Ukraine Invasion: Part 22

[MagicFox]

Here we are again

Tim White AT TWMCltd (general round up of stuff in Ukraine and Russia)
LiveUAMap AT LiveUAMap (similar to above but less personal)
Max Seddon AT Max Seddon (Russia watcher)
Michael Weiss AT michealdweiss (US based commentary and opinions. Often picks up stuff before others)
Christo Grozev AT Christogrozev (intel and security services related)
Phillips P OBrien AT PhillipsPObrien (Military Analysis)
Kamil Galeev AT Kamilkazani (Russian political history expert)
Kevin Rothrock AT KevinRothrock (Russian watcher)
Jack Detsch AT jackdetsch (pentagon reporter)
Jimmy AT JimmySecUk (similar to Michael Weiss really but from British POV)
Illia Ponomarenko AT IAponomarenko (Ukrainian journo for Kyiv Independent)
Fionna O'Leary AT fascinatorfun (general twitter influencer who picks up on some of the most interesting news related tweets around - she is mainly focused on covid and Ukraine war atm)
Nick Reeves AT nickreeves9876 (similar to Fionna)
Max Fras AT MaxFras and Yaroslav Trofimov AT yarotrof are also occasionally exceptionally good.

These are my go tos atm but there are a few more I keep a close eye on. These tend to pick up on other interesting things going on / accounts of interest so you can't go too far wrong with these as your base.

Two or three days ago the Governor of Moscow Oblast's country house went on fire too.

Paul Waugh AT paulwaugh
The real reason for the Rwanda plan? Looks like the Navy and MoD refused to carry out pushbacks in the English channel, leaving the PM and Home Sec to look for other options.

Ben Wallace finally fed up of bailing out the FCO, the Home Office and the Department of Health and propping up Johnson by actually running the country for him?

I might have said this out loud before, but I've been pondering on all those folk from the troll farms.

There's a good article here about Prigozhin's Internet Research Agency, which is still going strong.

Infamous Russian Troll Farm Appears to Be Source of Anti-Ukraine Propaganda
www.propublica.org/article/infamous-russian-troll-farm-appears-to-be-source-of-anti-ukraine-propaganda
The IRA launched in St. Petersburg in 2013 by hiring young internet-savvy people to post on blogs, discussion forums and social media to promote Putin’s agenda to a domestic audience.
[...]
“These accounts were sophisticated, they knew their audience, and they got engagement far surpassing the number of followers that they had,” Linvill said.
[...]
He said many of the accounts adopt an approachable and humorous tone to generate engagement and appear relatable to younger audiences present on social media.

However by now there must be a lot of graduates of the troll farms. They're surely also the same demographic which will be conscripted, and which will be most aware of news sources outside Russia.

Even back in 2015 some of trolls were sufficiently dischuffed that they were willing to let the cat out of the bag to the Guardian.

The Russian troll factory at the heart of the meddling allegations
www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/02/putin-kremlin-inside-russian-troll-house
"After two months of working in the troll agency, Marat began to feel he was losing his sanity, and decided he had to leave. From the snatched conversations over coffee, he noted that the office was split roughly 50/50 between people who genuinely believed in what they were doing, and those who thought it was stupid but wanted the money. Occasionally, he would notice people changing on the job.
“Of course, if every day you are feeding on hate, it eats away at your soul. You start really believing in it. You have to be strong to stay clean when you spend your whole day submerged in dirt,” he said.

I really do wonder how they're going to behave now. Some might be really quite keen to turn their skills against the Putin regime.

I want to believe it’s sabotage from within, but I want to so much I think there’s a danger of wishful thinking iyswim.

Earlier today the Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov, said that Moscow had sent a letter to the US saying to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons.

An hour or so ago:

AFP News Agency AT AFP
Russia will continue peace talks with Ukraine: Lavrov

Russia's Lavrov warns of 'real' danger of World War III

And we get this in response:

Dmytro Kuleba AT DmytroKuleba
Ukraine government official
Russia loses last hope to scare the world off supporting Ukraine. Thus the talk of a ‘real’ danger of WWIII. This only means Moscow senses defeat in Ukraine. Therefore, the world must double down on supporting Ukraine so that we prevail and safeguard European and global security.

Earlier today the Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov, said that Moscow had sent a letter to the US saying to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons.

An hour or so ago:

AFP News Agency AT AFP
Russia will continue peace talks with Ukraine: Lavrov

Russia's Lavrov warns of 'real' danger of World War III

And we get this in response:

Dmytro Kuleba AT DmytroKuleba
Ukraine government official
Russia loses last hope to scare the world off supporting Ukraine. Thus the talk of a ‘real’ danger of WWIII. This only means Moscow senses defeat in Ukraine. Therefore, the world must double down on supporting Ukraine so that we prevail and safeguard European and global security.

All tariffs on goods imported from Ukraine will now be reduced to zero and all quotas will be removed under the free trade agreement, providing Ukraine economic support in their hour of need. The Prime Minister pledged to cut tariffs to support Ukraine’s economy through this crisis when he visited Kyiv earlier this month.

International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan met Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK His Excellency Vadym Prystaiko in London last week to reiterate the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine and set out the new measures.

Today’s announcement comes following a direct request from President Zelenskyy’s government to liberalise tariffs and support the Ukrainian economy. Removing tariffs on key Ukrainian exports including barley, honey, tinned tomatoes and poultry will help Ukrainian businesses and producers when they need it most.

Source:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-announces-new-trade-measures-to-support-ukraine

AFP News Agency AT AFP
Russia will continue peace talks with Ukraine: Lavrov

Russia's Lavrov warns of 'real' danger of World War III

Erm, one quick way for Russia to avoid WWIII is to withdraw their troops from Ukraine. Simples. Am I missing something?

Nope.

My gut feeling is that they may be gearing up towards 'declaring war on Ukraine' cos the Special Operation is becoming unviable.

(This isn't declaring WWIII btw. Its mobilisation of the state which they can't do under the special op)

Did anyone watch the Navalny documentary on BBC this evening? Could feel my eyes welling up watching the end seeing the support he has in Russia and then him getting arrested at passport Control and knowing that he’s being carted off to some far off jail for the foreseeable. I’m sure he’s not perfect in any sense but Russians deserve someone better than what they have.

I see. Thanks for the explanation. It does sound like Putin is getting desperate if he wants to press gang even more reluctant Russian soldiers to lose their lives in a horrific and unjust war.

Reuters: UK to send ambulances, medical aid to Ukraine
www.reuters.com/world/uk-send-ambulances-medical-aid-ukraine-2022-04-25/

Yes - just watched the Navalny documentary. The phone call with the FSB agent was electrifying and I cried when he was arrested. He, his family and colleagues are brave people. The guy from Bellingcat is amazing.

I wish they would also send atropine sulphate in preparation for chemical attacks, especially if Putin is getting more desperate. It is a heavily restricted drug so I understand why it's not easy to buy/import but volumes are still too low.

war: Donated fire engines from Cheshire arrive at border www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-61218449

Ukraine war: Donated fire engines from Cheshire arrive at border

Fire engines from Cheshire have arrived in eastern Europe as part of a UK convoy to help firefighters in Ukraine.
The service donated two engines and a hydraulic platform which were among 21 vehicles that left Kent last week.
The vehicles would "help support Ukraine firefighters who continue to protect their communities", Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said.
It shared a video on social media of the arrival on the Polish-Ukrainian border being clapped by firefighters.
The convoy was the second of donated fire engines and equipment to leave the UK under the project led by UK charity Fire Aid and supported by the Home Office.

link fail

try again

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-61218449

This does have to be my fav photo of the day. The FSB trying to stage a scene:

Rob Cameron AT BBCRobC
“Oh, and Andrei?”
“Yes colonel?”
“Get three SIMs”
“Three SIMs. Right. On it.”

Later, in the FSB canteen.
“Denis? What’s a SIM?”
“SIM. SIM card. You know the thing in your phone.”
“Oh for fu…”
“What?”
“I am so sacked.”

lol.

When I saw the SIMs discs, I did wonder why an Nazi assassin would want to carry it with him, in addition to Nazi memorabilia. It seemed a little incongruous.

But with your dialogue it now all makes sense . Like a Dad's army.

The green wig is somewhat disturbing.

Me too.

I surprised myself by filling up at the end

He's not perfect but my god Putin is a childish, pathetic piece of shit

.. but ... to the right of the Sims ... is that a green grotty wig?!

crosspost!

I have a vision of the FSB agent wearing a wig now while arranging the Sims so nicely.

Putin must be so desperate ... If you can't beat' em, confuse 'em

You know when you do your Christmas Shopping online and Tesco give you random inexplicable substitions...

... Obviously ordering off the FSB props department is much the same, but they forgot to cross check the delivery with what the boss ordered before taking the photos.