By Nikolai Storozhenko and translated by Saker Translators
Original Link: https://m.vz.ru/world/2022/5/17/1158916.html
There was no surrender by Azov National Battalion militants, Kiev assures us. There was only an “evacuation” (not clear to where), and this bit of demagoguery was happily picked up by both Ukrainian and world mass media. The effort to conceal the embarrassing truth about the situation on the frontlines is consistent with how Kiev explains the catastrophic state of the economy.
“If I had the Pravda newspaper, the world would have never learned of Waterloo!”, Napoleon Bonaparte said in a famous Soviet anecdote. Pravda is no more, but the anecdote’s punchline holds true, since narratives need not depend on events.
Today the role of the collective Pravda is played by the talking heads on Ukrainian TV (president Zelensky, press secretaries of SBU, Ministry of Defense, political scientists, it doesn’t matter who).
This time Waterloo is the Azov Steel Works with the Azov Regiment militants who have been trapped there (for the most part). Together with soldiers from several AFU brigades, border guards and, as has been persistently claimed by the media, an uncertain number of either mercenaries or instructors. Who was and was not there, we’ll find out soon enough.
The myth of heroic 82 day defense is already actively promoted by Ukrainian media, even though since late March that defense consisted largely of Azovite efforts to break out of the trap. First on helicopters, then with the help of Macron and Erdogan. And recently they’ve tried to involve everyone who came to mind: Israel, UN, Doctors Without Borders, the Pope, and Elon Musk.
In the end, on May 16 and 17 we saw what we were fated to see. Some of the Azovites and AFU soldiers came out of Azov Steel underground, existed using the corridor specified by Russia’s military, were searched and sorted (the wounded to hospitals, the rest to filtration points) and…went into captivity.
Not an evacuation, not an exit, not an “extraction”, but captivity. A simple Russian word, though not a merry one. But that’s what we saw. The Ukrainian viewer saw and was told something entirely different.
The Ukrainian language also contains a word for captivity. But Ukrainian media try to avoid it at all costs.
Azov’s commander was actually the first. Already on the evening of May 16, as if anticipating questions, he said he’s implementing a decision by top military authorities. OK, but what decision? We know, but Ukrainians viewing his statement in a Telegram channel could not understand a thing and said as much.
Then came Zelensky. He mentioned the AFU, UN, ICRC, and at the end: “…soldiers were transported to occupied territory for future exchange.”
Who did the transporting? Not a word about that.
But instead we learned this is called an “operation to preserve the lives of Azov Steel defenders.” Russians think they took someone prisoner. But in reality there’s an ongoing military operation, so stop panicking. And it’s not just any operation. No, it’s an operation by Ukraine’s military intelligence (that’s how it was officially reported)! These announcements were picked up by not only Kiev-controlled media but also the most authoritative (well, until recently) world media platforms, including CNN. They also don’t use the word “captivity”, only “evacuation”!
But since it’s difficult to ignore videos of Azovites going into captivity, Zelensky’s office simultaneously launched several interpretations. Some talking heads tell Ukrainians it’s actually a victory, others that the prisoners should soon be exchanged for Russian soldiers in Ukrainian captivity. But the treacherous Putin cheated the naïve Zelensky. Yet we are dealing with Ukraine’s national embarrassment. People who swore to fight Russians until the last drop of blood surrendered. Kiev is now trying to whitewash that embarrassment.
We can, of course, laugh, and often with a good reason. But that chorus of “not a surrender but carrying out orders”, “not a surrender but an evacuation,” “not an surrender but an exchange” is that Pravda newspaper from the anecdote.
A citizen can focus on a topic for several days. Kiev hopes that by the end of the week everyone will happily forget Azov surrendered, if they are not reminded of it. And who is to remind them of it when Ukraine’s media have been purged and placed under government control?
It’s the same in the economy.
Azov’s surrender is not unique. In April we closely followed the worsening economic situation in Ukraine. At that time top leadership in the person of Finance Minister Sergey Marchenko and President Zelensky actively speculated on the topic of IMF infusions of cash in order to cover budget deficit. They spoke of 5-7 billion dollars a month.
And now Marchenko says that if conflict continues for three or four more months, government will have to cut budgets and raise taxes. Economists debate whether the minister’s assessment is correct or it’s an attempt to exert pressure on the United States and the IMF. There is no need for debates. One can see the same matrix with the budget deficit and the economy as with the situation at Azov Steel.
The matrix consists of a topic to be passed over in silence (captivity), and a whole range of signals mean to camouflage it. We can assume the matrix functions the same way in regard to Ukraine’s economy.
Here the topic to be passed over in silence is the actual state of Ukraine’s economy. Marchenko described it to The Economist, which is not read by most Ukrainians. The monthly sum of 5 billion dollars is presented by Ukrainian media as something the IMF will simply give Ukraine.
They managed to survive March and April due to the taxes collected earlier and war loans. Money is gone even today, and the period of 3-4 months which the minister mentioned is the time during which that fact can be successfully concealed.
Incidentally, one of Marchenko’s complaints concerned military salaries. He called them a heavy burden (they’ve been greatly increased, and the budget did not reflect it). But what then of Ukraine’s minister of defense’s plans to increase the size of the army to one million?
Ratings Wars
The “we have almost won, any minute now” approach might seem naïve. But Kiev has perfected it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Azov or the economy. It all revolves around the effort to protect Zelensky’s ratings. The purpose of stubborn resistance is the same.
Could Zelensky have resolved the crisis peacefully, since he knew of Russian demands before the start of the operation? Yes, he could have. But then his only remaining course of action would be to resign.
The current situation is not easy, either. The country is in ruins, there are thousands killed, even the closest advisors predict an economic catastrophe. But some of these problems can be solved with money, which means they are not problems but expenditures. The remaining ones can be dealt with Pravda.
Zelenskii and Biden are in a similar fix. Their Narrative Matrixes are cracking. More and more are becoming aware of “Pravda”.
I would say similar fixes. Neither is truly in control, both are delusional and their collective days are numbered.
A pair of puppets in the hands of a single puppeteer.
Black Cloud, who is the puppeteer? That is the question… 1 individual? Or a group? Or Satan?
The Amish Mary ! The Amish …
The puppeteer is the Khazarian Mafia. The regional branch godfather, Ihor Kolomoisky, funded Zelensky’s 2019 election campaign and easily secured the win with a promise to bring peace to the eastern regions.
In May 2021, the US imposed sanctions on Kolomoisky and his family…
“The tycoon was involved in “significant corruption” during his stint as governor of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region from 2014 to 2015, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement Friday, alleging that the tycoon’s acts while in office “undermined rule of law and the Ukrainian public’s faith in their government’s democratic institutions and public processes.” ~ Washington Post
That move signified the official transfer of control of Zelensky to Blinken-Kagan-Nuland at Khazarian Mafia HQ inside the Beltway.
From the point of view, from the angle of view, the matter lends itself to consideration, but in short, it would be long to talk here, the matter is not subject to any discussion…..but it is for those fighting for not only political survival….All political morons always believe the so called “we the sheeple” are blind (or oblivious or delusional, etc), incapable of comprehending anything, but they do not have a clue the blind men see more than they think of……. Let them hear loud this anecdote.
A blind man is walking through the forest when he has the urge to pee. He stands under a tree and does as he is told, but a flock of crows is perched on the tree. Upset that someone is trespassing on their property, on command they fire off a volley of bird shit. But the blind man made a few dodges and kept pissing. They renewed their attempt. Same thing. Conclusion? The blind see shit…………..
Zelensky the comedian and B-movie actor, groomed and financed by Kolomoisky, blew in on a ticket of peace and reconciliation then proceeded to dismantle everything Russian, language, culture, persecuting those who didn’t share his/America’s view of Ukraine’s future. With 10’s of thousands dead, wounded, in captivity and several million displaced, you’d think your average Ukrainian grunt would see through the smokescreen. Still look at the muppets in Europe who are pretty much in the same boat, fed similar pathetic lies.
The parasites are in control of the host in Ukraine.
I think the Azov surrenders are a real surrender. However, it would seem that there may have been some communications between the parties and some concession of sorts from the Russian side. I’m not 100% sure that some general agreement was not basically reached between the parties. The Russians negotiate. They were talking about not giving up on negotiations yesterday (a high official was on RT). It may not have happened, but I can imagine the Russians negotiating an end to the stalemate under some condition of secrecy. So, let’s not just reject whatever Kiev says, but watch for signs of what could be true (if any).
Moreover, don’t be so sure that someone that says, “There was no surrender by Azov National Battalion militants” is just crazy and lying. He may be exaggerating because he is even happy about something. Time will tell if he is a crazy liar, or if there’s something true on some agreement. The Russian government is looking for agreements, after all.
“But the treacherous Putin cheated the naïve Zelensky.” Not clear enough, no further details on this. Time will tell if there was some quid pro quo. There are no declarations in this article from the Russian government that unauthorizes or disowns all that the Ukrainians said about this.
@Tranquillo: ” **it would seem** that **there may have been** some **concession from the Russian side** .”
An admirable search for mental tranquillity, though admittedly via **some** speculations. The situation of the Ukraine regime set up by Biden & Nuland in 2014 is today serious but not yet desperate:
Kolomoisky will now save money because it is Russia’s turn to take care of Azov nazis. Zelensky now owns a $50 Million home in the U$A and a British passport to fly there.
Hunter Biden is still a CEO of Ukraine gas.
Poland now defending Western Ukraine (former Polish Galicia) “equal with Ukrainians”.
Poroshenko is still KIng of Ukraine Chocolate.
“The situation of the Ukraine regime set up by Biden & Nuland in 2014”
Good phrasing.
I read that Zelensky’s comic career had already made him rich.
“Hunter Biden is still a CEO of Ukraine gas.”
That’s news to me. You mean he is still receiving a lot of money every month when his father is now president and he (son) is under FBI investigation? I don’t think that is correct. It’s not how it works. The FBI might prosecute him and put him in jail. “They have never done it.” They can do it “if you ask for it too.” Hunter’s situation is not good; it is a “laptop from hell” (genius Trump).
“Poland now defending Western Ukraine…”
The Polish president who didn’t want Migs sounds different now. He could get Poland invaded. The bears are out! I’ve been thinking, “Who let the bears out!” instead of “Who let the dogs out!” He is talking crazy. He is like begging to be attacked. Why? He said Russia must be deputinized or something like that. It’s another thing for the U.S. to say it from the other side of the world, but the U.S. says it and then takes it back immediately (already happened). Who let the dogs out (ha, ha).
“Poroshenko is still KIng of Ukraine Chocolate.”
Have you tasted his chocolates? Leave him alone if you can. I don’t know what role he played, I guess an ancillary role.
” I don’t know what role he played, I guess an ancillary role.”
He played the role of shill in Three Card Monte scam.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3XAGbHpQk60
“Hunter Biden is still a CEO of Ukraine gas.”
He pocketed big bucks from Burisma (inclusive of 10% for the “big guy”). By the way along with former Polish president Kwasniewski who has been damn silent on this……. I guess this source has already dried up on the backdrop of hostilities…..
https://nabu-leaks.org/new-facts-of-international-corruption-and-external-governance-of-ukraine/
“Poland now defending Western Ukraine…”
Most people in Poland think of him as a comedian even though he’s never been one. Do you know when it pays to tell the truth in politics?……When it is no longer profitable to tell the untruth
It’s not Poland protecting Ukraine it is NATO protecting Poland as Big Ukraine is already a badly wounded animal on it’s back legs.
Hunter Biden was never CEO of Burisma but a board member and resigned shortly before JoBi became head puppet of the Deep State.
Don’t forget the super suspicious plane crash that killed off the entire real independent polish govt.
That led to the (American) state dept to install the lackwits that are administrating it’s demise now.
Doubts are easily dispersed if you follow the timeline of events. First, there was order from Kiev not to surrender. Second, there was delegation from Azov with white flag. After talks, they went back into Azovstal. Than the first large group surrendered. Immediately, Kiev ordered “evacuation”.
It is quite obvious that hundreds of trapped Azovites rebelled against Kiev orders. With support of silent majority. Kiev couldn’t control situation anymore, and had to give up.
The rest is PRbs and damage control.
The only episode which is unclear is surrender of NATO high ranking officers that coincides with Lloyd Austin’s call.
Reports said that RED CROSS was there. Whenever i see the RED CROSS involved it raises RED FLAGS for me. If true, then probably used to transport nato personnel out of theater.
Isn’t it better that they exist rather than don’t?
“It is quite obvious that hundreds of trapped Azovites rebelled against Kiev orders. With support of silent majority. Kiev couldn’t control situation anymore, and had to give up. The rest is PRbs and damage control. The only episode which is unclear is surrender of NATO high ranking officers that coincides with Lloyd Austin’s call.”
You may be right.
One coherent scenario does not mean one should not accept any other coherent scenario. And a scenario of background negotiations with a Russia that’s willing to talk and negotiate, leading to a surrender of combatants in a way that Russia deems convenient, even so with other negotiations in mind (most likely), is a coherent scenario. In negotiations, you grant some things to the other side whether symbolical, little, or significant. If you want to have more negotiations like Russia says it wants to have, then you can figure that this objective will have its own weight too in more minor negotiations (Azov surrender in comparison with end of the conflict goal). It’s what most likely happened in my opinion. Well, do you think this statement by Peskov is in harmony or coincidental with my opinion, or does it harmonize with your preferred scenario (see quote of him in my comment)?
“Prisoner exchanges are the purview of the military, which means that any possible requests to swap Ukrainian captives from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, for Russian POWs, would have to go through the defense ministry, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.” -RT
A beautiful comment by grr was erased (questioning this commenter). You did the right thing when you published. Is one supposed not to answer him? Shouldn’t a mod be like a good boxing referee? The bad referee interferes too much. Erasing him is ‘worse.’ I hope he comes back. Grr is fantastic! Two can have one or two exchanges and then you can cut it off (not let it continue since it’s not about the two). Then maybe a month later (less) allow two or three exchanges again. The path to 50,000,000 hit is on freedom of expression. Restrictions are sad. No need to look so much after adults.
“Prisoner exchanges are the purview of the military, which means that any possible requests to swap Ukrainian captives from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, for Russian POWs, would have to go through the defense ministry, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.” -RT
Not surprisingly, it seems something might have been agreed on.
https://www.rt.com/russia/555953-azovstal-prisoners-exchange-medvedchuk/
There were also regular Ukrainian marines among Azov Nazis at Azovstal. Azovs won’t be exchanged, regular military will be. Azovs will be persecuted.
Of course, I don’t think they release someone who has committed war crimes. Their negotiating impulse is not for that.
Making a difference between Azov Nazis and regular Ukrainian troops is tenuous because the Ukrainian military has been penetrated by Azov via the Centuria network.
NATO has handed over millions of land mines and handgrenades,so
guess what the Ruskies are all of a sudden laying all those land mines
and grenade booby traps to kill or maim Russian speakers who live in
the Dombas!
Why? And on what basis do you believe that?
The arstralian ‘media’ is parroting that the Russians, after ‘retreating in dis-order from Kiev’, laid hundreds of land mines in their wake. The sheeple here follow this media BS with rapt attention, villifying anything ‘Russian’ and cheering on the ‘Ukrainian victory’. It’s sad to watch.
Up there with an article that putin is about to put in a mental asylum by his generals. Story was from a mi6 guy. This is the level of garbage the west presents on media.
But such reports are from intelligence sources. I’m 99.9% sure that they are wrong (okay?). These intelligence sources are destroying intelligence. “Intelligence” cares about reputation as much as any organization, I’d say. And it especially cares about the perception of its “adversaries”, no? If all these news about Putin being extremely ill turn out to be false, it is a favor to their “colleagues” in Russia. Given the stakes for them in reality, the reports sort of drive you (me) into a figurative corner where one has to say properly, “Let’s see if that could be right this time.” That’s how the damage happens, actually, if it turns out to be all wrong. Who understands it? You are not supposed to destroy your own reputation, so I say 99.9% chance that it’s wrong, because I see him on TV and that’s a healthy guy I see. If he keeps looking this healthy or is seen slamming someone down in Judo…if it is false, can you imagine the damage Putin could do? That would be one – to practice Judo tomorrow with cameras filming him. Nobody believes anymore after that.
Swiss intelligence expert Jacques Baud has pointed out that in the Ukraine war (like in the 2nd Iraq war), national intelligence agencies have been sidelined by the politicians who use private companies to fabricate information for pushing their own political agenda.
Most national intelligence agencies are under some sort of democratic oversight, which prevents them from doing the really dirty stuff. And intelligence professionals have been trained to provide factual information to the government so that politicians can make informed decisions.
That gets in the way of politicians who want to launch a war on false pretexts. For example, the CIA wasn’t convinced Saddam had WMDs.
If you think the CIA is dirty, think again, private PR consultants have stooped to much lower levels.
CIA might not be that dirty on this topic, which is just a small part of the whole array of their activities, the PR guys are just better trained in this but I guess the CIA does boat loads of very scary, very dirty and very illegal stuff that would keep you awake at night if you were aware of it.
I’ve heard (read from the media down under) that Putin is having a cancer and cures his body in the bath tub filled with the blood from young reindeer antlers every Sunday.
Reading comments on the article the most commentators were “buying” the story calling on cruelty towards reindeer and my comment was naturally sanctioned.
Basically, the Aussie media seems to be assigning what the VSU does, civilian shields, mines everywhere, terrorizing and killing civilians, etc, etc, as deliberate actions by those despicable Russians. All dead Ukie armour is Russian, all Ukies are valiantly fighting for democracy and there are no nazis.
It’s pathetic.
I think that was meant sarcastically.
Only if he now says so. He’s silent like guilty :).
Lol well like most they need less thunder in the mouth and more lighting in the hand, but that probably not going to come to pass because everyone has their own opinion, and it never matters if it’s right or wrong as to the situation, but they will keep on backing the same old dead horse the one they started out with for if they don’t, they will look wrong or foolish.
I just pointed out how much the Aussie media twists reality on its head,
that was my point.
There is a video on Telegram from a Ukrainian babushka’s phone asking Ukrainian soldiers of why they’re “planting” the land mines along the fences of their homes. If one understands a Slavic language.
Apologise for my spelling,but Bob Valdez got my point,
along with probably many Aussies who watch our MSM,
but obviously was lost on you,
Irony is sometimes very apt.
Bob Valdez is in Australia and described how is it over there.
If it doesn’t say “irony” in parenthesis and it’s a cryptic short comment, I’m going to think “troll” before I think “irony.”
I will have to spell it out for you,
I said NATO supplied land mines and handgrenages.
“I will have to spell it out for you,
I said NATO supplied land mines and handgrenages.”
You added:
“so guess what the Ruskies are all of a sudden laying all those land mines and grenade booby traps to kill or maim Russian speakers who live in the Dombas!”
We had to add some punctuation and guess you correctly like Rafael and DM. Then you say, ‘I will have to spell it out to you’, ha, ha. It’s clear now to any reader.
Propaganda…the average Joe around the world isn’t even aware the war is still happening, they are to busy complaining about inflation (they haven’t got the intelligence to connect the dots) and when the next game is of their favorite team…or for woman the Johnny Depp case gossip.
What suprises me so far is the lack of sabotage of arms transitioning through Poland…Its not as if NATO hasn’t got enemies in Europe, the Serbs for one have history with them.
I wouldn’t call a clown an actor because that would offended many good actors like Chaplin who was brilliant in the movie “The Big Dictator”.
3elenski is not that good of “playing” the real führer of Ukrainians nor too good actor to sell another spin off the facts with the lines from the script.
The lines from the mirror might help “clearing” the thoughts.
First things first, so a big thank you to the Translation Team for bringing this to us. Excellent article.
The ‘evacuation’ of Azovites from the steelworks is one of the ‘finest’ spins I’ve ever come across. Wonder if the US DHS Disinformation Czarina Nina Jankowics, who worked for Zelenky’s election team, had a hand in drafting it now that the Disinfo thing has been suspended.
Love the ‘Napoleon Pravda’ anecdote.
Something I picked up from one of the Telegram channels (hope the formatting works):
Russia–>US
Oligarch–>Entrepreneur
Authoritarian–>Law& Order
Secret Police–>Undercover Cops
Crush Dissent–>Riot Control
Gulags–>Prison Labour
Invasion–>Intervention
War Crimes–>Collateral Damage
Weapons–>Lethal Aid
Surrender–>Evacuated
The difference is very simple:
In China, the politician chooses his favourites from among the hyper-rich; In America, the hyper-rich choose their favourites from among the politicians.
(Allen Dulles) -> CIA -> Operation Paperclip
CIA -> LifeLog -> FaceBook -> Zuckerman -> hyper-rich
CIA -> Washington Post / Jeff Bezos -> Washington Post
murdered -> died
regime -> government
That’s great “chart” to understand NATO and allies language. On Telegram pictures say thousands of words and if one have a music knowledge of Russian would understand what Ukrainian and Russian soldiers are talking about and see the battlefield themselves.
Seeing is not feeling the reality and it’s not our war yet as the tremor of exploding ordinances is not shaking our houses unless we are from Poland, Moldova, Romania, Finland or Sweden.
There are many experts in the West and even some in Russia/East who marvel at how successful the propaganda effort has worked for Ukraine/NATO/United States/etc. Some argue that this level of propaganda manipulation is a good thing and will somehow translate to actual battlefield gains.
Nothing could be further from the truth, this is again yet another indicator how corrupt Western society has become that it has come to embrace downright lying and propaganda as a basis for its society and can even consider it as a good thing.
There is no shortcut for actual battlefield gains on the ground in a conflict, there is no shortcut for having the citizens/populations hearts/minds on your side via seeing with their own eyes/experience how you are behaving, etc. The United States/West has not cared about the truth for a very long time and it has translated to long term losses in almost all conflicts after quick short term “wins”.
It just goes to show that when the leadership of a country/civilization doesn’t think long term about the health and prosperity of a population you are in effect causing its collapse in the medium/long term.
The effectiveness of the propaganda has been astonishing, just as with the previous ‘biological crisis’.
But then, maybe I am affected by propaganda which tells me that everyone else is affected by the original propaganda.
Dog, I could not agree more with your overall assessment. That said two points relating to your “corrupt Western society” phrase. First and foremost, I believe it is important to acknowledge that currently it is the Western “leadership” (both elected and deep state) that must be blamed not Western “society” as a whole. I do agree however if Western “society” continues to permit its leaders to proceed unchallenged, they collectively will be left with no option but to share in the blame. Secondly, while it began as creeping “corruption” decades ago (Soros Open Society, Clinton foundation, 10% for the Big guy) it has now morphed into full bore “delusional” narcissism across Western “leadership”. While it remains to be determined what has prompted this flight from reality, the one undeniable constant is “money”.
I never knew my LARPing experience would come in handy. Seeing a country trying to LARP it’s way out if reality is both hillarious and disturbing.
Getting high on your own Propaganda supply is never a good idea.
The Very First Rule of Propaganda: Never swallow your own propaganda.
The biggest Biden victory so far has been Ukraine propaganda. Remember, Biden provoked the invasion himself by communicating to Russia Ukraine would be accepted as a NATO member in near future.
US intelligence could tell the world the invasion would come before it happened.
The “evacuation” has become public joke slogan in free website talks. Even shoplifters are nowadays “evacuated” by police. In fact it’s now just another crack in reliability of MSM. They have become bunch of clowns. Good. They deserve it.
Ah yes, the coulda woulda shoulda of the armchair generals. Always entertaining.
True. The american armchair G.I.Joes seem to think that “f*ck yeah nuke them into a sheet of glass” solves all problems, not realising that many of those people in Ukraine are in fact friends and relatives of the Russians. I know plenty of people who live in Belgorod and study or work in Kharkov.
Who is going to pay back IMF, when the Ukraine would be had-been Ukraine?
When most of the able-bodied males are dead, who is going to work to rebuild what’s left of the Ukraine?
Why do the Ukrainians still believe in a Jew, who is not a Slav by any means, who’d do anything for the best for the Ukrainians, Slavs? When was the last time a Jew worked for the betterment of the Ukrainians, Slavs?
It looks like the Ukrainians have forgotten their own history…the exploitation of the Slav lands by the Jews in the last few hundred years.
Just because Zelensky speaks Ukrainian and even has a Ukrainian sounding name, he is NOT an Ukrainian Slav.
When was the last time a Jew worked for the betterment of a goy? Never FIFY
The money changers have plenty of time. I learned recently Russia finished paying off the stuff they got through lend-lease in WWII in 2006…
There’s also a certain important matter that the Ukraine and the “West” had conveniently forgotten. The Nazis and Ukies at the Azovstal surrendered unconditionally to Donetsk People’s Republic, so any “negotiations” has to be done directly with the DPR.
While the story with Azovstal ends, and the command decides in which direction we will continue to move, I will allow myself to philosophize more. What worries everyone the most? Two questions: “When will we break Ukraine’s teeth?”, and “What’s next?”
Regarding the first, I once said: higher speed – more consumption. Everyone wants to go faster, and especially those who are at war, but reality does not imply a quick curtailment of the situation. And then, in the future, even if we stop at some lines, we will have to keep not just a contingent, but a full-fledged army on the line of contact. So get ready for the fact that military reports will be part of your “cultural program” for a long time.
The second question is more difficult, because the answer to this question is tantamount to answering the question: “Where are we going and what do we want to become?” The mood in Russia is gradually changing, many and many have begun to realize their subjectivity: the regional elite of a patriotic section, the military elite of the middle level, observing with a creak the adherence of the highest echelons of army power to the old approaches, the people themselves, on whose shoulders an increased burden has now fallen, and which will soon give its voice and want to hear the answer…
War is a bipolar catalyst. It can both aggravate a negative situation and strengthen positive trends – it all depends on a correct understanding of the processes and the ability to respond adequately to them. The fact that society will change is inevitable, and the central government will need to seize the moment to become a co-author of these changes, and not be an obstacle. Otherwise, the fragile alliance between society and government will be jeopardized.
Alexander Khodakovsky the commander of Vostok, DPR (machine translated, and a bit corrected some words)
I wonder what flavour of slow grinding strategy you would be advocating in an alternate universe where the Russian forces were undertaking these rapid decapitation strikes
It was time to surrender when bono showed up
Over a long period of time I have observed that the system saves its self first, and then those who apply for, and meet the requirements of the system secondly.
It does nothing for those who do nothing for themselves, except vote for a fair system, each person has to individually take on the aggressive collective system in every way, an impossible task indeed.
In retrospect, it does badly hurt the same ones who tipped the voting scale in their favor, ironic and invisible to many of them as it may seem. The lone rangers being the only mad rebels objecting to their new environments.
Of the $40 billion allocated by the United States, Ukraine will get only 15%.
This is the opinion of the speaker of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin.
35% of the total amount will be used to finance the armed forces of the United States itself, 45.2% will be spent on “other countries”, another 4.8% will be spent on refugee assistance and diplomatic issues, Volodin noted.
“But Ukrainians will have to pay the debt — and all $40 billion -“.
note Ukr tax income to be raised by
News of the “young European democracy”.
Zelensky signed a law that allows the seizure of property from those “who support Russian aggression.” Including citizens of Ukraine.
The law will allow “to replenish the Ukrainian budget quickly and efficiently at the expense of enemies,” the president’s website says.
similar banditry to USA trying to get hold of the 300b Rus Foreign exchange…attempting seizures of Rus property to pass to Ukraine.
Baltics now beginning to say that Russians living there must decide to intergrate or leave
big clearouts. ..expulsions . consfications.. expurgations…pogroms on their way methinks..blame the others for your own economic- political -sanction disasters….
?
You want to ban thoughts and opinions. You are anti-Internet even though I think you don’t know it. I like your comments, I’m pro-Internet.
the above was a response to grr.
how is the Hryvnia doing this ?
Why isn’t it 10000 to a one US $$
Convert US Dollar to Ukrainian Hryvnia
USD UAH
1 USD 29.6447 UAH
@ Nikolai Storozhenko and Saker Translators
Thanks!!!
Dé·jà vu 1984?
Captivity is “freedom,” defeat is “victory,” reality is…deceit.
Ukraine and its master-minders entered the realm of delusion long ago, and they are only digging deeper the rabbit hole. Amazingly, it is working. This morning, talking to a guy I thought smart, he opened the conversation by telling me the Russians did a video on the comedian declaring defeat, and how bad the Russians were making this type of fake news.
I told him Russia didn’t need to do that because they were winning the war. He promptly refuted my assertion telling me no, Ukraine was winning, reason why the Russians needed that kind of propaganda. I stopped the conversation, no reason to engage an idiot, a waste of my time and energy, but it was a confirmation the fake news factory is working.
Ukraine is winning, Russia is losing.
What can you do with so many idiots, so little time?
Lone Wolf
Lone Wolf
“Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience” (Mark Twain)
Might I suggest the, radical I know, idea that the Russian General Staff has a better handle on the operational situation than you.
Check the Swiss banks for where some of that money went. And of course up Zelensky’s nose.
Originally FJB asked CONgress for ‘only’ $33 billion for Ukraine…..so for sure that’s where “10% for the big guy” is located……but then CONgress added more to the laundromat for a grand total of $40 billion. I’m trying to figure out who’ll get the most…..FJB, McConnell, Pelosi, McCarthy, Schumer……and also….does anyone believe Harris will get any?
And zelensky will get a new stash from Columbia.
In the meantime we have this Russian Diplomat at the UN acting like a quisling,anyone know much about him? he must have been abducted by aliens for the past 8 years otherwise he would know about the genocide in Donbass and the Nazis in Kiev pushing for Nato membership.
https://www.voanews.com/a/russian-un-envoy-quits-in-protest-of-ukraine-invasion/6585555.html
Never, ever, never ever believe something Voice of America says!!!
If it came in print, I would even double check the date
Loved this one!
They are all prisoners of the DPR not Russia
“Strategic evacuation into enemy territory” would have been a nice phrase to use.
Quasi,
Tell that to the million or so Iraqi civilians that W killed.
Kiev was a feint tied up Ukie forces while Russia positioned itself into its 1 st 3 cauldrons.
Yes.
This Lend-Lease is another ticking timebomb. Same mechanism America used to “help” Britain during WWII, the real effect (as America anticipated) was to bankrupt Britain and destroy its empire.