Posted on 05/14/2022 9:47:25 AM PDT by Kazan
f you want to know how the war is going in Ukraine, you only needed to take note of one piece of “news” today–Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called his Russian counterpart:
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Pentagon announced on Friday.
The call lasted approximately an hour and was at the request of Austin, who used the first call between the two in 84 days to urge Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to implement an “immediate ceasefire,” according to a brief readout of the call. The two last spoke on February 18, a week before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
CNN
If Russia was losing or completely stuck in Ukraine, one would expect that Sergei Shoigu would be the guy calling Austin and begging for mercy. Well, that is not what happened. It was Austin that placed the call, apparently unconcerned about his recent public call to weaken Russia. Why would Austin urge Shoigu to implement an “immediate ceasefire” if Russia was getting its ass kicked? Russia getting whipped by Ukraine is exactly what Austin has called for. Remember?
“We want to see Russia weakened to the degree that it can’t do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine. . .”
If Russia is on the ropes, why call off the beating? You call off the fight when its your guy getting pummeled. The Russian offensive in the Donbass has ramped up significantly in the last week and it is carving up entrenched Ukrainian units with no hope of being reinforced or rescued by a counter-offensive.
War expert Justin Bronk says ailing Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine is FAILING
Let me highlight the lies for you. Start with Snake Island:
Russia suffers losses trying to secure the island after a series of Ukrainian attacks.
WRONG!! The Ukrainians tried and failed to take the tiny rock on the even of the Liberation Day celebrations in Russia on 9 May. Ukraine lost big–the death of more than 60 Ukrainian marines and members of elite AFU units, four fixed wing combat aircraft, 10 helicopters, 3 boats and 30 unmanned aerial vehicles. The Russians knew the attack was coming and were lying in wait. They apparently put some bait on the barren rock–some sophisticated missiles–to attract the Ukrainians. It worked.
Heavy bombardment continues at Azovstal as last defenders hold out.
DELIBERATELY MISLEADING. Yes, bombs and missiles continue to rain down on those parts of the Azovstal steel plant where a shrinking number of Azov battalion fanatics hunker down and send out video pleas for rescue. The a few of the wives of the men trapped in the bowels of Azovstal are now on social media begging for someone to save their guys. Here is one of the ladies, who previously posted a photo of her in her combat pose. The second image–she’s weeping for her man–showed up this week.
The situation in Mariupol is returning to normal and Russia controls the city. The Russians are restoring electrical and water services and providing food to the population.
Ukrainian counter-attack reaches Russian border and threatens to break Donbas supply line.
LIE–The Ukrainians have not reached the Russian border and at least one Russian Battalion Tactical Group has crossed the Severs Donetsk river and are expanding their position south toward Kharkiv. But this is a sideshow. The area is isolated and there is only one significant road running from Kharkiv to Belgorod in Russia.
DOUBLE LIE–There is zero threat to the “DONBAS SUPPLY LINE.” Those lines are south and east of Kharkiv. Just look at the map–the Donbas with the city of Luhansk is prominently displayed. Kharkiv is 230 miles northwest of Luhansk.
The map does get two things right–the Russia has taken Avdiivka and has surrounded Ukrainian troops at Severodonetsk. It is because of the progress Russia is making in the Donetsk that Lloyd Austin called Sergei Shoigu to beg for some mercy. I suspect that General Shoigu told Austin, идите стучите по песку (which is Russian for “go pound sand.”)
One more observation regarding the supposed defeat of the Russians north of Kharkiv on the border of Russia. The people writing on this cannot even get their facts straight about the size of a Russian Battalion Tactical Group aka BTG. Here are three different “experts” with their numbers:
Each Russian Battalion (BTG) tactical group has around 700-900 soldiers (Justin Bronk)
According to the DOD on 18 April there are almost a dozen BTGs in Mariupol. As each BTG has about 200 infantry, then 11 x 200 gives us 2,200 infantry. (Christopher Lawrence, Dupuy Institute)
A Russian battalion tactical group consists of about 1,000 troops. (Associated Press)
The western media has been crowing about the mighty Ukrainians wiping out a Russian BTG. Yet no photos of Russian medical units recovering the dead and wounded from the battle site have been published on Ukrainian or Russian sites. But let us assume the claim is true–the Ukrainians reportedly ambushed and defeated one BTG. It is meaningless as far as the progress of the Russian war effort is concerned. If the Russians were concerned about the battle over a pontoon bridge they would have deployed fixed wing and rotary wing support aircraft armed with rockets and delivered an artillery barrage on the attacking Ukrainians. That apparently did not happen either.
I am not privy to Russian war plans. But I do know that Russia would be rushing reinforcements to the area if this was an important battle. They are not. Even more telling is you are not seeing video and photos of a Ukrainian horde pouring over the Russian border. This looks to me like one more failed attempt reminiscent of Weekend at Bernie’s–propping up a Ukrainian corpse and pretending it is alive.
LOL.
Yes, lots of conflicting info on the pontoon river crossing. And since there have been several attempts from both sides it makes it even harder to figure out.
Here is one analysis that is interesting:
Tony Cyberspec
today at 3:43 am
Analysis of Ukr photos showing large scale losses at one of the pontoon crossings (there were several of them) but specifically the much discussed Belogorovka bridgehead.
1. Large number (about 30) of the destroyed/damaged vehicles are BMP-1s
The Russian force at the crossing is from the “O” grouping which is made up of regular Russian Army units and to the best of our knowledge doesn’t include any L/DPR Militia units.(they are part of the “Z” and to a lesser extent, “V” group)
The Russian Regular Army doesn’t have BMP-1s in Ukr. They do have a upgraded version called BMP-1AM “Basurin” which has a distinctive small turret (see pics 6 & 7 for reference)
Some captured Ukr BMP-1s have probably been pressed into service but not in large numbers. They are almost exclusively used by the L/DPR Militias AND in VERY large numbers by the Ukr Army.
So to whom these BMP-1s in the pics belong...you draw your own conclusions.
2. Note the MT-LB S in pic No 3...this is a Ukr combat ambulance based on the MT-LB APC - Artillery Tractor (see also pics 4 & 5 for reference)
Source
https://greatwarchannel.medium.com/переправа-переправ..
https://t.me/s/RVvoenkor/12065
Operation Z: Military Correspondents of the Russian Spring
‼️🇬🇧The destruction of the pontoon crossing and the forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine when trying to cross the Seversky Donets - details from the Ministry of Defense
◽️In the course of reconnaissance and search operations of a motorized rifle unit of the RF Armed Forces, an UAV crew discovered a unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on infantry fighting vehicles that attempted to cross the pontoon crossing.
💥The pontoon crossing was completely destroyed by artillery fire and sank . The enemy armored vehicles with crews that managed to cross the pontoons during the battle were destroyed by the fire of Russian artillerymen and crews of infantry fighting vehicles. Part of the armored vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was captured by Russian servicemen.
Battle footage: t.me/RVvoenkor/12145
Interesting article. Yesterday someone posted a story about the Russians wantonly raping women and girls. The article implied this was happening on a frequent or even regular basis. To me, that article was quintessential propaganda. Not sure the purpose of Putin is Satan, and the Russians are raping, but something just doesn’t smell right to me.
Yeah, yeah, I know, Putin certainly isn’t a good guy, but why all the propaganda efforts on behalf of Ukraine? Why not, you know, just tell the American people the unvarnished truth? Something just ain’t right.
According to the DOD on 18 April there are almost a dozen BTGs in Mariupol. As each BTG has about 200 infantry, then 11 x 200 gives us 2,200 infantry. (Christopher Lawrence, Dupuy Institute)
There is nothing inconsistent between at BTG having 700-900 soldiers and having about 200 infantry. A BTG has 2-4 infantry companies. The rest are armor, artillery, air defense, anti-tank, and support.
“why all the propaganda efforts on behalf of Ukraine? Why not, you know, just tell the American people the unvarnished truth? Something just ain’t right.
https://twitter.com/politblogme
Too bad hardly any Americans will see these - 3 part videos
Maria Dubovikova
@politblogme
·
19h
Very inconvenient truth told by a French national who has been on a humanitarian mission in Ukraine.
First-hand account of what’s happening on the ground. (Neo-Nazis, crimes against civilians and PoWs etc).
https://twitter.com/politblogme (3 part videos)
PUTIN STOOGE!!!
Just kidding. 😁
I’ve been seen as a “putin stooge” merely for suggesting we don’t really know what news we can trust from that. But as you pointed out, some of what we are hearing stinks to high heaven and yet, oddly, still doesn’t pass the smell test.😉
It does seem to be SOP to label anyone even suggesting that Russia might be “winning” this thing as a Putin lap dog, etc.
Not sure why “Larry” expects us to beleive any his claims absent some kind of corroborating evidence. Or at the minimum, stating the source of his information.
Hi.
As you know, In any war (and Larry Johnson knows this too), the first casualty is the truth.
Whatever kind of war (conflict between nations, government against the people etc), doesn’t matter. The “fog” of war is both purposefull and necessary.
5.56mm
I have no idea who is winning, don’t particularly care for Putin and get tired of the Ukrainiacs on this site. I believe they are paid, have multiple accounts, or are just liberal nutballs. But their continual screeching and screaming on behalf of the Biden regime is a real turn off, so I spend more time at other sites and try to get real information, rather than continually read globalist propaganda, “Pooty poot” and “Don’t invade an innocent country.” Ad nauseum.
The only reason US politicians are pouring money into Ukraine is to launder it back to themselves and their cronies. That why Pelosi and McConnell go there, to secure their piece of the pie.
All Zalenskyy has to do is agree to his percentage.
Amen exponentially to your thread Kazan
“But wardaddy you Putin cockholster I hate Russia so much and have since Sputnik…..that’s reason enough”
Paging Slim Pickens
40 billion for this clownshow? And who thinks even a large part of that is going to armament and munitions for the Ukrainian troops?
More likely Austin told the Russikes what thier kickback was going to be. “Keep the war going, but just for show. Some artillery barrages, and maybe a MiG flyover for the cameras. We’ll give you a piece of the action as long as we can keep this scam going until the election.”
"The Squad" in Congress, supposedly the vanguard of America's woke, progressive, pacifist Left, not only all voted for Biden's $33 billion cash shower for Ukraine, MIC and Fed.gov, they even promoted pushing it to the un-asked for figure of $40 billion.
Yes, indeed, something stinks to hell on NATO/deep-state/Ukraine
Cool beans.
So you can give us an update on the Russian assault on Kiev?
And how is the fight for Karkhiv going?
Better?!?
This fight will go on until the Democrats feel that all the incriminating evidence in Ukraine is gone.
I'd enjoy watching Shoigu jamming a banana cream pie in Le-Loyd's buffoon face.
Why did they lie about Covid?
Why did they lie about "the most secure election ever"?
What a stupid analysis.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.