i'm with artificial intelligence, real somebody with a ah. hello in welcome to cross stock. we're all things considered. i'm peter labelle. kid claims it is achieved military breakthrough when you cranes, east and south. if true is this enough to change the course of the conflict? and at this point, this seems rather doubtful. however,

this so called breakthrough will surely ensure the conflict continues. ah discuss these issues and more. i'm joined by my guess, wendy's and in our slow he's professor the university of south eastern norway, as well as author of the book. so phobia propaganda in the international politics. and in budapest we have, george said, well, he's a podcast or the guy will, which can be found on youtube, and locals are generally cross tacos in effect. that means you can jump at any time you want. and i would appreciate it. i start, i'm in budapest, of course, is a flurry of discussion about what zalinski claimed as a breakthrough in the conflict in the south. the east, as i said, my introduction here. um, but i think if you start unraveling it, it tells a very different story. and there hasn't been much reaction to how the russians will react to this news. hear your thoughts, george? well, it's clear that the initial offense was launched by

a ukraine inherit. was a failure. they sustained very heavy casualties and made no progress. the one in the east northeast, around park off as obviously be more successful and they have made territorial gains. and the one really can't deny that at the moment they all set back for the russian side. they evidently were not prepared for this draw, let me know what was it for very well the house was preparing for our thought, which again raise questions about how good their intelligence was. 4 but there's no question that the russians will respond to this and they already responding. because last human human wants is strategically in watson. but more seriously, for the russian side, is that they,

they appear to have betrayed the people that trusted them. all the difference between now and to 2014, was the russians made promises this time when i'm going to leave you when i'm going to bandon you to the returning ukrainian army, which is already stories coming out that ukraine on mistaking reprisals against anyone will see to collaborate with the russians, but i don't think that russia will respond and i think they'll respond by realizing that the concept of this special military operations has to be all to that. this is not like they need, they do need more man power. they need to really up the and they need to put in more. 4 hardware because ukraine has had received a lot of a military hardware or sophisticated hardware from later they receive training from

later the fighting better than they were. and clearly a they need to prevail. and that means that they have to make much greater commitment than they had originally intended with when there's a lot of thoughts, obviously here in moscow about what's going on with this, quote unquote a counter offensive. but there are some people that say that this is a can to like the what the west likes to call the endless acts and world like to call the battle of the bulge in the ukrainians or the germans. in this case where they throw in everything they have a major thrust and 2, it would achieve a victory that is hard to define here because it's only one small part of the battle field. but then cynics will say that this is a very costly p r. stunt forgive to show to its patrons in nato,

that it can actually do something with the arms that it's received. and i'd like to point out there are many that say a lot of the arms that are used in this counter offensive work for and they weren't ukrainian your thoughts? well, it depends on the results on this. so counter offensive in the car will produce, i mean, this is still unclear. it's only been a few days in the well, it can go both ways so, so, so it on, on, on one hand is firm and the crane has made it huge, sweeping games which are all the way to it, which was a strategic for russia. this course need this time to come out and it on us from the north so, so, so this is quite significant, but of course it can play out in 2 ways. i know that this

will be a painful loss, strategic it, territory, loss for russia. and this could that put the russians in a difficult position. alternatively, we might see that this is the ukraine forces because they've been stretched too far . and given that the man is huge and sweeping games, a lot of this territories who are being populated by russian troops and was mostly don't boss malicious. so it is, it all depends how, how russia will respond to this one. and it's still, i don't have a crystal ball. huh. i was going to work with what we can look at. well, what went wrong here? saw because, and then you know the crane and also lost a huge counter offensive. but this source also point out quite ended up incomplete failure with russia. there was pull of it back in the ukraine and troops are exposed to open fields and they were ordered by artillery aviation and the sauce

thousands of their soldiers being destroyed. and also under some military vehicles being destroyed as well. and then russia took back the territory and ended up to be a very costly affair for a training. but they kind of offensive a slightly different because 1st of all, the geography is different. this mark and forests area which and again the hides and also it gets under the rushes were prepared to have the military, as i mentioned in, in the area with museum, those barriers him in the military forces. so it, so it was much more, it was a better, a fundamental for this offensive. so i think it has shown that rush military bug began with matters now rush response if they're able to to, to credit back into this region where there are so many of troops their finest. or

it could be a spectacular failure for the credit as it could be that the battle which, which pro breaks them through in their best that's, that's why i mentioned the battle of the bulge. ok. and then a possible alternative option, which is that they're able to hold this areas and then it says a strategic victory. so it is, it's hard to say that it's a bit earlier. i think it was taken back by how much territory was taken. and this can also be seen as a weakness because it comes from solid control and you can consolidate then this, this strength could very quickly become a weakness. but again, this is over fresh. so it's hard to say, i guess over the next week, we're going to see how this plays out. you know, to george get one thing that is being played out. now. it's living here in moscow. i heard it since february 24th. i'll use an english language idiom when they, when we taking the gloves off. this is, this is

a catalyst here because there's been an enormous amount of restraint restraint when it comes to infrastructure, civilian infrastructure, wanting to keep casualties very low. you bring out probably the most important point, disappointing the civilians on the ground, which is a very, very key, very, very key. and he's not the most important issue actually, because this conflict will come to an end one day. but it's the hearts and minds that are and it's in play right now. so, i mean, some people i know are saying finally, finally, you know, we have to do this in earnest. ok, there. this is a special military operation, least today is not achieving what it was supposed to up the game. that's what i'm hearing. i think so too, because really low the russians did this. they seem like it was a very clever maneuver. they attacked a force that was maybe a, maybe even less than a 3rd of the size of the defending force, which is

a big fight, wants to be reoriented towards the side of any or prevailing. and they the chief quite a, quite a lot during these months. on the, on the progress in the, you know, they got the entirety of the people's republic. they haven't made that much progress in on it since july. so i was really a problem. but of all it was that they were occupying quite a lot of territory with minimal forces and that will always vulnerable to a counter attack. and once it becomes clear that nato is going all in your brain, i mean just to be sending, you never a restraint on what the sending you rate and you create is also no longer restraining itself. i mean it is attacking premier. it's gary on

assassinations in russia. was going to be more of that terroristic. so, you know, you really have to think, well, we've done what we could on, on the, the special military operations of what we're going to win. then this has to be a proper, a full out war, and then all the things that you say, you know, maybe it's actually a fax on infrastructure. all, did you use the infrastructure, the entry points of the hardware or sending it all of that now has to be considered because this really isn't working. i mean, if this was supposed to have, right, this is not supposed to be the victim of a counter attack, particularly in a region that he's actually close to the russian. well hey, let's continue with the reactions. glenn, because we had, well, you austin, in germany was basically saying whatever it takes, again here he,

i've seen his reactions. i thought he would be a little bit more and brilliant, but he wasn't. but maybe, as we've all said here, it's early days here. but the, the people that are pro war that want to scotland, proxy conflict with russia, they, they must be sitting pretty right now. yeah. all them then the key. yeah. i key discussion or did the big coming out. united states has been that initially. i've also been a henson about sending into powerful equipment because door frames that this would lead to rush further escalation is america finance class. russia will respond the kind of what they said, that the lesson was coming out of united states to say that this is the lesson is a didn't do anything that they were able to bring in more and more powerful weapons, long, long range missiles, rosshouse, respondents. so this is kind of the dilemma for russia. if it, if it escalates it can risks direct risk of direct confrontation with united states

. however, if it doesn't really tell it doesn't respond. just united states from her small says, well, they've not been approved tally. i think there's no reason why we should send ever and ever so. so this is a think you're going to see perhaps a response from, from russia because also what you're saying, a lot of the rules and restraints us. let's go and a. busy discussion on the events playing on wednesday. ah, who is the aggressor today? i'm authorizing additional strong sanctions. today russia is the country with the most sanctions imposed against it. a number that's constantly growing. a list of course, if you click on anything you mostly mind or wish you were branding all in ports of

russian oil and gas news, which i know they pay with regard to joe by imposing these sanctions on russia has destroyed the american economy. so there is your boomerang in only one main thing is important for not as an internationally speaking. that is, that nations perhaps allowed to do anything, all the mazda races, and then you have the mind, the nations who are the slaves. americans, proc obama and others have had a concept of american exceptionalism. international law exist as long as it serves american interest. if it doesn't, it doesn't exist by turning those russians into this dangerous go. you man,

that wants to take over the world. that was a culture strategy. so some of it on your own, i not leashed off tim zip on and tablet block. nato said it's ours. we moved east. the reason us, hey jim, it is so dangerous, is it? the law is the sovereignty of all the countries. the exceptionalism that american uses and its international war planning is one of the greatest threats to the populations of different nations. if nature, what is bad that shareholders in united states and elsewhere in large obs companies would lose millions and millions or is business and business is good and that is the reality of what we're facing, which is fashion a

welcome back to cross not we're all things considered, i'm parallel, this is the home addition to remind you were discussing important news. ah ok. let's go back to glen an outflow, right before the break you were trying to finish up a point. go right ahead. yes, one, when i rational began this one, it refers special military operation in february. and the point was then, 1st impulse, it's term came about them. as you know, the british band push balance get to do with, to council this negotiations. and then this was a war of attrition about the special operations at the see it would have been sufficient to again victory, a new claim. but the argument now which i hear in size, the war has changed because news pushing and everything has. and now russia has to go all the way. so fighting this, with one hand tied on their back with only 200000 troops stuff. now argument is now

they should do what they should have done the beginning, which is to declare full war and all this. and the last day i just got back from the section for a bug. and i spoke to plenty of russians there as well. and this was the main sentiment that the why, why, why have some more why under bridges standing? why, why, why taking so much record for the civil infrastructure this, this was a luxury, it's february, but it's not a luxury once made us pumping and all this weapons on there. there's a lot of resentment towards the kremlin being 2 restraints and they're, they're going to response again. this is sending the wrong signals, especially to the american so they can keep doing every, every weapons. because ross, i want to retaliate in time. so, but george, viewers here are view the gather the to george, and i do, george you,

you're looking pretty much vindicated, right? over the last 6 months of conversations hear me again. it's time to take the glove as you've already mentioned, you know, attacks on, i mean, fascinations in moscow because it's time to the game and this is a catalyst. there are plenty of people just, one is pointing out here that this will be a catalyst to push through before the, before the real cold sets in. and i think you'll be perfectly justified with that. and also it has to send a met, you know, our viewers here have to understand russia is not just in the military conflict. and ukraine is fighting all of nature right now. ok, this is, this is what the states right now, it's russia against all of nature. and i think we need people need to be reminded of that. i had a, it is late. so that's thrown everything at russian. i mean, it sees explicitly,

all gays to russia is using ukraine. the goal here nathan wants to cross russia once and for all russians should realize this or whatever. lou original objectives may have been with the special military operations with the militarization and the liberation of the now that has changed. it's now essentially a civil war for russia against nature. and then russia cannot afford to lose because of it loses this and it is finished as a great power, as any kind of an actor also to lever russia really has no choice. and therefore, you know, whatever the extent of the casualties and the hardships that will come about if it start escalating and destroying infrastructure targeting here, you know, targeting, you know, any, any west and now they're in great. it doesn't matter that much because nate is

coming for you anyway. like you already got with a solution that is already have. so you don't have any choice now in the math. it has to go, well now, because this, this way of doing things, it just is not working because there's going to be more and more of the counter offenses by your brain than out, you know, very confident of themselves. nato is obviously talking who was joy about what it pulled up. so there's a lot more of this and got a call to be seen to be essentially train the people that trusted, you know, and another one another angle of this year over the last 10 days. or so there's been an enormous amount of rumors and probably a lot of misinformation. i'm perfectly willing to accept that. about zelinski standing there. there is talk of a, a coup against him. replacing him even in the russian speaking world. there's even

a list of candidates that could possibly replace him. this offensive here is really important for them to have him main. it's important to him so he can maintain his position as being the interlocutor of ukraine to the, to the nato world. this is a very important event for him. and so hard given a parents to be successful so far, this has been a good friend because the stand a lost his position at home in terms of having a some opposition towards and especially in the military. and among some of the right twins, but also to some apprehensions and they do in terms of getting with and so you can, which seem to be losing. so this off and so successful has just been over the past, you know, obviously getting more credibility. but again, how, how, i guess,

just on the 2nd point, how russia will respond kind of depends on which way it's going to go when i'm, again speaking, i mentioned that they can do this. this could, of course, a lot of our credit trips and we'll go position it through the special milton operation, the russian cycle to a session, to all these forces and re recheck the ground. i think it will go back to this more progressive aspects on russia, but if it's not able to do so, i don't, i agree with george. what ross is going to do. it then have to escalate the bi, escalating this into full war by bringing in much more troops because i don't think, well there, there is an optional loss for us on this and, and i can appreciate the green is saying this is an existential fight for them. because you can, might not exist for this, but it's also to large extent to know the logic of that is also an extension. 34 for russia. because this is not merely leading ukraine and things go back to us before 2014 made or is advancing here. so it is, russia perceives this,

i think crisis, so as being an existential threat. so for this reason, if they're. 5 able to push this back through this format of the special military operation. i don't see any other alternative than russia going in full war by the claim one, ukraine. so this of course will be a huge escalation and will probably be complimented with the other things such a striking or where you find their western military personnel in ukraine and the delivery point. so weapons and infrastructure, presidential powers, i don't know that it will be much more aggressive. i think so. and then it goes back to this dilemma that the, it is a dilemma it's, it's the other side escalates. if you do nothing as the american for so clearly communicating in this, in russia then as being weak and there's no risk, there's no response. in other words, let's continue more have your weapons until we see an unfavorable response from

russia. so this is for this, i think this is a dilemma. the process current. lim, george, the dilemma exist equally for nate, them because they know is all in on this they have to, when they're ability is on the line on the line there, even legitimacy. i would say, considering it with every passing day, the pain that europeans are experiencing because of the sanctions, the energy crisis and what not. i mean, this is turning into existential from all sides, depending on how you interpreted so on. and as you pointed out earlier, you can afford this to happen. and so this is why we're, we're really at a rubicon right now. so something has to give one way or another and it's going to be, you know, i hate to say, you know, in our day and age, people love to say we need a win win situation. know we're in a situation win or lose george. i think so, because so it was

b probing using wow, well, we'll just go, you know, listen these weaponry a, something even more dangerous lee. so again, russian doesn't do much. ok, well, well, i mean to rush to so that probing russia, but i was up to rush to do the same to grow. right. ok, we're going to go in and we're going to hit and we're going to hit the western forces that maybe a grain. you know, strike all the roads. railways by this hardware is getting into your grade. what major going to do so far over even later they can send in on and leave ukraine dry . but they themselves have not been prepared to get involved in the was it ok, are you prepared to get involved yourself? are you ready to get directly? oh, i don't think they are. which is why it was roughly just probing. major. ok,

go and see if you are ready to escalate and get into a direct line with us. so i think that's probably the way rush is. good to go. when your thoughts on that those. the next answer from george, your thoughts? yes, no, no. i agree. i think that's the direction of going. that's why this is dangerous because for everyone, this has been an existential opinions. russia but also to point out it was, well, if it loses this, it's all credibility is gone. so i, so when, when you haven't seen everything to him or everything to lose, they're willing to, to escalate and take huge risks. and i think that's the direction of rush as well. so it's a very dangerous point in time for everyone. and no one want to say it's a little bit escalate very, very quickly and put us in the interest path. so and george,

when we have to point out, you're going to george here is that the, the casualties of the ukrainians are taking or just enormous, enormous. and there's a lot of criticism within your brain and so on. how callison casual, the military of forces into the line of fire, because the casualty rates really very high here. and i mean, depending on the sources, it could be 10 to one, you know, the intent for every 10 ukrainians, one russian. so, you know, the, you know, you can, you can go down the path of these offensive, but they're very, very costly. a few seconds to george, go ahead. yeah, they are very close to him. but i think what's, what's the problem for russia is that there's be no collapse in morale, and even in western stories about these extensive casualties, they report that the so does the wound up so they can't wait to get back on the front. so your brain, unfortunately grip of this anti russian idiology,

so deep by the hatred or russia that they just ready to sacrifice, you know, how many tens of thousands of lives, just to fight this war. and, you know, unfortunately there's too many within nato countries. also in the grip of this historical hatred of russia. well, this is where it stands. a gentleman here. i want to thank my guest, ona slow and who to pass when i think our viewers are watching us here to see you next time, remember ah ah, [000:00:00;00]

a minute to charlotte. where's a one up with a question? get with a democracy, human rights at all. a great great concept about the problem is the, the united states and the collector west kind of tied all of this ideas to an entity or power which are them so. so this is the core of liberal hedge money,

and they saying the only way liberalism can survive is if we are in power. mm hm. who is the aggressor tune chose is war today, i'm authorizing the additional strong sanctions. i think you chose williams. sure. actually speak on the billing if any, more, streamline the branding, all imports of russian oil and gas. you can buy, imposing these sanctions, are russia you as destroy the american? in fact, there's your boomerang, i where you're suffering the, i mean, they key interest really hitting people in the pocketbook. boys, i guess, was honest, there are you using a router because there are lots you,