Daily Chronicles

The Daily Chronicles are snippets of the most important news across the world for this and each day as it rolls in – as such, this thread is non-structured with the latest news on top.

The featured image is an oil painting from an artist in the DPRK and was chosen for no reason at all, except that it is a peaceful and pretty pasture. “Pasture” by Ryom Tae Sun (렴태순) in Juche 96 (2007)

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Jul 12

“… France and the United Kingdom, acting independently of NATO, made a foolish and dangerous promise — they are going to provide Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles that can strike inside Russian territory. We have reached the point in this war where the West is struggling to come to grips with the fact that its gift of tanks and weapons to Ukraine have been a total bust and panic is setting in.”  https://sonar21.com/the-war-in-ukraine-shifts-decisively-in-russias-favor/

The expectation is that Russia will now “intensify its attacks on Ukrainian positions at key locations along the 800 mile line of contact in the next two weeks. While NATO is scrambling to provide Ukraine with actionable intelligence to try to damage the Russian capabilities, Zelensky and his Generals confront a harsh reality that first class intelligence is useless if you do not have the manpower or equipment to make a major dent in Russian defenses. Ukraine’s military grows weaker with each fruitless attack.”

Russia is responding.

Shoigu:  If the US provides cluster ammunition, we will also use it.

Maria Zakharova:  Ukrainian Defense Minister Reznikov said he was concerned about security guarantees from the G7: Kyiv will not trust them until they know their price, writes Telegraph.  It’s just Odessa humor. The price is known – the territory of Ukraine cleared by Western weapons from Ukrainians. So that exactly as many people remain as necessary to serve the NATO contingents. No one needs to be driven away for forced labor in Western Europe – they themselves came there.

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Jul 12

Today the G7 will announce something at the NATO summit.  Either they have security guarantees for Ukraine, or they will announce the start of negotiations for security guarantees.  We will pick up the summit at the end of the day, to first make sense of the double talk.

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Jul 11

A moment of pure beauty and incredible musical energy. Glass Mercano, 22 years old, Venezuelan, gets her moment to conduct the Brussels Philharmonic.

📌 Glass Marcano venezolana de 27 años, oriunda de Yaracuy, se convierte en la primera latina en dirigir la filarmónica de Bruselas. pic.twitter.com/Jw4HIKkg0E

— Últimas Noticias (@UNoticias) July 12, 2023

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If anyone thinks the waste water from the Fukushima nuclear plant is fit for drinking or swimming, perhaps Japan should save the water for these people to drink or swim in it, instead of pouring it into the sea and causing widespread concern. pic.twitter.com/KumVOEDjxE

— Spokesperson发言人办公室 (@MFA_China) July 11, 2023

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Jul 11

A heartfelt comment from Pepe Escobar:

And yes, so say all of us.  It is emotionally draining to even look at it in order to assess the NATOsphere.

Zelensky remains the Chief Actor with Top Billing in this theater.

So far, the pre-conference speeches offered the following:

– “This summit is already historic before it has started,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said early Tuesday.  He announced that NATO will work with Ukraine until they are militarily at NATO standard and multi-year support will be agreed.

France Has Decided To Transfer Long-Range Missiles To Ukraine To Support Kiev’s Counteroffensive – President MacronFrance will provide Ukraine with long range missiles.  (Peskov immediately answered in his morning briefing:  France’s Decision To Send Long-Range Missiles To Ukraine Calls For Retaliatory Measures – Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov)

Germany is rolling with more money and materiel:   Germany Announces New 700-Million-Euro Aid Package For Ukraine.  The aid package will reportedly include Patriot air defense systems, Puma military vehicles, artillery shells, and other ammunition.  (One of the German spokespeople or wannabe military Fuhrer’s stated that there are no German weapons in Ukraine, because Germany transferred them to the Ukraine and they are now Ukrainian weapons – I kid you not – we are in primary school).

Sweden is oh so pleased that they will join the alliance as Ergodan caved on this issue.   (We are talking about Sweden!  its quantity, not quality – not that I have anything against good Swedish people).

The beginning was epic!  Estonian PM Kaja Kallas opened her speech with “Russia Is The Biggest Threat To The NATO Alliance”

Joe Biden – “All of us take Article 5 literally. One inch of NATO territory means we’re all in this war together”

More will no doubt appear as the day moves on.

The short answer is of course that they are doubling down and the concept is non-complicated.  NATO wants to be the chief military force for the empire.  Stoltenberg;  Our signal to Putin: “NATO’s doors remain open and fighting will only get him more NATO at his doorstep”

NATO is a failing alliance and stares only defeat in the face.  They will put up a good show and consider their defeat as a win.  It is an absurd theater.

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Jul 10

RT’s Margarita Simonyan reflects – Just a short step to War.

Breaking news change with lightning speed, and the majority can feel the escalation emotionally.

Cluster bombs for Ukraine: where is this going? Banned by international law and used by NATO against Yugoslavian civilians, these weapons are now to be used against the population of Ukraine and Russia.

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Jul 10

Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation

(10 July 2023)

▫️The AFU continued to attempt offensive actions in Donetsk, Krasny Liman and South Donetsk directions.

Same story as the previous two or three days.  The AFU shuffles off this mortal coil in bunches of 50 and more.

We have some more information from the Russian Defence Ministry:

⚡️ Against the background of the disruption of the next wave of mobilisation in Ukraine and in order to conceal the catastrophic losses of military personnel in the AFU, the Kiev regime has stepped up recruitment work in Asian, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries to attract foreign mercenaries.

▫️ In total, since 24 February 2022, 11675 foreign mercenaries from 84 countries have officially arrived in Ukraine to participate in the combat operations on the side of the AFU. The largest number of mercenaries came to Ukraine in March-April 2022, but after the first losses were suffered, the dynamics of their arrival has sharply decreased. The most numerous groups came from Poland (over 2,600 people), the USA and Canada (900 or more people), Georgia (over 800 people), the UK and Romania (700 or more people each), Croatia (over 300 people), as well as from France and the Turkish-controlled part of Syria (200 or more people each).

▫️ As of 30 June, 4,845 foreign mercenaries, the vast majority from the United States, Canada and European countries, have been reliably confirmed killed in the fighting. Another 4,801 foreign fighters escaped from the territory of Ukraine after dealing with the attitude of the Kiev regime towards them. Today, 2,029 mercenaries continue to operate in the ranks of the AFU.

▫️ According to the information obtained during interrogations of captured Ukrainian servicemen, the commanders of AFU units operating on the line of contact are not held accountable for losses among foreign mercenaries. The Ukrainian command treat the foreign mercenaries as cannon fodder, sending them at Russian positions in the first place. The evacuation of wounded mercenaries is organised on a residual principle, only after Ukrainian servicemen are removed.

▫️ Due to the high losses of personnel, the Kiev regime has reportedly launched the recruitment of foreign mercenaries in Argentina, Brazil, Afghanistan, Iraq and in the American-controlled areas of Syria over the past month. In connection with the multiple drop in interest in dying ‘for the Kiev regime’ in Poland, the United Kingdom and other European countries, recruitment activities have been stepped up in the United States of America and Canada. This work is being carried out on the basis of Ukrainian foreign institutions with the assistance of Western intelligence services, primarily the CIA and private military companies under its control (Academi, Cubic and Dean Corporation).

▫️ Foreign mercenaries are used by the Kiev regime as ‘cannon fodder’. Their lives are not spared by anyone in the Ukrainian command. Therefore, they have only one choice – to escape from Ukraine or die.

▫️ The Russian Armed Forces will continue to eliminate foreign mercenaries regardless of their location on Ukrainian territory during the special military operation.

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Jul 10

In the run-up to the NATO conference, we’ve seen the break between NATO members.  Some of them want the Ukraine to be admitted to NATO membership immediately but Germany and the US most noticeably stand against it.    Biden said that he is willing to give security guarantees to Kiev similar to US security guarantees to Israel.   The cost of this war is also now weighing heavily on all belligerents as they cannot win against Russia militarily or economically.  They cannot lose and sue for peace.  They cannot move forward, or backward.  They cannot move forward, or backward.  The situation is Sugzwang or in sailing terms, the West find themselves in irons as they sailed too close to the wind and they are getting scared as they are marching resolutely into a wider war which they cannot fight.

Russia is slowly documenting all of the co-belligerents and it is getting clearer and clearer that most of the EU, UK, US, NATO are fully involved in the conflict.  In these types of circumstances the western tactics frequently call somebody Former or Retired to make their signals.  Ex NATO Secretary General Rasmussen was called to make a suggestion that Ukraine is allowed into the (peaceful)  alliance in parts.  For example, first Western Ukraine.  When asked how to deal with Article 5 of the NATO Charter if Ukraine is admitted, he replied:  “One can, for example, agree that the obligations to provide assistance under Article 5 of the NATO treaty will only be triggered by an attack on those parts of Ukrainian territory that are effectively controlled by the government in Kiev.”

There you have it.  There is still hope in Western climes to de jure kick off an Article 5 circumstance, but who will fight?  Bear in mind Article 5 is only an invite, and is not a requirement for countries to enter into a war.  They have nothing to fight with and for this reason they are trying to buy time.  They cannot even pretend a quasi win via the media for consumption of their own citizenry.  They are scared and even the venue of the Vilnius NATO summit is surrounded by missile defense batteries.  We will see how this NATO summit pans out, but something’s gotto give, and nothing wants to give.  China won’t speak to them, Russia won’t speak to them and attrition is continuing day by day, night by night.  The RoW, or rather the large majority of the world, does not even display hatred any longer, but simply understand it is all Blah!

Get ready for a theater of the absurd. In general, peace in Ukraine is possible only on Russia’s terms. Neither the endless whining of Zelensky nor the decisions of his master in the White House can possibly make a difference.

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Jul 10

Jens Stoltenberg is already psyching up the crowd for the Vilnius Summit.

• We will increase funding for our defense and bring Ukraine closer to joining NATO.
• We will defend every inch of Lithuanian territory and Allied territory.
• We will work even closer with our allies to defend the Rules Based International Order
• We are implementing the highest increase in defense spending in recent history.

(Being in such a fine mood this morning, I can only say .. Stoltie, you’re a feeble twat! In British English, twat is a common insult referring to an obnoxious or stupid person. He would do better with a good rapper or at least a dance troupe to try and spread his wearisome message.  This man is not captivating and has the charm of a mealworm).

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Jul 10

President Putin met with Wagner PMC Chief Prigozhin Five Days After Mutiny – Kremlin Spox:  Dmitry Peskov said the meeting lasted about three hours, and was attended by Wagner commanders.  Vladimir Putin gave his assessment of what happened and employment options to the PMC members.

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Jul 10

Xi Jinping welcomes Russia’s Matvienko, Chair of the Russian Federation Council

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Jul 10

NATO To Postpone Opening Representative Office In Tokyo, Japan, Until Autumn, Maybe Later – Nikkei

The reports indicate that France’s Macron does not agree with this growth of NATO.

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Jul 10

From the Russian MoD – in relation to all the rumors flying yesterday.

On July 9, Kiev regime made unsuccessful attempts to strike targets in Crimea, Rostov and Kaluga regions with C-200 anti-aircraft missiles, converted to strike version, in order to hit ground targets

▫️ According to the report of Colonel General Viktor Afzalov, two S-200 missiles were destroyed by air defence facilities, two more similar missiles were deflected by electronic warfare facilities. There were no casualties or damage.

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On July 9, at the initiative of the Turkish side, S.V. Lavrov had a telephone conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey H. Fidan .

The parties exchanged views on the regional agenda with an emphasis on recent developments around Ukraine, including the situation with the return of the “leaders of Azov” from Istanbul to Kyiv.

Ankara’s attention was drawn to the destructiveness of the course to continue deliveries of military equipment to the Kiev regime . Appropriate steps, as was emphasized, can only lead to negative consequences.

The ministers reaffirmed the need to preserve and strengthen the trust-based nature of relations between Moscow and Ankara on the basis of the agreements in principle between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

They also touched upon the prospects for further cooperation on issues related to ensuring global food security in the face of the inability of Western states to take the steps necessary to implement the well-known “package initiative” of the UN Secretary General.

Certain aspects of Russian-Turkish bilateral cooperation were discussed, including a schedule of upcoming contacts.

Uhm .. not much detail but .. perhaps a cudgel was used and a price outlined for this traitor behavior.

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Jul 9

It seems to be a very quiet news day.  Let’s enjoy the peace.  Use as an open thread or go and visit the Hearty Salon.

Still uncommented upon in the main, Erdogan broke agreement with Russia regarding allowing former commanders of the neo-Nazi Azov regiment to return to Ukraine.  They were supposed to stay in Türkiye until the end of the hostilities.  https://www.rt.com/news/579406-kremlin-kiev-ankara-deal/

All conversations are now about the supply of cluster ammunition to Ukraine by the US.  This may make the NATO summit next week very contentious and there are deep divisions between the NATO members.

Generally, it is clear that Russia cannot depend on any agreement with anyone.  China knows this, and they hardly speak to the United States.  It is high time that Russia learns this lesson.

From the Russian Mod nothing much has changed.

(9 July 2023)

▫️The AFU continued unsuccessful attempts at offensive actions in South Donetsk, Krasny Liman and Donetsk directions.

Let me summarize, many many Ukrainian soldiers were killed as usual – same as yesterday.

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Jul 8

Said before:  You and I cannot believe one word from Western media, and Western media pretends it is other media, to get you to believe them.

Case In Point:  John Kirby (i.e. the White House itself) confirmed to CBS that “a group of former US officials were trying to establish an unofficial channel of communication with Moscow.

Maria Zakharova in her various statements that this is fake stated:  “THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF RUSSIA DID NOT HAVE ANY “SECRET NEGOTIATIONS” WITH AMERICAN “OFFICIALS” IN APRIL. And unclassified ones too.”

But note, she bookmarks it to April.  My sense is that there are attempts at negotiations all the time.  Just recently it was the Emissary of the Pope.  Russia will say something if there is something to say.  This is why I keep to formal statements where-ever possible.  Here is one:

The level of US provocations is off the scale, bringing a new world war closer, – Russian embassy

Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said that the supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine is a gesture of desperation by the United States.  According to him, the level of Washington’s provocations is going through the roof and is bringing a new world war closer.

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Jul 8

Cluster Munitions

The serious commentators say that the US does not have any other munitions of the required caliber to offer.  All countries have not signed the treaty on banning these, which are like mines and are still killing people in areas that were showered with these years back.  Laos is only one example and the most extreme.

It is a continuation of the wunderwaffe stream of drip-drop information to supply ongoing talking points and gives an opportunity to again paint lipstick on the pig and display Ukraine as the pinnacle of virtue.  “Minister of Defense of Ukraine Reznikov named five principles that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will adhere to when using cluster munitions. Among them are “strict accounting” and “report”.  So if you would like to believe that, there is a bridge that I would like to sell you at a good price.

There is nothing new here, except that the ammunition boxes are emptying fast everywhere, except in Russia and China is preparing and producing materiel like candy coming off the line in a candy factory.

“Every eight minutes, 24 hours a day, for nine years from 1964 until 1973, a planeload of cluster bombs was dropped on Laos by American B-52s. The bombing campaign was aimed at hemming in America’s enemies in neighboring Vietnam. The U.S. was never at war with the people of Laos,… pic.twitter.com/t57yYUL0zL

— Jeffrey Kaye (@jeff_kaye) July 8, 2023

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Jul 8

With China in mind, NATO creeps into Asia-Pacific.

Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan (Asia-Pacific Four) are set to attend NATO’s upcoming warmongering summit in Vilnius.  NATO members will debate a joint statement with the Asia-Pacific Four to set the path for wars cooperation and to link Europe’s security to the Pacific region.  They have to stay relevant.

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