Links — 3 Apr 2022

We Seriously Underestimated Russia; Our Own Propaganda is Killing Us (as far as I can tell, this misreading of Russian capabilities continues.)

Ian Kummer

Contrary to overwhelming media coverage that accepts the allegations at face value, this would appear to be disinformation/psyops for a number of reasons. This is important for several reasons. First, establishing the truth is obviously important, e.g, in the matter of justice, and truth is difficult to discover in wartime. Jumping to conclusions is unsound. Secondly, this media campaign involves a push from the side of Ukraine to widen the war by bringing in NATO. Thirdly, it ramps up irrationality in the West, which is already at a very high level.. Fourthly, this combination makes a confrontation between nuclear superpowers much more likely, with the probability of escalation to a full nuclear exchange high. It's time to get some perspective, actually beyond time to do so. Matters are already out of hand.

The first reason to doubt that the Russian military was involved is operational. The Russian military slowed its advance in order to limit harm to civilians, evidenced by the low ratio of civilian to military casualties, which Scott Ritter called a mistake militarily. It was a political decision accompanied with with a Kremlin warning of prosecution of anyone doing so. The US interpreted it as a sign of ineptness. According to Ritter, it was not what the US would have done or has done in previous operations, including bombing Belgrade for 78 days running. 

Secondly, there are plausible alternatives. Is it more likely that Russian military withdrawing from positions would kill unarmed civilians for no apparent reason, or that the UAF would penalize civilians that had collaborated and blame Russian troops for the atrocity. Killing civilians is what Nazis do. It is why Russia is in Ukraine in the first place, having calling out the killing of thousands of civilian in Donbass over the past eight years "genocide,"information regarding which has been either suppressed or denies in the West.

There are many other reasons, such as cui bono, which all one needs is some common sense to answer. Russia didn't need to do this and had everything to lose . Ukraine had many reason to do so.  Next, there is the disinformation/psyops campaign already in in play that is demonizing Russia and all things Russian, not just "Putin." Then there is the question of credibility of evidence, as investigated in some of the links below. In short, it would be irrational for the Russian military to do it and rational for the Ukrainians to do so. The counter explanation is the Russians are subhuman, which is the basis for the neoNazi "genocide" against Donbass and why Russia calls it "genocide."

First the charges against the Russians, equated with "Putin." Then the counter-evidence.

https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/blog/820692.html

Slideshow: Death, destruction in wake of Russian troop withdrawal from northern Ukraine (media echo chamber picking up on this.)
France 24

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220403-slideshow-death-destruction-in-wake-of-russian-troop-withdrawal-from-northern-ukraine

Sputnik International (Russian state-sponsored media)
Dnepropetrovsk Mayor Calls For Slaughter of Russians Around the World