BEN MORGAN: Putin has problems, so expect volatility
After four years of intense fighting, the Ukraine War appears to be no closer to resolution. Russian offensive operations are currently stalled and Ukraine has reversed recent trends capturing more ground than its opponent this April and May.
The Russian economy is starting to show signs of strain and is close to its productive capacity.[i] Russia’s central bank recently sold 27.9 tonnes of its gold reserves, worth more than US $4 billion[ii]. Interest rates are high, labour is scarce and any expansion of defence production will require mobilisation for war. A situation Putin has steadfastly avoided to date.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air campaign continues to impact on Russia’s primary source of external revenue – the oil industry. For example, Russian diesel production fell by 10% in May 2026[iii] and oil exports are banned until 31 July 2026.[iv] Putin making sure domestic fuel requirements are met. Although, the US war with Iran has resulted in sanctions on Russian oil reduced as several nations waive sanctions to secure supply.[v] However, Ukraine’s air campaign remains a physical sanction by damaging the infrastructure Russia needs to export its oil.
Essentially, Ukraine has ‘brought the war home’ to ordinary Russians who see fuel prices rising, shortages of consumer goods and drone attacks far from the frontline that raise questions about security. Since last month, access to the internet, mobile network[vi] and to Telegram and Whats App have been curtailed for ‘security reasons’.[vii] Restrictions that impact on ordinary Russians and raise further questions about security and stability.
Historically, in Putin’s Russia ordinary people have sacrificed freedom and turned a blind eye to endemic corruption in exchange for stability, security and prosperity. If Putin cannot demonstrate strength and competence, he loses confidence and political capital.
Already, there are subtle hints of insecurity with more reports of political tension and protests. Putin’s personal security measures are increasing and he is appearing less often in public.[viii] Also there are reports of minor conflicts between military and security agencies that may indicate underlying tensions.[ix]
Although he is facing a range of domestic challenges, Putin’s biggest strategic problem is that European nations continue to fund Ukraine. Europe’s support has increased as US aid has reduced, so Ukraine’s defence can be sustained.
A combination of domestic and strategic factors that put Putin ‘on the back foot’ and in an insecure position. If he cannot demonstrate success soon, he is liable to lose domestic support among the elites that keep him in power. Therefore, Putin needs to reassess his strategy and take action to stabilise the situation.
Considering the current situation
Russia is defeated at sea, the Black Sea Fleet either sunk or in hiding. On land the conflict revolves around capturing ground, Russia pushing to conquer territory and Ukraine defending or counter-attacking.
The war will be won on land, but Russia is stuck, its military leadership is not adept enough, its equipment is outdated and its soldiers are poorly trained. So, even after throwing millions of soldiers at Ukraine’s defences and suffering approx. 1.2 million casualties Russia is not making progress. In fact, during April Ukraine ‘turned the tables’ on Russia inflicting a net loss of 116 square kilometres (45 square miles) on Russia’s forces.[x]
In May, the US Defence Intelligence Agency reported that this quarter Ukraine has re-captured 400 square kilometres (154 square miles).[xi] A feature of recent Ukrainian success is the increasing sophistication of its drone use. Ukraine successfully integrating air and ground drones into combined arms tactics.[xii]
While Ukraine innovates and improves, Russia performs poorly against both key metrics of the land campaign. Losing more ground than it captures and suffering enormous casualties. Some commentators report that Russian casualties are now higher than its rate of recruitment.[xiii] A situation that if true bodes very poorly for Russia’s ability to sustain the war.
It is clear that Putin’s current plan is not working and that he needs to take action to reset the campaign. But what can he do?
Putin’s options – What could he do, to get the reset he needs?
It is unlikely, that Putin will seek a ceasefire anytime soon. This option is philosophically unpalatable, and politically unsustainable because a ceasefire without complete control of the four oblasts annexed in 2022 would be interpreted as a defeat.
An assessment backed up by Estonia’s International Centre for Defence and Security that recently reviewed annual intelligence summaries from Baltic and Scandinavian nations, and concluded that “Perhaps the most consistent conclusion across the Nordic and Baltic assessments is that Russia has entered a period of sustained confrontation with the west. The services describe a Russian state that has adapted its political, military, and economic systems to support prolonged conflict.”[xiv] Good evidence that Russia and its leader are locked in a campaign with the ‘West’ that they see as existential.
If ceasefire is out of consideration, then we are a left with the following potential options:
- Option 1: Endure. Russia maintains pressure on Ukraine in the land campaign, continuing to recruit contract soldiers as required. But its aim is now to consolidate and hold the current frontline, rather than advance. The long-term objective is to wait out European support and minimise resources committed to the war. The end state is a frozen conflict that inflicts a long strategic campaign of economic warfare on Ukraine, that constantly needs to fund its defence and work to maintain European support. Ukraine’s political and business leaders knowing that any military defeat or loss of European support will be quickly taken advantage of by Russia.
- Option 2: Wider Mobilisation. Putin ‘bites the bullet’ and fully mobilises Russian society and the military. This option would raise approx. 500,000 more soldiers that could be deployed into Ukraine. A realistic objective is to secure the four annexed oblasts, and the Donetsk Fortress Belt. If this objective is achieved it would be a victory for Putin allowing him to progress into realistic ceasefire negotiations.
- Option 3: Direct action against NATO like attacking a Baltic state.Russia launches a direct attack against a NATO state, probably one of the small Baltic republics. The strategic objective is to scare European nations and split the alliance, Russia escalating to try and scare NATO In de-escalating. An attack that may test the NATO treaty because although most members would be prepared to defend NATO there is a chance that some may step back from the conflict, especially if the US showed a lack of commitment to the alliance. Any split in the alliance enables Putin push harder.
- Option 4: Increase intensity of hybrid operations against NATO.Russia is already engaged in a range of hybrid operations against European countries. Increasing the intensity is a relatively inexpensive form of economic warfare against the NATO alliance. Like a direct attack, this campaign forces members to increase defence and security spending. A challenge that Russia could use to increase divisions in the alliance. Putin playing off the potential for countries that are not directly threatened or impacted by hybrid operations, to object to increases in spending and withdraw support.
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But what is the most likely option?
My assessment is that Putin’s most likely option is a combination of Options 1 and 4. In Ukraine Russia can maintain pressure by continuing to recruit contract soldiers from around the world. Putin accepts limited operational-level progress in exchange for knowing that Ukraine is being economically depleted. This option creates a strategic pause that weakens Ukraine by draining its economic resources and provides time for its supporters to lose interest.
Meanwhile, more hybrid operations are conducted in the North Sea, Baltic and in NATO countries that vocally support Ukraine. This increases the cost of security and therefore the likelihood that NATO members that are either; not directly threatened with attack, or are being targeted by hybrid operations may seek to disengage and withdraw support from Ukraine.
This option is the safest because although Russia’s economy and Putin are under pressure, a coup it still remains unlikely based on the information at hand. Therefore, Putin probably has time to take a cautious approach to resetting the situation rather than taking a political risk by introducing full mobilisation, or a military risk by directly attacking NATO.
What is the most dangerous option for Ukraine?
The most dangerous option for Ukraine is Option 2, wider mobilisation. Ukraine is currently managing to hold Russia’s advances and may even be starting to develop a tactical advantage that could lead to successful future offensive operations. However, the sudden deployment of another 500,000 soldiers will tip that balance, maybe even enough to defeat Ukraine.
However, this option is unlikely because history tells us that Putin is keen to avoid full mobilisation. This reticence indicates that full mobilisation has a very high political risk. So, this option is less likely than the proposed combination of Options 1 and 4.
What is the most dangerous option for Putin?
Option 3, a direct attack on NATO, is certainly the riskiest option for Putin. The alliance may have its weak links but over the last four years it has become increasingly focussed on deterring Russia and supporting Ukraine. So, my assessment is that an attack on Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia would be met with very strong resistance and would unite NATO members rather than scare them into de-escalating. Russia is already struggling to defeat Ukraine and Putin probably understands that a war with even just the Nordic NATO members, and their committed partners (the UK, Canada and France) would invite defeat.
Conclusion
The Ukraine War is at an important stage as pressure mounts on Putin. He certainly faces economic issues, is probably under political scrutiny and is not making progress militarily so needs to take action to reset his war. A range of options exist and over the next few weeks and months his thinking will become apparent.
It is a time to carefully watch what a cornered man is capable of doing, will Russia escalate? Or will Putin try to endure the current situation, betting on Ukraine or Europe weakening?
We do not know but we should be prepared for volatility.
BEN MORGAN IS TDBs Military Blogger
Thanks for reading my work. If you like this content and want to support it you can ‘Buy me a Coffee’ here – buymeacoffee.com/benmorgan
[i] https://fortune.com/2026/05/
[ii] https://www.aljazeera.com/
[iii] https://www.reuters.com/
[iv] https://www.reuters.com/
[v] https://www.intellinews.com/
[vi] https://www.nbcnews.com/world/
[vii] https://www.nbcnews.com/world/
[viii] https://www.dw.com/en/how-
[ix] https://edition.cnn.com/2026/
[x] https://edition.cnn.com/2026/
[xi] https://www.aljazeera.com/
[xii] https://benmorganmil.substack.
[xiii] https://www.aljazeera.com/
[xiv] https://icds.ee/en/signals-
Hungary once a safe haven for Netanyahu, and Putin courtesy of Victor Orban, is no longer a protected safe zone for wanted war criminals.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s last official visit to Hungary took place from April 3 to April 6, 2025. In a show of defiance of the International Criminal Court warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest. Orban greeted Netanyahu’s arrival in Budapest with full military honors.
Despite being an ICC member legally obligated to enforce the warrant, against Netanyahu Orban refused to arrest him.
The other war criminal with an ICC warrant, Vladimir Putin who was set to visit Hungary at Orban’s invitation, called off his planned visit.
Under Orban’s rule Hungary defied sanctions on Russia and blocked EU votes on aid for Ukraine.
If anything could shake the myth created by the Kremlin, that a US conspiracy was behind the popular Maidan Revolution, that overthrew the pro-Kremlin rule of Victor Yanukovych, it was the US efforts to keep Yanukovych’s political heir in Europe, Orban, in power.
The far right alliance – Trump, Netanyahu, Putin, Orban
From Sky News:
Why JD Vance is in Hungary backing Putin ally Orban’s fight to stay PM
Viktor Orban is facing his biggest electoral challenge since 2010. But the Hungarian right wing populist has strong backing from both the Trump administration and Russia.
Samuel Osbornne
News reporter @samuelosborne93
Tuesday 7 April 2026
https://news.sky.com/story/why-jd-vance-is-in-hungary-backing-putin-ally-orbans-fight-to-stay-pm-13528796
…..During his tenure as prime minister, Mr Orban has become celebrated among the global far-right.
His administration has pursued hardline anti-immigration policies, limited LGBTQ+ rights, clamped down on freedom of the press and attacked universities and non profit groups.
Mr Orban has also been one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s biggest allies in Europe. In contrast with most European Union countries, Hungary has refused to provide Ukraine with financial aid or weapons since Moscow invaded in 2022.
The prime minister has frequently used his EU veto power to block support for Kyiv and limit sanctions on Moscow. Last month, he blocked the EU from providing Ukraine with a €90bn loan to help it keep fighting for two more years.
Hungary has also continued to buy Russian oil despite EU attempts to reduce the bloc’s reliance on Russian energy.
……Mr Trump has repeatedly called for Mr Orban to be re-elected as prime minister, with many of his supporters approving his stance on immigration, LGBTQ+ rights and opposition to the media and academia.
Before his vice president’s visit, Mr Trump’s secretary of state Marco Rubio travelled to Budapest in February, where he celebrated Mr Orban and spoke highly of the “person-to-person connection” he has established with Mr Trump.
“President Trump is deeply committed to your success because your success is our success,” he told Mr Orban.
……The relationship has gone both ways, with Mr Orban being the first European leader to endorse Mr Trump during his 2016 presidential bid. He has also repeated Mr Trump’s false claims he won the election in 2020 – claiming before Mr Trump began his second term that Democrats “took the presidency away from Donald Trump through fraud”…..
Witness over 100K Hungarians attending an anti-Netanyahu, anti-Putin, anti-Trump, anti-Orban free concert in Heroes Square in Budapest.
From YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2d0vjQMd_Po
No doubt the anonymous pro-Putin, pro-Trump quislings that comment here, will try and malign and smear the Hungarian people as fascists.
It’s very obvious that Putin has lost this vile war and he doesn’t know how to accept it. Ben’s coverage has been far more than most of the critics here are capable of and he has been on the money far more than many others.
I’ve heard it said by someone who claim to know what they were talking about that if Putin attacked NATO, the Poles would be in Moscow within a week or so. Wouldn’t even surprise me if it were true.
Whatever’s happened to Nathan and Mkh and the other Russian fan boys? I miss their articulate, reasoned, two line rebuttals of Ben’s researched articles.
Well, the US instigated, UK/EU backed, Ukraine war against Russia has been usurped by the US, UK, Germany backed, Israeli genocide of Palestine, which in turn has been overshadowed recently by the US/Israeli war on Iran. Hopefully, the Taiwan/South Korea/Philippines/Japan/ANZ block will not be called up by its US masters to incite/fight a war against China anytime soon. There’s a pattern here but most people are blind to it.
Back on topic – the SMO is past its used by date. The longer this war drags on, the greater the chance of escalation.
Perhaps they have put their money where their mouths are and have signed up to and fight for their hero Putin?
FSB making cutbacks.
As well as being Putin fanboys, they were anti-Semites, stinking up this website, giving leftists a bad name by association.
Good riddance, I say.
Your brave, plucky neo-nazi mates in Ukraine are getting slaughtered Pat. And Bens sources are a bit shit, so most of us just read these posts, laugh and dont leave comments, but for you, I’ll leave a comment, feel free to shit post your idiotic links, which you obviously never read before posting.
SAC says:
6 June 2026 at 8:29 am
Your brave, plucky neo-nazi mates in Ukraine are getting slaughtered Pat…..
The same nazi trope is a convenient slur, used by Netanyahu and Putin as an excuse to commit genocide.
Like Netanyahu in Gaza, the only way that Putin can defeat the Ukrainian people is by committing genocide.
The quickest and most efficient way to commit genocide these days is with nuclear weapons.
Something that Putin has repeatedly threatened to do.
Putin’s latest threat was to fire a disarmed nuclear-capable Oreshnik missie into Ukraine as “A test”.
History repeated;
An insurgent people will not quit, will keep resisting, keep fighting their occupier and oppressor forever. The White House tapes revealed that Nixon stuck in a never ending quagmire in Vietnam, similar to the quagmire faced by Putin in Ukraine, just like Putin, Nixon was considering using nuclear weapons against the Vietnamese people, but backed off when on October 15, 1969, an estimated two million Americans across hundreds of cities and campuses participated in mass protest demonstrations, work stoppages, and rallies.
Genocide, or withdrawal?
What will Putin decide?
Nixon realised, what Putin possibly hasn’t realised yet, is that if he uses a nuclear weapon on the Ukrainian people the whole world not least the Russian people will be revolted.
“The definition of insanity is repeating the same thing again and again and and expecting a different result”
Albert Einstein.
But imperialists and their lickspittals never seem to learn.
“An insurgent people will not quit, will keep resisting, keep fighting their occupier and oppressor forever.”
This is dead right. And this is why Russia will not lose. Russia knows what’s at stake here. They fight or they die.
Its Russia v the West just like its Palestine v the West, Lebanon v the West, Syria v the West, Iran v the West, Venezuela v the West, Cuba v the West and soon to be, China v the West. with the West having the advantage of billions and billions of dollars to use on developing a near endless array of proxy armies/puppet governments , like the Ukraine, Israel, ISIS and Al Qaeda, just to name a few.
Syria shows what happens to a State that fails to repel the West. The West has installed a former ISIS leader as the head of Syria, with said leader gifting as much of its land to Israel as it desires. We want it all and we’ll destroy as much of the world, as is needed, in order to get what we want, remembering of course, that according to the same big money interests driving Western goverment actions, the world is over populated as it is, so endless war…no bad thing in their book.
Money ultimately fuels imperialism, somehow I don’t think the Russkies ever had the moolah to control the world in the manner in which we, in the West have done and still do.
TL;DR
A O says:
7 June 2026 at 11:37 am
“An insurgent people will not quit, will keep resisting, keep fighting their occupier and oppressor forever.”
This is dead right. And this is why Russia will not lose. Russia knows what’s at stake here. They fight or they die…..
OMG!
It’s really hard to know where to start.
I guess I will start with this:
Ukraine was not occupying and oppressing Russia, as A O seems to be to be trying to say, I mean that’s just silly. If I am reading A O wrong, I invite him to respond to clarify how he thinks Ukraine, or anyone else for that matter, was oppressing or occupying Russia.
Secondly:
Ukraine did not invade Russia, Russia invaded Ukraine. not only did Ukraine not invade Russia, no one else did either.
Third:
This is a war of choice. The Russians could end it right now, simply by stopping attacking Ukraine and returning to their own internationally recognised borders.
Fourth:
Putin has made it abundantly clear of his imperial ambition as his reason for attacking Ukraine.
Gimmee that ‘Ol style imperialism
In June 2022, Vladimir Putin compared his invasion of Ukraine to the 18th-century imperial conquests of Tsar Peter the Great. Commemorating the 350th anniversary of the Tsar’s birth, Putin described Peter the Great’s war to expand the Tzarist Empire, not as a land grab, but as “returning and strengthening” .
Referring to Russia’s present day invasion of Ukraine, Putin stated: “Apparently, it also fell to us to return and strengthen”
Fifth:
Russia will lose this war, not because Ukraine will win. This war will end when the Russian people decide they no longer share Putin’s dream of empire.
Sixth:
Russia is losing now
The Minister of Finance, Anton Siluanov has sent a letter to President Putin, warning Putin that the war was no longer affordable.
In his letter to Putin, Siluanov wrote that military spending would exceed the planned budget by at least 2 trillion rubles, (a US $28 billion).
Putin reacted to Siluanov’s warning letter by ordering budget cuts to the non-defence civilian sectors of the economy to prioritize the war effort, ordering officials to seek budget savings everywhere else.
Siuanov will have be extra careful around open windows for quite a while
SAC says:
7 June 2026 at 7:32 pm
TL;DR
What is the world coming to, when three paragraphs is too much to read.
But it’s not your fault SAC, I understand that a shrinking attention span is an unavoidable side effect of our modern, screen-heavy world, not a personal failing.
Subjecting yourself to a constant stream of sensational digital bullshit, trains your brain to crave instant gratification.
To reclaim focus and overcome TL;DR takes active effort, but I promise you SAC, it will be worth your while.
If you can make the effort to pay attention to the subject being discussed, you might even be tempted to let us know your thoughts. We might all learn something.
Give it a go.
When the ever loving hand of empire known as the USA managed to finally manipulate Ukrainian politics to the level where they were able to install a US friendly, Russian unfriendly, puppet Govt back in 2014, the die was cast – the split between Ukraine and its millions of Russian identifying citizens took shape. This very quickly led to a rebellion between the Russian-centric Donbass region of Ukraine, the largest and richest area of Ukraine and the now US-centric Ukrainian Govt. War ensured, 14’000 Donbass fighters lost their lives fighting against the now oppressive to anything Russian in Ukraine Govt of Ukraine.
Then in Jan 2022, well over one hundred thousand Ukrainian troops assembled on the Donbass border. A full on war looked in the offing. The people of Donbass then turned to Russia for help and now we have what we have, a conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
All of this a beautiful manipulation by the clever and very powerful hands of empire, known as the USA, aided by its EU/NATO lackeys.
The name of the game – weaken Russia. The tools of choice , thus far – Ukraine/Europe. The purpose to strengthen US primacy.
Furthermore, do not forget Kursk, a much celebrated Ukrainian incursion into Russia at the time. How quickly we forget.
As for stopping the war. Yes, Russia could stop this war, just like Iran can stop its war, Lebanon can stop its war, Palestine can stop its war, Venezuela can and did stop a budding war by handing over its leader to the empire. Yes, its a familiar empire-centric talking point. They can all stop the wars raging against them – by acquiescing to the dictates of empire. This is the point, this is the true deal-maker, that rarely, if ever, sees the light of day. In Russia’s case, allow the Ukraine to further oppress anything Russian within their borders on top of allowing them to welcome in the empire’s nukes. The fact that the empire had a massive tizzy when the USSR tried to put nukes in Cuba, back in the day, is immaterial to the demands that empire now asks of Russia, in order for this war to stop.
And Putin, a Putin speech is not equivalent tot the wars empire is raging throughout the world, likewise Russia’s actions against Ukraine are not equivalent to the shock and awe empire tactics employed against Iraq, neither do they remotely approach anything being carried out by empire golden child, Israel against Palestine and Lebanon. Words v actions matter. Lets not isolate one tinny ass speech, given the horror that is actually taking place throughout the world today. Furthermore, I believe Putin to be a handbrake on Russia. If the Russian people do grow wary, it is because not enough is being done to fight empire. Lord help the world if the brakes come off Russia!
Finally, economy. Rarely do we look at our own economy whenever we judge our adversary’s economy. Talk about a losing game this one.
To finish, the empire is fighting hard to stay atop of the world, the entire world is losing as a result.
There are the useful idiots, so ignorant and deluded that they are not ashamed to put their name to repeating Kremlin propaganda.
Then, there are the knowing trolls, who hide their identities
I see the latter are out in force.
For the ignorant and deluded I have three words “Winter on Fire”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIuNwCPl8MA&list=PL_Wl91V4FhitvmZ_RoEf1pOdw8r34ahd9&index=1
As for the pseudononymous knowing trolls.
A O says:
8 June 2026 at 9:48 am
“…… in Jan 2022, well over one hundred thousand Ukrainian troops assembled on the Donbass border. A full on war looked in the offing.”
Well that’s weird, if there were over one hundred thousand Ukrainian troops assembled on the Donbass border, prepared for full on war, surely the invading Russian forces would have been met by this one hundred thousand Ukrainian troops and the first battle of the war would have occurred.
Apparantly not:
The first recorded major battle of the full-scale Russian invasion, was the Battle of Hostomel Airport on the outskirts of Kyiv on February 24, 2022, the very first day of the invasion.
https://www.cnas.org/publications/commentary/the-battle-of-hostomel-airport-a-key-moment-in-russias-defeat-in-kyiv
By April 22 Ukrainian forces had managed to defeat the Russian advance on the capital, forcing a full scale Russian withdrawal from the Kyiv region.
Ukraine’s second-largest city Kharkiv, much closer to the Russian border which had been under heavy Russian artillery bombardment, was invaded by Russian ground forces on February 27, three days after Russian forces had tried to take Kyiv.
A O says:
8 June 2026 at 9:48 am
“…..Furthermore, do not forget Kursk, a much celebrated Ukrainian incursion into Russia at the time. How quickly we forget.”
On 6 August 2024, two years into the war, in a surprise move, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched an incursion into the Russian Kursk Oblast pretty much unopposed.
If the Russians were allegedly so worried about being invaded by Ukraine why did they leave their own borders undefended? . The Russian forces are committed to conquest not defence, the Ukrainians took advantage of this imperialist hubris to strike back at the Russian invaders.
The Kremlin have chosen not to call off their offensive against Ukraine, not even to defend their own territory and have sub-contracted the defence to Kursk to North Korea.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/565818/north-korea-to-send-as-many-as-30-000-troops-to-bolster-russia-s-forces-ukrainian-officials-say
A O says:
8 June 2026 at 9:48 am
“….Furthermore, I believe Putin to be a handbrake on Russia. If the Russian people do grow wary, it is because not enough is being done to fight empire. Lord help the world if the brakes come off Russia!”
We hear the same blood curdling genocidal language from the Zionists who also threaten to take the brakes off in dealing with the Palestinian people.
A sycophantic and psychopathic statement from AO that would make a MAGA cult member blush.
Sycophantic, because AO grovels to Putin for being merciful.
Psychopathic because AO has made a veiled threat supporting Putin taking the brakes off.
A threat to take the brakes off, is a threat to commit genocide. The quickest and cheapest way for Putin to commit genocide is with nuclear weapons, something that Putin is continually threatening to do, Putin doesn’t need some anonymous little online imperialist lickspittal to tell him to take the brakes off.
Putin probably understands what his little lickspittal apparently doesn’t, taking the brakes off will be the last thing he ever does.
The Russians chose the diplomatic route rather than the bloody route at the start of this conflict. Granted, it was forced diplomacy, the Russian advance on Kiev, while a significant portion of the Ukrainian army was located elsewhere, was designed to bring Ukraine to the table, to talk – peace. It worked, and a peace deal was almost ironed out. A condition of these peace talks was a withdrawal of Russian forces near Kiev. Hence the Russian withdrawal, they were gone as quickly as they arrived. Or as your sources like to call this, the full scale attack on Kiev was quickly defeated. Unfortunately this peace deal was scarpered by the West via UK PM, at that time, Boris Johnson. Millions of people have lost their lives as a result. Fast forward to today’s world and “peace” is a totally alien word to empire!
Back to Kursk, Russia was invaded, that’s the point here.
And back to Putin also. Does Putin’s words really constitute ‘imperial ambition’, as your argument suggests?. Well, in today’s world of imperial overkill, the carnage in Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, a little longer ago, in this horrendous world we have been living in, all you have to denote Russian imperial ambitions is an interpretation of words! Fcuk me!
Why do so many of my fellow Lefties refuse to see the connection between all of today’s wars?
Setting the Record Straight; Stuff You Should Know About Ukraine – https://veteranstoday.com/2023/02/08/setting-the-record-straight-stuff-you-should-know-about-ukraine/
Russia Says It Will ‘Drastically’ Reduce Military Activity Near Kyiv and Chernihiv as Talks Progress – https://news.antiwar.com/2022/03/29/russia-says-it-will-drastically-reduce-military-activity-near-kyiv-and-chernihiv-as-talks-progress/
Boris Johnson Pressured Zelenskyy to Ditch Peace Talks With Russia: Ukrainian Paper – https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/05/06/boris-johnson-pressured-zelenskyy-ditch-peace-talks-russia-ukrainian-paper
“Your brave, plucky neo-nazi mates in Ukraine are getting slaughtered Pat. And Bens sources are a bit shit, so most of us just read these posts, laugh and dont leave comments.”
That’s my sentiments too.
Kiwijoker says:
4 June 2026 at 12:18 pm
Whatever’s happened to Nathan and Mkh and the other Russian fan boys?
Probably their comments have been excluded by the “moderator” – the odious O’Dear?
It could be that they ran into the same problem I had. Up until very recently, the Daily Blog page just wouldn’t load for me. This started back when this new Daily Blog look came into being. I just gave up. There’s a lot of people I no longer see here, perhaps they gave up too. Who knows, but this is one possibility.
Guess what, yes there is censorship on TDB.
On top of being blocked, I went away because this column ridiculous, so called Leftists believe and parrot “imperial” propaganda.
I had thought it was a glitch of some sort, myself, based on the very low comment numbers since the new look came into being, coupled with the fact that the page would load for me, once in a blue moon. Again, who knows.
“Over the past couple of years, more than 1,000 video accounts of violent mobilization have circulated online. These clips vary in quality and depict different levels of brutality, ranging from shoving and beatings to the killing of civilians by officers of the Ukrainian Territorial Recruitment Centres (military conscription offices).” https://s1.cdnstatic.space/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/05.06.26_Ukraine_Mobilization.mp4?_=1
That figure – more than 1,000 – refers only to video documentation of violent mobilization.
It does not include the flood of videos showing violence against Ukrainian citizens for other reasons. Nor does it include footage of insults and violence directed at Ukrainians for speaking Russian or for honoring the victors over Nazism in World War II.
All of this is taking place against the backdrop of a severe economic crisis, the impoverishment of the remaining population of Ukraine, heavy losses at the front, the collapse of the social sector, and rampant corruption……
…… The general population is intimidated and deeply embittered. At the same time, people understand the nature of Zelenskyy’s regime. They understand that Ukraine’s authorities are puppets of the Western powers behind the scenes.
Whatever the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine, a social explosion and a wave of violence – including violence directed against Europeans – are inevitable
*******************************************
The Calculus of Conflict: How Russia’s Military Doctrine is Reshaping Modern Warfare
Oreshnik, doctrine, the art of war, and how the West got it wrong… https://julianmacfarlane.substack.com/p/russias-operational-art
*************************************
I stand with the Russians …. Ukraine, NATO & our Govt all stand with Israel / Zionists
In the Eyes of Truth Update 23.05.2026 Raging mad. West murders Russian children again.
https://youtu.be/IJRwhOP8opE?list=TLPQMDUwNjIwMjZ97ogBnmEIsQ&t=247
*************************************
….. I say at least Kiwi Blog are consistent,,, they are for killing Palestinians AND Russians, kids and all ,,,, Over there David Farrar once gave an apology for being involved in the dishonest “dirty politics” we had in our recent past.
Apologies from Farrar obviously count for shit as he is now pumping out the most vile lies to justify a genocide and mass slaughter of kids and civilians .
I have debunked his absurd claim that Hamas raped women so brutally that they “broke the pelvis” here
https://www.bitchute.com/video/HyiDmiwm8B5O
seer says:
8 June 2026 at 10:40 am
Whatever’s happened to Nathan and Mkh and the other Russian fan boys?….
…..Probably their comments have been excluded by the “moderator” – the odious O’Dear?
I am not a moderator here, but I have complained to the moderators that allowing them to make anti-Semitic slurs against the leader of Ukraine, brings this website into disrepute, endangering us all on the left by association.
Being made aware of the danger that this websidte might be pounced on by the Zionists for allowing anti-Semitic comments to be published, the moderators have taken my complaint seriously.
P.S. An anonymous Kremlin troll finds me odious. Good!
Yep, speaking truth to power can be a bloody dangerous game.
HONORING A FASCIST ICON – w/ Scott Ritter & Ray McGovern, Consortium News, June 2026 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4baG7pvCss
The reality of neo-Nazis in Ukraine is far from Kremlin propaganda, The Hill, 2017 – https://thehill.com/opinion/international/359609-the-reality-of-neo-nazis-in-the-ukraine-is-far-from-kremlin-propaganda/