Ukraine Weekly Update

26th April 2024

Is the bear finally awakening?

Perhaps the highlight of the week was provided by the US Congress which passed the latest $61 billions Ukrainian aid package that may be much less hefty than this figure suggests (see below). On the battlefronts, there are signs that the Russian bear is indeed awakening. There is more Russian forward movement on the fronts than I can remember and the speed of Ukrainian collapse in some places is unprecedented. Rumours abound of an offensive to take Kharkiv and create that buffer zone we have heard so much about. The new Mobilisation Bill has been passed and appears to be causing problems already as the prospect of losing passports is making Ukrainians abroad very nervous. No one really knows the extent to which this will obstruct reinforcements to the front but it is not likely to be helpful. The US State Department, in a surprise move, has accused Ukraine of human rights abuses during 2023 (see below).

In the Middle East, the Houthis have started attacking shipping again after a short break and Hamas has not yet managed to obtain a ceasefire. In Gaza, the people of Rafah are bracing themselves for the Israeli onslaught they fear is coming and the discovery of mass graves at hospitals has damned to hell the perpetrators of these vile deeds. The police in the US are clamping down violently hard on pro-Palestine protests - much more severely than they did when Black Lives Matter rioted in 2020. Donald J is on trial again and his supporters may be concerned that he could be in prison come November. But if that happened civil unrest could spiral out of control. Meanwhile Sleepy Joe continues to blunder. Finally, 900 millions Indians are currently involved in elections.

War Correspondents Killed

RIP Semyon

Slavyangrad reported that:

Semyon Eremin, a military correspondent of Izvestia, was killed in an attack by an enemy FPV drone - after dropping an ammunition from the drone, he was wounded and later died. The journalist was performing his professional duty - filming a report in Zaporizhzhya region. Semyon Eremin was one of the best war correspondents in the country.

You can read more about him here.

RIP Texas

Russel (Texas) Bentley who went missing last week has been confirmed dead by his wife according to this. The news is covered by other sources such as this. I had been following his Telegram Channel for some time.

Condolences to the family and friends of both men: they will be missed.

Kharkiv To Be Taken?

Pravda is reporting that Russia is creating a ‘North group’ of forces to attack Kharkiv as part of a major offensive that will collapse the entire front. There have been many signs that Kharkiv will come under attack including the exodus of people and industry from the city. Russia has been attacking the electricity system, the communications systems, including the Tower, along with military targets. This could be in preparation for an offensive. Is the bear awakening perhaps?

Bandera v Lenin

The above map (from Harvard University) shows the distribution of statues of Bandera and Lenin throughout Ukraine and provides a guide to where the sympathies of the people lay.

Ukraine Accused of Human Rights Violations

Gimme the nukes and it will all go BOOM.

The US State Department has accused Ukraine of human rights violations including torture and kidnapping during 2023 - according to Slavyangrad. Ukraine is condemned because it did nothing to punish the perpetrators. According to the US State Department:

There are credible reports of enforced disappearances, torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, harsh and life-threatening detention conditions during arrest or detention, and serious problems with the independence of the judiciary.

Concerns were also expressed about infringements on free speech, persecution of journalists, censorship, corruption in government and ‘the worse forms of laboral exploitation of minors’. That sounds like the West to me.

This is a departure from ‘Ukraine is snow white’ narrative that has predominated hitherto and I wonder why this change has happened. This parallels revelations that the once great Z may not be the saint everyone thought he was. It appears that efforts are being made to undo the enthusiastic support for Ukraine that the previous narratives engendered - so that once the West dumps Ukraine there will be less of a public uproar. It wouldn’t surprise me if revelations about Ukraine’s Nazis could also be forthcoming shortly.

Ukraine - Open Air Prison

‘You can never leave’.

Some are calling Ukraine an open air prison because the administration is increasing its border guard strength by 15,000 to 75,000. In most countries border guards are meant to keep illegals out but in Ukraine they are employed to keep people in - according to Slavyangrad.

Bishop Arrested

Zelensky has arrested Bishop Arseny of the pro Russian Ukrainian Orthodox Church on suspicion of revealing the locations of Ukraine Army checkpoints in Donetsk. He could face up to 8 years in Jail. Unexpectedly, the Anglican Church in England has criticised Z’s efforts to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). Both the Bishop of Leeds and the Archbishop of Canterbury have condemned Zelensky’s Law 8371 (banning the UOC) as discriminatory.

Zaluzhny Held?

It is possible that Valeri Zaluzhny was arrested about a month ago and is being held by the SBU under heavy security after refusing to take up his post as ambassador to the UK. According to Slavyangrad, the arrest was designed to eliminate a political opponent. Although I have not had confirmation of this story, it is certainly true that Zaluzhny has not yet taken up his post as ambassador to the UK.

Irina Farion - Ex Ukrainian Lawmaker

Butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.

According to Info Defence, Irena said:

It is unacceptable to speak Russian in public places in Ukraine. A ruling by Ukraine's Constitutional Court on July 14, 2021, stated that there is 'no Russian-speaking population in Ukraine' legally. Russian speakers are considered marginal and defective people.

I can relate to this especially because my Welsh mother was prevented from speaking Welsh (her native language) in her South Wales school by the use of the Welsh Not.

This was a board passed on from child to child who were caught speaking Welsh in school. The pupil who ended the day with the Not was punished.

Scary Tale - From Z

I am sure that if Ukraine falls, then Putin will indeed invade the Baltic states. And talking about his strategy, Putin does not hide his desire to return to the Soviet Union and dominate all former Soviet republics, which are independent now, regardless of whether they are NATO members. And yes, this is his strategy. And after the Baltic states, he will attack Poland and Germany.

You can watch the short interview here. The once great Z looks triumphant but the woman interviewing him from NBC doesn’t appear to be convinced. The BBC was less triumphant, claiming that the aid package will slow the Russian advance rather than taking back ground. The narrative has changed.

Ukrainians in Poverty

Many Ukrainian people, especially the elderly, displaced and disabled, have fallen into poverty since the SMO began. A survey carried out last November showed that 9% of people had run out of food at some point during the previous 30 days, while 23% were in a state of food insecurity. Pensioners (one third of the population) have been hard hit due to inflation which has increased somewhat from the 2022 figure of 26%. The figure for those claiming disability was 3 millions but this has increased by 300,000 due to injured soldiers. Unemployment has increased substantially and wages have fallen. You can read more here.

Jails Overflowing

Some say that at least two things are overflowing in Ukraine: the cemeteries and the prisons. The relevant authorities estimate that 33,000 prison places are available but more than this number are expected to be imprisoned for evading military service.

Kuleba

This man (Ukraine’s Foreign Minister) is a complete monster if such a thing exists. With total disregard for the people who fled Ukraine in the past two years to avoid the conflict he condemned these refugees as traitors.

Ukraine will not provide services to its citizens who have fled abroad, because they have shown their indifference to the issue of the survival of the state.

Consular support has been withdrawn from Ukrainians of military age living abroad - which will make it difficult for them to exist thereby encouraging them to come home. This measure applies to those who have been abroad since before the SMO began. It is possible that many will change citizenship rather than returning to Ukraine as cannon fodder. Arestovich believes that Putin could offer these Ukrainians Russian passports.

By the way, denying people passports conflicts with both European and Ukrainian law, according to some - including Alexander Mercouris.

Lost Children

You may remember that some time ago the International Criminal Court condemned Russia for kidnapping Ukrainian children. Many of us believed that this was nonsense and now we know that it was nonsense since the 161 ‘kidnapped’ children have turned up in Germany You can read more at Fearless John.

Ukraine Terrorist Attacks (i.e. attacks that target civilians)

19th/20th April Overnight

The Two Majors gave this report:

The Enemy conducted a massive UAV attack at night. Enemy drones were shot down over the Tula, Bryansk and Kursk regions. In the Belgorod region, two civilians died after being hit by enemy drops from copters in the locality of Poroz of the Grayvoron urban district. An airplane-type UAV crashed into a house in the locality of Istobnoye, Gubkin urban district, there were no casualties. In the Kaluga region, an energy facility has been damaged. In the Smolensk region, after the fall of the AFU UAV, there was a fire at the facility of the fuel and energy complex.

The village of Novato Tavolzhanka (Belgorod) was also shelled, killing a pregnant woman and injuring two others.

103 rounds of ammunition was launched into the DPR and explosives dropped from drones killed two and injured another three.

21st/22nd April

Belgorod, Tyotkino and Kursk regions suffered shelling overnight. A Tochka-U missile was shot down over Belgorod region on the afternoon of the 22nd April.

22nd/23rd April

Belgorod suffered a massive attack overnight with many drones being shot down. Bryansk was also attacked along with the DPR which received 53 projectiles. Only one casualty was reported.

23rd/24th April

Slavyangrad is reporting that a Ukrainian drone hit a car in the village of Mirnoye in Zaporozhye killing three people and injuring another. The Two Majors gave this short report:

The AFU, at nightfall, attempted a massive UAV attack on the regions of Russia. One UAV crashed in the Lipetsk industrial zone. At least 4 were shot down in the Voronezh region. In the village of Volokonovka, Belgorod region, a roof was damaged and windows were broken in a private residential building.

Belgorod, Smolensk and Kursk suffered shelling and drone attacks while drones attacking Pskov oblast were disabled electronically. 73 round were launched at the DPR injuring two women.

24th/25th April

On the 24th April, the village of Shebekino in Belgorod was attacked injuring four civilians. Villages in Kursk region also came under fire along with the DPR where two civilians were injured.

25th/26th April

Kirovsky village in Donetsk came under attack overnight killing two and wounding five others including a child. In Bryansk region, four civilians were injured by shelling. Villages in Kursk also came under fire. Korovyakovka was among those villages that suffered shelling, killing one person and damaging houses and a gas pipe.

The Sea War

21st April 2024

The crew of a Russian vessel intercepted an attack by an anti-ship missile near Sevastopol (above) on the morning of the 21st April. Debris from the missile caused a fire, according to Sputnik.

The Air War

Russian A96K6 Pantsir S1 Air Defence Missile Gun

The Russians have recently been targeting railway stations, rolling stock, supply depots, vehicle repair plants and the electricity grid. Some are speculating that this is being done to make mobilisation more difficult and more risky for the Ukrainians - according to Slavyangrad. It could also be the prelude to an offenisive.

According to a report from the Two Majors, Russia has virtually depleted Ukraine’s air defences. Some have noticed that Russian planes are now flying over the city of Chasiv Yar whereas this would have been impossible a few months ago: they would have been shot down by MANPADS.

Russian Missile/Drone Attacks

19th/20th April Overnight

Distribution of attacks 19th April

Odessa came under attack on the 19th when a huge column of smoke was seen in the area of Yuzhny port which you can view here. Tanks storing something inflammable were set alight in Novi Belyary, which you can see here. Dnepropetrovsk railway station was attacked and many buildings destroyed along with some diesel locomotives - according to Slavyangrad.

20th/21st April

At night, the Russians attacked the Zaporozhye Electric locomotive repair plant where assembly machine shops were destroyed. One locomotive and several cars were damaged. The airfield in the Dneiper was also attacked, destroying one MiG-29 and an S-300 battery - according to the Military Summary.

21st/22nd April

According to the Two Majors:

The RFAF, over the past day [21st], continued to strike targets in the enemy's rear areas in a "daily mode". Another air defence system was destroyed in the Kharkov region, targets were also hit in the Odessa region, and the port infrastructure of commercial enterprises burned for a long time.

22nd/23rd April

The Two Majors provided this short report on the morning of the 23rd:

The RFAF struck enemy targets in Odessa and Ochakov in the Nikolayev region at night, explosions sounded in the Kiev and Cherkassy regions, as well as in KrivoyRog. During the day, there was an intensive destruction of targets in the Kharkov region, footage of the TV tower falling in Kharkov was widely distributed.

The TV Tower was split at the middle as you can see. It contained TV, cellular/internet equipment and may have housed devices for controlling drones over long distances - according to the Military Chronicle. More importantly, antenna for Ukraine’s air defence were housed in the tower. You can watch it collapsing here. The port of Yuzhny in Odessa was attacked for a third day in a row.

23rd/24th April

On the 23rd April:

Russian Troops, over the course of the day, launched missile attacks, glide bombs and kamikaze drone attacks on targets in Kharkov, Poltava, Odessa and Dnepropetrovsk.

24th/25th April

On the 24th April, according to the Two Majors:

Over the course of the day, strikes on the enemy's rear facilities continued. In Odessa, explosions were heard in the area of a military unit near the Gorbaty Bridge; incoming attacks were recorded in Nikolayev, Sumy, Dnepropetrovsk and Kharkov region. In the morning, the enemy claimed a missile attack on the town of Smela in Cherkassy region.

Ukrainian Missile/Drone Attacks

20th/21st April Overnight

According to the Military Chronicle:

Last night, the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the Novobryanskaya 750 substation. The video from the network shows fires at 220 kV and 750 kV switchgears. The Novobryanskaya substation connects the Smolensk and Kursk NPPs through high-voltage lines, and through a network of intermediate substations it connects with the Novovoronezh NPP. This blow not only disables the power grid, but can also affect the operation of nuclear power units.

23rd/24th April Overnight

An oil depot in Smolensk regions was set on fire overnight.

So, the Ukrainians ae not listening to the US with regard to attacks on oil depots.

The Ground War

Drones

US Abrams MBT - taken out by a drone near Avdeevka

The Ukraine conflict has established the drone as a major force in modern warfare capable of fighting way above its weight. Drones costing $500 are destroying US tanks costing $10 millions, according to RT. It seems that tanks will need to undergo some considerable development to avoid being made redundant on the battlefield.

Russian MoD Reports

w/e 5th April 5075 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 321.

w/e 12th April 6685 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 338.

w/e 19th April 7225 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 319.

w/e 26th April 8280 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 331.

The Fronts

Chasiv Yar

The battle for Chasiv Yar continues and the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Ukrainian troops in this direction are exhausted due to lack of rotation and are unable to resist the slow Russian advance.

Donetsk/Krasnogorivka

By the end of the week, the Russians had advanced to the centre of Krasnogorovka taking control of the refractory brick plant.

Vuhledar

Novomykhailivka was liberated on the 22nd April, according to Rybar. This will allow the Russians to make further advances towards Kostyantynivka, the capture of which will cause the Ukrainians logistical problems in the Vuhledar direction.

Ocheretyne

The Russians were in the centre of Ocheretyne on the 22nd April, according to Rybar. It seems that Ukrainian forces which had been defending this position for months decided to leave for some unknown reason, according to the Two Majors. This is confirmed from a Ukrainian source which suggests that the Russian attack took one brigade of Ukrainians by surprise forcing a retreat. By the 25th April the Russians had entered the centre of Novobakhmutivka and were attacking Novokalynove - according to the Military Chronicle. By the end of the week, the Russians had taken control of Soloviove and were moving in the direction of Sokil and Arkhanhelske - according to Geroman.

West of Avdeevka

The Ukrainians are attempting to prevent the encirclement of their remaining troops in Berdychi - according to southfront. It will not be long before the Ukrainians will need to abandon the defence line they created following the collapse of Avdeevka. They will fall back to another line further west - but these defences will be weaker than the defences the Russians have breached in places such as Avdeevka and Bakhmut. Some say the Ukrainians could be forced back to the Dnieper before the autumn leaves begin to fall.

Zaporozhye - Robotyne

By the end of the week, the Russians had created a pocket in the Novoprokopovka area between Verbove and Rabotino where heavy fighting continues.

Kherson

Fighting continues at Krynki and Antonovsky bridge but there has been little change in the line of contact.

The Economic War

US Congress Approves Ukraine Funding

So, finally, after many weeks of ‘will they or won’t they’, the US congress has approved $61 billions funding for Ukraine. Zero Hedge had this to say about it:

$13 billion will replenish US stockpiles of weapons, and $14 billion will go towards US defense systems for Ukraine. $7 billion will go toward US military operations in the region. We assume the remainder will go directly to Ukrainian oligarchs.

It appears that only $14 billions will be available for Ukraine to purchase military equipment. The extent to which this funding will increase Ukraine’s fortunes on the battlefields is debatable since it is not clear whether the supply of materiel (especially ammunition/air defence) from the West can be increased. Moreover, money is not going to assist with manpower shortages/mobilisation problems.

It is unclear how much of the $14 billions will be available to purchase new materiel and how much is to pay for materiel already supplied. The consensus view among commentators is that the money will make little difference to the course of the conflict and it certainly won’t finance the offensive the once great Z has promised.

The bill also includes $28 billion towards the genocide in Gaza and another $8 billion dedicated to creating unrest in Taiwan. Many Americans will be disappointed in the bill, especially since there is no money to secure the border with Mexico. Many republicans will feel that Speaker Mike Johnson has let them down since he originally made a commitment to make Ukraine funding conditional on securing the southern border.

The congress also approved the gifting of seized Russian assets to Ukraine. This move could backfire on the US dollar and its appeal to other nations as a currency reserve. A precedent has been set that may persuade some countries to switch from the dollar for fear of being fleeced. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that this could happen. He also suggested that Russia could retaliate but didn’t say how. You can read more at RT. Ian DeMartino, writing for Sputnik, believes that the move will ‘supercharge’ de-dollarisation. According the Washington Post, European officials are refusing to seize Russian assets because it is illegal and because it would undermine faith in the Euro. There is no unity out there among Westerners no matter what politicians and the legacy media say.

Sanctions Pack Number 14

Is that dear old Olaf?

The latest EU sanctions pack will strengthen the enforcement of existing sanctions and will ban Russian LNG from Europe in another demonstration of self-flagellation - according to Tass.

World Politics

Western Idiots - Stoltenberg

By helping Ukraine, he said, we are reducing the combat potential of the Russian Federation which could threaten us. Hello Jens dear boy, clear your ears out and listen. Hadn’t you noticed that the Russian bear has grown much bigger and more angry than he was two years ago? Hadn’t you noticed that the bear emerging from hibernation after this winter is crushing the forever weakening Ukrainian forces sent against him? It is a tragedy of falling empires that they never know they are falling until they hit the ground.

Our Democratic Way of Life?

US Congressman Gerry Connolly has claimed that the Ukraine border with Russia must be defended in order to preserve our ‘democratic way of life’. It is ‘the border between depraved autocracy and freedom loving peoples’. If I had a bag handy, I’d be sick.

I’ve always had a problem with the democratic merits of the Western representative government system that is presented to us as democracy. In practice, it is not really democratic in the Greek sense or in the sense that Lincoln was getting at in the Gettysburg Address.

At a very basic level, I think that Connolly’s statement has less to do with political differences than it has to do with cultural, national or even racial differences. He is conveying a sense of difference between those in the East and those in the West. He is opposing depravity to freedom - not appreciating that freedom can be quite depraved. He is implying that people in Russia are oppressed and that people in the West are free. Of course, us Westerners know that this is all nonsense. Many of us have no faith in the 21st century’s expression of liberalism. Viktor Orban, who also lacks this faith, recently expressed his disgust for the ‘progressive liberal hegemony’ (see below).

Orban To EU Leaders - Step Down!

Victor Orban announced to incredulous EU leaders that they have failed in many things and should step down:

We have the leadership of the European Union, which has embarked on several major projects of its own choosing, such as the 'green transition', sustainable development policies, migration, military, and sanction policies, and all of them have failed. The current EU leadership must step down, and we need new leaders!

Orban also looked forward to the end of the ‘Western World’:

This year, God willing, we can end the inglorious era of Western civilization. We can end the world order based on progressive liberal hegemony. My friends, the progressive liberal world spirit, such as it is, has failed. It has brought wars, chaos and disorder, economic collapse and confusion to the world. Confusion in international politics, impoverished families, deteriorating public safety in the streets and squares. It was a strange era and a strange spirit. His (sic) followers proclaimed that their job was not to represent the people, but to realize their own ideals.

This world order, he said, produced leaders who can’t lead and who have erroneously assumed that their ‘‘democracies’ are superior and must therefore embark on a crusade against ‘autocratic’ political systems. (autocratic = any system that isn’t Western democracy).

Well done Orban.

US Threatens Pakistan with Sanctions

The US has threatened Pakistan with sanctions if it builds a pipeline to receive gas from Iran (its neighbour) - according to this. This would be in the best interests of both countries but the US has to put its oar in. The Multi-Polar World Order can’t come soon enough.

Free Speech Unacceptable

Just be careful what you say - right! (Lambie in centre)

According to Australian Senator Jackie Lambie, Elon Musk should be jailed for allowing free speech on X. How Dare He! In the 35 years I’ve been involved in politics I have seen free speech eroded as a moral imperative and in practice. This is sometimes done by allowing ‘exceptions’ to the pure rule. For example, condemning someone for denying the Holocaust may or may not be morally acceptable but if we jail people for holding such views (which has happened) we are undermining our own freedom.

Furthermore, it seems that our definition of the Holocaust, confined as it is in the Western popular imagination as an exclusively Jewish phenomenon, is misleading. Other people, as well as the Jews, deserve to have their suffering acknowledged - and I am in no way underestimating Jewish suffering in saying that. It just shows that since I felt obliged to provide the latter qualification, I have been influenced by fears of ‘antisemitism’ accusations. The Russians, the Slavic people generally, the Gypsies, the Poles, the communists and many other groups were also part of the genocidal intentions and actions of the Nazis. I’m sure most of you know this already.

The debate around free speech can be understood as a ‘rights based’ one. ‘People have a right to say what they want’ the defenders of this position will assert. But others could object that this will conflict with the right others have not to be insulted or offended. This shows how inadequate rights based arguments are. Who is to say which persons or groups should have certain rights? Who arbitrates on such matters?

A consequentialist moral examination may suggest that it is more important in terms of the consequences for society that free speech is upheld rather than the right of people not to be offended. What do you think?

The emerging Multi-Polar World Order

World Friendship Games

Imagine an international sports competition where every country is welcome to compete, where no one is stigmatised on any basis and athletes are able to freely express their nationality. This is the sort of competition which Putin is arranging to be held in Russia this year. You can tread more at Tass.

US Being Kicked Out of Africa

Chad has asked a contingent of 100 US soldiers to leave the country. This follows Niger’s decision to end a decade long agreement with the US allowing 1000 US soldiers to be stationed there. Mali and Burkino Fasa have also expressed anti-Western sentiments in recent weeks. But Russia’s influence in the continent is growing and Russia has signed cooperation agreements with 40 African states - according to RT.

BRICS Countries Increase Share of Global Output

The share of global output enjoyed by BRICS countries has increased from 32% to 37% according to the WTO (reported in Tass). This will increase the rate of de-dollarisation which is one of the aims of BRICS.

Zappa - Culture is Important

This aspect of Frank Zappa’s thinking is in tune with the emerging Multi-Polar World Order because he believes that culture, whatever it is, should be celebrated, revered and sustained:

The thing that sets the Americans apart from the rest of the cultures in the world is; we’re so fucking stupid. This country has been around for a couple of hundred years, and we think we’re hot shit, and we don’t even realise that other countries have thousands of years of history and culture, and they’re proud of it. And when we deal on an international level, you know, with foreign policy and stuff like that, and we try and go in, as you know, the big American strong country and all that stuff, they must laugh up their sleeves at us because we are nothing. We are culturally nothing; we mean nothing. We’re only interested in the bottom line.

Every other country has their own art, their own music, their own theatre, their own drama, their folk dances, folk songs, folklore, and it means something to them, and they’re proud of it, and that’s their ethnic heritage. We have Levi’s, we have designer jeans, we have hamburgers, we have Coca-Cola, we have REO Speedwagon, we have Journey, we have this one, we have that one, and then we go out there, and we say, ‘Yeah, but we also have neutron bombs and poison gas, so maybe that makes up for it.’

I mean, it’s really kinda sad when you evaluate it that way. And I think that a country that doesn’t do something to sustain its culture, whatever it is, doesn’t invest in it, doesn’t keep it happening, isn’t proud of it, maybe they just shouldn’t exist. Because it’s the culture and the beautiful things that a society produces, those are the things that should survive for thousands of years, not the designer jeans.

I’ve quoted this at length because it is has profundity - though I can’t go along with everything Zappa claims. I was fan of Zappa as a teenager. You can see the oppositional contrast between the US and Russia when viewed from this perspective. Whereas Russia is promoting it own culture of which it is proud, the US appears to hate itself, its values and its history. But I don’t think the US is totally devoid of culture as Zappa appears to believe - though I appreciate the points he is making.

American culture is a consequence of interaction between people who came into the country from all over the world. Blue Grass music is an example of this. Some of those who played it came from Scotland via Northern Ireland: the Scots-Irish. But black people were also involved and introduced the banjo to the instrumental repertoire available to those who played bluegrass.

Even though they were slaves for many years, black people also contributed to American culture and gave us some of the most moving music I have ever listened to. So there is more to American culture than Coca Cola and designer jeans.

However, Zappa is correct to point out that other cultures or civilizations have been around a lot longer that the US has - and maybe its leaders act ‘big’ out of a sense of inferiority associated with the country’s youth. Maybe it feels inferior to Russia, especially, with its wealth of cultures and long history/traditions. But also because Russia played the major role in beating the Nazis during World War Two (which will surprise many Americans).

You can read more from Zappa here.

North Korea Shakes Hands With Iran

Yun Jung Ho

Well - sort of. North Korea’s foreign minister, Yun Jung Ho, paid the first visit to Iran by a diplomat in five years. According to World News:

North Korea is sending an economic delegation now but it will be the beginning of a wider military cooperation [my emphasis] to follow between the two - Western analysts and MSM not happy with 2 sovereign nations making own decisions.

Countries are taking sides!

That’s it for another week. Many thanks for your views, subscriptions (which are very welcome), likes and shares (also welcome). I am also grateful for your comments even though my own contributions are quite limited due to lack of time mainly. Best Rob

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