All things Russia Vs. Ukraine for March 20, 2022

1. Not saying this is accurate. Just saying this found its way to me.

>>>> The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Saturday that a Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officer who surrendered said his country is planning attacks on Western diplomatic missions in Lviv to push NATO to intervene in the war.

The attacks will be carried out by the far-right ultra-radical Azov battalion, fighting on the Ukrainian side, according to the officer, spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a news conference in Moscow. <<<< http://v.aa.com.tr/2540411

2. Fascinating video from what appears to be the Azov SS battalion in Ukraine. Anyone who speaks Ukrainian please feel free to drop a translation on us all.

3. Green Screen Ukrainian leader. To be clear, this is a video of the man walking towards the camera using a green screen technique to make him look like he is somewhere else. This is the sort of thing we expect from CNN or CBC

4.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

25 Replies to “All things Russia Vs. Ukraine for March 20, 2022”

  1. If NATO gets involved in Ukraine, it’s all over with. The Russians will be devastated in a conventional battle with the U.S. This will give Putin the internal political capital he needs to escalate to tactical nukes. Since the U.S. has long since eliminated sub-kiloton tactical weapons from its inventory (thanks Bill Klinton) this means a response likely with b61 “dial-a-yield” bombs dropped from stealth aircraft. Then we’re off to the races.

    Despite the newest bestest propaganda of the “Putin fanboys”, Russia is not deliberately “slow walking” this conflict – that would be insane. They are bogged down for a variety of reasons, and are slowly being bled-out by NATO weapons support and Ukrainian resistance – and that’s a good way to leave it.

    Initial estimates were 65% of Russian combat battalions were present in Ukraine. That number has now been revised upward to 80%. He needs a causus belli to escalate to the next level, since he’s not getting it done and this has put him into a very precarious position. If he can say “We are now actually fighting Americans and they have nuked mother Russia” that’s all he needs.

    Here’s an excellent analysis by Justin Bronk (UK Royal United Services Institute) on the insanity of the “no-fly-zone” being pushed by the Ukes and Western political leadership (I highly recommend):

    https://seawaves.com/?p=19943

    Here also is an interview with Bronk by Ward Carrol, a retired Naval aviator:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBARgW_vHVE

    Best sober assessment I’ve seen anywhere.

  2. wikipedia :

    Zelenskyy has gained worldwide recognition as the wartime leader of Ukraine during the Russian invasion; historian Andrew Roberts compared him to Winston Churchill.

    Harvard Political Review said that Zelenskyy “has harnessed the power of social media to become history’s first truly online wartime leader, bypassing traditional gatekeepers as he uses the internet to reach out to the people.”

    He has been described as a national hero or a “global hero” by many commentators, including publications such as The Hill, Deutsche Welle, Der Spiegel and USA Today.

    BBC News and The Guardian have reported that his response to the invasion has received praise even from previous critics.

    Zelenskyy has been called by the Times of Israel the “Jewish defender of Ukrainian democracy”.

    Gal Beckerman of The Atlantic described Zelenskyy as having “[given] the world a Jewish Hero”.

    On 7 March 2022, Czech president Milos Zeman decided to award Zelenskyy with the highest state award of the Czech Republic, the Order of the White Lion, for “his bravery and courage in the face of Russia’s invasion”.

    […] in April 2019 that he regarded Russian president Vladimir Putin “as an enemy”. On 2 May 2019, Zelenskyy wrote on Facebook that “the border is the only thing Russia and Ukraine have in common”.

    Zelenskyy opposes the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, calling it “a dangerous weapon, not only for Ukraine but for the whole of Europe.”

    […]Zelenskyy supports the free distribution of medical cannabis, free abortion in Ukraine, and the legalisation of prostitution and gambling.

    […]The October 2021 Pandora Papers revealed that Zelenskyy and his chief aide and the head of the Security Service of Ukraine Ivan Bakanov operated a network of offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands, Cyprus, and Belize.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volodymyr_Zelenskyy

    =========================================

    CNN – Zelensky: Failed Putin talks would mean a third World War

    • Zelensky strikes the wrong note to bring Knesset to his side – analysis

      Comparing the situation in Ukraine to the Holocaust did not have the effect that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky apparently had hoped for.

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s virtual tour of Western parliaments has gone off mostly without a hitch. He referenced Winston Churchill to Westminster and Martin Luther King Jr. to Capitol Hill. The Ukrainian-to-English translator in Brussels broke down in tears translating his plea for help.

      Zelensky continued his practice of customizing his speeches to suit his audience when he addressed the Knesset over Zoom, taking the comparisons he had already made between his country’s situation and World War II to the next level and dedicating the lion’s share of his speech to the Holocaust.

      That comparison did not have the effect Zelensky apparently had hoped for.

      Rather than stir Israel’s leaders and legislators to action and solidarity, the heavy Holocaust comparisons – from saying Moscow is planning a “final solution for the Ukrainian question” to saying that Israel should save Ukrainians like Ukrainian Righteous Among the Nations saved Jews – drew more focus from its audience, which criticized its inappropriateness, than Zelensky’s appeal for weapons.

      “I appreciate the President of Ukraine and support the Ukrainian people in heart and deed, but it is impossible to rewrite the terrible history of the Holocaust,” Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel tweeted. “Genocide was also committed on Ukrainian soil. The war is terrible, but the comparison to the horrors of the Holocaust and the final solution is outrageous.”

      Asked about the tweet, Hendel said that he did not judge Zelensky’s behavior in a time of crisis, and he accepted Zelensky’s criticism of Israel and calls for Jerusalem to send weapons, but he felt he had to set the historical record straight.

      Former cabinet minister Yuval Steinitz, now a Likud MK, went so far as to say, “If Zelensky’s speech was given… in normal [non-war] times, we would have said it bordered on Holocaust denial… Every comparison between a regular war, as difficult as it may be, and the extermination of millions of Jews in gas chambers in the framework of the Final Solution, is a total distortion of history. The same is true for the claim that Ukrainians helped Jews in the Holocaust… The historic truth is that the Ukrainian people cannot be proud of its behavior in the Holocaust of the Jews.”

      “None of that changes the fact that despite the outrageous use of the Holocaust, we must continue humanitarian aid to the citizens of Ukraine suffering from the war and pray for its end to come soon,” he added.

      Religious Zionist MK Simcha Rothman took issue with Zelensky’s reference to Ukrainians who saved Jews and tweeted: “I don’t understand Ukrainian, but if the translation I heard is accurate, Zelensky asked us to treat the Ukrainians like they treated us 80 years ago. I’m sorry, but I think we will have to reject that request. We are, after all, a moral nation.”

      Israelis know the history of the Holocaust very well. The Ukrainian Auxiliary Police rounded up Jews to be massacred in Babyn Yar, Lviv and Zhytomyr. About 80,000 Ukrainians volunteered for the SS, compared with 2,600 Ukrainians documented as having saved Jews. And before that, some of the worst pogroms in Jewish history were perpetrated in what is now Ukraine.

      None of that should matter in 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine and is brutally bombarding its civilian centers. And, in fact, Israeli public opinion is strongly in favor of Ukraine in this war despite its bloody, violent history with Jews.

      But Zelensky is the one who brought up the Holocaust and struck the wrong note with the Knesset, disturbing his audience rather than inspiring solidarity.

      That emphasis distracted from Zelensky’s calls for more help from Israel, to which few in the political field responded publicly.

      Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai continued calling for Israel to do more to help Ukrainian refugees.

      “It’s natural that [Zelensky] focused on military supplies and less on the refugee issue,” he said. “We must listen to his words, to his desperate call. Israel did and does a lot for Ukraine in humanitarian aid and in absorbing refugees.”

      But when it comes to actually sending weapons or defensive systems like the Iron Dome – which Zelensky asked for despite Israel not being able to send it for technical reasons, and it being unlikely to help Ukraine much, anyway – there is consensus in the cabinet that Israel should not get involved in that way, a cabinet minister said.

      The main reason for this, discussed at length in these pages, is Russia’s major presence over Israel’s northern border in Syria.

      Ukrainian officials have repeatedly made demands of Israel that are not possible, such as to ban Russian channels that aren’t even broadcast in Israel or to place sanctions on Russian officials in ways that Israeli law does not allow, a cabinet minister said, adding that Zelensky missed an opportunity to bring up more realistic requests.

      Zelensky’s criticism of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s mediation contrasted with his recent expressions of appreciation for the efforts, and his saying that Bennett is taking a middle ground “between good and evil” could deter Bennett from continuing his involvement.

      At the same time, about 1,000 Israelis gathered to watch the speech with Ukrainian flags and anti-Putin signs in Tel Aviv’s Habima Square, expressing support for Zelensky and the Ukrainian cause.

      Zelensky will likely continue to enjoy the support of Israelis, despite the speech falling flat. But that same misfire will likely allow the government to continue its policies toward Ukraine without much public pressure to change them.

      https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-701850

  3. Associated Press – Line of trucks stuck at Poland-Belarus border

    Huge numbers of Russian and Belarusian trucks were still blocked at the Polish border with Belarus on Tuesday, after days of protests aimed at preventing them from reaching Russia.

    Protesters believe the lorries are carrying food, medicine and spare parts that are destined for the Russian military.

    Belarus is allied with Russia, and activists fear that the cargo will help reinforce the Russian army as it intensifies its war against Ukraine.

    The queue of trucks stretches back many kilometres.

  4. CBC – Ukrainians will ‘fight until the end,’ Slovenian PM says

    Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa discussed his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a show of support against Russia’s invasion on Rosemary Barton Live.

    He said increased military aid — especially air defense — is one of the most crucial supports Ukraine needs.

  5. DEUTSCHE PRAVDA – Qatar to help Germany cut reliance on Russian gas, says minister

    Economy Minister Robert Habeck was in Doha for talks on boosting Germany’s energy security after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The two sides have agreed on a long-term gas supply partnership.

    Germany and Qatar have agreed upon a long-term energy partnership to help cut reliance on Russian gas over the invasion of Ukraine, German Economic Minister Robert Habeck said Sunday.

    Habeck, who is on a two-nation visit to the Arabian Gulf, met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha.

    “The day has developed a strong dynamic,” Habeck said, adding that the emir had pledged more support than Germany had expected.

    “Although we might still need Russian gas this year, in the future it won’t be so anymore. And this is only the start,” Habeck said.

    Qatar is one of the three largest exporters of liquified natural gas (LNG).

    While the minister’s visit was widely expected to secure supplies of LNG for Germany, Habeck said the deal also focuses on developing renewable energy projects and measures that promote energy efficiency.

    A spokesperson for the German Economy Ministry in Berlin later confirmed that a deal had been clinched.

    “The companies that have come to Qatar with [Habeck] will now enter into contract negotiations with the Qatari side,” the spokesperson said.

    Berlin plans to bring LNG onboard ships into the country. But there are no terminals to receive them because of the legacy dependency on pipeline gas.

    Germany has announced plans to build two new LNG terminals, but they are unlikely to be ready before 2026.

    Next stop: UAE

    Habeck’s trip now moves on to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is repositioning itself as a hub for green hydrogen.

    The UAE could also help Germany meet its longer-term goal to switch to cleaner energy sources.

    Germany is exploring ways to diversify its sources of natural gas in a bid to make the country less dependent on Russia.

    However, unlike the United States — which has banned Russian oil exports, Germany says it will need several months, if not longer, to diversify its supplies.

    Berlin has already suspended the operating license for the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was meant to deliver Russian natural gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany.

    Demand for Russian gas still high

    However, the German BDEW energy industry association said last week that Russia’s share of Germany’s gas supply in January-March, which is not officially published, remained at 40%.

    Long-term contract will not immediately stop flow of money to Russia, for which German ministers have been criticised

    A group of economists estimated last week that EU countries have transferred more than €13.3 billion ($14.7 billion) to Russia for oil, natural gas and coal since the war began.

    https://www.dw.com/en/qatar-to-help-germany-cut-reliance-on-russian-gas-says-minister/a-61191584

    =====================================

    the guardian – Germany agrees gas deal with Qatar to help end dependency on Russia

    […]But the contract is a long-term solution and will do little to slow the current flow of European money into Russian coffers, estimated to be worth $285m (£217m) a day for oil alone.

    […]Polling shows a majority of Germans would be prepared to make sacrifices, including higher gas prices, if it helped defeat Russia, but the German government either does not believe the polling or thinks the public do not understand the real risk of mass unemployment that an embargo would entail.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/20/germany-gas-deal-qatar-end-energy-dependency-on-russia

  6. ctv news – Trump has ‘blood on his hands’ in what Russia is doing in Ukraine: Alexander Vindman

    ( 7 min 41 )

  7. ctv – Where the Conservatives stand on a no-fly zone over Ukraine

    Candice Bergen discusses where the party stands on a no-fly zone in Ukraine

  8. zero hedge – Turkey Says Ukraine, Russia “Close To An Agreement” As Moscow Delivers Ultimatum To Surrender Mariupol

    […]

    Turkey’s pro-government Hurriyet newspaper reported that the two countries were edging towards agreement on Kiev declaring neutrality and abandoning its drive for Nato membership, “demilitarizing” Ukraine in exchange for collective security guarantees, what Russia calls “denazification” and lifting restrictions on the use of Russian in Ukraine.

    Two people familiar with the discussions said it was likely a compromise would involve token concessions from Kiev on what Russia calls “denazification”. But Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US ambassador to the UN, accused Moscow of failing to fully participate in the talks. “The negotiations seem to be one-sided,” she said. “The Russians have not leaned into any possibility for a negotiated and diplomatic solution.”

    Hopes that an agreement is close were dashed, however, after the Russian military delivered an ultimatum for the surrender of Mariupol, the besieged city in southern Ukraine and the scene of some of the heaviest fighting since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine more than three weeks ago, according to the National Defense Control Center of the Russian Federation as cited by Tass.

    Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev said all armed units of Ukraine must leave Mariupol from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. local time on Monday, according to Tass, after which any fighters remaining would “face a military tribunal.” It said humanitarian convoys would deliver food, medicine and other essentials to the city. The Russian statement demanded a written response from Ukraine’s government by 4 a.m. Kiev time.

    […] Joe Biden will visit Europe this week to attend Thursday’s Nato summit in Brussels, but will not travel to Ukraine, the White House said on Sunday.

    https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/turkey-says-ukraine-russia-close-agreement-moscow-delivers-ultimatum-surrender-mariupol

  9. CNN – ‘Picking them off’: Petraeus explains how Ukrainians are taking out Russian generals

    Retired US Army Gen. David Petraeus tells CNN’s Jake Tapper how the Ukrainian people have aided their army in killing multiple Russian generals.

    CNN has not been able to confirm the killings.