Might be called propaganda (or counter-propaganda), yet the footage and circumstances look genuine:

Russia tried to jail me for making this video in Kursk (— Caolan Robertson · Mar 20, 2025 · 13m:26s)



, shouldn't that be over in the Trump thread?

Just some guys babbling

Ukraine is not even a state — Putin (2006)

There is no Ukraine — Surkov (2020)

Canada is not a real country — Musk (Feb 24, 2025)

:D Thought there was something familiar here

^{Musk got unlucky, various onlookers grabbed his post before he deleted it}

Brussels ask EU citizens to prepare a 72-hour emergency kit for crises
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/03/26/brussels-ask-eu-citizens-to-put-together-a-72-hour-emergency-kit-to-face-crises

What I do not really understand is why corrupt, coward, dumb, servile European leaders and Zelensky the clown are not doing right away what they are being told by their master, the Great Satan. Can the experts of geopolitics, economy, propaganda, international law, moral, etc. in this thread explain the mystery? I'm begging on my knees.

Looks like Russia can’t help herself.
https://bsky.app/profile/veertjephilips.bsky.social/post/3lle7ng36c22g

Looks like Trump is carving up Ukraine to split half and half with Russia. By getting a deal for 50% of all mineral and energy in Ukraine with a U.S. veto. To be followed by elections to install a Putin stooge.
I don’t see this ending well for Trump.
https://on.ft.com/42fuMdA

The link should have been a gift article, but doesn’t open the article. This link should take you there.

https://bsky.app/profile/snellarthur.bsky.social/post/3llf6e32oe22x

https://bsky.app/profile/snellarthur.bsky.social/post/3llf6e32oe22x — Punshhh

Trump doesn't seem to want to gift Ukraine to Russia, nor does he want to leave Europe to Russia. He wants to take Ukraine from both Europe and Russia, and to make them both dependent on the US.

That is insane. He was just saying yesterday how he needs Greenland for security purposes (while he said it, he looked as though he was in a dream, surreal state of mind), again insane. Vance’s speech in Greenland today was insane. He was saying that Denmark did not do a good job managing Greenland, on the pretence that The U.S. will do a better job.

European defense is being taken seriously enough. Here's a half-hour report regarding some Estonian, Finnish, and Norwegian responses to the activities of Putin's Russia:

How Northern Europe is preparing for war with Russia
^{— Le Monde in English / youtube · Mar 15, 2025 · 30m:48s
(the original French report is pay-walled)}

Typical modus operandi of hybrid attacks mentioned in the report:

• set up social media groups, anti-Europe pages
• post stickers, flyers, conspiracy files
• organize fake protests (cost ≥ 500 €)
• cyberattacks
• bomb threats via email against schools, ports

The report is fairly recent. Additional resources have been allocated in some of these areas. I expect these efforts to continue/increase while Russia is on the offense.


Ukraine’s clandestine book club defies Russia’s push to rewrite history
^{— Peter Pomerantsev, Alina Dykhman · Guardian · Mar 22, 2025}

Micro-resistance to Russification?

A revealing read about America’s clandestine efforts and activities in Ukraine, a proxy war, flirting with all-out nuclear war.

Time and again, the Biden administration authorized clandestine operations it had previously prohibited. American military advisers were dispatched to Kyiv and later allowed to travel closer to the fighting. Military and C.I.A. officers in Wiesbaden helped plan and support a campaign of Ukrainian strikes in Russian-annexed Crimea. Finally, the military and then the C.I.A. received the green light to enable pinpoint strikes deep inside Russia itself.

In some ways, Ukraine was, on a wider canvas, a rematch in a long history of U.S.-Russia proxy wars — Vietnam in the 1960s, Afghanistan in the 1980s, Syria three decades later.

It was also a grand experiment in war fighting, one that would not only help the Ukrainians but reward the Americans with lessons for any future war.

Millions deceased. God help us.

The Partnership: The Secret History of the War in Ukraine

Original:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/29/world/europe/us-ukraine-military-war-wiesbaden.html

, haggling, poor comms, people in people out, egos in the way, tip-toeing, ... I guess that's a lesson in itself.

Supporter high-ups, ministers, presidents, should have told Kyiv something in the spirit of ...

We'll give you what you need (implicitly including Wiesbaden work), provided that there will be no unacceptable civilian casualties. Internal transparency matters. Treating others well, friend or foe, will further incentivize us. The objective is an unoccupied Ukraine.

... and kept promises.

The fog of war. Imagine the chaos on the Russian side.

And now for a quick dose of reality to the Trump nonsense:

(The Guardian) Moscow has described the latest US peace proposals as unacceptable to the Kremlin, highlighting the limited progress Donald Trump has made on his promise to end the war in Ukraine since taking office in January.

Sergei Ryabkov, a foreign policy adviser to Vladimir Putin, said some of Russia’s key demands were not being addressed by the US proposals to end the war, in comments that marked a rare acknowledgment from the Russian side that talks with the US over Ukraine had stalled in recent weeks.

“We take the models and solutions proposed by the Americans very seriously, but we can’t accept it all in its current form,” Ryabkov was quoted by state media as telling the Russian magazine International Affairs.

Why would they talk about peace if they aren't under pressure or face the consequence of losing? Basic Russian thinking, which the "useful idiots" don't seem to understand.

The CSDP doesn't come up much. Related:

EU finance ministers to discuss joint fund to buy and own defence gear
^{— Jan Strupczewski, Richard Chang · Reuters · Apr 7, 2025}

Due to Putin and Trump. Expect anti-EDM/Europe campaigns/rhetoric from the Kremlin. Expect haggling and bureaucracy. We'll see what comes of it.

Hmm...

Ukraine captures two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia, Zelenskyy says
^{— Al Jazeera · Apr 8, 2025}

Will need outside verification. Would Zelenskyy make it up? Could they be Chinese mercs?

Putin just conscripted a slightly higher number than the last time.

Vladimir Putin signs decree calling up 160,000 Russians for military service
^{— Euronews · Mar 31, 2025}

They're not supposed to go to the frontlines. Maybe they're running low on bodies.

Should they be confirmed Chinese soldiers, what might be expected in response? Will Xi disown/deny them? Either way, there seems to be at least some justification for Ukraine's allies to put soldiers on the ground, though perhaps not that much.

Trump mocks world leaders, claims they are ‘kissing my ass’ to make a deal on tariffs
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-s-trade-chief-admits-us-running-up-the-score-with-tariffs-on-australia-20250409-p5lqap.html

More on Russia signaling goodwill to become a laughing third along with Europe in the prospect of a future US-China war:

Russian propagandist warns Brit and French troops 'we will kill you all' and threatens to sink London under a nuclear tidal wave in TV rant
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14507187/Russian-propagandist-warns-Brit-French-troops-kill-you-threatens-sink-London-nuclear-tidal-wave-TV-rant.html

Russian State TV Host Threatens Strikes on NATO Countries
https://www.newsweek.com/russian-state-tv-host-threatens-strikes-nato-countries-1991581

Putin Ally Threatens to 'Erase' NATO Ally 'Off the Face of the Earth'
https://www.newsweek.com/putin-ally-vladimir-solovyov-threatens-germany-nato-2037345

Russian TV Says Europe Will Be 'Destroyed' By 2029
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0unhxkWkiKY

Russian propagandist targets EU Parliament VP with harsh insults
https://decode39.com/10155/russian-propagandist-targets-eu-parliament-vp-with-harsh-insults/

Putin Threatens To Send Arms To Countries That Could Attack Kyiv's Allies
https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-russia-ukraine-nuclear-europe-us/32980827.html

State TV says Russia will divide Europe if JD Vance wins in 2028
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFBvas94-ps

Trump in Afghanistan again?
https://www.thestatesman.com/opinion/the-mysterious-case-of-the-bagram-airbase-1503420373.html

What is the propaganda Trump is spinning about the conflict in Ukraine? The silence of the US propaganda critics is destabilizing me. Peace in one day? Nope. In 90 days? Nope. And now "let's take a pass within days" if no progress in peace negotiations (let's make it 100 days?). And Zelensky was just a clownish corrupt American lapdog, how can Ukraine be in the way of blocking two superpower leaders' efforts to bring peace in a devastated land, with no men left fighting or wanting to fight, with no military support, corruption everywhere, and humiliated for all their catastrophic choices and losses they have suffered? While Russia has already won since day one: they just wanted the Donbas and Crimea from day one, and they got that. Why is this conflict not over yet?

So Putin declares an Easter ceasefire, end at Sunday midnight.

Such a good Christian.

But anyway, 36 hours is better than nothing, if it lasts.

Russia has already won since day one: they just wanted the Donbas and Crimea from day one, and they got that.

Then they just stop firing and sit where they are. Or is Ukraine the aggressor?

Then they just stop firing and sit where they are. Or is Ukraine the aggressor? — Punshhh

That's the insane bullshit promoted. And I guess many MAGA diehards believe that.

If only people would listen and look what Russia and Putin actually say, the case would be more clear. Russia has declared Ukrainian oblasts to be integral parts of Russia. And these oblasts have territories that are still in Ukrainian hands, so even the minimum objectives aren't yet met. Better objective would be that Ukraine would lose it's entrance to the Black Sea. And then of course Putin wants that rump Ukraine would be controlled by a Russian puppet regime. Putin already had a puppet in waiting, but that didn't make it.

With Trump assisting Putin, why wouldn't Putin continue the war?

^{(unknown veracity, but most seems consistent enough with whatever else)}

Trump Tower Moscow, Rare Earths and Geopolitical Perks: How the Kremlin Plans to Bait Trump Into a Grand Bargain
^{— Pyotr Kozlov · The Moscow Times · Apr 21, 2025}

Is Putin going for a Molotov-Ribbentrop type deal with Trump?
I guess it's up to the Ukrainians.
Europe better get its act together.

Is Putin going for a Molotov-Ribbentrop type deal with Trump? — jorndoe

Putin would be drooling to get one. And yes, basically that's what he is trying to get.

Europe better get its act together. — jorndoe

Hope it will do that.

(Deutsche Welle, 11th April 2025) Acting German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced a new military aid package from Germany at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group in Brussels.

According to Pistorius, more guided missiles and ground surveillance radars will be delivered to Ukraine this year.

The package will also include a further 100,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, 300 reconnaissance drones, 25 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, 15 Leopard 1A5 main battle tanks, 120 Manpads ground-based air defense systems and 14 artillery systems.

In recent days, 30 additional Patriot guided missiles have also been delivered to Ukraine, the minister added.

*******
The European Union and its member states have committed more than €23 billion ($26.2 billion) in military aid to Ukraine so far this year, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.

It is a higher amount than €20 billion of support for Ukraine last year, she added in a post on social media.

If the US commitment wanes and the US won't supply, what will happen? The rounds used in the war are in the millions. Will be a very difficult late summer and fall.

Will be a very difficult late summer and fall — ssu

Also, there seems to be more focus on defensive weaponry, like detecting and shooting down incoming bombs and drones. With less (effective) weaponry to strike back, it's a precarious situation. Sufficient aid to put the invaders on the defense would help.

Inside North Korea’s vast operation to help Russia’s war on Ukraine
^{— Tom Balmforth, Mariano Zafra et al · Reuters · Apr 15, 2025}

Recently, Kryvyi Rih (Republic World, AP, Reuters) and Sumy (AP, Oneindia News, Al Jazeera) were the "sitting ducks".

Also, there seems to be more focus on defensive weaponry, like detecting and shooting down incoming bombs and drones. With less (effective) weaponry to strike back, it's a precarious situation. Sufficient aid to put the invaders on the defense would help. — jorndoe

The positive thing is that Ukraine's defense industry is really kicking into gear too. It's said to have 300 000 working in the military-industrial complex and producing like well over million drones annually, which production is increasing. FPV drones are now killing more than artillery, which indeed is quite a revolution in military affairs. Yet these drones are controlled by human drone flyers, the next step is likely going to be swarms of drone controlled/assisted by AI. The main weakness is control: hence optical wires are usually needed, even if naturally there is also the issue with short range and payload limitations.




What is notable is that the losses that Russia has endured has lowered it's abilities. The casualty rates have had a toll on Russia. Rarely do Russians operate at night and vast numbers of the new recruits seem to get inadequate training. Once Russia basically put itself behind the Gerasimov-line, it also hindered it's ability to do maneuver warfare.

Apparently, the ceasefire/peace talks have been postponed.

Word on the street is that Team Trump was going to present the following in London:

• de jure recognition by the US of Russia's control over Crimea
• de facto recognition of Russia's occupation of most of Luhansk, parts of Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia
• guarantee that Ukraine will not join NATO
• lifting of sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014

• a (vague) security guarantee from a handful of European countries, no US involvement
• return to Ukraine of a small portion of the Kharkiv region currently under Russian occupation
• ambiguous promises of reconstruction aid

Won't fly. And then Team Trump would likely blame it all on Ukraine (is my guess), still without standing up to Putin. Maybe that's why it was postponed.

Won't fly — jorndoe

It's essentially giving Russia a bunch of pre-emptive concessions in return for a status quo ceasefire.

Since there's no operable European coalition to actually provide security (that we know of), such a "guarantee" would be pretty useless. The members of such a coalition would have to be willing to get into a shooting war with Russia without US backing. If such a coalition was feasible, the war wouldn't be in the state it's in in the first place.

Still the question is how Ukraine plays this to avoid another cut off of US support (if it can). The deal is also odious to Russia in that it would entail a small retreat and run counter to the propaganda campaign. So if Putin is put on the spot I think he'd have trouble accepting it publicly. Yet Zelensky doesn't seem the type for such moves as he's already made clear de jure cession of Crimea is out of the question (as if would be unconstitutional).

Since there's no operable European coalition to actually provide security (that we know of), such a "guarantee" would be pretty useless. The members of such a coalition would have to be willing to get into a shooting war with Russia without US backing. If such a coalition was feasible, the war wouldn't be in the state it's in in the first place.

Europe has no choice, they will get into a shooting war with Russia, unless they can assist Ukraine to defeat Russia in the meantime.

I’m wondering what all the U.S. troops in bases all around Europe are going to do. Order in some buckets of popcorn. Or return home in a hurry.

More threats from Trump against Zelensky, the corrupt clown American lapdog Nazi and Jewish warmonger catastrophic looser (have you seen his cloths?!): https://nypost.com/2025/04/23/us-news/trump-gives-zelensky-dire-warning-on-russia-ukraine-war-accept-peace-or-risk-losing-the-whole-country/