When I Get Tired....

...from reading and hearing yet another pompous bullshit from some random British establishment or media representative, I always go for a jugular and... watch Duchess Kate Middleton and marvel at her real beauty and femininity. Boy, House of Windsor certainly scored 10 on this one, and I always laugh when some creep from paparazzi tries to compare Kate to late Princess Diana--there is no comparison, Kate outshines everyone who ever was in the limelight near Buckingham Palace for the last 50 years (maybe 100) by the order of magnitude.  

She is a truly beautiful woman who is a delight to look at (while the wife is not around) and she is the one who helps me to avoid questioning mental and cognitive abilities of the UK's political establishment, because in terms of morons per capita UK certainly gives the US a run for its money and sometimes even lovely Duchess cannot help. 

Enter yet another product of Sandhurst. 

Ben Wallace has accused Vladimir Putin of Tsarist ambitions as he said there will be “severe economic sanctions” if Ukraine is invaded. The Defence Secretary made his comments after high-stakes talks this week between Nato and Russia failed to find a solution to the Kremlin’s increasingly threatening behaviour towards its neighbour. Citing a 5,000-word essay that the Russian president wrote last summer entitled “On the historical unity of Russians and Ukrainians”, Mr Wallace said that he had been unable to “separate” himself from Mr Putin’s belief that “Ukraine really is Russian”. “I’m concerned that what this is really about is President Putin’s legacy; that is about a false vision, a Russia that even the Tsars failed to create and consolidate – that is the Russia of Belarus, Ukraine and Russia,” he said. In a stark warning, Mr Wallace said that this “motto of the tsars for the Russian Empire” had “far deeper consequences for the security of Eastern Europe, because it doesn’t stop at Ukraine”. He likened Mr Putin’s further ambitions to “ethnonationalism”, cautioning that “in our history of Europe, ethnonationalism has led to some of the worst conflicts in the last millennium”.

Wallace, definitely, has issues with reading comprehension because both Putin's article and every other statement re: 404 after that was about the fact that Russia doesn't want any war with Ukraine and that Russia is fully content with Ukraine existing within the Germany-Austria framework, when Ukraine becomes a neutral independent country. Wallace also is a bit shaky on a "Tsarist thing" because he definitely doesn't know Russia's history, which is not surprising considering such Sandhurst's "products" as Antony Beavor who passes for "military historian" in Anglo-world and who is a proud heir to a British Russophobic propaganda purveyors. Just one example out of many. 

So, it will be really important to Wallace to resign himself to the fact that modern Russia has no intentions to create Russia per "tsarist vision" nor that Britain is an empire, but a second tier country which is economically, militarily, scientifically and culturally is dwarfed by Russia and no amount of pseudo-historic BS from 10 Downing Street and its structures ranging from MI-6 to Foreign Office can change this fact. In related news, Mr. Wallace should take a look at the calendar and take in a simple fact--it is 2022, not 19th century. It matters, really. But, as I said, a strategic constant is called constant for a reason and it is very simple--if it comes to it, Russia will be able to "regime change" in Kiev with all what comes with it and the combined West can do nothing about it, least of all UK. 

Per "sanctions", good God, Russia doesn't care and continues her withdrawal from the primarily US-controlled institutions at an accelerated rate. I am sure Vladimir Putin is still in deep depression that he will not be able to shop in Harrods or in some boutiques in Paris and Milan selling overpriced and overrated crap, wink-wink. of course, Russians love English Premier League and are still enamored by the classic English Literature, not to mention counting Beatles and Pink Floyd, among many others, as a pinnacle of British creative genius, but that's about it. UK is simply not that important anymore. 

In related comedy news:

The CIA is overseeing a secret intensive training program in the U.S. for elite Ukrainian special operations forces and other intelligence personnel, according to five former intelligence and national security officials familiar with the initiative. The program, which started in 2015, is based at an undisclosed facility in the Southern U.S., according to some of those officials. The CIA-trained forces could soon play a critical role on Ukraine’s eastern border, where Russian troops have massed in what many fear is preparation for an invasion. The U.S. and Russia started security talks earlier this week in Geneva but have failed thus far to reach any concrete agreement.

Yes, we all saw how good CIA's "training" is in Afghanistan. Including CIA's tactical and situational (lack) of awareness, not to mention the fact that IF (i underscore it--IF) Russia DOES decide to settle Ukrainian issue, CIA should know, Russia has very good, in fact, outstanding ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Recon) complex and VSU and its numerous "trained" units will cease to exist really fast. Somebody explain to these CIA "instructors" what modern war is with such country as Russia. I think they missed a few important lessons on what it means to fight a real enemy. I hear Russia's SSO shaking in their boots from fear, not.

Victoria's Not So Secrets.

Vika shares here her experiences of life in Russia. But the funniest thing I found about her (positive) experiences is the fact that she feels "equal", meaning no racism. The reason I smiled about it and considering that she is married to a Russian guy Fedor, is the fact that Vika like a fine wine gets better and better, more beautiful with every passing year and majority of Russian guys know a true femininity and beauty when they see it. Vika qualifies 150% and nobody cares about her skin color--she is simply deadly cute in her own right. 

It is Friday, so I decided to lighten things up a bit. Since its Friday:
 

This is the sound which is missing badly in music today.

My Attempt...

To give some operational perspective. 

It is technical with some of it already described in this blog and yes, it doesn't generate as much response as other videos because it is technical and it has some math.

My Head Talking About Zircon And Other Things.

Me, trying to stay current. 

Including trying to convince people that "disintegration" is a very bad idea. But then again, a large portion of US media are war criminals who push a suicide on the nation (or what's left of it, anyway) and we are talking about utterly uncultured and uneducated people.

3M22 Zircon Is Officially Accepted For Service.

 For surface ships as standard weapon system. TASS reports:

МОСКВА, 13 января. /ТАСС/. Госкомиссия по итогам государственных испытаний рекомендовала принять гиперзвуковую крылатую ракету "Циркон" на вооружение надводных кораблей Военно-морского флота (ВМФ) России. Об этом ТАСС сообщил источник, близкий к военному ведомству."Госкомиссия по итогам государственных испытаний гиперзвуковой ракеты "Циркон" с надводного носителя рекомендовала принять ее на вооружение надводных кораблей ВМФ России", - сказал он.По данным собеседника агентства, испытания "Циркона" с подводного носителя после двух выполненных осенью 2021 года успешных пусков должны продолжиться в 2024 году.

Translation:  MOSCOW, January 13. / TASS /. Based on the results of state tests, the State Commission recommended that the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile be deployed on surface ships of the Russian Navy. This was reported to TASS by a source close to the military department. "Based on the results of state tests of the Zircon hypersonic missile from a surface carrier, the State Commission recommended that it be adopted by surface ships of the Russian Navy," he said. According to the interlocutor of the agency, tests of Zircon from an underwater carrier after two successful launches performed in the fall of 2021 should continue in 2024.

At this stage the carriers of Zirkon are FFGs pr. 22350 (Admiral Gorshkov-class), pr. 20385 Corvettes and modernized pr. 1155 FFGs, Udaloy-class (see Marshal Shaposhnikov). All in all we can see already at least 5 Zircon carriers afloat in Russia's surface fleet with the number growing to 11 by mid 2020s, which, by that time submarine carriers of Zircon also adding to the number of carriers. Welcome to the new era of the naval warfare. I assume that some of the Karakurts (pr. 22800) and pr. 21631 Buyan class will also be able to carry Zircon or its "smaller" 500 kilometer range version Zircon Llite. And, of course, once completed, Admiral Nakhimov nuclear battlecruiser will carry a shitload of Zircons. We can only guess how many, since among 174 VLS on Nakhimov, 80 will be loaded with anti-surface missiles. Now, we expect new Vladimir Putin's address to Federal Assembly fairly soon (it was expected, quoting Peskov, "early in 2022"), so will see what other things Putin will be talking about. That gives a new meaning to Russia demanding the US to either accept or decline officially the terms of Russia's security arrangement. Introduction of Zircon into service also means, most likely, that land-based version is either ready or is nearing a completion. Not that Russia doesn't have other means to make NATO feel very nervous. New M=12+ and 1500 kilometer range 3M22M for surface combatants is most likely not far away either.

New TU-160 And Other Things.

It is literally NEW, like everything is new in it--from materials, to new engines, to new avionics, to new aggregates. New. Many thought it was impossible to do, well UAC did it. Today brand new TU-160 flew for the first time. 

Meanwhile, what Novatek does in Murmansk on its new gigantic wharf for building off-shore (floating) natural gas liquification plants is immense. 

IBM's big honcho Arvind Krishna expressed doubts that Russia will be able to create own quantum computers. He expressed it in 2020. Today, in 2022 MFTI presented Russia's first five-cubit quantum integral processor (in Russian). I don't doubt Mr. Krishna's competencies as an electrical engineer, I highly doubt his competencies in Russia and her scientific capabilities. In fact, I think he has no clue. He is not the first, nor he is the last one.

Stephen Marche Is an Idiot.

Which you would expect from the guy with degree in modern English Drama and the guy whose expertise horizon is limited to the spacial format of his house (or condo, whatever) and the screen of his computer. He is VERY representative what passes today for Anglo-Saxon "intellectual elite" and this drama post-doctorate "specialist" gives it a go, on the pages of the Washington Post, bloviating on a possibility of US split into several countries. Here is one of his "thoughts":

And the United States might well be better off as separate countries. It might be healthier, more rational, less prone to violence. Secession would not have to be seen as a failure, given the tensions tearing the country apart.The main difference between the American separatist movements and those in the rest of the world is that the countries that emerge from the separation could join the world quite comfortably as independent nations. If Texas were a country, it would have a GDP of $1.59 trillion, tenth in the world, slightly below Brazil and slightly ahead of Canada. It would certainly look like a country, 47th in population, 40th in size. California is even larger. With a GDP of $2.88 trillion, it recently passed Britain to become the fifth largest economy in the world. It would rank 36th in population, with the world’s largest technology and entertainment sectors. A separate California would have the largest national median income in the world.

I omit here a gaping absence of even a glimpse of  mechanism which could have provided for "peaceful" separation--you wouldn't expect that from English drama theorist--but even if to imagine that such "divorce" is possible, a contingency even this drama writer admits is highly unlikely, his ideas about economies are downright risible and only underscore a complete detachment from the reality of people who in the West pass for "intellectuals". 

It is impossible to explain to Marche that his pop-statistics in economy is nothing more that white board pseudo-intellectual excrement from US "economists" who think that one can sustain economy by printing money. Apart from well-known books' cooking by Wall Street types when "calculating" the actual size of the US economy--it is dwarfed by China's and in its physical size is stunningly small for a country with population of 330+ million--it seems Marche doesn't understand that the economies of the US States he mentions mean something only synergetically when combined they produce more than the sum of their individual productions. Even today the US economy remains tightly interconnected system whose economic divorce will not produce California with GDP (grossly overvalued) of $2.88 trillion but will see California, Texas' or any other state's economy shrinking catastrophically with incalculable social consequences. 

Texas may pretend whatever it wants about itself but without the rest of the country it will fast shrink and lose most of its capabilities it boasts today. How do I know this? Well, I lived through this and I have some clue what real hi-tech economy is--no, it is not some "tech" giants from Silicon Valley. Well, at least Marche gets a clue here:

A separate Texas wouldn’t have the power of the current United States in global negotiations. It would just be another midsize country with no history and no connections. The rest of the world would give as much attention to an oppressed Texas as it gave to Xinjiang in 2009 — i.e., none.

Same goes for California or any other state and it will be doubtful that any of them separately can even recover from inevitable economic and social calamity, especially--I underscore it--especially "democrat" states which will be run into the ground very fast once completely removed from basic principles of the American Constitution and Bill of Rights. We will simply get more collective Detroits, Seattles and San-Franciscos. But GOP states have no reason for schadenfreude--they doubtfully will fare much better when based on the neo-liberal economic policies which ARE in the foundation of a systemic crisis in the West, which is the crisis of economic liberalism. 

But in the end: what to do with the American nuclear arsenal? That will be the issue major powers  such as China and Russia will have to address. Any entity emerging from such disintegration of the United States will be militarily ultimately weak, if not impotent, even if to consider this theoretical blue-red split. In reality, this blue-red split is highly oversold and, bar some hotbeds of the "democrat" insanity which they present as hotbeds of "intellectualism" and "culture", such as NYC, crime-ridden Chicago or shit-hole San-Francisco, this split is primarily, not exclusively, driven by DNC corporate media. These media and the political establishment they serve do not understand that in times of such a crisis as we have on our hands today all, a WHOLE, American political class and "intellectuals" supporting it are utterly incompetent in the craft of actual governance and are incapable of developing a set of policies which can completely reformulate America's national interest, re-calibrate capabilities and prevent a catastrophe which, indeed, may lead to America's violent disintegration due to feebleness, cowardice and incompetence of the whole of the America's establishment. 

Marche's piece in the Washington Post--a mouthpiece of DNC and a propaganda outlet for the most insane economic and social policies--is a perfect example of the sheer idiocy of the ideas Western "intellectuals" generate in a face of problems and troubles which they positively cannot solve, because they don't have what it takes to do so. I have no problem with Marche's English Drama background per se but, as his meandering piece shows, he doesn't have intellectual and professional wherewithal to discuss the problem of America's disintegration as well as point out to a complete intellectual bankruptcy of the Western creative class which spearheaded many of the social and cultural practices which, indeed, helped to radicalize America.   

Again on the Run, Again Off the Cuff...

It never ceases. I mean life. I address immediately the issue which interests everybody. Give it a thought, for a minute by asking these few basic questions and then answering them:

1. Q: Do Russians know who people in D.C. are? 

A: Yes, they do, in fact, I think they know it better than people in D.C. themselves. 

2. Q: Did Russia issue ultimatum to NATO in hope of a compromise? 

A: NO! The reason Russia issued this ultimatum was to publicly frame what will happen after the expected "maneuvering" by the US (I do not count Europe here at all--they are nobodies). 

3. Q: Do Russians have a military contingency plan in case (highly probable, but not fully guaranteed) the US throwing the tantrum and "refusing" this ultimatum? 

A: Yes. As Bismark is known to say: even when going to toilet for number 2 Russian makes a plan(c). Not arguably, but historically--Russian General Staff is the best planner not just militarily but across the whole spectrum of national security and national interests issue. Nobody comes even close. 

Russia DOES have all military-technological, economic and political  means to stop NATO expansion, NATO's desires notwithstanding--simple as that. I write about the widening technological and operational gap for many years now. 

On  a side note, judging by the hysteria in the Sikorski-Applebaum fanatic neocon family, they sense what is coming. 

Radosław Sikorski, an MEP since 2019 and Poland’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, wrote on Twitter on Monday, “get this, Russian Embassy, once and for all, in a language you can grasp. We were not orphaned by you because you were not our daddy. More of a serial rapist. Which is why you are not missed. And if you try it again, you’ll get a kick in the balls.” He was replying to a recent statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who said that NATO “has become a purely geopolitical project aimed at taking over territories orphaned by the collapse of the Warsaw Treaty Organization and the Soviet Union.”

Here is a fine specimen of a product of British and American higher education and what passes for "diplomacy" here. So, that's the "level". Can you imagine discussing anything with this dude or his wife Anne Applebaum, who specializes in a-historical BS and has a "degree" in it. Reality is not their specialization, BSing is. Remarkably, Sikorski will not be able to explain why Russia needs Poland? Poland has been thoroughly deindustrialized and lives to a large degree on EU's handouts. Russia doesn't need freeloaders. Poland is Poland and let Poland solve her problems on her own. Depending on the course of actions by Russia, Poland may even benefit in the long run by returning Lemberg (Lvov) to herself once 404 issue will be settled. Simple as that.

A Little Bit Of My Talking Head.

Here is my latest: 

But then yet another pearl drops out of the shell of the modern US governance. Jen Psaki warned (TASS reports--try to find this in US media, not easy) about the "spread of disinformation" about Geneva talks and "obligations the US didn't" take upon itself. Good God, Jen, Ryabkov is on record--any treaty with the US is not worth the paper it is written on. Can anyone explain to her what "the forms must be obeyed" expression is and what does it imply? Our common friend Larchmonter couple of days ago astutely noted, and I quote: The West in all its forms is like Wiley Coyote. Everything blows up in his face (c). Couldn't have said it better myself. 

Who would have thought about it even 10 years ago.

Couple of Points.

First point is a squealing of Turkish assets once their balls are placed in the vice of real geopolitics and real military power. As Azeri news agency Haqqin (Time) reports: 

Председатель партии «Туран» Джахандар Байоглу призвал отстранить от власти в Азербайджане всех пророссийских чиновников. По его словам, страна должна пойти на этот шаг, чтобы обезопасить себя от внешнего влияния. Политик подчеркнул, что необходимо взять под контроль и отстранить от руководства всех пророссийских чиновников, депутатов и руководителей общественных организаций. Председатель партии призвал главу государства распустить Милли Меджлис и начать новые социально-экономические реформы. Байоглу считает, что если руководство страны не пойдет на эти решительные шаги, то в Азербайджане могут повториться события, которые происходят в Казахстане. Он добавил, что пророссийские силы просочились в структуры МВД, СГБ и Минобороны. Политик также призвал как можно скорее завершить переход азербайджанской армии на модель турецкой армии.

Translation: The chairman of the Turan party, Jahandar Bayoglu, called for the removal of all pro-Russian officials from power in Azerbaijan. According to him, the country should take this step in order to protect itself from external influences. The politician stressed that it is necessary to take control and remove from the leadership of all pro-Russian officials, deputies and heads of public organizations. The party chairman called on the head of state to dissolve the Milli Mejlis and start new socio-economic reforms. Bayoglu believes that if the country's leadership does not take these decisive steps, then the events that are taking place in Kazakhstan may repeat in Azerbaijan. He added that pro-Russian forces have infiltrated the structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Service and the Ministry of Defense. The politician also called for the completion of the transition of the Azerbaijani army to the model of the Turkish army as soon as possible.

Aw, how cute)) I have news for this Turan dude, the first pro-Russian official in Azerbaijan is its President Ilham Aliev who is a good friend of Vladimir Putin and, unlike Erdogan, is extremely well-educated and cultured man who understands the real score. And there is a lot to this score what Bayoglu doesn't understand precisely because he is the leader of Turan party. I will omit here elaboration of a fallacy of pan-Turkism but, of course, events in Kazakhstan just all but killed this idea in every practical sense and it is not only Ankara which cries now, there are very many people in London who, yet again, discovered that contrived geopolitical concepts mean very little if you are not a superpower. UK is NOT a superpower, it is a second rate power which still suffers from phantom pains of once greatness which is no more. They better learn and internalize this fact both at Downing Street 10 and at Hanslope Park. The sun has set on your empire, just live with it. 

The second point is Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov stating today: 

"Так что НАТО надо собирать манатки и отправляться на рубежи 1997 года". 

Translation: NATO has to pack up its things and move back to the borders of 1997.  

I know, it hurts, there will be (already, actually) many pompous statements from the likes of Tony Blinken or Jens Stoltenberg but, thanks to Bernhard of Moon of Alabama who posted brilliant Michael Brenner's piece on US foreign policy, it is totally warranted to present what one of very few true American foreign policy experts writes about the mental state of US "elites". 

U.S. engagements in the world over the past 20 years reveal a grim record of failed ventures. Most have been caused by unrealistic goals, blinkered views of the field of action, overweening pride, an ignorance of foreign places and their history, and an unseemly readiness to take complacent comfort in fantasy worlds that exist only in its own imagination. In short, American foreign policy has been misguided – badly and consistently misguided. The inevitable frustrations and failures owe equally to sheer incompetence. An endless string of errors – diplomatic, military and political – is as difficult for the nation to reconcile with its ‘can-do’ self-image as is the admission of the glaring discrepancy between the belief in the country’s providential mission and its increasingly evident ordinariness. 

This is another salient point Brenner makes: 

Americanism provides a Unified Field Theory of self-identity, collective enterprise, and the Republic’s enduring meaning. When one element is felt to be in jeopardy, the integrity of the whole edifice becomes vulnerable. In the past, American mythology energized the country in ways that helped it to thrive. Today, it is a dangerous hallucinogen that traps Americans in a time warp more and more distant from reality. There is a muted reflection of this strained condition in the evident truth that Americans have become an insecure people. They grow increasingly anxious about who they are, what they are worth and what life will be like down the road. This is an individual and collective phenomenon. They are related insofar as self-identity and self-esteem are bound up with the civic religion of Americanism. To a considerable degree, it’s been like this since the very beginning. A country that was “born against history” had no past to define and shape the present. A country that was born against tradition had no rooted and common sense of meaning and value that cut deeply into the national psyche. A country that was born against inherited place and position left each individual at once free to acquire status and obliged to do so for insignia of rank were few.

This is an excellent definition of the underlying causes for the American "exceptionlaism" which is an obverse side of insecurity. I write about it non-stop for decades, really. My first book is almost entirely built around this premise. Reality, like gravity, is a bitch--no number of narratives by ignorant and uneducated American journos can obfuscate it without creation of a serious nation-wide cognitive dissonance which inevitably translated into the psychological, if not psychiatric, disorders on a massive scale. Reality will inevitably bite into one's ass no matter how one tries to construct own alternative "reality". Will see how it will go in Geneva tomorrow but Ryabkov was actually very upbeat today about preliminary talks, meaning dinner, (in Russian). We'll see. Geneva is just a start, Russia is not interested in humiliating the US at this stage (the US does a swell job on its own) and still leaves an honorable, face-saving exit for the US, which, in the end could be presented as a triumph of common sense and superpowers working together. For the US internally it could play well against the background of upcoming mid-terms and a serious economic downturn. 

If not, well--chose on your own pawns which will be removed form the "chess board" by Russia and what new weapon systems will be announced and deployed without leaving NATO any option but to capitulate. But that is the food for thought for tomorrow. This is just a part of the VTA's IL-76s yesterday, at some point of time during the day, in Alma-Ata airport alone. 

As you all know VTA was also transporting ODKB forces to other Kazakh cities, so make your own conclusions on Russia's air mobility capability. Giant AN-124s are not even shown here, while they were also actively involved in deployment of ODKB forces.

224th Flight Detachment of Russian Defense Ministry, which operates those giants, has 8 of them at its disposal. Single An-124 can, well, just get acquainted here with what cargo can a single 124 take on-board, and keep in mind that its can also take some number of paratroopers in its pressurized compartments. Most of VDV personnel is carried by IL-76s. Those who had to, they got the message.

Kazakhstan Sitrep.

By means of new video:

Turkish role becomes more visible behind Kazakh events and there is a definite desperation on West's part re: upcoming negotiations, judging by the number of statements from NATO all of which ring completely hollow. Especially against the background of Russia's reaction to Kazakh upheaval.

Have A Mercy On Her...

Math is not a strong point of US education. 

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor falsely claimed that 100,000 children are in “serious condition” from Covid during oral arguments on the Biden administration’s employer vaccine mandate on Friday. “We have hospitals that are almost at full capacity with people severely ill on ventilators. We have over 100,000 children, which we’ve never had before, in serious condition, and many on ventilators,” Sotomayor claimed. The current number of confirmed pediatric hospitalizations with Covid in the U.S. is 3,342, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services released on Friday. The average number of children admitted to the hospital per day with Covid was 776 as of Tuesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hey, she is a Juris Doctor, not a...scientist, and as a Juris Doctor she knows everything better than anyone else, including medical doctors and scientists with doctorate degrees. Not that it prevented anyone in the West without any natural science or STEM degrees from expressing their opinions on scientific matters.  

In the end, look at the climate "authorities" in the West. Or energy "authorities", or any other "authorities"... As long as the story sells...

First Down And...

US State Department worries, I mean Tony Blinken...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has questioned Kazakhstan's decision to seek Russian military aid to deal with an ongoing wave of violent unrest.

Moscow already reacted to it and stated that Blinken "expressed himself in boorish manner"(in Russian). What did they expect form US "diplomat"? They don't know any better in Foggy Bottom--it is not a bug, it is a feature. 

In related news, however, really important news, former head of Kazakhstan's Committee on National Security Karim Masimov (in Russian) has been detained and has been charged with state treason. This dude is the first big fish which has been netted but not the last one. It seems that the deployment of the Ivanovo VDV Division, 31st Ulyanovsk Guards Assault Brigade and 45th Separate Brigade of Spetznaz, not to mention separate battalion of Naval Infantry (marines) of Russia's Caspian Flotilla which is now in control of Port Aktau, together with other ODKB forces, who are guarding now all crucial Kazakhstan government infrastructure, has dramatically improved legitimate Kazakh government grasp of situation and greatly boosted the morale of Kazakh Armed and Security forces who now are getting it done. ODKB forces also have an open order to use deadly force at their discretion. 

That's Ivanovo.
 

This is 45th Brigade of Spetznaz arriving to Alma-Ata. 

This is how Kazakh armed and security forces are now dealing with "rebels" (in Russian). They also have the right to shoot-to-kill, this is the only way. Very many civilians help them to search for, locate and identify terrorists and that is a great sign. It is also clear now that the violent attempt to overthrow a legitimate government of Kazakhstan has failed and now the most interesting process starts. Tony Blinken, people in London and Ankara have all reasons to feel nervous. I would too if I would be them--so many people will begin to sing now. I am sure people on Lubyanka already have buckets of pop-corn and many are making holes in their uniform jackets (for medals and orders) and on epaulets (for new starts).

It Is Friday and CIAO, 2021.

It is Friday and, frankly, I am tired of this mess in the world, and here are some good news. Evidently the lovefest between Russians and Italians continues and Ivan Urgant this time surpassed what already in 2020 was thought as one off, namely CIAO 2020. No, this time musically it was better, much better and it also proved that longing for 80s and the sound of that music is not accidental everywhere around the globe. 

At 14:32 Russian pop-hit of late 1990s suddenly turned into pure gold, then Russian Olympic Gold Synchronized Swimming team, in a manner of famous guitar girls of Robert Palmer, supporting an amazing sound of Slava Marlow at 36:55 and, in the end a spectacular finish starting from 1:06:30 (watch to the very end, you have to))) with Polina Gagarina and Basta delivering everything Russian always loved about Italian pop. Just enjoy. I didn't think original CIAO could be topped. Well, they did it. San Remo, do you still remember itself at your glory days? 

Aw, Boo-Hoo.

No, really, or, pardon my French...No, shit, geniuses. 

Fri, January 7, 2022, 12:09 AM. PARIS (Reuters) -France's foreign minister said on Friday that Russia was trying to bypass the European Union by holding talks directly with the United States over Ukraine.Talks between U.S. and Russian diplomats will begin in Geneva on Monday after weeks of tensions over Russian troop deployments near its border with neighbouring Ukraine, with envoys on each side trying to avert a crisis."(Russian President) Vladimir Putin wants to bypass the European Union... he wants to put dents in the EU cohesion, which is solidifying", Jean-Yves Le Drian told BFM TV and RMC Radio.

Read my lips: Europe has NO foreign policy subjectivity--EU and its core members are America's lap dogs and, in fact, are one of the major reasons the United States is still in Europe "defending" it from, you know, aggressive Russkies. So, yes, Russia doesn't talk to minions, she talks to a master and EU can go and fvck itself. France also has no foreign policy subjectivity the moment last vestiges of Gaullism have been removed by Mr. Sarkozy and France became full member of NATO. People need to live with the consequences of their actions, you know. French wanted Macron, they got it.  Free will, you know. 

 

Immediately on record was Tony Blinken's bootlicker and all-around ignoramus Jens Stoltenberg, who stated this:

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday ruled out any halt to the continued expansion of the military organization to address Russian security concerns, rejecting a key part of President Vladimir Putin’s demands for easing tensions with Ukraine. “We will not compromise on core principles, including the right for every nation to decide its own path, including what kind of security arrangements it wants to be a part of,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels after an extraordinary meeting of NATO foreign ministers. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his counterparts held online talks to prepare for the first meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in more than two years. The meeting, set for Wednesday in Brussels, will give NATO ambassadors the chance to discuss Putin’s security proposals with Russia’s envoy face to face.

Of course, Western media failed to report what Soltenberg also said (in Russian) that NATO will be ready for possible conflict in case "negotiations fail" (in Russian). How cute. There is nothing cuter than a bunch of "economics" confused degree-holders and lawyers, such as Anthony Blinken, waxing all strategic and operational; not only it is cute, it is also hilarious. 

Meanwhile Russia continues to increase her presence in Kazakhstan. Here is yet another unit of Ivanovo Division is getting ready to depart:

Evidently VTA (Military-Transport Aviation) is in full force and Il-76s are landing and taking off in Alma-Ata airport non-stop. As I already said--Russia can deploy a whole division of VDV within 24 hours and if RT wants to continue to use this relic of "military analysts" Mikhail Khodaryonok further, they better watch his incompetent and timid mumbling yesterday at Solovyov's show--I felt embarrassed for this colonel who doesn't know basic facts about modern Russian Armed Forces, despite the fact that he once graduated from the Academy of General Staff, 24 years ago. As was expected, Kazakhstan's leadership is getting its footing back with the support of ODKB and purges, especially within security block are not only inevitable but are already in progress. Tokaev, meanwhile, better start learning (I think he got the first lesson fast) who and how really guarantees Kazakhstan's statehood and what is to be done to give this country a chance. Right, removing all of corrupt Nazarbaev's cadres, many of who are also West's and Turkey assets. That will be a good start. 

Orthodox Christmas.

Merry Christmas to people of Orthodox Faith. Here is one of the supporters of faith today. 

С Рождеством Христовым.

My Talk Today.

I mentioned Turkey several times in this short talk--I still lack energy but am getting better, but not enough to elaborate on all points. But keep in mind the Turks. 

Erdogan is obsessed with pan-Turkic ideas but he could be reminded really fast that Turkey is still not in the league which allows to form civilizational entities in the 21st century. It is not 14th century. Nowadays it takes a bit more than superficial race commonality to form a "world" of your own. I know most Russians would be horrified by the pan-Slavic ideas today and Russia is much more powerful than Turkey. And I mean much more. Something tells me that very many Turks would rather improve their beautiful country economically and prosper than pursue some geopolitical chimeras.

Pepe on Kazakhstan.

Pepe wrote a well-nuanced piece on Kazakh events. 

Now compare it to what I learned from two different, high-ranking intel sources. The first source was explicit: the whole Kazakh adventure is being sponsored by MI6 to create a new Maidan right before the Russia/US-NATO talks in Geneva and Brussels next week, to prevent any kind of agreement. Significantly, the “rebels” maintained their national coordination even after the internet was disconnected. The second source is more nuanced: the usual suspects are trying to force Russia to back down against the collective West by creating a major distraction in their Eastern front, as part of a rolling strategy of chaos all along Russia’s borders. That may be a clever diversionary tactic, but Russian military intel is watching. Closely. And for the sake of the usual suspects, this better may not be interpreted – ominously – as a war provocation.

Read the whole thing--it is excellent. But it also reinforces the point I hammer home for years now. Which also is demonstrated in Bernhard's  (of MoA) piece on West's "planners". The combined West is a one trick pony and it definitely mistook Russia's "benevolence" towards West's actions in late 1990s and 2000s for weakness, which was increasingly untrue the more time passed by, and misunderstood the boot-licking by West's designated Russia "elites"--primarily marginalized and perverted "kreakliat" and de facto organized crime business "leaders" who emerged in 1990s as main beneficiaries of neo-liberal robbing of Russia--for the majority of Russians. But I wrote about the West's ignorance for so many years that there is no necessity to repeat it. 

One trick is always the same--color revolution through promotion of "democracy". That is it. When faced with the opposition which can kick West's ass--Russia can do more than that, she can wipe the combined West off the map of the world--this lone trick of destabilizing countries around Russia stops working. As--also on record for years, decades now--specifically US geopolitical "academe" and institutions--are not just ignorant, increasingly there is a serious question about their professional adequacy--enough to take a look at the "stellar" performances of the US Armed Forces in the last 20 years to see that the failure stopped being a bug but became a feature. Same goes to US "intel" services and, in the end, to political authority which is even more ignorant and confused. Did I mention the US "diplomacy"?  

And here is the framework--combined West is in Zeitnot, using chess term. It was in it for a while and the situation is aggravated with Zugzwang, which is even more exacerbated by the lack of resources and systemic crisis. So, half-cooked "rebellion" in Kazakhstan goes-off and will now be suppressed and I am sure ODKB (well, Russia) will make sure that the role of say MI-6, a professional Islamic terrorist support organization, will be exposed. As I stated on many occasions, Russia's ultimatum to NATO is just THAT--ultimatum, however padded with diplomatic rhetoric, for now, and Russia is in no mood anymore to waste time and effort on talking to ignorant exceptionalist morons infesting foreign policy orgs in the US and Europe and the knee-jerk "reaction" in Kazakhstan is a perfect indicator of a panic in West's political top. No, really--what do you think, they know how to deal with severe economic, energy, technological and military crises? Seriously? Have you read all this doctrine-mongering BS from all those Atlantic Councils, RANDs and other collections of puny excuse for Western "intellect", lately? All of it is sophomoric at best, at worst--utterly laughable in their economic and military ignorance. 

And so we are here: now with Kazakhstan. First Il-76s are already in Kazakhstan.

Please, explain someone to MI-6 people that Russia has a massive Military-Transport Aviation force (including largest transport planes in the world AN-124) and can deploy a whole of paratroop division (with equipment) in less than 24 hours anywhere in Middle Asia. You can read about the scale of training of the air mobility by Russian Army here, on the example of Zapad maneuvers. Which also tells us about West's obsolete view on the warfare and it is obsolete--I wrote a book on that. So many things to wrap their neocon pea-size brains around. Remarkably, they still do not understand that whatever they do today against Russia, following Bernhard's title:

The U.S. Directed Rebellion in Kazakhstan May Well Strengthen Russia

It certainly gives a massive boost to the legitimacy of ODKB-CSTO and that is already having massive geopolitical integrationist ramifications for former Soviet Union and Eurasian countries who begin to get this funny idea, which also scares the shit out Washington and London politicos, that unlike US "democracy" Russia's security guarantees mean calm, political stability and, in the end, economic prosperity. We, again, as was the case with Syria begin to observe this process in real time. 

In related news (thanks to my dear friend who pointed it out to me). 

The German government said Monday that it considers nuclear energy dangerous and objects to European Union proposals that would let the technology remain part of the bloc's plans for a climate-friendly future. Germany is on course to switch off its remaining three nuclear power plants at the end of this year and phase out coal by 2030, whereas its neighbor France aims to modernize existing reactors and build new ones to meet its future energy needs. Berlin plans to rely heavily on natural gas until it can be replaced by non-polluting sources for energy.

So, as you can see--you cannot reason with these people and Russia has a full grasp of this issue. You don't negotiate with insane, you tame them.

So, Kremlin Confirms.

Pashinyan's statement (Armenia is a current chair of ODKB-CSTO) is now repeated on Kremlin's site:

В связи с обращением Президента Республики Казахстан К.-Ж.К.Токаева и ввиду угрозы национальной безопасности и суверенитету Республики Казахстан, вызванной, в том числе, вмешательством извне, Совет коллективной безопасности ОДКБ в соответствии со статьей 4 Договора о коллективной безопасности принял решение направить Коллективные миротворческие силы ОДКБ в Республику Казахстан на ограниченный по времени период с целью стабилизации и нормализации обстановки в этой стране.

Никол Пашинян

Председатель Совета коллективной безопасности ОДКБ,

Премьер-министр Республики Армения

Translation:  In connection with the appeal of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.-Zh.K. Tokayev and in view of the threat to national security and the sovereignty of the Republic of Kazakhstan caused, inter alia, by outside interference, the CSTO Collective Security Council, in accordance with Article 4 of the Collective Security Treaty, decided to send Collective peacekeeping forces of the CSTO in the Republic of Kazakhstan for a limited period of time in order to stabilize and normalize the situation in this country. Nikol Pashinyan Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. 

Rumor has it that the forces will be from Belarus and Russia. If so, Russia has her fast reaction forces build around several paratroop brigades and divisions, and if I would have been an MI-6 agent I would try to get the hell out of there before those forces and intel and signint units attached to them get there, because after that that would be problematic because the whole organization and plot will be outed and many people will be interrogated not in Astana (or Nur-Sultan) but in Moscow and that will change the perspective completely. 

I Am Still Recovering.

But I post here this video of mine simultaneously with its appearing on Patreon (usually I post for patrons first and later for everyone). This time, since it has been few days when I was silent, I just remind everyone that I am still alive and here is the proof))

Some on the run comments re: current situations. I always laugh--they thought that once they got their independence they will live better. Boy, talk about delusion, but luckily for them Russia wants to be independent from them back.

There Is Very Little Intelligence In House Intelligence Committee.

Especially when we are talking about its chair Adam Schiff who in normal country would have been removed and prosecuted for his role in Russiagate. I know, I know, he is still hard at work trying to finish his "investigation" into Russia "subverting" US democracy. 

Russia is “very likely” to invade Ukraine and might only be deterred by “enormous sanctions”, the chair of the US House intelligence committee said on Sunday. Adam Schiff also said an invasion could backfire on Moscow, by drawing more countries into the NATO military alliance. “I also think that a powerful deterrent is the understanding that if they do invade, it is going to bring NATO closer to Russia, not push it farther away,” he said.

It is obvious by now that US politicking is conducted only in PR space and for the "benefit" of the gullible public, especially when dealing with foreign relations, but in case of Adam Schiff there is no denial that his only claim to anything related to "intelligence" is his persecution of some FBI guy, or, following famous layman's analogy--he understands music because his father was a piano mover. In other words, apart from useless degree in political "science" and him, more useful, being a lawyer, Adam Schiff wouldn't know the difference between, as I often say, LGBT and BTG. So, at this stage he is nothing more than a purveyor of the rumors and a peddler of utter strategic and operational BS for the benefit of a larger agenda rooted in partizan politics in D.C. and which has no relation to the actual national interest of the United States nor the majority of the Americans. 

In other words, apart from being a person of a lowest moral character, a fanatical neocon, he is also a pathological liar, which factors greatly in his "character". While Schiff's traits are the dominant traits of America's elites as a whole and I am on record that many of those people are sociopaths and some are outright psychopaths. So, this creature now "expects" Russia "invading" Ukraine. Under the "very likely" (rings the bell?) term it means that, if to assume that he, indeed, conveys some rumors percolating inside the US "intelligence community",  I have to admit that there is very little intelligence in this community. Judging by the "stellar" results of actions of this "community" ranging from Iraq, to Afghanistan to Syria, among many other places, one has to start questioning not just competence, of which is very little there, but sanity of people who continue to destroy the country. Adam Schiff is an Exhibit A of a complete degeneration in human and professional terms of the American political class.

But in the end, the United States is so desperate to both unload 404 on Russia and use any pretext to unleash "sanction of death", which for Russia will be nothing more than temporary inconvenience at the worst, that any means are used to make Russia invade the territory Russia has no use for nor desire to take on her balance. At least not now, or in a foreseeable future. In related news:

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is hoping to turn a page in relations with Moscow, and expects to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by the end of the month, according to a report from Berlin's top tabloid. On Monday, Bild claimed that Scholz sees relations with Moscow as a top-tier foreign affairs priority in spite of calls from some members of his governing coalition for a more confrontational approach to Russia. The newspaper said that the 63-year-old is aiming for a "qualified fresh start." However, Berlin has officially yet to confirm any top-level meeting of this type, with the German Embassy in Moscow also unable to verify the report. What is known, however, is that the chancellor’s foreign policy adviser will meet his Russian and French counterparts this week. Scholz’s reported attempts at a new détente with Moscow may prove unpopular with his coalition partners, particularly the Green party, which is strongly pro-US/NATO and hostile to Russia. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economy Minister Robert Habeck are known to want Berlin to adopt a more hardline anti-Russian stance.

My personal opinion is that the new Germany's government is nonfunctional from the outset and some people in it are downright insane and utterly incompetent, but that is the trend across the whole combined West and it is very pronounced. 

P.S. I am currently sick as a dog, initial thought was that it is Covid, but my daughter tested negative twice. I think it is a very nasty cold and today I felt slightly better to type this post. 

Let's Try Q & A And Whatever Else Sticky Post

Here is the post which I will try to keep sticky for people to ask questions and share their thoughts which are not on topic. This, I think is known as Open Thread. Fire away.