RUNNING UPDATES ON THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE - 14.01.2024
Including geopolitical issues affecting the balance of power in the ongoing end game war to establish our common future, a closely monitored prison planet or tolerance for diverse modes of governance.
THE ROAD TO THE ULTIMATE CONCLUSION OF WORLD WAR III RUNS THROUGH HERE.
*** RUSSIAN MILITARY TO SURGE FORWARD? IF SO, WHEN… & WHERE? ***
“Ukraine. What is the truth...?
Why won’t western media tell both sides…?”
VIRTUALLY UNREPORTED ATROCITY IN LUGANSK, 2nd JUNE 2014
A lot has been said about atrocities in the western media claimed to have been perpetrated by the Russians, for example at Bucha and Mariupol among others. These assertions are conveyed on the say so of the Ukrainian authorities. How willing though are western news broadcasters to convey atrocities attributed to the Ukrainians? The following will I think provide the answer.
If anyone wonders if they are receiving accurate coverage of the conflict in Ukraine I would suggest watching the video below of an event which occurred on the 2nd of June 2014 and ask themselves if they recall hearing about it on any mainstream media news channel at the time.
The video is harrowing to watch. The bodies (five women and three men) are real. Yet across western media there was only one single news report that occurred a day later. This was from CNN and occurred only because a CNN team happened to be nearby at the time of the atrocity and so the network could hardly ignore it as all others so obviously did.
The video below shows the unvarnished truth that was not considered newsworthy in western mainstream news.
THE SINGLE WESTERN MSM REPORT ON THE LUGANSK ATROCITY, 3rd JUNE 2014
The video at the CNN link below is the crime scene sanitised by CNN, though played straight with honest reporting on the scene not playing things to Kiev’s tune.
(There was a time early in the war in the Donbass when CNN were not afraid to contradict the Ukrainian regime in Kiev.) Watch, because it's the first and last time you will see this.
5 women and 3 men died, all civilians.
Air attack on pro-Russian separatists in Luhansk kills 8, stuns residents.
COLLECTIVE WEST-UKRAINE <-> RUSSIA
The Roundtable #53 Gonzalo Lira, Glenn Diesen & Tarik Cyril Amar (April 2023).
Rus Missiles Hit Targets, Ukr AD Failure; Rus Advances, Tanks Stepovoye; West Escalation Taiwan, ME.
SnowStorm | 95% Of Ukrainians Refuse To Follow Orders | Big Lancet Day. Military Summary 2024.01.14
Taiwan elections. Cameron, mastermind behind Yemen. Poland Morawiecki, Russia outflanked us. U/1
Russian economy expands, industrial surge.
France and Germany economic troubles, press on with Ukraine policy.
95% Украинских Солдат Отказываются Выполнять Приказы | День ЛанцетаВоенные Сводки И Анализ 14.1.2024
The Russians Will Use New Tactics | The US Coalition Attacked Hodeidah | Military Summary 2024.01.14
Gonzalo Lira, Ukraine Update, Farmer Strikes in Europe, Escalation in the Middle East, Taiwan, G-20.
Sunday livestream on the topics of Ukraine, Middle East, EU, Russia, + Q&A and Project Announcement.
Romanians block border traffic between Ukraine and Romania. Finally,after ALL neighbors did it FIRST.
It's All Lies.
Poland's ex-PM confirms: "Russia isn't losing, has huge RESOURCES and PATIENCE." Failed strategy.
Russia prepares landing? Five large LANDING ships, 13 warships on combat READY in Black Sea.
Witness the resilience of European farmers as they unite to challenge Ukraine aid.
Former Polish PM admits Ukraine's strategy failed.
The conflict is “going in the wrong direction,” Mateusz Morawiecki told the UK’s Express newspaper.
Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive was “not successful” and Russia has the upper hand strategically, former Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki admitted, in an interview with Britain’s Express newspaper published on Friday.
The conflict in Ukraine is “not going in the right direction,” Morawiecki told the outlet, outlining his “huge concern” with a situation in which Moscow had apparently outflanked its opponents.
Russia has “huge resources,” he explained, noting the country’s military production capabilities significantly outweighed the EU’s own. “They have this strategic depth, and they have patience in international politics,” he added, also dismissing the country’s elections scheduled for March as mere “theater” unlikely to change the balance of power in Moscow.
Read more: Polish president revolts against new government – media
Morawiecki also argued, however, that Ukraine’s failure had a silver lining for NATO in that it had brought Finland and Sweden into the alliance and was “awakening” countries like Denmark and Romania. The Scandinavian countries, he said, were among the most vocal in calling attention to the threat allegedly posed by Russia.
“Not only the security of the eastern flank of NATO, but also for the security of the United Kingdom, security of Germany, Denmark and the Scandinavians, they do understand it very, very well,” he said.
The former premier (2017-2023) was speaking to the British press for the first time since his successor, current PM Donald Tusk, had two lawmakers from Morawiecki’s Law and Justice Party (PiS) arrested earlier in the week. The ex-leader described the MPs as “political prisoners” and accused Tusk’s admittedly pro-EU government of “representing Brussels and Berlin, not Warsaw.”
While international attention has largely shifted away from the Ukraine conflict to Israel’s war with Gaza as the latter threatens to erupt into a broader conflict, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak traveled to Kiev on Friday to bestow his government’s largest gift yet on the government of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, announcing £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) to be paid out over the coming financial year and starting in April, and a bilateral agreement that includes security guarantees for Ukraine “in the event that it is ever attacked by Russia again.”
Zelensky has been vocal about his concern over flagging international support for Kiev’s fight, after unprecedented amounts of foreign aid from the UK, US, and EU failed to appreciably move the needle against Russia. Legislative gridlock has stalled planned aid packages in the US even as the Biden administration insists on an urgency to it, with his political opposition countering that accountability for funds spent must be a requirement for any future aid.
Former Polish PM admits Ukraine's strategy failed.
Washington and London have been stealing for decades. Zakharova, Russia, Ukraine.
Ukraine DEMANDS women join the war and orders 50,000 ladies uniforms in last ditch effort.
How Private Companies in the US helped Russia beat Ukraine.
Russia Unleashes the Beast with Upgraded T-90M and T-72 Tanks.
Ukrainian military ambushed and Dozens surrender.
Russian artillery crew Destroy Ukrainian tank and Stronghold.
Russian tanks storm Ukrainian Military stronghold.
COLLECTIVE WEST <-> GLOBAL MAJORITY
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST PUMMEL THE US EMPIRE.
Davos' GLOBAL Agenda replaces UN. "Achieve security+cooperation in a fractured WORLD." Zelensky there.
ISRAEL <-> PALESTINE-IRAN-SYRIA-IRAQ-LEBANON-YEMEN
Video-US Troops ILLEGALLY occupy Syria.Russian Troops were INVITED by Syrian Gov. Don't forget!
Houthi Attacks Destroy Israel's Ambition Of Being Big Energy Exporter? 85% Drop At Red Sea Port.
Iran BACKING OF Hezbollah & Houthi 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄 Into US Coalition.
Biden Falls for Iran's Houthi Trap.
Iran Seizes a US Oil Tanker in the Gulf of Oman.
Houthis Vow “Strong Retaliation” After Fresh US Strikes in Yemen.
Hezbollah's 8 Attacks In 6 Hrs; Netanyahu's Defiant Message To ICJ; Houthis Simulate Israel Attack.
Thousands rally in Washington DC demanding Gaza ceasefire and end to US aid to Israel.
Dr Nick Maynard: ‘I saw injuries that will stay with me till the day I die’.
LIVE GAZA PROTEST FROM WASHING TONE.
Global day of action: worldwide pro-Palestine protests.
Alana Hadid leads tens of thousands in DC rally for Gaza, calls for end to occupation.
How A Rabbi’s Daughter Stopped Being A Zionist.
They have defied the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, and promise ‘revenge.’ Who are the Houthis of Yemen?
In its 20 years of existence the Houthi movement has grown accustomed to ongoing struggles for its Shia faith and country.
“To my great regret, Yemenis cannot cope with the situation on their own. But major players in the region and the international community can help, because it is in their hands that the solution exists. Therefore, we ask them to help our country and our people to end the war, to seat the warring parties at the negotiating table, to begin a search for a solution that will meet the interests of all forces in Yemen, the region and the world. Security and stability in Yemen are an integral part of security and stability in the region and the world.”
– Ali Nasir Muhammad, former President of South Yemen (1980-86); quote from a Valdai Club conference, February, 2018
Most people are only aware of global issues that make the news. If the media doesn’t report the story, we feel like the problem doesn’t exist. For this reason, unlike the events in Syria, Iraq, or Afghanistan, the crisis in Yemen had long remained a vague and distant subject for most people around the world.
But these days, when the Yemenis have turned against the United States and its allies, things have suddenly changed. The Houthi movement was the only group in the region that dared to tell the truth about events in Palestine and to stand up for the Palestinians. Suddenly, everyone started talking about them. On January 12, the US and the UK attacked the Houthis in Yemen. The attack was a response to the blockade that the Houthis imposed on Israeli ships (as well as ships sailing to and from Israel) in the Red Sea. Millions of people around the world support the Houthis, officially known as the ‘Ansar Allah’ movement. It’s timely to find out more about this movement and to gain a deeper understanding of what's been going on in Yemen.
Nonstop war
It’s pretty hard to surprise the people of Yemen with bombings. For many years, a bloody war raged in the region between the authorities and the Houthi insurgents. The situation grew worse in 2015 when an Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in the conflict. According to the Yemen Center for Human Rights and Development, over 10,000 civilians were killed in the country in three years of fighting. The victims included almost 2,000 women and 2,500 children.
In November 2017 Saudi Arabia and its allies decided to close all Yemeni land, sea, and air ports. As a result, the devastated country was subjected to a total blockade, which resulted in a humanitarian disaster. In addition to those who died on the battlefield, thousands died of hunger and cholera. When the country’s main ports and the air bridge to Marib were finally unblocked and the Yemenis were able to receive humanitarian aid, this did not fully solve the problem. As of today, more than 70% of the population still needs humanitarian aid.
The Houthis appear
Yemen plunged into chaos after the unification of South Yemen and North Yemen in 1990. The present-day conflict started with a dispute between Sunnis and Shias in 2004. In Saada, a city in the northwest of Yemen, Shias spoke out against the Sunni authorities, who they said oppressed them on religious grounds and were corrupt. The religious minority declared that they wanted independence, and soon an armed uprising began.
The rebellion was headed by the Shiite Imam leader Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, who was killed in late 2004. That’s why the movement’s fighters are now called “Houthis.” However, officially the movement is called ‘Ansar Allah’ (‘Supporters of God’). After Hussein's death, his brother Abdul-Malik al-Houthi took over his post and the fighting continued. Yemeni authorities called the Houthis a “pro-Iranian fifth column.” In response, the movement accused Yemen’s political establishment of betrayal and of serving the interests of the Wahhabi religious movement of Saudi Arabia. However, in 2010 the sides managed to reach an agreement and a long-awaited truce was established. But this did not last long.
In 2010-2011, the so-called Arab Spring series of revolutionary uprisings spread throughout the Middle East, including to Yemen. Thousands of angry residents took to the streets demanding the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who'd ruled the country for 33 years. For quite a long time, the president resisted and even survived an assassination attempt, but eventually he was forced to resign. In November 2011, while in Saudi Arabia, Saleh resigned. In February 2012 the pro-Saudi Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi was elected President. By the way, the Houthis' claims that Saudi Arabia have interfered in the internal affairs of Yemen are by no means groundless.
Arab Spring ends, war starts
Saleh’s resignation and the coming to power of a new leader certainly did not solve the country’s problems. On the contrary, terrorists became even more powerful and corruption increased, while the number of poor and unemployed persons grew.
Read more: International abuse: Why Africa could be the main casualty of Europe’s rejection of Russian gas
In the midst of hatred and civil strife, the Houthis took up arms again, and this time fought not only against the authorities but also against Al-Qaeda militants, the Al-Islah party (the local version of the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’), and other radicals. The newly-elected president, who did not want to establish a dialogue with the Houthis, only added fuel to the fire.
As a result, in the summer of 2014 Ansar Allah fighters took control of the northern provinces of Amran and Saada and cleared them of terrorists. When the Houthis reached the capital, Sanaa, Hadi was forced to escape to Aden. When Aden was also seized by the Shias, the Yemeni president fled to Saudi Arabia.
Incidentally, the overthrown president had initially sided with the Houthis. Despite numerous attempts by enemies to break their alliance, cooperation between Saleh and the Houthis seemed quite strong – at least at that time.
Saudi Arabia enters the game
The victories of the Houthis on the battlefield didn’t just drive Hadi out of the country. They also caused a strong reaction in Saudi Arabia. In March 2015 the Saudi Kingdom announced the beginning of an international military operation against the Ansar Allah organization that it now declared a terrorist organization. United by the idea of “Shiaphobia,” an Arab coalition was formed that included Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, North Sudan, Egypt, and Pakistan.
Later, representatives of the UN World Food Program (WFP) blamed Riyadh for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
“Saudi Arabia should fund 100 percent [of the needs] of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen,” said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. “Either stop the war or fund the crisis. Option three is, do both of them.”
End of the Saleh-Houthi alliance
“This, too, shall pass” – these words are believed to have been engraved on King Solomon’s ring. And once again the adage proved true. Saleh and the Houthis – who had once fought side by side against foreign intervention and the authorities – eventually became bitter enemies. However, this was hardly surprising. The former president was eager to regain power, and treated the Houthis solely as situational allies.
In November 2017 the Ansar Allah movement attempted to arrest Saleh and his family. At the time, the sides managed to reach an agreement. But then, an armed conflict broke out between the parties. Saleh called the Houthis “rebels” and accused them of inciting a civil war. He also appealed to Saudi Arabia to lift the blockade and initiate dialogue.
The fighting claimed the lives of hundreds of people from both sides. Saleh himself was assassinated.
Conclusion
The Yemenis are no strangers to war and bombing. They withstood the pressure of neighboring countries and, with the aid of Iran, became stronger in military terms. Despite its modern weapons and considerable investments into the effort, the anti-Houthi coalition has not been able to defeat Ansar Allah. The group even managed to organize missile defense units, attack an area near the Riyadh international airport, and strike Saudi military bases.
And now Yemen’s Houthis are defying the United States and Israel.
Mohammed el-Kurd speaks at the 500,00-strong London Palestine march.
WHY Russian oil tankers NOT attacked in the Red Sea by the Houthis? Didn't stick their nose?
'Hamas Buying Paragliders And...': Israel's Spy Agency Sends Big Attack Plot Alert To Europe Nation.
Hezbollah Launching Ground Invasion Of Israel? IDF Admits Border Violation On 100th Day Of Hamas War.
USA's Fresh Strike On Houthis; America's Mid-East Base Attacked; Iran Lauds South Africa.
Ben Shapiro’s Garbage Defense of Biden’s Yemen Bombing.
Congress Must Declare War if They Want War.
US Govt Employees Plan Walkout Over Biden’s Gaza Policies.
USA
The Fuse Has Been Lit: This Major Economy’s Collapse CONFIRMS Our Greatest Fear.
Millions Are UNPREPARED For What's COMING IN MARCH.
USA <-> CHINA
The US China War Has Begun and What Happens Next is SHOCKING.
EUROPE
France and Germany economic troubles, press on with Ukraine policy.
MAPPING CHANNELS
SnowStorm | 95% Of Ukrainians Refuse To Follow Orders | Big Lancet Day. Military Summary 2024.01.14
The Russians Will Use New Tactics | The US Coalition Attacked Hodeidah | Military Summary 2024.01.14
Complete COLLAPSE of Ukraine's Air Defense.
WAR UPDATE: Russia CONTINUES Reversing Counteroffensive Gains; Ukraine's Kharkiv Advances.
Russian Forces Are Increasing Shelling to Break Ukrainian Lines, Rybar Map for January 13th, 2024.
VICTORY BELONGS TO RUSSIA: IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
Each day that passes makes a conclusive Russian victory in the Donbass and beyond more certain. As Russia bolsters her forces, and weaponry, those of Ukraine decrease. Russian forces gain ready access to rest and recuperation as troop numbers increase. The increasingly exhausted and demoralised Ukrainian troops have an ever decreasing prospect of such respite. This situation is likely to bring them to complete breakdown as Russia unleashes the firepower of the more modern and advanced weaponry that is arriving with the newly mobilised Russian troops.
The various Ukrainian offensives are now weak when confronted by the reinforced Russian lines. A few futile efforts achieve quite miserable results before fire reigns down on the Ukrainian troops and they are forced back to their starting positions.
And now, all this being said, we have arrived at the wet, and later, freezing conditions where these pathetic Ukrainian forces will be subject to myriad forms of abject misery with death and injury all around them while they lie sodden or frozen, abandoned to their fate by Kiev.
The pitiable young and old of Ukraine have been frogmarched to their deaths as cannon-fodder while the bestial elites of the collective West urge their "president" to add more to their number there at the gates of Hell and their doom. We must feel for the majority of them as they are not the Nazis we revile, in most part they are decent men, fathers, sons, brothers, husband and uncles, who no doubt saw through the coup of 2014 for what it was. But sadly, their fate seems sealed.
Nothing will stop Russia now. Every factor favours them. Victory will be Russia's. In Donbass and beyond and in due course across the world.
Victory belongs to Russia: It is now only a matter of time.
UPDATES TO BE ADDED HERE AS AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
UPDATES TO BE ADDED HERE AS AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
UKRAINE INCREASINGLY RISKS COMPLETELY DISAPPEARING AS A VIABLE STATE
Even before the start of the Ukrainian regime’s doomed offensive the losses in manpower and machines have been enormous. As Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission blurted out some twelve months or so ago, at the very least 100,000 Ukrainian troops had already died. In fact that figure, when including the severely wounded, is more likely to be more like 200,000 or above. In addition, almost every military vehicle of importance that Ukraine had prior to February 24th 2022 has been destroyed and those western weapons supplied are less reliable by far for the conditions on the battlefield or in terms of air defence.
After some five days of Ukraine’s offensive against Russian lines upwards of 5,000 Ukrainian troops had either died or been seriously wounded. In addition, hundreds of military vehicles, including many of the most recent additions to Ukraine’s armoury from western nations had been destroyed. Russia completely overpowered a Ukrainian army that is now mostly composed of forced conscripts and reservists. It is estimated that at least 125,000 Ukrainian troops either died or were severely wounded during the failed offensive.
The Ukrainians being sent now as cannon fodder to the front lines and made to face Russian lines are barely trained at all. The professional forces that Russia faced in the initial stages have been taken off the battlefield, killed or wounded. By comparison, Russia’s troops are highly trained, even the 300,000 extra troops that were ushered into the active forces had previously served and were given many months of refresher training to prepare them for this fight. It appears around 1,500 Russians are volunteering for military training each and every day now. Meanwhile in Ukraine men have to be dragged forcibly off the street for a week or two’s training before being sent to die on the front lines. The average time given to these raw recruits is four hours. *This estimate was given by a Ukrainian officer at the front.)
Russia is steadily grinding down the new, poorly trained Ukrainian conscripts along with the few remaining foreign volunteers and sheepdipped NATO troops that remain, frostbitten and exhausted who face them now. Young and old Ukrainians, mobilised by force and barely given two week’s training are largely innocent victims of the western powers who continue to push for some kind of “success” story no matter the cost in human lives or misery.
There was never truly any hope for the hapless Ukrainian caught up as pawns in the western game against Russia. Never any real hope for anything even remotely resembling a victory over Russia. This was a goal and cause that was hopeless from the start due to the vast differences in the resources each side could bring to bear.
Russia, in addition to all of the above has a powerful array of new weapons which can be used to devastating effect. Hypersonic missiles, glide bombs and a diverse range of drones that are being made ever more powerful and whose range is being worked on constantly and increased. Russia is applying ever more recently developed weapons as the conflict goes on, the most recent being a remotely operated mine laying device. This appears currently to be a chief cause of major destruction being inflicted upon Ukrainian military vehicles of all kinds.
The energy production capacity of Ukraine along with its air defence system are nearing total degradation and once complete Russia looks very likely to use its now 700,000-strong army to sweep all before it in some form of upcoming winter offensive.
The Ukrainian air defence system, apart from around Kiev, appears to have been rendered almost useless giving Russia virtual freedom of the skies. Even around Kiev Russia has degraded the air defence system, in recent times taking out at least two hyper-expensive Patriot systems.
You have to wonder what the Ukrainians are banking on right now. They can keep throwing men forward, mostly at this point barely trained for a month, usually less. Men up to the age of 70. Women too no doubt. And what will they achieve exactly? They might hold back the highly trained Russian military with its far superior artillery power and now extensive experience for a limited period. But that Russian military is firing between six and ten times as many shells on any given day in, day out basis, decimating Ukrainian troop numbers. Meanwhile the Ukrainian military is reduced to relying on FPV drones as their artillery shell supply has all but dried up.
Russia may soon mount her own offensive, no one knows Russian plans. Or, Russia may simply continue to grind down the Ukrainian army, moving forward incrementally before grinding down the next line of resistance, on and on..
So, what exactly can be achieved by Ukraine in these circumstances?
With the supply of money, machines and ammunition from the USA drying up and highly doubtful from this point on Ukraine will have to rely on handouts and supplies from the UK and EU. These nations have done what they could in the past to the best of their ability, however, their stockpiles are now largely empty and the resistance to endlessly supplying Ukraine is growing. Both Hungary and Slovakia now favour negotiations to end the conflict rather than endlessly fuelling it.
No matter which supposed 'game-changer' weapon was given to the Ukrainians the Russian military has still relentlessly ground on and we can be assured it will continue to grind on. This is because Russia HAS to do so... because its very sovereignty and security is at stake.
Barack Obama said years ago that Russia had, “escalatory dominance” and this is even more true today with the expanded military and enhanced weaponry she now has. Russia has an enormous capacity to wage war. Its industry is now even more geared up to destroy Ukraine than at any previous time. Russia is not going to lose this conflict. It cannot afford to and it has all the capacity it needs to win. Sooner or later Ukraine will crack.
Delay in negotiating a settlement by the Kiev regime will have the following consequences:
Even more Ukrainians will die.
Even more Ukrainian territory will be lost.
There is a third to add to these two. Ukraine is likely to be parcelled up into pieces, one protectorate taken by Poland, another by Hungary and a third by Romania. This would mean not only the virtual end of Ukraine as a viable nation but perhaps the removal of its name completely from the map of the world.
These are the realities. It seems the only reason they cannot be faced by those pushing for ever more war is that they cannot face the political humiliation of defeat. But that humiliation is coming... no matter what they do.
There is simply no way Russia will give up on the task of taking all the villages, towns and cities within the Donbass region. Too much hinges on this. During the battle for Bakhmut Ukrainian hospitals were receiving on average 150 casualties per day with amputations commonplace. Across the battlefield it has been estimated that Ukraine is losing between 500 and 1000 troops per day. This is not sustainable.
Russia is pounding Ukrainian defence positions to dust, mostly from a distance. It suits the Russian military high command to do so as the object is to eliminate as much of the Ukrainian military as possible, to put them into one "meat grinder"after another. The primary object overall is to eliminate as much of the enemy as possible, not necessarily to take territory.
Ukraine stands no chance of retaining anywhere much in the days and weeks ahead. Another 380,000 Russian troops have arrived in the rear with the very latest modern weaponry at their disposal. Russia is readying its military for the final period of fighting that will progressively hit Ukrainian positions, logistic centres, repair shops, warehouses, arms dumps and as can be seen in recent weeks, air defence, mercenary barracks, and (NATO) command centres.
There is no possible way Ukraine can do anything significant in response against the now expanded Russian forces... especially as its western sponsors are running extremely low on weapons and munitions. The fact that Russia has moved into economic growth while the western nations attacking it are increasingly going into recession is yet another factor spelling defeat for both the Kiev regime and its sponsors. Now, with a new hotspot having opened up in the Red Sea due to Houthi attacks on shipping heading to Israel the price of oil is moving steadily upward. This will mean even more cash for Russian state coffers.
Russia tried to find a peaceful way by which the mixed marriage Russian-Ukrainian population of eastern Ukraine could retain their language, pro-Russian culture and allegiances in the face of the president and government they by majority had elected being ousted by means of an insurrection. The people in that region of Ukraine had expected that change would come through the democratic process, not through a rioting mob. Nevertheless, Putin worked tirelessly for the best part of a decade to keep the Donbass region within Ukraine while seeking autonomy for it.
The events which took place on Maidan Square in Kiev shocked and horrified everyone in eastern Ukraine. They knew with confidence what was to come. They knew for instance that those who had taken power were those who had failed to secure their positions by democratic means. They knew also that their language, allegiances, pro-Russian culture and indeed their lives were at threat and that henceforth they and their children down the generations would never again experience the ability to reliably cast their vote and have the government they favoured be elected to power.
Thus Russia, finally, after seeking peace for all the years previously, was finally driven to take its current action, now approaching its second year. No one should be in any doubt that Russia will bring about the resolution of all issues it sought to solve for almost a decade previously. The determination to do this is overwhelmingly strong as the knowledge of how disastrous any other outcome would be for Russia drives them on. And drives them on with complete confidence in the ultimate outcome.
The best way forward now would be for both the Ukrainian regime and its western backers to cut their losses and resign themselves to the fact that Russia has won. They need to acknowledge this fact and begin negotiations that provide Russia with everything it asked for before this all began, something that the West precipitated by refusing to acknowledge that both Russia and the Russian-speaking people of the Donbass had every right to the same level of security that NATO was created to provide the nations of the collective west.
If the above is not embarked upon very soon by western leaders in recognition of the facts and inevitable outcome described then Ukraine may very well sink from history as a nation by disappearing completely as a viable state.