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

[thorbiorn]

At the risk of noting the obvious, it's good to remember that what we can see, including when it comes to politics, in-fighting, particular agendas etc., is like Plato's cave, or like weather phenomena than can be a reflection of battles up there within higher D's: we can see effects in a form of replaced officials, lost battles, seemingly wrong decisions and similar reflections, but a significant part of the whole picture remains hidden. Sometimes there is a leak, often for a reason that not necessarily is to make things a bit more clear. There are various narrations from many sides, cover-ups and what not. But the fact that state agencies, as well as some other groups of interest, compete with each other for funds and influence is no secret.

Agree, and Russia is not outside the show, it can't help but be a part and play a part. I was also thinking of:
Session 11 August 2018

(Joe) I dunno if other people feel the same way, but these days I have a sense that the stuff going on in the world in terms of the political stuff, infighting, and that kind of stuff is increasingly kind of irrelevant in a certain sense...

A: It is. We have said that you should enjoy the show.

Q: (Andromeda) In other words, paying attention to it should be accompanied also by non-attachment. (L) I guess that's a very difficult state to achieve, and perhaps the object of the lesson?

A: Yes

Q: (Joe) A lot of people are invested in it because they are attached to material existence and the material universe. They have an investment in what's going on here on the planet because this is their home and they want to protect it and make sure it all works out well. But if you can't detach from that and take a more philosophical point of view, you're going to engage more and more in the fighting and the madness.

 

[Nević Nenad]

Ukrainian troops just reached Ural mountains and liberated Archangelsk!

Well, in their dreams. There could be, only maybe of course, some very local advancements, but in any significant way its hardly unlikely.

Russia denies reports its military operation defense lines were breached in some areas

The ministry stressed that the general situation in the area of the special military operation is under control

tass.com

 

[Pierre]

"Bakhmut Endgame | Significant Advances On BOTH Sides | Bakhmut Quick Update 12/05/23"

 

[Possibility of Being]

A helpful diagram that Simplicius the Thinker published regarding the relationships between various actors within the Russian leadership and military structure:

I'm sure it's helpful, for Western MSM for example. Some connections seemed odd to me (although I saw similar claims in Guardian investigations and alike, so they may feed each other with "data" and gaining credibility from this echo chamber), and some others, important ones, are absent. So I looked up the source in hope to see their sources used for the graph. Well, the whole molfar thing seems to be a bunch of Ukrainians located, or registered, in London (remember the single-person media outlet in London reporting "directly from Syria"?). In one of their investigations, on Russians rebuilding Mariupol, their conclusion was that only windows were replaced for better look (etc.) and: "The result of such actions: a good TV picture for the Russians, active genocide of the Ukrainian population and... a human shield of citizens." hmm, okeeey...

So no, I personally am not inclined to trust any of their findings even if there may be some true pieces in their 'octopus'. Don't know that "Simplicius" guy's work, but clearly he is not picky about sources he uses; or maybe he is?

ADDED: According to Wiki:
A molfar (Ukrainian: мольфа́р) is a person with purported magical abilities in Hutsul culture. [...] The origin of the word is uncertain. It may originate from Romance languages, e.g., Italian malfare 'to do evil'

 

[youlik]

There seems to be nothing to be surprised about. We have already seen everything during this conflict, but every time you meet with similar manifestations with your own eyes, everything inside turns upside down. In the video, teeth, rings and pliers are removed from the captive AFU soldier, with which he extracted all this "good".
I must say that his pliers are so-so, I have better, more convenient. (I was joking so bitterly, if anything)

A captured "cook" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, taken in the Yakovlevka area. During the interrogation, he denied himself as much as possible and called himself a cook who cut the kibble and poured the vodka. In fact, this character, according to the original source, looted and did not shy away from pulling out gold teeth from denazified comrades

IMG_9964

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Вроде бы уже нечему удивляться. Видели уже все в течении этого конфликта, однако каждый раз когда воочию встречаешься с подобными проявлениями внутри все переворачивается. На видео у пленного всушника вынимают зубы, кольца и плоскогубцы, которыми он добывал всё это "добро".
Надо сказать, что его плоскогубцы так себе, у меня есть лучше, удобнее. (это я так горько пошутил, если что)

 

[youlik]

Another lulling version

The European Union presented its assessment of the losses of the Armed Forces
Euractiv: The European Union estimated the losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at 13 thousand killed and 35 thousand wounded soldiers

MOSCOW, May 12 — RIA Novosti. Since the beginning of the special military operation, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have lost 13 thousand people killed and 35 thousand wounded, Euractiv claims with reference to an internal memorandum of the European Union.
As the authors of the article pointed out, the document is based on information from Kiev, the media and leaked intelligence. It also says that the United States estimates the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at 17.5 thousand killed, and from 124,000 to 131,000 people became disabled.

On the second of May, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on a conference call that in April alone, Ukrainian troops lost more than 15,000 people. In addition, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine last year amounted to more than one hundred thousand people killed and wounded.
In addition, many Western media pointed to the great damage that Russian troops inflicted on the Armed Forces. So, the newspaper Politico, citing the assessment of American officials, reported in mid-March that over a hundred thousand Ukrainian soldiers, including the most experienced soldiers, were killed during the conflict. The same number was announced last November by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, but then her assessment was cut from the published statement.

В Евросоюзе представили свою оценку потерь ВСУ

It was reported about one Leopard that it was drowned in a swamp by Russian intelligence officers because of the inability to capture it as a trophy. Now it seems that the Leopard was burned in battle, but everything is still without video confirmation.

Military officers: In the area of the village of Zaliznyanskoye, the Leopard tank was destroyed by the fighters of volunteer detachments

Yesterday, in the Soledar direction, as a result of repelling an attack by Ukrainian formations, Russian fighters destroyed an infantry fighting vehicle and a Leopard tank of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was reported by war correspondent Daniil Bezsonov in his Telegram channel.

As Bezsonov noted, he received information about the destruction of a German-made tank from an officer of one of the units involved in the battles in the Soledar direction. The incident took place yesterday, near the village of Zaliznyanskoye, where the APU launched an infantry attack with the support of infantry fighting vehicles and Leopard tanks.

One of the "Leopards" was blown up by an anti-tank mine, previously installed by the fighters of the Wagner PMCs, and he "took off his shoes,"
Bezsonov writes in his Telegram channel.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian formations tried to either evacuate the tank or cover its crew by sending an infantry fighting vehicle to the site of the explosion. However, both it and the tank were simply destroyed from hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers by fighters of the Russian volunteer detachments "Nevsky" and "Veterans".

As a result of the actions of Russian troops, Bezsonov noted, all attacks of Ukrainian formations were repulsed. Even the active work of the enemy artillery did not help.

It should be noted that the Ukrainian command had very high hopes for Western-made tanks. However, they should hardly be considered some kind of wonderful "panacea" for the Ukrainian armed forces: they burn and explode quite usually, and given the low professionalism of the crews (you can't prepare qualified driver mechanics or tank commanders in five weeks), they will be destroyed by our military more and more often.

Военкоры: В районе поселка Зализнянское бойцами добровольческих отрядов был уничтожен танк Leopard

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Про один Леопард сообщали, что его утопили в болоте Российские разведчики из-за невозможности затрофеить. Теперь вот вроде бы Леопарда сожгли в бою, но все пока без видео подтверждений.

 

[Possibility of Being]

Sunday may bring interesting turn from the geopolitical point of view. The presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey are scheduled for May 14.

From Russian press:

ÐонкÑÑÐµÐ½Ñ ÐÑдогана на вÑбоÑÐ°Ñ ÐÑлÑÑдаÑÐ¾Ð³Ð»Ñ Ð¿Ð¾Ð¾Ð±ÐµÑал ÑазвеÑнÑÑÑ Ð¢ÑÑÑÐ¸Ñ Ð½Ð° Ðапад - ÐазеÑа.Ru | ÐовоÑÑи

ÐÐ°Ð½Ð´Ð¸Ð´Ð°Ñ Ð² пÑезиденÑÑ Ð¢ÑÑÑии, главнÑй ÑопеÑник Реджепа Тайипа ÐÑдогана, ÐÐµÐ¼Ð°Ð»Ñ ÐÑлÑÑдаÑÐ¾Ð³Ð»Ñ Ð·Ð°Ñвил, ÑÑо ÑоÑÐµÑ ÑазвеÑнÑÑÑ Ð²Ð½ÐµÑнÑÑ Ð¿Ð¾Ð»Ð¸ÑÐ¸ÐºÑ ÑÑÑÐ°Ð½Ñ Â«Ð½Ð° 180 гÑадÑÑов» и пÑинеÑÑи в ТÑÑÑиÑ...

www.gazeta.ru

Transl.

11 May
Erdogan's election rival Kılıçdaroğlu promises to turn Turkey to the West

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, a presidential candidate and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's main rival, said he wanted to turn the country's foreign policy "180 degrees" and bring "real democracy" to Turkey. In an interview with Deutsche Welle, he said the country would "turn towards the West" under his presidency.

"We will turn Turkey's foreign policy 180 degrees. We will bring to our country all the democratic rules provided by the European Union," he said. He stressed that the change will be seen not only in Turkey but also in the whole world.

Kılıçdaroğlu also said he wanted to revive Turkey's long-stalled bid to join the European Union. "We will turn to the West and to Western civilization," the politician said. At the same time, the opposition figure clarified that he "would like to have good relations with Russia".

A day before President of Turkey Tayyip Erdogan expressed confidence that Turkish citizens would rely on the "Anatolian wisdom" and not on what the Western powers whispered in their ears. ...

Bloomberg wrote that the US and the EU want Turkey to restore its historic alliance with the West. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the Western press was manipulating Turkey's upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections to implement the US plan.

Deutche Welle article in English here.

Another possible change in case of Kulçdaroğlu's success:

Turkey may turn off the S-400 and return to F-35s

Quote

Recep Tayyip Erdogan will try again to win the trust of his countrymen. Kemal Kulçdaroğlu is Erdogan’s opponent and a candidate for the new president of Turkey. According to preliminary data from various statistical agencies monitoring the attitudes of the Turkish population, Kulçdaroğlu has a small lead over Erdogan.

The US will be watching Sunday’s election with interest. Erdogan is currently not so well-liked by Washington. The great gap between Ankara and Washington opened when Ankara announced its intention to buy the Russian S-400 air defense system four years ago. The decision came after the Turkish presidency announced the excessively high price and “extortionate offer” regarding the Patriot.

After Ankara refused to heed threats from Washington, the White House decided to kick Turkey out of the F-35 program. However, Kulacdaroglu has other intentions. His latest statements lead us to renewed relations with Washington. He promised his party would work to acquire new F-16s in a $20 billion deal. Last but not least, Kulçdaroğlu wants the F-35s to fly over Turkish skies. In simple words, this means excluding the operational capability of the Russian S-400. [...]

 

[Nević Nenad]

Turning to the West is not something that you tell people nowdays. I'd say that Erdogan stays the president of Turky.

 

[forest_light]

I am really struggling to read this thread, so sometimes I just skim through to get a general idea of what is being shared. I appreciate the warnings about graphic content. There is a limit to what I can handle at the moment, I am feeling really drained and exhausted generally and know I need to stay as strong as I can mentally.

However, I just had a very unpleasant thought about the deaths of soldiers...
What if the numbers of soldiers are being under-reported because there is potentially a LARGE number of them being 'reanimated'?? Larger than anyone has considered possible?

Apologies if anyone has already suggested this recently, I know there has been some discussion of this on some level but I have read so many things I cannot remember where I have seen things. I do recall in a recent session (below) the C's had confirmed abductions were happening, but just reflecting on a couple of previous posts, I wondered if this is why the true numbers are not being officially acknowledged, or anything even close to it (from the sounds of things).

I try not to let my mind go to these places, but this has been bothering me for a while.
Where are all the bodies?? I know some would have been blown to smithereens from bigger explosions, and I do recall reports about huge numbers of corpses being piled up in trucks just sitting around (horrifying). When I think of the number of graves that would need to be dug for the massive number of Ukranian soldiers - and civilians - if the Russian estimates are correct; and then I think about how many vehicles would be needed to constantly be moving back and forth to transport the massive numbers of dead, not to mention the amount of space all those graves would take up... (unless they are being cremated). Something does not seem right, but maybe I am missing something or have missed some posts addressing this?

Session: 25 February 2023

Q: (Joe) They were just big uppin' their prowess. Okay, so that's all about the balloons then. Are the official Russian stats about the number of Ukrainian soldiers who've been killed or injured so far accurate?

A: Yes

Q: (Joe) Have there been any abduction-type events going on in this conflict like they talked about in Vietnam?

A: Yes

Q: (L) So they're abducting soldiers off the battlefield?

A: Yes

Q: (L) That's creepy.

(Joe) They talked about abducting them from Vietnam, reanimating them, and putting them back in different places.

 

[Iain]

Sunday may bring interesting turn from the geopolitical point of view. The presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey are scheduled for May 14.

From Russian press:

ÐонкÑÑÐµÐ½Ñ ÐÑдогана на вÑбоÑÐ°Ñ ÐÑлÑÑдаÑÐ¾Ð³Ð»Ñ Ð¿Ð¾Ð¾Ð±ÐµÑал ÑазвеÑнÑÑÑ Ð¢ÑÑÑÐ¸Ñ Ð½Ð° Ðапад - ÐазеÑа.Ru | ÐовоÑÑи

ÐÐ°Ð½Ð´Ð¸Ð´Ð°Ñ Ð² пÑезиденÑÑ Ð¢ÑÑÑии, главнÑй ÑопеÑник Реджепа Тайипа ÐÑдогана, ÐÐµÐ¼Ð°Ð»Ñ ÐÑлÑÑдаÑÐ¾Ð³Ð»Ñ Ð·Ð°Ñвил, ÑÑо ÑоÑÐµÑ ÑазвеÑнÑÑÑ Ð²Ð½ÐµÑнÑÑ Ð¿Ð¾Ð»Ð¸ÑÐ¸ÐºÑ ÑÑÑÐ°Ð½Ñ Â«Ð½Ð° 180 гÑадÑÑов» и пÑинеÑÑи в ТÑÑÑиÑ...

www.gazeta.ru

Transl.


Deutche Welle article in English here.

Another possible change in case of Kulçdaroğlu's success:

Turkey may turn off the S-400 and return to F-35s

Quote

Vanessa Beeley had an interesting slot on UKColumn news regarding the Turkish elections. It is a short segment from 19:27 - 31:03:

UK Column News - 12th May 2023

www.ukcolumn.org

In Summary:

- Many are claiming that Erdogan will win in first round on 14 May and it will not go any further.

- There is likely to be an 85-90% turnout

- There are claims of interference: Russia, Iran and China/Syria on the side of Erdogan vs. The US & western media on opposition side.

- The opposition leader is accusing Russia of spreading 'fakes' and accuses Russia of being behind sex tapes that caused another opposition leader to pull out.

- The previous CIA attempted coup is brought up along with an interesting quote from Biden in 2020, hinting at the US interfering in the Turkish elections in 2023:

"I'm still of the view that if we were to engage more directly like I was doing with them, that we can support those elements of the Turkish leadership that still exists and get more from them and embolden them to be able to take on and defeat Erdogan. Not by a coup, not by a coup, but by the electoral process."

- US is clearly anti-Erdogan while Erdogan is accusing opposition of being pro-western and pro-liberalism. Erdogan has a mutually beneficial relationship with Russia and has built on this in emerging multi-polar world order.

- The Shape of the Turkish state at stake. Essentially more Islam vs more liberalism. 14 May was chosen as it is the anniversary of the Kemalist Republic

- Erdogan lays into the opposition with:

"We know Mr Kemal is an LGBT person" accuses all opposition parties of "being LGBT". "As the people's alliance we are against all this... Family is sacred to us. A strong family means a strong nation. No matter what they do, God is enough for us."

- Westerners in Turkey are worried and know that the opposition is trying to bring in the WEF agenda.

- Current government is very realist, acting in its own interests.

 

[f1esk]

There is information, photos, videos that two Mi-8s, one Su-35 and one Su-34 were shot down in the Bryansk region. MANPADS were shot down from Ukrainian territory.

In the Bryansk region today, there are serious losses in aviation - 1 Su-34 and 2 Mi-8. Plus one more side that has not yet been installed (Su-34 or Su-35). The pilots are dead.
The fire was fired by air defense systems from the border regions of the Chernihiv region. The structures responsible for border control, the deployment of air defense systems to the border areas, overslept, as a result of which our vehicles were actually ambushed without waiting for enemy air defense fire. There is also a version about the work of DRGs with MANPADS, but this is unlikely for 4 sides.

Colonelcassad

В Брянской области сегодня у на серьезные потери в авиации - 1 Су-34 и 2 Ми-8. Плюс еще один пока не установленный борт (Су-34 или Су-35). Пилоты погибли. Огонь велся ЗРК из приграничных районов Черниговской области. Ответственные за контроль границы структуры выдвижение ЗРК в приграничные...

t.me

And I think that information about flights that day was leaked.

Prigozhen about traitors in the General Staff of the Russian Federation:

We publish a request from the editors of MOS. NEWS and response:
Dear Evgeny Viktorovich!
Information is widely spread on the network that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny praised the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Gerasimov, calling him "strong, insidious and unpredictable."
Do you agree with Zaluzhny's opinion?

Publish SMS text:
“I read an article by an Australian military specialist, a general, about Gerasimov. The article is called "More dangerous than the enemy." Surely, after this article, the Ukrainians will carefully monitor the movement of the "great commander" so as not to inadvertently hurt. Such an asshole in the military leadership is very important for the victory of the enemy ....
Let him go with Little Red Riding Hood at your invitation to Bakhmut. Nothing threatens them, only if they don’t beat their own ... and ukry in the ass of such leaders are kissed and guarded, they are the key to their success ... ”

Кепка Пригожина

Публикуем запрос от редакции издания MOS. NEWS и ответ: Уважаемый Евгений Викторович! В сети широко расходится информация о том, что главком ВСУ Валерий Залужный похвалил начальника Генштаба РФ Герасимова, назвав его «сильным, коварным и непредсказуемым». Согласны ли Вы с мнением Залужного...

t.me

 

[f1esk]

There is information, photos, videos that two Mi-8s, one Su-35 and one Su-34 were shot down in the Bryansk region. MANPADS were shot down from Ukrainian territory.

I think I didn't write clearly. We are talking about Russian helicopters and aircraft. Although, one can understand that Ukraine does not have SU-34/35. I think there will be more information soon.

 

[Ryan]

So I looked up the source in hope to see their sources used for the graph. Well, the whole molfar thing seems to be a bunch of Ukrainians located, or registered, in London (remember the single-person media outlet in London reporting "directly from Syria"?)

Thanks for the heads-up. It's absolutely not a definitive diagram; likely very incomplete, but that doesn't mean it can't portray a one-sided or false impression. I should have dug a little deeper into that.

Don't know that "Simplicius" guy's work, but clearly he is not picky about sources he uses; or maybe he is?

He seems to mostly rely on Russian sources, but he does use Ukrainian ones as well. As far as I can tell, he attempts to be as objective as possible in his analyses. If you'd like to get a read on his opinion of something outside the SMO context, he's written an excellent piece about the possible direction of US internal politics over the next few years.

ADDED: According to Wiki:
A molfar (Ukrainian: мольфа́р) is a person with purported magical abilities in Hutsul culture. [...] The origin of the word is uncertain. It may originate from Romance languages, e.g., Italian malfare 'to do evil'

After the discussion on egregores, you certainly got my attention with this!

 

[Nathan]

He seems to mostly rely on Russian sources, but he does use Ukrainian ones as well. As far as I can tell, he attempts to be as objective as possible in his analyses. If you'd like to get a read on his opinion of something outside the SMO context, he's written an excellent piece about the possible direction of US internal politics over the next few years.

Another good sitrep by Simplicius today that might be of interest. I find him to be a bit more balanced and than Pepe Escobar (whose humor I thoroughly enjoy).

SITREP 5/12/23: Panic! Ukraine Launches Counter-attack

Let’s begin with the biggest news: the AFU has launched a large multi-vectored counterattack on Bakhmut as has been expected for weeks, or even months, now. There are a few key things to clear up right off the bat: Firstly, the much-ballyhooed ‘retreat’ of Russian units is in fact going exactly...

simplicius76.substack.com

(You can subscribe for free to read them, and get them in your email too.)

Some good bits in there on Russia's artillery ammo stockpiling too.

 

[f1esk]

The latest issue of Der Spiegel.

"Putin's henchmen / The terrible kingdom of shadows of the leader of the mercenaries Prigozhin and the Wagner group."

German garbage in his repertoire.