After the Ukrainian attack on Kursk rumours of possible talks and peace have disappeared
Recent statements by Putin and Zelensky rule out any possibility of negotiations, while the Outlaw US Empire is considering replacing Zelensky, according to Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
On 14th June 2024 Putin openly spoke, for the umpteenth time, of negotiations, taking as his starting point the Istanbul accords blown up by UK and the Outlaw US Empire. He was supported by the peace plan proposed by China, which had gained good international support, especially after the flop that was expected for the sham peace conference organised by the West in Switzerland.
On that occasion, albeit in a sterile manner, even in the West a mini-debate was initiated about possible negotiations with Russia. It was too dangerous, however, for those who love war to attend a debate on Putin's proposals for two simple reasons: firstly because it meant that the conditions were being dictated by the Kremlin (obviously, the conditions have always been dictated by those who win in the field) and secondly because the time had not yet come to put an end to the proxy war for the Outlaw US Empire.
Basically, it was necessary to return to a tense point where any kind of diplomacy could be pushed aside, not least because the prisoner exchange that took place with both the US and Ukraine had shattered the Western propagandist narrative of “with Putin you do not negotiate because he does not want to negotiate”. Something quite egregious was needed to scupper any small glimmer of negotiation and, strangely enough, here it came: Zelensky's sortie to Russia. An action that made no sense from either a military or strategic point of view. But a sortie that, quite rightly, embarrasses the Kremlin both in the eyes of the world and in the eyes of the Russian population itself, and therefore it needs to be turned off as soon as possible.
And this is what Russia is doing because militarily it has the strength, time and patience to do so. Yesterday, 12th August 2024, Putin pronounced heavy words and, for the first time since February 2022, declared that he is unwilling to negotiate, at least until they settle the issue in the Kursk Region (emphasis added by Karl Sanchez):
It is now clear why the Kiev regime refused our proposals to return to the peace settlement plan, as well as to the proposals of interested and neutral mediators. Apparently, the enemy is using its Western masters to fulfil their will, and the West is at war with us through the hands of the Ukrainians. So, apparently, the enemy is trying to improve its negotiating positions in the future. But what kind of negotiations can we even talk about with people who indiscriminately strike at civilians, civilian infrastructure, or try to create threats to nuclear power facilities? What can you even talk about with them?
(For more context I refer you to by Karl Sanchez’s article in the link below, with the full transcript of the first 20 minutes of the Expanded Security Council Meeting of the Russian Federation).
And earlier this evening Dmitry Polyansky, Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), stated the following (emphasis mine in the text below) during an informal meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on crimes committed by the Ukrainian military and nationalist battalions:
The Zelensky regime launched on these days an adventurous attack into the Russian Kursk region. This is by the way the best rebuff to all our international partners who were claiming that the Kiev regime inclined towards a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis. The response has been given and is a clear choice in favour of escalation and military action. Don't tell us afterwards that we didn't warn you about this!
He concluded thusly, as reported by TASS in this article (emphasis mine):
To conclude my remarks on the ongoing Ukrainian aggression against Kursk, I must note that those who hoped that this barbaric attack would breed discord among Russians and scare them were making a fatal mistake. This crime has only united our society and showed the true face of our enemy, who deserves nothing but total defeat and unconditional surrender.
At the same time, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, released the following statement on her Telegram channel:
Zelensky and his associates must not sleep well these days. They cannot but realise that they have gone too far and caused the anger and rage of the entire Russian society. And this is already a serious factor! This does not happen often, but it always leads to the ignominious collapse of any of our adversaries, especially if in the frenzy of self-assertive propaganda he forgets about the lessons of history.
Why, pray tell, were formations of thugs sent to the Kursk region? For what purpose? To frighten Russia, the ordinary inhabitants of this region, to snatch a piece of territory from us? These actions are contrary to common political sense and portend the imminent fall of a regime that has become arrogant in its own ambitions.
The Western patrons of the current government in Kyiv apparently refuse to realise what is happening.
And that is a pity!
To answer Maria Zakharova’s questions, here is a statement from a Ukrainian top official, as reported two days ago by The Moscow Times (an online newspaper headquartered in Amsterdam since 2022 and designated as a foreign agent by the Russian Ministry of Justice since 2023):
The aim is to stretch the positions of the enemy, to inflict maximum losses and to destabilise the situation in Russia as they are unable to protect their own border.
…and here is another statement from the Ukrainian foreign ministry’s spokesman earlier today:
Unlike Russia, Ukraine does not need other people’s property. Ukraine is not interested in taking the territory of the Kursk region, but we want to protect the lives of our people.
…as reported by The Guardian, which oddly resurrected its “Ukraine war live”, as they call it, after ~2 weeks of silence, meaning that the British intelligence agency, the MI6, may be up to no good.
On the other side, yesterday the Ukrainian President (de facto, but not de iure) declared that the events in Kursk would determine the end for Putin:
24 years ago there was the ‘Kursk’ disaster [referring to the submarine accident on 12th August 2000]. A symbolic beginning of his rule. And now we can see what is the finale for him. And also Kursk. The disaster of his war.
Zelensky is at the eleventh hour, though. As reported by TASS, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued the following statements earlier today (all emphasis mine):
Zelensky is taking reckless steps that threaten to escalate tensions far beyond Ukraine. The Kiev regime’s head has turned to frantic actions as he is mostly concerned with retaining power in a situation where his presidential term expired on May 20. That said, Washington is looking into options to replace the Ukrainian leader with someone who is more manageable and less corrupt and would suit all of Ukraine’s Western allies.
Former Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov is currently considered an appropriate candidate. The Americans view Avakov’s close relations with Ukrainian nationalist formations and his persisting ties to the leaders of European countries as his strengths.
The US administration has already instructed its affiliated NGOs [Non-Governmental Organizations] to create a scenario of Avakov coming to power in Ukraine.
The issue is under discussion with the leaders of Ukraine's main opposition parties, Yulia Timoshenko from Batkivshchina and Pyotr Poroshenko from European Solidarity, as well as with a number of influential members of the Verkhovna Rada [the Ukrainian Parliament] who represent the ruling Servant of the People party. There are plans to launch a major information campaign to discredit Zelensky in order to make him step down.
It seems that while the Americans are looking for a black cat in a dark room, that is, for a sane politician in the post-Maidan Ukrainian leadership, Ukraine is slowly but surely turning into the black hole of Europe. The only real basis for talks remains unchanged as it has been repeatedly clarified by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The only question is whether there is going to be any subject for talks.
In the meantime, after the initial surprise attack on the Ukrainian side, the perimeter of the front has now fairly stabilised, although violent battles persist. In some areas, the Kiev army is attempting to further infiltrate Russian villages, in others it is Moscow's fighters that are pressing the Ukrainian defences. If videos of Russian soldiers captured by Ukrainians appeared on the web on the first days of the new offensive, this phenomenon is now happening more and more in reverse.
Also, as reported by Vittorio Rangeloni this morning in one of his latest posts on his Telegram Channel…
The Battle of Kursk is increasingly proving to be a trap for the Kiev army
One of the main problems for Moscow's army in the early days of the Ukrainian invasion of Russian territory proved to be the lack of adequate defensive fortifications. Now this problem is backfiring on the Ukrainian troops, who are forced to hide in the woods. This is often not enough to conceal their equipment and tracks. Russian drones are increasingly observing and striking Ukrainian vehicles, putting the Ukrainian infantry in serious difficulty, which often risks ending up surrounded with no possibility of retreat.
This afternoon Major General Apty Alaudinov, commander of the Akhmat special forces, reported the following on the situation in the Kursk oblast (source: Slavyangrad - emphasis mine):
The situation has been brought under control. Most of the territory where the enemy was located has already been completely sealed off. The settlements where the enemy is located are being cleaned up, they are being knocked out from where they are. All units of the Russian Ministry of Defense have joined in and are engaged in destroying the enemy at a good pace, and the enemy is now suffering losses that it has probably never suffered during the entire period of the Strategic Defense Forces. It is suffering these losses due to his own stupidity.
I love Putin. He won’t be fooled again even one more time .
It would not surprise me US involvement in this fiasco. Why squander a possible treaty ? The Ukrainian forces are currently surrounded, they’re sitting ducks awaiting their fate due to an ill-conceived blunder.