If you don’t care about geopolitics, skip to near the bottom, we’ve got fireworks cooking off here in the USA as well.
The above tweet, showing natural gas rising from a destroyed section of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, is from Radoslaw (“Radek”) Sikorski…..
…..a former Polish defense minister, former deputy minister of foreign affairs, husband to the American neocon Anne Applebaum, and former fellow at the Republican-aligned AEI thinktank in Washington, DC.
He’s also very likely to be a “CIA asset” (you know, like an informant or influence agent or something.)
During the Bush Jr. years, Sikorski was a Republican favorite, due to his outspoken alignment with Don Rumsfeld’s intended “New Europe” policy of moving American military bases (and CIA prisons) to eastern Europe, as revenge for mainland western Europe’s lack of enthusiasm for the Iraq invasion and for U.S. pressure on Iran.
Poland then became Europe’s leading voice against construction of Nord Stream 2, as its government viewed the high cost of American LNG as a small price to pay for cutting Germany down to size and becoming Uncle Sam’s new best friend on the continent.
So, as you can see, this guy Sikorsky is now VERY happy.
You might have heard that not one but both Baltic undersea gas pipelines—including both branches of Nord Stream 1—from Russia to Germany were severed on Tuesday by what a Swedish seismological station described as explosions.
The pipes were not in use (Nord Stream 2 was full of gas, though sealed)…..
…..but were nonetheless the only hope of providing Russian gas to most of Europe, should the pipelines running through the Ukraine lose their function.
It’s been widely assumed in Russia, and more recently among the U.S. establishment and its press…..
…..that after accepting four new (formerly Ukrainian) provinces into its fold in the coming days, Russia would make the Ukraine an ultimatum to “get off our (new) land“, after which…..
…..Ukrainian infrastructure would be severely targeted, and the power would go out, making Russia’s job much easier, as the Ukraine’s communications, pumping/fueling, and mostly-electric train system go dead.
Now, after the Nord Stream 1 and 2 explosions…..
…..if Russia does turn off the lights…..
…..the gas pipelines through the Ukraine would likely cease to function, or at least be much more difficult to run… and yet there’s no alternative to them.
(I’m not sure if gas must be pumped at periodic intervals like pipelined oil, but there’s got to be some meter checks, or routine maintenance, or something else along the length of the line that needs power.)
Now, literally just as the Donetsk / Lugansk / Zaporozhie / Kherson referendums are concluding, on Tuesday morning, the Baltic pipelines get blown up…..
…..And all of a sudden, later the same day (Tuesday), the elections office in Russian-controlled Kherson says it may need up to FIVE MORE DAYS to make its announcement on the results (sounds like the Democrats, LOL.)
Obviously, with the pro-Russia vote margin that they’ve already tentatively claimed to have, they don’t “really” need that time.
But, Russia intended to make no ultimatum to the Ukraine until it had accepted all four regions simultaneously (which by all accounts, was supposed to happen before the end of this month.)
It was widely assumed in Russia that high-level talks with Europe (clearly excluding the USA) are ongoing, intended to find a way to potentially “freeze” the conflict, so that Europe doesn’t literally freeze this winter.
It looks like some “third party” just put a crimp on those plans.
And now, if Russia turns off the lights in the Ukraine…..
…..while Nord Stream 1 and 2 are broken…..
…..Russia probably won’t earn any gas money until the lights go back on.
(OK, there’s still the (also vulnerable) undersea South Stream to Turkey and the Balkans, and the Siberian pipeline to China, but these don’t compare to the volumes and $$$ going through the Ukraine. Going without any gas sales to western Europe would be tough on Russia; it could also be the end of European civilization as we know it.)
As you can see, “a certain party” has made its move.
The delay in Kherson’s vote results announcement, very likely means that Russia has not yet decided how to respond.
Of course, European rulers and their house press, will (once they’ve recovered from their shock and found some talking points) blame the explosions on Russia…..
…..while knowing they’re getting violently bent over by a middle-aged guy with a white goatee, wearing an American flag-design top hat, red bowtie, blue jacket, white shirt.
At this point, what can they do? They’re just little punks. Master’s got them all in the bag.
*****NEXT-MORNING UPDATE:***** This thing is moving fast, it looks like Kherson may have pulled a “Fairfax County” and reported its vote count, and asked to join Russia already. HOWEVER, a top, top Russian official (Valentina Matvienko, chair of the Federation Council) has just said “let the whole world wait” until **October 4th** (shifting the earlier-presumed “joining Russia” schedule by about five days.) Which just reinforces my points. At a minimum, they need more time to talk things over with the Germans etc. The destruction of the Baltic pipelines threw a BIG wrench into the spokes.
PS: Silly people keep asking me, how will it go on the frontlines, whatever. I’ve already said, months ago, this war will not be won on the battlefield, at least not in any “tactical” way. Stop wasting your own time with dumb questions, please.)
PS: As for the referendums themselves, they went remarkably well. Despite quite a bit of Terrorism, the Ukraine was unable to kill or cow a sufficient number of elections administrators/officers. They did recently kill the elections head in Berdiansk, Zaporozhie region, together with her husband, who was the deputy mayor for housing matters. They also critically wounded the head of the state university in Kherson city, in an attack that killed her bodyguard (I assume her sin was to commence university instruction in the Russian language.) Just to recount some recent incidents. But again, the majority of officials plowed through and were able to pull this off. You may or may not like or believe in the results, but people did come out to vote, and the elections workers were there to meet them, which, in the context of a DEATH SENTENCE from Zelensky and his Ukraine Security Service, is not too shabby.
Out of Time!
Folks, I told you the average U.S. 30-year mortgage rate for a regular private loan, top credit applicant, 10 percent down, would likely reach 7.0 percent by early November.
I’m sorry, I was wrong. You know, I will always admit my mistakes.
It’s at 7.0 percent right now!
Folks, we’re done.
If “The Fed” doesn’t start signaling that it’s done raising rates, the show’s over, turn out the lights. Today’s America can’t function with these rates.
If they do promise to stop hiking (even just in their usual, mealy-mouthed, roundabout way), things might settle down for a bit…..
…..but in that case, inflation’s not going away, and (as I’ve been predicting) will get MUCH worse, perhaps not in the next few months but certainly thereafter.
Whatever the case, they are out of time and space to keep bullshitting.
We’ve finally, finally come to the end of this road. They must now either (1) cause a Depression to maintain their “credibility”…..
….. or (2) “capitulate” to inflation, FINALLY giving up on the pretense that they’ll EVER bring rates up again from near-zero.
(And keep in mind, them giving up on ever fighting inflation, would itself be hugely inflationary, because as I explained about two months ago, inflation has causes but once it gets going and stays going, it’s mostly just psychology.)
This is a truly historic time, wow, we’ve finally come to this.
So many (myself included) waited years for this moment, and it’s finally happening.
Hey, whatever happens, I’ll be laughing my ass off… after I change pants, because I’m so giddy, I think I just peed myself. What a time to be alive.
It’s the start of the Great Reset…. the REAL Great Reset, not the bullshit one from the WEF crowd.
Reminder
Unless you are checking for new comments, please do not keep coming back to this blog every day to see if I have posted anything new. Don’t be like the zombies in Day of the Dead, coming back mindlessly to their comfort zone, the mall. Subscribe (for free), and I will send you an email (which you can open or return to at your leisure) WHEN I have something to say. That way, my user metrics will make sense, and I’ll get a return-on-investment from paying hundreds of dollars a month for the mailing list function.
If you have not done so already, please sign up (below) *****AND***** enter jacob@dreizinreport.com into the trusted contacts list in your email account, so that my messages don’t go to spam or promos.
Sign up here:
Ridiculous Spelling Policy
As usual, if you wish to comment on anything ko-rona related, please use more-or-less my usual idiotic spellings of key terms (e.g. ko-rona, vy-rus, vary-ants, vakk-seen, vakk-seenz, vakk-syn-ay-tted, vakk-syn-ay-shun, booss-tter shawt, imm-yoo-ni-ttee, pann-de-mmyk, pfye-zzer, moh-derr-na, etc.) or your comment will NOT be approved, as it will be a risk to the existence of this site on its given platform. Feel free to come up with your own moronic va-ree-ay-shunz. Thank you
Comments Policy
Comments and any associated weblinks or other references must be directly relevant and tangential to my published material (not just to other comments.) THIS IS NOT A DEBATE PLATFORM TO DISCUSS IRRELEVANT HISTORICAL QUESTIONS. Please, no rambling, no unrelated musings (e.g., about Putin’s family values, how Hitler could have won at Dunkirk or Normandy, rapes committed in Berlin in 1945, etc.), no trolling/baiting, no calling for the destruction or dissolution of the USA or its government, no calling for violence against current or former elected or appointed officials of the U.S. Government, no nonconstructive or hateful ranting about Jews (or Swej, Joos, Jooz, Jooze, Juice, Juize, Jewz, Jewze, J-Dogs, J-Dogz, J-Dawgz, J’s, Chews, Choos, Chooz, Chooze, Zionists, Zio-Nazis, Anglo-American Zionists, Amerizionists, Zionist Occupation Government, ZOG, IsraHell, Bibi SatanYahoo, “those of whom we cannot speak”, “your friends whom we can’t talk about”, “a certain small ethnic group”, the chosen, the tribe, the chosen tribe, the thirteenth tribe, tribe of Judah, the Khazarians, Khazarian mafia, Rothschilds, Khazarian Rothschilds, JewTube, JooTube, JewMerica, JooMerica, etc., etc.), no communists, no canon law arguments among Catholics, and no being nasty to other commenters or to the sysop. Please share your ***CONCISE*** (2 smartphone screens of text is NOT concise), relevant, coherent, organized thoughts, and come back for my next post. Thanks!
You my dear, have once again gotten me to belly laugh at man-made disasters ! A little gift with grit. Where I live (Portland , Oregon) the highly promoted potion-poke has turned 90 % of our population in to humorless , pigeon-toed, black skinny Jean wearing a sexual, angry impetuous idiots. Maybe you’d like to take a run at Portland in your writing. I assure you we deserve to be made fun of. If you feel bad swinging at the girl in glasses on the playground , don’t. She’s (Portland) identifies as an shape-shifting 27 year old Samoan body builder. Swing and land some!
Best wishes for more snark,
Megan
SCREW SIRKOWKI THE SCUM TRAITOR TO HUMANS THE SCUM WHO HAS MENTAL HATE TOWARDS RUSSIA MENTALL ILLNESS AND PSYCHOPATH PSYCHOSIS AND CANT DEAL WITH HIS OWN SICKNESS….WHAT A SCUM…CIA AND WESTERNIMPERIALISM ARE TRASH…SO TAKE OUT THE TRASH….YOU ARE GOING DOWN….THE WORLD IS CHNGING AND YOU SCUM ARE GOING DOWN.
But, how do you really feel?
Thank you for all that you do!
Amazing commentary as always! When are you starting your Locals account?
I will pay 🙏💛
Thanks. I’m not sure when, if ever. Please “stay tuned.”
Thanks for your insights Jacob. What do you think of restarting nuclear power plants? What would it take for Germany to be energy independent in reality? I keep seeing references to NATO wanting to “keep Russia out and Germany down” and since we are on the cusp of a genuine “reset” as you have identified, I would really appreciate your thoughts, at your convenience. I hope you and your family are doing well and have fully recovered from the recent bout of flu.
I hate being a citizen of the most evil nation of our times. But it is what it is.
Same, but what can ya do. I view DC as Mordor and living in the upper midwest I like to thinkl that is a safe distance.
You’re wrong. I used to live in northern Wisconsin, 42 miles from Green Bay. I remember reading that Green Bay would be targeted in a nuclear war because it’s an international port. Ships exiting the Bay of Green Bay can access the Atlantic Ocean, assuming that the locks on the Great Lakes were still in order, which is a stretch. Nuclear wars stopped being survivable with the advent of hydrogen bombs in the early 1950s. With atomic bombs, there was some limited possibility to survive at least for a while, provided you were far enough away from the blast area. Even then, the radiation sickness would likely get you. I hate to be so negative, but that’s the way it is.
You must look at the bright side. It could be worse. You could be up north in Commie-da….
“…there’s still the (also vulnerable) undersea South Stream to Turkey and the Balkans.”
It is a lot less vulnerable than it would be if Turkey re-opened the Dardenelles that they closed, in accordance with the Montreux Convention, when the fighting began. As long as the fighting goes on they will stay closed and NATO can’t repeat its regular stunt of flooding the Black Sea with warships. One good reason for the Russians not to hurry over ending the fighting.
Great point.
With regard to rates and inflation, there is a third possibility: the Fed could lose control, i.e. they set rates to near-zero but bond investors still demand say 5% yield before buying more Treasuries. This just happened in the UK: their central bank didn’t do anything, but their new government announced an economic policy that scared investors.
Interesting. That’s by far the scariest scenario.
Yes; but it would be in line with “It’s the start of the Great Reset…. the REAL Great Reset, not the bullshit one from the WEF crowd.”, would it not?
Ukraine started cut gas through their territory back in May. Further, Russia can bomb all the power stations in western Ukrainian without ever endangering the power to their gas pumps, they control the largest nuclear power plant in all of Europe it called the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station.
And the Russians are going to send all that electricity without a grid, by using Nicola Tesla’s magic sauce?
Great commentary. Lived in Europe for 14 years been away for 30 years I guess the Europe there now must resemble the Europe in Disney World everything make believe. To Bad!!!
The US does kinda favour for Russia to get out of long term contracts. Poland, buying Russian Gas while claiming otherwise via Germany for now, won’t get any anymore. If Germanys industry collapses, it will collapse whole Europe, maybe not whole French cos those have been different (the snails and frog thing). And since half Poland works in Germany that CIA dude just shot his own knee.
Good to have such good friends in DC, solving Russias political sensitive problems, that Russia can turn away Europe faster towards Asia. I predict a dark time for Europe w/o Russian Ressources. ;D
Russia doesn’t need foreign currency any more, so why should it be bother not to sell gas to Europe?
The new standard will be the more resources you have, the more your currency is worth. As such euros will crater, US dollar will probably stay afloat, at least for some time and ruble will keep on soar. They will eventually cut interest rates to zero and start printing rubles backed by the gas they didn’t sell.
Noone understood this yet, not sure if even Russians realized it.
Thanks, but perhaps the reason that no one but you conceives of this genius scheme, is because it makes no sense at all. Gas in the ground is not going to support any currency ever. They need to sell it.
That is the way the thing will go, if the currencies will be backed by commodities…gas reserves or oil reserves are like gold, even more precious than gold, because gold is intrinsically useless.
Russia is not selling gas or oil for euros anymore, so they are selling gas in exchange for rubles, so what’s the whole point? keep your commodities and print your rubles.
I agree, but I think his point is well made nonetheless. Not only it is my understanding that Russia has other markets for its gas and energy resources, but also Russia has entirely given up, prospectively, on supplying any to Europe. Smart move.
For sure the revenues coming from gas sales to Europe will not be replaced in a day and pipelines actually take time to build, but I am convinced that Russia has the time needed, especially as its “friendship” with China continues to expand.
In one word, I do not think Russia’s economy was so dependent on gas sales to Europe in 2022…
Perhaps, but I don’t think that’s how they want it to go down. Russia’s been hoarding gold for years. That’s not compatible with a “fiat or be damned” strategy. When the USD ceases to be the world reserve currency, there’s a chance that gold plays a part in the replacement.
Isn’t this a major escalation? I mean, for the first time the West has blatantly attacked Russian infrastructure, albeit in the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea. They can’t blame this on the Ukrainians. That means any US infrastructure on Earth, or even in space, is now fair game for retaliation.
The Duran (Alex Christoforou and Alexander Mercouris) spent an hour talking about this yesterday. Jackson Hinkle was also on the video. One of them said that it was the biggest escalation of the war. It opens up an entirely new table of threats, threats outside of Ukraine. I’m surprised by the rapidity of the escalation. I, being an old fogey, am used to the gradual escalation that we had during the Vietnam War. “Let’s put another 50,000 in.” I am now thankful for waking up every day. During the Cuban Missile Crisis (which I remember), the ICBMs were halfway elevated outside of their silos to make them quicker to launch. This feels worse to me. Worse, because we don’t have intelligent people in Washington who want to avoid WW3. We have gamblers and Brandon with dementia. If worse comes to worse, they’ll have their bunkers to retreat to.
I think you’re right , we are beyond Cuba and into the unknown . Nord stream 2, Qui bono ? The US look favourites, which could see retaliation, possibly some very important underwater cables getting chopped with chaos to follow. And a voice said “come and see”.
Like you, I’ve been waiting for these times. in 1992, I thought it would come no later than 2005. But I was to learn that the banks were willing to do the then I thinkable and keep lowering rates to even negative rates. Believe me, that was previously inconceivable. So it’s taken 30 years to see what I expected. 30 years of being called a fool. 30 years of watching the top 1% rape the rest of us. 30 years of market manipulation, including the precious metals. Thankfully I gave up on stocks in 2006 and went into real estate and frugal living.
I have heard others comment that this is all primarily about the Dollar and only secondarily, about Russia/Ukraine. The real target is European capital and manufacturing, both of which are currently being moved to the US. Certainly the value of the Dollar is rising vs the Euro and the Pound. A lot of assets in Europe are going to up for sale for pennies. What say you Jacob?
Peter Freeman!!! Exactly. It was a two-part plan. Regime change in Russia so we could rape their resources ala Yeltsin. And destroy Europe as a competitor. Rates will continue to go up for a while until all capital has fled Europe and is safely in the US. When you leave out the dead bodies, and the carnage it is really rather thoughtful. Except of course, they think it will not harm the US. The world is too linked now. And this will all destroy the US.
I read a lot of people making statements like this “European manufacturing are currently being moved to the US” but I see no evidence of that. What manufacturing and from what countries?
It’s just subhumanoids repeating Russian media talking points. European heavy industry isn’t moving anywhere (can’t move that fast), it’s just curtailing production. You could say, shutting down.
Lot to drown in when shutting down any middle operation, let alone the kind of heavy industry in precision Germany. Deep skills are a long apprenticeship, big machines have optimum operating temps and various chemistry, all in a continual motion of training, then first swings and a number of singes and damn, I’m managing and we’re going forward, ‘I can do shit’! Pick your venue…
Read that Russia is going to stop trading the Euro, US Dollar, and the GB pound? Also, what happens if China starts selling all the US Treasuries Bond/US debt it holds? I’m guessing these bonds were bought at a much lower yield and they are declining in price as rates rise. I also, assume the Saudi’s hold a lot of our treasuries. It looks like the Petro Dollar may be history soon?
What happens if China starts selling the massive amounts of US Debt/Treasuries they bought at lower yields? I’m assuming the Saudis hold a lot also. I think that the Petro Dollar is coming to an end soon.
I read that Russia is halting all trading of the Euro, US Dollar, and the British Pound any truth to this?
According to TASS Kherson has declared a result
KHERSON, September 28. /TASS/. With all ballots counted in the Kherson region, a total of 87.05% of local residents supported accession to Russia, the chairperson of the region’s Election Commission, Marina Zakharova, said on Tuesday.
“A total of 497,051 participants of the referendum replied ‘yes,’ which is more than 50% of all registered participants of the referendum,” she said.
According to results of the referendum, displayed on a screen in the commission’s headquarters, 87.05% of voters support accession to Russia.
No they have not declared. Not “formally.”
Yes they have. Today they have send a request to Moscow to become part of the Russian Federation. The same with LDR, DPR, Zapp….
Thanks, please see my update, highlighted in blue. They still won’t be joining Russia for some days, it’s been delayed.
Update: the deputies of the state Duma will come to the Kremlin tomorrow at 15:00 to sign the integration of the four regions into the Russian Federation. The 4 leaders of LDR,DNR,Zap,Herson are already in Moscow. So guess that the russians have decided the responce. Can the Pentagon persuade the neo cons that they are bat shit crazzy?
Looks like the formal admission of the 4 areas is back up to the 30th Sept again. I guess they’ve worked through a response. Putin’s speech tomorrow will be extremely interesting.
Higher interest rates in the US do have the (unintended?) benefit of causing the Euro and £ to depreciate versus the dollar. Putting even more pressure on them and showing who the master is. But, I still think your Spring comment that the Fed will eventually have to give up and let inflation rip is still correct. The fall in asset values affects the rich political donors and vocal elites most. It’s just a question of when the Fed capitulates.
Various UK media now with “expert” articles saying how Putin “could” have sabotaged the pipelines. Classic western journalism to put the idea in everyone’s heads with zero evidence. Just like false flag events in Syria. Why on earth Russia would destroy her own negotiating leverage when “go slows” on the gas pumping are far more effective is beyond me. Scary that so few people have the brains or inclination to think for themselves. Easier to trumpet “Putin is mad” with the herd.
If they are involved then Poland does seem to behave reasonably rationally in terms of her own logic: a strong Germany / Prussia plus strong Russia has always historically meant no independent Poland. So weakening them both, stopping them being allies and keeping America in Europe is very logical for her. Even Britain is following her classic divide and rule policy on the continent (not that I like it by the way). America’s policy makers are also clearly seeking to keep their empire. The country I do not understand at all in this is Germany. None of this is in any conceivable national interest. Is Uncle Sam paying all of her political elites? Is it as simple as that?
This is World War 3 being played out on several levels. It may or may not help but if Europe woke up and simultaneously sent all their gifts to United States of Terror, BrokenBritain and Israhell, the planet might have a better future.
The US state department released the following statement to the EU: “You F’ed up, you trusted us”
Even though we realised a few years back that there was not much road left to kick the can down, the terrifying part is going to be from those who didn’t look, don’t believe and haven’t prepared.
Hi Jacob what do you think of this security alert from the US Embassy in Russia? https://ru.usembassy.gov/security-alert-for-u-s-citizens-in-russia/
Are we for real preparing for nukes?
We in the EU are America’s b1tch / basement gimp / submissive cell mate . We have been for a long time but even the stupid and blind can see it now (surely?). I would say we can turn the lights off here now but Uncle Sam has already done that for us. We didn’t even have that much agency.
Thanks for the insight, was wondering why the sudden rescheduling of Duma meetings etc, of course that’s it.
What about the Yamal pipeline? Bizarre that it’s not mentioned in this post.
What’s “bizarre” is, I write most of my material after midnight, it’s not my day job.
OK sure, when you’re in the free infotainment business, don’t expect any mercy, I got it.
Yes, I forgot about the Yamal pipeline. My understanding, both Yamal branches go through Poland. Obviously, if the Ukrainian pipelines go down (due to the SHTF), then, with the Baltic undersea pipes now blown up, Uncle Sam’s top lackey Poland would be the ONLY remaining conduit for Russian gas to Germany, and thus Uncle Sam would continue to rule over Europe, and Russia’s options are crap, and there’s no longer any direct Russia-Germany deal possible, and Europe continues to be used as a pawn in the U.S. war with Russia.
(And BTW, the Yamal was not intended to reach other customers such as Italy, I’m not sure how they would hold out.)
So, yeah just along the lines of what I was saying. Everything fits into place, don’t you think?
Yamal, older and smaller than NS1, gets gas from nearly exhausted field; this is primary reason why NS1 was built instead of an expansion. Yamal was already running well under capacity last year. If it’s been running at higher levels now, I have not heard about it, and that’s just going to kill off the field very fast by collapsing the flow paths in the strata. Russia would only do that if they were planning to write off the field rather than put scarce equipment on it, so it’s possible but it’s even shittier news for EU in that case. Means Russia really don’t give two shakes of a lamb’s tail.
Bad as that sound, the Baltic Pipe between Norway and Poland will only have the capacity to replace the roughly 60% of Polish gas imports coming from Russia via the Yamal pipeline. It’s tiny, from a tiny field. GDF spin doctors know public has memory weaker than a hard disk platter in an EMP.
Mr. Dreizin: You might want to look at using a service like Disqus to run your comment section, to see if can help reduce people returning to view new comments (after all that’s how I found out about EUO which on paper has already made me happy).
polaks seem very happy to bring german economy down… but at the same time they siphoned 100s billions of EUR from cohesion funds, to which germany is biggest contributor. so if they are so happy to destroy germany, where will they “suck” money from?
The “Plan” was/is to balkanize Russia and suck her resources into the West. It’s been the plan since the British Empire. The Great Game. Except the Poles ain’t getting those resources. They’ll be begging for alms from the US just like the rest of the NATOStan/EU idjits.
During the peloponnesian war, Athens treated its allies with such disdain and arrogance that they switched sides and joined Sparta. Without her allies tribute, Athens was so broke she couldn’t maintain her fleet. Athens triremes were dragged onto the beach and left to rot.
I think many people keep checking your articles to see any new additions to the comments, and your replies to them. I know I do, I love your articles/videos, they are great. The comments are a great bonus. There are some really interesting comments mixed in with the trolls. This is probably one reason readers keep checking your page.
We are in WWIII. Russia will think on where this goes now as Gasprom has a “problem” with transit fees to Ukraine. Germany has been drinking poison waiting for Russia to die because of the GREENS whose manifesto was on the guide-stones. Putin aimed to conquer Ukraine by December 31st and with Europe’s gas storage EMPTY turn on Nordstream 1 and 2. Now if you read Ezekiel 38 an evil thought comes into his mind. We have destroyed China with our weather weapons and they haven’t enough food to make it to summer. China will surround Taiwan, launch a ICBM from the sea that detonates over the US and Putin will nuke the communist east and west coasts while leaving the midst of the country alone. You need to move west quickly.
Kherson did announce its results and asked Putin to accept Kherson into Russia. https://tass.com/politics/1514679
Thanks, please see my update, highlighted in blue. They still won’t be joining Russia for some days, it’s been delayed.
Sikorski – first job was as a journalist reporting Afghanistan with a close relationship to the Mujahedin. Wrote a book on it. Foreign minister and Defence minister for 2 different parties in Poland that hated each other – but of course he had US clearance.
Thanks. I didn’t realize he held those top posts under 2 different party governments. Clearly an inserted CIA asset, to make Uncle Sam happy.
Sikorsky was also a friend of Boris Johnson at Oxford University.
The US SPR will blow up soon enough and the tankers going to the US will be sunk, WTI will go to $100K and the American people will die off. I hope you and your family are some of the few Americans that survive the coming American apocalypse.
Ironic that the US calls Russia “A state sponsor of terror” , while simultaneously engaging in acts of terrorism.
What are you talking about? The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation clearly stated that it was Russia who destroyed the pipelines. Russia had both the means and opportunities they quoted a Swedish guy saying. Surely Canadian State Media wouldn’t lie to me? 😉
Can us citizens of USA declare that our govt is a State Sponsor of Terror? I’d vote for that.
Thanks for the report Jacob. As a Dutch citizen I forsee a dark future for my two daughters. We are prepared somewhat, while knowing fully well that there isn’t any prep possible against the utter corrupt stupidity we arr witnessing now.
This move does free up the European leadership. Before they could be directly blamed for turning off a perfectly good pipelines. Now they can say, it was our plan to give you back your gas but it is out of our control. Not sure anyone is buying that at this point but there still seem to be a lot of zombies left in Germany.
I wouldn’t put Powel an co. down yet. They have proved surprisingly resilient. The whole reset would not have started without a digital currency ready to go. My family got messages a year ago to add their vaykkseenn pass to their Apple and Google digital wallet. Funny that somehow that went up with no one paying attention. How many will go along now is hard to say. But I think we were all shocked at how many of our neighbors would turn in Anne Frank.
Cyber something still ticking along. The new quantum computers are specialists at hacking cryptographic system – i.e. all internet security. I am sure Darpa has some nice ones that could wipe the Bitcoin blockchain in a few minutes as well as destroy pretty much any desired e-commerce.
Why? Darpa designed and build the blockchain…Do you really think a bunch of geeks build that, or BTC. No, blockchain cones from the same people that “gave” us the internet.
When it comes to the pipelines nobody mentions the possible or even probable involvement of Britain
They had the means and maybe cause
I posted somewhere about that yesterday. But Britain would have only struck the pipelines with the blessing of the U.S.
The U.S. State Department keeps talking about Putin and the Kremlin making threats to use nuclear weapons, whereas there have been no such threats. It’s like during the build-up to the Iraq War, “Show us your WMDs or we’re going to attack.” During the Reagan administration, there was some loose talk, but it was just a fraction of this level. We knew that Reagan hated nuclear weapons. There was the strategy at that time of pretending to be a little bit crazy, so that the Soviets were never quite certain what you would do. Like I said, it didn’t come anywhere near the level of insanity that exists now. It looks like the front is stabilized and the Ukrainians are running out of armor. If that’s the case, maybe the prudent course of action for Russia would be to continue as is, and not move in with the Russian regular army. Nothing is worth a nuclear war.
If it was Britain it would have been at the US request, Biden’s 1st comment after the special operation began was that Nord Stream 2 was done and just to make sure …
The Russians seem to be forging ahead with annexing the Donbass, Zaporozhye and Kherson all the same: https://sputniknews.com/20220928/moscow-donbass-kherson–zaporozhye-regions-made-conscious-free-choice-to-join-russia-1101315401.html
Didn’t you predict few months ago, that it would be a catastrophe, when the Russian central bank interest rate would be lower than the US? I’m pretty sure you did. Well it’s only 50 base points apart now! Also Gazprom just announced a dispute with Naftogaz and the pipeline through Ukraine will come to an hold. One pipeline is unharmed, but Russia claims with broken gas turbines and Nordstream 2 is now completly broken. I love your humor. Keep up the great work.
The last letter in a surname of “i” or “y” in Poland indicates your religion.
So?
XDD the other day I was talking with another guy from the “resistance” and, when he finally realized that I was “one of theirs”, he whispered to my hear: “you know, the ones behind all this… It’s the jews”. These people are as simple-minded as the zero-covaids retards. I think their reasoning is: “If only we get rid of malignant X, every trace of X in the world, then all our problems will be magically solved!!” It makes life easier, I guess, you don’t need to put much energy into thinking any more
Excellent view point and a U.K. citizen we can soon look forward to anti-American policies as the current #Truss clown and her war criminal #Tory scum will be facing mass riots. We will in instigating anti American across the board and ensuring the blame for this rest with the #WEF pervert #Biden scum not #Putin.
Roll on the collapse as we welcome freedom from Russia and the end of the stinking nazi scum in Europe.
Bye bye America as you’re a disgusting baby killing, child mutilating, bankrupt, war criminal nation of the #epstein child raping oligarchs.
A cowardly nation that has let the deviant perverted oligarch pigs rob them and the world. Whatever bad things happen to any American just realise you deserved it. Now get your stink out of Europe and take your Ukrainian nazi vermin with you.
But, how do you really feel?
Too funny !
Gold…
Whatever you say Prince Andrew
I see a chink of light here. Destroying the Nord Stream Pipelines was clearly one of Washington DC’s war aims. DC has long hated those pipelines, and now it’s established that Germany/Russia can’t keep them unscathed. Russia is about to annex a chunk of Ukraine, and so it has got a bit of what it wants too. So both can claim a victory of sorts. Does this mean we can now strike a deal? I kind of expect that nobody will agree with me, and it’s just a theory, but I want to put it out there, and perhaps spark some thoughts. As for the UK, where I am, everyone has lost interest in deposing Putin. We’ve go other problems on our plate.
The chances that the Russians will view it this way strikes me as zero.
More importantly, this does not make the consequences go away.
There is nothing like being violently bent over by a middle-aged guy with a white goatee, they last forever….
Hi Dreizin,
Hope you are fine. I have to admit that I am impressed how the US was able to gain some initiative back sacrificing its tower(Europe) and its pawn (Ukraine). The match Is not over until the King is down.
Wondering what will be UK’s role into this (since they have also big business into energy sector).
Great commentary as always.
Greetings from Costa Rica
You are right. Buying off a day of reckoning with financial manipulation and management of perception ops have to run out of tarmac sooner or later. You cannot forever buy off the inflation/interest see-saw with more unpayable debt.
There is another problem looming, and that is the exponential medicare series (and exponential debt service series) which will consume discretionary spending sooner or later. Your best bet is to be healthy enough not to need doctors.
It’s not like the US hasn’t survived inflation in my lifetime. It is a curse, but deflation could be worse. The last serious capital investment in the US was the multi trillion unconventional oil buildout. The only thing on the agenda is the poorly thought out green energy buildout. A lot of US inflation was inherently temporary. Commodities simply have no pricing power. For the last few decades, everything priced in liquid markets tended to deflate and everything that inflated was tied to the government. Education and health care and zoning/NIMBY was the bulk of it.
Inflation is a mini default…10% inflation=10% less debt. As long as you borrow in your own currency.
Back to commodities….now lumber is back to pre covid prices…Spot corn is $6.60…steel under $1,000 ton (hot rolled coil).
Just saying….pain isn’t a reset. yet.
Ah, another old timer! Gramps, the last time the U.S. saw high inflation, there was only modest to minimal Federal deficit spending, the national debt was basically nothing, there were still plenty of decent-paying factory jobs available for the unskilled or semi-skilled “uneducated”, residential real estate was cheap, the boomer generation was in its prime working years… I could go on. Today, it’s a different country. Which obviously has passed you by!
As for the “it’s only commodities that were inflating, and that’s over”, sorry, commodities booms don’t last for just one season. We’re in a longer cycle.
The reason the Fed hiked rates this last time was that price inflation was still “surprisingly” out of control in non-gas/food categories. I believe I covered this.
“Inflation is a mini default…10% inflation=10% less debt. As long as you borrow in your own currency.”
I heard that many times but I never got how that should work.
So in Italy we have 2000B of public debt, interest rates doubled in the last few months, let’s say we pay now E50B more in debt’s interest than last year, money we don’t have of course because we run a deficit since I forgot how many years.
So, in order to cover those we need to issue more debt, which in turn will carry even more interest…in the end it will not a mini-default, much more probable a full-fledged default, it looks to me.
The main question for me is when Germany/Germans/EU will start realizing that this was a further full on declaration of war on Europe.
The US hegemon has 3 geopolitical rivals that the people in control feel they must bring to submission: Europe; Russia; China. Current policies target both Europe & Russia, by having them engage in open warfare, attempting to bleed the Russian economy, and destroying any vestiges of European power.
I cannot understand what US is gaining from destruction of Germany and thus Europe. It cannot provide enough cheap LNG to those muppets. I just cannot believe how stupid and corrupt CiA and FBI become. Whose button is bigger and why does it matter ? Russia cannot and should not be destroyed. It is important in world balance. Maybe it is just the greed of US industrial military complex, but at what cost? Only solution to save America is to cut FBI, CIA , Justice department and other muppets shows by 50%, starve to the piggy beast, nationalize industrial military complex. We might have less wars.
This is ultimately an attack on the euro. Germany is the economic engine of Europe. If you destroy the German economy, you will seriously weaken the euro, or perhaps even destroy it completely. This will cause capital to flee the euro and (they hope) move to the dollar. It’s the USA looking afer its own interests. Nothing personal, just business..
If European citizens start suffering hard I bet that phone call between Victoria Nuland & Geoffrey Pyatt will be played over and over.
Putin is a member of the WEF and Ukraine is controlled by Zionist. Is it far-fetched to assume both sides..suck?
Absolute dumbest thing I’ve read today. Putin may have been invited at some point to the WEF. He is not a “member.” If he was, they would have kicked him out by now, jeez louise. Have you heard of the Ukraine war?
As for Zionists in the Ukraine, that’s news to me. You must know something no one else does. The only thing zelensky wants out of israel, is that they send him weapons.
I read on Twitter that the Gazprom contracts with Germany stipulate that they have to pay whether gas flows or not, until 2030 or something like that. Any ideas if there’s any truth to that?
What long term contracts be these, signed by what idiot? Also the EU policy was to dump all those long-term contracts and go spot market and use home court advantage to “legally” reneged on contract that most of NS2 was built under. That way Brussels could collect more bribes from traders.
Great article. For those of us less savvy folks, do you have any basic guidance how to position for this Economic Reset? I know you cannot give financial advice, but am curious if you believe in PMs, cryptos, food storage, etc? I generally have dipped my toes in all the aforementioned areas, as I am not savvy enough to have confidence in focusing on one specific prep area. Thanks!
Sudden & unexpected pipeline explosion pandemic coming soon. Stay safe, wear those gas masks.
Jacob, please have a look at the gas pipeline network in Europe. There are two Yamal Pipelines. Other Pipelines reach at least Hungary/Austria. Italy made a 20year contract with Algeria.
The US Puppet Poland can now blackmail Germany with its weak and dumb leadership. They still have some open bills (EU).
Lily, don’t buy guilded lilys. look at the real data, pipe lines can be a single tiny hose or 2 meter quadruple line behemoth. Algeria’s increase promised is only 5% of Russia’s 2020 deliveries to Italy. I don’t think they can do even that, not much capacity in the line, and running higher pressure just means more downtime soon which will reduce delivered amounts. Be smart, and if someone is selling you a good story, particularly now, it’s gonna be fake.
Hi Lily and tevhatch, good questions and comments, I would just like to add that Norway only has so much volume of natural gas to supply independent of what anyone tries to claim about the Baltic pipeline “story”. Here is also some info from the operator of Nord Stream AG, “Repairing Nord Stream will be very difficult. Judging by the incoming reports, the destruction is serious and requires the rapid intervention of specialists. Russia is able to carry out all the necessary work, but it is necessary to closely cooperate with the countries in whose territory the accident occurred”.
Just sharing info, thoughts and ideas. Everyone can investigate as per your sources and perspectives certainly. As Jacob has mentioned, there are very likely quiet meetings between Germany (and other EU countries) and Russia underway and have been the whole time.
Algeria has gas pipelines to Spain and Italy. I refer to contracts (new) signed by ENI on top of their already existing long term contracts. Plenty of information around (in Italian).
I’m surprised at the lack of safety features in the pipelines, such as plates every few kilometers that can be closed. Apparently the pipelines are like garden hoses that can only be closed at either end, meaning that any serious break results in an environmental catastrophe.
Who would have thought that all of the main Western economies would align £ = $ = Euro. Possible scope for a common currency?
Bahahaha. Nice.
Throw into the mix WTI stabilizing down here, US SPR’s down at pre 1984 levels, Rig counts today actually fell, Europe now pivots to oil burning as needed volumes of gas has been permanently disabled…What does the world look like with $150-$200 WTI…..Yep some sort of inflation this will be…And thanks Jacob, made some batshit insane profits on my Euro puts… if it matters by Christmas.
Hey, glad to hear. But I don’t do investment advice, so it was all you, hah.
Very interesting article. From what I can find, the revenue that Russia makes from gas (while significant), is only a fraction of total exports. According to these links, oil and refined petroleum product revenue is over 20 times larger. (Even coal is larger). Sure the data is from 2019/2020 when prices were much lower, although volumes for gas were also much higher then.
https://oec.world/en/profile/country/rus#:~:text=Exports%20The%20top%20exports%20of,and%20Germany%20(%2414.2B).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_exports_of_Russia
Basically Europe needs the gas many many times more than Russia needs to sell it. If there is more decline in gas exports to Europe, this will further support the price of oil and coal anyway. (And gas prices through Turk Steam).
If your strategy of both sides above is accurate, doubt Russia (if looking purely at price) “needs” to keep gas transit going through Ukraine. Only real reason would be if they desired to keep transit going to places like Moldova and Slovakia which have gutted their relations with Russia anyway.
There could be a very difficult future ahead for many parts of Europe, especially central and eastern Europe.
Well it may be time to appreciate these last few beautiful days. Psychopaths in D.C. have no reverse gear. They are all in for unipolar hegemony. This is no Cuban Missle Crisis because there is no one to speak to on the red phone in Washington. Putin must know that this last stage is about planning pre emptive decapitations on both sides. The Saudi’s would like to be diplomatic middle men and the Germans and French are desperate to work a deal but the illegitimate U.S. regime wants none of it. All or nothing at all. Hope I am missing something but I see no reassurances.
Dreizin you can be such an incredible jerk. I think that is one of the reasons I like you. At least your not fake….and you are entertaining.
Russia is faced now with a hard choice, either capitulate to the madman or go all the way. Dark Brandon and his minions are insane and will escalate…no matter what. It’s probably a good thing I am not in charge because seeing that there is no reasoning with a madman and not willing to surrender to that madman….I would launch a first strike.
there is no logical capitultion option for Russia, it would mean a permanent terrorist state at its border with a constantly growing supply of arms and eventually a nuke , while run by crazies. IT would mean they could use a proxy nuke, for example a single nuke from Ukraine hits moscow, then russians need to determine do they just nuke the hell our of ukraine or do they go to armagedon vs the world… its loose loose. But if the just turn off the gas and stop access to electricity from the zaporozia power plant, and then bomb all other power sources in ukraine, then the people of ukraine will capitulate in days during the cold of winter where even drinking water doesnt reach them because the water is frozen in the pipes without gas to heat those pipes… it will be a hard 4 months for russia but they can easily win the war in the next 4 months by allowing gold to utterly wreck ukraine.
Love your take no prisoners ‘tude on commenting. I know you ‘trade’, so here’s one:
I watch commodities daily, RBOB (unleaded regular) has traded between $2.80+/- and $2.30+/- a gallon since MID_JULY. The pump price here in Northern Nevada is $5.49 today at the local QuikStop. Is this carpetbagging, overt robbery and lying or am I too old to understand the complexity of modern day gouging?
I feel like everyone is playing to play Monopoly with the US flipping the board over and stomping off in a tantrum.
Whom ever damage those pipelines I hope they know that they have just killed thounsands of the erderly in Europe. Heat at that age is a requirement not a luxury. I having lived thru the Miner’s strike in Britain in the 1970(s) well remember the suffering of the elderly. I was young and in Uniform serving so we could handle it. This migth be geopolitical but to me is in fact a crime against those that can least defend themselves. As to the Poles that migth be celebrating this disaster just remember the situation you migth be in if Germany and Russia create a sort of Non Aggresion Pact of convenience and you are sitting in between those two does it remind you 1939??? Yet again you can’t fix stupid!!!!!
>Whom ever damage those pipelines I hope they know that they have just killed thounsands of the erderly in Europe.
Of course, they know that in the long run they have killed people with this action. Also lives are numbers for them. I believe, they really need to think hard to figure out what they care about even less than people’s lives.
good work, i finally agree with you, this war will not be won on the battle field, technically it can be, but that would take too long and cost too much, by turning the supporters of Ukraine against Ukraine, then Russia eliminate their arms and Amo supplies. I think russia should push through and cut all access to Gas through Ukraine in winter to end the war, when the Ukrainians capitulate, then they should turn it all back on, i suspect they will capitulate in weeks (along with Germany etc) and in the end that could save lives… once they have their permanent land bridge all the way to transnistria, along side a pro-Russian rump Ukraine, they can build more pipelines on land, and through Romania i guess… Europe will suffer massive losses in winter, but they will start to recover (not to same level, but they will start to grow again after their reset) the following year once the rushed pipelines are ready.
What happens in africa will be interesting, as an expat living in Africa, im very confused about how this will all go down, we dont care about Heating, its warm here, but we cook with gas, ive got solar for power and im self sufficient for war. Russia has promised to sell African wheat at cheep prices. Most of africa produces a lot of food especially kenya, Tanzania, dont know what the rest does exactly but those are my resident countries main partners.
Whats also interesting is african leaders have become extremly confident, when American envoys where making the rounds and told to oppose Russia and stand with Ukraine, the default response was “you come to us to tell us about ukraine? what about palestine, what about the people starving here or there” Almost all Africans support Russia and detest Ukraine who they see as fascists and a proxy for the colonial powers. Most africans also call the pan-d-ik the Co-runr Business as its just seen as a scam to sell them dodgy questionable untested stuff which is probably poison… in the end, african skepticism and the historical experience of Colonialism means they have far better at understanding whats going on that most westerners with even very average low educated people understanding things correctly .
What freaks me out the most is that the ‘collective west’ is so hysterical and so thoroughly propagandized, that a large number will buy-in to the insane narratives that the neo cons and MSM are peddling.
Knowing how analytical and observant the Russians are i don’t think an attack on the nord streams wasn’t a simulated wargame within their minds (Condoleezza Rice 2014 interview changing Europe’s structure of energy dependency). You don’t put that much, money into a project without it. Probably this attack did surprise them because the US pulled this trigger so early in the game. The final outcome is going to be the collapse of the dollar. What happens after that “it is written” and I can tell you its not pretty.
The ceremonial signing will take place in the St. George Hall inside the Kremlin Palace on Friday at 3pm Moscow time, after which Putin will deliver a “voluminous speech,” according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. The Russian president will also personally meet with the heads of the new territories.
I had a shit day in work, and your post, which i look forward to, didn’t cheer me up at all, and I only laughed because it’s better than crying, keep testifying brother Dreizin, as the world goes down the toilet pan, you help take the sting out of it!!!!!
well….tomorrow may be the beginning of the end….and whoever made the decision to blowup the gas pipelines will be responsible…. this administration has proved to be the most dangerous one to have ever existed…and they have crossed the red line for the last time….
Putin will make a speech accepting the 4 states into Russia tomorrow and my bet he is going to shock the world…..the pipeline was the last straw……Putin is going to announce he views those attacks as an attack on Russia and will be retaliating ….my guess is europe can say goodbye to all….the gas presently going there…
i also predict Putin will give the west an ultimatum that if those annexed states are attacked Kiev will be leveled using all!..weapons at their disposal..as they will go after zelenskyy…and all…the wests puppets operating in ukraine ..
… if nato or the west think they can retaliate….Russia it is rumored has already deployed Mig31 aircraft…armed with Kh-47M2 Kinzhal nuclear tipped missiles…capable of eliminating brussels london and washington dc….which will be used if the west responds in a way that Russia feels threatened by…
maybe in a week or 2 from now i look like a complete idiot….but…Russia has absorbed provocations far beyond what anyone should have expected….well…that is over!
the gloves come completely off tomorrow!
Sometimes gallows humor is all we have!
Great report once again!
Hey Jacob just a bit of info on how pipelines and compression stations/metering stations work(the ones I work on in Canada any way). All compressor stations/metering stations have an APU/PPU that provides power to the station in case of no local power(PPU) or in case of power outage(APU). In addition to those units there is also a large battery backup incase of power unit malfunction or failure. Many of our sites run indefinitely with out local power, running diesel engines off the pipeline gas. Not sure of the Soviet systems but I would imagine they would be the same or similar. Some of our sites are early 60’s and 70’s and have not been updated much at all so this is not some modern innovation. The battery banks allow you to shut down the power units for regular maintenance at our remote sites for up to 72hrs max(no gas is compressed if you are on battery power). All of this requires a very well managed maintenance program and supply chain. I’m sure having crack smoking Hunter on your board is a good indication of “operational excellence” as the corporate lingo goes
That’s good information. What about safety features? Would you guess that there are no valves that can be closed anywhere in the two pipelines? Would the entire contents leak out?
Not sure about under sea pipes but ours have block valves every 15 to 35 km. Once the leak starts no way to stop it until it empties itself between the 2 closed valves. Judging by the fact they said it could be leaking for weeks possibly, probably only valves in Russia and Germany that can be closed. Sounds like it’s one continuous pipe with no undersea valves.
@Helme, why do you think Russia would want to be the nice eco guy to turn off the valves? Let them eat and breathe methane, the Baltic sea countries. Looks like there is a methane cloud moving towards Sweden.
This thing is moving really fast! Seems like the annexation is done. Or is there more that needs to be done after this ceremony?
Dear Jacob,
thank You for the report. I have no doubt, people in Europe will never get to know the truth about desctruction of Nordstream. Unlike from the rest of the world… Could there be constellation, that some US governmental fraction use “the truth” to get rid off some crazy people? I know you hate war questions, but this source oriented question. Can we trust Ramzan Kadyrov reports? (I mean not his fantasies about low-yield nuclear weapons). He is quite vocal about nepotism in Russian command, are his reports, propaganda, desinformation, or he is desperate and talking publicly, because his reports don’t reach the right ears in headquarters? Your perennial reminder, negotiating table decide the war. I mean how? US thief (MIC) has decided long long time ago, that we will make fortune in rebuilding of the Ukraine army. What can be a bargain for them from Russia? They want to destroy RF and steal all mineral wealth, simple as that, to get Navalnyj president, etc. There can be no negotiated solution between US and RF. Please explain, how can be US satisfied? They want to look tough, victorious in the eyes of the world. How can Russia make a satisfatiction to such mortal enemy? Yeah, inflation is gonna come for all of us. Any advice, how to survive, except don’t eat your pet and invest in shovels? (I have plenty of agricultural tools, because I live in the countryside). I’m trying to creat some supplies of dry rations. What about investing into gold? They are cheating and manipulating his value (I have report directly from Switzerland, do You want to read it?)
Take care
Pavel
Am looking forward to your next update. Seems like Ukraine is back on the attack. And could you enlighten us with regards to the situation in Bakhmut. According to Mercouris that city has been on the brink of being captured by Russia for a good 3 months now. Whats really happening???
Here is just a little further info on a possible type of repair for pipelines.
I hope the link works, if not, my apologies. The operator is referring to a type of “clamp”.
https://t.me/c/1534276437/92560
Ukraine has already stopped the transit of Russian gas through the gas pipeline that passes through Ukraine for half a year. And even if it hadn’t, it would never have had any effect on any military decision. In addition to that Russia itself had already turned off the gas flow to Europe via NS I. With much more capacity.
Nonsense, there are several Russian gas pipelines spanning the Ukraine, and they are still working to at least some capacity. If you don’t know, just sit quiet and learn, don’t advertise your ignorance.
Where are the 150000 Russian troops? The Ukrainians seem to be attacking in multiple places where there are few Russian troops and there are few Russian troops in a lot of locations. Did everyone’s enlistment expire at the same time? Does Russia not have a rapid deployment force to plug the holes?
Jeffrey Sachs, in an interview with Bloomberg TV, said today “We are on a path of escalation to nuclear war, nothing less.” He was really scared at the direction Washington is going. The interview is on a YT channel called Old School Vibes. They tried unsuccessfully to shut him up.