Ukraine v Russia II

I don't think you understand how it works. So, here it goes:

First, a well armed group of 8 penal unit members are sent towards the Ukrainian lines with instructions to get to within 30 meters of the Ukrainian lines, by any means necessary. Once they get within 30 meters of Ukrainian lines, they are to notify Wagner artillery units where the Ukrainians are and then they are to start digging trenches. If they are wounded, they must continue forward, or be executed. If they return to Wagner lines, they are executed. That is one reason why Ukrainian soldiers must shoot them until they stop moving because they know they will be killed if they don't move forward anyways.

Second, if the first wave fail to get to within 30 meters of the Ukrainian lines and/or fails to complete digging the trenches, Wagner artillery pounds the location of the Ukrainian troops that the first wave identified the location of. After an hour or two of artillery, a second less armed group of 8 penal unit members are sent to pick up the weapons from the first wave and continue forward to the trenches the first wave have started to dig. Again, being wounded and failing to advance, or retreating back to Wagner lines results in execution.

Third, if the second wave fails to complete the mission, repeat the hour or two of artillery, then send another group of 8 penal unit members are sent forward, etc, etc. Repeat until the new trenches are completed. Wagner plans on it taking at least 4 waves of penal units to complete the trench digging, but it has taken as many as 14 waves.

Finally, it is only AFTER the penal units have successfully dug the trenches that the regular Wagner units are sent forward and they tend to come from the flanks, or from behind, or all directions at once. Keep in mind, the final wave of penal units is still in the trenches and shooting at the Ukrainian positions.

Also, I should note, that the bodies of the penal unit members are often left where they fall until Wagner has secured an area, so the area in and around Bakhmut and Soledar are littered with rotting corpses of the prisoners.

 

As you said the cannon fodder know they will be killed anyway, going forwards, or running back.
Ukranians speak Russian, so get hold of a bunch of megafones to urge them to surrender so they can use their bullets for their executionairs in wait.

 

That's not how it works. There is no way for the Ukrainians to know if they are advancing to surrender, or if they are advancing to kill them. Additionally, Wagner uses drones to watch the penal units as they advance. If they were to do a mass surrender, Wagner would just drop artillery shells on them and send the next wave.

 

I don't think that's what they are saying. There are plenty of incompetent/corrupted governments out there that aren't helping their own people advancing - that's just facts. However, there are legitimate grievances imposed by the west that goes completely ignored. The main one is the current economic system and the unilateral use of sanctions. It was predictable that after years of being ignored that they would eventually take measures to change that with initiatives such as the implementation of alternative economic systems/currencies and anything facilitating dedollarisation.

That explains why they are in no hurry to take sides and letting this play out as Russia and China are the key to make this happen. It's hardly a surprise why we're now increasingly turning the heat on China.

They aren't so feeble when/if they come together, work out their differences and work towards a common goal. (or did you miss the China-Russia alliance)?

The global south "combined" holds most of the population, GDP, resources etc... It's a valid argument to question whether or not the biggest economies/blocks of the Global South have the ability to truly come together the way the collective west has been able to do for decades. Yes, the jury is still out on that one based on history. However, these are unprecedented times and those nations are seeing an opportunity to take a different path independently from us.

I don't think "love" or care about Russia - they are making decisions based on their own interests, no one can argue that we've been doing that the same entire time. All I'm saying is if we want to make/convince them to do what we want, ordering them around will be increasingly less effective as we're witnessing.

We need to start compromising and a hard reset on diplomacy

 

What better example than the sanctions against Cuba annihilating their economy and threatens the same against whomever tries to interfere. Only the US and Israel votes against lifting them

This article touches on this

Southeast Asia, Too, Is Losing Patience With King Dollar’s Clout
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...h-king-dollar-s-clout?leadSource=uverify wall

• The weaponization of the world’s reserve currency, as through sanctions on those deemed bad actors — such as Russia for its war in Ukraine — has pushed even the typically diplomatic Southeast Asians to warn the US of the consequences.

• “If you weaponize the international financial system, alternatives will grow to replace it” and the US dollar will lose its advantage.

The price of keeping the status quo will be worse long term, the dollar will lose some of it's privilege and this will eventually have an impact on the US itself and the rest of us of course.

I guess that's what a multi-polar world looks like, each side minding their business and going their own way

 

and the brutal dictatorship of Duvalier in Haiti. All he needed to say was that he hated communists

 

China and Russia barely tolerate each other and neither view each other as an honest partner. The war in Ukraine has shown how tentative that alliance is as China has, for the most part, blocked its companies from providing any assistance to Russia and they have been fairly vocal about their opposition to the war since it became obvious that Russia wasn't going to overrun Ukraine within a few day

This almost entirely depends upon whether China is included as a member of the "Global South" or not. By pretty much any definition, current day China fits in more with the Global North than it does with the Global South.. China absolutely fit into the Global South when the original line was drawn back in the late 60s, early 70s, but, in the last 40 years, China has undergone the largest and fastest economic expansion in history and it is now the 2nd largest economy in the world and is just as developed as many of the countries that were in the Global North back when the original lines were originally drawn.

However, even if you include China in the Global South, your statement about global resources is wrong. Global North actually has a lion share of the current proven natural resources. There are certainly some resources found more abundantly in the Global South, but on the whole, the US, Canada, and Russia have the largest proven reserves on a majority of the natural resources. China is a very resource poor country and is entirely reliant upon the Global North of it's resources.

 

BTW, fog of war has hit again. Depending on which side you follow and believe, Ukraine is either pulling out of Bakhmut, or is pushing back Russian advances around Bakhmut and Soledar. The truth is, obviously, likely somewhere in between and/or a combination of both, but there's lots of videos showing destroyed Russian and Ukrainian hardware floating around with both sides claiming the videos show they are advancing.

 

I'd used past tense on that and even the US government disagrees. Strategically, China gains nothing to fully commit and get sanctions applied on its economy as well.

Lots of diplomatic analysts views our greatest mistake as making both Russia and China enemies at the same time - which pushed them in each other's arms. Past governments/diplomats have skillfully kept each other at odd when they truly disliked one another until the 90s.This is a reason why the US are being careful with Saudi Arabia who are seeking to normalize ties with Iran. This would be a huge blow to the west in the middle east if it ever came to that.

Most would agree that Global South means anyone outside the collective west (Anglo-Saxon nations, Europe, Japan, North Korea) and which ever remaining satellites you wish to add. Russia has effectively pivoted eastwards for the foreseeable future

 

Diplomatic front

According to Politico
Berlin doesn’t trust Washington - POLITICO

Hungary is acting up
Orbán is telling Ukraine to quit – POLITICO

France is pushing French Africa away into the arms of Russia and China.
https://www.trtworld.com/opinion/ma...hing-away-francophone-african-countries-65017
*Including Algeria who has the biggest gold reserves in Africa also applying to BRICS

Once virtually isolated, Iran is going out there and building ties with Latin America and Africa. This is cause for concern as they are increasing their involvement in the war
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/...any-action-that-could-improve-Africa-security

Italy to join forces with France in supplying air defences to Ukraine
https://www.ft.com/content/c2613f60-dad3-4f86-9f98-33debb358c97

• "We have always sent defensive weapons to Ukraine, not offensive ones, we have not sent tanks and we will not send them," - Italian Foreign Minister

Another quote
"Italy, within its capabilities and available means, will satisfy Ukraine's requests. We will give everything we can without jeopardizing the defense of Italy."
- Italian Defense Minister

Israel might help Ukraine after all
Israeli PM Netanyahu says considering military aid to Ukraine, mediation | Al Arabiya English

According to Die Welt columnist Christoph B. Schiltz via Die Welt - Ukraine is increasingly less likely to win the war
https://rmx.news/ukraine/die-welt-5-reasons-why-ukraine-is-increasingly-less-likely-to-win-the-war/

It is clear that Crimea will never again be part of Ukraine
-Croatian President Zoran Milanovic
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...t-Croatia-declaring-Crimea-never-Ukraine.html

North Korea intends to send aid to restore the Lugansk and Donetsk. Pyongyang also to send police officers and military personnel to participate in reconstruction work.
N. Korea orders trading companies in Russia to select personnel to send to Ukraine | Daily NK

Articles regarding the transfer of jets
Cool your jets: Why the West is making Ukraine wait for fighter planes – POLITICO
What ‘No’ on F-16 Fighter Jets Might Mean for Ukraine - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

According to 4 senior Defense Department officials briefing the White House
Ukraine can’t retake Crimea soon, Pentagon tells lawmakers in classified briefing - POLITICO

Jets off the table for Germany
"I don't think it's right to supply fighters [to Ukraine] now. And not only at the moment, but in general"
-Vice-Chancellor of Germany Robert Habeck
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/german-vice-chancellor-opposes-deliveries-of-1635409.html

Economic front
Italy Signs $8 Billion Gas Deal With Libya As It Seeks To Cut Russian Dependence

https://www.rferl.org/a/italy-libya-gas-deal-russia-ukraine-war/32243906.html

Surging military production is helping keep Russian industry going strong, offsetting much of the damage done by international sanctions and other fallout from the invasion of Ukraine
Putin’s War Machine Helps Keep Russian Industry Humming - Bloomberg

New York is buying an unusually large amount of gasoline and diesel from India — a country that has become a top outlet for sanctioned Russian oil.
New York Is Gorging on Fuel Made From Illicit Russian Oil - Bloomberg

Central banks bought the most gold since 1967 last year, World Gold Council reports. Central banks bought 1,136 tonnes of gold in 2022 - Emerging economies were main buyers.
https://www.investing.com/analysis/central-banks-bought-1136-tons-of-gold-in-2022-as-demand-surged-to-11year-high-200634918
*WGC data showed that most gold purchases in 2022 came from emerging markets, with Turkey’s central bank leading the buying spree with a record 542 tons. Other countries that significantly added to their gold reserves last year included China, India, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, and Iraq, among others.

*They are part of or applied to BRICS

 

500,000 Russian troops massed on the border? What century are we in?

 

Amazing tanks

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMYFKS83y/

 

The mentality behind these war tactics is a grimm reminder why it's necesary to put these animals back into their cage.
African countries/rulers associating themselves with these criminals should be put on supporting terrorists sanctions lists.

 

If Russia brings their station wagons to the front, those cars are clearly in big trouble.

 

Like it or not, control of our economics is an expression of our morality. No one has a fundamental right to our business, and it is the very definition of amorality to never use that power and let our business deal freely with Nazi Germany or Russia now or whatever.

Russia invaded knowing that they would be cut off from Western capital markets and trade as a result. We aren't just swinging our dicks around to demonstrate our power - we made clear our moral stance before this started. We were hoping it would be enough to prevent him from doing it. If the Russian people are unemployed and hungry and cold, that's on Putin.

Most of world history is of a multi-polar world, and it certainly did not look like that. The weaker nations just end up being pawns in the contests and conflicts of the powerful nations.

 

Yep. If anyone doubts that, they can do some research on Pax Romana, or read the books of Kings and Chronicles in the Old Testament. The latter is of dubious value for literal historical truth, but it is of great value in understanding the fate in ancient times of weaker nations.

I don't think so, because this invasion is a real Back to the Future moment in European history. How the Rest of the World responds might close Pandora's box with only one evil escaping, or it might leave it open for more evil to enter the world.

 

I always thought that another bad effect ok the US’s 2004 invasion of Iraq was that it would signal a new normal for large nations unilaterally invading smaller ones. This Georgia and Ukraine.

 

The Wagner group may be inhumane war criminals, but at least they get paid, right?

unlike

https://www.yahoo.com/news/hard-drinking-murky-finances-american-122830228.html

 

When did that stop being normal?