Some Sunday Business.

Needless to say, that massive missile strikes by Russia continue all over 404 and there are reports of massive explosions and power outages in Nikolaev and other places, plus Kiev remains to be targeted. And, as was expected, all VSU attempts to perform "offensives" have been repelled with massive losses for VSU, including at Kremennaya and Svatovo (in Russian), but NATO--let's drop the pretense here--will try to throw as much cannon fodder at Russian formations as possible because they need something, like "breakthrough" in some sectors, because the Midterms are coming and Russians are amassing troops for obvious things. Time is running out. 

So, there are signs that the realization of grim reality begins to descend on Washington D.C.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signaled this week that the U.S. and its Western allies are having trouble keeping pace with Ukraine’s demand for the advanced weaponry it needs to fend off Russia’s invasion. That signal reflects dwindling supplies for Ukraine and fear in the White House of escalation that could lead to war between the U.S. and Russia. The risk of reduced U.S. stockpiles of high-end munitions has been reported almost since the U.S. began contributing to Ukraine’s defense. Now, nearly eight months since the start of the war, experts interviewed by Fox News Digital say the U.S. is at or very near the end of its capacity to give. They agreed that Austin’s remarks indicate that the initial rush of high-end munitions like HIMAR rocket launchers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft Stingers and M-777 Howitzers is over. These sources said there may be two factors at play that are contributing to this reality.

I was on record for years--pardon me for my pleasure in reminding everyone--that NATO cannot fight a real war with the peer. Russia is not just the peer, Russia fields combat capabilities many of which are simply non-existent anywhere in NATO (US, of course, included). This becomes increasingly obvious both through operational and strategic incompetence of NATO planners and through admissions of such nature as by Austin or, if you read further, by:

Mark Cancian is a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic & International Studies who spent seven years working on DOD procurement issues for the Office of Management and Budget. His assessment based on inventory levels, industrial capacity, and information from the Biden administration is that the U.S. has "limited" supplies of HIMARs, Javelins, Stingers and M-777 Howitzers. "There are some areas where we’re basically at the bottom of the barrel," he told Fox News Digital. In some cases, this means the U.S. will likely start meeting Ukraine’s request for weaponry by sending over lower-end substitutions, such as lighter Howitzers that are serviceable but not what Ukraine is after. In other cases, the U.S. may not have much to give – Cancian said that while there is talk of the U.S. providing more air defense equipment, there is not much the U.S. can give in that area. Cancian said he reads Austin comments as a sign that the days of the U.S. giving Ukraine its best stuff are gone.

And don't tell me that I didn't warn about it. A remarkable change of tone from neocons and Kremlin is also an indication that the jokes are over. First, the neocons' neocon and a professional falsifier of history Anne Applebaum delivered a hilarious statement:

МОСКВА, 16 окт — РИА Новости. Запад не представляет последствия победы Украины в конфликте с Россией и потому не желает подобного исхода, заявила американо-британская журналистка Энн Эпплбаум на саммите PGS22 в Германии. Видео с мероприятия опубликовал ютьюб-канал аналитического центра Progressive Zentrum."Я нахожусь в Германии уже пару дней, и это правда, что вопрос о танках продолжает возникать. И я спрашивала себя, почему их не доставляют", — начала она.По мнению Эпплбаум, причина кроется в разочаровании из-за того, что на Западе не знают, как будет выглядеть победа Украины.  Причем это чувство не уникально для Германии, его испытывают и в США и других странах. Журналистка задалась вопросом, хочет ли Запад победы Украины и готов ли к такому исходу и его последствиям. "Как это изменит Европу, как это изменит Россию, как это изменит расстановку сил? Я полагаю, что ситуация с танками связана именно с этим", — резюмировала Эпплбаум.

Translation: MOSCOW, October 16 - RIA Novosti. The West does not understand the consequences of Ukraine's victory in the conflict with Russia and therefore does not want such an outcome, US-British journalist Ann Applebaum said at the PGS22 summit in Germany. A video from the event was published by the YouTube channel of the analytical center Progressive Zentrum. "I've been in Germany for a couple of days, and it's true that the issue of tanks continues to arise. And I asked myself why they are not being delivered," she began.According to Applebaum , the reason lies in disappointment due to the fact that the West does not know what a Ukrainian victory will look like. And this feeling is not unique to Germany, it is experienced in the US and other countries. The journalist wondered if the West wants the victory of Ukraine and is ready for such an outcome and its consequences. “How will it change Europe, how will it change Russia, how will it change the balance of power? I believe that the situation with tanks is connected precisely with this,” Applebaum concluded.

LOL! You see, that's what happens when you have no serious education and spent all your life writing bullshit on subjects her and her circle (neocons) have no clue about. You know--real war, real economy, real geopolitics etc. Meanwhile Peskov was on record today when he stated that NATO is directly involved in 404 and that NATO's aid complicates situation for Russia (since the whole NATO potential is behind this war), but he also stressed that it doesn't change the outcome and SMO's aims will be achieved (in Russian). Meanwhile, first combat aviation and units of the around 9,000 Russian servicemen begin to pour into Belarus to prop up a new combined arms grouping in Belarus (in Russian) just in case, wink, wink. The core of this grouping will still be Armed Forces of Belarus but, but who knows what those Iskanders, SU-35s, etc. are being transported there for. Nah, I am screwing with you. It is both to stabilize Belarus and deter all kinds of mentally inadequate people from some NATO countries and, of course, to apply a "slight" pressure to the North of 404. That is why this Regional Grouping of Troops (RGV) is being created. 

So, all in all, some interesting developments and do not forget WHY referenda have been held--this is precisely why, to form new military district and accumulate forces for the drive along the shores of the Black Sea. But as I constantly stress--do not quote me on that, Russian General Staff thinks on a different plane and we may be up for some surprises. But this fast review may give you some glimpse into the "thinking" by NATO planners who need something, anything to show for their failed "offensives" and to somehow spin (to cover up, that is) an atrocious record of the US-made weaponry (plus from other lapdogs) in real combat conditions. There will be a talk about well documented utter failure of the US AGM-88 HARM missiles against Russian Air Defense, but we need to be patient and wait for the conclusion of the active part of SMO and with anti-terrorist operations by FSB and MVD coming at the forefront of this war. In the end, terrorism is the only type of war combined West excels at. Here is your primer for Sunday.