There were many, but this is one of the Russian Presidential Spokesman's humiliating moments on TV. Pure "Who you gonna believe, me or your own lying eyes?"
I would add to his analysis that even if there is a "political" end to the war, the sanctions will definitely not end. Once burned twice shy, you know. Europe and US will, no matter what, eliminate their dependence on Russian energy resources. There will be no Western imports into Russia that can be used to bolster its military, whether electronics or little things that cassette bearings. Russia will become a full third-world country that it so richly deserves to be. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/t...ame-for-the-ukraine-war-and-putin-11649359414
Russia wants to rebuild troops with retired soldiers https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/10/russia-ukraine-live-updates.html Fortunately, this fellow will be on one of ships where he will be safe. OR NOT.
Considering most of the oil needs to stay in the ground for the climate this war could be exactly what's needed to boost low emission. I check in on Sciencedaily and such regularly, there are a raft of solid new energy techs and Europe will be a leader in this now. Russians can all learn Mandarin since they have rejected a nice and comfortable European nation club future and maybe China will make better use of their territory than they have managed. Could save us all from China dredging the Galápagos and everything else if they can use that land.
US doubts new Russian war chief can end Moscow’s floundering Russia has tapped a new Ukraine war commander to take centralised control of the next phase of battle after its costly failures in the opening campaign and carnage for Ukrainian civilians. However, United States officials don’t see one man making a difference in Moscow’s prospects. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Credit:Bloomberg Russia turned to General Alexander Dvornikov, 60, one of Russia’s most experienced military officers and – according to US officials – a general with a record of brutality against civilians in Syria and elsewhere. Up to now, Russia had no central war commander on the ground. The general’s appointment was confirmed by a senior US official who not authorised to be identified and spoke on condition of anonymity. But the White House national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said “no appointment of any general can erase the fact that Russia has already faced a strategic failure in Ukraine”. “This general will just be another author of crimes and brutality against Ukrainian civilians,” he said in comments made to CNN and NBC. “And the United States, as I said before, is determined to do all that we can to support Ukrainians as they resist him and they resist the forces that he commands.” White House press secretary Jen Psaki echoed that thought, telling Fox News on Sunday: “The reports we’re seeing of a change in military leadership and putting a general in charge who was responsible for the brutality and the atrocities we saw in Syria shows that there’s going to be a continuation of what we’ve already seen on the ground in Ukraine and that’s what we are expecting.” The decision to establish new battlefield leadership comes as Russia gears up for what is expected to be a large and more focused push to expand Russian control in Ukraine’s east and south, including the Donbas, and follows a failed opening bid in the north to conquer Kyiv, the capital. AP
The missus has not seen "The death of Stalin", I think it will help her understand what's going on with Putin. Stereotypical patterns repeat.
Pro-Russian Ukrainian Parliament member Alexandr Rzhavsky was shot and killed by Russian soldiers in his house in Bucha. From his daughter: During the occupation, her father was twice abducted as the owner of a large estate, demanding a ransom, and both times he managed to escape without money. They were robbed, their phones and weapons were confiscated. And on March 27 Russian soldiers arranged a binge at their house. And when their father remarked to them and refused to give vodka again, he was shot right in the house. For those who read Russian his Facebook page is interesting: https://www.facebook.com/aleksandr.rzhavsky Like his Jan 24th post: "It is weird to be afraid of Russia that has no intention of invading. Isn't it?"
I saw an interview- couple days ago- not sure where- BBC I think- and they were interviewing people in various countries who had fled Russia, to Georgia, Istanbul, etc. Anyway, the interviewer asked one young woman if she encountered any anger or hatred toward Russians where she went and she said: "Yes there is some of that BUT no one treats Russians worse than Russia." Funny in some ways. Not so much in others. I can picture the pro-Russian Ukrainian thinking he might be on the safe side by informing them of his pro-Russia-ness. In the real world, that does not buy you much though. Poorly disciplined troops. Just pigs.