What most corrupt Western shitheads do not understand is that Russia has a multitude of parties - not one Uniparty posing as two. For God's sake, in Russia they even had known CIA agents like Navalny and Nemtsov running for leadership. Imagine if the KGB put someone like that in to wreck the country for within! Wait! Trump!!!!
Putins Party at 24 or 26% and Putin's leadership at 70% or higher, as it almost always is, is the equivalent of 100% in the Unipartied West.
Most Leaders of the West deserve the fate of Navalny and Nemtsov and Judas (Jail for fraud, Obscurity and Suicide) but, how many people understand that?
Expected. Zelensky only declared, that he will not strike the Red Square during celebration.
Fico susppose to come to Kremlin with message from Zelensky and suppose to take back an answer. But Kremlin spokesperson denied everything, so Zelensky has lost his chance for diplomacy. Nobody else tries to mediate for over 2 months, since Iran war has started.
Ukrainians breached almost 9000x one sided ceasefire declared by Russia. In symmetrical responses they have lost 940 soldiers in those suicidal attacks in the first 24h . They never learn. They had a chance to enjoy that one day holiday and live their lives.
The dying Ukrainians are sacrificial lambs on the altar of the City of London/Wall Street.
As for 'western values' against the Russian Federation, here are the aged pussyriot ladies in Venice: "Ukraine is not a brothel, except when it makes for a good political protest."
A handful of half-naked performance artists from Pussy Riot and FEMEN barricaded the Russian pavilion for all of 30 minutes to protest against its opening in support of Ukraine. …
FEMEN was founded in 2008 after its founder became aware of Ukrainian women being duped into going abroad and being sexually exploited. Its original slogan was ‘Ukraine is not a brothel’. Fast-forward to Venice 2026, and we’re observing the same movement stripping for the cameras of foreign journalists at a European art fair, making sure the lighting is good, giving the gentlemen of the international press something to look at. …
In 2021, Tolokonnikova [PussyRiot leader] opened an OnlyFans account selling subscriptions to images of herself for $10 a month. It is what FEMEN was founded to fight: A woman selling access to her body to men for money, on a platform owned by Leonid Radvinsky, born in Odessa, who acquired OnlyFans in 2018 and steered it deliberately toward pornography, extracting hundreds of millions in annual dividends from the arrangement before dying this March."
FEMEN is a Soros Open Society psy op and Soros also invested in the Bordello called The Ukraine of Dignity which followed the CIA/USSD/MI6 coup d'etat on the Maidan in 2012.
"Pussy Riot" - the name and band - was so obviously for Western Propaganda purposes that Soros did not even bother to give it a Russian name.
"Pussy Riot" means absolutely zero in Russian to 99% of the Russian population.
He admitted many times, he was meddling already before the independence of UA.
Here is a convo with Freeland:
"🇺🇦🇨🇦 Footage has surfaced of a 2015 conversation between George Soros and Chrystia Freeland, now serving as Zelensky's adviser on Ukraine's economic development.
In the exchange, both openly acknowledged that Ukraine's post-Maidan government was stocked with individuals connected to Soros's Open Society network.
"Everyone who I know in that group has been touched somehow by Open Society," Freeland says. "Like literally, either people personally got a scholarship or, you know, their wife got a scholarship. It's a really remarkable thing."
Soros responded: "I didn't realize actually how big an effect it has had over a 25-year period, because those were students. Twenty-five years later, they were leaders."
Freeland, who until recently served as Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, and whose grandfather Mykhailo Chomiak was a Nazi collaborator who edited a German-controlled Ukrainian newspaper during the occupation, has long maintained close ties to Soros and his network."
It was a total catastrophe for Russia today, caused by its own "leader".
First, ceded the initiative completely. What happened over the last few days:
1) Zelensky makes threats against Moscow. On the territory of a traditional Russian ally, and a very short distance away from a major Russian military bases. He should not have made it alive out of Armenia, but is once again not touched.
2) The Russian MoD feels compelled to finally issue a specific threat of retaliation; but one that only concerns a very specific attack on Russia, thus making all other attacks OK somehow.
3) The Ukro-NATO-Nazis proceed to launch one of their most massive drone and missile attacks all over Russia in the days just before May 9th. Perm, Yaroslavl, Rostov, Moscow suburbs, etc. places get hit. There is no response
4) Then Trump steps in with a proposal for a ceasefire for a couple days
5) Zelensky magnanimously "allows" Russia to have its parade.
6) Ushakov praises Trump for being a peacemaker.
End result? Russia's position has deteriorated further:
1) Russia itself has once again established Trump as a "neutral peacemaker". Same guy who just sent Ukraine thousands of JDAM-ERs.
2) Zelensky was once again not touched at all, and exited the situation effectively in a superior position to Putin.
3) Russia was bombed mercilessly for days, and did not respond at all
4) Russia itself shifted its red/brown lines to "don't bomb the parade", but everything else is apparently OK.
To top it all off, then Putin made a series of absolutely catastrophic statements later in the day. Let's quote them:
>Putin believes the Ukrainian conflict is nearing an end, according to TASS.
>Putin stated that the decision to withdraw Russian troops from Kyiv in the spring of 2022 was made following a request from the French president.
>"Macron called me in 2022 and said that Ukraine cannot sign documents in Istanbul 'with a gun to its head,' and asked me to withdraw troops from Kyiv," Putin stated.
>Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy not only in Moscow but also in a third country, but this time to sign an agreement. The Russian president announced this at a press conference in the Kremlin. The key points were summarized:
>— The conflict in Ukraine is nearing an end.
>— Russia is ready for negotiations with Ukraine and is not opposed to US mediation.
>— Trump, according to Putin, spoke "very honorably" about May 9 and supported the idea of a ceasefire.
>— Russia is ready to talk with any EU representative who "has not said nasty things" about Moscow.
>— Putin called Schröder the preferred candidate for dialogue between Russia and Europe.
>— Russia is ready to remove Iranian enriched uranium.
>— Escalation around Iran will impact all countries in the region.
>Putin commented on the worsening relations with Armenia following Zelenskyy's visit to Yerevan.
>He stated that the Armenian authorities could hold a referendum on EU accession. And if the Armenian people support such a course, Russia could initiate a "civilized divorce" from Armenia .
So what do we have here:
1) If the war is nearing its end, then Putin effectively officially conceded total defeat. Because none of the originally stated goals of the war has been achieved. Not even the much reduced goals from June 2024 have been achieved or look likely to be achieved any time soon
2) Putin has legitimized Zelensky and has conceded on not even meeting to sign the paper in Moscow. Which is fitting given that he will be signing Russia's surrender.
3) He is doubling down on betting on corruption in his relationships with the West as a way to resolve conflicts. Because we saw how well that worked over his quarter century in power
4) He has betrayed Iran. With all the consequences.
5) He is abandoning the Caucasus region. Without a fight. After Russia spent centuries and spilled rivers of blood to establish itself there. With all the consequences.
6) Putin once again admitted that he is an incompetent buffoon who got duped yet again by the West in 2022. It's either that or deliberate treason. The only question regarding which this distinction matters is the one whether he should be executed or only removed from office, but either way he is completely unfit to be Russia's president.
Don't laugh, Green Midget, our mascot and entertainer (clown), is running for the Paralympic Nobel Prize in the brain category. We must at least give him credit for that courage, public.
I don't like personal remarks, but this GM man or woman is becoming a tremendous bore. His/her
obsessions are to see Putin executed and the start of a nuclear war.
The latest pearl. Sequence of events:
1. Zelensky threatens to attack a parade in Moscow.
2. He is warned not to do it or else.
3. The parade takes place and there is no attack.
4. Analysis of the former ɓy our inimitable commentator: Russia was
humiliated.
I miss in his/her post a mention of Putin baldness, a very threatening situation that spells doom for Russia, while Trump's colourful and exuberant mane is the proof of US dominant position and glory.
Second. It is Z-boy that ought to be humiliated. Putin got Trump to yank the Yapping Kiev lapdog's chain. And the Ukrainian pauper whimpered back to his feathered bed.
Last. Russia is doing yeoman's work in bleeding out Ukraine, in draining Europe of money, energy and their future.
Finally, without Russia and China, there is no resolution to the Middle East Trump/Netanyahoo F-up.
I would rather see a Putin at the wheel than another Stalin/Zhukov steam roller crushing Ukraine and the rest of the barking dogs of Fascist Europe.
Just saw NYT whining yesterday how Russia is helping rebuild inflicted damage from the war. Iranians keep thanking Russians for help.
Posting short statements, without backing them up, is not a way to go. But that is GM, posts something like this as if it is a god given fact, and moves on.
'🇷🇺🤝🇮🇷 Russia and Iran have sharply increased trade turnover through the Caspian Sea, NYT reports
▪️Russia and Iran have sharply increased cargo traffic along an alternative route through the Caspian Sea after the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, The New York Times, NYT, states.
▪️Four Iranian ports operate on the Caspian Sea. They receive ships carrying wheat, corn, animal feed, sunflower oil, and other goods that were previously delivered through the Strait of Hormuz.
▪️The United States cannot obstruct the passage of ships through the Caspian Sea, as only the five countries bordering the sea have access to it.
▪️By the end of the year, the volume of trade between Russia and Iran through the Caspian Sea could double. “Because of instability in the Middle East, Caspian routes to Iran look much more attractive,” NYT emphasizes.'
Pretty much spot on. A line-of-contact ceasefire is probably imminent. Strategic defeat of russia, sad but true. This is what happens when you go half measures
We have to accept that it is Ukraine who pioneered drone warfare, who made first battlefield use of HIMARS and to great effect, who successfully fleeced the West of hundreds of billions of dollars and Euros in exchange for nothing. It was zelensky who bullied and berated Trump, and who created the perception of a courageous underdog while Putin remained detached and aloof and hidden.
Russia has caused much damage and destruction in ukraine and inflicted extremely heavy casualties, but so did the wehrmacht. The ussr won the war because of manpower and the depth of the country. This analogy is now in reverse, where Europe is functioning as the "deep untouchable reserve" and manpower is automated
Putin is too hung up on playing by rules. Good for him, but he isnt the man for the moment
Drones were used by both sides since 2014 though (really picked up in 2016) and the Russian MoD under Shoigu was too incomoetent to do anything abt it. And the real pioneers was Azerbaijan (and the Russian MoD took no lessons from that either).
I agree, Putin is "playing by the rules" and operating by "Gentleman's agreements), which history shows with the likes of Napoleon, anyone willing to flip the board wins. Putin is not willing to flip the board and is too set in his ways. Russia needs new leadership, preferably a Lenin or Stalin
A new Stalin would be something that would send shivers through many spines. I dont think the Russian people, or we, really want to behold such a development.
With the levels of support for Stalin at an all time high, and judging by peoples reaction to Prigozhins March for Justice - I’d say the Russian people are indeed ready to behold such a development and in fact welcome it
All you are really telling us is that you lapped up the trashy & ridiculous propaganda that elites of the west have foisted on their masses for more than 80 years. The fact that Secretary Stalin dragged 100% of his vast nation out of the middle ages and into the industrialised USSR whilst driving the scourge of fascism out of its birthplace western europe for more than 50 years, means nothing to you, says all that needs to said about the shortfalls of ignorance.
Putin's model of diplomacy is the C19th Congress of Vienna, where Great Powers recognize each other's interests and abandon the pursuit of Hegemony. The transition to the imperialist phase of capitalist development in the second half on the C19th made such accommodations impossible and resulted in two world wars. Russia's 'military diplomacy' in Ukraine and pursuit of an accommodation between Great Powers exists in a completely different world than NATOs Super-Imperialism. If you don't want to hear it from a dirty commie, perhaps it's time to re-read Big Serge's excellent 'The End of Cabinet War':
>Putin's model of diplomacy is the C19th Congress of Vienna, where Great Powers recognize each other's interests and abandon the pursuit of Hegemony.
Fitting with the general theme of Putin's government representing the Whites returning to power after the successful counterrevolution of 1989-1991.
But we saw what the Whites did the last time they were in power. And also how then they went to war together with the West against their own country. Very fitting indeed...
So much emotional opinion from people who think they know the end of the objective.
The U.S. is going to spend (borrow, print, or tax) a Military Budget of $1.5 Trillion, while interest on Debt accelerates past $1.2 Trillion, and the only growth in the US is on the Fantasy of Artificial Ignorance Storage Centers for private information of US citizens, for the Dual Citizen Owners.
U.S. GDP guesses at 3% average per year while running Deficits of 6% per year.
Putin is the steady Helmsman, sans infantile emotion. Ukraine is Dead Man Walking, soon to be handed the belly knife.
>And the real pioneers was Azerbaijan (and the Russian MoD took no lessons from that either).
That's not really true. Azerbaijan was using Turkish TB2 to lay waste on Armenian positions.
The Russian MoD's position had long been that UCAVs are a dead end because they will be shot down out of the sky pretty much immediately in a real war.
Which is precisely what Russia did with the TB2s that Ukraine had.
The real revolution were hate drops and then FPVs, using microdrones. Which had in fact been pioneered by the DNR way way back in the days. Here the MoD is to blame for not seeing where things will go eventually.
However, the MoD was never preparing for a WWI-style ground war.
Do you see any FPVs being used in the war between the US and Iran? Not really, it is an exchange of missile strikes.
The Russian MoD was always thinking about such a war too -- the assumption was that if a real war with NATO starts it will go directly to strategic strikes, and then ground forces would only be doing mopping up after the strategic exchange determines the winner.
I don't think Gerasimov ever imagined that Putin will allow the country to be salami-sliced to death like that.
And in reality nothing has changed regarding real war except that the microdrones have made securing your own rear much more challening and imperative, as we saw on June 1 2025.
The solution to the drone problem has always been very simple -- make sure Ukraine has no drones. Which Putin can do tomorrow if he finds the courage and integrity to finally start defending the country and working towards victory.
I meant that while the TB2s were Turkish, it was the Azeris who showed peoplenhow to use them. As well as converting old crop dusters into drones.
And like I said, the MoD is at fault for copying American style warfare and focusing too much on COIN operations as they saw large war "unlikely" (which was surprising given how Europe was acting towards Russia since before 2008).
Also, the fact that Gerasimov is still commanding the SMO is a travesty. I do not think he is particularly good at his job and is only there due to personal loyalty to Putin/Shoigu
Also keep in mind, there are no US ground troops in Iran that we know of. FPVs are certainly used by Iranian proxies (like Hezbollah against Israel in the Levant)
Without Lenin, Ukraine would be part of Russia today. It is precisely the experience of the URSS, including Stalin's murderous regime, that has turned most Ukrainians into naive worshippers of the West.
"Putin is too hung up on playing by rules. Good for him, but he isnt the man for the moment"
I hate to admit it, but you're right. Playing by the rules, being honest, seeking peace through common success, trusting the US and its Euro stooges aren't totally deceptive mad dogs is not a practical way to approach the suicidal war the West has unleashed on Russia.
I've long criticized the total Russian incompetence at messaging and public relations, which cedes the huge battleground of public opinion in the West to the West. In a war like this (the war being the war to the death with the US and the EU the West has started against Russia), trivial messaging measures that make war-fighting much harder for the enemy *must* be undertaken or the price is Russian lives lost on kinetic battlefields.
Russia has a huge industry of dubbing foreign movies and other content into Russian. Watch a re-run of an old Nicholas Cage move and you're struck by how perfectly the on-the-fly voice translations are done. They use Russian voice talent whose voices exactly match Cage's voice and the small nuances of how he speaks. The effect is so smooth you're left feeling astonished that Cage is such a good, native Russian speaker.
President Putin is a very good, engaging, warm speaker. So how does the Russian government translate his speeches for Western consumption? They use a halting, inept voice-over that makes him sound like a bureaucratic thug to Western ears. Stupid, stupid, stupid. They should do professional translations as done by the movie industry, matching his cadence and doing a real, holistic translation that captures what he sounds like to Russians, but in real, native, mid-Atlantic accent for the benefit of Western viewers.
Russia also has consistently missed each and every beat on small interactions in the secondary push and pull involved in the Western propaganda campaign against Russia. For example, the Swiss joined the US's war on Russia by seizing Russian funds and joining sanctions. What the fuck are Russian negotiators or any other diplomat doing in Switzerland for meetings or any sort of negotiations? Russia should have immediately said, no, we meet only in neutral countries, not in countries that are at war with Russia.
Are Putin's ratings going down in Russia? Sure. But it's not just unpopularity with utterly cretinous government decisions like the Russian war on VPNs (a truly stupid move as wide Russian access to VPNs is a key part of using the West's technology against it while simultaneously growing indigenous Russian technology), it is a growing surge of grass roots feeling out here in "the regions" where I live outside of the totally morally corrupt cancer of Moscow that Putin is becoming far, far too soft on the West.
Every single person I know has been outraged by Putin's suggestion that he could meet Zelensky after a peace deal is agreed upon. Every single person I know feels the only possible peace deal with the Kiev regime is eradication of that regime to the last man and woman, including hunting down any of them that flee to other countries.
People like Putin as a man. He really is widely admired and respected within Russia. But the feeling, as you put it, that he's no longer the man for the moment is no longer a fringe notion. People don't want a Lenin or a Stalin. They're not stupid here like some of the Western commentators online who have no clue of what a Lenin or a Stalin really means. But they do want somebody like Putin but a version of Putin who will cut the heads off anybody who fucks with Russia.
A friend of a friend works in the anti-drone interceptor sector in crimea. Tells me all private enterprise have gotten the elka or elga drone interceptor. Highly effective. BUT - no explosive payload, cause non military use. So essentially useless. Rules!
One is of ”joy” and total agreement of what you say, we are finally on the same side! The information War and the War of perception is equally, and sometimes more, important than the war on ground.
The other is sadness. If John Galtsky is saying these things you better believe something has changed in the mood of the Russians. And things will get worse until Western leaders experience another Ivan the Terrible.
Traitor. But you are our kind of traitor. If you live in Russia and feel this way your feeling of hurt is validated. everyone else could go and fork themselves. Including the ones who spell Crimea like Ukropochta does and that also should be on the list of the targets.
We did loose our info-war as long with the narrative, but we did genocide a million and a half Ukrainians, so everyone should feel very much empowered about it. Including their fearless leader who is directly responsible for the crimson rivers of the Slavic blood.
If you were on the front lines, you'd say he's the man of the moment. With over 1,000 casualties per day inflicted on Kyiv, in a current extremely high ratio compared to Russian losses, the Russian fighters are telling him, "We're in no hurry to die, let's keep going like this until the end." You'd be an excellent candidate to replace the butcher Syrski. May I remind you of the objectives? Demilitarize, denazify, and if it means eradicating the male population of Kyiv to achieve that, then we must preserve ourselves.
I agree that expending more Russian lives would be a tragedy, but what must be eradicated at this point is the entire proxy and its leadership, if not the foreign string-pullers making Z twitch about. Out with oligarchs as well, wherever they're to be found, including within the Russian borders. VVP must make a choice between those evil actors and his fellow countrymen who've been exploited for far too long. The Outlaw Empire will never accept Russia as a peer, but could be convinced to accept it as an opponent no longer to be trifled with. The same goes for China, already gaining acceptance in this latter category.
"Peaceful cooperation" isn't happening or going to happen; peaceful coexistence is even a bit of a reach. Mexican Standoff, aka, MAD is about the best that can be had from the Outlaw Empire.
US that is CIA & MI6 have been preparing Ukraine for a war since 2014. And in the more general sense since 1945, organizing transfer of Ukrainian nationalists into Great Britain and then Canada. Most of these people have been fighting against Red Army under German command, as a part of Wehrmacht, German war machine, some as a part of SS, but really always as Ukrainian nationalists, and had no problem in reorienting into pro-Western and anti-Russian direction. (just like their German masters)
As Kissinger said in spring of 2022, when he still believed his word would be listened to by US elites, the war should be stopped before August, otherwise the war will become impossible to stop, as the war has its own logic.
Ukrainian nationalists at the helm in Kiev, installed by CIA, have been instructed to provoke war with Russia.
The idea was to subjugate proRUssian forces in Donbas and humiliate Russian minority until Russia either enters into the war and suffers consequences or refuses to be provoked and tragedy of Donbas is used against Putin in an regime change operation. (Same as today)
Ukrainian nationalist leadership installed by CIA accepted this strategy enthusiastically, to start a war, go for the maximally aggressive strategy, to refuse to settle early, hoping that war will have its own logic, and they Ukraine win just by surviving until the logic of war begins to bear fruits...and Ukraine is turned into the Western bullwark against Russia, a million men strong army, armed with western money and technology.
And they have gambled correctly. Ukraine did not lose in the first three days, or three weeks, and all the rest is in front of our eyes.
Putin realized he didn't win in the very first weeks, and understood that he has to change strategy:
Putin refused to go all in, mobilize, respecting that there was a possibility that even newly mobilized forces might not be able to overrun Ukraine confidently, and that losing such a war of such magnitude would mean risking not only his own personal fate, but risking the existence of the Russian state itself.
Putin chose to appeal to reason, and as Naftali Bennett, Israeli prime minister at the time, said he had a 50% chance of success. It failed.
Neither Ukraine nor US was willing to negotiate, to offer an off-ramp. Having finally provoked the war, they were unwilling to stop the war before they play their as they believed, winning cards,
Putin succeeded in turning the war into a defensive war for Russia.
Putin was forced to mobilize, Surovikin organized brilliant defense, Prigozhin said what everyone knew, this is not the way to win the war.
Putin understands that rationally, everyone is losing with every day of the war, Ukraine losing men, infrastructure, future, Russia losing men, infrastructure, Europe losing money, oil, gas, and that peace would be better for everyone. But war has its own logic. The war has installed at the top in Ukraine an elite who has a lot to gain from continuing the war, and US is definitely profiting from the war - Europe has to buy US LNG, and oil from US companies, or allies. The war created a chain of supply, support from political, economical, to military, numbering hundreds of thousands individuals who now have an interest in keeping the war going. Neither Ukrainian elite nor US elite has reason to stop the war. And even European elites have climbed the same train, opting for continuing the war.
Putin is playing the bad cards quite well. And he understands that this war is just a part of the World War III.
Something most of the critics, like GM, do not understand. Russia is not the almighty Soviet Union of Stalin, commanding all communist countries and movements on the globe. Russia is just one of the few independent states in the world, but is paying a great price for its independence.
The final decision of the US elites, European elites, Ukrainian elite to continue the war, or negotiate a peace agreement will be influenced by forces outside Russia.
As the war goes on, the logic of war makes Ukrainian incentives, plans, ideas more and more important. US can create an army of million men, but this army is now in Ukrainian hands, and will remain forever. Ukraine is free to organize weapons production, initial financing, ideas might come from US or Europe, but if successful, these production lines will become Ukrainian and will be replicated several times over.
There is no reason for Ukraine to accept any change of the battle line unless defeated. And the longer the war goes on, the lesser the chance of Ukraine getting defeated.
Europe can finance Ukraine for as long as Russian money extends in European banks and institutions. Europe used 100 billion, there are at lease 200 billion more, i.e. at least three more years.
Currently Europe is crediting Ukraine, but Ukraine will never have to pay back the loan.
When Russian money is used, either Europe will be forced to pay the credit back, or Europe will have to find the way to make Russia pay. Either by fighting and winning the war against Russia, or by forcing Russia into an unfavorable peace deal.
Most of this was not understood until the February 2022, and became obvious or predictable already in March 2022, and although Putin did his best to shield Russia from defeat, he is not in the position to end the war both when he wants as well as how he wants.
He could end it now on unfavorable terms, or he can fight on with the idea that time is on Russian side. And whether time will be on Russian side is not clear.
Probably yes, if Putin could somehow restore deterrence.
I do not see a way for Putin to restore deterrence using force or threats, except by using nuclear weapons, or destroying the network of Starlink satellites.
If however Putin keeps leading Russia wisely, and creates an additional army to be able to defend against European conventional attack, and keeps inflicting more damage on Ukraine that Ukraine is inflicting on Russia, there might be a chance that someone in Ukraine, Europe will understand that fighting Russia will not bring victory, and is damaging Europe..
Would there be a line of contact ceasefire it would not be a strategic defeat of Russia. She would have acquired a broad land bridge to Crimea, annexed Donesk, Lugansk and ample territories in the South, made very improbable that US strategic missiles would be deployed in Ukraine and crashed the narrative that Western economic power can easily destroy the Russian economy. You can say that a ceasefire would be something between a partial victory for Russia and a draw in sports terminology.
"Russia itself has once again established Trump as a "neutral peacemaker". Same guy who just sent Ukraine thousands of JDAM-ERs."
This is undeniably true. Trump has the cards to bring peace tomorrow, but instead continues to deliver intel and weapons (paid by Europe) to kill Russian soldiers. And he not only gets away with this but is indeed considered a neutral peacemaker - and even siding with the Russians by some. ..
Excellent insights as always. The fact that the Kremlin boomers havent adjusted their approach and continue following the same line for years is baffling. And the fact that they still dont have a coherent media atrategy (Kiriyenko showed promise but rumor has it he presented to deputies on how to sell the war as a "victory" to the russian populace) instead preferring to ban social media platforms and being forced to tax the IT industry to death resulting in many companies relocating or closing. Hard to fathom this level of incompetence to be honest
Also funny how Putins story changed from 2022, regarding why they left Kiev. Really makes you think
He hasn't changed it at all. He always said he did it out of goodwill to promote the Minsk agreement. Now he tells us that this act was at the suggestion of France.
Not contradictory at all if you seriously look at it. He had a conversation with Macron that it would be a good idea to promote an act of goodwill in order to have a better chance at peace. Of course, it turned out to be bad advice, but the 'contradiction' is simply not there.
Let's put the right perspective; Russian Forces needed to retreat from around the Kiev anyway because they were not prepared for a long-standing siege and defence around it. If Macron or other negotiators pledged indeed for a withdrawal of Russian forces from the Kiev area was just a good pretext to do so.
Good point and I agree. Russia thought they might be able to end it quickly by scaring the hell out of Kiev. And it almost worked had not the interference from US/UK not happened. When it was obvious that this was not to be, well, the rest is history.
If Putin insists in those excuses for being screwed by Boris, Macron and Zelensky back in 2022 it only enforces the pictures of a weak leader with regrets.
It was a gamble that he hoped would end the war quickly, giving Russia most of what they wanted and Ukraine most of what they wanted - settling the war through diplomacy as it should be. Any intelligent leader would likely have made the same decision. Unfortunately, the war-mongering third parties didn't see it that way.
In my opinion Putin has two significant weaknesses (NB: having weaknesses doesn't make him a weak leader - ALL leaders have weaknesses): 1. he is a lawyer, 'nuff said - only to say that as a lawyer he has a firm, unshakeable belief in the necessity of laws and a rules-based system, unlike his Western 'partners' who merely use the system when convenient; 2. he has a blindspot for Western civilisation (which, I believe, is slowly but surely wearing thin over time - thank goodness).
As for weak leader, there is no way on earth a weak leader can stay in power for thirty years, completely transform a country internally, make it almost impervious to thousands of unlawful sanctions against it by initiating a massive programme of import substitution and re-create the it as a superpower on the world stage , militarily politically and economically (based on PPP (purchasing power parity, taking Russia to number 4 in the world). When he took office, Russia was a laughing stock of the world led by a drunk. The only patriotic move ever made by Yeltsin was to hand power over to Putin.
It truly concerns me when people intentionally overlook this about Putin and makes me question their analytical capabilities.
My godness Victor, you really go ape over a comment where I suggest that the 2026 version of Putin is making mistakes that can be interpreted as weakness? You know very well what I think of Putin during his prime time.
Sorry Mikey. But a lot of people do think that Putin is a weak leader, and you gave me an excuse, perhaps unintentionally, to provide my opinion about Putin - and them.
I'll even go a step further at the risk of being called a "Putin fanboy" again, as one commenter recently noted - I think there is more than enough justification for placing him alongside the likes of Ivan III, Ivan IV Vasilyevich (Ivan the Terrible), Peter the Great, Katherine the Great and Stalin as those having the greatest impact on Russia's history. One has to have been in Russia in the late 90s, early 2000s as I was to truly understand the true miracle he has wrought on the country in just a couple of decades - and I don't say miracle lightly. And to say this man is a 'traitor' is just insane.
Hiw would removing your troops from a nations capital "end the war quickly"? Thats something a nation that gets defeated does. The only way to win quickly is not to retreat - his actions only emboldened the Ukrainians
He took a chance - it didn't work out. In war you try things that don't always turn out the way you hope. After this experience he noted that this was going to be a war of a different character, so his army retreated to a more defensible position, regrouped, reorganised, the country mobilised, the factories started up big time - in short, he ordered his military to modernise and strengthen itself for the path ahead, which included the possibility of an eventual wider war with Europe.
This is not some kind of a toddler that adults are taking advantage of. This is the man that has ruled the largrest nuclear power on the planet for now 27 years.
If you complain for a quarter of a century how the West always deceives you, there are only two options:
1) You are an absolute imbecile totally unfit for office.
2) You deliberately allowed yourself to be deceived because you were not working in the country's best interests.
That is the crazy part -- somehow you see all these people mocking the West for what its leaders are doing yet it never occurs to them that the same rot might exist in Russia too. It's just a priori excluded as a possibility
People need some "good god", people need hope in this time of total decay and civilization collapse. So they saw this good guy, this "good leader" in Putin. St Georg who would kill the dragon. But Putin is far bellow this role.
We see how even China is kneeling in front of Trump.
Any member of the meritocratic middle class in the world is a would be American. Not the real one, but what they saw in films.
It is this fictional world the humans prefer. It is this invention of Hollywood Jewish film producers where all human beings are converging to.
Much to agree on there, GM, although I dont support the opinion that Putin is a traitor.
He has been and still is in the same predicament as other leaders facing the ”collective West or US” alone. He cant push the nuclear button and he has no means to damage US and Europe without risking destruction of Russia. Russia cant sanctions the West or blockade shipping lanes. So Putin has played along trying to be reasonable and pragmatic. Iran did do the same with pragmatic and cautious politics. In vain as US/Israel has proved over and over again. I think Russia believed in the ”rule-based world order” and thought they could use it as much as the other did (Kosovo, Iraq, Libya). Maybe deluded but understandable. But alternative seems to be a deathmatch…
How much credit goes to Putin personally for oil prices going up fivefold in the 2000s?
The only other real success after the economic revival of that decade was recoveing Crimea.
But there are huge question marks there regarding how much he is responsible for that either.
Everything else -- reindustrialization, geopolitics, reining in the oligarchs, and now the war -- has been an abysmal failure compared to what was necessary
And now the country is on the brink of terminal destruction thanks to his (in)actions in the last five years
Dude, Putin fucks up everything because he controls everything. Until he does not control everything. Of course when it suits you.
When you need to admit, reluctantly, something is good, then Putin's ultimate control disappears. Pathetic salto mortale.
As I said the other day - people volunteer in droves because they trust the approach and since you said you wouldn't fight for this Russian flag, you do not get to vote vis-a-vis them and Putin who is risking his life every day.
What are the whiners saying here? Muh, muh something, something internet and tax. That is it. And something, something embarassed. Muh, muh. Like listening to the lowest crap from Ukies.
Chill.
10％ of the people would vote commies from the info in the article. Face it
You live in a cartoonish nightmare. Do not forget to jump off tall buildings and try to stop speeding trains. That you have the power of human speech is proof of God's bounty and your waste of it. You may as well be grunting like a Bonobo, or clacking like a ghetto whose brain rotted in the sun.
Proud Boys is in jail and BLM is non-existent since they dont get funded by tax-payers money anymore. Besides that, I think higher of russian leaders, than using scums to undermine a society.
You get the point. There are such elements all throughout Western society that can be exploited - the tension btwn men and women in the west, blacks and whites and asians, north and south, democrat and republicans, rural vs urban, etc. Yet this is not done. In addition just because you "dont want to stoop to their level" and ignore the problem, does not mean the problem does not ignore you
"Much to agree on there, GM, although I dont support the opinion that Putin is a traitor."
It seems that any leader who doesn't do it the way the Great Marshal would do it is a traitor. It's a pity he didn't run for president in Russia last time, the Russians would have been sipping champagne in Paris again years ago if he'd been in charge.
GM doesnt need to be President. All he did was to speak up against narratives that shrouded the ”truth” out there. His analysis are mostly correct, his recipes is something else or at least questionable.
I'm not sure how you can read any of his comments without being aware that he is not "speaking up against narratives that shroud the truth", but is laying down the law about the right way of doing things. There is not a single line in the comment above that refers to a different narrative, the entire thing is his personal opinion of what is really happening, supported by not a shred of corroborative evidence. The idea that one person behind a keyboard thousands of miles away from the action has a better idea of what to do than the people on the ground who have to actually make real decisions that affect real people and deal with real problems, is frankly, laughable. Nothing is impossible for him who doesn't have to do it, or take responsibility for the results.
GM has proved that he follow the facts and draw the right conclusions about the effects and long-term significance. His ”nuke-them-all” recipe is another thing but the strange part is that he could probably be right about it in due time…
Anyone can predict the future and kudos to those that can get it right, like Zhirinovsky, but pontificating from a position of zero responsibility on how things should be done is another matter completely.
GM does not like this iteration of a Russian state and juxtaposed with all the volunteers that go to the front line he needs to shut it.
You think your country has issues? First you need to preserve your country in order to be able to fix it. No country, no fixing. He is not willing to do that. But there are tens of thousand of volunteers monthly that are willing to do that, so he needs to shut up.
Also, he keeps bringing Strelkov up. Strelkov left Donbas in August 2014 and never came back, IIRC. Became blogging persona.
Are you in The Simpsons or some other even less serious cartoon which has even less to do with reality such as something truly pathetic called: "Your Life" ?
No! Russia under Putin has never believed in the "rule-based world order" and only act (overtly at least) within the law based world order, an order which, it should be said, most of the world's nations purportedly signed up to through various treaties, conventions, etc. going back several centuries.
The rules based order is no order at all; In essence it is a gimmick justification for total anarchy - "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law." IMO, it does not have a lot going for it as a basis for the rights of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".
Putin and Russia (and, incidentally, BRICS as a concept) clearly will not accept such an order; hence, for example, the pains to establish a clear, legal framework for the SMO - recognising Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states and signing a defensive pact prior to taking action. Put simply, you cannot fight criminality by becoming a criminal. In this sense, Russia (and Iran) have no choice in their actions. They are not "playing along" but simply following their own morality. Whether that proves in vain it is, I believe, too early to say, but the course of world events, i.e. the global economy, and world opinion would suggest not.
The UN is supposed to be a law based institution (which is why Russia and the BRICS want it restored to its original purpose), it is not meant to be a game. I do not see anything fake in Russia's desire for other nations to adhere to their agreed commitments.
Not sure where you are going with Putin's speeches. There are breaches; why is it disinformation to highlight them?
But, perhaps you have misunderstood me so let me try again:.
The "rules based world order" is a fiction dreamed up by the USA and its vassals to justify their criminal (in international law) activities. No one has agreed any of these rules and they are changed at a whim to suit any action
the US & co. want to pursue, e.g. regime change, sanctions, piracy, murder, unprovoked aggression, and so on. Russia and many other countries do not accept this. In their view there already exists a world order, that Russia refers to as "law based", constructed through mutual agreement, over centuries, that is enshrined in the principles of the UN and other treaties and conventions. Th UN charter is not perfect but all members are supposed to act in accordance with it and with any other binding treaties and conventions they are signatories to.
Do you expect anyone to read your endless hate rant? We already know what you have to say: Russia was already defeated but now it is even more defeated... What a feat.
Excellent post. It is amazing how Russia is humiliated and pitiful today. Ukraine managed even to disturb 13 airports in Southern Russia. Everybody could have predicted that. It was clear from the start that Russia would be defeated.
We see, that even forced conscription army of Ukraine functions better then Russian volunteers. There was a lot of hubris from the Russian side. A patriotic war is impossible when the country of American style consumers is led by American style oligarchs and a weak old man in Kremlin.
I understand people converging to websites such as this one and MoonOfAlabama.. They all see the Empire and the victims, like Russia, Iran etc. But they do not see that Russians really want to be US/EU slaves. It is the same form the times of Peter the Great.
In the European/Western culture, Russians, Serbs, Chinese, Iranians... have the role of slaves ans sub humans. There is no other option. But the young Russian consumers like that. The proof for this: during 4 years of this war there was no action for social changes in Russia. By embracing capitalism, Russia embraced its subservient role. The same for China.
The Imperial decline is not caused by the strong and rising opponents but by the internal decay. Decay is everywhere. AI would soon control everyone, from San Francisco to Moscow and Shangai.
The incompetent buffoon in this thread is the Putin hating psychotic, GM.
Get a freaking life.
If GM could actually focus on the entire picture, instead of letting his out of control Putin hatred color his entire analysis, he could actually contribute useful commentary to this discussion.
GM (General Motormouth) must be a divide/rule Langley asset. There is no other rational explanation.
As for Russia (with or without Putin) and as I have said many times before, their endgame in Ukraine must be to win the peace as they did in Chechnya.
Clearly, through both words and actions, Russia wants well defined and respected International Law that all nations agree to follow. They want the UN to work, partly because it preserves their veto powers.
That GM cannot see the bigger picture is due to the size of his ego relative to the brain.
Well, any one of us would recognize this "author"—even if he were spreading his garbage anonymously.
And not just here, either... Over at Moon, there is an agreement to simply ignore his posts—for he is an incorrigible nationalist, immune to any objection or argument.
Kiev has made it clear that their sympathies lay with the losing side in WWII, nobody expects them to celebrate their idols from the 1940s defeat with a cease fire.
Putin, Medvedev, and Lavrov have been talking tough against Europe lately.
I see it as a distraction and a waste of time because what Russia really needs to focus on right now is to counter European aggression, neutralize Ukraine and prevent a link-up with AFU forces at any time in the future. Then Russia wouldn't need to validate itself by making empty threats.
By controlling key parts of Ukraine, Russia would have the strategic edge and set the deterrence against the European threat. Ukraine is the ultimate prize to counter NATO encroachment on Russian borders. Action speaks louder than words. It's time for Russia to act decisively and instill a sense of fear in its enemy. FAFO. Take care of Ukraine, and all the other beligerents will back away. They'd be welcome to cross into Ukraine, but it would be at a cost too terrible to imagine. A slaughter. But it takes the will, the courage, and the ACTION to execute a bold and daring plan for which NATO nor AFU are expecting. They won't get what they expect. Surprise, Russia is now at war to neutralize Kiev timely.
-Europe is intending to put boots on the ground in Ukraine. When? Who knows. Russia needs to have a contingency plan because it can't afford to be ready for war against Europe.
A greater Ukrainian war is coming, and Russia needs to plan for it, not plan for an excuse again. Will Russia allow the link-up and face a greater threat, or rise in the face of an existential threat and neuter the enemy in its tracks? The stakes are high for Russia. Will it act right? I doubt it, but who knows?
I included an example of a general plan that would work in the replies for those who might want to read it.
All Putin, Lavrov and Medvedev do is talk tough though. They dont do anything and Europe knows it.
Russia is scared of a war with Europe as it stands (which explains all its current actions right now), so it wont do anything to stand in the way of Europe landing in Ukraine
Agreed, Scipio. I don't think the SMO was worth it. Russia should have stayed home. Those 4 Oblasts that Russia gained will be contested for the foreseeable future, with periods of peace mixed in with periods of war. Rinse repeat.
Russia could have gone in if it was under less incompetent leadership. If they were able to pull off a Venezuela then it would’ve been worth it. But Putin was in power as was Shoigu, putting us where we are now
The big money PR algorithm is working overtime on their Israel account anyhow.
EVERY time I try to watch a YouRube video for the last couple of weeks, the advertisements are some pro Jewish/Israeli tripe, not "send us money for White Dork Ukrainian first aid kits/charities serving abandoned Ukrainian puppies.
When even the advertising man rat algorithms abandon your sinking ship, it is a most definite SIGN.
It is clear that based on these approval ratings that Russians are becoming dissatisfied with 1. the restrictions on internet and messaging services and 2. the soft approach to Ukraine's drone activity on Russian soil, esp as it relates to the blooming Baltic pathways to Russia via the little barking dog territories to the north. I think the government needs to respond to this before it gets worse.
Yes, it is nonexistential. We have peeps coming here complaining there is no internet and taxes grew a bit, in a country with very low taxes in general.
If these are the problems in an existential fight, then it smells like a temper tantrum.
The Chinese had have that phase as well, now they are happy that they cut out the utter cultural decay of the US-owned internet. And you can access it with VPN.
In the end it showed that it is not wise to have the constant psy-op attacks on your peoples minds.
YouTube is Peter Thiel, a trans-human believer and also has the western intelligence run Palantier that wants do pre-crime prosecution.
Who needs the promotion of lip filler, blue fingernails and pink and blue hair plus hand bags for 30K US$?
The western (Internet) culture is rotten to the core, it's a mountain of garbage and constant lies.
The fruit of the mind twisting internet á la USA is visible also in this comment section where people celebrate being slaves to a system that is sick, perverse and can do nothing but genocide plus one war after the other for endless years.
The most important project of the EU was the construction of a global regulatory system based on carbon emissions and associated virtue signaling. The plan was to extend this system over the entire planet. It was to be a control system which would give the 'elite' alliance regulatory control over non-western economies and resources and allow it to tax them.
In my experience, people like even less having no income to tax and can make no purchases that are taxed, because they have no money to purchase any goods, taxable or otherwise..
Not sure what are you trying to convey contextually, but my point was that higher taxation has something o do with Russian dissatisfaction, and less to do with the SMO per se. Even thought taxes might be related to the SMO, but not necessarily. After all, if they are trying to emulate EU, then one way to go is to increase taxes.
I'm not disagreeing with you. My guess is the misunderstanding with respect to the phrase "In my experience" has to do with an overly personal reflection on the state of affairs in countries (such as the one in which I live) in which the president brags about tax reductions while destroying the industries that produce income which can be taxed, income for the owners and the workers who find themselves out in the street with no further income and the trickle-down effect that has on the small businesses who then lose customers for their products or services. One tax we all have here is the VAT (21%) that hasn't been reduced to my knowledge. Food is taxed at 11%. I guess I'm just getting grouchy in my old age!
You suppose correctly. I simply didn't express myself as I would have liked. I don't believe I'll ever get used to non-face-to-face conversations in which spontaneity and nuance take a major hit. I've become more and more of a neo-Luddite in my dotage, plus which I'm a lifelong Taoist who's lived debt-free and very simply in spite of having come from a very bourgeoise family and very bourgeoise schooling. Largely apolitical in my approach to life, that's undergoing some changes thanks to our current government, sad to say.
European sources write that cracks are developing in EU/NATO unity there, even as Orban was maneuvered out of his position by the gang leaders. There is also word that Zelensky was using inadmissible language and an article states ‘The relationship between Kiev and Brussels has not been this tense since the start of the war.’ The Pianist also stated that he is finished with Trump.
At the same time the political leadership in Germany and the UK is gradually undermined by elements with populist voices. The value of Nigel Farage is rising like the sun on a summer morning and so is the AfD in Germany. Considering that Putin is fluent in German he is more relaxed about the outcome of the war than six months earlier. It seems that time is working for Russia real hard.
'U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour party suffered major losses in elections held across Britain last week, resulting in multiple calls for Starmer to resign.'
These fantasy fiction writers about Russia, Putin, Iran, et al, are as much a waste of energy and resources as the warmongering MIC. I look forward to Western economic collapse so that the propagandists and warmongers no longer have the pay to distort reality anymore.
I don't think so. It's coming sooner than everyone expects and much harder. That's why they want to take us to war - their last 'solution' for their rotten system.
The 'force' is subtle. Without a mortgage, one has no shelter; without a credit card when pay is insufficient, one does not eat. There are myriad ways that the creditor class works to indebt people and entire countries so that the rent-seekers can continue their parasitic way.
Of course the force is subtle, but if you don't think the majority of workers are 'wage slaves', you live a very sheltered life, I suppose one where people have the freedom to jaunt off to the county and grow wildflowers. There are real economic and social consequences to not playing on the capitalist team. I think you are very naive.
Gramsci was right about a lot, and so was Marx. Not that things do not change and improvements to doctrine and theory are not possible, but Marx and Gramsci are as relevant today as long ago.
The whole idea of a union creating a pension fund was great, but to invest in the exploitation of other workers is an impossible contradiction and cannot last.
Why is there no mention made of the sorry state of the parade? In addition, the picture Simplicus paints is too rosy, according to Russian friends and deputies, the economic situation is not good forcing the government to raise tax rate on IT companies (which is Russias crown jewel), forcing many to relocate out of Russia. In addition, Ukraine is striking Moscow quite frequently and the Kremlin boomers are still living in the 1970s with their policies towards IT
Simplicus tries to present his writings as analytical and his earlier writings were that (those talking and showing that electronics in the T80s were Chinese, how Iraq was bought by the CIA, etc), but now its just fluff it seems like. He did not address the root causes and really just brushes over the issues
FWIW, your name is from a Roman general, famous for defeating Hannibal in the Second Punic War. Several family members were or had been consuls, though.
It tells me that Americans put zero effort into it. I see how they did the Venezuela operation - this is how the SMO should’ve been done. The only reason they were able to fly into Caracas unimpeded by manpad crews (that should’ve easily shot down the helis), was because they bought the leadership and guards of Maduro as they did in Iraq and what Putin and co failed to do and continue to fail to do, which is why they are absolutely being decimated politically in the Caucasus
Are you telling me that the Caucasus has no importance for Russia and that being surrounded by hostile states is not an issue? If the Kremlin boomers think this is 1756 and they can invade the Caucausus again and win, they are wrong
The Cacasus outside Chechnya and generally most of the post-Soviet sphere was very positive and friendly with the Kremlin boomers until 2014 when things started to unravel.
Go read about Carl Popper and see how his ideas are being implemented in Russias near abroad
It's likely many were bought off, especially if Russia went in with Rules of Engagement to fire only if fired upon. Unfortunately a deluge of $US and Nazi bullets to the head changed many minds, and Russia lacked the inclination or resources to fight terror with terror and impose costs on those who reneged on their commitments.
Rumor has it Budanov specifically was given a lot of money by the SVR, then he pocketed the money and still reneged on the deal on the day the SMO started.
Honestly, Simplicius, was it wise to even launch a Victory parade in the middle of an existential War?
The picture broadcast to the Russian people has done more damage than ever the Western media can accomplish.
1. Russia had to administer explicit warnings to Ukraine of any disturbances of the parade would results in attacks on Kiev. How come Russia is in this situation in the first place?
2. Out of fear of destruction or out of supply, no tanks, no artillery and no missiles was displayed at the parade - only human columns. What was the signal sent to the Russian people? Not of strength I can assure.
3. The speech Putin held was really unlike what you expect from a strong and wise leader. Excuses for the 2022 debacle and retreat, insisting of the SMO going as planned is NOT what the Russian people should hear.
Have you missed that the Silovikis now talk about ”instilling fear into the western leader”? If no one is afraid of Russia - how long does it take until they try to take a bite?
Instead, Putin, should have hold a massmeeting and spoken hard and blunt about the truth of the War. He should have said that we can forget the SMO and the goals of the SMO. He should have exposed how many good soldiers that have been killed&maimed and that Russia now need to mobilize and be ready to fight for their lifes. He should admit that Russia need to go into War footing.
Or he could have declared his resignation, his regrets about mistakes done and window of opportunities missed and how he has failed to outsmart Russias open and hidden enemies.
And if you read this, Simplicius, please contemplate about your articles when you describe western leaders as dumb, insane, delusional, cowardly or anything else but Evil. The development we have seen the last 25 years against Russia did not come from idiot brains, it didnt happen by chance and it wont end in a laughter.
Its pure evilness from cold minds that has brought us here.
>Or he could have declared his resignation, his regrets about mistakes done and window of opportunities missed and how he has failed to outsmart Russias open and hidden enemies.
Which is what Yeltsin did, BTW.
For all his corruption and incompetence, Yeltsin in the end still showed more integrity than Putin ever did.
Yes. Jeltsin did the right thing and he used up pretty many PM:s until he spotted Putin and recognized a true leader in the Man, all of western countries laughed at in the beginning.
However, Putins reign has gone long over apex and only a wonder (or the the young Putin) can change the situation.
Here is an important point you did not mention: In the SMO, neither side employs tanks or other large equipment. There are no tank battles. There is no mechanized division breaking through, and when heavy weapons do appear on the battlefield, they often seem out of place, like the "turtle tank." Combat is primarily conducted by infantry supported by drone units. While artillery plays a critical role, it is the drone units that identify and deliver targets. These drone units are continually evolving; in a few months, we may witness new technological advancements and organizational strategies in their deployment, but not for armor. So, why showcase tanks?
Since WWII, Washington has seen inaugurations, victory celebrations, funeral processions, and Trump’s 2019 “Salute to America,” yet none matched the pageantry and military display even of this year’s supposedly “muted” Victory Day parade.
While maintaining the most powerful military apparatus on Earth, American civic mythology has generally required the military-industrial complex to partially conceal its imperial symbolism behind words like “service,” “freedom,” and “global leadership,” as aircraft carriers patrol the globe and 800-plus overseas bases project enough combined firepower to rearrange geography.
My only problem with Putin is his decision to whitewash US role and shift all blame to European puppets, his unrelenting efforts/desire to appease or even bribe Trump through his zionist minions and still hoping for a deal with US. I don't know if this is strategy or pathetic delusion or if Russia is as compromised by zionists as everyone else.
I understand Andrei Martyanov that Russia and US need to find a modus vivendi but it must be on terms where Russia has a strong deterrence against any future adventures, not where Putin seems to have bought into the idea of US supremacy as being inevitable.
It's not in Russia's interest to have the US and Europe supporting Ukraine concurrently. The Russians can see that the US suckered the Europeans into a fight with them because the US needs to leech as much wealth from whomever they can to avoid their fiscal black hole. Europe happily walked into the trap. Russia wants to divide them so they dangle the US economic carrots and speak of a peaceful solution. This is all a political sideshow and we can only know the reality once things reach a new equilibrium. Things that are said in public are rarely to be taken at face value, often they mean the exact opposite.
Correct. Russia controls their area and we stay in the Americas
I don’t know who keeps pushing us East .
We should take Canada and Mexico and make all of South America part of it .
We don’t need anything . Our resources dwarf most of the world . Oil and Gas ? Really ? Who has more ill and gas than Canada US and South American combined ? No one
North Americans are not generally well liked in much of South America: too many bad memories! Then, too, North Americans are not overly fond of South Americans, holding them in undeserved contempt. The cultures are not compatible.
Looking at Iran, one could say that their civilisation benefitted from decades of leadership by cautious men who very deliberately designed asymmetric strategies to deter a war with USIsrael by preparing for it. However, when war came upon Iran the decapitation strikes of the enemy swept away the cautious leaders, grown old, and replaced them with a generation more suited for the actual fight.
Looking at Russia one can legitimately wonder whether the grey eminences, in charge for decades, are the leaders Russia needs to face the challenges of 2026.
To me, nothing has changed. There were "old" leaders, such as Ahmadinejad, who were labeled as hardline (why?)—having a degree in engineering and serving as a volunteer in the Iraq War. The leaders all resemble Ahmadinejad. In the case of Peseschkian, who is described as not hardline (why?), we see a shift toward medicine rather than engineering, yet the main element remains constant: the Iraq War. All of them are academics, and all served as volunteers the RG. Even if Israel and the US kills a few more, there are plenty of academics who were volunteers in the RG. Of course, in a few years, this pool will be empy, because of age.
LOL at the Putin approve/disapprove rating of all colours available it's blue vs navy blue lines
What most corrupt Western shitheads do not understand is that Russia has a multitude of parties - not one Uniparty posing as two. For God's sake, in Russia they even had known CIA agents like Navalny and Nemtsov running for leadership. Imagine if the KGB put someone like that in to wreck the country for within! Wait! Trump!!!!
Putins Party at 24 or 26% and Putin's leadership at 70% or higher, as it almost always is, is the equivalent of 100% in the Unipartied West.
Most Leaders of the West deserve the fate of Navalny and Nemtsov and Judas (Jail for fraud, Obscurity and Suicide) but, how many people understand that?
Expected. Zelensky only declared, that he will not strike the Red Square during celebration.
Fico susppose to come to Kremlin with message from Zelensky and suppose to take back an answer. But Kremlin spokesperson denied everything, so Zelensky has lost his chance for diplomacy. Nobody else tries to mediate for over 2 months, since Iran war has started.
Ukrainians breached almost 9000x one sided ceasefire declared by Russia. In symmetrical responses they have lost 940 soldiers in those suicidal attacks in the first 24h . They never learn. They had a chance to enjoy that one day holiday and live their lives.
The dying Ukrainians are sacrificial lambs on the altar of the City of London/Wall Street.
As for 'western values' against the Russian Federation, here are the aged pussyriot ladies in Venice: "Ukraine is not a brothel, except when it makes for a good political protest."
https://www.rt.com/news/639536-ukraine-femen-pussy-riot-protest/
A handful of half-naked performance artists from Pussy Riot and FEMEN barricaded the Russian pavilion for all of 30 minutes to protest against its opening in support of Ukraine. …
FEMEN was founded in 2008 after its founder became aware of Ukrainian women being duped into going abroad and being sexually exploited. Its original slogan was ‘Ukraine is not a brothel’. Fast-forward to Venice 2026, and we’re observing the same movement stripping for the cameras of foreign journalists at a European art fair, making sure the lighting is good, giving the gentlemen of the international press something to look at. …
In 2021, Tolokonnikova [PussyRiot leader] opened an OnlyFans account selling subscriptions to images of herself for $10 a month. It is what FEMEN was founded to fight: A woman selling access to her body to men for money, on a platform owned by Leonid Radvinsky, born in Odessa, who acquired OnlyFans in 2018 and steered it deliberately toward pornography, extracting hundreds of millions in annual dividends from the arrangement before dying this March."
Your post is right on target!
FEMEN is a Soros Open Society psy op and Soros also invested in the Bordello called The Ukraine of Dignity which followed the CIA/USSD/MI6 coup d'etat on the Maidan in 2012.
"Pussy Riot" - the name and band - was so obviously for Western Propaganda purposes that Soros did not even bother to give it a Russian name.
"Pussy Riot" means absolutely zero in Russian to 99% of the Russian population.
He admitted many times, he was meddling already before the independence of UA.
Here is a convo with Freeland:
"🇺🇦🇨🇦 Footage has surfaced of a 2015 conversation between George Soros and Chrystia Freeland, now serving as Zelensky's adviser on Ukraine's economic development.
In the exchange, both openly acknowledged that Ukraine's post-Maidan government was stocked with individuals connected to Soros's Open Society network.
"Everyone who I know in that group has been touched somehow by Open Society," Freeland says. "Like literally, either people personally got a scholarship or, you know, their wife got a scholarship. It's a really remarkable thing."
Soros responded: "I didn't realize actually how big an effect it has had over a 25-year period, because those were students. Twenty-five years later, they were leaders."
Freeland, who until recently served as Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, and whose grandfather Mykhailo Chomiak was a Nazi collaborator who edited a German-controlled Ukrainian newspaper during the occupation, has long maintained close ties to Soros and his network."
https://t.me/DDGeopolitics/182352
"FEMEN was founded in 2008 after its founder became aware of Ukrainian women being duped into going abroad and being sexually exploited."
Founder only figured this out in 2008?
Last.
It was a total catastrophe for Russia today, caused by its own "leader".
First, ceded the initiative completely. What happened over the last few days:
1) Zelensky makes threats against Moscow. On the territory of a traditional Russian ally, and a very short distance away from a major Russian military bases. He should not have made it alive out of Armenia, but is once again not touched.
2) The Russian MoD feels compelled to finally issue a specific threat of retaliation; but one that only concerns a very specific attack on Russia, thus making all other attacks OK somehow.
3) The Ukro-NATO-Nazis proceed to launch one of their most massive drone and missile attacks all over Russia in the days just before May 9th. Perm, Yaroslavl, Rostov, Moscow suburbs, etc. places get hit. There is no response
4) Then Trump steps in with a proposal for a ceasefire for a couple days
5) Zelensky magnanimously "allows" Russia to have its parade.
6) Ushakov praises Trump for being a peacemaker.
End result? Russia's position has deteriorated further:
1) Russia itself has once again established Trump as a "neutral peacemaker". Same guy who just sent Ukraine thousands of JDAM-ERs.
2) Zelensky was once again not touched at all, and exited the situation effectively in a superior position to Putin.
3) Russia was bombed mercilessly for days, and did not respond at all
4) Russia itself shifted its red/brown lines to "don't bomb the parade", but everything else is apparently OK.
To top it all off, then Putin made a series of absolutely catastrophic statements later in the day. Let's quote them:
https://t.me/ramzayiegokomanda/42274
>Putin believes the Ukrainian conflict is nearing an end, according to TASS.
>Putin stated that the decision to withdraw Russian troops from Kyiv in the spring of 2022 was made following a request from the French president.
>"Macron called me in 2022 and said that Ukraine cannot sign documents in Istanbul 'with a gun to its head,' and asked me to withdraw troops from Kyiv," Putin stated.
https://t.me/ramzayiegokomanda/42276
>Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy not only in Moscow but also in a third country, but this time to sign an agreement. The Russian president announced this at a press conference in the Kremlin. The key points were summarized:
>— The conflict in Ukraine is nearing an end.
>— Russia is ready for negotiations with Ukraine and is not opposed to US mediation.
>— Trump, according to Putin, spoke "very honorably" about May 9 and supported the idea of a ceasefire.
>— Russia is ready to talk with any EU representative who "has not said nasty things" about Moscow.
>— Putin called Schröder the preferred candidate for dialogue between Russia and Europe.
>— Russia is ready to remove Iranian enriched uranium.
>— Escalation around Iran will impact all countries in the region.
https://t.me/rezervsvo/164042
>Putin commented on the worsening relations with Armenia following Zelenskyy's visit to Yerevan.
>He stated that the Armenian authorities could hold a referendum on EU accession. And if the Armenian people support such a course, Russia could initiate a "civilized divorce" from Armenia .
So what do we have here:
1) If the war is nearing its end, then Putin effectively officially conceded total defeat. Because none of the originally stated goals of the war has been achieved. Not even the much reduced goals from June 2024 have been achieved or look likely to be achieved any time soon
2) Putin has legitimized Zelensky and has conceded on not even meeting to sign the paper in Moscow. Which is fitting given that he will be signing Russia's surrender.
3) He is doubling down on betting on corruption in his relationships with the West as a way to resolve conflicts. Because we saw how well that worked over his quarter century in power
4) He has betrayed Iran. With all the consequences.
5) He is abandoning the Caucasus region. Without a fight. After Russia spent centuries and spilled rivers of blood to establish itself there. With all the consequences.
6) Putin once again admitted that he is an incompetent buffoon who got duped yet again by the West in 2022. It's either that or deliberate treason. The only question regarding which this distinction matters is the one whether he should be executed or only removed from office, but either way he is completely unfit to be Russia's president.
Those are the real news from the day.
Excellent insights, GM.
It's garbage. Its always garbage. "nuke everyone". That is his sole argument and it's garbage.
What a long fluff rant.
**yawn**
Wake me when he’s finished
I fell asleep ..is he done yet ?
Don't laugh, Green Midget, our mascot and entertainer (clown), is running for the Paralympic Nobel Prize in the brain category. We must at least give him credit for that courage, public.
I don't like personal remarks, but this GM man or woman is becoming a tremendous bore. His/her
obsessions are to see Putin executed and the start of a nuclear war.
The latest pearl. Sequence of events:
1. Zelensky threatens to attack a parade in Moscow.
2. He is warned not to do it or else.
3. The parade takes place and there is no attack.
4. Analysis of the former ɓy our inimitable commentator: Russia was
humiliated.
I miss in his/her post a mention of Putin baldness, a very threatening situation that spells doom for Russia, while Trump's colourful and exuberant mane is the proof of US dominant position and glory.
GM is a well known retard,with a homo erotic fixation on Putin and a desire to see anyone and everyone killed. A total nut job
The mentally challenged are a species of primate that exists, sharing their DNA with Neanderthals. We have to deal with it, stick in hand.
First. Trump is bald. Including his head.
Second. It is Z-boy that ought to be humiliated. Putin got Trump to yank the Yapping Kiev lapdog's chain. And the Ukrainian pauper whimpered back to his feathered bed.
Last. Russia is doing yeoman's work in bleeding out Ukraine, in draining Europe of money, energy and their future.
Finally, without Russia and China, there is no resolution to the Middle East Trump/Netanyahoo F-up.
I would rather see a Putin at the wheel than another Stalin/Zhukov steam roller crushing Ukraine and the rest of the barking dogs of Fascist Europe.
Which, if any, of his points were wrong.
I will just focus on Iran.
Just saw NYT whining yesterday how Russia is helping rebuild inflicted damage from the war. Iranians keep thanking Russians for help.
Posting short statements, without backing them up, is not a way to go. But that is GM, posts something like this as if it is a god given fact, and moves on.
'🇷🇺🤝🇮🇷 Russia and Iran have sharply increased trade turnover through the Caspian Sea, NYT reports
▪️Russia and Iran have sharply increased cargo traffic along an alternative route through the Caspian Sea after the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, The New York Times, NYT, states.
▪️Four Iranian ports operate on the Caspian Sea. They receive ships carrying wheat, corn, animal feed, sunflower oil, and other goods that were previously delivered through the Strait of Hormuz.
▪️The United States cannot obstruct the passage of ships through the Caspian Sea, as only the five countries bordering the sea have access to it.
▪️By the end of the year, the volume of trade between Russia and Iran through the Caspian Sea could double. “Because of instability in the Middle East, Caspian routes to Iran look much more attractive,” NYT emphasizes.'
https://t.me/Slavyangrad/163890?single
Pretty much spot on. A line-of-contact ceasefire is probably imminent. Strategic defeat of russia, sad but true. This is what happens when you go half measures
This is what happens when you have boomers stuck in the 1990s ruling
We have to accept that it is Ukraine who pioneered drone warfare, who made first battlefield use of HIMARS and to great effect, who successfully fleeced the West of hundreds of billions of dollars and Euros in exchange for nothing. It was zelensky who bullied and berated Trump, and who created the perception of a courageous underdog while Putin remained detached and aloof and hidden.
Russia has caused much damage and destruction in ukraine and inflicted extremely heavy casualties, but so did the wehrmacht. The ussr won the war because of manpower and the depth of the country. This analogy is now in reverse, where Europe is functioning as the "deep untouchable reserve" and manpower is automated
Putin is too hung up on playing by rules. Good for him, but he isnt the man for the moment
Drones were used by both sides since 2014 though (really picked up in 2016) and the Russian MoD under Shoigu was too incomoetent to do anything abt it. And the real pioneers was Azerbaijan (and the Russian MoD took no lessons from that either).
I agree, Putin is "playing by the rules" and operating by "Gentleman's agreements), which history shows with the likes of Napoleon, anyone willing to flip the board wins. Putin is not willing to flip the board and is too set in his ways. Russia needs new leadership, preferably a Lenin or Stalin
A new Stalin would be something that would send shivers through many spines. I dont think the Russian people, or we, really want to behold such a development.
With the levels of support for Stalin at an all time high, and judging by peoples reaction to Prigozhins March for Justice - I’d say the Russian people are indeed ready to behold such a development and in fact welcome it
All you are really telling us is that you lapped up the trashy & ridiculous propaganda that elites of the west have foisted on their masses for more than 80 years. The fact that Secretary Stalin dragged 100% of his vast nation out of the middle ages and into the industrialised USSR whilst driving the scourge of fascism out of its birthplace western europe for more than 50 years, means nothing to you, says all that needs to said about the shortfalls of ignorance.
Putin's model of diplomacy is the C19th Congress of Vienna, where Great Powers recognize each other's interests and abandon the pursuit of Hegemony. The transition to the imperialist phase of capitalist development in the second half on the C19th made such accommodations impossible and resulted in two world wars. Russia's 'military diplomacy' in Ukraine and pursuit of an accommodation between Great Powers exists in a completely different world than NATOs Super-Imperialism. If you don't want to hear it from a dirty commie, perhaps it's time to re-read Big Serge's excellent 'The End of Cabinet War':
https://bigserge.substack.com/p/the-end-of-cabinet-war
True. 100% true.
>Putin's model of diplomacy is the C19th Congress of Vienna, where Great Powers recognize each other's interests and abandon the pursuit of Hegemony.
Fitting with the general theme of Putin's government representing the Whites returning to power after the successful counterrevolution of 1989-1991.
But we saw what the Whites did the last time they were in power. And also how then they went to war together with the West against their own country. Very fitting indeed...
true, Russia is obsolete
So much emotional opinion from people who think they know the end of the objective.
The U.S. is going to spend (borrow, print, or tax) a Military Budget of $1.5 Trillion, while interest on Debt accelerates past $1.2 Trillion, and the only growth in the US is on the Fantasy of Artificial Ignorance Storage Centers for private information of US citizens, for the Dual Citizen Owners.
U.S. GDP guesses at 3% average per year while running Deficits of 6% per year.
Putin is the steady Helmsman, sans infantile emotion. Ukraine is Dead Man Walking, soon to be handed the belly knife.
>And the real pioneers was Azerbaijan (and the Russian MoD took no lessons from that either).
That's not really true. Azerbaijan was using Turkish TB2 to lay waste on Armenian positions.
The Russian MoD's position had long been that UCAVs are a dead end because they will be shot down out of the sky pretty much immediately in a real war.
Which is precisely what Russia did with the TB2s that Ukraine had.
The real revolution were hate drops and then FPVs, using microdrones. Which had in fact been pioneered by the DNR way way back in the days. Here the MoD is to blame for not seeing where things will go eventually.
However, the MoD was never preparing for a WWI-style ground war.
Do you see any FPVs being used in the war between the US and Iran? Not really, it is an exchange of missile strikes.
The Russian MoD was always thinking about such a war too -- the assumption was that if a real war with NATO starts it will go directly to strategic strikes, and then ground forces would only be doing mopping up after the strategic exchange determines the winner.
I don't think Gerasimov ever imagined that Putin will allow the country to be salami-sliced to death like that.
And in reality nothing has changed regarding real war except that the microdrones have made securing your own rear much more challening and imperative, as we saw on June 1 2025.
The solution to the drone problem has always been very simple -- make sure Ukraine has no drones. Which Putin can do tomorrow if he finds the courage and integrity to finally start defending the country and working towards victory.
I meant that while the TB2s were Turkish, it was the Azeris who showed peoplenhow to use them. As well as converting old crop dusters into drones.
And like I said, the MoD is at fault for copying American style warfare and focusing too much on COIN operations as they saw large war "unlikely" (which was surprising given how Europe was acting towards Russia since before 2008).
Also, the fact that Gerasimov is still commanding the SMO is a travesty. I do not think he is particularly good at his job and is only there due to personal loyalty to Putin/Shoigu
Also keep in mind, there are no US ground troops in Iran that we know of. FPVs are certainly used by Iranian proxies (like Hezbollah against Israel in the Levant)
Drone warfare really picked up in the Syrian war, not Ukraine.
Without Lenin, Ukraine would be part of Russia today. It is precisely the experience of the URSS, including Stalin's murderous regime, that has turned most Ukrainians into naive worshippers of the West.
Shoigu was not incompetent; some of the people in the general staff certainly had Ukrop genes, diverting funds from the budget.
Agree. The untouchable depth of Western Europe is playing a vital role.
"Putin is too hung up on playing by rules. Good for him, but he isnt the man for the moment"
I hate to admit it, but you're right. Playing by the rules, being honest, seeking peace through common success, trusting the US and its Euro stooges aren't totally deceptive mad dogs is not a practical way to approach the suicidal war the West has unleashed on Russia.
I've long criticized the total Russian incompetence at messaging and public relations, which cedes the huge battleground of public opinion in the West to the West. In a war like this (the war being the war to the death with the US and the EU the West has started against Russia), trivial messaging measures that make war-fighting much harder for the enemy *must* be undertaken or the price is Russian lives lost on kinetic battlefields.
Russia has a huge industry of dubbing foreign movies and other content into Russian. Watch a re-run of an old Nicholas Cage move and you're struck by how perfectly the on-the-fly voice translations are done. They use Russian voice talent whose voices exactly match Cage's voice and the small nuances of how he speaks. The effect is so smooth you're left feeling astonished that Cage is such a good, native Russian speaker.
President Putin is a very good, engaging, warm speaker. So how does the Russian government translate his speeches for Western consumption? They use a halting, inept voice-over that makes him sound like a bureaucratic thug to Western ears. Stupid, stupid, stupid. They should do professional translations as done by the movie industry, matching his cadence and doing a real, holistic translation that captures what he sounds like to Russians, but in real, native, mid-Atlantic accent for the benefit of Western viewers.
Russia also has consistently missed each and every beat on small interactions in the secondary push and pull involved in the Western propaganda campaign against Russia. For example, the Swiss joined the US's war on Russia by seizing Russian funds and joining sanctions. What the fuck are Russian negotiators or any other diplomat doing in Switzerland for meetings or any sort of negotiations? Russia should have immediately said, no, we meet only in neutral countries, not in countries that are at war with Russia.
Are Putin's ratings going down in Russia? Sure. But it's not just unpopularity with utterly cretinous government decisions like the Russian war on VPNs (a truly stupid move as wide Russian access to VPNs is a key part of using the West's technology against it while simultaneously growing indigenous Russian technology), it is a growing surge of grass roots feeling out here in "the regions" where I live outside of the totally morally corrupt cancer of Moscow that Putin is becoming far, far too soft on the West.
Every single person I know has been outraged by Putin's suggestion that he could meet Zelensky after a peace deal is agreed upon. Every single person I know feels the only possible peace deal with the Kiev regime is eradication of that regime to the last man and woman, including hunting down any of them that flee to other countries.
People like Putin as a man. He really is widely admired and respected within Russia. But the feeling, as you put it, that he's no longer the man for the moment is no longer a fringe notion. People don't want a Lenin or a Stalin. They're not stupid here like some of the Western commentators online who have no clue of what a Lenin or a Stalin really means. But they do want somebody like Putin but a version of Putin who will cut the heads off anybody who fucks with Russia.
A friend of a friend works in the anti-drone interceptor sector in crimea. Tells me all private enterprise have gotten the elka or elga drone interceptor. Highly effective. BUT - no explosive payload, cause non military use. So essentially useless. Rules!
Split feelings about your writing John.
One is of ”joy” and total agreement of what you say, we are finally on the same side! The information War and the War of perception is equally, and sometimes more, important than the war on ground.
The other is sadness. If John Galtsky is saying these things you better believe something has changed in the mood of the Russians. And things will get worse until Western leaders experience another Ivan the Terrible.
So we are slowly converging in our views, but not because I have changed mine in any way. Good to see...
Traitor. But you are our kind of traitor. If you live in Russia and feel this way your feeling of hurt is validated. everyone else could go and fork themselves. Including the ones who spell Crimea like Ukropochta does and that also should be on the list of the targets.
We did loose our info-war as long with the narrative, but we did genocide a million and a half Ukrainians, so everyone should feel very much empowered about it. Including their fearless leader who is directly responsible for the crimson rivers of the Slavic blood.
"which used HIMARS for the first time on the battlefield". Just as Russia used S-35 for the first time on a battlefield.
If you were on the front lines, you'd say he's the man of the moment. With over 1,000 casualties per day inflicted on Kyiv, in a current extremely high ratio compared to Russian losses, the Russian fighters are telling him, "We're in no hurry to die, let's keep going like this until the end." You'd be an excellent candidate to replace the butcher Syrski. May I remind you of the objectives? Demilitarize, denazify, and if it means eradicating the male population of Kyiv to achieve that, then we must preserve ourselves.
I agree that expending more Russian lives would be a tragedy, but what must be eradicated at this point is the entire proxy and its leadership, if not the foreign string-pullers making Z twitch about. Out with oligarchs as well, wherever they're to be found, including within the Russian borders. VVP must make a choice between those evil actors and his fellow countrymen who've been exploited for far too long. The Outlaw Empire will never accept Russia as a peer, but could be convinced to accept it as an opponent no longer to be trifled with. The same goes for China, already gaining acceptance in this latter category.
"Peaceful cooperation" isn't happening or going to happen; peaceful coexistence is even a bit of a reach. Mexican Standoff, aka, MAD is about the best that can be had from the Outlaw Empire.
US that is CIA & MI6 have been preparing Ukraine for a war since 2014. And in the more general sense since 1945, organizing transfer of Ukrainian nationalists into Great Britain and then Canada. Most of these people have been fighting against Red Army under German command, as a part of Wehrmacht, German war machine, some as a part of SS, but really always as Ukrainian nationalists, and had no problem in reorienting into pro-Western and anti-Russian direction. (just like their German masters)
As Kissinger said in spring of 2022, when he still believed his word would be listened to by US elites, the war should be stopped before August, otherwise the war will become impossible to stop, as the war has its own logic.
Ukrainian nationalists at the helm in Kiev, installed by CIA, have been instructed to provoke war with Russia.
The idea was to subjugate proRUssian forces in Donbas and humiliate Russian minority until Russia either enters into the war and suffers consequences or refuses to be provoked and tragedy of Donbas is used against Putin in an regime change operation. (Same as today)
Ukrainian nationalist leadership installed by CIA accepted this strategy enthusiastically, to start a war, go for the maximally aggressive strategy, to refuse to settle early, hoping that war will have its own logic, and they Ukraine win just by surviving until the logic of war begins to bear fruits...and Ukraine is turned into the Western bullwark against Russia, a million men strong army, armed with western money and technology.
And they have gambled correctly. Ukraine did not lose in the first three days, or three weeks, and all the rest is in front of our eyes.
Putin realized he didn't win in the very first weeks, and understood that he has to change strategy:
Putin refused to go all in, mobilize, respecting that there was a possibility that even newly mobilized forces might not be able to overrun Ukraine confidently, and that losing such a war of such magnitude would mean risking not only his own personal fate, but risking the existence of the Russian state itself.
Putin chose to appeal to reason, and as Naftali Bennett, Israeli prime minister at the time, said he had a 50% chance of success. It failed.
Neither Ukraine nor US was willing to negotiate, to offer an off-ramp. Having finally provoked the war, they were unwilling to stop the war before they play their as they believed, winning cards,
Putin succeeded in turning the war into a defensive war for Russia.
Putin was forced to mobilize, Surovikin organized brilliant defense, Prigozhin said what everyone knew, this is not the way to win the war.
Putin understands that rationally, everyone is losing with every day of the war, Ukraine losing men, infrastructure, future, Russia losing men, infrastructure, Europe losing money, oil, gas, and that peace would be better for everyone. But war has its own logic. The war has installed at the top in Ukraine an elite who has a lot to gain from continuing the war, and US is definitely profiting from the war - Europe has to buy US LNG, and oil from US companies, or allies. The war created a chain of supply, support from political, economical, to military, numbering hundreds of thousands individuals who now have an interest in keeping the war going. Neither Ukrainian elite nor US elite has reason to stop the war. And even European elites have climbed the same train, opting for continuing the war.
Putin is playing the bad cards quite well. And he understands that this war is just a part of the World War III.
Something most of the critics, like GM, do not understand. Russia is not the almighty Soviet Union of Stalin, commanding all communist countries and movements on the globe. Russia is just one of the few independent states in the world, but is paying a great price for its independence.
The final decision of the US elites, European elites, Ukrainian elite to continue the war, or negotiate a peace agreement will be influenced by forces outside Russia.
As the war goes on, the logic of war makes Ukrainian incentives, plans, ideas more and more important. US can create an army of million men, but this army is now in Ukrainian hands, and will remain forever. Ukraine is free to organize weapons production, initial financing, ideas might come from US or Europe, but if successful, these production lines will become Ukrainian and will be replicated several times over.
There is no reason for Ukraine to accept any change of the battle line unless defeated. And the longer the war goes on, the lesser the chance of Ukraine getting defeated.
Europe can finance Ukraine for as long as Russian money extends in European banks and institutions. Europe used 100 billion, there are at lease 200 billion more, i.e. at least three more years.
Currently Europe is crediting Ukraine, but Ukraine will never have to pay back the loan.
When Russian money is used, either Europe will be forced to pay the credit back, or Europe will have to find the way to make Russia pay. Either by fighting and winning the war against Russia, or by forcing Russia into an unfavorable peace deal.
Most of this was not understood until the February 2022, and became obvious or predictable already in March 2022, and although Putin did his best to shield Russia from defeat, he is not in the position to end the war both when he wants as well as how he wants.
He could end it now on unfavorable terms, or he can fight on with the idea that time is on Russian side. And whether time will be on Russian side is not clear.
Probably yes, if Putin could somehow restore deterrence.
I do not see a way for Putin to restore deterrence using force or threats, except by using nuclear weapons, or destroying the network of Starlink satellites.
If however Putin keeps leading Russia wisely, and creates an additional army to be able to defend against European conventional attack, and keeps inflicting more damage on Ukraine that Ukraine is inflicting on Russia, there might be a chance that someone in Ukraine, Europe will understand that fighting Russia will not bring victory, and is damaging Europe..
And where in Canada did the Ukrainian nationalist go after WW2 ?
Was it Alberta , the province that is not happy in Canada . Some people are just never happy , or maybe it’s karma .
No, she is a follower of the GM sect and its associate Denis.
Would there be a line of contact ceasefire it would not be a strategic defeat of Russia. She would have acquired a broad land bridge to Crimea, annexed Donesk, Lugansk and ample territories in the South, made very improbable that US strategic missiles would be deployed in Ukraine and crashed the narrative that Western economic power can easily destroy the Russian economy. You can say that a ceasefire would be something between a partial victory for Russia and a draw in sports terminology.
Russia can not agree to a cease-fire. Can't give NATO or our proxy any respite. Time is on Russia's side not ours.
ROFL! Geez, I love armchair generals.
Not a chance. Donbas will be liberated this year and Odessa taken
Lol, you forgot to mention that Putin's recovery from cancer, syphilis and his recent liver transplant are affecting his judgement.
I have seen stories in US where he is dead and he has a doppelgänger.
of course (sarc.)
"Russia itself has once again established Trump as a "neutral peacemaker". Same guy who just sent Ukraine thousands of JDAM-ERs."
This is undeniably true. Trump has the cards to bring peace tomorrow, but instead continues to deliver intel and weapons (paid by Europe) to kill Russian soldiers. And he not only gets away with this but is indeed considered a neutral peacemaker - and even siding with the Russians by some. ..
As the French say: "Il faut le faire".
There is much push back in US against Trump .
But Russians wouldn’t know this because he banned fn You Yube
Trump has no cards in reality. He is a mere puppet with a huge ego.
Excellent insights as always. The fact that the Kremlin boomers havent adjusted their approach and continue following the same line for years is baffling. And the fact that they still dont have a coherent media atrategy (Kiriyenko showed promise but rumor has it he presented to deputies on how to sell the war as a "victory" to the russian populace) instead preferring to ban social media platforms and being forced to tax the IT industry to death resulting in many companies relocating or closing. Hard to fathom this level of incompetence to be honest
Also funny how Putins story changed from 2022, regarding why they left Kiev. Really makes you think
He hasn't changed it at all. He always said he did it out of goodwill to promote the Minsk agreement. Now he tells us that this act was at the suggestion of France.
So its contradictory statements
Not contradictory at all if you seriously look at it. He had a conversation with Macron that it would be a good idea to promote an act of goodwill in order to have a better chance at peace. Of course, it turned out to be bad advice, but the 'contradiction' is simply not there.
Let's put the right perspective; Russian Forces needed to retreat from around the Kiev anyway because they were not prepared for a long-standing siege and defence around it. If Macron or other negotiators pledged indeed for a withdrawal of Russian forces from the Kiev area was just a good pretext to do so.
Good point and I agree. Russia thought they might be able to end it quickly by scaring the hell out of Kiev. And it almost worked had not the interference from US/UK not happened. When it was obvious that this was not to be, well, the rest is history.
If Putin insists in those excuses for being screwed by Boris, Macron and Zelensky back in 2022 it only enforces the pictures of a weak leader with regrets.
It was a gamble that he hoped would end the war quickly, giving Russia most of what they wanted and Ukraine most of what they wanted - settling the war through diplomacy as it should be. Any intelligent leader would likely have made the same decision. Unfortunately, the war-mongering third parties didn't see it that way.
In my opinion Putin has two significant weaknesses (NB: having weaknesses doesn't make him a weak leader - ALL leaders have weaknesses): 1. he is a lawyer, 'nuff said - only to say that as a lawyer he has a firm, unshakeable belief in the necessity of laws and a rules-based system, unlike his Western 'partners' who merely use the system when convenient; 2. he has a blindspot for Western civilisation (which, I believe, is slowly but surely wearing thin over time - thank goodness).
As for weak leader, there is no way on earth a weak leader can stay in power for thirty years, completely transform a country internally, make it almost impervious to thousands of unlawful sanctions against it by initiating a massive programme of import substitution and re-create the it as a superpower on the world stage , militarily politically and economically (based on PPP (purchasing power parity, taking Russia to number 4 in the world). When he took office, Russia was a laughing stock of the world led by a drunk. The only patriotic move ever made by Yeltsin was to hand power over to Putin.
It truly concerns me when people intentionally overlook this about Putin and makes me question their analytical capabilities.
My godness Victor, you really go ape over a comment where I suggest that the 2026 version of Putin is making mistakes that can be interpreted as weakness? You know very well what I think of Putin during his prime time.
Sorry Mikey. But a lot of people do think that Putin is a weak leader, and you gave me an excuse, perhaps unintentionally, to provide my opinion about Putin - and them.
I'll even go a step further at the risk of being called a "Putin fanboy" again, as one commenter recently noted - I think there is more than enough justification for placing him alongside the likes of Ivan III, Ivan IV Vasilyevich (Ivan the Terrible), Peter the Great, Katherine the Great and Stalin as those having the greatest impact on Russia's history. One has to have been in Russia in the late 90s, early 2000s as I was to truly understand the true miracle he has wrought on the country in just a couple of decades - and I don't say miracle lightly. And to say this man is a 'traitor' is just insane.
Hiw would removing your troops from a nations capital "end the war quickly"? Thats something a nation that gets defeated does. The only way to win quickly is not to retreat - his actions only emboldened the Ukrainians
He took a chance - it didn't work out. In war you try things that don't always turn out the way you hope. After this experience he noted that this was going to be a war of a different character, so his army retreated to a more defensible position, regrouped, reorganised, the country mobilised, the factories started up big time - in short, he ordered his military to modernise and strengthen itself for the path ahead, which included the possibility of an eventual wider war with Europe.
An excellent post and to the point. You express Putin's two major weaknesses concisely, within a framework of his considerable accomplishments.
This is not some kind of a toddler that adults are taking advantage of. This is the man that has ruled the largrest nuclear power on the planet for now 27 years.
If you complain for a quarter of a century how the West always deceives you, there are only two options:
1) You are an absolute imbecile totally unfit for office.
2) You deliberately allowed yourself to be deceived because you were not working in the country's best interests.
Which also makes you totally unfit for office.
There are no other options.
Why is that so hard to understand?
None of the other "world leaders" are working in their countries' interest, why would Putin be any different? The Bubble People all float together.
That is the crazy part -- somehow you see all these people mocking the West for what its leaders are doing yet it never occurs to them that the same rot might exist in Russia too. It's just a priori excluded as a possibility
People need some "good god", people need hope in this time of total decay and civilization collapse. So they saw this good guy, this "good leader" in Putin. St Georg who would kill the dragon. But Putin is far bellow this role.
We see how even China is kneeling in front of Trump.
Any member of the meritocratic middle class in the world is a would be American. Not the real one, but what they saw in films.
It is this fictional world the humans prefer. It is this invention of Hollywood Jewish film producers where all human beings are converging to.
Sure, buddy.
Sure, buddy. ROFL!
Much to agree on there, GM, although I dont support the opinion that Putin is a traitor.
He has been and still is in the same predicament as other leaders facing the ”collective West or US” alone. He cant push the nuclear button and he has no means to damage US and Europe without risking destruction of Russia. Russia cant sanctions the West or blockade shipping lanes. So Putin has played along trying to be reasonable and pragmatic. Iran did do the same with pragmatic and cautious politics. In vain as US/Israel has proved over and over again. I think Russia believed in the ”rule-based world order” and thought they could use it as much as the other did (Kosovo, Iraq, Libya). Maybe deluded but understandable. But alternative seems to be a deathmatch…
That's the way it looks to me as well: Putin is trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Putin rose Russia from the dead .
We all owe him that .
As a US citizen I of course want us to do well .
But not at the expense of Russia . Dostoyevsky? Chess ?
A wonderful Christian culture . Anti trans . LGBT woke DEI
Long live Russia.
You know JFK made a wonderful speech “ The Peace Speech “
He felt like I do .
He got assassinated.
"He felt like I do .
He got assassinated."
Be careful.
Exquisite formulated and something all sane people could embrace.
>Putin rose Russia from the dead .
Did he really?
How much credit goes to Putin personally for oil prices going up fivefold in the 2000s?
The only other real success after the economic revival of that decade was recoveing Crimea.
But there are huge question marks there regarding how much he is responsible for that either.
Everything else -- reindustrialization, geopolitics, reining in the oligarchs, and now the war -- has been an abysmal failure compared to what was necessary
And now the country is on the brink of terminal destruction thanks to his (in)actions in the last five years
Dude, Putin fucks up everything because he controls everything. Until he does not control everything. Of course when it suits you.
When you need to admit, reluctantly, something is good, then Putin's ultimate control disappears. Pathetic salto mortale.
As I said the other day - people volunteer in droves because they trust the approach and since you said you wouldn't fight for this Russian flag, you do not get to vote vis-a-vis them and Putin who is risking his life every day.
What are the whiners saying here? Muh, muh something, something internet and tax. That is it. And something, something embarassed. Muh, muh. Like listening to the lowest crap from Ukies.
Chill.
10％ of the people would vote commies from the info in the article. Face it
You live in a cartoonish nightmare. Do not forget to jump off tall buildings and try to stop speeding trains. That you have the power of human speech is proof of God's bounty and your waste of it. You may as well be grunting like a Bonobo, or clacking like a ghetto whose brain rotted in the sun.
I guess almost half of Americans are sane like you. Many of the others are just afraid to speak out.
Yes he does have a means to damage the US. Training and supplying movements like BLM or Proud Boys to destabilize the West
Proud Boys is in jail and BLM is non-existent since they dont get funded by tax-payers money anymore. Besides that, I think higher of russian leaders, than using scums to undermine a society.
You get the point. There are such elements all throughout Western society that can be exploited - the tension btwn men and women in the west, blacks and whites and asians, north and south, democrat and republicans, rural vs urban, etc. Yet this is not done. In addition just because you "dont want to stoop to their level" and ignore the problem, does not mean the problem does not ignore you
Why would Putin bother with all of that while the Soros family still exists?
Duplication of effort and a waste of resources. Plus the propaganda advantage when this support is uncovered.
"Much to agree on there, GM, although I dont support the opinion that Putin is a traitor."
It seems that any leader who doesn't do it the way the Great Marshal would do it is a traitor. It's a pity he didn't run for president in Russia last time, the Russians would have been sipping champagne in Paris again years ago if he'd been in charge.
GM doesnt need to be President. All he did was to speak up against narratives that shrouded the ”truth” out there. His analysis are mostly correct, his recipes is something else or at least questionable.
I'm not sure how you can read any of his comments without being aware that he is not "speaking up against narratives that shroud the truth", but is laying down the law about the right way of doing things. There is not a single line in the comment above that refers to a different narrative, the entire thing is his personal opinion of what is really happening, supported by not a shred of corroborative evidence. The idea that one person behind a keyboard thousands of miles away from the action has a better idea of what to do than the people on the ground who have to actually make real decisions that affect real people and deal with real problems, is frankly, laughable. Nothing is impossible for him who doesn't have to do it, or take responsibility for the results.
GM has proved that he follow the facts and draw the right conclusions about the effects and long-term significance. His ”nuke-them-all” recipe is another thing but the strange part is that he could probably be right about it in due time…
He hasn't proved jack.
Anyone can predict the future and kudos to those that can get it right, like Zhirinovsky, but pontificating from a position of zero responsibility on how things should be done is another matter completely.
GM does not like this iteration of a Russian state and juxtaposed with all the volunteers that go to the front line he needs to shut it.
You think your country has issues? First you need to preserve your country in order to be able to fix it. No country, no fixing. He is not willing to do that. But there are tens of thousand of volunteers monthly that are willing to do that, so he needs to shut up.
Also, he keeps bringing Strelkov up. Strelkov left Donbas in August 2014 and never came back, IIRC. Became blogging persona.
What Paris? It would have become a glass parking lot by then.
Ah yes, I was forgetting the Great Marshal's modus belli.
Are you in The Simpsons or some other even less serious cartoon which has even less to do with reality such as something truly pathetic called: "Your Life" ?
No! Russia under Putin has never believed in the "rule-based world order" and only act (overtly at least) within the law based world order, an order which, it should be said, most of the world's nations purportedly signed up to through various treaties, conventions, etc. going back several centuries.
The rules based order is no order at all; In essence it is a gimmick justification for total anarchy - "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law." IMO, it does not have a lot going for it as a basis for the rights of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".
Putin and Russia (and, incidentally, BRICS as a concept) clearly will not accept such an order; hence, for example, the pains to establish a clear, legal framework for the SMO - recognising Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states and signing a defensive pact prior to taking action. Put simply, you cannot fight criminality by becoming a criminal. In this sense, Russia (and Iran) have no choice in their actions. They are not "playing along" but simply following their own morality. Whether that proves in vain it is, I believe, too early to say, but the course of world events, i.e. the global economy, and world opinion would suggest not.
Why is Lavrov and Nebenzya talking in terms of ”world order” and playing the UN game then?
All fake?
Why is Putin refering to blatant breach of agreements and so on in every speech?
Russian deceptive disinformation?
No.
The UN is supposed to be a law based institution (which is why Russia and the BRICS want it restored to its original purpose), it is not meant to be a game. I do not see anything fake in Russia's desire for other nations to adhere to their agreed commitments.
Not sure where you are going with Putin's speeches. There are breaches; why is it disinformation to highlight them?
But, perhaps you have misunderstood me so let me try again:.
The "rules based world order" is a fiction dreamed up by the USA and its vassals to justify their criminal (in international law) activities. No one has agreed any of these rules and they are changed at a whim to suit any action
the US & co. want to pursue, e.g. regime change, sanctions, piracy, murder, unprovoked aggression, and so on. Russia and many other countries do not accept this. In their view there already exists a world order, that Russia refers to as "law based", constructed through mutual agreement, over centuries, that is enshrined in the principles of the UN and other treaties and conventions. Th UN charter is not perfect but all members are supposed to act in accordance with it and with any other binding treaties and conventions they are signatories to.
Havent seen: ” Russia and many other countries do not accept this.”
They go along with the same jargon as everyone else. Only people like Nasrallah (+) and Kim Jong-un talk in different manner.
I think you missed the part when Russia was blindsided, otherwise they wouldnt be in this situation.
I agree of course that the ” international rule based order” is utterly bs.
Maybe because he needs to counter the narrative that Russia does not abide by the agreements.
You live in EU, you see how this narrative is accepted as a given fact. It is his job to do it. Tedious as it is.
We have now the narrative how Russia reneged on exchange of POWs.
Tony is wrong in my opinon.
And the so called principles in the West are just made up to shackle people without using blunt force. Those in power never abide to their own rules.
Most of the Russians would accept Russia as western colony if they can travel, go to shopping in Lidl, and have Netflix.
Ah the new trope - Lidl.
Lmao
Your obvious bias makes this rant worthless.
Do you expect anyone to read your endless hate rant? We already know what you have to say: Russia was already defeated but now it is even more defeated... What a feat.
Hey. The Putin haters have a gathering here !!!
All supporters of Girkin, methinks.
Hogwash Tovariska GM!
It is Victory day, Slava Russia !!!
Excellent post. It is amazing how Russia is humiliated and pitiful today. Ukraine managed even to disturb 13 airports in Southern Russia. Everybody could have predicted that. It was clear from the start that Russia would be defeated.
We see, that even forced conscription army of Ukraine functions better then Russian volunteers. There was a lot of hubris from the Russian side. A patriotic war is impossible when the country of American style consumers is led by American style oligarchs and a weak old man in Kremlin.
I understand people converging to websites such as this one and MoonOfAlabama.. They all see the Empire and the victims, like Russia, Iran etc. But they do not see that Russians really want to be US/EU slaves. It is the same form the times of Peter the Great.
In the European/Western culture, Russians, Serbs, Chinese, Iranians... have the role of slaves ans sub humans. There is no other option. But the young Russian consumers like that. The proof for this: during 4 years of this war there was no action for social changes in Russia. By embracing capitalism, Russia embraced its subservient role. The same for China.
The Imperial decline is not caused by the strong and rising opponents but by the internal decay. Decay is everywhere. AI would soon control everyone, from San Francisco to Moscow and Shangai.
The armchair general has spoken. It’s a good thing people like you don’t have the opportunity to run anything, given your incompetence.
The incompetent buffoon in this thread is the Putin hating psychotic, GM.
Get a freaking life.
If GM could actually focus on the entire picture, instead of letting his out of control Putin hatred color his entire analysis, he could actually contribute useful commentary to this discussion.
What a waste.
GM (General Motormouth) must be a divide/rule Langley asset. There is no other rational explanation.
As for Russia (with or without Putin) and as I have said many times before, their endgame in Ukraine must be to win the peace as they did in Chechnya.
Clearly, through both words and actions, Russia wants well defined and respected International Law that all nations agree to follow. They want the UN to work, partly because it preserves their veto powers.
That GM cannot see the bigger picture is due to the size of his ego relative to the brain.
👍 100 percent correct.
"5) Zelensky magnanimously "allows" Russia to have its parade."
I let the sun rise this morning. Where is your gratitude?
Zelensky is just a laughing stock. He was afraid of retribution and tried to pretend that he was in control of something.
And fools like you are trying to make this a victory for Ukraine. Haha.
Pathetic. I can't believe there can be such a huge pile of bullshit.
Well, any one of us would recognize this "author"—even if he were spreading his garbage anonymously.
And not just here, either... Over at Moon, there is an agreement to simply ignore his posts—for he is an incorrigible nationalist, immune to any objection or argument.
This little mention on RT:
Ukraine has violated Victory Day ceasefire – Moscow
Kiev has committed a total of 8,970 violations since midnight Friday, according to the Russian MOD
Kiev has made it clear that their sympathies lay with the losing side in WWII, nobody expects them to celebrate their idols from the 1940s defeat with a cease fire.
Actually, as you might recall, this was a unilateral 'ceasefire' from Russia. It takes two to create a ceaasefire.
Putin, Medvedev, and Lavrov have been talking tough against Europe lately.
I see it as a distraction and a waste of time because what Russia really needs to focus on right now is to counter European aggression, neutralize Ukraine and prevent a link-up with AFU forces at any time in the future. Then Russia wouldn't need to validate itself by making empty threats.
By controlling key parts of Ukraine, Russia would have the strategic edge and set the deterrence against the European threat. Ukraine is the ultimate prize to counter NATO encroachment on Russian borders. Action speaks louder than words. It's time for Russia to act decisively and instill a sense of fear in its enemy. FAFO. Take care of Ukraine, and all the other beligerents will back away. They'd be welcome to cross into Ukraine, but it would be at a cost too terrible to imagine. A slaughter. But it takes the will, the courage, and the ACTION to execute a bold and daring plan for which NATO nor AFU are expecting. They won't get what they expect. Surprise, Russia is now at war to neutralize Kiev timely.
-Europe is intending to put boots on the ground in Ukraine. When? Who knows. Russia needs to have a contingency plan because it can't afford to be ready for war against Europe.
A greater Ukrainian war is coming, and Russia needs to plan for it, not plan for an excuse again. Will Russia allow the link-up and face a greater threat, or rise in the face of an existential threat and neuter the enemy in its tracks? The stakes are high for Russia. Will it act right? I doubt it, but who knows?
I included an example of a general plan that would work in the replies for those who might want to read it.
>-Europe is intending to put boots on the ground in Ukraine. When?
It did so back in 2022 already.
Yes, GM. I'm talking about boots on the ground, well over 100,000 soldiers, not just a few thousand.
That is a distinction that should never have been made from a Russian point of view
Yes.
You mean European transgenders and gays ?
At this point they don’t even have boots
All Putin, Lavrov and Medvedev do is talk tough though. They dont do anything and Europe knows it.
Russia is scared of a war with Europe as it stands (which explains all its current actions right now), so it wont do anything to stand in the way of Europe landing in Ukraine
Agreed, Scipio. I don't think the SMO was worth it. Russia should have stayed home. Those 4 Oblasts that Russia gained will be contested for the foreseeable future, with periods of peace mixed in with periods of war. Rinse repeat.
What do you see as the alternative?
Russia could have gone in if it was under less incompetent leadership. If they were able to pull off a Venezuela then it would’ve been worth it. But Putin was in power as was Shoigu, putting us where we are now
Ukraine, ironically, had better commanders
Oh, the yesterday's masturbation of the X population regarding the Ze's 'approval' of the military parade.
Prime example of fighting the PR war with 150 PR agencies.
lmao
I mean, technically speaking Ze did allow the parade to happen. Not like Russia has succeeded in stopping strikes on Moscow as it stands
hahahahaha lmao
Technically Metal Talks and BullShit Walks.
In the end, all the expended “hot air” will be seen to have made little difference.
Proceed
@Alyosha
The big money PR algorithm is working overtime on their Israel account anyhow.
EVERY time I try to watch a YouRube video for the last couple of weeks, the advertisements are some pro Jewish/Israeli tripe, not "send us money for White Dork Ukrainian first aid kits/charities serving abandoned Ukrainian puppies.
When even the advertising man rat algorithms abandon your sinking ship, it is a most definite SIGN.
That last part, all I can say is: Where do they dream those up?
It is clear that based on these approval ratings that Russians are becoming dissatisfied with 1. the restrictions on internet and messaging services and 2. the soft approach to Ukraine's drone activity on Russian soil, esp as it relates to the blooming Baltic pathways to Russia via the little barking dog territories to the north. I think the government needs to respond to this before it gets worse.
His lowest rating was due to retirement reform. I would add taxes have something to do with it.
We see here when some rant, they talk anout iternet and taxes.
People do not like tax hikes.
Universally true.
The rating went down because people (especially the youth) is pissed at internet restrictions
Now that is essential in existential battle. lmao
If it aas existential for the Kremlin boomers, they would mass mobilize and say fuck it to the economy. But rhey cant and dont. So its not existential
Yes, it is nonexistential. We have peeps coming here complaining there is no internet and taxes grew a bit, in a country with very low taxes in general.
If these are the problems in an existential fight, then it smells like a temper tantrum.
Sales tax is going to be raised to 20% in January lmao. Thats higher than Canada
The Chinese had have that phase as well, now they are happy that they cut out the utter cultural decay of the US-owned internet. And you can access it with VPN.
In the end it showed that it is not wise to have the constant psy-op attacks on your peoples minds.
YouTube is Peter Thiel, a trans-human believer and also has the western intelligence run Palantier that wants do pre-crime prosecution.
Who needs the promotion of lip filler, blue fingernails and pink and blue hair plus hand bags for 30K US$?
The western (Internet) culture is rotten to the core, it's a mountain of garbage and constant lies.
The fruit of the mind twisting internet á la USA is visible also in this comment section where people celebrate being slaves to a system that is sick, perverse and can do nothing but genocide plus one war after the other for endless years.
I broadly agree, but the Russian populace (that Putin himself spent decades raising as "cosmopolitan" and "European") disagrees
"People do not like tax hikes."
The most important project of the EU was the construction of a global regulatory system based on carbon emissions and associated virtue signaling. The plan was to extend this system over the entire planet. It was to be a control system which would give the 'elite' alliance regulatory control over non-western economies and resources and allow it to tax them.
This hasn’t gone so well.
Genius, right?
Deindustrialise and then virtue signal and hallucinate you would fine industrialised countries.
We are going to need another round of species self loathing of we are going get the population so swallow….
In my experience, people like even less having no income to tax and can make no purchases that are taxed, because they have no money to purchase any goods, taxable or otherwise..
Only in your experience? :)
Not sure what are you trying to convey contextually, but my point was that higher taxation has something o do with Russian dissatisfaction, and less to do with the SMO per se. Even thought taxes might be related to the SMO, but not necessarily. After all, if they are trying to emulate EU, then one way to go is to increase taxes.
I'm not disagreeing with you. My guess is the misunderstanding with respect to the phrase "In my experience" has to do with an overly personal reflection on the state of affairs in countries (such as the one in which I live) in which the president brags about tax reductions while destroying the industries that produce income which can be taxed, income for the owners and the workers who find themselves out in the street with no further income and the trickle-down effect that has on the small businesses who then lose customers for their products or services. One tax we all have here is the VAT (21%) that hasn't been reduced to my knowledge. Food is taxed at 11%. I guess I'm just getting grouchy in my old age!
Argentina, I suppose.
Did not mean that you are disagreeing, just was not 100% sure. It is online convo, after all.
You suppose correctly. I simply didn't express myself as I would have liked. I don't believe I'll ever get used to non-face-to-face conversations in which spontaneity and nuance take a major hit. I've become more and more of a neo-Luddite in my dotage, plus which I'm a lifelong Taoist who's lived debt-free and very simply in spite of having come from a very bourgeoise family and very bourgeoise schooling. Largely apolitical in my approach to life, that's undergoing some changes thanks to our current government, sad to say.
European sources write that cracks are developing in EU/NATO unity there, even as Orban was maneuvered out of his position by the gang leaders. There is also word that Zelensky was using inadmissible language and an article states ‘The relationship between Kiev and Brussels has not been this tense since the start of the war.’ The Pianist also stated that he is finished with Trump.
At the same time the political leadership in Germany and the UK is gradually undermined by elements with populist voices. The value of Nigel Farage is rising like the sun on a summer morning and so is the AfD in Germany. Considering that Putin is fluent in German he is more relaxed about the outcome of the war than six months earlier. It seems that time is working for Russia real hard.
Macaroni cannot participate in the 2027 elections and Marine Le Pen is the one the left is afraid of.
'U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour party suffered major losses in elections held across Britain last week, resulting in multiple calls for Starmer to resign.'
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/10/nx-s1-5817491/uk-elections-keir-starmer-resign-reform-green
😀 😃 Big Thanks! 😃 😀
These fantasy fiction writers about Russia, Putin, Iran, et al, are as much a waste of energy and resources as the warmongering MIC. I look forward to Western economic collapse so that the propagandists and warmongers no longer have the pay to distort reality anymore.
I agree with you but a western financial collapse won’t happen anytime soon .
We are working on it but it is decades away .
I don't think so. It's coming sooner than everyone expects and much harder. That's why they want to take us to war - their last 'solution' for their rotten system.
'the system' is the people; people get in debt etc, no one forces anyone to borrow, mortgage etc
The 'force' is subtle. Without a mortgage, one has no shelter; without a credit card when pay is insufficient, one does not eat. There are myriad ways that the creditor class works to indebt people and entire countries so that the rent-seekers can continue their parasitic way.
>The 'force' is subtle
that's cope.
truth is nobody is forced to play the game, in any western countries one can move to a small town/village and live according to their means.
while i'm aware of the hyper-normalization of capitalism truth is that there is no coercion at play.
as per gramsci is just that what you call the creditor class is winning/won the culture war.
ps: hard to define who is creditor and who is not when pension funds are among biggest investors/creditors etc.
marx was a great guy but he's part of history now, world is very different now, for better or for worse.
Of course the force is subtle, but if you don't think the majority of workers are 'wage slaves', you live a very sheltered life, I suppose one where people have the freedom to jaunt off to the county and grow wildflowers. There are real economic and social consequences to not playing on the capitalist team. I think you are very naive.
Gramsci was right about a lot, and so was Marx. Not that things do not change and improvements to doctrine and theory are not possible, but Marx and Gramsci are as relevant today as long ago.
The whole idea of a union creating a pension fund was great, but to invest in the exploitation of other workers is an impossible contradiction and cannot last.
Six years at most.
This looks like a realistic window based on what’s happening right now and in the recent past
The pre-collapse will be much worse than anything before, however, so we need to "hold on to our hats!"
That’s the sense I’m getting
Why is there no mention made of the sorry state of the parade? In addition, the picture Simplicus paints is too rosy, according to Russian friends and deputies, the economic situation is not good forcing the government to raise tax rate on IT companies (which is Russias crown jewel), forcing many to relocate out of Russia. In addition, Ukraine is striking Moscow quite frequently and the Kremlin boomers are still living in the 1970s with their policies towards IT
Because it is his substack and he decides what to write about?
Simplicus tries to present his writings as analytical and his earlier writings were that (those talking and showing that electronics in the T80s were Chinese, how Iraq was bought by the CIA, etc), but now its just fluff it seems like. He did not address the root causes and really just brushes over the issues
Don't read, won't get irked. Simple as that.
"He did not address the root causes and really just brushes over the issues"
Instead of complaining, you can analyse your (remarkable) 'name'.
'Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses'
I am named after a Roman Consul. I do not claim to be a Philosopher King
FWIW, your name is from a Roman general, famous for defeating Hannibal in the Second Punic War. Several family members were or had been consuls, though.
It was still more impressive than Trump's DC parade. What does that tell you?
It tells me that Americans put zero effort into it. I see how they did the Venezuela operation - this is how the SMO should’ve been done. The only reason they were able to fly into Caracas unimpeded by manpad crews (that should’ve easily shot down the helis), was because they bought the leadership and guards of Maduro as they did in Iraq and what Putin and co failed to do and continue to fail to do, which is why they are absolutely being decimated politically in the Caucasus
OMG the Caucasus temper tantrum.
Are you telling me that the Caucasus has no importance for Russia and that being surrounded by hostile states is not an issue? If the Kremlin boomers think this is 1756 and they can invade the Caucausus again and win, they are wrong
Jesus dude Russia IS already surrounded by hostile states, has been for decades. Simmer down.
The Cacasus outside Chechnya and generally most of the post-Soviet sphere was very positive and friendly with the Kremlin boomers until 2014 when things started to unravel.
Go read about Carl Popper and see how his ideas are being implemented in Russias near abroad
It's likely many were bought off, especially if Russia went in with Rules of Engagement to fire only if fired upon. Unfortunately a deluge of $US and Nazi bullets to the head changed many minds, and Russia lacked the inclination or resources to fight terror with terror and impose costs on those who reneged on their commitments.
Rumor has it Budanov specifically was given a lot of money by the SVR, then he pocketed the money and still reneged on the deal on the day the SMO started.
It wasn't just him, of course.
Why did he renege on the deal? Any info on that?
I am not in his head, the point is the Russians fell for it so easily
Correct .but at least he tried
The Democrats would have an LGBT parade .
Lol.
The whitehouse tranny fest was quite the social engineering device as I recall…that really helped drive the herds!
Honestly, Simplicius, was it wise to even launch a Victory parade in the middle of an existential War?
The picture broadcast to the Russian people has done more damage than ever the Western media can accomplish.
1. Russia had to administer explicit warnings to Ukraine of any disturbances of the parade would results in attacks on Kiev. How come Russia is in this situation in the first place?
2. Out of fear of destruction or out of supply, no tanks, no artillery and no missiles was displayed at the parade - only human columns. What was the signal sent to the Russian people? Not of strength I can assure.
3. The speech Putin held was really unlike what you expect from a strong and wise leader. Excuses for the 2022 debacle and retreat, insisting of the SMO going as planned is NOT what the Russian people should hear.
Have you missed that the Silovikis now talk about ”instilling fear into the western leader”? If no one is afraid of Russia - how long does it take until they try to take a bite?
Instead, Putin, should have hold a massmeeting and spoken hard and blunt about the truth of the War. He should have said that we can forget the SMO and the goals of the SMO. He should have exposed how many good soldiers that have been killed&maimed and that Russia now need to mobilize and be ready to fight for their lifes. He should admit that Russia need to go into War footing.
Or he could have declared his resignation, his regrets about mistakes done and window of opportunities missed and how he has failed to outsmart Russias open and hidden enemies.
And if you read this, Simplicius, please contemplate about your articles when you describe western leaders as dumb, insane, delusional, cowardly or anything else but Evil. The development we have seen the last 25 years against Russia did not come from idiot brains, it didnt happen by chance and it wont end in a laughter.
Its pure evilness from cold minds that has brought us here.
>Or he could have declared his resignation, his regrets about mistakes done and window of opportunities missed and how he has failed to outsmart Russias open and hidden enemies.
Which is what Yeltsin did, BTW.
For all his corruption and incompetence, Yeltsin in the end still showed more integrity than Putin ever did.
Yes. Jeltsin did the right thing and he used up pretty many PM:s until he spotted Putin and recognized a true leader in the Man, all of western countries laughed at in the beginning.
However, Putins reign has gone long over apex and only a wonder (or the the young Putin) can change the situation.
Do you have some sort of mental condition that forces you to show your psychosis?
Here is an important point you did not mention: In the SMO, neither side employs tanks or other large equipment. There are no tank battles. There is no mechanized division breaking through, and when heavy weapons do appear on the battlefield, they often seem out of place, like the "turtle tank." Combat is primarily conducted by infantry supported by drone units. While artillery plays a critical role, it is the drone units that identify and deliver targets. These drone units are continually evolving; in a few months, we may witness new technological advancements and organizational strategies in their deployment, but not for armor. So, why showcase tanks?
lol this is in bad faith, muricans have no tradition of big 'imperial' parades.
America does its chest-pounding in other ways.
Since WWII, Washington has seen inaugurations, victory celebrations, funeral processions, and Trump’s 2019 “Salute to America,” yet none matched the pageantry and military display even of this year’s supposedly “muted” Victory Day parade.
While maintaining the most powerful military apparatus on Earth, American civic mythology has generally required the military-industrial complex to partially conceal its imperial symbolism behind words like “service,” “freedom,” and “global leadership,” as aircraft carriers patrol the globe and 800-plus overseas bases project enough combined firepower to rearrange geography.
My only problem with Putin is his decision to whitewash US role and shift all blame to European puppets, his unrelenting efforts/desire to appease or even bribe Trump through his zionist minions and still hoping for a deal with US. I don't know if this is strategy or pathetic delusion or if Russia is as compromised by zionists as everyone else.
I understand Andrei Martyanov that Russia and US need to find a modus vivendi but it must be on terms where Russia has a strong deterrence against any future adventures, not where Putin seems to have bought into the idea of US supremacy as being inevitable.
It's not in Russia's interest to have the US and Europe supporting Ukraine concurrently. The Russians can see that the US suckered the Europeans into a fight with them because the US needs to leech as much wealth from whomever they can to avoid their fiscal black hole. Europe happily walked into the trap. Russia wants to divide them so they dangle the US economic carrots and speak of a peaceful solution. This is all a political sideshow and we can only know the reality once things reach a new equilibrium. Things that are said in public are rarely to be taken at face value, often they mean the exact opposite.
Correct. Russia controls their area and we stay in the Americas
I don’t know who keeps pushing us East .
We should take Canada and Mexico and make all of South America part of it .
We don’t need anything . Our resources dwarf most of the world . Oil and Gas ? Really ? Who has more ill and gas than Canada US and South American combined ? No one
"I don’t know who keeps pushing us East ."
You really don't know?
Filed under: EverySingleTime
You should be more careful with the words you use…I don’t know who keeps us pussy us East, Epstein and his Lolita’s of course.
Take Canada and South America? Easier said that done. What is being observed in the last decades is something similar to Mexico taking the US.
North Americans are not generally well liked in much of South America: too many bad memories! Then, too, North Americans are not overly fond of South Americans, holding them in undeserved contempt. The cultures are not compatible.
Looking at Iran, one could say that their civilisation benefitted from decades of leadership by cautious men who very deliberately designed asymmetric strategies to deter a war with USIsrael by preparing for it. However, when war came upon Iran the decapitation strikes of the enemy swept away the cautious leaders, grown old, and replaced them with a generation more suited for the actual fight.
Looking at Russia one can legitimately wonder whether the grey eminences, in charge for decades, are the leaders Russia needs to face the challenges of 2026.
To me, nothing has changed. There were "old" leaders, such as Ahmadinejad, who were labeled as hardline (why?)—having a degree in engineering and serving as a volunteer in the Iraq War. The leaders all resemble Ahmadinejad. In the case of Peseschkian, who is described as not hardline (why?), we see a shift toward medicine rather than engineering, yet the main element remains constant: the Iraq War. All of them are academics, and all served as volunteers the RG. Even if Israel and the US kills a few more, there are plenty of academics who were volunteers in the RG. Of course, in a few years, this pool will be empy, because of age.
My comment was not limited to politicians, but would include the several senior military men who were eliminated by perfidy.
They banned YouTube ?
Don’t they understand that that is the source of Russian understanding?
Tucker Carlson ? For Christ Sake he flew to Moscow to talk to Putin and then raved about Moscow and how it puts US Cities to shame .
Andrew Napolitano has Jeffrey Sachs on who worked with Gorbachev.
John Mearshimer puts the blame for Ukraine on the USA ..over and over again .
Talk about shooting yourself in the foot .
The only pro Russian voices here are on …You Tube .
YouTube provides highly detailed profiles of users, as does FaceBook and other tech platforms. Ideal for recruiting by foreign intelligence.
Much of the "pro-Russian" alt-media appears to be a psy-op directed against both the alternatively minded people in the West and at Russia itself.
If you stop for a second to think about the situation you will see it
If you only see what you want to see, eventually everything you don’t want to see appears to be a psy-op.