Here is July 25th's update! TLDR? Here's the summary.
Here is July 26th's update! TLDR? Here's the summary.
Here is July 27th's update! TLDR? Here's the summary.
I have an exhausting day ahead of me today, but I'll post interesting links in the megathread when I find them and when I have the time and wifi signal.
Here is July 29th's update! TLDR? Here's the summary.
Here is July 30th's update! TLDR? Here's the summary.
No updates no Sundays.
Links and Stuff
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Add to the above list if you can, thank you.
Resources For Understanding The War Beyond The Bulletins
Defense Politics Asia's youtube channel and their map, who is an independent youtuber with a mostly neutral viewpoint.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have good analysis (though also a couple bad takes here and there)
Understanding War and the Saker: neo-conservative sources but their reporting of the war (so far) seems to line up with reality better than most liberal sources.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict and, unlike most western analysts, has some degree of understanding on how war works. He is a reactionary, however.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent journalist reporting in the Ukrainian warzones.
Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.
Telegram Channels
Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.
Pro-Russian
https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR's former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR's forces. Russian language.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ Gleb Bazov, banned from Twitter, referenced pretty heavily in what remains of pro-Russian Twitter.
https://t.me/asbmil ~ ASB Military News, banned from Twitter.
https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.
https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday Patrick Lancaster - crowd-funded U.S journalist, mostly pro-Russian, works on the ground near warzones to report news and talk to locals.
https://t.me/riafan_everywhere ~ Think it's a government news org or Federal News Agency? Russian language.
https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ Front news coverage. Russian langauge.
https://t.me/rybar ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense.
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.
Pro-Ukraine
With the entire western media sphere being overwhelming pro-Ukraine already, you shouldn't really need more, but:
https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.
https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.
Last week's discussion post.
Kinda wild that all these former operator guys from NATO countries came to Ukraine as mercenaries thinking they were the shit and then ran away as soon as they realised that they were the squishy insurgents this time, while some DPR militia guy who looks like Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys, equipped with a 5th hand AK-74 and a child's school backpack, has been fighting intense trench warfare and urban combat for months straight. Guess it goes to show that the genuine will to fight can be more important than fancy training (not to sound like a Metal Gear Solid character or whatever).
Remembering r/volunteersForUkraine realizing the shit they are in for. :chefs-kiss:
I think the first week of lived experience is worth more than the first year of "fancy" training.
And then get your account banned shortly after. :shrug-outta-hecks:
I got banned from worldnews for calling someone a cracker. My proudest ban yet
That's what people think until someone gets called a Fr*do :anti-italian-action:
I got IP banned from reddit for saying I hope the Canadian sniper guy gets taken out his first day.
I kinda think its better that he ran away like a coward. A "hero" being martyred on the front lines can be good for moral a "hero" running home because he realizes he is on a losing side is horrible for moral.
They'll lift my ban any day now. Ukrop loser should have called it hate speech not threatening violence. The threat claim won't stick where they might have gotten hate. I really should switch to an alt but I feel the risk to getting banned on my regular account gives weight to my argument. Ukrops never risk a real account because they always end up mask off, frothing, screaming "Orcs!"
“Every Russian national applying for a visa abroad should be asked if they support the war in Ukraine, those Russians who support this genocidal war ... should not get access to the free world.”
When you aren’t free to enter the free world based on nationality
Genocide is when a group I don’t like does something I don’t like. I’m not sure how the definition could be more clear
Another at best dumb suggestion that if applied consistently would make basic shit impossible cause of having to interrogate people for 3 hours about everything their country is guilty of.
Also wouldnt you just lie, especially since these people think Russian brainpans inherently make Russians more dishonest and indifferent to life, like "Oh did anyone you are related to do a war crime?" "no.", like what the fuck are you supposed to do after that, are you gonna require Russians to provide detailed evidence as to their and their families activities and communications since the beginning of the war?
I think that they're trying to North Korea-ize Russia, where any claim, no matter how obviously false and batshit, is instantly believed by people because Westerners have been ludicrously propagandized against that country.
In this case, I think they're implicitly drawing upon the hilariously insane idea that Russians, like North Koreans and Chinese people, have some kind of microchip or listening device or some kind of brainwashing supervisor on them at all times that records everything they say and do to their totalitarian government, and that if they say a forbidden word or phrase (Tiananmen Square! Winnie the Pooh!), even far away from their country, then the government will hear them and punish them and their family.
I can already imagine liberals airdropping flash drives into Russia with pirated movies thinking they are undermining the Putler regime when in reality they are violating western sanctions
I can't wait to load up my plane with ten thousand USB sticks each filled with the entire West Wing series and go and fly over Russia to try and airdrop them and get shot down 500 feet into the border and cause World War 3
The best part is the pirated movies they'd be airdropping are probably from Russian rips.
You mean to say that Ukraine is proposing fascist, nationality based discrimination that is riddled with contradiction? I’m shocked
Doesn't you already have to check a box saying that you're not a terrorist when entering the US? This is even more stupid. At least the US security theatre is about something real, ie. safety from terrorist attacks, whereas this Ukrainian proposal is "virtue signalling theatre". It doesn't even pretend to keep you safe, it pretends to keep people with bad thoughts out.
Cool when are we doing the same thing for Americans for their support of their genocidal wars in Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, Libya, Syria and Palestine?
Nothing new. The following is literally on the US immigration application —
“Have you EVER been a member of, or in any way affiliated with, the Communist Party or any other totalitarian party (in the United States or abroad)?"
I'm getting a mental image of a tourist sweating over whether or not the ideology of the party he's a member of qualifies as "totalitarian"
totalitarian
if the market makes you do it or starve, well, that was your choice. nobody told you what to do!
I guess the MSM unloaded most of their dipshittery yesterday because now it's News-heavy again.
Summary
News
Ursula von der Leyen has managed to whip EU members into accepting the 15% decrease in gas consumption over the next year. Putin is helping them along by cutting Nord Stream 1's flow from 40% to 20%, which sends gas prices up by 17%, and is cutting into the euro and raising the dollar higher. Also, glaciers in the Alps are vanishing at their fastest rate in 60 years of record keeping, as mountain villages hit 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). The UN says that the first Ukraine grain ships may begin moving within a few days. Ukraine's Naftogaz, their largest state-owned oil and gas company and the provider of 17% of the total state budget revenue last year, has had their debt plan rejected by their creditors (a two year debt payment freeze). India and China have bought 13% less Russian crude over the last four weeks due to demand easing. High energy prices are forcing one in six German firms to cut production. Managers across industries in Germany are feeling increasingly pessismistic about the future. Germany has way too many hogs and it's ruining the local environment (don't worry, these aren't feral). The UK is pumping their foreign aid money into Ukraine at the expense of funding climate programs in developing countries, as the welfare of fascists is obviously more important than a breathable atmosphere.
China is launching a new tunnelling project to send water from the Three Gorges Dam into a huge, 1400 km long tunnel that at some points will go 1000 meters below the surface, all the way to Beijing. It will take a decade to build and cost $8.9 billion. China has also approved their first homegrown antiviral pill, as an alternative to Pfizer's Paxlovid. China does actually seem fairly serious about not wanting Pelosi to visit the US, while the US military is proposing escorting Pelosi on a military plane and bringing their aircraft carriers along. Indonesia and China are making friends. Sri Lanka's new president is already cracking down on protestors, by using the police to dismantle a protest camp after the protestors said that they were going to leave peacefully. Sri Lanka is also restricting fuel imports for the next year due to a shortage in foreign exchange. Bangladesh wants a $4.5 billion IMF loan. Afghanistan is talking to the US about getting their reserves back, and while progress is being made, there are still big hurdles in place.
The US might revoke aid to Rwanda due to human rights abuses.
The American Automobile Association did a survey, finding that two thirds of Americans are altering their lifestyle due to fuel prices, such as driving less, postponing vacations, and reducing shopping trips. US house prices could significantly decrease due to reduced demand for new houses. Elizabeth Warren writes an article in the WSJ about how the Fed are fucking up and how it'll be the poor who have to pay for it all, and while the piece has the expected brainworms, it's certainly not the worst thing I've read in the WSJ. OPEC+ is 2.84 million barrels per day below its oil production target.
Climate and Conflict
Russia is striking port infrastructure in Mykolaiv too, says the ever-reliable mayor of the city. Other than that, we're still on hold, basically. Russia has apparently repaired the bridge to Kherson and also has a pontoon bridge in place, which is good for them, I guess.
Russia will quit the International Space Station after 2024, after which they will start putting together a Russian orbital station.
Dipshittery, Good Takes, and Hope
Ukraine is very unhappy about Lavrov's visit to Africa, in which he is swinging a pocket watch back and forth in front of African leaders' eyes and telling them that the food crisis isn't Russia's fault, to which they dreamily agree.
Nearly 2500 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers are striking at Boeing after rejecting the contract offer. Over 400 Planned Parenthood workers from Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska have joined the Service Employees International Union with a 90% yes vote.
China does actually seem fairly serious about not wanting Pelosi to visit the US
A typo, I know, but..
Ae Tony! She won't be visiting the US again if she goes to Taiwan, if you catch my drift
That's because there wont be a US left if she visits Taiwan.
:inshallah:
Thanks a lot for doing these :ancom-heart: I for one really enjoy them, and they're useful as well. Also, the style you write those shorter summaries in is absolutely awesome.
:deng-salute:
I'll be here as long as the war is here, if not longer. I'm too stubborn to stop even if it gets less attention with every month.
hey, i just created an account for this site to say thank you. I do a lot of organizing in my community, so I am pretty busy tbh, and I now come to this site specifically to keep reading your new brief. I am sure there are more people reading this than you might realize. thank you
Thank you, that's genuinely really encouraging! Solidarity and good luck with your community!
Lotta the regulars here get banned for sectarianism eventually. Ah, well as long as it is still around I will still read it.
Made this account for an unrelated reason but figured I’d take the opportunity to thank comrade SeventyTwoTrillion and all the contributors to these threads
Stopped using this site a long time ago but started lurking these threads a while after the Ukraine conflict started and they’re far and away the best content that’s ever been on this site
Pelosi will die tomorrow, according to Wiki(on Russian) - https://t.me/soroka_belaya/1093
what get's me most about the Ukrainian propaganda is blaming Russia for literally everything. Strike on Russian held territory with western weapons from Ukrainian territory? Definitely Russia trying to make Ukraine look bad. Ukraine is just a small little uwu bean incapable of hurting a fly. And the west believes every word of it, outraged that the evil savage Russians would do such a thing
https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/w8rqeg/ukraine_will_pursue_warcrimes_charges_against/
Zelensky Joker Mode
Funny how libs immediately switch from blindly worshipping him to "oh good luck with that and fuck you"
I'm all for Ukraine, until they rhetorically and toothlessly threaten financial institutions which immiserate countless people around the world
Nazis? Im fine with them. But don’t you dare threaten giant banks
Zelensky going to learn about the heart attack gun the hard way I see
Watch the libs call this move anti-semitic and say Zelenskyy should stay in his lane and use his Nazi military to keep crushing minorities
Zelenskyyyy getting killed and replaced speedrun any%
Listening to blowback for the first time while playing cities skylines, truly the future the left wants :gaddafi-happy:
Hey you mind sending it my way? I keep hearing about it. Are they MLs or just have a general left vibe?
here you go. i dont think they're quite MLs -- more like crypto MLs haha. They just do a lot of good context and de-western-propaganda. And the podcast itself is just really polished and well made.
Western reaction has been divided between:
a) the sanctions aren't really doing much, but hey, imagine how great things would be for Russia if we DIDN'T sanction them! So we gotta keep at it!
b) the sanctions aren't really doing much, but they will eventually add up and do something, eventually, so we gotta keep at it!
c) the sanctions are actually completely destroying the Russian economy and if we just wait a few more days...!
and the rarest type: d) the sanctions are destroying us faster than they're destroying Russia, let's get rid of them and sue for peace
Is it just me or is the US empire getting absolutely pasted lately?
Germany offer to send 20 leopard 2 tanks to ukraine with a delivery every month.
Fucky journalists with their article titling, it's basically saying Germany will send only 20 of their "modern" tanks to fight the Russians, at a rate of 1 tank per month.
“The German “offer” after 3 months of thinking time: 20 Leopard 2 tanks. Deliveries from April 2023 1 piece per month, from October 2023 – 3 pieces per month. As a reminder: Poland gave almost 300 T72 to Ukraine in the first 2 months,” tweeted Kiesewetter.
All I have to say is fucking lol, lmao even. Also do they think the wars gonna be over soon so they're drip feeding new stock for the soon to be victorious Ukrainian army, or do the krauts think the war is going to last even past the end of next year?
The relevant part here is April 2023 start date, Ukraine is simultaneously going to achieve a crushing victory soon while also they realy REALY need a single modern tank 8 months from now because that will make a huge difference, gigabrain EU leadership with the 4d chess moves.
Putin 'proposed to have a Turkish drone factory built in Russia' MEE
Turkish drone maker Baykar has reportedly established a production facility in the UAE and Russia’s Vladimir Putin also wanted to set up a similar facility in Russia, it emerged on Tuesday.
According to CNN Turk, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told colleagues at a top party meeting on Monday that Putin had approached him during a recent meeting in Tehran to suggest a deal with Turkish firm Baykar to produce its attack drones, which have proved effective against Russian forces in Ukraine.
“Putin told me that he wants to work with Baykar,” Erdogan reportedly said. “He proposed to establish a factory in Russia as [Bayakr] has done in the UAE.”
Does anybody else find this fucking hilarious? This is the epitome of :both-sides:
