He Is Very Strong)))

On everything, Dollar included. And yes, countries are leaving BRICS. 

I have news for this guy, though--gold grows in price and this is just one of many economic indicators of decomposition of the Dollar system, not to mention the fact that MOST of actual manufacturing is concentrated today in Eurasia minus Europe, with the exception of few still important technologies there. The trend continues. 

As If ...

 ... anyone will be asking him. 

Zelensky Rejects Ceding Territory to Russia After Trump Suggests a Land Swap. The Ukrainian leader’s blunt comments risk angering President Trump, who has made a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia one of his signature foreign policy goals.

Generally speaking, meeting in Alaska and later in Moscow IS NOT about Ukraine per se--it is about how the new world will be institutionalized. Putin will be talking on behalf of BRICS. Trump's desperate attempt to scare BRICS with sanctions and tariffs failed spectacularly.  

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. and Chinese officials may be able to settle many of their differences to reach a trade deal and avert punishing tariffs, but they remain far apart on one issue: the U.S. demand that China stop purchasing oil from Iran and Russia. “China will always ensure its energy supply in ways that serve our national interests,” China's Foreign Ministry posted on X on Wednesday following two days of trade negotiations in Stockholm, responding to the U.S. threat of a 100% tariff.

Russia's "isolation" is complete, as you can see yourself. Responding to this clown show in D.C. with Aliev and Pashinyan, Pashiniyan ensured that eventually Armenia will cease to exist, BUT to those who lament interference with North-South Corridor, I repeat--Zangezur Corridor IS NOT about Russia-Iran trade, it is primarily about Iran. Iran already reacted today that it will not allow any kind of change of status of Zangezur Corridor, period. Morons from D.C. and Ankara are still playing 19th century "Geographic Pivot of History", failing to understand that it is 2025 and Iran has a damn impressive missile force capable to wipe out any kind of undesirable military presence. Here is how MAIN Caspian container ships look like and they are being built at Astrakhan as I type this. Anybody in Caucasus or Middle Asia wants to challenge Caspian Flotilla and 58th Army? I thought so. 

Per Europe, as is the case with 404--Europe is a used condom and is being thrown out, as was told by me for more than 10 years, into the dumpster. It is energy-starved peninsula of the Eurasian land-mass, deindustrialized (and it only accelerates) and impotent. Russia has Oreshnik, apart from a shitload of other delivery systems, in serial production and there will be no repetition of WW II once (not if, but when) hungry and destitute European population will be whipped up into Russia-hatred and mobilized for yet another crusade to Russia. European military-political elite will simply be annihilated and Europe will cease to exist in any serious political and even physical senses. 

That Will Work Out Well.

 As those sorts of things always do. 

US President Donald Trump has reiterated his threat to impose 100% tariffs against countries of the BRICS bloc, of which India is a part, if they attempt to replace the US dollar with an alternative currency. "The idea that the BRICS countries are trying to move away from the dollar, while we stand by and watch, is OVER," Trump said in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social on Friday. "We are going to require a commitment from these seemingly hostile countries that they will neither create a new BRICS currency, nor back any other currency to replace the mighty US dollar or, they will face 100% tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US economy," he stated.

Yes, about "wonderful economy". If it gets any more wonderfuler, we may slide into the great depression, and somebody has to explain to DJT that the only reason this hasn't happened yet is because big players do not want the whole of global economy going bananas once the US drowns. The foundation of which US Dollar's "exorbitant privilege" rested is not there anymore, least of all its main pillar--the mythology of US military power. India is a soft target, but in the end she a huge Peninsula in the Eurasian landmass southern belly and she has a lot of business within this mass. A lot. But in the end--these are R and C in BRICS who set the example. In the end, currencies are but the derivatives of tangibles which make the world go around. 

All Sides of Vikhr.

Vikhr (Vortex) is a funny Russian ATGM which, if need be, plays air-to-air missile. No, I mean it, they can shoot air targets, such as helicopters. All Russian ATGMs can. So, here is Ka-52 shooting down 404 drone with Vikhr. 

Meanwhile Inokhodets (Pacer) demonstrates why hiding in the forest doesn't do you any good.

 

It is one of the 77 artillery pieces erased from the order of battle of NATO today. 

As you can see yourself--a very productive day. Meanwhile, it is also very productive day in Kazan. 

And I want to stress that in this photo--apart from "isolated" Putin and Russia, it is about 50% + of word economy. I stress--economy, not some BS contrived numbers of GDP. Albeit even recent data by IMF grudgingly admits that Russia had 4th largest economy in the world since 2021. Now, oh the horror, BRICS will develop its own rating system and that is the only way to do it because West's "economic" data and how it is "rated" is a complete fraud, as are most people with "economics" degrees produced in "elite" West's universities. 

Speaking of UN and Guterres in Kazan. Irina Alksnis penned an excellent piece in Ria yesterday (in Russian) explaining why: Guterres Flew to Kazan to Save the UN. Use Google translate--it is worth it. It is too late for utterly corrupted UN anyway--this org should go the way of League of Nations. In related news, I don't think terrorist attack in Turkiye is accidental. It is all timed to Erdogan's visit to Kazan and a death blow to NATO once Turkiye makes her strategic move to where it really belongs--BRICS that is. As the latest Russian meme says:

"We demand written guarantees of BRICS' non-expansion to the West". Come to think about it--it is a very serious joke.

About Global Hawk...

 ... which was allegedly "shot down" by Russia. No, nobody shot down anything, but this rumor has originated in Russian TG channels belonging, and you have guessed it already, to all types of BSers aka military "bloggers". Highly likely this BS came from notorious Fighterbomber who sells BS and air force porn to fanboys. That's the type of lowlifes who wouldn't miss any opportunity to make a buck (or Ruble) on emotional high or low, depending on POV, such as cluster munitions attack on Sevastopol's beach. Considering the level of Western so called military bloggers who think that scanning Russian TG channels somehow is OSINT--they are largely in no way better than their Russian counterparts. So, the recycle of BS not only continues, but amplifies. 

Per Russian response to the US. Russians are professionals and will continue to do what they do with the remnants of VSU, such as today's statistics: 

Which terrifies Washington and every single Pentagon "warrior", plus--G(R)U and SVR most likely know the identities of American servicemen who operated ATACMs. They better run, because now they are classified as terrorists, who they are, and they will be hunted down and eliminated. Their best bet will be to return to the US and stay here for the rest of their lives, preferably after plastic surgery and live under the conditions of witness protection program or something similar. For those emotionally unstable and prone to knee jerk reaction, I can only repeat--Russia here is in for demolition of Pax Americana and it proceeds as planned, and even better. Hence hysterical rhetoric from the West and resorting to pure terrorism. US military bluff has been called. Like Al Bundy from Married With Children whose brightest achievement was his four touchdowns in the high school football game, the US still grasps at the last straw of its unimpeded turkey shoot in Gulf in 1991 against pathetic enemy. 

What is happening now is a big league and the US ain't in it militarily, bar its nuclear deterrent. And once this became clear to everyone but the "strategists" in Washington, we have the situation which we all observe now. Terrorism will continue--this is the only "capability" Washington (and London) have. Well, these losers too:

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday reassured NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that Paris is determined to “unequivocally” help Ukraine “in the long term.” Stoltenberg was visiting the French capital in preparation for the NATO summit in Washington next month. According to the military bloc’s chief, more support to Ukraine is NATO’s “most urgent task.”

Declining, disintegrating and militarily impotent nations capable only, at best, of pinpricks of terrorism and pathos-ridden grandiose statements. That's what West has become. Meanwhile:

During an interview with Chinese media ahead of Li’s visit to Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared his intention to apply to the bloc after it doubled in size this year by luring Global South nations — partly by offering access to financing but also by providing a political venue independent of Washington’s influence. Thailand — a US treaty ally — last month announced its own bid to join BRICS, named after members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The bloc “represents a south-south cooperative framework which Thailand has long desired to be a part of,” Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa told reporters last week.

You see, this is the result of Russia standing up to and beating the crap out of the combined West. So, yeah, let's shoot down some Global Hawk to satisfy "emotions" of immature people.

Sure, Sure, Mr. Austin. In Related News...

 ... there are some issues with basic arithmetic operations--you know, basic counting--with many a top US brass.  

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has lauded Russia’s armed forces and weaponry on Saturday – but added, however, that such military might has not enabled Moscow to achieve victory in the Ukraine conflict. “You know, the Russians have a massive military and impressive weapons,” but this “hasn’t helped them prevail in a campaign of conquest and cruelty,” Austin claimed, speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada on Saturday. According to the official, “it’s about the cause,” as well as “those who fight for it.” The secretary of defense went on to praise President Joe Biden for rallying “nations of goodwill” against Russia’s attempts to “redraw borders by force.” Austin also said the US will stand by Ukraine as long as the conflict lasts, insisting that the outcome will “determine the course of global security in this young century.” He added, however, that NATO will not be dragged into what he described as the “worst crisis in [European] security since the end of the Second World War,” unless Moscow attacks one of its member states.

But then again, there is a school of thought, and I mean it, that views Vietnam and even Afghanistan as the American victories. But the fact that "massive military" of Russia didn't even engage in Ukraine goes somehow missing in the top political echelon in the US, same as the fact of Russian forces from the inception of SMO being outnumbered. Not to mention the fact of Russia "running out of" missiles, ammo, tanks, what have you, non-stop since March. 

Of course, we all understand that all these grandiose statements from the West are mere smoke and mirrors which show a complete loss of a plot, since all Western "plans" on Russia's military and economic defeat fell through, precisely due to Western "planners" inability to count, calculate and learn. So, now Austin, as well as other top American bureaucrats need to somehow save face by means of:

1. Restating their desire to avoid the direct conflict with Russia;

2. In the same time continue to support their beloved Nazis in Kiev.

3. Somehow, deal with unfolding economic calamity. Somehow, they don't know how. 

Dmitry Medvedev didn't mince any words yesterday:

“Everyone is tired of the Kiev regime. Especially of the neurotic Zelensky, who is constantly whipping up tensions, whining, sniveling and extorting more and more money and weapons handouts. [He] acts like a hysterical child with developmental problems,” Medvedev stated. Fatigue with Kiev and its actions is prompting the collective West to “push” Ukraine into talks with Russia, the deputy head of the nation’s Security Council continued. “The US, NATO and the European Union do not want a complete rupture with Russia, risking a third world [war]. Hence, the frequent attempts to rein in Kiev and bring it to its senses, to push it to negotiate,” Medvedev wrote. By refusing to talk with Russia, Zelensky is actually pursuing much more mundane and selfish goals, Medvedev suggested. He added that “if [Zelensky] does not accept the reality of Ukraine's collapse, it is pointless to sit down at the [negotiating] table. And if [he] does accept it – he will be taken out by his own nationalists, who are intertwined with the army top brass.” 

Pretty self-evident, but if not a complete rupture, but something very near to it already has happened between Russia and the combined West. While the "status" of the United States as the existential enemy of Russia was clear since the end of WW II, it is a new paradigm for, say, France and Germany being viewed by Russians as existential enemies of Russian people and this is the only way EU and its two most important constituents MUST be viewed and acted upon. In other words, Russia has to navigate here between Scylla and Harybdis of necessity to have Europe more or less stable, while making sure that both France, Germany (obviously, UK) are reduced to mere regional military powers without ability to generate any kind of credible threat to Russia. Russian-American dialogues is a different matter--these are relations between two major players, while lapdogs must be removed from the room. 

Pepe wrote an excellent piece for The Saker's Blog on such a matter: 

It is safe to say that the G20 may have plunged into an irretrievable path toward irrelevancy. Even before the current Southeast Asian summit wave – in Phnom Penh, Bali and Bangkok – Lavrov had already signaled what comes next when he noted that “over a dozen countries” have applied to join BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa). Iran, Argentina, and Algeria have formally applied: Iran, alongside Russia, India, and China, is already part of the Eurasian Quad that really matters. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Afghanistan are extremely interested in becoming members. Indonesia just applied, in Bali. And then there’s the next wave: Kazakhstan, UAE, Thailand (possibly applying this weekend in Bangkok), Nigeria, Senegal, and Nicaragua. It’s crucial to note that all of the above sent their Finance Ministers to a BRICS Expansion dialogue in May. A short but serious appraisal of the candidates reveals an astonishing unity in diversity. Lavrov himself noted that it will take time for the current five BRICS to analyze the immense geopolitical and geoeconomic implications of expanding to the point of virtually reaching the size of the G20 – and without the collective west.

My only disagreement with Pepe's otherwise superb piece is the use of a meaningless GDP metric. US GDP IS NOT $23 trillion, never was, it is at best, in real terms, half of that. Not to mention this ever critical issue of the structure of the national economy. By far more important tangibles than abstract dollar figures define the size and complexity of any economy in the foundation of which are natural and human resources and industrial capacity, physical economy that is. 

Here are, again, just a couple of critical metrics defining the actual state of play. They changed in 2022 insignificantly, except, and you may have guessed it--for Europe. 

This one is even more important:

If you are in the top 5-6 in this table, you WILL have industrial development, you will have advanced aerospace programs, advanced militaries and a decent standard of living. Do you see any European country there? There you go. So, expect final, annual (12 Mo) industries, from steel, to energy, to machines, reports in January 2023 and you will see yourself this funny dynamics. So, this is your Sunday's primer. 

Sic Transit Gloria Americae.

For any observer nowadays it is enough to take a look at the front page of Oilprice.com, popular but definitely globalist in character, resource to make a conclusion that the game is nearing its end and something altogether unknown is ahead of us. Just take a look at these headlines from today, August 29, 2022. 

I underlined in red the headlines, among many other ones, which not just testify but scream at you about the ongoing and very visible collapse of Pax Americana and about the world moving away from the West-dominated and centric world. 

People ask me all the time to write on this or that matter, primarily military ones, and I understand them. How can one miss that news:

Britain’s biggest ship and the second of the Royal Navy’s two aircraft carriers, HMS Prince of Wales, has broken down shortly after embarking on a cross-Atlantic aviation trial. The carrier “remains in the South Coast Exercise Area while conducting investigations into an emerging mechanical issue,” the Royal Navy’s spokesperson said in a statement to the media on Sunday. The incident occurred just one day after the vessel left Portsmouth for what the Royal Navy described as “a landmark mission to shape the future of stealth jet and drone operations.” The UK Defence Journal cited a source as saying divers discovered that the ship’s propeller shaft appeared to be damaged. According to Sky News, the Prince of Wales is now anchored southeast of the Isle of Wight in England.

OK, let's start with obvious--aircraft carriers of this size, and Prince of Wales is a very large ship, are very complex engineering "products" which, due to their inherent complexity, are bound to have a higher probability of getting something out of order than, as an example, even a fairly large motor yachts, like this gorgeous Fleming 78, my dream never to be realized:

But even these boats tend to break down now and then. But with HMS Prince of Wales we have s "slightly" larger problem, even larger than that with its fire protection sprinkler system. It is about the main propeller shaft. Roughly speaking--if it is an assembly which keeps propeller ON the shaft, this might be resolved in a fairly short time, BUT...if we are talking about shaft as a whole... Oh, boy.

 

This is roughly how it looks like (give and take) but the main issue of shaft always is its need to be centered with surgical accuracy, otherwise you will have a vibrating noisy ship which will not be able to serve a third of its life. If the damage is to the shaft as such, this may mean either the new shaft or repairing and re-centering the damaged one, this may take months. But at this stage we don't have any details, so be patient. It is embarrassing, no doubt about it, but for now I would wait for details of what, how and why this damage occurred. 

But I agree, things were getting broken with increased frequency around the western world and it is difficult to ignore--across the board things simply refuse to work. If this Ukie "counter-offensive" (in reality--couple battalion attempt at attack tactical episode) which resulted in them having their asses handed to them, naturally, one has to ask the question if those American and British "advisers" planned this whopper? If they did, it merely confirms a suspicion which increasingly becomes a conviction that Western military planners are not good, in fact, incompetent when it comes to fighting a real war. And this is only natural for the realm (Western civ.) where any workable policies and solutions have been completely substituted with the PR activities, which do not require serious skills in anything. Hey, I didn't invent Communications Departments and programs in Western universities. So, yes, shit ceases to work in the West because it is conceived in the alternative universe and is designed as such. 

It is akin to HMS Prince of Wales which out of two years in commission spent about 80 days in the sea. Well, on the other hand USS Gerald Ford, four years after her joining, sort of, the fleet, still hasn't been combat ready. The issue, obviously, is systemic and no amount of makeup and voodoo ceremonies can hide the ugly truth of modern West from increasing number of people both in and outside the combined West. Shit will continue to break down and the frequency will only increase. I don't know how the issue of Turkey and Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, joining BRICS will be viewed from Washington or Brussels, but what is absolutely clear, such a move will be the end of NATO as we know it and political and economic crisis unfolding in the West will mark the end of political and economic model whose existence was declared sacred and was supposed to mark the end of history. Can you believe it? Bunch of CEOs and Wall Street banksters bought this shit. 

As James Kunstler noted today: 

It remains for Mr. Trump to renounce his support for the evil fruits of the Warp Speed operation he presided over. He must face the fact that he was played, and he may be forgiven, considering all the evidence coming recently from the likes of Deborah Birx and others that he was lied to and manipulated. But he doesn’t have much more time to get it right, or else his political career will be over well before the 2024 election. That may be all for the better. America probably needs a clean sweep of our desecrated political landscape. All in all, Mr. Trump was a good soldier, brave and resolute under tremendous adversity, but he’s not the only one who can lead our country back to itself.

Trump WAS played, which does testify to his limited abilities as a statesman, because no serious statesman allows to be manipulated to a degree Trump was--enough to recall why he appointed Mattis a Sec.Def., it is comical--and what James implies and what I speak about for a long time, for the US to not completely disintegrate and maintain its status as major power it will take a new generation of politicians and a demolition of the America's uni-party and the emergence of a strong centrist force. But this is in the future, for now, though, enjoy Saker's description of Ukie "counter-offensive".