military strategy of using “Defense in Depth” which they learned to do quite quickly. It stalls and confuses the Russians because includes multiple levels of simultaneous attacks from conventional and irregular forces. Retired US Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel Perry Blackburn described these in an exclusive interview for Ukrinform.
He’s been in Ukraine helping distribute much-needed supplies to denied areas with his nonprofit group AFGfree.org. Recently he began an assessment of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense’s efforts to recruit, train, organize and equip Ukrainians in their force structure. Now he’s helping create a cohesive strategy with Ukrainian Territorial Defense to “train the trainers” on the combat basics of how to effectively “shoot, move, and communicate.”
- In regard to where the war is now, what are you seeing as far as conventional tactics that Ukrainian forces have been using that are most effective against the Russians?
-The defense they're doing is a classic “Defense in Depth.” Ukrainians learned to employ the strategy quickly, and it has been an important strategy against the enemy's advance. It stalls and confuses the Russians when there are multiple levels of simultaneous attacks from conventional and irregular forces, with complete support from the Ukrainian people.
I think the other conventional method that Ukrainians are using quite well is the counteroffensive, the counterattack. As we know, in our military, the only time we defend is to prepare for the offense, and I think that the Ukrainian military is starting to use those same tactics – defend to prepare for the offense, and you see that on the ground a lot more lately than you did on the early days.
- What are Ukrainians doing well, both from a conventional military standpoint and with unconventional or irregular forces? What tactics, techniques, and procedures are Ukrainians using that are effective against Russians?
- Well, to be honest, I really haven’t seen anything effectively used by Russia against the Ukrainians. Growing up in the Cold War era, we knew Russians were going to be a slow, but not methodical, invading force. That they would use artillery to try to punish their opponents and make them capitulate.
I think that's what we saw early on, but somehow, folks forgot that lesson and thought that Russians were about speed and flexibility and that this was going to be over within seven days. But the Ukrainians had a great-great vote in this thing, and they stood up against that and have done an amazing job.
What I’ve seen from the Ukrainian perspective, first of all, is they've come together. They’ve bonded as brothers and sisters at war, and they've established a quick trust in their leadership in President Zelenskyy, which is paramount in conducting any kind of operations against an enemy force. You’ve got to trust each other, and they have absolutely done that, and they've trusted other nations to be part of this effort, even if it’s through support.
The second thing is they've done a great job of using “irregular forces." And I think those couple things there we can't discount on the battlefield. One of them is more the humanitarian side of it and then the other side of course, is how you effectively use your tactics, techniques, and procedures “irregularly” against an enemy to abate their advance and then neutralize it; and then counterattack that and regain the territory. And though as slow as that can be at times because it is irregular, combine that with the conventional Ukrainian forces, and you see that they are making some great strides.
I’ve seen it on the ground with a lot of the folks that we work with for humanitarian aid that are pushing in supplies in denied areas that may have been captured initially by the Russians but are now pulling back, those areas need supplies quicker than in other areas of Ukraine.
More at link.
I think you are confusing the Russian invasion of Ukraine with US politics.
War is the apex of the poitical pyramid ---- including in the US.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2022/05/putin_is_fighting_the_war_he_chooses.html (https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2022/05/putin_is_fighting_the_war_he_chooses.html)
Putin is Fighting the War He Chooses
By Ernest Sipes
As I returned from Ukraine a few days ago after my first post-COVID reporting trip and after a couple days of letting my aging bones resume their proper position after the trauma of 10 hours in an economy-class airline seat, I do believe I have gained some insight into the logistics of this conflict after all.
Which I have to say I initially doubted.
During those three weeks in Ukraine, I was present for missile attacks in two cities, sat wide-eyed through dozens of artillery barrages, spent hours discussing the war with a wounded Ukrainian soldier on a 17 hour train ride from Lviv to Dnipro in a small train cabin, visited with serving members of the Ukrainian army, photographed many wrecked buildings in the eastern part of the country and ate borscht so many times that I believe I can now identify the recipe differences between Dnipro and Lviv
continued at above link...
Politics is the study of power. War is the consequence of weakness.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2022/05/putin_is_fighting_the_war_he_chooses.html (https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2022/05/putin_is_fighting_the_war_he_chooses.html)
Putin is Fighting the War He Chooses
By Ernest Sipes
As I returned from Ukraine a few days ago after my first post-COVID reporting trip and after a couple days of letting my aging bones resume their proper position after the trauma of 10 hours in an economy-class airline seat, I do believe I have gained some insight into the logistics of this conflict after all.
Which I have to say I initially doubted.
Despite what the media is presenting, the army of the Russian Federation is not made up of rampaging Orcs who rape, murder and pillage. And they have not, as we are told, being bested in every contest with the Ukrainian army. Additionally, Moscow’s army is not exhausted and out of fuel, equipment and supplies. There have not been mass desertions from Russia’s army. What you are reading is the typical propaganda that always seems to show up in a war in this region. I saw the exact same thing and devices used in the 2008 South Ossetia War when I worked for the newspaper Georgia Today and that particular Russian Invasion was occurring.
Perhaps it is best to begin by being honest and recognize that Moscow is exercising (to some extent anyway) restraint in this action so far. I am not defending this endeavor, but this is the simple fact of the military situation as I perceive it.
If you accept that a decision has been made to only accomplish a relatively small set of specific goals as outlined above, it is easy to see that this is why there has been no out-and-out destruction of the infrastructure of Ukraine when it is well within the ability of Moscow to do so.
Then he makes very poor choices. Russia has lost more soldiers than it lost in Afghanistan. That will have long-term consequences to the Butcher of Ukraine.
Politics is more than the study of power --- it is the implementation of power.
War is the apex of the poitical pyramid. It overshadows all other national issues and interests and bestows extra powers to the ruling government over all aspects of the lives their citizens.
Well said!
War is also the consequence of wrong choices, propaganda and group think.
So are the consequences of not going to war when it is necessary. Both good and bad decisions have consequences.
@Kamaji
And to add to the Kremlin's woes,the typical Russian citizen is MUCH better informed on what is going on in the world outside of Russia today than they ever were in the past.
Russia loses its highest-ranking pilot yet in Ukraine as former Air Force Major, 63, comes out of retirement… and is blasted out of the skies
By David Averre For Mailonline
24 May 2022
A Russian Air Force Major General has been shot out of the sky above the Luhansk region, marking the latest in a long line of high-profile military losses sustained by Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine.
Major General Kanamat Botashev, 63, was enjoying retirement when Russian tanks rolled across the border on February 24 and had not flown since 2012.
His Su-25 fighter jet was hit by a Stinger missile at around 8:25am on Sunday morning in the Donbas skies, and he was unable to eject.
* * *
@Kamaji
Are the Neo-Soviets so hard up for fighter pilots now that they need to pull senior citizens out of retirement to fly them?
@Kamaji
Are the Neo-Soviets so hard up for fighter pilots now that they need to pull senior citizens out of retirement to fly them?
The Ukrainian military are launching artillery strikes on Russian invaders with France’s CAESAR howitzers.
The relevant statement was made by Mariupol City Council on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“The inscription ‘For Mariupol’ had been added to one of 155 mm artillery shells fired by our defenders at Russian occupiers,” the report states.
According to Mariupol City Council, France’s CAESAR howitzers are used in Ukraine for the first time.
https://t.me/mariupolrada/9729 (https://t.me/mariupolrada/9729)
Maybe the poor SOB was influenced by the TOP GUN - MAVERICK trailer? Fantasy vs Reality.
MORE RUSSIAN TROOPS have reportedly been accused of war crimes during the conflict in Ukraine.
The news follows the sentencing of the first Russian soldier of war crimes in Ukraine for killing an unarmed civilian during the early days of the invasion.
Reports of war crimes committed by Russian forces began to emerge from the beginning of President Vladimir Putin’s offensive at the end of February and at a fuller force as Ukrainian troops reclaimed ground from Russia.
According to a tweet from NEXTA, the largest Eastern European media outlet, eight more Russians have been accused of war crimes in Ukraine.
The organisation tweeted: “Eight more Russians are accused of crimes in Ukraine.
The Czech Republic has supplied to Ukraine a number of attack helicopters and, together with Slovakia, is currently repairing dozens of armored vehicles, which will return to combat once restored.
This was reported on Tuesday by The Wall Street Journal with reference to the Pentagon, Ukrinform wrote.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has thanked the Czech government for their contribution, the newspaper said.
It is specified that the Ukrainian side received Soviet-made Mi-24 attack helicopters, which have already been sent to Ukraine in the context of joint efforts to reclaim its airspace.
More at link.
Czech Republic gives Ukraine attack helicopters
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3491538-czech-republic-gives-ukraine-attack-helicopters.html (https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3491538-czech-republic-gives-ukraine-attack-helicopters.html)QuoteThis was reported on Tuesday by The Wall Street Journal with reference to the Pentagon, Ukrinform wrote.
In other words, Ukrinform reported this only after someone at the Pentagon leaked it to the WSJ.
Russian forces have likely abandoned efforts to complete a single large encirclement of Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine and are instead attempting to secure smaller encirclements—enabling them to make incremental measured gains. Russian forces are likely attempting to achieve several simultaneous encirclements of small pockets of Ukrainian forces in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts: the broader Severodonetsk area (including Rubizhne and Lysychansk), Bakhmut-Lysychansk, around Zolote (just northeast of Popasna), and around Ukrainian fortifications in Avdiivka. Russian forces have begun steadily advancing efforts in these different encirclements daily but have not achieved any major “breakthroughs” or made major progress towards their stated objectives of securing the Donetsk Oblast borders or seizing all of Donbas. Luhansk Oblast Administration Head Serhiy Haidai reported that Ukrainian forces only controlled approximately 10 percent of Luhansk Oblast as of May 15 (compared to 30 percent prior to the full-scale Russian invasion on February 24, 2022).[1] Russian forces have secured more terrain in the past week than efforts earlier in May. However, they have done so by reducing the scope of their objectives—largely abandoning operations around Izyum and concentrating on key frontline towns: Russian performance remains poor.
Russian forces will additionally likely face protracted urban combat if they successfully encircle Severodonetsk (as well as in other large towns like Bakhmut), which Russian forces have struggled with throughout the war. Russian forces are committing a significant number of their troops, artillery, and aircraft to defeat Ukrainian defenders in Luhansk Oblast and are likely pulling necessary resources from the Izyum axis, defensive positions around Kharkiv City, Donetsk City, and the Zaporizhia area. Luhansk Oblast Administration Head Serhiy Haidai has previously compared Ukrainian forces in Luhansk Oblast to the previous defenders of Mariupol, which aimed to wear out Russian forces and prevent further offensive operations.[2] The UK Defense Ministry also noted that a Russian victory over Severodonetsk will only worsen Russian logistical issues and extend Russian ground lines of communication (GLOCs).[3] Russian forces are making greater advances in the past week than throughout the rest of May—but these advances remain slow, confined to smaller objectives than the Kremlin intended, and face continued Ukrainian defenses; they do not constitute a major breakthrough.
Senior Kremlin officials are increasingly openly admitting that the Russian offensive in Ukraine is moving slower than anticipated and are grasping for explanations to justify the slow pace. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu claimed that Russian operations in Ukraine are progressing slowly because Russian forces want to afford civilians the opportunity to evacuate, though Russian forces have targeted Ukrainian civilians throughout the war and repeatedly denied Ukrainian attempts to negotiate humanitarian evacuation corridors.[4] Shoigu’s statement is notably his first admission that Russian forces are behind schedule and is the first official statement on the pace of the war since Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that the operation was “dragging” on May 4.[5] Russian milbloggers are criticizing Shoigu’s claimed consideration for civilians and claimed that Soviet troops would not have cared if “Nazi” civilians evacuated, part of the growing Russian nationalist reaction that the Kremlin is not doing enough to win the war in Ukraine.[6] Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin stated that the ultimate goal of the Russian offensive is to ensure “Nazism” is “100% eradicated, or it will rear its head in a few years, and in an even uglier form.”[7] Naryshkin and Shoigu’s statements indicate that Russian officials are likely setting conditions for a protracted war in Ukraine in order to justify slower and more measured advances than initially anticipated.
Forcefully mobilized servicemen from the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics continued to protest the Russian and proxy military command. Servicemen of the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the 105th Infantry Regiment from the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) recorded a video appeal to DNR Head Denis Pushilin wherein they claimed they were mobilized on February 23 and that they have been forced to actively participate in hostilities despite their lack of military experience. The battalion stated that they served on the frontlines in Mariupol and have been redeployed to the territory of the Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) with only 60% of their original personnel and are now dealing with severe morale issues and physical exhaustion. The battalion notably claimed that the servicemen did not go through routine medical inspection prior to service and that many are suffering from chronic illnesses that should have rendered them ineligible for service. The video appeal is consistent with numerous reports from Ukrainian and Western sources that proxy forces are largely forcibly mobilized, poorly trained, and suffering from declining morale, but is notable due to the willingness of the DNR servicemen to publicly express their discontent.[8]
Key Takeaways
• Russian forces have likely abandoned efforts to encircle large Ukrainian formations in eastern Ukraine and are instead attempting to secure smaller encirclements and focus on Severodonetsk.
• This change in the Russian approach is enabling gradual advances—but at the cost of abandoning several intended lines of advance and abandoning the Kremlin’s intended deep encirclement of Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces are likely conducting a controlled withdrawal southwest of Popasna near Bakhmut to protect Ukrainian supply lines against Russian offensives in the southeast of Bakhmut.
• Russian occupation authorities in Mariupol announced that they will hold war crimes trials against Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol in a likely effort to strengthen judicial control of the city and support false Kremlin narratives of Ukrainian crimes.
• Russian forces are attempting to retake Ternova in northern Kharkiv Oblast and seek to stabilize defensive positions near the Russian border against the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
• Russian forces are forming reserves and deploying S-400 missile systems in northwest Crimea to reinforce the southern axis.
• Several DNR servicemen openly released a video appeal to DNR leader Denis Pushilin stating they have been forced into combat operations without proper support, indicating increasing demoralization among Russian and proxy forces.
We do not report in detail on Russian war crimes because those activities are well-covered in Western media and do not directly affect the military operations we are assessing and forecasting. We will continue to evaluate and report on the effects of these criminal activities on the Ukrainian military and population and specifically on combat in Ukrainian urban areas. We utterly condemn these Russian violations of the laws of armed conflict, Geneva Conventions, and humanity even though we do not describe them in these reports.
• Main effort—Eastern Ukraine (comprised of one subordinate and three supporting efforts);
• Subordinate main effort—Encirclement of Ukrainian troops in the cauldron between Izyum and Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts
• Supporting effort 1—Mariupol;
• Supporting effort 2—Kharkiv City;
• Supporting effort 3—Southern axis.
More at link.
Former secretary of state Henry Kissinger has said Ukraine should accept giving up part of its territory to reach a peace deal with Russia, and end the now three-month-long war immediately.
Talking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Monday, 98-year-old Kissinger said that failing to restart negotiations with Russia and continuing to antagonize Moscow could have disastrous consequences for Europe's stability in the long term.
"Negotiations need to begin in the next two months before it creates upheavals and tensions that will not be easily overcome," he said.
"Ideally, the dividing line should be a return to the status quo ante. Pursuing the war beyond that point would not be about the freedom of Ukraine, but a new war against Russia itself."
Kissinger, who served under the administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford in the 1970s, warned against dragging on the war, and pressed for negotiations.
The former secretary of state said Russia has been an essential part of Europe for 400 years, acting as balancing power in critical times for the continent. Kissinger said Western countries should remember the importance of Russia in Europe and not get swept up "in the mood of the moment."
More at link.
Czech Republic gives Ukraine attack helicopters
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3491538-czech-republic-gives-ukraine-attack-helicopters.html (https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3491538-czech-republic-gives-ukraine-attack-helicopters.html)
(https://static.ukrinform.com/photos/2017_07/thumb_files/630_360_1500120613-9029.jpeg)
Henry Kissinger: Ukraine Should Give Up Territory to Russia to Reach Peace
Russian forces 'begin secret operation to remove the dead from sunken cruiser Moskva' amid new claim that conscripts were 'left to drown' as officers 'fled the ship like rats'
And you think YOUR job sucks!
A diver friend was tasked with removing bodies from a jackup rig that sank in the Mississippi River while being moved during a storm. He said it was so muddy he couldn't see anything and was just feeling himself around. Something grabbed his leg. He then discovered several crewmen in an air pocket and was able to rescue them.
And you think YOUR job sucks!A former neighbor of ours, now deceased, served in WWII and Korea. I interviewed him many years ago for an article marking the 50th anniversary of the Korean war. His sole job in Korea was unloading bloodied corpses that were brought in from the battlefield - day after day. **nononono*
Henry Kissinger: Ukraine Should Give Up Territory to Russia to Reach Peace
A former neighbor of ours, now deceased, served in WWII and Korea. I interviewed him many years ago for an article marking the 50th anniversary of the Korean war. His sole job in Korea was unloading bloodied corpses that were brought in from the battlefield - day after day. **nononono*
@mountaineer
I met a guy back in the late 70's from a small country town where he had lived all his life,and he had been drafted into the army during the VN,sent to VN,and assigned to a Graves Registration Unit. I might have the title wrong,but his job,as an 18 year old away from home for the first time in his life,was to go over battlefields after a fight and police up the bodies,and the parts of bodies of American troops and then try to match the parts with the bodies,and bring them back to the Graves Registration Unit he was assigned to.
The VN bodies were just pushed into a big hole using a bulldozer,and covered up.
This was maybe the saddest,quietest,man I have ever met. Didn't even date or get married until his 30's and even then it was a widow wanting a good husband that snatched him up and basically told him to marry her.
Probably the best thing that ever happened to him. He was already married to her when I met him,but she gave him a safe place to stay and seemed to be very protective of him. Even to the point where she would sometimes answer questions for him when he was in one of his "moods",and would just stare at the floor.
Worked for both of them,and I am glad they found each other.
Still,I can get a little depressed even today just thinking about the horrors this innocent young boy had to face against his will.
AND....,the army being the army,I met a guy at Bragg after coming back from VN who was a 3rd Generation undertaker from a family in Ohio. He also got drafted during the VN war,and the freaking army made HIM a radio operator!
Sometimes there just ain't no rhyme or reason for stuff.
After reading that, it seems to me the job of Body Policing should be strictly voluntary....
@Cyber Liberty
If that were the case,most would be left to rot in the open.
I honestly don't think anyone under should be assigned a job like that,though. It is just too traumatic for the typical teen to deal with.
It comes amid a new claim that young naval sailors were 'left to drown' while 'officers fled the ship like rats'.'Fled' to where!? They certainly did not go back to Russia. It would be better to drown.
Knew a guy who was a 'mortician' in Iraq. Same job. It made him crazy. The guy was as loony as the mad-hatter. Eventually he flipped out and started beating the shit out of anyone around him, just for no reason. Anyone he could reach he attacked. Pure luck he was not armed. He would have shot us all. Or we would have shot him.
A former neighbor of ours, now deceased, served in WWII and Korea. I interviewed him many years ago for an article marking the 50th anniversary of the Korean war. His sole job in Korea was unloading bloodied corpses that were brought in from the battlefield - day after day. **nononono*
Sticking him with the detail because he's "the new guy" is what it was.
'Fled' to where!? They certainly did not go back to Russia. It would be better to drown.
Reporting back to Putin to tell him that you just lost his so called 'flagship' would not be a wise decision.
Wherever they went, I'm sure it was in the opposite direction of anywhere close to Russia.
@Cyber Liberty
If that were the case,most would be left to rot in the open.
I honestly don't think anyone under 30 should be assigned a job like that,though. It is just too traumatic for the typical teen to deal with.
My FIL had the "clean up" detail during WWII. He was a young guy.
Don't get me wrong, I adored the guy but he was a little bit "teched in the head". My MIL told me about his stint in the clean up that caused it.
Russia loses its highest-ranking pilot yet in Ukraine as former Air Force Major, 63, comes out of retirement… and is blasted out of the skies
Russia now sending mothballed T-62s out of storage to Ukraine.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKu9gJQ15Zs)
Russia is burying their Honored Dead Heroes in produce crates instead of expensive coffins.
Does Western Europe really fear a country this poor?
I’m sure those will be in tip-top shape!
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/abgdRLb_460s.jpg)
Russia is burying their Honored Dead Heroes in produce crates instead of expensive coffins.
Does Western Europe really fear a country this poor?
Last data point of Debt to GDP ratio (2021)
Russia- 17.2%
USA- 137.2%
An argument could be made who is really is the poorer country. Ours is the one who can spend carelessly as the owner of the world reference currency. WITH NO CHECKS OR BALANCES.
This is basically the same analogy of comparing two people... One driving fine cars, nice house, and hopelessly in debt. Versus one who looks dirt poor, living pay check to paycheck, but has little or no debt.
They would be dumb not to.
Russia has the largest stockpile of nuclear bombs in the world. As they are defeated in conventional warfare the possibility increases that they will use "tactical" nuclear weapons to escalate the conflict in order to negotiate a de-escalation to their benefit. It's why we need to avoid a direct conflict between NATO and Russia. NATO would destroy Russia's conventional forces pretty quickly. Ukraine is a rare opportunity. In Ukraine the war will end when Russia leaves, or is forced out of Ukraine. If a NATO member is attacked the war will probably escalate so quickly Russia will see tactical nuclear weapons as their only option.
Ukraine is not asking for NATO soldiers to do the fighting. They only want the weapons to defeat the invader, Russia. If we supply the means, Ukraine can stop Russia and NATO does not become involved. Also, Russia is in the process of becoming a third world country. As that process takes hold if their military can be neutralized they will cease to be a serious threat.
Let me know when all the seniors in the USA are ready to stop getting social security and medicare and I will take this argument more seriously.
If you really want the federal govt. to get it's spending under control. You need to outlaw the Federal Reserve buying US Treasuries.
Let me know when all the seniors in the USA are ready to stop getting social security and medicare and I will take this argument more seriously.
Let me know when all the seniors in the USA are ready to stop getting social security and medicare and I will take this argument more seriously.
Is there no American citizen you will not sacrifice at the altar of Zelensky?
I have been ready for that my entire life. For 40 years, I have been paying into a giant ponzi scheme at the point of a gun - a ponzi scheme of which I have wanted no part. And still don't.
I am approaching payment of $2M in Fed income tax in my lifetime, and to an entity that even after that fleecing is $30T in debt.
Why should I trust or support my goverment in any endeavor..... including Ukraine?
What does Zelensky have to do with this?
(See logical fallacies: Red herring)
Not a red herring, but a necessary question that is uncomfortable for some. (The discussion was about continuing to fund Zelensky's war ---- with money this nation doesn't have.)
This isn't Zelensky's war. It's Putin's war.
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/abgdRLb_460s.jpg)
Russia is burying their Honored Dead Heroes in produce crates instead of expensive coffins.
Does Western Europe really fear a country this poor?
I have been ready for that my entire life. For 40 years, I have been paying into a giant ponzi scheme at the point of a gun - a ponzi scheme of which I have wanted no part. And still don't.
Is there no American citizen you will not sacrifice at the altar of Zelensky?
This isn't Zelensky's war. It's Putin's war. He has been waging it since 2014 when his puppet Yanukovych was driven from office. And no, the discussion wasn't about funding the war. It was about Russia using food crates to bury their war dead.
That might be a cremation casket, if the remains are to be cremated rather than buried in a cemetery.
@Kamaji
I am far from being any sort of authority on funerals,but I know of a couple of cases where the deceased was put in a nice coffin for display to grieving friends and relatives,and then once that ended,taken out of the coffin and cremated.
I think it is possible they MAY do the same thing in Russia.
@Kamaji
I am far from being any sort of authority on funerals,but I know of a couple of cases where the deceased was put in a nice coffin for display to grieving friends and relatives,and then once that ended,taken out of the coffin and cremated.
I think it is possible they MAY do the same thing in Russia.
I think they use cardboard boxes for cremation...
I think they use cardboard boxes for cremation...
@Cyber Liberty
Could be,but it would be a waste of cardboard.
Something has to corral the as-yet unburned parts of the corpse while the fire is going, so I believe it's cardboard. Wood leaves tars all over the burn unit. :shrug:
I think they use cardboard boxes for cremation...I don't know about the cremation of war dead, but if you're really interested in what goes on in cremation here in the US, this mortician can tell you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX-DeO9fX08
Russia's 'elite' airborne forces involved in 'several notable tactical failures'
01:33
Russia's "elite" airborne forces - the VDV - have sustained "heavy casualties" since the start of the war, the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) says in its latest intelligence update.
The 45,000-strong force has been heavily involved in "several notable tactical failures" during the invasion, the department says.
It adds: "This includes the attempted advance on Kyiv via Hostomel Airfield in March, the stalled progress on the Izium axis since April, and the recent failed and costly crossings of the Siverskyi Donets River.
"The VDV has been employed on missions better suited to heavier armoured infantry and has sustained heavy casualties during the campaign.
"Its mixed performance likely reflects a strategic mismanagement of this capability and Russia's failure to secure air superiority." . . .
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-news-live-public-dissatisfaction-predicted-in-russia-after-claim-they-have-lost-as-many-troops-as-in-nine-year-afghan-war-12541713?postid=3945378#liveblog-body
Boris Johnson warns Russia is 'chewing through ground' in eastern Ukraine as he urges more support for Kyiv forces
By JAMES TAPSFIELD, POLITICAL EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE
27 May 2022
Boris Johnson today warned that Russia is 'chewing through ground' in eastern Ukraine as he urged more support for Kyiv's forces.
The PM said Vladimir Putin's military is making 'palpable progress' in the Donbas region despite the 'incredible heroism' of the resistance.
In an interview with Bloomberg, he said more offensive weapons including long-range multiple-launch rocket systems are needed to help counter the threat.
The Ministry of Defence says Putin's invading troops have recently captured several villages as they attempt to surround Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in the Donbas.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10860409/Boris-Johnson-warns-Russia-chewing-ground-eastern-Ukraine.html
According to Ukrinform, Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner Liudmyla Denisova said this on Telegram.
"The looting by the ruscists in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine continues. Following the theft of Ukrainian grain, the occupiers resorted to exporting metal products from Mariupol. To do this, they demined part of the city's seaport," Denisova wrote.
She said that the first ship from Mariupol to Rostov-on-Don carried 3,000 tonnes of steel products. Prior to the occupation, there were up to 200,000 tonnes of metal and cast iron worth $170 million in the port.
In addition, to make it easier to take the loot, the enemy began to restore rail links in Mariupol and Volnovakha.
More at link.
Russians demine part of seaport in Mariupol, sending stolen steel products to Rostov-on-Don
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3494247-russians-demine-part-of-seaport-in-mariupol-sending-stolen-steel-products-to-rostovondon.html (https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3494247-russians-demine-part-of-seaport-in-mariupol-sending-stolen-steel-products-to-rostovondon.html)
The Russian military has demined part of the seaport in Mariupol and is sending 3,000 tonnes of steel products by ship to Rostov-on-Don.
US to transfer long-range rocket systems to Ukraine amid Donbas struggle: reports
by Lexi Lonas - 05/28/22 7:55 AM ET
The U.S. will transfer long-range rocket systems to Ukraine to help aid the country’s fight against Russia in the Donbas region, officials told multiple outlets.
Ukrainian officials have been asking the U.S. to send the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) or the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), CNN first reported, citing U.S. officials.
The weapons would be a significant improvement from Ukraine’s current artillery — an MLRS is able to fire hundreds of kilometers away and HIMARS is able to fire the same type of ammunition as an MLRS.
Defense officials did not specify to The New York Times what kind of weapons transfer would be announced. However, the outlet noted that the transfer would likely be made next week.
The Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System is the most common system that the U.S. uses.
more
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3504730-us-to-transfer-long-range-rocket-systems-to-ukraine-amid-donbas-struggle-reports/
Before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to widen their war on Ukraine starting the night of Feb. 23, the Russian army had 168 battalion tactical groups.
A BTG is the Russian army’s basic unit for ground warfare. Each BTG includes around 800 soldiers plus 50 or so armored vehicles. For the Ukraine campaign, the army concentrated at least 125 of its 168 BTGs—three-quarters of the overall combat force.
Three months later, the Ukrainians have destroyed 4,100 Russian vehicles, killed up to 15,000 Russian troops and wounded perhaps several times that number. Russia’s losses amount to the dissolution of around three-dozen BTGs.
So it’s worth asking: as Russia attempts to sustain a fresh offensive across a small pocket of Ukrainian troops in the city of Severodonetsk, in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, how many BTGs are left? And how many more battalions can the Kremlin mobilize?
When the Russian army retreated from northern Ukraine in March and April, it reconstituted some BTGs and also deployed fresh battalions from Russia’s fringes. The Pentagon on May 16 estimated Russia had 106 BTGs in Ukraine. Ten days later the battalion count was up to 110—this despite the Russians losing one or two BTGs trying to cross the Siverskyi Donets River, north of Severodonetsk, in early May.
With 110 BTGs in Ukraine, the Russian army might have just 20 or 30 battalions in reserve. Realistically, some of them cannot deploy without exposing the cities or borders they guard. For example, the remaining BTGs in Kaliningrad, Russia’s geographically-separate exclave on the Baltic Sea.
More at link.
Fresh doubts have been cast over Vladimir Putin’s health, after a purported Russian spy claimed the president has “a severe form of rapidly progressing cancer” and has been given just three years to live by doctor.
FSB defector Boris Karpichkov said messages he has received from an unidentified Russian agent claim the 69-year-old president’s “eyesight is seriously worsening” to the point which he needs speeches written in letters “so big each page can only hold a couple of sentences” when appearing on television.
Chiming with footage of Mr Putin which has fuelled widespread specualation over his health, the spy claimed the Russian president’s limbs are “now also shaking uncontrollably”.
More: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war-drones-nuclear-weapons-latest-b2089611.html (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war-drones-nuclear-weapons-latest-b2089611.html)
New concerns over Putin’s health as spy claims he’s ‘losing sight’
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war-drones-nuclear-weapons-latest-b2089611.html (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war-drones-nuclear-weapons-latest-b2089611.html)
Situation in Donbas ‘indescribably difficult’, Volodymyr Zelensky warns
Leonid Vasyukevich, a communist lawmaker from the Khabarovsky Krai in the far east of Siberia urged Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine. He said: "During a military operation, people become disabled. These are young people who could be of great use to our country." The local deputy added: "We demand an immediate withdrawal of the Russian troops." His appeal was backed by lawmaker Leonid Vasyukevich, who warned: "If our country does not halt the military operation then there will be even more orphans in our country." Their remarks followed the surprising condemnation of the war by Boris Bondarev, a career diplomat posted to the Russian mission to the UN in Geneva, on Wednesday. Through a letter in which he wrote he was "ashamed" of his country and called the invasion a "disaster", he became the highest-level Russian diplomat to denounce Moscow's assaults.
More at link.
Steelworks prisoners from Mariupol 'are being tortured with pliers, electrocuted and strangled' after being captured by Russian forcesTwenty-one roses. Look it up.
The French and German presidents urged Putin to return 2,500 prisoners of war
Azov Battalion soldiers defended Mariupol steelworks for weeks despite barrage
Now they're reportedly being tortured with pliers and electric shocks by captors
It came as Ukrainian forces faced artillery in east and Odesa blockade drags on
By Andy Jehring For The Daily Mail
Published: 20:17 EDT, 29 May 2022 | Updated: 10:43 EDT, 30 May 2022
European leaders have urged Vladimir Putin to release Azov prisoners amid reports that they have been tortured with ‘special cruelty’.
French president Emmanuel Macron and his German counterpart Olaf Scholz demanded the safe return of the 2,500 Azov fighters over the weekend.
They also called for an end to the blockade of Odesa, as well as direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday as details of the 80-minute call emerged.
more
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10866563/Steelworks-prisoners-tortured-pliers-electrocuted-strangled-captors.html
Steelworks prisoners from Mariupol 'are being tortured with pliers, electrocuted and strangled' after being captured by Russian forces
The French and German presidents urged Putin to return 2,500 prisoners of war
Azov Battalion soldiers defended Mariupol steelworks for weeks despite barrage
Now they're reportedly being tortured with pliers and electric shocks by captors
It came as Ukrainian forces faced artillery in east and Odesa blockade drags on
By Andy Jehring For The Daily Mail
Published: 20:17 EDT, 29 May 2022 | Updated: 10:43 EDT, 30 May 2022
European leaders have urged Vladimir Putin to release Azov prisoners amid reports that they have been tortured with ‘special cruelty’.
French president Emmanuel Macron and his German counterpart Olaf Scholz demanded the safe return of the 2,500 Azov fighters over the weekend.
They also called for an end to the blockade of Odesa, as well as direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday as details of the 80-minute call emerged.
more
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10866563/Steelworks-prisoners-tortured-pliers-electrocuted-strangled-captors.html
Steelworks prisoners from Mariupol 'are being tortured with pliers, electrocuted and strangled' after being captured by Russian forces
It is odd how Russia continues the propaganda, "We are here to SAVE the people, and to LIBERATE our friends!"
Meanwhile Russia is slaughtering, kidnapping, and raping, by the hundreds of thousands and conducting a scorched Earth campaign to literally erase entire cities and villages from the face of the Earth. If this is Russia's idea of 'helping' or 'saving' people, imagine what they would do if they intended a purposeful calculated genocide.
Putin's MO is, believe it or not, to be protective
Putin being protective of the people of Severodonetsk.
You're posting pictures of war for their emotional propaganda value.
Russian indiscriminate shelling of Severodonetsk
(https://static.nv.ua/shared/system/Article/posters/002/512/877/900x450/4d6aea4e7a07204eda4c35e2bc581a16.jpg?q=85&stamp=20220524115156)
(https://img.pravda.com/images/doc/1/7/17a0a46-sever.jpg)
More Russian shelling in Luhansk
(https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/628e05b02100005db3508dd0.jpeg)
(https://uacrisis.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/photo_2022-05-23_14-04-00.jpg)
It takes a really sick individual to characterize Putin as some kind of protector after he has killed so many civilians, stolen their food, and implemented a scorched earth policy with indiscriminate missile and artillery shelling of Ukrainian cities.
@Hoodat @Right_in_Virginia
Even the Russian army is turning against Putin,but R_I_V is still a fan of his.
Gee, yesterday I was actually breathing a slight sigh of relief thinking that the Idiot in Chief was actually doing the right thing....obviously not so.
Biden admin to send Multiple Launch Rocket Systems to Ukraine in $40B aid package
President Biden previously said the US would not send longer-range missiles to Ukraine
Josh Lederman
@JoshNBCNews
· 2h
Senior Biden admin official tells reporters tonight that Ukraine has provided assurances it won't use the new longer range rockets the US will provide them against targets inside Russia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine considers Vladimir Putin's decree that streamlines the process of granting citizenship to Ukrainian orphans as an attempt by the Kremlin to legalize the illegal displacement of Ukrainian children to Russia.
That’s according to a statement issued by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Ukrinform reports.
"We consider the decree of the President of the Russian Federation to simplify the admission of Ukrainian orphans or those left without parental care to Russian citizenship as an attempt by the Kremlin to legalize the illegal movement of Ukrainian children from the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by the Russian army to Russia. By his decree, Vladimir Putin actually legalized the abduction of children from the territory of Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry stressed.
The diplomats noted that Russia's actions grossly violate the 1949 Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, which obliges the occupying state not to change the citizenship status of children, and the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry believes that Russia's actions can also be qualified as forcible transfer of children from one human group to another under international law.
As of May 26, Russia has deported more than 238,000 Ukrainian children to its territory.
More at link.
Jesse Kelly
@JesseKellyDC
The most dangerous thing happening in the world today is Western governments turning against their own citizens. Nothing else comes close.
11:45 AM · May 31, 2022 Twitter for iPhone
Putin’s decree “legalizes” abduction of children from Ukraine - MFA
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3496766-putins-decree-legalizes-abduction-of-children-from-ukraine-mfa.html (https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3496766-putins-decree-legalizes-abduction-of-children-from-ukraine-mfa.html)
You're posting selective pictures of war for their emotional propaganda value.
Try engaging the frontal lobe and allow the limbic lobe a much needed rest.
You're posting selective pictures of war for their emotional propaganda value.
Try engaging the frontal lobe and allow the limbic lobe a much needed rest.
You might try a little bit of that yourself.Amazing how a thousand guys (assuming full Battalion strength) managed to hold off the Russians this long, despite losses. Sarcastically speaking, that would give that whole supremacy idea some traction. In reality, what was a small unit is even smaller, and the vast bulk of the fighting for Ukraine is being conducted by people not in that unit.
You might try a little bit of that yourself.
Amazing how a thousand guys (assuming full Battalion strength) managed to hold off the Russians this long, despite losses. Sarcastically speaking, that would give that whole supremacy idea some traction. In reality, what was a small unit is even smaller, and the vast bulk of the fighting for Ukraine is being conducted by people not in that unit.
But...facts, and all that..
Speaking of facts, the Azov Battallion--- even prior to its recent reinforcement from the Western Ukrainian units--- rained terror and death on Donbas for eight years. Not until this year did they face any real military opposition----and their free-for-all finally began to end with their en masse surrender @Smokin JoeI am neither embracing nor passionately defending this particular group.
While I admit I don't understand the embrace and passionate defense of this group of animals, I do know neither will change the reality of their history.
Speaking of facts, the Azov Battallion--- even prior to its recent reinforcement from the Western Ukrainian units--- rained terror and death on Donbas for eight years.
Don’t expect the EU to ban Russian gas any time soonI.O.W., the EU has become energy dependent on Russian supplies.
Politico, May 31, 2022
After a month of haggling over how to ban Russian oil, only to get a watered-down compromise that lets pipelines keep flowing, EU sanctions on Vladimir Putin's energy exports have reached "the end of the road."
That was the assessment of Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Tuesday, summing up the tortuous negotiations which ended in a fudge that let Hungary off the hook.
The logical next step in tightening pressure on Moscow would be to ban Russian gas. But for De Croo and others, that would risk hurting the EU more than Putin.
More: https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-ban-sanctions-russian-gas-oil-orban-ukraine-war
I.O.W., the EU has become energy dependent on Russian supplies.
Let that be a warning...
RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MAY 31
Kateryna Stepanenko, Karolina Hird, and Frederick W. Kagan | May 31, 5:45pm ET
Moscow’s concentration on seizing Severodonetsk and Donbas generally continues to create vulnerabilities for Russia in Ukraine’s vital Kherson Oblast, where Ukrainian counter-offensives continue. Kherson is critical terrain because it is the only area of Ukraine in which Russian forces hold ground on the west bank of the Dnipro River. If Russia is able to retain a strong lodgment in Kherson when fighting stops it will be in a very strong position from which to launch a future invasion. If Ukraine regains Kherson, on the other hand, Ukraine will be in a much stronger position to defend itself against future Russian attack. This strategic calculus should in principle lead Russia to allocate sufficient combat power to hold Kherson. But Russian President Vladimir Putin has chosen instead to concentrate all the forces and resources that can be scraped together in a desperate and bloody push to seize areas of eastern Ukraine that will give him largely symbolic gains. . .
Russian forces are likely attempting to exploit Belarusian equipment reserves to compensate for heavy material losses in Ukraine. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on May 31 that Belarusian forces are moving tanks and infantry fighting vehicles from storage facilities in Belarus to Russia to replenish combat losses. This report corroborates previous reporting that Russian forces have largely exhausted their own reserves . .
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-31
Russia says US 'adding fuel to fire' with weapons for Ukraine
Ukraine's about to acquire its most powerful ground combat weapons yet.
The US-supplied high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) has a range of around 50 miles (80km).
That’s enough to allow Ukraine to match Russia’s long-range artillery, which has wreaked such devastation in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region in recent weeks.
But the system is arriving very late in the day, with Russian forces having already driven the defending Ukrainians out of much of the east of the country.
If Ukraine's to retake that territory it will need to go on the offensive, which would require a major shift in strategy.
There's an added problem here and that’s the risk of escalation. Washington was initially wary of sending any heavy weapons for fear of provoking Moscow.
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-61656289
I suspect your old enough to have lived through the 80's and Reagan confronting the evil empire. If so you should have learned the lesson Reagan taught all of us. Reagan was constantly being threatened by the evil empire that he was going to cause a war if he wouldn't back off his goal of building a missile defense. Reagan not only refused to do what the evil empire wanted he doubled down. Reagan won the cold war and ended the threat of global thermal nuclear war.
Now here we are 40 years later and the evil empire has returned, but this time it is a wing of conservatism that is saying we should do what the evil empire wants and let them dominate and subjugate people that Reagan freed from their predessor.
Some learn the lessons of history and some don't.
I am neither embracing nor passionately defending this particular group.
That said, 1000 men (exaggerated starting battalion strength) cannot be everywhere at once, and only constituted a small fraction of those defending their homeland from the Russian invasion.
Yet you never fail to conflate all those defenders with the Azov Battalion, who likely were either killed or captured at Mariupol, in effect, calling EVERY Ukrainian a Nazi. Which leaves you defending the Communists, because, like it or not, this is a dichotomy. Your posts have been anything but neutral; you have taken a side, that of the invaders.
I was just pointing out that, with attrition, considering Mariupol, they are probably at less than 1/10 strength, if that (100 men or less). I might also have the temerity to mention that the horrors and destruction wreaked on the region by the Russians surely outclass anything the Azov bunch did, simply because there were a lot more buildings standing and live civilians there before the Russians invaded, kidnapped people and moved them to "safety" (children and parents separated, of course, a model we have seen before).
Yet you consistently mention Azov as if they were the only Ukrainian fighters in this, rather than a small minority of the Ukrainians fighting to repel a murderous and destructive invader from their homeland. For the benefit of others reading this post, I feel it necessary to point out this fact, that at their most, "Nazis" are a very small part of the overall contingent defending Ukraine from the Russian invasion.
Allegation: Ukrainians are selling US Javelins on foreign shadow trading platforms for $30,000 each.
China would pay 20 times that, easily.I think the point is that stuff we taxpayers are giving Ukraine is being sold on a black market, and not used to fight their war. I don't know. :shrug:
I think the point is that stuff we taxpayers are giving Ukraine is being sold on a black market, and not used to fight their war. I don't know. :shrug:
Allegation: the Russians are eating live any Ukrainian babies they find.
:silly:
Like any war, but perhaps more than most, the war in Ukraine has seen a bewildering barrage of claims and counter-claims made by the online supporters of each side. Truth, partial truths and outright lies compete for dominance in the media narrative. Vladimir Putin’s claim that Russia invaded Ukraine to “de-Nazify” the country is surely one of the clearest examples. The Russian claim that the Maidan revolution of 2014 was a “fascist coup” and that Ukraine is a Nazi state has been used for years by Putin and his supporters to justify his occupation of Crimea and support for Russian-speaking separatists in the country’s east, winning many online adherents.
But the Russian claim is false: Ukraine is a genuine liberal-democratic state, though an imperfect one, with free elections that produce significant changes of power, including the election, in 2019, of the liberal-populist reformer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine is, unequivocally, not a Nazi state: the Russian casus belli is a lie. And yet, there is a danger that the understandable desire by Ukrainian and Western commentators not to provide ammunition for Russian propaganda has led to an over-correction — and one that may not ultimately serve Ukraine’s best interests.
During one recent news bulletin on BBC Radio 4, the correspondent referred to “Putin’s baseless claim that the Ukrainian state supports Nazis”. This is, itself, disinformation: it is an observable fact, which the BBC itself has previously reported on accurately and well, that the Ukrainian state has, since 2014, provided funding, weapons and other forms of support to extreme Right-wing militias, including neo-Nazi ones. This is not a new or controversial observation. Back in 2019, I spent time in Ukraine interviewing senior figures in the constellation of state-backed extreme Right-wing groups for Harper’s magazine; they were all quite open about their ideology and plans for the future.
More at link.
Allegation: the Russians are eating live any Ukrainian babies they find.Which side is pulling the wings off flies in this battle of PR departments?
(https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1532278711847895040/mTxPXnLg?format=jpg&name=small)
Pentagon vs. Congress tension builds over monitoring billions in Ukraine aid
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/02/congress-pentagon-ukraine-aid-oversight-00036463
(https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1532355644765765639/JNhRQL9Z?format=jpg&name=small)
Arms sent to Ukraine will end up in criminal hands, says Interpol chief
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/02/ukraine-weapons-end-up-criminal-hands-says-interpol-chief-jurgen-stock
Today marks the 100th day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a campaign that began with a multipronged blitz meant to topple the government in Kyiv but which has evolved into a prolonged war of attrition (https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-government-and-politics-moscow-61ef29e1911bf2e38a19a6110e764e09)in the country's east.This compendium is from 1440 Daily Digest, an email service you can sign up for here (https://join1440.com/).
After being initially repelled from capturing Ukraine's capital—an effort marred by Russian missteps (https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/intellectual-failures-behind-russias-bungled-invasion)—Russia has refocused on capturing the eastern Donbas region. Much of the area, Ukraine's primary industrial center, has been under pro-Russian separatist control since 2014.QuoteIt is a point of consensus among analysts that the initial phases of the Russian invasion of Ukraine have been a relative failure. Though Russia may still prevail in this conflict, the reasons for its blundering initial attempt are worth unpacking.
In certain regards, Russia’s failures reveal its limitations in fairly basic competencies such as logistical planning. The capability limitations of at least some Russian forces in areas such as tactical communications, as well as poor morale, certainly seem to have added to this mix. However, Russian forces have also suffered early losses due to a perplexing departure from their previous practices. The Russian army, which some have described as an artillery army with a lot of tanks, typically does not advance without substantial preparatory fires, which have been notably absent in the early stages of the conflict, along with any meaningful efforts at combined arms warfare. ...
In recent days, analysts say Russia has begun to slowly but steadily take control (https://nationalinterest.org/feature/russia-gaining-upper-hand-ukraine%E2%80%99s-east-202721)of key cities in the Donbas region. Western officials pledged another round of military aid, including long-range missile systems, though the weapons will take weeks (https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-technology-4f8e7d017b5fd67d80fb42d23b27b3c1) to arrive.QuoteKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The U.S. and Germany pledged Wednesday to equip Ukraine with some of the advanced weapons it has long desired for shooting down aircraft and knocking out artillery, as Russian forces closed in on capturing a key city in the east.
Germany said it will supply Ukraine with up-to-date anti-aircraft missiles and radar systems, while the U.S. announced it will provide four sophisticated, medium-range rocket systems and ammunition.
The U.S. is trying to help Ukraine fend off the Russians without triggering a wider war in Europe. The Pentagon said it received assurances that Ukraine will not fire the new rockets into Russian territory. ...
To the south, Russia now controls the majority of Ukraine's access to the Black Sea, with the exception of the port city of Odesa. See updates on war, with maps, here (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60506682).
The death toll from the conflict has been hard to gauge. The United Nations has confirmed (https://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2022/06/ukraine-civilian-casualty-update-1-june-2022)almost 4,150 civilian deaths, but believes the true count to be much higher.
Before Congress approved Biden's extra $40b forthe war in Ukrainethe midterm elections - with all Dems voting YES -
There, fixed it. Weapons for Ukraine were an afterthought. The $40 billion never was for Ukraine. It was pure government graft. Contractors getting rich while they funnel money back into DNC campaign coffers.
Aaron MatéBut not a peep over 300,000 infantry battle rifles given to the Taliban...not to mention other, more potent hardware...
@aaronjmate
Interpol chief warns that the weapons flooding into Ukraine will create "an influx of weapons in Europe and beyond. We should be alarmed and we have to expect these weapons to be trafficked not only to neighbouring countries but to other continents."
8:33 PM · Jun 2, 2022 Twitter Web App
US Engaged In "Offensive" Cyber Ops Against Russia In Ukraine: NSA Director. "We’ve conducted a series of operations across the full spectrum: offensive, defensive, [and] information operations." This includes "offensive hacking operations."
But not a peep over 300,000 infantry battle rifles given to the Taliban...not to mention other, more potent hardware...
The NSA should be fired on the spot. This is the most secretive agency in government, and here is the director blabbing about what the US is doing to a country we are officially not in conflict with. The sheer incompetence of this regime is stunning to watch on display multiple times each day, every day.
President Biden on Friday declined to rule out Ukraine having to cede part of its territory to Russia in order to end Moscow’s more than three-month-old invasion.
“Does Ukraine have to cede territory to achieve peace?” a reporter asked Biden after his remarks on the May jobs report.
“From the beginning, I’ve said and I’ve been — not everyone’s agreed with me — nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” Biden began his answer. “It’s their territory. I’m not going to tell them what they should and shouldn’t do.
“But it appears to me that at some point along the line, there’s going to have to be a negotiated settlement here,” the president added. “And what that entails, I don’t know. I don’t think anybody knows at the time. But in the meantime, we’re gonna continue to put the Ukrainians in a position where they can defend themselves.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that Russian forces currently occupy roughly one-fifth of his country.
More at link.
On Ukraine’s battlefields, the simple act of powering up a cellphone can beckon a rain of deathly skyfall. Artillery radar and remote controls for unmanned aerial vehicles may also invite fiery shrapnel showers.
This is electronic warfare, a critical but largely invisible aspect of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Military commanders largely shun discussing it, fearing they’ll jeopardize operations by revealing secrets.
Electronic warfare technology targets communications, navigation and guidance systems to locate, blind and deceive the enemy and direct lethal blows. It is used against artillery, fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones and more. Militaries also use it to protect their forces.
It’s an area where Russia was thought to have a clear advantage going into the war. Yet, for reasons not entirely clear, its much-touted electronic warfare prowess was barely seen in the war’s early stages in the chaotic failure to seize the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
It has become far more of a factor in fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine, where shorter, easier-to-defend supply lines let Russia move electronic warfare gear closer to the battlefield.
“They are jamming everything their systems can reach,” said an official of Aerorozvidka, a reconnaissance team of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle tinkerers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of safety concerns. “We can’t say they dominate, but they hinder us greatly.”
More at link.
Biden says Ukraine might have to give Russia land in ‘negotiated settlement’
Biden needs to STFU. The sitting US President is telling the world that Russia should be rewarded for its aggression and war crimes. Idiot.
The NSA should be fired on the spot. This is the most secretive agency in government, and here is the director blabbing about what the US is doing to a country we are officially not in conflict with. The sheer incompetence of this regime is stunning to watch on display multiple times each day, every day.Agreed. This is horrendous.
Biden needs to STFU. The sitting US President is telling the world that Russia should be rewarded for its aggression and war crimes. Idiot.
How do you still think this sh*tshow is about Russian aggression?
Really???
The NSA should be fired on the spot. This is the most secretive agency in government, and here is the director blabbing about what the US is doing to a country we are officially not in conflict with. The sheer incompetence of this regime is stunning to watch on display multiple times each day, every day.This is not an 'accident' or a 'goof up'. The Biden and his Biden Administration along with Democrats in Congress have been openly promoting and advancing a full on 'hot war' with Russia for over a year. It is not incompetence. It is their strategy and their goal. Biden and the Democrats are desperate for a World War to distract and take the blame for their endless war on all things American.
This is not an 'accident' or a 'goof up'. The Biden and his Biden Administration along with Democrats in Congress have been openly promoting and advancing a full on 'hot war' with Russia for over a year. It is not incompetence. It is their strategy and their goal. Biden and the Democrats are desperate for a World War to distract and take the blame for their endless war on all things American.
Really???
This is not an 'accident' or a 'goof up'. The Biden and his Biden Administration along with Democrats in Congress have been openly promoting and advancing a full on 'hot war' with Russia for over a year. It is not incompetence. It is their strategy and their goal. Biden and the Democrats are desperate for a World War to distract and take the blame for their endless war on all things American.
and, lastly, retrace how the US led Western powers orchestrated the escalation in 2022.
Please explain how the US led Western powers orchestrated Russia to invade Ukraine and begin the systematic destruction of Ukraine cities, the wholesale massacre of civilians, the rapes, the murders, etc.
The so-called "governor" of Zaporizhia region, Yevhen Balytsky, asked the invasion forces to allow him to rule the occupied territory from Crimea.
This was announced on Telegram by the head of the public council at the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Bratchuk, Ukrinform reports.
“Collaborator Yevhen Balytsky asked to be transferred to Crimea. The Melitopol traitor, whom the Russian media refer to as ‘governor’ of Zaporizhia region, begged to move to Crimea along with his deputies. He explained his request by saying that he could easily ‘manage’ the region from there. Obviously, Balytsky fears for his life after a series of attempts by Melitopol guerillas,” the official wrote.
More at link.
Yes, really @DB Go back to 2014 and the official start of this conflict, reexamine how Ukraine has been used in US politics since then, fold in the incremental and vocal threat of NATO and, lastly, retrace how the US led Western powers orchestrated the escalation in 2022.
Ukraine freedom from Russian aggression was the propaganda milk bottle fed to Western do-gooders to gain their support for getting involved in
another border conflict without them asking "why?". And, for the most part it's worked.
You are so full of crap...
You are so full of crap...
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia did begin to escalate in 2014 (with U.S. involvement).
(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/mcs/media/images/75290000/jpg/_75290542_75290541.jpg)
It was the Ukranians that ended the Minsk Agreement.
Termination
On 19 September 2018, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree not to extend the treaty. On 3 December 2018, Poroshenko drafted a legislation to Parliament to end the Treaty of Friendship immediately; with support coming from Western allies within the United Nations Security Council. According to Poroshenko the non-renewal "does not require a vote" in the Ukrainian parliament. Ukraine announced that on 21 September 2018, it would notify the United Nations and other relevant organizations on the termination of the treaty. Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it was notified on 24 September 2018 of the treaty's termination by Ukraine, expressing regret.
On 3 December 2018 Poroshenko did submit a bill on the termination of the treaty to parliament; 277 MPs supported the termination of the treaty, while 20 legislators voted against it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian%E2%80%93Ukrainian_Friendship_Treaty
Because the Russians invaded their country years before in total violation of the agreement.
Why do we have to rehash these lies over and over?
Because you keep posting them.
Because the Russians invaded their country years before in total violation of the agreement.
Why do we have to rehash these lies over and over?
Because the Russians invaded their country years before in total violation of the agreement.
Why do we have to rehash these lies over and over?
Lies? Just posting the facts and the fact still remains that the agreement was terminated by the Ukrainians. The fact still remains that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been on going. The fact still remains that under the Joe administration this conflict has escalated substantially with Joe giving billion and billions in aid to Ukraine.
No, I am not choosing sides. Anyone that thinks the Joe is squeaky-clean in all of this needs to consider he was involved in all of this mess before he became president. Sorry, I just don't see Joe miraculously stealing an election and this conflict escalating while Ukraine receives billions in U.S. aid as coincidental.
Because they have nothing else.
The demographics of Ukraine; according to the census result the population of the Crimean Federal District is 2.2844 million people. The ethnic composition is as follows: Russians: 1.49 million (65.3%), Ukrainians: 0.35 million (15.1%), Crimean Tatars: 0.24 million (12.0%).
Oh, so Mexico gets Texas back because a large number of Latinos live there. Is that how that works?
In towns near Russia’s border, Moscow’s influence was strong and Ukrainian was rarely spoken. The war has changed that
Gamlet Zinkivskyi grew up speaking Russian in the city of Kharkiv, just like his parents. But when Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, it was the final push for him to switch fully to Ukrainian.
“Unfortunately, I grew up speaking Russian, but it’s not pleasant to speak the same language as the army that is destroying whole areas of our country,” said Zinkivskyi, a 35-year-old street artist widely known to Kharkiv residents, who usually refer to him by his first name.
The switch of language is part of a broader journey towards a more pronounced Ukrainian identity for Zinkivskyi, something shared by many in the largely Russian-speaking areas of east and south Ukraine. It is a process which has become more pronounced in the past three months, but it has been brewing for some years.
As a young artist, Zinkivskyi had a longstanding dream: an exhibition in Moscow. Kharkiv is just a few dozen miles from the border with Russia and has long been almost entirely Russian-speaking. Culturally, Moscow felt like the centre of the universe. But when Zinkivskyi finally made it to a gallery there in 2012, he was horrified. “They were obnoxious and patronising about Kharkiv and Ukraine, and frankly I thought: bleep them,” he said. He returned to Kharkiv and became more focused on the Ukrainian art scene.
After the annexation of Crimea, in 2014, Zinkivskyi started trying to speak some Ukrainian with a few friends. Now he has fully switched, and for the first time is also introducing political and patriotic themes into his art.
The language issue is something that comes up again and again in Kharkiv. Oleksandra Panchenko, a 22-year-old interior designer, said that since 2014 she had been trying hard to improve her Ukrainian, but conceded that she still often speaks Russian with friends.
However, she is adamant that by the time she has children, she will be fluent enough to speak only Ukrainian at home. “I grew up in a Russian-language family, my kids will grow up in a Ukrainian-language family,” she said.
Back in 2014, there were separatist rumblings in Kharkiv, with some people looking to the swift annexation of Crimea and wondering if all of eastern Ukraine might not be better off inside Russia. But eight years of observing the miserable conditions in the Russian proxy states of Donetsk and Luhansk dampened those feelings, and Russia’s invasion has almost entirely extinguished them.
Panchenko, who has painted her nails blue and yellow and describes herself as a staunch patriot, made a guess at the political allegiances of Kharkiv residents before the war, based on her broad circle of acquaintances. About 10% of the city used to be what are disparagingly known as vatniki – aggressively pro-Russian – she said. She described 30% as being like her, “Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine”, and 50% were “neutral – they felt Ukrainian but not that strongly”.
Russia’s war on Ukraine has pushed people in this neutral category more firmly into the patriotic camp, creating a much broader and more passionate pro-Ukrainian base than ever existed previously, particularly in the east of the country.
“There were a lot of neutral people here, but as soon as it came to the war, a lot of them decided to fight,” said Vsevolod Kozhemyako, a businessman who runs an agricultural company and once featured on the Forbes list of the 100 richest Ukrainians.
More at link.
No, Mexico and Texas have nothing to do with Ukraine. :whistle:QuoteSo, we'll just displace all the Russians in the area??
@libertybele
You DO know that 65 percent of the Ukrainian population are ethnic Russians,right? If the ethnic Ukrainians were to deport them (and they ain't),who would they have to help them rebuild the nation,work the necessary jobs that every modern society needs done,HELP THEM RESIST ANY FUTURE RUSSIAN INVASIONS,pay taxes,etc,etc,etc?
And this ain't even addressing the undisputed FACT that there is and always has been a LOT of intermarriages/poking fun between the native Ukrainians and the Russians who moved there. I am GUESSING,but MY best guess is the vast majority of the ethnic Russians who live in Ukraine consider themselves to be Ukrainians.
Who the HELL do you think are the ethnic majority that are helping the Ukrainians fight against the invaders?QuoteI can't help but wonder how many of those Russians were 'attacked' over the years by Ukraine?
Then you need help of the type you aren't going to get on a chat board.
After all,you have 35 percent of the population attacking and dominating 65 percent of the population. Ponder that little factoid for a while.
Also,consider the FACT that American military members are from damn near every ethnic group on the planet. One of the early VN heroes that went missing in action VERY early in the war was originally a Finnish Army officer who fought against the Russian invasion of Finland,and once Finland was conquered,he escaped to Germany and enlisted in the German Army as a Private so he could continue to fight the Russians,rising to the rank of Captain in the Waffen SS by the end of the war. When WW-2 ended he immigrated to the US to join the American Army as a private so he could continue to fight the Russians/Communism.
He went missing in action as a Special Forces Captain that was overseeing the insertion of a covert action team into North Vietnam or northern Laos early in the war. The Helicopter he was flying in was one of the old Kingbees that folded so it could be stored under the deck of Aircraft Carriers,and according to witnesses,it just came apart in the air in North Vietnam,and no bodies were recovered until a few years ago.
His (American) name was Larry Thorne. Look him up.
Another "foreigner" in SF was a friend of mine who was born in Japan during WW-2,and became an orphan when both his parents died during one of the fire-bombings of Tokyo. He and his two sisters were sent to an orphanage,and he was adopted by European diplomat,and went to Europe to live a couple of years later when his new father was reassigned. They eventually moved to the US when he was 16 or 17,and he enlisted in the US Army when he was 17. He retired from the US Army as a Master Sergeant E-8,and the NCOIC of the Special Forces Scuba Committee in Florida,after receiving at least one Silver Star while in VN,as well as a couple of Purple Hearts while working with Delta Project.
When you get right down to it,most Americans have roots in other nations. For the most part,"foreigners" are the very people who made America great.
QuoteAgain, not picking sides, just thinking of the innocent people that are caught up in an obviously very political and ugly war that has been going on for years.
Name ONE war that the same can't be truthfully said. The ONLY people that want wars are fools and greedy opportunists who expect to get rich(er) from the war.QuoteAlso, again, Joe is far from innocent.
He is a prize-winning fool,as well as a career thief and traitor to America,but his only involvement in the War in Ukraine came long after the war started,and even then it was only to get a cut of the money going there. Truth to tell,he should be arrested for treason,put on trial,and executed when found guilty.
Which really has nothing to do with Russia invading Ukraine.
@libertybele
He is a prize-winning fool,as well as a career thief and traitor to America,but his only involvement in the War in Ukraine came long after the war started,and even then it was only to get a cut of the money going there. Truth to tell,he should be arrested for treason,put on trial,and executed when found guilty. Which really has nothing to do with Russia invading Ukraine.
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia did begin to escalate in 2014.
(with U.S. involvement).
The fact this photo even exists tells me everything I need to know about Ukraine's thorough corruption.
It was the Ukranians that ended the Minsk Agreement.
Termination
On 19 September 2018, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree not to extend the treaty.
I can't help but wonder how many of those Russians were 'attacked' over the years by Ukraine?
Oh, so Mexico gets Texas back because a large number of Latinos live there. Is that how that works?Give Quebec back to the French!
@sneakypete Joe was dealing with Ukraine when he was VP., (I posted his address to the Ukraine up thread). You are absolutely correct. He indeed is a traitor to our country and where we differ in opinion is some of that does have to do with Russia invading Ukraine. I believe he goaded Putin somehow into escalating the war, be it making false promises, or making threats. Joe is after all known for his stupidity, incompetency and superiority complexes, or maybe perhaps it was just Putin seizing an opportunity after he saw how Joe absolutely failed in Afghanistan.Has he? Munitions to some extent, certainly from EU/NATO, but the US has held some of those transfers up, and as for the money Biden has pledged, where is the accounting?
Z has received billions of dollars from us and the West along with munitions. I think that the U.S. has contributed plenty and the last thing that I want to see is American boots on the ground -- WWIII for sure. Again, it truly isn't our fight.
Has he? Munitions to some extent, certainly from EU/NATO, but the US has held some of those transfers up, and as for the money Biden has pledged, where is the accounting?
The demographics of Ukraine; according to the census result the population of the Crimean Federal District is 2.2844 million people. The ethnic composition is as follows: Russians: 1.49 million (65.3%), Ukrainians: 0.35 million (15.1%), Crimean Tatars: 0.24 million (12.0%).
No, Mexico and Texas have nothing to do with Ukraine. :whistle:
So, we'll just displace all the Russians in the area?? I can't help but wonder how many of those Russians were 'attacked' over the years by Ukraine?
Again, not picking sides, just thinking of the innocent people that are caught up in an obviously very political and ugly war that has been going on for years. Also, again, Joe is far from innocent.
@DBQuoteThe appeasement crowd doesn't want to understand this for some reason.
@DB
They will never admit it,not even to themselves,but it can be summed up as "Better Red than dead."
Surrender Monkeys.
@DB
It is hard to discuss big topics if posters aren't capable of applying their points across the board.
You are absolutely right demographics are irrelevant. Ukraine was recognized as a sovereign nation after the end of the cold war. Ukraine was attacked by Russia. Russia is the evil party in this war. If we want to stop this type of aggression from getting to the point where US troops are directly confronting Russian troops the place is Ukraine. The appeasement crowd doesn't want to understand this for some reason.
I am not posting "opinion" rather I am posting facts, and I have provided links.
It was the Ukranians that ended the Minsk Agreement.
Termination
On 19 September 2018, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree not to extend the treaty.
Again:
False. On that date, Poroshenko signed a decree "Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, signed on May 31, 1997." - https://english.pravda.ru/news/world/141600-russia_ukraine_friendship/
This had zero to do with the Minsk agreement, a treaty that Russia was in clear violation of.
The Minsk Agreement was signed on December 8, 1991.
https://soviethistory.msu.edu/1991-2/the-end-of-the-soviet-union/the-end-of-the-soviet-union-texts/minsk-agreement/
Source: Library of Congress, Country Studies, 2008.
For the third time, the treaty that Poroshenko terminated in 2018 was the "Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation", signed in 1997. That is a completely different treaty from the Minsk Agreement. Your claim that Poroshenko terminated the Minsk Agreement in 2018 is plainly false.
The Minsk Agreement was signed on December 8, 1991.
https://soviethistory.msu.edu/1991-2/the-end-of-the-soviet-union/the-end-of-the-soviet-union-texts/minsk-agreement/
Source: Library of Congress, Country Studies, 2008.
and yes, Ukraine ended the Minsk agreement as indicated above.
You are looking at the wrong Minsk Agreement. Try this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minsk_agreements
What I continue to state is that I believe (yes, it is my opinion) that something triggered or provoked Putin into escalating this war to the degree that he has and I believe it has to do with Joe and U.S. involvement with Ukraine, or UN, or NATO or all three.
Joe takes office, states that he feels Putin is going to escalate the war and voila he gives Z $$$ while making the statements even before Putin strikes and next thing we know Putin is relentless in attacking Ukraine. Too much of a coincidence.
Neither side is completely innocent. Above all, I feel for the Ukrainian and Russian people who have been caught up in this web of politics and battles for years.
The event that 'encouraged' Putin to invade was Biden's debacle in Afghanistan and his betrayal of our NATO allies last summer.
Coincidence? There's not even a connection. Do you really believe Putin invaded Ukraine based on a statement Biden made? If so, what was that statement? Please post it.
When you see Ukraine engaging in the orderly destruction of civilian areas from Russian city to Russian city, the execution of Ukrainian civilians, the rape of Ukrainian women, and the forced relocation of the Ukrainian people into Soviet-style gulags, then please let me know. Until then, don't try to draw some type of moral equivalency between Ukraine's action and Russia's.
(https://gdb.voanews.com/03190000-0aff-0242-311c-08da43f6a682_cx0_cy10_cw0_w1597_n_r1_st_s.jpg)
If you go back and read my post, you will see that I stated, that Joe made comments about Putin getting ready to escalate the war. If you want a link -- here it is.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/18/us/politics/biden-ukraine-russia.html
If you are of the opinion that there is no connection and that Joe has no monkey in this war, so be it.
Enough said.
Quite frankly, I'm more interested in us NOT becoming more involved.
Ukrainian MacGyver shows his solution to firing 82mm mortar rounds from an RPG-7 using an axe and a flex for the modification. https://libreddit.manerakai.com/r/ukraine/comments/v4qk06/ukrainian_macgyver_shows_his_solution_to_firing/
Don't try this at home, kids.
https://twitter.com/agathaxgorski/status/1533060697382342657
Russia will expand the list of targets it will attack in Ukraine if Western countries send long-range weapons to Kyiv, President Vladimir Putin says.
The warning came as explosions shook parts of Kyiv on Sunday in the first assault on the capital city for weeks.
As if targeting women, children, the elderly, schools, churches, etc. isn't enough.
In other words, do nothing, and Kyiv gets hit. So what will be different if Ukraine receives long range weapons? I am sick of people cowering to this bully. To hell with Putin. Give Ukraine long-range bombers to flatten Belgorod and Bryansk. Then ask Putin, "Like me now, bitch?"
It is very frustrating to see people so easily manipulated by a dictator. The Russian military is not completely incompetent. They've seen how badly their military has performed and have no desire to get into a battle with NATO. Biden is a worthless, corrupt, govt. hack. He reacts to slowly and because of it things get worse than they should. Instead of sending medium range missiles to Ukraine he should send the missiles with the longer range so Ukraine can destroy bridges, train stations and arms depots.
After the annexation of Crimea, in 2014, Zinkivskyi started trying to speak some Ukrainian with a few friends. Now he has fully switched, and for the first time is also introducing political and patriotic themes into his art.
The language issue is something that comes up again and again in Kharkiv. Oleksandra Panchenko, a 22-year-old interior designer, said that since 2014 she had been trying hard to improve her Ukrainian, but conceded that she still often speaks Russian with friends.
However, she is adamant that by the time she has children, she will be fluent enough to speak only Ukrainian at home. “I grew up in a Russian-language family, my kids will grow up in a Ukrainian-language family,” she said.
Back in 2014, there were separatist rumblings in Kharkiv, with some people looking to the swift annexation of Crimea and wondering if all of eastern Ukraine might not be better off inside Russia. But eight years of observing the miserable conditions in the Russian proxy states of Donetsk and Luhansk dampened those feelings, and Russia’s invasion has almost entirely extinguished them.
Russia is “suffering huge losses” and losing hard-fought ground in the Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk after invading units started retreating from the key industrial center, Ukrainian officials asserted Saturday.
The dramatic turnabout, which could not be independently confirmed, represented a rare successful counter-offensive against Russian forces, which had recently been steadily advancing in Ukraine’s eastern territories.
It was the first time Ukraine claimed to have conducted a large counter-attack in Severodonetsk, a city of 100,000 and the last major municipality in the disputed Luhansk oblast under Ukrainian control, after days of losing ground in the country’s embattled east.
Russia had “previously managed to capture most of the city,” Sergiy Haidai, the governor of the Luhansk region said in a televised address Saturday, The Guardian reported. “But now our military has pushed them back.”
Later Saturday, Oleksandr Stryuk, the head of the city’s military operations, said that Ukrainian forces were able to build a line of defense in Severodonetsk, according to The Kyiv Independent.
Both sides of the war have claimed to have inflicted huge casualties in the fighting for the city — a battlefront that military experts believe could determine which of the two countries has the momentum for a prolonged war of attrition in coming months.
More at link.
Vladimir Putin 'loses his 11th general' in Ukraine war as defenders 'ambush his vehicle in Donbas'
WILL STEWART | 14:01 EDT, 5 June 2022 | UPDATED: 18:18 EDT, 5 June 2022
Vladimir Putin was today hit by the death of Russia’s 11th general in his bloody war with Ukraine.
Major-General Roman Kutuzov was the chief of staff of the 29th Combined Arms Army, according to reports.
His vehicle was ambushed by Ukrainians and he died in a fight in Donbas, say sources.
His death is the 11th general, but the first such high ranking army officer in more than a month.
In addition, at least 49 colonels have been killed in the war with Ukraine.
(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/05/18/58711693-10886971-image-a-52_1654450500012.jpg)
Major-General Roman Kutuzov (pictured) was the chief of staff of the 29th Combined Arms Army, according to reports
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10886971/Vladimir-Putin-loses-11th-general-Ukraine-war-defenders-ambush-vehicle-Donbas.html
Ukrainian MacGyver shows his solution to firing 82mm mortar rounds from an RPG-7 using an axe and a flex for the modification. https://libreddit.manerakai.com/r/ukraine/comments/v4qk06/ukrainian_macgyver_shows_his_solution_to_firing/Notice, he explained the detonator had been removed from the mortar round...what he is doing is a whole lot safer that way. :shrug:
Don't try this at home, kids.
Russians Renew Missile Attacks on Kyiv, Reportedly From 1,000 Miles Away
Russian forces on Sunday fired missiles at Kyiv for the first time since late April.
Not good. **nononono*
No, not at all
Ukrainian military says Russia launched 5 cruise missiles toward Kyiv: Russia “launched 5 X-22 cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea in the direction of Kyiv” at 6 a.m. local time on Sunday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said. One missile was destroyed by Ukraine’s air defense unit, and the rest hit “infrastructure facilities in the north of the Ukrainian capital,” the military said. Earlier, Vadym Denysenko, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said one military target and one civilian target were hit.
https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-06-05-22/h_962785a398f5215ff287fecb67ee2db7
No, not at all
Ukrainian military says Russia launched 5 cruise missiles toward Kyiv: Russia “launched 5 X-22 cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea in the direction of Kyiv” at 6 a.m. local time on Sunday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said. One missile was destroyed by Ukraine’s air defense unit, and the rest hit “infrastructure facilities in the north of the Ukrainian capital,” the military said. Earlier, Vadym Denysenko, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said one military target and one civilian target were hit.
https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-06-05-22/h_962785a398f5215ff287fecb67ee2db7
I think this is a message to Biden after sending long range missles to Ukraine.......reminding him to keep Zelensky's promise not to use them across the Russian border. We shall see.
I think this is a message to Biden after sending long range missles to Ukraine.......reminding him to keep Zelensky's promise not to use them across the Russian border. We shall see.
Speaking of invasions....Watch this whole 3:05 video
https://gettr.com/post/p1cwo074e42
I think this is a message to Biden after sending long range missles to Ukraine.......reminding him to keep Zelensky's promise not to use them across the Russian border. We shall see.
If so, the best response is to send the missiles today!
The best way to end the barbaric aggression of the Russians is to defeat them.
Yes,Ukraine/Russia needs to stop,butAND we need to secure our own country!!!
The two premises are independent of each other.
I think this is a message from Putin to show how much contempt he has for Ukrainians.
In the same light .... the best way to end the aggressive invasion at our border IS to defeat them as well. Just sayin'.
Yes, Ukraine/Ruissa needs to stop, but we need to secure our own country!!!
Most important of the TWO, is securing our own borders!! If we can spend billions on Ukraine/Russia war, we can spend billions on securing our own country!!!
:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:
In the same light .... the best way to end the aggressive invasion at our border IS to defeat them as well. Just sayin'.If we had an administration that could walk and chew gum at the same time, we could do both.
Yes, Ukraine/Ruissa needs to stop, but we need to secure our own country!!!
I think this is a message from Putin to show how much contempt he has for Ukrainians. Putin has bombed civilian population centers in Ukraine for 102 consecutive days. Today, Ukrainian women and children would have lost their lives to Russian artillery, bombs, rockets, and missiles regardless of what Biden did. Killing civilians and destroying Ukrainian population centers are what Putin does.
If so, the best response is to send the missiles today!
The best way to end the barbaric aggression of the Russians is to defeat them.
That is about the weakest response a poster could make. Find a different topic everyone agrees with and ignore the original discussion.
Good news; another Russian nazi shot dead:This sort of action is the Ukraine's best hope. Target any and all officers and noncoms to place the conscripts in disarray and to reduce morale. If someone shows any sign of knowing what they are doing, kill them.
Russian Wagner mercenary known as 'The Executioner' for butchering prisoners of war is shot dead by a Ukrainian sniper in latest blow to Putin's invasion
By Chris Pleasance for MailOnline
7 June 2022
A Russian mercenary who gained notoriety for butchering prisoners of war and civilians in the Donbas has been killed fighting in Ukraine.
Vladimir Andonov, 44, a fighter for the shadowy Wagner Group, was shot by a sniper near Kharkiv during a reconnaissance missions on June 5, Russian media says.
Andonov was known to Russians as 'Vakha' or 'the volunteer from Buryatia' after the region he was from, but to Ukrainians as 'the executioner' for massacres he helped carry out during Russia's first invasion of the country in 2014.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10891847/Ukraine-war-Russian-Wagner-mercenary-Vladimir-executioner-Andonov-killed-near-Kharkiv.html
No, it's not. We need every dime we have to stop this invasion. We can't afford both, so it's time to choose.We can afford both.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FUl6wtvWAAErNgP?format=jpg&name=small)
We can afford both.
Just stop paying for them to be shipped all over the US and slash the welfare benefits being used to lure them here. The savings would pay to complete and patrol the wall.
I am personally calling my Congressman and urging him to print another $100 Billion Dollars for 'you know' ... Ukraine and stuff, sort of. Hey! Let's print $1000 Billion Dollars for Ukraine! I advocate moving the U.S. Federal Mint directly to Ukraine. And to just print as much money as they want. Hell man, let's just give them all our money. Ukraine is the most important thing happening in America today!!
No, it's not. We need every dime we have to stop this invasion. We can't afford both, so it's time to choose.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FUl6wtvWAAErNgP?format=jpg&name=small)
Another silly response, change the topic because the side you are trying to defend (appeasement) really is not defensible.
Let's stick to the subject of Ukraine. Plenty of threads about the invasion we have at the southern border....
Nope. Not enough. Shoring up Ukraine is going to help destroy this country in more ways than one.How much are we (taxpayers) shelling out for thee incentivizing, admission, distribution, and support of the millions of illegals this administration is waving across the border?
How much are we (taxpayers) shelling out for thee incentivizing, admission, distribution, and support of the millions of illegals this administration is waving across the border?
One million illegals (already exceeded) times only $5,000.00 is five Billion dollars. That's enough to build the wall, and that's a lowball estimate of what we're shelling out just to get them in an apartment somewhere, not the ongoing cost to support them. The more the border is closed, the higher the savings with which to close the rest, and then we can send their asses home.
But, as you well know, a government that can 'afford' to print trillions it does not have can afford to do whatever it wants, and closing the border doesn't make the current management's to-do list.
If it did, a go fund me would pay the contractors to build it, even if they picked up the help at Home Depot.
Andonov was known to Russians as 'Vakha' or 'the volunteer from Buryatia' after the region he was from, but to Ukrainians as 'the executioner' for massacres he helped carry out during Russia's first invasion of the country in 2014.
@Smokin Joe you are correct; all the $$$ that is going to be spent caring for them once the are in our country will be unsustainable; medical, housing, food, etc.The seeds of our economic collapse have been sown in the absolute war on energy--energy crucial to producing, mining, manufacturing, processing and transporting everything but the lies on TV (and, actually, even those).
Combine that will the billions upon billions that we are giving to Ukraine, and it is a recipe for an absolute economic collapse.
The economic impact is one thing, the assault on our culture and our safety is going to be a whole other ballgame.
Obviously, you feel that the war between Ukraine and Russia is more important and our fight and the heck with securing our own country. Got it.
The EU should do this, not us.
I am personally calling my Congressman and urging him to print another $100 Billion Dollars for 'you know' ... Ukraine and stuff, sort of. Hey! Let's print $1000 Billion Dollars for Ukraine! I advocate moving the U.S. Federal Mint directly to Ukraine. And to just print as much money as they want.
One other thing I am growing more and more sure about every day is that if Russia isn't stopped NOW,and Putin removed from power, there WILL be another world war because getting away with this will only encourage them to go for more.
Obviously, you feel that the war between Ukraine and Russia is more important and our fight and the heck with securing our own country. Got it.
Good news; another Russian nazi shot dead:
Funny how all the nazis are fighting for Putin.
The seeds of our economic collapse have been sown in the absolute war on energy--energy crucial to producing, mining, manufacturing, processing and transporting everything but the lies on TV (and, actually, even those).
As those costs increase, the cost of all else will also, that increase enhanced by the inflationary pressure of trillions of dollars in money created for causes it will never go to, siphoned off to import and distribute illegal immigrants throughout the country, not starving children, but nearly all fit young men of military age. We are witnessing the greatest criminal enterprise in history in action, because all of it is stealing from us.
Not for one second does it matter where they say the funding is going, most of it will never get there--it will be skimmed off by the crooks and cronies of the current Administration here.
If our Southern Border is to be controlled, it will be because an overwhelming number of Americans will go there, and be ready to defend not only this country but their own backs against the likes of this regime, with whatever force is necessary. But I have little doubt that the Administration would call in air strikes and use armed drones with all the gadgets we have bought, not to defend the border against invasion, but to combat any ad hoc force of Americans who intended to do so.
It will be that ad hoc force, or a change in management that will stop that invasion, and nothing else.
Biden is one of the creators of this problem (with Obama), one from which we had hopes of a respite while Trump was in office, but renewed with greater vigor once Biden got in. No money sent to the border now will accomplish anything, and the current Executive Branch will see to that, even down to waging war on Americans defending our country. Just one more reason they want our guns.
In the meantime, there is the opportunity to aid the Ukrainians in the attrition of the Russian force structure, and taking advantage of that while the will is there to do so is unlikely to be a regrettable act, so long as we and NATO avoid direct involvement in combat with the Russians and we can keep our troops out of it, despite the ravings of the Puppet in Chief.
Funny how all the nazis are fighting for Putin.
Of course our own government would deter us from securing our own borders; it's been happening.If the Ukrainians are defeated, eventually we will be directly involved, because of our treaty obligations With NATO countries. But as a result of the present conflict the opposing forces would be short command and noncom elements lost in this conflict, along with the tremendous amount of equipment destroyed or captured so far in this conflict.
As for the Russo Ukraine war, I'm afraid that U.S. troops will eventually be directly involved.
If the Ukrainians are defeated, eventually we will be directly involved, because of our treaty obligations With NATO countries. But as a result of the present conflict the opposing forces would be short command and noncom elements lost in this conflict, along with the tremendous amount of equipment destroyed or captured so far in this conflict.
Here, at least, the Ukrainians are willing to fight for their country, and need to be supplied materiel, not manpower to do so, and I'm all for giving them the tools to fight.
@Right_in_Virginia
Close,but no cigar. ALL free states should join with our efforts to stop Neo-Soviet aggression by handing them their asses in a bucket.
EVERY nation and peoples who are free and who want to remain free should take part at whatever level,EXCEPT assault combat troops,to make sure the Neo-Soviets lose this war they started so badly that they are never tempted to try it again.
@sneakypete
What about Iran's aggression .... is this worth stopping? Or the hot mess in Syria....shouldn't we be actively securing freedom there, too?
@sneakypete
What about Iran's aggression .... is this worth stopping? Or the hot mess in Syria....shouldn't we be actively securing freedom there, too? And what about China and Taiwan? Sure looks like China's gearing up for some aggression there. Shouldn't we be mobilizing by now?
@Right_in_Virginia
Remind me which of those nations has the ability to start a world war?
Other than China,of course,and they are too busy doing stuff like replacing American workers with slave laborers earning less than minimum wage by doing stuff like building auto transmissions for GM .
I do not understand our obsession with Europe.
Clearly.
There's really no difference between the Middle East's lust for tribal warfare and Europe's ------
Every heard of those little things like nuclear weapons and soldiers that actually know how to read and write?
@Hoodat@sneakypete
Naw,it's just "stoopid Russian Macho Bush". Never met a Russian that didn't have an inferiority complex,for damn good historic reasons,and I have met more than a few. Oddly enough,this trait seems to pass through to at least two generations that are born in the west.
Yes,it IS "stoopid",but make no mistake about it,it is also extremely dangerous because these goobers just don't have enough common sense to know when to back off. All their lives they have been indoctrinated into "Defending Holy Mother Russia",and it is one of the very few things that was accepted by the authorities.
In Russia,and those who were born and who grow up in Russia,an inferiority comes at the moment of birth. I am going to play the 5 cent shrink here,and say it comes from every Russian but Royalty in all the history of Russia was born as a serf with no actual rights other than the right to die or be enslaved in a labor camp if they protest.
The typical westerner can't even begin to imagine the daily reality the typical Russian (AND Chinese) citizen grew up to accept as "just another day at the office". When I say they had a "lack of freedom",I mean a TOTAL lack of individual freedoms. They were nothing but tools of the state,and they didn't know any better than to accept that.
Any that didn't,immediately became an "enemy of the state" and most would spend the rest of their short lives in labor camps or as test subjects for medical research.
And the important,and damn near impossible part of this for a westerner to understand was they took this for granted and didn't see it as a big deal. They were flat-out OWNED by their Soviet Masters,and since they had no choice,accepted it as normal.
Royalty saw them all as nothing more than useful tools,and the Russian leaders still see them this way.
ANY western leader would be horrified by all the losses the Russians have suffered if they were their troops,but with the Russian leadership seeing their troops as nothing more than pawns,all it does is make them want to double-down. After all,THEY,personally are not threatened and are not going to be threatened in any way,even if the peons get fed up and decide to revolt. They will just get on their private jets or private yachts,and tool off to someplace with the billions they will steal/have stolen from the treasury.
And we ALL know that there is no such thing as a human being being so vile that Billions of dollars won't buy or rent them all the friends they need.
Hell,I wouldn't doubt that Putin has enough money stashed away in foreign bank accounts that there are several small nations he could just buy and then have a safe place to live.
I was actually thinking/hoping that the insanity attached to the massive losses of Russian troops would have already had him and the Politburo declaring victory and retreating back to Russia,but I now think this fool plans on the fighting going on until the last Russian soldier dies,if that is what it takes.
After all,there is NOTHING more important to the typical Russian male than his personal pride. Hell,it was practically the only thing the Soviet Masters allowed them to "own".
AND....,once again,THIS FORM OF SLAVERY HAS BEEN TRUE FOR THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE RUSSIAN NATION. It is/was literally the only way they knew to live.
I can only hope that foreign diplomats with trusted connections within the Politburo have been whispering 'Revolution" in their ears. These people no doubt have MASSIVE ego's,but if they weren't clever enough to have been obsessed with personal safety they would have never risen to the offices they now hold.
There has been plenty of whispers about Putin having bad health,and the time has come and passed for the movers and shakers in the Politburo to take him out of office,if for no other reason than to save themselves and their own positions,or POSSIBLY face another Russian Revolution.
After all,the typical Russian citizen of today is nowhere near as ignorant of world events and reality as their grandparents were,and it is the sons and fathers of these typical citizens that are doing all the fighting and dying,not the Politburo members or their relatives.
The worse part about this IMNSHO,is that they have been conditioned to be obedient to the system that even though they now KNOW they have been screwed for all of their history,it is hard to break the "obedient to authority" conditioning they have all grown up with.
One other thing I am growing more and more sure about every day is that if Russia isn't stopped NOW,and Putin removed from power,there WILL be another world war because getting away with this will only encourage them to go for more.
If they are invading neighboring countries, committing war crimes and atrocities, creating global insecurity, and threatening our allies, heck yes.
If the Ukrainians are defeated, eventually we will be directly involved, because of our treaty obligations With NATO countries. But as a result of the present conflict the opposing forces would be short command and noncom elements lost in this conflict, along with the tremendous amount of equipment destroyed or captured so far in this conflict.
Here, at least, the Ukrainians are willing to fight for their country, and need to be supplied materiel, not manpower to do so, and I'm all for giving them the tools to fight.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FUrP2m-XoAEZgFD?format=png&name=900x900)
:amen:
I don't know how many times in how many ways this has been said and still the pro-appeasement crowd doesn't want to understand it.
No one is suggesting not helping Ukraine with materials, but after spending, billions upon billions when does it end?
IF we continue to spend billions that we don't have, draw down on our own munitions and continue to leave our borders wide open, we will soon be fighting in our own backyards. If not because of those coming in are from areas of known terrorists meaning to do us harm and connecting with sleeper cells that are already here, then it will be because of complete economic collapse. Supporting the millions coming into this country is unsustainable.
Nonsense.
Nonsense.
(https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/scared-ostrich-burying-its-head-sand-concept-44635526.jpg)
Severodonetsk becomes a huge mass grave for Russian army and Kadyrovites
Иван Яковина | 7 June, 12:49 PM
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin needed propaganda success, so he demanded that his army capture the Luhansk Oblast. However, the city of Severodonetsk turned out to be a trap set by the Ukrainian military.
International observer Ivan Yakovina shared with Radio NV on June 6 what happened on the Luhansk axis over the past week, and how Russians have reacted to these developments. The following is an edited transcript of his briefing. . .. . . Putin needs a propaganda win, and therefore he wants his army to capture Lysychansk and Severodonetsk as soon as possible.
Since their encirclement (of Ukraine’s Joint Forces Operation) failed, Russia threw all its troops into a frontal assault, first on Severodonetsk.
This attack was quite successful. A few days ago, it was announced that 70-80% of Severodonetsk was captured, that the Ukrainian army was retreating, that it was evacuating across the Siverskyi Donets River to Lysychansk.
On June 4, reports began to appear that everything was not as bad as it seemed. And the day after, it became clear that the Ukrainian army had prepared an ambush there. . . .
https://english.nv.ua/nation/severodonetsk-as-huge-mass-grave-for-russian-army-and-kadyrovites-russia-invasion-of-ukraine-50248122.html
While I don't believe claims that this battle is a "decisive defeat" for Russia, it is clear that it has not been a success either. A few days ago, the talk was about how Ukraine would abandon Severodonetsk to avoid being surrounded as Russian troops made a swift advance into the city. Now we see Russian troops retreating.
@Kamaji
Replenishing US arms supplies a matter of ‘urgency’ amid huge shipments to Ukraine
The US is expected to amplify its military assistance to Ukraine in the coming days as the Senate is anticipated to pass a bill giving Kyiv billions of additional weapons and military assistance. But the sheer extent of US arms donations has sharply reduced its own supplies – and analysts warn it will take time to replace a lot of this equipment.
Washington has sent more than $3.5 billion worth of arms since Russia invaded – including Javelin anti-tank missiles, shoulder Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, M777 howitzer artillery pieces, and the novel Switchblade and Phoenix Ghost kamikaze-like drone systems. Now the $40 billion bill the House passed on Tuesday will take all this military assistance to another level after its expected passage through the Senate.
The new package includes $6 billion for defence assistance including weapons and training; $8.7 billion to replenish supplies of US military equipment Ukraine has already received; and an extra $11 billion in the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the White House to send emergency supplies without Congress’s green light. Much of the remaining money will go to non-military purposes like humanitarian assistance for refugees and economic help for Ukraine.
Concerns on Capitol Hill
The magnitude of these arms transfers to Ukraine has prompted questions about whether the US is depleting its stockpiles – especially given the need for contingency plans in case tensions with North Korea, Iran or even China spiral out of control.
Two senior House Armed Services Committee members have expressed concern about the US’s Stinger inventory running down. The Pentagon has not purchased any more of them in nearly two decades, while manufacturer Raytheon has warned it has finite supplies of the necessary parts.
The committee’s chairman, Washington Democrat Adam Smith, and its highest-ranking Republican, Mike Rogers of Alabama, wrote to Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley in March, saying that there was an “urgency” to the Stinger inventory issue.....
https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20220514-replenishing-us-arms-supplies-a-matter-of-urgency-amid-huge-shipments-to-ukraine
@Kamaji
Replenishing US arms supplies a matter of ‘urgency’ amid huge shipments to Ukraine
The US is expected to amplify its military assistance to Ukraine in the coming days as the Senate is anticipated to pass a bill giving Kyiv billions of additional weapons and military assistance. But the sheer extent of US arms donations has sharply reduced its own supplies – and analysts warn it will take time to replace a lot of this equipment.
Washington has sent more than $3.5 billion worth of arms since Russia invaded – including Javelin anti-tank missiles, shoulder Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, M777 howitzer artillery pieces, and the novel Switchblade and Phoenix Ghost kamikaze-like drone systems. Now the $40 billion bill the House passed on Tuesday will take all this military assistance to another level after its expected passage through the Senate.
The new package includes $6 billion for defence assistance including weapons and training; $8.7 billion to replenish supplies of US military equipment Ukraine has already received; and an extra $11 billion in the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the White House to send emergency supplies without Congress’s green light. Much of the remaining money will go to non-military purposes like humanitarian assistance for refugees and economic help for Ukraine.
Concerns on Capitol Hill
The magnitude of these arms transfers to Ukraine has prompted questions about whether the US is depleting its stockpiles – especially given the need for contingency plans in case tensions with North Korea, Iran or even China spiral out of control.
Two senior House Armed Services Committee members have expressed concern about the US’s Stinger inventory running down. The Pentagon has not purchased any more of them in nearly two decades, while manufacturer Raytheon has warned it has finite supplies of the necessary parts.
The committee’s chairman, Washington Democrat Adam Smith, and its highest-ranking Republican, Mike Rogers of Alabama, wrote to Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley in March, saying that there was an “urgency” to the Stinger inventory issue.....
https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20220514-replenishing-us-arms-supplies-a-matter-of-urgency-amid-huge-shipments-to-ukraine
I don't know how many times in how many ways this has been said and still the pro-appeasement crowd doesn't want to understand it.
OMG... stop, just stop.
This isn't Hitler marching through Europe. Hell, it isn't even Russia marching through Ukraine. It's an eight year old border conflict no one in Europe really cares about. The dirty little secret is no one there wants the Ukraine ----- not NATO, not the EU. All they want from this is a larger laudromat.
This is most certainly not our fight so stop, just stop, trying to turn this into an actual war with your flashbacks to the 1930s.
OMG... stop, just stop.
This isn't Hitler marching through Europe. Hell, it isn't even Russia marching through Ukraine. It's an eight year old border conflict no one in Europe really cares about. The dirty little secret is no one there wants the Ukraine ----- not NATO, not the EU. All they want from this is a larger laudromat.
This is most certainly not our fight so stop, just stop, trying to turn this into an actual war with your flashbacks to the 1930s.
So far we have spent nearly $50B on Ukraine.I thoroughly agree that something needs to be done about the Biden sponsored invasion of not just Texas, but the whole United States.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/05/17/ukraine-aid-bill-break-down/9674471002/?gnt-cfr=1
In Texas alone, they spend over 850M on illegals a YEAR! This isn't just a one time cost.
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/ag-paxton-illegal-immigration-costs-texas-taxpayers-over-850-million-each-year
I thoroughly agree that something needs to be done about the Biden sponsored invasion of not just Texas, but the whole United States.
However, with the blatant contempt this Administration has shown for the idea of actually upholding the Law and stopping this invasion, to the point it has violated the terms of the very Constitution by not only not protecting the states from invasion, but aiding and abetting the invaders, do any of us think for even one second that any monies appropriated for the purpose of enhancing border security will actually be spent on that mission?
It isn't happening. Short of an ad hoc army of Americans to defend our borders, those still trying to fulfill the mission they have sworn to do are without backup FROM THE HIGHEST LEVELS.
What is happening at the border is exactly what Biden & Co. have set up and desire.
This is treason, no other word for it.
And while practical tourists are held in solitary in the DC gulag, for setting foot in a building that theoretically they are part owners of, those who have no business crossing the border invade with impunity and support FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
At least a trickle of aid is getting to Ukraine, unlike the border towns of Texas and other states, and no matter how much money is pledged to secure the border, it just isn't happening, by orders form the top..
Hell, it isn't even Russia marching through Ukraine.
It's an eight year old border conflict no one in Europe really cares about.
The dirty little secret is no one there wants the Ukraine ----- not NATO, not the EU.
LOL...
A "border conflict" where they were invaded from the south, north and east in attempted to consume their entire country and replace its leadership with a Russian based government...
That's some "border conflict"...
just stop, trying to turn this into an actual war with your flashbacks to the 1930s.
Naked aggression executed by Putin, or by Hitler, what is the difference? NONE!!!
And in the meantime, Ukraine will be left in ruins. And the USA will be out $100 - 200 billion in taxpayer funds!
While there is no doubt there is a legacy link between Russia and the people living in the separatist Republics
or Russia's eye is on the natural resources and industry of the region
this confict is not the same as Hitler's wanton aggression.
Kiev had eight years to settle this separation
But after Minsk II fell apart in 2015
Kiev gave up negotiating with the region
(as did the EU)
and settled into seven more years of a relentless military assault of the region ---- giving Russia the opening it needed to take action.
Had it not been for the Trump presidency, Russia would have moved sooner.
So after eight years, In February Putin formally recognized the independence from Kiev of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics --- and here we are.
I also doubt Putin wants Ukraine .... at least not this Ukraine.
I say this with some confidence since no one does, including the EU and NATO.
Ukraine is clearly considered immaterial
The "legacy link" here is that there is over a century of contempt, aggression, persecution, starvation, forced relocation, rape, and murder by Russia against the people living in Ukraine.
La raison d’aller à la guerre.
Hitler invaded Ukraine for the expansion of territory, the vast farming, and for access to the Caucasian oil fields.
Putin Invaded Ukraine for the expansion of territory, the vast farming, and for access to Ukraine's oil and gas fields.
False. From Day One, Russia created "the separation", and has interfered every step of the way. At no point in the last eight years has Ukraine been given the opportunity "to settle", especially considering the presence of Russian troops on Ukrainian soil.
Minsk II (as well as Minsk I) fell apart because of Russian interference. Minsk I because of Russia arming pro-Russian forces inside of Ukraine that violated the cease fire with the Donetsk Airport attack, and Minsk II because Russia sanctioned phony elections in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea that were in violation of Ukraine law. So let's at least be honest about the cause of the Minsk agreement collapse before using that as a premise. Russia, Russia, Russia.
What is the point of negotiating with people that are incapable of keeping their word? Let's not forget that Russia was also a signatory to the Minsk agreements, but was already in violation of them before the ink was dry.
Ah yes, the EU. Let's not forget that Ukraine was already on track to join the EU, and it was Russia that sabotaged that by bribing Yanukovych in 2013. And let's not forget that it was the impeachment of Yanukovych that triggered Russia's 2014 invasion to begin with. Russia couldn't handle the fact that the Ukrainian people rejected their puppet leader, so they invaded Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk.
A lie. Russia had already been fully involved for over a year. The end of negotiations were because of Russian interference.
An admission from you that Russia has wanted to annex Ukraine from the beginning.
In word, yes. But one thing we have learned over the past nine years is that Vladimir Putin is a lying POS. And in action, it is quite clear that Putin is not recognizing any independence for anyone in Ukraine. Donetsk is a wasteland, its people slaughtered or driven into exile, its cities leveled. And the so-called Donetsk 'Republic' [sic] now has a Russian leader hand-picked by Putin. Seriously.
So no, there is no independence for any territory occupied by Russia. These occupied territories are undergoing a cultural and ethnic genocide where Ukrainians are removed, to be replaced by new Russians, with their land annexed into Greater Russia.
Putin only wants Russia to expand, and for Ukraine to cease to exist.
Ukrainians want Ukraine.
Hitler said the exact same thing. So did Stalin.
We aren't going to be fighting hand-to-hand in our back yards because we're supporting Ukraine with arms against the Russian nazis. There is no need for such silly hyperbole.
Gee, it's so bloody difficult finding out what's going on, with an entire Press corps that can be credibly accused of outright lying. Both "sides."
Two British fighters sentenced to death in separatist area, Russian state media says
Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, were detained in April before appearing in court in the separatist Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).
Andy Hayes | 9 June 2022 | 19:05, UK
(https://e3.365dm.com/22/06/768x432/skynews-soldiers-shaun-pinner_5799825.jpg)
Two Britons who were captured by Russian forces while fighting in Ukraine have been sentenced to death, state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti has said.
Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, have been accused of being mercenaries, another Russian news agency said.
They were captured in Mariupol in April during the intense fight for control of the port city, before appearing in court in the separatist Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).
It is understood they have admitted "training in order to carry out terrorist activities".
A third man, Moroccan national Saaudun Brahim, has also reportedly been sentenced to death.
The punishments were handed down by the DPR's supreme court, RIA said.
The men were found guilty of "mercenary activities and committing actions aimed at seizing power and overthrowing the constitutional order of the DPR", the Interfax news agency quoted a court official as saying. . . .
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-two-british-fighters-sentenced-to-death-in-separatist-area-russian-state-media-says-12630854
The "constitutional order of the DPR"? The occupational entity calling itself the DNP is headed by a Russian and has no Constitution. The two Brits were members of the Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade and were wearing that uniform when captured.
Stupid Russians. Who will surrender then? If you going to be killed anyway, take of some of them out with you. It also provides even more incentive to fight to the death. Russia's already bragged about hiring mercenaries. Just a we bit of hypocrisy?Exactly. Russia's Wegner Group doesn't count, even though touted as Mercenaries?
Gee, it's so bloody difficult finding out what's going on, with an entire Press corps that can be credibly accused of outright lying. Both "sides."
On a remote plain on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border the morning of Feb. 24, hundreds of paratroopers from Russia’s 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade boarded helicopters they thought were bound for a training ground in western Belarus.
But once the units were airborne, senior officers turned to the men to tell them that they were actually at war with Ukraine.
Instead of Grodno, they entered Ukrainian airspace on their way to Hostomel airport near the capital city of Kyiv.
“The troops were f*****g shocked, people turned gray, especially considering we took fire in the air,” said Nikita Ponomarev, a paratrooper later captured by the Ukrainians. . .
Putin undermined his own rationale for invading Ukraine, admitting that the war is to expand Russian territory
Bill Bostock
Fri, June 10, 2022
* Putin said on Thursday that the Ukraine invasion is about expanding Russian territory.
* Until now Putin had insisted that Russia was freeing Ukraine from so-called Nazis and preventing genocide.
* Putin said it was his destiny to "return and reinforce" Russia as the 17th-century ruler Peter the Great did.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said publicly for the first time Thursday that his invasion of Ukraine is about expanding Russian territory, as Western leaders have long maintained.
To date, Putin has justified the invasion by saying, baselessly, that he is preventing Ukraine and what he described as a neo-Nazi government from committing genocide against ethnic Russians. He has also said that NATO's eastward expansion threatens Russia's national security.
Speaking to students Thursday after visiting an exhibition about Peter the Great, Russia's first emperor credited with making the country a major power in the early 18th century, Putin compared himself to the ruler and said they were both destined to expand Russia.
* * *
Source: https://news.yahoo.com/putin-undermined-own-rationale-invading-093128419.html
In other words, it's nothing more than a sordid war of aggression to acquire Lebensraum. Putin is no more and no less than just another Nazi, bent on territorial aggression for nationalistic aggrandizement; just like Hitler.
In other words, it's nothing more than a sordid war of aggression to acquire Lebensraum. Putin is no more and no less than just another Nazi, bent on territorial aggression for nationalistic aggrandizement; just like Hitler.
In other words, it's nothing more than a sordid war of aggression to acquire Lebensraum. Putin is no more and no less than just another Nazi, bent on territorial aggression for nationalistic aggrandizement; just like Hitler.
@Kamaji
Nazis and Communists have ALWAYS been the same critter. Even they knew this,which is why they were allies at the beginning of WW-2.
Same critter,different uniforms.
In other words, it's nothing more than a sordid war of aggression to acquire Lebensraum. Putin is no more and no less than just another Nazi, bent on territorial aggression for nationalistic aggrandizement; just like Hitler.
KYIV, June 10 (Reuters) - Ukraine sought more help from the West on Friday, pleading for faster deliveries of weapons to hold off better-armed Russian forces and for humanitarian support to combat deadly diseases.
In Sievierodonetsk, the small city that has become the focus of Russia's advance in eastern Ukraine and one of the bloodiest flashpoints in a war well into its fourth month, further heavy fighting was reported.
To the south, the mayor of Mariupol - reduced to ruins by a Russian siege – said sanitation systems were broken and corpses were rotting in the streets.
"There is an outbreak of dysentery and cholera ... The war which took over 20,000 residents ... unfortunately, with these infection outbreaks, will claim thousands more Mariupolites," he told national television.
He called on the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to work on establishing a humanitarian corridor to allow remaining residents to leave the city, which is now under Russian control.
More at link.
Putin given 'urgent medical help' after falling ill while talking to military chiefs, Kremlin insider claims, with doctors advising him 'not to make any lengthy public appearances' (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10903627/Putin-given-urgent-medical-help-falling-ill-talking-military-chiefs.html)
Vladimir Putin has been advised by doctors not to make any 'lengthy' public appearances after he fell ill amid discussions with his military chiefs, a Kremlin insider has claimed.
The Russian President felt 'a sharp sickness, weakness and dizziness', while getting up from his desk following a recent video conference with advisers and military leaders, Telegram channel General SVR reported yesterday.
'The President needed urgent medical assistance,' claimed the channel which purports to have sources in the Kremlin and has made repeated claims over Putin's alleged medical problems, including cancer and Parkinson's disease.
Excerpted, more at link: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10903627/Putin-given-urgent-medical-help-falling-ill-talking-military-chiefs.html (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10903627/Putin-given-urgent-medical-help-falling-ill-talking-military-chiefs.html)
Well, perhaps Divine intervention is occurring??
In Kherson, misery under Russian occupation, hope over Ukrainian gainsKherson Oblast is pat of the general strategy to landlock Ukraine by seizing the Black Sea ports. All Ukrainian shipping would have to go through Russia, which would permit Russia to effectively control the prices of the commodities shipped. In short, Russia would be able to use that impoverishment of Ukraine as economic leverage to crush any opposition to seizure of the entire country by promising better treatment as part of the new Greater Russia (not that they'd get it).
Isabelle Khurshudyan and David L. Stern | June 12, 2022 at 2:00 a.m. EDT
KYIV, Ukraine — More than three months of occupation by Russian soldiers has left much of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region isolated, without access to basic medicines and cut off from Ukrainian cellphone and internet service.
The Russian tricolor flag is displayed at most of the main government buildings. There are whispers of a coming referendum that would formally make Kherson part of Russia, at least in the Kremlin’s eyes. The armed occupying forces patrol the streets, while the blasts of artillery shells crashing in the distance can be heard daily — signs of the ongoing fight between the Russian and Ukrainian militaries for control of the area.
Interviews by The Washington Post with people who live in Kherson, evacuated recently or are in regular contact with residents there painted a grim picture of prolonged life under occupation, in an area that marked Russia’s first major land grab of this war. More than 100 days have passed since Russian tanks rolled into the region from the neighboring Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow invaded and illegally annexed in 2014.
Stores and pharmacies have been closed during that time, and people don’t have access to money while their local Ukrainian banks and ATMs are not operating. There are markets with goods sold out of the trunks of cars — a scene one woman likened to the days after the fall of the Soviet Union. Supplies of medicines such as insulin and saline solution, which is used in everything from cleaning wounds to storing contact lenses, are critically low, she and others said.
“Very many people are in deep depression or suffering from nervous breakdowns,” said the woman, who asked to be identified as “Tatyana” . . .
(https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ZKAZPDBSQNHVBOC7K73WYFKJHU.jpg&w=767)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/06/12/ukraine-kherson-counteroffensive-russian-occupation/
Putin, the "liberator" [sic]. Not sure what Kherson Oblast has to do with Donbas.
Russia fires five-and-a-half ton Cold War-era missiles designed to destroy aircraft carriers at Ukrainian forces in the Donbas after running out of precision rockets, MoD says
It's a pity they used up their precision munitions bombing civilians.
Either they didn't have a very large stockpile to begin with or they expended wayyyyyy more of their precision munitions than they expected to.
Could be both. The political leadership, such as it is, was probably mislead about the current materiel inventory. They certainly were lied to about the condition of the rolling stock, which was evident by how many vehicles with tires failed because they were subject to dry rot and a lack of PM. They never even took them out for the occasional drive.
Old habits die hard. Russian Generals overselling their readiness so as not to get in trouble with the Central Committee.
I think we have that problem with our Pentagon...
Old habits die hard. Russian Generals overselling their readiness so as not to get in trouble with the Central Committee.
I think we have that problem with our Pentagon...The LCS class might have stopped with the prototypes otherwise.
Ukraine strikes back: Kyiv blasts military base 40 miles inside Russian border in early morning rocket attack
By WILL STEWART FOR MAILONLINE
14 June 2022
Ukraine is thought to have struck a military base 40 miles inside Russia in an early-morning missile attack.
Footage showed what appeared to be a missile trail in the sky over the town of Klintsy early Tuesday, accompanied by a plume of smoke rising from a nearby base.
Troops and helicopters then arrived to inspect what appeared to be a bomb crater, as local Telegram channels reported a fire spreading to a nearby apartment block.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10914343/Ukrainian-missile-hits-military-base-40-miles-inside-Russia.html
Glenn GreenwaldIf Biden hadn't been on a crusade to destroy the American petroleum industry, Russia would not be making money on oil and our domestic gasoline and diesel prices (and all that transports) would not be so high. As for the billions going God knows where, ask 'the big guy', no doubt there are lots of fingers in that pie, and likely he knows just where they are.
@ggreenwald
Three months into this war, Ukraine is ravaged. Russia controls major parts of E. Ukraine. Russia's oil profits are higher than ever. Ruble is strong. Much of the world rejected US/NATO policy. Billions in US funds: gone, who knows where. Untraced weapons are flooding the region.
The problem from the start was the obligatory moralism narrative didn't help decipher what policies would and wouldn't work. And that was as intended: there was so much to debate and question about US policy, but it was barred. Anyone who tried was maligned as a Russian stooge.
7:27 PM · Jun 14, 2022·Twitter Web App
If Biden hadn't been on a crusade to destroy the American petroleum industry, Russia would not be making money on oil and our domestic gasoline and diesel prices (and all that transports) would not be so high. As for the billions going God knows where, ask 'the big guy', no doubt there are lots of fingers in that pie, and likely he knows just where they are.
Dang right. And just think how much the Ruskies have made of confiscated Uke grain, at present grain prices.Yep, they are stealing it just like the Holodomor, as if that doesn't resonate among Ukrainians.
Dang right. And just think how much the Ruskies have made of confiscated Uke grain, at present grain prices.
This year, the ruble is the strongest currency in the World. Gee, how do you think that happened?? Let's see, Putin destroys Ukraine, wipes out most of their ability to export grain, but even with all the supposed sanctions against Russia, the ruble is strong. We're spending billions upon billion on the Ukraine as they continue to crumble. Meanwhile our economy is being destroyed.
The big picture IMO is both Putin and Joe & Company are profiting. Joe is able to continue to crush the U.S. economy while pushing for a fossil fuel free country which will completely wipe out our economy, creating the great "reset" all as planned. How much longer do you think that it's going to take before we see a recession or a depression, again shrinking the labor force. We'll continue to see bare shelves and people aren't going to be able to afford to feed their families.
I watched a news broadcast interviewing a gentleman on SS who is now eating every other day in order to afford his meds! Dead wrong that this is happening!!
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-ruble-currency-2022/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDmDhTDCSIk
We're spending billions upon billion on the Ukraine as they continue to crumble.
I hope " Volodymyr Grotskov" isn't his actual name,or his family will suffer.Russian Chieu hois?
President of the United States Joe Biden does not approve of the statements of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the U.S. leadership wants Ukraine to win the war with Russia.
It is reported by NBC News, citing its own sources.
According to a senior U.S. official, Biden considered that Austin and Blinken went too far in their statements regarding the armed confrontation between Russia and Ukraine.
The U.S. President is concerned that these statements could create unrealistic expectations and increase the risk of U.S. involvement in a direct military conflict with Russia.
More at link.
Defense Secretary Announces $1 Billion More in Ukraine Military Aid, Says U.S. to Stay Focused ‘for as Long as It Takes’
Kristina Wong 16 Jun 2022
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced another $1 billion in military aid for Ukraine on Wednesday, following the third meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a group of about 50 nations supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia.
“I’m especially pleased to be able to announce today that the United States will provide an additional $1 billion security assistance package for Ukraine,” Austin said at a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, where the members of the group met.
A portion of the $1 billion — $350 million — will come from the Pentagon’s existing stocks, and the remaining $650 million will come from the $40 billion that Congress passed for Ukraine security and humanitarian assistance last month.
Austin said the latest package of military aid includes guided multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) munitions, 18 more M777 howitzers and the tactical vehicles to tow them, and 36,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition. It also includes two additional Harpoon coastal defense systems and thousands of secure radios, night vision devices, thermal sights, and other optics.
Earlier this month, Biden authorized four High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) with guided MLRS munitions, Javelin anti-tank missiles, helicopters, counter-battery radars, and ammunition.
more
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/06/16/defense-secretary-announces-1-billion-more-in-ukraine-military-aid-says-u-s-to-stay-focused-for-as-long-as-it-takes/
Biden Dissatisfied With Blinken And Austin's Statements That Ukraine Should Defeat Russia
https://ukranews.com/en/news/863469-biden-dissatisfied-with-blinken-and-austin-s-statements-that-ukraine-should-defeat-russia-media (https://ukranews.com/en/news/863469-biden-dissatisfied-with-blinken-and-austin-s-statements-that-ukraine-should-defeat-russia-media)
QuoteThe U.S. President is concerned that these statements could create unrealistic expectations
If they actually follow through and send this aid ASAP it can turn the war in Ukraine's favor.
Joe Biden is a complete fool, demonstrating to the world why he has never made a correct foreign policy decision in over half a century. From the very beginning, he has already made up his mind that Russia will win, and every decision he has made since then has handicapped Ukraine's ability to defeat the invaders.
If they had sent this in February like they claimed, there would be a lot less Russian troops alive, and a lot more Ukrainian civilians alive.
If they actually follow through and send this aid ASAP it can turn the war in Ukraine's favor.
@bilo
Whoever populates the cabal that gives Slow Joe his marching orders will make sure the budget is approved,and then take bids from both sides to determine if they are delivered in time to make a difference.
If Ukraine can come up with enough "under the table cash",they will get them.
If Russia comes up with more under the table cash,Ukraine doesn't get them because there will be one delay after another until Ukraine is in Neo-Soviet hands.
The movers and shakers in the House and the Senate are pimping us out to the highest bidders.
Biden Dissatisfied With Blinken And Austin's Statements That Ukraine Should Defeat RussiaBiden told Austin, Blinken to tone down remarks supporting Ukraine: report
Biden told Austin, Blinken to tone down remarks supporting Ukraine: report
by Ellen Mitchell - 06/16/22 9:04 AM ET
President Biden told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in April to tone down their rhetoric in supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia, NBC News reported Thursday.
The pushback reportedly came after the Pentagon chief said the Biden administration wanted Ukraine to win the war against the Kremlin and that the U.S. wanted a weakened Russia that could not launch another attack.
The thing that ALWAYS fries my fritters about this crap is that it is ALWAYS the innocents that die,in AND out of uniform
It is even worse when civilians are being purposely targeted.
Ukraine war could last for years, warns Nato chief
My apologies for the rough translation. The appointed head of the Kherson occupation government was assassinated by Kherson locals.
У Херсоні підірвали автівку начальника колонії, який перейшов на бік росіян
РОМАН ПЕТРЕНКО — СУБОТА, 18 ЧЕРВНЯ 2022, 13:36
On Admiral Senyavin Avenue in Kherson, the car of the collaborator and head of the correctional colony Evgeny Sobolev exploded, the occupiers say that this is the work of "Ukrainian partisans".
Media write that the explosive device, which was attached to a tree, detonated on the car. The driver is still alive.
The Russian military announced the terrorist attack of Ukrainian partisans. . .
https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/06/18/7353239/
My apologies for the rough translation. The appointed head of the Kherson occupation government was assassinated by Kherson locals.
У Херсоні підірвали автівку начальника колонії, який перейшов на бік росіян
РОМАН ПЕТРЕНКО — СУБОТА, 18 ЧЕРВНЯ 2022, 13:36
On Admiral Senyavin Avenue in Kherson, the car of the collaborator and head of the correctional colony Evgeny Sobolev exploded, the occupiers say that this is the work of "Ukrainian partisans".
Media write that the explosive device, which was attached to a tree, detonated on the car. The driver is still alive.
The Russian military announced the terrorist attack of Ukrainian partisans. . .
https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/06/18/7353239/
Russian journalist's Nobel medal sells for $103.5m
5 hours ago
The Russian editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta has auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize medal for $103.5m (£84m).
Dmitry Muratov said all the money from the sale would go to help refugees from the war in Ukraine.
Muratov was co-awarded the peace prize in 2021 for defending freedom of expression in Russia.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-61879343
I hope that the person with the highest bid returns the medal to Muratov once the war is over.
Russian journalist's Nobel medal sells for $103.5m
5 hours ago
The Russian editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta has auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize medal for $103.5m (£84m).
Dmitry Muratov said all the money from the sale would go to help refugees from the war in Ukraine.
Muratov was co-awarded the peace prize in 2021 for defending freedom of expression in Russia.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-61879343
I hope that the person with the highest bid returns the medal to Muratov once the war is over.
@Hoodat
WOW! A public official,from freaking RUSSIA of all places,dares to stand up for truth in public,and even uses his own fortune to help those in another nation survive while trying to become free.
About 95 percent of the US Congress and Senate need to bow their heads in shame because not a single damn one of them have the sense of personal honor of this man in Russia.
Checkpoints, Disappearances, Interrogations: Life In Occupied Kherson
Olga SHYLENKO | June 21, 2022
Alyona Lapchuk spent weeks looking for her husband before she found out he was dead when his body turned up in a river in the Russian-occupied city of Kherson.
Speaking by phone to an AFP journalist in Europe, Lapchuk said her husband Vitaliy had gone missing after he was interrogated by Russian troops in Kherson, their hometown near Moscow-annexed Crimea.
The city in southern Ukraine, which had 300,000 inhabitants before the war, fell into Russian hands barely a week into the invasion and has since been virtually cut off from the outside world.
When the fighting began, Vitaliy Lapchuk, 48, was working in Kyiv and he rushed back home to join the city's territorial defence.
And on March 27, some three weeks after it fell, he simply disappeared.
Lapchuk, 54, said she repeatedly tried to call him but he never answered.
"I called again and again. Suddenly, the calls started being rejected, and I realised we had a problem," she told AFP from the safety of a new location inside Ukraine-held territory, without saying where.
Hours later, three cars marked with the letter Z -- the symbol used by Russian troops in Ukraine -- stopped outside her home and she went out to the gate.
The soldiers pulled her husband out of one of the cars, but she almost didn't recognise him because his face was drenched in blood.
Entering the house at gunpoint, they removed phones and laptops. All her husband was able to say to her was that they had promised him they "wouldn't lay a hand on the family".
Then they put a bag over the head of their eldest son, who is 34, and did the same to her and her husband.
"I will never forget the look on Vitaliy's face when those bags were put over our heads," she said.
"I never saw my husband's face again."
After being questioned, she says they were dumped under a bridge and when they took off the bags, she and her son were alone.
For more than two months, they heard nothing.
Then on June 9, she was told some fishermen had found his body at the bottom of a river, his feet weighed down with a rock. . . .
https://www.barrons.com/news/checkpoints-disappearances-interrogations-life-in-occupied-kherson-01655794207
The outcry shouldn't be about the amount of money being thrown around it should be about why isn't that money being used to procure weapons to kill the Russians.
Global Times
@globaltimesnews
China state-affiliated media
#GTGraphic: From a "corrupt nation" to the "beacon of democracy", all it takes is a word game by Western media. #UkraineCrisis @_ValiantPanda_
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FV2s3nnVEAADH6l?format=jpg&name=900x900)
The European Union granted candidate status to Ukraine on Thursday to become a member of the international body.
Ukraine said it came under “massive bombardment” Saturday from neighbouring Belarus, a Russian ally not officially involved in the conflict, as clashes were reported in the streets of the eastern city of Lysychansk.
Twenty rockets “fired from the territory of Belarus and from the air” targeted the village of Desna in the northern Chernigiv region, Ukraine’s northern military command said.
It said infrastructure was hit, but no casualties had yet been reported.
Belarus has provided logistic support to Moscow since the February 24 invasion, particularly in the first few weeks, and like Russia has been targeted by Western sanctions — but is officially not involved in the conflict.
“Today’s strike is directly linked to Kremlin efforts to pull Belarus as a co-belligerent into the war in Ukraine,” the Ukrainian intelligence service said.
The attack came ahead of a planned meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarussian counterpart and close ally Alexander Lukashenko in Saint Petersburg on Saturday.
Ukraine’s Western allies meanwhile will gather on Sunday at a summit of G7 leaders in Germany, during which Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to speak via video-link.
US President Joe Biden will be attending the G7 meeting and a summit of the NATO military alliance in Madrid next week.
Lysychansk under fire
The Western allies will take stock of the effectiveness of sanctions imposed so far against Moscow, consider possible new aid for Ukraine, and begin turning their eye to longer-term reconstruction plans.
The European Union offered a strong show of support on Thursday when it granted Ukraine candidate status, although the path to membership is long.
More at link.
The Hague (AFP) – Its first two decades have brought criticism and controversy but as the International Criminal Court marks its 20th birthday the Ukraine war is giving it a new impetus.
Since its founding Rome Statute entered force on July 1, 2002, the world's only permanent war crimes court has had a poor record of just five convictions.
The Hague-based ICC is also accused of focusing on African suspects and suffers from the absence of key countries like the United States, China, Russia and Israel.
But it remains the court of last resort for grave charges such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression, when member states are unable or unwilling to prosecute.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has made the international community realise the importance of the rule of law, says ICC prosecutor Karim Khan.
"If we don't hold on to the law today, I think there is very little hope for anybody's tomorrow," Khan told AFP.
"That growing realisation has been rendered more acute because of the events of the 24th of February and the events in Ukraine -- and I think it's long overdue."
The ICC will hold a special 20th anniversary conference on Friday, which it says is "an occasion for reflections on how well the ICC has met expectations".
And those expectations have always been high.
- 'Lofty goals' -
The ICC is the successor to the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals, when the post-war international order sought an ideal of global justice.
More at link.
Russia will deliver missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads to Belarus in the coming months, President Vladimir Putin has said as he received Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
“In the coming months, we will transfer to Belarus Iskander-M tactical missile systems, which can use ballistic or cruise missiles, in their conventional and nuclear versions,” Putin said in a broadcast on Russian television at the start of his meeting with Lukashenko in St Petersburg on Saturdays.
Putin has several times referred to nuclear weapons since his country launched a military operation in Ukraine on 24 February, in what the west has seen as a warning not to intervene. Lukashenko said last month that his country had bought Iskander nuclear-capable missiles and S-400 anti-aircraft anti-missile systems from Russia.
The development came on the eve of a meeting of G7 leaders in Germany on Sunday, to be hosted by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the Bavarian alps, which is set to be dominated by Ukraine and its far-reaching consequences, from energy shortages to a food crisis.
The G7 leaders are expected to seek to show a united front on supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary and cranking up pressure on the Kremlin – although they will want to avoid sanctions that could stoke inflation and exacerbate the global cost-of-living crisis.
More at link.
Ukraine will get 18 patrol boats to help defend its waterways and ports in the latest tranche of U.S. military aid, a senior defense official said Friday.
The 18 boats include two 35-foot riverine craft, six 40-foot maritime combat craft boats and ten 34-foot Dauntless Sea Ark patrol boats, the official said.
The boats are part of a $450 million package announced Thursday by the Biden administration and are “largely to protect the riverways,” the official said. They were requested by the Ukrainian government to help it maintain access to its rivers and “close-in coastal areas.”
More at link.
Russian-installed Kherson official killed in bomb blast
June 24, 2022 | 6:22 AM EDT
LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - A senior official in the Russian-installed administration of Ukraine’s occupied Kherson region was killed in an apparent assassination on Friday, the deputy head of the administration told Reuters.
Dmitry Savluchenko, head of the families, youth, and sports department of the Kherson Military-Civilian Administration, was killed in a bomb blast.
Russia's TASS news agency said there were two burnt-out cars in a courtyard of Kherson, the regional capital where the blast took place, and that the windows of one four-storey house had been shattered.
An adviser to the Ukrainian governor of Kherson told Ukraine's public news network Suspilne that the assassination was the "successful work of partisans" directed by Ukraine's armed forces. . .
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-installed-kherson-official-killed-bomb-blast-2022-06-24/
Russia promises Belarus Iskander-M nuclear-capable missiles
Russia will send nuclear capable short-range missile systems to its ally Belarus in the coming months, President Vladimir Putin has said.
He said Iskander-M systems "can fire ballistic and cruise missiles, both conventional and nuclear types".
The systems have a range of up to 500km (310 miles).
Tensions between Russia and the West have escalated, following President Putin's decision to invade Ukraine on 24 February.
Mr Putin has made several references to nuclear weapons since then, which some have interpreted as a warning to Western countries not to intervene.
Speaking in St Petersburg, Mr Putin said Russia would help to modify Belarusian Su-25 warplanes so that they could carry nuclear weapons, in response to a query from Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko.
Meanwhile several explosions were reported in Kyiv on Sunday morning, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
"Ambulances and rescuers are on site. In two buildings, the rescue and evacuation of residents is under way," he added.
AFP news agency reported that a residential complex in the city had been hit.
On Saturday Ukraine said Russian forces had "fully occupied" the key eastern city of Severodonetsk, following weeks of fierce fighting.............
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61938111
Russia promises Belarus Iskander-M nuclear-capable missiles
Russia will send nuclear capable short-range missile systems to its ally Belarus in the coming months, President Vladimir Putin has said.
He said Iskander-M systems "can fire ballistic and cruise missiles, both conventional and nuclear types".
The systems have a range of up to 500km (310 miles).
It doesn't mean he's given Belarus actual nukes, but if a nuke hits Kyiv from there it will be deep schitt.The obvious retaliatory target would be in Belarus, not Moscow. So, if Russia 'accidentally' ships a nuke, well, oops. If we had a real president, he'd make sure the consequences of any such 'oversight' would be dire, and it would be known.
It doesn't mean he's given Belarus actual nukes, but if a nuke hits Kyiv from there it will be deep schitt.
The obvious retaliatory target would be in Belarus, not Moscow. So, if Russia 'accidentally' ships a nuke, well, oops. If we had a real president, he'd make sure the consequences of any such 'oversight' would be dire, and it would be known.
@Smokin JoeI am not so sure the Chinese would ante up much for that. Gotta be Russia Russia Russia...
Not to worry,I am positive Biden and his handlers are already taking bids to not intervene.
Scenes of Horror as Putin Hits Mall With ‘1,000 People’ Inside
Shannon Vavra
Mon, June 27, 2022 at 10:14 AM
Russia fired a series of rockets at a shopping center in Kremenchuk, Ukraine, on Monday, raising alarm bells that Russia is stepping up its attacks on civilian structures regardless of the loss of life.
AFP News Agency
@AFP
Russia offensive can end as soon as Ukraine surrenders: Kremlin
"Video of the factory after the Russian missile strike."
AFP News Agency
@AFP
Russia offensive can end as soon as Ukraine surrenders: Kremlin
6:42 AM · Jun 28, 2022 TweetDeck
Either the author doesn't understand why people fight wars, or he/she/it simply wants Russia to subjugate the entire country soon-to-be formerly known as Ukraine. Being a French news source, it could be either. There's a reason rational people call the French "cheese eating surrender monkeys."
We could have avoided the Civil War by simply caving in to the Democrats and let them keep their slaves. The War of 1812 could have been avoided it we simply said, "You know, you're right! We can't cut this running our own country's business. Please enjoy the marshmallow roast at our Capitol building."
The post I'm quoting is an example of this, and it requires zero brains to just type it out on a website.
'Our relationship is on pause': Ukraine's first lady on coping with personal strain of war
CNN's Christiane Amanpour speaks with Olena Zelenska, Ukraine's first lady and wife of President Volodymyr Zelensky, about how like so many Ukrainian families, the Russian invasion has forced them to live apart for so long.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FWcaUSwVsAEQhRN?format=jpg&name=small)
CNN Video (https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2022/06/28/ukraine-first-lady-olena-zelenska-relationship-sot-intv-amanpour-intl-ldn-vpx.cnn):
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FWcaUSwVsAEQhRN?format=jpg&name=small)
CNN Video (https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2022/06/28/ukraine-first-lady-olena-zelenska-relationship-sot-intv-amanpour-intl-ldn-vpx.cnn):
Sometimes spouses of politicians should just not say anything. I'm sure things are tough right now, but the men and women on the front lines fighting the invaders have it a whole lot worse."On pause" doesn't mean she is changing channels. It's like Mrs. Joe and I did for decades, when I was out on a job. She ran the household, I went out to a well and made money.
"On pause" doesn't mean she is changing channels. It's like Mrs. Joe and I did for decades, when I was out on a job. She ran the household, I went out to a well and made money.
Then we picked up when I got back. Well, except for the last time.
Russian troops abandon Ukraine’s strategic Snake Island
By Emily Crane
June 30, 2022
Invading Russian troops were forced to flee the strategic Black Sea outpost of Snake Island on speedboats Thursday, in a major victory for Ukraine.
Snake Island, which Russia seized on the first day of its invasion, made international headlines after Ukrainian border guards stationed there told an invading Russian warship to “go f–k yourself.”
“KABOOM! No Russian troops on the Snake Island anymore. Our Armed Forces did a great job,” Andriy Yermak, head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office, tweeted.
* * *
Source: https://nypost.com/2022/06/30/ukraine-claims-back-snake-island-after-russia-retreats/
Ukraine Has Exposed Russia as a Not-So-Great Power
The Atlantic by Phillips Payson O’Brien 7/1/2022
Kyiv’s success against Moscow forces us to reexamine our assumptions about what it means to be powerful.
Joe Biden: Drivers Must Pay More for Gas ‘As Long as It Takes’ to Stop Vladimir Putin
Breitbart, Jun 30, 2022
President Joe Biden said Thursday that American drivers should be prepared to pay more for gasoline until Russian President Vladimir was defeated in Ukraine.
“How long is it fair to expect American drivers and drivers around the world to pay a premium for this war?” one reporter from the New York Times asked the president during his press conference in Europe.
“As long as it takes, so Russia cannot in fact defeat Ukraine and move beyond Ukraine,” Biden said. “This is a critical, critical, position for the world.”
The president blamed high gas prices on Russia, despite his policy efforts to restrict oil and gas production in the United States.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8PpWXCtjjo&t=5111s&ab_channel=TheWhiteHouse
What does Slow Joe know about gas prices? He hasn't spent his own money on anything since he left college and entered politics.Whaddya mean? Hunter was on the BOD of a Gas Company!
Screengrab
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FWrzlGKXoAACuj3?format=jpg&name=large)
QuoteJoe Biden: Drivers Must Pay More for Gas ‘As Long as It Takes’ to Stop Vladimir Putin
Biden 'believes' all the crap he is told by his handlers, the real power doing all of this. But he has no mental faculties to dispute anything. They tell him what to do and what to say and what to believe and he just does it, like a child. Biden has no idea what is going on around him. He is a blank robot doing whatever he is programmed to do by the people controlling him.
If Biden wanted to stop Putin, he would do everything in his power to bring gas prices down. Biden is both a liar and a fool.
Whaddya mean? Hunter was on the BOD of a Gas Company!
All he needs to know is what happened to his cut.
NEXTA
@nexta_tv
· Mar 20
Ukrainian media report that the wife of former MP Kotvytskyy tried to take $28 million and 1.3 million euros out of #Ukraine via #Zakarpattya.
The money was found by the #Hungarian border guards and forced to declare it.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FOUXrz9XsAge_m8?format=jpg&name=medium)
Joe Kent for WA-3
@joekent16jan19
Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you, the liberal world order -
8:14 AM · Jul 2, 2022 Twitter for iPhone
@Smokin JoeNaturally. He is just another grifter.
He knows he got "his" 10 percent,and that was all he cared about.
American tax dollars at work.
How so?
$28M USD in just that heist alone..... Think that U.S. currency was donated (underwritten?) by a benevolent friend?
Again, how is this US tax dollars at work?
Sorry....
I guess this $28M USD appeared out of thin air...... :cool:
For the third time, how is this US tax dollars at work?
And for the 3rd time, I am trying my best not to call you naive.
You are a good guy otherwise.
So you are making a claim with zero evidence? Perhaps you are the naive one here.
Okay, provide me a plausible source of $USD funds.
From a fleeing politico no less.......
Who beside the US Government would be able to move that volume of (cough cough) $USD?
That's not how it works. You are the one making the claim here, not me. And it is clearly a claim that you cannot back up.
Going out on a limb for a moment by assuming this story is true (with zero evidence), and considering that Kotvytsky has been a businessman in Ukraine for quite some time, it would be highly probable that his business profits could be the source of this alleged (and unproven) discovery.
Now the facts. His wife Anastasia Kotvitskaya was eight month pregnant at the time. Yet in the photos accompanying this story, she shows no sign of pregnancy. How did she pull that one off? Also, she is caught violating Hungarian law, yet the Hungarian government gives her a do-over, allows her to declare the money before giving it all back to her? Yeah, right. And lastly, there is zero follow-up. Not a single mention of this since this story 'broke' over three months ago.
So where does that leave us? Not only can you not prove that US taxpayer dollars were involved, you can't even prove that this even happened.
So you still have zero evidence that US tax dollars were involved in an alleged unproven event.
And the Ukranian politcal machine is pure as snow based on your continuous line of non-sequiturs.
So you still have zero evidence that US tax dollars were involved in an alleged unproven event.
@Hoodat
Just out of curiosity,just where do YOU think all those crisp,new 100 dollar bills came from?
@sneakypeteQuoteDon't you think we should first find out what they represent?
@Hoodat
Money always represents power and wealth.QuoteSomeone took a photo of suitcases full of money, and then posted it along side a picture of Kotvytskyy's non-pregnant wife - the same wife who allegedly gave birth a couple of weeks after this story was posted. The story would have more credibility if there was a single follow-up story to this posted anywhere. Maybe a story where the Hungarian government levied a fine for violating customs laws. Or where his wife was living large on the South coast of France. But no such story exists. Only this one uncorroborated hit piece from three months ago.
I agree. It just doesn't add up.
QuoteBy the way, $28 million in $100 bills would weigh over 600 pounds. That's a heck of a lot of weight for a woman who is eight months pregnant to schlep across the border.
I agree,but AFAIK,no one is claiming SHE was actually carrying the suitcases around herself. You just don't see wealthy women even carrying a suitcase with clothes in it. That is what minions are for.QuoteEven a skunk can smell bullshit here.
There does seem to be a lot of it that is questionable.
Michael Tracey
@mtracey
In another strategic victory for Ukraine, Russia has seized the entire Luhansk province
10:17 AM · Jul 3, 2022·Twitter Web App
Michael Tracey
@mtracey
In another strategic victory for Ukraine, Russia has seized the entire Luhansk province
10:17 AM · Jul 3, 2022·Twitter Web App
Quite a transition in the rhetoric here. Russia is now considered an invader and conqueror. Quite a contrast with that 'Putin is a liberator and protector' bullshit we've been fed since February.
Michael Tracey
@mtracey
In another strategic victory for Ukraine, Russia has seized the entire Luhansk province
10:17 AM · Jul 3, 2022·Twitter Web App
Russia has seized the entire Luhansk province
cc: @sneakypete
@Right_in_Virginia
And it only took them how many months to do this?
And how many Russian soldiers,Russian Generals,Russian tanks,and Russia ships did it cost them to accomplish this great feat?
@Right_in_Virginia
And it only took them how many months to do this?
And how many Russian soldiers,Russian Generals,Russian tanks,and Russia ships did it cost them to accomplish this great feat?
@Right_in_Virginia
And it only took them how many months to do this?
And how many Russian soldiers, Russian Generals, Russian tanks, and Russia ships did it cost them to accomplish this great feat?
And then there's the question of holding on to it.
Holding onto it? Nonsense. Putin is a "liberator" and a "protector". 'Seizing' and 'Holding' are not part of his MO.
thebradfordfile
@thebradfordfile
We should be electing people to congress who are more interested in saving their own country than laundering billions in Ukraine.
@Right_in_Virginia
And it only took them how many months to do this?
And how many Russian soldiers,Russian Generals,Russian tanks,and Russia ships did it cost them to accomplish this great feat?
thebradfordfile
@thebradfordfile
We should be electing people to congress who are more interested in saving their own country than laundering billions in Ukraine.
5:11 PM · Jul 4, 2022·TweetDeck
The Ukrainians are paying a terrible price trying to preserve their sovereignty but to their credit they have shown no willingness to quit. As long as they are willing to fight it's in our best interest to give them the weapons to do so.
Not enough!
Russia is the evil invader in this war. In the long term the only answer is to push them out of Ukraine. Anything less and you are inviting further aggression in the future. The Ukrainians are paying a terrible price trying to preserve their sovereignty but to their credit they have shown no willingness to quit. As long as they are willing to fight it's in our best interest to give them the weapons to do so.
Not the point @sneakypete Not even close to it. :shrug:
@Right_in_Virginia
May not be "the point",but it IS "the facts".
BUT.....why don't you fill me in on what the point is?
I did, Pete.
https://twitter.com/OlegNikolenko_/status/1545343909991223296
The world has lost a much needed voice of reason and courage. May he RIP.
The Economist: You met with Vladimir Putin some 27 times. What advice would you offer on dealing with Putin now?
Abe Shinzo: I don’t think there are many options left in this situation. There are lots of ways to analyse Putin’s character, but I think he is someone who believes in power and is a realist at the same time. He is not the type of person who pursues ideals, or makes sacrifices for ideas.
Before the invasion, when they had surrounded Ukraine, it might have been possible [to avoid war]. If [Ukrainian president Volodymyr] Zelensky could have been made to promise that his country will not join nato, or made to grant a high degree of autonomy to the two enclaves in the east. I understand this would be hard to do—perhaps an American leader could have done it. But of course [Zelensky] would refuse.
However, now that we are here, I think the only way forward is to stand with Ukraine and thoroughly oppose Russia’s aggression.[ That is the way to protect the international order that we have created since the end of World War II.
https://www.economist.com/AbeInterview
Here's what Abe actually said in context:
Election Wizard 🇺🇸
@ElectionWiz
BREAKING: US has approved a $400 million security package for Ukraine, per a senior defense official:
• 4 additional HIMARS + ammo
• 3 tactical vehicles
• 1000 precision 155mm artillery rds
• Counter-battery systems, demo munitions, and spare parts
1:36 PM · Jul 8, 2022·
So when does this blank check for Zellenski end?As Shari Lewis sang, "This is the song that never ends. It just goes on and on, my friend ..."
So when does this blank check for Zellenski end?
When aging cold war veterans finally stand down.
(https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/digital-images/org/d39b4732-981e-4782-b2fc-c6aa91856682.JPG)
First time for Blumenthal in a war zone, I understand.
So when does this blank check for Zellenski end?
(https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/digital-images/org/d39b4732-981e-4782-b2fc-c6aa91856682.JPG)
First time for Blumenthal in a war zone, I understand.
So when does this blank check for Zellenski end?More to the point, promised, approved, earmarked, etc. are not DELIVERED, where that equipment can make a difference.
More to the point, promised, approved, earmarked, etc. are not DELIVERED, where that equipment can make a difference.
https://twitter.com/olex_scherba/status/1543689118814797825
Election Wizard 🇺🇸
@ElectionWiz
BREAKING: US has approved a $400 million security package for Ukraine, per a senior defense official:
• 4 additional HIMARS + ammo
• 3 tactical vehicles
• 1000 precision 155mm artillery rds
• Counter-battery systems, demo munitions, and spare parts
1:36 PM · Jul 8, 2022·
So when does this blank check for Zellenski end?
In this case they are quoting the value of the weaponry being sent.
I have no problem giving weapons to Ukraine to kill the Russians. The sooner Russia collapses the better it is for the world.
I'd be asking where the $40 billion is going since the Ukraine military is receiving only a very small fraction of it.
I fully agree, I'd like to see Russia and Putin die. Just why won't EU nations better off than us economically foot the bill.
Again, I might sound like a broken record, but we are $31T in debt., and approaching 130% debt to GDP ratio Botton line Bilo... We are broke.
We've been broke for a long time. The debt is not going to be paid off, it might be monetized if inflation runs long enough. Once the Fed started quantitative easing the monetary system was locked into a downward spiral. I don't think it will be in my lifetime, but at some point in the future a new currency will be created and all those holding govt. treasuries will be out of luck.
As long as Ukraine is willing to do the fighting I'm all for giving them the tools to do it. Among the positives of Ukraine defeating Russia are Russia's collapse. Once Russia falls we have no need for NATO. I would happily see us end that organization and bring our soldiers home. Our future is to the North and South.
Vladimir Putin is enlisting convicted murderers and jailed spies to fight on the front line in his war in Ukraine, it has been revealed.I think we already saw this movie.
I think we already saw this movie.
(http://www.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/styles/full/public/image/dirty-dozen-the-1967-001-jim-brown-telly-savalas-john-cassavettes-donald-sutherland-black-white.jpg?itok=knhXlRVf)
I think we already saw this movie.
(http://www.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/styles/full/public/image/dirty-dozen-the-1967-001-jim-brown-telly-savalas-john-cassavettes-donald-sutherland-black-white.jpg?itok=knhXlRVf)
(https://media.gab.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1312.5,quality=100,fit=scale-down/system/media_attachments/files/110/669/284/original/8863b13a39de0553.png)
Again, I might sound like a broken record, but we are $31T in debt., and approaching 130% debt to GDP ratio Botton line Bilo... We are broke.
9999hair out0000 Stop the absurd and continuous flow of money to the Ukraine ad secure OUR darn border instead!!!
I think we already saw this movie.
(http://www.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/styles/full/public/image/dirty-dozen-the-1967-001-jim-brown-telly-savalas-john-cassavettes-donald-sutherland-black-white.jpg)
The claim in the Tweet is not accurate. We have not sent more money to Ukraine to secure their border than the amount Trump asked for to secure our own. Our government is spending billions in the name of Ukraine. But a pittance of that goes towards Ukraine border security. Why not go after the 99% instead of complaining about the 1%?OK? So what? If they had given Trump the money to "secure America" instead of Ukraine, the grift would still exist. Trump knew that. So, do we want to spend the grift in Ukraine? Or do we want to spend the grift and the gain in America? Your answer is empty and void.
OK? So what? If they had given Trump the money to "secure America" instead of Ukraine, the grift would still exist. Trump knew that. So, do we want to spend the grift in Ukraine? Or do we want to spend the grift and the gain in America? Your answer is empty and void.
OK? So what? If they had given Trump the money to "secure America" instead of Ukraine, the grift would still exist. Trump knew that. So, do we want to spend the grift in Ukraine? Or do we want to spend the grift and the gain in America? Your answer is empty and void.
<sigh>Well of course! And the American grift wouldn't be spent on the wall. Trump knew that. Which is why he asked for 10X the amount actually needed. The point is the remaining amount after the politicians steal their cut. I am asking, do you want the remaining amount after the thieving politicians raid it to go to America or to Ukraine? Since the same one/tenth scale will apply to the wall or to Ukraine, I prefer American border security get the leftovers. Something is better than nothing.
Again for the umpteenth time, the grift isn't being spent in Ukraine.
Well of course! And the American grift wouldn't be spent on the wall. Trump knew that. Which is why he asked for 10X the amount actually needed. The point is the remaining amount after the politicians steal their cut. I am asking, do you want the remaining amount after the thieving politicians raid it to go to America or to Ukraine? Since the same one/tenth scale will apply to the wall or to Ukraine, I prefer American border security get the leftovers. Something is better than nothing.
I am asking, do you want the remaining amount after the thieving politicians raid it to go to America or to Ukraine?
Since the same one/tenth scale will apply to the wall or to Ukraine
I prefer American border security get the leftovers.
AMERICA FIRST. We need to secure our own borders period. This shouldn't even be an issue still, but it is. Shameful.
AMERICA FIRST. We need to secure our own borders period. This shouldn't even be an issue still, but it is. Shameful.
See Logical Fallacies: False Dilemma
Well, why don't you mosey on up to D.C. and suggest to the president that he do so.
See Logical Fallacies: False Dilemma
Why don't you mosey on down to the border and take a gander and then report back! Be sure to make an appointment with border patrol so that they can give you a first hand tour.
It is not a choice of either/or, both need to be addressed ...That may be the question. Why is Ukraine solely up to the USA to "address"?
That may be the question. Why is Ukraine solely up to the USA to "address"?
I live in America. America is my first concern. I don't give a single solitary SHIT about Ukraine. Sure it is bad. Sure it is a shame. But why is it MY problem. Let Europe sort it out. Why is America (halfway across the globe) flying in with Trillions of our dollars to save Ukraine while deliberately and intentionally ignoring America and American interests. F**K Europe. It is their problem for them to fix. This has nothing to do with America.
Are there British troops in Ukraine? or Spanish, or French? NO! How is it America's responsibility to fix Europe. Let them sort it out. F**k all of this bullshit!
That may be the question. Why is Ukraine solely up to the USA to "address"?
Because isolationism worked so damned well the last couple of times it was tried.And it has worked so well in every country in which America intervened. Such as Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and a dozen others. America's documented history on intervention is that they only make things much worse, spend billions of dollars, and then bail at the last minute leaving hundreds of thousands of people hanging.
I live in America. America is my first concern. I don't give a single solitary SHIT about Ukraine. Sure it is bad. Sure it is a shame. But why is it MY problem!? Let Europe sort it out. Why is America (halfway across the globe) flying in with Trillions of our dollars to save Ukraine while deliberately and intentionally ignoring America and American interests. F**K Europe. It is their problem for them to fix. This has nothing to do with America.
And it has worked so well in every country in which America intervened. Such as Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and a dozen others. America's documented history on intervention is that they only make things much worse, spend billions of dollars, and then bail at the last minute leaving hundreds of thousands of people hanging.
From a $40 billion aid package, our government is divvying out chunks of cash to other countries like Turkey, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Germany, etc., in under the guise of "Ukrainian aid". Yet not a word of complaint about any of that. I wonder why? And then there's all that State Dept largess that allows them to replenish their caviar stocks at all their embassies around the world. And the DoD money that they are using to replenish the existing stocks of 30-year-old Soviet equipment that we are now handing off to Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Estonia, etc., with brand new US equipment. Yet not a peep of complaint about that. The only thing here that brought up any protest at all was the announcement - not the actual delivery, but the announcement of $0.4 billion in weapons being shipped to the Ukraine military which will be used to destroy ten times that amount in Russian equipment.
And it has worked so well in every country in which America intervened. Such as Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and a dozen others.
OK, so we are back to WWII now? That was a straight anomaly from God. WWII is gone and will never return. That America, that world, does not exist anymore. WWII was the very last American victory over anything, and it will never happen again.
And it has worked so well in every country in which America intervened. Such as Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and a dozen others. America's documented history on intervention is that they only make things much worse, spend billions of dollars, and then bail at the last minute leaving hundreds of thousands of people hanging.
First, there is nobody here who thinks that the Southern Border is not a disaster and that something should be done about it, but the only person who can effectively do something about it is Biden, who has chosen not to do anything about it.
Accordingly, your complaints should be addressed to him, not to anyone here.
Secondly, as @Hoodat so kindly points out, you are persistently engaging in the logical fallacy of ginning up a false dilemma. It is not a choice of either/or, both need to be addressed, and you have gone beyond the point of charity with your fixation on that false dilemma.
So, no, you can mosey on up to the White House and address your false dilemma to the person who could do something about it, and stop pretending that you are so much more moral than everyone else here who doesn't see things exactly the same way you do.
False dilemma? Definitely not and no, I have NEVER pretended to be more moral than anyone else. Stop antagonizing and pointing fingers; look at yourself. This thread seems to get hijacked by you with your attacks on others.
:hijack:
9999hair out0000 Stop the absurd and continuous flow of money to the Ukraine ad secure OUR darn border instead!!!How about letting us know how much actual aid has gone to the Ukraine and how much has been gobbled up along the way. My bet is that Ukraine is only getting a fraction of the funds claimed to be allocated, promised, etc.
OK? So what? If they had given Trump the money to "secure America" instead of Ukraine, the grift would still exist. Trump knew that. So, do we want to spend the grift in Ukraine? Or do we want to spend the grift and the gain in America? Your answer is empty and void.We don't know for certain, but I would bet that the majority of that grift IS being spent in America.
How about letting us know how much actual aid has gone to the Ukraine and how much has been gobbled up along the way. My bet is that Ukraine is only getting a fraction of the funds claimed to be allocated, promised, etc.
"Commitments" have been promised, Congress has approved billions...yes I believe you are correct that a lot of the money never made it -- I believe at least some of it is lining the pockets of Joe & Company.We cannot get this administration to uphold our own laws in regards immigration and border security. Short of a regime change, that will remain the same. Frankly, I hope enough of all the claimed aid is getting to Ukraine to make a difference.
Heck, we can't even get a 'commitment' out of Congress to secure our borders .... though there was the Secure Fence Act of 2006 and here we sit.
We cannot get this administration to uphold our own laws in regards immigration and border security. Short of a regime change, that will remain the same. Frankly, I hope enough of all the claimed aid is getting to Ukraine to make a difference.
EverySovietRussian tank destroyed is one NATO forces will not confront directly later.
We cannot get this administration to uphold our own laws in regards immigration and border security. Short of a regime change, that will remain the same. Frankly, I hope enough of all the claimed aid is getting to Ukraine to make a difference.
EverySovietRussian tank destroyed is one NATO forces will not confront directly later.
The corruptness around the globe continues as the plans for the 'Great Reset' unfold here and abroad.Yes, it does, and if it were not for Ukraine, those who are robbing us blind would have a different excuse.
But, in the same light, we can't even get a 'commitment' out of Congress to secure our borders .... though there was the Secure Fence Act of 2006 and here we sit.
Certainly the actions of our gov't isn't America first.
EverySovietRussian tank destroyed is one NATO forces will not confront directly later.
Correctamundo.Correcta ... or Correcto
Your complaint is valid. However, this does not mean that Ukraine should be abandoned just because of a totally unconnected issue. The two are not related.
Russian Telegram channels report Putin is infuriated at the inability of Russia's S-400 anti-air systems to protect his armed forces.
Don’t call him President Putin, call him ‘our ruler’: Kremlin allies urge title change for Russian despot
By JAMIE PHILLIPS FOR MAILONLINE
10 July 2022
Kremlin allies have called for Vladimir Putin to be addressed as the country's 'Ruler' rather than his current title 'President'.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) has suggested the use of Pravitel, a Russian title, as it is more befitting of Putin's status and role.
The right-wing party has 22 seats out of the 450 in the country's parliament and is currently used by the Kremlin to gently float its more radical ideas and garner evidence on their popularity.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11000857/Dont-call-President-Putin-call-ruler-Kremlin-allies-urge-title-change.html
In other words: Der Fuhrer
@Kamaji
Der Fuhrer,The Commisar,The Illustrious leader wearing PJ's,it's all the same critter. The only thing different is the uniform.
This week Ukraine released a comprehensive draft of its proposed recovery plan, which includes a $750 billion price tag. President Zelensky has called on the world’s democracies to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction, with a deal that contains everything from infrastructure and healthcare to farming and nuclear energy and much, much more. It is ambitious, to say the least.Read entire article (https://unherd.com/thepost/ukraines-unveils-mckinsey-programme-for-nation-builders/)
Not only is this a plan for Ukraine’s physical reconstruction, but also included in this proposal is a detailed plan to forge a stronger unified Ukrainian national identity. Like if a McKinsey audit was written with the goals of 19th century Romantic nationalists in mind.
For example, one plan from the “Youth and Sports” working group sets out in three stages a path to solving the problem of “insufficiently formed Ukrainian national and civic identity.”
Stage 1 — to be completed this year — sees a unified narrative on the formation of Ukrainian identity being created. Stage 2 — from January 2023 to December 2025 — sees the level of Ukrainian identity in the country reaching 85%. And, finally, stage 3 envisions “the field of national and patriotic education” aligned with EU standards by 2032. ...
by Luka Ivan Jukic
Friday, 8 July 2022
Ukraine unveils McKinsey programme for nation-builders
The $750bn plan looks like an audit written for 19th century nationalistsRead entire article (https://unherd.com/thepost/ukraines-unveils-mckinsey-programme-for-nation-builders/)
See also: https://twitter.com/lijukic/status/1545419161387548672
'Twelve of Putin's officers are killed' in strike on command post in occupied Kherson as 'Vladimir is enraged by failure of his S-400 defence system' while US-supplied HIMARS missiles inflict critical losses
By WILL STEWART and CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE
11 July 2022
Twelve Russian officers are thought to have been killed in a single rocket strike as Ukraine's armed forces inflict punishing losses with American-supplied weapons.
The attack targeted a command post in at Chornobaivka Airport, near the occupied southern city of Kherson, and is rumoured to have killed at least one general and one colonel. It is thought to have been carried out using US HIMARS rockets.
Video shows what appears to be an ammunition dump at the base exploding, as Russian Telegram channels report Putin is infuriated at the inability of Russia's S-400 anti-air systems to protect his armed forces.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11001617/Twelve-Putins-officers-killed-Ukraine-strike-Russian-command-post.html
"Nation Building." 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000 9999hair out0000
As Russian missiles struck a key Ukrainian city, Russian President Vladimir Putin expanded a fast-track procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians on Tuesday, another effort to strengthen Moscow's influence over war-torn Ukraine.
Until recently, only residents of Ukraine's separatist eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as residents of the southern Zaporizhzhia and the Kherson regions, large parts of which are now under Russian control, were eligible to apply for the simplified passport procedure.
Ukrainian officials haven’t yet reacted to Putin’s announcement that he had signed a passport decree, which also applies for any stateless residents currently in Ukraine.
Between 2019, when the procedure was introduced for the residents of Donetsk and Luhansk, and this year, more than 720,000 people living in the rebel-held areas in the two regions — about 18% of the population – have received Russian passports.
Ukraine has recieved a tremendous financial support and pledges towards its economic recovery and destruction during Russia’s “special military operation” on its territory that began late February. Russia’s military opeartion, now in its fifth month, has destroyed significant infrastructure and severely crippled the economy.
According to reports monitored by this author, more than 40 countries have signed the final declaration of the Ukraine Recovery Conference held this month in Switzerland’s Lugano. The signatories reiterated their full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.
The countries recognized a Ukraine-led draft of the Recovery and Development Plan as an overarching framework guiding the recovery process, allowing for coordinated multi-stakeholder participation and partnerships.
The participants supported the establishment of an effective coordination platform between the Ukrainian government and all of its bilateral and multilateral partners, organizations and international financial institutions for the preparation and implementation of Ukraine’s Recovery and Development Plan.
The signatories stressed the importance of fair and transparent development of finance, lending and borrowing practices in accordance with international rules, standards and recognized principles in the process of Ukraine’s recovery.
More at link.
"Nation Building." 9999hair out
Relax, @Cyber Liberty . Only if Putin is able to conquer all of Ukraine will Biden begin funding nation building.
No it's not!
It's nation saving.
The only ones who should be footing the bill for the restoration of Ukraine are Russia and Belarus.
The only ones who should be footing the bill for the restoration of Ukraine are Russia and Belarus.
:laugh:
In the meantime,the world the REST of us live in is imperfect,and WE realize that such a thing as the aggressors paying for the damages only happens in the future,IF the party that was attacked wins.
Adults realize this.
which is why Ukraine must win.
@Hoodat @Right_in_Virginia
I didn't realize that you live in a perfect world. Can I talk you into inviting me to visit?
In the meantime,the world the REST of us live in is imperfect,and WE realize that such a thing as the aggressors paying for the damages only happens in the future,IF the party that was attacked wins.
Adults realize this.
Like Afghanistan. :smokin:
France demanded that Germany pay reparations after World War I. That worked well.
Perfect example of the difference.
Ukraine has an established system of governance and is only seeking to protect itself from an invader.
Jack PosobiecKramer is from ND, where the population is American Indian, Norwegian, German, and Ukrainian in heritage, for the most part. He is pandering to the base back home, at least in part.
@Jack Posobiec
BREAKING: @SenKevinCramer says there is no 'dollar amount' limit on how much he is willing to send to Ukraine
- @CharlieKirk11 Show
12:49 PM · Jul 12, 2022 from Washington, DC·Twitter Web App
Perfect example of the difference.
Afghanistan was nation building. We tried to instill a system of governance.
Ukraine has an established system of governance and is only seeking to protect itself from an invader. If Ukraine is able to repel the invaders other than aid that we might provide we will be done.
Kramer is from ND, where the population is American Indian, Norwegian, German, and Ukrainian in heritage, for the most part. He is pandering to the base back home, at least in part.
I just want the amounts promised delivered in aid for military operations and humanitarian purposes, not just fed to long strings of layered consultants who 'plan' to deliver butter and guns. The more Russian military might is blunted in Ukraine, especially if the Ukrainians succeed in kicking the Russians out, the less likely the rest of Eastern Europe will be subjected to territorial ambitions by Russia.
We really must stop our Eurocentric foreign policy and pay atttention to the shadow China is casting in this country and across South America.
We owe Europe nothing.
BREAKING: @SenKevinCramer says there is no 'dollar amount' limit on how much he is willing to send to Ukraine
@Right_in_Virginia
China started invading us in the 1980's,when we started allowing PLA officers to attend universities in the US and steal our technology to send back to China,and to allow the PLA officers who came here to learn how to teach it to their students when they get back to China.
So what could possibly be a better plan than allow the Russians to top that by invading and conquering other nations and making them vassal states to a suddenly even more dangerous Russia?
You surrender monkey are useless.
Ukraine calls US rocket launchers ‘game-changer’ against Russia, asks for more
By Callie Patteson
July 11, 2022
There's no way of knowing this @bilo until we know Zelensky's puppet masters and their goals.
You don't see the trend to deglobalization.
Do we know who's buying them from Ukraine?
Ukraine and Russia held the first direct grain talks since March in a bid to break an impasse over grain exports that has seen food prices soar and millions around the globe face hunger.
The high-stake meeting, held in Istanbul on Wednesday, July 13, and also involving UN and Turkish officials, broke up after slightly more than three hours without any immediate signs on a breakthrough. The Turkish defence ministry issued a one-statement sentence saying the talks had “ended” and offering no hint as to whether progress had been achieved.
But the stakes could not be higher for tens of millions of people facing the threat of starvation in African and other poorest nations because of the battles engulfing one of the main grain producing regions of the world. Ukrainian officials said at least five people died in Russian shelling on the region surrounding the Black Sea port city of Mykolaiv.
“You never get used to war. It’s dreadful and scary,” 60-year-old Lyubov Mozhayeva said in the partially destroyed frontline city of Bakhmut. Ukraine is a vital exporter of wheat and grains such as barley and maize. It has also supplied nearly half of all the sunflower oil traded on global markets.
More at link.
See: Logical fallacies - Poisoning the Well
So you don't know who's buying our weapons from Ukraine. Thanks for the admission.
There it is in the nutshell. 40 years of this attitude, where there are 535 slugs in DC, who do not realize whose money this is.They have heard the nonsense about being part of the 'ruling class' so often they have forgotten they are our employees.
Ah, Europe ..... a bloodthirsty land for eons that has bestowed upon the world in just one century: socialism, marxism, nazism, fascism, communism, modern globalism, and 50-80 million dead from just two world wars they refuse to stop fighting.
And you call me a "surrender monkey" because I don't want my free and independent nation dragged into this sh*thole every time it farts?
What the heck is wrong with you @sneakypete ?
@Right_in_Virginia
I realize you are clueless.
Realize this pointing-down @sneakypete
Tucker Carlson, Jul 13, 2022: (Video)
-America in Decline
-Putin
-Ukraine
https://rumble.com/embed/v19l8tt/?pub=4
@Right_in_Virginia
I realize you are clueless.
@Right_in_Virginia
Now you are going to try to link inflation in the US to the Russian invasion of Ukraine?
:thumbsup:
:facepalm2: Watch the video @sneakypete Neither I, nor Carlson, are claiming this.....your president is.
Watch.... and learn how you're being lied to by your own government.
@Right_in_Virginia
MY President???
Which one of us is the surrender monkey?
Have the guts to watch the video @sneakypete .... or walk away.
Have the guts to watch the video @sneakypete .... or walk away.
@Right_in_Virginia
Yeah,in YOUR world it takes a lot of guts to watch and listen to a pompous fool express his "feelings" and random brain farts.
This may come as a shock to you,but many of us are capable of thinking for ourselves.
Tucker Carlson, Jul 13, 2022: (Video)
-America in Decline
-Putin
-Ukraine
https://rumble.com/embed/v19l8tt/?pub=4
@Right_in_Virginia
Yeah,in YOUR world it takes a lot of guts to watch and listen to a pompous fool express his "feelings" and random brain farts
(https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/digital-images/org/d39b4732-981e-4782-b2fc-c6aa91856682.JPG)
First time for Blumenthal in a war zone, I understand.
If you watched the video, you'd realize that Biden/dim/RINO fixation on Putin, Russia and Ukraine is a diversion to give cover to our true most dangerous enemy...... The Chicoms.
I'd bet money you didn't watch it. Calling TC a pompous fool, is about as damned silly thing as you've said yet.
You need to watch the video ---- or stop commenting on it @sneakypete You sound foolish.
You need to watch the video ---- or stop commenting on it @sneakypete You sound foolish.
Again, how does this video have any connection with stopping the barbarism that Russia is inflicting on the people of Ukraine?
Again, how does this video have any connection with stopping the barbarism that Russia is inflicting on the people of Ukraine?
Again, how does this video have any connection with stopping the barbarism that Russia is inflicting on the people of Ukraine?
The point is....
There are three very specific issues facing this nation that far exceeds our need to waste Billions in Ukraine:
1. Economic destruction at the hands of the democrats. We don't need to be wasting any money there. It is an EU issue.... let them deal with it.
2. Same billions being wasted in Ukraine needs to be applied toward security of our southern border. Thousands and thousands are dying of Fentanly poisioning. The adding the added massive crime? Seal the border now with that money.
3. Chicom threat. From theft of technology, IP, and governmental graft with our legislators. The Chicoms have made massive inroads knocking us off the top shelf, with our self inflicted actions.
SSDD. How about we de-fund gender studies, woke-ism, the people at the EPA writing another set of moved and even new goalposts, and use that money on the border?
There should be plenty of money we don't have to do both.
There are trainloads of Federal grants and programs that can be cut to secure our border, and if we got creative with the budget knife, we might be able to send the Ukraine the tools they need to keep us out of the next big war in Europe which will be inevitable if the current Russian Aggression succeeds.
The point is....
There are three very specific issues facing this nation that far exceeds our need to waste Billions in Ukraine:
1. Economic destruction at the hands of the democrats. We don't need to be wasting any money there. It is an EU issue.... let them deal with it.
2. Same billions being wasted in Ukraine needs to be applied toward security of our southern border. Thousands and thousands are dying of Fentanly poisioning. The adding the added massive crime? Seal the border now with that money.
3. Chicom threat. From theft of technology, IP, and governmental graft with our legislators. The Chicoms have made massive inroads knocking us off the top shelf, with our self inflicted actions. Anyone thinking Putin is a bigger threat to this country than Xi is bonkers.
I know you've sported the teal/yellow colors for months now. Why not show some preference red,white, and blue for a while?
SSDD. How about we de-fund gender studies, woke-ism, the people at the EPA writing another set of moved and even new goalposts, and use that money on the border?
There should be plenty of money we don't have to do both.
There are trainloads of Federal grants and programs that can be cut to secure our border, and if we got creative with the budget knife, we might be able to send the Ukraine the tools they need to keep us out of the next big war in Europe which will be inevitable if the current Russian Aggression succeeds.
Otherwise, sit back and watch as the US is invaded (a Democrat priority!) and the Ukraine is ground away like Eastern Europe by Hitler, and ballyhoo about peace in our time.
And make all those folks pay back their own student loans.
Why not go to another thread to discuss those very important topics, as I am sure there must be dozens of them available, instead of wasting your time here on this thread, which is dedicated to the topic of Russia's invasion of Ukraine?
...
If you don't want to discuss these isses, as we should, or ask the tough questions, as is our responsibility, then this is not a thread about the "War in Ukraine". Rename the thread "Russia Bashing Only" ----- and be done with it.
There you go again, showing your real feelings.
My true feelings are these @Ghost Bear ---- The day we become too afraid of the name calling to ask the tough questions, too lazy to do the research and connect the dots is the day we surrender our true security to a gaggle of international corruptocrats.
This my be okay with you ..... but it will never be with me.
If you watched the video, you'd realize that Biden/dim/RINO fixation on Putin, Russia and Ukraine is a diversion to give cover to our true most dangerous enemy...... The Chicoms.
I'd bet money you didn't watch it. Calling TC a pompous fool, is about as damned silly thing as you've said yet.
By the way, my true feelings are that Putin is an evil tyrant who should die hanging from a gibbet.
Because all of these topics are intertwined @Ghost Bear and go to the overarching questions folks are loathe to even ask, never mind debate: --- "What the hell is really going on, who's pulling the strings and what's in this sh*tshow for the US?"
Nothing about this "war" makes sense ----- not the timing, not the workaround sanctions, not the cash transfers to pay Ukrainian "nurses", not the lack of oversight to monitor who may be buying our military equipment, not the EU's ongoing resistance to Ukraine's membership, not the US regime blaming Putin for its inflationary policies, energy crisis and supply shortages, not the open US bankbook filled with signed blank checks payable to Ukraine, not ignoring the rise of China in our own backyard while promoting an incessant focus on a border conflict 5,000 miles away involving two non-Nato countries.
By the way, my true feelings are that Putin is an evil tyrant who should die hanging from a gibbet.
Killer in the Kremlin: New book explores Vladimir Putin’s bloody reign
Atlantic Council by John Sweeney 7/15/2022
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/killer-in-the-kremlin-new-book-explores-vladimir-putins-bloody-reign/ (https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/killer-in-the-kremlin-new-book-explores-vladimir-putins-bloody-reign/)
Twenty-two years ago, I walked into a hospital and saw an eight-year-old Chechen girl with a horribly burnt face, the only survivor of seven people in a car blown up in a Russian army attack on a refugee column. Just over two decades later in Ukraine . . .
U.K. aid worker held by Ukraine separatists reported dead
Star Advertiser 7/15/2022
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/07/15/breaking-news/u-k-aid-worker-held-by-ukraine-separatists-reported-dead/ (https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/07/15/breaking-news/u-k-aid-worker-held-by-ukraine-separatists-reported-dead/)
A British aid worker detained by pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine has died in captivity
Cool @Ghost Bear But, I sent you a list of things that don't make sense about this border war.
Nothing about this "war" makes sense -----
Russia accused of shelling from captured Ukraine nuclear plant
Ukraine Fears Western Capitulation on Russia as Cracks Emerge
Jul 16, 2022
Russia is claiming two significant victories in its ongoing sanctions war with the West, after Canada agreed to waive restrictions on a key gas pipeline component and the European Union clarified its position on the standoff over the Kaliningrad exclave.
[...]
Last weekend brought the Canadian-German decision—supported by the U.S. in a statement issued on Monday—to waive sanctions and release a turbine needed for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline. The two-year waiver was described by President Volodymyr Zelensky as "weakness" and "absolutely unacceptable."
Merezhko—a member of Zelensky's Servant of the People party—shared a similar view from Kyiv. "To us it's a dangerous political precedent," he explained. "I'm also concerned that with autumn and winter coming some European countries might display more interest in finding a compromise with Russia regarding supply of Russian gas and oil."
"These countries might be even tempted to put political pressure on Ukraine to reach a 'compromise' with Russia, or they might deliberately delay the supply of heavy weaponry we need."
Some Russian sympathizers in Europe have long been skeptical of sanctions. This week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the EU had "shot itself in the lungs" via its measures on Moscow. Other leaders might feel emboldened to voice similar criticisms as the economic situation worsens across the continent.
Moscow is also claiming a win this week over Kaliningrad—Russia's European exclave wedged between Lithuania and the Baltic Sea. Lithuania recently restricted the road and rail transit of certain goods from Belarus and Russia to Kaliningrad in line with EU sanctions.
But following Russian threats and cyber attacks, the European Commission clarified this week that sanctioned Russian goods—excluding military, dual-use, and technology products—should not be stopped from traveling by rail. The Commission was reportedly under pressure from Germany to deliver this de-escalatory interpretation of EU sanctions.
Vilnius—long one of Europe's more hawkish nations on Russia—says it will respect the Commission's recommendation.
More: https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-fears-western-capitulation-russia-cracks-emerge-1725028
That is becoming more and more evident with each passing day. The gulag archipelago is being reinstituted.
To find a Russian leader who has held power longer than Putin, you would have to go back to Tsar Alexander II.
Even without watching the video, I have always believed that Joe's fixation with Russia/Ukraine has been a diversion for his ties with China. Joe also blames Putin for our sagging economy, lack of oil, empty shelves, and little green martians.
When Joe started stating that he believed that Russia was ready to escalate the war in Ukraine and getting ready to strike without much validity, I saw a red flag. Then I realized that Joe had been giving Z $$$ to ramp up Ukraine's military months before Putin became more aggressive. I saw it as Joe taunting Putin.
Let me be clear before the arrows start heading my way; I am not condoning Putin's attacks on Ukraine anymore than I am condoning the reported attacks in the past of Ukraine against its own people.
Cool @Ghost Bear But, I sent you a list of things that don't make sense about this border war. Ping me when you'd like to discuss one on the list ... or one of your own. To save time, here's the starter list:
Putin's defence minister Sergei Shoigu orders 'shock and awe' attacks on Ukraine in an attempt to stop Kyiv inflicting 'massive damage' with American HIMARS artillery
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11019883/Putins-defence-minister-Shoigu-demands-shock-awe-Ukraine-strike-victims-pictured.html (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11019883/Putins-defence-minister-Shoigu-demands-shock-awe-Ukraine-strike-victims-pictured.html)
• Two days after 24 were killed in Vinnytsya, Shoigu called for more shock and awe
• Kremlin defence minister claimed attacks will defend Russia against Kyiv rockets
• New pictures of those slain in busy city centre include mothers and toddlers
• Maxim Zharyi, seven, could only be identified via DNA after he was hit by rocket
Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu today gave the order to dramatically increase so-called shock and awe attacks on Ukraine.
He claimed Kremlin forces must 'exclude the possibility of the Kyiv regime inflicting massive rocket and artillery strikes on civilian infrastructure and residents of the Donbas and other regions,' according to reports in Moscow.
It followed an on-the-ground inspection by Putin's trusty defence minister - and a National Security Council meeting led by Vladimir Putin.
Shoigu 'gave instructions to further increase the actions of [military] groups in all operational areas', local reports stated.
It was unclear whether the minister's talks with military chiefs were in Russia or occupied Ukraine.
Shoigu's ominous threat came as more details emerged of the tragic victims of Thursday's sickening Russian strike on city Vinnytsya, western Ukraine.
The death toll now stands at 24.
More at link.
Actually, it is rather simple. Ukraine has land and resources, and Putin wanted them.As far as timing goes, after the Afghanistan debacle, it's pretty clear that the CinC and others are bloody incompetent, so I can't think of a better time to invade Ukraine than with a fustercluck at the helm in the US.
• Two days after 24 were killed in Vinnytsya, Shoigu called for more shock and awe
• Kremlin defence minister claimed attacks will defend Russia against Kyiv rockets
Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu today gave the order to dramatically increase so-called shock and awe attacks on Ukraine.
Michael Tracey
@mtracey
Ukraine military intelligence says their new US missile systems will be used to strike Crimea. Was this part of the deal?
None of this makes sense. You are assuming that Brandon can think and calculate. He try's to shake hands with people who aren't even there not exactly the action of someone who is really sharp.
Russia invaded Ukraine without provocation because Putin saw how incompetent Brandon and his admn. were in withdrawing from Afghanistan.
Putin with popular support of the Russian people has invaded several sovereign nations and butchered numerous people. Putin is a blood thirsty tyrant with no conscience. If he isn't stopped now he, or who ever comes after him, will continue invading neighboring countries. We have an incredible opportunity. The Ukrainians are more than willing to fight to preserve their freedom. All we have to do is supply them with the weapons.
The upside to supporting Ukraine and triggering the collapse of Russia that nobody talks about and which you isolationists should embrace is when Russia collapses the need for NATO ends. The threat is gone and we can pull out of Europe. I'm all for this. I believe deglobalization will be good for America. I just don't want to see us pull out and have to go back.
I was torn on this one whether to post here or in Immigration.
@bilo
Seems so obvious that Stevie Wonder has to put on his shades to look at it.
I am thinking that Russia must have screwed the Biden family on some kickbacks,or Slow Joe would have never agreed to help Ukraine.
Wasn't Hunter on the board of a few Russian Corporations a couple of years ago,with a "No Show" seat?
Moscow Journalist Requests Political Asylum In United States
Radio Free Europe 7/14/2022
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-journalist-seeks-us-asylum/31943308.html (https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-journalist-seeks-us-asylum/31943308.html)
Russian journalist Pyotr Koronayev, who used to work for the Moscow-based Baza news website, and his wife, Tatyana Kulikova, have crossed the border from Mexico and requested political asylum in the United States.
Baza reported on July 14 that the couple was initially placed in an immigration detention center, but Koronayev was later released, while his wife remained in custody. It was not clear when the couple crossed the border.
According to Baza's report, Koronayev and Kulikova feared for their safety in Russia because of their public statements opposing Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and their support of imprisoned opposition politician Aleksei Navalny.
More at link.
Ukraine war: First lady in US for high-level meetings
BBC, Jul 19, 2022
Ukraine's first lady, Olena Zelenska, is in the US for a series of high-level meetings and an address to Congress.
EU to soften sanctions on Russian banks to allow food trade
Financial Post, Jul 19, 2022, Reuters
BRUSSELS — The European Union will amend its sanctions on Moscow on Wednesday by allowing the unfreezing of some funds of top Russian banks that may be required to ease bottlenecks in the global trade of food and fertilizers, a draft document showed.
Under the changed regulation, which is expected to be adopted by EU envoys on Wednesday, EU nations will be able to unfreeze previously blocked economic resources owned by top Russian lenders VTB, Sovcombank, Novikombank, Otkritie FC Bank, VEB, Promsvyazbank and Bank Rossiya, the document said.
https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/eu-to-soften-sanctions-on-russian-banks-to-allow-food-trade
Turkey meeting with Russia and Iran today.That threatens reserve currency status for the dollar. Not good.
Has announced they will stop buying oil with $USD.... :pondering:
Turkey meeting with Russia and Iran today.
Has announced they will stop buying oil with $USD.... :pondering:
WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s dismissal of senior officials is casting an inconvenient light on an issue that the Biden administration has largely ignored since the outbreak of war with Russia: Ukraine’s history of rampant corruption and shaky governance.Associated Press via NY Post (https://nypost.com/2022/07/20/ukraine-graft-concerns-resurface-as-russia-war-goes-on/)
As it presses ahead with providing tens of billions of dollars in military, economic and direct financial support aid to Ukraine and encourages its allies to do the same, the Biden administration is now once again grappling with longstanding worries about Ukraine’s suitability as a recipient of massive infusions of American aid.
Those issues, which date back decades and were not an insignificant part of former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment, had been largely pushed to the back burner in the immediate run-up to Russia’s invasion and during the first months of the conflict as the U.S. and its partners rallied to Ukraine’s defense.
But Zelensky’s weekend firings of his top prosecutor, intelligence chief and other senior officials have resurfaced those concerns and may have inadvertently given fresh attention to allegations of high-level corruption in Kyiv made by one outspoken U.S. lawmaker. ...
Ukraine graft concerns resurface as Russia war goes on
By Associated Press
July 20, 2022 3:44pmAssociated Press via NY Post (https://nypost.com/2022/07/20/ukraine-graft-concerns-resurface-as-russia-war-goes-on/)Quotethe Biden administration has largely ignored since the outbreak of war with Russia: Ukraine’s history of rampant corruption and shaky governance.
As it presses ahead with providing tens of billions of dollars in military, economic and direct financial support aid to Ukraine and encourages its allies to do the same, the Biden administration is now once again grappling with longstanding worries about Ukraine’s suitability as a recipient of massive infusions of American aid.
Aid that Ukraine never asked for. Since Day One, they have asked for one thing and one thing only - weapons.
Ignored it? Heck, they're counting on it.
Aid that Ukraine never asked for. Since Day One, they have asked for one thing and one thing only - weapons.
@Hoodat
Yeah,but there is damn little graft to be pulled from that. Maybe a few percentage points for the weapons manufactures,but it pretty much ends there,and they are NOT coughing up millions.
The REAL money is in stealing the cash.
Russian soldiers are being put 'on a direct path to a body bag,' a military analyst has said, with one soldier claiming he was given just five days of training before being sent to fight on the front lines in Ukraine.
This is a good indication that although Ukraine has lost territory the cost to the Russians is to great to be sustained. Add in the weapons that are getting to the battle and Ukraine has a chance to repel the invaders. It all hinges on continuing to support Ukraine with the weapons they need.
I would think at some point the losses for Russia would create a backlash against their aggression, but so far that doesn't seem to be the case.
Zelensky's asked for billions/month (receiving hundreds of millions from us) to cover their budger shortfall so they can continue to pay the salaries of nurses and government administrative workers.
Ukraine needs $9 billion in foreign aid per month, top Zelensky adviser says
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/foreign/ukraine-needs-9-billion-in-foreign-aid-per-month-top-zelensky-adviser-says
Biden tells Zelensky US will give Ukraine $500 million in budget aid
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/600362-biden-tells-zelensky-us-will-give-ukraine-500-million-in-budget-aid/
And don't forget, Zelensky has put the world on notice to set side $750 billion for the reconstruction of The Ukraine.
Ukraine lays out $750B ‘recovery plan’ for postwar future
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-putin-switzerland-22337ad38f74d18d4dae63952a7f433e
Wrong.
Zelensky's asked for billions/month (receiving hundreds of millions from us) to cover their budger shortfall so they can continue to pay the salaries of nurses and government administrative workers.
Ukraine needs $9 billion in foreign aid per month, top Zelensky adviser says
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/foreign/ukraine-needs-9-billion-in-foreign-aid-per-month-top-zelensky-adviser-says
Biden tells Zelensky US will give Ukraine $500 million in budget aid
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/600362-biden-tells-zelensky-us-will-give-ukraine-500-million-in-budget-aid/
And don't forget, Zelensky has put the world on notice to set side $750 billion for the reconstruction of The Ukraine.
Ukraine lays out $750B ‘recovery plan’ for postwar future
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-putin-switzerland-22337ad38f74d18d4dae63952a7f433e
US to provide $100 million support to Ukrainian farmers – Agrarian Ministry
Jul 20, 2022
The United States has established the $100 million Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) to help the Ukrainian agricultural sector amid the worsening of the global food crisis exacerbated by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"The initiative will increase Ukrainian farmers’ access to critical agricultural inputs including seeds, fertilizer, equipment, and pesticides, enhance Ukrainian infrastructure capacity and capability to efficiently export agricultural goods, increase farmers’ access to financing, and expand the capacity of Ukrainian businesses to dry and temporarily store, and process agricultural commodities," USAID said. . . .
Ukraine didn't ask for this. They asked for weapons to stop Russia.
Ukraine didn't ask for this. They asked for weapons to stop Russia.
@Hoodat
BTW,WHO is promoting this in the House and the Senate?
Ukraine needs $9 billion in foreign aid per month, top Zelensky adviser says
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/foreign/ukraine-needs-9-billion-in-foreign-aid-per-month-top-zelensky-adviser-says
You and your Cold War Veterans.
You and your Cold War Veterans.
Russian forces destroy schools in eastern Ukraine
15h ago | 07:03
People are being urged to evacuate as Russian forces have destroyed schools in Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka, in eastern Ukraine, according to the governor of the Donetsk region.
Pavlo Kyrylenko reported two schools have been devastated by a Russian military strike while the industrial area of Kramatorsk and central Bakhmut have also been shelled. A house has also been damaged.
The Ukrainian politician said: "Russia is purposefully destroying our cities and villages. Do not put yourself in danger - evacuate."
There are no reports of casualties or deaths at this time.
(https://liveblog.digitalimages.sky/lc-images-sky/lcimg-1979e2a9-e7b5-4307-ad24-c96cd182d440.jpg)
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-news-live-putins-forces-close-in-on-major-power-plant-as-russia-says-it-will-expand-its-goals-12541713?postid=4192987#liveblog-body
My son served on fast attack subs for 6 yrs. He said that the Cold War never ended for our sub fleet.
@Right_in_Virginia
ESAD!
What *I* am promoting is weapons and food transfers to Ukraine in order to help them destroy the evil monster once known openly as the "Soviet Union"
How many wars have YOU fought in?
Nope. You gleefully jumped back into the Cold War. You are still too afraid to ask the tough questions for this 21st Century shi*tshow ---- so you own it --- ALL of it --- and you always will.
BTW @sneakypete .... until you can name the war you fought in and won, spare me your know-it-all attitude.
You are still too afraid to ask the tough questions for this 21st Century shi*tshow ---- so you own it --- ALL of it ---
Look in the mirror.
Nope. You gleefully jumped back into the Cold War. You are still too afraid to ask the tough questions for this 21st Century shi*tshow ---- so you own it --- ALL of it --- and you always will.
BTW @sneakypete .... until you can name the war you fought in and won, spare me your know-it-all attitude.
Nope. You gleefully jumped back into the Cold War. You are still too afraid to ask the tough questions for this 21st Century shi*tshow ---- so you own it --- ALL of it --- and you always will.Our troops won their war, the politicians lost it.
BTW @sneakypete .... until you can name the war you fought in and won, spare me your know-it-all attitude.
I don't really understand the point you're making @DB ... But I have been sending out a clarion call for caution since this began; that this should not be viewed as a revival of the Cold War. All history points to this being SOP for The Ukraine ---- a border crisis wrapped in chest deep corruption.
This is not our fight and neither our blood or treasure belong there.
All history points to this being SOP for The Ukraine ---- a border crisis wrapped in chest deep corruption.
Our troops won their war, the politicians lost it.
Our troops won their war, the politicians lost it.
I agree with this @Smokin Joe Our troops would have won the wars after WWII with the right civilian leadership. What frustrates me is why so many continue to uncritically give control of military decisions to these same inept and corrupt politicians.
In that case, you know how deeply you insulted Sneaky by implying he lost Vietnam.
No less insulting as labeling Putin the "liberator" and "protector" of the Ukrainian people.
Disagree, that was highly personal.
Our troops won their war, the politicians lost it.
Is the ready for Ukraine 3
It's been suggested to me in pm's
In that case, you know how deeply you insulted Sneaky by implying he lost Vietnam.
Point well taken @Cyber Liberty
I reacted too strongly to you telling me to ESAD, and I apologize for that @sneakypete
Point well taken @Cyber Liberty
I reacted too strongly to you telling me to ESAD. @sneakypete I should not have so personalized ourmilitary'spolitical defeats. I apologize, sincerely.
Oh, and FWIW, I am not a "surrender monkey" happy77
Thank you much!!
:thumbsup:
Fixed it for you @Right_in_Virginia
Fixed it for you @Right_in_Virginia
Air Force Open to Sending A-10s to Ukraine for Fight Against Russia
Biden administration rolls out $270 million Ukraine weapons package
But is the Army open to it?
@Hoodat
The army has nothing to say or do about what the USAF does with their people and airplanes.
I can tell you with an ABSOLUTE certainty that any US Army soldiers that might be serving in Ukraine as observers or advisors to Ukrainian units are HUGELY in favor of Wart Hogs showing up.
Trust me on this one.
It should be an Army aircraft, period. Army purchase. Army pilots. Army maintenance. They shouldn't let the Air Force have anything to do with them.
Russia has a long history of evading international controls.
Ukraine strips down captured Russian drone, says it is full of Western parts, CNN reports
https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-captured-russian-drone-western-parts-2022-7 (https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-captured-russian-drone-western-parts-2022-7)
• Ukraine says Russian drones are full of components made by Western companies.
• Despite global sanctions, Russia appears to have acquired parts from several of Ukraine's Western allies.
• Russia has a long history of evading international controls.
Ukraine claims that Russian drones used to kill its soldiers are full of parts from its Western allies.
A Ukrainian technical intel officer showed CNN's Nic Robertson inside a captured Russian Orlan-10 surveillance drone, revealing components from around the world.
The officer claimed that the drone's cell phone tracker was US-made. He said that the engine was manufactured in Japan, and the thermal imaging module on the camera was produced in France after Russia had already invaded.
Other Russian drone parts come from countries including Austria, Germany, Taiwan and the Netherlands, the officer claimed.
This is in spite of a spate of global sanctions aimed at crippling Russia's war machine.
The officer said his job is to follow every serial number to work out who made the part and alert allies to stop Russia's drone techs from getting their hands on it.
Robertson noted that stopping the supply of these often commercial components won't be easy, as Russia might have stockpiled parts and has a long history of evading sanctions.
More at link.
It should be an Army aircraft, period. Army purchase. Army pilots. Army maintenance. They shouldn't let the Air Force have anything to do with them.
Are they of any value if you don't have control of the skies?
It's a ground support aircraft only. It's not their job to control the skies. If the enemy is controlling the skies, then they have a much bigger problem to worry about.
Currently in Ukraine, neither side has air superiority. Anything in the air is susceptible to surface to air artillery and missiles. But if you need ground support for an offensive operation, the A-10 is your best option. It's survivability is greater than a helicopter. And its effectiveness is greater than a F-15.
The Air Force doesn't like them because they're slow compared to supersonic fighters, they fly too close to the ground action, and they don't like doing ground support in general.
It's a ground support aircraft only. It's not their job to control the skies. If the enemy is controlling the skies, then they have a much bigger problem to worry about.
Currently in Ukraine, neither side has air superiority. Anything in the air is susceptible to surface to air artillery and missiles. But if you need ground support for an offensive operation, the A-10 is your best option. It's survivability is greater than a helicopter. And its effectiveness is greater than a F-15.
The Air Force doesn't like them because they're slow compared to supersonic fighters, they fly too close to the ground action, and they don't like doing ground support in general.
If you don't have control of the skies and they are slow doesn't that make them easy targets for MIG's?
@biloThat, and they are flat-out one of the most maneuverable aircraft I have ever seen in motion.
I don't know for sure because I am not,and never have been a zoomie,but I strongly suspect that anything with the electronics gear and the firepower a WH has is never going to be an easy target for anyone.
That, and they are flat-out one of the most maneuverable aircraft I have ever seen in motion.
@Smokin JoeSome missiles are heat seekers. The ability to pivot the aircraft to 'hide' the exhausts while dumping flares makes duping the missiles with countermeasures possible, and the aircraft is moving away from it's former track. I have observed A-10s go from a full left bank to a full right bank in a heartbeat, which would suggest (as long as the pilot can take the Gs) they can turn out of the path of an incoming missile pretty quick.
Not sure how relevant that is in these days of missiles that home in and follow,but I don't really know diddly squat about fighter aircraft anti-aircraft armament. For all I know they are armed with missiles programed to seek out and destroy incoming missiles.
That, and they are flat-out one of the most maneuverable aircraft I have ever seen in motion.
(Zimerman is based in Jerusalem )
Erik Zimerman
@ZimermanErik
Reports emerging that #Ukraine, apparently believing itself to be 1960's Israel, and #Russia 1960's Iraq, (not to mention Russian pilots to be Christian Assyrians in Iraq), tried to recruit #Russian pilots to defect with their planes (ie SU-24 / 34). The failed UA intelligence
operation was busted and "flipped" by a successful Russian FSB counter-intelligence operation. The UA intelligence agents were reportedly lured to identify themselves, other trusted sources, and UA anti-aircraft systems details & positions. A defecting pilot for example would
reasonably need to know many such details in order to fly over Ukrainian territory with a reasonable assurance of not being shot down and killed. This was a creative idea, one I could see coming form the likes of #Arestovych or other Ukrainian well read in history, specifically,
Israeli history, as the Mossad famously successfully captured the West's first Mig-21 in 1966 in a similar operation (Operation Diamond). The difference of course is in the quality of execution. This begins by knowing the potential loyalties (& disloyalties) of your foes and
their general mindset and motivations. Ukrainian agents here likely erred badly, since their government's propaganda so incorrectly portrays Russian troops, their loyalties and motivations.
7:59 AM · Jul 25, 2022·Twitter Web App
Any military support we can give Ukraine that destroys the Russians is a great investment in my book. I do know the WH is a great tank killer. If giving Ukraine our older WH's is going to help expel the Russians I'm all for it. I just don't want to see us give weaponry to Ukraine that doesn't help.
OR them stockpiling those weapons to be used against us at a later date.
Or that are sold on the black market
KYIV, Ukraine - Russia's top diplomat said Moscow's overarching goal in Ukraine is to free its people from its "unacceptable regime,"
This is what the "acceptable regime is doing to the Ukraine people:
(https://imgs.search.brave.com/tPRHbhnF7sc4nDSOI0YF8cQNFlBG51T9U2ATqLdD5mw/rs:fit:1200:720:1/g:ce/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWcu/bm92aW5pLmJnL3Vw/bG9hZHMvbmV3c19w/aWN0dXJlcy8yMDIy/LTI5L2JpZy83OTY5/NzEuanBn)
It should be an Army aircraft, period. Army purchase. Army pilots. Army maintenance. They shouldn't let the Air Force have anything to do with them.
If the stories can be believed....that almost happened right before the Start of Desert Shield/Storm.
The USAF has been trying to get rid of the A-10 for quite some time. There was a proposal to transfer them to Army Aviation in the late 80's early 90's.
But the air war in Kuwait/Iraq and that image on CNN of a crew chief standing up through the shrapnel hole in the wing of one particular A-10 made them sexy to the public and some members of Congress and the USAF has had a love/hate relationship with them ever since.
Jack Posobiec
@JackPosobiec
(https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg) (https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f33b.svg)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FYorLjnWYAAyWFq?format=jpg&name=360x360)(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FYorLjmXoAY5COO?format=jpg&name=360x360)(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FYorLjoXkAAkqFt?format=jpg&name=360x360)
9:16 PM · Jul 26, 2022 Twitter for iPhone
Russians With Attitude
@RWApodcast
Russian soldiers engaging in some "winning hearts and minds" in Zaporozhye oblast
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FYlGpdRX0AEDTPp?format=jpg&name=small) (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FYlGqn6WAAUvMaG?format=jpg&name=small)
4:37 AM · Jul 26, 2022 Twitter Web App
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FYovRLrXgAE890g?format=jpg&name=small) (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FYpYrjtWYAAOMtg?format=jpg&name=small)
I knew it wouldn't be long before the Pro-Russia crowd posted the stupid photos.
their neighbors or being trust worthy.
@Right_in_Virginia
Stop this bullshit. Nothing pro-Russia about it. More a pro-American, and not sending my hard earned tax dollars to a corrupt regime statement as far as I am concerned. If you are so concerned about filling Zelllinsky's coffers , why not just pull your checkbook out and send Vlady a check instead.
Or in true actuality, let the nations in the EU who are finacially better off than us, (UK, Germany, France), and 1000's of miles closer, foot the bill.
If you'd take off your MSM offically issued teal/yellow shaded sunglasses, you'd see this country is $31T in debt broke. Enough already. I think you owe RIV an apology.
This is what the "acceptable regime is doing to the Ukraine people:
(https://imgs.search.brave.com/tPRHbhnF7sc4nDSOI0YF8cQNFlBG51T9U2ATqLdD5mw/rs:fit:1200:720:1/g:ce/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWcu/bm92aW5pLmJnL3Vw/bG9hZHMvbmV3c19w/aWN0dXJlcy8yMDIy/LTI5L2JpZy83OTY5/NzEuanBn)
This is what the regime you support wthout question has done to the American people:Interesting that you would compare multi-generational American urban decay with what was done in mere moments in Ukraine. But carry on...
Chicago:
(https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/4.EDalQ56uDz_KhRiAiV7w--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTY0MDtoPTQyNw--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/2Dpx2z0o1qVGtnyEhqLKvA--~B/aD0xMzY1O3c9MjA0ODthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/chicago_tribune_local_801/29ed95edff2125f8c2e9956a7eb6cb70)
Philadelphia
(https://ogden_images.s3.amazonaws.com/www.ljworld.com/images/2002/03/23143930/classPHILLY.jpg)
Detroit
(https://libraryroadtrip.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/destroyed-building-detroit-mi1.jpg)
Interesting that you would compare multi-generational American urban decay with what was done in mere moments in Ukraine. But carry on...
Interesting that you won't----especially since we're living through its planned acceleration.
But, good try with the spin none-the-less.
I guess the Vogue photo-shoot really pissed the Ruskies off....
Interesting that you won't----especially since we're living through its planned acceleration.If it looks like the room is turning, it's because you are the one spinning.
But, good try with the spin none-the-less.
Pro-Russia. Wow. **nononono*
@Right_in_Virginia
Stop this bullshit. Nothing pro-Russia about it. More a pro-American, and not sending my hard earned tax dollars to a corrupt regime statement as far as I am concerned. If you are so concerned about filling Zelllinsky's coffers , why not just pull your checkbook out and send Vlady a check instead.
Or in true actuality, let the nations in the EU who are finacially better off than us, (UK, Germany, France), and 1000's of miles closer, foot the bill.
If you'd take off your MSM offically issued teal/yellow shaded sunglasses, you'd see this country is $31T in debt broke. Enough already. I think you owe RIV an apology.
Trapped like rats: Russia's 49th army in Kherson is 'highly vulnerable' and completely cut off from other occupied territory after Ukraine strikes bridge again as counter-offensive gains momentum
By CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE
28 July 2022
Russian troops defending the city of Kherson are 'highly vulnerable' to attack after Ukraine destroyed or damaged bridges linking it with the rest of its occupied territory, British military intelligence says.
Putin's men are now relying on pontoon bridges and ferries to move troops, vehicles and supplies across the Dnipro River after Ukraine blew up Antonovsky Bridge, which is Russia's main road route into and out of the city.
Two other bridges - the Antonovsky Rail Bridge and Nova Khakokva hydroelectric dam bridge - have also been damaged in recent days, and are not fully operational.
The next-closest bridge spanning the Dnipro - Ukraine's main river which splits the country down the middle - is at Zaporizhzhia, some 130 miles from Kherson and in the middle of a city that Ukraine controls and has heavily defended.
It means Russia has no easy way of reinforcing or resupplying its men in Kherson in the event that Ukraine attacks - a move which is expected to come soon.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11057013/Russian-troops-Kherson-highly-vulnerable-attack-Ukraine-destroys-bridges.html
Pushing the invaders out of Kherson is going to be very tough. The Russians will have the protection of being in an urban environment. It sounds like the fighting is already starting.
On the other hand, with all avenues of easy escape cut off, they can simply give the Russians a dose of their own medicine - artillery until there is nothing left but Russian bone-shards dancing in the dust.
So if I understand your post as I read it you think not helping Ukraine and letting Russia take as much territory as it wants is not a Pro-Russia position?
On the other hand, with all avenues of easy escape cut off, they can simply give the Russians a dose of their own medicine - artillery until there is nothing left but Russian bone-shards dancing in the dust.
Okay, Based on that philosophy . As far as you endorsing us sending billions and billions billions of $ to the corrupt Ukes, and based on obviously bigger priorites here, and the financial condition we are in?
That could be construed as an ANTI-AMERICAN position based on your same logic.
If you follow the threads it's pretty obvious that there is a group of Pro-Russia posters. They are pretty easy to identify. They excuse everything Russia does including invading sovereign countries and then explaining all the carnage can end if Ukraine would just surrender.
If it looks like the room is turning, it's because you are the one spinning.
If it looks like the room is turning, it's because you are the one spinning.
Is there anything Biden tells you that you do not believe @bilo ---- anything at all? Is there any cover you will not extend to the Biden regime?
Make YOUR case for the US accelerating a proxy war with Russia over yet another border conflict in The Ukraine. Tell me how the US benefits.
Include YOUR explanation for why neither the EU or NATO want the stench of The Ukraine and its world-class corruption in their organizations --- and why Europe continues to engage Russia, in spite of the carnage, for their comfort, convenience and economic security.
And, please, explain why you don't give a damn about the added impact this sh*tshow is having on Americans.
I guess the initial push to take Kyiv was just a border dispute.
Thanks for making my case. :yowsa:
I guess the initial push to take Kyiv was just a border dispute.
Thanks for making my case.
Is there anything Biden tells you that you do not believe @bilo ---- anything at all? Is there any cover you will not extend to the Biden regime?
Make YOUR case for the US accelerating a proxy war with Russia over yet another border conflict in The Ukraine. Tell me how the US benefits.
Include YOUR explanation for why neither the EU or NATO want the stench of The Ukraine and its world-class corruption in their organizations --- and why Europe continues to engage Russia, in spite of the carnage, for their comfort, convenience and economic security.
And, please, explain why you don't give a damn about the added impact this sh*tshow is having on Americans.
They've been attacking Kiev itself the past few days....
They've been attacking Kiev itself the past few days....
Make YOUR case for the US accelerating a proxy war with Russia over yet another border conflict in The Ukraine. Tell me how the US benefits.
Include YOUR explanation for why neither the EU or NATO want the stench of The Ukraine and its world-class corruption in their organizations --- and why Europe continues to engage Russia, in spite of the carnage, for their comfort, convenience and economic security.
And, please, explain why you don't give a damn about the added impact this sh*tshow is having on Americans.
Maybe you could take a crack at answering the questions raised here pointing-down @Cyber Liberty ??
Maybe you could take a crack at answering the questions raised here pointing-down @Cyber Liberty ??
This is what the regime you support wthout question has done to the American people:
Nope. Not playing that game. I can't.
Moldova says it fears a Russian invasion as more neighbors ring alarm over Ukraine war
https://www.businessinsider.com/moldova-fears-russia-attack-neighbors-up-defenses-after-ukraine-war-2022-7 (https://www.businessinsider.com/moldova-fears-russia-attack-neighbors-up-defenses-after-ukraine-war-2022-7)
• Moldova's prime minister said her country is afraid Russia could invade it next.
• She told CNN that the concern is a hypothetical one for now, but it was still a "risk."
• Moldova, Ukraine's neighbor, is home to a breakaway region backed by Russian forces.
"This is a risk, it's a hypothetical scenario for now, but if the military actions move further into the southwestern part of Ukraine and toward Odesa, then of course, we are very worried."
She highlighted the risk of Russian troops in Transnistria, a Russia-backed region that borders Ukraine and broke away from Moldova in 1992.
A senior Russian commander said in April that Russia wanted to take all of southern Ukraine, which would give it a land connection to Transnistria. Russia has since retreated from much of Ukraine, and is focusing on taking the east.
More at link.
I am open to being convinced our involvement is in the best military and economic interests of the United States ----- that we should tread beyond where Europe, itself, is willing to go.
No one has even tried to make this case. :shrug:
Pure unadulterated bullshit. Several posters including myself have been making this exact case here for months now. Let those who have ears hear.
Russia tried to avoid this conflict with diplomacy but the West refused negotiate and made all this inevitable.
Link to Orban's full speech: https://miniszterelnok.hu/speech-by-prime-minister-viktor-orban-at-the-31st-balvanyos-summer-free-university-and-student-camp/
'There is no path out of economic oblivion for Putin': Russia is LOSING financial war with the West, with sanctions catastrophically crippling the country, new report shows
By WALTER FINCH FOR MAILONLINE
29 July 2022
Russia is losing the economic war with the West and its economy is in catastrophic and irrevocable decline even as it cuts off the gas supply to Europe, a new report has claimed.
As panic spreads across Europe over the prospect of gas rationing and spiralling energy prices, it is in fact Russia which is on the ropes, with business in retreat and sanctions catastrophically crippling their economy.
And while Putin causes panic in European governments by throttling gas supplies, the strategy is unsustainable for the dictator as he burns through reserves and his budget goes into deficit.
This is the verdict from a Yale-authored report that has looked beyond the Kremlin's cherry-picked economic figures to access private Russian language and other unconventional data sources.
The report looked at high frequency consumer data, cross-channel checks, releases from Russia’s international trade partners and mining of complex shipping data to produce an economic analysis measuring the state of Putin's economy and what the future might have in store for it.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11058709/There-no-path-economic-oblivion-Putin-Russia-LOSING-financial-war-West.html
The challenge is to keep the weak sisters in the EU from surrendering to Putin. Instead of laughing at Trump they should have been taking notes. I'm still not getting it why the EU countries haven't increased their purchases from Africa, especially Nigeria.
It was interesting to learn that the oil production in Siberia after the collapse of the USSR has never been equal to the production from before the collapse. Now that all the top engineering firms have pulled out it raises the question about how much oil Russia can produce to sell to China.
That's once reason why Joe has been selling off our reserves.
Yes, they should have taken notes from Trump and obviously it was a huge mistake to kill the Keystone pipeline. Being energy independent kept us on top of the game. Now we'll wind up at the bottom of the barrel.
Don't be so gloomy the trend is in our favor.
The WEF, EU and Rats talk a good game about globalization but the trend is towards deglobalization. We are moving back towards an era where countries have the majority of their supply chains in nation, or very close. The USA has great agricultural resources, more navigable water ways than the rest of the world, huge shale oil/natural gas reserves and our number one trading partner is on or southern border. It takes about 3 months to get shale drilling up and running. We will regain our sanity and the Rats will be marginalized. The greatest challenge will come in reforming the civil service, but it will get done!
Now if we can aid Ukraine in defeating Russia the need to remain in NATO is greatly diminished and we can focus on only helping those nations that help us.
Well your perspective is very optimistic. The reality IMHO is we are no longer energy independent, shelves are bare, inflation is through the roof and a push for going green is still on going. Not to mention the destruction that ILLEGALS are having on our country. To boot we are in a recession (I think we're heading towards a depression).
Sorry, but the attention and $$ should be going towards making this country great and staying afloat instead of increasing our debt -- then we can help with situations like the one in Ukraine.
If we fall, we're not going to be able to help Ukraine and then all the billions spent and handing over our weapons will be for not and will in fact prove extremely detrimental.
I realize it's always easier to be negative and concentrate on the present, but the future is good! The leftists have gone so insane even independents are looking towards the Pubs. Who dominates the Pub party? It's the America First deplorables.
I specifically mentioned how long it takes to get Shale oil production going to let you know that our current energy mess is not permanent and can be turned around quickly.
The Pubs will take back the House in 2022. The Pubs might take the Senate in 2022. The Pubs will take back the Presidency in 2024. Along with these big gains will be the demands of the American public to reverse course. We have a deep bench and clear vision. It's going to be okay!
Lets see Russia pushed out of Ukraine and then get out of NATO.
Well your perspective is very optimistic. The reality IMHO is we are no longer energy independent, shelves are bare, inflation is through the roof and a push for going green is still on going. Not to mention the destruction that ILLEGALS are having on our country. To boot we are in a recession (I think we're heading towards a depression).
Sorry, but the attention and $$ should be going towards making this country great and staying afloat instead of increasing our debt -- then we can help with situations like the one in Ukraine.
None of that has a thing to do with Ukraine.
The best thing we can do is to drill, drill, drill, to drive down the price of oil. That will hurt Russia more than anything. And it will help us.
'There is no path out of economic oblivion for Putin': Russia is LOSING financial war with the West, with sanctions catastrophically crippling the country, new report shows
By WALTER FINCH FOR MAILONLINE
29 July 2022
Russia is losing the economic war with the West and its economy is in catastrophic and irrevocable decline even as it cuts off the gas supply to Europe, a new report has claimed.
That's once reason why Joe has been selling off our reserves.
Yes, they should have taken notes from Trump and obviously it was a huge mistake to kill the Keystone pipeline. Being energy independent kept us on top of the game. Now we'll wind up at the bottom of the barrel.
Don't be so gloomy the trend is in our favor.
The WEF, EU and Rats talk a good game about globalization but the trend is towards deglobalization. We are moving back towards an era where countries have the majority of their supply chains in nation, or very close. The USA has great agricultural resources, more navigable water ways than the rest of the world, huge shale oil/natural gas reserves and our number one trading partner is on or southern border. It takes about 3 months to get shale drilling up and running. We will regain our sanity and the Rats will be marginalized. The greatest challenge will come in reforming the civil service, but it will get done!
Now if we can aid Ukraine in defeating Russia the need to remain in NATO is greatly diminished and we can focus on only helping those nations that help us.
I realize it's always easier to be negative and concentrate on the present, but the future is good! The leftists have gone so insane even independents are looking towards the Pubs. Who dominates the Pub party? It's the America First deplorables.
I specifically mentioned how long it takes to get Shale oil production going to let you know that our current energy mess is not permanent and can be turned around quickly.
The Pubs will take back the House in 2022. The Pubs might take the Senate in 2022. The Pubs will take back the Presidency in 2024. Along with these big gains will be the demands of the American public to reverse course. We have a deep bench and clear vision. It's going to be okay!
Lets see Russia pushed out of Ukraine and then get out of NATO.
@libertybele
You don't think that was at the core of the plan to destroy America and become a cog the "World Wide Government,Inc" machine?
@bilo
If we can manage to eliminate the former,and potential future "USSR",the only real threat to world peace will be China.
Which can/will result in a huge reduction in military budgets for every nation in the western world.
Preach it!!!
I’ve been saying the same things
I wonder who is going to end up owning that big-ass yacht he had built that is stuck at the shipyard now that the country it was built in has refused to take down a bridge so it can get out of the shipyard,and into the sea?
Putin's yacht was seized in Italy.
The yacht you're thinking of is the one built for Jeff Bezos in Rotterdam.
BizPac
Putin targets USA in new Russian Navy doctrine, as fresh scrutiny arises over his limp, and right arm use
July 31, 2022 | Robert Jonathan
A new video has prompted more conjecture about the health status of Vladimir Putin, president of the Russian Federation.
Online sleuths claim that the footage, in which Putin — somewhat unnaturally — swats away mosquitoes from the right side of his face or neck with left hand, while his right hand remained immobile.
The clip embedded below is notable because the dictator is said to be right-handed. This particular occasion was a tour of military museum conducted by Ksenia Shoigu, daughter of Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Unconfirmed theories have previously emerged that Putin, 69, an ex-KGB officer who has projected an image of a macho martial artist during his time as the Russian leader, is suffering from blood cancer, thyroid cancer, Parkinson’s disease, or other maladies.
(more)
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2022/07/31/putin-targets-usa-in-new-russian-navy-doctrine-as-fresh-scrutiny-arises-over-his-limp-and-right-arm-use-1268347/
@Elderberry
BTW,why did the Italians seize Putin's yacht
“An unidentified object flew into the courtyard of the fleet’s headquarters,” Mikhail Razvozhayev, governor of Sevastopol, home to Russia’s Black Sea fleet, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
Don't be so gloomy the trend is in our favor.Drillers in this area are having trouble getting hands, and it is summertime.
The WEF, EU and Rats talk a good game about globalization but the trend is towards deglobalization. We are moving back towards an era where countries have the majority of their supply chains in nation, or very close. The USA has great agricultural resources, more navigable water ways than the rest of the world, huge shale oil/natural gas reserves and our number one trading partner is on or southern border. It takes about 3 months to get shale drilling up and running. We will regain our sanity and the Rats will be marginalized. The greatest challenge will come in reforming the civil service, but it will get done!
Now if we can aid Ukraine in defeating Russia the need to remain in NATO is greatly diminished and we can focus on only helping those nations that help us.
@sneakypete
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/putin-alleged-super-yacht-seized-italy (https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/putin-alleged-super-yacht-seized-italy)
The yacht was seized under coordinated measures with the European Union due to Russia's involvement in "undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine."
https://www.mef.gov.it/en/ufficio-stampa/comunicati/2022/Adopted-the-freezing-decree-of-the-boat-Scheherazade-00001/ (https://www.mef.gov.it/en/ufficio-stampa/comunicati/2022/Adopted-the-freezing-decree-of-the-boat-Scheherazade-00001/)
The problem remains takeaway capacity, pipeline or rail, and this Administration has been about as hostile toward new infrastructure, or expansion of existing infrastructure as it gets.
Our biggest obstacle remains the people in DC, at BLM (Bureau of Land Management) USFWS, Interior Dept., DOE and EPA.
Lebanon Seizes Ship Loaded With Stolen Ukrainian Grain
https://www.battleswarmblog.com/?p=52143 (https://www.battleswarmblog.com/?p=52143)
A small story with possibly big implications:
Lebanon has seized a ship loaded with barley and wheat flour while it determines whether the cargo may have been stolen from Ukraine, said Public Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Beirut said the vessel was loaded at Feodosia in the Russian-occupied peninsula of Crimea, and that the commodities originated from Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Kherson in southeastern Ukraine.
@Smokin JoeI know, right? After all he promised he'd do that, and we all know they never keep their promises... :shrug:
Ahm shocked! SHOCKED,AH TELLS YA?
Hooda evur thunk a peeppulls prisidint lak Joe wood do sumptin lik dat?
An to thik dat ah tok a day offen ob graduite skool to vote fur him!
Why,I neva.........!
@ElderberryNot the West, unless it is the WEF...promised his piece of the pie to bring down the rest, just like the rest.
When a tiny little country has the stones to stand up to a superpower bully like the "New and Improved USSR",that tells a story.
At times it almost seems like Putin is a double agent,working for the west to destroy the military power and influence of Russia,doesn't it?
Is it even possible for someone in his position to do things THIS freaking stupid and not understand the implications?
Not the West, unless it is the WEF...promised his piece of the pie to bring down the rest, just like the rest.
@Smokin JoeWorld Economic Forum the Davos crowd of "elites" who really want the rest of us to live like medieval peasants (serfs). Y'know, the "You will own nothing and be happy" crowd.
Maybe I am having a brain fart,but I have no idea what the "WEF" is.
World Economic Forum the Davos crowd of "elites" who really want the rest of us to live like medieval peasants (serfs). Y'know, the "You will own nothing and be happy" crowd.
Russian forces shelling from cover of Ukrainian nuclear plant: report
By Evan Simko-Bednarski
August 1, 2022
Russian forces are shelling towns in southern Ukraine from a position inside Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, according to a report Monday.
Russian artillery firing from within the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant on the Dnipro River doesn’t fear reprisal, Ukrainian officials say, because the collateral damage of a Ukrainian strike could be catastrophic, the New York Times reported.
“They are hiding there so they cannot be hit,” said Oleksandr Sayuk, the mayor of Nikopol – -a Ukrainian town across the river from the plant, told the newspaper.
“Why else would they be at the electrical station? To use such an object as a shield is very dangerous.”
The power plant — some 75 miles downriver from the Ukrainian-controlled city of the same name — contains six nuclear reactors, among which the Russians have built a small outpost after seizing control in early March.
* * *
Source: https://nypost.com/2022/08/01/russian-forces-shelling-from-ukrainian-nuclear-plant-report/
Russian forces shelling from cover of Ukrainian nuclear plant: report
By Evan Simko-Bednarski
August 1, 2022
Russian forces are shelling towns in southern Ukraine from a position inside Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, according to a report Monday.
Russian artillery firing from within the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant on the Dnipro River doesn’t fear reprisal, Ukrainian officials say, because the collateral damage of a Ukrainian strike could be catastrophic, the New York Times reported.
Why does this bother you so much?
@Kamaji
Ahhh,the Ruskies!
Ain't NOBODY that knows better how to win international hearts and minds so their cause can be seen in a favorable light than them,is there?
After all,Genghis Khan,Hitler,and Stalin are all long dead.
What has this pointing-up to do with the Russians reportedly shelling from the safe haven of a power plant @sneakypete ?
@Right_in_Virginia
A better question is "Why DOESN'T it bother you?"
Seems like you are taking a potential neo-Soviet loss personally.
@
@Right_in_Virginia
Celebrating a potential neo-Soviet victory,comrade?
Good discussion, @sneakypete ..... As insightful, honest and enlightening as always. 88devil
Putin says ‘there can be no winners in nuclear war, it should never be started’Right up until Iran lobs one in...maybe not at Israel, but at Russia, hoping to provoke a major exchange.
By REUTERS and TOM BROWN FOR MAILONLINE
1 August 2022
Vladimir Putin has said a nuclear war must 'never be started' following heightened tension between Moscow and NATO in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
'As a state party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and one of its depositaries, Russia is consistently complying with the letter and the spirit of the Treaty,' Putin said in a letter to participants of a conference on the treaty in New York.
'We proceed from the fact that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should never be unleashed, and we stand for equal and indivisible security for all members of the world community.'
UN head Antonio Guterres warned on the same day that humanity was 'just one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation,' with the world facing a threat 'not seen since the height of the Cold War.'
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11069757/Putin-says-no-winners-nuclear-war-never-started.html
Do you understand that the Russians made a strategic decision to fire from a safe haven. Wouldn't we seek to do the same thing? @sneakypete"Safe haven"?
Do you understand that the Russians made a strategic decision to fire from a safe haven. Wouldn't we seek to do the same thing? @sneakypete
Do you understand that the Russians made a strategic decision to fire from a safe haven. Wouldn't we seek to do the same thing? @sneakypete
@Right_in_Virginia
As a squad or platoon leader,almost certainly.
As a commander,there is no way in hell I would do that in shooting war due to the political fallout,and the potential damage it would do to our cause.
lol... Not the first of the "duped" to call us "comrades" just because we are more pro-American than pro-Ukranian.
You'd think at least a 1/3 have been listening to Tucker Carlson's op-eds on the matter.
@catfish1957
Calling me "duped" only proves what a clueless fool you really are.
So you view the situation in Ukraine as "Our Cause"?
I don't what your tax liability is, but from my perspective, and my tax dollars going to this boondoggle..... Hell No.
@catfish1957
Causen "hit's all about me,me,ME,DAMMIT!",right?
None are so blind as the selfish and ignorant fools that can't see the fiscal,human,and emotional advantages to the US and the whole freaking world the defeat of the Russian Army and the collapse of neo-Sovietism would bring to the entire world.
Well,maybe not to the defense contractors,but to everyone else.
@Right_in_Virginia
As a squad or platoon leader under enemy fire and needing cover at that moment,almost certainly.
As a commander,there is no way in hell I would do that in shooting war due to the political fallout,and the potential damage it would do to our cause
Are you saying for the US military our commitment to fight for victory "depends" on politics @sneakypete ----- and that *you* support this?
Why does this bother you so much?
What has this pointing-up to do with the Russiansreportedlyactually shelling civilians, women and children, from the safe haven of a power plant @sneakypete ?
Do you understand that the Russians made a strategic decision to fire from a safe haven.
Wouldn't we seek to do the same thing? @sneakypete
Fixed for accuracy.
Check out the WW-2 "Red Army Blocking Squads" for proof of how cheap the Soviet leadership holds the lives of their troops.
Zero of my tax dollars should be going to Zellinski's slush fund.
Been saying that for months now. Unfortunately, the American regime leader seems only interested in funding the slush fund (which he started), and not the weapons fund. Ukraine has asked for one thing and one thing only from the US. And that is the capability to defeat Russia on the battlefield.
Fixed for accuracy.
Absolutely politics and war are inextricably linked.
This wasn't my point.
Post a link to your drippings on my original post ----- or stand down
@catfish1957
None are so blind as the selfish and ignorant fools that can't see the fiscal,human,and emotional advantages to the US and the whole freaking world the defeat of the Russian Army and the collapse of neo-Sovietism would bring to the entire world.
lol
Where are your links?
Russia wants to be an economic player in Europe
Russia wants to bully Europe.
Too bad, we don't have some form of covert intelligence action that we can arm the general population, and make them a citizen guerrilla army. Make the Russians fear every door they open.
That way we can bypass the Uke politcal system. I'd be all for that!!!!!!
Russia wants to bully Europe.
Using Nuclear Reactors for Cover, Russians Lob Rockets at Ukrainians
QuoteRussia has the 11th largest GDP in the world, and is dropping like a rock in that perspective. There are a number of countries in the EU that have stronger economies. Why won't these folks manage the Russian threat?
@catfish1957
Don't know,don't care. What I care about is America,and the future of our lives without a Communist Russia starting guerilla wars all over in an attempt to take down the west,which requires us to send soldiers to help that 3rd world nation defeat the communists.
I am worried about the lives of American military members.
I am worried about the future security of not only America,but of the whole damn world.
You can crawl into your little isolationist hut and pretend to be superior,but all that proves is your ignorance.
What I find hilarious, is your (rightful) hatred of "W", and his and his dim complicit lackeys who thrust the concept of NWO and nation building on us, while wasting trillions of dollars from our treasury. And still........
You continue to help perpetuate this concept. Because..... Guess who gets to rebuild Ukraine after this is over?
I wish the Ukranian people all the best, and hope they continue to beat the Russians back. But.... Not on my dime.
Are you saying for the US military our commitment to fight for victory "depends" on politics @sneakypete ----- and that *you* support this?
Fixed for accuracy.
For the most part, it's a generational divide @sneakypete Half the nation came of age during or after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Reagan's victory in the Cold War, and Glasnost/Perestoika. For them, "Dr. Strangelove" is not a documentary.
Russia has morphed from a one dimensional totalitarian state to a multi-dimensional European nation state more in line with those prior to the establishment of the EU. Russia's interests are Russia first ----- but that does not automaticlly translate into global tyranny --- which, BTW, is now the charter of the WEF and Brussels and our actual best interest to stop.
Russia wants to be an economic player in Europe, and by extension, on the world stage. Yet, no one asks why it's so important that we stop this by draining our treasury, interfering on behalf of a non-NATO country and fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian.
Russia wants to bully Europe.
Biden’s Ukraine Blame-Laying Effort Enters a New Phase
National Review by Jimmy Quinn 8/2/2022
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/bidens-ukraine-blame-laying-effort-enters-a-new-phase/ (https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/bidens-ukraine-blame-laying-effort-enters-a-new-phase/)
Thomas Friedman reports, based on conversations with senior administration officials: “Privately, U.S. officials are a lot more concerned about Ukraine’s leadership than they are letting on. There is deep mistrust between the White House and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky — considerably more than has been reported.”
. . .Senior Ukrainian officials believe that President Biden is ramping up an effort to fault Kyiv for failing to heed his pre-invasion warning about Russian war plans — and thus deflect from his administration’s own inability to deter the invasion, a former U.S. official who speaks regularly with top Ukrainian officials told National Review.
They’re furious about this new rhetorical tack, according to the source, because they believe that the White House declined to take meaningful action to deter the Russian assault in late 2021 and earlier this year…
During remarks at a Democratic fundraiser Friday in Los Angeles, Biden reportedly said that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky failed to listen to his warnings about the imminent Russian invasion. “Nothing like this has happened since World War II. I know a lot of people thought I was maybe exaggerating,” he said, according to an Associated Press report. “But I knew we had data to sustain” the prediction that Putin “was going to go in, off the border.” He added, “There was no doubt, and Zelensky didn’t want to hear it.”…
@Right_in_Virginia
Do you NOT know ANYTHING about history OR human nature?
Bu-bu-but....I was told everybody does that, even the US.
Biden’s Ukraine Blame-Laying Effort Enters a New PhaseSay what? Do they mean flacid warnings about a 'minor incursion'?
National Review by Jimmy Quinn 8/2/2022
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/bidens-ukraine-blame-laying-effort-enters-a-new-phase/ (https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/bidens-ukraine-blame-laying-effort-enters-a-new-phase/)
Thomas Friedman reports, based on conversations with senior administration officials: “Privately, U.S. officials are a lot more concerned about Ukraine’s leadership than they are letting on. There is deep mistrust between the White House and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky — considerably more than has been reported.”
Perhaps those conversations are now taking place to a degree previously unknown, but those in Kyiv have understood for several weeks now that President Biden is preparing to blame them if the war effort collapses. In fact, he already started to do so in June, as I reported at the time:
Senior Ukrainian officials believe that President Biden is ramping up an effort to fault Kyiv for failing to heed his pre-invasion warning about Russian war plans — and thus deflect from his administration’s own inability to deter the invasion, a former U.S. official who speaks regularly with top Ukrainian officials told National Review.
More at link.
I do @sneakypete --- about both. I also have the abilities to observe and think, and I can do both dispassionately.Worldviews may change, but human nature does not, else the Bible would be irrelevant in a generation.
Worldviews change with generations, Pete. Few who came of age during and after the celebrated fall of communism in Europe view today's Russia as a global Soviet threat.
Your worldview is understandable ---- you came of age during the height of the Soviet threat. You fought the commies in Vietnam. Your worldview is now part of your DNA.
But, Germany moving past its subjugation wars and Japan past hers to become respected and influential global players prove times change, and so can nations. FWIW, I doubt any WWII vet saw this coming --- and I suspect they weren't very happy about it.
@Right_in_Virginia
Yeah,compared to you and selfish,cowardly creatures like you,I happen to live in the real world.
I do @sneakypete --- about both. I also have the abilities to observe and think, and I can do both dispassionately.
Worldviews change with generations, Pete. Few who came of age during and after the celebrated fall of communism in Europe view today's Russia as a global Soviet threat.
Your worldview is understandable ---- you came of age during the height of the Soviet threat. You fought the commies in Vietnam. Your worldview is now part of your DNA.
But, Germany moving past its subjugation wars and Japan past hers to become respected and influential global players prove times change, and so can nations. FWIW, I doubt any WWII vet saw this coming --- and I suspect they weren't very happy about it.
Pull up @sneakypete Pull up. :laugh:
Worldviews may change, but human nature does not, else the Bible would be irrelevant n a generation.
@Right_in_Virginia
Human nature doesn't change.
@Right_in_Virginia
Hell,if you can't trust a former career Colonel who spend his entire life up to a few years ago trying to figure out how to conquer all free nations and turn them into police states,who CAN you trust?
I think you may be confusing human nature with what someone is taught @sneakypete You and your generation were taught ---- with every news report, every spy novel, every movie, every TV show ---- about the evils of the Soviets. Back between the 50s and 70s this was likely in our best geopolitical interest.
Then came Ronald Reagan and the slaying of the Soviet Union and comminism in Europe ---- without firing a single shot ---- ushering in one of the most consequential global paradigm shifts of the 20th Century. We, as a nation, are still struggling to come to terms with it.
I think you may be confusing human nature with what someone is taught @sneakypete You and your generation were taught ---- with every news report, every spy novel, every movie, every TV show ---- about the evils of the Soviets. Back between the 50s and 70s this was likely in our best geopolitical interest.Wait, whoa. You're saying the people who gunned down the Romanovs, and proceeded to slaughter more of their Countrymen than Hitler racked up are just nice folks who are misunderstood because they spent my formative years and beyond pointing nuclear weapons at us?
Then came Ronald Reagan and the slaying of the Soviet Union and comminism in Europe ---- without firing a single shot ---- ushering in one of the most consequential global paradigm shifts of the 20th Century. We, as a nation, are still struggling to come to terms with it.
To this end @sneakypete your time just might be better spent focusng on Klaus Schwab and Joe Biden.
By whom @Cyber Liberty ?
Wait, whoa. You're saying the people who gunned down the Romanovs, and proceeded to slaughter more of their Countrymen than Hitler racked up are just nice folks who are misunderstood because they spent my formative years and beyond pointing nuclear weapons at us?
Communism has never flourished so well as it has since it was pronounced dead.
Just look at the crap coming out of Washington, D.C. and try flying that past America of circa 1965. McCarthy was right, and every facet of American culture has been subtly infused with Communist (Marxist) rhetoric to the point that those doing it are comfortable with pulling aside the wrapper and exposing the source of their philosophies.
Take the rose colored glasses off.
Of course not @Smokin Joe ..... and you know it. I never said that, not even by innuendo.
In Europe? (Don't tell Hungary or Poland)
Are you finally admitting it's time for the US to take its focus off Europe and put it fully where it belongs: On the US? Or are you still fully behind Biden leading this nation into the dustbin of history ----- you know because of The Ukraine or Russia or wheat or something? Are you anxiously awaiting the tossing of Joe's next shiny object, or can this one hold you for a while?
Physician, heal thyself ---- I'm not the one skipping behind Joe Biden.
By whom @Cyber Liberty ?
I think you may be confusing human nature with what someone is taught @sneakypete You and your generation were taught ---- with every news report, every spy novel, every movie, every TV show ---- about the evils of the Soviets. Back between the 50s and 70s this was likely in our best geopolitical interest.
@Right_in_Virginia
What's it like living in a vacuum?
@Right_in_Virginia
I think it is best if you and I quit posting to each other on this subject.
@Hoodat @Right_in_Virginia
Not only that,but the Soviets WERE evil.
So are the Neo-Soviets of today.
Exactly, @sneakypete
I don't oppose Russia because they were in the past evil Soviet communists. I oppose Russia because they are evil now today.
Russian soldiers accuse superiors of jailing them for refusing to fight
Rare public comments expose tensions inside the ranks of Russia’s army over the invasion of Ukraine
Pjotr Sauer | 2 Aug 2022 | 10.00 EDT
(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/5d9c2b7838009465db31b4cd694e3611d32942e0/115_0_4514_2709/master/4514.jpg?width=620&quality=85&fit=max&s=ed9a80e185b9b62cf6adcc9295afec19)
The Russian army and the People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic [who wear Nazi SS Totenkopf insignia on their uniforms] on a mission in Ukraine. Photograph: AP
A group of Russian soldiers have accused their commanders of jailing them in eastern Ukraine for refusing to take part in the war, in a rare public exposure of tensions inside the ranks of Russia’s army over the invasion.
Maxim Grebenyuk, a lawyer who runs the Moscow-based advocacy organisation Military Ombudsman, said at least four Russian soldiers had filed written complaints with the investigative committee, demanding punishment for the superiors who oversaw their detainment.
“We already have a list of 70 Russian soldiers who were held as prisoners. In total, about 140 soldiers were held,” added Grebenyuk, who represented the soldiers.
In one written testimony sent to Russian prosecutors on 1 August and reviewed by the Guardian, a soldier described how, after refusing to return to the battlefield, he was jailed for more than a week in different cells in the Russian-controlled territory of Luhansk.
“As a result of what I believe were tactical and strategic mistakes made by my commanders … and their total disregard for human life … I made the decision not to continue in the military operation,” said Vladimir, a soldier whose name has been changed at his request.
Vladimir said he was detained on 19 July and placed in a room with window bars where he was held without food with 25 other soldiers from his unit who also refused to fight. . . .
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/02/russian-soldiers-accuse-superiors-of-jailing-them-for-refusing-to-fight
Say it ain't so!! I thought that only the Ukrainians were neo-nazis.
So the soldiers are being punished for insubordination? Aren't they supposed to be for disobeying orders to deploy?
I don't understand why this is even a story...
They are being denied due process. Also, under Russian law, conscripts cannot be placed in combat roles.
Deserting is a tad different from refusing an order. These soldiers did not desert.
That's true, I was making a hypothetical...
Soon to be 100,000 North Korean defectors.
CBS News
@CBSNews
The new CBS Reports documentary, "Arming Ukraine," explores why much of the billions of dollars of military aid that the U.S. is sending to Ukraine doesn't make it to the front lines: "Like 30% of it reaches its final destination." Stream now: https://cbsn.ws/3oV6hz5
7:45 PM · Aug 5, 2022·
Mike Kilo
@Mike___Kilo
Replying to @CBSNews
You’re suddenly asking the same questions that just weeks ago you claimed were only being asked by treasonous pro-Putin sympathizers. What changed? Have you switched sides?
12:35 AM · Aug 6, 2022
Yes, I understand what you meant.
If the Russian regime doesn't value the lives of their own soldiers, how much less do they value the lives of the Ukrainian people.
Volodymyr Zelensky Asks Xi Jinping for Talks, Invites China to Rebuild Ukraine
Breitbart, Aug 5, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the South China Morning Post on Thursday that he would like to discuss his country’s war against Russia with the leader of Russia’s closest ally, Xi Jinping, “directly,” and invited China to help rebuild Ukraine once the war is over.
Zelensky’s discussion with the Morning Post, a Hong Kong newspaper, was the first with an Asian news outlet since Russia escalated its eight-year-old war against Ukraine into a full-scale invasion in February. Zelensky used the opportunity to request a personal discussion with Xi, a genocidal communist dictator who is largely bankrolling the invasion of Ukraine through large purchases of cheap Russian oil and gas.
Ukraine is a member of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global program to trap poor countries in predatory loans to China that they cannot afford. The loans are nominally meant to pay China for massive infrastructure projects. China was also Ukraine’s top trading partner prior to the war. Last year, Zelensky said he hoped that Ukraine would become a “bridge to Europe” for Chinese influence in his last conversation with Xi.
[...]
Zelensky also expressed hope that China would play a role in the reconstruction of Ukraine once the war ended, inducing “China, Chinese businesses” to enter the Ukrainian market.
“I really would like the whole world to [unite] over this process. It’s very hard for us to overcome this,” the president was quoted as saying.
https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2022/08/05/volodymyr-zelensky-asks-xi-jinping-for-talks-invites-china-to-rebuild-ukraine/
"The new CBS Reports documentary, "Arming Ukraine," explores why much of the billions of dollars of military aid that the U.S. is sending to Ukraine doesn't make it to the front lines: "Like 30% of it reaches its final destination." Stream now: https://cbsn.ws/3oV6hz5" (Video)
Hell.... the Big Guy was only getting 10% :cool:
"The new CBS Reports documentary, "Arming Ukraine," explores why much of the billions of dollars of military aid that the U.S. is sending to Ukraine doesn't make it to the front lines
Ukraine is the victim of US corruption. $40 billion in spending, yet they can't deliver actual weapons to the people who need them.
Ukraine is the victim of US corruption.
:laughingdog:
A sanctioned Russian businessman and close Putin ally linked to the notorious Wagner Group
Report: Biden Admin Poised to Give Ukraine $1 Billion Weapons Package
JORDAN DIXON-HAMILTON | 5 Aug 2022
President Joe Biden’s administration is prepared to send Ukraine a $1 billion weapons package as early as Monday, according to a Reuters report.
The $1 billion weapons package would be one of the largest aid packages the United States has sent Ukraine since Russia invaded the country back in February.
The $1 billion weapons package will include “munitions for long-range weapons and armored medical transport vehicles,” according to Reuters sources, who spoke with the outlet on condition of anonymity.
https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1555627753419980806
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/08/05/report-biden-admin-poised-to-give-ukraine-1-billion-weapons-package/
This nickel and dime bullshit has got to stop. Biden is intentionally holding back weapons, trying to drag this war out as long as possible. M-113s? Seriously? This is your huge $1 billion weapons package? Meanwhile, $40 billion continues to line someone's pockets at DoD, Department of State, HHS, etc., while Ukrainian soldiers at the front line go without.
Putin allied with nazis? Say it ain't so.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!! 9999hair out0000
Indeed! We need to save some for the Taiwan War Pelosi just created in time for the mid-terms.
If with $40 billion we can't deliver weapons to the front line in Ukraine, what makes you think we can help Taiwan?
The ONLY thing they don't provide us with is self-respect.
@Hoodat
We are NOT going to help Taiwan.
We can't afford to piss off China because they can cut off our supply of GM automatic transmissions,Smithfield sandwich meats,virtually EVERYTHING in Wal-Mart,etc,etc,etc.
Hell,cheap Chinese crap is what is keeping America moving these days.
The ONLY thing they don't provide us with is self-respect.
@Hoodat
We are NOT going to help Taiwan.
We can't afford to piss off China because they can cut off our supply of GM automatic transmissions,Smithfield sandwich meats,virtually EVERYTHING in Wal-Mart,etc,etc,etc.
Hell,cheap Chinese crap is what is keeping America moving these days.
The ONLY thing they don't provide us with is self-respect.
Gee, remember the good ole days when mostly everything in Walmart was made in the USA??
Gee, remember the good ole days when mostly everything in Walmart was made in the USA??
@libertybele
I even remember them bragging about it in their advertisements.
Gee, remember the good ole days when mostly everything in Walmart was made in the USA??
Inside the city of the damned: What's going on in Putin occupied Kherson has been hidden from the world. But insider accounts obtained by veteran war reporter DAVID PATRIKARAKOS expose unimaginable evil - and the awesome courage of the Ukrainian resistance
By DAVID PATRIKARAKOS FOR THE DAILY MAIL
5 August 2022
A cloud of thick smoke hangs over the occupied city of Kherson in Ukraine. Its very stench is evidence of Russian war crimes, on a scale almost too sickening to contemplate.
The smoke comes from mobile incinerators that are running night and day. Vladimir Putin's paranoid soldiers are burning the corpses of Ukrainian citizens tortured and murdered on suspicion of helping the resistance.
And they are dispatching the bodies of their own comrades too — hundreds of them. The Russians are killed by the constant pounding of Ukrainian shells from artillery placements surrounding the city and by highly organised, secret units of freedom fighters.
They are even killed by gangs of youths armed with knives who set upon drunken Russians and stab them.
The incinerators fill Kherson with the reek of charred flesh. There is no mistaking the smell and it adds to the pervasive sense of horror in this Black Sea port. It is a living hell.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11086027/Insider-accounts-obtained-veteran-war-reporter-expose-unimaginable-evil-Kherson.html
Running crematoria 24/7, just like their intellectual and philosophical forebears, the German Nazis.
Modern day Einsatzgruppen.
Gabriel NoronhaCould it be, then, that our own State Dept is working against Ukraine's interests?
@GLNoronhaZelensky is now calling for sanctions on Russia's nuclear industry, which is dominated by state-owned nuclear enterprise Rosatom.
Rosatom has a $10 billion contract to construct nuclear reactors at Bushehr, Iran, which @StateDept exempted from sanctions earlier this year.
10:04 PM · Aug 7, 2022
Former State Dept. official tweets:Could it be, then, that our own State Dept is working against Ukraine's interests?
Former State Dept. official tweets:Could it be, then, that our own State Dept is working against Ukraine's interests?
Another celebrity visitor. Anyone know what the symbol on the president's t-shirt means?
Major-general Valery Vasilyev, who commands Russia's nuclear, biological and chemical protection troops, has reportedly told Ukraine about the bombs and warned: 'This will be either Russian land or scorched earth.'
Can you say "International War Crimes Tribunal"?
I thought you could. The Euroweenies that typically try to get America to bear the brunt of anything negative will be losing some sleep over this one.
BTW,am I the only one that thinks this is just one more example of how desperate the Soviet Union,Part 2,is getting?
This is nothing less than a nuclear threat to all of Europe,in a desperate attempt to convince the west to let them get away with invading a sovereign nation to steal it's natural resources.
Freedom my a*s ---- this whole sh*tshow is state-sponsored money laundering
BREAKING: Biden admin to send additional $4.5 BILLION to Ukraine
These new funds will go directly to Ukraine's government.
The Post Millennial, Aug 8, 2022
According to Reuters, the US Agency for International Development made the announcement on Monday: "The funding, coordinated with the U.S. Treasury Department through the World Bank, will go to the Ukraine government in tranches, beginning with a $3 billion disbursement in August, USAID, the Agency for International Development, said," they report.
The Russian commander in charge of Europe's largest nuclear plant has wired it with explosives and threatened to blow it up if Ukraine tries to take it back, Kyiv claims.
Major-general Valery Vasilyev, who commands Russia's nuclear, biological and chemical protection troops, has reportedly told Ukraine about the bombs and warned: 'This will be either Russian land or scorched earth.'
In other words, $0 for weapons.
You're being played --- still.
You're being played --- still.
It isn't our war and Americans are hurting.
Being played? I've been calling this out since Day One. You haven't read my posts?
You're being willingly played by the whole sh*tshow and every inch of our involvement.
Nope. I have been calling them out since Day One, which my posts both here and on the previous thread prove. Announcements of weapons to be sent to Ukraine? I called them out. $40 billion spending package? I called them out. The State Dept approving MiG transfers to Ukraine? I called them out.
The difference here is that I still support sending weapons to Ukraine because their cause is just. And that is where you and I differ. But let the record show that at no time during this whole encounter have I supported what the Biden Administration is doing. I recognize their bullshit, and I have been calling it out each and every day.
Russian commander in charge of Europe's largest nuclear plant 'has wired it with explosives and told the Ukrainians he will blow it up if they try to take it back', Kyiv's state atomic energy firm says
By CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE
8 August 2022
The Russian commander in charge of Europe's largest nuclear plant has wired it with explosives and threatened to blow it up if Ukraine tries to take it back, Kyiv claims.
Major-general Valery Vasilyev, who commands Russia's nuclear, biological and chemical protection troops, has reportedly told Ukraine about the bombs and warned: 'This will be either Russian land or scorched earth.'
Vasilyev also told his men that even if they are given 'the toughest order, we must fulfil it with honor,' according to Ukraine's state atomic energy firm Energoatom.
It comes after a weekend of artillery blasts at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which damaged power lines, knocked out sensor and wounded a worker. Russia and Ukraine have each blamed the other for the strikes.
Zaporizhzhia has been on Russian-occupied territory since March, but continues to be operated by Ukrainian technicians working under the barrels of Moscow's troops.
* * *
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11091763/Shelling-Europes-largest-nuclear-plant-suicidal-head-says.html
Charlie Kirk
@charliekirk11
The Regime wants you outraged at Vladimir Putin for his anti-democratic, "thuggish behavior" so you'll be too distracted to notice how America under Joe Biden has devolved into a Stalin-esque Political Dystopia.
Your enemies aren't in Moscow—they're in Washington DC.
8:33 PM · Aug 8, 2022·Twitter Web App
Large explosions rock a Russian military air base in Crimea
SUSIE BLANN, AP | AUG. 9, 2022 | 8:36 AM PT
KYIV, Ukraine — Powerful explosions rocked a Russian air base in Crimea on Tuesday, and at least five people, including a child, were wounded, authorities said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that munitions blew up at the Saki base, and it emphasized that the installation had not been shelled. Ukrainian social networks were abuzz with speculation that it was hit by Ukrainian-fired long-range missiles.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities.
Videos posted on social networks showed sunbathers fleeing a nearby beach as huge clouds of smoke from the explosions rose over the horizon.
If the base was, in fact, struck by the Ukrainians, it would mark the first known major attack on a Russian military site on the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by the Kremlin in 2014. The headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean port of Sevastopol was hit by a small-scale explosion delivered by a makeshift drone last month in an attack blamed on Ukrainian saboteurs. . . .
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-08-09/explosions-russian-military-air-base-crimea-ukraine
Drunk Russians mishandling high explosive munitions.
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/a91oDK6_460s.jpg)
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aogXDzA_460s.jpg)
Putin and the Russian Airforce said it was a cigarette, which caused an explosion.
This was not an attack!!
What do you think did this, @sneakypete ?
This airbase is just north of Sevastopol. A HIMARS could reach it, but it doesn't have this much explosive power. Six separate strikes were reported by civilian tourists in the area. Bigtime traffic jam heading back across the Kerch strait.
What do you think did this, @sneakypete ?Some reports, and who know what is true, say it was ground and sea missile attack, with an SF attack force follow. In war, who knows what is true? But I think we all know, 'it was a cigarette and no aircraft were damaged' line, is likely not what happened.
This airbase is just north of Sevastopol. A HIMARS could reach it, but it doesn't have this much explosive power. Six separate strikes were reported by civilian tourists in the area. Bigtime traffic jam heading back across the Kerch strait.
What do you think did this, @sneakypete ?
This airbase is just north of Sevastopol. A HIMARS could reach it, but it doesn't have this much explosive power. Six separate strikes were reported by civilian tourists in the area. Bigtime traffic jam heading back across the Kerch strait.
Glad to see rank and file Russians getting the hell out of Ukrainian Crimea.
Weapons would be nice.
Weapons would be nice.
Putin losing Crimea would be huge, and probably result in his ouster.
Putin losing Crimea would be huge, and probably result in his ouster.
@catfish1957
Call me a starry-eyed dreamer if you want,but I honestly think it would result in a total realignment of the neo-Soviet mindset,a HUGE reduction in Russian aggression,and possibly,an end to the Cold War in Europe.
Seriously. This could be maybe the biggest thing that happens in our life times.
No, crushing the USSR and ending the threat of global thermal nuclear war along with freeing Eastern Europe from the communist tyranny was the biggest thing in our lifetimes.
I do agree with you that destroying Russia's ability to wage war would be big. If Ukraine is able to retake Kherson and kill 10's of thousands of Russians in the process we might see an end to Russia war mongering for at least another generation.
No, crushing the USSR and ending the threat of global thermal nuclear war along with freeing Eastern Europe from the communist tyranny was the biggest thing in our lifetimes.
Communist tyranny of Brussels? LOL
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FaBySHUX0AAeJ3w?format=jpg&name=small)
39 Tanks, 39 APCs, 14 artillery systems, and 22 UAVs in last four days. Russia keeps making push in Donetsk, but attacks are being repelled. Russian command center has left Kherson and crossed Dnieper River.
Pay attention to your real threat coming out of Europe ----- Brussels is the cradle of the WEF and the global reset. Your not understading what's happening does not make it funny.
The WEF is based in Switzerland. NATO is based in Brussels.
Brussels houses the EU ---- the strong-arm of the WEF--- responsible for implementing the great reset throughout Europe.
They're your heroes, the ones you insist we defend.
That doesn't change the fact that the WEF is based in Switzerland and is independent of the EU which is spread between Brussels, Luxembourg City, and Strassbourg.
That is a lie. I have never insisted that we defend either the EU or the WEF.
Deliberately obtuse.
Insisting we defend Europe insists we defend those calling the shots regarding the border dispute in the Ukraine --- and the EU and WEF are calling the shots.
You can still choose to let the EU handle this ..... but you won't. Your every post supports submission to the EU and WEF --- even with the known risks of economic and national security harm to the United States.
Your every post supports submission to the EU and WEF
Ukraine has destroyed the headquarters of Russia's shadowy Wagner mercenary group in Donbas after a war propagandist gave away its location online.
Sucks to be modern day Nazi mercenaries doing Putin's bidding.Once again, by accident or design, the media have compromised OPSEC!
(https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aYr27A2_460s.jpg)
I think the "mysterious Ukrainian weapon" is actually partisans and/or Ukrainian special forces operating behind the Russian lines.
Show me where I insisted we defend Europe. You can't. Another lie on your part. Of course this has been pointed out before on this thread, yet here you are again pushing a narrative you already know to be false. Do you know what that makes you?
For the umpteenth time, show me any post I have made that supports submission to the WEF or EU.
Behind enemy lines, Ukrainians tell Russians ‘you are never safe’
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/behind-enemy-lines-ukrainians-tell-russians-you-are-never-safe/ (https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/behind-enemy-lines-ukrainians-tell-russians-you-are-never-safe/)
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine — They sneak down darkened alleys to set explosives. They identify Russian targets for Ukrainian artillery and long-range rockets provided by the United States. They blow up rail lines and assassinate officials they consider collaborators with the Russians.
Slipping back-and-forth across the front lines, the guerrilla fighters are known in Ukraine as partisans, and in recent weeks they have taken an ever more prominent role in the war, rattling Russian forces by helping deliver humiliating blows in occupied areas they thought were safe.
Increasingly, Ukraine is taking the fight against Russian forces into Russian-controlled areas, whether with elite military units, like the one credited Tuesday with a huge explosion at a Russian ammunition depot in the occupied Crimean Peninsula, or an underground network of the guerrillas.
Last week, Ukrainian officials said, the partisans had a hand in a successful strike on a Russian air base, also in Crimea, which Moscow annexed eight years ago. It destroyed eight fighter jets.
“The goal is to show the occupiers that they are not at home, that they should not settle in, that they should not sleep comfortably,” said one guerrilla fighter, who spoke on condition that, for security reasons, he only be identified by his code name, Svarog, after a pagan Slavic god of fire.
More at link.
россия никогда не одолеет славу украины
I am amazed by your ... whatever it is.
Thank you for response. I do not understand, but who cares?
Я рад, что вы одобряете
@240B
an bendwiawnlot to you,too,bubba!
[/quote
@sneakypete
I do not like you. But when you said "the future is theoretical" ... man, that really hit home with me.
That means you really know, that is how it was. Never expected that I would live. Here we go ... to who knows where?
The United States government in Washington gave Ukraine the green light to attack targets on the Crimean peninsula.
The US considers Ukraine’s invasion of Crimea fair game for self-defense.