AND the Russian FM/CoE has been smoking what again?? Seemed to have forgotten Crimea and eastern Ukrainian.
MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
.@CoE is to help creating #Europe without dividing lines, stregthening democracy,#humanrights,rule of law,intercultural dialogue @CoE_Russia
And the shellings have now started with the airport again.Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09
Shooting already since 10 mins in Airport area. #Donetsk
- via @donetsk_ukrop
#Donetsk 14:20
Kirovsky distr. - heavy single shots in north/west.
- via @UrriKara4en
Here's the key points from today's Volkskrant article on the downing of #MH17, lots of good stuff https://www.facebook.com/bellingcat/...88738477981276 …
I have been writing here that the Obama "legacy" is far more important to Obama than a solid long term foreign policy strategy towards Russia and especially Putin.
It is argued in DC that the US needs Russian help in getting an Iranian deal BUT at what cost?? And Russian help is needed in settling the Syria issue--actually the Syrian issue was compounded by US policy failure one after another--and what will Russia bring to the table since they refused for over four years to allow humanitarian aid into the country and have repeatedly sent weapons to Assad basically keeping him in power as well as blocking UNSC actions on Syria.
Now it seems that the US TOW has become the great equalizer and is shifting the fighting to a potential "win" for the Syrian moderate Islamists who are actually "winning against IS as well as Assad"--AND just as they are "winning" we need Russian assistance--wht is wrong with this picture??
It was not Russian TOWs or MILANs that are "winning" by any means especially when Russia has had the GRU there for years.
WHAT has Russia brought to the table on Iran--right after the last set of meetings Russia announces shipments of S-300s to Iran and closed a large trading deal AND stated publicly there will be no "snap back" on sanctions if Russia has it's way.
Then Obama tries to sell a really poor Iranian deal to the Congress all the while fully knowing Iran is a striving regional hegemon who will stop at nothing to achieve that status and can go nuclear in under three years shorter if it wants to. AND his shift to Iran has greatly impacted the Sunni Arab states in believing the US will support them if Iran "acts out in the region"--which by the way we would not do at least under this President.
But throwing an entire country under the bus to achieve one's "legacy" is a bit unusual even for US President's--especially a country that is striving to built itself on the same "US values" we claim to adhere to and "preach to the world" that is the supposed basis of our own "democracy"--rule of law, good governance and transparency in government.
Actually this NYT's article goes a long way in explaining the apparent silence on the part of Obama for the last three months or so AND it confirms the throwing of the Ukraine under the bus for one's own "legacy".
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/16/wo...ref=world&_r=1
Europe | News Analysis
A Diplomatic Victory, and Affirmation, for Putin
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORNMAY 15, 2015
continued......
Mr. Kremenyuk and other analysts, however, said they believed the major motivation of the United States was to seek Russia’s assistance on other more pressing problems.
“There are some issues in which Americans cannot make progress without Russia,” Mr. Kremenyuk told Svobodnaya Pressa. “For instance, Iran and the Iranian nuclear program. Or Syria, where nothing can be done without us. Of course, they will not yell: ‘Help us!’ No way. But within the last couple of years Americans found some areas in the Middle East where they cannot do much, but Russia can.”
Alexander G. Baunov, a senior associate at the Carnegie Moscow Center, a research group, said that based on a recent visit to Washington he believed that Middle East issues were more important to the Americans than Ukraine.
“It’s clear that Obama is thinking about his legacy, his place in history,” Mr. Baunov said in an interview. “Not to achieve the final deal with Iran will be a big defeat for him, so he needs Russia for this
Last edited by davidbfpo; 05-16-2015 at 01:23 PM.
I have also written here many times that that the Russian UW doctrine of non linear warfare is in direct support to the current Russian political warfare--non linear warfare is simply the "means" to drive to a political warfare "end state".
Putin who believes in the destruction of western neo liberalism and is basically an up and coming Russian "fascist" on an neo imperialistic expansion campaign repeatedly has stated his three geo political goals to achieve Russian hegemon status over all of Europe and an equal footing with the US via what he has often referred to as his wanting "a new Yalta" to divide up the world between the US and Russia into new "spheres of influence" which Russia states as their ability to have "equality of control". Yet we seem to not understand this particular term BUT the Baltics and Poland does understand.
His three geo political goals are:
1. discrediting and damaging for good NATO
2. discrediting and damaging for good the EU
AND
3 total disconnecting of the US from Europe ----in order to achieve his vision of a Europe from Portugal to the Russian Far East UNDER Russian political/military/economic dominance.
He is not shy in the least bit in stating and restating these goals.
AND what is the WH, NSC and DoS response to all of the above--silence, silence and more silence ALL in the name of a "legacy"--does that make sense to any SWJ reader.
BTW on the three targeted geo political goals Russia via Putin is about 75% of the way to his "end state" and the current US leadership is helping and helping and helping him met his stated goals.
Have never seen in the last 40 years such a weak NSC and an equally weak President and yet we claim to "led the free world"????
Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 05-16-2015 at 12:51 PM.
Militants shell residential area in town of Zolote
http://www.unian.info/war/1078760-mi...of-zolote.html … pic.twitter.com/bn3FBLhQ6S
BREAKING updates: #Donetsk airport. #Avdyivka & #Opytne - under shelling. Don't dream about #ceasefire
BREAKING #Donetsk city is under artillery fire right now
Russian Propaganda at work. Now the Russian tank hit near #Shyrokyne suddenly is Ukrainian :P. pic.twitter.com/guxKDEmBPP
While the #EU sleeps, #Russia has opened a new #propaganda front in #Moldova: http://sputnik.md/
Link via @ChristAlexander
#Russia wants to annex #Moldova next, which makes Moldovans want to finally reunite with #Romania. #Putin winning...
http://www.rferl.org/content/moldova.../27020131.html …
From what I heard, Ukrainians caught two Russian officers. wonder how since they're not there. https://twitter.com/Guderian_Xaba/st...47608810921984 …
Declassified: Kremlin's order of 1932 on Russian colonisation of Donbass after Stalin's Holodomor. via @vitaliy00700
Top Russian Detective Removed From Nemtsov Murder Casehttp://www.rferl.org/content/russia-.../27018992.html …
bellingcat @bellingcat
Bellingcat's report tracking the convoy that supplied the Buk that downing #MH17 https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-a...ussian-convoy/ … #PutinAtWar pic.twitter.com/8ODSjjaPId
Unlike S Ossetia, #Abkhazia is dragging feet over recognizing the #Ukraine separatists.
Why? https://twitter.com/GazetaRu_All/sta...77093891432448 …
Gas station reportedly blasted in #Horlivka, territory in E #Ukraine occupied by #Russia's proxies
#Germany is the main opponent in #Ukraine's progress on free trade with EU “All the keys are in Berlin"
https://euobserver.com/foreign/128699
Russia and Ukraine are trying to dump war-torn Donbass to each other, this Ukrainian analysis suggestshttp://news.liga.net/articles/politi...i_donbassa.htm …
Latvia has recorded more than 150 incidents of Russian planes approaching its airspace since March 2014.' http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog...feet-from-war/ …
Last edited by davidbfpo; 05-17-2015 at 11:12 AM.
Will go into later today whether US social media companies ie Twitter, YouTube and Face Book are potentially being controlled by Russian investors and are being used as part of the Russian propaganda machine against the West.
#Zuckerberg lies - Russian oligarch Milner owns Dublin moderation of the FB region incl Ukraine!
Move to Google+ !! pic.twitter.com/xKlogbXmpl
To: #Zuckerberg - Left photo from Ukraine was the reason why many Ukraine accounts were blocked by Facebook. pic.twitter.com/F8GWmcQ4Dt
Open ended question to DoS Kerry and the White House/NSC--do you really think you were successful at Sochi after meeting the Russian FM and meeting with Putin the Russian FM states--"we are seriously interested in seeing the full implementation of Minsk 2".
After that you all stated "we judge Russia on it's actions not words"
SO what do the actions below indicate???--a Russia interested in implementing Minsk 2 and just more aggression--it is now a full five days since Sochi AND you must be asking yourselves has anything changed???--answer is simple--Russia still basically is in an aggressor mode--Sochi changed nothing.
Subversives that engaged in fighting w Ukr border guards in Herasymivka-Mozhaevka border area retreated to Rus territ http://dpsu.gov.ua/ua/about/news/news_7109.htm …
Ukr border guards discovered group in camo cloaks near the border. Fighting started, 1 border guard was WIA @DPSU_ua pic.twitter.com/D6RV4DBm0s
Tymchuk: FSB trying to launch proxy state in Bessarabia (Odessa reg. Ukraine) like in Donetsk. Russian TV already top source of news there.
UPDATE: 2 #Ukraine soldiers killed, 5 wounded in battle near #Artemivsk yesterday, shelled by tanks and artillery
https://m.facebook.com/brtcomua/post...06?pnref=story …
Attacks on Ukrainian positions near Mariupol apparently continued this morning, two soldiers wounded http://www.0629.com.ua/news/828713
Chermalyk and #Shyrokyne were fired upon this am. 2 #Ukrainian servicemen were WIA in M sector (#Mariupol area) y-day http://www.0629.com.ua/news/828713
#Moskal: Yday after 20:00 #Stanytsia_Luhanska was shelled w/#Grad|s, mortars, GL & small arms http://moskal.in.ua/?categoty=news&news_id=1739 …
The head of #Lugansk Region #Moskal says that terrorists used MRLS "Grad" last night. Read http://lugansk-news.com/terrorists-o...tsia-luhanska/ … pic.twitter.com/QG6GdzIqpC
#Donetsk
00:04 Proletarsky @DoneckiiPatriot Heavy cannon volleys were heard
@idinmor 'After midnight shells hit airport area'
May16 #RozyLuksemburg village, Novoazovsky raion @GirkinGirkin 'Putin gangs tanks and BMP' pic.twitter.com/msD5dAmrjx
#Spartak near #Donetsk, the 1st photo posted on May14 to http://vk.com http://archive.is/xRZZR @anisim pic.twitter.com/3Na13QdGeZ
General Staff of Armed Forces reports that 1st #defense line in eastern #Ukraine is fortified by 95% https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua
Withdrawal of heavy weapons has not yet completed in Donbas - OSCE http://en.censor.net.ua/n336449
Terrorists fire main guns at Donetsk sector http://en.censor.net.ua/n336454
Last edited by davidbfpo; 05-17-2015 at 11:08 AM.
SO which media article aptly fits the current reality on the ground in eastern Ukraine five full days after Sochi--any changes in Russian aggression to be seen anywhere????
"Kerry Is So Very Nice to Putin; Easing sanctions if #Russia settles for what its already grabbed" http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is...tin-1431559190
The @nytimes says #SecKerry was "wise to engage in diplomacy" w/#Putin
The @WSJ less thrilled. http://www.wsj.com/articles/kerry-is...tin-1431559190 pic.twitter.com/JbKntcJRm7
After the heavy shellings and fighting of the last three days--Sochi was an utter failure and time to admit it--great for a Presidential "legacy" but that is about it.
Seems American social media companies to include PayPal seem to want to truly believe they do not live in a "political world". In the current 21st century--there is no such animal called "non political".
Russian oligarch and "black money" has flowed heavily into Twitter---to the tune of 700M USD, unlisted heavy inflow by Russian oligarch into Face Book both as investments but also in controlling the European FB operations, massive Russian oligarch monies into YouTube and Paypal as so called "investments.
So the question becomes are in fact US companies "beholden" and answer to the current Russian information warfare campaign?
It is interesting that currently GlobalVoices was able to identify recently a 20,000 Russian bot system using Twitter and FB for spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation AND they were not blocked BUT countless western and Ukrainian accounts which support the Ukraine and western journalists are being blocked for reasons sometimes really vague by Russian accounts--AND not much in the way of responses by the US companies on their apparently proRussian "political" stances.
In the Information Age, you'd think a giant like Facebook would be prepared for the Information War
https://twitter.com/euromaidanpress/...07890786258944 …
Users in #Ukraine Complain of @Facebook #Censorship; Zuckerberg Says Censored Posts Are Hate Speech http://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/0...answer-enough/ … by @tanyalokot
Russian FM never seems to get the international relations concept of "cause and effect". One never sees in the following type of PR the words Crimea annexation and or invasion into eastern Ukraine being muttered.
So here we go again with Russian nuclear threats towards the US even in the face of Russian INF violations.
MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
Mikhail Ulyanov: The actions of #US under certain conditions may push Russia to building up its nuclear arsenals http://tass.ru/en/russia/795145 …
Does not seem that Russia wants a full implementation of Minsk 2--so really what was the thinking in DC--reality on the ground and a solid foreign policy or just on one's "legacy".
Seems they do not mind in the least Ukrainian loses if the "legacy" works.
#News
20 Ukrainian troops became victims of the Russian aggression in #Ukraine yesterday.
3 KIA
17 WIA
New Putin Invasion Coming This Summer: Moscow piling up troops and weapons. http://thebea.st/1FgCtPL via @michaeldweiss, @thedailybeast 17 May
Frontline fighting rattles residents of Krymske in Luhansk regionhttp://uatoday.tv/politics/frontline...on-427700.html … #lugansk #Ukraine #Russia pic.twitter.com/PXmSP3WWsR
Ukrainians informed OSCE on barbaric Dzerzhynsk shelling. PHOTOS http://24today.net/open/411776 pic.twitter.com/s3pfBZ0BYh
Last edited by davidbfpo; 05-17-2015 at 11:12 AM.
Ever wonder what drives central and eastern European countries to join NATO and the EU????
Just maybe history of the Soviet Union until Russia in the eastern Ukraine--death and destruction.
At Bykivnia Forest, commemorating 100thousand Ukr, Rus, Polish, Jewish victims of Stalinist executions, 1937-40. RIP. pic.twitter.com/f0saZClNgJ
Notice the use of Russian disinformation and outright subtle lies in this Russian media Sputnik press release--Sputnik is totally owned by Russian government.
with all the recent Russian AF activity over the Baltic Sea that has shown them to fly within 20 feet of aircraft, to fly with their transponders off in civilian air traffic lanes and in general create unsafe flying conditions over the Baltic "it was the Lithuanians who shot it down" JUST like it was "the Ukrainians who shot down MH17"???
BTW--the AN-2 is a WW2 aircraft that has a history of crashes centering around engine failures and or fuel problems due to aging --SO what is potentially just a routine aircraft failure BECOMES from Sputnik a perfect chance to demonstration disinformation.
http://sputniknews.com/europe/201505...#ixzz3aOrlKgFS
An-2 Aircraft Feared Shot Down Over Lithuania
© Sputnik/ Vladimir Astapkovich
14:03 17.05.2015(updated 15:18 17.05.2015)
A Soviet-made An-2 aircraft has gone missing in Lithuanian airspace and its two pilots have gone missing as a result of what the plane's owner said was a possible shooting down of the craft.
A Soviet-made An-2 (NATO reporting name "Colt") aircraft is feared shot down after it went missing in Lithuanian airspace while it was en route from Sweden to Lithuania on Saturday.
Lithuania has been ramping up air defense efforts in response to what it alleges are airspace violations by Russian planes. The aircraft's two pilots, both of whom have over 40 years experience flying, are missing.
"I know that they were in Lithuanian airspace and were in contact with Palanga Airport, but then the signal disappeared. Maybe the plane got shot down, maybe something else," the head of Klaipeda Airlines which owns the plane told Delfi.
The company bought the Soviet-made plane in Sweden and was transporting it to Lithuania for agricultural use.
A Lithuanian navy helicopter has been searching for the missing craft, but was unable to find it and rescue ships have continued the search. The country has asked its neighbor Latvia for assistance.
Best thing Kremlin could do now is admit #MH17 culpability, start talks on compensation. The evidence is building, and getting more damning
60 Minutes Australia ✔ @60Mins (Full programme not yet broadcast, it is on tonight and will try to link Monday).
#60Mins shows how this satellite picture produced by the Russian media is stitched together from Google Earth images. pic.twitter.com/rPIdje5yDp
bellingcat @bellingcat
We'll be releasing a new #MH17 report before July 17 with details of which soldiers could have been operating the Buks
Last edited by davidbfpo; 05-17-2015 at 02:45 PM. Reason: Text in italics
Mod's Note: copied here from the Syrian SOF raid thread and edited:These events today out of the Ukraine and one comment out of Syria from yesterday in fact shows an indication that the rag tag Ukrainian Army on their own are actually holding on well and are starting to use their version of our TOW--all without US assistance as we stand on the sidelines trying to "rescue Putin's image because we think it is the right thing to do"??
AND the comment out of Syria is indicating that the current fighting is decimating IRGC and Hezbollah--both incidents are getting absolutely no US news media coverage.
Ukrainian fired ATGM is actually filmed by Russian mercenaries as it is inbound and hits their bunker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pupp2pkyfRA
UA is improving in their AT skill sets and are now firing their own version developed themselves and allegedly better than our TOW.
Ukraine border guard patrol attacked by saboteurs who retreat to #Russia.http://lugansk-news.com/ukraine-bord...eat-to-russia/ … pic.twitter.com/o83gYPyONA
Rumint has it that it was a Russian spetznaz team crossing into the Ukraine from physical Russia--when they were ambushed they fled back into Russian territory.
Aidar captures two Russian special operations officers in ATO zone (Photos)
http://www.unian.info/politics/10788...ne-photos.html … pic.twitter.com/zLeQKoXcsv
Russians captured after attack on central positions. Aidar soldr says both were injured, one w broken hip — "had no choice but to speak" (2)
Oliver Carroll @olliecarroll
More info (in Russ) regarding R special forces said to have been captured in Schastya yday. via @olivkaoliva https://www.facebook.com/grigory.max...69709399835357 …
Two Russian soldiers were captured near #Shchastya yesterday.
Here is one of them, being treated by Ukr mil doctors. https://twitter.com/HetmanAndrij/sta...34960628310018 …
#Map
What we know so far about Russian army soldier Alexander Alexandrov, captured in #Shchastya,#Ukraine, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/XVcBYMfwzZ
Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 05-17-2015 at 03:47 PM. Reason: See Mod's Note
#News
#Stanytsia_Luhanska was shelled by small arms, grenades, mortars and even #Grad missiles last night.
Bus station, many buildings hit.
#Rifle #SVD after tuning for snipers from 79th Brigade #Army of #Ukraine. via @antmrufka pic.twitter.com/65Ou2VrlZk
BLOG Russian military base and trainingscamp at Komsomolske
http://ukraineatwar.blogspot.co.uk/2...ningscamp.html …
@GorseFires pic.twitter.com/PjuR0Dkgqh
The BMP-97 Vystrel is ONLY used by Russian commanders even INSIDE Ukraine. Very remarkable to see a destroyed one. pic.twitter.com/bT6rfkjVWP
Ah......the speed of social media----one has to like it----wonder if the US IC is this fast--concerning Russian Spetnaz POWs and the Assad Army taking a beating. Wait long enough and social media will have their entire life histories if they placed it into the net.
The other Russian POW is badly wounded and gets medical help. (Russia tortures and executes Ukrainian POWS!).
pic.twitter.com/HeCr2Z2ONh
VK-page of Alexander Russian Spetnaz captured near Shchastya
http://vk.com/id66695424
via @tombreadley
Alexander Alexandrov from Togliatti is one of these 2 Russian POWs pic.twitter.com/xwKpESJoKO
Facebook page reporting about the two captured Russian GRU officers near Schastya.
https://www.facebook.com/mil.in.ua/p...514378/?type=1 … pic.twitter.com/MUBZ4xkoim
Kremlin again denies that Russian soldiers were taken POWhttp://goo.gl/X3ifXl
Last edited by davidbfpo; 05-17-2015 at 05:14 PM. Reason: Copied here from another thread Syria SOF raid and edited
So called Russian mercenary training center identified as a regular Russian Army training center using regular Russian Army personnel.
Russian #LittleGreenMen wait in woods for Col-Gen Lentsov's orders. Bila Kamyanka, Donetsk region, Ukraine 15 May pic.twitter.com/GTyWUjlIE7
Russian ground forces masquerade as "DPR armed forces" at Bila Kamyanka, Donetsk region, Ukraine 15 May pic.twitter.com/kedv6txsoY
Russian ground forces ("Vikings" Infantry Battalion, DPR) exercises, Donetsk region 15 Mayhttps://vk.com/album-93369497_215703572 … pic.twitter.com/MYxFH8ApX1
Occupation: Russian Ground Forces training ground/staging post at Bila Kamyanka, Donetsk region, Ukraine 15 May pic.twitter.com/Z9jDfxr1Fv
NOT "separatists", "militants" or "rebels" BUT highly skilled Russian army trainers. Donetsk region Ukraine 15 May pic.twitter.com/Ej3e6ZPtK0
Accomodation units (behind trees) for Lentsov's #LittleGreenMen. Bila Kamyanka, Donetsk region, Ukraine 15 May pic.twitter.com/aVZxoZr1uR
Last edited by davidbfpo; 05-17-2015 at 05:13 PM.
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