Russia

[dawg80]

A Russian S-300 anti-drone missile malfunctioned and slammed into a Russian apartment building, several deaths, dozens injured. The Putin propagandists embarrassed themselves trying to lay the blame on a Ukrainian drone attack, but the officer in charge of the S-300 missile battery had already given an interview to a regional TV station and that went viral quickly. Caught in yet another lie the Putinites nevertheless shamelessly press on with more lies.

Now, this report is the result of a Ukrainian drone attack. Russia's version of the Twin Towers, called the "Evolution Tower" in Moscow, a financial/banking center, a towering structure of glass, was struck by at least one Ukrainian drone. Shards of glass fell to the streets below causing injuries, no reports of deaths. This tower was targeted by Ukraine and struck in the middle of the night to minimize the chance of civilian casualties. The offices of the banks etc. were closed, no employees in the building.

Severe winter storms, blizzards are sweeping across most of Russia and in Ukraine as well. This has mostly shut down military operations, by both sides, and the record cold is causing hardship for citizens without power/heat.

[dawg80]

Putin oil tanker that was seized by the US leaving Venezuela had gold and cash, in US $dollars, on board. No amount given in the initial report, but I bet it wasn't petty cash.

[dawg80]

Iranian cargo ship, the Rona, sank in the Caspian Sea carrying weapons to Russia. No cause has yet been released but speculation is it was simply an old rusty ship that sprang a leak. It went down with all hands, apparently, as the Russian coast guard was afraid to send out rescue boats out of fear of being struck by Ukrainian drones.

Near Kupiansk, those "jungle fighters" former Columbian special forces who have voluntarily traveled to Ukraine to fight for the good guys, wiped out trapped Russian troops held up in a forested area. Estimated that close to 150 Russians, half of which said to be "elite" Russian paratroopers, refused to surrender even though they were completely surrounded. The Ukrainians had decided to starve them out, but the Columbians asked for a chance to go in. They did, and after a 4-hour firefight, all 150 Russians have been "neutralized." These Columbians, veterans of Columbia's special forces who served for years fighting drug cartels in the mountains/jungles, are skilled at jungle fighting.

[dawg80]

Chechnya is hanging by a thread in Putin's control. Chechnya is a Muslim "nation" not in step with Moscow or any of Russia culturally and has only been kept in line due to the strongarm tactics of Ramzan Kadyroz, a brutal dictator propped up by Putin. Well Kadyrov is critically ill with liver failure, in a Moscow hospital, and not likely to live much longer. So, his 17-year-old son Adam Kadyroz is being groomed to assume the dictatorship. Oops! that might not happen now as the younger Kadyroz was involved in a car wreck and is now in critical condition. No foul play suspected as his caravan of cars, with armed bodyguards, crashed in a multi-vehicle pileup. All of Russia, eastern Europe, is being pummeled by severe winter weather and looks like the caravan hit a patch of ice on a downhill section of the highway.

I don't necessarily support the radical Islamists in Chechnya, but if they can cause trouble for Putin, then..."the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Will be interesting to see if another uprising occurs in Chechnya absent the strongarmed leadership of Kadyrov. Back in 2006 Putin sent in Russian troops to crush a rebellion in support of Kadyrov. The Russians suffered heavy losses, losing many thousands of soldiers and 100+ tanks in the brutal fighting that lasted for a month. This time Putin's army is depleted and without Kadyrov and his personal army the uprising has a better chance of succeeding.

[dawg80]

Putin has lost his hold in Moldavia, a region Russia calls Transnistria. They have a base with 1,500 soldiers there, a garrison, and an airbase capable of handling large cargo planes and bombers. But cooperating with Ukraine and Romania, the western-leaning Moldavian government has blocked all land access to the region. And Russian supply planes cannot fly over Ukraine, they will be shot down easily, and now it's up to Romania to deny Russian planes crossing their airspace. As it stands now, even with airspace access across Romania, Putin's crumbling military can no longer properly support those troops "trapped" in Moldavia.

Combine this with Putin losing control of Kaliningrad and his military enclaves are rapidly disappearing. Instead of expanding the Soviet Empire, which is Putin's ultimate goal, it is rapidly shrinking.

[DawgyNWindow]

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-troops-desertions-draft-dodging-32c3cfa8c1dbdee50a193149376ee64e

[dawg80]

Chechnya is hanging by a thread in Putin's control. Chechnya is a Muslim "nation" not in step with Moscow or any of Russia culturally and has only been kept in line due to the strongarm tactics of Ramzan Kadyroz, a brutal dictator propped up by Putin. Well Kadyrov is critically ill with liver failure, in a Moscow hospital, and not likely to live much longer. So, his 17-year-old son Adam Kadyroz is being groomed to assume the dictatorship. Oops! that might not happen now as the younger Kadyroz was involved in a car wreck and is now in critical condition. No foul play suspected as his caravan of cars, with armed bodyguards, crashed in a multi-vehicle pileup. All of Russia, eastern Europe, is being pummeled by severe winter weather and looks like the caravan hit a patch of ice on a downhill section of the highway.

I don't necessarily support the radical Islamists in Chechnya, but if they can cause trouble for Putin, then..."the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Will be interesting to see if another uprising occurs in Chechnya absent the strongarmed leadership of Kadyrov. Back in 2006 Putin sent in Russian troops to crush a rebellion in support of Kadyrov. The Russians suffered heavy losses, losing many thousands of soldiers and 100+ tanks in the brutal fighting that lasted for a month. This time Putin's army is depleted and without Kadyrov and his personal army the uprising has a better chance of succeeding.

A Kremlin spokesman says Adam Kadyroz was not on the approved list to succeed his father as ruler of Chechnya anyway. No names released as to who the Kremlin would approve.