Ball Aerospace (a significant contractor on Hubble and the JWST, among many other things) is (or was, rather) the same Ball known for home canning supplies.
Yup, a fact that I’ve shared multiple times. And as I understand it, one step in that process was, indeed, “We’re making a bunch of stuff on government contract (specifically, airplane canopies). Let’s make a bunch more stuff on government contract (specifically, airplane instruments).”.
Is India using more oil as a result? If not, then discounted Russian oil will drive down world oil prices, as India (and China, et al.) is not buying that oil from other producers with higher prices.
It’s a bit complicated.
Russia’s main pipelines are to the EU and they can’t just suddenly build dozens of new pipes to India and China, so that leaves vessels. But Russia can’t replace all that pipeline capacity on its oil carrying vessels.
They’ve been getting around this somewhat basically through smugglers, i.e. vessels basically willing to break laws (changing their flag or even vessel name en route, transferring oil while at sea, etc) to carry that oil. That helps get more out, but it’s also a more expensive option since those vessel operators expect to be paid (especially if it involves operating in the gray or black legally) and it’s not like the capacity of such vessels is infinite, so the supply is still limited.
So the downward pressure on oil prices is still blunted but by how much is a good question. But aside from that, the greater expense to transport combined with the discounts they have to offer means Russia is not making as much profit per barrel, so they could increase production/delivery greatly and still make less money than before.
Pickled pigs feet in spaaaaace.
from: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 9, 2023 | Institute for the Study of War
Key Takeaways:
**Speculations about the Wagner Group’s withdrawal from Belarus suggest that aspects of the deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin following Wagner’s armed rebellion on June 24 have collapsed.
**Putin is likely still concerned about the threat that Prigozhin poses to his long-term goals and continues to focus on definitively separating Prigozhin from Wagner.
**Alternatively, Putin may intend for Wagner’s forces to return to Russia in order to facilitate the destruction or restructuring of Wagner.
**The likely collapse of aspects of the Wagner-Putin-Lukashenko deal indicates that Putin has failed to decisively resolve issues posed by Prigozhin and Wagner following Wagner’s June 24 rebellion.
Yeah, but not in the same plant!
Poland is to send up to 10,000 soldiers to their border with Belarus. I still think they’re overreacting to the Wagner soldiers.
I think they’re sending a message.
Plus, the price that Russia is getting for the oil is much less than it would be on the open European market, so their income is significantly reduced that way, too. And sometimes those smugglers get caught.
OK, that’s a good point. Regardless of how your business is structured, it really doesn’t make sense to manufacture anything else in the same facility as explosives. I wonder if the optical equipment existed only on paper, for money laundering or some similar purpose? And speculating further, if that might be part of the reason for the huge sensor gap between Russia and the West?
especially if it’s true that the wagners are withdrawing from Belarus
but I guess in a way it’s “insurance” …
- If there is no problem, I guess nobody would question sending 10.000 troops to the boarder (better to be save than sorry, etc…)
- If there are problems and it turns out that you are understaffed, everybody will ask why you only sent 3.000 troops there, and had more polish troops stationed at the german border than the Belarus one - and you (as the relevant politician) will have to step back
… … so scenario A it is …
first vid of the damaged SIG tanker…
looks like it has a hole the size of a compact-car in the hull
https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/15no98i/a_video_appeared_that_shows_the_damaged_russian/
And Poland is worried that Belorussian might reiterate the " let migrants pass, even more let’s get them here by plane" trick they did 2 years ago.
So more soldiers to guard the frontier.
That’s what I meant too.
I resent the implication that the crew of SS Swinetrek had a drinking problem.
Pha-ck-It? Yeah let’s send the Russians there?
Except they may get extradited back to Russia.
I don’t entirely understand this article. Does it mean that Germany went outside of NATO to move troops to Lithuania? https://www.army-technology.com/features/germany-breaks-with-nato-to-send-4000-troops-to-lithuania/
If someone feels it doesn’t quite fit in this thread I will happily ask that it be deleted/moved.
AFAIK The US doesn’t ask for NATO’s blessing to deploy troops. Why should Germany?
Lithuania’s border needs defending. No one knows WTH Russia will do next.
Maybe something happening at the Kerch bridge:
Ukrainian military intelligence release a compilation of some naval drone footage:
So far as I can tell, the only country whose permission Germany needs for that is Lithuania.
Unless they’re drawing down some other spot below NATO-required levels in order to do that?