Ukraine War Thread Part 2

[NutLoose]

Russia's finest police at work.

https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1723410198331826660

https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1723410198331826660

https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1723411050958405987

https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1723411050958405987

Classic Russian police corruption: Before the video footage of this assault was leaked to the public, the internal police report attempted to cover up the assault and blamed the trauma on the head hitting the floor. "Police captain Sevryugin R.Y. against the background of unpleasant relations gave several blows to Police Lt Colonel Nadtochiev A.V. in the area of the face as a result of which Nadtochiev A.V. fell to the ground from his own height and hit his forehead on the concrete pavement, after which he did not get up from the ground anymore".

[ORAC]

https://x.com/gerashchenko_en/status/1727997316752105957?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


​​​​​​​Russia is discussing construction of an underwater tunnel that would connect Russia and temporarily occupied Crimea (with the help of private Chinese companies).

This would allow it to have a transportation route for weapons, ammunition and other military supplies that would be protected against Ukrainian attacks - communications intercepted by Ukrainian security services via Washington Post.

Intercepted emails indicate that one of China’s largest construction companies is willing to participate in the project.

This is one more indicator that Putin is ready for a protracted war. Measures must be taken for him to fail at that.

Link to full article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/11/24/russia-crimea-tunnel-china/

[ORAC]

Avdiivka.. 18+
https://x.com/noelreports/status/1728067634854236550?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A
​​​​​​​

[MightyGem]

Ward Carrol's latest interview with Justin Bronk. Mainly on the supply of F16s, but towards the end he gives the reason why support to Ukraine needs to be continued.
Note: If you can't see the Youtube video/link, then click on the Quote button.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmMclP8dlI0

[tdracer]

Russian "military correspondent" Maxim Fadeyev admits that there is no longer a pro-Russian population left in the Ukrainian-controlled territory.

After everything that Russia has done, even those who used to treat Russia well, now hate it and help the Ukrainian army.
Very reminiscent of what happened during WW II (granted, in reverse).
When Germany first invaded the Soviet Union, Stalin had treated Ukraine so badly that the Nazi's were generally greeted as liberators, to the point that some Ukrainians joined the Wehrmacht to fight against Stalin. However the Nazi's quickly squandered that goodwill by treating the Ukrainians so horribly - rapidly turning that goodwill into unadulterated hatred and in the process creating a powerful anti-German partisan militia that contributed to the German's eventual defeat.

[GlobalNav]

Russia is discussing construction of an underwater tunnel that would connect Russia and temporarily occupied Crimea (with the help of private Chinese companies).

This would allow it to have a transportation route for weapons, ammunition and other military supplies that would be protected against Ukrainian attacks - communications intercepted by Ukrainian security services via Washington Post.

Intercepted emails indicate that one of China’s largest construction companies is willing to participate in the project.

This is one more indicator that Putin is ready for a protracted war. Measures must be taken for him to fail at that.

Link to full article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/11/24/russia-crimea-tunnel-china/

Sounds like a spectacular target.

[fdr]

Very reminiscent of what happened during WW II (granted, in reverse).
When Germany first invaded the Soviet Union, Stalin had treated Ukraine so badly that the Nazi's were generally greeted as liberators, to the point that some Ukrainians joined the Wehrmacht to fight against Stalin. However the Nazi's quickly squandered that goodwill by treating the Ukrainians so horribly - rapidly turning that goodwill into unadulterated hatred and in the process creating a powerful anti-German partisan militia that contributed to the German's eventual defeat.

That is the problem with the "strategy" or fortune cookie that Vlad came up with last February; he has made mortal enemies of Russia from all Ukrainians, and that will remain for generations, unless there is a reversal of the occupation of Ukraine. Why would any Ukrainian trust, respect, or care about any Russian for the foreseeable future, given the brutality and criminality that has been their treatment of Ukrainians. Russia has been undertaking what is essentially a genocide, and Ukraine is resourceful, don't expect smooth sailing for Vlad.

Vlad's cheeks, that looks a fair bit like he is hiding some other issue, it isn't in the right spots for Srögrens or other auto immune diseases, however given his behaviour for the last 24 years, it could be pre-eclampsia...

On justice can be swift, recall the video a couple of days ago of 2 Ruzzian thugs in camo dragging another of their gang along, and then dropping him, taking his jacket off and walking off, leaving the 3rd thug to try and drag his body along behind them, without his jacket? The whole video shows how the rest of their day went.

Turns out another short clip of 2 guys sitting around a tree with a comment about how close that was, was of the 2 guys about 20 seconds after leaving their mate, and sitting down at a tree near by, which was littered by more bodies. about 5 seconds after they sit down, the guy on the left of the tree from the observers perspective is the one who got rapidly disassembled, the one who survived then puts the jacket that he removed from the 3rd guy over his invading mate, and walks off, stepping around and over bodies of what looks like a full platoon of the invaders. The jacket, +2 left in the field of Vlads ego.

The whole image is ugly, and is all of Vlads doing.

Don't try this at home...

00:11, start of the drag of the 3rd invader
00:33, leave the 3rd guy in the dirt, rob him of his jacket.
00:45, arrive at their tree remains
00:47, explosion near by
00:49, shrapnel/small arms in the puddle to their right mid field,
01:01, RPG is about 1 length away from the guys body
01:02, the guy that was hit has been dispersed over a wide area
01:17, the remaining member of the 2nd greatest army at the tree stump drops the jacket stolen from the 1st guy over the stained ground where there had been the departed.

even with editing, 28 seconds between robbing your mate and retribution striking is fast justice.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1728078630134136972

[Lonewolf_50]

Russia is discussing construction of an underwater tunnel that would connect Russia and temporarily occupied Crimea (with the help of private Chinese companies).
-snip- .
Link to full article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/11/24/russia-crimea-tunnel-china/
A shorter version of the Chunnel, right? :p Probably a few folks around who can offer them experience (for a fee) on the things to do, and not do.

[ORAC]

Estonia is preparing for the possible closure of its land border with Russia

Concrete barriers known as "dragon's teeth" are being installed at the Narva border crossing. This was reported on Friday by the portal of the state broadcaster ERR.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/911x683/image_91e4fb158a4b86c204f6b4c1c1d90ed15bd43450.png

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/602x452/image_b709974a371c351d7a4b924fb2cbdad8ef305ecd.png

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/602x452/image_131383a5aab8cc3cbaaff30beb0e23d9e74d466d.png

[ORAC]

https://x.com/igorsushko/status/1728175612928606574?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Russia is destroying and deliberately flooding coal mines in occupied Ukraine. Not something an occupier typically does if they expect to be able to hold on to the land.

This is the Krasnokutskaya coal mine, 70km from the frontline, between Donetsk and Luhansk.

​​​​​​​The coal mine deliberately flooded by Russian fascists 70km away from the frontline near Krasnyi Kut in occupied Ukraine was reported to be fully functional.

[Tartiflette Fan]

Russia is destroying and deliberately flooding coal mines in occupied Ukraine. Not something an occupier typically does if they expect to be able to hold on to the land.

This is the Krasnokutskaya coal mine, 70km from the frontline, between Donetsk and Luhansk.

The coal mine deliberately flooded by Russian fascists 70km away from the frontline near Krasnyi Kut in occupied Ukraine was reported to be fully functional.

I wonder what impact this will have on (pro ? ) Russian feelings in the DPR and LPR. There have been numerous articles over the last year highlighting how the Russians supposedly view the DPR/LPR supporters as useful idiots and exploit them by issuing them outdated weapons ( many photos of Moisin-Nagant rifles ) and put them in the first wave of meat-wave attacks. I haven't seen any long-term follow-up on this , so cannot say how true/relevant this is, but can imagine that flooding a good coal-mine will arouse antagonism in a coal-mining region. That is attacking their raison d'être and long-term economic infrastructure.

[TURIN]

Good environmentalists these Russians, saving the planet one invasion at a time.

[wondering]

Response to Off Topic Post Removed
T28B
I am pretty sure that China sees this as an opportunity.

Exactly. Of course, China will not subsidize Russia. It´s cheap raw materials from Russia and a Russian market absorbing Chinese goods. And above all the competition from Western countries is all but gone.

[Video Mixdown]

Russia is destroying and deliberately flooding coal mines in occupied Ukraine. Not something an occupier typically does if they expect to be able to hold on to the land.
This is the Krasnokutskaya coal mine, 70km from the frontline, between Donetsk and Luhansk.
​​​​​The coal mine deliberately flooded by Russian fascists 70km away from the frontline near Krasnyi Kut in occupied Ukraine was reported to be fully functional.
Makes you wonder where the orders to do such a thing would come from. Is it from Moscow as part of some weird scorched earth policy, or from local commanders out of sheer bloody-minded, vindictive frustration?

[pilotmike]

A moscow substation is on fire, that's another one not yesterdays..


https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1727887163558408343
That is exactly the same video as in post #6740 posted yesterday.

[DogTailRed2]

Russia is destroying and deliberately flooding coal mines in occupied Ukraine. Not something an occupier typically does if they expect to be able to hold on to the land.

This is the Krasnokutskaya coal mine, 70km from the frontline, between Donetsk and Luhansk.

The coal mine deliberately flooded by Russian fascists 70km away from the frontline near Krasnyi Kut in occupied Ukraine was reported to be fully functional.
Scorched earth policy is normally performed by retreating army. It's an annoyance but not the be all and end all. It can be repaired.

[DogTailRed2]

On the subject of Russia constructing an underwater tunnel that's a joke, right?
An underwater tunnel is a major engineering project. I wonder how practical that would be considering a war going on around you, interdiction of materials, resources being diverted from the military?
It smacks to me of some of the hair brained projects Hitler tried, and failed. Or indeed tried, succeeded and then was promptly destroyed.
Any estimates on time, materiel, resources and money that project would cost?

[VP959]

On the subject of Russia constructing an underwater tunnel that's a joke, right?
An underwater tunnel is a major engineering project. I wonder how practical that would be considering a war going on around you, interdiction of materials, resources being diverted from the military?
It smacks to me of some of the hair brained projects Hitler tried, and failed. Or indeed tried, succeeded and then was promptly destroyed.
Any estimates on time, materiel, resources and money that project would cost?

My guess is that this has originated as a possible way of addressing the vulnerability of the bridge over the Kerch Strait. Seems improbable that Russia (or China) could construct a >12 mile long tunnel quickly, although they did build the Kerch rail bridge in under 4 years (work started February 2016, opened for rail traffic December 2019). A tunnel would make an ideal target for the modern equivalent of Barnes Wallis' Tallboy.

[Fitter2]

Kerch Strait bridge - I can't see China financing its construction. Has Russia the capacity for a multi-billion dollar infrastructure project, when the odds on their retaining Crimea are maybe in their favour, but not certain? I would be surprised.

[VP959]

Kerch Strait bridge - I can't see China financing its construction. Has Russia the capacity for a multi-billion dollar infrastructure project, when the odds on their retaining Crimea are maybe in their favour, but not certain? I would be surprised.

Russia has stuff that China needs, like massive oil and gas reserves. With the West blocking Russian oil and gas sales my guess is that Russia might be keen to sell at a lower price to China. China has a lot of experience in really big civil engineering projects, so, on the face of it, this seems like it might be a good basis for some sort of deal; China gets oil and gas at a knockdown price, Russia gets Chinese expertise on building big infrastructure projects. Not going to happen quickly though, I'd have thought.

[Sallyann1234]

If this tunnel project goes ahead, Ukraine will feel obliged to attack the Crimean end of the construction. It would be an interesting political issue if Chinese workers are killed.

[ORAC]

Construction time for tunnels of a comparable length in China is 5 years.

[GlobalNav]

Construction time for tunnels of a comparable length in China is 5 years.
Didn’t the one in Boston take even longer? 🙄

[ORAC]

https://x.com/maks_nafo_fella/status/1728409810586976269?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


🇺🇦 Ukraine has agreed with its partners to receive warships to ensure the safety of vessels in the "grain corridor" in the Black Sea, - Zelensky

"We already have specific agreements on receiving ships. This is a matter of the near future."

​​​​​​​

[Fly-by-Wife]

Construction time for tunnels of a comparable length in China is 5 years.
5 years sounds about right.
The channel tunnel is just over twice the distance (about 50Km in length) and took about 6 years, boring from both ends. I don't know how different the geology is, though, and I'm not sure it would be prudent or possible to bore from both sides, given that the Crimean side is effectively a war zone.

[MPN11]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67529571Russia has launched its biggest drone attack on Kyiv since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began last year, the city's mayor has said.

Residents were woken by explosions before dawn on Saturday, and for more than six hours, the booms of Kyiv's air defences echoed through the city.

There was wave after wave of attacks from the north and east.

Officials said more than 75 Iranian-made Shahed drones were fired at the capital - all but one were shot down.

[ORAC]

https://x.com/noelreports/status/1728016174045143278?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


​​​​​​​It is reported that overnight in Dzhankoy, occupied Crimea, an air defense launcher and radar complex were destroyed as a result of an attack on a Russian military unit. The Russian Ministry of Defense reports that several drones were shot down while rescuers on the spot talk about at least four explosions.

[ORAC]

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1200x1200/image_032d3e88423709ef84f73f1611a3287296bdd39f.jpeg

[NutLoose]

Construction time for tunnels of a comparable length in China is 5 years.

I thought one of the problems they had with the bridge was the unstable sea bed they were building on, a tunnel will be even worse.

Read the shaky ground section,

https://www.engineering.com/story/europes-longest-bridge-spans-troubled-waters

[20driver]

Interesting article I can relate to . One thing I would add to the post above. You might build a similar tunnel in 5 years but the geologic/geotechnical planning for design would take at least 2 years. Given the geologic description in the article you could not use a sunken tube tunnel so you would need to bore. The planning for Tunnel Boring Machine takes several years. They are not stock items hanging around on lots but custom built for the job. As far as I know Russia does not make any TBM's.
So a very major task that would take 8-10 years from the green light in the best of circumstances. Trying to build it with a very capable adversary literally tossing bombs into the mix would be just about impossible.

[NutLoose]

The new Iron Curtain is starting to form

https://twitter.com/LvivJournal/status/1728184242872439120

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/LvivJournal/status/1728184242872439120

[admikar]

The new Iron Curtain is starting to form



https://twitter.com/LvivJournal/status/1728184242872439120
​​​​​​​Why are Austria and Switzerland red?

[VP959]

​​​​​​​Why are Austria and Switzerland red?

I thought at first this was to do with the EU (Switzerland not being a member state), but it can't be that. Hungary and Slovakia are also red, as well.

[NutLoose]

I don’t know whether to feel sorry for him, or wish him harm.

https://twitter.com/nevedimka123/status/1728406797050929381

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/nevedimka123/status/1728406797050929381

[langleybaston]

I don’t know whether to feel sorry for him, or wish him harm.

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/nevedimka123/status/1728406797050929381

Two technical questions: are those foot bandages in lieu socks, and is that a pale bum or grubby shreddies?
Asking for a friend of course.

[NutLoose]

Kudos…

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1728347260554023007

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1728347260554023007

[NutLoose]

Russians military use a bandage type thing instead of socks LB

A demo on fitting them.

https://youtu.be/r4REpeL6BzI?si=8i_Ss2hfKRSMx3mN

[NutLoose]

Poetic justice.

https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1728230059771859165

https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1728230059771859165
​​​​​​​ (https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1728230059771859165)

[admikar]

I thought at first this was to do with the EU (Switzerland not being a member state), but it can't be that. Hungary and Slovakia are also red, as well.
I know Orban is vocal about sanctions to Russia and not yielding to stop gas imports, don't know about Slovakia, but I am fairly certain Austria and Switzerland are not in pro-Russia camp, unless there is something I don't know about.

[wondering]

Poetic justice.



https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1728230059771859165
​​​​​​​ (https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1728230059771859165)

I am surprised this is not happening a lot more. Especially in Z units. Overall, Russian commanders are still able to instill discipline using terror. Are Russian soldiers so numb?

[Tartiflette Fan]

I know Orban is vocal about sanctions to Russia and not yielding to stop gas imports, don't know about Slovakia, but I am fairly certain Austria and Switzerland are not in pro-Russia camp, unless there is something I don't know about.

Austria has a gas-supply treaty valid until 2040. Currently taking 60%-80% of their supply from Russia.

Following article " How Austria became Russia's. fortress in the EU " First sentence is "Austria supports EU import restruiictions, but doesn't want to damage its long-term, lucrative business interests with Russia. Russia is the second-largest foreign investor in Austria."

https://www.merkur.de/politik/oesterreich-wladimir-putin-alpenfestung-ukraine-krieg-russland-sebastian-kurz-92333560.html


Presumably Switzerland is included because they are insisting on their neutrality, as they have in refusing to supply - or allow the resale of - Swiss armaments to Ukraine. Hungary and Slovakia both have pro-Russian governments (Slovakia since recent election )

[jolihokistix]

Even so, colouring them red will surely encourage Russia more than shame those countries.

[NutLoose]

Canada to provide 11 thousand assault rifles an a whole heap of ammo.

https://twitter.com/Azovsouth/status/1728080193766461910

https://twitter.com/Azovsouth/status/1728080193766461910]

[VP959]

Sending Ukraine more systems like Patriot may be of more importance than anything else as the winter slows down fighting on the Eastern fronts, with the commensurate switch of Russian tactics we've recently seen. Russia's bound to resume targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure and cities this winter. It's already getting cold in Ukraine, and winter's only just beginning.

[NutLoose]

:E

https://twitter.com/HALLONSA/status/1728769499304735124

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/HALLONSA/status/1728769499304735124

[NutLoose]

Sending Ukraine more systems like Patriot may be of more importance than anything else as the winter slows down fighting on the Eastern fronts, with the commensurate switch of Russian tactics we've recently seen. Russia's bound to resume targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure and cities this winter. It's already getting cold in Ukraine, and winter's only just beginning.

Which I hope to see Ukraine return in spades and blitz Moscow’s power and heat infrastructure, having started drone production.

[meleagertoo]

Construction time for tunnels of a comparable length in China is 5 years.
Which, if the rumour is true, indicates Putain is thinking long-term, far beyond the end of this particular conflict.
That should give all pause for thought.

[T28B]

Even so, colouring them red will surely encourage Russia more than shame those countries. As neither Mod nor Admin
Consider whose twitter post that was: someone from Lviv, which is in Ukraine.
They might feel more strongly than you do about those who are not being supportive of Ukraine. (The Swiss block on some weapons transfers probably still burns).
"If you aren't with us you are against us" looks like the sentiment being expressed.

[NutLoose]

The Swiss have agreed to transfer some of their tanks from Switzerland to Germany on the agreement they are not sent to Ukraine, however they can be used to backfill any Countries own stocks, who have supplied their own to Ukraine. So they have eased their position.

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1727285181168726174

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1727285181168726174

[NutLoose]

Avdiivka advances shown over a time period, the amount of losses for the actual ground taken is a pittance.

https://twitter.com/oedipovich/status/1728807666951000242

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/oedipovich/status/1728807666951000242

[NutLoose]

Odesa today weather wise. Bloody hell.

https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1728766211268436189

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1728766211268436189

[skua]

Apologies if Nutty has already posted this (but I couldn't find it). I think this send-off of Lieutenant General Vasyl Nikiforov (in the finest traditions of the RAF), is very moving:

https://twitter.com/jurgen_nauditt/status/1728301123138658447

[StephanKoelliker]

Even so, colouring them red will surely encourage Russia more than shame those countries.

Certainly. While I personally feel ashamed about the close connection of some (some!) Swiss far right politicians / media people to Russia, the general attitude of the people is clearly pro-Ukrainian. In 2022 alone, Switzerland accepted about 75'000 Ukrainian refugees. That's (always per capita) of course much less than Poland or Czechia, but comparable to Germany and much, more than Italy, France, the Netherlands, UK or Spain.

Sources:
https://migration.swiss/migrationsbericht-2022/asyl-und-schutzstatus-s/asylstatistik-2022
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1312584/ukrainian-refugees-by-country/)

While other refugees in Switzerland are not allowed to work until their request for asylum oficcialy is accepted, Ukrainians were allowed to work and earn money right from the beginning. This was a first in Swiss asylum politics, and unheard of before.

That said, here in Switzerland local support for Ukrainian refugees is much more pronounced than political/financial (let alone military) support for Kiew.

S

[Tartiflette Fan]

The Swiss have agreed to transfer some of their tanks from Switzerland to Germany on the agreement they are not sent to Ukraine, however they can be used to backfill any Countries own stocks, who have supplied their own to Ukraine. So they have eased their position.



https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1727285181168726174

No, not at all. Even the Swiss wouldn't try to dictate to the German government what they can do with their own tanks. This is a normal tranaction with Rheinmetall buying-back vehicles for renovation and re-sale to customers ( other than states at war ) It was only back in May '23 that the Swiss parliament discussed and rejected a proposal that would have allowed other states to transfer Swiss-supplied weapons to Ukraine.

[ORAC]

Quite where they will get the uniforms, weapons, armour to equip them, the instructors to train them, the officers to lead them or the food and other logistics to support them remains unclear….

The Russian government has extended the age limit for conscription from 27 to 30 - effective from January 1, 2024.

These changes were approved on Friday, November 24, as a result of the adoption of the relevant legislation by the Russian parliament, the Interfax news agency reported.

Expert Igor Efremov, a researcher at the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy, estimates that, taking into account the new age limits, approximately 9.14 million men will be drafted into the army in 2024.

[ORAC]

https://x.com/noelreports/status/1728669675293495653?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


After the Russian Shahed attack yesterday night, Ukraine responded with a drone attack on Russian cities. In Moscow, 5 UAVs were reportedly shot down while 20 drones struck other places. In Tula, a high-rise building was hit and in Smolensk explosions were also recorded.

​​​​​​​https://x.com/ukikaski/status/1728777953561960558?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


​​​​​​​Possible video of new Ukrainian "Shahed Analogue" UAV taken somewhere over Russia on November 26, 2023. Ukraine launched about 2-dozen of these drones today at targets in the Moscow, Tula, Bryansk, Kaluga and Smolensk areas of Russia.…

[ORAC]

That means the rail transport system to the front will also be down as it uses electric trains.

​​​​​​​https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1728697391971229802?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Russians find out that attacking the critical infrastructure is a game that can be played by two, as half of temporarily occupied Donetsk is apparently without electricity after a successful Ukrainian strike takes out a distribution centre.

[ORAC]

https://x.com/juliadavisnews/status/1728557696750653637?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Russia's chauvinistic imperialist mindset is again on full display. One pundit claims Ukraine does not exist and Russia should annex it in its entirety, another one misses the good old days when Russia and Germany split up Poland.

https://youtu.be/9uQg-7IlHxo

[NutLoose]

Meanwhile in Russia one of the main Tractor plants has suffered a smoking accident.

https://twitter.com/kvistp/status/1728836849756746039

https://twitter.com/kvistp/status/1728836849756746039

Even better it appears they built tank engines.

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/kumarRanjit25/status/1728844934516744270

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/kumarRanjit25/status/1728844934516744270

[VP959]

That means the rail transport system to the front will also be down as it uses electric trains.



Russians find out that attacking the critical infrastructure is a game that can be played by two, as half of temporarily occupied Donetsk is apparently without electricity after a successful Ukrainian strike takes out a distribution centre.


I've been trying to find hard evidence of the number of pro-Ukraine partisan sabotage attacks within Russia but haven't been able to pin down how extensive, or effective, these have been. My gut feeling (which is definitely biased by one-sided reporting by pro-Ukrainian sources) is that there has been a step increase in these sabotage attacks over the past few weeks. I would like to hope that this may be indicative of increasing opposition within Russia to Putin's rule. For some time I've been following several social media channels run by anti-Putin Russians, al now exiled from Russia, and although they indicate that a lot of (mostly younger) Russians are deeply unhappy with Putin's regime, I don't get the feeling that there is anything close to mass unrest developing within Russia.

Putin's regime seems to have been very effective at controlling the narrative within Russia, shutting down any opposition and brainwashing a large proportion of the Russian population. He's been aided in this by the fact that most Russians over 40 only get their news from state-controlled TV, radio and news outlets, and older people still have a distrust of the internet and especially any Western media. That's played straight into Putin's hands, and made it a great deal easier for him to exert almost complete control.

Pity we can't get solid information from deep inside Russia, particularly the regions where most of the troops are being conscripted (which is hundreds of miles away from places like Moscow or St Petersburg). I just hope that there is an active, and growing, underground opposition movement, one that may do more to disable Putin's war machine and help topple his rule.

[arf23]

This weather is going to keep everybody's drones on the ground, perhaps even the bigger Shahads and so forth

[NutLoose]

Apologies if Nutty has already posted this (but I couldn't find it). I think this send-off of Lieutenant General Vasyl Nikiforov (in the finest traditions of the RAF), is very moving:


That was so moving, it deserves a thread of its own.

[NutLoose]

Vp959 re the railways.

https://twitter.com/Flash_news_ua/status/1673769935334514689

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Flash_news_ua/status/1673769935334514689

[NutLoose]

They have closed the road to Odesa and there are blackouts recorded over several areas.

https://twitter.com/Flash_news_ua/status/1728715038142193760

https://twitter.com/Flash_news_ua/status/1728715038142193760


Currently, there are temporary blackouts in about 400 settlements in 10 regions , Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. In particular, operational headquarters have already been deployed and are operating in the Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, and Kyiv regions.

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Flash_news_ua/status/1728752004418179126

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Flash_news_ua/status/1728752004418179126

[NutLoose]

Hot potatoes

https://twitter.com/Flash_news_ua/status/1728436345536754045

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Flash_news_ua/status/1728436345536754045

[fdr]

Russia's chauvinistic imperialist mindset is again on full display. One pundit claims Ukraine does not exist and Russia should annex it in its entirety, another one misses the good old days when Russia and Germany split up Poland.

https://youtu.be/9uQg-7IlHxo


Russia wishing for the good ol' days, given what a mess they have made of democracy while it was a fleeting concept between dictators and wannabe emperors. Of course, that also highlights the minor point that Russia was complicit in causing Round II. Invading Poland set of WW-2, so wishing to back there doing a tear up of Poland is an admission of their acceptance they are of the same mindset as Mrs Hitler's little son Adolf was.

The UN may consider there is some rationale to maintaining Russia in the UN, the logic is lost on me.

[fdr]

Apologies if Nutty has already posted this (but I couldn't find it). I think this send-off of Lieutenant General Vasyl Nikiforov (in the finest traditions of the RAF), is very moving:

If I understand it correctly, the squadron is named after the Lt Gen, the memorial is for the flight crew that have given their lives in defence of their country against the criminal aggression of a wannabe emperor who has yet again an narcissistic personality disorder, and what looks like the start of a social disease.

A lot of people have died and many more torn up due to one mans insecurities.

That was a moving experience.

And exactly why are we not doing more for these people?

[fdr]

Russia is destroying and deliberately flooding coal mines in occupied Ukraine. Not something an occupier typically does if they expect to be able to hold on to the land.

This is the Krasnokutskaya coal mine, 70km from the frontline, between Donetsk and Luhansk.

The coal mine deliberately flooded by Russian fascists 70km away from the frontline near Krasnyi Kut in occupied Ukraine was reported to be fully functional.

How long until partisan response takes out the Russian refining capability, predominantly based on Western knowhow and equipment? A decade in the wilderness may be a fair manner to get the point across that subservience to a dictator doesn't just harm those with the misfortune to be drafted by his thugs, but those who relax in the luxury of a land that has forgotten what a latrine looks like.

[bspatz]

Apologies if Nutty has already posted this (but I couldn't find it). I think this send-off of Lieutenant General Vasyl Nikiforov (in the finest traditions of the RAF), is very moving:
I always understood that burning pianos was an RAF tradition which dates from WWI when pilots rebelled against having to take piano lessons to improve their dexterity and burnt the pianos.

[NutLoose]

And who would commit suicide with a Penknife… only in Russia allegedly

https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1727252507150483535

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1727252507150483535

[NutLoose]

I do hope suitable winter kit is available.

https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1728839965646479576

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1728839965646479576

[NutLoose]

More on the weather

https://twitter.com/Tendar/status/1728834624389013736

https://twitter.com/Tendar/status/1728834624389013736


Even nature takes sides, Russias defences along the Crimean coast lines have been washed away.

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1728867065015009785

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1728867065015009785

[NutLoose]

One wonders how well the bridge and Sevastopol defensive barriers have held up.

[ORAC]

On that subject…

https://x.com/trenttelenko/status/1728923998803923100?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


What you are seeing here in these Black Sea storm are wind fields causing a mass casualty event with Russian VKS rotary wing aircraft in Crimea, S. Ukraine & S. Russia.⬇️

Any rotary wing craft w/o a hanger & unable to fly out before the storm will be heavily

Storm damage🧵

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1728923998803923100.html
​​​​​​​

[Winemaker]

I do hope suitable winter kit is available.



​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1728839965646479576
Having been involved in a couple of high wind/low temperature events in the mountains, it's really amazing how much more heat is lost with even a slight wind. 65 mph winds and obviously below freezing temperatures is a really deadly combination. Finger, toes, and noses freeze so quickly and shivering sets in so fast it's unreal. I hope the Ukrainian allies have been providing appropriate clothing, gloves, boots, and head gear for winter. I had no idea the Black Sea got that rough, although I should have known, as Lake Superior between Canada and the U.S. is not a lake but an ocean, sinking very large ships as the Black Sea also seems to be. Watching the video of waves crashing to the shore I was reminded of all the Russian tourists visiting Crimea for summer holidays.....

As a climber you can just bail and turn around, as a soldier you can't.

[NutLoose]

It is starting to cause Russia problems, especially fuel wise. I would imagine the Ukrainians will be suffering similar, especially on the front lines, stay warm and safe guys.

https://twitter.com/TrentTelenko/status/1728924022581481629

https://twitter.com/TrentTelenko/status/1728924022581481629

[NutLoose]

Not good.

https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729058952225370471

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729058952225370471

[NutLoose]

Russian aviation factory hit again

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729056180646051911

https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729056180646051911

[NutLoose]

The Greek God Poseidon strikes for Ukraine and snaps a Russian Raptor patrol boat in two. I also with the direction of the winds and storm blowing towards the likes of Sevastopol, what has happened to all of Russias laid sea mines, have they been returned to sender?

https://twitter.com/aborealis940/status/1729069934951772452

https://twitter.com/aborealis940/status/1729069934951772452

Also a sadly a Belize registered dry carrier is grounded.

https://twitter.com/hashtag/Anapa?src=hashtag_click

https://twitter.com/hashtag/Anapa?src=hashtag_click

[NutLoose]

How apt.

https://twitter.com/aborealis940/status/1729088147928261032

https://twitter.com/aborealis940/status/1729088147928261032

[NutLoose]

Showing how blatent the Russians are over theft.

https://twitter.com/officejjsmart/status/1728766171305136460

https://twitter.com/officejjsmart/status/1728766171305136460

[NutLoose]

And still tranformers burn in Russia, this time in Moscow

https://twitter.com/officejjsmart/status/1728752895749939368

https://twitter.com/officejjsmart/status/1728752895749939368

[NutLoose]

Payback for the dam they blew up, and its like this all along the coast..

The video is of Sochi

https://twitter.com/vestnikstabilno/status/1729044712387211395

https://twitter.com/vestnikstabilno/status/1729044712387211395

[NutLoose]

Aviation Content:

In cockpit footage of an SU-30 straffing a Ukrainian fast launch.

https://twitter.com/Blackrussiantv/status/1728804422552023537

https://twitter.com/Blackrussiantv/status/1728804422552023537

More extended footage.

https://twitter.com/AlbertSam786067/status/1728662069795602578

https://twitter.com/AlbertSam786067/status/1728662069795602578

Extra Aviation Content:

https://twitter.com/AlbertSam786067/status/1729081348722434534

https://twitter.com/AlbertSam786067/status/1729081348722434534

https://twitter.com/Blackrussiantv/status/1728813913247195519

https://twitter.com/Blackrussiantv/status/1728813913247195519

..

[ORAC]

Also mention Alaska and California used to Russian argue as to whether they’d prefer to take Hawaii over California or Lisbon.

Getting nuttier by the week….
https://x.com/gerashchenko_en/status/1729096485730467862?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Attention, Portugal!

"But Lisbon has never been Russian."
​​​​​​​
"That's a reason why it should be. The Portuguese would live just as fine as part of the Russian empire."

Russian propagandists discuss "denazifying" Berlin, capturing Lisbon and moving on towards the US.

[N707ZS]

Looks like the Russians have had to raid the aircraft museum.
UK MoD warns Russia’s Soviet-era M-55 spy plane primed (aerotime.aero) (https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/mod-sovie-russia-mysitc-b-ukraine-wa)

[dickmct]

Also mention Alaska and California used to Russian argue as to whether they’d prefer to take Hawaii over California or Lisbon.

Getting nuttier by the week….
https://x.com/gerashchenko_en/status/1729096485730467862?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A

Attention, Portugal!

"But Lisbon has never been Russian."
​​​​​​​
"That's a reason why it should be. The Portuguese would live just as fine as part of the Russian empire."

Russian propagandists discuss "denazifying" Berlin, capturing Lisbon and moving on towards the US.The attitudes displayed by these commentators are absolutely astounding, if the subtitles are correct. Does anyone know if the translations been independently checked?

[NutLoose]

Another day in Russia and another heart attack.

https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/1729119336047280559

https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/1729119336047280559

[NutLoose]

Russian coastal railways are being hit by the storms in the Black sea etc, I doubt I would be happy on the train filming this judging by the subsidence on the track next to it.

https://twitter.com/aborealis940/status/1729099010927939800

https://twitter.com/aborealis940/status/1729099010927939800

[Lonewolf_50]

While other refugees in Switzerland are not allowed to work until their request for asylum officialy is accepted, Ukrainians were allowed to work and earn money right from the beginning. This was a first in Swiss asylum politics, and unheard of before. :ok:
After the Russian Shahed attack yesterday night, Ukraine responded with a drone attack on Russian cities. In Moscow, 5 UAVs were reportedly shot down while 20 drones struck other places. In Tula, a high-rise building was hit and in Smolensk explosions were also recorded. This reminds me a bit of the Scud war between Iran and Iraq between 1980 and 1988.
The UN may consider there is some rationale to maintaining Russia in the UN, the logic is lost on me. Good luck changing that, since China is on side with Russia (at the moment).

[NutLoose]

Aviation content:

Spokesman of the Air Force confirmed the destruction of Russian aircrafts over the Bryansk region in May with the "Patriot" air defense system.
"Patriot" destroyed - Su-34 , Su-35, two Mi-8MTPR-1 and Mi-8 + Su-35 over the Black Sea.

https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729162809886531894

https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729162809886531894

[NutLoose]

Whatever it is...was... it's a blaze..

https://twitter.com/TheRKroy/status/1729143156678234421

https://twitter.com/TheRKroy/status/1729143156678234421

[fdr]

How apt.

https://twitter.com/aborealis940/status/1729088147928261032

was there an open window near by?

[NutLoose]

I can’t think of another reason, he must be doped up to the eyeballs to shrug that off, I wonder what damage he took from it detonating at such close proximity.

https://twitter.com/scrypnyk_ua/status/1728803501071835646

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/scrypnyk_ua/status/1728803501071835646


.. (https://twitter.com/scrypnyk_ua/status/1728803501071835646)

[NutLoose]

Hahahaha

https://twitter.com/DarthPutinKGB/status/1729068114363490518

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/DarthPutinKGB/status/1729068114363490518

[langleybaston]

I can’t think of another reason, he must be doped up to the eyeballs to shrug that off, I wonder what damage he took form it detonating at such close proximity.



https://twitter.com/scrypnyk_ua/status/1728803501071835646

​​​​​​​He didn't even wake up. Astonishing footage, truly astonishing.

[ORAC]

https://x.com/gerashchenko_en/status/1729204440920387624?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


China has refused to invest in Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline and demanded more gas discounts

China is unwilling to invest in the new pipeline, offering Russia to pay the multibillion-dollar construction bill in full and demanding discounts on Russian gas, The South China Morning Post reported, citing a source familiar with the situation in Moscow.

Next year, the discount for China will increase to 46%, according to the government's drafts: gas from Power of Siberia will cost $271.6 per thousand cubic meters, and for Turkey and Europe - $481.7.

But that's not enough for China. It "can demand deep discounts," the source says. "In terms of construction, [Beijing] wants to make sure that they have no risks and no costs. Russia is the side that foots the entire bill," says the source.

Whether Gazprom will find money for the new megaproject remains unclear. After cutting off gas to European countries, the company made a trillion-ruble net loss for the year and faced cash gaps that it had to spend two-thirds of its cash reserves to cover.

Of the 2 trillion ruble "cash pile" that Gazprom had before the war, about 700 billion (~$5.56 billion) remained by July 2023.

Even so, Putin hardly has a choice. The Russian president is "under enormous pressure" because if the pipe is not built, Russia will have nowhere to dump "a huge volume" of gas, says the SCMP source.

After losing the European market, where more than 150 billion cubic meters of gas a year went at its peak before the war, Gazprom has been forced to cut production by a quarter – a record in its history.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1213x729/image_184499f764d188ec61379226b6b529341fde154c.png
​​​​​​​

[DaveReidUK]

Looks like the Russians have had to raid the aircraft museum.

The M-55 is still about 25 years younger than, say, the RAF's Rivet Joints.

[petit plateau]

China has refused to invest in Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline and demanded more gas discounts

China is unwilling to invest in the new pipeline, offering Russia to pay the multibillion-dollar construction bill in full and demanding discounts on Russian gas, The South China Morning Post reported, citing a source familiar with the situation in Moscow.

Next year, the discount for China will increase to 46%, according to the government's drafts: gas from Power of Siberia will cost $271.6 per thousand cubic meters, and for Turkey and Europe - $481.7.

But that's not enough for China. It "can demand deep discounts," the source says. "In terms of construction, [Beijing] wants to make sure that they have no risks and no costs. Russia is the side that foots the entire bill," says the source.

Whether Gazprom will find money for the new megaproject remains unclear. After cutting off gas to European countries, the company made a trillion-ruble net loss for the year and faced cash gaps that it had to spend two-thirds of its cash reserves to cover.

Of the 2 trillion ruble "cash pile" that Gazprom had before the war, about 700 billion (~$5.56 billion) remained by July 2023.

Even so, Putin hardly has a choice. The Russian president is "under enormous pressure" because if the pipe is not built, Russia will have nowhere to dump "a huge volume" of gas, says the SCMP source.

After losing the European market, where more than 150 billion cubic meters of gas a year went at its peak before the war, Gazprom has been forced to cut production by a quarter – a record in its history.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1213x729/image_184499f764d188ec61379226b6b529341fde154c.png


Expect a lot more of this. Nobody wants to pay for something that stands a reasonable chance of becoming a stranded asset during its envisaged operating lifespan. So forcing those costs onto others is likely to become more prevalent, especially where circumstances create leverage. Karma.

[RedToo]

Keeping up morale:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXI4WLgKMSI

[Uberteknik]

The M-55 is still about 25 years younger than, say, the RAF's Rivet Joints.

Correct, but I do not understand the point you are making? The UK RC-135W's built in 1964 are some of the last to come off the Boeing production line. Yet they are still less than half way through their air-frame service life.

The USAF RC-135 have some of the highest flight hours of all KC-135 as they spent long hours flying during the Vietnam war in support of operations against the North and are still flying. I believe some B52 airframes are expected to have a life span of over 100 years!

But the airframe alone is the smallest part of the UK 'Airseeker' capability which employs state-of-the-art avionics (including a 'glass' flight deck), electronic surveillance and weapon control systems suites. Powered by four modern CFM International F108-CF-201 turbofan engines.

In contrast, the UK Ministry of Defence believes that Russia is working to return the one flyable M-55 aircraft to military service for use in the 'SMO'.

Things have got to be bad when the last flyable aircraft is returning to service.

[Tartiflette Fan]

Marianna Budanova, wife of Kyrylo Budanow, commander of Ukrainian Military Intleliigence, has been taken to hospital with heavy-metal poisoning. Investigations are underway on the basis of attempted murder. Since June 2022 she has been working as an adviser to the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko

https://www.focus.de/politik/ausland/ukraine-krieg-im-ticker-experte-ukrainer-am-dnipro-jetzt-in-unbarmherziger-situation_id_57275780.html

[ORAC]

https://kyivindependent.com/military-intelligence-budanovs-wife-poisoned/

Military intelligence: Budanov's wife poisoned

Marianna Budanova, the wife of Ukraine's Military Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov, was poisoned, a representative of the military intelligence agency (HUR), not allowed to go public at this time, told the Kyiv Independent on Nov. 28.

The Ukrainian media outlet Babel reported earlier today, citing undisclosed military intelligence sources, that Budanova had been hospitalized due to heavy metal poisoning. The HUR representative confirmed Babel's report in a comment for the Kyiv Independent.

Budanova had reportedly been hospitalized after a prolonged deterioration of her health, Babel wrote.

"The course of treatment is now being completed, and then there will be a check-up by the doctors," Babel's source said. "These substances are not used in any way in everyday life and military affairs. Their presence may indicate a purposeful attempt to poison a specific person."

Ukrainska Pravda later reported (https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/11/28/7430689/)*, citing security service sources, that Budanova "is doing better now as she has undergone the first stage of treatment."….

Budanov said in an August interview for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that his wife Marianna lives with him in his office and that the couple are constantly together for security reasons…..

* https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/11/28/7430689/

…Details: The sources said Budanov's wife was "most likely poisoned through food". "She is doing better now as she has undergone the first stage of treatment," the sources said.

"Since Budanov's wife is quite petite and lightweight, she developed symptoms quickly. And several other employees were confirmed to have been poisoned: 'They are just bigger-built, so they didn't notice any signs of it; they are now receiving treatment'," the sources said…..

[NutLoose]

The first of the potential problems that may come ashore in Crimea, this is what appears to be a training mine.

https://twitter.com/astraiaintel/status/1729441986489307159

https://twitter.com/astraiaintel/status/1729441986489307159

[NutLoose]

Russia has launched production of the Termite, a small rotorcraft cabable of carrying three guided missiles.

One does wounder in part to the logic, a helicopter rotor system is not exactly a simple system to build nor manufacture, the thing will just be as visible to Ukrainian defence systems if not more than a UAV, I bet you can produce a heck of a lot of small armed kamakaze drones both quickly and cheaply using off the shelf parts for the same price or less.

https://twitter.com/astraiaintel/status/1728502439874027596

https://twitter.com/astraiaintel/status/1728502439874027596

[Thrust Augmentation]

Russia has launched production of the Termite, a small rotorcraft cabable of carrying three guided missiles

With any luck production rates will be up there with the T-14!

[NutLoose]

Russia has moved the Admiral Makarov frigate into the Black Sea regardless of the weather, Its equipment is up to 8 Caliber missiles. The missile threat level has been increased.

https://twitter.com/pravda_eng/status/1729473211107066170

https://twitter.com/pravda_eng/status/1729473211107066170

Subs too

https://twitter.com/spooked75/status/1729391235960344914

https://twitter.com/spooked75/status/1729391235960344914

[NutLoose]

Russia's first unmanned sea going drone unveiled and will begin testing soon... Perhaps it is time to add Computer peripherals to the list of banned goods to Russia. The control station shown is using Thrustmaster's Hotas system which is built by a French Company.

https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729452485050331269

https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729452485050331269

https://www.thrustmaster.com/en-gb/partnerships/

[ORAC]

Two Project 636.3 submarines the "Veliky Novgorod" and "Start Oskol" have also sortied from Novorossiysk and are reported to be joining up with the Makarov. All vessels are capable of carrying the Kalibr, making a total of total of 16 missiles for the group.

The Makarov is the flagship of the Black Sea fleet, having replaced the Moskva….

[RedToo]

Ukraine and US progress in matching Soviet launchers with Western AA missiles.

https://english.nv.ua/nation/ukraine-and-us-progress-in-matching-soviet-launchers-with-western-aa-missiles-50371711.html

Russia’s Powerful Invisible Defences Around Sevastopol Rendered Visible.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/11/russias-powerful-invisible-defenses-around-sevastopol-rendered-visible/ (https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/11/russias-powerful-invisible-defenses-around-sevastopol-rendered-visible/#prettyPhoto/0/)

[ORAC]

👀👀👀

More than a few people are going to get a knock on the door.

https://kyivindependent.com/russian-company-imports-spare-parts-for-airplanes-helicopters-from-ukrainian-factories/

Russian media: Russian company imports aircraft, helicopter parts from Ukrainian factories

Spare parts used to repair Russian military airplanes and helicopters appear to have been imported from a number of Ukrainian factories, according to an investigation published (https://storage.googleapis.com/istories/stories/2023/11/27/fad/index.html) by the independent Russian news outlet Important Stories on Nov. 27.

Customs data reportedly shows that Avia FED Service, a Moscow-based spare parts dealer, supplied the Russian aircraft sector with $7.3 million worth of spare parts between January 2022 and July 2023.

Important Stories assessed that over half of the total value of these parts, or $4.2 million, came from Ukraine. This number reportedly includes $1.4 million worth of spare parts for repairing Antonov An-124 transport planes, imported from Kharkiv's "FED" Machine-Building Plant.

Important Stories noted that Russia used to account for around 70% of the company's sales, but the plant "officially stopped all deliveries to Russia" in 2014, following the Russian occupation of Crimea and Donbas.

The investigation showed that other factories that have supplied parts include the Motor Sich aircraft engine manufacturer in Zaporizhzhia.

In October 2022, Motor Sich President Viacheslav Bohuslaiev was arrested (https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-sanctions-former-motor-sich-head-russian-companies/) for treason and collaborating with Russia, as was Oleh Dzyuba, Motor Sich's former chief of foreign economic activity.

The Kharkiv Aggregate Design Bureau, the "Radar" and "Artem" factories in Kyiv, and companies in France, the U.S., and the U.K. also appear to have delivered spare parts, Important Stories said.

According to Russian state procurement data, the Russian Defense Ministry and state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec are among Avia FED Service's clients.

The company was sanctioned by Ukraine in 2021. Avia FED Service therefore used an intermediary company registered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to import supplies from abroad between 2022 and 2023, Important Stories reported.

Both the manager and owner of the UAE-based intermediary company appear to be Ukrainians, the investigation suggests. The owner denied that his company has ever supplied goods to Russia.

Customs data shows that the last time a delivery was sent from the intermediary company in the UAE was January 2023. The director of Avia FED Service told Important Stories that Ukrainian-made parts were purchased by his company before February 2022 and had simply been stored abroad.

In early 2023, a new intermediary supplier in Kyrgyzstan started sending the deliveries, Important Stories reported.

The Kyiv Independent has not independently confirmed the investigation’s findings.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1240x827/image_a39d45351ec55a3d001f5791c94ed60798b61ce5.jpeg

[ORAC]

https://x.com/secretsqrl123/status/1729525650346611095?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Something truly amazing is going on here.

From open news about 2 -3 companies (3-400 troops) of the UKR 36th brigade (20% or so of the brigade), with support... are holding out against elements of.... (with at full sized numbers)

810th marine brigade 3000+
404th regiment 2000+
26th regiment 2000+
144th brigade 3000+
BARS (600)
10th SF 1000+
238th VDV regiment 2000+
177th marine regiment 2000+
26th marine brigade 3000+

So, at full strength, the force attacking the bridgehead SHOULD be 19,000 troops.

1. So how bad were the russian losses prior to this?
2. How bad are the losses now?
3. What kind of crazy troops does ukraine have?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/882x599/image_4b137c83312e47b2f34023635b82e9b752674027.png

810th on telegram saying they don't want to attack any more... Part of this is telling me that this has been a huge trap for russian troops.. and they fell for it.

Dear friends, I want to think a little about what is happening in our direction in the village of Krynki.

Having communicated a lot with the soldiers and officers of our brigade, and not only ours, after the daily bloody Senseless assaults on this settlement, in which I was able to personally participate, I come to the conclusion that it is time for the Red Army to change tactics in this direction.

Specifically, many officers propose simply cordoning off this area and launching daily artillery strikes on enemy positions on the left bank, preventing him from gaining a foothold. Strike on the right bank, destroying all infrastructure and fortified areas created by the enemy on the opposite bank, while at the same time preventing the enemy’s attempts to deliver reinforcements, ammunition and provisions to our shore.

At the same time, it is necessary to apply all counter-battery countermeasures, electronic warfare, anti-electronic warfare, and dismantle all firing points from where fire is being fired at us.

At the moment, everything looks like the enemy is simply luring us out under his artillery, in small groups deployed to our shore.

We throw several assault squads into the assault, which come under continuous artillery fire, tank fire, kamikaze drone attacks and small arms combat. This is the only way I can explain that we cannot take this piece of land within a month, every day sending more and more new detachments and groups, from which not all return.

In addition to everything, there are several connections on our site that perform the assigned task each in their own way, without coordinating their actions with their neighbors. All this together leads to very large losses of the Red Army, mostly wounded, but there are also quite a few dead.

I do not expect the command to hear me, I am simply voicing my opinion, which coincides with the opinion of the officers of our Red Army, that it is time to change tactics and it is no longer for us to storm them, leaving the guys on the battlefield every day, but, on the contrary, to invite the adversary to try to break out of our boiler under heavy artillery fire.

[NutLoose]

Good news, there is some reporting the Kerch Bridge and Sevestapol fencing defences are down.

https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729513870878798079

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729513870878798079

[ORAC]

As a result of the massive storm which battered Crimea on the Nov 26-27, preliminary analysis reveals that the dolphin pens in Sevastopol harbour have been destroyed.

It is presumed that some, or all, of the trained dolphins have either been freed or killed.

[TURIN]

So long and thanks for all the fish?

[NutLoose]

Something’s burning in Sevastopol.

https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729631126749168106/

https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1729631126749168106

[NutLoose]

Satellite views of the Sevastopol harbour defences showing the disruption to them post the Black Sea Storm.

https://twitter.com/bradyafr/status/1729613639143784490

https://twitter.com/bradyafr/status/1729613639143784490

More views showing the destroyed Dolphin pens, it says it is feasible they have escaped

https://twitter.com/CovertShores/status/1729586445394849999

https://twitter.com/CovertShores/status/1729586445394849999

From the link off the page, hopefully they will adapt and be able to feed like the escaped White Beluga that has been seen off Norway a while back.
​​​​​​​A massive storm battered Crimea (https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/three-dead-storm-hits-crimea-russias-black-sea-coast-2023-11-27/) on the November 27. Preliminary analysis of the damage done to Russian defenses reveals that the dolphin pens in Sevastopol harbor are gone as a result. They may have been sunk or washed away. It is plausible that some or all of the trained dolphins have been freed.

The Russian Navy's marine mammal programs are increasingly well known. They have been deployed to the war in Syria in 2018 (http://www.hisutton.com/Russian-Navy-In-Tartus-Syria.html). And since the start of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, to defend Sevastopol harbor (https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/06/russia-dolphins-ukrainian-attacks/) from Ukrainian special forces divers. Recently it appears that some were deployed to Southern Naval Base which is (confusingly) north of Sevastopol.

It should be remembered that if the dolphins are indeed free they have been raised in captivity. It can be expected that they were reliant on their human trainers for food and may be unable to fend for themselves. Escape may thus be a death warrant.

It is possible that the Russian Navy moved the pens in advance of the storm, but there is currently no evidence of this. I am awaiting clearer imagery for further analysis.

[NutLoose]

More satellite images of Sevastopol defences.

https://twitter.com/Rb3qzWR5AK5nooA/status/1729177161763066224

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Rb3qzWR5AK5nooA/status/1729177161763066224

[Dopsonj]

Low altitude on MiG-29 - Ukrainian Air Force (https://x.com/KpsZSU/status/1729799713879097635?s=20)

A rather low pass by a MiG-29 from Twitter

[MPN11]

A rather low pass by a MiG-29 from Twitter
As my wife would say ... "Is that wise?"

[fdr]

Low altitude on MiG-29 - Ukrainian Air Force (https://x.com/KpsZSU/status/1729799713879097635?s=20)

A rather low pass by a MiG-29 from Twitter

"Here, hold my beer..."

[NutLoose]

A Leo 1.5A hit and damaged, the crew abandoned it, then artillery assumed to be Russian try to destroy it, it does seem strange to operate tanks alone.

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1729602628126994531

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1729602628126994531

Rather llked the comment

Dedicated to Russian bots who will post this video next 3 months. Feel the difference. RU hit this Leopard1 tank (50 years old) with ATGM and with 3 artillery shells. It did not blow up, did not burn down, and all crew survived without any damage. Run russian, run.

Ukrainian Leopard 1A5 hit in field south of Andriivka, Luhansk oblast. Tracks can be seen on the same field in satellite images from 22.11.2023 49.40008, 37.90251

[NutLoose]

A man chasing a bus to catch it Sevastopol, nothing out of the ordinary in that, except this man is the driver :E

https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1729840961750991274

https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1729840961750991274

More of Sevastopol's finest at work.

https://twitter.com/Jamie04381095/status/1727852327527178573

https://twitter.com/Jamie04381095/status/1727852327527178573

[NutLoose]

What a ****ty way to inform anyone.

https://twitter.com/PStyle0ne1/status/1729242903694692560

https://twitter.com/PStyle0ne1/status/1729242903694692560

[NutLoose]

Hmmmm

The patch on the uniform says “Batallion Old Fart”

https://twitter.com/PStyle0ne1/status/1729781483483681269

https://twitter.com/PStyle0ne1/status/1729781483483681269

[ORAC]

General Frost….

https://x.com/trenttelenko/status/1729600576122478932?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Russian Mobiks are less well prepared for the winter of 2023 than the US Army was in the winter of 1944.⬇️

And the US Army lost 60 evacuated cold weather casualties for every 100 battle casualties in Nov 1944.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1213x1150/image_aab2a3728fee742e255a8d1b09ce94885d5054b5.png
​​​​​​​

[BlankBox]

One of the highest-ranking Russian officers to be killed in the war, he is thought to have been killed by a mine placed by his own military.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-general-vladimir-zavadsky-blown-up-on-a-mine-in-ukraine

...is this a case of what goes around...comes around?

[IlyaMuromets]

Re post 6838. The attitudes displayed by these commentators are absolutely astounding, if the subtitles are correct. Does anyone know if the translations been independently checked?
Seems to be a reasonably accurate representation of the spoken words. And consistent with previous "offerings" from the same source.

IM

[ORAC]

https://x.com/gerashchenko_en/status/1729882582442213658?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Russian Telegram channels report a strike on a military airfield in Saky, temporarily occupied Crimea. By preliminary data, 30 people were killed.

No comments followed from the Russian defense ministry.

[Saky is primarily a base for aircraft of the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet. Last attacked in August last year

https://x.com/osinttechnical/status/1557977712840654849?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A ]

[ORAC]

Russia has lost it’s seat on the board of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for the first time in the organisation’s history.

Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania were elected to fill the seats.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/11/29/russia-fails-to-win-seat-on-chemical-watchdog-board-a83259

[Winemaker]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-general-vladimir-zavadsky-blown-up-on-a-mine-in-ukraine

...is this a case of what goes around...comes around?
Well, at least the Russkies know their mines work....

[NutLoose]

Casualty evacuation being carried out by Bradley’s.

https://twitter.com/Militarylandnet/status/1727320560110383184

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/Militarylandnet/status/1727320560110383184

[NutLoose]

When you hear a UAV hit this, a UAV hit that, across the battlefront, you tend not to realise the amount of kills these things are racking up until you see posts like this showing the attrition someone has recorded that they have found covering a day.

https://twitter.com/AndrewPerpetua/status/1729694684656631910

https://twitter.com/AndrewPerpetua/status/1729694684656631910

[NutLoose]

Good to see the Stormers still in use in Ukraine.

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1729832590012469389

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1729832590012469389

[NutLoose]

Dead, dead and more dead, knocked out Russian troops and vehicles, small craters in places may indicate cluster use… link only so beware corpses lying all about the place.

https://twitter.com/UKikaski/status/1729999187469644047

[havoc]

Biden Encouraged to Cross Putin's 'Red Line' by Ex-NATO Commander (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-encouraged-to-cross-putin-s-red-line-by-ex-nato-commander/ar-AA1kGMMx?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=96b7170e9f194bc3965609b91808384e&ei=137)

U.S. President Joe Biden (https://www.newsweek.com/topic/joe-biden) is being urged to cross one of Russian President Vladimir Putin (https://www.newsweek.com/topic/vladimir-putin)'s so-called "red lines (https://www.newsweek.com/putin-red-line-crimea-nuclear-weapons-mikhail-khodorkovsky-ukraine-counteroffensive-1811122)" in the Russia-Ukraine war by the former supreme commander of NATO (https://www.newsweek.com/topic/nato) forces in Europe.

Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Putin has repeatedly warned U.S. and its allies that they risk expanding the war if they provide Kyiv with weapons capable of striking within Russia. Despite the threats (https://www.newsweek.com/putin-red-lines-f16s-ukraine-russia-war-escalation-1802264), some weapons with long-range capabilities have since been given to Ukraine, without any sign of retaliation from Putin.

James L. Jones, retired four-star U.S. Marine Corps general and ex-adviser to former President Barack Obama (https://www.newsweek.com/topic/barack-obama), said during an interview published by RadioFreeEurope on Sunday that military aid from the Biden administration had been "too cautious" and had effectively forced Ukraine to fight with "one hand tied behind their backs."

"I think the United States was complicit in not providing the weapons rapidly enough— particularly the air side," Jones said. "We were too cautious about not giving the Ukrainians weapons that could strike into Russia. And so, you're really causing them to have to fight the war with one hand tied behind their backs.

"But I think people realize that now, and the supply chains are better, and the equipment is arriving at a faster rate," he continued. "So, we'll have to wait and see. But the big missing piece, I think, for me, is aviation ..."

Newsweek reached out for comment to the White House via email on Tuesday.

Long-range weapons that the U.S. has provided to Ukraine include Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB) and Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), although the ATACMS sent to Kyiv offer a shorter range than others. The U.K. has also sent Ukraine long-range "Storm Shadow" missiles.

Last week, Ukrainian media outlet Militarnyi speculated that a new High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) included in a fresh U.S. aid package to Ukraine may be equipped with a "unique modification (https://www.newsweek.com/ukraines-new-weapon-could-cross-putins-red-line-1845830)" that allows it to launch weapons that could strike targets in Russia, possibly including GLSDB or long-range missiles intended for ATACMS.

Jones argued that fears of Russia expanding the war over military aid alone were unfounded. He said that Ukraine needed additional weapons, including longer-range ATACMS, to defeat Russia instead of maintaining the course of "working towards a stalemate."

"It goes back to a fear in [NATO] capitals that if you give the Ukrainians the weapons that can strike into Russia, they will do that and it might cause a wider war," Jones said. "I don't think that's correct, to be honest with you ... The fear, obviously, is that Vladimir Putin would escalate to a nuclear conflict, and everybody's concerned about that."

Jones also called Putin's decision to invade Ukraine "probably one of the biggest historical blunders that any leader has made," saying that he did not at the moment "see a definitive advantage on either side" of the war but had "pretty much no doubt that Russia will not be successful in taking over Ukraine as a country."

[[email protected]]

pretty much no doubt that Russia will not be successful in taking over Ukraine as a country." That doesn't seem to be their aim any more - they just want to destroy it.

[fdr]

Dead, dead and more dead, knocked out Russian troops and vehicles, small craters in places may indicate cluster use… link only so beware corpses lying all about the place.

All because of one narcissistic sociopath.

One wonders at what point the 50% of the Russian population that are by gender avoiding the cost of this will wake up that they are complicit in every agony and loss of tomorrow that has occurred to their own kin, while supporting crimes against a sovereign state that had the misfortune to be located on a planet beside such neanderthals.

There is no "win" for Russia no matter how many of their own and others they destroy, they will still be the same insecure oafs that they were the day before, but reviled to a far greater extent. Ukraine will have no reason to consider Russia as other than an enemy in our lifetime, unless Russia gets some strong toilet tissue and wipes Vlad and his cronies off the backside of the map of Russia. Internally, as the majority of the bodies that litter the ground of the occupied territories are of the lesser states of Russia, but the equipment is of the C&C of Moscow, at some point the P&L will be calculated and many of those states would start to look towards... China. China has had its moments, but at present, they do well with taking over half of Russia in the east into China, which would be a win-win for those states, a headache for the west, and a bit embarrassing for Emperor Vlad. He certainly will go down in history, not as a great warrior leader, nor a topless Lord Farquard on a noble white steed, but as Vlad the Bozo, the clown that busted up the RF, showed the world how little value Russian systems are, and how browbeaten the population of Russia has become after 1100 years of Mir.

The West has been indirectly a contributory factor to the descent of Russia to such a state. Aside from the disinterest post breakup of the USSR, where chaos ensued resulting in the Oligarchs stealing the future of Russia, the acceptance of Russian immigrants around the world has exported both extremes of Russian culture; their best brains, and their criminal syndicates. Curious.

[NutLoose]

Black Sea one... Russian naval officer nil..

https://twitter.com/LoveWorld_Peopl/status/1730159814653727230

https://twitter.com/LoveWorld_Peopl/status/1730159814653727230

[NutLoose]

Well something is burning at Saky airfield mentioned earlier by ORAC

https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1729880906889134552

https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1729880906889134552

[NutLoose]

That's an exit hole, I wonder if that makes it an MOT fail now.. stay safe guys.

https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1721197243229999169

https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1721197243229999169

Meanwhile back in Russia where the monies that Putin is blowing on a war should be spent.

https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1730119230383698142

https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1730119230383698142

https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1727331307062210895

https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1727331307062210895

[NutLoose]

It appears a Russian warehouse of "shaheds" was hit yesterday

https://twitter.com/Alfaiomi/status/1730131107075527034

https://twitter.com/Alfaiomi/status/1730131107075527034

[NutLoose]

Well, you learn something every day, Ukrainians with Bangalore Torpedo's, I thought they were just a WW2 thing and never realised the US and many other countries still use them and have provided them to Ukraine.

https://twitter.com/Weapons_Illust/status/1729318073465713008

https://twitter.com/Weapons_Illust/status/1729318073465713008

[ORAC]

https://x.com/gerashchenko_en/status/1730176641769320804?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Russian media report an explosion in a Severomuysk tunnel in Buryatia, the longest in Russia (over 15 km long).

"It is the only serious railroad between Russia and China. And now this route that Russia uses for military supplies as well, has been paralized" Russian media write.

Some Russian Telegram channels say that the explosion was an operation by Ukrainian Security Service.

There has been no confirmation from the Russian authorities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severomuysky_Tunnel

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1920x1920/image_7cbfdc50951e41b1b0cea969bc5e39f0ecb64120.jpeg

​​​​​​​

[Fitter2]

"It is the only serious railroad between Russia and China. And now this route that Russia uses for military supplies as well, has been paralized" Russian media write.

It is also presumably the route for supply of the million artillery shells from N Korea. And it's a long way for a UKR Special forces operation. Local ant-conscription unrest?

[212man]

That's an exit hole, I wonder if that makes it an MOT fail now.. stay safe guys.



https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1721197243229999169

Meanwhile back in Russia where the monies that Putin is blowing on a war should be spent.



https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1730119230383698142



https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1727331307062210895
That footage looks ancient, judging from the quality and aspect ratio, plus captions style

[Lonewolf_50]

That doesn't seem to be their aim any more - they just want to destroy it. It sure seems that way.
"If we can't have it, nobody can have it!" seems to be the attitude at this point.

[langleybaston]

That's an exit hole, I wonder if that makes it an MOT fail now.. stay safe guys.



https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1721197243229999169

Meanwhile back in Russia where the monies that Putin is blowing on a war should be spent.



https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1730119230383698142



https://twitter.com/HerryRodinNapit/status/1727331307062210895

Should have tried a higher gear? What works in mud, other than nothing?

[NutLoose]

What an absolute tragedy, even the Russian propagandist cannot get his head around it.

https://twitter.com/adnashmyash/status/1729192518619721936

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/adnashmyash/status/1729192518619721936

[RedToo]

One sided duel. Quite disturbing.

https://twitter.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1729884533884129513

Stick vs drone

[langleybaston]

One sided duel. Quite disturbing.



Stick vs drone (https://twitter.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1729884533884129513)

Was there a possible defence? .............. just asking in case I am similarly hunted down in darkest Lincolnshire you understand.

[fdr]

One sided duel. Quite disturbing.



Stick vs drone (https://twitter.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1729884533884129513)

Defense?

Hands up. And religion. There may be a budding market for portable jammer units, but only until home on jam is applied in the control logic of the drone, that will happen sooner than later. Thereafter, firing a shotgun at a drone could be a solution, but is also likely to set off AN RPG charge which usually ends badly if you are in the area, particularly front with the AP head, anywhere with a frag.

On the morality of the event, which should be confronting, one side has an existential threat to their very existence, the other side wants to move his cocktail cabinet filled with the spoils of his crimes closer to the west, which he accuses of having its eyes on Russia, as Russia is such a catch!

Russia, a land that gave us Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Sakharov, and Sikorski... (warning: aviation content) yet has Putin in Charge, a criminal enterprise underneath, and puts people who could make a difference in the Gulags.

[pattern_is_full]

Was there a possible defence? [against small suicide drones].............. just asking in case I am similarly hunted down in darkest Lincolnshire you understand.

I imagine every sensible security professional around the globe has been (or should have been) asking themselves the same question over the past year and a half.

From the ones at the top of national organizations, down to the individual personal-security "body men," and night-watchmen.

It's a brave new world of threats.

Remember the little "killer drone" with a hypodermic, in Dune?

[NutLoose]

Such is modern warfare as he correctly says, an artillery hit on an Ukrainian trench is filmed from multiple positions.

https://twitter.com/squatsons/status/1730244563108016626

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/squatsons/status/1730244563108016626

[Tartiflette Fan]

Was there a possible defence? .............. just asking in case I am similarly hunted down in darkest Lincolnshire you understand.
-
Brandished seaweed ?

[langleybaston]

Such is modern warfare as he correctly says, an artillery hit on an Ukrainian trench is filmed from multiple positions.



https://twitter.com/squatsons/status/1730244563108016626

Almost every film taken in/from UKR infantry positions shows everyone "down in the trench/foxhole". OK, they may well have a tame drone watching over their front and flanks, but would the unit not be safer with some men "on the firestep" to use an antiquated Great War concept?

As is readily apparent, I have no army experience beyond rather artificial and luxurious deployments as S Met O 1 BR Corps in the 1970s, but surely the basics must include observation and domination of the area to one's front and flanks?

From what we have seen, the first sight of Ivan with fixed bayonet may be as he looms over the ditch.

​​​​​​​Of course it is more complicated than I describe, but why is everyone virtually blind with the ravening hordes knocking on the door?

[NutLoose]

This shows Russians dropping 500 concrete piercing bombs on a tunnel being used by Ukrainian vehicles under a rail siding.

Correct me if I am wrong but the first shows a near miss on the mouth and no detonation unless it buried itself and detonated underground, nether appear to show a hit as such, just a bit of smoke or dust. Thoughts?

it seems a strange film to release showing your guided weapon missing the target.

https://twitter.com/RadarFennec/status/1729955782500753790

https://twitter.com/RadarFennec/status/1729955782500753790
.

[ORAC]

A knife in the back - they need them now. Where better to do combat testing?

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-new-long-range-rocket-delivery-us-pushed-next-year-2023-11-30/

Ukraine's new long-range rocket delivery from US pushed to next year

WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Ukraine will need to wait until next year before it receives its first big shipment of rocket-propelled bombs the U.S. has adapted to strike at a nearly 100-mile (160km) range, according to the Pentagon and people familiar with the timing.

When the U.S. was first approached by Boeing (BA.N) (https://www.reuters.com/markets/companies/BA.N) to buy and ship the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) (https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-rocket-powered-bomb-would-double-ukraines-strike-range-2023-02-01/) to Ukraine last fall, the most optimistic timeline for shipping was around spring of this year, according to a document seen by Reuters at that time. It was reported by Politico in February that delivery wouldn't take place until later in 2023.

Ukraine needs GLSDB to augment the limited number of 100-mile range ATACMS rockets the U.S. has sent. It will allow Ukraine's military to hit targets at twice the distance reachable by the rockets it now fires from the U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and force Russia to move its supplies even farther from the front lines.

People familiar with current timing say delivery to the U.S. by Boeing, the prime contractor for the GLSDB, will take place in late December - followed by several months of testing before onward shipment to Ukraine.

A Pentagon spokesman said "we anticipate providing this key capability in the early 2024 timeframe after successful verification," another term for testing.

Because the contract to begin production of GLSDB was signed in March, according to a Pentagon statement to Reuters, delivery was forced towards year-end. Production required government furnished materials, so contract signing constrained its start.

The decision to send (https://www.reuters.com/world/us-readies-2-bln-plus-ukraine-aid-package-with-longer-range-weapons-sources-2023-01-31/) the long-range rocket, something the U.S. government hasn't purchased for itself, followed a proposal last summer (https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/100-mile-strike-weapon-weighed-ukraine-arms-makers-wrestle-with-demand-sources-2022-11-28/) from Boeing Co (BA.N) (https://www.reuters.com/markets/companies/BA.N) to U.S. commanders in Europe managing weapons for Ukraine.

Boeing did not respond to a request for comment…..

[NutLoose]

Typical American again, promise them the earth and then delay delay delay, while people are dying defending the West, I am sorry if I upset those Americans in here, but the arms flow from the US has gone from Just in time to not in time.
when you look at the levels other countries have delivered of their stocks, 30 Abrams Is pissing in the wind for the USA, no long range missiles 2 years in, no fighters 2 years in, no decisive decisions, I wish Biden would wake up and smell the coffee and ignore Putins threats, if he was going to go nuclear he would have done it all ready, rant over.

[Winemaker]

Typical American again, promise them the earth and then delay delay delay, while people are dying defending the West, I am sorry if I upset those Americans in here, but the arms flow from the US has gone from Just in time to not in time.
when you look at the levels other countries have delivered of their stocks, 30 Abrams Is pissing in the wind for the USA, no long range missiles 2 years in, no fighters 2 years in, no decisive decisions, I wish Biden would wake up and smell the coffee and ignore Putins threats, if he was going to go nuclear he would have done it all ready, rant over.
Yeah, well there you go. If I was President..... It seems Republicans (at least the far far right) have been bought by Putin. Many none MAGA Republicans are Ukrainian supporters, it just seems a bunch of the most ardent T. supporters are Putin's puppets, including Mr. T. I certainly wonder why.

[ORAC]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/europes-weak-armed-forces-could-be-washed-away-by-russia-bmxbc22gc

Europe’s muddled armed forces ‘could be washed away by Russia’

At a high-level defence conference in Berlin, several German generals also suggested that Nato might be unable to win the “first battle” in a defensive war on its eastern flank, because it would struggle to ship sufficient numbers of troops and equipment to the front line quickly enough.

Sönke Neitzel, professor of military history at Potsdam University and the leading academic authority on the modern German armed forces, described the logistics as a “nightmare” and said it could take at least 15 years before Germany was ready for war.….

Neitzel added that senior figures in Nato were increasingly pessimistic about Ukraine’s chances of winning back significant territory from Russia after the failure of its summer counteroffensive, and contemplating a plan for the unoccupied parts of the country to be admitted into the alliance.

Brigadier-General Vesa Valtonen, commander of the Finnish army (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/finland-closes-border-to-stop-russia-sending-in-asylum-seekers-3x60g928s)’s Pori Brigade, said the situation in Ukraine bore a troubling resemblance to the final phase of his own country’s winter war against a Soviet invasion in 1939-40. After valiantly holding off a much larger and better-equipped force, the Finns were ground down and forced to sue for peace.

“We lasted alone for 105 days,” said Valtonen. “The last third of the war was looking like Ukraine is now: attrition. Our side didn’t have reserves. The other side has or had them.

“There are 40 million people in Ukraine. How are they going to [keep up] the mobilisation and such? Are we willing to produce enough ammunition so that they can keep on fighting? This is a long-term period. We can’t give up. You can’t win a war of attrition against Russia.”

[ORAC]

https://x.com/tendar/status/1730516243529052188?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Another incident in Buryatia has been reported. According to the Russian TG channel “Mash” an IED was planted on the tracks.

“The explosive device detonated on the night of November 29-30, four kilometers from the village of Taksimo.
In total, the train contained 41 tank cars with fuel, 3 with aviation fuel and 6 with ferrous metal. No (human) casualties are reported.”

This is the same night where 100km away from this incident the other train in the Severomuysky Tunnel was struck.

​​​​​​​Kyiv Post said that a Ukrainian operation of the SBU is responsible for the strike and the SBU is certainly capable of this, but there could be also another explanation. The people of Buryatia are disproportionately used in Russia’s wars and suffered huge losses. I wouldn’t be surprised that this is the work of rebels. But that is speculation on my part.

Either way, Moscow has more problems in the Far East than it is willing to admit. Chelyabinsk suffered also a huge blow when the tractor factory was compromised some days ago.

[NutLoose]

A Ukrainian sniper at work at night taking out twelve Russians in one hour.

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1730525545274757172

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1730525545274757172

[NutLoose]

Orac, I read the Severomuysky Tunnel incident involved possibly up to 4 devices and a freight train. Also it was a Ukrainian operation involving Rebels.

[NutLoose]

Degenerate soldiers "have fun" in occupied territories by throwing grenades indiscriminately into the houses! ... and you want to negotiate with these “people”?!! #TaurusForUkraine (https://twitter.com/hashtag/TaurusForUkraine?src=hashtag_click) NOW!

https://twitter.com/Sola_Sistime/status/1728858374274756967

https://twitter.com/Sola_Sistime/status/1728858374274756967

[NutLoose]

A hit on A Ukrainian SU25 on the ground though some are calling it a decoy.

https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1730283879678841035

https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1730283879678841035

[NutLoose]

Slovakia closing border crossings with Ukraine and now wanting to ban produce from the country...

Stay strong Pali.

https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1730153464750100677

https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1730153464750100677

[NutLoose]

Only in Russsia, a bit erm graphic... and unreal.

https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1729208288724877367

https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1729208288724877367

[DogTailRed2]

Slovakia closing border crossings with Ukraine and now wanting to ban produce from the country...

Stay strong Pali.



https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1730153464750100677

Can someone explain the politics here. Considering Russia's behaviour is it wise to ally yourself with them?

[PPRuNeUser0211]

A hit on A Ukrainian SU25 on the ground though some are calling it a decoy.



https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1730283879678841035
Unless the UkAF make a habit of painting their canopies matte grey I reckon that's a decoy!

[ZH875]

Can someone explain the politics here. Considering Russia's behaviour is it wise to ally yourself with them?
It all depends on who is filling your bank account with money.

[talby33]

Only in Russsia, a bit erm graphic... and unreal.



https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1729208288724877367
Fortunately for her there were no vital organs in the vicinity!

[Lyneham Lad]

On the BBC News website. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67593041)

Ukraine's security service has blown up a rail connection deep inside Russia, a senior official has told the BBC.

Successive explosions are said to have happened on trains running first through a tunnel and then on a bridge in Russia's far east.

Russia has reportedly begun an inquiry into a "criminal case of terrorism" after the attacks on the Baikal Amur line running to the border with China.

The extent of the damage has not been verified by the BBC.

Ukrainian sources said that the intention was to "disable" an important piece of infrastructure that the Russians sometimes use for military purposes.

Click for full article, maps etc.

[RedToo]

Aviation content: low pass. :)

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1730012405235605642

[MightyGem]

Unless the UkAF make a habit of painting their canopies matte grey I reckon that's a decoy!
Canopy cover?

[RedToo]

Battle of Oleg Sentsov platoon near Avdiivka. November 22nd 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiUV5KmOyX4

[ORAC]

Canopy cover?
No, it’s a decoy. The telling indication, if you zoom in, are the engine nacelles. On the real aircraft they’re faired into the top of the wing - these are just tubes slung below.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/935x612/image_34203e541c1ad33a6367fbe2035268ae67d93ea7.png

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1166x612/image_fa11cb0f53d870e84de790dbf5feb2e412a6fd0c.png

[Lonewolf_50]

Of course it is more complicated than I describe, but why is everyone virtually blind with the ravening hordes knocking on the door? Yes, it's a bit more complicated than that. In WW I soldiers often used something like a periscope to look out across No Man's Land while in the trench, for example. Your assumptions based on a brief video clip in a discrete area betray a profound lack of understanding. I find your criticism of those soldiers to be in very bad form.
Slovakia closing border crossings with Ukraine and now wanting to ban produce from the country...
https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1730153464750100677 As with a few others who curtailed grain imports from Ukraine this past year (for a while anyway) part of this may be a "protect local farmers from being undersold" scheme.

[Lonewolf_50]

langleybaston
Of course it is more complicated than I describe, but why is everyone virtually blind with the ravening hordes knocking on the door?
Yes, it's a bit more complicated than that.
In WW I soldiers often used something like a periscope to look out across No Man's Land while in the trench, to offer you but one example of how one avoids being "blind."
They are being hit by indirect fire in that little twitvideo we see there.
Your assumptions based on a brief video clip in a discrete area betray a profound lack of understanding.
I find your criticism of those soldiers to be in very bad form.

Nutty, about the grain:
Slovakia closing border crossings with Ukraine and now wanting to ban produce from the country...
As with a few other countries who curtailed grain imports from Ukraine this past year (for a while anyway) part of this may be a "protect local farmers from being undersold" scheme.
Don't doubt there are other factors involved.

[ORAC]

Video..
https://x.com/gerashchenko_en/status/1730549560127156581?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


​​​​​​​"... found a can of stewed meat, diluted it with water from the Dnipro and drank it for a week not to starve to death."

More Russian soldiers revealed details of life on the front line in the Kherson direction. They say that Russian defense ministry has abandoned them, there is no documentary evidence that they are at war, nor is there any provision. From food and medicines to uniforms, they bought it all at their own expense.

The command prefers to leave the wounded to rot rather than issue evacuation orders. No officers are at the positions, the soldiers are sent to slaughter.

And yet, no thoughts of getting out of Ukraine and refusing to participate in the war.

[GlobalNav]

Can someone explain the politics here. Considering Russia's behaviour is it wise to ally yourself with them?
There's nothing "wise" about being a Russian ally, but it does demonstrate imitation.

[Winemaker]

Video..


​​​​​​​"... found a can of stewed meat, diluted it with water from the Dnipro and drank it for a week not to starve to death."

More Russian soldiers revealed details of life on the front line in the Kherson direction. They say that Russian defense ministry has abandoned them, there is no documentary evidence that they are at war, nor is there any provision. From food and medicines to uniforms, they bought it all at their own expense.

The command prefers to leave the wounded to rot rather than issue evacuation orders. No officers are at the positions, the soldiers are sent to slaughter.

And yet, no thoughts of getting out of Ukraine and refusing to participate in the war.
If that recording is real, it won't be long until Russian troops understand their expendable position. If this is a real video of talks between front line troops, the understanding of the real Russian concern is obvious and will spread. At least I hope it will.

[jolihokistix]

We saw similar videos last winter, but thier situation seems to have grown even worse, if such a thing is possible. Nothing worse though than being herded into a check-mate situation.

[ORAC]

https://english.nv.ua/nation/ukrainian-strike-destroys-russian-headquarters-kills-14-including-officers-in-tokmak-50372714.html

The Russian headquarters (https://english.nv.ua/nation/strike-on-russian-base-in-center-of-tokmak-casualties-among-invaders-50372039.html) in temporarily occupied Tokmak, Zaporizhzhya Oblast, was destroyed during a meeting on Nov. 28, Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov announced on national television. The blast killed 14 Russians, many of them officers.

"For two days in a row, Tokmak has been witnessing a powerful liquidation of the enemy," he said.

“We already know what happened on Nov. 28. The enemy's entire headquarters was destroyed. More precisely, during a meeting held at the headquarters, there was an explosion, and at least 14 people were killed, including a large number of officers.”….

[Spunky Monkey]

Battle of Oleg Sentsov platoon near Avdiivka. November 22nd 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiUV5KmOyX4

If you have the time, grab a coffee and something to squeeze.
This is an emotional video, where you can see the bravery and the fear of a small team, no more than 12 men and women, not a platoon, fighting for their lives.
The fear on their faces, low on ammo, no Anti Armour rounds about to be over run by Russian tanks surrounded on all sides.

The commander "Groont" shows impeccable leadership and calmness under fire that I would love to have emulated as a YO.
A wise head on a mountain of a man.

This video should be shown to old Joe, those Bradleys in Ukraine are a game changer and they are doing no good in the desert, they should be flooding the battle space with them, easy to use, easy to fight from, devastatingly accurate and effective and if it breaks down, there should be 10 more in reserve ready to go.

Look out for "German" and "Jew" fighting together in the trenches to keep evil from our door.

These men and "Red" are heroes and the defence of Europe - send them everything.

[Rockie_Rapier]

Putin to increase numbers of troops. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/dec/02/russia-ukraine-war-putin-zelenskiy-latest-news?filterKeyEvents=false&page=with:block-656ae7048f081cf41dfd1745#block-656ae7048f081cf41dfd1745)

[Rockie_Rapier]

Putin increase payoffs to relatives of deceased soldiers to quell dissent
Putin increase payoffs to relatives of deceased soldiers to quell dissent (https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1730870953779847466)

[The Helpful Stacker]

Battle of Oleg Sentsov platoon near Avdiivka. November 22nd 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiUV5KmOyX4

The medic did a fantastic job there. She was pretty much 2 I/C and treating casualties at the same time.

[jolihokistix]

Can't open it without signing up to YouTube, quite apart from the 18 yr restriction thing.

[fdr]

No, it’s a decoy. The telling indication, if you zoom in, are the engine nacelles. On the real aircraft they’re faired into the top of the wing - these are just tubes slung below.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/935x612/image_34203e541c1ad33a6367fbe2035268ae67d93ea7.png

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1166x612/image_fa11cb0f53d870e84de790dbf5feb2e412a6fd0c.png


that was a decoy, and adequate for the task. I would think that removal of this set of comments is worthwhile; teaching Vlads criminals how to determine one decoy from a real aircraft is not desirable.

T28:, please remove all of these photos and related posts.

[Fitter2]

I would think that removal of this set of comments is worthwhile; teaching Vlads criminals how to determine one decoy from a real aircraft is not desirable.

T28:, please remove all of these photos and related posts.

A bit pointless to remove PPrune posts, Russian military bloggers have already widely circulated similar comments on their own platforms, and I think it's safe to assume the Kriminals read there too.

[Chugalug2]

Battle of Oleg Sentsov platoon near Avdiivka. November 22nd 2023.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiUV5KmOyX4
A truly inspirational video. Thank you for posting it Red Too. The leadership and discipline here is exemplary. Perhaps the Army Reserve (nee TA) should concentrate on recruiting from the UK Film Studios! We must give them everything they need. If it wasn't for the Bradleys they'd have all surely been killed.

[ORAC]

https://x.com/ilvestoomas/status/1730818562745336207?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A



Oh, this is just charming:

Germany gave sensitive data on NATO in the Baltic Sea to Russia for the "strictly commercial" (as Merkel, Steinmaier and indeed the entire @GermanyDiplo constantly repeated) Nordstream pipeline.

https://x.com/laowaiaround/status/1730665104033935459?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Meanwhile - investigation develops. Sensitive data coordinates on NATO submarine activity and ammunition in the Baltic region obtained from Bundeswehr were given to Nordstream AG by Stralsund Mining Authority in Manuela Schwesig's governed Mecklenburg.

https://www.zeit.de/politik/2023-12/mecklenburg-vorpommern-untersuchungsausschuss-klimastiftung-nord-stream-nato-daten

Oh, it gets even better. The Mecklenburg Mining Authority put some of it on the internet. The Bundeswehr had to rush in panic mode to make them take it down...

https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/deutschland/innenpolitik/id_100293992/nord-stream-2-geheime-nato-daten-offengelegt-bundeswehr-muss-einschreiten.html

[Winemaker]

Can't open it without signing up to YouTube, quite apart from the 18 yr restriction thing.
This is where having a throw away google account is useful. I have three accounts that are used only for this sort of stuff; no (usedful) data is gathered..... Edward Teller would be proud.

[fdr]

A bit pointless to remove PPrune posts, Russian military bloggers have already widely circulated similar comments on their own platforms, and I think it's safe to assume the Kriminals read there too.

I must begrudgingly concede that is is not a zero probability that someone left alive in Russia has the education at preschool or even above and may be able to read. After all my old German short haired could spell, she would do a better job than Lavrov and Co. Even 30 years post demise.

[langleybaston]

langleybaston

Yes, it's a bit more complicated than that.
In WW I soldiers often used something like a periscope to look out across No Man's Land while in the trench, to offer you but one example of how one avoids being "blind."
They are being hit by indirect fire in that little twitvideo we see there.
Your assumptions based on a brief video clip in a discrete area betray a profound lack of understanding.
I find your criticism of those soldiers to be in very bad form.

Do please identify
1. an assumption
2.a criticism of the soldiers, as opposed to a query about the wisdom of the tactics.

[fdr]

This is where having a throw away google account is useful. I have three accounts that are used only for this sort of stuff; no (usedful) data is gathered..... Edward Teller would be proud.
48 years ago I listened to s speech Teller gave at a graduation , and it was memoriably disturbing. I sat in for some Feynman, Feynman was uplifting like Randy Pausch , Teller was dark. Aviation content... um... ah... nup, got nutting, except, listening to Teller I had flash backs to Slim Pickens astride a MK-39?

[VP959]

This is where having a throw away google account is useful. I have three accounts that are used only for this sort of stuff; no (usedful) data is gathered..... Edward Teller would be proud.

Sadly this recently caught me out. I'd been doing something similar, but it seems the tech giants REALLY hate not being able to snoop on what you're doing or find out exactly who you are, where you live, how often you have sex, or whatever. In the space of a couple of days I found that all my previously discreet ways to view content without being spied on were shut down. Most irritating one being Farcebook that suspended my account a week ago, an account I only use to access our local residents group, who restrict viewing to restrict abuse (which itself doesn't seem to be effective). As that group is the easiest way to access or GP's surgery this is a bit of a nuisance. All the more irritating as I've given my real details and email to them

[NutLoose]

A bit pointless to remove PPrune posts, Russian military bloggers have already widely circulated similar comments on their own platforms, and I think it's safe to assume the Kriminals read there too.

Remember, both sides can see images and Ukraine will now know the flaws in their decoys and can rectify the faults. While Russia will not be aware they have been fixed so may well target the next one believing it to be real.

It works both ways.

[NutLoose]

Having a dump can seriously shorten your life.

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1730933796373983576

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1730933796373983576

[NutLoose]

Rather than using their UAV’s to take out the machine gunner shooting at their troops, they are targeting items that look spectacular on film and sending the cannon fodder against the machine guns.

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1730926476856267067

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1730926476856267067

[wondering]

“There are 40 million people in Ukraine. How are they going to [keep up] the mobilisation and such? Are we willing to produce enough ammunition so that they can keep on fighting? This is a long-term period. We can’t give up. You can’t win a war of attrition against Russia.”

The Fins were, apart from Swedish volunteers, basically on their own when fighting the Soviet Union. The outcome was a forgone conclusion.

Ukrainian human resources are certainly limited. On the other hand, the West hasn't even tried to out manufacture Russia and give Ukraine all it needs. Contrary to popular believe, Russian resources are not endless.

[NutLoose]

Two brave Ukrainians hold off a Russian assault group killing at least five who are being filmed and supposedly coordinated by a Russian drone.

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1730901430658035828

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1730901430658035828

[NutLoose]

The Fins were, apart from Swedish volunteers, basically on their own when fighting the Soviet Union. The outcome was a forgone conclusion.

Ukrainian human resources are certainly limited. On the other hand, the West hasn't even tried to out manufacture Russia and give Ukraine all it needs. Contrary to popular believe, Russian resources are not endless.

and that is the Crux of the matter, the West does not need to out produce Russia, they simply need to provide the Armour and Missiles etc in quantities that the Russians cannot sustain in the short time. Ukraine is being bled dry by the current situation, 30 tanks here or there are probably just replacing attrition and not effective, you see Leo’s going in as singletons, again not effective.

Give Ukraine the missiles and launchers in quantity with the range to hit and destroy Russia’s stockpiles and concentrated troop locations, then enough to obliterate the road and rail supply network. And give them tanks by the Hundred so they can take the fight in force against Russia who will struggle to counter it. The longer the West drags out supplying Ukraine with what it needs, the longer Russia has to build up its manufacturing capabilities and then your screwed as the ball will be in their court.

The Russians are not stupid with the missiles availability at the moment, they simply moved their supplies back out of range, hence the need for longer range weaponry.

[VP959]

Giving Ukraine long range weapons is a double edged sword. They may well hold back Russian supply lines, but they also present the risk of a major attack on Moscow, which could be a trigger for all out war between Russia and the West. My vote would be to give Ukraine everything they need and to hell with the consequences, but those in European states closer to Russia may well not share that view.

[NutLoose]

Wow.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1080x1080/image_4143f331c098fa4572eec05293a9f99d69f71b7b.jpeg

[NutLoose]

Giving Ukraine long range weapons is a double edged sword. They may well hold back Russian supply lines, but they also present the risk of a major attack on Moscow, which could be a trigger for all out war between Russia and the West. My vote would be to give Ukraine everything they need and to hell with the consequences, but those in European states closer to Russia may well not share that view.

There has to be trust, they already had provided weapons that could hit into Russia and bar the use of a couple of vehicles they haven’t.

The Ukrainians are not stupid, they know the risks involved if used on Russia and that the supply line would cease overnight, they are not stupid enough to risk that as it is their lifeline to freeing their Country..

Long range missiles of the type we are talking about wouldn’t cause significant damage to a city the size of Moscow anyway.

[Spunky Monkey]

Western media and governments are complaining the summer offensive didn't yield results.
Hypocritical as we aren't giving them enough kit for the size of theatre and the task they have to perform.
Flood the battle space with armour and long range missiles, the weather and hunger will starve the Russians out, then the armour can sweep up the remainder and hold the borders.
Many of our politicians have Ukrainian blood on their hands by their lacklustre performance -

Zelensky should do a Bob Geldof at Live Aid - "Give us your F**kin Missiles..."

[TURIN]

Western media and governments are complaining the summer offensive didn't yield results.

​​​​​​​I haven't seen or heard any complaints. Who is doing this?

[Ninthace]

Western media and governments are complaining the summer offensive didn't yield results.
Hypocritical as we aren't giving them enough kit for the size of theatre and the task they have to perform.
Flood the battle space with armour and long range missiles, the weather and hunger will starve the Russians out, then the armour can sweep up the remainder and hold the borders.
Many of our politicians have Ukrainian blood on their hands by their lacklustre performance -

Zelensky should do a Bob Geldof at Live Aid - "Give us your F**kin Missiles..."

Flooding the battle space requires more than just kit. it needs trained operators and support in sufficient numbers.

[Tartiflette Fan]

Flooding the battle space requires more than just kit. it needs trained operators and support in sufficient numbers.

Wouldn't you imagine that UKA is using its trained men to train others, both for casualty replacements and - looking ahead - preparing for future supplies ? UKA has not shown itself to be backward.

[Spunky Monkey]

Wouldn't you imagine that UKA is using its trained men to re-train others, both for casualty replacements and - looking ahead - preparing for future supplies ? UKA has not shown itself to be backward.

Indeed, that video of Groont, Red, Germany and Jew, shows that they knew exactly what they were doing and how to do it.
Their training is different to what we do, but after nearly 2 years of war these troops have learnt through a baptism of fire.
Fortunately the Russians haven't learnt yet.

As for flooding the battle space, the west has done this through the provision of Anti-Air and Anti-Armour assets, these weapons have almost removed aircraft and tanks from the battle field.
You don't need to be highly trained to fight a Bradley or a Warrior, for their very design is to be operated by tired, cold and hungry infantiers. You could learn to use a Warrior in a week and learn to fight it as an operational platoon in a month.

[NutLoose]

It says a lot about Russias medical Support for their wounded.

https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1731260331144487278

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/parrot_reborn/status/1731260331144487278

[NutLoose]

This is NOT good.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1731048522927980979

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1731048522927980979

[BlankBox]

In the Arab segment of the Internet, a video has received millions of views, which tells that there are few men left in Russia due to the war, so there are many brides.

https://t.me/Ukraine_365News/67289

:E​​​​​​​

[NutLoose]

Judging by the state of the Russians in Ukraine, they were piss poor breeding stock to start with. Mind you Putin and Co don’t exactly want a country of free thinkers and intellectuals who would possibly rise up against what they see happening to their Country. more a dumb peasant workforce that will will follow orders and march to their deaths like some automatons.

[NutLoose]

First documented losses of Chinese all terrain vehicles supplied to Russia revealed.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1731349838086689269

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1731349838086689269

[NutLoose]

Evacuating Ukrainian wounded, you think a tarp would come in handy to protect them and keep the wounds relatively clean and dry.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1731290536634413257

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1731290536634413257

[NutLoose]

Sevastopol’s booms have been restored.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1731239762273489344

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1731239762273489344

[fdr]

Judging by the state of the Russians in Ukraine, they were piss poor breeding stock to start with. Mind you Putin and Co don’t exactly want a country of free thinkers and intellectuals who would possibly rise up against what they see happening to their Country. more a dumb peasant workforce that will will follow orders and march to their deaths like some automatons.


Nutty, I don't know about that . The breeding grounds in the trenches seemed to suit them rather well, was thinking there was more of an overpopulation than anything else. The video of their industriousness and proclivity suggested they are pretty much at plague proportions. They probably end up carrying Yersinia pestis, or similar, possibly rabies. Their diets seem to be accomodating the fresh and not so fresh feasts being donated by Vlad.

They really seem quite contented, little beady eyes glowing, whiskers all a quivering. little tails swishing and swooshing. happy little rodents.

[rotorwills]

I haven't seen or heard any complaints. Who is doing this?

Open your eyes and read the newspapers and if not into reading listen to some news channels.

[FUMR]

You don't have to be a military expert (I'm not) to see that this war is not going anywhere. It's time for the west to get seriously involved or pack up and start learning Russian!

[Lonewolf_50]

About artillery:
This guy called some in, apparently well within in 'danger close' range, and I guess got out alive.
Ukrainian Soldier Orders Artillery Strike on Own Position to Halt Russians (businessinsider.com) (https://www.businessinsider.com/a-ukrainian-soldier-called-in-an-artillery-strike-on-his-own-position)
My vote would be to give Ukraine everything they need and to hell with the consequences, but those in European states closer to Russia may well not share that view. They have more to lose if things go more pear shaped, but at least Poland has been boosting their own readiness ...
Western media and governments are complaining the summer offensive didn't yield results. Hypocritical as we aren't giving them enough kit for the size of theatre and the task they have to perform. Yeah, from Ukraine that must seem like a pretty annoying critique.
This is NOT good. https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1731048522927980979 But it's true to form; in the past year the blocking of Ukraine grain shipments also cropped up in "the West" to protect domestic markets/producers.

[MJ89]

18 months in, now and its evident that some different party's are experiencing fatige. the summer offensive now long behind i read between the lines of some things and not on others.
maily Nato saying bad news to be expected shortly, how ever on the big picture of things. 9 months ago nato was still squabbling over how to say no over Leopard 2 tanks, Bradleys and f16s and cluster munitions. here we are now. with those plus long range stormshadows and scalps etc.
https://www.politico.eu/article/nato-boss-jens-stoltenberg-warns-of-bad-news-from-ukraine/
the middle east is bubbling away taking the scope off things , but time will tell. strange times. crazy how we have became so used to it.

[Lonewolf_50]

18 months in, now and its evident that some different parties are experiencing fatigue.
By my calendar, it's been a bit over 21 months since Feb of 2022, but the matter of fatigue (in terms of political will) has been a concern for some time. (And for sure has been in Kiev for most of the length of this conflict).

[wondering]

You don't have to be a military expert (I'm not) to see that this war is not going anywhere. It's time for the west to get seriously involved or pack up and start learning Russian!

Exactly.

The short term thinking of the West plays into Vlads hands. He just needs to sit it out.

I disagree with some of the negative assessments made here regarding Russians. They do a pretty good job in the EW sphere and drone operation. All weapons using GPS like Himars and Excalibur are greatly reduced in their effectiveness due to Russian counter measurements. It's a technological cat and mouse war. There needs to be a leap forward to which Russians will have a hard time to catch up.........or since it is mainly an artillery war increase 155 mm shell and barrel production to a level Russia can't match and slowly grind her down. Remember Russia was using up to 60k shells per day at the beginning of the war. Give Russia lots of her own medicine back.

[Tartiflette Fan]

Exactly.

The short term thinking of the West plays into Vlads hands. He just needs to sit it out.

I disagree with some of the negative assessments made here regarding Russians. They do a pretty good job in the EW sphere and drone operation. All weapons using GPS like Himars and Excalibur are greatly reduced in their effectiveness due to Russian counter measurements. It's a technological cat and mouse war. There needs to be a leap forward to which Russians will have a hard time to catch up.........or since it is mainly an artillery war increase 155 mm shell and barrel production to a level Russia can't match and slowly grind her down. Remember Russia was using up to 60k shells per day at the beginning of the war. Give Russia lots of her own medicine back.

You need then to explain how - in heavily-contested areas in Donetsk and Sevastopol where you would expect dense protection jamming - individual buildings ( even floors ) have been successfully targeted when there have been conferences of high-ranking officers ( or New year celebrations )

"Around 400 Russian soldiers were reportedly killed in a Ukrainian HIMARS missile attack in the occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine. The attack hit a building in the city of Makiivka, where Russian forces were believed to be stationed, just after the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve"

I didn't bother to quote reports of the two strikes on the Black Sea Fleet HQ in Sevastopol and its back-up HQ NE of the city which reportedly killed , amongst others, Admiral of the Fleet Sokolov. Around the same time, GPS -guided cruise-missiles hit the Kilo-class submarine Rostov-on-Don and the Ropucha-class (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ropucha-class_landing_ship) landing ship Minsk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_landing_ship_Minsk) in Sevastopol harbour. Only three or four missiles were used which all hit their targets.


Des that sound like greatly reduced effectiveness to anyone ?

[TURIN]

Open your eyes and read the newspapers and if not into reading listen to some news channels.
I don't buy Newspapers anymore since I found out they lie like a cheap watch. The tv news channels I watch in the UK, Sky, BBC, CH4, Al Jazeera as far as I know have not been reporting criticism of the speed of the Ukraine counter offensive.

[NutLoose]

Unfecking real, I hope the bastards are next on Putins list, they will bloody learn a lesson I wouldn’t wish on anyone, these idiots will see it as as delaying loads, not people dying because of it.
I am surprised at Poland, I wonder how they will cope if the border becomes Russia / Polands due to things like this happening. Totally agree with

I think the people who are doing this blockade have lost sight of what is most important. To keep Russia from invading their countries and to help a neighboring country to get the materiel it needs.


https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1731659144476655789

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1731659144476655789


and bear in mind this guy will be gone in weeks as he lost the election.

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1731699907738677561

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1731699907738677561

[Lonewolf_50]

Nutty, you need a remedial course in expectations management.
War is a subset of politics.
What you are seeing there is politics.
The two are not separate entities.
a. There were a variety of political things that got in the way of a whole host of operations in the conflict surrounding the break up of
Yugoslavia
many of us used to grit our teeth and curse about.
b. The political foot dragging in WW II as regards making progress, as overseen by the Combined Staff, was legendary.
c. Those are but two exmples of many.

That's how this stuff works. To believe otherwise is naïve. .

[NutLoose]

Putin threatens Latvia,

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1731777252914835619

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1731777252914835619

[NutLoose]

A heartfelt plea to stick with Ukraine. And we need to more than ever, the petty squabbles and reduction in support has to stop, and not just for Ukraines safety but the rest of the west. If we wane now and Putin obtains his goals it will give him a signal that all he needs to do is hold out for a couple of years in the next Country he attacks and the west will eventually roll over and play dead.

https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1731790664050872324

https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1731790664050872324

[Lonewolf_50]

In 1990, there were about 2.5 million people in Latvia
Now there seems to be about 1.9 or 1.8 million.

Where did everybody go?
As a point of comparison,
the Houston metro area has about 8 million people in it.
Croatia has a population of about 5 million
Berlin about 4 million, plus a bit.



[NutLoose]

Maybe so but GDP wise Latvia leaves the US behind in donations To Ukraine.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/how-much-aid-the-u-s-has-sent-to-ukraine-in-6-charts

[Winemaker]

In 1990, there were about 2.5 million people in Latvia
Now there seems to be about 1.9 or 1.8 million.

Where did everybody go?
As a point of comparison,
the Houston metro area has about 8 million people in it.
Croatia has a population of about 5 million
Berlin about 4 million, plus a bit.




Sorry, but I don't understand your point, can you expand a bit?

[ORAC]

In 1990, there were about 2.5 million people in Latvia
Now there seems to be about 1.9 or 1.8 million.

Where did everybody go?
They died.

Average birth rate is well below the rate required to maintain the population. That reflects the situation across the whole of Europe (especially Russia).

Much of Western Europe has maintained population growth through immigration, a route most of Eastern Europe has been reluctant to take.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Latvia

https://www.statista.com/statistics/612074/fertility-rates-in-european-countries/

​​​​​​​https://www.statista.com/chart/30818/average-number-of-live-births-per-woman-in-the-eu/

[treadigraph]

Some years ago I heard an interview on Radio 4 with the Ambassador of one of the Baltic states, forget which one. He said something to the effect that far too many of their brightest and best had left the country for the richer pastures of Germany, Sweden and so on, making it very difficult to improve the country's economic outlook.

[NutLoose]

Belgium to supply Ukraine with F16's in 2025, let's hope they are still around to receive them.

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1731973479723934205

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1731973479723934205

[NutLoose]

Loud explosions heard in Sevastopol

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1731957073879920668

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1731957073879920668

[NutLoose]

Up Armouring a Leopard 2A4 Ukrainian style

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1731659630131224742

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1731659630131224742

[NutLoose]

Ukrainians found and put back into service a 1950 Gaz-69!!

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1731287911281373558

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1731287911281373558

[NutLoose]

A Platoon of up armoured Leopard 2A4's in the Donetsk Oblast region

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1730476286919807441

[NutLoose]

A date to remember.....

https://twitter.com/VolodyaTretyak/status/1731959648972877839

https://twitter.com/VolodyaTretyak/status/1731959648972877839

[NutLoose]

Survival chances have to be pretty close to zero with that lot delivered to them.

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1731705000315777489

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1731705000315777489

[NutLoose]

Another fire, this time an oil depot in occupied Luhansk

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1731590120845779200

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1731590120845779200

[NutLoose]

Interesting Russian APC destroyed near Avdiikva, (Corrected These losses are from June 2023 in Opytne)
white wheel rims, white striped down the side of the body, coloured Russian logo on the turret, Is this a moscow parade vehicle being used at the front?


https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1731286181369823487

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1731286181369823487

[NutLoose]

Erm is she partially naked?

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1730879241460306273

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1730879241460306273

[NutLoose]

:(

https://twitter.com/UKikaski/status/1731665482141307297

https://twitter.com/UKikaski/status/1731665482141307297

[ORAC]

https://x.com/gerashchenko_en/status/1731969062714962350?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Russian Duma announced the revival of counterintelligence SMERSH in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories - Russian MP Gurulev.

"We have created a department that works in the new territories in this approximate way," Gurulev wrote, meaning the times of World War 2, when SMERSH carried out extrajudicial massacres of detainees during World War II.

In his opinion, a similar structure should operate in all Russian regions. "I talked to the Far East, where we have based nuclear submarines, our ships. They, as well, may be threatened, so we need to treat defense issues a little differently," Gurulev said.

[NutLoose]

Russian Submarine Project 636.3 Varshavyanka appears to be under tow to Sevastopol

https://twitter.com/aborealis940/status/1732020200394887534

https://twitter.com/aborealis940/status/1732020200394887534