The looming danger of Putin lashing out

In an impassioned speech at the 2023 meeting of the UN General Assembly, US President Biden stated that,

"Certain principles of our international system are sancrosanct. Sovereignty, territorial integrity, human rights. These are the core tenets of the UN Charter, the pillars of peaceful relations amongst nations.
...
For the second year in a row this gathering, dedicated to the peaceful resolution of conflicts, is darkened by the shadow of war. An illegal war of conquest, brough about
by Russia against its neighbour, Ukraine. Like every nation in the world the United States wants this war to end. .... Russia alone bears responsibility for this war.... No nation wants this war to end more than Ukraine.
 ...
If we allow Ukraine to be carved up is the independence of any nation secure? I respectfully suggest the answer is, "No!". We have to stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would be agressors tomorrow." (CBS News : 20 September 2023) (my emphasis)

CBS News : 20 September 2023 : YouTube

And in France, as reported by the Mirror,

"King Charles was given a standing ovation yesterday (20 Sept 2023) when he addressed the French parliament.
...
In his speech, Charles deplored Russia’s “horrifying” invasion of Ukraine and urged the world to stay steadfast in its support for Kyiv. His message could not have been more timely. There are fears that if Donald Trump wins the presidential election next year he will pull the plug on US military support." (Mirror : 21 September 2023) (my emphasis)

The Mirror goes on to report that,

"Cracks are also beginning to appear in Europe’s united front, with Poland announcing it was halting arms shipments to Ukraine. Kyiv’s forces have regained yet more territory from the Russian occupiers during their summer offensive. There can be no let-up in our resolve if we want Ukraine to triumph." (ibid the Mirror) (my emphasis)

 These cracks all stem from Putin's refusal to extend a United Nations-brokered deal to safely ship Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea.

As reported by Aljazeera,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his stance on reinstating a United Nations-brokered deal to safely ship Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea only after the West meets Moscow’s demands on its agricultural exports.

The Russian president’s remarks on Monday came after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Black Sea city of Sochi in the hope of reviving the agreement seen as vital for global food supplies, especially in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
...
The United States and the European Union have dismissed Moscow’s complaints as without merit, saying their sanctions do not target Russian grain and fertilisers." (Aljazeera : 4 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Aljazeera : 4 September 2023)

Let us recall, as reported by Nigel Hunt (left),

"The European Commission has announced restrictions on the imports of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria until June 5.

The move led to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria lifting unilateral import bans they had imposed citing the need to protect their farmers. Romania had not banned imports."
...
Farmers in eastern Europe initially benefitted financially from the Ukraine conflict as prices for their crops rose sharply in line with global grain markets.

They have, however, faced increased competition in local markets from Ukrainian grain and oilseeds. The farmers have also found it more difficult and more expensive to transport their crops as many of the trucks and railwagons they would typically use are carrying large volumes of supplies from Ukraine instead." (Reuters : 9 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Recently, however, as reported by Jorge Liboreiro (right),

"The European Commission has lifted the temporary bans on Ukrainian grain after Kyiv agreed to tighten control over its agricultural exports.

But the measure failed to satisfy Poland and Hungary, which swiftly announced they would impose their own nationwide prohibitions on a unilateral basis, the very chaotic scenario that Brussels wanted to avoid at all costs." (EuroNews : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis)  (cf also: Andy Bounds et al: Financial Times :15 September 2023)

This standoff between Poland and the EU over the lifting of a ban against Ukrainian grain has now led to, as reported by Alexander Butler (left),

"Poland has said it will stop exporting weapons to Ukraine as a week of escalating tensions between the two countries reached boiling point over a ban on grain imports.

Microsoft Start (Independent article) : 22 Septrember 2023

 ...
The row between the neighbouring countries began last week when Poland imposed an import ban on Ukrainian grain, including wheat and maize, after an EU-brokered deal expired. " (Microsoft Start (Independent article) : 22 Septrember 2023) (my emphasis)

Putin's euphoria at this current spat between Poland and Ukraine has, however been rather short lived.

As reported by The Guardian (Associated Press),

"Zelenskiy secures $325m in new US aid even as Republican support wanes.
...
The administration did announce another $325m Thursday in what’s known as presidential drawdown assistance for Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the package would include additional air defense, artillery ammunition, cluster munitions and other arms."  (The Guardian (Associated Press) : 22 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as reported by Matthew Dooley (left),

"Ukrainian armoured vehicles have smashed through a gap in Russian defences on the Zaporizhzhia front, it has been reported.

Eight-wheeled Stryker and tracked Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles were seen behind Russian tank traps and dragon’s teeth near Verbove - suggesting a potential Ukrainian tactical breakthrough in the area.

Russia analyst for The Institute for the Study of War, George Barros, said the news could mean Kyiv was preparing for another big push." (Express : 21 September 2023) (my emphasis) 

As also reported by Nicholas Cecil (right),

"Ukrainian armoured vehicles are operating beyond the final ‘formidable” line of the Russian three-layered defences in the south of the country, military experts said on Friday.
...
In its latest intelligence update, the Ministry of Defence in London said: “Over the last four days, both Russia and Ukraine have experienced unusually intense attacks deep behind their lines. There have been reports of explosions at Russian logistics sites, air bases and command posts in Crimea, the Krasnodar region, and near Moscow." (Evening Standard : 22 September 2023) (my emphasis) 

Having been :-

• excoriated at the recent UN General Assembly meeting,
  
• and with Ukraine's forces successfully moving towards the Sea of Azov,
  
• together with Ukraine securing $325m in new US aid,

Putin is now drinking in the "last chance saloon".

And this is the looming danger of him lashing out. 

UPDATE 1: 22 September 2023 : 14.07

BBC News has just reported that,

"A missile has hit the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea navy in Crimea, Russia says.
...
Videos on social media show smoke billowing from the building - we are working to verify images as they emerge
...
One serviceman is missing, Russia's defence ministry says, updating an earlier report that said he had been killed
...
The Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol has warned residents to stay away from the city centre. (BBC News : 22 September 2023) (my emphasis)

BBC News : 22 September 2023

CNN : Fri, September 22, 2023 at 2:01 PM GMT+1 

 

UPDATE 2 : 23 September 2023: 04.16 BST :

 

Jaroslav Lukiv has just reported that,

"US President Joe Biden plans to give Ukraine advanced long-range missiles to help Kyiv with its ongoing counter-offensive, US media report.

They quote US officials familiar with the issue as saying Ukraine will get some ATACMS missiles with a range of up to 190 miles (300km).

This would enable Kyiv to hit Russian targets deep behind the front line.

At least one Ukrainian missile hit the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea fleet in annexed Crimea on Friday.

A Ukrainian military source told the BBC the attack in the port of Sevastopol was carried out using Storm Shadow missiles, which are supplied by Britain and France, highlighting the importance of Western weaponry to Kyiv.

Such missiles have a range of just over 150 miles." (BBC News : 23 September 2023) (my emphasis)

 

 

BBC News : 23 September 2023 

 

In 2014, Putin's "little green men" invaded and illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimea. This was the fuse that Putin lit in 2014 that has led to his current war with Ukraine.

 

The people of Russia rejoiced at this landgrab of Putin, and held him aloft as a near 'messianic' figure that was raising them from the rubble of the fall of the old USSR.

 

Now Putin and the people of Russia are reaping the Ukrainian whirlwind of that ill-fated land grab of Putin in 2014. 

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Putin's paranoid desperation.

As Putin continues to flail in his attempts to gain international support for his invasion of Ukraine by embracing North Korea's Kim Jon Un, the Ukrainian counter-offensive gathers momentum.

Aljazeera has just reported that,

"Ukraine said its forces attacked two Russian patrol ships operating in the Black Sea and destroyed a sophisticated “Triumf” surface-to-air missile defence system in Russian-occupied Crimea, with military analysts describing the loss of such equipment as “tactical failures” by Russia.

The attacks reported on Thursday followed a day after Kyiv said it had carried out a missile strike that badly damaged a Russian submarine and a naval landing ship that were undergoing repairs in a shipyard in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet." (Aljazeera : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis) 

As also reported by Tom Balmforth (left) and Yuliia Dysa (right),

"Ukraine said on Thursday it attacked two Russian patrol ships and destroyed a sophisticated air defence system in the west of occupied Crimea, ramping up its strikes to challenge Moscow's dominance in the Black Sea region.

The attacks come a day after Kyiv said it seriously damaged a Russian submarine and landing ship undergoing repairs in a missile strike on a shipyard in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

The Ukrainian military, in a post on Telegram messenger, said it hit two Russian patrol boats in the southwest of the Black Sea, causing "certain damage" in a morning attack." (Microsoft Start (Reuters article) : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis) (cf also: Tom Watling, Maia Snow, and Alessandra Scotto di Santolo : Express: 14 September2023)

Euro News Video : Microsoft Start (Reuters article) : 15 September 2023 

Compounding Putin's current woes, Alessandra Scotto di Santolo (left) reports that,

"In a recent conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin made desperate attempts to reassure his country during the sharp decline of the national currency - the ruble.

But his reassurances seemed to lack any substantial backing from German Gref, the head of Russia's largest lender, Sberbank.

While Putin expressed support for the central bank's actions in response to the currency's plunge, his statements appeared more like a scramble to maintain a sense of control rather than a well-founded strategy.
...
In contrast to Putin's attempts to downplay the severity of the ruble's decline, Gref openly criticised the authorities for their inadequate efforts to stabilise the currency. (Express : 13 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Express : 13 September 2023

Added to which, as reported by YeniSafak,

"The US State and Treasury departments announced further sanctions Thursday on more than 150 individuals and entities in connection with Russia’s war in Ukraine.​​​​​​​

"As part of today’s action, the U.S. government is targeting individuals and entities engaged in sanctions evasion and circumvention, those complicit in furthering Russia’s ability to wage its war against Ukraine, and those responsible for bolstering Russia’s future energy production," Secretary of State Antony Blinken (right) said in a statement." (YeniSafak : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis)

As the Ruble continues its precipitous fall in value, and the noose begins to tighten around the necks of those trying to evade and circumvent international economic sanctions against Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Stephen Groves, Lisa Mascaro and Matthew Lee report that,

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected at the White House and on Capitol Hill next week as he visits the U.S. during the United Nations General Assembly.

Zelenskyy’s trip comes as Congress is debating President Joe Biden’s request to provide as much as $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.

An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive visit, said Zelenskyy will meet with Biden at the White House next Thursday. The trip to the Capitol was confirmed by two congressional aides granted anonymity to discuss the plans." (Associated Press : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis)

 

WGN-TV Chicago Video : Microsoft Start (AP article) :15 September 2023

Significantly,  as reported by CBS News,

"The Biden administration has tapped former Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker to lead an effort to rebuild Ukraine's economy.

President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the appointment on Thursday, just moments after the Treasury imposed a raft of new sanctions on Russia and Russian operatives for their role in the war on Ukraine.

Pritzker, a Chicago native, will be tasked with coordinating public and private investments in Ukraine, and working to open markets and businesses shut down by the Russian invasion." (CBS News : 14 September 2023) (my emphasis)

CBS Chicago : 14 September 2023 : YouTube

The Korea Bizwire also reports that,

"South Korea has clinched an agreement with Ukraine to offer low-interest loans to the war-torn nation to help its reconstruction projects, the finance ministry said Friday.

Kim Hyung-tae, South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine, and Ukrainian First Vice Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko signed the agreement in Kyiv earlier this week to provide loans via the Economic Development Co-operation Fund (EDCF), according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance." (Korea Bizwire : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis)

All of which is adding to Putin's paranoia.

As reported by Dagens Nyheter, a Swedish daily newspaper,

"Conversations with Russian soldiers about what it's like to work for Vladimir Putin have often been seen, read, or heard.

Now, Vitaliy Bryzhatiy, a former employee of the Federal Protective Service, who guarded Putin's dacha in annexed Crimea, has spoken out.

In an interview with independent television channel Dozhd, he revealed that the Kremlin leader trusts no one, not even his bodyguards. Bryzhatiy fled the country following Russia's invasion of Ukraine." (Dagens : 11 September 2023) (my emphasis)

And let us recall that, "Russian President Vladimir Putin has (recently) hailed tech billionaire Elon Musk as an “outstanding person” and businessman whose SpaceX company has become a key player in the space transportation industry." (Aljazeera : 13 September 2023)

It now transpires that,

"U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall does not shy away from commenting on controversy — even as it relates to the world's richest person and a key Department of Defense contractor.

Kendall weighed in Tuesday after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk acknowledged withholding Starlink satellite service to Ukraine as it planned a surprise attack on Russian forces last year. The disclosure sparked criticism of Musk, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called for a probe into SpaceX.
...
The public frenzy, triggered by a revelation in Walter Isaacson's new "Elon Musk" biography, added fuel to an already simmering debate about whether the U.S. government and allies are too reliant on SpaceX —and particularly its founder and chief executive — for national security matters." (Morgan Brennan : Microsoft Start (CNBC article) : 14 September 2023) (my emphasis)

 Sky News : 14 September 2023 : YouTube

 Jill Lepore (left) recently wrote a penetrating article about Musk that mentions the Fascist "apartheid" background of Musk's upbringing, and that Musk's biographer, Walter Isaacson,

"...in his account of Elon Musk’s childhood, barely mentions apartheid himself." (The New Yorker : 11 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Lepore also enlightens us with the fact that his grandfather, " ... wrote a tract entitled, “The International Conspiracy to Establish a World Dictatorship & the Menace to South Africa,” that blamed the two World Wars on the machinations of Jewish financiers." (ibid Lepore)

She also informs us that Musk's father,

" ..... Recently, he warned Elon, in an e-mail, that “with no Whites here [in South Africa], the Blacks will go back to the trees.” (ibid Lepore)

In Greek mythology, the myth of Icarus has become synonymous with excessive pride and foolhardiness. (History Cooperative)

And like Icarus, the "boy who flew too high", Musk is now having his 'wings' singed by his excessive pride and foolhardiness as regards Putin's war with Ukraine.

Like Putin's embrace of North Korea's Kim Jon Un, his effusive embrace of "PARSA" Musk, who prevented the armed forces of Ukraine from attacking Putin's invading army in Crimea, is yet another signal of Putin's paranoid desperation.

UPDATE 1 : 18 September 2023

James Gordon (right) (03.32 am 18 Sept 2023) has reported that,

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he believes World War Three could become a reality if the U.S. does not continue to support Ukraine having already contributed roughly $70 billion towards the effort.

Speaking on 60 Minutes Sunday night, Zelensky compared Russian President Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler.

'The whole world [has to] decide whether we want to stop Putin, or whether we want to start the beginning of a world war. We can't change Putin. Russian society has [lost] the respect of the world,' Zelensky said.

'They elected him and re-elected him and raised a second Hitler. They did this. We cannot go back in time. But we can stop it here.'" (Mail Online : 18 September 2023) (my emphasis)

And as Zelensky sounds alarm bells about Putin's paranoid behaviours, Mike Corder (right) reports that,

"Ukraine's legal battle against Russia over allegations of genocide used by Moscow to justify its 2022 invasion resumes Monday at the United Nations' highest court, as Russia seeks to have the case tossed out.

Hearings at the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, will see Ukraine supported by a record 32 other nations in a major show of support." (Yahoo News (AP Article) : 07.02 BST 18 September 2023) (my emphasis)

As I stated in my previous blog post (13 September 2023), "Is Putin preparing to step into the abyss?".

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Is Putin preparing to step into the abyss?

The meeting between Putin and North Korea's Kim Jon Un in Vladivostock underscores Putin's desperation in obtaining ammunition to feed his soldiers in Ukraine.

As reported by  Nicolle Wallace (left),

"These two leaders are expected to met for discussions where, reportedly, an arms deal .... North Korea will receive food aid and military support from Russia, while Russia would get ammunition and artillery in its brutal war against Ukraine" (MSNBC : 12 September 2023) (my emphasis)

MSNBC : 12 September 2023

 Fox News : 13 September 2023 : YouTube

As CBS News also reports,

"North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that his country offers its "full and unconditional support" for Russia's "sacred fight" to defend its security interests, in an apparent reference to the war in Ukraine. Kim said North Korea would always stand with Russia on the "anti-imperialist" front.
...
Kim called North Korea's relations with Russia his nation's "first priority."
...
Asked whether Russia would help North Korea build and launch satellites, Putin was quoted by Russian state media as saying "that's why we have come here." (CBS News : 13 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Just prior to Putin's and Kim Jon Un's meeting, Tom Watling reports that,

"Vladimir Putin has issued a chilling warning to the UK over claims British special forces are disrupting Russian nuclear power plants.

The Russian president said the UK could face "serious consequences" over claims they are teaching Ukrainian troops how to disrupt the power lines.

He provided no evidence for his comments, made during a morning session at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, far eastern Russia."  (Express : 12 September 2023) (my emphasis)

As also reported by Jessica Baker, Will Stewart, and Ellie Doughty,

"[Putin] accused the UK's elite forces of training Ukrainian troops to damage atomic power lines on his territory and warned there would be "serious consequences".
[...]

He further alleged the group had been trained under the supervision of British instructors, asking: "Do [the British] understand what they are playing with, or not?

“Are they provoking our response at Ukrainian nuclear sites, nuclear stations, or what?

“Does the British leadership, or the Prime Minister [of the United Kingdom] know what their special services are engaged with in Ukraine?

“Or do they have no clue at all? I assume this is possible, too." (The Sun : 12 September 2023) (my emphasis) 

This threat from Putin against the UK, that served as the backdrop to his meeting with Kim Jon Un, follows on from a report of Ben Ashton that,

"Ukraine staged a devastating attack on a key Russian naval base just hours before Vladimir Putin shook hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

At least 24 people have been injured and two warships were reportedly damaged as a barrage of missiles rained down on Sevastopol port on Wednesday morning.

Blistering strikes sparked as many as seven massive explosions and a shipyard went up in flames after the port in annexed Crimea was bombarded.

Terrifying footage filmed from residents nearby showed multiple blasts and huge flashes of light over the city, which is the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

The Russian defence ministry said ten cruise missiles hit the port – also known by the name Ordzhonikidze – and claimed that seven had been shot down. (Microsoft Start (Metro Article) : 13 September 2023) (my emphasis)

It is this type of attack on Putin's forces in occupied Ukraine's Crimea that Putin now praises 'PARSA' Musk for preventing a surprise attack on Russian forces in Crimea last September.

As reported by Aljazeera,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed tech billionaire Elon Musk as an “outstanding person” and businessman whose SpaceX company has become a key player in the space transportation industry.

Putin’s public praise of Musk on Tuesday comes days after the South African-born and United States-based entrepreneur said he refused a Ukrainian request last year to activate his Starlink satellite communication network in the Russian-annexed Crimean port city of Sevastopol to aid an attack on Russia’s Black Sea fleet, saying he feared complicity in a “major” act of war. (Aljazeera : 13 September 2023) (my emphasis)

As Rachel Maddow (left) quotes from Ronan Farrow's recent article in The New Yorker, "Elon Musk's Shadow Rule",

"Mr Musk has had direct conversations with Russian officials ..."

She goes on to explain that,

"We have seen Mr. Musk post very obviously pro-Russian propaganda after these conversations ... You [Ronan Farrow] connect that communication ...[ .... ] in time to Mr. Musk's decision to cut off this crucial communications asset for the Ukrainian military ..." (MSNBC : 12 September 2023) (my emphasis)

MSNBC : 12 September 2023

It is therefore no coincidence given that :-

• Asked whether Russia would help North Korea build and launch satellites, Putin was quoted by Russian state media as saying "that's why we have come here." (ibid CBS News : 13 September 2023)
•  Ukraine staged a devastating attack on a key Russian naval base just hours before Vladimir Putin shook hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (ibid Ben Ashton)
•  Vladimir Putin has issued a chilling warning to the UK over claims British special forces are disrupting Russian nuclear power plants. (ibid Tom Watling)
•  Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed tech billionaire Elon Musk as an “outstanding person" (ibid Aljazeera),

as reported by Alessandra Scotto di Santolo (left),

"Officials in Ukraine fear desperate Putin is plotting a barrage of missile strikes in the bitter war within weeks.

Nataliya Humeniuk, the head of the Joint Coordination Press Centre of the Defence Forces of Southern Ukraine issued the stark warning as she warned of threats from Russia.
...
The potential for missile strikes is concerning during the bitterly cold autumn and winter months.

Recent military activity in the Black Sea from Russian troops has fuelled the speculation and fears within Ukraine. " (Express : 12 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Is Putin preparing to step into the abyss?

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Putin's desperation to cling onto power is now on display for all to see.

The G20 summit in Delhi has, in the report of Kevin Liptak (left),

" On Saturday, as the summit was still underway, the leaders agreed to the joint declaration acknowledging the situation in Ukraine while not papering over the group’s major divides.

“All states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition,” the declaration read, without explicitly singling out Russia for its invasion. The document also stated opposition to the use of nuclear weapons and highlighted the economic effects of the war.

In a reflection of the deep fractures among the G20 nations, the statement acknowledged “there were different views and assessments of the situation.” " (CNN : 9 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Sky News : 9 September 2023 : YouTube

Ukraine, as reported by Paul Adams (left),

"Ukraine is clearly disappointed at the G20’s wording on the war.

The foreign ministry spokesman, Oleg Nikolenko, said the G20 had “nothing to be proud of", while thanking “those who tried to include strong wording in the text".

And in a post on Facebook, he quoted the language of the declaration, complete with a teacher’s corrections in red.

Obviously, these included references to Russia - conspicuously absent from the text agreed in Delhi - and replacement of the neutral term “war in Ukraine” with the rather more pointed “war against Ukraine". (BBC News : 9 September 2023) (my emphasis)

And as the G20 Delhi Summit came to the conclusion to NOT mention 'Russia' [read: Putin] in its joint declaration about Putin's war against Ukraine, Laurence Peter (right) reports that,

"Kyiv was attacked by Russian drones early on Sunday and debris fell in several districts, Ukrainian officials say, but no casualties were reported.

At least 10 explosions were heard in the capital and air raid sirens signalled that residents should take shelter. Later the all-clear sounded.

Kyiv Military Administration chief Serhiy Popko said debris had sparked a fire in a residential building, but it had been extinguished.

Drones have also hit Kyiv previously." (BBC News : 10 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Metro : 10 September 2023

And we now have, as reported by Maia Snow, the ludicrous pronouncement of Putin on Russian TV that,

"A delusional Vladimir Putin has claimed he was 'hoodwinked' into the invasion of Ukraine by the West. In a broadcast on Russian state TV, Putin claimed that a secret plan by his enemies to destroy Russia's economy and 'technological sovreignty' meant he had no choice but to invade. (Express : 10 September 2023) (my emphasis)

 Againt the backdrop of this ludicrous attempt by Putin to blame the West for his invasion of Ukraine, Alice Scarsi reports that,

"Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky argued the counteroffensive would advance faster if his soldiers were provided by the West with powerful weapons in a quicker fashion and more sanctions were issued against Russia.

Appearing at the 18th Yalta European Strategy meeting "The Future is Decided in Ukraine", the head of state acknowledged the war in his country was "slowing down".
...
"When some partners say, 'So what about the counteroffensive, when will the next step be?' My answer is that today our steps are probably faster than new sanctions packages." (Express News : 9 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Putin may have some comfort because of the G20 not explicitly singling out Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in their joint declaration, but this comfort was soon overshadowed by the reporting of Nam Hyun-woo (left) that,

"South Korea will provide an aid package totaling $2.3 billion for the reconstruction of war-ravaged Ukraine ― $300 million offered through international organizations next year and $2 billion in mid-term, low-interest loans from 2025, President Yoon Suk Yeol promised during a speech at the Group of 20 (G20) Summit in New Delhi, India, Sunday" (The Korean Times : 10 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as reported by Aurora Bosotti,

"The US could hand Ukraine game-changing weapons on a platter should Washington DC go ahead with the deployment of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), a former US General said.

Reports emerged this week from anonymous US officials suggesting the Biden Administration is considering sending ATACMS to Kyiv in its next security package.

While the move has yet to be confirmed former commanding officer of United States Army Europe Ben Hodges noted it would deliver a serious blow to Russia's effort to maintain control of all occupied territory." (Express : 9 September 2023) (my emphasis)

 

CRUX : YouTube : July 2023

As Ukraine's President Zelensky has recently argued,

"...  the counteroffensive would advance faster if his soldiers were provided by the West with powerful weapons in a quicker fashion." (ibid Alice Scarsi)

And as further reported by Alice Scarsi (left),

"The headquarters in the occupied city of Polohy, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, of Vladimir Putin's de facto political party have been destroyed, according to Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov.

The Ukrainian official claimed Russians had been "burned out" of the building hosting the United Russia political party HQs.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Fedorov had already reported rumours the party headquarters had been hit during the "hellish pseudo-elections" taking place this weekend across four Ukrainian regions partially occupied by Russian troops." (Express : 9 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Which rather throws a damper on the totally absurd 'phoney' elections that Putin is attempting to hold in Ukraine's occupied territories as a means of justifying his invasions of Ukraine and Crimea. 

One can only begin to image the spitting fuming of Putin on hearing the news that the headquarters organising his "hellish pseudo-elections" in Zaphorizia had been destroyed.

Such news can only serve to further cement his growing delusional beliefs that he was 'hoodwinked' into the invasion of Ukraine by the West.

Which, once again, raises the issue of the current state of Putin's health.

As reported by Oli Smith,

"Viktor Trukhin (left), 59, has been arrested after Russia's top intelligence agency, the FSB, detained him under mysterious circumstances.

Mr Trukhin served as the director of the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums for the past eleven years and reportedly knew all of Vladimir Putin's "health secrets", The Sun reports.

This comes amid ongoing speculation surrounding the health of the Russian leader." (Express : 9 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Putin's desperation to cling onto power is now on display for all to see.

And it is this desperation that again raises the spectre of  his twitchy finger above that red button that will uneash a nuclear bomb in Ukraine.

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Is Putin's fracturing 'siloviki' willing to continue supporting him?

It was as inevitable as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West that the proliferation of 'armchair' military pundits in this internet age would be told to "shut up or put up" regarding Ukraine's counter-offensive against Putin's invading army on Ukrainian soil.

As reported by Steve Cannane and Riley Stuart,

"When Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (left) last week told critics of his country's counteroffensive to "shut up", accusing them of "spitting in the faces" of frontline soldiers, it was obvious who his fury was directed at.
...
During a visit to Spain last week, Mr Kuleba dared those unnamed critics to "come to Ukraine and try to liberate one square centimetre by themselves". (ABC News (AU) : 3 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Dmytro Kuleba's pointed remark that these 'amrchair military pundits', amongst whom can be counted many 'retired' generals, are "spitting in the faces" of Ukraine's frontline forces, comes against the backdrop of the critical advances that Ukraine's army is making as they head towards severing Putin's supply lines from feeding his shambolic army.

DW News : 3 September 2023 : YouTube

 

Dylan Donnelly : Express : 2 September 2023

As reported by Tom Watling (left),

"Ukrainian forces have breached a second Russian defensive position in almost as many weeks as part of one of their two main parts of the counter attack, geolocated footage has shown.

Ukrainian soldiers were spotted in the northern areas of Zavitne Bazhannya earlier this week but conclusive, geolocated footage appeared on Saturday (September 2).

The village is the next vertebrae along a spinal attack from Velyka Novosilka in the north down to Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov; the aim is to reach the coast and split the Russian land bridge from Crimea to far eastern Ukraine, isolating around 100,000 of Vladimir Putin’s troops." (Express : 2 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Underscoring Ukraine's critical counter-offensive advances, James Callery informs us that,

"Vladimir Putin is scrambling to draft mercenaries from Armenia and Kazakhstan to plug the gaps in troop numbers fighting in Ukraine.

Mail Online : 4 September 2023

Moscow has suffered heavy troop losses since the war in Ukraine began 18 months ago and the total number of Russian and Ukrainian troops killed or wounded is nearing 500,000, US officials said.
...
The [UK] MoD said Uzbek migrant builders in Mariupol have reportedly had their passports confiscated upon arrival and been coerced to join the Russian military." (Mail Online : 4 September 2023) (my emphasis) 

It is not only on the war front that Putin is failing, nor his frantic desperation to recruit more soldiers to replace those currently been lost in Ukraine, but also his desperation on the economic front that his war in Ukraine is having on the waning strength of the ruble.

As reported by the Washington Post (Analysis by Bloomberg News),

"The ruble has slumped so severely this year that Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a rare verbal intervention, telling the central bank and government to work together to halt outflows and ease volatility in financial markets. The currency, among the worst performers in emerging markets in 2023, has suffered from a deterioration in foreign trade amid a raft of international sanctions over its war in Ukraine. The plunge threatens to exacerbate inflation, eating into living standards ahead of what’s meant to be a showcase presidential election, and has already revived discussions about whether to reimpose some capital controls." (Washington Post : 1 September 2023) (my emphasis)

DW News : 21 August 2023 : YouTube

For how much longer Putin can keep aloft the increasing weight of his mounting  failures depends now on whether his fracturing 'siloviki' are willing to continue to support him.  

UPDATE 1 : 5 September 2023 

Mark Galleoti has just reported that,

"Yesterday morning, I received a revealing text message from an American general. ‘I think I spoke too soon and was too downbeat,’ he wrote.

He was referring to a conversation we’d had a fortnight ago, in which he gloomily told me there was little chance of a meaningful advance by Ukrainian troops against their Russian invaders before next spring.

[ ]....following three months of fierce fighting and weeks of painstaking mine clearance, Ukrainian forces have decisively breached Russia’s first defensive line near Zaporizhzhia in the south-east of the country.

This is not only a major military breakthrough that could, in time, split Russia’s occupied territory in two. It is also a sharp rebuttal to recent anonymous grumbles from some quarters of the international military and political community about Ukrainian fighting tactics being less than efficient." (Mail Online : 5 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Mail Online : 5 September 2023

UPDATE 2 : 5 September 2023

And as the Ukrainian army continues to prove all those western 'armchair' generals wrong, Aljazeera reports that,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his stance on reinstating a United Nations-brokered deal to safely ship Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea only after the West meets Moscow’s demands on its agricultural exports.

The Russian president’s remarks on Monday came after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Black Sea city of Sochi in the hope of reviving the agreement seen as vital for global food supplies, especially in Africa, the Middle East and Asia." (Aljazeera : 4 September 2023) (my emphasis)

No doubt Putin's political rebuff of Turkey's President Erdogan regarding a resumption of supplying Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, with much needed grain will not 'politically' sit well with those countries seriously affected by Putin's blockade of Ukraine's critical grain supplies to the world.

Aljazeera : 4 September 2023

UPDATE 3 : 5 September 2023

Following on from the report of James Callery that, "Vladimir Putin is scrambling to draft mercenaries from Armenia and Kazakhstan to plug the gaps in troop numbers fighting in Ukraine.", Alarabiya News now informs us that,

"Cuba has identified an alleged human trafficking ring aimed at recruiting its citizens to fight in Russia’s war in Ukraine, the foreign ministry said Monday.

The government was working to dismantle a “trafficking network that operates from Russia to incorporate Cuban citizens living there, and even some from Cuba, into the military forces involved in military operations in Ukraine”, the ministry said in a statement.

The Cuban government had initiated criminal proceedings against those carrying out the trafficking, it added." (Alarabiya News : 5 September 2023) (my emphasis) 

This serves to further underscore Putin's desperation as the Ukrainian army continues its inexorable advance towards the Sea of Azov.

 

 

 

(to be continued)