Posted on 07/28/2024 11:16:51 AM PDT by marcusmaximus
NATO Chairman, German Gen. Harald Kujat
reviews Ukrainian troops in Kiev, 2004.
JonPreston: "German General Claims Zelensky Seeks NATO-Russia War to Retain Power German General Harald Kujat recently asserted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is interested in escalating the conflict between Russia and NATO to secure his position of power.
According to Kujat, Zelensky sees a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia as the only way to avert a catastrophic military defeat and ensure his political survival."
In 2004 German Gen. Harald Kujat was NATO Chairman and supported NATO's expansion into the Baltics, Romania and Bulgaria, among others.
Here we see NATO Chairman Kujat reviewing Ukrainian troops in Kiev in 2004.
In 2008 Germany and France opposed US Pres. Bush's proposal at the Bucharest Summit to expand NATO into Georgia and Ukraine.
As a result, Georgia and Ukraine were invited to join NATO, but no schedule or action plan was set.
In 2016 retired Gen. Kujat joined
the KGB Yakunin's "Dialog of Civilizations":
After Russia's 2014 invasion of Ukraine, Germany supplied humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine, but not military support.
In July 2016 the now retired German Gen. Kujat became a Russian propaganda asset by joining KGB Agent and Putin-pal, Vladimir Yakunin's, organization called Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute.
Since Russia's February 2022 re-invasion of Ukraine, Kujat has been a consistent opponent of German military support for Ukraine and a reliable repeater of Russian propaganda points.
In October 2023 Kujat published an alleged report on Russia-Ukraine negotiations in March 2022, leading to the purported Istanbul Communique of March 29, 2022.
Kujat claimed that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to a peace plan which was then effectively vetoed by the US and UK.
According to Kujat, the Istanbul plan included 10 items, which I will summarize as follows:
KGB Agents & pals Yakunin & Putin:
Of course, Russian propaganda is all nonsense.
In fact, there was never a deal agreed to by either side, much less by both sides.
Here is a detailed review of what was offered by Ukraine in Istanbul, and what was the Russian response -- Reconstructing the Istanbul Accords**, January 24, 2024
Also here: No, The U.S. Did Not Sabotage Russia-Ukraine Peace**, December 12, 2023
** "David C. Hendrickson is president of the John Quincy Adams Society and a fellow of the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy.
His latest book is Freedom, Independence, Peace: John Quincy Adams and American Foreign Policy (Barnes and Noble, 2022)".
I would not call Hendrickson "pro-Ukraine", but at least in these articles he reports fairly on those events.
And, he is by default a supporter of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi.
The Houthi are currently firing drones and missiles at the ships of the US Navy in the Red Sea.
“Anyone know,where the little dancing sh*t show is grifting around at the moment?”
Yep, found him!
Little itsy-bitsy Putin is standing with his bodyguards and children seamen
Thank you
The average age of a Combat Soldier in the Dictator Zelenskys Ukraine is currently 43 years old
Now, diabetics, chronic asthmatics, and those suffering mental illnesses are being dispatched to the front to die
They themselves appeal to their commanders, to no avail. pic.twitter.com/XEeFAgT5Wh— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) July 30, 2024
Other sources confirm Prohres, but Vivchye (Vovche? a mile south) not so much.
If you're keeping score, here is a tally of Ukrainian towns captured by Russian forces so far in 2024, along with my estimates of Russian casualties, square miles captured and remaining to be captured.
Bottom line: at the rate Russians are going, it will take them something like 50 years and 20 million casualties just to conquer the remaining Ukrainian territories in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts.
Ukraine Pres. Zelensky reported in June that average ratios of Russian to Ukrainian casualties have risen from three-to-one to now six-to-one.
2024 Ukraine towns captured, by month -- to date
Number of Ukrainian towns by Oblast, captured by Russians each month with estimated Russian casualties per town.
Typical pre-war population of these towns was circa 250.
Month | Donetsk Oblast | Karkiv Oblast | Zaporhizia Oblast | Kherson Oblast | Luhansk Oblast | Total Ukraine towns Captured | Russian Casualties Per Town |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9,000 | |||
February | 5 | 5 | 5,000 | ||||
March | 4 | 4 | 7,000 | ||||
April | 10 | 10 | 3,000 | ||||
May | 12 | 14 | 1 | 27 | 1,400 | ||
June | 7 | 1 | 8 | 4,500 | |||
July | 7 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4,100 | ||
Total to date | 46 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 66 | 3,000 | |
Conquered square miles | 92 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 132 | 1,600 | |
Unconquered square miles** | 4,710 | 12,120 | 3,146 | 4,396 | 1,030 | 13,285 | 20,000,000 |
** Not including Kharkiv
🤡🇺🇦Meanwhile, the head of Ukraine's Budget Committee explained that soldiers will have no salaries if the United States does not urgently fund Zelensky.
🤣$1700 for a Gucci shirt but not money to pay soldiers? pic.twitter.com/d3VxNsgg7T— Aussie Cossack (@aussiecossack) July 29, 2024
Depending on how you count it, US aid to Ukraine is roughly 1/3 of all aid -- military and humanitarian -- from NATO and other Western allies.
US aid to Ukraine corresponds to about 5% of our military budget and the total so far amounts to less than one-half of one percent of our circa $35 trillion national debt.
wildcard_redneck: "What country has lost over 80% of its power grid and electric power plants, 40% of its territory and 40% of their population?
The Ukraine."
80% loss of power could well be true in some areas, but not in others, and the overall number will vary from day to day, depending on efforts to repair and restore existing equipment, plus bring online new power sources, including imported electricity.
Most of Ukraine's 15 nuclear reactors are still operating normally meaning the average loss is maybe 40%, still bad but manageable.
40% of Ukrainian territory is not even close to the actual, which is: Russia occupies roughly 71% of five eastern oblasts (Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhya, Kherson and Crimea), and that is circa 16% of Ukraine's total territory, depending on which estimates you use
Those numbers have not changed significantly since the end of 2022.
40% of Ukraine's population is only correct if you start from its 50 million in 1998.
20% is more realistic based on Ukraine's 2020 population.
"The Ukraine" -- a term only used by devoted Russian propagandists these days.
wildcard_redneck: "You are a nasty, little paper hanger."
What is that, language they use in your home country, comrade?
I've never heard that insult used in this country, so tell us where you learned it?
How much have your warpig heroes spent protecting Americans from invasion at the southern border. Foad
We have an invasion of our Southern border because, among other reasons, you didn't get out and get your fellow "rednecks" to vote for Pres. Trump in Georgia and Virginia, and I failed at getting my fellow Pennsylvanians to vote for Trump -- or maybe they did, but their ballots somehow got lost?
However, none of this has anything to do with Ukraine or the necessity to defend The West against The New Axis of Evil Dictators:
Vlad the Invader, Annexed Lukashenko, Xi-Snake & Little Kim:
We are suffering under an illegitimate communist regime sponsoring ethnic replacement and invasion of America yet you want us to fight and die in a war 5000 miles away overseas. I think you are too stupid to fight the real enemy or you are just outright lying. You disgust me.
>>>>Little itsy-bitsy Putin is standing with his bodyguards and children seamen<<<<
FYI, your globohomo grifter hero Zelensky and Putin are the same height, 5’7”.
I’m surprised that the omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent mommy didn’t know this.
President has a confirmed height of 5ft 7in
Sources range Putin’s height from: 5 feet 1 13/16 inches [157 cm] to 170 cm. [5 feet 6 59/64 inches
Possible discrepancy with Putin wearing elevator shoes would increase his height 3 inches taller &/or shoe lifts increase height up to 4”.
His Napoleonic short stature might explain his obsession with his strongman image and relations with other leaders.
“Left a little short: Putin left red-faced as Kremlin photo gaffe exposes his small height: VLADIMIR Putin has been left red-faced after a photo gaffe at the Kremlin showed him looking several inches shorter than some of his female guests.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/563245/Putin-red-faced-Kremlin-photo-gaffe-exposes-small-height
“Putin’s aides forgot to tell the invited group not to wear high-heels, leaving several of the guests towering over the Russian leader – who is famously self-conscious about his height.
A Kremlin insider said strict rules dictate no one can be taller than the president – who is believed to be between 5ft 2” and 5ft 5” – in official photos”.
TYPO
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has a confirmed height
of 5ft 7in.
ARTICLE
Putin doubles lump-sum payment for people enlisting in war against Ukraine
Iryna Balachuk
Wednesday, 31 July 2024, 11:57
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/07/31/7468247/
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has more than doubled the lump-sum payment for those willing to sign a contract with Russia’s Defence Ministry and enlist in the war against Ukraine.
SOURCE: Russian online newspaper The Moscow Times, citing Putin’s decree released on a legal information portal
DETAILS: The document states that Russians and foreigners who sign a contract with Russia’s Defence Ministry to join the war against Ukraine will now be eligible for a one-time payment of RUB 400,000 (approximately US$4,600).
Earlier, this one-off payment amounted to RUB 195,000 (roughly US$2,200).
Under the decree, only those who sign a contract from 1 August to 31 December 2024 will be eligible for the increased payment.
Additionally, Putin recommended that Russian regional authorities should also provide at least RUB 400,000 to citizens who choose to enlist in the war of aggression against Ukraine.
ARTICLE
Losses of Russian energy giant Gazprom almost doubled
Economichna Pravda
Wednesday, 31 July 2024, 11:57
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/07/31/7468245/
The net loss of the Russian energy giant Gazprom under Russian Accounting Standards (RAS) totalled RUB 480.64 billion (roughly US$5.5 billion) in the first half of 2024 after RUB 255 billion (roughly US$2.95 billion) of losses in January-June 2023.
SOURCE: enkorr, a Ukrainian energy-related news outlet, citing the company’s financial statements
DETAILS:
Gazprom calculates dividends from the group’s consolidated profit in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which, in addition to the gas business, also includes oil, power and liquefied natural gas divisions.
The dividend policy envisages adjustments to the dividend base for non-cash items.
The rise in losses for the Russian gas monopoly is primarily due to reduced gas supplies to Europe, while the company’s operating costs remain high.
BACKGROUND:
In 2023, natural gas supplies to Europe by the Russian energy giant Gazprom decreased by 55.6% to 28.3 billion cubic metres.
The net loss of the Russian energy giant Gazprom under Russian Accounting Standards (RAS) totalled RUB 480.64 billion (roughly US$5.5 billion) in the first half of 2024 after RUB 255 billion (roughly US$2.95 billion) of losses in January-June 2023.
Source: enkorr, a Ukrainian energy-related news outlet, citing the company’s financial statements
Details: Gazprom calculates dividends from the group’s consolidated profit in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which, in addition to the gas business, also includes oil, power and liquefied natural gas divisions.
The dividend policy envisages adjustments to the dividend base for non-cash items.
The rise in losses for the Russian gas monopoly is primarily due to reduced gas supplies to Europe, while the company’s operating costs remain high.
Background: In 2023, natural gas supplies to Europe by the Russian energy giant Gazprom decreased by 55.6% to 28.3 billion cubic metres.
ARTICLE
“Shameless Vladimir Putin forced to take drastic measure to boost ‘outdated’ Russian Army
Vladimir Putin has issued a new decree that allows Russian designers to access and use foreign intellectual property without the need to request permission.”
By Aurora Bosotti
09:02, Tue, Jul 30, 2024 | UPDATED: 09:02, Tue, Jul 30, 2024
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1929650/vladimir-putin-russia-army-ukraine-war-latest?int_source=nba
UK
World
Politics
Royal
US
Weather
Science
History
Weird
Nature
Sunday
InYourArea
Home
News
World
Shameless Vladimir Putin forced to take drastic measure to boost ‘outdated’ Russian Army
Vladimir Putin has issued a new decree that allows Russian designers to access and use foreign intellectual property without the need to request permission.
By Aurora Bosotti
09:02, Tue, Jul 30, 2024 | UPDATED: 09:02, Tue, Jul 30, 2024
Putin authorised Russia’s designers to use foreign patents without having to ask the holder (Image: Getty)
Vladimir Putin inadvertently confirmed to the world that the Russian Army is “outdated” as he effectively legalised espionage in his latest desperate and shameless measure.
The Russian president this week signed a new degree that authorises Russia’s chief designers to use foreign intellectual property without the holder’s permission.
The act allows the designers to integrate foreign technology, equipment and software to develop new weapons without having to follow licensing protocols.
Expert Denis Grekov argued the move is a de facto acknowledgement that Russia is relying on outdated technology that requires foreign input for updates and upgrades.
The political scientist told The Media Line: “It is a very candid statement that demonstrates Russia’s extremely backward position in technology.
“This is evident anyway. Russia has some rather interesting weapon samples, which, nevertheless, still can hardly compete.”
Mr Grekov added: “The war with Ukraine, which Putin started, shows this very well. The Russian Army cannot boast serious successes.
“The only relatively decent thing they have is missile weapons and electronic warfare complexes. But, apparently, they cannot properly produce them without Western companies.”
He also noted Russia never became technologically independent after the fall of the USSR and the swathe of sanctions triggered by the invasion of Ukraine have only further hindered Moscow’s attempts to develop a modern military sector.
He said: “Russia is going to steal technologies from Western countries – the USA and some European countries.
“For Russia, it is now crucial to achieve technological advancements in various fields: aviation, electronic warfare systems, various electronics, as well as missiles and ammunition.
“Essentially, everything where Western models have some advantage, which is more or less almost everywhere. I think the current priorities are fifth-generation fighters or stealth bombers, such as the F-35 and F-22.”
Military expert David Sharp noted the move falls in line with Putin’s attempts to continue his ongoing invasion of Ukraine despite the significant losses Russia suffered.
Mr Sharp said: “Putin has openly stated that all efforts must be directed toward ensuring the military operation, as he put it, is successful.
“If this requires acting demonstratively so that no one thinks about any patents, then why not?”
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.