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Freek Jansen (FVD) confronteert Rutte met zelfdestructieve sancties

Freek Jansen (FVD) pakt Hugo de Jonge aan! Oekraïners krijgen allerlei VOORDELEN!

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De Tsjechische krant Denik N. schrijft dat Europese politici die samenwerkten met de site, betaald werden met Russische fondsen die ook werden aangewend om campagnes voor de opkomende Europese verkiezingen te financieren.

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Marcel de Graaf
Van de huidige Nederlandse Europarlementari�rs komt Marcel de Graaff het vaakst aan het woord bij Voice of Europe. Hij heeft de artikelen op de site zelf regelmatig verspreid via sociale media. In een interview uit oktober vorig jaar zei hij onder meer dat Europa alleen een serieus machtsblok kan worden door samen te werken met Rusland.

De Graaff, die het steevast opneemt voor Rusland en Oekra�ne en het Westen hekelt, noemt de berichten „pure laster” van partijen die zich juist laten bedotten door Amerikaanse propaganda. Hij stelt slechts uit te zijn op vrede, „en om die boodschap uit te dragen hebben we geen betalingen nodig.”

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Op woensdag 27 maart 2024 23:01 schreef Ulx het volgende:
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Da's wel kut voor de Roverheid-roepende Poetinisten. Moet je dan voor of tegen zijn?

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Op woensdag 27 maart 2024 23:38 schreef Ulx het volgende:
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Nice. Dat lijkt me een vliegtuigbom. Artillerie is het zeker niet of ze moeten ergens een Sturmtiger of een spoorwegkanon hebben weten te regelen.

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Baudet uit bedreiging richting Klaver, Bosman oordeelt 'onaanvaardbaar'
Tijdens een debat over een mogelijk Nexit-referendum kwamen Jesse Klaver (GroenLinks-PvdA) en Jan Paternotte (D66) in een verhitte discussie met Thierry Baudet (FVD) terecht.

Update 21.15 uur: Verschillende Kamerleden, waaronder Klaver, hebben na het debat bij kamervoorzitter Bosman gemeld dat Baudet na het debat Jesse Klaver twee keer heeft bedreigd. Klaver zou Baudet opnieuw hebben gevraagd naar de jaarverslagen van de Stichting Forum voor Democratie uit de periode van het Oekra�ne-referendum uit 2016. Daarop zou Baudet tegen Klaver hebben gezegd: "Dat ga ik niet doen. Als je het nog een keer vraagt, sla ik je op je bek."

Voorzitter Martin Bosma heeft Baudet hierover aangesproken. Bosma veroordeelt de uitspraken van de FvD-leider als 'volstrekt onaanvaardbaar'. Baudet moet donderdagochtend op gesprek komen bij Bosma om uitleg te geven. Het is nog niet duidelijk of Bosma sancties kan of zal opleggen aan de FvD-leider.

Eerdere berichtgeving: Jesse Klaver (PvdAGroenLinks) vroeg aan Baudet of hij tijdens zijn campagne voor het Oekra�ne referendum in 2016 Russisch geld heeft ontvangen. Baudet vindt het een bizarre aantijging en vraagt of Klaver een vagina heeft.

Toen Paternotte suggereerde dat de standpunten van FVD sterk overeenkomen met de belangen van het Kremlin, voelde Baudet zich beledigd en zei: "In een andere situatie zou ik iemand op zijn bek slaan als je zo over mij denkt".

Paternotte vroeg om Baudet tot de orde te roepen, maar dit wees Kamervoorzitter Martin Bosma af. Bosma zei: "Ik denk dat hij het figuurlijk bedoelde, namelijk dat je woest zou worden op een derde persoon." Volgens Bosma riep Baudet met de opmerking niet op tot geweld.

D66-lid Paternotte dacht daar anders over. Hij verklaarde: "Het parlement wordt misbruikt om mensen aan te zetten tot intimidatie, bedreiging en geweld."

Thierry Baudet WOEDEND over beschuldiging van Russisch geld: “Heeft Jesse Klaver een VAGINA?”

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Op woensdag 27 maart 2024 23:50 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

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Welk hoofdkwartier? Ik zie geen enkel bewijs meer van dat hoofdkwartier. Mooie explosie. En het was vast ook geen granaatje die vanaf een drone werd gedropt.

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Barrie Stevens Teaser

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 00:21 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Wat voor bewijs is acceptabel voor je?

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Op woensdag 27 maart 2024 23:27 schreef Ulx het volgende:
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Nice. Nu weer wachten op het gejank dat we er vroeger 1000 hadden door de mensen die vergeten dat de Leo2 alleen een verkoopsucces werd op de tweedehands markt doordat NL en DE -de enige gebruikers tegen het einde van de koude oorlog- ze wegbezuinigden.

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Judge recommends ex-Trump election lawyer John Eastman be disbarred
An attorney discipline judge in California has recommended that ex-Trump election lawyer John Eastman be disbarred, according to an opinion released on Wednesday.

Judge Yvette Roland’s opinion comes after a lengthy trial about Eastman’s actions as he led some of the efforts for Donald Trump to challenge his 2020 election loss. The opinion serves as a recommendation to the California Supreme Court, which will ultimately decide whether to endorse or reject the punishment. Eastman will have the opportunity to appeal Roland’s ruling.

Still, the judge’s opinion marks a major step in the consequences for lawyers who propelled false theories of election fraud on Trump’s behalf.

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A drone hits the Zhitel EW system in the Luhansk region

The Ukrainian military struck the Russian R-330Zh Zhitel EW system.

The 45th Artillery Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine published a video of the damage to the equipment.

The defenders used a drone to neutralize the Russian EW system.

Aerial reconnaissance of a Ukrainian artillery brigade discovered the Russian Zhitel EW system in the forest in the temporarily occupied territory in the east of Ukraine.

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According to the video, the Ukrainian military used a drone that dropped two rounds of ammunition on the enemy’s equipment to destroy the R-330Zh.

45 ОАБр: виявили та знищили ворожий � ЕБ «Житель». Східний напрямок

A KAMAZ truck, which is part of the Zhitel EW system, was hit.

The footage shows that after the ammunition hit, explosions took place, followed by the vehicle catching fire.

A container on wheels with equipment that is also part of the Russian EW system was spotted next to the truck. The enemy equipment was hit near Pshenychne in the Luhansk region.

The Zhitel EW system
The Russian R-330Zh Zhitel EW system is designed for automated detection, direction finding, and analysis of radio signals in the operating frequency range.

It is stated that the R-330Zh provides the setting of radio interference of terminals of Inmarsat and Iridium satellite communication systems. It also interferes with the equipment of NAVSTAR (GPS) satellite navigation system users and base stations and terminals of cellular radio communication systems of GSM-900/1800 and 1900 standard.

Ukrainian Defense Forces previously destroyed another Russian R-330Zh Zhitel EW system in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Ураження комплексу � ЕБ «Житель»

The Russian system was hit by a GMLRS missile from the M142 HIMARS rocket system, which was aimed at the target by the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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Op woensdag 27 maart 2024 22:25 schreef ExTec het volgende:
The Sitskrieg has arrived.

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Op woensdag 27 maart 2024 23:38 schreef Ulx het volgende:
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Nice. Dat lijkt me een vliegtuigbom. Artillerie is het zeker niet of ze moeten ergens een Sturmtiger of een spoorwegkanon hebben weten te regelen.

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Poland allows sanctioned timber from Belarus to enter the EU with fake documents—investigation
Belarusian timber under sanctions is being imported into the EU through Poland using forged documents stating that the products are coming from Kazakhstan. Polish customs officials say they do not have the physical capacity to verify the authenticity of all customs declarations.

This is stated in a joint investigation by the Belarusian Investigative Center, the Schemes project of the Ukrainian edition of Radio Liberty, and Gazeta Wyborcza.

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How Kazakhstan became a forestry powerhouse for Poland
The investigators found that after the imposition of sanctions on wood from Belarus, imports of wood from Kazakhstan to the EU increased significantly. According to Eurostat, Kazakhstan imported wood products worth �14 million in 2022, and this figure increased almost fivefold to �68 million in 2023.

At the same time, before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kazakh timber was almost never imported to the EU; forests make up only 5% of the country’s territory. This prompted journalists to check whether Belarus, a formerly large exporter of timber, was circumventing sanctions.

Kazakhstan’s timber imports into the European Union spiked. According to the documents, the country supplies wood and wood products, as well as charcoal. Prior to the adoption of sanctions on Belarusian timber, Kazakhstan hardly dealt with such supplies at all. Belarus, on the other hand, annually exports wood worth about one billion euros.

Analysis of documents on wood industry products from various sources allowed journalists to confirm what border guards of the Union countries neighboring Belarus did not manage to find. The country’s producers have found a way to evade sanctions by transporting their goods under the guise of production from Central Asian countries.

Deals between Kazakhstani company Nurr-electro and Polish PLRBL
The journalists analyzed one of the contracts between the Kazakhstani company Nurr-electro and the Polish PLRBL for the supply of pine palisade worth almost a million euros. The contract is dated October 20, 2022, with delivery in early 2023.

Nurr-electro was not aware of the contract, and the seals and signatures on the documents were most likely forged.

“It turned out that the signatures and stamps on the document of the Kazakhstani Nurr-electro were forged and, as noted by two independent graphic design experts, were applied to the documents using a photo editor”, the journalists concluded.

In addition, the lawyer of the Kazakh company Nurr-electro, Arman Tuliyevich, commented to journalists that “there were no financial transactions under such an agreement, let alone goods,” and “we do not have such a seal.”

A representative of the Belarusian shipping company Gallardo admitted that the goods were from Belarus: “We did not bring it from Kazakhstan; we brought it from Belarus; we were loaded there,” the article says.

At the same time, the sole owner of the Polish company that bought PLRBL, Oleg Yanovich, refused to answer journalists’ questions.

Investigators, with the help of market sources, found out that the timber was shipped from the warehouse of a Belarusian company owned by the aforementioned Oleg Yanovich.

The Belarusian company Gallardo, responsible for transporting the timber under this contract, confirmed to journalists that they indeed shipped the goods from Belarus. The company’s representative also said that a similar scheme applies to another company, SO RBL, whose sole owner, Belarusian Oleg Yanovich, is also the chairman of the board of the aforementioned Polish PLRBL.

Will Polish authorities investigate “Kazakhstani wood case”?
The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to a request from journalists, stated that the issue of circumventing sanctions is not within their competence. The Polish Customs Service stated that it does not have the physical capacity to check all customs declarations.

“The Ministry of the Interior of Poland responded that an investigation had begun based on the facts stated in the request, but the agency refrained from further comment,” the article says.

Currently, it is impossible to estimate how much of the allegedly transported wood from Kazakhstan is actually Belarusian and imported into the EU in violation of sanctions. The Ministry of Finance of Poland informed the authors of the investigation that it had started an audit.

The EU imposed sanctions on Belarusian timber in 2022
So, despite the fact that, officially, imports of wood from virtually deforested Kazakhstan to the European Union have increased significantly, this investigation has shown that not all of this wood is Kazakh; some of it is from Belarus. We don’t yet know how important this share is, though.

Obtaining and reviewing every customs declaration for Kazakh timber is required in order to find out more. Furthermore, it emerged that complex strategies are not necessary to transport certified timber from Belarus to Poland. To become proficient with Photoshop at an amateur level is sufficient.

After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Union imposed restrictions on the import of certain goods from Belarus, a country that the Russian army used as a springboard for its offensive against Ukraine. In March 2022, the EU imposed sanctions on Belarusian timber, much of which had traditionally been supplied to Europe.

Detecting and investigating sanctions violations, punishing the perpetrators, and closing the loopholes to circumvent the embargo are key tasks for the Polish and European authorities to ensure the effectiveness of sanctions and the necessary economic pressure on Russia. After all, assisting Russia in circumventing sanctions means helping Putin’s war and killing Ukrainians.

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Armored Vehicle Coalition for Ukraine launched in Poland
The armored vehicles coalition, which aims to support the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has started its work in Poland.

The first meeting took place on March 26 in Warsaw.

ArmyInform reported on this with reference to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

During the meeting, representatives of the participating countries developed a common position on reinforcing the Armed Forces of Ukraine with certain types of armored vehicles and organizing a system for their repairs.

Poland and Germany launched the coalition, and the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Italy agreed to participate.

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“The Armored Vehicle Coalition aims to strengthen the armored shield of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, to jointly enhance the capabilities of our army in the fight against the Russian aggressor, to ensure the effective operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment and weapons provided to us by our allies,” Deputy Defense Minister Ivan Havryliuk, who heads the Ukrainian delegation, said.

Four associations have been created within the Armored Vehicle Coalition, each with a Ukrainian representative.

Each association has certain tasks:
• supply of weapons and ammunition for Western armored vehicles;
• their maintenance and repair;
• training of crews and technical personnel;
• practicing effective tactics for the use of armored vehicles on the battlefield.

“This is a very important initiative of our allies in view of the existing problems in the Armed Forces with the repair of foreign-made armored vehicles,” Havryliuk noted.

The Deputy Defense Minister expressed hope that Ukraine, together with its partners, will be able to create an effective repair base for Western armored vehicles as soon as possible.

The new coalition will develop a roadmap that will be in line with the development strategy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

It is expected that in the long term, the member countries of the Tank Coalition and the Armored Vehicle Coalition will help create the future armored vehicle fleet of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and establish an innovative industrial partnership with Ukraine.

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Exclusive: Russia struggles to collect oil payments as China, UAE, Turkey raise bank scrutiny
MOSCOW, March 27 (Reuters) - Russian oil firms face delays of up to several months to be paid for crude and fuel as banks in China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) become more wary of U.S. secondary sanctions, eight sources familiar with the matter said.

Payment delays reduce revenue to the Kremlin and make them erratic, allowing Washington to achieve its dual policy sanction goals - to disrupt money going to the Kremlin to punish it for the war in Ukraine while not interrupting global energy flows.

Several banks in China, the UAE and Turkey have boosted their sanctions compliance requirements in recent weeks, resulting in delays or even the rejection of money transfers to Moscow, according to the eight banking and trading sources.

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Banks, cautious of the U.S. secondary sanctions, started to ask their clients to provide written guarantees that no person or entity from the U.S. SDN (Special Designated Nationals) list is involved in a deal or is a beneficiary of a payment.

The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue and because they are not allowed to speak to media.

In the UAE, banks First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) have suspended several accounts linked to the trading of Russian goods, two sources said.

UAE's Mashreq bank, Turkey's Ziraat and Vakifbank and Chinese banks ICBC and Bank of China still process payments but take weeks or months to process them, four sources said.

Mashreq bank declined to comment. UAE's FAB and DIB banks, Turkey's Ziraat and Vakifbank, China's ICBC and Bank of China did not reply to requests for comments.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said payment problems exist when asked about reports that banks in China have slowed payments.

"Of course, unprecedented pressure from the United States and the European Union on the People's Republic of China continues," Peskov told a daily conference call with reporters.

"This, of course, creates certain problems, but cannot become an obstacle to the further development of our trade and economic relations (with China)," Peskov said.

U.S. EXECUTIVE ORDER
The West has imposed a multitude of sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Dealing with Russian oil is not illegal as long as it is sold below a Western-imposed price cap of $60 per barrel.

Russian oil exports and payments for it have been disrupted in the first months of the war but later normalised as Moscow re-routed flows to Asia and Africa away from Europe.

"Problems returned from December after banks and companies have realised the threat of U.S. secondary sanctions is real," one trading source said.

The source was referring to a U.S. Treasury executive order, opens new tab published on Dec. 22, 2023, which warned it could apply sanctions for the evasion of the Russian price cap on foreign banks and called on them to boost compliance.

It became the first direct warning about a possibility of secondary sanctions on Russia, putting it on par with Iran in some areas of trade.

Following the U.S. order, Chinese, UAE and Turkish banks that work with Russia have increased checks, started asking for extra documentation and trained more staff to make sure deals were compliant with the price cap, the trading sources said.

Additional documents can also include details on the ownership of all companies involved in the deal and personal data of individuals controlling the entities, so that banks can check on any exposure to the SDN list.

In the end of February UAE banks had to rise payment scrutiny as they were asked to provide data to the U.S. correspondent banks and the U.S. treasury if they have transactions that go to China on behalf of a Russian entity, according to one banking source familiar with the matter.

"This meant delays in processing payments to Russia," one of the sources said.

One source said one payment had been delayed by two months, while another said the delays amounted to two to three weeks.

"It has become tough and not even for the dollar transactions. Sometimes it takes weeks for a direct yuan-rouble transaction to be executed," one of the traders said.

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Budapest refuses to reimpose import ban on Ukrainian honey despite protests, citing ‘no impact’ – Reuters
Hungary will maintain its decision not to reintroduce a ban on Ukrainian honey imports, resisting pressure from beekeepers who argue that inexpensive Ukrainian honey is driving down prices and jeopardizing their livelihoods, Reuters reported on March 26.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government banned imports of 24 agricultural products from Ukraine last year, including grain, pork and honey. On Feb. 19, it lifted the ban on honey, sparking protests from the country’s beekeepers.

Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy told Reuters that the unilateral import ban failed to have a positive impact on the local market as wholesale purchase prices have not increased to the extent that local farmers hoped for, while it hurt companies who packaged and exported honey to the EU.

Honey exporters need the Ukrainian honey as they will not be able to meet contracted deliveries otherwise.

Asked if the government would consider reintroducing the import ban, he said “no, as it has no impact.”

Most honey imports into the EU come from China and Ukraine. Ukrainian imports accounted for 25% of the EU’s honey imports in January-August 2023, according to European Commission data.

On Nov. 29, the Slovak government decided to extend a ban on imports of grain and other agricultural products, including honey, from Ukraine.

On Sept. 18, farmers across Bulgaria began protesting the country’s parliament’s decision to resume agricultural imports from Ukraine. The protesters are demanding that the government extend the ban on imports of Ukrainian sunflower, wheat, corn and rapeseed.

They also want a ban on imports of sunflower oil, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, milk and dairy products, meat and meat products, honey and beekeeping products from Ukraine.

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Man charged with murdering his own girlfriend reportedly former Wagner mercenary
A Moscow court has placed a man suspected of brutally murdering his girlfriend in pretrial detention, independent news outlet Mediazona reported Wednesday.

The Russian Investigative Committee said the unnamed 51-year-old had beaten his 42-year-old girlfriend on Sunday, before stabbing her at least 16 times.

Daily tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets said the accused had cut off the woman’s ear, and then called the police himself to report the murder. Telegram channel VCHK-OGPU, which specialises in crime stories, wrote that the victim’s 15-year-old daughter was in the apartment at the time of the murder.

VCHK-OGPU named the defendant as Sergey Mironov. Moskovsky Komsomolets reported the defendant was a former Wagner mercenary who had fought in Ukraine and had a criminal record.

This is one of many cases of veterans committing crimes after returning from fighting in Ukraine. On 19 March, another former convict and Ukraine veteran, Alexey Isakov, shot his business partner dead in a St. Petersburg restaurant. On 14 March, a Moscow court sentenced Stanislav Ionkin to 20 years in prison for starting a fire in the Polygon nightclub in the city of Kostroma, in central Russia, in November 2022, in which 13 people died.

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Paratroopers of the 79th Brigade fight off another assault on Novomykhailivka

Paratroopers of the 79th Separate Tavrian Air Assault Brigade of Mykolaiv have demonstrated another successful repulse of the Russians’ failed assault on Novomykhailivka.

The brigade’s press service reported on this.

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“The enemy pays a high price for every assault on the paratroopers’ positions of the 79th Air Assault Brigade near Novomykhailivka. The land is burning under the Russian invaders. And it will continue to burn because the 79th Air Assault Brigade is working here,” the statement reads.

The Russian vehicles first exploded on mines, and the rest were finished off by soldiers and drones with ammunition.

The destroyed vehicles included tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, including BMP-1AM Basurmanin and ersatz armored personnel carriers based on the MT-LB tracked tractor.

Десантники 79-ї окремої десантно-штурмової бригади показали чергове відбиття невдалого штурму

The paratroopers of the 79th Air Assault Brigade are constantly repelling fierce enemy assaults on Novomykhailivka, Donetsk region.

On March 23, Militarnyi reported on another unsuccessful attempt to storm this settlement. The soldiers of the 79th Air Assault Brigade destroyed Russian soldiers with the help of drones and artillery.

Previously, on March 11, the 79th Air Assault Brigade showed the footage of the destruction of Russian soldiers.

The first seconds captured the Ukrainian artillery firing on the Russian convoy and the destruction of the IFV, which then caught fire.

Behind a destroyed infantry fighting vehicle was an MT-LB tracked tractor used as an armored personnel carrier, but the footage shows that it did not move.

Novomykhaylivka is located about 12 kilometers south of Mariinka, which Russian forces have been trying to capture since 2014.

Invaders have intensified these assaults since early October 2023, and now control the area where Mariinka used to be, as the settlement itself no longer actually exists.

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FPV drones of the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade strike two Russian Msta-S self-propelled howitzers near Avdiyivka

Ukrainian troops destroyed Russian Msta-S self-propelled howitzers in the Donetsk region.

The military published the video on Telegram.

The Russian self-propelled howitzers were attacked by FPV kamikaze drones controlled by operators of the FPV Drone Group “Muramasa” of the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade.

152-mm self-propelled howitzers were hit at the Russian invaders’ combat positions near Avdiyivka.

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The type of warheads that the Ukrainian kamikaze drones were equipped with is not clear from the video.

Українські FPV уразили дві російські «Мста-С» під Авдіївкою [березень 2024]

An MT-LB multi-purpose tracked vehicle, which was moving on the road in the temporarily occupied territory, also came under attack by a Ukrainian FPV drone.

The Russians often use tractors, such as armored personnel carriers, to transport infantry and cargo.

Previously, in March, operators of the FPV Drone Group “Muramasa” of the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade destroyed a Russian 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled howitzer near Avdiyivka.

The self-propelled howitzer was destroyed by FPV kamikaze drones, which were equipped with shaped charge warheads. According to the footage, these are warheads from a PG-7 rocket-propelled grenade, which is usually fired from an RPG-7 hand-held grenade launcher.

FPV-дрони знищили російську «Мста-С» під Авдіївкою [березень 2024]

The video posted by the Ukrainian military captures a powerful explosion and burning, which most likely led to the complete destruction of the Russian Msta-S self-propelled howitzer.

According to Oryx’s OSINT resource, since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Russian invaders have lost at least 137 2S19 Msta-Ss destroyed and 35 seized. In addition, about 19 newer versions of the 2S33 Msta-SM2 have been reported destroyed and 17 seized.

Msta-S is a Soviet and Russian 152-mm self-propelled howitzer designed to defeat the enemy’s open and hidden manpower, weapons, and military equipment.

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The locations of all Russian railroad substations near Ukraine have been published online
The locations of all Russian railroad substations at a distance of 250 km from the border with Ukraine were published online.

Analysts from the Ruski Brucken group created the map.

The map was developed to help neutralize the Russian logistics infrastructure used in the war against Ukraine.

Analysts noted that there are about 100 non-civilian railway substations on the map.

“All Russian railroad power substations within a 250 km radius are within easy reach, so a caveman can easily find a $10 million site anywhere in the target area in minutes,” Ruski Brucken’s analysts commented on the map.

These substations are used to reduce the electrical voltage and further convert the current to transmit it to the overhead line to provide electricity to electric locomotives.

In recent years, explosions at Russian power substations have been very frequent.

In early March, Ukrainian intelligence officials, commenting on the explosion at power substations in Russia, said that the responsibility for the degradation of Russian infrastructure lies with the Russian authorities.

According to the intelligence officers, there are caring citizens in Russia who cannot tolerate Putin’s dictatorship and are doing everything they can to free their country from it.

Therefore, the Russian government is responsible for what explodes on its territory.

In 2023, it was reported that the Security Service of Ukraine was behind some of the attacks on the substations.

For these operations, Ukrainian forces engaged strike and reconnaissance drones.

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Half the processors made by Russian computer chipmaker Baikal Electronics are reportedly defective
More than half the processors manufactured by Baikal Electronics are defective, multiple sources told the newspaper Vedomosti. The Russian chipmaker has struggled to meet the country’s production needs since foreign manufacturers started canceling Russian orders and refusing to ship ready supplies due to international sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. Though Russia’s development minister has vowed to establish domestic processor manufacturing by 2028, efforts by Baikal Electronics to master integrated circuit packaging have exposed the industry’s current limits.

Vedomosti’s sources blame the shortcomings on insufficient equipment and incompetent staff responsible for circuit packaging. Baikal Electronics CEO Andrey Evdokimov acknowledged that his company’s facilities currently lack the capacity for reliable large-scale industrial assembly, but he said defects in the production process are normal and stressed that “there is reason for cautious optimism.”

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Western troops in Ukraine risk ‘world war,’ Hungary’s top diplomat says
“The terrifying risk of a third world war is approaching,” Foreign Minister P�ter Szijj�rt� said in an interview with Russia’s TASS.

Sending NATO troops to Ukraine would be “really dangerous” and would “bring the risk of a world war closer,” Hungarian Foreign Minister P�ter Szijj�rt� said in an interview with Russian state media.

“The terrifying risk of a third world war is approaching,” Szijj�rt�, who was on a trip to Russia for the Atomexpo forum, told Russian state-run news agency TASS in an interview published Wednesday. “Therefore, we will always call on all our allies and colleagues to refrain from any actions or statements that could bring the risk of a world war closer.”

Budapest has stuck more closely with Moscow than any other European Union or NATO member, with Hungary repeatedly opposing sending more money and weapons to Kyiv.

Szijj�rt�’s remarks come after French President Emmanuel Macron said last month that Western ground troops in Ukraine should not be “ruled out.” The comments sparked panic and were the target of immediate pushback from most NATO allies — though not all European leaders condemned his message.

Szijj�rt� — who had already said Hungary was “not willing to send either weapons or soldiers to Ukraine” — told TASS that “words matter.”

“When it comes to the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine on behalf of some NATO member states, it’s really dangerous, because we don’t want to face a threat,” he said.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb�n maintained contact with Russia President Vladimir Putin after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago — even congratulating Putin on winning last month’s elections, which were widely viewed as rigged by most Western democracies.

Szijj�rt� said Hungary keeps its channels of communications with Russia open, adding that Putin and Orb�n can “hold talks at any time” if “there is a need to interact with each other.”

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Data & Debat Russische desinformatie of online kattenkwaad?
Hollands nepnieuws
Gehaaide investeerders, rechtse oproerkraaiers en moedwillige intriganten werken vanuit Nederland aan nepnieuws dat een pro-Kremlin-narratief versterkt. Juist in een vrije samenleving zorgt dat voor kwetsbaarheid en een duivels dilemma.

‘Met grote bewondering kijk ik naar jullie waardevolle en unieke werk’, zegt Geert Wilders deze herfst in een interview met de alternatieve nieuwswebsite Voice of Europe. Behalve het interview met Wilders zijn er vooral opgeklopte migratieverhalen en felle EU-kritiek te vinden. ‘Ik lees Voice of Europe elke dag en haal er veel inzichten vandaan’, vervolgt het Kamerlid. ‘We mogen ons gelukkig prijzen VoE te hebben als tegengif voor de indoctrinatie van fake media.’

De PVV-voorman onderstreept hiermee onbedoeld hoe vloeibaar de term fake news is. Wilders en ook president Trump gebruiken het om gevestigde media te diskwalificeren terwijl juist gematigde politici – waaronder leden van de Europese Commissie – de term gebruiken om Russen en extreem-rechtse opiniemakers mee om de oren te slaan. Nepnieuws is een label dat op veel kan worden geplakt: satire, propaganda, hate speech, desinformatie of journalistieke slordigheid.

Voice of Europe valt in de categorie desinformatie: het neemt veelvuldig berichten uit Europese media over en framet en spint die op een misleidende manier die altijd negatief uitpakt voor migranten, de Europese Unie en liberale politici. Een bericht uit De Telegraaf over een steekpartij in de Amsterdamse metro wordt bijvoorbeeld overgenomen met ��n opmerkelijk verschil: waar de krant niets schrijft over de achtergrond van de dader insinueert Voice of Europe dat dit moedwillig wordt achtergehouden door autoriteiten.

De site verzamelt vanuit heel Europa nieuwsberichten die ze vervolgens opsiert met suggestieve duiding. Die berichten verschijnen tussen opiniestukken met titels als Angela Merkel it is time to quit and go to jail en verhalen over voorstellen en demonstraties van Geert Wilders, die zonder uitzondering worden beschreven als ‘een groot succes’.

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VoE groeit sinds september gestaag en heeft nu zo’n 250.000 bezoekers per maand. Waarmee het zich voegt bij een stroom alternatieve en opruiende nieuwswebsites. Juist Nederland blijkt met zijn digitale infrastructuur, privacyregels en ondernemingsklimaat een vrijhaven voor dit soort internetpiraten, blijkt uit ons onderzoek. Niet alleen ideologisch gedreven Russische trollen maar ook opportunistische zakenlieden maken graag gebruik van de Nederlandse vrijheden. Ons land blijkt het verspreiden van nepnieuws weinig in de weg te leggen.

Russische Twitter-accounts delen de berichten van Voice of Europe gretig, blijkt uit de analyses van Hamilton 68, een Amerikaans onderzoeksteam dat onder meer het Twitter-gedrag van Kremlin-accounts onderzoekt. Het interview met Wilders kreeg in korte tijd 1462 ‘retweets’ en telt inmiddels meer dan 2500 ‘likes’.

De schrijvers en financiers van Voice of Europe proberen zichzelf af te schermen maar een blik op de hostinggegevens leidt naar een villawijk in Dronten en de Nederlander Daan van Seventer. Als we hem bellen en vertellen wie we zijn, hangt hij direct op. Na een sms’je met nadere uitleg over hoe we zijn naam hebben gevonden, belt hij gehaast terug: ‘Ik zit nu in een skilift in Oostenrijk, sorry.’ Zonder omhaal vertelt hij inderdaad de hoster te zijn van Voice of Europe. Het gaat goed met de site. ‘Het hele Twitter-gebeuren h�? Politici zoals Wilders delen het graag.’ De Drontenaar zegt dat drie Nederlanders eigenaar zijn van de website, en dat hij slechts de hosting verzorgt. Verder is hij niet betrokken.

‘Iedereen denkt dat wij Kremlin-trollen zijn, maar ik ben gewoon ondernemer’, zegt een van de investeerders in Voice of Europe als we haar bellen. We vinden haar omdat ze woont op het adres waar de domeinnaam van Voice of Europe geregistreerd staat. In het dagelijks leven is ze directeur van een douanebedrijf nabij Schiphol. Op voorwaarde van anonimiteit doet ze haar verhaal. Voor haar is de opruiende nieuwssite gewoon een ‘business opportunity’, vertelt ze. ‘Net zo goed als dat ik ook geld in kunst en vastgoed steek.’

Zo verhandelt ze de kunst van vastgoedmagnaat Erik de Vlieger, die haar op het spoor zette van de opmerkelijke investering. Samen met hem en nog een derde investeerder vormden ze een driemanschap en benaderden ze de mensen achter de Twitter-account V of Europe met een voorstel: jullie krijgen een investering om een website te laten draaien en een redactie op te bouwen. Hoeveel geld dat heeft gekost wil ze niet zeggen, maar het gaat zeker om ‘vele duizenden euro’s’.

‘Hoe kom je aan mijn nummer? Hoe kom je aan mijn nummer’, vraagt Erik de Vlieger als we hem bellen. ‘Ik lul niet met jullie. Ik neem jullie niet serieus. Have a nice day. Byeee.’ Hij hangt op. Als we hem sms’en met de vraag terug te bellen schrijft hij terug: ‘Jullie van die domme grachtengordelmedia hebben mij alleen maar schade gedaan.’ Dat hij betrokken zou zijn noemt hij onzin. Van Seventer �n de anonieme investeerder uit Amsterdam hebben zich los van elkaar laten ontvallen dat hij wel degelijk een van de drie investeerders is. Als we de hoster nog een keer bellen bevestigt hij de betrokkenheid van Erik de Vlieger.

‘Tussen dat reguliere nieuws staan artikelen die in de Russische agenda passen. Die worden geschreven in Moskou’

‘Ik wil dat dit de Breitbart van Europa wordt’, zegt de anonieme vrouwelijke investeerder. ‘Volgens mij heeft Voice of Europe het Breitbart-gedeelte al overgenomen’, twitterde De Vlieger op 7 januari. Er is overigens wel een significant verschil met Breitbart: Voice of Europe houdt haar redactie angstvallig geheim terwijl de Amerikaanse oproerkraaiers onder hun eigen naam publiceren. Ook de investeerder wil er niets over zeggen. ‘Dit is een geheim project.’

Ideologisch gedreven zijn ze niet, zegt ze. Al spreekt ze dat een paar zinnen later wel tegen: ‘Ieder weldenkend mens is EU-kritisch. De EU kan niet bestaan omdat we verschillende naties zijn. Dat kun je niet samenvoegen. En ja, we zijn ook sterk tegen migratie. Maar vooral omdat niemand anders dat is.’ Behalve geld verdienen wil ze dat ‘haar spectrum van het nieuws’ vertegenwoordigd is. ‘Inmiddels worden sommige van onze tweets in Duitsland verwijderd. Ik heb ook het gevoel dat onze onderlinge berichten worden gecontroleerd.’

Europa grijpt nu van bovenaf in. De Franse president Emmanuel Macron heeft een wet aangekondigd die het mogelijk maakt om ‘nepinformatie’ van websites te verwijderen in campagneperiodes. In Duitsland hangen Facebook en Twitter hoge boetes boven het hoofd als ze foute informatie niet tijdig verwijderen. Dat in de poging die boetes te ontlopen ook onschuldigere content sneuvelt is collateral damage.

Hoe dun de lijnen zijn tussen een vrije mening en moedwillig ontwrichtende informatie door een vijandige staat ondervond ook de Europese Commissie begin dit jaar. Het drie jaar geleden opgerichte EU-platform EU vs Disinfo kreeg een storm van kritiek te verduren toen shockbloggers van GeenStijl en TPO, een Belgische onderzoeksjournalist en een redacteur van De Gelderlander hun artikelen en een radio-interview terugvonden in een Europese database met Russische desinformatie.

Het doel van de database is laten zien welke nieuwsartikelen bedoeld en onbedoeld besmet zijn geraakt met Russische desinformatie, laat een woordvoerder van de EU-buitenlandchef Federica Mogherini weten. ‘We krijgen tips van leden uit ons vierhonderd man sterke myth-busting network.’

Hierbij hoeft volgens de woordvoerder geen onderscheid gemaakt te worden tussen vijandelijke desinformatie, een onwelgevallige mening of journalistiek onderzoek. ‘Wij selecteren berichten die onjuist zijn of in lijn zijn met pro-Kremlin-desinformatie.’

Midden in een vooroorlogse wijk in Hilversum staat een huis waar half januari de kerstlichtjes nog voor het raam hangen – volgens de Russisch-orthodoxe kalender wordt op de veertiende van de maand pas nieuwjaar gevierd. Hier woont de Russische journaliste Svetlana Kouxina samen met haar man, een Nederlandse ICT’er. Kouxina, werkzaam voor nieuwszender RT, deed de afgelopen jaren verslag vanuit Nederland over MH17 voor de staatszender. Tot zo ver niets geks, over de hele wereld wonen medewerkers van RT. Maar op naam van deze onopvallende Russische journaliste staat een merkwaardig bedrijf geregistreerd: Media Capital Holding BV.

Het is een paraplubedrijf waar bijvoorbeeld ook een controversi�le radiozender in Georgi� onder valt. Ook is de bv eigenaar van de domeinnamen van drie Russischtalige websites – Baltnews.ee, Baltnews.lv en Baltnews.lt – die actief zijn in Estland, Letland en Litouwen. Uit een onderzoeksrapport van de Kaitsepolitseiamet, een Estse veiligheidsdienst, blijkt dat Media Capital tot voor kort ��k nog een Russischtalige website financierde die zich specifiek richt op etnische Russen in Estland: Baltija.eu. Al die kleine mediapartijen aan de lange grens met Rusland wisselen onschuldig lokaal nieuws af met opruiende verhalen die het Kremlin-narratief versterken, en zo de landen waarin ze actief zijn in diskrediet brengen.

‘Ze scouten hier talenten op de scholen voor journalistiek en ze nemen goede lokale journalisten aan’, zegt Inga Springe, oprichter van het Baltisch centrum voor onderzoeksjournalistiek Re:Baltica, dat als eerste onderzoek deed naar de websites van Baltnews en Media Capital. ‘Die lokale talenten schrijven over heel normaal nieuws, zoals de kerstboom in het stadscentrum bijvoorbeeld.’ De echte propaganda komt volgens haar uit Moskou: ‘Tussen al dat reguliere nieuws staan af en toe artikelen die precies in de Russische agenda passen. Die stukken worden geschreven in Moskou, niet in Riga of Tallinn.’

Minister Ollongren, de AIVD en vele liberale politici die zich in de afgelopen twee jaar in een verkiezingscampagne bevonden, wijzen met een beschuldigende vinger naar Rusland als het gaat om desinformatie. Rusland schermt sinds enkele jaren openlijk met een militaire doctrine die erop is gericht om landen van binnenuit te ontwrichten. Hoe zwakker je buurman is, des te sterker je zelf bent.

Hoewel die sabotagedoctrine pas sinds vijf jaar openlijk wordt benoemd en beschreven is dit nieuwe militaire denken terug te leiden naar de inval in Georgi� in 2008, schrijft Anton Shekhovtsov in zijn recente boek Russia and the Western Far Right.

Volgens Shekhovtsov realiseerde Poetin zich dat hij zich had blindgestaard op hard power en de kracht van informatie en publieke opinie had verwaarloosd. Dat terwijl soft power – het met zachte hand masseren van de voorkeuren en keuzes van je tegenstanders en hun burgers – zeer goedkoop en effectief kan zijn. Media en desinformatie behoren sinds dat moment tot de fronttroepen.

‘Het is niet voor niets dat Nederland in de top-vijf staat van landen waaruit spam en malware wordt verstuurd’

Na de militaire operatie in Georgi� werd de pas opgerichte 24-uurs-zender Russia Today in het buitenland omgedoopt tot het meer verhullende RT, de journalisten gingen zich meer richten op wereldse zaken en minder op Russisch nieuws. Inmiddels opereert RT in zes verschillende talen, sinds december vorig jaar hebben ze ook een Franse televisielicentie. Met de slogan ‘Question more’ werd de deur op een kier gezet voor westerse complottheorie�n en werd subtiel gehint dat het kijkerspubliek de eigen nationale leiders moet bevragen. Sinds vijf jaar is het arsenaal van Russische mediabedrijven sterk uitgebreid met de internationale radiozender en website Sputnik en vele kleine nieuwsswebsites verspreid over Europa, tot in Hilversum aan toe.

De vensterbank van Svetlana Kouxina’s woning staat vol met porseleinen dierenbeeldjes, vetplantjes en uitgedroogde potplanten. De Russische journaliste zit zelf achter een sliert van kerstlichtjes op de bank. Open doen wil ze niet. Als we na een paar keer vruchteloos aanbellen zachtjes op het raam kloppen kijkt ze even op, vertrekt geen spier en kijkt dan weer op haar telefoon. Als we nog ��n keer aanbellen wordt ze boos, springt op en maant ons om weg te gaan. De deur blijft gesloten, dus laten we een briefje achter met het verzoek terug te bellen.

Die avond belt Svetlana op, ze spreekt onberispelijk Nederlands. Ze woont hier al lang: ‘Ik snap niet wat u van mij wil of waarom u mij in godsnaam zoekt.’ Als we zeggen haar te willen spreken over haar bestuursfunctie bij Media Capital blijft ze lange tijd stil, start twee keer een zin maar breekt die weer af om vervolgens bruusk te zeggen: ‘Dat is helemaal niet interessant. Ik hoef daar niets over te zeggen.’ Meer wil ze niet zeggen, verdere toenaderingen negeert ze. Als ze de telefoon later opneemt gaat de hoorn er direct op.

Maar dat d� mediastad van Nederland ook een buitenpost herbergt van het informatie-offensief van het Kremlin blijkt uit de papieren van de Kamer van Koophandel. De aandelen van Media Capital zijn in handen van een overheidsbedrijf dat kantoor houdt in het centrum van Moskou. Dat bedrijf valt weer onder de Russische staatsomroep Rossiva Segodnya, waar ook RT en Sputnik onder vallen.

Niet geheel toevallig: de man die in de zomer van 2013 Media Capital inschreef bij de Kamer van Koophandel in Maastricht is Michael Thomas Gordon, de toenmalige directeur van Sputnik Londen. Voor hij het bedrijf overdroeg aan Kouxina benoemde hij voor zeven maanden een jonge, etnische Rus uit Letland, die als uitwisselingsstudent naar Nederland kwam en op dit moment in Amstelveen woont. Zij schrikt en begint te stotteren als we haar opbellen en het over Media Capital hebben. Ze is druk en staat op een schoolplein. Ze verwijst naar een niet-bestaande ‘press desk’ die we maar moeten bellen – maar waarvan ze geen telefoonnummer of naam kan geven. Ook in een gesprek vier dagen later, dat in het Russisch wordt gevoerd, zegt ze niets te kunnen zeggen.

Dat de Russische staatsomroep uitgerekend in Nederland desinformatiewebsites verstopt, is niet verwonderlijk. Een bv is er in een handomdraai opgericht, er is ��n euro startkapitaal nodig en het handelsregister van de Kamer van Koophandel is, zeker voor niet-Nederlandssprekenden, slecht doorzoekbaar.

Daarnaast ligt een van de belangrijkste internetknooppunten van Europa in Amsterdam, waardoor Nederland automatisch een populaire uitvalsbasis is voor mensen die een website willen hosten. ‘De Nederlandse mediawet garandeert maximale privacybescherming voor nieuwskanalen en online bloggers’, schrijft AE News in de zomer van 2015 opgetogen op haar website. De Tsjechisch-Slowaakse alternatieve nieuwswebsite heeft op dat moment net haar servers van Bratislava naar Nederland verhuisd.

AE News was ooit een levendige website voor vliegtuiggekken. Maar in 2014, kort na de annexatie van de Krim, werd ze op slag radicaal in haar steun voor Rusland. Op dit moment houdt ze zich vooral druk bezig met de recente Tsjechische presidentsverkiezingen en het beschrijven van migratie als natuurramp. Recent beschuldigde AE News de Duitse Bundeswehr van het rekruteren van kindsoldaten voor een geheim Europees leger. Elke maand opnieuw wordt via crowdfunding 1290 euro opgehaald om het platform in de lucht te houden. Wie de redactie vormt weet niemand. ‘AE News is waarschijnlijk de minst transparante website die wij monitoren’, zegt Veronika V�chov� van Kremlin Watch, onderdeel van de Tsjechische denktank European Values, tijdens een kort bezoek aan Nederland.

Zelf schrijft de site dat de berichten worden samengesteld door Tsjechische en Slowaakse patriotten in Rusland, de Verenigde Staten �n Nederland. Tot 2017 verwees AE News ook naar haar kantoor in het European Business Centrum te Eindhoven, vlak naast Eindhoven Airport – al laat een receptionist van het gebouw weten nog nooit van het bedrijf gehoord te hebben; haar collega’s evenmin. Inmiddels is AE News, althans volgens de website, verhuisd naar de iconische Trump Tower in New York.

De propagandasites proberen met hun buitenlandse vestiging te ontsnappen aan strenge mediawetgeving in de landen waarop ze zich richten. Letland heeft bijvoorbeeld in 2016 op basis van zijn mediawet de uitzendrechten van Sputnik ingetrokken, ook Litouwen trok aan het einde van dat jaar tijdelijk de uitzendrechten van een Russische televisiezender in. In Oekra�ne moet sinds een jaar driekwart van de programma’s worden uitgezonden in de eigen taal, het eigenaarschap van nieuwsmedia mag niet voor meer dan dertig procent in buitenlandse handen zijn. Wie vanuit het buitenland opereert heeft daar geen last van.

‘Onze goede privacyregelgeving komt kwaadwillenden niet slecht uit’, zegt Sico van der Meer, onderzoeker van het Clingendael Instituut. ‘Het is niet voor niets dat Nederland in de top-vijf staat van landen waaruit spam en malware wordt verstuurd.’ Nederland ligt centraal in het spinnenweb van netwerken, geeft een medewerker van hostingdienst WorldStream uit Naaldwijk als verklaring. Het is dan ook niet te voorkomen dat zijn bedrijf bijvoorbeeld ook een Russische nepnieuwswebsite in Kazachstan als klant heeft. ‘We hebben negenduizend servers draaien. Het is onmogelijk alle applicaties en websites te monitoren.’

Jullie beschrijven het topje van de ijsberg, zegt Paul Sinning, directeur van het Haags Centrum voor Strategische Studies. ‘Het Kremlin houdt er een decentrale strategie op na waarbij het zijn geld verdeelt over vele afzonderlijke nieuwsplatformen verspreid over de wereld. Dat versterkt de effectiviteit en maakt het lastiger om ze ontmaskeren.’

‘Staatscontrole over Russische massamedia was in Rusland de hoeksteen waarop Vladimir Poetin zijn autoritaire kleptocratie heeft gebouwd’, schrijft Shekhovtsov. De luxe om het publieke debat op slot te gooien hebben liberale leiders niet. Een open samenleving lijkt in dit specifieke geval zelfs een nadeel te zijn: op een vrije marktplaats van idee�n kan een moedwillige saboteur zich makkelijk ongezien wanen tussen oproerkraaiers die zich beroepen op hun recht op vrije meningsuiting.

Voice of Europe, dat vaak voor Russisch wordt versleten, is dat niet terwijl een onschuldiger ogende website in de Baltische staten dat misschien wel is. Hun geluid kan op elkaar lijken maar hoeft niet georkestreerd te zijn – wat de aanpak van desinformatie des te ingewikkelder maakt. ‘Door het gebruik van zware gereedschappen lopen liberale democratie�n het risico om te veranderen in dat wat ze juist zo vrezen: autocratische regimes zoals het Rusland van Poetin’, waarschuwen onderzoekers van het Haags Centrum voor Strategische Studies in hun rapport Inside the Kremlin House of Mirrors, dat onlangs verscheen.

Exact dat risico onderstreept de geraffineerdheid van de strategie van Rusland: door zich in het hart van een van de westerse kernwaarden te begeven – het vrije debat – stelt het zijn tegenstanders voor een duivels dilemma: gaan we onszelf verminken of berusten we nog in het eeuwenoude idee dat in een werkelijk open debat de waarheid als vanzelf bovendrijft?

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 07:28 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Blijkbaar nog niet genoeg Russische soldaten gesneuveld voor de imperialistische plannen van dit soort lui.
[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 07:28 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Blijkbaar nog niet genoeg Russische soldaten gesneuveld voor de imperialistische plannen van dit soort lui.
[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 00:21 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Baudet uit bedreiging richting Klaver, Bosman oordeelt 'onaanvaardbaar'
[..]

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Putin says Russia will not attack NATO, but F-16s will be shot down in Ukraine

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 08:42 schreef ETA het volgende:

[..]
Belangrijk bij te vertellen dat Baudet bedreigingen heeft geuit NA het debat tegen Klaver. Het filmpje en stukje tekst dat je hebt geqoute wordt alleen het incident TIJDENS het debat benoemd. Na het debat is Klaver veel nadrukkelijker bedreigd door Baudet, dit zou zijn bevestigd door zowel Baudet en Klaver bevestigd tegen Bosma.

Na het debat is gezegd:"Dat ga ik niet doen. Als je het nog een keer vraagt, sla ik je op je bek." Met doen werd bedoeld het vragen over jaarverslagen. Mijn inziens compleet idiote reactie.

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Op woensdag 27 maart 2024 23:01 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Da's wel kut voor de Roverheid-roepende Poetinisten. Moet je dan voor of tegen zijn?

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 09:09 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Ok, dit is wel next level.... laf.

Ambassadeur werd op het matje geroepen vanwege die raket die pools luchtruim in ging.

[ x ]

Als ik polen was zou ik die ambassade sluiten. Dit is idd een heftige breuk met het protocol, niet op komen dagen als je ontboden wordt.

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Op woensdag 27 maart 2024 23:01 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Da's wel kut voor de Roverheid-roepende Poetinisten. Moet je dan voor of tegen zijn?

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 09:09 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Ok, dit is wel next level.... laf.

Ambassadeur werd op het matje geroepen vanwege die raket die pools luchtruim in ging.

[ x ]

Als ik polen was zou ik die ambassade sluiten. Dit is idd een heftige breuk met het protocol, niet op komen dagen als je ontboden wordt.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 11:23 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Hier moet meer aan de hand zijn, enige wat hij zou krijgen is een boze speech en een brief voor de grote baas

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 09:57 schreef byah het volgende:

[..]
Is gewoon een keiharde escalatie en voorbode op een harde lijn in diplomatie tussen Rusland en het westen

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 07:28 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Blijkbaar nog niet genoeg Russische soldaten gesneuveld voor de imperialistische plannen van dit soort lui.
[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 14:26 schreef Aether het volgende:
Plannen om NAVO-land aan te vallen 'gewoon onzin', beweert Poetin
https://nos.nl/artikel/25(...)onzin-beweert-poetin

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 14:36 schreef grrrrg het volgende:

[..]
Op dit moment onzin. In de nabije toekomst niet.
En zoals iedereen weet, liegt Pilitin over dit soort dingen (over alles eigenlijk)

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 14:12 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

[..]
Hoeveel drank hebben dit soort gasten op voordat ze beginnen te ouwehoeren? Ver verwijderd van de realiteit. Het lukt ze in een paar jaar tijd niet eens om 1/3de van Oekra�ne te veroveren waar ze al zoveel aan verloren hebben en ze praten hier over landen met veel meer technology.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 15:18 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Ik vraag me toch af hoe de Russen hier naar kijken. Zouden de meesten dit ook gewoon als een clownshow zien?

RUSSIAN Economy Starts to Collapse as Sanctions Inflict Serious Damage on Inflation & Russian Ruble

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 15:00 schreef Aether het volgende:
NWS / Baudet in Tsjechische media genoemd in zaak Russische betalingen

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 16:19 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 16:51 schreef ipa84 het volgende:

[..]
Sinds dat de webcare van FvD is gearriveerd, is dat topic niet meer te lezen met alles wat er word bijgehaald.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 17:20 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
Het meest bizarre is wel dat zojuist iemand beweerde dat als Biden overlijdt, zijn zoon Hunter het presidentschap erft

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 17:20 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
Het meest bizarre is wel dat zojuist iemand beweerde dat als Biden overlijdt, zijn zoon Hunter het presidentschap erft

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 16:59 schreef ipa84 het volgende:

[..]
[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 17:26 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Je begrijpt toch wel dat dat sarcasme was?

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 16:19 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 17:29 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Godsamme, wat lijkt diplomatiek overkomen mij dan heel erg moeilijk.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 17:49 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Dit kon weleens een SU-35 wezen ipv een SU-27. De SU-27 heeft een ruimte tussen de vleugels en de stabilo.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 17:53 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
De Russen zelf zeggen een Su-27, maar Su-35 werd ook genoemd.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:02 schreef quirina het volgende:
Ik denk dat Baudet en Wilders wel wat aangepakt hebben van Rusland

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:03 schreef quirina het volgende:
En mijn mening is dat deze namen openbaar gemaakt moeten worden.

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Op woensdag 27 maart 2024 23:27 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Nice. Nu weer wachten op het gejank dat we er vroeger 1000 hadden door de mensen die vergeten dat de Leo2 alleen een verkoopsucces werd op de tweedehands markt doordat NL en DE -de enige gebruikers tegen het einde van de koude oorlog- ze wegbezuinigden.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:04 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
[..]
LIjkt mij ook. Maar gaat dat gedoe geven in de formatie?

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:05 schreef quirina het volgende:
Tsjechen hebben dus wel de namen gedeeld met andere landen maar niet met Nederland ….
Maakt niet uit, de waarheid komt wel op tafel nietwaar.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 14:26 schreef Aether het volgende:
Plannen om NAVO-land aan te vallen 'gewoon onzin', beweert Poetin
https://nos.nl/artikel/25(...)onzin-beweert-poetin

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:23 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Hij heeft helemaal gelijk wat ie zegt. Wat moet je tegen 30% defensie-uitgaven versus 3,5%? Gezien dat het in Oekra�ne al niet super gaat, hoe ga je dat in godsnaam tegen de NAVO doen? Dat lukt Rusland echt niet in de komende tien jaar. Al die angsthazen moeten eens ophouden met janken. Ain't gonna happen.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 17:29 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Godsamme, wat lijkt diplomatiek overkomen mij dan heel erg moeilijk.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 16:19 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:26 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Dat zal allemaal wel. Maar aangezien Poetin een onbetrouwbare leugenaar is neem ik gewoon liever geen risico. Gewoon voor de zekerheid.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 17:49 schreef oheng het volgende:

Dit kon weleens een SU-35 wezen ipv een SU-27. De SU-27 heeft een ruimte tussen de vleugels en de stabilo.

Hier wat DuckDuckGo plaatjes van SU-27's.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:23 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Hij heeft helemaal gelijk wat ie zegt. Wat moet je tegen 30% defensie-uitgaven versus 3,5%? Gezien dat het in Oekra�ne al niet super gaat, hoe ga je dat in godsnaam tegen de NAVO doen? Dat lukt Rusland echt niet in de komende tien jaar. Al die angsthazen moeten eens ophouden met janken. Ain't gonna happen.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:23 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Hij heeft helemaal gelijk wat ie zegt. Wat moet je tegen 30% defensie-uitgaven versus 3,5%? Gezien dat het in Oekra�ne al niet super gaat, hoe ga je dat in godsnaam tegen de NAVO doen? Dat lukt Rusland echt niet in de komende tien jaar. Al die angsthazen moeten eens ophouden met janken. Ain't gonna happen.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:29 schreef oheng het volgende:

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Dat hebben we eerder gehoord van die oorlogsmisdadiger.
Russia tells U.S. it isn't planning to invade Ukraine

En dat jij het je niet kunt voorstellen zegt niks. Er zijn genoeg scenario's te bedenken waarin het wel mogelijk is.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:27 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Grappig, want elders hoor ik jou steeds over "NUUUKES NUUUKES, niet bang zijn blablabla"

En nu hang je wel de angsthaas uit terwijl dat totaal niet realistisch is.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:33 schreef Ulx het volgende:

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Ik hang helemaal geen angsthaas uit. Maar ik zet mijn fiets ook op slot. Ik sluit de voordeur ook af. Als jij dat bibberen en beven voor fietsendieven en inbrekers wil noemen ga je je goddelijke gang maar,

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:28 schreef AchJa het volgende:

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De SU-35 ook... Anders was het wel een delta wing geweest...

Nog even los van het feit dat dus SU-35 initieel nog SU-27M werd genoemd.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:36 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

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Joah, en mensen die over nukes beginnen zijn wel allemaal angsthazen volgens jou. Behalve jij hoor. Je spreekt jezelf zo tegen in dit topic...

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:44 schreef quirina het volgende:
Hier in Nederland is er hulp voor mensen die lijden aan posttraumatische stressstoornisen . In Rusland erkennen ze deze schade niet.
Psychisch leed is voor hun hetzelfde als mietje zijn.
dus knappen ze.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:44 schreef quirina het volgende:
Hier in Nederland is er hulp voor mensen die lijden aan posttraumatische stressstoornisen . In Rusland erkennen ze deze schade niet.
Psychisch leed is voor hun hetzelfde als mietje zijn.
dus knappen ze.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:31 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Oekra�ne lag echt wel in de verwachting gezien wat er in 2014 gebeurde en de historische context. Wierd Duk zei het al van te voren. Maersheimer ook. NAVO is een totaal ander verhaal dus die vergelijking slaat helemaal mank.

En wat betreft die scenario's, ja nukes zijn ook mogelijk, maar oh wee als je daar over begint. Dan valt iedereen over je heen.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:45 schreef Ulx het volgende:

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Het is wel macho.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:00 schreef oheng het volgende:
Nog meer wijsheden van putin, die overigens altijd de waarheid spreekt.

[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:36 schreef oheng het volgende:
Nee ik bedoel hoe ze aan de romp vastzitten, de ruimte ertussen. Maar de SU-27 en SU-35 lijken wel heel veel op elkaar.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:00 schreef oheng het volgende:
Nog meer wijsheden van putin, die overigens altijd de waarheid spreekt.

[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:46 schreef oheng het volgende:

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Als rusland de NAVO uit elkaar weet te spelen, dan wordt het een heel ander verhaal. 1 of 2 verkiezingen later kunnen de verhoudingen compleet veranderd zijn. Als bijvoorbeeld Trump, Marie Le Pen, Jeremy Corbyn, en een Merkel-cloon aan de macht komen, dan zijn de belangrijkste NAVO spelers al uitgeschakeld.

En als rusland dan een "klein, onbelangrijk land" als Estonia aanvalt, is er kans dat de rest van de NAVO dat slikt. Bovendien, als rusland Oekraine verovert, hebben ze vele miljoenen "soldaten" die ze de dood in kunnen sturen in een oorlog tegen de NAVO of wat daar nog van over is.

rusland heeft al bewezen dat ze er geen enkel probleem mee hebben om iedere dag 1000 man een zinloze dood te laten sterven. putin rekent erop dat de NAVO landen dat nog niet een maand volhouden.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:02 schreef AchJa het volgende:

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Geen idee wat je nu bedoelt (kielvlak, stabilo???) maar als ik dit plaatje zie is mijn eerste gedachte ook Su-27.

[ afbeelding ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:04 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Dat broodje aap komt ook wel eens naar boven als het om westerse toestellen gaat... Dat VS luverdsystemen niet op VS toestellen kunnen schieten want geblokkeerd ofzo...

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:08 schreef sp3c het volgende:

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Dat klopt wel

Ze hebben ook een kill switch ingebouwd waarmee de Amerikanen die toestellen uit kunnen zetten als je te tof doet

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:07 schreef Ulx het volgende:
De Su-35 is ook een doorontwikkeling van de Su-27.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:04 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Dat broodje aap komt ook wel eens naar boven als het om westerse toestellen gaat... Dat VS luverdsystemen niet op VS toestellen kunnen schieten want geblokkeerd ofzo...

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:44 schreef Ulx het volgende:

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Nee pik, jij -en de experts die je noemt- scheten de broek al vol bij de gedachte aan steun voor Oekra�ne. Want lever ze tanks dan gooit Poetin daar vast en zeker een tactische nuke op. En dat was toen het nog redelijk ging met Rusland.

En het is gewoon een goed idee om Rusland even duidelijk te maken dat ons aanvallen een slecht plan is. Voor hem.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:08 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Dat klopt wel

Ze hebben ook een kill switch ingebouwd waarmee de Amerikanen die toestellen uit kunnen zetten als je te tof doet

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:46 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Als rusland de NAVO uit elkaar weet te spelen, dan wordt het een heel ander verhaal. 1 of 2 verkiezingen later kunnen de verhoudingen compleet veranderd zijn. Als bijvoorbeeld Trump, Marie Le Pen, Jeremy Corbyn, en een Merkel-cloon aan de macht komen, dan zijn de belangrijkste NAVO spelers al uitgeschakeld.

En als rusland dan een "klein, onbelangrijk land" als Estonia aanvalt, is er kans dat de rest van de NAVO dat slikt. Bovendien, als rusland Oekraine verovert, hebben ze vele miljoenen "soldaten" die ze de dood in kunnen sturen in een oorlog tegen de NAVO of wat daar nog van over is.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:16 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Kijk daar is ie weer

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:04 schreef grrrrg het volgende:

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Ze gaan eerst een stukje veroveren, met groene of blauwe mannetjes of zo.
Putin wil aansluiting met Kaliningrad

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:17 schreef Ulx het volgende:

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Wij hebben uiteraard een dingetje in de Thales radars gezet waardoor we het laten lijken dat we vriendelijke toestellen zijn. Natuurlijk. Want zo werkt dat. Ja.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:22 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Nu komt de waarheid pas echt op tafel

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:19 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Dus het gelul over eScAlAtIe en NOEKS was onzin? Dan kunnen we natuurlijk probleemloos troepen sturen.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:22 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Nu komt de waarheid pas echt op tafel

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:23 schreef BlaZ het volgende:
De Russen zijn een nieuw type bom beginnen gebruiken. Na de FAB worden er nu ODAB's gebruikt, een thermobarische FAB variant.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:23 schreef BlaZ het volgende:
De Russen zijn een nieuw type bom beginnen gebruiken. Na de FAB worden er nu ODAB's gebruikt, een thermobarische FAB variant.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:32 schreef AchJa het volgende:

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Die hebben ze sowieso in Syrie al gebruikt dus zo verwonderlijk is dat niet.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 19:35 schreef BlaZ het volgende:
Ook de 1,5kt en 3,0kt versies? Het werd door een Russische bron als iets nieuws gepresenteerd.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 18:23 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Hij heeft helemaal gelijk wat ie zegt. Wat moet je tegen 30% defensie-uitgaven versus 3,5%? Gezien dat het in Oekra�ne al niet super gaat, hoe ga je dat in godsnaam tegen de NAVO doen? Dat lukt Rusland echt niet in de komende tien jaar. Al die angsthazen moeten eens ophouden met janken. Ain't gonna happen.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 20:31 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Het is meer dat die bolsjewistische jdam kit iets nieuws is natuurlijk.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 21:00 schreef MatthijsDJ het volgende:

[..]
Hitler beloofde ook van alles in 33 en de jaren daarna.. Putin is net zo onbetrouwbaar/onvoorspelbaar als Hitler..

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 21:54 schreef Cilantro het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 21:53 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Iedereen kan van alles beloven, maar het gaat er om dat het re�el mogelijk is. En dat is het gewoonweg niet. Na de oorlog in Oekra�ne is het Russische leger flink naar de klote. Wat denk je, dat ze een NAVO land nog kunnen binnenvallen?

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 22:24 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:

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Alsof een gesloopte krijgsmacht de Russen ervan zou weerhouden stoer te gaan lopen doen tegen Europese NAVO-leden.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 21:54 schreef Cilantro het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 23:03 schreef Aether het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 21:53 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Iedereen kan van alles beloven, maar het gaat er om dat het re�el mogelijk is. En dat is het gewoonweg niet. Na de oorlog in Oekra�ne is het Russische leger flink naar de klote. Wat denk je, dat ze een NAVO land nog kunnen binnenvallen?

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 22:29 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Ja, dat een beetje. Er is die stad, in de baltics, dicht aan de grens, merendeel russen. 1 'reddingsactie' verder, stopt putin die vol met orcs. En nee, dat die daarna sterven bij bosjes, boeit hem niks, boeit hem nu ook niks. Zolang orcs en roestige tanks voorradig zijn, zijn ze een gevaar, klaar.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 01:02 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Je kunt bijv. Estland heel makkelijk afsnijden van de rest van de NAVO door de regeringen in Polen, Litouwen, of Letland pro russisch te laten wezen.

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Video Shows Nighttime Attacks by Ukrainian FPV Drones on Russian Tank and Positions
The Ukrainian Wild Hornets charitable foundation, which produces FPV drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, says it has developed an affordable solution for nighttime attack drone operations.

A Ukrainian group of strike drone operators shared a video on Facebook that showcased the operation of Ukrainian-engineered, night vision equipped, first person view (FPV) drones, targeting a Russian tank and positions.

The charitable foundation Wild Hornets, which is involved in the production of FPV drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), has developed a cost-effective solution for nighttime operations for its FPV drones.

The caption to a video it has posted on social media said, “If a standard thermal imaging camera for an FPV costs $1,000, then this technical solution is only $50.”

The NGO has kept the exact technical details of their night vision capability close to their chests for obvious security reasons and to prevent Russian forces from adopting a similar method or devising ways to counter the drones.

SPOILER

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A Ukrainian aerial intelligence scout, speaking anonymously to Kyiv Post, highlighted the effectiveness of strike drones during nighttime attacks, citing the element of surprise against vulnerable forces.

“The released video demonstrates how these modified UAVs reveal themselves at night with a light, prompting Russian soldiers to attempt shooting them down with small arms,” the scout told Kyiv Post.

“However, hitting such small and fast targets is extremely challenging, making this innovative method both cost-effective and more efficient than many conventional drones,” he added.

The footage from the drone's camera revealed instances of interference, likely stemming from Russian attempts at electronic warfare.

Discussing the video further, the source said that it showed the targeting of a Russian tank, military truck, camouflaged Russian troop positions, and soldiers taking cover within a building.

Kyiv Post analysts were unable to independently verify the video's location and timing but had no reason to dispute the claims.

Russian troops have significantly intensified their assault operations in the Vuhledar direction of the Donetsk region, actively employing night vision carrying FPV drones, according to another aerial scout from the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky, speaking anonymously to Kyiv Post.

“[The Russians] brought night capable FPV to our positions, they are actively using it. And they have increased the flight range, now we are suffering a lot from this,” he said.

Russian forces began targeting Ukrainian front line troops with night capable FPV drones at the end of 2023.

Military personnel interviewed by Kyiv Post highlighted the challenges posed by the use of such UAVs, as movements of personnel, equipment, rotations, and deliveries often occur in the “gray” hours - the period before dawn when it is not entirely dark.

The FPV drones utilized by the Russians are equipped with both light-sensitive cameras, allowing for visibility in low-light conditions, and more advanced thermal cameras.

The thermal cameras are quite costly, but Russia possesses these capabilities, likely on “an industrial scale,” as the commander of the attack UAV unit, known as Nazar (not his real name).

Earlier this year, Russian forces deployed FPV drones equipped with night vision cameras to target civilian buildings in Nikopol, located in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

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Russia reportedly recruited mercenaries from Sri Lanka for war against Ukraine
The Russian Federation has recruited citizens from Sri Lanka for the war against Ukraine. Some of them have already been killed, reports Al Jazeera.

The news agency spoke with two mercenaries who fought on the side of the RF. They recounted how they came under attack by a Ukrainian drone in the temporarily occupied Donetsk region.

"We didn't know that it would be this dangerous," said Senaka Bandara.

Russia promised citizens of Sri Lanka that they would be involved in "bunker duty" However, the Ukrainian military managed to hit the bunker where the mercenaries were stationed.

The material writes that hundreds of citizens of Sri Lanka are fighting on the side of Russia against Ukraine. Most of them joined the war for a salary of $3,000 and the prospect of obtaining Russian citizenship. It has also been established that some of the mercenaries have already been killed.

Russia uses mercenaries for war against Ukraine
Recently, the National Resistance Center reported that locals in the temporarily occupied territory observe the arrival of more Kremlin mercenaries. In particular, invaders are bringing in fighters from Cuba and Nepal.

Reuters also reported that India has asked Russia for the early release of some of its citizens working in the Russian army in "support jobs."

A representative of the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War Petro Yatsenko said that the Russian mobilization resource is running out, so the aggressor country is increasingly recruiting foreigners for the war against Ukraine. Ukrainian captivity includes representatives from Cuba, Nepal, African countries, and Latin America.

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Ukraine’s military intelligence chief says Russia received terror plot intel in February
The Russian authorities knew about a terror attack being planned on Russian soil since at least 15 February but did nothing to prevent it, Ukraine’s military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov claimed on Wednesday.

Speaking at a forum on strategic communications in Kyiv, Budanov alleged that Russia had received a tip off regarding the planned attack from its own military intelligence officers in Syria. As well as knowing where the attackers would be travelling from, the Russian authorities also knew which two countries they would pass through to reach Russia, Budanov added.

There were several reasons why the Russian authorities “allowed” the attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, Budanov said, suggesting that Putin may have planned to use it as a pretext to remove several high-ranking government officials or that the country’s security services had “underestimated the scale” of the attack, expecting that it would be “more localised” and planning to “blame Ukraine for everything”.

Having initially allowed Friday’s attack to happen in an attempt to sow “controlled chaos”, Russia had since been unable to control the situation, Budanov said, as the death toll rose to 143. He also accused Russia of changing its story several times as it tried to implicate Ukraine in the massacre and called claims of Ukrainian involvement “nonsense”.

Top Kremlin officials have repeatedly blamed Ukraine for Friday’s attack, with Federal Security Service (FSB) director Alexander Bortnikov saying on Tuesday that Budanov and all others who “commit crimes against Russia” were a “legitimate target” for the Russian army.

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The 79th Brigade destroyed a platoon of Russian infantry with ammunition from a drone

Soldiers of the 79th Air Assault Brigade destroyed an enemy platoon with ammunition from a drone before the battle began.

The brigade’s press service published the video.

The video captures the 79th Brigade’s converted to drop ammunition drones dropping ammunition on the remains of enemy personnel.

It is noted that the enemy tried to organize an assault on the positions of Ukrainian defenders, but was quickly detected by an aerial reconnaissance unit.

The brigade’s press service notes that the Russian troops were defeated 2 hours before the battle began.

SPOILER

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Upon detection, the artillery delivered a devastating strike to the enemy, causing the remaining infantry to seek shelter in shell craters.

Finally, the 79th Brigade’s drones started dropping ammunition on the enemy’s remnants, killing 29 Russian soldiers.

The destruction of the Russian platoon took place near Novomykhailivka, Donetsk region.

The brigade’s units repelled a large number of enemy assaults aimed at capturing the settlement of Novomykhailivka.

Militarnyi previously reported that the paratroopers of the 79th Separate Tavrian Air Assault Brigade of Mykolaiv have demonstrated another successful repulse of the Russians’ failed assault on Novomykhailivka.

The Russian vehicles first exploded on mines, and the rest were finished off by soldiers and drones with ammunition.

The destroyed vehicles included tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, including BMP-1AM Basurmanin and ersatz armored personnel carriers based on the MT-LB tracked tractor.

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The 28th Mechanized Brigade destroyed the Russian Osa air defense system using an FPV drone

Soldiers of the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade destroyed the Russian Osa anti-aircraft missile system.

“Toronto Television” (Ukrainian Toronto Television – ed.) released the video of the destruction.

The footage captures the unit’s aerial reconnaissance detecting the Russian anti-aircraft missile system and providing visual support.

The Osa SAM started moving toward the concrete hangar to avoid detection.

SPOILER

quote:

Ураження З� К "Оса" FPV-дроном 28-ї ОМБр

The pilots of the Asgarda strike group of the Eyes unit launched an FPV drone that detected an enemy Osa SAM in a hangar and destroyed it.

The aerial reconnaissance unit of the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade, namely a pilot with the call sign “Surgeon,” conducted the reconnaissance and recorded the damage.

There was also a high level of cooperation with the head of the brigade’s electronic warfare service.

The Russian Osa anti-aircraft missile system was eliminated near Kurdiumivka, Donetsk region.

It should be noted that the brigade has been in this area and has been fighting the enemy for a long time.

Militarnyi previously reported that Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SOF) helped destroy the Russian BUK air defense system in the Zaporizhzhia region.

The soldiers provided reconnaissance data and assisted in targeting the invaders with the M142 HIMARS rocket launcher.

The Russian air defense system was discovered near the occupied village of Forois in the Zaporizhzhia region.

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Gabon has become the largest supplier of spare parts for Russian aircraft
Russia received nearly $2 billion worth of aircraft parts from abroad in 2023, with the bulk of that amount, about $1.5 billion, coming from Gabon through one local company. Source: The Moscow Times

However, the company listed in Russian customs documents probably does not even exist, since there is no data about it in the local register of legal entities.

Read also: Russian aviation is on the verge of collapse due to sanctions - intelligence

This volume of imports of aircraft parts exceeds half of Gabon's annual budget. In addition, the Russian companies for which these spare parts were imported from Africa look suspicious, perhaps they are associated with shell companies.

According to Russian customs data, the largest importer of aircraft parts in 2023 was Ter Assala Parts, a company registered in Gabon, whose beneficiary is a citizen of Kyrgyzstan. There is no information about it in the commercial register of Gabon.

To introduce goods into Russia, a company must provide the Federal Customs Service with a number of documents, including statutory documents. However, the FCS does not conduct a full inspection of the importing company.

Experts note that most likely, the suppliers entered into transactions through a fictitious company registered in third countries, but operating through Gabon.

Igor Lipsits, Doctor of Economics, believes that this is a complex criminal scheme in which high-ranking officials of both countries may be involved. He suggests that Russian airlines are closely connected with the state, and the import of such a volume of imported spare parts was probably agreed with the authorities.

Ter Assala Parts imported aircraft parts worth $1.48 billion to the Russian Federation from Gabon and the Maldives. In addition, 15 used engines for Boeing-737 and Airbus A320/A321 worth more than $58 million were imported from Gabon.

Recall that the Russian aviation industry is facing serious problems due to Western sanctions imposed in response to the Russian war in Ukraine . Deliveries of new domestic aircraft were delayed for two years for “security reasons.”

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Russian military exploded on its own mine

Russian servicemen were swept away by a current on an anti-submarine mine that they had installed earlier.

This is reported by the Ukrainian defense forces.

The video shows the instant karma of the Russian occupiers who tried to leave their dangerous mines on the territory of Ukraine.

This happened when the Russians tried to mine a body of water near the village of Krynki in the Kherson region.

“These are the undisputed frontrunners for the Darwin Award. When the Russian military attempted to plant an anti-submarine mine, their boat was swept away by the current to the same mine planted earlier,” the report said.

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Poland recalls Eurocorps commander amid investigation

Poland has withdrawn its commander of Eurocorps, a joint military group of some EU and NATO states, after an investigation into him was launched by the Polish Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW).

Explaining its decision to recall Lieutenant General Jarosław Gromadziński, who last year became the first Pole to lead Eurocorps, Poland’s defence minister said only that the proceedings were initiated “in connection with the acquisition of new information about the officer”.

The manner in which the recall was carried out has been criticised by the defence minister in Poland’s former Law and Justice (PiS) government, under whom Gromadziński was appointed, who says that it “brings international shame on Poland”.

SPOILER

quote:

On Wednesday afternoon, the defence ministry announced that it was recalling Gromadziński from Strasbourg with immediate effect. It said that it had been obliged to do so by law after the “SKW initiated inspection proceedings regarding the personal security clearance of the lieutenant general”.

No further information regarding the nature of nor reasons for those proceedings have been provided. By initiating them, SKW cut off the general from access to classified information and deprived him of the ability to command the international forces.

Later on Wednesday, Poland named Lieutenant General Piotr Błazeusz as Gromadziński’s replacement to lead Eurocorps, which is composed of personnel from Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland, Spain, Austria, Greece, Italy, Romania and Turkey and is at the service of the EU and NATO.

In response to the news of his dismissal, Gromadziński wrote on social media that he feels he has not done anything wrong.

“For 34 years of professional military service, I always put the good of the service, the good of the homeland in the first place, often at the expense of my family,” he wrote on X.

“Serving in command positions, at home and abroad, as well as cooperating with NATO allies, I always represented the uniform of the Polish soldier with dignity,” he added. “I believe that the procedure initiated by the SKW will end positively for me.”

His removal was condemned by Mariusz Błaszczak, who served as defence minister from 2018 until the end of last year, when his PiS party was removed from power and replaced by a new administration led by Donald Tusk.

“The manner in which Gen. Gromadziński was dismissed, which left huge room for speculation, and the communication of this matter by the defence ministry bring shame on Poland in the military international environment,” tweeted Błaszczak, who is now head of PiS’s parliamentary caucus.

“If decisions are made that cause an earthquake, it is necessary to explain precisely what is at stake. Poland’s credibility with its allies is at stake here. If the allegations against Gen. Gromadziński are serious, the public should know the details,” he added.

Media reports suggested that EU and NATO allies had not been notified in advance of Gromadziński’s recall. But Poland’s current defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, has denied that.

“Everything is being done according to procedures” and allies were informed “well in advance”, he said. Notes from Poland asked NATO for confirmation of this information, but received no immediate response.

Speaking anonymously to news website Onet, two Polish generals expressed outrage at Gromadziński’s treatment. “If the services have any suspicions about an officer serving in NATO, he is summoned to the country for an interview,” said one.

If the matter is serious, he is withdrawn from the structures, informing the allies in advance, rather than making an international scandal, as in the case of General Gromadziński,” he added. “This is a blow not only to the general, but to the image of the Polish state.”

Onet also quoted an unnamed officer “from the NATO structures” who said the decision “left everyone bewildered”.

“The fate of the officer is decided by the country that sent him. The SKW’s conduct, however, has caused consternation…The way he was handled certainly does not build the credibility of the defence minister,” he was quoted as saying.

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Polish services strike Russian spy network, conduct searches
The Internal Security Agency (ABW) conducted searches as part of an investigation into espionage activities on behalf of the Russian Federation, announced Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesperson for the Minister’s Coordinator of Special Services, on Thursday.

Allegedly, the espionage activities targeted European Union member states and their institutions. During the ABW operation, EUR 48,500 and USD 36,000 were seized, Dobrzyński stated. He emphasized that in addition to the searches, initial interrogations in the case were conducted, and further procedural actions will continue in the coming days.

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The Press Office of the National Public Prosecutor’s Office informed that the ABW’s actions, conducted at the prosecutor’s request, were part of an investigation into organizing operations to influence EU countries and institutions, which took place on Wednesday, March 27.

Dobrzyński pointed out that these actions resulted from international cooperation between the ABW and several European services, particularly those coordinated with partners from the Czech Republic.

“As a result, actions aimed at organizing pro-Russian initiatives and media campaigns in EU countries were documented. The goal was to implement the Kremlin’s foreign policy objectives, including weakening Poland’s position on the international stage, discrediting Ukraine, and the European Union’s image,” he explained.

In pursuit of these goals, an international website, voice-of-europe.eu, was launched, where articles, statements, comments, and interviews with a biased, pro-Russian tone related to the current international situation, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, are published, Dobrzyński conveyed.

In addition to the aforementioned funds, the services identified the method of financing the described procedure and seized several electronic devices, including mobile phones.

The National Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Press Office stated that ABW’s actions are related to a completed investigation by the Mazovian Department, in which on January 19, the prosecutor brought charges against a Polish citizen for espionage on behalf of Russian special services.

“The accused operated in the environment of Polish and European parliamentarians, carrying out tasks financed by designated Russian intelligence operatives, including propaganda activities, disinformation, political provocations, or the establishment of Russian spheres of influence,” the body recalled.

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Should the EU continue to support Ukraine? Our poll finds Europeans are in favour
Most of the respondents of an exclusive poll for Euronews by IPSOS say support to Ukraine should continue. But they are in two minds about whether it should be a priority for the next mandate.

According to an exclusive IPSOS/Euronews poll, EU voters are rather hesitant to take a clear stance when it comes to the bloc's aid to Ukraine.

The first-of-its-kind poll, which had nearly 26,000 respondents from 18 EU countries, reveals that 36% of Europeans want aid to Ukraine to be a priority of the next European parliament. Another 36% see it as important but not a priority while it is a secondary issue for the remaining 27% of respondents.

Views on assistance to the war-torn nation, however, differ wildly on a country-by-country basis.

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Nuanced solidarity
Respondents from Nordic EU member states are the most vocal in calling on the next parliament to be more proactive in its support to Ukraine with 68% of Swedes, 59 % of Danes, and 57 % of Finns declaring it a priority for them.

But in Hungary, Greece, Romania and Slovakia, most respondents - 47%, 45%, 48% and 39% respectively - saw aid to Ukraine as a secondary issue. Only 12% of Hungarians believe aid to Ukraine should be an EU priority over the next mandate.

In Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, where the governments are among the biggest donors of military assistance to Ukraine, respondents seem to be feeling some aid fatigue with the shares closely resembling the EU's average.

Some of the discontent in Eastern Europe and in the member states bordering Ukraine is likely linked to the import of Ukrainian agricultural products, which European farmers have been protesting against arguing they are depressing prices across the bloc.

When delving into political ideology, supporters of the Greens (57%) overwhelmingly back making aid to support a priority for the next five years. Respondents identifying with the main three political groups in the European Parliament - the centre-right European People's Party, the centre-left Socialists and Democrats and the centrist Renew groups - are also largely in favour of continued strong support to Ukraine.

Support from left-wing voters is more subdued but nonetheless largely positive. A majority of respondents who align themselves with the far-right Identity & Democracy group, however, view aid to Ukraine as secondary.

The poll however does not distinguish between the various types of aid. The EU has been providing military, macro-financial and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than two years ago.

Is the EU's support actually helping Ukraine
Asked whether the EU's stance on Ukraine had had a positive impact on developments in the embattled country, respondents across the 18 countries polled were just as equally split.

Thirty-six per cent say the EU has had a positive impact, 32% declare the bloc's impact was neither positive nor negative, and the remaining 31% believe that the impact was negative.

According to figures published by the Council of the European Union, the total amount of aid provided to Ukraine by the 27 member states is more than �143 billion.

Of these, �81 billion was pledged through the EU budget in financial, economic and humanitarian support with a further �12 billion by the member states for the same purpose. Military assistance totals �33 billion — two-thirds as bilateral support and the remaining �11 billion under the European Peace Facility instrument — while �17 billion has been disbursed in support for refugees within the EU.

Over four million Ukrainian refugees have been sheltering in the EU since March 2022. Their protection and basic needs including health care, education for their children and housing are granted by the Temporary Protection System.

The EU has also taken a set of massive and unprecedented sanctions against Russia over its military aggression against Ukraine. Thirteen packages have been adopted to curb sales of Russian fossil fuels and metals and to severely limit its access to key goods and technologies it could use on the battlefield.

Additionally, over �300 billion from the Central Bank of Russia were immobilised across the EU and G7 allies.

Respondents from Nordic countries — 63% of Danes, 60% of Finns, 58% of Swedes — have a positive view about the impact the EU has had in supporting Ukraine. The Franco-German axis, meanwhile, is moderately satisfied: 37% of French respondents have a positive opinion and 31% a negative one, more or less the same as across the Rhine.

But In Romania, Slovakia, Italy, Austria, Greece and Hungary, most think that the EU's impact on the war in Ukraine has been ineffective.

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Timur was wounded in the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack on March 23rd, 2024. He had been fighting on the front lines of Ukraine since the start of the war, and was on leave at home for a few days before returning to the front. He took his family to the concert venue, and was the only member of his family to be shot. He was brought to a Moscow hospital where he died 3 days later.

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Russian veto brings an end to the UN panel that monitors North Korea nuclear sanctions
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A veto Thursday by Russia ended monitoring of U.N. sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear program, prompting Western accusations that Moscow is seeking to avoid scrutiny as it allegedly violates the sanctions to buy weapons from Pyongyang for its war in Ukraine.

Russia’s turnaround on the U.N. monitoring reflects how Moscow’s growing animosity with the U.S. and its Western allies since the start of the Ukraine war has made it difficult to reach consensus on even issues where there has been longstanding agreement.

The veto came during a vote on a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have extended the mandate of a panel of experts monitoring sanctions on North Korea for a year, but which will now halt its operation when its current mandate expires at the end of April.

The vote in the 15-member council, with 13 in favor, Russia against, and China abstaining, has no impact on the actual sanctions against North Korea, which remain in force.

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Russia had never before tried to block the work of the panel of experts, which had been renewed annually by the U.N. Security Council for 14 years and reflected global opposition to North Korea’s expanding nuclear weapon program.

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council before the vote that Western nations are trying to “strangle” North Korea and that sanctions are losing their “relevance” and “detached from reality” in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the country.

He accused the panel of experts of “increasingly being reduced to playing into the hands of Western approaches, reprinting biased information and analyzing newspaper headlines and poor quality photos.” Therefore, he said, it is “essentially conceding its inability to come up with sober assessments of the status of the sanctions regime.”

But U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood called the panel’s work essential and accused Russia of attempting to silence its “independent objective investigations” because it “began reporting in the last year on Russia’s blatant violations of the U.N. Security Council resolutions.”

He warned that Russia’s veto will embolden North Korea to continue jeopardizing global security through development “of long-range ballistic missiles and sanctions evasion efforts.”

White House national security spokesman John Kirby condemned Russia’s veto as a “reckless action” that undermines sanctions imposed on North Korea, while warning against the deepening cooperation between North Korea and Russia, particularly as North Korea continues to supply Russia with weapons as it wages its war in Ukraine.

“The international community should resolutely uphold the global nonproliferation regime and support the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence against Russia’s brutal aggression,” Kirby told reporters.

Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward said Russia’s veto follows arms deals between Russia and North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions, including “the transfer of ballistic missiles, which Russia has then used in its illegal invasion of Ukraine since the early part of this year.”

“This veto does not demonstrate concern for the North Korean people or the efficacy of sanctions,” she said. “It is about Russia gaining the freedom to evade and breach sanctions in pursuit of weapons to be used against Ukraine.”

“This panel, through its work to expose sanctions non-compliance, was an inconvenience for Russia,” Woodward said.

France’s U.N. Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere added that “North Korea has been providing Russia with military material in support of its aggression against Ukraine, in violation of many resolutions which Russia voted in favor of.”

Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador Dmitry Polyansky responded, calling these “unfounded insinuations” that “only strengthened our conviction that we took the right decision to not support the extension of the panel of experts.”

The Security Council imposed sanctions after North Korea’s first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and tightened them over the years in a total of 10 resolutions seeking — so far unsuccessfully — to cut funds and curb its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The last sanctions resolution was adopted by the council in December 2017. China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in May 2022 that would have imposed new sanctions over a spate of intercontinental ballistic missile launches.

The Security Council established a committee to monitor sanctions and the mandate for its panel of experts to investigate violations had been renewed for 14 years until Thursday.

In its most recent report circulated last month, the panel of experts said it is investigating 58 suspected North Korean cyberattacks between 2017 and 2023 valued at approximately $3 billion, with the money reportedly being used to help fund its development of weapons of mass destruction.

The experts said North Korea continues to flout sanctions, including by further developing its nuclear weapons, and producing nuclear fissile materials — the weapons’ key ingredients. It also continues to import refined petroleum products in violation of council resolutions.

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The US and Britain are checking the transfer of $20 billion to a Russian crypto exchange
The payments that came under scrutiny went through the Moscow-based crypto exchange Garantex using the dollar-pegged Tether cryptocurrency. These transfers were carried out after the imposition of sanctions against Garantex by the US and UK due to suspicions of facilitating financial crimes and illegal transactions in Russia. Source: Bloomberg

The investigation shows that despite creating larger-than-expected sanctions, the West is still failing to completely stop the flow of money into Russia. Russia avoided economic collapse by creating a vast network of workarounds, including offshore oil transfers, technology exchanges through third countries and encrypted digital currency transactions.

The Biden administration has been trying to put pressure on cryptocurrency exchanges, including Garantex, since the conflict began. The $20 billion worth of transactions are believed to be among the violations of sanctions imposed on Russia.

The investigation is ongoing, and it is too early to draw definitive conclusions due to the complexity and opacity of cryptocurrency transactions. At the moment, there are no suggestions of violations on the part of Tether Holdings, registered in the British Virgin Islands, part of the UK.

Tether is a stablecoin that aims to maintain a 1:1 dollar exchange rate and is the most traded cryptocurrency with a turnover of over $100 billion. Tether Holdings announced it has frozen the assets of organizations with addresses included in the US sanctions list.

Garantex, founded in Estonia in 2019, now conducts most of its operations from Moscow. Estonia deprived the exchange of its license as a result of actions coordinated with the United States.

The US Treasury accused Garantex of collaborating with illicit actors and announced its own sanctions in 2022, linking Garantex's transactions to more than $100 million in illegal activity, including links to the Russian hacking group Conti.

Garantex allows you to withdraw funds through cards of Russian banks that are subject to US sanctions. The US is also keeping a close eye on other exchanges linked to Garantex.

Although Tether helps investors exchange tokens and protect digital wealth, its anonymity has made it popular among criminals. However, Tether Holdings denies mitigating crime and cooperates with law enforcement agencies, as evidenced by the freezing of funds associated with fraud.

Let us remind you that the Binance crypto exchange, accused of financing terrorism, began to close the accounts of Russians.

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Mijnenjager Vlaardingen uit dienst, Makkum later dit jaar
Vanmiddag werden de koninkrijksvlag, geus en oorlogswimpel aan boord van Zr.Ms. Vlaardingen neergehaald. Dat gebeurde in Vlaardingen aan Het Scheur, waar de mijnenjager uit 1989 was afgemeerd. Een afscheid, maar ook een nieuw begin, want de nieuwe mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuigen zijn onderweg.

^{De vlag van de Vlaardingen wordt voor de laatste keer neergehaald. (Foto: Jaime Karremann/ Marineschepen.nl)}

De plechtigheid voltrok zich vanmiddag deels op een grasveld aan de rand van een woonwijk in Vlaardingen, met iets verderop aan de steiger de afgemeerde mijnenjager. Het bescheiden militair ceremonieel werd van een afstandje gadegeslagen door de bemanningsleden van de Vlaardingen bij de geus en de vlag, in afwachting tot het moment van uitdienststelling. Dat volgde na enkele toespraken, waarna een einde kwam aan het operationele bestaan van het schip in Nederlandse dienst.

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Krimp en groei
Het was niet de eerste uitdienststelling van de Alkmaarklasse die ooit uit vijftien mijnenjagers bestond. De eerste, Hr.Ms. Alkmaar, is alweer 24 jaar geleden uit de vaart genomen. Daarna volgden nog eens negen uitdienststellingen; bijna allemaal uit bezuinigingsoogpunt.

De uitdienststelling van de Vlaardingen is de eerste waarbij er een duidelijke link is met de komst van de nieuwe schepen, de mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuigen van de Vlissingenklasse.

^{Groepscommandant Mijnendienst KTZ Lex van der Kraan. (Foto: Jaime Karremann/ Marineschepen.nl)}

Die nieuwe toekomst voor de Mijnendienst benadrukt ook groepscommandant Mijnendienst kapitein ter zee Lex van der Kraan tegenover ondergetekende: "Een schip uit dienst stellen is nooit leuk, maar zoals je ook al in je vorige artikel schreef, het is wel nodig."

De bemanning van de Vlaardingen gaat over naar Zr.Ms. Schiedam (Alkmaarklasse), terwijl later dit jaar de eerste fabrieksopleidingen starten voor de bemanningen van de Vlissingen.

De Mijnendienst vaart nu met steeds minder schepen, maar moet straks flink gaan groeien. Van der Kraan: "Volgend jaar komt de Vlissingen in dienst. Die heeft een basisbemanning van 33 personen. Dat is bijne net zoveel als op de huidige Alkmaarklasse, maar daar komt de modulegroep nog bij. Dat is de bemanning die de onbemande systemen gaat beheren."

"Dus als je straks in 2030 het totaalplaatje aan bemanningen ziet, is het aantal benodigde personen net zoveel als we voor acht Alkmaarklasse mijnenjagers nodig hadden." Dan is dus veel meer personeel dan nu op de vier schepen werkt.

Werving
Om te groeien naar die nieuwe organisatie, moet de Mijnendienst nu al aan het werk. "Daar zijn we al mee bezig", zegt Van der Kraan. "De aanstellingsopdracht die Werving voor de Mijnendienst heeft gekregen, is voor volgend jaar een stuk hoger. Maar je moet het personeel nog wel krijgen. Naast behoud, leggen we een focus op het werven van personeel."

De marine heeft geen eigen wervingsafdeling meer en de werving gebeurt voor heel Defensie. "Er is nu natuurlijk de generatie D-campagne. Ik zeg dan gekscherend: generatie M zou ook meer naar de voorgrond moeten komen."

Met de nieuwe schepen hoopt de Mijnendienst toch meer de interesse van jongeren te wekken. "Daar zetten we meer op in. Twee weken terug is in Oostende de nieuwe simulator getoond. Die is nog niet helemaal af, maar de Virtual Reality Room was al wel ingericht. Die is bedoeld om nieuwe bemanningsleden door het schip te laten lopen, zodat je in VR het schip al leert kennen. Die willen we ook inzetten voor werving. Bijvoorbeeld tijdens de Wereldhavendagen."


Makkum ook uit dienst, samen met Vlaaridngen naar Oekra�ne
Voor de Vlaardingen is een andere toekomst uitgetekend. "Dit schip krijgt een goede bestemming, met de overdracht aan Oekraine", zegt Van der Kraan.

Voor dat zover is, volgen volgende week eerst varende beproevingen. "Dan gaat het schip naar Zeebrugge voor onderhoud," zegt Van der Kraan. "Begin volgend jaar wordt de Vlaardingen overgedragen aan Oekra�ne." De nieuwe bemanning kan dan aan boord. Van der Kraan: "Een groot deel van de Oekra�ense bemanningen hebben hun opleidingen al gehad en de keyfunctionarissen zijn regelmatig aan het meevaren. We hebben veel werk aan de overdracht van de schepen aan Oekra�ne, maar het is dankbaar werk."

Behalve de Vlaardingen, gaat ook de Makkum richting Oekra�ne. Dat schip zal eind dit jaar uit dienst worden gesteld. "Daar is nog geen exacte datum voor bepaald."

Dipje
Dat betekent dat aan het einde van het jaar de Mijnendienst naar drie schepen gaat. "Dus we krijgen ergens een dipje", erkent de groepscommandant. "We kunnen nog steeds aan onze NAVO-verplichtingen voldoen, ook aan onze verplichtingen op de Noordzee. We hebben bovendien de GeoSea nog, dus dat schip kunnen we gebruiken voor duikers en onze Remus [onderwaterdrone]. Daarmee kunnen we nog steeds explosieven hier op de Noordzee te ruimen, mocht dat nodig zijn."

^{Illustratie van de Vlissingenklasse. (Beeld: Defensie/ Naval Group)}

Oude schepen, nieuwe schepen
De teruglopende capaciteit is tijdelijk. In december 2025 moet de Vlissingen in dienst worden gesteld. Navraag bij Defensie leert dat de bouw in Frankrijk nog steeds op schema ligt.

En dat is nodig, want de schepen zijn op leeftijd. Toch worden ze nog met succes ingezet. "Tijdens de laatste operationele weken van de Vlaardingen heeft dit schip nog drie explosieven geruimd", zegt Van der Kraan. "Dat geeft ook aan hoe goed ze hun werk doen. We slagen er ook steeds in om mijnenjagers naar NAVO-vlootverbanden te sturen, soms zelfs twee. En eenmaal in NAVO-verband zijn we vaak degene die de meeste explosieven vindt en ruimt."

Dat komt volgens Van der Kraan "omdat het concept zo goed" is. Dat concept gaat met de komst van de nieuwe schepen overboord, als straks op afstand door onbemande systemen op mijnen wordt gejaagd. "Dat nieuwe concept zal zeker net zo goed worden", zegt Van der Kraan. "Door alle onbemande tools hebben we straks veel meer sensoren in het water, waardoor we veel sneller kunnen jagen. Bij mijnenbestrijding wil je namelijk zoveel mogelijk sensoren in het water hebben. We gaan echt vooruitlopen. Dat heeft ook z'n nadelen, want we moeten eerst kruipen, lopen en dan pas leren rennen, in een toch wel spannende tijd. Maar we leggen straks wel een nieuw systeem op de mat."

Behalve meer sensoren krijgen de nieuwe schepen ook andere middelen. Ze krijgen middelen om weer mijnen te gaan vegen: waarmee een schip kan worden nagebootst en dat de mijn moet verleiden om te exploderen. "Dat hebben we een tijdje niet gedaan. Voor sommige type zeebodems is het verdomd lastig om met een sonar mijnen te vinden. Dan heb je echt weer veegcapacoteit nodig."

Een ander voordeel volgens Van der Kraan is de mogelijkheid om sneller te innoveren: de drones kunnen snel worden vervangen of aangepast, terwijl de schepen niet vervangen hoeven te worden. Dus wordt nu ook gewerkt aan nieuwe middelen. "Een van de dingen waar we nog steeds moeite mee hebben, is het vinden van verzande mijnen. We ontwikkelen nu met TNO een tool die wel in de zeebodem kijkt. De sensoren die dat nu kunnen, doen dat in een te klein gebied. Wat wij willen is mijnen onder het zand in een groter gebied vinden. We zijn in een redelijk ver gevorderd stadium."

Meer werk
Het beloven drukke tijden te worden voor de Mijnendienst. De nieuwe schepen die veel groter zijn dan de huidige, zijn ook zwaarder bewapend. Van der Kraan: "Als je alleen al naar de wapensystemen kijkt, worden het bijna patrouilleschepen. Een 40mm-kanon, remote control .50. En dan nog veel betere radarsystemen." Dus zijn er meer taken mogelijk. "Seabed warfare is natuurlijk ook een hot topic en daar kunnen de nieuwe schepen een behoorlijke bijdrage aan leveren." En ondertussen blijven mijnen, zo zien we ook in de Zwarte Zee, relevant.

^{Voormalig commandant Mijnendienst KTZ b.d. Bob Roetering. (Foto: Jaime Karremann/ Marineschepen.nl}

Ook de Alkmaarklasse was een revolutie
De stap van oude naar een nieuwe capaciteit heeft de Mijnendienst eerder meegemaakt. Een van de personen die de vorige grote veranderingen van dichtbij meemaakte, is kapitein ter zee b.d. Bob Roetering. Roetering was commandant Mijnendienst toen de Vlaardingen op 15 maart 1989 in dienst werd gesteld (een paar honderd meter verderop) en schreef enkele jaren terug een boek over de Alkmaarklasse.

"De Alkmaarklasse was nieuw", zegt Roetering in de tent die voor de uitdienststelling is neergezet. "Vooral de elektronica was voor de mannen van de houten dieselboten heel anders. We hadden veelal mijnenvegers, maar ook vier mijnenjagers. Die schepen hadden een oude 193-sonar van Plessey, dat was een soort prototype. Maar nu kwamen ineens mooie DUDM-sonars uit Frankrijk. Elk land leverde bepaalde onderdelen, de Fransen de sonar en Nederland de voortstuwing. Met die voortstuwing hebben we trouwens de nodige problemen gehad. De Franse sonar had weliswaar 240 modificaties nodig aan vooral het hijssysteem [deze sonar moet uit de romp zakken], maar het beeld was mooi."

De rompen zijn nog steeds goed
De Alkmaarklasse, die door de voorloper van Naval Group is ontworpen, werd in Nederland door Van der Giessen-de Noord gebouwd. Die werf is later opgegaan in Royal IHC. Roetering is vooral onder de indruk van de glasvezelversterkte romp. "Destijds waren we bang voor osmose", zegt Roetering. "Van der Giessen-de Noord en TNO vertrouwden de Franse methodes voor het maken van de polyester romp niet. Zij hebben ze daarom op hun eigen manier gebouwd en hebben ze geen last gehad van osmose. De rompen zijn nog steeds heel goed. De techniek is oud, daar lopen ze elke week aan te sleutelen om het nog werkend te houden. Ze zijn na 35 jaar technisch aan hun eind, maar de Nederlandse rompen zijn nog goed. Complimenten aan de bouwers."

"Daarom heeft Pakistan ook twee schepen gekocht: voor de romp. Niet voor de systemen. Ze zetten hun systemen over op de Nederlandse rompen."

Ruzie en kinderziektes
Roetering kijkt met vertrouwen naar de komst van de nieuwe schepen. "Al krijgt ook de nieuwe klasse te maken krijgen met kinderziektes. Dat heb je altijd. En er zal ruzie komen over de financi�n en operationele eisen. Dat weet je vooraf als de werf systemen moet gaan ontwikkelen op basis van eisen. Want dan moet straks bepaald worden of ze voldoen. De marine zegt van niet, industrie zegt van wel. Maar dat zal in goed overleg gaan. Het worden in ieder geval mooie schepen, maar ik zou wel meer verdediging tegen drones willen."

Goede herinneringen
Na de uitdienststelling kregen de aanwezige oud-commandanten van de Vlaardingen een letter uit het naambord overhandigd. Ook kreeg de burgemeester van Vlaardingen een naambord en de scheepsbel in bruikleen.

Onder het genot van een nasi-hap (het is immers woensdag) en een bier konden de genodigden herinneringen over de Vlaardingen ophalen.

Een van de oud-commandanten zei na afloop tegen Marineschepen.nl: "Ik ben begin jaren negentig commandant geweest van dit schip en met een deel heb ik na al die jaren nog steeds contact." Kijkend naar de houten letter in zijn hand: "En zonder sentimenteel te worden... maar waar maak je dit mee?"

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Ukrainian Women Seek an Equal Right to Fight
Ukraine faces an acute shortage of military personnel and yet half the population is excluded from conscription. Women warriors say this should change.

Ukraine is fighting for its life. Russian occupation would mean erasure of our national language and culture, and the destruction of our national life, and removal of the country from the world map.

Women have not traditionally been asked to fight and in Ukraine they are not conscripted. But given the enormous stakes, given what it at risk, some women — including this author and many of her friends and acquaintances — want this to change.

“Everyone should take up the defense of their country,” said Iryna Tsybuh, a volunteer with The Hospitallers, which provides frontline medics. “The issue of women’s mobilization is very stigmatized and some politicians have made this a populist issue. But the army needs people and there are many positions in the armed forces where the individual’s sex does not matter.”

Like other Ukrainian women, I volunteered to serve after Russia’s invasion began in 2014 and saw action on the frontline. None of us have any illusions about the danger and the costs, but all of us want to fight. At this time of peril, when the conscription system is under intensive debate and when Ukraine is acutely short of military personnel, it is time to reconsider this old social taboo about women and war.

As things stand, only men are called to arms. Women only join if they volunteer. For example, females do not undergo the basic military training that would prepare them for operations and then place them in the military reserve for deployment if needed. And while women in certain professions, such as doctors, are on the military register along with women veterans, none is ordered to war.

No one in Ukraine is proposing the general conscription of women for frontline service. That would have severe implications for mothers with little children, or 18 year-old girls just out of high school. No one denies the often-significant physical differences between the sexes.

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Trump, Gaza conflict loom large at Biden’s high-profile NYC fundraiser
President Joe Biden went after Donald Trump at his New York City fundraiser on Thursday, where he was joined by former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton at a star-studded event that was at times interrupted by protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“We had no president on January the 6th,” Biden said, according to reports from journalists in the room, as he argued Trump wasn’t fit to return to the Oval Office.

All three presidents issued stark warnings about the threat Trump – whom they avoided referring to by name – would pose if reelected, with Biden telling supporters, “I think democracy is a literally at stake.”

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The event at Radio City Music Hall raised more than $25 million, the Biden campaign announced ahead of time, making it the most successful single political fundraiser ever in terms of dollars raised. Joined by two former two-term Democratic presidents whose ranks he seeks to join, it was a display of Democratic unity for the president as he faces questions about the strength of his 2020-winning coalition.

Israel’s war in Gaza loomed large over the evening with protesters both inside and outside the venue.

Addressing the conflict, Biden said Thursday that Saudi Arabia and Arab countries are “prepared to fully recognize Israel” during remarks at the off-camera fundraiser, according to reporters in the room, repeating calls for a “post-Gaza plan” for Israel, including “a train to a two-state solution.”

The remarks reflect Biden’s increased willingness to publicly call for Israel to increase efforts to protect civilians in Gaza.

“I’ve been working with the Saudis and with all the other Arab countries, including Egypt and Jordan and Qatar. They’re prepared to fully recognize Israel, fully recognize Israel for the first time,” Biden said, according to reports from journalists in the room. “But there has to be a post-Gaza plan, and there has to be a train to a two-state solution, it doesn’t have to occur today, but there has to be a progression, and I think we can do that.”

The event was interrupted at least four times by protesters, with at least three calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

“That’s alright. Let them go. There’s a lot of people who are very, very — there are too many innocent victims, Israeli and Palestinian. We’ve got to get more food and medicine, supplies into the Palestinians,” Biden said, according to journalists in the room, following one interruption. “But we can’t forget, Israel is in a position where its very existence is at stake. You have to have all those people. They weren’t killed. They were massacred. They were massacred.”

Ahead of the fundraiser, hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of Midtown Manhattan to protest Biden’s support for Israel amid its war in Gaza and call for a ceasefire. Biden has called for a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Three presidents in one room mark the 2024 stakes
The fact that three of the four still-living Democratic presidents were in the same room - Jimmy Carter, 99, is receiving hospice care and did not attend – exemplifies the stakes Biden and Democrats believe hang in the balance in his contest against Trump.

Biden in particular zeroed in on January 6 to argue Trump’s unfit for returning to the White House.

“I was supposed to make a speech on the economy, and I decided I couldn’t remain silent, so what I did was I made a speech about January the sixth, what was happening, and I said it was an insurrection underway, and it must be dealt with,” Biden said, according to journalists in the room. “And I pled with the president to stop and do his job, call these people off.”

Instead, Biden said, Trump “sat there in the dining room off the Oval Office for several hours and watched, didn’t do a damn thing.”

The president’s remarks come as his opponent has sought to downplay the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol – and his own role in it — while pledging to pardon participants in the insurrection.

Trump was also in New York on Thursday, attending the wake of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller who was slain in Queens earlier this week. Diller was killed during a traffic stop on Monday.

“What happened is such a sad, sad event, such a horrible thing. And it’s happening all too often and we’re just not going to let it happen. We just can’t,” Trump told reporters outside the wake.

He added, “We got to toughen it up. We have to get back to law and order, we have to do a lot of things differently because this is not working.”

The former president’s campaign hopes to top Biden’s record next month. Sources familiar with the matter said they were expecting to raise at least $33 million at an April 6 event, which is slated to have some of the GOP’s highest donors in attendance.

Star-studded fundraising efforts
The three Democratic presidents sat for a conversation with late-night host Stephen Colbert. Tickets for the fundraiser ranged from $225 to $500,000 with such perks available for the highest-dollar guests as having their photographs taken with the three presidents by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz.

More than 5,000 donors were expected to attend the event, which also included celebrities like Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele.

While the main events Thursday night were limited to the highest-paying donors, the campaign also hosted what they described as a separate “pre-program” for grassroots donors, hosted by campaign manager Julie Ch�vez Rodriguez and also featuring Biden, Obama and Clinton.

That star power seems to have paid off. The Biden campaign said ahead of the fundraiser it had raised more than $25 million – making it the most successful single political fundraiser ever in terms of dollars raised. But around a third of that $25 million raised came from small-dollar, grassroots donations of $200 or less made online, sources familiar with the fundraising efforts told CNN.

Supporters who chipped in $25 were invited to participate in a “virtual pre-program for grassroots supporters” featuring the three presidents.

Clinton and Obama ended Thursday night’s fundraiser by doing their best impressions of Biden, according to reporters in the room. This included the two former presidents and Colbert wearing aviators.

As this happened, Biden joked that he’s a man who “loves two things: Ray-Ban sunglasses and ice cream,” according to reporters. While the event was winding down, Biden said, “By the way, Dark Brandon is real.”

The fundraiser is expected to be just the beginning of Obama’s involvement in Biden’s campaign. The former president went to the White House last week to record content with Biden that they plan to steadily roll out over the next few weeks.

He is expected to take a larger role in Biden’s campaign – including traveling to college campuses and crucial battleground stakes – closer to November.

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The Christian reaction to Trump’s Bible endorsement goes deeper than you think
Former President Donald Trump is officially selling a patriotic copy of the Christian Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, “God Bless the USA.”

“Happy Holy Week!” Trump announced on social media Tuesday, during the most solemn period of the Christian calendar, the last week of the Lenten season marking the suffering and death of Jesus. “As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless The USA Bible.”

The concept of a Bible covered in the American flag, as well as a former president’s endorsement of a text Christians consider to be sacred, has raised concern among religious circles. It’s also raised questions about Trump’s motivations, as the former president finds himself in the middle of several expensive legal battles.

SPOILER

quote:

‘Sacrilege,’ theology, and the shadow of Christian nationalism
The $59.99 Bible, which was first published in 2021, features an American flag and the words “God Bless the USA” printed on the cover. Inside, it has the words to “God Bless the USA” and the text of The Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and other historic American documents. Promotional material for the Bible shows the former president alongside country singer Lee Greenwood.

Responses to Trump’s social media announcement called the endorsement “sacrilege,” “heresy” and “borderline offensive” and cite lessons directly from the Bible that suggest taking advantage of people’s faith for money should be condemned.

“It is a bankrupt Christianity that sees a demagogue co-opting our faith and even our holy scriptures for the sake of his own pursuit of power and praise him for it rather than insist that we refuse to allow our sacred faith and scriptures to become a mouthpiece for an empire,” said Rev. Benjamin Cremer on X.

Jason Cornwall, a pastor from South Carolina, said on X that Trump’s Bible endorsement was a violation of one of the Ten Commandments of the Hebrew Testament that forbids taking God’s name in vain.

However, the criticism doesn’t end with whether or not Trump’s endorsement is un-Christian or not. In fact, it’s just the beginning.

Historian and author Jemar Tisby says the whole project echoes the values of Christian nationalism — the idea that America was founded as a Christian nation and the government should work to sanction Christianity on a national scale. The tenets of Christian nationalism are historically tied to prejudice, nativism and white supremacy.

“There’s a very long tradition of what is included and what is not included in the Bible,” Tisby told CNN.

“What has caused outrage with this Bible is that it includes the Declaration of Independence, US Constitution, and even the lyrics to a Lee Greenwood song. So it’s adding to the Bible, and it’s adding specific political documents to the Bible that completely erase the separation of church and state.”

Tisby, who holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, has written about the dangers of Christian nationalism — both for the country and the Christian faith.

“What’s so pernicious about this is it plays on people’s devotion to God and their love of country, either of which by themselves could be innocuous or even good,” he said.

“But in this effort, it is blending the two. And with Trump as the spokesperson, is conveying a very clear message about what kind of Christianity and what kind of love of nation (he is) promoting.”

When Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, communications director for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, saw Trump’s Bible endorsement, he said he saw a politician using fears rooted in racism and prejudice to promote a specific Christian ideology.

“When I hear ‘Make America Pray Again,’ I hear Christian nationalist promises that we are going to somehow ‘restore’ Christianity in this country. And if authoritarianism does come to the United States, it’s all but guaranteed it will be done in the name of Christianity, which is a very scary thought.”

Graves-Fitzsimmons holds a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City and also works with the group Christians Against Christian Nationalism. He says things like the “God Bless America” Bible overlook the many, many Christians who do not agree with Trump’s politics or the blending of patriotism with faith.

“There is a diversity within American Christianity that gets overlooked whenever politics and religion intersect,” he told CNN. “There’s this false notion that most American Christians are pushing for anti-abortion restrictions, and are anti-LGBTQ, and the opposite is actually true. Christians, I would argue, are the ones who are most concerned about the effects of Christian nationalism in this country.”

This version of the Bible has drawn controversy before
The “God Bless the USA” Bible drew controversy from community members and publishers when it was published in 2021. It was originally supposed to be published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, but the company passed on the deal.

HarperCollins said in 2021 that pushback to the concept was not a factor in their decision. (Eagle-eyed Bible buffs will note this is why the Trump-backed tome uses the King James Version of the text, which is in the public domain. (HarperCollins holds US publishing rights to the bestselling New International Version translation of the Bible.)

Tisby has published three books under Zondervan, the HarperCollins imprint specializing in religious publications. He was among the imprint’s writers who tried to discourage them from publishing the “God Bless the USA” Bible when the idea was first introduced.

“We did not want to be associated with a publisher who’s going to publish a Bible like this,” he said. “And I think it took on an elevated sense of urgency because we’re not just talking about someone’s book. We’re talking about the sacred text of the Bible.”

While there are innumerable versions of the Bible — ranging widely in price, theme, and additions like indices, references, maps and graphs — this particular combination of the Bible and a beloved patriotic song is especially potent.

Such a notion doesn’t come as a surprise to David W. Peters, an Anglican vicar in Pflugerville, Texas. Peters served as an enlisted Marine Corps and Army Chaplain and was deployed to Iraq in 2005.

“I am reminded of how we closed every Marine Corps boot camp chapel service with Lee Greenwood’s ‘God Bless the USA’,” he told CNN. “We’d all sing and cry. The only emotional release in the week.”

He says the range of reactions to something like a patriotic Bible shows just how different American Christianity can be, depending on the denomination or community.

“I think the essence of liberal progressive faith is compassion, so it is mind boggling (to such people) how someone could say they were a Christian and follow a guy who is very much not compassionate.”

For people who view Christianity differently, or who are already unshakeable supporters of Trump, Peters says he doubts this latest incident will do anything to shake their faith.

“I think it will confirm (to them) that their critics are out of touch,” he said. “Why would anyone object to a Bible?”

It’s not clear where proceeds from the Bible’s sales will go
In addition to the multitude of theological questions it raises, Trump’s endorsement of the “God Bless the USA” Bible coincides with several legal battles that could put the presumptive Republican nominee for president on the line for hundreds of millions of dollars.

The FAQ section of the “God Bless America” Bible website clarifies that no proceeds from the sales of the Bible will go towards Trump’s presidential campaign. However, there is no mention of whether any proceeds could be put toward his personal legal troubles.

“No, GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign. GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not owned, managed or controlled by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization, CIC Ventures LLC or any of their respective principals or affiliates,” the site reads.

However, it goes on to say Trump’s name, likeness and image are under “paid license from CIC Ventures LLC.” CIC Ventures is directly linked to Trump in his 2023 public financial disclosures.

CNN has reached out to EliteSource Pro, the marketing company behind the “God Bless the USA” Bible, for more information.

Trump has been criticized before for his use of the Bible in public settings. In 2020, religious leaders from several Christian denominations condemned his display of the Bible in a “photo-op” in front of an Episcopal church near the White House as racial justice protests raged around the country.

“You just don’t do that, Mr. President,” televangelist and vocal Trump supporter Pat Robertson said of the incident. “It isn’t cool!”

In 2015, Trump also called the Bible his favorite book, but famously declined to share a favorite verse.

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Op donderdag 28 maart 2024 21:53 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

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Iedereen kan van alles beloven, maar het gaat er om dat het re�el mogelijk is. En dat is het gewoonweg niet. Na de oorlog in Oekra�ne is het Russische leger flink naar de klote. Wat denk je, dat ze een NAVO land nog kunnen binnenvallen?

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The judge will also hear arguments from the former GOP chairman
Judge Scott McAfee will also hear arguments this morning from one of Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the case, David Shafer, the former chairman of the Georgia Republican Party.

SPOILER

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In the indictment, prosecutors allege Shafer acted as the point man for the fake electors scheme, coordinating with co-conspirators and reserving the room to illegitimately certify Trump as Georgia’s 2020 election winner.

In their filing, Shafer’s attorneys argued that in nearly all of the conduct for which Shafer is charged, he was only “attempting to comply with the advice of legal counsel,” and was not part of a broader conspiracy.

“Neither the emails or text messages, nor Mr. Shafer’s reservation of a room at the State Capitol, constitute ‘racketeering activity’ for the purposes of RICO,” Shafer’s attorneys wrote.

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Willis says she’ll turn over documents to House GOP while vowing not to be deterred in her pursuit of Trump
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis told House Republicans that her office would turn over subpoenaed documents as they are able, but that she would not divert resources from her office’s “primary purpose” to prosecute crime, according to a letter obtained by CNN.

SPOILER

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GOP Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, complained earlier this month that Willis’ office had failed to adequately respond to the committee’s subpoena issued in February.

“This office is in the process of producing relevant documents to you on a rolling basis,” Willis said in her March 25 letter to Jordan, writing that her office had already shared “substantial information” requested by House Republicans but that his “extensive document demands” in less than two months were unreasonable.

“Let me be clear, while we are abiding by your subpoena in good faith and with due diligence, we will not divert resources that undermine our duty to the people of Fulton County to prosecute felonies committed in this jurisdiction” Willis wrote.

Jordan had threatened to hold Willis in contempt of Congress for not fully complying with the subpoena for documents as part of the committee’s investigation into her office’s use of federal funds. Republicans on the Judiciary Committee have long sought to undermine the credibility of Willis’s 2020 election case against former President Donald Trump and multiple co-defendants.

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A judge is set to consider if Trump can throw out Georgia election subversion case on First Amendment grounds
For the first time since a judge ruled that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can continue to oversee the Georgia 2020 election interference case against former President Donald Trump, the focus will return to the details of the sprawling case.

During a hearing this morning, Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia is expected to argue that the indictment should be dismissed because the former president’s political speech is protected by the First Amendment. Trump is not expected to be in attendance for the hearing.

SPOILER

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In a motion filed in late 2023, before the unsuccessful efforts by defendants to disqualify Willis from the case emerged, Trump attorney Steve Sadow argued that the peddling of conspiracy theories and claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election were at their core political speech, and therefore Trump never should have been indicted.

“The core political speech and expressive conduct alleged in this indictment against President Trump are protected from government regulation and thus criminal prosecution by the State,” Sadow wrote.

“Criminalizing President Trump’s speech and advocacy disputing the outcome of the election—while speech endorsing the election’s outcome is viewed as unimpeachable—is thus blatant viewpoint discrimination,” he added.

Willis recently told CNN she was ready to get the case back on track, after more than two months of disqualification hearings ensued over the romantic relationship she had with her lead prosecutor Nathan Wade. Judge Scott McAfee ruled Willis should not be disqualified from spearheading the case if Wade stepped aside, which he has.

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Here's a reminder of what the Georgia election case against Trump is all about
s the Fulton County hearing gets underway, here's a reminder of what the Georgia 2020 election case against Donald Trump is about:

An Atlanta-based grand jury on August 14, 2023, indicted Trump and 18 others on state charges stemming from their alleged efforts to overturn the former president’s 2020 electoral defeat. Four people have pleaded guilty. The historic indictment was the fourth criminal case that Trump is facing. The charges, brought in a sweeping investigation led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, cover some of the most overt efforts by the former president and his allies to meddle in the 2020 presidential election.

SPOILER

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Unlike the election subversion charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith, Willis’ case will be insulated if Trump is reelected in 2024; he will not be able to pardon himself or his allies of any state law convictions, nor will he be able to order the state-level prosecutors to withdraw the charges. Trump pleaded not guilty via court filing, waiving an in-court appearance as allowed by Georgia law.

On March 13, 2024, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee dismissed six of the 41 counts from the indictment, including three that applied to Trump. The partial dismissal does not mean that the entire indictment has been dismissed. McAfee’s partial dismissal left most of the sprawling racketeering indictment intact.

Read about the other three criminal cases against Trump.

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Prosecutors say Trump's First Amendment claims are a matter for a jury
During Thursday’s hearing on Donald Trump’s effort to dismiss the indictment against him in Georgia over alleged election interference on First Amendment grounds, prosecutors argued that it was premature to address free speech arguments.

SPOILER

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Donald Wakeford, a prosecutor with the Fulton County district attorney’s office, argued that it was “premature to consider” First Amendment arguments and that such arguments should be put before a jury during trial. Wakeford added that all the communication from Trump in the indictment related to charges in the case are not protected by the First Amendment.

Meanwhile, Trump’s attorney, Steve Sadow, has argued in a court filing that the charges should be dismissed because free speech in America expressly protects political speech.

“President Trump enjoys the same robust First Amendment rights as every other American,” Sadow wrote in his filing in December. “The indictment here does not merely criminalize conduct with an incidental impact on protected speech; instead, it directly targets core protected political speech and activity. For this reason, it is categorically invalid under the First Amendment.”

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Trump attorney says then-president's actions in 2020 were "core political speech" and can't be prosecuted
Donald Trump’s attorney argued Thursday that the former president's statements about the 2020 presidential election in Georgia are “core political speech” and therefore he cannot be prosecuted.

SPOILER

quote:

“I don’t think there’s any question that says statements, comment, speech, expressive conduct that deals with campaigning or elections has always been found to be at the zenith of protected speech,” Steve Sadow said.

The attorney is arguing that the charges against Trump should be dropped because his actions alleged in the indictment were protected under the First Amendment.

“What do we have here?” Sadow asked. “We have election speech, which is 'protected' from government restriction."

quote:

Core political speech consists of conduct and words that are intended to directly rally public support for a particular issue, position, or candidate.

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Defense attorney claims Trump can't be punished for "false" statements
Donald Trump’s attorney argued Thursday that Fulton County prosecutors cannot prosecute the former president only on the basis that his allegations were “false.”

SPOILER

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Prosecutors allege that what Trump said is “false in the eyes of the state” so it has “lost all protection to the First Amendment,” Steve Sadow said. But, Trump’s lawyer argued, comments that aren’t factually accurate are still protected under the First Amendment.

“What this court has to decide is the state’s position that fraud or false statements, under these circumstances … is that enough?” Sadow said of the charges.

“The mere fact that it’s false is all that they have,” Sadow said, adding that “there’s no allegation beyond the fact that those statements are made.”

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Federal judge in Washington, DC, case already said Trump's speech isn't protected, prosecutor notes
Responding to Donald Trump’s argument that the indictment against him in Georgia should be dismissed because his actions were protected by the First Amendment, a prosecutor for Fulton County’s District Attorney pointed to a federal judge’s decision on the same issue in Trump’s parallel election subversion case in Washington, DC.

SPOILER

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“To address the first elephant in this courtroom,” prosecutor Donald Wakeford said during Thursday’s hearing, Judge Tanya Chutkan “has evaluated all these questions” under Supreme Court precedent.
Chutkan is overseeing the election subversion case against Trump brought by special counsel Jack Smith in DC. The case has been on pause for several months as the Supreme Court is set to take up Trump’s arguments of immunity in the case.

In denying Trump’s effort to dismiss the election subversion charges against him in Washington, DC – arguing he had absolute immunity as president – Chutkan wrote in December that the First Amendment “does not protect speech that is used as an instrument of a crime.”

Wakeford argued that Trump’s lies were in furtherance of criminal activity, seeking to overturn election results in the state.

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Previous First Amendment challenges by former Trump co-defendants have been unsuccessful
In a hearing this morning, Donald Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia is arguing that the indictment should be dismissed because the former president’s political speech is protected by the First Amendment.

Previous First Amendment challenges by former Trump co-defendants Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell were unsuccessful.

SPOILER

quote:

Chesebro and Powell were two of the former president’s lawyers who later pleaded guilty in exchange for their testimony and cooperation. They had attempted to have the indictment dismissed under the US Constitution’s supremacy clause but failed.

In his denial at the time, Judge Scott McAfee ruled that various case law pointed to facts and evidence needing to be established in a courtroom before a First Amendment challenge can even be considered.

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Trump co-defendant tries range of arguments against Georgia election subversion case
An attorney for one of the alleged fake electors in Georgia made several arguments in an effort to get charges in the election subversion case dismissed, including over who was a "duly" appointed elector for Georgia after the 2020 election.

SPOILER

quote:

Craig Gillen, an attorney for David Shafer, the former chair of the Georgia Republican Party who allegedly acted as a 2020 fake elector in the state, disputed the allegation in the indictment that Shafer was not a “duly” appointed elector.

In December, when Shafer and others allegedly submitted a false document claiming to be Georgia electors, declaring Trump had won Georgia, “there were no duly elected and qualified presidential electors from the state of Georgia,” Gillen argued Thursday.

Gillen also put forth an argument that other co-conspirators have also raised in the case: that they were merely following legal advice. In his court filing on the matter, Gillen wrote that Shafer was “attempting to comply with the advice of legal counsel” and trying to follow the law that governs the electoral count when he submitted the allegedly fake document declaring Trump had won the state.

Gillen also has argued that, under the law, Shafer never acted as a “public officer,” as the indictment alleges and pushed back on the notion that Shafer committed forgery in signing the elector document.

quote:

Fulton County prosecutors and a defense attorney for Donald Trump co-defendant David Shafer bickered Thursday over whether it was appropriate to refer to “fake electors” as part of the 2020 election interference case.

SPOILER

quote:

Craig Gillen, an attorney for Shafer, asked the judge to strike the term “fake elector” from the case, saying that the term was “pejorative,” a “legal conclusion” and “really nasty.”

Shafer served as one of the so-called “alternate electors” for Trump in Georgia.

“They want to have [the term] ingrained in the minds of the community and of jurors — a concept that if you are not a Democratic elector … then you are a ‘fake’ elector.”

Prosecutor Will Wooten shot back, saying that “nowhere in the indictment is the term ‘fake elector.’ It does not exist.”

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Georgia prosecutor says Trump is not being prosecuted for lying — but for lying to the government
Fulton County prosecutor Donald Wakeford pushed back on Donald Trump’s argument that his false claims were protected under the First Amendment, saying that his lies furthered a criminal conspiracy.

SPOILER

quote:

“He’s never been prosecuted for lying,” Wakeford said. “He’s been prosecuted for lying to the government.”

Trump’s attorneys are arguing that his false speech is protected by the First Amendment, Wakeford said.

“That’s not what the indictment says,” Wakeford argued. “It’s not just that he lied over and over and over again, as counsel for the defendant points out by listing all of the instances in the indictment.”

Instead, the Indictment alleges that “each of those was employed as part of criminal activity with criminal intentions.”

“In the end, no matter how much we hear about the noble protections afforded by the First Amendment, all of this is an effort to get your honor not to look at the basic fact that this speech, this expression, all this activity, is employed as part of a pattern of criminal conduct,” Wakeford said.

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The hearing on Trump's Georgia election case wrapped without a ruling. Here's a recap of what each side said
The hearing in Fulton County, Georgia, over efforts to dismiss the state election subversion case against Donald Trump and his co-defendant David Shafer on First Amendment grounds concluded after nearly two hours of arguments.

The judge did not rule from the bench, nor did he say when he would rule. The Georgia case is one of four criminal cases Trump is facing while his 2024 presidential campaign is underway — and the stakes are high for the former president and the country.[

Here's a recap of what each side said during today's hearing:

SPOILER

quote:

Trump's attorney: Trump attorney Steve Sadow argued that the former president's statements about the 2020 presidential election in Georgia are "core political speech” and he therefore cannot be prosecuted. The attorney repeatedly argued that the charges against Trump should be dropped because his actions alleged in the indictment were protected under the First Amendment. Sadow also claimed that Fulton County prosecutors cannot prosecute the former president only on the basis that his allegations were “false.”

Fulton County prosecutors: Donald Wakeford, a prosecutor with the Fulton County district attorney’s office, said that it was “premature to consider” First Amendment arguments and that such arguments should be put before a jury during trial. Wakeford added that all the communication from Trump in the indictment related to charges in the case are not protected by the First Amendment. Wakeford pushed back on Trump’s argument that his false claims were protected, saying that his lies furthered a criminal conspiracy. “He’s never been prosecuted for lying,” Wakeford said. “He’s been prosecuted for lying to the government.” The prosecutor also pointed to a federal judge’s ruling against Trump's First Amendment argument in the parallel election subversion case in DC.

Shafer's attorney: Craig Gillen, an attorney for Shafer, the former chair of the Georgia Republican Party who allegedly acted as a 2020 fake elector in the state, disputed the allegation in the indictment that Shafer was not a “duly” appointed elector. Gillen also put forth an argument that other co-conspirators have also raised in the case: that they were merely following legal advice.

No trial date yet: A trial date has not been set, but the Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis still hopes to go to trial before the November election. Willis previously asked for the trial to start in August, and said she may re-up that request. Earlier this week, a judge ruled Trump's criminal hush money trial will start in April 15.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 04:57 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://ghall-com-ua.tran(...)en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp
[..]

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 10:40 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Prima.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 00:57 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
En waarom ben jij zo zeker dat putin hetzelfde denkt?

Na deze oorlog is heel rusland flink naar de klote, en dan is een oorlog precies wat putin nodig heeft om aan de macht te blijven.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 01:02 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Je kunt bijv. Estland heel makkelijk afsnijden van de rest van de NAVO door de regeringen in Polen, Litouwen, of Letland pro russisch te laten wezen.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 10:40 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Prima.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 07:33 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)undraiser/index.html
[..]

SPOILER

[..]

https://edition.cnn.com/v(...)ng-enten-lcl-vpx.cnn
Enten: Here's how many Bibles Trump needs to sell to match Biden's fundraising
Einde van februari had Biden 71 miljoen dollar beschikbaar tegenover Trump zijn 33.5 miljoen dollar.
Biden heeft 25 miljoen dollar opgehaald alleen al in de bovengenoemde fundraiser met Obama en Clinton, terwijl Trump in geheel februari slechts 20 miljoen heeft opgehaald.

https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)anity-cec/index.html
[..]

SPOILER

[..]

Niet iedereen is even blij met Trump zijn bijbel verkoop. En het gaat hem dus mogelijk een aantal stemmen kosten.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 10:45 schreef bianconeri het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Ooit dacht ik dat jij nog wel wijze dingen in dit topic bijbracht.
Maar echt je glijdt echt totaal af. Heeft Poetin je in zijn kliekje weten om te kopen ofzo?

Wat een ongelofelijke onzin spuw je de laatste tijd.
De NAVO is kwetsbaar? Nee.
Rusland gaat overwegen om een Estland aan te vallen? Nee.
Door een paar nieuwe politieke leiders zou de hele NAVO wegvallen in de verdediging? Nee.

Ga je Estland wegsnijden van de rest van de NAVO? Nee.....
Letterlijk ALLES om Estland heen is de NAVO (op Rusland na).

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:24 schreef xzaz het volgende:
Hoe we het ook wenden moet het topic niet hernoemd worden naar Oorlog in Rusland? Ik denk dat Oekraine hoe vervelend we het ook vinden gewoon verloren heeft.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:24 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
lol

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:26 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Niet bepaald; treurig voor dat land en voor de inwoners daar; maar ze hebben gevochten maar verloren. Lijkt me nu juist het moment om de huidige grens goed te bewaken.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:26 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Niet bepaald; treurig voor dat land en voor de inwoners daar; maar ze hebben gevochten maar verloren. Lijkt me nu juist het moment om de huidige grens goed te bewaken.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:31 schreef zuchtje het volgende:

[..]
Gelukkig zijn de meeste mensen niet zo fatalistisch ingesteld. En gelukkig bepaald Oekra�ne zelf wanneer het genoeg is.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:32 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
ik zal het nieuws gemist hebben dat kiev ingenomen is

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:36 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:
De wens is de vader van de gedachte voor enkelen

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:36 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Dat hoeft toch niet?

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:53 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Nou, bepalen of een oorlog gewonnen danwel verloren is, hangt natuurlijk van de criteria af.

En nominaal waren die:
- Regimechange - faal, zelensky zit nog hoog en droog
- NAVO uit elkaar spelen - faal, sterker dan ooit
- Oprukkende NAVO - faal, NAVO is groter geworden
- Die oostelijke regio's - nog steeds niet, niet alle oblasten zijn 100% in bezit van rus

Maar goed; jij zou idd niet de eerste zijn die zelf wel ff z'n vinger in de lucht steekt, en beter dan wie dan ook weet wat die criteria dan echt waren.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:55 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Waarom haal je al deze niet van toepassing zijnde zaken erbij? Het is gewoon risk. Ik pik land in van jouw en daarmee klaar. Heeft helemaal nergens anders mee te maken.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:56 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar leg eens uit dan, welk land precies dan, vertelt je duim je?

rus probeert nog steeds op te rukken, me dunkt dat ze zelf dus nog niet alle land hebben die ze graag zouden willen hebben?

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:58 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Omdat het deel wat nu in handen is van Rusland gewoon Rusland is. Je kan hoog en laag springen maar zorg eer maar eens dat je je eigen land wat je nu nog in handen hebt onder controle hebt.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:01 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Ow, dus volgens jou redenering heeft rus als ze 1 km2 hebben verovert 'gewonnen'?

Er is een verschil tussen een slag winnen, en een oorlog winnen, h�?

Maar nee; in het echt is die oorlog nog niet over, en wat rus daadwerkelijk nog heeft als die wel over is, is gewoon ongewis.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:26 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Niet bepaald; treurig voor dat land en voor de inwoners daar; maar ze hebben gevochten maar verloren. Lijkt me nu juist het moment om de huidige grens goed te bewaken.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:02 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Dit is gewoon je hoofd in de grond stoppen en niet de realiteit willen erkennen. Alles om je heen pleurt in elkaar 'maar we hebben de oorlog niet niet verloren hoor'.

Ok dude

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:02 schreef Pleun2011 het volgende:

[..]
Zoals iemand al eerder zei: de wens is de vader van de gedachte zeker?

quote:

Ik zie ook liever dat de oorlog eindigt, maar alleen als Rusland opgerot is.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:04 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Dit is gewoon het zuigende pro-rus geluid wat je eigenlijk iedere keer dat je hier post, verteld 'ze hebben al verloren hoor! ze moeten zich maar gewoon overgeven!'

'Ok dude'.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:05 schreef xzaz het volgende:
Maar de oorlog zoals we die kennen van twee jaar geleden is echt wel voorbij.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 03:24 schreef uitkeringsgenieter het volgende:

[..]
Eh volgens mij controleert Navo nu bijna de volledige baltische zee.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:05 schreef xzaz het volgende:
Maar de oorlog zoals we die kennen van twee jaar geleden is echt wel voorbij.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 11:58 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Omdat het deel wat nu in handen is van Rusland gewoon Rusland is. Je kan hoog en laag springen maar zorg eer maar eens dat je je eigen land wat je nu nog in handen hebt onder controle hebt.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:04 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Ja Rusland gaat niet weg.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 10:45 schreef bianconeri het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Ooit dacht ik dat jij nog wel wijze dingen in dit topic bijbracht.
Maar echt je glijdt echt totaal af. Heeft Poetin je in zijn kliekje weten om te kopen ofzo?

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:08 schreef Pleun2011 het volgende:

[..]
Hetzelfde had je waarschijnlijk ook gezegd over ome Adolf, maar dat duurde ook 5 jaar.

Het is te vroeg om conclusies te trekken en de manier waarop jij post doet toch echt vermoeden dat je pro-Rusland bent. Dat mag, maar doe daar dan niet zo vreselijk hypocriet over

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:09 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Je kan wel claimen maar dan moet je er ook voor vechten...

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 09:09 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Gaat lekker daar.

[ x ]

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 04:33 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/30173
[..]

SPOILER

[..]

Video in het artikel. En blijkbaar hebben ze dus een manier gevonden om hun nachtvisie drones flink goedkoper te maken. Mogelijk door in tijden van schemer, wanneer het niet compleet donker is een lamp/schijnwerper te gebruiken in plaats van zo'n camera. Ongetwijfeld in combinatie met een scout drone die wel gewoon goede nachtvisie heeft. De beelden laten dit ook zien.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:17 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
Ergens niet mee eens zijn = ONZIN.

Classic

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:29 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Het vreemde is dat een goede IR camera helemaal niet duur is. Voor 150 euro heb je al een complete handheld IR met "hoge" resolutie en 50-60hz. Complete IC met camera erop kan dan nooit meer kosten dan 75 euro.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:42 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Leermomentje.

[ x ]

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:43 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Die van een drone moet natuurlijk wel zo klein en licht mogelijk zijn, dan zal de prijs ook snel veel hoger worden. En als je ziet wat voor lading ze er soms onder hebben hangen aan explosieven.

Ik heb even rondgekeken op google. En professionele drone IR camera's zijn al snel duizenden euro's. Al zijn dat in Nederlandse winkels. Dus die zijn sowieso al verrekte duur.

quote:

Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 12:42 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Leermomentje.

[ x ]

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 13:05 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Nou, ik ga mijn IR camera niet openbreken, maar reken er maar op dat die IC-tjes verrekte klein zijn, en het gewicht kun je in grammen rekenen.

Hier is een voorbeeld hoe een IR camera SMD module eruit zou moeten zien. Geen idee hoe goed deze is, het is maar een voorbeeld. Ik kan weleens een video maken vanaf een toren of flat.

SMD staat trouwens NIET voor "Suck My Dick".

Edit: ha, nog een beter voorbeeld van een IR module.
Nog een voorbeeld met 120hz, dus wat beter geschikt voor drones..

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 13:37 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 13:37 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Die zijn inderdaad een stuk goedkoper. Maar ik heb niet genoeg kennis om te weten of dat alles is wat nodig is. Wat ik ook nog zag is dat er een IR illuminator er bij moest. (bij die eerste in elk geval), die ook nog specifiek was voor de Rasberry Pi. Al is het misschien wel nodig om deze bruikbaar te krijgen in een drone.

Zoals die eerste, die voor een Rasberry PI was:

[ afbeelding ]

Dat lijkt mij niet echt handig voor een drone.

Die tweede is bijna 600 dollar op alie express. En ik weet niet of wat er eventueel nog bij moet komen om het een werkende camera te maken.

Die laatste is 10 dollar? Dat is wel heel erg goedkoop.

Er zijn vast goedkopere opties dan 1000 dollar. Daar twijfel ik nu niet aan. Maar wat zouden ze nog meer nodig moeten hebben om zo iets bruikbaar te maken op een drone?

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 14:12 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Echt een deal, dat snap je natuurlijk wel.

[ x ]

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 14:56 schreef xzaz het volgende:

[..]
The bluetooth devlice is reedy

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 14:12 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Echt een deal, dat snap je natuurlijk wel.

[ x ]

quote:

A Russian kamikaze drone crashes near the large Romanian city of Brăila

The wreckage of a Russian drone similar to Shahed (Geran-2) was found 8 kilometers from the large Romanian city of Brăila, which is located more than 20 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

The Ministry of National Defense of Romania announced this.

“The Ministry of National Defense is investigating the incident together with specialized structures of the national defense, public order and national security system on March 29, 2024, in accordance with specific operational procedures,” the statement said.

The wreckage of the drone was reportedly found on agricultural land on an island on the Danube River.

SPOILER

quote:

Уламки дрона та вирва після його падіння

The authorities received a report of a drone crash on the evening of March 28 at around 9:45 p.m. After that, law enforcement officers quickly cordoned off the area. Witnesses say that a loud explosion was heard when the drone crashed.

As a result of the drone’s detonation, a 4-meter-diameter crater was formed.

In December 2023, Militarnyi reported that a Russian drone crashed in Romania.

F-16s of the Romanian Air Force from the RoAF 86th Air Base and Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft of the German Air Force from the RoAF57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base were monitoring the national airspace.

The Romanian Armed Forces’ surveillance radar indicated a potential unauthorized violation of national airspace by detecting a low-altitude signal on one of the routes leading to the commune Grindu in Tulcea County.

Based on this information, mixed teams from the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs were dispatched to the area and reported in the morning that a 1.5-meter-deep crater had formed as a result of the drone crash.

A similar situation occurred on October 12, 2023. One of Russia’s loitering munitions had hit Romanian territory during Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.

According to the website of the Romanian Ministry of National Defense, field teams reported finding a drone crater about 3 km west of Plaura at about 5:00 a.m.

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Massive attack: Ukraine’s air defenses destroy 58 Shahed UAVs, 26 missiles overnight
On the night of March 29, the Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed 84 enemy aerial targets.
According to Ukrinform, Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykola Oleshchuk reported this on Telegram.

According to him, on the night of March 29, the Russians launched a powerful missile and air strike on the facilities of the fuel and energy sector of Ukraine, using various types of missiles and combat UAVs – a total of 99 means of air attack:
- 60 Shahed-136/131 combat drones (launched from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk area, Russia’s Kursk region);
- 3 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles (from three MiG-31K combat aircraft, Russia’s Ryazan region);
- 2 Iskander-M ballistic missiles (temporarily occupied Crimea);
- 9 Kh-59 guided missiles (from nine Su-34 aircraft, Russia’s Belgorod region);
- 4 Iskander-K cruise missiles (Russia’s Kursk region);
- 21 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles (from 11 Tu-95MS strategic bombers, Russia’s Engels).

Anti-aircraft missile units of Ukraine’s Air Force and the Ground Forces, mobile fire groups, and EW equipment of the Defense Forces were involved in repelling the enemy air strike.

A total of 84 enemy aerial targets were destroyed:
- 58 Shahed-136/131 combat UAVs;
- 17 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles;
- 5 Kh-59 guided missiles;
- 4 Iskander-K cruise missiles;

As reported by Ukrinform, during a massive combined attack last night, the Russian forces once again targeted energy facilities.

quote:

Russia strikes energy facilities in Ukraine with missiles, damaging thermal and hydroelectric plants
Russia attacked several regions across Ukraine overnight with various types of weapons

Russia massively attacked energy facilities in Ukraine overnight: thermal and hydroelectric power plants in the center and west of the country were damaged, reported Ukrenergo.

According to the company, emergency blackouts are in place in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and hourly blackout schedules are applied in Kharkiv Oblast.

An overnight air raid alert was declared in Ukraine as Russian troops launched Kinzhals and cruise missiles from the Tu-95MS. As a result, the Polish military aviation has to take off.

On March 22, 2024, the Russians carried out the largest attack on the energy system of Ukraine during the entire war. For the attack, they used 63 kamikaze drones and 88 missiles of various types. Anti-aircraft defense managed to shoot down 55 Shahed UAVs and 37 missiles.

There was damage in various regions, but Kharkiv was the most affected, where the Russians managed to create a blackout. Also, eight missiles hit the Dnipro HPP, putting the facility out of order.

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Russian Orthodox Church declares Russia's war against Ukraine 'sacred'
The UOC-MP stated that it "disassociates, categorically does not share and condemns the ideas set out in this document".

A cathedral congress of the Russian Orthodox Church under the leadership of Moscow Patriarch Kirill was held in Moscow on 27 March. A "decree" was adopted, in which the war against Ukraine was called a "holy war". The document was published on the official website of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The "edict" called the war in Ukraine "a new stage of the national liberation struggle of the Russian people, which has been waged in the lands of South-Western Russia since 2014 against the criminal Kiev regime and the collective West behind it."

From a spiritual and moral point of view, the special military operation is a Holy War, in which Russia and its people, defending the unified spiritual space of Holy Russia, fulfil the mission of the "Holder", protecting the world from the onslaught of globalism and the victory of the West that has fallen into Satanism. - the document says.

It also says that after the end of the war, "the entire territory of modern Ukraine should enter the zone of exclusive influence of Russia."

The document also says that the borders of the Russian world "as a spiritual and cultural-civilisational phenomenon" are "significantly wider than the state borders of both the current Russian Federation and the greater historical Russia".

The UOC said that calls for the destruction of Ukraine and justification of military aggression are incomparable with the evangelical teaching.

In this connection, we declare that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church disassociates, categorically does not share and condemns the ideas outlined in this document," the UOC said in a statement.

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Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed the radar of the Russian Buk air defense system

The Ukrainian military destroyed a Russian fire-control radar of the Buk air defense system.

Telegram channel PunishSword_UA made public the video of a Russian radar being damaged.

Ukrainian troops destroyed enemy vehicles in one of the frontline areas.

The Russian 9S36(M) fire-control radar was destroyed using a drone.

SPOILER

quote:

This mobile radar is part of Russia’s modern Buk-M2 and Buk-M3 air defense systems.

The footage of the released video shows that the vehicle catches fire after being hit, and the crew of Russian soldiers runs away.

9S36 fire-control radar
The 9S36(M) fire-control radar provides target illumination and missile guidance by means of an antenna that can be extended to a height of up to 21 meters.

The radar should detect and hit targets flying at low and extremely low altitudes, in particular, cruise missiles.

The antenna is a phased array with electronic scanning. The radar can search for targets within a �45� azimuth and 70� angle area at a range of up to 120 km.

Target tracking is performed in the �60� azimuth sector and from -5 to +85� elevation angle, including targets flying at low and ultra-low altitudes. The radar is capable of simultaneously detecting up to 10 targets.

На Запоріжжі HIMARS знищив З� К "БУК"

As previously reported, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have recently destroyed three Russian Buk launchers.

FPV-дрони 14-ї мехбригади знищили установку З� К «Бук» [березень 2024]

Enemy air defense systems in various parts of the front line were destroyed using FPV drones and HIMARS rocket systems.

quote:

Jailed Russian mathematician given 4 more years in prison for ‘justifying terrorism’

A court in Yekaterinburg sentenced Russian mathematician Azat Miftakhov to four more years behind bars on Thursday after finding him guilty of justifying terrorism for a conversation he allegedly had with fellow inmates, a group campaigning for his release reported.

SPOILER

quote:

Miftakhov, who is an anarchist, was immediately re-arrested in September upon his release from the Kirov region penal colony where he served his 2021 conviction for throwing a smoke grenade into a Moscow office of the ruling party United Russia in 2018.

The new charges follow supportive comments allegedly made by Miftakhov to fellow inmates while watching a news report about Mikhail Zhlobitsky, a student who blew himself up in an FSB office in the Arctic city of Arkhangelsk in 2018 in protest at the domestic intelligence agency’s alleged torture of anarchists.

Miftakhov pleaded not guilty to the charges, telling the court that the evidence against him was “falsified … just like five years ago” and that his case revealed the “terrorist nature” of the Russian government.

“While fake witnesses argue that I justified terrorism, state television channels call for the mass murder of those who disagree with the government’s policies,”

Miftakhov said, calling Russian domestic and foreign policy a “conveyor belt of killings and intimidation”.

The ongoing persecution of Miftakhov, who in August was added to the Russian government’s list of “extremists and terrorists”, has been repeatedly condemned by mathematicians around the world, with over 3,400 signing a petition calling for his release in 2021. In 2019, human rights group Memorial recognised Miftakhov as a political prisoner.

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Armenian Banks To Ditch Russian Cards Over U.S. Sanctions
Armenian banks on March 29 said they would stop processing transactions made by Russian Mir payment cards due to Western sanctions imposed on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. In September 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department threatened foreign banks with secondary sanctions for servicing Mir cards, a Russian card payment system. The Union of Banks of Armenia said the country's commercial banks "will stop servicing Mir cards as of March 30, because of the risk of secondary sanctions." An exception will be made for Mir cards issued by the Armenian subsidiary of Russia's state-controlled VTB Bank, it added.

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Woman fined for writing ‘Burn in hell’ alongside Putin’s name on ballot sheet
A court in the Tula region of central Russia has fined a woman 30,000 rubles (�300) for defacing her ballot sheet in this month’s presidential election, independent media outlet 7x7 wrote Friday, citing the regional court press service.

The woman, who was only identified by her surname, Filyakina, was found guilty of an administrative charge of “discrediting” the army. The court found that when Filyakina went to vote at the polling station in the village of Voskresenskoye on 17 March, she crossed out all the candidates’ names on the ballot sheet, once in the booth, and wrote next to Vladimir Putin: “Burn in hell forever!!! Forgive us, Ukraine!!! Thief and murderer!!!”

She then dropped the ballot into the transparent ballot box. It landed face up, meaning her words were visible to everyone.

Incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin secured another six-year term in office earlier this month with a whopping 87.28% of the vote, his highest result ever. A Novaya Gazeta Europe statistical analysis uncovered unprecedented levels of voter fraud, with at least 22 million fake votes cast for Putin.

quote:

Shells to be sent to Ukraine in April under the Czech initiative
The Czech initiative to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine outside of NATO has been completed and is now awaiting delivery.

Corriere della Sera reported on this.

The full amount has now been raised to purchase more than a million artillery shells, which Ukraine is to receive in April.

In total, more than 15 countries raised approximately �1.8 billion as part of the Czech initiative, which was urgently used to pay for artillery ammunition.

As previously reported, the country’s representatives managed to find about 500,000 155-mm artillery shells and 300,000 122-mm shells abroad.

Subsequently, the Czech Republic reported that it had found an additional 200,000 shells, but did not provide details on the caliber of the shells or other details.

To date, about 20 countries have joined the Czech initiative to purchase artillery shells outside NATO and the EU, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Norway, as well as Canada, Sweden, Portugal, and Lithuania.

In addition, European defense companies, such as Germany’s Rheinmetall and the UK’s BAE Systems, are expanding their production at a rapid pace.

German defense giant Rheinmetall plans to produce more than a million artillery shells annually by 2027.

By the end of 2024, the company should produce 700,000 artillery shells. New production facilities in Germany, Ukraine, and Lithuania are expected to help the company reach the one million-unit mark.

It should also be noted that countries such as Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway are also expanding and returning to artillery shell production.

Militarnyi previously reported that Denmark bought a bankrupt munitions factory to resume arms production amid the Russian-Ukrainian war.

quote:

Dutch Patriot systems to be deployed in Lithuania this summer
The Netherlands will deploy a Patriot long-range air defense system in Lithuania for several weeks this summer, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense announced on Friday. Together with the Lithuanian armed forces, the Dutch military unit will engage in military drills.

“The deployment of Dutch Patriot systems in our country is excellent news… We thank the Netherlands for its continuous contribution to the security of the Baltic region, and especially Lithuania,” emphasized Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas, as quoted in the statement.

The minister highlighted that “such exercises contribute to the implementation of the rotational model of NATO air defense, approved at the summit in Vilnius.”

The Dutch Minister of Defense, Kajsa Ollongren, was the first to announce the deployment of the Patriot system to Lithuania on the X portal.

NATO countries agreed on the rotational air defense model in June of last year in response to calls from Baltic states to strengthen the ongoing 20-year NATO Air Policing mission.

In early March, former Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anu�auskas announced that rotational air defense would be launched later this year and Patriot air defense systems would be deployed in Lithuania.

quote:

Russia denounces alleged Israeli strikes as ‘completely unacceptable’
https://www.timesofisrael(...)letely-unacceptable/

Russia condemns alleged Israeli strikes in Syria as “completely unacceptable,” after several dozen were reported killed in an overnight bombardment near Aleppo.

“Such aggressive actions against the Syrian Arab Republic, which constitute a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty and the basic norms of international law, are categorically unacceptable,” Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says in a statement.

quote:

Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 17:27 schreef Aether het volgende:
“Such aggressive actions against the Syrian Arab Republic, which constitute a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty and the basic norms of international law, are categorically unacceptable,” Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says in a statement.

quote:

De Russische politie heeft een 9-jarig meisje uit de Russische Republiek Toeva opgepakt, omdat zij zou hebben opgeroepen tot terrorisme. In tekstberichten zou ze hebben opgeroepen tot het vermoorden van mensen tegen betaling. De politie vreest voor een verband met de aanslag in Moskou.

Een lokale afdeling van het Russische ministerie voor Binnenlandse Zaken heeft een videofragment verspreid, waarop te zien is dat het meisje wordt verhoord. De audio van de video is niet beschikbaar, waardoor onduidelijk is wat er precies besproken wordt. Er zijn wel screenshots verspreid, waarin het meisje aan een onbekende ontvanger vraagt of diegene iemand wil vermoorden voor omgerekend 5000 euro.
https://www.ad.nl/buitenl(...)terrorisme~a8d8850d/

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 18:24 schreef oheng het volgende:
De terroristen in de Crocus aanslag geven toe dat ze na de aanslag naar hun onbekende Telegram opdrachtgever Oekraine gingen om hun rijkelijke roebel beloning t.w.v. 2500 euro op te halen.

Dit alles na de ondervraging door de FSB, onder het genot van een kopje thee en een koekje.

quote:

Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 18:24 schreef oheng het volgende:
De terroristen in de Crocus aanslag geven toe dat ze na de aanslag naar hun onbekende Telegram opdrachtgever Oekraine gingen om hun rijkelijke roebel beloning t.w.v. 2500 euro op te halen.

Dit alles na de ondervraging door de FSB, onder het genot van een kopje thee en een koekje.

quote:

Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 21:27 schreef ExTec het volgende:
IS is echt gepikeerd, omdat ze niet de creds krijgen.

[ x ]

quote:

Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 21:27 schreef ExTec het volgende:
IS is echt gepikeerd, omdat ze niet de creds krijgen.

[ x ]

quote:

Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 18:22 schreef voetbalmanager2 het volgende:

[..]
Weer een gevaarlijke terroriste van de aanslag in Moskou opgepakt. Benieuwd wat de martelingen van dit meisje opleveren.

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 22:11 schreef 0ne_of_the_few het volgende:

[..]
Ze fietste richting het zuiden dus vast op weg naar Oekra�ne

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Op vrijdag 29 maart 2024 22:04 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
Dat gaat Ruzland nog in de kont bijten, want IS gaat natuurlijk nog meer aanslagen plegen in Ruzland.

quote:

Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 01:16 schreef Glazenmaker het volgende:

[..]
Die hele aanslag was nog niet een middagje aan verliezen aan het front. Het kan Poetin en de rest van het land aan hun reet roesten.

Krijgen de nabestaanden van de aanslag trouwens ook een zak aardappelen als vergoeding vd staat?

quote:

Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 01:37 schreef ipa84 het volgende:

[..]
Klopt maar het raakt wel Rusland in het hart en ook nog in Moskou wat natuurlijk relatief veilig is in vergelijking met Kiev. Dat Poetin het niks scheelt geloof ik wel maar voor de gewone Rus is het toch iets anders. Vergeet niet dat Poetin (ook al komt het door 2 false flag aanslagen) aan de macht gekomen is in de tijd dat er veel Tsjetsjeense aanslagen waren in Moskou en dat hij Rusland weer veilig zou maken. Nu blijkt dat de FSB vooral bezig is met repressie en aan het zoeken is of mensen niet tegen de oorlog zijn blijkt de achter deur open te staan. Dat kan toch wel op langer termijn gevolgen hebben. Zeker als er meer aanslagen komen in Rusland door IS waar trouwens Tsjetsjeni� hofleverancier van is.

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 01:41 schreef Glazenmaker het volgende:

[..]
We gaan het meemaken. Iemand had eerder een staafdiagram gepost met verijdelde aanslagen in Rusland en van jaarlijks een lange staaf islam aanslagen in 2010-2021 was daar niks van over in 23, omdat alle terroristen opeens magisch Oekra�ens waren geworden. Dat beloofd veel vuurwerk dit jaar. Hetzij omdat IS ongehinderd door kan gaan, of omdat de focus van alle Oekra�ense complotten afgaat om weer richting IS en co te gaan.

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 01:16 schreef Glazenmaker het volgende:

[..]

Krijgen de nabestaanden van de aanslag trouwens ook een zak aardappelen als vergoeding vd staat?

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 02:19 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Totnutoe zijn alle schulden van de doden kwijtgescholden. En ze hebben een bluetooth speaker gekregen.

Artikel kan ik even niet vinden.

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Polish PM Tusk warns Europe has entered ‘pre-war era’
https://www.timesofisrael(...)entered-pre-war-era/

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warns of the “real” threat of conflict in Europe, saying that for the first time since the end of World War II the continent has entered a “pre-war era.”

“War is no longer a concept from the past. It is real, and it started over two years ago. The most worrying thing at the moment is that literally any scenario is possible. We haven’t seen a situation like this since 1945,” Tusk says in an interview with the European media grouping LENA on Friday.

“I know it sounds devastating, especially for the younger generation, but we have to get used to the fact that a new era has begun: the pre-war era. I’m not exaggerating; it’s becoming clearer every day.”

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 11:04 schreef Breekfast het volgende:
Ik lees de laatste tijd niks meer over ontwikkelingen rond de blokkade van het steunpakket voor Oekra�ne in de VS. Is er �berhaupt nog kans dat dit er doorkomt voor de verkiezingen in november? Ik vrees dat de republikeinen het hoe dan ook blijven blokkeren omdat ze Biden geen successen gunnen in dit verkiezingsjaar.

Het ziet er heel somber uit

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 11:04 schreef Breekfast het volgende:
Ik lees de laatste tijd niks meer over ontwikkelingen rond de blokkade van het steunpakket voor Oekra�ne in de VS. Is er �berhaupt nog kans dat dit er doorkomt voor de verkiezingen in november? Ik vrees dat de republikeinen het hoe dan ook blijven blokkeren omdat ze Biden geen successen gunnen in dit verkiezingsjaar.

Het ziet er heel somber uit

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Polish associations confirm strange behaviour of Polish official in negotiations with Kyiv
Representatives of Polish associations present at the talks between the government delegations of Ukraine and Poland on trade and transit confirm evidence of the strange behaviour of Michał Kołodziejczak, Deputy Minister of Agriculture.

Source: European Pravda; Comments of Polish participants in the meeting on condition of anonymity are provided by Onet

Details: One participant said the parties were already very close to a compromise when "suddenly there was an explosion from Michał."

He says that during the hours of the meeting, Kołodziejczak "constantly went out and came in" to the meeting room, read something on his smartphone and "did anything but talk."

"When we were already moving towards the final of the negotiations, and Minister Siekierski (Polish Minister of Agriculture – ed.) briefly left the room, Michał suddenly attacked the representatives of the Ukrainian delegation, who, I should note, were very well prepared for this meeting. During the presentation, they showed how much grain was contracted and explained that they could not violate the contracts concluded a year ago.

They wanted Poland to allow the transit of these several hundred tonnes...These words, rather a request from Ukrainians for permission to transit through Poland, were the moment when the deputy minister launched an attack," the Onet quotes this meeting participant.

"We know how Michał can behave, but for someone who met him for the first time, it could have been a shock...It looked bad because the thread of understanding was lost after Kolodzejczak's 'speech’. Of course, you need to present your arguments firmly, but you don't need to resort to aggression. I don't know if the meeting would have ended with an agreement, but the actions of the deputy minister did not bring us closer to it," another meeting participant commented.

He added that the Polish associations spoke with Kołodziejczak about this episode after the talks and "hope that something will change".

Previously: At first, evidence about the strange behaviour of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Poland at the talks on Wednesday came from Ukrainian associations at the meeting (European Pravda cited them in the article Warsaw is escalating).

Kolodzejczak, after the news broke, called words about his inappropriate behaviour an attempt to discredit him and exclude him from the negotiation process.

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FPV drone hit the newest Russian Flox self-propelled gun near Bakhmut

Defense Forces hit the Russian 2S40 Flox self-propelled gun in the Donetsk region.

The Ukrainian FPV drone hit the 120 mm wheeled self-propelled gun.

The drone with thermal imaging optics was operated by the operator of the Reconnaissance and Assault Unit “Signum” from the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade “Kholodnyi Yar”.

Volunteer and blogger Serhii Sternenko showed a video of the combat work.

According to the footage, a Russian self-propelled gun was deployed on the battlefield.

SPOILER

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Ураження російської САУ «Флокс» біля Бахмута [березень 2024]

Presumably, Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance detected a Russian Flox self-propelled gun, so it was decided to hit it with an FPV drone. The gun was located near Bakhmut.

The Russian army received the first batch of 120 mm 2S40 self-propelled guns in October last year.

A few days later, a Ukrainian FPV drone hit one of the wheeled self-propelled guns in the stern while driving on the road.

Flox self-propelled gun

2S40 Flox is a Russian self-propelled wheeled artillery system with a 120mm mortar/howitzer, designed to suppress enemy manpower, weapons and equipment. The artillery part of the self-propelled guns is mounted on the chassis of the Ural-4320 army armored truck with a wheel arrangement of 6�6.

For shooting, the ACS uses the entire range of Soviet, Russian and Western 120mm mortar rounds, including long-range rocket-assisted shells and guided ones.

However, the range of Flox’s fire is limited to 8 kilometers with conventional mortar rounds and to 10 kilometers with long-range ammunition. Its ammunition is 60 shells.

The armored vehicle itself is also equipped with a remote machine gun mount for self-defense, which is installed above the crew cabin.

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HIMARS hit Russian Strela-10 SAM in the Zaporizhzhia region

Artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed the Russian Strela-10 air defense system in the Zaporizhzhia region.

The Russian SAM was destroyed by high-precision rockets of the US M142 HIMARS.

This is evidenced by the video of the 65th Mechanized Brigade, whose soldiers were guiding the artillery of the Ukrainian Defense Forces to the target.

OSINT analysts identified the location of the enemy air defense system in the temporarily occupied territory. The Strela-10 SAM was located at the position at coordinates 47.353327, 35.710837.

SPOILER

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This indicates that the Russian SAM was hit on the outskirts of Myrne in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Знищення російського З� К «Стрела-10» на Запоріжжі [березень 2024]

According to the video, the Russian air defense system was detected by a reconnaissance drone.

Russians did not expect that this position would be found by Ukrainian UAVs. Therefore, the launcher was not even camouflaged.

After detecting the enemy, operators of the Ukrainian drone transmitted information about the location of the Russian SAM to one of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The damage, judging by the characteristic explosion almost above the launcher itself, was caused by a GMLRS missile of the M142 HIMARS or M270 MLRS.

The Russian air defense system was struck by tungsten balls, which in the amount of 180,000 were contained in the warhead of the US M30A1 high-precision missile that was used.

The published footage shows that the Strela-10 SAM has at least suffered serious damage, most likely leading to its destruction.

Strela-10 SAM is designed to destroy air targets at short range and low altitudes in conditions of visual control. The system provides direct cover of ground forces units and facilities for military and other purposes. The base of the system is the 9А34 combat vehicle, made on the chassis of the MT-LB light-tracked armored tractor. The Ukrainian servicemen have repeatedly destroyed the Russian Strela-10 air defense systems.

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14th Mechanized Brigade Destroys Tor SAM by FPV drone

Soldiers of the 14th Mechanized Brigade destroyed Russian Tor SAM using an FPV drone.

Volunteer Serhii Sternenko published the video on the issue.

The air defense system was destroyed by a drone of the Charon group of the 14th Mechanized Brigade.

The system was hit during combat duty.

SPOILER

quote:

After the first system was destroyed, the military spotted another Tor air defense system, which was trying to leave the firing position.

The second system did not have time to escape due to prompt action and was hit right on the radar.

It should be noted that the Tor-M2 air defense systems, which use a new and more modern search radar, were destroyed.

The 14th Mechanized Brigade is currently fighting in the Kupiansk sector in the Kharkiv region, where the Russian SAMs were destroyed.

Thanks to the skill of the FPV drone pilots, the brigade has neutralized many of the SAMs used by the Russian invaders in the Kupiansk sector.

In February 2024, an FPV drone of the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade hit a Russian Tor-M2 air defense system.

Although the system was directly hit, the munition did not detonate.

Nevertheless, the Tor-M2 SAM suffered damage to its external radar systems, namely the search and target acquisition radar.

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 14:56 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/03/29/7448785/
[..]
Soms vraag ik mij af of Polen het conflict �berhaupt wel wil oplossen.

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 15:13 schreef Cilantro het volgende:

[..]
Ook de Polen hebben te maken met een grote groep ontevreden boeren.

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Zelensky appoints eх-security council secretary Danilov as ambassador to Moldova

President Volodymyr Zelensky approved on March 29 Oleksiy Danilov, the former National Security and Defense Council secretary, as the next Ukrainian ambassador to Moldova.

Zelensky announced Danilov's appointment the same day he dismissed Ukrainian ambassador to Chisinau, Markо Shevchenko, who had held the post since 2020.

Danilov was dismissed on March 26 after more than four years in office. A few days later, Zelensky said the former secretary would move to work in the diplomatic sphere.

"He (Danilov) told me about this vision of his future work for Ukraine," the president said in an evening address. "Moldova is a very important country both in terms of security challenges in the region and in terms of our bilateral cooperation."

Danilov was replaced by the ex-chief of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleksandr Lytvynenko. Oleh Ivashchenko, a former deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), was appointed as the new head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service.

"I look forward to strengthening the strategic capabilities of our state to predict and influence the processes on which the country's national security depends," Zelensky said, commenting on the reshuffle.

In March, Zelensky also approved the next Ukrainian ambassador to the U.K., Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who previously served as the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces. Zaluzhnyi had led the country's military since July 2021.

Earlier, the president said that a reset of Ukraine's leadership was necessary and could involve several personnel shakeups beyond the military.

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Swedish defense minister: 'Deliberations ongoing' for transfer of Gripen fighters to Ukraine
Sweden does not exclude the possibility of supplying its Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said in an interview with the Kyiv Independent in Stockholm on March 28, adding that the "deliberations are ongoing."

Sweden has been hesitant to supply its jets, stressing that it first needs to join NATO before it can consider this option. The Nordic country joined the alliance on March 7, potentially opening the door for the transfer of the aircraft.

"The deliberations are ongoing, and they take place within the fighter jet coalition," Jonson said.

The minister reminded that Sweden is also part of the fighter jet coalition, an allied initiative helping Ukraine acquire U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets and the necessary training.

SPOILER

quote:

Speaking about Western aid for Ukraine, Jonson said that Europe must "step up" its support and "compensate for some of the support that is going down."

As Ukraine faces increasingly severe ammunition shortages, European allies have been seeking to fill the gap left by the decrease in U.S. aid, which has been blocked for months by domestic political disputes.

Jonson noted positive developments in the Swedish and European defense industry. Stockholm has been investing its own and EU funds into the production of 155 mm shells, which are crucially needed on Ukrainian battlefields.

The country is also part of several international initiatives aimed at boosting ammunition manufacturing.

"So far, Nammo (a Norwegian-Finnish ammunition manufacturer with factories in Sweden) has more than doubled their own production, and they're working five shifts, which is a level that they haven't been working in for decades," Jonson said.

"According to their estimates... they can triple their production within a few years."

The minister stressed that while it may take the European defense industry a year or more to triple its production, Ukraine needs ammunition as soon as possible.

Jonson praised the Czech-led initiative to buy artillery shells for Ukraine from third countries. The Swedish procurement agency, FMV, established contacts with their Czech counterparts to facilitate the funding and "get things going... within a few months," Jonson added.

Sweden previously pledged 30 million euros ($32 million) to the initiative, which could provide Ukraine with up to 1.5 million rounds in total.

The minister also pointed out the cooperation between Swedish and Ukrainian defense industries, namely regarding the Swedish-made CV90 armored vehicles, which are already fighting in Ukraine. The experience from Ukrainian battlefields also helps Swedish manufacturers to better refit the vehicles, he noted.

Jonson commented on the recent article by the Financial Times, which claimed that the U.S. urged Ukraine to cease its attacks against Russian oil refineries.

"Our position is that Ukraine has the right to defend itself as it is being exposed to an illegal and unprovoked invasion," Jonson said.

"International law provides you (Ukraine) with rights you need to protect yourself."

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Belgium to Allocate �100M for Ukrainian F-16s Maintenance
Belgium will allocate �100 million for the maintenance of Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jet fleet.

Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder announced this on her X (ex-Twitter).

She stated the funding would be provided as part of the 25th military aid package.

As previously reported, the Dutch government will purchase aviation weapons for F-16 fighter jets, which will soon be transferred to Ukraine.

The Netherlands will allocate over �150 million to purchase air-to-ground weapons for F-16 fighter jets awaiting delivery to Ukraine.

It is noted that the contract for their purchase will be concluded directly with the manufacturer.

The first six F-16 fighter jets will be delivered to Ukraine by the summer of this year, Militarny reported on March 11 with reference to The New York Times.

The newspaper reports that twelve pilots so far are expected to be ready to fly F-16s in combat by this summer after 10 months of training in Denmark, Britain and the United States.

At the same time, the authors of the article emphasize that by the time the pilots return to Ukraine, as few as six F-16s will have been delivered out of about 45 of the fighter jets that European allies have promised.

Training of Ukrainian pilots
Militarnyi previously reported that ten Ukrainian pilots completed initial flight training in the United Kingdom, which allowed them to transfer to the combat training version of the F-16 aircraft.

It was previously reported that in December 2023, the first group of Ukrainian pilots underwent a basic flight training program in the United Kingdom.

The group consisted of six experienced Ukrainian fighter pilots. Currently, Ukrainian pilots are being trained to fly F-16 fighters in Denmark.

The Royal Air Force began training Ukrainians in flight training and English in August 2023 as part of Britain’s contribution to the international aviation coalition.

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In Germany, an AfD MP received money from a Russian influence network
Petr Bystron, a member of the German Bundestag from the Alternative for Germany party, received funding from a pro-Russian influence network uncovered by European intelligence services, according to a joint investigation by Spiegel magazine and the Czech newspaper Denik N. Source: Spiegel

The network, which was reportedly centered on the Voice of Europe website, transferred money in various EU countries, including Germany, France, Poland and the Netherlands. Some of the funds were transferred in cash during meetings in Prague, and the other part was transferred using cryptocurrency.

Among the recipients of the funds, as noted by Spiegel and Denik N, were Petr Bystron, as well as another party representative, MEP Maximilian Kra.

In addition, it is known that Kra and Bystron had acquaintances with Putin's godfather Viktor Medvedchuk, who, according to Czech intelligence services, is associated with Voice of Europe. In 2021 they visited him in Kyiv.

When asked whether he received funding from Voice of Europe, Bystron avoided answering directly, saying that, based on the experience of previous election campaigns, he considered this to be slander.

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Surveillance made in Europe
The regime in Moscow regularly arrests protesters who it identifies using facial recognition software. The programs are trained by a Dutch company, which is probably exploiting a loophole in sanctions.

When Alexei Navalny was buried almost four weeks ago, thousands waited in front of the church in Moscow's Maryno district . They threw flowers at the passing hearse, formed a spontaneous funeral procession and shouted the name of the dead Russian opposition leader. They demonstrated not only their sadness, but also their indomitability and their opposition to Vladimir Putin's violent regime. But above all, they showed their faces.

SPOILER

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Showing face is risky
Nevertheless, it remained a calm demonstration and the police avoided violent confrontations. 128 arrests across the country were counted that day - little by Russian standards. But sooner or later the Russian security apparatus would knock on the doors of the people who demonstrated so unusually peacefully, observers suspected the day after.

Because showing your face openly is risky in Moscow.

There are over 227,000 surveillance cameras in the Russian capital, including some at the Borisovskoye cemetery, where Navalny was buried. They ensure that Moscow is considered one of the most closely monitored cities in the world. The administration of the Russian capital has dubbed the system “Safe City” and is touting it as a tool for solving crimes.

In fact, it is a tool for mass surveillance and the suppression of dissent. And a company from the European Union (EU) is apparently also helping with this.

EU company helps Russian authorities
The facial recognition software comes from Russian companies such as NTechLab, which has been sanctioned by the EU since July 2023. The programs are also trained with the help of a company called Toloka - and they are based in the Netherlands. This is shown by international research by SPIEGEL and the research organizations “The Bureau of Investigative Journalism” (TBIJ) and “Follow the Money”.

Toloka's principle is simple: The company operates a platform on which so-called clickworkers from very different countries carry out the simplest tasks, for example uploading pictures of their faces from different positions. These are probably used by NtechLab as test material to make facial recognition more reliable. Toloka, in turn, is a subsidiary of Yandex, the Russian counterpart to Google.

Yandex is also registered in the Netherlands and is partially owned by Western investors, including major banks such as the Swiss UBS, JP Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs. In February, however, Yandex's Russian shares were sold, among others, to a former head of Gazprom and an investment fund, which belongs to the oil company Lukoil.

But Toloka remained part of Dutch society. And so an EU company apparently helped a sanctioned company in Russia to filter out faces of opposition figures for the authorities.

EU diplomats say this is a breach of sanctions. However, legal experts point out that Toloka may have found legal loopholes in the sanctions regime: There is another Toloka company in Switzerland - and it could help to circumvent the EU sanctions: NTechLab has not yet been sanctioned there because the Swiss The Federal Council has decided “not to adopt the measures imposed by the EU as part of the human rights sanctions regime in connection with the Navalny and Kara-Murza cases, including Tevian and NTechLab.”

When asked, Toloka said: "None of Toloka's EU or US companies have ever provided services for NTechLab [...]" and have not received any payments from the company. The same applies to the Swiss company. NTechLab had a contract with a Russian company called Toloka RU LLC. What Toloka fails to mention: This Russian company also belonged to a Dutch company at the time in question. NTechLab left SPIEGEL's questions unanswered.

Three to five seconds
The case of former Moscow local politician Vladimir Zalishchak shows the consequences of optimized facial recognition software for people in Russia: He was arrested in Moscow in spring 2021, just a few minutes after entering a subway station. "The police ran from their base in the subway station, stopped the train, arrested me and put me in a cell there," he tells SPIEGEL.

In fact, access control to subway stations has been using facial recognition since September 2020, and the systems are apparently linked to police databases. The system needs three to five seconds to notify the police after identification. This means that wanted people can be identified the moment they enter a station. “It was only a few minutes from the time the system recognized me to my arrest,” says Zalishchak, the district deputy who was present at the protests against Navalny’s arrest in January 2021.

Facial recognition systems are not only threatening civil liberties in the Russian capital. Documents from the Russian presidential administration show that a national system of surveillance cameras has long been in the works. The documents are part of the “Kremlin Leaks” that were leaked to the Estonian media Delfi and evaluated by SPIEGEL and international partner media. According to this, more than 48 million euros will be available for a “video stream processing center” and a corresponding service for 2024 alone, financed by the Ministry for Digital Development and the Office of the President.

The aim is to recognize “destructive behavior”.
The task of the new system will be to collect, store and search for “objects of interest” video material from all over Russia, also with the help of artificial intelligence. The goal: to immediately recognize “threats” and “destructive and/or disloyal behavior.” The Minister for Digital Development also suggested such a system last fall. According to him, there are currently more than a million surveillance cameras installed in Russia, and every third is said to be connected to facial recognition software.

This could lead to virtually every movement and every stay in public spaces of citizens being recorded, stored and processed into information that can be used by the police. The police told him that he had been “recognized by the system,” says local politician Zalishchak. He later saw photos of himself taken during the protests in court documents. The detection by “PARSIV-ECHD” was even cited as evidence against him. This is the system in which all recordings from city surveillance cameras are stored and which is linked to the “FindFace” software, which actually performs facial recognition.

A few years ago, NtechLab's algorithms were ranked among the best in the world by the US federal agency NIST. The EU sanctioned NTechLab in July 2023 because the company was “responsible for providing technical or material support for serious human rights violations in Russia,” citing “arbitrary arrests or detentions and violations or abuses of freedom of assembly and association.” Last year, NTechLab told Reuters that its technology had no longer been used in the Moscow subway since 2022.

15 days arrest
However, this contrasts with the statement of the head of the state-owned Rostec company, who said in a briefing for Putin in August 2023: “Today our system is used in all of our cities and ensures security. Finding a criminal or lost person is now easy because every camera is equipped with the NTechLab facial recognition system.�

"If these companies are sanctioned, it will be forbidden to make resources available to them," says an EU diplomat. But that's exactly what Toloka apparently did: In September, two months after the sanctions against NTechLab came into force, a Toloka user posted a video on YouTube in which he performed a task on the platform. The task is “Upload five pictures of yourself” and the reward is 50 cents. In the video you can also see Toloka's client: NTechLab. SPIEGEL and its research partners found several such videos and photos documenting Toloka's services for NTechLab and another sanctioned company.

Local politician Vladimir Zalishchak was sentenced to 15 days in arrest on the basis of facial recognition for “violating the rules for holding mass events.” From that point on, he always had a medical mask and a cap with a large shield with him. “I pulled them deep into my eyes,” he says, to protect himself from the cameras. “I always lowered my face so that the camera only saw my cap. Yes, my demeanor changed." Zalishchak has now left Russia and lives in Germany.

Incidentally, more than 350 people have been arrested since Navalny's funeral. You probably showed your face too openly.

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Russian Forces Deploy UGVs Armed with AGS-17 Grenade Launchers

The Russians use unmanned combat ground vehicles with installed AGS-17 grenade launchers in the Bakhmut sector.

This was reported by the Telegram channel @stanislav_osman.

Both combat UGVs were reportedly destroyed by UAVs.

The UGV has tracks that are protected by metal panels. The front of the fighting vehicle is triangular, which is likely required to travel through the vegetation and ruins of buildings.

On the upper part, there is a combat module with an AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher and a large box for ammunition.

A mast is installed at the rear of the robot, which most likely has a camera.

SPOILER

quote:

The method of control for these drones is unknown. Each of them has a cable coil, so it can be assumed that control can be carried out using fiber optics or radio communication.

On March 16, 2024, Militarnyi reported that Ukrainian FPV drone operators destroyed two Russian ground drones in the Donetsk region.

The robotic platform of the invaders was defeated by the soldiers of the 53rd Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Probably, before this, the enemy’s tracked drone was transporting boxes with cartridges to small arms or other infantry weapons.

Such a Russian unmanned ground evacuation and logistics platform has previously been spotted near Avdiivka.

The invaders use it to transport supplies and evacuate the wounded.

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Zelenskyy to US: If there is no help, we will retreat step by step
The President said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine need 8,000 artillery shells per day, but they only have 2,000
Ukraine will have to retreat "step by step" if the US does not unblock military aid, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with The Washington Post.

"If there is no U.S. support, it means that we have no air defense, no Patriot missiles, no jammers for electronic warfare, no 155-milimeter artillery rounds. It means we will go back, retreat, step by step, in small steps," he said.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian troops need 8,000 artillery shells daily to defend the front line. However, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have only 2,000 shells. Because of this, they will have to go back, making the front line shorter. Otherwise, the Russians may break through to large cities.

Zelenskyy said the Defense Forces are "trying to find some way not to retreat."

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 15:51 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:
Dit topic is steeds lastiger te volgen door die tekstmuur elke 5 reacties.

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 15:53 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://news.liga.net/en/(...)tupat-shag-za-shagom
[..]

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 15:57 schreef Cilantro het volgende:

[..]
Dit is ook precies het doel van Johnson en Trump.

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WP: Zelensky defends Ukraine's strategy of targeting Russian oil refineries, emphasizes self-defense
In an interview with the Washington Post published on March 29, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed disagreement with the United States' response to Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries, emphasizing that Ukraine has the right to use its own weapons for self-defense.

Despite concerns from the U.S., Zelensky asserted that targeting Russian energy infrastructure is a legitimate military strategy, and Ukrainian officials maintained that these attacks adhere to NATO standards.

According to the Financial Times, the United States allegedly urged Ukraine to limit attacks on Russian energy infrastructure citing potential repercussions on global oil prices.

“The reaction of the U.S. was not positive on this,” Zelensky told the Washington Post, when asked about rumors that U.S. officials warned against such attacks inside Russia

"We used our drones. Nobody can say to us you can’t," Zelensky said, emphasizing that Washington could not limit Ukraine's use of weapons of its own production.

Zelensky's comments come as Ukraine continues to carry out attacks on Russian oil refineries. A recent attack on March 17 successfully targeted 12 Russian oil refineries amounting to about 12% of Russia's oil-processing capacity, according to Bloomberg.

The strikes serve as retaliation for Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, and align with Ukraine's military objectives.

Between March 21 and March 25, Russian forces initiated a new series of missile and drone assaults on Ukraine, causing significant damage to the nation's critical infrastructure. The March 22 strike damaged the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, Ukraine's largest hydroelectric station, leaving 1.5 million Ukrainian residents without power across various regions.

According to Deputy Minister of Energy Svitlana Hrynchuk, Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the start of the full-scale invasion have amounted to at least $11.5 billion in damage.

"If there's no air defense to protect our power system and Russia attacks it, my question is why can't we hit them back? When Russia stops these moves, we will stop," Zelensky said.

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Russia starts selling diamonds to itself due to sanctions
For the first time in 15 years, the Russian government will start buying diamonds at the expense of the federal budget in order to support the Alrosa state corporation, which currently suffers from the effects and embargo of the Western sanctions.

Source: Reuters and The Moscow Times

Details: Russian Treasury and Alrosa, 34% of which belongs to the Russian State Property and another third to the government of Yakutia, agreed to procure diamonds for Goskhran, state-owned precious metals and gems repository.

A source of Reuters reported that the first agreement on the purchase of diamonds was signed in March, and such agreements will be regular throughout the year.

Alrosa, which controls 95% of Russian and over a quarter of the global diamond production, was added to the EU sanctions list and sanctioned by Switzerland in January 2024.

Then the G7 countries banned direct import of diamonds from Russia and decided to implement a gradual embargo on the delivery of the diamonds of Russian origin, processed in third countries.

"Last year Alrosa already faced problems with sales: the reserves of unsold diamonds on the company’s balance almost doubled from RUB 52 billion (approx. US$563.6 mln) to RUB 84 billion (about US$910.4 mln) in money equivalent. At the end of the year the company reported about the loss of 15% of profit – RUB 85 billion (US$921.2 mln), 9% of revenue (RUB 322 billion, or almost US$3.5 bn) and the drop in diamond production by 3% to 34.6 million carats," The Moscow Times stated.

India remains the largest buyer of Russian diamonds, processing 90% of global diamond production. But in late 2023, Alrosa faced problems even on this market: a local regulator asked to stop the deliveries, explaining it with surplus of raw materials.

The EU estimated Russia’s lost income from losing a part of the diamond market to be �4 billion. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson of the Kremlin, threatened the West with the "boomerang effect", stating that Alrosa would find ways to evade the sanctions and new markets.

The Russian government reportedly bought the diamonds produced in Russia during the global 2008-09 financial crisis. Then Goskhran purchased a US$1 billion worth of gems from Alrosa.

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Mass Deportations Seen in St. Petersburg After Moscow Concert Attack – NGO
Authorities in St. Petersburg have been deporting migrants en masse in the week since the deadly attack on a Moscow region concert hall, the legal rights group Perviy Otdel said Friday.

More than 64 foreigners were deported from the city’s Vyborgsky district on Thursday alone, the NGO said, citing one of its unidentified lawyers.

“Temporary detention centers for foreign citizens are packed, surrounded by special vehicles and buses heading to the airport,” the lawyer was quoted as saying.

A number of buses carrying migrants were also headed to St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo International Airport on Friday afternoon, they added.

The countries where the migrants were being sent to were not specified, though it is known that labor migrants in Russia mostly hail from poor Central Asian countries.

Bailiffs reportedly refer to St. Petersburg’s mass deportations as “Operation Anti-Migrant,” with raids targeting local hostels and apartments. Similar raids were reported in Moscow and other Russian cities.

Anti-immigrant sentiment surged after four gunmen — who were later identified as Tajik nationals — stormed Crocus City Hall last Friday, killing 144 people and injuring 382 in the shooting and massive fire at the popular concert venue.

Four other suspects placed in pre-trial detention this week are also originally from Tajikistan. A ninth suspected accomplice is from neighboring Kyrgyzstan.

Islamic State affiliate ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for the massacre. Russia has blamed radical Islamists, Ukraine and its Western allies for the deadliest attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege.

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Funding shortage persists for Czech initiative on ammunition purchase for Ukraine – Estonian Defence Ministry
A number of countries have contributed to the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine, but despite this, money is still lacking, as it was before.

Source: Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur in an interview with Estonian public broadcaster ERR, as reported by European Pravda

Pevkur said there are places where ammunition can be bought, but the question is whether there is money for it.

Quote: "If we are talking about a million artillery rounds, it's about �3 billion. There are different calibres, slightly cheaper ones. It would be great if we could procure everything. Currently, there is more of a lack of money than of shells," Pevkur said.

The Defence Minister said that they are primarily trying to find the amounts needed from northern and central european countries. France, which has stated that it is ready to make a larger contribution, should be discussed separately.

It is difficult to predict when the shells may reach the combat zone. Some may arrive in a few months, while others may only arrive by the end of the year.

"A lot depends on physically checking some of the shells of these potential partners. We were told that they [shells] can be obtained, but in what condition are they, and are they suitable for use at all? All this needs to be checked," Pevkur explained.

"I am a little worried because we are, so to speak, patting ourselves on the back, saying, 'Well done, we are doing a good job', and meanwhile Ukraine is saying that ammunition is not reaching them. If we can still achieve this and deliver these shells to Ukraine, so that Ukraine is able to strike back, then it will have an effect," said Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

It is noted that the most critical situation is with anti-aircraft missiles, stocks of which in Ukraine are running out. Pevkur said that Estonia has nothing to offer in this case, and the only option is to look hopefully towards the allies’ depots.

Background:
• Earlier, media reported that participants in a Czech-led initiative to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine outside Europe had signed an agreement under which Kyiv will receive one million rounds of ammunition – more than was initially planned.
• A total of 15 countries have joined the Czech initiative, the article states, namely Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Belgium, Poland and Canada. Not all of them have publicly announced the amount of funds they have contributed to the purchase of the ammunition.
• Czechia is leading the initiative to provide Ukraine with at least 800,000 rounds of ammunition, a number that could potentially rise to 1.5 million.

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Ukrainian Armed Forces defeated an assault group of Russians near Pryiutne

In Zaporizhzhia, the Ukrainian military defeated the Russian armored group, which tried to advance near Pryiutne.

Footage from the battle was shown by the soldiers of the 228th Separate Battalion of the 127th Territorial Defense Brigade.

The Russian command sent T-72 tanks and MT-LB armored personnel carriers with infantry into battle.

The Ukrainian military monitored the movement of invaders using drones with thermal imagers.

The Russian convoy was immediately hit by artillery of the Ukrainian Armed Forces using high-explosive and cluster shells.

SPOILER

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Біля Приютного ЗСУ розбили штурмову групу росіян [Березень 2024]

During the battle, it was possible to hit two T-72 tanks and two MT-LB armored personnel carriers of six pieces of equipment, which Russians sent to assault with infantry.

Then Ukrainian attack drones began to finish off the abandoned armored vehicles and Russian infantry, on which explosives were dropped.

“We continuously destroy the enemy and his equipment in the Zaporizhzhia sector,” the TDF noted.

It is not the first time that the Russian command is trying to advance to Zaporizhzhia near the village of Pryiutne.

Back in January, the Defense Forces of Ukraine repulsed a massive attack by the Russian military north of the village of Pryiutne.

On January 30, the Ukrainian General Staff said that invaders had carried out 4 unsuccessful attacks on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

As previously reported, recently in the Zaporizhzhia region, the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces helped destroy the Russian BUK air defense system.

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Vladimir Putin orders creation of Russian game consoles
https://www.neogaf.com/th(...)me-consoles.1669003/

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 16:27 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.themoscowtime(...)rt-attack-ngo-a84685
[..]

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 17:03 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)_base_making_trench/
Training at the special forces base, making trench candles, assembling a rifle: how school holidays are spent in Russia
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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 17:00 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)troy_ru_land_drones/
AFU flying drones destroy RU land drones

https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)the_very_first_shot/
A brilliant direct hit from the very first shot of the American 155-mm self-propelled gun "Paladin" of the artillery battalion of the 47th separate mechanized brigade on the russian BMP-3 in the Avdeevsky direction. The mad somersault of the taken aback occupier is attached.

https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)ing_rpg_launcher_on/
Full video of a Russian throwing rpg launcher on unexploded fpv drone

https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)ttalion_of_the_93rd/
Combat troops of the tank battalion of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar".

https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)ter_during_shelling/
Belgorod residents take shelter during shelling

https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)ut_of_drainpipes_to/
Ukraine builds decoy weapons out of drainpipes to divert Russian attacks and protect dwindling resources
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https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)_setting_up_mockups/
the Russian military has begun setting up mock-ups of people and heating them with a candle so that they create a thermal image and thus confuse the operator of a drone with a thermal camera.
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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 15:13 schreef Cilantro het volgende:

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Ook de Polen hebben te maken met een grote groep ontevreden boeren.

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 21:55 schreef Nebelwerfer het volgende:
@:achja, je vriend bij nieuwsuur ! :p

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 20:07 schreef 3rr0r het volgende:

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Toen je nog al die Wagner soldaten had was de uitrusting van die vogelverschrikker geheid binnen een uur geplunderd.

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 17:03 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)_base_making_trench/
Training at the special forces base, making trench candles, assembling a rifle: how school holidays are spent in Russia
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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 22:31 schreef AchJa het volgende:

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Christ Klep bedoel je zeker? De mafkees...

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 15:21 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

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Maar elke keer wordt er weer overeenstemming bereikt die daarna weer gebroken wordt vanuit Polen. Terwijl het grootste gedeelte van Oekra�ens graan bestemd is voor export uit de EU, dus Polen is alleen maar een doorvoerland. Tenminste dat was de bedoeling.

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Op zaterdag 30 maart 2024 17:03 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)_base_making_trench/
Training at the special forces base, making trench candles, assembling a rifle: how school holidays are spent in Russia
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Op zondag 31 maart 2024 00:14 schreef michaelmoore het volgende:

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de graanprijs in de wereld staat ermee wel onder druk , waar je het ook heen brengt , er is gewoon teveel vreten in de wereld
of de armen hebben te weinig geld , dat kan ook


Er is teveel vreten in de wereld , door de stikstof kunstmest
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