Very good Rob. The actions of the West with regard to Ukraine and Gaza have shown that Human Rights are just a stick to beat whomever the West dislike. They have turned a reasonable concept into a joke with their selective application of what should be universal principles. As if the West has ever allowed Human rights to stand in the way of profit.
The UN is, perhaps, one organisation that can survive in the MPWO with considerable reform, including the elimination of veto. Tony Benn was a fan of the UN btw.
This is crazy talk, Rob. Everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) knows that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was UNPROVOKED.
/s
Absolutely crazy that the man/government who moved to put Russian lives on the line to save their brothers in Ukraine is accused of being a brutal dictator sacrificing Russian lives for his own personal gains. So much of western propaganda is silly and contrived. The truth is so easy to find, but we've been conditioned to not even consider that what we're being told is utter bullshit.
The legacy media either provides no context at all or they provide a false context - e.g. the Ukraine war started in Feb 2022 after Putin had a row with his wife.
Glenn Diesen has a great article about his experience in Norway in Brave New Europe. The whole think makes me reassess my appreciation of the origins of ww1 and ww2 and what was really going on. The image of German troops in WW2 riding in Ford trucks to fight the Russians and Russians in Studebakers to fight the Germans didn't ease my concerns that all wasn't quite as it seemed. Then i read about the soft drink Fanta..
Sounds fascinating - I'll look it up. But I guess they'll be saying that the MIC has been around longer than people think. And maybe it's International.
Thanks Mary Ann. I think Ukraine joining NATO was and is an overall concern but it would not have been uppermost on Russian minds in February 2022. I'm not clear about the rest of your post.
I should point out that some commentators disagree with myself, Jacques Baud and others that Putin was motivated by the concerns I have mentioned in my article. I don't have time to delve into this myself but people would gain much from reading Dr. Livci's comments.
I will do a sort of correction in my next update - if I remember. Dr. Livci has spoiled my story a little - but I am one of those who does let the truth get in the way of a good story - though I am sure that some would dispute or add to his account.
I think there was also a presidential order, later approved by the Rada, that the Donbass and Crimea should be returned to Ukraine with any, even military means. Plus the salami tactics to strengthe the army threefold. A lot of small, somhow tolerable steps, but in total too much for Russia. I think it was the sum of western actions, starting from 2007.
Regarding Donbas, on April 14, 2014, acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov signed Decree No. 405/2014, which initiated the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) in eastern Ukraine, targeting Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk (collectively known as Donbas) and addressing the situation in Crimea and Sevastopol. This decree authorized the use of military force to counter separatist activities and restore Ukrainian control over these regions. The ATO marked the start of Ukraine’s military response to Russian-backed separatists following the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of conflict in Donbas.
Ukrainian Presidential Decree on Retaking Crimea and Donbas
Yes, there was a significant Ukrainian presidential decree related to the intention to retake Crimea and separatist-controlled areas of Donbas. On March 24, 2021, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Decree No. 117/2021, which approved the "Strategy for the De-occupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol." This decree outlined Ukraine’s policy to restore control over Crimea and parts of Donbas through a combination of diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military means. The strategy emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to restoring its territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, referencing the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 and the ongoing conflict in Donbas.
Key points of the decree include:
Diplomatic Efforts: Prioritizing international pressure, sanctions, and negotiations to restore Ukrainian control.
Military Readiness: While the decree did not explicitly mandate immediate military action, it supported strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities to prepare for potential military measures to reclaim occupied territories.
Crimea Platform: The decree established the Crimea Platform, an international initiative to coordinate global efforts to address the occupation of Crimea, focusing on human rights, security, and territorial restoration.
Excellent piece Rob. It’s good to point out the absolute hypocrisy that the west exhibits, constantly scolding, scolding. It gets very tiresome. Glad you called that out, it has the effect of raising one’s consciousness: mine. THANKS ROB!
If Ukraine was seriously on the brink of invading Donbass than presumably Russia would have encircled a bunch of Ukrainian Brigades concentrating West of the LDNR waiting for orders to get rolling. Nothing of the sort happened and Russias main thrust was at Kiev. The SMO was intended by Moscow to be a quick regime change operation and Russian strategy from February 2022 until post Istanbul reflects that as opposed to a pre-emptive attack. Also Im curious to know why Russia was able to pre-empt this invasion of Donbass but not Kursk a few years later.
This isn't to say that the cause of the Russian troops fighting in Donbass is unjust, I 100% support the Russian troops themselves if not the Kremlin who launched the SMO for reasons that have nothing to do with concern over the wellbeing of ethnic Russians in Donbass.
I haven't studied it in detail but my brief and inadequate account is based on Jacques Baud in the video I referred to but he isn't the only one whose account is similar to mine - which doesn't provide detail. I can't believe that concern for Russians in Donbass did not preoccupy Putin's thoughts in Feb 2022. It would be interesting to hear your views on the motivation behind the SMO. There are a number of different theories about Kursk which some believe was allowed to happen. But it could have been a massive intelligence failure. Many thanks Dr. LIvci.
Well the reaosn I don't think that the Kremlin launched the SMO out of concern for the residents of Donbass is that for 8 years these very same residents were begging Moscow for help and receiving very little. For 8 years Moscow was attempting to shove Donbass kicking and screaming against its will back into Ukraine. I know translations into English are hard to come by but if you listen to the words of people like the late Alexi Mozgovoi and the now imprisoned Egor Strelkov they were not sure whose side official Moscow was even on. As a rule that attitude was and still is very common amongst the more hardcore segments of Russias Patriotic scene but you would never know this going by people like Martyanov/MacGregor. I have an article about it on my page (I speak decent Russian).
In all likelihood the SMO was triggered by Kiev arresting Victor Medvedchuk and faulty intelligence to Moscow from people just like Medvedchuk. The Kremlin was hoping to re-integrate Donbass back into a less hostile to Moscow Ukraine where Moscows oligarchy could get their seat at the table in Kiev back which they had lost after Maidan. When this failed and Medvedchuks arrest signaled there was no hope for achieving it the Kremlin rolled the dice with the SMO hoping for a clean regime change. They almost succeeded, apparently Zelensky fled to Poland and lots of Western Embassies were evacuated in the days after Feb22. But Boris Johnson managed to block Russian success and here we are.
Again Im not denigrating the cause of actual Russians fighting the war on the ground. I support the actual Russian troops and Militiamen 100% and paradoxically the best way to put pressure on the worst of the worst in Moscow is for Russias troops to win on the battlefield. What the ruling elite in Moscow want is there yachts back and capital in the west unfrozen. Had the regime change succeeded they very well may have accomplished this after some haggling with the US and EU. Now things are different and the more Russia succedds on the battlefield the more irreparable becomes the rift between the West and Russia which is good.
Saker would accuse someone saying what I am saying of being a "5th columnist" of course but by Sakers standards probably more than half the Russian military and every iconic commander of the Russian Spring was a 5th colummist. Anyway there is an excellent book by a man named Victor Pinchuk who is an FSB reserve colonel and former defense minister of the DNR called Clausewitz and the Void that lays out the thesis that the original SMO plan was a regime change and he details why exactly it went wrong. Its only in Russian but I did a review of it along with Rurik Skywalker which is posted at his blog called the Slavland Chronicles. And at my blog I have an article about the general attitude of men at the front vs official Moscow. Thanks for lettimg me comment.
Fine observations, indeed. The one element that seems missing in all comments and post so far are Zelensky's trial balloon in '21 for returning Ukraine to nuclear-power status. That *seems* to me to be the cherry on the Ukraine cake--not serious enough but in combination an existential threat.
Along these lines my sense is that he is fixed on ZNPP not (just) because the electricity could be exported for much dollars (there are other NPP better situated to do that), but because *something else* is there that the regime (and CIA/MI6) want to retrieve. Hindsight suggests Ukraine and its handlers make announcements to lay cover for things they're already doing, and the initial Russian thrusts were exactly toward the NPP, as if they suspected something. That something could, speculatively, remain at ZNPP simply because it is too dangerous to move; certainly the largest nuclear plant in Europe would be the ideal place for weapons development.
No specific links at this time. I don't think the story around the nuclear threat, the Russian invasion thrusts, and ZNPP's bizarre fixation in the Kiev regime's mind (let alone foreign intelligence interests) has been really baked into something solid, by anyone. Simplicius might have come close.
My intuition picks up bits over time, from doing a LOT of reading. There's something really bizarre going on there, with ZNPP, and we know the Russians paid careful attention to capturing facilities linked to nuclear and biological research, and then only pulling back once they were satisfied somehow. Meanwhile, Zelensky doesn't need ZNPP to stage a nuclear incident false-flag (any of the others could have faked Russian strikes, if that was desired), he doesn't need ZNPP to extract plutonium--there are other reactors given enough time, he doesn't need ZNPP for the electricity--other reactors are better-positioned though it would be nice for the grid, and it doesn't seem like ZNPP is worth the focused effort just for prestige.
So... why is it really so darn important to him? My primitive guess is that there was something under way at the plant, that Russia hasn't revealed their knowledge of yet (for reasons), and a naive suggestion might be plutonium in quantity, stored with the radioactive waste containers.
But this is purely speculative.
Again, however, Russia's language on the direction of Ukraine situation sharpened radically shortly after Zelensky aired his nuclear threats. That was significant somehow.
And yet, that's exactly what happened: while the west hyperventilated about Kiev and Kherson, the Russian and militia forces obliterated the carefully constructed army in the Donbas that had ramped up shelling ahead of the Russian intervention.
It was only a brand-new, mobilized army in later 2022 that was able to swamp thin Russian lines in Kharkov and threaten Kherson supply.
The Daily Express ( UK) is reporting that Putin is in dire need of potatoes from Belarus. Are the Russians o'ding on vodka with all of their victory celebrations?
If anything its quite illuminating/elucidating to see how much of the western population can be brought on side with hollow propaganda. I think i now know why Hollande and Merkel made those comments re Minsk II. They clearly had to undermine their legitimization of Russia's legitimate concerns re Eastern Ukraine by stating they negotiated in bad faith to give Ukraine time to rearm against Russian aggression thereby undermining the agreement.
I find it pretty hard to believe that Russians started the SMO to protect the people of Donbas. Still remember that the first thing they did after the start of SMO was the total mobilization in DPR/LPR, while the Russian public was totally untouched by war. Russian patriotic circles, but not just them, loudly complained about the result - tens of thousands of somewhat experienced, but poorly armed Donbas natives (with Mosin rifles and SSh-60 helmets) used as a shock troops, in the same way as prison batallions which became available later. Casualties almost immediately dwarfed entire previous 8 years - as a result, SMO drained Donbas of the entire generation of adult men. So now they have to be replaced by Central Asian migrants.
And I am not even going to start on the fate of Russian-speaking cities at the Ukrainian side of the frontline.
Very good Rob. The actions of the West with regard to Ukraine and Gaza have shown that Human Rights are just a stick to beat whomever the West dislike. They have turned a reasonable concept into a joke with their selective application of what should be universal principles. As if the West has ever allowed Human rights to stand in the way of profit.
Cheers Chris - so true.
Just as the League of Nations was undermined by the Allies: Japan, the US and Italy so the UN is undermined by the Allies.
The UN is, perhaps, one organisation that can survive in the MPWO with considerable reform, including the elimination of veto. Tony Benn was a fan of the UN btw.
This is crazy talk, Rob. Everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) knows that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was UNPROVOKED.
/s
Absolutely crazy that the man/government who moved to put Russian lives on the line to save their brothers in Ukraine is accused of being a brutal dictator sacrificing Russian lives for his own personal gains. So much of western propaganda is silly and contrived. The truth is so easy to find, but we've been conditioned to not even consider that what we're being told is utter bullshit.
The legacy media either provides no context at all or they provide a false context - e.g. the Ukraine war started in Feb 2022 after Putin had a row with his wife.
Glenn Diesen has a great article about his experience in Norway in Brave New Europe. The whole think makes me reassess my appreciation of the origins of ww1 and ww2 and what was really going on. The image of German troops in WW2 riding in Ford trucks to fight the Russians and Russians in Studebakers to fight the Germans didn't ease my concerns that all wasn't quite as it seemed. Then i read about the soft drink Fanta..
Sounds fascinating - I'll look it up. But I guess they'll be saying that the MIC has been around longer than people think. And maybe it's International.
Amusing delusions. Perhaps it sounded less unhinged before being dragged through translation.
"This is why denazification is still the main concern for the Russians currently." Hilarious. But, but.... "Russian language," but, but "NATO."
Thanks Mary Ann. I think Ukraine joining NATO was and is an overall concern but it would not have been uppermost on Russian minds in February 2022. I'm not clear about the rest of your post.
I should point out that some commentators disagree with myself, Jacques Baud and others that Putin was motivated by the concerns I have mentioned in my article. I don't have time to delve into this myself but people would gain much from reading Dr. Livci's comments.
I will do a sort of correction in my next update - if I remember. Dr. Livci has spoiled my story a little - but I am one of those who does let the truth get in the way of a good story - though I am sure that some would dispute or add to his account.
If you think what Rob wrote is unhinged then you have precious little grasp of the reality of the situation. Embarrassing.
I think there was also a presidential order, later approved by the Rada, that the Donbass and Crimea should be returned to Ukraine with any, even military means. Plus the salami tactics to strengthe the army threefold. A lot of small, somhow tolerable steps, but in total too much for Russia. I think it was the sum of western actions, starting from 2007.
I didn't know about the Presidential Order - thanks Johannes.
Regarding Donbas, on April 14, 2014, acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov signed Decree No. 405/2014, which initiated the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) in eastern Ukraine, targeting Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk (collectively known as Donbas) and addressing the situation in Crimea and Sevastopol. This decree authorized the use of military force to counter separatist activities and restore Ukrainian control over these regions. The ATO marked the start of Ukraine’s military response to Russian-backed separatists following the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of conflict in Donbas.
Ukrainian Presidential Decree on Retaking Crimea and Donbas
Yes, there was a significant Ukrainian presidential decree related to the intention to retake Crimea and separatist-controlled areas of Donbas. On March 24, 2021, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Decree No. 117/2021, which approved the "Strategy for the De-occupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol." This decree outlined Ukraine’s policy to restore control over Crimea and parts of Donbas through a combination of diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military means. The strategy emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to restoring its territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, referencing the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 and the ongoing conflict in Donbas.
Key points of the decree include:
Diplomatic Efforts: Prioritizing international pressure, sanctions, and negotiations to restore Ukrainian control.
Military Readiness: While the decree did not explicitly mandate immediate military action, it supported strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities to prepare for potential military measures to reclaim occupied territories.
Crimea Platform: The decree established the Crimea Platform, an international initiative to coordinate global efforts to address the occupation of Crimea, focusing on human rights, security, and territorial restoration.
Thanks for that Johannes.
Excellent piece Rob. It’s good to point out the absolute hypocrisy that the west exhibits, constantly scolding, scolding. It gets very tiresome. Glad you called that out, it has the effect of raising one’s consciousness: mine. THANKS ROB!
If Ukraine was seriously on the brink of invading Donbass than presumably Russia would have encircled a bunch of Ukrainian Brigades concentrating West of the LDNR waiting for orders to get rolling. Nothing of the sort happened and Russias main thrust was at Kiev. The SMO was intended by Moscow to be a quick regime change operation and Russian strategy from February 2022 until post Istanbul reflects that as opposed to a pre-emptive attack. Also Im curious to know why Russia was able to pre-empt this invasion of Donbass but not Kursk a few years later.
This isn't to say that the cause of the Russian troops fighting in Donbass is unjust, I 100% support the Russian troops themselves if not the Kremlin who launched the SMO for reasons that have nothing to do with concern over the wellbeing of ethnic Russians in Donbass.
I haven't studied it in detail but my brief and inadequate account is based on Jacques Baud in the video I referred to but he isn't the only one whose account is similar to mine - which doesn't provide detail. I can't believe that concern for Russians in Donbass did not preoccupy Putin's thoughts in Feb 2022. It would be interesting to hear your views on the motivation behind the SMO. There are a number of different theories about Kursk which some believe was allowed to happen. But it could have been a massive intelligence failure. Many thanks Dr. LIvci.
Well the reaosn I don't think that the Kremlin launched the SMO out of concern for the residents of Donbass is that for 8 years these very same residents were begging Moscow for help and receiving very little. For 8 years Moscow was attempting to shove Donbass kicking and screaming against its will back into Ukraine. I know translations into English are hard to come by but if you listen to the words of people like the late Alexi Mozgovoi and the now imprisoned Egor Strelkov they were not sure whose side official Moscow was even on. As a rule that attitude was and still is very common amongst the more hardcore segments of Russias Patriotic scene but you would never know this going by people like Martyanov/MacGregor. I have an article about it on my page (I speak decent Russian).
In all likelihood the SMO was triggered by Kiev arresting Victor Medvedchuk and faulty intelligence to Moscow from people just like Medvedchuk. The Kremlin was hoping to re-integrate Donbass back into a less hostile to Moscow Ukraine where Moscows oligarchy could get their seat at the table in Kiev back which they had lost after Maidan. When this failed and Medvedchuks arrest signaled there was no hope for achieving it the Kremlin rolled the dice with the SMO hoping for a clean regime change. They almost succeeded, apparently Zelensky fled to Poland and lots of Western Embassies were evacuated in the days after Feb22. But Boris Johnson managed to block Russian success and here we are.
Again Im not denigrating the cause of actual Russians fighting the war on the ground. I support the actual Russian troops and Militiamen 100% and paradoxically the best way to put pressure on the worst of the worst in Moscow is for Russias troops to win on the battlefield. What the ruling elite in Moscow want is there yachts back and capital in the west unfrozen. Had the regime change succeeded they very well may have accomplished this after some haggling with the US and EU. Now things are different and the more Russia succedds on the battlefield the more irreparable becomes the rift between the West and Russia which is good.
Saker would accuse someone saying what I am saying of being a "5th columnist" of course but by Sakers standards probably more than half the Russian military and every iconic commander of the Russian Spring was a 5th colummist. Anyway there is an excellent book by a man named Victor Pinchuk who is an FSB reserve colonel and former defense minister of the DNR called Clausewitz and the Void that lays out the thesis that the original SMO plan was a regime change and he details why exactly it went wrong. Its only in Russian but I did a review of it along with Rurik Skywalker which is posted at his blog called the Slavland Chronicles. And at my blog I have an article about the general attitude of men at the front vs official Moscow. Thanks for lettimg me comment.
Thanks for the education. Unfortunately, I don't have time to look at anything in depth. Appreciate your input.
Fine observations, indeed. The one element that seems missing in all comments and post so far are Zelensky's trial balloon in '21 for returning Ukraine to nuclear-power status. That *seems* to me to be the cherry on the Ukraine cake--not serious enough but in combination an existential threat.
Along these lines my sense is that he is fixed on ZNPP not (just) because the electricity could be exported for much dollars (there are other NPP better situated to do that), but because *something else* is there that the regime (and CIA/MI6) want to retrieve. Hindsight suggests Ukraine and its handlers make announcements to lay cover for things they're already doing, and the initial Russian thrusts were exactly toward the NPP, as if they suspected something. That something could, speculatively, remain at ZNPP simply because it is too dangerous to move; certainly the largest nuclear plant in Europe would be the ideal place for weapons development.
There is a lesson to be learned here: you can't always trust 'the experts'. The Busker would appreciate your input in correcting my errors. Cheers.
I've heard the story about something left behind at the ZNPP a few times. Intriguing.
That actually is an interesting point I never considered. Do you have links expanding on that thesis?
No specific links at this time. I don't think the story around the nuclear threat, the Russian invasion thrusts, and ZNPP's bizarre fixation in the Kiev regime's mind (let alone foreign intelligence interests) has been really baked into something solid, by anyone. Simplicius might have come close.
My intuition picks up bits over time, from doing a LOT of reading. There's something really bizarre going on there, with ZNPP, and we know the Russians paid careful attention to capturing facilities linked to nuclear and biological research, and then only pulling back once they were satisfied somehow. Meanwhile, Zelensky doesn't need ZNPP to stage a nuclear incident false-flag (any of the others could have faked Russian strikes, if that was desired), he doesn't need ZNPP to extract plutonium--there are other reactors given enough time, he doesn't need ZNPP for the electricity--other reactors are better-positioned though it would be nice for the grid, and it doesn't seem like ZNPP is worth the focused effort just for prestige.
So... why is it really so darn important to him? My primitive guess is that there was something under way at the plant, that Russia hasn't revealed their knowledge of yet (for reasons), and a naive suggestion might be plutonium in quantity, stored with the radioactive waste containers.
But this is purely speculative.
Again, however, Russia's language on the direction of Ukraine situation sharpened radically shortly after Zelensky aired his nuclear threats. That was significant somehow.
And yet, that's exactly what happened: while the west hyperventilated about Kiev and Kherson, the Russian and militia forces obliterated the carefully constructed army in the Donbas that had ramped up shelling ahead of the Russian intervention.
It was only a brand-new, mobilized army in later 2022 that was able to swamp thin Russian lines in Kharkov and threaten Kherson supply.
The Daily Express ( UK) is reporting that Putin is in dire need of potatoes from Belarus. Are the Russians o'ding on vodka with all of their victory celebrations?
Cheers Michael - the stories get more and more ridiculous by the day. Lots of people I follow have been to Russia recently and there is no problem.
So, no vodka shortage then. Excellent!
If anything its quite illuminating/elucidating to see how much of the western population can be brought on side with hollow propaganda. I think i now know why Hollande and Merkel made those comments re Minsk II. They clearly had to undermine their legitimization of Russia's legitimate concerns re Eastern Ukraine by stating they negotiated in bad faith to give Ukraine time to rearm against Russian aggression thereby undermining the agreement.
Fair, down to the point and a punch in the face of all creature swallowed by the eternal media
lies. if they don't understand it now, there will be no time or place for lamentations.
Your Patagonian-Spanish follower
thank you Sue
I find it pretty hard to believe that Russians started the SMO to protect the people of Donbas. Still remember that the first thing they did after the start of SMO was the total mobilization in DPR/LPR, while the Russian public was totally untouched by war. Russian patriotic circles, but not just them, loudly complained about the result - tens of thousands of somewhat experienced, but poorly armed Donbas natives (with Mosin rifles and SSh-60 helmets) used as a shock troops, in the same way as prison batallions which became available later. Casualties almost immediately dwarfed entire previous 8 years - as a result, SMO drained Donbas of the entire generation of adult men. So now they have to be replaced by Central Asian migrants.
And I am not even going to start on the fate of Russian-speaking cities at the Ukrainian side of the frontline.