Dear Readers:
One recalls, a few days back we had some posts about the truck-bomb attack on the Kerch Bridge. The attack was followed by a slew of subsequent arrests. Operating under intense political and career pressure, the Russian criminal investigators quickly put together a timeline and cast of characters. One of the arrested is a man named Vladimir Zloba. This piece by reporter Anton Antonov gives Zloba’s relatives a chance to defend him and declare his innocence.
Recall that, as investigators have established, the bomb was initially transported out of Odessa. The bomb-containing cargo was later assembled into a different truck in the Russian city of Armavir, in the Krasnodar region of South Russia.
Two of the characters in this story, both Zloba and also Roman Solomko, had joint business interests in both cities.
Zloba’s mother, Vera, denies that her son was a Ukrainian operative. She tells reporters that her son was “for Russia”, which is why he took his family to live in Crimea. This was back in March, early days of the war. Zloba took his wife and children and moved to Crimea, where he felt they would be safer.
Vera: “He is a simple kolkhoznik. How could a kolkhoznik be a terrorist? He never would have knowingly brought explosives into Russia, especially not to blow up such a bridge. He’s not that kind of boy.” Vera explains that her son engaged in the transportation and sale of grain grown by the local farmers. “He would transport the grain to Golaya Pristan or Kherson, and other cities in the Kherson Oblast.”
Igor Laiko is a neighbor and colleague of Zloba. He has stated that Zloba would transport grain from Kherson Oblast down to Crimea, where he would close the sale. Before the Special Operation started, Zloba used to work with Solomko, sometimes in Odessa. Laiko said there were plans to re-register their company in Crimea, even though they were still permitted to cart grain, even without a Russian passport.
According to the FSB version of events: The paperwork for the deadly cargo was put together in the name of a non-existent company in Crimea. This is one of the reasons they got suspicious of Zloba. [Although, in Zloba’s defense, he may have just been cutting some corners, since he did not yet have his Russian passport.]
FSB points out that Zloba never actually received his Russian passport, although he did submit his application, along with his entire family, on September 6.
Viktoria Pakhanova works as the bookkeeper for a local agricultural firm. She is convinced of Zloba’s innocence, due to his pro-Russian stance: “Everybody here knows that Vovka was the first one to go running for a Russian passport.”
Viktoria adds: “Back in 2014 Vovka [who resided in Ukrainian Kherson at the time] was one of those who was accused of being a Russian Separatist, so [pro-Ukraine] people advised him to take his suitcase and leave for Russia. He was genuinely satisfied with the situation [when the Russians took over in 2022].”
Laiko adds that Zloba has legitimate ties to people in Armavir: “This is the kind of system we have. Vova knows a lot of the farmers around here. He knows all the kolkhozy, and all the farmers. So people will come up to him and say, Vovchik, we need to sell our product somewhere. Vova accepts everything, we put it all together, then we drive to Crimea, and then the guys from Armavir, from Krasnodar, they all drive in on their trucks to pick it up, and then they take it over there, across the border.”
That’s it, for the story. If he is indeed innocent, then Zloba is lucky to have such a mom, and such neighbors and friends to speak up for him. According to the reporter, the specific charge against him is that he altered the documentation of the cargo.
One also reminds, that Russian criminal law is based on the Napoleonic Code. The Napoleonic Code has many good features, but one way it differs from English Common Law: There is no assumption of innocence. The assumption, rather, is that the police and prosecution have done their job properly and arrested the right guy. Therefore, it is up to the suspect to prove his own innocence, in a court of law, and hopefully with a competent attorney at his side.
Awful Avalanche 
Does not add up the fellow is involved in this terror plot, so far, from what i’ve read about the affair. There is no like click of pieces fitting together from a commission of terror angle. It does add up he could, potentially committed some crime or violation/requirement regarding his business and or status as a Russian. And that it becomes a matter of unintended consequences which happen when one is dishonest. Also essentially out of pricess and the dynamics of Russian law the fellow has been swept up as a matter of better to than not suspect foul play. As you say Mr. Avakanche there is no Habeas Corpus in the spirit and color of Russian law. Its always better to always be honest. My grandparents, the Boy Scouts and Christian faith taught that. It always pays. Good rule of thumb to live by. Good intentions is no substitute. And that appears to me what’s happened in this case. Lord knows nothing like learning that the hard way! 🙂
Then there is the tanjent here of Martial Law, that hs more or less been in effect in Crimea and the Donbas Arc under Allied jurisdiction, if I understand correctly, where it is stipulated the court martialed individual only has the right to effect their punishment, and guilt or innocence is determined by tribunal which the charged has little to no active part in. Strikes me as a very different thing than man made civilian and natural law.
Parts of it though make a certain sense and i can kind of understand why Martial Law is what it is from a military and soldiers perspective. Neccesity has a lot to do with it, and avoidence of setting undesired precedence too, as continiuty of command is such a critical principle of sane healthy sustainable and successful military organization. Is it foundational? It has that feature. Its not disccussed much but continuity of the command structure a primal issue inside a military that is not corrupted. Where violators perchance can really mess things up in far reaching ways even for a seeming minor infraction. Its rather fascinating if you ask me.
I suspect this is one of the Ukraine Army’s underlying shortcomings. Broken/fractured and non existent continuity of command. Corruption of all kinds is a poison. It appears similar has transpired within the US military. Just look how the ukie army has systematically utterly raped and pillaged the Donbas region where ever it has biits on the ground. They created entire wastelands. Its also goes to Chairman Mai’s insidious principle of “dirty all hands.” In otherwords the corrupt military leadership turns a blind eye to the ranks stealing everything down to the lightbulbs and ripping out the copper wiring and plumbing and blowing up or burning all that can not be stolen. Essentialky you do not have an Army, you have a militaristic organization whose MO is justified rapine and pmunder/terror and reprisal. It is not beyond imaginatiin this is intrinsically intentional in a most heartless cold blooded way. And how infectious it is once begun. And there you have a so called Ukrainian Mikitary which is inherently incapable of winning against the Russians. And so its only viable recourse/resource is terrir and reprisal, but then is the terror and reprisal aspect one of consequence or is it specific malice and forthought, intentional? And how it comes around full circle. To me it is plain the west can pump everything it has and every soldier and operator possible inti the conflict and it still will never win. Because behind everything is a consortium or centralist power source which maintains an iron fist control from so far away and so remote from actuality on the ground its actions are counter productive yet this central power is incapable of seeing it as such. Part of why reinforcing failure with failure is rampant, that whole Einstienian thing about the definition if insanity regarding repeating the same thing over and iver hoping for different results. The empire of lies and hate, from my perspective as an American, has this feature in spades, as there is no rule of law. Only rule of men. And Ukraine is Anerica and America is Ukraine, so goes Ukraine so to Anerica. They are become after the orchastrated coup in 2014, inextricably intertwined. Inherent in that is an awful embedded truth, where this thing the empire has created, it can never, all the way down to the last man and last bullet, stop this conflict. It can’t. It is that kind of thing. No doubt the Russian’s know this they foreseen it and long prepared for it, and understood no matter what they did it was inevitable. Because what the evil is at the center of the empire of lies by its nature has always committed to this. Long in the past. And more than anything it is why there are things like this fellow involved, for his part, innocent or not, in your post, Mr. Avalanche. Why everything right now. It all must follow it to the end, nothing changes that, how we are all like the pig now, committed. From America to the furthest remote frontier of Eurasia. I believe it had to be this way, that it all could only be this way, because there is this evil at the crux of it all and this is the final battle per say. Gordian knot? Armageddon? Ragnarak? Gotterdammerung?
Al I realky know is I have an axe, a shovel, My Rifle, will and Faith, and a wife that lives my sorry old arse, that last is the greatest blessing. I’m really lucky. Humbly so. No matter what it all begins with me, and all i ever realky asked for is to be left aline and to protect the things matter most. But here we all are now. Crazy thing is here in Aneeica, we have everything, we had everything too, it is so easy, so simple, there is more than enough for everyone, mire than we can imagine, but no, a certain few not only must have it all for themselves, worse, nobody is to have anything, even life.
Its like this total unavoudable alleghory to Ukraine, or vice versa, or all the same difference…? The outlier in all this is the simple difference, this cycle, this rurning whathaveyou, its gonna go to the bitter end this time. Thats how it feels, what my radar, my gut my amygdala is telling me. For a long time. Just could never put my finger on it before. But watching this act of terrorism, because of who and what orchstrated it and the willing actors taking part, these agents within British and US intelligence, that not just they went this far and committed such a specific blantant violation on Russian sovereignty, just as essentially these same actors involved in the death vax, as they all are part of the same evil construct, but they are beyond measure such willing villians and they could not ever not know how vile their actions, it signifies there is something so evil, so incomprenensibly evil, it truly is beyond the pale. Exactly by every definition of the meaning, insidious, incarnate, it empowers an evil essence in its minions thats beyond words. A kind if unique depravity where thise infected by it become inhuman yet remain wearing a human skin suit. What kind if evil can this really be? Its bad beyond my capacity to express it, thats how bad.
Yet i’m a simple man, a blue collar show up to work every day, pays my taxes, try to do a good deed once and a while, live and let live like, but responsible for my actions i hope my biggest fear is shame for failing that, and failing courage if worst comes to worst, but within all this I have unshakabke Faith, I understand it marks me as the enemy, its not my skin color, its my spirit and my will, this evil is afraid if me and its coming for me, not me but Men and Woman, the silent Matriarchy and Patriarchy, that I share such with, so in a way we stand in evils way, maybe all that stands in its way, Nationality has little to do with it, but its in kind, and I see these Russian’s, fighting, risking everything, but going forward regardless, there’s great courage there, and they have this solidarity and great faith in something larger and better and i think it all works for the best in the end. Its just going to be some seriously terrible things this evil perpetrates before its over and this evil is Kaput. But Kaput it must be. Has to be. Somehow all this, this is it.
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Kherson abandoned without a fight.
The wages of apathy continue to be paid.
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This is terrible news. I also read that Stremousov was killed in a car crash today.
This is not a good day.
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It is always one step forward and two steps back with these people.
Always.
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I know. At times it feels almost hopeless!
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“The wages of apathy continue to be paid.”
Maybe you should have a look at the reasons why…and suddenly, IT ALL MAKES SENSE…you see.
Like not keeping your troops in situations where you know you will sacrifice them needlessly because it doesn’t give you any advantage, rather the opposite. And on top, you will have difficulties with logistics, and a potential dam break to deal with.
As once was said, Russia is not after territorial gains in general, and the grinding down seems to proceed apace.
Not much is left of the original Ukraine army, now Russia is really fighting NATO-paid mercenaries, and those will give even less a rats arse about civilians. Plus, considering the weather, why leave your troops in a tenuous situation?
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That part makes sense. But sadly, it will be much harder to take Nikolaev now, without that sole bridgehead on the Right Bank.
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“without that sole bridgehead on the Right Bank”
You point exactly at the problem. Sole bridgehead, with no one to protect against a potential encirclement? Russia first needs more troop, and has not enough at present to protect the frontline AND prepare and push an attack.
Winter is coming soon….
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This is all completely valid, peter. Believe it or not, I completely understand, and I can see the merits of, both sides of the debate. This is the curse of having the kind of waffle-brain that I have. When I strain my brain I can sort of see everybody’s point of view.
But riddle me this:
(1) Even if the Russians hand Kherson to the Ukies on a silver platter, how can they be assured that the Ukies won’t still decide to blow up the dam? If you’re a Ukie, why not flood the entire region, not just the right bank. Why not also flood the left bank and sweep the Russians away, in their new defensive position?
(2) Did Surovikin receive any kind of assurance that the Ukies won’t cut off the Crimea water supply again, once they take control over the dam and reservoir? Will they be able to parch Crimeans into submitting back to Ukrainian rule?
Putin and Surovikin seem to be operating on a theory that the Ukies and NATO will behave themselves like gentlemen of good will, once they are handed this prize.
Well, maybe they concluded a rock-solid deal behind the scenes, maybe this is really clever chess move, I dunno… [sort of doubt, though…]
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The bank that the Rusian retreat to (is it left or right? let us say the east bank) is higher ground, so less likely o be inundated.
Regarding the second part, with the Russians having control of the east bank, I don’t know how easy it would be to block the dam without counteraction by the Russian army.
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No no! I am fighting against people trying to change the terminology and use compass points (such as North, South, East, or West) to describe the banks of the river. This is a mistake that is confusing the entire internet.
Once again, this is how it works, and this is the correct terminology: It’s from the point of view of the river as it flows downstream. The Right bank is the river’s right hand; and the left bank is the river’s left hand, as it flows downstream.
This is the correct terminology that has been used for centuries. This way it doesn’t matter whether the river flows north to south, or south to north, or east to west, or even does a U-turn. It’s always either Right Bank or Left Bank.
Since the Dniepr River usually flows North to South, then the Left Bank (counter-intuitively) is normally on the East. However, at this part of Kherson, the river is actually flowing sort of horizontally instead of vertically, but see it doesn’t matter, and you don’t have to take that into account if you always use the correct terminology of Left/Right bank.
That way it never gets confusing.
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Here is Brian Berletic’s take on the Kherson sitrep:
I have to say that Brian called this one, not just weeks ago, but even months ago.
I have a lot of respect for his prophetic powers.
Well, he doesn’t have a crystal ball, to be sure, just a good analytical brain in that big bald skull of his!
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Dear Yalensis : Si observas los comentarios del video, la mayoria son pesimistas y decepcionados respecto a este movimiento no solo, sino a toda la campaña militar .
Un movimiento militar necesita dos lementos para tener exto : Lógica militar y Pasión militar, garantizada esta pasion por la pasion ciudadana para la victoria .
Rusia ni tiene Logica militar , ni pasión militar . Es una ” pasión” reactiva , la cual no significa verdadera pasion .
Si observas el comentario de ” halcon rojo ” ( lo siento, no puedo localizarlo en original en inglés ) dentro del mismo video , es mi juicio que está totalmente acertado .
Rusia es un caos militar, tal como ya lo manifestaron repetidamente I. Strelkov y el coronel Vladimir Kvachkov, tambien el sitio Katyusha.com , a quienes estudio casi diariamente,.
La Republica española perdio la Civil War in Spain porque era un caos interno, ya demostrado desde los primeros dias del 14 de abril de 1931, triunfo de la Republica . Existio tanta pasión o aun mas que por bando nacional o nacionalista, pero no debia ganar la guerra en tales ilogicas condiciones .
No le encuentro logica a las acciones de los comandantes rusos , desde el Comandante Supremo al ultimo ciudadano ruso que quiere la paz en tales condiciones del Donbass . Ni existe pasion ni existe lógica en los movimientos rusos, excepto destacados y honorables nacionales o nacionalistas ( como se quiera nombrar ), rusos .
Digan lo que digan los analistas bien intencionados, o mal intencionados como el tal Martyanov, Rusia debe perder y perderá , de acuerdo con las metas de la ciudadania general rusa, esta guerra .
La clase gubernamental rusa no es nacional ni nacionalista . Ni es cristiana, ni es algo digno de respetar . Es un engaño y una desgracia para Rusia .
Saludos .
PS : Estoy muy muy acorde con tu sensiblidad general . Pero prefiero , mas que los analisis de los analistas, ir al fondo, como buen filosofo Sagitario, igual que Daria Dugina ( RIP ) ir al fondo del asunto .
GRACIAS : por permitirme participar en este foro, el cual cada vez tiene mas observancia dentro de todos los comentaristas .
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Sorry : ……… ” un movimiento militar necesita dos elementos para tener exito “
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And yet, a NATO victory is inconceivable and impossible!
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‘Like not keeping your troops in situations where you know you will sacrifice them needlessly because it doesn’t give you any advantage, rather the opposite’
Excuse me, but does the nation exist for the army or the army for the nation? What use is the army if it defends itself and not the nation?
Wars are won by fighting, and if the army won’t fight then it will not win.
But setting aside the question of whether the retreat was the sound tactical move, what are we to say for the leadership that allowed the strategic situation to develop in such a way that this really was the best option?
‘As once was said, Russia is not after territorial gains in general, and the grinding down seems to proceed apace.’
The government annexed this region, it established a local civilian authority and declared it to be Russian territory as much as Moscow or Simferopol or Belgorod. It is a little late to plead a lack of territorial ambitions.
As it stands, the Ukrainians are willing to sacrifice for victory and the Russians are not. Armies far more materially outmatched than the Ukrainians have prevailed simply because of this distinction.
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Honestly, this withdrawal will be a great comfort to NATO’s Propaganda Force and that in turn will aid in funding this war and that in turn will prolong this war. I am surprised Russia does not have sufficient air superiority, this close to their border, to turn back this advance…shades of Gen. McClellan eh?
But to cheer Yalensis up, I’d like to dedicate this next video to him and of course, Britain’s Ministry of State Sponsored Terrorism:
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Yalensis,
I read a story I find deeply troubling because with the mid-terms over, Biden’s puppeteers once again have a free hand. Over at Gilbert Doctorow’s, a guy I read regularly, tucked inside another story on the strike Belgium was a little snippet on how the Financial Times was purveying a story of how the Russ plan using a nuke in a 1st strike…something I find highly implausible, however, the propagandist at FT concocted a story that Gilbert plausible. My comment to this was:
S Brennan
November 9, 2022 at 11:48 pm
It’s my understanding that the Russ have EMP devices that are non-nuclear in nature, why would they go nuke at this stage? The fact is the Financial Times may be pushing a 3LA narrative rather than reporting the news. No disrespect intended but, it’s curious you found the story believable enough to repeat. Is the “Ruskies to go Nuke First” behind a paywall or, can the unwashed masses read how the Ruskies are about to execute EXACTLY what would suit the needs of DC & LONDON.
I find this story very suspicious.
Worth a read, we swim in an inky black sea of septic media falsehoods, the only truth we are told is that which serves our rulers purposes.
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Hi, S Brennan! What with everything going on (and I admit I am in a very bad mood right now), I didn’t pay very much attention to the American elections. But just sort of heard, out of the corner of my ear, that the Dems cheated again. Surprise surprise! The Dems are amazing cheaters, you have to give that to them.
It’s not like I support either party, I hate both of them equally. But I am aware that many pro-Russians (maybe even Putin himself) were hoping for a Republican victory, they thought the Repubs would stop funding the Ukraine war.
Well, if they hoped for such a thing, they were seriously delusional. But some people are saying this has affected Russia’s decision to abandon Kherson. I hope there is no connection; if there is such a connection, then it was a horribly stupid connection.
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Yalensis, with all due respect, you misunderstand my politics, at present, in the USA, we are only allowed to push ONE of TWO buttons. Presently, the D’s have forcefully removed ALL persons who have ANY populist leanings.
The present day D’s are politically aligned to Woodrow Wilson, not FDR or, for that matter, Teddy Roosevelt. As I said, under US law, I am only allowed to push one of two buttons…
That said, my larger point, that the rulers of the USA understand that they have lost their gambit in Ukrainia and now want to shoot the saloon up…stands.
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Admittedly, I don’t follow American politics very much. In my view, the Republicans are idiots, and the Democrats are slimy cheaters. That’s about it, for me. From the Russian POV, I found it amusing that many Russian analysts were pinning some serious hopes on the American midterms, apparently they believed the hoohaw that if the Repubs took control of House & Senate, then they would stop funding Ukraine.
Interestingly, I just saw this piece in the Russian press, the headline reads “Biden comments on the Russian Abandonment of Kherson.” I was rolling my eyes, of course The Vegetable In Chief wants to gloat. But reading it, oddly enough, Biden sounds rather conciliatory. Says he thinks the Russians and Ukrainians should just cool their heels through the winter and see if they can come to some agreement between themselves. Almost with the attitude of “This has nothing to do with us.” Biden also said (if this reporter can be believed, and I don’t have the original English text in front of me), that he has no intention of (a) getting in WWIII with Russia, or (b) providing more long-range weapons for the Ukies, or even more HIMARS.
I think that had been one of the worries: the closer the Ukies get to Crimea, all the easier for them to blast it with American-supplied long-range artillery.
Anyhow, a couple of other things I read suggest, oddly enough, that the Americans, even Biden, are getting rather sick of this war and might even want to just roll it up at some point.
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Hey Y,
To my great surprise Gilbert Doctorow got on the tube [Iranian TV] and chucked the rotting-red-herring* wrapped in newsprint into the trash-heap of history.
Excellent work by Gilbert Doctorow in disposing of the stinking mess.
*”Russkies to Use Nukes First”
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Agreed it’s a good video. He makes excellent points (but rather spoils it by saying “I don’t think it is a trap, but it could be”). Especially pertinent are: 1) the way Surovikin seemed to be knowingly preparing us for the withdrawal long in advance, and 2) even Ukraine (for a change) seems to suspect it is a trap and says the Russians aren’t really withdrawing. Withdrawal from Kherson seems a pretty mindblowing move strategically to me, at a time when Russia has already built up massive reserves nearby that it could move in very fast. The main wild card that I have no means of assessing is the dam – what condition is it in, has it really deteriorated so much, are the Russians really (REALLY???) so unable to hinder attacks on it when so much is at stake? When they have so much success shooting down even Himars shells, can they not just move in more air defence to protect the dam and step up air bombing of all potential artillery sites on the other side?
I heard a while ago they were gradually releasing more water from the dam to reduce the water level and thus mitigate risk; I wonder – could they massively increase the release of water to reduce the level behind the dam much more quickly, causing, say, a controlled flooding of Kherson that would be much less severe than the destruction of the dam, and maybe timed with Ukrainian responses? No idea whether that would be feasible or whether the results would be a help or hindrance.
One thing is clear – when watching Russians fight war and without (of course) access to the real data on what is really going on, to which only the Russian General Staff have access – never jump to hasty conclusions based on what seems apparent superficially! The reality is certain to be otherwise.
Afterthought – what if that crazy fake protest letter from Pavlovka was really made up by the Russian General Staff themselves to serve their Maskirovka? Just a crazy thought!
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Erm, well that was meant to be a reply here but my internet link was temporarily broken, and the comment somehow wandered!
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Great comment,BM. Sorry I can’t move it. (I can edit or delete other peoples comments, but I can’t move them.)
But I think we understand and stipulate that it’s a response to the Berletic video. Which I hope everyone would watch.
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Well, a terrorist who is caught is bound to try to protest his innocence. “Honest, Gov, I was only mindin me own business”. But when he lives in Crimea, and doctored the cargo documents for delivery to an false non-existent company in Crimea he cannot be anything other than guilty! The only pertinent questions possible are how much he knew, whether he thought some less severe crime was involved, and how deep was his involvement in the plot. But all in all pretty indicting.
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Yeah. I’m pretty sure the investigators would not have arrested him unless they thought they had enough evidence to convict him. The one thing that does speak in his favor, is that older information (if true), about how he was pro-Russian as far back as 2014. That might speak to his good character, and not a sudden johnny-come-lately pretending to be pro-Russian in order to be a terrorist mole.
I still think there is a small chance that this guy is innocent. If everything was the way he said: He moved to Crimea, applied for a passport, there were delays in getting it; but he still had to feed his family in the meantime; so he cut corners with the paperwork and kept doing deals.
Reading about these Kherson farmers and their grain deals, I get the impression that the margins in this business are very tight, there are farmers who are just one truck accident away from financial ruin; and that sometimes the line between honest trade and smuggling is a very thin one indeed. All of that should be taken into account; and I am sure the investigators will do so. It is not in their interest to rush to judgment or just cut another notch on their belts, they really want to learn the truth, that’s my impression.
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