For the Saker Blog by Saker Staff
This is a short sitrep just to bring the latest information together. First, Brian Berletic does a fine job of describing the battlefield for us, without drowning it in detail. He makes a lot of sense and touches on those ‘wonderful M777 howitzers’, which, if we believe the Wurlitzer Media, are making a decisive difference. Well, they are not.
A summary of Berletic’s update for Russian military operations in Ukraine for May 21, 2022:
- Ukrainian militants in the Azovstal steel works have unconditionally surrendered numbering between hundreds (current Red Cross count) to thousands according to Russian sources;
- Mariupol has been secured by Russia since mid to late-April – Ukraine finally admits however that its “combat operations” have fully ended;
- Russia continues to make progress in the Donbas region – Ukrainian forces are being encircled in Severodonestsk and Lysychansk – the salient around Papasnya is expanding both west and north as part of this major encirclement;
- Pentagon admits Russia still poses the majority of its combat power – possess a “numerical advantage” over Ukraine – and is making “slow, uneven” progress, but progress nonetheless;
- Kharkov “offensive” has either stalled or is in the process of being rolled back;
- US M777 howitzers have been found, tracked, targeted, and destroyed by Russian forces;
- Additional attempts to send heavy weapons will face similar technical, tactical, strategic, and manpower challenges;
While ‘The Grind’ continues, take a look at Brian’s update in order to fully understand the shape of the battlefield according to Readovka’s short machine translated report:
Kharkiv Front. Medium-intensity fights. The collision occurs in the area of the village of Liptsy and Rubezhnoye.
The Izyum front. One of the most stressful areas. Serious battles are taking place near Kurulka, Velikaya Kamyshevakha, and Dolgenky. The military is heading for the encirclement of the Krasnolimansk group. The front is leaning towards Slavyansk.
Luhansk front. The offensive of groups of fighters continues in several directions from Popasna, the main one of which is now Severodonetsk. Thanks to the destruction of the automobile bridge between Lisichansk and Severodonetsk, the situation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the latter is becoming increasingly difficult. Fighters go to Vozdvizhenka, threatening to cut the route “Artemovsk-Svetlodarsk”, fight in Pilipchatino, directly on the way to Artemovsk. An active clash near the Soledar-Lisichansk highway, a cauldron is being erected for the Gorsky and Zolotoye grouping, battles in Viktorovka, Kamyshevakha, on the approaches to Vrubovka, Toshkovka.
Donetsk front. Heavy fighting continues at Novobakhmutovka and Novoselovka-Vtoroi, as well as near New York. In the area of Marinka and Ugledar, there are no changes yet.
In Russia. They were applied on the villages of the Kursk border area-Tetkino and Popovo-Lezhachi, as reported by the governor of Starovoit. The Ukrainian Armed Forces also shelled Gorlovka, hitting the surrounding villages of Panteleimonovka and Aksenovka. Over Ilovaisk, where a large train with humanitarian aid arrived, was shot down of “Tochka-U”, two women were injured.
—
What is heartwarming is Graham Philips with a short video essay of Mariupol coming back to life. However, the area was extensively mined, and currently de-mining is underway by the DNR / Russia side, before any journalistic access is permitted.
https://t.me/grahamwphillips/168
The size of the Russian Aid to liberated areas is massive. The Donbass Aid Train arrived in Ilovaisk. It was formed on the initiative of the All-Russian People’s Front and Russian Railways. It departed from Moscow, consisted of 68 wagons, of which 27 were intended for the LPR, and 41 for the liberated territories of the DPR. This is more than 2,400 tons of humanitarian cargo: food, personal hygiene products, medicines, flour, stationery, building materials and equipment, generators.
Zelensky babbled on about ‘diplomatic solutions’ but he changes daily, as Lavrov says, depending on what he had to drink or what he smoked.
Remember the Russian Pain Dial? We’re seeing it being notched up slowly. Russia bans 963 Americans. Is this tit for tat? Not really: it is anything you can do we can triple up on! The political and diplomatic landscape is heating up and in this next week we will see some of that being reported on. Major new reveals came in this past week on the biolabs issue. Pepe Escobar weighs in via his Telegram channel. https://t.me/c/1394010098/3649
The big news is more tests of Sarmat. 🔎 “…today, they say that air defense does not exist for the Sarmat missile system, and it probably will not exist in the coming decades,” Commander of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, Col. Gen. Sergei Karakaev, says.
That is it for today. Enjoy your discussion and be careful with the Ukie propaganda. It is everywhere.
The entire Islamic world is waiting for the victory of Putin and Russia in Ukraine, – the head of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation and the Council of Muftis of Russia Ravil Gaynutdin.
“The entire Islamic world, the Arab world is sympathetic to the decision of our president, they are waiting for the victory of Russian policy, and they are absolutely not interested in the hegemony of one state and the creation of a unipolar world. Therefore, the Arab world has not imposed any sanctions against Russia.”
You have to go to the actual telegram application .. not through the browser.
Go there, search for Rock’n Roll Geopolitics or for Pepe Escobar, and you will be prompted to join. Say yes, or join (I cannot remember) and you will have it.
Easiest way to keep up with Pepe 24/7 is via his posts on his VK.com account
Africa too, should hope and pray for Russia. The whole colonial dispossession has not been completely mopped up.
Can’t access Pepe’s Telegram. I’ve never visited before, yet I am banned by an admin. GRRRR!
Same for me but just got in by searching Pepe Escobar Telegram on google.
Same same for me too. Just can’t access Pepe’s Telegram.
I can access Pepe’s channel here OK via the Telegram app.
I’m not “banned”, but I get the following message:
That appears to be a common result as Martyanov blog commenters are reporting likewise and there’s no obvious route to membership. Are there any other suggested solutions?
I looked for Pepe’s Telegram a month or so ago. Found an account that seemed to be set up by trolls or enemies of PE, so maybe he has to be cautious.
Telegram is a very primitive system to me. Cannot access it with a desktop, seems to be cellphone based and I refuse to give up my number.
I have it on desktop, thou we use yandex browser , and we are on tpg broadband with a huawai modem, but don’t know if that has any difference?
tente estes endereços:
https://t.me/+Uxbn8mAJx2971eDI
Telegram: https://t.me/c/1394010098/3214
Very nice, thank you.
Many thanks to the Saker staff for these sitreps and updates.
Whilst many of us miss Nightvision, and keep his well-being in our thoughts and prayers, the reports by the team are equally welcome to someone in my position, deep in zone A. Though I have noticed a trend lately that the more progress Russia and its allies are making, the quieter the MSM in my country gets!
I found the news about the trainload of supplies and aid especially heartwarming and shows the West how a true liberation operation is conducted, rather than disguising conquest as liberation. If possible, I for one would like to read some more reports about the relief and reconstruction efforts in the liberated territories.
Thanks again.
I’ve been watching this guy from Singapore’s video’s every day or two for some time now, ever since someone posted a link to him on this site I think it was. He doesn’t have access to Russian sources like NightVision as he doesn’t speak Russian, but makes do with any info he can get and tries his best. Its on google maps so its easy to follow, you can see changes in the front lines easily. The older generation might not like his jokes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK2QQ8Apaj0
Seems Russia are sending in as much food as possible to Ukraine while the Ukrainian government are sending as much out as possible. The Ukrainian public should know by this action alone where their future bread will be buttered Andy.
I had a good look at the map of Ukraine in terms of food production and the majority is grown in the middle belt, however, the Donbass appears to produce a good percentage of crops, enough to sustain itself ( wheat, corn, sunflower seeds ).
Maybe someone at Saker or in the Saker community can shed some light on this important issue. I know Russia produces plenty but still it would be the icing on the cake if the new republics were as independent and self sustaining as possible.
Remember the old adage of teaching a man to fish.
@WTFUD
“teaching a man to fish.”
Yes, agreed. I’m probably stepping forward a stage and thinking “Help a man to rebuild his workshops, so he can start making his own fishing rods, lines and nets again. He already knows how to fish.”.
The MSM in Japan seems to be getting noisier. They show Mariupol being attacked, giving the impression that it is still ongoing, say the counteroffensive is going well, and feature one Ukrainian woman after another with sad tales of how terrible their lives became after Russia attacked.
Joe Biden is in Japan today, and there is not a blessed thing I or anyone else I know can do about it. But he will leave soon enough, thank goodness. Maybe then the MSM will go back to simple sniping at Russia.
The “QUAD” is meeting there today.
Excellent and informative
Shouldn’t the USA join the Eurovision contest, like Australia? This way, they might end up winning something at last. An obese thing rolling on stage, with some fat ham raising the flag of freedom away from socialist healthcare and education?
USA does not need to “join” anything to “take it apart”
USA is unable to prove anything
I’m just going to throw this out there as they are crazy and psychopathic enough to do it.
Zelensky and the Polish President announce today that Western Ukraine will become temporarily part of Poland and thus protected by the NATO umbrella ?
Then what ?
Push all the nazis into the rump state of Galacia and let the Poles & Romanians deal with them?
Would NATO try to make the “New Poland” territories a no-fly zone? That is where it would escalate.
То је комадање Украјине и тај део никад Пољска неће вратити. Могуће је да ће и Русија у мировном споразуму на то пристати јер је део те територије историјски и био пољски, као што је један део био и мађарски. Тако ће Украјина, након оних територија које ће Русија одцепити, остати мала држава, географски равна Молдавији. То ће им бити награда за експеримент да угрозе Москву
Yandex translation:
This is the dismemberment of Ukraine, and this part will never be returned by Poland. It is quite possible that Russia will also agree to this in a peace agreement, because part of this territory has historically been Polish, as well as the Hungarian part. Thus, after the territories that Russia will tear apart, Ukraine will remain a small state, geographically equal to Moldova. This will be their reward for the experiment on the threat to Moscow
I believe that would work only if NATO would back it. A thought I have about Poland is that there would be advantages to Russia for Poland to take over some part of western Ukraine. Because it is mainly ethnically Ukrainian, Russia would have an unfriendly population if they took it over. And if Poland grabbed off part of Ukraine, it would be difficult in the future to condemn Russia as an occupier without including Poland as a fellow occupier. From a political standpoint on that issue, it would throw Poland into the Russian camp, complicating things for those who want to condemn Russia.
Anyway, if I were running Poland and wanted some part of the Ukraine, I would discuss it with Russia. The goal would be to get the territory without an undue risk of war with Russia.
Would that be the same Poland who are the gateway for NATO wmd’s , recruitment, training and arming of terrorists? God help us!
Why Poland cant go into W Ukraine:
The basic rule of war understood by all is if you fire something from your territory or your occupied area against another country or the forces of another country, you are at war.
No get out clauses, proxi war or grey areas. So if Poland goes into W Ukraine that area has to be neutral or Poland declares war with Russia which it probably does not want to do on its own.
It would also bring an end to the proxi war, which is the agreed policy at the moment.
Bomb the crap out of any weaponry in it. What then? How many people here have studied Article 5?
Are German teens eager to line up and fight the Russian Army? How about France? How many Yellow Jackets feel like suiting up and fighting and dying (oh and they will be dying by the tens of thousands) for the policies of a government that has spent the last few years beating and torturing them? To defend a bunch of Poles and Ukrainians who, shall we say, haven’t always been “exemplary” migrants? Where is this big NATO army coming from? Will they require vaccines?
Sorry, NATO today reminds me of the Italian Army of 1941. Big (on paper) and with some damned fine equipment. But just about zero belief in its mission, and zero buy-in from its troops.
What compensation will they be paying to the crippled war veterans, and for how long? While NATO sends hundreds of thousands of young able-bodied men (assuming such men exist) to the Russian Front, who is going to be maintaining the infrastructre in Europe, much less producing the weaponry and materiel to keep fighting? And it is a given that when war starts between NATO and Russia for real, there will be ZERO Russian commodities flowing to ANYWHERE in the Western world. ZERO. Who knew that NATO has a magic oil-and-gas machine that can keep the lights on and the trains running, let alone keep building war machines?
In WW2, the ONLY cards the West had to play was US industry, and the British Empire. Yup, that MASSIVE manufacturing base that the US just spent the last 70 years dismantling and granting their independence (British Empire) and shipping US production capabilities to China.
The US production base has gone the same way as the British Empire. And now, what makes NATO think China won’t simply seize US industrial assets and property in China as soon as war breaks out with Russia? I know I would. Now good luck fighting your war Uncle Sam, with no heavy industrial production left in-house.
But I hear the US will finally crack the incredibly tough gender pronoun problem this year some time!
Excellento Konstantinos!
It was only last week I read that a large group of East Germans were demanding the Wall be put back.
And, the governments with their leaders also remind me of 1941. Fascists. Corrupt, self-serving, thieving, power hungry, expansionist, no regard for citizens. Who were the Bolsheviks? From whence they came? Hint: not Russsia. Bolsheviks are alive and well today, and control of huge wealth and power, and they want Russia. We are now in WW3, only one spark away from a vapourised EU and more.
That’s hitting the nail on the head.
Another Elensky pipe dream. In his mind (although it is up for debate whether this comes from him or his handlers) this is a way to preserve a rump of sovereignty and create conditions for a rebuild and eventual counter-offensive. “Temporarily” part of Poland? That’s a laugh! Once in, he is not leaving, and that means no freedom of action. Poland attacks Russia and it is Kinzhal time. He has not learned anything, and that is because he is not actually doing any of the thinking. Disregard everything he says.
In one month they start killing each other.
I wonder if this week Moscow will announce the nationalisation of Western assets on Russian territory, clearly stated as a direct response to the West’s seizure of Russian currency reserves. Could we also see Russia announce it is leaving the International Space Station, & joining the new Chinese space station currently under construction? Finally, when will we see Russia announce major weapons sales to Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, & other NATO enemies?
Probably around the same time it announces another mega arms contract with Saudi Arabia.
Lavrov joked months ago that “The Americans will have to visit their space satellites on their broomsticks.”
A Russian space agency person actually said that.
I think it was Former Deputy PM Dmitry Rogozin (now head of Roscosmos) who noted:
“I propose that the United States delivers its astronauts to the ISS with the help of a trampoline”.
Lavrov’s remark is cleverer but Rogozin gets the nod for mocking the confederacy of dunces. There’s something admirable about economy of effort when you’re dealing with unrepentant and belligerent stupidity.
You seem to be a bit out of the loop as to who exactly is leading in space related construction and developments. Have you heard of the Zeus? The Chinese would wish they could join that program …
https://voi.id/en/technology/59859/russia-builds-zeus-spacecraft-for-missions-to-search-for-life-on-other-planets
It’s an actual spaceship. Not a shuttle or rocket, but a spaceship for travel between planets (which will have shuttles attached to land on them). And parts of it are already under construction. I know, part of me finds it hard to believe too, but given all the latest tech displayed in the newest Russian weapon systems, it’s actually well within their technological capabilities.
Of course, it’s still eight years until the projected maiden flight. Then again, it’s ONLY eight years until the projected maiden flight of a human built spaceship!
@Harry:
I think you miss the point about Russia joining the Chinese space station. Russian participation would tell the West “we do not need you, and we support our friends in peaceful development.”
That said, good on Russia developing a space ship.
. The 3 countries are under US sanctions and their economic situation is not that good. I do not know specifics of Iran or Venezuela but Cuba can not afford to buy weapons. With the lost of tourism during the pandemic the economic situation is very hard. I doubt the government is thinking about weapons at the moment.
@Dick Lenning
I really hope it might happen soon with the opening of new basis!
By the way, it seems that US has asked Venezuela for oil, and I was wandering if Russia will advice Maduro to make a deal or not with Chevron….
Chavez offered the US long-term contracts of oil at $50 per barrel. Venezuela should never deal with the US.
Is the Red Cross also documenting and recording the condition of Russian POWs?
Hello Nobody. Good point. The Red Cross involvement in this operation is not paid enough attention to IMHO. The Al Jazeera journalist who accidently filmed a Red Cross Ambulance depositing a large number of soldiers from the UAF should have said everything. Shoigu told President Putin that they had to, effectively, ‘force’ the Red Cross to assist in managing the humanitarian corridors. They seem to be selective in trying to pin war crimes on Russia when the UAF are committing them, a lot of them, by the day. It is not an impartial organisation at all. Vanessa Beeley talking on UK Column News outlined some of their conduct in Syria and also in Gaza which was, in essence, to aid the Israeli military and the USA military groups in Syria. Also I note that UNICEF is using this conflict to run a series of adverts for funding donations to be given to ‘help the children’. As far as I am aware, UNICEF is not on the ground in Ukraine and has not been involved at all since the Coup in 2014. Yet they are still asking for money. Tescos and John Lewis are asking the public to donate to the Red Cross. M&S are asking for donations to UNICEF. It would be nice if these organisations would first do their research before, in essence, emotionally blackmailing the public at the point they pay for their goods at the Tills into making donations they would otherwise not have made.
The UK Column News channel on BItchute is at https://www.bitchute.com/channel/8A8gTUgMoXYR/
It looks like this channel is excellent, but many Bitchute videos don’t open, and I don’t know why.
Does anyone know, and is there a work-around ?
You’ll need a VPN to watch their thrice weekly streams. Excellent journalism, recommend sharing if you feel similar. Literally the last sane voice in the UK. GB news must have lost a good chunk of their once loyal viewership with the anti Russia crap.
Now and again they offer a modicum of impartial news, however, it’s likely that renewal of licence/s of broadcasting could experience issues should they diverge from the script.
A sizeable contingent of MSM-UK employees will not be too enthused they’ve been totally neutered by MI6 but needs must, otherwise it’s scrapheap, no pension plan, labelled an agent provocateur.
The oily rag tabloids biggest income-stream comes from advertising, again, needs must and guess what, the Government (read- tax-payer subsidises ) and related Cronies are one of, if not, the, biggest spender.
Nice to know I’m forking out my own pocket to propagandise myself.
With Linux, I use youtube-dl to download Bitchute links. Bitchute does not run with the Palemoon browser for sure. Someone has speculated they are mining bitcoin, so the browser protection kicks in.
«It is not an impartial organisation at all.»
it is not so much the organisation, but often it is the individuals running parts of it: the security services of many “Washington Consensus” governments have put many of their people into NGOs, as NGOs get special access and more trust.
Many people who work in NGOs and are not “compromised” are very angry about this because it means that eventually NGOs will be seen as tools of espionage and sabotage of “Washington Consensus” governments, thus getting them rejected by the populations that they aim to help.
Probably though NGO management, even if they are not “compromised”, are reluctant to deal with that problem because they don’t want to be defunded and boycotted by “Washington Consensus” governments.
Like everything I once believed in, the Red Cross is another Santa Claus to me.
The threat to the “West” must be serious for all of the masks to fall off so suddenly.
I read somewhere (RT I think?) that the Ukrainians refuse to let the Red Cross see the Russian POW’s. I think the reasons are obvious. But the point is the Red Cross isn’t publicly complaining about that that I’ve seen.Imagine if it was the other way around and the Russians weren’t letting them in to see Ukrainian POW’s. It would be whined about 24/7 in all the Western media.
The Red Cross is very careful to not conplain.
If they do, they’ll risk being shot at or are not granted access in future occasions.
The ICRC will not complain in public about a refusal to be granted access.
They simply won’t play that game.
What they will do is remind *everyone* that the ICRC is to be granted such access by all sides to a conflict, without naming names, and then they go about their business.
Which in this case is documenting the the number of Ukrainian prisoners who come into the hands of Russian forces, and….. not producing any documented numbers for Russian soldiers who are prisoners of the Ukrainians.
They then leave it up to everyone to draw the proper conclusions, which is – obviously – that they are being prevented from visiting and documenting Russian prisoners of war.
Or, put another way:
They have a job to do, and they turn up to do that job in as open and as transparent manner as is possible, and they let the *absence* of reporting from their offices to do the talking for them.
It is infuriating, sure, it is. But I really do think they are correct.
Because to do otherwise – to kick up a stink and make accusations against one side or the other – leaves them open to being accused of partisanship. And in the long run that doesn’t help anyone, because it makes *them* the issue, not the actions of one side or the other.
Large shipment of US toys destroyed at the Milan rail station, Mr Kalibar stopped by three times last night. Ukrainians reporting one latrine taken out of action……well, ain’t that the shits.
As rail stations have many spur lines to circumvent the main yard I’d humbly suggest the RF MOD strike the rail lines where they cross the borders into the Ukraine. But I’ll defer to them.
Also major artillery shelling at the border near Karakov apparently some Orc aliens doing selfies were caught flat footed.
Cheers M
Hi Sean, I guess the moral of the story is not to take a s**t in a Ukranian railway station!!
What a change from the Main Stream Media BS. Sadly most people are generally misinformed or just plain ignorant. The so called experts usually have an agenda which includes promoting the lies.
We are experiencing a fundamental change in the way the world works. America`s unipolar `end of history` is coming to a merciful end thanks to Russia`s courageous stand.
Wipe that silly, knowing grin from your face, Sean! It’s blinding and making it hard to type in response!
Thanks for this update and pleasant reading.
By the moment Russia has made a long row of consistent reputation of reliability and successes. I am thinking of S-Ossetia, Chechnya, Crimea, Syria, and now Ukraine, plus the successes inside own country to fill us with joy.
Compared to the pathetic and ugly hypocrisy of the Empire’s inhuman robberies, drug addiction and murders, there can be no doubt on who will win this battle.
From Military Chronicle:
https://voenhronika.ru/publ/vojna_na_ukraine/poslednie_novosti_s_ukrainy_segodnja_22_maja_karta_boev_i_zhestkie_video_s_fronta_18_video/60-1-0-12171
Latest news from Ukraine today May 22. Battle map and HARD VIDEOS from the front (18 videos)
Fighting on the outskirts of Severodonetsk – the position of the APU group in the city is deteriorating. An offensive is being developed from the side of Popasnaya in the direction of Vozdvizhenka, which threatens the Artemovsk-Svetlodarsk highway. There is an offensive along the Soledar-Lysichansk highway to the west of Gorsky and Zolote. Fights are going on in Viktorovka, Kamyshevakh, on the outskirts of Vrubovka, fighting at Pilipchatino.
In the Izyum direction, fighting in the area of Kurulka, Kamyshevakhi, Dolgenkiy. Fighting continues, aimed at encircling the group holding Krasny Lyman. The approach of the front to Slavyansk is noted.
The DPR army took full control of the village of Novoselovka in the Gorlovsky direction.
Local sources report explosions in the vicinity of Bakhmut, which is being attacked by the RF Armed Forces, and explosions in the Pavlogradsky district of the Dnepropetrovsk region much to the west. Continued in the material.
The United Stated of America needs liberated from the filth ruling over us. Read news this morning bragging of how our jewish Secretary of State quoted some teenage musical girl concerning Us and Russia relations. I’m uneducated and wash dishes for a living and see how pathetic and completly incompetent the government of my country has become. And another freak thing everytime there’s coverage concerning our secretary of state Blinken the article has to mention he plays the guitar. Like who the hell cares.
What we are witnessing is the effects of sin has on people. Yeah most think when it comes to the effects of sin it’s maybe the drunkard falling down, or the fornicator catching disease but what we are seeing here concerning America end the west is how sin destroy as even those in power. Better how sin leads to their self destroy ing.
It’s Sundsy morning here in Pennsylvania America and I should be in church but there are no churches here in my area that aren’t preaching something called blm, lgbt, and bow down and worship the jews. Oh and worship Ukraine, I forgot that one. Heck they even have bake sales or did to show support for Ukraine.
Only God knows the future but hope and pray America and the west is soon freed from our wicked rulers.
God bless everyone and remember to use your voice to help in this fight. Be vocal, speak truth, reject moral filth, help pull some from the fires of hell, and always trust in God.
This is a good comment that gives a much better indication of where the average American’s mind is compared to the outrageous lies being advanced by western Media. I too work a basic blue-collar job and can tell you that most average people just have some vague notion that Russia “maybe kinda did something bad?” to Ukraine, but it’s all very confusing and “who cares anyway, we got our own problems to deal with!” But the more astute and intellectually curious are almost entirely in the “let’s wait and see, maybe the enemy of our enemy will help us regain our nation?” category. These are the people who have begun realizing that the United States has been taken over and occupied by foreign influences with no allegiance to actual Americans for going on several decades now, and it’s becoming more and more obvious every day.
That’s why I cringe every time I see a comment here bemoaning how dumb and evil “Americans” are, as though the media were reporting truthfully about what Americans actually think. Which is a curious conclusion for outsiders to make, when it’s very obvious to them that the media is lying about damn near everything else. I can tell you for sure that almost NO real American has anywhere near enough fear or hatred of Russia to even begin contemplating sending their sons and daughters half-way around the world to try and kill them. It’s only a very small group of elites with disproportionate power that want to destroy Russia.
Even many MAGA Republicans used to be mildly mildly pro-Ukraine in the initial weeks of the war as everyone reacted emotionally, but the sentiment has turned decidedly frosty after Biden’s $40 billion aid package.
Democrats, including the Squad, are all-in on Ukraine, but the MAGA GOP base is rapidly turning against helping Ukraine, finally, thank God.
To be fair 85-90% of Americans couldn’t point to Iran, Syria and Ukraine on a map. It’s highly likely that only 60% of Congress and Senate could, and that’s because they’ve got some personal skin in the game, generous benefactors.
The majority of American think that the $14k in adds Russia took out on Facebook had influence on a multi-billion General Election STING . . . . . thrice.
When ya’ll are given the Illusion of Choice at the ballot-box, tweedle-dee or dum and keep voting for incumbents, career politicians, captured by The Firm.
When you had the chance to vote for an Anti-War Leader (Bi-partisan Red & Blue, hmm ), Tulsi Gabbard, who didn’t make 1%; who unlike the residing shower-of-shit served the country on 2 tours and knows the horror of war, especially an unjust one.
Of course there’s many exceptions, folks who see through the smoke, others who have a good idea their chain’s being yanked, many totally indifferent, however, when you’re living in a vacuum being fed constant diarrhoea cradle to grave . . . . . . . .
My lot aren’t much better so nothing personal. You’ll be the ones paying at the other end after all, which is already in full swing, tent cities, hygiene environmentalists ( excrement & syringe ) pavements sweepers, drug addiction, violent crime, cost of living, fascist state . . . . .
Hi Chuck,
I understand your misgivings about Church attendance – it is pretty much the same anywhere in the Woke West. Got to realise though, for prayer – there is a wonderful world out there which is as good as any church for communing with God. If his creation isn’t good enough – what is???
Man made churches – they can be pretty (some can be horrible architecturally), and great performance venues but not necessarily needed for talking with God. I myself have lots of forest or lake shores to chill and pray. No one is my gate keeper with the creator.
My prayers are for a free and peaceful Ukraine and for people to see the truth. Wake up and become empowered as the Spiritual Beings that we are. It is happening and a better world awaits regardless of the murmurings of a small group of people at davos/wef (they don’t deserve capitalisations of their names as they are a sorry bunch of lost souls who are best ignored).
Thank You Sir, not many Churches teaching Bible Truth anymore . Study on your own. The Times are short. E Mail me for On Line Christian teaching.
The establishment franchise churches have long been short-changing the Word and usually distorting it. But I first thought we were witnessing the great apostasy in 2020 when, seemingly by prior arrangement, upon the dubious command of the secular “authorities” in reference to a dubious “pandemic”, all the bad shepherds shackled the doors of the churches and dispersed the flocks, ordering everyone to retire to their domiciles alone and await Satan’s predations.
The fact that the vast majority of the sheep seemed thrilled to obey only adds to the impression that this is the great apostasy of most of the self-alleged “believers” and especially their leaders.
Christ needs a new church.
Chuck, you sound plenty educated to me. As other’s said, we can study, pray, meditate on our own. God’s always listening, it’s up to us to learn to communicate with Him sincerely and learn to hear His voice in this short life on this rock.
Great and sincere post! Thank you!
We can see how censorship in the western MSM is efficient and well organized.
But how do they actually do that?
How do they manage to control almost all media outlets in USA and EU? There are thousands of media outlets they control.
What kind of technology do they use?
The US controls much of the internet ‘backbone’ including many international links, routers, et cetera. There are maps at https://www.vox.com/a/internet-maps/ that offer a pretty good overall picture (especially #7) of where US ‘positioning’ allows it exert far-reaching control.
The ownership of the media in the US is actually in the hands of literally a handful of corporations. https://www.businessinsider.com/these-6-corporations-control-90-of-the-media-in-america-2012-6?r=US&IR=T. It’s any better in the UK. Anyone who steps out of line – no matter how successful – will not last long. One recent example was the brilliant political cartoonist, Bob Moran, who was summarily sacked from the Telegrph for refusing to tow the line on the “pandemic”.
Argent et menace
Money and threats
The Mighty Wurlitzer
Deputy Director Frank Wisner proudly referred to the CIA’s worldwide propaganda machine as “the mighty Wurlitzer.” And indeed, the agency’s skill at murdering people is matched only by its ability to murder the truth.
The CIA has published literally hundreds of books that spread its party line on the Cold War. It was particularly proud of The Penikovsky Papers, supposedly the memoirs of a KGB defector but actually completely ghostwritten by CIA scribes. A bit more embarrassing was Claire Sterling’s book which advanced the now-discredited theory that the Russians were behind the 1981 attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II. Even the popular Fodor’s Travel Guides started as a CIA front.
The CIA also owns dozens of newspapers and magazines the world over. These not only provide cover for their agents but allow them to plant misinformation that regularly makes it back to the US through the wire services. The CIA has even placed agents on guard at the wire services, to prevent inconvenient facts from being disseminated.
In 1977, famed Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein revealed that over 400 US journalists had been employed by the CIA. These ranged from freelancers who were paid for regular debriefings, to actual CIA officers who worked under deep cover. Nearly every major US news organization has had spooks on the payroll, usually with the cooperation of top management.
https://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/CIA%20Hits/Wurlitzer_CIAHits.html
The US Telecommunications Act of 1996 (under Clinton’s watch) allowed companies with money to buy up and control broadcasting stations. The result is a handful of mega-corporations control the news in America. Fox is said to be different, but anyone on the right knows the differences are skin deep. Occasionally newscasters from different broadcasters are caught using the exact same wording for news items, indicating some centralized source that they all have to obey verbatim.
Italy has surpassed the nether regions, er, I mean the Netherlands in shipboard Rooskie crude (oil) addiction/import. (Says Financial Times)
Did you hear about all them Rooskie Nukes in Western Europe???
Yup!
18 at minimum.
Them Rooskies account for between 20 and 38 percent of the Nuclear fuel for nuclear powerplants in Western Europe, including 18 that are hexagonal shaped pellets differentiated from the round American fuel pellets. Iran is gonna need a lot of centrifuges if it’s gonna get some market share!
(Crickets)
Nether regions lol!
A real danger I talked about a couple of weeks ago is now starting. It needs to be “nipped in the bud” quickly or Russia will lose the support (which they must have) in the liberated territories. A Ukie death squad operating in Energodar was able to explode a planted bomb and injure the pro-Russian mayor. There needs to be strong security in those areas.There needs to be special Smersh cadres working in those areas. And networks of agents throughout the area hunting and destroying any and all Ukrainian Natsik forces still around. Use informers,offer rewards,and on the other side of that punish those that support the nazi Ukrainian side. Take the gloves off with those elements until this problem is fixed. The Soviets had the same type problems in newly liberated areas during the GPW and they solved them by taking active measures to combat them. For goodness same Russia learn from your own past.
https://www.rt.com/russia/555908-mayor-energodar-explosion-apartment/
Not sure about this. How is Russia going to lose support if Ukie death squads are targetting civilians?
I get what you’re saying with Russia being responsible for security, but people there presumably understand that they are in a state of SMO and that Russian soldiers/security forces therfore can’t guarantee civilian security at the moment.
Because Russia needs all the Ukrainian supporters they can get now. The people are afraid of the Kiev nazis coming back ,so they are reluctant to expose themselves to punishment by supporting Russia. But if they feel secure and that Russia is staying then the vast majority will start showing their support.Having high profile supporters like that mayor being attacked like that makes others even more fearful of coming out in support. So that is why Russia must do everything possible to destroy those Ukrainian death squad gangs fast.
Of course there was a media counter offensive in zone A from May 9 Victory Day through last week.i think some people who (IMHO) usually don’t get fooled got caught up in it. Brian B. has a good perspective from outside the zone, in Thialand, and his specialty is not being fooled by western information warfare campaigns
Here is a danger for Belarus that has an easy solution. Why they haven’t used that solution is beyond me. It seems Ukraine is massing thousands of troops on the Belarus border and sending saboteurs across the border to do damage inside Belarus. Belarus needs to fix the problem by giving Ukraine 5 days to remove all those troops from the border regions. And for them to immediately stop sending saboteurs across the border.Tell Ukraine that if they don’t do those things they will consider that Ukraine has declared war against Belarus,and Belarus forces will response in kind. With the situation Ukraine is in right now they should comply. But if not then the war should end quicker than we’ve assumed. Because we’ll have a second front opened in Western Ukraine that will destroy the rest of the Ukrainian forces.
https://www.rt.com/russia/555914-belarus-border-ukrainian-saboteurs/
It doesn’t mean those amassed Ukrainian “forces” can fight, or some of those “soldiers” had even shot a rifle. :)
I suspect Belarus has to be somewhat careful because it borders both Poland and the anti-Russian rump Ukraine.
huge mass of nato troops on eastern borders ….just itching for any old “excuse” to bundle into Belarus.,?
Is this a propaganda
https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/en/news-page/world/bulletin-polish-troops-have-entered-ukraine-war
“Russia bans 963 Americans. Is this tit for tat? Not really: it is anything you can do we can triple up on! The political and diplomatic landscape is heating up and in this next week we will see some of that being reported on.”
Just checked the list. It appears to include all 535 Congresscritters and Senaturds… including those like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz who opposed both Lend-Lease and the $40 billion grift (“aid package to Ukraine”).
Not sure why you’d throw your own potential friends under the bus like that, but whatever, I can’t talk to Moscow.
That was tit for tat – the US banned all of the Russian duma .. every single one. Even the once rumored Putin girlfriend. They banned Putin’s daughers and I don’t know his ex wife. They banned any Russian spokesperson .. So, sorry, wanna work for that administration, you can be banned too!
Ah. Okay, that makes sense.
Operation Z: Military Correspondents of the Russian Spring
‼️🇺🇦🏴☠️Summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: The Russian army is advancing and inflicting powerful blows
❗️The Russian army does not stop conducting offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone and launch missile and air strikes on the territory of Ukraine.
▪️In the Slavyansk direction, the RF Armed Forces concentrated their main efforts on creating conditions for the resumption of the offensive.
▪️In the Donetsk direction, the RF Armed Forces are trying to break through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and reach the administrative borders of the Luhansk region.
▪️In the Severodonetsk, Bakhmut and Liman directions, the RF Armed Forces are conducting combat operations in order to improve the tactical position of their units.
▪️On the Avdeevsky, Kurakhovsky, Novopavlovsky, Yuzhnobuzhsky and Zaporozhye directions, a decrease in the intensity of hostilities is recorded.
– In the Volyn and Polesye directions, some units of the Belarusian Armed Forces cover a section of the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. The threat of missile and air strikes from Belarus remains.
▪️In the Seversk direction, the Russian Federation is tightening control of the border section in the Bryansk and Kursk regions. Conducts demonstration actions to prevent the movement of reserves of Ukrainian troops to the Eastern Operational Zone and continues to shell objects in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions.
▪️In the Slobozhansky direction, the RF Armed Forces systematically fire at Ukrainian positions from artillery.
t.me/RVvoenkor
Intel Slava Z
🇷🇺🇺🇦❗The Russian army broke through the front line near Popasnaya and almost cut off the AFU grouping in Lisichansk and Severodonetsk – military analyst Tom Cooper
Cooper’s new report is disappointing for the Kyiv regime due to the difficult situation for the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Popasna, which he called “the most critical”. Because there is a critical breakthrough of the front line.
The RF Armed Forces are actively moving forward and have recently gained control over the settlement. Trypillya, Novaya Kamenka and are only 1-2 km from Soledar and Bakhmutsky, which threatens the critical road T1302 – the main supply artery of the fortified area of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Severodonetsk-Lysichansk. Moreover, the Russians expanded their breakthrough zone by capturing Lipovo and Vasilyevka north of Tripoli and west of Vrubovka. Also n.p. Vyskriva came under the control of the Russian Federation.
“In other words, the Russian troops are advancing north of Popasna, bypassing the Ukrainian forces entrenched in Kamyshevakh, Yekaterinovka and Gorny; they move without pause for respite or regrouping, leaving little time for Ukrainian units to react.”
Cooper is also surprised by the carelessness of the Ukrainian command, which is on the defense of the settlement. Ternovoe (a strategically important direction) in the Shakhtyorsky district of the DPR sent only 1 battalion of the defense against the reorganized battalion group of the 200th motorized rifle brigade of Russia. As a result, the Armed Forces of Ukraine were completely defeated, and n.p. came under the control of the Russian Armed Forces.
Thanks RB, you’re a harbinger of good news which is most welcome.
There is a news circulating that two battalions of Poles have arrived in Pavlograd, Ukraine. A battalion consists of a senior officer and several companies, ranging from 300 to 1,200 men. So two battalions could make 2,400 Polish soldiers in Ukraine.
Each battalion has 4 Rapira anti-tank guns, APCs and American armored vehicles. Please explain to me how the Russian forces were able to allow two Polish battalions in Ukraine to reach Pavlograd without interfering?
Please explain to me the source of this ‘news’
Ah, i see; the estimable and unimpeachable ‘hal turner’ – i stand corrected daniel, and clearly now expect the complete capitulation of the russian federation within days
If true it might be mercenaries. But if regular troops cloaked as “volunteers” that might be interesting. It would give Russia the chance to get a combat level feel of fighting NATO troops. And let the Russian forces tangle with troops of one of Russia’s main enemies. If I suspect most of those Polish troops end up in body bags. That might take some of the steam out of the Poles wanting to fight Russians.
What would be amusing would be for Russian troops to film themselves using captured M777 howitzers to shell Ukraine positions. Put those videos on the evening news.
I’d appreciate knowing what people make of the RT interview of Igor Mangushev on Sunday afternoon. Igor claims to be a Russian patriot volunteer in the Donbass raising funds for ill-equipped Russian combat troops.
It’s unusual propaganda. To my view it portrays everyday Russians working hard and taking personal risks to support the SMO. And yet, fundraising in villages to by equipment contradicts the professional military understanding we get from (Saker, Smoothie, and Duran); these never mention anything about equipment needs and support problems. Is the Mangushev story that the only the local Donbass Militia personnel don’t have sufficient gear?
What do you think?
https://www.rt.com/russia/555872-our-civil-society-equips-battalions/
The article clearly states that he is raising funds for the Donbass People’s Militia, not the Russian Army.
«To my view it portrays everyday Russians working hard and taking personal risks to support the SMO. And yet, fundraising in villages to by equipment contradicts the professional military understanding we get from (Saker, Smoothie etc.); these never mention anything about equipment needs and support problems.»
The Donbas army is not as well supported as the Russian Federation army, and it is a fantasy that the Russian Federation generously funded them like the USA etc.funded the ukrainian fascist regiments:
https://www.thepostil.com/the-military-situation-in-the-ukraine/
“In 2014, when I was at NATO, I was responsible for the fight against the proliferation of small arms, and we were trying to detect Russian arms deliveries to the rebels, to see if Moscow was involved. The information we received then came almost entirely from Polish intelligence services and did not “fit” with the information coming from the OSCE — despite rather crude allegations, there were no deliveries of weapons and military equipment from Russia. The rebels were armed thanks to the defection of Russian-speaking Ukrainian units that went over to the rebel side. As Ukrainian failures continued, tank, artillery and anti-aircraft battalions swelled the ranks of the autonomists. This is what pushed the Ukrainians to commit to the Minsk Agreements.”
Anyhow in wartime, I mean “special military operation” time it often happens that extras are send to the front by voluntary donations of citizens; entire capital ships, tanks companies, not to mention parcels with clothes, comfort foods, etc. have been raised in the past from private donations.
That is how people behaved during the Great Patriotic War. Here is one of the most memorable examples:
She Bought Her Own T-34 Tank And Went On a Rampage After Nazis Killed Her Husband
“She sold everything she had and wrote to Stalin:
My husband was killed in action defending the motherland. I want revenge on the fascist dogs for his death and for the death of Soviet people tortured by the fascist barbarians. For this purpose, I’ve deposited all my personal savings – 50,000 rubles – to the National Bank in order to build a tank. I kindly ask to name the tank ‘Fighting Girlfriend’ and to send me to the frontline as a driver of said tank.
Probably terrified she’d come after him if he refused, Stalin wrote back and said, “Sure!”
The State Defense Committee weren’t as convinced. But they did understand the publicity value she provided, so they got her a T-34 medium tank.”
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/she-bought-her-own-t-34-tank.html
So, I would not attribute that to not having sufficient gear, but to a deeper cultural reaction to another invasion of Russia from Europe and wanting to do one’s part.
To most in the West, the May 9th celebration seems like some quaint, retrograde patriotic throwback to another era, but they are about to find out what it really means in terms of how Russians feel about Russia.
The Western globalist elites have done everything in their power to hollow out their respective nations morally, spiritually, economically, industrially and now, with no base from which to operate, think somehow they will have a say about shaping the future of the planet?
The chickens are coming home to roost. IMHO
Saker Staff, thanks for the report!
It really looks like we can count Kherson
https://t.me/intelslava/29571
Bear in mind, the situation is fluid and villages and areas may change hands a number of times.
This is a sad article that shows the problems Russians face with their own government trying to help support the war effort. It’s totally disgusting that there are so many anti-Russian elements even in the government working against the nations interests. This isn’t the first I’ve heard about these problems. I realized about these issues back first in 2014 when a Russian friend that lived in Ekaterinburg explained to me that it was worse than pulling tooth to get volunteers and humanitarian aid to the LDNR. That half the time they were stopped at the border and unless you were lucky,or knew someone that would sneak you across. Or ran into a sympathetic border guard,you couldn’t get into the LDNR. I had hoped that at least by “now” that had changed. But it appears that even now Russia can’t get its act together and even do as good a job as Ukraine (of all places) does with their volunteer movement. Just what on earth will it take for Russia to start correcting this issue:
“Grandma sells sprouts, sends the money to fighters battling Ukraine’s forces: How Russia’s civil society helps support the Donbass”
https://www.rt.com/russia/555872-our-civil-society-equips-battalions/
– Poles are given special rights in Ukraine, including access to secret data, holding public office and performing police function.
👉🏼 https://t.me/vicktop55/4031
– Information not yet confirmed of the presence of Polish troops on Ukrainian territory.
👇🏼 https://mobile.twitter.com/wargonzoo/status/1528330476590612480
Knowing that decisions are made neither by the Polish government, much less in Kiev, it is clear that Imperium is determined to fight not only to the last Ukrainian soldier, but now also until there is not even one Polish left.
And the same will also apply to Sweden and Finland. After all, the USA is a supporter of the endless war, provided of course that it is not fought on its own territory.
The European ruling classes are condemning themselves to repeat the horrors of World War II, but who will suffer most, as always, will be the population.
Along with the decadence of the hegemonic power, a world is disintegrating before our astonished eyes.
@ West of England Andy on May 22, 2022 · at 8:14 am EST/EDT
Many thanks to the Saker staff for these sitreps and updates.
Whilst many of us miss Nightvision, and keep his well-being in our thoughts and prayers, the reports by the team are equally welcome to someone in my position, deep in zone A.
——————————————————————————————-
I concur on the thanks to the Saker staff for continuing the SitReps, now brief, short, and to the point.
On Nightvision.
Many posters have been asking about Nightvision whereabouts, and the Mod stated the other day he dropped all communication with the Saker blog. While I appreciated Nightvision’s posts for their well-written style, their logical concatenation, and their thought-provoking stimuli, I noticed flaws in his SitReps from the beginning.
First of all, he ventured into forecasting events, which did or did not ultimately happen. A few posters called him on that, showing evidence his guesses didn’t come to pass, at no avail. In a hybrid military operation, and in this particular one, where the high command of the RF Army Forces releases info by a trickle, adventuring future events is a losing proposition.
Secondly, we clashed on two issues, one that I considered strategic, the development of the SMO into a larger, proxy war between Zone A and Zone B. Nightvision dismissed the possibility of the “Collective West” being capable of opening another front in Western Ukraine, a position I characterized as dangerous, given the underestimation of the CW capabilities and intentions.
Another issue was the surrendering of the Azovtsy, which he forecasted would be coming soon after a few of them surrendered, and I refuted it as too hopeful, stating the hard core UkroNazistan Central (Pepe) will surrender in their own terms, and it might take weeks or months before their final demise. Also, I refused to accept the Ukrainian army as a whole would collapse after the defeat of the Azovstsy, whose surrender I consider without too much impact on the rest of Battlefield Ukraine.
As it happened, Azovstsy surrender came to pass without major glory, and with a marginal effect, if at all, in the rest of the Ukrainian army.
We may/may not know the reasons for Nightvision’s abrupt departure from this venue that appreciated his participation and contribution, however, I considered his SitReps bloated, with too much marginal information to process, e.g. the unnecessary and debunked report on the “Russian bones” soup maker, which some posters, including myself, let him know tainted an otherwise good report.
Also, the flashy facade of the SitReps was attractive for many posters, who failed to see behind the presentation, e.g. the diagram of the Azovstal bunker taken from “The Daily Mail,” a Russophobic right-wing British rag, without questioning the origin, warning about the source, or verifying its truthfulness with other news sources. Despite these flaws, I believe Nightvision could have continued to make a great contribution to the Saker blog, if only he would have paid attention to posters’ critical comments on his SitReps, instead of trying to defend his positions.
It didn’t help at all that posters were, unconsciously and inadvertently, unable to see the difference between being grateful to him for his contribution to the Saker’s blog, to our information and debate, and the enhancement of his ego by uncritical praising of his SitReps.
These are my two pennies to the guessing on Nightvision’s whereabouts.
I will not comment anymore about it, and will not answer any comments on my post, if it gets to be posted.
The reasons to touch upon it are, a) to put the issue to sleep once and for all, and b) because we might have another Nightvision in the future, and it helps to reflect on the past to learn the lessons for the future.
As the old proverb goes, “there are no mistakes, there are only lessons.”
Lone Wolf
OK, we do not insult our writers and authors. But, you are giving good analysis here, so I cannot complain.
I want to rectify one matter. Let me quote: “Many posters have been asking about Nightvision whereabouts, and the Mod stated the other day he dropped all communication with the Saker blog”
No, we need to have this correct. The mod stated that they have no communication, and that is exactly true – exactly. So, you cannot take the mod comment as indicative of any knowledge. It is only in as far as they see it and they indeed have no communication.
Let me say again .. Nightvision can talk when he wants to, if he wants to, and how he wants to. That you can take as the formal Saker Blog statement.
I will now recommend to moderation that they block any more Nightvision stuff until Nightvision himself appears. You were respectful and that is the only reason that this post stands. We do not usually tear the skin of people who did us the favor to report for us.
@ Amarynth
Appreciate it very much.
I respect Nightvision highly, told him that not once but several times, and miss sparring with him about anything under the sun.
In the meantime, may Allah bless his walking.
Lone Wolf
Don’t you have also the phone number and even address of every person who writes Articles for you? Why not give it enough importance to have that if possible? As for such information, why should they be as only a commenter when they’re not? “He stopped connecting…” Maybe someone at the house could tell you something, give you some information. (Oh, the good old days when there were no e-mails!)
“As it happened, 𝗔𝘇𝗼𝘃𝘀𝘁𝘀𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀 without major glory, and 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗶𝗳 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹, in the rest of the Ukrainian army.”
Thanks Lone Wolf for your POV.
I want to want comment only on this aspect in bold.
The surrendering of the nazis at Azovstal appears significant. It is a major break with the UkroNazi/Western deluded heroic narrative of warriors fighting to the death. It has profoundly embarrassed the west, which in conjunction with the grinding annihilation at the Donbass, has rushed to take the war off the front pages and rolled in this “mon[k]ey-pox.” Fearing a domino effect, as these were supposedly the best equipped and trained nazis, they may be rushing Poles and other cannon fodder into the breach. We will see.
Some analysts refer to the ending of this Mariupol drama as the Stalingrad of this campaign.. The west wanted a grand sacrifice for narrative purposes and for martyrs, and to tie down limited Op Z forces, but the meek ending is truly catastrophic for them after the investment of such PR capital.
Even if it doesn’t translate to loss of morale to the other Ukie army in the Donbass, which is possible since much information of battle progress is denied them, they are being destroyed at unsustainable 400-800 people per day. They may not have enough lifespan to lose hope! What a sad state of affairs.
So the jury is still out on the ramifications of the fall of the Azov headquarters. Western proxy escalation and media muting are indicators of pain so far. Fear of exposure of what occurred in Azovstal’s bowels and the imminent war crimes tribunals are additional considerations.
“Pentagon admits Russia still poses the majority of its combat power – possess a “numerical advantage” over Ukraine – and is making “slow, uneven” progress, but progress nonetheless;”
Zelensky said that he has an army of 700,000 soldiers right now.
Turns out some important Ukrainians think that “Russian capabilities are actually very limited”; they don’t think “Russia is a superpower”, and that “Russians can and may be defeated because they are weak”; “hardware is wacky, people are poorly trained, and all they are doing is rendering pressure upon us with their mass.” These are quotes of Andriy Zagorodnyuk, ex-Defense Minister of Ukraine (speaking in a Kyiv Independent interview).
Victory predictions rely on such conclusions. I think anyone making predictions is likely to believe them himself because such things become known later and nobody wants to be wrong.
There is something weird about estimates of Russian Federation military power
* The NATO military-industrial-congressional complex is keen to big it up to a major threat to NATO, and thus a demand to increase military spending a lot/
* NATO sources are also keen to claim that it is so weak that it is being brutally defeated by the military forces of a poor and failed stated like Ukraine.
War propaganda of course does not need to be coherent, but this “doublethink” contrast is particularly perplexing.
It’s not doublethink. It’s one bias in those two things.
Poland is playing with fire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFkNBpETBIQ
Look where Pavlograd is on the map. How did they get there? What is going on?
What do the Russians have to say about this?
According to the Czech press Poland and UA have just declared some sort of confederation. Polish troops are en route to the Donbas front. It is reported to be uncleare if these are regular Polish army troops or the Polish Wagner-like army. However, the troops are said to have heavy weaponry. Is that fake news?
In the same way the U.S. government was using private Big Tech corporations to censor the media here, and then claiming “hey, we’re not censoring anybody”, they’re apparently now using some of the $40 billion aid package to pay for mercs, and then claiming “hey, we’re not getting directly involved”.
It’s a very passive-aggressive female “let’s you and him fight” way to fight a war, but yes, it’s fighting a war.
Subversives like the U.S. Deep State always fight using plausible deniability. Here’s yet another example.
As fake-news is disproved on the battlefield of factual objectivity, don’t expect a decrease in dissonant cognition.
On the contrary, the delusion will deepen. And as usual, this will happen via narcotics.
Among the Nazis in WWII, including the Führer, the use of Pervitin was widespread. Now the neo-Nazis in Azov, for example, abuse Phenethylline (Captagon).
In the USA an epidemic of anxiolytics ravages the population. Nor is Russia free from the plague of synthetic drugs.
👉🏼 https://t.me/rtdocfilms
For Imperium we must all become the walking dead, with our minds doped and our hearts anesthetized, to meekly become part of a human hive, with no longer any capacity for self-determination.
«Among the Nazis in WWII, including the Führer, the use of Pervitin was widespread. Now the neo-Nazis in Azov, for example, abuse Phenethylline (Captagon).»
That happened among the Allies too, Battle of Britain pilots were drugged up too, and USA aircraft crews all have their pill stashes (often mandatory use).
IIRC the german armed forces restricted their use precisely because they only give a temporary enhancement, and then substantially reduce performance.
«In the USA an epidemic of anxiolytics ravages the population»
Since decades ago, a famous song described that already in 1966:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Little_Helper
And we must not forget alcohol, responsible for millions of deaths every year. A legal and socially accepted drug with a lot of glamour.
In the case of Nazi-fascism, drugs play a key role in reconciling fantasy and reality.
The example of Azov is well illustrative of this.
Faced with the reality of the catacombs of Azovstal, it is only through meta-amphetamines that the fantasy of being “heroes” is maintained.
Given the current widespread use of synthetic drugs, the “little mother’s helper” of The Rolling Stones’ song is even a bit naive.
Neither Pervitin (methamphetamine) nor fenethylline are “narcotics”. They are however amphetamines and methamphetamine, which is ravaging the USA as a cheap hard-drug more than any anxiolytic, was used extensively in WOII by both sides. Much of the completely irrational behaviour, “courage” and cruelty of soldiers and wrong decisions by the “rulers” can be ascribed to their use. I do think the soldiers from Russia and the Donbass are different: they don’t show typical amphetamine behaviour – look at the humanely way they treat prisoners.
Narcotics (such as morphine) have been used by rulers (Bismarck for example) but not so much by soldiers, because they lessen aggresion rather than sharpen it. They do suppress pain, but in a sedating manner. Anxiolyics are yet another class, usually benzodiazepines (like diazepam or alprazolam), but they too are sedating and therefore not very “useful” to make soldiers “climb out of the trenches” and face machine gun fire… I don’t want to be pedantic, but as a medical doctor I’m just offering my experience. Anyway, using drugs to change the mindset of soldiers is ethically very wrong in my mind, but it sure is common practice, especially in “the West”!
Thank you for your precise explanation. In fact, I used the word “narcotic” colloquially and made a mistake.
The Polish snake find his friend
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/3489364-president-zelensky-announces-special-status-to-poles-in-ukraine.html
It appears to be a status similar to that between Australia and New Zealand, where one country’s residents can move and live in the other country.
Of course, most such traffic is one-way (New Zealand to Australia).
This is incompatible with EU law (Shengen territory) because Ukies will then get access to all of EU.
Of course it as as well against Russia red lines,which may elicit some Russian response.
I thought the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement already allowed that?
It goes to show that any notions about Poland invading Western Ukraine for land have always been unrealistic, though. For that scenario to count even remotely, Russia would first have to be militarily defeated; the collective West would have to be okay with that Polish annexation, and the reaction of Ukraine would be relevant too…
It also apparently ignored the close. amicable relations that we see exist between Poland and Ukraine today.
So according to ukraine regime:
Defeat=combat operations have completed
Surrender=evacuation
As for the line “slow, uneven” progress, but progress nonetheless;” Still better that no progress by all of NATO after 20 years in Afghanistan.
As with all other White West military supplies, the US fears that these weapons will be captured. The M777 was given without sophisticated aiming and control electronics. Russian artillery is being used without being crippled.
Great news tonight. The Ukie government now admits it’s losing at Severodonetsk. Very, very badly too!
Thirty minutes ago the notorious US/NATO/Ukraine propaganda rag WAPO released this battle update:
“Ukrainian leaders are warning of an increasingly dire situation in Severodonetsk — one of the last major cities in eastern Luhansk province still in Kyiv’s control — with a high-ranking official saying it is becoming “a new Mariupol.”
“Military analysts say Russian forces are attempting to encircle the strategic city in a bid to control all of Luhansk. Russian troops destroyed a bridge into Severodonetsk on Saturday, making it harder to evacuate people and bring supplies in.
“The region’s governor, Serhiy Haidai, said Sunday that “if they destroy one more bridge, then the city will be fully cut off, unfortunately.””
Whoa…you know the Ukies must be in big, big trouble if WAPO is compelled to admit something like this. Normally WAPO twists the facts outrageously in its quest to make the Ukies look like the “winners.” Something really grim must be happening to the Nazis in that city.
Let’s hope Russia blows up the one remaining bridge to Severodonetsk really soon. 8,000 Nazi troops are entrenched there.
The Russians have fire control over the only route south available to the Ukrainians for retreat…..heavy woods to travel through, not sure if a retreat changes the outcome much, a full surrender would.
Cheers M
Russian forces are now inside the northern part of the city of Lyman.
A bit of a clown-world here. Poland is mad at Norway because they are making a lot of money off of the high gas prices.And they want the money to be given to Ukraine. The Poles wouldn’t be paying 3 times what they used to pay for gas today if they had signed a gas agreement with Russia a year ago. They have only themselves to blame for this:
https://www.rt.com/business/555926-poland-norway-gas-profits/
@Uncle Bob.
How many Poles does it take to open a gas tap?
After Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech in Warsaw, polish people are now asking each other, “how many Americans does it take to change a lightbulb?”
Poland another country with a psychotic sense of entitlement
I hope some enterprising film maker, preferaby Ukrainian from Donbass, gets inspired to make a documentary ” Ukraine war through Ukrainian eyes” consisting of a collage of video clips from Zelensky and the Nazis interspersed with those showing civilians being tied to trees and beaten, the testimonies from liberated civilians and captured PoWs. It should become a great hit.
Half decent summery, confirming the realities stating to surface. The only forces advancing are Russian.
https://warnews247.gr/ektakto-ekatomvi-nekron-oukranon-symvoulos-zelesnki-i-katastasi-einai-skt-oi-rosoi-eftasan-soledar-epivevaiosi-warnews247/
Cheers M
In its 19th of May 2022 editorial titled “The War in Ukraine is Getting Complicated, and America Isn’t Ready” the New York Times unexpectedly called for placing limits on the U.S. and NATO support for Ukraine’s regime, which is starkly at variance with the this deep state mouthpiece’s vociferous warmongering until just a few days prior.
“… Mr. Biden should also make it clear to President Volodymyr Zelensky and his people that there is a limit to how far the United States and NATO will go to confront Russia, and limits to the arms, money, and political support they can muster. It is imperative that the Ukrainian government’s decisions be based on a realistic assessment of its means and how much more destruction Ukraine can sustain. …”
Etc…
A possible explanation for this seeming U-turn:
“… What has led to this evident shift? There are several factors at work. First, it would appear that the defeat in Mariupol is of far greater military significance than the Biden administration has acknowledged, and it has thrown cold water on hopes of a Ukrainian victory.
Second, the disastrous international and domestic economic consequences of the war are becoming increasingly evident. Inflation is spiralling out of control, the financial markets are being hard hit and a major recession appears to be unavoidable.
Third, and most important, the social and economic crisis, accelerated by the war, is fuelling the growth of class struggle. The Times acknowledges this, writing that “popular support for a war far from US shores will not continue indefinitely.”
But despite the internal divisions in the ruling class that find expression in the Times’ editorial, the Biden administration will not be able to simply reverse course and extricate itself from the political crisis that it set in motion by provoking the Russian invasion. …”
( https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/05/21/nyti-m21.html )
I almost commented about this too. Lone Wolf, grr and a couple more cannot understand that you cannot know the war fully without also paying attention to the msm (this is not a personal attack, mod!). This NYT editorial shook up the Ukrainian leadership. They read the NYT too, along with probably most Russian leaders, especially now. The NYT has some independence, obviously. Not everyone there is an “outreach operative.”
“’… What has led to this evident shift? There are several factors at work. First, it would appear that the defeat in Mariupol is of far greater military significance than the Biden administration has acknowledged, and it has thrown cold water on hopes of a Ukrainian victory.'”
Some things are just beyond politics. They are just not so dumb as to believe that Ukraine can defeat neighbor Russia in a war; that’s basically it. It takes no PhD to know it.
…~>> extricate itself from the political crisis that it set in motion by provoking the Russian invasion…|
With every US (and western) major main media cheeeeeerleading from the sidelines.
In fact most were ahead of the administration and calling, baying for acceleration, for more more more war.
$7 at the pump is sobering, I guess.
This is very important! Here Scott Ritter very good explains why the game is changing to a bigger conflict in Ukrainan war.
Source: Richard Medhurst: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHDbx-PrQ10&t=9s
Good proof that the presidency is not just for ‘anyone’?
“President Biden: US would send military if China were to invade Taiwan”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-us-would-send-military-if-china-were-to-invade-taiwan/ar-AAXBz45?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=77cb67334a56453c819fa4c5b2fe2781
First president to ever say this. This means that it has not been the policy until he has made it so. He could have made it just off the top of his head. Could be a gaffe too, someone might rectify again. I think he would have to rectify it, not someone else this time…
And the U.S. didn’t win in Vietnam, pres. Biden. It did not win in Afghanistan. Looks like it has trouble winning when it goes too far away and has to fight mostly by itself (apparently). And looks like Taiwan is too close to China and too far away from America. And everyone knows that China is stronger than Vietnam, that it has more than 1.4 billion people, so it can defend itself or “aggress” with maybe 300 million soldiers if her “survival” is at stake. That’s almost the pop. size of America (326 million). It would have the support of Russia. It could mean WWIII. You said WWIII – the end of the world – must be avoided. The U.S. cannot defeat China in a conventional war in Taiwan or in China. China will not surrender any more than the Taliban did – no?
When later General Otto Ernst Remer asked Hitler whether it was necessary to invade Poland rather than maybe wait (I think only one or at most two more asked this question), Hitler replied that the same war would have happened anyway in two-three years time (that the West wanted it). It’s a bad answer, the answer of a “prophet.” Nobody wants WWIII because of Ukraine or because of Taiwan.
Yes, The White House has already made it clear that US policy has not changed. Biden could have had another senility attack when he talked about US military involvement if Taiwan is under China attack.
Biden needs narratives to save his flagging support in domestic politics, and he is facing a mid-term defeat and an impeachment come 2023 and beyond. Along with him, his useless son Hunter can also be in the same caldron. So Biden is throwing all kind of hyper-imaginative fakes around: Russia failing, Putin evil, SCOTUS overthrowing Roe vs. Wade, and this one: China attacking Taiwan. You see, only a real war involving real American deaths can save Biden in the upcoming mid-term election. Since he has chickened out on Ukraine, he is hoping China can attack Taiwan. If not a real attack, he will talk up a virtual one. Just like Russia, China is throwing enough length of rope for him to hang himself.
China is not going to attack Taiwan right now, may be after Biden bids the dust of history, it will. Biden really needs Jill with him 24/7, reminding him “Wave! Wave!” all the time.
China will probably not attack Taiwan while Biden is president, but this year has been made the ‘best year’ to do so if it planned to attack – obviously, I think. The U.S. is overextended in Ukraine right now in an unequal contest, with spending already set to top 50 billion dollars in a matter of months (wrong too, even obviously?). The China-Taiwan problem is actually one of the main reasons the present U.S. policy is wrong, something clear from the start. The policy is so wrongheaded that they might not have considered China when they decided to back Ukraine until “it wins.” It leaves the U.S. “vulnerable” (in quotes because it has no vital interest in Taiwan like it has no vital interest in Ukraine), because China might well think that the United States, having recently lost in Afghanistan, cannot take on Russia and China at the same time in places right next to these countries, and then think that there is no better time…It leaves Taiwan more vulnerable. China is very confident, though, on its own shores. It can do that anytime it wants.
When it comes to Ukrainian claims of their military “victories” let’s not forget what David Lloyd George observed in his memoirs:
“The reports passed on to the ministers were, as we all realized much later, grossly misleading. Victories were much overstated. Virtual reports were represented as victories however limited their scope. Our casualties were understated. Enemy losses became pyramidal. That was the way the military authorities presented the situation to Minister, that was their active propaganda in the Press. All disconcerting and discouraging facts were suppressed.”
Zelensky is loosing everywhere… Even his application for membership of the EU, if successful, ‘may take 15-20 years’, according to the French European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune.
https://www.rt.com/news/555924-france-ukraine-eu-membership/
If there was nothing else that should cause the Chines to stick like glue to Russia,Biden’s speech today should do the trick:
“US ready to fight China over Taiwan – Biden”
https://www.rt.com/news/555938-us-use-force-defend-taiwan/
A good article on the need to “Renew the Russian Federation”. The article allows translation to English:
https://globalaffairs.ru/articles/pereizdanie-rossijskoj-federaczii/
A section of it is also included in an article available on RT:
https://www.rt.com/russia/555916-russia-west-hydrid-war/
Huge news.
“Poland has eyes on Western Ukraine – Belarus”
https://www.rt.com/russia/555980-west-belarus-dismember-ukraine/
Not long ago, the top Russian spy official said so too. The same top official was the first to announce weeks before February 25 that Ukraine planned to invade the Donbass. He was way ahead of everybody else with his announcement. “War propaganda”, I thought when I read it. Then later all coalesced around him. Within the last two weeks, the top spy came out to speak to the public again, this time announcing what the Belarus president is now announcing; Lukashenko said he had been speaking with Putin about this.
Putin and Lukashenko are honest like bears. They let you know what they want. In a bear-like way, Putin said before the war that Ukraine might lose its statehood if there was a war. No other president would confide that ‘top secret.’ It was bear-like. I think it did not register with those who did not think “bear.” I might have commented that the decision was not made but that he liked the idea, approved of the idea, that that’s what that statement meant.
Excuse me if you don’t like my commenting so, but Russia may easily want Western Ukraine. Some people say that hostile people live in Western Ukraine and that it’s better not to take it. Let Poland take it, I heard one say. I wouldn’t say that his wanting it means the bear will take it – but it almost means that. After all, the top spy made an announcement first again. The chills! Now Lukashenko and Putin are discussing the Polish-U.S. “plan” to “dismember” Ukraine by taking Western Ukraine. Whatever others may want, these bears do like Western Ukraine a lot and will not allow anyone else but them to take it if it is to be taken. The true bears want all of Ukraine.
I cant help wondering of those soldiers hiding in their basement felt a bit more sympathy for the civilians who had to do the same thing, but not by choice, and without pay..?