28 Jun, 2023 10:09

Ukrainian MOD chief explains lack of counteroffensive results

Kiev’s attacks on Russian lines have merely been a “preview” so far, Aleksey Reznikov has claimed

The most significant push in Kiev’s counteroffensive against Russian forces is still to come as thebulk of Western-trained reserves have not yet been deployed, Ukrainian Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov has claimed.

The capture of several small villages some distance from the main Russian defensive lines was “not the main event” of the Ukrainian operation but merely a “preview,” Reznikov stated in an interview with the Financial Times on Wednesday.

“When it [the major push] happens, you will all see it… Everyone will see everything,” he insisted.

According to the minister, Kiev’s main troop reserves, includingmost of the brigades trained in the West and armed with NATO-supplied tanksand armored vehicles,have not been usedin the counteroffensiveso far.

Reznikov also commented on last week’sfailed revoltby the Wagner private military company in Russia, claiming it was a“vivid illustration” of Moscow’s vulnerabilities.

“This helps the West realize that they are investing in Ukraine for a reason, thatUkraine’s victory is absolutely real and coming soon,” he argued.

However, Reznikov acknowledged that the aborted insurrection had not affected Russian troops on the front line and that there was no sign of a collapse in morale.

Instead of banking on “mutinies and riots” in Russia, Ukraine “should trust in our security and defense forces as well as our partners providing weapons,” the minister said. (KEK, thats what all blue yellow flags on twitter, including gov did last weekend!)

Ukraine launched its long-anticipated counteroffensive along the front line in early June, using German-made Leopard 2 tanks, US-supplied Bradley fighting vehicles and other Western hardware. According to Moscow, Kiev has so far failed to achieve any significant advances despite suffering heavy losses.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky acknowledged a week ago that the progress of the counteroffensive was “slower than desired.” Unnamed US officials also told CNN that Kiev’s operation was “not meeting expectations on any front.” Ukrainian troops and armor have proven to be “vulnerable” to Russian minefields, missiles and aviation, they said.

During a Russian Security Council meeting last week, it was claimed that between June 4 and 21 Ukraine lost more than 13,000 troops, as well as 246 tanks, including 13 supplied by the West, and 152 infantry fighting

Wag the Dog

Wag the Dog is a 1997 American political satire black comedy film produced and directed by Barry Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro.The film centers on a spin doctor and a Hollywood producer who fabricate a war in Albania to distract voters from a presidential sex scandal. The screenplay by Hilary Henkin and David Mamet was loosely adapted from Larry Beinhart's 1993 novel, American Hero.Wag the Dog was released one month before the outbreak of the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal and the subsequent bombing of the Al-Shifapharmaceutical factory in Sudan by the Clinton administration in August 1998, which prompted the media to draw comparisons between the film and reality. The comparison was also made in December 1998 when the administration initiated abombing campaign of Iraq during Clinton's impeachment trialover the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal.Wikipedia

https://www.rt.com/news/578840-ukraine-counteroffensive-reznikov-nato/

28 Jun, 2023 11:22

Russian ‘Mozarts’ and ‘Beethovens’ are welcome instead of ‘Wagners’ – African nation

The Central African Republic reportedly does not expect security problems after turmoil involving the Wagner Group

Any changes to the Wagner private military company following its aborted mutiny in Russia last weekwill not compromise the security of its clients, an adviser to the president of the Central African Republic (CAR) has told the Financial Times.

The British newspaper has analyzed the effects that the unrest in Russia may have on African nations where Wagner has a presence. Fidele Gouandjika, an adviser to President Faustin-Archange Touadera, expressed certainty that his government can still rely on Russia.

“If Moscow decides to withdraw them [Wagner] and send us the Beethovens or the Mozarts rather than Wagners, we will have them,” he was quoted as saying in an article on Wednesday.

FT sources on the ground reported no visible changes in CAR since the short-lived insurrectionlaunched by Wagner chief Evgeny Prigozhin last Friday.Wagner forces theremay have received additional shipments of weapons from Russia in recent weeks, the report suggested.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov insisted on Monday that Moscow’s relations with African nations had not been affected by the domestic turmoil. Speaking to RT, Lavrov said he hadnot seen “any sign of panic”among governments that use Wagner’s services, and that the Russian government was also open to direct military cooperation. The diplomat noted that CAR in particular has an arrangement with the Russian Defense Ministry, under which ithosts several hundred military instructors.

Western nations have long taken issue with the Wagner Group’s presence on the African continent, claiming thatRussia was using it to exert “colonialist” influence. France, whose position in its former colonies has diminished over the past several years, has been among the most vocal critics. (Kek this is exactly why France military got kicked out of many African countries, plus their military were ineffective!)

https://www.rt.com/news/578845-car-wagner-russia-cooperation/

28 Jun, 2023 11:49

Russia’s security chief meets with head of Iranian police

The two sides reportedly discussed closer cooperation between their special services and law enforcement agencies

The secretary of Russia’s Security Council hosted a meeting on Tuesday with the commander-in-chief of Iran’s law enforcement forces, seeking closer coordination between Moscow and Tehran, according to a press release from the council.

The Iranian Embassy in Moscow said Nikolai Patrushev and Sardar Ahmadreza Radan discussed interaction between special services and law enforcement agencies, and signed a memorandum tojointly combat drug trafficking, organized crime and smuggling

Radan arrived in Moscow on June 27 on a two-day visit during which, according to the Iranian embassy, he is meeting with Russian security and law enforcement officials.

While neither Moscow nor Teheran have disclosed specific issues raised at the talks, officials have speculated that they may have been focusing on challenges posed by Western powers with a hostile stance on both countries.

Ahead of Radan’s meeting with Patrushev, the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense, Alexei Zhuravlev, suggested that the two officials would discuss thefight against terrorist organizations in Eurasiaand could exchange experience on counteringattempts by Western intelligence agencies to destabilizethe situations in Iran and Russia, and organize riots. (Color Revolutions)

Zhuravlev noted that Moscow and Tehran have maintained friendly relations since the Soviet era, and are still cooperating productively in both Syria and the Caspian region.

The day before Radan arrived in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi. According to the Kremlin, the leaders discussed the recent Wagner mutiny, measures to ensure stability in the Caucasus region and Syria, and efforts to boost trade, energy and transport links.

https://www.rt.com/russia/578847-iran-police-russia-security/

28 Jun, 2023 09:05

Kiev’s proposal to rename major city is ‘lunacy’ – Ukrainian MP

Authorities have suggested retitling Zaporozhye as part of “decolonization” efforts

A proposal by Kiev to rename the city of Zaporozhye is completely absurd, Ukrainian MP Maksim Buzhansky said on Tuesday. The city is controlled by Ukrainian forces, but is the capital of a region of the same name that voted to join Russia last autumn.

Buzhansky was responding to an initiative by Ukraine’s National Commission for State Language Standards. The organization has released a list ofover 1,400 placenames, including Zaporozhye, that it recommends should be changed under a law “on the prohibition of propaganda of Russian imperial policy and thedecolonization of toponymy.”

All the names on the list do not align with the Ukrainian language or are “related to Russian imperial policy,” the statement claimed. The commission would not elaborate on why Zaporozhye, which is occupied by Ukrainian troops, had ended up on the list…

The initiative has not elicited widespread enthusiasm among Ukrainian policymakers, with Buzhansky dismissing the proposal as “lunacy.”

“We are being told that Zaporozhye is some kind of Russian, imperial narrative. Are you kidding?” he said, describing the city as “the heart of Ukraine” and “the cradle of the Cossacks.” He warned thatdecisions taken “under the guise of pseudo-patriotism” would inevitably backfire…

(I actually think this is a psyop on Ukrainian people to keep out of balanced and threatened)

https://www.rt.com/russia/578836-zaporozhye-ukraine-rename-lunacy/

28 Jun, 2023 10:19

US ‘obsessed’ with inflicting strategic defeat on Russia – Moscow

The Russian embassy in Washington was reacting to a decision to send another $500 million in security aid to Kiev

US policymakers are being consumed by their desire to undermine Russia at all costs, which is pushing them to pump Ukraine with more and more weapons, Moscow’s embassy in Washington has said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the embassy commented on the Pentagon’s latest decision to provide Ukraine with an additional $500 million security assistance package, including armored vehicles, anti-tank systems, and various types of ammunition

By supplying Kiev with arms, the US “is makingfutile attemptsto defeat the Russian Federation ‘on the battlefield’ with the hands of Kiev puppets,’” the embassy said.

It added that the Russian military is “debunking the myths about the ‘unsurpassed quality’ of American and NATO weapons” on a daily basis as the conflict continues, citing “mangled machinery smoking on the fields of Donbass” as a prime example. (Kek so true!)

"With further deliveries of military equipment, Washington only confirms its obsession with the idea of inflicting a strategic defeat on the Russian Federation. To do this, [it] pushes its clients towards more and more desperate adventures. Thelives of Ukrainians mean nothing to the American authorities".

Since the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, the US, which has emerged as the country’s most prominent Western backer, has committed more than$40 billionin security assistance to Kiev. Russia has repeatedly warned against Western countries sending weapons to Ukraine, arguing that these policies only prolong the conflict while making them direct participants in the hostilities.

Meanwhile, Russia said it had destroyed dozens of Ukrainian tanks and other heavy equipment as it repelled Kiev’s ongoing counteroffensive, including several German-supplied Leopard tanks and US-made Bradley armored vehicles. Videos published on social media have shown the destruction of Western-supplied armor.

Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Kiev had lostabout 30% of its Western-supplied equipment. On Tuesday, he claimed that, since thestart of the counteroffensive on June 4, Ukraine had lost 259 tanks and 780 armored vehicles. (Note those losses are NOT from start of the operation on Feb. 24, 2023)

https://www.rt.com/russia/578839-us-obsessed-defeat-russia/

Did you know that Scotland had 3 Monarchs named Donald?

List of monarchs of Scotland

=House of Alpin (848-1034)==

Modern English name (Modern Gaelic name)(Medieval Gaelic name) Reign

Donald I5] (Dòmhnall mac Solein) (Domnall mac Ailpín) 858 – 13 April 862

Title

None

Epithet

None

Dynastic status

son of Alpin, king of Dál Riata, and brother of Kenneth I

Modern English name (Modern Gaelic name)(Medieval Gaelic name) Reign

Donald II11] (Dòmhnall mac Chòiseim)(Domnall mac Causantín) 889–900

Title

None

Epithet

Dásachtach, "the Madman"[12

Dynastic status

Son of Constantine I

House of Dunkeld (1034–1286)

Modern English name (Modern Gaelic name)(Medieval Gaelic name) Reign

Donald III39] (Dòmhnall mac Dhonnchaidh) (Domnall mac Donnchada) 1093–1097

Epithet

Bán, "the Fair"

Title

Rí Alban

Marriages

Unknown at least one daughter

Dynastic status

Son of Duncan

I found this coronation oath of William and Mary, their belief in God and Christianity was impressive:

The coronation oath sworn by William II, Mary II and Anne was approved by the Parliament of Scotland on 18 April 1689.[73]The oath was as follows:

WE William and Mary, King and Queen of Scotland, faithfully promise and swear, by this our solemn Oath, in presence of the Eternal God, that during the whole Course of our Life we will serve the same Eternal God, to the uttermost of our Power, according as he has required in his most Holy Word, revealed and contained in the New and Old Testament; and according to the same Word shall maintain the true Religion of Christ Jesus, the preaching of his Holy Word, and the due and right Ministration of the Sacraments, now received and preached within the Realm of Scotland; and shall abolish and gainstand all false Religion contrary to the same, and shall rule the People committed to our Charge, according to the Will and Command of God, revealed in his aforesaid Word, and according to the laudable Laws and Constitutions received in this Realm, no ways repugnant to the said Word of the Eternal God; and shall procure, to the utmost of our power, to the Kirk of God, and whole Christian People, true and perfect Peace in all time coming. That we shall preserve and keep inviolated the Rights and Rents, with all just Privileges of the Crown of Scotland, neither shall we transfer nor alienate the same; that we shall forbid and repress in all Estates and Degrees, Reif, Oppression and all kind of Wrong. And we shall command and procure, that Justice and Equity in all Judgments be kept to all Persons without exception, us the Lord and Father of all Mercies shall be merciful to us. And we shall be careful to root out all Heretics and Enemies to the true Worship of God, that shall be convicted by the true Kirk of God, of the aforesaid Crimes, out of our Lands and Empire of Scotland. And we faithfully affirm the Things above-written by our solemn Oath.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scottish_monarchs

>>19088404

Well this King Donald III has an interesting life

Donald III of Scotland

"Donalbain" redirects here. For the Macbeth character, see Donalbain (Macbeth).

Donald III (Medieval Gaelic: Domnall mac Donnchada; Modern Gaelic: Dòmhnall mac Dhonnchaidh),[1] and nicknamed "Donald the Fair" or "Donald the White" (Medieval Gaelic:"Domnall Bán", anglicised as Donald Bane/Bain or Donalbane/Donalbain) (c. 1032–1099), was King of Scots from 1093 to 1094 and 1094–1097.[2]

Donald III King of Scots

Reign 1093–1094

Predecessor Malcolm III

Successor Duncan II

Reign 1094–1097

Predecessor Duncan II

Successor Edgar

Born. c. 1032

Died. 1099 (aged 66–67)

Rescobie, Angus, Kingdom of Scotland

Burial. Dunfermline Abbey, later removed to Iona

House. Dunkeld

Father. Duncan I of Scotland

Mother. Suthen

Early life

Donald was born about 1033, during the reign of his great-grandfather King Malcolm II. He was the second known son of the King's grandson, Duncan. Malcolm died when Donald was a baby, at age 80, and Donald's father became king. King Duncan I however, perished in 1040 when Donald was still a boy, killed by Thane Macbeth, yet another grandson of King Malcolm II, who usurped his place as king.

Following his father's death, Donald went into hiding in Ireland for 17 years==, for fear that he would be killed by Macbeth. His elder brother, Malcolm, went to England. It was during this time that Malcolm's grandfather, Crinan of Dunkeld, who was married to Malcolm II's daughter, was killed fighting Macbeth. When Malcolm grew to manhood, he overthrew Macbeth and became the new king. Donald was 25 years old at that time.

Donald's activities during the reign of his elder brother Malcolm III (Máel Coluim mac Donnchada) are not recorded. It appears that he was not his brother's chosen heir, contrary to earlier custom, but that Malcolm had designated Edward, his eldest son by Margaret of Wessex, as the king to come.[3]If this was Malcolm's intent, his death and that of Edward on campaign in Northumbriain November 1093 (see Battle of Alnwick (1093)) confounded his plans. These deaths were followed very soon afterwards by that of Queen Margaret.

Kingship

John of Fordun reports that Donald invaded the kingdom after Queen Margaret's death "at the head of a numerous band", and laid siege to Edinburgh with Malcolm's sons by Margaret inside. Fordun has Margaret's brother Edgar Ætheling take his nephews to England to keep them safe.[4] Andrew of Wyntoun's much simpler account has Donald become king and banish his nephews. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicler words only that Donald was chosen as king and expelled the English from the court.[5]

In May 1094, Donald's nephew Duncan(Donnchad mac Maíl Coluim), son of Malcolm and his first wife, Ingibiorg Finnsdottir, invaded at the head of an army of Anglo-Normans and Northumbrians, aided by his half-brother Edmund and his father-in-law Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria. This invasion succeeded in placing Duncan on the throne, but an uprising defeated his allies and he was compelled to send away his foreign troops. Duncan was then killed on 12 November 1094 by Máel Petair, Mormaer of Mearns.[6]The Annals of Ulster say that Duncan was killed on the orders of Donald (incorrectly called his brother) and Edmund.[7]

Donald resumed power, probably with Edmund as his designated heir.[8] Donald was an elderly man by then, at around 62 years old, and without any known sons, so that an heir was clearly required. William of Malmesbury says that Edmund bargained "for half the kingdom", suggesting that Donald granted his nephew an appanage to rule.[9]

Edgar, eldest surviving son of Malcolm and Margaret, obtained the support of William Rufus, although other matters delayed Edgar's return on the coat-tails of an English army led by his uncle Edgar Ætheling.[10] Donald's fate is not entirely clear. William of Malmesbury tells us that he was "slain by the craftiness of David [the later David I] … and by the strength of William [Rufus]".[11] The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says of Donald that he was expelled,[11] while the Annals of Tigernachhave him blinded by his brother.[12] John of Fordun, following the king-lists, writes that Donald was "blinded, and doomed to eternal imprisonment" by Edgar. The place of his imprisonment was said to be Rescobie, by Forfar, in Angus.[13] The old ex-king would die at the age of 67 in 1099, in prison. The sources differ as to whether Donald was first buried at Dunfermline Abbey or Dunkeld Cathedral, but agree that his remains were later moved to Iona.

Descendants

Donald left one known child, a daughter Bethoc, who married Uchtred (or Hadrian) de Tyndale, Lord of Tyndale.[14] 15] Ladhmann son of Domnall, "grandson of the King of Scots" who died in 1116, might have been a son of Donald.[

(https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_III_of_Scotland

>>19088488

Damn it, this is what I wanted to highlight:

Following his father's death, Donald went into hiding in Ireland for 17 years, for fear that he would be killed by Macbeth. His elder brother, Malcolm, went to England.

>>19088488

King Donald III of Scotland (1093 - 1094)

Scottish Monarch. Known as Donald Bane or Donald the White, he was the son of Duncan I and Elflaed. When he acceded he was a relatively old man. A traditionalist, he did not like the English influence which had become a feature of the reign of his older brother Malcolm Canmore. Donald reigned breifly before being deposed by Duncan II, Malcolm Canmore's son. Donald killed Duncan, and resumed his throne six months later. However, Malcolm Canmore's other sons accepted English assistance and defeated Donald, imprisoning him.Donald died at Rescobie at the age of 66, and was the last of the Scottish kings to be buried at the holy island of Iona.

https://britroyals.com/scots.asp?id=donald3

Iona Abbey and Nunnery

Isle of Iona, Argyll, PA76 6SQ

History

Iona is a holy isle and has been described as the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. St Columba and 12 companions came here from Ireland in AD 563. The monastery they founded was one of the most important and influential in the British Isles. It sent missionaries to northern Britain to convert people to Christianity.

Columba’s fame has brought pilgrims to Iona since the 7th century. Visitors still follow a route similar to the Sràid nam Marbh (‘Street of the Dead’) taken by pilgrims of old. But it now ends at a 13th-century abbey, which stands on the site of Columba’s church.

Four tall, intricately carved crosses, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, once stood close to the abbey. Three can now be seen in the Abbey Museum, while one is still in place. Iona was a leading artistic centre from the 8th century, and sculptors, metalworkers and manuscript illuminators flourished here.

The small graveyard of Reilig Odhráin is the final resting place of local clan chieftains and ‘Kings of the Isles’. It has been used as a graveyard into recent times. When the graveyard was extended in the 1970s, important evidence was found of timber buildings associated with the Columban monastery.

Iona’s spiritual life continues today, through the work of the Iona Community.

Columba’s monastery

The island of Iona seems remote today. But it was at the centre of the life of the Irish Church, as it was easily accessible by boat from mainland Ireland and Scotland. Iona became an internationally renowned centre of spirituality, learning and art.

The only visible remains of Columba’s monastery are:

• the great vallum (earthen bank) that enclosed the holy site and which pre-dates the monastery

• Tòrr an Aba (‘Hill of the Abbot’) where Columba is said to have had his writing hut

Iona is a rich archaeological landscape, and much more of the early monastery may survive beneath the upstanding remains.

St Columba’s Shrine, a small stone building beside the door to the abbey church, may date from the 9th or 10th century. By this time, Viking raids blighted the coasts of the British Isles, and raids on Columba’s monastery were a frequent occurrence.

Early in the 9th century, some of the saint’s relics were taken for safekeeping to Dunkeld in Perthshire, and Kells in Ireland. The famous Book of Kells, now on display in Dublin, was probably made on Iona.

The Benedictine abbey

Somerled, ancestor of the MacDonald Lords of the Isles, became patron of Iona in the mid-12th century. While ‘King of the Isles’, he built St Oran’s Chapel as a family burial place. An Augustinian nunnery was established nearby around the same time.

Somerled’s son Ranald later re-established the old monastery as a Benedictine abbey. This reoriented its patronage away from the Irish Church and towards Europe.

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/iona-abbey-and-nunnery/history/