Explanation Verbatim.

For those who still have any illusions. Moscow doesn't have any. 

МОСКВА, 17 января. /ТАСС/. Коренных изменений политики санкционного давления США на Россию во время президентства Дональда Трампа быть не может, не стоит предаваться чрезмерным ожиданиям. Об этом заявил журналистам пресс-секретарь президента РФ Дмитрий Песков, комментируя заявление выдвинутого Трампом на пост министра финансов США Скотта Бессента, который высказался за ужесточение санкций против России и ее нефтяного сектора. "То, что американская администрация при определенном декларировании политической воли к диалогу существенно не изменит своего характера в этом плане, это ни для кого не секрет. Здесь не нужно предаваться каким-то чрезмерным ожиданиям. Никаких коренных изменение быть не может", - заявил представитель Кремля. Говоря о просанкционном высказывании Бессента, представитель Кремля отметил, что "было бы странно, если, будучи министром, Бессент не поддержал решение своего президента". "Такого просто не может быть. То есть в случае неподдержания он просто ушел бы в отставку", - заметил Песков.

Translation: MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/. There can be no fundamental changes in the US sanctions pressure policy on Russia during Donald Trump's presidency, and there is no need to indulge in excessive expectations. This was stated to journalists by Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the statement by Scott Bessent, nominated by Trump for the post of US Treasury Secretary, who spoke in favor of tightening sanctions against Russia and its oil sector. "It is no secret that the American administration, despite a certain declaration of political will for dialogue, will not significantly change its character in this regard. There is no need to indulge in excessive expectations. There can be no fundamental changes," the Kremlin spokesman said. Speaking about Bessent's pro-sanction statement, the Kremlin spokesman noted that "it would be strange if, as a minister, Bessent did not support the decision of his president." "This simply cannot happen. That is, if he did not support it, he would simply resign," Peskov noted.

So, here it is, and this is not posturing. Russia is not going to be discussing 404--this territory is none of the US's business--global arrangements are a completely different business.

What I Disagree About...

 ... with Mr. Bhadrakumar. In his latest he writes:

Kremlin’s hope that US support for Ukraine is on the wane seems misplaced. Curiously, spokesman Dmitry Peskov added in good measure in an interview on Friday with broadcaster NBC News that Putin would prefer an American president who is “more constructive” toward Russia and understands the “importance of the dialogue” between the two countries. Peskov added that Putin would be ready to work with “anyone who will understand that from now on, you have to be more careful with Russia and you have to take into account its concerns.” 

Well, here is where I have to strongly disagree. There is NO "hope" in Kremlin on the support waning. In fact, Kremlin doesn't operate on hopes or wishful thinking because it is not in Kremlin's nature since 2013-14 to hope for anything. The way Russia met the challenge of initially non-stop sanctions and then proceeded to demolish not just VSU but combined West's aid is this proverbial proof which is in the pudding. Tomorrow I will be talking about Mr. Lavrov's recollection of his meeting with the US political "scientists" and the discussion of the US grand "strategy", or whatever passes for it among illiterate US establishment--Russia is not hoping, she simply turned on the "turbo" mode and continues to increase military production. That is the first indicator of Russia having no hopes or, for that matter, illusions about combined West.

This, however, cannot obscure the fact that money for Kiev regime in and of itself means absolutely nothing in terms of operational realities on the battlefield, because the West headed by the US simply has no military-industrial resources to supply Kiev with any meaningful quantities of anything, let alone of required quality. And the hypothetical increase in military production cannot happen overnight--it will take years to build military-industrial base in the US (Europe is a joke militarily) and this ONLY if one considers that the US can close the technological gap with Russia in critical weapons. But it cannot--the technological gap continues to widen and it is doubtful that the US will now catch up in such critical areas as air defense, hypersonic weapons, air force technology and strategic nuclear weapons, to name a few. This is not to mention the fact that the US cannot produce main battle tank anymore and can supply only kits or older versions of Abrams tanks. So, those $61 billion will go for sustaining the political regime in Kiev and its basic governing functions, and laundering money for DNC and Biden family. 

But most importantly--no amount amount of money can buy the US a competent top brass which constantly sustains its military skills through extremely tough academic institutions and field experience with no parallels in the 21st century--SMO that is. As was stated before and I will repeat it: Shoigu and Gerasimov are not in rush because they are building and shaping the force which will define the warfare (already is doing so) for the next 30-40 years, including through introduction of C4ISR level and weaponry which now is simply out of reach of the combined West. So, Russia doesn't hope but does what any normal operational level commander does--puts oneself (and his formation) in a deliberately disadvantageous position and then plans from it. Yesterday Russia celebrated RVSN Day (the day of the strategic missile forces)--a new regiment with Avangard system has been put into service.

You See, I Told You So)))

Well, didn't I dedicate my whole writing career to this moment trying to explain to the people in D.C. that they know shit about Russia and they better take my advice and, following Bismarck's advice, make "a good treaty with Russia"? 

The Kremlin said on Thursday that claims of President Vladimir Putin being misled by his own military only prove how little the US really knows about Russia. The response came after the White House and the Pentagon suggested that officials were afraid to speak the truth to Putin about the performance of the Russian Army in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters he was dismayed by claims that advisers have misled the president. “As it turns out, neither the State Department nor the Pentagon have the real information of what is going on in the Kremlin. They simply don’t understand President Putin, don’t understand the decision-making mechanism, and don’t understand the work we do,” he said.

I agree, they don't, they never did--99% of the US Russia "experts" are frauds in academic and human terms who sell nice-sounding BS to very provincial and uncultured US "elites" to reinforce those elites' sense of self-importance. This is happening since WW II and never ceased, but then again, I said and wrote it so many times that there is no need to repeat myself. Get the fvcking real professional experts and fire most US "Russia" academe, maybe after that you will get some positive thing going, like normal relations.

P.S. I am not for hire, if anyone thinks about my ulterior motives.

Lavrov: We May End It.

Sergei Lavrov is a man of no gimmicks--if he says something, that means he means it. By definition it also means Kremlin means it. So, today, he says it as it is at Valdai Conference:

"Те люди, которые отвечают за внешнюю политику на Западе и не понимают необходимости взаимоуважительного разговора, — наверное, мы должны просто на какое-то время перестать с ними общаться. Тем более что Урсула фон дер Ляйен заявляет, что с нынешней российской властью геополитического партнерства не получается. Так тому и быть, если они этого хотят"

Translation:  Those people in the West who are responsible for foreign policy and do not understand the necessity of mutually respectable conversation--well, we must simply stop for a while communicate with them. Especially since Ursula von der Leyen states that geopolitical partnership with current Russia's leadership is impossible. If this is the way they want it, so be it. 

It is my long standing contention that any professional discussion between Lavrov and former gynecologist such as von der Leyen, including Germany's Foreign Minister Maas, who is a lawyer and a party worm of German politics is a waste of time. Western "elites" and "intellectuals" are simply on a different, much lower level, than said Lavrov. You do not negotiate with monkeys, you treat them nicely, you make sure that they are not abused, but you don't negotiate with them, same as you don't negotiate with toddlers. They want to have their Navalny as their toy--let them. I call on Russia to start wrapping economic activity up with EU for a long time. They buy Russia's hydrocarbons and hi-tech, fine. Other than that, any other activity should be dramatically reduced and necessity of the Iron Curtain must not be doubted anymore. 

I reiterate, there is nothing in common culturally between modern Russia and the West and the gap is growing. Europe is being primed for cultural and demographic suicide, not to speak of institutionalizing degeneracy both in art and in real life,  plus the US needs to eat someone to extend its agony for a little bit longer. It is totally logical and if I need to see Renaissance art, Hermitage gives Louvre a run for its money. EU is a cemetery and one doesn't do business with cemetery other than burying. Lavrov's statement today is important in that it shows that Kremlin wrote current EU off. As I state for years, observing events in EU, when I have the time, I totally expect a stream of refugees from Europe to Russia soon, because many still sane Westerners will be faced with a terrifying choice: either adapt to living in Orwellian reality including a fairly fast (in historic term) transition to a third world economies and standard of living, or making decision to regain personal liberty and common sense, and economic stability and opportunity in Russia and those East European nations which will maintain strong economic ties with Russia. 

Boy, come to think about, writing this now--how did the times change. Who would have thought that for many even today Russia becomes a shining city on the hill. Don't believe me? Go to comments to any Voice of Europe videos, among many--scores of Germans, Belgians and even English people leave comments there that they seriously consider moving. Some decry their inability to do so immediately. We don't know real numbers of Westerners who are already in Russia on permanent bases, I know that there is a vibrant American community in Russia, how large? I don't know but American expats moving or living in Russia resource is updated regularly. I would love to stay in the US, but the way thing are going not just politically (unlike EU we have guns and we may yet reclaim some of our freedoms) but economically--401K, Social Security, don't bet on it--it is all going down the drain as I type it, but we'll see. After some time in Russia, I still begin to miss ocean and Cascades of Washington, Idaho or Montana, I also miss Oregon's coast. As for Germans. Many Germans already are in Russia, especially from East Germany. I know scores of Russian Germans are moving back. We are just at the beginning of a process which may take decades and as I pointed out on very many occasions, Putin's talk at Valdai in 2017 WAS about Russia effectively getting ready to become the Arc for whatever will be left of White Christendom in Europe, the rest, can go to hell--they earned it. EU has no subjectivity and as such is not agreement-capable. This is exactly what Lavrov said: " We should stop to orient ourselves toward European partners and care about their assessments."  Exactly, the time has come.