"He who defends everything, defends nothing." Frederick the Great.
One would think that after suffering two catastrophic defeats in 2014 and 2015 by allowing their forces to be surrounded in 'cauldrons' and annihilated, the Ukrainian armed forces would have learned something in the intervening eight years. But no. Neither the Ukrainians, nor their NATO partners, have read their Frederick the Great. Their conception of sovereignty requires them to hold onto every centimetre of their territory and so... defeat in detail. It should not be a surprise really as the authors of this whole mad scheme are attempting to reverse the results of Operation Barbarossa of 1942. We all know how that ended.
While the LNR and DPR forces have pinned down and pushed back Ukrainian forces occupying Donbass territory, Russian combined armed forces have pushed in behind the Ukrainian lines from both north and south. Very shortly, the Ukrainians will be cut off and will face defeat in detail. Some units, realizing the threat to their rear have begun withdrawing towards Kiev, where the anticipated 'final battle' we be fought. Withdrawing units will be pummeled by air attack.
Due to the flurry of calls for negotiations from the Ukrainian side, the Russians paused some elements of their advance and ceasefire discussions were organized to take place at Gomel in Belarus. The Ukrainian side however, did not attend. After the Russian side withdrew at 3pm (local time), the agreed deadline for the negotiations to commence, Ukraine advised they would be sending a delegation. The Russian delegation extended the deadline and waited but were ultimately disappointed by another no-show. More Ukrainian time-wasting.
The military response from Russia was not long in coming. Overnight, Russian forces used MLRS systems to devastate Ukrainian military units which continued to put up resistance. They were offered a chance to surrender or withdraw and they made their choice. Russia is moving towards finalizing the matter with brutal efficiency.
Worldwide, the anti-Russia propaganda campaign is in full swing. The military pause over the weekend is proclaimed as resulting from fierce Ukrainian resistance. Kiev claimed to have annihilated a column of 56 tanks belonging to Chechen special forces and the death of Chechen officer in charge. Another fantasy victory to place alongside the "Ghost of Kiev" computer game footage. What we can say for sure is that fighting between Ukrainian military, police, militias and criminal gangs continues in Kiev each night. Russian forces remain on the outskirts, observing and waiting for negotiations to commence.
Kiev mayor, ex-boxer Vitali Klitschko, admits the city is completely cut off. Kharkov and Mariupol are also surrounded. Ukrainian troops appear to have evacuated from Mariupol, but the city remains occupied by the Nazi Azov brigade. They have set up defenses within apartment blocks, schools and hospitals (a-la ISIS) so it's likely Chechen special forces will need to work their way through the city, block by block.
The conscription of all military age men in Ukraine has resulted in a wave of chaos and murder throughout the country. Civilians not wanting to get caught up in this madness are fleeing the country where possible. Militia units are seizing men where they can and there have incidents of summary executions of those who make a fuss. Video below is not graphic but you can hear what's going on without actually seeing it. This was at the Ukraine-Polish border. I'm certain the fleeing Banderists won't be subjected to this treatment.
The European Union has banned Aeroflot from EU airspace. Again, the costs will be felt in the west, not Russia. Financial sanctions are extended to the seizure of Russia's foreign reserves, overseas banking assets, and Russians living overseas. It has long been a goal of Russian government to bring capital back within Russia instead of losing it offshore to western hedge funds and portfolio managers and has been warning Russians abroad that there is an increasing risk of asset seizure in the west. This has seen a net capital inflow into Russia over recent years. Those oligarchs who have refused to bring their money home have tended to be those who acquired it dubiously and the Russian government couldn't care less about any losses suffered by those individuals. From the American perspective, while this has resulted in a brief surge in the US Dollar, this will only drive money out of the western system as foreign capital recognizes that the western financial system is not as safe as they thought it was. Look at Canada. Own Goal!
The desire in western capitals to extend the war can be observed in the flurry of transport flights shuttling weapons to the Polish border. To date, US supplied weaponry has been captured in vast quantities in Ukraine. Surrendered Ukrainian units have told their Russian captors that they were not even trained in their use. As they are dependent on electronics, they need to be charged before use. Ergo, useless. No amount of small arms and 'non-lethal aid' will make any difference. Why would Ukrainians want to die for western bankers? The EU has promised to send fighter aircraft to Ukraine - so they too can be shot down the instant they enter Ukrainian airspace. Russia has complete airspace dominance.
Head of the Russian Federation Council Commission for the Protection of State Sovereignty Andrey Klimov, pointedly commented that transporting weapons into the war zone would have consequences. “I have a simple question – how will these weapons get there now? I’m just wondering – how? Well, the money I can still imagine: they will put it in their accounts there. But the weapons physically, how will they get there? As soon as it gets into Ukraine … we demilitarize it. It’s not like they’re bringing in apples. Don’t you think we can’t trace these shipments? It’s not like a penknife in your pocket.” Remember what happened to the Syrian oil smugglers. http://eu.eot.su/2022/02/27/transporters-of-western-weapons-to-kiev-may-become-targets-of-spot-strikes/
Day Four Report: https://stolzuntermenschen.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-ukrainian-operation-day-four.html
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