Author: dmitriy.vasyura@gmail.com

Joe Rogan, one of the world's most popular podcasters, has sparked outrage in Ukraine, after claiming that Kyiv and its Western allies, rather than Russia, "are about to start World War III."

In an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience last Friday, the U.S. host criticized the outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration for allowing Ukraine to strike with Storm Shadow and ATACMS long-range missiles deep into Russian territory.

In response to their use, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "test" of a nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile, carried out in a strike on the city of Dnipro, central Ukraine on Nov. 21.

Despite the long-running nuclear rhetoric emanating from the Kremlin, and the fact Moscow launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the first place, Rogan pinned all the blame for the escalation of international tensions on Biden and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"How are you allowed to (authorize strikes inside Russia) when you are on your way out? Like, people don’t want you to be there anymore," Rogan said. “There should be some sort of pause for significant actions that could potentially start World War III.”

"Zelensky says Putin is terrified. F**k you, man. You f**king people are about to start World War III," Rogan said, adding that negotiations with Moscow should be the path Kyiv pursues over military action.

Rogan also repeated unfounded stories that Zelensky uses drugs.

"This is cocaine-like behavior. ‘Putin’s f**king scared, man, Putin’s terrified. We got him. We got him, man, we got him.’

"Like, what are you talking about? He has nuclear missiles. You f**king monkeys," Rogan said.

Prominent Ukrainians including former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, and former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba have publicly condemned Rogan's statements.

On Nov. 26, the Kyiv Independent went out on the streets of Kyiv to see what people thought about them.

Natalia Romanets, purchasing manager

Let him come to Kyiv, let him come to Ukraine, see everything with his own eyes, and then make some conclusions. Because it's hard to assess the situation from so many thousands of kilometers away. I think he just doesn't feel or understand what is happening in the world.

It's strange. I thought Americans were polite, well-mannered people but what he is saying about us is simply offensive.

If he were attacked somewhere in America, at a gas station, for example, and they put a knife to his throat, how would he negotiate?

Maybe he knows some formula or scenarios for negotiating in such circumstances with a knife pressing on an artery. It’s hard to talk when you're being killed.

Albina Volobuieva, sales worker

(Rogan) does not live in Ukraine, so he cannot comment on it. He has nothing to do with us. This war already feels like World War III to me — many countries are already involved, they help us in various ways, and they also suffer because of it.

So, to me, World War III has already begun — and has been going for quite some time now.

I would be glad if this were over because I can't handle the constant deaths, explosions, people being taken away, and men going to war anymore. Life in the country is really tense right now. But if there were negotiations, they should be for the benefit of our country and our people.

This person's words are very strange and incorrect.

Yelyzaveta Kovalenko, social media manager

We are now simply hostages of Russia, which has come to our land.

We didn't call them, we didn't start this war, and we didn't want it. We were living peaceful lives in Ukraine, and they just invaded us. We have nothing else left to defend ourselves with.

Putin will never be satisfied. Therefore, negotiations should only end with the recognition that we are a sovereign entity that no one else should touch.

(Rogan) has never been in a state of war for three years, like our president. Considering how tired he already is, how he has no strength left, one could think all kinds of things about him.

But our president still addresses the Ukrainian people daily and supports us by doing that.

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Liudmyla Kushnir, on maternity leave

I would say this podcaster transfers the responsibility of the Russians onto us. But that’s not right. We did not start the war.

The responsibility is absolutely on them (Russians) for the possible start of World War III. We are being killed, and we have nothing left to do, only fight.

Who even said that Russia wants negotiations?

Oksana Hres, sales worker

Stop Putin, and then there will be no World War III.

Tell the mothers, children, and wives of tortured people about negotiations, about how you can somehow reach an agreement when you can't return the children who were tortured to death.

Viktor, programmer

As for his last words about World War III, I think he should remember the words of (Ukraine's former Commander-in-Chief Valerii) Zaluzhnyi about the fact that World War III has already begun, and so it makes sense to figure out what side he wants to be on.

To start negotiations, both sides need to want to do it. Unfortunately, no one is willing to make concessions right now.

Olha Serova, fashion industry manager

If I were to comment on this situation, I'd probably say “f*ck you.” What else can I say?

I think that advising to enter negotiations means he's only superficially observing the situation. Because if a person delves deeper into it, he will understand that negotiating with (Putin) is impossible.

Yuliia-Mariia Pismeniuk, economics student

The fact that Russia launches a bunch of missiles at Ukraine – is that normal? Should we feel safe?

We did not start this war. And in fact, the greater responsibility lies with Russia, with Putin, for starting World War III.

Mykola Korotkyi, video producer

Honestly, go f**k yourself. Come here, live here, and truly understand what’s happening instead of making assumptions with your headlines.

We would then look at you as if you were actually experiencing what’s happening in Ukraine every night. I'm not just talking about Kyiv, but places where glide bombs and other (weapons) are dropped. That's why someone like you, such a d*ckhead, shouldn’t open your mouth.

If the U.S. had fulfilled their international agreements on time, supported Ukraine, and taken a proper stance on what was happening, there would be no World War III.

Kuleba: Joe Rogan, let’s talk and set the record straight on UkraineJoe Rogan lashed out at Ukraine on his latest podcast, expressing strong criticism of the United States for lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied weapons to target Russian territory and launching an expletive-laden rant accusing President Volodymyr Zelensky of pushing to “start Worl…The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Kuleba

According to information, an explosion occurred in Kharkiv.

An explosion occurred in Kharkiv. This was reported by the correspondents of Suspilny, reports UNN.

Recall

Earlier, the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine informed about the threat of using ballistic weapons from the East.

Enemy attacks: threat of ballistic weapons from the EastJun 10 2024, 10:04 PM • 18983 views

Ukrainian forces have pushed back Russian troops from Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast and maintain control over the situation on the town’s outskirts, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces, said on Nov. 26.

Russian troops ramped up their efforts near Kupiansk in early September and approached the city’s industrial outskirts in the northeast. Earlier in November, Ukrainian forces successfully repelled Russian attempts to break into the city.

The crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState also reported on Nov. 26 that Ukrainian forces had completed clearing Kupiansk of Russian soldiers.

Speaking on national television, Voloshyn said that Russia uses small groups in an attempt to cross to the right bank of the Oskil River.

"Even if groups of eight to ten people manage to cross, only two or three from each group reach the (right) bank. The enemy has been eliminated there as well," he said.

"Everything there (in Kupiansk) is under the control of our Defense Forces."

Kupiansk is a key logistics and railway hub in the eastern part of Kharkiv Oblast. With several highways and five railway lines running through it, the town was briefly occupied by Russian forces before it was liberated during a successful Ukrainian counteroffensive in the autumn of 2022.

Capturing the city would widen the north-to-south supply route from Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, fuelling their attempt to take the entire Donbas region.

Nearly 22,000 civilians have been evacuated from Kharkiv Oblast in 6 months, governor says“We are continuing evacuation efforts, bringing both children and adults to safety,” Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov said on air.The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

G7 ministers have condemned Russia's use of a ballistic missile and cooperation with North Korea. The group reaffirmed its unwavering support for Ukraine and expressed concern about the possible transfer of nuclear technology.

The group of seven foreign ministers strongly condemned Russia's use of a medium-range ballistic missile, saying it was evidence of reckless and escalating behavior, and stressed its unwavering support for Ukraine. This is stated in a joint statement of the G7, reports UNN.

"Russia's use of a medium-range ballistic missile on November 21 is further evidence of its reckless and escalating behavior on the part of the Russian Federation. Our support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine will remain unwavering," the statement reads.

The ministers also condemned Russia's takeover and subsequent control and militarization of ZAES, which poses serious risks to nuclear safety, Russia's increased attacks on commercial shipping and civilian port infrastructure in the Black Sea, and "strongly" condemned Russia's "irresponsible and threatening nuclear rhetoric.

"We will never put up with threats of the use of nuclear weapons, let alone any use of nuclear weapons, by Russia in the context of its aggressive war against Ukraine," the statement said.

The foreign minister also condemned Russia's "large-scale and systematic" torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees, including the use of sexual violence.

In addition, the ministers are concerned about the deployment of North Korean troops on the territory of Russia and their use on the battlefield against Ukraine.

"North Korea's direct support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, in addition to demonstrating Russia's desperate efforts to compensate for its losses, marks a dangerous expansion of the conflict with serious consequences for European security. We are working with our international partners to respond in a coordinated manner to this development. We are also deeply concerned about the possibility of any transfer of technologies related to nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles to the DPRK," the statement said.

Recall

The group of Seven foreign ministers condemned Russia's nuclear rhetoric and its strategy of intimidation, saying they would not "tolerate" it.