Its quite interesting how reporting on Ukraine changed of late, no more wining, freedom fries , the bulwark of the free world, ever more articles in MSM criticizing Ukrainian leadership in all venues from corruption to managing the war.
Before the Russian invasion, CIA reports linked Zelensky to an oligarch so dirty and so mired in “significant corruption” that the State Department banned him from entering the U.S.Then propaganda portrayed Zelensky as nobler than Winston Churchill and saintlier than Mother Theresa.
Will the Real Volodymyr Zelensky Please Stand Up
Remember when Sen.Rand wanted supervision over bags of cash and everyone was upset over it . Now that money is doled out we can start with 'concerns'
Since the start of the war with Russia, the Biden administration has mostly ignored Ukraine's corruption history. Questions resurfaced about its suitability as a recipient of massive infusions of aid.
www.npr.org
Ukraine is “less united, more factionalized, more corrupt, and more penetrated by Russian intelligence than we would like to think,” according to one expert.
responsiblestatecraft.org
Before the Russian invasion, CIA reports linked him to an oligarch so dirty and so mired in “significant corruption” that the State Department banned him from entering the U.S. But now CIA propaganda portrays Zelensky as nobler than Winston Churchill and saintlier than Mother Theresa. Will the...
covertactionmagazine.com
The inspector of the army, Lieutenant General Alfons Mais, gave an interview to the Handelsblatt.
The inspector of the army is happy about the 100billion special fund for the Bundeswehr, but he also urges caution. It will be a while before the money for projects is approved and is reflected in reality in better armaments and more personnel.
He continues: “Even if the money is there now, the question remains how quickly Parliament will approve the specific projects and how quickly the industry can deliver. Germany is not the only customer, the armed forces are currently being better equipped throughout Europe. It would be worth the sweat of the nobles to sit down and see who is actually doing what and who is going first.. But of course, that's not easy, because all nations understandably also have their own needs in mind. This approach is therefore still a very ambitious project.”
You have to reckon with a period of five to eight years until the Bundeswehr is fully operational again. The state of the Bundeswehr is not particularly good at the moment, and the aid to Ukraine is weakening its ability to defend itself. In addition, the Bundeswehr must be operational enough to be able to react quickly on the eastern flank - especially in Lithuania.
The Bundeswehr inspector general also confirms that Russia is making progress in the Ukraine war. “After Russia failed in the first phase and was unable to take Kyiv, it has been regrouping its troops since the end of March, massing them in a smaller area and refocusing the offensive. With its artillery superiority, the Russian army is apparently working its way forward kilometer by kilometer. This is a war of attrition and attrition that will raise the question of how long Ukraine can hold out. I'm not only talking about material, but also about the personnel.” The inspector is surprised at the brutality of the war.
He says: "It is evident that the assumptions were wrong about how future warfare will develop. We see no cyberwar and no surgical, high-tech dominated, 'clean' war. A dirty land war is raging in Ukraine, including with brutal attacks against civilians, which I did not think we would have to experience again in Europe.”
Russia started the war naively, and the attack on Kyiv was a disaster. Nevertheless: “But I warn against underestimating Russia. Armies that have sailed close to defeat learn the fastest.” Since the country is an autocracy, the losses suffered by the Russian army do not matter much. “Of course, the armed forces there are learning from the experience of the Ukraine war. The Russian army is getting stronger. And Russia has resources that are almost inexhaustible. In an autocratic system, the casualty rate among your own soldiers doesn't seem to matter. The media have been brought into line, and public support is evidently still high. That would probably not be conceivable for us.”