Putin ally appears on Russian state TV covered in mysterious bruises Atop Kremlin propagandist recently appeared on Russian state television with mysterious bruises on his face Vladimir Solovyov refused to explain how he got the bruises, according to a tweet from Nika Melkozerova, the executive editor of The New Voice of Ukraine. Solovyov, a pro-Kremlin television presenter who is known as "Putin's voice," was seen in a screenshot shared by Melkozerova with reddish bruises on his forehead, nose and cheeks.
I have never claimed everything was peaches for Ukraine. In fact early on in the thread I pointed out that info coming from the Ukrainians was by design meant to further their cause. But the same is true for info from the Russians and even moreso given ther government and lack of anything close to a free press.. But the reason for that post of mine was the “Russia will suffer a recession just like the west” response. I am all for counter arguments, but that is simply not true based on what we know today. And again, even Russia doesn’t believe that, privately they are saying 8.3 percent down from 2021 by next year, and maybe almost 12 percent by 2024. Publicly they are stating something much rosier, which makes it both baffling that you would tow their propaganda line on stuff like that, and proves the point on why their media shouldn’t be trusted. Russia Privately Warns of Deep and Prolonged Economic Damage My company had our chief economist give a 2023 forecast the other day, and we expect the US to be roughly flat this year. And then something in the realm of a half percent down next year. A very mild recession. So their contraction is expected to be 15-20 times worse than ours (and yes it could change for better or worse on both sides in the interim). And that’s before the long term impacts of losing their primary fuel consumers in Europe, the longer term technological losses with the sanctions etc. So that’s where my post came from. Counterpoints are healthy for discussion, giving oxygen to purposeful lies isn't. Jmo.
Five Russian officials arrested for proposing to remove Putin from power, charge him with treason I saw this story tonight.
I’m sure they’ll receive fair trials before deciding to jump out of windows or putting bullets into the back of their own heads. Worry not. Russia is winning glorious special military operation. In seriousness, though, the person interviewed for the article, Rebecca Koffler, I’ve read her book about Putin, and it is excellent. Her background in intelligence is legit, and much of what she predicted in 2021 has come to pass. Neither the extreme right or left will like elements of her book because the truth rarely fits a political narrative neatly, but she is a straight shooter.
I just assume they were arrested in a single story building but they (and I) forgot to include the residence needed to include an escape tunnel. My bad...
Is it your claim we are not in a recession and we are not suffering from inflation? My question has been and always will be is how much will the public take before they turn on our politicians and the idiotic policies they implement? That is what is currently happening on a worldwide basis. As for leading economists they may well think such future revelations may come to fruition based on the current status quo. A lot will happen in the year to come and the current status quo will change. Whether it will be a rosy or dire picture remains to be seen.
To an extent I'll grant that as when we find out the press has been manipulated people are warned. When we find out law enforcement infringes on the press people get upset. When we find out the administration is in bed with the free press to push an agenda the discussions begin and people take sides (healthy debate and cancel culture). None the less our press is no better in what they present to the public than anyone else.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, Russians are stealing bicycles to flee the onslaught of the Ukrainian counter-offensive. They can go faster because they are not weighed down by ammunition. An entire airborne assault unit has been obliterated. Soldiers are hiding in the forest, calling their wives, and asking them to contact the army and find out where they should heroically retreat to. Reinforcements are arriving, but most are 55-60 years old and they mostly complain about the weather, while some of them cannot ride a bicycle. Another great day for Russia! Russias 237th Guards Airborne Assault Regiment no longer exists: soldiers either dead or wounded Ukrainian Intelligence
It’s true. It’s over. Russia just lost. No one saw this coming. Putin to resign today and be taken into custody. Tomorrow Zelensky to be appointed Grand Bizarre of the new Republic of Crackhastan and is expected to appoint Ben Stiller as Chief Advisor.
This winter will be rough in Europe, but they aren’t going to say “let Russia have Ukraine and let’s make friends with Russia to get our oil back”. As of now, even in Germany there is overwhelming support for their role in the war, despite higher prices. 70% of Germans back Ukraine despite high energy prices, survey shows And I was giving year over year numbers, we are only half way though the year. The org that defines recessions will likely say we aren’t, but that’s not the point. Even if we were in one now, comparing what’s happening here and there isn’t at all apt. They are being crushed, regardless of what they say publicly. Russia faces 'economic oblivion' despite claims of short-term resilience https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/02/rus...are|com.apple.UIKit.activity.CopyToPasteboard But again, you consistently seem to want to give the best case scenario for Russia, even if it means quoting the Kremlin, who as I’ve demonstrated isn’t being honest with their data. And when it’s pointed out, you make even less credible claims about some sort of equivalency between our media and theirs, which is just false and really odd. There are plenty of legitimate narratives on why Russia could still come out OK without that kind of stuff. But that’s my last post on this price of the discussion.
Another major town and transit hub is liberated from Russian control Russian Forces Flee as Ukraine Makes Rapid Eastern Push Bloomberg) -- Thousands of Russian troops retreated in the face of a lightning Ukrainian offensive in the Kharkiv region that threatens to derail the Kremlin’s bid to cement control of Ukraine’s east. A local Moscow-backed official and pro-Russian military bloggers said Saturday that Moscow’s forces had pulled out of Izyum, a staging post for the campaign in Donbas, to avoid being encircled. Igor Girkin, a former Russian intelligence colonel who became a commander of the pro-Russian separatist forces in Donbas in 2014, also confirmed the retreat from Izyum. “A hasty retreat will inevitably lead to heavy losses by the retreating troops in equipment and munitions and -- most sensitive of all -- in people,” Girkin said in a Telegram post.
It's a bad situation all the way around. I'm providing the information as I see it. Obviously the EU is scrambling and in dire straits to contain the fall out from gas shortages and rising prices. Should Russia escalate that to oil and coal all bets are off. From my point of view the question remains as to how long the Europeans can hold out. That said we will see rising prices as well and the solutions put forward will not stop that from occurring. Will we suffer less than our European counterparts? Most likely but then again the Europeans are concerned with their own welfare not ours. EU to claw back energy firms' profits rather than cap Russian gas price European Union energy ministers on Friday tasked Brussels with drafting proposals within a few days to cap the revenues of non-gas energy producers and help power firms stay afloat. But as they sought to protect citizens from soaring energy prices that have driven inflation across the continent to record highs, the ministers backed away from more divisive proposals to cap Russian gas prices. At an emergency meeting in Brussels, the ministers instead asked the European Commission to propose broader gas price caps, even as the EU executive itself swiftly poured cold water on the feasibility of such an idea. ...... The EU's windfall plan, yet to be fleshed out, would see governments skim off excess revenues from wind, nuclear and coal-fired power plants that can currently sell their power at record prices determined by the cost of gas, and use the money to curb consumer bills. ....... President Vladimir Putin said this week that Moscow would cut all supply to Europe if a price cap was applied on Russian gas. Some countries that still receive Russian gas said they were unwilling to risk losing that supply.
The question is who blinks first. Russia or European nations? The war isn’t going well for Russia now. If reports are accurate the Russians are getting routed. I am betting that Russia has a change in government before the first hard freeze.
Russia announces troop pullback from Ukraine's Kharkiv area I always caution reading articles such as the linked with a grain of salt. Both sides have sound reasons to exaggerate their successes and minimize their setbacks. But on the whole the evidence is beginning to stack up for Ukrainian battlefield success with this offensive. And that is simply amazing given the correlation of forces as we understood it in February.
