Russian SMO Preceding As Planned

There’s no ambiguity about who’s winning and losing in Ukraine.

Russia’s special military operation (SMO) is effectively taking care of business — to demilitarize and deNazify Ukraine.

The scourge of US-created Nazism infesting central Europe masquerades as a nation-state.

Since Russia’s SMO began on Feb. 24, over 23,000 Ukrainian army conscripts, Nazified fighters and mercenaries were killed.

Many more were wounded and out of action.

Thousands more were taken prisoner according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.

To date, the Ministry reported the following toll of Russia’s SMO on Ukraine, numbers below increasing daily:

A total of “141 aircraft, 110 helicopters, 538 unmanned aerial vehicles, 261 surface-to-air missile systems, 2,471 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 274 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,075 field artillery guns and mortars and 2,311 special military motor vehicles” were destroyed.

In the last 24 hours, Russian forces “struck 58 Ukrainian military sites, including four command posts, three fuel storage facilities, and 51 areas of the amassment of Ukrainian manpower and military hardware.”

Russian “missile and artillery troops accomplished 1,285 fire tasks throughout the night, eliminating 9 fuel depots and 37 command posts.”

“They struck 1,221 strongholds and areas of amassed enemy manpower and military hardware.”

“A strike by Kalibr long-range precision missiles eliminated up to a battalion of the enemy personnel with armaments and military hardware at the Meliorativnoye railway station.”

“Throughout the night, air-launched precision missiles of the Russian Aerospace Forces struck three Ukrainian military sites.” 

“A Ukrainian S-300 surface-to-air missile system was wiped out near the community of Novosyolka.”

Russian forces captured a large weapons and ammo depot in Ukraine’s Kharkov region — reportedly with thousands of tons of munitions.

Separately, pro-Western imperial tool Antonio Guterres will visit Kiev next week — to show support for the US-controlled, Nazi-infested regime.

He’ll also visit Moscow — in support of US/Western interests.

Deceptively calling for a 4-day humanitarian pause days earlier, his aim was to give battered and beaten Ukrainian forces time to regroup before resumption of conflict.

On Friday, Russia’s Defense Ministry offered Ukrainian Nazified fighters and mercenaries in Mariupol’s steel plant a chance to lay down their arms and surrender any time henceforth, a statement saying:

“At any given moment, Russia is ready to introduce a ceasefire and announce a humanitarian pause in order to stage the evacuation of civilians (if they’re really in the underground structures of the steel plant) and troops of the Ukrainian armed forces and (Nazified) battalions.”

“This humanitarian offer by Russia remains in force 24/7.”

Fighters surrendering will be guaranteed life, sustenance and hospitalized medical treatment for wounds.

Refuseniks face death.

According to the Ministry, Russian forces aided the evacuation from Mariupol of 143,631 Ukrainian civilians, 341 foreign citizens as well as 1,844 Ukrainian military personnel through safe-passage humanitarian corridors.

Phony claims by US/Western regimes, Kiev and their MSM press agents about preventing evacuation from the city to safety by Russian forces were thoroughly debunked.

Does hegemon USA have second thoughts about banning Western imports of Russian oil and gas entirely?

Apparently so based on remarks by Biden regime treasury secretary Yellen, saying:

A total ban would “clearly” raise global oil prices substantially.

Western and other countries would be harmed.

The ban “could actually have very little negative impact on Russia, because although (it) might export less, the price it gets for its exports would go up.”

In a word, banning imports of Russian energy would shoot US/Western countries in the foot while doing little to harm Russia.

Separately after refusing to pay for Russian gas in rubles, did EU bloc regimes have a change of heart?

Russia called for them to open accounts at Gazprombank.

Payments in euros or dollars would be converted by the bank to rubles.

On April 21, the European Commission said it’s “possible” for bloc countries to comply with Russian demands without breaching EU law.

At the same time, an EC spokesperson said “agreed on contracts must be respected.”

And “97% of relevant contracts explicitly stipulate payment in euros or dollars.” 

“Companies with such contracts should not accede to Russian demands.”

“The EU will continue to respond in a united manner to this latest attempt by Russia to circumvent our sanctions.”

So which way is it?

Will EU bloc regimes wanting Russian gas pay for them in rubles?

Vladimir Putin should hold firm.

While perhaps giving them a little more time to decide, EU countries unwilling to pay for Russian gas in rubles should be cut off entirely from receiving it.

Despite bans on imports of Russian oil by the US and some European countries, its exports through April to date are about 300,000 barrels a day higher than in March.

They’re going to unnamed countries, along with increased imports of Russian crude by India at a discounted price.

China likely increased its imports of Russian oil and gas as well.

On the front lines of battle, Nightvision cited reports of “entire” Ukrainian units “wiped out” by Russian forces with “hard proof in the form of clear photos and videos,” adding:

Ukraine is “losing thousands of troops a week.”

They’re being killed, wounded and/or taken prisoner.

Ukrainian propaganda likely keeps thousands more troops from surrendering with fake news claims of torture and other abuses in Russian captivity.

It’s rubbish but Ukrainian forces have no other source of information than what the Kiev regime and its military provide.

After two months of Russia’s SMO, Ukrainian forces are increasingly on the back foot as one day segues to the next one.

For Russia, things are coming up roses — while Ukrainian forces are mired in the jaws of defeat.

A Final Comment

After Chilean/American blogger Gonzalo Lira went missing on April 15, it appeared that he was abducted by Ukraine’s Security Bureau (SBU) and eliminated to silence his criticism of the Kiev regime.

He’s alive “in Kharkov…OK (and) back online,” he said via video message, adding:

“I was picked up by the SBU on Friday, April 15.”

Released, he was told that he “cannot leave” the city.

He was also warned to explain nothing about what happened in detention.

While freed from captivity for now, he remains vulnerable to re-arrest and elimination if that’s what the Kiev regime intends ahead.

The same reality faces everyone in Ukraine who speaks candidly about how ruthlessly it operates.