Dear friends, Christ is Risen!
I hope that those amongst you who are Orthodox Christians had a peaceful and joy-filled celebration of Holy Paskha. My family and I had a wonderful celebration and we are now back at home.
First, I want to share with you a quick “state of the blog” update: the blog is doing *fantastic* with something between 7 and 10 million pages served each month. I don’t even know what the statistics would be for the other language Saker blogs (Italian, Spanish/Portuguese, French, Serbian and Russian) are, but I know that they are all doing very well and are quite visible in their own linguistic regions.
What I can tell you is that we recently broke through the 500’000 comments limit (in spite of our “brutal” and “unfair” “censorship”!). Such numbers are truly phenomenal and I want to thank you all for making this possible!
The Russian language Saker blog ran into a (quite predictable) minor “bump in the road” when the organization which we used to register our domain name (namecheap.com) simply pulled the plug on the blog and, when asked, told us that the account had been “suspended due to abuse” with no further clarifications. How oh so surprising. Not. “Democracy” at work and all that…
No big deal here, we still have our our files and we can restart the Russian Saker blog elsewhere, but not right now since a more important development requires immediate attention and I will deal with that issue when I come back to resume my duties.
Right now I need to deal with another reality: I have some health issues which I now need to take care of and which I cannot continue to try to ignore.
So, after some brainstorming with my family and key collaborators on the blog this is what we have decided and how that will impact you:
- I will personally stop blogging until my health is back where it should be. This will take several months, probably about 3 months.
- During this period, the blog will be run by my assistant Amarynth and our IT guru and chief of moderation Herb who are both trusted friends with whom I have been working for years and who have my full confidence and support.
- Specifically, while my own analyses will be suspended, the rest of the blog will continue to work as usual.
- Starting May 1st, our (superb) guest authors will send their contributions directly to Amarynth who will then schedule them and post them. In truth, she has been doing that upon my request for many months already and I do not expect any problems on that side. Until my return, her editorial decisions will be final.
- Herb has been the head of moderation and he, and his team of moderators, will continue to work, the only difference is that the final decisions will be taken by Herb and our moderators and I won’t be involved in it in any way (my role until now was minimal anyway). Until my return, the decisions of the moderators will be final.
- Our team of translators will continue to provide you with translations including subtitled videos, translated texts and anything else needing translation.
- The Saker staff and others will continue to provide their SITREPs and analyses on a regular basis.
So if you are primarily an author/contributor/translator, there will be very little difference for you, you will be able to continue to contribute just as in the past, but you would be dealing directly with Amarynth. If you don’t already have her email, email me and I will put you in touch with her.
If you are a commentator, then again nothing much will change, really.
And if you are mainly a lurking reader, you will still get plenty of superb guest contributions from our authors.
One last thing: if at all possible, please do not email me, especially not emails requiring me to answer, unless it is BOTH urgent and important.
Over the next few months what I will need most is rest. I have been blogging nonstop for fifteen (15!) years now and that has taken a toll on my health. Taking that much needed time off is the only way for me to keep the blog up and running in the long term.
Lastly, as I have mentioned several times, should it come to an OPEN conflict between US and Russian military personnel, I will immediately “freeze” the blog until the situation is resolved. If other NATO nations get into an open conflict with Russia, the blog will continue to operate simply because no country of NATO has any real agency except the USA. As for NATO itself, it is mostly a pathetic joke, ditto for the EU, of course.
In conclusion, I ask for your understanding. This is a difficult decision for me, one I have pushed back many many times already. That is also the only way to keep the blog up and running in the long term.
Anyway, that’s it on my end. I hope that everything will run smoothly and that by the time I come back to blogging, I will do so in a much better health than today :-)
Hugs and cheers to all,
Andrei
UPDATE: I want to thank all of you for your kind words of support and best wishes, such an outpouring of support really touches me deeply. Thank you all for your understanding and kindness!!
Anyone knows Strelkov telegram channel?
From https://vk.com/strelkov_info to https://t.me/swodki
& as a bonus, I’ll throw in Colonel Cassad: https://t.me/s/boris_rozhin/
offtopic and, FYI, I give Strelkov zero credibility
Andrei
His current main channel is this: https://t.me/strelkovii
This will likely be the first and last time I will write re. Strelkov and I kindly ask the mods to accept this comment and not redact it, if possible!
I have no way of verifying or falsifying whatever Strelkov writes. He certainly has some good contacts on the ground (certainly more than I have) BUT his view on the SMO is essentially this , from day one and without change ever since:
Russia must do this SMO/war the strelkov way or it will fail! I am not exaggerating one bit here!
And if -for whatever reason- you need to read some thoroughly depressing stuff Strelkov is the go-to-guy. He will always deliver, I kid you not! I haven’t read a single post with an upbeat or positive tone from him over the course of this entire SMO. Is that a correct reflection of realities on the ground? Maybe but I seriously doubt it.
It’s very obvious that he has zero respect for Putin or anyone in Moscow, for whatever reason. I don’t question his patriotism (who am I as a non-Russian to do so anyway?) but he seems totally incapable/unwilling to accept that other people might know more or better than him. Don’t get me wrong, I hate brainless cheerleading and bs propaganda. I want the truth, even if it tastes very bitter, which it often does, unfortunately. But for sure, not everything that tastes bitter is the truth!
My personal advice, seriously! Don’t read or listen to strelkov if you are susceptible for depression or suicidal moods. I mean that 100%!
Most important: Thank you Andrej for all you did. Get well, take your time off and don’t push it or cut it short – it may take longer than you or I would like but carefully listen to your body and soul!
Best wishes to you Andrei (Saker) & God’s speed on returning to full health & strength.
Hristos Voskrese!
As for this idiotic comment above about Strelkov – who gives a damn about Strelkov & your bloody stupid mood. Strelkov doesn’t need you or anyone else to promote his “depressing” pseudo analysis – which by the way is mostly in Russian with very little English translation, unless you are a Russian speaker, how do you even follow him? This is the kind of trolling clearly designed to muddy the waters here, Andrei has posted a comment about his health & the blog, & you put up a post recommending the “depressing” Igor Girkin? Do it somewhere else.
Ik wish you well Saker. Your health is the most important.
Enjoy your rest and your loving family Andrei, you so deserve it.
My love and support for you as always;
very new but also wish you gentle times…
Andrei!! We just woke up in Sweden and sorry to say it was a bad moment to read about your situation of leaving us : but just for 12 weeks or so. God will heal you and he is doing it right now when you rest. Because he gave you a wonderful family and a good brain to understand that you have to rest a little while for recovery. But with your soul you will always be with us. 15 years of working and writing needs of course healing time and we will also give you that time to heal. You have to know that you are a VIP person. One more thing : Why we love you is also that you are a humble person. You are one of the few people that really come out with the truth. That’s why God will heal you in a good and quicklier time than we expect. God bless you and your family. We also bless the team of Saker,fantastic work in a straight forward manner. See you soon my brother. Me and my wife just love the two Andrei’s.
Get well Andrei, and please be back!
Best Wishes.
Andrei,
Yes, absolutely take all the time you need to get well. The blog is now so developed that it will continue to serve it purpose well. Please take care of your health/body, since it is a temple of the Holy Spirit as the teaching say.
Thanks, again for all that you have done and what you have put in place , i.e., this work of truth telling (as in speaking ones truth instead of letting the elite define how we think). Not only does it provide critical information, it also demonstrates how to speak ones truth.
Michael
Take care, and heel yourself Andrei, all the best!
Ah man it’s gonna be rough without you around Saker! But I trust Nightvision, Amarynth and your guest contributors to do a good job in your absence.
Cheers to your health! Hope you get better and see you in 3 months :-)
We will win!
Oh I think that you are in VERY good hands :-)
And yes,
We will win!!
Andrei
with best wishes to you Saker
He is risen indeed!!
Hoping for your swift recovery.
Thank you for an engaging site
I wish you a thorough recovery from any and all things ailing ya. It’s going to be a bit sad not seeing your own summations of things, now more than ever, but your health comes first, I’d rather see you remain alive to captain your site for a long time. So, God willing, it shall be. Rest and heal well.
Warm regards Andrei.
All the best for you and your family. I started to read your blog when Russia got involved in Syria. Very emotional and intelligent analyses. Unbeatable!
Thank you and Best of Luck !
Andrei take the rest and recover quickly.
I don’t speak Russian, or any other language for that matter, than English ; you have been the best English analyst on the SMO that I have yet found.
Thanks.
Jesus, Andrei, sorry to hear all this. My greatest fear regarding media through this thing the past ten years has been that you and Mr. Martyanov would go off the air, leaving us with little to work with and that having been said I appreciate Larry. Girardi, Unz and even cantankerous PCR.. But the two Andrei’s, these are our two most important connections. Get well, Andrei. I know about health stuff, my lungs are chock-a-block full of asbestos from my Soviet days in the U.S. Navy. So I get it you have to do stuff. May you drop in once in a while, just to say hello. Your work here will never be forgotten by hundreds of thousands, maybe millions. And how many of us can say THAT?
Please do not worry about me dear Jim, my condition is annoying and taxing, but neither terminal nor irreversible (or, at least, manageable).
I cannot recommend Andrei Martyanov at Reminiscences of the Future and Bernhard at Moon of Alabama enough.
Finally, this blog was never about me anyway, and I leave you, temporarily, in VERY good hands.
I think of this forced break as an investment in the future of the blog :-)
Kindest regards and thanks for your kind support
Andrei
Recharge the batteries dear Saker and thanks for this valuable platform!
+ Христос воскресе! +
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Boa tarde! Sou um ávido leitor diário brasileiro!
O que posso desejar é uma rápida e total recuperação da sua saúde! Ela é um patrimônio seu e insubstituível! Fique bem! Vai dar tudo certo! Estamos na torcida por sua recuperação!
Abraços, Marcelo
——————–
Google-translate from mod:
good afternoon! I am an avid Brazilian daily reader!
What I can want is a quick and total recovery of your health! She is her and irreplaceable heritage! Be alright! Everything will be fine! We are cheering for your recovery!
Hugs, Marcelo
Godspeed on a speedy recovery Andrei.
Thank you Andrei. Wish you good health and quick recovery.
I wish you the best, enjoy the rest and hopefully you will then be back with your wonderful insights!
Relax, take care and come strong back. My best wishes.
Best wishes Andrei, rest easy & get well soon
Thankyou for all your dedicated work,hope you are fighting fit in the very near future.
You have been clearly burning the candle at both ends. This is an existential issue for you (and perhaps the world) and as stressful as the challenges come. The combination of workload and stress would have given many a heart attack by now. Also, it must require immense amounts of energy and self-control to stifle the resentment you must have against Washington and all of the filthy dirty tricks it continues to play against your people, your heritage and your standards. I’m a native-born American and I loathe what my government in Washington has been doing to both Russia and any country in this world that will not comply with their incessant demands for obedience from you. So, take whatever break you need to recover and rehabilitate, Saker, and perhaps this needless conflict instigated by America will be resolved by the time you are back to us, your grateful readership.
You have been clearly burning the candle at both ends. This is an existential issue for you
True on both points.
Guilty as charged ;-)
15 years nonstop (half a lifelong career, the equivalent number of pages to writing 8 PhDs!)
Thank you my friend
Andrei
Get better soon. But the timing of you taking a break – oh dear..
Hi Saker, ole boy… my very best wishes and warm regards from out here in Nairobi, Kenya, at good old Horn Of Africa.
Well… His Mighty Name is Jehovah Nissi, or Jehovah Rama. You can also call Him Jehovah El Shadai… is there anything too hard for our God…? Consider for a moment just a little, tiny, minuscule peek into His awesome might somewhere in Job Chapter 28, King James Version (…and me thinks that the entirety of Job 28:1-28, KJV constitutes the greatest apologia ever written for the supremacy of the Godhood of the Almighty in all of the history of eschatology)… “He setteth an end to darkness… He cutteth out rivers from amongth the rocks… He bindeth the floods from overflowing”. Goodness!! In other words, the Finger Of God will touch you, and you will be healed.
But as you think of 8 Phds, I’m thinking of something like 16. The saker blog is, as far as I can see, currently the world’s leading blog on both all things Russian statecraft, as well as all things geopolitics. Moreover, Andrei, you have a compelling command of the English language and with this English being my third language, I hope to one day write as well as you do; get well soon, bro.
All the best there, Bud! I believe nothing of what I hear & only believe half of what I see; but it’s the thought that counts. Take it easy on the Coolattas, but have one for me. I’m amazed at the volume of blurbs you put out and the length of them! Almost like reading poetry.
May God grant you the very blessings you need most as you rest and heal, Andrei. Hope you get to relax and enjoy your family a LOT! Also, best wishes to Amarynth, Herb, and all the vital contributors to this estimable gathering place going forward. So grateful for all of you!
Best wishes and Christ’s blessings to you and your family.
Salvation of your health is all-important.
The Vineyard is in very competent hands.
We shall keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
May your journey to full health be filled with relaxation, fun and laughter.
Take the time without feelings of guilt, you simply need it. Get well!
Keep safe and well, Andre.
Get a good rest and restore your health.
You and your team have made a huge difference in educating so many.
Thank you, God bless you.
Randolph
Get well, Andrei!
We’ll all pray for you, I’m sure
All the best Andrei, look after yourself.
Best wishes and great thanks for the light you have shed through your blog that have followed since (and during) the 2014 events. I believe your work has had a great influence on providing those with open minds deep information, analysis and sound perspective on critical events that will impact all of us.
Jesus is Risen, and soon he will righteously judge humankind, woe to the mammon worshippers and LUCIFARIANS of the demoncratic west. Your money won’t save you, nor will the FATHER OF LIES. Meanwhile, Poland and Romania are whining about their gas supply about to be rightfully cut off. LOL. Hypocrites are they. Godspeed, Andrei!
Sorry, Bulgaria cut off, not Romania. Are there now troops from Isreal now fighting for Ukraine? How ironic! Will their Talmudic/Babbelonian/Lucifarian false god save them too? This rag, called the talmud also claims Jesus is boiling in hot excrement as well. Fire and Brimstone await you! Enjoy! :)
My health also detoriated recently. I know the pain. I hope you will be back in good shape, Andrei.
Many good wishes Saker,
Decision of our host, otherwise USA resident, to put some distance between himself and the blog would be wise, even if health condition did not militate it. Who knows what kind of whipped up legal accusations (aiding and abetting “the enemy” et cetera) might USA in future, if thing go sideways, direct against authors who try to bring some truth in realm of Empire of Lies.
Take care. All the best.
Wish you the best. Good recover.
Be well, Andrei! Good luck!
Much better to take a break like this than the other way !
Get well soon, Saker! All the best, and don’t worry about your blog if the US and Russia go to war, just make sure there’s enough room for all of us in your fallout shelter.
I miss you. But your health is much more important. Take care… See you then
Andrei –
Best wishes for your good health! I have been following this blog for years and want to thank you for providing an antidote to western propaganda.
Black Cloud
Best Wishes to your health Andrei,
Blessings
I’ll miss your take Mr. A. Hope you get better than ever soon.
In a seminar I attended decades ago, they gave us some ground-rules and some guidelines. The only one I remember went like this:
First: take care of yourself so that you can [then] take care of others.
Best wishes! Get well soon. Your blog is indispensable. Thank you, and thank you to all the blog’s behind the scenes facilitators for their excellent work as well.
Saker,
Thanks so much for your care and consideration. We will certainly miss your insight and analysis and it is sad to hear that these health issues are coming at such a critical moment in history. That said, it is important to take care of one’s health and I truly understand the need to take some down time – especially after 15 years!
I’m sure Amarynth and Herb will do a great job for you. I’ve enjoyed my interaction with them to date and look forward to it.
Again do take care and my best wishes for a healthy return in a few months.
Health and family are most important, Andrei. You have left us in the best hands until you are able to return.
I wish you and family all the best in your recovery!
Hutch
Christ is Risen!
Dear Andrei, get well soon!
You’re needed back in max mode, ASAP.
In the meantime, we’ll try to keep the fight going in Serbia behind the Eastern Front just like in 1941, if we have to.
May the outcome be the same – Victory will be ours.
The cost will, unfortunately, depend greatly on the maniacs who’ve taken over the West, that’s the main worry.
They’re more deranged than the original Nazis.
I’ll light a candle for your health in St. Sava’s Cathedral in Belgrade.
Дай Боже вам быстрго выздоровления ! Get well soon and thank you for all your hard work.
Wish you a fast recovery.
Get well soon!!
Get lots of sleep.
That helps pretty much everything.
Quick Recovery good friend, and warm regards from the heart of Africa. You’ve done well. All I’m able to share with you is genuine love, my prayers, and blessings. Get well soon. Asante tsana rafiki yangu muzuri. (Thankyou very much my good friend)!
Hi Saker,
I’ve followed your blog since 2012 or a little before, iirc. It’s amazing how much TheSaker.is has grown and still continue to draw high quality commenters (almost never the case elsewhere). And always a good article or link to follow up. Contrary to what you may think about current events, your 15 years work is not in vain. Please take the thorough care of yourself. Hope to see you back.
Stay well and take care of yourself.
Dear Andrei,
Please take care of yourself and get back your health. You have done so much already that you deserve the time to fully recuperate.
Hang tough,
Nebula Nomad
Take care of yourself, man! Wish you good health for many years to come.
Thank you for all your work. I started following you in 2014, for obvious reasons. For me, living in Croatia, your blog has been an invaluable source of info from the Russian perspective, and I know it will remain so.
Best wishes for your health Andrei.
You will be missed but I’m sure Amarynth and Herb will be able to take up the slack in your absence, so I’m not worried.
Take a good rest, recover your health, recharge your batteries and we’ll see you when we see you.
Cheers.
Thank you Andrei.
I will pray for your recovery. You’ve shown your good fruit.
Dear Andrei, Christ is Risen! I pray for your health and I wish you soon recovery! I already missed your (more often) analysis and now 3 months without you will for sure be big punch for all of us who follow you regularly. I wish to you, to your family and to great Russian nation all the BEST! We wait for you! Cheers
Dear Andrei,
Perhaps, it may be caused by over exhaustion which indeed needs rest from the daily routines. Wish you fast recovery.
Andrei….
You do great work here.
Part of doing great work is surrounding yourself with the right people who are on the same page as you are. It’s not easy to find people like that.
But you’ve done that as well …..
Your body wants to heal. That’s the good news. Give it the rest it needs.
Those you have chosen to take the reigns in your absence will make you proud. Of that I am certain.
Get well soon Saker 👍
All the best to you. Return with fierce strength!
Hey, if you were to put up a ridiculously cheap paywall ($2 a year, for example), I would only be happy to pay for access.
Get well soon!
Here, on Pepe Escobar’s recommendation… a few months ago. I don’t comment much, but I’m an assiduous reader… I would say, voracious. Enjoying it more and more.
Andrei, I wish you and your family all the health in the world!!!
Brazilian greetings…
J. Fernandes
Заиста Христос Васкрсе !
Andrei,
Wish you good health and quick recovery and as our people like to say:
“Где има века нађе се и лека !”
Get well soon, Andrei. You and your blog are precious, and your health is even more. Take care! I’ve been experiencing the importance of health myself recently. The existential confrontation with life is something else entirely. The most important thing is never to lose hope, methinks. And you won’t, I am sure. :)
Andrei, get well soon, but rest as long as it takes. Burnout is nasty condition, the sooner you adress it, the less time it will last. You did heroic job.
Best wishes,
Blackring
God bless you and get well. Nothing can substitute for health
Christ is Risen!
May our Lord bless you and your family. Thanks for all you have done so far. You are a Light shining in the darkness.
And to all of you out there; Keep the Faith. We shall overcome!
even though I am a woman, and in my later years, I follow your blog daily. I wish you a successful recovery from the bottom of my heart. (Serbia)
Slava Rusiji !
Hope you get better, Saker!
I really appreciate the effort and the patience to inform and educate us the audience.
Andres
Be well.
Best regards from Poland.
15 years! It has been that long. Time passes by so quickly. I have learned so much from you. Thank you.
Have the well deserved rest you need, and best wishes for your family and yourself.
Dear Saker —
The world is indebted to you and the other fearless information warriors.
I am a skeptic by nature, even toward people whom I generally trust. I have seldom seen someone retire temporarily for health reasons and come back at full speed in 3 months. Frequently there is no comeback, it is delayed or it is at a reduced capacity.
Best wishes to you and God’s blessings. You have accomplished the goal of “Don’t worry about me while I am incommunicado.”
get well soon we will miss you, say hello once a week :}
mike uybadin.
Christos Anesti, Alithos Anesti Andrei,
Rest, recuperate and heal. And thank you for this place…God’s work.
Have a good rest and best wishes.