First off: Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is a great holiday, truly great, and it's being imported around the world, simply for the goodwill it inspires.
We hope you had a great Thursday and go on to have a great Thanksgiving weekend.
But do avoid the scam of Black Friday. It's a scam, or was set up as such. All they want you to do is buy buy buy - and you're probably low on disposable income right now, seeing as most of your money is being sent overseas to help a comedian. Enjoy your holiday with the ones you love.
And now onto business. This comes as a bit of a shocker, and it takes a while for it to sink in. But it's good news, so don't fret!
Let's go to the revered “Bernhard” at the famous Moon of Alabama site. Let's check his entry for 23 November.
Ukraine - Lights Out, No Water And Soon No Heat
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/11/ukraine-lights-out-no-water-and-soon-no-heat-.html#more
Ideally all we need to do is send you the link, but let's try to highlight a bit of what "b" has to say.
Earlier today the Russian military shut down the Ukrainian electricity network.
That's it. To the point. Unequivocal. They shut it down. Didn't damage it. They shut it down. If you don't hear from Gonzalo Lira in a while, this can be why. George Eliason on the other hand is officially now in Russia, so he should be OK.
Shut it down. Shut. It. Down. Precision strikes. Not at the people. Oh no. At the infrastructure.
Bernhard:
Previous attacks had limited the distribution capacity to some 50% of demand. Controlled blackouts over several hours per day allowed to give some electricity for a few hours to most parts of the country. The attack today created a much larger problem. Not only were distribution networks attacked but also so the elements that connect Ukraine's electricity production facilities to the distribution network. [sic]
All four nuclear power stations of Ukraine with their 15 reactors are now in shutdown mode.
Now, once again, in boldface so even your uncle gets it.
Kiev along with most other cities of Ukraine no longer has electricity.
And surely there are ramifications, no? We'll get to those in a moment. Bernhard first delves into what's happening in surrounding territories.
Moldavia is likewise effected as it received some 20% of its electricity from Ukraine. When the Ukrainian network shut down, the only local thermal power plant shut down too. It is likely that it can be switched on again but that can be a complicated process.
No electricity. Lights out. The whole country. Gonzalo?
Bernhard:
Limited electricity imports from the European system into Ukraine may still be possible but that electricity would only be available in Ukraine's western cities.
So the predominantly fascist ones. The parts of the country Mr Armageddon may be planning to move on in the coming winter offensive.
It seems even the Bezos Baby can reluctantly admit the truth sometimes.
Before today's attack the Washington Post reported of the difficulties in repairing the network. As we’d explained before, the Russian attacks are hitting the transformers that connect the national 330 kilovolt backbone network.
That backbone is hard to replace, says "b".
As the scope of damage to Ukraine’s energy systems has come into focus in recent days, Ukrainian and Western officials have begun sounding the alarm but are also realising they have limited recourse. Ukraine’s Soviet-era power system cannot be fixed quickly or easily. In some of the worst-hit cities, there is little officials can do other than to urge residents to flee.
As Bernhard points out, repairing this network is out of the question: Russia will simply hit it again with further precision strikes.
Any attempts to repair the network are useless as long as Russia continues to attack it.
So what happens now, Ze? Brandon? Any ideas?
To stop these attacks requires a political solution. Ukraine will have to give up and find some agreement with Russia.
Ah but there's the cruncher - the “rub”, to use Elizabethan English. For the coked-up comedian knows he can't do that. And not only because Bojo told him he can't. But because Yarosh told him what happens if he tries.
He'll be hanging from a lamppost in downtown Kiev.
Sort of a difficult situation, one might say.
Step On It!
But it's not only the electricity in Ukraine that’s done. Ze’s been a nawty boy - he’s been stealing gas.
Russia last week broadened its targets. Oleksiy Chernyshov, chief executive of Ukraine’s state energy company Naftogaz, said in an interview that a “massive rocket attack” hit 10 gas production facilities in the Kharkov and Poltava regions, including Shebelinka, one the largest production and drilling areas.
“Of course, we will do our best now to recover, but this will take time and resources and material,” Chernyshov said. “Time is of the essence”, he added. “Because winter is now.”
The targeting of the gas supply was a critical development, said Victoria Voytsitska, a former member of parliament now working with civil society groups on getting Ukraine the equipment it needs. If Moscow takes out the gas system, she said, cities and villages across the country could become “uninhabitable”.
"Uninhabitable". Think of that word as you enjoy your stuffing. (Hope it's good!) For that's what the entire country of Ukraine has suddenly become. Uninhabitable. No electricity means no head, no InterTubes, no lots of things. No electricity means no running water. Which in turn means toilets don't flush. Need one go on?
To make matters worse, it was found that good old Ze was pirating gas. And so, not unexpectedly, the gas - which comes from Russia too - is to be turned off.
Gazprom says that it has noticed some of the gas intended for Moldova under a contract with the local gas firm is being diverted by Ukraine. If the imbalance in gas transit continues, Gazprom will start reducing gas flows via Ukraine on the morning of November 28.
Ouch. Let's let Bernhard paint the picture.
Without electricity there is no water flowing in the water distribution systems of the cities. Without water, toilets can not be used. Public hygiene will suffer. The Internet in Ukraine is also down.
Are you getting it? More importantly: are Blinken, Brandon, Sullivan, and Austin getting it? (And no, not Santa's reindeer, but the Deep State amateur bullies in the Beltway - are they getting it? Don't get your hopes up.)
Here's a graphic from Netblocks. Sort of an abrupt tapering there...
Bernhard's subtotals.
A country that is becoming 'uninhabitable' has little chance to wage and win a war. When there is no transport, no electricity, no heat, and no communication, everything becomes incredibly difficult.
Ah, yes. Slightly.
There's more in that piece on the latest Ukrainian suicide missions (which will probably be touted as signs of imminent Nazi victory hooray) but let's skip past that - after all, it's Thanksgiving - and instead ask George Carlin to take us two days further back in time.
Ukraine - No Way To Peace Without Further War
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/11/ukraine-no-way-to-peace-without-further-war.html
What Bernhard is doing here is collating pieces from Yves Smith and Gilbert Doctorow, both excellent analysts. Any sign of peace? Remember: Hillary told Brandon to tell Bojo to tell Ze that there can be no peace, and Ze knows he can't budge anyway if he doesn't want that free scenic view of the capital.
Some of the close watchers of the Russia-Ukraine conflict have been talking up the prospects of peace talks. As we’ll discuss shortly, your humble blogger thinks this view is not currently well aligned with reality. Yes, things look to have thawed to the point that the US has backed off of worst-than-the-darkest-days-of-cold-war non-communication with Russia. But while thawing from close to absolute zero to a mere deep freeze is technically warming, it’s still awfully frigid. The two sides have zero bargaining overlap in their positions, which means no basis for discussions.
And no, Ze's not feeling comedian-like.
And one of the biggest impediments to any settlement, other than Russia eventually dictating terms, is the leader the collective West has put on a pedestal: Zelensky, with the additional baggage of his Banderite inner circle.
And that Banderite inner circle of course includes the likes of Yarosh. Lots of Azov Nazis in there too - you know, the amiable souls Adam Schiff took to the beach in Malibu or wherever.
Negotiations are very dangerous for Ze, agreed Medvedev.
“After all, unless he acknowledges the realities of Ukraine’s break-up, it makes no sense to sit down at the [negotiating] table. Once he admits it, he will be bumped off by his own nationalists who are connected with the army top brass, and of whom he is scared out of his wits”, Medvedev said, describing the situation by the chess term ‘Zugzwang’ (in which each move of a player will worsen his/her position).
Bernhard needs to comment.
This scenario also underscores the mess the West is in if it were actually to get serious about wanting to negotiate (per above, my read on the rash of news is they amount to a combination of optics management plus some personal jockeying; there’s no sign Biden, Blinken, Sullivan, or Austin have changed position), they can’t maneuver around the neo-Nazi infestation the US bred. Zelensky will have to resist any peace overtures. If he were killed, the neo-Nazis would blame it on Russia and use it as a pretext for even more radical positions. After all, how much would it cost the US to provide intel and other support for terrorism?
Gilbert Doctorow jumps in.
The fact is that Russian society from top to bottom is very unhappy with the present state of the war – but their discontent is with what they see as the pusillanimity of their own government in not responding more resolutely to Ukrainian provocations.
Opinions on the SMO varied in February. Into two camps. The younger generations didn't like it, the older generations welcomed it. The difference seems to be in how much the generations know of the atrocities of WWII.
The nation's elites are moving with the popular current against Defence Minister Shoigu if not against those still higher in the Kremlin.
So while Putin and Shoigu are trying to show temperance, the Russian people themselves are demanding their country take off the gloves.
Yves:
So I don’t see any alternative other than for Russia to continue on its current path of prostrating Ukraine. And I’m sure the Russians had worked that out a while back and see nothing that suggests it would make sense to change course.
Bernhard concurs.
I agree.
The senseless war will for now continue.
Meanwhile it is freezing here in north Germany which will likely have a very expensive winter.
Because, of course, Bernhard has Scholz, and Scholz has the incomparable Ursula. Einstein's dice have been rolled and they keep coming up craps.
Britain continues to buy Russian oil from third parties while the EU will receive its Russian gas through Azerbaijan. The prices per unit will be much higher than any direct imports from Russia would be. The price differences will enrich a number of middleman at the cost of British and European consumers.
One wonders how long European politicians will be able to justify that charade.
Indeed.
For homework, you might want to look at this latest piece at Moon of Alabama. On how more US taxpayer billions are being squandered to protect an ideology that FDR and Monty and Churchill and Stalin set out to eradicate in WWII.
Just ponder the Alice in Wonderland absurdity of it.
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/11/ukraine-running-on-empty.html
Or where else will your billions go? Let's ask Tucker!
Running on Empty? Wasn't that... Ask the based Grandpa? Note the diminutive jumping fur ball on bass, and do catch a glimpse of Jackson's second percussionist. Who is she? And of course you've noticed Mister Polyester sitting off to the side, the musical director of it all?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving! And thanks from us here. This has been an eventful and very successful year for us. Your response has been overwhelming, beyond all our expectations, and for that we thank you.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving!