Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

If West Virginia and San Francisco had a love child.

There’s always a light at the end of the frog.

“Why isn’t this Snickers bar only a nickel?”

Every day Vance writes another chapter in the book called “Worst VP Pick Ever”.

Bogus polls are all they’ve got left. Let’s bury these fuckers at the polls a year from now.

It’s not hopeless, and we’re not helpless.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

I’m sure you banged some questionable people yourself. We’re allowed to grow past that.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

Boeing: repeatedly making the case for high speed rail.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

I’m more Christian than these people and I’m an atheist.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

Relentless negativity is not a sign that you are more realistic.

The Supreme Court is corrupt. Democrats must win in November and force court reform.

I desperately hope that, yet again, I am wrong.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

Not all heroes wear capes.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

Speaker Mike Johnson is a vile traitor to the House and the Constitution.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

ha ha ha! Nice try weird people.

The current Supreme Court is a rogue court. Very dangerous.

You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / War for Ukraine Day 750: Russia Takes Another Shot at Sumy and Kharkiv

War for Ukraine Day 750: Russia Takes Another Shot at Sumy and Kharkiv

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Screen shot of new artwork by NEIVANMADE. The background is black. In the bottom foreground are grey Ukrainian homes and apartment buildings being bombarded by red Russian missiles with the Special Military Operation "Z" symbol on them. Above the missiles, written in red is the word "Ruzzians". Below the buildings being attacked is the statement "Turns Homes Into Graves".

(Image by NEIVANMADE)

Russia targeted Sumy again today, as well as Kharkiv.

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.

Each day we are amassing more and more of the much needed strength, long-range strength – address by the President of Ukraine

14 March 2024 – 21:30

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

Today is one of those days when we are especially grateful to all our people who have chosen the path of defending Ukraine and our independence. Those who are fighting at the front, those who are working for defense, and thanks to whom Ukraine lives and achieves its goals. Moreover, it clearly and effectively brings this war back home to Russia, where the true cost of war must be felt. Today, on Ukrainian Volunteer Day, it is important to remember the bravery and dedication of all those who became defenders of Ukraine in 2014, who withstood the confrontation of that time, who preserved Ukraine in 2022 and who are now preserving and strengthening our positions and our entire state. Everyone who directs their will to protect the entire nation makes themselves a part of the great history of Ukraine, a nation and a state that will never disappear and will always be able to inspire the world from now on. I am proud of all our people who are fighting for Ukraine’s opportunity to live normally and freely. I thank each and every one of them. Today, I honored our warriors with awards – orders, the title of Hero of Ukraine, and the medal “For Military Service to Ukraine”. As of today, a total of 73,750 Ukrainians have been honored with state awards. Of course, this is only a part of the heroism of our people. Today, I had the opportunity to express gratitude to our defense industry workers – the people who have dedicated their lives to Ukrainian strength, who manufacture our weapons, which show results on the battlefield, at sea, and in air strikes on Russia’s war machine. I thank them for Ukrainian artillery shells, cannons, drones, for our missiles and electronic warfare systems. For everything that helps our warriors fight and saves Ukraine’s life and the lives of Ukrainians. We will have more weapons, shells, drones, and EW systems. Today, I met workers from one of our defense facilities. We do not talk about it officially. And now, during wartime, we cannot openly demonstrate our capabilities. We will, of course, openly express our gratitude after the war. These are the people who have found a way to significantly strengthen our country. And each day we are amassing more and more of this strength. The strength we need so much. The long-range strength.

One more thing.

Today I spoke with the German Chancellor. It was a very substantive and quite long conversation. I thanked Olaf for the assistance that Germany provides to our country. It is a multifaceted assistance. We coordinated our positions ahead of the trilateral meeting between Germany, France and Poland. Obviously, the meeting will be largely about Ukraine – about our common strength. We also discussed with Mr. Chancellor Scholz further joint work in the defense sector: the assistance that is needed and joint production of weapons – both at the state level and at the level of companies. Of course, we also talked about the European Union – our work to ensure that negotiations on Ukraine’s full accession begin as soon as possible. We are not losing a single day.

I thank everyone who is with Ukraine and in Ukraine!

Glory to our people!

Glory to Ukraine!

Today is Ukrainian Volunteer Day.

We congratulate our brave warriors on Ukrainian Volunteer Day!

The willingness of Ukrainian men and women to voluntarily come to Ukraine’s defense was the decisive factor in withstanding the enemy’s onslaught.
We will stand and win.
Thank you for your service!
Glory to Ukraine 🇺🇦

The EU:

France:

Here’s the full interview. I’ve got the closed captioning on and set to English.

Emmanuel Macron is just kicking ass tonight.

Some of his words for the French TV:

“If Ukraine falls, our security will be at risk. If Russia continues to escalate, if the situation worsens, we must be ready, and we will be ready. To be prepared, we will make the necessary decisions to ensure that Russia never wins.”

“I want our compatriots to understand that there is only one person responsible for the situation we are in: it is the Kremlin regime. I am undoubtedly a responsible leader who has spoken with Vladimir Putin more than anyone else. We are not in fiction, this is not a novel or a TV series.”

“Therefore, if the war spreads, if the war spreads in Europe, it will be the only choice and responsibility of Russia. Of course, today Russia is an opponent. The Kremlin regime is an opponent. I have always said this, we are not waging war with Russia and the Russian people.

“And we support Ukraine. I will tell you very simply: there will be no lasting peace without sovereignty, a return to internationally recognized borders of Ukraine, including Crimea.”

“Today, for there to be peace in Ukraine, we must not be weak, so we must soberly look at the situation and with determination, will, and courage say that we are ready to achieve our goal by the means that ensure Russia will not win. The responsibility lies with us.”

“If Russia wins, how will the lives of the French change? We will no longer have security in Europe. Who could think for a second that President Putin, who has respected none of these restrictions and none of his commitments, would stop at what has been achieved? The security of the French is at stake. These are our vital interests.”

We have helped Ukraine to resist. But now the context on Ukrainian soil is changing. For them, the situation is much more complicated. Russia is becoming tougher internally and is stepping up its attacks.

“What is at stake in Ukraine? A war that is existential for our Europe and for France. We have introduced too many restrictions, so to speak, into our vocabulary. We are not participating in the escalation. We are not in a state of war with Russia.

We just need to be clear: we must not allow Russia to win.”

What can I say — finally the words of a real European leader.

Sweden:

Washington DC:

Politico has reported that Speaker Johnson has a plan for a stand alone Ukraine supplemental.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, West Virginia — Speaker Mike Johnson told POLITICO that he expects to pass a future Ukraine assistance bill with Democratic votes, an acknowledgment of the persistent resistance to any new aid within the GOP.

Johnson said in a Thursday interview at the House Republican retreat that aid to both Ukraine and Israel could come up as one or even two separate bills. He said he anticipates it would happen using the House’s suspension calendar, which he’s used often in recent days to overcome pushback from his own party.

“I think it is a stand-alone, and I suspect it will need to be on suspension,” Johnson said of foreign assistance.

The Louisiana Republican added in clear terms that he sees no path to attaching the foreign aid to a larger spending bill to keep the government open.

The suspension calendar requires a two-thirds majority to approve legislation on the House floor — meaning Johnson would need a substantial number of Democratic votes. He has taken that approach with many contentious measures so far in his speakership.

He added in the interview that splitting Ukraine and Israel aid into two separate bills was “under consideration.”

The speaker’s remarks are the most definitive he has made so far on his plans for tens of billions of dollars in foreign aid that has languished in Congress for many weeks, even after the Senate cleared its own bipartisan package last month. They represent the clearest move Johnson has made to commit to a floor vote on Ukraine aid, despite significant disinterest in his own party in any new funding for Kyiv’s efforts against Russia.

Johnson has publicly stated that the House would turn to foreign aid after a government funding plan that’s expected to come to the floor of both chambers of Congress next week, with a partial shutdown deadline looming on March 22. While the political challenges of passing that funding bill have sparked questions about attaching foreign aid to a spending bill, he ruled out the idea.

“I don’t think leaders of either side of the aisle think that’s a viable option,” Johnson said in the interview.

He’ll certainly need to consult with Democrats to have any hope of passing foreign aid on the suspensions calendar, which GOP leaders have used for multiple high-stakes bills that would otherwise have failed to get the near-unanimous Republican support needed to pass along party lines. A spokesperson for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries did not immediately return a request for comment on the speaker’s remarks.

Johnson also projected optimism that lawmakers would be able to put to bed a six-month ordeal of avoiding a government shutdown. He said he didn’t expect that Congress would need another short-term spending patch, looking ahead to a release of that funding plan — including critical cash for the Pentagon — over the weekend.

CNN first reported that Johnson was weighing a stand-alone Israel aid bill. The House has already passed an Israel aid bill paired with IRS cuts that made it a non-starter in the Senate.

The speaker’s comments about foreign aid come as the Biden administration and other officials warn Ukraine is running out of ammunition in its fight against Russia. Taking up any aid bill in the House, however, would hand political weaponry to Johnson’s conservative critics, some of whom have warned that he could face a forced ouster vote if he moves forward on it.

More at the link, but it mostly deals with Johnson’s future as Speaker of GOP House Leader.

Moscow, which views Speaker Johnson and his majority caucus as useful idiots:

So, Putin’s cartoonish Dr. Evil, aka Russia’s security council deputy chairman, and Putin’s party chairman, Dmitriy Medvedev, rolled out the Kremlin’s real “terms of peace” on Ukraine & the West.

I don’t even have to say anything.

Below is your answer to all that ‘WHY CAN’T UKRAINE JUST NEGOTIATE PEACE???’ chanting promoted by the Kremlin’s useful idiots.

I specifically love the parts where the ‘so-called former Ukraine’ must unconditionally surrender and pay reparations (!) to Russia and then ‘officially’ dissolve itself as a nation under a collaborationist ‘provisional parliament’ that will have to proclaim the entire territory as Russian territory — and with the UN having to ‘recognize’ all this.

Here we go:

“About the ‘peace formula’ of Kyiv’s Nazis, Swiss ‘peace conferences’, and the real basis for negotiations.

When I hear the phrase ‘Zelensky’s peace formula,’ I experience an overwhelming sense of disgust, quickly transitioning into a feeling of shame due to the bad surrealism of what is happening.

After all, everyone understands, including the brazen Western liars, that even in much simpler situations during war, peace can only be achieved either through the mutual will of the parties based on reasonable compromise or by the capitulation of one of the conflict’s sides.

There appears to be no will for negotiations from what is called the former Ukraine, at least based on the recognition of realities, as Vladimir Putin mentioned yesterday.

For them, the reality is the brain-twisting ‘peace formula’ of a provincial clown in green tights. And nothing else. This looks so artificial that the only solution is to construct your own, Russian formula, calm and quite realistic.

Humane for everyone.

What could it be? For example, this:

1. Recognition by the former ‘Ukraine’ of its defeat in the military component of the conflict. Full and unconditional surrender of f. ‘Ukraine’ in the person of the neo-Nazi clique in Kyiv. Demilitarization of former ‘Ukraine’ and prohibition on the creation of militarized formations on its territories in the future.

2. Recognition by the international community of the Nazi nature of the former Kyiv political regime and conducting UN-controlled compulsory denazification of all former ‘Ukraine’s’ government bodies.

3. UN acknowledgment of former ‘Ukraine’s’ loss of international legal capacity and the impossibility of its successors joining military alliances without Russia’s consent.

4. Resignation of all constitutional bodies of f. ‘Ukraine’ and immediate elections for a temporary parliament of the self-governing territory under the UN’s aegis of former ‘Ukraine.’

5. The temporary parliament’s enactment of laws regarding the payment of all due compensations to Russia, including payments to the relatives of deceased citizens of our country and payments for injuries to wounded individuals. Establishment of the procedure for compensating property damage inflicted on entities of the Russian Federation.

6. The temporary parliament of former Ukraine’s’ official recognition that its entire territory is the territory of the Russian Federation. Adoption of the act of reunification of the territories of former ‘Ukraine’ with Russia.
7. Dissolution of the temporary parliament. UN recognition of the act of reunification.

Such could be the soft Russian peace formula.

This is a compromise position, right? I believe it is precisely along these lines that a friendly consensus with the international community, including the Anglo-Saxon world, can be sought to conduct productive summits, counting on the mutual understanding of our close friends – Western partners.”

Yep, Nazi war criminals were also very sure of themselves and very brazen in their time — up until a moment a noose started gently touching their necks in Nuremberg.

Kreminna, Russian occupied Luhansk Oblast:

The Avdiivka front:

 

Belgorod and Kursk Oblasts:

Democratic forces issued a green corridor for residents of border areas of Belgorod and Kursk regions, and it seems that people have listened: civilians en masse leaving Graivoron towards Belgorod.

Russia dem. forces including RDK promised mass assault against communist military at 7am tomorrow when the green corridor expires.

Governor of Belgorod region closed all shopping centres in the city of Belgorod in light of the ongoing special military operation of the Russian democratic forces. He’s also encouraging people to avoid any non-essential travel.

Today is the 749th day of the 3-day operation to take Kyiv.

Here’s the machine translation of Sternenko’s tweet:

BNR, Spodaryushyno village. Occupants from the army of the Kremlin junta capture the rebels, raising a white flag. Geolocated by Cyberflour

If you’re just waking up and don’t understand what’s happening in Belgorod: around 6am local time there started shelling of the city and other settlements of the region. Meanwhile, imperial russian sources also tell about clashes against democratic Russian forces at the border. The extent of the clashes and the intentions of democratic forces is not fully clear but they’re unlikely to be entering any majors settlements. As of now though, reports of shelling continue coming through.

Now we watch and wait to see what happens in Belgorod and Kursk overnight and how Russia responds.

That’s enough for tonight.

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Open thread!

Reader Interactions

42Comments

  1. 1.

    hrprogressive

    I’m not sure I understand the stuff in Belgorod. Are those…Ukrainian attacks? Are they Anti-Putin Russian Attacks? Some grey zone in between?

  2. 2.

    japa21

    Sounds like somebody has taken Johnson aside and whispered in his ear.  The question is, are there roughly 80 Republicans willing to vote to support Ukraine?

     

    And Macron has shown how a person has to talk about Putin.  Maybe Scholz will take the hint.

  3. 3.

    TeezySkeezy

    @hrprogressive: OH good I’m not the only one puzzled by  how it sounds like a big deal except for it doesn’t seem like one to the people who understand this stuff so I guess it isn’t?

  4. 4.

    Adam L Silverman

    @hrprogressive: These are Russians who have formed a legion to fight on behalf of Ukraine and against Russia. One of them started out as basically a Russian neo-NAZI militia, but, seems to be moving away from that.

  6. 6.

    Adam L Silverman

    @TeezySkeezy: Right now it is a nuisance for the Russians. Basically a cross border raid by up armored Russian militia elements fighting on behalf of the Ukrainians.

  7. 7.

    Jay

    @hrprogressive:

    @TeezySkeezy:

    3 Russian Legions have invaded Belogrod Oblast, 2 days ago,

    OMON and Rosguardia (ruZZian Border Defense forces) ran away, with many unit’s complaining that their Commanders abandoned them.

    The 3 Legions were expecting a hard fight the first night of the Liberation of ruZZia, but so far, there has been no effective response by the ruZZians.

    Now the Legions target is Belogrod city itself, they sent out a warning to the population, (many are fleeing) and this afternoon, they started using heavy arty to blow up ruZZian bases and ammo dumps.

  10. 10.

    Jay

    @TeezySkeezy:

    ruZZia has a lot of Nazi’s.

    Like Azov and others in Ukraine, it seems that fighting under the Geneva Conventions for a democracy and civil society tends to moderate Nazi tendencies.

    OTOH, it seems that fighting for a fascist state with no rules of combat tends to inflame them.

    Of the other 2 Legions, one is pro Democracy/anti Imperialist from the get go,

    The other is Siberian, tired of ruZZia exploiting and genociding it’s regional minorities.

  11. 11.

    Another Scott

    @japa21: Johnson has said (yeah, I know, he’s said a lot of things) that there will be some sort of Ukraine bill after the budget stuff is done.

    March 22 is the final CR deadline for passing the remaining appropriations bills.  I’m sure there are many GQPers who are salivating at the prospect of those bills not being done in time (before May 1) and a Sequester taking effect. If another CR is needed, then it will be even clearer that the GQP wants Sequestration, no matter their protests to the contrary.

    If Johnson keeps being unable to get the budget done, then the Ukraine aid bill will keep getting pushed off as well.

    The GQPers floating maybe something different for Ukraine – LendLease, Loans, etc., etc., are intentionally wasting time and trying to gum up the works so that Biden won’t be able to campaign on saving Europe in the fall.  It’s all about very narrow political interests for them.

    McConnell actually has a sensible solution here.  TheHill.com:

    McConnell poured water on the idea of transforming Ukraine aid into a loan program.

    “The only way to get relief to the Ukrainians and the Israelis quickly is for the House to figure out how to pass the Senate bill. Anything that’s changed and sent back here … even the simplest thing can take a week in the Senate,” he said.

    “We don’t have time for all of this. We got a bill that got 70 votes in the Senate. Give the members of the House of Representatives an opportunity to vote on it. That’s the solution,” he argued.

    Stopped clock??

    tl;dr – Johnson and his compatriots are delaying things on purpose. Maybe a discharge petition will light a fire under him, but we cannot count on that.

    Slava Ukraini!!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  12. 12.

    hrprogressive

    Thanks to everyone who provided background. Doesn’t seem like something “worth celebrating” RE Belgorod, but it’s interesting at least that there are…shall we say non-state-affiliated Russians who seem to want to do damage to “Putin’s Russia”?

    I’m sure I’m oversimplifying it.

    RE Fascist Mike Johnson and an aid bill, I’m of the “I’ll believe it when I see it” camp, but if he basically passes it like all the other bills he’s passed where the Dems did the heavy lifting and he pieces together the bare minimum of less-fashy GOP to vote for it…sure, that’s a plausible path, at least.

    Hell, with his majority shrinking by the day it seems (See, Ken Buck and rumored “others”), he may well take a McConnell-esque move to try and retain what little semblance of the majority he has left to try and keep the gavel. If he can end-around the Ultra-Fash Caucus on other stuff, he can probably do it here too.

    Only question is if he / they really want to. I’ve maintained they really don’t, but maybe they believe there’s political calculus to be made by doing the less-palatable thing now and try and consolidate their own personal power later?

    IDFK anymore. I’m not feeling good about anything, anymore. I’ll acknowledge things as they come, I guess.

  13. 13.

    Nukular Biskits

    If Medvedev’s “peace plan” isn’t enough of a fucking wake-up call for the nihilists in the US House, then nothing ever will be.

    What gets me is the entire GOP was gung-ho for the use of US military force to kick Iraq out of Kuwait in 1990.  And I agreed w/ them then: The invasion of Kuwait called for an international response, although it goes beyond saying that oil had a lot to do with that.

    So … why aren’t they just as up in arms (pun intended) regarding the invasion of Ukraine?

    BTW, Adam, uNMCI is now up & running.

  14. 14.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Jay: The question is whether Greycloak will come to their aid before they reach Nargothrond. Sorry, I just checked the map and apparently I was looking at northeastern Middle Earth in the 1st Age. My bad!

  15. 15.

    Geminid

    @japa21: Mike Johnson’s pronouncements carry little weight because he is an exceptionally weak Speaker. He does not control the Rules Committee which has a key role in deciding what legislation makes it to the House floor, and in what form..

    When Nancy Pelosi decided something she had a Rules Committee stacked with loyalists to back her up.

    Not so Johnson. He inherited the 9 Committee members chosen by McCarthy, and McCarthy in turn had been forced to put three Freedom Caucus members- Roy (TX), Massie (KY) and Norman (NC)- on the Committee in order to get the requisite votes for Speaker.

    So now Johnson has a committeee with 9 Republicans who owe him nothing and 4 Democrats who owe him less than nothing.* His statements on the House’s future course of action are aspirational.

    * The 6 other Rules Committee Republicans are Cole, Chairman (OK), Burgess (TX), Reschenthaler (PA), Fishback (MN), Houchin (IN), and Langworthy (NY).

    The 4 Democrats are McGovern, Ranking Member (MA), Scanlon (PA), Neguse (CO), and Leger Fernandez (NM).

  17. 17.

    frosty

    @Geminid: Does a discharge petition bypass the Rules Committee and go straight to the floor?

    So many roadblocks. I have to give Nancy Smash even more credit.

  18. 18.

    TeezySkeezy

    @Nukular Biskits: Said right wing nihilists aren’t exactly fans of the whole European system, since it is an example of social welfare plus personal freedoms functioning without catastrophic system failure (granted that success is all in the context of US military spending and protection, but I digress). Many of them would probably enjoy seeing it fail against Putinism, just to prove social democracy a failure. So I am not sure how many of them will “wake up” to needing to act or will wake up to the fact they are getting what they want.

  20. 20.

    Adam L Silverman

    @frosty: Not going to happen. They’ve not been able to force a discharge petition the last several times they tried to do one.

  21. 21.

    Betty

    In the video Macron goes back to the various agreements Russia has violated to help explain why negotiations are not an option.

  23. 23.

    Jay

    @hrprogressive:

    Thanks to everyone who provided background. Doesn’t seem like something “worth celebrating” RE Belgorod, but it’s interesting at least that there are…shall we say non-state-affiliated Russians who seem to want to do damage to “Putin’s Russia”?

    I’m sure I’m oversimplifying it.

    This is the 3rd Raid by the Legion(s).

    When the re-invasion started, there was a Chechen militia of a few hundred, who had been irregulars fighting for Ukraine since Crimea, there were 0 Russian units.

    Now there are 3, organized in 3 BTG’s, 1500+ fighters with full kit and training.

    Each raid has returned with more gear and ammo than they left with, and more men. Their casualties have been, on these raids, light.

    the ruZZian’s have never been able to “trap” them or cut off their withdrawls.

  25. 25.

    teezyskeezy

    @Adam L Silverman: Yeah, suddenly the House has a freaking de facto filibuster, which is one more development that should be in the news everyday to educate people on the anti-democratic forces which are on the rise, instead of a princess’s photoshops or whatever is the current bullshit du jour.

  26. 26.

    wjca

    @Adam L Silverman: Not going to happen. They’ve not been able to force a discharge petition the last several times they tried to do one.

    Perhaps not.  But the past few years have seen any number of “never gonna happen” things actually happen in Washington.  So I’m inclined to a “never say never” position.

    Frankly, I care far less about how they get an aid bill passed than about it getting done.  Not putting all my eggs in the discharge petition basket.  But not writing it off either.

  27. 27.

    kindness

    Kevin Drumm has a post up saying Mike Johnson has said he intends to bring the Ukraine aid bill up.  It’s funny because I don’t see anyone else talking about it and you’d think they would be.

  28. 28.

    Geminid

    @frosty: I think a Discharge Petition bypasses the Rules Committee. We might find out for sure before too long.

    I don’t think the petition Dems cued up last May, to advance a Debt Ceiling bill, would have had to pass the Rules Committee. I bet there’s a lot of reporting out now about the process.

  31. 31.

    YY_Sima Qian

    OT: this revelation has been published in Reuters, in light of the latest Congressional+WH push to ban TikTok (or force a fire sale):

    Exclusive: Trump launched CIA covert influence operation against China

    By Joel Schectman and Christopher Bing
    March 14, 20246:06 PM GMT+8Updated 2 hours ago

    As stated in the article, such greyzone action/non-kinetic warfare among Great Powers go back to early Cold War, & probably as far back has the dawn of human civilization, nobody is innocent. Nevertheless, it is deeply worrying & dangerous for great powers to seek to sow instability in each other’s polities & actively undermine the legitimacies of each other’s governments. It can get highly escalatory, see Russian interference in the 2016 US elections, or ongoing support for nativist reactionaries (as well as parts of the fringe on the Left) in Western countries.

    Unless, of course, one wants to embrace a new Cold War & all that entails.

  33. 33.

    Gin & Tonic

    My one fervent wish for Dmitri Medvedev is that he draw his last breath in the same prison cell in The Hague where Slobodan Milosevič drew *his* last breath.

  34. 34.

    Gin & Tonic

    Interesting to note in Dmitri’s Tweets that in the span of three hours he switches from the russian “Belgorod” to the Ukrainian “Bilhorod.”

  38. 38.

    Bill Arnold

    Nice to see “Imperial regime troops”/”imperial russian sources”; those and similar language (e.g. “Russian Imperial forces”) flow well; they will also reliably irritate those who believe (in an unfalsifiable religious sense) that only the USA can be imperialist.

  39. 39.

    Anoniminous

    @Jay:

    3 BTG’s of 1500+ fighters is a bare minimum brigade sized force.   Any idea on their TOE?  Do they have anything beyond 120mm and 81mm mortars for fire support?

  40. 40.

    Carlo Graziani

    @Jay:

    (1) This is in no sense a Russian “resistance.” It is, very obviously, a Ukrainian-organized and supported op. The snowballing of forces is only in proportion to the resources that the Ukrainians are willing to divert to this effort in order to harrass the Russians behind their front lines.

    (2) We know of their success through their social media output. It is unwise to judge the military effectiveness of what is clearly an exercise in political/psyop fuckery on the basis of their media releases. Their propaganda effort is admirable, but please, we are not the intended audience. Let’s not take it too literally.

    (3) Whatever Wile E. Coyote may temporarily believe, gravity matters. To the extent that this represents a serious military effort, it is ultimately militarily doomed, because its survivability is coterminous with its ability not to be taken seriously by the Russian military. When they graduate from “nuisance” to “threat,” they will either be pushed out or be destroyed. This affair literally cannot play out in any other way. If it could, the Ukrainians would have already kicked the hapless Russians out of their own territory by now. I presume that this is what Adam is implying by his “Now we watch and wait to see.”

  41. 41.

    Jay

    @Anoniminous:

    Their TOE seems to be “attack ruZZian forces, destroy bases and logistics, don’t kill civilians”.

    Their fire support is a handful of BMP2’s, some 122mm and 155mm towed arty, a couple of 120mm Nona SPG’s, and a handful of T-64 “modernized” tanks, plus what ever the OMON and Rosguardia troops abandoned at their border posts.

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