Phx-Suns.Net

Ukraine war: Leak shows Western special forces on the ground
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65245065
The US government says it is investigating the source of the leak.
According to the document, dated 23 March, the UK has the largest contingent of special forces in Ukraine (50), followed by fellow Nato states Latvia (17), France (15), the US (14) and the Netherlands (1).

I suspected we would have some boots on the ground “advising”. I wonder how Putin will react to knowing NATO has troops in Ukraine.

Russia Has a Vodka Addiction. So Does Vladimir Putin – But Not the Same Way.
The Russian leader is famously sober. There’s a reason that his country isn’t.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/ ... e-00095109

One day before his formal inauguration, on May 6, 2000, Putin signed a directive that would begin the reconsolidation of Russia’s top revenue-generating industries. But Putin’s first target wasn’t oil or natural gas, or diamonds or gold or nickel. It was vodka.

On that date, Putin created a new company called Rosspirtprom — an acronym for Russian Spirits Industry — to seize control of the means of vodka production. It was a move that not only helped Putin amass enormous wealth over the coming two decades, but was a critical first step in cementing his grip on the Russian economy and the Russian people, who would help line his pockets while his vodka helped ruin their health.….

Ukraine gets British long-range missiles ahead of counteroffensive
https://www.defensenews.com/global/euro ... offensive/
LONDON — Britain has donated Storm Shadow cruise missiles to the Ukrainian air force in a move widely seen as a game changer in Kyiv’s ability to mount long-range strikes against invading Russian forces.

The Anglo-French-developed Storm Shadow missile, known in France as Scalp-EG, has a range in excess of 250 kilometers, or 155 miles, and is particularly effective against hardened and buried targets, according to the manufacturer.

I think Graham is a POS liar but, I did like his comments about Russia. Putin on the other hand wasn’t thrilled about them. Russia to start an investigation into his comments? LOL!

Russia issues arrest warrant for Lindsey Graham over Ukraine comments
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukrai ... 6c4e42da36
In an edited video of his meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that was released by Zelenskyy’s office, Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, noted that “the Russians are dying” and described the U.S. military assistance to the country as “the best money we’ve ever spent.”

While Graham appeared to have made the remarks in different parts of the conversation, the short video by Ukraine’s presidential office put them next to each other, causing outrage in Russia.

The Investigative Committee, the country’s top criminal investigation agency, has moved to open a criminal inquiry against Graham, and the Interior Ministry followed up by issuing a warrant for his arrest as indicated Monday by its official record of wanted criminal suspects.

Graham commented on Twitter, saying that “to know that my commitment to Ukraine has drawn the ire of Putin’s regime brings me immense joy.”

“I will continue to stand with and for Ukraine’s freedom until every Russian soldier is expelled from Ukrainian territory,” he tweeted. “I will wear the arrest warrant issued by Putin’s corrupt and immoral government as a Badge of Honor.”

Hmm.

Perfect!

This is the Russia/Ukraine thread. There is no Bosnia/Kosovo/Serb thread but, this involves Russia and war, so I put it here. Most of you are familiar with the Kosovo war in the late 90’s. The war ended when NATO stepped with peacekeepers and forced Serbia to back down by bombing Belgrade. I got sent there after NATO stepped in as part of a USO show and got quite an experience. It has been pretty much peaceful since then there until recently. Now violence has flared again with Russia fanning the flames of war trying to get the Serbs to escalate the violence.

Violent Clashes Trigger Fears of New War in Europe
Western officials heap pressure on Kosovar leader to defuse a standoff with Serbs that threatens to reignite a simmering Balkan conflict
https://www.wsj.com/articles/violent-cl ... e-23d63058

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia—U.S. and European diplomats are rushing to contain spiraling violence at the heart of Europe and prevent a fresh conflict on a continent shaken by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The clashes took place in Kosovo, one of a string of small Balkan nations created after the violent breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. The eruption of violence left dozens of people wounded this week, including Italian and Hungarian servicemen.

After simmering for months, the confrontation exploded when Kosovo pushed to forcibly install ethnic Albanian mayors in areas populated by ethnic Serbs following a local election largely boycotted by the Serbs and dismissed by international observers as unrepresentative.

“While Europe cannot afford another crisis in the continent this crisis is a perfect opportunity for Russia to shift the focus from Ukraine to the Balkans—as evidently seen by [the] explicit statement of Russian officials encouraging Serbia to send its army to northern Kosovo,” said Ilir Deda, a former independent lawmaker from Kosovo.

“confrontation exploded when Kosovo pushed to forcibly install ethnic Albanian mayors in areas populated by ethnic Serbs”

Just sayin…

How Republican States Are Expanding Their Power Over Elections
In Georgia, Republicans are removing Democrats of color from local boards. In Arkansas, they have stripped election control from county authorities. And they are expanding their election power in many other states.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/19/us/p ... tates.html

A great piece of journalism.

Dissention in the ranks of the Russian military?

Russia Issues Arrest Warrant for Wagner Chief on Charges of Mutiny
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-sh ... e-9d9da03a

The Russian thing is crazy. Outright rebellion. Wagner and Russian forces attacking each other and Wagner heading for Moscow to I guess take over. Reports that Putin has fled the capital in a plane. Ukraine has to like this. A divided Russian army fending off a coup can’t be as effective fighting Ukraine.

A message posted on the Wagner Telegram channel on Saturday said: 'Putin made the wrong choice. All the worse for him. Soon we will have a new president.'

I'm pulling for Wagner.

Crazy to watch it all unfold in real time. Will there be a regime change in Russia? Will the invasion of Ukraine end? Will we just end up with another dictator in place of the old one?

It sounds like they're stopping their march to Moscow?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... oscow.html
Humiliated Prigozhin is sent into exile in Belarus after aborting his Wagner mercenaries' march to Moscow at 11th hour - but his men are treated like heroes as they withdraw: All eyes are on wounded Putin's next move after Russia came to brink of civil war

This is like watching a movie with a crazy plot line.

I have been trying to figure out why Prigozhin stopped his March towards Moscow so suddenly and decided to go into exile. I have come to the conclusion that Putin must have grabbed his wife and two children as collateral.

I don't think the strife between Putin and Prigozhin is as strong as the West wants to believe. They need each other too much.

Wagner is much more of a threat to Kiev from Belarusian territory. This can present a problem for the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the South as they may need to reinforce their northern border.

Lukashenko is a Putin puppet seemingly despised by a large segment of the Belarusian people. If he were to be killed, the country would become very unstable and Putin would lose the advantage of their position along the border with Ukraine. By exiling Prigozhin to Belarus, Putin increases his own authority in the region and Prigozhin as the opportunity to secure more power and wealth by eventually taking over Belarus.

I give Prigozhin about a week to live, tops.