There were 3 German crew according to the Russians. Two were found dead: the third was badly wounded. He was interviewed by the Russians and said he was a "mechanic." He died later as a result of his wounds. The only account we have is from the Russian side, but I think it is a credible report.
thanks stephen! your title describes the situation very well - this is about nato and russia, not ukraine.. ukraine is the proxy and nato is the aggressor, which is exactly opposite of what the western msm say on both fronts..
the uk has always seemed much more aggressive then the usa, but they do work as a tag team, passing the colonial torch from the one to the other i guess.. the new uk minister is known for putting his foot in his mouth on a regular basis, and yet he continues to get promoted! useful idiot i guess...
zelensky is the one who has to go, but then the whole facade would come crumbling down, so instead being in a dead end, zelensky and the west come up with ''new plans''... apparently when you are digging a hole for yourself, the idea is that you might stop when you realize what you are doing, but this type of logic doesn't seem to apply here... must be a huge amount of money and graft that has to keep going, not to mention that is the level of corruption was openly communicated, this might be bidens own ukrainegate... can't have that..
as for germany - they will have to figure it out for themselves, but because they have been so subservient for so long, it looks very unlikely, until the pain threshold is much higher then it is right now... scholz must be anxious about any upcoming election as change is afloat... perhaps robert fico will be the beginning of a groundswell of support for an end to this madness.. more likely is fico will be characterized as a madman or an appeaser... these are the general ways the corporate media responds to any change in the corruption and graft..
Thanks for the update Stephen as the recent uptick in the "Never mind facts - look how Ukraine is winning!" stories coming out of the legacy media was getting to be unbearable. Can't remember if you had mentioned it previously but there was a report that a couple of German soldiers had been killed in a Leopard tank in Ukraine - is there any truth to this report? Given your mention of the possibility of increased British involvement, the report on the Bundeswehr soldiers, if true, would greatly increase the likelihood of direct war between NATO and Russia.
“ The BBC Ukrainian Service reported recently that the Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) and the domestic intelligence agency, SBU, have launched a criminal investigation against Zaluzhny”
Stephen your source for this is a single tweet from some anonymous dude, not even the BBC Twitter account itself. You certainly didn’t get this from ‘BBC Ukraine.’ A five second google search or a quick check through BBC shows there’s no report stating this. Why didn’t you bother to fact check? How could you be duped that easily?
There are other reports including RIA Novosti. That does not make them right, but the reports appear credible, for what it is worth. I don't think I was duped.
Where’s the original BBC report? None of those sources actually show or cite the supposed BBC report. They just say the same thing as other Russian government-funded news sites. Why not just link to the actual report from the BBC allegedly stating this? Where is it?
YOU cited BBC Ukraine. Why would you not just post that supposed source?
And yes it is relevant: they’re either citing BBC Ukraine or RIA / RT’s reports on the same thing…which are citing a suppposed BBC Ukraine report. They’re all circular, without the original source they don’t corroborate or mean anything. I don’t know why you’d uncritically repeat some tweet without looking for the original source.
There aren't multiple sources. There's nothing for anyone to pull. You should be more careful before uncritically repeating random tweets. At a minimum, you should fact check the sources you do use.
Have you any idea what if anything much has been happening in the Orikhiv salient this last week?
A TikTok poster claimed a few days ago that Russia had destroyed 24 armoured vehicles, and killed large numbers of Ukrainian soldiers mounting a failed offensive against Verbove, but this seems completely uncorroborated.
Meanwhile a Google search for 'Verbove' over the past week produces ONLY articles about Ukraine's continuing impressive progress toward the village.
Google searches used to produce - along with daily reports every day for two weeks of the fall of Robotyne, before it finally fell - occasional 'contrarian' information, but it really seems the algorithms have been updated to exclude anything inconsistent with the official mainstream Western line.
From Google results, you'd think the defences of Verbove have been breached every day now for over a week since a Ukrainian armoured troop carrier ventured through one of the original country roads through defensive trenches and 'dragon's teeth', left for some reason (funnel/trap, vehicle access?) by the Russians, was quickly shelled, and retreated.
This was covered by THETI providing his usual detailed maps, geolocated footage and nonpartisan commentary on YouTube, but he has given no updates on that sector for a week, while one French site reports the sector is quiet as Ukrainian forces there are rotated after two months.
On a Dnieper crossing, I read a while ago that one option under consideration was to cross the remaining channel from the western shore at Nikopol, and move to Enerhodar on old roads across the now dry reservoir (with scanty Russian defenses on the other bank and toward Melitopol).
That would be a great symbolic reverse of the Russian-Ukrainian crossing at Nikopol in the other direction in 1944...
But I guess your talk of a crossing and attack on the power plant relates to a different plan?
I've heard that Zelensky's faction regards the nationally more popular Zaluzhny as a political threat, and that's one reason they annoyed the Pentagon by diverting so many resources from the South to the strategically less important East, base of Zaluzhny's military rival Syrsky?
I've also heard 'the allies' are increasing pressure on Zelensky's network, especially Yermak and Tatarov, who face serious corruption charges from before the war and since (with up to 30% skimmed from aid) which they hope to sideline by themselves taking control of investigations through the SBU?
I also read that over three quarters of Ukrainians polled in a recent survey think Zelensky is responsible for blocking investigations into his faction.
Which is roughly the number of people who disapproved of him for similar reasons in late 2021, after over three quarters (also) had elected him on an anticorruption (and antiwar) ticket in 2019.
This all seems to continue in new circumstances the alternation of corrupt pro-Western and Pro-Russian networks that has passed for politics in Ukraine since independence - while Putin in Russia ended the chaos of Yeltsin's kleptocracy by telling the oligarchs either to submit to a new boss of bosses, or face exile, prison or worse.
Bottom line: yes, the actor in his new role of global war leader is facing a tricky final act.
One way out would be to hold the elections due next year but - as he promised in 2019 - not stand, having been 'stabbed in the back' at home and abroad, and perhaps allowing some national unity government led by Zaluzhny to sort out the endgame?
It occurs to me that if he actually planned to stand down, he would not be running investigations of his adversaries. He will need them for his exit. Of course, he may just want to hop a train and leave on some pretext when the walls close in.
The breaking story, which must surely be fake news, that Mrs Zelensky spent $1.1m on 3 small items of diamond jewelry at Cartier while her husband was seeking more aid in the US last week, might fit your hopping scenario.
Good point, but rival corrupt networks investigating each other for corruption between elections was what passed for 'politics' from 1991 to 2022 in the poorest and (related) most corrupt country in Europe - so maybe we're now moving back to 'politics as usual', before another of the elections that has always marked the transition between client networks in the traditional East-West patronage contest.
Peace can be done tomorrow if only Russia wants to honor Ukraine territorial integrity and right to self existence (meaning stop mirroring people and innocents civilians)
Why do you say: "Russia is seeking a roll-back on NATO expansion, something that isn't remotely possible."? I doubt the Russians believe that; in fact the are demanding just that.
"The firing of recruiters, therefore, was not because of corruption (although there probably was some), but because of bad recruitment numbers."
I think the two (bad recruitment numbers and corruption) are related, since many people probably are/were bribing the recruiters to avoid conscription!
I would agree some were paid off. But certainly not all, and anyway there was no investigation, they were all kicked out. Seems to me the numbers were bad.
I discussed the German/Leopard matter on TV with Frank Gaffney. See https://www.securingamerica.tv/with-col-john-mills-lauren-homer-and-dr-stephen-bryen/
There were 3 German crew according to the Russians. Two were found dead: the third was badly wounded. He was interviewed by the Russians and said he was a "mechanic." He died later as a result of his wounds. The only account we have is from the Russian side, but I think it is a credible report.
I will believe this if and when the RF publishes photographs of the identification papers or other Bundeswehr paperwork.
thanks stephen! your title describes the situation very well - this is about nato and russia, not ukraine.. ukraine is the proxy and nato is the aggressor, which is exactly opposite of what the western msm say on both fronts..
the uk has always seemed much more aggressive then the usa, but they do work as a tag team, passing the colonial torch from the one to the other i guess.. the new uk minister is known for putting his foot in his mouth on a regular basis, and yet he continues to get promoted! useful idiot i guess...
zelensky is the one who has to go, but then the whole facade would come crumbling down, so instead being in a dead end, zelensky and the west come up with ''new plans''... apparently when you are digging a hole for yourself, the idea is that you might stop when you realize what you are doing, but this type of logic doesn't seem to apply here... must be a huge amount of money and graft that has to keep going, not to mention that is the level of corruption was openly communicated, this might be bidens own ukrainegate... can't have that..
as for germany - they will have to figure it out for themselves, but because they have been so subservient for so long, it looks very unlikely, until the pain threshold is much higher then it is right now... scholz must be anxious about any upcoming election as change is afloat... perhaps robert fico will be the beginning of a groundswell of support for an end to this madness.. more likely is fico will be characterized as a madman or an appeaser... these are the general ways the corporate media responds to any change in the corruption and graft..
Yes, it sometimes is the case that when people are digging their own grave they have the stupidity to ask for a bigger shovel.
the bigger shovel is happily provided by the west.. these big shovels cost more money you know? so sad that people can't see who is being had here..
Excellent analysis
Thanks for the update Stephen as the recent uptick in the "Never mind facts - look how Ukraine is winning!" stories coming out of the legacy media was getting to be unbearable. Can't remember if you had mentioned it previously but there was a report that a couple of German soldiers had been killed in a Leopard tank in Ukraine - is there any truth to this report? Given your mention of the possibility of increased British involvement, the report on the Bundeswehr soldiers, if true, would greatly increase the likelihood of direct war between NATO and Russia.
“ The BBC Ukrainian Service reported recently that the Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) and the domestic intelligence agency, SBU, have launched a criminal investigation against Zaluzhny”
Stephen your source for this is a single tweet from some anonymous dude, not even the BBC Twitter account itself. You certainly didn’t get this from ‘BBC Ukraine.’ A five second google search or a quick check through BBC shows there’s no report stating this. Why didn’t you bother to fact check? How could you be duped that easily?
There are other reports including RIA Novosti. That does not make them right, but the reports appear credible, for what it is worth. I don't think I was duped.
For example https://worldsnewsnow.com/sbu-interrogated-zaluzhny-in-the-case-of-surrendering-part-of-the-kherson-region-policy/
also: https://www.rt.com/russia/583365-ukraine-bbc-zaluzhny-probe/
Of course these are Russian sources so one must be cautious
Where’s the original BBC report? None of those sources actually show or cite the supposed BBC report. They just say the same thing as other Russian government-funded news sites. Why not just link to the actual report from the BBC allegedly stating this? Where is it?
They are not quoting the BBC Ukraine service, so it is irrelevant.
YOU cited BBC Ukraine. Why would you not just post that supposed source?
And yes it is relevant: they’re either citing BBC Ukraine or RIA / RT’s reports on the same thing…which are citing a suppposed BBC Ukraine report. They’re all circular, without the original source they don’t corroborate or mean anything. I don’t know why you’d uncritically repeat some tweet without looking for the original source.
There are multiple sources. I don't agree with your comments. News services notoriously pull stories for various reasons.
There aren't multiple sources. There's nothing for anyone to pull. You should be more careful before uncritically repeating random tweets. At a minimum, you should fact check the sources you do use.
Have you any idea what if anything much has been happening in the Orikhiv salient this last week?
A TikTok poster claimed a few days ago that Russia had destroyed 24 armoured vehicles, and killed large numbers of Ukrainian soldiers mounting a failed offensive against Verbove, but this seems completely uncorroborated.
Meanwhile a Google search for 'Verbove' over the past week produces ONLY articles about Ukraine's continuing impressive progress toward the village.
Google searches used to produce - along with daily reports every day for two weeks of the fall of Robotyne, before it finally fell - occasional 'contrarian' information, but it really seems the algorithms have been updated to exclude anything inconsistent with the official mainstream Western line.
From Google results, you'd think the defences of Verbove have been breached every day now for over a week since a Ukrainian armoured troop carrier ventured through one of the original country roads through defensive trenches and 'dragon's teeth', left for some reason (funnel/trap, vehicle access?) by the Russians, was quickly shelled, and retreated.
This was covered by THETI providing his usual detailed maps, geolocated footage and nonpartisan commentary on YouTube, but he has given no updates on that sector for a week, while one French site reports the sector is quiet as Ukrainian forces there are rotated after two months.
To my best knowledge the Ukrainians at the moment have stalled the push to Verbove.
Thanks
On a Dnieper crossing, I read a while ago that one option under consideration was to cross the remaining channel from the western shore at Nikopol, and move to Enerhodar on old roads across the now dry reservoir (with scanty Russian defenses on the other bank and toward Melitopol).
That would be a great symbolic reverse of the Russian-Ukrainian crossing at Nikopol in the other direction in 1944...
But I guess your talk of a crossing and attack on the power plant relates to a different plan?
I am only going what has been said in public. It is quite possible they will go in a different direction, maybe your scheme.
I've heard that Zelensky's faction regards the nationally more popular Zaluzhny as a political threat, and that's one reason they annoyed the Pentagon by diverting so many resources from the South to the strategically less important East, base of Zaluzhny's military rival Syrsky?
I've also heard 'the allies' are increasing pressure on Zelensky's network, especially Yermak and Tatarov, who face serious corruption charges from before the war and since (with up to 30% skimmed from aid) which they hope to sideline by themselves taking control of investigations through the SBU?
I also read that over three quarters of Ukrainians polled in a recent survey think Zelensky is responsible for blocking investigations into his faction.
Which is roughly the number of people who disapproved of him for similar reasons in late 2021, after over three quarters (also) had elected him on an anticorruption (and antiwar) ticket in 2019.
This all seems to continue in new circumstances the alternation of corrupt pro-Western and Pro-Russian networks that has passed for politics in Ukraine since independence - while Putin in Russia ended the chaos of Yeltsin's kleptocracy by telling the oligarchs either to submit to a new boss of bosses, or face exile, prison or worse.
Bottom line: yes, the actor in his new role of global war leader is facing a tricky final act.
One way out would be to hold the elections due next year but - as he promised in 2019 - not stand, having been 'stabbed in the back' at home and abroad, and perhaps allowing some national unity government led by Zaluzhny to sort out the endgame?
It occurs to me that if he actually planned to stand down, he would not be running investigations of his adversaries. He will need them for his exit. Of course, he may just want to hop a train and leave on some pretext when the walls close in.
The breaking story, which must surely be fake news, that Mrs Zelensky spent $1.1m on 3 small items of diamond jewelry at Cartier while her husband was seeking more aid in the US last week, might fit your hopping scenario.
I had not heard that.
The Zelenskys are both very focused on their image - and the virality of the Cartier story may reflect some tarnishing
Good point, but rival corrupt networks investigating each other for corruption between elections was what passed for 'politics' from 1991 to 2022 in the poorest and (related) most corrupt country in Europe - so maybe we're now moving back to 'politics as usual', before another of the elections that has always marked the transition between client networks in the traditional East-West patronage contest.
20.000 kia wia lol you missed if not a zero the real nr is around 95.000
total kia + mia + pow is near 660.000 not even counting wia and those who left (14 millions)
The number I have refers to August and September.
Peace can be done tomorrow if only Russia wants to honor Ukraine territorial integrity and right to self existence (meaning stop mirroring people and innocents civilians)
Why do you say: "Russia is seeking a roll-back on NATO expansion, something that isn't remotely possible."? I doubt the Russians believe that; in fact the are demanding just that.
It says exactly what I meant. They want eastern Europe detached from NATO. No chance.
"The firing of recruiters, therefore, was not because of corruption (although there probably was some), but because of bad recruitment numbers."
I think the two (bad recruitment numbers and corruption) are related, since many people probably are/were bribing the recruiters to avoid conscription!
I would agree some were paid off. But certainly not all, and anyway there was no investigation, they were all kicked out. Seems to me the numbers were bad.