Ukraine Weekly Update
October 4th 2024
This week has been dominated by events in the Middle East including the assassinations of Hassan Nasrallah along with other leaders of Hezbollah and the massive Iranian missile attack on Israel which hit several airfields, a gas platform and Mossad HQ. This is so important that I must cover it in the Update - though briefly.
Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an attack that rained 86 bunker buster bombs down onto an apartment building in Beirut. The leaders were meeting in the basement. Who knows how many innocents were killed.
Nasrallah was a hero to many in the Muslim world and a father figure to the Lebanese people because he fought against Israel’s attempts to occupy their territory. You can read more about him at RT. Now Israel believes it can invade Southern Lebanon. It may well do so, but I doubt that it will be able to stay there.
Nasrallah’s deputy, Sheikh Naim Qassem, has said that in spite of the killings, Hezbollah is ready to take on the Israelis if they launch a ground attack. He claimed that Israel has damaged very little of Hezbollah’s offensive capability but the decapitation of its leadership will have dented morale and caused temporary confusion, disorientation and disorganisation within its ranks. But Hezbollah will learn from this and may even come back stronger and more determined. Some say that Nasrallah had a agreed a ceasefire with Israel just before he was killed.
The Iranian missile attacks were conducted in two waves on the night of October 1st and involved at least 200 missiles (figures vary), including hypersonic missiles, plus decoys. In spite of Israeli claims that the attacks were repelled, anyone with access to Telegram or X will know the truth. I have watched many videos of the attack from different angles and most of the missiles I saw were not intercepted. However, I have no way of verifying Iran’s claims that they destroyed F-35 jets at an airfield. (Originally, I mistakenly called these jets SU-35’s and am grateful for some subscribers for pointing this out - cheers).
But the myth of the Iron Dome has finally been exploded.
Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has talked about being deceived by US leaders who promised a ceasefire in exchange for Iranian restraint after the Israelis assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in July while he was a guest in Iran. If Israel strikes back, the hardliners in the Iranian government will push for a much stronger response than this quite restrained attack with only 200 missiles.
The Israelis have vowed to retaliate quickly and the Iranians have warned that any retaliation will be met with an even greater attack. So the risk of escalation, which will please many in Washington, is high. Biden will allow Israel to respond as it pleases, in spite of rhetoric that urges restraint,1 which means the US will assist Israel to retaliate and is already sending extra troops to the area ‘for security purposes’. Even optimists such as myself must concede that this conflict could escalate into a world war in which Israel, the US and the West, generally, will be pitted against Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iraq, Iran, Russia, China et al. Israel has promised to attack Iran’s oil industry, its energy system and its nuclear facilities. In return, Iran could attack oil installations in the Middle East and US bases. It could also cause much damage to Israel’s economy and its military assets. But if Israel launches a retaliatory attack, it is likely that the Russian S-400 air defence systems that will repel this attack will be operated with the assistance of Russia - therefore, in this scenario Russians will be helping to shoot down Israeli planes.
One source claims that Israeli attempts at infiltration across the Lebanon border since the Iranian attacks have been repelled by Hezbollah ambushes. Palestinian Telegram Channels such as this are reporting Israeli casualties but I have no idea whether the Israelis are conducting a reconnaissance in force or an offensive.
At the end of the week, the battle continued as the Israelis kill more civilians in Lebanon and Hezbollah pounds Israeli towns and cities with rockets. It is worth noting that civilian casualties among the Israelis have been very low - which says much about the humanity of Muslims compared with the Zionist Israelis who want to conquer all of their neighbours. The same point can be made about the Ukrainians, who have suffered relatively few civilian casualties at the hands of the Russians. Yet the Ukrainian military is targeting civilians. I think the similarities could be attributed to the fact that both the Ukrainian and Israeli regimes have much in common with fascists. The RoW looks on in disbelief that the Western world has descended into such a pit of barbarism.
The Middle East conflict will impact on that in Ukraine because resources earmarked for the latter will now be sent to the former. More pressure could also be brought to bear on Zelensky to negotiate.2
In Europe, the pro-Russian ‘right wing’ Austrian Freedom Party won the election with 29.1% of the vote, thereby continuing the European trend ‘rightwards’. However, the extent to which policy in Austria will change is unclear. The Freedom Party will find it difficult to form a government with like minded coalition partners. Time will tell.
In the US, Trump met with Zelensky after I published on Friday and the meeting did not go well for Z (see below).
On the battlefronts of Ukraine, the Russians continue to make progress (ignore those who claim a ‘stalemate') especially in Uhledar which has been liberated but also in the Toretsk, Pokrovsk, Kupyansk, Chasiv Yar and Kursk Directions. There are early signs of disintegration within the Ukrainian army as rumours talk of disharmony between the leadership and the rank and file. The wasted Kursk offensive has caused lots of bitterness among Ukrainian soldiers. Divisions are also being observed between the political and military leaderships and between different factions within the political leadership.
Ulysses S Alaudinov
The commander of the ’Akhmat’ Special Unit deployed in Kursk is calling for the Ukrainians to surrender - ‘unconditionally’:
The Ukrainian army is in a very difficult position on different parts of the front in the DPR, which is why it is forced to retreat. Zelensky will have to sign an unconditional capitulation.3
Russia’s Black List
According to Tass, Russia has compiled a list of countries which "implement policies that impose destructive neoliberal ideological attitudes that contradict traditional Russian spiritual and moral values." The list contains the US, the UK, Germany, France and Japan. Slovakia, Hungary and Turkiye are not on the list.
The list of ‘Unfriendly Countries’ includes:
the US, the Czech Republic, all EU member states, as well as Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, Albania, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the United Kingdom, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, North Macedonia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Micronesia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan (considered a territory of China, but since 1949 governed by its own administration).
Russian Conscription Drive
Vladimir Putin has announced a conscription drive which aims to recruit 133,000 military-age men between October 1st and December 31st. The men will be sent for training in which they will develop an occupational ‘specialty’. None of these men will participate in the SMO - according to RT.
Will the West Cancel Russian Science?
In order to be consistent, Western Wokeness is committed to cancelling Russian ‘science’ as well as its music and language. This is the logical teleology of Wokeness. But will cancel culture go this far? I doubt it.
Reunification Day
On the 30th September 2022, Zaporozhye, Kherson, the LPR and the DPR voted to become part of the Russian Federation.
Trump Meets With Zelensky
On September 27th, Donald J met with the once great Z at Trump Towers in NY. The meeting lasted only 15 minutes, enough time for Trump to tell Z that the war will have to end and that if elected he would work with Russia and Ukraine on resolving the conflict even before his inauguration in January 2025. I think the photographs speak louder than words and were taken following some unfriendly verbal exchanges between the two, as you can read at Zero Hedge.
After the meeting, Zelensky told the press that Trump ‘will be on our side, that he will support Ukraine’ - according to RT. I doubt whether Z believes this but for political reasons Trump will find it difficult to deny it.
Ukrainian Regime To Steal Money from Pensioner’s Banks
According to RT, the Ukrainian ‘parliament’ has passed a bill that will allow the state to take money from pensioner’s bank accounts which have not shown transactions for more than a year. Effectively, they are telling pensioners, ‘use it or lose it’. In addition:
Additionally, the government proposed seizing funds from the accounts of displaced pensioners who miss their “physical identification” deadline by more than six months. Internally displaced pensioners or those living abroad are required to confirm their status annually. Otherwise, they risk losing payments.
Social spending is being cut by 10% (i.e. $1.2 billions).
‘Mobilization Not Working’ - Krivonos
Former deputy commander of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces, General Sergei Krivonos (pictured) has expressed concern about the forced mobilization of men who do not want to fight.
What is the use of those hundred who were called up, because 30 people of them ran away when they were undergoing training in the training center, 30 when they were traveling from the training center to the front, and another 30 ran away when they were going to the first trench. And 10% remain." They would very much like to ask the question — why call up those who are absolutely unmotivated? And the motivation system in the country is still absolutely absent.
The same source suggests that 800,000 Ukrainian men are avoiding service.
Budanov to be Sacked?
Reports from Ukrainian sources, such as this, are suggesting that the Head of the GUR, Kyrylo Budanov is to be sacked. They say that Budanov is a Western asset and is being removed before ‘the turning point’ by which they mean a ‘forced peace’. It is also possible, they say, that the West could back a coup led by Budanov or Zaluzhny. Another Ukrainian source, suggests Budanov’s sacking is political rather than based on performance because Budanov could challenge the once great Z. According to this Ukrainian source, two deputy heads of the GUR have been sacked already. This Ukrainian source reports that the US administration wants Budanov to remain in post. The ‘in fighting’ among the Ukrainian elite is too complex to explain in the Update but anyone who is interested and has access to Telegram can get a flavour of it here.
Ukrainian Troops Too Old; Lack Training
The Financial Times is reporting that 50%-70% of Ukraine’s new recruits become casualties (killed or wounded) within days of entering the battle. Lack of training and the advanced age of the soldiers (i.e. average of 45 years) contributed to the high casualty rate. Many simply run away after the first shell explosion.
15,000 US ‘Operatives’ in Ukraine
According to this report the US has 15,000 ‘operatives’ in Ukraine who are effectively running the show there.
Maryana Bezugla Will Not Go Away
A Ukrainian Telegram Channel, is reporting that Maryana Bezugla has information that Syrsky is hiding in his dacha in Kharkov having lost control of his army. The Azov battalions won’t obey his orders and the SBU (Intelligence service) is placing pressure on commanders to obey its instructions. Bezugla has accused Syrsky’s Chief of staff, Ukraine Bargilevich of taking a bribe. This information has spread among military units undermining his authority. Both commanders have been absent from the fronts for some time, apparently. Bezugla is calling for Bargilevich to show himself and refute the rumours.
F-16 versus Kinzhal
Last week, I reported that Kinzhal missiles had hit the Starokonstantinov airfield in Khmelnitsky region. Some believe that F-16s were being accommodated in bunkers at the airfield and that Kinzhals destroyed some of them. This article from Sputnik suggests that the F-16s will not be able to hide from the Kinzhal.
Ukraine Terrorist Attacks (those that target civilians)
28th/29th September
Below is an example of the full reports I get from the Two Majors which I usually summarise:
In Belgorod region, near the village of YasnyeZori, Belgorod district, the AFU attacked a bus with the help of a UAV. Two civilians were wounded as a result of the attack. In the village of Dubovoye, Belgorod district, a drone detonated in a flat. An 8-year-old girl and her mother were wounded. In the village of Petrovka two moving cars attacked by drones, one driver was wounded. A drone attacked a moving bus at the entrance to the village of YasniyeZori, damaging the roof and glazing at the rear of the vehicle, and a UAV drop in the village of Malinovka. In the DPR, ten civilians were wounded, including a teenage girl. The attacks occurred in Donetsk and Gorlovka. The injured women born in 1954 and 1944 were evacuated from Galitsynovka. An injured woman, born in 1979, was evacuated from Zhelannoye in the Yasinuvatsky municipal district.
It seems that the Ukrainians are concentrating on vehicles, especially buses.
28th/29th September
Overnight, Belgorod district suffered shelling which injured two civilians. According to this source:
Enemy UAVs were shot down over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Rostov, Volgograd (Kotluban, ammunition arsenal, detonation, strong fire), Kursk, Voronezh (residential complex, fire quickly extinguished) regions, as well as Krasnodar Krai (Yeisk, airfield area).
According to the Russian MoD:
67 drones were intercepted and destroyed over the Volgograd Region, 17 over the Belgorod Region, 17 over the Voronezh Region, 18 over the Rostov Region, one over the Bryansk and Kursk regions and the Krasnodar Territory. Three drones were destroyed over the waters of the Sea of Azov.
29th/30th September
Many villages in Belgorod region were attacked overnight injuring one civilian and one soldier. In the DPR, six civilians were injured by shelling and drone attack.
30th Sept/1st October
Villages in Belgorod region came under attack from shelling overnight as they always do. The only casualty reported was a security guard at an industrial enterprise in Shebekino. In the DPR, a teenage boy was killed by shelling which also injured another eight, including three children.
1st/2nd October
As usual, Belgorod region suffered shelling and drone attacks which injured two civilians. In Shebekinsky district a man was killed and another four were injured including a 3 year old girl. Later in the day, in the village of Yasnye Zori, one man was killed by shellfire and another 13 injured.
2nd/3rd October
In Shebekino (Belgorod), one man was killed and another injured by drone attack while in Krapivnoye shelling took the life of a local resident and injured another four. In Gorlovka (DPR), one civilian was inured by cluster shelling and another by drone drop.
113 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight, according to the Russian MoD:
73 UAVs - over the territory of Belgorod region, 25 UAVs - over the territory of Voronezh region, 14 UAVs - over the territory of Kursk region and one over the territory of Bryansk region.
Kursk Nuclear Power Plant Attacked - October 3rd
Yes - they’ve done it again: four drones launched at the NPP were destroyed within 5kms of the plant causing a fire. The plant is unaffected and is operating normally. You can see images here.
3rd/4th October
Belgorod city and region came under attack overnight as shelling damaged a commercial facility and injured one civilian. In Gorlovka (DPR), two women were killed and two men injured by drone drops while four members of the emergency services were injured while tackling a fire.
October 4th - Andrey Korotkiy Assassinated
Korotkiy, who was head of the security group at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, was killed by a car bomb while traveling in Energodar. Others traveling in the car were also killed. You can see the explosion here.
The Air War
Russian Missile/Drone Attacks
27th/28th September
According to the Two Majors:
At night, the 'Geraniums' operated on targets in Kiev and region, Nikolayev, Khmelnitsky, Dnepropetrovsk, Vinnitsa region, and Kremenchuk, Poltava region. Missile weapons were used on Odessa and region.
Tass reported that Ukraine’s army airfield infrastructure, along with its field infrastructure and involved the use of Kinzhal missiles.
28th/29th September
Overnight, the Russians attacked Kirovograd, Vinnytsia and Odessa.
29th/30th September
Overnight, Russia attacked military, logistics infrastructure in Zaporozhye. The production facilities for ‘unscrewed boats’ (sea drones) in the shipyard were destroyed along with an air defence ‘launcher’ and a radar station. A train unloading at the main station was hit but I have seen no reports about the damage caused.
According to the Two Majors:
All night long, enemy resources reported the work of our strike UAVs, the main target of which was the enemy's capital region. Explosions were also recorded in Dnepropetrovsk, Zaporozhye, Zhitomir, Vinnytsia and Cherkasy regions . Kharkov and Sumy regions were processed by FAB with UMPK.
Kramatorsk also suffered missile attacks which could have destroyed a warehouse containing ammunition, motor/armoured vehicles along with 390 military personnel.
In Kazanka, Nikolaev, a train unloading supplies was attacked destroying an estimated 3,000 pieces of ammunition. According to Pravda, 1,300 tons of ammunition was destroyed. In Odessa region, a large radar complex (CM200) was destroyed while in Zhitomir the airfield was attacked destroying a ‘heavy aircraft hauler’ and damaging an SU-27 jet.
1st/2nd October
According to this report:
This night, the Gerani and the Russian Aerospace Forces modestly worked behind enemy lines, in particular, the following areas were attacked: Kharkov and the region, Sumy, Shostka, an infrastructure facility, the city is without power, Cherkassy and the region, Odessa region, a border ferry crossing.
The attack on the ferry crossing could have killed foreign mercenaries, according to this report.
2nd/3rd October
Overnight Russian air strikes hit Kiev, Kharkov, Vinnitsa, Rovno, Khmelnitsky, Cherkassy, Ivano Frankovsk, and Poltava regions.
Ukraine Missile/Drone Attacks
3rd/4th October
According to СВАРЩИКИ:
This night, the enemy attacked an oil refinery in the Voronezh region and Perm Krai, in the Anninsky district - the result of an attack by a Ukrainian UAV. Quickly extinguished, no damage was caused.
The Ground War
Russian MoD Reports
Weekly Reports (excludes Kursk)
w/e 13th September 16,960 Casualties killed and wounded (record high): equipment losses 693.
w/e 20th September 16,810 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 553.
w/e 27th Sept 16,640, Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 698.
w/e October 4th 16,650 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 536.
The Fronts
Front Line Cats
Kursk
Russian forces continue to assault Plekhovo, which remains isolated from Ukrainian reinforcements. Fighting is also ongoing around Lyubimovka, whose capture would mark a significant step toward defeating the Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. The Russians continue to press the Ukrainians in Korenevsky and Sudzhansky districts.
Kharkov - Volchansk
Information from this direction has been sparse but on the 2nd October Pravda reported that the Russians dropped a FAB-9000 bomb on Ukrainian positions in Volchansk. This is thought to be the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the world.
Kupyansk
According to Yury Podolyaka on October 3rd:
Following the fall of Vishnevoye, Russian forces captured Ukrainian strongholds on the heights between Peschanoe and Berestovoe. This breach of the main line of defense threatens Borovaya, a key town just south of Kupyansk. The weakening of Ukrainian defenses is largely due to the relocation of reserves to other sectors, including Kursk and Selidovo.
Seversk
According to the Two Majors, the front has moved in this Direction as the Russians advanced from Spornoye and liberated Verkhnekamenskoye, according to Marat Khairullin. This is the last village before Seversk, which is less than 4kms away. On October 3rd, Yury Podolyaka gave this short report:
The Russian Defense Ministry announced the capture of Verkhnekamenskoye, a long village situated at the southern foothills of Belaya Gora (White Mountain), a crucial Ukrainian stronghold. Control of this low-lying area opens up potential advances for Russian forces both north and south, which could lead to the collapse of the Ukrainian front in the Seversk area.
Chasiv Yar
I haven’t seen any reports on Chasiv Yar this week - but I may have missed some.
Toretsk
On October 3rd, according to the Two Majors:
In the Toretsk (Dzerzhinsk), fighting continues on the northern outskirts of NyuYork (Novgorodskoye), in the area of Nelepovka and for the western part of Druzhba.
On the 3rd October, Yury Podolyaka gave this short report:
The Russian offensive north of Novgorodskoye (New York) is advancing rapidly. Russian forces are clearing the Leonidovka area and preparing to strike towards Petrovka and Shcherbinovka. They may soon reach the rear of the Ukrainian forces at the Tsentralnaya mine, possibly encircling it along with the units fighting in Toretsk’s center. The front is deteriorating quickly here, and Toretsk is likely to fall soon.
Pokrovsk
The Russians entered the southern part of Tsukurino on October 2nd. On the following day it was reported that fighting continued in Katerinovka (not on map), near Kurakhovo.
On the 3rd October, according to Yury Podolyak:
Russian forces have breached the frontline west of Gornyak, advancing between Izmailovka [Ysmaylovka] and Novoselidovka by up to 3 km in a single day. This progress poses a serious risk of encircling Ukrainian garrisons in Gornyak and Kurakhovka.
By the end of the week Russian troops had advanced to the eastern part of Lysovka, occupied Nikolayevka, and were advancing in the area of KrasnyYar in the direction of the railway. These settlements are north of the above map.
Uhledar
On the 30th September, the Ukrainians in Uhledar were ordered to leave the settlement but they were already under operational encirclement at the time. As you can see from the above map, the Russians are moving north towards Bogoyavlenka attempting an encirclement in the Kurakhovo area.
To the north of Kurakhovo, the Russians are attacking the village of Tsukurino which represents the last line of Ukrainian defense the Russians need to take in order to cut off the Ukrainian grouping in Gornyak and Kurakhovka from the main forces.
On October 2nd, the Military Chronicle reported that Uhledar came under full control of Russian forces. The Russian MoD reported the liberation of the city on October 3rd. The battle had been going on for 31 months. According to the Military Summary, 870 soldiers were captured in the city itself. You can read more at Pravda. A Ukrainian source admits that there are no serious defence structures to the west of Uhledar. 116 civilians were sheltering in the city waiting for the Russians to come.
Uhledar - Detail by Marat Khairullin
Kherson
Fighting continued here as the Russians launch drone attacks at Ukrainians vehicles on the right bank.
The Economic War
Crude Oil Price Rise
The price of crude oil has increased by 3% out of fear of escalation in the Middle East - according to RT..
Truth Bomb - Sahra Wagenknecht (Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance)
Cheap gas from Russia under long-term supply contracts was an important reason for Germany's economic success for decades. With the outbreak of war, the introduction of ineffective, senseless sanctions against Russia, which, however, have caused us great damage, and the explosions of pipelines, the price of gas, and thus of all energy, has skyrocketed. Instead of cheap gas from the pipeline, we now buy expensive liquefied gas from the USA.
In consequence, she said, many firms are going out of business, transferring to China or the US and the German people, who have less money in their pockets, face unemployment. The car industry in Germany is showing signs of decline as sales of vehicles have fallen to 2020 ‘lockdown levels’ - according to RT.
Iran-Russia Gas Deal
Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin, was in Iran this week discussing a deal which could allow the two countries to set the price of gas on the world market and even lead to a blockade of the West. Between them, Iran and Russia possess 70% of the world’s supplies of natural gas. Political scientist Mais Kurbanov has called it ‘the deal of the century'. Doubtless, they also talked about the Middle East.
World Politics
Pro-Russian Austrian Freedom Party Wins
Herbert Kickl and the ‘right wing’ Austrian Freedom Party has won 29.1 % of the vote in the elections for the ‘lower house’ in Austria which will translate into 56 seats. The ruling Austrian People’s Party obtained 26.3% of the vote (52 seats). The Social Democrats will get 42 seats out of 183, so pro-Western sentiments may win out over the Freedom Party’s pro-Russian inclinations in terms of future policy since the latter will probably find it difficult to form a government. Nevertheless, things are moving in the ‘right’ direction. You can read more at RT.
Obama Deep State Puppet - According to His Brother
According to his brother Malik, Barack Obama was controlled by the Deep State, including the Clintons and George Soros and dare not disobey orders. Thus, he went along with the 2014 coup in Ukraine and the assassination of Colonel Gaddafi in 2011. If he had not obeyed his puppet masters he would have lost their support. Malik is a Trump supporter. You can read more at RT.
Let Ukraine Strike the Archers, Not Just the Arrows
‘Jungle’ Josep Borrell has issued a call to allow the Ukrainians to strike at the ‘archers’: i.e. airports and launch pads deep in Russia - according to Tass. But in order to be consistent, Josep, you would also be committed to allowing Russia to attack the ‘archers’ in Poland, Germany, the Baltic states and even the US of A. And then what do you have Josep dear?
NATO - One Idiot Takes Over From Another
Mark Rutter, former Dutch PM, has taken over from dear old Stolty at the head of NATO and in his first press conference, he was determined to look tough. He also repeated the idiocy of his predecessor by insisting that Ukraine should be allowed to strike deep into Russia with long range missiles. Supporting Ukraine is an investment, he said ‘cause independent, democratic Ukraine is vital for peace and stability in Europe, and costs far lower than if Putin gets his way. Ukraine likely would not exist as a country without U.S. support’. There are some juicy contradictions there. First, Ukraine is far from being democratic - as you know - and second, Ukraine cannot be at once independent and unable to exist as a country without US support. Of course the latter is true. In ignoring Putin’s warning, this man is just as dangerous as his predecessor.
Old Stolty faces a lawsuit claiming that as part of NATO he prepared Ukraine for war with Russia and therefore:
participated in an organized plan or conspiracy aimed at carrying out specific actions that constitute a crime against peace.
He could face life imprisonment according to Tass.
Spain Strikes Against Genocide
On the 27th September, according to the Palestine Chronicle, on the 27th thousands of workers went on strike throughout Spain against the genocide in Gaza under the slogan ‘only the people save the people’.
The emerging Multi-Polar World Order
RT - We’re Going Nowhere
In Germany, a couple has been arrested for making RT available to customers via the internet - in violation of sanctions. If convicted, they face twelve months in jail. But this makes me wonder whether I could face jail time for making this report! After all, I am making RT articles available to people who may not be able to access them.
But the West’s ban on RT has not been greeted enthusiastically by the RoW: a sign of the changing times. US State Department’s James Rubin, believes that ‘one of the reasons… why so much of the world has not been as fully supportive of Ukraine as you would think they would be… is because of the broad scope and reach of RT.’ Or maybe it’s because people in the RoW know that the Western media tells lies and that they are more likely to obtain truth from RT. But Western leaders are too arrogant to accept that the expression of points of view that differ from Western orthodox ‘truth’ is to be welcomed. Patronising colonialist attitudes still prevail among many in the West - as RT points out.
But people in the Global South are not interested in censoring RT. The Hindu newspaper said that the issue of sanctions is not relevant to India and criticised the West for ‘double standards’. The popularity of RT has actually been growing in India.
Saudi Arabia’s Okaz paper commented:
it is paradoxical, that when [free] speech becomes a threat to the US and the West, they impose restrictions on it, as it happened with the ban on RT under the pretext of lack of transparency, spreading false information, interfering in internal affairs and inciting hatred – something that Washington and the West themselves do in relation to other countries.
Leading Lebanese Daily, Al Akhbar, also highlighted the hypocrisy of the West around free speech. If RT is truly a ‘mouthpiece of disinformation’, they ask, why is the West afraid of it. In Latin America, Uruguay-based current affairs magazine Caras y Caretas praised RT for:
maintain[ing] a truthful editorial line, beyond being a state media outlet, and [it] has increased its popularity and credibility by exposing a perspective that makes it creative, original and authentic… RT has helped open the eyes of a very large part of the world’s population and of increasingly numerous governments and countries.
This latter reflects my own experience of RT.
Rosario Murillo, the vice president of Nicaragua, sent RT a letter of support and a number of African outlets criticised Western hypocrisy in its global censorship.
You can read more at RT.
I’ve included this in the emerging MPWO section because the RoW response is informative: it shows that the West is no longer in charge of the world.
The anti-free speech narrative centres on the claim that speech must be censored in case it misinforms which is a ridiculous claim but suits authoritarians and authoritarianism because it will be those in power who will decide what is disinformation and what is not. Social media platforms, such as Facebook and pre-Musk Twitter have shown the way in this respect. The narrative assumes that ordinary people are totally powerless idiots who are incapable of making judgements regarding disinformation. If I were to advise people how best to avoid disinformation, I would suggest they leave the legacy media alone and do their own research. I would also suggest that people assume that anything coming out of the mouths of politicians is also disinformation.
The US - ‘A Headless Horseman Riding Blindly Into Chaos’
James Howard Kunstler, writing for Zero Hedge, has described the US State Department as a ‘blind horseman riding blindly into chaos’ oblivious to the dangers associated with allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russia. The American State, at this time, is actually leaderless while involved in two dangerous conflicts. Kunstler compares the Democratic Party with the Jacobins under Robespierre during the ‘terror’ of the French Revolution.4 At that time, the Committee for Public Safety made policy decisions whereas its modern equivalent in the guise of the Democrat Party ‘is now a huge network of cadres toiling in scores of federal agencies and associated NGOs financed by those agencies (or by their billionaire henchmen such as George Soros, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Reid Hoffman)’. In fact:
the entire Democratic Party and its Deep State intel blob partners have melted down into a desperate mob of political criminals frantic to evade accounting for their acts [my emphasis]. So then, setting the world on fire is all they have left, a fitting act of revenge for a faction thwarted in its mad drive to merely wreck the United States for the sake of “social justice” and “equity.”
They have nothing to lose, in other words, which is dangerous for us all. Kunstler believes that:
The Democrats of 2024 made exactly the same mistake that their predecessors, the Jacobins, made in France back in 1794: they just couldn’t tell when they’d gone too far with their insults against the public interest and common decency.
You can read more at Zero Hedge.
BRICS Cometh - 22nd Oct
BRICS countries will meet in Kazan between the 22nd and 24th of October. Many new countries will become part of BRICS+ in different ways. The organisation wishes to build ‘a new financial infrastructure’ which will include a new currency to replace the oppressive and moribund dollar. This event will be rivalled in importance only by the November 5th US election. Russia has announced that countries which are sanctioning BRICS members will not be allowed to join.
Correction
I have said on one or two occasions that Petrovsk would fall within weeks - but the sources I used were a little optimistic. Other sources I have read since are saying that it could take months to liberate Petrovsk.
That’s it for another eventful week in which Middle East matters have overshadowed those in Ukraine or elsewhere. Many thanks for your views, subscriptions, follows, likes, shares and comments. Have a good week - best Rob
Non subscribers can view Updates on Telegram: https://t.me/UWUupdate.
b from the Moon of Alabama discussed Biden’s push for a larger war (October 3rd).
For more detail have a look at Simpicius, Doctorow or Larry Johnson. Brian Berletic - The New Atlas - provides a different perspective on the ME conflict which is well worth a look. He’s a clever guy who insists that we do not let our emotions get in the way of rational judgement: a man after my own heart.
For those who do not know, this is a reference to Ulysses S Grant who came to be known as ‘unconditional surrender’ Grant due to his battlefield achievements reflected his initials - US.
If you want to learn more about the French Revolution I would highly recommend Twelve Who Ruled by R.R. Palmer.
Another excellent recap. Rob. again. kudos. I don't have to spend much time during the weak on this boring and fading conflict thanks to your recaps.
"Some say that Nasrallah had a agreed a ceasefire with Israel just before he was killed."
I cover that in my latest Substack. That entire ceasefire plan was a setup. Someone reminded me that this is how they got Qassem Soleimani as well - he was in Iraq on a peace meeting.
As for the Israel raids into Lebanon, there definitely has not been a major offensive yet. Most of these raids have not even really crossed the border, and Hezbollah has been hitting them in their staging areas. One "elite" IDF unit encountered Hezbollah troops - probably not even the Radwan special forces - and was nearly wiped out. The IDF has lost various estimates up to 60-70 troops already - and the so-called "invasion" hasn't even started.
This discussion between Larry Johnson and Pepe Escobar is useful:
Iran Strikes Back At Israel: What Comes Next? | Pepe Escobar Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuWj1hyuk84
"But the myth of the Iron Dome has finally been exploded.".
More importantly, the Iron Dome was never involved, or at least would never have been useful. It's designed for short-range, low-speed small projectiles like Hamas rockets or Katyushas. It was never designed for large ballistic missiles. What failed pretty badly were the David's Sling and Arrow 2 and 3 AD systems.
As always Rob, excellent.
Never known a time when the leaders of the West were such traitors.
They would be out of their depth in a birdbath. Hard to see how they will get a smack without us getting one as well, but they really need waking up and hard lessons seem to be the only way.