Ukraine Retreats From Key Areas In Donetsk While Kiev Is Wracked With Growing Turmoil

The map above shows two key areas — Avdiivka (which is about the red dot titled “winter storm) and Kleshcheyevka (which is on the western outskirts of Bakhmut that sits just below the tag “Museum”) — that Ukraine has been clinging to tenaciously for more than 9 years. The news is not good for Ukraine. Its troops retreated from these areas today under heavy pressure from Russian forces. This should dispel the nonsense that there is some sort of stalemate. Nope. Russia is moving forward and Ukraine is falling back.

The following video provides dramatic footage of Russian soldiers attacking entrenched Ukrainians and rooting them out — i.e., killing, capturing and forcing a retreat.

In addition to the fighting on the frontlines, there are reports of escalating political intrigue, mayhem and attempted “murder” back in Kiev. We have been monitoring the power struggle between President Zelensky and General Zaluzhny, with rumors swirling that one or the other will be forced out before the end of the year. Today we have a confirmed report that someone poisoned the wife of Ukraine’s Intelligence Chief, Budanov.

“The information about the poisoning spread by the Ukrainian media “corresponds to reality”, he said in response to an enquiry from the Ukrainian branch of Radio Liberty. The wife of the Ukrainian intelligence chief “is now undergoing treatment, which is being completed,” Yusov added, promising to release more information later. Later, the former head of Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service, Valeriy Kondratyuk, told Ukrainian Radio NV that Budanova’s poisoning was “caused by arsenic and mercury”.

The cast of suspects is reminiscent of the movie, The Usual Suspects.

Plenty of people and organizations with motives. A true “who done it.” Naturally, the Ukrainian media immediately accused the Russians of this dastardly deed, positing that it was revenge for Budanov’s role in assassinating Russians, which included a journalist and Daria Dugina. Alternatively, some point the finger at General Zaluzhy’s crew because Budanov is suspected of being behind the recent birthday grenade death of Zaluzhny’s Chief of Staff. Then there is the Russian Nesting Doll explanation — i.e., this was staged to implicate Zaluzhny in order to add fuel to the movement to oust him. If you are watching from afar this is great entertainment, unless you’re Joe Biden or the members of NATO. If you are part of the Ukrainian hierarchy this is more than worrisome. Nothing distracts from the business of fighting a war like sowing fear and paranoia among the political and military leaders.