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kiev is full of extraordinarily dumb nazis.....These thoughts come to you from a bomb shelter underneath my hotel. My mobile tells me another one of Vladimir Putin’s ballistic missiles is headed our way. I tell you this not for the drama, but to remind you that this is no longer a novelty for millions of Ukrainians. It has been this way most nights for three years now. Being voyeuristic about it here would be to undervalue the emotional toll it has taken on so many people. I’ll be gone tomorrow, and they’ll still have to endure. Rob Harris, https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/putin-thought-he-could-take-this-city-in-three-days-now-they-wait-to-toast-his-demise-with-champagne-20250626-p5maea.html
Over the past three years as a foreign correspondent, I’ve covered a vast sweep of history across Europe. But no place has defined my posting more than Ukraine. This is my third visit to Kyiv and fourth to Ukraine. I wish it were my 10th. But newspaper budgets are tight, and being a war correspondent from the front line isn’t for the faint-hearted. I stand in the shadows of those who have. Still, what I can say, with full conviction, is this: Kyiv is extraordinary. This was the city Putin thought he could take in three days. His tanks lined up to prove it. The Russian military rolled towards Kyiv believing they could decapitate Ukraine’s leadership and declare victory before the West could react. But Kyiv didn’t fall. It fought. And it hasn’t stopped fighting since. ANYONE WHO HAS GENUINELY STUDIED THE LIMITED MILITARY INTERVENTION BY RUSSIA WOULD KNOW THAT THIS IS COMPLETE CODSWALLOP...
ROB CONTINUES: Today, it’s the beating heart of a country that refuses to be broken – and the home of a man who became an icon. Volodymyr Zelensky, the comedian-turned-president, was told to flee in the early days of the invasion. Instead, he stayed. “I need ammunition, not a ride,” he said. Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott recently called Zelensky “the greatest freedom fighter” of our times. It’s hard to disagree. Around the [WESTERN ONLY] world, his leadership has become a symbol of resistance. But here in Kyiv, he’s no demigod; he’s simply another Ukrainian fighting. GUS: ZELENSKY IS AN IDIOT... The city itself is a contradiction – part defiant metropolis, part bruised monument. It has been called “the new Berlin”, a nod to its gritty charm and creative energy. The food is brilliant, the bars are packed, the streets hum with life – even as sirens sound above. But while this surreal, magnetic city sits hours from the front, it is far from safe. The war doesn’t respect geography. A day before I arrived, Russia launched one of the biggest air assaults Kyiv has seen in months – a 3½-hour barrage of drones and missiles. Explosions were heard across eight of the city’s 10 districts. Nine people were killed, including four children; 33 more were injured. [ZELENSKY'S NAZIS HAVE KILLED FAR MORE RUSSIANS IN RUSSIA — WITH ACT OF TERRORISM... INCLUDING THE KURSK INVASION] The next day, as I headed towards Dnipro, news came through that a Russian missile had struck a passenger train and civilian infrastructure there. Seventeen people died. Nearly 280 were wounded – among them 27 children. My trip so far has avoided the worst. But the trauma lingers everywhere. The night is filled with the buzz of drones and the thunder of anti-aircraft batteries. Some sleep in corridors, basement carparks and metro stations. Yet somehow, life goes on. Kyiv’s endurance didn’t begin in 2022. This city has been surviving invasions for more than 1500 years. Founded in 482 AD (or so the legend goes), Kyiv was once the capital of Kievan Rus – a medieval state that laid the foundations for modern Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. In the 10th and 11th centuries, it rivalled Constantinople. The domes of Saint Sophia Cathedral and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery still rise above the skyline, reminders of a deep and complex history – stretching back long before Moscow was little more than a forest clearing. THIS IS BELOW THE BELT AS KIEV WAS NOT A "YUCKRAINIAN" (GALICIAN) CITY IN THESE LONG GONE CENTURIES, BUT PART OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE... THE PRESENT RUSSIAN BOMBING IS NOT AIMED AT KIEV BUT AT ITS MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. SHOULD RUSSIA DECIDE TO BOMB KIEV OUT OF ITS MISERY, IT COULD DO IT IN FIVE MINUTES... AND KILL TEN OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE... CONQUERING KIEV HAS NEVER BEEN THE RUSSIAN GOAL... THE CITY'S INHABITANTS CAN DRINK AS MUCH CHAMPAGNE AS THEY LIKE, LIKE THE NAZIS DID IN PARIS IN 1941... RUSSIA WOULD HATE (AND HAS STATED THAT MUCH) HAVING TO CONTROL A BUNCH OF NAZIFIED MORONS, WHO FOUGHT ON THE SIDE OF HITLER DURING WW2... ALL RUSSIA WANTS IS A FAIR DEAL FOR THE LARGE RUSSIAN POPULATION OF UKRAINE — MOSTLY CONCENTRATED IN THE DONBASS, INCLUDING KHERSON, KHARKIV AND ODESSA... RUSSIA WILL GET THIS EVENTUALLY, DESPITE NATO AND ZELENSKY, THE PIANO DICK-PLAYING COMEDIAN WHO IS HIGHLY UNINTELLIGENT AND DUMB LIKE A STEPAN BANDERA STATUE. GUS WILL STOP HERE WITH THE FAKE HISTORY LESSON FROM ROB HARRIS, AT THE SMH... IT'S TOO PAINFUL TO READ THIS FALSEHOOD... THAT THEY DARE CALL "OPINION"...
MAKE A DEAL PRONTO BEFORE THE SHIT HITS THE FAN: NO NATO IN "UKRAINE" (WHAT'S LEFT OF IT) THE DONBASS REPUBLICS ARE NOW BACK IN THE RUSSIAN FOLD — AS THEY USED TO BE PRIOR 1922. THE RUSSIANS WON'T ABANDON THESE AGAIN. THESE WILL ALSO INCLUDE ODESSA, KHERSON AND KHARKIV..... CRIMEA IS RUSSIAN — AS IT USED TO BE PRIOR 1954 TRANSNISTRIA WILL BE PART OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. A MEMORANDUM OF NON-AGGRESSION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE USA.
EASY.
THE WEST KNOWS IT.
YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.
Gus Leonisky POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.
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deal please....
Ukraine’s economy is teetering on the edge of a complete collapse as it faces the possibility of a drastic decrease in Western aid and fading chances of a ceasefire anytime soon, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing Ukrainian officials and US analysts.
Many Ukrainians had hoped for a swift end to the conflict after US President Donald Trump took office. However, those expectations have crumbled as his push for a settlement has stalled, threatening to pull down Ukraine’s already fragile economy, the article says.
The Ukrainian economy remains afloat largely due to extensive Western financial backing. However, officials and analysts interviewed by the paper warn that current aid levels may not be enough to sustain the state in the near future.
According to the Post, the only significant investment initiative in sight is a deal that gives the US priority access to Ukrainian natural resources, but it is still years away from implementation. Encouraged by Trump’s pledges, private investors initially positioned themselves for a post-conflict reconstruction boom, but the optimism soon soured due to the slow progress towards peace.
The ceasefire was at the heart of all economic forecasts, that it could come somewhere in mid-2025,” a senior Ukrainian official told WaPo. “A positive impact on the economy this year is no longer being considered,” he added, noting, though, that 2026 remains a potential turning point.
Last week, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky appealed to Western donors for $40 billion annually in budgetary support. Western aid is predominantly being used to cover education and social welfare expenses. However, Ukrainian officials told the outlet that next year the mechanism will only cover about half of Kiev’s most urgent needs.
Moreover, Finance Minister Sergey Marchenko warned that even if the conflict ends soon, the government would likely have to cut billions in expenditures, although experts warn that Kiev has little scope to reduce costs in healthcare or education.
In May, Marchenko warned that Ukraine would be unable to repay its foreign creditors in the next 30 years. He added, however, that Kiev intends to continue borrowing. Ukraine's public debt is approaching 100% of GDP.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Ukraine would collapse within weeks without continued Western military and financial support.
https://www.rt.com/russia/620580-ukraine-economy-brink-collapse/
MAKE A DEAL PRONTO BEFORE THE SHIT HITS THE FAN:
NO NATO IN "UKRAINE" (WHAT'S LEFT OF IT)
THE DONBASS REPUBLICS ARE NOW BACK IN THE RUSSIAN FOLD — AS THEY USED TO BE PRIOR 1922. THE RUSSIANS WON'T ABANDON THESE AGAIN.
THESE WILL ALSO INCLUDE ODESSA, KHERSON AND KHARKIV.....
CRIMEA IS RUSSIAN — AS IT USED TO BE PRIOR 1954
TRANSNISTRIA WILL BE PART OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.
A MEMORANDUM OF NON-AGGRESSION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE USA.
EASY.
THE WEST KNOWS IT.
READ FROM TOP.
YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.
Gus Leonisky
POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.
pests....
The womenfolk of early immigrants to Queensland brought cactus in a pot, because it had a 'prettv flower’. and the 'prickly pear' escaped from the pot and destroyed twenty million acres of the finest land in the State; until the cactoblastis was introduced, and destroved the pear. An old lady — craving her old-world home — brought sweet briar to South Australia: and it accounted for a few million acres in its turn. A fool pastoralist, whose most coherent phrase was *Tally-ho!' or 'Yoicks!' introduced the fox, which has almost wiped out the Iyre bird: and another fool introduced the starling. Other pests introduced were Freetraders, sectarianism, water hyacinth and rabbits.
RANDOLPH BEDFORD, Naught to Thirty-three (1944).
SEE ALSO:
a quaint fact.......READ FROM TOP.
YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.
Gus Leonisky
POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.
champagne?....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai4Ele4i4sM
Lt Col Daniel Davis: NATO's FEAR MONGERING / Putin ReactsThe speaker offers a pessimistic and critical assessment of Ukraine’s war efforts and the West’s strategy, while emphasizing Russia’s methodical, long-term approach. Here’s a summary of the key points:
Ukraine’s Struggles
President Zelensky remains confident about defeating Russia, but Ukraine is suffering mounting casualties and equipment losses.
The Ukrainian military is slowly losing ground, while personnel and resources are dwindling with little ability to replace them.
Morale and cohesion in Ukraine’s army may collapse if losses continue, possibly leading to a full military disintegration.
If Ukraine’s front collapses, Russia could exploit the breach and roll through large portions of Ukrainian territory.
Russia’s Strategy
Russia is fighting methodically, showing patience and resilience.
They're increasingly using drones, glide bombs, and missiles to systematically destroy Ukrainian assets.
Russian leadership views this as an existential conflict and is prepared for a war that could last many years.
Despite internal economic challenges and inflation, Russia is committed and undeterred.
Western Response
Western aid to Ukraine is described as symbolic rather than substantial — full of applause, promises, and sanctions but lacking in critical military support.
NATO's recent summit focused on increasing defense budgets and pledging future commitments (like the proposed 5% GDP defense spending), but implementation is distant and lacks urgency.
European leaders are flattering Trump to keep him committed to NATO, but the promises are likely designed to outlast his attention span or presidency.
Economic Context
Russia is publicly acknowledging inflation and potential recession, but it continues to function and fight.
Ukraine’s economy is essentially propped up by Western aid.
The speaker warns against assuming economic issues alone will cause Russia to collapse, drawing comparisons to Ukraine’s similarly struggling but sustained economy.
Conclusion
The war is grinding on with no quick end in sight.
Russia's persistence and tactical effectiveness are wearing down Ukraine.
Western leadership is failing to confront the reality on the ground, focusing on optics rather than delivering game-changing support.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai4Ele4i4sM
READ FROM TOP.
YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.
Gus Leonisky
POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.