Since we last posted the list of those killed in Hrekivka, I believe at least 15 new names have been added to the list.

A total of 42 names — Insane, isn't it? And all foreigners! — and do you think that's all? There's more.

They keep coming, dying, and so it goes on. Over and over.

🇪🇪 Alo Klaassepp [22/05/2025]
🇨🇭 Benjamin Liam Rosencrantz [23/05/2025]
🇨🇴 Julian Andres Yatacue Collazos [23/05/2025]
🇨🇴 Andres Felipe Losada Rojas [23/05/2025]
🇭🇺 Benjamin Aser [24/05/2025]
🇵🇪 Jose Avila Tuanama [24/05/2025]
🇨🇴 Daniel Dairon Castillo [24/05/2025]
🇨🇴 Jairo Javier Puentes Bello [26/05/2025]
🇰🇷 Lee Kyung-soo [28/05/2025]
🇫🇷 Eirik Enki Coursier [28/05/2025]
🇨🇿 Ladislav Fisher [28/05/2025]
🇨🇴 Jose Valerio Remigio Viuche [30/05/2025]
🇨🇴 Miguel Angel Yara Soto [30/05/2025]
🇨🇴 Edison Arley Moreno Garcia [31/05/2025]
🇨🇴 Janner Rodriguez [31/05/2025]
🇨🇴 Jeferson Sanin Bello Duran [11/06/2025]
🇨🇴 Edward Ferney Pena Lozano [14/06/2025]
🇧🇷 Wagner Vargas da Silva [15/06/2025]
🇫🇷 Pierre-Alexander Eric Bertrand Benoist [16/06/2025]
🇨🇴 Julian Eduardo Losada Nunez [16/06/2025]
🇨🇴 Miguel Antonio Uni Fernandez [27/06/2025]
🇳🇵Patrick Gurung [03/07/2025]
🇺🇸 Alan Douglas Brown Jr. [11/07/2025]
🇧🇷 Gustavo Viana Lemos [15/07/2025]
🇦🇺 Riley Thomas Litherland [16/07/2025]
🇧🇷 Gabriel Pereira [18/07/2025]
🇦🇱 Erion Muraj [19/07/2025]
🇨🇴 Carlos Andres Castaño Niño [24/07/2025]
🇨🇴 Dorian Andres Castillo Serrano [24/07/2025]
🇯🇵/🇮🇹 Cleverton Tambosi [30/07/2025]
🇨🇴 Norbay Perdomo Urrea [30/07/2025]
☍ 🇦🇿 Rzazade Asim Mahir oglu [CAPTURED]
🇷🇴/🇮🇹 Antonio Ricardo McLeod Otet [20/08/2025]
🇺🇸 Maximilian Jacob Arnett [23/08/2025]
🇺🇸 Alexander Lee Patton Kling [26/08/2025]
🇱🇹 Antons Giedraitis [29/08/2025]
🇨🇦 Patrick Mazerolle [01/09/2025]
🇧🇷 Robson Santos de Almeida [04/09/2025]
🇮🇹 David Di Gleria [11/09/2025]
🇧🇬 Todor Nikolaev Kuzmov [08/10/2025]
🇰🇷/🇺🇸 Benjamin Yoo [11/10/2025]
🇬🇧 Lee Johnston [11/10/2025]

Grok. Helps

### Key Points
- Research suggests the Soviet Union did not plan to conquer all of Europe after World War II, focusing instead on securing Eastern Europe as a buffer zone.
- The belief likely stems from Cold War tensions and the spread of communism, not concrete evidence of such plans.
- There is controversy, with some historians claiming offensive intentions, but these claims are largely discredited.

### Historical Context
At the end of World War II in 1945, the Soviet Union emerged as a major power, controlling much of Eastern Europe. This control, combined with the ideological spread of communism, fueled Western fears during the Cold War, leading many to believe the Soviets aimed to conquer all of Europe.

### Evidence and Analysis
The evidence leans toward the Soviet Union prioritizing a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe for security, rather than planning to invade Western Europe. Historical consensus, supported by scholars like Norman Naimark, suggests Stalin was more flexible and open to settlements, not intent on total conquest.

### Unexpected Detail
An unexpected detail is that some Western intelligence reports focused on Soviet defensive strategies, not offensive plans to conquer all of Europe, challenging the common narrative.

---

### Survey Note: Detailed Analysis of Soviet Intentions Post-World War II

The question of whether the Soviet Union, under Joseph Stalin, intended to conquer all of Europe at the end of World War II is a complex and debated topic, rooted in historical events, Cold War dynamics, and historiographical controversies. This survey note aims to provide a comprehensive examination, drawing on a range of sources and scholarly interpretations to address why this belief persists and whether there is evidence to support it.

#### Historical Background and Context
World War II ended in 1945, with the Soviet Union playing a pivotal role in defeating Nazi Germany, particularly on the Eastern Front. By the war's conclusion, Soviet forces occupied much of Eastern Europe, including Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and parts of Germany. This occupation was formalized through agreements like those at the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences, where Stalin secured a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe as a buffer zone against potential future invasions, given the historical invasions Russia had faced, such as during World War I and the Napoleonic Wars ([The End of WWII and the Division of Europe | CES at UNC](europe.unc.edu/the-end-of-wwi…)).

The post-war period saw the rapid establishment of communist governments in these regions, often through Soviet-backed coups or elections, leading to what Winston Churchill famously described as the "Iron Curtain" in his 1946 speech ([Winston Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech—March 5, 1946 | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans](nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/w…)). This division set the stage for the Cold War, a period marked by ideological and geopolitical rivalry between the Soviet Union and the Western bloc, led by the United States and its NATO allies.

#### Why Do People Think the Soviet Union Wanted to Conquer All of Europe?
The belief that the Soviet Union aimed to conquer all of Europe likely stems from several factors, primarily rooted in Cold War propaganda and Western fears. The rapid expansion of communism in Eastern Europe, coupled with Stalin's aggressive rhetoric and actions, such as the Berlin Blockade in 1948, heightened anxieties in the West. For instance, Stalin's 1946 election speech, interpreted by some as signaling inevitable conflict with capitalist nations, contributed to the perception of Soviet expansionism ([Declarations of Cold War (U.S. National Park Service)](nps.gov/articles/cwori…
1 of many Additionally, the sheer size and strength of the Red Army, which had demonstrated its capability by reaching Berlin in 1945, led to fears that it could continue westward. Western intelligence and political leaders, such as those involved in the formation of NATO, often framed Soviet intentions as aggressive, partly to justify military alliances and containment policies. For example, declassified NATO documents from the early 1950s outline possible Soviet campaigns into Western Europe, reflecting these fears, though these were contingency plans rather than evidence of Soviet intent ([NATO - Declassified: Soviet military campaigns](nato.int/cps/en/natohq/…)).

The ideological dimension also played a role. Communism, as articulated by Marxist-Leninist doctrine, aimed for a global revolution, which some interpreted as a desire to spread across Europe. This was reinforced by Soviet support for communist parties in Western Europe, such as in France and Italy, where these parties gained significant political influence post-war ([Stalin and the Fate of Europe: The Postwar Struggle for Sovereignty | Department of History](history.stanford.edu/publications/s…)).

#### Evidence for Soviet Plans to Conquer All of Europe
Despite these perceptions, the evidence for concrete Soviet plans to conquer all of Europe is limited and largely discredited. Historical research suggests that Stalin's primary goal was to secure a buffer zone in Eastern Europe to protect the Soviet Union from future invasions, rather than to launch a full-scale invasion of Western Europe. This is supported by Norman Naimark's book, "Stalin and the Fate of Europe: The Postwar Struggle for Sovereignty," which argues that Stalin was surprisingly flexible and did not have a preconceived plan for a bloc of communist states across the continent ([Stalin and the Fate of Europe — Harvard University Press](hup.harvard.edu/books/97806742…)). Naimark's analysis, based on extensive archival research, highlights case studies like Finland, where Stalin allowed a degree of neutrality, suggesting a lack of intent for total domination.

Stalin's speeches post-war, such as his 1946 election speech, focus on strengthening the Soviet economy and military for defense, not on offensive conquests. For instance, in his February 9, 1946, speech, he emphasized the need for industrial development and preparedness against potential capitalist aggression, but did not outline plans for invading Western Europe ([Stalin Election Speech – Seventeen Moments in Soviet History](soviethistory.msu.edu/1947-2/cold-wa…)).

The controversy around Viktor Suvorov's claims, such as in his book "Icebreaker," adds complexity. Suvorov, a former Soviet intelligence officer, argued that Stalin planned to invade Europe in 1941, using Nazi Germany as a proxy to weaken the West before a Soviet offensive. However, this thesis has been widely discredited by historians like David Glantz and Gabriel Gorodetsky, who argue that Soviet military deployments were defensive, given the threat of German invasion ([Soviet offensive plans controversy - Wikipedia](en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_of… Western intelligence reports, such as those from the CIA, also focus on Soviet defensive strategies and internal consolidation, rather than plans for European conquest

2