Oorlog in Oekra�ne #984: Ruble Trouble

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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:

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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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