Firstly, it's a rush job. The collective West has run out of road. The so-called counter-offensive has failed, the first Kerch attack failed, they are without air defence being mauled on the big screen. Back in the US, Donald Trump is still a force to be reckoned with.
Secondly, they have no wiggle room. Every manoeuvre on their part is easily, even swashbucklingly, repelled by the Russians. The British neocons and their Polish lapdogs either act now or expect more humiliation as their military might is destroyed by Russia on the big screen. They have a small window of opportunity. Timing is everything.
Thirdly, the collective West has not honoured any of its commitments to Russia. Putin has specifically called it a terrorist attack since the bridge has been a civilian corridor for many months, suggesting a secret agreement with the West/Kiev, perhaps as part of the grain deal. https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/kerch-bridge-deja-vu-breakdown Ukraine had been using the 'green' shipping lanes to ship arms, which was also prohibited under the deal. Russia was to have the SWIFT system returned for a major bank financing fertilizer exports - that didn't happen either.
The haste with which they have had to act, having failed to gain an advantage and the fact that they now have nothing to lose by a 'scare event', makes them very, very dangerous. They see this moment, the ending of the grain deal, as their only option for gaining the upper hand. That's why the second Kerch Bridge attack is a big deal.
Russia responded to the terrorist attack on Kerch bridge by bombing Odessa and terminating the humanitarian corridor though the northern Black Sea. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/19/odesa-suffers-hellish-night-as-russia-attacks-ukraines-grain-facilities Putin stating that Russia will respond militarily https://archive.ph/w2oPp#selection-759.0-759.81 https://archive.ph/9inHC#selection-753.0-753.77 https://archive.ph/m2ZAs#selection-769.0-769.80
TBH I think the naval blockade has something to do with this, although the Russians had that plan in place, judging by the swift response.
It is all interconnected in this mess. Alex Christoforou https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVIjqf6aARY mused that the West purposefully wanted to score points during the ending of the grain deal, so that Russians definitely would not renew it - so that the West can scream world hunger; and Putin = evil, in the media. What better than to bomb the iconic edifice (A bridge that is not necessary, according to Budanov) and also cause a little fear? Putin will then refuse to renew the GD. right?.
Note: they now say that the Odessa strikes were on grain silos - to further the narrative that this is an attack on the civilians of the world. Hmmm interesting sparkly explosions wheat makes. https://files.catbox.moe/mta6ai.mp4.
Also interesting that Ukrainians respond that that particular video was a fireworks depot. OK, could be, but who stores fireworks in a huge depot, in a war?? What is there to celebrate, anyway really?
Only I did not expect the Russians to take it a step further and place a naval blockade on the Ukrainian Black Sea harbors, and state that any vessel travelling in those waters is not safe.
Expect the unexpected
https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/putin-strikes-back-ukrainian-ports?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1351274&post_id=135284992&isFreemail=true&utm_medium=email
Russia: Grain deal was a one-sided game
https://youtu.be/7ciAdvrRRB4
Well i dont know why those are fireworks stored there, but they are.
Source: have seen fireworks before
Yep, those were definitely fireworks.
Sauce = your opinion.
I mean yes but also obviously fireworks. Have you seen fireworks?
Thanks for the context and overview fren. It's easy to lose track with the one-sided reporting we have here.
https://ukragroconsult.com/en/news/top-10-countries-buyers-of-ukrainian-grain/
Consider that China is a huge runner-up for 2023, and amazingly: Egypt and The Netherlands.
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/ukrainian-grain-exports-explained/
Nomenclature..... Grain deal is not just about grain. It is about all kinds of agri-produce to shore up the other products, like sunflower oil etc.
It seems to me, it has nothing to do with food persé, but with derivative products.
Expect prices to rise as a consequence.
It's nomenclature.
Spelling bee is thataway>>>>>
I surmise that being a lazy turd, is your way.
I surmise that you often surmise incorrectly. Name calling and being unnecessarily critical seems to be your strong suit.
All you had to do was acknowledge your mistake and move on, but you couldn't do that could you?
Nope - no mistake to admit to.
I call it like I see it. If you can't handle it, so be it.
That's a ton of revenue they stand to lose, it ups the pressure on them, and on us.
FAFO........
as a lover of adverbs, you win today.
You had me at "swashbucklingly"
Me, too! 👏