Remarkable! So happy to read about Biden’s visit – what a great show of support!
Tucker is going to be furious.
Wow, the POTUS goes into an active war zone that isn’t under US control. That’s impressive.
I’m impressed Air Force 1 made the trip. It’s anti missile defense must be very reliable.
Thread specifically on the visit is here:
Very moving post. At 1:35 focus on Zelenskyy. As Biden is shaking hands with Ukrainian officials, it looks like he’s welling up in emotion as he wipes his eye and the camera swings away.
Only as far as Poland. The rest was by train.
Biden’s also not the first national leader to visit Ukraine. A number of European heads of government have already, over the past year.
And while this is great for symbolism, and symbols are important, I think I would have liked it better if Biden had driven up in a column of Abrams, and then handed Zelenskyy the keys.
I’d bet I could hear Putin’s rant from here in Arizona. Kind of like how Krakatoa’s ka-boom circled the earth three times.
Politicians riding in tanks for photo ops has a bad history, as Mike Dukakis would tell you.
I think private contractors could handle maintenance on the planes. Contractors were used heavily in Iraq. Airfields are always targets in war, but it’s not a direct combat role. High pay could get skilled people to take the jobs and train Ukrainians.
The Guardian
Pro-Russian protests and demonstrations are going on in Moldova.. The mention of saboteurs sneaking in is worrying.
True, but the US usually hasn’t had that problem. We usually get air superiority right from the start. That gives us the luxury of on call artillery much of the time.
I agree with all of this. China would like to see Russia in chaos. If you think they are getting cheap oil now, wait until the Russian government falls and oil production is in the hands of some warlords/oligarchs.
Nothing?
That’s the money quote. They have an endgame of getting munitions to Ukraine, this is part of it.
Those wacky Ukrainians! I like how the van going the opposite direction has absolutely no reaction to the helos. “Ho-hum, just another day in a war zone.”
Aircraft pass to the right. 
FAR 91.113(F)
Overtaking. Each aircraft that is being overtaken has the right-of-way and each pilot of an overtaking aircraft shall alter course to the right to pass well clear.
I mean, there was zero chance a single missile would hit Kyiv while Biden was there. The Russians don’t want to fight a war with the United States, either, and killing the President would be a clear casus belli.
Latest US aid package #32 20 Feb 2023
Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) announces the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs. This authorization includes more ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS and Howitzers that Ukraine is using to defend their country as well as more Javelins, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars. This is the Biden Administration’s thirty-second drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021 and it is valued at up to $460 million.
- Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); no indication of which warhead; unitary or billion BB.
- Additional 155mm artillery rounds; not specified; HE, HERA, RAAM or a mix.
- Additional 120mm mortar rounds; HE and/or Illum.
- Four air surveillance radars;
- Additional Javelin anti-armor systems;
- Approximately 2,000 anti-armor rockets; AT4 or latest LAW.
- Four Bradley Infantry Fire Support Team vehicles;
- Two tactical vehicles to recover equipment;
- Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
- Demolition munitions;
- Night vision devices;
- Tactical secure communications systems;
- Medical supplies;
- Spare parts and other field equipment.
and some aviator sunglasses left behind.
So Putin just suspended the START Treaty.
Good. Let Russia waste money it doesn’t have on more nukes it won’t use.
I feel uneasy when I see “additional” instead of a number attached to the munitions.
I hear what you’re saying. “Additional” could mean a few hundred shells. But from an opsec standpoint, wouldn’t you rather it be something vague as opposed to announcing 37,320 shells so the Russians know precisely how many Ukr is getting?
I thought we used to get those specific numbers, particularly for the himars ammo. If they always obfuscated like this, then yeah, all good.