Contrary to what I wrote a few minutes ago, it appears an oil tanker exploded crossing the bridge that links Crimea to the (real) Russian mainland. The containers of fuel on a train following along a parallel line then ignited. But the girders of the bridge appear untouched. The psychological impact appears to be out … Continue reading Putin Panic at Fire on Crimea Bridge

The hardline Vzglyad newspaper often has more interesting comments from readers than the articles it publishes. Today a piece appeared suggesting that in Russia's chain of allies there were "two weak links". The two are Iran and Serbia. A disgruntled reader promptly wrote in to say: "What allies? Where are those who think like us? … Continue reading Putin’s Lies Openly Challenged

When at the outset of this war retired Colonel General Ivashov declared that a failed strategy could not be rescued by any amount of tinkering in the field, the evidence that this was the case with the war against Ukraine had yet to emerge with as much force as it has in the past week. … Continue reading The “Special Operation” Unravels

Today Vechernyaya Moskva appeared with an article entitled UN General Secretary Manuel "Guterres has said that Donbass becoming a part of Russia has no juridical force." He added that the UN "fully supports the sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its recognised borders and in conformity with resoluts of the UN General … Continue reading The Russian Press Begins Reporting the Truth

"The army and society demand mobilisation without mistakes" was yesterday's headline in the hardline paper, Vzglyad. It is extraordinary what a dog's dinner the Russian military have made of conscription. So much so that the popular tabloid Komsomol'skaya pravda has opened a hotline to help sort out the problem of those not nominally qualified to … Continue reading Screw-ups in Partial Mobilisation

I cannot conceive of a more horrendous prospect were I a Russian below the age of 65 than to be called up to fight an unwinnable war led by an incompetent and cruel leadership against a fierce, well trained and better armed opponent determined to liberate Ukraine from oppressive and at times sadistic invaders. Clearly … Continue reading Gambler Putin Intended to Strike Fear into the Enemy. Instead he Has Struck Fear into Russia.

At a time when its army is on the run, Russia's consensus on the war among those on the right is breaking under the strain. An article in Komsomol'skaya pravda today trots out the usual, xenophobic banalities but is nonetheless revealing in other respects. Among the most ridiculous claims is that once the population in … Continue reading The Splintering of Opinion in Russia

Yesterday there appeared a crucial admission from the Russian press in the form of an inflammatory editorial in Nezavisimaya gazeta, entitled "Putin under Pressure", which, in stark contrast to the way the Kremlin portrayed the summit in Samarkand as a great success, shows Russia to be in growing isolation, its back against the wall, facing … Continue reading Insurrection? The Fate of the Country is at Stake

When Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine back in February he caught everyone by surprise but he craftily managed to make it look as though the Chinese were not only privy to his decision but approving of it. Had his two day Blitzkrieg worked, no doubt China would have gladly allowed people to believe what … Continue reading The Ukraine Effect: China Reconsiders Seizing Taiwan

No sooner are the Russians on the run in North-east Ukraine than Azerbaidzhan breaks the cease-fire of 13 September 2021 and relaunches hostilities against neighbouring Armenia, which has in the past been to all intents and purposes a Russian protectorate since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Both Nezavisimaya gazeta and Komsomol'skaya pravda are in … Continue reading Now There is Turkey to Worry About