Stan R. Mitchell's Blog, page 15

Ukraine counteroffensive, Edition 6. Date 6-10-23

Hello, my friends!

I wanted to send you the latest news about the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

As a reminder, I will likely send out additional updates each day. Maybe even twice a day if there are major breakthroughs or big news.

I will make all of these FREE, so please feel free to share.

Also, if you can you support the show by becoming a paid subscriber, that will allow me to devote more time and resources to what I’m trying to do here.

You can sign up for free or as a paid subscriber at the blue button/link below.

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Thanks!

Russia and Ukraine news:

It’s 4:45 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, and I wanted to send the latest update. As I wrote late last night, the big news right now is that there is no big news.

And that hasn’t changed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today — in response to a question stating that Putin was bragging about stopping the Ukrainians — that things were progressing as planned.

“I am in touch with our commanders of different directions every day,” Zelenskyy said, citing the names of five of Ukraine’s top military leaders. “Everyone is positive. Pass this on to Putin.”

I promised yesterday to go in-depth about a tank battle/probing action that has all the analysts abuzz.

Let’s do that, but I begin with this caveat. This is the third day the Russians have been pushing this.

Here’s another view of what the Russians keep peddling, which to be fair, looks terrible. (And this is why everyone is abuzz about it.)

Like, I’m not lying.

This is literally what all the analysts, cheerleaders, and critics have been discussin the past few days.

Here are five thoughts about this and one, final large conclusion.

Point 1. Delay in western powers sending tanks allowed the Russians to build up their defenses. Point 2. Much of the damanaged vehicles will be repaired and re-used. Their crews still alive thanks to how Western tanks are made.

As General Hertling added, this shows the important need for trained maintenance teams to conduct rapid BDAR (battle damage assessment and repair).

Point 3. We’re drawing a lot of big conclusions based on one small bit of imagery online. It’s still early. Point 4. Making mistakes like this and bunching up is a part of the process by newer-ish troops. This is simply how you get better. Point 5. Ugly, early lossed preceeded the last, massive Ukrainian offensive. Final big conclusion: We all expected a huge, armored fist through one hole. It’s clear the Ukrainians are going to take their time in the hopes this reduces casualties.

A reminder on what the real goal is in the short-term.

The real goal of this counteroffensive is to cut the landbridge, and then starve the troops cut off and those left stranded on the Crimean Peninsula.

From the BBC:

What will success look like?

If Ukrainian forces can punch through Russian lines, all the way to the Sea of Azov, then any Russian troops west of that breach will suddenly be much more vulnerable, dependent entirely on supply lines through the Crimean Peninsula.

All that would then remain, Serhii Kuzan, co-founder and chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, says, would be to destroy the Kerch Bridge linking Russia with Crimea (briefly disabled by a huge truck bomb last October) and attack ships and planes being used to ferry supplies to the peninsula.

"That would be the end," he says. "But don't expect this to happen soon. It'll take months."

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

And with that, I’m out.

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Love and peace,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Enjoy what you’re reading but don’t want to subscribe? Send me a small tip on Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell). The more tips I get, the more I produce. 🤣

P.P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.

Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.

Ukraine counteroffensive, Edition 5. Date 6-9-23

Hello, my friends!

I wanted to send you the latest news about the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

As a reminder, I will likely send out additional updates each day. Maybe even twice a day if there are major breakthroughs or big news.

I will make all of these FREE, so please feel free to share.

Also, if you can you support the show by becoming a paid subscriber, that will allow me to devote more time and resources to what I’m trying to do here.

You can sign up for free or as a paid subscriber at the blue button/link below.

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Thanks!

Russia and Ukraine news:

I’m writing this as of 10:59 p.m. on Friday night.

The big news right now is that there is no big news.

I’ll go in-depth a bit tomorrow about a tank battle/probing action that has all the analysts abuzz, but for now, let’s share two brief things.

First, the real goal of this counteroffensive has become absolutely clear. (It’s not to clear all of Ukraine of the invaders, though that’s the long-term goal.)

The real goal of this counteroffensive is to cut the landbridge, and then starve the troops cut off and those left stranded on the Crimean Peninsula.

From the BBC:

What will success look like?

If Ukrainian forces can punch through Russian lines, all the way to the Sea of Azov, then any Russian troops west of that breach will suddenly be much more vulnerable, dependent entirely on supply lines through the Crimean Peninsula.

All that would then remain, Serhii Kuzan, co-founder and chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, says, would be to destroy the Kerch Bridge linking Russia with Crimea (briefly disabled by a huge truck bomb last October) and attack ships and planes being used to ferry supplies to the peninsula.

"That would be the end," he says. "But don't expect this to happen soon. It'll take months."

The Washington Post echoed these thoughts and added that no massive, smashing attack has been unleashed yet.

A senior Western intelligence official told The Post that, for now, Ukraine appeared to be holding back its most significant firepower, noting that the larger blow “hasn’t landed yet.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence.

Ukraine’s military is armed with a potent U.S. arsenal. Washington has committed 90 Stryker personnel carriers and more than 100 Bradley Fighting Vehicles. The Strykers and Bradleys are generally faster, more advanced and better protected than the aging Soviet and Russian vehicles that the Ukrainians operate, but they are more technically challenging to maintain in the field. The United States has also pledged 31 Abrams tanks, but they will not be ready until September at the earliest.

I’ll send more tomorrow. Thank you for your support.

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Love and peace,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Enjoy what you’re reading but don’t want to subscribe? Send me a small tip on Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell). The more tips I get, the more I produce. 🤣

P.P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.

Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.

Ukraine counteroffensive, Edition 4. Date 6-8-23

Hello, my friends!

It appears as though Ukraine’s much-awaited counteroffensive has begun.

As a reminder, I will likely send out additional updates each day. Maybe even twice a day if there are major breakthroughs or big news.

I will make all of these FREE, so please feel free to share.

Also, if you can you support the show by becoming a paid subscriber, that will allow me to devote more time and resources to what I’m trying to do here.

You can sign up for free or as a paid subscriber at the blue button/link below.

Subscribe now

Thanks!

Russia and Ukraine news:

It’s a few minutes after 9 p.m. Eastern time and I’m writing to update you on the latest regarding Urkain’s counteroffensive to reclaim its seized land from Russia.

Ukrainian forces seem to be busting through the lines in Southeast Ukraine in the Zaporizhzhia region.

You can see the city below.

The World Factbook 2021. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency, 2021. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/

This is hard to confirm because Ukraine is saying nothing, while Russian troops are panicking and talking (and cursing) a lot on Telegram.

Here are a few likely images of what’s happening (zoomed in), and then I’ll back it up with some actual media reporting.

The social media reports are backed up by The Washingon Post.

The Post reported two key things:

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Ukrainian forces tried to break through the lines of the Russian army in the Zaporizhzhia region, using up to 1,500 troops and 150 armored vehicles. Shoigu’s claim could not be immediately verified. The Zaporizhzhia region has long been seen as the most strategic and likely location of the new Ukrainian campaign.

The offensive, which Ukrainian officials previously said they would not mark with an announcement and would not have a clear beginning, is expected to unfold over months and to serve as a test of a U.S.-led strategy to prepare Ukrainian forces with increasingly advanced weapons and tactics.

One interesting thing is that Ukraine probably has 7 or 8 times more new troops than this. So, there’s no guarantee that this is the main effort.

But the casualties have been heartbreaking. Such as this video of a Leopard tank exploding.

There was also two different videos of a convoy caught in the open by artillery and another group of vehicles ambushed by a Russian helicopter that lights up the tanks and vehicles with guided missiles.

I’m not linking to either of those. As one commenter said, this was probably Russia’s best video of their “successes.” AND, casualties are always highest during the breach and during the probing of perimeters and minefields.

Besides The Washington Post, Politico also confirmed these advances.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a video released Thursday that Ukrainian forces had mounted an attack in the area of Zaporizhzhia, with 1,500 troops and 150 armored vehicles. Shoigu claimed that Russian forces had held off the Ukrainians.

Ukrainian officials have previously said they would not announce the beginning of the counteroffensive, so as not to ruin the element of surprise.

It’s likely that as they move through the lines, that major advances and higher speeds of advanes will occur.

It’s also possible that this was a fake attack and that the real advance may be elsewhere.

As a former General with many decades of experience and far more stars on his shoulder than me said, “We won’t understand the situation for a week.” That’s what retired General Barry McCaffrey said.

One other thing before I sign off tonight…

If you doubted Russia would blow up the damn earlier this week, you’d probably be surprised to see Russia trying to kill civilians trying to evacuate.

But besides the latest war crime above, already Russia’s statements (lies?) about the damn are falling apart.

Seismic stations detected explosion at Ukrainian dam around the time it collapsed

And even crazier, Russia is already at it in other areas, blowing up dams to save their skins.

That’s it for this edition.

If you have additional information, add it below in the comments. Or you can email me the information at AuthorStanRMitchell@yahoo.com. (It should go without saying, but if you are current military or government employee, do NOT send me classified or secret information. Only open-source information.)

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Subscribe now

You can also can sign up at Patreon or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

And with that, I’m out.

Love and peace,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.

P.P.S. Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.

Podcast Episode 6-8-23

Hey guys,

Just sending out a short announcement so that those who are solely subscribed through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc, are aware of the daily updates I’m doing since Ukraine kicked off its counteroffensive operations this week.

It appears a Ukrainian breakthrough is happening as we speak, but I need to nail down more of the details regarding this before I can announce it with confidence.

As such, I’ll post an update later today or early evening.

I will make all of these FREE, so please feel free to share.

Also, if you can you support the show by becoming a paid subscriber, that will allow me to devote more time and resources to what I’m trying to do here.

You can sign up for free or as a paid subscriber at the blue button/link below.

Subscribe now

Thanks!

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Below are the three updates of the opening moves of the Ukrainian counteroffensive that I’ve already shared this week (in case you missed them).

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Love and peace,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.

P.P.S. Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.

Ukraine counteroffensive, Edition 3. Date 6-7-23

Hello, my friends!

I had planned to send out a second update yesterday afternoon/evening to go along with the morning edition, but there wasn’t enough counteroffensive news to merit an update.

As a reminder, I will likely send out additional updates each day. Maybe even twice a day if there are major breakthroughs or big news.

I will make all of these FREE, so please feel free to share.

Thanks!

Subscribe now

Russia and Ukraine news:

There is still shockingly little news about any offensive news out there at this point.

About the biggest thing I’ve seen is this:

I confirmed those quotes ran in this Washington Post column: D-Day dawns for Ukraine.

If Ukrainian units have pushed through heavily mined areas to advance between five and 10 kilometers in some areas of the long front,then they’ve done much of the hardest part. And breakthroughs WILL happen.

But I still expected more. Much harder punches, even if the punches failed.

And the fact there isn’t more makes me think that Russia prevented some major attacks to the south toward Kherson and the Crimean Peninsula by the dam collapsing and the area being flooded.

If that’s the case, those brigades would need to be moved to other areas to punch through, and moving those units and all their logistics will take time.

That’s my thoughts on the matter, though I’ve not seen anyone else say them yet.

Still, some movement happening in Bakhmut:

(Though I’ll bet that’s a feint or just a pinning-down attack. I expect Bakhmut to be encircled. Not attacked through the center.)

Just remember that our impatience is not realistic, as General Milley said.

Milley says fighting in Ukraine has increased and cautions the war with Russia will be lengthy

U.S. Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Mark Milley said Tuesday that fighting in Ukraine has increased, but he cautioned against reading too much into each day’s operations.

“There’s activity throughout Russian-occupied Ukraine and fighting has picked up a bit,” Milley said.

…

Milley said it was up to Ukraine to announce whether its counteroffensive campaign has formally begun, but he said Ukrainian troops are ready for this fight.

“There will be days you see a lot of activity and there will be days you may see very little activity. There will be offensive actions and defensive actions. So this will be a back-and-forth fight for a considerable length of time.”

Here’s the update on the flooding situation.

Floodwaters engulf more areas of southern Ukraine after dam breach as hundreds evacuated

Floodwaters from a collapsed dam kept rising in southern Ukraine on Wednesday, forcing hundreds of people to flee their homes in a major emergency operation that brought a dramatic new dimension to the war with Russia, now in its 16th month.

Amid the disaster response, artillery shelling rang out as people scrambled to get out of the danger zone, climbing onto military trucks or rafts.

A day after the dam’s collapse, it remained unclear what caused it. Ukraine accused Russia of blowing up the dam wall, while Russia blamed Ukrainian shelling for the breach. Some experts said the collapse may have been an accident caused by wartime damage and neglect, although others said this was unlikely and argued that Russia might have had tactical military reasons to destroy the dam.

Ukraine is trying to rescue civilians on its side.

But you’re not seeing much — if any — rescue effort from the Russian side. Either because they don’t care or lack the capabilities.

One thing I hadn’t thought of is the flooding will also push landmines across the area, which is not only bad for military forces, but also civilians, as well.

And in classic Russian fashion, Russia probably lost a ton of equipment in this mess. Probably some troops, too.

I’d venture that many troops made it out, but have you ever tried to carry a mortar or heavy machine gun through raging water? I have. It’s not easy.

And this flooding happened in the middle of the night, so the troops had no warning and were awakened probably too late to rescue much equipment.

Ukrainian troops witnessed Russian soldiers swept away in dam breach floodwaters

Ukrainian troops witnessed Russian soldiers being swept up in floodwaters and fleeing the east bank of the Dnipro River after the collapse of the Nova Khakovka dam, an officer in Ukraine's armed forces said. Many Russian troops were killed or wounded in the chaos, according to the officer. 

Capt. Andrei Pidlisnyi said when the dam collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday morning “no one on the Russian side was able to get away. All the regiments the Russians had on that side were flooded.” 

Pidlisnyi told CNN he believed the Russians had deliberately attacked the dam to disrupt Ukrainian forces’ plans for an upcoming offensive. 

It’s still too early to know how bad this flooding will be, but we already know it’s horrendous.

Ukraine dam’s destruction could ‘forever’ change ecosystems, officials say

The escape of the huge store of water from the reservoir will reshape Ukraine’s map, its habitats and its livelihood, endangering communities that depend on the water for drinking and growing crops, forcing farmers out of business, pushing towns to relocate and unsettling delicate ecological balances. Ukrainian officials warned that at least 150 tons of oil stored inside the hydroelectric power plant in the dam were washed into the waterway. Water from the reservoir also fed the cooling ponds of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, in Zaporizhzhia, although nuclear experts said there was no immediate threat.

And did you catch this part of the story?

150 tons of oil stored inside the hydroelectric power plant in the dam were washed into the waterway.

It’s horrendous what has happened in just this latest Russian act of tyranny.

If you have additional information, add it below in the comments. Or you can email me the information at AuthorStanRMitchell@yahoo.com. (It should go without saying, but if you are current military or government employee, do NOT send me classified or secret information. Only open-source information.)

I will put out my podcast tomorrow, and possibly an update in the morning, as well.

Please share this with others.

Love and peace,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.

P.P.S. Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.

Ukraine counteroffensive, Edition 2. Date 6-6-23

Hello, my friends!

Here are some of the latest updates.

As a reminder, I will likely send out additional updates this week — maybe even daily. Maybe even twice a day if there’s major breakthroughs or big news.

I will make all of these FREE, so please feel free to share.

Thanks!

Subscribe now

Russia and Ukraine news:

It appears as though this is correct. So far at least, Ukraine is currently probing many places on the front lines of Russia.

But even these half-hearted, barely-applied probes are beginning to make some progress.

Here are the very latest maps reflecting that.

Even President Zelensky states that progress is being made around Bakhmut.

But the big news since the last edition is that an important dam in the southern part of Ukraine was blown; likely by Russia. (This damn was in occupied Ukrainian territory; controlled by Russia.)

You can see video of that here:

As one astute observer remembered, Zelensky worried about this more than eight months ago.

It also seems clear the Russians were doing some suspicious things with the water behind the dam in recent weeks.

There is lots of talk online about what this could mean for the cooling of reactors at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, 75 miles to the northeast.

But for the moment, this is not a serious situation. The Washington Post reported:

Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a separate statement Tuesday that the dam is “severely damaged,” causing a “significant reduction in the level of the reservoir used to supply cooling water” to the nuclear plant. The water cools the residual heat emitted by the plant’s reactors and diesel generators, he said.

“However, our current assessment is that there is no immediate risk to the safety of the plant,” he added. There are also alternative sources of water, he said, including a large cooling pond next to the site.

But the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam will cause serious issues.

It supplies water to much of southern Ukraine, which Russia currently occupies.

And not only does the flooding threaten thousands of lives, it also will seriously affect troop movements.

I’m sure more news on the dam will come out in the coming hours and days.

One final thing to share for this edition.

I’m always amazed at how good the Ukrainians are. But check this out: A moving house. No lie. Go check out the video.

If you have additional information, add it below in the comments. Or you can email me the information at AuthorStanRMitchell@yahoo.com. (It should go without saying, but if you are current military or government employee, do NOT send me classified or secret information. Only open-source information.)

Subscribe now

Love and peace,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.

P.P.S. Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.

Ukraine counteroffensive, Edition 1. Date 6-5-23

Hello, my friends!

It appears as though Ukraine’s much-awaited counteroffensive has begun.

I waited as long as I could to send out today’s edition because the news has been VERY vague and the fog of war VERY thick up to this point.

But I wanted to share what we know.

I will likely send out additional updates this week — maybe even daily. Maybe even twice a day if there’s major break throughs or big news.

I will make all of these FREE, so please feel free to share.

Thanks!

Subscribe now

REMINDER: If you missed Thursday’s podcast, make sure you listen to that here: 6-1-23; I talk quite a bit about the coming offensive beginning at Timestamp: 11:32.

It’s FREE to listen to it!

Russia and Ukraine news:

As a prelude to understanding the news, let’s begin with this:

Now that you understand the historical nature of past Ukrainian offensives against Russia, let’s share what we know at least so far:

Ukrainian forces claim advances along front line; Russia says it repelled attack in Donetsk

Ukrainian troops carried out “offensive actions” in multiple locations on the eastern front, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar wrote on Telegram, despite “stiff resistance and the enemy’s attempts to hold the occupied lines and positions.”

Ukraine’s forces advanced between 200 and 1,600 meters in the Donetsk region, near the town of Orikhovo-Vasylivka. Troops also advanced the same distance in Paraskoviivka, north of Bakhmut, and pushed between 100 and 700 meters in Ivanivske, also near Bakhmut, Maliar said.

Earlier Monday, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said that Russia had thwarted a Ukrainian attack Sunday in the eastern Donetsk region. The attack targeted Russian positions along five sections of the front line in southern Donetsk, Lt. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in a video published by Russia’s state-owned RIA Novosti news agency. His claims could not be verified, and it was unclear whether the attack was related to Ukraine’s expected counteroffensive. Ukraine reported clashes in Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk on Monday but denied Russia’s claim that Ukraine’s attack had been deterred.

The AP had very similar reporting:

Ukraine trying to end battlefield stalemate in what may be start of counteroffensive

Ukrainian forces were making a major effort to end a battlefield stalemate and punch through Russian defensive lines in southeast Ukraine for a second day Monday, in what may herald the start of a long-anticipated counteroffensive after 15 months of war.

Russian officials seemed to be trying to portray the Ukrainian attacks as the start of the counteroffensive, saying that Moscow’s forces foiled at least one assault. While not explicitly confirming such a large-scale effort, Kyiv authorities said their forces were indeed increasing offensive operations and making gains, but suggested some of the Russian announcements were misinformation.

Vladimir Rogov, an official in the Russia-backed administration of Ukraine’s partly occupied Zaporizhzhia province, said fighting resumed on its border with the eastern Donetsk province on Monday after Russian defenses beat back a Ukrainian advance the previous day.

CNN, however, said that as of 6:10 p.m. eastern, some gains were being made around Bakhmut.

Ukrainian officials claimed that units had retaken territory on the northern and southern flanks of the embattled eastern city of Bakhmut. Ukraine's defense minister said units are "carrying out offensive actions" around the city.

…

Fighting in Bakhmut: Ukrainian troops are making advances on the eastern front around the city of Bakhmut, Maliar said. The founder of the Russian private military company Wagner also said Ukrainian Armed Forces have taken back some land north of the city of Bakhmut. In recent weeks, Ukraine has launched successful counteroffensives in the north and south of the city with some success. 

As a reminder, I said almost two weeks ago that I thought there was a good chance that Ukraine would encircle Bakhmut and trap inside it thousands of Russian troops.

Timestamp: 18:01. Could Bakhmut be Russia’s Stalingrad?

I will try to have an additional update soon once it’s clear where the breakthroughs are versus merely the probes.

If you have additional information, add it below in the comments. Or you can email me the information at AuthorStanRMitchell@yahoo.com. (It should go without saying, but if you are current military or government employee, do NOT send me classified or secret information. Only open-source information.)

Subscribe now

Love and peace,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.

P.P.S. Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.

Podcast Episode 6-1-23

Hey guys!

Welcome to the show! In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, which you probably haven’t seen in the news. As I always say, our media does a terrible job covering our military and potential hotspots, so I’m hoping to fill this void.

But, in addition to ending the podcast with some awesome motivation and wisdom, we’ll cover:

Timestamp: 1:27. Since it’s the episode after Memorial Day, I wanted to honor two special people who gave their lives in service of our country.

Timestamp: 4:49. Erdogan wins new election in Turkey run-off race.

Timestamp: 6:34. Correction to last week’s reporting: new video emerges showing that three sea drones that attacked the Russian intelligence gathering ship, the Ivan Khurs, actually succeeded in hitting it. At least one of them did, that is.

Timestamp: 11:32 ‘It’s Time’: Ukraine’s Top Commander Says Counteroffensive Is Imminent.

Timestamp: 22:40. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s capital has been under relentless drone and missile attacks the past few days.

Timestamp: 24:02. But Ukraine — or some internal foe of Putin inside Russia — has hit back. Moscow grapples with drone strikes on residences, hours after another attack on Kyiv.

Timestamp: 25:46. Putin continues to seem unconcerned with it all. Barely noting war in public, Putin acts like time is on his side.

Timestamp: 27:33. The price of natural gas in the EU hits a two-year low. 

Timestamp: 29:26. US says Chinese jet conducted ‘unnecessarily aggressive maneuver’ intercepting US spy plane over South China Sea.

Timestamp: 31:29. China rejects U.S. request for a meeting of the defense chiefs.

Timestamp: 33:01. Afghanistan sends additional troops to the border after fighting flares up with Iran.

Timestamp: 35:23. The best part of the show. The motivation and wisdom part. 

Timestamp: 46:38. And if you want to learn more about me, my hope for the country (and for those listening), and about the 11 books I’ve written, jump to here on the podcast.

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

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For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:

Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and wisdom at the end of each episode.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news!

The work I do each week is primarily a podcast. You can listen to it from the player above, or from whatever podcast you listen to it from.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Subscribe now

Subscribing also gets you The View from the Front Extended. This is a Monday update that comes out as a newsletter and is a way to provide value and thank my paying subscribers.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

But you don’t have to do any of these things. I’ve already had incredible support and feel called to do this. As long as I’m making enough to cover the time I invest each week, I’m not going anywhere. Why paid subscriptions help, and what they’d help me do more of...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

Source notes:

Hey guys,

Since it’s the day after Memorial Day, I wanted to honor two special people who gave their lives in service of our country.

The first one was a big reason I ended up joining the Marine Corps.

Bobby Fisher, who retired as a Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps, was a man I looked up to as a young boy. He was probably the only Marine I really knew before joining, and I recognized and respected how different he was. He was a quiet man, who always stood tall and pulled his share of the load, while never boasting or talking big.

Gunnery Sergeant Fisher served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm and while he survived the combat, he’d struggle with and eventually succumb to a blood disease related to Gulf War Syndrome. (Some may quibble and say he didn’t die in service or combat, but this man left Grainger County a strong man and upon his return, soon found himself struggling with an undiagnosed disease, losing weight and strength and unable to work or do anything physical. He’d die at the young age of 47, and believe me when I say his last years were miserable. I don’t care what anyone says, this man was killed by the war no differently than someone who took a bullet over there.)

The second man I’d like to honor is Lance Corporal Andre Foster, who I served with in Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. Lance Corporal Foster died in a dangerous stream crossing we were doing as part of our training at the Jungle Warfare Training Center in Okinawa.

I’ll post a tribute one of his close friends wrote about him below. But just like with Gunnery Sergeant Fisher, I can say I knew Lance Corporal Foster and he was a great man.

Turkey news:

Erdogan wins new election in Turkey run-off race

After securing a strong new mandate in a runoff presidential election, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan could temper some positions that have irritated his NATO allies. But observers predicted that the country’s longtime strongman leader is unlikely to depart from his policy of engaging with both Russia and the West.

Erdogan won reelection Sunday with more than 52% of the vote, extending his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade. He must now confront skyrocketing inflation that has fueled a cost-of-living crisis and rebuild in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people and leveled entire cities.

After failing to secure victory outright in the first round of voting on May 14, Erdogan defeated opposition challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who had promised to put Turkey on a more democratic path and improve relations with the West.

Russia and Ukraine news:

New video emerges of the damage to the Ivan Khurs ship

‘It’s Time’: Ukraine’s Top Commander Says Counteroffensive Is Imminent

Ukraine’s top military commander signaled on Saturday morning that the nation’s forces were ready to launch their long-anticipated counteroffensive following months of preparations, including recently stepped-up attacks on logistical targets as well as feints and disinformation intended to keep Russian forces on edge.

“It’s time to get back what’s ours,” Ukraine’s supreme military commander, Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi,  wrote in a statement.

The blunt statement, accompanied by a slickly produced video of Ukrainian troops preparing for battle and released on social media, appeared intended to rally a nation weary from 15 months of war and to deepen anxiety within the Russian ranks. But General Zaluzhnyi offered no indication of where and when Ukrainian forces might try to break Russia’s hold on occupied territory.

And if you want to see that video, you can watch it here: Translated transcript of Ukrainian war video 

Commander: 'Ukraine is my motherland. Lord our father who is in heaven. Bless me.' 

Troops: 'Bless us.' 

Commander: 'I am going to destroy.'

Troops: 'The enemies of my dear country, the murderers of my brothers, the rapists of my sisters.'

Commander: 'May my hand be firm.' 

Troops: 'To slay our enemies.' 

Commander: 'May my eyes be clear.' 

Troops: 'To slay our enemies.'

Commander: 'Let my weapon be in good order.' 

Troops: 'To slay our enemies.' 

Commander: 'Let my will be of steel.'   

Troops: 'To slay our enemies.' 

Commander: 'Ukraine my native motherland.'

Troops: 'Lord our heavenly father, bless us. Our decisive offensive, our sacred vengeance, our holy victory.' 

Text then says in Ukrainian: 'Join those who will raise the banner of our victory.'  

Ukraine’s counteroffensive plan ‘impressive,’ Sen. Graham says

The Russians are “in for a rude awakening” when the Ukrainian counteroffensive begins, Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.) told NatSec Daily following a weekend trip to Kyiv.

The lawmaker received a “deep dive” briefing on Ukraine’s military plans from President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY and his team, he said in a phone interview during his return home. “In the coming days, you’re going to see a pretty impressive display of power by the Ukrainians.”

Zelenskyy announced Monday that “decisions have been made” about when the troop movements will begin.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s capital has been under relentless drone and missile attacks the past few days. Russia targets Kyiv with third wave of strikes in twenty-four hours

A month of relentless assaults on the capital has shaken a weary populace. Local officials said there had been 17 attacks in 30 days, rivaling some of the city’s worst moments since the invasion. Ukrainian officials have said the concentrated attacks were aimed at confusing and incapacitating its air defense systems, and at intimidating and exhausting civilians.

…

Serhii Popko, the head of the Kyiv military administration, said the early morning attacks were the third wave aimed at the capital in 24 hours. A rare daytime barrage of ballistic missiles on Monday had sent residents, including schoolchildren carrying their backpacks, running for cover as the city’s air defense system shot down missiles.

The city was targeted with 11 ballistic missiles shortly after 11 a.m. on Monday, according to Ukrainian officials. There were no known deaths from the earlier attacks; one woman was injured, according to officials. Russia said Monday’s strikes had been aimed at air bases rather than civilians. Ukrainian officials said an airfield in western Ukraine was hit.

But Ukraine — or some internal foe of Putin inside Russia — has hit back.

Moscow grapples with drone strikes on residences, hours after another attack on Kyiv

In a rare attack deep inside Russian territory, at least two residential buildings in Moscow were hit by drones Tuesday morning, Moscow’s mayor said on Telegram. No one was seriously injured, the mayor said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed without providing evidence that Ukraine was behind the drone strikes, which it called a “terrorist attack.” Kyiv denied involvement. The Washington Post was unable to independently verify the claims.

The strikes came after Russia conducted its third aerial attack on Kyiv in 24 hours. Falling debris killed at least one person and wounded at least four people, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. The air raid was the 17th this month, he said.

Putin continues to seem unconcerned with it all.

Barely Noting War in Public, Putin Acts Like Time Is on His Side

Pro-Ukrainian fighters stormed across the border into southwestern Russia this past week, prompting two days of the heaviest fighting on Russian territory in 15 months of war. Yet President Vladimir V. Putin, in public, ignored the matter entirely.

He handed out medals, met the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, hosted friendly foreign leaders and made televised small talk with a Russian judge about how Ukraine was not a real country.

In managing Russia’s biggest war in generations, Mr. Putin increasingly looks like a commander in chief in absentia: In public, he says next to nothing about the course of the war and betrays little concern about Russia’s setbacks. Instead, he is telegraphing more clearly than ever that his strategy is to wait out Ukraine and the West — and that he thinks he can win by exhausting his foes.

…

To mount a major new offensive, Western officials and analysts say that Mr. Putin would need to find new sources of ammunition — and impose a politically risky, second military draft to replenish his depleted troops. Still, the U.S. director of national intelligence, Avril D. Haines, told Congress this month that the chances that Mr. Putin would make any concessions in talks this year were “low,” unless he were to feel a domestic political threat.

China news:

US says Chinese jet conducted ‘unnecessarily aggressive maneuver’ intercepting US spy plane over South China Sea

A Chinese fighter jet conducted an “unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” during an intercept of a US spy plane in international airspace over the South China Sea last week, the US military said in a statement Tuesday.

The Chinese J-16 fighter cut directly in front of the nose of the US RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft on May 26, forcing the US plane to fly through the wake turbulence of the intercepting aircraft. In video of the incident released by the US military, the turbulence is evident as it disturbs the US aircraft along its flight path.

The RC-135 was conducting “safe and routine operations” in international airspace, US Indo-Pacific Command said.

…

China’s military said on Wednesday that a US spy plane “deliberately intruded” into China’s training area.

China rejects U.S. request for a meeting of the defense chiefs

Afghanistan news: Motivation and Wisdom:

Let’s end this edition with plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Guys, you need to hear this. At least one of you out there needs to hear this.

Life is passing you by. You only get one shot at life, and you’re letting it slip through your fingers, day by day. Life has beaten you down, kicked you in the face, ignored you, punished you, rained on you, assailed you with illnesses and injuries, burdened you with debts and levels of despair that I know are breaking your spirit.

But you have to get up? Do you hear me? You have to get up.

You’re going to get up, get up now, and start fighting back. Do not let despair win. Get up and take a step to confront those things facing you now.

Do it now.

And let these following items lift your spirit and take you to a higher level. You can do this.

You’re meant to do this.

And you have to do this. For yourself. For your family. For your creator.

With all of that being said, I truly hope these help pick up your spirits, revive your hopes, and make you a better person.

Success Minded @_SuccessMinded_Success doesn't lead to happiness. It's the other way. Happiness leads to success. It's only when you love what you are doing that you have any shot at succeeding.2:10 AM ∙ May 24, 2022273Likes65RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotYour best teacher is your last mistake.10:00 AM ∙ May 23, 202280Likes17RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_If you think big, believe big, act big - then the results will be big.4:10 PM ∙ May 22, 20222,137Likes520Retweetsphilosophy for life @philosophy_life“A man is great not because he hasn't failed; a man is great because failure hasn't stopped him.”― Confucius6:26 PM ∙ May 21, 202210,603Likes2,455RetweetsPsyche Poetry @PsychePoetrySelf belief propels one to Action.Actions lead to progress.Progress builds Confidence.Confidence reinforces self-belief.This sets consistent long-term discipline in motion for a Grander Achievement.3:30 PM ∙ Mar 12, 2022130Likes42RetweetsCoach Hines 🇺🇸 @CoachKurtHinesTwo types of people who walk into a gym… 6:50 PM ∙ May 21, 2022132Likes25RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Mastery begins with beginnership9:50 AM ∙ May 27, 2022512Likes96RetweetsInspirational Quotes @TheQuoteBoook_Life has two rules: 1 Never quit. 2 Always remember rule 1.12:57 AM ∙ May 27, 20224,267Likes1,114RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Train your mind to be stronger than your feelings."9:45 AM ∙ May 26, 20223,117Likes698RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesFreedom from effort in the present merely means that there has been effort stored up in the past. – Theodore Roosevelt10:01 AM ∙ May 26, 202243Likes9RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotDon’t rush the process. Good things take time10:00 AM ∙ May 26, 2022181Likes60RetweetsInspirational Quotes @TheQuoteBoook_Don't waste your life trying to impress other people. Do what you love, love what you do.9:31 AM ∙ May 25, 202210,317Likes2,721RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotRemember the days you prayed for what you have now.10:01 AM ∙ May 29, 2022108Likes30RetweetsInspirational Quotes @TheQuoteBoook_Just follow your joy. Always. I think that if you do that, life will take you on the course that it’s meant to take you.4:00 PM ∙ May 29, 2022580Likes144RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotTrust your intuition. It never lies.4:00 AM ∙ May 27, 2022146Likes32RetweetsInspirational Quotes @TheQuoteBoook_You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.1:21 AM ∙ May 31, 20221,508Likes286RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotBe proud, you survived the days you thought you couldn’t.4:00 AM ∙ May 28, 2022316Likes97RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesPain never really goes away; you just elevate and get used to it by growing stronger. – Philippos Syrigos6:01 AM ∙ May 31, 202285Likes20RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qot"Don’t waste your time stressing over things you can’t change."10:00 AM ∙ May 30, 2022331Likes84RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesDon't dare to be different, dare to be yourself - if that doesn't make you different then something is wrong. – Laura Baker10:01 PM ∙ May 30, 202276Likes25RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotDon’t lose hope, you never know what tomorrow will bring.4:10 PM ∙ May 30, 20221,229Likes278RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesA strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug. – Patricia Neal2:01 PM ∙ May 30, 202295Likes13RetweetsInspirational Quotes @TheQuoteBoook_Life's like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending2:15 PM ∙ May 29, 20221,121Likes216RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotNever stop believing in hope because miracles happen everyday.4:18 AM ∙ May 31, 202280Likes27RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesNot until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves. – Henry David Thoreau10:01 AM ∙ May 30, 2022253Likes50RetweetsInspirational Quotes @TheQuoteBoook_Don't let one cloud obliterate the whole sky.11:05 AM ∙ May 29, 20221,059Likes198RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotIf you aren’t making mistakes, you aren’t really trying.10:00 AM ∙ May 31, 202236Likes11RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesEvery child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. – Pablo Picasso2:01 AM ∙ May 30, 2022115Likes22RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotDon't complain. Rebuild your life.4:00 AM ∙ May 26, 20221,719Likes442Retweets

That’s it for this edition.

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

And with that, I’m out.

Subscribe now

Love and peace,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.

P.P.S. Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.

Extended edition: Episode 5-30-23

Hello, my friends!

Thank you for being a supporter of The View from the Front.

Here’s the Monday update for paid subscribers (with a partial preview for free subscribers). This includes a brief round-up of news and some daily motivation.

If you just happened to stumble by, here’s what I’m doing with The View from the Front extended edition.

Subscribe now

My name is Stan R. Mitchell and I’m a prior Marine, journalist, and man who loves this country with all of my heart. I also like to focus on covering our military and looming hot spots, while also trying to unite the country as best I can.

I truly do appreciate all my supporters and listeners, and The View from the Front extended edition is just a small way I want to add value and repay those who have signed up as paid subscribers. (And it also is another step forward toward the long-term dream and vision I currently have.)

I will also continue to do my weekly podcast each Thursday.

If you’d like to upgrade and go from free to paid, here’s the link:

Subscribe now

But no pressure. I’ve already got a nice contingent of awesome, paying supporters.

REMINDER: If you missed Thursday’s podcast, make sure you listen to that here: Podcast Episode 5-25-23. It’s FREE to do so!

In this edition, we cover:

My tribute to special people who gave their lives in service of our country.

I thought I’d also share the Memorial Day messages of the two leading contenders for President.

Erdogan wins new election in Turkey run-off race.

Russia and Ukraine news: ‘It’s Time’: Ukraine’s Top Commander Says Counteroffensive Is Imminent.

And if you want to see that video, you can watch it at the link.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s capital has been under relentless drone and missile attacks the past few days. Russia targets Kyiv with third wave of strikes in twenty-four hours.

But Ukraine — or some internal foe of Putin inside Russia — has hit back. Moscow grapples with drone strikes on residences, hours after another attack on Kyiv.

Putin continues to seem unconcerned with it all. Barely Noting War in Public, Putin Acts Like Time Is on His Side

And at the end of this edition, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom at the end.

Read more

Podcast Episode 5-25-23

Hey guys!

Welcome to the show! In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, which you probably haven’t seen in the news. As I always say, our media does a terrible job covering our military and potential hotspots, so I’m hoping to fill this void.

But, in addition to ending the podcast with some awesome motivation and wisdom, we’ll cover:

Timestamp: 1:27. Erdogan wins endorsement for Turkish election runoff from third-place candidate Ogan.

Timestamp: 3:31. U.S. will help train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.

Timestamp: 5:26. Russia warns giving Ukraine F-16's is a “colossal risk." President Biden has an epic reply.

Timestamp: 6:52. F-16s Would Make No ‘Fundamental Change’ in Ukraine’s War Effort, USAF Secretary Says

Timestamp: 11:22. Russia TV celebrates as it reports the capture of Bakhmut, comparing it to Berlin in 1945.

Timestamp: 13:02. Zelenskyy denies Ukrainian city of Bakhmut occupied by Russian forces.

Timestamp: 14:44. Russia controls Bakhmut, for now, but holding it will be difficult.

Timestamp: 18:01. Could Bakhmut be Russia’s Stalingrad?

Timestamp: 23:57. Could the land bridge be Ukraine’s big spring offensive target?

Timestamp: 29:49. Russia alleges border incursion by Ukrainian saboteurs; Kyiv claims they are disgruntled Russians.

Timestamp: 33:37. Fresh From Attack on Russian Soil, Raiders Taunt the Kremlin.

Timestamp: 35:39. Biden Administration announces new $375 million aid package.

Timestamp: 37:43. Japan to provide Ukraine with 100 vehicles, 30,000 dry rations. In addition, Japan will receive wounded Ukrainian soldiers for the first time at the Central Self-Defense Hospital.

Timestamp: 39:14. An Iranian nuclear facility is so deep underground that US airstrikes likely couldn’t reach it.

Timestamp: 43:40. The Taliban laughs at Iran’s threats about water demands from a shared river.

Timestamp: 49:02. The best part of the show. The motivation and wisdom part.

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

Subscribe now

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:

Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and wisdom at the end of each episode.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news!

The work I do each week is primarily a podcast. You can listen to it from the player above, or from whatever podcast you listen to it from.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Subscribe now

Subscribing also gets you The View from the Front Extended. This is a Monday update that comes out as a newsletter and is a way to provide value and thank my paying subscribers.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

But you don’t have to do any of these things. I’ve already had incredible support and feel called to do this. As long as I’m making enough to cover the time I invest each week, I’m not going anywhere. Why paid subscriptions help, and what they’d help me do more of...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

Source notes:

Turkey election news:

Erdogan wins endorsement for Turkish election runoff from third-place candidate Ogan

The third-placed contender in the Turkish presidential elections formally endorsed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday for the second-round runoff vote to be held on May 28.

The nationalist presidential candidate Sinan Ogan, 55, has emerged as a potential kingmaker after neither Erdogan nor his main challenger, opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, secured the majority needed for a first-round victory on May 14.

…

Ogan, a former academic who was backed by a far-right anti-migrant party, won 5.17% in the May 14 vote and could hold the key to victory in the runoff now that he’s out of the race.

I mentioned this in the last podcast. Check out this image below:

Russia and Ukraine news:

F-16s to Ukraine are now definitely one closer step forward.

U.S. will help train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets

The Biden administration will approve European allies providing American made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The U.S. will also support a joint effort to train Ukrainian pilots. Ukraine has been asking for those jets since early in the war with Russia, but until now, the U.S. has refused

In a press gaggle, a reporter told Biden: that the Russians are saying giving Ukraine F-16's is a “colossal risk."

Biden replied: “It is. For them.”

F-16s Would Make No ‘Fundamental Change’ in Ukraine’s War Effort, USAF Secretary Says

Sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine would make no “fundamental change” to the war, the U.S. Air Force secretary said. 

“It will give Ukrainians an increment of capability that they don't have right now, but it's not going to be a dramatic game-changer, as far as I'm concerned, for their total military capabilities,” Frank Kendall told reporters Monday during a Defense Writers Group event. 

…

While manned and unmanned aircraft are flying above Ukraine every day, Kendall said airpower has not been a decisive factor since Russia’s invasion because neither side has been able to gain control of the skies.

“Both sides have most generally used aircraft for fairly limited operations. And part of that has been the efficacy of ground-based air defenses, on both sides, so with small numbers of aircraft and with not a full suite of capabilities, more modern capabilities, it's hard to overcome those systems. And that's one of the fundamental limitations here,” he said.

Russia TV celebrates as it reports the capture of Bakhmut, comparing it to Berlin in 1945

Russian TV went into a full frenzy of celebration as it reported Moscow’s capture of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. There were comparisons to the Red Army liberating Berlin in 1945, congratulations relayed from President Vladimir Putin and announcers emphasizing the victory by using the city’s nearly century-old Soviet name of Artyomovsk.

“The myth that Artyomovsk is an unassailable fortress has been crushed,” an anchor said Sunday night on Channel One, Russia’s most popular state broadcaster. “Those are historic events.”

A report from the smoldering city in eastern Ukraine followed, showing Russian fighters yelling “Victory!” and placing two flags -- the Russian tricolor and the black flag of the private military contractor Wagner -- atop a tall, partly destroyed building.

Zelenskyy denies Ukrainian city of Bakhmut occupied by Russian forces

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Russian forces weren’t occupying Bakhmut, casting doubt on Moscow’s insistence that the eastern Ukrainian city had fallen.

Responding to a reporter’s question about the status of the city at the Group of Seven summit in Japan, Zelenskyy said: “Bakhmut is not occupied by the Russian Federation as of today.”

“We are not throwing people (away) to die,” Zelenskyy said in Ukrainian through an interpreter. “People are the treasure. I clearly understand what is happening in Bakhmut. I cannot share with you the technical details of what is happening with our warriors.”

…

Oleksandr Syrskyi, a spokesman for the military’s eastern command, said Ukrainian forces control the outskirts of the city, and “defense forces continue offensive actions on the flanks near Bakhmut.”

Russia controls Bakhmut, for now, but holding it will be difficult

Russia now effectively controls Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, where thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers died in the war’s longest and bloodiest battle. But it is unclear that Moscow’s disjointed forces will be able to hold the decimated city amid a Ukrainian counterattack that has already begun.

…

Russia’s victory celebration may be brief, military analysts said, with Bakhmut potentially following the fate of Izyum, Lyman, Kherson and other cities occupied by Russia only to be retaken by Ukraine. Moscow’s fighting forces are stretched thin after months of significant losses and riven by internal rivalries.

“The story of Bakhmut is not yet finished. There are a lot of Ukrainian forces that are still on the outskirts, and Russia’s position in Ukraine is not particularly stable right now,” said Dara Massicot, a senior researcher at the Rand Corp.

Could Bakhmut be Russia’s Stalingrad?

Yep, I think all that Russia has done is lose a ton of men and left the rest in a hot barrel, where they’ll soon be encircled and captured.

Could the land bridge be Ukraine’s big spring offensive target?

“The Russians don’t exactly know where the counteroffensive is going to start, and based on where the majority of their forces are, they seem particularly concerned about Zaporizhzhia and the land bridge being cut,” Massicot said, referring to the land bridge Russia established earlier in the war to link Crimea, illegally annexed in 2014, to mainland Russia.

Russia alleges border incursion by Ukrainian saboteurs; Kyiv claims they are disgruntled Russians

Russian officials claimed that Ukrainian military saboteurs launched an attack across the border Monday, wounding eight people in a small town. Kyiv officials denied any link with the group and blamed the fighting on a revolt by disgruntled Russians against the Kremlin.

Neither version of events could be independently verified in an area that has witnessed sporadic spillover from the almost 15-month war in Ukraine.

The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, said that a Ukrainian Armed Forces saboteur group entered the town of Graivoron, about five kilometers (three miles) from the border. The town also came under Ukrainian artillery fire, he said.

Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said eight people were wounded and most residents had left the area, but the situation remained “tense.”

Anti-Putin militias mount cross-border incursion in western Russia

Russian officials said Tuesday that a counterterrorism operation has expelled saboteurs from the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, after militias made up of Russians fighting on Ukraine’s side in the war mounted an attack on a border post and targeted a building of the Federal Security Service, or FSB.

The governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said Tuesday that one woman died while being evacuated during the attack and eight others were injured.

One of the militia groups, the Legion of Free Russia, insisted on Tuesday evening that its fighters had not been expelled and were still in control of some Russian territory. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday afternoon that security forces killed 70 fighters and destroyed four infantry vehicles and five pickup trucks.

The initial incursion involved two tanks, an armored personnel carrier, and nine other armored vehicles.

Groups dispute casualties and losses

Who are the armed groups that 'penetrated Russia?'

Fresh From Attack on Russian Soil, Raiders Taunt the Kremlin

Two goals seem to be to divert Russian troops and embarrass Putin

Fresh from leading a military incursion into Russian territory, commanders of anti-Kremlin armed groups on Wednesday taunted the Russian Army for its slow response and threatened Moscow with more raids to come.

Russia, they told reporters at a news conference in a forest clearing in northern Ukraine near the border, should now understand that any section of the long frontier may become a new place that Moscow will be compelled to defend.

Military analysts suggested that the cross-border attack in the region of Belgorod on Monday and Tuesday had twin goals, military and political.

It appeared aimed at forcing Russia to divert badly needed troops from the front in eastern and southern Ukraine, even as Ukraine prepares a counteroffensive. And it threatened to embarrass President Vladimir V. Putin’s government by showing Russia’s vulnerability.

Biden Administration announces new $375 million aid package

It includes additional ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS, artillery rounds, anti-armor capabilities, and critical enablers valued at up to $375 million that Ukraine is using on the battlefield to push back against Russia's unprovoked war of aggression.
 
The capabilities in this package include:
 
•    Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
•    155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;
•    Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
•    Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems;
•    Laser-guided rocket system munitions;
•    Demolition munitions;
•    Armored bridging systems;
•    Armored medical treatment vehicles;
•    Trucks and trailers to transport heavy equipment;
•    Logistics support equipment; 
•    Thermal imagery systems;
•    Spare parts and other field equipment.

Japan to provide Ukraine with 100 vehicles, 30,000 dry rations. In addition, Japan will receive wounded Ukrainian soldiers for the first time at the Central Self-Defense Hospital.

Middle East news:

An Iranian nuclear facility is so deep underground that US airstrikes likely couldn’t reach it.

Near a peak of the Zagros Mountains in central Iran, workers are building a nuclear facility so deep in the earth that it is likely beyond the range of a last-ditch U.S. weapon designed to destroy such sites, according to experts and satellite imagery analyzed by The Associated Press.

The photos and videos from Planet Labs PBC show Iran has been digging tunnels in the mountain near the Natanz nuclear site, which has come under repeated sabotage attacks amid Tehran’s standoff with the West over its atomic program.

With Iran now producing uranium close to weapons-grade levels after the collapse of its nuclear deal with world powers, the installation complicates the West’s efforts to halt Tehran from potentially developing an atomic bomb as diplomacy over its nuclear program remains stalled.

Completion of such a facility “would be a nightmare scenario that risks igniting a new escalatory spiral,” warned Kelsey Davenport, the director of nonproliferation policy at the Washington-based Arms Control Association. “Given how close Iran is to a bomb, it has very little room to ratchet up its program without tripping U.S. and Israeli red lines. So at this point, any further escalation increases the risk of conflict.”

World news briefs: Motivation and Wisdom:

Let’s end this edition with plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Guys, you need to hear this. At least one of you out there needs to hear this.

Life is passing you by. You only get one shot at life, and you’re letting it slip through your fingers, day by day. Life has beaten you down, kicked you in the face, ignored you, punished you, rained on you, assailed you with illnesses and injuries, burdened you with debts and levels of despair that I know are breaking your spirit.

But you have to get up? Do you hear me? You have to get up.

You’re going to get up, get up now, and start fighting back. Do not let despair win. Get up and take a step to confront those things facing you now.

Do it now.

And let these following items lift your spirit and take you to a higher level. You can do this.

You’re meant to do this.

And you have to do this. For yourself. For your family. For your creator.

With all of that being said, I truly hope these help pick up your spirits, revive your hopes, and make you a better person.

Inspirational Quotes @TheQuoteBoook_We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone.9:47 AM ∙ May 20, 20221,618Likes369Retweets Inspirational Quotes @TheQuoteBoook_Love doesn't make the world go round, Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.2:15 AM ∙ May 16, 2022415Likes98RetweetsMotivational Quotes @spreadcheer1If you can't makeup your mind despite constant internal debate, allow your heart to lead you. It knows the way. It knows what you want yet you resist. If something can't be resolved by logic let your intuition hold your hand & guide you. It'll never take you to wrong destination.10:30 PM ∙ May 13, 2022123Likes29Retweets

That’s it for this edition.

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

And with that, I’m out.

Subscribe now

Love and peace,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.

P.P.S. Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.