[this analysis was written for the Unz Review]
Intro: cause vs pretext
It is not an exaggeration to say that in the mythology of the AngloZionist Empire Putin is something akin to Satan or, at least, that he is a kind of “Sauron” who is the epitome of evil. And, we all heard that recently, Biden, in a recorded interview, declared that Putin is “a killer”. When given a chance to soften this statement Jen Psaki did no such thing. We can, therefore, conclude that this was an official, deliberately planned, characterization of the Russian leader.
This kind of language was never used by western officials during the Cold War, at least not on the top levels. So why this seething hatred for Putin?
It is not because he is ex-PGU KGB SSSR. Yuri Andropov was a former KGB Chairman, and he did a lot to strengthen the KGB, its personnel and operations. Yet nobody called him a killer. Neither is this because of Crimea or the Donbass, at least not directly, because when the USSR invaded Czechoslovakia and, before that, Hungary, western politicians did not call Khrushchev or Brezhnev “killers”. It is not because of the shooting down of MH-17 (western leaders all know that these are lies created by western special services), because there have been quite a few civilian airliners shot down by various states, but that did not result in the kind of total demonization of the leaders of these states. I could go on and on, but you get the point: even if we carefully parse all the accusations against Putin, we find out that the kind of total demonization he has been the subject of is quite unique in its intensity and scope.
There is a huge difference between the concepts of “cause” and “pretext”, and all the examples I have given are nothing but pretexts. We need to look at the real causes of such a blind hatred for Putin.
Here we come across another list of possible reasons: first, it is undeniable that while Eltsin almost destroyed Russia as a country, Putin single-handedly “resurrected” Russia in an amazingly short time. From a country which was in tatters and a population which wanted nothing more than to become the next Germany or, failing that, at least the next Poland, Putin turned Russia into the strongest military power on the planet and he completely reshaped the Russian perception of themselves and of Russia. Not only that, but Putin used every single move by the West (like, say, sanctions, boycotts or threats) to further strengthen Russia (by means such as import substitutions, international conferences and military maneuvers). Most importantly, Putin de-coupled Russia from a lot of US controlled institutions or mechanisms, a move which also immensely served Russia.
US politicians spoke of a country with an “economy in tatters” and of a “gas station masquerading as a country”. But in the real world (Zone B), the Russia economy did much better than the western ones and, as for the “energy war” between the US, the KSA and Russia, it ended in a catastrophic defeat for the USA and a triumph for Russia and, to a lesser degree, the KSA.
Then came COVID and the truly epic disaster of the West’s total mismanagement of this crisis. Not only that, but the contrast of how Russia (and China!) handled the crisis and what the West did could not have been bigger. As for Russia being the first country to create a vaccine (by now, no less than three of them actually; now Russia is about to release yet another vaccine, this time protecting animals from COVID) and, worse, the country which created the best vaccine on the planet – this is a PR disaster for the West and there is nothing the West can do to soften the blow. If anything, things are only getting worse as shown by all the coming lockdowns in Europe – contrast that with this photo of happy Lavrov in China wearing a mask with “FCKNG QRNTN” written on it!
But that is not the real reason either, as shown by the fact that the West already hated Putin long before COVID.
The “stolen” Cold War victory
In truth, the West has a very long list of reasons for which to hate Putin and everything Russian, but I believe that there is one reason which trumps them all: the western leaders sincerely believed that they had defeated the USSR in the Cold War (even medals were made to commemorate this event) and following the collapse of the former superpower and the coming to power of a clueless, alcoholic puppet, the triumph of the West was total. At least in appearance. The reality, as always, was much more complicated.
[Sidebar: the causes and mechanisms of the collapse of the Soviet Union are not our topic today, so I will just indicate that I believe that the USSR never “collapsed” but that it was deliberately destroyed by the CPSU apparatus which decided to break up the country in order for the Party and Nomenklatura to remain in power, not at the helm of the USSR, but at the helm of the various ex-Soviet republics. Weak leaders and ideologies which nobody really believes in do not inspire people to fight for their rulers. This is why the Russian monarchy collapsed, this is why the masonic democracy of Kerenskii collapsed and this is why the Soviet Union collapsed (this is also one of the most likely reasons for the final collapse of the US as a state).]
Putin, who was not very well known in the West or, for that matter, in Russia, came to power and immediately reversed Russia’s course towards the abyss. First, he dealt with the two most urgent threats, the oligarchs and the Wahabi insurrection in the Caucasus. Many Russians, including myself, were absolutely amazed at the speed and determination of his actions. As a result, Putin suddenly found himself one of the most popular leaders in Russian history. Initially, the West went into a kind of shock, then through a process reminiscent of the so-called “Kübler-Ross model” and, finally, the West settled into a russophobic frenzy not seen since the Nazi regime in Germany during WWII.
To understand why Putin is the Devil incarnate, we have to understand that the leaders of the collective West really thought that this time around, after a millennium of failures and embarrassing defeats, the West has finally “defeated” Russia which would now become a leaderless, culture-less, spiritual-less and, of course, history-less territory whose sole purpose would be to provide resources for the “Triumphant West”. Not only that, but the AngloZionist leaders of the Empire executed the 9/11 false flag operation which gave them the pretext needed for the GWOT, but which completely distracted the West from its previous focus on the so-called “Russian threat” simply because by 2001 there was no Russian threat. So there was a certain logic behind these moves. And then, “suddenly” (at least for western leaders) Russia was “back”: in 2013 Russia stopped the planned US/NATO attack on Syria (the pretext here was Syrian chemical weapons). In 2014 Russia gave her support to the Novorussian uprising against the Ukronazi regime in Kiev and, in the same year, Russia also used her military to make it possible for the local population to vote on a referendum to join Russia. Finally, in 2015, Russia stunned the West with an extremely effective military intervention in Syria.
In this sequence, Russia committed two very different types of “crimes” (from the AngloZionist point of view, of course):
- The minor crime of doing what Russia actually did and
- The much bigger crime of never asking the Empire for the permission to do so
The West likes to treat the rest of the planet like some kind of junior partner, with very limited autonomy and almost no real agency (the best example is what the USA did to countries like Poland or Bulgaria). If and when any such “junior” country wants to do something in its foreign policy, it absolutely has to ask for permission from its AngloZionist Big Brother. Not doing so is something akin to sedition and revolt. In the past, many countries were “punished” or daring to have an opinion or, even more so, for daring to act on it.
It would not be inaccurate to summarize it all by saying that Putin flipped his finger to the Empire and its leaders. That “crime of crimes” was what really triggered the current anti-Russian hysteria. Soon, however, the (mostly clueless) leaders of the Empire ran into an extremely frustrating problem: while the russophobic hysteria did get a lot of traction in the West, in Russia it created a very powerful blowback because of a typical Putin “judo” move: far from trying to suppress the anti-Russian propaganda of the West, the Kremlin used its power to make it widely available (in Russian!) through the Russian media (I wrote about this in some detail here and here). The direct result of this was two fold: first, the CIA/MI6 run “opposition” began to be strongly associated with the russophobic enemies of Russia and, second, the Russian general public further rallied around Putin and his unyielding stance. In other words, calling Putin a dictator and, of course, a “new Hitler”, the western PSYOPs gained some limited advantage in the western public opinion, but totally shot itself in the leg with the Russian public.
I refer to this stage as the “phase one anti-Putin strategic PSYOP”. As for the outcome of this PSYOP, I would not only say that it almost completely failed, but I think that it has the exact opposite intended effect inside Russia.
A change of course was urgently needed.
The redirection of US PSYOPs against Putin and Russia
I have to admit that I have a very low opinion of the US intelligence community, including its analysts. But even the rather dull US “Russia area specialist” eventually figured out that telling the Russian public opinion that Putin was a “dictator” or a “killer of dissidents” or a “chemical poisoner of exiles” resulted in a typically Russian mix of laughter and support for the Kremlin. Something had to be done.
So some smart ass somewhere in some basement came up with the following idea: it makes no sense to accuse Putin of things which make him popular at home, so let’s come up with a new list of accusations carefully tailored to the Russian public.
Let’s call this a “phase two anti-Putin PSYOP operation”.
And this is how the “Putin is in cahoots with” thing began. Specifically, these accusations were deployed by the US PSYOPs and those in its pay:
- Putin is disarming Syria
- Putin will sell out the Donbass
- Putin is a puppet of Israel and, specifically, Netanyahu
- Putin is a corrupt traitor to the Russian national interests
- Putin is allowing Israel to bomb Syria (see here)
- Putin is selling the Siberian riches to China and/or Putin is subjugating Russia to China
- Putin is corrupt, weak and even cowardly
- Putin was defeated by Erdogan in the Nagorno-Karabakh war
The above are the main talking points immediately endorsed and executed by the US strategic PSYOPs against Russia.
Was it effective?
Yes, to some degree. For one thing, these “anti-Russian PSYOPS reloaded” were immediately picked up by at least part of what one could call the “internal patriotic opposition” (much of it very sincerely and without any awareness of being skillfully manipulated). Even more toxic was the emergence of a rather loud neo-Communist (or, as Ruslan Ostashko often calls them “emo-Marxist”) movement (I personally refer to as a sixth column) which began an internal anti-Kremlin propaganda campaign centered on the following themes:
- “All is lost” (всепропальщики): that is a thesis which says that nothing in Russia is right, everything is either wrong or evil, the country is collapsing, so is its economy, its science, its military, etc. etc. etc. This is just a garden variety of defeatism, nothing more.
- “Nothing was achieved since Putin came to power”: this is a weird one, since it takes an absolutely spectacular amount of mental gymnastics to not see that Putin literally saved Russia from total destruction. This stance also completely fails to explain why Putin is so hated by the Empire (if Putin did everything wrong, like, say Eltsin did, he would be adored in the West, not hated!).
- All the elections in Russia were stolen. Here the 5th (CIA/MI6 run) column and 6th column have to agree: according to both of them, there is absolutely no way most Russians supported Putin for so many years and there is no way they support him now. And nevermind the fact that the vast majority of polls show that Putin was, and still is, the most popular political figure in Russia.
Finally, the big SNAFU with the pension reform definitely did not help Putin’s ratings, so he had to take action: he “softened” some of the worst provisions of this reform and, eventually, he successfully sidelined some of the worst Atlantic Integrationists, including Medvedev himself.
Sadly, some putatively pro-Russian websites, blogs and individuals showed their true face when they jumped on the bandwagon of this 2nd strategic PSYOP campaign, probably with the hope to either become more noticed, or get some funding, or both. Hence, all the nonsense about Russia and Israel working together or Putin “selling out” we have seen so many times recently. The worst thing here is that these websites, blogs and individuals have seriously misled and distressed some of the best real friends of Russia in the West.
None of these guys ever address a very simple question: if Putin is such a sellout, and if all is lost, why does the AngloZionist Empire hate Putin so much? In almost 1000 years of warfare (spiritual, cultural, political, economic and military) against Russia, the leaders of the West have always hated real Russian patriots and they have always loved the (alas, many) traitors to Russia. And now, they hate Putin because he is such a terrible leader?
This makes absolutely no sense.
Conclusion: is a war inevitable now?
The US/NATO don’t engage in strategic PYSOPs just because they like or dislike somebody. The main purpose of such PSYOPs is to break the other side’s will to resist. This was also the main objective of both (phase one and phase two) anti-Putin PSYOPs. I am happy to report that both phases of these PYSOPs failed. The danger here is that these failures have failed to convince the leaders of the Empire of the need to urgently change course and accept the “Russian reality”, even if they don’t like it.
Ever since “Biden” (the “collective Biden”, of course, not the potted plant) Administration (illegally) seized power, what we saw was a sharp escalation of anti-Russian statements. Hence, the latest “uhu, he is a killer” – this was no mistake by a senile mind, this was a carefully prepared declaration. Even worse, the Empire has not limited itself to just words, it also did some important “body moves” to signal its determination to seek even further confrontation with Russia:
- There has been a lot of sabre-rattling coming from the West, mostly some rather ill-advsied (or even outright stupid) military maneuvers near/along the Russian border. As I have explained it a billion times, these maneuvers are self-defeating from a military point of view (the closer to the Russian border, the more dangerous for the western military force). Politically, however, they are extremely provocative and, therefore, dangerous.
- The vast majority of Russian analysts do not believe that the US/NATO will openly attack Russia, if only because that would be suicidal (the current military balance in Europe is strongly in Russia’s favor, even without using hypersonic weapons). What many of them now fear is that “Biden” will unleash the Ukronazi forces against the Donbass, thereby “punishing” both the Ukraine and Russia (the former for its role in the US presidential campaign). I tend to agree with both of these statements.
At the end of the day, the AngloZionist Empire was always racist at its core, and that empire is still racist: for its leaders, the Ukrainian people are just cannon fodder, an irrelevant third rate nation with no agency which has outlived its utility (US analysts do understand that the US plan for the Ukraine has ended in yet another spectacular faceplant such delusional plans always end up with, even if they don’t say so publicly). So why not launch these people into a suicidal war against not only the LDNR but also Russia herself? Sure, Russia will quickly and decisively win the military war, but politically it will be a PR disaster for Russia as the “democratic West” will always blame Russia, even when she clearly did not attack first (as was the case in 08.08.08, most recently).
I have already written about the absolutely disastrous situation of the Ukraine three weeks ago so I won’t repeat it all here, I will just say that since that day things have gotten even much worse: suffice to say that the Ukraine has moved a lot of heavy armor to the line of contact while the regime in Kiev has now banned the import of Russian toilet paper (which tells you what the ruling gang thinks of as important and much needed measures). While it is true that the Ukraine has become a totally failed state since the Neo-Nazi coup, there is now a clear acceleration of the collapse of not only the regime or state, but of the country as a whole. Ukraine is falling apart so fast that one could start an entire website tracking only all this developing horror, not day by day, but, hour by hour. Suffice to say that “Ze” has turned out to be even worse than Poroshenko. The only thing Poroshenko did which “Ze” has not (yet!) is to start a war. Other than that, the rest of what he did (by action or inaction) can only be qualified as “more of the same, only worse”.
Can a war be prevented?
I don’t know. Putin gave the Ukronazis a very stern warning (“grave consequences for Ukraine’s statehood as such“). I don’t believe for one second that anybody in power in Kiev gives a damn about the Ukraine or the Ukrainian statehood, but they are smart enough to realize that a Russian counter-attack in defense of the LDNR and, even more so, Crimea, might include precision “counter-leadership” strikes with advanced missiles. The Ukronazi leaders would be well-advised to realize that they all have a crosshair painted on their heads. They might also think about this: what happened to every single Wahabi gang leader in Chechnya since the end of the 2nd Chechen war? (hint: they were all found and executed). Will that be enough to stop them?
Maybe. Let’s hope so.
But we must now keep in mind that for the foreseeable future there are only two options left for the Ukraine: “a horrible ending or a horror without end” (Russian expression).
- The best scenario for the people of the Ukraine would be a (hopefully relatively peaceful) breakup of the country into manageable parts.
- The worst option would definitely be a full-scale war against Russia.
Judging by the rhetoric coming out of Kiev these days, most Ukrainian politicians are firmly behind option #2, especially since that is also the only option acceptable to their overseas masters. The Ukrainians have also adopted a new military doctrine (they call it a “military security strategy of Ukraine”) which declares Russia the aggressor state and military adversary of the Ukraine (see here for a machine translation of the official text).
This might be the reason why Merkel and Macron recently had a videoconference with Putin (“Ze” was not invited): Putin might be trying to convince Merkel and Macron that such a war would be a disaster for Europe. In the meantime, Russia is rapidly reinforcing her forces along the Ukrainian border, including in Crimea.
But all these measures can only deter a regime which has no agency. The outcome shall be decided in Washington DC, not Kiev. I am afraid that the traditional sense of total impunity of US political leaders will, once again, give them a sense of very little risk (for them personally or for the USA) in triggering a war in the Ukraine. The latest news on the US-Ukrainian front is the delivery by the USN of 350 tonnes of military equipment in Odessa. Not enough to be militarily significant, but more than enough to further egg on the regime in Kiev to an attack on the Donbass and/or Crimea.
In fact, I would not even put it past “Biden” to launch an attack on Iran while the world watches the Ukraine and Russia go to war. After all, the other country whose geostrategic position has been severely degraded since Russia moved her forces to Syria is Israel, the one country which all US politicians will serve faithfully and irrespective of any costs (including human costs for the USA). The Israelis have been demanding a war on Iran since at least 2007, and it would be very naive to hope that they won’t eventually get their way. Last, but not least, there is the crisis which Blinken’s condescending chutzpah triggered with China which, so far, has resulted in an economic war only, but which might also escalate at any moment, especially considering all the many recent anti-Chinese provocations by the US Navy.
Right now the weather in the eastern Ukraine is not conducive to offensive military operations. The snow is still melting, creating very difficult and muddy road conditions (called “rasputitsa” in Russian) which greatly inhibit the movement of forces and troops. These conditions will, however, change with the warmer season coming, at which point the Ukronazi forces will be ideally poised for an attack.
In other words, barring some major development, we might be only weeks away from a major war.
The Saker
The west can’t tell the difference between men and women.
They’ll start a war with Russia, not over anything of significance, but because someday some Russian diplomat will commit the unpardonable sin of calling one of their trannies, “Mr.”
I’m sure the Russian forces will be shaking in their boots when Biden sends in the sex-op squads and pregnant fighter pilots.
As stupid and hilarious as it all is, it’s also dangerous. Russia needs to face the fact that Western Leaders believe their own lies that they spew merely by repeating them.
That said, I wouldn’t crow about Russian ‘vaccines’ for a virus that is no threat whatsoever. So unless someone released some agent in Russia/China that was more deadly than this bug, Russia and China are only facilitating the very deception upon the world that has been of enormous help to the US government, big tech and the deep criminal state.
There is no pandemic. There’s a bunch of dead people who were given an overcycled PCR test that was never designed to detect viruses that then spun a roulette wheel and returned a ‘positive’ result.
I have no idea why Russia is going along with it, but I guess it’s for the same reason they supposedly won’t say anything about the truth behind 9/11, and the obviously stolen 2020 US election.
Some narratives are too ‘hot’ to counter, so instead we get a vaccine dog’n’pony show to manage the perceptions of the masses. Also it’s not like I imagine Russia is all sunshine and roses, so there were undoubtedly people within there who stood to gain from the deception.
There is no pandemic
Oh pleuzze, what would it take to convince you otherwise?
Please stop posting this nonsense!
There is no pandemic.
Covid-19 was the disease caused by a virus engineered in a U$ Biowarfare Lab in Fort Detrick under Dr.Fauci. Lab was closed down because people in its neighbourhood began to come down with Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Lab was restarted in Wuhan, again under Dr.Fauci. People in Wuhan began to come down with ARS. Lab was closed. Chinese govt acted decisively to stop spread of infection. There is no Lockdown in Wuhan. Covid-19 strain died out long ago. What we have now is Con-19, an Anglo Zio Capitalist bogeyman to curtail individual freedom and enrich vaccine mfrs. Like Con-911 was an AZC bogeyman to curtail freedom and enrich oil tycoons.
As for the good, old fashioned Russian Orthodox vaccine, I have heaped praise on it from the beginning. An astute jujitsu move by Putin: if billions of people are willing to spend good money on vaccines against RNA fragments from a hypothetical virus, Russia will sell them a genuine (and safe) vaccine against those RNA fragments.
Con-19 is not a type of influenza, it is a type of religion. There are more Believers in the world than Unbelievers. Dialogue between the two is a dialogue of the deaf.
“These things are like storms, they must be allowed to run their course” — Max Born, physicist, about the Fascist ideology that was sweeping Europe with AZC encouragement.
You are correct in the origins of covid but did not mention that the out break started shortly after the end of the military Olympics which were held in Wuhan. Max Blumenthal and Pepe Escobar raise some very interesting questions as to the beginnings of this event. Rather long video but worth the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYf5h0wOV1Q
All commenters please stay on topic. The Saker moderation policy (#19) clearly states that ‘covid-19’ is only to be discussed in the ‘Cafe’ …All comments will either be removed or deleted that break this rule under this article. Mod.
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Rumours are getting louder and louder that Russia too is moving towards a surveillance state – or should I say, sanitary dictatorship
How people that are so enlightened in the field of geopolitics refuse to see something that is right in front of them (and frankly said a different leg of the same beast) is truly beyond me.
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Good article – I fear war may be nearer than we think. I hope I’m wrong. War may be a greater possibility because the crazies in the West assume that a nuclear war is unthinkable and therefore fall into the trap of assuming that conventional aggression is okay.
Well Saker your excellent article here is more than convincing
This one is probably in the top 5 of all your mostly great articles
I wanted to add one reason why they hate Putin so much
He exposes the western politicians low IQ and their mental issues since decades
Nobody can beat VVP in live talks he just dismantles them to the bones each and every time
These retards look so stupid in face of VVP
It’s normal they are butthurt
But I suggest just stay with what you do best
Without your blog the world would be a lot worse for me
@Mike
My conclusion exactly. I have my pet phrase expressing it thusly:
When Russia has strong, perspicacious leaders such as Stalin and Putin, the West along with its entire fabric of society can be seen for the irrefutable rubbish that it is.
It’s almost entertaining recognizing how these two top-class leaders elicit the very same ”left” noises and ”right” noises from aforesaid West — the only conspicuous new thing today is the compulsory condemnation for not embracing LGBTQ++, which is a ”leftist” as well as a ”rightist” article of faith.
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Ouch.
VVP made the right call and treated it seriously, and beat the west at their own game.
The beautiful irony is that it has turned out to be a major soft power victory for Russia (and a minor one for China).
Another irony is that should some psycho decide, “Yes it is Now Time to Release the Real Bioweapon”, it will have a much harder time gaining traction due to all the measures already in place.
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So the globalist NWO suppresses democracy & increases censorship while ramping towards war against Russia. Dystopia here were come.
Dear Saker,
I want to apologize for my posting, I later realized that it violated the guidelines for comments. At times like these nerves are wearing thin, and sometimes due diligence is lacking.
Thank you for your work.
Johnno
There is a pandemic. One of my relatives died from it, while former work colleagues ended up in hospital with it. And yes, the West will start a war with Russia using Ukraine, and because of the following three significant reasons.
First of all, the popularity of Zelensky is falling.
Secondly, the internal situation in Ukraine is deteriorating by the year. Analysts have sine 2017 been stating that the country will disintegrate into three parts. A “victorious war” might reverse the trend. In fact it will do the opposite.
Thirdly, in September of 2021 we shall have parliamentary elections in Russia. The temptation for Western intelligence agencies to disrupt these elections will be overwhelming. This disruption will be twofold: Hoping Russian liberals win the Parliament and, since undoubtably they will fail, to accuse the election of being fraudulent. This disruption will require a catalyst, and it will be in the form of war, with Ukraine attacking the Donbass (I don’t think Ukraine will be foolish enough to attack Crimea, which has been turned into a fortress, which even NATO could not take). The war against the Donbass will happen during spring/summer, prior to the elections. We can therefore expect NGO orchestrated demonstrations prior to the elections and of course demonstrations after the elections.
All of this will fail. I don’t see your average Russian sitting back and watching the Donbass collapse. Personally I think that Donbass troops are strong enough to defeat any Ukrainian attack, bearing in mind that they had enough time to dig in, while the Ukrainian military will be in the open, launching the attack by using conscripts, backed by neo-Nazis. Should I be wrong in my analysis, then the Russian military will certainly give a helping hand. Would this be a PR disaster for Russia ? I don’t think so. Yes, the West would certainly accuse Russia of “aggression”, but then again would have a tough time explaining why the war started in the first place, bearing in mind we have the Minsk Protocol which Ukraine failed to respect.
Would Washington be foolish enough to drive Kiev into an attack against the Donbass. I am afraid it would be, taking into consideration the reasons I listed above. The final question which needs to be asked is if Washington is aware what the internal repercussions in Ukraine will be if a new war is started. I am not sure that Washington fully understands this, nor if it really cares. Using proxies is an old Washington trick, where consequences are not taken into consideration. That’s how the imperial mind works.
“In other words, barring some major development, we might be only weeks away from a major war”. I am afraid The Saker is certainly correct about this. Sleepy Joe Biden was not installed into the White House to drive for peace, but to implement neocon imperial policies vis a vis Russia and China, even though this strategy is years out of date as far as reality goes.
We shall now have to sit back and watch the events unfold.
Looks like the West has started it’s PR offensive. The latest news is that convicted embezzler Navalny will start a hunger strike if he is not released from prison and given a doctor of his choice. Hardly a coincidence.The West is hoping that it can still use him for propaganda purposes, even though his popularity in Russia has hit rock bottom. He will, however, be a useful tool for propaganda that is directed against the Western audience.
Leo,
I think you’re right.
The Russian military just needs to isolate and obliterate the Azov battalion and the war will be over, the conscripts will go home.
That should be military objective, identify, isolate, surround Azov and send them to eternity – quick, overwhelming and ruthless.
Hear, hear, the ‘sixth column’ never sleeps.
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Excellent narrative, Saker. From psyops to proxy war. You strip away the B.S. that colors the daily flow of demonization of VVP.
Your little history lesson is deeply profound. The two decades of russophobia and the billions spent to mind-massage, not only the dopey Ukies but all the Euro-dolts who thought they had triumphed over the USSR, wasted because of President Putin’s brilliant leadership to bring Russia back to SuperPower. Yes, they hate him. He’s earned their enmity. He leads a nation that not only defends itself, but can wipe out their national armies and their alliance, the Potemkin Military called NATO.
Now, the US and NATO have rearmed the Ukies, “trained” some of the better units of the military and coach them forward. The war is set to happen.
Whether it does happen or not is a matter of time. The desperation of the regime in Kiev has run out of time. Zelenski’s expiration date has passed. The pressure to hide the corruption and sell-off of Ukie national wealth can only be hidden by another war.
The US wants to bleed Russia physically and geopolitically. Branding Russia as an “aggressor nation” is the wet dream of the Russophobes. As masters of propaganda and the controllers of the West’s MSM, it should be a small task to get Russia smeared as an aggressor regardless of the facts.
I differ a bit from Saker’s final view of the moves Biden may make.
I think Syria will be hit very hard to draw the Russian military into action simultaneous with war in the Donbass. And that suits the US and Israel if, the third zone, Iran is attacked with some sort of degradation attack against its nuclear energy infrastructure and oil industry.
In all three zones, Ukraine, Syria and Iran, the US can stand off and use missiles and drones and force the Russians to use the S-400s and other defenses which the US is desperate to get the electronic profiles so they can attack and destroy them, and then, destroy Russia itself.
Biden will do this. i’ve seen him operate in public for 48 years. He’s a crazy streetfighter-type who thinks he can fist-beat anyone. The military will have no problem getting his OK on any operation or mission.
As Saker warns, war is near. It has been prepared for on all sides. All it takes is a brain-addled ideologue to spark it into reality.
Every decision in Washington is based on internal to Washington power-struggles. The demonization of Russia is just convenient–Washington needz scary enemies to keep the MIC gravy train rolling and to continue to disappear civil liberties and the rule-of-law. Washington is not united, however, and general war is not popular among the finance oligarchs or the media. Usually we see propaganda campaigns preceding foreign adventures but I see almost no mention of foreign affairs or war drums beating in any of the major, or even minor, propaganda organs. In the past, contrary forces in Washington have stopped military escalations particularly in Syria, Iran and Afghanistan. Also, I don’t think the Europeans other than the NATO bureaucracy have any interest in a Ukraine or a new war in Syria or an attack on Iran and, at the moment, Washington is interested in winning over Europe not further alienating it.
The goal of Washington is to weaken Russia with feints and sanctions on the one hand and bribery and covert operations on the other. Bloody war does not seem to be on the agenda unless the War Party manages to convince the finance oligarchs that this will somehow benefit them though I don’t see how that would work. At the end of the day, US wars are first about using tax money to enrich the military industries and only secondarily to rule the world when push comes to shove. If there is war along the lines you suggest you will see some very intense power-struggle come out into the open around the country not just Washington.
I agree with your comments and would add that Biden is a shell of a man and is not in charge of anything, perhaps including his bodily fluids. This entire agenda smells like Obama’s 3rd term. I am sure Susan Rice us in there up to her eyeballs, especially since Kamala Harris is not a leader, or an original thinker.
I have hope for Putin and Russia in a sense that independent countries are essential as opposed to a globalist Lucifarian Tower of Babel organization inflicting their version of humanity on the rest of us.
Always remember in possible and plausible scenarios re: Iran in both its location adjacent to KSA and the Gulf Lessers abutting KSA, annnnd the advanced missile stockpile of great quantity it has manufactured and amassed. Too many wild cards at play to call “Check” on anyone. And that includes the weasel in the woodpile occupying Palestine setting off fireworks for its own advantage while saying “Screw the rest of the world.”
I’ll never forgive Germany for giving the Zios nuclear missile-capable Dolphin class submarines. Never.
I’m not even sure the Ukies are that Kamikaze – but time will tell. Even an armchair strategist (me) knows that with a flick of a button all comms over Ukraine will be blocked; the air space will be a no-fly zone; airfields will be destroyed as will whatever manages to get off the ground. There will also likely be targeted strikes against the ruling elite – those that haven’t yet managed to escape to the US. All this can be accomplished in a few minutes without one Russian setting foot in Ukraine. Evey square millimeter of Ukraine will currently be under microscopic satellite observation and new target information will be updated in real time. And there is nothing the US or Nato can do – are they going to try to target assets in Russia? Not a chance.
I’m reminded of your good friend Auslander’s book where the tactics were to “hold the belts” of the attackers. This could be the purpose of the troops reported to be flooding into Crimea. Then outflank the Ukie attackers from behind and destroy then. It will be over in a couple of days before the West knows what happened.
That the US is suffering from a malignant tumour is beyond doubt.
https://youtu.be/1WDHqTf7gl4
A ‘body’ can be 99 percent healthy yet one cancerous cell can cause much damage growing into a tumour. Although it realises that by destroying the very body it feeds on it is also destroying itself yet that end does not prevent its greed for reproduction. Most US citizens are well aware where the tumour lies and its progress.
That many are speculating the patient will in it’s last days will attack as there is little to lose. Those that may support this decision will have moved there fortunes elsewhere. The historical symptoms of empire falling is overconfidence and threats.
It becomes a matter of timing as the Saker and Larch both note. If Russia and China can resist provications for as long as it takes for the tumour to prove fatal then all will be well. That requires patience and constraint of which China and Russia both have in abundance.
may 8th a week or so after orthodox easter ends and the roads/weather are/is dry enough
Larchmonster your excellent comments are always appreciated
But biden WAS maybe a crazy street fighter but now he is a demented crazy old man
He won’t even understand what he will sign
But nevertheless the actual situation is very dangerous
For such a crazy street-fighter he looks, and has always looked, extremely weak…
May be an armchair street-fighter… in any case…of those who are sure their children will never fight at any front lines but will reap the earnings of the resulting looting, as was the case of his Hunter in the Ukraine…
Is this the “crazy street-fighter” who is going to war with each and everyone of all those “soulless killers” out there?
Why the hell he has to carry such a big umbrella by himself and not closing it even when he tries to salute militarily so that to not get wet with a drop of rain, not going them to fall over his rain coat?
Is a man so scared of a simple shower to go to war with everybody at a time?
Starting in muddy Ukraine first morevoer?
No wonder he is already shitting the WH floors…
What the hell is he carrying in that bag, the “football”? In that case why is the bag open?
https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1377380432799490052
This man should be in the porch playing with his dogs and grandchildren, not starting WWIII…
Obviously, for everybody watching, there are other in people in charge… and it is not even this woman who do not even know when it is the right time to laugh…
https://twitter.com/MythinformedMKE/status/1376633357283561473
I believe Ukraine is nothing more than an attempt to destroy Nord Stream through the usual “Russia’s to blame ” sanctions .
It’s progressive politics. Mh17, Skripals…. right up to the pathetic “Navalny poisoning” , now hunger strike ….. all this to force moral sanctions on Russia this ending Nord Stream for good
I believe Nord Stream represents a equilibrium. The point where Germany and Russia realise their potential as trading partners . I don’t for one minute believe what is said regarding Merkels distain for Russia and Putin and her curtailing to U.S. demands .
I believe there’s a deep understanding between Russian/German leadership regarding the danger the U.S. and U.K. pose to world security . They are prepared. Throw China into the equation…silk road , Eurasia development. Surely the Germans see where their future lies . So by default the EU will follow as Berlin holds all the power there
Regarding a joint U.S. Israeli attack in Syria? This would be suicidal for the U.S. and Israel. Israel is simply too small and impossible to defend . Iran can literally flatten Israel. 100% using yes … stand off weapons .
The assumptions the U.S. would use stand off weapons is again highly unlikely. Their effectiveness against jamming /electronic warfare is moderate….and that’s being generous.
Russia too has this option and incidents which occurred several weeks ago in western Syria have echoed in my thoughts since . Why did Russia use iskander missiles at this moment in the conflict ? I originally thought this was in response to Armenian Presidents comical remarks saying iskander complexes “FAILED TO HIT A TARGET ”
Also Recip Erdo bragging much the same
Now however I’m beginning to think this was in fact directed at the Biden regime .
In fact this attack was launched directly after U.S. attack on supposed Iranian forces in Syria.
Russia hasn’t had to use S400 in Syria… they are reserved for an attack on Russian forces …. If the U.S. and Israel are dumb enough to try this ? And attack Iran at the same time ? Really ? Simple….. end of Israel and total destruction of All U.S. forces in the middle East, Parts of Africa, Romania , Polish , Lithuania, Ukraine smashed … total destruction
Sure Russia will suffer to loss of the same in the middle East and parts of Africa…. however ask yourself ? Who has more force concentration in these areas ?
Russia or the U.S.? ie who will suffer the greatest losses. The U.S. hands down
This is modern warfare …. stand off weapons will destroy force concentration
Who has the better stand off weapons ?
Russia or U.S.? Tusd I is hands down
“Those who can get you to believe absurdities can get you to commit atrocities” Voltaire
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks” is a line from the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. It is spoken by Queen Gertrude in response to the insincere overacting of a character in the play within a play created by Prince Hamlet to prove his uncle’s guilt in the murder of his father, the King of Denmark.
The phrase is used in everyday speech to indicate doubt of someone’s sincerity, especially regarding the truth of a strong denial.
A common misquotation places methinks first, as in “methinks the lady doth protest too much”.
Putin is not a globalist. He told the globalists no unipolar world, that was because he is an enlightened human being. The unenlightened vile globalists can’t accept enlightenment.
How this time proceeds is definately a period of supreme dense, coarse, gross energy.
China, Iran, India, Et Al are not with the globalists either. One nano second at a time whistling past the graveyard.
100 people in State WA not reported, dead, beginning Feb 2021, COVID vaccines, Press TV, no where in local news!
Thank You Saker for your Gene of Altruism!
There is undoubtedly a power struggle within China.
One faction of the CCP seems fully in bed with the Western NWO in the plandemic leading to loss of freedoms, everyone with digital vaccine passports perhaps eventually as implants linked to social credits & debits.
The CCP don’t want to be ruled by the Western NWO but might divide the world into two spheres of influence.
Where does Russia – the last real Hope for freedom built on Deistic values – fit with these totalitarian entities on either side of it?
Russia certainly has embraced China closely. Hold your enemies tight. It tried to integrate with the West on equal terms but was not possible, hence as Saker describes Putin & the patriotic Russian elites have done much to prepare for self reliance and defence.
Hopefully such sane patriot factions in The West can overthrow the insane criminals of the NWO faction.
I’d add one more dot-point to your list: “Putin has a secret palace in …”
I think that Russian foreign policy was a disaster for the last few years. Russia has literally lost control of Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, to name a few. In 2015, Russia moved into Syria, not to protect Assad (by Russian own admission) but to protect Russian interest. Since then Russia allowed free ride for Israel, so much so that some months Israel attacked Iranian and Hizbullah bases in Syria hundreds of times while Russia and Putin was looking the other way around. Geo-stratejist Agha Husein (researcher and analyst from Pakistan and close friend of A. Korybko) said that Russia even provided some security codes and data for Israel to target Syrian assets. All this makes one think that Russia is hand in hand with Israel in Syria. I also tend to believe that Russian involvement in Syria was actively coordinated between Russia and Israel to put a barrier to Iranian and Hizbullah advances in Syria. Russia succeeded to pull Hizbullah forces about 150 miles down from the Golan Heights. That was a victory for Israel. I believe Russia and Israel are active partners in Syria and best of friends. Considering the invitation of Netanyahu as a prime guest to the March of Immortals two years ago, or Russia digging up some bones of fallen Israeli soldiers in the Middle East then shipping them with a ceremony to Israel or Putin’s shocking (and not so patriotic) statement after the shooting down the Russian reconnaissance aircraft causing death to 15 Russian servicemen adds some more evidence that there is a close bond between the two countries. Russia is trying to play a balancing game between the west and the east and for some unknown reasons likes to appease the west. Russian negative role in between India and Pakistan also infuriated China and Pakistan. Russia is not a European but a Euroasian country in my opinion. For some reason, Russia wants to see itself as a European country while the west has been treating Russia as a second class country for centuries. I have noticed that Russia acts very similar to the eastern European countries, which would love to be in the western club but constantly kicked around by the west. Russia as a great power shall stand on its own feets and stop appeasing the west like they did during the Ngarno-Karabagh conflict calling US and France to intervene diplomatically to stop Turkish- Azerbaijani advance. It failed miserably. All these showed the west that Russia is not what it claims to be. The west possibly thinks that Russia is a broke paper tiger and here we are watching US and the west poking their tentacles into Ukraine once again . Russia should answer back the western globalists like Stalin did once. With courage and honour.
I must fully disagree with this statement
>I also tend to believe that Russian involvement in Syria was actively coordinated between Russia and Israel to put a barrier to Iranian and Hizbullah advances in Syria
It’s the opposite. In 2015, Soleimani met with Putin in Moscow and convinced him to intervene in Syria. The backing of Russia was used to provide a cover which allowed Iran and Hezbollah to enter Syria and uphold the Assad government. Syria would not exist as a state if Russia had not intervened. In 2012-2014 Assad was losing at times 100 soldiers per day.
Otherwise, I agree with much of what you said. Russia’s approach is cool, reactive, and hands-off while the Empire is constantly probing for weaknesses in a proactive manner.
” Russia is not a European but a Euroasian country in my opinion. For some reason, Russia wants to see itself as a European country while the west has been treating Russia as a second class country for centuries. I have noticed that Russia acts very similar to the eastern European countries, which would love to be in the western club but constantly kicked around by the west. Russia as a great power shall stand on its own feets and stop appeasing the west like they did during the Ngarno-Karabagh conflict calling US and France to intervene diplomatically to stop Turkish- Azerbaijani advance. It failed miserably. All these showed the west that Russia is not what it claims to be. The west possibly thinks that Russia is a broke paper tiger and here we are watching US and the west poking their tentacles into Ukraine once again .”
There is a significant faction of Pro-Western Integrationists in Russia, who delude themselves that Russia can gain a seat at the table of the Euro-American Imperialist “club.”
What they don’t want to admit is that, in this scenario, Russia will be at the table of the Euro-Americans alright–but only as the main entrée to be devoured!
” I have noticed that Russia acts very similar to the eastern European countries, which would love to be in the western club but constantly kicked around by the west.”
Perhaps this is a common outlook and experience that binds Putin and Erdo.
Katherine
“why does the AngloZionist Empire hate Putin so much?”
I have an explanation, but that would end to get me labelled a “sixth columnist”.
It is obvious to anyone who does not believe that Putin is the Saviour Of Russia, but just a neoliberal politician who is moderately better than Yeltsin, and whose real alternatives, not Quislings like Navalny but real alternatives, are all far more nationalist and not beholden to international capital than he is. Since the 90s are now over, and the attempt to destroy Russia has failed, how does one ensure that the country does not become even stronger and, crucially, more assertive?
One possible answer is interesting: keep demonising the man in power, *even though you know that demonising him hardens support behind him*. Especially since it hardens support behind him. As long as you keep attacking him, the Russian people support him more, making it less likely for someone who would be more nationalist and less neoliberal to take charge.
Simple enough.
Simple enough
Yeah, no need for basic knowledge, no need for facts – let’s just keep is “simple”
Seriously, why do you waste your time on this blog – go to CNN!
Comments like yours just make me feel like I am wasting my time…
These Ziotrolls are all over anti US/NATO sites in recent times.
I came to these sites years ago, as the MSM was ridiculously lying, and they also banned people like me from commenting. One editor I contacted about banning my account told me straight out, “we don’t like your views”. So grand, on I moved, and found sites like this and many others.
Now their trolls are regularly on here and other sites, they don’t even bother to hide their narratives. I think they are just here to fill pages with obvious propaganda and vitriol.
Strong moderation, and removal of repetitive false statements and accusations parodied by MSM trolls seems the only way to limit their activities, but I do believe that most readers can easily see what these posters are. In fact, it’s a sure sign of the impending collapse of the “West”, that they attack outlets like this with trolls, while maybe 90% of the Western public no little to nothing of these types of sites.
Keep up the great work, I’ve enjoyed your articles so much. Facts are always better than fiction.
I think it is useful to let these people comment, and then to comment on their comments.
That is the only way other readers can weigh up things for themselves.
I am a great fan of Putin. I understand what he has done for Russia, and also his great intellectual breadth, as someone commented up-thread.
I realize that Putin is not perfect. No one is.
So surely some criticisms are valid.
So, let’s hear them and read the refutations, and come to our own conclusions. Banning someone who criticizes Putin seems to imply that the counter arguments are weak.
Katherine
I have studied Putin’s words and arguments for some time. This is like joining a class only to find it is 6d rather than 6a and the pupils are more concerned with flying paper planes and shouting their own views than learning something new.
I try to contribute to this site by postulating ideas that may or may not be valid yet they are a sincere attempt to promote an argument that may lead to an understanding others might find valuable.
That your postulations lead to deadends is apparent in that one sentence above.
Since you’re one of the staunch opponents of VVP on this site, I’d like to learn from you who’s the potentials nationalist leader that you’re referring to.
Since you criticize every move of VVP, there should be an alternative in your opinion 🙂
As for the Donbass, the Ukranazis want a safe war to distract attention from the mess in their country (read, some clashes and minor battles along the Donbass front that won’t be enough to trigger a Russian intervention but will capture some territory, like a mini Nagorno Karabakh). Someone else wants a big war in Ukranazistan to stop NordStream II. That someone is perfectly ready to sacrifice the Ukranazis to achieve it.
Someone once said …. ‘The worth of a human being lies in the ability to go outside oneself, to exist in and for other people. The stupidity of people comes from having an answer for everything. The wisdom of the novel comes from having a question for everything.’
Given that Kiev’s army is stronger, larger, and more advanced than last time around, all out war would be a costly disaster for Russia and would spell the end of Ukraine as a functioning nation.
Despite the misunderstandings of American war hawks or neo-Soviets, the Russian Armed Forces are nothing like the Red Army, at best a fifth of its size. The Russian military is much more specialized now and instead of human wave tactics it focuses on controlling strategic anchor points and projecting influence: Latakia, Konigsberg, Crimea, Transnistria, the North Pole, the Armenia/Azerbaijan border, and so on.
Rather than sacrificing troops in a potentially catastrophic war to secure a country that hates and wants nothing to do with Russia, the Putin plan has been to economically circumvent Ukraine. It is worth considering that for two decades the Russian economy was almost entirely dependent on Ukraine as an energy transit hub. Putin’s plan to change that was:
First prevent the creation of the Trans-Caspian pipeline with Chechen and Georgian military interventions. Done.
Next reintegrate Crimea and enjoy a strengthened foothold in the energy rich Black Sea. Done.
Leverage the Crimean position to build the TurkStream pipeline, diversifying away from Ukraine. Done.
Next construct the NordStream pipeline to diversify away from Ukraine and Turkey. Done.
Next construct NordStream 2 to further diversify away from Ukraine and Turkey. Almost done.
The problem for Putin is that despite its shrinking economy, Ukraine has significantly remilitarized and the nationalist contingent within Ukraine truly believe that the lost territories can be retaken. They have been inspired by the events in Nagorno Karabakh. All of Ukraine’s recent military developments have been designed for a Reconquista of Crimea and Donbass.
The Neptune cruise missile poses a serious threat to the Black Sea Fleet but could also be used as a countervalue measure against civilian or military targets within Moscow. Think the Chechen War exhausted the Russian military? Consider the Ukrainian troop count of a quarter million.
Just a few weeks ago Forbes reported that Ukraine is “strengthening its coast against a Russian attack,” Western media has been reporting about Russian troop buildups, and of course we have seen the footage of tanks rolling to the frontlines.
Given that predictive programming is being used to turn the eyes of Western audiences to Donbass, it seems likely that some casus belli will emerge, either a false flag or the inauguration of a Ukrainian counterterrorist operation in the area which kicks off a war.
Think of the calculus from NATO’s side. They have a lot to gain and little to lose.
If you can drag Russia into a brutal and costly war in mostly irrelevant Ukraine it becomes a lot easier to win in Syria and the optics of a military intervention are improved. Animal Assad and Putin must go, and the Syrian border must be closed to Iranian influence. NordStream 2 could possibly be shut down, maybe bombed, Transnistria can be overwhelmed, and the Turks/Azeris could find it an optimal time to destroy what remains of Armenia. Keep in mind that the removal of Russian troops from Transnistria is on the top of the agenda for the new Moldovan president, and Ukraine certainly would not mind claiming an easy victory there.
What will Russia do? I think it all comes down to speed and severity of military response and whether or not Russia can protect its “anchors.”
The longer you write, the dumber your comment.
It’s amazing that you would post such amateur drivel on the Saker’s blog.
I had the sense while reading your ignorant comments that I was reading a sixth grader’s paper.
Please study from sources of authority, and save us from your opinion.
You know nothing about military. We have Saker and Andrei Martyanov readily available for authoritative analysis.
You know nothing about Ukraine.
You know nothing about NATO.
You know nothing about which you posted a long, ignorant commentary.
It was a hodgepodge of simpleton remarks.
Take it to some other forum. Too many very erudite people here to suffer your stuffing.
I always enjoy your commentaries and especially Saker’s. Based on your other comment in this thread I imagined we were in agreement.
>I think Syria will be hit very hard to draw the Russian military into action simultaneous with war in the Donbass
Is this not fairly similar to the main idea of my comment, which is that it is the Empire’s dream to overwhelm Russia on multiple fronts?
>You know nothing about military. We have Saker and Andrei Martyanov readily available for authoritative analysis.
I never disputed them. My main area of focus has always been on economics as it has stated in my bio. I have never claimed to know as much as those gentleman about military. Save the hostility
It can be argued that the ‘much larger’ Ukrainian army would actually suffer a far worse defeat than the first time around. You see the type of house to house, in-fighting conditions that prevail in this theatre are NOT conducive for a large, mechanized force. This is partly why a highly outnumbered small but efficient rebel force, without much heavy arms won and humiliated the Ukrop forces last time. So what you imagine to be a ‘much bigger and better’ force is nonsensical because all that has happened is the Ukrops have received things from NATO / US that will make them a bigger target. Whether it be more tanks, trucks, large pieces of equipment, etc. These are all things that are highly susceptible and near-worthless in the particular theatre they are fighting in. If this war was fought on a large open plain or rolling meadows then you might have a point. But all that having this extra heavy equipment will do in reality is make the Ukrops over commit to the equipment and have it all easily destroyed by a flexible, foot soldier force. So your analysis is incorrect in my eyes, the Ukrops have increased in exactly the things LEAST necessary for victory and have DECREASED in the things most necessary.
The ONLY thing that will be of possible significance is the electronic / jamming capabilities that U.S. / NATO will undoubtedly covertly bring to theatre to help the Ukrops during the conflict. There will be secret paramilitary / ranger / SpecOps units from the U.S. crawling all over the rear lines of the Ukrops assisting them in all manner of electronic warfare, jamming, counter-battery detection/fire for artillery, etc. This will be the only thing that will play a role.
Another point: as to ‘costly involvement’ remember that Russia stands to gain much more than it loses monetarily. Did you forget that Russia has literally gained Crimea in the last conflict, which not only added millions of people (tax payers) to its base population but added a historic land, with lots of tourist $$$ earnings and has increased Russia’s GDP. Are you aware that the Donbas is a huge industrial base, it is the industrial heartland of the entire Ukraine? Do you know what the addition of this to the Russian Federation would add to Russia’s economy? It would clearly outweigh any minor monetary losses in such a conflict.
Thank you for this informative comment, super interesting about electronic warfare. Do you know if the US has expanded Ukrainian electronic warfare capabilities or are you just assuming that would come into play? Edward Snowden has revealed that the US caused Syria’s internet blackout in 2012. Do you imagine that the war will move beyond the borders of Donbass?
I still believe that such mechanized forces have a role to play even in building to building warfare given the performance of Assad’s tank forces in Syria, the Battle of Donetsk Airport, and the game changer it was when Russian regular tanks intervened in the Battle of Ilovaisk.
From a Ukrainian war veteran, recalling the Battle of Donetsk Airport:
>The hardest thing in fights inside the airport terminal was the enemy tanks. Of course there were enemy snipers, artillery, and heavy machine guns that could penetrate through the building walls. But tanks were the major threat. If you compare tanks to artillery — artillery is dangerous but it is far away and you still can get to a safe place and have some time to take cover. But when you hear the tank engine’s whistling sounds, the only thing left to do was to pray. Compared to artillery, enemy tanks fired at point-blank range, so there was no time left for you to react
I also do not mean to imply that “bigger is always better” but that the size of the Ukrainian military has grown alongside the switch to conscripts to professional soldiers, and the delivery of new drones, ATGMs, and cruise missiles while the DPR/LPR are largely the same. This, in my view, necessitates a Russian intervention in case of the breakout of a war.
Great point about the economic value of Donbass as well, perhaps it will be formally added to the Russian Federation soon.
The quote you gave sounds like possible fake propaganda considering you seemed to indicate that ‘russian regular tanks’ intervened in the Donbas war. If you are suggesting that the actual regular Russian army such as the 58th from russia’s southern military district crossed the border and fought in the last ukraine conflict then you are certainly buying into laughable 5th columnist propaganda from the enemy side, because no such thing happened. Did Russia supply the rebel with some old mothball’d armor for them to use themselves? In that case yes.
In general sure any weapon helps and tanks just like any weapon can be a benefit but their losses in such a theatre will still greatly outweigh the benefits and the Syrian war most certainly did not have its tide turned by tanks. Syria had all the tanks they could want and did not turn the war around until the Russian air force came in and destroyed all the rebel’s HQ’s, rearguards, supplies, etc.
With that said, yes the supply of TOW / ATGM will certainly be a big boon for the Ukrop side and so will the new drone technology, which I’m sure will have U.S. / Nato specialists piloting them. As for your electronic warfare/jamming question, no this is not conjecture this is confirmed fact. The u.s. has already moved in and supplied the Ukrops with alot of e-warfare, sigint, etc capabilities, in particular counter battery radars which they already had begun supplying to them towards the end of the last conflict (which Russia has already stolen/recovered from them several times during the conflict). Either way, being that close to Russian border and its vastly superior electronic/radar capabilities, you can be certain the skies will be ruled by russia by proxy and ukrainian airforce would be decimated in such a conflict once again (it was already completely decimated to extinction in the last conflict, but has slowly trickled back with U.S. aid over the years).
Lastly, do I imagine the war will move beyond the borders of Donbas? No. On this last part I am in disagreement with many people who have used Putin’s misinterpreted words (that the Ukraine state will ‘fall’ in such a conflict) to mean that Russia will intervene in such a way as to destroy Ukraine and overthrow its puppet gov’t. I do not think this is what Putin meant in his words, I think he simply meant the Ukrainian state which is a failed state already, would fail on its own after another catastrophic loss, in no way do I think it means Russia will pull a Georgia 2008 and actually move in and capture Kiev like so many people are salivating about. Primarily, this is because I do not think Russia would NEED to intervene in such a way because the rebels are capable to defend on their own, and I don’t think Putin wants to take such a big hit right now as an ‘invader’ of ‘european sovereign territory’ etc. With that said, there ARE very troubling/concerning heavy equipment movements going on on the Russian border but I would guess this is both a deterrent and a ‘just in case’ logical building up of defense because there had been a lot of talk on the Ukrainian side of an attempt to ‘retake Crimea’, so I think Russia is positioning forces just in case Ukraine attempts to do the unthinkable, THEN certainly Russia would behead Kiev. But if they only do another attack on Donbas itself, then I don’t think Russia will intervene overtly in the way they did in Georgia 2008. They will merely help with covert arms supplies, electronic/radar/jamming/tactical/etc.
[Removed by the moderator – treads too close to insult.]
By Claiming that Ukraine’s military can give a decisive blow to the Russian armed forces, you forget in the first place either intentionally or not, that Russia can obliterate ukro nazis with missile attacks and that given a military defeat in Donbass would be a severe blow to VVPs United Russia in the election campaign, he won’t stand back and watch while ukro nazis overwhelm the forces of Donbass.
Probably an Ukrainian Nahtod Troll and he is not the only one
But that’s understandable because of the very good analysis on this great blog the enemy wants to get a piece of the cake
…all out war would be a costly disaster for Russia and would spell the end of Ukraine as a functioning nation.
And a bigger disaster for Europe. That’s what VVP is trying to impress upon Merkel and Macron, the two Europeans who really matter.
The Reconquista took 800 years. For the Ukraine to ‘reconquista’ Crimea, probably never. In fact, it won’t even try.
Many may not have noticed, but the ‘appeaser’ — the Russian Federation — has perceptibly hardened its response to AZE provocations. At the moment it is just words and not deeds; let’s hope it remains that way for a while longer, for all our sakes.
What will Russia do? I think it all comes down to speed and severity of military response….
Yes, if push comes to shove, RF will respond with alacrity.
In the Donbass, the first move will be made by FUKUSUkr. But any large assault on Donbass that results in great loss of life and property will be met with by RF with overwhelming force. They’ll avoid harming ordinary Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure as much as possible but the Ukie neo-nazi battalion in particular will be engaged and defeated in detail. In detail. Some of their Nato mentors, if not wearing national uniforms, will also suffer the same fate.
What would you say if an RF armoured column were to suddenly appear in Ukraine’s north, say around Kharkov or Sumi? Not to destroy, mind, but to ‘protect’ the gas pumping hubs? So that Europeans will not freeze and starve or, as a Western rag disparagingly put it about Russian gas, so that the Europeans can continue to heat their homes and boil potatoes. Millions of potatoes boiled in millions of heated EU homes. Will ordinary Europeans argue with RF’s action then? RF will remain there ala the polite green men of Crimea, on guard but not attacking, while the fighting is limited to Donbas. Why, the Russians may even invite OSCE observers to the gas hub areas to validate their claims of protecting them.
You think the Sumi scenario above is undoable? Think again. RF has already rehearsed the moves in their Zapad military exercises. Another Zapad is scheduled this year. It’ll be even worse for the Ukrainians if Belarus — albeit unlikely — decides to play ball with the Russians.
With regard to the ‘Reconquista’ of Crimea, any move by the Ukraine in that direction will result in their losing Mariupol and the western Azov coast. PR-wise, it’ll be even better for RF since as far as it’s concerned the Ukraine attacked Russia. RF is defending itself. It doesn’t have to play, for what it’s worth, the R2P card as in Donbass.
By the way, self promotion isn’t my thing, and the moderator is at liberty to not allow this post through, but Bidet’s more than obvious staging of a war that will force Russia to intervene in Ukranazistan compelled me to bring my Ukranazi cartoon characters Stepan and Andriy out of retirement.
Removed. Mod.
Ideas for future strips welcome!
By the way, self promotion isn’t my thing
Noooo, of course not! Who would think that :-)
that is why your are promoting your stupid crap on two websites:
https://www.unz.com/tsaker/understanding-anti-putin-psyops-preparing-for-war/#comment-4562299
please don’t bother posting here again, the very last thing I need is your “insights”
Saker,
I’ll hold your jacket and the door wide open while you kick this guy the hell out of the Vineyard.
Biswapriya Purkayastha has been dumping his droppings for too long on too many threads, uttering irrelevant and long, multiple comments of no value to anyone who pays a bit of attention to them.
I skip all of his comments all the time. He’s a troll.
Mark him, box him and ship him out. Please.
For the OP who once called on L445 for not putting his name out, while he proudly did his, I have one thing to say. All that matters is the quality of the comment. For all I care L445 could be a hamster from Mars.
To the OP, if you’re a frog, you think your well is the world.
Thank you, Saker!
As anyone with at least half a brain understands, there are a fistful of sites available which would greet the by far greatest ultra-super-duper Putin heckler the galaxy has ever known with all the sympathy and awe he deserves. On second thought, try imagine his success in a Russian election as compared to the total flunkey Navalny, LOL.
Succumbing to hostility is the result of fear, likewise insult, why do so otherwise ? Confidence in one’s own position is the best. It will not then lower the tone of this important analysis.
Fue la Sexta Columna la que invitó a Netanyahu a la tribuna de la Plaza Roja? Es la Sexta Columna la que impide invitar a el Assad? Se puede alabar la política interna y criticar la política exterior sin caer en una contradicción? Es Putín el nuevo Padrecito de Rusia?
Google translation,MOD:
Was it the Sixth Column that invited Netanyahu to the Red Square rostrum? Is it the Sixth Column that prevents inviting Assad? Can you praise domestic politics and criticize foreign policy without falling into a contradiction? Is Putin the new Little Father of Russia?
Frasco,
Classic case of you didn’t read the article. Saker points in this piece to bozos who write such crap about Putin, bozos like you.
You don’t understand Putin. You think you are smart. You’ve been played by the PSYOPS and are so programmed you didn’t even comprehend Saker’s words describing your idiotic position.
So Putin gives Israel symbolic gestures while giving tangible support to Iran, Lebanon and Syria.
Assad didn’t get a fancy invitation, instead he got massive air support, new Russian bases, logistical support, and food supplies. Which would you choose?
Exactly, good points. Some hotheads here don´t want to understand that Putin is a (truly great) politician – not a general.
It has no point inviting Assad to Victory Day celebrations since neither Syria nor its citizens participated in WWII.
May be one day they will be invited to celebrations, along with Iran, Iraq. Lebanon, or what of it remains, Hezbollah… of another victory…WWIII?
Getting Netanyahu´s support for the right reading of history, that is the blame on the side of the racist and genocidal German Nazi regime for the starting and and the bloody and economic catastrophe in which, at least for Europe, resulted the last world war, is not a little thing due the decisive influence of Israelis in US´politics and in front of the whole offensive by NATO on rewritting of history, which is not but one of many psy-ops for the preprarations for war…
Of course, at the same time, Netanyahu gets as the liar hypocrite he really is and all with his ass in the air, as he NEVER hascondemned the obvious nazi regime currently in charge in Ukraine…
They say Putin is “evil”, yet he regularly goes to confession and partakes of the Holy Gifts in the Orthodox Church. How many of the Western “non-evil” leaders do anything like that… very few if any.
I read the respective “grave consequences for Ukraine’s statehood as such“ as “grave consequences for the US statehood as such“, if it even exists much now. I think that the West igniting a full-scale war between Ukraine and Russia will be the end of the empire. This simply cannot pass as nothing and with impunity.
Even just talking about it already is detrimental for the standing of the West – Russia is more and more closed and cold towards them and Russian military presence in Europe increased suddenly in the full spectrum.
A war with Ukraine would mean Ukraine loosing at least 1/3 of its current territory and Russian elite peacemakers being deployed there. This implies the end of empirical expansion and vastly increased cost of any military provocation in the future.
Also, the collective “Biden” may very well be one of the best things that has happened to Russia in the long run.
If the Russians take Berlin, Paris, London and Las Vegas, they will settle there for centuries
Why bare your ass to us, Andreas?
This comment is infantile. The diaper is off the baby.
Saker writes an article of profundity and you act the infant.
Get educated. Please don’t take it personal. Take it intellectually. It’s a waste of time to write nonsense.
The Russians are learning from the Americans, who are not making the mistake voluntarily withdrawing from Berlin
The likelihood is not great, but it is possible that Russian will become a compulsory subject at schools in Miami, Zurich and Melbourne.
”The likelihood is not great, but it is possible that Russian will become a compulsory subject at schools in Miami, Zurich and Melbourne.”
Sounds all right to me. But, most importantly, Russian — and Chinese too — will make inroads in the Global South which is inexorably approaching its final liberation from the clutches of the moribund, decomposing West. Hence, if you’re simply too Westish ideologically to consider learning Russian and/or Chinese, that is bound to make you less attractive in the global labour market — with good reason.
Nazi Germany had to create the “Unter-Mensch” to justify their policy of “Drang nach Osten”.
The British Empire was build on the assumption of Western racial superiority and colonizing as a blessing for the inferior colonized subjects.
Here we are again: Russophobia, Sinophobia as a tool for war by any means.
Times have changed and using old imperial tools might not work.
Only idiots ( a stupid person doing stupid things ) can believe today that Russia and/or China would submit to Washington eventually, be it by propaganda, economic blackmail or proxy wars.
The West believes it has some imagined strength since they managed to inoculate ‘false flags’ like 9/11, ‘weapons of mass destruction’, ‘chemical weapons in Syria’, ‘MH17’, ‘Skripal’, ‘Navalny’ and whatelse, on the basis that if you repeat a lie ‘ad nauseam’ it becomes accepted truth, at least on people who do not ask questions.
It is all a house of cards, the Western propaganda, the Western economy and the Western military superiority.
I do not have much respect for Merkel and Macron, but they are not idiots and they know what is coming if Washington is left to run this suicidal circus.
Assuming there is some sense of self preservation, Europe (Germany, France at least) might put a stop of further American adventurism.
If not, the skies will eventually turn red and all will be lost.
Greetings from France.
Not so coincidentally, precisely how I see it, albeit your mastery of the details definitely embellishes my own perception to a higher level of both appreciation and comprehension. Thanks for that.
To all the good folks of the Vineyard.
Tonight I had to address a bunch of what I call bozos who often clutter comment threads with ignorant, long, multiple nonsense of various kinds.
It’s normally against policy and tradition to attack a commenter because one disagrees.
I feel that Saker deserves intelligent comments especially on such a timely, important and life and death topic of Preparation for War and Russophobia.
I think all comments should stay on topic and stay relevant whatever your point of view, agree or disagree.
Sophomoric comments are never welcome. Often, newbies need a while to get up to speed, so we suffer their learning curve. Saker welcomes all to comment. But he means comment with relevance to the article or other comments that might challenge the articles.
We all come to learn, not just to post like its graffiti.
So, forgive my ad hominem remarks to several here.
The Vineyard is a great salon of ideas and voices. I hope we can maintain quality as commenters.
Saker deserves that we maintain a high standard.
I appreciate your vigilance in this manner along with the consistent high-quality of your comments. Even in disagreement they often give me something to think about.
This is one of the few places where the comments section is useful to read, on occasion the commentary can rival the initial article in quality.
Thanks to the Saker and commenters to yourself for making this site a go-to for geopolitical analysis!
I totally agree that we need to keep the panic (“Putin is part of the conspiracy/ Russians will occupy Miami”) and the OT subjects out of the comments.
We already have enough agitation in the real world as it is.
Thanks to the Saker and Larchmonter445! Actually, their responses to the various commentators helps the non-military analysts to sort things out, so please don’t consider the back-and-forth in this case to be a waste of time!
This is a very important column, IMHO. I do appreciate the timely warning; there are very few places in the West where you can find such succinct and accurate commentary (Andrei Martyanov being one exception).
Thus, I agree that it is important to stay on-topic (especially for this column). I had to laugh when I saw that so many initial comments were about COVID (maybe best to just set up a permanent COVID comment section that all such comments are turfed to?).
The “indispensable” racist neocons — once again — prepare to launch massive attacks against “dispensable” civilian populations. As a US citizen, I find myself — once again — wishing that I could do something useful to prevent this endless horror of war, which this time could easily get completely out of control and wind up devastating the entire planet. But the US is well into becoming a full-fledged totalitarian state. All branches of the Federal government are totally corrupt and compromised; most state governments are the same, with some exceptions. So how can one (such as myself) change the foreign policies of a police state when you are essentially a serf without power or rights?
The Saker writes: ” While it is true that the Ukraine has become a totally failed state since the Neo-Nazi coup, there is now a clear acceleration of the collapse of not only the regime or state, but of the country as a whole.” I would say that from my perspective, here in the heart of the “Red states”, that the US also comes close to fitting that description. The Democrats [sic] are rushing through all sorts of legislation designed to remove any remaining Constitutional rights, including the right to self-defense and free speech, along with “woke” laws that will allow men to use women’s bathrooms, etc, etc . . . good luck enforcing those where I live.
I only mention this because I think the push for renewed war also comes, in some part, from a disintegrating social, economic, and financial structure in the US. One more way to get the US public to “unite” against a common enemy. Perhaps it would serve Russia well to make sure the US leaders [sic] and elite understand that Russia knows where they live, too?
Thank you Saker. Putin is Russia’s saviour. Your articles are lucid and fogless and gives a crisp picture of the current situation.
I so wish Putin was our leader.
Looking at it from the top and impersonally. It looks a bit like this:
Since the end of the Second World War when US power was at its apex(we can go further back for European exceptionalism) , it has been inevitably declining. This means that alternative Centres of economic power have been popping up and in some way or other allegedly integrated into an ‘economic order’ with all its attendant bureaucracies. The US along with its ideologically identical sidekick UK, instead of being aware of this decided that when the Soviet Union was taken down that this represented the ultimate historical triumph of the west. (Look at the Volker Shock and it’s impact on say, Poland, not to mention the third world) Needless to say they believed in their military, ideological, economic social and spiritual victory. As a result they subjected the former Warsaw Pact countries to various degrees of shock therapy (economic water boarding) to make those countries ‘more like them’ (except that even those new eu countries seem to be decayed marionettes animated more by anti communism and Russophobia than any kind of vision). In addition the west decided that factories were outdated and decided to ship its plant of to China (Mexico after NAFTA) which was after period of autarchy open to provide, for a time, super profits to corporations before developing their own. This looks like the triumph of financial capitalism over industrial capitalism in the west) with the Chinese adopting Industrial Capitalism.
So we see the west being hollowed out and it’s component parts losing agency (sovereignty) at the same time as the US declares ‘a new world order’ a ‘project for the new American century’ and ‘full spectrum dominance’. It’s military doctrine is still to fight two major conflicts anywhere on earth and win (I paraphrase). The failed and astronomically expensive F35 turns into an almost pervasive metaphor in this description.
It’s clear that other economic centres are bound to appear. It’s clear that this economic centres will exert their own pull. It’s clear that that pull will accelerate forces within the west. My view is that in sum that the Putin bashing is more about trying to maintain internal coherence in the west and especially in Europe, which, after Ukraine will find itself in danger of becoming another battleground (again). The question therefore becomes when will these countries/regions which have lost their sovereignty regain it and will they regain it without war being made in order to maintain a consolidated population? In summary can people awake from the Geobbels lullaby and achieve their own agency, freeing themselves and on what basis. (I’m challenging my inner Leninist / indigene.). Ahistorical secular liberalism has problems , that’s for sure.
“If and when any such “junior” country wants to do something in its foreign policy, it absolutely has to ask for permission from its AngloZionist Big Brother. Not doing so is something akin to sedition and revolt. In the past, many countries were “punished” or daring to have an opinion or, even more so, for daring to act on it”.
Although, of course, there are never any guarantees. Saddam Hussein was careful to consult the US ambassador to Iraq before invading Kuwait; she told him that the USA didn’t care what he did in Kuwait. That didn’t save him from being hanged when it suited Washington to make him Wicked Dictator du jour.
“It would not be inaccurate to summarize it all by saying that Putin flipped his finger to the Empire and its leaders”.
Which was aggravated by his calm politeness and adherence to laws and treaties. The Americans are so unfamiliar with common courtesy that it looks like rudeness to them.
Surely if the Kiev junta is ordered to attack Donbas, that will play into the hands of Moscow. Russia would have no option but to defend Donbas, and such wars are not won by defence. The best strategy would be like Georgia 2008 – to go in quickly and knock out the Ukrainian armed forces as rapidly as possible. That done, it should be a goal to bring whatever regions of Ukraine wish it back into Russia, just like Crimea. The line of the Dnieper is attractive, but obviously such decisions cannot be made by drawing lines on a map as the Americans did in Korea and Vietnam. And, of course, Kiev lies on the Dnieper…
As for Iran, perhaps it might be best if the West attacks there as well as in Donbas. The recently signed agreement with China gave Washington a broad hint that Iran is off limits. Should it attack, not only would Iran respond with its huge force of missiles, but presumably Russia, China and perhaps even India would have much to say.
If they handle it as badly as might be expected, the Americans have an excellent chance to “lose Asia” altogether in one fell swoop.
TO Tom welsh:
you Wrote: “Surely if the Kiev junta is ordered to attack Donbas, that will play into the hands of Moscow. Russia would have no option but to defend Donbas…”
I would like to point that there are a lot of options on the table,
not everything is solved by “Russia muss defend Donbass”
The Ukronazi are not the SS or the US Special Forces. Their Fight capacity is al least questionable.
The majority of them are just cannon fodder, they know it, and I doubt very much they are going to fight hard and to the dead. They have been trained by Nato, and I do not think that is a good thing. It probably make them worse, not better.
I assume that after the first couple of days, if there is an attack, they will be chewed, and degraded due to attrition by the very well prepared, professional, and dug in Novorrossiya Army, and probably roll them over liberating at least all of Luhansk and Donetsk Republics, but not an inch more.
The fall of Ukraine will be an internal thing, Ukrainians must save themselves. In the Ukrainian army expect a lot of desertions and quick surrenderings. Some might even see the light and point their weapons to their real enemies. It might happen that new republics like Kharkov, Odessa, etc. Rebel and ask to be part of Novorossia, but it is not assured. We can say for sure that what once was know as Ukraine will be not any more, what comes next we will see.
Might be that the Russians send Help, but they will not enter the Ukraine. They will keep their hands clean.
Surely all this have been analyzed, studied and simulated by the Russian Military.
What might in the end happen will surprise us all.
As for the US, EU etc… who cares a damm what those senile, corrupt worms do. it wouldn’t change anything
illusionist
“expect a lot of desertions” …indeed and i hope some of the previous contributors absorbed your comment. The reality for the ordinary Ukrainian youth is that he is being drafted / coerced into getting into uniform. Sure the Ukrainian government has succeeded in building up the numbers – after all the US and Canadian funds flowing in. But the reality is that very few Ukies are truly enthusiastic to get into a real conflict as by now the word has got around about Debaltsevo and what would happen if the Russians got directly involved. One only has to remember what happened the last time – the Ukie soldiers were told by their mothers to save themselves at the first opportunity – and flee straight INTO Russia. Many did and are alive and the happier for doing so.
I also have to correct a similar dumb comment about the Ukrainians hating the Russians. It is one of the ‘achievements’ of the US/UK to pit brother against brother. They did this in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, the ongoing psychological split between East & West Germany could also be added to this list of ‘successes’… so the idea that a Russian-Ukrainian would resist the help of a Russian-Russian, to release him from the grip of the Polish-Ukrainians and UK/US/Canadian influence, seems absurd…
As for the commentary about “Russian forces might end up in Berlin, Paris, London and Las Vegas and then stay there”… This fantasy must have come straight from the Bild Zeitung where the still-wet-behind-the-ear editor Julian Roepke has done a fine job in spreading similar BS…unfortunately i have many well-meaning German friends who amazingly are of the 1968 generation and ‘should-know-better’ …who have been successfully brainwashed and come out with similar nonsense…
Remember Randy Keyes and his ‘Special Forces’ ? What was it they lost? About 10 men in the first week and the rest decided they didn’t want to stay.
Hello from Tehran: I believe Russia’s main weakness is its appeasement of Western banking system i.e. it allows the so-called Swift system and US-dollar hegemony to operate without any challenge regarding global trades particularly oil trades which comes from the Persian Gulf countries. Ukraine is not the major battle ground for Russia like its was during the invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte or WW1/ WW2. Today, it’s just a diversion. The main issue is that the Western banking system gets energized by controlling the security and flow of energy from P.G. all the way to the Suez Canal, whence comes the role of Israel and its creation in the first place. Therefore, it is the prime time for all the interested parties including Iran, China and Russia to create a new shipping/ security and financial transaction system which would replace the existing one run by the West. Once that project is completed, we should just wait for either Joe Biden or perhaps Kamela Harris to take tour of the tree countries capital mentioned above, simply requesting forgiveness. Thank-You.
Where have you been the last years?
Russia and Chin are working on this problem since years
And I guess it will be resolved within the next 5 years
It takes time to change things that lastet 100 years….
May be they’re doing something but so far very shy and mostly symbolic. We know that by seeing how the West keeps using its big-mouth strategy like calling President of a major country a killer or labeling China a threat to world peace etc.
Yes they could maybe do it a little faster but nevertheless they will do it
Patience is not my thing too but I am sure Putin and Xi know what is necessary to bring their countries forward without taking too much risk at a time
Happy Easter to Iran 😁
Interesting comment. Russia`s been creating an alternative for a Swift for years. My guess is that what happened in 2014 only accelerated the process of the economical independence for the Mother Russia. But it takes time and patience, international relations are complicated and multidimensional – especially what comes to economy.
You mentioned that Israel was created mainly for the watchdog for the (British Empires) international trade. Could be the final truth in the matter – recent havoc in Suez canal showed how important the canal still is for the trade.
“… it is the prime time for all the interested parties including Iran, China and Russia to create a new shipping/ security and financial transaction system which would replace the existing one run by the West.”
I fully agree with you. And who knows? Maybe those liberal members of the horror gallery you mentioned, are forced to kneel after that happens – but this time not voluntary.
Saker, thank you for your thorough review on the subject of Western war plans and the propaganda that goes with them. As for the noises right here to the effect that ”Russia is playing along when it comes to COVID”, the stupidity is simply mind-boggling. Regardless of what the truth about COVID might be, Russia (and even more so China) has made excellent use of an opportunity to show who can handle conditions of societal stress and strain and who cannot. On this basis, when dense Westerners rage and fume against China, one is tempted to reply tongue-in-cheek that the Chinese obviously thought the time was right for some quite amusing psy-op catching the West off-guard. Great success if you ask me, but the specimen of a butthurt Westerner has no sense of humour, least of all self-irony, LOL.
Coming to think of it, Biden’s characterization of Putin as a ”killer” does in fact have some merit. As you aptly have explained above, Putin killed all the hopes of Russia’s enslavement and destruction at the hands of the Anglo-Zionists. The ”soulless” part of the slur, however, is just plain projection.
Lastly, what about the prospects of a greater conflagration, possibly ignited by the Ukronazis at the Empire’s kind request? Honestly, I don’t see it coming, at least not courtesy of these crazies. Sure, they are truly ”combustible” fellows, but they were swept aside 7 years ago when Crimea was lost forever. A successful Ukronazi/NATO takeover of Sevastopol and the naval base there would have made Barbarossa 2.0 inevitable. It was the very intended final outcome of the Maidan Nazi putsch, after all.
Too many people that dwell in the anti imperial communities cheer on a tough Russian response. Who are they to volunteer my kids and my neighbors into a conflict that will be terrible? The same horrible leaders humiliate your societies with rainbows, pronouns, canceling (losing jobs). What do you cheerleaders do about it? Leave Russia alone, ffs! If it’s so horrible let Russia live in peace in their gas station. Such insinuations are idiotic like the rainbow world you are being subjegated to. English information bubble is a tightly controlled info space. The world Saker writes about as zone b exists. It isn’t perfect, but it works well on its own. Let’s hope the war mongering goes no where. Awful.
Thanks for a great article. It’s a shame that it looks like dark clouds on the horizon.
This kind of language “killer” used by the real killers could be an omnious sign ie they might inted to murder Putin. That may explain the enormous hatred media drive lately against him. I hope not but these people are completely psycophatic one can expect anything (evil) from them. Putin should be very careful.
In 2015 if memory serves, Georg Friedman of Stratfor said that the latest 100 years “our” main geopolitical aim had been to stop the possibility of an alliance between Germany and Russia. I think that is the true reason for the US animosity toward Nordstream 2. And I guess that the purpose of the coming Ukrainian attack on Novorossiya is to arrange a PR disaster for Russia, making the completion of Nordstream 2 scheduled in September a political impossibility. The intended target is Germany, although the bloodshed will be in Russia, Novorossiya and the Ukraine. The destiny of Western Europe is to commit suicide with the USA, of sheer solidarity of course!
Do you think there is any advantage to Russia in the Ukrainian parliament’s having declared the Donbass situation a “Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict”? Technically, that sounds an awful lot like a declaration of war by the Ukie side. The West will surely shriek just as loudly if Russia responds to Ukraine’s declaration of war by defending itself by attacking the Ukraine — what were those MP’s thinking?
Any attack by Ukrainian forces, even if it stays exclusively in the Donbass, would now be part of a “Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict”, i.e. an act of war. Russia doesn’t want war, but being able to blame the Ukies for starting one could be rather useful if the West remains determined to have war. Also, I believe that one missile fired from Ukraine into Crimea could now justify a total invasion and occupation of all Ukrainian lands, though why Russia would want to waste its energy holding a failed state is beyond me.
Could Russia turn Ukraine’s overreach in its brinksmanship into a protective justification before UN or European courts? Or could Russia threateningly wave Ukraine’s foolish rhetoric in front of Merkel, etc. to intimidate them into withdrawing their support for this war they’ve been coveting? If provocation can’t be effectively pinned exclusively on Russia in the end, as they were hoping for, is there any real benefit to the Europeans in letting Ukraine get turned into a giant no-man’s-land? The US neocon’s won’t change their war mongering regardless, but the Europeans could let Kiev know that they will in no way have its back. Hope springs eternal! Or is that just befuddled delusion that won’t ever die?
Remember also the threat of the promised cyber attack to Russia by Biden regime. Can that stroke harm Russian population enough for the severe retaliation? If the attack causes for instance nuclear power station catastrophe? Certainly information communications will be severely harmed.
This Cyber attack, war in Donbass and Syria or/and in Iran simultaneously are bound to cause a greater war.
On one Valdai meeting, Putin told, that when he was a youngster on the streets of Leningrad, one thing he learnt:
Бить надо первым!
Are we now near this to happen?
France is discussing delivering Rafales fighther planes to the ukrops, i Guess on our taxpayer money…. Apparently Turkey sent some cargo planes delivering their Drones to the junta as well.
NSII is driving a wedge between France and Germany. Macron opposes it, Merkel reminded him it is red Line for Germany. Same with the Sputnik vaccine to cope up with Astrazanecca trust issues and Pfiter delivery issues. Germany opts for a realist approach France doesn’t want to hear about it (though it may change very shortly).
I Hope Merkel will not concede to Biden and keep the Toy Boy on a short lead. These two are garantors of the Minsk agreements, for what it’s still worth…
I forgot to write the sentence “when the fight is not a avoidable”
and the source as well in my previous comment (which can be deleted)
Remember the threat of the promised cyber attack to Russia by Biden regime. Can that stroke harm Russian population enough for the severly reetalition? For instance to cause nuclear power station catastrophe? Certainly information communications will be severely harmed.
This Cyber attack, war in Donbass and Syria or/and in Iran are bound to cause a greater war.
On one Valdai meeting, Putin told, that when he was a youngster on the streets of Leningrad, one thing he learnt, when the fight is not avoidable:
Бить надо первым!
https://yandex.eu/video/preview/?text=Putin%20бить%20на%20первого&path=wizard&parent-reqid=1617269867305382-17378065730313516057-balancer-knoss-search-yp-man-9-BAL&wiz_type=vital&filmId=7750256836639050013&rdrnd=263475
Are we near this to happen?
First, Ukraine is ruled from Washington
Second US wants war
If war happen, Russia has to make sure that Novorussia separate and form separate state.
And to kick out Americans and NATO from Odessa and Black Sea coast completely.
By somehow I think that everything will be limited to defense strategy of Donbas forces.
War will happen …and it will end very bad for Ukrainian army
At last and at least they can liberate entire Doneck and Lugansk regions.
i am not sure what covid has to do with a discussion of russia and ukraine fighting.
the relevant fact of covid is the its lethality. everything else is misdirection.
ask yourself is the lethality of this virus commensurate with the political and medical response?
ie: is the death rate and lets take all stated covid deaths as honest and true for arguments sake high enough as a percent of the total population to warrant the steps taken worldwide?
last i read if you get this virus you have a 99.7% + – chance of recovering with no long term effect.
now think about that for a second and compare the survival rate with the steps taken to eradicate it, from my seat something does not compute!
Not sure what’s more enjoyable, seeing a new article from Saker or reading the guys in the comments at Unz screaming about how Putin is fake opposition and is going to surrender Syria to Israel any day now and Navalny and Biden are both in on a conspiracy to trick the dumb Russians into not demanding TRVE nationalist leadership.
If Russia intervenes, it must be very quick
Russia must not be sucked into big and endless war
But America should be kicked out of Ukraine.
I hope that Putin, Soigu and others have good strategy prepared for Ukraine.
But permanent occupation would be disaster.
Here is The Saker’s conclusion: “In other words, barring some major development, we might be only weeks away from a major war.”
The many comments on Covid are not only off-topic, but it also detracts from a very serious situation. No matter how ‘important’ your piece is on Covid, what would you say if this major war breaks out and your commentary was about Covid? Can the Covid talk, please.
To topic: Like Larchmonter445 above, I am not so sure that this threatening ‘major war’ (and I agree with that) will be confined to the Ukraine, Donbas republics, and surroundings. There are other hot spots (Syria, the various Chinese hotspots – South China Sea and Taiwan). It is questionable how much forward staging has been done in these areas but what is clear to me, is that more than one theater is being prepared, some to pressure Russia and some to pressure China. We are dealing with a falling hegemon that has lost its mind and not with a rational actor.
We’ve had recently one of the US military or state bigwigs (and I forget which one now) say that their new strategy will be to use their bases across the world to push their ‘supreme position’ and be quick and be first with any event, even natural disasters across the world. We’ve had NATO say that China is a ‘new opportunity’ for the alliance, in typical warfare mode. We cannot afford more destructive war as a humanity in our world.
Yesterday President Putin had a meeting with Macron and Merkel. While the report is only on what Mr.Putin said, it becomes clear again that he is resolute and will not back away from anything.
During an in-depth exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine, the leaders confirmed the lack of alternatives to the 2015 Minsk Package of Measures as the basis for a settlement of the internal conflict in that country. The President of Russia emphasised that it is important that the Kiev authorities implement all the previous agreements reached at the top level, primarily on establishing a direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk and settling the legal aspects of a special status for Donbas.
The Russian leader expressed serious concern about the escalation of armed confrontation on the contact line being provoked by Ukraine and its refusal to implement the additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire coordinated by the Trilateral Contact Group in July 2020. The leaders’ political advisers will continue their joint efforts.
http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/65254
So, he set down the necessary warnings in no uncertain terms.
Now in the last few hours, the US Army “Raises Europe Threat Level To ‘Potential Imminent Crisis’ On Ukraine-Russia Fears ”
(Apologies for the ZeroHedge link). https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-army-raises-europe-threat-level-potential-imminent-crisis-ukraine-russia-fears
OK, is it becoming clear that we are talking about imminent war? And what will happen? I am not a military analyst but can only look at what actually happened in the past. Does anyone remember the very quick and successful disposal of the Georgian Army? Anyone understanding in reality what the Russian weapons complexes actually can accomplish? Anyone understanding that Russia does not want to inherit parts of the Ukraine? Anyone understanding the while ISIS is still trying to be there, it is remnants and Syria is still standing as a state? Anyone noticing that we’re going to have polite men in green in Venezuela as Russia is going to ‘help’ manage their oil industry?
Now let’s just see how bad Mr Putin is a President. So bad, that they in their Duma have just passed a law that he may stand for President in two more election cycles. They don’t do that for unsuccessful or bad leaders, but for successful ones. Russia has a problem with gerontocracy, so I hope this is a measure of honor only, but the Russians clearly understand what President Putin accomplished from taking over a country in rack and ruin. And that is the opinion that matters.
As for my opinion as a non-Russian: I am very thankful for what Russia is doing for itself and across the world. I’m very impressed as well. When they need to move fast, it is lightning quick with a level of cohesion and coherence that can only be admired. When they have time, they play that. In addition, they have kept us from major warfare for many years now. If Russia goes to war, we may as well understand that there is no hope left.
I still think there will be no war. There are darkclouds hanging over us there demonic forces at work behind some war protagonists. mainly UK EU and US but there are also other forces that try to mitigate the efficiency of the evil forces. We as humans somehow are to impressed with the power of darkness to the exclusion of the forces of Light. We should turn to these put fear away from us and aspire for the Divine to overcome. Whatever has to happen let it be for the Best. The best that is possible at this time. OM..
‘There are other hot spots (Syria, the various Chinese hotspots – South China Sea and Taiwan). It is questionable how much forward staging has been done in these areas but what is clear to me, is that more than one theater is being prepared, some to pressure Russia and some to pressure China. We are dealing with a falling hegemon that has lost its mind and not with a rational actor.’
This sentence struck me thus …. what if China/Russia considered all these hotspots and knowing one of them was a surefire win militarily for them why would they not take the opportunity of making agressive moves and calling out the US and its allies to fight there as soon as possible.
Is this not what the US has been doing to others for 50 plus years?
Just a thought.
Please note to all commentators .. Saker moderation policy (#19) is that ‘covid-19’ is only to be discussed on the ‘Cafe’ .. all future covid-19 comments on this thread will be not be posted .. mod
I’m wondering where do you (the Saker) count Putin’s (and Yeltsin’s) military and political support for Croatian ustasha (along with the NATO “partners”) against the Serbs for almost 30 years (and counting): in the good things that he did or in the bad things that he did (if, for you, such a thing even exists).
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https://stanjestvari.com/2020/10/30/anja-filimonova-ambasador-ruske-federacije-odao-postu-organizatorima-masovnih-ubistava/
Ustashas do not exist since 1945. Some killed in war, some executed after war, some escaped to West and so far they died…
So you talk BS.
Who are the perpetrators, for example, of this massacre? The Martians?
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https://pravda.rs/lat/2020/10/17/da-se-ne-zaboravi-godisnjica-masakra-srba-u-gospicu/
War in ex-Yugoslavia is not topic here. The topic is Ukraine situation.
And you Serbs … stop behave as you are Saints, because you are NOT.
My Bosnian Croat Friend I forgot next time you send your armies into Russia as you didwith Napoleon, the Austrians, and with Hitler just remember you are attacking your roots, your “pran, pran djedove” Sramota brate kad su svi sloveni iz iste porodice” When the Slavs are from the same Family tree “Alpines”..
Off Topic Folks!
This issue is heating up as the hours continue to tick off. Let’s keep this clear for real discussion, please.
benny this is completely off topic and in the context here, looks provocative to me.
Bosnian Croat, on the Ustashas, I suggest you go and read a fairly new analysis by Thierry Meyssan on NATO stay-behind networks. New information for me and I’ll be searching out more.
https://www.voltairenet.org/article212423.html
Yes, this is off topic.
I do not know what ustashas have to do with Bolivia but they, real ustashas to not exist since 1945.
There were some organizations in exile after war but they were either clowns or terorists who claimed ideology of ustashas.
But even them gone, biology did its job.
Bolivia as far as I know there is certain guy, Marinovich or something like that, of Croatian origin against Morales … but I do not think he has anything with ustasa ideology. Actually he was born in mixed Croato-Serbian family.
Meyssan is an well known idiot.
And please lets keep talk about Ukraine.
Dear Bosnian Croat
“Meyssan is an well known idiot.”
“please lets keep talking about Ukraine ” not Krayna?
hier I must defend thierry Meyssan, a very smart thinker and capable man!Its very cheap to ofend him ad hominem and then run away.Please Mod, dont let something like that be posted hier. Thank you.
Some commentators (in Donbass) suggest that if and when Kiev does launch an attack on the Donbass, that Russia could and should roll over the Ukraine military, of which internal polls showed 75% don’t want to fight.
I wonder if Russia has the ability to do internal polling of the Ukraine population, so as to determine how much support it would have to root out the neo Nazi US backed regime once and for all?
How much of Ukraine would want to return to Russia, as the Donbass people appear to want to do? That would determine Russia’s response to go all the way to Kiev, or simply smash the Ukraine army and leave Ukraine to its fate, perhaps incorporating those areas where support for Russian integration is strong, as it was in Crimea.
@subhuti37
Most polling indicates the majority of Ukies support the war against Donbass.
However, this is before they see, hear and feel the war come their way.
Once the integrity of their country’s military collapses (probably in less than 36 hours) and their capital is impacted, their attitude will change.
Maybe common sense will work at that point and the reality of massive breakup of Ukraine will change minds.
Ukrainians are very slow learners. Presently, they talk about taking back Crimea. That indicates the delusion under which the people live.
Colonel Cassad has some interesting videos and photos of Russian equipment moving into Crimea.
Ukies and NATO will be taking note. These are the weapons and military units who will utterly destroy any attacking force.
https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/6670334.html
Preparing for War . . . Putin is dead serious.
If the Russians are displaying this, you can be sure that covertly there is much more ready to pound the Ukies into ashes.
Yes looks like Shoigu and Putin were serious. This time Kiev junta and their US masters will really deal with Russian army if they attack.
Thanks, i did see these videos on Cassad: very determined, very purposeful, very serious indicators to the clowns in kiev, heidelburg, wash dc. Do not f___ with us!
Going back to Soviet Forces in East Germany, GSFG, in the 1970’s, the Russian military practice and practice road marches and movement of large amounts of military equipment by rail. Their movements are text book examples as to how to move large forces in an organized and rapid manner.
If these delusional clowns wherever believe there is a payoff in this “game,” they are truly psychopathic and do not care one iota for the cannon fodder which will be sacrificed in this stupidity. If this progresses, there will be much sadness in the families of this cannon fodder.
Oops…looks like they are moving in the new self-propelled artillery system 2S35 Koalitsija-SV, a nasty nasty piece of equipment.
What bothers me the most is the fact that every war Slavic countries fight against each other is a brother-on-brother war. I will never understand Polacks, Ukranians, Croatians and Bosniaks for their hatred against their blood brothers or for their love and servitude they feel for every and all trespassing occupiers who turn them against their neighbours and cousins. This cannot end well.
What they do not understand is that this current enabler of theirs is the one which will end them too should it win the final battle. Recall those US Dr-Mengele-style bio-labs peppered all over ex-Soviet and ex-Yugoslavian space which are busy collecting our genetic material weaponising common flus targeting our specific genome which cannot distinguish Russians from Ukranians, Serbs from Croatians. We are “white N**ers” to them very much disposable to the last one.
God help us all.
It indeed is a sign that the Russians are dispatching top of the line military equipment:
http://www.military-today.com/artillery/koalitsija_sv.htm
This 152 mm SP is considered one of the best and most effective arty systems in the world.
Thank you Saker for yet another poignant piece, and L445 and others for your always most interesting responses.
Like many here I’m sure, I am the father of a family. If that family were threatened, than attacked, I would do all in my power to ensure that that threat was eradicated. I think President Putin feels the same way about his family. I refer to the Crimea, and to the many in the Donbas who have, and who have applied for, Russian passports, and to the manyRussians who would live under further threat were either of those two areas to fall.
I still think there will be no war. There are darkclouds hanging over us there demonic forces at work behind some war protagonists. mainly UK EU and US but there are also other forces that try to mitigate the efficiency of the evil forces. We as humans somehow are to impressed with the power of darkness to the exclusion of the forces of Light. We should turn to these put fear away from us and aspire for the Divine to overcome. Whatever has to happen let it be for the Best. The best that is possible at this time. OM..
War will be. USA do not care about how many Ukrainians will perish.
They hope that Russians and Ukros will kill each others in millions.
For many in the anglozionist world there is the belief that Russia is the Magog of Ezekiel 37 and 38. They truly believe a Third World War needs to ensue before Israel’s messiah arrives and with it their kingdom millennium. This messianism is dangerous business and with Russia’s renewed military strength and posturing well in the eyes of them its looks like the prophecy of Ezekiel is being fulfilled right before our eyes.
I can’t begin to express the grave danger of this!!! Just google Gog/Magog and you will find an unbelievable amount of info of what people are being led to believe about Russia and Germany! And it has to stop!!!
It is why I wrote under inspiration the book Lies, all Lies by Gerry Fox.
“cause vs pretext”
Perhaps adjusting the phrase to read “causes and some reactions” may prove more illuminating.
Causes:
“the western leaders sincerely believed that they had defeated the USSR in the Cold War (even medals were made to commemorate this event) and following the collapse of the former superpower and the coming to power of a clueless, alcoholic puppet, the triumph of the West was total.”
That was among the primary causes and opportunities to facilitate the transcendence of the “Soviet Union” by the “Russian Federation”, given that opponents are always at their weakest when they think they have “won” – the 2nd Iraq “Enduring freedom” war is a further illustration.
Some reactions:
Some “Westerners from a more intelligent background” doubted the beliefs of their “leaders” and some of their associates.
So some ““Westerners from a more intelligent background”conducted “analyses” in “Russia” from July to September 1994, and for various reasons, in conjunction with some “Senators” engaged in “overview activities” reported that in general their “leaders” were correct, and should engage more closely with “Russia” in myriad forms, including but not limited to donating/developing a “constitution”.
Mr. Yeltsin’s increased levels of alcohol consumption to dissipate stress was one of the consequences of this “engaging more closely” by the opponents.
Some frames encompassing reactions:
The opponents wish to believe, are regularly encouraged to believe, and continue to believe, in notions of “great men of History” as functions of their social relations externally and internally.
Notions of sole/primary agency were, are and continue to be, very popular in the opponents’ social relations, including perceptions, sometimes known as their social relations with “truths” which to save effort they posit as being self-evident.
Some opponents enhance their enmazement in such notions as a consequence of residues of “exceptionalism”.
As a further consequence of “exceptionalism” the opponents are in some assay “wedded” to the notions that the benefits of “dumbing down” accrue solely to them since “We the people hold these truths to be self-evident.”.
Consequently some opponents tend to believe that their opponents are more stupid than they are, and their regular resort to “bluff/blackmail” will not be challenged.
Some of the opponents believe they “lost” China in 1949 and “lost” Russia sometime between 1991 and 2021 but they can’t yet work out how and when precisely, partly as a consequence of the fear that if they work it out they will probably be “forced” to take the blame.
Some others are of the view that the opponents should consider changing their national day from July 4th to April 1st.
Pardon me for expressing a very frank opinion, it’s largely intuitive…just opinion.
In zuswang or checkmate the metasolution is to kick the table over. (VVP “when fight is inevitable…”)
“West” is in zuswang. It will kick the table over because it must….is “machine logic”, Logic of Empire that’s in zuswang/checkmate.
VVP cohort knows this. Awaits table kicking with calm.
And VVP cohort intends to use the opportunity to shock the fascist ruling class and military/politik perception of “West”.
Pardon vulgar expression> Privately VVP may have said “Time to bitchslap those mofoz…” A little wake up routine…
And two can play…China may act in Taiwan at the same time…evidently they big 3, Ru Ch Iran have made a coordinated plan (recently bib big talks after Alaska…recall of Ambassador from US, etc, decided time is right of major Policy Change…now what’s That?
And then too, they’re ready to by-pass SWIFT and drop the dollar…
sorta like the “flame job” clip >https://youtu.be/OVvEsy396dA
……….
I too think we all are on the cusp
Posted about 15 mins ago: “A huge number of helicopters are flying towards Donetsk and Lugansk! It seems that the annexation of Crimea is being repeated, but now in the Donbass as well! Dozens of helicopter gunships are flying in the direction of Donbass in the wake of huge columns of military equipment and tanks! This morning, the sky over the border villages of the Rostov region is buzzing with the howl of turbines and propellers! Strings of combat vehicles follow one after another! Something big is coming! Everyone be prepared! Stock up on food and water, charge your batteries! The movement can start at any moment! Do you remember how in 2014 the helicopters also flew in the direction of the Crimea!? This is IT! All one to one! Donbass will be free! Russian weapons will prevail!”
Ralph, posted where and by who? Sources please, otherwise it may just be rumors.
Let’s just calm down and get some context:
Regarding the panicked “stock up on food” call, Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine are currently in total lockdown for 3 weeks (March 20 – April 9th) due to Covid, so presumably the population has already been instructed to stockpile food & other necessities.
Second, Ukraine has convened its national security and defence council for tomorrow, April 2nd, Catholic Good Friday. Presumably, any military instructions will take be given after this meeting.
This guy seems to fairly accurate and up to date info from several areas. Don’t let the name fool you.
https://twitter.com/GeromanAT
amarynth: irinasla75 on TikTok posted a video today; there are also other videos of Russian military equipment being transported.
amarynth, when I post something like this, I don’t have to post a source, I don’t post something like this lightly.
For the sake of credibility – and to inform readers better – it is ALWAYS helpful if a source is quoted spontaneously…
Stars & Stripes newspaper article today putting blame on Russia in advance of any expansion of shooting war…
https://www.stripes.com/news/europe/eucom-raises-threat-level-for-ukraine-as-russia-builds-up-forces-1.667998
PK, slow down a little bit
All of this can be just a warning to Kiev junta. Russia and Donbass will not attack first. But all depends on Kiev now.
But yes, if they go to attack, Russia will finaly respond. Moscow had enough. Obviously.
Very informative article. At the moment, the hapless, failed-state basket case masquerading as a country, aka the ‘Ukraine’, is the the only real chance the uS has to provoke some kind of wider conflict with Russia itself. Poland would gladly volunteer for the job of provoking WWIII with the Russian Federation, or at least its leadership would, but, I think the country as a whole is not quite as insane as Polands leaders are. That leaves Ukraine to do washingdums and Tel Avivs dirty work. Which, they seem fairly eager to do, for….reasons.
While few people doubt that Russia would easily defeat the ukies (Id give Kiev about a week or two, no more before it was liberated by Russian forces, such an action would result in the uS, and its lackeys, all rush to ‘defend’ their hapless Ukrainian’s stooges. If history teaches us anything, is that the amerikans never let a pretext, good, or bad, go to waste. Whether the prextext happens to be justified or not or is completely fabricated seldom enters anyone’s minds in the uS capital (tel aviv).
One thing thing though Ive long I found…interesting about the Ukraine situation. Almost everyone in the ‘alt-media’ side, is very quick to characterize the Ukraine regime as ‘Nazis’, or at least some of its foot soldiers, While I understand some of why this is, there is one small problem with this. The regime leadership in Kiev, is dominated by jews. One major backer of the ‘Neo-Nazi’ Azov battalion, is the extremely jewish oligarch, Igor Kolomoisky for example. A creature so vile and corrupt, even the ever diplomatic President Putin called him a ‘unique kind of crook’.
Something about politics making for strange bedfellows I guess. Still have to wonder why its fine to point (excessively so), out the regimes boots on the ground are goose-stepping nazis,(or some are) but the leadership in Kiev, you know, the ones actually selling anything not nailed down, including farmland, to amerikan and EU corporations for one example, who are (mostly) jews, get nary a mention. These ‘Ultra-right’ battalions, and their leaders, might be odious sure, but they do not, nor did they ever, call the shots in any meaningful way. They are certainly not the ‘government, such as it is, and they dont make policy. The only thing they have going for them is they hate Russia. Which suits the jews in Kiev just fine, because that is all that is needed from them. Their ‘ultra-nationalist’ leanings, such as they are, dont really seem to be of much concern to the rulers, in Kiev, or in washingdum DC either.
It sounds like Kiev is desperate enough to play with fire. Will Russia have “escalation control” in this situation, and how far will they want to escalate? If a war does not occur, Ukraine will be a burden for the West, which will have a responsibility Ukraine’s problems, but a war might be a way to transfer the Ukraine mess to Russia, which Russia probably wants to avoid.
As I recall, Russia actually did have U.S. consent for its intervention in Syria. Nobody brings it up, but I think at first there was an agreement between Putin and Obama that there would be a joint effort to combat ISIS in Syria. My guess is the neocons probably went ballistic when they learned of this and scuppered U.S. cooperation.
My recollection is that Russian military delegation entered US base in Middle East 1 hour before the Russian intervention in Syria & said we’re coming in whether you like it or not. And that was all the warning given.
Brilliant.
I think first there was this agreement, months before Russia intervened. But by the time the moment for the intervention had arrived, Obama was suffering from “amnesia” about this arrangement, and was condemning the impending Russian intervention, which must have left the Russians scratching their heads. This was yet another fruitless Russian experience with a certain “non-agreement capable” partner.
None of that would reassure somebody trying to find a new appliance box to sleep in, tonight. But then they don’t matter to ‘the narrative’ or any saga that develops from it. They don’t watch the news, or care what the NSA, CIA, High Command or NRA apparatchiks think. They don’t pay taxes, so they don’t count.
As I’ve suggested here and elsewhere before: One way for Russia to stabilize the situation in the Donbas would be to declare a “temporary” protectorate of the Donbas republics until the Minsk-II accords could be implemented (i.e., never), ostensibly for humanitarian reasons: to protect the inhabitants. Russia could declare it would retaliate in kind from its own territory against any air/missile/artillery/naval attack on the Donbas; and would also send in ground forces to repel any ground invasion, at the request of the republics of course. (The latter would require consent of the Russian upper house, as would a protectorate also.) A few massive retaliatory strikes from Russia should dissuade the Ukrainians from any further adventurism, no matter how instigated (or by whom).
In concrete, on-the-ground terms, the Donbas may already be a partial Russian protectorate. But it doesn’t necessarily advance Russian interests to say so publicly. Such a declaration essentially ties Russia’s hands, reducing its freedom of action.
The Ukrainians are nothing more than expendable cannon fodder that the Americans hide behind and deploy as proxies for their imperial destabilization wars against Russia.
To fight back, the Russians need to go after the American puppet-master rather than just its puppet.
And the best way to do is this to implode the Ponzi Scheme known as the American economy and financial system.
De-Dollarization is only the first step….
Hit the America Enemy–not just this Enemy’s disposable stooges and cannon fodder.
“The Ukrainians are nothing more than expendable cannon fodder..”
Not only, but also albatrosses whose removal afford optical opportunities in the perception of some.
They want Russia down objectively because of the reasons listed above and also because Christ consciousness has made its way to the top of Russias governance. Demonic consciousness has found shelter at the top of U.S governance. Its no wonder three spiritual countries Iran, Russia, China are on the ”cross” hairs of the U.S. Good and evil are at a constant battle every propaganda peice that’s being seen by eye balls will harness goodness or evil.. And that energy spreads neighborhood to continents… Fortunately good found a safe shelter in Moscow, Tehran, Beijing.
“Putin single-handedly “resurrected” Russia in an amazingly short time.”
This in a nutshell is why America hates Putin. Russia is no longer under the Uncle Sam’s thumb.
Additionally the culture of America is such that it is acceptable and popular to call someone a “killer” if you don’t agree with their politics. It has nothing to do with a level of like or dislike or even actual accusations of murder or killing. Unfortunately the American culture has become deranged and degraded to such a degree that actually killing political dissidents would be completely acceptable.
This will eventually be about looming war, but I’ll start from the statement: “…Then came COVID and the truly epic disaster of the West’s total mismanagement of this crisis.”
This total mismanagement has been perfect for:
– removing all basic and most important human rights – rights of freedom of movement and gathering, etc.
– granting the police, borderguards and militias extraordinary emergency powers trespassing even the right to privacy,
– finally, forced vaccination accompanied by mandatory digital ID cards will de facto be a census for new, truly Trans-Atlantic empire.
At the moment, all Western nations are in submission to essentially what is the same type of government Germany had some time after the WWI. Health and germless racial purity are once again in vogue. Woke warriors are ready to give their best to “save” the humanity.
This takes us back to war. This time there is no Germany to militarize, no Germany advanced enough, no Germany humiliated enough to go berserk
They – we – must go all in by themselves, by ourselves, all together now. What year is it now? How far from midnight?
I wonder what Turkey’s role will be in this. To support Ukraine?
Not just Turkey but Israel too. Unsurprisingly.
Turkey is already working with the Ukraine to produce drones in Ukraine. Erdogan will try to leverage any difficulties that RF are facing vis a vis Ukraine to his advantage in Syria.
Israel had been supplying military equipment for even longer. Israeli leadership would love to see a Nato-RF slugfest.
The Saker ended his article with the following:
“In other words, barring some major development, we might be only weeks away from a major war.”
I’ll start my comment on the above by first saying that I’ve read every comment on this article and, frankly, I’m a bit scared of the consequences of writing one. But, what the heck, if you moderators don’t like what I’ve written, just send it down the memory hole. I’d rather have that happen than endure the public excoriation and banishment that other commenters have experienced. (I have to wonder why those comments made it past the moderators if they were so objectionable and inappropriate. Was some “point” being made?)
I first posted the comment below this paragraph on a March 18, 2021 Saker article. I think that the questions I posed on that ancient date are even more obvious and relevant on April 1, 2021, but I will now add two things – first, that the US’s increasingly possible, certainly-well-coordinated drone-nation(s?) strike on Russia will be commanded and operated directly from Washington, DC, with the US commanders and drone-nation operators probably sitting in their offices or even at home in perfect comfort and security, knowing that Russia doesn’t do nuclear first strikes the way the US Elite did in 1945 and, if they feel threatened, certainly will in 2021; and, second, that Mr. Putin’s, Mr. Lavrov’s and the Russian government’s pre-and-post-Maidan-coup “Ukraine strategy”, including its apparent decision to allow DC to build up military material (which, being paid for with a literally infinite number of printed-out-of-thin-air USDs, could go on literally forever) in vassal/armed-drone-Ukraine to whatever level DC desires, may finally be judged as anywhere between fantastic or fatal in the near future…………..the western OTEC/Skynet providing a real-life “Judgment Day” for Russia right in next-door Ukraine. Again, what follows is the comment I made to another Saker article on March 18, 2021.
/uncle-shmuel-is-truly-brain-dead/#comment-917232
And a very good comment it was! My answers to your questions: Is the US politically capable of stopping its current behaviors? Demonstrably, absolutely NOT. The perps behind 9-11 et al have far too much to lose. This is an existential fight to the death for them. Ditto the gangster behavior around the world. Having ignited a global conflagration already on false premises, the US gangsters in charge have no choice but to see this thing through to the end. What will put a stop to it? Complete destruction and total and unconditional surrender of the current US militarist gangster government in DC, NYC, London, and Tel Aviv and all of its significant proxies (the usual suspects) all around the world, likely combined with or preceded by collapse of the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency, followed by the complete neutralization of the US’s massive stocks of WMDs of every imaginable kind stashed all over the world. Nothing less will suffice and Russia and China must not flinch at the task, for it will take a truly herculean effort to root out all the snakes and vermin lying low in the grass in the aftermath. Anything less will just lead to their retooling and reforming to have yet another go at it.
“… that the US’s increasingly possible, certainly-well-coordinated drone-nation(s?) strike on Russia will be commanded and operated directly from Washington, DC, with the US commanders and drone-nation operators probably sitting in their offices or even at home in perfect comfort and security, knowing that Russia doesn’t do nuclear first strikes the way the US Elite did in 1945.”
Do you think that Russia has no other means than nuclear weapons – to defend herself against US and Turkish drones? Strange comment – – – but I think that Putin has warned earlier that Russia is ready to use even nuclear weapons if necessary.
You know, the Judgement is only for the wicked.
“Drone-nations”, not drones. Nations that act, as a whole, as armed drones for the US. The US tells them what to do, second by second, and they do it, just as if they were drones.
Ok, I`m not a native english-speaker, but now I see your point. BTW, I`m from one of your drone-nations, Finland.
Still, that don`t change the matter. I believe that Russia has a lot of means to defend herself, in any case. For example, here in Finland we still have mostly sane military command and general consensus among them is that if there will be a war, our army can stand only few ours against Russia.
I would agree with the military there.But the question would be “Why” would Finland be fighting Russia in the first place.Finland is not a member of NATO so all Finland (and Sweden) need to do is declare neutrality and they need not be part of the war.Any of the other countries in Europe,NATO or not need to do the same thing.Declare your neutrality and let the NATO fanatics do the dying,while you stay safe.
“Declare your neutrality and let the NATO fanatics do the dying,while you stay safe.”
Yes, that`s how it should be. But you see, as a “drone-nation” we are pressured against Russia. It`s been always so, also during the WW2 we were used as a Hitlers “drone-nation”.
But we Finns differ much from Ukrainians, we want good relationship with Russia. For Finland Russia has been mostly good – our now lost independence was based on decisions made by Czars.
Since the Czar is back now, maybe we find our forgotten independency again.
Sadly, The Saker has called it at two balls in the air for “the committee” in Washington, DC—Iran and Ukraine. Luckily, they lack the ability to do three balls…but don’t put it past them to try for a big overblown beyond exaggerated “attack” on the “homeland” requiring further diktats and lockdowns in the USA. Somehow even That will be Russia’s fault.
sigh. going to go hug my inner slug over at the Cafe…pour a little Amaretto in that Americano, please
For Russia the military strategy will be quite simple,
-No Fly Zone declared across Ukraine, paint all foreign aircraft with radar and issue NOTAM to whole Intl Community, the humanitarian operation to liberate Ukraine is commencing
-Artillery will savage the forward positioned UAF and Banderite units, coupled with Iskander Ballistic launches across the front focusing on heavy troop concentrations, DPR/LPR and vacationers can skirmish across the front
-Kalibr from Caspian Flotilla and BSF can hit deep targets in the rear, deny reinforcements, and hit airfields across Ukr territory
-Tu95msm and Tu160m can ripple fire KH101 to complement the deep strikes by Kalibr salvo and hit coastal installations and SAM
-Su34, Su25m3, Su24m2 can enter low level and pursue roving SAM units and radars still broadcasting via KH-31, and laser guided strikes, Tirada, Krasukha-2/4, and Infauna-s can jam everything behind Kiev complicating UAF automated control systems
-Enter TU-22m3, high altitude bombing with FAB-250,500, KAB-1500L, and assorted munitions
– Enter Ka52 and Mi28, continue to nightmare Ukr units, no mercy, its wack a mole across the depth
-Then Kremlin will have final option, to use VDV, 22nd army corps, 8th army, and 20th army to enter and replace the Kiev regime and prosecute war criminals for murder of domestic population in violation of the UN charter.
-New Ukrainian constitution can be written, Medvedchuk is new president, and Ukraine can join EAEU, with joint population of 250 million +, EAEU can become real competitive bloc, Big business with China can help to rebuild Ukraine, in the meantime, Ukrainians with passports can come to Motherland and work earning good money and help in mega projects, all Former Soviet Union will understand what time it is
-Ukraine fiasco is over, Transnistria is secure, and NATO has been shock and awed
The UN just unanimously declared that the election in Crimea was rigged and invalid, now they have the excuse to invade Crimea.
That is kicking up dust. It is non-binding resolution, Crimea has the complete right to self determination, and the few that brought the resolution are … wait for it …
Canada, Costa Rica, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine: draftresolution
Sounds good for stupid western press.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2014/03/464812-backing-ukraines-territorial-integrity-un-assembly-declares-crimea-referendum
https://undocs.org/a/68/l.39
(I must admit, the Saker set me right on this very damn quickly :-) Now you all have it.)
People should please start quoting their sources and being a little professional here.
That was in 2014. That is a dead and buried corpse.
You’re right … caught me for sure. Thanks!
I still ask the original Anonymous for links. (Or was a bad April Fool’s joke).
Highly unlikely unanonimous. The last time I’ve checked both Russia and China are permanent members of the UN security council. I don’t think Russia would ever vote that Crimean return to RF is illegal.
Most Trumpsters on this site will never acknowledge that Trump and Christian Zionist Pompeo brought us the closest to outright war with Iran and almost certainly Russia, that we’ve ever been. Trump first killed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, then he murdered General Soleimani. This was all to appease Sheldon Adelson who had thrown “30 pieces of silver” at Trump in 2016.
This was also to appease Trump’s Christian Zionist base who have a collective hard-on for Armageddon. He was their ticket to the Rapture, so of course he “won” the election, no matter how many votes he actually got. Much of Blinken’s challenge has been to clean up the mess that Pompeo made, and at the same time to do the “little dance” to appease Netanyahu and Likud, who had absolutely owned Trump.
I agree with the comment. But the Democrats are no better in their own evil way.
Evidently “somebody” is putting the squeeze on NS2 – see RT just now making it open to everybody what the game is… Naturally nothing to do with matters elsewhere.
Someone previously said that they can not understand how Jews can be nazis… Einstein said they can be… It was in the New York times long ago…and of course many Jews worked with the German nazis. I think one or two may be prominent men today. And of course Dulley and Bushies were liable to prosecution – miraculously saved by FDR’s timely passing….eg there were american nazis…might be some yet, ya know? Which brings us to:
I would list the dissimilarities between Zionism and Nazism, if I could.
See Einstein’s letter http://www.thehypertexts.com/Albert%20Einstein%201948%20Letter%20New%20York%20Times%20Nakba.htm
The most successful Israel operation was to put all neo-Nazi and Islamist terrorist organizations under Israel control.
Just wondering what people think of the Edward Snowden connection in all this. It seemed to me that the anti-Putin rhetoric really got going after Snowden was given asylum in Moscow. Snowden, like Assange, was guilty of the ultimate crime(in the eyes of the West’s psychopathic rulers) he publicly embarrassed US leadership. I know it seems petty to demonize a foreign leader and country over a personal insult, however does anyone think Obama – or the whole DC crowd – are above pettiness?
Rather pathetic to imagine that the road to WW3 and the end of the human race began because some arrogant buggers in Washington were embarrassed by a whistle blower and decided to punish the people who protected that truth teller.
That was a contributing factor, but certainly not a casus belli unto itself. This has been brewing ever since Putin came along a put a stop to the capitalist rape of Russia post-Yeltsin. Putin is emerging to be the pivotal historical figure of this era, no matter how this all eventually plays out. He was the first with the power and the gravitas to stand up to the ZioNazi gangsters and say “Oh HELL NO, not on my watch!”
I am very concerned about the possibility of war in Ukraine.
It is an extremely dangerous situation which could escalate into a disaster.
I am way beyond the the point where I might think, “well, the West is not that crazy.”
Well, the West is that crazy.
That is what has me scared.
From Colonel Cassad’s blog, Yandex translation:
“Several interesting videos appeared on the topic of the transfer of additional military equipment to the Crimea.
The equipment is quite openly driven during the day, not particularly hiding, although if desired, the military could do it more covertly.
This is probably a kind of signal for Ukraine.”
Several videos on this link:
https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/6670334.html
siljan,
Your reply is exactly what I am looking for:
How will Putin respond to this?
Obviously, one way is to send a “telegram” to the West saying, “if you think we are going to roll over and play dead, forget about it.”
But I honestly don’t think that will stop a war. I think war is coming. The people running things in the West believe that they are living in 1946. They think that they can do absolutely anything they want to since they dominate the world and no one can oppose them.
That is why I think a war is coming. Not because it makes sense but because the West thinks that there is no downside to it.
I don’t know what the West expects to gain from it – other than the obvious propaganda from the Western Propaganda Machine. Maybe there is some sort of larger plan to it all. I honestly don’t know.
But I think war is coming. I hope I am wrong but I fear that I am not.
Mike,
Where you see strength, I see weakness and desperation. I definitely see war coming as well, but I see it more as a last stand on the part of an empire that’s realizes it’s cornered and almost certainly going down, rather than a confident empire that sees no downsides to suicidal behavior. Tangentially, hence the Covid psyop to keep people scared, locked down, and compliant for the fun and games just ahead. I also foresee another major false-flag – Covid, nuclear, or otherwise – attack on the US as an additional pretext. Re: Russia; Ukraine will be the flashpoint, but certainly not the primary goal itself. The goal is the threat of or the actual commencement of global thermonuclear war while the empire still has the strength to make it reasonably interesting. The boys in DC have assessed that in the game for world domination it’s now or never, and it was never going to be never.
Disaffected.
You might be right. In American football they have a term for that – A “Hail Mary Pass.”
A Hail Mary Pass means that when the game appears to be hopelessly lost you just throw a long pass up into the air and hope something good happens. A Hail Mary Pass is a sign of desperation.
But here is why I question that. When you see American leaders in public, they all look completely confident – with one exception.
Jerome Powell – the head of the Federal Reserve – looks absolutely terrified every time he appears in public. I think he knows that the financial system is on the verge of collapse but no one will listen to him. Instead, everyone wants to “spend more money that you don’t have.”
Other than Jerome Powell, the rest of them act like they have no idea of just how bad things are.
LOL! We Americans have another saying that’s grown popular of late: “fake it ’til you make it.” The pols are paid (well!) to fake it and ignore the actual facts on the ground. I’m sure they believe – perhaps mistakenly – that they’ll be taken care of. Mighty big gamble they’re taking IMO.
And apparently if history is any guide, (this from google)
[On 15 November 1923 decisive steps were taken to end the nightmare of hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic: The Reichsbank, the German central bank, stopped monetizing government debt, and a new means of exchange, the Rentenmark, was issued next to the Papermark.]
its his job to stop the hyper-inflationary environment we are now entering.
The difference is, then it was one country’s currency, todays in theory would also include the euro, yen and the resources of the saudi kingdom to jump on board the new currency plan and then compete against the yuan?
I see the opposite, the euro and yen at least slowly blending into BRI as Uncle joe flaps his jaw about all the spending and greatness to follow todays world.
Alabama, that is a good point. For many years the Saudis have accepted Treasury Bonds in exchange for Petrodollars. In short, they sold oil and got Treasuries in return.
But the US is on a money printing spree. Those Saudi Treasuries are losing value by the minute.
Russia has already bailed on the dollar. China is de-dollarizing by liquidating Treasuries. If the Saudis (under a protection agreement with China) bail as well, it is over.
I think that the end will come with surprising speed – just like it did with the Soviet Union.
Removed. Off-topic. Mod.
As for Ukraine, it got a stern and direct warning from Sergei Lavrov himself:
(https://www.google.com/amp/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN2BO5F2)
How crazy and retarded can you be to threaten Russia with military conflict?
Is the German Navy protecting the final phases of Nord Stream 2.. or just happy to accept something to happen at the behest of its masters or a rogue element…..pipeline constructors getting very concerned with certain military interests eg Poland who want it stopped becoming a real pest and what intentions they have. Maybe von Leyen ex defence minister so mucked up the defence ministry no one knows what to do
NS2 will be finished. Because other then most think, Germany’s Elites are Junior partner at the Western Polit elite and they want to make Money. So even if it is condemned publicly in secret The Washington Masters let them have this little treat at least.
I was waiting for this War to come since 2015. The west is done for Good and it needs a undoubtable lost to make it clear to everyone. In the ukraine it will starts and i hope, it is really cynical, that IL will get his War against Iran anytime soon. because Tel-Aviv will Fail, fail so hard that it migth be even stop to exist. if this will come true the Dark Ages of europe will start a second time. i can only imagine what the US will look like then. MadMax?
Saker, it’s always a great pleasure to read your articles, and particularly so when they deal with the Ukraine, because it is at the heart of the war against Russia. Indeed, it is quite possibly an existential matter for them, caught as they now are between other large blocs.
In this article I think you have covered very well the reasons why the West directs its ire against Putin personally. However, if I may, I think there are two more reasons to mention.
Firstly, in my estimation, Soviet leaders such as Brezhnev were not subject to such personal attacks because they stood at the apex of the collective leadership of a totalitarian party. Note the almost respectful tone accorded by the West to Kim Jong Un and Xi Jin Ping, who do occupy such positions. The West knows the Chinese and North Korean leaders have a strong party behind them; hence, they know it is a system they must overthrow, not an individual. Reflect on the awed coverage of Chairman Kim by the western media, and you will see how well served he is by totalitarian mystique. No matter that North Korea is weaker than Russia.
In the case of President Putin they believe that if they can get rid of the individual, the less controlled system he has created will immediately change, and perhaps collapse. This is not necessarily correct, as it under-estimates a force of Russian patriotism that already showed its mettle in 2000, but it probably does reflect a belief in American and British thinking that Russia is brittle, and prone to revolutionary tumults. I cannot forget the astounding collapse of Soviet power in August 1991, when experienced men like KGB chairman Kryuchkov and Marshall Yazov were overcome by crowds, and by insubordination.
Secondly, their ‘demonisation’ of Putin is an expression of their lack of respect for Russia. The Soviet Union they did respect: it was the victor of WW2; had a network of allies in the Warsaw Pact, and a population of 280 million. Russia by contrast is a country of 150m, including, as we must, the Donbass republics, whose currency is the ruble and whose two army divisions are directed by Moscow; and without any allies in Eastern Europe beside Byelorussia.
I fully admit Russia is putting itself back together: revitalising its agriculture; developing its own microchips, operating systems, social media companies such as VK and Telegram; and, more concretely, engineering gas turbines and civilian engines for its aeroplanes, as well as rebuilding its navy and deploying hypersonic missiles. All this is true; but the Western perception lags behind the reality of Russia’s ‘возрождение’, and they still see the somewhat backward country we began to mock in ‘Spitting Image’ here in the UK early in the 80s, and then much more under Yeltsin.
None of this is helped by the rather supine posture of Russian foreign policy, albeit that it is impeccably professional in the tradition of Nesselrode, Litvinov and Gromyko. Hiding one’s light under a bushel while you wax in strength is quite sensible- unless your adversary mistakes it for weakness. There is a certain cowboy tendency the Russians must contend with in their trans-oceanic opponents: they perceive mildness as pusillanimity.
I think that is where the Ukraine comes in. We have a saying: ‘you might as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb’. Had Moscow taken West-bank Ukraine in 2014, rather than just the Crimea, the sanctions imposed would have been no worse, and Russia would have been better off by perhaps 20m new citizens. It would have avoided the terrible civilian casualties in the Donbass to boot.
I am not a military expert, so I don’t know how prepared Russia was to execute such a large military operation. However, if, God forbid, the Ukrainians were to re-commence large scale hostilities, Moscow would be well advised to re-take the Russian cities of Kharkov, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherson, Nikolaev, Mariopol and Odessa;- then the Americans would take Putin seriously. And then we’d have once again what preserved the peace in my youth: a more or less civilised balance of power.
Brother, I’d lay money on that’s precisely what going to happen – and add that as an essential strategic aspect the “action” would, I think, require that the nazis in Kiev and the rest of the relevant areas, be arrested. Ukraine was, they say, an construct. These are times of change…
People expect trials, and I hear that Russian prosecutors draw up cases – that Nuremberg will not be a Kangaroo event, but as Jackson said, an establishment of a new international law.
It’s opinion: Ru/Ch/Ir design to demonstrate where power lies, and show the world, and especially the fellas an gals and whatevers precisely what reality looks like.
It’s risky…escalation initiative is in many hands. But like mah daddy said, and Putin also said, when it’s gunna be a fight, hit first. Or like the mob used to say, “tell ‘m what it is.”
It’s driven by the logic of empire…the (it happens) anglosaxon pirates, the) thalassocracy no longer can control global commerce as the tellurocratic (and Classical!) empires have coordinated Heartland (which a buncha lame-brain-perverts-and grifters were too stupid to twig to!).
Honestly, I’m sure that strategic initiative lies with the heartland and classical empires, not with their opponent.
Of course the prerequisite is that “the west” is delusional and imagines that it has the initiative…delusions are necessary to achieve defeat because they telegraph to the intended victim just how to strike first.
every time I observe Biden my mind goes to that fixated supposition as to the only explicable argument which selected him to be elected. here speaks that theory: “Biden my man, either you become President or you go to prison. Honestly, no better than you, the dirty old pervert, should access the White House. With all the corpses in your closet, like Damocles´sword, all the disdain & disrespect that your senility will generate in the public, we pray our Lord, Yahve for giving us the chance to have a stenographer-in-chief of our “divine” wishes in the Oval Office.”
That would be Oral Office now… 😜
The most beautiful women on Earth;
Maria Zakharova
Anna Netrebko
Natalia Poklonskaya
Oh… and Kayleigh McEnany for sure!! She has got such a quick response time to woke questions of woke imbeciles from, say, CNN or MSNBC implying a very smart person and of course an awesome physique.
Thank you Sake for this article!
May I ask your personal opinion about the following: I saw Russian military convois on the Crimean bridge and I know that this are preparations for the upcoming provocations/attacks by the Ukrainian “patriots” against LDNR and/or Crimea. As far as I can see the plan simply can’t be to actually defeat LDNR or conquer Crimea but to force Russia into a big mess by actually annexing Ukraininan territory. On way to do that would be the destruction of the Kerch bridge to Crimea in the hope to force Russia to go from the East to Kherson – to secure a land corridor to Crimea. Do you think that danger is real?
I am not military expert, but it seems to me that this army transferred to Crimea is enormous and much stronger than Crimean defence needs.
Russians probably have plan for counterattack from two directions. From East and from Crimea.
Maybe even from the North, from Belarus.
Probably to finaly and definitely remove and destroy Banderist clique in Kiev and to establish normal government in Ukraine.
I do not know, but Ukro junta will make a huge mistake if they attack and provoke Russia.
Not only that. It’s quite logical and that’s historically justified. Attacks against Crimea have always been collective (multiple countries). Serious defense is a good idea.
Also, it allows, as you said, taking control of territory in Ukraine (like Odesa) and, very importantly, having a larger force closer to Transnistria. If a war is to happen, Transnistria is endangered.
Most importantly, this is also to serve as a deterrent. A major way to avoid war is to be prepared for it. This is also a message to the west that if they brew the spirits of war, an increased Russian military presence in Europe is to be the new normal. The idea that they can screw around as they wish and nothing would be happening on Russian side, no response, is not applicable anymore. The more they push, the more ground they lose, the more Russian influence and presence grow.
Taras 77
On your professional US military …
Considering the conduct of US / NATO militaries this past 30 years or more it’s hard to see where the “professionals” have been hiding.
I guess the time for wishful thinking had arrived again.
Considering both prayer and wishful thinking together, the former may be more useful to us in the coming months.
There is no talking to educated ideologues who deny the existence of of any power greater than their own hubris.
It’s looking like kinetic World war is unavoidable given the ideologies of the protagonists.
These attitudes have always led to disaster and now is no exception.
God bless all here and thank you Saker for a great article and analysis.
This thing about Putin is a little tunnel vision.
The owners saw that China and Russia were becoming too accepted and influencial. This threatened to owners dominance and control – economically and politically. This is a threat to the status quo.
US as military for hire is now being used to malign and re isolate China and Russia. And even while doing so tries to separate Russia and China and China does not want isolation.
Also Russia thwarted (or at least interfered) with western plans for middle east so west returns the favor in Ukraine.
It has little to do with Putin and not so much to do with US which is not so much a nation as weapon used for control.
It’s getting closer and closer. MI6 and England know that they have very few cards in hands and that they are at the final round of a mortal war with Russia. Biden and his lackays are ready to push Ukraine into the ultimate war hoping not to be involved in it which is very naive.
Long Life to Vladimir Poutine who is the last chance of a New World.
When I saw this pic on cassad, I immediately thought of the “wokeness” in the US military as maybe directed satire, perhaps cassad in posting it had that motivation.
https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/6672677.html
I firmly believe that despite all of the propaganda and hysteria originating from the “woke” pentagon, there is still some pride and honor and professionalism within the rank and file of the US military. It is just difficult to see it with the prostituted press, and the incompetent political hacks that currently occupy senior military positions.
I saw this report from Donetsk on FB today. We need more eyewitness accounts:
DONBASS UPDATE APRIL 2nd, 2021
A very serious and tense situation. Both Ukraine and DPR are calling up reserves. US and NATO Generals are on the ground in Ukraine right now. The US ship unloading Humvees in Odessa is real, but just a distraction. US, Turkish and other NATO heavy cargo military planes landing daily in Ukraine. Donbass Republics, Ukraine and Russia all on high alert. All three moving major amounts of troops and military equipment into combat positions, including along Ukraine / Crimea border. I was at the Front today – heard and saw several gun and artillery battles. March 15th attack date probably came and went because Zelensky and UKR Generals and soldiers refused to commit the suicidal war crime of attacking Donbass and Crimea. Which explains neo-nazi riots against Presidential Office in Kiev on March 20th. New date supposedly set for April 15th. If Z won’t pull the trigger, expect rogue unit to attack or another false flag by UKR to set things off. The only way to end this war is by liberating Kiev from foreign masters who are willing to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian. Donbass is ready, and so are our friends. It will be a tough fight, but we will liberate Ukraine.
Thank you, Uncle Bob. It seems it is getting hotter and hotter.
Something doesn’t fit though. Such a stunt only for a provocation seems strange. I think they would still hope to inflict considerable military damage, not just reputationally hurting Russia but ending up delivering a total military win to Russia. How would that be enough for the empire?
However, militarily to have any noticeable effect or presence, they would need some level of air superiority. They cannot entrust that to the Ukrainians alone. Otherwise, Russia will completely dominate the skies in their eyes. There must be some plan for aviational engagement coming directly from the empire. But the US has minuscule air superiority capabilities compared to RF in terms of quality. US airplanes are not good at air combat, but they may not be accounting that correctly.
So I don’t think such a war would be simply between UA and RF, but between RF and US with direct involvement of the US, at least in the air but probably more. I don’t think that RF will let this pass without response. Russia in such a case would likely bring horror directly on US territory. Americans will learn what the taste of war and destruction really is.
The situation is quite dangerous.
This is a massive speculation, but simply a military provocation seems like a very insufficient plan for the empire standards.
Russia can overthrow banderites and remove them but Russia cannot keep Ukraine under occupation
Economically that would ruin Russia.
Uktaine is too big and too economically ruined country.
Even much stronger economy could not survive that.
This article is beyond scary, if true??
Well, it turns out that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky essentially signed a declaration of war against Russia on March 24th. The document that he signed is known as Decree No. 117/2021, and you won’t read anything about it in the corporate media.
I really had to dig to find Decree No. 117/2021, but eventually I found it. I took several of the paragraphs at the beginning of the document and I ran them through Google translate…
In accordance with Article 107 of the Constitution of Ukraine, I decree:
1. To put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine of March 11, 2021 “On the Strategy of deoccupation and reintegration of the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol” (attached).
2. To approve the Strategy of deoccupation and reintegration of the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (attached).
3. Control over the implementation of the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, enacted by this Decree, shall be vested in the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
4. This Decree shall enter into force on the day of its publication.
President of Ukraine V.ZELENSKY
March 24, 2021
Basically, this decree makes it the official policy of the government of Ukraine to retake Crimea from Russia.
Of course the Russians will never hand over Crimea willingly because they consider it to be Russian territory, and so Ukraine would have to take it by force.
This is essentially a declaration of war against Russia, and Zelensky would have never signed such a document without the approval of the Biden administration.
Following the signing of Decree No. 117/2021, we started to see Russian forces pour into Crimea and into separatist-held areas of eastern Ukraine at a staggering rate.
For example, you can watch a column of Russian tanks being transported by rail right here.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/russian-tanks-move-toward-ukraine-globe-braces-world-war-3
Saker
You appear to have irritated many commenters with this article. But was ever a pearl created in the absence of irritation? Your article is without a doubt a pearl. Far and away, the most illuminating piece I have read in a long time about US russophobia and its hatred for Putin. And, sadly, the potential geostrategic implications you draw seem entirely plausible to me.
I would be interested to hear from you or commenters here what, if any, role the Russian diaspora plays or could play in all of this. As I understand it, that diaspora stands at somewhere between 20 million and 30 million people worldwide, depending on how you want to define “ethnicity”. That seems like a very high number to me against the 147 million currently residing within the Russian Federation. By far the largest diaspora community is in the USA, followed by Germany and Israel. And there are sizeable communities in Canada, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, The UK, New Zealand, Venezuela and Paraguay (according to Wikipedia). We know that diaspora communities can exert great political influence but I rarely read about the Russian diaspora in this context. In my own country the Russian diaspora, although quite sizeable, is all but invisible except when one of its members becomes light-featherweight boxing world champion or such like. Perhaps this is because the majority arrived here in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, although the ’90s did see a new wave of arrivals. Has this diaspora community turned its back on the motherland?
Thank you for the article and best wishes.
I for one can comment on the Russian diaspora in the UK.
Looking modest and low-profile but very active in business and far better at entrepreneurial Capitalism than UK counterparts. Modest but effective networking activity across business and real estate community. Active participants in culture and arts. No noticeable political activity or influence.
I digress slightly but it is worth mentioning in this context: I watched a TV show (broadcast before the covid pandemic) – i believe it was Jeremy Kyle Show. A mocking comment about Russia was followed instantly by the whole audience standing up and performing a Russian dance in support of Russia…
My take on this and other enthusiastic support by the British population of Russian culture in Literature, Dance, Music, is that there is a considerable warmth and respect towards Russia and Russians in general, within the UK population…and that is all that matters. So whether the Russian diaspora supports Russian overtly or the RT broadcasts influence the UK population, does not really matter at all…the UK politicians that are beholden to the US Deep State or Media or the Financial Mob in the City of London can do little to change these dynamics however much they try…
Analyst
That is interesting. And the anecdote is charming. Where I am, if one were to rely on the tabloid MSM, one would conclude that Russians in London are all exiled oligarchs or organised crime thugs. Maybe it’s the same thing. Here I think people feel sort of the same way as average Londoners but more muted. They have no reason to feel any political animosity at all towards Russia. And people still do read Chekhov. Maybe some of them also remember his almost namesake from Star Trek, Pavel Chekov. Who knows. And there are plenty of families with children learning ballet to the music of Tchaikovsky. Thank you for your response. I learnt something from it. Which is always good.
“can do little to change these dynamics however much they try…”
You are mistaken – all interactions change dynamics.
However the variables within “dynamics” include but are not limited to trajectory and velocity.
To use a metaphor that may illuminate
The more the fish wriggle, the more they become entrapped in the nets.
The “efforts” of opponents are “force multiplers”.