Russia Now Hardened

Lawrence Wilkerson points out that what the US and Europe have done is essentially battle harden Russia. This was an incredibly stupid thing to do. I point out that the last time Russia really got on a roll, they took Paris in 1814. 

Putin and Russia

Looking at Ukraine's recent drone strikes on Russian airbases, I see that one of them is 4,400 kilometres from Russia's border with Ukraine.

Question: how did these drones get all the way across Russia without being detected?

Answer: possibly, the Russian security service, the FSB let it happen.

It may be that Putin's reign is about to come to an end. He's been in office a long time, it feels like forever too.

Hmm...

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-attack-bomber-d9078d989efcec36ec65ddfedfd2b3a5

UK Backs Ukraine

I thought this innovative, British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer is extending a loan to Ukraine, backed by seized Russian money. This means Russia pays for the defender as well as its own aggression.

Starmer got off to a bad start, and looked very much the authoritarian. His voice is also irritating, which doesn't help either. But through this latest spat, he is looking more like a leader.

Meanwhile, Reform UK's leader, Nigel Farage has been silent. He's a friend of Donald Trump and likes to think he has influence with the President. In the past, Farage has been fully backing Ukraine and on GB News he predicted Russia's resounding defeat. Now that Trump has effectively switched sides, and looks very much the Quisling, Farage finds himself stranded, neither Arthur, nor Martha. Will Reform splinter as a result?

Ukraine Rare Earths Deal Makes No Sense

The US is romancing Russia in its supposed rare earth resource deal with Ukraine. That's because, the US, Canada and Australia already have proven reserves waiting to go ahead (and which don't need discovering), while it is Russia that needs mining technology and capital from the US:

https://investornews.com/critical-minerals-rare-earths/ukraine-minerals-deal/

It is economically counterproductive in the extreme to propose wasting American public capital on Ukrainian mineral riches’ discovery and development when American, Canadian, and Australian deposits simply await government approval to go ahead.

The sole area of advantage to the U.S. that the Ukrainian mineral story supports is a political one, and the target isn’t Ukraine. It’s Russia, which has a bad case of the resource curse. Its economy is dependent on oil produced in fields developed by guess-which-country, but has vast known mineral wealth undeveloped due to Russia’s long history of not allowing the free market to operate, and so discouraging private development.

Dominic Cummings on Ukraine War

Dominic Cummings puts the reality of where the West is at right now, facing a stronger Russia as a result of the war, and in a closer relationship with China. I've said this all along, and here we are:

LIVE Reaction to Putin Interview

After all the hype, the Putin interview was a bit disappointing.

Why would Putin give an interview? Possibly to shore up his support at home, and to remind his backers that he's still the boss. 

I'm sure Tucker Carlson made a fortune through his platform, people will have paid to join so they can be the first to see it. But for Carlson, he's damaged his reputation with all these softball questions.

If there is anything to be taken out of this, it is that we get to see the different viewpoints, East vs West. Putin relies on his version of history, however his interviewer from the West doesn't have enough knowledge to dig deeper, and to possibly reveal Putin as just advancing his own agenda. So, we'll never really know what drives Putin. I think Oliver Stone did a much better job back in 2017, for what it's worth.

 

Russell Brand on the Vladimir Putin Interview

We are soon to hear from Vladimir Putin by way of the interview conducted by Tucker Carlson. Here's Russell Brand on the subject, he asks important questions:

 

Ukraine and Russia

Here's an intelligent conversation about where Ukraine will end up. Russia is now stronger and by contrast, NATO and its allies have weakened themselves.

 

Russo-Ukraine War 2024

Recent reports are coming in that indicate Ukraine's forces are collapsing. Russia has made major breakthroughs, destroying Ukrainian strongholds in the process. If this is true, then expect large numbers of Russian troops being funneled through these weak points. 

If Zelensky, his mates and army officers suddenly make a bolt for the door, then I think Ukraine would have about a week beyond that.

How did we get to this point?

To begin with, the West lied to itself about this conflict. It believed such a war was winnable, when it could never be. Then the West continued lying about literally everything. I'll run through some of the lies:

• Russia is running out of armour
• Russia cannot get ammunition
• Russian forces are being decimated
• Sanctions are working
• Revolution is imminent within Russia
• Putin does not have a solid grip on power
• and on and on.

The reality is much more complicated. Sanctions had an effect in the first year, but thereafter Russia simply found ways to circumvent the restrictions or substitute with other goods. Russia has suffered significant numbers of casualties, but Ukraine has suffered similarly. The average age of Ukrainian soldiers is now 43, and women are being sent to the front. Meanwhile, Russia has not even fully mobilised.

Russian equipment appears suited to the task at hand. Their kit isn't flashy or overly techie, but it gets the job done. Meanwhile, NATO gear has proven to be twitchy, unreliable or unfit for the conditions. An example is with the German Leopard 2 main battle tank being withdrawn from frontline service.

The West is guilty of hubris and is being punished for it. 

Anyway, here's a video to keep you up to date:

World War III Kicking Off

North Korea are readying for war. Their leader has just announced that South Korea are to be described as their 'number one enemy'.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/01/16/asia-pacific/politics/north-korea-south-korea-relations/

I find it hard to believe that North Korea just came up with this approach on their own. China and Russia must have agreed with the announcement. 

I see commentators saying that North Korea wants engagement and this is another attempt to seek that. I think this is misguided thinking as North Korea have had a windfall with their arms sales to Russia. It appears likely they're now using this income. 

A brief history lesson: the Korean War kicked off when the Russian and Chinese backed North launched an attack on the US-backed South in June 1950. The war swung back and forth but came to a stalemate by 1953. Today, the two sides sit looking at one another, with the conflict technically still live, there has been no peace treaty.

Add to the mix, China's claim on Taiwan and its push into territory in the South China Sea.

Then in other regions, we have the war in Ukraine, with Russia about to win. We have genocide in Gaza with the US, apparently, tacitly supporting this atrocity. The Red Sea is effectively closed to commercial traffic and the US and UK look ineffectual in trying to keep it open.

China and India are still fighting over their borders, as are Iran and Pakistan.

Venezuela has claimed half of Guyana.

Turkey has no idea which side to take, while the Baltic states must be feeling nervous. Why Sweden gave up its neutral stance is a complete mystery.

This is becoming so complicated, it is hard to keep up. I feel like a ball bearing bouncing around in a pinball machine. Another pandemic must be on the cards.

And where does New Zealand and Australia fit in? Not very comfortably is the immediate answer. Neither has the capacity to supply itself or defend its sea lanes. The way things have been left to atrophy is an utter disgrace. We are led by donkeys.

Did Ukraine Lose and the Media Fail to Report It?

Speculation is mounting that Russia is now demanding the complete surrender of Ukraine. Russia won, and if Ukraine do not surrender, it will be completely destroyed.

This could all be bollocks, however the amount of activity by Russian forces along the frontline has ramped up in recent days, suggesting they are about to mount a big push. 

Remember, I called the invasion real and the time of it back in 2022, right when MSM were saying it wasn't going to happen. 

This is a really simple, if grisly equation:

1. The Ukraine ran out of young men before Russia ran out of young men;

2. Russia is militarised;

3. When it comes to equipment, form follows function, and everything Russian is designed for the task, while the western aid has come up short. NATO equipment is too fiddly, too techie, typical well engineered crap.

4. Russia can supply itself, whatever it wants, whenever it wants and the sanctions are an act of self harm on the part of NATO and its allies.

It'll be interesting to see how the US choose to spin this. Coming right after the loss in Afghanistan (which was the biggest ever loss by a Great Power since time began), this will be a massive fail. The world will no longer trust the US and NATO. 

https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/en/news-page/world/russian-special-flight-squadron-lands-in-dc-ukraine-war-to-end-russia-lays-out-terms-of-surrender

The terms given to Washington, DC for Ukraine are:

Complete Ukraine surrender.

Complete surrender of all military equipment.

Russian territory will range from Karkhov to Odessa, and gives Russia complete control of Black Sea coast.

Western Ukraine cannot join NATO, or have __any__ military aid.

Russia does not care who controls western Ukraine, and have openly offered it to Poland.

The Prigozhin Mutiny

Two scenarios come to mind regarding what has been happening in Russia:

Scenario One:

Prigozhin wanted to retire, so he sold to the CIA, the idea of his force mutinying and removing Vladimir Putin from power. He kept Putin in the loop of course, and once the CIA had stumped up enough money to fund the adventure, he launched his 24 hour operation, and then buckled as arranged and split the proceeds with Putin and other allies. All of them then roll around on the floor laughing.

Scenario Two:

Russia wanted to move Prigozhin and his Wagner force to Belarus, just north of Kyiv. They did this to protect their nukes there, and to possibly mount another assault on the Ukraine capital if conditions allowed it. The whole exercise in faking a rebellion or mutiny, then having Prigozhin retire to Belarus has the look of providing a valid reason for him to be there. Nothing to see here.

What do you think?

The MSM Today

Whether it be Covid, Ukraine, death jabs, CBDC's, social credit scores, you can be assured one thing; the mainstream media will not report a balanced view. They're there to hoodwink you, lie to you, spew propaganda:

Wagner Group Boss

Wagner Group boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin is always in the news. His latest outburst was rather interesting and the below link tries to explain why he says what he says:

https://julianmacfarlane.substack.com/p/the-new-russian-revolution-or-ukraines?r=28f8t2&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Very clearly, these pronouncements are for the Western Media rather than Russians who are mostly entertained by his outbursts and vulgarities. In Russia, Yev’ is a character. The Bad Boy Who Made Good.

In the West, they say he “makes sense” when he massages their delusions, playing fast and loose with facts, as Simplicius has noted. For example, he quotes Wagner losses at 20,000 compared to Ukrainian losses of 50,000 when talking of Bakhmut.

My idea is somewhat different. I think Prigozhin sees himself as Putin's replacement. Putin could well be suffering a terminal illness and given he's something of a romantic when it comes to the Russian Empire, he could have ordered the invasion of Ukraine to bring it back within the fold before he dies. 

Ukraine Conflict Reveals New World Order

Is the West coming to an end?

 

Why are the SAS in Ukraine?

Peter Hitchens has some very good questions:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-11976881/PETER-HITCHENS-SAS-Ukraine-clue-involved-war.html

Who decided to send the SAS to Ukraine? What are they doing there? What would happen were they to be killed by Russian forces, or captured by them? And what was a British surveillance plane, capable of carrying 30 people, doing over the Black Sea last September, when a bungling Russian pilot almost shot it down, only failing because his missile was a dud? What would have happened if the missile had worked, and many British servicemen and women had died?

The Military Situation in the Ukraine

Here's a very intelligent essay examining how we got to where we are now in the Ukraine.

https://labourheartlands.com/jacques-baud-the-military-situation-in-the-ukraine-update/ 

Let’s try to examine the roots of the conflict. It starts with those who for the last eight years have been talking about “separatists” or “independentists” from Donbass. This is not true. The referendums conducted by the two self-proclaimed Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk in May 2014, were not referendums of “independence” (независимость), as some unscrupulous journalists have claimed, but referendums of “self-determination” or “autonomy” (самостоятельность). The qualifier “pro-Russian” suggests that Russia was a party to the conflict, which was not the case, and the term “Russian speakers” would have been more honest. Moreover, these referendums were conducted against the advice of Vladimir Putin.

<snip>

Many Western commentators were surprised that the Russians continued to seek a negotiated solution while conducting military operations. The explanation lies in the Russian strategic outlook since the Soviet era. For the West, war begins when politics ends. However, the Russian approach follows a Clausewitzian inspiration: war is the continuity of politics and one can move fluidly from one to the other, even during combat. This allows one to create pressure on the adversary and push him to negotiate.

Jordan Peterson on Russia

What is America Doing?

Seems to be a secret that is not really a secret. Media are on the ground in Taiwan waiting for Nancy Pelosi to arrive. For some odd reason, the Americans seem to think this will be a victory. Like this: 

 ▪️ Americans suffered the biggest military defeat in recorded history when they ran from Afghanistan. 

 ▪️ America unleashes the biggest scam in world history with its Covid thingie, and to top it off sets out to poison mankind with an elixir of snake oil (Pfizer and Moderna), and anyone who points that out is cancelled, economies destroyed, censored, shut down, jailed. 

 ▪️ America held a rigged Presidential election and the protestors who pointed this out are labelled insurrectionists, while many are jailed indefinitely. 

 ▪️ Russia invades Ukraine, one of the world's most corrupt countries and where America launders its money. Sanctions imposed on Russia become the biggest act of self-harm committed in the last 100 years.  

Do we add, America gave grounds for China to invade Taiwan? 

Stupidity is a failure to learn. This looks like stupidity, or is it treachery? I'll let you be the judge.

John Pilger: This is a war of propaganda

John Pilger gives a balanced view of the war in Ukraine, China's position in the world, where journalism is headed and how we are seeing unprecedented levels of jingoism.