RUNNING UPDATES ON THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE - 08.04.2023
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.
Please note: We will be in various locations in Uzbekistan for the next six days. This will result in variations to the timing of updates and quite possibly their total absence on some days. Our apologies for this alteration to, and possible temporary loss of, our daily updates.
*** IS A UKRAINIAN OFFENSIVE COMING… OR A BLOODBATH? ***
…………
“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.
…………
Lead feature:
ALEXANDER MERCOURIS of THE DURAN
Russian MSM Reporting Bakhmut Capture, UK MSM Admits Ukr Za NPP Debacle; West MSM Rounds on Macron.
THE DURAN
Macron & Ursula, disaster trip to Beijing.
THE DURAN
Russia conservatism. Ideological conflict w/ West - Paul Robinson, Alexander Mercouris, Glenn Diesen.
ALEX CHRISTOFOROU of THE DURAN
Peace in Yemen. Bakhmut final stage. Blinken, spring offensive goals, splitting Russian forces. U/1
VANESSA BEELEY
Syria rising from the ashes of twelve years hybrid war - with Kevork Almassian.
GARLAND NIXON
US TO PUNISH EU SLAVES OVER RUSSIA SANCTIONS.
Morning briefing of the Ministry of Defense of Russia (April 8, 2023)
GONZALO LIRA
The Roundtable #51: Brian Berletic and Ian Miles Cheong.
SCOTT RITTER
Ep. 59: Ask the Inspector.
COLONEL DOUGLAS MACGREGOR
"Ukraine is ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE, THIS IS IT."
DANNY HAIPHONG
The Duran: Xi and Putin Win Big as Ukraine DESTROYS Collective West's Legitimacy.
GLENN DIESEN
Russia Warns of Countermeasures After Finland Joins NATO.
GARLAND NIXON
THE CIA'S UKRAINE MONSTER HAS "ONE WAY OUT" - NO COMPROMISE & NO RETREAT.
RICHARD MEDHURST
GROUNDBREAKING: Syria & Saudi Arabia Resume Ties | Arab League.
LEVAN GUDADZE
Update on Ukraine, NATO+, Chinese sanctions, Russian citizenship, USA vs Georgia, Russian GDP… /Update 2
Ukraine's losses in Bakhmut, U.S - UK involvement, President of Brazil vs US and EU, Poland-Ukraine. /Update 1
PATRICK LANCASTER
Czech Rockets Injure 16 and kill at least one civilian in Donetsk.
TELETRUTH
Wagner stormtroopers rapidly advance to the railway station of Bakhmut.
REDACTED
Hang on! Ukraine did WHAT to a Spanish journalist?!? | Redacted with Clayton Morris.
RUSSIAN NEWS
Putin met with the head of the DPR Denis Pushilin | Russia, Ukraine, Donetsk People's Republic.
Meeting of the Supreme State Council of Russia and Belarus | Putin, Lukashenko, Russia, Ukraine. RU.
Shoigu inspected one of the enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Russia | Ukraine.
ShanghaiEye魔都眼
Putin-Lukashenko's meeting on security pledges to boost bilateral cooperation in defense and trade.
Ukraine strikes in Donetsk region kill civilians; Putin demands 'no shellings from Ukraine at all'.
Beijing slams US govt. for maintaining hegemony in cyberspace by surveillance and theft of secrets.
BREAKTHROUGH NEWS
Regime Change Failed But the Plot to Destroy Syria Continues.
TFIGlobal
Zelensky’s method of madness to save his chair.
RICHARD MEDHURST
More and More Countries Are Ditching the US Dollar, Here's Why:
THE JIMMY DORE SHOW
Japan Bypasses U.S. Sanctions To Buy Russian Oil.
Saudis Defy U.S. & Boost Russia’s Oil Prices!
GEORGE GALLOWAY
Living with the horror.
BREAKING POINTS
Ukraine War Plans Revealed In EXPLOSIVE LEAK | Counter Points.
HINDUSTAN TIMES
West 'can't stomach rising India's bold Russia stand'; Decoding Democracy Debate | South Asia Diary.
Zelensky's men rain artillery strikes on own people | Ukraine wants to talk Crimea with Putin.
Ukraine used NATO weapons to kill civilians in Donetsk, claims Russia after troops slaughter charge.
Putin's men seize central Bakhmut, claims UK Intel; Ukraine Army laments 'difficult' situation.
Setback for Zelensky, Biden amid Putin's war; Ukraine's 'Spring Offensive' plans leaked.
AFRICAN DIASPORA NEWS
US Can't Lecture Africa On Democracy, They Deleted Gaddafi, Sponsor Coups & Interfere With Elections.
MINTPRESS NEWS w/ LEE CAMP
Imagining A World Beyond Capitalism (w/ David Cobb).
THE CONVO COUCH
Finland Joins NATO, Brazil-China Peace Plan, Israel Attacks Al-Aqsa Sparks Response, RFK Running.
TECH REVOLUTION
Europe JUST SHUNNED The Dollar | Getting Ugly For The U.S.
BRICS JUST SHOCKED Everyone With This! | Fall Of American Dominance.
THE GRAYZONE
Israel crosses another red line - The Grayzone Friday Live.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
PROFESSOR JOHN J MEARSHEIMER: ON GERMANY, CHINA AND RUSSIA
Article published by Russia Today (RT) - 8th April 2023:
Moscow reacts to Blinken’s counteroffensive claim.
The Russian military is likely to assess the remarks by the US secretary of state, the Kremlin has said.
The Russian military will likely scrutinize comments made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken after he predicted a potential timeframe for a Ukrainian counteroffensive, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
In an interview on Friday with Ouest-France and German media group Funke, Blinken stated that the US and its allies should “do everything... to help Ukraine reconquer the territories taken by Russia, including through a counteroffensive, expected in the coming weeks.”
In response, Peskov noted that Russia uses a range of information in planning its operations in the conflict with Ukraine, and that Blinken’s remarks appeared to be “a statement that is a subject for examination by our military.”
“They thoroughly track all the relevant information and take it into account when planning the continuation of the special military operation,” the presidential spokesman explained.
Kiev and its Western backers have increasingly talked up a major counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces, supposedly set to take place sometime during the spring and involving tanks and other hardware provided by the West, as well as Ukrainian troops trained abroad.
The advance will reportedly be aimed at restoring Ukraine’s borders as they were before 2014. This includes the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions, which all voted to become part of Russia in referendums last autumn, as well as Crimea, which reunited with Moscow nine years ago.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy head of the Security Council, previously cast doubt on Ukraine’s ability to carry out such a large-scale operation, arguing that the claims by officials in Kiev were merely “propaganda.”
On Thursday, the New York Times reported that the Pentagon had launched an investigation after a trove of classified data on US and NATO activities to prepare Kiev for a counteroffensive were leaked online. The papers, whose source is unclear, assessed areas such as troop strengths, timelines for arms shipments, and ammunition expenditure. However, they did not state when exactly the operation was scheduled to start.
MAPPING/ANALYSIS CHANNELS
* Updates will be added here as and when they become available.
MILITARY SUMMARY UPDATE
Bakhmut cauldron. Analysis of secret documents. Military Summary And Analysis 2023.04.07
KEEP IT SECRET NEWS UPDATE
No update posted so far today
NWE WAR REPORTS UPDATE
Russians Breakthrough Ukraine's Bakhmut Flank | Ukraine Sets New Defense Line in Rail Yard.
DEFENSE POLITICS ASIA UPDATE
FORMER PROFESSIONAL SOLDIERS' Analysis/Dissection of Leaked US-NATO-Ukraine Docs | DPA Panels.
Analysis/Dissection of Leaked US-NATO-Ukraine Docs (Part 2) | DPA Panels.
DPA WAR UPDATE
No update posted so far today
THETI MAPPING UPDATE
No update posted so far today
WAR IN UKRAINE UPDATE
No update posted so far today
BALKAN MAPPING UPDATE
Significant Russian advance in Bakhmut [8 April 2023]
PROJECT GREAT UPDATE
No update posted so far today
MILITARY AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS NETWORK UPDATE
Battlefield Ukraine Glide Bombs and The Battle for Enerhodar.
RYBAR UPDATE
No update posted so far today
M MAPPING UPDATE
No update posted so far today
ATP GEOPOLITICS UPDATE
Ukraine War Upd. EXTRA (20230408): Putin's Speech, Finland in Nato, Oryx, & Mud.
FREE RUSSIA CHANNEL UPDATE
No update posted so far today
WEEB UNION UPDATE
Final Battle of Central Bakhmut Analysis | Full Front Update 08/04/23
Russian Breakthrough Southwest of Bakhmut | Bakhmut Front Update 08/04/23
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.
***
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:
***
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
TOTAL CARNAGE IS ALMOST INEVITABLE AS ESCALATION FOLLOWS ESCALATION IN UKRAINE
The world is at war and neither side can back down. There is too much at stake.
Russia, pushed into a corner where it was demanded that it negate its past where over 25 million Russians died, and accept NATO moving right up to its doorstep, at last refused to lie down meekly and accept this threat.
The explosive train of events since that fateful decision continue to impact more and more aspects of western interests within the global economy. Despite the massive fallout already felt, this appears to be only the beginning of these trends with much more and even greater impacts to come.
With all this going on the two powers squaring up to each other, instead of finding some accommodation with one another drift ever farther apart in growing antagonism, mistrust and acts of escalation of the type that create mortal enemies who are irreconcilable in anything but the most minor details… if they can agree on any at all.
Demonisation is the order of the day, with the portrayal of ‘the enemy’ as a subhuman monster only deserving of complete elimination. No quarter is sought or given and the burial grounds of human casualties are hardly a factor for either in a war without limit that leaves only one side standing.
In the middle of the face-off where two foes stand eye to eye ready to tear each others’ heads off the battleground becomes a sea of blood and bone, a wasteland where the traumas of death, fear and destruction replace all earlier tendencies toward common humanity.
Such is war and such is the state of our world that thought itself beyond such barbarism.
Wars need two instigators however and the history of the Ukrainian war clearly shows only one, the collective western leadership who degree by degree negated Russia’s right to national security and preservation of its protective sphere of influence. In a macabre anti-Cuban missile crisis Russia was pressured to accept that it had no right to peace of mind, that a belligerent NATO had every possible right to creep right up to its door and squat there for all the world like one of Steven Spielberg’s gremlins.
Like a schoolyard bully relentlessly pushing the shoulder of another less muscled victim, there sometimes can be an unexpected outcome.
There is every indication that the U.S. military has been providing Ukraine with precise location data on Russian targets, the use of which has resulted in many civilian deaths. In response, Russia responds proportionately and in recent weeks has has targeted a bunker within Ukraine where it seems a large number of NATO personnel were coordinating attacks on Russia.
Such escalations by the western powers reveal constant and significant escalation of violence encompassing the apparent acceptance that certain civilian casualties are inevitable and perhaps even desirable due to their involvement in supporting Russia, the Russian-speaking majority of the Donbass.
In war there is a strong tendency toward ‘mission creep’ and an increasing acceptance that things which would have been abhorrent before become regarded as ‘unfortunate necessities’ before becoming in due course an every day ‘accepted normality’. We have seen the West escalate in this manner time after time, saying that certain weapons will not be given the Ukrainian regime only for them to be given a few weeks or months later.
Once the Rubicon is crossed there is usually no turning back.
Thus we move to the necessitated compartmentalisation of conscience within a steely-eyed compulsion to utterly decimate an enemy that has become only a fiendish shadow of a human representation, a thing to be exterminated by all means possible.
The latest escalations include the point blank refusal to take part in peace talks, something Russia has been willing to engage in from the very start and which almost reached agreement in Istanbul last March if it were not for the intervention by Johnson and Biden to halt the process.
Now we await what may be the final escalation from the Ukrainian regime and their western sponsors, the long-promised counter offensive by the Ukrainian military. We are promised by Anthony Blinken that it will take place sometime in the the next few weeks. However, Russia has said it is fully ready to repulse any offensive which the regime mounts. This may well be the final battle that will determine the outcome of this conflict and much else besides. We are nearing a crucial moment in history and there appears to be an atmosphere of no quarter to be given on either side.
We stand on that threshold now. And into that evil mire we may now plunge. Whether one side gains a great victory or we find all sides grieving that humanity has finally come to this where hope, idealism, patriotism and honour are all lost in a final abysmal bloodbath.