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Imagery published on social media has confirmed that a Russian Air Force Ilyushin Il-22M airborne command post platform was among several military aircraft shot down inside Russia in an apparent attempted coup by the Wagner Private Military Co.
Wagner-operated air defenses brought down the four-engine turboprop on June 24 near the city of Voronezh in southwestern Russia as the paramilitary group’s forces made an advance toward Moscow in what President Vladimir Putin described as an “internal betrayal” of the Russian people. All 10 crew on the Il-22 were killed.
Wagner forces also bought down several Mil Mil-8/17 transport helicopters, including: a specialized electronic warfare version; a Kamov Ka-52 attack helicopter; and a Mil Mi-35 attack helicopter being used to to stave off Wagner’s advance.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner’s owner, triggered the rebellion, aiming his ire at the head of the Russian military, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Prigozhin publicly blamed the two men for the conflict in Ukraine which has seen thousands of Wagner personnel killed. In a video published online on June 23, he said justification for the war in Ukraine was a lie, and just an excuse for "a small group of scumbags" to promote themselves and deceive both the public and Putin.
...
The loss of the Il-22M—a military conversion of the Il-18 airliner—represents a significant loss in the Russian Air Force’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance fleet. It is the second such loss in five years. Back in September 2018, an Il-20—an electronic intelligence version of the Il-18—was shot down accidentally by Syrian air defenses as it returned from a patrol flight over the Mediterranean Sea.
In conclusion: the mutiny was "mostly peaceful". =))
How come Russia isn't crawling on its knees begging Ukraine for forgiveness, now? Any day, now, any day.
Fucker. He knew that WMD was a lie. They all knew it was a lie, and that Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11. It was all the Saudis, and probably the CIA.
If anyone has the slightest doubt about 9/11 it's because you haven't taken the time, not because you can't know. I push Corbett for different things, but this one is his area of expertise.
Lost in all the fake news about the Wagner Civil War, the Evening Standard ran a story late last week headlined, “Ukraine May Be ‘Pausing Counteroffensive’, Says Institute for the Study of War.”
According to the article, on June 17th, the Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian forces “have mostly paused their advances in recent days” as command in Kiev “re-examines tactics.”
Re-examines. That’s a euphemism for “licks its wounds.”
In its latest update on the war, the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said these news reports are consistent with their own recent observations of the “scale and approach” of local Ukrainian counterattacks in southern and eastern parts of the country. It added that it still does not look like Ukraine has launched its “main” effort yet.
The rationale for the “pause” was not clear, especially given that it provides the Russians even more time to shore up their defenses.
Headlines this week suggested a new push to lower liberal expectations, signaling nothing is going to happen anytime soon. ...
Haha, it’s not that the Russians are winning or anything. It’s the GROUND. The Ukrainians are being defeated by dirt.
The Times’ article, which is not paywalled, includes a helpful gigantic infographic with a large, scrollable battle map, pointing out all the different ways the devilish Russians have craftily frustrated the brave Ukrainian CounterOffensive™.
The Ukrainians have unlimited money, weapons, and ammo, and the Russians are — supposedly — isolated under crushing sanctions. Just saying.
Institute for the Study of War.
Patrick says
Institute for the Study of War.
Like the Carnegie Insitute for Peace, this org is pure bullshit
Prigozhin hates Shoigu because he tried to kill the Wagner troops in Ukraine when they wouldn't pay for ammo through various means, and bombed them when they returned to Russia. There's a lot of other aggression's, but suffice it to say Prigozhin took a lot of shit before pushing back. If they downed these aircraft, it's likely because they perceived them as a threat. Only reason Pirgozhin got as close to Moscow as he did is he has the support of Russian troops. He wouldn't get that if he was attacking them indiscriminately.
Putin is part of WEF, is the third person facing camera the conspiracy?
Now the $million dollar question is which Russian or international faction supported Prigozhin and what was the desired outcome of this exercise. I can’t answer this and I have not seen a good answer anywhere.
All appears to be true according to pro-Prigozhin telegram channels. He downed 5 or 6 helicopters and 1 aircraft because they were either firing at them or coordinating fire. Nearly all Russian regular troops showed either support or positive indifference to Wagner. Putin the fearless fled to his Waldai residence from Moscow.
There are Patnetters who believe that Putin is savior of Western civilization, anti globalization, etc. His actions during pLandemic and attack of Ukraine at exact time to take spotlight away from gubbermint-committed Covid crimes speak otherwise, and so does his fraternization with Bush crime family.
He has supporters in Moscow, likely inside the Kremlin. During the tense 24 hours before it become clear he would not be advancing all the way to Moscow, most of the powerful people stayed silent. If they thought Prigorzhin had no chance, they would have all quickly denounced him.
Bd6r says
All appears to be true according to pro-Prigozhin telegram channels. He downed 5 or 6 helicopters and 1 aircraft because they were either firing at them or coordinating fire. Nearly all Russian regular troops showed either support or positive indifference to Wagner. Putin the fearless fled to his Waldai residence from Moscow.
What evidence do you have of any of this?
Bd6r says
There are Patnetters who believe that Putin is savior of Western civilization, anti globalization, etc. His actions during pLandemic and attack of Ukraine at exact time to take spotlight away from gubbermint-committed Covid crimes speak otherwise, and so does his fraternization with Bush crime family.
Bd6r What Patnetters think that Putin is "savior of Western civilization"? Name them, and support your statement, or this is just another fucking strawman that's just bullshit rotting in your "mind".
I seriously doubt that Putin wouldn't have a way to pull the plug on Wagner i.e. not trust the mercenaries and inch. One rumor is he has the families of the Wagner leaders under soft arrest and anything untoward happens, they are toast down their generational gene pools. That seems to be the language they understand.
NuttBoxer - you don't know any of this shit. You have no idea what was said behind closed doors.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As a sign of ongoing commitment and support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, American President Joe Biden has announced he is officially canceling the 2024 elections.
"If it's the right move for Zelensky, it's the right move for us," Biden said when the announcement was made. "With the current state of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia, it's vital that we maintain continuity of leadership…here in the United States, I mean. Suspending the 2024 elections will ensure I stay in office and the war machine keeps churning in Ukraine. Butter pecan!"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky drew attention this past week by suspending elections in the country, citing Ukrainian laws that require elections to be held during peacetime. "It would be both illegal and unethical for us to hold elections now," Zelensky said. "We cannot hold elections until the war is over, and the war cannot be over until I have completed my collection of sports cars, gold jewelry, and rare Funko Pop figures. We will continue to fight the evil Russian invaders to keep this a free and democratic nation, and anyone who questions my decision will be eliminated."
Since the war began, Zelensky has consolidated all Ukrainian TV outlets into one state-run broadcast, dissolved opposing political parties, and sought to outlaw the Ukrainian Orthodox Church — all of which have provided great inspiration for Biden. "That guy really knows how to run a free country, folks," Biden said of Zelensky. "My administration hopes to follow his great example. Where am I, again?"
At publishing time, Zelensky had granted himself additional emergency powers, declared himself Emperor, and announced the creation of a clone army.
awaiting moderation
-2 attack helicopters (Ka-52 and Mi-35)
-1 armed transport helicopter (Mi-8)
-3 electronic warfare helicopters (Mi-8MTPR-1)
-1 Il-22M airborne command post/comms relay plane
Yesterday, the Washington Post slyly ran a fake investigative piece, no doubt dished up by the intel agency, headlined “CIA director, On Secret Trip To Ukraine, Hears Plan For War’s Endgame.”
Hahahaha! A secret trip to Ukraine! On the WaPo’s front page! These guys are so funny.
The sub-headline explained the “endgame” isn’t about winning. “During meetings in Kyiv, William Burns was told of Ukraine’s ambitious goal to retake territory and push Moscow into talks by the end of the year.”
Talks! By the end of the year. In a serious, non-circus world, this sea-change in Proxy War policy about how the war will end would be earthshaking news. Until ten seconds ago, the official Biden policy has been “no deals.” Recent disclosures have shown that Washington has even frustrated and blocked several earlier peace talks.
Before continuing the story, it is helpful to note the clock the Biden Administration is under. The Proxy War must be wrapped up by the end of this year to avoid becoming an election-year issue in 2024. The general rule is that virtuous, exciting, NEW wars are helpful to a candidate’s re-election chances, whereas old, languishing wars of attrition are NO BUENO. ...
In addition to telling us all about Zelensky’s “secret meeting” with the head of the CIA, William J. Burns — and just what is the CIA even doing in Ukraine, one wonders; and what does the CIA have to do with negotiating a peace deal? I mean, whose war is it anyway? — the paper also told us all about Ukraine’s “secret” new strategy to improve its negotiation position: first move artillery and missile systems near the boundary line of Russian-controlled Crimea; push further into eastern Ukraine; and only then open negotiations with Moscow for the first time since peace talks “broke down” (with U.S. help) in March of last year.
“Russia will only negotiate if it feels threatened,” explained an unidentified, anonymous senior Ukrainian official. More specifically, the strategy is to build up pressure so the war-torn country isn’t negotiating from a position of weakness:
In agreeing not to take Crimea by force, Kyiv would then demand that Russia accept whatever security guarantees Ukraine can secure from the West, said Ukrainian officials.
Conspicuous by its absence was any mention of getting back the “disputed territories” in Eastern Ukraine that Russia now claims to have annexed into the Motherland. Maybe revealing this change in position was the article’s real goal, to re-set liberal expectations for what might be considered acceptable terms.
Interestingly, WaPo’s story also dropped the nugget that the U.S. intelligence community knew as early as mid-June that the Wagner Group was plotting an armed assault of some kind, according to an unidentified, anonymous U.S. official. Then the newspaper assiduously assured its readers that Biden had nothing whatsoever to do with the Wagner “rebellion,” just like he didn’t have anything to do with blowing up Russia’s gas pipelines.
But … I mean … where’s the old journalistic curiosity? Exactly HOW did the CIA know about Prigozhin’s little civil war ahead of time? Hmm? The WaPo didn’t speculate.
But look at what the relatively-short article did admit:
Ukraine has taken heavy casualties as its troops and armored vehicles navigate thick minefields and fortified trenches across wide-open territory. The challenging terrain has left troops vulnerable to Russian airstrikes and missile attacks. Zelensky has acknowledged that the counteroffensive is going “slower than desired,” and officials have confirmed the destruction of some Western-provided Leopard 2 tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles.
Uh oh. So, I guess things aren’t exactly going swimmingly in the Proxy War. Here is the timeline that one can piece together from this fake news story:
1) Ukraine was losing the “last chance” counteroffensive.
2) The CIA waited for the Wager Group’s rebellion, which came, if you think about it, at a particularly peculiar time, given that Ukraine was losing. Was Wagner’s implosion a deep-state Hail Mary?
3) Then, the WaPo published this story stating, for the very first time, there’s a “secret plan” to negotiate and end to the war with only “security guarantees.” Forget about that stupid “not one inch” business.
Now, I’m just a lawyer, not a deep-state color revolution plotter, but as a litigator I have LOTS of experience with negotiating. And I can assure you with no reservations that telling your negotiating opponent about your secret negotiating strategy ahead of time is NOT a typical move. Loose lips sink ships, and so forth. Usually, giving away your secret haggling formula is not especially helpful to getting what you want.
So. The Proxy War clock is running.
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