Trump, JD square off with Zelenskyy in heated White House meeting with press in attendance

I can't remember a meeting between heads of state being so heated as today's meeting with Volodomyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance. The meeting devolved into Trump making the point that Zelenskyy never thanked the US for all the money and weapons we gave Ukraine, and this was backed up by Vance. 

I felt as if there was too much transparency at this meeting, ostensibly aimed at working on a new mineral deal with Ukraine.

“Do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?” Vance asked Zelenskyy. “Right now you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems.

“You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict,” the Vice President added, noting that Zelenskyy was “forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems.”

“During war, everybody has problems, even you, but you have a nice ocean and don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future,” Zelenskyy replied.

Zelenskyy then invited Vance to visit Ukraine, and Vance accused Zelenskyy of embarking on propaganda tours, which of course they are.

“You don’t know that,” Trump said, cutting in as Zelenskyy continued to try to interrupt. “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. … You’re in no position to dictate what we are going to feel. We are going to feel very good. … You’re right now not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position and [Vance] happens to be right about it.”

“You don’t have the cards right now,” Trump added. “With us you start having cards. You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country.”

Vance then cut in, asking Zelenskyy if he had said “thank you” at all during the meeting. It was like he was speaking on behalf of the average American whose money went to fund Ukraine's war with Russia and also his way of supporting Trump.

“You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October,” Vance said. “Offer some words of appreciation to the United States of America and the president who is trying to save your country.”

Zelenskyy responded by accusing Vance of speaking “very loudly,” at which point Trump cut in to defend Vance.

“Your country is in big trouble,” Trump said.

“I know,” Zelenskyy agreed.

The two began arguing about the billions of dollars and military equipment the United States provided to Ukraine.

“It’s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,” Trump said.

Vance then suggested it would have been better to litigate the disagreements in a meeting, rather than in front of reporters, which is true. There are some things that should go on behind closed doors and the way Zelenskyy was embarrassed, this was one of those times.

“I think that it’s good for the American people to see what’s going on. That’s why I kept this going so long,” Trump said. “You have to be thankful, you don’t have the cards.”

“I am very thankful,” Zelenskyy said.

Trump said that “attitudes have to change” adding that the heated exchange is “great television.”

But is it wise diplomacy? Now both leaders are at loggerheads and neither one wants to give in. 

The meeting began on less fiery terms, with Trump assuring reporters that his recent tensions with Zelenskyy — most notably when Trump referred to Zelenskyy as a “dictator” — had “worked out great.”

Trump added that he had “very good discussions” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he’s going to try to bring the war “to a close.” He also called Ukrainian soldiers “unbelievably brave” and said he gives credit to Ukrainian generals.

“I hope I’m going to be remembered as a peacemaker,” Trump said. “This would be a great thing if we can do this. I’m doing this to save lives more than anything else. Second, to save money, but I consider that to be far less important.”

Trump also said that the United States would continue to send arms to Ukraine, but said “hopefully we won’t have to send much, because I’m looking forward to getting [the war] done quickly.” Hopefully, Zelenskyy will get the hint.

Prior to arriving at the White House, Zelenskyy met with a bipartisan group of senators where they discussed military assistance for Ukraine and ending the war. He is expected to do an event with the Hudson Institute at 4:00 p.m.

When greeting Zelenskyy to the White House as he exited his car, Trump quipped “he’s all dressed up today!” Zelenskyy was wearing a black sweater and baggy black pants.

Zelenskyy left the meeting without signing the mineral deal.

That seems to suck for both countries, but mostly for Ukraine.

If you would like to support my work, you can Buy Me A Coffee or subscribe.

Tweet

USAID had a hand in Trump's impeachment?

USAID is set to shut down this Friday. Most of its employees will be put on leave as the agency gets merged into the State Department. Under President Trump's direction, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has uncovered a lot of corruption, waste, and fraud that's not exactly surprising but still pretty shocking. Democrats are really upset about this agency being dismantled, and there might be a reason for that. It looks like they helped fund and had a big role in the 2019 impeachment of Donald Trump.

The agency seems to have been behind the scenes of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which was referenced several times by the CIA whistleblower who started the whole impeachment drama about Trump, Ukraine, and military aid. Independent journalists Michael Shellenberger and Alex Gutentag did some serious digging into this shady government network, where OCCRP's purpose wasn't typical journalism—USAID seemed to have a big say in what they did, who they hired, and what their mission was.

This story on Public really got OCCRP upset, leading them to threaten Shellenberger and his team with a lawsuit, saying the story was wrong and damaging. But they didn't provide any evidence to counter the journalists' claims.

The second part of the story goes into detail about USAID's relationship with OCCRP, with OCCRP trying to distance itself. But even USAID officials have made statements that question OCCRP’s claim of being independent, which even respected news outlets like ProPublica acknowledge. Drop Site News, run by former Intercept reporters, did a good job exposing this murky relationship, and they've also faced legal threats. Here’s what was found in the investigation:

"In the complaint, the whistleblower claimed to have heard from White House staff that Trump had, on a phone call, directed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to work with his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, to investigate Joe Biden and Hunter Biden. The whistleblower who triggered the impeachment was a CIA analyst who was first brought into the White House by the Obama administration."

"Reporting by Drop Site News last year revealed that the CIA analyst relied on reporting by a supposedly independent investigative news organization called the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which appears to have effectively operated as an arm of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which President Trump has just shut down. The CIA whistleblower complaint cited a long report by OCCRP four times."

In a 2024 documentary by Germany’s NDR about OCCRP’s ties to the US government, a USAID official confirmed that USAID oversees OCCRP’s "annual work plan" and approves key hires. NDR worked with several media organizations on this investigation, including Mediapart, Il Fatto Quotidiano, Reporters United, and Drop Site News.

However, according to Mediapart, NDR censored the broadcast after "US journalist Drew Sullivan, the co-founder and head of the OCCRP, placed pressure on the NDR management and made false accusations against the broadcaster’s journalists involved in the project."

On December 16, Ryan Grim from Drop Site posted a link on X to the 26-minute documentary. “NDR, Germany’s public broadcaster, is facing a censorship scandal and has defended itself by saying it never killed a news report about OCCRP and its State Department funding — b/c no report was ever produced to kill,” said Grim. “That was absurd — and dozens, maybe hundreds, of journalists knew it to be false, and now of course, someone has leaked it.”

This investigation showed that OCCRP got its initial funding from the State Department, and a USAID official noted, “Drew’s just nervous about being linked with law enforcement,” referring to Sullivan. “If people who are going to give you information think you’re just a cop, maybe it’s a problem.”

OCCRP doesn’t work like typical investigative journalists; it seems they aim to interfere in foreign politics, including elections, to change regimes. Sullivan told NDR his group had “probably been responsible for five or six countries changing over from one government to another government… and getting prime ministers indicted or thrown out.”

This means the CIA, USAID, and OCCRP were involved in Trump's impeachment in ways similar to how they operate abroad, which is illegal and possibly treasonous when done in the U.S.

We thought the Clinton Foundation was bad, but USAID makes it look like small-time players in the world of funding left-wing causes. They've also kept certain media outlets like Politico, Associated Press, The New York Times, and Reuters financially supported, which are key for pushing narratives.

Here are some more details from the Public piece about USAID and OCCRP:

OCCRP threatened Public with a lawsuit, claiming, “The premise of your article is factually false and defamatory,” wrote Miranda Patrucic, the Editor in Chief of OCCRP. “The claim by Dropsite News and partner media that USAID has control over editorial appointments has been disproven and we suggest you read our response to that.”

But there's no proof that Drop Site's allegations are wrong, and they stand by their reporting.

OCCRP says on their site that USAID's oversight is misunderstood, but there's nothing in the agreements suggesting USAID's control doesn’t affect the editorial content.

USAID official Shannon McGuire emphasized in the NDR documentary that USAID controlled OCCRP through what's called a “substantial involvement clause.”

Patrucic told Public, “I am the editor-in-chief of OCCRP and was appointed during a USAID grant, but my CV was never sent to USAID and no approval was sought or received. OCCRP is governed only by its board of directors and no one else.“

But another USAID official, Mike Henning, said to NDR filmmakers that USAID approval goes beyond just logistics or admin.

“A cooperative agreement has more strings attached,” said Henning, “than a grant… Some of the strings that are attached in a cooperative agreement are approval of key personnel, approval of an annual work plan, approval of sub grants of a certain amount above a certain amount.”

USAID would approve “the editor in chief or who’s the CEO, who’s the, you know, managing editor,” Henning added.

Meg Gaydosik from USAID admitted she helped push for funding for OCCRP and even helped rewrite their application for a major grant. She said, “It was from USAID,” about OCCRP’s initial support.

OCCRP also threatened Drop Site News with legal action. “The news outlets involved in this project, including Drop Site, have been on the unpleasant end of increasingly aggressive legal threats from Drew Sullivan, co-founder and head of OCCRP,” the authors wrote. “While we strived to be as fair as possible, and have posted most of Sullivan’s responses, what we’re not going to do, of course, is back down to threats, even ones backed with the resources of the federal government.”

In the end, we're left with the CIA whistleblower citing an OCCRP report, which is closely linked with USAID, in the impeachment of President Trump in 2019. With USAID shutting down its overseas missions this Friday, the flow of funds might stop, but what other secrets are hidden in these grants? The Department of Government Efficiency will continue to investigate.

Tweet

Rocket Man vows toughest anti-US policy before Trump is sworn in

North Korean dictator for life, Kim Jong Un, has promised the "toughest" anti-U.S. policy that he is implementing just prior to President-elect Donald Trump taking office.

Although Trump met with Kim three times during his first presidency, it's likely he will be more involved with the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, and Kim's support for Russia in the latter war will be a huge challenge for Trump when trying to rekindle diplomatic relationships.

The ruling Worker's Party held a five-day meeting that ended Friday in which Kim referred to the U.S. as “the most reactionary state that regards anti-communism as its invariable state policy.” Kim [aka Rocket Man] said that the U.S.-South Korea-Japan security partnership is expanding into “a nuclear military bloc for aggression."

“This reality clearly shows to which direction we should advance and what we should do and how,” the chubby ruler said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The KCNA said Kim's speech “clarified the strategy for the toughest anti-U.S. counteraction to be launched aggressively” by North Korea for its long-term national interests and security.

KCNA didn't go into detail about the anti-U.S. strategy. However, it mentioned that Kim outlined tasks to enhance military capability through advances in defense technology and emphasized the importance of strengthening the mental resilience of North Korean soldiers.

The previous meetings between Trump and Kim not only ended their exchanges of heated words and threats of destruction but also built personal connections. Trump once famously said he and Kim “fell in love.” However, their discussions fell apart in 2019, as they disagreed over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea.

Since then, North Korea has ramped up its weapons testing to create more dependable nuclear missiles aimed at the U.S. and its allies. In response, the U.S. and South Korea have broadened their joint military exercises, including trilateral drills with Japan, which North Korea sees as rehearsals for an invasion.

Efforts to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for economic and political benefits are further complicated by its growing military ties with Russia.

According to reports from the U.S., Ukraine, and South Korea, North Korea has sent over 10,000 troops and conventional weapons to aid Moscow’s conflict with Ukraine. There's a worry that Russia might provide North Korea with advanced weapons technology in return, helping them to build more potent nuclear missiles.

Ukrainian President-dictator Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated last week that 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured in the fighting in Russia's Kursk region. This was the first notable estimate by Ukraine of North Korean losses since their deployment to Russia started in October.

Russia and China, each facing their own conflicts with the U.S., have consistently blocked U.S.-led attempts to impose additional U.N. sanctions on North Korea, despite its ongoing missile tests which violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Last month, Kim remarked that his previous negotiations with the United States only reinforced Washington’s “unchangeable” hostility towards his nation, and he described his nuclear expansion as the sole defense against external threats.

Tweet

Poland angry over Kyiv's sense of entitlement: Zelenskyy urges calm

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had to call for calm late Tuesday as tempers soared between diplomats from his country and Poland. 

On Tuesday, Kyiv summoned Warsaw's envoy following a top Polish official openly complaining that Ukraine needs to be more appreciative of the help Poland has given them after Russia's invasion last year. This was a similar complaint many American conservatives and perhaps a few liberals had with Ukraine and Zelenskyy. It seemed to many Americans that he was expecting us to do more in his war effort and this notion wasn't lost on Poland's envoy.

“We greatly appreciate the historical support of Poland, which together with us has become a real shield of Europe from sea to sea. And there cannot be a single crack in this shield,” Zelenskyy said. “We will not allow any political instants to spoil the relations between the Ukrainian and Polish peoples, and emotions should definitely cool down.” 

Poland has been one of Ukraine's greatest supporters after Russia's aggressive actions increased last year. However, more recently, Poland's relations with Kyiv have deteriorated by Warsaw's decision to extend a ban on some Ukrainian agricultural exports because they viewed this as a threat to the interests of their farmers.

The initial ban was mainly on grain, but is now shifting to soft fruit. Poland's farmers happen to be a key constituency in the upcoming Polish general elections, and nothing is more important to politicians, be they from Poland or the United States, than getting reelected. The low-price Ukrainian imports are hurting Polish farmers and politicians suddenly care.

The brewing disputes escalated Tuesday after Ukraine summoned the Polish ambassador to Kyiv over “unacceptable” comments made by a senior Polish official.

Marcin Przydacz [pronounced "Prrzzdaczrpzz"] head of Poland's international policy office said Kyiv ought to “start appreciating the role Poland has played for Ukraine in recent months and years”  causing Ukrainian heads to explode to the point they hauled in Warsaw's ambassador and prompted Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to hit back at Ukraine.

“The summoning of the Polish ambassador — a representative of the country that was the only one left in Kyiv on the day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — to the Ukrainian foreign ministry should never have happened,” Morawiecki said.

“Given the enormity of the support Poland has given Ukraine, such mistakes should not happen,” the prime minister added, verbally flipping ungrateful Ukraine the "bird."

Tweet

NATO almost invited Ukraine into group, but then there was Zelenskyy's outburst

"Gimme"

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stepped on a rake when he annoyed NATO leaders by calling them "weak." 

“Ukraine also deserves respect,” Zelensky bellowed, blaming NATO’s hesitancy for giving Russia “motivation to continue its terror.”

“Uncertainty is weakness,” he concluded.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace was clearly annoyed and on Wednesday said that a "slight word of caution" was in order for Zelenskyy, and suggested that he ought to try showing a little "gratitude" if he expected allied countries to “give up their stocks” of weapons to defend his nation [unlike Joe Biden who would give up his granddaughter, Navy, for political reasons].

But Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Britain for “decisions taken to provide our country with long-term financial support” soon after Wallace criticized him, however, President Biden's handlers were so angry at Zelenskyy for his complaints, that it "considered scaling back the 'invitation' for Ukraine to join NATO, according to the Washington Post.

At the conclusion of the Vilnius summit, NATO deemed to declare that “Ukraine’s future is in NATO” and promised that Kyiv will be invited at some point in the future, which is precisely the approach that made Zelenskyy angry because he wants what he wants when he wants it.

“We will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance when allies agree and conditions are met,” the Vilnius communiqué said.

It is possible that should Ukraine be admitted in NATO, Russia will do something drastic--hopefully not something nuclear.

At one point, Zelensky threatened to boycott the Vilnius summit unless a firm timetable for Ukrainian membership was put forward. Who does he think he is?

Maybe it's time to flip him off.

Tweet

Biden has yet to visit US border, Zelenskyy wants him to visit Ukraine fat chance

A president and Joe Biden

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has tried to convince alleged US President Joe Biden to visit Ukraine and see the carnage firsthand and how Russian President/dictator Vladimir Putin is a war criminal. But talking to Biden is like talking to a stuffed puppet.

"It’s his decision of course, and about the safety situation, it depends," Zelenskyy told "State of the Union" host Jake Tapper. "I think he is the leader of the United States, and that’s why he should come here to see."

Wrong. Joe Biden is not the leader of the United States. PINO Biden couldn't lead a kindergarten class to candy. Joe is the brightest when he doesn't speak or leave his basement. 

Zelenskyy refers to Russia's invasion in Ukraine a genocide and says he can back that up with "substantial evidence." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had visited Kyiv and Zelenskyy has also invited French President Emmanuel Macron to do the same as they spoke about how to go forward with peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

When Zelenskyy was asked if he wanted Biden to visit the war-torn country, he said not only that he wanted to see Biden visit Kyiv but also thinks that such a visit will happen.

Let's not hold our collective breath--Biden hasn't even visited our own border and we have a crisis of illegal aliens crossing it in record numbers. At least Vice President Kamala Hahaharris is handling the situation there and with the passage of time, she believes time will have passed.

Biden has said he was ready to travel to Ukraine, but his boss at the White House, whoever that is, has insisted he's just a crazy old guy who has no idea what he's saying and he isn't going. Okay, maybe not in so many words, but close.

"No. No," MSNBC new employee and current press secretary said when handling softball questions Friday by "Pod Save America."

Peter Doocy asked her a real question

"We are not sending [aka ordering] the president to Ukraine," she added firmly. He evidently isn't aware of that yet, but even if whoever his boss is tells him he's not going, he will forget that order and still say he's ready to go.

Both Johnson and Zelenskyy were praised for their solidarity when they were shown walking defiantly down the streets of Kyiv and speaking with locals.

* * *

Sex. Now that I have your attention: for more hard-hitting content, and a few soft-hitting ones too, subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against John Kerry's global warming, the heebie-jeebies and the dreaded omicron.

* * *

"This is what democracy looks like," tweeted Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. "This is what courage looks like. This is what true friendship between peoples and between nations looks like."

Meanwhile PINO Joe Biden was shaking hands with someone in his mind and walking around the podium where he had just spoken to a crowd, bragging that he worked as a full professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Fact: he never taught even one class there.

Tweet

Biden's hidin': has no plans to visit Ukraine unlike Boris Johnson

C'mon man. Ukraine is a dangerous place to be at and Joe Biden's mother, G_d rest her soul, didn't raise a fool.  

No, she raised an idiot, but not a brave one.

According to U.S. National security advisor, Jake Sullivan, alleged President Biden has no plans to travel to Ukraine even though U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has gone there and walked the streets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy because, unlike Joe, Boris got him some balls.

They say the place is crawling with Cornpop wannabees.

"It was quite the symbol to see Prime Minister Boris Johnson walking the streets of Kyiv with President Zelenskyy," NBC host Chuck Todd uncharacteristically told Sullivan. "It raises the question: are we going see President Biden in Kyiv?"

When you lose the legacy media, your presidency is in the dumpster.

"President Biden doesn't currently have any plans to travel to Kyiv," Sullivan replied. "But I will tell you he sits in the Oval Office and in the Situation Room on a daily basis, organizing and coordinating the world when it comes to the delivery of weapons," Sullivan said, exhibiting an uncanny ability to keep from cracking up knowing that Joe Biden couldn't organize his sock drawer much less the world.

Sullivan went on to say that the Ukrainian foreign minister [hoping to get more ammo and weapons from the U.S.] said the United States "is at the center of the effort to deliver from other countries and organizing and coordinating the world to take actions like the one last week to kick Russia out of the Human Rights Council." 

"So President Biden will stay focused on that and make sure that he is showing his support and solidarity to the Ukrainian people through those kinds of decisive actions," Sullivan added straight-faced. 

* * *

Sex. Now that I have your attention: for more hard-hitting content, and a few soft-hitting ones too, subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against John Kerry's global warming, the heebie-jeebies and the dreaded omicron.

* * *

Both Johnson and Zelenskyy were widely praised on social media for their show of solidarity and their brass balls in the face of Russian aggression.

"This is what democracy looks like," tweeted the Defense Ministry. "This is what courage looks like. This what true friendship between peoples and between nations looks like."

Cleanup in aisle White House.

Tweet

If Sean Penn destroys his Oscar over Zelenskyy, I will destroy my road race trophies over climate change

Actor and unintentional comedian Sean Penn threatened to "smelt" his Oscars if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not invited to speak at the self-aggrandizing Academy Awards show. To Penn's credit, this is the highest form of virtue signaling many of us have ever seen. What bravery. What courage. Penn doesn't only pretend to play brave and courageous people, he is willing to destroy his trophies to show the world how brave and courageous he is. Kudos, dude.

"If it comes back to it, I will smelt [my Oscar awards] in public," if the Academy doesn't do what Penn says they must. He told the Comedy News Network (CNN) on Saturday, "I pray that’s not what’s happened. I pray there have not been arrogant people, who consider themselves representatives of the greater good in my industry, that have [decided against checking] with leadership in Ukraine. So I’m just going to hope that that’s not what’s happened. I hope [every attendee] walks out if it is," if they don't do what Penn demands.

Taking my cues from this American legend, I have decided that I will throw all of my running trophies in the garbage to be picked up on Wednesday morning [if they come on time] if Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not invited to speak during the Oscar presentations. I will go so far as to ask someone who will watch the show for me [I don't watch crap] to tell me if he appeared on behalf of the Ukrainian people to demand we establish a "no fly" zone and perhaps initiate World War Three. 

But even more, I will ditch all of these trophies if Greta Thunberg isn't invited to speak at a joint session of Congress about global warming and why we suck. How dare us.

From what I heard about the 94th Academy Awards show, it will be on Sunday evening and some people might watch it. Penn has now said, "it is my understanding that a decision has been made not" to invite Zelenskyy to speak, and the world waits with hope that Penn will smelt what he was dealt in Oscars on live TV, as my wife and my best friend Cecil, wait to see if I will carry out my own self-aggrandizing demonstration of what a great person I am to throw away my running trophies.

* * *

Sex. Now that I have your attention: for more hard-hitting content, and a few soft-hitting ones too, subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against John Kerry's global warming, the heebie-jeebies and the dreaded omicron.

* * *

I may take it a step further and ditch my bowling trophy for breaking 200 at the Holy Split Bowling Center. It's old and kind of broken anyway and collecting dust.

He doesn't mean to be funny, but Sean Penn is a joke all unto himself.

Tweet

Irate Putin purges problematic people who bungled his war

"Pull my finger, comrade"

Dictator of Russia Vladimir Putin is reportedly as heated as a fart in an erupting volcano with his inner circle due to their muffed Ukraine strategy that has brought him nothing but grief. He is said to be looking for those responsible in his own court and when he sorts them out, their lives will require personal food tasters.

According to one source who wishes to remain alive and therefore anonymous, Putin is apoplectic that his dreams of conquering Ukraine between borscht lunches at his mansion have stalled and that his plans were leaked to the West. Putin has reportedly become extremely paranoid, almost to the point that he believes the paranoids are out to get him, and is also concerned about the deaths of several of his generals along with his not so elite forces. Heck, they couldn't even do. simple task like killing Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President.

Apparently, Putin is now leery about his ally and vaca buddy, defense minister Sergei Shoigu, who oversees the military operation that has been stalled. Alexander Bortnikov who is head of the FSB security service, a Russian agency somewhat like our FBI but with one letter difference, is rumored to be next in line if Putin gets his butt in a coup d'etas, but is also under the gun along with Valery Gerasimov, head of Russian general staff.

Putin is said to not do well with people who betray him and has been known to have them killed or otherwise disappear.

Another big guy in big trouble is Igor Kostyukov, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Igor faces the possibility of imminent removal. One anonymous source who asked to remain anonymous as his family's whereabouts is known to the Kremlin, said: "He is incandescent that US and UK intelligence appear to know the Russian army’s next moves all the time, starting with predicting the invasion before he was ready to acknowledge it."

* * *

Sex. Now that I have your attention: for more hard-hitting content, and a few soft-hitting ones too, subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against John Kerry's global warming, the heebie-jeebies and the dreaded omicron.

* * *

The Kremlin has reported that over 10,000 of their troops have so far been killed in Ukraine, and many others are wounded. Morale is lower than whale poop and some troops are said to be hunting for Ukrainian ammunition to shoot themselves in the leg so they are sent home from the frontlines, if you can believe that propaganda-sounding statement.

Putin supposedly said to his commanders losing 50,000 would be “nothing compared to the goals that will be achieved after the victory.” But he clearly did not wish to include himself in that number because leaders never do.

Tweet

What happens if Ukraine's Pres. Zelenskyy is killed?

What if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is murdered by a Putin puke? It turns out that Ukrainian leaders, like our so-called leaders, have "continuity of government" should this happen. 

Secretary of State Antony "No h" Blinken told reporters that Ukraine officials have a plan ready in case Zelenskyy is killed, and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is doing his level best to see this happen.

"The Ukrainians have plans in place that I'm not going to talk about or get into any details on to make sure that there is what we would call 'continuity of government' one way or another. And let me leave it at that," Blinken teasingly told CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday.

"The leadership that President Zelensky has shown, the entire government has shown, is remarkable. They’ve been the embodiment of these incredibly brave Ukrainian people," the distinctly below average Secretary of State said.

The Ukrainian constitution states that the chair of parliament succeeds the president if he cannot perform his duties. Unlike the United States, a dead president can not remain in power and must be replaced forthwith by a living person. Currently, Ruslan Stefanchuk serves as chairman of the parliament, known as Rada. 

Blinken’s remarks come after a report surfaced that U.S. officials and allied nations have been discussing the line of presidential succession in case Zelenskyy is killed or captured.

U.S. officials have reportedly urged Ukrainians to have their officials "give 'em a low silhouette against the moon," and if they want to be a duck, they better not be a sitting duck, they should keep moving."

Zelenskyy, whose balls are big enough to be seen on radar, needs to be very careful and clandestine as he has dispelled rumors of leaving but remains in Kyiv.  According to reports, he has already avoided three assassination attempts and hopefully will avoid a fourth and so on.

* * *

For more hard-hitting content, subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against global warming, the heebie-jeebies and COVID-19.

* * *

Due to the Russian violence in Kyiv, US officials and their allies would like Ukrainian officials get out of Kyiv and establish a base of operations away from the dangers being there imposes. A presidential retreat in the Carpathian Mountains has been discussed as an option, but Ukrainian officials haven't revealed the security and safety measures it contains.

Meanwhile, professional racist Nikole Hannah-Jones is claiming the only reason we care about this war is because it's white-on-white, while the White House works feverishly to come up with a narrative as to how it's all Donald Trump's fault.

Tweet

Ukrainian President tells US Congress who he thinks is responsible for Russian invasion

That look you get when something unexpected happens in your pants

According to sources in the Senate, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not think former President Donald Trump is responsible for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Unlike Nancy "Hands of Fury" Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Chuck "Nostrils" Schumer, Alexandria Obviously Commie, and the rest of the Democratic Party, he actually blames the person who has been the alleged US president for over a year now--Joseph Robinette Biden. [H/T The Daily Wire]

Zelenskyy blamed Biden because he refused to enact sanctions against Russia BEFORE they launched their invasion of Ukraine, rather than waiting for the invasion to begin. Why, it's almost as if the Democrats wanted Putin to invade, especially those Dems who secretly wear their "Che" tee shirts to bed.

Reuters Reuters reported several days prior to Russia's invasion neighboring Ukraine that Biden was "refusing to unleash sanctions on Russia" until the invasion, in spite of Zelenskyy and many other officials saying that sanctions imposed beforehand had a chance of stopping the invasion from taking place.

Why, it's almost as if the Democrats wanted Putin to invade.

“You tell me 100% that there will be war in a few days’ time. What are you waiting for?” Zelensky prior to the invasion. “We will not need your sanctions after there is a bombardment, or after our state is shot at, or if we have no more borders, we do not have an economy, or parts of our state is occupied.”

Biden's response was . . . not to respond. 

Instead, he went to Delaware to relax, eat some ice cream, and wander around aimlessly.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke to The Daily Wire regarding Biden's refusal to be proactive with the sanctions. “The sanctions that they want to put on [Russia] are nothing, it’s kind of like a slap on the wrist,” he said, just days before Russia invaded. “We’ve come up with sanctions on the Republican side that are real strong, pre and post, if they come in. So, I think it’s a huge mistake that we haven’t put some sanctions on at the beginning. ..."

* * *

For more hard-hitting content, subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against global warming, the heebie-jeebies and COVID-19.

* * *

But some on the left want to blame Trump for the invasion even though Putin didn't try invading any country during the four years of Trump's presidency. Some, like Nikole Hannah-Jones, want to tie Putin's invasion to racism, because that's all race-baiters "got."

The truth is, when people like Putin smell weakness, it's like blood in the water for a shark. But perhaps it isn't weakness that helped launched the invasion--it's almost as if the Democrats wanted Putin to invade.

Tweet

Ukrainians on Snake Is. who told Russians "go f**k yourself" may still be alive

It may simply be propaganda but who knows, perhaps it's true: the 13 Ukrainians on Ziminyi [Snake] Island who, when asked by a Russian warship to surrender, replied "Go fuck yourself," may still be alive, officials said. 

Thirteen Ukrainian border guards who were reportedly killed while defending the small island on the Black Sea are believed to be alive, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGSU) said in a statement Saturday: 

“We [have a] strong belief that all Ukrainian defenders of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island may be alive.

“Preliminary information that border guards may be dead came before the defenders lost contact.”

The story of the border guards and their defiant bravery made global headlines after SBGSAU and President Zelenskyy initially confirmed their demise.

Now there is hope that they are still alive.

According to the border agency, Russian media reported that the soldiers had been captured after they laid down their arms and were then transported to Sevastopol on the Russian-controlled Crimea Peninsula. But SBGSU said that this has not been confirmed

According to a former news outlet known as CNN, Russian Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov claimed 82 Ukrainian servicemen “laid down their arms and voluntarily surrendered to a unit of the Russian Armed Forces,” in a statement on Friday.

“After receiving information about their possible location, the DPSU together with the Armed Forces of Ukraine are conducting work on identifying our soldiers,” officials said.

“We sincerely hope that the boys will return home as soon as possible,” they added.

Two Russian warships approached Snake Island on Thursday, hours after Russia launched its full-scale invasion into Ukraine.The Russian military claims the Ukrainian border guards surrendered on Snake Island. 

“This is a Russian warship, I repeat. I suggest you surrender your weapons and capitulate otherwise I will open fire. Do you copy?” the Russians told the border guards.

“Russian warship, go fuck yourself,” a Ukrainian guard bluntly responded, not taking the suggestion.

The Russians then opened fire on the 42-acre island with barreled gunships and airstrikes, before all communications with the guards was lost, according to reports.

The island’s infrastructure was destroyed and is now occupied by the Russian military, according to SBSGU.

President Zelensky said on Thursday that the 13 border guards will receive a posthumous Hero of Ukraine medal for “heroically” defending the island.

“On our Zmiinyi Island, defending it to the last, all the border guards died heroically,” Zelensky said. “But [they] did not give up.”

* * *

For more hard-hitting content, subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against global warming, the heebie-jeebies and COVID-19.

* * *

However, it isn't known yet as to whether or not they gave up. It seems like propaganda on both sides. On one hand, if you tell your enemy to go have sex with yourself, it sounds like you're not going to then throw down your weapons and give up. On the other hand, 13 guys against 2 warships and hundreds of enemy soldiers might make the decision to surrender a good option. I suspect we'll know what really happened in days to come.

Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy is supposed to meet with Russian officials to negotiate peace, but one would have to be naive to think Putin is going to allow Ukraine to keep what they have. It's more likely a delay tactic for Putin because he is an evil scumwafer who doesn't mind killing innocent people, including children.

Tweet

Sunday situation in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Canadian dictator Justin Trudeau is still welcoming Russian airlines into its airspace as other nations have a problem with Russia doing so. Trudeau mouthpieces say the skies remain open for Russian airliners to fly through but didn't mention whether that included military aircraft.

[UPDATE: Canada has now forbidden Russian airlines to fly in Canada airspace. Sometimes public pressure works.]

At this time, Russians are entering Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city with a population of 1.4 million. Reports say the fighting is intense after the Russian invaders began the approach on Thursday when the invasion of Ukraine first began, but the Russians remained outside the city until Sunday. Civilians are told to stay indoors as fighting takes place.

The Russians are not confining their attacks on military and have targeted apartment buildings.

Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Even the former Ukraine president Petro Poroshenko is geared up for the fight and is out on the streets among others in Kyiv. He is in full body armor and looks Ukrainian badass, but admits the situation is dire as the Russian forces are about 2 kilometers from his position.

* * *

For more hard-hitting content, subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against global warming, the heebie-jeebies and COVID-19.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also staying with Ukraine in spite of the US offering to remove him. "I don't need a ride," he said, "I need ammunition."

Those words will likely go down in military history.

Tweet

Russian officials sign open letter condemning Putin's invasion of Ukraine

More than 150 senior Russian officials signed an open letter condemning Vladimir Putin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, calling it an "unprecedented atrocity." They warn of "catastrophic consequences" and urge citizens "not to participate." And in the streets of Russia, protesters of the war [which the Russian press is forbidden to call it such] have been getting arrested by the hundreds. 

Like Canada, protesting is illegal in Russia.

The officials said they were "convinced" Russian citizens do not back the war and put the blame squarely on the shoulders of their dictator, Putin. They said that he ordered troops into Ukraine in an attack "for which there is no end and cannot be justified."

Some believe Putin is not his usual shirtless self. His mental status appears to have changed as he is irritable and easily angered. His reasoning for attacking Ukraine is to "de-militarize" and "de-Nazify" Ukraine, in spite of the country's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy being Jewish. Putin also said the government is led by drug addicts, which is another crock of you know what.

Wounded Ukrainian woman

Ukrainian civilians have taken up weapons to defend their country and all men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been ordered to remain and fight the Russian incursion. Thus far, it is believe that at least 198 Ukrainians have been killed, three of them children.

Russian military aircraft have not been a big factor at this time because the Ukrainians have been shooting them down with Stinger rockets supplied to them by former President Trump. But some have gotten past this and have rained bombs down on the city of Kyiv.

Russian paratroopers have been shot before touching down and two large Russian aircraft with about 150 men in each, were shot down.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: he refused to take the US offer to leave

The open letter urging Russians "not to participate in the aggression" had, among its signatories, Moscow deputies Elena Rusakova, Maxim Gongalsky, Andrey Morev, Elena Kotenochkina and Elena Filina as well as St Petersburg officials David Kuvaev and Polina Sizova and Veliky Novgorod deputy Anna Cherepanova.

They must be given credit for bravery since going against Putin generally amounts to a bad outcome. These brave signatories are described in the letter as being "elected by the people," and said they "unreservedly condemn the attack of the Russian army on Ukraine." [Hopefully they didn't buy any green bananas.] 

They made it clear in the letter that the decision was solely made by Putin and said they are convinced the Russian people don't want to give him such a mandate. It explained that Russia would face "the condemnation of the world community" resulting in 'isolation, rising prices and poverty'.

"Hopes for a good life in Russia are crumbling before our eyes," the letter added.

"We urge you not to participate in the aggression and not to approve of it. Please don't be silent: only massive popular condemnation can stop the war."

* * *

For more hard-hitting content, subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against global warming, the heebie-jeebies and COVID-19.

* * *

We are witnessing incredible bravery both by the Ukraine people and the Russia's elite who oppose what is being leveled upon them. As this is being written, Kyiv is under ground assault and it's likely the Russians are looking to kill or capture President Zelenskyy. 

Imagine the sheer guts these Ukrainians have.

Tweet