Putin Recognizes Donbass Republics, Sends Russian Military to 'Denazify' Ukraine

[Laurentien2]

Potential Exchange Of Azov As Path To Russia's Defeat

On May 11, 2022, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced upcoming negotiations on the exchange of severely wounded members...

southfront.org

POTENTIAL EXCHANGE OF AZOV AS PATH TO RUSSIA’S DEFEAT​

Support SouthFront

Surrender of wounded Azov members
On May 11, 2022, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced upcoming negotiations on the exchange of severely wounded members of the Azov national battalion blocked in Mariupol for Russian prisoners of war. This decision caused widespread criticism from citizens of both Russia and other countries of the world that support the “denazification” of Ukraine. This is not surprising, since it is the Azov battalion that is the main unit that professes the ideology of Nazism and was actually created to destroy the Russian-speaking population of the Donbass republics.

Image illustrated nazi’s ideology of Azov
A possible solution is already being actively condemned at this stage by pro-Russian analysts such as Igor Strelkov. He states that this decision, which will probably be taken by the military command of the allied forces, will make the special operation in Ukraine unfinished. Given the extensive military assistance from European countries and the mercenaries coming into the country, the operation risks being incomplete. It may also allow the AFU to launch a counterattack.
Moreover, in the comments of users and Strelkov-Girkin himself there is already an opinion about the actual betrayal of those Russian state officials who will give sympathy to the Nazis and allow Ukraine to exchange them.
There is a fairly simple explanation for all of the above circumstances.
Military theory emphasizes the destruction or defeat of the enemy’s military forces as the main objective of any military operations. Without this, it is virtually impossible to defeat the enemy without internal contradictions within the state. Such examples in history, of course, have occurred.
Also no less effective option to defeat the enemy army is to inflict a MORAL defeat on it. That is, to undermine the belief of the majority of enemy soldiers and officers in the possibility of victory, or at least in the relative likelihood of surviving the war personally. And vice versa, if there was no moral breakdown, even by all parameters defeated troops continued to fight hard, inflict high losses on the enemy and significantly affect the final outcome of the war. History also knows many cases in which an army far from being physically defeated has laid down its arms and collapsed precisely because of moral breakdown.
In the case of the blockade of the Azovstal plant we are talking about the siege of a fortress, persistently and quite successfully defended by a staunch and select garrison staffed with the best military force of the armed forces of Ukraine and already transformed by propaganda into a “banner of resistance against the aggressor”.
In this case, it is not the occupation of some “landmark point” (the Azovstal plant) that will be perceived as a victory, but precisely the decision against the participants of the neo-Nazi formation. The more Ukrainian soldiers and officers manage to avoid death and captivity, the more chances that the battle for Mariupol and Azovstal will be perceived as a victory. This will allow us to conclude that in all such situations we should stand to the end, inflict as heavy losses on the Russians as possible, and then they will let us out of the encirclement one way or another anyway and we will return home as heroes, contributing greatly to the inevitable victory in the war. On the contrary, the complete annihilation or capture and trial of the Nazis will mean inevitable death for Ukraine and will significantly affect the further behavior of those who resist. Finally, to hand over at least some military personnel directly to the Ukrainian side would mean multiplying one’s own losses in the future and significantly raising morale.
At this point, the head of the DPR, Denis Pushylin, announced the upcoming trial of Azov members. Allegedly, their fate will be determined at a tribunal, and an international one at that. However, despite the seeming adequacy of the measures against Nazis in the pro-American community, the Azov battalion is not perceived as war criminals. Moreover, since the start of the special operation, several states with a pro-Western orientation have already reversed their decision to recognize members of this formation as neo-Nazis (e.g. Japan).

Another photo proving that Azov are Nazis
Thus, the Russian military and political leadership has a serious task in determining the next steps in advancing the special operation. Taking into account the unrequited steps towards the Ukrainian side in the negotiations, Russia needs to be as serious as possible in deciding the fate of Azov. Furthermore, the trial of war criminals is the initial goal of the Russian special operation.

 

[Laurentien2]

Surrender Of Azov Fighters Continues. Zelensky's Lies Exposed

The Ukrainian fighters blocked at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol surrender without any conditions, Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to...

southfront.org

SURRENDER OF AZOV FIGHTERS CONTINUES. ZELENSKY’S LIES EXPOSED​

Support SouthFront

Click to see full-size image
The Ukrainian fighters blocked at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol surrender without any conditions, Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Dmitriy Polyansky said. The Russian military officials are yet to comment if the exchange of Ukrainian militants is possible. Meanwhile, Kiev continuesly claims that the servicemen will be exchanged. Despite all the warcrimes the nationalists committed in Eastern Ukraine, including in the city of Mariupol.
Over the past day, 771 more militants of the nationalist Azov unit surrendered at the blocked Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol. A total of 1,730 militants have surrendered since May 16, including 80 wounded. All those in need of inpatient treatment receive assistance in medical institutions of the Donetsk People’s Republic in Novoazovsk and Donetsk.

The head of the DPR Denis Pushilin claimed that more than half of the militants have already left Azovstal.
On the other side, the Kiev regimes continues attempts to present the surrender as a “humanitarian operation” carried out by the Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky recorded a video address in which he explained the reasons for the surrender of the Azov regiment. In the video, Zelensky stated that he wanted to protect the people and the country, and that today’s surrender of the Ukrainian military was a strategic move. He stated,

“It’s not an easy day. But this day, like all the others, is also about keeping our country and our people safe. Thanks to the actions of the Ukrainian military – AFU (Armed Forces of Ukraine), intelligence, negotiating team, ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) and the UN (United Nations), we hope that we will be able to save the lives of our guys. Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive. This is our principle.”

On May 18, Zelensky lied again that the surrender was a humanitarian mission overseen by the Ukrainian military and intelligence officers:

The lies were quickly revealed.
The United Nations did not take part in the removal of the Ukrainian military from the territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol. This was announced on Wednesday at the office of the UN Secretary-General.

“As I understand, this [the evacuation of the Ukrainian military] was the result of an agreement between the two sides. We did not participate in this,” said the official representative of the Secretary General of the organization, Stephane Dujarric.

On May 19,the Russian military confirmed that the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Ukrainian negotiation group were allowed to visit the surrendered Ukrainian militants and assess the conditions of their detention. The delegation came on May 18, two das after the surrender of the first group from Azovstal. The evacuation was headed by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation.

” On May 18, an important event was held as part of the withdrawal of the Azovstal garrison. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Ukrainian negotiating group assessed the conditions of detention of Ukrainian prisoners of war in medical institutions of the DPR and in a specially equipped camp, the protection of which was instructed to organize the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation.
The Ukrainian side was represented by People’s Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the 9th convocation Alexander Ivanovich Kovalev who arrived from Kiev.
At the beginning, the delegation visited the 15th hospital of the city of Donetsk, which housed seriously wounded prisoners of war who had been taken out of Azovstal days earlier. No one hid anything from the guests. Representatives of the Ukrainian side and the Red Cross were shown the wards where the wounded were housed and given the opportunity to communicate with them.
– It’s all right, said the Ukrainian soldier.
After visiting the hospital, the delegation went to a camp for the Ukrainian military who had preserved their health. It was organized in Yelenovka in accordance to all the requirements of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Irina Vereshchuk previously offered to place the surrendered in the city of Energodar in the Zaporozhye region, which is under the control of Russia. But she was refused for a number of objective reasons, primarily related to security.
Everything was officially organized: approvals, work calls, a short briefing from the head of the institution and verification of documents. Then everything happened according to a pre-approved plan.
Communication with the contingent:
– I say again, your goal is to survive. Your loved ones are waiting for you at home.
Inspection of places of detention. The Ukrainian negotiators were convinced of the compliance of the Russian side with the agreements reached during the negotiations. They paid attention to the absence of bars on the windows in residential premises.
– Alexander Ivanovich, how do you assess what you saw?
– If we take into account that these are front-line conditions, that only a day has passed, then everything was done quickly, I know that it was done at night. It’s better that people themselves say. They say that they have no complaints.
The delegation visited the accommodation of both men and women. They talked, made sure that no one tortured the prisoners, that no one mocked them. They are fed, treated, and provided with everything they need.
– How do you assess the results of this joint inspection with the Red Cross?
– I think the Red Cross will comment on it for its part. I know how this mission was done. It was very hard. There was a lot of effort on all sides to reach a compromise. I know that during the day everything necessary was delivered here: sleeping accessories, everything to receive people in normal conditions. What we saw today, obviously, everything that was promised was done. Special attention should be paid to the fact that the doctors did a lot of work on the rehabilitation of our wounded during the day.
The successful operation took place thanks to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation. It was provided by Russian servicemen. On May 19, the release of prisoners of war in Azovstal will continue, which means that the visit of the delegation was completed successfully.”

The blockade of the Azov fighters was indeed a strategic maneuver of the Ukrainian military command, since the AFU would be able to regroup on the fronts and distribute its forces, while significant Russian forces were involved in the storming of the facilities. On the other hand, the fall of the Ukrainian fortress revealed the bloody tactics of the AFU military command and harmed the morale of the Ukrainian military. For the Russian Federation, this is an important milestone at this stage of the war. The fall of Azovstal means the complete control of Mariupol by Russian forces.

 

[Lyndi Lama]

Lex Friedman interview with Oliver Stone, May 17, 2022. Good interview relating to Russia and Putin. Friedman has great, great respect for Stone. It's a good interview. I liked a few behind-the-scenes comments on Putin and his declaration that we don't know, in the West, the truth about the Russia/Ukraine conflict. Stone's 'Ukraine on Fire' documentary, is good to share with people who might possibly watch it because they've heard of Oliver Stone.

After a brief intro on climate, Stone and Friedman discuss Russia and Ukraine. Stone talks in detail about the character of the US pushing weapons into Ukraine, acknowledges in the West we wouldn't know if all the Ukrainian soldiers were dead except for the neo-nazis.

He felt Putin grew in his role as President by the time of the 2015 interviews and showed humility.

U.S. breaks so many treaties. Clearly he understands the craziness of the priorities of the Country generally.

Stone originally voted for Biden because he was afraid of Trump but wouldn't vote that way now for sure! Identifies Nuland as a bad influence, to say the least, and she is now talking nuclear.

Stone showed Putin the Dr. Strangelove movie which Putin had not seen. The movie is dire, well-done and he wanted Putin to be aware of how the U.S. thinks.

We can walk back from nuclear war through reason and diplomacy. Biden calm down and talke with Putin in Moscow.

Stone's movie, Dubya, showing that George Bush couldn't get out of his own perspective, just didn't understand he wasn't actually doing good for his country. (!!!) Stone says making movies or interviewing you have to walk in the shoes of the other person. Lex says villains usually think of themselves as heroes. Bush bitches because the people didn't understand him.

Empathy is important to good interview, says Lex, if you could interview Hitler in 1939 or 41. Stone says you empathize, say to Hitler 'what is your beef', 'why do you hate Jewish people', his sense of grievance from WWI. Churchill was trying to make peace up till 1938. Churchill wanted Hitler to go against Russia, the Bolsheviks. Hitler didn't go after the British, and always had admiration for England. Hitler wanted to go East.

Stone was impressed with the Russian translators who assisted in his interviews of Putin and in the documentaries he did on Ukraine.

Then onto other topics, 'Love', 'Advice to Young People', 'Mortality', 'Regrets'.

Meaning of life to Stone: to realize what we are, to honour life, realize the Buddhist understanding of impermanence, life is precious at the same time, immediacy of death at all times and the continuing of life in some other form after death.

Lex quotes Oliver at the end: To fail is not tragic, to be human is.

 

[Alana]

Ukronazi burning Russian soldier alive:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1510548716553445377

The tweet above was posted last month, but the video is from 2014. Translation of the text:

Zelensky's cynical admission about the Azov Battalion: "They are who they are, but they are defending the homeland"
Azov crucify and set fire to captured Russian in 2014. Zelensky upgraded them to National Guard. Take a stand now. #Bucha #AzovBattalion #AZOVNAZIS

 

[Ellipse]

The tweet above was posted last month, but the video is from 2014. Translation of the text:

Thanks, I clearly missed the date.

 

[thorbiorn]

Alice Weidel, the AfD spokesperson, presents her speech to the German parliament about the crisis Germany is facing. Although she sees Russia's war as an act of aggression, her point is that the cause of the crisis is misguided policy, which can be taken to mean that misguided policy from the West including Germany, is what led Russia to act. The video is in German. but you can switch on auto translation into English.

German video title: Nicht der Ukraine-Krieg ist schuld an der Krise in Deutschland! - Alice Weidel - Bundestag

Translation of title and video summary:

The Ukraine war is not to blame for the crisis in Germany! - Alice Weidel - Bundestag Politically, economically and financially, Germany is in the worst crisis since the end of the Second World War. Inflation has reached a permanently high level and is strangling the middle class and middle class.

Our energy supply is on the brink, and a ubiquitous collapse is imminent in the fall. The migration crisis remains unresolved, with the onslaught of illegal migration across the Mediterranean and over land routes reaching new highs.

Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is a catalyst that has exacerbated the crisis and mercilessly exposed the deficits of our military and security policy.

But the cause of the crisis is a misguided policy!

 

[Benjamin]

Ukronazis:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1523420059896410115

Just out of curiosity, is that the Swiss flag behind him?

 

[ziutek]

From Russia's foreign ministry:

Russian MFA 🇷🇺

🎙 Statement by Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Vassily #Nebenzia at #UN Security Council open debate "Conflict and food security" 🔸 Present-day political culture of Western states is best characterized by a striving to blame Russia for everything. After we started a...

t.me

🎙 Statement by Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Vassily #Nebenzia at #UN Security Council open debate "Conflict and food security"


🔸 Present-day political culture of Western states is best characterized by a striving to blame Russia for everything. After we started a special military operation in Ukraine, the allegations against Moscow have made a “quantum leap”. Among them, allegations related to food security assumed a leading role.


🔸 We regret that our colleagues, Western #UNSC members, did not have enough courage to comment on the root causes of food and other crises in such states as Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria.


🔸 Truth is that you got too carried away by your fruitless efforts to “break the backbone” of Russian economy and isolate our country at any cost. What I am speaking about is that in your proxy war with Russia in Ukraine, you are literally holding the whole developing world as hostage, driving it towards famine. Whatever you may be saying, it is you and only you who can change this.


❗️ Nevertheless, let me assure you that Russia remains a responsible supplier of both food and energy.


👉 I will appreciate if our Western colleagues, first of all the United States and the European Union, today publicly refute this “food for weapons” version which many experts stick to. Also, I invite them to explain how these deliveries actually contribute to global food security that you claim to be so concerned about.


Full statement

 

[Lyndi Lama]

Scott Ritter fans, more than 6 hours, which I've started watching. He makes so much sense, talking about the political aims of the Russian military, as well as the military aims. I won't summarize the whole 6 hours, but the first half hour I've watched is absolutely rivetting analysis.

Azov Surrender in Mariupol: Scott Ritter and Richard Medhurst

Zelensky has outlawed all but the Right Sector, Nazi party in Ukraine. Ukraine is de facto a Nazi state.

He says Russia is going at the pace it needs to to 'slaughter' Ukrainian troups with the least loss to themselves.

He questions whether Nato will survive this conflict, or if the EU will survive.

Ukraine seems to have embraced the notion of sacrificing life for time. They bought time. They have strategic depth that they didn't have before. Troups being trained in surrounding countries on new weaponry by NATO. Ukraine has a long-range plan to reconstitute their military, into a better military.

Poland supplying great quantities of oil and gas to Ukraine.

This doesn't mean Russia will lose, it's just a whole different game.

Time is not the friend of Russia.

It doesn't mean Russia is failing.

 

[Joan]

I watched this explosive interview yesterday of Stew Peter being interview by RT. He certainly is having a rant session, but IMO, lots of truth bombs exploded,

Stew Peters Blasts Satanists and Pedophiles on RT

On Thursday, the People's Bullhorn, Stew Peters, joined RT International to discuss the direct demonic repercussions of the recently approved $40 billion weapons package for the cannibal neo-Nazis in

rumble.com

On Thursday, the People's Bullhorn, Stew Peters, joined RT International to discuss the direct demonic repercussions of the recently approved $40 billion weapons package for the cannibal neo-Nazis in Ukraine. Even Vladimir Putin may be shocked by this interview, but not due to the stalwart showing of Christian, patriot, and American father, Stew, but rather, the nervous response by RT's host to the discussion of the 2020 coup, pedophile politicians, and Satan, the eternal loser.

 

[iamthatis]

Scott Ritter fans, more than 6 hours, which I've started watching. He makes so much sense, talking about the political aims of the Russian military, as well as the military aims. I won't summarize the whole 6 hours, but the first half hour I've watched is absolutely rivetting analysis.

Azov Surrender in Mariupol: Scott Ritter and Richard Medhurst

Zelensky has outlawed all but the Right Sector, Nazi party in Ukraine. Ukraine is de facto a Nazi state.

He says Russia is going at the pace it needs to to 'slaughter' Ukrainian troups with the least loss to themselves.

He questions whether Nato will survive this conflict, or if the EU will survive.

Ukraine seems to have embraced the notion of sacrificing life for time. They bought time. They have strategic depth that they didn't have before. Troups being trained in surrounding countries on new weaponry by NATO. Ukraine has a long-range plan to reconstitute their military, into a better military.

Poland supplying great quantities of oil and gas to Ukraine.

This doesn't mean Russia will lose, it's just a whole different game.

Time is not the friend of Russia.

It doesn't mean Russia is failing.

Regarding Scott Ritter's analysis (it's a whole different game, due to new weapons, funds, and energy supplies), there are a few quite well-informed commentators who disagree.

Andrei Martyanov:

On My Brief Response To Scott Ritter.

Or, what could be termed as "what Scott missed." I still deeply respect Scott's position and his courage but my disagreement with his recen...

smoothiex12.blogspot.com

Or, what could be termed as "what Scott missed." I still deeply respect Scott's position and his courage but my disagreement with his recent statement on SMO is of a purely technical nature. Let me explain. Here is a simple operational truism since 1980s: if I see you (target), I will destroy you. And here is where Scott might have missed some points which I make all the time for years and which explain why his assertion that some US "technology" and money (most of them will be stolen and laundered inside the US) have very little impact, if any on SMO. Here is this fact: there are ONLY two countries which have a state-of-the-art ISR complex, from satellites in space to massive optronic and signal intel. Right, these are US and Russia.

For American person, especially the one who remembered Russia in 1990s it is sometimes inconceivable to grasp a simple fact that Russia has in many respects a real time situational awareness of not only of the whole battlefield but the whole theater. As recent VSU "counter-attack" in Zaporozhie has shown or, as today released video, Russians know exactly where those much-touted, in reality making no difference whatsoever, US M-777 howitzers are, what they are up to and Russians blow them apart (in Russian). These are just two examples out of very many of SMO being largely not only situationally but tactically aware. All this because Russia was into the game of cutting edge recon and intel much earlier than the US. Recall this? Modern Russian ISR is cutting edge and I spoke at length on the issues of such things as legacy MKRTz Legenda or newest Liana, but those two are just a few tools in the vast arsenal of Russian recon and targeting complex--NO other nation with the exception of the US has anything comparable.

That is why when I hear that some piece of metal and a pile of increasingly diminishing US Dollars are going to make any real tactical, operational, let alone strategic difference in 404, other than being blown up or taken as trophies, I smile. Even LDNR people today complain (in Russian) that most of the US equipment when even not-expired and up to date, often doesn't work and breaks down. I know, for true American patriot such as Scott it is difficult to accept this fact but in the last 20 years it goes without saying that institutional rot completely engulfed America's strategic and operational thought and, and I wrote three books on that, US increasingly produced weapons which like Javelins or Littoral Combat Ships, or F-35 or Patriot PAC 3s are not really suited for a serious war against competent enemy who, in addition, like Russia, has all means to see the enemy and destroy it.

Larry Johnson:

Scott Ritter’s Unforced Error

sonar21.com

Scott Ritter created a bit of a stir over the weekend with a comment suggesting the Russians have fumbled the ball and set themselves up for Stalingrad like victory (i.e., a long and bloody struggle).

...

Just because the Russians are pulling punches to avoid killing civilians and destroying infrastructure key for civilian survival does not mean they are ignoring the threat. For example, Andrei notes that the Russians waited for the towed howitzers to get into position before blowing them up.

I really am shocked that Scott got this so wrong. First, the US and NATO are not sending the most advanced, most sophisticated equipment to Ukraine. The M-777 howitzer, for example, is a good piece of towed artillery (it came into service in 2005). There is the problem–it requires a vehicle to tow it into position. When it is fired it must be towed to a new location to minimize the risk of counter battery fire. America and NATO have more advanced howitzers that are self-propelled. They are not sending those to Ukraine.

The equipment sent to Ukraine is basically surplus that the United States and NATO are not using. I believe in following the money. I think this is just a convenient pretext to get rid of old weapons systems in order to justify new spending on the latest, greatest.

Second, Russia has made and continues to make missile strikes on bases and weapons depots. It is not an occasional strike, it is repeated and regular. Remember Yavoriv?

"The Yavoriv military base attack was an attack on the Yavoriv military base that occurred on 13 March 2022 as part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The base is located near the city of Yavoriv, Lviv Oblast. According to Ukrainian officials, the military facility was hit by 30 Russian missiles, killing 35 soldiers and injuring 134 others."

This was not a one off attack. The Russians have struck all across Ukraine. I noted in my last piece that Desna, a Ukrainian base, was one of the latest targets. The Russians also hit Lviv, Vinnitsa and Sumy. There is no sign the Russians are running out of missiles, rockets and artillery rounds.

Third, who the hell is going to operate the stuff the west is sending? We are not seeing hordes of Ukrainian young men lining up to join the national defense. Instead, Ukrainian authorities are rounding up middle aged guys forcing them into the army. Many of these “new” recruits are on video complaining that they are nothing more than cattle fodder. Then there is the training component. Teaching a soldier how to operate and maintain a new weapon system is not a one day affair. This further complicates Ukraine’s ability to stay in the fight.

New weaponry makes no difference (it just gets destroyed, or doesn't work properly, or the combatants don't know how to use it, or it would take too long to train them, and it is inferior to Russian technology).

New troops makes no difference, because Ukraine has lost control of the theatre of operations. Even if they could move freely around Ukraine (which is looking doubtful), where are all the new troops (poorly trained middle aged guys and teenagers) going to go? Everywhere they go they will meet battle-hardened Russian Forces, with total air dominance. Even if new troops arrive at the Operational Cauldron in Donbas - they will not make a difference in the outcome.

As for Polish oil and gas - what use is more energy supply if your military is losing personnel and morale, vehicles, depots and supply lines at a rapid rate, facing a vastly superior opponent (in terms of training, weapons and re-supply capabilities) who controls the whole theatre?

The main point that I've come to realize here is that the Pentagon, who is basically running the operation in Ukraine, lost the war very quickly. Perhaps by design, perhaps not. I think the Pentagon were quite possibly counting on more of their chemical/biological weapons systems to be made use of in this conflict, because asymmetric weapons and fanatical insurgents and dirty tricks is pretty much the only military reality of the Pentagon against another great power. Their only other tactic, already discussed at length, is massive air strikes with high civilian casualties. This all speaks to what could be said to be a deep problem at the level of their Operational and Strategic planning.

As I've been learning, the 'Operational Arts', developed by Nazi Germany (Operationkunst) and Soviet Russia (Operativnoye Iskusstvo), is where a war between two more or less equally matched major powers is won and lost - on the level of information. It is said to be the 'business management' of war, with the plans known only to the highest security clearance personnel in the military. One can extrapolate from the mental/moral/financial corruption in the West how the 'business management' of war would be filled with pathocrats who are filled with sound and fury, but don't actually know how to conduct a real military operation against a formidable adversary. As Martyanov writes above, there is institutional rot at the heart of the AMIC, and has been for years.

What opened my eyes to the importance of this leadership structure in war (which Ukraine lacks) - aside from reading and watching more war films - is the following docuseries on the Great Patriotic War, aired on Russian TV.

It focuses on 'big arrow war', or the Operational and Strategic levels of the history of the conflict. There are quotes and vignettes featuring known characters, Zhukov and Mannstein, Hitler and Stalin among them, with some politics and signing of treaties, CGI animations of battle, grainy old photographs and film, a fascinating discussion of different types weaponry developed in response to enemy innovations, many, many maps, and also the way in which the battle tactics changed as command and control learned from past mistakes. Being entirely uneducated about the matter, I found it to be an excellent overall picture of the War in the East for beginners.

 

[Armagelipsis-matíasmaurán]

‼️BREAKING NEWS‼️
‼️CONFIRMATION‼️
The territory of Azovstal has been completely liberated- The Russian Defense Ministry

Azmilitary1

‼️BREAKING NEWS‼️ ‼️CONFIRMATION‼️ The territory of Azovstal has been completely liberated- The Russian Defense Ministry

t.me

 

[Adobe]

I saw several articles this morning (in basically the MSM) that were starting to speak of Russian advancements and spoke of the Mariupol stand off as a surrender of the Ukrainians. Well, what this? I thought.

Then this comes out:

"Top US and Russian generals spoke for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine in February, with the Pentagon confirming a phone call between Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley and Russia's Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov."

"The military leaders discussed several security-related issues of concern and agreed to keep the lines of communication open," a US Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson said. "In accordance with past practice, the specific details of their conversation will be kept private,"

* "the specific details of their conversation will be kept private,"

"As news broke that Generals Milley and Gerasimov had a phone call, I asked #NATO's top military commander Gen Tod Wolters for his reaction."

"It's my hope we will be one step closer to a diplomatic solution," he said. pic.twitter.com/IYKRO8toUn

— Teri Schultz (@terischultz) May 19, 2022

(Me, Adobe writing-I wonder if perhaps high-ranking US, UK, and Canadian prisoners has anything to do with this?)

US, Russian Generals Talk For 1st Time Since War Began As Ukraine Vows 'We Won't Cede Territory' | ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

 

[Redrock12]

"The military leaders discussed several security-related issues of concern and agreed to keep the lines of communication open," a US Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson said. "In accordance with past practice, the specific details of their conversation will be kept private,"



(Me, Adobe writing-I wonder if perhaps high-ranking US, UK, and Canadian prisoners has anything to do with this?)

US, Russian Generals Talk For 1st Time Since War Began As Ukraine Vows 'We Won't Cede Territory' | ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

Personally, it's irrrelevant where those so-called high-ranking prisoners are from. They trained (ie aided and abetted) the Azov scum in urban warfare/war crimes (using civilians as shields, terrorizing them [murder, rape, torture]). If they were in Azovstal with the Azov, then one can safely say they were engaging in combat against Russian forces as well, which makes them mercenaries, hence legally defined as war criminals.
They should definitely be shown no mercy or special treatment. Common thugs and criminals no less. They should be given the most severe punishment that is legally possible.

 

[Cosmos]

An appropriate joke about the Z issue, that is more than just a joke IMO:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1527514960049410055