Blog Notes:
Bank Failure
This podcast by the Daily Podcast is the best explanation out there of the SVB failure.
Now, we have huge fees related to the SVB failure.
Bank failures, like train derailments, are the Republican, deregulated future.
This is an opinion piece by Elizabeth Warren. While, I deeply distrust Warren over how she handled her presidential run, I trust her judgement on financial issues (well, maybe, sort of, partly).
Ukraine
Ron DeSantis has made his position clear as part of the Russia lobby of the Republican Party. In addition, more Guantanamo detainees have tied him to torture and sadism.
Wagner Group
- It is being argued that Putin is throwing Wagner Group mercenaries into the battle in Ukraine in order to diminish Yevgeny Prigozhin’s influence.
- Oleksander Kovalenko, Wagner Group expert, is quoted as saying that Prigozhin lost Putin’s support when Wagner suffered “colossal losses” capturing Soldear, a salt mining town just north of Bakhmut.
- The Russian defense ministry claimed victory there in January of 2023, but the operation was widely criticized in Russia and was the beginning of a rift between Prigozhin and Putin.
- Prigozhin claimed that Wagner had been responsible for the victory.
- Lovalenko claims that Wagner has had responsibility for the conduct of hostilities in the Bakhmut region since the summer of 2022.
- “Kovalenko said Prigozhin’s failures have cost not only recruiting permissions and access to arms provided through the defense ministry, but now his forces are being used as “human shields” in the first line of defense for Russian military forces.”
- The ISW (Institute for the Study of War) has said that Russia’s defense ministry is deliberately trying to expend both elite and convict Wagner forces in Bakhmut.
- Prigozhin has also lost his access to Russia’s prisons to recruit new force.
- Last month, Prigozhin accused defense officials Shoigu and Gerasimov of “treason” for failing to provide Wagner sufficient arms.
- The Russian military is using Wagner forces as “living meat.”
- According to the ISW, Prigozhin has threatened to withdraw his forces from Bakhmut.
- Kovalenko maintains that Russia can afford to withdraw, or remove Wagner troops. He notes that they are not the only private military company operating in Russia. He notes PMC Patriot and PMC Redut as examples.
- Previously, according to Kovalenko, Wagner has priority and dominance in places like Syria, but Moscow is expanding their use of other mercenary forces and diversifying in places like Syria.
There is a Pentagon press conference today. They don’t seem to be saying anything new.
- Warning China not to send arms to Russia.
- Russia is going to other countries (like Iran) to help their war effort.
- Gen. Milley is speaking (he’s left handed). Austin is there as well.
- (Note: We must, must arm Ukraine for their offensive before the Democrats leave office. The Republicans will abandon them.)
- Austin is playing down the importance of Bakhmut.
