Some Very Good Points From Larry...

Although Popov's "story" is rather murky, it is ever big mouth Gurulev who should be looked at as a conduit for this "story", but Larry makes great point:

When it comes to the war in Ukraine, it appears that Russia enjoys a massive advantage in maskirovka because NATO lacks a coherent strategy and is under enormous pressure to pander to domestic politics. Then there is social media and the internet. It is a powerful means of shaping public opinion and confusing intelligence analysts. Western fixation on Prigozhin and the Wagner Group is a prime example. Americans and Europeans have been bombarded with stories and videos about the latest antics of Wagner. So answer this question — where is the rest of the Russian Army? The Western media rarely reports on the activities and status of the rest of the Russian Army except when a commander, like General Popov, is removed from command. What is odd about the Popov story is that he has been sent to lead Russia’s military operations in Syria rather than being cashiered. Maskirovka? Perhaps.

While Prigozhin's mutiny was a real deal, albeit barely registering on Russia's constant 24/7 planning, one has to keep in mind that this unhealthy fixation of Western media on this shyster is to a large degree driven by Western media lack of any understanding of modern Russia and modern War. Wagner has been disarmed with most of heavy weaponry and ammo, a lot of it never used in battle, returned to MoD and Western pundits including many of those from Pentagon still don't get it--Wagner is merely a storm troops group which is absolutely not designed for fighting combined arms operations. Reality of Bakhmut is a dramatic demonstration of that, with Wagner's casualties being extremely high, and if not for interference from Russian Army who covered Wagner's flanks and provided the rest of support ranging from ISR, CAS and, not least, including attaching a number of VDV units to it, the result of Wagner's Bakhmut adventure could have been a disaster, both for them and the front. 

Western pundits' masturbation to Prigozhin and Wagner also exposes their (and their owners) visceral hatred for Russians in general and Putin in particular. So much so that they are ready to believe any kind of BS grasping for the last straw in what has already shaped itself as a strategic defeat for NATO. I read today some excerpts (I do not have time to consume that much BS) from British SIS (MI6) big honcho Richard Moore. Good God, with bosses like this who needs the enemies such as SVR or FSB, they are delusional (and desperate--that's classic doublethink and it is double plus good) there to such a degree, not to mention being incompetent in forecasting, that the only thing which is left is to go and reread great English literature of the Victorian times when intellect and wit have been applauded around the world, and one couldn't remove oneself from consuming adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Well, they said the sun will never set on the Empire. Look at them now. Read Larry's excellent piece on his blog.  

Why Karaganov Wrote This...

... shit? 

Sergey Karaganov: By using its nuclear weapons, Russia could save humanity from a global catastrophe. A tough but necessary decision would likely force the West to back off, enabling an earlier end to the Ukraine crisis and preventing it from expanding to other states 

I want to immediately point out that most people who reacted to Karaganov's amateurish BS, be that "Colonel" Trenin, Fyodor Lukyanov, other Valdai boys, who continue to discuss mental excrement by shyster from geopolitics, have absolute zero knowledge about nuclear weapons, system of command and control of nuclear deterrent, technological issues related to use of nuclear weapons. None, it is down right risible when colonel with philological degree or a "thinker" with degree in "journalism" begin to wax "strategic" on things they have no clue about. Like this "profound" conclusion by the guy who wouldn't know the difference between shit and shinola.

Sergey Karaganov’s article, arguing that “the use of nuclear weapons could save humanity from global catastrophe” has provoked a strong reaction. This was probably the author’s intention.

Karaganov, like Lukyanov, knows nothing about ANY weapons, let alone nuclear ones, and none of them are qualified to utter anything on the issue of warfare, be that pro or contra, because they are fucking amateurs with degrees and skills donkeys can obtain after a few years of taming. 

Karaganov's piece and the "discussion" by media amateurs at this moment is in direct contradiction to yesterday's Sergei Lavrov's de facto statement of principles of Russian nuclear doctrine and rejection of US and 404 speculation on... what Karaganov calls for...

Johnny Rotten, thank you for translating it. Moreover, the whole thing comes across as pure provocation in the moment when country just went through a dangerous period. I am on record--it is time to remove all kinds of political "scientists", journos and other "soft degrees" BSers from serious geopolitical debate and power balance politics because none of them is qualified to pass any judgement on a critical component on power balance--they simply have NO education for that, period. BTW, where is Margarita Simonyan who spends so much time on all kinds of TV shows by the same ignoramuses as she is--last few days she simply evaporated from the TV screens and social media. I wonder why? 

And now who doubted (I will name names) two days ago:

US backs coup attempts whenever it can benefit – Lavrov

FSB is looking into this matter, but Vladimir Putin stated this clearly an hour ago:

“They [the West and Ukraine] wanted Russian soldiers to kill each other, so that soldiers and civilians would die, so that in the end Russia would lose, and our society would break apart and choke on bloody civil strife,” the president said. “They rubbed their hands, dreaming of getting revenge for their failures at the front and during the so-called counteroffensive, but they miscalculated.”

Wagner is kaput. The rest is history. Those who will decide to join Prigozhin (for now) in Belarus will live their remaining (not very long) lives in fear. When their end comes, they will know why and by who.

Putin Verbatim:

In English:

All who consciously stick to the way of treason will receive imminent punishment, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his address to the nation. He added that the country’s armed forces have been given all necessary orders.

Main reason for treason? "Prigozhin's unrestrained ambition." I am sure there will be many questions for Alekseev.  

A Short Note.

I am under some COVID thingy. My whole family got it but already recovered while I, as usual, was the last man standing and I finally got that shit too. But it is not really that heavy, just overall malaise and coughing. I, actually, pray to Our Father, which art in heaven, that it is COVID, not the fvcking bronchitis, which I had about 5 years ago. That stuff is nasty, because you cannot sleep because of the non-stop exhausting cough, even with a max strength prescription drugs. Other than that, it is nothing special, just traditional mild cold/flu.  I did a morning interview with famous Russian Podcast today together with the Colonel of Central Apparatus of Russian MoD Vladimir Trukhan and our gracious host Polit Wera. Those who want to suffer from Russian language and words' play, here is the path to linguistic hell in Russian. Wera decided to do it on RuTube this time. I am coughing already there, a lot. 

While I recover, it is my second day, Larry Johnson wrote an excellent piece on timing and the timeline of SMO--a precise subject we discussed today.  

A common theme marshaled to “prove” that Russia is failing in its war with Ukraine is that Russia failed to quickly take Kiev and, in fact, was forced to retreat from Kiev. In addition, the military analysts that populate the cable news channels in the United States insist that the Russians are bogged down and not making the rapid progress they (the Russians) expected. This is nonsense. I defy anyone to show me one statement by Putin or the Russian General Staff where a specific timeline was established or identified. This is a construct of western military analysts who do not have access to Russia’s military plan and are projecting their own wishful thinking as “evidence” of a flailing Russian military. But it is not only western military analysts sounding the Debbie downer dirge. A blogger popular with many Russia watchers, Strelkov, also is pushing the narrative that Russia is bogged down in the Donbas. More about Stelkov in a moment.

Larry hits the nail here on the head regarding Girkin-Strelkov. This specimen was always out of his depth, having zero military academic background, not to speak of his absolutely risible lack of any understanding of the conflict. You would expect this from such a "colonel" who mostly spent his military life as a volunteer in low intensity conflicts primarily on NCO level positions. How he "defended" Slovyansk in 2014 everybody saw and that is why he spent three days naked in Donetsk prison, awaiting execution, and only interference from Alexandr Borodai saved his sorry ass. But then again, I am on record that I do not look kindly, albeit do not completely forbid, at references to such Girkin's enablers as "Colonel" Cassad (Boris Rizhin). Cassad is in all this primarily, for all his commendable humanitarian activity, for money, same as Podolyaka and many others, including Girkin who is still butt-hurt that every single political party in Russia, from UR to CPRF refused even to talk about his aspirations to run on ANY platform as long as it gets him to State Duma. So, he is a classical sore loser and that what defines his "activity". 

So enjoy Larry's excellent write up and look, they DO exist, after all: 

Lol, this is in Popasnaya just recently. 

As you can see yourself, Russia is done with Azov Steel and Russian forces will complete "corking" Nazis there for good. 

This is today. BTW, John "the sentimental one" Kirby today vehemently denied the rumors spread by NY sewer, aka New York Times, that the US provides "targeting against Russian top brass in Ukraine". I happen to agree with him on that and not because of a benevolent nature of Pentagon but because Russia can easily respond in kind, because Russia is the only OTHER country, apart from the US, in the world which has a very developed ISR system, from space to ground assets, and it is not that difficult to develop targeting. Neither Pentagon nor Russian MoD want this type of the war of the assassins. So, just let leave it at that.