The thing about propaganda is it always comes unstuck. Lies are ultimately unsustainable as the truth will always out. Several days ago the Warsaw Independent claimed the Verkhovna Rada (parliament of Ukraine) that several European nations would be supplying 70 new fighter jets to Ukraine, after Ukraine's airforce was wiped out on the ground on Day One. Poland would supply 28 Mig-29s, Bulgaria 16, Slovakia 12, and Bulgaria another 14 Su-25s. Every one of those countries has subsequently publicly disavowed this claim.
On Day One, Ukraine accused Belorussia of participating in the invasion. Belorussian President, Alexander Lukashenko, denied that any troops, Russian or Belorussian had entered Ukraine from Belorussian territory. Britain and the EU have sanctioned Belorussia anyway. Nevertheless, Lukashenko facilitated ceasefire negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian sides over the weekend, with the Belorussian border city of Gromel providing neutral ground for the meeting. Ukraine subsequently withdrew its claim that Belorussia had invaded, but stated it reserved the right to preemptively attack Belorussia. Belorussia and Russia have always been closely aligned and negotiations for the reestablishment of a union-state have been ongoing for years. Military threats from Ukraine and NATO countries will only accelerate that process. Lukashenko has requested Russia move S400 and S500 air and missile defense systems into western Belorussia to protect against NATO attack. Lukashenko has announced a referendum is planned to allow Russia to base nuclear weapons on Belorussian soil. https://de.rt.com/europa/132766-weissrussland-verfassungsreferendum-und-lukaschenkos-warnungen/ Once again the western powers have scored another own goal. Their refusal to seriously consider Russia's real security concerns have only destabilized the security of everyone. As the Russians pointed out in their draft treaty proposals - the only security is collective security.
Western MSM propaganda continues to report the Russian advance in Ukraine as stalled in the face of Ukrainian resistance. These stories simply fail to comprehend the Russian strategy of methodically cutting off the cities and isolating military units in the field where they can be defeated in detail. Avoid civilian casualties Any military or political commentator who is referencing stories in the UK and US mainstream rags like "The Daily Mail" and "The Telegraph" has completely forgotten their trade-craft. Quoting propaganda outfits with no credibility shows that even normally skeptical professionals can become swept up the group-think hysteria of 'Putin-madness. Look at the map below. Is it not clear? We are only on Day Seven. The US and its allies took three weeks to advance from Basra to Baghdad after weeks of carpet bombing. Perspective?
Ignoring the MSM noise, Russia continues to make progress according to its plan. Here's a summary of developments:-
Mariupol is shaping up to be a critical battle. The city is now blockaded on all sides. There is fighting on the outskirts but no direct assault by Russian and DPR forces. The Russian side has opened a humanitarian corridor to allow the evacuation of civilians but the Azov Brigade is preventing their evacuation, arresting fleeing civilians and seizing hostages. There are reports of civilians being imprisoned in schools and hospitals which have been mined by the Azov Brigade in order to create a humanitarian catastrophe when the Russians advance into the city. More lessons learned from ISIS in Syria. The Russians are still trying to negotiate the with the city authorities.
Volnovakha, a Ukrainian occupied city in central Donestk has been surrounded but is not fully captured yet. Ukrainian forces there have suffered very heavy losses. Negotiations for surrender are underway.
Ukrainian forces trapped in the pocket (see map) have continued shelling cities and villages in the DPR. A Ukrainian force attempted an assault on Gorlovka. Losses were suffered on both sides without gain.
The liberation of LPR territory continues with the liberation of Svatovo and Novoaidar overnight. Ukrainian forces have retreated, abandoning their equipment. The UAF are now only holding on in Severodonetsk and Lisichansk, but the process has already begun to drive them out.
Russian Forces have occupied Balakleya and are moving towards Izyum. From there Slavyansk is not far. It is likely that in the coming days the Ukrainian forces that are trapped in the the northern regions of the LPR will be surrounded and liquidated.
In Kharkov Russian forces continue to maintain a semi-blockade. There is fighting on the outskirts and within the city the methodical destruction of enemy manpower and its organizational and command structure and supply bases continues.
In the north east, Russian forces have approached Brovary, but there is no direct assault yet. There are battles near Chernigov and measures to establish full control over Konotop. Trostyanets is completely occupied. Sumy and Akhtyrka are still not completely pacified.
There are positional battles underway to the west of Kiev. There are losses of equipment and men on both sides and the Russian forces are bringing up additional forces. The ring around Kiev and Russian aerospace control will limit the ability of the Ukrainian forces to resist.
There are battles near Vasilievka in the direction of Zaporozhye. Ukrainian forces are pouring into the village. Energodar has not yet been pacified.
Overnight the city of Kherson was occupied by Russian troop with the agreement of the local authorities. Joint security patrols have been established with Russian troops and local police forces. The city is relatively calm.
In the area of Nikolaev, fighting continues to blockade the city, which has not yet been completed. The situation in the area of the Nikolaev-Krivoy Rog highway is unclear. Helicopter borne forces have achieved a landing in the area of Nikolaev. The Ukrainians have blown up the bridge near Voznesensk in an attempt to slow the Russian advance.
Despite another proclaimed Russian landing in Odessa, nothing has happened. In the morning Ukrainian media claimed that Russian ships had appeared on the horizon but then withdrew. There was claims of a naval battle, but smoke that was observed on the horizon turned out to be from a freighter that was on fire. So far the Russians have not arrived, nevertheless, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine asked Zelensky to negotiate a pause in hostilities, since Odessa has no defenses or forces on its landward side. There is a growing threat to the city as Russian columns bypass Nikolaev in the north.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has officially announced the losses in Ukraine since the beginning of the operation - 498 members of the Russia Armed Forces killed. The Armed Forces of Ukraine - 2870 killed and 3700 wounded.
Negotiations
Following the fruitless negotiations on 28th February 2022, a second session has been scheduled for 4th March 2022 in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, a Belorussian nature reserve near the Ukrainian-Russian border. Ukrainian sources claim that as of 2nd March Zelensky was ready to recognize Crimea and the LDNR independence within existing Ukrainian borders. However, the time when this would be acceptable has long past. Russian has incurred significant costs for the operation and sanctions and, given Ukraine's long history of negotiating in bad faith and reneging on agreements (Minsk I and II), what would Zelensky's signature on a treaty actually be? Ukraine in its current form does not have national sovereignty, being basically run from the US Embassy in Kiev. This foreign occupation needs to be terminated.
For the avoidance of doubt, Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, restated Russia's position, again (my paraphrase):
The purpose of the ongoing operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine is to protect people, primarily in the Donbass from ongoing aggression. During the special operation, we do everything to prevent any serious civilian casualties. Russia is 100% successful in achieving its specific goals.
A key task of this operation is to identify specific strike weapons that have been deployed on Ukrainian soil by the western powers. We will never allow these weapons to be deployed there. Additionally, Ukraine has the technical potential to create a nuclear weapon, the Russian Federation will never allow this.
Russia's position in negotiations with Ukraine is the Crimea is part of the Russian Federation. This topic is closed. There must be recognition of the DPR and LPR within their administrative boundaries. There will be demilitarization within certain parameters. These demands on Ukraine cannot be qualified as its 'surrender.' After the end of the conflict, Ukrainians themselves must decide how they want to live and govern themselves. Russia offers Ukraine an agreement that will ensure the legal rights of all the peoples of this country. The parameters of security guarantees that Russia will offer Ukraine will be the subject of the second round of negotiations. At the present time, Kiev has not yet confirmed that it will participate in the second round of consultations.
The current situation has developed due to the fact that the West refused to recognize equal rights for the Russian Federation in organizing the European security architecture. Russia cannot watch participants in torchlight processions march under fascist, neo-Nazi banners in modern Europe. Ukraine must go through the denazification procedure, like Germany did in the past.
I don’t rule out that someone wants Russia to get bogged down in a Western-created conflict in Ukraine. NATO has been trying to involve neutral countries, members of the European Union in escalating the conflict. Moscow is amazed by Berlin's comments on Ukraine and supplying it with arms supplies. Russia is now observing "information terrorism" with the stuffing of millions of fakes, which Moscow exposes.
The West through its sanctions against Russia, including the seizure of assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, shows that it does not give a damn about all its stated principles. If the West has decided to lower a new “iron curtain” in front of Russia, we won’t we will worry and find an opportunity to develop.
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