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Wednesday, September 21

Russell Bently's report indicates why Putin is now moving like lightning

Russell "Tex" Bentley's latest interview with Regis Tremblay was on September 19. Russell is beside himself with fury at Russia's government and military in the wake of Ukraine's most recent terrorist attack on Donetsk civilians -- the aftermath which he personally witnessed. 

He stated outright that the Russian government/military leaders have betrayed the people of Donetsk. From his conversation, many if not most residents of Donetsk City and indeed the entire of Donbass agree with him. This seems to be the case even among many Russians in Russia proper. 

The interview is tough listening, but at least Regis didn't post photographs of the civilian massacre that Russell sent him, although Russell might have published them on his Telegram channel.

 Russell Bentley - Situation in Donetsk and in Ukraine (rumble.com)

There is so much fury in his words that I hesitate to argue with any part of what he says but I don't think the Russian retreat from Kharkov was a blunder or Ukranian victory of any substance.  

As to whether it was a blunder for the Russians not to warn the civilians that they had been quietly drawing down forces there for many weeks -- my view is that terrible decisions have to be made in war.  But it is Russell's view that is potentially devastating to the Russian government, and this is very clear from the interview. 

The Russian government must now act by any means necessary to stop the Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk City.  But as The Duran's Alex Christoforou observed the other day, he can always tell when things are going badly for Ukraine's military because they start shelling Donetsk.  This forces the Russian military to withdraw troops from their approach to Bakhmut and redirect them to hunting down and destroying the Ukrainians shelling Donetsk. 

Bakhmut is the key and has been the key; as to why you've only been hearing this only recent days -- again, this is war.  Legally it's a special military operation but it's fought according to the principles of war. One principle is that loose lips sink the ship, and the Russians excel at keeping their mouths shut until it's no longer necessary to do so.

In this Duran video, posted two days ago, Alexander Mercouris again explains the importance of Bakhmut specifically starting around the 14:30 mark although it's also discussed earlier in the conversation:

The real battle is happening in Bakhmut. US searches for second front - YouTube

To return to Russell's diatribe, he told Regis that he no longer believed anything the Russian government said, and he questioned that their military has killed large number of Ukranian troops. The Russians have indeed killed an astonishing number of Ukranian troops.  How many? At least 100,000 although Alex believes that number is an understatement. 

In any case, between KIA and serious casualties, the Ukranian military is on its last legs. That means the USA and its most important NATO allies are actually running the war now.  Were they running it when Ukraine's military targeted and killed civilians in Donetsk the other day?  That is what Regis wanted to know.

The best answer, I think, is that if they didn't pull the trigger, they knowingly facilitated the massacre first by providing Ukraine's military with precise targeting coordinates and second because they have tacitly supported Ukraine's terrorism against Donetsk by not outright ordering their military to cease and desist from attacking obvious civilian targets.  

As to whether the US/EU have known the importance of Bahkmut -- they've known probably since at least as early as April.

I will close by noting first that Russia's announced partial mobilization is indeed happening like lightning.  From Intel Slava Z today:

All mobilization agendas have already been handed to all 300 thousand today. They should appear at the military enlistment offices tomorrow morning from 5:00 to 7: 00.

Second, here is Alexander Mercouris' discussion today about the new mobilization, which I won't have time to listen to until later tonight:

Putin Announces Partial Mobilisation, Additional 300k Russian Troops to Be Sent to Ukraine - YouTube

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