For weeks there have been war drones flying into Lithuanian air space. This is one of the drones we found in our back yard, figuratively speaking. None have exploded, but just their sheer presence is enough to bring the war home. Some are Ukrainian drones thrown off course by Russian radio signals. Others are unarmed Russian drones testing military response time. They all enter via Belarus, our malcontent neighbor forever anxious to stir something up. This despite all the overtures the US has shown Belarus in recent months in an effort to get Lukashenko to release political prisoners. Most of these "deals" require Lithuanian compliance in allowing the beleaguered republic to bring its potash to market. Surprisingly, Belarus controls over 20 percent of the global supply.
However, on Wednesday it was different. A "red alert" flashed on both Daina's and my cellphone urging us to seek shelter immediately. There was an incoming drone from Belarus which the defense ministry deemed an imminent threat. One of the young architects in our office is in the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union and she urged us to go to the Art Academy across the street that has an approved bomb shelter. No one really wanted to go as we weren't sure whether this was a real threat or simply a simulation but she said it didn't matter. A red alert is a red alert. By the time we quit arguing the alert was called off as the drone had been diverted.
Many persons did seek shelter including all the ministers in the government. They at least have a proper bunker. We have basements and parking garages. The city has been loathe to prepare adequate shelter despite constant threats from Russia. Instead, the municipal government builds a football stadium much to everyone's chagrin. The only shelters we do have are left over from the Soviet era, irony of ironies, and they are in such poor repair that only the bums seek shelter there in winter.
Russia's latest threats concern the Baltic states allowing Ukraine to use their airspace to launch military strikes. This is untrue as the shortest distance between Kyiv and Moscow is through Russia itself, but Putin will use any pretext to stir up trouble especially now that he finds growing unrest among his citizenry for this war to end.
You know things are bad when Lukashenko suggests himself as an "honest broker" to host peace talks in Minsk, especially given how it went last time. It would give him a chance to get back with Angie, who has been suggested as an EU mediator now that Gerhard Schroder has been nixed. If it was me I would suggest Kaja Kallas, who has resolutely stood up against Pootie throughout this war, but that's not likely to happen.
Basically, Russia is a sinking ship and I imagine China is mostly looking at a way to salvage its massive investments in the country not give Putin much more of a lifeline. Nevertheless, Xi Jinpeng hosted Putin with all the same fanfare he did Trump, which had Donald comparing notes. He may have gotten to see Xi's private garden but he didn't get the private tea meeting like Vlad got. What's a grumpy manchild to do?
Putin justified his latest barrage on Kyiv as retaliation for the airstrike Ukraine launched on Starobilsk. The war has come home for Russia and Putin is none too happy. He had made it sound like his country was impervious to attack and here were 18 persons killed along with another 42 injured in a wave of drone attacks. Ukraine didn't offer much of an apology, but then Russia never has for the countless civilian targets they have hit over the last four years. Each side claims they were aiming for military targets. However, Putin's response seemed a bit excessive, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles that tore out a huge chunk of Kyiv.
Mostly Vlad is upset that his vaunted Z army is losing ground in Ukraine. Over the past week they lost over 400 square kilometers of their ill-gotten territory, but it is Musk they should be angry with as he is the one who controls Starlink. At least I assume it was Musk who deactivated the satellite connections. I'm sure Vlad will be asking for that land back as part of any "peace deal."
Meanwhile Trump is promising a big breakthrough on an Iran nuclear deal this week, if for no other reason than to keep the Dow over 50,000. The DJI has fluctuated wildly over the course of the war and his eminence wants to keep it up like his tiny penis on viagra as long as possible. His approval ratings haven't kept pace. No matter, he thinks he could easily win prime minister of Israel if things don't work out in America.
It's hard to sort through all this nonsense as we try to figure out Putin's next move. He needs a victory if for no other reason than to boost his ego. We know the elections in Russia are a sham, if they have them at all this September. He is President for Life, which led many to speculate how long that is given his puffy face at the victory day celebrations earlier this month. Is it botox gone awry or some deeper condition that is slowly eating away at the authoritarian? He's still relatively young at 73 and prided himself on his health for years, including riding horses bare chested, although not so much recently.
So, we surveyed our basement to see what we could do to make it "bunker ready" in time of war. After clearing out the things we no longer wanted there was enough room for us to stretch out on the couches when the next red alert sounds. We need to stock up the pantry as we haven't kept it properly filled. Daina bought a portable toilet and all the bags and chemicals to go with it. Not looking forward to that prospect but there really is no way to leave the country given Putin has a huge military base in Kaliningrad and Belarus in his back pocket. He could seal our borders pretty quickly.
This is what happens when you get leaders leading with their dicks rather than their brains. You never know what they will do next.
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