Ukraine Hits Major Russian Oil Terminal

 

In a clear message to Putin stooge and demented liar the Malignant Fascist, Ukraine hit an important oil terminal in St. Petersburg with a massive drone attack, just as the MF has been pressuring Ukraine to cease hitting Russia's oil facilities.  From Politico:

"Ukraine struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg Sunday morning in what Russian state media called 'one of the biggest drone attacks of the year.'

Alexander Beglov, governor of St. Petersburg, said on Telegram Sunday that the city underwent a 'massive”'overnight attack from Ukrainian drones. 'The Ministry of Emergency Situations continues to extinguish fires at the Petersburg Oil Terminal, the Ruchyi oil depot, and industrial warehouses in the Kolpino district,' he said, adding that one person died and several others were injured in the incident.

The drone strikes come as Kyiv and Moscow ramp up attacks on each other’s infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week he had ordered the resumption of strikes on Russian oil refineries following a three-day pause after U.S. President Donald Trump declared he had brokered an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia."

The MF has been trying to shift blame for high oil and diesel prices on Ukraine's bombardment of Russian facilities, when it's his misbegotten war on Iran and the restriction of oil and other materials moving through the Strait of Hormuz.  His purchase of Russian diesel, his suspension of sanctions on Russia, and his apparent order to restrict Ukraine's use of the Starshield / Starlink system show clearly that he's sided with the Russian war criminals.

(photo: Oil terminal in St. Petersburg after Ukrainian drone attack Oct. 18)

 

Trump's Shameful Betrayal Of Ukraine

 

The Putin-emulating Malignant Fascist is busy undermining Ukrainian democracy to cut a deal with his Kremlin friends to end the war. In the meantime he's cutting out our front like allies and the rest of NATO who see the existential threat that an expansionist, fascist Russia under war criminal Vladimir Putin represents. Phillips O'Brien writes in his Substack page that earlier suppositions in the media that wealthy, feckless New York real estate businessman and friend of the MF Steve "Dim Philby" Witcoff was "freelancing" the latest pro-Kremlin "peace" plan.  It's clear now that Witcoff was merely a courier for the MF:

"It is important that people understand that this deal is Trump’s because of one thing. We now have evidence of exactly what Trump would like to see in a deal to end the war. For months there has been speculation, rumor, wild conjecture about what Trump wanted. Was he getting angry with Putin? Was he going to support Ukraine? Was he wanting to work with Europe? Now we know and the picture is not pretty.

Trump wants a peace deal that rewards Putin and punishes Ukraine. He wants a peace deal with no European input and which he can impose on Ukraine. He wants to get back to business with Putin as soon as possible and start making money. In sum, he does not care about democracy or freedom, indeed Trump wants to punish both. He wants to work with and reward a dictatorship—and now, finally, the media must acknowledge that."  (our emphasis)

The MF has given Ukraine until Thanksgiving to respond to the capitulation offer. We don't know yet if Congress will seek to block him, or if the voices in NATO that he "listens" to (e.g., the UK, Germany) will make him toughen the plan for Russia, and include Ukraine in any future negotiations.  Including others in developing a peace plan is highly unlikely for the MF, because he not only wants a quick fix that benefits him financially and politically, he sees himself as a master negotiator / dealmaker, still imagining a Nobel Peace Prize, even if it means a Neville Chamberlain-style appeasement of the Kremlin (who'll be planning the next attack before the ink dries on the agreement).

Ukraine has to walk a fine line not to enrage the narcissistic and impatient MF, but has to reject this literal suicide pact.

(photo: The sundowning Malignant Fascist with his handler / Kevin Lamarque, Reuters)

The Putin-Trump "Peace Plan" For Ukraine

 

The latest effort by the Malignant Fascist and his handler Vladimir Putin to cede Ukraine to Russia is in a 28-point "peace plan," "negotiated" by witless real estate developer (!) Steve Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev, the broad outline of which follows:

[T]he new radical proposal from Russia and the US envisages significant concessions from Kyiv and that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already been urged to accept it.

A group of current and former Russian and American officials were involved in drawing up the plan, which is still under development, a source familiar with the talks told the Financial Times.

The plan was handed to Kyiv this week by Witkoff when he met with Rustem Umierov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, in Miami.

People with direct knowledge of the draft say it would require Ukraine to give up the remainder of Donbas, including areas currently controlled by Kyiv, and to cut the size of its armed forces by half. Reuters has also reported that the plan includes territorial concessions.

Crucially, the plan also requires Ukraine to give up key categories of weaponry and envisages a reduction in US military aid, which has been vital to its defence.

The plan further provides for Russian to be recognised as an official state language in Ukraine and for the Russian Orthodox Church to be granted official status.

The person familiar with the draft described it as a very generic document that was “heavily tilted towards Russia”. Another person familiar with the plan called it “very comfortable for Putin”.

Kyiv officials who have seen the plan say it closely mirrors the Kremlin’s maximalist demands and that without substantial changes it will be unacceptable to Ukraine. (our emphasis)

It would appear that Witkoff's role was simply to rubber stamp what Putin / Dmitriev put in front of him (he's known in U.S. intelligence circles as "Dim Philby," an allusion to British Russian spy Kim Philby, because he's both stupid and working for the Russians).  Adam Silverman at "Balloon Juice" offers his critique of the plan's "maximalist Russian" demands on Ukraine:

[T]here is no way this is going to happen. There is no way any Ukrainian leader could or would accept these terms. The non-US NATO members, as well as the EU and its member states can also not accept this. Especially as EU & NATO member states are under continuous low intensity Russian attacks as we’ve seen in Poland over the past several days and with the more aggressive air space violations over the past several months. Putin’s position is that Russia has no borders. That anywhere an ethnic Russian lives is part of the Ruskiy Mir/Russian world. This isn’t going to do anything but further reduce US soft power influence, which is & has been one of Putin’s primary objectives since before he came to power, en route to rewarding and increasing Putin’s and Russia’s aggression. Territorially, the Ruskiy Mir, for Putin, means all of Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia (which is already under de facto Russian control because of is influence over the Georgian Dream party), and parts or all of Poland, the Baltics, and Finland. And that’s the minimalist map. What he’d like is everything the Soviet Union & the Russian empire held, as well as the dissolution of the EU and NATO, but he’d settle, initially, for the above.

So this would be a win / win for Putin, and a lose / lose for Ukraine and what little's left of America's tattered reputation as a reliable security partner.  Fortunately, there's the rest of NATO.  We're also guessing Kyiv has noticed that the weakened Malignant Fascist is losing on many fronts in the US, and is likely to have his wings clipped further come the 2026 mid- terms.  They also should know that the majority of the American people are on their side.  If the ignorant patsy Malignant Fascist thinks this or any other extortionist effort to bully Ukraine into a suicide pact with Russia is going to land him his coveted Nobel Peace Prize, he needs another MRI to see if there's anything in his empty head.

(Photo:  Player and played;  Dmitriev and "Dim Philby" Witkoff /Vyacheslav Rokofeyev/Pool via Getty)

 

Hit Dog Hollers

 

The fascist Russian war criminals, who've been relentlessly attacking Ukrainian cities and villages since the beginning of their invasion more than two years ago, would like to lodge a complaint with the West:

Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused Western nations Friday of “playing with fire” by allowing Ukraine to use the long-range rockets and weapons they had supplied to strike targets inside Russia.

"Once again, we should like to unequivocally warn Washington, London, Brussels and other Western capitals, as well as Kyiv, which is under their control, that they are playing with fire. Russia will not leave such encroachments on its territory unanswered," a ministry statement said.

The statement also singled out the United States and Britain and accused them of escalating the conflict between Russia and Ukraine by allowing Kyiv to use Western-supplied weapons inside Russia.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Friday that the Biden administration does not encourage or enable attacks with U.S.-supplied weapons inside Russia...

Well over 10,000 Ukrainian civilians have died, according to the U.N. Human Rights Office.  War criminal dictator Putin believes he can kill as many Ukrainians as he wants at any time, but aggressor Russia can't be subject to the same rules of engagement.  To which the West's response must be "Here are more ATACMs.  Slava Ukraini!" 

(Photo:  ATACM missile launching/ U.S. Army)

Ukraine Hits Key Targets Inside Russia

 

They're fighting for their survival while Putin- loving MAGAts sabotage critical funding, but Ukraine still is hitting the war criminals deep inside Russia:

Explosions and large fires were reported in several Russian cities overnight on Jan. 21, in a possible coordinated effort by Ukraine to strike key targets deep inside Russian territory.

The terminal of Russia's Novatek natural gas company caught fire in the port of Ust-Luga in Leningrad Oblast near St Petersburg, Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported on Telegram.

No casualties were reported by local authorities but other Russian media sources suggested that 150 people had to be evacuated.

Novatek is the largest independent natural gas producer in Russia. The fire was still ongoing as of 9 a.m. local time, according to Drozdenko.

The explosions in Ust-Luga were a result of a planned operation by the Security Service of Ukraine, according to an unnamed source in the agency cited by Ukrainska Pravda.

Other attacks were reported overnight on Jan. 21 in Russia's Tula, Smolensk, and Oryol oblasts, targeting infrastructure critical to the Russian military. [snip]

Citing its sources in Ukraine's special services, news outlet Suspilne reported that the Shcheglovskiy Val plant in Tula, where Pantsir mobile air defense systems for the Russian military are produced, was one of the targets.

The Smolensk Aviation Plant, which produces Kh-59 cruise missiles used to frequently target Ukraine was hit in the overnight attack, Hromadske reported, citing its source in Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR).

Smolensk Oblast Governor Vasily Anokhin denied that there were casualties or property damage during the drone attack. [Ed.:  as with most Putinists, he's likely lying his borscht- filled buttocks off.]

The plant was previously hit in October and November 2023. 

The Russians were counting on winter to regroup and rearm in order to carry on their genocidal war.  Any operation that helps foils that plan is welcome, as would be long- promised American and NATO military supplies.  They're fighting a war against an autocratic, terrorist regime that's America's enemy (at least when the Malignant Loser's not in office).  It should go without saying that their survival is a moral and political imperative. 

(Photo:  Novatek natural gas terminal near St. Petersburg on fire / via Kyiv Independent)

Better Late Than Never: Oligarch Punishments

 

The Treasury Department is announcing new measures to punish Russian oligarchs who have been devising ways to get around sanctions imposed on Russia over their aggression in Ukraine. 

"From the Treasury Department to the Justice Department, U.S. officials will focus on efforts to legally liquidate the property of Russian oligarchs, expand financial penalties on those who facilitate the evasion of sanctions, and close loopholes in the law that allow oligarchs to use shell companies to move through the U.S. financial system.

Andrew Adams, who heads the U.S. government’s KleptoCapture task force, designed to enforce the economic restrictions within the U.S. imposed on Russia and its billionaires, told The Associated Press that the group is prioritizing its efforts to identify those who help Russians evade sanctions and violate export controls. [snip]

So far, more than $58 billion worth of sanctioned Russians’ assets have been blocked or frozen worldwide, according to a report last week from the Treasury Department. That includes two luxury yachts each worth $300 million in San Diego and Fiji, and six New York and Florida properties worth $75 million owned by sanctioned oligarch Viktor Vekselberg."  (our emphasis)

If we can engage in a little Monday morning quarterbacking, realizing that efforts of this kind are very complex and difficult, it's disappointing that these measures weren't applied months ago. Every week that went by that Russian oligarchs were able to channel funds to Putin's criminal war efforts was a missed opportunity to spare Ukraine some missile attacks. As we've said before, each announcement of "new sanctions" begs the question of why did we not impose them earlier, rather than incrementally? We hope it's not a fear of war criminal Putin's bluster, or our own financial entanglement with these corrupt oligarchs.

 

Russians Ratting Each Other Out In "Massive" Numbers

 

Sad!  In a sign of, collapsing social order and burgeoning paranoia brought on by Putin's military failures in Ukraine, Russians are ratting out fellow Russians in increasing numbers:

All over Russia, it’s open season on anyone. All it takes is a quick suggestion that they said something against Putin, the war, or the Russian military. Or a claim that they were caught saying anything favorable about Ukraine. No evidence required. Rat Season has only been boosted by new legislation that has upped penalties and added even more restrictions about what it’s permissible to say.

Russians are ratting Russians out in such numbers that even attorneys are fed up over dealing with the cases. Those who have long harbored a grudge are using this as an opportunity to get back at the guy they didn’t think was respectful enough in the local bar, or the neighbor who played his music too loud.

And the worse things get in Ukraine, the more “traitors” they’re going to find.

That sounds like the definition of a downward spiral.  

The author offers some anecdotal evidence of the betrayals, based on more expansive reporting from an independent Russian news organization, Verstka Media.

It's something of a cultural and political tradition in Russia to spy and inform on your neighbors or anyone you screw for, as the author puts it, "fun, profit and pure spite."  Having never had a "democracy" for more than a blink in their long history, generally speaking Russians have become paranoid both in their personal orbits and in their national policies.  Just as their neighbor is out to report them, the West is surely out to "get" Russia.  Better to do unto others before they do unto you.

Make no mistake:  we have a conspiracy and grievance culture in this country that could rival any other, including Russia.  The same broken people who demonize others for their misfortunes, harbor racist or anti- Semitic feelings, etc., and believe a strong authoritarian (who alone can "fix" it) is the answer, exist in both countries and elsewhere around the world.  But the big difference is that in Putin's Russia it's a behavior encouraged and facilitated by the regime, something that we could easily see in this country should the unhinged Malignant Loser or a fascist clone be empowered to seek "retribution" on his opponents.

(Photo:  No paranoia here!  Chief rat meets with military advisors/ Aleksey Nikolskyi, Sputnik, Kremlin, Shutterstock)

 

QOTD -- Triumph

 

"Like Hitler, Putin will fail in his endeavor—not only will he fail, but it will eventually destroy him. As a result, other dictators around the world will take note of the fact that smaller countries often win wars against invaders, and that invading a supposedly weak neighbor will probably end in failure. History is filled with inspiring examples...  [snip]

"Humans are the only species where a smaller individual or group can defeat a larger one—otherwise, the world would be dominated by fascist mega-states, and freedom would not be possible. But that is not what the world looks like. Smaller countries like Ukraine can stand up to the powerful dictatorships and fight them to a standstill—particularly when they have access to advanced weapons and tactics. If Ukraine remains free, other countries will remain free as well, because fascist leaders around the world will be forced to understand that power does not always triumph.

"In fact, as often as not, it fails." -- Sebastian Junger, in TIME, in his letter to the Ukrainian people about "Why the Ukrainian People Will Triumph."  The West must make certain that the Ukrainian people succeed against war criminal Putin, not only because it affects their freedom but, as Junger points out, the freedom of us all.

Moscow: Troops' Phone Calls Caused Their Deaths

In a new chapter on the Russian military's blatant disregard for its own troops, Moscow is blaming the disastrously successful attack on their military barracks and nearby ammunition depot in Makiiva, Donetsk, on unauthorized cellphone use. The New Year's Eve attack by Ukrainian HIMARS missiles killed hundreds of Russian conscripts and destroyed a large ammunition depot which was located adjacent, a boneheaded move by Russian military officers in command that's typical of their incompetence outside of terrorizing civilians.

Putin's military is blaming their own troops and leadership for the disaster, saying troops calling home en masse on New Year's Eve alerted Ukrainian signal intelligence to their location. Russian troops are also known for calling home and complaining about Putin's war and their miserable conditions, so severely restricting cellphone use by them will silence their protests about the war to their families back home. That will be a sure morale booster.

(photo: HIMARS launching missiles. Hannibal Hanschke / European Pressphoto Agency)