Oorlog in Oekra�ne #984: Ruble Trouble

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US soldier sentenced to nearly four years in Russian penal colony, state media reports

^{US Army soldier Gordon Black appears in court in the far eastern city of Vladivostok on June 6, 2024. Pavel Korolyov/AFP/Getty Images}

A Russian court on Wednesday sentenced a US soldier to three years and nine months in a penal colony on charges of theft and threatening murder, state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Staff Sgt. Gordon Black was arrested in May on charges of theft in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, where he had traveled to visit a woman, believed to be his girlfriend. He was accused of stealing 10,000 rubles (roughly $112) from her when he visited Russia in April after meeting her in South Korea, state news agency TASS previously reported.

Black was also accused of assaulting the woman during a quarrel.

The US soldier did not admit to charges of threatening to kill the woman, but partially admitted guilt to theft charges, RIA Novosti previously reported.

Black will appeal the sentence handed down by the court in Vladivostok, his lawyer said Wednesday, according to TASS.

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US and key allies debating what commitment to give on Ukraine joining NATO at upcoming summit
The United States and several key allies, including the United Kingdom, are actively debating how strongly to commit to Ukraine’s NATO membership at the alliance’s upcoming 75th anniversary summit in Washington, with the US facing criticism from a variety of European countries for not being willing to go as far as several – especially those close to Russia’s border – would like, according to multiple US and European sources familiar with the discussions.

US and German officials have proposed that the alliance pledge during next month’s summit that Ukraine has a “bridge” to NATO membership, rather than an “irreversible path” as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in April in language that is favored by the UK and several Eastern and Central European nations, multiple sources familiar with the discussions told CNN.

The eventual language issued by the alliance about Ukraine during July’s summit in Washington is critical. It will be painstakingly debated by the allies in the days leading up and then heavily scrutinized, as it will outline to the world – Russia in particular – what the goals are for Ukraine within NATO.

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Kharkiv regional governor awaiting end of probe before commenting on possible lack of fortifications
The Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration is awaiting the conclusions of the investigation into the breach of the border by Russian troops

The Kharkiv regional military administration is waiting for the conclusions of the investigation into the fact that Russian troops breached the state border in Kharkiv Oblast.

This is how regional governor Oleg Synegubov answered the question from Ukrinform about whether Vovchansk was sufficiently fortified.

The journalist noted that, according to the information spread online, since the liberation in 2022, Vovchansk was not sufficiently fortified or had no defense structures at all, and therefore the Russians seemingly easily entered it a second time. He asked Synegubov to comment on this.

"Let's not connect what was done with regard to the fortifications in particular, and why the Russians entered relatively easily or not easily. All the same, our soldiers met them with a fight," answered the governor.

He added that the State Bureau of Investigation is already probing this and the administration is waiting for its conclusions.

On the night of May 10, 2024, the Russians launched a new wave of offensive in Kharkiv Oblast. The Russian invasion forces tried to break through the Ukrainian defense line under the cover of armored vehicles. The Ukrainian Armed Forces sent reserve units there.

On May 22, the Verkhovna Rada voted for the creation of a temporary special commission regarding the use of budget funds for the construction of fortifications and the production of drones. The purpose of the TSC is to find out whether the works on the construction of fortifications were completed, to what extent, by whom and how budget funds were used.

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Denmark announces new aid package for Ukraine focused on F-16s, defense industry
Denmark on June 18 announced its 19th assistance package for Ukraine, including financial support for Ukraine's defense industry, equipment for F-16 fighter jets, and donations from Danish military stocks.

The first Danish F-16s are scheduled to arrive in Ukraine this summer. Kyiv expects to receive the aircraft also from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway.

As part of Copenhagen's commitment to supporting Ukraine for the next 10 years, the country has developed a donation model via the Ukrainian defense industry to help directly develop Ukraine's military production.

The 19th package will allow the use of the sum of 1.2 billion Danish kroner (over $170 million) allocated under the two most recent packages to quickly meet Ukraine's needs. The first donations should begin this summer.

"Europe is at a fateful moment. Russia's war against Ukraine has been going on for over two years, and the situation on the battlefield is dire," Danish Foreign Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said.

"Investing in the Ukrainian defense industry is an effective and sustainable way to support Ukrainian combat capability, both here and now and in the long term."

Denmark has already allocated 64.8 billion Danish kroner (over $9 billion) in military aid under its Ukraine fund for the period of 2023-2028.

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Air Force: Ukraine downs 19 of 21 Russian drones overnight
Ukrainian air defense shot down 19 of the 21 Shahed-type attack drones launched by Russia overnight on June 19, Ukraine's Air Force reported.

Russia reportedly launched the drones from Prymorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and occupied Crimea.

Ukraine intercepted the drones over Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Khmelnytskyi, and Lviv oblasts. Mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Air Force were involved in repelling the air attacks.

Earlier in the night, the drones targeted the regions over western Ukraine.

In the Malehiv neighborhood of the city of Lviv, a 70-year-old man was hospitalized as a result of falling drone debris around 4 a.m. local time. A multi-story building and an office building were damaged in the drone attacks, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi reported on Telegram.

Drone attacks are a daily occurrence in Ukraine, affecting various regions across the country.

In recent months, Russian attacks on critical infrastructure have increasingly targeted Ukrainian energy facilities.

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Russia and North Korea Sign a Strategic Partnership Agreement During Putin’s Landmark Visit
On June 19, Vladimir Putin announced that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Russian Federation have signed an agreement for a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” which includes provisions for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against either party.

Putin also announced a new “fundamental document” that will form the basis of long-term relationships”, as well as the countries’ joint struggle against the “hegemonic imperialist policy of the United States and its satellites imposed for decades.”

Kim Jong-Un met the Russian leader with a parade and billboard portraits of Putin along the roads.

“Putin is the dearest friend of the Korean people, and Russia is the most honest ally,” Kim Jong-Un.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has confirmed the agreement signed between Russia and North Korea contains a mutual defense clause, commenting to Russian media: “In accordance with article four of the treaty, there is an agreement to provide assistance to each other in the event of aggression against any contracting country.”

The agreement was signed during Putin’s first official visit to North Korea in 24 years.

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80% of the Russian troops from the border with Finland were transferred to Ukraine

^{Changes at Russian bases near the border with Finland. Photos by: Yle magazine}

Russia has deployed most of its military and equipment, which was concentrated at the border with Finland, to Ukraine.

A high-ranking source in Finnish intelligence shared this with the Finnish newspaper Yle.

“Russia is scaring NATO countries with World War III, but at least near Finland, it does not seem to be preparing for war,” the newspaper said.

The released satellite images show that the garrisons and military bases of the Russian ground forces near the Finnish border are basically empty.

“On average, 80 percent of the equipment and soldiers have been redeployed to the war in Ukraine,” the Finnish intelligence officers said.

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US Confirms Plans to Station F-16 Jets on the Territory of Ukraine
US-supplied F-16 fighter jets will be stationed within Ukrainian territory, according to the White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in an interview on PBS on June 19.

He noted that the bilateral security agreement between the United States and Ukraine reinforces that the provided F-16 aircraft will be located on Ukrainian soil.

“The plan is to put the F-16s in Ukraine. And the bilateral security agreement that the president and President Zelenskyy signed reinforced this point, that we want to help Ukraine have this capability. It should be a capability based in Ukraine,” Sullivan said.

He further emphasized that Ukraine can, in the event of a threat, use the provided air defense systems, including those recently delivered by the US to target Russian aircraft, even if they’re within Russian airspace.

“Well, first, we are permitting Ukrainian forces to attack Russian forces using Russia as a sanctuary in the areas where on the battlefield they are attacking from inside Russia with artillery, with other ground-based munitions.” Sullivan then expands, saying, that “they can use air defense systems, including those supplied by the United States, to take Russian planes out of the sky, even if those Russian planes are in Russian airspace, if they’re about to fire into Ukrainian airspace.”

On June 13, during the Summit on Peace for Ukraine in Switzerland, Ukraine and the United States signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement to share weapons, intelligence, long-term training, and joint weapons production.

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Op woensdag 19 juni 2024 17:20 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://mil.in.ua/en/news(...)nsferred-to-ukraine/
[..]

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Misschien tijd voor Finland om ook een invasie te beginnen lol. Gewoon het gestolen grondgebied terug veroveren en the aanvoerweg naar die noordelijke militaire basissen/raket installaties etc blokkeren.

En ja, ik weet dat dit niet gaat gebeuren. Maar het zou wel een goede actie zijn.

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French far-right leader Bardella says he backs Ukraine, but rules out sending troops or long-range weapons

Jordan Bardella, the leader of the far-right French National Rally party, said on June 19 that he would continue supporting Ukraine if elected prime minister, but ruled out sending French troops or supplying the country with long-range weapons.

Following a bruising defeat in the elections for the European Parliament earlier in June, French President Emmanuel Macron called for snap elections to be held on June 30 and July 7.

National Rally is ahead in current polls, and Bardella could be the next prime minister if the party is able to form a governing coalition. Macron would nonetheless remain president and retain control of most of France's foreign policy decisions.

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Major Reshuffles in Russian Defense Ministry: Shoigu’s Allies Out, Putin’s Relatives In
ISW suggests that these personnel shifts indicate Putin’s strategy to fortify his power base by positioning loyalists and relatives in key roles.

^{In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) attends a meeting with Chairwoman of Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation Anna Tsivileva (L) in Moscow on June 1, 2024. (Photo by Alexander KAZAKOV / POOL / AFP)}

The Russian Defense Ministry has undergone significant personnel changes, with President Vladimir Putin on Monday, June 17, dismissing four long-time deputies of former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assesses that these personnel shifts indicate Putin’s strategy to fortify his power base by positioning loyalists and relatives in key roles.

One of four dismissed officials is Ruslan Tsalikov, Shoigu’s closest ally and chief deputy who managed media and PR. This marks the final exit of Shoigu’s team from the ministry.

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Russian ex-convict returning from war suspected of murdering 12-year-old

^{Andrey Bykov being interviewed by the YouTube channel Ne zhdi menya iz Ukraini. Photo: YouTube screenshot}

A man was detained in the Siberian city of Topki in Russia’s Kemerovo region on Wednesday on suspicion of murdering a 12-year-old girl who went missing a day earlier, the regional Investigative Committee announced.

“The individual involved in the crime has been identified — a 49-year-old local resident previously convicted of murder,” said Kristina Ivanova, a senior assistant to the head of the Kemerovo regional Investigative Committee.

Ivanova added that murder charges were being prepared, after which investigators would petition a court for his arrest.

^{Karina Kabikova. Photo: Kemerovo regional Investigative Committee}

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Op woensdag 19 juni 2024 18:20 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Misschien kan de man boete doen door zes maanden te vechten aan het front. In ruil voor gratie daarna.

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White House ‘comfortable’ with its nuclear position after Nato chief suggests increase in deployed weapons
The White House has said it is “comfortable” how its nuclear weapons are placed in the wake of comments from Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg suggesting members of Nato are considering increasing the number of nuclear weapons deployed to counter an increased threat from Russia and China.

Addressing reports at a White House Briefing, spokesperson John Kirby declared that the US are “comfortable” with their “strategic deterrent posture”.

Asked about Mr Stoltenberg’s comments, Mr Kirby said: “We don’t talk about nuclear posture with any specificity - and I’m certainly not going to start doing that here from the podium.

“I’ll just tell you that we’re comfortable as we have been comfortable with our strategic deterrent posture not only on the European continent but around the world.”

Pressed on whether such a move was provocative, he added: “Who would perceive it as a provocation or an escalation? Russia. Oh, Russia, the same country that invaded Ukraine, which posed absolutely no threat to them.” He added that “Nato is a defensive alliance.”

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Ukraine Showcases New “Bulava” Loitering Drone at Eurosatory 2024 Expo in Paris

On Jun 18 in Paris, at Eurosatory 2024, one of the world’s biggest international defense exhibitions, Ukraine showcased a kamikaze drone named “Mace” for export. This drone is often compared to the “Lancet” due to its designated tasks and its X-shaped tail design, suggesting a similar aerodynamic approach.

The drone was presented by a Ukrainian-Czech firm UAC at the National Association of Defense Industry Enterprises of Ukraine (NAUDI) stand. The original Ukrainian name indicated on the wings is “Bulava”.

Mace exhibited having total takeoff weight of 11 kg, with a potent 3.6 kg warhead featuring a combined cumulative, penetrating, and thermobaric effect. Its electric motor allows for a cruising speed of 100 km/h and an endurance of over 50 minutes. The drone itself measures approximately 1.5 meters in length with a wingspan of 1.6 meters.

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Ukrainian army hits oil depot in Krasnodar Krai with Neptune missiles - ISW
On the night of June 17-18, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck Russian oil bases in the Rostov region and Krasnodar Krai with domestically produced Neptune missiles, according to a report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

As reported, sources in the Ukrainian Navy told Suspilne that the military has used domestically produced Neptune anti-ship missiles for the second time against a ground target in the territory of the aggressor state.

ISW analysts suggest that the Defense Forces targeted the oil terminal of Yugneftekhimtransit LLC in the port town of Chushka in Krasnodar Krai and likely used modified missiles to strike ground targets. According to residents, the fire damaged pipelines and areas with engineering or technical equipment.

The Russian authorities have not confirmed the strike, but the Russian Ministry of Defense stated on June 18 that the Russian military intercepted a Ukrainian Neptune missile in an unspecified area on June 17.

Sources in the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) informed Ukrainian media that Ukrainian forces struck the oil terminals Azovska and Azovnaftoprodukt in Azov, Rostov region, with drones, and geolocation videos show that the resulting fire lasted from the night of June 17 to June 18.

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New Corvette “Provorny” Launched in Russia

In Russian St. Petersburg, a launch ceremony was held for the new multipurpose corvette Provorny.

The ship, built at the Northern Shipyards, became the second in the Gremyashchiy class.

The Gremyashchiy lead vessel of the class was included in the Russian fleet in December 2020.

The new corvette will soon be commissioned by the Navy of the Russian Federation to strengthen the grouping of the Pacific Fleet.

The ship was laid down at the enterprise in July 2013. It was planned to transfer it to the fleet by the end of 2022.

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Op woensdag 19 juni 2024 19:05 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

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Small drones will soon lose combat advantage, French Army chief says

^{French Army Chief of Staff Gen. Pierre Schill inspecting a Rapid Eagle anti-drone system at the Eurosatory defense show in Paris on June 19, 2024 (RUDY RUITENBERG/DEFENSE NEWS)}

The advantage now enjoyed by small aerial drones on battlefields including in Ukraine is but “a moment in history,” French Army Chief of Staff Gen. Pierre Schill said at the Eurosatory defense show in Paris.

While anti-drone systems are lagging and “leave the sky open to things that are cobbled together but which are extremely fragile,” countermeasures are being developed, Schill told reporters during a tour of the French Army stand at the show June 19. Already today, 75% of drones on the battlefield in Ukraine are lost to electronic warfare, the general said.

”The life of impunity of small, very simple drones over the battlefield is a snapshot in time,” Schill said. “Right now it’s being exploited, that’s clear, and we have to protect ourselves. Today, the sword, in the sense of the aerial drone, is powerful, more powerful than the shield. The shield is going to grow.”

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Op woensdag 19 juni 2024 18:37 schreef SillyWalks het volgende:

[..]
Wat Russen niet schijnen te snappen, is dat dit soort psychopaten een grotere kans hebben te overleven aan het front. Ze zijn daar in hun element.
Van de mensen die terugkomen van het front, is een hoger percentage dit soort moordenaars. Maar nu hebben ze dan ook nog training ontvangen om effici�nter te moorden.

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Moscow Acquires Used CNC Machines from China for Arms Production

^{2001 Tsugami MB-38SY machine sold by ELE Technology. Photo credits: ele-tech.com.cn}

Russia is buying second-hand Japanese Tsugami equipment from China for the production of weapons at its enterprises.

The analysis of these purchases was released by the Washington-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS).

According to C4ADS, Moscow is trying to avoid Western sanctions and export control aimed at deterring the Russian military industry.

It is noted that Russian arms manufacturers are “struggling to expand their production capabilities using everything they can get.”

“Moscow even buys old Western-made machines from China, delivered to local factories decades ago,” said C4ADS analyst Allen Maggard.

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Shunned by West, Russian army deserters live in fear

^{Russian officer Farkhad Ziganshin says he does not feel safe in Kazakhstan and fears he might be deported to Russia (STRINGER)}

Russian officer Farkhad Ziganshin had prepared himself for a life of military service since a young age. He could never have imagined that one day he would become a deserter and flee the country.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine changed everything.

"I don't support what's happening in Ukraine, I don't support the government we've had for so many years," Ziganshin, 24, told AFP in Kazakhstan, where he fled in September 2022 after Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's first military mobilisation since World War II.

Faced with a choice between taking part in a war of aggression or going to prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine, hundreds of deserters and draft dodgers have fled to neighbouring ex-Soviet countries where they are now stuck in limbo.

Russian authorities have opened a criminal case against Ziganshin for abandoning his unit. He does not feel safe in Kazakhstan and fears he might be deported to Russia.

But it is hard for men like him to seek refuge in the West because many Russian servicemen do not have the Russian passport that allows travel to Europe and only have documents that permit them to reach neighbours such as Kazakhstan or Armenia.

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Norway’s NOMADS Armored Short Range Air Defense System Unveiled
The highly mobile armored missile system has already been tested in Norway and there are reports that Germany may seek to transfer examples to Ukraine in the future.

^{THE NOMADS IS MEANT TO PROVIDE SHORT-RANGE AIR DEFENSES ON THE MOVE EVEN IN HOTLY CONTESTED AREAS.}

Norway’s Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace has launched a new ground-based air defense solution, the NOMADS, or National Maneuver Air Defense System. Designed for the protection of forces on the move, the system appears to draw heavily upon lessons of the war in Ukraine and there have already been reports that NOMADS might end up being supplied to Kyiv.

Whether or not that happens, NOMADS emphasizes the continued resurgence of interest in short-range air defense (SHORAD), after many years of neglect, and will be an important part of the modernization of the Norwegian military, especially in the Arctic region.

NOMADS was publicly unveiled at the Eurosatory defense exhibition taking place outside Paris this week. Designed in conjunction with the Norwegian Armed Forces, the system is designed to be mounted on one of a range of armored mechanized vehicles, with the baseline model being integrated on an ACSV G5 (Armored Combat Support Vehicle) from the German firm Flensburger Fahrzeugbau GmbH (FFG).

FFG is supplying 50 ACSV G5 vehicles to the Norwegian Armed Forces in various configurations.

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Russia prepares to incite protests in Moldova: US, Canada, and UK issue warning
Russia will attempt to incite protests in Moldova if a pro-Kremlin candidate does not win in the upcoming presidential elections in the fall, according to a joint statement by the governments of the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

“In defense of our shared democratic values, we are taking this step to warn our democratic partners and Allies that Russian actors are carrying out a plot to influence the outcomes of Moldova’s fall 2024 presidential election. They intend to incite protests in Moldova should a pro-Russia candidate not win. They seek to foment negative public perceptions of Western governments and Moldova’s incumbent leadership, while degrading public confidence in Moldova’s ability to secure itself and maintain rule of law,” the statement reads.

Currently, Russia is assisting pro-Russian candidates in the elections and instigating social conflicts. “Russian actors are actively using disinformation and propaganda online, on the air, and on the streets to further their objectives. They are agitating criticism of the incumbent Moldovan president’s government and political party, in order to incite protests. Part of these operations would include spreading lies about the incumbent president’s character and intentions, and about supposed electoral irregularities,” the governments’ representatives emphasized.

If Russia fails to achieve its desired outcome, the Kremlin will incite protests to destabilize Moldova. “Russia’s political interference in Moldova in the lead-up to the October election goes back years. For example, personnel of state-funded media outlet RT have been involved in providing direct support to fugitive Moldovan Ilan Shor [pro-Russian politician – ed.] for several years with Russian government assent. All three of our governments have sanctioned Shor for his destabilizing electoral activities,” the text states.

Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom “have full confidence in Moldova’s ability to manage these threats linked to the Kremlin’s interference. We are taking a range of measures to support those efforts as part of our partnership with Moldova and its people,” the statement concludes.

As a reminder, NATO confidentially and unofficially identified at least two “red lines” in May, crossing which could result in the Alliance’s direct intervention in the war in Ukraine, wrote the Italian newspaper la Repubblica. The second “red line” is a Russian military provocation against the Baltic countries or Poland, or a deliberate attack on Moldova.

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Ukrainian Drone Operators ‘Laugh’ When They Fly Over This Melting, Malfunctioning Russian Radio Jammer
The $2,400 jammer is getting Russian soldiers killed, one blogger claimed.
Ukrainian forces damaged or destroyed more than a hundred Russian vehicles on Tuesday while losing just 30 or so, according to analyst Andrew Perpetua.

It was a nearly record-high number of daily losses for the Russians—and also a nearly record-high gap between Russian and Ukrainian losses in a single day.

Ukraine’s explosive first-person-view drones are largely responsible for the carnage, if Perpetua’s tally is accurate. More than 70 of the approximately 100 strikes on Russian vehicles involved the $500 drones, which Ukrainians deploy at a rate of 100,000 or more a month.

The Russians seem to be incapable of blocking Ukrainian drone strikes. A recent Russian confessional hints at why. While Russian industry produces a wide array of anti-drone radio jammers—which, in theory, block the signals between drones and their operators—many of these jammers simply don’t work.

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From Ukraine, Two Enormous Passengers Are Trucked and Flown to Safety
A pair of beluga whales were extricated from the besieged city of Kharkiv and taken to an aquarium in Spain with help from experts around the world.

It was a whale of an evacuation. Actually, two.

In what experts said was among the most complex marine mammal rescue ever undertaken, the pair of beluga whales were extricated from an aquarium in the battered city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine and transported to Europe’s largest aquarium in Valencia, Spain, on Wednesday morning.

As Russian aerial bombardments of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, have intensified, the evacuation of Plombir, a 15-year-old male, and Miranda, a 14-year-old female, came just in time, marine mammal experts said.

“If they had continued in Kharkiv, their chances of survival would have been very slim,” said Daniel Garcia-P�rraga, director of zoological operations at Oceanogr�fic de Valencia, who helped lead the rescue.

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Belarusian president blames Jews for his government's corruption, says he's 'not antisemitic'
Alexander Lukashenko, in statement broadcast on state television, says Jews have 'special, privileged role' and 'steal and do not think about their future'; Foreign MInistry: President's comments are 'outrageous and sound like definite antisemitic comments'

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made an antisemitic statement Saturday during his government meeting in which he hinted at a connection between Jews and theft.

He referred to a corruption case involving his former aide, the governor of the Vitebsk region and former Minister of Agriculture and Food Igor Brylo, as well as dozens of other people. "There are 36 people on the list. Sorry, I don't consider myself antisemitic, but more than half of them are Jewish. Do they have a special, privileged role, that they steal and do not think about their future? Do they have privileges? All peoples living in Belarus should be equal. Jews, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Russians and Poles," Lukashenko said.

His statement was broadcast on the state television channel Belarus 1, but the problematic quote was not included in the press release on the presidency's website.

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Russian media report on drone attacks on oil refineries in Krasnodar Krai and Adygea
Drones attacked the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar region, causing a fire at the facility. Reports also indicate an attack on the oil refinery in the village of Enem in Adygea, according to Telegram channels Baza, Shot, and ASTRA.

According to Russian channels, the attack on the plant began around 2:30 a.m.

The Russians claim that the drones were allegedly shot down, but the debris from one of the UAVs struck a tank, causing a fire. Emergency services are working at the scene.

There are also reports of explosions and a fire in the village of Enem in Adygea. No official information is available yet.

ASTRA writes that the LUKOIL-Yugnefteprodukt oil depot is located in Enem. Eight kilometers from Enem is the Afipsky oil refinery, where a fire is raging.

Additionally, Russian media report a Ukrainian Armed Forces drone attack on Slavyansk-on-Kuban in the Krasnodar region. The drone allegedly fell on a private house, which was completely destroyed. According to preliminary information from the Russian side, there is one fatality.

On June 18, drones attacked an oil depot in the village of Chushka in the Temryuk district of Krasnodar region.

On the same day, drones attacked an oil depot in the city of Azov in the Rostov region. As a result, tanks containing oil products caught fire, and the firefighting efforts have been ongoing for the second day.

According to sources, the attacks on the oil depots in Russia were organized by the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU).

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Translation: "That's our "Greeting" to Ukrainians, that didn't reach the target".

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Putin tries to form alternative to NATO - ISW
Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking to form a coalition of countries to attempt to position this alliance as a viable alternative to NATO, according to a report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Analysts note that this involves countries with historically warm ties to the USSR. Before he visited Vietnam on June 19, Putin published an article in the Vietnamese state newspaper Nh�n D�n, using much of the same rhetoric as in his June 18 article in the North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun.

"Putin invoked the historical memory of the Soviet Union's support for Vietnam during the Vietnam War, which Putin described as a heroic struggle against foreign invaders, and noted that it is the 30th anniversary of the Treaty of Basic Principles of Friendly Relations between Russia and Vietnam. Putin praised Vietnam for pursuing an independent foreign policy and supporting a world order based on principles of equality between nations and non-interference in domestic affairs, echoing his praises for North Korea on June 18 and 19. Putin also claimed that like North Korea, Vietnam shares Russia's views on the formation of a new system of equal and indivisible Eurasian security - though Vietnam, like much of Southeast Asia, is not typically included in political conceptions of Eurasia," the report states.

Thus, Putin laid the informational groundwork for a Eurasian security structure during his visit to China in May 2024 and then proposed it in his speech on June 14. At that time, he stated that the Euro-Atlantic security system is collapsing and that Western security and prosperity schemes in Europe are not working.

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Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 07:50 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://newsukraine.rbc.u(...)-isw-1718855858.html
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Nog ��n? Lol. Het CSTO is al zo'n groot succes gebleken.

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Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 06:50 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.ukrainianworl(...)nd-uk-issue-warning/
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quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 07:50 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://newsukraine.rbc.u(...)-isw-1718855858.html
[..]

SPOILER

Om spoilers te kunnen lezen moet je zijn ingelogd. Je moet je daarvoor eerst gratis Registreren. Ook kun je spoilers niet lezen als je een ban hebt.

Nog ��n? Lol. Het CSTO is al zo'n groot succes gebleken.

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China aarzelt bij het investeren in de Power of Siberia 2-gaspijpleiding terwijl het aandringt op diepere kortingen op Russisch gas, zo meldde The South China Morning Post

Volgens een bron in Moskou verwacht China dat Rusland de volledige kosten van het miljardenpijpleidingproject op zich zal nemen en tegelijkertijd diepere verlagingen van de gasprijzen zal nastreven.

De korting voor de Chinese gasimport zal volgend jaar stijgen naar 46%, waarbij gas uit de Kracht van Siberi� 271,6 dollar per duizend kubieke meter kost, vergeleken met 481,7 dollar voor Turkije en Europa,

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Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 11:39 schreef ExTec het volgende:

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Ja, in een alternatieve realiteit leven is de true superpower van rus.

Maar die pijplijn gaat niet komen.

Artikeltje is beetje oud, btw. Zijn ondertussen meerdere onderhandelingsronden geweest, die voor rus 0 opgeleverd hebben.

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Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 11:41 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Mooi.

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In a significant move impacting the global automotive market, Turkey has announced imposing a 40% additional tariff on vehicle imports from China.
The decision represents a strategic shift in Turkey's trade policy, aiming to protect its burgeoning domestic EV industry and address trade imbalances with China.13 jun 2024

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Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 11:45 schreef ExTec het volgende:

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Naar ome kim heeft helemaal niemand het over, dat is 1, 2 is... dat het behoorlijk ver is. Weetje hoeveel KM's je het over hebt. Gaat in de miljarden (USD/EUR) lopen. En turbines voor compressor stations zijn niet te krijgen.

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The Sakhalin–Khabarovsk–Vladivostok pipeline is a pipeline for natural gas in Russia, transporting Sakhalin's gas to the most populated and industrialized regions of the Russian Far East (Khabarovsk Krai and Primorsky Krai)

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Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 12:08 schreef ExTec het volgende:

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Denk je?

Voorlopig heeft putin alleen oude sovjet-unie voorraden terug gekregen van ome, qua artillerie granaten. Kwaliteit zo slecht dat de orcs erover klagen.

NK is ook niet bepaald een productie-powerhouse, tenzij we het over militaire parades en propaganda hebben.

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02:53 - Bron: CNN
Seoul, Zuid-Korea
CNN
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Volgens de Zuid-Koreaanse minister van Defensie draaien de Noord-Koreaanse munitiefabrieken “op volle capaciteit” om wapens en granaten voor Rusland te produceren, nu de verwoestende oorlog van Moskou in Oekra�ne een derde jaar ingaat.

De laatste schatting van Zuid-Korea biedt nieuwe aanwijzingen over de cruciale maar zeer geheime rol die Noord-Korea speelt bij het helpen bevoorraden van de uitputtingsoorlog in Moskou, in een tijd waarin Oekra�nes eigen behoefte aan vitale militaire bevoorradingen wordt opgehouden door overwegend Republikeinse wetgevers in Washington.

De wapens en militaire uitrusting, waaronder miljoenen artilleriegranaten, worden aan Rusland geleverd in ruil voor de levering van voedsel en andere benodigdheden, zei de Zuid-Koreaanse minister van Defensie Shin Won-sik maandag.

Sinds augustus heeft Pyongyang ongeveer 6.700 containers naar Rusland verscheept, die volgens het ministerie van Shin plaats zouden kunnen bieden aan meer dan 3 miljoen granaten van 152 mm artilleriegranaten of meer dan 500.000 granaten van 122 mm meervoudige raketwerpers.

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Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 11:41 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Mooi.

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