General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGUNNED DOWN: Russian warlord who led Neo-Nazi 'Sparta' battalion shot dead
in Ukraine in fresh blow to Putins stalled invasion.Vladimir Zhoga was killed during battle in the eastern Ukrainian town of Volnovakha on Saturday.
Denis Pushilin, who heads the breakaway Ukrainian territory of Donetsk, confirmed the kill on his Telegram channel.
"Today, the commander of the Sparta separate reconnaissance battalion, Guards Col. Vladimir Zhoga (nom de guerre Vokha), died like a hero in Volnovakha," he wrote.
According to Pushilin, the commander was killed during an operation to evacuate civilians from Volnovakha - one of cities where Russian troops violated a ceasefire agreement on Saturday.
Zhoga joined Russian-backed rebels in 2014 - the same year in which the Sparta Battalion, a Neo-Nazi militia that has the support of Moscow, was created.
The group is behind a wave of deadly attacks against Ukrainian troops and has been waging war in the Donbass region since hostilities broke out eight years ago.
Its former leader, Arsen Pavlov, known as Motorola, was accused of war crimes in Kyiv and died when he was blown up an explosive device in 2016.
Zhoga's death is another major blow for Putin after he lost two top military chiefs this week and his army fails to make territorial gains as fast as previously expected.
The Sparta Battalion is a Neo-Nazi military unit that has the Kremlin's backing
More >
https://www.the-sun.com/news/4833461/russian-warlord-shot-dead-in-ukraine/
It looks like Ukraine is going full Red Dawn to pick off the battlefield leaders as they destroy Putin's dream piece by piece.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Good!
roamer65
(36,744 posts)SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)roamer65
(36,744 posts)SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Waste of oxygen eliminated.
🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦
roamer65
(36,744 posts)You just think it.
I was in an auto accident many years ago.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Glad you are ok!
roamer65
(36,744 posts)COL Mustard
(5,869 posts)Idi na khui. Sit on a dick.
Takket
(21,526 posts)Irish_Dem
(46,426 posts)A really smart move.
Hav
(5,969 posts)I also don't buy that he died trying to help/protect Ukrainian civilians when Russia's MO is breaking ceasefires intended to get civilians out. It's more likely that he was targeting civilians until someone took the trash out.
stopdiggin
(11,238 posts)Also thinking this man was definitely fighting for the other side (look where the news release came from) - either as a Russian mercenary or a black ops saboteur (perhaps both). In any event - no tears shed over the waste of space.
----- -----
whopis01
(3,491 posts)Ziggysmom
(3,394 posts)Who on earth could believe that the Ukrainian government is a bunch of Nazis, especially when its leader is a man of Jewish decent?
Unless Russia has its own brand of foolish magats!
KS Toronado
(17,138 posts)Grokenstein
(5,721 posts)It was bound to be picked up by some of the usual tinfoil-hatted conspiro-nut dumbasses.
Honestly surprised Precious Tuckles isn't flogging it 24/7.
Strelnikov_
(7,772 posts)calimary
(81,085 posts)I can't believe how this has affected me.
He CAN'T win. Putin CANNOT be allowed to win. CANNOT.
samsingh
(17,590 posts)Evolve Dammit
(16,694 posts)SoCalDavidS
(9,998 posts)May he burn down below.
Response to Submariner (Original post)
58Sunliner This message was self-deleted by its author.
WarGamer
(12,326 posts)Response to WarGamer (Reply #20)
58Sunliner This message was self-deleted by its author.
Igel
(35,270 posts)Announce it, say that Russians died trying to evacuate vulnerable Ukrainians, but that the Ukr forces caused the corridor and ceasefire to collapse.
They did that in 2015, and killed hundreds of surrended Ukrainian soldiers. They do it now.
The Sun repeated Pushilin's drivel.
Bettie
(16,058 posts)take all the leaders out.
Initech
(100,029 posts)Historic NY
(37,449 posts)ellie
(6,928 posts)liberalla
(9,221 posts)They're doing AMAZING things with their military, equipment and air defense limitations.
BobTheSubgenius
(11,558 posts)Fast, nimble and ruthless. Achieve a quick objective, like an assassination, sabotage or an ambush, then try to disappear.
One big drawback to that strategy is the terrain. It's about as far from the mountains of Afghanistan or the jungles of SE Asia as you can get.
The Ukranians need their own Simo Häyhä, or even several, if you could find even one. The Finnish sniper, in the defence of his homeland, killed a reported 500+ Russians, who named him The White Death. They threw everything at him but the Russian Navy, and even taking an explosive bullet to the face only took him out of action temporarily.
I bet a credible analog of Hayha would be spreading a LOT of fear in the Russian troops. Their morale is reportedly already FAR too low, given the short time the fighting has been going on.
Straw Man
(6,622 posts)Häyhä was an avid hunter who had spent most of his life in the woods. He essentially stalked Russians in the forest, just as he had stalked animals. It's hard to do that on the flat, open plains of Ukraine.
getagrip_already
(14,605 posts)"No poor bastard ever won a war dying for their country. You win wars by making the other poor bastards die for their country".
Mr. Evil
(2,825 posts)with regard with the Russian army and hierarchy, he was spot on. Almost prophetic.
Here's a short article about his involvement in the aftermath of WWII and what he wasn't allowed to do.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/general-patton-cold-war-russia_b_5526514
turbinetree
(24,683 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)So glad he's gone. Go Team Ukraine!
paleotn
(17,876 posts)I'll shed not tears. Fuck him and fuck them.
LPBBEAR
(294 posts)apparently Putin's denazification is working.......
Oneironaut
(5,479 posts)I hope it was painful.
hotrod0808
(323 posts)SunSeeker
(51,504 posts)C Moon
(12,208 posts)DENVERPOPS
(8,787 posts)The Russian People have been laughing for years about how Putin was playing Trump and how Putin/Trump have nearly succeeded at bringing down the entire U.S. Economy and Democracy. And all without firing a single weapon, rocket, or missile, thanks to his underling DT.
If Putin had succeeded, along with the Republican Party, in winning the election, just think where we and the rest of the world would be right now..........Seriously, take a moment and think about it...........we all would be learning the Russian Language, and not by choice.
The Jungle 1
(4,552 posts)Bury it and plant the flowers. I want Ukraine covered in flowers this spring.
Maybe let the pigs have a go at the body first. Send pictures to russia.
WarGamer
(12,326 posts)GB_RN
(2,322 posts)That's a good thing. What's strange is that Putin said he was going into Ukraine to get rid of the Nazis, but they're fighting FOR him. /sarcasm re: "strange"
Cha
(296,775 posts)still be alive IF Vlad hadn't started an Illegal Insane War on Ukraine.
Sounds like trump here..
💙💛
yonder
(9,654 posts)Yeah, maybe, maybe not. Im going with not
Justice matters.
(6,915 posts)by brave Ukrainians.
yonder
(9,654 posts)The "died like a hero" part sounds like he was being given credit for assisting with the evacuation of innocents. I'm thinking not.
Marcuse
(7,442 posts)prodigitalson
(2,377 posts)ironflange
(7,781 posts)Good riddance to bad rubbish!
herding cats
(19,558 posts)Let him feed the soil and the morale of Ukraine.
Demovictory9
(32,419 posts)riversedge
(70,047 posts)But he supports this neo nazi group.
"The Sparta Battalion is a Neo-Nazi military unit that has the Kremlin's backing"
Justice matters.
(6,915 posts)Just like the former guy.