Why have Russia's non-Russian ethnic minorities joined the Russian army in large numbers to fight in Putin's wars? A fascinating and sad interview of a reindeer herder turned contract soldier helps to explain. A 🧵 giving the wider context of the interview.

There are reports on social media today (both Ukrainian armed forces and Russian channels) that Ukraine is now on the offensive in both Kherson and SE Kharkiv and have made significant territorial gains on both fronts. Whether opportunistic or not, this looks to be a much wider operation than was previously suggested. Possibly the focus on Russian logistics is starting to have a substantial impact on the battlefield. Early days, but this is starting to look like very good news!

Reports of a major breakthrough by UKR at a major rail junction north of Izium. LDR conscript troops folding and retreating in disarray. Could cut all major resupply to the front line.

Russia recruiting soldiers in mental institutions
 

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-recr...ne-war-1739963

If this is true, it is vile beyond belief. The persons responsible can only be looking at fulfilling a quota and being praised/getting a bonus/avoiding the chop. How likely is such a patient to make a good soldier ? Is it not much more likely that other Russians fighting will be appalled , and frightened, if they believe that this is the level to which the Red Army has sunk ?

The end of center pivot irrigators often have a sprayer to increase the coverage. There's lots of them in my neighborhood. I've even landed in a field with one operating. Happily they are very slow moving.

There is no limit to Russia’s inhumanity to Russians.

From yesterdays attack. Great image of the damage to the bridge span as well.

Dar'iivka, #Kherson pontoon bridge GO BOOM. After attack reportedly by 🇺🇦 fighter aircraft, The pontoon bridge is no more as can be seen on these recent sat. images, also a warehouse area on the S side has been hit and can be seen burning.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....51df0cdba.jpeg

Russian military commander of occupied Berdyansk blown up with car-bomb.
 

https://tdpelmedia.com/russian-comma...ed-by-car-bomb

”This f***ing Dnipr river, it’s full of corpses now”…

That guy needs to be careful: half a pack of cigarettes in 40 minutes is really bad for your health :E

Welll to be honest anyone who signs up for the Russian military as things are in Ukraine must be mad

Love the comment about the pontoon bridge lol

which of course refers to missing Snake Island.

Welt: Scholz blocks delivery of tanks to Ukraine.

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) is ready to supply Ukraine with 100 Leopard 2A7 tanks and provide training sessions for soldiers worth 1.55 billion euros.

Yet, according to Die Welt, Chancellor Scholz did not react to the offer.

Hope the hospital doesn’t have windows that open.
They should change the reports on Russian casualties to include “fell out of a high window in [check one as appropriate] A) Hospital. B) Hotel,
C) Headquarters D) Basement. E) Authorities have not decided where the tragic accident will take place. F) Other. “

I find it a bit unplausible that the manufacturer would have 100 2A7's idling in their back yard. They might be able to deliver of course but it must be on a longer time frame and as upgrades from existing A4's or A6's, which KMW would need to obtain from Bundeswehr or some other current user.

Turkey turns down Russia’s request to buy UAV’s and Putin visits N Korea to buy ammo and rockets.

https://twitter.com/GlobalDefCorp

Knowing what we do about the quality and reliability of Russia's 40-50-60-70 yr old ammo stocks what confidence would you place on anything coming from Kim Fat Wun's WW2/Korean War storage bunkers?
OK. Much of it will undoubtedly work but it smells to me of the blind leading the blind and I don't suppose even pressed Orcs from the 'stans will grow to trust or like N Korean ordnance.

Correct its delivery within 3 years

Not the same model ( didn't search in depth ) but Rheinmetall had 88 Leo 1A5 in the back yard in April. It is, after all, only like taking your 2010 Volvo in exchange for the 2020 model and then unloading it/them on a buyer whose pockets aren't so well padded

https://www.rnd.de/politik/rheinmeta...WGF7B3D4Q.html

Don't dismiss N Korean munitions lightly. In the 1980s the Omani army lacked a suitable counter-battery weapon (PDRY had 130mm artillery), so they 'sourced' a supply of 130mm guns for themselves. Guess where the rounds came from? I only know the answer because I have one of the casings holding umbrellas and a hockey stick in the hallway..

Acquiring the casing was a proper multi-national event: the gun (Chinese-built to a Russian design, firing N Korean-made ammunition) was crewed by Omanis under the command of an NZ battery commander. After firing, a Rhodesian/Zim pilot and a Brit pilot (me) were allowed to take a couple as souvenirs; we loaded them into our US-designed, Italian-built helis for the trip home.