32 minutes ago, coolcarer said:

 Not sure you’d pass the video interview with your fact checking skills?

I took it as provide it,not check it.

3 minutes ago, farmerjo said:

I took it as provide it,not check it.

I thought you did but thats just another reason you’d fail at the first hurdle

33 minutes ago, coolcarer said:

I thought you did but thats just another reason you’d fail at the first hurdle

So why would a mercenary group need to engage this profession.

Please enlighten me whether from either side.

 

2 hours ago, farmerjo said:

So why would a mercenary group need to engage this profession.

Please enlighten me whether from either side.

 

Better you enlighten me on your claim they are a mercenary group, since when does mine clearing, civilian evacuations, medical evacuations, and training Ukraine troops constitute being a mercenary group? I will wait for your link.

 

https://www.themozartgroup.com/#services

2 hours ago, farmerjo said:

So why would a mercenary group need to engage this profession.

Please enlighten me whether from either side.

 

Thailand has a fake news center, that does not mean it spreads fake news.............well in theroy....lol

 

Connecticut in the US is also hiring a misinformation specialist but not to spread misinformation, its to combat it. That's what a misinformation specialist does so stop with the nonsense.

 

These are not mercenaries, info on them is very clear. 

7 hours ago, coolcarer said:

Better you enlighten me on your claim they are a mercenary group, since when does mine clearing, civilian evacuations, medical evacuations, and training Ukraine troops constitute being a mercenary group? I will wait for your link.

 

https://www.themozartgroup.com/#services

In simplest terms, a mercenary is an armed civilian paid to do military operations in a foreign conflict zone. For example, civilians conducting direct actions or training troops in foreign conflict zones are mercenaries because they are performing uniquely military functions.

 

https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/Article/2031922/mercenaries-and-war-understanding-private-armies-today/

2 hours ago, farmerjo said:

In simplest terms, a mercenary is an armed civilian paid to do military operations in a foreign conflict zone. For example, civilians conducting direct actions or training troops in foreign conflict zones are mercenaries because they are performing uniquely military functions.

 

https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/Article/2031922/mercenaries-and-war-understanding-private-armies-today/

Noted you used the "simplest terms" as your example why does that not surprise me when the article itself states the following:

 

There is no expert consensus on who exactly is a “mercenary.” Academic typologies overcomplicate an already complex problem, helping no one. Accordingly, this analysis will use these myriad labels interchangeably with “mercenary.”

 

You may want to take a look at the HALO Trust, a UK based Charity that also does similar work, by your definition they are also mercenaries as they have their experts teach locals how to de mine in Ukraine since 2016 and continue there today, here's a word from Prince Harry on his support for them.  "You guys are saving lives every day. I mean, I know you're part of HALO, so that's exactly what you signed up to do...Keep doing what you're doing, keep saving lives."

 

Regardless, additional credible sources would not classify Mozart as a Mercenary group, it is not a PMC providing soldiers of fortune and does not get involved in military conflict or security work.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercenary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercenary

 

One last question as this is now completely derailed the thread, do you really think if they were looking for trolls they would advertise for them on a public website so that people like you and the Russian propagandists could then use it for their own propaganda? Or do you think they would use more clandestine methods?

 

https://www.halotrust.org/

Ukraine Situation Report: Russians Cede Bridgehead Into Occupied Kherson

 

Just in time for the nation’s Statehood Day celebrations, a Ukrainian offensive pressing south is gathering steam and recapturing at least a portion of the Russian-occupied Kherson region, according to the U.K. Ministry of Defense. 

 

Ukrainian forces “have highly likely established a bridgehead south of the Ingulets River, which forms the northern boundary of Russian-occupied Kherson,” the U.K. MoD said in its latest intelligence assessment of the war. 

 

The Kherson offensive is the most significant advance Ukrainian forces have managed against the Russian onslaught in the south and east that largely devolved into an artillery slugfest fought from trenches, at times resulting in situations similar to World War I. Now Ukraine seems to have mustered enough combat power to push back along the southern front. 

 

Read more:

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraine-situation-report-russians-cede-bridgehead-into-occupied-kherson

 

 

I know Russia was celebrating the resignation of Boris, looks like that was just a little premature.............

 

'Ukraine's greatest friend,' UK's Truss pledges more support for Kyiv

 

Truss, who as foreign minister has overseen imposing sanctions on those closest to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said she would work with allies to provide more weapons and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

"As prime minister I will be Ukraine's greatest friend - following in the footsteps of Boris Johnson - and commit completely to ensuring Putin fails in Ukraine and suffers a strategic defeat, and that Russia is constrained in the future," she said in a statement.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/ukraines-greatest-friend-uks-truss-pledges-more-support-kyiv-2022-07-28/

 

 

10 hours ago, farmerjo said:

In simplest terms, a mercenary is an armed civilian paid to do military operations in a foreign conflict zone. For example, civilians conducting direct actions or training troops in foreign conflict zones are mercenaries because they are performing uniquely military functions.

 

https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/Article/2031922/mercenaries-and-war-understanding-private-armies-today/

 

7 hours ago, coolcarer said:

Noted you used the "simplest terms" as your example why does that not surprise me when the article itself states the following:

 

There is no expert consensus on who exactly is a “mercenary.” Academic typologies overcomplicate an already complex problem, helping no one. Accordingly, this analysis will use these myriad labels interchangeably with “mercenary.”

 

You may want to take a look at the HALO Trust, a UK based Charity that also does similar work, by your definition they are also mercenaries as they have their experts teach locals how to de mine in Ukraine since 2016 and continue there today, here's a word from Prince Harry on his support for them.  "You guys are saving lives every day. I mean, I know you're part of HALO, so that's exactly what you signed up to do...Keep doing what you're doing, keep saving lives."

 

Regardless, additional credible sources would not classify Mozart as a Mercenary group, it is not a PMC providing soldiers of fortune and does not get involved in military conflict or security work.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercenary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercenary

 

One last question as this is now completely derailed the thread, do you really think if they were looking for trolls they would advertise for them on a public website so that people like you and the Russian propagandists could then use it for their own propaganda? Or do you think they would use more clandestine methods?

 

https://www.halotrust.org/

there are precise legal definitions of a mercenary:

https://www.ohchr.org/en/node/3383/international-standards

 

34 minutes ago, tgw said:

 

there are precise legal definitions of a mercenary:

https://www.ohchr.org/en/node/3383/international-standards

 

Not that it makes one jot of difference to the Russians or their supporters what the legal definitions are.

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Not that it makes one jot of difference to the Russians or their supporters what the legal definitions are.

Exactly. There are rules of war, the Geneva convention, and Russia and its fanboys could not care less about those.

Off topic whataboutism removed also replies

Not sure if anyone's seen the graphic video of the torture and execution of a Ukrainian soldier that was doing the rounds today but it was aweful. I caught it before it was deleted on twitter, once you've watched it you can't unwatch it.

 

The Russian soldier was identified as he had been filmed in a previous promotional video uploaded by R.T. when Russia took control of Severodonetsk. Can't share the links to twitter or other sources as they are not verified accounts but its still possible to view all videos but I do not advice it. Once the torture was over they executed him and barbarically disposed of his body.

 

Footage appears to show Ukrainian prisoner of war being castrated by Russian soldiers

The video, which was taken off Twitter after being shared by a Ukrainian MP, reportedly shows men in Russian camouflage outfits pinning a man down before using a box cutter to remove his genitals.

https://news.sky.com/story/footage-appears-to-show-ukrainian-prisoner-of-war-being-castrated-by-russian-soldiers-12661176

 

The yahoo article does have one of the video's but obviously heavily censored.

 

Horrifying footage appears to show Russian captors castrating a Ukrainian prisoner of war

The victim in the video wears Ukrainian-style camouflage fatigues and is shown gagged, his hands tied behind his back. He lies helpless on the floor as the man in a Russian uniform, which features a “Z” patch, uses a box cutter to cut off his clothes and then appears to castrate him while shouting degrading insults in Russian. At least two other men who appear to be Russian soldiers can be seen in the video.

While it is unclear when the video was filmed, what appears to be the same man wearing the black fringed hat also appeared in a June broadcast by the Russian state-backed media outlet RT.

https://news.yahoo.com/horrifying-footage-appears-to-show-russian-captors-castrating-a-ukrainian-prisoner-of-war-221414554.html

 

9 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Not sure if anyone's seen the graphic video of the torture and execution of a Ukrainian soldier that was doing the rounds today but it was aweful. I caught it before it was deleted on twitter, once you've watched it you can't unwatch it.

 

The Russian soldier was identified as he had been filmed in a previous promotional video uploaded by R.T. when Russia took control of Severodonetsk. Can't share the links to twitter or other sources as they are not verified accounts but its still possible to view all videos but I do not advice it. Once the torture was over they executed him and barbarically disposed of his body.

 

Footage appears to show Ukrainian prisoner of war being castrated by Russian soldiers

The video, which was taken off Twitter after being shared by a Ukrainian MP, reportedly shows men in Russian camouflage outfits pinning a man down before using a box cutter to remove his genitals.

https://news.sky.com/story/footage-appears-to-show-ukrainian-prisoner-of-war-being-castrated-by-russian-soldiers-12661176

 

The yahoo article does have one of the video's but obviously heavily censored.

 

Horrifying footage appears to show Russian captors castrating a Ukrainian prisoner of war

The victim in the video wears Ukrainian-style camouflage fatigues and is shown gagged, his hands tied behind his back. He lies helpless on the floor as the man in a Russian uniform, which features a “Z” patch, uses a box cutter to cut off his clothes and then appears to castrate him while shouting degrading insults in Russian. At least two other men who appear to be Russian soldiers can be seen in the video.

While it is unclear when the video was filmed, what appears to be the same man wearing the black fringed hat also appeared in a June broadcast by the Russian state-backed media outlet RT.

https://news.yahoo.com/horrifying-footage-appears-to-show-russian-captors-castrating-a-ukrainian-prisoner-of-war-221414554.html

 

Yes I viewed it early yesterday before it made headlines and probably never will forget it unfortunately.

I would advise no one goes looking for any clip floating around its the most gut churning single thing I have ever seen and I was once an undertaker.. still feeling wobbly today ????      

https://kyivindependent.com/national/dozens-of-ukrainian-prisoners-of-war-killed-in-russian-captivity

 

the barbaric cruelty is sickening.

these evil people must be neutralized at all costs.

39 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

Yes I viewed it early yesterday before it made headlines and probably never will forget it unfortunately.

I would advise no one goes looking for any clip floating around its the most gut churning single thing I have ever seen and I was once an undertaker.. still feeling wobbly today ????      

I agree.  The written description was more than enough for me.  I will actively avoid videos or pictures of the crime.

30 minutes ago, tgw said:

https://kyivindependent.com/national/dozens-of-ukrainian-prisoners-of-war-killed-in-russian-captivity

 

the barbaric cruelty is sickening.

these evil people must be neutralized at all costs.

Yes terrible, Ukraine wants a full investigation into this but we all know its in occupied territory so its not going to happen:

 

Ukraine war: UN and Red Cross should investigate prison deaths, says Ukraine

 

Ukraine has called for the United Nations and the Red Cross to be allowed to investigate the deaths of more than 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in an attack in occupied territory.

The Red Cross said it is seeking access to the prison in order to help with evacuating and treating the wounded.

Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of attacking the camp.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62356211

14 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Not sure if anyone's seen the graphic video of the torture and execution of a Ukrainian soldier that was doing the rounds today but it was aweful. I caught it before it was deleted on twitter, once you've watched it you can't unwatch it.

 

The Russian soldier was identified as he had been filmed in a previous promotional video uploaded by R.T. when Russia took control of Severodonetsk. Can't share the links to twitter or other sources as they are not verified accounts but its still possible to view all videos but I do not advice it. Once the torture was over they executed him and barbarically disposed of his body.

 

Footage appears to show Ukrainian prisoner of war being castrated by Russian soldiers

The video, which was taken off Twitter after being shared by a Ukrainian MP, reportedly shows men in Russian camouflage outfits pinning a man down before using a box cutter to remove his genitals.

https://news.sky.com/story/footage-appears-to-show-ukrainian-prisoner-of-war-being-castrated-by-russian-soldiers-12661176

 

The yahoo article does have one of the video's but obviously heavily censored.

 

Horrifying footage appears to show Russian captors castrating a Ukrainian prisoner of war

The victim in the video wears Ukrainian-style camouflage fatigues and is shown gagged, his hands tied behind his back. He lies helpless on the floor as the man in a Russian uniform, which features a “Z” patch, uses a box cutter to cut off his clothes and then appears to castrate him while shouting degrading insults in Russian. At least two other men who appear to be Russian soldiers can be seen in the video.

While it is unclear when the video was filmed, what appears to be the same man wearing the black fringed hat also appeared in a June broadcast by the Russian state-backed media outlet RT.

https://news.yahoo.com/horrifying-footage-appears-to-show-russian-captors-castrating-a-ukrainian-prisoner-of-war-221414554.html

 

This is so barbaric it defies words,  I think/hope this man with his  black fringed wide brimmed hat and distinctive tattoos is already a dead man walking.

8 minutes ago, CatCage said:

This is so barbaric it defies words,  I think this man with his  black fringed wide brimmed hat and distinctive tattoos is already a dead man walking.

R.T. news were scrambling to delete the video they made were he appeared in it a couple of weeks ago. His profile from VK has also been deleted but yea he's got a price on his head now and the Ukraine snipers all know who to target.

Very detailed article with some interesting statistics on how the West's sanctions are working.......

'There is no path out of economic oblivion for Putin': Russia is LOSING financial war with the West, with sanctions catastrophically crippling the country, new report shows':

'There is no path out of economic oblivion for Putin': Russia is LOSING financial war with the West | Daily Mail Online

Full Report : (118 pages)
delivery.php (ssrn.com)

Off topic baiting troll post and reply removed

Murdering over 50 POW's of the Azov battalion and claiming it was carried out by Ukraine was not quite enough for the Russians, they decided to add their contempt and real intentions to the world via an official tweet after the mass war crime was committed, if anyone still thinks Russia should not be officially classified as a terrorist state you are blind.

 

This from, Carl Bildt Co-Chair European Council on Foreign Relations @ecfr. World Health Organization Special Envoy for ACT-Accelerator @who

 

It’s revolting to see how Russian embassies in a number of countries are officially advocating open crimes against the laws of war. In a sense it is of course revealing as it makes war crimes official Russian policy.

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Murdering over 50 POW's of the Azov battalion and claiming it was carried out by Ukraine was not quite enough for the Russians, they decided to add their contempt and real intentions to the world via an official tweet after the mass war crime was committed, if anyone still thinks Russia should not be officially classified as a terrorist state you are blind.

 

This from, Carl Bildt Co-Chair European Council on Foreign Relations @ecfr. World Health Organization Special Envoy for ACT-Accelerator @who

 

It’s revolting to see how Russian embassies in a number of countries are officially advocating open crimes against the laws of war. In a sense it is of course revealing as it makes war crimes official Russian policy.

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

I am wondering, if it would send a clear message or exacerbate matters if Russian embassy staff  from many western countries were expelled from some countries? 

Ukraine Situation Report: HIMARS Knocks Out Strategic Rail Bridge Near Kherson

 

The legend of U.S.-supplied M142 HIMARS and its rockets grew again this week as a Ukrainian strike knocked out the Antonivskiy Railway Bridge over the Dnipro River. 

 

Strikes earlier this week took out the Antonovskiy Bridge, which carries the E97 Highway over the river just a few miles downstream of the railway crossing. The two bridges near Kherson, as well as the dam at Nova Kakhovka upriver, are vital supply links to Russian forces across the river. 

 

Unfortunately for the Russians, they are known, fixed targets in HIMARS range. As such, the life expectancy on those targets, like Russian ammo dumps, isn’t great. High-resolution satellite imagery from Planet Labs shows damage to the bridge on the river's south bank from July 28.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1267445-video-appears-to-show-russian-soldier-castrating-ukrainian-prisoner/#comment-17513620

 

The War Zone

19 hours ago, LosLobo said:

Very detailed article with some interesting statistics on how the West's sanctions are working.......

'There is no path out of economic oblivion for Putin': Russia is LOSING financial war with the West, with sanctions catastrophically crippling the country, new report shows':

'There is no path out of economic oblivion for Putin': Russia is LOSING financial war with the West | Daily Mail Online

Full Report : (118 pages)
delivery.php (ssrn.com)

The presentation for this report is also available here for download in pdf format.  The predictions on what will happen to Russia's status as an oil exporter are particularly interesting:

 

"Russia’s inability to grow oil production would prove crippling: not only would the country lose much of its global geopolitical sway, but as the purchasing power of oil buyers vis-à-vis Russia increases, and as its revenue plummets, as both the quantity produced and potentially the price of Ural crude drops, at least relatively to other crudes, the Russian budget would face perennial budget shortfalls and deficits each year – a surefire recipe for domestic discontent".

 

 

 

https://yale.box.com/s/7f6agg5ezscj234kahx35lil04udqgeo

 

 

30 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

The presentation for this report is also available here for download in pdf format.  The predictions on what will happen to Russia's status as an oil exporter are particularly interesting:

 

"Russia’s inability to grow oil production would prove crippling: not only would the country lose much of its global geopolitical sway, but as the purchasing power of oil buyers vis-à-vis Russia increases, and as its revenue plummets, as both the quantity produced and potentially the price of Ural crude drops, at least relatively to other crudes, the Russian budget would face perennial budget shortfalls and deficits each year – a surefire recipe for domestic discontent".

 

 

 

https://yale.box.com/s/7f6agg5ezscj234kahx35lil04udqgeo

 

 

What is the point of reposting part of my original post?
 

6 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Murdering over 50 POW's of the Azov battalion and claiming it was carried out by Ukraine was not quite enough for the Russians, they decided to add their contempt and real intentions to the world via an official tweet after the mass war crime was committed, if anyone still thinks Russia should not be officially classified as a terrorist state you are blind.

 

This from, Carl Bildt Co-Chair European Council on Foreign Relations @ecfr. World Health Organization Special Envoy for ACT-Accelerator @who

 

It’s revolting to see how Russian embassies in a number of countries are officially advocating open crimes against the laws of war. In a sense it is of course revealing as it makes war crimes official Russian policy.

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

rather than expel embassy staff, just have Facebook and Twitter and all other platforms censor these posts, instead displaying a message that the content was moderated because of the platform's policy on fake news.

1 hour ago, tgw said:

rather than expel embassy staff, just have Facebook and Twitter and all other platforms censor these posts, instead displaying a message that the content was moderated because of the platform's policy on fake news.

and some good news for the week end.... I guess Russians are the only ones with the right to destroy anything, when the Ukrainians fight back they are all surprised and complain about it, the  Mxxxx Fxxxx's are kind of lucky, unfortunate;y it appears only 5 Russian were injured, let's hope Ukraine will shoot again and will have better luck

Russian official says Ukraine carried out drone attack on Black Sea fleet HQ

https://au.yahoo.com/news/russian-official-says-ukraine-carried-061449616.html

 

 

7 hours ago, LosLobo said:

What is the point of reposting part of my original post?
 

You posted a link to a newspaper article, and the paper it referenced.  I acknowledged your post, and posted a direct link to the slide pack used in the presentation of that paper, plus highlighted what I found to be a significant conclusion regarding Russia's future as an oil exporting nation.