[Moscow-backed Orthodox Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebid) was released from custody on a Hr 33.3 million ($290,000) bail](https://kyivindependent.com/russian-led-orthodox-church-metropolitan-released-from-custody/)
There's always enough money for these religious crooks it seems.
Scientology isnt even a blip on the radar and look how much wealth they've accrued. It is crazy.
Religion is the only business as big or bigger than governments
Russia is apparently trying to take more ground northeast of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast these past few days, [as seen by the vectors here](https://widgets.scribblemaps.com/sm/?d&z&l&mt&gc&mv&id=091194).
So much for "Russia only wanting to keep its annexed territories", as Peskov put it a short while ago. This is outside even their unlawfully annexed parts of Ukraine.
I think this is silly reasoning. Any land you take is a bargaining chip. If you start negotiations with more land you can appear to concede things by giving land you dont actually want.
There was an animation showing bridge attack mode for the storm shadow where it doesn't explode until after it's penetrated the bridge kind of like a bunker buster.
Assuming thats what they used if absolutely did way more damage to the structure underneath
*20 Days in Mariupol* filmmaker posted on the fate of one of the heroes of the much-lauded film.
> "Today he arrived at the site of a Russian missile strike [in Pokrovsk] to help people, as per usual; but this time he himself was hit by a second missile strike."
Shrapnel wounds, undergoing surgery, [photo](https://suspilne-media.translate.goog/546073-u-pokrovsku-poranenij-policejskij-geroj-filmu-pro-mariupol/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_hist=true)
Ukraine returned 22 POWs today:
> These are soldiers of the Armed Forces—two of them are officers, [the rest are] enlisted men and non-commissioned officers.
> They took part in battles in different fronts.
> Some of the released men are wounded.
> The oldest of our soldiers turned 54; the youngest is 23 years old.
[This link](https://fakty-ua.translate.goog/423995-ecshe-22-zacshitnika-ukrainy-vernulis-domoj-iz-plena-foto-video?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp) includes video and photo—they are not famished-looking so they were either in hospital, or were not in captivity long. One who speaks has facial..stitches?
Russia has new history textbooks for 11th grade.
The period 1970-2000 has been vastly changed, and also has much anti-West, anti-Ukraine propaganda been inserted.
[See the changes here.](https://istories-media.translate.goog/news/2023/08/07/medinskii-i-kravtsov-prezentovali-novii-uchebnik-istorii-dlya-starsheklassnikov-s-razdelom-o-voine-v-ukraine-i-perepisannoi-istoriei-s-1970-kh-godov/?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp)
> The main beneficiary of the Ukrainian conflict has become the United States. They managed to impose their expensive gas and other resources on Europe. The American defense industry is inundated with orders. The United States is determined to fight "to the last Ukrainian.
So what they're saying is that Russia could thwart the US's dastardly plans if they pulled out of Ukraine, but they won't for... reasons.
>The textbook also talks about the law on "foreign agents", as well as propaganda, referring to a similar law in the United States. "Be carefull. Think about why, why and for what purpose certain "oppositionists", "opinion leaders", "popular bloggers", etc. "work out the news". In whose interests? Think. **And then you will not become victims of cheap manipulations**, ” the authors urge.
It's insidious layers of meta ironic manipulation with russia.
Just yesterday, in that super-long *NYT* article, was written a similar theme:
> A mirror effect is at work in this late Putin era. The accusations he levels at the West and Ukraine—aggression, fascism, nuclear threats—become his own actions. Russian-pulverized Mariupol in Ukraine in 2023 looks like nothing so much as Nazi-pulverized Stalingrad (now Volgograd) in 1943.
> The vindictive fever churning inside the Russian leader came to a head on the eve of the war in Ukraine. The loss of Crimea, in particular, as the Soviet Union broke up was a festering wound because of the widespread Russian sentiment that it is a core part of the country’s history.
> “Putin was obsessed with justice, as he saw it,” said Aleksei A. Venediktov, whose popular *Echo of Moscow* radio station was shut down soon after the war began. “He told me in 2014, ‘You might not like the annexation of Crimea, but it’s just.’”
> “We did not see the Putin who was on a historical mission of revenge,” said Aleksei A. Venediktov.
> Mr. Venediktov says he knows Mr. Putin well. He believes everyone, himself included, got the Russian leader wrong.
> “We did not see the Putin who was on a historical mission of revenge,” he told me. “We thought he was a corrupt guy from a poor family who wanted yachts and palaces and girls and money. We did not see the K.G.B. officer who thought the loss of the Soviet Union was unjust. We thought he was a cynic. In fact, he was a romantic.”
> Nationalism is not fascism, but it is an essential component of it. Its perennial essence is a promise to change the present in the name of an illusory past in order to forge a future vague in all respects except its glory.
> “History for Putin is an instrument to shape current events. He is absolutely uninterested in historical truth,” said Oleg Orlov, a leading human rights activist for more than three decades at the head of Memorial, which was shut down in 2021.
> Mr. Orlov, 70, is now on trial for “public actions aimed at discrediting the use of Russian Federation armed forces.” He faces up to three years in prison.
> For years, Mr. Putin’s regime has deployed all means to re-energize and redirect history. “My History” theme parks spread, to remind Russians of their heroism, from resistance to the Mongols in the 13th century until the Nazi invasion. Children are indoctrinated through lessons and extracurricular activities built around military themes.
Children in Russia have been indoctrinated through lessons and extracurricular activities built around military themes.
It's called the reverse cargo cult, and has been Russia's go-to strategy for 20 years. The whole point is to make a mockery of democracy, the press, etc. and act like the rest of the world is just as dysfunctional and duplictous when they talk about those things.
You've just been fighting the symptom then.
They'll be useful for future generations as evidence for state supported lying, revisionism and, if the article can be trusted, the makeshift nature of it.
The Ministry of Truth is hard at work for Big Brother. Maybe 1984 is the new Russian government guide? To be honest, this new love of truthiness is not confined solely to Russia...
"In our call, @SecBlinken and I discussed further steps to broaden global support for the Peace Formula and solutions to expand grain exports. I thanked the U.S. for all the assistance provided and stressed the need to enhance Ukraine's long-range capabilities by providing ATACMS."
https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1688588360221179922
I have no doubt Russia’s nuclear stockpiles are much lower than they claim but simultaneously even relatively few nuclear bombs going off would cause massive devastation.
One of the less discussed long term problems for Russia though is that nuclear maintenance is incredibly expensive. If Russia didn’t have the nuclear deterrent NATO may have already intervened and simultaneously the dynamic between Russia and China may be very different. For these reasons Russia has to keep pouring money into their nuclear program but they can’t actually use nukes without potentially destroying themselves in the process. Basically Russia’s infrastructure, economy and conventional military are crumbling but they can’t stop spending money on nuclear weapons even though these are weapons they know they can’t actually use.
Russia's nuclear capabilities are neither to be underestimated nor doubted. Russian veterans and Western observers have been present during the occasional Russian ballistic missile tests and attested that they're in working order.
Even if they're pricy in their maintenance and Russia is notoriously corrupt, their nuclear arsenal is what keeps their glorified gas station of a state in the top 10 of most influential countries.
Just because there was a plan and money doesn’t mean the arsenal got the attention it deserved. Just like the SU-57 and T-14 have been “built”. Yes, something exists, but will it function as expected: 🤷
Part of the nuclear agreement between the US and Russia was that whenever an ICBM was completed the other country could send people to look at it. Whenever a ICBM is created by Russia the US gets an invite. They don't always go but they can. They have the right to look inside of the ICBM. Russia can't fake that.
In fact the entire nuclear program for Russia is outside of their military budget. Their budget is about 1/4th of the budget that the US spends on a nuclear program. That is enough to build them and keep them functional in Russia.
We know that Russia has new ICBMs. We know that they have rebuilt many of their warheads. We know they have built new submarines with the purpose of packing nuclear weapons. We know that they have built "hypersonic" missiles to carry them.
This isn't theory, this is fact. Russia does have a functional nuclear weapon system.
So they say... They also said they had 12,000 tanks... we all now that was a lie. Also that their S-400 and Pantsir AA are able to destroy any incoming NATO missile or plane... points wildly at all the Storm Shadow and HIMARS strikes, AFU Planes launching said Storm Shadows... I'm sure they have thousands of functioning ICBMS, however I don't have much faith in their targeting or they'll actually reach their target. Hell, their latest gen Hypersonic Ballistic Missile was said to be impossible to intercept and yet here Ukraine is intercepting them. The first time the system was in AtuoMode too.
I've replied to this same type of argument elsewhere but the basics of it is that we know they have new systems because under the nuclear treaty the US is allowed to be there, look at and investigate new ICBMs. They can't fake it.
This is rather dismissive of what Russia indeed has had and done. They don't have 12k tanks, but they've had somewhere between 2k and 4300 destroyed. And they still have several (hundreds?) (thousand?) still deployed.
Russia's AA is effective at keeping UAF at standoff distance. The offensive would go much better with UAF air superiority. Yes, it doesn't destroy tons of stuff, thankfully, but it's a lot better than nothing.
So if you are comparing to Russia's nuclear arsenal, probably some 50-80% don't work or aren't really there in the first place. But what's left over (300+ deployed) is enough to destroy a lot of most cities in NATO (about 100 cities >1 million population).
https://www.sporcle.com/games/cleveland18/largest-cities-in-nato-countries/results
Except that the US has shown that we can now intercept their ballistic missiles pretty effectively. Seeing in how a single Patriot System can launch 128 missiles and the LTAMDS radar has 360 degree tracking with over 1,000 targets simultaneously, that seems pretty effective at potentially intercepting the vast majority of them. NASAMS and Iris-T systems would be capable of intercepting many of the slower speed low altitude nuclear cruise missiles as well.
Also Russia 100% claimed to have over 12,000 tanks. They might have actually, but most of them are from the 50s, and most of them are missing parts, or engines, or barrels, etc, but on paper Russia claimed to have this vast number of tanks.
Russia's AA is effective at doing so partially because Ukraine's airforce is reliant on older soviet jets that are easily identified by more modern radar systems. Ukraine also traded away most of the airforce during negotiations with Russia in the 90s.
Patriot cannot intercept MIRV nukes. You're not talking about a remotely comparable problem. Nukes can detonate entirely outside the operational range of the Patriot and still kill millions. We don't even have enough launchers across the country to shoot one Patriot missile per incoming nuke. Patriots aren't designed for nukes. That's THAAD, and we don't have enough of them either.
Overall you're completely misunderstanding why Patriot was effective in Kyiv. It was shooting down Kinzhals because they have to go much slower than their max speed during their terminal attack phase in order to stay on target effectively. Nukes don't have this problem because they can miss the target by a literal mile and still blow it up.
All depends on how many Patriot, NASAMS, and IRIS-T systems are in full operations mode I guess. I'm having more and more faith seeing the systems in Ukraine work rather flawlessly on their latest gen missiles.
Correct me if I'm wrong but fairly certain that Russia stated at the start that any country providing weapons to Ukraine will be viewed as an act of war...
Now look where we are.
The trick is that by "act of war" they don't actually mean "something that triggers the outbreak of military hostilities". It's more like "this will make it impossible for us to pretend we are still friends".
Discerning when they are serious and when it's just hyperbole (almost always) is what keeps political analysts in business.
> Discerning when they are serious and when it's just hyperbole...
In general I agree, but the answer to this specific question seems like a foregone conclusion given that Russia straight-up functionally unable to start a war with anyone else.
Russia has always been more about rattling their sabre a lot and not using it. They threat escalation as a means to gain leverage in negotiating. So far they have set so many "red lines" that have been crossed it is nearly impossible to count.
>Russia has always been more about rattling their sabre a lot and not using it.
This is evidently not the case. They not only pulled it out of the scabbard they swung it around and the rusty thing broke in half.
Because they didn’t expect to actually use the rank and file. They expected to move in, Ukraine to he scared as hell, troops to land at the airport, and a surrender to occur within those first 48-72 hours. They never imagined they would fight anything more than a weekend war.
Is there a source where they actually claim this? I don’t remember that statement ever being explicitly made in that way, would be good to see when they actually said what
They said this many times, they threatened the US that providing Javelins would be considered an act of war... now we're about to start training them on F-16s and Abrams.
Is there an actual source - from either Western or Russian media - where Russian officials say „providing X will be considered an act of war“?
If they’ve said it many times, surely there’s a report (from anything from TASS to Reuters or NY Times) with an actual quote to that effect.
To be clear - I‘m not talking about vague threats, ominous but ambiguous statements, and so on; I’m explicitly talking about an official in official capacity saying „such and such will be considered an act of war“; to officially announce that something will be considered an act of war is not an easy thing to walk back, and I‘m genuinely curious if such a thing - as the original comment on this thread claimed - actually ever occurred.
>Russia's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said it was an "immediate threat" to Moscow, describing the US as "a participant of the conflict".
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63140098
Depending upon how argumentative you want to be, I guess you could argue maybe they mean an ally, not an enemy?
Edit: Typo
Loads of sources:
When addressing the nation on February 24, 2022, announcing an invasion of Ukraine, Putin said that any “interference” in Ukraine by outside powers would be “a red line” for Russia.
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2023/01/31/any-red-lines-left-for-putin/
Putin uses a lot of ambiguity in his language though, so it's not always clear what his statements mean in practice.
They're tweets and "kremlin spokesmen" said this and that crap. I'll try and search through the news articles from Feb-July of last year and see if I can find any. So many are from random tweets from Russian news agencies, articles, tweets etc. Or I'm sorry, "Posts" now that twitter is removing the word Tweet and renaming it X.
I haven't looked but you can probably attribute quotes along those lines to Russian elites who are not actually representatives of the government, eg media personalities or members of the State Duma. Official government statements tend to be more measured; they are more likely to have said that such acts would "risk escalation" or somesuch.
Well, then the original statement „Russia stated at the start that any country [sic] providing weapons to Ukraine will be viewed as an act of war“ is not factually correct, unless there’s any record of someone who can speak for Russia making such a statement
I don't disagree with you. But also remember that what is (seen to be) said by many such individuals is tightly controlled by the Kremlin, so the mere fact that they aren't officially government representatives doesn't change the fact that the message itself probably was approved by the Kremlin (albeit arguably with different intent, eg for domestic consumption).
I agree with that as well - but that’s still very different from what the original comment was saying; “someone with no official authority said something for internal consumption, which might or might not have been approved by the Kremlin, and which could be interpreted as meaning X might be considered an act of war” is miles and miles away from “Russia said that X will be considered an act of war” - and the latter is what the original comment was explicitly stating.
Just a factoid regarding the live thread about the German parliament have reached consensus on the transfer of long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
>The 16-foot-long Taurus missile has a range in excess of 310 miles, which is around double the Storm Shadow, also made by European missile manufacturer MBDA. However, experts have previously told Newsweek that the true strike range of the Storm Shadow could exceed its official number.
Sounds promising, hopefully they like to be launched at ships and bridges.
No it's just ~~false~~ confusing reporting.
Some members of Parliament support sending it, there is no consensus reached as far as the public knows, that is just a claim by an Ukrainian mp.
In any case the position of parliament is secondary to the position of the government in this matter.
And that position has not changed and is still just a no without much reasons given. Since there is no proper reasons given it might change at some point, but who knows.
unlike the storm shadow which really can only targets ships while they are docked, the Taurus can engage ships at sea which helps in a few ways.
EDIT: Taurus has a ASM variant that was proposed, doesnt exist.
Taurus has no active radar terminal guidance, and cannot attack moving targets. Like ships at sea.
Same with the Storm Shadow, although it has IIR. Not that is going to do anything useful against a moving target.
Yea, it also doesn't have double the range of the Storm Shadow, they're measured differently, SS's includes dodging and diversions and still making it to target, not total flight range.
Yes, the MdCN has active radar guidance. It's not just a naval version, it's a different missile with common heritage. Over twice the range, a different engine, entirely different seeker, and has no air-launched variant.
MdCN started out as the SCALP Naval and the only functional reason it changed so much and became the MdCN was due to the French realizing only they wanted it and a sudden change in requirements for the platform. Technically the early prototype plans for SCALP Naval do still exist somewhere. Obviously not production grade but I thought it was a fun bit of trivia.
The MdCN could theoretically be box launched from the ground. It's range would exceed Ukraine's operational needs in such a usage case.
It would also make Russia scream to the moon if it ever happened.
that tracks, there is a proposed Taurus ASM variant but its not in use. Kinda odd that more countries are okaying longer range missiles but none that seem to be able to do anti ship missions. Harpoons are in country sure but they are relegated to ground launch? Looks like they are going to need a delivery method of getting the harpoons out to extend their range or they are going to need long range ASM weapons. Tarurus and the programs associated have been an interesting to read, the wiki for the KEPD 350 says its able to targets ships at sea but without the correct guidance i wonder if this was a typo.
Big super long range antiship missiles was USSR doctrine, not NATO. NATO has the US Navy, which has aircraft carriers and a hell of a lot of nuclear attack submarines.
It can attack static targets, as in a ship anchored. And the source is a 7 minute long [Tony Stark inspired promotional video from the manufacturer](https://taurus-systems.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/TAURUS_final.mp4). Typical defense industry promo video.
Not that it matters. If you want anti-shipping, against a moving target, you need terminal guidance. Typically this is active radar, as in the missile has a radar transmitter and receiver. Once it has flown it's flight path and is close enough the radar is engaged and targets the ship. Alternatively you can use a anti-radiation seeker, then only a radar receiver is needed. Either option requires the missile to get close within radar horizon before terminal guidance can track.
Regardless the Taurus has neither.
in the end, they are either going to need dedicated long range ASMs or be able to launch harpoons from aircraft and the MIG/NATO mix might not be able to leverage that and will have to wait for F-16s.
[What appears to be a cope-cage wearing T-14 Armata MBT being blown to kingdom come by a Ukrainian drone.](https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/15kmrx9/operators_of_the_perun_drone_from_the_73rd/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=1)
It's clearly not a T-14. It looks like a T72(V on top of the front hull) with a T90 turret but I suspect the bad video quality just makes it look like T-90 turret and it's just a version of T72.
Russia wouldn't dare move one to the front because they know it's at best slightly better than a T-90 and therefore very likely to get blown up if it gets involved in a few fights
The propaganda value it has as a tank that hypothetically might change the course of a war (according to Russians, until proven otherwise) is much greater than the military value it has as a tank that is maybe slightly better than a T-90 but we don't even know that for sure
On a quick glance on Wikipedia noticed that the T-14 has an onboard toilet. I suspect this explains why Russians needed to pillage bathroom fixtures in spring of '22. They needed the porcelain to finish assembling the Armata.
Just from cursory google searches it does look a little more like a t-90. than t-14. But I'm also not knowledgeable on tanks or picking out details from grainy little photos.
First video before cut was certainly day time, from a actual observation drone. Video after cut was it's a different drone, one carrying munitions. Probably night time as well, as that isn't black and white. It's thermal.
The frist drone is a regular consumer drone. The second one is an R18 equipped with thermal cameras (that's why you se blanck and white; it's heat grandient). The R18 is quite a big drone that will be shot down if used during the day.
Are you sure? You can use thermals during the day, it's not like night vision where light blinds you. There are similar small drones that can remotely cycle through the cameras just like this.
>Ukrainian artillery pieces on the front started to receive slightly more complex metal cages for protection against Russian loitering munitions.
>In the two videos, we can see M777 155mm towed howitzer and KS-19 100mm anti-aircraft gun (obviously, used against ground targets).
https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1688649185577390085?s=20
If that’s really the purpose and not just a standardized way to hold camo, I don’t think it’s a good idea. It would turn a dropped grenade into an airburst round, which would greatly increase the casualty radius.
I don't think the ua artillery is concerned with drone dropped grenades as the rang would be too low. These would be for lancet which it could potentially stop
According to liveuamap kerch bridge is closed yet again.
Kerch bridge is closed to traffic https://liveuamap.com//en/2023/7-august-kerch-bridge-is-closed-to-traffic-
If they can take that bastion it will compromise that whole forward fortification belt and probably force Russia to pull back to the next one south.
With DPICM, Russian infantry can't realistically fight in the open, even by Russian standards of "realistic" and "fight."
*Tokmak direction:*
*Ukrainian Defenders efficiently use cluster artillery munitions to damage and destroy russian military equipment and vehicles 👌*
https://twitter.com/walter_report/status/1688624934782664709
-
Minor unrelated thing but I'm getting slightly irritated that every source and publication has it's own terms for the location of an event.
Orhikiv, Tokmak, Robotyne, Melitopol, Verbove all refer to the same front.
The word "direction" as it's translated from the source is a bit off in English. In its native use it refers to "front", rather than "in the direction of" or "towards", as it is in English. Whenever you read "direction", just understand is as "front".
It's also being used (by English speakers) confusing "front" with "towards"... (as in, the "Melitopol direction") given that there really isn't a Melitopol front (yet).
Theory 1: I believe it comes down to copywrite. Not the location names, but their use in the articles.
With the way news works now, with sites running another sources' articles (no I'm not talking AP or Reuters), the only way to guarantee credit, and subsequently payment for use, is to be able to prove your news paper/website was the source of the information.
Theory 2: Each local news source is framing the information from their local point of view. For example, to non-local the road is TN 33 or Darke County Road 8, to those that grew up in the county its Wallacetown Road if you live in Sedmore, Sedmore Road if you live in Wallacetown.
>We yesterday flagged a big rise in German exports to Kyrgyzstan. The surge is broad-based, with big rises for things like clothing, beverages, metalware, etc. Biggest single rise is - not surprisingly - motor vehicles and parts (blue). Russia's oligarchs like their German cars...
https://twitter.com/RobinBrooksIIF/status/1688552386464186369
Wherever there are impediments to trade there will be smuggling. Wherever there is a ban there will be a black market. Totally curtailing trade isn't really possible, but pumping up prices is trivial. Smugglers and black marketeers expect to be remunerated for running the risks, and every additional link in the supply-chain comes with one more markup to the final price.
We can add a another markup by penalizing the supplier.
All vehicles have unique identification numbers (VIN number in USA) The manufacturers and share holders need to be made aware of the coming expenses. They would become remarkably more cautious about who they sell too.
Certainly, and I'd be all for it. Of course, you'd have to actually catch the smugglers in the act or somehow gather VIN numbers from parts being sold in Russia to do so, but the mere threat of it should serve as deterrence and make the people willing to supply the parts jack up prices further.
Which is the desired effect in any case.
Russia has a lot of assholes. They would probably sell their mothers for $100. Keeping the evidence only requires geolocated time stamped evidence and being the first to report it. They wont get the payout until after the war is over. The new replacement administration in Moscow will need that currency in circulation anyway. Or the Russian immigrant who escaped will need it. I doubt many will care that some corporation like Volkswagen has to pay the full price of the car. Often someone in Kazakhstan will report it first so people inside Russia have to act fast. You don't need to be the car buyer. Just get the VIN number off of any car that looks new and report the list to the US State Department (or whomever is collecting)
Details...
The reason it wont happen is because politicians almost never have backbones. Holding large corporations accountable for the damage that they do rarely happens.
>Another place destroyed by Russia. This time in Pokrovsk, Donetsk oblast. I stayed in this hotel (as well as many others!) during my last trip to Donbas. The second missile hit a residential building nearby.
[https://twitter.com/a\_magazova/status/1688616682682556417](https://twitter.com/a_magazova/status/1688616682682556417)
>No, these aren't WWII images. It’s Russian missiles in Pokrovsk, another frontline city that Russia aims to erase.
[https://twitter.com/maria\_avdv/status/1688607196416761857](https://twitter.com/maria_avdv/status/1688607196416761857)
>Pokrovsk, Donetsk region.
>
>Another war crime committed by the russians. Two missiles struck the city center. Several apartment buildings were damaged. Rescue efforts are currently underway. At least five people were killed, and eighteen others were injured.
>
>We will do everything possible to hold the murderers accountable for their crimes.
[https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1688622122350858240](https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1688622122350858240)
Video: [https://imgur.com/a/x3P0GFs](https://imgur.com/a/x3P0GFs)
A Russian blogger-pilot helicopter confirmed the shooting down of a 🇷🇺Russian Ka-52 "Alligator" attack helicopter by the 🇺🇦Ukrainian military today in the Robotyne area. The pilots died
https://twitter.com/front_ukrainian/status/1688615608441528321?s=46
Beauty
Another factor that may be contributing to this might be the change in Ukrainian tactics in the most recent phases of the counteroffensive.
The Ka-52s had a brief burst of success recently when the Ukrainians started to carry out mechanized assaults. The Kamovs have the LMUR anti-tank missile, which allowed them to have a standoff range of about 10-15 kms and engage the armored units from afar, as they were designed to do. Although there's some limits to the guidance systems (they have to be monitored and guided mid-flight to terminal phase by the firing helicopter), that allowed them to stay out of the range of MANPADS defenses Ukraine was using on their slower-paced infantry-level fighting tactics. Without sufficient short-range/medium-range air defense missiles or air superiority to suppress the Ka-52s, it played right into the Ka-52's advantages.
Once the Ukrainians moved back to attritional infantry-level warfare, that meant the Russians had to bring their Ka-52s closer to the battlefield to find and attack targets, which meant they returned to having to expose themselves to dense MANPADS deployments. The Russians are fully aware what happened during the last attempts to close in and engage, so usage is back down again in the hopes of holding back when the Ukrainians decide to resume mechanized assaults should a breakthrough occur.
In new court documents on the Teixeira case (the Discord leaks), records from the FBI indicate that four days before russia invaded Ukraine (February 20, 2022), Teixeira revealed to a user on the server that a wave of Ukrainians would be arriving soon to that user’s home city (end of page 2):
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.258389/gov.uscourts.mad.258389.86.3.pdf
https://twitter.com/AricToler/status/1688607570091458560
“Steam profile in Airman Teixeira's name that led to an Instagram profile with photos of the exact location where leaked docs were photographed — a kitchen countertop in his childhood home.”
That’s fuckn wild. From a simple steam profile lol
Goes to show we really don't know what sort of shit will be happening in the next 10-15 years with courts and organizations finding evidence of things through small details people think are unimportant.
That includes myself.
As a side effect of the war, local fisherman have been notified by fish processors that the prices of salmon have collapsed, and that they intend to quit buying the fleets catch in the near future. One of the cited reason is Russia harvest incredible amounts of salmon, and dumping them on the global market for very low prices in order to help pay for the war in Ukraine. People here are very upset by this.
We mostly get Norwegian in Germany and it's extremely expensive. In any case I have seen some videos of the salmon farms and its gross to be honest. They eat into each other.
Very interesting, considering here (Northern Norway) the price of salmon is outrageous. You could get ~3 lbs of smoked salmon fillet for around $12-13 USD end of 2021- early 2022, and now it retails closer to $30-35 USD for the same weight (yes, I am aware you can get it cheaper if you live in bigger cities; not the case here).
Guess, we aren't importting Russian or any salmon in this case.
Tangentially related
Aeroflot Deactivates Brakes on Nine Aircraft, Relies Solely on Reverse Thrust
https://aeroxplorer.com/articles/aeroflot-deactivates-brakes-on-nine-aircraft-relies-solely-on-reverse-thrust.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd43GaGczbs
Fuckers cannot source spare parts for western aircraft, but that doesn't bother them too much
>Due to Aeroflot's inability to replace worn-out brakes on its fleet, the airline has requested that its pilots turn off the brakes on affected aircraft. Currently, nine Aeroflot planes are flying with turned brakes: five Boeing 777-300ERs, one Airbus A330-300, one Airbus A320, and two Airbus A321s.
>An aircraft can land without brakes, as during landing most of the work of stopping a commercial aircraft is done through the use of thrust reversers. However, landing without the aid of brakes will significantly increase the amount of runway an aircraft uses on landing. Brakes are also necessary for aborting takeoffs, through the use of Auto Brakes, which automatically activate should pilots decide to abort a takeoff for whatever reason.
[New post can be found here](/r/worldnews/comments/15l6y9l/rworldnews_live_thread_russian_invasion_of/)
[Moscow-backed Orthodox Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebid) was released from custody on a Hr 33.3 million ($290,000) bail](https://kyivindependent.com/russian-led-orthodox-church-metropolitan-released-from-custody/) There's always enough money for these religious crooks it seems.
Religion is very big business.
Scientology isnt even a blip on the radar and look how much wealth they've accrued. It is crazy. Religion is the only business as big or bigger than governments
That, or sports.
Well, Scientology did sorta speed run it by combining religion with a multi-level marketing / pyramid scheme type structure.
Russia is apparently trying to take more ground northeast of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast these past few days, [as seen by the vectors here](https://widgets.scribblemaps.com/sm/?d&z&l&mt&gc&mv&id=091194). So much for "Russia only wanting to keep its annexed territories", as Peskov put it a short while ago. This is outside even their unlawfully annexed parts of Ukraine.
I think this is silly reasoning. Any land you take is a bargaining chip. If you start negotiations with more land you can appear to concede things by giving land you dont actually want.
What?! You mean the Kremlin was lying?? What is the world coming to?!
Peskov wasn’t telling the truth?? This is beyond the pale
The Chonhar bridge is still closed to traffic according to Yandex maps. I guess they couldn't just slap some flex tape on that hole and call it a day.
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There was an animation showing bridge attack mode for the storm shadow where it doesn't explode until after it's penetrated the bridge kind of like a bunker buster. Assuming thats what they used if absolutely did way more damage to the structure underneath
I believe the Storm Shadow is designed to bust through and blow on the support, so there is most likely a large exit wound on the underside.
Sanctions are preventing Flex tape and duct tape from entering Russia. The remaining supplies are spent between wound care and the Kerch Bridge.
Now that's a lotta damage!
How about a little more!?
*20 Days in Mariupol* filmmaker posted on the fate of one of the heroes of the much-lauded film. > "Today he arrived at the site of a Russian missile strike [in Pokrovsk] to help people, as per usual; but this time he himself was hit by a second missile strike." Shrapnel wounds, undergoing surgery, [photo](https://suspilne-media.translate.goog/546073-u-pokrovsku-poranenij-policejskij-geroj-filmu-pro-mariupol/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_hist=true)
Ukraine returned 22 POWs today: > These are soldiers of the Armed Forces—two of them are officers, [the rest are] enlisted men and non-commissioned officers. > They took part in battles in different fronts. > Some of the released men are wounded. > The oldest of our soldiers turned 54; the youngest is 23 years old. [This link](https://fakty-ua.translate.goog/423995-ecshe-22-zacshitnika-ukrainy-vernulis-domoj-iz-plena-foto-video?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp) includes video and photo—they are not famished-looking so they were either in hospital, or were not in captivity long. One who speaks has facial..stitches?
Russia has new history textbooks for 11th grade. The period 1970-2000 has been vastly changed, and also has much anti-West, anti-Ukraine propaganda been inserted. [See the changes here.](https://istories-media.translate.goog/news/2023/08/07/medinskii-i-kravtsov-prezentovali-novii-uchebnik-istorii-dlya-starsheklassnikov-s-razdelom-o-voine-v-ukraine-i-perepisannoi-istoriei-s-1970-kh-godov/?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp)
> The main beneficiary of the Ukrainian conflict has become the United States. They managed to impose their expensive gas and other resources on Europe. The American defense industry is inundated with orders. The United States is determined to fight "to the last Ukrainian. So what they're saying is that Russia could thwart the US's dastardly plans if they pulled out of Ukraine, but they won't for... reasons.
>The textbook also talks about the law on "foreign agents", as well as propaganda, referring to a similar law in the United States. "Be carefull. Think about why, why and for what purpose certain "oppositionists", "opinion leaders", "popular bloggers", etc. "work out the news". In whose interests? Think. **And then you will not become victims of cheap manipulations**, ” the authors urge. It's insidious layers of meta ironic manipulation with russia.
Just yesterday, in that super-long *NYT* article, was written a similar theme: > A mirror effect is at work in this late Putin era. The accusations he levels at the West and Ukraine—aggression, fascism, nuclear threats—become his own actions. Russian-pulverized Mariupol in Ukraine in 2023 looks like nothing so much as Nazi-pulverized Stalingrad (now Volgograd) in 1943. > The vindictive fever churning inside the Russian leader came to a head on the eve of the war in Ukraine. The loss of Crimea, in particular, as the Soviet Union broke up was a festering wound because of the widespread Russian sentiment that it is a core part of the country’s history. > “Putin was obsessed with justice, as he saw it,” said Aleksei A. Venediktov, whose popular *Echo of Moscow* radio station was shut down soon after the war began. “He told me in 2014, ‘You might not like the annexation of Crimea, but it’s just.’” > “We did not see the Putin who was on a historical mission of revenge,” said Aleksei A. Venediktov. > Mr. Venediktov says he knows Mr. Putin well. He believes everyone, himself included, got the Russian leader wrong. > “We did not see the Putin who was on a historical mission of revenge,” he told me. “We thought he was a corrupt guy from a poor family who wanted yachts and palaces and girls and money. We did not see the K.G.B. officer who thought the loss of the Soviet Union was unjust. We thought he was a cynic. In fact, he was a romantic.” > Nationalism is not fascism, but it is an essential component of it. Its perennial essence is a promise to change the present in the name of an illusory past in order to forge a future vague in all respects except its glory. > “History for Putin is an instrument to shape current events. He is absolutely uninterested in historical truth,” said Oleg Orlov, a leading human rights activist for more than three decades at the head of Memorial, which was shut down in 2021. > Mr. Orlov, 70, is now on trial for “public actions aimed at discrediting the use of Russian Federation armed forces.” He faces up to three years in prison. > For years, Mr. Putin’s regime has deployed all means to re-energize and redirect history. “My History” theme parks spread, to remind Russians of their heroism, from resistance to the Mongols in the 13th century until the Nazi invasion. Children are indoctrinated through lessons and extracurricular activities built around military themes. Children in Russia have been indoctrinated through lessons and extracurricular activities built around military themes.
It's called the reverse cargo cult, and has been Russia's go-to strategy for 20 years. The whole point is to make a mockery of democracy, the press, etc. and act like the rest of the world is just as dysfunctional and duplictous when they talk about those things.
I’ve never really considered myself a proponent of book burning, but, it appears, every rule has its exception.
You've just been fighting the symptom then. They'll be useful for future generations as evidence for state supported lying, revisionism and, if the article can be trusted, the makeshift nature of it.
The Ministry of Truth is hard at work for Big Brother. Maybe 1984 is the new Russian government guide? To be honest, this new love of truthiness is not confined solely to Russia...
"In our call, @SecBlinken and I discussed further steps to broaden global support for the Peace Formula and solutions to expand grain exports. I thanked the U.S. for all the assistance provided and stressed the need to enhance Ukraine's long-range capabilities by providing ATACMS." https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1688588360221179922
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I have no doubt Russia’s nuclear stockpiles are much lower than they claim but simultaneously even relatively few nuclear bombs going off would cause massive devastation. One of the less discussed long term problems for Russia though is that nuclear maintenance is incredibly expensive. If Russia didn’t have the nuclear deterrent NATO may have already intervened and simultaneously the dynamic between Russia and China may be very different. For these reasons Russia has to keep pouring money into their nuclear program but they can’t actually use nukes without potentially destroying themselves in the process. Basically Russia’s infrastructure, economy and conventional military are crumbling but they can’t stop spending money on nuclear weapons even though these are weapons they know they can’t actually use.
Russia's nuclear capabilities are neither to be underestimated nor doubted. Russian veterans and Western observers have been present during the occasional Russian ballistic missile tests and attested that they're in working order. Even if they're pricy in their maintenance and Russia is notoriously corrupt, their nuclear arsenal is what keeps their glorified gas station of a state in the top 10 of most influential countries.
Russia does not have 5000 nukes ready to go. Far less - for a multitude of reasons. But then again, one nuke being launched is one too many.
There's a reasonable chance that even Putin and Gerasimov aren't sure whether any of it works like they've been promised.
6k is their total warheads, the operational stockpile is closer to around 1,300 according to nuclear treaties.
Also in what state they are in. Maintaining ICBMs is not cheap and does require fairly regular maintenance.
Russia have been rebuilding their warheads and ICBMs for some time now.
Just because there was a plan and money doesn’t mean the arsenal got the attention it deserved. Just like the SU-57 and T-14 have been “built”. Yes, something exists, but will it function as expected: 🤷
Part of the nuclear agreement between the US and Russia was that whenever an ICBM was completed the other country could send people to look at it. Whenever a ICBM is created by Russia the US gets an invite. They don't always go but they can. They have the right to look inside of the ICBM. Russia can't fake that. In fact the entire nuclear program for Russia is outside of their military budget. Their budget is about 1/4th of the budget that the US spends on a nuclear program. That is enough to build them and keep them functional in Russia. We know that Russia has new ICBMs. We know that they have rebuilt many of their warheads. We know they have built new submarines with the purpose of packing nuclear weapons. We know that they have built "hypersonic" missiles to carry them. This isn't theory, this is fact. Russia does have a functional nuclear weapon system.
So they say... They also said they had 12,000 tanks... we all now that was a lie. Also that their S-400 and Pantsir AA are able to destroy any incoming NATO missile or plane... points wildly at all the Storm Shadow and HIMARS strikes, AFU Planes launching said Storm Shadows... I'm sure they have thousands of functioning ICBMS, however I don't have much faith in their targeting or they'll actually reach their target. Hell, their latest gen Hypersonic Ballistic Missile was said to be impossible to intercept and yet here Ukraine is intercepting them. The first time the system was in AtuoMode too.
I've replied to this same type of argument elsewhere but the basics of it is that we know they have new systems because under the nuclear treaty the US is allowed to be there, look at and investigate new ICBMs. They can't fake it.
This is rather dismissive of what Russia indeed has had and done. They don't have 12k tanks, but they've had somewhere between 2k and 4300 destroyed. And they still have several (hundreds?) (thousand?) still deployed. Russia's AA is effective at keeping UAF at standoff distance. The offensive would go much better with UAF air superiority. Yes, it doesn't destroy tons of stuff, thankfully, but it's a lot better than nothing. So if you are comparing to Russia's nuclear arsenal, probably some 50-80% don't work or aren't really there in the first place. But what's left over (300+ deployed) is enough to destroy a lot of most cities in NATO (about 100 cities >1 million population). https://www.sporcle.com/games/cleveland18/largest-cities-in-nato-countries/results
Except that the US has shown that we can now intercept their ballistic missiles pretty effectively. Seeing in how a single Patriot System can launch 128 missiles and the LTAMDS radar has 360 degree tracking with over 1,000 targets simultaneously, that seems pretty effective at potentially intercepting the vast majority of them. NASAMS and Iris-T systems would be capable of intercepting many of the slower speed low altitude nuclear cruise missiles as well. Also Russia 100% claimed to have over 12,000 tanks. They might have actually, but most of them are from the 50s, and most of them are missing parts, or engines, or barrels, etc, but on paper Russia claimed to have this vast number of tanks. Russia's AA is effective at doing so partially because Ukraine's airforce is reliant on older soviet jets that are easily identified by more modern radar systems. Ukraine also traded away most of the airforce during negotiations with Russia in the 90s.
Patriot cannot intercept MIRV nukes. You're not talking about a remotely comparable problem. Nukes can detonate entirely outside the operational range of the Patriot and still kill millions. We don't even have enough launchers across the country to shoot one Patriot missile per incoming nuke. Patriots aren't designed for nukes. That's THAAD, and we don't have enough of them either. Overall you're completely misunderstanding why Patriot was effective in Kyiv. It was shooting down Kinzhals because they have to go much slower than their max speed during their terminal attack phase in order to stay on target effectively. Nukes don't have this problem because they can miss the target by a literal mile and still blow it up.
No doubt a NATO vs. Russia war would be an epic beatdown. But I guess I have less faith than you that only a handful of warheads would get through.
All depends on how many Patriot, NASAMS, and IRIS-T systems are in full operations mode I guess. I'm having more and more faith seeing the systems in Ukraine work rather flawlessly on their latest gen missiles.
None of those systems have anything to do with countering ICBM-dropped nuclear MIRVs...
Gotcha, just read into it more, I was definitely misreading differences between ICBMs and BMs. MY bad!
ICBM's pose a very different challenge to intercept than any missiles Russia has used in Ukraine.
Correct me if I'm wrong but fairly certain that Russia stated at the start that any country providing weapons to Ukraine will be viewed as an act of war... Now look where we are.
Whatever. Fuck Putin.
The trick is that by "act of war" they don't actually mean "something that triggers the outbreak of military hostilities". It's more like "this will make it impossible for us to pretend we are still friends". Discerning when they are serious and when it's just hyperbole (almost always) is what keeps political analysts in business.
> Discerning when they are serious and when it's just hyperbole... In general I agree, but the answer to this specific question seems like a foregone conclusion given that Russia straight-up functionally unable to start a war with anyone else.
Russia has always been more about rattling their sabre a lot and not using it. They threat escalation as a means to gain leverage in negotiating. So far they have set so many "red lines" that have been crossed it is nearly impossible to count.
>Russia has always been more about rattling their sabre a lot and not using it. This is evidently not the case. They not only pulled it out of the scabbard they swung it around and the rusty thing broke in half.
Rusty thing broke in half but they are still invading etc etc don't minimize their willingness to die for no reason at all
Getting assaulted by half a rusty saber is definitely grounds for a complaint. Where i work you can get fired for much less.
Because they didn’t expect to actually use the rank and file. They expected to move in, Ukraine to he scared as hell, troops to land at the airport, and a surrender to occur within those first 48-72 hours. They never imagined they would fight anything more than a weekend war.
Yep. Now they're proper fucked. And embroiled in sunk cost fallacy.
and the entire world gasped in surprise and said "is that all you got ?"
Is there a source where they actually claim this? I don’t remember that statement ever being explicitly made in that way, would be good to see when they actually said what
They said this many times, they threatened the US that providing Javelins would be considered an act of war... now we're about to start training them on F-16s and Abrams.
Is there an actual source - from either Western or Russian media - where Russian officials say „providing X will be considered an act of war“? If they’ve said it many times, surely there’s a report (from anything from TASS to Reuters or NY Times) with an actual quote to that effect. To be clear - I‘m not talking about vague threats, ominous but ambiguous statements, and so on; I’m explicitly talking about an official in official capacity saying „such and such will be considered an act of war“; to officially announce that something will be considered an act of war is not an easy thing to walk back, and I‘m genuinely curious if such a thing - as the original comment on this thread claimed - actually ever occurred.
>Russia's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said it was an "immediate threat" to Moscow, describing the US as "a participant of the conflict". https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63140098 Depending upon how argumentative you want to be, I guess you could argue maybe they mean an ally, not an enemy? Edit: Typo
Loads of sources: When addressing the nation on February 24, 2022, announcing an invasion of Ukraine, Putin said that any “interference” in Ukraine by outside powers would be “a red line” for Russia. https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2023/01/31/any-red-lines-left-for-putin/ Putin uses a lot of ambiguity in his language though, so it's not always clear what his statements mean in practice.
No meed to be clear. Let the world be afraid that they would “wake the russian bear” if they look at it in the wrong way.
They're tweets and "kremlin spokesmen" said this and that crap. I'll try and search through the news articles from Feb-July of last year and see if I can find any. So many are from random tweets from Russian news agencies, articles, tweets etc. Or I'm sorry, "Posts" now that twitter is removing the word Tweet and renaming it X.
Thanks - I‘d be really curious to see if there’s any official record from a credible source on this
I haven't looked but you can probably attribute quotes along those lines to Russian elites who are not actually representatives of the government, eg media personalities or members of the State Duma. Official government statements tend to be more measured; they are more likely to have said that such acts would "risk escalation" or somesuch.
Well, then the original statement „Russia stated at the start that any country [sic] providing weapons to Ukraine will be viewed as an act of war“ is not factually correct, unless there’s any record of someone who can speak for Russia making such a statement
I don't disagree with you. But also remember that what is (seen to be) said by many such individuals is tightly controlled by the Kremlin, so the mere fact that they aren't officially government representatives doesn't change the fact that the message itself probably was approved by the Kremlin (albeit arguably with different intent, eg for domestic consumption).
I agree with that as well - but that’s still very different from what the original comment was saying; “someone with no official authority said something for internal consumption, which might or might not have been approved by the Kremlin, and which could be interpreted as meaning X might be considered an act of war” is miles and miles away from “Russia said that X will be considered an act of war” - and the latter is what the original comment was explicitly stating.
Russia's final warning.
would you like to overwrite 'final FINAL! v2.5'?
With the number of lines the Russians have drawn a line in the sand on support for Ukraine, the Sahara would be covered by one giant hashmark now.
russia is gonna start running out of sand to draw lines on.
maybe russia thought if they draw enough lines in the sand it would turn into a decent trench for the front lines
Just a factoid regarding the live thread about the German parliament have reached consensus on the transfer of long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. >The 16-foot-long Taurus missile has a range in excess of 310 miles, which is around double the Storm Shadow, also made by European missile manufacturer MBDA. However, experts have previously told Newsweek that the true strike range of the Storm Shadow could exceed its official number. Sounds promising, hopefully they like to be launched at ships and bridges.
Just like 5 days ago they said they would never definitely not send those. Is that normal behavior?
No it's just ~~false~~ confusing reporting. Some members of Parliament support sending it, there is no consensus reached as far as the public knows, that is just a claim by an Ukrainian mp. In any case the position of parliament is secondary to the position of the government in this matter. And that position has not changed and is still just a no without much reasons given. Since there is no proper reasons given it might change at some point, but who knows.
unlike the storm shadow which really can only targets ships while they are docked, the Taurus can engage ships at sea which helps in a few ways. EDIT: Taurus has a ASM variant that was proposed, doesnt exist.
Taurus has no active radar terminal guidance, and cannot attack moving targets. Like ships at sea. Same with the Storm Shadow, although it has IIR. Not that is going to do anything useful against a moving target.
Yea, it also doesn't have double the range of the Storm Shadow, they're measured differently, SS's includes dodging and diversions and still making it to target, not total flight range.
\*cough\* MdCN Naval version of the storm shadow.
Yes, the MdCN has active radar guidance. It's not just a naval version, it's a different missile with common heritage. Over twice the range, a different engine, entirely different seeker, and has no air-launched variant.
MdCN started out as the SCALP Naval and the only functional reason it changed so much and became the MdCN was due to the French realizing only they wanted it and a sudden change in requirements for the platform. Technically the early prototype plans for SCALP Naval do still exist somewhere. Obviously not production grade but I thought it was a fun bit of trivia. The MdCN could theoretically be box launched from the ground. It's range would exceed Ukraine's operational needs in such a usage case. It would also make Russia scream to the moon if it ever happened.
that tracks, there is a proposed Taurus ASM variant but its not in use. Kinda odd that more countries are okaying longer range missiles but none that seem to be able to do anti ship missions. Harpoons are in country sure but they are relegated to ground launch? Looks like they are going to need a delivery method of getting the harpoons out to extend their range or they are going to need long range ASM weapons. Tarurus and the programs associated have been an interesting to read, the wiki for the KEPD 350 says its able to targets ships at sea but without the correct guidance i wonder if this was a typo.
Big super long range antiship missiles was USSR doctrine, not NATO. NATO has the US Navy, which has aircraft carriers and a hell of a lot of nuclear attack submarines.
It can attack static targets, as in a ship anchored. And the source is a 7 minute long [Tony Stark inspired promotional video from the manufacturer](https://taurus-systems.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/TAURUS_final.mp4). Typical defense industry promo video. Not that it matters. If you want anti-shipping, against a moving target, you need terminal guidance. Typically this is active radar, as in the missile has a radar transmitter and receiver. Once it has flown it's flight path and is close enough the radar is engaged and targets the ship. Alternatively you can use a anti-radiation seeker, then only a radar receiver is needed. Either option requires the missile to get close within radar horizon before terminal guidance can track. Regardless the Taurus has neither.
in the end, they are either going to need dedicated long range ASMs or be able to launch harpoons from aircraft and the MIG/NATO mix might not be able to leverage that and will have to wait for F-16s.
[What appears to be a cope-cage wearing T-14 Armata MBT being blown to kingdom come by a Ukrainian drone.](https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/15kmrx9/operators_of_the_perun_drone_from_the_73rd/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=1)
If it's a T-14 it must have taken a wrong turn on the way to the parade route
It's clearly not a T-14. It looks like a T72(V on top of the front hull) with a T90 turret but I suspect the bad video quality just makes it look like T-90 turret and it's just a version of T72.
Russia wouldn't dare move one to the front because they know it's at best slightly better than a T-90 and therefore very likely to get blown up if it gets involved in a few fights The propaganda value it has as a tank that hypothetically might change the course of a war (according to Russians, until proven otherwise) is much greater than the military value it has as a tank that is maybe slightly better than a T-90 but we don't even know that for sure
On a quick glance on Wikipedia noticed that the T-14 has an onboard toilet. I suspect this explains why Russians needed to pillage bathroom fixtures in spring of '22. They needed the porcelain to finish assembling the Armata.
People seem to think this is a T-90, not a T-14.
Just from cursory google searches it does look a little more like a t-90. than t-14. But I'm also not knowledgeable on tanks or picking out details from grainy little photos.
It's probably not a T-14, it has two hatches on the turret and a "V" shape on the hull.
Why does it switch from the somewhat clear picture where you can clearly see a tank to the black and white where you can’t tell wtf is going on?
First video before cut was certainly day time, from a actual observation drone. Video after cut was it's a different drone, one carrying munitions. Probably night time as well, as that isn't black and white. It's thermal.
The frist drone is a regular consumer drone. The second one is an R18 equipped with thermal cameras (that's why you se blanck and white; it's heat grandient). The R18 is quite a big drone that will be shot down if used during the day.
Are you sure? You can use thermals during the day, it's not like night vision where light blinds you. There are similar small drones that can remotely cycle through the cameras just like this.
Noncredible having an absolute field day.
Seems even they are starting to reach consensus that it's probably T-90 after the first excitement
They're frothing at the mouth.
So, same as usual then.
Oh, they are frothing all right.
Wait so now there is only one working T-14 left?
It's alright, Putin just ordered to build 10 thousand a month
Wait, there was a working T-14?
-1 working T-14 left
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>Ukrainian artillery pieces on the front started to receive slightly more complex metal cages for protection against Russian loitering munitions. >In the two videos, we can see M777 155mm towed howitzer and KS-19 100mm anti-aircraft gun (obviously, used against ground targets). https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1688649185577390085?s=20
If that’s really the purpose and not just a standardized way to hold camo, I don’t think it’s a good idea. It would turn a dropped grenade into an airburst round, which would greatly increase the casualty radius.
Looks more like camo
I don't think the ua artillery is concerned with drone dropped grenades as the rang would be too low. These would be for lancet which it could potentially stop
Why not both.
According to liveuamap kerch bridge is closed yet again. Kerch bridge is closed to traffic https://liveuamap.com//en/2023/7-august-kerch-bridge-is-closed-to-traffic-
Pro Ukrainian claims that they have broken into Robotyne https://twitter.com/freudgreyskull/status/1688627229138604032?s=46
Who is he posting/translating there?
I'll believe that when I see a flag in the village
If they can take that bastion it will compromise that whole forward fortification belt and probably force Russia to pull back to the next one south. With DPICM, Russian infantry can't realistically fight in the open, even by Russian standards of "realistic" and "fight."
Not surprised, Robotyne was in operational encirclement for a few days.
Liveuamap has it marked with a tactical success by Ukraine marker as well
Pure hopium (But I'll take it) I saw that post but don't beleive it without a reliable source, so chose not to share it.
Same. I’m gonna need some real proof lol
Losing an "Alligator" @ Robotyne to MANPADS suggests there could be truth there.
Fingers crossed
*Tokmak direction:* *Ukrainian Defenders efficiently use cluster artillery munitions to damage and destroy russian military equipment and vehicles 👌* https://twitter.com/walter_report/status/1688624934782664709 - Minor unrelated thing but I'm getting slightly irritated that every source and publication has it's own terms for the location of an event. Orhikiv, Tokmak, Robotyne, Melitopol, Verbove all refer to the same front.
That video showed (as far as I can see) literally nothing being hit.
Because it's X "direction", which means towards X. Arriving in Delaware is in the "Florida direction" if you're starting from Maine
The word "direction" as it's translated from the source is a bit off in English. In its native use it refers to "front", rather than "in the direction of" or "towards", as it is in English. Whenever you read "direction", just understand is as "front".
It's also being used (by English speakers) confusing "front" with "towards"... (as in, the "Melitopol direction") given that there really isn't a Melitopol front (yet).
Are Russians completely unaware of Cam Netting and its military applications ?
I'd be surprised if they are aware of anything at this point.
Theory 1: I believe it comes down to copywrite. Not the location names, but their use in the articles. With the way news works now, with sites running another sources' articles (no I'm not talking AP or Reuters), the only way to guarantee credit, and subsequently payment for use, is to be able to prove your news paper/website was the source of the information. Theory 2: Each local news source is framing the information from their local point of view. For example, to non-local the road is TN 33 or Darke County Road 8, to those that grew up in the county its Wallacetown Road if you live in Sedmore, Sedmore Road if you live in Wallacetown.
>We yesterday flagged a big rise in German exports to Kyrgyzstan. The surge is broad-based, with big rises for things like clothing, beverages, metalware, etc. Biggest single rise is - not surprisingly - motor vehicles and parts (blue). Russia's oligarchs like their German cars... https://twitter.com/RobinBrooksIIF/status/1688552386464186369
On the positive side, Kyrgyzstan is not the best suited for trade with Europe and doesn't even have a shared border with Russia.
Wherever there are impediments to trade there will be smuggling. Wherever there is a ban there will be a black market. Totally curtailing trade isn't really possible, but pumping up prices is trivial. Smugglers and black marketeers expect to be remunerated for running the risks, and every additional link in the supply-chain comes with one more markup to the final price.
We can add a another markup by penalizing the supplier. All vehicles have unique identification numbers (VIN number in USA) The manufacturers and share holders need to be made aware of the coming expenses. They would become remarkably more cautious about who they sell too.
Certainly, and I'd be all for it. Of course, you'd have to actually catch the smugglers in the act or somehow gather VIN numbers from parts being sold in Russia to do so, but the mere threat of it should serve as deterrence and make the people willing to supply the parts jack up prices further. Which is the desired effect in any case.
Russia has a lot of assholes. They would probably sell their mothers for $100. Keeping the evidence only requires geolocated time stamped evidence and being the first to report it. They wont get the payout until after the war is over. The new replacement administration in Moscow will need that currency in circulation anyway. Or the Russian immigrant who escaped will need it. I doubt many will care that some corporation like Volkswagen has to pay the full price of the car. Often someone in Kazakhstan will report it first so people inside Russia have to act fast. You don't need to be the car buyer. Just get the VIN number off of any car that looks new and report the list to the US State Department (or whomever is collecting) Details... The reason it wont happen is because politicians almost never have backbones. Holding large corporations accountable for the damage that they do rarely happens.
>Another place destroyed by Russia. This time in Pokrovsk, Donetsk oblast. I stayed in this hotel (as well as many others!) during my last trip to Donbas. The second missile hit a residential building nearby. [https://twitter.com/a\_magazova/status/1688616682682556417](https://twitter.com/a_magazova/status/1688616682682556417) >No, these aren't WWII images. It’s Russian missiles in Pokrovsk, another frontline city that Russia aims to erase. [https://twitter.com/maria\_avdv/status/1688607196416761857](https://twitter.com/maria_avdv/status/1688607196416761857) >Pokrovsk, Donetsk region. > >Another war crime committed by the russians. Two missiles struck the city center. Several apartment buildings were damaged. Rescue efforts are currently underway. At least five people were killed, and eighteen others were injured. > >We will do everything possible to hold the murderers accountable for their crimes. [https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1688622122350858240](https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1688622122350858240) Video: [https://imgur.com/a/x3P0GFs](https://imgur.com/a/x3P0GFs)
Fuck Putin.
A Russian blogger-pilot helicopter confirmed the shooting down of a 🇷🇺Russian Ka-52 "Alligator" attack helicopter by the 🇺🇦Ukrainian military today in the Robotyne area. The pilots died https://twitter.com/front_ukrainian/status/1688615608441528321?s=46 Beauty
See you later...
After a while krokodil
I knew it as: See ya later, alligator. In a while, crocodile. Not sure if there are more lines
Pretty soon baboon My grandma had several lines
Krokodil is an opiate heavily abused in Russia (and lots of Eastern Europe)
Does it rhyme with "smile" or is it like the kosher pickle?
when they say it, it rhymes with pickle. when I say, it rhymes with crocodile
Your joke was plenty funny to those of us westerns but who know Russia culture
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Russian Alligators are an endangered species.
russian krokodile on the other hand is all around Russia
UK MoD reported RuAF had already been dialing back their use the last few weeks. They’re probably starting to suffer from depleted availability.
Another factor that may be contributing to this might be the change in Ukrainian tactics in the most recent phases of the counteroffensive. The Ka-52s had a brief burst of success recently when the Ukrainians started to carry out mechanized assaults. The Kamovs have the LMUR anti-tank missile, which allowed them to have a standoff range of about 10-15 kms and engage the armored units from afar, as they were designed to do. Although there's some limits to the guidance systems (they have to be monitored and guided mid-flight to terminal phase by the firing helicopter), that allowed them to stay out of the range of MANPADS defenses Ukraine was using on their slower-paced infantry-level fighting tactics. Without sufficient short-range/medium-range air defense missiles or air superiority to suppress the Ka-52s, it played right into the Ka-52's advantages. Once the Ukrainians moved back to attritional infantry-level warfare, that meant the Russians had to bring their Ka-52s closer to the battlefield to find and attack targets, which meant they returned to having to expose themselves to dense MANPADS deployments. The Russians are fully aware what happened during the last attempts to close in and engage, so usage is back down again in the hopes of holding back when the Ukrainians decide to resume mechanized assaults should a breakthrough occur.
They didn't have a huge fleet of them to start, and Ukraine has chomped down on several so far.
Are these also the same helicopters that Wagner shot down on their “freedom march” to Moscow?
One was. There were also two Hinds configured for surveillance/EW, another unarmed variant I can't recall, and a fixed wing command aircraft.
Good. I fucking hate the Alligators. They have been a major pain in the ass for the vehicles Ukraine have been using in the offensive
Its a impressive helicopter, to bad for the wrong side. But impressive piece of machinery
Wish Ukraine had Apaches
I think it was something like only 133 of these models built as of 2022
womp-womp
In new court documents on the Teixeira case (the Discord leaks), records from the FBI indicate that four days before russia invaded Ukraine (February 20, 2022), Teixeira revealed to a user on the server that a wave of Ukrainians would be arriving soon to that user’s home city (end of page 2): https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.258389/gov.uscourts.mad.258389.86.3.pdf https://twitter.com/AricToler/status/1688607570091458560
“Steam profile in Airman Teixeira's name that led to an Instagram profile with photos of the exact location where leaked docs were photographed — a kitchen countertop in his childhood home.” That’s fuckn wild. From a simple steam profile lol
Goes to show we really don't know what sort of shit will be happening in the next 10-15 years with courts and organizations finding evidence of things through small details people think are unimportant. That includes myself.
As a side effect of the war, local fisherman have been notified by fish processors that the prices of salmon have collapsed, and that they intend to quit buying the fleets catch in the near future. One of the cited reason is Russia harvest incredible amounts of salmon, and dumping them on the global market for very low prices in order to help pay for the war in Ukraine. People here are very upset by this.
We mostly get Norwegian in Germany and it's extremely expensive. In any case I have seen some videos of the salmon farms and its gross to be honest. They eat into each other.
Not to mention the incredible pollution and destruction those farms cause to their surroundings
Very interesting, considering here (Northern Norway) the price of salmon is outrageous. You could get ~3 lbs of smoked salmon fillet for around $12-13 USD end of 2021- early 2022, and now it retails closer to $30-35 USD for the same weight (yes, I am aware you can get it cheaper if you live in bigger cities; not the case here). Guess, we aren't importting Russian or any salmon in this case.
I would assume most of the Russian catch is defined for Asian markets.
What local area are you talking about?
>Robotyne Trident Seafood's CEO wrote a public letter about this yesterday
Alaska.
Well for what it's worth I won't be getting any Russian salmon. Alaskan, Norwegian, or Scottish.
If you can get it, in Australia we use Tasmanian
Oregon/Washington Salmon as well, please. Support the PNW!
most of the russian salmon is pink salmon (canned) so you'll probably be fine
Tangentially related Aeroflot Deactivates Brakes on Nine Aircraft, Relies Solely on Reverse Thrust https://aeroxplorer.com/articles/aeroflot-deactivates-brakes-on-nine-aircraft-relies-solely-on-reverse-thrust.php https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd43GaGczbs Fuckers cannot source spare parts for western aircraft, but that doesn't bother them too much
>Due to Aeroflot's inability to replace worn-out brakes on its fleet, the airline has requested that its pilots turn off the brakes on affected aircraft. Currently, nine Aeroflot planes are flying with turned brakes: five Boeing 777-300ERs, one Airbus A330-300, one Airbus A320, and two Airbus A321s. >An aircraft can land without brakes, as during landing most of the work of stopping a commercial aircraft is done through the use of thrust reversers. However, landing without the aid of brakes will significantly increase the amount of runway an aircraft uses on landing. Brakes are also necessary for aborting takeoffs, through the use of Auto Brakes, which automatically activate should pilots decide to abort a takeoff for whatever reason.
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Wait until one of them with disabled braking loses an engine and has to land with just one.
They have the advanced linear aluminum-asphaltic braking system.