pcr with another update and this one is quite focused. to paraphrase randy newman i think that putin aught to drop the big one now cause they all hate him anyhow;

Update:

Ramzan Kadyrov, the  leader of the province of Chechnya  commands some of Russia’s most feared combat units. He said Russia’s tactics are not working because they are too sluggish.  The West has armed Ukraine with new generation heavy artillery and weapons, while Russia is not using its heavy artillery and weapons such as TOS.  It seems that even when he goes to war, Putin really doesn’t want to use much force.

Now Turkey is saying that it will close Russia’s passage into and out of the Black Sea, another stupid NATO decision that escalates the conflict.

A Wider War Is In Prospect

A nano-second to midnight?

Paul Craig Roberts

It looks like what began as a highly successful Russian military action is being turned into a clown act by the Kremlin civilians who are so anxious to show that Russia means well that they risk  turning the Ukraine intervention into a farce that might end in a wider European conflict.

The Ukraine doesn’t have much of a military, but it has a powerful word that stops the Russian military in its tracks:  negotiation. Zelensky uttered the word, and Putin stopped the invasion.  The Kremlin fell for the trick a second time and sent negotiators to Gomel where Zelensky was again a no-show.  It is a curious situation when it is the country that is winning the war which is so anxious for negotiations. Indeed, neither Lavrov nor Putin can shut up about how willing they are to negotiate.  A person might conclude that Russia is losing the war.  Putin even felt obliged to assure Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that Moscow remains open to talks with Kiev.  As Israel is supporting the Ukrainian Nazis, you would think it would be Israel giving the reassurance.........read more.....