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

[Henchman 21]

Sorry to post the same guy, but the video below is even better and I thought it is worth sharing. He builds up sarcasm to almost JP-like levels at the end.

Just started it but I have to get back to work. I think he sounds just like Gad Saad with his self flagellation. . Very funny!!

 

[Adobe]

Ukraine Beyond Day 100 - Breaking Resistance, Deep Operation, A New Country​

"The Ukrainian army has moved seven brigades of its Territorial Defense Forces from the west into the area east of the Dnieper. If these were fully maned each will have had some 3,000 soldiers. That are a lot of troops but they are pure infantry without heavy weapons and with extremely little training. Col. Reisner also showed a collection of 15 videos in which members of such and other units describe hopeless situations, declare a retreat or call out their commanders for neglect."

"Morale is so bad because those troops do not fare well."

"Yves Smith, with a wonderful Daily Mail style headline:"

The War Situation Has Developed Not Necessarily to Ukraine’s or the West’s Advantage But They Plan to Negotiate When They’ve Turned Things Around a Bit - Yves Smith / Naked Capitalism"

A very long established contact forwarded this message from a former senior US military official:

Just in from an Army Colonel in the building:
“Spoke to someone today who said that the Ukie basic training is 10 days and then off to the front. 65% casualty rates. At least double or more the losses of the Russians but you don’t hear anything about it.”

"I very much doubt that Russian units, the way they are currently fighting, have casualty rates of more than 10%. Russia is regularly rotating units in and out to give them some rest and to let them replenish. It is a classic Russian artillery war now and infantry only comes in when the Ukrainians are already defeated."

"As this permanent grinding continues the Ukrainians will soon reach a breaking point."

"In a German language interview Col. Reisner explains what that 'breaking' of Ukrainian resistance would mean (my translation):"

"Four mobile rocket systems, that's pure symbolic." - Jun 4 2022 - N-tv "

"Q: You spoke of a chain reaction that could develop on the Ukrainian side."

"A: The danger is that general panic will break out in the pocket and the soldiers will try to retreat to a favorable line that is easier to hold. If this is done in an orderly manner, that would be a line east of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. But if panic breaks out, that last line could be much deeper, at the Dnieper."

"Some grown-ups recognize what is up."

Calls increase for ending conflict as Russia-Ukraine crisis hits 100th day - China Daily

Jeffrey Sachs, a professor at Columbia University who served as an adviser to three United Nations secretaries-general, said that "it is in Ukraine's interest to return to the negotiating table, which it has refused to do since late March".
"I believe that the US should recognize that it acted irresponsibly in pushing for NATO enlargement into Ukraine and Georgia," he told China Daily.

"I believe that the US should recognize that it acted irresponsibly in pushing for NATO enlargement into Ukraine and Georgia," he told China Daily."

"Colonel Markus Reisner of the Austrian Army presents the current state (vid) of the war." (In English)

The article below:

MoA - Ukraine Beyond Day 100 - Breaking Resistance, Deep Operation, A New Country

 

[Adobe]

From the article posted below: (Long lines to receive Russian passports)

Quotes:

"Folks, it may have been my fourth booster shot, but I *think* it was the below video that exploded my head.

This video shows citizens in Melitopol’, the largest city within the Russian-controlled portion of the Ukraine’s Zaporozhia province (soon enough to be formally a part of Russia), lining up to review documents and schedule an appointment to apply for a Russian passport.

(In most of the former USSR countries, passports have a domestic and an international version—this application is likely for the former, as a form of official ID.)

According to the journo lady with the microphone (who really needs to eat something, someone please call her mama, this is not healthy), this is but one such line in town; there are others at other locations."

(Some quotes from the "journo lady's" (aka "she who does not eat enough" ) interviewees,

“I am happy. I’m going to cry. I waited for this at least eight years. I wasn’t living here, I lived in Zhitomir (in mid-northwest Ukraine), and everything that happened there, I just couldn’t take it here (points to her chest.) All those streets (referring to politically-correct renaming of streets), all those prohibitions, you had to love Bandera, when you don’t. The prohibition on going to the Eternal Flame, but I want to go, my grandfather fought (in World War 2.) Thanks to Russia. Thanks for the liberation, thanks for the passports.“

“We got in line in 1991. But it got to us only now. Since 1991, we felt like this had to happen at some point. Of course, it took 30 years. But that’s OK, we know how to wait.“

“Now, we’re not afraid. Right now specifically, we’re not afraid.“ The reporter (off-screen) then asks her, “Are you here voluntarily?” She responds, “Of course. Like we’d be standing here for five hours if it wasn’t voluntary. We wanted this for a long time. No one’s going to force anything on us. We’ll probably live like we want to. If we want to speak in Russian, in Ukrainian, in Tatar.“

“I took this decision because in my family basically everyone is for it, granny and gramps were right away like ‘yeah, let’s do it!’ And that was it, and we went and did it… I feel safe… I am comfortable, I’m just feeling good.“

The article with the video:

Please help me wipe pieces of my exploded head off the computer screen!!!!!!!! - TheDreizinReport.com

Folks, it may have been my fourth booster shot, but I *think* it was the below video that exploded my head. This video shows citizens in Melitopol', the largest city within the Russian-controlled portion of the Ukraine's Zaporozhia province (soon enough to be formally a part of Russia), lining...

thedreizinreport.com

 

[iamthatis]

A Key Russian Policy Influencer Shared Crucial Insight Into His Country’s Grand Strategy - TheAltWorld

This grand strategy envisions Russia becoming an independent pole of influence in the emerging Multipolar World Order

thealtworld.com

This grand strategy envisions Russia becoming an independent pole of influence in the emerging Multipolar World Order, to which end Moscow must pragmatically balance between its two equally important Chinese and Indian Great Power partners. Countries like Pakistan, Israel, Turkey, and the several others that he named will remain important for Russia’s grand strategy but will never approach the role that those two have.

RT published a very insightful piece on Monday titled “Dmitry Trenin: How Russia must reinvent itself to defeat the West’s ‘hybrid war’”. The author is a key policy influencer from the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy. The official Duma website writes that “The organization’s mission is to help develop and implement strategic concepts for Russia’s development, its foreign and defense policy, the formation of the Russian state and civil society in the country.” It’s therefore very important for observers to pay attention to Trenin’s article if they aspire to better understand the future of Russian grand strategy.

Most of his piece describes the state of affairs in the US-led West’s Hybrid War on Russia that it’s been waging since Moscow’s ongoing special military operation in Ukraine. It’s worthwhile reading for those who haven’t yet grasped these dynamics and the direction that they’re headed but will be skimmed over in the present piece in order to focus on the policy recommendations that he shared. That, after all, is the bread and butter of his article and what’s most interesting for observers. Pretty much, everything that he suggests involves defending against the West and embracing the Global South.

The first proposal sets the framework for the rest that follow and concerns the establishment of Russia as an independent pole of influence in the global systemic transition to multipolarity. This vision is upheld by focusing on the domestic front, particularly through the creation of an “effective integrated strategy – general political, military, economic, technological, informational and so on.” Trenin then states that Russia must absolutely accomplish its strategic objectives in Ukraine because “The solution to most of the country’s other strategic objectives now depends directly on whether [that happens].”

The next proposal is extremely pragmatic and it’s that “The most important of these broader foreign policy tasks is not the overthrow of the US-centric world order by any means and at any price (its erosion is due to independent factors, but a Russian success in Ukraine would be a painful blow to US global hegemony) and of course, not a return to the fold of this set-up on more favorable terms, but the consistent building of a new system of international relations together with non-Western countries, and the formation, in cooperation with them, of a new world order and its consequent promotion.”

As Sun Tzu said, “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”

He then details exactly how this can be done: “A long-term priority here is the further development of allied relations and integration ties with Belarus. This category also includes strengthening Russia’s security in Central Asia and the South Caucasus. In the context of rebuilding foreign economic relations and creating a new model of the global order, the most important directions are cooperation with world powers – China and India as well as Brazil – and with leading regional players – Turkey, ASEAN countries, the Gulf states, Iran, Egypt, Algeria, Israel, South Africa, Pakistan, Argentina, Mexico and others.”

Multilateral interaction between multipolar groups like BRICS, RIC, the SCO, and others comprises the next layer of Trenin’s vision for Russian grand strategy. This, he writes, should be done concurrently with containing conventional and hybrid threats from the US-led West in the nuclear, cyber, and other domains. Trenin then suggests that “Moscow needs to assess carefully the reasonableness, possibilities and limits of situational cooperation with various political and social groups in the West, as well as with other temporary potential allies outside the bloc whose interests coincide in some respects”.

This might be harder for the Russians than I can imagine. Sergei Glazyev wrote a book back into 2016 called 'Last World War: America to Move and Lose', in which he apparently predicted the structure of what is currently unfolding today. In the beginning pages (I haven't read that far) he writes about the Russian spirit of fraternity, which is the basis for Russian foreign policy throughout recent history:

Russian national consciousness, according to F.M. Dostoyevsky, is distinguished by a "universal responsiveness." It was clearly manifested in foreign policy, both of the Russian Empire and of the Soviet Union. Tsars responded to pleas of the oppressed peoples, accepting them as their subjects and helping in development. Russia considered itself responsible for the entire Orthodox and Slavic world, sacrificing many Russian soldiers to protect Georgia from the belligerent Caucasian tribes and free the Balkans from the Ottoman yoke. And it completely lost its head getting involved in the world war because of the Austrian threat to Serbian autonomy, and the obsession to drive the Turks from Constantinople and the straits. The USSR was waging a grueling struggle to build socialism on all the continents of the planet, helping the communist parties, national liberation movements and socialism-oriented developing nations. In the end, it got stuck in Afghanistan in order to neutralize the dubious threat of interception of control over this country by the U.S.

In other words, Russian geopolitics has always been directed toward helping the fraternal peoples. Unlike the English, who practiced slave trade in their colonies, the peoples of the territories that joined the Russian Empire were not discriminated against, and their leaders were included in the Russian ruling elite. In the USSR, the priority was given to improvement of its remote parts – indeed, the Soviet empire was the only one in the world that developed its "colonies" at the expense of the center, and did not derive super-profits from them, as was done by the British in India, China, Africa and America.

The paramount importance of ideology also manifested itself in the allied relations that Russia built in different historical epochs. During the First World War, the Russian Empire suffered excessive losses, going at the request of the Allies into an unprepared offensive to divert the German troops from Paris, and sent an expeditionary force to help the French. To give up life "for one’s friends" is as sacred for Russian geopolitics as it is for a Russian person. Millions of lives were given while liberating Europe from fascism. But Stalin could have stopped at liberating the USSR by agreeing to a separate peace with Germany in exchange for reparations and liberation of the Slavic peoples, handing the battlefield over to the Anglo-Saxons?!

Back to the Korybko article:

“The task”, he writes, “is not to inflict damage on the enemy anywhere, but to use various irritants to divert the opponent’s attention and resources from the Russian focus, as well as to influence the domestic political situation in the US and EU in a direction favorable to Moscow.” This open call for foreign meddling might shock some Russian-friendly observers but such operations occur all the time even if they’re not formally acknowledged by those carrying them out. All that Trenin is doing is proposing to fight fire with fire in response to the West doing this against Russia for years.

This diversion of Western attention will be something to keep an eye on. If Trenin's strategy is indeed adopted, how will this happen, I wonder?

The rest of the article touches on Russia-India-China:

Having described the contours of what he hopes will eventually become Russia’s grand strategy, this influential expert then shares some details about what he described as its “most important objective”, which is managing affairs within the Russia-US-China triangle. He lauds the Russian-Chinese Strategic Partnership but laments that “Chinese companies and banks are deeply integrated into the global economy and are wary of US and EU sanctions, thus limiting the possibility of interaction.” This observation suggests that China hasn’t become the valve from Western pressure that some expected.

Despite the US’ attempted simultaneous “containment” of Russia and China bringing those two multipolar Great Powers closer, Trenin clarifies that “Under a ‘hybrid war,’ political and diplomatic support from China, and even limited economic and technological cooperation with it, are very important for Russia. Moscow does not currently have the opportunity to force even closer rapprochement with Beijing, but there is no necessity in too close an alliance.” In other words, Russia might have expected more support from China but obviously isn’t going to beg for it.

In the event that the American and Chinese superpowers kinetically clash, Trenin advises that “Russia should be ready to support Beijing politically, as well as provide on a limited scale and under certain conditions, military-technical assistance to it, while avoiding direct participation in the conflict with Washington.” Nevertheless, he cautions that “Opening a ‘second front’ in Asia is unlikely to significantly ease the pressure of the West on Russia, but it will dramatically increase tension in relations between Russia and India.”

With the deepest of respect for his insight, position, and credentials, his prediction about Russian-Indian ties in that scenario is unlikely to pan out. That’s because India decisively intervened to become Russia’s irreplaceable valve from Western pressure, arguably much more so than China, in order to preemptively avert its partner’s potentially disproportionate future dependence on the People’s Republic. This game-changing development is aimed at jointly creating a third pole of influence in the present bi-multipolar intermediary phase of the global systemic transition and explained in detail here, here, here, and here.

Moving along after having clarified that crucial point of disagreement, Trenin then suggests that “It is also important to determine the permissible limits of Russia’s financial, economic and technological dependence on neutral countries (primarily China), and launch a technological partnership with India.” This shows that he also acknowledges that South Asian state’s role as Russia’s irreplaceable valve from Western pressure despite his contentious prediction that his country’s proposed support to China in any kinetic conflict with the US would “dramatically increase tensions” between Moscow and Delhi.

It’s this Indian dimension of Russian grand strategy that stands as perhaps the most surprising outcome of recent events with respect to the global systemic transition. It’s one thing for an observer to touch upon this and another entirely for someone of Trenin’s influence on Russian policymaking to very strongly imply that a technological partnership with India can limit their country’s “dependence on…China”. This extends credence to the four observations hyperlinked at the end of the second most recent paragraph above, all of which should be read in full by anyone who’s interested in learning more.

Reflecting on the proposals that Trenin made in his latest analysis that RT notes at the end “was prepared based on the author’s speech at the 30th Assembly of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy and originally published in Russian on globalaffairs.ru” (the last-mentioned being his Council’s official journal), it’s clear that Russia will concurrently prioritize far-reaching domestic reforms (the details of which were skimmed over in the present piece in order to focus on its foreign policy aspect) together with defending itself from the West and embracing the Global South.

This grand strategy envisions Russia becoming an independent pole of influence in the emerging Multipolar World Order, to which end Moscow must pragmatically balance between its two equally important Chinese and Indian Great Power partners. Countries like Pakistan, Israel, Turkey, and the several others that he named will remain important for Russia’s grand strategy but will never approach the role that those two have. It’s the interplay of Russia’s relations with China and India, both bilaterally and through RIC, that will define this civilization-state’s role in the global systemic transition.

 

[Deliverance]

2022.06.05 There Will Be No Peace Agreement - Gonzalo Lira​

Gonzalo Lira: There Will Be No Peace Agreement | The Vineyard of the Saker

A bird's eye view of the vineyard

thesaker.is

 

[Laurentien2]

Russian Naval Force Of 12 Large Landing Ships In Black Sea Is Ready For Combat Tasks – Report

A Russian Navy task force made up of 12 landing ships from the Northern, Baltic and Black Sea fleets is...

southfront.org

RUSSIAN NAVAL FORCE OF 12 LARGE LANDING SHIPS IN BLACK SEA IS READY FOR COMBAT TASKS – REPORT​

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The landing ship Georgiy Pobedonosec on exercises in the Barents Sea. Source: the Russian Ministry of Defense (https://мультимедиа.минобороны.рф/multimedia/photo/gallery.htm?id=24858@cmsPhotoGallery)
A Russian Navy task force made up of 12 landing ships from the Northern, Baltic and Black Sea fleets is ready to perform combat tasks in the Black Sea, a Crimean security source told the TASS news agency on June 3.

“For the first time ever, a Russian Navy task force of this size is active in the Black Sea. It comprises twelve large landing ships of the Northern, Baltic and Black Sea fleets,” the unnamed source said. “Those large landing ships are ready to perform assigned tasks as part of the special military operation”.

According to the source, the task force includes the Pyotr Morgunov, Olenegorsky Gornyak and Georgy Pobedonosets landing ships from the Northern Fleet, the Korolev, Minsk and Kaliningrad landing ships from the Baltic Fleet and the Yamal, Orsk and Nikolay Filchenkov from the Balck Sea Fleet.
All the landing ships are from the Ropucha-class, except for the Orsk and Nikolay Filchenkov which are from the Tapir-class.
It important to note here that the Orsk reportedly sunk as a result of the March 24 explosion at Berdiansk port. The current condition of the landing ship is unknown.
Each Ropucha-class landing ship can carry ten battle tanks and 340 troops, or 12 armored vehicles and 340 troops or three battle tanks, three self-propelled mortars, five armored vehicles, four army trucks and 313 troops. The larger, yet older, Tapir-class landing ship can carry between 300-425 troops and 20 battle tanks, or 40 armored vehicles.
The Russian military is currently in complete control of the eastern part of the Ukrainian coast as well as of the Snake Island off the western part of the coast.
Since the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, there have been several reports of a Russian Navy plan to land troops in Odessa on the western part of the country’s cost. While the Russian Navy is definitely capable of preforming such a task, Moscow may opt not to make such a move while the battles are still ongoing in the Donbass.

 

[Laurentien2]

Russia And Ukraine Exchanged Bodies Of Dead Servicemen

Early on June 4, the first reports confirmed that Russian and Ukraine exchanged bodies of dead servicemen. The exchange procedure...

southfront.org

RUSSIA AND UKRAINE EXCHANGED BODIES OF DEAD SERVICEMEN​

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Illustrative Image
Early on June 4, the first reports confirmed that Russian and Ukraine exchanged bodies of dead servicemen. The exchange procedure was carried out at the contact line in the Zaporozhye region, which is one of the most stable front lines in Eastern Ukraine. The exact area of the exchange was not revealed.
160 bodies of the dead Ukrainian servicemen were exchanged for 160 bodies of Russians.
Negotiations on the exchange of the bodies of dead servicemen were previously held between the Human rights Commissioners. Apparently, an agreement was reached.

 

[Laurentien2]

Ukraine Admits Four European, Australian Mercenaries Were Killed By Russian Army

On June 4, Ukraine acknowledged that four foreign mercenaries who were fighting in the ranks of its forces had been...

southfront.org

UKRAINE ADMITS FOUR EUROPEAN, AUSTRALIAN MERCENARIES WERE KILLED BY RUSSIAN ARMY​

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Foreign mercenaries in Ukraine.
On June 4, Ukraine acknowledged that four foreign mercenaries who were fighting in the ranks of its forces had been killed by the Russian military and its allies.
In a statement, the so-called International Legion of Defense of Ukraine, which was formed after the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, said the mercenaries were from Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and France. The legion did not specify when or under what circumstances the four mercenaries were killed.
The slain mercenaries were identified in the statement as Björn Benjamin Clavis, Ronald Vogelaar, Michael O’Neill and Wilfried Blériot. The legion shared photos showing them clad in camouflage and carrying small arms.

From left to right: German Björn Benjamin Clavis, Dutch Ronald Vogelaar, Australian Michael O’Neill and French Wilfried Blériot. Click to see full-size image.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered the formation of the legion in the early days of the Russian operation. Within a few weeks, Kiev claimed that more than 20,000 fighters from 52 countries had signed up to join the legion.
In a recent statement, Major General Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, said that the Russian military had killed hundreds of foreign mercenaries in Ukraine. The spokesman warned that Kiev has been “sacrificing” these mercenaries.
Konashenkov also revealed that inflow of foreign mercenaries into Ukraine to fight against Russian troops has waned since early May and their number has halved to 3,500.

“We see that the inflow of foreign mercenaries into Ukraine to fight against the Russian Armed Forces has actually waned since the beginning of May. According to the data available to us, the number of foreign mercenaries in Ukraine has dwindled actually twofold, from 6,600 to 3,500,” Konashenkov said.

The spokesman added that the number of mercenaries in combat formations of Kiev forces in Donbass “has fallen by orders of magnitude”.
The number of foreign mercenaries supporting Kiev forces will likely continue to decline as the Russian military and its allies advance further in the Donbass. Kiev will likely struggle to recruit more mercenaries from now on.

 

[Laurentien2]

War In Ukraine Day 100: Overview Of Military Developments

June 3 marked the 100 day of the Russian military operation in Ukraine aimed at liberation of the Donetsk and...

southfront.org

WAR IN UKRAINE DAY 100: OVERVIEW OF MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS​

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Russian Su-25 over Ukraine
June 3 marked the 100 day of the Russian military operation in Ukraine aimed at liberation of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics from control of the Kiev regime.
So far, joint DPR and LPR troops with support of the Russian Armed Forces liberated and established full control over 224 settlements on the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic. On May 2, the head of the Luhansk People’s Republic claimed that all settlements have been moped up of militants of Ukrainian armed formations, except the cities of Severodonetsk and Lisichansk, where fierce clashes continue. The entire Kherson region and a big part of the Zaporozhie region are under control of the Russian military.

Click to see full-size image
The Kharkov region remains one of the main battlefields of the Ukraine war. After the AFU failed to repel Russian forces from the region and hold their positions near the border, the Russian military went into offensive and is taking back control over the settlement, approaching the outskirts of the city of Kharkov. Near the town of Stary Saltov, Russian-led forces took control over the villages of Shestakovo and Fedorovka located on the road leading to the town. As a result, the Armed Forces of Ukraine found themselves in a trap. At the same time, the AFU reportedly finished the pontoon crossing across the river of Seversky Donets near the village of Hotomli. The attack of Ukrainian forces may threaten Russian positions south of Stary Saltov and deblocade the road to the town. In the northern part of the Kharkov front clashes reached the area if Tsirkuny.
The launch of the US Switchblade 300 barrage ammunition by the AFU forces near Kharkov:

Russian troops are expected to blockade the city of Kharkov from the east and likely move in the southern direction towards the town of Chuguev, one of the main bases of the AFU in the region. Ukrainian control of Chuguev threatens Russian forces in the Izyum area, which are aimed at the offensive on the cities of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk.
Russian military operations in the Kharkov region are aimed at the distraction of the Ukrainian military from the fighting on the northern Donbass frontlines. The Russian counter offensive may mark the resumption of massive attacks in the Izyum area, where positional clashes have continued over the last weeks. The Ukrainian military has previously reported the reinforcement of Russian positions in Izyum. Thus, the resumption of Russian offensive towards Slavyansk may be expected soon.

On the northern front lines of the Donetsk People’s Republics, fierce clashes continue near the same settlements in the Izyum area. The AFU artillery strikes hit the Russian military positions in Rudnevo and Dolgenky. Positional battles continue in Velykaya Kamishevakha. No advances by any sides in the area have been confirmed so far.
From their positions in Izyum, Russian units are advancing along the western bank of the Seversky Donets river. Battle for the town of Bogorodichnoye continues for at least five days. Russian control over the settlements and the road to Sidorovo would lead to the encirclement of the AFU units defending Svyatogorsk.

In the town of Svyatogorsk, almost all residential areas are already under control of Russian-led forces. Ukrainian units retreat without heavy fighting. They crossed the Seversky Donets River and established the military positions in the Svyatogoskaya Lavra, local monastery located on a hill on the right bank of the river. Ukrainian artillery deployed in a sacred place is preventing Russian-led forces from approaching the AFU fortifications and take control over the town.
The Svyatogorsk Lavra is one of the key places of Orthodoxy. Thus, the AFU are expected to defend their positions in the monastery until it is destroyed. Provocations aimed at blaming Russia for the destruction of the sacred place are also possible. The split between the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox churches clearly demonstrated that the Kiev regime is easily manipulating the faith of their people.
According to local reports, the monks were taken hostage by the Ukrainian military. So far, three victims among them have been confirmed. On May 30, two monks and a nun were killed. Three more clergymen were wounded.
The Kiev regime has already claimed the death of the monks to be another inhumane action of the Russian military. However, the fact only confirms that they were taken hostage in the monastery by Ukrainian servicemen.

Click to see full-size image
The AFU garrison in Svyatogorsk was cut off from other Ukrainian units. Kiev confirmed the retreat of Ukrainian forces from the area south of the town. The AFU withdrew to the right bank of the Seversky Donets River, leaving the villages of Ozernoye, Shchurovka, Brusovka without a fight.
On June 3, the DPR Territorial Defense Headquarters confirmed full control over Shchurovo.
In the area of Krasny Liman which was recently taken under control of the DPR, Russian-led forces are yet to cross the Seversky Donets River near the town of Rayhorodok in order to advance towards the city of Slavyansk from the east. Last night, heavy artillery fighting across the river was reported.
No major assault of the advancing forces is expected in the nearest future. Russian-led forces are likely to continue the positional battles near Rayhorodok until the entire region on the left bank of the Seversky Donets river is secured, and other Russian units approach Slavyansk area from other directions.

Battle for Severodonetsk continues. Almost all residential areas in the city are under control of the LPR. The AFU hold their positions in the Azot chemical plant in Severodonetsk and on the hills in Lisichansk. Clashes already broke out in the industrial zone.
According to Russian reporters in the area, the AFU units, who were hiding on the territory of the Azot plant in Severodonetsk, attempted to counterattack in order to push Russian forces away from the industrial area two days ago. The attack was accompanied by the support of the Ukrainian artillery deployed in the city of Lisichansk. In response, Russian troops opened massive fire from artillery, MLRS and mortars, nullifying the enemy’s efforts.
In the Severodonetsk region, fighting is going on in Ustinovka and Privolye. LPR control over the towns would pave the way towards the industrial zone in Severodonetsk and Lisichansk from three directions.

Click to see full-size image

heir unrestrained desire to retain control over the occupied territories of the Luhansk People’s Republic, the Ukrainian militants turned the city of Severodonetsk into a real fortress, as it seemed to them to be impregnable. Literally in every yard, on every street, on every corner of the city, firing points, dugouts and trenches were equipped. As usual, fortifications were equipped near residential buildings, at intersections and even on children’s playgrounds. Trenches were equipped without taking into account civilian communications and the risk to the civilian population.

Ukrainian fascists are ready to sacrifice the lives of civilians in order to keep the territory, even if it is burned and deserted.
Local resident Yuri: “They dug in there. They lived somewhere at the end of the house, in a corner entrance. Our 6th entrance. That is, they controlled the entire space, went everywhere, looked at what they needed and took it. Diligently they passed everything, took it away. They were looking for money, alcohol, drugs, etc.”
Along the streets there are large-caliber guns and other military equipment. The streets are blocked by rubble from lampposts and barricades, but the assault units of the LPR defense department, supported by artillery, rushed into the city so quickly that the enemy practically did not resist and retreated into the urban industrial zone. However, they will not be able to hold on for long either. The victory will be ours.” – the LPR military department reported.

On June 3, a group of journalists of Russia Today and Reuters came under the AFU fire on the Severodonetsk outskirts:

“They came under shelling at the entrance to Severodonetsk. One of the shells flew right into the escort car 5-10 meters in front of us, in which, among others, a Reuters film crew of two people was traveling. At first it seemed that they had blown up on a mine: the car turned over on its side and caught fire. The driver of the escort died on the spot, the journalists are in the hospital. Our group is safe. They hit us purposely: they waited until we stopped at, as it turned out, the targeted section of the road and only then began firing, adjusting fire by a drone. And yes, both of our cars were civilian.” – RT journalist reported.

The AFU still hold their positions in the Zolotoe area, which is almost surrounded by Russian-led forces. According to preliminary data, the town of Kamishevaha came under DPR control and Russian-led forces reached the western outskirts of Zolotoe. Ukrainian units withdrew from their positions in the settlement to the nearby forest areas. The AFU still hold their positions in Vrubovka.
Russian-led forces are slowly advancing towards the city of Bakhmut. The village of Pilipchatino came under full DPR control. Fierce clashes continue on the Bakhmut — Lisichansk highway. The AFU is transferring additional reinforcements to the road launching artillery strikes on Nyrkovo, Belogorovka and Berestovoye.
Clashes continue for the control over the Uglegorskaya power plant near the city of Svetlodarsk which is already under DPR control. DPR units entered the southern outskirts of the town of Novolugansk. Control over it would let them attack the AFU positions in the plant from the southern direction.
In the Avdeevka area, the AFU launched a counter attack but failed and lost several armored vehicles. Clashes continue on the southern and eastern outskirts of the city. On June 1, the road for the supply of the AFU in the Avdiivka area was cut off.
A sniper of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation strikes Ukrainian positions in the vicinity of Avdiivka with a captured US-made Desert Tech SRS-A2
Artillery fire by the 1st mechanized battalion of the DPR army destroys the ammunition depot of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the settlement of New York (Novgorodskoe) in the Donetsk region:

On June 3, 2 civilians were killed including a child as a result of the detonation of an explosive object on a beach in the city of Mariupol.
In the city of Berdyansk, the mine-clearing operations were carried out on the territory of the local port. The operations are carried out by the Engineering Service of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation. Specialists of the engineering division plan to carry out a complete mine clearance of the port in three days and secure the facility for civilian vessels.

On the Kamenskoye-Orekhov-Gulyai-Pole-Velikaya Novoselovka front, positional battles continue.

In the Kherson region, the AFU’s attempts to launch attacks from the Mykolaiv and Krivoy Rog directions ended with heavy losses. The Ukrainian military failed to break through the Russian defense in Snegirevka and Davydov Ford. The last two days were marked by positional battles on the front lines.
On June 1, Russian MLRS fired at the Ochakov, where 2 small missile boats of the Ukrainian Navy were hit.
The Russian military destroys the artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kherson region. At least three 2S3 Akatsiya artillery vehicles were destroyed:
The senseless massive shelling on the residential areas in the city of Donetsk and its outskirts by the Ukrainian militants continue. Only on June 3, one man was killed in Horlovka and another was killed in the village of Vladimirovka, about a dozen civilians were injured.
The Commissioner for Human Rights of the DPR Daria Morozova revealed losses of the DPR forces during the special military operation. Between May 28 and June 3, 74 law enforcement officers and military personnel and 17 civilians were killed. The number of wounded is 280 and 102 respectively.
Since the beginning of the year, 1999 law enforcement officers have died in the DPR, 8249 have been injured. Also, 604 civilians were killed, 1899 were injured.

 

[aragorn]

I was watching a recent interview with Larry Johnson (on 1.5 x speed to save time! ) and heard him say this:

at ca 40min:

“…2003, let’’s go back to the war in Iraq…nobody ever sat down and said, “Okay, where do we want Iraq to be in five years? What should this look like? What’s that plan? How do we get from here to there?” So, that kind of strategic thinking, I have never seen in my time in exposure to the US government. And I did hold top secret clearances, I did hold compartmented clearances and I had the advantage of worked in CIA, worked at state, worked closely with FBI, worked with the military. So I’ve been in sort of all the different tents that comprise the US government city…and didn’t see that.”

This is yet another confirmation of what e.g. Fletcher Prouty wrote in 'The Secret Team', that the US 'deep state' doesn't do any long term strategic planning...nothing! There are no people smart and wise enough to do that. They just live in the now (and the psychopaths 'create their own reality' in their minds) and react to various inputs and low-intellectual analysis of situations. Pahtocracy at its best, with no wise people at the wheel. No wonder things are messed up!

So, I think this can be applied both to 'Covid' and Ukraine (and many, many other 'successful projects', like Vietnam). They start something that looks like a delicious opportunity without any kind of long term plan or realistic goal. That they are so stupid gives some hope, but at the same time it makes you worried that these imbeciles might do something really stupid like firing som nukes towards Russia.

 

[iamthatis]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1533426679678394368

 

[Adobe]

MOSCOW, June 5. /TASS/.

"Russian missile and artillery troops wiped out 46 Ukrainian command posts, 123 artillery and mortar units at firing positions in the past 24 hours, Konashenkov said. "The missile and artillery troops hit the following targets: 46 command posts, 123 artillery and mortar units at firing positions and also 498 areas of amassed Ukrainian manpower and military hardware," the spokesman said."

"The air strikes also wiped out 10 Ukrainian tanks and armored vehicles, two Grad multiple launch rocket systems, nine artillery guns and 14 special vehicles, the general added."

"In the past 24 hours, the Russian air defense capabilities also shot down 10 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles"

Russian forces wipe out T-72 tanks supplied by East European countries to Kiev — top brass

Russian missile and artillery troops wiped out 46 Ukrainian command posts

tass.com

 

[Joan]

'The Ukrainian military is preparing to assassinate Zelensky?'

Lukashenko remarks upon serious conflict between Zelenskyy, Ukrainian military

The head of state drew attention to the shady arrangements and promises of the Ukrainian leadership to Poland. He noted that they also cause a negative reaction inside the nationalistic forces in Ukraine, including among the military.

eng.belta.by

03 JUNE 2022

In reality (IMO) Zelensky has lived on borrowed time. Kolomonsky decided to fund him for a TV series in Ukraine presenting as some savior for Ukraine, Servant of the People. That altercation (after he was elected president, is monumental) where he was basically (in my words go away little boy from the Azov) At the same time Kolomosky was funding Azov. He has performed his puppet Zelensky Roadshow, performing to packed audiences in halls of so called government in the West, again he is pushed, like all actors, that are paid to perform a show/act of human emotional responses to and enraptured audience in the West, that want nothing more than to defeat Russia. It dislike to use this phrase, but karma is a bitch.

Now why would Russia want to off Zelensky and his team (controlled by the West) he is the best thing since sliced bread (to use a UK term) to highlight, the insanity and banality coming from the West at this time.

And if he does suddenly exit from this world, he is the architect of his own demise, and the compatriots he has chosen to align with.

 

[iamthatis]

What opened my eyes to the importance of this leadership structure in war (which Ukraine lacks) - aside from reading and watching more war films - is the following docuseries on the Great Patriotic War, aired on Russian TV.

It focuses on 'big arrow war', or the Operational and Strategic levels of the history of the conflict. There are quotes and vignettes featuring known characters, Zhukov and Mannstein, Hitler and Stalin among them, with some politics and signing of treaties, CGI animations of battle, grainy old photographs and film, a fascinating discussion of different types weaponry developed in response to enemy innovations, many, many maps, and also the way in which the battle tactics changed as command and control learned from past mistakes. Being entirely uneducated about the matter, I found it to be an excellent overall picture of the War in the East for beginners.

As a followup to this Soviet Storm docuseries, I recently stumbled onto another good one, although this time the dive is taken into Napoleon's invasion of Russia. This series is of a similar caliber to Soviet Storm, although the episodes are shorter and fewer. There is still a lot of information packed into them. Another window into how Russia has responded when the Terror of History shows up at its doorstep.

There is historical geopolitical context given, discussions of Russian and French strategic decisions, the makeup of the troops, many maps with descriptions of terrain, and many historical quotes - mostly men describing the carnage of the battles, the horrors of the long march amidst starvation, thirst, and fatigue, the madness of looting, or their hopes, their dreams, their doubts and fears. I also appreciated the use of classical art to set the scene, including portraits of notable characters and battlefield landscapes. This is done instead of CGI. Nice classical music, too.

I learned that certain Operations in WWII, such as Bagration, were named after officers who fought against Napoleon in this, the Patriotic War.

Next up I might start watching Bondarchuk's epic, War and Peace, which I'm thinking might be a sort of crossover between the Romance Novel thread and this one.

 

[Nienna]

MOSCOW, June 5. /TASS/.

"Russian missile and artillery troops wiped out 46 Ukrainian command posts, 123 artillery and mortar units at firing positions in the past 24 hours, Konashenkov said. "The missile and artillery troops hit the following targets: 46 command posts, 123 artillery and mortar units at firing positions and also 498 areas of amassed Ukrainian manpower and military hardware," the spokesman said."

"The air strikes also wiped out 10 Ukrainian tanks and armored vehicles, two Grad multiple launch rocket systems, nine artillery guns and 14 special vehicles, the general added."

"In the past 24 hours, the Russian air defense capabilities also shot down 10 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles"

Russian forces wipe out T-72 tanks supplied by East European countries to Kiev — top brass

Russian missile and artillery troops wiped out 46 Ukrainian command posts

tass.com

Wow! Just think of what would happen if Russia wasn't running out of weapons as the Ukrainians have said they are. (Yes, sarcasm.)