The Death Of Daria Dugina

Russia closes off sections of their skies between 22-25 August

Today has been a day of playing mind games in this war—you have Russia trying to save face and coming up with plots and plans, while Ukraine is rooting out all the traitors, defending the land and taking back what is theirs, and making life uncomfortable for the Russians in Crimea. Meanwhile, we have the UN watching their grain shipments, NATO sitting there, hoping that they don’t have to go to war, Turkey playing both sides of the war, while China sits in wait, wanting to act but are preparing for the right time.

The death of Daria Dugina, who was the daughter of Alexander Dugin normally wouldn’t have hit headlines because who are they? Alexander Dugin is a prominent nationalist in Russia, whose writings are said to have inspired Putin, and his work led to the invasion and annexation of Crimea. The US had imposed sanctions against him since 2015, and Daria had sanctions imposed against her earlier this year by the US and UK for spreading disinformation as a Russian journalist.

Why is this perhaps a trigger moment in this war? Daria was killed by a car bomb, and it appears it was intended for her father who had travelled with her to an event, but who decided to travel separately when they left. The Russians have already decided that the Ukrainians were responsible, while the Ukrainians have denied any involvement. How does this affect the situation? The Russians are looking for any reason to ‘attack’ to justify their actions, and have said if there is any Ukrainian link it will be considered state terrorism.

Let us look at what Ukraine would gain from the death of either father or daughter—the truth is that Ukraine would not benefit much at all, plus they are being careful not to poke the bear. The Ukrainians are far too busy taking back Crimea to plot something like this. However, Russia has been known to stage false flag incidents, and Daria could be a sacrificial lamb for the ‘greater good’. Who knows if the Russians will set the Ukrainians up for this, and then it will make them look like ‘victims’ internationally to the countries who are sitting on the fence. In short, it is similar to a ‘suicide bomber’ who sacrifices themselves for a cause they have been brainwashed into supporting.

This could be the event that escalates the war, and it comes at a time when the Zaporizhzia nuclear power plant will be inspected by the UN. At the same time, all the staff at the power plant have been told not to turn up to work, and the airspace in Belgorod, Lipetsk, and Voronezh are to be closed between 22-25 August 2022. What can that mean? That Russia might be planning a large attack and they don’t want their aircraft to get harmed? 24 August is also the 31st Independence Day for Ukraine, and it should be a day of celebration, yet the world is bracing itself for some Russian stunt that will be bloody. We all hope to be wrong, or that any such plan fails.

Day 179 (21 August)

• Daria Dugina, the daughter of a prominent Putin ally, Alexander Dugin, was killed by a car bomb as she left an event with her father last night near Moscow. Her father had decided last minute to travel separately and he watched her vehicle explode. The Russians are blaming Ukraine despite there being no evidence, and Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack. Russian propaganda is claiming that Russia must retaliate and are using the incident to further their narrative of justifying the war.

  

  Ukraine has absolutely nothing to do with this, because we are not a criminal state like Russia ora terrorist one at that. (Mykhailo Podolyak for Ukraine)

  

  Dugina had been an outspoken journalist who supported the war and who spread disinformation. This led to her having sanctions imposed against her by the US and the UK. She expressed pride at being sanctioned.

• The Russians have attacked another civilian area, in Voznesensk, which is also near a nuclear power station. The Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear power plant is the second largest in Ukraine and appears to be a new target.

• Kharkiv is still being targeted and more than 100 people have been killed in Andriivka.

• In Albania, two Russians and a Ukrainian were caught attempting to break into an arms factory, and are being detained under suspicion of espionage .

• There have been more explosions in Crimea, in Holland Bay (Sevastopol), Laspinskaya Bay, and Alupka. More Russians are leaving Crimea as the explosions continue in the occupied region.

  

• Austria has summoned the Russian Ambassador, Mikhail Ulyanov over his recent remarks on Twitter ‘No mercy to the Ukrainian population’. The tweet was deleted, but remains online as an archived post.

  

• Ukrainian hackers managed to replace some Russian propaganda with Zelenskyy’s speech!

  

• The Ukrainian troops have destroyed a command post in the south of Kherson. The region is under threat of being annexed, and the troops need to move swiftly to retake the city.

  

• Also in Kherson, a Ukrainian monument has been destroyed and replaced with one of Lenin. This is Russia trying to wipe out all traces of anything Ukrainian.

  

• The airspace in Belgorod, Lipetsk, and Voronezh are to be closed between 22-25 August 2022. That does not bode well, as that usually signifies some attack and for people to keep the area clear.

  

• Staff who have been running the Zaporizhzia nuclear power plant have been told not to turn up to work. Again, that is not a good sign as it means that the Russians are planning something and they don’t want any Ukrainians to know about it.

  

• Concerns over what Russia will do on Independence Day (24 August) are growing and a 36 hour curfew has been scheduled in Kharkiv from 7pm on 23 August. Other regions will probably follow suit.

  

• Russians are getting war fatigue, and are struggling to set up new battalions as there are not enough volunteers. Only 30 signed up for one when 180 are needed as a minimum. A Russian soldier has penned a memoir on the war so far and has had to go into hiding. We hear stories of soldiers who refuse to serve and who have tried to resign. Although we say ‘the Russians’ this is Putin’s war, and not all Russians support the war but are too afraid to speak out as they know they will be killed or will ‘disappear’ overnight.

  

• In Crimea, a the Nakhimov military school has reports of an explosion. Saky has reports or more explosions and also in Yevpatoria.