But the US is sprinting into bankruptcy by killing it's energy independence, crippling it's manufacturing, destroying it's farmland, debilitating it's military and depleting it's weapons supplies.
It is also losing whatever advantage the petrodollar gave it, by choosing to enforce sanctions against Russia and pissing off the other countries that may once have helped.
The more I learn about this war, while also looking back at others, the more I realise that America has been the bad guy for a very long time.
The war and it's attending hysteria followed seamlessly from COVID hysteria
I'd say the puppet masters are more located in Davos and London. Probably with coordination with both the Kremlin and Beijing. You know Biden doesn't decide a thing. He's mind and soul rotted away a long time ago. From the looks of it, he didn't want to be president. He just had no choice in the matter. Trump's Ukraine-based impeachment relating to Biden's Ukraine-based grift transformed into a Biden election victory helped along by covid inspired mail in voting. Now he is back pretending to manage a Ukraine based conflict, which will likely end the petrodollar and his family's Ukraine-based grift.
The western media aka the "Mighty Wurlitzer" which was metaphor coined for the influence CIA has on public opinion. The western public consciousness is so spun by bullshit, smoke and mirrors it's a testament that they can walk straight. I'd say half the population doesn't believe anything the messaging is trying to convey
Regardless, the average person needs a "good" and "evil". It makes things a lot easier than looking at the complexity and interconnectivity of transnational organizations. How they molded the world. How they play a role in the decisions of whomever is inserted in the US presidency of the 'global police'. The more I look back at things, I think possibly JFK tried to be 'good' and the real powers were like 'no, no, no we don't do that here"
The World Economic Forum was founded in 71 , the same year the petrodollar was created. Followed by Nixon's famous trip to China, which opened up China to western capital, again. Quickly followed by David Rockefeller lauded as the first banker allowed in China since its foundation in 1949.
His visit inspired this quote;
"One is impressed immediately by the sense of national harmony. From the loud patriotic music at the border onward, there is very real and pervasive dedication to Chairman Mao and Maoist principles. Whatever the price of the Chinese Revolution, it has obviously succeeded not only in producing more efficient and dedicated administration, but also in fostering high morale and community of purpose."
The Rockefellers were in China since the Civil war. They started their medical system in 1914 which was followed by agricultural reforms in the 20s. One report said "The RF was now ready to branch out beyond medicine and public health. In 1928, it centralized its governance, adopted the guiding principle of “the advancement of knowledge,”. This lead to a slew of other projects. Some of which kept going , according to RF records until the 60s
There was a Chinese medical board of NY which was connected to Peking Union Medical College where RF put it's money , which kept records until 73.. Peking Union Medical College was 'nationalized' in 51' it merged with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in 1957 and operates as the Ministry of Health. It kept the Rockefeller curriculum.
Fast forward to 2002 and China got a CDC inserted into it's medical system. Who, interestingly enough, quarter backed the famous lockdown and 'discovered' Sars-cov-2.
And here we are. This conflict appears to be an extension of COVID inspired changes by other means. A complete restructuring of the "World Order". As the WEF puts it, this is the 'Great Narrative' phase . I wonder what the authors of the great narrative have in the next scene. We are now in Act II scene I of "The Russian-thwarted Nazi 9/11" if your outside of the "Mighty Wurlitzer" .
No mystery there. Putin started the war because the men behind the curtain told him to and he is fighting it the way the men behind the curtain want him to. Putin has been put in. He's got to dance to the music or he'll be put out. Meanwhile the war is on everyone. Figure out how you're going to feed, heat, and clothe yourself outside the system in the coming years or you'll be done for.
1) I respectfully DISAGREE with the ENTIRE premise of this question and opinion hit piece of Russia's "special military operation". The way the hit piece was written makes me seriously doubt Riley or Marko have been to Crimea especially when labeling Crimea "a trick" like a one trick pony. I have been to Crimea twice and I can attest that ALL the people I spoke to really appreciate being reunified with Russia.
2) Russia (and Belarus where I live) ALREADY had their "great reset" in 1991 when the the Soviet money became worthless. Russians and Belarusians SHOULD improvise and intelligently plan how to first stabilize their own personal situation and then strengthen their personal situation day by day like I am doing. I have LOST more money than Riley and Marko COMBINED ($40K) however I realize Russia's "special military operation" was necessary for Russia's national security. I REFUSE to woe and wallow in the mire by trashing Russia's "special military operation" as a personal vendetta.
3) This article failed (in my personal opinion) to show any vision of the future if Russia had NOT conducted this "special military operation". First, Ukraine WOULD have military solved the Donetsk and Lugansk problem THIS YEAR REGARDLESS. Second, Ukraine would be emboldened to military solve the Crimea problem with a false flag under NATO membership in 10 years time in by 2032. So either have this "special military operation" NOW or world war 3 by 2032.
4) Trying to mix apples and oranges was a smooth move. Nice try. I totally agree with you when it comes to this SCAMDEMIC and President Putin and United Russia political party and the Sputnik injection poison. However WHY did you NOT mention the 30 biological labs that Russia's "special military operation" brought to light? Spraying aerosol poison courtesy of Ukraine via drone inside of Russia would have been a REAL possibility. Was this willful neglect or oversight?
5) The Russian oligarchs who invested overseas outside Russia are the biggest losers. Why NOT mention that? 2 Russian oligarch families (1 in Spain I believe and 1 near Moscow) have either committed suicide or have been murdered. Maybe, just maybe, this "special military operation" will have a positive effect in FORCING Russian oligarchs to INVEST IN RUSSIA!
6) Yes, there are very SERIOUS mistakes and failures in this "special military operation". However the main reason why this "special military operation" is going so slow is because Russia is taking village by village for a minimum loss of life. Yes, all loss of life is a tragedy. Also, the snail pace is mostly due to Ukraine violating LOAC (Law of Armed Combat) and the Geneva Convention by using civilians as human shields and civilian buildings as firing positions.
7) I could go on however I think I have at least sparked a discussion with those who support this "special military operation". And besides it is after midnight in Belarus and I am going to bed. Riley knows I appreciate his intellect so I hope my constructive criticism on our difference of opinion about this "special military operation" is taken with a grain of salt as my 2 cents for what my opinion is worth (if that).
Ho ho.... You beauty! Thank you. What a spirited and, I think, truthful recounting of facts. Facts we see virtually nowhere else.
The irrefutable truth is that we in the West suffer from a censorship that we've been brought up to believe ever since WWII at least was totally something of wicked, terrible, totalitarian regimes and totally undemocratic, unchristian, unscientific, senseless and WRONG.
Our proud boast.
Now we see we're mired in it, deeply, deeply, deeply. We can go to jail for transgressing it. Propaganda and bullshit is our daily fare.
We know nothing of the truth beyond our cocoon of censored information and this post even though it admits of being mainly simply an opinion piece is nevertheless also an informed opinion piece and a 'fact' in that much at least and actually quite indicative of many other facts.
Thank you for it.
Yes and in my enthusiasm for your piece let me add one more endorsement. Yes, concerning the civilian thing in Ukraine. What a war crime to send all these small arms to Ukraine and endorse a civilian 'militia'.
It's not a simple hollywood movie 'arming of the poor villagers against the hordes of rampaging Indians (mexicans, local beef barons, whatever) ' at all, which is probably what the dumb American citizen thinks of it as.
It is a destruction of the safety of the civilian Ukrainian. For now every Ukrainian civilian has to be seen as a possible combatant by every Russian soldier.
It is a bringing of jeopardy to every Ukrainian civilian who picks up those arms for without a military structure and leadership they are essentially easy prey. They can't fight. They don't know what or where or how to 'fight'. Is it 'fighting' to fire at this tank? When that will bring down shells on your village out of simply military necessity to return fire? And kill your own family behind you? Uncoordinated undisciplined independent actions may look good in hollywood movies but in real life there's no cost benefit. None.
You know what used to happen to 'soldiers out of uniform' in the world wars? Shot as spies. When every and any person may carry offensive weapons and use them then the whole population gets seen as enemy combatants. Where then your 'killing of civilians' ?
Anything can happen.
I'm waiting, for instance, for the first munitions dump to be blown up by the russians. When an arms cache gets big enough to be worth it.
I don't give a damn no matter how you argue there's a couple of things are inescapable:
There was continued military actions against Russia via the donbas prior to all this
USA has consistently done nothing but stoke the fires of war, nothing, not a damn thing.
In fact the very jibes they throw at Russia are evidence of that - they mock and denigrate Russia for military weakness and lack of overwhelming successes anywhere at all.
What's that mean?
It means THEY are the 'strongest' - i.e. most militarily active. It means they are applauding themselves for being the most belligerent.
While in fact the very thing they point at demonstrates that Russia is clearly not doing what it clearly could do: use overwhelming force at any time in any direction to annihilate all in front of it.
And I hope it never does. And I applaud the Russians for their restraint.
Admittedly he did mention Black and Veatch an enormous contractor into all kind of construction in many different industries.
They proudly advertise it on their website. Maybe ask the Cameroon Ministry of Health while we are at it? Strange place to put the admin offices for labs in Ukraine. Cameroon also has CDC franchise who lists the CDC as "Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services (CSELS)"
CBEP Ukraine Phase II — BTRIC TO 1
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
Black & Veatch designed and constructed a new emergency operation building with administrative offices for the Cameroon Ministry of Health. We executed this large-scale CBEP effort that included engineering design, renovation/construction, CBEP and operations and maintenance (O&M) training, equipping, commissioning, third party validation, international certification, and sustainment support and transition at 15 14 laboratory facilities (14 13 BSL-2 and 1 BSL-3 CRL), an additional 18 BS&S site upgrades, an extensive program of collaborative biological research, and support to achieve initial operational capability/full operational capability. It included all Scope of Work (SOW) elements of TO RFP 0022 but on a national Threat Agent Detection and Response system scale across Ukraine.
"Black & Veatch utilized local subcontractors to help design and construct the first BSL-3 laboratory in the region and provided enhanced equipment and training to effectively, safely and securely identify especially dangerous pathogens."
WHY did you NOT mention the 30 biological labs that Russia's "special military operation" brought to light? Spraying aerosol poison courtesy of Ukraine via drone inside of Russia would have been a REAL possibility. Was this willful neglect or oversight?"
As somebody who has been in out of the internet conspiracy trenches for many years and a long time and critic of big pharma/CDC shadiness, etc.., the report put out by Chief of Russia’s radiation, chemical and biological protection force Igor Kirillov is just dumb
He mentioned 2 names Hunter Biden (which is funny) and George Soros. Two evil characters of typically the American conservatives right.
Hunter is definitely guilty of multiple Ukraine grifts (supposedly China based shadiness as well but not much info there) worth a lot of money. But the path doesn’t likely lead to WMDs and Soros. Soros runs NGOs to spawn uprisings (domestically and abroad). That’s his 'spreading democracy' and chaos inducing scam. Bioweapons isn't his deal. His days of 'spreading democracy' are over. He has been very upset about Ukraine. His Ukraine operation though his Open Society deals with a lot of information control related things. Not bio research
Hunter Biden is undoubtedly up to his neck in Ukrainian grift and various perversions of unknown severity. Notably he sat on the board of burisma and just collected checks to support his cocaine and international hooker habit. That guy is certainly not allowed to handle anything serious. Like his president father the kid sniffing octogenarian with dementia, who also has little say in things. It kind of looks like old joe didn't have much choice in becoming president. Hanging the laptop story over his head , which likely has info that could put Hunter away for a long time makes me think Joe is under duress, Like Zelenskyi was likely pushed into a really shitty roll in this unfolding drama . Making deals with the devil has it's consequences. I doubt Biden will be alive much longer, it should be interesting to see what happens when operation "get Putin' collapses
The report mentioned Metabiota kind of marketed as pandemic early warning company. Marketed to big biz, univ and government. It was a start up in 2014 , located in San Francisco with very few employees., under 50. in a suite connected to a bank. It doesn't even appear to make money but held up by grants. Run by one hip looking virologist and some tech geeks. That would kind of compete with the big boys at the CDC and Johns Hopkins for fake pandemic tracking and fear mongering in conjunction with WHO
Most, shady bioweapon research is done in coordination with Fauci's group USNAID/NIH/NGOs/Fort Dietrick and NGOs such as the EcoHealth Alliance with University help as well. Gate's loves all things pandemic prediction. That's his gig, and selling vaccines. Shouldn't the WHO be on top of bio threats ?
"Skvortsova sits on the Bill Gates-funded Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB). Fellow board members include Dr. Chris Elias, President of the Bill & Melinda Gates’ Global Development Program, and America’s favorite doctor, Anthony Fauci"
Perhaps Skvortsova should just go ask Fauci about the labs. It's a small board. I mean, they are on a board specifically meant to track such threats. All under the WHO. Surely these people must have something to say about these labs?
Yet Kirillov points at the Los Almos Nuclear lab? Not a likely candidate. Letting us know it's history of making nuclear weapons. Ok, that is true. But bio weapon research is done under Fauci and Gate's networks
Kirillov also mentioned disease carrying migratory birds. I mean why not just say beware for Americans bearing gift blankets laced with small pox. A little to marvel comics and low tech
Seems like a wild goose chase...
Now Kirillov did mention the CDC. I certainly agree this organization who oversaw the Tuskegee's experiments, said Agent Orange was safe and covers up big pharma mistakes on the regular would know about bio weapon research. China has a CDC franchise, inserted in 2002. Their director, Dr Gao was in NYC at a gates/johns Hopkins/WEF sponsored fictional pandemic exercise a few weeks before the Chinese CDC 'discovered' covid. So yeah ask the CDC. Maybe Russia's friend China will give them a little insight. The Chinese CDC however, maintains the same exact policies as the US CDC, though. So they may not be honest.
If I was going to rate Kirillov's report like snopes, I'd rate it mostly false.
Paul Craig Roberts has warned of similar things, as the way the war is being fought is not going to end well for either side. Perhaps that was part of the plan, knowing that Russia pushed the COVID nonsense and jabs as much as the west.
Interesting article, though it seems to mostly ignore the elephant in the room, which is the probable pivotal role of the globalist elite in this. In my view, all visible parties are following orders from this globalist elite and there is a lot of evidence for this. If indeed this is so, are Russia's real political masters the same as the West's? Or are they a different 'faction'? My view is that they're the same, and always have been the same. If the entire Ukraine situation is being stage managed, what is the real purpose behind it all? Accelerated wealth transfer? Part of the global reset (aka creation of a global slave state)? Whatever the answer, I don't think it's meant to be good for the people of Russia or of the West.
I was expecting a balanced article but quickly found myself scrolling to find a premise that was backed by fact. Marco thinks Russia started a war against NATO but NATO has been playing provocateur for two decades. They exhausted all diplomatic avenues and felt it was now that gave them the most advantage. Given we now know Ukraine was planning an invasion into DPR. As far as US funding goes. The days of printing $ indiscriminately is over. We're almost to the point where other nations are not going to want US dollars. Inflation & shortages will be realized shortly. Secondly the US won't have a Ukrainian military to arm. 60k to 80k of the Ukraine military are encircled cut off from reinforcements. Five rail stations and two bridges were blown up this morning. The east is cut off and the sky is controlled by Russia in the western part of Ukraine. Russia didn't want this war they wanted assimilation into NATO, and found they were the object of destruction.
In military terms, this was may seem like nonsense. But in terms of an Orwellian world order, it's perfectly logical. Both the US and Russia get to have a "war" with minimal consequences which can last forever, and that's the point, being able to bombard the populace with constant war news, reminder that "we're in a war," and another excuse for imposing the Great Reset policies.
I didn't say "will." For the moment, *in its present state*, it has minimal consequences in both the US and Russia, minimal relative to how things could be, relatively low intensity.
Considering the amount of men and (expensive) equipment lost by Russia, they will be replacing the lion's part of their armored corp, thousands of tanks (at +20M per) and tens of thousands of other vehicles. I'm sure they will find the money, but tens of thousands of young men don't grow on trees. Who do they think will rebuild, and who will pay for it? The same young people who fought in this war for Putin's glory?
Not to mention the hit to his pride. How can this be considered as anything other than a failure? Putin made a humungous error in judgment, and when authoritarians slip, they fall all the way down (there's no room for error in a government build on fear). I don't think that dictators can just retire to Florida.
As i said, "minimal consequences" relative to consequences such as a world war. I'm not remotely justifying this war, or Putin, or Biden, or any of the psychopaths and sociopaths who run the current global system (people at a much higher pay grade than either of those two), i'm simply locating the war in a system of policies intended to produce a state of siege mentality which enables the implementation of the Great Reset. Read Nineteen Eighty Four, this is so typical of the conflicts described in that book.
I agree, it could be worse, but not sure by how much (at least in Ukraine). I'm not sure that a war like the past world wars could happen today. Mass destruction is so fast and easy for a modern military.
The powers that be will try to prevent WWIII precisely because of that. If allowed to go on with their system (i.e. we don't push their system aside), i think they will not succeed in the long term, all the more reason to not let them go on.
I'd say the puppet masters are more located in Davos and London (for the west). Whom likely are working in coordination with both the Kremlin and Beijing.
They all collaborated on the fake covid narrative. Why should we think now is any different
If you look at the actual results of this conflict, it's clearer what is happening and why:
1) NATO offloading current and obsolete equipment to Ukraine, replaced at taxpayer expense with new.
2) "a new security paradigm in Europe" Let's spend more annually on military, implement digital IDs etc.
3) Fear of WWIII and "nukes" makes the population easy to control, the sequel to COVID
4) Blame it on the War: Food production crisis (Russia/Ukraine makes 30% global wheat etc.), energy crisis (gas, electricity)
5) Clash of cultures - relocation of refugees to affluent Western countries.
6) Rebuilding Ukraine - how many "building contractors" are lining up for those juicy pickings of taxpayers money?
It's a forever war, and Russia is in on it.
With this mindset, it's clear WHY Putin hasn't done a lightning strike and rolled into and taken over Kyiv and the rest of Ukraine. That's not in the plan.
I think you're just addressing Putin. Telling him to put up or shut up. Fair enough.
I've got a wildcard thought of my own: what about if what Putin wants is simply a return to the Iron Curtain?
He's tried getting along with the West for decades and the West simply will not have it.
So put up a wall and let Putin and whatever friends he can find build their own world on that side of the wall.
After all this time all the pretended civility and cooperation has finally gotten too sickening - we can all relate to that can't we? There's some people, some groups, even some movies, that sicken us too much and we just turn away from them.
How about if Putin is just deliberately turning away?
His situation - despite your analysis prophesying inevitable decay and decline - could hardly be worse that what they face on an ongoing basis nowadays.
'Come the crunch' we say. How about if Putin has simply decided to orchestrate 'the crunch' ?
So now on his side he can build a new currency, a new 'petrodollar' a new trading regime, new alliances and programmes and be safe from American meddling, sabotage, influence, all participants knowing which side of the wall they are on.
And of course, in the real world, still get from the West whatever he wants whenever he wants it. There's never any shortage of those who'll help find a way around embargoes and such, is there?
There's plenty of people and nations that hate the West.
And many of them do it in secret, are duplicitous right now.
And then there's the cost to the West.
It is said in many, many quarters that the West is in its death throes.
That it cannot function much longer with its insane monetary system.
We have seen clearly in the last two years that it has an insane political 'leadership', too, that effectively the people are led by clowns and worse.
We have seen that our media is as bad or worse than anything we used to accuse soviet Russia of.
We have seen the people have no protection, no 'champions', nothing, no one on their side.
China has said for decades that the West was corrupt and rotten, effete, lost in hubris and self deception, a fool's paradise.
Two years of covid proved it. Two years of destroying our democracies as political systems and destroying their wealth and viability, trampling all over the people, and all in a hysterical panic about a phantom that never materalised and which we now swear we 'beat' by using a magic potion that no scientific metric can show produced any benefit.
What if Putin just looks at all that rottenness and says 'I've had enough.'. 'I'll call your bluff'.
The West is said right now by numerous commentators to be shooting itself in the foot with its actions, cutting itself off from needed resources and valuable trade.
If my neighbour hassles me with his noise and disturbances and bad behaviour, insults and abuse sufficiently I'll finish up just putting up the strongest wall between us that I can and sever all relations.
You can preach to me that it'd be nicer and more christian and more productive if I 'got along' with him but I know better.
The West, specifically the USA has been making war on Russia for decades.
Everyone knows that.
The West - the USA - has been (and still is) making war on everyone for decades.
So okay. Let it be clearly manifest.
Put a wall of steel up.
Let the Ukraine be an American satrapy. Let the USA destroy itself financing from a position of bankruptcy yet another war.
All the USA has is the dollar, essentially. And it is doing all it can to throw that away.
How much confidence in the dollar now?
Foreigners see clearly there's no safety in putting their money into the USA.
And now even the USA citizens see there's no safety for them, either. The last two years have shown us that the fashion today is for Western govt. to simply seize your money if they don't like anything you do - even a civil protest, a few trucks driving up a highway....
You can't speak out, you can't act, you can't think...
Putin is a puppet like the rest of the other world leaders !
He got his marching orders from our overlords and is setting up the "1984" world of George Orwell and the iron curtain curtain is coming back for good this time !
Your coverage of the "covid crisis" in Russia totally convinced me we cannot escape them !
Apr 29, 2022·edited Apr 29, 2022Liked by Edward Slavsquat
This is a great piece by Marko, Edward, with the deep understanding and analysis of the situation. Thanks for sharing that! People in Russia are beginning to ask the same question? If we are at war, are we actually going to fight? This article by Marko proves the point that there are people in the English speaking world capable of understanding of places like Russia. Also, there was something I read yesterday in Russian Telegram channels that I think is worth sharing. Two news item appeared yesterday: 1. Head of Federal Comptroller Office, Kudrin, a well known liberal in Russian government, announced that he is flying to Israel again (second time in 10 days) for medical treatment; 2. Kudrin's big friend, liberal Ulyukaev, former minister of Economic Development, jailed in 2017 for corruption was released from jail 4 years ahead of completing his sentence. People interpret that as Kudrin, one of the very few with direct access to Putin who didn't get sanctioned, was sent by Putin to negotiate the end to the special operation, but Kudrin demanded that as condition to doing that favor his buddy, Ulyukaev, must be released. Other observation, in Russia while mask mandates were largely lifted for common people, for meetings with Putin's presence they started to demand again that parliamentarians, ministers, governors and generals wear masks in his presence, no matter how far they are located away from presidential body.
Thanks for the kind feedback, as well as the intel on Kudrin. I've been "following" him closely since the first rumors emerged that he left for Israel. Of course, he returned to Moscow and announced the country was facing 2 years of economic pain. Typical -- what else can we expect from Kudrin? That's very interesting about the negotiations. I will look into this. There's also been some funny news about Chubais. Apparently he is living in luxury in Italy.
Hi, Edward. I'm glad to be back commenting on your blog! I stopped receiving notifications about your articles and thought that considering gravity of the situation you left Russia and went offline, but "just for fun" decided to check your Substack again and was pleasantly surprised to see you active there and still going by "your Miscow correspondent". I'll be happy to provide tidbits of interesting info that largely go unnoticed by media.
Interesting notes, especially about the Dnieper bridges. But in fairness, much of it, especially about Russia's prospects for protracted economic war + strategic stalemate with NATO, have been obvious since the end of the USSR. Re. "what kind of 5D chess move can explain all this", well, how about the 1D chess strategy of making war mainly as a pretext to turn the screws at home? Yes, the USSR collapsed when there were bread queues - sanctions - and the pathetic hopes of Russian autarky - must worry Putin.
But the one thing Putin seems to have out-calculated Western observers on is that the tele-serfs rally behind a strongman in adversity. His thinking - if there is any rationality to it - may be that this simulacra Great Patriotic War atmosphere can be maintained if not indefinitely, then until some global economic cataclysm will come along and "equalize" the degree of cluster-fuckery abroad to that at home.
Your bottom line is that the empire and its vassals, as you put it, are succedding and Russia is failing. Really? You just sound as another US propaganda agent inside Russia and in this article I think you lost your cool, so no need to comment any further.
The Russians are winning. Not sure they will have the strength to take all of the Black Sea coast. That depends on how completely they destroy the core of the Ukrainian army in the Donbass. The only real miscalculation they have made is in underestimating the degree to which the Biden administration is pinning ALL it's hopes for November on prolonging the war.
At this point, I tend to agree with part of your article. Russia may have to mobilize to capture all of South Ukraine and be prepared for an extended conventional war with Nato. The results of such a war are completely unpredictable. But Russia should maximize production of long range missiles and start beefing up their air defense. It will take the better part of a year for the US to move significant forces to Europe. Russia will need to use that window to bombard American bases all across east and central Europe - particularly Germany.
Hopefully it does not come to that because ultimately, Russia would not prevail in a conventional fight with all of Nato - assuming Nato held together - Big IF - and would be faced with an option of going nuclear or being dissolved.
Putins unwillingness to mobilize maybe the vain hope that he can halt the cycle of escalation. But the reality is, the west will escalate as Russian victory comes into clearer focus in Twitter.
Oh, Edvard. My instincts told me you would ultimately disappoint, and so you have.
Now one can actually watch you construct your strawmen before you place them in mufti and deploy them in print/online/whatever we call this 'blogosphere' stuff while the internet still works.
Putin/Russia aren't morally/ethically/executively perfect? I am SO shocked! Said lack of perfection doesn't justify fact-impoverished, innuendo-riven, misleading garbage worthy of the NYT or WaPo.
I'm glad you found a niche market by which to continue your career, and I recommend you stick to the covid thing. There you at least lead with facts not unsubstantiated insinuation. Trying to pretend that Putin is behaving illogically or derangedly or even incompetently, fail when the clearly stated aims of this "special military operation" (SMP) increasingly align with the plainly visible consequences of said SMP.
If ever I need proof that journalism is informational prostitution, I need only look closely at the journalists presenting themselves as honest alternatives to the mainstream media whoredom. Usually, exceptions are expected to prove the rule not adhere to it.
But the US is sprinting into bankruptcy by killing it's energy independence, crippling it's manufacturing, destroying it's farmland, debilitating it's military and depleting it's weapons supplies.
It is also losing whatever advantage the petrodollar gave it, by choosing to enforce sanctions against Russia and pissing off the other countries that may once have helped.
The more I learn about this war, while also looking back at others, the more I realise that America has been the bad guy for a very long time.
I should have read your post before I wrote mine. Would have saved me the trouble. Well said. Succinct.
The war and it's attending hysteria followed seamlessly from COVID hysteria
I'd say the puppet masters are more located in Davos and London. Probably with coordination with both the Kremlin and Beijing. You know Biden doesn't decide a thing. He's mind and soul rotted away a long time ago. From the looks of it, he didn't want to be president. He just had no choice in the matter. Trump's Ukraine-based impeachment relating to Biden's Ukraine-based grift transformed into a Biden election victory helped along by covid inspired mail in voting. Now he is back pretending to manage a Ukraine based conflict, which will likely end the petrodollar and his family's Ukraine-based grift.
The western media aka the "Mighty Wurlitzer" which was metaphor coined for the influence CIA has on public opinion. The western public consciousness is so spun by bullshit, smoke and mirrors it's a testament that they can walk straight. I'd say half the population doesn't believe anything the messaging is trying to convey
Regardless, the average person needs a "good" and "evil". It makes things a lot easier than looking at the complexity and interconnectivity of transnational organizations. How they molded the world. How they play a role in the decisions of whomever is inserted in the US presidency of the 'global police'. The more I look back at things, I think possibly JFK tried to be 'good' and the real powers were like 'no, no, no we don't do that here"
The World Economic Forum was founded in 71 , the same year the petrodollar was created. Followed by Nixon's famous trip to China, which opened up China to western capital, again. Quickly followed by David Rockefeller lauded as the first banker allowed in China since its foundation in 1949.
His visit inspired this quote;
"One is impressed immediately by the sense of national harmony. From the loud patriotic music at the border onward, there is very real and pervasive dedication to Chairman Mao and Maoist principles. Whatever the price of the Chinese Revolution, it has obviously succeeded not only in producing more efficient and dedicated administration, but also in fostering high morale and community of purpose."
The Rockefellers were in China since the Civil war. They started their medical system in 1914 which was followed by agricultural reforms in the 20s. One report said "The RF was now ready to branch out beyond medicine and public health. In 1928, it centralized its governance, adopted the guiding principle of “the advancement of knowledge,”. This lead to a slew of other projects. Some of which kept going , according to RF records until the 60s
There was a Chinese medical board of NY which was connected to Peking Union Medical College where RF put it's money , which kept records until 73.. Peking Union Medical College was 'nationalized' in 51' it merged with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in 1957 and operates as the Ministry of Health. It kept the Rockefeller curriculum.
Fast forward to 2002 and China got a CDC inserted into it's medical system. Who, interestingly enough, quarter backed the famous lockdown and 'discovered' Sars-cov-2.
And here we are. This conflict appears to be an extension of COVID inspired changes by other means. A complete restructuring of the "World Order". As the WEF puts it, this is the 'Great Narrative' phase . I wonder what the authors of the great narrative have in the next scene. We are now in Act II scene I of "The Russian-thwarted Nazi 9/11" if your outside of the "Mighty Wurlitzer" .
No mystery there. Putin started the war because the men behind the curtain told him to and he is fighting it the way the men behind the curtain want him to. Putin has been put in. He's got to dance to the music or he'll be put out. Meanwhile the war is on everyone. Figure out how you're going to feed, heat, and clothe yourself outside the system in the coming years or you'll be done for.
1) I respectfully DISAGREE with the ENTIRE premise of this question and opinion hit piece of Russia's "special military operation". The way the hit piece was written makes me seriously doubt Riley or Marko have been to Crimea especially when labeling Crimea "a trick" like a one trick pony. I have been to Crimea twice and I can attest that ALL the people I spoke to really appreciate being reunified with Russia.
2) Russia (and Belarus where I live) ALREADY had their "great reset" in 1991 when the the Soviet money became worthless. Russians and Belarusians SHOULD improvise and intelligently plan how to first stabilize their own personal situation and then strengthen their personal situation day by day like I am doing. I have LOST more money than Riley and Marko COMBINED ($40K) however I realize Russia's "special military operation" was necessary for Russia's national security. I REFUSE to woe and wallow in the mire by trashing Russia's "special military operation" as a personal vendetta.
3) This article failed (in my personal opinion) to show any vision of the future if Russia had NOT conducted this "special military operation". First, Ukraine WOULD have military solved the Donetsk and Lugansk problem THIS YEAR REGARDLESS. Second, Ukraine would be emboldened to military solve the Crimea problem with a false flag under NATO membership in 10 years time in by 2032. So either have this "special military operation" NOW or world war 3 by 2032.
4) Trying to mix apples and oranges was a smooth move. Nice try. I totally agree with you when it comes to this SCAMDEMIC and President Putin and United Russia political party and the Sputnik injection poison. However WHY did you NOT mention the 30 biological labs that Russia's "special military operation" brought to light? Spraying aerosol poison courtesy of Ukraine via drone inside of Russia would have been a REAL possibility. Was this willful neglect or oversight?
5) The Russian oligarchs who invested overseas outside Russia are the biggest losers. Why NOT mention that? 2 Russian oligarch families (1 in Spain I believe and 1 near Moscow) have either committed suicide or have been murdered. Maybe, just maybe, this "special military operation" will have a positive effect in FORCING Russian oligarchs to INVEST IN RUSSIA!
6) Yes, there are very SERIOUS mistakes and failures in this "special military operation". However the main reason why this "special military operation" is going so slow is because Russia is taking village by village for a minimum loss of life. Yes, all loss of life is a tragedy. Also, the snail pace is mostly due to Ukraine violating LOAC (Law of Armed Combat) and the Geneva Convention by using civilians as human shields and civilian buildings as firing positions.
7) I could go on however I think I have at least sparked a discussion with those who support this "special military operation". And besides it is after midnight in Belarus and I am going to bed. Riley knows I appreciate his intellect so I hope my constructive criticism on our difference of opinion about this "special military operation" is taken with a grain of salt as my 2 cents for what my opinion is worth (if that).
Ho ho.... You beauty! Thank you. What a spirited and, I think, truthful recounting of facts. Facts we see virtually nowhere else.
The irrefutable truth is that we in the West suffer from a censorship that we've been brought up to believe ever since WWII at least was totally something of wicked, terrible, totalitarian regimes and totally undemocratic, unchristian, unscientific, senseless and WRONG.
Our proud boast.
Now we see we're mired in it, deeply, deeply, deeply. We can go to jail for transgressing it. Propaganda and bullshit is our daily fare.
We know nothing of the truth beyond our cocoon of censored information and this post even though it admits of being mainly simply an opinion piece is nevertheless also an informed opinion piece and a 'fact' in that much at least and actually quite indicative of many other facts.
Thank you for it.
Yes and in my enthusiasm for your piece let me add one more endorsement. Yes, concerning the civilian thing in Ukraine. What a war crime to send all these small arms to Ukraine and endorse a civilian 'militia'.
It's not a simple hollywood movie 'arming of the poor villagers against the hordes of rampaging Indians (mexicans, local beef barons, whatever) ' at all, which is probably what the dumb American citizen thinks of it as.
It is a destruction of the safety of the civilian Ukrainian. For now every Ukrainian civilian has to be seen as a possible combatant by every Russian soldier.
It is a bringing of jeopardy to every Ukrainian civilian who picks up those arms for without a military structure and leadership they are essentially easy prey. They can't fight. They don't know what or where or how to 'fight'. Is it 'fighting' to fire at this tank? When that will bring down shells on your village out of simply military necessity to return fire? And kill your own family behind you? Uncoordinated undisciplined independent actions may look good in hollywood movies but in real life there's no cost benefit. None.
You know what used to happen to 'soldiers out of uniform' in the world wars? Shot as spies. When every and any person may carry offensive weapons and use them then the whole population gets seen as enemy combatants. Where then your 'killing of civilians' ?
Anything can happen.
I'm waiting, for instance, for the first munitions dump to be blown up by the russians. When an arms cache gets big enough to be worth it.
I don't give a damn no matter how you argue there's a couple of things are inescapable:
There was continued military actions against Russia via the donbas prior to all this
USA has consistently done nothing but stoke the fires of war, nothing, not a damn thing.
In fact the very jibes they throw at Russia are evidence of that - they mock and denigrate Russia for military weakness and lack of overwhelming successes anywhere at all.
What's that mean?
It means THEY are the 'strongest' - i.e. most militarily active. It means they are applauding themselves for being the most belligerent.
While in fact the very thing they point at demonstrates that Russia is clearly not doing what it clearly could do: use overwhelming force at any time in any direction to annihilate all in front of it.
And I hope it never does. And I applaud the Russians for their restraint.
Admittedly he did mention Black and Veatch an enormous contractor into all kind of construction in many different industries.
They proudly advertise it on their website. Maybe ask the Cameroon Ministry of Health while we are at it? Strange place to put the admin offices for labs in Ukraine. Cameroon also has CDC franchise who lists the CDC as "Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services (CSELS)"
CBEP Ukraine Phase II — BTRIC TO 1
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
Black & Veatch designed and constructed a new emergency operation building with administrative offices for the Cameroon Ministry of Health. We executed this large-scale CBEP effort that included engineering design, renovation/construction, CBEP and operations and maintenance (O&M) training, equipping, commissioning, third party validation, international certification, and sustainment support and transition at 15 14 laboratory facilities (14 13 BSL-2 and 1 BSL-3 CRL), an additional 18 BS&S site upgrades, an extensive program of collaborative biological research, and support to achieve initial operational capability/full operational capability. It included all Scope of Work (SOW) elements of TO RFP 0022 but on a national Threat Agent Detection and Response system scale across Ukraine.
"Black & Veatch utilized local subcontractors to help design and construct the first BSL-3 laboratory in the region and provided enhanced equipment and training to effectively, safely and securely identify especially dangerous pathogens."
Which oligarchs were killed and by who and why? How/where did you lost your money given that i your are probably not sanctioned?
WHY did you NOT mention the 30 biological labs that Russia's "special military operation" brought to light? Spraying aerosol poison courtesy of Ukraine via drone inside of Russia would have been a REAL possibility. Was this willful neglect or oversight?"
As somebody who has been in out of the internet conspiracy trenches for many years and a long time and critic of big pharma/CDC shadiness, etc.., the report put out by Chief of Russia’s radiation, chemical and biological protection force Igor Kirillov is just dumb
He mentioned 2 names Hunter Biden (which is funny) and George Soros. Two evil characters of typically the American conservatives right.
Hunter is definitely guilty of multiple Ukraine grifts (supposedly China based shadiness as well but not much info there) worth a lot of money. But the path doesn’t likely lead to WMDs and Soros. Soros runs NGOs to spawn uprisings (domestically and abroad). That’s his 'spreading democracy' and chaos inducing scam. Bioweapons isn't his deal. His days of 'spreading democracy' are over. He has been very upset about Ukraine. His Ukraine operation though his Open Society deals with a lot of information control related things. Not bio research
Hunter Biden is undoubtedly up to his neck in Ukrainian grift and various perversions of unknown severity. Notably he sat on the board of burisma and just collected checks to support his cocaine and international hooker habit. That guy is certainly not allowed to handle anything serious. Like his president father the kid sniffing octogenarian with dementia, who also has little say in things. It kind of looks like old joe didn't have much choice in becoming president. Hanging the laptop story over his head , which likely has info that could put Hunter away for a long time makes me think Joe is under duress, Like Zelenskyi was likely pushed into a really shitty roll in this unfolding drama . Making deals with the devil has it's consequences. I doubt Biden will be alive much longer, it should be interesting to see what happens when operation "get Putin' collapses
The report mentioned Metabiota kind of marketed as pandemic early warning company. Marketed to big biz, univ and government. It was a start up in 2014 , located in San Francisco with very few employees., under 50. in a suite connected to a bank. It doesn't even appear to make money but held up by grants. Run by one hip looking virologist and some tech geeks. That would kind of compete with the big boys at the CDC and Johns Hopkins for fake pandemic tracking and fear mongering in conjunction with WHO
Most, shady bioweapon research is done in coordination with Fauci's group USNAID/NIH/NGOs/Fort Dietrick and NGOs such as the EcoHealth Alliance with University help as well. Gate's loves all things pandemic prediction. That's his gig, and selling vaccines. Shouldn't the WHO be on top of bio threats ?
"Skvortsova sits on the Bill Gates-funded Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB). Fellow board members include Dr. Chris Elias, President of the Bill & Melinda Gates’ Global Development Program, and America’s favorite doctor, Anthony Fauci"
Perhaps Skvortsova should just go ask Fauci about the labs. It's a small board. I mean, they are on a board specifically meant to track such threats. All under the WHO. Surely these people must have something to say about these labs?
Yet Kirillov points at the Los Almos Nuclear lab? Not a likely candidate. Letting us know it's history of making nuclear weapons. Ok, that is true. But bio weapon research is done under Fauci and Gate's networks
Kirillov also mentioned disease carrying migratory birds. I mean why not just say beware for Americans bearing gift blankets laced with small pox. A little to marvel comics and low tech
Seems like a wild goose chase...
Now Kirillov did mention the CDC. I certainly agree this organization who oversaw the Tuskegee's experiments, said Agent Orange was safe and covers up big pharma mistakes on the regular would know about bio weapon research. China has a CDC franchise, inserted in 2002. Their director, Dr Gao was in NYC at a gates/johns Hopkins/WEF sponsored fictional pandemic exercise a few weeks before the Chinese CDC 'discovered' covid. So yeah ask the CDC. Maybe Russia's friend China will give them a little insight. The Chinese CDC however, maintains the same exact policies as the US CDC, though. So they may not be honest.
If I was going to rate Kirillov's report like snopes, I'd rate it mostly false.
Paul Craig Roberts has warned of similar things, as the way the war is being fought is not going to end well for either side. Perhaps that was part of the plan, knowing that Russia pushed the COVID nonsense and jabs as much as the west.
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2022/04/14/the-kremlin-has-missed-the-opportunity-to-end-the-provocations-of-russia-that-are-bringing-the-world-to-nuclear-war/
Interesting article, though it seems to mostly ignore the elephant in the room, which is the probable pivotal role of the globalist elite in this. In my view, all visible parties are following orders from this globalist elite and there is a lot of evidence for this. If indeed this is so, are Russia's real political masters the same as the West's? Or are they a different 'faction'? My view is that they're the same, and always have been the same. If the entire Ukraine situation is being stage managed, what is the real purpose behind it all? Accelerated wealth transfer? Part of the global reset (aka creation of a global slave state)? Whatever the answer, I don't think it's meant to be good for the people of Russia or of the West.
I think it is to recreate the Iron Curtain and build an 'alternative' reality over there. Which could be good. (and could be bad. I don't know)
I was expecting a balanced article but quickly found myself scrolling to find a premise that was backed by fact. Marco thinks Russia started a war against NATO but NATO has been playing provocateur for two decades. They exhausted all diplomatic avenues and felt it was now that gave them the most advantage. Given we now know Ukraine was planning an invasion into DPR. As far as US funding goes. The days of printing $ indiscriminately is over. We're almost to the point where other nations are not going to want US dollars. Inflation & shortages will be realized shortly. Secondly the US won't have a Ukrainian military to arm. 60k to 80k of the Ukraine military are encircled cut off from reinforcements. Five rail stations and two bridges were blown up this morning. The east is cut off and the sky is controlled by Russia in the western part of Ukraine. Russia didn't want this war they wanted assimilation into NATO, and found they were the object of destruction.
In military terms, this was may seem like nonsense. But in terms of an Orwellian world order, it's perfectly logical. Both the US and Russia get to have a "war" with minimal consequences which can last forever, and that's the point, being able to bombard the populace with constant war news, reminder that "we're in a war," and another excuse for imposing the Great Reset policies.
My thoughts exactly, only I couldn't formulate it so well. Thank you, it's nice to know I'm not alone in thinking this.
Likewise, good to know i'm not alone on this platform either.
I'm not sure if Putin agrees with you that the war will have 'minimal consequences'.
I didn't say "will." For the moment, *in its present state*, it has minimal consequences in both the US and Russia, minimal relative to how things could be, relatively low intensity.
Considering the amount of men and (expensive) equipment lost by Russia, they will be replacing the lion's part of their armored corp, thousands of tanks (at +20M per) and tens of thousands of other vehicles. I'm sure they will find the money, but tens of thousands of young men don't grow on trees. Who do they think will rebuild, and who will pay for it? The same young people who fought in this war for Putin's glory?
Not to mention the hit to his pride. How can this be considered as anything other than a failure? Putin made a humungous error in judgment, and when authoritarians slip, they fall all the way down (there's no room for error in a government build on fear). I don't think that dictators can just retire to Florida.
But we will see.
As i said, "minimal consequences" relative to consequences such as a world war. I'm not remotely justifying this war, or Putin, or Biden, or any of the psychopaths and sociopaths who run the current global system (people at a much higher pay grade than either of those two), i'm simply locating the war in a system of policies intended to produce a state of siege mentality which enables the implementation of the Great Reset. Read Nineteen Eighty Four, this is so typical of the conflicts described in that book.
I agree, it could be worse, but not sure by how much (at least in Ukraine). I'm not sure that a war like the past world wars could happen today. Mass destruction is so fast and easy for a modern military.
The powers that be will try to prevent WWIII precisely because of that. If allowed to go on with their system (i.e. we don't push their system aside), i think they will not succeed in the long term, all the more reason to not let them go on.
I would argue that the organic waste matter hit the air circulation device in late medieval England, with the Enclosures, the birth of capitalism.
I was replying to David. :-)
Those lines can be a bit to decipher.
So who do you think is pulling the puppet master?
I'd say the puppet masters are more located in Davos and London (for the west). Whom likely are working in coordination with both the Kremlin and Beijing.
They all collaborated on the fake covid narrative. Why should we think now is any different
And thank you as well, we're definitely not alone.
If you look at the actual results of this conflict, it's clearer what is happening and why:
1) NATO offloading current and obsolete equipment to Ukraine, replaced at taxpayer expense with new.
2) "a new security paradigm in Europe" Let's spend more annually on military, implement digital IDs etc.
3) Fear of WWIII and "nukes" makes the population easy to control, the sequel to COVID
4) Blame it on the War: Food production crisis (Russia/Ukraine makes 30% global wheat etc.), energy crisis (gas, electricity)
5) Clash of cultures - relocation of refugees to affluent Western countries.
6) Rebuilding Ukraine - how many "building contractors" are lining up for those juicy pickings of taxpayers money?
It's a forever war, and Russia is in on it.
With this mindset, it's clear WHY Putin hasn't done a lightning strike and rolled into and taken over Kyiv and the rest of Ukraine. That's not in the plan.
Yep, okay. So what?
Anything we can do?
Or you're just addressing Putin?
I think you're just addressing Putin. Telling him to put up or shut up. Fair enough.
I've got a wildcard thought of my own: what about if what Putin wants is simply a return to the Iron Curtain?
He's tried getting along with the West for decades and the West simply will not have it.
So put up a wall and let Putin and whatever friends he can find build their own world on that side of the wall.
After all this time all the pretended civility and cooperation has finally gotten too sickening - we can all relate to that can't we? There's some people, some groups, even some movies, that sicken us too much and we just turn away from them.
How about if Putin is just deliberately turning away?
His situation - despite your analysis prophesying inevitable decay and decline - could hardly be worse that what they face on an ongoing basis nowadays.
'Come the crunch' we say. How about if Putin has simply decided to orchestrate 'the crunch' ?
So now on his side he can build a new currency, a new 'petrodollar' a new trading regime, new alliances and programmes and be safe from American meddling, sabotage, influence, all participants knowing which side of the wall they are on.
And of course, in the real world, still get from the West whatever he wants whenever he wants it. There's never any shortage of those who'll help find a way around embargoes and such, is there?
There's plenty of people and nations that hate the West.
And many of them do it in secret, are duplicitous right now.
And then there's the cost to the West.
It is said in many, many quarters that the West is in its death throes.
That it cannot function much longer with its insane monetary system.
We have seen clearly in the last two years that it has an insane political 'leadership', too, that effectively the people are led by clowns and worse.
We have seen that our media is as bad or worse than anything we used to accuse soviet Russia of.
We have seen the people have no protection, no 'champions', nothing, no one on their side.
China has said for decades that the West was corrupt and rotten, effete, lost in hubris and self deception, a fool's paradise.
Two years of covid proved it. Two years of destroying our democracies as political systems and destroying their wealth and viability, trampling all over the people, and all in a hysterical panic about a phantom that never materalised and which we now swear we 'beat' by using a magic potion that no scientific metric can show produced any benefit.
What if Putin just looks at all that rottenness and says 'I've had enough.'. 'I'll call your bluff'.
The West is said right now by numerous commentators to be shooting itself in the foot with its actions, cutting itself off from needed resources and valuable trade.
If my neighbour hassles me with his noise and disturbances and bad behaviour, insults and abuse sufficiently I'll finish up just putting up the strongest wall between us that I can and sever all relations.
You can preach to me that it'd be nicer and more christian and more productive if I 'got along' with him but I know better.
The West, specifically the USA has been making war on Russia for decades.
Everyone knows that.
The West - the USA - has been (and still is) making war on everyone for decades.
So okay. Let it be clearly manifest.
Put a wall of steel up.
Let the Ukraine be an American satrapy. Let the USA destroy itself financing from a position of bankruptcy yet another war.
All the USA has is the dollar, essentially. And it is doing all it can to throw that away.
How much confidence in the dollar now?
Foreigners see clearly there's no safety in putting their money into the USA.
And now even the USA citizens see there's no safety for them, either. The last two years have shown us that the fashion today is for Western govt. to simply seize your money if they don't like anything you do - even a civil protest, a few trucks driving up a highway....
You can't speak out, you can't act, you can't think...
And you'd wonder why Putin might turn his back?
Putin is a puppet like the rest of the other world leaders !
He got his marching orders from our overlords and is setting up the "1984" world of George Orwell and the iron curtain curtain is coming back for good this time !
Your coverage of the "covid crisis" in Russia totally convinced me we cannot escape them !
This is a great piece by Marko, Edward, with the deep understanding and analysis of the situation. Thanks for sharing that! People in Russia are beginning to ask the same question? If we are at war, are we actually going to fight? This article by Marko proves the point that there are people in the English speaking world capable of understanding of places like Russia. Also, there was something I read yesterday in Russian Telegram channels that I think is worth sharing. Two news item appeared yesterday: 1. Head of Federal Comptroller Office, Kudrin, a well known liberal in Russian government, announced that he is flying to Israel again (second time in 10 days) for medical treatment; 2. Kudrin's big friend, liberal Ulyukaev, former minister of Economic Development, jailed in 2017 for corruption was released from jail 4 years ahead of completing his sentence. People interpret that as Kudrin, one of the very few with direct access to Putin who didn't get sanctioned, was sent by Putin to negotiate the end to the special operation, but Kudrin demanded that as condition to doing that favor his buddy, Ulyukaev, must be released. Other observation, in Russia while mask mandates were largely lifted for common people, for meetings with Putin's presence they started to demand again that parliamentarians, ministers, governors and generals wear masks in his presence, no matter how far they are located away from presidential body.
Stanley, great to hear from you :)
Thanks for the kind feedback, as well as the intel on Kudrin. I've been "following" him closely since the first rumors emerged that he left for Israel. Of course, he returned to Moscow and announced the country was facing 2 years of economic pain. Typical -- what else can we expect from Kudrin? That's very interesting about the negotiations. I will look into this. There's also been some funny news about Chubais. Apparently he is living in luxury in Italy.
Hi, Edward. I'm glad to be back commenting on your blog! I stopped receiving notifications about your articles and thought that considering gravity of the situation you left Russia and went offline, but "just for fun" decided to check your Substack again and was pleasantly surprised to see you active there and still going by "your Miscow correspondent". I'll be happy to provide tidbits of interesting info that largely go unnoticed by media.
strange! Yes, still in Moscow.
very glad to have you back and look forward to reading your future comments, which are always excellent (and often worthy of posts of their own!).
Well, the focus had to be on the upcoming war in Ukraine, so the sudden need to abandon Afghanistan is more understandable in hindsight
Interesting notes, especially about the Dnieper bridges. But in fairness, much of it, especially about Russia's prospects for protracted economic war + strategic stalemate with NATO, have been obvious since the end of the USSR. Re. "what kind of 5D chess move can explain all this", well, how about the 1D chess strategy of making war mainly as a pretext to turn the screws at home? Yes, the USSR collapsed when there were bread queues - sanctions - and the pathetic hopes of Russian autarky - must worry Putin.
But the one thing Putin seems to have out-calculated Western observers on is that the tele-serfs rally behind a strongman in adversity. His thinking - if there is any rationality to it - may be that this simulacra Great Patriotic War atmosphere can be maintained if not indefinitely, then until some global economic cataclysm will come along and "equalize" the degree of cluster-fuckery abroad to that at home.
Your bottom line is that the empire and its vassals, as you put it, are succedding and Russia is failing. Really? You just sound as another US propaganda agent inside Russia and in this article I think you lost your cool, so no need to comment any further.
If you consider this to be a success, I would hate to see what you would call a failure.
The Russians are winning. Not sure they will have the strength to take all of the Black Sea coast. That depends on how completely they destroy the core of the Ukrainian army in the Donbass. The only real miscalculation they have made is in underestimating the degree to which the Biden administration is pinning ALL it's hopes for November on prolonging the war.
At this point, I tend to agree with part of your article. Russia may have to mobilize to capture all of South Ukraine and be prepared for an extended conventional war with Nato. The results of such a war are completely unpredictable. But Russia should maximize production of long range missiles and start beefing up their air defense. It will take the better part of a year for the US to move significant forces to Europe. Russia will need to use that window to bombard American bases all across east and central Europe - particularly Germany.
Hopefully it does not come to that because ultimately, Russia would not prevail in a conventional fight with all of Nato - assuming Nato held together - Big IF - and would be faced with an option of going nuclear or being dissolved.
Putins unwillingness to mobilize maybe the vain hope that he can halt the cycle of escalation. But the reality is, the west will escalate as Russian victory comes into clearer focus in Twitter.
Oh, Edvard. My instincts told me you would ultimately disappoint, and so you have.
Now one can actually watch you construct your strawmen before you place them in mufti and deploy them in print/online/whatever we call this 'blogosphere' stuff while the internet still works.
Putin/Russia aren't morally/ethically/executively perfect? I am SO shocked! Said lack of perfection doesn't justify fact-impoverished, innuendo-riven, misleading garbage worthy of the NYT or WaPo.
I'm glad you found a niche market by which to continue your career, and I recommend you stick to the covid thing. There you at least lead with facts not unsubstantiated insinuation. Trying to pretend that Putin is behaving illogically or derangedly or even incompetently, fail when the clearly stated aims of this "special military operation" (SMP) increasingly align with the plainly visible consequences of said SMP.
If ever I need proof that journalism is informational prostitution, I need only look closely at the journalists presenting themselves as honest alternatives to the mainstream media whoredom. Usually, exceptions are expected to prove the rule not adhere to it.