RUNNING UPDATES ON THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE - 13.01.2023
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.
*** IF ZELENSKY FALLS WHAT OTHERS FALL WITH HIM? ***
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“Ukraine. What is the truth...?
Why won’t western media tell both sides…?”
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THE ATROCITY IN LUGANSK, 2 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 particularly newsworthy in the western mainstream. Below it you can watch the CNN report which contradicts the lies the Ukrainian regime were concocting at the time to escape being identified as the perpetrator.
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Lead feature:
Latest update on events within Ukraine and their knock-on effects on the western world, by Alexander Mercouris of ‘The Duran’. (194k subscribers):
Russia Claims Soledar Victory, Trap Ukraine Troops in Bakhumt; Ukraine Soledar Counterattacks Fail.
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Alex Christoforou and Alexander Mercouris of ‘The Duran’ discuss geopolitical events of the day. (325k subscribers):
Russia's next move, keeps collective west guessing.
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'The Left Lens with Danny Haiphong' (38.4k subscribers):
The Duran: Ukraine's HUGE Loss in Soledar Backs Collective West Into Corner.
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‘NäköKulmaPulma’ (269 subscribers):
Southfront: New Stage.
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‘The Convo Couch’ (46.6k subscribers):
Scott Ritter Banned on Twitter, Russia-Ukraine Update.
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Pride, patriotism, unity, remembrance and determination from Russia...
'Вячеслав Антонов' (353k subscribers):
Депутат ГосДумы Анна Кувычко и волгоградские кадеты.
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Latest update from Alex Christoforou of ‘The Duran’ on the geopolitical events of the previous 24 hours (154k subscribers):
Soledar, Bakhmut defeat, no big deal. Classified docs next to Corvette. Boris 4th trip to Kiev. U/1
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‘RealTruthTalk’ (5.51k subscribers):
Col. Douglas Macgregor: Ukrainian$ Are Turning Into $laughter House Meat! NATO$ Mi$$ion.
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‘Gerald Celente’ (189k Subscribers):
THE DEEPER BIDEN SINKS, THE MORE HE'LL RAMP UP WW3.
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‘InvestoPads’ (206k subscribers):
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR | Peter Schiff: THIS WILL COLLAPSE THE AMERICAN ECONOMY VERY BADLY.
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"USA Collapse Will Be Far WORSE Than You Think..." - Jaffrey Sachs.
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‘Kim Iversen’ (505k subscribers):
Classified Doc Debacle- Are Democrats Looking For A Creative Way To OUST Biden?
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‘Redacted’ (1.6 million subscribers):
Poland verges on total COLLAPSE, gov't caught hiding the TRUTH from Polish people | Redacted News.
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BREAKING! Elon Musk reveals new Russiagate corruption in latest Twitter files | Redacted News Live.
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'Hindustan Times' (5.08 million subscribers):
Biden red faced after 'Classified Papers' found at house I What We Know So Far.
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Putin’s missiles sting Donetsk; Ukraine troops run scared as Russian Howitzers strike | Watch:
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Russia plans shipping corridor to India with Iran to counter U.S.-led sanctions | Report.
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Ukraine on the verge of defeat in Soledar? Russia steps up deadly assault, massive fighting underway.
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'Political nightmare': Putin govt claims Russia's ties with Asia rattled the West | Details:
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Zelensky pleads for 'Leopards' as Putin steps up attacks; Poland makes 'tall tank' promise | Details:
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‘Firstpost’ (185k subscribers):
Macron’s Pension Scheme Heads for Showdown | Emmanuel Macron | Pension Reform | France.
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UK Businesses Lose Confidence In Economy | Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Losing Popularity?
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'Don't dare': Russia's retaliation threat to Germany over plan to transfer seized assets to Ukraine.
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‘Emil Cosman’ (42.7k subscribers):
Russia's INTERVENTION in Ukraine versus UK's 83 military INTERVENTIONS since 1945.
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‘RealTruthTalk’ (5.5k subscribers):
Scott Ritter: West ramps up heavy weaponry supplies to Ukraine-Poland to provide Leopard 2 tanks.
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‘FINANCE MAIL’ (24.2k subscribers):
Scott Ritter LAST WARNING : Something Big Is Coming.
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‘The Jimmy Dore Show’ with Aaron Maté. (1.12 million subscribers):
CIA BLOCKED Release Of Key Russiagate Documents.
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‘Tech Revolution’ (65.1k subscribers):
Russia JUST THREATENED To RESTRICT Oil Shipments To These Countries | Tensions Boiling Over.
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‘ShanghaiEye魔都眼’ (122k subscribers):
Russia suggests Sweden has 'something to hide' in Nord Stream blast probe.
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WATCH: WH again pushed over Biden classified files as special counsel named in the probe.
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‘BORZZIKMAN’ (120k subscribers):
PENTAGON is Preparing for the Worst┃RUSSIA sent the World's Most Powerful Mortar 'TULIP' to Ukraine.
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‘The Dive with Jackson Hinkle’ (207k subscribers):
Dear Russia, save us!
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China just f*cked Europe.
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‘Firstpost’ (185k subscribers):
WATCH: European Union Hints At Sanctions on Belarus and Iran, Promises More Aid To Ukraine.
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‘BORZZIKMAN’ (120k subscribers):
The Appointment of General Gerasimov Indicates that Russia is Preparing for a Massive Offensive.
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‘Syriana Analysis’ (42.2k subscribers):
The U.S. Army Prepares for WAR with China.
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‘Channel 4 News’ (2.43 million subscribers):
“We are in a debt trap” - Nouriel Roubini on 10 ‘megathreats’ to our world and how to stop them.
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‘ANI News’ (1.5 million subscribers):
"Global South can create new world order..." PM Modi reiterates long stance on multilateralism.
‘Itapirkanmaa2’ (24.9k subscribers):
For the refusal to move from the Moscow Patriarchate, Kiev set the Holy Ascension Church on fire.
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'Keep It Secret News' (1.06k subscribers):
RF Forces Fire Fight in Svatovo vs Ukrainian 518th Special Forces.
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'Itapirkanmaa2: (24.9k subscribers):
Soledar aftermath.
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‘NäköKulmaPulma’ (269 subscribers):
Russian soldiers in Soledar.
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Article from Russia Today (RT) - 13th January 2023:
'The entire town is littered with bodies': how Ukraine suffered a humiliating defeat in Soledar after a relentless Russian assault.
This marks Russia’s first major victory since the withdrawals from Balakleya, Krasny Liman and Kherson.
Fighters from the Wagner Group have completely surrounded the Donbass town of Soledar and are now clearing the extensive tunnel network in the town's salt mines, the head of private military company, Evgeny Prigozhin, claimed on Wednesday.
The news came after weeks of intense battles in an area which sources from both sides, but especially those which are pro-Kiev, have described as a "meat grinder." Despite the sustained, albeit slow, Russian advance, the Ukrainian authorities have chosen not to retreat at the cost of tremendous losses.
“I want to repeat that Soledar has been fully liberated and cleared of Ukrainian army units,” Prigozhin said in a statement on Wednesday evening. “The Ukrainian troops that refused to surrender have been destroyed.”
Prigozhin estimated that 500 Ukrainian troops died in the final stages of the fighting, after Wagner forces encircled them. That's on top of others who perished previously.
The entire town is littered with the bodies of Ukrainian servicemen,” he said.
While gunfire can still be heard in the western outskirts of Soledar, it is clear now that Russian forces will emerge victorious. Their victory will, in turn, collapse a 70 km-long section of Kiev's defenses.
The Stakes
Soledar is a conglomeration of several settlements established around salt mines and railway stations. In 2001, when Ukraine last conducted a census, around 13,000 people lived here. The town stretches along the right bank of the Bakhmutka River from southeast to northwest.
In late 2022, it became an infamous urban warzone. In peaceful times, however, it was known as the largest source of mineral salt in Central and Eastern Europe, covering around 80% of Ukraine’s needs. Deep salt mines have also made Soledar a tourist and leisure destination with tours around the caves.
There was, however, a second, military purpose to the city and its industries, as was typical for the Soviet Union. In the case of Soledar, several of its depleted mines were used as spacious and secure military warehouses.
Last year, this previously disregarded aspect of Soledar’s identity became its most prominent feature. Salt production stopped, and the gypsum plant ceased operating; the only visitors around were now Ukrainian soldiers – and developing asthma was the least of their problems.
trategic Positions
Soledar became the focus of Russian offensive operations last May, after troops seized Popasnaya and breached the first line of Ukrainian defenses. The Ukrainian command turned the town into a major piece of its second defensive line, a stretch of fortifications along the Dzerzhinsk – Bakhmut (Artyomovsk) – Soledar – Seversk line.
Up until early August, fighting continued around Soledar: Russian forces were busy cutting off the pocket of Ukrainian forces near Severodonetsk and Lisichansk, and gradually advancing toward Soledar and Artyomovsk, seizing fortifications at Pilipchatino and Pokrovskoye along the way. Wagner units and the 6th Cossack Regiment of Lugansk gradually moved into the combat area. Russian troops enjoyed uncontested superiority in terms of artillery, but there were some early signs of ‘ammunition hunger’ looming on the horizon.
The Russians were unable to penetrate Ukrainian defenses in one burst. The troops, exhausted after a major operation to liberate the entirety of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), simply could not break through the numerically superior Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian defenses in the area consisted of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade, supported by numerous units of the Territorial Defense Forces. The second line was formed by the 24th Mechanized Brigade, which had suffered losses during the earlier fighting in Popasnaya. Combined, these forces were sufficient to hold off the attacks along most of the Artyomovsk-Soledar-Lisichansk line, a stretch of fortifications that would not be breached until December – a development that would ultimately spell defeat for the Ukrainians.
Yet, over the summer of 2022, Ukrainian defenses in the area held strong – so much so that one of Ukraine’s top media spokesmen, Aleksei Arestovich, boasted that the Russians would not take a single Ukrainian town beyond Lisichansk, including Artyomovsk and Soledar. The frontline stabilized, and the armies switched to positional warfare. In the Donbass farmland, fields are separated by strips of trees to prevent soil erosion; these strips were fortified and used as strongpoints. The Russian troops wrestled the farmland away from the Ukrainians, 500 meters at a time – however, an unconventional approach was required in order to achieve a decisive breakthrough.
Until then, Russian assault groups, under the cover of artillery fire, had been working their way slowly, but steadily, through the Ukrainian defenses. Their first successful operation, which marked the start of the battle for Soledar, was the capture of the Knauf Gips gypsum plant in early August, by the 6th Cossack Regiment of the LPR army and Wagner units. Then, using the plant as a foothold, the Russian forces engaged in months of fighting in the southern part of the city, which consisted of private residences, several blocks of multistory residential buildings, a gypsum plant, a gypsum quarry and a refractory materials factory.
The fighting dragged on for the rest of the summer and into the fall. After the pullback from Kharkov Region and Krasny Liman, a new tug-of-war started over Peski, Marinka and Avdeevka. Later, the Russian army pulled out of Kherson, but managed to hold Svatovo. In the meantime, the situation around Soledar and Artyomovsk remained unchanged. Wagner forces, in cooperation with units from the Donbass republics and assisted by Russian aviation and artillery, lay the groundwork for a successful breach of the multi-layered Ukrainian defenses.
Fresh blood
What finally got things moving was the Wagner group’s decision to focus on assault tactics and scale up its operations by increasing its numbers. To get an influx of fresh blood, it used several approaches. First, friendly media created an entire subculture that praised Wagner as the leading military force and made it desirable to serve in its ranks. This promotional effort was driven by military bloggers (often Wagner veterans themselves), journalists, musicians and artists, and was certainly helped by the outspoken head of the group, Prigozhin.
As a result, when Russia announced a partial mobilization, some eligible men decided that it would be better to go to war themselves than sit around and wait for a draft summons. Volunteering gave you one privilege: You could choose which force to join. Wagner was one of the top choices.
Second, it was decided to start recruiting among prison inmates. Subject to strict discipline, they were offered equal treatment to other soldiers and a six-month contract, after which it was promised that they would be pardoned and their criminal records cleared. The first unit made up of such volunteers set out for the front in July, and those who survived until January went home, as shown in videos published by Prigozhin’s affiliated media.
The whole enterprise would not be as effective if not for the training system, in which assault units were actually prepared for this role, without wasting time on other skills that would be useless in this context. Another factor was Wagner’s combat control system that enabled coordination between many small groups.
By December, the assault units had proved their worth in Artyomovsk, breaking through Ukrainian defenses south of the city. Ukrainian commanders had to send brigade after brigade over to this front, losing opportunities in other areas.
Path to victory
The front line in Soledar was moving north, rather slowly. But the Ukrainian army was suffering losses. The 93rd Mechanized Brigade, which had stopped Russians near Soledar in August, was shattered so badly that it lost combat effectiveness and was pulled back for reinforcements.
It was replaced by the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, which was supposed to have been drawn out of combat to be replenished after heavy fighting on the right bank of Dnieper in Kherson Region. But the Ukrainian general staff had to draw on reserves, so there wasn't enough time to replenish the 128th brigade before it was put up against Wagner’s assault troops in Bakhmutskoye and Soledar.
In the latter, fighting had intensified along the flanks. The Russians started to move forward through the industrial areas of Artyomovsk, opening up possibilities for moving into the southern outskirts of Soledar and for attacking Yakovlevka from the north.
Yakovlevka was seized on December 18, which enabled further advancement towards Soledar. Ukrainians undertook a number of counter-attacks, trying to use the wood strips in the fields for their defense. The fall of Yakovlevka was a turning point that defined future success in Soledar.
The situation in the industrial area of Artyomovsk was different. The assault operation stopped after the frontline had shifted several kilometers away from the highway. Ukraine’s government and Western media described this as a victory, claiming that the Russians were evidently unable to seize Artyomovsk and had to shift the focus to a minor target – Soledar. In reality, the battles in Artyomovsk and Soledar were interconnected.
By advancing east of Artyomovsk, the Wagner Group took the upper hand and was able to storm Bakhmutskoye. Since the summer, the frontline ran through the village, splitting it into two parts, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces setting up a fortified area in the local school and equipment storage facilities in its northern part. After this, events took a faster course. On December 26, the Ukrainians were driven out of the school building and, on January 9, Bakhmutskoye was liberated almost completely and the Russian storm units moved on to Dekonskaya railway station.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's defense in Soledar suffered an operational crisis, with the garrison stationed in the town attacked at the southern and northern flanks and unable to stop the Russian offensive. Kiev's troops were exhausted with some fighters fleeing from their positions, according to Arestovich.
On January 5, the crisis Ukraine's defenses became apparent, with its Forces withdrawing from the southern part of the town. On January 6, fighting broke out on the premises of salt mine No. 1-3, located downtown. The following day, Ukraine’s 46th Airmobile Brigade, one of the freshest units on the battlefield, was moved there from Artyomovsk to reinforce the defense – or rather, to cover retreat of Kiev's fighters, in reality.
On January 9, Prigozhin reported that there was fighting for control of Soledar’s municipal buildings. By January 10, the Russians had taken control of the town center and surrounded the Ukrainian units that hadn’t retreated to Soledar’s western parts. They were then given time until midnight to lay down their arms.
What happens next?
At the moment it’s hard to say how effective this rhetoric might be for encouraging the Ukrainian troops to surrender. There have been cases of some soldiers giving up, but there have also been quite different cases – like, for example, that of five Ukrainian troops who preferred to jump off a five-story building than submit to Russian custody during the assault of Soledar.
By late Wednesday, Russian troops had mostly cleared central Soledar. Clearing the salt mines is expected to take more time. According to open-source intelligence, Ukraine recognizes that mine 4 is under Russian control. and its troops to the east that point are surrounded. There is no data concerning the situation around mine 7 and railway station Sol, which have been under the control of the Ukrainian Army. These are Kiev’s last footholds in the area of Soledar and they will be hard to keep since all the supply routes are open to enemy fire.
The Russian offensive is targeting not only Soledar, but also the settlements on its flanks. The village of Podgornoye is already under Moscow's control, and an offensive is in progress to capture the settlement of Krasnaya Gora, located between Soledar and Artyomovsk. If successful, this operation will cut off Artyomovsk’s supply routes from Slavyansk in the north, leaving it only accessible from Konstantinovka and Chasovy Yar.
A Russian offensive targeting railway station Sol, Krasnopolye, and Razdolovka is also in progress. Should this be a success and the troops succeed in crossing the Bakhmutka River, it will be a serious threat to the Ukraine-controlled Seversk that is strategically important to the Ukrainian Army since it keeps both Lisichansk and Kremennaya in check.
The Ukrainian resistance in Soledar and Artyomovsk is currently weakening due to the intense Russian offensive. There is a clear shortage of battle-ready Ukrainian troops up to the challenge of withstanding the efficient offensive tactics employed by the Wagner PMC assault units.
And yet, the outcome of the Soledar offensive is up to the Russian command now. It remains to be seen within the next few weeks whether the command will take the risk of large casualties and try to step up the offensive or revert to slower tactics in crushing the Ukrainian defenses.
This is Russia’s first major victory since the withdrawals from Balakleya, Krasny Liman and Kherson and it’s important for boosting the morale of the troops. It is certainly a bitter pill for the Ukrainian Army. Whether we can expect Kiev to try and adapt to the new situation and look for out-of-the-box solutions remains to be seen. All we know now is that President Zelensky keeps promising the Ukrainian people he will recapture all of Donbass even though his troops are retreating.
MAPPING/ANALYSIS CHANNELS
* Updates will be added here as and when they become available.
LATEST UPDATE FROM DIMA OF THE MILITARY SUMMARY CHANNEL (79.4k subscribers):
Ukraine. Military Summary And Analysis 13.01.2023.
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KEEP IT SECRET NEWS CHANNEL (1.02k subscribers):
No update posted so far today
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LATEST UPDATE FROM THE 'DPA War’ MAPPING CHANNEL (12.8k subscribers):
No update posted so far today
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LATEST UPDATE BY ‘NEW WORLD ECONOMICS’ (28.7k subscribers):
UKRAINE WAR MAP | Russia Continues Soledar Offensive.
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LATEST UPDATE BY THETI MAPPING (15.7k subscribers):
No update posted so far today
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LATEST UPDATE BY ‘BALKAN MAPPING’ (134k subscribers):
Ukraine [13 Jan 2023] 'Today'.
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LATEST UPDATE BY THE ‘MILITARY AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS NETWORK’ (55.8k subscribers):
No update posted so far today
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LATEST UPDATE FROM ‘RYBAR’
Highlights of #Russian Military Operation in #Ukraine on 12 Jan 2023
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LATEST REPORT FROM VREVELATIONS: (294 subscribers):
No update posted so far today
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LATEST UPDATE FROM ‘M MAPPING’ (4.39k subscribers):
No update posted so far today
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LATEST UPDATE FROM WEEB UNION WAR UPDATES (42.2k subscribers):
Bakhmut Front Update | Fighting Continues in the Western Outskirts of Soledar | Lugansk Front Update.
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Detailed situation reports can be found on a daily basis concerning events in Ukraine over the past 24 hours at the ‘A SKEPTIC’ Substack account:
Link to 'A SKEPTIC' Substack channel.
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SUPPORTING SCOTT RITTER
I've been listening to Scott Ritter describe how things are for him and I suspect have been for him for quite some time now.
He has been doing a LOT of unpaid work with a great many interview requests coming in that he has been ready and willing to agree to. But the work where receives some pay for have suffered due to this, being left until the wee small hours of the night to complete work on.
Scott, I think you will agree, has been one of the most influential voices out there on Russia and Ukraine.
I was moved by Scott's words to take an annual subscription to his Substack account that he runs in coordination with his colleague on 'U.S. Tour of Duty', Jeff Norman. This is the main way that Scott recommends to help him with finances with which to upgrade his delivery of comment on Russia and Ukraine, via a better microphone etc. and perhaps the creation of a recording studio in his basement to create a more professional and impressive look. To invest in these things he would like to be sure that this has a viable financial future.
Would you also like to help by subscribing at one of the various levels to Scott's Substack account? I hope so. If so the link is here:
Below you'll find the edited part of the video where Scott talks of his commitments to get the facts out on events in Ukraine and of the finances that would come in handy to enhance their delivery:
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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.
