Russian lawmakers authorize Putin to use military force outside the country

[Dartz]

Day 30 of a Three Day War.

--Russia announces that it has completed its primary objective in the East of Ukraine, liberating Donetsk and Luhansk.
--Everything has gone exactly as planned.
--Iraqi Information Minister. ‘I now inform you that you are too far from reality.’
--You’d almost believe it – they have a landbridge to Crimea and it’s where they’ve been ‘reasonably’ successful
--This would mean More than 15,000 Russian soldiers, tankers, parachutists and pilots were consciously expended as a gambit.
--Man, you can almost feel bad for those guys if that’s the case. They were just ground up
--Along with how many civilians in Ukraine. Christ only knows.
--Me thinks they’re trying to save some sort of face.
--In one case, Russian logistics have cost them 8 of 10 tanks with a unit – due to breakdowns and shit.
--Russia and Ukraine both claim 400,000 civilians have been taken to Russia. The only difference is whether they were abducted or evacuated. Somehow, I doubt it’s the latter.
--Russia continues to kidnap local politicians in Kherson.
--Russia claims to have suffered only 1500 fatalities through the whole thing.
--Does that include the Colonel pancaked by a tank driver pissed at how many of his friends were pointlessly killed?
--Russia claims to have killed upwards of 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers – a 22:1 ratio
--Claims to have shot down 35 Bayraktars – twice what Ukraine had. Maybe some were big seagulls?
--Minister Shoigu finally confirmed to have had heart attack - explaining absence for 20 days.
-- Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev is being called the Butcher of Mariupol for ordering the destruction of a hospital. Rumours of his death may be unfortunately exaggerated
-- Lt. Gen. Yakov Rezantsev becomes the 7th General to meet his end inside a month.
--Despite his best efforts, Mariupol still resists.
--City council reports people have begun to die of starvation in the city.
--A Russian journalist in Mariupol, fishing for positive words, gets shown what finger to sit on by the surviving locals.
--According to one Haaretz interview, the Russian preparation was so incompetent and slipshot, with so little cross-communication, the Ukrainian government genuinely believed it to a Bluff
--Not sure if operation Leeroy Jenkins Failed successfully, or successfully failed.
--Depending on the day, and phase of the moon, at least 60% of launched Russian ballistic and cruise missiles failed. Assume this means, failed to kill what they were supposed to, for whatever reason.
--This has to raise a question over Russia’s nuclear arsenal.
--Turns out Russia’s special state of readiness for a few weeks ago involved sending their ballistic submarines out from dock for a spin round the block before docking again a day later.
--While Russia’s enemies might have to assume it’s still functional, can Russia take it as a given that when it Pushes the Button, something will happen. Can it assume its opponents will take it as a given?
--Unreliability changes the calculus of nuclear warfare
--A candidate congress creature from the States has decided to join the Ukrainian military instead.
--President Biden visits the Polish Border to see what’s going on.
--US clarifies yesterday’s statement – it will not respond Chemical weapons if Russia uses Chemical weapons.
--Rumours of antidotes for chemical weapons being issued to Russian troops are still floating around.
--Blatherings about US Bio and Chem weapons in Ukraine are still emanating from China.
--China claims never to have invaded another country or sought a sphere of influence.
--Winne the Pooh is talking out his arse. And probably loving every second of this.
--America compares what’s happening in Ukraine to Tiananmen Square.
--Nobody wants to Talk to Boris Johnson at a European summit.
--Civilians who attempted to rescue Snake Island sailors and were held as POW’s, released as part of POW exchange.
--EU is announcing task force to start to wean off Russian gas, and begin to buy gas as a bloc.
--Greece, Turkey and France to make effort to evacuate Mariupol. Greek Minister for foreign affairs to attend personally.
--Macron also launches a food security initiative to try and minimise the blowback on Africa and the like.
--Kremlin, on being excluded from the G20 --- Nuttin but snakes in dis group anyway.
--Kremlin still doubling down on the Gas Rouble concept.
--Europe: lolnope
--Kremlin insists Bulgaria especially pay in Rubles.
--Bulgaria: lolnope
--Serbia may get left in the cold since their gas moves through Bulgaria
--Kremlin: West has declared total war on us. Claims to still have many friends
--India: Keeps its head down and hopes the good weapons keep flowing
--China: Blathers on like a shitehawk but is doing fuckall to actually help Russia
--Russian Television obsessed with Zalensky not being in Kyiv
--Zalensky addressed the world, running down the list of supporter countries. Ireland earns an ‘almost’ rating.
--Ireland demonstrates its high collective self esteem as major newspapers filled with columns providing inches to explain what this actually meant and how it means we really are doing a lot actually…..
--Better to be seen as a laggard, than as fools who didn’t realise a Javelin wasn’t something thrown in the Olympics. (Or to be forced to fund the military – can’t have that, we can’t)
--The greatest dressing down is reserved for Putin’s European cockholster, Hungarian President Victor Orban
--Putin compares himself to JK Rowling
--One’s clearly gone off the deep end. The other’s President of Russia
--Godwin himself replied to one of Putin’s tweets. You know who this guy reminds me off (A week or two ago – I forgot about this)
--Russian ambassador to France posts pencil-sketch cartoon tweet. Gets diplomatically bitch-slapped by France over it.
--Moscow Newspaper: NOTHING IS HAPPENING. Walk on by. A special operation is underway. No one is growing poor. The economy is growing. (Ooh, Snark)
--Despite penalties – the Russian anti-war movement still exists.
--Russian Government complaining Europe hates Russian culture.
--Not true. I’ve been including Russian jokes in these – rephrased for the modern times.
--Ukrainian civilians play ‘Bayraktar’ to Russian occupiers
--Civil resistance continues. Both violent, and ‘peaceful’
--Russia begins destruction of classroom texts and history books in occupied terrirtories.
--Azov regiment never shaking it’s Nazi image. The Wolfsangel – at least – may have something to do with it. Ukraine insists they’re not ‘that way’ anymore.
--AN-225 Mriya was supposed to fly to Leipzig, the morning of the attack. They ran out of time.
--Videos of captures Russian hardware are getting thin on the ground.
--Was fine when Russia was advancing – it hinted at where the enemy was. Now that Ukraine is beginning to counter-attack, it may reveal where the counterattack is happening.
--Beginning now as small nibbles.
--Led by an impressive fireworks display courtesy of Ukrainian artillery
--VDV soldier still on Hostomel may have inadvertently revealed where they were hiding, while trying to prove they were still hiding
--Bayraktar sends his regards
--Military experts on Russian state television now talk about this special operation lasting 40 years. (Really?)
--Pentagon. Russia no longer has full control of Kherson.
--Russian troops marching to reinforce Kherson with all the enthusiasm of a death row prisoner for the Green mile.
--Reinforcement convoys consist of mostly Loaf vans and civilian vehicles.
--I kind of want a Loaf. It looks cute.
--Has Kherson been liberated?

What remains to be seen?
--Is this the start of the turnaround?
--Will Russia get it’s shit together, or turtle up in the South East and hold on for dear life?
--Will it ever be possible to buy a new Loaf in the West again?


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This is the final entry.