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Russia accidentally bombed itself again, the fourth time this month, UK intel says
• A Russian plane accidentally dropped bombs on Belgorod, the UK Ministry of Defence reported.
• Two FAB-250 bombs landed in villages, prompting evacuations, the MOD said, citing Russian media.
• It's the fourth time it's happened this month, and the fifth in a year, according to the MOD.
A Russian plane accidentally dropped two bombs on Russian territory, according to UK intelligence, marking the fourth time it's happened this month.

The UK Ministry of Defence highlighted the incidents in an intelligence update on Tuesday, citing a report by the independent Telegram news channel Astra.

According to the report, a Russian aircraft discharged two FAB-250 bombs in the Belgorod region last Saturday. One hit a farm in Postnikov and another struck an urban street in Streletskaya, prompting the evacuation of about 150 residents living close by, per the outlet.

No injuries were reported, and the bombs were defused on Sunday, it said.

This is the fourth such incident this month and the fifth over the last 12 months, the MOD said.

The first incident in 2024 took place on January 2, when a Russian warplane accidentally discharged a munition that damaged nine residential properties in Petropavlovka, in Russia's Voronezh Oblast, the MOD wrote in an intelligence update at the time.

Less than a week later, on January 8, Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, said a plane dropped a FAB-250 bomb on the eastern town of Rubizhne, which is located in Russia-occupied Luhansk.

At the time, the MOD said munition accidents were likely caused by inadequate training and crew fatigue, leading to poor execution of tactics during missions.

On Tuesday, it said that the incidents were likely caused by a combination of faulty procedures for arming aircraft prior to flights, poor mission execution by aircrew, and crew fatigue.

"The increasing frequency of these occurrences likely demonstrates a degree of air and ground crew fatigue within the Russian front line, as well as exposing inadequate training," the MOD said.

Russia experienced similar blunders last year, including shooting down one of its prized Su-35 fighter jets in October, bombing the Russia-occupied settlement of Nova Kakhovka in September, and striking the Russian border city of Belgorod in April.

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Military supplies delivered to Belarus aboard 4 Chinese flights, observers report
Belarusian observers reported that between 8 and 11 January, a Chinese aircraft presumably transporting military supplies touched down in the country. The exact nature of the cargo remains undisclosed, but it is noteworthy that the plane parked in the airport’s VIP zone, usually reserved for the exclusive use of self-proclaimed president Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Source: Independent Belarusian military monitoring media outlet Belaruski Hajun; Motolko.help

Quote: "At the beginning of January, the Belaruski Hajun monitoring group recorded unusual activity by the Chinese cargo airline Air China Cargo at Minsk National Airport. Over a period of four days, the Boeing 747-400F registered B-2476 completed four round-trip flights between �r�mqi (airport code ZWWW) and Minsk (UMMS)...

We have reason to believe that the cargo plane transported military equipment from China to Belarus. The cargo likely bypassed customs clearance and was transshipped out of the airport immediately, as staging the freight in the usual military cargo area would have attracted additional attention with the consignment sitting out in the open."

Details: The specific contents of what these planes brought remain unknown for now.

The flights occurred as follows:
• On 8 January 2024: Flight CAO1095 to Minsk, returning as flight CAO1096.
• On 9 January 2024: Flight CAO1097 to Minsk, returning as flight CAO1098.
• On 10 January 2024: Flight CAO1095 to Minsk, returning as flight CAO1096.
• On 11 January 2024: Flight CAO1097 to Minsk, returning as flight CAO1098.

All flights arrived in Minsk at basically the same time of day, between 09:30 and 10:10 in the morning. Additionally, they all stayed in Minsk for the same period of time to unload cargo - three hours.

Minsk National Airport has a dedicated freight terminal at which all cargo flights are usually parked. However, the Chinese aircraft in question, B-2476, was parked in an entirely different area.

Observers say that every time the Air China Cargo 747 landed, it parked in space 1A.

This spot is reserved for Belarusian government planes, including the Boeing VIP jets registered EW-001PA and EW-001PB, the self-proclaimed president Aleksandr Lukashenko's official aircraft.

Additionally, VIP parking space 1A is located far away from all others, and the exit route from the area is the shortest of any in the airport, bypassing scrutiny in the freight terminal.

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Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 18:31 schreef -XOR- het volgende:

[..]
Er zit vanuit het Westen dus geen concurrentiedruk meer op Russische productie, dus die gaan inefficient b-producten maken, eigenlijk zoals ze vroeger ook deden.

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Amount of Money in Putin's Bank Account Revealed
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has registered as a presidential candidate for the upcoming Russian election 2024, reported earnings totaling approximately 68 million rubles ($757.000) over the past six years, according to a financial disclosure published by the Central Election Commission (CEC).

The detailed declaration on the CEC's website indicates that Putin's aggregate income reached 67,591,875 rubles ($606.200). This figure includes his salary, revenue from bank deposits and securities, military pension, and proceeds from property sales.

A photo shared by Russian news site Ura.news displays specific details regarding Putin's financial situation, as well as the properties and vehicles he owns.

The image you see below is in Russian, but Dagens.com has provided an English translation beneath the picture.

Translated Document

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PUTIN VLADIMIR VLADIMIROVICH

Sources and total income for the six years preceding the election year: salary from the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, income from bank deposits, income from securities, military pension, pension, sale of property - 67,591,875.34 RUB ($757.000)

Property: 1 apartment - 77 sq. m, St. Petersburg; 1 garage - 18 sq. m, St. Petersburg.

Vehicles: 3 cars - GAZ M21, 1960, GAZ M21, 1965, Niva, 2009, Skif car trailer, 1987.

Cash in bank accounts: 10 accounts - 54,416,604.52 rubles. ($606.200)

Shares and participation in commercial organizations: PJSC Bank St. Petersburg - 230 shares (nominal value of one share is 11.81 rubles).

Property obligations: apartment - 153.7 sq. m, Moscow (indeterminate use, order of the Moscow government), parking space - 18 sq. m, St. Petersburg (unlimited use, membership in a garage cooperative).

The text above is a direct translation of the public document. For obvious reasons, we cannot be certain whether there are other amounts or properties not listed in the public records.

Among other findings, investigative journalists have discovered a secret residence near the border with Finland, believed to belong to Putin. This property is certainly not listed in the official documents. You can read more about this below:

Секретная дача Путина в Карелии / � асследование центра «Досье»

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Russia’s Strategic Use of Occupied Ukraine in Heroin Trafficking to the EU
In a recent report published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and Europol Europol, a new dimension of Russia’s war against Ukraine has surfaced, highlighting a shift in the landscape of international drug trafficking. The report, titled “Heroin and Other Opioids,” uncovers how the conflict has altered the dynamics of heroin trade routes into the European Union European Commission.
The study sheds light on the evolution of the Caucasian heroin trafficking route, traditionally spanning from Georgia across the Black Sea to Bulgaria and Romania. With the escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, this path has ominously expanded into the territories of Ukraine occupied by Russia. This development underscores a tactical shift in the narcotics trade, exploiting the turmoil of war and the lack of governance in these occupied regions.
Recent years have witnessed substantial heroin seizures along this route, indicating its growing prominence as a channel for opiate smuggling from Iran into Europe, traversing Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and now, the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. This strategic use of the occupied areas not only signifies a diversification in the drug trade routes but also raises concerns about the broader implications of the conflict on regional security and stability

The report suggests that these Ukrainian territories under Russian control are increasingly serving as critical junctures for the transit and storage of heroin, marking a troubling confluence of geopolitical conflict and international drug trafficking. This revelation presents a complex challenge, intertwining issues of international law, regional stability, and the ever-evolving landscape of global narcotics trade.

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Ukraine Uses Its Abrams Tanks In a Bit of a Weird Way? But For This Purpose, Their Capabilities Are Unparalleled
If you’re following the war in Ukraine with a decent level of interest, you’ve probably seen a lot of videos of Ukrainian tanks operating on the front lines. In many cases, those are Western-made tanks, such as the German Leopard 2. Ukraine has a good batch of American M1A1 Abrams tanks as well, but we rarely see them in this video. It turns out that it could be because they are being used in a rather strange way.

The M1A1 Abrams is a formidable weapon, up until recently employed by the US Marine Corps. It is a huge machine with very thick and tough armour and a powerful multi-fuel turbine engine. For months Ukraine kept asking the US to donate these tanks as support for its defensive effort. Eventually, the US agreed to supply 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine – the ones that used to belong to the Marines.

On 25 September 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the first Abrams tanks were already operating in Ukraine. However, although we’ve seen some pictures of them, they are not that visible in the open source material. It might be due to the tactics.

Forbes reports that although M1A1 Abrams tanks appeared in Ukraine last year, these tanks are still being used very carefully and are scarce. In fact, it could be said that M1A1 Abrams are not used as tanks in Ukraine, but rather as surveillance vehicles used to support other war machines.

The M1 Abrams main battle tank has the best array of sensors of all tanks currently operated by Ukraine, notes Forbes. This is largely due to the SADA-II thermal vision system. Thanks to it, the Abrams can identify targets at a distance of up to 8 km in natural darkness. In comparison, the modernized Russian T-72B tank at night can see targets at a distance of 2 km.

Abrams’ ability in this regard surpasses all other tanks that have appeared on the frontlines in Ukraine since the beginning of the war. The M1 Abrams is a superb fighting vehicle, but Ukraine has some heavy machinery to fight with. But it is also a uniquely great data-gathering machine – a unique tool in Ukraine’s arsenal at this moment.

The Abrams, of course, allows the identification of enemy units during the day as well. Because of its unique night vision capabilities and a great array of surveillance equipment, the M1A1 Abrams tanks in Ukraine are used not just as normal main battle tanks, but as a sensor platform to gather information for other tanks to use. This is very important, but it also means that the defenders of Ukraine do not want to risk losing their existing Abrams. That is why they keep them away from the contact line.

Ukraine is suffering from a lack of ammunition. It is also waiting for new military aid to arrive. Hopefully, these issues can be resolved quickly and the Abrams tanks can be unleashed to push ahead and storm the Russian positions. Until then they will be gathering info and passing it to other machines.

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Prominent Putin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza moved to prison with harsher conditions
Jailed Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza has been transferred to a new prison facility with considerably harsher conditions, Novaya Gazeta reported on Tuesday.

Kara-Murza, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence for his outspoken criticism of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is now in a high-security prison cell in the Siberian city of Omsk in conditions that have been likened to long-term solitary confinement, similar to the ones in which opposition politician Alexey Navalny was placed last year.

The transfer was ostensibly a consequence of Kara-Murza’s refusal to stand up when told to by a prison guard, his lawyer said, adding that Kara-Murza denied that he had ever been given the order to do so.

The news came a day after supporters were informed that Kara-Murza was no longer in the Omsk correctional facility where he had been serving his sentence since November, leading them to voice fears that he had disappeared.

Kara-Murza was arrested in April 2022 and sentenced to 25 years in prison last year after being convicted on three charges of treason, spreading false information about the Russian army, and for his involvement with an “undesirable organisation”.

Kara-Murza’s lawyer said that his client was expected to remain in the facility until May.

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Russia is using electronic-warfare devices to stop Ukraine's drones — but it's messing up its internet access
• Russia is deploying electronic-warfare systems to counter drone attacks.
• But it's being forced to disable mobile internet services to prevent interference, reports said.
• Ukraine is intensifying its drone strikes in Russia, targeting the oil and gas industry.

Russia is deploying electronic-warfare units to counter Ukrainian drone strikes, but it's having to disable mobile internet across swaths of the country to do so, Russian media reported.

According to Russian business daily Kommersant, government authorities ordered 4G networks to be switched off at night between January 25-30 in Leningrad, Novgorod, and Pskov in northwestern Russia to enable anti-drone units.

The report, citing Russian telecommunications sources, said that LTE wireless broadband and electronic-warfare units both operate on the same frequencies. It added that electronic warfare can interfere with cellphone data.

The Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank that tracks the Ukraine conflict, commented that it's "unclear" what impact the internet has on electronic warfare.

It said that Russia may have turned off internet services while it tested electronic-warfare systems, or redeployed its air defenses.

In recent weeks Ukraine has struck targets hundreds of miles from its border in the north of Russia using long-range drones.

On January 18, Ukraine struck an oil terminal near St Petersburg, Russia's second-biggest city. Then on January 21, it struck a gas terminal near the city.

Electronic-warfare units work by scrambling the systems used to navigate drones to their targets. It's unclear if they have been deployed in Russia before in areas with modern telecommunications systems.

According to reports, GPS data in Poland and the Baltic region was recently disabled as a result of possible Russian electronic-warfare exercises.

Russia has been forced to reorient its air defense systems to cope with the new threat from Ukraine's drones in the south, with its military previously focused on countering possible attacks from NATO in the west.

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Ex-Google CEO’s secret startup to build Ukraine AI-powered $400 kamikaze drones
The primary objective of this project, which is at the intersection of artificial intelligence and military technology, is to equip Ukraine with cutting-edge drone capabilities in its ongoing conflict with Russia and to develop an American alternative to Chinese drones.

In a groundbreaking venture that was under wraps until the beginning of this month, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has created White Stork, a startup set to revolutionize warfare with its development of low-cost kamikaze drones.

Although Storks are normally considered a symbol of peace, there is very little that is peaceful about the objective of this not-yet-publicly announced startup.

The primary objective of this project, which is at the intersection of artificial intelligence and military technology, is to equip Ukraine with cutting-edge drone capabilities in its ongoing conflict with Russia and to develop an American alternative to Chinese drones.

Mass-producible drones
Officially established in August, the company focuses on creating mass-producible drones utilizing AI for visual targeting, specifically designed to operate in environments with disrupted communication caused by GPS jamming.

Despite remaining in stealth mode, the project has become an open secret within the drone community, drawing attention to Schmidt's involvement and his extensive efforts to support Ukraine's military capabilities.

Storks are also the national bird of Ukraine.

Departing from traditional arms manufacturing approaches, Schmidt envisions the affordability and military significance of these drones as a pivotal advantage against Russia.

Schmidt's previous role as the head of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence also provides a backdrop to White Stork's emergence.

Affordable warfare?
The kamikaze drones developed by White Stork are estimated to be at a mere $400 each and come equipped with a small payload of explosives, Schmidt wrote in the Wall Street Journal in July.

Schmidt emphasized their cost-effectiveness and their relevance to the Ukrainian conflict. He pointed out the dwindling significance of conventional arms deals in favor of these AI-powered weapons.

However, Schmidt's contention that Ukraine is currently losing the drone war and predicts a surge in the importation of millions of drones by 2024, is a clear direction to where the warfare is going. The AI arms race is on.

The opaque nature of White Stork's operations, conducted through shell companies, adds an additional layer of intrigue and scrutiny surrounding the project.

Schmidt's history of advocating for military technology
The startup's operations have been concealed under various LLC names, including Swift Beat Holdings, which later changed its name to White Stork Group LLC, reported Forbes.

The umbrella corporation, Volya Robotics O�, with Schmidt as its sole beneficial owner, further adds to the project's opaque nature.

The inclusion of Sebastian Thrun, a prominent figure in the tech world and co-founder of Google's X research lab, among the veterans recruited for this project highlights the depth of expertise backing White Stork.

Schmidt's history of advocating for military technology, his extensive government connections, and his strategic investments in defense tech further solidify his role as a key player bridging Silicon Valley and the Pentagon.

Their collective knowledge, combined with the AI-powered capabilities of these kamikaze drones, presents the potential to reshape not only the ongoing Ukrainian conflict but also the future landscape of warfare, reported Interesting Engineering.

The success or failure of White Stork's ambitious endeavor will undoubtedly shape the discourse surrounding the ethical considerations and strategic implications of integrating advanced AI into the realm of modern warfare.

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Ukrainian media community, put under pressure by smear campaigns, complains to G7 ambassadors – photo
Ambassadors of the G7 countries have met with leading Ukrainian journalists regarding concerns about the decline of press freedom in Ukraine.

Source: G7 Ambassadors' Support Group for Ukraine on Twitter (X); The Kyiv Independent

Details: The Ukrainian media community has complained about being under chilling effects, following a series of campaigns to discredit independent journalists often supported by anonymous pro-government Telegram channels.

Ukrainian and international media called for those guilty of harassing the press to be identified and brought to justice.

The two most recent attacks on journalists were a home visit to investigative journalist Yurii Nikolov, who had exposed procurement violations in the Ministry of Defence under its previous leadership of Oleksii Reznikov, and the covert surveillance of the editorial office of the investigative outlet Bihus.Info.

After the meeting, the G7 tweeted: "Media freedom is the fundamental pillar of a successful democracy."

The meeting was attended by Olha Rudenko, Editor-in-Chief of The Kyiv Independent; Bihus.Info CEO Denys Bihus; Nashi Hroshi co-founder Yurii Nikolov; Andrii Boborykin, executive director of Ukraine's largest media outlet Ukrainska Pravda; Serhii Sydorenko, Editor-in-Chief of European Pravda; Vitalii Sych, Editor-in-Chief of NV; and Nataliia Lyhachova, Editor-in-Chief of Detector Media.

Among those present were Mykola Chernotytskyi, chairman of the board of Suspilne; Oleksandr Martynenko, head of the Interfax-Ukraine news outlet; Maryna Synhaivska, deputy director general of Ukrinform; Vitalii Portnikov, political analyst; and Oksana Romaniuk, director of the Institute of Mass Information.

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The Hague sets date to announce admissibility of Ukraine's "genocide" complaint against Russia
This Friday, the International Court of Justice will announce its decision on the admissibility of a complaint filed by Ukraine against Russia regarding false accusations that Kyiv had allegedly committed "genocide in Donbas", which the Kremlin used to justify its full-scale invasion.

Source: the court's press service, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Court is due to announce an interim decision on Friday 2 February, following the consideration of preliminary objections from the Russian side.

The decision is to be announced at a meeting at the Peace Palace in The Hague at 15:00 local time.

In the complaint, which Ukraine filed against Russia on 26 February 2022, Ukraine asks the court to hold Russia accountable for distorting the concept of genocide, which it used to justify its full-scale aggression, referring to a "genocide in Donbas".

In October 2022, the Russian Federation filed its preliminary objections in the case and questioned whether the ICJ could hear the complaint.

The last hearing in this case took place in September 2023. The Ukrainian side called for Russia's objections to be dismissed and for the claim to be considered in full.

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Luxembourg joins the Aviation Coalition
Luxembourg has joined an aviation coalition, within which Ukraine will receive F-16 fighter jets from Western partners.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal announced this.

On Monday, January 29, he held an online conversation with his counterpart, Luc Frieden.

Denys Shmyhal expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister of Luxembourg for his leadership in creating the IT coalition and for joining the F-16 coalition.

The officials also discussed the implementation of joint agreements reached during the meeting between the Prime Minister of Luxembourg Luc Frieden and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos.

As part of joint efforts of the International Aviation Coalition, led by Denmark and the Netherlands, each country makes its own contribution.

Some countries, in particular, have pledged to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets free of charge. This also includes training pilots and ground personnel to maintain these fighter jets.

The aviation coalition includes: Belgium, Great Britain, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Canada, Poland, Romania, the USA, the Czech Republic, France and Sweden.

Currently, Ukrainian military pilots and maintenance personnel are undergoing training, in particular in Denmark.

At the beginning of January this year, the Norwegian Air Force delivered two F-16 fighter jets to Denmark for training Ukrainian pilots.

Belgium will also send two F-16 fighter jets and about fifty personnel to Denmark between March and September for training Ukrainian pilots.

Ukrainian pilots are being or will be trained in the USA, Romania, Denmark, France and the UK.

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Ukraine’s top general refuses request from Zelenskiy to step down
Personality clashes blamed for conflict between president and popular commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi

Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked his most senior military commander, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, to step down on Monday but the popular general refused, triggering speculation that he will be dismissed instead.

Tensions between the two have been simmering for weeks amid the failure of Ukraine’s summer counter-offensive but the suggestion that Zaluzhnyi could be forced out nevertheless came as a shock to many.

Oleksii Goncharenko, a Ukrainian opposition MP and ally of the general, told the Guardian that he understood that “yesterday the president asked Zaluzhnyi to resign but he declined to do so”.

He blamed personality clashes for the conflict. “Personally I think this is a bad idea. There are not fundamental issues between them but Zelenskiy’s office has been concerned that Zaluzhnyi has been making political not military statements,” Goncharenko said.

Expectations that Zaluzhnyi could be forced out imminently surfaced on social media on Monday afternoon. A couple of hours later, the defence ministry responded curtly: “Dear journalists, we immediately answer everyone: No, this is not true,” assuming that everybody reading understood what was being referred to.

It is not clear that the matter will end there. Goncharenko said Zelenskiy could dismiss Zaluzhnyi and replace him – a process that requires the support of the defence minister – after assessing the public and international reaction.

The most likely replacement would be Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, responsible for covert operations against Moscow. Budanov was touted earlier this year as a replacement for Oleksii Reznikov as defence minister, in another protracted dismissal saga that began with similar bouts of speculation.

It is not clear what an alternative military strategy would look like given Russia’s entrenched frontline positions, while Ukraine’s most urgent crisis is not the battlefield but persuading Congress to approve a $61bn military aid package that would secure a year or more’s weapons supply from the US.

Democrats on Tuesday accused Republicans of being on the brink of deliberately collapsing a deal linking aid to Ukraine to a tightening of immigration policy at the US’s southern border in order to help Donald Trump’s election campaign.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, urged European leaders to accelerate aid to Ukraine in a speech to Swedish military academy, saying the “costs … of a Russian victory are too high for all of us”. He warned: “There is no more security framework and architecture on our continent if there is a Russian victory.”

A Ukrainian counteroffensive that began in June has failed to break through Russian lines amid criticism the attack was spread across too many axes – but the real dispute between the president and his top general appear to be political.

The Ukrainian general is the most popular figure in the country other than the president and his high standing has irritated Zelenskiy’s office, particularly as the politician has been considering whether to hold fresh elections, currently suspended under martial law.

In a rare interview, Zaluzhnyi told the Economist at the beginning of November that he believed the war was at a stalemate and called for fresh help from the west, but a few days later Zelenskiy dismissed the downbeat assessment.

“Everyone gets tired, no matter their status. And we have different opinions. But it’s not a stalemate,” Zelenskiy said at the time, added that newly arriving western F-16 fighter jets could yet lead to a breakthrough in 2024.

Speculation has also swirled in Ukrainian media for months that Zaluzhnyi would be the only viable challenger to Zelenskiy for the presidency if fresh elections were to be called while the war continues and the general were to run.

Although Zaluzhnyi has never publicly said he would enter politics, informal Facebook posts showing photos of him with his wife were interpreted in Bankova – Ukraine’s equivalent of Downing Street – as a signal of intent.

In November, Zelenskiy warned generals against entering politics in an interview with the Sun. He said it would be a “huge mistake” if commanders “manage war keeping in mind that tomorrow you will do politics or elections”.

Addressing the military chief directly, he added: “With all the respect to Gen Zaluzhny and to all the commanders who are on the battlefield, there is an absolute understanding of the hierarchy,” in which the president was at the top.

In December, leaked polling seen by the Kyiv Independent suggested that Zaluzhnyi was Zelenskiy’s leading challenger and that the incumbent would only narrowly beat him, by two points in a runoff. At the time, the president’s office denied it had heard of the poll, although there were rumours it had been commissioned by them.

Orysia Lutsevych, a Ukraine expert with the Chatham House thinktank, said she believed the leaks about Zaluzhnyi’s dismissal were designed to test public opinion. “In view of Russia’s own attempts to destabilise Ukrainian unity from inside, this kind of attack on Zaluzhnyi plays into the enemy’s hands.”

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New US-made longer-range bomb expected to arrive as soon as Wednesday in Ukraine
The Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb doesn’t even exist in the U.S. inventory.

The Pentagon has successfully tested a new long-range precision bomb for Ukraine that is expected to arrive on the battlefield as soon as Wednesday, according to a U.S. official and three other people with knowledge of the talks.

Ukraine will receive its first batch of Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs, a brand new long-range weapon made by Boeing that even the U.S. doesn’t have in its inventory, according to the four people, all of whom were granted anonymity to discuss matters ahead of an announcement.

The new bomb, which can travel about 90 miles, is expected to be “a significant capability for Ukraine,” said the U.S. official.

“It gives them a deeper strike capability they haven’t had, it complements their long-range fire arsenal,” the U.S. official said. “It’s just an extra arrow in the quiver that’s gonna allow them to do more.”

An Army spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The weapon, co-developed by Boeing and Saab, is made up of a precision-guided 250-pound bomb strapped to a rocket motor and fired from various ground launchers. The U.S. military has a similar version of the bomb that is air-launched, but a ground-launched version does not yet exist in U.S. inventory.

The Pentagon announced last February that the Biden administration was providing the new bomb to Ukraine. But before sending the new version, the U.S. military needed to test the weapon — and that took many months.

The Army oversaw the testing of the new precision-guided bomb before providing its stamp of approval to send the weapon to Ukraine, according to an industry source.

The air-launched version was created in 2019, but despite successful tests, Boeing and Saab did not make a sale until the U.S. decided to donate it to Ukraine as part of an aid package.

The Biden administration has already provided Ukraine with a limited number of longer-range weapons. Last fall, officials secretly sent a version of the Army Tactical Missile System, which carries warheads containing hundreds of cluster bomblets that can hit targets 100 miles away.

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Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 18:48 schreef -XOR- het volgende:

[..]
Via een omweg worden Europese consumptiegoederen te duur, dan springt er een Russische producent in. Ook is handel door wisselkoersgekloot waar de yuan dan voor nodig is erg duur voor Russen.

Ze kunnen wel gewoon interen op hun fossiele brandstofreserves, die blijven ze wel gewoon verkopen maar daar worden ze wel erg van afhankelijk, voorlijke technologie gaan ze niet meer makkelijk ontwikkelen.

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China dragging its heels on Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline investment, price deal
"In terms of construction, [Beijing] wants to make sure that they have no risks and no costs. Russia is the side that foots the entire bill," the source stated.

The first deal to supply gas via the Power of Siberia 1 pipeline took about a decade to negotiate and the details of the price deal have never been made public.

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Russia’s planned gas pipeline to China faces construction delay 28-1-2024
Russia has been in talks to build a new pipeline to carry 50 billion cubic meters of gas a year from northern Russia to China via Mongolia, almost as much as the now-idle Nord Stream 1 pipeline under the Baltic Sea that was damaged in 2022.
China and Russia have yet to agree on key details of the mammoth project, he told the paper, adding that record global gas prices during the past two years had complicated talks.
Gazprom, which will operate Power of Siberia-2 has said it aims to start delivering gas by 2030. But agreement on key issues, including pricing remains elusive.

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Massive drone attack reported in Russia
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has reported a massive drone attack during the night of January 30.

Оccupiers claim that overnight, Russian air defense forces allegedly repelled a massive drone attack.

According to the Russian defense agency, they purportedly shot down 21 drones, including 11 over Crimea, 5 over the Belgorod region, 3 over the Bryansk region, and one each over the Kaluga and Tula regions.

The governor of the Kaluga region, Vladislav Shapsha, reported that debris from one of the drones fell onto the roof of a non-residential building on the outskirts of Kaluga.

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Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 19:45 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

Update from Ukraine | Big Ukrainian Attack in Avdiivka. Ruzzians could be cut out | Zaluzhny Drama

Video shows Russians crowding supermarket amid 'egg crisis'

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Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 21:51 schreef Anton91 het volgende:
[ twitter ]

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Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 21:51 schreef Anton91 het volgende:
[ twitter ]

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Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 22:04 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

[..]
Ja vast en hier het volgende
https://www.telegraaf.nl/(...)-verovering-avdiivka

Zie ik verder niet in zijn filmpjes terug komen maar wel op meerdere websites gelezen dat Russen door het riool zijn binnen gekomen.

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Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 22:04 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

[..]
wel op meerdere websites gelezen dat Russen door het riool zijn binnen gekomen.

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Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 19:15 schreef Starhopper het volgende:
[ afbeelding ][ twitter ]

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Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 22:34 schreef quirina het volgende:

[..]
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yandex

Waarom vind de Nederlandse regering het prima dat Yandex in ons land zit?
Kan iemand daar een uitleg aan geven?

quote:

Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 22:45 schreef quirina het volgende:
Yandex is net zo groot als Google h� en volgens wiki hebben ze 20000 medewerkers hier ook in Nederland en vliegen ze geregeld heen en weer tussen Ruzzia en ons landje.

quote:

Voor de Russische invasie van Oekra�ne werkten er vijftien mensen bij het Nederlandse hoofdkantoor,..

quote:

Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 22:55 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Je hebt niet veel boekhouders nodig om omzet te declareren en een grijpstuiver aan de NL staat te geven. Denk dat er nog geen 100 medewerkers in NL zijn.
[..]
En technische functies, hun NOC (Network Operations Center) bv, zit gewoon ergens in rus, niet in NL.

Overigens mogen ze van mij per direct met pek en veren het land uit, daar niet van.

quote:

Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 19:25 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://interestingengine(...)ne-ai-powered-drones
[..]
Goed nieuws. Hopelijk zal het erg succesvol zijn.

quote:

Op donderdag 22 december 2022 15:18 schreef

Digi2 het volgende:

UKRAINE-INVASION: "..., dass der Krieg noch Jahre dauern wird!" Das bedeutet Putins Rede wirklich

Ik heb ook het vermoeden dat deze oorlog nog lang kan duren. Is ook in belang van het westen die namelijk veel tijd nodig heeft de defensie te moderniseren en op orde te krijgen, met name de EU-lidstaten. Ben ook benieuwd hoe groot de rol van A.I. en geavanceerde communicatie-middelen gaan spelen. Vermoedelijk is het vermogen tot massa-productie van goedkope wapens zoals drones in combinatie met A.I. van doorslaggevend belang.

quote:

Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 22:04 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

[..]
Ja vast en hier het volgende
https://www.telegraaf.nl/(...)-verovering-avdiivka

Zie ik verder niet in zijn filmpjes terug komen maar wel op meerdere websites gelezen dat Russen door het riool zijn binnen gekomen.

quote:

Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 23:25 schreef Digi2 het volgende:
Het ligt nogal voor de hand dat Putin de langere termijnkaart rest. Jammer genoeg voor hem is dat precies wat het westen zelf nodig heeft, de tijd om de defensie te moderniseren en zich te herbewapenen. Daarnaast zitten we mogelijk midden in paradigma shift van biologische naar technologische evolutie waarbij de mens zelf slechts tot een tijdelijk overgangs vehicle zal verworden.
Nu Trump mogelijk herkozen wordt is het voor de europese landen bovendien raadzaam meer haast te maken.

Biologische organismen zijn nogal kwetsbaar en kunnen bijvoorbeeld niet overleven in grote delen van het universum. Dat komt doordat biologische organismen slecht een zeer gering deel van de elementen gebruiken, met name (H, K, Na, Ca, Fe, O, N, P, C, S). Technologische evoluerende organismen zullen die beperking niet hebben.

quote:

Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 23:25 schreef Digi2 het volgende:
Het ligt nogal voor de hand dat Putin de langere termijnkaart rest. Jammer genoeg voor hem is dat precies wat het westen zelf nodig heeft, de tijd om de defensie te moderniseren en zich te herbewapenen. Daarnaast zitten we mogelijk midden in paradigma shift van biologische naar technologische evolutie waarbij de mens zelf slechts tot een tijdelijk overgangs vehicle zal verworden.
Nu Trump mogelijk herkozen wordt is het voor de europese landen bovendien raadzaam meer haast te maken.

Biologische organismen zijn nogal kwetsbaar en kunnen bijvoorbeeld niet overleven in grote delen van het universum. Dat komt doordat biologische organismen slecht een zeer gering deel van de elementen gebruiken, met name (H, K, Na, Ca, Fe, O, N, P, C, S). Technologische evoluerende organismen zullen die beperking niet hebben.

quote:

Speaker Mike Johnson to House GOP: Senate immigration deal ‘absolutely dead,’ members say
Speaker Mike Johnson privately told House Republicans the Senate’s bipartisan immigration deal has “no way forward,” according to lawmakers who attended a closed-door meeting Tuesday – the latest blow to a major national security package intended to unlock critical aid to Ukraine as former President Donald Trump urges Republicans to kill it.

Leaving their conference meeting, House Republicans said Johnson made clear the immigration deal is “absolutely dead.”

“I just heard Speaker Johnson saying it’s absolutely dead, which is what I wanted to hear,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia told CNN. “As a matter of fact, he said so clear, ‘I don’t know why people keep asking me about it,’ because as it stands right now, there’s no way forward.”

Rep. Roger Williams of Texas added that Johnson, “said it’s not going anywhere.”

The House GOP’s warning to the Senate comes as Trump has called on Congress to tank the border deal as he rails against chaos at the border in his fight for the White House. Democrats and even some Republicans believe that Trump is simply trying to preserve a potent campaign issue and deny President Joe Biden a legislative achievement by derailing a deal cut by one of the most conservative senators, James Lankford of Oklahoma.

At a news conference later on Tuesday, Johnson denied pushing to kill the Senate border deal in order to help Trump on the campaign trail, but the speaker said that he has spoken to Trump “at length.”

“No, Manu, that’s absurd,” Johnson told CNN. “I have talked to former President Trump about this issue at length and he understands that we have a responsibility to do here.”

Johnson added, “The president of course, President Trump, wants to secure the country. President Trump is the one that talked about border security before anyone else did. He ran on, as you remember, building the wall. Why? Because he saw this catastrophe coming. He knew that if we did not get control of it, we would be in this situation.”

Attacks on the Senate compromise have ramped up from House Republicans and Trump now that negotiators have a deal in hand, though final text of an agreement has not yet been released. The House GOP push to kill the deal puts aid to Ukraine in peril at a key moment in its fight against Russia and underscores Trump’s strong hold over the conference as well as the stark divide between House and Senate Republicans.

Senate negotiators have agreed to empower the US to significantly restrict illegal migrant crossings at the southern border, according to sources familiar with the matter, a move aimed at ending the migrant surge that has overrun federal authorities over the past several months.

Biden said in a statement on Friday the deal that Senate negotiators have worked toward is both tough and fair.

“What’s been negotiated would – if passed into law – be the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country,” he said. “It would give me, as President, a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law.”

But House Republicans have dismissed the deal, insisting that any border security legislation must closely mirror HR 2, a hardline conservative immigration bill that is dead on arrival in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Trump, meanwhile, has argued that Republicans should not accept any kind of compromise and said on Monday that a bill is not necessary.

The attacks from House Republicans and Trump have set up a major contrast with the Senate where Lankford has been one of the key negotiators working to get a deal and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly stressed the importance of continuing aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Senior House Republicans on Tuesday attacked the Senate’s immigration compromise, despite not having final text, and vowed that it will not pass the House.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan told CNN, “I haven’t seen it, but based on what I’ve heard, I think that’s a nonstarter.”

He added, “Everyone knows that the border is not secure and even Democrat mayors know that. So why don’t we just say ‘stop, timeout, no more, no more migrants come in.’ You can have some special exception if someone needs a special surgery or something. Other than that, just stop it.”

The Senate deal would speed up the asylum process to consider cases within six months – compared with the current system, under which it could take up to 10 years for asylum seekers.

The Department of Homeland Security would also be granted new emergency authority to shut down the border if daily average migrant encounters reach 4,000 over a one-week span. If migrant crossings increase above 5,000 on average per day on a given week, DHS would be required to close the border to migrants crossing illegally not entering at ports of entry. Certain migrants would be allowed to stay if they prove to be fleeing torture or persecution in their countries.

Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida called the deal “trash,” and attacked senators for considering it.

“It’s a ham-handed deal that does not make sense in the real world. That’s my position,” he said. “If the biggest compromise you can get in the United States Senate is for 5000 entrants per day, then we need new United States Senators across the board. What they’re talking about over there is insane.”

Other more moderate House members threw cold water on it as well.

Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota added, “the border’s an absolute disaster and we should not be looking at half-measures.”

quote:

Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 23:01 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Die tunnels/riolering is al eerder voorbij gekomen in de filmpjes die ik post. En is al oud nieuws. De telegraaf loopt gewoon achter de feiten aan.

Er zijn een aantal soldaten op deze manier dichter bij Avdiivka gekomen ja. Maar zonder ondersteuning van ander materieel zitten ze daar vast. Vanaf het punt waar ze nu zitten gaat er 1 weg Avdiivka in. En deze weg is goed door Oekra�ne beveiligd. Ook kunnen ze geen hulp verwachten vanuit andere richtingen. De verwachting is dat Oekra�ne hun zal afknijpen van de rest.

Ze zijn al bijna 2 jaar bezig om Avdiivka te veroveren. Denk je nu echt dat deze buizen opeens de verlossing zijn?

quote:

Op dinsdag 30 januari 2024 23:25 schreef Digi2 het volgende:
Het ligt nogal voor de hand dat Putin de langere termijnkaart rest. Jammer genoeg voor hem is dat precies wat het westen zelf nodig heeft, de tijd om de defensie te moderniseren en zich te herbewapenen. Daarnaast zitten we mogelijk midden in paradigma shift van biologische naar technologische evolutie waarbij de mens zelf slechts tot een tijdelijk overgangs vehicle zal verworden.
Nu Trump mogelijk herkozen wordt is het voor de europese landen bovendien raadzaam meer haast te maken.

Biologische organismen zijn nogal kwetsbaar en kunnen bijvoorbeeld niet overleven in grote delen van het universum. Dat komt doordat biologische organismen slecht een zeer gering deel van de elementen gebruiken, met name (H, K, Na, Ca, Fe, O, N, P, C, S). Technologische evoluerende organismen zullen die beperking niet hebben.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 09:36 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ afbeelding ]
Kwam ik onder die van de chickenhead nuggets tegen. Vond ik wel grappig. En ja hij is al meer dan een maand niet gezien. Of Putin is zat van zijn gefaal geworden en heeft hem weggewerkt, maar dan was er wel nieuws geweest over zijn hartaanval, of zijn val uit het raam. Of hij is gewoon dood na die aanval, wat zij op geen enkele manier willen onderkennen, want dat zou een flinke overwinning van Oekra�ne betekenen, en zou Putin weer als een faalhaas wegzetten.

Welke mij ook weer bij de admiraal brengt. Die is ook al een lange tijd niet meer gezien. En op die in elkaar geshopte beelden leek hij al dood in bed te liggen.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 08:18 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

[..]
Ik wil wat jij rookt.

quote:

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
Arthur Schopenhauer

quote:

The infiltration also ended in failure, as a small group of Russian infantry emerged from a sewer, smeared in feces, and promptly got hunted down by Ukrainian drones. The sewer attack, targeting the Tsarska Okhota section of Avdiivka, is the latest debacle in a battle replete with them.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 11:44 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Nog even over rus die door het riool kruipt.
[..]
https://www.forbes.com/si(...)re-waiting-for-them/

Avdiivka is rus, die voor de zoveelste keer maar lang genoeg met z'n voorhoofd tegen de muur blijft beuken, want dan valt die muur vanzelf wel een keer om. En, dat kan. Maar als je dan het aantal rus doden omrekent naar gewonen aantal KM2 doorrekent, heeft rus miljarden soldaten nodig om heel oekraine er onder te krijgen.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 11:44 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Nog even over rus die door het riool kruipt.
[..]
https://www.forbes.com/si(...)re-waiting-for-them/

Avdiivka is rus, die voor de zoveelste keer maar lang genoeg met z'n voorhoofd tegen de muur blijft beuken, want dan valt die muur vanzelf wel een keer om. En, dat kan. Maar als je dan het aantal rus doden omrekent naar gewonen aantal KM2 doorrekent, heeft rus miljarden soldaten nodig om heel oekraine er onder te krijgen.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 12:10 schreef epicbeardman het volgende:
Als je deze topics met een niet vooringenomen voorkeur leest, neutraal.

Dan lach je je kapot over wat voor verhalen, waanidee�n er hier langskomen, wat voor fake news er allemaal voorbij komt. Veel hopium en copium. Projectie over propaganda.

En dat al 925 topics vol, mensen die zichtbaar gefrustreerd en hen woede uitten om "nieuws" welke totaal niet verifieerbaar zijn. Is de mens zo goedgelovig?

Je zal denken dat de media bijna met AI oorlogsberichtgeving eruit gaat spuwen in de aankomende tijd, met AI gemaakte beelden die niet van echt te onderscheiden zijn. En dat bijna alles al voorbij is gekomen, denk aan ziektes van Pootin.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 12:10 schreef epicbeardman het volgende:
Als je deze topics met een niet vooringenomen voorkeur leest, neutraal.

Dan lach je je kapot over wat voor verhalen, waanidee�n er hier langskomen, wat voor fake news er allemaal voorbij komt. Veel hopium en copium. Projectie over propaganda.

En dat al 925 topics vol, mensen die zichtbaar gefrustreerd en hen woede uitten om "nieuws" welke totaal niet verifieerbaar zijn. Is de mens zo goedgelovig?

Je zal denken dat de media bijna met AI oorlogsberichtgeving eruit gaat spuwen in de aankomende tijd, met AI gemaakte beelden die niet van echt te onderscheiden zijn. En dat bijna alles al voorbij is gekomen, denk aan ziektes van Pootin.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 12:10 schreef epicbeardman het volgende:
Als je deze topics met een niet vooringenomen voorkeur leest, neutraal.

Dan lach je je kapot over wat voor verhalen, waanidee�n er hier langskomen, wat voor fake news er allemaal voorbij komt. Veel hopium en copium. Projectie over propaganda.

En dat al 925 topics vol, mensen die zichtbaar gefrustreerd en hen woede uitten om "nieuws" welke totaal niet verifieerbaar zijn. Is de mens zo goedgelovig?

Je zal denken dat de media bijna met AI oorlogsberichtgeving eruit gaat spuwen in de aankomende tijd, met AI gemaakte beelden die niet van echt te onderscheiden zijn. En dat bijna alles al voorbij is gekomen, denk aan ziektes van Pootin.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 12:10 schreef epicbeardman het volgende:
Als je deze topics met een niet vooringenomen voorkeur leest, neutraal.

Dan lach je je kapot over wat voor verhalen, waanidee�n er hier langskomen, wat voor fake news er allemaal voorbij komt. Veel hopium en copium. Projectie over propaganda.

En dat al 925 topics vol, mensen die zichtbaar gefrustreerd en hen woede uitten om "nieuws" welke totaal niet verifieerbaar zijn. Is de mens zo goedgelovig?

Je zal denken dat de media bijna met AI oorlogsberichtgeving eruit gaat spuwen in de aankomende tijd, met AI gemaakte beelden die niet van echt te onderscheiden zijn. En dat bijna alles al voorbij is gekomen, denk aan ziektes van Pootin.

quote:

Op zondag 14 januari 2024 21:22 schreef epicbeardman het volgende:
Soms vraag ik mij af wie hier echt de wappies zijn, jeetje wat een topic weer vol gekke hersenkronkels en conspiracy theories.

Als er een AI bot op deze oorlog nieuws zou schrijven geloof iedereen het, hoe vaak is Putin nou al terminaal verklaard in het nieuws of dat hij ziek was? is nog springlevend die gast!

Zo veel hopium in dit topic.

quote:

Op zaterdag 30 december 2023 18:05 schreef epicbeardman het volgende:
Zieke mensen in een ziek topic, ook TS.
Wat een frustratie zit er in jullie allen. Afgelopen topic is kanslozer dan kansloos.

Oorlogmaniakken!

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 12:36 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Maar het is wat aan de rustige kant, komt dat omdat internet in het Internet Research Center nog niet terug is ofzo?

quote:

U.S. President Joe Biden is able to skirt congressional opposition to Ukraine aid by donating weapons to Greece with the expectation that Greece will then donate its own surplus equipment to Kyiv, according to a Jan. 30 report published in Forbes.

A U.S. legal authority known as Excess Defense Articles (EDA) allows the president to deem certain weapons systems surplus and transfer them to partner nations at a cheap price or without cost.

The Greek news outlet Kathimerini reported on Jan. 27 that the U.S. agreed to send two C-130H aircraft, 60 Bradley armored fighting vehicles, and 10 engines for P-3 patrol planes as "free concessions" under the EDA authority.

The package also includes three Protector-class ships and a fleet of trucks, given to Greece as EDA in conjunction with the sale of $8.6 billion worth in F-35 jets.

A letter from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis outlining the terms of the weapons transfer also addresses the matter of arming Ukraine.

"We continue to be interested in the defense capabilities that Greece could transfer or sell to Ukraine," Blinken writes.

"If these capabilities are of interest to Ukraine, and pending an assessment of their status and value by the U.S. government, we can explore opportunities for possible additional Foreign Armed Forces Financing of up to $200 million for Greece."

The Greek arsenal holds key air defense equipment that Ukraine needs, including long-range S-300 and Hawk missile systems.

Kathimerini reported that Greek political and military leadership have already agreed to transfer surplus equipment to Ukraine.

This circular arms trade allows Biden to bypass congressional obstacles to funding additional military aid to Ukraine. A $61 billion aid package has been stalled for months due to opposition from Republican legislators, and the White House has said there is no money left to send Ukrainian troops if Congress does not budge.

President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with Mitsotakis on Jan. 29 ahead of the second Ukraine-Balkans summit.

Zelensky said he discussed Ukraine's defense needs with Mitsotakis, "especially in terms of air defense and artillery."

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 13:50 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Ik geloof dat deze al in een vorig pakket zijn opgenomen, dus volgens mij kan de GOP het niet stoppen.

[ twitter ]

Uiteraard zeggen ze niet hoeveel en wanneer, en ook niet waar ze worden opgeslagen of dat ze al in gebruik zijn.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 12:18 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar dit verhaaltje draai jij om de zoveel tijd hier af:
[..]
[..]

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 13:50 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Ik geloof dat deze al in een vorig pakket zijn opgenomen, dus volgens mij kan de GOP het niet stoppen.

[ twitter ]

Uiteraard zeggen ze niet hoeveel en wanneer, en ook niet waar ze worden opgeslagen of dat ze al in gebruik zijn.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 14:11 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Ja, het contract was al afgesloten met Saab en Boeing. Ze kunnen met die dingen n�t Dzankoy raken, maar niet Sevastopol of de Kerch brug. Zie Deepstate Map.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 14:11 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Ja, het contract was al afgesloten met Saab en Boeing. Ze kunnen met die dingen n�t Dzankoy raken, maar niet Sevastopol of de Kerch brug. Zie Deepstate Map. Ze zouden ze vanaf vandaag kunnen gebruiken.

De grote vraag is hoeveel ze er krijgen en of ze ingezet mogen worden in rusland.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 14:14 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Die link laat dat niet zien.

Zo dan:

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 14:22 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Wat staat er in het contract over de aantallen?

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 14:41 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Ik zie niets in het support package dat vrijgegeven is door de VS.
Ik gok dat het om honderden gaat. Niet duizenden. Laten we zeggen 300 raketten in een stuk of 50 containers.

Die dingen zijn ook best kostbaar, een gewone MLRS raket is al 200.000 eurodollar of iets dergelijks IIRC.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 14:49 schreef Ulx het volgende:
De m26 booster staat op de schraplijst.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 14:56 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Wat opzich fascinerend is, want volgens het witte huis waren die dingen niet over.... Aldus diezelfde meneer Ryder, toen journaille hem vroeg waarom de overige/te scrappen ATACMS niet naar oekraine gingen.

Maar deescalatie mag wat kosten, je kan ATACMS wholesale naar oekraine sturen, kost het je niets, of je spendeert bakken en dan bouwen saab/boeing ze graag om voor je naar GLSDB's.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 15:07 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
De m26 was een ongeleid projectiel met een bereik van 15-45 kilometer.

Maar ga rustig door met je commentaar.

quote:

M26 rockets carrying 644 DPICM M77 submunitions. Range: 15–32 kilometres (9.3–19.9 mi).[53] The submunitions that were used in these rockets prior to their use with the GLSDB covered an area of 0.23 km2. Dubbed "Steel Rain" by Iraqi soldiers, M26 rockets were used extensively during Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Initially fielded in 1983, the rockets have a shelf life of 25 years.[55] The US started destroying its M26 stocks in 2007, when the US Army requested $109 million for the destruction of 98,904 M26 MLRS rockets from fiscal year 2007 to fiscal year 2012.[54] M26 rockets were removed from the US Army's active inventory in June 2009 and the remaining rockets were being destroyed as of 2009,[56] but the US requirement to destroy them was removed in 2017.[54] The UK and the Netherlands destroyed their stock of 60,000 M26 rockets by 2013, Italy destroyed its 3,894 rockets by 31 October 2015,[57] Germany its 26,000 by 25 November 2015,[58][59] and France its 22,000 by 2017.[60]

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 14:49 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
40k per stuk ongeveer las ik. De m26 booster staat op de schraplijst. Veel goedkoper dan GMLRS.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 15:24 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Maar ga gerust door met... whatever it is you are doing.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 15:39 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Ja en?

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 15:43 schreef bleiblei het volgende:
Oh god, daar gaan we weer.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 13:50 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Ik geloof dat deze al in een vorig pakket zijn opgenomen, dus volgens mij kan de GOP het niet stoppen.

[ twitter ]

Uiteraard zeggen ze niet hoeveel en wanneer, en ook niet waar ze worden opgeslagen of dat ze al in gebruik zijn.

quote:

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 11:46 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
Rest in pieces feces 😱

quote:

Chinese, Turkish Companies Supplying Russia With Key Gunpowder Component
Turkish and Chinese companies have helped Russia replenish its dwindling stocks of ammunition by exporting large volumes of a key component used to produce gunpowder, the Moscow Times’ Russian service reported Wednesday, citing customs data.

The EU banned shipments of nitrocellulose — a highly flammable compound used as the main ingredient of modern gunpowder — to Russia in April 2022 as part of sanctions in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Still, Russia was able to ramp up shipments of the key component by more than five times in 2022, to over 2,000 metric tons, customs data show. In 2023, that figure stood at around 4,000 metric tons.

Moscow has burned through its stocks of ammunition over the past two years of war and has scrambled to find new supplies from countries like North Korea, which is believed to have sent Russia over a million artillery shells.

Turkish companies have contributed to nearly half of Russia’s nitrocellulose imports since the start of the war — more than 1,800 metric tons in 2023 alone — followed by Chinese companies, which have accounted for about one-third of supplies.

The Moscow Times’ Russian service found that two Turkish companies and one Chinese company made 78 supply deals last year with Russian buyers, many of which have been sanctioned by Kyiv due to their ties to Russia's defense industry.

Turkish companies likely resold nitrocellulose produced in the EU, according to The Moscow Times’ Russian service, citing UN trade data that showed Turkey imports nearly 70% of the compound from Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy and Spain.

As a result, the re-imported compound is significantly more expensive, with prices for nitrocellulose shipped to Russia having increased from $2.9 per kilogram in 2021 to more than $4 last year.

Overall, imports of nitrocellulose from Chinese and Turkish companies, along with shipments of cotton pulp — a primary raw material used to produce nitrocellulose — from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, may have helped Russia produce some 700,000 artillery shells last year.

China could overtake Turkey as Russia’s biggest nitrocellulose supplier this year due to U.S. threats of secondary sanctions against Ankara unless it curbs exports of dual-use goods, according to Ilya Shumanov, who heads Transparency International Russia.

quote:

Putin Says US Patriot Missile Shot Down POW Plane
Putin also said Russia was “insisting” on an international investigation into the downing of the plane, but said “there are no international organisations willing” to take part.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that a US-made Patriot missile was used to shoot down a plane that Moscow says was carrying captured Ukrainian soldiers.

A Russian Il-76 cargo plane crashed on January 24 with Russian authorities saying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war were on board.

“The plane was shot down, it has already been established for certain, by an American Patriot system. This has already been established by forensics,” Putin said in a televised appearance on Wednesday.

There was no immediate response from Kyiv or Washington to Putin’s remarks.

In previous statements and comments, Ukrainian officials have not outright denied Russia’s version of events, but questioned whether the plane really was carrying Ukrainian POWs.

Putin also said Russia was “insisting” on an international investigation into the downing of the plane, but said “there are no international organisations willing” to take part.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also called for an international investigation, but said it would likely be hampered as Russia has full control over access to the crash site.

Patriots are guided surface-to-air missiles that can be used to target aircraft or defensively to take out incoming missiles.

The United States agreed to send Patriot missile systems to Ukraine at the end of 2022 after months of requests from Kyiv.

quote:

Ukraine will receive high-precision GLSDB bombs with a range of 150 km
It became known that Ukraine will definitely receive GLSDB precision bombs with a range of 150 km.

Pentagon Speaker Pat Ryder confirmed their transfer to our country.

Politico reports that this will happen today.

This is a new weapon manufactured by Boeing, which is not even in the US arsenal.

GLSDB is launched from ground-based MLRS-M270 or HIMARS launchers.

The rocket engine propels the warhead to a predetermined height, the bomb separates, extends its wings and heads towards the target.

The bomb can change course in flight, fly around mountains and even return after undocking to hit a target (up to 70 km), which makes it practically invulnerable to air defense.

The affected area includes the north and center of occupied Crimea, as well as the Belgorod and Kursk regions of the Russian Federation.

Ground Launch Small Diameter Bomb GBU39 HIMARS | MLRS | How it Works GLSDB #missile #himars

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Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 16:32 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.themoscowtime(...)der-component-a83921
[..]
Tijd om dit soort praktijken hard aan te gaan pakken. En bedrijven in China en Turkije sanctioneren dus. En de overheid ook als er een duidelijk verband bestaat.

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Ukraine conducts prisoner swap with Russia, freed 207 captives include Mariupol defenders
Ukraine returned 207 soldiers from Russian captivity on January 31
As part of another prisoner swap with Russia, Ukraine returned 207 service members from Russian captivity, announced President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The head of state thanked the chief of military intelligence Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Malyuk, the Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko, the secretary of the Coordination Headquarters Dmytro Usov and the head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak for the exchange.

"We are returning [people], no matter what. We remember each and every prisoner. Soldiers and civilians," Zelenskyy said.

He stressed that Ukraine must return all prisoners and is working on this.

Yermak clarified that soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, border guards - privates, sergeants and officers - have returned.

Among them are many defenders of Mariupol and Azovsta steelworks, Snake Island, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kherson and Sumy axes.

On January 3, 2024, the 49th exchange of prisoners of war since the beginning of the full-scale war took place as 230 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians were released, marking the largest swap since August 2023.

At the same time, Russia tried to misinform, claiming that not 230 captives returned to Ukraine, but 173, saying that for every commander from Azovstal released in the summer, 15 Russians had to be returned. Another Russian fake was refuted in Ukraine.

On January 10, the Coordination Headquarters announced the launch of the "I want to find" project to search for missing Russian soldiers. The goal is to encourage the Russian Federation to increase the number of exchanges of prisoners of war and the bodies of the dead.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada, believes that, as of today, the exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and the Russian Federation in the "all for all" format is impossible, because the aggressor state is not interested in this.

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Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 16:05 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ twitter ]

[ twitter ]

D'r gaat weer wat de lucht in op de Krim. Weet iemand of dat ene landingsschip dat een paar dagen terug in Sevastopol was aangekomen alweer vertrokken is?

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"A matter of life and death": Five EU leaders call for increased support for Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Danish PM Mette Frederiksen, Czech Republic PM Petr Fiala, Estonian PM Kaja Kallas and the Netherlands' PM Mark Rutte have written a joint letter calling for collective efforts to provide long-term support to Ukraine.

Source: A letter published by the Financial Times, as reported by European Pravda.

"We call on friends and partners of Ukraine to recommit to sustainable long-term military support for Ukraine as a joint European responsibility. This decision must be taken by each and every country. Only then will Ukraine be able to succeed in its defence against Russian aggression," the officials said in their statement.

The leaders of the five countries insist that the EU and its member states must renew their efforts and increase military support. As they said, the burden is so great that all states must do everything possible to support Ukraine – it must remain a collective effort.

"At the beginning of last year, the EU committed itself to an ambitious goal of supplying Ukraine with 1mn artillery rounds before the end of March 2024. The hard truth: we have fallen short of this goal," the letter reads.

In their address, the leaders stressed the need to "immediately" provide Kyiv with ammunition and weapons systems, including howitzers, tanks, unmanned aerial vehicles and air defence systems, as new orders placed today will not reach the battlefield until next year.

To this end, they insist on finding ways to speed up the delivery of the promised artillery shells to Ukraine using existing stockpiles or jointly procuring ammunition through European defence companies, which requires expanding industrial capacity through framework procurement contracts and sustained investment by EU member states.

"Partner countries could play an important role as well and are invited to join in our collective effort... Our ability to continue to support and sustain Ukraine’s defence, both during the winter and in the longer term, is decisive. In fact, it is a matter of our common European security, and for the brave women and men of the Ukrainian armed forces a question of life and death," the letter reads.

The leaders of the five countries noted that Russia is waiting for no one, so it is necessary to act now.

"If Ukraine loses, the long-term consequences and costs will be much higher for all of us. We Europeans have a special responsibility. Therefore, we must act. Europe’s future depends on it," they urged.

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The UN’s top court is set to rule on Ukraine’s allegation that Russia bankrolled separatist rebels
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The United Nations’ top court plans to rule Wednesday on Ukraine’s allegations that Russia bankrolled separatist rebels in the country’s east a decade ago and has discriminated against Crimea’s multiethnic community since its annexation of the peninsula.

The legally binding final ruling is the first of two expected decisions from the International Court of Justice linked to the decadelong conflict between Russia and Ukraine that exploded into a full-blown war almost two years ago.

The case, filed in 2017, accuses Russia of breaching conventions against discrimination and the financing of terrorism. Ukraine wants the court to order Moscow to pay reparations for attacks and crimes in the country’s east, including the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

Russia-backed rebels shot down the plane on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 passengers and crew. Russia denies involvement. A Dutch domestic court convicted two Russians and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian in November 2022 for their roles in the attack and sentenced them in their absence to life imprisonment. The Netherlands and Ukraine also have sued Russia at the European Court of Human Rights over MH17.

At hearings last year, a lawyer for Ukraine, David Zionts, said the pro-Russia forces in eastern Ukraine “attacked civilians as part of a campaign of intimidation and terror. Russian money and weapons fueled this campaign.”

Another lawyer for Ukraine, Harold Koh, said that in the Crimean Peninsula, Russia “sought to replace the multiethnic community that had characterized Crimea before Russia’s intervention with discriminatory Russian nationalism.”

Lawyers for Russia urged the world court to throw out the case, arguing that the actions of pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine did not amount to terrorism.

The court is expected to rule Friday on Russia’s objections to its jurisdiction in another case filed by Ukraine shortly after Russian troops invaded on Feb. 24, 2022. It alleges that Moscow launched its attack based on trumped-up genocide allegations. The court already has issued an interim order for Russia to halt the invasion, which Moscow has flouted.

The International Court of Justice in recent weeks also heard a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Judges issued provisional measures last week calling on Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in the conflict.