Notes and Essays -- John Brown

 

 via QUORA Does Ukraine still hope to re-take Crimea, or is that seen as not possible? Elena Gold  ·   Follow Wrote book about Russo-Ukrainian War              https://www.quora.com/Does-Ukraine-still-hope-to-re-take-Crimea-or-is-that-seen-as-not-possible The reason is geography: once the Crimean bridge is destroyed (and it will be destroyed), it becomes cut off from the mainland and supplies can get in only via the narrow land bridge. Every time in history, Crimea was unable to resist the troops attacking from the mainland. The strategic plan of the Ukrainian troops is to cut the road to Crimea by land, destroy the Crimean bridge, connecting it to the mainland Russia, and take over the peninsula. Russians know the history and this is why they built the bridge to the mainland. Meanwhile, the Netherlands sent to Kyiv the “Scythian gold”, putting the end to the legal case between Russia and Ukraine that took almost 10 years. The Archaeolog...

By Dan Peleschuk and Anatolii Stepanov, Reuters June 29, 2026 2:05 AM EDTU - updated 5 hours ago Kostiantynivka Summary [image from Wikipedia ] --Kremlin troops converge on Kostiantynivka --City anchors 'fortress belt' of key eastern cities --Russian gains come even as Kremlin's war machine strained KYIV / NEAR DRUZHKIVKA, Ukraine, June 29 (Reuters) - Russia is grinding its way into Kostiantynivka, a key stronghold in Ukraine's eastern "fortress belt" long coveted by the Kremlin, even as its gains across the rest of the 1,200-km front line have largely stalled.   Fighting has begun to seep into the city ​itself. Small groups of Russian soldiers are attempting to infiltrate its outskirts, senior Ukrainian commanders said last week, suggesting close-quarters assaults could follow. Kostiantynivka is the southernmost of four key ‌settlements forming a defensive line central to Ukraine's effort to hold the heavily industrialised Donetsk region. The push toward...

Strikes on fuel and power infrastructure have cut electricity in parts of Crimea, strained water supplies and pushed residents to the black market for gasoline By Daria Matviichuk and Thomas Grove   The Wall Street Journal Updated June 28, 2026 7:19 pm ET Original article contains links Cars lined up this month at a gas station in Crimea. Associated Press Quick Summary   -- Ukrainian drone attacks on Crimea’s power and fuel facilities have caused widespread disruptions and hardships for residents.  --The offensive led to a state of emergency, power outages, a gasoline black market, and thousands fleeing across the Kerch Bridge.  -- Crimea’s tourism sector has been severely affected, with bookings falling by as much as half, and basic services have stopped functioning. This summary was generated with AI and reviewed by an editor.  For more than four years, Vladimir Putin has tried to shield Russians from the hardships of war. But in Crimea, residents and tourist...

From The Washingtonian   By Kate Corliss  Across from the Ferris wheel is a scaled-down replica of Trump’s victory arch, planned for Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery. A couple folks pose for photos in front of it, while others slump underneath for some shade.

from Quora Elena Gold Author “Russia’s Plot to Destroy America” What strategies might Russia employ to protect its oil refineries from future strikes or accidents? Putin’s strategic chance to protect his oil refineries from strikes or accidents just flew in—Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko is visiting the Russian tyrant in his Valdai residence for a private chat, after a meeting with Ukrainian representatives last week. Putin is in a bad situation, which is getting worse by the hour. Fuel shortages spread through the whole of Russia. Oil refineries keep burning. Crimea is isolated; Ukrainian drones are flying over the Kerch Bridge; there is no fuel, severe shortages of water, food, power. The chief of occupational administration announced state of emergency. Thousands of vehicles are queuing for hours to get out via Kerch Bridge. Ukraine began striking Russian power plants (that’s why there are power outages in Crimea; a plant in Novomoskovsk was also struck). Ukraine continues s...

from Guora  Brent Cooper  ·  Following Doctor of Jurisprudence in SMU Dedman School of Law , Southern Methodist University (Graduated 1977) 4y Do you think Ukraine would be justified in striking military targets inside Russia? Earlier I said no. However, I have changed my opinion over time. I am no longer worried about world opinion. It is squarely on the side of Ukraine. I am convinced that to end the war earlier Ukraine must impede the ability of Russia to wage war. They may already doing this by hitting fuel depots and munitions storage facilities according to Russian reports. If Putin sends reinforcements, Ukraine needs to hit them before they reach the border. Zelenskyy has to isolate the troops already in Ukraine to defeat them and force their surrender. But the targets should be military and not civilian.