The Russian army's defeat of Ukrainian troops besieging the city of Donetsk is nearly complete, ending Kiev's 10-year effort to destroy the city and wipe out its defiant defenders.
Exactly. Well said. I've been following/ studying U.S. foreign policy since the early 1980s, and never ever has there been a time when elites of every western nation walked in unison to the same militaristic tune, demanding more war. In the 1980s, a good half of Europe was pro-peace and played a crucial part in reining in American militarism and ending the Cold War.
This is a great victory in and of itself, no matter whatever other victories Russia will surely have in future months. Having watched the terrible suffering of the civilian population of the Donbass since the Spring of 2014 this near cleansing of Ukrainian firepower near Donbass' cities is a wonderful thing to see. It has long been awaited with incredible patience. Being no easy job as might at first have been thought by some, a true and stable peace is coming to the Donbass. The Russian military has brought this about as fast as it could. No one should underestimate the task involved. The time it took shows the great difficulties that were involved and that have at last been overcome.
I’ve been following the situation in the eastern Ukraine ever since the Maidan putsch. The people of the Donbass, in their resistance to the NATO trained and armed Ukrainian armed forces organized their own militias, armed with little more than small arms and knives. All people of good will should be inspired by the heroism and determination of these people. John, did you follow the chronicles of Russell, “Texas”, Bentley, the American revolutionary who volunteered in his mid-fifties to join the Donbass militia and fought alongside their leaders such as Motorola and others at the Donetsk airport and subsequently in many battles, eventually being asked to retire because of age and he then carried on the struggle as a journalist and humanitarian with a large following on his Telegram channel, as well as on Sputnik? Texas was a truly brave man with a big heart and honest convictions and integrity, as well as great political savvy, and unfortunately we all suffered a great loss when he was murdered last April under mysterious circumstances that hopefully will become clearer in this and subsequent weeks as results of the present Russian trial of his killers takes place.
Yes, I interviewed Texas about 1.5 years ago, and the article is in the archives, part of a larger article on Donbass. My source in Donetsk believes that his murderers (apparently Ru soldiers) were in the pay of the Ukrainian secret police, (and hence, by default, the CIA).
Thank you, John, for the reply. I didn’t remember your interview. If your source is reliable that would make perfect sense. His widow, Ljudmilla, has never openly stated that the Ru soldiers were acting as Ukrainian agents but I’ve always thought it must have been the case. The official story that they were just misguided and killed Russell by mistake (with a stun gun causing a heart attack) always seemed contrived to me. Russell had 20,000 followers and was a major influencer. In our present world that has become a cause for assassination, apparently.
My source is a battle-hardened pro-Russian military journalist who spent almost her entire life in Donetsk and Kiev. Has excellent sources where it counts. Yes, as you indicate, it's highly unlikely that someone so well known as Russell could be 'accidentally' murdered by Russian troops. They certainly knew who he was.
Thanks for letting me know this. It feels a little bit like closure. I only exchanged a few words with Russell but I followed him for such a long time and he was really the most reliable source of news of the Donbass that I knew of. I had so much respect for him because of how he had put himself on the line for the Donbass people under fire. He almost never pulled punches, including the Russian government and military if he disagreed with their policies. He would write on his channel every day and when he was absent for three or four days and then Ljudmilla reported him missing I felt like I had lost a close relative.
And how do the degenerates in the NATO alliance and in the EU plan to ‘counter’ the Russian victory in the Donbass?
Why by start WW3 by arming Zelensky and his goons in Kiev with medium range missiles with possible nuclear/biological warhead capabilities.
This is the equivalent of a sore loser playing Chess and suddenly they realize they’re cornered and out of pieces or moves.
So they overturn the whole board and throw a screaming fit.
“If we can’t win, we’ll make sure everyone loses!”.
Exactly. Well said. I've been following/ studying U.S. foreign policy since the early 1980s, and never ever has there been a time when elites of every western nation walked in unison to the same militaristic tune, demanding more war. In the 1980s, a good half of Europe was pro-peace and played a crucial part in reining in American militarism and ending the Cold War.
This is a great victory in and of itself, no matter whatever other victories Russia will surely have in future months. Having watched the terrible suffering of the civilian population of the Donbass since the Spring of 2014 this near cleansing of Ukrainian firepower near Donbass' cities is a wonderful thing to see. It has long been awaited with incredible patience. Being no easy job as might at first have been thought by some, a true and stable peace is coming to the Donbass. The Russian military has brought this about as fast as it could. No one should underestimate the task involved. The time it took shows the great difficulties that were involved and that have at last been overcome.
Very good points. Thanks for the comment.
Short documentary by Texas Bentley: https://t.me/TXDPR/14972
Thanks
I’ve been following the situation in the eastern Ukraine ever since the Maidan putsch. The people of the Donbass, in their resistance to the NATO trained and armed Ukrainian armed forces organized their own militias, armed with little more than small arms and knives. All people of good will should be inspired by the heroism and determination of these people. John, did you follow the chronicles of Russell, “Texas”, Bentley, the American revolutionary who volunteered in his mid-fifties to join the Donbass militia and fought alongside their leaders such as Motorola and others at the Donetsk airport and subsequently in many battles, eventually being asked to retire because of age and he then carried on the struggle as a journalist and humanitarian with a large following on his Telegram channel, as well as on Sputnik? Texas was a truly brave man with a big heart and honest convictions and integrity, as well as great political savvy, and unfortunately we all suffered a great loss when he was murdered last April under mysterious circumstances that hopefully will become clearer in this and subsequent weeks as results of the present Russian trial of his killers takes place.
Yes, I interviewed Texas about 1.5 years ago, and the article is in the archives, part of a larger article on Donbass. My source in Donetsk believes that his murderers (apparently Ru soldiers) were in the pay of the Ukrainian secret police, (and hence, by default, the CIA).
Thank you, John, for the reply. I didn’t remember your interview. If your source is reliable that would make perfect sense. His widow, Ljudmilla, has never openly stated that the Ru soldiers were acting as Ukrainian agents but I’ve always thought it must have been the case. The official story that they were just misguided and killed Russell by mistake (with a stun gun causing a heart attack) always seemed contrived to me. Russell had 20,000 followers and was a major influencer. In our present world that has become a cause for assassination, apparently.
My source is a battle-hardened pro-Russian military journalist who spent almost her entire life in Donetsk and Kiev. Has excellent sources where it counts. Yes, as you indicate, it's highly unlikely that someone so well known as Russell could be 'accidentally' murdered by Russian troops. They certainly knew who he was.
Thanks for letting me know this. It feels a little bit like closure. I only exchanged a few words with Russell but I followed him for such a long time and he was really the most reliable source of news of the Donbass that I knew of. I had so much respect for him because of how he had put himself on the line for the Donbass people under fire. He almost never pulled punches, including the Russian government and military if he disagreed with their policies. He would write on his channel every day and when he was absent for three or four days and then Ljudmilla reported him missing I felt like I had lost a close relative.
Again thanks for your information and perspectives on this grim scenario.
You are most welcome
Thanks, John for the new (for me) frame. Those of us who don’t read, write or speak Russian see maps and our eyes glaze over.
You are most welcome
We have waited a long, long time for this. The victory, when it comes, will be both sublime and permanent.