Today Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made an announcement that has not yet been carried in Western media but which is of the most grave nature.
According to the latest intelligence reports, Russia believes that the Ukrainian armed forces now intend to cover their failed counter-offensive in the Donbas by using US-supplied Himars multiple launch artillery and UK-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles, possibly in the longer range domestic version, to attack the Crimea.
If this happens, says Shoigu, Russia will consider both the United States and Britain to have fully entered the war as co-belligerents. And Russia will immediately respond to any such attack on its territory by destroying “the decision making centers” of the Kiev regime. This is a fairly transparent threat to “neutralize” their government apparatus and personnel, logically including President Zelensky.
The statement by Shoigu leaves little doubt that we are entering the final phase of the Ukraine war as a war limited to the geography of Ukraine, and are possibly heading into a wider war with unforeseeable consequences both for Europeans and (finally) for Americans.
The ball is in the court of Washington and London.
©Gilbert Doctorow, 2023
Translations below into French (Youri), German (Andreas Mylaeus), Spanish (Hugo Guido), Italian (Fabio DV) and Brazilian Portuguese (Evandro Menezes)
Le dénouement de la guerre en Ukraine approche à la vitesse de l’éclair
Aujourd’hui, le ministre russe de la défense, Sergei Shoigu, a fait une annonce qui n’a pas encore été relayée par les médias occidentaux, mais qui est de la plus haute importance.
Selon les derniers rapports des services de renseignement, la Russie pense que les forces armées ukrainiennes ont désormais l’intention de couvrir leur contre-offensive ratée dans le Donbass en utilisant l’artillerie à lancement multiple Himars fournie par les États-Unis et les missiles de croisière Storm Shadow fournis par le Royaume-Uni, éventuellement dans la version locale à plus longue portée, pour attaquer la Crimée.
Si cela se produit, a déclaré M. Shoigu, la Russie considérera que les États-Unis et la Grande-Bretagne sont entrés de plein pied dans la guerre en tant que co-belligérants. Et la Russie répondra immédiatement à toute attaque de ce type sur son territoire en détruisant « les centres de décision » du régime de Kiev. Il s’agit d’une menace assez transparente de « neutraliser » l’appareil gouvernemental et son personnel, y compris, logiquement, le président Zelensky.
La déclaration de Shoigu ne laisse guère de doute sur le fait que nous entrons dans la phase finale de la guerre en Ukraine, une guerre limitée à la géographie de l’Ukraine, et que nous nous dirigeons peut-être vers une guerre plus large aux conséquences imprévisibles à la fois pour les Européens et (in fine) pour les Américains.
La balle est dans le camp de Washington et de Londres.
Das Endspiel im Ukraine-Krieg nähert sich mit rasender Geschwindigkeit
Der russische Verteidigungsminister Sergej Schoigu hat heute eine Ankündigung gemacht, die in den westlichen Medien noch nicht verbreitet wurde, die aber von höchstem Ernst ist.
Jüngsten Geheimdienstberichten zufolge geht Russland davon aus, dass die ukrainischen Streitkräfte nun beabsichtigen, ihre gescheiterte Gegenoffensive im Donbass durch den Einsatz von aus den USA gelieferten Himars-Mehrfachraketen und aus dem Vereinigten Königreich gelieferten Storm Shadow-Marschflugkörpern, möglicherweise in der inländischen Version mit größerer Reichweite, zu decken, um die Krim anzugreifen.
Sollte dies geschehen, so Schoigu, werde Russland sowohl die Vereinigten Staaten als auch Großbritannien als vollwertige Mitkriegsbeteiligte betrachten. Und Russland wird auf einen solchen Angriff auf sein Territorium sofort mit der Zerstörung der “Entscheidungszentren” des Kiewer Regimes reagieren. Dies ist eine ziemlich durchsichtige Drohung, ihren Regierungsapparat und ihr Personal zu “neutralisieren”, was logischerweise auch Präsident Zelensky einschließt.
Die Erklärung Schoigus lässt wenig Zweifel daran, dass wir in die Endphase des Ukraine-Kriegs eintreten, der auf die Ukraine beschränkt ist, und möglicherweise auf einen umfassenderen Krieg mit unvorhersehbaren Folgen sowohl für die Europäer als auch (endlich) für die Amerikaner zusteuern.
Der Ball liegt in den Händen von Washington und London.
El final del juego en la guerra de Ucrania se acerca a la velocidad del rayo
Hoy, el ministro de Defensa ruso, Sergei Shoigu, hizo un anuncio que aún no se ha publicado en los medios occidentales, pero que es de la naturaleza más grave.
Según los últimos informes de inteligencia, Rusia cree que las fuerzas armadas ucranianas ahora tienen la intención de cubrir su fallida contraofensiva en el Donbas utilizando artillería de lanzamiento múltiple Himars suministrada por Estados Unidos y misiles de crucero Storm Shadow suministrados por el Reino Unido, posiblemente en la versión doméstica de mayor alcance, para atacar Crimea.
Si esto sucede, dice Shoigu, Rusia considerará que tanto Estados Unidos como Gran Bretaña han entrado plenamente en la guerra como cobeligerantes. Y Rusia responderá inmediatamente a cualquier ataque de este tipo en su territorio destruyendo “los centros de toma de decisiones” del régimen de Kiev. Esta es una amenaza bastante transparente para “neutralizar” su aparato y personal gubernamental, lógicamente incluido el presidente Zelensky.
La declaración de Shoigu deja pocas dudas de que estamos entrando en la fase final de la guerra de Ucrania como una guerra limitada a la geografía de Ucrania, y posiblemente nos dirigimos a una guerra más amplia con consecuencias imprevisibles tanto para los europeos como para (finalmente) para los estadounidenses.
La pelota está en la cancha de Washington y Londres.
L’epilogo della guerra in Ucraina si avvicina alla velocità della luce
Oggi il ministro della Difesa russo Sergei Shoigu ha fatto un annuncio che non è ancora stato riportato dai media occidentali, ma che è di natura gravissima.
Secondo gli ultimi rapporti di intelligence, la Russia ritiene che le forze armate ucraine intendano ora coprire la loro fallita controffensiva nel Donbas utilizzando l’artiglieria a lancio multiplo Himars, fornita dagli Stati Uniti, e i missili da crociera Storm Shadow, forniti dal Regno Unito, forse nella versione nazionale a più lunga gittata, per attaccare la Crimea.
Se ciò dovesse accadere, afferma Shoigu, la Russia considererà sia gli Stati Uniti che la Gran Bretagna come co-belligeranti entrati a pieno titolo in guerra. E la Russia risponderà immediatamente a qualsiasi attacco sul suo territorio distruggendo “i centri decisionali” del regime di Kiev. Si tratta di una minaccia abbastanza trasparente di “neutralizzare” l’apparato governativo e il personale, compreso logicamente il presidente Zelensky.
La dichiarazione di Shoigu lascia pochi dubbi sul fatto che stiamo entrando nella fase finale della guerra in Ucraina, come guerra limitata all’area dell’Ucraina, e che forse ci stiamo dirigendo verso una guerra più ampia con conseguenze imprevedibili sia per gli europei che (finalmente) per gli americani.
La palla è nel campo di Washington e Londra.
Os lances finais da guerra da Ucrânia se aproximam com a velocidade da luz
Hoje, o Ministro da Defesa russo, Sergei Shoigu, fez um pronunciamento que ainda não foi veiculado na mídia ocidental, mas que é da natureza muito séria.
De acordo com os últimos relatórios de inteligência, a Rússia acredita que as forças armadas ucranianas agora pretendem cobrir sua contra-ofensiva fracassada no Donbas usando artilharia de lançadores múltiplos de foguetes HIMARS, fornecidos pelos EUA, e mísseis de cruzeiro Sombra de Tempestade, fornecidos pelo Reino Unido, possivelmente a versão de longo alcance, para atacar a Criméia.
Se isto acontecer, diz Shoigu, a Rússia considerará que os Estados Unidos e a Grã-Bretanha entraram completamente na guerra como co-beligerantes. E a Rússia responderá imediatamente a qualquer ataque deste tipo em seu território destruindo “os centros de tomada de decisão” do regime de Kiev. Esta é uma ameaça bastante clara para “neutralizar” o aparato e pessoal governamentais, incluindo, logicamente, o presidente Zelensky.
A declaração de Shoigu deixa poucas dúvidas de que estamos entrando na fase final da guerra na Ucrânia como uma guerra limitada à geografia da Ucrânia e, possivelmente, caminhando para uma guerra mais ampla, com consequências imprevisíveis tanto para os europeus quanto (finalmente) para os estadunidenses.
A bola está no lado de Washington e Londres.
Gilbert Doctorow 
I feared this would happen. The U.S. simply cannot admit they were wrong and they’ve been lying the whole time. In their view better to lose more lives than admit being outsmarted and outgunned by the Russians.
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The U.S. simply must admit they were wrong and they’ve been lying the whole time.
Same thing for their NATO allies. They must admit that they sinned mightily before God and mankind and make amends if that is possible.
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I agree. And I sure hope they do.
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Am not persuaded that the war will necessarily go beyond Ukraine borders. As you write above, their response to the latest escalation of commitment by the West will be to take out decision centers in Kiev, not Krakow or London. As long as the West keeps confronting RF at her borders, RF is content to keep grinding down men and material whilst having ample and ready supplies of the same.
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It is interesting but I have been expecting it. A mixture of (Russian) red lines being crossed with little response and sheer desperation, stupidity and callousness of western ‘elites’ was always going to take us in this direction. The positives (if there are such) is that Russia would not say this if it were not ready for it. Note Lavrov saying yesterday words to the effect of ‘it seems that the West wants war, well we are ready’. The ball being in the court of the deluded idiots in London and Washington gives me little hope it can be avoided. Maybe washington wants rid of current Ukrop elites in order to pave way for a ‘face saving’ peace of sorts. Let Russia do it for them?
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The first World War happened and there are still books being written to explain it.
The same for the second one. They just came about and certainly rational human beings would not have wanted a second one. After the first one, lots of artists, authors and philosophers protested and we still cherish the valuable works they made, but they were made in vain.
The tendency to wage war is ingrained in the human race and as a small avalanche it rapidly becomes a bigger one. And it really could become a WOIII, not just an European war, what with Biden now insulting Xi, saying a lot about his total disregard for peace and diplomacy. Or Australia doing its little bit in sending its “neighbour” Ukraine fighter jets.
We can but hope the next war will not be “all out”: wasn’t it Einstein who said that the 4th World War would be fought with sticks and stones?
It is said the victor writes the history. No, the ones who financed the wars pay someone to write it, there’s a subtle difference. What now are NATO countries will never admit their previous sins and the Russians and Chinese understand this very well.
I fear: there we go again…
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Aren’t the decision centers Washington and London?
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“The statement by Shoigu leaves little doubt that we are entering the final phase of the Ukraine war as a war limited to the geography of Ukraine, and are possibly heading into a wider war with unforeseeable consequences both for Europeans and (finally) for Americans.”
This is deduction. Maybe others!
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