Will Putin's followers jump with him into the "nuclear" abyss? Really??

As the 'tea leaves' left over from the Biden-Trump debate are scrutinized by western commentators, supporters of Putin in his war with Ukraine are finally publicly exposing themselves to the rest of the world.

And leading this motley right-wing crew is none other than Donald Trump, who stated that,

"With around a dozen mentions in an hour and a half, Russian President Vladimir Putin was repeatedly referenced by President Joe Biden and rival Donald Trump during Thursday's presidential election debate as they vied to show who was tougher on foreign policy.

"If we had a real president, the president that ... was respected by Putin, he would have never  invaded Ukraine," Trump said of Biden, kicking off a series of clashes between the two candidates over the wars in Ukraine and in Gaza.

"Go ahead, let Putin go in and control Ukraine, and then move on to Poland and other places. See what happens then. He has no idea what the hell he's talking about," Biden said of Trump. " (Costas Pitas : Reuters : 28 June 2024) (my emphasis)

And following closely behind Trump we have Kim Jon Un of North Korea, who has promised to spare Russian men living in Moscow and St. Petersbugh from being slaughtered in Ukraine by offering, instead, to have North Koreans slaughtered in Ukraine. 

As reported by Susie Beever (left),

"Kim Jong-un is set to send troops to Ukraine amidst growing fears of the escalating conflict between Russia and the West.
...
[US] Spokesman Pat Ryder said in a briefing: "I think that if I were North Korean military personnel management, I would be questioning my choices on sending my forces to be cannon fodder in an illegal war against Ukraine." The US would continue to monitor the alliance surrounding growing anxieties." (Daily Mirror : 26 June 2024) (my emphasis)

As also reported by Clea Caulcutt ,

"While Macron has increasingly recast himself as a defender of Ukraine — promising fighter jets to Kyiv earlier this month — Le Pen has a long track record of political flirtation with the Kremlin, with Macron even directly accusing her of being on the Russian payroll." (Politico : 28 June 2024) (my emphasis)

 Recall that in my blog entry of 30 October 2014 I reported that,

"It is rather ironic that the Kremlin and Putin's propaganda machines are constantly propagating the lie about 'fascists and neo-Nazis' being elected to the Ukrainian parliament, whilst at the same time rolling out the red carpet for neo-Nazi and right-wing European organizations.

 Marine Le Pen met with State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin (right)

 

 

Thus it was that Marine Le Pen, the neo-Nazi leader of France, was treated like a cabinet minister by top Russian politicians, whilst the British Fascist leader of the BNP party endorsed Russian elections in Russia. As John Vinocur has commented," Marine Le Pen wants to neuter the EU as a political force. The Kremlin couldn't ask for a better ally." (my emphasis)" (blog entry 30/10/2014)

And against this backdrop of Putin's motley crew exposing themselves internationally:-

• The Biden administration is holding discussions with Israel and Ukraine about the possibility of transferring aging Patriot air defense systems currently in Israel to Ukraine as it continues to defend itself in the war with Russia, according to a senior administration official and a source familiar with the discussions, as the US urgently prioritizes air defenses for Kyiv. (Kylie Atwood and Oren Liebermann : CNN on Microsft Start : 27 June 2024) (my emphasis)
• Russia should not make a mistake that could hurt its relations with South Korea in an "irreversible" way, a Seoul official warned Thursday, in a tit-for-tat exchange of words after Moscow warned against Seoul hinting at potential arms support to Ukraine. (Kim Seung-yeon : Yonhap News Agency : 27 June 2024) (my emphasis)
• South Korea's potential arms support for Ukraine should not be viewed on the same footing as North Korea's suspected delivery of munitions to Russia, given the illegal nature of Russia's invasion, the chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has said.
  
  NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also said that NATO would welcome "any major support" from South Korea to help Ukraine in the fight against Russia, pointing out that issues like North Korean threats and the war in Ukraine" (Kim Seung-yeon : Yonhap News Agency : 28 June 2024) (my emphasis)

 These  developments include,

"Japan imposed trade restrictions on China-based companies as part of a fresh round of sanctions against individuals and groups supporting Russia's war on Ukraine, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The new sanctions also target firms in India, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. It marks the first time Japan has imposed sanctions on China-based firms in connection with the war in Ukraine, according to Japan's foreign ministry." (Sakura Murakami : Reuters : 21 Jun e 2924)  (my emphasis)

Putin's desperation in his war with Ukraine is exemplified by the fact that,

"World on the brink as 'shelling destroys key equipment' at Ukraine nuclear power plant.

The head of the IAEA said the the chances of a radiation leak were 'dangerously close' after the plant once again came under attack. 

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) was damaged after being shelled, increasing fears that a catastrophic release of radiation is "dangerously close". (John Varga (above left): Express : 28 June 2024) (my emphasis) 

As I wote in my last blog entry,

"The constant 'fist-waving of the deployment of the nuclear option' against Ukraine by his TV pundits should not be too lightly dismissed."

Will Putin's followers now also jump with him into the "nuclear" abyss?

UPDATE : 29 June 2024

John Varga reports that,

"Vladimir Putin is using huge financial incentives to persuade poor Russians to fight in Ukraine, offering them ten times their normal salary to take their chances in Russia's meat grinder.

The policy has allowed the Kremlin to avoid enforcing a nationwide mobilisation, a move that officials fear could spark serious civil unrest.

The Russian army has suffered catastrophic losses to it frontline troops since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022." (Express: 29 June 2024 (my emphasis)

This supports the reporting of Ella Sherman (left) that,

"Russian forces have committed only limited forces to this operation so far, which suggests that Russian forces continue to prioritize gradual advances through consistent grinding assaults over operationally significant gains through rapid maneuver," analysts at the Institute of the Study of War assess.
....
Putin theorized that the gradual progress Russian forces make will allow them to achieve the Kremlin's aims, as it prevents Ukraine from conducting effective counteroffensive tactics." (Business Insider : 28 June 4) (my emphasis)

Similarly, as Tom Porter (right) reports,

 "Russia is sending troops into head-on high-casualty attacks, known as human wave or "meat grinder" attacks. The attacks were used by Russia in brutal battles to seize control of the towns of Avdiikva and Bakhmut last year, but US officials told the Times they are proving less successful now.
...
Russia has offered relatively lucrative contracts to new recruits, has drafted thousands of prisoners into the military, and has contracted foreign mercenaries to replace its losses." (Business Inside : 28 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Putin's motley crew, including Kim Jon Un, Donald Trump, and Marine Le Pen,,  do not seem to be helping him!

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Putin is illustrating to the world his own demise.

The Putin-Trump bromance in Helsinki in 2018 has been replaced by the Putin-Kim Jon Un bromance in 2024.

 As reported by Emily Wright,

"Putin was welcomed to North Korea for the first time in almost 25 years, with the two leaders having given each other some bizarre gifts.
...
Putin gave Kim a luxury Aurus limousine, Russian state media reported, citing Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. The two were pictured in the car, with Putin in the driver's seat, but it is not known whether this was a newly-gifted car, said the BBC.
...
Putin was also said to have given Kim a tea set, described as “very beautiful” by Ushakov according to Russia’s Tass state news agency, and an admiral’s dirk - a type of dagger." (Express : 20 June 2024) (my emphasis)

So what does this all mean?

As reported by Hyonhee Shin, Josh Smith and Guy Faulconbridge,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in North Korea on Wednesday for his first visit in 24 years, vowing to deepen trade and security ties with the reclusive nuclear-armed state and to support it against the United States.
...
In a signal that Russia, a veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, is reassessing its entire approach to North Korea, Putin praised Pyongyang ahead of his arrival for resisting what he said was U.S. economic pressure, blackmail and threats." (Reuters : 18 June 2024)9 my emphasis)

DW News : 20 June 2024 : YouTube

Having become an 'international political pariah' because of his unpovoked war with Ukraine, Putin is having to dig deep to find a 'comrade in arms', literally, to give him political and practical support in his war with Ukraine.

And Kim Jon Un fits the bill!

First Post : 19 June 2024 : YouTube

As was to be expected, western and far east countries watched this new 'bromance' between Putin and Kim Jon Un with interest.

Immediately off the blocks, as reported by the New Indian Express,

"South Korea’s presidential office on Thursday condemned an agreement reached by Russia and North Korea that vowed mutual defense assistance in the event of war and said it will reconsider its policy of limiting its support to Ukraine to non-lethal supplies.

The comments by a senior presidential official came hours after North Korea’s state media released the details of the agreement reached between its leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin during their summit on Wednesday in Pyongyang." (New Indian Express : 20 Ju n e 2024) (my emphasis)

To which Putin responded,

"Putin warned South Korea on Thursday it would be making “a very big mistake” if it decided to supply arms to Ukraine, claiming Seoul has “nothing to worry about” concerning the new strategic partnership signed by Russia and North Korea.
...
Putin said: “As for the supply of lethal weapons to the combat zone in Ukraine, this would be a very big mistake. I hope that this will not happen. If this happens, then we will also make appropriate decisions, which are unlikely to please the current leadership of South Korea.” (Katya Krebs, Sharon Braithwaite, Yoonjung Seo and Brad Lendon: CNN : 21 June 2024) (my emphasis)  

Further sticking in Putin's craw, Idrees Ali (left) reports that,

"Ukraine can use U.S.-supplied weapons to hit Russian forces that are firing on Ukrainian troops anywhere across the border into Russia and not just in Russian territory near Ukraine's Kharkiv region, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
...
"This is not about geography. It's about common sense," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told PBS. "If Russia is attacking or about to attack from its territory into Ukraine, it only makes sense to allow Ukraine to hit back against the forces that are hitting it from across the border." (Reuters: 20 June 2024) (my emphasis)

And to cap it all, Sakura Murakami reports that,

"Japan imposed trade restrictions on China-based companies as part of a fresh round of sanctions against individuals and groups supporting Russia's war on Ukraine, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The new sanctions also target firms in India, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. It marks the first time Japan has imposed sanctions on China-based firms in connection with the war in Ukraine, according to Japan's foreign ministry.

Targeted firms include Hong Kong-based Asia Pacific Links Ltd, which provided microchips for Russian drones, and China-based Yilufa Electronics Limited." (Reuters : 21 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Against the backdrop of Putin's new 'bromance' with Kim Jon Un, Gabriel Gavin and Barbara Moens report that,

"EU leaders will call for increased military aid to Kyiv to help thwart a wave of Russian attacks that have leveled power stations and plunged millions of Ukrainians into darkness, according to a draft statement seen by POLITICO.

The statement is being developed ahead of a European Council summit next week, where EU leaders will discuss Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and set priorities for the coming months." (Politico : 20 June 2024)  (my emphasis)

Added to which, as reported by Arpan Rai,Alexander Butler and Andy Gregory,

"Ukraine has launched a “mass” drone assault on Russian infrastructure and military targets in the Black Sea, Crimea and southern Russia, officials and Kyiv’s military said. (The Independent on MSN Start: 21 June 2024) (my emphasis)

As also reported by Alice Scarsi (left),

"Ukraine launched dozens of drones into the Russian territory in the early hours of June 21, reportedly striking an airfield.

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed on Friday to have intercepted 114 drones launched by Kyiv over Crimea, illegally occupied by Moscow since 2014, the Krasnodar region and Volgograd, both in western Russia.

Clips circulating on social media platform Telegram showed huge fires and smoke rising from various facilities, including an oil refinery in the Severski district." (Express : 21 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Putin's 'bromance' with Kim Jon Un is leading him into a dead end in his war with Ukraine.

By going 'cap in hand'  to Kim Jon Un, Putin is illustrating to the world his own  demise. 

UPDATE : 22 June 2024 : 08:47 am

As reported by Chris Samuel (right),

"Vladimir Putin has vowed Russia will go "to the end" in its war in Ukraine while offering a fresh nuclear warning towards the West.
...
The Kremlin leader, 71, also claimed Western nations were "lowering the threshold" for the use of nuclear devices against Russia, but provided no evidence to back up the accusation.

These supposed moves led him to conclude Russia must now consider updating its nuclear doctrine in nuclear escalation, he said, proclaiming ominously that the defeat of Moscow's forces in Ukraine would mean "the end of Russia's statehood". (Express : 21 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Putin's statements supports the contention that he is illustrating to the world his own demise by yet, once again, raising the spectre of a global nuclear war as he nervously watches the decimation of his forces by the army of Ukraine.

As I wote in my blog entry of 25/11/2022,

"And as now reported by Ciaran McGrath,

"Vladmir Putin is telling his military commanders Russia need to deploy five million troops in order to triumph in Ukraine. A document doing the rounds in military and political circles in Moscow entitled "Conclusions of the war with NATO in Ukraine" has highlighted the vast challenges now facing Russia." (Express : 25 November 2022) (my emphasis)

whilst his TV pundits continue to urge nuclear strikes against Ukraine.

Putin's dream of a "Novorossiya" is now turning into his nightmare of failure.

Everything that he throws at Ukraine is met by the fierce determination of the people of Ukraine to push his army back into Russia and regain ALL of Ukraine's territory now occupied by his Russian forces.

The constant 'fist-waving of the deployment of the nuclear option' against Ukraine by his TV pundits should not be too lightly dismissed."

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Putin deperately wishing for a Trump victory in November.

 

Sticking in Putin's craw is the fact that $50 billion dollars are winging its way out of the coffers of Putin's Russia as payment for his war against Ukraine.

As Laura Kelly (left) so succinctly put it,

"Ukraine’s supporters have agreed to move forward with a $50 billion loan to Kyiv, financed by profits from frozen Russian assets in Europe and the U.S., the leaders of the Group of  Seven (G7) countries announced Thursday. 

The agreement marks a significant achievement for President Biden, with the U.S. spearheading the effort to get the broad grouping of Ukraine’s supporters to agree on seizing Russian assets to support Kyiv and counter Russian President Vladimir Putin." (The Hill on Yahoo News : 13 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Global News : 13 June 2024 : Youtube

Added to which, Nette Nöstlinger (left) reports that,

"The European Union has signed agreements worth €1.4 billion with banks in a bid to attract private sector investment in Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the opening of a two-day conference in Berlin on international support for the country's reconstruction.
...
The agreements are meant to improve access to finance for Ukrainian businesses, von der Leyen said, mentioning startups in the IT, digitalization, critical raw materials and renewables sectors." (Politico : 11 June 2024) (my emphasis)

And Switzerland,

" .... will provide additional grant funds in the amount of 10 million Swiss francs for the restoration of Ukraine's railway infrastructure.

This was reported by the Ukrzaliznytsia national rail carrier, Ukrinform learned.

The draft of the corresponding addition to the Grant Agreement between the governments of Ukraine and the Swiss Confederation, signed in 2022, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on June 7, 2024." (Ukrinform : 14 June 2024) (my emphasis)  

Meanwhile, on the military front, both the US and Japan have entered into Security Agreements with Ukraine.

As ABC News reports on June 13, (cf. video below) US President Joe Biden confirms 10 year Security Agreement with Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelensky.

ABC News : 13 June 2024 : YouTube

Similarly, Ukrinform sets out the preamble to the Security Agreement signed between Japan and Ukraine which includes,

" ... The purpose of this Accord is to clarify the areas of support and cooperation as well as commitments and arrangements, including security and defense, humanitarian support and recovery and reconstruction for the realization of strategic objectives of a free, independent, democratic and sovereign Ukraine, within its borders, which have been internationally recognized since 1991, including the territorial sea, in accordance with respective constitutional and legal requirements and regulations." (Ukrinform : 14 June 2024 ) (my emphasis)

No doubt Putin is spitting nails at these Security Agreements since, as Chris Hughes (right) reports,

"Russian prisons and penal colonies are being closed down with close to 100 jails scrapped already because so many prisoners have died fighting in Ukraine.

As many as 150,000 Russian prisoners, including murderers, rapists, robbers and gangsters were press-ganged and recruited into the military to go to the frontline. And if they were not killed in Russia ’s waves of cannon fodder in battles such as the fight for Bakhmut they were sent home, paid and set free.
...
To reduce the costs of putting prisoners behind bars another three more colonies will shortly be closed in Siberia, with more set to be closed in the next year. Before the invasion of Ukraine the number of Russian prisoners was around 420,000 and now it is believed to have reduced to around 336,000." (Daily Mirror : 13 June 2024) (my emphasis)

In my last blog entry (9 June 2024) I speculated that,

"Is Putin readying himself to leave Russia with the legacy of attacking the US and NATO?"

This may not be idle speculation.

 As reported by Reuters,

"Russian drills to deploy tactical nuclear weapons for combat involved the special delivery of dummy nuclear warheads to forward storage points and an airfield where they were loaded on to bombers, according to Russia's elite nuclear unit.

President Vladimir Putin ordered the nuclear drills after what Russia said were threats from the West, including signals from Western officials that they would allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russia with Western weapons.
...
By doing so, Russia is trying to send a signal to the United States and its biggest European allies that allowing Ukraine to strike Russia with ever bigger and more advanced Western weapons is an escalation that could have consequences." (Reuters : 13 June 2024) (my emphasis)

As Will Stewart (left) also reports,

"Vladimir Putin's forces are yet again drilling strikes with tactical nuclear weapons on Ukraine or the West with land, air and sea-based launches this week.

The Russian defence ministry stressed the launches were simulated, but everything else was performed by troops as it would be in a genuine attack.

A naval crew were seen pressing the button on a nuclear hit from a warship believed to be in the Baltic Sea to hit a target some 220 miles away, while Tu-22M3 nuclear capable bombers were pictured taking off from an undisclosed airstrip." (Mail Online : 13 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Mail Online : 13 June 2024 

No doubt these drills with 'nuclear warheads' may also have something to do with the fact that, as reported by Stuart Lau (left),

"NATO countries are set to sign off on a new plan for the alliance to take over from the U.S. in coordinating military aid to Ukraine.

The shift is broadly perceived as a move by European allies to "Trump-proof" the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, given the possibility that former U.S. President Donald Trump could return to the White House in November elections. Trump is seen as likely to roll back U.S. commitments to Kyiv." (Politico : 13 June 2024) (my emphasis),

Desperately chewing his nails, Putin waits in anticipation on the outcome of the US Presidential election in November of this year, wishing fervently that Trump, once again, enters the White House.

UPDATE: 15 June 2024 : 06.25 am

It should come as no surprise that, as reported by Henri Astier (left),

"Vladimir Putin has said Ukraine would need to withdraw troops from territories Russia claims to have annexed before a ceasefire could begin - a proposal Ukraine's president called a Hitler-like "ultimatum". (BBC News : 14 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Contrast this with the fact, as reported by Angela Skujins with AP , that,

"Russian president [Putin] said on Friday the war in Ukraine will end if Kyiv gives up on its NATO application and withdraws troops from four regions occupied and unilaterally annexed by the Kremlin.
...
Ukrainian government advisor Mykhailo Podolyak (right) slammed the proposal on social media, saying "there is no new 'peace proposal' from Russia" while describing the demands as a "complete sham".

"Its content is ... highly offensive to international law and speaks absolutely eloquently about the incapacity of the current Russian leadership to adequately assess realities," he said in a post in X.

 NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (left) also rejected Putin's offer during a press conference in Brussels, labelling the pitch as not being made in "good faith." "It's not for Ukraine to withdraw forces from Ukrainian territory," he said on Friday. "It's for Russia to withdraw their forces from occupied Ukrainian land." (Euro News: 14 June 2024) (my emphasis)

As Mykhailo Podolyak rightly comments, ""there is no new 'peace proposal' from Russia" while describing the demands as a "complete sham".

UPDATE : 16 June 2024 

The Peace Summit in Switzerland just gave Putin the biggest international 'slap in the face' that he has ever encountered.

As reported by Sarah Rainsford and Dearbail Jordan,

"The leaders of Italy and Germany have strongly rejected ceasefire terms laid out by Vladimir Putin to stop the war in Ukraine, as scores of countries gathered at a two-day summit in Switzerland to discuss ending the conflict.

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the Russian president's plan "propaganda" which effectively suggested that Ukraine "must withdraw from Ukraine".

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed it as a "dictatorial peace".

A draft declaration issued at the summit reaffirms Ukraine's territorial integrity and unambiguously rejects any nuclear threat against the country." (BBC News : 16 June 2024) (my emphasis)

We now wait to see what Putin's 'red-faced' response will be.   

                                       

 

 

(to be continued)

Is Putin readying himself to leave Russia with the legacy of attacking the US and NATO?

 Let us cast our minds back to 1962, when we had what has become known as the, "Cuban Missile Crisis", occured.

According to Wikipedia,

"The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (Spanish: Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, or the Caribbean Crisis (Russian: Карибский кризис, romanized: Karibskiy krizis), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American (left : Kennedy and Kruschev) deployments of nuclear missiles in Italy and Turkey were matched by Soviet deployments of nuclear missiles in Cuba. The crisis lasted from 16 to 28 October 1962. The confrontation is widely considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into full-scale nuclear war." (Wikipedia) (my emphasis) (cf; also : Grace Thompson : BBC News : 22/09/2023)

Fast foreward to 2024 and, as reported by Patrick Oppmann, Abel Alvarado and Haley Britzky (right: Oppman and Britzky),

" A group of Russian naval ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will visit Cuba next week as part of “historically friendly relations,” Cuba’s government said Thursday.

The Russian “frigate Gorshkov, the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, the fleet oil tanker Pashin, and the rescue tug Nikolai Chiker” will visit the port of Havana between June 12 and 17, according to the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces in a statement published by the Foreign Ministry. 

WION : 8 June 2024 : YouTube 

Cuba’s announcement comes days after US President Joe Biden gave Ukraine permission to carry out limited strikes inside Russian territory with American munitions. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western countries “supplying weapons to a conflict zone is always a bad thing.” (CNN : 6 June 2024) (my emphasis)

In the background of tremulously shaking his 'nuclear fist' at US President Biden for allowing US missiles to be used against Russia by Ukraine Putin is, as WION (cf above video) reports, Russian missiles will be 350 km away from US soil, threatening cities such as New York and Chicago from Cuba.

 Meanwhile, Putin has to contend with the fact, as reported by Al Jazeera, that,

"The United States and France have both reaffirmed support for Ukraine in its battle against Russia’s invasion during a meeting in the French capital.

Speaking at a joint news conference at the Presidential Elysee Palace in Paris on Saturday, President Joe Biden warned that Vladimir Putin would “not stop” at Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, in turn, hailed his US counterpart’s loyalty to Europe." (Al Jazeera : 8 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Whilst Putin tremulously shakes his 'nuclear fist' at US President Biden, and as reported by Mariya Knight and Niamh Kennedy,

"Russia accused Ukraine of shelling the Russian-occupied eastern territories of Kherson and Luhansk on Friday, leaving at least 25 dead.
...
Meanwhile, the Russian-appointed head of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, said on Telegram a Ukrainian strike on Luhansk killed three people and wounded 35 others.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the strikes “cynical and [a] bloody crime” on Friday and blamed Washington for giving “the green light” to Kyiv “to kill civilians with Western weapons.” (CNN : 8 June 2024) (my emphasis) (cf. also: Microsoft Start)

Furthermore, as reported by Cameron Manley (left),

"A new war video released by Ukraine appears to show a US-supplied M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle shooting at a Russian armored personnel carrier at point-blank range.

The two vehicles race toward each other at high speed on a country road and launch continuous fire. At one moment, they come within a few feet of one another, narrowly avoiding collision. Soldiers are seen falling from the Russian armored car before it swerves off the road and appears to come to a stop, smoke billowing from its rear." (Business Insider : 8 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Most disconcerting for Putin is the fact that, as reported by Stavros Atlamazoglou (right),

"In May, Russian casualties in Ukraine reached a record high, with close to 40,000 soldiers  lost in just 31 days of combat.

-This unprecedented loss has raised significant concerns about Moscow’s capacity to sustain such heavy casualties without achieving any substantial operational or strategic gains.

-Despite these sacrifices, Russia has failed to meet its primary objectives, with British Military Intelligence reporting over 1,200 Russian casualties per day in May alone, the highest since the war began." (National Interest on Microsoft Start : 8 June 2024) (my emphasis)

It is no wonder, as  Alberto Nardelli, Alex Wickham, and Volodymyr Verbianyi report,

"The Kremlin has forced thousands of migrants and foreign students to fight alongside Russian troops in its war against Ukraine, adding extra manpower for its offensive in the Kharkiv region, according to assessments from European officials.

Using tactics first deployed by the Wagner mercenary group, Russian officials have with increasing frequency been threatening not to extend the visas of African students and young workers unless they agree to join the military, according to officials familiar with the matter." (Bloomberg UK : 9 June 2024) (my emphasis)

More than anything, this indicates the fears of Putin, as does his attempt to recreate the Cuban Missile Crisis against US President Bide

The Kremlin vultures are also moving closer to Putin, getting the scent that his demise is near.

As Alice Scarsi (left) reports,

"Vladimir Putin has been tipped to be already testing his close circle to find a successor and secure his "tsarist-like legacy".

Following the landslide victory at the controversial presidential election held in Russia in March, Putin has secured his position until at least 2030.
...
Appearing on the BBC podcast Ukrainecast, [Dr. Hill] said: "As Putin moves into his tzarist phase, which he has been doing for quite some time, we also have to remember that the history of imperial Russia was replete with assassinations and mysterious deaths and all kinds of setbacks.

"And many of the tsars that Putin lauds were themselves kind of embroiled in all kinds of palace intrigues. And that's what we are looking at, all kinds of palace intrigues, efforts to perhaps test one successor after another, one heir after another, we don't know how this is all going to play out." Express : 8 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Is Putin readying himself to leave Russia with the legacy of attacking the US and NATO?

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Is Putin's tax hike against the people of Russia the end of his reign?

As Veronika Melkozerova (left) writes,

" Ukraine is making it increasingly difficult for Russia to hang on to illegally annexed Crimea thanks to an ongoing campaign that's targeting air defenses, rail links and water connections.

The latest blows were struck on Friday, when a joint Ukrainian navy and army operation hit a ferry crossing and oil terminal at the port of Kavkaz, located on the Russian side of the Kerch Strait that divides Crimea from Russia, Ukraine’s general staff said in a statement." (Politico : 31 May 2024) (my emphasis)

So much so that Putin is now scrambling around for yet more money from the Russian public to finance his war with Ukraine.

As reported by Alice Scarsi (right),

"The Russian government is planning a major tax reform hoped to generate nearly 3 trillion rubles (£26bn) per year.

A similar overhaul, which would introduce a progressive tax system and increase the contribution to the state budget made by corporations and higher earners, comes as the spending on the unlawful war in Ukraine continues to soar.
...
The Russian economy has been hit in recent years - not just by the cost of the invasion - but also by the Western sanctions that followed." (Daily Express on Microsoft Start :2 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as Rick Newman (left) reports,

"The Russian gas giant Gazprom was a money machine for the last two decades, enriching many insiders and helping keep Vladimir Putin’s government flush. But that run has ended, with Gazprom recently announcing it lost $6.9 billion in 2023, mainly because of Russia’s war in Ukraine and sanctions that have punctured Gazprom’s sales.

Like Gazprom, the whole Russian economy is beginning to crack under the twin strains of enormous wartime spending and withering sanctions." (Yahoo Finance : 2 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Yahoo Finance : 2 June 2024

And we now learn from the Daily Telegraph that,

"Ukraine has fired US-made weapons at targets inside Russia for the first time, according to Russian sources.

Russia’s ministry of defence and Russian military bloggers have reported that HIMARS, long-range artillery, were fired by Ukraine at Russia on Saturday evening." (The Daily Telegraph : 2 June 2024) (my emphasis)"

Furthermore, Tasos Kokkinidis (left) reports that,

"A Greek pilot has reportedly arrived in Ukraine becoming the first foreign instructor for the use of the F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine’s air force.

The foreign instructor is a flight officer of the Greek Air Force, as reported by Defencepoint.gr. To date, there has been no official confirmation from the Greek Ministry of Defense.

”The Greek Air Force has gained vast experience and expertise in the operational use of the fighter in air-to-air missions, especially in close air combat,” the Greek publication reported." (Greek Reporter : 3 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Beginning to feel the effects of Ukraine's use of western armaments on targets in Russia, the Hindustan Times reports that,

"Russian military expert has issued a threat to Europe. Yuri Baranchik, according to a Sunday Times report, revealed details about Russia's 'Operation Unthinkable.' This operation is reportedly Putin’s plan if the Ukraine war turns into a global conflict. Baranchik stated that Russia will eliminate the nuclear potentials of Britain and France within one day after carrying out Operation Unthinkable." (Hindustan Times : 2 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Hindustan Times : 2 June 2024 : YouTube

As per usual, and shaking his puny fists, Alice Scarsi reports that,

 "Vladimir Putin's close ally Dmitry Medvedev issued his latest nuclear threat against the West following reports multiple NATO countries have given Ukraine the go-ahead to use their weapons to strike inside of Russia.

Russia's former president and current deputy chairman of the country's Security Council warned his country being hit by Western-supplied weapons could be seen by the Kremlin as a casus belli with the capacity to spark a war with NATO." (Express : 1 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Underscoring Putin's mad scramble to finance his war with Ukraine, and his further threatening of global 'nuclear armageddon', Putin is now begging countries to not support Zelensky's Swiss Peace Conference.

As Tessa Wong (right) reports,

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia and China of attempting to undermine his upcoming global peace summit in Switzerland.

He said Russia was trying to dissuade other states from attending the event, and that China was working to do this as well.

Speaking at an Asian security forum, he also said there were “elements of Russia’s weaponry” that come from China." (BBC News : 1 June 2024) (my emphasis)

Sticking in Putin's craw, therefore, is the fact, as reported by Karen Lema, Mikhail Flores, and Neil Jerome Morales that,

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked his Philippine counterpart on Monday for Manila's participation in a high-level peace summit later this month, describing it as a "very strong signal" towards achieving peace in the war-torn nation.

In their first-in person meeting in Manila, Zelenskiy also thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr for his country's "clear position" on Russia's "occupation of our territories," while the Philippine leader assured him of his continued support." (Reuters : 3 June 2024) (my emphasis)

 Inquirer.Net : 3 June 2024 : YouTube

Putin's is now desperate to thwart Zelensky's Peace Conference in Switzerland, and those western bombs now beginning to rain down on his war industry in Russia itself.

Which raises the question, 

"Is Putin's tax hike against the people of Russia the beginning of his end?"

UPDATE  : 5 June 2024

As the Sun reports,

"The past three days have been Russia's deadliest in the entire war.

When asked about a Russian proposal to end the war in Ukraine, and whether the end of war was the best outcome Ukraine could hope for, US President Biden said: "No, it's not."

He told Time Magazine: "The Russian military has been decimated.

"You don't write about that. It's been freaking decimated."

He added: "Peace looks like making sure Russia never, never, never, never occupies Ukraine. That's what peace looks like." (The Sun : 5 June 2024) (my emphasis)3

The Sun : 5 June 2024

Furthermore, as reported by Danita Yadav,

"Putin Sees Rare Protest As Russians Demand Return Of Soldiers On Frontlines

A group of women knelt outside the Russian Defence Ministry on Monday to demand the return of their partners and relatives fighting on the frontlines of Ukraine.

As per AFP, 15 women, some with small children, assembled outside the ministry holding up hand-written placards saying "Bring my mobilised husband home".

This protest took place after Russia branded the organisation "Put Domoy" which calls for the return of the mobilised men, as a foreign agent under its law.

In a rare occurrence, officials from the Defence Ministry stepped out to meet with the women and told them that they could not bring back their relatives." (Outlook : 5 June 2024) (my emphasis) 

The writing for Putin is on the wall! 

 

 

 

(to be continued)