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To: null and void; aragorn; Axenolith; AZ .44 MAG; Baynative; Beautiful_Gracious_Skies; bgill; bitt; ...

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Globalism / Great Reset -
Yuval Noah Harari, WEF Schwab advisor in a recent interview - “Most humans will become economically useless and politically powerless… we are beginning to see a new class of humans… “The Useless Class”

OBSERVATION - Watch this guy like a hawk, he exudes pure evil.

World Economic Forum technocrats are urging people to ditch meat and other foods deemed to be harmful to the planet and instead consume “climate beneficial foods” such as seaweed, algae and cacti. A video summary was posted to Twitter in which the WEF promoted alternatives to a food system it claimed is responsible for two thirds of global carbon dioxide emissions.

OBSERVATION - Do as I say, not as I do. “There is no record of exactly what was served to the 2,500 invited delegates dining at the elite gathering in Davos and whether or not the WEF’s own dietary instructions were followed by participants,” writes Simon Kent.

Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach during a discussion on the future of cross-border payments between nations was one of the few participants that was willing to suggest that the SWIFT system, long dominated by western interests, might be made obsolete along with the proliferation of digital currencies among central banks. Initially dismissed as “conspiracy theory” only a few years ago by the media, whispers of CBDCs have suddenly gone mainstream and blockchain technologies took center stage at Davos in 2022. The Federal Reserve has even started active public discussions assessing the case for retail digital currency products.

OBSERVATION - National level CBDCs are just the stepping stone to a globally controlled digital currency.

Canada should introduce a total ban on the buying and selling of all handguns, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said. His government is proposing a new law that would freeze private ownership of all short-barrelled firearms. The legislation would not ban the ownership of handguns outright - but would make it illegal to buy them.
The bill, which was presented to Canada’s parliament on Monday, makes it impossible to buy, sell, transfer or import handguns anywhere in the country. “Other than using firearms for sport shooting and hunting, there is no reason anyone in Canada should need guns in their everyday lives,” Mr Trudeau told reporters.

President Joe Biden pushed for more gun control on Monday, even though it was Memorial Day, a national patriotic holiday.
“The Constitution, the Second Amendment was never absolute,” Biden said to reporters.

Australia’s biggest state of New South Wales (NSW) launched a fresh round of firearm destruction Tuesday, disposing of weapons seized and gathered by local law enforcement officers. The haul of 2809 firearms came into police possession after being seized through criminal investigations, located as abandoned property, and surrendered. The state has a population of just over eight million people.

OBSERVATION - GGR globalists MUST have a disarmed populace in order to force their visions of a better world. Most of Europe has already collapsed to disarmament, leaving a few countries left to disarm.
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Economy -
Crude prices rose during Asia hours after EU leaders agreed to ban about 90% of Russian oil by the end of 2022. Brent crude rose above $123 a barrel on Tuesday, the highest it’s been for two months upon the news.

According to a Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll that was recently conducted, 56 percent of Americans say that their financial situations are getting worse, and only 20 percent of Americans say that their financial situations are improving.

Baby formula can be easily found south of the U.S. despite the shortage, parents in a Mexican border town told Fox News. “Well, right now, when I got the formula, I’ve seen two, three people getting formula from the other side,” Jorge, of Tijuana, said. “They have it everywhere at the pharmacies, any store.”

OBSERVATION - When Mexico can feed its babies, and the US cannot - things are pretty screwed up.

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Biden / Harris watch -
President Joe Biden stated on Monday that “Democracy is not perfect,” further noting that “it’s never been good” before seemingly correcting himself to add “perfect.
“Ladies and gentlemen, today we remember, and we reaffirm, freedom is worth the sacrifice,” Biden said during a Memorial Day speech. “Democracy is not perfect. It’s never been good – perfect. But it’s worth fighting for.”

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CW2/Domestic violence -
Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a bill to create domestic terrorism offices within federal law enforcement agencies in response to a mass shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., that left 10 people dead.
The legislation would have created an interagency task force within the Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to analyze and combat white supremacist infiltration in the military and federal law enforcement agencies.
Republican senators argued that new federal laws and offices are not needed to monitor and prosecute domestic terrorism because politically motivated violence is already covered by existing laws.
They also voiced concerns that the bill could open the door to improper surveillance of political groups and create a double standard for extreme groups on the right and left of the political spectrum.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called the legislation an “insult” to police officers and military servicemembers. “It would be the Democrat plan to name our police as white supremacists and neo-Nazis. I met policemen throughout Kentucky and I’ve not met one policeman motivated or consumed with any kind of racial rage,” he said. “What an insult it is to put a bill before the House and say our Marines are consumed with white supremacy and neo-Nazism,” he added.

OBSERVATION - Disarm the citizenry - create a new class of criminals/terrorists.
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POLITICAL FRONT -

More polling showing that democrats are facing a politcal bloodbath this fall.

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Domestic Terror -
See CW2 section

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China -
An unprecedented video conference with 100,000 lower level officials was held last Wednesday by the Chinese State Cabinet as the central government scrambles to address China’s crumbling economy, writes Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times.
Aiming to portray the massive conference as a rally around central government interjection in the economy and the nation’s confidence in “China’s unique institutional advantages,” the nation-wide meeting, on the contrary, could indicate a scrambling by the Chinese government to save the nation’s collapsing financial system.

The Caixin purchasing managers’ index, a popular and closely followed indicator for assessing the state of the Chinese economy dropped 5.8 points: from 42 in March to 36.2 in April. Any figure below 50 indicates contraction and anything above indicates expansion, CNN Business reports. With China’s massive services and manufacturing sectors contracting rapidly, China’s economy is going backwards.

OBSERVATION - China’s economy could cause Xi to be replaced by the Chinese powers that be. Their massive military buildup needs a strong economy to pay the bills.

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi mocked President Biden’s wide-ranging Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) for failing to reduce tariffs. Wang was on a diplomatic tour of Pacific Island nations this past week trying to sell China’s version of a security and economic cooperation agreement but was itself snubbed by the Pacific Island Forum (PIF), which decided to reject the Chinese agreement.

OBSERVATION - PIF is right to question China’s goal for the Pacific.

Chinese government authorities stated they were preparing to reopen China’s largest city, Shanghai, after two months of COVID lockdowns. Shanghai’s vice mayor Zong Ming announced bus and rail service was being restored, and schools and shopping malls would be reopened in the coming week.

OBSERVATION - It is going to take weeks to straighten out the global supply chain mess the lock down has caused.
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North/South Korea -

NUKE WATCH on going.

North Korea this week assumes the presidency of the U.N.-linked Conference on Disarmament. NK assumptions rotating presidency of the Geneva-based multilateral forum for the next month has prompted a group of 31 U.N.-accredited non-governmental organizations to call on democracies to stay away in protest.
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Russia -
WAR WATCH - The Battle for Donbas is on - now entering its the fourth month of the war .

CURRENT ASSESSMENT - Russia initially hard pivoted to a readjustment of combat forces to sieze the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. However, Russia has failed in this attempt and has continually narrowed its focus now to capturing Sievierodonetsk

ALSO - there is a lot of propaganda out there. I’m doing my best to filter that out or put into context. When In doubt I’ve been trying to identify questionable information.

********
Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia ditches referendum on joining Russia, leader says

The Russians conducted another test launch of their hypersonic Zircon cruise missile yesterday in the White Sea. The Defense Ministry said the Admiral Gorshkov frigate of the Northern Fleet in the White Sea launched the Zircon cruise missile in the Barents Sea, successfully hitting a practice target in the White Sea about 1,000 kilometers (540 nautical miles) away.
The launch was the latest in a series of tests of Zircon, which is set to enter service later this year.

Russian Personnel Issues -
- Latest estimates from the Ukraine’s Armed Forces suggest as many as 30,350 Russian soldiers have been killed since the invasion was launched on February 24, which came after more than 120,000 of the Kremlin’s troops massed on the border. NOTE - extrapolation would suggest upwards of 90,000 wounded.
- A category of military leadership not tallied has been the heavy losses of junior officers. Russia lacks the NCO backbone the US military has, so junior officers have to bear the brunt of the load. With the loss of these officers, the Russian military grinds to a halt, until officers from higher headquarters go forward to resume control. Hence all the high losses of these more senior officers as well. It is being assessed by some observers that the continued losses of these junior officers will complicate command and control efforts, particularly in Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs) cobbled together from the survivors of multiple other units.

Economic Impact -
- Russia’s Gazprom says has suspended gas supplies to Netherlands
- EU agrees ban on ‘more than 2/3’ of Russian oil imports, EU chief says. Sanctions package includes other hard-hitting measures: de-Swifting the largest Russian bank Sberbank, banning 3 more Russian state-owned broadcasters, and sanctioning individuals responsible for war crimes in Ukraine
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Ukraine -

WEATHER FORECAST - Rain/showers for the first half of the 10 day forecast period, followed by a drying period.

24 HOUR ROUND UP -
Russian continues to make gains in the fight for Sieverodonetsk, now controlling about half the town. Reports that Russian forces are reportedly transferring large quantities of personnel and equipment to the area to strengthen operations against Severodonetsk. This fight has absorbed most of the Russian resources.

Kyiv front -
Nothing significant to report.

Northern (Chernihv region ) and North Eastern (Konotop - Sumy salient) Fronts -
Nothing significant to report.

Eastern (Kharkiv) front -
Russian forces continue to block Ukraine from reaching the Russian border. Russia targeted numerous towns around Kharkiv with artillery and MLRS fire.

Donetsk Oblast -
Fluid tactical situation

Russian troops have captured approximately the northern half of Sieverodonetsk city, heavy battles ongoing. South of Severodonetsk see-saw battles in Toshkivka, Ustynivka, Voronove, Borivske, and Metolkine continue.

Intense artillery by Russian forces along the western and southern margins of the Izyum salient and along the northern flank of the Popasna salient as Russian ground forces attempt assaults in those directions.

Ground attacks out of Popasna have become increasingly stymied by Urkainan forces. Efforts are concentrated on isolating Sieverodonetsk from the south.

Ground offensives out of Izyum continue to be stalled/stymied by Ukrainan forces.

Eastern (Donbas Separatist Region) Front -
Limited unsuccessful Russian attacks.
Increased partisan activity being noted in Russian controlled regions with an IED being set off near the residence of the Russian-appointed Mayor of Zaporizhia Eugene Balitsky.

Crimea Front -
Concentrated Russian artillery northwest of Kherson and towards Kryvyl Rih. Russians blew up a bridge at Bridge at Davydiv Brid in an effort to stall the Ukraine counter offensive in the area.

Western Ukraine -
Nothing significant to report.

Russian Territory -
Nothing significant to report.

OUTLOOK - Battles in eastern Ukraine continue to be fluid.

BLUF - Ukrainan forces are still in a precarious position in the Sievierodonetsk salient. Difficult to say if Russian forces have hit a stall or are just regrouping for further assault.

Ukrainian defense of Sievierodonetsk continues to be tenacious, forcing Russian troops to enter a meat grinder and forcing Russia to commit a lot of resources towards the capture of the town. This focus by Russia on Sievierodonetsk has continued to create opportunities for Ukrainan actions elsewhere. However, the intensity of the Sievierodonetsk battle has the majority of Ukrainians focus as well.

Russian capture of Sievierodonetsk would pretty much seal up control of Luhansk Oblast. Russia maintains under their Phase 2 goal the control of all the Donbas. Luhansk was nearly all under Russian control and it has taken over three months to get this far. Conquest of the rest of the Donbas region is far beyond their capabilities at the present. Even if 60 battalions of reserves are mustered up in the next 30 days, they would still be in the hole.

How long can Sievierodonetsk hold out? It will depend upon if Russia can finally cut off the Ukrainan logistic to it and so far Ukraine has been able to stablilze the shoulders of the salient.

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Belarus -
Belarusian state media said a special operation by its KGB liberated “several dozen” citizens from Ukrainian captivity. President Lukashenko said, “I remember saying then that if the guys were not returned to us, then we would conduct an acute special operation to release our guys.”

OBSERVATION - This could become touchy for Belarus/Ukraine perhaps providing Ukraine with an excuse to selective target Belarus assets.
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Europe / NATO General -

Representatives of a group of nations working together to investigate war crimes in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are meeting in The Hague amid ongoing calls for those responsible for atrocities to be brought to justice.

Deputy Secretary-General of NATO, Mircea Geoana state Sunday that the alliance is free from its previous commitments with Russia not to deploy its forces in Eastern Europe. Moscow itself has “voided of any content” the NATO-Russia Founding Act, by attacking Ukraine and halting dialogue with the alliance, Mircea Geoana told AFP.
Under the 1997 Founding Act, intended to reset the relationship between Russia and the Alliance, both sides agreed to work to “prevent any potentially threatening build-up of conventional forces in agreed regions of Europe, to include Central and Eastern Europe.”
“They took decisions, they made obligations there not to aggress neighbors, which they are doing, and to have regular consultations with NATO, which they don’t,” said Geoana, speaking in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius.
“So I think that in fact this founding act is basically not functioning because of Russia,” he added.
Russia, he said, had effectively moved away from the terms of the 1997 agreement.
“Now we have no restrictions to have robust posture in the eastern flank and to ensure that every square inch of NATO’s territory is protected by Article 5 and our allies.”

OBSERVATION - This statement indicates a more aggressive stance towards Russia.
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Iran -
Anti-government protests taking place across various Iranian cities tonight. Security forces are, among other things, shooting at protesters in Khoramshahr. In Bushehr, southern Iran, locals are protesting in the streets and launching anti-government protests by blocking roads with fires.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said in its latest report on Iran’s nuclear program that it “estimated that, as of May 15, 2022, Iran’s total enriched stockpile was 3,809.3 kilograms.” That is more than 18 times the limit laid down in Tehran’s 2015 deal with world powers. The stockpile of uranium enriched up to 20 percent is now estimated to be 238.4 kg, up 56.3 kg since the last report in March, while the amount enriched to 60 percent stands at 43.1 kg, an increase of 9.9 kg.
Enrichment levels of around 90 percent are required for use in a nuclear weapon.

On May 27 at approx. 3 p.m. EDT two Greek-flagged merchant vessels were seized while transiting international waters in the Arabian Gulf. The vessels then were moved into Iranian territorial waters. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has claimed responsibility.
OBSERVATION - This was in response to the seizure of an Iranian tanker.
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Iraq -
According to the Iraqi Oil Marketing Company, Iraq is in discussions with France over the possibility of supplying the European market with oil

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Turkey -
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russia’s Vladimir Putin he is ready to meet with officials from Russia, Ukraine, and the United Nations in Istanbul to help bring about an end to the war, the Turkish government said.

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372 posted on 05/31/2022 7:20:46 AM PDT by Godzilla (Never give up, never surrender . . . . . .)
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To: null and void; aragorn; Axenolith; AZ .44 MAG; Baynative; Beautiful_Gracious_Skies; bgill; bitt; ...

Today’s post will be delayed. Sorry


373 posted on 06/01/2022 6:09:27 AM PDT by Godzilla (Never give up, never surrender . . . . . .)
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To: null and void; aragorn; Axenolith; AZ .44 MAG; Baynative; Beautiful_Gracious_Skies; bgill; bitt; ...

Late, sorry, life happens

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Globalism / Great Reset -

Schoolchildren in Wales are being fed bugs as part of a research programme by publicly-funded universities “to educate children on the environmental and nutritional benefits of edible insects across the UK”, according to the left-wing i newspaper.

OBSERVATION - Conditioning children AND parents for the GGR.

Tulsi Gabbard - “While we struggle to afford food and fuel, the elite gathered at Davos/WEF to discuss how we should be allowed to live our lives. Their totalitarian dream of a so-called “Great Reset” where people own nothing and are tracked/monitored with every step, must be condemned by us all.”
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Wuhan virus -
The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday asked a federal appeals court to overturn a U.S. District Court judge’s order that declared a government mandate requiring masks on public transportation unlawful, according to a report.
A federal judge in April voided the Biden administration’s mask mandate for travelers using public transportation such as trains and airplanes. The mandate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) applied to people as young as 2-years-old.

NOTE - its not about the disease, but power.
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Economy - During an interview aired on Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Situation Room,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen admitted that she “was wrong” about inflation and that while “unanticipated and large shocks to the economy” are a part of the reason, she also “didn’t fully understand” supply bottlenecks that have hurt the economy.
OBSERVATION - This coming from the former head of the FED. Not very encouraging for the future.

On Tuesday’s broadcast of “CNN Newsroom,” White House Council of Economic Advisers chair Cecilia Rouse stated that the White House incorrectly predicted inflation wouldn’t be a long-term issue because “what we understood about inflation at the time was it was tied to the pandemic. We are still in the midst of this pandemic.” And because Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused economic problems.
After playing clips of President Joe Biden in 2021 predicting inflation would be temporary and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell predicting that inflation wouldn’t rise to major levels, co-host Victor Blackwell asked, “Those expectations, clearly wrong. Does the White House acknowledge that it got it wrong for too long?”
OBSERVATION - The WH was deliberant in their actions. Trying to echo the narrative like Yellen. Do you really think they’d accept any blame.

Reserves of natural gas have dropped 15% lower than the five-year average as a result of slowed production coupled with increased demands and exports. This bill result in continued high prices.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller national home price index showed prices were up 20.6 percent in March compared with 12-months earlier. That is a faster pace than the 20 percent gain in February.
NOTE - Doesn’t show the effects of higher interest rates yet.

Rice may be India’s next food protectionism target after it restricted wheat and sugar exports, analysts say, a move that could have a devastating impact on global food security as it’s an important staple. India’s curbs on wheat and sugar exports sent shock waves through global markets as it marked an escalation in food protectionism that’s seen countries choke off flows of locally-grown supplies to the world. A similar move on rice by the No. 1 exporter at a time when crops like wheat and corn are soaring would threaten to plunge millions more into hunger and boost inflation risks. India is the world’s biggest rice exporter, accounting for 40% of trade.

OBSERVATION - More global instability in foods and prices.

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CW2/Domestic violence -

President Joe Biden warmly welcomed New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to the White House on Tuesday, expressing his interest in her views on gun control and online censorship in her country.
“We need your guidance,” Biden said as he welcomed Ardern to the Oval Office. “And it’s a pleasure to see you in person.” He praised the prime minister warmly for making progress on issues like climate change, combatting “violent extremism online,” and gun control.

OBSERVATION - This is part of the attempt to disarm America. Expect the intensity level to disarm the country to grow very steeply. Ardern is a staunch socialist.

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Strategic Activity / Deployments
The U.S. Air Force is reportedly preparing to forward deploy 3 to 4 B-1B bombers to Guam in preparation for North Korea’s anticipated 7th nuclear weapons test. A military source claimed, “There is a high probability that the B-1B bombers will stay ready in Guam before being instantly deployed to the Korean Peninsula in the event the North should conduct a nuclear test.” Also, DOD mobilized all available reconnaissance resources to monitor Pyongyang, including a Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.

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North/South Korea -

NUKE WATCH on going.

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Russia -
WAR WATCH - The Battle for Donbas is on - now entering its the fourth month of the war .

CURRENT ASSESSMENT - Russia initially hard pivoted to a readjustment of combat forces to sieze the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. However, Russia has failed in this attempt and has continually narrowed its focus now to capturing Sievierodonetsk

ALSO - there is a lot of propaganda out there. I’m doing my best to filter that out or put into context. When In doubt I’ve been trying to identify questionable information.

********
Russia has been making a lot of rumblings about the advanced hardware Ukraine is receiving and further threatening a widened war agains the US and NATO.

RUMINT -
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has denied speculation that President Vladimir Putin is ill. In an interview with French TV, Mr Lavrov said the Russian leader appears in public every day, and no sane person would see any signs of an ailment.

Logistics -
- Reports that Russian forces are attempting to exploit Belarusian equipment reserves to compensate for heavy material losses in Ukraine. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on May 31 that Belarusian forces were moving tanks and infantry fighting vehicles from storage facilities in Belarus to Russia to replenish combat losses.

Russian Personnel Issues -
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has fired five generals and one police colonel, according to a report from Moscow-based media group RBC, amid the country’s military failures in Ukraine. Those fired included Major General of Police Vasily Kukushkin, who was head of the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Vladimir region; Major General Alexander Laas, deputy head of the Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Altai Territory and Major General Andrey Lipilin, head of the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Yaroslavl Region. Major General Alexander Udovenko of the Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Major General Yuri Instrankin, deputy head of the Department for Logistics and Medical Support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, were also reportedly dismissed. Putin has also reportedly fired Police Colonel Emil Musin, who was the first deputy head of the Forensic Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Economic Impact -
- Russia’s largest bank will be removed from the SWIFT international banking system in the latest round of international sanctions announced by the European Union late Monday. Sberbank, which encompasses 37 percent of the Russian banking sector, will no longer be allowed to utilize the international program – effectively cutting it off from global financial networks.

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Ukraine -

WEATHER FORECAST - Rain/showers for the first half of the 10 day forecast period, followed by a drying period.

24 HOUR ROUND UP -
It appears that Ukraine is staging an orderly withdrawl from Sieverodonetsk. It is believed that the Russians control over 70% of the rubble that was the city. What this withdrawal does is place another significant river that Russia has to cross to continue the attack.

Ukrainan counter offensive north of Kherson has resumed with Russia scrambling to try to contain the breakout.

Kyiv front -
Nothing significant to report.

Northern (Chernihv region ) and North Eastern (Konotop - Sumy salient) Fronts -
Russian Su-35 conducted missile strike at Bilopillia of Sumy region. Artillery shelled Seredyna-Buda area.

Eastern (Kharkiv) front -
Considerable Russian artillery and air strkes northeast of Kharkiv. No significant changes on the ground.

Donetsk Oblast -
Fluid tactical situation

Russian forces are still stuck in the Izyum salient, having failed attacks towards the southwest and southeast. It a appears the most effort is being directed to link up with Russian forces in the Lyman area.

Fighting south of Lyman is ongoing and the bridge over the Donets still stands. This suggests Ukrainians have not fully withdrawn from their positions towards Slovyansk

Russian forces attempting to establish full control over Sieverodonetsk. Russian has gained about 70% of the rubble that used to be a city. Ukraine is staging an orderly withdrawal back to new positions to the west. See outlook below on the scale of Russian’s operation.

Russian army attempted to push northward from the Popasna salient towards Bilohorivka and Vrubivka, with airstrikes reported near Komyshuvakha, Berestove and Nyrkove.

Eastern (Donbas Separatist Region) Front -
Nothing significant to report.

Crimea Front -
Ukraine’s counter offensive at Davydiv Brid continues, threatening to cut off Russian forces in half along the front. Russian forces deployed mines at shores of Inhulets river to prevent possible attacks of Ukrainian forces. Russian aviation conducted airstrikes near Davydiv Brid of Kherson region.

Ukraine is also counterattacking from the north towards the Davydiv Brid region.

Western Ukraine -
Nothing significant to report.

Russian Territory -
Nothing significant to report.

OUTLOOK - Battles in eastern Ukraine continue to be fluid.

BLUF - Ukrainan forces are still in a precarious position in the Sievierodonetsk salient. A strategic withdrawl by Ukraine, though distasteful to them, is the smart thing to do. Ukraine has forced Russian into a very difficult situation because it was forced to devote the bulk of its resources to a relatively not significant town. Now Russia will be forced to face another difficult series of river crossings that have in the recent been devastating for them.

I’ve found a few maps that depict the progressively shrinking goals of the Russian military since they began their Phase 2 operation - just to give you a scale of how they have been forced to reduce their goals.

The following link shows the progressive reduction of Russian goals, based in part on rhetoric from Moscow as well as efforts on the ground.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FUG1kCoWUAAbvTK?format=png&name=900x900

The March 22 encirclement is the goal needed to capture all the Donbas region. It fell apart under the Ukraine counter offensive around Kharkiv as well as failed attacks towards Zaporizhzhia.

April saw the initial break through at Izyum, which quickly turned into a quagmire for Russians, with no supporting attack coming from the south.

May saw another attempt to breakout towards the south - southeast out of Izyum, which again stalled and had no support coming from the south.

Finally, the current situation with a break through at Lyman and Popasna cutting key supply LOC to Sievierodonetsk. PAUSE and think about this - Russia had to dedicate the bulk of its military resources to capture a very tiny pocket. The next two links show most of the eastern half of Ukraine followed by a zoomed in map of the Sievierodonetsk pocket.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FUGHs1haUAAm2OR?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FUGH9FlacAcTNav?format=jpg&name=largeh

It took Russia a couple months to get to this point, only a fraction of the Donbas.

Russian will be in a bind having to then readjust forces and logistics to push to the west out of the pocket. As noted, more river crossings (Severskyi Donets River), exposed to more modern and lethal NATO supplied weapons systems. Meanwhile, Russia has depleted units on its operational flanks - Kharhriv and Kherson, vulnerable to Ukrainian counter offensives.

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Belarus -
See armor vehicles equipment being shipped to Russia.
______________________________________

Israel -
Israel signed a free trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, its first with an Arab state and one which eliminates most tariffs and aims to lift their annual bilateral trade to more than $10 billion.

____________________________________

Iran -
Iranian officials told Greece to work without the U.S. to resolve a tanker seizure dispute. The U.S. told Iran to immediately release seized Greek tankers, cargo, and crews. “Mr. Blinken has to realize that the era when the U.S. single handedly imposed its rules on the world has come to an end,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said. “Unfortunately, the Greek government demonstrated that taking orders from a third party is more important to them … But we believe relations between Iran and Greece should remain well-intentioned.”

Iran disrupted internet access to the outside world as angry demonstrators rallied over the collapse of a tower in Iran that has killed at least 36 people, experts said Tuesday, as outrage and grief continued to grow in the country. Protesters in several cities in Iran chanted anti-government slogans overnight, including “death to Khamenei”.

Iran accused the International Atomic Energy Agency on Tuesday of publishing an unfair report on its investigation into Tehran’s nuclear activities, possibly setting up a fresh diplomatic clash with the West.

__________________________________

Iraq -
According to the Iraqi Oil Marketing Company, Iraq is in discussions with France over the possibility of supplying the European market with oil

_________________________________

Black Swans -
Forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict an “unusually” active hurricane season for 2022, with a 70% likelihood of 14-21 named storms, including 6-10 hurricanes. NOAA forecasts indicate 3-6 of the storms will be major hurricanes of category 3 or higher. The agency cited this enhanced risk is caused by a volatile mix of ongoing climate conditions, including La Niña effects in the Pacific, warm surface temperatures in the Atlantic and Caribbean, combined with enhanced west African monsoon conditions, and weak tropical Atlantic trade winds.

OBSERVATION - Our national level emergency response to a major hurricane will be a clown act. That on top of the addition stress placed on the economy.


374 posted on 06/01/2022 1:38:08 PM PDT by Godzilla (Never give up, never surrender . . . . . .)
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