A curious thing I note on FB: pro-Ruzzian bots have a tendency to attempt to disguise themselves as normal people by posting lots of photos of (supposedly) them with dogs. Curious!

Please don't say President Z is wavering!

Prices set to rise as affordability improves: does this mean UK citizens are better-off? Seems a touch illogical to me.

I note German military staff officers have just produced a 1200-page counter-Russian warfighting plan. Meanwhile, (on Facebook), I see lots of videos of UK troops engaged in perfecting ceremonial. Can the UK MoD really afford to spend so much time on ceremonial & public duties?

Maskirovka! Cf. 🇬🇪's Occupied Teritories., where the FSB Border Service and the rosgvardia/ MVD have posed as bona fide 'security actors' since Medvedev signed ukazes in Dec 2010 putting all such troops under OPCON of the SMD, which should have fooled no-one.

🤣

Russian Ukaz 765 appointed one Nikolai Udovichenko as "tsar" in matters pertaining to 'border' demarcation around Georgia. It transpires, this 'diplomat' is actually a lt general in the FSB Border Service: may we assume he will attend the Nov GID presenting himself as a simple diplomat?

Remember too GRU Major Borisov, who infiltrated the 'confidence-building mechanism in Gali' whilst at the same time organizing bombing incidents across Georgia. He disappeared in 2011. It is wholly naive to deny the high probability that there are not similar people in the Ergneti IPRMs & the GID!

cominf.org/en
Yes, it's the season for the deluded to come to the fore. IPRMs are a tribal ritual conducted in the vain belief that the EU can do business with the occupants. How can you 'reduce tensions' when the Russians are conducting a 'grey zone' Continuation War, including State Terrorism?

🇨🇿 In the Czech Republic, there have also been cases of the appearance of unknown drones near strategic, including military, facilities, — country's Armed Forces.

As expected - curiously delayed!

The White House says "Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace" - No congratulations to the worthy winner just a childish response.

Disappointed the MAGA camp's response to their Beloved Leader's not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize seems to be muted. Had rather looked forward to 'teddies thrown out of cot' tantrums.

There are mounting rumours / half-evidences that the Georgian Dream regime is preparing for something uniquely brutal for the grand October 4 rally.

Troops with medical shaving waivers to face separation, Hegseth says Under the new guidelines, troops granted a medical waiver must receive treatment and see the medical condition resolved within a year or face separation.

Opinions vary over beards in the military, not least in the USA. But surely a US Defense Secretary has better things to worry about than beards? Micro-management taken to extremes!

Source: Military Times
search.app/4Udfa

Met chief: Why facial scanning was not used at Robinson rally Sir Mark Rowley says the Met has not yet used live facial recognition technology at any protest.

A bad tactical decision. I find his explanation that there was insufficient intelligence to warrant deploying the cameras.
There is a widespread belief in the wider intelligence world that this is all orchestrated from Moscow; surely MI5 should have had a say?

Source: BBC
search.app/B6yhU

Charlie Kirk death: Report those who celebrate the shooting to employers, Vance says The vice-president's remarks come amid a wave of firings over posts deemed inappropriate about Kirk's death.

Despite being a lifelong Atlanticist, with many dear American friends & colleagues over the years, & despite deploring assassination as a political tool,I must say the very existence of the Mr Kirk had passed me by & I deplore attempts by hagiologists to canonize him.

Source: BBC
search.app/qPsUS

Much as I deplore political violence, and despite being a lifelong Atlanticist, I must say that until the other day I was unaware of the late Mr C Kirk's existence. Am I unique in this?

Has the smell of a Russian black operation about it. However, if it was 'real' and the parts have ended up in Kyiv, excellent.

Appalling decision.

I agree with you, 'simple as that'. We underestimate the reach & the power of Londongrad and Moscow.

Reform UK seem to hunt in packs on Facebook. This business of painting flags on roundabouts evoked a massive outburst of francophobia emanating from a 'community action group' in Witham (Essex) full of references to white flags etc.

Can recall exactly the same sentiment expressed on a UK officers' course in 1978!

An interesting summit forthcoming on the 15th: Putin, who in accordance with long-established Russian official tradition will employ deception (maskirovka) all of the time, and Trump, who, on his rare incursions into the realms of lucidity, brings a whole new dimension to amoral venality.

Battalions as maskirovka, a cloak for the activities of Col Sysoev, training & masterminding sabotage operations with the deniable, and, alas for the gullible volunteers, expendable 'Ossetian GRU'.

cominf.org/en
Were in not for the number of people killed and maimed on both sides, one could be excused for treating this as a joke. Does the speaker not realize the trope about attacking 'peacekeepers' is past its sell-by date? Everyone knows that the GRU set up the Russian & N. Ossetian

In most western countries, in varying degrees, there is a Presumption of Innocence if one ends up in court. On that analogy, I've concluded that any narrative proceeding from any officialdom, should be viewed on the basis of a Presumption of Maskirovka, overruling normal canons of objectivity.

The 2008 war had been long-planned,by the Russians, since 1991, and I can vouch for (personally) or identify from evidence, Russian 'shaping of the battlespace' (mental, political & physical) since at least 2000.

Military Home Defence (MHD) and Civil Defence Infranstructure. I write as someone deeply-involved in UK MHD planning in the 80s and into the 90s.

I agree with General Sanders' assessment. I would point out that 'rebuilding' of the UK's internal defence capability, would not be necessary if the UK governments of the early 90s (Thatcher and Major) had not been naively obsessed with reaping a 'peace dividend' and dismantling the entire UK