Apparently, my post today expressing my disgust with the way outside forces were arrogantly deciding the future of 7 million citizens of the Donbass was interpreted as an admission on my part that I have given up on Putin (even though I had clearly written “Let’s even add to this, for conversation’s sake, that Putin has decided to yield to the terms of these AngloZionist and that the Kremlin has also come to terms, “). Some even interpreted it as an indirect admission on my part that the Novorussian forces are doomed. Nothing could be further from the truth.
First, how do we establish the likely course of action of a leader? Well, unless we manage to establish some kind of telepathic connection I would suggest that we should avoid any kind of guesses about intentions or motives. I would suggest that the best way to try to predict one a leader will do is to do two things: a) we can try to form an image of his personality and character and b) we can look at what he did in the past and project that as a likely thing he will do in the future. With these criteria I personally see absolutely no reason to suspect the man of being anything but a sincere patriot, a man of exceptional courage and willpower and a man who spent all this time in the Kremlin trying to free Russian from AngloZionist colonization while opposing the US hegemony elsewhere. I note that all those accusing Putin of betrayal or cowardice do not offer a single argument to make their case which is solely based on suspicions that Putin is, in fact, not what people think he is. Clearly, 80%+ of Russians disagree, and I wonder what it is they know which other’s don’t. But nevermind Putin right now, what I really want to discuss is the Novorussian resistance.
Guys, please do not let the fall of Slaviansk and the cities around it lead you to believe that this is the first in a long string of defeats which will end with a full invasion of Novorussia by the Ukies. I think that by now we know enough about exactly why Strelkov decided to withdraw. Basically, he knew that Slaviansk was untenable, he wanted to preserve his forces and equipment, and he wanted to get some order and unity of command in Donetsk and, to a lesser degree, Lugansk, where all sorts of behind the scenes negotiations involving Akhmetov were taking place. I don’t want to go in this right now, but I want to make a simply point. Taking Slaviansk is nothing compared to the complexities involved in an operation to take Donetsk or Lugansk. Please remember that the Ukies had a HUGE advantage in all of the following categories:
- Numbers
- Armor (MBT, APC, IFV)
- Artillery
- Attack aircraft
- Attack helicopters
- Supplies
- Ammunition
- Mobility
- Intelligence and Reconnaissance
All of these are negated during offensive urban combat operations. Let’s rapidly take them one by one
- Numbers – Strelkov will hire or mobilize many more soliders
- Armor (MBT, APC, IFV) – are vulnerable and of limited use in cities
- Artillery – is hard to direct and causes huge damage which looks very bad
- Attack aircraft – have a hard time finding their targets
- Attack helicopters – can be shot down from all sides
- Supplies – cities are usually well supplied with critical supplies
- Ammunition – is easier to move around due to sorter distances
- Mobility – is done mostly on foot and is restricted
- Intelligence and Reconnaissance – is very hard to do, it is easy to hide in a city
I am not saying that this is a done deal and that all well be great from now on. But I am saying that if it took the entire Ukie military, supported by death squads paid for by oligarchs so long to take Slaviansk even though they used literally every weapon in their possession (including MLRS, cluster bombs and chemical munitions!) it is most unlikely that they will succeed in taking Donetsk or Slaviansk anytime soon. Or ever.
So even if (that is a hypothetical, ok, I am not saying it will happen) Putin decides to betray Novorussia like Milosevic betrayed the Bosnian Serbs, that does not at all mean that the Ukies will be able to take control of Novorussia. And remember that time is very much on the Novorussia side now, because the economy of Banderastan is in free fall and sooner rather than later a social explosion will happen in Kiev and the rest of Banderastan. Finally, even if (that is a hypothetical, ok, I am not saying it will happen) the Ukie forces somehow manage, against all expectation, to invade all of Novorussia, what will they have gained? A large territory which will not provide them with anything of value (see here for the reason why the Donbass cut off from Russia is useless) except a large and desperate population, filled with hatred for the invader, which will maintain a constant and most painful and costly partisan war against the Nazi occupier supported by a never ending flow of Russian volunteers sneaking across the border to help the resistance.
In conclusion, and no matter how bad things look now, do not let yourself be deceived by those who believe that this war will end soon. No, unless the Ukies come to their senses and get the hell out of Novorussia (something which Uncle Sam will never permit them to do, of course), this will be a LONG war and A LOT will change before it ends. And it will end with the defeat of the Nazi regime in Kiev. I have no doubt about that at all. But yes, it will take time because, as I wrote earlier today, this Nazi regime has the full support of the US and EU who “will fight Russia to the last Ukrainian solider”.
So this is not an appeal for optimism. Just for realism.
The Saker
Despite all these things hapening Russia still welcomes the new us ambassador to Moscow a person known to be Russian hater and regime change and destabilisation expert!
Rusdia is really finished-self suicide
To: PWW Thanks for replying. Time will tell. I doubt-though it may have a few reorganized units-that Kiev dare pit it’s weakly motivated forces against the resistance by attempting to storm either of the two major cities or any other strongly defended city. I expect continued siege tactics combined with attempts to “deal” on their terms.
It is a great pity that the resistance didn’t put much more effort into developing and building mines of various kinds,training and organizing mobile squads to go out–the further the better-and employ themagainst enemy supply/communication lines. As it stands, their only chance resides in sharp, punishing attacks to keep the enemy off balance while they reorganize. The notion, however, that time is on the side of the resistance seems wishful.
No sense repeating what I think of Moscow’s hands off policy.
Best, Tom
hi. im with my spirit with separatis people.. (sorry for english ) .
i know thath ukraine have nazi battalion with foreing people.
theres also italian people ? theres same place where find a list or photo ? in italy sameone can be interested in this bad guy and jail them .
A very good argument by Bhadrakumar
http://blogs.rediff.com/mkbhadrakumar/2014/07/08/rebels-in-ukraine-in-retreat/
Mindfriedo
” james@wpc said…
Thanks to Gayle and Bob Kay for the Joaquin Flores article.”
And thanks to james for the Club Orlov piece as well.
My comment is that given Putin and the Russian government have seen this crisis coming for some time, perhaps even before Libya’s fragmentation, the elements described in the Club Orlov piece make good sense to me.
On the basis of which I would continue to say that the ultimate goal has to be not fragmentation or division of Ukraine but indeed, federalization. A whole country is far better than a continuing antagonistic mess, and if the US could do it after its Civil War, (and admittedly the outcome hasn’t been perfect,) that should continue to be the goal for Ukraine, or any other country whose borders have been established and a traditional peaceful relationship with neighboring states thus accomplished.
That’s where I take exception to the Flores piece, because it gives the example of Israel for Ukraine, but Israel persists in regarding itself in opposition to fragmented parts of Palestine and this clearly isn’t working. Somebody ought to be talking about federation here as well.
The motto for the United States that I cherish isn’t “In God we trust” for as a political entity that is a divisive motto. The motto I cherish is “E pluribus unum.” People with different faiths and different cultures must learn to live together. That is the great need that Abraham Lincoln saw – he was not named Abraham for nothing.
Anonymous said…10 July, 2014 16:48
“Despite all these things hapening Russia still welcomes the new us ambassador to Moscow a person known to be Russian hater and regime change and destabilisation expert!
Rusdia is really finished-self suicide”
Russian intelligence knows his personality and tactics from building up a profile of him at work over the years. The guy is an open book to them. A new guy might be less well known, and therefore more difficult to counter.
Anonymous said…10 July, 2014 17:14
Was from вот так.
@saker
ostrovsky is not important.Vice still gets good images from the scene in Ukraine.So what if he´s anti Russian the Dispatch series still gives a good impression of the situation there
I’ve found “vice news” to be total propaganda, anglo/zionist propaganda. Ostrovsky, though vile, is just one cog in that perception management manipulating company of liars selling ZPC/NWO criminality and dominance. It’s another “color revolution” sort of scam, calling itself “news”.
вот так
Anonymous 16:48
it is easier to deal with a known enemy than a false friend.
There is one aspect of the Novorussia search for self determination that is not really covered. I have no doubt Strelkov is a capable military commander, and can inspire true loyalty in his troops.
The actual problem facing Novorussia is political rather than military. It is very difficult to defeat a sitting force if it has the people behind it. It seems to me that the Ukies are exploiting the classic divide and conquer approach, pitting Ukrainians in the Donbass against the Russians. Once the military stage has been concluded one way or the other, the ordinary Ukrainians and Russians will be in the same boat. They will all face doubled energy costs, reduced services (Poroshenko is already cutting non-military budgets to focus on the military) and decimated pensions and wages. This is the game plan for the IMF / EU financial solution.
I am not sure the ordinary people are aware of this plan. Strelkov needs some political force as well as military to resolve this to help keep people focused on the big issue. By political, I mean people who are able to explain in everyday terms the implications of the IMF plan for them. This should be contrasted with the possibilities given an orientation more in line with Russia’s original proposal for a neutral fedaralized Ukraine (which is no longer possible). This may make ordinary Donbass people of either linguistic background see there is a greater chance for a better economic position aligned with Russia than as an expendable pawn in America’s plan to destroy Russia and impose another Yeltsin in place of Putin.
The increased fuel costs, reduced services, pensions and wages will happen to anyway, to all citizens of Ukraine. The irony is that a great part of the increased costs will go to Russia to pay for the gas already looted. In the past Ukraine has taken gas without payment to Russia. I presume the ordinary citizens still paid a gas bill to the energy companies. So where effectively did their money go? Into the pockets of the oligarchs, I guess. Now they will have to pay again, with extra fees to the IMF and the oligarchs, to meet the debts owed to Russia. The citizens will also pay a third time through the reduced services, wages and pensions. The ordinary citizens of Ukraine need to be properly educated, hopefully transcending the typical ‘my team right or wrong’ mentality.
Anonymous said…
hi. im with my spirit with separatis people.. (sorry for english ) .
i know thath ukraine have nazi battalion with foreing people.
theres also italian people ? theres same place where find a list or photo ? in italy sameone can be interested in this bad guy and jail them
There is a video of Mr Falcone…
href=”http://www.aljazeera.com/video/europe/2014/06/neo-fascists-train-fight-ukrainian-rebels-20146916493486659.html”
I have come across a very interesting article hinting that significant political changes are looming for the Ukrainian government. This article states that Poroshenko has ordered the merger of the “Aydar” and “Azov” battalions, in anticipation of changes that will happen in autumn. (Gas loss starts to bite?) This interferes with the battalions in Novorossia that are loyal to Kolomoisky. Poroshenko has done this because Kolomoisky (his likely, or at least wannabe, replacement) has made a deal with ‘ulkoa’ (Russian Юлькой – what or who is this?). The author suggests there may be a counter-revolution and military coup in the near future.
I have no idea how reliable this is. It does fit in with my feeling that Kolomoisky wants control for his own personal benefit. Maybe he wants any nationalized property put into his name, so he gains control when it is inevitably privatized if the bankster plan works out.
As a side note, it is interesting that both Poroshenko and the new military General both use PMCs for their close quarter personal protection. They do not trust their own military. Currently Kolomoisky has his own private army, which is loyal while the money flows.
I’m not sure whether anybody already linked to this interview Интервью с командиром батальона “Восток” Александром Ходаковским but I believe that is worth repeating it. It could make it easier to understand few things about situation in Novorussia.
I would say it is definitely worth translating and publishing.
@ Juliana — when you wrote:
“That’s where I take exception to the Flores piece, because it gives the example of Israel for Ukraine, but Israel persists in regarding itself in opposition to fragmented parts of Palestine and this clearly isn’t working. Somebody ought to be talking about federation here as well.”
I think I had a very different reading of the meaning there. The two situations are very different. Ukrainians are certainly not Palestinians, and I’m quite certain the analogy was not meant to pertain to the whole situation, history, etc.
Instead I read this as simply referring to an element of the state’s creation story. And at that, not the whole story. Just an effective part of the mythology where Israel had to ‘go it alone’ to be established. Of course, that’s not true, and it also won’t be true of Novorossiya. That’s where the analogy seems to be. Thoughts?