SPOILER

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 13:33 schreef Starhopper het volgende:
Kutwijf.

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 15:16 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Dat zou leuk zijn. Wordt die of meat, of na gevangenschap enkele reis den haag.

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 13:36 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
Ik zou er niet rouwig om zijn als die in stukken gereten wordt teruggevonden na een drone aanval of zo

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 15:53 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Een stuk over Russische troepenopbouw in het noorden.

500 tanks en honderden IFV's worden genoemd. Ik betwijfel of het allemaal het nieuwste van het nieuwste is, maar zelfs als het een verzameling T-55's, T-62's en andere museumstukken is zal het moeilijk worden als die in de aanval gaan. We zullen dat voorjaarsoffensief moeten afwachten. Voor de Russen is het natuurlijk de dood of de gladiolen, want als het prijsschieten wordt voor Oekraïne....

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 16:03 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

[..]
Als we de afgelopen maanden bekijken maken de Russen geen schijn van kans. Als er ondertussen westers wapentuig los komt word het helemaal feest.

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 15:53 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Een stuk over Russische troepenopbouw in het noorden.

500 tanks en honderden IFV's worden genoemd. Ik betwijfel of het allemaal het nieuwste van het nieuwste is, maar zelfs als het een verzameling T-55's, T-62's en andere museumstukken is zal het moeilijk worden als die in de aanval gaan. We zullen dat voorjaarsoffensief moeten afwachten. Voor de Russen is het natuurlijk de dood of de gladiolen, want als het prijsschieten wordt voor Oekraïne....

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 16:31 schreef Aether het volgende:
Rusland beticht Oekraïne van aanval op bakkerij
https://nos.nl/l/2507496

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 15:39 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ twitter ]

Waarom ook niet?

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 16:40 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Altijd handig:
[ afbeelding ]

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 18:03 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
[ afbeelding ]

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 18:06 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

Tja, die oude Volvo's zijn inderdaad gebouwd als tanks. Dus ik kan begrijpen waarom ze deze fout maken.

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 17:58 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ twitter ]

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 18:18 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

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Of uitgezet, kan ie mooi naar het front als ie zo'n hekel heeft aan Oekraïne.

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 18:40 schreef Digi2 het volgende:

[..]
Hoe weet je zeker dat het een rus betrof?
Gedurende WOII waren er engelsen pro-Hitler bijvoorbeeld.

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 16:45 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Een frontale aanval met voertuigen is gewoon prijsschieten, dat lijkt me ondertussen niet meer dan duidelijk. Oekraïne heeft dan wel een ammunitie tekort voor artillerie, maar drones zijn er genoeg.
Regenachtig weer lijkt overigens wel een zwakte van drones te zijn.

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 19:15 schreef Ulx het volgende:

Nou ja, met de kwantiteit-over-kwaliteit doctrine van de Russen zie ik ze er nog wel voor aan ook. Maar ze kunnen ze ook als dreiging daar laten staan. Het beperkt tenslotte de mogelijkheden van Oekraïne om troepen uit die sector te halen en ergens anders in te zetten.
Het schijnen trouwens vooral vroege versies van de T-72B die uit langdurige opslag zijn gehaald te zijn las ik ergens. Maar daar kunnen Leopards en Abrams ook wel een goede killratio tegen halen als ze goed worden ingezet.

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 19:15 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Nou ja, met de kwantiteit-over-kwaliteit doctrine van de Russen zie ik ze er nog wel voor aan ook. Maar ze kunnen ze ook als dreiging daar laten staan. Het beperkt tenslotte de mogelijkheden van Oekraïne om troepen uit die sector te halen en ergens anders in te zetten.
Het schijnen trouwens vooral vroege versies van de T-72B die uit langdurige opslag zijn gehaald te zijn las ik ergens. Maar daar kunnen Leopards en Abrams ook wel een goede killratio tegen halen als ze goed worden ingezet.

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 19:39 schreef AchJa het volgende:

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Dan moeten die daar wel zijn...

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 20:52 schreef Perrin het volgende:
[ twitter ]

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 18:14 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Heb een 740 gehad, wel een draaicirkel van minder dan 10 meter, net 10cm meer dan een VW Up!

SPOILER

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 15:42 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Hee, ze worden gebruikt. Ik had ze nog geen beelden gezien van de inzet.

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Op zondag 4 februari 2024 18:14 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Heb een 740 gehad, wel een draaicirkel van minder dan 10 meter, net 10cm meer dan een VW Up!

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Rai News: Zelensky says leadership reset is necessary
A reset of Ukraine’s leadership is necessary and could involve several personnel shakeups beyond the military, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Feb. 4 interview, according to Italian media outlet Rai News.

Responding to a question about a rumored dismissal of Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, President Zelensky said he had a serious reset in mind that was not about a single person, but about the general direction of the country’s leadership.

The change could involve replacing a series of state leaders, he said, according to Rai News.

The remarks came during an interview broadcast by Italy’s TG1 television program.

Zaluzhnyi has served in his role as commander-in-chief since 2021 and enjoys overwhelming support among Ukrainians.

A December 2023 poll found that 72% of Ukrainians would disapprove of his resignation.

However, the relationship between Zelensky and Zaluzhnyi has appeared to be strained for weeks, particularly after Nov. 1, when Zaluzhnyi described a potential “trap” of a prolonged war during an interview with the Economist.

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Ukrainian journalist: street battles in Avdiivka as Russian forces penetrate built-up areas
Russian forces have moved into the built-up area of Avdiivka, where street battles are ongoing, journalist and chief editor of Censor.NET Yury Butusov reported on Facebook.

According to Butusov, Russian units have established positions on one of the streets on the town's northern outskirts.

"The enemy's forward units are about one and a half kilometers from the town's entrance. Two weeks ago, they managed to capture two streets on the southern edge of the town. The situation is critical," noted Butusov.

The journalist also mentioned that the 110th Mechanised Brigade and several other units are engaged in combat with an opponent who not only significantly outnumbers them but also constantly receives reinforcements for their infantry.

"Avdiivka is in dire need of immediate fresh reserves and the rotation of the heroic 110th Brigade, which has maintained its coherence despite being absolutely depleted after nearly two years of continuous urban combat. Additionally, there is a desperate need for ammunition supplies, which are also extremely low. The enemy has a significant advantage in terms of firepower," he emphasized.

Butusov identifies poor coordination and command at the operational-tactical level as a weak point.

"The situation is greatly harmed by disinformation in reports at the higher level, a desire to pacify oneself and not to irritate the senior leadership with 'bad news.' The top brass prefers to hear only good news, not critical information, and therefore, there is no adequate response to the changing situation," wrote the Censor.NET chief editor.

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Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group tries to break through the Ukrainian border in Sumy region
On Saturday, February 3, a Russian reconnaissance and sabotage group attempted to cross the Ukrainian border in the Sumy region, reported the Commander of the Ukrainian Joint Group of Forces, Lieutenant General Serhiy Naiev, on his Telegram channel.

"In the direction of Sumy, members of the Territorial Defence Forces, who are defending the Northern operational zone, thwarted yet another attempt by an enemy reconnaissance and sabotage group to cross Ukraine's state border," stated Serhiy Naiev.

On January 3, at 18:20, Ukrainian serviceman noticed an armed group of ten people approaching the Hlukhiv community. The Ukrainians engaged in a firefight and called for counter-sabotage reserves from within their battalion. Within minutes, Ukrainian mortar units joined the battle, heavily bombarding the location of the Russian armed forces.

According to Naiev, after suffering losses, the Russians split into two groups. One group, under the cover of their artillery, carried out the evacuation of the bodies of the dead and wounded, while the other tried to flank the Ukrainian unit from the side. At that time, a Ukrainian counter-sabotage group arrived at the scene of the battle.

"The victorious fight lasted for one and a half hours. Thanks to the skillful actions of the defenders of the Northern direction, the enemy was pushed back well beyond the Ukrainian border. A deep bow to every Ukrainian warrior standing in defence of our independence and doing everything possible to bring our glorious victory closer," added Serhiy Naiev.

On February 1, the spokesman of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Andriy Demchenko, reported that the highest activity of Russian reconnaissance and sabotage groups was observed in the border areas of the Sumy region. Additionally, increased Russian activity was recorded in the Kharkiv region.

On January 30, Andriy Demchenko informed that in the Chernihiv region, there had been fewer border breaches by the enemy compared to earlier in the previous year, when this direction was the most active.

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Zelenskyy: As far as ground war is concerned, it's hit a stalemate, that's a fact
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the situation on the front line has reached a deadlock due to delays in the supply of military equipment.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with the Italian TV channel Rai1

Details: The president said: "As far as the war on the ground is concerned, there is a stalemate, that’s a fact" because "there have been delays with equipment, and delays mean mistakes".

Quote: "We are fighting against terrorists who have one of the largest armies in the world. Ammunition is not enough – we need modern equipment."

More details: Zelenskyy noted, however, that the naval operation has "achieved positive results".

"Russia has lost a lot of ships, and we’ve managed to set up a grain corridor in the Black Sea, so this pragmatic part of the operation that impacts the economy has been carried out positively," the president stressed.

He also pointed out that the Russian army has been unable to advance significantly and has been stopped.

"Over [the last] two years, the important thing is that we have managed to defend our state. About 26% of the country's territory is still under occupation, but we see that the Russian army is unable to make significant progress. We stopped them," Zelenskyy said.

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Wagner PMC new leader Anton Elizarov goes missing amid Russian elite power struggles
Anton Elizarov, the newly appointed leader of the Wagner PMC, has reportedly mysteriously disappeared in Russia. He is believed to have been detained, reports the Russian Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, which is believed to be linked to Russia's security services.

Elizarov, known by the callsign "Lotus," took over the Wagner PMC after the previous head, Yevgeny Prigozhin, rebelled against the Kremlin and was eliminated. In recent days, Lotus has not been reachable.

"Our well-informed source alleges that Lotus was detained to investigate the extent of the National Guard leadership's involvement in Prigozhin’s march on Moscow of June 23, 2024," wrote the Russian channel.

It further clarified that the leadership of the Russian National Guard is under scrutiny because of its inaction during the Wagner rebellion.

Amid rumors of Lotus's potential detention, unrest has begun to unfold among the ranks of the mercenaries in the Russian private military company. Russian authorities are attempting to stabilize the situation.

"Former and current 'musicians' (a euphemism for Wagner fighters) are being told that Lotus is alive and well. In reality, Elizarov has vanished entirely and unexpectedly for everyone... The situation eerily echoes the disappearance of Surovikin [former commander of the Russian air forces], with whom they also wanted to have an in-depth chat about some unknown circumstances involving Prigozhin's march on Moscow," reported VChK-OGPU.

The news outlet Forpost suggests that the disappearance of Lotus indicates intense internal strife among Russian elites.

"It seems that Lotus has become a pawn in the power struggle involving the head of the National Guard, the notorious duelist Zolotov, and the Security Council secretary Patrushev. As usual, the fight is over access to the feeding trough. Zolotov wants to become a deputy prime minister and amass maximum power, particularly in the security domain. Patrushev opposes this and is preparing his son for the position of prime minister. Zolotov's opponents decided to use the Wagner Group to accuse him of conspiring with Prigozhin. It is unclear who will win in this clash, but it is certainly going to be interesting. Time to stock up on popcorn," writes Forpost.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 04:38 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/02/5/7440370/
[..]
Voordat de eerste "dat zei ik toch" komt. Dit gaat alleen om grondgebied, en het vechten erom. Rusland verliest veel meer materieel en soldaten dan Oekraïne. En ook hun luchtmacht en zeemacht zijn grote verliezen toegebracht. En dan hebben wij het nog niet eens over de economische schade door Oekraïne in de laatste maand ofzo. Met volgens mij nu al 5-6 succesvolle aanvallen op olie/gas infrastructuur/terminals/voorraden.

Maar het word wel eens tijd dat het westen eens gaat doorzetten met hun hulp aan Oekraïne. En dat wij gewoon gaan leveren wat Oekraïne daadwerkelijk nodig heeft.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 04:31 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.uawire.org/uk(...)trate-built-up-areas
[..]
Dat is geen goed nieuws. Blijkbaar zijn ze Avdiivka nu ook vanuit het noorden genaderd. Hopelijk is het slechts tijdelijk. Gelukkig is het niet een stadje die ze even in 3 dagen zullen veroveren.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 05:32 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Ze zijn ook al maanden bezig hé. Het lijkt nu wel de kritische fase in te gaan waar een Oekraïnse terugtrekking elk moment kan gaan plaatsvinden.
De treinlinie is wel te houden maar het probleem is dat de Russische troepen maar enkele honderden meters van de O0542 weg afzitten waarmee toevoer volledig afgeknepen kan worden.

https://deepstatemap.live/en#13/48.1554/37.7195

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More than 60 printing houses refused to print Nadezhdin’s propaganda newspaper
Russian presidential candidate Boris Nadezhdin was unable to find a publisher to print his campaign materials. 65 printing houses in different regions of the country refused to cooperate with him, sources told Novaya Gazeta Europe at the politician’s federal headquarters.

According to one of the interlocutors, Nadezhdin planned to print 2.5 million copies of the newspaper. An unnamed Moscow printing house, accredited by the Central Election Commission, agreed to provide its services for 4.5 million rubles, but at the last moment changed its mind and returned the money, citing instructions from above.

After this, the headquarters turned to other accredited printing houses in the capital, Moscow region, Voronezh and Nizhny Novgorod, but they all refused to print Nadezhdin’s propaganda products. Some referred to workload, others stated directly that they did not want to cooperate with the politician, in some cases unrealistic deadlines were set for the execution of the order, the publication’s interlocutor clarified.

For example, this is what they did at the Good Prime printing house in Nizhny Novgorod. “They were simply not satisfied with our deadlines,” her employee told a Novaya correspondent. The Petit design and layout center near Moscow declined to comment.

Boris Nadezhdin announced plans to print a campaign newspaper on January 29, even before submitting signature sheets to the Central Election Commission. With its help, he was going to tell about his election program to people who do not use social networks, but want change and “support values ​​​​such as peace, freedom and democracy.”

“We urge people, regardless of the CEC’s decision regarding me, not to boycott the elections. Let’s talk about the dangers of DEG ( electronic voting - TMT) and how important it is to use your active voting right right now ,” explained Nadezhdin.

Ending the war with Ukraine and the release of political prisoners are key points of the politician’s program. In his opinion , the newspaper could help convince those who “today are still for Putin” and support the invasion to vote for him. He planned to raise 26 million rubles to print the edition.

On January 31, Nadezhdin submitted to the Central Election Commission 105 thousand signatures necessary to get on the ballot. The politician also announced his readiness, “purely theoretically,” to call on the 200 thousand citizens who supported him to take to the streets in 150 Russian cities if the Central Election Commission denies him registration. The commission has already announced claims against his signatures.

According to sources of the “We Can Explain” channel, Nadezhdin’s candidacy was initially agreed upon personally with the first deputy head of the presidential administration, Sergei Kiriyenko. However, subsequently, the politician’s words and actions began to greatly irritate the Kremlin, and the Central Election Commission was “strongly recommended” not to allow him to participate in the elections, since he was violating unspoken agreements with the Kremlin.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 05:48 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

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4 maanden zij ze nu bezig met het winteroffensief. En al 2 jaar om Avdiivka in te nemen. Het is een tweede Bakhmut voor de Russen geworden. En tenzij er nu wat gaat veranderen in het voordeel van de Oekraïners zullen zij waarschijnlijk zich tactisch moeten gaan terug trekken. En zoveel mogelijk Russen met zich mee nemen.

Al weten wij natuurlijk ook niet hoe groot de troepenmacht is die nu in Avdiivka aanbeland is. En wat de situatie nu is. Daar de berichtgeving vaak enkele dagen achterloopt. Voor het zelfde geld gaat het om een paar soldaten die gemakkelijk uit te roeien zijn/al uitgeroeid zijn. Dus afwachten nog maar. De aankomende dagen worden in elk geval spannend.

Ze hebben het in elk geval zo kostbaar gemaakt voor de Russen dat ze al niet meer over een overwinning kunnen spreken. Al zullen ze dat natuurlijk zo wel brengen.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 06:31 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

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Over twee weken precies twee jaar inderdaad, volgens het wikipedia artikel althans.
Een tegenaanval kan altijd, maar lijkt me hier gezien de Russische opmars van de afgelopen week niet erg waarschijnlijk, dat blijft echter speculeren.
Het is wel uitkijken dat er geen troepen ingesloten raken in de zuidelijke delen van de stad, vandaar dat een terugtrekking deze week mij best logisch lijkt.
Dit gebied in het noordwesten van het stadje zal men wel vast kunnen houden neem ik aan: https://www.google.com/ma(...)a=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

Wellicht kunnen we het een pyrrhusoverwinning noemen. Toch is deze plaats denk ik belangrijker als Bagmoet aangezien het, als het ingenomen kan worden, Donetsk buiten artilleriebereik van de Oekraïners brengt.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 05:21 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

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Ja, stalemate verwijst ook enkel en alleen naar het grondgebied.

Het ISW definieert de term als volgt: Patstelling beschrijft een toestand in een oorlog waarin geen van beide partijen de frontlinies dramatisch kan veranderen, hoe hard ze ook proberen.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 09:14 schreef zalkc het volgende:
Ik lees dat er een akkoord is in de VS, maar dat het al min of meer hopeloos is. Of ben ik te negatief?

https://nos.nl/artikel/25(...)-steun-voor-oekraine

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 09:17 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

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Republikeinen zijn superboos dat Biden de problemen aan de grens niet wil oplossen, maar als hij ze wel wil oplossen is het ook weer niet goed, want anders heeft Trump niks om campagne op te voeren.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 09:32 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:

[..]
Typisch republikeinse politici om politiek te bedrijven ipv een land te besturen.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 10:41 schreef Ulx het volgende:
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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 11:00 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Even de Excalibur instellen.
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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 11:05 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Het zg. temperen van de nabijheids-/tijbuis wat je hier ziet gebeuren.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 11:00 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Even de Excalibur instellen.
[ twitter ]

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 11:00 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Even de Excalibur instellen.
[ twitter ]

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 11:38 schreef Ulx het volgende:

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Even met een granaat van 48 kilo op je schouder komen aanlopen. Doe ik hem niet na.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 13:14 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

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Zou ook wel raar zijn als je thuis granaten van 48 kilo hebt liggen

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 11:38 schreef Ulx het volgende:

Even met een granaat van 48 kilo op je schouder komen aanlopen. Doe ik hem niet na.

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Verenigd Koninkrijk importeert nog steeds Russische olie via maas in de wet

Het Verenigd Koninkrijk importeert nog steeds Russische olie, meldt BBC News. Russische olie die in landen als India en China is geraffineerd, wordt ondanks de sancties tegen Moskou aan de Britten doorverkocht.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 13:58 schreef Kukelecucktsju10 het volgende:
“Rusland heeft 40.000 soldaten en 500 tanks verzameld voor aanval op Oekraïense stad Koepjansk”

Rusland heeft maar liefst 40.000 soldaten, 500 tanks, 650 gevechtsvoertuigen en honderden artilleriesystemen verzameld voor een aanval op Koepjansk, een stad in het oosten van Oekraïne. Dat meldt het Amerikaanse zakentijdschrift ‘Forbes’ op basis van een analyse van de Oekraïense denktank ‘Centre for Defence Strategies’ (CDS).

https://www.hln.be/buiten(...)-koepjansk~a19ac560/

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 13:58 schreef Kukelecucktsju10 het volgende:
“Rusland heeft 40.000 soldaten en 500 tanks verzameld voor aanval op Oekraïense stad Koepjansk”

Rusland heeft maar liefst 40.000 soldaten, 500 tanks, 650 gevechtsvoertuigen en honderden artilleriesystemen verzameld voor een aanval op Koepjansk, een stad in het oosten van Oekraïne. Dat meldt het Amerikaanse zakentijdschrift ‘Forbes’ op basis van een analyse van de Oekraïense denktank ‘Centre for Defence Strategies’ (CDS).

https://www.hln.be/buiten(...)-koepjansk~a19ac560/

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 14:19 schreef Digi2 het volgende:

[..]
Het lijkt me sowieso lastig de origine van geraffineerde producten te achterhalen.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 14:42 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Het is echt bizar dat ze na meer dan twee jaar nog steeds zo'n capaciteit hebben.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 14:42 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Het is echt bizar dat ze na meer dan twee jaar nog steeds zo'n capaciteit hebben.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 14:42 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Het is echt bizar dat ze na meer dan twee jaar nog steeds zo'n capaciteit hebben.

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Nederland voegt zes F-16-gevechtsvliegtuigen toe aan het aantal toestellen dat aan Oekraïne wordt geleverd. Dat betekent dat er nu 24 Nederlandse F-16's naar Oekraïne zullen gaan, meldt demissionair minister Kajsa Ollongren (Defensie).
De zes vliegtuigen zouden eerst worden verkocht aan het Amerikaanse bedrijf Draken International, maar die verkoop gaat toch niet door. Het demissionaire kabinet kondigde in december 2023 aan dat er achttien F-16's worden klaargemaakt voor levering aan Oekraïne. Daar komen dus zes toestellen bij.

De verwachting is dat de F-16's ergens in 2024 naar Oekraïne zullen gaan. Op dit moment zijn Oekraïense piloten in training om de F-16's te kunnen besturen. Naast Nederland zullen ook Denemarken en Noorwegen F-16's aan Oekraïne leveren.

De Nederlandse luchtmacht heeft de F-16's niet meer nodig en stoot ze daarom af. De rol van de F-16's wordt overgenomen door F-35's, ook bekend als de Joint Strike Fighters.
.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 15:42 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Altijd handig.

https://www.nu.nl/spannin(...)6s-aan-oekraine.html
[..]

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 14:42 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Het is echt bizar dat ze na meer dan twee jaar nog steeds zo'n capaciteit hebben.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 16:25 schreef Joppiez het volgende:

[..]
Alles mag de gehaktmolen in van Poetin. Boeien.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 16:27 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Dat geldt natuurlijk net zo goed voor al de Oekraines.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 16:27 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Dat geldt natuurlijk net zo goed voor al de Oekraines.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 16:27 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Dat geldt natuurlijk net zo goed voor al de Oekraines.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 17:10 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

[..]
Dus Putin discrimineert niet. Hij vermoord net zo hard Russen als Ukrainers. Moeten we hem daar nu een lintje voor geven?

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 17:21 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Wat haal jij er nou allemaal bij joh. Natuurlijk niet dat lintje.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 10:41 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ twitter ]

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 17:45 schreef Cilantro het volgende:
[ twitter ]

Ollongren is goed bezig als MinDef.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 16:08 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
24, dat is exact het aantal nog direct inzetbare, vliegklare F16's dat wij momenteen hebben.

https://www.defensie.nl/o(...)/aantallen-materieel

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 17:45 schreef Cilantro het volgende:
[ twitter ]

Ollongren is goed bezig als MinDef.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 17:58 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

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Die reacties zijn wel om te huilen

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 17:58 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Die reacties zijn wel om te huilen

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:05 schreef Perrin het volgende:

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Trollenleger van Poetin.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 17:58 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Die reacties zijn wel om te huilen

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:08 schreef over_hedge het volgende:
Maar zullen zeker niet allemaal fvd aanhangers of poetin fans zijn. Maar mensen die simpel denken.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:11 schreef nietzman het volgende:

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Hier voor de duidelijkheid een venndiagram van beide groepen.

[ afbeelding ]

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:11 schreef Starhopper het volgende:

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Zat ff te scrollen. Deze
[ twitter ]

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:08 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

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Mwa. Ik zie vooral oude mensen die gewoon niet snappen hoe het werkt. Qua veiligheid maar vooral hoe een economie werkt. Te veel mensen met van die domme opmerkingen over hoe dat geld beter gebruikt kan worden.

Maar zullen zeker niet allemaal fvd aanhangers of poetin fans zijn. Maar mensen die simpel denken.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:11 schreef nietzman het volgende:

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Hier voor de duidelijkheid een venndiagram van beide groepen.

[ afbeelding ]

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:20 schreef Perrin het volgende:

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Als je niet snapt hoe iets werkt, is het verstandig er geen sterke mening over te hebben en te luisteren naar mensen die er wel verstand van hebben.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 17:58 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Die reacties zijn wel om te huilen

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:11 schreef Starhopper het volgende:

[..]
Zat ff te scrollen. Deze
[ twitter ]

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:51 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:
Vind het ook altijd zo mooi hoe de #nietonzeoorlog roepers altijd zo super overdreven kritisch zijn op Oekraïne, maar geen onvertogen woord hebben over de aanstichters van deze ellende.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:53 schreef Perrin het volgende:

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Veel van die lui verlangen naar een dictator die ze precies vertelt wat ze moeten doen. Lekker overzichtelijk.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:46 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:

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Martijn Schut is net zo'n minderwaardig mens als de Russen waar 'ie blijkbaar zo'n fan van is.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 17:25 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

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Jij bent fan van hem, wat moet ie dan doen voor een lintje?

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 19:15 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

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Zie je, weer dat Poetin versteher gedoe. Maar dat is vooral jouw probleem, niet de mijne.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:56 schreef ipa84 het volgende:

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Je hebt ook een groep mensen die kosten wat het kost de wereld gewoon willen zien branden heb ik af en toe het gevoel.

Some men just want to watch the world burn.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 19:20 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

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Nou, dan hoef je je nergens zorgen om te maken.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 19:22 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

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Hoe vaak blijf je dat nou herhalen?

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En wat is precies het doel dat je hiermee wil uitstralen? Je praat alleen tegen jezelf namelijk.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 18:11 schreef Starhopper het volgende:

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Zat ff te scrollen. Deze
[ twitter ]

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 19:57 schreef oheng het volgende:
Een gedeelte van de "Oekraïne moet zich overgeven" volk is/was communist en/of heeft een blinde haat tegen de VS en/of NATO.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 21:09 schreef Starhopper het volgende:
[ twitter ]

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 21:16 schreef Anton91 het volgende:
Zeker als er 'waarnemers' zoals Sonja tussenzitten.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 17:45 schreef Cilantro het volgende:
[ twitter ]

Ollongren is goed bezig als MinDef.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 21:16 schreef Anton91 het volgende:

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Hopen dat die Russen in bezet gebied ook echt in grote groepen gaan stemmen, zijn mooie targets voor Oekraïne. Zeker als er 'waarnemers' zoals Sonja tussenzitten.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 21:24 schreef oheng het volgende:
Op de russische TV beschrijven ze Tucker Carlson zijn ontmoeting met de wondere wereld genaamd rusland. Beginnen op 01:25

State TV showcases Tucker Carlson's visit to Russia

Ik denk dat we moeten toegeven dat rusland gewonnen heeft als ze zelfs dit soort technologie hebben.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 21:29 schreef Starhopper het volgende:

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Zal hij opgepakt worden door de FBI als hij weer terugkeert?

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 21:31 schreef oheng het volgende:

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Heb je de video wel gezien? Hij keert nooit meer terug, nu hij weet dat rusland baadt in zulke ongekende luxe.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 21:33 schreef Starhopper het volgende:

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Wat heeft Poetin aan hem als hij in Rusland blijft?

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 19:57 schreef oheng het volgende:
Een gedeelte van de "Oekraïne moet zich overgeven" volk is/was communist en/of heeft een blinde haat tegen de VS en/of NATO.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 21:26 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

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Demissionair of niet, dit kabinet doet het sowieso uitstekend op dat gebied.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 22:02 schreef havanagila het volgende:

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Nah. Wappies in een echokamertje/bubbel op internet waar ze lezen hoe erg "iedereen" tegen de oorlog is, en moeten signaleren dat zij ook tegen de oorlog zijn.

Zelfde met republikeinen en sneeuwvlokjes in de VS, autonome mensen hier, pro-palestina protesten, etc.

Drie keer raden waarom Tucker en Alex Jones de dingen zeggen die ze zeggen. Even op twitter kijken waar de wappies het over hebben, precies hetzelfde zeggen, en je stikt van de kijkcijfers.

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Orbán’s party boycotts a session of Hungary’s parliament to further stall Sweden’s bid to join NATO

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Lawmakers from the party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán boycotted an emergency session of parliament on Monday where a vote was scheduled to place Sweden’s bid to join NATO on the legislative agenda, adding to 18 months of delays that have angered Hungary’s allies.

The governing Fidesz party, which holds an absolute majority in parliament, has stalled Sweden’s bid since July 2022, alleging that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungary’s democracy.

After Turkey’s parliament voted to approve Sweden’s accession in January, Hungary became the last of the military alliance’s 31 members not to have done so, leading its allies to pressure the nationalist government to hold a vote without delay. Orbán told NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg last month that he would urge his party to ratify the bid “at the first possible opportunity.”

Monday’s session in parliament was supported by six opposition parties, but Fidesz lawmakers didn’t attend, scuttling the attempt to place a vote on the legislature’s schedule.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 23:56 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://apnews.com/articl(...)PEST%2C%20Hungary%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94,that%20have%20angered%20Hungary's%20allies.
[..]
Die hond. Gewoon doorgaan met het vertragen en tegenwerken van alles wat in het nadeel van Putin zou kunnen zijn. Niet dat het een verassing is natuurlijk. Maar blijkbaar heeft hij zijn lesje nog niet geleerd.

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Russian banks post record profits. Is war helping them?
2022 heralded a new era for Russia’s banks. Increasingly isolated from the global economy and laden with heavy Western sanctions, the sector saw profits fall by 90 percent compared to 2021.

For Russia’s technocrats, the future seemed dim.

Then came 2023.

Russia’s Central Bank announced last week that the country’s banks had achieved record profits last year, raking in some 3.3 trillion rubles ($36.8 billion).

The news sparked jubilation among Russia’s political elite, who have been keen to stress Moscow’s economic resilience in the face of Western sanctions.

“They predicted decline, failure, collapse: that we would stand back, give up, or fall apart,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a speech in the city of Tula, on Feb. 2.

The Russian leader said that the news made him want to show the West a “well-known gesture” — although he declined a live demonstration, ostensibly on behalf of the ladies in the audience. “They won’t succeed! Our economy is growing, unlike theirs,” he said.

The nature of Russia’s wartime government means that there’s no guarantee that the Central Bank’s figures are completely accurate. Large swathes of data are no longer made public, while government departments have a clear incentive to present a picture rosier than reality.

Yet there are some reasons to suggest why 2023 may have been a bumper year for Russia’s banks. Faced with the specter of economic ruin, the Kremlin is using all of its strength to keep the country’s economy moving forward.

Its method is simple: more state spending.

The cost of economic support
Some of this expenditure is a natural side effect of the war.

Almost two years since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia’s army needs to replace lost vehicles, equip and arm its troops, and replenish its ammunition. That has meant a massive increase in military spending.

Russia’s 2024 budget will see 6 percent of the country’s GDP allocated on military expenditure, outstripping social spending for the first time in modern history. Much of that money will become profit for Russian companies.

Industries directly related to the war have boomed, according to statistics reported by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Transport production rose 66.7 percent from 2022, while computers and electronics are up 42.6 percent, and navigation equipment up 72.4 percent.

The sheer force of this spending in one area of the economy also drags other sectors upwards.

The spike in production has increased demand for workers: unemployment in Russia is down to 3%. Employees will then — at least in theory —spend their new wages in their communities, helping other local businesses in turn.

Similarly, Russian soldiers on the front line often earn far more than they could elsewhere. Their money trickles home to relatives, often waiting for them in some of the country’s poorest regions. Even the war pensions doled out to the families of dead troops ultimately have a similar impact.

This trend has prompted some experts to speculate that Russia has become an example of Military Keynesianism: where defense spending is used to boost economic growth. Other countries have previously used this theory to their advantage, including the United States during the Cold War.

Whether such policies are sustainable in the long-term, however, is uncertain.

“The Military Keynesian argument put forward by Volodymyr Ishchenko, Ilya Matveev, Oleg Zhuravlev and others is quite plausible,” says Peter Rutland, a professor of government and the Colin and Nancy Campbell Chair for Global Issues and Democratic Thought at Wesleyan University.

“But the problem is that, in the long run, you are tying up a lot of resources producing weapons to blow things up. That does not contribute to improved living standards. It sucks investment away from civilian industry, so it will harm long-term growth and productivity.”

The Kremlin is also propping up consumer spending with a host of other programs.

Key among them is Moscow’s policy of subsidized mortgages.

Russia has several such mortgage programs — largely geared towards certain social or professional groups — but in 2020, it launched a wider scheme to boost the sluggish property market during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new program offers buyers purchasing a new-build home a preferential interest rate of 8 percent — or 6 percent for families.

The uptake has been huge.

Mortgage lending rose nearly 35% in 2023, according to data from Russia’s Central Bank. It also said that in December 2023, 83.4% of those mortgages were subsidized.

These loans have also invigorated Russian banking, as they reap the benefits of both more mortgage repayments. And, as Russia’s Central Bank has increasingly hiked interest rates to stabilize the country’s economy, the government has had to pay banks more and more money to make up the shortfall between their “preferential rate” and the actual rate.

In September, Russian news outlet The Bell reported that officials hoped to wind down the scheme — but with presidential elections looming on the horizon, the government seems still unwilling to finally pull the plug.

On Feb. 4, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin announced not only that the country’s 6 percent preferential rate for families would continue, but that new mortgage schemes would be launched in Russia’s Far East and occupied areas of Ukraine.

Yet again, even Russian officials admit that this kind of Russian expenditure is not sustainable in the long run. Increased cash stimuli and consumer borrowing also push up inflation. At the end of last year, Russia’s inflation stood at 7.4 percent, compared to 3.7 percent in Germany and 3.4 percent in the United States.

In December 2023, Elvira Nabiullina, the head of Russia’s Central Bank, raised interest rates to 16 percent to try and curb that effect.

In a press conference, she warned that the economy’s miraculous growth increasingly resembled a car moving too fast.

“Think of the economy as an automobile,” she said. “If we try to drive it faster than it can go, sooner or later the engine will burn out and we won’t get far. We can go, maybe even quickly, but not for long.”

The sanctions question
For now, regime technocrats such as Nabiullina are firmly behind the wheel of Russia’s economy, tackling inflation and building up foreign currency reserves.

Sanctions on Russia in 2014, as well as the legacy of the 1990s, means that Russian businesses are trained in dealing with sudden shocks — essentially prolonging how the Russian economy can survive in this period of instability, says Profesor Rutland.

“The 1990s taught Russian businesses, economists, consumers, and workers how to adapt. They are both resilient in the face of challenges and resigned to lower expectations,” he says.

“The Russian labor market generally absorbs shocks not by companies firing workers, but by paying them less until things improve. And, 15 percent of the workforce is made up of migrants, who can be fired then rehired as needed.”

There is also the continuing question of sanctions. If Russia wants its economy to remain stable, it must keep spending.

The sanctions that Western politicians hoped would throttle the Russian economy have not been able to cut off the revenue streams that allow for such expenditure.

Experts still stress that sanctions are working, albeit slower than many had otherwise hoped.

The sanctions have frozen billions of dollars of assets that would otherwise be available to Russia. Sanctions on the Russian Central Bank and the National Wealth Fund have frozen approximately $280 billion.

Euroclear has reported that the Russian funds it holds which were frozen as a result of sanctions generated 4.4 billion euros in 2023, says Christine Abely, assistant professor at New England Law and author of The Russia Sanctions.

“The sanctions reduce the resources available to Russia to fund its war effort,” Abely said.

Continuing oil, gas, and other exports, however, have given the Kremlin breathing room, providing billions of dollars in income.

2022 data from the Center of Research for Energy and Clean Air (CREA) found that 46 percent of Russia's federal budget was funded through taxes on oil and gas sales.

For now, this has allowed the Kremlin to keep balancing its books.

With inflation and a potential property bubble on the horizon, however, the pressure on Moscow will only grow for the foreseeable future. Sanctions can contribute to that pressure, but they must keep being applied — and as strictly as possible.

“If they want to put more effective economic pressure on Moscow, sanctioning powers can continue to strengthen enforcement efforts and implement more secondary sanctions, where sanctions are placed on third-party actors for their support of sanctioned parties,” says Abely.

“Sanctions — especially on new investment — and export controls on higher-tech items will have the long-term potential to affect the trajectory of the Russian economy.”

In the short-term, the Russian economy is doing fine.

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Op maandag 5 februari 2024 21:24 schreef oheng het volgende:
Op de russische TV beschrijven ze Tucker Carlson zijn ontmoeting met de wondere wereld genaamd rusland. Beginnen op 01:25

State TV showcases Tucker Carlson's visit to Russia

Ik denk dat we moeten toegeven dat rusland gewonnen heeft als ze zelfs dit soort technologie hebben.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:08 schreef dudewhereismycar het volgende:

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De VN, Nato, Eu.. eigenlijk allemaal leuke ideeën op papier, totdat een land moeilijk doet. Die hele VETO rommel maakt het zo ondemocratisch als maar kan.

En er is ook geen mandaat om dit soort landen eruit te knikkeren.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:11 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:

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De restaurants zijn nog gewoon open? Hier krijg je dat beeld totaal niet.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:13 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

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Daar kan ik het alleen maar mee eens zijn. De veto moet eruit. Of in elk geval beperkingen krijgen. En er moeten ook regels opgesteld worden om landen die keer op keer tegen het belang van de NAVO/EU handelen aan te pakken. Bij de EU kan het vetorecht al tijdelijk afgenomen worden. Maar alleen in uitzonderlijke gevallen. Bij de NAVO weet ik niet of die mogelijkheid er is.

En er moet inderdaad een optie zijn om landen uit de EU/NAVO te gooien in het uiterst geval. Maar dan moeten ze wel heel erg ver gaan natuurlijk.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:16 schreef Nebelwerfer het volgende:

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Dat lijkt leuk, tot Nederland iets opgedrongen wordt wat ons niet zint.

Die organen bestaan nu eenmaal om samen afspraken te maken. Dan heb je te dealen met afwijkende belangen.

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EXCLUSIVE: Ukrainian Special Forces Interrogate Wagner Mercenaries in Sudan
Exclusive video obtained by Kyiv Post shows Ukrainian special forces interrogating captured Russian mercenaries from the Wagner “Private Military Company” (PMC) in the Republic of Sudan.

Kyiv Post sources in Ukraine’s special services provided an exclusive video that shows elements of Ukrainian special forces interrogating captured Wagner mercenaries in the Republic of Sudan.

In one part of the video special forces operators from the combat group Timur, part of Ukraine's Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR), are seen examining military vehicles, one truck shows signs of intense weapon strikes through the windshield and the body of a soldier, sporting the Wagner PMC badge, in the passenger seat.

Later footage shows a Ukrainian operator interrogating a Russian-speaking prisoner. He confesses to being part of a group of Wagner PMC mercenaries that were sent to Sudan to overthrow the local government, in the video.

“What's your rank?” the Ukrainian fighter asks.

“Soldier,” the mercenary replies.

“Your unit?”

“PMC Wagner.”

“How did you get here to Sudan?” he is asked.

“We drove through Central African Republic (CAR) to Khartoum,” the mercenary replies.

“What was the goal?”

“To overthrow the local government,” comes the reply.

“How many of you are here?”

“100 people.”

Additionally, two African prisoners, presumably locally recruited by the Wagner mercenaries, are interrogated alongside the Russian-speaking soldier.

Ukrainian special forces have, according to open sources, been operating in the Republic of Sudan for several months at least.

Previously, a video surfaced showing Ukrainian drones taking out “Russian mercenaries” and their “local terrorist partners” in Sudan.

Filmed in “recent weeks” in an undisclosed part of the African country, the footage shows three separate strikes against three different vehicles.

Kyiv Post sources inside the special services of Ukraine, said: “The work on the destruction of Russian mercenaries and their local terrorist partners in Sudan is likely by Ukrainian special forces…Work we have planned [in Sudan] is being performed.”

In November 2023 Kyiv Post obtained two videos purporting to show Ukrainian special forces operators hunting mercenaries in the country.

A spokesperson for HUR, typically neither confirm nor deny the deployment of Ukrainian servicemen in foreign territories, including the Republic of Sudan.

Why are Ukrainian forces operating in Sudan?
In May 2023 HUR Chief Kyrylo Budanov vowed to “destroy Russian war criminals anywhere in the world, wherever they are.” An ongoing, state-sponsored campaign by Ukrainian overseas special operators to hunt down Wagner employees deployed to Sudan would be consistent with Budanov’s promise.

Russia, along with the Wagner Group, was directly involved in the coup in Sudan in 2019, supporting Hemedti and his fighters in the conflict and supplying weapons. Wagner also delivered surface-to-air missiles to the Sudanese Rapid Reaction Force (RSF).

A senior Sudanese source told CNN in 2023 that about 90 percent of RSF weapons came from Wagner. That supply channel is still open despite the deaths of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and his deputy Dmitry Utkin in a plane crash in Russia, the source said.

In September, President Zelensky said he'd held an impromptu meeting with the head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, while travelling through Ireland's Shannon airport.

“We discussed our common security challenges, namely the activities of illegal armed groups financed by Russia,” Zelensky said in a post on social media.

EXCLUSIVE: Ukrainian Special Forces Interrogate Wagner Mercenaries in Sudan

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:08 schreef dudewhereismycar het volgende:

[..]
De VN, Nato, Eu.. eigenlijk allemaal leuke ideeën op papier, totdat een land moeilijk doet. Die hele VETO rommel maakt het zo ondemocratisch als maar kan.

En er is ook geen mandaat om dit soort landen eruit te knikkeren.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:23 schreef sp3c het volgende:

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Een democratische NAVO is complete onzin er wordt verwacht dat je elkaar verdedigd als het misgaat, dan is het niet handig als er landen bij komen die een of meerdere landen er niet bij willen hebben

Jammer voor Zweden maar het is wat het is en ik zie geen enkele reden om Hongarije er dan maar uit te knikkeren omdat Zweden erbij kan

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Zelensky commented on the resignation of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, in his evening address, commented on the dismissal of the Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, Yulia Laputina, and stated the need for a policy reset.

Source: Zelensky's address

Direct speech: "This morning, we discussed with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal the strengthening of the policy of heroes - the policy of veterans. Steps that will overcome the existing problems in this area and add confidence to our people. Steps to reset - and not only in this direction.

With all due respect to the minister, this is a management issue only. Ukraine needs strength, fresh energy and sufficient leadership in every sphere. We must win this war. And do the maximum this year, that is, even more than possible."

What preceded:
The minister submitted her resignation from her position on February 5. The Verkhovna Rada appointed her to the post of Minister of Veterans Affairs on December 18, 2020.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:18 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

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Er zijn betere manieren om dat te doen dan met een veto. Een veto is inderdaad ondemocratisch. Laat ze dan een stemming doen waarbij een 90 procent meerderheid moet zijn om iets er door heen te krijgen om om een veto heen te kunnen komen.

Ook voor de VN zou dit moeten gebeuren. Dat een aantal landen een veto kunnen uitspreken om alles tegen te werken is gewoon slecht. Ik begrijp waarom ze dat in het verleden daar zo gedaan hebben. Maar het wordt tijd voor een betere oplossing.

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Independent journalists say campaign workers for Boris Nadezhdin, Russia’s only anti-war candidate, may have sabotaged his ballot registration, but supporters say the report is a hired hit job
A secret team of campaign workers for Russia’s only anti-war politician, Boris Nadezhdin, may have torpedoed their own candidate’s hopes of making the ballot, according to a new investigation by Novaya Gazeta Europe, though the story has led to bitter mutual recriminations in the Russian opposition. Sources told Novaya Gazeta that multiple factions within the Nadezhdin campaign clashed at the last minute over which signatures to verify and submit to Russia’s Central Election Commission, potentially leading to the inclusion of the thousands of “bad” signatures that now imperil Nadezhdin’s presidential candidacy. Meduza reviews the investigation’s findings and summarizes the furious reactions from Nadezhdin’s supporters.

The incident at the center of Novaya Gazeta’s story reportedly occurred outside Moscow on the night of January 30 at a private residence the “non-public” campaign was using as a secret headquarters. Known to insiders as “the cabin,” this is where staffers from the Civic Initiative Party (which nominated Nadezhdin) and a handful of “political technologists” assembled to finalize the campaign’s submission of signatures. Sources told Novaya Gazeta that this secret team within the campaign may have deliberately added roughly 20,000 bogus, unverified signatures to the 105,000 given to officials.

Volunteers for Nadezhdin’s public campaign told Novaya Gazeta that they were supposed to come to the cabin on January 30 and photograph each signature sheet individually as part of a quality check for the paperwork being prepared for the election commission. When they arrived, however, they allegedly learned that large numbers of signatures collected in Russia’s more remote regions by campaign workers from Civic Initiative were falsified. When this revelation led to a disagreement about using unverified signatures, Alexander Nazarenko (one of the “political technologists” whom Nadezhdin personally hired to the campaign, sources told Novaya Gazeta) forced the volunteer workers out of the cabin and into the street, shouting that he would “bury them in the woods.”

This is reportedly how the public side of Nadezhdin’s campaign was sidelined from the final process of verifying and selecting the signatures given to Russia’s Central Election Commission.

Speculation about motives
Novaya Gazeta’s sources offered different explanations for the conflict at the cabin. According to more charitable speculation, Nazarenko may have resorted to a violent threat merely because of miscommunication and his suspicion that the suddenly arrived volunteers were, in fact, provocateurs trying to sabotage the campaign. The same source said that Civic Initiative was simply less interested in quality signatures than it was in “matching everything to the protocols submitted to officials.” Another person claimed that the Civic Initiative team didn’t really believe that Nadezhdin’s public campaign had collected enough signatures and was merely doing all it could, acting without malicious intent.

Nazarenko wasn’t the only political spin doctor helping Nadezhdin’s secret campaign that night: Novaya’s sources identified Konstantin Vlasov and Rodion Adikaev. Both men are also reportedly Nadezhdin’s old friends, despite the fact that Vlasov supports the Russian military and promotes pro-invasion Telegram content, while Adikaev has a history of working with pro-Kremlin politicians and Kremlin-engineered “spoiler” groups.

Reactions from the campaign and supporters
Representatives for Civic Initiative and the Nadezhdin campaign have denied the allegations in Novaya’s story, arguing that it misrepresents the campaign’s work and fabricates a plot to undermine Nadezhdin’s candidacy prospects. Party leader Andrey Nechaev suggested that the newspaper only ran the story to please the Russian authorities, supposedly hoping to shed its “undesirable organization” status. The Nadezhdin campaign acknowledged that many staffers were upset to learn that “other divisions” existed and would ultimately verify their signatures, but spokespeople stress that volunteers collected more than 211,000 signatures and only “the very best” were submitted to officials.

Echoing concerns about “provocateurs,” opposition politician Maxim Katz (one of Nadezhdin’s most vocal public supporters) has accused Novaya Gazeta of “disgracefully” reprinting “the fantasies of the angry activists” who were barred access to the Nadezhdin campaign’s January 30 meeting. Katz also argues that the investigation’s release was timed to legitimize the Central Election Commission’s allegations against the Nadezhdin campaign. Andrey Serafimov, who co-authored the Novaya Gazeta report, told Katz on Twitter that the publication’s timing was coincidental and that he personally would have held the story if officials hadn’t flagged thousands of signatures. In response, Katz accused Serafimov of writing the article about Nadezhdin’s campaign for money. Katz did not disclose how he knows this information or how much money Serafimov allegedly received.

Where Nadezhdin goes from here
Whatever transpired on the night of January 30, the Nadezhdin campaign likely faces an insurmountable challenge in convincing election officials to uphold at least 4,500 of the 9,209 “bad signatures” flagged by officials. The alleged problems with the signatures are the same errors that have plagued aspiring candidates for years: dates entered on forms by persons other than the signatories, passport data entered on pages not notarized, names entered by persons other than the signatories, and otherwise incorrect, edited, and missing information about the signatories and the people who collected the signatures.

Nadezdhin has until February 7 to persuade the Central Election Commission to reconsider. If denied, he has the right to file an appeal with Russia’s Supreme Court. Voting in Russia’s presidential election will be held next month, between March 15 and March 17.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:18 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

Een veto is inderdaad ondemocratisch. Laat ze dan een stemming doen waarbij een 90 procent meerderheid moet zijn om iets er door heen

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 01:01 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Dan wint de minderheid toch?

Overigens was het stemmen van vandaag gewoon een politieke showactie als die over Taurus in Duitsland laatst. De echte stemming komt nog, planning was 26 februari.

quote:

Zelensky asks parliament to prolong martial law, mobilization
President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted a proposal to the parliament on Feb. 5 to extend martial law and general mobilization for another 90 days.

The president first declared martial law and general mobilization on Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The measure has been repeatedly extended since then.

Ukraine's parliament previously extended martial law and mobilization from November 2023 until Feb. 14, 2024.

Zelensky's proposal would extend the two measures until May 14.

Lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said this would be the 10th vote of the parliament on martial law since the beginning of the war.

Under martial law, Ukrainian men aged between 18 and 60, with some exceptions, are not allowed to leave the country as they may be called up for military service.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 01:12 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://kyivindependent.c(...)-law-mobilization-2/
[..]
Lijkt me niet meer dan logisch. De oorlog is nog vol aan de gang tenslotte.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 01:26 schreef aTypisch het volgende:

[..]
Dictatuurgenot

quote:

Crimean Bridge won't stand by year's end, Ukrainian Navy Commander predicts
The Commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, Vice Admiral Oleksii Neizhpapa, believes that the Crimean Bridge built by the Russians will not be completed by the end of 2024, according to an interview with famous Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Gordon.

During the conversation, the journalist asked Neizhpapa about the Crimean Bridge and what to expect regarding it. In response, Neizhpapa stated that he believes the Crimean Bridge will not withstand until the end of the year.

"I think there is not much time left to wait. At least this year for sure (it won't be there)," the commander said.

He firmly answered the question of whether the Crimean Bridge can be considered potentially "non-permanent" and added that he knows how to achieve this.

Strikes by the Defense Forces on the Crimean Bridge

The illegally built Crimean Bridge, occupied by the occupiers, has suffered at least two attacks. In October 2022, powerful explosions occurred on it, causing significant damage. The Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), Vasyl Maliuk, confirmed that it was an operation of his special service.

Additionally, in July 2023, there was another attack on the Crimean Bridge, destroying two spans. The head of the SSU Maliuk also confirmed the involvement of the special service in this attack and noted that it was organized using Sea Baby drones.

Furthermore, in November of the previous year, the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense intrigued Ukrainians with footage taken near the Crimean Bridge.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:28 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Maar je hebt wel iets nodig om te kunnen dealen met landen die het vetorecht misbruiken of geinfiltreerd zijn door vijandige staten.

quote:

Debris was found 11 kilometers from the shore at a depth of 50 meters.

As a reminder, yesterday there were reports that the Russian Mi-8 helicopter disappeared from radar during training in Karelia.

#Intercepted Russian AI as It Is: Generals Allowed Rookies to Get Drunk

quote:

Russian emergency helicopter crashes in Karelia lake, three dead
Feb 5 (Reuters) - An Mi-8 helicopter belonging to Russia's emergencies ministry crashed into a lake in the country's northern region of Karelia, killing all three crew members on board, the authorities said on Monday.
"The plane was on a training flight," the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app. "The helicopter was flown by an experienced crew with thousands of flight hours."
The wreckage of the helicopter, which disappeared from radar late on Sunday, was found 11 km (6.8 miles) from the shore of the Lake Onega, Europe's second-largest lake, at a depth of 50 m (164 feet).
The ministry said divers and a remote-controlled underwater vehicle were being deployed. Separately, TASS cited regional governor Artur Parfenchikov as saying the crew members have died.
The Karelia region is divided into two parts: the Finnish Karelia region and the Russian Republic of Karelia in the northwestern part of Russia, between the White and Baltic seas, where the helicopter crashed.

quote:

"Roskomnadzor proposed to close public access to information about the requirements of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation to block websites, writes Kommersant.

According to the draft order of the department, Roskomnadzor is going to hide the presence of the requirements of the Prosecutor General's Office on the need to remove prohibited content, as well as allow operators not to publish the grounds for blocking on "stub" pages.

The amendments apply only to the work of the Prosecutor General's Office, namely the extrajudicial blocking of resources for "fakes about the army", "discrediting" the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as well as blocking the websites of "undesirable organizations".

The Prosecutor General's Office has ceased to be mentioned in the register since October 2022. Instead, an "unknown agency" now appears in the documents, Roskomsvoboda reports.

The authorities' forced bans on Internet access cost Russia $25.6 billion during the two years of the war, which is 2.25 trillion rubles at the current exchange rate, which is comparable to the 10-year budgets of such large regions as the Voronezh or Volgograd regions.

According to a report by Top10VPN, the enforced censorship of information has made Russia the undisputed world leader in losses incurred due to restrictions on internet access. In Russia, 20% of citizens use VPNs, according to a survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago.

By November 2023, Roskomnadzor had blocked more than 15,000 websites and links in Russia, Roskomsvoboda calculated. Roskomnadzor itself reported that the number of blocked materials in the first half of last year increased to 1.1 million."-The Moscow Times

quote:

Authorities are preparing to tighten control over "unreasonable" price increases ahead of Putin's re-election
"Russian authorities are preparing to tighten price controls in stores after a sharp spike in food inflation last year and before Vladimir Putin's re-election to a fifth presidential term.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has developed a bill according to which the price of goods will be recognized as economically unreasonable if within 60 days it exceeds the current inflation rate by more than 5%, RBC writes with reference to the document.

At the same time, a sharp increase will be acceptable in the event of the influence of certain economic factors. These include a significant change in the demand or supply of goods, a change in regulated tariffs, a change in prices for raw materials and components, a seasonal factor, as well as "other factors," the bill says.

The document was discussed in January at a meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov. Following the discussion, the latter instructed the FAS to work out a mechanism for determining the criteria for a significant increase in demand, as well as a methodology for assessing the increase in costs that affect prices, said a source familiar with the results of the meeting. Belousov also asked to compile an "exhaustive list" of factors confirming the economic feasibility of increasing the cost of goods and the methodology for their evaluation.

The FAS initiative introduces the concept of "economically unreasonable price" at the legislative level, says Artur Gafarov, director of the Institute for the Development of Entrepreneurship and Economy. According to him, this means a significant expansion of the regulator's ability to intervene in pricing processes along the entire distribution chain.

Such measures will entail additional costs for business, primarily for retail chains, Gafarov said. "The bill applies to all market participants, including manufacturers, but long-term practice shows that large ones are usually designated as extreme in price increases," the expert explained. At the same time, according to him, the adoption of the bill will not help eliminate the economic reasons for the rise in prices, such as a shortage of personnel, rising prices for raw materials and materials, etc.

The FAS initiative is "a point mechanism for cases that are not covered by the existing tools," a source familiar with the preparation of the initiative explained to RBC.

The Antimonopoly Service prepared the bill after a number of food products, including chicken eggs, rose sharply in price in 2023. In particular, the latter have become more expensive by 61.35% over the year, Rosstat reported.

Official inflation in 2023 was 7.4%, but calculated based on the real consumer basket of Russians, it reached 23.2%, according to experts from the Romir research holding. This is how much the price index for everyday goods (FMCG), including food, beverages, detergents, personal care products, cosmetics, medicines and clothing, has increased. At the same time, since the beginning of the war, real inflation has reached 56.9% (against the official 20%), and the cumulative total for 2019-2023 is 103% (against the official 41% for the same period)."-The Moscow Times

quote:

Russia Will Block VPN Services in March, Says Safe Internet League Chief Mizulina
Russian authorities will "most likely" start blocking major VPN services in March, the head of the Kremlin-aligned Safe Internet League said Monday.

Downloads of VPNs, which help users access blocked websites, surged in Russia after authorities started blocking Western social media platforms and scores of Russian independent news outlets amid the invasion of Ukraine.

"VPNs, especially those that are free, they're a total portal into hell ... It's a big black hole in your device," Safe Internet League head Yekaterina Mizulina told a group of high school students in the city of Yekaterinburg.

When asked about rumors that the Russian government may be planning to block VPNs by March 1, she replied: "Yes ... that's most likely the case."

Mizulina then clarified that while it would be "technically impossible" for authorities to block VPNs "entirely," they would target some of the most popular services.

She added that the authorities seek to safeguard “people and gadgets” by banning free VPNs.

Last year, Russian authorities launched a campaign to warn the public about what they say are the dangers of using VPN services, such as opening up devices to hackers that can then access personal data.

But observers say the campaign is aimed at stifling free speech and limiting access to independent news sources.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 01:35 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Dat heeft helemaal niks met een dictatuur te maken. Het is niet meer dan logisch dat er zo iets gebeurd in tijden van oorlog. Dat zouden ze in westerse landen ook doen. Inclusief Nederland. En hij heeft inderdaad toestemming nodig van het parlement/de regering om dit te doen.

Hier zou elke Nederlander in een bepaalde leeftijdscategorie ook verplicht opgeroepen kunnen worden wanneer wij in een grote oorlog zijn verwikkeld. Vooral als wij de verdedigende partij zijn. En ja dan kan het proberen ontvluchten van het land/de dienstplicht gezien worden als desertie en zal het dus strafbaar zijn.

De mensen die het hier niet mee eens zijn in dit geval kunnen bij Putin gaan klagen. hij is de aanstichter/oorzaak hiervan namelijk.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 03:22 schreef aTypisch het volgende:

[..]
Putin verplicht mensen het Oekraïnse leger in te gaan?

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 04:06 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Zonder Putin en zijn aanvalsoorlog was dit allemaal niet nodig geweest. Dus hij heeft ze niet direct verplicht. Maar hij is wel de oorzaak ervan dat deze mensen het leger in moeten ja.

Sterker nog, hij is verantwoordelijk voor elke dode die in Oekraïne, maar ook in Rusland zelf dankzij deze oorlog gevallen is. Dit is inclusief de burger doden en militaire doden.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 05:45 schreef aTypisch het volgende:

[..]
Dat maakt het niet okay om je mannelijke bevolking op te sluiten binnen je landsgrenzen

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:16 schreef Nebelwerfer het volgende:

[..]
Dat lijkt leuk, tot Nederland iets opgedrongen wordt wat ons niet zint.

Die organen bestaan nu eenmaal om samen afspraken te maken. Dan heb je te dealen met afwijkende belangen.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 03:22 schreef aTypisch het volgende:

[..]
Putin verplicht mensen het Oekraïnse leger in te gaan?

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 08:41 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
Als een land wordt aangevallen, en dus in een oorlog terecht komt, is er de kans dat vroeg of laat het beroepsleger niet meer toereikend is.
Dan wordt er gemobiliseerd ja.

En maak je geen illusies, mocht ooit de shit dusdanig de ventilator raken dat Nederland in Navo verband in oorlog raakt, en ons kleine leger niet toereikend is, dan wordt de opkomstplicht ook weer afgestoft, en mag elke Nederlander tussen de 17 en 45 jaar zich komen melden als je aan de beurt bent.

Kom je niet, dan komen ze je halen.

Daar kun je van alles van vinden, maar dat is wel hoe het gaat.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 00:48 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ twitter ]

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 05:45 schreef aTypisch het volgende:

[..]
Dat maakt het niet okay om je mannelijke bevolking op te sluiten binnen je landsgrenzen

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 05:45 schreef aTypisch het volgende:

[..]
Dat maakt het niet okay om je mannelijke bevolking op te sluiten binnen je landsgrenzen

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 10:53 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Hoe te zeggen dat je een laffe hond bent zonder te zeggen dat je een laffe hond bent.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 11:22 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Niks mis met een laffe hond zijn. Als een laffe hond zijn betekent dat je niet naar het front wilt om een bom die een 300 euro drone op je hoofd laat vallen te willen koppen.

Dan maar een laffe hond zijn.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 11:22 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Niks mis met een laffe hond zijn. Als een laffe hond zijn betekent dat je niet naar het front wilt om een bom die een 300 euro drone op je hoofd laat vallen te willen koppen.

Dan maar een laffe hond zijn.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 11:26 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Als je land binnengevallen wordt heb je alleen niet zoveel te willen.

"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 11:32 schreef over_hedge het volgende:
Ach het is gewoon nogal makkelijk om veilig in nederland achter je toetsenbord mensen die niet dood willen gaan aan het front voor een oorlog waar van ze vinden dat ze er niks te zoeken hebben laffe honden te noemen.

Het is nogal makkelijk praten. Toch heel stukje lastiger als jij de genen bent die zijn familie moet achter laten en gedwongen wordt om te vechten.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 11:40 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Inderdaad. En dan vooral te bedenken dat het enkel geldt voor het armere deel van de bevolking die heen geld heeft om de dienstplicht af te kopen. Voor de elite gelden andere regels.

Mensen die vinden dat zij wel moeten vaan vechten zouden zelf een enkeltje front moeten krijgen. Want het gaat toch zogenaamd ook over 'onze' veiligheid om de Russen buiten de deur te houden? Maar dan is ineens alles weer anders en moet men de zogenaamde nuance inzien.

Laffaarden zij het. Stuk voor stuk.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 11:43 schreef kl1172 het volgende:

[..]
In Rusland zou je voor zulke teksten in de gevangenis vliegen en om dit hier wel te kunnen typen, daar vecht je dan voor. We hebben het hier niet over dat we gaan vechten voor een dicatator die landjepik wil spelen, we hebben het over het beschermen van ons eigen land en de vrijheden die we hier hebben. Als we hier een Putin aan de macht zouden hebben, zou ik ook niet willen voor vechten en zal dan ook proberen te vluchten.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 12:14 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
In Oekraïne vlieg je er ook voor de bajes in dus over welke vrijheid heb je het dan? Ook in NL zal dat gebeuren op jet moment dat NL in oorlog verkeerd.

Ik zou ten alle tijden kiezen voor mijn gezin. Daar hoort vechten voor een stel politici niet bij.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 12:14 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
In Oekraïne vlieg je er ook voor de bajes in dus over welke vrijheid heb je het dan? Ook in NL zal dat gebeuren op jet moment dat NL in oorlog verkeerd.

Ik zou ten alle tijden kiezen voor mijn gezin. Daar hoort vechten voor een stel politici niet bij.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 12:31 schreef MaxMark het volgende:

[..]
Ik vind dat altijd zo'n steuntrekker-uitspraak: "Ik kies voor mijn gezin". Dat doet ieder weldenkend mens, namelijk
.
Het verschil is dat de meeste mensen voor (de toekomst van) hun gezin willen vechten, opdat zij niet worden onderdrukt, verkracht of vermoord.

Mensen met jouw instelling mogen wat mij betreft ook nu alvast het land uit "vluchten". Wel genieten van alle voordelen, maar niet ervoor willen vechten.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 12:51 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Daar hoort vechten voor je gezin om ervoor te zorgen dat ze niet in handen vallen van een moordende, plunderende en verkrachtende aggressor niet bij? Duidelijk.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 12:56 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Heel nobel maar is die keuze nog steeds hetzelfde wanneer je in een oorlogsgebied woont waar de lonen al laag zijn, je vrouw zich vervolgens moet prostitueren in een bordeel in Odessa om je kinderen te voeden? Terwijl dit nog steeds geen garantie is dat ze geen bom op haar hoofd krijgt?

quote:

A Ukrainian pilot outlines how drones powered by jet skis sunk a Russian warship

All it took was six sea drones, powered by jet skis, to fell a Russian guided missile ship last week, according to a rare interview with the secretive Ukrainian unit behind the attack.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence said at the time that the small Russian warship, the Ivanovets, suffered multiple hits to its hull before it was sunk by drones in an inlet on the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula.

One of the drone pilots behind the attack told CNN that ten “MAGURA” drones were used in the attack, six of which hit and ultimately sunk the Russian warship – the latest embarrassing loss for Russia’s Black Sea fleet.

The “MAGURA” drones are only a few meters long and powered by jet skis, the pilot said, but they have a large range of around 800 kilometers (nearly 500 miles), giving his unit freedom to launch their drones from across large swathes of Ukraine’s coastline for missions against Crimean targets.

The pilot, identified as call sign “13,” is a member of a special unit in Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency (GUR), which has been linked to a number of attacks on Crimea and into Russia itself, often using drones to hit far beyond the range of conventional weapons of Ukraine’s arsenal.

Night-time footage released by the Ukrainians showed Russians firing at the drones as they raced towards the Ivanovets, before at least two drones struck the side of the ship, disabling it and causing massive explosions.

The footage includes a striking scene of what appears to be the bow of the Ivanovets sticking out of the water as it sinks to the bottom of Lake Donuzlav.

CNN could not independently verify Ukraine’s claim and which vessel was struck and when. There has been no official comment from Russia about Ukraine’s claims.

Calls for more drones

Kyiv is increasingly turning to drones to level the playing field with Russia, with a string of drone attacks hitting strategic targets in Russia in recent weeks.

Moscow’s oil and gas infrastructure has come under threat, with a drone attack on a Russian oil terminal about 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Saint Petersburg.

Russians “started waking up at night during explosions,” Ukraine’s defense intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov told CNN in late January. “They see the real picture of war.”

On the battlefield too, Ukraine’s top general has called for more widespread use of drones, both to save the lives of Ukrainian troops and to negate Russia’s material advantage in arms and ammunition.

“It is these unmanned systems – such as drones – along with other types of advanced weapons, that provide the best way for Ukraine to avoid being drawn into a positional war, where we do not possess the advantage,” Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, wrote in a CNN op-ed last week.

“In short, this means nothing less than the wholesale redesign of battlefield operations – and the abandoning of outdated, stereotypical thinking,” he added.

Since Russia’s takeover of Crimea in 2014 – and following further losses after Russia’s 2022 invasion – Ukraine no longer has a functioning navy in the Black Sea. But the sinking of the Ivanovets is another victory in Ukraine’s campaign against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

The most notable of its strikes was the attack on the Moskva in April 2022, which forced Russia to change the way it operates close to areas controlled by Ukraine.

‘Jeweler’s work’

The impact of the drones is impressive but it’s delicate work, said the pilot.

“The main thing is to feel the drone,” he told CNN. “If you squeeze it a little, you can lose control of the drone. I would say it’s like jeweler’s work.

Controlled from afar via a Starlink connection, the drones can also be pre-programmed for the long journeys across the Black Sea.

A pilot is constantly monitoring the drone’s passage, he said, with the final run into the targets often controlled manually.

The drone’s 250kg (551lb) payload can be increased to 300kg, he added, “but there is no need to do so.” Even against some of the toughest ships of Moscow’s Black Sea fleet, the drones have proved their effectiveness.

At almost six meters long, the drones are imposing out of the water. But once afloat, they make a hard target for defending Russians.

“They are quite difficult to see, especially in the open sea. This size makes it difficult to control it because the sea is choppy but it also makes it much harder for the enemy to hit us,” he said.

The weaponry aboard Russia’s warships wasn’t designed with drones in mind, forcing targets like the IVAN to use cannons better suited to duels with other ships, the pilot said.

Video of the attack shows rounds hitting the water as the drones home in on the Ivanovets. The ammunition is unable to stop the incoming bombs.

At a demonstration of the drones on the Black Sea, CNN saw one drone – identical to those used against the Ivanovets – pull off tight turns at speed on autopilot. It’s agile by design, the pilot said.

“No warship can be as manoeuvrable as these drones,” he added.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 12:57 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Oekraïne is geen failed state zoals Somalie hoor. Hou die onzin maar voor je.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 13:27 schreef HSG het volgende:
TOS-2 wordt ingezet.

Finally! Russian TOS-2 Tosochka Thermobaric Rockets Deployed on the Front

Full Load Of Rockets Explode For TOS-1A As FPV Drone Strike

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 13:27 schreef HSG het volgende:
TOS-2 wordt ingezet.

Finally! Russian TOS-2 Tosochka Thermobaric Rockets Deployed on the Front

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 13:34 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Niet zoals Somalië. Maar wel flink terminaal met een hartslag meetbaar in transacties van inkomende westerse donaties op een Oekraïense bankrekening.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 13:44 schreef Joppiez het volgende:

[..]
TOS-2 wordt toch al lang en breed ingezet? Al sinds halverwege 2022 lees je erover.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 13:53 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Fucking bullshit. Daarnaast is Rusland nog steeds verantwoordelijk voor alle ellende.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 05:45 schreef aTypisch het volgende:

[..]
Dat maakt het niet okay om je mannelijke bevolking op te sluiten binnen je landsgrenzen

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 13:53 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Fucking bullshit. Daarnaast is Rusland nog steeds verantwoordelijk voor alle ellende.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:24 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Ja, dat zeg je steeds maar leg eens uit waarom dan.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 13:55 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Word hier nu serieus Oekraïne met Somalië vergeleken ja.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:24 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Ja, dat zeg je steeds maar leg eens uit waarom dan.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:24 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Ja, dat zeg je steeds maar leg eens uit waarom dan.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:25 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Omdat ze Oekraïne zijn binnengevallen en niet oprotten.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:27 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
of oekraïne een gefaalde staat is.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:29 schreef zuchtje het volgende:

[..]
Dat is wellicht ook de schuld van Rusland

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:34 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Leuk maar daar ging het niet om en daarom moet je eerst lezen.

Iemand zei namelijk dat Oekraïne geen gefaalde staat is. Ik hielp deze misvatting even de wereld uit.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:47 schreef zuchtje het volgende:

[..]
Ik wist niet dat jij degene was die bepaalde of staten faalde of niet. Sorry dat ik je autoriteit niet respecteerde.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:27 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Even opnieuw lezen We hadden het net niet over wiens schuld het was maar of oekraïne een gefaalde staat is.

Leuk geprobeerd wel.

quote:

A failed state is a state that has lost its ability to fulfill fundamental security and development functions, lacking effective control over its territory and borders. Common characteristics of a failed state include a government incapable of tax collection, law enforcement, security assurance, territorial control, political or civil office staffing, and infrastructure maintenance.[2] When this happens, widespread corruption and criminality, the intervention of state and non-state actors, the appearance of refugees and the involuntary movement of populations, sharp economic decline, and military intervention from both within and without the state are much more likely to occur.[3]

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:24 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Ja, dat zeg je steeds maar leg eens uit waarom dan.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:25 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Niet door mij.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 10:53 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Hoe te zeggen dat je een laffe hond bent zonder te zeggen dat je een laffe hond bent.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 16:01 schreef aTypisch het volgende:

[..]
Te veel Hollywood gekeken? Niks heldhaftigs aan (gedwongen) kanonnenvoer zijn

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 16:03 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Toch lijken veel Russen dat te denken.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 16:01 schreef aTypisch het volgende:

[..]
Te veel Hollywood gekeken? Niks heldhaftigs aan (gedwongen) kanonnenvoer zijn

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 16:14 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Goed om te weten dat jij er direct met staart tussen de benen vandoor gaat. Kunnen we missen als kiespijn.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 16:18 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Zelfs Zelensky geeft nu toe dat het een patstelling is.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 16:26 schreef aTypisch het volgende:

[..]
Ben nu ook niet in NL. Wel stoere taal van je.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:06 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ twitter ]

De geruchten over de Mirage 2000D worden ook weer sterker. Dat toestel zou een prima aanvulling zijn voor hun CAS natuurlijk. En als ze de Apache kruisraket meeleveren kunnen die het de Russische luchtmacht behoorlijk moeilijk maken. Helemaal als ze toestaan daarmee startbanen in Rusland om te ploegen. Ze hebben een bereik van zo'n 200km.

[ twitter ]

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 16:53 schreef AgLarrr het volgende:

[..]
Die Fransen weten van doorpakken.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 01:35 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Dat heeft helemaal niks met een dictatuur te maken. Het is niet meer dan logisch dat er zo iets gebeurd in tijden van oorlog. Dat zouden ze in westerse landen ook doen. Inclusief Nederland. En hij heeft inderdaad toestemming nodig van het parlement/de regering om dit te doen.

Hier zou elke Nederlander in een bepaalde leeftijdscategorie ook verplicht opgeroepen kunnen worden wanneer wij in een grote oorlog zijn verwikkeld. Vooral als wij de verdedigende partij zijn. En ja dan kan het proberen ontvluchten van het land/de dienstplicht gezien worden als desertie en zal het dus strafbaar zijn.

De mensen die het hier niet mee eens zijn in dit geval kunnen bij Putin gaan klagen. hij is de aanstichter/oorzaak hiervan namelijk.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 16:42 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Is het Russische herfstoffensief een totale mislukking dan?

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 12:14 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
In Oekraïne vlieg je er ook voor de bajes in dus over welke vrijheid heb je het dan? Ook in NL zal dat gebeuren op jet moment dat NL in oorlog verkeerd.

Ik zou ten alle tijden kiezen voor mijn gezin. Daar hoort vechten voor een stel politici niet bij.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 16:42 schreef Ulx het volgende:

Is het Russische herfstoffensief een totale mislukking dan?

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 18:43 schreef ipa84 het volgende:
[ twitter ]

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 15:27 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Even opnieuw lezen We hadden het net niet over wiens schuld het was maar of oekraïne een gefaalde staat is.

Leuk geprobeerd wel.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 20:00 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:
[ twitter ]
Ben benieuwd.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 19:06 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Het enige resultaat is de inname van Marinka (wat al bijna ingenomen was, dus erg significant was dat eigenlijk niet). Verder is er iets van ~150km2 terreinwinst geboekt wat op het geheel gewoon erg weinig is.
Avdiivka zal op termijn wel vallen gezien de posities.
Richting Kupiansk is er weinig voortgang geboekt.
Het belangrijkste: er is geen sprake van een echte doorbraak.

Dus ik denk dat we wel mogen stellen dat het offensief gefaald heeft.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 20:01 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

[..]
Nou, dat zal me een nogal kritisch interview worden zeg.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 20:06 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:

[..]
Beter censureren en helemaal niks laten zien idd.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 20:00 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:
[ twitter ]
Ben benieuwd.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 20:00 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:
[ twitter ]
Ben benieuwd.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 20:00 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:
[ twitter ]
Ben benieuwd.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 20:01 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

[..]
Nou, dat zal me een nogal kritisch interview worden zeg.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 20:00 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:
[ twitter ]
Ben benieuwd.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:11 schreef Cilantro het volgende:

[..]
Goebbels zou jaloers zijn op zo'n propaganda stunt.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 20:00 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:
[ twitter ]
Ben benieuwd.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:19 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:
[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 20:00 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:
[ twitter ]
Ben benieuwd.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:35 schreef Hatseflats22 het volgende:

[..]
In heel veel conflicten, of internationale kwesties is er twijfel mogelijk, of is twijfel over wat goed is zelfs redelijk.

Maar dat gaat voor Rusland en de oorlog in Oekraine totaal niet op. Het is glashelder dat Poetin tuig van de richel is en dat Tucker Carlson een onethische, corrupte rat is.

Jij zegt dat je 'benieuwd bent', ook al doe je het misschien slechts om te trollen, hier in alle openbaarheid ben jij uiteindelijk simpelweg pro-poetin. Dat is jouw marginale invloed op het publieke debat hierover. Jij staat aan de totaal verkeerde kant van de geschiedenis, ja precies zoals vroeger mensen voor de NSB waren.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:36 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:

[..]
Het is goed om alles van 1 kant te bekijken en nooit de andere kant?

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:28 schreef ipa84 het volgende:
[ twitter ]
Tja Poetin wilt natuurlijk gewoon een trekpop hebben die geen moeilijke vragen stelt. Dan heb je natuurlijk aan die Carlson een goeie.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:39 schreef Hatseflats22 het volgende:

[..]
Een 'interview' met Poetin door 'journalist' Tucker Carlson is alles van één kant bekijken. Een kritisch interviewer krijgt een kogel van Putin.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:36 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:

[..]
Het is goed om alles van 1 kant te bekijken en nooit de andere kant?

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:52 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:

[..]
Weinig verschil met hoe de media Zelensky de hemel in prijst dat is ook heel eenzijdig.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:52 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:

[..]
Weinig verschil met hoe de media Zelensky de hemel in prijst dat is ook heel eenzijdig.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:49 schreef Confetti het volgende:

[..]
Zo snel mogelijk censuur invoeren want dit soort propaganda van de vijand uitzenden aan tientallen miljoenen Amerikanen is echt ongekend. Stel je voor dat Hitler de vriendelijke oom mocht spelen in de Amerikaanze media aan de vooravond van WWII.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 22:08 schreef zalkc het volgende:

[..]
Er zijn best wel aardige filmpjes vanuit Berchtesgaden gekomen die een beeld van Hitler als een vriendelijke man die van dieren houd laten zien. Zouden we de media van toen nog moeten veroordelen dat ze die kant van hem nooit lieten zien?

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 22:10 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Leni Riefenstahl has entered the chat.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 21:36 schreef NeeOfTochJA het volgende:

[..]
Het is goed om alles van 1 kant te bekijken en nooit de andere kant?

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 22:32 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Rusland heeft 660.000 soldaten achter de linies.

SPOILER

DOET EENS EEN BRON DAN

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 22:43 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
Maat

SPOILER

DOET EENS EEN BRON DAN

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 22:49 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Zal mij benieuwen

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 22:43 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
Maat

SPOILER

DOET EENS EEN BRON DAN

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 22:53 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Boekestijn en de Wijk van maandag, gisteren.

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 22:32 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Rusland heeft 660.000 soldaten achter de linies.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 22:59 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
https://www.bnr.nl/podcas(...)functionele-politiek

Deze?

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 23:07 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ja, en niet al te mierenneukerig doen. Ik weet ook wel dat het geen echte goede bron is (authority), maar Rob de Wijk is wel een expert en niet iemand als Jantje-analyseert-de-oorlog.org

quote:

Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 23:07 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ja, en niet al te mierenneukerig doen. Ik weet ook wel dat het geen echte goede bron is (authority), maar Rob de Wijk is wel een expert en niet iemand als Jantje-analyseert-de-oorlog.org

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Lukashenko allowed the army to shoot civilians with live ammunition. What does it mean?
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's recent decree sanctioning the use of live ammunition by the military against civilians has sparked concern and raised questions about its implications.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has issued a decree authorizing the country's military to utilize firearms, combat weapons, and specialized equipment against citizens, stipulating that such actions must consider the circumstances, the nature of the offense, and the perpetrator's identity in accordance with general military regulations.

The decree, branded by critics as a tool of the Belarusian dictator, empowers the army to employ weapons and physical force against civilians. It mandates that individuals targeted for potential use of force must be informed and given time to comply with legal requirements, with exceptions made in cases where delay poses an immediate threat to soldiers' lives or to public safety.

hysical force against citizens in Belarus
Previously, Belarusian legislation held military personnel accountable for the abuse of power resulting in the deployment of physical force, specialized equipment, or weaponry. However, recent amendments to state security laws permit the use of weapons against women, children, and disabled individuals in scenarios involving armed resistance, group attacks, or actions endangering human life or health.

Regarding the presence of Russian military forces in Belarus, Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Vadym Skibicki, estimated their number at around 9,000. Analysts at the US Institute for the Study of War have suggested that Russia's deployment in Belarus aims to bolster training capabilities and wage information warfare against Ukraine and Western interests, rather than prepare for a renewed attack on Ukraine from the north.

Meanwhile, Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram has called for preparedness for potential conflict amid escalating tensions with Russia. Gram emphasized Russia's unlikely transition to democracy and warned of increased military presence along Norway's borders, underscoring the urgent need for substantial defense investments to respond effectively alongside allies.

Gram highlighted the enduring nature of Russia's current political landscape, characterized by the absence of dissent, press freedom, and civil society, warning that these conditions will persist beyond the conclusion of hostilities in Ukraine. He stressed the importance of understanding that the situation will endure, regardless of desires for the conflict in Ukraine to cease.

quote:

The government is therefore seriously preparing for the February 2024 elections, especially since the parliamentary campaign is a kind of “system test” before the 2025 presidential elections. As Lukashenka put it in October: “We are entering a difficult period. And they are preparing for this – the West. We see this and are ready for any scenario.”

Thus, Belarusian security forces are currently training in how to disperse mass protests and conducting mass searches of members of the opposition Coordination Council. They plan to make the personal data of members of election commissions secret, so that they do not fear being publicly ostracised for participating in election fraud. A ban has been introduced on photographing or filming a completed ballot, after protesters in 2020 used ballot images to try and organise a new vote count. The authorities have refused to set up polling stations abroad, meaning several hundred thousand political emigres will be excluded from the election process. And specifically, as an antidote to the boycott strategy, the election turnout threshold has been eliminated.

It seems that the 2024 elections in Belarus will be held without even a minimal imitation of the democratic process. All opposition political parties that could nominate alternative candidates in the elections have been officially liquidated over the past year. As a result, only four “pocket” pro-government parties remain in the country.

quote:

Defense Ministry: Ukrainian special forces capture Russian equipment from Black Sea drilling platform
Ukraine's Special Operations Forces conducted an operation on a Russian-occupied drilling platform off the coast of Crimea, the Defense Ministry reported on Feb. 6.

Ukraine frequently claims responsibility for attacks on Russian military assets occupying Crimea and around its coast.

Russian forces used the drilling platform to control part of the Black Sea and adjust fire toward the south of Ukraine, according to a video the Special Operations Forces posted online.

The video showed a group of Special Operations Forces landing on the platform and searching for equipment, including radar and a drone signal enhancing system.

After taking the equipment, the group installed mines on the platform and retreated, according to the video. The antenna mast of the platform was blown up.

Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on Feb. 1 that Ukraine has certain "tools" at its disposal that means it can strike Russian military targets occupying Crimea "methodologically and regularly."

quote:

Sweden wants to stop Nord Stream proceedings
In Sweden, the investigation into the attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines is apparently to be discontinued. German prosecutors could now benefit from this.

The spokesman for the public prosecutor's office in Stockholm made an announcement on Monday that made people sit up and take notice. There will soon be a new development regarding the investigation into the bomb attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines in September 2022, Mats Ljungvist told Swedish media. However, it is still unclear when he will be able to announce the news.According to research by ARD , Süddeutscher Zeitung and "Zeit", the Swedish authorities apparently want to stop their investigations into the Nord Stream attacks. The exact reasons are not yet known.The decision should be announced this week. Since the Nord Stream pipes in the Baltic Sea were blown up in September 2022, the Swedish security police have been investigating gross sabotage, as one of the pipes also runs through the Swedish economic zone.

Support for German procedure
According to the research, the investigation should continue in Germany. The Federal Prosecutor General has commissioned the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) and the Federal Police to investigate. German prosecutors could now benefit from the closure of the Swedish investigation. The Swedish authorities could then transmit their evidence to their German colleagues for evaluation. Sweden would then abandon its claim to criminal prosecution and support the German proceedings.Initially, the states bordering the Baltic Sea investigated separately and did not share all the investigation results with each other. Access to the Swedish evidence is therefore an important step for the German investigators.The BKA and Federal Police investigators are apparently interested in parts of the severely damaged pipelines that were seized by the Swedish military shortly after the explosions in autumn 2022. The German investigators want to compare the traces of explosives found on the pipes with those they found on the sailing yacht “Andromeda”. According to local investigators, the ship remains the hottest lead that could lead to the assassins.

Investigators discussed
According to prosecutors' findings so far, the "Andromeda" was rented or at least paid for through a Polish company in September 2022. A crew presumably consisting of five men and one woman is said to have set sail from Rostock on the yacht.It is suspected that it may have been a diving team that may have planted explosive devices on the Nord Stream pipes. Ukrainians are suspected. The boat is said to have made several stops, including on the Danish island of Christiansø, in Sandhamn in Sweden and in Kolberg in Poland.

Germany and Sweden repeatedly discussed the matter with each other during the course of the investigation. The Swedish public prosecutor also visited the Federal Prosecutor's Office in Karlsruhe. German investigators, in turn, recently traveled to Stockholm and spoke to the Swedes about how the evidence there could be evaluated for the German trial.

Restraint in Poland
Poland, on the other hand, is said to have blocked cooperation with Germany for a long time. The sailing boat “Andromeda” also made at least one stopover in Kolberg, Poland, on its tour across the Baltic Sea; the crew is said to have been checked by the Polish coast guard. Only a little information about this was shared with the German investigators when they asked. To date, however, Polish authorities have not transmitted any images from surveillance cameras from the port that could potentially provide more information about the crew of the "Andromeda".In Sweden, an investigation was underway on suspicion of serious sabotage. In Germany, on the other hand, the Federal Prosecutor General is conducting proceedings on suspicion of "intentionally causing an explosive explosion" and "unconstitutional sabotage". In Denmark, investigations are also continuing into the attacks on the pipelines.

quote:

How Ukrainian officials get away with having Russian citizenship – even amid war

As Russia is waging its war against Ukraine, some high-ranking Ukrainian officials with confirmed or suspected Russian citizenship are doing fine.

Ukraine's Constitution bans foreign citizenship for officials.

However, in some cases, officials with Russian citizenship are not fired at all, and in other cases Ukraine's judiciary stubbornly resists their dismissals.

Analysts say this is partially due to the failure of judicial reform and may hint at lawlessness and corruption in the judiciary.

The authorities' inability or unwillingness to oust Russian citizens from key posts poses a major security risk amid the ongoing war.

"It's a big threat for national security," Mykhailo Zhernakov, head of legal think-tank Dejure, told the Kyiv Independent. "In this chaos it's very easy for foreign agents to operate."

Supreme Court scandal
One of the biggest scandals linked to Russian citizenship is a recent court ruling to reinstate Bohdan Lvov as a judge of the Supreme Court.

The Russian citizenship of Lvov, the former deputy chairman of the Supreme Court, has been proven. He has denied having it.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Schemes investigation project reported in 2022 that Lvov received Russian citizenship in 1999 and still had a valid Russian passport. Schemes cited official information from Russia’s Federal Tax Service and leaked documents from Russia’s official passport database.

Subsequently the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed that Lvov had Russian citizenship.

Vsevolod Knyazev, then head of the Supreme Court, fired Lvov in October 2022 due to the constitutional ban on judges having foreign citizenship.

However, the Kyiv District Administrative Court issued a ruling on Jan. 10, 2024 to reinstate Lvov as a Supreme Court judge. The court claimed that there was not enough proof for Lvov’s Russian citizenship.

"This decision can be interpreted this way: anyone who took Russian passports or switched to the enemy's side doesn't have to fear anything," the Anti-Corruption Action Center said on Jan. 10. "You can always work it out in courts."

The Supreme Court said on the same day that it would appeal the ruling.

If the court loses the appeal, it will have to reinstate Lvov.

The reinstatement of Lvov shows that the judiciary has stopped imitating reforms and is back to business as usual, Zhernakov said.

Zhernakov argued that it is convenient for powerbrokers to deal with Lvov because, given his controversial background, he is susceptible to political influence.

Lvov did not respond to a request for comment.

The Public Integrity Council, a body set up by the government to assess judges’ integrity, concluded in 2017 that Lvov did not meet ethics and integrity standards and did not have the right to run for a Supreme Court job.

Lvov has been under investigation for allegedly helping a member of the High Council of Justice to extort $500,000 in exchange for favorable court rulings.

"It's convenient for politicians to reach bargains with Lvov,” Zhernakov said.

He has also been investigated as an alleged accomplice of ex-High Commercial Court Chairman Viktor Tatkov and his deputy Artur Yemelyanov, who have been charged with organizing the issuance of unlawful rulings as part one of Ukraine’s largest corruption schemes.

The judge denied the accusations of wrongdoing, and no official charges have been brought against him so far.

An official haunted by his Russian past
A similar controversy has surrounded Roman Ihnatov, head of the High Qualification Commission – a body that vets judges.

According to his official biography, Ihnatov was an investigator at the prosecutor's office in Russia’s Petrozavodsk in 1995-1996.

Under the Russian law valid at the time, only Russian citizens could be appointed as investigators.

However, Ihnatov has claimed that he did not get Russian citizenship when he lived and worked in Russia.

Russian lawyers Mark Feigin and Vadim Prokhorov told the Kyiv Independent that it was absolutely impossible for Russian officials, including investigators, not to be Russian citizens in the 1990s.

Feigin said that there could have been some chaos with ordinary people's citizenship issues in the early 1990s but the requirement on Russian citizenship was rigorously enforced for state officials.

Moreover, citizenship issues had been mostly settled by 1993 – before Ihnatov's appointment as an investigator, Feigin said.

Ihnatov also claimed that he was stateless until 1997.

But Feigin and Prokhorov said that it was legally impossible for officials who worked at Russian law enforcement agencies to be stateless. They dismissed Ihnatov's claim as "science fiction" and "nonsense."

Even if Ihnatov was a Russian citizen in the 1990s, it is unclear if he remains one now.

Feigin argued that, if a person has not officially renounced Russian citizenship, he remains a national of Russia regardless of whether he or she currently has a Russian passport.

Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service claimed in December that a person whose full name and date of birth fully coincide with Ihnatov's has a valid Russian passport, according to a letter leaked to online newspaper Dzerkalo Tyzhnya.

Ihnatov denied having a Russian passport and attributed the incident to alleged political pressure.

The High Qualification Commission and the High Council of Justice said they would investigate the claim.

Natalia Sedletska, head of the Kyiv bureau of RFE/RL, said in December that the media outlet had not found Ihnatov’s alleged Russian passport in Russian databases.

However, Prokhorov and Russian lawyer Yelena Lukyanova said that Russian official and leaked databases are not reliable, and some information may be missing.

Sedletska said that the number of Ihnatov's alleged Russian passport provided by the Foreign Intelligence Service is a combination of his Soviet passport's number and its issue date, which means it cannot be a currently valid Russian passport.

It is not clear if the Foreign Intelligence Service made a mistake and was referring to his Soviet passport. The Foreign Intelligence Service declined to comment on the issue.

Former Soviet citizens who lived in Russia after 1991 and did not officially reject Russian citizenship were Russian citizens by law, Feigin and Prokhorov said. Russian citizenship stamps were put in their Soviet passports until they received Russian ones.

Such people were even considered Russian citizens regardless of whether they had a stamp, the lawyers argued.

Meanwhile, the State Investigation Bureau opened a treason case against Ihnatov in September in connection with the circumstances of his visit to Russian-occupied Luhansk in November 2014. He denied any wrongdoing.

In November 2014, Ihnatov was detained by Russian proxies in Luhansk and later released. He subsequently claimed that he had gone to Luhansk to visit his mother and an acquaintance helped him get released.

In December, the State Investigation Bureau asked the High Council of Justice to consider firing Ihnatov from his position due to his alleged Russian citizenship and the treason investigation.

So far, he has not been dismissed.

Based on his work as a Russian investigator, the bureau concluded that Ihnatov became a Russian citizen and took an oath to serve Russia. The bureau argued that Ihnatov lied about his Russian citizenship and thus undermined trust in the judiciary.

Low-ranking judges
The case of Yulia Pereyaslovska, a judge at the Selydove City Court in Donetsk Oblast, is even more fascinating.

In 2021, she tried to cross the border between mainland Ukraine and Russian-occupied Crimea. Ukrainian border guards found her Russian passport, which her husband had been trying to hide.

The passport was issued to Pereyaslovska in 2019 in occupied Crimea.

The Security Service sent the information on her Russian passport to the High Council of Justice, and the council opened a probe against the judge.

Years later, the council still has not made a decision on the judge.

In 2021, Pereyaslovska asked the High Council of Justice to fire her because her five-year stint as a judge was over.

Ironically, the head of the court refused to fire her despite her own desire to be dismissed.

In 2022, AutoMaidan, an anti-corruption watchdog, sent a request to the head of the Selydove court but he claimed she could not be fired from the court because she was being vetted. This claim contradicts Pereyaslovska's own statement in her lawsuit that she did not intend to be vetted.

"This is nonsense and utter sabotage," AutoMaidan Head Kateryna Butko told the Kyiv Independent.

In December 2022, an appellate court upheld Pereyaslovska's lawsuit and required the Selydove City Court to fire her.

The court told the Kyiv Independent that she had been finally dismissed in December. The basis for dismissal was the expiry of her 5-year term, not her Russian citizenship.

In July 2023, Schemes also reported that Lyudmila Arestova, a judge at the Donetsk District Administrative Court, had become a Russian citizen in April 2014 and acquired a Russian tax identification number, according to Russia's passport database.

Arestova denied having Russian citizenship in a comment for the Kyiv Independent.

The SBU told AutoMaidan it could not confirm her Russian citizenship because Russia does not currently have embassies in Ukraine. The State Investigation Bureau opened an investigation into the issue.

However, she still remains a judge at the court.

The Donetsk District Administrative Court claimed in a comment for the Kyiv Independent that her Russian citizenship had not been confirmed.

A Russia-friendly mayor
And it's not only judges.

Odesa Mayor Hennady Trukhanov’s Russian citizenship was confirmed by prosecutors at Odesa’s Malinovsky Court in 2019 as part of a corruption case. The prosecutors cited responses sent by Russian authorities.

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project has published a copy of Trukhanov’s Russian passport.

Trukhanov’s Russian passports were annulled in 2017 due to alleged procedural violations, according to Russian authorities.

The SBU had previously claimed it had found no evidence of Trukhanov’s Russian citizenship.

Despite the confirmation of him having a Russian passport in the past and his efforts to hide it, Trukhanov remains mayor.

Vitaly Tytych, ex-head of judicial watchdog Public Integrity Council, told the Kyiv Independent that he must be ousted from his post as part of criminal investigations.

Trukhanov has been charged with corruption, and he must also be investigated over his links to Russia, he added.

Trukhanov used to be a member of the pro-Russian Party of Regions and Opposition Bloc parties.

In 2014, he regularly attended pro-Russian rallies in Odesa.

Odesa-based pro-Russian activists Serhiy Dolzhenkov, charged with infringing on Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and Dmytro Khablyuk, who was deported to Russia in 2011 due to his alleged pro-Russian sabotage activities, have claimed that Trukhanov financed pro-Russian protesters in Odesa in 2014. Trukhanov denies the accusations.

He did not respond to a request for comment.

Security risks
Legal experts argue that Ukrainian authorities' inability to identify Russian citizens among officials or fire them poses a major security risk.

"It's a security issue," Butko said. "During the Russian invasion, officials should not be allowed to hold Russian passports."

Zhernakov said that Russia may use judges with Russian passports to influence Ukraine through their rulings. They also have access to state secrets.

Tytych said that the SBU had failed to fulfill its function and investigate the Russian citizenship of officials during security checks.

Zhernakov argued that this failure may be attributed to either negligence or a lack of professionalism.

"There's a lot of officials with Russian passports," Butko said. "But (intelligence agencies) don't find them or don't want to find them. It's either inability to find them or reluctance to do so."

Zhernakov and Butko also said that it is absurd for Ukrainian agencies to base their investigations of officials’ citizenship on official requests sent to Russia during the full-scale invasion.

The SBU denied the accusations in a comment for the Kyiv Independent. The service said that it is regularly identifying Russian citizens among Ukrainian officials charged with treason and constantly uncovering Russian agents.

Experts also criticized the judiciary's failure to cleanse its ranks and attributed the dire situation with Russian citizenship to botched judicial reform.

"They can issue any decision that harms the interests of Ukraine's defense,” Tytych said.

Zhernakov and Butko also called for amending legislation to improve legal tools for ousting officials with Russian citizenship.

"Two years into Russia's full-scale invasion, we still haven't sorted out this issue," Zhernakov said.

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Greek Shipowners Are Stampeding Out of the Russian Oil Trade
Greek shipowners are fleeing the Russian crude trade after a ramp up in US sanctions targeting the traders and shipping companies moving the nation’s petroleum.

The number of Greek-owned tankers hauling Russian crude fell to just eight in January, vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show. That’s down from as more than 40 in May and about 20 through most of the second half of last year.

The exodus comes after the US Treasury spooked western tanker owners by asking them to explain what they’d done to comply with a $60 a barrel Group of Seven price cap on Russian oil. Officials from two Athens-based companies said shortly after that they were treading carefully while they evaluated the situation.

The notices were sent in November to companies in about a dozen countries, and were followed up with sanctions imposed on firms trading Russian oil and shipowners helping to move it.

Greek-owned ships have disappeared completely from the trade in Russian crude loaded at the country’s Pacific terminals and hauled to buyers in China and India. Those grades, principally ESPO and Sokol, trade at a premium to Moscow’s flagship Urals, and well above the G-7’s cap.

Western involved in the purchase or transport Russian oil must get documented attestations showing that the cargoes complied.

Price data provided by Argus Media show ESPO trading at prices about $13 a barrel above the price cap in the first four weeks of 2024. Urals loaded at terminals in the Baltic was about $1 a barrel over the cap.

The loss of the Greek fleet will put even more pressure on Russia’s own tankers and a shadow fleet of vessels that has grown since Moscow’s troops invaded Ukraine almost two years ago.

With the loss of its European market, which took almost all of the 1.6 million barrels a day of crude shipped from Russian ports on the Baltic, Black Sea and in the Arctic, Moscow has been forced to rely almost exclusively on buyers in China, India and, to a smaller extent, Turkey. That involves much longer voyages and many more ships.

Delivery has been made more complicated by attacks on shipping in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden by Houthi militants in Yemen. All Russian crude sent from western ports to India and China has run that gauntlet and a least one tanker has been hit, despite assurances from the Houthis that Russian and Chinese ships would be safe.

No tankers carrying Russian crude have yet diverted to avoid the southern Red Sea, according to tanker tracking data monitored by Bloomberg. That’s true of both ships owned by state-controlled Sovcomflot PJSC and vessels that make up the shadow fleet, built up to help Moscow evade Western restrictions on its oil shipments.

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Parliament approves 90-day extension of martial law, mobilization
Ukraine's parliament voted on Feb. 6 to extend martial and mobilization by another 90 days starting from Feb. 14, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky first declared martial law and general mobilization on Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The measure has been repeatedly extended since then.

Ukraine's parliament previously extended martial law and mobilization from November 2023 until Feb. 14, 2024.

Zelensky delivered a proposal to the parliament on Feb. 5 to extend the two measures for another 90 days.

Zhelezniak said on Feb. 5 that this would be the parliament's 10th vote on martial law since the beginning of the full-scale war.

Under martial law, Ukrainian men aged between 18 and 60, with some exceptions, are not allowed to leave the country as they may be called up for military service.

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Senior Ukraine Official Fired Over Media Wiretapping
Numerous investigative outlets operate in Ukraine, which for years has enjoyed a far more vibrant media landscape than in Russia.

A senior official with Ukraine’s intelligence agency has been fired after revelations that investigative journalists had been wiretapped, a source at the agency told AFP on Monday.

The move comes after several instances of intimidation of Ukrainian investigative journalists surfaced in January, leading Paris-based press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to call on authorities to investigate the alleged infractions.

RSF listed three cases that took place or were exposed within a week.

In one, staff at Bihus.info, an outlet specialised in investigating corruption, discovered from a video that was posted on social media on January 16 that they had been subjected to surreptitious filming and eavesdropping for months.

Another case involved Odesa-based journalist Iryna Hryb, who reported on grain exports in the region and found a device in her car that could be used to listen to her phone calls or conversations with passengers and to track her movements.

The third case involved Yuriy Nikolov, an investigative reporter for the anti-corruption media outlet Nashy Hroshy.

On January 14, masked individuals tried to force their way into his Kyiv apartment while at the same time threatening him with being forcibly enlisted to fight in the Ukrainian army against the Russian invasion.

On Monday, a source within Ukraine’s SBU intelligence agency told AFP that “the head of the SBU state protection department, Roman Semenchenko, was fired as a result of the surveillance of Bihus Info staff”.

The decision was taken by the head of the SBU and approved by President Volodymyr Zelensky, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Earlier on Monday, the SBU said in a statement that it had “taken appropriate personnel decisions”, but defended the surveillance because “some Bihus Info employees were clients of drug traffickers.”

In January, Bihus Info, which has called the surveillance “shameful”, said that some of its staff had consumed “illegal substances” during New Year, after recordings surfaced online.

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Op dinsdag 6 februari 2024 23:16 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
Ik twijfel niet aan zijn legitimiteit. Ben gewoon benieuwd of hij het uitgesproken heeft. Luister het morgen wel

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Op woensdag 7 februari 2024 01:50 schreef ipa84 het volgende:

[..]
Ben vooral benieuwd of er ook een bron wordt genoemd in die podcast. Ik heb wel vaker gehoord van Rusland heeft zoveel militairen (en dan niet specifiek die podcast) maar als je naar de bron gaat lees je vaak dat daar heel veel verschillende onderdelen onder vallen in Rusland. Oproerpolitie zijn bijvoorbeeld ook militairen en grensbewaking ook. Dan telt het al snel op.

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Translation.
1st one go, 2nd one go. Thats it. Drum is working, officially. Look what we've got. When its empty, its goes in neutral position. Call and order it. Selling department will provide it. Finally.

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Reuters: Türkiye’s defense company Baykar begins to build drone plant in Ukraine
Turkish defense company Baykar has started building a factory near Kyiv that will employ around 500 people and where it will manufacture either its TB2 or TB3 drone models, said the company’s chief executive, as per Reuters.

Bayraktar drones, manufactured in Türkiye, have garnered international attention for their deployment by the Ukrainian military in countering Russian forces. These drones have proven effective against armored vehicles and artillery systems.

Baykar has said since 2028, it has signed export deals for its drones with 30 countries, including Ukraine, Ethiopia, Libya, and Azerbaijan.

CEO Haluk Bayraktar, speaking at the World Defense Show in Riyadh, said that construction was underway for their factory, which, once completed in about 12 months, would proceed to internal machinery, equipment, and organizational setup.

According to Bayraktar, the Ukrainian factory, with a yearly production capacity reaching around 120 units, was anticipated to employ around 500 people.

Asked if security issues related to the Russian war would pose a threat to the plant, he said that plans were “fully moving ahead” and that “nothing” could halt them.

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Russia's largest LNG project was left without ice-class tankers due to US sanctions

The sanctions noose is tightening ever tighter around Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 project. The first commercial deliveries were planned for January this year, but US sanctions imposed in November 2023 forced Novatek and a number of project shareholders to declare force majeure. Additional problems arise with transportation - due to sanctions, the project will not receive ice-class tankers necessary for exporting LNG from northern latitudes.

As a result of the introduction of US sanctions, the Japanese company Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), which was supposed to export gas from Arctic LNG 2, can neither receive the ordered tankers nor sell them to the Russians. MOL President Takeshi Hashimoto told Bloomberg about this .

According to Novatek, it was planned to create a fleet of 21 Arc7 class tankers (such vessels have a double hull and are capable of breaking through two-meter ice): 15 of them should be built by the Zvezda shipyard, another six by the South Korean Hanwha Ocean. Of the South Korean tankers, three were intended for Sovcomflot and three for MOL. Hanwha Ocean previously terminated its contracts with Sovcomflot due to its inclusion in the sanctions lists. Now problems arose with the ships that were to be operated by the Japanese company.

“According to contractual obligations, if we cannot provide this service to Arctic 2, we must sell our vessels to him. But the sanctions say that we cannot carry out this deal with Arctic 2. The situation is difficult,” Hashimoto said.

According to him, the company is discussing it with the governments of the United States and Japan.

Arctic LNG 2 is the largest natural gas production and liquefaction project in Russia. It provides for the construction of three technological lines with a total capacity of 19.8 million tons per year. The reserves of the Utrenneye field, which is its resource base, are 590 billion cubic meters (at the end of 2022). Capital investments to launch the project at full capacity were estimated at $21.3 billion. Arctic LNG 2 is a joint venture of Novatek (60%), French TotalEnergies (10%), Chinese CNPC and CNOOC (10% each) and Japan Arctic LNG (10%) – a consortium of Japanese companies Mitsui and Jogmec.

Construction of tankers for MOL was expected to be completed later this year. Of the 21 tankers, only three ice-class gas carriers have now been built for Arctic LNG 2 - Alexey Kosygin, Pyotr Stolypin and Sergey Witte, Reuters reported at the end of December. At the same time, VEB chief economist Andrei Klepach said at the International Forum “Russian Gas 2023” that the infrastructure in the Arctic will be ready only after 2030: “We are talking not only about icebreakers, but also about ice-class gas carriers - there are no such vessels yet.”

Just in time for 2030, Russia plans to increase its share of the global LNG market to 20% from the current 8%. When announcing sanctions against Arctic LNG 2 in November, the US State Department said their goal was “over time to undermine Russia’s status as a leading energy supplier.”

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Russian women will be allowed to marry dead war veterans
The spouses of deceased war participants in Ukraine will be able to marry them posthumously and receive the right to inheritance, as well as all payments due. This follows from the bill that was submitted to the State Duma.

“The fact of being in a marital relationship can be established by the court if the man and woman have lived together for at least three years, or at least one year if they have a joint child, and have a common household,” the document says.

In this case, the court will have to indicate in the decision to recognize the fact of marriage relations the moment of their occurrence. Such recognition by the court will be equivalent to the conclusion of an official marriage. Information about him will then be entered into the Unified State Register of Civil Status Records, the bill notes.

Amendments are proposed to be made to the federal law “On the entry into force of part three of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.” The bill was submitted to the State Duma by the chairman of the lower house committee on state construction and legislation, Pavel Krasheninnikov, as well as senators Andrei Turchak and Andrei Klishas.

The families of deceased participants in the war in Ukraine are currently entitled to several lump sum payments. The money is transferred to the spouse if she has one, otherwise to adult children or legal representatives of minor children. If there are none - to parents.

A monetary allowance and a monthly additional payment are paid, which the deceased did not manage to receive. A presidential payment in the amount of 5 million rubles is also immediately provided. If before this the deceased had already received 3 million rubles. for the injury, then only 2 million will be transferred to his family.

In addition, the family of the deceased must be provided with an insurance payment, which in 2024 amounts to 3.2 million rubles. These funds should be provided by Sogaz.

There are also regional payments. In Moscow, Moscow, Vladimir, Novosibirsk, Magadan and Tyumen regions it is 3 million rubles. In the Arkhangelsk, Bryansk, Leningrad, Nizhny Novgorod, Tula regions, as well as in Tatarstan and the Krasnodar Territory - 2 million. In other regions - 1 million.

In addition, the families of deceased war participants receive monthly payments: cash compensation in the amount of 22.9 thousand rubles, child benefits - 2.9 thousand rubles, and a survivor's pension - 7.6 thousand rubles. plus social supplement up to the subsistence level.

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Hackers find out worth of Iranian drones sold to Russia
Hackers from the Prana Network group have compromised the mail servers of the Iranian company IRGC Sahara Thunder, which contained an array of data on the production of Shahed-136 attack drones for Russia.

Source: a statement by Prana Network, reported by Militarnyi

Details: As noted, the IRGC Sahara Thunder company is a fictitious company run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that facilitates the sale of weapons to Russia.

In particular, the hackers published information about negotiations between the Iranian and Russian sides on the location of production in the Russian free economic zone Alabuga.

It is noted that the Iranian side announced the starting price of the Shahed attack drone at 23 million roubles per unit (about US$375,000). However, during the negotiations, an agreement was reached at the level of 12 million roubles per unit, when ordering 6,000 units (about US$193,000) or 18 million roubles (about US$290,000) when ordering 2,000 units.

According to other published documents, at least part of the Russian Federation's financial transactions and payments with Iran are made in gold.

For example, in February 2023, Alabuga Machinery transferred 2 million grams of gold to the Iranian shell company Sahara Thunder, presumably as payment for services and goods.

Background: In August 2023, The Washington Post obtained internal documents on the operation of the Iranian drone manufacturing plant in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan, Russia, which is scheduled to produce 6,000 Shahed kamikaze drones by 2025.

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Trump krijgt geen immuniteit in rechtzaak bestorming Capitool
De voormalige Amerikaanse president Trump kan worden vervolgd voor zijn daden in het hoogste ambt van de staat, heeft een hof van beroep geoordeeld. De rechtbank in het District of Columbia heeft een verzoek van de ex-president afgewezen die immuniteit wilde laten gelden.

Dit maakt een strafrechtelijk proces mogelijk vanwege de bestorming van het Capitool in Washington door zijn aanhangers drie jaar geleden. In de Amerikaanse hoofdstad is Trump aangeklaagd wegens poging tot verkiezingsfraude. Zijn advocaten hadden betoogd dat de Republikein niet juridisch vervolgd kon worden voor daden die deel uitmaakten van zijn taken als president. Een woordvoerder van Trump kondigde onmiddellijk een beroep aan en omschreef het besluit als destructief voor de Amerikaanse natie.

Tegen het vonnis kan nog beroep worden aangetekend bij de voltallige kamer van het Hof van Beroep en de Hoge Raad. Dit betekent dat de rechtzaak zou kunnen voortduren tot na de presidentsverkiezingen in november.

De campagnewoordvoerder van Trump, Steven Cheung, heeft een verklaring uitgegeven in reactie op de uitspraak, volgens hem Ckan een president zonder immuniteit niet ‘naar behoren zou functioneren'.

Trump campaign responds to appeals court immunity ruling

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Op woensdag 7 februari 2024 02:40 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.moscowtimes.r(...)ni-v-ukraine-a120743
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