ALERT RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE - Consolidated Thread

ok. i will grant you that. but the fundamental point of Nazism is exaltation of German culture and society in general and the Hitler system
. . . thanks to relentless media/eductional encouragement at every turn, since the 1930s - but particularly post-WWII.

The west does not know how to understand "Nazism" in its broader scope and interpretation/truths, without that bad guy named Hitler being "blamed for it all." Not much mention of the much earlier Marxists/communist movements, nor the philosophical underpinnings of the Bolshevik revolution.

"Nazism" should be considered merely a label - one of several such labels - that all de facto describe an evil, anti-human religion masquerading as "one type or another" of a "political" movement - same fundamental root, different players and labels/names.


intothegoodnight
 

Oreally

Right from the start
. . . thanks to relentless media/eductional encouragement at every turn, since the 1930s - but particularly post-WWII.

The west does not know how to understand "Nazism" in its broader scope and interpretation/truths, without that bad guy named Hitler being "blamed for it all." Not much mention of the much earlier Marxists/communist movements, nor the philosophical underpinnings of the Bolshevik revolution.

"Nazism" should be considered merely a label - one of several such labels - that all de facto describe an evil, anti-human religion masquerading as "one type or another" of a "political" movement - same fundamental root, different players and labels/names.


intothegoodnight
fair enough.

actually, when the ussr took over e. germany , the first people they recruited were ex-nazi cadre.
 

raven

TB Fanatic
They aren't called Nazis in the US.
They call em Antifa and Democrats, their flag is not the same, and they call their red MAGA hat opponents Nazis.

And no, there aren't just as many in Texas. They mostly congregate in the intellectual communities of liberal arts degrees in major urban areas - those places that have the riots, looting and burning. Locals in Texas don't put up with that so much.
 
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wait-n-see

Veteran Member
As you can tell from his vid title, Peter is not seeing much hope for Ukraine now.

Ukraine is losing the attrition war badly and they did not execute the operations that Peter expected them to do for cutting the supply route to Crimea. He believes that beginning in May/June the Russians will start hitting anything with agriculture and any ports operated by Ukraine to shut off export, resulting in massive impact to any country needing food from Ukraine.

Of course this is all based on Russia not winning before then.

@@@

The 2nd Holodomor: A Pending Genocide​


Runtime - 8:56
 

rmomaha

The Wise Man Prepares

Russia Now Engaged in a ‘Real’ War With the West Over Ukraine: Lavrov​

https://www.usnews.com/news/world-r...-a-real-war-with-the-west-over-ukraine-lavrov

The troubling, escalatory rhetoric from the Kremlin’s top diplomat comes as Russia appears concerned about game-changing NATO shipments of Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

By Paul D. Shinkman
|
Jan. 23, 2023, at 2:38 p.m.

Russia’s top diplomat on Monday said the invasion of Ukraine no longer represents a hybrid conflict but rather a “real” war between Russia and the West – a troubling escalation in rhetoric that aligns with growing concerns that Moscow is preparing to lash out at new NATO support for Kyiv.

U.S. to Train Ukrainians on New Missiles ]
“When we talk about what is happening in Ukraine, we are talking about the fact that this is no longer a hybrid war but a real one, which the West has been preparing for a long time against Russia,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a visit to South Africa, historically an ally of the Soviet Union and a contemporary Russian economic partner.

The West is “trying to destroy everything Russian, from language to culture, which has been in Ukraine for centuries, and forbidding people to speak their native languages,” Lavrov said, according to a translation, repeating well-trod Kremlin talking points attempting to frame Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine as an act of self-defense.
The combative assertion serves as the latest escalation in Russia’s public statements about its war in Ukraine – and the consequences for its recent string of embarrassing battlefield failures and blunders. A top Putin ally said two weeks ago that Russia had extended its war in Ukraine to NATO as well, not just forces loyal to the government in Kyiv.

And it follows other troubling assertions, including from Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin who recently repeated unspecified threats of nuclear escalation with the West. Analysts believe the moves represent Russia’s tacit acknowledgement of its struggling position in Ukraine and the damaging potential of new weapons shipments NATO countries are considering, particularly German-made Leopard 2 tanks.
The rhetoric is “as part of an ongoing information operation aimed at deterring the Western provision of further military aid to Ukraine,” the independent Institute for the Study of War concluded in its latest analysis note. Of the nuclear threats, it adds that it “continues to assess that Russia is very unlikely to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine and extraordinarily unlikely to use them against the West.”
Lavrov’s comments came hours after indications that several NATO countries, including Poland, appeared to have cleared diplomatic hurdles and would provide Leopard tanks to Ukraine – a development U.S. officials would represent a game-changing boon for Ukraine to build on its latest offensives against the numerically superior Russian army.

Russian state news published an analysis early Monday indicating that the arrival of the Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine would upset a balance between Russia and NATO that is already “on the brink.” It cited a military analyst who said NATO is entering “the most acute phase” of the conflict and is engaging in “a very dangerous balancing act” in considering delivering the tanks.

Germany under the leadership of newly installed Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far balked at supplying the tanks itself, one of several moves that has drawn widespread condemnation of Berlin for not taking a hard line against Russian aggression. Poland, however, has said it would supply several of its Leopard tanks provided Germany did not object. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Sunday said that her country “would not stand in the way” of Poland providing the tanks. The Finnish government has likewise indicated it would contribute to helping operate and to maintaining the tanks and perhaps even supply its own, depending on Germany’s decision.

So far, the U.S. government has not indicated it’s willing to provide Leopards or any other tanks to Ukraine, having already escalated its support earlier this month with new troop transport vehicles armed with weapons that make them veritable “tank-killers.”
That decision has prompted backlash from Biden’s political appointments who point to the Leopard’s as a key component of Ukraine’s plan for retaking territory.
“We cannot slow-walk the weapons in,” Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. “I’ve been a proponent of let’s give them what they need. When they do, they win. The [Leopard 2] tanks are vitally important.”
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB

Russia claims that it was ready to strike an early peace deal with Ukraine but the West ruined it​


  • Russia's foreign minister said Russia was open to negotiating with Ukraine in the early months of the war.
  • Sergey Lavrov blamed the US and other Western nations for blocking peace talks.
  • At the time, Western leaders urged Ukraine to approach negotiations cautiously.
Russia was open to negotiating with Ukraine shortly after it launched its offensive last year, but the United States and other Western allies advised Kyiv against holding talks, Russia's foreign minister claimed on Monday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov blamed the West for the stalled talks during a visit to Pretoria, South Africa, as part of a Russian push to strengthen ties with the African nation, per The Washington Post.

"It is well known that we supported the proposal of the Ukrainian side to negotiate early in the special military operation and by the end of March, the two delegations agreed on the principle to settle this conflict," said Lavrov, per The Post.

"It is [also] well known and was published openly that our American, British, and some European colleagues told Ukraine that it is too early to deal, and the arrangement which was almost agreed was never revisited by the Kyiv regime," he added.

In the weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, a number of fruitless peace talks took place as Russia continued to bomb Ukrainian cities.

Toward the end of March, highly anticipated negotiations took place in Istanbul, Turkey, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said showed "positive" signs.



Ukrainian negotiators agreed to a neutral status if Ukraine received adequate security guarantees from the West, bowing to a major Russian demand. Meanwhile, Moscow agreed to "fundamentally cut back" military activity near Kyiv and Chernihiv, which Russian Deputy Minister of Defence Alexander Fomin said was to "increase mutual trust."

However, Zelenskyy expressed some skepticism, saying: "Ukrainians are not naive people."

The talks did not lead to peace, or even a ceasefire, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying on April 12 that negotiations had reached a "dead end."

Lavrov told Russian media in April that a decision to halt talks was taken on the advice of American and British "colleagues" — a line he has since maintained.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, a Ukrainian media outlet, the talks were called off after Zelenskyy was visited by Johnson, then the UK's prime minister, who advised that Putin was a war criminal who should not be negotiated with.

At the time Ukraine was also gathering evidence of war crimes following the Bucha massacre in late March, according to the media outlet.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine have shown signs that a diplomatic resolution to the war is now forthcoming.

The New York Times reported in December that both Ukraine and Russia have insisted that they are willing to engage in peace talks, but both are offering hard-line terms for sitting down at the negotiating table.

Ukraine proposed a peace summit in February 2022, based on the principles of a 10-point peace plan, but said it would only allow Russia to participate if it takes part in a war-crimes tribunal, per the Associated Press.

Russia, meanwhile, has said that Ukraine would need to accept Russia's annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia as part of any peace agreement.


I would make a special note on this article.

1) it is being carried by MSN and the original article was in "Business Insider".
2) for those 2 news organizations to carry this article probably means that the MSM is starting to turn either against Ukraine and the funding, or reality is setting in. Which could be Ukraine is loosing, and will loose, or it's escalating to nukes and no one wants that.
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB

Russia claims that it was ready to strike an early peace deal with Ukraine but the West ruined it​


  • Russia's foreign minister said Russia was open to negotiating with Ukraine in the early months of the war.
  • Sergey Lavrov blamed the US and other Western nations for blocking peace talks.
  • At the time, Western leaders urged Ukraine to approach negotiations cautiously.
Russia was open to negotiating with Ukraine shortly after it launched its offensive last year, but the United States and other Western allies advised Kyiv against holding talks, Russia's foreign minister claimed on Monday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov blamed the West for the stalled talks during a visit to Pretoria, South Africa, as part of a Russian push to strengthen ties with the African nation, per The Washington Post.

"It is well known that we supported the proposal of the Ukrainian side to negotiate early in the special military operation and by the end of March, the two delegations agreed on the principle to settle this conflict," said Lavrov, per The Post.

"It is [also] well known and was published openly that our American, British, and some European colleagues told Ukraine that it is too early to deal, and the arrangement which was almost agreed was never revisited by the Kyiv regime," he added.

In the weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, a number of fruitless peace talks took place as Russia continued to bomb Ukrainian cities.

Toward the end of March, highly anticipated negotiations took place in Istanbul, Turkey, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said showed "positive" signs.



Ukrainian negotiators agreed to a neutral status if Ukraine received adequate security guarantees from the West, bowing to a major Russian demand. Meanwhile, Moscow agreed to "fundamentally cut back" military activity near Kyiv and Chernihiv, which Russian Deputy Minister of Defence Alexander Fomin said was to "increase mutual trust."

However, Zelenskyy expressed some skepticism, saying: "Ukrainians are not naive people."

The talks did not lead to peace, or even a ceasefire, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying on April 12 that negotiations had reached a "dead end."

Lavrov told Russian media in April that a decision to halt talks was taken on the advice of American and British "colleagues" — a line he has since maintained.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, a Ukrainian media outlet, the talks were called off after Zelenskyy was visited by Johnson, then the UK's prime minister, who advised that Putin was a war criminal who should not be negotiated with.

At the time Ukraine was also gathering evidence of war crimes following the Bucha massacre in late March, according to the media outlet.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine have shown signs that a diplomatic resolution to the war is now forthcoming.

The New York Times reported in December that both Ukraine and Russia have insisted that they are willing to engage in peace talks, but both are offering hard-line terms for sitting down at the negotiating table.

Ukraine proposed a peace summit in February 2022, based on the principles of a 10-point peace plan, but said it would only allow Russia to participate if it takes part in a war-crimes tribunal, per the Associated Press.

Russia, meanwhile, has said that Ukraine would need to accept Russia's annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia as part of any peace agreement.


I would make a special note on this article.

1) it is being carried by MSN and the original article was in "Business Insider".
2) for those 2 news organizations to carry this article probably means that the MSM is starting to turn either against Ukraine and the funding, or reality is setting in. Which could be Ukraine is loosing, and will loose, or it's escalating to nukes and no one wants that.
Abert have you not been saying/telling someone all this?

So your statements have not been from a propaganda site, but rather some history that even MSM is also stating.

Now all we need is for MSM to revert back to their reporting on the Azov Brigade as they were BEFORE the invasion, and we'll be all set.

LOL
 

LightEcho

Has No Life - Lives on TB
As you can tell from his vid title, Peter is not seeing much hope for Ukraine now.

Ukraine is losing the attrition war badly and they did not execute the operations that Peter expected them to do for cutting the supply route to Crimea. He believes that beginning in May/June the Russians will start hitting anything with agriculture and any ports operated by Ukraine to shut off export, resulting in massive impact to any country needing food from Ukraine.

Of course this is all based on Russia not winning before then.

@@@

The 2nd Holodomor: A Pending Genocide​


Runtime - 8:56
This guy Zeihan is full of crap. He talks of Ukraine as "we". He says Russia has been targeting civilians. Not true. In fact, the whole start in March 2022 was weak with the hope of NOT killing alot of civilians. People think we need to help Ukraine by providing more weapons. The exact opposite is true. Keeping this war going is getting more people killed and it, in my opinion, has already triggered the solid plans for WW3. The second seal is about to open.
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB

German Intelligence "Alarmed" Ukraine Losing Hundreds Of Soldiers Every Day​

Authored by Kyle Anzalone via AntiWar.com,
The German foreign intelligence service assesses that Kiev is losing a "three-digit number" of soldiers daily, according to a report in Der Spiegel. Berlin informed politicians of the assessment during a secret meeting this week.

Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is "alarmed" by the high number of losses Ukraine is suffering. The report says Berlin believes Ukraine was losing a three-digit number of soldiers every day during the battle of Bakhmut with Russian forces. The BND informed German politicians of the high number of injured and killed Ukrainian forces during a covert Bundestag meeting last week.

The BND believes the Ukrainian casualties will have severe consequences during future battles. The German intelligence service also believes that Russia is suffering high casualties and using its soldiers as "cannon fodder."

Reuters reported officials in Washington believe Kiev spent significant resources attempting to defend Bakhmut. The White House is currently advising Ukraine not to launch any major counteroffensives to recapture the city.
The Joe Biden administration is additionally advising Kiev that continuing to pour soldiers into defending Bakhmut is preventing Ukrainian forces from attacking Russians defending other cities.

Ukraine is seeking tanks from its NATO partners. However, many countries, including the US and Germany have resisted sending their modern tanks to Ukraine.

Bakhmut is located in the Donetsk region. The BND believes if Russia takes the city, it will open the door for additional gains. Bakhmut has seen fierce fighting for several months, but the intensity picked up last week. Russian forces have made some gains in the city.


IMHO using your people as cannon fodder is not a way to fight a war. However Russia has always done that, and they have them to loose. Ukraine does not.
 

wait-n-see

Veteran Member
This guy Zeihan is full of crap. He talks of Ukraine as "we". He says Russia has been targeting civilians. Not true. In fact, the whole start in March 2022 was weak with the hope of NOT killing alot of civilians. People think we need to help Ukraine by providing more weapons. The exact opposite is true. Keeping this war going is getting more people killed and it, in my opinion, has already triggered the solid plans for WW3. The second seal is about to open.

I also like the hypocrisy he is showing by claiming the tactics being used by Russia as "utterly despicable and inhumane strategy". :shk:

The same type of strategy that the US and western powers have used during all of their own "special military operations". :hmm:

As long as "my side" does it then it is OK, but if the other side does the same thing then what a horrible thing to do. :strs:
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Not war news, but leadership news:

Ukraine Corruption Scandal Deepens as Zelensky Sacks String of Officials​


A string of senior Ukraine government officials were sacked or resigned amidst a flurry of corruption claims Tuesday, with those shown the door accused of taking illicit payments as the Ministry of Defence allegedly signed overinflated military contracts.

Reports of foul play in Ukraine’s high offices first broke over the weekend, with critics pointing to under the table payments to deputy ministers and suspect military equipment contracts, however only now are details being made public and those accused named.

AFP reports Deputy Defence Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Kyrylo Tymoshenko and Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Simonenko are among the officials who have allegedly departed.


The Guardian details the comprehensive list of dismissals is long. It sets out Tymoshenko personally asked President Volodymyr Zelensky to relieve him of his duties as part of the wave of exits.

The move comes amid a corruption scandal which saw Infrastructure deputy Vasyl Lozinskyi sacked and detained for an alleged theft of $400,000 from the winter aid budget.

Military-grade weaponry in Ukraine has previously alleged to have been sold on to international buyers on the encrypted messaging app Telegram, including some hardware made in the United States, as Breitbart News reported.

Ukraine’s deputy defence minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, responsible for supplying troops with food and equipment, has also resigned, citing “media accusations” of corruption that he and the ministry say are baseless.

A statement on the defence ministry’s website said Shapovalov’s resignation was “a worthy deed” that would help retain trust in the ministry


Deputy prosecutor general Oleksiy Symonenko has been removed from his post, according to the prosecutor general’s office, and two deputy ministers resigned from Ukraine’s Ministry of Communities and Territories Development – Vyacheslav Negoda and Ivan Lukerya.

According to the Guardian, the heads of five regional authorities across the country have also been dismissed, in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kyiv, Sumy and Kherson.

Over the weekend, Euro News reports a Ukrainian newspaper investigation accused the Defence Ministry of signing off contracts to supply food to frontline troops at “two to three” times the regular price.

The amount in question is U.S. $347 million for 2023, according to the ZN.UA news site.

“Even if these accusations are unfounded.. [the resignations] will make it possible to preserve the confidence of society and international partners,” said the Ministry of Defence in a press release.


So is "the most corrupt nation in the Europe" still true?

Does being fired mean someone didn't get their cut?

How much does 10% for the Big Guy come out to?
 

LightEcho

Has No Life - Lives on TB

ALERT: East Coast of USA- Russian Nuclear Warship​

Video Length: 26:37

Looks like this is more than just a warning that the US is at risk with continued meddling in Ukraine. I think they are doing some fine tuning of their attack plans with calibration of global positioning devices and even a little diversionary action while subs are positioned elsewhere. I was hoping we would not see a nuke volley for a couple years yet, but we keep trying to push the doomsday clock forward.
 

DuckandCover

Proud Sheeple
Abert have you not been saying/telling someone all this?

So your statements have not been from a propaganda site, but rather some history that even MSM is also stating.

Now all we need is for MSM to revert back to their reporting on the Azov Brigade as they were BEFORE the invasion, and we'll be all set.

LOL

Well, just to clarify, this is the MSM reporting that the Russians said that.......
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Well, just to clarify, this is the MSM reporting that the Russians said that.......
True, but when MSM backs what Russia, I say BACKS what Russia is saying, (because it is historically accurate), things are a changing. And I say backs, because they are reporting what Russia is saying, without any opposing views, to say it didn't happen.

You know instead of calling Russia a liar, and the facts don't fit the narrative. Blah, blah, bad Russia.
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Looks like this is more than just a warning that the US is at risk with continued meddling in Ukraine. I think they are doing some fine tuning of their attack plans with calibration of global positioning devices and even a little diversionary action while subs are positioned elsewhere. I was hoping we would not see a nuke volley for a couple years yet, but we keep trying to push the doomsday clock forward.
They are not trying but rather succeeding.

An article states the doomsday clock is now 90 sec. from midnight, the closest it's ever been.
 

LightEcho

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Ya'll are thinking of this wrong.

You are thinking "nuclear war = death".
It doesn't.
"Nuclear war = Freedom".

Of course, for most "Freedom = the slow death of starvation without healthcare" which might be considered quibbling.
I'm not y'all. I am more concerned about the beast system collecting up all us "COVID" cases and making us die suddenly in some "health camp". I agree- a destruction of the infrastructure could be a blessing for those of us who would be targeted. Funny you mentioned this. I was talking to someone about this same thing when you wrote this.
 

LightEcho

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Here is the info from this link-
most definitely not the FSB
@defnotfsb

Kiev mobilizing ethnic Hungarians en masse.
1f1ed-1f1fa.svg
newspaper Pesti Srácok: Kiev plans to call up 10k from Zakarpatia by spring. Almost every settlement in undergoing forced conscription for several days. Kiev attempts to ethnically cleanse all who refuse to identify as "Ukrainian "
==========================================

Desperation and the desire to wipe out anyone not of the "master race". Tell me this is not a nazi campaign.
 

danielboon

TB Fanatic

Russia to restrict travel, require advance booking to cross border​

The planned amendments come as the government continues to mobilize men of draft age for the war in Ukraine.​

By REUTERS

Published: JANUARY 24, 2023 07:15
Email Twitter Facebook fb-messenger
 Soldiers build razor wire fence on Poland's border with Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad near Bolcie, Poland November 3, 2022.  (photo credit: ARKADIUSZ STANKIEWICZ/AGENCJA WYBORCZA.PL VIA REUTERS)

Soldiers build razor wire fence on Poland's border with Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad near Bolcie, Poland November 3, 2022.
(photo credit: ARKADIUSZ STANKIEWICZ/AGENCJA WYBORCZA.PL VIA REUTERS)


Planned amendments of Russia's transportation law will make it mandatory for people to book a time and place for any intended crossing of the border by car, the TASS news agency reported, raising the possibility of new restrictions on travel.

"The passage of vehicles ... in order to cross the state border of the Russian Federation is carried out on a reserved date and time in accordance with the procedure established by the government," the agency said later on Monday, citing a draft amendment it said was due to come into force on March 1.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year, many Russian citizens and residents fled from the country, with the number growing significantly after the government declared the mobilization of some 300,000 personnel for the military in September.






While precise totals are not available, the number of Russians who have left could run into hundreds of thousands, according to media reports and figures released by neighboring countries.

The amendments to the law covering border crossings were prepared by the Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development of the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, TASS reported.

It was not clear when the required readings of the draft amendments would take place. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-729424
 

Abert

Veteran Member
Abert have you not been saying/telling someone all this?

So your statements have not been from a propaganda site, but rather some history that even MSM is also stating.

Now all we need is for MSM to revert back to their reporting on the Azov Brigade as they were BEFORE the invasion, and we'll be all set.

LOL
Yes - this story was memory holed at the time - but now is being pulled out - for what reason???
Note the PURGE taking place in the last few days in Ukraine - mainly strong supporters and friends of Zelensky.

This tentative aggrement (March / April) was validated and confirmed by Turkey, Russia and even an article by prominent DC Neocons - now we even have former Ukrainian officials talking about it!

If (likely) the US feels Zelensky is past his BEST USE BY DATE - 100% this looks to be a setup to replace him - EVERYTHING that has gone wrong & the MASSIVE corruption - well someone needs to take the fall (hit).

So likely setting the stage for a "RESET" all good now - new leader - new officials - Ukraine is now back on the path to WIN. Naturally we (US) will need to support this new - improved - team - $$$$$ (Troops?)

As some others have pointed out - this is almost exactly what happened in VN - president "removed" (and just to be sure he and his family were eliminated just before flying out) - Zelensky take NOTE.

That was followed by a more "controlled" leadership - and more $$$, US Troops, supplies - likely you recall how this turned out.

 

Cedar Lake

Connecticut Yankee
Here is the info from this link-
most definitely not the FSB
@defnotfsb

Kiev mobilizing ethnic Hungarians en masse.
1f1ed-1f1fa.svg
newspaper Pesti Srácok: Kiev plans to call up 10k from Zakarpatia by spring. Almost every settlement in undergoing forced conscription for several days. Kiev attempts to ethnically cleanse all who refuse to identify as "Ukrainian "
==========================================

Desperation and the desire to wipe out anyone not of the "master race". Tell me this is not a nazi campaign.
They must be so proud of themselves, college-educated and so smart, going down the same historic road.
Russian Speaking Ukrainians, Hungarian-Ukrainians.
Are the Carpartho-Russyn next?
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
So likely setting the stage for a "RESET" all good now - new leader - new officials - Ukraine is now back on the path to WIN. Naturally we (US) will need to support this new - improved - team - $$$$$ (Troops?)
Well, well, well, what have we here:


Battle Tanks For Ukraine Approved On Same Day Doomsday Clock Hits Closest Point To Midnight In History​

Update(1412ET): The Biden administration has said it will send 30 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, in a significant breakthrough and escalation after weeks of debate, as well as division over the issue within the NATO alliance.
Politico's national security correspondents Alex Ward and Hans von der Burchard are further reporting that with the US ready to pull the trigger, Scholz's Germany has followed by approving Leopard 2 main battle tanks.
Scholz's decision was made possible after Biden agreed to send U.S. Abrams tanks as well. In the end, seems like the Chancellor prevailed with his insistence that both Germany and the U.S. must send modern Western tanks:https://t.co/JFpCYmfOvW
— Hans von der Burchard (@vonderburchard) January 24, 2023
Ominously, this comes on the very same day that the war in Ukraine has pushed the Doomsday Clock to its closest point to midnight in history, as The Hill details:
Russia’s war in Ukraine has significantly raised the risk of global self-annihilation, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists warned Tuesday, moving forward the Doomsday Clock to its closest point to midnight ever.
The Doomsday Clock is meant to measure the gravest risks to human existence to pressure world leaders to recommit to addressing extinction-level challenges, such as the threat of nuclear weapon use, but has grown to include the dangers of climate change and biological risks such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
The clock has moved to 90 seconds before midnight, 10 seconds closer than when it was last set in January 2022, shortly before Russia launched its invasion against Ukraine on Feb. 24.
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has moved the Doomsday Clock to 90 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been, primarily because of the NATO-Russia proxy war being fought in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/L8ImrfpZty
— MintPress News (@MintPressNews) January 24, 2023
"It is now 90 second to midnight"...
The Doomsday Clock was moved to 90 seconds to midnight today, Jan. 24, the closest it's ever been.

The Doomsday Clock is a decades-long project of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists featuring a clock face where midnight represents Armageddon. Doomsday Clock 2023 time says the world is closer than ever to global catastrophe pic.twitter.com/IFM1gmIjjT
— USA TODAY Graphics (@usatgraphics) January 24, 2023
* * *
Now the US is "leaning" toward sending Ukraine its advanced Abrams M1 tanks, reports The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. "The Biden administration is leaning toward sending a significant number of Abrams M1 tanks to Ukraine and an announcement of the deliveries could come this week, U.S. officials said," the report indicates.
At the moment, a reluctant German government is coming under immense pressure to allow its Leopard 2 main battle tanks to be transferred to Ukrainian forces. Poland is leading the way in this pressure campaign.
https://www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/abramstank.png?itok=9ZNH2YH4
"The announcement would be part of a broader diplomatic understanding with Germany in which Berlin would agree to send a smaller number of its own Leopard 2 tanks and would also approve the delivery of more of the German-made tanks by Poland and other nations," WSJ continues. "It would settle a trans-Atlantic disagreement over the tanks that had threatened to open fissures as the war drags into the end of its first year."
Earlier this month Berlin signaled that would authorize the Leopards if Washington made the first move and took the initiative on sending the Abrams.
As of Tuesday the Polish government says it has formally submitted its request to Berlin to send the tanks. Germany by law must first authorize these transfers of its German-manufactured military items by other nations.
"The Germans have already received our request for consent to transfer Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine," Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak confirmed on Tuesday. "I also appeal to the German side to join the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks."
Despite prior signals that Berlin would not be approving the transfer anytime soon for stated reasons of wishing to avoid escalation with Russia, as predicted it looks as if Germany is weakening under pressure.
Bloomberg reports Tuesday that "Germany is expected to give Poland approval as soon as Wednesday to re-export its German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the decision is private."
This despite repeat warnings from Russian officials this week that 'global catastrophe' could be unleashed if the West keeps pumping heavier weapons in the conflict, also amid nuclear escalation warnings.


30 of them suckers, big up tick.
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I left the photo's in. Thought it was relevant. Kyiv coffee anyone?


Ukraine Rocked By Corruption Scandal, Wave Of Top Officials Resign: Sports Cars, Mansions & Luxury Vacations As People Suffered​

The Ukrainian government on Tuesday confirmed the resignation of multiple high ranking officials amid large-scale corruption allegations, in what's being called the biggest mass resignation and graft scandal since the Russian invasion began.
Some dozen officials have quit their posts after a huge political shake-up over allegations and probes into cases ranging from bribery, to mismanagement of aid funds for purchasing food, to embezzlement, to driving expensive cars while common people suffer under wartime conditions.
A top presidential adviser and four deputy ministers - among these two defense officials, along with five regional governors were forced out of their posts. And among the regional governors to step down included officials overseeing regions which have seen intense fighting, including the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, where Russian forces have lately reported gains.
In reference to the announcement by a senior government official, Oleg Nemchinov, international reports detail the following list:
  • Deputy Prosecutor General Oleskiy Symonenko
  • Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Ivan Lukeryu
  • Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Vyacheslav Negoda
  • Deputy Minister for Social Policy Vitaliy Muzychenk
  • And the regional governors of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Sumy and Kherson
And separately, "the defense ministry had earlier announced the resignation of deputy minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who was in charge of the army's logistical support, on the heels of accusations it was signing food contracts at inflated prices."
In this case regarding the food contracts, Shapovalov is accused of signing a deal with an unknown, shady firm. In his role as deputy defense minister, his is the most notable and visible resignation. Crucially he would have had no small part in overseeing the billions of dollars flowing from the pockets of US and European taxpayers as authorized defense aid.
He purchased military rations at inflated prices in what appears a scheme to line the pockets of contractors, and potentially involving kickbacks to himself.
While the defense ministry is still trying to downplay it as a "technical error" - Politico reviews of the details to the scandal:
An exposé from the Ukrainian news website ZN.UA revealed last week that the defense ministry purchased overpriced food supplies for its troops. For instance, the ministry bought eggs at 17 hryvnias per piece, while the average price of an egg in Kyiv is around 7 hryvnias. According to ZN.UA, a contract for food procurement for soldiers in 2023 amounted to 13.16 billion hryvnias (€328 million).
This is two to three times higher than current rates for such food items, reports say. Shapovalov's resignation letter indicated he's stepping down so as "not to pose a threat to the stable supply of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a result of a campaign of accusations related to the purchase of food services."

There's also deputy head of the Zelensky administration Kyrylo Tymoshenko, who stands accused of living a lavish wartime lifestyle. Many current mainstream media reports on Tuesday are burying some of the key verified details. For example, BBC writes simply that "Tymoshenko was implicated in several scandals during his tenure, including in October last year when he was accused of using a car donated to Ukraine for humanitarian purposes."

But starting in early December local Ukrainian outlets, angered at the posh lifestyle of Ukrainian leaders at a moment tens of millions are without power amid Russian aerial bombardment of the nation's power grid, began confirming that Tymoshenko drove high-end sports cars in and out of the capital, to and from mansions which typically range in cost from $10,000 to $25,000 per month.

Below are photos published by The New Voice of Ukraine, republished in Yahoo News, in early December of last year, showing Tymoshenko frequently behind the wheel of a shiny new Porsche Taycan...

One outlet published a photo series entitled Not the "martial law" of Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of Ukraine’s Office of the President

US taxpayer dollars at work in Ukraine...

As another example of Western MSM seeking to downplay or soften this latest wave of graft-related forced resignations, the AFP writes, "Ukraine has long suffered endemic corruption, including among the political elite, but efforts to stamp out graft have been overshadowed by Moscow's full-scale war that began in February." And yet officials like Tymoshenko were spotted around Kiev and oligarchs' neighborhoods driving luxury sports cars for months throughout the war.
Additionally, there's this laughable and embarrassing line out of the AFP report: "Kyiv's Western allies, who have allocated billions of dollars in financial and military support, have been pushing for anti-corruption reforms for years, sometimes as a precondition for aid."

From a government supposedly "pushing anti-corruption reforms for years" to over $100 billion in US defense and foreign aid being pledged to Kiev's coffers over the past year... to now this from within the heart of the Zelensky administration:

It doesn't stop at posh and expensive cars, but the controversy has even extended to luxury vacations abroad as Ukrainians suffer the deprivations of war at home. "The departure of Symonenko, a deputy prosecutor general, comes after media reports that he spent a holiday in Spain this winter, reportedly using a car belonging to a Ukrainian businessman." The government has as a result now reportedly barred top officials from vacationing abroad as a result of the scandal.

Just prior to the wave of resignations, another official named Vasyl Lozynskiy was accused of receiving bribes to "facilitate" the purchase of generators at greatly hiked-up prices. Crucially, Lozynskiy as Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Development would have also been directly involved in overseeing how billions of dollars in Western humanitarian and infrastructure assistance gets doled out.

Commenting on this, mainstream media is now belatedly acknowledging a fact that's long been well-known, but which would get a person 'canceled' in public discourse if they dared pointed it out:
"Transparency International ranked Ukraine 122 out of 180 in its corruption ranking for 2021," the AFP now writes (the second most corrupt in Europe, with Russia the most at 136.)

And now Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov is under scrutiny related to the growing probe and scandal. Meanwhile, as news of the widening scandal hits world headlines...


Aaaaawww since all that money was wasted on high living, don't y'all think we need to pitch in some more US taxpayer funded donations? Come on now Ukraine needs the support.
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Snot!

The US gov. isn't satisfied with poking a nuclear bear, with self sacrificing Ukrainians, now they got self sacrificing bomb denoting idiots poking China.

Is this what Bidens means by Corn Pop?
Good grief is this a coincidence? Rule 39.

Nuclear Pakistan’s Power Grid Collapses, Leaving 200+ Million Without Electricity​


The vast majority of the population of Pakistan – about 220 million of 240 million people – was left without electricity on Monday after a “widespread breakdown in the power system,” according to the Ministry of Energy.

Pakistan is one of the world’s most densely populated countries and boasts a stable of six operable nuclear reactors in addition to a power grid largely supplied by coal and other fossil fuels. It experiences routine regional blackouts, particularly in more remote regions, but Monday’s total collapse presents a new level of severity in infrastructure malfunction.

The blackout, which persisted in much of the country at press time on Tuesday, poses a new challenge for establishment Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who took over after the ouster of popular radical Islamist Prime Minister Imran Khan. Khan, a proponent of global blasphemy laws who has publicly praised Osama bin Laden as a martyr, remains popular in Pakistan and is currently on a nationwide tour demanding new elections that could potentially restore him to power. Khan survived an assassination attempt in November but was back on tour giving anti-Sharif speeches, in a wheelchair, the next day.


According to Pakistan’s Energy Ministry, a “widespread breakdown” caused by unknown circumstances occurred at 7:34 a.m. local time on Monday.

“There was a fluctuation in voltage and the systems were shut down one by one,” Energy Minister Khurram Dastagir said on Monday. In an interview with the South Asian outlet Geo News, Dastagir insisted that the malfunction was not “major,” but resulted in a catastrophic blackout because, in the winter months, Islamabad shuts down much of its energy capacity due to lack of demand.

“In winter, the demand for electricity reduces nationwide, hence, as an economic measure, we temporarily close down our power generation systems at night,” Dastgir said. “However, when the systems were turned on in the morning today, frequency variation and voltage fluctuation was observed in the south of the country […] somewhere between Dadu and Jamshoro […] because of which power generating units shut down one by one.”


“I can assure you that power will be fully restored across the country within the next 12 hours,” Dastgir said on Monday. He later claimed that, while electricity would flow, the government would have to ration it until all systems returned to full capacity, which could take up to three days.

“In the coming 48 hours, a shortfall will continue,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday morning.

“January nights have the lowest electricity demand in a year,” he explained. “When we ramp down the system with the decreasing demand, we turn several power plants off.”

As of Tuesday afternoon local time, Pakistan’s largest cities still did not have power. The Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that Karachi, Quetta, and Lahore all did not have reliable electricity as of Tuesday. The publication cited Dastgir stating that “approximately 6,600 megawatts of coal and 3,500MW of nuclear plants would take an estimated 48 to 72 hours to restart.”

The blackout has reportedly had a devastating effect on Pakistan’s economy, as it caused malfunctions in other infrastructure. Half of the nation’s telecommunications towers, for example, failed on Monday, taking out internet and telephone communication. The nation’s train services were paralyzed. In Lahore, residents woke up to find they had no water, as the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) could not operate the systems that provide it to homes.


Leaders of Pakistan’s pivotal textile industry said on Monday that they had lost upwards of $70 million in profits as a result of the blackout. The head of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association, Shahid Sattar, told Dawn that 90 percent of textile factories were forced to shut down, and they could not be immediately restarted without some warmup time that would also cut into production.

“We can’t pick up from where we stopped. All that thread that’s in the middle of being dyed and treated, et cetera, cannot be used again. So we face massive losses that way,” Sattar explained.

The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry estimated that the country had lost 100 billion Pakistani rupees, or about $432 million, to the blackout on Monday.

Workers wait for electricity outside their workshop following a power breakdown across the country, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. Much of Pakistan was left without power for several hours on Monday morning as an energy-saving measure by the government backfired. The outage spread panic and raised questions about the cash-strapped government’s handling of the crisis. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Workers wait for electricity outside their workshop following a power breakdown across the country, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. Much of Pakistan was left without power for several hours on Monday morning as an energy-saving measure by the government backfired. The outage spread panic and raised questions about the cash-strapped government’s handling of the crisis. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
The Sharif government has not provided any detailed explanation for the blackout as of Tuesday morning. Dastgir, the energy minister, reportedly blamed Khan’s government for not doing enough to maintain the power grid, allowing the system to deteriorate. He also reportedly suggested “foreign intervention such as hacking of systems” could have potentially caused the power grid failure, but he did not blame any specific state or non-state actor for the potential hacking and offered no other specifics about the possibility of sabotage.

Shehbaz Sharif expressed outrage at the situation on Monday, announcing he would organize an investigative committee to unveil the causes of the blackout and prevent repeat incidents in the future.


“I have served thrice as chief minister of Punjab and now serving as an incumbent prime minister of the country, what legacy we will leave behind if these issues are not being addressed?” he asked in remarks during a youth business event in the nation’s capital on Tuesday. “It is clear that Pakistan is facing huge challenges, and if we have taken responsibility, we will make our last-ditch efforts to steer the country out of the difficulties.”

The political climate for Sharif was extremely contentious even before the blackout thanks to the challenge from Imran Khan and his radical Islamist Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Khan has not issued any public statements regarding the power grid failure as of Tuesday, instead focusing on challenging the appointment of a regional official in Punjab who he described as “corrupt” and “an enemy of PTI.”

Khan was reportedly in Lahore on Tuesday, at a rally apparently attended by thousands of people despite the electricity woes.

“The first protest will be held in Lahore on Tuesday (today), followed by one in Multan on Wednesday, Faisalabad on Thursday and then on every day in other cities,” Khan promised.


Jan 23, 2023 Update on Russian-Ukrainian conflict for January 23, 2023 + Pakistan train bombing as part of US proxy war on China.
Post 44,962
 

Abert

Veteran Member
I left the photo's in. Thought it was relevant. Kyiv coffee anyone?


Ukraine Rocked By Corruption Scandal, Wave Of Top Officials Resign: Sports Cars, Mansions & Luxury Vacations As People Suffered​

The Ukrainian government on Tuesday confirmed the resignation of multiple high ranking officials amid large-scale corruption allegations, in what's being called the biggest mass resignation and graft scandal since the Russian invasion began.
Some dozen officials have quit their posts after a huge political shake-up over allegations and probes into cases ranging from bribery, to mismanagement of aid funds for purchasing food, to embezzlement, to driving expensive cars while common people suffer under wartime conditions.
A top presidential adviser and four deputy ministers - among these two defense officials, along with five regional governors were forced out of their posts. And among the regional governors to step down included officials overseeing regions which have seen intense fighting, including the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, where Russian forces have lately reported gains.
In reference to the announcement by a senior government official, Oleg Nemchinov, international reports detail the following list:
  • Deputy Prosecutor General Oleskiy Symonenko
  • Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Ivan Lukeryu
  • Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Vyacheslav Negoda
  • Deputy Minister for Social Policy Vitaliy Muzychenk
  • And the regional governors of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Sumy and Kherson
And separately, "the defense ministry had earlier announced the resignation of deputy minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who was in charge of the army's logistical support, on the heels of accusations it was signing food contracts at inflated prices."
In this case regarding the food contracts, Shapovalov is accused of signing a deal with an unknown, shady firm. In his role as deputy defense minister, his is the most notable and visible resignation. Crucially he would have had no small part in overseeing the billions of dollars flowing from the pockets of US and European taxpayers as authorized defense aid.
He purchased military rations at inflated prices in what appears a scheme to line the pockets of contractors, and potentially involving kickbacks to himself.
While the defense ministry is still trying to downplay it as a "technical error" - Politico reviews of the details to the scandal:

This is two to three times higher than current rates for such food items, reports say. Shapovalov's resignation letter indicated he's stepping down so as "not to pose a threat to the stable supply of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a result of a campaign of accusations related to the purchase of food services."

There's also deputy head of the Zelensky administration Kyrylo Tymoshenko, who stands accused of living a lavish wartime lifestyle. Many current mainstream media reports on Tuesday are burying some of the key verified details. For example, BBC writes simply that "Tymoshenko was implicated in several scandals during his tenure, including in October last year when he was accused of using a car donated to Ukraine for humanitarian purposes."

But starting in early December local Ukrainian outlets, angered at the posh lifestyle of Ukrainian leaders at a moment tens of millions are without power amid Russian aerial bombardment of the nation's power grid, began confirming that Tymoshenko drove high-end sports cars in and out of the capital, to and from mansions which typically range in cost from $10,000 to $25,000 per month.

Below are photos published by The New Voice of Ukraine, republished in Yahoo News, in early December of last year, showing Tymoshenko frequently behind the wheel of a shiny new Porsche Taycan...

One outlet published a photo series entitled Not the "martial law" of Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of Ukraine’s Office of the President

US taxpayer dollars at work in Ukraine...

As another example of Western MSM seeking to downplay or soften this latest wave of graft-related forced resignations, the AFP writes, "Ukraine has long suffered endemic corruption, including among the political elite, but efforts to stamp out graft have been overshadowed by Moscow's full-scale war that began in February." And yet officials like Tymoshenko were spotted around Kiev and oligarchs' neighborhoods driving luxury sports cars for months throughout the war.
Additionally, there's this laughable and embarrassing line out of the AFP report: "Kyiv's Western allies, who have allocated billions of dollars in financial and military support, have been pushing for anti-corruption reforms for years, sometimes as a precondition for aid."

From a government supposedly "pushing anti-corruption reforms for years" to over $100 billion in US defense and foreign aid being pledged to Kiev's coffers over the past year... to now this from within the heart of the Zelensky administration:

It doesn't stop at posh and expensive cars, but the controversy has even extended to luxury vacations abroad as Ukrainians suffer the deprivations of war at home. "The departure of Symonenko, a deputy prosecutor general, comes after media reports that he spent a holiday in Spain this winter, reportedly using a car belonging to a Ukrainian businessman." The government has as a result now reportedly barred top officials from vacationing abroad as a result of the scandal.

Just prior to the wave of resignations, another official named Vasyl Lozynskiy was accused of receiving bribes to "facilitate" the purchase of generators at greatly hiked-up prices. Crucially, Lozynskiy as Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Development would have also been directly involved in overseeing how billions of dollars in Western humanitarian and infrastructure assistance gets doled out.

Commenting on this, mainstream media is now belatedly acknowledging a fact that's long been well-known, but which would get a person 'canceled' in public discourse if they dared pointed it out:


And now Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov is under scrutiny related to the growing probe and scandal. Meanwhile, as news of the widening scandal hits world headlines...


Aaaaawww since all that money was wasted on high living, don't y'all think we need to pitch in some more US taxpayer funded donations? Come on now Ukraine needs the support.
100+ Billion to the MOST corrupt nation in Europe (likely now in the world) with ZERO accounting or oversight - WHAT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY GONE WRONG?
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
100+ Billion to the MOST corrupt nation in Europe (likely now in the world) with ZERO accounting or oversight - WHAT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY GONE WRONG?
And like yeah dude. Cuz I'm like since you are doing that, please give me a gun and I really, I say really, want to go the front line to shoot an enemy.

Do you think I'm talking about Ukraine?

Has anyone put the US in that scale?

I'm talking about it, but they really are doing it.
 

von Koehler

Has No Life - Lives on TB

Russia Now Engaged in a ‘Real’ War With the West Over Ukraine: Lavrov​

https://www.usnews.com/news/world-r...-a-real-war-with-the-west-over-ukraine-lavrov

The troubling, escalatory rhetoric from the Kremlin’s top diplomat comes as Russia appears concerned about game-changing NATO shipments of Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

By Paul D. Shinkman
|
Jan. 23, 2023, at 2:38 p.m.

Russia’s top diplomat on Monday said the invasion of Ukraine no longer represents a hybrid conflict but rather a “real” war between Russia and the West – a troubling escalation in rhetoric that aligns with growing concerns that Moscow is preparing to lash out at new NATO support for Kyiv.

U.S. to Train Ukrainians on New Missiles ]
“When we talk about what is happening in Ukraine, we are talking about the fact that this is no longer a hybrid war but a real one, which the West has been preparing for a long time against Russia,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a visit to South Africa, historically an ally of the Soviet Union and a contemporary Russian economic partner.

The West is “trying to destroy everything Russian, from language to culture, which has been in Ukraine for centuries, and forbidding people to speak their native languages,” Lavrov said, according to a translation, repeating well-trod Kremlin talking points attempting to frame Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine as an act of self-defense.
The combative assertion serves as the latest escalation in Russia’s public statements about its war in Ukraine – and the consequences for its recent string of embarrassing battlefield failures and blunders. A top Putin ally said two weeks ago that Russia had extended its war in Ukraine to NATO as well, not just forces loyal to the government in Kyiv.

And it follows other troubling assertions, including from Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin who recently repeated unspecified threats of nuclear escalation with the West. Analysts believe the moves represent Russia’s tacit acknowledgement of its struggling position in Ukraine and the damaging potential of new weapons shipments NATO countries are considering, particularly German-made Leopard 2 tanks.
The rhetoric is “as part of an ongoing information operation aimed at deterring the Western provision of further military aid to Ukraine,” the independent Institute for the Study of War concluded in its latest analysis note. Of the nuclear threats, it adds that it “continues to assess that Russia is very unlikely to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine and extraordinarily unlikely to use them against the West.”
Lavrov’s comments came hours after indications that several NATO countries, including Poland, appeared to have cleared diplomatic hurdles and would provide Leopard tanks to Ukraine – a development U.S. officials would represent a game-changing boon for Ukraine to build on its latest offensives against the numerically superior Russian army.

Russian state news published an analysis early Monday indicating that the arrival of the Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine would upset a balance between Russia and NATO that is already “on the brink.” It cited a military analyst who said NATO is entering “the most acute phase” of the conflict and is engaging in “a very dangerous balancing act” in considering delivering the tanks.

Germany under the leadership of newly installed Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far balked at supplying the tanks itself, one of several moves that has drawn widespread condemnation of Berlin for not taking a hard line against Russian aggression. Poland, however, has said it would supply several of its Leopard tanks provided Germany did not object. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Sunday said that her country “would not stand in the way” of Poland providing the tanks. The Finnish government has likewise indicated it would contribute to helping operate and to maintaining the tanks and perhaps even supply its own, depending on Germany’s decision.

So far, the U.S. government has not indicated it’s willing to provide Leopards or any other tanks to Ukraine, having already escalated its support earlier this month with new troop transport vehicles armed with weapons that make them veritable “tank-killers.”
That decision has prompted backlash from Biden’s political appointments who point to the Leopard’s as a key component of Ukraine’s plan for retaking territory.
“We cannot slow-walk the weapons in,” Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. “I’ve been a proponent of let’s give them what they need. When they do, they win. The [Leopard 2] tanks are vitally important.”

There are rumors that the Chancellor Olaf Scholz was the target of a Russian honey pot sting while in Moscow.
 
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