Voting In The Russian Elections Begins
Those in occupied territories in Ukraine are forced to vote
I’m not being pessimistic when I say that I believe a world war is imminent, but I’m being a realist. Perhaps that’s why Macron has changed his approach from appeasement to ‘let’s get ready for war’?
The Russian elections are underway, and it’s no surprise that the occupied territories in Ukraine have been forced to vote. I honestly don’t know why people stayed if they had a chance to leave for surely they can’t have been that stupid to believe Russian occupation would be a bed of roses? There have been reports of attacks on polling stations, voters who didn’t come out had a ballot box come to their house accompanied by armed soldiers. Then of course there has been an urgent UN Security Council meeting on the issue of those in occupied regions being forced to vote. Naturally, the UN and more than 50 countries stated that it was an illegitimate act, but that’s all they can do because no one is stopping Putin.
Children in occupied areas are being brainwashed and told that Ukraine as a country doesn’t exist, and underground Ukrainian schools (online) are being held to educate the children, but is it enough?
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to target oil refineries in Russia, while Russia continues to target residential areas leaving 20 dead in Odesa. However, not all Russians are pro-Kremlin, and three Ukraine based Russian groups have targeted several Russian regions to liberate them from the Kremlin. It is a risky business as they are Russians, attacking other Russians on Russian soil so they aren’t actually invading their own country.
The US still hasn’t passed a bill for further aid, and stalling tactics have been used. The White House are sending $200 million of aid it says through other channels it can use, but it is the $60 billion that Ukraine needs and expected several months ago. Orban of Hungary also paid a visit to Trump, and declared if Trump wins the election, not one penny of US money would go to Ukraine. Whether that is a tactic to win the election or not I’m unsure, but it should make the voters think about who they vote for as the survival of a country depends on their vote.
Nothing much else has changed—Ukraine still doesn’t have enough ammunition, and they say they will rotate the soldiers, but with what army? Russia is churning out 250,000 shells a month which is triple the production that the US and Europe are sending Ukraine, The Baltic states are backing Macron, stating that they are open to sending troops to Ukraine in order to prevent a war spilling out into Europe. It’s hard to watch the world making the same mistakes as before in the 1930s, and the fact that so much money is being invested in making arms and producing ammunition is an indication that many countries believe this war is only getting started and that they need to prepare to do battle.
Day 747 (11 Mar)
In a press conference, Orban of Hungary who has visited Trump in the US (but not Biden) announced that if Trump won the election, then Ukraine would not receive another penny from the US. This gives us a clear idea of Orban’s motives and as a member of NATO, Hungary would be obliged to help defend any NATO country that comes under attack from Russia, but would he stall or carry out the obligation?
Ukraine has fulfilled the four requirements that lead to the EU ascension negotiations. In a move that indicates that Ukraine wishes to aligned with the EU standards, this is good news for Ukraine, but there is a long way to go still, plus the hurdles of Hungary and currently Slovakia.
The Pope’s words on the Ukraine war have not gone down well with Ukraine at all, as the Pope said that Ukraine should be brave to wave the white flag and to negotiate with Russia. Even Stoltenberg for NATO said a white flag is surrender and not a negotiation for peace, and criticisms have also come from Scholz of Germany who stated that Ukraine is defending itself from an aggressor. Japan also expressed disappointment, stating that the future of Ukraine will depend on the Ukrainian people whose will must be respected.
President Putin started this war, and he could end it today, but Ukraine does not have this option. Surrender is not peace. (Stoltenberg).
Zelenskyy and Kuleba of Ukraine have stated that the only flag they wave is the Ukrainian flag.
Russian murderers and torturers are not moving further into Europe only because they have been held back by Ukrainians with weapons in their hands and under the blue and yellow flag. (Zelenskyy)\
Ukraine cannot raise the white flag because it is a matter of life and death. (Andriy Yurash ambassador to the Vatican).
The Vatican envoy, Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Visvaldas Kulbokas was summoned by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry over Pope Francis’s comments that Ukraine should not be ashamed to negotiate with Russia.
Russia, China and Iran are to hold joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Oman, and while it is not the first time, it does send a message as to what side China and Iran support despite China claiming it supports peace.
Zelenskyy addressed Macron’s comments about French or other troops in Ukraine, stating as long as Ukraine troops hold, French troops can stay in France. However, the reality is how long can the Ukrainian troops last with no signs of new soldiers being recruited after mobilisation failed and many of the able men have fled and won’t return to fight?
Ukraine is building 2,000 km of fortifications as lines of defence. This means that they expect the Russians to invade further into Ukraine, but they still need weapons.
Day 748 (12 Mar)
The US announces a $300 million aid package to Ukraine which has been diverted from other funds such as credits refunded to the Pentagon for other purchases. The $60 billion bill has still not been voted on or passed. While the White House are keen to show they support Ukraine, this highlights the inadequacies of Congress where bills get stuck when a member of Congress opposes things to get what they want
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Three Ukraine based Russian anti-Kremlin groups have ‘raided’ several Russian cities and towns. The Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL) and Siberian Battalion (SB) raided areas in Belgorod and (Tyotkino) Kursk and posted videos of the attacks. The other group, the Russian Volunteer Corps, was also in action, as the groups are Russian, they are not invading the country but say that they are trying to liberate Russia from the Kremlin. Reports claim that Russian soldiers fled and abandoned their military equipment.
The SBU has uncovered a disinformation organisation that was linked to the Moscow-Ukrainian church, but posting propaganda on the church website.
Russia claims to have captured the village of Nevelske in Donetsk. This would then allow them to capture other cities, and this is a consequence of the halting of US aid, and Ukraine having insufficient weapons and soldiers.
Russian lawmakers have proposed a bill claiming that Crimea had been illegally handed over to Ukraine in 1954, in an attempt to retain Crimea in the event of the region being liberated by Ukraine.
A Russian tanker, the Mechanic Pogodin that was used as a surveillance post near the Kinburn spit has been destroyed by Ukrainian drones.
Putin delivers more ‘threats’ in interviews stating that Russia is ready for a nuclear confrontation if necessary. In retaliation for Sweden and Finland joining NATO, that he has said was ‘meaningless’ he has stated that Russia may need to deploy more troops along the Finnish border. In other words, he is threatening Finland. In turn, Finland, the Finnish Foreign Minister later backed Macron and said that nothing should be off the table if allied troops need to be on Ukrainian soil to defend Europe if conditions on the battlefield deteriorate.
Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s home town was hit again leaving at least 38 people injured.
Day 749 (13 Mar)
Voting began in Russia, and in the occupied regions of Ukraine. Ballot boxes were brought to homes that had not voted under armed guard in an attempt to force and intimidate people to vote. Russia claims that they are doing this because they care about their safety, so they don’t need to leave home to vote!
Russia also stated that military personnel didn’t have to show ID to vote. Reports claim this is so that extra votes can be counted for the missing or dead soldiers. This is to bulk up the numbers and is a low move, but no one will ever validate a fixed and rigged election.
The SBU has hit oil refineries in Ryazan, Kstovo, and Kirishi, which are among the largest in Russia.
In Belgorod, a drone hit the FSB building causing damage to the front of the building.
In Slovakia, 5,000 people protested against the government’s position on Ukraine, and Rico’s pro-Russian stance. They voted him in, so was there interference in the elections?
The EU has agreed to a reform of the European Peace Facility to provide Ukraine with €5 billion in 2024 to support Ukraine with equipment it needs to defend itself. Hopefully, Ukraine will have measures in place to prevent further corruption that we have seen in military spending.
Day 750 (14 Mar)
Fundamentals of Security and Defence, and Fundamentals of Safe living are part of new Russian school textbook has been produced that encourages children to sign up for the army and that twists the historical facts of Russia and Ukraine and the war. It will also cite the Kremlin’s version for the necessity of the special military operation, going back to the annexation of Crimea and Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014. Other claims include a version that Ukraine and NATO started the war by placing soldiers by the Russian borders when in fact it was 100,000 Russian troops at the Belarus border with Ukraine that carried out military exercises and then attacked for real on 24 February 2022.
Ukraine has begun rotations of the long serving frontline soldiers, however, it is unknown how they will be replaced, and with whom surely any reserves would have already been conscripted? Reports claim that 500,000 will be mobilised to replace the soldiers, but where will these people come from?
Austria has ordered 2 Russian diplomats to leave within the week after declaring them persona no grata for actions incompatible with their diplomatic status.
Two Russian waved white flags and wanted to surrender, but Russian soldiers shot them and threw grenades at them as they made their way to the Ukrainian side.
Pastor Yuriy Klymo in Kupiansk was killed in his church by a FAB-500 bomb as he was finishing the service
Day 751 (15 Mar)
The official voting for the Russian elections begins (15-17 March) and protestors have targeted ballot boxes with dye (to spoil the votes), others have chanted pro-Ukrainian slogans and reports state there have been some petrol bombs at polling stations. Despite all of this, Putin will win another 6 year term.
Latvia is considering deporting 800 Russians who have failed to apply for permanent or temporary residency.
The UN Security Council held a meeting to discuss the illegal organised voting in occupied regions of Ukraine for the Russian elections. The result was nothing more than a statement where more than 56 countries said that the election process was illegal, and condemned the action, yet that won’t stop Russia.
Countries such as the UK, the US and Canada issued statements that Russia had no legitimate basis hold elections on Sovering, Ukrainian territory, that of Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, Crimea, and Zaporizhzhia.
Another missile strike has been aimed at Odessa killing 14 civilians and leaving at least 46 injured, causing damage to homes, a gas pipeline and emergency vehicles
The Weimar Triangle talks were held in Berlin, and comprised of Macron (France), Tusk (Poland), and Scholz (Germany) discussing how to aid Ukraine and to establish a coalition for long range missiles. While Scholz has been opposed to sending Taurus missiles, the German Foreign Minister has been open to a potential swap with the UK for Storm Shadow missiles.
We have one goal: Russia cannot, and must not win.
Peace in Europe requires preparation for war. If Russia wins this war, Europe's credibility will be reduced to zero. If we decided to be weak, if we decided that we would not respond, it would be choosing defeat already.(Macron).
Day 752 (16 Mar)
Greece is to supply Ukraine with 2,00 Zuni rockets, 70 Howitzers, 4 million bullets, and 180,000 tank rockets through a deal with the Czech Republic. As US funding had ended, even with the new funding, it will take time to deliver any military equipment and reports claim that Ukraine only has enough until the end of March to hold off the Russians. The mistake was depend on the US with an unstable Congress during an election year.
The Ukrainian government has approved an official cemetery for soldiers of the war in Hatne, near Kyiv.
Voting in occupied Skadovsk (Kherson) led to an explosion at a polling station and injuring 5 Russian soldiers. The longer it takes to liberate this occupied areas, there will be barely be anything left to save, and Ukraine must admit they do not have sufficient army personnel and weapons to carry out an adequate defence and to oust the Russians.
Latvia is investigating Tatjana Zdanoka, an MEP of being a Russian spy. Reports claim that she had been working for Russia since 2015.
The 10th anniversary of Crimea being illegally annexed by the Russians.
Day 753 (17 Mar)
Grant Shapps was supposed to have visited southern Ukraine the day after missiles killed civilians in Odesa, but his trip was cancelled for security reasons as the Kremlin had found out about his travel plans as revealed today. The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had a close miss on 7 March 2024, and one wonders if Russia is targeting foreign politicians and world leaders?
Kuleba has spoken to Blinken about the stalling of funding in Congress, which means that Ukraine needs that funding to continue. However, that is the flaw in Congress in that it holds the power and not the White House and it is the Speaker of the House of Representatives that is holding up the bill (a right wing Republican). The error it seems is that the US government had no back up plans to help Ukraine if the bill was not passed as previous bills had been passed without issue before. Things are different in an election year, and this is a political decision based on politicians seeking power and positions within the government, and it is costing Ukrainian lives and enables the Russians.
A dozen Russian oil refineries have been hit by Ukrainian drones over the past week, and the most recent was overnight in Krasnodar Krai. The strikes have halted about 12% of oil production which is used to supply the Russian army, and targets their ability to export and profit from oil.
Now that reports indicate Putin has won with 88% of the vote and will retain power for six more years, I too worry there will be an undesirable outcome.