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

[clerck de bonk]

Yeah, that's what I think, too. Graham is determined to be the first one to film inside Azovstal so he clearly sees Patrick as competition. It's the ol' ego trip: downplay others to make yourself look better. Unfortunate, but this is just a drop in the ocean compared to everything else going on.

Yes but, IMO, he's going about it in a very particular and vicious manner.

 

[Pierre]

Denazification of the Azovstal factory by Russian bombers

https://twitter.com/x/status/1523006869895188480

 

[youlik]

As with the notorious Canadian general at Azovstal, this has not yet been confirmed, but if so, then this is a good sign. It resembles Debaltseve 2015.

Senior officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Security Forces were ordered to immediately leave the areas of Donbass

Author: ALEXEY KHOMYAKOV, Editor
07.05.2022 11:38
There is unconfirmed information that some Ukrainian officers have already left Donbass in the western direction and left their subordinates.

Russia continues to conduct a military special operation in Ukraine. There were reports of the withdrawal of senior officers of the Ukrainian army from the Donbass regions. Such an order was received by the officers, who are located near Slavyansk and Kramatorsk.

It is assumed that we are talking about the brigade commanders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the leaders of nationalist battalions. There is unconfirmed information that some Ukrainian officers have already left Donbass in the western direction and left their subordinates. Military Review writes about this and draws attention to the high risk for the remaining Ukrainian soldiers, since the departure of officers may affect the control of the situation and defense.

Due to the situation and the huge flow of operational information, all kinds of information provocations and fake stuffing are not excluded.

Высшие офицеры ВСУ и нацбатов получили приказ немедленно покинуть районы Донбасса

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Как и с пресловутым канадским генералом на Азовстали, это пока не подтверждено, но если это так, то это хороший знак. Напоминает Дебальцево 2015 года.

 

[Laurentien2]

As with the notorious Canadian general at Azovstal, this has not yet been confirmed, but if so, then this is a good sign. It resembles Debaltseve 2015.

It may be true and here is why.

Military Situation In Ukraine On May 7, 2022 (Map Update)

Russia attacked military assets of the AFU near Bakhmut with a high-precision missile; Russia attacked military assets of the AFU...

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MILITARY SITUATION IN UKRAINE ON MAY 7, 2022 (MAP UPDATE)​

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If Popasnaya felt, this open the road to Bakhmut and the closing of the cauldron for Severodonetsk.

Battle For Popasnaya Result In Russia's Victory (Videos)

On May 7, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) units reportedly retreated from the town of Popasnaya in the Luhansk...

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BATTLE FOR POPASNAYA RESULT IN RUSSIA’S VICTORY (VIDEOS)​

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On May 7, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) units reportedly retreated from the town of Popasnaya in the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR), where violent clashes continued for several weeks. Russian troops together with the LPR People’s Militia continue the offensive.
According to the reports from the area, the 24th mechanized brigade of the AFU was defeated and withdrew from the city towards the town of Bakhmut. The mop-up operation continues on the north-western outskirts of Popasnaya.

According to the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, Popasnaya is 80% controlled by Russian forces. Chechen units are also deployed in the area.
Russian-led forces moped-up the industrial zone and destroyed the Ukrainian strongholds around Popasnaya.

“Almost all strongholds around the city have been destroyed, Popasnaya is blocked, and is 90% in the ring, only one road needs to be closed. Popasnaya was a very fortified village, it was impossible to go there, but our specialists found the key, opened the door, went in and destroyed…” – Ramzan Kadyrov claimed

At the same time, Units of the LPR PM are advancing from the south towards Lisichansk. An important road junction of the settlement of Svetlichnoye has been taken under the Russian control. Earlier, clashes were reported in the villages of Nizhny and Orekhovo.
According to Ramzan Kadyrov, Russian forces took control of the town of Nizhny on May 7. The report is yet to be confirmed by the LPR military officials.
The breakthrough around Popasnaya marks the collapse of the northern flank of the grouping of Kyiv’s forces in the sector. This will likely lead to the collapse of Kyiv’s defense in Severodonetsk and Seversk and will open route towards Bahmut.
The advance from Nizhny and Orekhovo will let LPR forces to cut off another road leading to the Severodonetsk-Lisichansk area.

 

[Ellipse]

Ukrainian journalists were intimidated by Ukrainian police because they provide a photo with Ukrainian victims of Russian bombing to French newspaper Le Figaro, one of the main French daily paper. Anne-Laure Bonnel, who wrote the article, is journalist at Le Figaro.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1523001403018559489

 

[Cosmos]

Looks like ego to me. As you say, Patrick does come across as an amateur, but a sincere one. The irony is that Graham seems to see himself as a professional, but his videos aren't much better, e.g., typos in his captions. I like both of their amateur reporting, but Graham needs to lighten up. (Funnily enough I watched an old video of Patrick's recently where he and Graham are both in a DPR trench under fire from the Ukrainians. They seemed friendly enough with each other in that situation!)

There are several things I dislike about Graham personally and his reporting and this latest episode of low behavior toward Lancaster just confirms those reservations to me.

I always found Grahams behavior and reporting quite leading and malicious. Also, I found it rather appalling to see him quite gleefully „interviewing“ „enemies“ while showing a overly nice and I would say slimy behavior toward the good side that comes across as quite over the top to me. I’m always suspicious of people who are overly nice in an insincere way.

Without a doubt, Lancaster is doing a far better job IMO, not only on that front, but also in terms of reporting.

I wouldn’t be surprised that jealousy is one of the prime motives here. Graham is jealous of Lancaster. Also, he seems to have a high opinion of himself and his reporting skills and thinks that Lancaster „is below him“, not only in that regard.

Sorry Graham, but Lancaster is clearly better at what he is doing and no amount of temper tantrums will change that fact.

The fact alone that Graham would sink to such low behavior towards Lancaster already tells me a lot in itself.

 

[Cosmos]

As if the situation isn't complex enough, now Phillips is picking a fight. Why?

Good question. Maybe because Grahams primary motive isn’t really reporting, finding and distributing truth? Maybe Lancaster is a far better reporter in that regard too? Why would you have a problem with a fellow truth reporter reporting facts on a very tragic and difficult place? Wouldn’t a normal reaction be, to be thankful and even praising such an effort, if the truth is what matters primarily to you? Or at the very least, see your „first getting to Azov Stahl“ idea, in a sportsmanship kinda way and congratulate „your opponent“ in a sportsmanship way if he gets there first, instead of defaming him in a viscous manner?

Yes but, IMO, he's going about it in a very particular and vicious manner.

Indeed.

 

[youlik]

Absolutely useless actions from a military point of view. Ukrainians "desperately" need at least some "victory" so they do stupid things.

Russian aircraft shot down Ukrainian Su-24 and Su-27 and three Mi-8 helicopters near Zmeiny Island

MOSCOW, May 7 — RIA Novosti. The operational-tactical and army aviation of Russia shot down three Mi-8 helicopters with landing troops and two Ukrainian aircraft — Su-24 and Su-27 near the island of Zmeiny, the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said at a briefing.
In addition, two Bayraktar-TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles and the Stanislav Ukrainian amphibious assault boat were destroyed.

Российская авиация сбила у острова Змеиный украинские Су-24 и Су-27

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Абсолютно бесполезные действия с военной точки зрения. Украинцам "до зарезу" нужны хоть какие то "перемоги" вот и делают глупости.

 

[Persej]

Absolutely useless actions from a military point of view. Ukrainians "desperately" need at least some "victory" so they do stupid things.

That really is weird. What were they doing at Snake island?

 

[Cosmos]

Another good one from Gonzalo:

 

[Michael B-C]

Alleged footage of the ship looks a LOT like CGI:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1522582290580361221

Admiral Makarov has apparently turned up untouched and undamaged in the Black Sea Fleet's main port of Sevastopol. Alexander Mercouris does a deep dive on this and other blatant Ukranian disinformation campaigns in his latest daily update on the ongoing situation in Ukraine (the Makarov situation covered from 7:50 into link below).

 

[BHelmet]

I may (should) catch some flak for this, but I can't say I am 100% sold on Gonzalo Lira.

Same Burnt Orange hat - same grey tee shirt - over and over and over... - Is that his brand "look"? Almost always a non-descript white wall background. He literally could be anywhere. I get it: if he is truly in some kind of danger he does not want to allow his location to be pinpointed. OK, fair enough. But still... Dude, mix in a different shirt once in a while. He is probably the only guy in Ukraine with a non-logo Texas Longhorn burnt orange baseball cap. A Minor critique I admit.

Then again, this is a guy with a cell phone. If he is uploading to a channel, wouldn't it be traceable? Using a proxy VPN? Does he seem tech savvy enough to strip out the meta data from his vids? I suppose anything is possible but, IDK, I smell fish.

He is supposed to be a reporter (?), I guess. Stylistically, he sounds like a story teller. He makes sweeping evaluations of all sorts of world events including Ukraine. Does he ever mention sources? He speaks with a degree of certainty but often his words are just blanket unsupported assertions. Is he out in the trenches gathering the scoop wearing a flak jacket? For sure he is a marked man if his detention by the Ukrainians is to be believed. So, any one feeding him info via mobile phone would be at risk. Anyone he meets at a coffee shop who is passing on these juicy nuggets of intel would also become at risk. He is so casual and not stressed at all. That doesn't add up.

I have been sitting back pondering this for while. Out of the blue this guy became a "thing" on this forum. Basically he was echoing what many here already figured out. To recap: Bottom line, I have doubts. Lira seems harmless since he encapsulates what can be found online from the likes of South Front and other sources. I can't say I have ever heard him say something that makes me stop in my tracks and go "oh, wow! Great Insight." (The MSM analysts are liars and shills? Shocking! Pure Genius!)

Shrug shoulders. Whatever. Just felt compelled to finally say it.

You may fire when ready Gridley.

 

[Ryan]

I can't say I have ever heard him say something that makes me stop in my tracks and go "oh, wow! Great Insight." (The MSM analysts are liars and shills? Shocking! Pure Genius!)

I don’t think this Forum is really Gonzalo Lira’s intended audience. He’s aiming more at the semi-awake conservative/moderate crowd who can see through a lot of the MSM BS, but don’t know much about the Ukraine situation per se. I think people share his information here because he is a good example of someone providing details about the facts on the ground, while also putting some of the pieces of the bigger picture together on his own and with his peers (eg. the Duran team etc.)

 

[Ben]

Of course we can expect Gonzalo, Patrick etc. to have huge gaps in awareness. This is normal, their intentions appear to be honourable but it is reasonable to question them. What makes them worthy of attention is that they are not lying to people (some do intentionally), which is what a huge number of journalists and analysts are doing every day. Those people get paid good money for it and given a platform to peddle their lies. They have taken the easy road, which is also normal. We shouldn't underestimate the value of journalists who have the courage to be truly independent and even put their lives on the line.

 

[Ben]

That really is weird. What were they doing at Snake island?

Looking for another 'propaganda win' along the lines of the sinking of the Moskva. Strategically meaningful wins are going to be very hard for them to achieve at this point. But they might be able to blow something up.