Posts From The Saker

Personal announcement – I will try to take a few days off

Dear friends,I am frankly exhausted by the last few days in which I have used all my (so-called) “free time” to parse through the immense stream of often contradictory information coming out of the Ukraine while trying to make sense of it all.  I really would need a few days to take care of personal and family issues which I have neglected.  So for the next couple of days, and

Deconstructing Yanukovich’s treason (and Yulia on her way to freedom!)

So it is done. Yanukovich has fully capitulated. He has signed a deal with the insurgents which, according to the BBC, includes the following provisions: The 2004 constitution will be restored within 48 hours, and a national unity government will be formed within 10 days Constitutional reform balancing the powers of president, government and parliament will be started immediately and completed by September A presidential election will be held after

High level consultations between Russia and Crimea while Kharkov authorities prepare for the worst

Russian news sources are reporting the President Putin has chaired a meeting of the Security Council of Russia, the highest national security advisory board to the Russian President tasked with coordinating national security policies.  The SCR heard a report by the Chairman of the State Duma, Sergei Naryshkin, and the Chairwoman of the Federation Council, Valentina Matvienko, about their consultations with Vladimir Konstantinov, the Chairman of the Supreme Council of

Justice “European style” or how EU politicians have lost any sense of self-respect

The EU is really terminally degenerate.  These two pearls come off the BBC website at the same time: EU imposes Ukraine sanctions after deadly Kiev clashes (which the EU blames entirely on the government, nevermind that 13 unarmed cops were murdered by sniper fire overnight) Germany arrests three suspected Auschwitz guards (the three arrested men are 88, 92 and 94 and had therefore to be brought to a prison hospital)

First evidence of assault-rifle and sniper rifles use by government forces

This is probably yet another case of way too little and way too late, but I suppose that this is better than nothing. It is, however, still pathetic that it took 13 dead policemen killed by opposition snipers to finally convince the regime to deploy counter-sniper teams. Let’s hope that Yanukovich will not condemn these guys tomorrow morning and blame the violence on them (like he did with the Berkut

Kiev: 13 policemen killed by sniper fire

According to the very latest news, 13 policemen have been killed by sniper fire.  The insurgents are storming the Parliament which is being evacuated.  The Internal Ministry has announced that the police forces will be allowed to use firearms to defend their lives.In Kiev stores and office buildings are being looted and set on fire.In the meantime in Lvov and Zhitomir the local government offices have been stormed and take

Speech delivered by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah marking the anniversary of the Martyr Leaders on Sunday February 16, 2014.

I take refuge in Allah from the stoned devil. In the Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Most Merciful. Peace be on the Seal of prophets, our Master and Prophet, Abi Al Qassem Mohammad and on his chaste and pure Household and on his chosen companions and on all messengers and prophets. Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings. First, I salute the souls of the Martyr Leaders

A short follow-up to my post about the urban armed insurrection in Kiev

I have just finished watching a very interesting panel discussion on the First Russian TV channel about the events in the Ukraine.  The participants were a rather diverse mix of Russian and Ukrainian experts, all very strongly opposed to the nationalist insurgents but otherwise with a wide spectrum of opinions.  The majority of the panelists, both from Russia and the Ukraine, were extremely critical of Yanukovich whom they blamed for

Yanukovich backs down. Again.

Sure enough.  Yanukovich has backed down.  Again. RT reports: Ukraine’s president, opposition agree to a truce. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich and opposition leaders agreed to a truce following a meeting which focused on how to end the crisis in Ukraine peacefully, the president’s press office confirmed. “Following the meeting, the parties announced: 1. Truce 2. The start of negotiations to end the bloodshed, to stabilize the situation in the country,

Dealing with an urban armed insurrection: back to basics

Written for the Asia Times As the dramatic events in the Ukraine are unfolding the topic of what President Yanukovich can, or can not do, regularly comes up and I think that this is a good time to go back to basics and look at what a government – any government, regardless of its political orientation – can and even must do when confronted with an urban armed insurrection.First, a

And now, a short message from the “Ukrainian Europeans”

This pearl from the BBC and “Radio Liberty”: Ukraine’s “We are Europeans” movement urges the country’s Olympians at the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, to stop competing to show solidarity with the protesters, Radio Liberty reports. Nine policeman are killed, all of them by gunshots, and the “Ukrainian Europeans” want the athletes to disrupt the Games in Russia in solidarity with the gunmen who killed the cops.You got to admire

Armed insurrection in Kiev. The Empire blames Yanukovich

A full scale armed insurrection seems to be taking place in the center of Kiev.  RT reports 7 dead policemen, 11 dead civilians.  135 cops have been hospitalized, 35 are in critical condition.  A total of 221 people have sought medical attention, 114 of them were hospitalized.  The offices of the Regions Party of Yanukovich have been torched.  The opposition leaders are demanding a constitutional change and Yanukovich’s departure.  Communist

Russian military to have special command for Arctic operations

RT reports:Russia is creating a new command for the armed forces to defend Russia’s strategic interests in the Arctic region, based on the present Northern Fleet Navy division and include various existing Arctic-based military units as well as new formations.The HQ will be named the Northern Fleet – Joint Strategic Command, and its main task will be to defend Russia’s national interest in the Arctic, the Itar-Tass news agency reported

Creeping Fascism or maybe it’s just me… (Saker rant)

Alexander Solzhenitsyn used to say that a single teaspoon of sea water can give you the taste of the ocean.  This morning, I had a taste of a teaspoon of what I would call creeping Fascism, and I would like to share this experience with you.My wife has a business which requires her to go and see people at their homes.  I drive her to the needed address and wait

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