The valiant Ukrainian defense of Vuhledar has come to an end with Ukraine’s withdrawal.
It was inevitable and follows a pattern in this war — Russia throws wave after wave of soldiers and equipment into a battle for a town that sees thousands of casualties and hundreds of vehicle losses but they keep doing it, not caring about the losses. Meanwhile, Russian artillery and glide bombs turn the town into a smoldering ruin that looks more like Dresden or Hiroshima.
The diplomatic gears appears to be grinding.
This story, assuming it’s true, sounds like the beginning moves of a ceasefire agreement.
I have serious problems with a ceasefire that leaves Russia occupying any of Ukraine and doesn’t require Russia to return kidnapped children. Plus, a ceasefire would give Russia time to rearm and consolidate their territorial gains. But it would also give Ukraine time to rearm, to ramp up training and to rebuild.
The real tragedy of a ceasefire would be if Western nations decide the war is over, accept the status quo and put Ukraine on the back burner. Ukraine shouldn’t be turned into the next Korea.
However, sometimes agreements happen from sheer exhaustion.
And this part is important:
"A western official briefed on Zelenskyy’s talks in Washington said there were tentative signs that Biden might agree to advance the status of Ukraine’s Nato membership bid before he leaves office in January," the authors of the publication also report.
That attack yesterday in which Russians launched a suicide charge in Vovchansk turned out to be another fiasco for Russia. But it won’t stop them from trying again and getting dozens more killed.
Sky bavovna.
Russia bombed a market in central Kherson, killing at least seven. Russia shells Kherson on a daily basis.
WARNING: The video shows victims lying in the street.
Russia also bombed civilians in Zaporizhzhia.
This is a long but fascinating thread about the recent incident in which the ex-husband of the CEO of the Wildberries online retail giant tried to pull off an actual hostile takeover of the company with guns. He failed and security guards were killed.
But what is really fascinating is the involvement of Putin and Head Chechen thug Ramzan Kadyrov and how Kadyrov’s involvement might cost him.
Oftentimes, when marriages collapse, spouses will seek comfort among their closest friends. Vladislav Bakalchuk instead went to Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov, who vowed to help him ‘reunify his family’ and ‘protect his business’.
But Tatyana, too, had sought support – and Kerimov had been able to secure approval for the merger from Putin himself. In Putin’s Russia, his word is law, meaning that, on the face of it, Tatyana had won the dispute with her ex.
But Ramzan Kadyrov is nothing if not a man of his word, when it suits him. He vowed his support, so, on September 18, Vladislav Bakalchuk appeared at Wildberries’ Moscow HQ together with several armed unknown individuals.
What followed was the very definition of a hostile takeover attempt. When the dust settled, two Wildberries security guards lay dead and Vladislav Bakalchuk was under arrest for murder.
What does this mean for Kadyrov? Well, he clearly overplayed his hand. He tried to intervene in a deal that had been given the green light by Putin himself, and in doing so, very publicly went against the boss’s wishes – with fatal consequences.
Kadyrov has always occupied his seat at the table out of necessity. Putin knew he needed Kadyrov because nobody else would be able to keep Chechnya in line while remaining publicly loyal to Putin himself.
But Kadyrov has a lot of powerful enemies. The FSB cannot stand him, because he has a habit of undermining them and even directly challenging what they feel is their unquestionable authority in Russia.
Now that he’s acted so publicly against Putin – and with question marks over both his health and his value to the regime – it is very difficult to imagine that he has any way of staying in the position he has carved out for himself.
Speaking of Kadyrov.
The building burned but his portrait survived. It’s a miracle!!!!!
It’s Ram Tough.
October 1 is the Day of Defenders in Ukraine.
Speaking of October 1 …. Let’s check in on the glorious victory in which Russia drove those nasty Ukrainians completely out of Kursk by Oct. 1 just as Tsar Vladimir ordered.
Oh, wait …
If this war results in a partial breakup of the Russian Federation (big if), Buryatia would be a good candidate to head for the door. Russia has sent droves of Buryats to die in Ukraine for nothing. If they stay in the Federation, they will always be second-class citizens.
Would independence make life better? Would they be able to prevent Buryatia from becoming the personal fiefdom of a strongman dictator? Who knows. Can’t be much worse than what they have now and it beats making videos that no one in Moscow will care about.
This is bad news for the Russian economy — loans for August down 54% and down 63% for construction loans. There are probably several factors at work here, including interest rates that are around 20%.
Sorry. No sympathy here.
As he warned in the video, his entire group was destroyed during the assault by drones, never reaching Ukrainian positions. Kharitonov was buried in Russia's Rostov region. Congratulations to his wife Marina on her new car.
It’s important, despite the war and the grief and destruction, to still celebrate life.
This is an APC — Armored Puppy Carrier.
