This was funny -- a year ago. The contest has become inane. Let's just stop it before we pollute the idea exchange with trivialities that grate on one's nerves.
The C17 probably stopped in Riga to refuel - and avoid the queues at petrol stations in Moscow (or, more seriously, avoid the risk of being given contaminated fuel at Vnukovo). Because there are no regular flights to Moscow, there were probably plenty of reasons for Radcliffe to take an XXL plane and bring or take back stuff for the Embassy.
BREAKING: “Russian officials have briefed Iran that the CIA Director Ratcliffe’s Moscow visit delivered a message with the US asking Moscow to press Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, warning that Russian entities would otherwise face designations under Operation Economic Outcast. Russia declined and told Iran the threatened measures were of limited consequence, according to two senior Iranian sources with knowledge of the briefing. The message also warned that Russian banks, traders and shipping entities tied to Iranian oil, gold and aviation will be sanctioned under the operation unless Moscow moves to close those channels.”
Russia, with 20,000 sanctions and $300 Billion in Frozen Assets is supposed to help Scott aka “Sterling” Bessant. “Sterling” is his nickname given by Ehud Barak in the Epstein files.
Mark Sleboda's discussion with Garland Nixon today Aug 27 was excellent. Besides Simplicius, Sleboda is one of my favorite analysts. This one is particularly good. Several topics covered including the proposed conscription of Ukie women sold as "muh grrrl powr" etc, starting at 38 min. Required.
I think it's important to keep in mind that Ratcliffe isn't Trump's man, and in fact is more of an enemy of the current U.S. President than an ally. He was foisted on Trump by Senate Republicans (or whoever the true power behind the throne might be). Same was true of Ratcliffe in Trump's first term. He's an insider's insider, a deep state operative all the way through.
Oh, I see, since the CIA always seems to represent the deepest dregs of the Petrodollar kings, must of said something about a “limited” tactical nukes discharge and wanted to find Putin’s opinion of said USA’s desperate act?
I think that explanation makes sense.. as there are likely a few factions within the deep state, including the saner ones that would prefer to withdraw and consolidate within the sphere of influence which can be more easily protected, vs being stretched too thin around the world and not having the military industrial muscle to back it up. They want to stay in control and in power... not keep frittering it away day by day with Trump's idiocy.
before Trump 2024 he was very much in the pro-Trump camp and (sigh) very much beholden to the little-hats-tribe. Simplicius' word play "The rats are now going over the cliff..." is priceless!
Ratcliffe had Tulsi Gabbard's job as DNI during Trump's first term. There's a lot that's come out in the past year and a half that Ratcliffe knew during the first term - and told no one about, including Trump. For example, it's come out just recently that U.S. intelligence knew that China had obtained voter roles for a meaningful percentage of U.S. voters and also had access to voting machines. They didn't do anything with that information, but still obtained it. Ratcliffe withheld that knowledge from Trump.
Ratcliffe knew a lot about COVID that wasn't public - but I'm starting to thinking that maybe Trump's hands aren't so clean in that one. That maybe the reason that it broke out in China and killed many Iranian elites two months before it hit everyone else is that was exactly what it was supposed to do - and the pandemic in the U.S. was an unintentional blow back of Trump deliberately deploying a bioweapon against his two most harped on rivals. He's spent the last month saying he's ready to use nuclear weapons against Iran; why wouldn't he have used a bioweapon six years ago?
That's my theory as well, though I can't be sure how much Trump was clued in on that one.
I am pretty sure Covid was a bioweapon plan aimed to 'expose" China as the origin (when it wasn't). Covid GoF was developed in the US, perhaps Ft Detrich with that Carolina guy invovlement. The virus escaped in the summer of 2019, hence the mysterious shut down of Ft Detrich and the sudden deaths in that Virginia (that's where I recall it was. Need to check) nrsing care facility.
Evidence point to earlier releases, perhaps trial runs (per the antibodies found in many wastewaters in Europe and some in the US). It is likely there was a possibly unintentional release in Italy, strangely coincident with the appearance of the virus in Qums Iran, of all places.
The grant to Wuhan was part of the ploy. The concept being to point fingers later at China as the source. The Wet market is just the conccoted tale, as we now know.
The actual release was not a laboratory escape but a deliberate release during the military games in late 2019. I think that by now we all know that..
So, what went wrong and why Italy?
I can answer only the first question: China is what went wrong. They knew exactly what happened and they had prior experience from the strange previous "corona flus". So (1) they treated it all like the bioweapon that it was, and (2) they made it clear to the US (whoever was in charge then) that not only they know but they have the evidence and will release it, if the US chooses to play hard ball and accuse China. Funny how that never quite happened, isn't it?
So there it is - the full plan. By now everyone knows what we are up against - another plandemics, perhaps, or whatever. That's part fo the game behind the scenes. It's what countries like Russia and China are trying to avert (remember all those disclosures about the bioweapon labs Russia uncovered in the Ukraine?0.
Alas, Italy, near Milano, early 2020 is still a mystery. No patient zero ever found.
The only issue is that it isn't a "bioweapon" by the excess-mortality rate. When did you hear an athletes not recovered in 2020/21 after two/three days of contacting it? Whereas after the jab came out, perfectly healthy folks/soccer players were dropping dead on the field. It's a "bioweapons" in terms of the economic consequences with corporations cutting all budgets in 2020 and accelerating the wealth transfer to bigTech during the 2021 heydays. Mind you, China had the most ridiculous pandemic policies up until early 2023, when it suddenly went from "zero-tolerance" to "let it be" overnight. These nations vs nations analysis just missed the whole point being the deep state + bigTech + bigPharma already have all nations under their control
The embassy in Moscow doesn't do anything anymore. It's basically shut down. There's a skeleton crew there but the place looks like a ghost town with empty cubicles and dead plants (left behind and unwatered).
A2G. Two things spring to my mind that have some element of certainty over speculative conjecture:
1. It's serious, and serious enough to necessitate R to turn up in person and not delegate a subordinate to do the job.
2. It has to be face to face, no prying eyes nor ears, electronic or organic of allies or adversaries. Finally, afaik, no official statements regarding the purpose of the trip.
i agree with your assessment. I also think it must have been serious to necessitate face to face meeting, rather than anythng virtual.
Could be a threat delivered (we'll let israel use nukes?) or an agreement to avoid that very scenario. Perhaps a redrawing of some red lines we are not aware of.
I agree with Natalia that this visit is not about Ukraine. It is related to two recent developments in the Gulf:
1. It has been revealed that Iran has been striking CIA bases and facilities, and other US intelligence assets in the Middle East, inflicting serious damage.
2. The US embarked on Operation Sanctions Like Never Before, seeking to isolate Iran from its economic partners.
Ratcliffe was sent probably because he was the right person to accuse Russia of providing Iran with the intelligence that allowed it to target CIA assets. He is also a "big gun" pulled out to threaten Russia with reprisals like never before, and demand, as an appeasement, that Russia join the economic blockade of Iran "or else!"
This is so pathetic, that I hope even Putin won't fall for this bluster.
Yes, my immediate reaction was that Ratcliffe had gone to desperately try to bring the Russians on board with the Iran sanctions. But I would have thought he would offer something in return like "take Ukraine and your money if you help us put the screws on Iran". But he threatened them? Typical. And of course he failed.
The U.S. Govt only employs the worst of the worst, and apparently the dumbest motherfuckers on the planet… All of them completely compromised and lacking in any redeemable value at all! The U.S. Govt is just a large collection of HUMAN GARBAGE that needs to be TORCHED!
The U.S. Govt is controlled by the owner class, which includes the MIC, Wall Street, Davos, corporations and big banks (controlled by the Federal Reserve private banking cartel). The U.S. Govt is just the false front, the Potemkin Village of “democracy” that does not exist.
There likely was a sizeable carrot attached to the offer, the Russians just didn't brief about that the Iranians, and why would they? (if this is all true)
Why would Russia believe in the deliciousness of a carrot offered by the nation it has already designated 'not agreement-capable'? Does it not listen to its own political announcements? America's carrots are like Wimpy's spending money, always promising to pay tomorrow for a hamburger today. And then America would chuckle at how it roiled relations between Russia and Iran, without it costing America anything. The essence of backstab diplomacy. And if the USA knows any other kind, it's forgotten.
According to high-ranking divine sources, God blah blah blah. There was a time when sources were named. This supposed information is far worse than the most mediocre pornographic film set in the savannah between two monkeys.
This sounds reasonable, the days of the US/Israel threatening Moscow are long past. Everyone has been making memes about Twink Kushner and witkoff, so they sent another idiot who has more loyalty to Israel than to the US Constitution to beg for help with Iran.
1) Please on Iran, because Cheetoh Jesus is desperate to save face; and
2) Please don’t take Odessa and leave a destabilised, landlocked rump of 404, because the knock-on effects of that will spill over into the US’ vassal states in the EU.
The fact that last time a CIA director was in Moscow was before the imminent invasion of Ukraine. During 4,5 years we have had serious developments/escalations in the War, we have experienced two war-like attacks on Iran with ballistics flying over Mid East. But no CIA director in Moscow. So this one was important.
He is acting on Trumps order.
He must say something eye-to-eye with Naryshkin.
He has clearance to most of the secrets US knows off.
He is not there to receive a message - he is delivering it.
Its a strictly military/state security/intelligence matter - not political
Its of outmost importance to deliver it directly instead of through dimplomatic channels or Trumptweet…
So count out every ”deal” regarding Ukraine or Iran.
It has nothing to do with sanctions.
It has nothing to do with cooruption in Ukraine.
It could be in the nature of imminent attacks form either side. US attacking Iran again - this time with nukes. Russias ”exposed” plans to take Kiev, secure Estonia or debililating Ukraines powergrid for good. It could be a warning that US will increase the support for attacks against Russia motherland or impose a no-fly zone(not likely) in Ukraine (if Russia dont stop their attacks). Time will tell.
I was with you until you got the part about the US imposing a no-fly zone. Do you believe the US has military power to do it? And the logistics to support such a force?
THREATING to impose a no-fly zone. Basically making the war officially Russia vs US/NATO, rather than pretending that it's "UKRAINE" sending in the drones.
I think the no fly zone threat is probable. 'If you invade northern Ukr, we go full NATO air power Libya style.' Its pretty much all they have left. Russia will blow them away.
I think you missed the part where I explained Why a CIA director would fly to Moscow. It must be important to get the message through and without anything to leak out.
The ”no fly zone” is more of a Hegseth thing so probably only 5% chance of that.
I think 80-90% chance is that US know of an imminent Russian strategic operation which could alter the standstill in the War and/or bring it an end unfavourable to the West. It comes with a warning of US countermeasures.
5-10% its a warning against involvement in Iran. Get those Russian operators or adviser out of Iran - we will otherwise cremate them in coming attacks.
Whatever happens its gonna be interesting to see what the Americans come up with in the next wk. Nukes on Iran sounds plausible since they have nothing else. But the PR effect of the glory boys flying in to save Ukr is also compelling. What else can the West do? Their asymmetrical campaign is failing.
Cotra was responding to a comment that has subsequently been deleted, you'll notice. Possibly deleted by Simplicius? I assume the deleted comment was an ad hominem. It's fair to respond to an ad hom by returning the favor. I don't think Cotra is an American.
This event is an integral strategic step in the ongoing process by TPTB 0.000001% C&C Apex to remove POTUS 47 from office by year-end to be followed by the temporary evil reign of POTUS 48 lasting until January 20th 2029 when POTUS 49 inaugurated, Gold American Buffalo (Liberty) valued over $8,600 and The ROC (Revolution of Consciousness) will have reached its next Archimedean point of no-return, dialectic synthesis and punctuated equilibrium. Semper fi!
” An F-35 (primarily the F-35A variant relevant to land bases) based at Rzeszów–Jasionka Airport in southeastern Poland could reach deep into Ukraine on internal fuel alone—covering western, central, and much of eastern Ukraine on typical combat missions, and essentially the entire country on lighter or one-way profiles—due to the short distance to the border and the aircraft’s combat radius.
Rzeszów sits roughly 55–100 km from the Polish-Ukrainian border
Key F-35 range figures (internal fuel, no external tanks to preserve stealth)Combat radius (fly to target area, perform mission with weapons/maneuvering reserves, and return): Typically ~590–670+ nautical miles (~1,090–1,240 km) for the F-35A. Official/Lockheed and demonstrated figures include >590 nm / ~1,093 km, ~669 nm / ~1,239 km for air-to-surface/interdiction, and up to ~760 nm / ~1,410 km for optimized air-to-air. The F-35B is shorter (~450 nm / ~833 km); the F-35C is similar to or slightly better than the A (~600–670 nm).
Unrefueled range (more ferry-like, less combat fuel reserve): >1,200 nm / ~2,200 km for the F-35A/C.
These depend heavily on payload, altitude/speed profile, weather, and exact combat time. Real missions often use aerial refueling to extend reach or time on station; without it, the combat radius is the practical limit for round-trip operations.
Approximate straight-line distances from RzeszówUkrainian border: ~50–100 km.
Practical reach into UkraineWith a ~1,100–1,240 km combat radius starting from near the border, an F-35 could:Easily cover all of western and central Ukraine (Lviv, Kyiv, etc.) with substantial fuel margin for combat, loiter, or diversion.
Reach southern areas like Odesa comfortably.
Reach or approach Kharkiv and much of the east on standard profiles (Kharkiv is near the outer edge of many published combat-radius figures, so lighter loads, efficient profiles, or slightly reduced combat time help). Far-eastern areas near the Russian border would be tighter for a full combat round-trip without refueling but remain feasible one-way or with tanker support.
In short, from Rzeszów an unrefueled F-35 on a typical mission could operate across the large majority of Ukrainian territory. Aerial refueling (standard for F-35 operations) would extend this further or allow more time on station. Note that actual basing, rules of engagement, air defenses, and politics would constrain real operations far more than pure range. Poland’s own F-35s are primarily associated with other bases (e.g., Łask), though allied F-35s have operated from or near Rzeszów in support roles.”
Yes GM. Perhaps instead of blowing up shopping malls, the AFR could take out airfield radar, hangars, and fuel depots. This will greatly degrade air freight transport of weapons from the West.
While they're at it, how about severing rail lines from the West?
This seems to be a strategic no-brainer since Ukraine imports weapons and components in massive numbers from the West . Ditto for distillates. At this rate, Russia will still be trudging along, being bled white and softened for an ultimate Western attack in 2030 led byGermany.
You fly in from Poland and Romania at first. Russia will not attack there. Later you move to the westernmost airfields still in service (peculiar it is) in Ukraine. Expanding the no fly zone into the grey zone and perhaps beyond. Russia will only answer directly above the new Russian Oblasts. My guess. I think it higly unlikely Ratcliff talked about it. Why dont you comment the other I wrote instead?
The C-17 Globemaster is a big mother.. 174 ft. long and 169 ft. wingspan. Can carry 102 paratroopers or one M1 Abrams tank. Why such a huge plane for Ratcliffe and his entourage? Did they make a stop along the way to not only refuel, but to deliver armaments for the Bankova rodent?
The thing about international relations is that when the war stops you still have to deal with your opponents. The Russians know they are sitting on the largest reserves of wealth on the planet. Peace and stability are their primary concern. That is why Empires aim is war and chaos. The Russians are playing the game and assuming others watch and consider their approach superior to Empire's. Time is on their side.
I get what you mean, but the Russians aren't the 'good guys' here. Sure, the Empire is going down and a new world order must be established – everyone knows that by now. But claiming the Russians are out for peace and stability has no basis in reality:
Why is Russia militarizing on such a scale? After all, the Ukraine conflict could have been ended long ago.
Why are SMO veterans actively encouraged to start careers in politics? Why does the Russian Federation want warriors in its government?
Why is Russia so ruthless towards the Ukrainian people? Everybody knows what's going on, so why not remove the instigators and the mafia? It shouldn't be hard to find out the locations and send some Iskanders that way. Instead the Russians play along, killing millions of Ukrainian men and inciting hatred for the Russian people among the Ukrainian youth.
It seems the current Russian administration is interested in exactly the opposite of peace and stability.
Ukraine is just one battlefield. They need new troops on the border with Finland now, for example. Maybe they anticipate direct NATO clash in the future. I personally do.
Why wouldn't SMO veterans be encouraged to start a political career? If they choose so they are given opportunities for adequate education and if they can finish it, then they are trained for political positions. Nothing wrong with that. They do not go straight from frontlines to Duma. I have seen a young marine, Hero of Russia who was given this opportunity and he said that he failed some examinations and will try again. Without proper education he cannot participate in leadership roles, even if he wanted to.
The logic is that people who were willing to sacrifice everything as volunteers should be given an opportunity to lead the country. What is wrong with that? I think it is better than some Rutte-types leading the country. Also they are citizens, every citizen has the right to participate in political leadership, if they wish so.
Removing instigators means removing western political class. We might still come to that. But otherwise Putin's job is to protect Russians, not Ukrainians. I personally wonder why Ukrainians still walk around without guns or cleavers or some nasty dog breeds, after all these years. They are easy prey for busifiers. Ukrainians need to do something on their own to overthrow their police state as well.
Most of Ukrainian refugees are in Russia, there will be more when EU starts more proactively sending them back to die. Many POWs, after being vetted, were released and settled down in Russia, united with their Ukrainian families. Plenty of other examples of benevolence towards Ukrainians.
Rus administrations are interested in peace and stability. Long ago Putin said he would like to be left alone (for 20 years or so) so they could focus on internal development. It is a conflict of necessity for them. It is a conflict of choice for us. It is us who keep escalating constantly.
What would a clash between NATO and the Russian Federation actually look like? What can NATO still do, offensively or defensively, that has not already been depleted or countered in Ukraine? Or do you think Germany has some Wunderwaffe that has been developed by the newly arrived engineers from Arabia and Africa?
Even the energy system works against Europe. A grid built around thousands of dispersed wind turbines and solar fields is extremely hard to protect. You cannot cover every installation. That is a structural weakness, especially in Germany, and it would show immediately in any serious confrontation.
On top of that, large parts of Western Europe are absorbing huge numbers of culturally alien migrants, many of whom have no stake in defending the existing order and some of whom want a different political-religious settlement as soon as possible. Are they going to fight the Russians? If not, who will?
So a NATO-Russia war is less straightforward than the warning implies. If Iran can wreck a large share of US military and CIA infrastructure, Russia can do analogous things in its own backyard. If it does not, that is a choice.
Putin has said more than once that ‘wait and see’ is the right posture while Europe runs into its own internal turmoil. If that is the strategy, the three questions still stand.
Why keep militarizing on this scale? A possible future clash is not an explanation by itself. It only raises the next question: who is this force actually for, and on what timeline?
Why push SMO veterans into politics? That they should get an education and have the same civic rights as anyone else is not the issue. The issue is the state preference for wartime cadres in government. That looks like preparation for a long confrontation, not for a long stretch of undisturbed internal development.
And the ruthlessness toward Ukrainians does not look like a policy whose first interest is peace and stability. Protecting Russians does not require a war that produces lasting hatred next door. If the real problem is “instigators,” a short war would go after them. A grinding war against the population is a different choice.
I think these three questions point to a Russia building itself into a military power with force projection across Eurasia – not a state waiting for Europe to collapse, not one merely bracing for a clash on the Finnish border, and certainly not one whose first aim is peace and stability, except in the Orwellian sense.
There is no need to a priori posit a veteran as a warmonger. They are offered positions if they want them, provided they prove they are intellectually capable of decision making. Not everybody wants that. SMO veterans come from all walks of life and mostly will return to their previous lives. The point of offering them positions is that they have proven that they are willing to work for their country, not for foreign entities. Who are bigger warmongers . MErzs, Ruttes, Kallases, VdLs or a guy who picked up a gun to defend his country out of necessity? I have people like this in my family, former veterans, they went back to their previous professions and nobody is unhinged warmonger or hater.
Again, not everybody next door hates Russia. That is some western theorising. The highest ranking assassination that happened in Ukraine was an Ukrainian killing Patrubiy, because his kid was sent to Bakhmut and left there to rot. He did not blame Russians, nor did he hate Russians. He properly identified the culprit. Again, no need to a priori take a stance that all Ukrainians will hate Russians. There is no "one Ukrainian". I am sure more Ukrainians hate Ze's regime than Russians.
Militarization? Maybe because their country is threatened with balkanization? Maybe they have better insight than you what the West is still capable?
I moved to Russia, there is plenty of development going on where I live. That was the purpose of installing Belousov as defense minister. From inside things seem different than from Netherlands, if I am not mistaken. Not much warmongering.
I wasn't saying or implying that SMO veterans were warmongers, I was explicitly stating that "the state preference for wartime cadres in government [..] looks like preparation for a long confrontation, not for a long stretch of undisturbed internal development." That is the point you keep sliding past.
I don’t know which Ukrainians you know, but the ones I know do not see Russians the way you describe. I was talking about the effect on Ukrainian youth. When their fathers and uncles are being killed by people the whole digital world teaches them to call invaders, and when the grid is down and winter comes with little heat and only rudimentary power, sympathy for Russia is not what they are likely to take from it. For them this is an invasion, and that framing will stick.
I may not know what Russian intelligence knows, but I have served in a NATO army and still know people in assault and cyber units. From that side, Germany does not look serious next to the Russian or Ukrainian armies – not in training, not in the people available for the work, and not in morale. A few men would fight; many would not; some are already planning to leave.
The problem is no longer confined to the barracks. German media are now full of the other fracture: large numbers of migrants and the friction around them. Whatever one makes of that coverage, it is not the climate of a country preparing to take heavy losses against Russia. People who already distrust their streets and their state are unlikely to line up for a war of that brutality. That is not a poll of Europe. It is what the society around the force looks like from here.
If that is the Western military and the Western home front Moscow is supposed to be arming against, “the West is still capable” does not explain the scale of Russian militarization. Fear of balkanization might. Building force projection over a long period would explain it better, but the scale still looks exaggerated for that purpose alone.
The fact that last time a CIA director was in Moscow was before the imminent invasion of Ukraine. During 4,5 years we have had serious developments/escalations in the War, we have experienced two war-like attacks on Iran with ballistics flying over Mid East. But no CIA director in Moscow. So this one was important.
He is acting on Trumps order.
He must say something eye-to-eye with Naryshkin.
He has clearance to most of the secrets US knows off.
He is not there to receive a message - he is delivering it.
Its a strictly military/state security/intelligence matter - not political
Its of outmost importance to deliver it directly instead of through dimplomatic channels or Trumptweet…
So count out every ”deal” regarding Ukraine or Iran.
It has nothing to do with sanctions.
It has nothing to do with cooruption in Ukraine.
It could be in the nature of imminent attacks form either side. US attacking Iran again - this time with nukes. Russias ”exposed” plans to take Kiev, secure Estonia or debililating Ukraines powergrid for good. It could be a warning that US will increase the support for attacks against Russia motherland or impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine (if Russia dont stop their attacks). Time will tell.
I find it very plausible that he was there to announce the intent to do a "limited" nuclear strike on Iran, to make sure Russia doesn't overreact. They had better overreact, or they are fucked.
>Why in the world is Russia even talking to this guy?
If Russia was a serious country, there would have been a list of death sentences issued in absentia. to be carried out by any means available at any opportunity.
And that list would feature the last several CIA directors, US presidents, Secretaries of State, lots of people in the Pentagon and State Department, most US oligarchs, the scumbags in the think tanks, etc.
Naturally there would be not even a question of hosting him.
It seems that Ukraine is stretched to breaking point. Odessa has been targeted and the southern ports are all but closed. Three major battles and a couple of smaller ones are deteriorating quickly for Ukraine. If Russia is planning on opening another sizeable front in the north then the dial is turned up another couple of notches. Then there is winter as Simplicius pointed out.
Russia CANNOT and MUST NOT stop until the Polish/Romanian [NATO] borders, for several reasons, but mainly 2:
1. Ukraine, US, NATO, UE cannot be trusted, at all, on anything they say, promise or sign, as Russia naïvely has had to suffer over and over again. They do NOT honor or respect any Promise or Treaty. That is well documented.
2. If ANY piece of land in Ukraine is left to the Ukro-Nazis (full of deep, visceral hatred against russians for generations so it is epigenetically embedded on them. They sincerely consider russians sub-humans), they WILL certainly use it to rearm, retrain, reinforce their Army, fully supported by that Gang of Evils, US, NATO, UE, UK, who also have been religiously [catholics, protestants, anglicans against "heretic" orthodox christians whom of course are "evils" and must be destroyed "in the name of God"] brainwashed from the womb for generations to viscerally hate or at least fear Russians, to attack AGAIN the Russians as hard as they can, as they have done for nearly a millennia.
I wonder how many Ukrainians will feel betrayed by NATO when the war ends. Ukrainian refugees in Europe forcably repatriated, an avalanche of corruption exposed, and the discovery that the secret deal with the UK and Trump mean their mineral rights and most of their agriculture belong to foreigners. It will take 200 years to repay their debts.
Funded by the usual suspects! Remember operation Gladio and the terrorist attacks in Italy? Just to prevent the communist party to come into power. Meddling in foreign countries by using ‘privateer’ to give the USA plausible deniability
I understand your reasoning, but Putin was a Soviet KGB officer who spent time in E Germany. He experienced how difficult it was to occupy a hostile country.
I also believe that was heavily in Putin's mind when he agreed to the Istanbul pre-Accord in that document all participants had initialized and he showed once, because of course he has always preferred a peaceful solution. He and many russians considered until not long ago West ukrainians "family" or "cousins", but those deliberate terrorist attacks against civilians most likely changed their minds forcing Putin to escalate as it happening. Not sure right now, but I think I read Putin suggested Poland may get back western Ukraine which belonged to them a century ago or so, and Hungary, addressing your (and mine and many) initial concern, to also demonstrate once and for all to Western Europe that Russia is NOT interested, at all, in their lands, a Mantra so heavily used for so long time to sow hatred against Russia and for some, like von der Leyen, her Brussels Mafia and most EU, UK leaders make lots of money.
Mostly because they have an easy job with very good salaries and benefits without having to pay that much tax as the plebs. Just like NATO employees having good salaries and one of the reasons NATO wasn’t abandoned as the employees did everything to stay relevant. Like in many (political, govermental or sponsored) organizations, where people are ‘fighting’ to keep the organization running as they may lose the ‘easy’ income. I remember one time, that the socialist party lost many votes and people were crying in parliament, but I think mostly because they lost their job.
Salaries play a minor role, Marledonna: They are peanuts, coins, compared to the Billions Ursula von der Leyen, her Brussels Mafia and EU+UK Leaders are criminally taking, almost certainly in secret bank accounts in tax heavens, which easily explains their apparent madness to push the western european citizens to wage war against Russia and destroy the economy just to blame their common enemy: Those "evil" russins: Totally immoral and hyper selfish. They obviously do not care, at all, about their own citizens, as they do not care about those poor ukrainians, much less about their "hated" russians.
I keep hearing that; that 'at the current rate of advance' the war will last until Zelensky's grandchildren are fighting it. Yet Ukraine has been wrecked to the point the UN warned the Ukrainian ethnicity was in danger of eradication. And that was in 2022.
Who's going to be fighting the war in the early 22nd century, on the Ukrainian side? Are the Keebler elves knitting Cossacks in the basement at night? According to that same reference, the UN claims Ukraine's population - actually, Ukraine claims it, since their figures are from the Ukrainian state statistics - was just over 43 million at the beginning of 2022. The UN study forecast that even if the war ended within months - in 2022 - the population of Ukraine by 2100 will have fallen to under 20.6 million. If accurate, that'll be a population loss of over 22 million people, not much less than the entire Soviet Union's losses in World War II. At that point the Independence Day Parade in Kyiv is going to start looking a little spotty, what?
Doesn't that make you wonder who will still be resisting in Novovolynsk in the early 22nd century? And considering the money dumped into Ukraine that can never be recovered - and this is important - unless Russia loses and can be made to pay reparations...what's going to be left of the EU by then?
>Who's going to be fighting the war in the early 22nd century, on the Ukrainian side?
Obviously that will not happen.
Russia will cease to exist long before that.
Ukraine does not need any population, all that is needed there is enough drones to prevent Russia from advancing and for it to serve as a firing platform for Western missiles into Russia.
Russia will be finished withn five years max on the current trajectory. That is why they talk of 2030, that is when they estimate they will have degraded it sufficiently for the final blow.
The Ukronazi movement was Nazi-adjacent in WWII, then fostered since by UK and US ‘intelligence’. Russian and Ukrainian Slavs are untermenschen, not enemies but slaves (until they fight back).
CIA/ISRAEL blood of 3 million ukrainians on their hands and tens of millions elsewhere.
Russia is relentlessly destroying lenins abortion ie ukraine
Here is a another Substack comment from elsewhere which should be sent to the
Leaders of the west:
SIMEON PAPADOPOULOS 16h
Thank you for the up-to-date reporting on the frontline. The Russian strategy is yielding results that are obvious even to the most skeptical about the slow advancements on the battlefields. The Russian war machine has managed to grind down the entire NATO military power through the 4+ years of the SMO. This is an incredible success, considering the extend of the losses inflicted upon the best army NATO ever had, the Ukrainian armed forces, who fight Russia as an expendable proxy.
More than 3 millions of KIA's and almost double that number of seriously wounded and maimed Ukrainians, including tens of thousands mercenaries and even active duty NATO personnel is proof #1.
Add to this the depletion of every single AD system available in the West and the almost total annihilation of the artillery, MRS, MBT's, IFV's and other armored vehicles together with the aviation as proof #2.
Then, consider the 1000+ drones per day targeting military but, mostly civilian targets in Russia that are brought down with only less of a dozen leaking through the omnipotent layered Russian AD as a proof #3.
The total blockade of the Back Sea coastline and the ports of Ukraine manifests as proof #4.
The methodical destruction of the remaining industrial base, transport means as the last remaining locomotives, including the steam engine powered ones and the elimination of the gas stations at the rear of the frontlines constitute the proof #5.
The final nail in the coffin and probably the most relevant one is the total lack of money that has been spent, as a matter of fact transferred to the pockets of the scum backs of both Ukrainians and their Western masters, to finance the brilliant!! PR solutions, parades as proof #6.
There is no possible way to win a war without resources and both the West and their proxy the Ukrainians are running low on every single resource except for the available idiots. Even the Big brother, the US cannot produce something that cannot be produced timely no matter how much money it can be sourced for it. Even more important is that no amount of money in the entire universe can buy human lives that do not exist!
This is not a simple win for mother Russia, it is a triumph!
WTFUD WTFUD 10h
I'm certain you could have listed another dozen bullet-points (clusterfucks) in this Cautionary Tale of Western hubris comrade Simeon.
Those 1000+ drones per day are/were an act of desperation and consumed in 2 months the total annual budget available to Ukraine's military. The $90 billion promised by the EU/UK fell to $60 billion and then $30 billion as the EU Commission degenerates raided their Public Coffers.
The little green goblin is begging a bankrupt unelected chamber for more resources to continue fighting a lost cause.
My explanation, no more ludicrous than the others: the CIA director had a pressing need to use the restroom, and since the plane's toilets were clogged, as sometimes happens on aircraft carriers, the plane landed so he could relieve himself. My source? Madame Pipi. Another version: he went to request political asylum, which was denied. Source: the holy man.
I think the western MSM narrative that Mr. Ratcliff is there to warn Russia about the prospective operation is not realistic, given how the mighty US military performed against Iran and their mighty Navy failure open the strait of Hormuz (?)
Maybe his visit, as you said, to pave the way for conflict resolutions and have some breather?
Moscow did not rush to America.Its the other way. So there can be no warnings of any sort by Americans to the Russians. The situation on the front lines has Ukraine on the backfoot. Pleas by Zelenski for a Ceasefire reflects desperation. America wants to save what's left of Ukraine....
You're assuming the Americans are capable of rational action. They're not. They're getting backed into a corner. Instead of backing down like they should they're gonna double down. Up to and including nukes.
“In order to save the counrty we had to destroy it”
I love the smell of thermobarics in the morning.
Is it me or do I detect a whiff of hazelnut?
No 2
This was funny -- a year ago. The contest has become inane. Let's just stop it before we pollute the idea exchange with trivialities that grate on one's nerves.
100%
It was funny in year one of the internet. Now it’s simply inane.
First, or second...
Looks like you got edged out Alphabet...😉
And you, Victor. Times are tough my friend.
The competition is becoming vicious!...😂
I had to get the darn cat out of the chair!
It's an age old issue that never seems to go away.
https://grasshoppper.substack.com/p/cartwheels-2026
You are sort of quoting me Sir
If he came by cargo plane, it would rather mean he did deliver something or took back on it's way home.
Maybe embassy equipment, which would mean closing CIA station on Russian demand.
C17 landed on 23 at Riga Airport in Latvia. So Ratcliff boarded it there.
Otherwise he would use a proper passenger airplane on direct fly from Washington.
They took a c17 for his vehicles.
Ofc, makes perfect sense.
Wouldn't the US Embassy have vehicles for that?
In saying that - I'm not sure the Embassy is even open....
Maybe bringing zinc coffins back to America
Maybe bringing home the dog er body of impartial itchy Mitch McCONnelllll
Maybe taking guidance from the top? Trump travelled in a catering truck, this guy takes a gas guzzler to fly to Moscow.
WAIT! Something is wrong. I thought Trump is a Russian spy and works for Putin? This makes no sense.
The C17 probably stopped in Riga to refuel - and avoid the queues at petrol stations in Moscow (or, more seriously, avoid the risk of being given contaminated fuel at Vnukovo). Because there are no regular flights to Moscow, there were probably plenty of reasons for Radcliffe to take an XXL plane and bring or take back stuff for the Embassy.
@HormuzLetter
BREAKING: “Russian officials have briefed Iran that the CIA Director Ratcliffe’s Moscow visit delivered a message with the US asking Moscow to press Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, warning that Russian entities would otherwise face designations under Operation Economic Outcast. Russia declined and told Iran the threatened measures were of limited consequence, according to two senior Iranian sources with knowledge of the briefing. The message also warned that Russian banks, traders and shipping entities tied to Iranian oil, gold and aviation will be sanctioned under the operation unless Moscow moves to close those channels.”
Russia, with 20,000 sanctions and $300 Billion in Frozen Assets is supposed to help Scott aka “Sterling” Bessant. “Sterling” is his nickname given by Ehud Barak in the Epstein files.
Sounds plausible, but why would they send Ratcliffe? That sort of deal could be negotiated by the embassy.
Just what I was wondering. Moscow should have shot the bastard on the spot.
He will be keeping company with Lindsey Graham and John McCain soon enough 😜🤭
I think they just delivered a hot sandwich to Edward Snowden on a special request.
They are cooking something that could not be communicated through any electronic devices.
Hold that thought — nothing is safe anymore- security is an oxymoron. The tech age gotcha.
Mark Sleboda's discussion with Garland Nixon today Aug 27 was excellent. Besides Simplicius, Sleboda is one of my favorite analysts. This one is particularly good. Several topics covered including the proposed conscription of Ukie women sold as "muh grrrl powr" etc, starting at 38 min. Required.
https://www.youtube.com/live/D_-kJy7C7hI
I think it's important to keep in mind that Ratcliffe isn't Trump's man, and in fact is more of an enemy of the current U.S. President than an ally. He was foisted on Trump by Senate Republicans (or whoever the true power behind the throne might be). Same was true of Ratcliffe in Trump's first term. He's an insider's insider, a deep state operative all the way through.
You don't .... you chop their heads off.
Oh, I see, since the CIA always seems to represent the deepest dregs of the Petrodollar kings, must of said something about a “limited” tactical nukes discharge and wanted to find Putin’s opinion of said USA’s desperate act?
I think that explanation makes sense.. as there are likely a few factions within the deep state, including the saner ones that would prefer to withdraw and consolidate within the sphere of influence which can be more easily protected, vs being stretched too thin around the world and not having the military industrial muscle to back it up. They want to stay in control and in power... not keep frittering it away day by day with Trump's idiocy.
You right as usual:
https://theleahfiles.substack.com/p/the-currency-killer-scott-bessent?publication_id=7475242&post_id=212780827&isFreemail=true&r=1fki97&triedRedirect=true
Agree. But he wouldnt do this trip without Trumps blessing.
I'm not entirely convinced about that. Probably more accurate to say that Trump wouldn't be president without the CIA's blessing.
before Trump 2024 he was very much in the pro-Trump camp and (sigh) very much beholden to the little-hats-tribe. Simplicius' word play "The rats are now going over the cliff..." is priceless!
I completely missed that. Nice one Simplicius.
The rats come wailing at the wall
Ratcliffe had Tulsi Gabbard's job as DNI during Trump's first term. There's a lot that's come out in the past year and a half that Ratcliffe knew during the first term - and told no one about, including Trump. For example, it's come out just recently that U.S. intelligence knew that China had obtained voter roles for a meaningful percentage of U.S. voters and also had access to voting machines. They didn't do anything with that information, but still obtained it. Ratcliffe withheld that knowledge from Trump.
Ratcliffe knew a lot about COVID that wasn't public - but I'm starting to thinking that maybe Trump's hands aren't so clean in that one. That maybe the reason that it broke out in China and killed many Iranian elites two months before it hit everyone else is that was exactly what it was supposed to do - and the pandemic in the U.S. was an unintentional blow back of Trump deliberately deploying a bioweapon against his two most harped on rivals. He's spent the last month saying he's ready to use nuclear weapons against Iran; why wouldn't he have used a bioweapon six years ago?
That's my theory as well, though I can't be sure how much Trump was clued in on that one.
I am pretty sure Covid was a bioweapon plan aimed to 'expose" China as the origin (when it wasn't). Covid GoF was developed in the US, perhaps Ft Detrich with that Carolina guy invovlement. The virus escaped in the summer of 2019, hence the mysterious shut down of Ft Detrich and the sudden deaths in that Virginia (that's where I recall it was. Need to check) nrsing care facility.
Evidence point to earlier releases, perhaps trial runs (per the antibodies found in many wastewaters in Europe and some in the US). It is likely there was a possibly unintentional release in Italy, strangely coincident with the appearance of the virus in Qums Iran, of all places.
The grant to Wuhan was part of the ploy. The concept being to point fingers later at China as the source. The Wet market is just the conccoted tale, as we now know.
The actual release was not a laboratory escape but a deliberate release during the military games in late 2019. I think that by now we all know that..
So, what went wrong and why Italy?
I can answer only the first question: China is what went wrong. They knew exactly what happened and they had prior experience from the strange previous "corona flus". So (1) they treated it all like the bioweapon that it was, and (2) they made it clear to the US (whoever was in charge then) that not only they know but they have the evidence and will release it, if the US chooses to play hard ball and accuse China. Funny how that never quite happened, isn't it?
So there it is - the full plan. By now everyone knows what we are up against - another plandemics, perhaps, or whatever. That's part fo the game behind the scenes. It's what countries like Russia and China are trying to avert (remember all those disclosures about the bioweapon labs Russia uncovered in the Ukraine?0.
Alas, Italy, near Milano, early 2020 is still a mystery. No patient zero ever found.
The only issue is that it isn't a "bioweapon" by the excess-mortality rate. When did you hear an athletes not recovered in 2020/21 after two/three days of contacting it? Whereas after the jab came out, perfectly healthy folks/soccer players were dropping dead on the field. It's a "bioweapons" in terms of the economic consequences with corporations cutting all budgets in 2020 and accelerating the wealth transfer to bigTech during the 2021 heydays. Mind you, China had the most ridiculous pandemic policies up until early 2023, when it suddenly went from "zero-tolerance" to "let it be" overnight. These nations vs nations analysis just missed the whole point being the deep state + bigTech + bigPharma already have all nations under their control
He is Israel's man. Just listen to all this BS.
The embassy in Moscow doesn't do anything anymore. It's basically shut down. There's a skeleton crew there but the place looks like a ghost town with empty cubicles and dead plants (left behind and unwatered).
A2G. Two things spring to my mind that have some element of certainty over speculative conjecture:
1. It's serious, and serious enough to necessitate R to turn up in person and not delegate a subordinate to do the job.
2. It has to be face to face, no prying eyes nor ears, electronic or organic of allies or adversaries. Finally, afaik, no official statements regarding the purpose of the trip.
i agree with your assessment. I also think it must have been serious to necessitate face to face meeting, rather than anythng virtual.
Could be a threat delivered (we'll let israel use nukes?) or an agreement to avoid that very scenario. Perhaps a redrawing of some red lines we are not aware of.
Gosh, I hate mysteries!!
I tend to agree that a Rat-cliff delivered a Doomsday Message in person
More likely, he wanted to sound out how would Russia react to a limited nuclear strike on Iran.
I agree with Natalia that this visit is not about Ukraine. It is related to two recent developments in the Gulf:
1. It has been revealed that Iran has been striking CIA bases and facilities, and other US intelligence assets in the Middle East, inflicting serious damage.
2. The US embarked on Operation Sanctions Like Never Before, seeking to isolate Iran from its economic partners.
Ratcliffe was sent probably because he was the right person to accuse Russia of providing Iran with the intelligence that allowed it to target CIA assets. He is also a "big gun" pulled out to threaten Russia with reprisals like never before, and demand, as an appeasement, that Russia join the economic blockade of Iran "or else!"
This is so pathetic, that I hope even Putin won't fall for this bluster.
Did you not know but Trump is a Russian spy. Trump works for Putin.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/12/trump-russia-putin-fbi
I thought, and still do I must confess, that he went there on account of Ukraine.
I have to imagine it was a please don’t dressed up as a this is what happens if you do
Yes, it seems the Russians are up to something, lol.
I'm now thinking it might have been about both Ukraine and Iran.
Yes, my immediate reaction was that Ratcliffe had gone to desperately try to bring the Russians on board with the Iran sanctions. But I would have thought he would offer something in return like "take Ukraine and your money if you help us put the screws on Iran". But he threatened them? Typical. And of course he failed.
The U.S. Govt only employs the worst of the worst, and apparently the dumbest motherfuckers on the planet… All of them completely compromised and lacking in any redeemable value at all! The U.S. Govt is just a large collection of HUMAN GARBAGE that needs to be TORCHED!
Oh my, that's so satisfying.
Just the Us government? At this point can you even tell the difference between our private "corporations" and the government?
The U.S. Govt is controlled by the owner class, which includes the MIC, Wall Street, Davos, corporations and big banks (controlled by the Federal Reserve private banking cartel). The U.S. Govt is just the false front, the Potemkin Village of “democracy” that does not exist.
There likely was a sizeable carrot attached to the offer, the Russians just didn't brief about that the Iranians, and why would they? (if this is all true)
Why would Russia believe in the deliciousness of a carrot offered by the nation it has already designated 'not agreement-capable'? Does it not listen to its own political announcements? America's carrots are like Wimpy's spending money, always promising to pay tomorrow for a hamburger today. And then America would chuckle at how it roiled relations between Russia and Iran, without it costing America anything. The essence of backstab diplomacy. And if the USA knows any other kind, it's forgotten.
Bingo
Yes. China is also expected to honour the US illegal sanctions. These people have some gall.
They think it is 1995
According to high-ranking divine sources, God blah blah blah. There was a time when sources were named. This supposed information is far worse than the most mediocre pornographic film set in the savannah between two monkeys.
Scott Pissant
This sounds reasonable, the days of the US/Israel threatening Moscow are long past. Everyone has been making memes about Twink Kushner and witkoff, so they sent another idiot who has more loyalty to Israel than to the US Constitution to beg for help with Iran.
An attempt at Bessent's "level set" expectations on already super-sanctioned Russia?
Can you show the source of the information please? This is a very important subject.
Peskov says Putin did NOT meet Ratcliffe
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cia-director-john-ratcliffe-russia-secret-trip/
duplicate
It's a diversion. Why stage such a show wrapped in secrecy over such a mundane topic?
It was likely a two-fer ask:
1) Please on Iran, because Cheetoh Jesus is desperate to save face; and
2) Please don’t take Odessa and leave a destabilised, landlocked rump of 404, because the knock-on effects of that will spill over into the US’ vassal states in the EU.
Putin about to do some shady backroom deal with his handl......sorry, adversary. Adversary. Definitely not handler
Smells like US desperation to me
Whatever it wqas, they are not doing it from a position of strength.
It'll be whatever position Israel fancy taking them
Definitely, I wonder what was offered?
Knowing the US, the only thing they have to offer are lies and threats.
Nothing.
Maybe Ratcliffe will be taking a couple of crates of vodka back with him on the plane.
Desperation or not…
The fact that last time a CIA director was in Moscow was before the imminent invasion of Ukraine. During 4,5 years we have had serious developments/escalations in the War, we have experienced two war-like attacks on Iran with ballistics flying over Mid East. But no CIA director in Moscow. So this one was important.
He is acting on Trumps order.
He must say something eye-to-eye with Naryshkin.
He has clearance to most of the secrets US knows off.
He is not there to receive a message - he is delivering it.
Its a strictly military/state security/intelligence matter - not political
Its of outmost importance to deliver it directly instead of through dimplomatic channels or Trumptweet…
So count out every ”deal” regarding Ukraine or Iran.
It has nothing to do with sanctions.
It has nothing to do with cooruption in Ukraine.
It could be in the nature of imminent attacks form either side. US attacking Iran again - this time with nukes. Russias ”exposed” plans to take Kiev, secure Estonia or debililating Ukraines powergrid for good. It could be a warning that US will increase the support for attacks against Russia motherland or impose a no-fly zone(not likely) in Ukraine (if Russia dont stop their attacks). Time will tell.
I was with you until you got the part about the US imposing a no-fly zone. Do you believe the US has military power to do it? And the logistics to support such a force?
Not with a fail* of F-35s it doesn't.…
*the only possible collective noun. 😉
THREATING to impose a no-fly zone. Basically making the war officially Russia vs US/NATO, rather than pretending that it's "UKRAINE" sending in the drones.
I think the no fly zone threat is probable. 'If you invade northern Ukr, we go full NATO air power Libya style.' Its pretty much all they have left. Russia will blow them away.
Russia cannot fight NATO air force. Russia is desperately weak.
Flying pigs on the horizon! Take cover.
Fed poster
👎
If it's done right, it shouldn't have to, there would be nothing left of the NATO air force before it even takes off
But it won't be done right...
Just a reminder, that the only proven penetrator of Soviet/Russian air defences is the Cessna 172.
Its probable but not likely. It could however explain why CIA director is talking directly to his Russian counterpart.
No. Thought of omitting it or note (not likely).
I think you missed the part where I explained Why a CIA director would fly to Moscow. It must be important to get the message through and without anything to leak out.
The ”no fly zone” is more of a Hegseth thing so probably only 5% chance of that.
I think 80-90% chance is that US know of an imminent Russian strategic operation which could alter the standstill in the War and/or bring it an end unfavourable to the West. It comes with a warning of US countermeasures.
5-10% its a warning against involvement in Iran. Get those Russian operators or adviser out of Iran - we will otherwise cremate them in coming attacks.
Whatever happens its gonna be interesting to see what the Americans come up with in the next wk. Nukes on Iran sounds plausible since they have nothing else. But the PR effect of the glory boys flying in to save Ukr is also compelling. What else can the West do? Their asymmetrical campaign is failing.
The Russian response to that could be get those US and other Western operatives out of Kiev before we vaporize them.
Time to roll out those S-400's and 500's en masse.
How does a no-fly zone works against Iskanders and Zircons?
Not at all. Interesting that the commentariat grabs the mosst unlikely event to delve on…
Its all about the PR - those brave Western pilots to the rescue. Top Gun 3 incoming
Putin would agree to anything, anyway. The West is serious, very serious and unlike Russia it i snot scared it feels confident.
The West can do anything it wishes.
no, I am not. Why do you ask? Are you a gay?
Ah, straight to the ad hom. Are you from the US?
Cotra was responding to a comment that has subsequently been deleted, you'll notice. Possibly deleted by Simplicius? I assume the deleted comment was an ad hominem. It's fair to respond to an ad hom by returning the favor. I don't think Cotra is an American.
Yawn.
CD...you figure it out
This event is an integral strategic step in the ongoing process by TPTB 0.000001% C&C Apex to remove POTUS 47 from office by year-end to be followed by the temporary evil reign of POTUS 48 lasting until January 20th 2029 when POTUS 49 inaugurated, Gold American Buffalo (Liberty) valued over $8,600 and The ROC (Revolution of Consciousness) will have reached its next Archimedean point of no-return, dialectic synthesis and punctuated equilibrium. Semper fi!
How does the US impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine exactly?
It's not as if Russian planes are flying there.
And it is not as if the US can stop Russian missiles and drones. It can't stop the Iranian ones.
What that would actually be is the US moving in with its own aviation inside Ukraine to do offensive tactical operations against Russia.
Basing US aircraft in Ukraine would require a huge logistical tail.
Or you do it in Poland and Romania first - then move into Ukraine…
That's still a big logistical tail, not to mention, a long round trip and would require aerial refueling somewhere over Ukraine.
Its easy to ask AI…Feral.
” An F-35 (primarily the F-35A variant relevant to land bases) based at Rzeszów–Jasionka Airport in southeastern Poland could reach deep into Ukraine on internal fuel alone—covering western, central, and much of eastern Ukraine on typical combat missions, and essentially the entire country on lighter or one-way profiles—due to the short distance to the border and the aircraft’s combat radius.
Rzeszów sits roughly 55–100 km from the Polish-Ukrainian border
Key F-35 range figures (internal fuel, no external tanks to preserve stealth)Combat radius (fly to target area, perform mission with weapons/maneuvering reserves, and return): Typically ~590–670+ nautical miles (~1,090–1,240 km) for the F-35A. Official/Lockheed and demonstrated figures include >590 nm / ~1,093 km, ~669 nm / ~1,239 km for air-to-surface/interdiction, and up to ~760 nm / ~1,410 km for optimized air-to-air. The F-35B is shorter (~450 nm / ~833 km); the F-35C is similar to or slightly better than the A (~600–670 nm).
Unrefueled range (more ferry-like, less combat fuel reserve): >1,200 nm / ~2,200 km for the F-35A/C.
These depend heavily on payload, altitude/speed profile, weather, and exact combat time. Real missions often use aerial refueling to extend reach or time on station; without it, the combat radius is the practical limit for round-trip operations.
Approximate straight-line distances from RzeszówUkrainian border: ~50–100 km.
Lviv: ~147 km / ~80 nm.
Kyiv: ~610–635 km / ~330–350 nm.
Odesa: ~760 km / ~410 nm.
Kharkiv: ~1,020–1,025 km / ~550–555 nm.
airmilescalculator.com
Ukraine spans roughly 1,316 km west-to-east.
Practical reach into UkraineWith a ~1,100–1,240 km combat radius starting from near the border, an F-35 could:Easily cover all of western and central Ukraine (Lviv, Kyiv, etc.) with substantial fuel margin for combat, loiter, or diversion.
Reach southern areas like Odesa comfortably.
Reach or approach Kharkiv and much of the east on standard profiles (Kharkiv is near the outer edge of many published combat-radius figures, so lighter loads, efficient profiles, or slightly reduced combat time help). Far-eastern areas near the Russian border would be tighter for a full combat round-trip without refueling but remain feasible one-way or with tanker support.
In short, from Rzeszów an unrefueled F-35 on a typical mission could operate across the large majority of Ukrainian territory. Aerial refueling (standard for F-35 operations) would extend this further or allow more time on station. Note that actual basing, rules of engagement, air defenses, and politics would constrain real operations far more than pure range. Poland’s own F-35s are primarily associated with other bases (e.g., Łask), though allied F-35s have operated from or near Rzeszów in support roles.”
Yes GM. Perhaps instead of blowing up shopping malls, the AFR could take out airfield radar, hangars, and fuel depots. This will greatly degrade air freight transport of weapons from the West.
While they're at it, how about severing rail lines from the West?
This seems to be a strategic no-brainer since Ukraine imports weapons and components in massive numbers from the West . Ditto for distillates. At this rate, Russia will still be trudging along, being bled white and softened for an ultimate Western attack in 2030 led byGermany.
You fly in from Poland and Romania at first. Russia will not attack there. Later you move to the westernmost airfields still in service (peculiar it is) in Ukraine. Expanding the no fly zone into the grey zone and perhaps beyond. Russia will only answer directly above the new Russian Oblasts. My guess. I think it higly unlikely Ratcliff talked about it. Why dont you comment the other I wrote instead?
Eyes on Kaliningrad.
US can't even impose a no fly zone over Yemen lmao. Zero chance vs Russia
An entire Globemaster, full of computers and documents, and I guess they took the flags with them as well
The C-17 Globemaster is a big mother.. 174 ft. long and 169 ft. wingspan. Can carry 102 paratroopers or one M1 Abrams tank. Why such a huge plane for Ratcliffe and his entourage? Did they make a stop along the way to not only refuel, but to deliver armaments for the Bankova rodent?
Presumably that US military plane did a wee bit of mapping and listening as it flew over Russia into Moscow.
A flying data center. Here's hoping the Russians jammed-up their computers.
Why in the world is Russia even talking to this guy?
To be told "You better not?"
Putin has repeated many times that only after Russia completes the goals they set out could the war end.
It would clearly be a mistake to accept anything less from people who have never kept a negotiation in their life and can't be trusted.
This is a good example of why I read less these days since we already have 50 people telling us what it means.
Who can bother with that?
The thing about international relations is that when the war stops you still have to deal with your opponents. The Russians know they are sitting on the largest reserves of wealth on the planet. Peace and stability are their primary concern. That is why Empires aim is war and chaos. The Russians are playing the game and assuming others watch and consider their approach superior to Empire's. Time is on their side.
I get what you mean, but the Russians aren't the 'good guys' here. Sure, the Empire is going down and a new world order must be established – everyone knows that by now. But claiming the Russians are out for peace and stability has no basis in reality:
Why is Russia militarizing on such a scale? After all, the Ukraine conflict could have been ended long ago.
Why are SMO veterans actively encouraged to start careers in politics? Why does the Russian Federation want warriors in its government?
Why is Russia so ruthless towards the Ukrainian people? Everybody knows what's going on, so why not remove the instigators and the mafia? It shouldn't be hard to find out the locations and send some Iskanders that way. Instead the Russians play along, killing millions of Ukrainian men and inciting hatred for the Russian people among the Ukrainian youth.
It seems the current Russian administration is interested in exactly the opposite of peace and stability.
Ukraine is just one battlefield. They need new troops on the border with Finland now, for example. Maybe they anticipate direct NATO clash in the future. I personally do.
Why wouldn't SMO veterans be encouraged to start a political career? If they choose so they are given opportunities for adequate education and if they can finish it, then they are trained for political positions. Nothing wrong with that. They do not go straight from frontlines to Duma. I have seen a young marine, Hero of Russia who was given this opportunity and he said that he failed some examinations and will try again. Without proper education he cannot participate in leadership roles, even if he wanted to.
The logic is that people who were willing to sacrifice everything as volunteers should be given an opportunity to lead the country. What is wrong with that? I think it is better than some Rutte-types leading the country. Also they are citizens, every citizen has the right to participate in political leadership, if they wish so.
Removing instigators means removing western political class. We might still come to that. But otherwise Putin's job is to protect Russians, not Ukrainians. I personally wonder why Ukrainians still walk around without guns or cleavers or some nasty dog breeds, after all these years. They are easy prey for busifiers. Ukrainians need to do something on their own to overthrow their police state as well.
Most of Ukrainian refugees are in Russia, there will be more when EU starts more proactively sending them back to die. Many POWs, after being vetted, were released and settled down in Russia, united with their Ukrainian families. Plenty of other examples of benevolence towards Ukrainians.
Rus administrations are interested in peace and stability. Long ago Putin said he would like to be left alone (for 20 years or so) so they could focus on internal development. It is a conflict of necessity for them. It is a conflict of choice for us. It is us who keep escalating constantly.
Ok, let’s be honest here.
What would a clash between NATO and the Russian Federation actually look like? What can NATO still do, offensively or defensively, that has not already been depleted or countered in Ukraine? Or do you think Germany has some Wunderwaffe that has been developed by the newly arrived engineers from Arabia and Africa?
Even the energy system works against Europe. A grid built around thousands of dispersed wind turbines and solar fields is extremely hard to protect. You cannot cover every installation. That is a structural weakness, especially in Germany, and it would show immediately in any serious confrontation.
On top of that, large parts of Western Europe are absorbing huge numbers of culturally alien migrants, many of whom have no stake in defending the existing order and some of whom want a different political-religious settlement as soon as possible. Are they going to fight the Russians? If not, who will?
So a NATO-Russia war is less straightforward than the warning implies. If Iran can wreck a large share of US military and CIA infrastructure, Russia can do analogous things in its own backyard. If it does not, that is a choice.
Putin has said more than once that ‘wait and see’ is the right posture while Europe runs into its own internal turmoil. If that is the strategy, the three questions still stand.
Why keep militarizing on this scale? A possible future clash is not an explanation by itself. It only raises the next question: who is this force actually for, and on what timeline?
Why push SMO veterans into politics? That they should get an education and have the same civic rights as anyone else is not the issue. The issue is the state preference for wartime cadres in government. That looks like preparation for a long confrontation, not for a long stretch of undisturbed internal development.
And the ruthlessness toward Ukrainians does not look like a policy whose first interest is peace and stability. Protecting Russians does not require a war that produces lasting hatred next door. If the real problem is “instigators,” a short war would go after them. A grinding war against the population is a different choice.
I think these three questions point to a Russia building itself into a military power with force projection across Eurasia – not a state waiting for Europe to collapse, not one merely bracing for a clash on the Finnish border, and certainly not one whose first aim is peace and stability, except in the Orwellian sense.
There is no need to a priori posit a veteran as a warmonger. They are offered positions if they want them, provided they prove they are intellectually capable of decision making. Not everybody wants that. SMO veterans come from all walks of life and mostly will return to their previous lives. The point of offering them positions is that they have proven that they are willing to work for their country, not for foreign entities. Who are bigger warmongers . MErzs, Ruttes, Kallases, VdLs or a guy who picked up a gun to defend his country out of necessity? I have people like this in my family, former veterans, they went back to their previous professions and nobody is unhinged warmonger or hater.
Again, not everybody next door hates Russia. That is some western theorising. The highest ranking assassination that happened in Ukraine was an Ukrainian killing Patrubiy, because his kid was sent to Bakhmut and left there to rot. He did not blame Russians, nor did he hate Russians. He properly identified the culprit. Again, no need to a priori take a stance that all Ukrainians will hate Russians. There is no "one Ukrainian". I am sure more Ukrainians hate Ze's regime than Russians.
Militarization? Maybe because their country is threatened with balkanization? Maybe they have better insight than you what the West is still capable?
I moved to Russia, there is plenty of development going on where I live. That was the purpose of installing Belousov as defense minister. From inside things seem different than from Netherlands, if I am not mistaken. Not much warmongering.
I wasn't saying or implying that SMO veterans were warmongers, I was explicitly stating that "the state preference for wartime cadres in government [..] looks like preparation for a long confrontation, not for a long stretch of undisturbed internal development." That is the point you keep sliding past.
I don’t know which Ukrainians you know, but the ones I know do not see Russians the way you describe. I was talking about the effect on Ukrainian youth. When their fathers and uncles are being killed by people the whole digital world teaches them to call invaders, and when the grid is down and winter comes with little heat and only rudimentary power, sympathy for Russia is not what they are likely to take from it. For them this is an invasion, and that framing will stick.
I may not know what Russian intelligence knows, but I have served in a NATO army and still know people in assault and cyber units. From that side, Germany does not look serious next to the Russian or Ukrainian armies – not in training, not in the people available for the work, and not in morale. A few men would fight; many would not; some are already planning to leave.
The problem is no longer confined to the barracks. German media are now full of the other fracture: large numbers of migrants and the friction around them. Whatever one makes of that coverage, it is not the climate of a country preparing to take heavy losses against Russia. People who already distrust their streets and their state are unlikely to line up for a war of that brutality. That is not a poll of Europe. It is what the society around the force looks like from here.
If that is the Western military and the Western home front Moscow is supposed to be arming against, “the West is still capable” does not explain the scale of Russian militarization. Fear of balkanization might. Building force projection over a long period would explain it better, but the scale still looks exaggerated for that purpose alone.
‘Why in the world is Russia even talking to this guy?’
There is limited trust between the parties. The Globe master landed in Riga for fuel as they do not trust the Russians.
And naturally Russia never smuggled any MANPADS to the 40% of the Latvian population that is Russian...
Any evidence of that? At all? Because I have to say that's the first I ever heard it mentioned.
Evidence for what?
That 40% of the population is Russian?
Officially it's only 30%, but they are overcounting the ethnic Latvians, a much higher proportion of whom is not in Latvia but in Europe.
The capital Riga is 50-50
Maybe they stopped in Riga so Ratcliffe could pick up one of those affordable Baltic escorts for the ride in to Moscow.
”You better not…”
The fact that last time a CIA director was in Moscow was before the imminent invasion of Ukraine. During 4,5 years we have had serious developments/escalations in the War, we have experienced two war-like attacks on Iran with ballistics flying over Mid East. But no CIA director in Moscow. So this one was important.
He is acting on Trumps order.
He must say something eye-to-eye with Naryshkin.
He has clearance to most of the secrets US knows off.
He is not there to receive a message - he is delivering it.
Its a strictly military/state security/intelligence matter - not political
Its of outmost importance to deliver it directly instead of through dimplomatic channels or Trumptweet…
So count out every ”deal” regarding Ukraine or Iran.
It has nothing to do with sanctions.
It has nothing to do with cooruption in Ukraine.
It could be in the nature of imminent attacks form either side. US attacking Iran again - this time with nukes. Russias ”exposed” plans to take Kiev, secure Estonia or debililating Ukraines powergrid for good. It could be a warning that US will increase the support for attacks against Russia motherland or impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine (if Russia dont stop their attacks). Time will tell.
I find it very plausible that he was there to announce the intent to do a "limited" nuclear strike on Iran, to make sure Russia doesn't overreact. They had better overreact, or they are fucked.
They talk with him as that is Putin's master.
>Why in the world is Russia even talking to this guy?
If Russia was a serious country, there would have been a list of death sentences issued in absentia. to be carried out by any means available at any opportunity.
And that list would feature the last several CIA directors, US presidents, Secretaries of State, lots of people in the Pentagon and State Department, most US oligarchs, the scumbags in the think tanks, etc.
Naturally there would be not even a question of hosting him.
It seems that Ukraine is stretched to breaking point. Odessa has been targeted and the southern ports are all but closed. Three major battles and a couple of smaller ones are deteriorating quickly for Ukraine. If Russia is planning on opening another sizeable front in the north then the dial is turned up another couple of notches. Then there is winter as Simplicius pointed out.
Interesting ... only time will tell.
Buuuuuuuuut thuuuuuuuuu drooooooooones
Russia CANNOT and MUST NOT stop until the Polish/Romanian [NATO] borders, for several reasons, but mainly 2:
1. Ukraine, US, NATO, UE cannot be trusted, at all, on anything they say, promise or sign, as Russia naïvely has had to suffer over and over again. They do NOT honor or respect any Promise or Treaty. That is well documented.
2. If ANY piece of land in Ukraine is left to the Ukro-Nazis (full of deep, visceral hatred against russians for generations so it is epigenetically embedded on them. They sincerely consider russians sub-humans), they WILL certainly use it to rearm, retrain, reinforce their Army, fully supported by that Gang of Evils, US, NATO, UE, UK, who also have been religiously [catholics, protestants, anglicans against "heretic" orthodox christians whom of course are "evils" and must be destroyed "in the name of God"] brainwashed from the womb for generations to viscerally hate or at least fear Russians, to attack AGAIN the Russians as hard as they can, as they have done for nearly a millennia.
I wonder how many Ukrainians will feel betrayed by NATO when the war ends. Ukrainian refugees in Europe forcably repatriated, an avalanche of corruption exposed, and the discovery that the secret deal with the UK and Trump mean their mineral rights and most of their agriculture belong to foreigners. It will take 200 years to repay their debts.
How many angry Ukrainians will attack Europe?
No country, no debt?
Poser
?
You know.
@Alyosha
No, I don't.
lmao
How about you elaborate?
No?
angry Ukrainians attacking Europe - funded by? how?
The country has been flooded with weapons. I was thinking terrorist attacks using small arms and drones. Assassination attempts? Organised crime?
Operation Gladio?
Funded by the usual suspects! Remember operation Gladio and the terrorist attacks in Italy? Just to prevent the communist party to come into power. Meddling in foreign countries by using ‘privateer’ to give the USA plausible deniability
I understand your reasoning, but Putin was a Soviet KGB officer who spent time in E Germany. He experienced how difficult it was to occupy a hostile country.
I also believe that was heavily in Putin's mind when he agreed to the Istanbul pre-Accord in that document all participants had initialized and he showed once, because of course he has always preferred a peaceful solution. He and many russians considered until not long ago West ukrainians "family" or "cousins", but those deliberate terrorist attacks against civilians most likely changed their minds forcing Putin to escalate as it happening. Not sure right now, but I think I read Putin suggested Poland may get back western Ukraine which belonged to them a century ago or so, and Hungary, addressing your (and mine and many) initial concern, to also demonstrate once and for all to Western Europe that Russia is NOT interested, at all, in their lands, a Mantra so heavily used for so long time to sow hatred against Russia and for some, like von der Leyen, her Brussels Mafia and most EU, UK leaders make lots of money.
Mostly because they have an easy job with very good salaries and benefits without having to pay that much tax as the plebs. Just like NATO employees having good salaries and one of the reasons NATO wasn’t abandoned as the employees did everything to stay relevant. Like in many (political, govermental or sponsored) organizations, where people are ‘fighting’ to keep the organization running as they may lose the ‘easy’ income. I remember one time, that the socialist party lost many votes and people were crying in parliament, but I think mostly because they lost their job.
Salaries play a minor role, Marledonna: They are peanuts, coins, compared to the Billions Ursula von der Leyen, her Brussels Mafia and EU+UK Leaders are criminally taking, almost certainly in secret bank accounts in tax heavens, which easily explains their apparent madness to push the western european citizens to wage war against Russia and destroy the economy just to blame their common enemy: Those "evil" russins: Totally immoral and hyper selfish. They obviously do not care, at all, about their own citizens, as they do not care about those poor ukrainians, much less about their "hated" russians.
Russia did not ‘occupy’ East Germany but the Americans did West Germany.
I don’t think so. Germany under communism was not ‘hostile’ and was not occupied’. Those are Western anti communist tropes.
>Russia CANNOT and MUST NOT stop until the Polish/Romanian [NATO] borders,
At the current rate the battle for Novovolynsk will happen somewhere in the early 22nd century
I keep hearing that; that 'at the current rate of advance' the war will last until Zelensky's grandchildren are fighting it. Yet Ukraine has been wrecked to the point the UN warned the Ukrainian ethnicity was in danger of eradication. And that was in 2022.
https://www.intellinews.com/un-projects-ukraine-s-population-will-never-recover-from-war-254300/
Who's going to be fighting the war in the early 22nd century, on the Ukrainian side? Are the Keebler elves knitting Cossacks in the basement at night? According to that same reference, the UN claims Ukraine's population - actually, Ukraine claims it, since their figures are from the Ukrainian state statistics - was just over 43 million at the beginning of 2022. The UN study forecast that even if the war ended within months - in 2022 - the population of Ukraine by 2100 will have fallen to under 20.6 million. If accurate, that'll be a population loss of over 22 million people, not much less than the entire Soviet Union's losses in World War II. At that point the Independence Day Parade in Kyiv is going to start looking a little spotty, what?
Doesn't that make you wonder who will still be resisting in Novovolynsk in the early 22nd century? And considering the money dumped into Ukraine that can never be recovered - and this is important - unless Russia loses and can be made to pay reparations...what's going to be left of the EU by then?
>Who's going to be fighting the war in the early 22nd century, on the Ukrainian side?
Obviously that will not happen.
Russia will cease to exist long before that.
Ukraine does not need any population, all that is needed there is enough drones to prevent Russia from advancing and for it to serve as a firing platform for Western missiles into Russia.
Russia will be finished withn five years max on the current trajectory. That is why they talk of 2030, that is when they estimate they will have degraded it sufficiently for the final blow.
The Ukronazi movement was Nazi-adjacent in WWII, then fostered since by UK and US ‘intelligence’. Russian and Ukrainian Slavs are untermenschen, not enemies but slaves (until they fight back).
CIA/ISRAEL blood of 3 million ukrainians on their hands and tens of millions elsewhere.
Russia is relentlessly destroying lenins abortion ie ukraine
Here is a another Substack comment from elsewhere which should be sent to the
Leaders of the west:
SIMEON PAPADOPOULOS 16h
Thank you for the up-to-date reporting on the frontline. The Russian strategy is yielding results that are obvious even to the most skeptical about the slow advancements on the battlefields. The Russian war machine has managed to grind down the entire NATO military power through the 4+ years of the SMO. This is an incredible success, considering the extend of the losses inflicted upon the best army NATO ever had, the Ukrainian armed forces, who fight Russia as an expendable proxy.
More than 3 millions of KIA's and almost double that number of seriously wounded and maimed Ukrainians, including tens of thousands mercenaries and even active duty NATO personnel is proof #1.
Add to this the depletion of every single AD system available in the West and the almost total annihilation of the artillery, MRS, MBT's, IFV's and other armored vehicles together with the aviation as proof #2.
Then, consider the 1000+ drones per day targeting military but, mostly civilian targets in Russia that are brought down with only less of a dozen leaking through the omnipotent layered Russian AD as a proof #3.
The total blockade of the Back Sea coastline and the ports of Ukraine manifests as proof #4.
The methodical destruction of the remaining industrial base, transport means as the last remaining locomotives, including the steam engine powered ones and the elimination of the gas stations at the rear of the frontlines constitute the proof #5.
The final nail in the coffin and probably the most relevant one is the total lack of money that has been spent, as a matter of fact transferred to the pockets of the scum backs of both Ukrainians and their Western masters, to finance the brilliant!! PR solutions, parades as proof #6.
There is no possible way to win a war without resources and both the West and their proxy the Ukrainians are running low on every single resource except for the available idiots. Even the Big brother, the US cannot produce something that cannot be produced timely no matter how much money it can be sourced for it. Even more important is that no amount of money in the entire universe can buy human lives that do not exist!
This is not a simple win for mother Russia, it is a triumph!
WTFUD WTFUD 10h
I'm certain you could have listed another dozen bullet-points (clusterfucks) in this Cautionary Tale of Western hubris comrade Simeon.
Those 1000+ drones per day are/were an act of desperation and consumed in 2 months the total annual budget available to Ukraine's military. The $90 billion promised by the EU/UK fell to $60 billion and then $30 billion as the EU Commission degenerates raided their Public Coffers.
The little green goblin is begging a bankrupt unelected chamber for more resources to continue fighting a lost cause.
My explanation, no more ludicrous than the others: the CIA director had a pressing need to use the restroom, and since the plane's toilets were clogged, as sometimes happens on aircraft carriers, the plane landed so he could relieve himself. My source? Madame Pipi. Another version: he went to request political asylum, which was denied. Source: the holy man.
I think the western MSM narrative that Mr. Ratcliff is there to warn Russia about the prospective operation is not realistic, given how the mighty US military performed against Iran and their mighty Navy failure open the strait of Hormuz (?)
Maybe his visit, as you said, to pave the way for conflict resolutions and have some breather?
American "diplomats" and the thoroughly criminal CIA are incapable of conflict resolutions
There are no American "diplomats".
There aren't even any Western diplomats anymore.
Nor European.
The Saxons and Nordics have foresworn Diplomacy.
Moscow did not rush to America.Its the other way. So there can be no warnings of any sort by Americans to the Russians. The situation on the front lines has Ukraine on the backfoot. Pleas by Zelenski for a Ceasefire reflects desperation. America wants to save what's left of Ukraine....
Possible
You're assuming the Americans are capable of rational action. They're not. They're getting backed into a corner. Instead of backing down like they should they're gonna double down. Up to and including nukes.
And that would be a problem for all of us.
British understatement!