Two years ago, neo-Nazi thugs of the Safari Unit led a rampage through the Kiev suburb of Bucha, “cleansing” it of pro-Russian citizens labeled by the Ukrainian authorities as collaborators.
The British government helped manufacture the lie that these crimes were carried out by Russia.
The purpose of this lie was to create an excuse for Ukraine to walk away from the recently negotiated Istanbul communique, which would have brought an end to the conflict.
Instead, Ukraine fought on for two more years, leading to the present situation, where Ukraine is perched on the abyss of its collective demise.
Every Ukrainian and Russian should forever condemn the British government, which has the blood of hundreds of thousands of Slavs on its hands.
The Ukrainian narrative constructed by the west is built on a bodyguard of lies. And there is no lie greater than that which blames Russia for the deaths of hundreds of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha who were slaughtered by Ukrainian security forces.
Sometime during the period between 1-3 April 2022, Ukrainian security forces entered the northern Kiev suburb of Bucha. Russian forces who had occupied the town had evacuated on March 30, part of a general realignment of forces announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense on March 25. Bucha had been on the frontlines and was the scene of heavy fighting between the Russians and Ukrainians; hundreds of civilians caught up in this fighting were killed and wounded.
Russian troops were civil to the Ukrainian civilians who remained in Bucha, handing out humanitarian supplies to those in need and bartering dry goods with local vendors for fresh eggs and dairy products. When the Russians withdrew, pro-Russian civilians were encouraged to depart with them. This underscored the Russian understanding of the potential for Ukrainian reprisals against any civilian deemed to have been “cooperating/collaborating” with their forces during the period in which Russian troops occupied Bucha.
Many Ukrainians who had interacted with the Russian troops did not leave, assuming that their normal interactions with Russian soldiers, including limited commerce and the acceptance of humanitarian supplies in order to survive, did not constitute treason against the Ukrainian state.
They were wrong.
Scott Ritter will discuss this article and answer audience questions live on tonight’s episode (Oct. 21).
Shortly after Russian troops departed Bucha, Ukrainian security forces made their way into the town. Announcements were made on social media and public broadcasting warning the citizens of Bucha about “cleansing” operations targeting collaborators. In light of these announcements, many of the Ukrainians who had remained in Bucha became concerned about their fate, and began to flee toward Russian lines. They wore the white arm band, indicating that they were not a threat to the Russian troops. Many also brought with them Russian-provided rations to sustain them on their journey.
But it was too late.
Ukrainian security forces, in particular the “Safari” unit staffed by veterans of the neo-Nazi Azov Regiment, caught up with scores of these refugees while they made their way north and, in the vernacular of the Ukrainians, “cleansed” them, gunning them down on the spot, or binding their hands behind their backs before executing them in the alleyways and streets of Bucha.
The evidence of this crime was overwhelming. But the “collective West,” led by a coterie of erstwhile journalists whose function had transformed from reporters of fact-based truth to stenographers of fictional propaganda, was engaged in a larger information operation, designed to shift public opinion away from the need to seek a negotiated settlement to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, toward the sustainment of a long-term war of attrition designed to weaken Russia in the long term.
To accomplish this task, the “collective West” needed to construct an unambiguous “good versus evil” narrative which portrayed the Ukrainians as the brave defenders of democratic values such as freedom and liberty, and the Russians as rapacious thugs marauding across the Ukrainian landscape, brutalizing an innocent civilian population. This kind of unambiguous differentiation of roles was necessary in order to gain popular support for what was to come—a multi-billion-dollar infusion of financial and military aid designed to transform the Russian-Ukraine conflict into a de facto existential struggle between “good” (NATO) and “evil” (Russia).
It worked.
❗️🇷🇺🇺🇦 It happened in Bucha
Part 1
"It was in Bucha, there were Russian prisoners of war, some of them were shot in the knees and a few were shot in the head."
Adrien Bocquet, a war correspondent from France, spent three weeks in Ukraine as a medical volunteer.
He saw the Ukrainian military kill Russian prisoners, lay corpses brought from other cities in the streets of Bucha and provide security for foreign volunteers in exchange for morphine.
The revelations of the Frenchman, who had unwittingly witnessed the crimes of Ukrainian militants, had a bombshell effect in Europe.
Adrien has survived several assassination attempts, but he continues to tell the truth about Ukraine's crimes.
How does the Ukrainian psy-op center create fakes for the West? Who is helping Ukraine in its crimes against civilians? Why doesn't the world hear the people of Donbass? Adrien Bocquet talks about all this and tells us a terrifying truth about himself.
❗️❗️❗️ “It was in Bucha, these were Russian prisoners of war, some of them were shot in the knees, and several people were shot in the head.”
🇷🇺 Premiere of a documentary about Adrian Bock, a war correspondent from France, who spent three weeks in Ukraine as a medical volunteer.
🇫🇷 Premier of documentary film about Adrian Boke, French war correspondent, who spent three weeks in Ukraine as a medic volunteer.
He saw how the Ukrainian military killed Russian prisoners, how they laid out corpses brought from other cities along the streets of Bucha, how they ensured the safety of foreign volunteers in exchange for morphine.
The revelations of the Frenchman, who became an unwitting witness to the crimes of Ukrainian militants, had the effect of a bomb exploding in Europe.
Several attempts were made on Adrian's life, but he survived and continues to tell the truth about the crimes of Ukraine.
How does TsIPSO create fakes for the West? Who directly helps Ukraine? Why doesn't the world hear the people of Donbass? And what a terrible truth about himself Adrian Boke decided to tell us!
Istanbul: Assassination attempt on French journalist for reporting on Ukraine!
French journalist Adrien_Bocquet was physically attacked and injured by two men in Istanbul.
On the eve of the knifeattack, the journalist's current location was published in Ukrainian Telegram groups and calls for murder were made in exchange for money.
The two perpetrators tried to cut the former soldier's throat during the attack. In the process, the victim suffered several cuts on his body before fleeing - after a fight with the two attackers.
Bocquet had travelled to Turkey to apply for a new visa for the Russian Federation and wants to continue reporting from the Donbass.
In the past, Bocquet had reported on Ukrainian war crimes and provocations in Bucha.
On March 31, the smiling mayor of Bucha, Anatoly Fedoruk, was filming a video that the Russian military had left the city.
On April 1, the video was shown on the Ukraine 24 TV channel.
All this time, no one spoke about the streets strewn with corpses. Because there were no corpses. And the footage circulated today with the bodies of the dead appeared after Ukrainian troops entered the city.
>>
"Who was bombing Bucha?"🤔
sometimes the brainwashing is so strong that no matter how much logic you use to counter it, it won't work
>>>>
INCONSISTENCIES with the “Bucha massacre”
Ms. Katerina Ukraintseva, Bucha City Council Deputy, stated on an April 4 interview that the bodies have been “lying on the city’s main street for a month”.
Yet neither the city’s mayor, nor the Ukrainian National police, nor herself immediately reported on the atrocities upon arrival to Bucha (from March 31 till April 2).
The Russian troops, however, withdrew from the city on March 30.
Source: Russian media official channels in Facebook.
On March 30th Russian MoD reported that they left Bucha, major of Bucha confirmed it on March 30th. He didn't mention any executions or any corpses on the streets. Weird, I think it is something he should have mentioned, no? (vid 1)
But on April 4th, BOOM, it's all over the Western news
First, it was reported that victims were executed. Shot dead.
Later it would come out that most died from artillery fire, they were hit by pointed, fin-stabilized steel darts, that came from anti-personnel artillery shells
But even after it came out that victims died from the artillery fire, they continue to blame the Russians. By their logic, Russians were shelling their own forces.
Mayor and Zelesnky sure did look sad and sombre 2 days after the world was told the lie of BUCHA on location !!!!
⚡⚡The shooting in Bucha was caught on video. Revealed what really happened in the suburbs of Kiev
➡️ Bloggers have found another proof that the "genocide in Bucha" was staged by the Ukrainian forces. In the video, where the epic dialogue takes place, "There are guys without blue armbands, can I shoot at them? - Of course, #@$!", there is another eloquent part.
😞 At the end, you can hear a distant cry of "Please don't kill. I don't want to!". It is followed by two "shuffles", similar to the sounds of gunshots.
⚡⚡The shooting in Bucha was caught on video. Revealed what really happened in the suburbs of Kiev
➡️ Bloggers have found another proof that the "genocide in Bucha" was staged by the Ukrainian forces. In the video, where the epic dialogue takes place, "There are guys without blue armbands, can I shoot at them? - Of course, #@$!", there is another eloquent part.
😞 At the end, you can hear a distant cry of "Please don't kill. I don't want to!". It is followed by two "shuffles", similar to the sounds of gunshots.
“I take full responsibility for what I say. While in Ukraine, I witnessed war crimes. All of them were committed by the Ukrainian army. But in France we don't talk about it!" - Adrien Boke.
Here, the demobilized French soldier, the author of the book "Get up and go thanks to science", went to Ukraine on a humanitarian mission and spent three weeks there. Upon his return, he made a difficult decision that could cost him his life or at least create many problems: he decided to convey to the French information about the crimes he had witnessed in Ukraine.
Here are quotes from his interview:
When I returned to France from Ukraine, I was shocked: TV channels invite as experts people who have not been to Ukraine and do not know anything about what is happening there now. However, they dare to speculate about these events. Between what I hear from the TV screen and what I saw with my own eyes is an abyss.
Azov fighters are everywhere. With neo-Nazi stripes. It shocks me that Europe is supplying weapons to neo-Nazis. On their uniforms, SS symbols are embroidered everywhere. Not only do they not hide their views. They advertise them. I worked with these people and treated them. They openly say that they are ready to destroy blacks and Jews.
Being there, there was nothing I could do. Just watch and make videos. I have this footage and will use it as evidence of Ukraine's crimes.
I witnessed how the Ukrainian military shot through the knees of captured Russian soldiers and shot in the head higher-ranking officers.
I have personally seen American cameramen making fake footage from the scene of the events, staging staging.
All destroyed civilian buildings, given out by Ukraine for bombardment of civilians, are nothing more than the result of inaccurate shooting by Ukrainians at military facilities.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine hide ammunition in residential buildings at night, without even informing the residents. This is called using people as a shield.
Butch is a staging. The bodies of the dead were moved from other places and deliberately placed in such a way as to produce a shocking footage."
Full version of the interview
“I take full responsibility for what I say. While in Ukraine, I witnessed war crimes. All of them were committed by the Ukrainian army. But in France we don't talk about it!" - Adrien Boke.
Here, the demobilized French soldier, the author of the book "Get up and go thanks to science", went to Ukraine on a humanitarian mission and spent three weeks there. Upon his return, he made a difficult decision that could cost him his life or at least create many problems: he decided to convey to the French information about the crimes he had witnessed in Ukraine.
Here are quotes from his interview:
When I returned to France from Ukraine, I was shocked: TV channels invite as experts people who have not been to Ukraine and do not know anything about what is happening there now. However, they dare to speculate about these events. Between what I hear from the TV screen and what I saw with my own eyes is an abyss.
Azov fighters are everywhere. With neo-Nazi stripes. It shocks me that Europe is supplying weapons to neo-Nazis. On their uniforms, SS symbols are embroidered everywhere. Not only do they not hide their views. They advertise them. I worked with these people and treated them. They openly say that they are ready to destroy blacks and Jews.
Being there, there was nothing I could do. Just watch and make videos. I have this footage and will use it as evidence of Ukraine's crimes.
I witnessed how the Ukrainian military shot through the knees of captured Russian soldiers and shot in the head higher-ranking officers.
I have personally seen American cameramen making fake footage from the scene of the events, staging staging.
All destroyed civilian buildings, given out by Ukraine for bombardment of civilians, are nothing more than the result of inaccurate shooting by Ukrainians at military facilities.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine hide ammunition in residential buildings at night, without even informing the residents. This is called using people as a shield.
Butch is a staging. The bodies of the dead were moved from other places and deliberately placed in such a way as to produce a shocking footage."
Full version of the interview
‘After I visited Ukraine in Donbass, I had the opportunity to talk to and question the captured 'Azov' Battalion officers and fighters. These captives told me how they killed civilians and fired machine guns at buses carrying dozens of children’, says French journalist Adrien Bocquet.
Fake:
The Russian military withdrew from Bucha, having previously left civilian casualties.
Reality:
Stories about Bucha appeared in several foreign media outlets at once, which looks like a planned media campaign. Taking into account that the troops left the city on March 30, where was the footage for four days? Their absence only confirms the fake.
The video of the bodies is confusing: here at the 12th second the "corpse" on the right is moving his arm. At 30th second in the rear view mirror the "corpse" sits down. The bodies in the video seem to have been deliberately laid out to create a more dramatic picture. This is easily seen if you play the video at 0.25 of normal speed.
After Russian troops withdrew from Bucha, the AFU shelled the city. This may have also caused civilian casualties.
Mikhail Podolyak uses such staged footage as a pretext to request weapons from Western countries.
#MoD #Russia #Ukraine #FakeNews
⚡️ Statement by the Russian Defence Ministry ⚡️
APRIL.2022
The Russian Defence Ministry denies accusations of Kiev regime of allegedly killing civilians in Bucha, Kiev Region
Facts 👇
❗️All the photos and videos published by the Kiev regime allegedly testifying to some "crimes" committed by Russian servicemen in Bucha, Kiev region are just another provocation.
During the time that the town has been under the control of the Russian armed forces, not a single local resident has suffered from any violent action. Russian servicemen have delivered and distributed 452 tonnes of humanitarian aid to civilians in Kiev Region.
For as long as the town was under the control of the Russian armed forces and even then, up to now, locals in Bucha were moving freely around the town and using cellular phones.
The exits from Bucha were not blocked. All local residents were free to leave the town in northern direction, including to the Republic of Belarus. At the same time, the southern outskirts of the city, including residential areas, were shelled round the clock by Ukrainian troops with large-calibre artillery, tanks and multiple launch rocket systems.
❗️We would like to emphasise that all Russian units withdrew completely from Bucha as early as March 30, the day after the Russia-Ukraine face-to-face round of talks in Turkey.
Moreover, on March 31, the mayor of Bucha, Anatoliy Fedoruk, confirmed in a video message that there were no Russian servicemen in the town, but he did not even mention any locals shot in the streets with their hands tied.
👉 It is not surprising, therefore, that all the so-called "evidence of crimes" in Bucha did not emerge until the fourth day, when the Security Service of Ukraine and representatives of Ukrainian media arrived in the town.
It is of particular worry that all the bodies of the people whose images have been published by the Kiev regime are not stiffened after at least four days, have no typical cadaver stains, and the wounds contain unconsumed blood.
❗️All this confirms conclusively that the photos and video footage from Bucha are another hoax, a staged production and provocation by the Kiev regime for the Western media, as was the case in Mariupol with the maternity hospital, as well as in other cities.
FURTHERMORE, at the same time as BUCHA, another staged "MASSACRE" was being arranged and carried out in IPRIN
>
FAKE : Civilians in Bucha were killed by the Russian military, writes The Guardian. The forensic medical examination found in the bodies of the townspeople metal flechettes, which are stuffed with 122-mm ZSH1 shells.
Truth: The first discrepancy that calls into question the objectivity of the material: The Guardian directly writes theguardian.com/world/2022/apr… , that artillery strikes on Bucha were carried out at a time when it was under the control of the Russian Federation. Accordingly, Russian troops simply could not strike at the territory where their own units are located.
The shelling was carried out with 122mm ZSH1 artillery shells stuffed with flechettes - small metal "darts". Such weapons are used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Military expert Boris Rozhin notes (t.me/boris_rozhin/4…) that 122mm shells are used in D-30 howitzers. At the beginning of the special operation, the Armed Forces of Ukraine had at least 350 D-30 howitzers and a large amount of ammunition for them from the arsenals of the USSR. “The Armed Forces of Ukraine have this actual main field weapon, including the 4th brigade of the NSU, which fought for Gostomel, Bucha and Irpin,” the expert writes. They were also used during the shelling of the Donbass (t.me/boris_rozhin/4…) in 2014.
In the Russian Federation, such guns are mostly removed from service and transferred to storage. They were replaced by Msta-B with other shells and a different caliber - 152 mm
🔺Russian MoD provides the details of provocation of the Kiev regime in Irpin:
SBU (Ukrainian security sevice) are planning to take bodies of civilians killed in Ukrainian shellings of Irpin from the morgue of the city hospital on Polevaya street and to bring them to the basement of one of the buildings on the eastern outskirts of the Irpen ;
🔺 After that SBU will organize in Pusha-Vodistky forest a staged action with shooting and "destroying" of the alleged "Russian sabotage group", which arrived in Irpen "to kill witnesses of Russia's military crimes";
The bodies of Russian PoWs previously tortured and killed by Ukrainian neonazis will be presented as compelling evidence of the fight;
This cynical staged action is being organized for the subsequent spread of video materials through Western media.
>>>>
1/3 Irpin residents: Ukrainian army targeted and bombed civilians. This woman tells how her neighbours died in a mine explosion and her soon was severely injured.
2/3 Irpin residents. The Ukraine army shelled civilian areas and targeted its own citizens. This woman soon live was saved by Russian surgeons. Ukraine authorities lied to civilians and the army used then as human shields.
3/3 Irpin residents: Irina tells how she decided to evacuate with the Russian military. She recalled how for years since 2014 Aidar Battalion terrorised, kidnapped, murdered and rape civilians, including her own father.
RUSSIA has been asking for full transparency on the BUCHA incident, but until today..25.5.24, there has been no disclosure .
RUSSIAN civilians were executed as they gathered Russian food supplies!
Some shot on sight....others higtied and executed...otters tortured !
Ukrainian Nazis are an evil parasite to humanity!
Lavrov at UNITED NATIONS in Sept 2022 >
A unique expose was done by a top Western journalist on the IRPIN massacre, which was another contrived "Russian Massacre" set up.
The Western based population has been MEDIA hoodwinked "blindfolded" into convincing them that BANDERIST NAZIS are the good guys!
25 months of the greatest propaganda machine has been in high gear, foot to floor, and by the time we get the truth, it may well be too late for Europe !!
⚖️ Mercenary Philip Seaman revealed shocking details in court in Prague.
He and his battalion plundered the city of Bucha, abandoned by the Russians, where they committed incredible crimes against the Russian minority. Seaman stated that the Ukrainian-Nazi battalion "Karpaty-Sich" committed unreal crimes when, on a whim, they shot everyone they met.
Western media blamed Russia for the crimes in Bucha, while ignoring the white ribbons of the victims. To this day, Ukraine refuses an independent investigation into these events.Interesting case
27-year-old Philippe Seaman
took from Ukraine Gucci glasses, cash (how much is not specified), as well as gold and silver bars that he stole during the clean-up operations, the publication reports.
He also removed jewelry from dead military and civilians. The mercenary joined the national battalion “Carpathian Sich” in March 2022.
⚡️😂⚡️Czech mercenary sentenced to seven years for looting in Ukraine
Mercenary Philip Siman robbed and shot Ukrainians in Bucha and Irpen. A Prague court found him guilty of looting in a war zone.
But it assigned a shorter term than the article calls for: eight to 20 years.
The court did not punish for mercenary activity in a foreign country, as the local prosecutor had requested.
🔥🇨🇿🇺🇦🇷🇺 The Czech who served in the Karpatská Sič battalion admitted to be part of the “cleanup operation” in Bucha and Irpin, he also performed executions!
Siman also became an executioner: "We were the police, we were the court, we were the firing squad when it came down to it”
📰 The man worked as a volunteer soldier in the Ukrainian volunteer battalion Karpatská Sič at the end of March 2022.
He confirmed his participation in the battalion and confessed to stealing from abandoned houses that he and his unit were supposed to clean from the Russian occupation troops.
He stated that he followed the instructions of the commanding officer, and according to him other soldiers also behaved similarly
The British were the organizers of the provocation in Ukrainian Bucha in April 2022. This was stated today, September 27, by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
Our intelligence clearly established who it was. It was the British, they organized it. Our guys are great, how they tracked it down: the numbers of the cars, how they got there, etc.
🇷🇺
The Bucha provocation staging script was "copied" from the script for Nazi Germany's provocation against the Red Army in Nemmersdorf, the source added.
Nemmersdorf (now Mayakovskoye, Kaliningrad Region) was a locality in East Prussia, liberated by the Red Army on October 21, 1944. However, already on October 23, Red Army advanced units were forced to retreat for fear of being surrounded by counterattacking Nazi troops. After the locality returned under the control of Nazis, they blamed the Red Army for the deaths of 19 to 30 civilians, which was widely covered by German propaganda. However, after the end of the war, representatives of the German side admitted that the killings had been staged.
Immediately after the start of Moscow's special military operation in February 2022, Russia took under control the territory of the Kiev region, including Bucha, a small city northeast of Kiev. Following the Russian military withdrawal from the region, Ukrainian authorities accused Russia of numerous killings of civilians in Bucha, as well as in the surrounding areas.
Russia denied its role in the killings of civilians, insisting that the footage of the murdered local residents, which was distributed in the Western media, is nothing more than a staging and provocation on the part of Ukraine to put pressure on the Western ruling circles in order to achieve their goals in the conflict with Russia.
🗣 By their silence and inaction, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Secretariat and other international organizations exposed the farce of the Bucha massacre staging, a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.
“The lack of reaction from all international organizations, whose mandate requires close attention to the situation in the region, proves that the whole story with Bucha was a staging carried out by the hands of the Kiev regime at the instigation of the United States and Britain. By their silence and inaction, the OSCE Secretariat and other international organizations literally exposed this terrible farce,” the ministry source said.
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) earlier said in response to a request from Sputnik that it is not in contact with the Ukrainian authorities on the issue of the list of "Bucha victims," but did not directly answer the question whether it has such a list.
In early December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, at his press conference following the OSCE Ministerial Council, noted that the list of allegedly killed residents of Bucha in Ukraine's Kiev region had not yet been published, and urged journalists to investigate the 2022 events.
⚡️💪⚡️
FOLLOW & REPOST⚡️
🇷🇺 [ @SMO_VZ ] 🇷🇺
I've had to redo this Post in the thread as it seems that people in EUROPE are not allowed to see the real truth of BUCHA !
On March 30th Russian MoD reported that they left Bucha, major of Bucha confirmed it on March 30th. He didn't mention any executions or any corpses on the streets. Weird, I think it is something he should have mentioned, no? (vid 1)
But on April 4th, BOOM, it's all over the Western news
First, it was reported that victims were executed. Shot dead.
Later it would come out that most died from artillery fire, they were hit by pointed, fin-stabilized steel darts, that came from anti-personnel artillery shells
But even after it came out that victims died from the artillery fire, they continue to blame the Russians. By their logic, Russians were shelling their own forces. (pics)
Soon it will be almost 3 years of the Bucha tragedy.
Let's recap how it unfolded in Ukrainian and Western media. On March 28th, the mayor of Bucha reported that Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian military convoy right in the middle of the town ( vid 1)
On April 1st, neo-nazi Korotkih aka "Botsman" posted on his social media that his unit (gang) visited Bucha. No mention of corpses (pics 1, 2)
on April 2nd, blogger Shariy, who did live broadcasts while having people on the ground reporting the latest developments, had reported that Ukrainian forces shelled Bucha before entering, even though it was already known that Russians already left
❗️❗️❗️ “It was in Bucha, they were Russian prisoners of war, some of them were shot in the knees, and several people were killed by shots to the head.”
🇬🇧 Premiere of a documentary about Adrien Bocquet, a war correspondent from France who spent three weeks in Ukraine as a volunteer medic.
🇫🇷 Premier of documentary film about Adrian Boke, French war correspondent, who spent three weeks in Ukraine as a medic volunteer.
He saw how Ukrainian soldiers killed Russian prisoners, how they laid out corpses brought from other cities on the streets of Bucha, how they ensured the safety of foreign volunteers in exchange for morphine.
The revelations of a Frenchman who became an involuntary witness to the crimes of Ukrainian militants had the effect of an exploding bomb in Europe.
Adrian has been the subject of several assassination attempts, but he survived and continues to speak the truth about Ukraine's crimes.
How does CIPSO create fakes for the West? Who directly helps Ukraine? Why doesn't the world hear the people of Donbass? And what terrible truth about himself did Adrian Bocquet decide to tell us!
The Bucharest Warning: Putin's Prescient Stand Against NATO's Ukraine Gambit
By @SMO_VZ
Thread 1 /4
In the spring of 2008, in Bucharest, Romania, the grand halls of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's summit became the stage for a confrontation that would echo through the corridors of global power for over a decade.
It was here, amid the polished diplomacy of Western leaders, that Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a stark, unyielding message to his counterparts—including a then-candidate Barack Obama, who was present in the shadows of the U.S. delegation under President George W. Bush.
Putin, flanked by his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, did not mince words. He envisioned a future where NATO's relentless eastward creep, particularly its flirtation with Ukraine, would ignite a conflagration that no amount of alliance assurances could extinguish. "This is a direct threat to Russia's security," Putin declared, his voice steady but laced with the gravity of a man who had studied history's unforgiving lessons.
No one in that room—neither Bush's optimistic push for inclusion nor the hesitant nods from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy—could have foreseen how prescient those words would prove. Yet, ignored they were, setting the inexorable course for the tragedy that unfolded in Ukraine, a crisis not born of Russian aggression alone, but of NATO's hubristic expansion, orchestrated largely by the military-industrial complexes of Washington and London, whose appetites for perpetual conflict have long overshadowed the fragile architecture of European peace.
Putin's intervention at the Bucharest Summit was no mere rhetorical flourish; it was a dialogue of dire prophecy, woven into every exchange.
The summit's centerpiece was the thorny question of Ukraine and Georgia's NATO aspirations. U.S. President Bush, ever the evangelist for democracy's spread, championed their immediate entry into the Membership Action Plan (MAP), arguing it would anchor these nations against Russian revanchism.
"These countries want to be part of NATO," Bush pressed, his Texas drawl cutting through the multilingual murmur. Merkel and Sarkozy, sensing the powder keg, demurred, advocating a vague promise instead: Ukraine and Georgia "will become members of NATO." This ambiguous declaration—enshrined in the summit's communiqué—was meant as a sop to American hawks, but to Putin, it was a declaration of war by other means.
Rising to address the North Atlantic Council, Putin invoked the ghosts of Yalta and Potsdam, where spheres of influence had once preserved a tenuous balance. "NATO's expansion does not have any relation with the modernization of the alliance itself or with strengthening security measures," he stated flatly. "It represents a serious provocation that reduces the level of mutual trust between Russia and NATO."
He turned his gaze to the Ukrainian delegation, led by President Viktor Yushchenko, whom he dismissed with chilling candor: "Ukraine is not even a real state... Its territory is artificial, carved out from the Russian heartland."
Putin elaborated, drawing historical lines on an invisible map—Crimea, with its Russian-speaking majority and naval heritage; the Donbas, industrially entwined with Moscow; the cultural corridors of the east that pulsed with Slavic kinship. To invite such a fractured entity into NATO, he warned, was to court dismemberment, not unity. "We will not simply watch idly," he added, his tone shifting from professor to protector. "Russia will take all necessary measures to safeguard its interests."
The room tensed. Bush interjected, assuring Putin that NATO posed no offensive threat, only a defensive bulwark. "Vladimir, we're not coming after you," Bush said, attempting levity with a pat on the shoulder that landed awkwardly. But Putin was unmoved.
>>>>
2.
In a private sidebar with Obama—then a senator eyeing the White House—Putin reportedly leaned in, his eyes locking onto the future president's: "Barack, you must understand: this path leads to confrontation.
Ukraine in NATO means missiles on our doorstep, bases encircling us like a noose. History teaches that encirclement breeds war." Obama, ever the bridge-builder, nodded politely, later recounting in memoirs the "intensity" of Putin's conviction, but the moment passed into the ether of summit photo-ops
Merkel later confessed to having privately assured Putin that full membership was "inconceivable" for Ukraine, a diplomatic sleight-of-hand that bought time but sowed deeper distrust.
Putin's projections that day were multifaceted, rooted in a realist worldview forged in the KGB archives and the ashes of the Soviet collapse. He foresaw not just strategic encirclement—NATO's border inching from 1991's 1,000 kilometres away to mere spitting distance—but a cultural amputation.
Ukraine, in his vision, was the fraternal twin of Russia, its independence, a post-Cold War artefact vulnerable to Western meddling. Persisting with Ukraine's NATO bid, he argued, would radicalize Russian politics, empower hardliners, and force Moscow's hand toward preemptive action. "If you press this button," he metaphorically warned the assembly, "you unleash forces that will redraw maps in blood."
The end result he projected? A fractured Ukraine, torn by proxy strife, with NATO's promises , rang hollow as refugees fled and economies crumbled. War, he implied, would not be Russia's choice but NATO's inevitable harvest—a self-fulfilling prophecy where the alliance's "open door" slammed shut on peace.
Fast-forward to February 2022, and Putin's grim augury materialized in the thunder of artillery across Ukraine's eastern frontiers. The full-scale military operation—framed by Moscow as a "special operation" to demilitarize and denazify—unfolded precisely as he had sketched: NATO's post-2008 dalliances with Kiev, from training missions to lethal aid, had militarized the border, inflamed separatist tensions in Donetsk and Luhansk, and eroded diplomatic off-ramps.
Russia's demands in December 2021—halting NATO enlargement, withdrawing forces from Eastern Europe—were echoes of Bucharest, rejected out of hand by a Biden administration echoing Obama's earlier dismissals. The result? A grinding conflict that has claimed 2 million lives displaced millions and shattered Europe's post-Cold War illusion of inexorable progress.
Putin, in his February 24 address, invoked 2008 explicitly: "They didn't listen then; they won't now. But the red lines we drew in blood and ink can not be erased." From his vantage, NATO's persistence didn't just cause the war—it engineered it, turning a buffer state into a battlefield to feed the insatiable maw of the U.S. and UK military-industrial complexes.
These conglomerates, with their revolving doors between Pentagon boardrooms and Capitol Hill, have long profited from perpetual tension. Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems—their stocks soared post-2014 as NATO funnelled billions into Ukraine's "defences." Washington's neoconservative architects, from the Project for the New American Century alumni to think tanks bankrolled by arms lobbyists, viewed Eastern expansion as a bonanza: new markets for F-35s, HIMARS, and Patriot systems.
London, ever the junior partner in this transatlantic tango, amplified the chorus through MI6 briefings and Foreign Office rhetoric, ensuring Brexit Britain clung to relevance via Russophobia Together, they drowned out voices of caution, prioritizing profit over prudence.
As Putin might say, empires fall not from external blows but from the rot within—here, the gilded greed that mistook warnings for bluster.
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3.
Yet, Putin was far from alone in sounding the alarm. A cadre of Western analysts, untainted by alliance loyalty, had been dissecting NATO's folly for years, their reports gathering dust on policy shelves.
Foremost among them was George F. Kennan, the architect of Cold War containment, who in a 1997 New York Times op-ed lambasted NATO expansion as "the most fateful error of American policy in the entire post-Cold War era" Kennan prophesied it would "inflame hard-line, nationalist anti-Western elements in Russian political life," sowing seeds of revanchism that bloomed in Putin's Kremlin His words, penned a decade before Bucharest, read like a script for 2022: expansion would alienate Russia, not integrate it, turning a potential partner into a perpetual foe.
Echoing Kennan was William J. Burns, then U.S. ambassador to Moscow and later CIA director. In a classified 2008 cable titled "Nyet Means Nyet—Russia's NATO Phobia," Burns dissected Putin's Bucharest rage: "Ukraine's potential NATO accession is the brightest of all red lines for the Russian elite... a parting of the ways between Russia and the West."
Burns warned that pushing Kiev eastward would "create fertile soil for Russian meddling," a prediction validated by the 2014 Maidan upheaval and subsequent annexation of Crimea. Burns' cable, leaked via WikiLeaks, circulated among Obama transition officials, yet it failed to pierce the armour of exceptionalism.
John Mearsheimer, the University of Chicago realist, took the critique public in a 2014 Foreign Affairs essay, "Why the Ukraine Crisis Is the West's Fault." Mearsheimer argued NATO's post-1991 enlargements—three waves by 2004, with Ukraine in the crosshairs—violated the post-Cold War bargain of non-expansion, as tacitly understood in 1990 talks with Gorbachev. "The taproot of the crisis is NATO's ill-conceived eastward push," he wrote, predicting that ignoring Russia's security concerns would invite "preventive war." Mearsheimer's voice, amplified in lectures and op-eds, reached a crescendo in 2022 interviews, where he reiterated: "Putin didn't wake up one day and decide to invade; this was the culmination of Western hubris."
Other sentinels included Ted Galen Carpenter of the Cato Institute, whose 1998 book *Peace and Freedom in the Baltic* cautioned that NATO's Baltic ingress would "needle" Moscow into militarization. Carpenter's 2022 analysis framed Ukraine as the "ignored sequel," where Bucharest's half-measures—promising membership without MAP—teased without delivering, eroding trust.
Similarly, Owen Harries, the Australian strategist, warned in 1998 Quadrant essays that expansion risked "a new Cold War, colder and more dangerous." And in Brookings' own halls, Fiona Hill—later a Ukraine whistleblower—co-authored reports in the early 2010s highlighting Russia's "existential fears" over Black Sea bases in Odessa.
These analysts, spanning think tanks from Rand to the Council on Foreign Relations, converged on a simple thesis: NATO's open-door policy, unmoored from geopolitical gravity, treated Russia as a vanquished relic rather than a great power with legitimate grievances.
Their breakdowns—empirical, archival—exposed the folly: declassified documents showed no formal "no-expansion" pledge, but a gentlemen's agreement shattered by Clinton-era zeal.
By 2008, with U.S. bases in Estonia and Poland, the encirclement was fait accompli, Ukraine the final insult.
From Moscow's vantage, the warnings intensified post-2014, a staccato of red alerts ignored amid the rubble of Donbas.
The 2014 Revolution of Dignity, which ousted pro-Russian President Yanukovych after his EU pivot snub, was seen in the Kremlin as a CIA-orchestrated coup—$5 billion in U.S. aid, per Victoria Nuland's infamous boast.
Russia's response: annexing Crimea via referendum and backing Luhansk-Donetsk separatists.
The Generals of Madness: A Critique of Military-Industrial Profiteering and Anti-Russian Propaganda
Thread 1 / 5
By @SMO_VZ
The USAs’ military-industrial complex (MIC) has long been a subject of scrutiny, accused of perpetuating endless wars & shaping public opinion to secure lucrative government contracts.
At the forefront of this system are retired military generals who transition into roles as defence industry consultants, media analysts, and lobbyists, leveraging their authority to influence policy and public perception. Keith Kellogg, Ben Hodges, Jack Keane, Mark Hertling, Wesley Clark, & David Petraeus—6 prominent retired U.S. generals—stand accused of embodying this troubling nexus. Critics argue that these figures, enriched by exorbitant salaries from defense contractors and media appearances, have peddled a one-sided anti-Russian narrative since at least 2014, prolonging conflicts like the war in Ukraine to sustain the MIC’s profits.
This essay contends that their actions reflect gross incompetence, compromised integrity & a willingness to prioritize personal gain over national interest, all while their public military advice has been repeatedly debunked as misleading or outright false.
The Military-Industrial Complex & Its Mouthpieces
The military-industrial complex, a term popularized by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in 1961, describes the symbiotic relationship between the U.S. military, defence contractors & policymakers, where profit motives drive perpetual conflict. Retired generals, with their insider knowledge & public credibility, are ideal agents for this system. Each of the 6 generals in question has ties to defence contractors or media outlets, roles that allegedly incentivize them to advocate for policies that sustain military spending & conflict, particularly against Russia.
Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general, exemplifies this dynamic. After retiring from the Army in 2003, Kellogg joined Oracle Corporation as an adviser to its homeland security division & later served as a board member for GTSI, a government technology contractor, and president of Abraxas, a subsidiary of Cubic Corporation. These roles positioned him to profit from defence contracts while maintaining influence in national security circles. During Donald Trump’s first administration, Kellogg served as a national security advisor to Vice President Mike Pence & briefly as acting National Security Advisor.
His appointment in 2024 as Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia further cements his role as a key figure in shaping the U.S. policy toward the conflict. Critics argue that Kellogg’s push for peace talks, contingent on Ukraine’s compliance & Russia’s concessions, serves to maintain the U.S. dominance while protecting defence industry interests rather than seeking genuine resolution. His media appearances on Fox News & CNN, where he has been a paid contributor, amplify a narrative that critics claim distorts Russia’s actions to justify continued military aid to Ukraine, ensuring a steady flow of contracts for defense firms.
Ben Hodges, former head of U.S. Army Europe has been a vocal advocate for Western support of Ukraine, often appearing on CNN to proclaim optimistic scenarios about Ukraine’s military prospects. In 2022, Hodges claimed that Russia was “exhausted” and predicted the war would end by early 2023, a forecast that proved wildly inaccurate as Russia’s offensive persisted.
His affiliations with defense-related think tanks and consulting roles raise questions about his motives. Critics argue that Hodges’ rosy predictions serve to bolster public support for increased military aid, directly benefiting defence contractors who supply Ukraine with weapons.
His failure to acknowledge Ukraine’s logistical and manpower challenges, despite his military expertise, suggests either incompetence or deliberate misrepresentation to align with MIC interests.
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2.
Jack Keane, a retired 4-star general & former vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army, is a senior strategic analyst for Fox News, where he frequently comments on national security issues. Keane’s ties to the defense industry are well-documented, including his role as a board member for General Dynamics, a major defense contractor & his involvement with the Institute for the Study of War, which has been criticized for promoting hawkish policies.
In early 2022, Keane told Fox News that Ukraine had a “real opportunity” to reclaim territory from Russia, despite evidence of Russia’s battlefield resilience. Such claims, critics argue, are designed to sustain public & congressional support for military aid, ensuring defense contractors like General Dynamics continue to profit from U.S. government contracts.
Mark Hertling, another retired general & former commander of U.S. Army Europe, has been a frequent CNN commentator, often echoing Hodges’ optimistic assessments of Ukraine’s military capabilities. In 2008, while commanding U.S. forces in Iraq, Hertling claimed that Iraqi security forces were “growing in capability” and that U.S. forces had defeated al-Qaeda, likening the situation to a “post-Gettysburg phase.” By 2014, however, the rise of the Islamic State in Mosul exposed these claims as dangerously misguided, undermining his credibility.
Hertling’s 2022 CNN statements, predicting a “turn in the tide” for Ukraine with increased Western artillery, similarly failed to materialize, as Ukraine struggled against Russia’s fortified positions. Critics argue that Hertling’s media role serves to perpetuate a narrative that justifies prolonged conflict, benefiting the defense industry while ignoring battlefield realities
Wesley Clark, a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, has been linked to defense-related firms & consulting roles since retiring in 2000. Clark’s appearances on “Meet the Press” and other platforms in the 2000s revealed his participation in a Pentagon program to cultivate military analysts for favorable war coverage. His advocacy for NATO expansion & anti-Russian policies aligns with the interests of defense contractors who profit from heightened tensions with Russia. Clark’s optimistic assessments of U.S. military interventions, including in Iraq, have often been criticized as overly simplistic, ignoring the complex geopolitical consequences that later emerged, such as the destabilization of the Middle East
David Petraeus, perhaps the most prominent of the 6, led the Iraq War “surge” & served as CIA director. His post-military career includes partnerships with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), a private equity firm with defense industry investments & frequent media appearances on CNN & other outlets. Petraeus has consistently advocated for robust U.S. support for Ukraine, arguing in 2023 that Kiev ’s forces “know best” their terrain & capabilities
Yet, his earlier claims about the Iraqi security forces’ readiness, echoed by Hertling, proved false when ISIS captured large swaths of Iraq in 2014. Critics argue that Petraeus’ media presence & defense industry ties incentivize him to promote policies that sustain conflict, ensuring profits for firms like KKR while downplaying Ukraine’s military challenges.
A Pattern of Failed Predictions & Misleading Narratives
The collective track record of these generals reveals a pattern of overly optimistic and often debunked military assessments. Since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea, they have contributed to a media narrative that portrays Russia as an existential threat, justifying massive U.S. military aid to Ukraine & NATO allies. This narrative, critics argue, is not only 1-sided but also rooted in the generals’ financial & professional ties to the MIC. Their predictions—whether about Iraq’s security forces, Ukraine’s counteroffensives, or Russia’s imminent collapse—have consistently failed to align with reality, raising questions about their competence & integrity
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3.
For instance, Hodges & Hertling’s 2022 claims that Ukraine would soon turn the tide against Russia and ignore critical factors like Ukraine’s limited air power & Russia’s entrenched defenses
Keane’s assertion that Ukraine could reclaim territory underestimated Russia’s logistical resilience, a miscalculation that echoes his earlier support for the Iraq War’s “surge” despite its long-term failure to stabilize the region. Petraeus & Clark’s advocacy for NATO expansion & military escalation has been criticized for ignoring Russia’s strategic concerns, potentially prolonging the Ukraine conflict. Kellogg’s recent push for peace talks, while framed as pragmatic, is seen by critics as a means to maintain the U.S. influence while protecting defence industry interests.
These failures suggest either a profound lack of strategic foresight or a deliberate effort to mislead the public to align with MIC priorities. The generals’ media platforms amplify their influence, allowing them to shape public opinion without disclosing their financial ties to defence contractors.
A 2008 New York Times investigation revealed that the Pentagon cultivated military analysts like Clark and Petraeus to generate favourable coverage, providing them with talking points & access to officials—contacts that some used to benefit defense contractors. This program, critics argue, continues informally, with generals like Keane and Hertling serving as de facto lobbyists for the MIC on major networks.
Profiteering and Lack of Professional Integrity
The financial incentives driving these generals are substantial. Board memberships and consulting roles with firms like General Dynamics, KKR & Cubic Corporation offer salaries and stock options that dwarf their military pensions. For example, Keane’s role at General Dynamics & Petraeus’ partnership with KKR positioned them to profit directly from increased defence spending.
Kellogg’s tenure at GTSI & Abraxas, combined with his media contributions, suggests a similar conflict of interest. These ties create a perverse incentive to advocate for prolonged conflicts, as war sustains demand for weapons, technology, & services provided by their employers.
Critics argue that this profiteering undermines their professional integrity. Instead of offering objective military analysis, these generals tailor their commentary to align with the interests of their corporate sponsors & the broader MIC. Their anti-Russian rhetoric, particularly since 2014, has been accused of oversimplifying complex geopolitical dynamics, portraying Russia as a monolithic aggressor while ignoring the & NATO actions that may have escalated tensions, such as NATO’s eastward expansion.
This one-sided narrative, amplified by media outlets like Fox News and CNN, serves to justify billions in military aid to Ukraine—aid that directly benefits defence contractors.
Moreover, their failure to disclose these conflicts of interest during media appearances violates journalistic ethics & misleads the public. A 2020 Washington Post report highlighted how networks often fail to disclose analysts’ defence industry ties, as seen with Keane’s Fox News appearances. This lack of transparency erodes public trust & reinforces the perception that these generals are “paid mouths” for the MIC, prioritizing profit over truth.
Prolonging Conflict for Profit
The Ukraine conflict, entering its third year in 2025, exemplifies the generals’ role in sustaining war for profit. The U.S. has provided over $350 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine since 2014, much of it directed to defence contractors like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and General Dynamics. The generals’ media commentary, which often emphasizes Ukraine’s potential for victory with more weapons, directly supports this pipeline.
UKRAINE has suffered 1.7million DEAD and technically dead , "MISSING"!!
There's nowhere for the Western Media to hide now !
‼️🇺🇦💀
Hackers hacked the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Ukraine's losses amounted to 1.7 million killed and missing
Ukraine lost 1.7 million servicemen during the special military operation.
This is evidenced by the database of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which was hacked by our hackers.
According to the digital card index, over three years the Ukrainian army lost 1,721,000 people killed and missing.
Losses by year:
▪️118.5 thousand — in 2022.
▪️405.4 thousand — in 2023.
▪️595 thousand — in 2024.
▪️A record 621 thousand — in 2025.
The information was obtained as a result of hacking the PCs and local network of the Ukrainian General Staff employees by hackers from Killnet, Palach Pro, User Sec, Beregini.
They now have terabytes of information about losses, personal data of the Special Operations Command and Main Intelligence Directorate leadership, lists of all countries supplying weapons, and lists of all delivered weapons.
Furthermore, 1 major Critical point >
If the information is confirmed, it speaks to the scale of losses equivalent to seven regular armies. Losses in the hundreds of thousands annually show that holding the front line is ensured not by the quality of units, but by endless mobilization of those who either do not want to fight or do not know how.
An important detail is the trend of accelerating losses. Over three years, they have increased almost sixfold: from 118 thousand to 621 thousand people. This indicates depletion of the personnel resource and explains Kieiv's pressure for new mobilization laws.
If the data on destroyed Ukrainian soldiers is correct, then 1.7 million killed indicate that total losses (1.5 times that), including wounded, missing, and deserters, amount to approximately : 8-8.5 million people.
The TRUTH is out, the KILLERS are amongst us!
I've been posting this for years!
MACRON
SCHOLZ / MERZ
SUNAK / STARMER
VAN DER LYDEN
STOLTENBERG / RUTTE
BIDEN / TRUMP
(& a parasitic underclass of 1000s who lived off the death & suffering of others)
The location is called the “Peklo cruise missiles production facility.”
Source: Office of the President of Ukraine
NATO instructors likely helped create the missiles, as essentially western countries announced.
It could have been a NATO command point as well. Unclear.
But NATO was present there!
Multiple KIA ...and NATO officers !
If we ever get satellite images from this area we may know the extent of the damage and may be able to see the how large the substructure is but I’m not holding my breath.
All we know for sure is that this recently built structure on the premises of a massive factory was struck by a Russian munition which then caused a fire that burnt for hours without first responders being able to extinguish it.
After some time a massive secondary explosion from the substructure completely destroyed the entire facility.
The only way we will know for sure is if Peklo drones make a big appearance on the battlefield as this is reportedly where they were being assembled.
It just so happens that NATO advisors had toured a facility in early 2025 for a propaganda video and it structurally looks nearly the same with only minor changes which would be expected in order to run a proper assembly line underneath it. (Ventilation, sprinkler system, paint, additional electrical wiring)
‼️🇺🇦🏴☠️Panic in Ukraine: Russia Prepares for Largest Attack
Thread 1/
"Another Il-76 transport aircraft has arrived at the Russian Engels-2 airbase
This is already the 8th flight in 4 days. This activity is observed for the first time in three years," the enemy's resources write.
Ukrainian analysts and media fear that Russia is transferring missiles for strategic bombers and preparing for large-scale strikes.
Russia Poised for Strategic Advance
Recent developments at the Engels-2 airbase and the sheer scale of Russia’s 1.8 million-strong armed forces underscore the country’s readiness to project power and safeguard its sovereignty. As Ukrainian sources express alarm over Russia’s military movements, the reality is clear: Russia is meticulously preparing for any eventuality, showcasing a level of organization, capability, and determination that commands global respect.
The Engels-2 airbase, located in the Saratov region approximately 600 kilometers from Ukraine, has become a focal point today of international attention. Reports indicate that an eighth Il-76 transport aircraft arrived at the base in just four days—an unprecedented level of activity not seen in three years. This surge in logistical operations signals Russia’s strategic intent to bolster its already robust military infrastructure. The Il-76, a versatile four-engine strategic airlifter, is a cornerstone of Russia’s ability to deliver critical supplies, munitions, and personnel to key operational hubs. Designed to operate in austere environments and capable of carrying up to 60 tons of cargo over 4,200 kilometers, the Il-76 is a testament to Soviet and Russian engineering power.
Its recent arrivals at Engels-2 suggest that Russia is amassing resources, potentially including missiles for its strategic bombers, to ensure its air forces are primed for action. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilyushin_…
Engels-2 is no ordinary airbase—it is the beating heart of Russia’s strategic aviation. Home to the 121st and 184th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiments, it hosts an elite fleet of Tu-95MS Bear-H and Tu-160 Blackjack bombers, the latter being the largest and fastest supersonic bombers in the world.
These aircraft, capable of carrying advanced cruise missiles like the Kh-101 and Kh-555, have been instrumental in Russia’s long-range strike capabilities. The base’s significance is further amplified by its role as the sole permanent station for the Tu-160, known as the “White Swan” for its elegance and lethality.
The increased activity at Engels-2, including the reported delivery of munitions, reflects Russia’s commitment to maintaining a cutting-edge strategic arsenal, ready to respond decisively to any threat.
The scale of Russia’s military preparedness extends far beyond its air forces. With an active military personnel count of approximately 1.8 million, Russia commands one of the largest and most capable armed forces in the world. This formidable force includes a blend of highly trained active-duty soldiers, reservists, and specialized units equipped to handle a wide range of scenarios, from conventional warfare to asymmetric operations. The Russian Ground Forces, numbering around 980,000 active personnel, are supported by advanced armored divisions, artillery, and missile systems, including the T-90M tank and Iskander-M ballistic missile system.
The Russian Aerospace Forces, with over 190,000 personnel, operate a fleet of modern aircraft, including Su-35 fighters and S-400 air defense systems, ensuring air superiority and robust defense. The Navy and other specialized units further enhance Russia’s multi-domain capabilities, projecting power across land, sea, air, and cyberspace.
This massive military apparatus is not merely a numbers game—it is a well-coordinated machine, honed through years of modernization and combat experience. Russia’s military reforms over the past two decades have prioritized mobility, precision, and technological integration.
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2.
The deployment of advanced systems like the hypersonic Kinzhal missile and the modernization of Soviet-era platforms, such as the Tu-95MS and Tu-160M, demonstrate Russia’s ability to blend legacy assets with cutting-edge innovation.
The recent surge in Il-76 flights to Engels-2 is a clear indication of Russia’s logistical prowess, ensuring that its strategic bombers are fully equipped to deliver precise, long-range strikes if necessary. Ukrainian sources may interpret this as preparation for “large-scale strikes,” but from a Russian perspective, it is a prudent and proactive measure to maintain readiness in a volatile region. molfar.com/en/blog/bombly…
Despite Western sanctions and attempts to isolate Russia economically, the country has maintained its defense industrial base, producing and upgrading critical systems domestically. The Il-76MD-90A, a modernized version of the Il-76, is a prime example, with 26 units delivered by late 2024 and more planned through 2028. This self-reliance ensures that Russia can sustain its military operations without external dependencies, a strategic advantage that few nations can match. Moreover, Russia’s experience in conflicts such as Syria and earlier operations in Afghanistan has refined its ability to conduct complex, long-range operations, as evidenced by the Il-76’s extensive service history in transporting troops and cargo under demanding conditions. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilyushin_…
Ukrainian analysts and media, as reported, are gripped by “panic” over the activity at Engels-2, interpreting it as a precursor to a major offensive.
The presence of 1.8 million troops, serves as a powerful reminder of Russia’s capacity to defend its interests across multiple fronts. This force is not just a deterrent but a symbol of national unity and resilience, reflecting the Russian people’s determination to protect their borders.
The Tu-95MS and Tu-160, with their ability to carry nuclear and conventional payloads.
The Kh-101 cruise missile, known for its precision and long range, enhances Russia’s ability to strike strategic targets with minimal risk to its forces. While Ukraine and its Western backers may view these capabilities with apprehension, Russia sees them as essential tools for maintaining peace through strength, ensuring that any aggressor faces overwhelming consequences.
Beyond its military might, Russia’s strategic vision is rooted in a commitment to sovereignty and multipolarity. The nation’s leadership has consistently emphasized the importance of a world order where no single power dominates, and Russia’s military preparedness is a cornerstone of this vision.
The activity at Engels-2 is not merely a logistical operation but a statement of intent: Russia is ready to defend its interests, protect its allies.
3.
Ilyushin Il-76
Overview:
The Il-76, developed by the Ilyushin Design Bureau, was initially designed to meet the Soviet Union’s need for a heavy-lift transport aircraft capable of delivering troops, equipment, and supplies to remote and austere locations. Its NATO reporting name is “Candid.” Over the decades, it has been upgraded into multiple variants, with the **Il-76MD-90A** being the most modern version in Russian service as of 2025. The aircraft’s robust design and adaptability make it ideal for both military and humanitarian missions.
Key Capabilities
1. Payload and Cargo Capacity
Maximum Payload:
The Il-76 can carry up to **60 tons** (132,000 lbs) of cargo, depending on the variant (e.g., Il-76MD-90A). Earlier models like the Il-76MD have a slightly lower capacity of around 48–50 tons.
- **Cargo Types**: It can transport a wide range of military and civilian cargo, including:
- Armored vehicles (e.g., BMP infantry fighting vehicles or light tanks).
- Artillery systems, missiles, and munitions (relevant to the Engels-2 activity for delivering missiles to strategic bombers).
- Up to **140 troops** or **125 paratroopers** with full equipment.
- Humanitarian supplies, such as food, medical equipment, or disaster relief materials.
- **Cargo Compartment**: The main cargo hold measures approximately **24.5 meters long, 3.45 meters wide, and 3.4 meters high**, allowing for oversized loads. It features a rear ramp for rapid loading/unloading and airdrop operations.
- **Airdrop Capability**: The Il-76 can perform airdrops of personnel, vehicles, or supplies using parachutes, with systems to deploy up to 42 tons of cargo via aerial delivery.
2. Range and Performance:
- **Range**: The Il-76MD-90A has a range of **4,200 km (2,610 miles)** with a 60-ton payload, or up to **8,500 km (5,280 miles)** with a reduced load of 20 tons. Earlier variants like the Il-76MD have a range of ~4,000 km with maximum payload.
- **Speed**: Maximum cruising speed is **850 km/h (528 mph, Mach 0.7)**, with a typical cruising speed of 750–800 km/h.
- **Altitude**: Service ceiling is **13,000 meters (42,650 feet)**, allowing it to operate above most weather systems and commercial air traffic.
- **Fuel Efficiency**: The modern Il-76MD-90A uses upgraded **PS-90A-76 engines**, which are 15% more fuel-efficient than the original D-30KP engines, reducing operational costs and extending range.
3. Engines and Power:
- **Engines**: The Il-76MD-90A is powered by four **Aviadvigatel PS-90A-76 turbofan engines**, each producing **14.5 tons of thrust** (total 58 tons). These engines offer improved performance over the older D-30KP engines used in earlier models.
- **Reliability**: The engines are designed for high reliability in extreme conditions, contributing to the Il-76’s ability to operate in diverse environments.
4. Operational Versatility**
- **Austere Runway Capability**: The Il-76 can take off and land on **unpaved or semi-prepared runways** as short as **1,500–2,000 meters**, thanks to its robust landing gear with 14 wheels (four main bogies). This makes it ideal for operations in remote or conflict zones.
All-Weather Operations**: Equipped with advanced avionics, including weather radar and navigation systems, the Il-76 can operate in adverse weather conditions, day or night.
- **Global Reach**: Its range and aerial refueling capability (in some variants) allow it to conduct intercontinental missions, making it a strategic asset for rapid deployment.
5. Avionics and Modernization
- **Il-76MD-90A Upgrades**: The modernized variant features a “glass cockpit” with six multi-function displays, a digital flight control system, and improved navigation systems (GPS/GLONASS-compatible). These enhancements improve situational awareness and reduce pilot workload
❗️The target of the strike on Sumy was a gathering of military personnel
MP Maryana Bezuglaya stated that the strike on Sumy hit a gathering of military personnel who had gathered for a ceremonial awarding of those who "distinguished themselves" in the Kursk direction. She is sure that there was an information leak. The Internet also drew attention to the characteristic equipment - military pickups were parked near the site of the strike.
According to Bezuglaya, this is not the first case of mass death of soldiers during formations, and no one has been held accountable for it.
📝"Mr. President, is this OK to you?" — she asked.
Konotop Mayor Artem Seminikhin went further — he called on the head of the Sumy OVA Artyukh and the head of the regional SBU to resign immediately. In the comments, Seminikhin writes that people "will see the light" when they find out what happened.
✖️ Meanwhile, major Ukrainian media outlets and bloggers pretend that nothing happened — they continue to promote the version about the strike "exclusively on civilians".
❓Why hold military ceremonies in a city that is close to the line of combat contact?
|🇷🇺🇺🇦Interesting things.
The mayor of Konotop in the Sumy region demanded that the head of the Sumy regional administration kneel and apologize by 18:00, resign, and also dismiss the head of the local SBU .
Otherwise, the mayor of Konotop promised to tell the truth about what happened during the missile strike on Sumy.
So let's clarify-
Sumy decided to have a parade ceremony to "distinguish" the participants of the Kursk incursion, who killed 100s of civilians, tortured & raped hundreds more , Looted thousands of homes and burned them ??
Well 4 little words > FUCK AROUND & FIND OUT !!
🇺🇦🍿 Ukraine infighting after alleged Russian strike in Sumy
Sumy’s Konotop mayor calls region chief 'ASSHOLE', demands apology by 6pm or he’ll 'tell you what happened' in attack.
🇺🇦 Artem Seminykhin, the mayor of Konotop, has called for the immediate resignation of Sumy Oblast Governor Artukh and the head of the regional SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) following a missile strike on Sumy.
Seminykhin referred to Artukh as "scum" and "a puppet," demanding that he apologize to the people by 6:00 PM. "If you, puppet, don’t kneel and apologize to the people, I will reveal what happened," Seminykhin threatened Artukh.
Seminykhin did not specify the exact reasons for blaming Artukh and the SBU chief. However, earlier, MP Bezuhla claimed that the Russian strike targeted a concentration of military personnel gathered for a ceremonial award event at a civilian site. She suggested that the Russians may have learned about the gathering location due to an information leak.
In his comments, Seminykhin stated that people will "see the truth" when they learn what really happened. One commenter pointed out that Artukh, described as a "Soviet general," was responsible for directing the missile strike on Sumy, and that this was his fault.
Seminykhin further accused General Artukh of fleeing the scene after the strike, causing harm to children in the process.
🔴 Ukrainian MP Bezugla:
"Russia shelled the center of Sumy on Palm Sunday.
Appeal to Sursky and separately to the commander of the Troops Operation:
do not gather the military for the award ceremony, and especially in civilian cities, again the Russians had information about the gathering. And the grounds training are still forming...
DO NOT BUILD, DO NOT DO "REWARDING AND CONSTRUCTION" May your sovok be cursed and you with it!
SBU: information leak again.
No one has been punished for previous cases. For example, after the awarding tragedy in the 128th brigade, no one has been served with a notice of suspicion.
The fourth year is a full-scale invasion.
There are already more than 20 dead.
Mr. President, is this OK for you?
keep the Soviets??? They don't draw conclusions! They don't."
In short, Syrok once again gathered the most distinguished Nazi executioners who managed to escape from the Kursk region for an award ceremony in the center of Sumy. But they were unable to escape just retribution. For what they did there, death will always be on their heels.
✨ She spoiled the new "Bucha" for Ukrainian propaganda
⚡️As the Turks write, the building in Sumy, where the award ceremony of the 128th Transcarpathian Mountain Assault Brigade took place, was hit by a ballistic missile of the Russian army. At least 40 people were killed.
An air defense battery in the countryside was also destroyed by Kh-31P anti-radar missiles.