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War for Ukraine Day 214: My Patron Stamps Arrived!

by Adam L Silverman| September 26, 202210:08 pm| 124 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

Well now that we’ve gotten the important news out of the way in the post’s title – my Patron stamps arrived today!!! – we can get on to the other stuff. For those wondering, I bought these from UKRPOSHTA’s official Amazon store.

Tonight’s post will be brief. I spent most of the day not observing Rosh HaShana, but doing pre-hurricane prep stuff. I’ll finish that tomorrow AM and tomorrow afternoon, once we get more accurate forecasts as the storm clears Cuba, gets into the gulf, and we’re within two days of the storm’s arrival, I’ll make the decision as to whether to stay put and ride it out or fall back to where I’ve lined up a place to evacuate to. My preference, of course, is to ride it out. But if tomorrow’s updated forecasts are showing a very high risk that the storm will suck the water out of Tampa Bay and then push it all back in creating a hurricane driven tsunami, I will be heading much farther inland. Nothing I can do about that now because the storm is still too far away and the forecasting/modeling is still too hazy. But I’m all set if I’m able to stay put and I’m all set if I have to get out.

One last point item before we move on: EVERYBODY LIGHTEN UP!!!!!!! The comment sections have been far too stressed out over the past several days. So let’s cut each other some slack.

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

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Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

I held another meeting of the Staff today. The main focus is on the operational situation on the frontline. We heard the report by the Commander-in-Chief, commanders, head of intelligence, Minister of Defense. We discussed the use of new weapons by the occupiers, in particular, Iranian drones.

We are constantly working to provide our warriors with weapons and ammunition. All active actions of the Ukrainian military must be synchronized with the use of high-precision weapons. This is one of the basic priorities.

The situation is particularly tough in the Donetsk region. We are doing everything to curb enemy activity. This is where our number one goal is right now, as Donbas is still the number one goal for the occupiers.

Despite the obvious senselessness of the war for Russia and the occupiers’ loss of initiative, the command of the Russian military still drives them to their death. Constant attempts of the Russian offensive in the Donetsk region will surely go down in the history of wars as one of the most cynical murders of one’s own soldiers. When we see this, when we see these offensives, we are once again convinced that the Russian mobilization is a frank attempt to give commanders on the ground a constant stream of “cannon fodder.” There is simply no other point in the Russian mobilization.

They felt that they will lose, and they are simply trying to delay this moment, to ensure at least some activity at the front, to replace the dead with at least someone with weapons in their hands.

Unfortunately, Russian society is not yet aware of all the brutality of the Russian government towards its own people. But we must do everything so that every citizen of Russia recognizes that his own state is depriving him of the most important thing – the right to life.

I spoke today with Mark Rutte, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands. In particular about the criminal mobilization that Russia is carrying out in the occupied territory, trying to throw our citizens to death under the Russian flag. We also talked about sham referenda – the world’s reaction to them and to any further steps taken by the occupiers will be tough.

I am thankful to the Prime Minister for his clear support and willingness to increase sanction pressure on Russia. We coordinated our steps in international organizations, discussed defense cooperation.

I held a meeting with the head of our Government, Denys Shmyhal. We summarized the results of our international activity in September, the results of contacts with partners.

No matter how difficult it is, the state fulfills all its social obligations. We are carrying out work as part of Fast Recovery, returning normal life to the territory liberated from the occupiers. We are taking the necessary steps in preparation for the winter period.

I took part in the launch of a special investment fund to support our Ukrainian entrepreneurs and export-oriented companies. The fund has already attracted 125 million dollars, and the amount will be doubled. The most esteemed Western funds, banks and institutions have invested in this fund, Horizon Capital Growth – that’s what it’s called.

I am grateful to everyone who prepared and implemented this investment project. And I believe that it can become a special signal for investors – a signal that it is possible and necessary to invest in the Ukrainian economy already now, as we are on the path to our victory.

An important political and diplomatic event took place in the Office today. A project on the establishment of a Special International Tribunal to punish Russia for the crime of aggression against our state was presented to the ambassadors of thirty states – our partners.

The difficulty of prosecuting Russia for this crime is that the existing international legal instruments are not enough. What is needed is a Special International Tribunal. And we are working on this project in great detail and meticulously. I have no doubt – the Tribunal will take place. Everyone who unleashed this criminal war against Ukraine and freedom in Europe will be brought to account.

I thank everyone who defends our country! Today I especially want to celebrate the warriors who are defending Ukraine now in the Donetsk region. Warriors of the 93rd separate mechanized brigade “Kholodnyi Yar” and the 10th separate mountain assault brigade – for heroic defense in the Bakhmut direction. And I also want to praise the warriors of the 80th airborne assault brigade for their decisive and competent actions during the liberation of our territory. Thank you guys!

A total of 2135 warriors of these three brigades have already been awarded state awards.

Eternal glory to all those who gain victory for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

Here is the British MOD’s assessment for today:

And here is their updated map for today:

Here is former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s most recent assessment of the situation in/near Lyman:

LYMAN/ 1930 UTC 26 SEP/ Russian sources report that UKR troops are in contact south of the Lyman rail complex. UKR units reported to have cut the O-0526 HWY at Zelena Dolyna and are pressing toward the O-0526 HWY east of Drobysheve. pic.twitter.com/34rqWaD4pj

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 26, 2022

For those interested:

The recent campaign to help heal Mykhailo Dianov, the Azovstal marine, was quite a success. And so many of you guys are so eager to keep donating.
I’m receiving donations on my PayPal account [email protected] pic.twitter.com/Ivh9iFSXME

— Illia Ponomarenko🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) September 26, 2022

I’ll focus on the Azovstal guys first. They need our help, many of them are dismembered, or their health condition is dire after months in Russian captivity. But this thing is infinite — many years after the war, we’ll be still having combat vets we must support. pic.twitter.com/mg6G5PSUNl

— Illia Ponomarenko🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) September 26, 2022

With Rosh HaShana and hurricane prep, I haven’t had a chance to read this yet:

🫡🫡🫡 pic.twitter.com/gGpsiwEWi3

— Illia Ponomarenko🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) September 26, 2022

But I’m looking forward to getting the chance to do so.

If you wonder what Ukrainians are discussing on social media these days, well, it's how to prepare for a Russian nuclear strike. Everything that's happening is so horrible that it feels surreal, yet it can still get worse and people are getting ready for it

— Olga Tokariuk (@olgatokariuk) September 26, 2022

The mobilization is going well:

NEW: Russians waiting at the border with Georgia in long lines of trucks and cars after Putin’s mobilization order, per a Sept 25 image.

More than 115,000 Russians have fled into Georgia since mobilization order last week. Lines formed more than 16km from border

📸:@Maxar pic.twitter.com/jqv3sgmH5P

— Jack Detsch (@JackDetsch) September 26, 2022

Looks like the 🇷🇺 mobilization is going very well… pic.twitter.com/82kjUKth6n

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) September 26, 2022

I’ve seen the reports that Putin is closing Russia’s borders; at least to those between 18 and 55 or so.

Speaking of potential draftees in Russia:

https://t.co/eyb8pxaqZW

— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) September 26, 2022

Once you buy a prize, it’s your’s to keep!

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

Breaking news! @carmenelectra follows me 😮 pic.twitter.com/EuI7fLB3IT

— Patron (@PatronDsns) September 26, 2022

And a new video from Patron’s official TikTok:

@patron__dsns

Ось так Том відкрив мені страшну таємницю… #песпатрон #патрондснс #славаукраїні

♬ оригинальный звук – _KataRina_💙

The caption translates as:

his is how Tom revealed a terrible secret to me… #PatronDog #PatronDSNS #SlavaUkraini

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 214: My Patron Stamps Arrived!Post + Comments (124)

Late Night Open Thread: Snippets From the ‘Incursion’

by Anne Laurie| September 26, 202212:44 am| 109 Comments

This post is in: Music, Open Threads, Russia, War in Ukraine

(John Deering via GoComic.com)

Rap is not my area, but this is actually kinda catchy:

Fuck Ze Greyt Rashen Kalchar, fuck Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy and ballet, but Oxxxymiron is a legit great rapper, the closest Russia has to Eminem, and his new antiwar hit "I Killed the Empire in Me" is just a solid, solid piece.https://t.co/JdCfCuFuMv

— Slava Malamud ???? (@SlavaMalamud) September 22, 2022

Russia probably shouldn’t have invaded. Dumb move. https://t.co/WcFFiJkRKO

— Pomodoro (Dad Joke Era) (@ilpomodoro2) September 20, 2022

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Late Night Open Thread: Snippets From the ‘Incursion’Post + Comments (109)

War for Ukraine Day 213: A Brief Update

by Adam L Silverman| September 25, 20229:09 pm| 182 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

It’s Rosh HaShana, and while I’m not super observant, I’m going to just do a very brief update for you all tonight.

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

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Ukrainians!

Today we have great news. Maryana Mamonova, a combat medic, defender of Azovstal whom we freed from Russian captivity gave birth to a daughter. I sincerely congratulate Maryana from the bottom of my heart and wish the girls only the best – peace and victory.

This is another proof that life always triumphs over any evil. And evil under the Russian flag is no exception to this rule.

Now all our state structures, which are needed, are fully working to help our released warriors. Medical aid, social, legal… Treatment, rehabilitation, restoration of documents, bank cards, housing, etc.

Rustem Umerov, pursuant to my instruction, visited our commanders from “Azovstal” in Turkey today. He checked their living conditions – the conditions are comfortable. The boys are provided with everything they need. Rustem controls that. Soon we will ensure that the boys meet their relatives and friends.

This week, on Tuesday, I am to receive a clear plan for each of those released – how their normal lives will be restored. Just as the process of releasing our heroes from captivity, this process of normalization is managed by Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office. He is also assisted by Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as our ombudsman, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service, etc.

I would like to emphasize: work is ongoing regarding the next exchanges. No matter how difficult it may be, we must free all our people, all Ukrainians. We do not forget about anyone.

But we should still remember: it is not easy, it requires the efforts of many people, and it is directly related to the situation on the frontline. Our active actions include, in particular, the increase of those whom we can exchange. The more Russian soldiers are detained by Ukrainian forces, the faster we will be able to free our warriors, our heroes from Russian captivity.

Fierce fighting takes place in many sections of the front with a total length of more than 2,000 kilometers. This is the Donetsk region, this is our Kharkiv region, Kherson region, as well as Mykolaiv and Zaporizhia regions. We have positive results in several directions.

And no matter what happens this week in Russia, no matter what steps the terrorist state plans – political or military – the tasks of our state, the tasks of Ukraine, cannot change: we are fighting for life and freedom for all Ukrainians.

This week there will be a new wave of our diplomatic activity. My new appeals to the political, business and student communities abroad. Our needs, our positions, our view on how to stop Russian evil will be heard everywhere in the world, absolutely everywhere.

We will also make a special emphasis. Emphasis on the fact that criminal mobilization is used by Russia not only to prolong the suffering of people in Ukraine and to further destabilize the world, but also to physically exterminate men – representatives of indigenous peoples who live in the territories controlled so far, temporarily, by the Russian Federation.

The situation in the occupied Crimea is catastrophic. The information about the Crimean Tatar people is fully confirmed: most of the mobilization letters are given there specifically to qırımlılar. This is another element of Russia’s policy of genocide, another reason for the immediate and tough reaction of the whole world.

The same is happening on the territory of Russia itself. This is a deliberate imperial policy. This is a blow to the peoples of, for example, Dagestan and the entire Caucasus, to the indigenous peoples of Siberia and other territories.

And I want to repeat it once again.

Again in Russian, specially for Russian “comrades”.

And this is not a kind of collection of peoples in Russia, not badges or flags somewhere on the map, no. These are not candy wrappers – these are real people.

And only now you are beginning to hear it, yet still not everywhere.

We see that people, in particular, in Dagestan, began to fight for their lives. We see that they are beginning to understand that this is a question of their lives. Why should their husbands, brothers, sons die in this war? In a war that one man wants. In a war against our people, on our land. He does not send his children to war.

Fight to ensure that your children are not sent to die – everyone who can be taken by this criminal Russian mobilization. Because if you come to take the lives of our children – I will tell you as a father – we will not let you go alive.

I want to emphasize once again: there is a way out. Do not submit to criminal mobilization. Flee. Or surrender to Ukrainian captivity at the first opportunity. I urge all our friends in the information field to spread this appeal. The more citizens of the Russian Federation at least try to protect their own lives, the sooner this criminal war of Russia against the people of Ukraine will end.

I am thankful to everyone who fights and works for our victory! A difficult week is ahead. A difficult path. Difficult challenges. But ahead is our victory. And it is inevitable.

This evening, I want to congratulate the Ukrainian Jewish community and all the Jews of the world on Rosh Hashanah. May all prayers for victory, all prayers for peace for Ukraine be heard.

Keep defending Ukraine!

Keep defending life!

Glory to Ukraine!

This is the medic that President Zelenskyy is referring to in his nightly address:

Marianna Mamonova, an Azovstal combat medic, has given birth to a child, just days after being freed from Russian captivity.
It’s a girl!
The child has been born free. pic.twitter.com/umWccBAxaY

— Illia Ponomarenko🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) September 25, 2022

Just in time for Rosh HaShana:

Our boy has got so far 😊 pic.twitter.com/Fq8GGQ9Nrc

— Illia Ponomarenko🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) September 25, 2022

Here is the British MOD’s assessment for today. It appears the mappers were given the day off to prepare for the Jewish New Year…

Here’s former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s most recent updates regarding the situations in Lyman and Kherson:

LYMAN/1430 UTC 25 SEP/ UKR forces have prosecuted a multi-pronged attack to isolate and dislodge RU troops occupying the important rail junction at Lyman. UKR has crossed and cut the O-0527 HWY near Drobysheve. UKR air defense is reported to have downed an Su-34 strike fighter. pic.twitter.com/JmXkHq48RE

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 25, 2022

KHERSON/ 2045 UTC 25 SEP/ UKR air defense downed a pair of Iranian made Shaheed-136 UCAVs, intercepting them before they could reach targets in Mykolaiv. On 24 SEP, UKR air defense downed a Russian Su-25, and shortly after, an Mi-8 CSAR helicopter, reportedly near Beryslav. pic.twitter.com/mucYHreZQi

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 25, 2022

Apparently it’s NASAMS O’Clock too!

We now have NASAMS

— Illia Ponomarenko🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) September 25, 2022

AIR DEFENSE DOMINANCE: Jason Jay Smart @officejjsmart reports that UKR Pres. Vladimir Zelensky has confirmed that Ukraine has deployed NASAMS air defense systems. These Norwegian/ US air surface to air missile complexes will further blunt RU frontal aviation. https://t.co/8uaZPWoNPO pic.twitter.com/iEqCGJnIW1

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 25, 2022

There was speculation that the Russians used a chloropicrin grenade. Here’s CBRN subject matter expert Dan Kaszeta debunking that and explaining that it was a CS grenade. Which is banned under the Geneva Convention:

Here's alleged photos of the device. pic.twitter.com/mvpcCq4mfu

— Dan Kaszeta 🇺🇦🇱🇹 (@DanKaszeta) September 24, 2022

However, the K-51 is not a "chloropicrin grenade". It is a CS tear gas grenade. https://t.co/bdTNB5lNac pic.twitter.com/Q0a8X93Y69

— Dan Kaszeta 🇺🇦🇱🇹 (@DanKaszeta) September 24, 2022

Several people were asking about the rumors and speculation that Xi has been deposed in a coup. As I wrote last night, that’s all garbage. Here’s a great thread explaining how this all got pushed on social media:

Since last night I analyzed close to 2000+ accounts amplifying the hashtag #chinacoup. Despite this graph not being pretty enough given the large dataset, I figured out a bunch of accounts with significantly low followers that acted as the key disseminators of the rumor. pic.twitter.com/8PtfobJ6hk

— Atandra Ray (@atandra_ray) September 25, 2022

Yes, you read that right, that big node on the upper left is an account named “loliwifegroomer”. I’m sure he’s quite nice…

Similarly, this account claimed that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has taken control of China, and President Xi Jinping is under house arrest. The account also featured a picture of Li Qiaoming, a general of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and Jack Ma, of Alibaba Group. pic.twitter.com/gP3EHDtCRq

— Atandra Ray (@atandra_ray) September 25, 2022

Given the Sino-Indian border dispute, there seem to be a lot of accounts originating from India further amplifying the claim that Chinese President Xi Jinping is under house arrest.

— Atandra Ray (@atandra_ray) September 25, 2022

FYI, @HuJirui found that the rumour originated in Chinese-language Twitter. It had also been brewing for two days before Jennifer Zeng amplified it. The aforementioned rumour can be found on this link https://t.co/2W57NSnCiC which was posted on the 21st of September.

— Atandra Ray (@atandra_ray) September 25, 2022

Last substantial item tonight:

North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile. More updates to follow.

— PM's Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) September 24, 2022

For the last time: one conflict at a time is all I can handle with my current schedule!

There is actual footage of the launch:

pic.twitter.com/XUSrx3C4Ie

— Andreas (@AndreasSKS) September 24, 2022

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

Or you can use my monobowl:https://t.co/l6oDcY8fGp

— Patron (@PatronDsns) September 25, 2022

We did it! Thank you 🐶❤️ pic.twitter.com/3TLOhUEtpS

— Patron (@PatronDsns) September 26, 2022

And a new video from Patron’s official TikTok:

@patron__dsns

Мрія кожного українця👹🇺🇦 #славаукраїні #песпатрон #патрондснс

♬ suono originale – Drill💙🔥

The caption translates as:

The dream of every Ukrainian👹🇺🇦 #SlavaUkraini #Patrondog #PatronDSNS

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 213: A Brief UpdatePost + Comments (182)

War for Ukraine Day 212: The ICRC Hasn’t Exactly Covered Itself in Glory Either!

by Adam L Silverman| September 24, 202210:03 pm| 126 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

While Amnesty has done the least it could do after issuing its egregious report a couple of months back, the ICRC hasn’t covered itself in glory either. At the beginning of Russia’s re-invasion I covered how the ICRC had left its local team in Mariupol to the tender mercy of the Russians. They have also, as many of us suspected, completely failed in their job of protecting the Azovstal defenders while POWs in Russian custody.

This is the Head of the Mariupol Patrol Police Mykhailo Vershinin. Before and after Russian captivity.

All our freed Defenders say they didn't see anyone from @ICRC – International Red Cross.

What does @amnesty think about these photos?

📷- Denys Kazanskyy pic.twitter.com/RQfh2iOhRZ

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) September 23, 2022

Mykhailo Dianov before and after Russian captivity.

All our freed Defenders say they didn't see anyone from @ICRC – International Red Cross.

What does @amnesty think about these photos?

📷: Pavlo Gintov/Facebook https://t.co/o2LrT13cKi pic.twitter.com/ThkggspOuD

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) September 23, 2022

Let’s take a quick check in on events in Iran.

Iran, Shiraz, Saturday.
Women are leading this uprising against repression. Forced hijab is the symbol. Removing it is the sign of resistance. pic.twitter.com/DVzMk1D3zv

— Frida Ghitis (@FridaGhitis) September 24, 2022

They have lost fear of the regime. pic.twitter.com/U3pjNw8bTN

— Frida Ghitis (@FridaGhitis) September 24, 2022

If Ghitis is correct, then the stakes have been raised in Iran. Expect an attempted crackdown. It will be brutal. It will be swift. The question is not if it will happen, it will. The question is whether it will work this time or whether something has fundamentally changed. My professional instincts say something has changed, but all I have is a feeling.

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

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Ukrainians!

Today, I signed the decree awarding the title of Hero of Ukraine to Serhiy Sova. A fighter of the glorious 93rd mechanized brigade “Kholodnyi Yar”. He has defended our state – Ukraine since the beginning of the war in 2014, fought for Pisky, for the Donetsk airport. After February 24, he fought in the Kharkiv region.

Serhiy Sova gave his life for Ukraine. We’ve all seen the photo of his hand with blue and yellow bracelets on his wrist. He has worn them as a talisman since 2014. And this photo was one of the first from Izyum, from the mass burial site in the forest that was discovered when the occupiers fled. He was a true warrior and a father that one can be proud of. Eternal memory and honor to the hero!

Eternal glory to all our warriors who gave their lives in battles for our state!

Today I awarded the honorary award “For Courage and Bravery” to three of our brigades. The 1st separate tank Siversk brigade, the 40th separate artillery brigade, the 57th separate motorized infantry brigade.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, the fighters of the 1st separate tank brigade have performed their tasks with dignity and courage. First in the Chernihiv region, and now in the hottest spots of the south and east of our country. In six months, more than a thousand warriors of this brigade were awarded state awards.

Units of the 40th separate artillery brigade defend the state in the Kharkiv direction and do it very bravely and effectively. The proven losses of the Russian army from the fire of this brigade of ours make it clear to all the occupiers that there will be no place for the enemy on our land.

This month, the 57th separate motorized infantry brigade achieved good results in the south of our country, liberating a number of settlements in the Kherson region. During the period of the full-scale invasion of Russia, three warriors in the 57th brigade were already awarded the “Gold Star” Order and 275 servicemen received state awards.

By the way, since the establishment of such an award for our military units – and it was established in May of this year – 46 military units have already been awarded for courage and bravery. Of them, 38 military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, four military units of the State Border Service, four military units of the National Guard. I am grateful to all of you, guys! Well done!

The heroism and grit of our warriors, the striving for independence and justice, which united all our people, do not leave a single doubt that Ukraine will prevail and that all invaders on our territory will definitely be defeated. Unless they run away. Indeed, it is true.

Once again I want to say to Russians in Russian.

It was no coincidence that the criminal mobilization declared by Russia was immediately called a “mobilization to graves” by the citizens of Russia themselves. Mobilization to graves. The Russian authorities are well aware that they are sending their citizens to death – there are no other options.

Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians – they just need to replenish the empty spaces left by the dead, wounded, those who fled or the Russian soldiers that were captured.

Your government does not care who will take these places. Either young IT specialists who did not serve at all, or pensioners who served only in the Soviet army. So, the key moment has come for you: right now it is being decided whether your life will end or not.

It is better not to take a conscription letter than to die in a foreign land as a war criminal.

It is better to run away from criminal mobilization than to be crippled and then bear responsibility in the court for participating in the war of aggression.

It is better to surrender to Ukrainian captivity than to be killed by the strikes of our weapons, absolutely fair strikes, as Ukraine defends itself in this war. We defend the brightest – we defend our lives, our children, our freedom.

What is Russia fighting for? Every citizen of Russia knows – even if many do not admit it, they know for sure – that it is Russia that brings evil.

Ukraine guarantees every Russian soldier who surrenders three things. First, you will be treated in a civilized manner, in accordance with all conventions. Second, no one will know the circumstances of your surrender, no one in Russia will know that your surrender was voluntary. And third, if you are afraid to return to Russia and do not want an exchange, we will find a way to ensure this as well.

Ukraine will do everything for its victory. And every citizen of Russia should understand: no tricks will help the occupier. I promise you that.

We will retaliate against every strike of the aggressor – at Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Nikopol, Donbas, at all our cities and regions… We will definitely liberate our entire country – from Kherson to the Luhansk region, from Crimea, I emphasize that, to the Donetsk region.

We will not allow the occupier to go unpunished. Every murderer and torturer will be brought to justice for what he did against us, Ukrainians.

Eternal glory to all our heroes!

Glory to our indomitable people!

Eternal memory to all those who gave their lives for our homeland – for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

Senior Soldier of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade Serhiy Sova was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine by @ZelenskyyUa
The photo of his mutilated hand with a 🇺🇦 bracelet found at the mass burial site in Izyum became a tragic symbol of russian atrocities in Kharkiv region. pic.twitter.com/IRXBGWIbxt

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 24, 2022

Here is the British MOD’s assessment for today:

And here is their updated map for today:

Here is former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s most recent update regarding the situation in Izium:

IZIUM/1320 UTC 24 SEP/ Yesterday, UKR Partisans and Signals Intelligence Intelligence identified the HQ of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division in Svatove. A precision strike was directed on the building during a staff meeting, severely wounding Major General Oleg Tsokov. pic.twitter.com/sthdiqVWpN

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 24, 2022

This is what the Russians are saying about what the Ukrainian military is doing:

It is going 'somewhat' unnoticed by the AFU are still very much pushing to encircle Lyman. Rybar just reported a few important settlements were captured and if Svatove is liberated, the Russian Lyman group will be encircled. pic.twitter.com/1Az2dIEjMi

— Dmitri (@wartranslated) September 24, 2022

If you click on the link there’s a second tweet with a correct screengrab of the original Russian.

Here’s the English translation as a screengrab:

I would not want to be holed up in Isengard…

“The Ents are going to war” pic.twitter.com/QUNzKeDsFc

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 24, 2022

This is incredible.
Within just 24 hours, Mykhailo Danilov’s family received over UAH 5 million in donations from across the world.
The goal was to fundraise UAH 500,000 and heal the Azovstal marine’s arm. His family is extremely thankful, and it has stopped the campaign. pic.twitter.com/O1Wic1Dopw

— Illia Ponomarenko🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) September 24, 2022

The garrison of Mariupol had orders to hold the city as long as possible ✅
Then, they were ordered to save their lives✅
215 soldiers are free✅
Their new task:to undergo rehabilitation&tell their story to the world✊
Success of 🇺🇦 negotiators🔥
Thanks to @ZelenskyyUa @RTErdogan pic.twitter.com/75564cuzbI

— Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) September 22, 2022

I can feel the tetanus through this tweet!

The Russian mobilization shit show in full swing pic.twitter.com/uDRa1v1MGY

— Illia Ponomarenko🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) September 24, 2022

The rusty AKs are not only par for the course, but actually in better shape than a lot of the equipment and material that the Kremlin is providing the troops:

The rusty AK's were not the worst, according to an "LPR" guy…https://t.co/1e0yTXZT2S pic.twitter.com/HWncPERWXY

— Dmitri (@wartranslated) September 24, 2022

And here’s the English translation as a screengrab:

I’m not going to post them, but I’ve now watched about a dozen different videos/video clips of recently mobilized/conscripted Russians at the in-processing centers or at the training sites they’re being sent to. Leaving aside the ones where everyone is falling down drunk, a lot of these videos look like they were filmed in homeless shelters. And that’s probably an insult to homeless shelters.

This mobilization is going to be a mess and it is not going to work. Whether it creates the conditions to weaken Putin in any significant way is an open question.

For you logistics enthusiasts:

We continue to rely on russia for the provision of weapons while we await those that will be provided as part of the Lend-Lease program. pic.twitter.com/wjZR6tfxBu

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 22, 2022

This is how POWs are supposed to be treated. Also, another data point in the mountain of data that the Russian military is poorly trained, poorly led, and poorly equipped.

This Russian soldier enlisted to earn some money. After five minutes of fighting he was the only survivor of his tank crew.

He tells about complete lack of training and equipment for new soldiers (and that was before partial mobilization).

📹: @UButusov pic.twitter.com/PAkGpvQXCg

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) September 24, 2022

That’s enough for tonight.

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War for Ukraine Day 212: The ICRC Hasn’t Exactly Covered Itself in Glory Either!Post + Comments (126)

War for Ukraine Day 211: Hey Amnesty International, Got Anything to Say About Izium?

by Adam L Silverman| September 23, 20229:11 pm| 203 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

Apparently, Amnesty International doesn’t have much to say about Ukraine these days…

Exhuming procedures of the FIRST mass grave in Izyum are being completed today. In total, 436 bodies of victims of russian occupation have been exhumed. Most bear evidence of a violent death, and 30 were tortured. pic.twitter.com/oyQq4y0AEJ

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 23, 2022

Russian soldiers have raped and tortured children as young as 4 years old in Ukraine, a UN-appointed panel of independent legal experts said in a damning statement on Friday that concluded war crimes had been committed in the conflict. https://t.co/6OMpCJjmtQ pic.twitter.com/nQBTAuTmya

— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 23, 2022

They couldn’t shut their yaps when they had the chance to blame Russia’s genocidal actions on Ukraine. Now that those Russian genocidal actions are once again clearly on display, Amnesty, and their execrable leadership, have fuck all to say.

Before we get really going, just a quick check in from Iran:

The largest picture of Ali Khamenei was burned in the center of Tehran, according to the video. #Iran pic.twitter.com/PAJeKU5lqN

— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) September 23, 2022

This is a big thing. Other than just saying you’ll have to rely on my professional expertise as an artisan working these issues, I really have a feeling that something is very different in regard to the social unrest and protests in Iran this time. Whether what is striking me as different is enough to actually lead to real significant change is something I’m not sure of yet. I’ll keep tracking on this and will provide updates as appropriate.

Back to your regularly scheduled Ukraine update!

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

show full post on front page

Ukrainians!

Today, the events in New York in the framework of our state’s participation in the session of the UN General Assembly are coming to an end.

It was a productive week for Ukraine. Many different activities – with my participation, with the participation of the First Lady of Ukraine, with the participation of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Ukraine has shown that not only the truth, but also strength, initiative and confidence in victory are on our side. The world is always sensitive to such things. Who is really strong, and who pretends to be strong. Who really feels his strength, and who tries his best to conceal weakness and insecurity.

At the General Assembly, Ukraine proposed a formula of peace, its way to the stabilization of international relations. And it was definitely heard by the world. The reaction to my speech at the General Assembly was really positive.

Different countries equally wanted to hear specifics. Specifics on how to restore peace, how to end this war. Ukraine presented its vision. Clear, logical, fair and realistic.

Five points. The first: punishment for the aggressor. The second: protection of life, that is, all the necessary assistance to our state in defense. The third point: restoration of security and territorial integrity. The fourth point: security guarantees. And the fifth: the determination to achieve all this together with us – the determination of the world majority.

And what did Russia present? Once again, lame excuses, complaints and constant lying propaganda, which the world has got tired of long ago, but Russian representatives still repeat it. A striking contrast with us.

I am grateful to all the heads of state, all the politicians, public figures, cultural and business leaders who expressed their support for us at the General Assembly and at all the events in America this week.

In particular, I participated in a special meeting on food security. This is one of the key topics in the UN this year – it was Russian aggression that made it so urgent. The world is looking for means to protect people from hunger and price crisis, and Ukraine has something to offer. We constantly increase food exports, we help the UN Food Program, we send grain as humanitarian aid to the countries that need it – Ethiopia, Somalia. And Ukraine has never ever provoked any crisis in the food market. The world appreciates all this.

Due to the decency of Ukraine and the constructive desire of our state to help others, we have a unique result: Russian propaganda is losing its influence even in the world where we still have to secure a strong information position, in particular in the countries of the Global South. These are Latin America, Africa, South Asia.

Also this week I participated in several important formats of communication with investors. The summit under the auspices of Forbes – a meeting of the world’s largest businessmen engaged in philanthropy. Video conference with representatives of BlackRock and Goldman Sachs – important global players. Clinton Global Initiative. Each such event adds attention to Ukraine, adds specific projects and benefits to our state, strengthens our resilience, and brings our victory closer.

The First Lady of Ukraine met in New York with Liz Truss, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and it was a very substantive meeting. With First Lady of France Brigitte Macron. Together with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, she met with António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General. In total, she held almost 20 meetings.

At the invitation of Charles Michel, Olena took part in the Women in Conflict forum, which took place within the General Assembly. She presented a special charity fund – the Olena Zelenska Foundation, in order to accumulate even more support for Ukrainians, specifically for the humanitarian direction – primarily education, medicine and the restoration of what was destroyed by Russian strikes. We are creating all the necessary institutional framework so that anyone in the world can help us as efficiently, quickly and reliably as possible.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine held dozens of high-level meetings. Accents are clear. The situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The expansion of defense, financial and sanction support. Support in preparing our country for winter, support in reconstruction. During each meeting, there was an emphasis that Russian terror must receive a clear global response – military, economic and legal, including the recognition of Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Our proposals for security guarantees for Ukraine, for Europe and the world – a project developed by the Yermak-Rasmussen group – were outlined in New York. Denys Shmyhal also met with the heads of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other major financial and investment organizations of the world. I am grateful to all of them for their support!

It is important to note the negotiations with the Prime Minister of Japan, the country that will soon chair the G7 and the UN Security Council. We discussed our priorities. Negotiations took place with the Prime Minister of Iraq – this is a new partner for Ukraine, an important partner.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs held more than 30 meetings, and the vast majority of them were with representatives of countries that are not our traditional partners. We are strengthening our position in relations with Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Probably, this is the most meaningful and positive participation of Ukraine in the UN General Assembly in all years of our independence. The world not only talks about Ukraine, but also realizes that by helping Ukraine, it also helps solve urgent global problems and crises. We offer a way to make the world more stable and safer. The world heard it.

A very important event took place today in Izyum, Kharkiv region. Representatives of almost twenty diplomatic missions – the Baltic states and Eastern Europe, Germany, France, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the EU Ambassador – saw with their own eyes what the Russian occupiers left behind. Ruined houses, torture chambers, mass burial site… The world will know full information about every crime committed by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories.

The world will react absolutely justly to the sham referenda – they will be unequivocally condemned, and to the criminal mobilization that the occupiers are currently trying to carry out in Crimea and other parts of Ukraine, which they so far control. These are not just crimes against international law and the law of Ukraine. These are crimes against specific people, against the nation.

Now in Crimea, in places of dense residence of qırımlılar, there are attempts to find and mobilize as many men as possible. We already have evidence of this. This is a deliberate attempt by Russia to destroy the Crimean Tatar people, this is a deliberate attempt by the aggressor state to take the lives of as many residents of the territory the Russian troops invaded as possible.

I have a simple request to all our people in the temporarily occupied territory: do the main thing – save your lives and help us weaken and destroy the occupiers.

Hide from the Russian mobilization by any means. Avoid conscription letters. Try to get to the free territory of Ukraine.

But if you get into the Russian army, sabotage any activity of the enemy, hinder any Russian operations, provide us with any important information about the occupiers – their bases, headquarters, warehouses with ammunition. And at the first opportunity, switch to our positions. Do everything to save your life and help liberate Ukraine.

Since the beginning of active actions in the east of our country in September, about 9 thousand square kilometers of territory and about 400 settlements have already been liberated. This tangible result was achieved in particular thanks to the fact that our people in the temporarily occupied territory helped us. Please do everything to increase such help.

Give our special services all the information about those who organize and help conduct this farce with sham referenda. Provide all information about the Russian mobilization, about the Russian army in general. Help those in the occupied areas who need it: elderly people, single people, families with children. Ukraine will return to all its lands, and we must save as many of our people there as possible.

Pursuant to my instruction, Head of the Office Andriy Yermak held a meeting today regarding assistance to Ukrainians whom we have freed from captivity. The Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Head of the National Guard, the ministers of internal affairs, defense, healthcare, social policy, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our ombudsman were present. Our warriors must receive everything the necessary, real help, any assistance. The state knows how to be grateful to its heroes. I am waiting for a report at the beginning of the week with a specific plan on supporting each person.

Today, the Russian army used Iranian drones for attacking the Dnipropetrovsk region and Odesa. I commissioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide a tough response to this fact. The world will know about every fact of collaboration with evil, and it will have corresponding consequences.

It has already been decided to deprive the Ambassador of Iran to Ukraine of accreditation, as well as to significantly reduce the number of diplomatic personnel of the Iranian Embassy.

Six of these Iranian drones were shot down by our anti-aircraft troops of the “East” and “South” air commands. Another one was shot down by the anti-aircraft defense of the Naval Forces. In addition, the “Center” air command shot down a Russian strike aircraft and a helicopter today in the south of our country. And I was just informed about another Iranian combat drone shot down by the anti-aircraft troops of the “South” command.

I am grateful to our warriors for accuracy!

I am grateful to everyone who fights and works for the victory of Ukraine!

I am grateful to everyone in the world who helps us protect life and freedom!

Glory to Ukraine!

Here is the British MOD’s assessment for today:

And here is their updated map for today:

Here’s former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s most recent updates regarding the situations in Kherson and Izium:

KHERSON/1230 UTC 23 SEP/ UKR Suppression of Air Defense (SEAD) sorties hit 15 RU SAM sites, allowing UKR to double the number of close air strikes to 41. UKR air defense detected, tracked and interdicted a drone swarm attack of Iranian-made Shaheed-136 UCAVs on the M-14 HWY axis. pic.twitter.com/o35SdFRfX1

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 23, 2022

IZIUM/2240 UTC 23 SEP/ A UKR precision strike is reported to have severely wounded Major General Oleg Tsokov, Commander of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division during a HQ meeting in Svatove. Several members of his staff were killed. Lyman surrounded on 3 sides by UKR troops. pic.twitter.com/rRnbvYaAyI

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 23, 2022

Given the visually confirmed reports of Iranian drones being used by the Russians against Ukrainian targets, the Ukrainians decided it was time to make a point. They have declared the Iranian ambassador to Kyiv persona non grata!

Kyiv said on September 23 that it has stripped the Iranian ambassador of his accreditation and decided to reduce Iran’s diplomatic presence in Ukraine to protest drone deliveries to Russia.

“Supplying Russia with weapons to wage war against Ukraine is an unfriendly act that deals a serious blow to relations between Ukraine and Iran,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“In response to such an unfriendly act the Ukrainian side has decided to deprive the ambassador of Iran of his accreditation and also to significantly reduce the number of diplomatic staff” at the Iranian Embassy in Kyiv, it added.

Earlier on September 23, Kyiv said that one civilian was killed during a Russian attack with drones on the southern port city of Odesa and that one Iranian-designed unmanned vehicle was shot down by Ukrainian forces.

There was no immediate reaction from Tehran.

How’s the mobilization going? Or, perhaps, the flight from mobilization?

This is likely to be a temporary measure as Finland refused to follow Poland and the Baltic States by banning Russian tourists, and faced an influx of Russian men fleeing mobilization

— Samuel Ramani (@SamRamani2) September 23, 2022

Baza, a site with close ties to security services, says the worst punishment for failing to answer a draft summons is a fine https://t.co/bGPXjuFwEP

— max seddon (@maxseddon) September 23, 2022

I don’t know about you, but I’m convinced!!!

There are already many reports of people who do not fall under Russia’s mobilization criteria being called up anyway.@bazabazon reports Alexander Ermolaev, 63, was passed up and declared fit to serve despite his diabetes and cerebral ischemia pic.twitter.com/YiRw3ch8oY

— max seddon (@maxseddon) September 23, 2022

Ooopsie!

In Kabardino-Balkaria, southern Russia, an officer tries to explain to angry women why their sons are getting sent to the front. Then it turns out he also has a son, who doesn't have to go. This does not go down well with the crowd https://t.co/yoUl6KTF9w

— max seddon (@maxseddon) September 23, 2022

Double OOOPSIE!!!!!

And we now have some further clarification of the real number of personnel Russia is intending to draft:

1.2 million people are going to be drafted into the Russian army

This is reported by Meduza, citing a source close to the federal ministries. According to this source, it is planned to mobilize up to 16 thousand people in Moscow and about 3.2 thousand people in St. Petersburg. pic.twitter.com/CbXCUES03t

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 23, 2022

That’s enough for tonight.

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War for Ukraine Day 211: Hey Amnesty International, Got Anything to Say About Izium?Post + Comments (203)

War for Ukraine Day 210: The Crazy Continues

by Adam L Silverman| September 22, 20229:17 pm| 117 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

This has been a long week and next is going to be just as long, so after tonight I’m going to try to keep the updates shorter for the next ten days or so. I appreciate your understanding.

Before we dig in, I want to just take a moment and highlight what is going on in Iran. I’ve got the time and energy to do one post a day, which, until the Ukrainians defeat the Russians, is going to be it. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other things that need our attention. Ordinarily I’d be doing complete posts on them.

The Iranian government has once again turned off the Internet within Iran. The last time they did this they used the information blackout as cover to kill at least 300 Iranians. Before they pulled the plug earlier today, I saw videos of at least two people murdered by Iran’s security services/law enforcement. One was a young man. The other a 10 year old girl. Both shot in the head.

⚠️ #Iran is now subject to the most severe internet restrictions since the November 2019 massacre.

▶️ Mobile networks largely shut down (MCI, Rightel, Irancell – partial)
▶️ Regional disruptions observed during protests
▶️ Instagram, WhatsApp restrictedhttps://t.co/8cCHIJA2Oi

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) September 21, 2022

Despite this, some video is still filtering out:

#Iranian protesters gather tonight in ValiAsr #Tehran chanting “Death to the Dictator,” surrounding both sides of the street and walking between cars#MahsaAmini #Mahsa_Amini #مهسا_امینی #IranProtests #iran pic.twitter.com/zMBMosXVvv

— Lisa Daftari (@LisaDaftari) September 22, 2022

I honestly am not sure what is going to happen here. My experience and expertise in working on these issues tells me that the Iranian government’s response is going to be swift, violent, and overwhelming just like every time Iranians begin to rise up. But something feels different this time. This uprising isn’t centered around a “reformist” candidate who still had to be chosen by the Supreme Religious Authority to appear on the presidential election ballot. It is a spontaneous uprising caused by the horrific extra-judicial execution of a 22 year old woman visiting the city with her family. Hope is not a strategy, but sometimes hope is all one has. If you can, spare a thought for the people of Iran.

Here’s Presizent Zelenskyy’s address from earlier this evening. Video below, English transcript after the jump:

show full post on front page

Ukrainians!

All our defenders!

Today I want to say special words of gratitude. Gratitude to all our people who defend our state, defend independence.

Ukraine held out after a full-scale attack by Russia. Ukraine managed to unite the world around the struggle for freedom. Ukraine managed to liberate a significant part of the territory the Russian troops invaded. Ukraine liberates people from Russian captivity.

And Ukraine managed to change the course of the war so that every occupier, even the most inadequate one, felt that we can win and are moving towards victory.

I am thankful to everyone who fights and works for this! For the sake of our victory.

It is precisely to the fact of Ukrainian strength that the leadership of Russia reacts, changing tactics and trying to draw even more Russian citizens and resources into the war.

Russia’s decision on mobilization is a frank admission that their regular army, which has been prepared for decades to take over a foreign country, did not withstand and crumbled. And now, due to mobilization, Russia’s war against Ukraine for the majority of Russian citizens is not something on TV or on the Internet, but something that has entered every Russian home.

I’ve held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief today. The questions are clear. Frontline. Provision of our military. And new threats created by Russia.

I will note right away: any decisions of the Russian leadership do not change anything for Ukraine. We should care only about our tasks. This is the liberation of our country, the protection of our people and the mobilization of global support for the implementation of our tasks.

Diplomatic mobilization of the entire international community is now taking place.

The circle of those who support us now is not limited to our traditional partners and those who openly supported our state after February 24. Now almost everyone supports us – this is the reaction to new Russian escalation steps.

In particular, the farce with the preparation of sham referenda in the occupied territory demonstrates what happened in 2014 in Crimea and Donbas.

And I am grateful to everyone in the world who supported us. Who clearly condemned another Russian lie.

Grateful to President Biden and all American friends. To President Macron, Chancellor Scholz, the President of Finland and all our Polish brothers, the Baltic states, Mr. Borrell, Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, Charles Michel, the OSCE and all Europeans from Iceland to Romania, who will never be deceived by Russia again.

I am thankful to Britain for the support! Türkiye! Thank you Canada! Thanks also to all those who now privately express their support for Ukraine.

When Russia declares that it supposedly wants negotiations, but announces mobilization… When Russia knows Ukraine’s clear position about the impossibility of a diplomatic process after Russia holds any sham referenda…

Everything is clear to everyone. Russia itself buries the prospect of negotiations with its own hands.

I will explain to the Russians what is happening in Russian.

Protests against mobilization took place in the cities of Russia – albeit not massive, but they took place. And they take place. And this is an indicator. Not only in Moscow and St. Petersburg. We know the real mood in the regions of Russia.

We see that people in Dagestan, in Buryatia, in other national republics and regions of Russia understand that they were simply thrown. Thrown to death.

Why, for example, Dagestanis or anyone else should die in the Kharkiv region or near Donetsk? Because one person in Russia decided so – for all the citizens of Russia. There is no other reason. That’s what he wants.

You are already accomplices in all these crimes, murders and torture of Ukrainians.

Because you were silent. Because you are silent.

And now it’s time for you to choose. For men in Russia, this is a choice to die or live, to become a cripple or to preserve health. For women in Russia, the choice is to lose their husbands, sons, grandchildren forever, or still try to protect them from death, from war, from one person.

Just think about the number of people they want to take away!

We know for sure that the conscription letters for 300,000 people were printed and signed in advance, even before this decision on mobilization appeared. Our intelligence has proven it. But the Russian leadership is preparing to take up to a million men into the army – this is the key thing they are now silent about.

We know that they will take everyone indiscriminately. Not only the military in the reserve, but any men. Anyone who will be so intimidated that he will be more afraid of avoiding war than of dying in war.

55 thousand Russian soldiers died in this war in six months. Tens of thousands are wounded and maimed. Want more? No? Then protest. Fight back. Run away. Or surrender to Ukrainian captivity. These are options for you to survive.

Russian mothers! Have no doubt that the children of the top officials of your state will not be sent to the war against Ukraine. Those who make decisions in your country take care of their children. And they do not even bury your children.

And we return ours.

A very important briefing was held today. Head of the Office Yermak, Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Budanov, Head of the Security Service Maliuk, Minister of Internal Affairs Monastyrskyi. They told the details of our operation to release 215 warriors, the details of the exchange. We do everything so that society and the world can see how Ukraine protects people and basic human values.

Once again, I congratulate 215 families and our entire country on the return of the heroes.

I am thankful to everyone who helps Ukraine!

Eternal glory to all who fight for Ukraine!

Glory to our indomitable and brave people!

Glory to Ukraine!

Here’s the British MOD’s assessment for today:

And here’s their updated map for today:

BrigGen Ryder, the DOD Spokesperson, held a for attribution briefing earlier today. His intro was all about a SecDef initiative to support and strengthen military families, so we’ll go right to the Q&A.

Q (Lita Baldor): Hi, Pat. Thank you. Two things: One, there’s been increasing rhetoric coming out of Russia on the threats to use nuclear weapons if Russian territory comes under attack. What is the Pentagon’s comment on that? Has there been any changes to any posture at all, or any requests for — by any of the allies for increased protection in regard to those latest statements?

And then I have one — one sort of little data question. I think you said the other day that there’s $2.2 billion or so remaining in PDA until September 30th. Does all of that expires — I’m just sort of double-check. Does all of that expire if not used by the 30th, or is that — is there any move that that is extended? Thank you.

GEN. RYDER: Yeah, thanks very much, Lita. In terms of the statements or the announcements coming out of Russia, it does — it does not affect the department’s commitment to continue working closely with our international partners and our allies on providing Ukraine with the support that it needs in their fight to defend their country.

In terms of the — the money, for example, the USAI money is two-year money, so that is available through September of 2023. In terms of the — the funding for the PDAs, I will get back to you on that question.

OK, let me go ahead and go to the room here. Tony?

Q (Tony): Can you talk a little bit about the Pentagon’s analysis of the 300,000 reservists — recruits that have been called up by Putin in terms of, where does the pool come from? Largely, where will it come from? And roughly how long will it take to give them any minimal training to be minimally-combat-effective and deployed? Any feel for that yet?

GEN. RYDER: Sure. Well, I — I think you’re seeing a lot of this in open press and in terms of what — what the Russians themselves have said in terms of where these forces would come from, and my understanding is these would primarily be reservists or members of the — the Russian military that had retired and were in a individual ready-reserve type of status. All of that to say, it’s our assessment that it would take time for Russia to train and prepare and equip these forces. And I think it’s important also to point out here that while in many ways this may address a manpower issue for Russia, what’s not clear is whether or not it could significantly address the command and control, the logistics, the sustainment, and importantly, the morale issues that we’ve seen Russian forces in Ukraine experience.

Q (Tony): And if I can get a separate question, on the follow up on Lita’s question about the nuclear threat, to what extent has the nuclear — you know, that threat, veiled or whatever, inhibited the United States from sending over longer range weapons, like ATACMS, tanks of some kind, other weapons? I mean, have the Russians basically got a strategic victory in that respect, in terms of red lines that the U.S. now is afraid to cross, in terms of weapons shipments?

GEN. RYDER: So I think we’ve been very clear all along that our focus is on continuing to have a very open and — and rigorous dialogue with our Ukrainian counterparts and the international community, in terms of our allies and our partners, on what are Ukraine’s needs. And we will continue to have those conversations and we’ll continue to think through not only what they need in the medium to long term but also what they need now.

So — so I don’t see those conversations being impacted by this situation. You know, it — it — I think it’s important here too to — to provide a little bit of context, in the sense that if we go back in time a little bit, it — Ukraine — Russia invaded Ukraine and attempted to annex all of Ukraine, you know, by virtue of invading them, failed in that strategic objective, and so they scaled down the scope of their operational objectives, and even those aren’t going well, due to Ukraine’s counter-offensive and the issues that I’ve highlighted, in terms of logistics and sustainment.

So by making these types of announcements about sham referenda or threats about attacking territory, it doesn’t change the facts — operational facts on the ground, which are that the Ukrainians will continue to fight for their country, the Russian military is dealing with some significant challenges on the ground, and the international community will stand behind Ukraine as they fight to defend their country from an invasion.

Q (Tony): Can I ask you one …

(Sure)

… one quick weapons question? To what extent are — is the provision — providing of U.S. tanks, M1A1s or A2s — I guess it’d be A2s though — is that in the interagency debate right now at — at any level, in terms of whether you’ll provide or not?

GEN. RYDER: So I’m not going to get into any specific systems that may be under discussion. Again, we’ve provided a variety of capabilities that the Ukrainians are using to great effect and we’re going to continue to have those discussions and — and look at a variety of capabilities in the days ahead. So thank you.

Let me go ahead and go to Jim and then I’ll go back out to the phone.

Q (Jim): General, just to — just to be clear, in your answer to Tony, you’re saying that the Russian military still has these command and control, the logistics problems, the — you know, just supply sustainment, getting weapons to the places, and by adding 300,000 people they’re just compounding those problems?

GEN. RYDER: I — I mean, that — that’s speculation but certainly if you are already having significant challenges and haven’t addressed some of those systemic, strategic issues that make any large military force capable, there is nothing to indicate that it’s going to get any easier by adding more variables to the equation.

Q (Jim): And — and just to be clear, if — if President Biden called up 300,000 Reservists, he’d get — he’d get a group of well trained folks who — many of — most of them in — in — in units, able to move out in, like, days, weeks or months. That’s not what the Russians are going to get, right?

GEN. RYDER: Again, I’m — I’m not in the Russian military, I’ve never been in the Russian military, I don’t plan to ever be in the Russian military, so I’m not going to speak for them, but I — I think we’ve seen some of the systemic challenges that they have in their force and I — I think they will have their work cut out for them. Thank you.

Let me go ahead and — back out to the phone here. Let’s go to Sangmin Lee from Radio Free Asia.

Q (Sangmin): Yes, I have a question on the indication that Russia actually purchased weapons from North Korea. You mentioned before that you do have indications that Russia has approached North Korea to request munitions. So do you have indications that the purchase has actually occurred now?

GEN. RYDER: Thanks for the question, Sangmin. So I — all I’ll say is we stand by the information that we provided earlier, and beyond that, I don’t have any additional updates to provide. Thank you.

Fadi?

Q (Fadi): … so I’m going to go back to your — to your answer about the — the reports that there were (inaudible) service in — in Russia. So is — is your understanding that these 300,000 are the troops that will be introduced into theater in Ukraine or some of them might be replacing other forces that are ready to fight inside of Russia? And by — and by that, I mean are you detecting any movement of new forces to enter Ukraine from the Russian side or any indications there are — certain units are preparing to enter Ukraine?

GEN. RYDER: Yeah, so — so that’s really a question for the — the Russian military to address, in terms of how exactly they plan to use those forces. Again, I think in the context of the challenges that Russia finds itself in right now, as it pertains to Ukraine and as evidenced by the — the rationale that was provided by President Putin and others, in terms of why they’re calling up these forces, it’s clear that it’s intended to help supplement and augment the broader militaries as they conduct this — their — their operations in Ukraine. But in terms of the specifics, Fadi, that — that’s just not something I have insight into.

And then the second part of your question? I’m sorry.

Q (Fadi): Has the Pentagon detected any move — new movement or — or indications that new units are being prepared to — to enter in Ukraine?

GEN. RYDER: Yeah, so what — what I would say, again, without getting into a — a high level of operational detail, is that we’ve seen indications of some small numbers of replacement forces being moved into Ukraine to essentially help the Russian military shore up some of their defensive lines, but — but nothing on a — on a large scale at this stage.

Again, the battle fleet — battlefield remains very fluid, very dynamic. And so, again, this is something that we’ll continue to monitor, and I know obviously the Ukrainians are monitoring very closely as well.

Q (Idrees): Hey, Pat. You mentioned, in terms of the — I think you said it might — it would take some time for them to train and — and equip the — the folks that they’re mobilizing. Is there a sense of how long that would be? Are we talking weeks, months, next year?

And — and in the other sense of how many folks have already been sort of handed the paper to start mobilizing since the announcement was made?

GEN. RYDER: Thanks, Idrees. So — so really, you know, what I would say is time will tell. It’s just something we’ll have to keep an eye on and — and I’m not going to speculate.

And in terms of the current status of that call-up, that — that’s something that I would refer — have to refer you to that the Russian Ministry of Defense. I don’t have any information to provide on that.

Q (Luis): And when you talked about the assessment about the Ukraine — about the Russian mobilization, you said that it would address some of their manpower …

GEN. RYDER: I said that — that my — our assessment is that it would potentially address some of their manpower issues.

Q (Luis): … Mr. Kahl had said a couple of weeks ago, you know, between 70 and 80,000, like, Russian casualties. Is there a — a more accurate assessment of the Russian casualty count since then?

GEN. RYDER: I — I don’t have any updates to provide on that.

Q (Luis): Now, what is the latest operational update on the situation in Ukraine?

GEN. RYDER: So broadly speaking, Luis — Luis, what I would tell you is that we continue to see Ukrainian forces conduct their counter-offensive operations in the Kharkiv, in the Kherson regions. The Russians continue to conduct operations in the Bakhmut area, with the Ukrainians holding a line, but — but largely speaking, no significant updates for me to provide today on that.

OK, let me go back onto the phone line and then I’ll come over here to Carla. Do we have Ellen from Synopsis?

Q (Heather) : Great, thank you so much. Two questions unrelated to each other. But the first is that there is a — been reporting on social media and in some outlets about a USV that appeared on a beach in Crimea. I was wondering if you can confirm that this USV did appear? And also, if that was one of the USVs that the United States provided back in April?

And then on the vaccine mandate, I was wondering if you’re able to — and you might have to take this for the record — I was wondering if you know if the military and the Pentagon actually have the ability to provide the FDA licensed Pfizer and Moderna shots or if they’re still using EUA licensed of those shots?

GEN. RYDER: … on — on your second question, we’ll — we’ll take that one and — and come back to you.

In terms of the — the — the reports out there about a — I think you call it — call it a sea vehicle — yeah, we — I don’t have anything on that. Thank you.

Q (Sylvie): Hello. Thank you. I would like to go back to Putin’s nuclear threat. Is it the assessment of the Pentagon that it has — Putin has shifted the — Russia’s nuclear weapon use policy and that it will apply to the — to the Ukrainian territories that Moscow wants to annex?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, thanks, Sylvie. Yes, I’m not going to comment on Russian nuclear policy. What I would tell you is that — that, you know, from where we sit right now we have not seen anything that would cause us to change our own posture. Certainly we’ll continue to — to watch this closely and take any kind of rhetoric seriously. But again at this stage we’ve seen nothing that would indicate that we need to change any approach from our perspective. Thank you.

Q: Thank you.

GEN. RYDER: OK.

Sir?

Q (Mike): Ukraine asked for four MQ1C Gray Eagles and yesterday Secretary Austin got a letter asking the secretary to review — from Congress asking to speed the review or to go with that review. In the last 24 hours has there been any progress on — on looking at that particular case for Ukraine?

GEN. RYDER: Thank you. First of all, what I would say in terms of congressional correspondence, you know, it would be inappropriate for me to talk about that from the podium and will certainly respond to Congress accordingly. What I would say in terms of providing any kind of specific equipment to Ukraine, it’s something that we’re always discussing. We are aware that Ukrainians have asked for Gray Eagles or have an interest in Gray Eagles. No decisions have been made in that regard. Deputy Under Secretary for Policy Baker recently, as you may recall, indicated that we are — things that we’re considering as we look into this include technology, protection, survivability in the Ukrainian battlespace. And so — and then of course the other thing we have to think through like on any system are readiness impacts on our own force, in this case particularly the Army. So, again, no decisions have been made in that regard.

I would highlight the fact that throughout the course of this conflict, going as far back to the first tranche of USAI, Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, we been providing Ukraine with a variety of ISR capabilities: 22 Pumas, we provided ScanEagles, we provided Switchblades, Phoenix Ghost. And so again we continue to maintain a robust dialogue with Ukraine and the international community about what we, the international community, can do to support Ukraine. But that’s where we’re at at this point.

Q (Mike): So on those couple of points from Ms. Baker the other day, survivability and readiness impacts, going just off the top of my head, I think that there are about 286 of those systems in the United States Army’s arsenal right now. And they’re going through pretty costly tech refresh. So should the taxpayer be concerned about the survivability of those 280-some odd systems or the four that the Ukraine — it’s the Ukrainian battle space, particularly costly for — for those systems …

GEN. RYDER: Yeah, so let’s — so let’s not mix apples and oranges here. You know, what we’re talking about is security assistance to Ukraine. When it comes to the employment of U.S. military capabilities, again, I’d refer you to the Army to talk about their own systems.

Certainly, we’re going to consider a variety of options, in terms of how we employ those kinds of capabilities, the operating environments that we employ them in. No — and just broadly speaking as an airman, when we do employ aerial systems, it’s more than just the aircraft, it’s a variety of capabilities that are supporting those aircraft. So there’s a lot that goes into employing any type of aircraft.

So I just highlight those as factors that, like any system, we would have to take into account before we introduce it to the battlefield. Thanks.

OK, let — let me go ahead here and then I’ll go back out to the phone. Yes, sir?

Q : Thank you, General. Regarding to other area, like Syria, do you have any communications or contact with the Russia counterpart to avoid any conflicts between the two armies, especially, you know, we have a — a — U.S. bases in Syria, and additional for — that we have even Russian troops there.

GEN. RYDER: Yeah, so we do maintain regular military-to-military contact with Russia, the Russian military, as it pertains to Syria. You know, I talked about — the other day about the fact that particularly the airspace there is — is contested. And so going as far back as the counter-ISIS campaign — the early days of the counter-ISIS campaign, when Russia introduced forces, that has been a longstanding policy and approach.

And I would encourage you to contact Central Command or Air Forces Central and they can provide you with much more detail.

Let me go out to the phone here. Lara Seligman, Politico?

Q (Lara): Hey, Pat. Thanks for doing this. Two questions.

One, I just wanted to follow up on the questions about the mobilization, and I’m wondering if you could — if I could ask specifically what does the Pentagon assess is the — more — the quality of the people that Putin is calling up? I know these are supposed to be former troops but what kind of training have they had and what kind of difference will they make on the battlefield?

And then a related question, what is the Pentagon’s assessment of what Ukrainian forces are going to need for the winter? And how are we helping them with that?

GEN. RYDER: Yeah. Thanks, Lara. In terms of the specific individuals that may be affected by a Russian partial mobilization, again, I’m seeing a lot of the same press reporting that you are that’s — that’s coming out of Russia. And so I — I certainly would not want to speculate or generalize about specific individuals. I — I just don’t have that information to provide.

In terms of Ukraine and the winter, as, you know, evidenced by the PDA announcement that we put out recently, we are — we are — we do continue to communicate with the Ukrainians and — and our international partners and allies in terms of what their needs may be for the wintertime — and again, we’re providing some winter gear — but we’ll continue to have those conversations and support them as we — as we head into the winter months here. Thank you.

Q (Kasim): Yeah, thank you very much, General, for taking my question. I was going to ask about the — this prisoner swap. Based on the — the information you have, could you just tell us if — how many other U.S. veterans are currently fighting in Ukraine? Are — are — are there any other veterans at the hands of Russians?

GEN. RYDER: Yeah, thanks, Kasim. So I — I would refer you to the State Department, in terms of the status of U.S. citizens overseas. That — that’s not information that we track necessarily here in the Department of Defense. Obviously, our focus is on our — our actively serving military members. Thank you.

This is the unmanned aquatic vehicle that BrigGen Ryder was asked about:

Russian sources reported that this afternoon, an object resembling an unmanned surface vehicle of some kind washed up on the shore of Sevastopol.

Seen in the distance on the third photo is a Russian Ropucha-class landing ship (Project 775) of the Black Sea Fleet. pic.twitter.com/XLMK56zYSa

— Status-6 (@Archer83Able) September 21, 2022

Here is former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s most recently updated assessments:

KHERSON/ 1250 UTC 22 SEP/ On 22 SEP, Ukrainian Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) missions continued, with the destruction of 15 additional Russian air defense complexes. These SEAD missions have allowed UKR to double the number of close air sorties to 41 missions. pic.twitter.com/5fnX8saskh

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 22, 2022

IZIUM/ 1214 UTC 22 SEP/ RU sources indicate that their counter-attacks have been rebuffed by UKR forces west of the P-66 HWY. Within the last 24 Hrs, UKR has consolidated holdings North of Yarova. Lyman isolated by UKR crossings of the Donets. pic.twitter.com/z9xsESqhYm

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 22, 2022

For our resident train and railway enthusiast!

A train full of t-62 tanks rolled up to the train station in Yasinovataya, next to Donetsk city, and then moments later the station exploded. pic.twitter.com/fLGngd1Rok

— Andrew Perpetua (@AndrewPerpetua) September 22, 2022

Green marker is the camera, bottom right blue marker is the fire. 5.4km to the line. pic.twitter.com/EAD4AMe503

— Andrew Perpetua (@AndrewPerpetua) September 22, 2022

Speaking of things that go boom, it’s HIMARS O’Clock!

#Ukraine: Previously unseen and very rare footage of the moment of impact of two M31A1 GMRLS missiles fired from the HIMARS/M270 system hitting a Russian ammunition staging point in #Kharkiv Oblast. At least one vehicle is seen to be destroyed as the munitions detonate. pic.twitter.com/mDelWDkc5e

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) September 22, 2022

As you can imagine from the past couple of days, panic has set in among Russians who are eligible for the newly instated draft.

In related news, there's was a 100+ car line at the Mongolia border crossing at Kyakhta (home of Russia's 37th Motorized Infantry Brigade).https://t.co/NUsQ8olx1e pic.twitter.com/wi3ZsAwIuZ

— Aric Toler (@AricToler) September 22, 2022

Just spoke with a woman from a small village of 450 people in Buryatia. She said that local authorities tried to hand out 20 draft notices, including to several in their 50s. Even if many turned away, would still produce far more than 300k conscripts if repeated across Russia. https://t.co/s8wWbQoPk7

— Andrew Roth (@Andrew__Roth) September 22, 2022

Part of the issue here is that there is a classified section of the mobilization order that seems to authorize a draft of a million men.

A source tells Novaya Gazeta that the secret seventh clause in Putin's mobilisation decree allows the Russian MoD to call up 1m people. As @KofmanMichael has noted: "Shoigu's number of 300,000 is just a notional figure that probably has no relationship to what's really happening" https://t.co/g5JsaR6OQ0 pic.twitter.com/kiltcuvOal

— Shashank Joshi (@shashj) September 22, 2022

I’ve seen multiple reports of Russians with no military experience being drafted. And of conscripted Russians being sent directly to Ukraine after processing, rather than being sent for any form of training.

Also, whether its 300,000 Russians mobilized or a million of them, it isn’t going to make a difference. More poorly trained, or not trained at all, poorly equipped, and poorly led Russian soldiers with low to no morale is just going to give the Ukrainians more targets. They are not going to somehow be the magic bullet that turns things around for Putin.

The Washington Post reports that the US has sent private warnings to Russia telling them not to use nuclear weapons:

The United States for several months has been sending private communications to Moscow warning Russia’s leadership of the grave consequences that would follow the use of a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. officials, who said the messages underscore what President Biden and his aides have articulated publicly.

The Biden administration generally has decided to keep warnings about the consequences of a nuclear strike deliberately vague, so the Kremlin worries about how Washington might respond, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive deliberations.

The attempt by the White House to cultivate what’s known in the nuclear deterrence world as “strategic ambiguity” comes as Russia continues to escalate its rhetoric about possible nuclear weapons use amid a domestic mobilization aimed at stanching Russian military losses in eastern Ukraine.

The State Department has been involved in the private communications with Moscow, but officials would not say who delivered the messages or the scope of their content. It was not clear whether the United States had sent any new private messages in the hours since Russian President Vladimir Putin issued his latest veiled nuclear threat during a speech announcing a partial mobilization early Wednesday, but a senior U.S. official said the communication has been happening consistently over recent months.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, wrote Thursday in a post on Telegram that territory in eastern Ukraine would be “accepted into Russia” after the completion of staged “referendums” and vowed to strengthen the security of those areas.

To defend that annexed land, Medvedev said, Russia is able to use not only its newly mobilized forces, but also “any Russian weapon, including strategic nuclear ones and those using new principles,” a reference to hypersonic weapons.

“Russia has chosen its path,” Medvedev added. “There is no way back.”

The comment came a day after Putin suggested Russia would annex occupied lands in Ukraine’s south and east, and incorporate the regions formally into what Moscow considers its territory. He said he was not bluffing when he vowed to use all means at Russia’s disposal to defend the country’s territorial integrity — a veiled reference to the country’s nuclear arsenal.

Biden administration officials have emphasized that this isn’t the first time the Russian leadership has threatened to use nuclear weapons since the start of the war on Feb. 24, and have said there is no indication Russia is moving its nuclear weapons in preparation for an imminent strike.

Still, the recent statements from the Russian leadership are more specific than previous comments and come at a time when Russia is reeling on the battlefield from a U.S.-backed Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Whereas previous Kremlin statements appeared to be aimed at warning the United States and its allies against going too far in helping Ukraine, Putin’s most recent comments suggested Russia is considering using a nuclear weapon on the battlefield in Ukraine to freeze gains and force Kyiv and its backers into submission, said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, a nonproliferation advocacy group in Washington.

“What everyone needs to recognize is that this is one of, if not the most, severe episodes in which nuclear weapons might be used in decades,” Kimball said. “The consequences of even a so-called ‘limited nuclear war’ would be absolutely catastrophic.”

For years, U.S. nuclear experts have worried that Russia might use smaller tactical nuclear weapons, sometimes referred to as “battlefield nukes,” to end a conventional war favorably on its terms — a strategy sometimes described as “escalate to de-escalate.”

On Thursday, Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence, told the U.K.’s ITV News that it is possible Russia will use nuclear weapons against Ukraine “to stop our offensive activity and to destroy our state.”

“This is a threat for other countries,” Skibitskyi said. “The blast of a tactical nuclear weapon will have an impact not only in Ukraine but the Black Sea region.”

The Ukrainians have tried to signal that even a Russian nuclear strike wouldn’t force them into capitulation — and in fact could have the opposite effect.

“Threatening with nuclear weapons … to Ukrainians?” Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, tweeted on Wednesday. “Putin have not yet understood who he is dealing with.”

In an interview with CBS News’s “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, Biden was asked what he would tell Putin if the Russian leader is considering using nuclear weapons in the conflict against Ukraine.

“Don’t. Don’t. Don’t,” Biden said. “You will change the face of war unlike anything since World War II.”

Biden declined to detail how the United States would respond, saying only that the reaction would be “consequential” and would depend “on the extent of what they do.”

Much more at the link!

Obligatory!

Despite its own suffering in the face of Russia’s brutal invasion, Ukraine has donated 30,000 metric tons of grain through the @WFP to alleviate Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis and funded another 50,000 metric tons of grain for Ethiopia and Somalia.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 22, 2022

Your daily Patron!

@patron__dsns

Побачив жовто-блакитне небо, поле червоних маків та барвистих метеликів 💙💛 #песпатрон #славаукраїні #патрондснс

♬ Lose U 2 Love Me – 🌩

The caption translates as:

I saw the yellow-blue sky, a field of red poppies and colorful butterflies 💙💛 #Patrondog #SlavaUkraini #PatronDSNS

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 210: The Crazy ContinuesPost + Comments (117)

War for Ukraine Day 210: 8 PM, 9 AM, Close Enough for Government Work…

by Adam L Silverman| September 21, 20229:47 pm| 113 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

Nothing like a slow news day, huh?

Good news first. A prisoner exchange was done today, which included 108 of the Azovstal defenders!

I’ve had a very long day, and since we basically knew what was coming today, there weren’t a lot of surprises. So I’m going to try to keep this fairly short as I want to go get cleaned up and crash.

But first I want to start with something a bit different. As you may be aware things in Iran have gotten unsettled very, very quickly. Give this a quick watch:

Anger is boiling over in Iran. The people have had enough. They didn’t take it from this regime enforcer. pic.twitter.com/G2yIrIE1Tb

— Frida Ghitis (@FridaGhitis) September 21, 2022

This is only one video that has come out of Iran over the past couple of days. You’ll notice that the helmet, billy club, and stun gun were no match for multiple attackers. And that’s what I want everyone to keep in mind as we get to the update. Because there are ongoing protests in Russia. They started shortly after the pre-recorded Putin and Shoigu canine and equine extravaganza was broadcast and panic began to set in amongst Russian males aged 18-65. A lot of people made for the borders and the airports, others decided to protest. While some of these were actually anti-war protesters, as in opposed to Russia’s re-invasion of Ukraine, most of them were protesting that they might actually have to go to Ukraine to fight and, left unsaid, most likely get killed. But there’s a takeaway here. Every police force’s worst fear – from the NYPD to Putin’s security service enforcers to the Guidance Patrol (morality police) in Iran – is that the citizenry, which always outnumber the police, will resist en masse. At that point, as we see in the video above, several irate citizens who have decided to not comply easily overwhelm a lone police officer or security service officer. We saw this on 6 JAN 2021.

Here’s President Zelenskyy’s speech to the UN. Video below, English transcript after the jump. Followed by his normal address below that in the same sequence, video, then English transcript.

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Greetings to all people of the world who value peace and unity between different and equal nations!

I wish you all peace!

I thank you that we are united in our striving to restore peace and to guarantee peace for any nation that has become a victim of the armed aggression.

A crime has been committed against Ukraine, and we demand just punishment.

The crime was committed against our state borders. The crime was committed against the lives of our people. The crime was committed against the dignity of our women and men.

The crime was committed against the values that make you and me a community of the united nations.

And Ukraine demands punishment for trying to steal our territory. Punishment for the murders of thousands of people. Punishment for tortures and humiliations of women and men.

Punishment for the catastrophic turbulence that Russia provoked with its illegal war and not only for us, Ukrainians, but for the whole world. For every nation that is represented in this Hall of the UN General Assembly.

I am speaking on behalf of the state, which is forced to defend itself, but has the formula for peace. I am speaking to everyone who wants to hear how to achieve peace.

I will present a formula that can work not only for us, but for anyone who may find themselves in similar circumstances as we did. It is a formula that punishes crime, protects life, restores security and territorial integrity, guarantees security, and provides determination.

There are five preconditions for peace.

Dear Mr. President of the General Assembly!

Dear Secretary-General of the United Nations!

Dear heads of states and governments!

Dear journalists!

Nations of the world!

Ukraine wants peace. Europe wants peace. The world wants peace. And we have seen who is the only one who wants war.

There is only one Entity among all UN Member States who would say now, if he could interrupt my speech, that he is happy with this war – with his war. But we will not let this Entity prevail over us, even though it is the largest state in the world.

Ukraine showed strength on the battlefield, using its right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. And no one will reproach us now or in the future with weakness or inability to fight for ourselves, for our independence.

We are achieving a result in this fight and we see what the end of this war will be, and what will be the guarantees of a stable peace.

The UN Charter proclaims the equality of nations – and we proved that Ukraine is equal among the equals.

The UN Charter protects the inviolability of borders – and we confirm our state borderline by expelling the occupiers outside.

The UN Charter stipulates the value of human rights, dignity and life, and we also stipulate them – with every Ukrainian city freed from Russian occupation.

We did not provoke this war. We held 88 rounds of talks in various formats to prevent this war, just from the beginning of my presidency until February 24 this year.

But Russia – instead of stopping the crime of aggression, which it started back in 2014 – turned it into a full-scale invasion. And we have no choice but to defend ourselves. We do it. We push the aggressor beyond the internationally recognized border of the Ukrainian state.

And this is the first item of our peace formula. Comprehensive item. Punishment.

Punishment for the crime of aggression. Punishment for violation of borders and territorial integrity. Punishment that must be in place until the internationally recognized border is restored. Until the aggression stops. And until the damages and losses for the war are fully compensated.

Therefore, sanctions against the aggressor are part of the peace formula. Blocking the trade and relations with the aggressor is part of the peace formula. All this is a punishment.

So long as the aggressor is a party to decision-making in the international organizations, he must be isolated from them – at least until aggression lasts. Reject the right to vote. Deprive delegation rights. Remove the right of veto – if it is a Member of the UN Security Council. In order to punish the aggressor within the institutions.

We should not turn a blind eye to propagandists who justify aggression, but apply a full package of personal restrictions against them. That is a punishment for lying.

Citizens of the aggressor state should not be allowed to enjoy tourism or shopping in the territory of those who value peace, but should be encouraged through visa restrictions to fight against the aggression of their own state. Punish for abetting the evil.

A Special Tribunal should be created to punish Russia for the crime of aggression against our state. This will become signal to all “would-be” aggressors, that they must value peace or be brought to responsibility by the world.

We have prepared precise steps to establish such Tribunal. They will be presented to all states.

Ukraine will appeal to the UN General Assembly to support an international compensation mechanism.

We count on your support.

Russia should pay for this war with its assets. It is also a punishment. This is one of the most terrible punishments for Russian officials, who value money above everything else.

The second item of the peace formula is the protection of life. The most concrete item.

Now, while the sessions of the General Assembly continue, in the Ukrainian town of Izyum, Kharkiv region, the exhumation is under way… of bodies from a mass burial, which happened when the territory was controlled by Russian troops. The bodies of women and men, children and adults, civilians and soldiers were found there. 445 graves.

There is a family that died under the rubble of a house after a Russian airstrike – father, mother, 6- and 8-year-old girls, grandparents. There is a man who was strangled with a rope. There is a woman with broken ribs and wounds on her body. There is a man who was castrated before the murder, and this is not the first case.

Ask, please, the representatives of Russia why the Russian military are so obsessed with castration. What was done to them so that they want to do this to others?

The only thing that differs the mass burial in Izyum from what the world saw in Bucha is, in fact, the burial. The Russian army was in Izyum for a longer time, and therefore the bodies of the killed people were buried, and not scattered on the streets.

So, how can we allow the Russian army somewhere on Ukrainian soil, knowing that they are committing such mass murders everywhere? We cannot.

We must protect life. The world must protect life. Every state suffering the armed aggression needs the opportunity to protect its citizens and liberate its territory.

If it requires help with weapons or shells – they should be provided. If you need financial help for this, it should be given. If for this, it is necessary to help with the intelligence data – just do it. But what is not needed is lies.

We can return the Ukrainian flag to our entire territory. We can do it with the force of arms.

But we need time.

We tried to speed it up. We tried to implement the basic provisions of the UN Charter for Ukraine through negotiations.

But Russia is afraid of real negotiations and does not want to fulfill any fair international obligations. It lies to everyone. As it is typical for aggressors, for terrorists.

Even now, when Russia talks about negotiations, it only wants to slow down its retreat. Russia wants to spend the winter on the occupied territory of Ukraine and prepare forces to attempt a new offensive. New Buchas, new Izyums… Or at least it wants to prepare fortifications on occupied land and carry out military mobilization at home.

We cannot agree to a delayed war. Because it will be even hotter than the war now.

For us, this is a war for life. That is why we need defense support – weapons, military equipment and shells. Offensive weapons, a long-range one is enough to liberate our land, and defensive systems, above all, air defense. And we need financial support – to keep internal stability and fulfill social obligations to our people.

Physical and social protection are two elements of any nation’s life. So, the second item of our peace formula is the protection of life. By all available means – allowed by the UN Charter.

The third item of our peace formula is restoring security and territorial integrity.

Look at how many elements of global security Russia has undermined with its war – maritime safety, food safety, radiation safety, energy safety and safety from weapons of mass destruction.

We are already restoring maritime safety and food security. And I thank Mr. António Guterres for his personal involvement. Algeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Israel, India, Iran, Yemen, Cyprus, China, Korea, Lebanon, Türkiye, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Romania and France have already received Ukrainian agricultural products.

And we have to increase the supply by sea. Both under market conditions and within the UN Food Program, for which Ukraine is always a reliable partner.

By the way, despite all the difficulties caused by the war, we decided to provide humanitarian aid to Ethiopia and Somalia, so we will send them an additional amount of our wheat.

But it is more difficult with other security elements.

On the eve of the General Assembly meeting, Russia fired missiles at the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant. The explosion hit the station buildings – windows were broken, walls were damaged. The rockets exploded only three hundred meters from the walls of the reactors!

And this is after the IAEA’s clear appeal to Russia to stop any hostile activity against any nuclear facilities of Ukraine and, in particular, against the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station – the largest one in Europe, which Russia has turned into a target.

And that makes all of you a target.

Russian radiation blackmailing is something that should concern each and every one of you, because none of you will find a vaccine against radiation sickness.

The cost of living crisis continues in dozens of countries, it roots in the destabilization of the energy market. It is necessary to remove the main factor of global price turbulence, namely: Russian energy blackmailing.

It is necessary to cap the prices at which Russia exports its energy resources. It is necessary to make Russian oil and gas – just ordinary goods again. Currently, oil and gas are Russia’s energy weapons. And that is why it manipulates the markets so that electricity, gas, petrol and diesel become the privilege of few instead of being a common good available to all.

Limiting prices is safeguarding the world. This is the way to restore energy and price security.

But will the world go for it? Or will it be scared? Will it be scared of Russian threats?

It is necessary to take only one strong step, after which everything will become clear. The time has come for this.

This step will put everything in place. After the Russian missile terror. After the massacres. After Mariupol. After the burning of Ukrainian prisoners in Olenivka by the Russian military. After blocking the ports. After the strikes of Russian tanks and missiles on nuclear power plants. And after threats to use nuclear weapons, which have become the rule, not the exception, for Russian propagandists…

We must finally recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. At all levels. In all countries that confess the values of peace and protection of human life. Legally. Politically.

If you don’t have a legal mechanism, you can make a political decision – in the parliaments. This is the foundation for restoring global security. If this strong step is taken, doubts will disappear – whether to take other important steps.

And what is very sensitive – is the border, the territorial integrity.

When one country tries to steal the territory of another state, it puts all world nations under attack.

Global security cannot be restored without restoring the territorial integrity of the nation which suffered the armed aggression.

So, the third item of the Ukrainian peace formula is the restoration of security and territorial integrity. The fourth item is security guarantees.

Every nation has the right to security guarantees. Not only the largest nations. Not only the most fortunate ones.

We have proposals to upgrade the security architecture for Ukraine, and for Europe and the world, which will not allow any more aggression against us. We are already presenting them to partners.

Proposals for legally binding multilateral and bilateral treaties. These are the conditions for the guarantors to act, and the timeline for their actions to bring results – results on land, at sea and in the air; in diplomacy and politics, in economy and finance, in providing weapons and intelligence. Each of you, who will receive the text of our peace formula will also see the details of what we offer as security guarantees.

I do not want to compare our offers with the guarantees of any alliances that exist on the planet now. I want to stress that it is always much better to guarantee the security of a nation, preventively, rather than to stop a war after it has already begun.

And the fifth item of the Ukrainian peace formula is determination. Something without which the other four items will not work.

This is our determination to fight. This is the determination of the partners to help us, and also themselves. And this is the determination of the world to unite around the one who fights against armed aggression and to call to order the one who threatens all.

So, all five items of our formula:

punishment for aggression;

protection of life;

restoration of security and territorial integrity;

security guarantees;

and determination to defend oneself.

This is the formula of crime and punishment, which is already well known to Russia. And this is the formula of justice and law and order that Russia has yet to learn. As well as any other potential aggressors.

What is not in our formula? Neutrality.

Those who speak of neutrality, when human values and peace are under attack, mean something else. They talk about indifference – everyone for themselves. Here’s what they say. They pretend to be interested in each other’s problems. They take care of each other formally. They sympathize only for protocol. And that is why they pretend to protect someone, but in reality they protect only their vested interests. This is what creates the conditions for war. This is what needs to be corrected in order to create conditions for peace.

All you need is determination.

There was a lot of talking about reforming the UN. How did it all end? No result.

If you look carefully at our peace formula, you will see that its implementation is already becoming a de-facto reform of the United Nations. Our formula is universal, and unites the North and the South of the world. It calls for the world’s majority, and encourages to expand the representation of those who remained unheard.

This is an imbalance when Africa, Latin America, most of Asia, Central and Eastern Europe comply with the right of veto, that they themselves never had.

And this is what Ukraine is talking about. And have you ever heard such words from Russia? But it is a permanent member of the Security Council. For some reason. For what reason, not Japan or Brazil, not Türkiye or India, not Germany or Ukraine. The day will come when this will be resolved.

As for the talks between Ukraine and Russia.

Probably you have happened to hear different words from Russia about the talks – as if they were ready for them. But. They talk about the talks but announce military mobilization. They talk about the talks but announce pseudo referendums in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

What is true then? The military mobilization in Russia is true. Sham referendums are also true. Russia wants war. It’s true. But Russia will not be able to stop the course of history. Mankind and the international law are stronger than one terrorist state. Russia will be forced to end this war. The war it has started.

I rule out that the settlement can happen on a different basis than the Ukrainian peace formula. The further the Russian terror reaches, the less likely it is that anyone in the world will agree to sit at one table with them.

And if my words will be followed by new Russian missiles and acts of terrorism it will only prove the weakness. Russia’s weakness. Its inability to prevail over us, its inability to prevail over the world.

It will only prove that 5 items of the Ukrainian peace formula must be implemented as soon as possible.

We are ready for peace. But true, honest and fair peace. That’s why the world is on our side.

And finally.

I want to thank one hundred and one countries that voted for my video address to take place. It was a vote not only about the format. It was the vote about principles.

Only seven countries voted against: Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Eritrea, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria.

Seven. Seven who are afraid of the video address. Seven who respond to principles with a red button. Only seven.

One hundred and one – and seven.

Friends! If this coalition is against our determination, then I congratulate you all. Because this means that peace will prevail over any aggression, and that there is no obstacle for us to implement the peace formula.

I thank you for your attention!

Once again, I wish you all peace!

Glory to Ukraine!

His nightly address (emphasis mine):

Ukrainians!

We are bringing our people home. Exchange has just finished. Today we have 215 pieces of good news. 215!

This is clearly a victory for our state, for our entire society. And most importantly, for 215 families who will be able to see their loved ones in safety.

Hero of Ukraine Yevheniy Bova. Hero of Ukraine Lev Pashko. Hero of Ukraine Denys Prokopenko.

And a total of 108 warriors of “Azov”, a total of 188 heroes of “Azovstal” and Mariupol. Eight people were wounded during the Russian terrorist attack in Olenivka. A total of 215 heroes!

These are warriors of the National Guard, our army, the Navy, border guards, policemen, warriors of the territorial defense, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine and others.

Dmytro Kozatskyi – the famous Orest, a photographer from “Azovstal”. Mykola Kushch and Kostiantyn Nikitenko – the militants sentenced them to death.

Kateryna Polishchuk – “Ptashka”, Maryana Mamonova, Valentyna Zubko, Yana Shumovetska, Zoriana Repetska, Anastasia Chernenka.

We remember all our people and try to save every Ukrainian. This is the meaning of Ukraine, our essence, this is what distinguishes us from the enemy… We value every life!

And we will definitely do everything to save everyone who is in Russian captivity.

This operation was prepared for quite a long time. And there are several components in the exchange.

The first component: we exchanged one fan of Russia for 200 warriors. At first, we were offered to return 50 of our people in exchange for one of those in the detention center of the Security Service of Ukraine. We talked. We insisted. The number of 50 increased to 200. They are already in Ukraine. I think this is a good result.

Although even more than 200… Because among the released Ukrainian women there are those who are preparing to become mothers. And I am especially happy that it has now become possible to return them to Ukraine.

It is not a pity to give Medvedchuk in exchange for real warriors. He went through all the investigative actions provided for by law. Ukraine received from him everything necessary to establish the truth in the framework of criminal proceedings.

The second component – in addition to 200 warriors, we returned five more combat commanders for whom we had to carry out the biggest, the longest, the most difficult fight. They were threatened with the worst. Five superheroes.

In exchange for them, we gave 55 of those who deserve neither pity, nor sympathy, nor any words at all. Those who fought against Ukraine. And those who betrayed Ukraine. Those who we definitely do not need.

Ukraine agreed with Türkiye – I spoke about this with President Erdoğan – that our five commanders who are being released from captivity will be in complete safety, in comfortable conditions and under the personal protection of the President of Türkiye. Until the end of the war. But we will provide the opportunity for their families to see them.

Serhiy Volynskyi, Svyatoslav Palamar, Denys Prokopenko, Oleg Khomenko, Denys Shleha. Once again, I am thankful to President Erdoğan!

And, of course, we helped our friends – this is a matter of honor for Ukraine, a matter of our gratitude for helping our country. We managed to liberate 10 foreign citizens who were in Russian captivity.

Earlier we discussed this with Boris Johnson – he asked for assistance. With American friends. Now the following people will return home: five citizens of Great Britain, two citizens of the United States, one citizen of Morocco, one citizen of Sweden, one citizen of Croatia. The enemy sentenced them to a long prison term or the death penalty. We saved their lives.

All of them will return home through the mediation of Saudi Arabia. I am sincerely grateful to everyone who contributed for your help!

And I want to name those people thanks to whom we have these 215 pieces of good news today.

On the Ukrainian side, a pretty powerful group deals with the issue of release. It is managed by four: Head of the Office Yermak, Head of our intelligence Budanov, Head of the Security Service Maliuk and Rustem Umerov. And I also thank their team – Dmytro Usov, Ombudsman Lubinets, Minister Monastyrskyi.

Thank you, guys, for this Ukrainian success!

Already tomorrow we will introduce some other members of our group, which is working to save our people from captivity. We will also provide more details of this exchange. Please wait for the corresponding briefing.

Thank you once again to everyone who ensured this victory for Ukraine!

Congratulations to all our defenders who are returning home!

We remember everyone!

Glory to Ukraine!

This news has boosted morale in Ukraine. In Russia, not so much…

Putin the brilliant strategist. pic.twitter.com/XZT3emJjO5

— Christo Grozev (@christogrozev) September 22, 2022

Here is former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s updated assessments for the situations in Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Izium:

ZAPORIZHZHIA NUCLEAR PLANT /21 SEPT/ At 1400 UTC it was reported that RU artillery targeted equipment associated with Reactor No 6. The UN has declared that the situation is “unstable and untenable”. Most of the residents of Enerhodar remain w/o electricity or fresh water. pic.twitter.com/U6qagk07Vh

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 21, 2022

KHERSON/1215 UTC 21 SEP/ UKR Gen’l Staff reported 21 close air sorties had interdicted RU targets. UKR air defense (AD) claimed 4 Russian UAVs. On 20 SEP, there were reports that an Iranian supplied Shaheed-136 UCAV was downed on the M-14 HWY axis. 2 RU SAM complexes destroyed. pic.twitter.com/nzfoaxIMNt

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 21, 2022

IZIUM/1645 UTC 21 SEP/ UKR precision strike munitions destroyed RU ammunition depots at Svatove and Novoaidar. Deeply inserted Ukrainian SOF continues to feed targeting data on RU lines of communication and supply. pic.twitter.com/FckyX9dGb3

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) September 21, 2022

Someone was grousing last night that Pfarrer didn’t know what he was doing in regard to his map making. Errors do happen and pointing something out that doesn’t compute to you is fine, but let’s get a few things straight about just who Pfarrer is. Pfarrer was deployed in Lebanon with SEAL Team Four during the Lebanese Civil War, including the Marine barracks bombing. He was one of the Seal Team Six assault leaders on the mission that captured Abu Abbas and the other Achille Lauro hijackers. The one thing he does know is Special Warfare. Stating he doesn’t know what he’s doing because you don’t agree with his assessment, his map, or both is just not accurate.

So Putin and Shoigu announced a partial mobilization, which really isn’t a partial mobilization:

Separately, we have Shoigu's interview who has mentioned 300,000 people. https://t.co/jl8kK9KNvu. No reason to trust Shoigu on this.

— Sergey Radchenko (@DrRadchenko) September 21, 2022

We should probably expect people to be mobilised in the provinces. The provision of a contract soldier's salary, mentioned in Putin's ukaz, is aimed at mitigating opposition. The salaries are still far above average Russian salaries.

— Sergey Radchenko (@DrRadchenko) September 21, 2022

A measure of desperation, indicating that Putin is really on his last legs. We are about to find out, I guess, how popular this war is, really, among the Russian public.

— Sergey Radchenko (@DrRadchenko) September 21, 2022

Sept 21 (Reuters) – Moments after President Vladimir Putin called up 300,000 reservists on Wednesday in Russia's first such mobilisation since World War Two, a human rights lawyer said citizens had already started getting orders to enlist.

— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) September 21, 2022

On the Moscow metro, men could be seen studying call-up papers, and on the streets, some residents were concerned about the biggest escalation of the conflict since Russia invaded Ukraine almost 7 months ago.

— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) September 21, 2022

The service at this place sucks!

A quiet dinner in Moscow pic.twitter.com/AmN1pVetCR

— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) September 21, 2022

Reports are trickling out that arrested male protestors, or those arrested for being anywhere near a protest, are being immediately mobilized as part of Putin’s new partial mobilization:

Задержанного отпустили из ОВД. «Ему лично вручал [повестку] комиссар. На видео они снимали, как они вручают ему повестку и говорили, что он не может не принять ее, потому что он гражданин Российской Федерации», — рассказала его жена https://t.co/fpTaXk7Z1X

— Медиазона (@mediazzzona) September 21, 2022

The tweets (machine) translates as:

“My husband was detained on the Arbat, taken to the police department on Sokolina Gora, and there they issued a summons to the military registration and enlistment office for tomorrow. He signed it. There is a military commissar, ”said Valeria

The detainee was released from the police department. “The commissar handed [the summons] personally to him. On video, they filmed how they handed him a summons and said that he could not refuse to accept it, because he was a citizen of the Russian Federation, ”said his wife

Just briefly, to wrap up, while we have to be cognizant of Putin’s nuclear bluster, we also need to keep in mind that despite either strikes on/into Russia proper and Russian occupied Crimea by Ukraine for several months, as well as sabotage in these locations, Putin has not escalated to using nukes. I’ve always been one of the nat-sec professionals who think this part of Russian military doctrine is a Psychological Operation to freeze US and NATO leaders decision-making. That doesn’t mean we ignore it, but I also don’t expect Putin to escalate that way.

And I think this “partial” mobilization is going to cause Putin more trouble than it was worth.

That’s enough for today.

Your daily Patron!

The president of one terrorist state announced a partial mobilisation 🤨
Well, we have to take care of the places for new (and still fresh, but not for a long time) occupants.
Here I'm digging 🐾 pic.twitter.com/vsKJCqxIdr

— Patron (@PatronDsns) September 21, 2022

We‘re so glad to have you back. Welcome home, our heroes ❤️ Who doesn’t understand who I’m talking about: these are Mariupol's defenders, who have just been returned from captivity. I’m sooo happy!!!!! 😊 pic.twitter.com/kWECen3k2B

— Patron (@PatronDsns) September 21, 2022

And a new video from Patron’s official TikTok:

@patron__dsns

🤤🧀 #песпатрон #патрондснс

♬ PXTEMAN AUDIO – Arch

While the caption largely needs no translation…

🤤🧀 #Patrondog#PatronDSNS

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 210: 8 PM, 9 AM, Close Enough for Government Work…Post + Comments (113)

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

You can’t love your country only when you win.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

Everybody saw this coming.

This really is a full service blog.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

No one could have predicted…

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

War for Ukraine Day 214: My Patron Stamps Arrived!

Late Night Open Thread: Snippets From the ‘Incursion’

War for Ukraine Day 213: A Brief Update

War for Ukraine Day 212: The ICRC Hasn’t Exactly Covered Itself in Glory Either!

War for Ukraine Day 211: Hey Amnesty International, Got Anything to Say About Izium?

War for Ukraine Day 210: The Crazy Continues

War for Ukraine Day 210: 8 PM, 9 AM, Close Enough for Government Work…