Putin Recognizes Donbass Republics, Sends Russian Military to 'Denazify' Ukraine

[Niall]

'Always respect Russia,' Macron urges​

RT.com - 8 Mar, 2022

French president has pledged to continue talking to Putin despite a “historic mistake” by the Russian leader

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that dialogue with Russia should always be based on respect for it “as a country”.

Speaking on Monday during his first engagement as a presidential candidate, Macron dedicated a part of his speech to the Russian attack on Ukraine, which he called a “historic mistake.”

“To combat a brotherly people and to wish to destroy and to humiliate it with the worst means, this is a historic mistake,” Macron said.

Nevertheless, the French president, who remains one of the few Western leaders that regularly speaks to the Russian President Vladimir Putin, stressed the need to continue the dialogue, arguing that “there is no lasting peace if Russia is not engaged in a great architecture of peace on our continent."

It is important to “always respect Russia as a country and Russian people,” Macron added, arguing that the paramount goal of the international community is now “to avoid the escalation and expansion of the war.”

The French president is apparently not very optimistic, however, about the prospect of de-escalating the conflict.

“I am being clear: in the short term, war is likely to continue,” he said, expressing doubts that “in the days and weeks to come” there would be some sort of “negotiated solution.”

He admitted that negotiating with his Russian counterpart is “difficult,” because Putin “refuses to cease fire,” and this is “a prerequisite” for the start of the “real dialogue” between Moscow and Kiev.

Meanwhile, Russia accuses Ukrainian “nationalists” of using locals as “a human shield.” The stated goals of Moscow’s “special military operation” is to “denazify” and “demilitarize” Ukraine, to protect Donbass and to defend Russia’s own security. The West responded to the attack by imposing harsh sanctions on Russia.

 

[Jebra]

He admitted that negotiating with his Russian counterpart is “difficult,” because Putin “refuses to cease fire,” and this is “a prerequisite” for the start of the “real dialogue” between Moscow and Kiev.

Lets face it, the real prerequisite for peace is trust (which is also the basis of friendship) and there is absolutely none at all. What does Macron (or any other Western leader) expect when their very actions have destroyed all trust? Russia will not stop why should they? Trust needs to be earned (grown almost like a flower) and none of the leadership of the West will do this....until they are removed and more human leaders take their place. By then it might be too late.

 

[Laurentien2]

Russia And LPR Develop Advance To Encircle Kyiv Forces In Severodonetsk-Lysychansk Agglomeration

Forces of Russia and the Lugansk People’s Republic have been developing a successful advance on the Severodonetsk-Lysychansk agglomeration in Luhansk...

southfront.org

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RUSSIA AND LPR DEVELOP ADVANCE TO ENCIRCLE KYIV FORCES IN SEVERODONETSK-LYSYCHANSK AGGLOMERATION​

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Click to see the full-size image
Forces of Russia and the Lugansk People’s Republic have been developing a successful advance on the Severodonetsk-Lysychansk agglomeration in Luhansk Region of the territory of Ukraine.
As of March 8, LPR units entered the town of Popasnaya from the eastern direction. The town is located on a key road in the area south of Lysychansk. On March 7, the LPR already reported about the clashes in that area. On March 8, they continued with reports appearing about the success of LPR forces there.
By advancing in Popasnaya area, LPR units create conditions for the entire elimination of the grouping of Kyiv forces in 3 important local towns: Severodonetsk, Lysychansk and Rubejnoe.
Themap below shows the situation in the area on March 7:

Click to see the full-size image
At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that LPR forces established control of Novodrujevsk and Belgorovka. These settlements are located in the northwestern vicinity of Lysychansk. Taking into account the current situation, Kyiv forces in the Severodonetsk-Lysychansk agglomeration are blocked from the eastern, southeastern, northern and northwestern directions. LPR forces advancing from the Popasnaya area seek to prevent the retreat of pro-Kyiv units towards the south and southwest. If the towns of Seversk and Bahmut are taken by Russia and its allies, the Ukrainian grouping in the Severodonetsk-Lysychansk agglomeration will be in a de-facto tactical encirclement.
Ka-52 attack helicopters are in action during the operation in Ukraine:

A brief summary of the Russian Defense Ministry briefing in the morning of March 8:

• LPR forces took control of the settlements of BORSONINO, KREMENNAYA, PESCHANNOE, VARVAROVKA, PSHENCHNOE, EPIFANOVKA, NOVODRUZHESK, BELOGOROVKA. The advance was 9 kilometers.
• Units of the People’s Militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic established control over the OSAVIAKHIM quarter in MARIUPOL.
• Over the past 24 hours, bomber and attack aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have destroyed 158 military facilities on the territory of Ukraine.
• On March 7, the airfield of the Ukrainian Air Force OZERNOE near ZHYTOMIR was put out of action as a result of precise strike.
• Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down two MiG-29s and one Su-27 of the Ukrainian Air Force in the air.
• Also targeted by Russian strikes: 2 Ukrainian divisions of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3 Buk M-1 air defense systems, 4 command posts, 2 radar stations, 9 ammunition depots and 11 areas of concentration of weapons and military equipment.
• A total of 2,482 military infrastructure facilities were destroyed during the operation in Ukraine. Among them: 87 command posts and communication centers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, 124 S-300, Buk M-1 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as 79 radar stations.
• Destroyed: 866 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 91 multiple launch rocket systems, 317 field artillery guns and mortars, 634 units of special military vehicles, as well as 81 unmanned aerial vehicles.
• On March 8, humanitarian corridors were opened to evacuate civilians from KYIV, CHERNIGOV, SUM, KHARKOV and MARIUPOL.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

'Zelensky after Ukraine's NATO membership disappointment: We are not prepared for ultimatums, but we are ready for capitulation through dialogue.'

Zelensky ready for ‘compromises’ on Donbass and Crimea​

8 Mar, 2022

The Ukrainian leader said he wants dialogue and rejects “ultimatums”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he is ready for talks on certain “compromises” regarding the breakaway republics in Donetsk and Lugansk, as well as Crimea. He made the statement during the second week of Russia’s military campaign against his country.

David Muir asked Zelensky on ABC News on Monday if he was willing to concede to Moscow’s demand of recognizing Crimea as part of Russia, and the two breakaway republics of the Donbass as independent states.

“I’m ready for dialogue. We’re not ready for a capitulation,” Zelensky said.

The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) seceded from Ukraine shortly after the 2014 coup in Kiev. Crimea voted to leave Ukraine and join Russia the same year.

Zelensky called both states “pseudo-republics” and repeated Kiev’s long-held position of referring to the DPR and LPR as ‘temporarily occupied territories’.

“But we can discuss this and find a compromise on how these occupied territories and these republics can exist. What’s important for me is how people who want to be a part of Ukraine will live,” the president said.

“This question is more difficult than simply recognizing [their independence]. This is another ultimatum. And we’re not prepared for ultimatums,” Zelensky added.

Zelensky reiterated that he was ready for direct negotiations with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. “What needs to be done is for Putin to start talking, to start a dialogue,” he said.

Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, insisting that it was defending the DPR and LPR, as well as seeking for Ukraine to declare itself a neutral country that will never join NATO. Kiev said the offensive was completely unjustified and denied claims that it was planning to retake the rebellious republics by force.

Russians and Ukrainians have held three rounds of peace talks in Belarus, finding some common ground on the establishment of safe passages from embattled Ukrainian cities.

Zelensky ‘less passionate’ about Ukraine joining NATO​

8 Mar, 2022

The Ukrainian leader says the US-led bloc doesn’t want “a confrontation” with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that NATO is afraid that having Kiev join the US-led bloc will spark a conflict with Russia. The statement comes amid the Russian military campaign against his country.

Zelensky was asked by ABC News on Monday if he was willing to renounce Ukraine’s bid to join NATO one day.

“I’ve become less passionate about this issue after we understood that NATO isn’t ready to accept Ukraine. The alliance is afraid of controversial things and a confrontation with Russia,” Zelensky said.

“I’ve never wanted Ukraine to be a country that is on its knees, begging for something. And we’re not going to be that country.”

The president said Kiev will not accept ultimatums from Moscow or “a capitulation,” but confirmed that he was ready for direct negotiations with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

Russia attacked the neighboring state on February 24, insisting that it was defending the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, which broke away from Ukraine shortly after the 2014 coup in Kiev. Russia demands that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join NATO.

Kiev said the Russian offensive was completely unjustified and denied claims that it was planning to retake the rebellious republics by force.

NATO demanded that Moscow “immediately cease its military assault” and withdraw troops from Ukraine. The EU pledged to help Ukraine acquire weapons, while many countries around the world, including the majority of NATO members, imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia.

 

[Goemon_]

Some interesting numerology - whether coincidence, plan or something else:

Some argue that World War I started on June the 29th 1914.

 

[Tycho]

Can a Russian speaker check out the text at this link and let us know if it seems legit?

I am not a Russian speaker but i do read the NANOG mailing list (where most internet backbone operators communiacte) and talk with russian friends. From what i read and hear russia did upgrade their DNS root server system and ask "everyone" in russia to switch to the new, russian root DNS servers. This is for the case ICANN might remove russian toplevel domains like ".ru" from their root nameservers like an ukraine minister demanded. Which would lead to russian sites globally not being reachable. Even not from within russia.

In addition the russian government also urged companies to remove all functional links of websites (for examample), leading outside of russia like loading of javascripts from 3rd party western servers.

Putin did state clearly that russia has no intent to cut itself off the rest of the internet but prepares for "the west" cutting them off. (sorry, dont have the source handy). News stating russia would cut-off itself had been dis-information.

On march 4th the major internet service and IP transit provider "Cogent" announced that it will "cut off" internet services to russia. Which leaves russia with less bandwith but still full connectivity.

U.S. firm Cogent cutting internet service to Russia

U.S. firm Cogent Communications was cutting internet service to Russian clients, Cogent CEO David Schaeffer said on Friday.

www.reuters.com

 

[Tycho]

This is quite interesting, news from the 25th of February. One can wonder, what this guy was doing in Ukraine? The head of the German Federal Intelligence Service. This also confirms that the "special operation" that is now going on was an urgent reaction to a threat (how can Intelligence Service not know that military conflict is about to happen?).

Hes either lying or incompetent. Probably the latter.

 

[Hi_Henry]

One scenario that I've been reading about is that of Ukraine becoming a 'new Afghanistan' - the Graveyard of Empires. So there's worry out there about a protracted, Western-backed-terrorist conflict inflicted on Russia. In large part, this worry comes from the very loud claims about all the 'international volunteers'/weapons/war-planes/rocket launchers supposedly pouring in from Poland. Pepe Escobar seems recently convinced this is happening (saying that there is a 20,000 strong force stationed there).Putin also said in his recent speech that the Russian Forces have encountered Middle-Eastern and other non-Ukrainian fighters.

Ukraine would not be a graveyard that Afghanistan was for the Brits, Americans and many others before. Ukraine is a room in Russia's House that was allowed to be taken over by squatters. Russia has just entered to clean it up.

Russia has blocked the Black Sea, North East and air space over Ukraine. Just looking at the map of Ukraine terrain would show that foreign fighters entering it are on a suicide mission and will not return to collect their money. Ukrainian roads are bad even when there was peace, thus making rapid escape problematic. So trying to leaving towns to go West will make the retreating mercs and Neo-Nazis much easier to eliminate.

Did anyone find it strange that the PM of Israel traveled all the way to Moscow to meet Putin in person only to be told that Israel's proposal to acts as a mediator was not needed (wanted) ? This could have been done on a ZOOM call or phone.
What do you think was the reason ? As stated or could there be something else.

A closer look at the famous NATO laptop on the territory of Ukraine. To be fare, this might be disinformation.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1500527630252228609

However this is not disinformation. Australia is doing what a good Democratic nation does best, shut people's mouths. Recall how anti-clot shot comments were also branded as being a form of false information. Welcome to the Ministry of Truth in the Land of Schwab

https://twitter.com/x/status/1501026529496924163

Way back in 2003 a famous TV personality went against the "official party line" and .... got fired.

Phil Donahue on His 2003 Firing from MSNBC, When Liberal Network Couldn’t Tolerate Antiwar Voices

In 2003, the legendary television host Phil Donahue was fired from his prime-time MSNBC talk show during the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The problem was not Donahue’s ratings, but rather his views: An internal MSNBC memo warned Donahue was a “difficult public face for NBC in a time of...

www.democracynow.org

I thought the professional class in Japan mainly drinks sake and doesn't do hard drugs.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1501136750600675330

 

[Adobe]

Further Xi warned that a spiraling economic war would result in blowback as sanctions over Russia "will deal a blow to the stability of global finance, energy, transportation and supply chain, dragging down the world economy amid the pandemic," according his words, for which immediate stabilizing efforts must be taken by Europe's leaders.

ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1501226622208593922

"Your command has fled, the reserves are broken, there will be no help." The video was filmed, presumably, in Mariupol. There are announcements on the radio like this. Ukrainian soldiers are asked to lay down their arms and leave the city along humanitarian corridors, as the city is surrounded by the Russian army

https://twitter.com/x/status/1501213072958140430

The alphabet boys bring in more hired guns.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1501186100093718538

https://twitter.com/x/status/1501232432279863298

https://twitter.com/x/status/1500460944962600964

Link:

The West is super happy that Russia is suffering but sadly they don't understand Russia had everything to lose before Ukraine and nothing to lose now. When you have nothing to lose you're more dangerous. So we should not be happy this is all US fault they wanted this they got it

 

[Alreadyin4thDensity Love]

No, it is in accordance with the facts on the ground, i.e. reality.

Okay, but still second part of the name of the topic almost suggest what to think about this war - invasion. And situation is far beyond black and white, you see if Russians in donbass have right to be independent, which they have if you ask me (from the point of justice) and free choice to organize they life the way they want, then people in Chechnya, Dagestan, Chuvashia, Kalmykia, Tatarstan etc. should also have the same right if they want to, and that can be easily solved with referendum.
Also, blaming Ukraine for wanting to take control over the Donbass is hypocritical from Russian side if you compare it to the Russian war in Chechnya. They fought hard to preserve Chechens inside Russia, but were fast to support little states like Abkhazia, Transistria, South Ossetia in their independences.
Yes maybe some of them are Nazists (in Ukraine) Ukranian government may be corrupt and so on but how different is the Russia government with ban on free speech in some areas, ban on peaceful gatherings in many cases when it does not suit the Russian government.
I mean if you are so confident in your actions and "your" people support why imprison people who protest against war ? Today them, tomorrow who ?
I am not sure if this was even necessary or needed to be written, but here it is.

 

[youlik]

They are already shooting at anything, own plane was shot down over Kiev, now this. Probably with fright.

Romanian MiG-21 shot down by Ukrainian military from S-300PS
08.03.2022 19:35
The Ukrainian authorities once again risk to worsen their image in the international arena. Although, it would seem, how much further.

So, Romania officially stated that the MiG-21 fighter of their Air Force was shot down by the Ukrainian military. The plane was the victim of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile, presumably the S-300PS complex.

Rocket elements were found at the crash site. The Romanian Ministry of Defense has already appealed to the Kiev department and demanded a thorough investigation of the incident.

https://news-front.info/2022/03/08/rumynskij-mig-21-sbili-ukrainskie-voennye-iz-s-300ps/

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Стреляют уже во что попало, свой самолет сбили над Киевом теперь вот это. С перепугу наверное.

 

[Alreadyin4thDensity Love]

From yesterday :

Russian forces are concentrating in the eastern, northwestern, and western outskirts of Kyiv for an assault on the capital in the coming 24-96 hours. The Russians are bringing up supplies and reinforcements as well as conducting artillery, air, and missile attacks to weaken defenses and intimidate defenders in advance of such an assault.

It is too soon to gauge the likely effectiveness of any Russian attempt to complete the encirclement of Kyiv or to seize the city at this time. If Russian troops have been able to resupply, reorganize, and plan deliberate and coordinated simultaneous operations along the several axes of advance around and into the capital, they may be more successful in this operation than they have in previous undertakings. Operations near Kyiv in the past 72 hours have not offered enough evidence to evaluate that likelihood.​

Institute for the Study of War

Russian forces are concentrating in the eastern, northwestern, and western outskirts of Kyiv for an assault on the capital in the coming 24-96 hours. The Russians are bringing up supplies and reinforcements as well as conducting artillery, air, and

www.understandingwar.org

 

[Ant22]

Yeah, most likely an exaggeration. Then again, back in 2019

Russia has successfully tested a country-wide alternative to the global internet, its government has announced.
Details of what the test involved were vague but, according to the Ministry of Communications, ordinary users did not notice any changes.
The results will now be presented to President Putin.

This reminds me of one of the Russian Billionaire series books where the protagonist said him and a group of other people he collaborated with were building an alternative to the internet. It was supposed to come to life when the current internet went down due to the machinations of the PTB. Yet another idea in those books that seems to have been inspired by real events.

 

[youlik]

Chechnya, Dagestan, Chuvashia, Kalmykia, Tatarstan etc.

I'm not sure if I need to write this either. However, I would suggest that you continue your list yourself, so as to be honest with yourself. For example, from what is on the surface: Texas, Catalonia, Scotland, Kosovo. I'm afraid to anticipate your answer- "this is different" -you don't have to answer like that. This has been said many times through the mouth of Psaki

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Я тоже не уверен нужно ли это писать. Однако ваш список я бы предложил вам самому продолжить, так чтоб быть честным с самим собой. Например, из того что на поверхности: Техас, Каталония, Шотландия, Косово. Я боюсь предвосхитить ваш ответ- "это другое"- мне не надо так отвечать. Это много раз говорилось устами Псаки