A. D. Nakhimovsky: “Re: 2022-#202-Johnson’s Russia List”
From: A. D. Nakhimovsky
To: davidjohnson@starpower.net
Subject: Re: 2022-#202-Johnson’s Russia List
You write: “DJ: The obvious emotional investment that most Western journalists, “experts”, and academics have in Ukraine has consequences.”
Well, give me a credible report of Ukrainian soldiers occupying a Russian village, looting the homes, torturing some men and raping some women, and that village will get a lot of emotional investment from me.
Perhaps a better byline would be: “The obvious emotional investment that old Russia hands have in Russia has consequences.”
As a case in point, consider a few selections from the podcasts of one of your permanent sources. They can be a sequence of remarkably consistent honest mistakes that he never acknowledges, or a sequence of bald-faced lies for which he never apologizes because the party line is never wrong. And yet you continue giving him space.
On July 13. “Doubts About Ukraine Kherson Counteroffensive”
In Donbas, Russia is close to Bakhmut, which is the last line of defence before Russia “envelopes” Slavianska and Kramatorsk.
He is then confidently predicting that Russia will then have no obstacles to reaching Dnepr. And Kharkov may also be an objective.
… while Ukrainians, Zelensky are “endlessly talking about a counter-offensive in the Kherson region.” He cites two views: one that there is indeed an offensive being prepared, the other, which he elaborates at much greater detail and with greater conviction, is that this is just hype designed to get more weapons and money from the West.
On July 25, “Ukraine Kherson Attack Routed, Zelensky Political Position At Risk”
Based on a conversation with an unnamed Russian military official. Adds a mild hedge.
On Sep 7, “Russia Stops Offensive in Kherson, Preparing Counterattack; Repels Ukraine Attacks in Kharkov Region”
On Oct 15. “Russia Reinvigorated. (Summary of Alexander Mercouris)