However, as far as I can say - and this is my 4th or 5th interview with her - Ljudmila Nemyria is (by far) asking the best questions, and letting one explain the backgrounds and context, too.
...instead the (in Ukraine: regular) practice of belittling assessments/conclusions. And that on top of the fact that gauging by their questions, all the possible Ukrainian 'top TV journalists' simply have no idea what's going on.
Thus, whatever is the quality of the rest of what is the UkrLife doing, I can only recommend Ljudmila's program.
Tom, I have a feeling that sometimes people who never seen system Ukraine in action, lack some fundamental grasp of the angle some events might have.
One of the very prominent features of system Ukraine, is that everything is so "checked and balanced" and regulated, that it is very difficult to appoint a government official without finding "support" of dozens other people, even if one is direct superior of the person. And virtually impossible to fire a government official. One would fight the decision in court and then reinstate him or herself in position and so on.
So it is not whole system, but rather a system of islands, or small kingdoms. Where each one is holding to its own position.
So in this context, whenever person rejects to leave a post and starts to claim that it is "unlawful". It is all very suspicious, and moreover often a direct sign of personal interest. So a person leaving position in fast and clean and self-respectful manner, would rather be more respected then one bragging around how everyone was ruining her awesome work.
Thank you for keeping usinformed with your posts. We have been reading about the Ukrainian army needing reform for a pretty long time. But I was wondering how is that debate or argument being felt in Ukrainian society. Is it gaining tracktion in the general population, and across the army? Is the goverment starting to feel the presure? I am mostly curious what the non mobilised citizens think of this.
The government does not feel any pressure, as all the men are in the army or have already been killed or disabled. There is no threat of a new Maidan (public revolt), and our governments are never afraid of anything less than revolt.
You are wrong as could be. The unscrupulousness of Russian leadership is so strong that any one who are ready to surrender and go into submission, will retain at least part of power and income.
You are kidding. You really want me to believe that "Gollum" (aka Pudding) wouldn't harm Zelenskyy & Co? 😁🤣😂😂
It would be Bucha in a very big scale. The only thing they respect is the power of the fist in their face. If there is nothing like that, they do as it pleases them.
Looks like you really have not a slightest understanding of morals and habits of post-Soviet elites. Of course, Zelensky is too notorious, but his gang will have no problem for integration if changes sides.
You can leave your propaganda for the shows of the Kremliin. It is a fact, that those killers from Bucha now put personal belongings of their victims inside the museum of their unit as spoils of war. That was only one place of many.
The cheka is still proud of it's founder and his principles, the paint is simply too thin.
One of reasons we're discussing this topic 'so much' are all the positive reactions - from Ukrainians in Ukraine (some directly in reaction to what is posted on this blog, others in reaction to TV-interviews, and yet others in reaction to translations of blog-posts by several instances in the Ukrainian social media).
With the majority of the male population mobilised, it's on their wives and families to 'act', and they have the problem of not knowing enough about military affairs. That's why they appreciate us explaining precisely these, in (relatively) simple fashion.
Although some of Ukrainians do say this is 'increasing the pressure' upon the government to 'do something' (i.e. to act)... indeed, although some do say that some of recent decisions in Kyiv took place in reaction to our (Don's and mine) critique: we are not sharing this impression.
There are much more 'vocal' (and better-heard) 'critical voices' in Ukraine, and they're ignored too.
Thus, right now, at least my impression is that we're not having any effects.
(Besides, as Zenith has explained it so nicely above: there is a 'culture' in Ukraine, along which 'anybody sacked for [for example] incompetence' is 'not guilty', and any such decisions 'unlawful' and there is then an endless struggle... )
On the contrary, the donations for the 'Rickshaws for the ZSU' are constantly flowing and we're 'moving a lot'. More about that in an update planned for tomorrow.
I think it’s very difficult to judge from the outside what pressure the government feels. I think they are pressured. They cannot really like the development on the ground. They have to feel the pressure. They know the situation can become very difficult if Trump does something really stupid. And they don’t like to have to defend against vocal internal criticism. And, while maybe not at the top of the list of pressures I think the quality of the arguments matters. And this blog has presented high quality arguments for some time. All this matters. But so do all the arguments against doing anything also (and let’s not forget that inertia is a powerful force in itself) thus even if they do feel pressure it isn’t enough. At the moment they are probably stalling. Hoping the situation improves without any big changes. (Small meaningful and meaningless changes might be implemented.) So I guess the current evaluation that nothing has changed is correct. (No one here has really said anything different.) Still I think the government is feeling the pressure. It must therefore be applied more. And when yet another terrible stupidity occurs, resulting in more terrible losses of lives, then the pressure increases. Let’s hope the « political » pressure manages before too much stupidity forces reforms.
Well, actually that debate (about introducing divisions and corps structure) started about half a year ago, perhaps even earlier... Military journalists wrote about it, military experts wrote about it, even some generals wrote about it... Not to mention Tom Cooper, of course. And today Zelensky (and Syrsky) finally announced, that they are going to implement corps structure.
Non that I was watching the debate closely (except Tom's blog), but that's what I've heard on radio today. So there was half a year of public pressure to make it happen. But we still have to see, how would that be implemented.
They first announced they were establishing corps (but not divisions) in November. Maybe today's announcement means they're a little bit closer to actually doing it sometime in the future.
A little more details were revealed which sounds good so far. Despite using name corps, there would be 20 of them, which means they are in effect would be division sized, with full range of specialised units, like arty, engineers, also seems like dedicated training facilities.
Also was mentioned how first few corps would be structured. 2 in the NatGuard, one headed by Redis/Prokopenko. 2 in Air Assault Forces, 1 Naval Infantry Corps, 1 based on 3rd Assault, headed by Biletskiy, 1 based on 92 Assault. Also something is brewing in UAS Forces with some Infantry brigades being added/transferred there, and there is SpecOps Forces that are growing under Budanov.
There are rumors of 150 km LOC to be allocated per Corps.
I share you frustrations Tom. These continuing failures must be called out. This war cannot be won by simply being slightly less incompetent than your opponent.
Keep doing what you're doing. Calling this out 👍.
Plus the deployment of brutal, unrelenting sarcasm is likewise to be encouraged and continued!
Excellent interview! All the important right on the spot.
@Tom Cooper: Today in a telegram channel I did read again some nonsense based on what that talking head Colonel Reisner waffles. I used the opportunity to post a link to this your Blog, so that people get some real information.
Vielen Dank Tom, und thanks Donald.
The report about putting UAV manufacturers into infantry made me shivering as this is the only way to really strategically hurt the Russians.
Jeez, Tom, some one should have told you that UkrLife TV has a horrible reputation. You shouldn't have spoken with them.
Well, that's perfectly possible.
However, as far as I can say - and this is my 4th or 5th interview with her - Ljudmila Nemyria is (by far) asking the best questions, and letting one explain the backgrounds and context, too.
...instead the (in Ukraine: regular) practice of belittling assessments/conclusions. And that on top of the fact that gauging by their questions, all the possible Ukrainian 'top TV journalists' simply have no idea what's going on.
Thus, whatever is the quality of the rest of what is the UkrLife doing, I can only recommend Ljudmila's program.
Dear Tom and Don, thank you!
Tom, I have a feeling that sometimes people who never seen system Ukraine in action, lack some fundamental grasp of the angle some events might have.
One of the very prominent features of system Ukraine, is that everything is so "checked and balanced" and regulated, that it is very difficult to appoint a government official without finding "support" of dozens other people, even if one is direct superior of the person. And virtually impossible to fire a government official. One would fight the decision in court and then reinstate him or herself in position and so on.
So it is not whole system, but rather a system of islands, or small kingdoms. Where each one is holding to its own position.
So in this context, whenever person rejects to leave a post and starts to claim that it is "unlawful". It is all very suspicious, and moreover often a direct sign of personal interest. So a person leaving position in fast and clean and self-respectful manner, would rather be more respected then one bragging around how everyone was ruining her awesome work.
This sounds like a job for Leon! I would be happy to send Musk to Ukraine on extended loan.
Thank you for keeping usinformed with your posts. We have been reading about the Ukrainian army needing reform for a pretty long time. But I was wondering how is that debate or argument being felt in Ukrainian society. Is it gaining tracktion in the general population, and across the army? Is the goverment starting to feel the presure? I am mostly curious what the non mobilised citizens think of this.
The government does not feel any pressure, as all the men are in the army or have already been killed or disabled. There is no threat of a new Maidan (public revolt), and our governments are never afraid of anything less than revolt.
Then they are very stupid. If "Gollum" (aka Pudding) wins no one of them, unless they can run away quickly, will survive.
You are wrong as could be. The unscrupulousness of Russian leadership is so strong that any one who are ready to surrender and go into submission, will retain at least part of power and income.
You are kidding. You really want me to believe that "Gollum" (aka Pudding) wouldn't harm Zelenskyy & Co? 😁🤣😂😂
It would be Bucha in a very big scale. The only thing they respect is the power of the fist in their face. If there is nothing like that, they do as it pleases them.
Looks like you really have not a slightest understanding of morals and habits of post-Soviet elites. Of course, Zelensky is too notorious, but his gang will have no problem for integration if changes sides.
You can leave your propaganda for the shows of the Kremliin. It is a fact, that those killers from Bucha now put personal belongings of their victims inside the museum of their unit as spoils of war. That was only one place of many.
The cheka is still proud of it's founder and his principles, the paint is simply too thin.
Indeed Zelenskyy is too notorious... at poking fun at Putin with his felt need to be taken seriously
I think they do. But whether they react is another question.
One of reasons we're discussing this topic 'so much' are all the positive reactions - from Ukrainians in Ukraine (some directly in reaction to what is posted on this blog, others in reaction to TV-interviews, and yet others in reaction to translations of blog-posts by several instances in the Ukrainian social media).
With the majority of the male population mobilised, it's on their wives and families to 'act', and they have the problem of not knowing enough about military affairs. That's why they appreciate us explaining precisely these, in (relatively) simple fashion.
(You can read 'typical' reactions in the 'commentary' to the UkrLife interview posted on the YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZcNaDO6wu8&t=1s)
Although some of Ukrainians do say this is 'increasing the pressure' upon the government to 'do something' (i.e. to act)... indeed, although some do say that some of recent decisions in Kyiv took place in reaction to our (Don's and mine) critique: we are not sharing this impression.
There are much more 'vocal' (and better-heard) 'critical voices' in Ukraine, and they're ignored too.
Thus, right now, at least my impression is that we're not having any effects.
(Besides, as Zenith has explained it so nicely above: there is a 'culture' in Ukraine, along which 'anybody sacked for [for example] incompetence' is 'not guilty', and any such decisions 'unlawful' and there is then an endless struggle... )
On the contrary, the donations for the 'Rickshaws for the ZSU' are constantly flowing and we're 'moving a lot'. More about that in an update planned for tomorrow.
I think it’s very difficult to judge from the outside what pressure the government feels. I think they are pressured. They cannot really like the development on the ground. They have to feel the pressure. They know the situation can become very difficult if Trump does something really stupid. And they don’t like to have to defend against vocal internal criticism. And, while maybe not at the top of the list of pressures I think the quality of the arguments matters. And this blog has presented high quality arguments for some time. All this matters. But so do all the arguments against doing anything also (and let’s not forget that inertia is a powerful force in itself) thus even if they do feel pressure it isn’t enough. At the moment they are probably stalling. Hoping the situation improves without any big changes. (Small meaningful and meaningless changes might be implemented.) So I guess the current evaluation that nothing has changed is correct. (No one here has really said anything different.) Still I think the government is feeling the pressure. It must therefore be applied more. And when yet another terrible stupidity occurs, resulting in more terrible losses of lives, then the pressure increases. Let’s hope the « political » pressure manages before too much stupidity forces reforms.
Well, actually that debate (about introducing divisions and corps structure) started about half a year ago, perhaps even earlier... Military journalists wrote about it, military experts wrote about it, even some generals wrote about it... Not to mention Tom Cooper, of course. And today Zelensky (and Syrsky) finally announced, that they are going to implement corps structure.
Non that I was watching the debate closely (except Tom's blog), but that's what I've heard on radio today. So there was half a year of public pressure to make it happen. But we still have to see, how would that be implemented.
They first announced they were establishing corps (but not divisions) in November. Maybe today's announcement means they're a little bit closer to actually doing it sometime in the future.
A little more details were revealed which sounds good so far. Despite using name corps, there would be 20 of them, which means they are in effect would be division sized, with full range of specialised units, like arty, engineers, also seems like dedicated training facilities.
Also was mentioned how first few corps would be structured. 2 in the NatGuard, one headed by Redis/Prokopenko. 2 in Air Assault Forces, 1 Naval Infantry Corps, 1 based on 3rd Assault, headed by Biletskiy, 1 based on 92 Assault. Also something is brewing in UAS Forces with some Infantry brigades being added/transferred there, and there is SpecOps Forces that are growing under Budanov.
There are rumors of 150 km LOC to be allocated per Corps.
Thanks Don and Tom for the update as usual.
I share you frustrations Tom. These continuing failures must be called out. This war cannot be won by simply being slightly less incompetent than your opponent.
Keep doing what you're doing. Calling this out 👍.
Plus the deployment of brutal, unrelenting sarcasm is likewise to be encouraged and continued!
Dont know how I missed this interview since I've watched them all on this channel.
Excellent interview! All the important right on the spot.
@Tom Cooper: Today in a telegram channel I did read again some nonsense based on what that talking head Colonel Reisner waffles. I used the opportunity to post a link to this your Blog, so that people get some real information.
I have to admit that I'm quite surprised this video hasn't attracted more views/discussion.