Notices by kravietz 🦇 (kravietz@agora.echelon.pl)

Russian military experts conducted tests of the ‘trophy’ Bradley M2A2 ODS SA vehicle, concluding that it is superior in every respect to the BMP-3, which are #Russia vehicles of similar purpose.

This analysis was published by a number of Russian military channels, the most dramatic of which was probably a post by the popular ‘Rybar’. He blamed the backwardness of Russian weaponry on a faction of believers in the superiority of the Soviet arms industry. ‘Rybar’ wrote that “the price of such a swap of concepts is thousands of lives of our infantry”, having in mind here the almost religious dogma that everything Soviet and Russian is more perfect than the West, and that the more clumsy the better.

‘Rybar’ is right. He only forgot to add that this ‘swapping of concepts’ can be found in virtually every sphere of life in Russia and, all in all, all of Russia is one big ‘swapping of concepts’, where slavery is called ‘freedom’, degeneration ‘conservatism’ and serfdom ‘democracy’.

‘Rybar’, as many others like him, blame random generals and specialists who present absolutely bizarre practices as ‘the new normal’ but he, just like everyone, ignores #Putin who introduced this ‘swap of concepts’ from the highest level of authority already in 2000’s and codified them in writings by Dugin, Surkov, Karaganov etc.

Full technical analysis of “Bradley” by Russian military experts: https://t.me/bmpd_cast/22627 (in Russian)

“Rybar” post where he blames Russian military experts for “swap of concepts”: https://t.me/rybar/69535 (in Russian)

A very useful catalogue of #Russia politicians, journalists and activists with various genocidal threats against other countries

https://rus-fa.com/ru/tags/type/threats-countries

I tried to use archive.is to save this page https://telegra.ph/Rusich–neonacistskaya-gruppirovka-v-sostave-rossijskoj-armii-10-26 which documents Nazi publications of Alexey Milchakov, an active soldier of #Russia army - note the text at the bottom:

In response to a request we received from ‘Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Telecom, Information Technologies and Mass Communications (ROSKOMNADZOR)’ the page is not currently available.

As it comes out, archive.is complies with Russian censorship agency Roskomnadzor requests (worrying) while the agency itself is banning pages that demonstrate an active Russian soldier is a self-declared Nazi 🤷

Worthy response to #Putin silly idea of “temporary administration” in #Ukraine

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has proposed establishing temporary UN administration in Russia—starting with Vorkuta. The idea was put forward by ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi in response to Vladimir Putin’s latest demand for external governance to be imposed on Ukraine.

https://united24media.com/latest-news/ukraine-proposes-temporary-un-governance-in-russia-starting-with-vorkuta-7155

P.S. the photo is likely not from Vorkuta which doesn’t seem to have such a historic buildings, but from Arkhangelsk - that doesn’t matter much for the cause though

Just stumbled upon this “Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the Ukrainian-Russian State border” signed on 28 January 2003 by no one else than Vladimir Putin. Not that it’s something new, but it’s really eye opening to see Putin’s signature assuring #Ukraine border which he then violated 11 years later claiming “there’s no marked border”.

The PDF is so huge because it contains full text of the agreement in several languages, including lengthy and very precise geographic description of the border.

#Russia propaganda recently started boosting the idea of nedogovorosposobnost’ (inability to sign agreements) of #Ukraine, but countless examples clearly demonstrate the very opposite phenomenon. Putin’s Russia prefers vague, subjective oral “deals” over precise, written and transparent agreements, which it will violate as soon as it sees them inconvenient.

https://treaties.un.org/Pages/showDetails.aspx?objid=08000002803fe18a

#Russia opposition activist Alexandr Skobov was today sentenced to 16 years in prison for his anti-war position, which was equated to “terrorism” by the court. Here’s his final statement:

I will not dwell on the fact that the organisation in which I have the honour to be a member - the Free Russia Forum - is referred to by the investigation as a terrorist community, although there is no decision of any state body recognising the Free Russia Forum as such a community yet. So for now we are just an undesirable organisation. But such petty cheating by my armed opponent is of little interest to me. I try to talk about important things.

And the important thing here is the platform of the Free Russia Forum, in the development of which I took a direct part and which distinguishes the Free Russia Forum from the majority of other opposition groups and organisations. Let me remind you that this platform can be summarised into three points. First. We stand for the unconditional return to Ukraine of all its internationally recognised territories occupied by Russia, including Crimea. Yes, Crimea is Ukraine.

Second. We support all those who are fighting to achieve this goal, including citizens of the Russian Federation who have voluntarily joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And third. We recognise any form of struggle against Putin’s tyranny inside Russia, including armed struggle. Of course, we are deeply disgusted by the methods of ISIS, when innocent people are targeted, as was the case in Crocus City.

But are legitimate targets of the Kremlin’s war propagandists? The Free Russia Forum has not specifically discussed this question or passed any resolutions on it. Therefore, in this case I am expressing solely my personal position. I believe that propagandists such as the TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov, for example, deserve the same treatment that Hitler’s propagandist Julius Streicher received when he was hanged by the Nuremberg Tribunal. Until these outcasts of the human race are in the hands of the new Nuremberg Tribunal, the war continues. They are legitimate targets of combat operations.

The comparison between Putin’s propagandists and Hitler’s propagandists is not a purely rhetorical device for me. Much of my writing and speeches are devoted to proving the Nazi nature of Putin’s regime, with which peaceful co-existence is impossible in principle.

I have appealed and am appealing, first and foremost, to Europe to remember the origins of the current European system. Since 1945, Europe has been building a world in which predators should no longer be the masters of life. A world based on the principles of law, justice, freedom, humanism. Europe had achieved much on this path, and seemed to be rid of massacres and territorial redistributions forever. Europe used to think that this safe and prosperous world of itss was securely protected by a big and strong ally across the ocean.

Today this world is being torn to pieces by two scoundrels on both sides - the Kremlin and Washington. In the United States of America, people with a pro-fascist value orientation have come to power. We are witnessing a disgusting attempt at a purely imperialist collusion between two predators. An even more despicable collusion than the Munich conspiracy of 1938. If Putin’s annexations are legalised, it will spell disaster for civilisation. Europe, you have been betrayed. Wake up and go fight for your world! Death to the Russian fascist invaders! Death to Putin, the new Hitler, murderer and scoundrel! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes! With these words I usually end my speech.

But today I will be asked whether I plead guilty. So, here I accuse, I accuse the ruling Putin clique, stinking with corpses, of preparing, unleashing and waging a war of aggression, of war crimes in Ukraine, of political terror in Russia, of defilement of my people. And this is what I am asking the servants of Putin’s regime present here, who are small wheels and cogs of his repressive machine: do you plead guilty of complicity in Putin’s crimes? Do you repent of your complicity? That’s it for me now.

Original: https://t.me/Netvru/36955 (in Russian)

The Russian shelling of Ukrainian cities has been going on and on, and Russia simply claims publicly that it is not happening:

TASS: Peskov says RF armed forces don’t target energy infrastructure of Ukraine

Now it is enough for Witkoff to repeat it and the word will become flesh in a legal and political sense.

In response to #Poland declaration of exit from land mine (Ottawa) convention, #Russia MFA stated it “will take steps to increase its defensive capabilities”.

But land mines do not magically jump over the border and conduct offensives. Land mines are already a 100% defensive weapon so the only case when Polish land mines may cause any problems to Russia is when its soldiers illegally cross into Polish territory and get blown up in result.

The only “defensive step” Russia needs to take is therefore to abstain from invading Polish territory, and Russian soldiers won’t suffer from Polish land mines🤷 It’s really very simple.

P.S. I explained in the past that Russia uses its private meanings for well-established words. In 2010 Russia already absurdly described “Patriot” air defense batteries in Poland and Ukraine’s defensive fortifications in Donbas as “aggressive escalation”. This is because Russia perceives its ability to invade other countries as it wishes as some kind of its natural right or entitlement. Therefore any initiative these countries take to make Russian invasion more difficult reduces this imaginary entitlement, and thus dialectically becomes “threat to Russian security”.

U.N. Human Rights Council on #Russia actions in #Ukraine

Russia’s “widespread and systematic” use of enforced disappearances and torture of Ukrainians during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine amount to crimes against humanity.

Large numbers of civilians were detained in areas that came under Russian control, or were deported to Russia, where some later suffered torture and sexual violence,

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/un-commission-says-russias-enforced-disappearances-ukrainians-amount-crimes-2025-03-19/

#Ukraine president Zelenskyy called Putin’s demands to halt mobilization and intelligence sharing with the U.S. “a weakening of the Ukrainian army,” responding to the Kremlin’s statement after Putin’s talks with Trump.

The Ukrainian president also believes that Putin will not allow a ceasefire to be reached quickly and will “overwhelm” Ukraine with conditions.

Zelenskyy supported the ceasefire on energy but emphasized that “there can be no question of Russia continuing to do this while Ukraine is expected not to.”

“We will respond to all strikes from Russia if we are not part of this agreement. We are ready to adhere to this agreement if it is reached and supported by the United States,” he stressed.

Just to make it clear - #Russia doesn’t deny the fact that #Mariupol Drama Theatre was blown up, it just says… ‘Azov’ did it, from inside. Right now people are watching on Russian TV stories how random people “witness” how they were “lured by ‘Azov’ and volunteers into the Theatre”, accompanied by random builders who say “the explosion was from inside”.

Well, of course it was from inside because that’s how FAB-500 aerial bombs worked - they ripped through the thin roof and exploded inside. None of the actual survivors confirmed any wrongdoing or even presence of any military personnel in the Theatre - there were exclusively civilians and volunteers there.

Detailed investigation can be found on AI website:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur50/5713/2022/en/

In April 2022 I was helping refugees on Kraków railway station in #Poland and one of the women was from #Mariupol. She was hiding with children in the #DramaTheatre until 15 March, when she found a transport and evacuated to Ukraine-controlled territory. She learned about the 16 March bombing somewhere on the way and she said she felt like she literally won a life prize.

Many people quote Peskov or Putin saying things as if these were laws of physics, for example:

Crimea, Sevastopol, Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, Lugansk are regions of the Russian Federation. They are written down in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It’s a given. (Dmitry Peskov, 13 March 2025)

Let’s stop internalising Russian narratives. The Constitution of Russian Federation also had a ban on president’s third term. And what? Nothing, it was simply changed when needed.

Even funnier, the Constitution also still stipulates superiority of international law over Russian (article 15.4). It also contains numerous guarantees for freedom of speech, rule of law etc etc.

And what? And nothing, nobody cares about constitution in Russia. Why should we?

#Russia mainstream media discuss the case of Russian army platoon commander Aidyn Zhamidunov who gained some popularity in social media in the past thanks to his “patriotic poetry”. In 2023 Zhamidunov and his colleagues while drinking in #Luhansk kidnapped and murdered 23 years old Valentina Davronova, whose body they then blew up with grenades.

For a while Russians presented a narrative where Davronova was a “spy working for ZSU”, apparently expecting that everyone would just shrug and say “ah ok” as with many other such cases.

But because Davronova was local while Zhamidunov is originally Kazahk, the usual excuse didn’t work and investigation was started. Now they were sentenced for 12-18 years in penal colony, but as “Kommersant” warmly highlights, while in prison they can once again be mobilised to the “SVO”.

Original: https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/7564423 (in Russian)

Many people pointed out that while Musk & Rubio were still in their early teens, Radek Sikorski, whom they patronised today, was already in the Soviet-occupied #Afghanistan in 1986. Officially he was there as a journalist, and let’s just stick to this version.

As I wrote rather cautiously long before Trump’s inauguration, I don’t see any interest that #Russia would have in a ceasefire without recognising the occupied territories and lifting the sanctions - any other option would mean a military defeat for Putin.

At the time, I did not realise that Trump would be Putin’s advocate. Today, Washington is signalling openly that it is not about fancy suits, arguments or raw material contracts. It is about ‘concessions’, obviously in favour of Russia:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-wants-see-just-minerals-deal-restart-aid-intel-ukraine-rcna195508

These ‘concessions’ are the sine qua non of the ‘peace’ that Putin had to offer Trump. What kind of ‘concessions’ are we talking about? Putin has said it many times: he wants Ukraine to voluntarily leave Donbass, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. In return, Trump promises American investments as a form of ‘compensation’. I have no doubt this is precisely what Zelensky heard from Trump, and I fully understand how pissed off he must have been.

Of course, leaving all these cities to the Russians would be a catastrophic betrayal of all the people who live there by the Ukrainian state, regardless of the moral and legal aspects. The chances of this happening are close to zero.

Both Trump and Putin have backed themselves into a corner because they are narcissistic idiots who treat everything as an object for ‘sdelka’ (Putin) and ‘deal’ (Trump). In the same way, ignoring the fact that it’s Ukrainians who live in Ukraine, Putin started the war in 2014 and 2022.

Ukraine will obviously not abandon these cities and is managing without the USA for the time being. However, there is no doubt that Trump will now do everything he can to bring Ukraine to a point where it has no choice. And Musk and Trump are saying this openly, while Putin is rejecting the truce.

Putin, and Trump following his lead, are repeating the Russian tactics from 2013: ‘If you put enough pressure on them, they will give in.’ The extreme brutality of the Berkut in November 2013 and then in February 2014 were all logical tools of Russian domestic policy. But Ukraine is not Russia!

I don’t know how far Trump wants to and can go in pacifying Ukraine. That he wants to is beyond doubt - Putin made him a deal. I bet that according to the deal, Ukraine must lose the war in a way that both Russians and Ukrainians feel strongly. Probably, the surrender of Donbas alone would be enough, which is what Trump can say about “concessions” on the side of Russia. I declare your house and all belongings mine, then after much haggling I agree to only take your car, and that’s my “concession”!

What will Europe do? I don’t know. I do know that I will do what I have done so far, which is to support all the fundraisers that I can afford and send my boring communications equipment to the lads because I know they need it.

Of course, Europe has a chance to establish itself as a leader here and reshuffle the world order because, as I wrote, Putin’s lack of a spectacular win is his spectacular loss. As is Trump’s loss and living proof that ‘bickering’ between dull narcissists doesn’t work.

@PattyHanson

He runs a country at war, I guess he will make a pact with a devil if it helps to save his nation. But strategically, I think US lost a massive share of their trust globally.

Somehow I missed the news that on 3 March two Chechen fighters of “Akhmat” covertly left their unit and switched to the side of #Ukraine

https://focus.ua/voennye-novosti/696281-dvoe-chechencev-sdali-pozicii-rossiyan-i-pereshli-na-storonu-ukrainy-podrobnosti-operacii-sbu-video (in Ukrainian)

The Atlantic: #Russia Is Not Winning in #Ukraine

Last year, Russia made slow progress in Ukraine: Tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, of Russian soldiers were killed or wounded, and whole mechanized divisions were lost, in exchange for Ukrainian territory slightly larger than the state of Rhode Island. At that rate, Russia will control all of Ukraine in about 118 years.

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2025/03/ukraine-russia-war-position/681916/

Summary by Anton Geraschenko:

A European air force of 120 fighter jets could be deployed to secure the skies from Russian attacks on Kyiv and western Ukraine, according to a plan drawn up by military experts.

The Guardian reports that Sky Shield would be a European-led air protection zone operated separately from NATO to halt Russian cruise missile and drone attacks on cities and infrastructure, potentially operating as part of the “truce in the sky” proposed by Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

It would cover Ukraine’s three operating nuclear power plants and the cities of Odesa and Lviv, but not the frontline or the east of the country – and, according to a newly published paper, it could “achieve greater military, political, and socioeconomic impact than 10,000 European ground troops”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/06/european-led-ukraine-air-protection-plan-could-halt-russian-missile-attacks