TheOldGuy @TheOldGuy@qoto.org
I am a Democrat who supports Ukraine in their battle against The Russian fascist invaders.
I am a 73 year old Covid hermit who
lives on 10 acres in a sparsely populated area of the Ozarks. I heat with wood that is leftover by the lumber industry. When cutting oak for lumber only the trunk is used.
The largest town is population 2993. The county is 13k people scattered over 713 square miles.
Joined Dec 2022
Latest from Maria Drutska
https://youtu.be/V7cOXB4QEL0?si=pfJn6NNRd-4TWPwH
He didn't actually go off the deep end. He went off the shallow end and cracked his head on the bottom
Thoughts from the Military & Strategic Analyst:
FUTURE AT STAKE
I know, not everyone’s favourite subject, but what happens in America changes the outcome of what happens in Ukraine.
The Trump cult is completely against Ukrainian aid unless there is some kind of transactional benefit. J D Vance boasts about his anti-Ukraine stance and Moscow TV talks about him constantly. You always know when you’re loathed in Russia because you either don’t get spoken about or you’re talked of in derogatory language. Which is how they see the Harris-Walz campaign.
Trump plays on human fears, primitive racist language, blatant lies and negativity. That’s what he has always been about.
The news networks that he so hates in public, did him yet another favour the other day. Every channel carried his babbling, rambling incoherent press conference live for an hour. They do it because he entertains with his buffoonery - yet they did not once fact check even one of his statements - and pretty much everything he said was wrong or a lie.
Yet when VP Harris spoke a little later they didn’t even cover it. Not one network bothered. This is what Trump calls crooked mainstream media - yet they give him more air time than anyone should ever deserve. Just as they did in 2016.
Even so, the grip of the big TV media is less than it was.
Because since Biden courageously stepped aside the Democratic nominees and the campaign have burst back into life in a way that’s more like the optimism and hope of the Obama 2008 race. The slogan of ‘no going back’ - to Trump, to the past, to the gloom and despair of his first four dysfunctional years. The stripping of women’s rights and the dismal future offered by the quasi-fascist Project 2025 agenda, is wholly rejected by the Democrats.
They offer a vibe of hope and positivity - and this is working.
I have spent much time in America over the years, probably a decade of my life, on and off. The Americans I have come to know are generally a kind and generous people with an innate optimism and view of things that can only be described as positive. The fear and negativity Trump creates is just not American. And most people are tired of hearing the stupid comments and the fear inducing language. They want hope and they want joy. And that’s what the Harris campaign is delivering.
Poll numbers are surging, Trumps lead has nearly vanished in places that matter and look set to fall.
The American system of an electoral college means that a tiny number of votes in a handful of swing states can change the entire election.
Back in 2016 Hilary Clinton won the popular vote by almost three million, but Trump won the swing states by a few thousand votes - in fact as few as ten thousand votes over four states gave him the presidency, because of the electoral college system.
George Bush won the 2000 election the same way, though not as tightly. Only Obama and Biden have actually become president and won the majority vote this century.
Biden received the highest vote of any president in history in 2020. Oddly enough so did Trump, but Biden won even more.
This year’s vote is unlikely to reach that scale of voters - apathy is a perennial problem. But for America, the West and certainly for Ukraine, there can only be one winner we can live and work with on the same page. Harris-Walz have to win. And right now it’s looking like they may just have the right mix of candidates and policies to make that happen.
I find it impossible not to be partisan when it comes to US politics. During the 1980’s the only sane choice despite his flaws was Ronald Reagan, because he understood what America was up against in the Soviets. And he knew the US could win. It was the overriding concern of our time. Only Clinton offered a viable view of the future in the 1990’s but his own weaknesses stripped him of his authority. The second Bush administration was mired in wars and made dreadful mistakes that Obama only ended up making worse.
CONTINUES....
CONTINUED
His domestic policy was good for America at an incredibly fraught economic time but already the nutcase republican element was circling.
Obama himself set Trump loose by mocking him at the 2011 press corps dinner, as he sat there, fuming. Trump never forgave him that sleight as he saw it. That was the start of it.
Years later we have a chance to see Trumpism largely extinguished - I hope America takes that path.
@ukrainejournal
Operational information as of 10:00 p.m. 11/08/2024 regarding the russian invasion
Our soldiers continue to courageously defend Ukraine.
Since the beginning of the day, there have been 71 combat clashes, the occupiers have launched four missile strikes, using 15 missiles, 45 air strikes by 62 anti-aircraft missiles, 229 strikes by kamikaze drones and carried out almost 2,300 attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas using various types of weapons.
In the Kharkiv direction, the invaders carried out three attacks during the day near Vovchansk and Tykhi. Units of the Defense Forces successfully repelled two enemy assaults, another battle is ongoing.
In the Kupyansk direction, the Defense Forces repelled four attacks in the area of Pischany, Berestovo and in the direction of Hlushkivka, one battle is still ongoing, the situation is under control.
12 times the enemy attacked in the Lymansky direction , tried to advance in the direction of the settlements of Makiivka, Nevske, Novosadove and in the Serebryansky forest, currently there are three skirmishes.
On the Siverskyi direction, during the day, our defenders repelled six enemy assaults in the Ivano-Daryivka, Verkhnokamyanskyi, Spirnyi and Vyimka districts. Fighting is still going on in three locations.
Five combat clashes took place in the Kramatorsk direction . The occupiers were active in the area of Chasovoy Yar, Klishchiivka, and Ivanivskyi, four enemy attempts to push our units were in vain, the battle continues near Chasovoy Yar. The situation is under control.
With the support of aviation, the enemy tried four times to penetrate our defense in the Toretsk direction . During the day, the occupiers attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders near the settlements of Zalizne, Druzhba and New York. Two attacks were repelled by our defenders, two are still ongoing.
In the Pokrovsky direction, since the beginning of the day, in the areas of the settlements of Vozdvizhenka, Novooleksandrivka, Kalinove, Novogrodivka, Grodivka, Zhelanne, Orlivka, and Mykolaivka, our troops repelled 30 offensive and assault actions of the enemy. Nine skirmishes are ongoing. Our troops are taking measures to maintain the designated borders. According to preliminary data, the enemy lost more than 250 killed and wounded today, Ukrainian servicemen also destroyed three artillery systems, an armored combat vehicle, an anti-aircraft missile system, three vehicles and a unit of special equipment. In addition, one tank and an enemy artillery system were significantly damaged.
At this time of the day, there are two combat clashes in the Kurakhiv direction . The invaders remain active, trying to advance in the area of Kostyantynivka. Units of the Defense Forces repulsed one attack, the battle continues.
In the Vremivsk direction , the occupiers are currently attacking in the direction of Vodyanyi. The situation is under control.
In the Orihiv direction, our troops repelled two enemy attacks near Malaya Tokmachka, but the enemy was unsuccessful .
In the Dnieper direction, the situation has not undergone significant changes, no losses of positions and territories have been allowed. Ukrainian soldiers successfully repelled two attacks by Russian invaders.
Today we celebrate the soldiers of 100 separate mechanized brigades , who confidently hold the lines and inflict significant losses on the enemy.
Glory to the Ukrainian soldiers!
Glory to Ukraine!
✒️: General Staff of Ukraine, media sources in the Security Service of Ukraine
@ukrainejournal
❗️ATTENTION! ❌ FAKE!
The Ministry of Defense Murder of russia publishes a video of "successful strikes" by the russian army in the Kursk direction. In fact, these shots were taken much earlier in Kreminnaya and Chasovoy Yar.
The day before, the russian propaganda news agency RIA Novosti, with reference to the Ministry of Defense Murder of the russian Federation, published a video in which "russian Mi-28NM helicopters struck S-13 anti-aircraft missiles at the personnel and armored vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the border area of the Kursk region." In fact, the video was shot in Kreminnaya and Chasovoy Yar.
And before that, on August 9, the Ministry of Defense Murder of russia released a video with alleged new strikes by the russians on the Armed Forces in the Sumy region. However, this video was shot a long time ago - it was published on July 14.
Not as if it was a surprise russia publishing lies. But only in case you've seen it elsewhere...
@ukrainejournal
"Failure of the system." Russian elites perceived the invasion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces as a blow to Putin's reputation
The breakthrough of Ukrainian military units into the Kursk region and their advance over the course of four days left high-ranking government officials and businessmen close to the Kremlin in a state of shock. At the same time, just recently, representatives of the bureaucratic and business elite were talking about Vladimir Putin organizing military operations in neighboring NATO countries and capturing cities like Narva, Estonia.
"This is a very big blow to the reputation of the Russian authorities, the military, and Putin. Because for two and a half years, Russian territory, with the exception of the occupied territories [in Ukraine], suffered minimal damage. It was only from drones," a major Russian businessman told The Washington Post. — And now it is unclear how many victims there were, there is destruction, and it is obvious that they [the authorities, the military] are not able to stop it quickly.” This is indeed a blow, since it is clear that the leadership received a signal from intelligence, but “measures were not taken,” says political scientist Sergei Markov, close to the Kremlin: “This is a failure of the entire intelligence system, and since Putin is responsible for this, it is clear that this is a blow to Putin.”
@ukrainejournal
A message from our friends at the Freedom of Russia Legion
To the great regret of Putin's war correspondents, in the 800 square kilometers of liberated Russian territory, the Bucha scenario has not been repeated in any populated area. Civilians are not lying cold by the roads, but are writing petitions to Putin asking for "help."
Bad news: Putin won't help you. Just as he didn't help the residents of Belgorod, Orsk, Buryatia and other regions from where he regularly receives such requests.
❗️ But we can.
Follow the example of TASS, which filmed the movement of equipment: send information about the location, movement of equipment and the availability of other information.
▪️ Anonymous and safe form of the Legion's Razvedsil: https://forms.gle/BE3GcoVVtmXXoUqz8
▪️ Official bot: https://t.me/lsr_official_bot
Help us stop the war. Only together we will win.
P.S. We are not Akhmat, who has been heroically fighting for three days on the approaches to the Kursk region; we are Russians. We love our land and wish it well. And for this, the war must be stopped, and Putin and his gang must be destroyed.
@ukrainejournal
💥Summer, heat... and precise hits.
July, through the eyes of the "GROZA" platoon of the Freedom of Russia Legion's RUBPAK in the Volchansk area.
☠️ Become part of the Legion
@ukrainejournal
The Kursk operation may partly serve to further expose the myth of russia's so-called "red lines," according to an article in Foreign Policy.
In the past, there was intense debate in Washington, Berlin, and the media about possible "red lines" that, if crossed, could trigger a Third World War or nuclear conflict with russia. One such line was the use of Western weapons to bring the conflict onto russian territory. However, this has already occurred, writes Andreas Umland, an analyst at the Swedish Institute of International Relations. He argues that the Kursk operation demonstrates the fallacy of these "red lines."
Umland points out that this operation showcases Ukraine's ability to execute unexpected and sudden breakthroughs—something russia has consistently failed to achieve since the war began. He suggests that Ukraine's strategy may be shifting not just the military dynamics on the ground but also the framework for negotiations—from a "land for peace" agreement to a "land for land" agreement.
This situation, according to Umland, places Putin in a difficult position: losing control over russian territory is a significant embarrassment for the Kremlin. However, the occupied Ukrainian regions that Putin aims to retain are also part of the "state territory" he is obligated to protect.
Umland concludes that Ukraine's new strategy might enable the "doves" within the russian leadership—if they exist and have any influence over Putin—to argue for the cancellation of the annexation of these territories to restore russia's territorial integrity. As long as Ukraine can control russian territories, there will be mounting pressure on Putin to bring them back under Moscow's control.
@ukrainejournal
THE ‘STRATEGY’ OF KURSK
Everyone wants to be excited about the Kursk offensive. I get that, after months of retreats and hard fought battles it’s fascinating to see highly mobile forces move so quickly - they’ve ‘occupied’ as much land as the Russians took in the whole Avdivka-Pokrovsk region in ten months.
The Ukrainians still haven’t explained their objectives or reasoning and there are only two things that now stand out as having any merit.
Either they plan to seize land and try and hold it, to exchange for similar sized territory occupied by Russia, or they are aiming for a potential wide enveloping sweep to cut off the rail lines to the Kharkiv front, and potentially come down behind it, though it’s a hell of a distance.
How will they hold the area they take once the Russians get their act together, though right now they seem almost comically incompetent? Is this a take and keep operation? Ukraine doesn’t have the resources to open such a large front and occupy it for good. It seems frankly incomprehensible that they could manage this.
Ukraine doesn’t have the machines or the manpower to sustain such a huge front once it settles down- and all fronts eventually settle down in wars like this.
Is it a distraction- trying to pull Russian ‘reserves’ of which there are far fewer than you might think. Rather than reserves it’s more accurate to describe what Russia has as deployed forces that are slightly in excess of what’s minimal. It’s those forces, in Kherson and Zaporhizia that can be pulled away. Would that enable another strike over the river and an attempt to rapidly reach Crimea?
Only time will tell.
As it stands like it or not (and a lot of people don’t), it looks like a very large scale raid until such times as it becomes clear what the aims are.
The facts are that right now it’s causing a big surge in Ukrainian morale, the Russians are deeply embarrassed and knocked totally off guard. Putin’s face during a briefing Friday, looked like a thunderclap, and if looks could kill most of the defence ministry is dead.
Will whatever this is actually be worth the effort in the end? Again, only time will tell. One advantage is that if we can’t guess what the Ukrainians are doing - neither can the Russians and that’s going to drive them insane.
‘The Analyst’ MilStratOnX
Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦!
@ukrainejournal
As a former Army medic, medics are vital to combat units
They often remain behind the scenes, but their work is also important.
The golden hands of the masters who bring our Victory closer❗️
⚔ 56 separate motorized infantry Mariupol brigade.
@ukrainejournal
I am a Democrat who supports Ukraine in their battle against The Russian fascist invaders.
I am a 73 year old Covid hermit who
lives on 10 acres in a sparsely populated area of the Ozarks. I heat with wood that is leftover by the lumber industry. When cutting oak for lumber only the trunk is used.
The largest town is population 2993. The county is 13k people scattered over 713 square miles.
Joined Dec 2022
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