Ogee wrote: Thu Jun 22, 2023 3:48 pm

Ukraine Could Be Forced to Compromise
With support for the war against Russia waning in the U.S., the counteroffensive may define a new border.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-co ... e-408e67f9

Ukraine may be ‘pausing counteroffensive’, says Institute for the Study of War

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/uk ... r-AA1cJdQ3



Ursula, will Russia get half once they own 50% of Ukraine?



The EU will cover 45% of Kiev's needs in financing the country's reconstruction until 2027

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the deficit in the Ukrainian tax system will amount to 110 billion euros until 2027.



Mats Nilsson
@mazzenilsson
End game in the Ukraine war approaches?

Today Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made an announcement that has not yet been carried in Western media but which is of the most grave nature.

According to the latest intelligence reports, Russia believes that the Ukrainian armed forces now intend to cover their failed counter-offensive in the Donbas by using US-supplied Himars multiple launch artillery and UK-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles, possibly in the longer range domestic version, to attack the Crimea.

If this happens, says Shoigu, Russia will consider both the United States and Britain to have fully entered the war as co-belligerents. And Russia will immediately respond to any such attack on its territory by destroying “the decision making centers” of the Kiev regime. This is a fairly transparent threat to “neutralize” their government apparatus and personnel, logically including President Zelensky.

The statement by Shoigu leaves little doubt that we are entering the final phase of the Ukraine war as a war limited to the geography of Ukraine, and are possibly heading into a wider war with unforeseeable consequences both for Europeans and (finally) for the Americans.

OH ...

After a break, Ukraine is again attacking Russia's control critical infrastructure. Last night, a series of attacks were carried out on the bridges connecting the Kherson region and Crimea using UK supplied Shadow Storm missiles.


The Wall Street Journal @WSJ
34m
Ukraine struck a bridge that plays a key role in supplying Russia’s front-line troops in the south, in a major attack that threatens to undermine Moscow’s hold in the area

Ogee wrote: Thu Jun 22, 2023 3:18 pm you are saying no country import/export report's are true so wonder why all these organisations even bother

No. Just saying in this case it's almost impossible. Russia doesn't want anyone to know, the ones that buy don't want anyone to know. And the West has no any to actually know and has all incentive to say it's lower.

As to motivations, Russia is selling to whoever it can, some are reselling to the EU, some don't want any trouble but still want the oil, so telling the exact numbers is i no ones interest. Most of it is also out of the normal banking system and the dollar.
And the West wants to tell everyone it's going bad even if it isn't.

Forexlearner wrote: Thu Jun 22, 2023 6:45 pm No. Just saying in this case it's almost impossible. Russia doesn't want anyone to know, the ones that buy don't want anyone to know. And the West has no any to actually know and has all incentive to say it's lower.

As to motivations, Russia is selling to whoever it can, some are reselling to the EU, some don't want any trouble but still want the oil, so telling the exact numbers is i no ones interest. Most of it is also out of the normal banking system and the dollar.
And the West wants to tell everyone it's going bad even if it isn't.

And Russia wants to tell everyone it's good, even if it isnt xD

Gethsemane wrote: Thu Jun 22, 2023 7:10 pm And Russia wants to tell everyone it's good, even if it isnt xD

i don't think so. I'm sure Putin would like it for bragging rights, it would be nice. But it's better to offload to the buyers and avoiding sanctions problems. It's all about what pros and cons.

Anyway, if that was right Putin would just say they are making more money then ever, and that's not the case, they themselves said they are making less money. Not like Putin has any problems with lying

Just want to add that the BRICS nations have established the "New Development Bank" with a capital of 100 Billion USD as a rival to the IMF. That's sour grapes of course and thus one can only expect negative propaganda from the IMF side.
Logically, with the sanction maniacs trying to hurt their economy, they won't disclose their sales and rather make the West believe that those sanctions really hurt them. At the same time they have been working successfully to establish alternative business channels. And with a long line of countries wanting to join the BRICS (including the Saudis), there are open doors to access a vast market with USD and payment transaction channels independence.

And frankly, with a debt / GDP ratio of 2.3% any Western country would be bragging 24/7.
Thus I would not worry about Russia. Of course I understand that Western propaganda needs to score some points.
One can even argue that Russia got only natural resources to sell. Well, then look at the USA. 75% of their GDP comes from service. So what have they got to sell......Weapons, Oil, Gas retrieved with fracking and environmental destruction....
And the United States recorded a staggering Government Debt to GDP of 129 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2022. Which does not seem to worry anyone, including demented Joe.

At night, hypersonic Kinzhals and Kh-22s hit Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine could not shoot down a single missile
The official statement of the Air Force of Ukraine on the results of the night attack of the Russian Aerospace Forces has been released.
From the Tu-22m3 bombers from the Sea of Azov, the enemy launched 3 Kh-22 cruise missiles, from the MiG-31K - 3 Kh-47 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles. Also, launches of 4 Iranian "Shaheds" were recorded - 3 UAVs were shot down by air defense.

Now russia is counterattacking, not looking to well either