living in a culture that has been completely impregnated with corruption for the better part of 100 years, does that to you …
if you have enough money, the rules apply to the others, but not to you … (just remember that Russia-1 - channel newhost/a$$hole, whose 20 year old son is still living the high-life in London instead of stumbling over his own indestines in some trench near Bakhmut).
Latest US drawdown (from existing US stocks determined to be in excess of needs).
Ukraine claims to have destroyed a shipment of Russian Kalibr cruise missiles at a train station in Crimea.
The Ukraine defence ministry’s main intelligence directorate said on Monday: “An explosion in Dzhankoi city in the north of temporarily occupied Crimea destroyed Russian Kalibr-KN cruise missiles as they were being transported by rail.”
“temporarily occupied Crimea” is a good phrase to sneak in there. Have they always called it that?
I’m pretty sure that’s always been Ukraine’s position. Anything less would be conceding Crimea to the Russians.
No, they used to just call it Ukraine.
These are probably Gulf War era tanks?
The Guardian
Russian ultranationalist Igor Girkin compares Bakhmut to Stalingrad:
Yes, they are.
They probably don’t outclass the upgraded T-72s and -90s the Russians fielded early on, but they probably stand up well to the Cold-War era gear being thrown into the fight now.
The Jerusalem Post has some additional context to the good news of Russia losing a shipment of Kalibr missiles: they’re down to 7% of their original Black Sea fleet ammo levels of Kalibr missiles and other long-range precision weapons, and Ukraine judges that Russia’s naval strike capability is no longer militarily significant. They can save up for increasingly infrequent terror raids but can’t pull together a strike which can affect theater operations.
…and he seems to understand that the Russians are the Germans this time.
Someone needs to send him the link to the “Are we the baddies?” sketch.
China and Japan visit opposite sides of the war.
I wonder how snuggly Putin and Xi are behind the scenes? I’m sure Russia needs China much more than vice versa.
I 'm pretty sure there are trade negotiations underway between Russia and China with some VERY favorable terms for China.
My concern is that trade in return will include, if not weapons themselves, then the components necessary for Russians to produce them.
Apparently the Chinese supplied body armor rifle cartridges without our knowing about it. I wonder if they could supply weapons without the West knowing.
I hope this one is true. That would be one hell of a drone strike.
I think they would have outclassed the T-90s also. I really don’t think Russia can field anything that can shoot on the run like the Abrams. Add night time optics and modern tactics and Russia would be in for a big surprise.
Also, China may be the only country that can produce enough of things like artillery shells to make a difference.
Probably not watching Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey. China apparently banned the movie because protesters are using Pooh as a lookalike for Xi. You just can’t make stuff up anymore, life is already too weird.
Russian T-54/55 tanks headed for Ukraine? The T-54/55 series was designed between 1947–1958, with the earliest model tanks entering service in 1948.
I’m sure the timing is coincidental, and the T-54/55 tanks were going to head to Ukraine anyway … but the optimist in me wants to believe Putin was counting on Xi to offer substantial military assistance during their meeting, and Xi declined. Once Putin realized he wasn’t going to get what he wanted, THEN the tanks were ordered out of mothballs.
I know, it’s farfetched, but I like it regardless. But any way you slice it, this shows just how desperate Russia is getting for some supplies of war materiel. Plus, it probably indicates a level of concern for the amount of damage Ukraine can do with the tanks they’re receiving / will receive. Russia is gonna throw the kitchen sink at them in an effort to blunt the offensive, whenever it happens. I don’t think these T-54s will do much in that regard, but Russia is probably praying for ANY tactical help at this point.
If it’s Stalingrad, then prepare operation Uranus!
The Russians should just cut to the chase, and paint large bullseye targets on these T-54/55 's