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

[Ben]

Head of the Crimean parliament, Vladimir Konstantinov , said that the Crimean bridge was damaged by "Ukrainian vandals."

"Ukrainian vandals still managed to reach out with their bloody hands to the Crimean bridge. Now they have something to be proud of: for 23 years of their management, they have not managed to build anything worthy of attention in Crimea, but they managed to damage the canvas of the Russian bridge,"

Константинов заявил, что Крымский мост повредили украинские вандалы

Глава крымского парламента Владимир Константинов заявил, что Крымский мост повредили "украинские вандалы". РИА Новости, 08.10.2022

ria.ru

The explosion is being now investigated as an act of terrorism. If true, it couldn't be a more symbolic target. Putin will be expected to respond immediately and effectively, for that reason my expectation is that it will be depicted in the West as a Russian false flag operation.

Edit - there's already some indication that Ukraine is claiming responsibility in a message from Advisor to the Office of the President of Ukraine Podoliak, on Telegram. He said "Crimea, the bridge, the beginning. Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled"

 

[mabar]

From Telegram Channel RT India

Crimea, the bridge, the beginning. Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled,” Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted Saturday morning - with a picture of the damaged bridge.


BREAKING @RT_India_official

Let's see how long the tweet lasts

 

[Gwenllian]

Vanessa Beeley:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1578645747545038848

 

[T.C.]

Watch: Russian troops fix white flag to tank and surrender to Ukrainian soldiers

The surrender comes amid territorial gains for Ukrainian forces in the south and north of the country

www.standard.co.uk

Watch: Russian troops fix white flag to tank and surrender to Ukrainian soldiers

The surrender comes amid territorial gains for Ukrainian forces in the south and north of the country

Russian troops attached a white flag and surrendered to Ukrainian soldiers in astonishing footage captured from the south of the country.

In the footage, a Russian BMP-2 vehicle is seen driving towards Ukrainian soldiers thought to be in Kherson.

Afixed with a white flag, the vehicle is surrounded by Ukrainian soldiers before three crewmen get out with their hands up.

The Ukrainian soldiers then move in, strip the soldiers of their weapons and take them as prisoners.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1577762100549718026

According to the MailOnline, the incident is believed to have been pre-arranged and comes as Ukraine’s military claimed more than 2,000 Russian soldiers had called a hotline asking how to surrender to avoid being killed in battle.

Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s military intelligence, said the hotline had allegedly received an increase in the number of calls following Russian president Vladimir Putin’s conscription announcement.

Mr Yusov claims some 2,000 Russian troops had already called the hotline in the last few weeks amid Russia’s struggling military campaign.

The news of the surrender follows the successful counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces.

Last week, the Ukrainian army retook the city of Lyman and is advancing further south on the city of Kherson.

Due to the renewed offensive by Ukrainian troops, the frontline has been pushed back 20km, the Ministry of Defence said in its latest situation update.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed troops are now poised to reclaim the region despite it being one of the four annexed by Russia via sham referendums which have not been recognised by the West.

With Russian forces retreating from front lines in the south and east, Mr Zelensky said in a late-night video address on Wednesday that Novovoskresenske, Novohryhorivka and Petropavlivka to the north-east of Kherson city had been “liberated”.

Addressing pro-Moscow forces in Russian, he said: “You have already lost.

“Ukrainians know what they are fighting for. And more and more citizens of Russia are realising that they must die simply because one person does not want to end the war. It’s obvious who will win.”

Any thoughts on this? Is it as simple as this video being staged to 1) increase the overall BS about Ukrainian gains and 2) try to sow seeds of doubt in any scared Russian soldiers to encourage them to call the 'surrender hotline'? I don't know whether the fact that the tank crew's faces are covered makes it more likely they're Ukrainian soldiers, or Russians who don't want their identities known. There have been articles about the Ukrainians capturing Russian tanks of this kind.

The way the Ukrainian soldiers have treated captured Russians would surely put off anyone thinking of surrendering. Why would anyone want to surrender to a losing side in a war? And if you did surrender, you wouldn't be thinking of going back to Russia, right? So what are you going to do, live the rest of your life in what's left of a destroyed pathocracy?

 

[T.C.]

The New Atlas latest update:

Facts and numbers on the ground. Ukraine’s appeals to its allies for more equipment. The sustainability of Ukraine’s position versus the sustainability of Russia’s. Analogy of Nazi offensive in Ardenne towards the end of WWII as a final push to affect a political resolution through psychological means, as opposed to a military one.

The wider geopolitical perspective. Sanctions against Russia by the west failing and backfiring due to Russia’s alliances with other powers such as India and China. Predictions of US efforts to disrupt Russia’s allies in the future, citing the current situation in Taiwan as analogous to the US use of Ukraine.

 

[lilies]

Why is the liberation of Donbass going so slow?

Two explanations in below video:

1. First problem is that there is autumn and the brown-green leaves are falling onto the grass looking exactly like the butterfly mines Ukraine is using - spreading the battlefield with. Ukronazis are also busily shooting DPR cities with showers of these mines for children to pick them up. As these green-brown mines look like toys. These are very hard to spot and can take off a leg if a soldier bumps into them. Shown at videotime 38:03.

2. Second is DPR / Russian troops were fine, until the chemical canister attacks exploded above them in the air. When the wind blows the poison clouds toward their positions. Explained at videotime 28:18. Victims are hospitalized with high fever + high blood pressure, coughing and severe bowel problems.

 

[T.C.]

Alexander Mercouris comments on many different aspects of the situation.

One of the ideas he puts forward about the Russian retreats from Kherson comes from the Financial Times. The land that the Ukrainians have recaptured is essentially just fields, and with Autumn arriving, that land turns to mud because of increased rain, making any kind of activity there extremely difficult.

Mercouris also highlights several times the fact that there is an almost eerie sort of silence from the Russian government regarding the withdrawals. Like a detached relaxation. The theory about the withdrawals being in order to avoid losses and reinforce the defensive line further back hasn’t even been put out by the Russian government itself, but mostly by bloggers and other online speculation.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops are leaving other areas of combat in order to join the push forward, therefore the areas they’re leaving are thinning out.

As winter sets in, those areas which have turned to mud will start to freeze and harden, making military activity there viable again.

 

[bjorb]

Brain delves into the latest situations on the ground.

Talking points are:

- Ukraine strike on Crimea Bridge complicates both civilian and military logistics to Crimea - the former more so than the latter;

- The bridge attack is likely to be followed by anticipated offensive operations by Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia toward Melitopol;

- The bridge attack + Melitopol offensive is meant to isolate Crimea;

- Ukraine's offensive will leave its forces overextended, depleted and vulnerable to Russian forces who have throughout the duration of Ukraine's offensives preserved their manpower and equipment;

 

[Mari]

Today was also sabotage that disrupted the train network in northern Germany.

German rail operator says massive train disruption caused by sabotage | DW | 08.10.2022

The German rail operator said that security authorities had taken over the investigation. It had earlier reported that the "technical fault" had been repared.

www.dw.com

German rail operator says massive train disruption caused by sabotage​

The German rail operator said that security authorities had taken over the investigation. It had earlier reported that the "technical fault" had been repared.


Long-distance train journeys were disrupted at the start of the weekend

Rail operator Deutsche Bahn said on Saturday that intentional interference was the cause of disruptions in the train network in northern Germany.
"Sabotage to cables which were vital for train traffic meant Deutsche Bahn had to stop trains running in the north this morning for nearly three hours," Deutsche Bahn said.
The German rail operator said that security authorities had taken over the investigation. There was no immediate information on potential suspects.

What do we know about the rail disruptions?​

Earlier on Saturday, Deutsche Bahn reported a "technical fault on the line" after trains in large parts of northern Germany were stopped.
"The reason for that is the failure of the digital train radio communication system," the company said.
Hours later, the Deutsche Bahn reported that the issue had been amended, but further service cancelations and disruptions were still possible.
The problem has affected trains in large parts of northern Germany as well as some international routes, DB said.
Travel to and from Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony in the direction of Kassel- Wilhelmshöhe, Berlin and North Rhine Westphalia had been suspended.
The high-speed ICE trains between Berlin, Hanover and NRW were also impacted by the outage.
Some international routes were affected as well. Round trains from and to Berlin via Amsterdam are completely cancelled. Meanwhile, trains from and to the Danish cities of Copenhagen and Aarhus would end/start in Padborg.

 

[ApotheosisMMC.]

The damage to the civil part of the bridge has occurred in two different sections, which may be strange, but given the proximity of the two failure points, both collapses could have been linked to the explosion produced by the truck with explosives that the authorities They are saying that it infiltrated:

Crimean Bridge Damage Caused By Truck Explosion – Russia’s Anti-Terrorism Committee

Law enforcement agencies told RT that an investigation is underway to ascertain how a truck filled with explosives could have gained access to the Kerch Bridge.

According to authorities, at the entrance of the bridge there are multiple scanning systems which are “equipped with devices that detect drugs, explosives and chemicals even 60 days after last contact.”

RT has been informed that questions have been raised about the shift on duty, which allegedly missed the truck that reportedly caused the explosion.

Telegram: Contact @rtnews

t.me

Apparently the damage is easy and quick to repair, meanwhile the transport would be carried out via maritime ferry:

Damages on the Crimean bridge will be promptly repaired, since they are not serious, - Head of the Crimean Parliament Konstantinov

“Creative activity in Crimea will continue. And for those who are now sent to the fronts of the NVO, it is clearly shown who and what we are fighting for. It was obvious that the agonizing Kyiv regime, like a cornered animal, is dangerous and capable of snapping at any moment "We have repeatedly spoken about this. A quiet life for us is possible only after the complete defeat of the Kyiv drug addicts and adventurers."

RVvoenkory

‼️Повреждения на Крымском мосту будут оперативно устранены, благо они не носят тяжелого характера, - глава парламента Крыма Константинов "Созидательная деятельность в Крыму будет продолжена. А тем, кто сейчас отправляется на фронты СВО, наглядно показано, с кем и за что мы воюем. Было очевидно...

t.me

Stormy weather at sea makes adjustments to the organization of transportation on the Kerch ferry crossing, it is not yet working - Kuban headquarters
Trains currently traveling to the Crimean Peninsula have been redirected to Anapa.
The state of emergency on the Crimean bridge will not affect the provision of Kherson region with food and essential goods, - head of the regional government Sergey Eliseev. Strategic reserves of fuel, medicines and foodstuffs have been created in the region.

RVvoenkory

‼️🇷🇺Штормовая погода на море вносит корректировки в организацию перевозок по керченской паромной переправе, она еще не работает — оперштаб Кубани ▪️Поезда, следующие сейчас на Крымский полуостров, перенаправлены в Анапу. ▪️ЧП на Крымском мосту не отразится на обеспечении Херсонской области...

t.me

Investigation committee: 3 passengers of the car, which was next to the truck blown up on the bridge, were killed. The bodies of two victims have already been raised from the water - men and women, the identities are being established.
The data of the truck and its owner, a resident of the Krasnodar Territory, have been established, and investigative actions have been launched at his place of residence. The route of movement of the car and the relevant documentation are being studied.

RVvoenkory

‼️🇷🇺Следком: погибли 3 пассажира машины, находившейся рядом с подорвавшимся на мосту грузовиком. Из воды уже подняты тела двух погибших - мужчины и женщины, личности устанавливаются. ▪️Установлены данные грузового автомобиля и его собственника - жителя Краснодарского края, по месту его...

t.me

 

[Nević Nenad]

Mosad, its to imaginative for Mi6 to do it with a truck. Ukrainians are not that crazy. The war became less hot last days, ABC guys decided to warm it up.

 

[aragorn]

Finnish PM showing her 'great statesmanship' in the short clip below. Notice the way she laughs after her answer...it says more than a thousand words. In that laughter there's arrogance, a sense of superiority, contempt, but it also shows that these people live in their own delusional version of reality. She doesn't even pause for one millisecond to contemplate if there are any other options, because to her robotic mind there's only one option that she apparently believes is completely plausible – that Russia will be defeated.

These young European leaders are all alike: coke snorting imbeciles. I sometimes wonder if these individuals are the remote controlled robot people that the C's talked about way back.

 

[Keit]

Here's the translation of the recap of the two main unofficial versions.

On the cause of the explosion on the Crimean bridge: analysis of materials from the site of the attack

The official investigation into the terrorist attack on the bridge over the Kerch Strait has already begun: it is likely that the first results will be announced in a short time. In the meantime, we have analyzed the data from public sources and tried to speculate what could have been the cause of the attack.

Judging by the video, the explosion was very powerful. Someone even suggested that what happened was an air strike. However, the poles of the exterior lights were not only not bent, but not even burned. The cameras on them were also intact. All this looks extremely uncharacteristic for an alleged missile attack.

In the frame, a passenger car can be seen exiting the cloud of explosion: not only was it not thrown up by the blast, but it even remained in motion. There are also no traces of any of the projectiles, which would have left no living trace on the cars from such a distance. The cisterns on the railroad bridge were damaged, but not even nearly dented.

The photo shows the span that fell into the Kerch Strait, with no craters. But the pipes with cables running along the sides look torn and as if cut.

What conclusions can be drawn?

The nature of the damage and the absence of any trace of wounds or craters means that we can rule out a missile strike. A drone hit is not probable at all because of its small warhead.

A more plausible scenario is the detonation of charges mounted from below: this explains the tanks, cars and lighting poles that remain almost unharmed. Open-source evidence does not allow us to say with certainty whether these were saboteurs or maritime drones.

Detonation of a booby-trapped truck also looks possible. A shaped charge could have been placed in the truck and encased inside the trailer so that the directional jet would literally shatter the supporting structure. This also explains the sparks in the frame and the sagging steel beam.

Additional objective evidence from the site of the explosion is needed to determine the causes of the explosion more precisely.

But one thing is certain: the Ukrainian state with its power and civilian structures is behind the terrorist attack, the destruction of the Russian infrastructure, and the deaths of civilians.

Here's a video, where people on Telegram say that they see something strange under the bridge on the right, right when the truck in question passes. But then these could be just waves.

Here's how destruction on the bridge looks like up close.

Needless to say that Russians are up in arms on Telegram. It looks like some sort of response would have to be made, but then there are also rational voices that urge to stop and think. That strong response is exactly what the West or Ukraine want from us. So we will wait and see.

 

[Adobe]

"Medvedev: Bloody clowns from Kiev will face judgment day if Ukraine attacks the Crimean bridge"​

MOSCOW, 17 July/ Radio Sputnik. Dmitry Medvedev,

“Individual high-blooded clowns who periodically appear with some statements and also try to threaten us by referring to the attack on Crimea, etc. And the consequences are obvious. “If something like this happens, all hell will break loose. It is very fast and tough. It will be very difficult to hide.” nail Medvedev RIA Novosti.
Earlier, Sputnik radio had reported why, according to Senator Olga Kovitidi, Kiev could not hit the Crimean bridge."

Article below:

Medvedev warned Kiev of "apocalypse" in case of an attack on the Crimean bridge - News Unrolled

Medvedev: Bloody clowns from Kiev will face judgment day if Ukraine attacks the Crimean bridgeMOSCOW, 17 July/ Radio Sputnik. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, promised to give the Kyiv authorities a "judgment day" if they try to attack Crimea. He stated this at...

newsunrolled.com

 

[Adobe]

"The ZNPP’s connection to the 750 kilovolt (kV) power line was cut at around 1am local time today"​

Ukraine’s ZNPP Must Be Urgently Protected, IAEA’s Grossi Says After Plant Loses All External Power Due to Shelling​

"The ZNPP’s connection to the 750 kilovolt (kV) power line was cut at around 1am local time today, Director General Grossi said, citing official information from Ukraine as well as reports from the team of IAEA experts present at the site of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant."

"Sixteen of the plant’s diesel generators started operating automatically, providing its six reactors with power. After the situation stabilised, ten of the generators were switched off, leaving six to provide the reactors with necessary electricity."

“The resumption of shelling, hitting the plant’s sole source of external power, is tremendously irresponsible. The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant must be protected,” Director General Grossi said. “I will soon travel to the Russian Federation, and then return to Ukraine, to agree on a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the plant. This is an absolute and urgent imperative.”

"The plant’s diesel generators each have sufficient fuel for at least ten days. ZNPP engineers have begun work to repair the damaged 750 kV power line."

Article below:

Ukraine’s ZNPP Must Be Urgently Protected, IAEA’s Grossi Says After Plant Loses All External Power Due to Shelling | IAEA

www.iaea.org