Day 891
Freedom is now negotiable
Actually, no. But that’s what the poster says. A scene kid dressed in a prequel jedi style Luke Skywalker outfit stood in front of it yesterday. Blue and grey smoke grenades were lit and the precious moment was captured for, er, posterity.
On the war jacket, we re-listened to Z’s chat with the French flaks.
Of note was the president’s explanation for why Russian invaders have seized more territory (about 200 square kilometers — most of it on the Pokrovsk axis in eastern Ukraine — in recent months).
"We no longer keep it a secret that we trained 14 brigades. Fourteen brigades, which we wanted to equip, first of all, with weapons. These are the brigades that should protect our Ukraine and should be reserves so that we let the guys rest rotationally, and these brigades would replace them. We talked [with partners] and prepared the appropriate packages for the completion of 14 of these brigades. What do you think, in your opinion, if three out of 14 are staffed, can we stop [Russians]?" Z said in an interview with French media.
"These [packages voted in the U.S. Congress] are huge billions, we are very grateful, but they also serve those brigades that are on the battlefield, and they need shells, and reserves were prepared in parallel. We have already spent a year and a half on this."
"There should be rotations [in the army]. The soldiers need to rest. And how will you carry out rotations if the brigades [reserve ones] are empty? That's the answer for you, when we will be able to stop the Russians while we staff the brigades."
Stories of military mismanagment help explain why Z has more partners these days than allies. The president’s public carpings shift blame for self-inflicted political stupidity, which has been rife this year.
Constant complaints about partners also inflate the “subjectiveness” (agency) of Ukraine, at least in Z’s mind, as Ukraine grows increasingly dependent on western benefactors for its survival1.
Z became obsessed with Ukraine’s “subjectiveness” after he scuppered a military intelligence op with Team USA to kidnap Russian mercenaries. And then lied about it, over and over again2.
Pokrovsk is the white blob west of pink blob representing recent Russian advances. The city is the gateway to western Donbas.
Russians have been advancing for the past eight months in eastern Ukraine on Pokrovsk. There were no fall-back fortifications after the retreat from Avdiivka. Invaders pay for daily small advances with thousands of KIA/MIAs and destroyed equipment. Some 1,370 bit the dust yesterday.
Streetwear of the warrior era is not athleticwear.
Faith is a heavy burden. Keep a fire. Walk the city. Fight the bastards.
Eat a watermellon.
To wit yesterday’s announcement that Team USA would dole out another $3.9 billion to Ukraine to pay for salaries to teachers, first responders, and government officials, as well as to support priority social expenditures, including payments to internally displaced persons, low-income families, and persons with disabilities.
Setting the Plate Clear. Subjectivizing Ukraine ( September 6, 2021)