According to four main factors - Russia is losing the war

Russia is surely lose in Ukraine, according to Feng Yujun, Chinese Russia -relations chief expert.

"The war between Russia and Ukraine has been catastrophic for both countries. One thing is clear, though: the conflict is a post-cold-war watershed that will have a profound, lasting global impact.

With neither side enjoying an overwhelming advantage and their political positions completely at odds, the fighting is unlikely to end soon. "

But now four main factors will influence the course of the war. 

The first is the level of resistance and national unity shown by Ukrainians, which has until now been extraordinary. The second is international support for Ukraine, which, though recently falling short of the country’s expectations, remains broad.

The third factor is the nature of modern warfare, a contest that turns on a combination of industrial might and command, control, communications and intelligence systems. 

One reason Russia has struggled in this war is that it is yet to recover from the dramatic deindustrialisation it suffered after the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

And here comes the last final factor: this is information. When it comes to decision-making, Vladimir Putin is trapped in an information cocoon, thanks to his having been in power so long. The Russian president and his national-security team lack access to accurate intelligence. The system they operate lacks an efficient mechanism for correcting errors. Their Ukrainian counterparts are more flexible and effective, wrote Feng Yujun in The Economist.

For the indoctrinated children

A Child´s Skull, 2024, by  Kaj Stenvall.

We know that president Vladimir Putin has often used the Russian Orthodox faith to justify the war in Ukraine. But now the president used a Bible story in a speech about the need to teach the Russian youth about values - appearing via video link to celebrate the opening of children’s centres near Moscow - he began quoting from the Bible.

Putin has ordered the establishment of youth centres across the country in a move redolent of the Soviet-era camps where children were indoctrinated in Communist party values from a young age. 

This substitute Jesus has often used the Russian Orthodox faith to justify the war in Ukraine. Now he compares himself to Jesus in his battle to uphold tradition

President Putin has compared himself to Jesus Christ as he quoted the Bible to explain his divine mission schooling Russia’s youth in special traditional values.

The Russian president has frequently portrayed himself as a stalwart defender of the Christian faith against the Satanic West.

In a revealing insight into how Putin sees his role, the Russian leader spoke in overtly religious terms about the need to shape the worldview of young Russians.

The Times points out that the youth centers intended to indoctrinate children are lagging behind the Soviet era.

Putin's supposed important sacred role as the upholder of the country's values reflects the deification of the tsars before the 1917 revolution.

Well done. Soon we'll see that again.

The Best

Sure, for seven consecutive years, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world, followed closely by its Nordic neighbours Denmark, Sveden and Iceland. 

What makes the Finns such happy people? And what can we learn from it?

People in Finland are happy because our society has developed what they call an infrastructure of happiness. It includes healthcare, education, the economy, human rights, democratic governance and a culture of volunteerism. Happiness surges in a person's inner self.

We have a high levels of trust and freedom also help explain Finnish happiness.

Here you don't have to be afraid of the police and other authorities like in totalitarian states.

”One Way Out”,

Painting by Kaj Stenvall: ”One Way Out”, 2024,

Russian missile strikes on Kiev early Thursday injured at least 13 people. In addition, fires broke out in residential buildings, a church and a kindergarten were destroyed, and cars were burned, says the military administration of Kyiv.

"As a result of the attack on Kiev, 13 people were injured. There is no information about the casualties," 

said Serhi Popko, head of the military administration.

According to Ukraine, the fires were started by shrapnel from downed missiles in the residential area of Podilskyi.

The organized violent crime organization has organized a public display

Kaj Stenvall painting, 2024.

Now that Putin's power confirmation theater is in the headlines, we don't understand why (also in other) western media call them "elections", when it's not about any elections but the dictatorship's brutal subjugation theater

It would be better to use, for example, the expression; the world's largest organized violent crime organization has organized a public display to promote its reign of terror.

Mika Hortelli:

That would correspond to reality, but it is of course a bit long expression for everyday use.

Ro Holopainen:

But maybe it can replace a couple of silly phrases.

And there's no need to talk about the "honesty of elections" any longer.

"Two different people" - Putin pretended over the years - here comes his transformation in 25 years

Watch this English interview on MTV.
Click on the image or go here.

According to Mikhail Kasyanov, Putin pretended for long time - before he turned into a bloody dictator in 25 years.

See that "Two different people - Putin's transformation in 25 years."

Mikhail Kasyanov, who served as Russian prime minister from 2000 to 2004, is a frequent critic of Vladimir Putin who now lives in exile in Latvia and now in Finland.

There would be in Russia 'no chance' for opposition to rise says Kasyanov

Vladimir Putin may test Nato’s resolve by invading one of the Baltic states in a bid to shore up support for his war, a former Russian Prime Minister has claimed.

But while Mikhail Kasyanov said attitudes within his country towards the conflict have changed in the two years since Putin’s invasion, there was zero chance of any serious opposition.

 “Putin could easily try to test Article V (5) of the Nato charter.”

The 66-year-old, a frequent critic of Putin and his regime who now lives in exile in Riga, säys now: 

“It could be one of the small countries of the Baltic states.”

Putin launched his full-scale offensive on February 24, 2022, but hopes of a swift victory were rapidly snuffed out with Ukraine, led by Volodymyr Zelensky, putting up dogged resistance ever since.

Putin, who is almost certain to be re-elected next month still had support and his propaganda machine suggests he retains the backing of 85 of the population, Mr Kasyanov said - although he estimated the true figure was more like 40.

Det kommande presidentvalet är inte ett legitimt val

En av den ryska oppositionens kändaste figurer var i Helsingfors. 

Denna ryske oppositionsaktivist sade att den ryska oppositionen hoppas kunna ordna demonstrationer vid röstningsställena.

"Jag hoppas vi alla kan mötas vid valurnorna den 17 mars för att säga nej till Putin",

sade Michail Chodorkovskij, som höll ett tal under demonstrationen. Han tog i en demonstration mot Rysslands krig mot Ukraina och president Putins regim vid Medborgartorget. 

Det var den anti-putinistiska organisationen De ryskspråkiga finländarnas demokratiska samfund som ordnade demonstrationen.

Också aktivisten och en av oppositionspolitikerns Ksenia Sobtjaks kampanjchefer Anastasija Sjevtjenko deltog i demonstrationen. Sjevtjenko som lever i exil i Vilnius konstaterade i ett tal att Putin tagit livet av politiska opponenter och jagat ut oberoende media ur landet.

Putin är inte som det ryska folket! Ryssarna vill inte ha krig! sa' alla.

jösses den är liten!

Kaj Stenvall Paintings ”In Vain ”, 2024.

Nothing beats that

 

Traces of torture: Alexei's body found with bruises on head and chest

Dead Putin critic Alexei Navalny's body reportedly showed bruising on his head and chest, raising suspicions about the circumstances of his death.

Russian officials claim Alexei Navalny fell unconscious and died after a walk. 

Russian government denies torture, claims natural death.

But Alexei Navalny's body had bruise marks, claims paramedic

The unnamed source, identified as an experienced paramedic, said Navalny’s head and chest were bruised when his body arrived at the mortuary, as reported by the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta Europe.

The paramedic mentions weird police presence at hospital

The body of Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of Kremel who died in a Russian prison, was reported to have bruising on his head and chest, according to a Russian newspaper citing a paramedic professional.

In fact some of this morning’s Russian newspapers make no mention of Alexei Navalny’s death in prison. 

Some of them report but in most cases briefly, sure. Papers give more prominence to a story just about anywhere than to the death of the Kremlin’s most vocal critic. 

The death of Alexei Navalny

According to the renew europe. the group in the European Parliament condemns the killing of Alexei Navalny, Kremlin’s most vocal political opponent, in a state prison in the Arctic, one month ahead of Russia’s presidential elections.

His commitment cost him his life, but his courage and his fight against Putin's regime and its cronies will always be remembered by his people. His fight goes on!

The President of Renew Europe Group, Valérie Hayer, said:

"With Navalny’s passing, Putin has just added another murder to his long list of repressed political opponents, together with the hundreds of thousands of deaths caused by the war of aggression he started against Ukraine."

Then.

"I strongly condemn the Kremlin regime, which cruelly sent Alexei Navalny to his death. With Navalny's murder, the world has lost a freedom fighter, a man who championed the cause of a free Russia."

Poisoned and then taken prisoner by a government adept at the politics of fear, Alexeï Navalny never ceased to call on his compatriots not to allow themselves to be intimidated.

We all grieve.

Our world is expanding.

An illusion
Credit: Nasa.

The smaller planet, TOI-715c, could be only slightly larger than Earth, and also might dwell just inside the "conservative" habitable zone.

Using data from Nasa’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellit's astronomers have discovered and characterized a habitable zone planet orbiting the nearby red dwarf star TOI-715 with a period of 19.3 days. 

They’ve also demonstrated that there is possibly a second, smaller exoplanet with a period of 25.6 days, placing it just inside the outer edge of TOI-715’s habitable zone. This system represents the first Tess discovery to fall within this most conservative and widely applicable habitable zone.

TOI-715 hosts the super-Earth exoplanet TOI-715b and the smaller terrestrial exoplanet candidate TOI-715c.

I remember when the red dwarf star was found. 

I like this progress.

True Finns lost the election, but hit Russia hard

Finland's presidential election went as polls predicted on Sunday evening, with Alexander Stubb (NCP) taking top spot and his Green rival Pekka Haavisto joining him in a second round run-off to decide who replaces Sauli Niinistö after his twelve years as head of state. 

But Jussi Halla-aho, True Finns, spoke the truth about Russia. He boosted his support in the final stages of the campaign, but it was not enough to dislodge either of the top two presidential contenders. The second round takes place on 11 February. Advance voting will be from 31 January to 6 February. 

Началась война – я потерял ясновидение

Но теперь оно вернулось. Я вижу путь к росту для отдельных людей.

Дух русского народа находится в панике уже более 100 лет.

«Никто Его не понимает», — сказал Рудольф Штайнер.

Существует опасность, что нация потерпит неудачу. Тогда возникает угроза, что все человечество тоже потерпит неудачу.

Еще есть время. Свергнуть тирана.

Fucking head of the church

Vladimir Putin has said Russia's borders "do not end anywhere" during a live televised awards ceremony for students in Moscow.

And now it.s on the wall.

Someone has said that it is Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all of Russia who is feeding this sop to the inner circle of the Kreml.

Russia’s undoing, like that of other empires, will be the hubris and criminal stupidity of its ruling elite, said Steve Rosenberg in X.

Instead of working for the electorate, Russian president puzzles the public with his bizzare actions. He does not do what the situation demands of him, but sinks deeper and deeper into the fake reality that his subordinates conjure up for him.

Greetings from Finland, by Kaj Stenvall Paintings ”Let’s See Action! ”, 2024.

We are moving on a dangerous path

According to Norbert Röttgen the political willingness to continue providing military and economic support to Ukraine has begun to erode in both the United States and Europe. 

With Ukrainian forces stalled on the battlefield, and major aid packages for Kyiv blocked by Hungary in the EU and by Republican policymakers in the United States, the Western alliance in support of Ukraine appears increasingly weak and divided. 

Several scholars and policymakers have assessed this scenario—and reached the conclusion that a pivot to a defensive strategy could eventually bring Putin to the negotiating table. 

According to that line of thought, a new approach focused on securing territories that Ukraine already controls would consolidate Western support and eventually demonstrate to Russia that it cannot outlast Ukraine’s war effort.

Such a reassessment reveals an uncomfortable truth: namely, that Ukraine and the West are on an unsustainable trajectory. 

According to Röttgen Germany has changed profoundly in the past 22 months. But measured against the challenge, it has not changed enough. At stake are no less than peace and freedom in Europe and with it the future of the European project. If Ukraine does not succeed in pushing back Russia and if Putin is even just partially successful with his aggression, this would have dramatic and decades long consequences for the whole of Europe. 

"We would be divided again, a border of military confrontation would run across Europe and the sovereignty of countries like Moldova, Baltics and Georgia would be endangered. The confidence of the Balts, the Central and Eastern Europeans in the EU and above all in its two largest member states Germany and France would be severely damaged in a core area, that of security", he says.

Ukraine’s counteroffensive appears to have stalled, just as wet and cold weather brings to a close the second fighting season in Kyiv’s effort to reverse Russian aggression. At the same time, These circumstances necessitate a comprehensive reappraisal of the current strategy that Ukraine and its partners are pursuing.