Mike Benz: How Dangerous is the CIA?
http://www.youtube.com/live/WnMnGn7XgfU

"My conversation with former State Department official Mike Benz, delves into the intriguing intersection of music festivals, concerts, and intelligence operations, specifically focusing on the CIA's alleged use of these cultural events to influence and facilitate regime change. Mr. Benz, drawing upon his expertise and experience, will provide insights into the covert strategies employed by intelligence agencies in leveraging the universal appeal of music to shape perceptions and catalyze political change."

This video is interesting because it shows how far the CIA and it's cutout National Endowment for Democracy are willing to go to ferment civil unrest and regime change.

Worth a watch for anyone who thinks protests are 'grassroots'

Bad day for Russia.

Three state-of-the-art Su 34s were shot down within minutes nearly 50km within Russian-occupied airspace while trying to launch glide bombs. It is suspected that Ukraine has moved at least one patriot battery close to Kherson city.

As for the Red Sea, Russia's tankers can only move a fraction of their oil. Ships from all other countries China and India are no longer going through the Red Sea.

As for Kherson Russia just launched a massive attack on Krynky and they were massacred and there is no front where Russia is making any gains without massive casualties.

The EU has is giving Ukraine EU50bn, The first 40 F16s are due to arrive with their weapons in next couple of months and more patriot batteries are arriving in Ukraine.

Russia is losing this war.

Shadowminister

The downing of three Su34s was done by using shorter range radar near the front line to detect the aircraft and then activating the patriot systems further back. It is very significant as glide bombs are Russia's most significant weapon against the Ukrainian front lines. With western jets Ukraine will also have a counter to Russian helicopters, another very significant weapon. The combined effect could allow the Ukrainians to take Crimea, so it is no wonder that Russia is throwing their all at the Ukrainians presently.

Russia has a very large army in Ukraine. It is not a pushover. Western support is critical, but I an far more optimistic of the Ukrainians being able to advance once they have the jets. In the meantime their strategy of dealing with glide bombs will significantly strengthen their front lines.

These comments from author and political commentator, Lionel Shriver, make more sense than the back and forth twaddle going on here:

“Russia had nearly four times the population of Ukraine before the war; given the reduced population in Kyiv-controlled areas, the countries are now mismatched in manpower by a factor of five. With its legacy and political future on the line, Putin is clearly all-in for the long haul. The easily manipulated Russian public have not rebelled. Putin’s inner sanctum hasn't staged a couple. Russian GDP has increased since last year. The rouble started rising against the dollar. Western sanctions have failed”, and:

“Sitting back and giving Ukrainians just enough weaponry to keep fighting to the last man and woman, only for the country to finally end up where we always knew it would, is not just immoral. It's murder”.

ttbn

If Ukraine loses it is finished as a nation. Russia can withdraw its forces from Ukraine at any time and faces no threat of invasion.

Russia might have large numbers of troops to draw on, but the viability of its army in Ukraine is dependent upon the military hardware to support them. Throughout the war Ukraine has developed effective strategies of dealing with many of Russia's methods of attack. The latest use of the Patriot system and the prospect of having western aircraft offers the prospect of diminishing attacks by Russian aircraft, which has been a major impediment to the Ukrainian military. The recent downing of Russian aircraft will give the nations supporting Ukraine more confidence that their continued supply of military aid is not futile.

The show of unity by western nations against unprovoked authoritarian aggression will also serve as protect other countries from a similar fate. I feel more optimistic of Ukraine's prospects over the next six months. Russia's recent loss of over 200 armoured vehicles and 13,000 troops in Avdiivka, as well as the loss of a similar number of armoured vehicles in Kherson, is evidence of how effective Ukraine's military has become without an effective counter to Russian air attacks.

I think that life is about to get much tougher for the Russian army.

I see that Putin is now becoming desperate enough to call for negotiations. The massive losses the Russian army is suffering, the failing economy, the risk that the West will confiscate his $300bn of ill-gotten gains to fund Ukraine and the arrival of F16s and new patriot systems means that Russia is slowly but surely bleeding out.

Russia is losing this war.