57 Comments
User's avatar
AmericanCardigan's avatar

I don't see Putin/Russia under estimating this attack. Maybe not to the extreme of so many aircraft impacted but I believe this was intentional by Putin to set this trap albeit an expensive one.

Perhaps it validates his assumption of Israeli involvement too. Nevertheless, Istanbul conf. Russia will show up, re-share their terms, and move forward on all fronts another 15-20 kilometers. Odessa is now lost to Russia.

Expand full comment
Mark Wauck's avatar

Re Odessa, I agree.

Expand full comment
Mark Wauck's avatar

Unbelievably ignorant and reckless editorial--so much so that you have to assume it's conscious attempted gaslighting of MAGA voters coming from Trump's top supporter in the traditional MSM.

Expand full comment
Ray-SoCa's avatar

Ny Post along with Fox and wsj are Murdoch family owned, so their maga / Trump support is strange. I agree it’s the most of any msm.

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

So Trump says he isn’t sure if Putin really wants to end the war. Rest assured, Don. Uncle Vlad really does want to end the war - just not in the way you want.

Expand full comment
AmericanCardigan's avatar

Putin had no plans to adopt a ceasefire and Istanbul will be dead. Putin has clearly laid out terms time and time again.

This was a test.

Russia strategically bunched their long range military aircraft for a reason. https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/russia-moves-40-tu-22m3-bombers-to-olenya-1748529718.html

Putin called Trump’s bluff. Putin now has all the ammunition he needs to escalate the SMO in his terms. And yes Mossad involved to garner support from their EU brethren.

Zelensky leaves Germany early.

Possible reasons for early departure:

While not explicitly stated, Zelenskyy's potential early departure could be linked to overseeing the ongoing drone development and deployment efforts, particularly in light of recent successful strikes and the importance of drone warfare in the conflict.

The need to focus on domestic defense production and the situation on the ground could be factors influencing his travel plans.

Expand full comment
Mark Wauck's avatar

Very interesting.

Expand full comment
AmericanCardigan's avatar

Russia could now declare war on Ukraine.

https://youtu.be/BgQcs-PJF8I?si=E0dFYjCDBWZqKOCm

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

It has had enough justification to declare war on the whole of NATO and the West, but I think Putin will continue his calm and calculated approach.

Expand full comment
Marie's avatar

Concerning auto manufacturing and rare earths, and other components, why can't our auto manufacturers go back to basics? By that I mean, while waiting for my car oil change this past week, another guy came in with his Chevy engine seized up on the highway at 20K miles. This is not acceptable. Cars have gotten way too complicated in my view. Mine does not have any fancy stuff because it is 20 yrs old. Can our engineers make simple cars and trucks anymore instead of ones with video screens and internet? Maybe these rare earths and chips would not be necessary. Does anyone else think this is possible?

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

Our cars are like our military hardware: deliberately engineered to be massively expensive and over-complex.

Expand full comment
Ray-SoCa's avatar

There is so much unnecessary complicated stuff added for fuel efficiency that reduces reliability. The stop the engine at stops is a great example of that. It unnecessarily stresses the alternator, battery, and starter, and results in little fuel efficiency improvement.

Expand full comment
Marie's avatar

Also I meant to say, just sitting for an hour or two at our local garage and hearing all the problems coming in, is an eye opener! Thank God I purchased a vehicle 20 yrs ago and it is still doing great. I would not buy anything out there now. I feel bad for these people with the Chevy engines failing.

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

You need to tell that to me missus, Ray. She's always on at me to switch off at the red lights!

Expand full comment
Jeff Cook-Coyle's avatar

I think that we are missimg something that Mark alluded to.

Wait a minute. Why is Ukraine playkmg these cards now? How does this benefit them?

It is far from a knockout blow. All it does is result in steely eyed across the table in Istanbul tomorrow. They are signjng the warrsnt for the destruction of their own country.

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

They are either trying to make the Russians cancel the peace talks and make them seem like the warmongers, or it's their British and US puppet masters trying to send a message to Putin: "sign our deal our we'll get really, really nasty!"

Expand full comment
Ray-SoCa's avatar

It’s a typical British grand gesture attack. I doubt the U.S. had any involvement. Reminds me of mossad attacks on Iran.

Expand full comment
Greg C's avatar

Most likely, yes. Krainer provides some of the receipts in his column today. Granted, he always sees the Brits behind things like this, but it looks like here he's probably right.

British Intelligence evidently formulated a plan in 2022 called Project Alchemy with designs to keep Ukraine fighting long-term using Operation Gladio type maneuvers. In this case, it looks like it's the same old, "Let's you and him fight," an effort to get Russia and the US after each other so that cooperation between them on a new security architecture is derailed and Russia is eventually subsumed into a London based SWIFT-II.

Not saying that Lindsey and CIA have clean hands, but it certainly seems possible that the administration was deliberately kept out of the loop. MTG lashing out about the IC lying congress into supporting the war may reflect an internal US skirmish.

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

Probably. "I say, chaps, let's give those damned Russkies a taste of good old British derring-do!"

Expand full comment
Mark Wauck's avatar

Congrats. Yesterday I saw an article in which the author--I forget who, now, but someone I had always assumed was educated--spelled it "daring-do". Pet peeve.

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

And don't get me started on "tow the line", Mark! :)

Expand full comment
Mark Wauck's avatar

OMG! Another top pet peeve! The horror of homonyms!

Expand full comment
Mark Wauck's avatar

People are saying this is what Trump was referring to earlier in the week when he said Putin didn't understand that it was Trump keeping REALLY BAD THINGS from happening to Russia, and that Putin was playing with fire.

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

There'll be hell to pay! Again!

Expand full comment
History Lass's avatar

I think the Russians are to canny to fall for canceling. They are already in Istanbul.

Tommorrow will be interesting.

Expand full comment
johnycomelately's avatar

I remember reading an old CIA field manual on disrupting hostile governments’ infrastructure with citizen saboteurs. Seems like Gehlen’s network is alive and well.

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

The problem for the West is that eventually the Russians will ask for a translation and start hitting back.

Expand full comment
Ivar Ruslan's avatar

That was *one* part of their Nuclear Triad. I saw just a little while ago that there was a massive explosion and fire at Russia's main base for the Northern Fleet at Severomorsk, home port for nuclear-armed submarines, a *second* part of their Nuclear triad. It houses *two-thirds* of their nuclear submarines (!)...Also, earlier, a drone attack with a massive fire at an airfield in Voskresensk, Moscow Region, don't know what is there.

I do truly expect a suitcase nuke, dirty bomb, something, any time now, in a major city.

And, with the recent release of that huge trove of documents regarding some of the Russian nuclear missile bases, their Third Triad, even with underground details, etc (if they are genuine), well, who knows at this point?

Wonder where Zelenskiy is at right now? Wonder, above all, WHY hasn't HE been Iskandered yet?!

And there were many Telegram posts from the Ukies claiming they did NOT tell Washington about it...(at least Trump didn't know-supposedly!-who knows, with his weird texts lately?!), for what it's worth.

Thanks, Mark

Expand full comment
SMH's avatar

I have been hoping against hope that Trump was going to be one of those people that Eric Hoffer classified as “men of action” and could actually sort out the mess that the country is in at this point. However, I’m starting to think that it’s just the SOS in different packaging. Constantly making empty threats does nothing to encourage cooperation, nor does decrying the human cost of a war while continuing to fund that war and supply intelligence to prosecute it, help bring it to a close, but simply ratchets up the likelihood of unintended consequences taking hold and allowing the Dogs of War to break their chains and wreak unimaginable havoc. But what do I know, it’s 3d chess. Yeh, right, how about we call it what it actually is, insanity.

Again Mark, thanks for creating this forum because I’m pretty sure that I would have already lost my sanity without its existence.

Expand full comment
Manul's avatar

"...nor does decrying the human cost of a war while continuing to fund that war and supply intelligence to prosecute it"

This sort of behavior defines a hypocrite. Can we believe anything the man says, since it only seems to hold for as long as it takes to say it?

Expand full comment
SMH's avatar

Much as I hate to admit it, I believe that you are right and we should move everything he says into the folder marked “Yeh, right!” This is one convoluted mess.

Expand full comment
Joe's avatar

- Why Xi or Putin would want anything to do with the US is beyond me

The US has for years made it crystal clear - and moreso recently

that the US simply not only wants to hamper any possible growth in each country

but wants to undermine growth already achieved

... Tonya Harding Diplomacy ...

However the US made the error of becoming almost fully reliant on Russia for some necessary goods eg: uranium and China for other necessities eg: certain rare earths

.... So the time has come now due to eg: Ukraine and US Meddling in Ukraine

and eg: due to the US really undermining the UN not just thwarting it, that Putin and Xi

are no longer putting up with it.

-- China will not pay US tariffs - so that the US can use those same tariffs to pay for thwarting the China Brick and Road -----

----- It's Done - China has had enough and really does not need the US At All.

Russia does not either.

US Pushed the Pendulum Too Far - and now it is coming back to haunt.

.

Expand full comment
Jody Fritzke's avatar

China's Goal: Improve the World, Not Subdue It as the New Hegemon

A series of articles and events provide the evidence.

Karl Sanchez

May 28, 2025

https://karlof1.substack.com/p/chinas-goal-improve-the-world-not?publication_id=1779344&post_id=164650285&isFreemail=true&r=g761&triedRedirect=true

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

Yep. Looks like the Western press jumped the gun as usual. However, I'm sure that the Russians will register the intent behind the attack, even if the results were meagre, and spur on the troops towards the SMO final goals.

Expand full comment
Mark Wauck's avatar

Correct. This is exactly why I wrote "damaged/destroyed" in the original post. I saw the videos and didn't see "destroyed", despite some of the early reporting.

Expand full comment
History Lass's avatar

I would love to be a fly on the wall inside the Kremlin today.

Would be fascinating.

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

Well, we can only speculate with our scant knowledge of Stavka's workings, but I suspect the atmosphere will be one of calm appraisal and a reminder that a key tenet of successful warfare is never doing what the enemy wants you to.

Expand full comment
History Lass's avatar

The world is fortunate tonight that Putin is measured, methodical and seemingly endlessly patient.

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

True, but I do have a soft spot for Medvedev. I think they throw him raw meat every morning and chain him out in the yard.

Expand full comment
Mark Wauck's avatar

But count on it--he coordinates with Putin, as does Lavrov. This is the Russian system that Putin has put in place. Collegial, geared toward consensus building, united front to the world. You will never see Putin disavowing statements by his top officials--except occasional jocular references to Peskov.

Expand full comment
History Lass's avatar

Lol. I always look forward to his tweets 😁

Expand full comment
TomA's avatar

Yes, drones are a game-changer unlike any previous weaponry innovation. They are cheap, easy to assembly anywhere, and now demonstrated in Ukraine to be capable of autonomous operation using only image recognition software (no operator required). They can possess ranges of to 50 miles with dual battery packs and be camouflaged and lie in wait for days or weeks before activating. They can home in on a target or do air drop from hundreds of feet with high accuracy. They can swarm and defeat countermeasures with simple numbers. And all of this innovation was accelerated by the conflict in Ukraine and now there are thousands of experienced young men who know exactly how to do this. And many of these young men will need employment after Ukraine loses the war. And many of those will harbor a grudge.

You can thank the neocons and Biden's handlers for bringing this debacle into our modern world.

Expand full comment
dissonant1's avatar

Scott Ritter has a good overview of the attack on Russia and its implications:

https://scottritter.substack.com/p/playing-with-fire

He touches on the points made both by Wilkerson and Bertrand.

Expand full comment
ML's avatar

Trenchant analysis from Ritter. Tx for posting!

“Trump, too, must respond.

By telling Graham and Blumenthal and their supporters to stand down regarding Russian sanctions.

By ordering NATO and the EU to cease and desist from continuing to provide military and financial support to Ukraine.

And by taking sides in the SMO.

Choose Ukraine and trigger a nuclear war.

Choose Russia and save the world.”

Expand full comment
Joe's avatar

.

"""By telling Graham and Blumenthal and their supporters to stand down regarding Russian sanctions."""

What difference does it make - like when Trump went to 60 % then 145% tariff on China even China laughed and said it was silly

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is a US Department of the Treasury office responsible for administering and enforcing economic and trade sanctions based on US national security and foreign policy objectives.

Executive Order (EO) 14024, "Blocking Property With Respect To Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation,"

OFAC has made over 4,100 sanctions designations pursuant to E.O. 14024 alone since the expanded invasion in February 2022.

what is left that will work that they didn't already try - and if they didn't already do it, why not ?

.

Expand full comment
Joe's avatar

.

Here is the funny part

EU still gets some > 19 % of it's natural gas from Russia

Russia still supplies some > 20% of the enriched uranium purchased by US nuclear reactors.

Putin on Sanctions ' oh no ' ' please stop '

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

Ritter also referred to two leading US senators who have received many millions of dollars from Ukraine. Can anyone here help me out with who they may be?

Expand full comment
ML's avatar

That would be Lindsey! And Sid Blumenthal.

Expand full comment
History Lass's avatar

But will he?

Expand full comment
Jeff Cook-Coyle's avatar

I like our odds.

Expand full comment
History Lass's avatar

Time will tell.

Expand full comment
ML's avatar
Jun 1Edited

Hi HL! Trump is really in a fix of his own making - played by Zel and the DS who plotted this attack for a year and a half! If he was not informed, he’ll be angry and humiliated. If he was informed and consented, which I honestly don’t believe, then things are worse than imagined, and DJT has handlers à la Zhou…

Expand full comment
Mark Wauck's avatar

Yes. Excellent.

Expand full comment
Steghorn21's avatar

I own and fund the needs of my dog. If she attacks my neighbour, I am responsible. As Trump now owns and funds this war, Russia will rightly assume that he has full responsibility for every thing that comes from the Ukrainian side.

Expand full comment
SMH's avatar

21: Man, there you go again, applying common sense and logic to a real world situation and forming a reasonable and coherent analysis of that event! Everyone on this blog knows that common sense and logic have no place in the world that these idiots inhabit, it’s all fantasy and hopey, wishy nonsense that normal humans dismiss as a load of rubbish. We are ruled by madmen who have a death wish and a penchant for trying to pass off patently irrational behavior as 3d chess! Well, as Jack Nicholson once said in “As Good As it Gets”, “move it along cause we ain’t buying that brand of crazy today”!

Nobody told me that those who are responsible for creating these “interesting times” also happen to be totally nuts. Hard to see how they don’t get us all killed.

Expand full comment