SPOILER

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 12:10 schreef ExTec het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org > wiki
K2 Black Panther is a South Korean main battle tank, designed by the Agency for Defense Development and manufactured by Hyundai Rotem. The tank's design ...
?CN08 120 mm gun � ?EuroPowerPack � ?11th Maneuver Division � ?Samyang

quote:

Zuid-Korea wil wapenleveranties aan Oekra�ne heroverwegen

Zuid-Korea heeft ontstemd gereageerd op het nieuwe verdrag tussen buurland Noord-Korea en Rusland.
De nationale veiligheidsadviseur Chang Ho-jin zei dat zijn regering zich grote zorgen maakt, bericht persbureau Yonhap.

Hij kondigde aan dat opnieuw zal worden gekeken naar het huidige beleid voor wapenleveranties aan Oekra�ne.

Zuid-Korea zegt momenteel geen dodelijke wapens te leveren aan Oekra�ne, maar dat beleid zou dus kunnen veranderen.
Specifieke maatregelen worden naar verwachting later bekendgemaakt.

Chang kondigde ook aan dat nieuwe sancties worden ingesteld tegen schepen, personen en organisaties die olie en wapens vervoeren tussen Rusland en Noord-Korea.

quote:

Mariia Ionova co-chair of the Equal Opportunity Caucus in the Ukrainian parliament, said a Nato refusal to give Ukraine a date to join missed an opportunity to make a demonstration of strength. “Hybrid world war three has already started”, she said.

She pointed out for the first time in 45 years Vladimir Putin had gone to North Korea to increase the amount of artillery shells it receives from Pyongyang from the current estimate of 5m. By contrast she pointed out that Ukraine was “still waiting for 1m shells from the EU after seven months of delay”.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 13:49 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Weer een faal van Poetin.

Hij is voor lul gezet door naar Noord-Korea te gaan om daar te smeken om granaten. Om daarmee Zuid-Korea zo boos te maken dat zij zeggen wapens aan Oekra�ne te gaan leveren.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 14:05 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Dat zeggen ze helemaal niet, ze zeggen dat ze er naar gaan kijken. En we weten ook helemaal niet w�t zuid Korea gaat leveren, als ze dat al gaan doen. Noord-Korea levert gigantisch veel, ook al is de kwaliteit slecht.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 15:09 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Zuid-Korea heeft een behoorlijk grote defensie industrie. Ze laten zich niet fucken door Kim.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 15:26 schreef oheng het volgende:
Misschien wel de slechtste dag ooit om werkzaam te zijn in de russsische energie sector. Heeft iemand een schatting hoeveel installaties zijn aangevallen? 10?

En ik had een paar dagen geleden *ergens* de opinie gelezen van een Oekrainsche soldaat over de pzh2000.
Hij beweerde dat de pzh2000 veel beter bestand is tegen o.a. Lancet drones. Met name in tegenstelling tot de AHS Krab. Zo meldde dat een naburige Pzh2000 5 Lancet drones had overleefd.
Iets wat ook uit Oryx blijkt: 1 beschadigde Pzh2000 vs 26 vernietigde / 6 beschadigde Krabs.
Ook de loop van de Pzh2000 was veruit superieur, hoefde pas na 6000 schoten vervangen te worden (met 5 kruitladingen IIRC).

Artikel helaas kwijt. Maar er zijn dus ook positieve geluiden over de Pzh2000.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 14:05 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Dat zeggen ze helemaal niet, ze zeggen dat ze er naar gaan kijken. En we weten ook helemaal niet w�t zuid Korea gaat leveren, als ze dat al gaan doen. Noord-Korea levert gigantisch veel, ook al is de kwaliteit slecht.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 06:30 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Geen idee waarom dat eerste plaatje onder de spoiler zo klein is, ook heb ik op het ogenblik andere problemen. Na het plaatsen van een post refreshed de pagina niet automatisch en laat dus niet gelijk mijn nieuwe post zien aan mij. En de knoppen "preview" en "wijziging doorvoeren" werken niet goed.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 16:27 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

[..]
Als je de pagina te lang open hebt staan lopen de posts en de paginanummering niet meer synchroon. Dan moet je eerst refreshen voor je zelf iets post.

Tenminste, dat denk ik.

quote:

Lieve Delenlill,

Omdat je een mogelijk adblocker gebruikt kan het zijn dat sommige delen van de site niet (correct) werken. Schakel je adblocker(s) uit als je problemen ondervindt. FOK! is een onafhankelijke site die volledig draait op vrijwilligers en alle kosten moet dekken met advertentieinkomsten. Als je morgen ook nog wilt kunnen FOK!ken kun je daaraan zelf bijdragen door FOK! te whitelisten in je adblocker. Je kunt FOK! namelijk wel gratis gebruiken, maar wij kunnen FOK! niet gratis in de lucht houden. Als je geen advertenties wilt zien kun je overwegen een premium account (abo) aan te schaffen. Daarmee kun je banneradvertenties uitschakelen.

quote:

Branded ‘Foreign Agents,’ Wives and Mothers of Mobilized Russian Soldiers Face Uncertain Future

^{Wives and mothers of mobilized soldiers staged a rare protest in front of the Russian Defense Ministry on June 3.}

Put Domoi (“Way Home”), one of the most prominent groups of women relatives of mobilized Russian soldiers, has been calling on the Kremlin to return their husbands and sons from the front lines in Ukraine for months.

But when Russia designated Put Domoi a “foreign agent” in late May, the move was still fairly unexpected.

“It seems like loving your spouse and wanting him to be safe is a [marker of] ‘foreign influence’ now. I guess at this point, the only thing the government wants from us is to breed to produce more children,” said Maria Andreeva, one of the few public faces of the movement, who herself was also labeled a “foreign agent” on May 31.

Andreeva said she was surprised to see herself named a “foreign agent,” as she had taken a step back from her activities with the group in recent months.

SPOILER

quote:

“My colleagues — including the admins of the movement’s channel — are working from the shadows. … And while Put Domoi is not registered as a legal entity, the Justice Ministry decided that I should take responsibility,” Andreeva told The Moscow Times, adding that she plans to challenge her designation in court.

“The funniest thing is that I don’t even have a valid foreign passport. And if they checked my bank accounts, they would know there is not a single penny from abroad,” she said.

The labeling came as political differences and increased law enforcement pressure have fractured the group, putting its future potential to enact change into doubt.

^{Maria Andreeva.}

Since its founding last summer, Put Domoi has been one of several groups of mobilized soldiers’ relatives making a simple request to the authorities: to let their sons, brothers and husbands who have been on the front lines since being mobilized in the fall of 2022 come home.

Wearing white scarves, its members have laid carnations at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier next to the Kremlin and other war memorials across the country every week to draw attention to their cause. The movement has steadily grown, with nearly 60,000 followers on Telegram today.

But as it has faced escalating pressure from law enforcement, Put Domoi has turned to other, less risky tactics — and become increasingly critical of the authorities and the war itself.

This spring, the group started calling on fellow relatives of mobilized soldiers to open their windows at 5 p.m. every Saturday and bang on their cookware in what it called The March of Empty Pots.

“Many [Russians] still live their peaceful lives, like I did before,” Varya, the founder of Put Domoi, told The Moscow Times. “Also, there are probably a lot of other relatives of mobilized men who just don’t know how to join us or ask for help. This action is centered around noise, which might wake someone up — not just locally, but across the whole country.”

Varya asked to speak under a pseudonym, fearing that her husband’s life could be in danger if her real identity were made public.

Inspired by the Cold War-era protests in Chile of the same name, the demonstration is designed to be a safer alternative to laying flowers at World War II memorials, which Put Domoi continues to organize.

“The flower-laying is not safe anymore, especially for journalists who helped cover our activities. That’s why now we have a parallel regular action for those who want to seek the like-minded safely,” Varya said.

In the fall of 2023, Put Domoi and several other smaller groups were invited to a State Duma task force on helping mobilized soldiers’ relatives.

At the time, some of Put Domoi’s members called on officials to swap out their mobilized relatives with fresh troops — calls that tarnished its reputation in the Russian opposition.

“[Officials] told us there was no way to get the mobilized men back without replacing them with someone else,” Varya said.

It soon became clear that this troop rotation wasn’t going to happen.

“We got tired of empty promises,” Varya said. “That’s why we left the State Duma task force ... and demanded full demobilization — that’s mentioned in our manifesto.”

From that point onward, independent Russian media started covering Put Domoi’s demonstrations.

The group’s rhetoric on its official Telegram channel also started to change, increasingly resembling that of the opposition. By December, some of its posts were openly critical of the war.

On Friday, Put Domoi called on the authorities to replace their relatives on the front line with the sons of Russian officials and media personalities like Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov and state television host Vladimir Solovyov.

“We demand to replace our men with other quite specific men: the children and husbands of those who tell our citizens from the screens that war is good,” Put Domoi wrote. “We can make a list long enough to replace every mobilized person.”

When asked about this political shift, Varya said one of the Put Domoi channel’s main purposes is to give members a place to express their opinions anonymously.

“We are just relaying whatever women are thinking, writing and speaking about — we just publish it on our channel,” she said. “Yet our positions might not be shared outside of our movement or among other relatives of the mobilized.”

^{Laying flowers at a war memorial.}

The group’s increasingly anti-war stance has sparked a division between members who oppose the war and those who simply want their relatives back.

Paulina, a former member of Put Domoi who now hosts the Mobilizatsia i Lyudi (“Mobilization and People”) podcast, told The Moscow Times that she left the movement because does not actively oppose the war.

“I believe that any anti-war movement in Russia is doomed to fail,” said Paulina, who does not disclose her surname publicly. “But if there is a chance to at least demand the cancellation of the presidential decree [on mobilization], I’ll take it. If the state wants to keep the special military operation going, it will have to make do with contractors, those who choose to fight on their own accord.”

This shift in rhetoric also amplified the pressure on its members — and on their sons and husbands still in an active combat zone.

Russian commanders “have ‘polite’ conversations with some [of our husbands], so the men start worrying and, of course, argue with their women. Some were told by their commanders: ‘Either your wife shuts up, or we will send you on a suicide mission’,” she said. “So far, no one has been brave enough to look into the seriousness of these threats.”

Law enforcement started showing up at the movement’s public gatherings, initially targeting journalists and later going after Put Domoi members themselves.

Officers attempted to detain Andreeva as she staged a solitary picket outside the Kremlin in January.

Then, in early February, police raided a Put Domoi event, detaining several journalists as well as two activists. Another five were detained at a Feb. 10 flower-laying gathering in Yekaterinburg, one of whom — Ivan Bukin — had his own father mobilized. Put Domoi launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover his fine.

^{The March of Empty Pots.}

In April, Yulia Demensienko, who had joined Put Domoi several months prior, was detained while laying flowers at the Eternal Flame war memorial in St. Petersburg.

“As soon as I arrived at the monument, an officer from the Center for Combating Extremism appeared and asked for my documents,” Demensienko told The Moscow Times.

“They called the police and took me to the police station. On the way there, we were stopped by other officers who started asking their colleagues why they had arrested someone ‘political’,” she said.

“They started calling around and asking if I had any mobilized relatives,” she continued. “As soon as they realized that I didn’t, and that I was previously arrested at a protest in 2021, they took me to the station, charged me with ‘discrediting the Russian army’ and took away my phone.”

Demensienko said she had joined the movement out of solidarity.

“I think it’s vital to support these women. I wanted to show that their tragedy and their pain matter to others too,” Demensienko said. “In the end, they were left to live and raise their children alone. Bringing them up is not only a female duty, but also very much a male one as well. It feels like our society doesn’t get that families need fathers almost as much as mothers.”

quote:

No Compromise Met in Ukraine Debt Talks While Deadline Is Looming
Ukraine’s government hasn’t reached an agreement with Eurobond holders in first round of negotiations, but talks continue – everyone should rush before August.

Ukraine’s government failed to reach a compromise with Eurobond holders during the first round of negotiations, but it’s also not interested in default – especially during a wartime economy.

For half a year at least, news from debt restructuring negotiations was a subject of intense curiosity. The news from negotiations and preparations for them were confidential until June, 17, when the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine published a press release about the first round of negotiations.

SPOILER

quote:

An unsuccessful resolution so far
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine’s Eurobond holders agreed to a two-year moratorium and haven’t received any payments. The outcomes of Russia’s advance in the first half of 2022 were too uncertain – Russia was rumored to have planned to attack Kyiv for the second time after its first attempt in February 2022.

The needs to finance military kept rising after 2022 – Ukraine’s debt-to-GDP ratio rose from 81.6 percent to 90.4 percent in the end of 2023, according to Ukraine’s central bank.

All debt cannot be repaid now since Ukraine will have nothing in its pocket to finance the military – and the country’s survival. When companies, countries or individuals lack money to repay their debts, they talk about easing debt conditions. That is called restructuring and is normal for the corporate world.

Ukraine needs to repay Eurobonds worth almost $20 billion. All of them were issued during 2015-2021, according to the Ministry of Finance website.

“I know we are asking private creditors for a substantial effort on their part, but without a restructuring, Ukraine will not be able to sufficiently finance our defense and embark on our bold recovery and reconstruction agenda,” Sergii Marchenko, Ukraine’s Finance Minister, said in a press release.

Two Options for Restructuring
After two years of standstill, first repayments are scheduled to start in August 2024, unless Ukraine’s government agrees to new conditions.

Ukraine’s government has been negotiating debt restructuring over a twelve-day period from 3 to 14 June 2024. The other party is Ad Hoc Creditor Committee – several major institutional asset managers and other long-term investors in Ukraine representing around 20 percent of the outstanding amount of Ukraine’s Eurobonds, and other holders of Eurobonds.

The group includes Amundi, BlackRock and Amia Capital, according to Bloomberg. PJT Partners Ltd. and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP are their financial and legal advisors respectively. Meanwhile, the government retained Rothschild & Co. and White & Case LLP as financial and legal advisers.

Ukraine presented two restructuring strategies to bondholders. The first one is to exchange Eurobonds for a package of fixed income instruments, so-called Vanilla Bonds (Option 1).

There’s another option – exchange Eurobonds to Vanilla Bonds and state-contingent instruments (SCDIs) named as “the Ukraine Recovery Instruments”, which value is dependent upon Ukraine’s performance on tax revenues and real GDP levels (Option 2).

These conditions would act during the IMF program period until 2027. In Option 1, the SCDIs would be converted into Vanilla Bonds in 2027.

That means that, in Option 1, holders would receive $400 principal amount of Vanilla Bonds for each $1,000 in the principal amount of Eurobonds exchanged with accrued interest.

The Ukraine Recovery Instruments would become another type of instrument in Option 1. It is not a debt obligation and would not entitle its holders to any principal or interest payments.

URIs depend on conditions anchored in economic growth – if they are met, bondholders could get up to $1,000 per bond in exchange to the previous $1,000 invested before restructuring. If the conditions are not met, the bondholders would not receive payments.

“It’s as if one issues 35 fake coins to exchange for 35 real coins if the stars align,” Oleksandr Parashchii, Head of Research at Concorde Capital, told Kyiv Post.

Option 2 includes issuing Vanilla Bonds only, with $475 principal amount of Vanilla Bonds for each $1,000 in the amount of principal in Eurobonds exchanged, and the interest accrued.

^{Summary of Sovereign Proposal. Graphics provided to Kyiv Post from the Ministry of Finance.}

Both strategies have been designed to deliver holders cash flows during the IMF program period. The securities would mature in 2034, 2035, 2036, 2038, and 2040. For now, the bonds would mature in 2024-2032, 2034 and 2035.

Interest rates for Vanilla Bonds in both Options are estimated at 1 percent in the second quarter of 2024 and throughout 2025, 3 percent during 2026-2027, and 6 percent from 2028 to maturity. In both options, the nominal trimming of the Eurobond ranged between 25 and 60 percent. These was one major disagreements between Ukraine and the creditors.

A Compromise Among the Differences
“I have seldom seen so great a difference in initial views of conditions as here,” Andrii Nesteruk, Strategy chief at Finteum, wrote in his Facebook post. He said that the current government strategy may work as an anchor for investor’s expectations.

The “access to capital markets in the near future” is unavailable for Ukraine soon, and bondholders aren’t considering that Ukraine would be unable to pay significant interest payments, Nesteruk wrote.

The Creditor Committee suggested a nominal cut of 22.5 percent – just 2.5 percent less than the minimum cut in the government’s proposal.

Over the 2024-2027 period, bondholders want a 7.75 percent cash coupon and 0.5 percent as paid-in-kind (PIK) – meaning Ukraine would repay with goods or services.

After 2027, a full cash coupon of 7.75 percent would be required.

^{Adjusted Committee Proposal Summary. Graphics provided to Kyiv Post from the Ministry of Finance.}

Agreement not reached this time – is this the end?
Definitely not. “Both sides have shown their maximum of what they want to receive. The conditions may undergo significant adjustments already at the next stage of negotiations”, senior financial analyst at ICU group Taras Kotovych told Kyiv Post.

Ukraine did not develop its two-option-strategy on its own. Previously, Ukraine had discussed its proposal with staff of the IMF and the Secretariat of the Group of Creditors of Ukraine (GCU).

These proposals remain consistent with the debt sustainability objective of Ukraine’s IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF). That is, Ukraine should reach 60 percent of its debt-to-GDP ratio in 2033, according to the third IMF Memorandum.

The IMF agreements gave Ukraine no room for compromise
“The IMF actually did not ‘let’ us pay anything with bonds for the duration of the program (until March 2027) but demanded a partial write-off of the debt,” Parashchii told Kyiv Post.

Bondholders, on the other hand, demand at least some payments in the coming years in exchange for the write-off, he added. The government proposed some payments, but the bondholders decided to demand repayment in full according to February 2022 price tag – 40 percent of the Eurobond.

^{The long-term debt trajectory, which assumes that the debt restructuring targets are delivered by 2033. Graph taken from IMF’s Memorandum after the Third Review of Extended Fund Facility Program.}

Though the first round did not bring good news, Ukraine still has other options rather than default
Bondholders don’t want to write off debt unconditionally – the Ministry of Finance needs to propose some conditions under which the entire debt will be restored, Parashchii said. The finance ministry would have to reduce the nominal cut.

But bondholders need to be aware Ukraine is unlikely to promise any payments during 2024-2027 – the IMF limitations are too tight.

The restructuring could have been postponed for another year if there had been such a possibility, Kotovysh said.

“However, investors want to receive interest payments on this debt, and this is unlikely to be agreed upon without a full restructuring”, he added.

Negotiations are happening in a situation of high uncertainty – and Parashchii is worried about it.

The discussions are based on macroeconomic forecasts of Ukraine from the IMF, and they “have very poor predictive power,” the Parashchii told Kyiv Post.

If he were in minister’s shoes, he would negotiate to postpone any bond payments “until the moment when it is possible to adequately forecast something in Ukraine.”

The question remains: Will the time ever come, with Russia as Ukraine’s neighbor constantly destabilizing world peace and Kyiv’s state budget?

quote:

Zambia joins Global Peace Summit communiqu�
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on all peace-loving countries to join the communiqu� and implement the Peace Formula

Zambia joined the communiqu� of the first Global Peace Summit held on June 15-16 in Switzerland, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on X.

The Ukrainian leader thanked the country for supporting efforts to achieve sustainable, comprehensive and just peace.

"We appreciate the growing support for the Peace Summit and its final Communiqu� from all continents, including Africa. We value that Zambia, together with other African countries, takes a clear stance in favor of the UN Charter, peace, and progress," Zelenskyy said.

The president noted that the Peace Formula is a format in which each country can have its say and make its own contribution to achieving common goals. He called on all peace-loving countries to join the communiqu� and implement the Peace Formula.

"Together, we can restore peace, stable development, and mutual respect in international affairs," the head of state concluded.

On June 15-16, the Global Peace Summit initiated by Ukraine took place in Switzerland. Russia was not invited to it.

On June 17, the signatures under the joint communiqu� of two countries – Iraq and Jordan – disappeared. Subsequently, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva told RFE/RL that the countries did not sign the communiqu�, and that their appearance in the list of signatories was a "technical failure".

On June 18, the signature of Rwanda disappeared, but the Ecumenical Patriarchate joined the signatories.

The following countries also did not sign the document: Armenia, Bahrain, Colombia, Qatar, India, Indonesia, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, United Arab Emirates. Brazil did not sign either, but it was an observer at the event.

Here is the full text of the communiqu�: on nuclear and food security, release of prisoners. The text also mentions the need of "involvement of and dialogue between all parties" to achieve peace.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 16:50 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb de pagina altijd open staan. Dit is de eerste keer dat ik dit probleem heb. En ik zie dat er meer zijn met dit probleem (feedback, bugs en development)

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 18:08 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb het probleem wel vaker en volgens mij ligt het daaraan. Het is idd een bug. Eerst refreshen lost het probleem op.

quote:

EU approves first-ever sanctions on Russian gas
It’s a notable evolution in strategy for the EU, and came after Germany and Hungary held up a deal for weeks.

The EU will hit Russia with unprecedented sanctions against its lucrative gas sector, according to the Belgian EU presidency — a once-unthinkable step that could drain hundreds of millions from Moscow’s war chest.

The decision, which EU ambassadors reached Thursday morning, came after stiff opposition from Germany and Hungary stalled a deal for weeks — though over different parts of the package.

The penalties won’t hit the majority of Russia’s liquid natural gas (LNG) exports to the EU. Instead, they will ban EU ports from reselling Russian LNG after it arrives and block financing for Russia’s planned Arctic and Baltic LNG terminals.

It’s a notable moment for the EU. Since Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the bloc has left Russian gas unsanctioned — even as it slapped strict bans on oil and coal exports. But with evidence mounting that Western efforts to drain Moscow’s fossil fuel revenues are falling woefully short, pressure has been building to go after gas.

It wasn’t easy.

SPOILER

quote:

For weeks, Hungary threatened to veto the package on principle, as it opposes most additional Russian energy sanctions. That was expected.

Berlin’s opposition, however, came as a surprise. Their concerns were not even about gas but, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz explained, related to new obligations for EU exporters.

Given that Germany has previously chided Hungary for its sanctions stubbornness, the irony wasn’t lost on some diplomats.

“Ultimately, all member states try to protect their interests,” said one diplomat from an EU country, who like others was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “Reality is biting [Germany] hard now. Call it karma.”

In the end, negotiators relented to Germany’s concerns, dropping a clause it feared would harm small businesses, pending a study of the potential effects, three EU diplomats said.

Hungary, for its part, backed the LNG bans after it got reassurances that the Russia-backed expansion of its Paks II nuclear plant won’t be sanctioned, according to three other diplomats

While the LNG sanctions got through, negotiators are still wrangling over another proposal to mirror Russian penalties onto Belarus, a backdoor for sanctioned goods to reach Russia. The issue was slated for discussion on Thursday afternoon, according to two EU diplomats. Germany and France have been holding up those plans over fears they will impact sales of luxury goods.

Gunning for gas
Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU has slashed its reliance on Moscow’s gas by around two-thirds.

But it has continued to import and resell Russian LNG, which is shipped by tanker in supercooled liquid form — representing a major embarrassment for the bloc as it attempts to starve the Kremlin’s war chest. Spain, France and Belgium bought up the largest volumes last year.

Although Russian LNG made up just 5 percent of the EU’s gas consumption in 2023, it still raised around �8 billion in LNG profits for the Kremlin. The deal will likely only hit around a quarter of that, as it doesn’t ban direct imports to the bloc.

Still, the sanctions will force Moscow to overhaul its LNG business model — particularly for supplies it sends to Asia through Europe. Russia will now likely have to reroute those shipments via the Arctic Sea, requiring specially equipped icebreakers that are in short supply.

For Germany, however, the disagreement wasn’t even about fuel.

Berlin was worried that the sanctions would broaden a measure forcing EU companies to ensure customers are not selling goods on to Russia.

Currently, that so-called no-Russia clause only applies to firearms, battlefield items and dual-use goods with both a military and civilian application. Germany feared that expanding the clause to cover more civilian products, like chemicals and machinery for metalworking, would hammer small businesses.

The difficulty, Berlin said, is that smuggled products often make many stops before reaching Russia, making it near-impossible for smaller companies to track the entire chain. Germany argued that smaller, export-oriented companies will simply give up on some business in Asia or the Middle East that isn’t even connected to Russia, fearful about potential sanctions violations.

“It’s all about the German economy,” one of the diplomats said. “They are very worried.”

The concerns have created yet another rift in Scholz’s three-party, center-left coalition: Germany’s foreign ministry, led by the Greens, has long wanted to push the sanctions through, while Scholz’s Social Democrats wanted to hold out until the no-Russia clause issue was resolved.

Last week, an official from Annalena Baerbock’s foreign ministry, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said they feared Germany’s delays were hurting Berlin’s attempts to shed its pre-war reputation for pushing Russia-friendly economic policies.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 18:20 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.politico.eu/a(...)in-ukraine-invasion/
[..]

SPOILER

[..]

Eindelijk! Al was het wel apart dat juist Duitsland hier op tegen was. Van Hongarije was het te verwachten natuurlijk. Maar gelukkig hebben zij met een kleine aanpassing ook Duitsland om weten te krijgen.

quote:

Ukraine signed seven international agreements at Eurosatory 2024

Ukroboronprom and private Ukrainian companies signed a number of cooperation agreements with Thales and other French arms manufacturers.

Oleksandr Kamyshin, Minister of Strategic Industries, announced this on his social networks.

At the Eurosatory 2024 defense exhibition in Paris, Ukrainian companies presented samples and prototypes of their products and signed a number of agreements with European defense companies. The Minister of Strategic Industries said that the state-owned company Ukroboronprom signed five agreements.

The state enterprise has signed a memorandum with the French company Thales to establish a joint venture in Ukraine that will repair and modernize equipment for electronic warfare, communications, air defense systems, and radars.

The second agreement, also with Thales, concerns the French side’s intention to establish a service center in Ukraine to maintain and test electronic warfare equipment and radars.

Ukraine is currently actively using the company’s Ground Master 200 radars, both independently and as part of more complex airspace control systems such as ControlMaster 200. In addition, Thales is also one of the developers of the SAMP/T air defense system.

SPOILER

quote:

^{Ground Master 200 radar. Photo from open sources}

The third agreement was signed by a Ukrainian state-owned enterprise with another French company, Hexadrone, which develops drones. The agreement regulates cooperation on the joint production of UAVs with Ukraine.

The fourth is a cooperation agreement on the installation and test use of Exail navigation systems on Ukrainian-made radars.

The fifth is a Memorandum of Understanding with the French armored vehicle manufacturer Arquus. The document concerns the maintenance and modernization of armored vehicles.

Arquus, also known as Renault Trucks Defense, produces wheeled armored vehicles, including VAB armored personnel carriers, which are actively used by the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

In addition to ready-made solutions, the company also sells transmission elements for armored vehicles, other components, and remotely controlled combat modules.

^{VAB 4�4 armored personnel carrier. Photo from open sources}

In addition to Ukroboronprom, private Ukrainian arms manufacturers also played an active role in the international exhibition.

According to Kamyshyn, the French association GICAT has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Technological Forces of Ukraine association, and one of the private drone developers has agreed to jointly develop UAVs with Thales.

quote:

Marines from the 36th Brigades cleared out enemy trenches in the Kharkiv region

^{Mopping up of enemy trenches by marines from the 36th Brigade. Photo credits: 36th Marine Brigade}

Marines from the 36th Separate Marine Brigade have cleared captured enemy trenches in the Kharkiv region.

The press service of the 36th Brigade published the video of the incident.

The drone footage shows how the military, in close cooperation with aerial reconnaissance, is clearing enemy trenches.

Before that, the drones were dropping bombs on the Russian military to drive them out of their positions.

SPOILER

quote:

Thanks to the drones’ active work, the remnants of the enemy infantry were driven into the dugouts, after which the Marines started to clear them.

The clearing was carried out with the use of firearms and grenades, which were thrown into the dugout. Eventually, the enemy stronghold was cleared and came under the control of the Ukrainian military.

An important role in the successful offensive of the Ukrainian military was played by the active use of unmanned systems, which, in close cooperation with the infantry, ensured the timely detection of the enemy.

This advantage allows them to act more actively, as demonstrated by the Marines of the 36th Separate Brigade.

Currently, the brigade is near Vovchansk, where they are conducting assault operations against enemy positions.

In addition, the soldiers also managed to replenish the exchange fund with Russian soldiers who voluntarily decided to surrender.

One such incident occurred in the same area at coordinates 50.298945, 36.973882 near Vovchansk.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that in the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian marines from the 36th Brigade destroyed engineering equipment used by the invaders to create new defensive positions.

In total, the marines burned three enemy excavators.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 18:22 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Omdat de gehele Duitse industrie kapot gaat.

quote:

US suspends all supplies under Patriot contracts to Europe and redirects them to Ukraine – FT
According to FT's sources, President Joe Biden said that the countries expecting the supply of American systems will have to wait

The US government plans to suspend all open orders for Patriot air defense systems and interceptor missiles until Ukraine receives enough to defend against Russian air attacks, reported Financial Times with reference to three sources familiar with the matter.

The people said the announcement would be made on Thursday, after President Joe Biden stated last week in Italy that he had secured a commitment to supply additional air defense systems to Ukraine. They will include Patriot missile batteries.

Biden said that five countries have agreed to send Patriot and other air defense systems to Ukraine and that other countries expecting the delivery of American systems will have to wait because "everything we have is going to go to Ukraine until their needs are met".

SPOILER

quote:

Washington's statement on Thursday will cement Biden's commitment to Kyiv and guarantee that Ukraine will receive the Patriot systems needed to protect its cities and critical infrastructure, the newspaper's sources said.

A number of countries, including Poland, Romania and Germany, have open orders for Patriot systems that have yet to be delivered. Spain also has an open order for Patriot launchers, and the NATO coalition placed an order for 1,000 Patriot missiles in January.

The United States said on Wednesday that it will not be able to deliver Patriot air defense missiles to Switzerland in the expected time frame, because it is giving priority to new supplies to Ukraine.

On June 11, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he hoped that the allies would hand over two or three more Patriots to Ukraine in the near future.

On June 12, the Netherlands decided to transfer to Ukraine a radar station and three launchers for Patriot air defense systems.

On June 13, the German defense minister said that the country will not be able to supply Ukraine with more than the three promised Patriot air defense systems as the state does not have the capacity to transfer a larger number.

quote:

Kongsberg opened its new missile manufacturing plant

^{The plant for the production of NSM and JSM anti-ship missiles. Photo credits: Kongsberg}

The Norwegian company Kongsberg has opened a plant for the production of Joint Strike Missile (JSM) and Naval Strike Missile (NSM).

This was reported on the company’s official website.

The new plant is located in Kongsberg, Norway, where the company will produce JSM and NSM through a large package of export orders.

The new missile factory was officially opened by Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth at a ceremony, together with State Secretary Anne Marie Aanerud of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence and representatives from the NSM and JSM user nations.

SPOILER

quote:

^{Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM) anti-ship missile. Photo credits: Kongsberg}

“The interest in NSM and JSM has grown over the past decade and is now the leading fifth-generation strike missile in 13 countries, including Norway, NATO countries, and other close allies,” Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, shared.

The process of constructing the new plant started in 2021 in response to a steady increase in orders for KONGSBERG’s strike missiles. This is primarily due to the fact that the JSM missile is the main anti-ship missile of F-35 fighters, which is becoming increasingly common worldwide.

In addition, a large number of countries, including the United States, are also purchasing the shipboard version of the NSM, as it is the only modern anti-ship missile capable of fighting surface ships with a displacement of more than 10,000 tons.

“Our new missile production facility directly addresses the strong and long-term demand for our unique technology and the critical need to strengthen collective defense capabilities. When we decided to invest in a new missile production facility, we already saw significant demand from current and new customers,” said Geir H��y, CEO of KONGSBERG.

^{Schematic representation of the JSM. Photo credits: Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace}

The new missile plant lies in the Arsenalet industrial park in Kongsberg, the company’s production and assembly site, which is being expanded to 90,000 sqm.

Militarnyi previously reported that Norwegian anti-ship missile manufacturer Kongsberg received an order from the US Department of Defense.

The contract signed between the parties should ensure the start of production of JSM (Joint Strike Missile) air-launched anti-ship missiles for the US Air Force, which will be used by F-35 fighter jets. The contract, estimated at about 141 million US dollars, will ensure the production and delivery of the first batch of JSM missiles to the United States.

In addition, in early June 2024, the Royal Australian Navy began equipping surface warships with modern NSMs manufactured by Kongsberg.

quote:

Romania says yes, clearing the way for Mark Rutte to head Nato
Outgoing Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte is now set to take over as secretary general of Nato, following the withdrawal of Romania’s candidate Klaus Iohannis.

Iohannis told a press conference on Thursday that he was pulling out of the race, removing the last obstacle to Rutte’s appointment. Nato ambassadors are expected to formally announce the move next week.

There is no formal procedure for naming the secretary general but all 32 members must agree. Earlier this week both Slovakia and Hungary said they had no objections. Rutte had been the US favoured choice for months.

Rutte will be the fourth Dutch leader of Nato, following Dirk Stikker (1961-1964), Joseph Luns (1971-1984) and Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (2004-2009).

Outgoing secretary general Jens Stoltenberg told a meeting in Canada on Wednesday that Rutte is a “great man” who “strongly believes in the transatlantic bond”.

“He’s a friend and colleague, Stoltenberg said. “So Nato will be very good hands, given that Mark Rutte is going to be the next secretary general.”

quote:

5 challenges for NATO’s next chief Mark Rutte
From Trump to Wilders, from a lack of money to a lack of air defense systems, the next NATO secretary-general will have a busy time.

When Mark Rutte moves into his office at NATO, he won't get much of a honeymoon period.

The outgoing Dutch prime minister's campaign to be secretary-general ended on Thursday when he secured the backing of all 32 NATO allies (with Romania, the last holdout, announcing its support). The incumbent, Jens Stoltenberg, is due to step down by Oct. 1.

Rutte, who has been running the EU's fifth-largest economy for 14 years, is widely praised as an effective consensus builder, while also showing resolve in supporting Ukraine, including recent Dutch efforts in training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighters.

But even for a seasoned politician, the next chapter of Rutte's political career won't be a walk in the park. Here are the top five tough topics he'll have to deal with.

SPOILER

quote:

1. The possible return of Donald Trump
Four weeks after Rutte starts his new job, Americans go to the polls and could reelect Donald Trump, a NATO skeptic.

On the campaign trail, Trump has threatened to cut U.S. aid to Ukraine if he gets back into the White House. If he follows through, it could deal a severe blow to NATO allies' credibility in helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia, given that the U.S. has by far been the biggest military aid donor to Kyiv.

Trump's reelection will also almost surely derail NATO's plan to prepare Ukraine for its future membership, including efforts to complete the Westernization of Ukraine's originally Soviet-style military.

NATO countries last year promised that they "will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance when allies agree and conditions are met."

Judging from Trump's recent characterization of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, that commitment looks shaky.

Zelenskyy "may be the greatest salesman of any politician that’s ever lived," Trump told a campaign event last week. “He just left four days ago with $60 billion [after signing a 10-year security agreement with President Joe Biden], and he gets home and he announces that he needs another $60 billion. It never ends.”

2. Putin's winter attack on Ukraine
As soon as Rutte enters office, Ukraine will be calling him for help as winter approaches.

Over recent months, Russia has stepped up strikes against Ukraine's thermal power plants and dams — infrastructure that takes months if not years to fully repair.

The Kremlin playbook is not new. During the first winter of wartime, between 2022 and 2023, Ukraine's power grid was severely attacked.

The key, says outgoing NATO chief Stoltenberg, lies in more air defense systems that could protect energy suppliers, as well as maintenance staff working to repair damaged facilities.

NATO countries are also battling to send — or, in the case of Rutte's own country, build — air defense systems. But Europe doesn't have that many to send, progress in the U.S. was delayed in Congress, and countries close to Russia are less than willing to give up their air shields at this dangerous time.

3. Getting NATO members to pay up
NATO this week celebrated a record-breaking number of allies reaching the 2 percent of GDP target on defense spending — 23. Indeed, the Netherlands just passed that threshold this year after years of falling short.

But this means a third of the alliance is still not hitting the mark, despite making that pledge 10 years ago.

Southern European nations are among the worst offenders.

In Italy, the 2024 estimates see a slight drop from an already low 1.5 percent last year. Spain will only spend 1.28 percent this year. Its neighbor Portugal committed 1.55 percent.

"The poor record from our Mediterranean friends is the perfect weapon for Trump," said a senior diplomat from the Baltic region who was granted anonymity to speak freely about the mood within NATO. The region has been a strong advocate for a tougher approach to Russia.

Closer to Trump's turf, however, things are equally bad. Canada, a member of NATO right from the beginning in 1949, is committing only 1.37 percent of GDP, recording 0.1 percent growth since the start of Russia's war against Ukraine.

4. Eastern flank grievances
Countries bordering Russia are not Rutte's biggest fans.

They were angry about low Dutch defense spending and are particularly upset that the top role at NATO has always gone to a Western or Northern European, even though eastern flank countries have been in the alliance for a quarter of a century.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas didn't enter the NATO top job race after being told she wouldn't get the support of countries such as the U.S., France and Germany (she's now the frontrunner to be the next EU foreign policy chief). They feared her appointment would be seen by Moscow as an escalation in hostilities. Romania's President Klaus Iohannis, who did run for the job, got only Hungary — briefly and only for tactical reasons — to support him.

Eastern flank countries will now likely ask for better representation at the secondary level of NATO: the deputy secretary-general (DSG) position, and the various assistant secretary-general (ASG) posts.

Job distribution has been a sore point for eastern countries for some time. While the outgoing DSG is Romanian, all seven ASGs are from the West — two from the U.S., one each from Germany, the Netherlands, Britain, Italy and France. Another ASG job is vacant.

Indeed, one of Rutte's first tasks as NATO chief would be to name a deputy, and there'll be pressure for him to appoint somebody from an eastern country.

5. Europe's Putin-loving leaders
It's not just Trump whom Rutte will have to convince to keep NATO alive and well.

Across Europe, NATO-skeptic and Putin-loving far-right parties are blossoming.

France, for instance, is on the cusp of a parliamentary election that could see major gains for the far-right National Rally — forcing Stoltenberg to make a rare plea to Paris to "keep NATO strong" in an interview with POLITICO.

Rutte, of course, knows this story all too well. In a way, he started considering the NATO top job when it became clear that his center-right People's Party for Freedom and Democracy would lose the Dutch election to the far-right Party for Freedom of Geert Wilders, which duly happened.

Wilders, asked last year about his view of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, told Russian propaganda outlet RT: "I applaud him as I applaud Mr. Trump for being leaders, who are standing there on behalf of the Russian and the American people."

One thing Rutte doesn't need to fear: His new job won't be boring.

quote:

Red Cross to supply 13 modular boiler houses to Kharkiv Oblast
The International Committee of the Red Cross will hand over 13 modular boiler houses to provide heat supply to residents of the Kharkiv region, reported the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration.

In the spring of 2024, the Russian army attacked Ukrainian energy facilities with missiles and drone strikes. March attacks destroyed the power and heating infrastructure supplying Kharkiv and its region. Currently, local power plants are unable to generate enough electricity to cover all consumer needs.

“13 mobile modular boiler houses will provide heat to about 23,000 residents of the Kharkiv region during the next heating season,” the Regional Military Administration reported.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr St�re announced at the final session of the Peace Summit in Switzerland on Sunday that Norway will also help Kharkiv restore its energy infrastructure.

In addition, Ukraine will receive more than $1 billion for the energy sector from G7+ partners, which includes more than �70 million in new grant contributions to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.

Ukraine will also get $500 million of new financing from the United States to support the energy sector, �300 million of additional financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and at least $47 million as an additional grant from the World Bank and humanitarian aid from EU member states.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 18:55 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
Die wil je niet op je hoofd krijgen.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 19:23 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
En die dingen zijn momenteel in massa productie. Bruut spul die FABs.

quote:

Kim Jong Un gave Putin a portrait on a granite slab that looks like a tombstone (photo: Reuters).

quote:

US signals that it has expanded policy to allow Ukraine to counterstrike into Russia
The US appears to have expanded its agreement with Ukraine to strike over the border inside Russian territory wherever Russian forces are engaging in cross-border attacks into Ukraine, not just in the Kharkiv region as was previously determined.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told PBS News on Monday that the agreement with Ukraine to fire into Russia extends wherever Russian forces are attempting to invade.

“It extends to anywhere that Russian forces are coming across the border from the Russian side to the Ukrainian side to try to take additional Ukrainian territory,” Sullivan said, adding that it’s “not about geography. It’s about common sense.”

Pentagon spokesman Maj. Charlie Dietz said in a statement that the US “has agreed to allow Ukraine to fire US-provided weapons into Russia across where Russian forces are coming to attempt to take Ukrainian territory.”

“If Russia is attacking or about to attack from its territory into Ukraine, it only makes sense to allow Ukraine to hit back against the forces that are hitting it from across the border,” Dietz said.

SPOILER

quote:

The change marks a significant shift in the limited nature of the agreement between the US and Ukraine. President Joe Biden gave Ukraine permission in May to conduct limited strikes inside Russia with US-provided weapons, but restricted it primarily to the border in the Kharkiv region after Russian forces launched a renewed offensive there.

Last week, a senior US Defense Department official left the door open for a change of policy, telling reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels there have been “a number of areas” where the US has given the green light on policies it had previously been reluctant to approve.

“[I]f you look back over the course of the conflict, you can find a number of areas where we were reluctant to do something, and then we did it,” the official said. “So F-16s, ATACMS. DPICMS, whatever it is. So there’s always a constant conversation and reassessment of what the right answer is, and I think that’s healthy. So never say never.”

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also called for allowing Ukraine more flexibility to fire into Russia, saying last week that Ukraine “has the right to strike military targets on Russian territory.”

Stoltenberg was asked specifically about the Ukrainians being allowed to use F-16s to fire into Russian territory or airspace when their training on the jets is complete.

“Russia opened a new front, they opened the front in the north in Kharkiv, where they’re attacking directly from Russian territory just over the border. The border and the front line is more or less the same,” Stoltenberg said. “And of course, if the Russian forces, the artillery, the missile batteries were safe as soon as they were on the Russian side of the border, it would become extremely difficult for Ukrainians to defend themselves.”

“So I’ll not go into every operational aspect of this, but I’ll only say that Ukraine has the right to strike military targets on Russian territory to the right for self-defense, and we have the right to support them in defending themselves,” he said.

The US has said Ukraine is able to use their US-provided air defense systems to shoot Russian planes out of Russian airspace if they are preparing to fire into Ukrainian airspace.

“There’s never been a restriction on the Ukrainians shooting down hostile aircraft, even if those aircraft are not necessarily in Ukrainian airspace,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said this month. “I mean, they can shoot down Russian airplanes that pose an impending threat. And they have. They have since the beginning of the war.”

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 18:11 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Refreshen lost het probleem alleen maar tijdelijk voor mij op. Ik moet nu elke keer nadat ik iets gepost heb, of een post gewijzigd heb refreshen voordat ik weer kan posten, en voordat de wijziging/nieuwe post van mij of anderen te zien zijn.

Geld ook voor het reageren op een post zie ik nu.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 19:23 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
En die dingen zijn momenteel in massa productie. Bruut spul die FABs.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 20:22 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

Vovchansk is About to Fall, Ukraine Prepares Counterattack

"incoming, ja maar Vochansk was nooit belangrijk" ;-). Laten we hopen dat Oekra�ne het kan verdedigen en anders natuurlijk niet teveel troepen verliezen bij een terugtrekking.

Eerder las ik van de hernieuwde/ verbeterde samenwerking met Vietnam. Gaan die straks ook "civiele voertuigen en of civiele producten" leveren die uiteraard militair worden gebruikt. Zoals China doet? hmm

quote:

Een Kampfgruppe was een tijdelijke legereenheid van de Duitse Wehrmacht die zelfstandig kan opereren. Het was een ad-hocgevechtsgroep waarvan de grootte en samenstelling kon vari�ren naargelang de taak en omgeving.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 21:23 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Je kan ook een abonnement nemen, als je de banners zo vervelend vind....

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 20:34 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Zo. Een chocolade reep van ~1,25 EUR met diefstal beveiliging.

[ x ]

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 21:23 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
[ x ]
Hij gebruikt dit filmpje op ongeveer 13 minuten met de bewering dat deze succesvol troepen heeft afgeleverd bij de fabriek die nu omsingeld is.

Dat is gewoon een directe leugen, want je kan zien dat deze geraakt wordt door een drone, en de troepen ervan afspringen en de andere kant op gaan. Tevens is deze geolocated in de buurt van Donetsk.

Het filmpje was al gepost op 20 mei, en hij geeft aan dat deze van 13 juni is.

Het is gewoon onmogelijk dat hij dit over het hoofd heeft gezien. Zijn filmpjes zijn dus zo onbetrouwbaar als ik weet niet wat. En het is dus pure Russische propaganda dat hij aan het spuien is.

En om die Oekrainse gevechtsgroepen die volgens hem zich daar verzameld hebben een naam te geven die gebruikt werd door de nazi's geeft ook wel aan waar hij staat: kampfgruppe wolfstadt (2:18)

https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampfgruppe_(Wehrmacht)
[..]
Tevens haalt hij een aantal dingen compleet uit zijn verband, en gebruikt hij een kort filmpje om zogenaamd te ontkrachtigen dat er zoveel doden zouden zijn (hij telt er iets van 13, terwijl er gesproken werden over een aantal dozijn. Wat wij niet zien is de doden buiten het filmpje om, wat ongetwijfeld een meervoud is)

Ukraine CRUMBLES After Russian Probing Attacks in Kharkiv

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 21:22 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

[..]
Heb je alleen niets aan als je vliegtuigen op zijn.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 21:23 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
[ x ]
Hij gebruikt dit filmpje op ongeveer 13 minuten met de bewering dat deze succesvol troepen heeft afgeleverd bij de fabriek die nu omsingeld is.

Dat is gewoon een directe leugen, want je kan zien dat deze geraakt wordt door een drone, en de troepen ervan afspringen en de andere kant op gaan. Tevens is deze geolocated in de buurt van Donetsk.

Het filmpje was al gepost op 20 mei, en hij geeft aan dat deze van 13 juni is.

Het is gewoon onmogelijk dat hij dit over het hoofd heeft gezien. Zijn filmpjes zijn dus zo onbetrouwbaar als ik weet niet wat. En het is dus pure Russische propaganda dat hij aan het spuien is.

En om die Oekrainse gevechtsgroepen die volgens hem zich daar verzameld hebben een naam te geven die gebruikt werd door de nazi's geeft ook wel aan waar hij staat: kampfgruppe wolfstadt (2:18)

https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampfgruppe_(Wehrmacht)
[..]
Tevens haalt hij een aantal dingen compleet uit zijn verband, en gebruikt hij een kort filmpje om zogenaamd te ontkrachtigen dat er zoveel doden zouden zijn (hij telt er iets van 13, terwijl er gesproken werden over een aantal dozijn. Wat wij niet zien is de doden buiten het filmpje om, wat ongetwijfeld een meervoud is)

quote:

Het is gewoon onmogelijk dat hij dit over het hoofd heeft gezien. Zijn filmpjes zijn dus zo onbetrouwbaar als ik weet niet wat. En het is dus pure Russische propaganda dat hij aan het spuien is.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:03 schreef TLC het volgende:
We zouden het eten van Vietnamese loempia's moeten boycotten

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:21 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

[..]
Interessante (onderbouwde reactie) van jou mbt je bronnen en de geo locaties. Moet ik nog eens naar kijken.

Ik weet dat hij hier zeer onpopulair is dus ik verwachte wel zo'n reactie. Terwijl Denys en die andere van jou doen alsof er elke dag tientallen Russische voertuigen worden opgeblazen (beetje gechargeerd, maar ik zie 'm nooit iets vertellen over Oekra�nse slachtoffers). Doet HistoryLegends wel, die geeft het aan als er Russische tanks zijn vernietigd of als een opmars niet gelukt is. De Russen niks kunnen veroveren etc volgens die 2, laat HistoryLegends echter zien dat de Russen wel degelijk gebieden veroveren. Als we alleen Denys zouden kijken dan had niemand verwacht dat bijvoorbeeld Advika zou vallen om maar wat te noemen (want de Russen deden het toch zo slecht?).

Meeste is gebaseerd op Weebunion etc. Andere filmpjes van hem gaan trouwens ook over hele andere conflicten. O.a Syri�, Isra�l etc. Al zijn filmpjes maar als leugen beschouwen vind ik wat ongefundeerd, ik vraag mij dan ook af hoeveel je hebt gezien.
[..]
Het is net zo zeer propganda als dat jouw 2 "favoriete" bronnen dat zijn. Dat beschouw ik als "feel good bronnen" want ze delen alleen maar Oekra�nse sucessen. Het is nooit kritisch. En dan ook nog eens saai/ montoom gepresenteerd. History stopt er nog wat humor in. Dat hij voor Rusland is (ook al praat over hij over Oekra�ne met respect) is voor mij eigenlijk bijzaak. Tot slot doet hij ook voorspellingen over toekomstige strategische ontwikkelingen. Voer tot nadenken/ speculeren natuurlijk. Heb wel eens een artikel gezien dat hij verwachte dat een stad zou vallen en dat het daarna nog 3-4 maanden duurde voor dat zou gebeuren. Achja lijkt mij ook niet makkelijk te voorspellen.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:37 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Hier is echt alles van ��n kant. Oekra�ne had allang moeten winnen als we dat allemaal mogen geloven.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:37 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Hier is echt alles van ��n kant. Oekra�ne had allang moeten winnen als we dat allemaal mogen geloven.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 21:23 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
[ x ]
Hij gebruikt dit filmpje op ongeveer 13 minuten met de bewering dat deze succesvol troepen heeft afgeleverd bij de fabriek die nu omsingeld is.

Dat is gewoon een directe leugen, want je kan zien dat deze geraakt wordt door een drone, en de troepen ervan afspringen en de andere kant op gaan. Tevens is deze geolocated in de buurt van Donetsk.

Het filmpje was al gepost op 20 mei, en hij geeft aan dat deze van 13 juni is.

Het is gewoon onmogelijk dat hij dit over het hoofd heeft gezien. Zijn filmpjes zijn dus zo onbetrouwbaar als ik weet niet wat. En het is dus pure Russische propaganda dat hij aan het spuien is.

En om die Oekrainse gevechtsgroepen die volgens hem zich daar verzameld hebben een naam te geven die gebruikt werd door de nazi's geeft ook wel aan waar hij staat: kampfgruppe wolfstadt (2:18)

https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampfgruppe_(Wehrmacht)
[..]
Tevens haalt hij een aantal dingen compleet uit zijn verband, en gebruikt hij een kort filmpje om zogenaamd te ontkrachtigen dat er zoveel doden zouden zijn (hij telt er iets van 13, terwijl er gesproken werden over een aantal dozijn. Wat wij niet zien is de doden buiten het filmpje om, wat ongetwijfeld een meervoud is)

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:21 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:
En dan ook nog eens saai/ montoom gepresenteerd.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:59 schreef Cilantro het volgende:
[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 23:15 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Karaoke?

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:21 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

[..]
Interessante (onderbouwde reactie) van jou mbt je bronnen en de geo locaties. Moet ik nog eens naar kijken.

Ik weet dat hij hier zeer onpopulair is dus ik verwachte wel zo'n reactie. Terwijl Denys en die andere van jou doen alsof er elke dag tientallen Russische voertuigen worden opgeblazen (beetje gechargeerd, maar ik zie 'm nooit iets vertellen over Oekra�nse slachtoffers). Doet HistoryLegends wel, die geeft het aan als er Russische tanks zijn vernietigd of als een opmars niet gelukt is. De Russen niks kunnen veroveren etc volgens die 2, laat HistoryLegends echter zien dat de Russen wel degelijk gebieden veroveren. Als we alleen Denys zouden kijken dan had niemand verwacht dat bijvoorbeeld Advika zou vallen om maar wat te noemen (want de Russen deden het toch zo slecht?).

Meeste is gebaseerd op Weebunion etc. Andere filmpjes van hem gaan trouwens ook over hele andere conflicten. O.a Syri�, Isra�l etc.
[..]
Het is net zo zeer propganda als dat jouw 2 "favoriete" bronnen dat zijn. Dat beschouw ik als "feel good bronnen" want ze delen alleen maar Oekra�nse sucessen. Het is nooit kritisch. En dan ook nog eens saai/ montoom gepresenteerd. History stopt er nog wat humor in. Dat hij voor Rusland is (ook al praat over hij over Oekra�ne met respect) is voor mij eigenlijk bijzaak. Tot slot doet hij ook voorspellingen over toekomstige strategische ontwikkelingen. Voer tot nadenken/ speculeren natuurlijk. Heb wel eens een artikel gezien dat hij verwachte dat een stad zou vallen en dat het daarna nog 3-4 maanden duurde voor dat zou gebeuren. Achja lijkt mij ook niet makkelijk te voorspellen.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:21 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

[..]
Terwijl Denys en die andere van jou doen alsof er elke dag tientallen Russische voertuigen worden opgeblazen (beetje gechargeerd, maar ik zie 'm nooit iets vertellen over Oekra�nse slachtoffers).

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:47 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Hij geeft de bron van zijn bewering toch gewoon aan, dit heeft hij van een Oekra�nse bron en staat gewoon op deepstate. Dat filmpje is niet meer dan versiering, het lijkt me ook wel duidelijk dat ze daar niet in Vovchansk rondrijden.

Dit is de bron:
[ x ]

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 23:47 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Nieuwe trend in orcistan.

[ x ]

[ x ]

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 23:47 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Nieuwe trend in orcistan.

[ x ]

[ x ]

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 00:07 schreef Perrin het volgende:

[..]
Allemaal zelfmoorden denk ik.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 23:39 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Dan moet hij geen random filmpjes in zijn video plakken bij dit soort verhalen. Want hij suggereert daarmee wel degelijk dat dit de desbetreffende beelden zijn. Nog een reden waarom hij dus niet betrouwbaar is.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 02:31 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Hij plakt er denk ik een video bij om het interessant te houden, hij zegt ook niet dat het een weergave is van het gerapporteerde. Ik denk dat het een onschuldige fout is aangezien het direct duidelijk is dat de video niet uit Vovchansk komt. De informatie die hij geeft klopt wel natuurlijk.

SPOILER

quote:

More Info:
Another Russian refinery was hit tonight, "Krasnodarekoneft"

The enterprise produces gas gasoline, diesel fuel, distillate of gas condensate, fuel for jet engines of the TS-1 and T-1 brands (the only producer of T-1 fuel in Russia), low-viscosity marine fuel, fuel oil, bitumen.

approximate place of impact - 44.996747,38.962694

quote:

Workers at the Kalashnikov plant were forced to work 12 hours a day due to the failure of a defense order.

Employees of the Kalashnikov plant in Izhevsk were given another 4 hours added to their work shift and forced to work six days a week due to failure to fulfill the state defense order, employees of the enterprise told the Udmurtia Against Corruption telegram channel.

According to them, they now work 12 hours a day and rest only on Sunday. Overtime work also applies to Saturdays. The employees were not given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the resolution that regulates this regime.

“At the same time, the salary was not added. Yes, there was a wage increase on June 2 for the entire plant by 15–20%. But overtime is paid additionally,” noted interlocutors of Udmurtia Against Corruption.

SPOILER

quote:

Back in 2022, the government adopted Resolution No. 1365, which allows workers of the military-industrial complex (DIC), as well as enterprises working with state defense orders, to work overtime during hostilities. According to this decree, employers do not have to ask employees for their consent to work overtime, but must pay double the amount.

The day before, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Anton Alikhanov, threatened to take away military factories from their owners for disrupting defense orders. He emphasized that the work of the defense industry on a nationwide scale “has been transferred to the principles of strict project management.”

At the same time, military factories in Russia do not have enough workers. Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov estimated the personnel shortage at 160 thousand people, despite the fact that in less than a year and a half, enterprises producing weapons for the Russian army have already attracted 520 thousand workers.

Before this, Manturov stated that the Russian defense industry had become “the most powerful in the world” in terms of production volumes of main types of weapons and military equipment. At the same time, wages for employees of military factories have increased in various areas by 30–60% over the past two years, while the overall growth in the manufacturing industry was 20%.

Russian President Vladimir Putin noted in February that at defense factories people work “very hard, in two, and in some places in three shifts.” Despite this, the authorities intend to increase orders of weapons from defense industry enterprises to replenish what was spent during the war in Ukraine and replenish stocks, Putin emphasized.

quote:

NAVO-landen Finland, Noorwegen en Zweden bereiken overeenstemming corridor
Noorwegen, Finland en Zweden zijn het eens geworden over een gemeenschappelijke corridor voor militair transport door de Arctische gebieden in het noorden van hun landen.

De Noorse premier Gahr St�re sprak over een belangrijke stap voor de drie NAVO-staten. Dit zou een snel transport van troepen en materiaal van de havens van Noorwegen via Zweden naar Finland mogelijk moeten maken. In Oslo had Gahr St�re een ontmoeting met zijn Zweedse collega Kristersson en de Finse president Stubb om het pact te bezegelen.

Het Noordpoolgebied is de afgelopen jaren van steeds strategischer belang geworden. Omdat de zeepassages in het hoge noorden tegenwoordig aanzienlijk minder vaak bevroren zijn als gevolg van de klimaatverandering, komen er nieuwe routes vrij voor de scheepvaart.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 05:04 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Ik denk niet dat het een onschuldige fout is, maar ik beaam in dit geval dat de informatie inderdaad klopt. Of in elk geval ondersteund is met een niet Russische bron in dit geval. Dat wil niet zeggen dat dat zo is met de informatie van de rest van het filmpje natuurlijk.

Historian Reacts to The King (2019)

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 06:47 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Ik kijk zijn video's aangaande het Oekra�nse conflict eigenlijk niet, dus verder kan ik daar ook weinig over zeggen.
Zijn oudere video's zoals:

Historian Reacts to The King (2019)

zijn wel prima.

Dit is denk ik de beste bron qua frontlinieoverzichten: https://x.com/suriyakmaps

[ LIVE ] HistoryLegends, SuriyakMaps, WeebUnion, NWE WarReports, THETI Mapping & DPA

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:59 schreef Cilantro het volgende:
[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:42 schreef Wantie het volgende:

[..]
Dat beweert de kant die niet wil dat Oekra�ne wint.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 23:57 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Misschien zelfs wel een seriemoordenaar.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 20:22 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

Vovchansk is About to Fall, Ukraine Prepares Counterattack

"incoming, ja maar Vochansk was nooit belangrijk" ;-). Laten we hopen dat Oekra�ne het kan verdedigen en anders natuurlijk niet teveel troepen verliezen bij een terugtrekking.

Eerder las ik van de hernieuwde/ verbeterde samenwerking met Vietnam. Gaan die straks ook "civiele voertuigen en of civiele producten" leveren die uiteraard militair worden gebruikt. Zoals China doet? hmm

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 08:31 schreef michaelmoore het volgende:

[..]
iedereen wil dat oekraine wint ,maar dat is voor poetin een nogo, ergens zal een compromis gevonden moeten worden , dat kan zijn Rusland de huidige stukjes land te laten behouden en Ukraine bij de NATO trekken

Maar Ploertin die wil ook over en aantal jaar weer verder met oorlog voeren die stopt niet.
Of echte oorlog of de digitale oorlog

Als Poetin dood gaat, wie komt er dan , een van zijn dochters waarschijnlijk, als hij de Kim il Un tactiek gaat volgen

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 09:19 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
De bovenste zin moet de oplossing zijn. Nu sneuvelen er dagelijks te veel mannen in de uitzichtloze loopgravenoorlog.
Ik weet wel, dat Poetin niet wil dat het huidige Oekra�ne bij de NAVO komt, maar dat moet wel het uitgangspunt zijn/worden als de Donbas en de Krim wordt losgelaten.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 21:23 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
[ x ]
Hij gebruikt dit filmpje op ongeveer 13 minuten met de bewering dat deze succesvol troepen heeft afgeleverd bij de fabriek die nu omsingeld is.

Dat is gewoon een directe leugen, want je kan zien dat deze geraakt wordt door een drone, en de troepen ervan afspringen en de andere kant op gaan. Tevens is deze geolocated in de buurt van Donetsk.

Het filmpje was al gepost op 20 mei, en hij geeft aan dat deze van 13 juni is.

Het is gewoon onmogelijk dat hij dit over het hoofd heeft gezien. Zijn filmpjes zijn dus zo onbetrouwbaar als ik weet niet wat. En het is dus pure Russische propaganda dat hij aan het spuien is.

En om die Oekrainse gevechtsgroepen die volgens hem zich daar verzameld hebben een naam te geven die gebruikt werd door de nazi's geeft ook wel aan waar hij staat: kampfgruppe wolfstadt (2:18)

https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampfgruppe_(Wehrmacht)
[..]
Tevens haalt hij een aantal dingen compleet uit zijn verband, en gebruikt hij een kort filmpje om zogenaamd te ontkrachtigen dat er zoveel doden zouden zijn (hij telt er iets van 13, terwijl er gesproken werden over een aantal dozijn. Wat wij niet zien is de doden buiten het filmpje om, wat ongetwijfeld een meervoud is)

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 09:24 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
De eerste die helemaal opraakt schikt gewoon. We gaan zien wie dat gaat zijn.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:37 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Hier is echt alles van ��n kant. Oekra�ne had allang moeten winnen als we dat allemaal mogen geloven.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 23:30 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Het probleem is dat History Legends net doet alsof hij onpartijdig is.

Ik heb geen enkel probleem met Rybar, of Fighterbomber, of Romanov, of RIA, of russische nazi groepen zoals rusich, etc, etc.
Of van de andere kant: ik heb geen probleem met Denys, of Starsky, etc.
Zolang ze maar open zijn over welke kant ze supporten.

Ik heb een bloedhekel aan dit soort "onpartijdige bronnen", het is een stiekeme gluiperd en er is een dikke kans dat hij betaald wordt om de opinie te beinvloeden., En aangezien mensen erin trappen, werkt het ook nog.

Wat dat betreft zouden dit soort figuren een voorbeeld meoten nemen aan hun grote leider putin. Door een verdrag te sluiten met Noord Korea, is het voor iedereen op de planeet duidelijk geworden wie het kwaad is.
En met name voor de russen zelf.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 22:45 schreef zuchtje het volgende:

[..]
Natuurlijk hebben we hier graag over het goede nieuws wat uit Oekra�ne komt.

Die zijn immers aan het vechten tegen onze vijand. Verder is het nieuws wat uit Rusland komt niet te vertrouwen. En pro-Russen, die informatie uit Rusland gebruiken, zijn daardoor ook minder betrouwbaar.

En het is onzin dat er geen kritiek is. Genoeg berichten over ontslagen Oekra�nse officieren omdat ze corrupt lijken te zijn. "Pro-Oekra�ners "die kritiek hebben op Rusland, Duitsland, Polen.

Dat jij daar de conclusie aan knoopt dat Oekra�ne allang had gewonnen is kortzichtig, en wordt niet door de meerderheid hier gedeeld.

Maar je weet ook best dat jij, en nog enkele anderen, graag de andere kant wil laten zien en/of verdedigen. Dus "hier" is niet alles van een kant.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 10:27 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

[..]
En hier zit je verkeerd. En ook een aantal anderen. Ik reageer nu op jou omdat ik anders nog 5 replys moet maken. Veel mensen hier willen dat Rusland uit Oekra�ne wordt getrapt. Dus tot zover zitten we op dezelfde frequencie. En nu wordt het wellicht iets complexer.

Er zijn een aantal (hierna houd ik er weer over op hoor want mijn punt is duidelijk) die van het conflict steeds zoveel mogelijk informatie willen over beide kanten van het conflict. Ik wil niet alleen het goede nieuws. Ik wil het echte nieuws of bij benadering.

quote:

Als ik een documentaire kijk over de 2de wereldoorlog met analyse wil ik niet alleen horen hoe de Duitsers verslagen zijn ik wil onderweg ernaartoe ook wel zien wat de Duitsers hebben veroverd. En dan mag er ook wel worden gezegd dat iets taktisch slecht of goed was (puur militair gezien).

Nu bij Rusland - Oekra�ne, ik wil weten wat er gebeurt. Ik wil niet alleen maar de successen van ��n partij zien.

quote:

Wat je verder aangeeft is wat simpel doen alsof nieuws uit het westen alleen maar goed is en ander nieuws alleen maar onzin. Dat is dus propaganda.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 10:27 schreef LethalNinja het volgende:

[..]
En hier zit je verkeerd. En ook een aantal anderen. Ik reageer nu op jou omdat ik anders nog 5 replys moet maken. Veel mensen hier willen dat Rusland uit Oekra�ne wordt getrapt. Dus tot zover zitten we op dezelfde frequencie. En nu wordt het wellicht iets complexer.

Er zijn een aantal (hierna houd ik er weer over op hoor want mijn punt is duidelijk) die van het conflict steeds zoveel mogelijk informatie willen over beide kanten van het conflict. Ik wil niet alleen het goede nieuws. Ik wil het echte nieuws of bij benadering.

Als ik een documentaire kijk over de 2de wereldoorlog met analyse wil ik niet alleen horen hoe de Duitsers verslagen zijn ik wil onderweg ernaartoe ook wel zien wat de Duitsers hebben veroverd. En dan mag er ook wel worden gezegd dat iets taktisch slecht of goed was (puur militair gezien).

Nu bij Rusland - Oekra�ne, ik wil weten wat er gebeurt. Ik wil niet alleen maar de successen van ��n partij zien. Wat je verder aangeeft is wat simpel doen alsof nieuws uit het westen alleen maar goed is en ander nieuws alleen maar onzin. Dat is dus propaganda.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 juni 2024 16:50 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb de pagina altijd open staan. Dit is de eerste keer dat ik dit probleem heb. En ik zie dat er meer zijn met dit probleem (feedback, bugs en development)

Dit staat sinds gisteren met grote rode letters boven aan mijn pagina.
[..]
Of een nieuwe update van mijn adblocker is de oorzaak, de cookies moeten gewist worden, of Danny heeft wat dingen veranderd om mensen met een actieve adblocker te irriteren.

Ik heb juist de adblocker aangezet voor Fok (iets van 1-2 jaar geleden) omdat de adds op de frontpage heel irritant waren, delen van artikelen blokkeerden, steeds aan het verspringen waren zodat ik meerdere keren per ongeluk op ads klikte, en ook omdat het altijd dezelfde adds zijn die te zien waren. De frontpage was voor mij haast onleesbaar daardoor.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 12:40 schreef michaelmoore het volgende:
Laat rheinmetall dit maar gaan maken ,, klein, snel ,autonomous

US NEW Unmanned Mini TANK Shocked The World!

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 13:39 schreef ipa84 het volgende:
[ x ]
Er blijkt weer wat rond te gaan wat niet waar is bij de pro-Russische twitter accounts. Zeker die Lord Bebo is een bekende in het verspreiden van Fake news.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 07:56 schreef Kukelecucktsju10 het volgende:

[..]
Hier zit een YouTube-kanaal in.

quote:

“The Ukrainians used new tactics. Simultaneous attack by naval kamikaze drones and UAVs.

To fight off naval kamikaze drones, you need to raise helicopters; to fight off hundreds of UAVs, you need air defense to destroy aerial targets. And one thing doesn’t go well with the other.

This tactic was expected. For a year and a half, Ukrainians have been hitting the ground with missiles at the moment when our front-line aviation enters the launch/drop zone. An overload of channels is artificially created with the hope of an error and less efficiency and freedom of action for air defense operations.”

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 17:10 schreef ipa84 het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 17:18 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:

[..]
Wat zingen ze?

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 17:18 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:

[..]
Wat zingen ze?

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 17:18 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:

[..]
Wat zingen ze?

quote:

Ukraine got the go-ahead to hit Russia with F-16s, but doing so could be a waste of a good jet

NATO member Denmark has given Ukraine permission to use the F-16s it receives to hit military targets within Russia.

It is unclear if Ukraine has any intention of using its F-16s in this way, or if doing so would mean the jets themselves enter Russia or just their munitions, but military experts told Business Insider it may not be the best use for them regardless, at least right now.

Denmark's decision is part of a wider and influential shift in NATO oversight of the weapons sent to Ukraine, a loosening of the restrictions on how Ukraine is allowed to fight the war.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, partner nations have prevented Ukraine from hitting military targets within Russia, giving Moscow a safe space to stage attacks and putting Ukraine at a huge disadvantage. Over the course of the war, many attacks have been launched from inside Russian territory. Analysts have described this situation as Ukraine fighting a war with one hand tied behind its back.

But some of Ukraine's international partners have been changing their approach over the past few weeks. And now Denmark is the first country to give the go-ahead for the coming F-16s. Just because it can, though, doesn't mean it should.

A big danger

Ukraine is expected to get its first F-16s this summer. George Barros, a Russian military expert at the US-based Institute for the Study of War think tank, said "it doesn't make a lot of military sense" to use the American-made fighter jets to "strike into Russia at this time."

"Because the deeper you go into Russia and the closer you get to the border, the more dangerous it is for you to fly," and it's more likely that you lose high-end equipment and trained pilots not easily replaced, he said.

Barros said that in the future, particularly with more jets, that would be a great use for them, "but that's not where we are now."

Ukraine's ability to use other weapons to hit Russia is a big boost for Ukraine, but it's not necessarily the best thing for a fairly small fleet of F-16s.

Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and a defense strategy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that he suspects "that the F-16s will stay back from the front lines to avoid the Russian air defense envelope."

F-16s, when armed with anti-radiation missiles like the AGM-88 HARM missiles provided by the US, can be used to target air defenses in suppression and destruction missions, but those can be challenging, high-risk operations.

F-16s are big targets

Tim Robinson, a military aviation specialist at the UK's Royal Aeronautical Society, said the F-16s could be useful for hitting targets that are in Russia but out of range for other weapons. The aircraft has that capability, but striking into Russia is a risky mission, particularly for a fourth-generation aircraft that first flew in 1974.

He suspects that Ukraine, having "finally got them," will want to ensure "they don't lose them straight away."

Ukraine has been fighting hard to get F-16s since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, but the US prohibited other countries operating the jet from sending them to Ukraine until it changed its mind in May 2023.

Peter Layton, a fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute and a former Royal Australian Air Force officer, said that Ukraine will want to keep its aircraft "safe."

Ukraine will have to be more cautious with its F-16s, as it is not getting a lot, experts say.

The exact number of F-16s Ukraine will get to begin with is unclear, but it's not expected to be many. Ukraine has been promised a total of an estimated 85 jets by Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium. And France is sending an unspecified number of its Mirage 2000-5 fighters. This is a boost, but Ukraine can't afford to suffer tremendous losses.

A problem is that Ukraine is expected to receive more F-16s than it has trained pilots. A lack of available training spots in Arizona, Denmark, and Romania means that only around 20 Ukrainian F-16 pilots will be trained this year, Politico reported, thus limiting the number of jets Ukraine can fly into battle.

The number of warplanes aside, there's also a political aspect to Ukraine needing to keep its jets in the air.

Professor Michael Clark, a Russia and Ukraine expert and a British national security advisor, said Ukraine has been managing expectations over how effective the aircraft will be. Ukraine has suggested that the aircraft will be extremely useful against Russia, but there is a risk of backlash over losses or failure to secure a major breakthrough.

He said that while analysts "know that warfare is full of setbacks and things that don't go right first time and so on," a "manifest failure of an F-16 offensive would be politically very damaging for the Ukrainians," especially among some US Republicans and groups that are reluctant to back Ukraine.

As a result, Clark said, the Ukrainians are likely thinking that for its F-16s, "it'd be better to hold them back until they can be more confident rather than throw them in quickly, hoping that they'll be okay, because the chances are they won't."

Cancian said losing F-16s, particularly with so few promised to Ukraine, would be seen as "a big deal."

He said some expectations put on Ukraine's F-16s are unfair. US air strength, for instance, can come from the employment of "hundreds of aircraft with extensive support systems on the ground," the air fleet and ground infrastructure that Ukraine's embattled air forces lack.

Avoiding Russia

The experts said that the jets likely won't go into Russia because of the dangers there. If they do, it would like be rare. Even flying over Russian-occupied territory is dangerous.

Cancian said there may be "one or two deep raids maybe over Crimea just for the symbolic and psychological effect, but as a routine use, no, it's just too dangerous."

Notably, though, Ukraine has been increasingly targeting air defense systems on the occupied peninsula and elsewhere.

ISW suspects "Ukrainian forces may be conducting an organized effort to degrade Russian air defenses, which could enable Ukraine to more effectively leverage manned fixed-wing airpower (namely using F-16 fighter jets) in the long term."

And Ukraine has demonstrated a willingness to make bold plays.

Layton acknowledged Ukraine might attempt something daring, noting that they have conducted some other risky moves that have given them big wins, like taking down Russian aircraft.

"Tactically, they are very smart," he said. "So while I think they wouldn't do it, if they did it, it would be very carefully organized and fairly quick." But in general, he said, going into Russia "makes them far too vulnerable."

"I personally think that the Ukrainians will be foolish to put their aircraft in quite small numbers across the border because I think that the Russians will outnumber them," he said.

Robinson noted Russia has a "massive air defense network" that would target the jets, which lack stealth characteristics like fifth-gen jets. Ukraine has a network like this too, and it's why Russian jets have barely entered Ukrainian-held airspace. But in Russia, Ukrainian aircraft can also expect to battle the Russian Air Force in addition to enemy air defenses.

"The problem is that there's not going to be very many F-16s, and they will be very vulnerable as they fly over Russian territory," Mark Cancian said.

F-16s may hang back

Instead, Cancian said, he expects them to be used mostly defensively — used away from the front, protecting cities and infrastructure from Russia's drones and missiles. The F-16 can play defense well and has been prominent in the post-9/11 Noble Eagle mission defending US and Canadian airspace.

He said F-16s "aren't going to be flying over the front lines, but they don't really need that," as other weapons can hit into Russia and defend the front lines.

Layton agreed the best use for Ukraine's first F-16s would be defensive, staying in Ukrainian territory in an air-defense role to shoot down Russia's drones and cruise missiles.

But he was more bullish on Ukraine hitting targets in Russia, saying that it could do it without flying the aircraft into Russia, as he suspects that Ukraine will likely get the right intelligence to do such a hit without taking too much risk.

A key aspect of what kind of missions the F-16 can fly is what kind of missiles and bombs the jet is carrying. Ukraine does not currently have the full range of capabilities.

Ukraine's pilots could, however, be able to master defensive action the fastest, and it would likely be the most effective thing Ukraine could do without a greater number of aircraft, the experts said. It would also bolster a capability that has been heavily strained by relentless Russian attacks, and that's air defense.

Experts said they don't expect the F-16s to make a massive difference in the war by themselves, particularly without more of them. But they said these fighter jets will be useful for Ukraine by replenishing lost aircraft, deterring Russian jets, and acting as defenses.

"Whenever they arrive," Cancian said, "that's a good time for Ukraine because they will add to Ukraine's military capability."

Robinson said the F-16s will "make Russian pilots there a little bit more kind of wary, a little bit more careful about what they're going up against."

quote:

THEMAVERHAAL: Rusland bleef ook in 2023 de confrontatie met het Westen zoeken

Rusland ziet zichzelf in een existentieel conflict met het Westen.

In 2023 probeerde het land voortdurend westerse landen in een kwaad daglicht te stellen en de onderlinge eenheid te ondermijnen.

Nederland bleek een belangrijk spionage doelwit, onder meer vanwege de steun aan Oekra�ne.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 17:22 schreef Adrie072 het volgende:

[..]
Iets in de trant van je moeder is...... nou ja, je snapt het wel.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 17:34 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:

[..]
Een Russin en daarmee waarschijnlijk automatisch van een bepaalde professie.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 17:26 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Business Insider

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 18:05 schreef polderturk het volgende:

[..]
Zweden gaat een AWACS vliegtuig aan Oekra�ne doneren.

Die gaat Russische vliegtuigen die glidebommen dragen detecteren.

Vervolgens wordt er een F16 gescrambled.

Die schiet vanaf 100 km met een BVR raket het Russische vliegtuig uit de lucht.

Veruit de beste inzet voor F16's.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 18:05 schreef polderturk het volgende:

[..]
Zweden gaat een AWACS vliegtuig aan Oekra�ne doneren.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 17:26 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Business Insider

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 18:54 schreef Nebelwerfer het volgende:

[..]
Uiteindelijk zijn het vooral vervanging dan wel aanvulling voor hun huidige vliegtuigen. Niet per se een nieuw wapen.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 18:35 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Want de Russen hebben geen BVR missiles?

Daarbij, die Russische glide bombs hebben een bereik van 70+ km, als die op het front worden ingezet moet je met je F16 al tot op 30km van het front komen, ruim binnen het bereik van de Russische luverd dus.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 18:05 schreef polderturk het volgende:

[..]
Zweden gaat een AWACS vliegtuig aan Oekra�ne doneren.

Die gaat Russische vliegtuigen die glidebommen dragen detecteren.

Vervolgens wordt er een F16 gescrambled.

Die schiet vanaf 100 km met een BVR raket het Russische vliegtuig uit de lucht.

Veruit de beste inzet voor F16's.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 19:00 schreef polderturk het volgende:
Russische BVR raketten zijn poep.

quote:

En het gaat om Russische bombardements vliegtuigen.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 17:26 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Business Insider

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 07:39 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Suriyakmaps zit ook in de Pro Rusland kamp met Weeb Union en History legends. Al zou het kunnen dat hij gewoon verkeerde vrienden heeft natuurlijk. Maar na wat googlen zie ik dat er een consensus op Wikipedia is dat hij geen betrouwbare bron is (in de tijd van zijn Syri� kaarten in elk geval).

[ LIVE ] HistoryLegends, SuriyakMaps, WeebUnion, NWE WarReports, THETI Mapping & DPA

Het publiek bij deze live show is in elk geval grotendeels pro Russia, wat vaak al veel zegt.

Al ken ik zijn kaarten van de oorlog in Oekra�ne verder niet, dus geen idee hoe hij daar mee om gaat, maar ik zal er later vandaag eens gaan rondkijken.

Ik zal dat filmpje van de koning later vandaag ook bekijken. Ben wel benieuwd of het was is.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 09:06 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
Voor Rusland was de bedoeling dat Vovtsjansk de afleiding zou zijn om meer lucht te krijgen aan het Donbas-Oostfront. Maar daar hebben de Russen de afgelopen zes weken niets noemenswaardig bereikt.
Verovering van dorpjes als Umanske, Nevailove en Novoprokrovke hebben geen nut, omdat vlak daarachter grote stuwmeren zijn, die je toch niet kunt oversteken.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 18:35 schreef AchJa het volgende:
Daarbij, die Russische glide bombs hebben een bereik van 70+ km

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 20:12 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
70?

40-60 kilometers
Russia's glide bombs have a glide range of 40-60 kilometers.[9] Ukraine's air defense systems do not have the capability to intercept glide bombs once they have been launched from Russian fighter-bombers.13 May 2024

Bron.

Voor de rest zie ik heel veel bronnen die ogenschijnlijk maar doen alsof 1 KM een mijl is, en een enkel die zegt 69KM.

Waar haal je 70+ vandaan?

quote:

according to the Ukrainian report. The estimated range of the middle-weight FAB-500 is 55-60km.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 17:21 schreef ipa84 het volgende:

[..]
Ruska Kurwa lalala. Wat betekent iets van Rusland hoer. Kurwa betekent hoer in het pools maar het wordt ook gebruikt als gvd of om iemand uit te schelden. Vroeger nog wel is gegamed met een groep Polen en dan vlogen de Kurwa's ook om je oren als het niet goed ging.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 20:00 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Er is een groot verschil tussen pro-Rusland en pro-Rusland propaganda net als dat er pro-Oekra�nse bronnen en pro-Oekra�nse propaganda is.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 20:21 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Hangt af van het gewicht wellicht?
[..]
https://www.theguardian.c(...)500%20is%2055%2D60km.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 20:00 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Er is een groot verschil tussen pro-Rusland en pro-Rusland propaganda net als dat er pro-Oekra�nse bronnen en pro-Oekra�nse propaganda is.

Weeb Union, Deepstate en Surikaya zitten wat in het midden en zijn qua informatie zelden incorrect. Ze gebruiken ook allemaal dezelfde bronnen en bijvoorbeeld weeb union zit tussen Deep State en Surikaya in en gebruikt beide als bron. Het is ook lastig werk denk ik, honderden filmpjes en hij bijhouden van brigade telegrams, dan ben je denk ik wel een uur of 6 per dag bezig.
Wat ook nog onderscheid maakt is hoe snel men de kaarten aanpast, Deep State ligt meestal 2-3 dagen achter, ISW 3-4 en Weeb 1-2. Surikaya is het snelst en daarom per definitie foutgevoeliger.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 20:51 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Als je niet open bent over welke kant je kiest, doe je sowieso aan propaganda. Zeker in het geval van rusland, met hun vele miljarden aan propaganda budget.

Daarom associeert dat clubje warmappers (Weeb, HL, DPA, Summary, etc) zich ook met figuren als Scott Ritter en Macgregor.

En met name Suriyak claimt een gebied al voor rusland als er een russische dwerghamster gesignaleerd wordt.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 20:59 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
Voor de dagelijkse update vind ik Balkan mapper en HS Mapping het prettigst. Het zijn video's korter dan vijf minuten, maar toch een goede update zonder de onnodige plaatjes met rookpluimen en wapenarsenaal e.d.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 20:12 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
70?

40-60 kilometers
Russia's glide bombs have a glide range of 40-60 kilometers.[9] Ukraine's air defense systems do not have the capability to intercept glide bombs once they have been launched from Russian fighter-bombers.13 May 2024

Bron.

Voor de rest zie ik heel veel bronnen die ogenschijnlijk maar doen alsof 1 KM een mijl is, en een enkel die zegt 69KM.

Waar haal je 70+ vandaan?

quote:

Putin threatens to arm North Korea if the West continues to supply weapons to Ukraine
Vladimir Putin has threatened to arm North Korea if Western countries continue providing military aid to Ukraine, as the Russia president’s new defense pact with Pyongyang sparked a series of diplomatic reverberations in the region.

Putin’s remarks, at the end of a state visit to Vietnam, capped off a week in which Moscow sought to rattle the West and project strength from a part of the world in which his influence still carries weight.

“Those who supply these weapons believe that they are not at war with us. I said, including in Pyongyang, that we then reserve the right to supply weapons to other regions of the world,” Putin told reporters Thursday at the end of his trip to Hanoi, in response to a question on whether the supply of Western long-range weapons could be considered an act of aggression.

“Where they will go next?” he said, suggesting those countries could then sell the weapons to Western adversaries.

The US called Putin’s remarks “incredibly concerning” in a briefing on Friday.

“It would destabilize the Korean Peninsula,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters, and “depending on the type of weapons they provide, might violate UN Security Council resolutions that Russia itself has supported.”

SPOILER

quote:

Russia and North Korea’s signing of a mutual defense pact this week sent ripples out across the region, with South Korea summoning Moscow’s envoy on Friday, and Japan and the United States voicing serious concern.

The defense pact, which comes against the backdrop of Putin’s grinding war against Ukraine, is the most significant agreement signed by Russia and North Korea in decades and is seen as something of a revival of their 1961 Cold War-era mutual defense pledge.

The deal was inked on Wednesday during Putin’s trip to Pyongyang, where he received a lavish welcome from fellow autocrat Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader.

It consolidates the Kim regime’s powerful link with a world power that wields a veto on the UN Security Council and means Russia now has a defense pact with South Korea’s biggest enemy.

South Korea, a US ally, condemned the treaty and summoned Russia’s ambassador on Friday, a rare diplomatic step that illustrates the soured tensions between Seoul and Moscow.

First Vice Minister Kim Hong-kyun relayed the South Korean government’s “stern position” on Kim and Putin’s defense pact, urging Moscow to “immediately halt military cooperation” with Pyongyang and abide by UN Security Council resolutions, the Foreign Ministry said.

Kim told the Russian ambassador that “any cooperation that could directly or indirectly help reinforce the North Korean military power is a violation of the UN Security Council resolution,” adding that Russia, a permanent member of the UNSC, should “act responsibly,” according to the ministry.

An official of the US military, which maintains almost 30,000 troops in South Korea, told CNN the closer Russia-North Korea ties were troubling.

“These developments should concern any country that cares about maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, abiding by UN Security Council resolutions, and supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence against Russia’s brutal invasion,” the military official said.

New threats
Putin flew to Vietnam on Thursday where he renewed threats towards both Western powers and their partners in Asia.

Speaking to Russian journalists at the end of the visit he accused NATO of “creating a threat” for Russia in Asia.

“And we see what’s happening in Asia, right? The bloc system is being cobbled together in Asia. NATO is already moving there as a permanent place of residence. This, of course, creates a threat for all countries in the region, including the Russian Federation. We are obliged to respond to this and will do so,” Putin said.

Putin warned South Korea on Thursday it would be making “a very big mistake” if it decided to supply arms to Ukraine, claiming Seoul has “nothing to worry about” concerning the new strategic partnership signed by Russia and North Korea.

“As far as I know, the Republic of Korea does not plan aggression against the DPRK, which means there is no need to be afraid of our cooperation in this area,” he said.

But at the same time, senior Russian government officials were warning that Moscow planned to send weapons to North Korea.

“I wonder what the people of this country (South Korea) will say when they see the latest Russian weapons from their closest neighbors – our partners from the DPRK?” senior Russian official Dmitry Medvedev said in a post on Telegram.

US and South Korean forces hold regular exercises and training in and around the Korean Peninsula, and the two allies have been working more closely with Japan, including recent exercises involving forces from all three countries.

National Security Director Chang Ho-jin said South Korea would review the issue of arms provision to Ukraine, but he also noted that Seoul was willing to wait for the Russian government’s explanation of the results of the meeting between Putin and Kim Jong Un.

Currently, South Korea’s policy is not to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine.

When later asked about those comments, Putin said: “As for the supply of lethal weapons to the combat zone in Ukraine, this would be a very big mistake. I hope that this will not happen. If this happens, then we will also make appropriate decisions, which are unlikely to please the current leadership of South Korea.”

Reports from earlier in the war say South Korea may have provided 155mm artillery shells to the United States to replace 155mm rounds sent to Ukraine.

A recent report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said South Korea’s stockpile of 105mm howitzer rounds could give Ukraine an important battlefield boost if it were released to Kyiv.

“Public reports suggest South Korea has around 3.4 million 105mm artillery shells,” the CSIS report said.

Ukraine has about 100 105mm artillery pieces, the report said.

“During the Vietnam War, these lighter howitzers proved indispensable in firebases, given their high mobility by road and air. Their light weight and mobility would allow Ukrainian artillery units to relocate quickly after firing, a crucial tactic for survivability on the modern battlefield. These howitzers would also allow Ukrainian battlefield commanders to conduct attacks on rough terrain against high-value targets,” the CSIS report said

Earlier on Thursday, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi also expressed strong concern about the agreement signed by Russia and North Korea.

The fact that Putin “did not rule out military-technical cooperation with North Korea, which could be a direct violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, is a point of serious concern from the perspective of its possible impact on the security environment surrounding our country,” Hayashi said in a press conference.

quote:

Graham, Blumenthal unveil bill declaring Russia a state sponsor of terror
Two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a new defense agreement, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced a bill to declare Russia a state sponsor of terror.

Holding up a photo of Kim and Putin to start off the press conference unveiling the bill, Blumenthal said, “Exhibit A. I rest my case.”

Blumenthal described the photo of Putin and Kim as depicting “two of the most autocratic, atrocity-committing leaders in the world standing together.”

He also said the message sent by the U.S. labeling Russia a state sponsor of terrorism was as important as increased sanctions from the designation.

“This message to the world is as important in a moral sense as any practical consequence. Russia deserves to be in this small selective club of atrocity-committing killers,” the Democrat said.

Graham introduced a Senate resolution during the last Congress to declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism. That resolution passed the Senate, but it was nonbinding, only calling on the secretary of State to make the distinction himself.

The bill introduced Thursday would require the State Department to classify Russia as a state sponsor of terror, which would unlock a new set of sanctions, restrict any U.S.-based foreign aid, and severely curtail immunity for Russia from suits in the U.S.

SPOILER

quote:

If the bill passes, U.S. nationals could sue a state sponsor of terror for offenses like torture, extrajudicial killing and hostage-taking.

If those lawsuits prevail, plaintiffs could get compensation from the sanctioned nation’s seized assets.In the past, a court ordered Iran to pay nearly $9 billion to victims of the bombing of a U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon and North Korea to pay more than $500 million to the family of student Otto Warmbier, who died in North Korean custody.

Under the resolution, Graham and Blumenthal would allow for diplomatic exceptions and the carving out of agriculture and medical trade. The bill also allows for the president to make a determination that Russia is no longer a state sponsor of terror and to quickly remove the designation without congressional approval.

Only four nations are currently U.S.-designated state sponsors of terror: Iran, Cuba, North Korea and Syria.

Ukraine, which has called on the U.S. to declare Russia a state sponsor of terror, is in its third year of defending itself against Russia’s invasion. Russia controls about a fifth of Ukraine, and the U.N., Western nations and Ukraine have all accused Russia of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including mass rape, summary executions, extrajudicial killings and the usage of chemical weapons.

The U.S. and Western allies have placed an increasing cascade of sanctions on Russia since 2014, when the country annexed Crimea, isolating the Russian economy from the West.

“We’re not trying to be provocative by labeling Putin a state sponsor of terrorism,” said Graham. “After the defense agreement between North Korea and Russia, it is time for us to push back. Now is the moment above all other moments. So I would urge the administration, given what Putin has done yesterday, let’s go all in and designate his regime for what it is: a state sponsor of terrorism.”

“Here’s a general rule: Anybody that does a defense agreement with North Korea should be a state sponsor,” he added.

Putin’s visit to North Korea marked the first time a Russian president has visited that country in 24 years. During the meeting, Putin and Kim announced a new partnership, vowing mutual aid and protection.

Blumenthal said that he has talked to the Biden administration about the resolution, saying they were “sympathetic to the goal.”

“We’re going to continue to work with them,” he added. “I think it’s time now for us to move forward. And they understand that we may have differences of approach or opinion, and I think they respect us for what we’re trying to do.”

In a statement to The Hill, a state department spokesperson wrote that designation of Russia as a state sponsor of terror would not be “the most effective nor strongest path forward to hold Russia accountable.

The State Department spokesperson added that the designation would “impact the unprecedented multilateral coordination that has made our sanctions so effective.”

The spokesperson said the designation would make it difficult to quickly reverse course in the case of negotiations and could tie up Russian assets in U.S. courts, preventing them from paying damages for the war.

The EU Parliament declared Russia a state sponsor of terror in 2022.

Graham and Blumenthal also made clear that this resolution was “not a substitute” for continued military aid to Ukraine. The U.S. passed a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine in May.

“This is not a substitute for providing military aid,” Blumenthal said.

quote:

"Oekra�ne mag Belgische wapens gebruiken om doelen in Rusland te raken", vindt afscheidnemend chef Defensie
Oekra�ne mag Belgische wapens gebruiken om legitieme doelen op Russisch grondgebied aan te vallen. Dat vindt Michel Hofman, de afscheidnemende chef Defensie van het Belgische leger, en zegt hij in zijn laatste interview met VRT NWS. Daarmee spreekt hij premier Alexander De Croo (Open VLD) en defensieminister Ludivine Dedonder (PS) tegen. Die willen dat militair materieel uit Belgi� enkel gebruikt wordt op Oekra�ens grondgebied.

Op 4 juli zwaait Michel Hofman af als chef Defensie van het Belgische leger. Sinds 2020 is hij, na de koning, de opperbevelhebber van het leger.

Ongeveer 2 jaar na zijn benoeming viel Rusland Oekra�ne binnen, en werd het Westen uit zijn roes wakkergeschud. Vrede op het Europese continent was niet langer vanzelfsprekend. Ondertussen draait onze defensiemachine opnieuw op volle toeren en maakt Europa zich op voor een mogelijk escalerend conflict met Rusland.

SPOILER

quote:

Pijnpunten bij defensie
"Europa is zich aan het klaarmaken", zegt Hofman. "De inspanningen van het militaire bondgenootschap NAVO en Europa gaan zeker de goede richting uit." Al is er nog veel werk aan de winkel, erkent hij. Zo spendeert Belgi� nog steeds geen 2 procent van zijn BBP aan defensie, terwijl de NAVO dat wel vraagt van de lidstaten.

"Met deze regering is er een enorme investering gebeurd in defensie, maar het verschil tussen ons land en de andere NAVO-landen is alleen maar gegroeid. De andere landen hebben veel sneller geschakeld. Dat is zowel mijn schuld als die van de politiek."

Want hoe langer hoe meer komen enkele pijnpunten bij defensie boven water. De lege munitiedepots, bijvoorbeeld. Eind vorig jaar zei oud-generaal Marc Thys dat het Belgische leger, als er hier een oorlog zou uitbreken, al na enkele uren met stenen moet gooien door dat munitietekort. Ook Hofman erkent dat probleem.

"We weten waar die pijnpunten zijn", zegt hij. "We worden dan ook geconfronteerd met een moeilijk dilemma. Enerzijds willen we de leveringen van munitie en wapensystemen aan Oekra�ne voortzetten, maar anderzijds moeten we ook onze munitiedepots aanvullen. Dat vraagt een enorme inspanning, niet alleen van defensie, maar ook van de defensie-industrie."

Belgische wapens tegen Russische doelen
Ook op andere vlakken worden extra inspanningen geleverd, zoals de manier waarop de militairen getraind worden. "De mindset is duidelijk veranderd. Onze eenheden bereiden zich voor op een oorlog met Rusland, en dat vraagt om een diepgaande verandering van onze processen. Soldaten oefenen niet om Rusland aan te vallen, maar wel om ons grondgebied te verdedigen tegen een mogelijke Russische aanval."

Voor Hofman is het dus duidelijk. De Belgische defensie moet zich volop (blijven) inzetten om ons grondgebied te beschermen tegen Russische agressie. Dat geldt bovendien niet alleen voor ons land, ook Oekra�ne moet zich kunnen verdedigen tegen Rusland. En indien nodig mag het land daarvoor onze wapens inzetten, zelfs om doelen op Russisch grondgebied te raken, klinkt het.

"In zo'n situatie moet je vooral kijken naar de effecten die je wil cre�ren. Ik denk dat ons standpunt momenteel is dat we legitieme doelen (op Russisch grondgebied) momenteel inderdaad zouden kunnen aanvallen. Om de verdediging van Oekra�ne te versterken, kan je zeker de Westerse wapens gebruiken. Ook de Belgische F-16's kunnen indien nodig ontplooid worden ter verdediging en om Russische doelen aan te vallen."

Spanning met Rusland stijgt
Niet alleen de NAVO bereidt zich voor op een mogelijk conflict met Rusland, ook aan Russische zijde worden schijnbaar gelijkaardige inspanningen geleverd. Russische (niet-militaire) schepen proberen onze westerse kritieke infrastructuur, zoals pijpleidingen of kabels die onder zee lopen, in kaart te brengen. Dat doen ze al een tijdje, maar uit onderzoek van De Tijd en het Nederlandse Follow the Money blijkt nu dat dat op veel grotere schaal gebeurt dan aanvankelijk werd gedacht.

"Ons onderzoek legt 945 verdachte acties bloot die zich de voorbije 10 jaar afspeelden in de Noordzee. De vreemde manoeuvres zijn uitgevoerd door 167 Russische civiele vaartuigen, die telkens op minder dan een kilometer rond leidingen en kabels bleven hangen", schrijft De Tijd.

De Belgische defensie is wel degelijk op de hoogte van die verdachte bewegingen, maar het kan daar niet zoveel aan doen, zegt Hofman. "Op dit moment verzamelen we vooral informatie en volgen we die schepen."

"Als er inderdaad een dreiging is, kunnen we ingrijpen. Zolang die schepen echter geen overtreding begaan, kan je daar niet veel aan doen. Vaak varen de boten in internationale wateren en overtreden ze het internationaal recht niet."

Voor Hofman is de oorlog in Oekra�ne dus geen ver-van-ons-bedshow. Integendeel, wat men ook moge beweren, het is wel degelijk "onze" oorlog. "Wat er gebeurt in Oekra�ne treft iedere burger van Europa van dichtbij. Onze vrijheden, onze economische welvaart, onze normen, waarden en standaarden zijn in gevaar."

"En dus is het belangrijk om, ook in vredestijd, in defensie en in verdediging te investeren. Dat zal op lange termijn veel goedkoper uitkomen", raadt Hofman zijn opvolger aan.

quote:

Ukraine's Strategy for the Second Peace Summit Avoids Direct Contact with Russia
Ukraine is not seeking direct contact with Russia at the second Summit on Peace for Ukraine, but it is possible to use the experience of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, announced this on the air of the United News national telethon, commenting on the journalist's question about the format of the second Peace Summit and potential representatives of the Russian Federation at this event.

"We have a very successful experience of negotiations regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative. At that time Ukraine held talks with T�rkiye and the UN, then T�rkiye and the UN held talks with Russia. The agreement looked like a document signed between T�rkiye, the UN, and Ukraine, as well as T�rkiye, the UN, and Russia," Kuleba said.

Kuleba noted that the Ukrainian side does not aspire to direct contact with Russia given all of its committed crimes and Russia’s strategic goal to destroy the Ukrainian state.

The Minister added that Kyiv is determined to hold the next Summit on Peace for Ukraine in one of the countries of the Global South.

"We are not only considering Saudi Arabia. We are really determined that the second Summit will be held in one of the countries of the so-called Global South. There are several players who are interested in holding it," said Kuleba.

He mentioned that the period between the first and second summits will be utilized for hosting thematic events in various countries worldwide, focusing on each aspect of the Peace Formula, aimed at solidifying "the strongest possible negotiating position."

quote:

Paratroopers of the 46th Brigade repulsed the Russian assault on the Mariinka direction

^{The moment a Russian tank was hit by an FPV drone. Photo credits: 46th Airmobile Brigade}
Paratroopers of the 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade repulsed a hostile assault attempt on the Mariinka direction.

A video with the destruction of enemy equipment that took part in the assault was published by volunteer Serhii Sternenko.

During the assault operations, the enemy allocated a relatively large amount of armored equipment that was supposed to deliver enemy infantry to the positions of the Ukrainian defenders.

Tanks took part in the assault, which were supposed to cover the enemy infantry and support it with fire. In addition, some tanks were equipped with a boiler mine trawl to more effectively overcome minefields.

SPOILER

quote:

Знищення ворожої техніки десантниками 46 ОАеМБр

Infantry fighting vehicles, namely BMP-2 and BMP-3, also took part in the assault. Large protective structures were installed on tanks and IFVs, which, according to the Russians, were supposed to protect them from discharges from drones and FPV-drones.

Thanks to the high skills of drone operators from ‘Zliuki Bobry’ strike and reconnaissance drones unit managed to detect the enemy column in a timely manner and destroy a large amount of equipment.

The repulse of the assault took place in the Mariinka direction of the Donetsk region, where the soldiers of the 46th Brigade inflicted heavy losses on the enemy.

The Brigade has been maintaining its defense in this direction for a long time, and the enemy does not abandon attempts to carry out organized assault actions to capture Ukrainian positions.

^{Russian equipment during an assault attempt. Photo credits: 46th Airmobile Brigade}

As previously reported, in early June 2024, paratroopers of the 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade repulsed the largest enemy assault for the entire period of their stay in the Mariinka direction.

It is reported that the Russians conducted an assault on June 13. They attracted 28 pieces of equipment to it.

The brigade’s aerial scouts detected the enemy’s movements in time, and its forward forces began to suffer losses in minefields on the approaches to the Ukrainian positions.

Almost simultaneously, the soldiers of the brigade launched a combined attack on the forces of the invaders with the help of artillery, anti-tank missile systems and drones.

quote:

Russian aerostat flew over Poland for almost 5 hours

^{Aerostat. The photo is illustrative}

An aerostat flying into Polish airspace from Russian territory left it almost five hours later.

This was told in the Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Poland.

According to the Polish side, on June 20, the aerostat crossed the country’s border north of Kętrzyn at about 15:30 local time.

According to preliminary data, the Russians lost control of one of the aerostats in the Kaliningrad region, the Polish Armed Forces said.

SPOILER

quote:

At the same time, the Polish military did not indicate the size of the bullet and its purpose. However, they stressed that it had been moving eastward, and its route had continuously been monitored by radar stations.

The Russian aerostat left Polish airspace at about 20:00 (21:00 Kyiv).

“Given the possible negative consequences associated with the attempt to destroy [the bullet] in Polish airspace, the operational command made a conscious decision not to use weapons against the object,” the reports said.

They also stressed that the facility had not posed a threat to Poland’s national security.

In May, it became known that Russia deployed stationary aerostat in Karelia with special equipment for monitoring abroad with Finland.

The facility was identified as an AKV-05 aerostat designed to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance within a radius of 10 kilometers.

^{Russian AKV-05 aerostat with an optical sensors on the border with Finland, 2024. Photo credits: “Russia 1” TV channel}

Russian media said that these aerostats were used by the border service of the FSB of the Russian Federation, in particular to prevent illegal immigration.

According to the published information, the Russian reconnaissance complex includes a aerostat, a control car and a special gas filling station on an automobile chassis.

quote:

Even Sneaking Through Water Pipes Isn’t Helping Russian Troops Capture Chasiv Yar
After 10 weeks, the Russian assault on the town has ground to a halt.

^{A Ukrainian drone observes wrecked and abandoned Russian vehicles outside Chasiv Yar.UKRAINIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY CAPTURE}

On April 4, Russian regiments attacked Chasiv Yar, a Ukrainian stronghold just west of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Their goal: to capture or flatten the town and squeeze the main supply lines connecting Ukrainian brigades up and down the eastern front of Russia’s wider war on Ukraine.

Capturing the nearly lifeless town, once home to 12,000 people, shouldn’t have been terribly difficult for the numerically superior—and more heavily armed—Russian army in Ukraine. But 10 weeks later, the Russian attack has ground to a bloody halt with the Russians having captured maybe a few dozen outlying structures out of several thousand in Chasiv Yar.

Worse for the Russians, a Ukrainian counterattack south of Chasiv Yar in recent days has pushed occupying forces out of the village of Klishchiivka, one of the southern anchors of a pincer Russian forces are trying to form in order to surround Chasiv Yar.

SPOILER

quote:

The Ukrainian defense of Chasiv Yar, led by the army’s 41st and 67th Mechanized Brigades, 56th Motorized Brigade and 5th Assault Brigade, as well as the 241st Territorial Defense Brigade, has defied expectations. As recently as late May, Ukrainian analysis group Frontelligence Insight predicted Chasiv Yar “will eventually be lost to Russian forces.”

While that could still happen, the trends aren’t looking good for the Russians around Chasiv Yar. Their timing was off.

In early April, Ukrainian brigades were desperately short of ammunition—mostly due to Russia-friendly Republicans in the U.S. Congress blocking further aid to Ukraine starting in October. "Our artillery was silent," a 5th Assault Brigade trooper named Dmytro told Kyiv Independent.

At the same time, the 67th Mechanized Brigade, then defending Chasiv Yar’s most vulnerable district—its canal district on the exposed eastern side of the Donbas Canal—was melting down. Investigators from the defense ministry in Kyiv had identified deep dysfunction in the brigade’s command staff, leading the ministry to dismantle the brigade and then rebuild it—a process that took weeks.

Two months ago, the Ukrainian garrison in Chasiv Yar was weak. Its air defenses were so low on missiles that Russian air force Sukhoi Su-25 attack jets could fly within just a few miles of the town to lob their rockets—something that would have been virtually suicidal for their pilots just a few months earlier. Russian first-person-view drones were thick in the sky.

In the first few weeks of fighting in April, the Russian 1st Army Corps and adjacent units advanced a few miles north and south of Chasiv Yar, ultimately occupying Klishchiivka and Ivanivske. To capture the latter village, the Russians swarmed a Ukrainian company with FPV drones and killed or wounded 80 percent of its 70 soldiers.

But then everything changed. In late April, the Russia-friendly Republicans relented and, on April 24, U.S. Pres. Joe Biden signed into a law $61 billion in fresh aid to Ukraine. Within days, huge consignments of American munitions were on their way to Ukraine.

Soon, the Russians compounded their error. Instead of reinforcing their forces in the east, they launched a possibly symbolic offensive in northern Ukraine on May 10. That’s Victory Day in Russia, the day Russians celebrate the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

Russia’s northern grouping of forces ran headlong into a clutch of Ukrainian mechanized brigades. The northern battleground has since become a deathtrap for Russian infantry.

The fighting in and around Chasiv Yar raged on. But for the first time in weeks, neither side had a major firepower advantage. And the Ukrainians had the natural advantage all defending armies have over attacking armies. They could dig in and wait on Chasiv Yar’s high ground, while the Russians had to leave the relative safety of their own trenches and bunkers and cross low-lying open ground.

The forest around the canal district offers some cover from the ever-present Ukrainian drones. But crossing the canal itself means leaving the forest and dashing across one of the two land bridges spanning the canal.

It’s here at these land bridges that Ukrainian drones and artillery are massacring the attacking Russians. When some Russians sought shelter in lengths of wide water pipes, Ukrainian drones dropped grenades through holes in the pipes.

One June 3 attack was typical. A Russian MT-LB armored tractor managed to speed across the canal north of Chasiv Yar and drop off a squad of infantry. But it was all for nothing. As a Ukrainian surveillance drone watched, Ukrainian FPV drones sliced into the infantry.

The MT-LB abruptly sped away—to the east, deeper into Ukrainian territory, where its chance of survival was virtually nil. “Perhaps the crew got turned around,” speculated John Hardie, an analyst with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington, D.C.

Even if the Russians manage to regroup, capturing Chasiv Yar after suffering potentially thousands of casualties could represent a Pyrrhic victory—that is, a self-defeating win. “The battlefield dynamics show that the assault is already taking a high toll on Russian forces,” Frontelligence Insight noted in May.

This is “resulting in the loss of dozens of vehicles as well as airborne troops,” the group added, “which would be required for Russia to advance further once they capture the town.”

quote:

[Exclusive] North Korea, which signed an ‘automatic military aid’ agreement with Russia, will send engineer troops to Donetsk as early as next month
[Anchor]
I wondered why this was happening since North Korea and Russia signed an unprecedented military aid treaty, but our government has already detected specific movements between the two countries. According to TV Chosun's exclusive coverage, North Korea's active-duty soldiers are expected to be deployed next month to the Donetsk-occupied area, the biggest battleground in the Ukraine war. The North Korean military, which is part of the Engineer Corps, is said to be planning to support the reconstruction project, but since it is a main unit that operates with rank insignia rather than ordinary construction workers, the impact is expected to be significant. Moreover, they are supposed to receive high wages, which means they are earning a lot of foreign currency from North Korea's perspective.

Today, News 9 begins with an exclusive report by reporter Chae-rim Lee.

SPOILER

quote:

[Report]
In September 2022, seven months after the invasion of Ukraine, Russia declared that it had annexed four regions, including the border Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast.

It is a strategically important location connected to the Krum Peninsula, and has been repeatedly occupied by Russia and recaptured by Ukraine for two years, making it a battleground where it is difficult to find a healthy building in the city center.

A government official said, “North Korea is expected to dispatch a large engineering force to Donetsk as early as next month,” adding, “The purpose is to rebuild the city destroyed by battle.”

North Korea has dispatched active-duty soldiers from the 'Engineer Corps' to various overseas regions, including the Middle East. Although they are disguised as working for companies such as 'Namgang Construction', they are thoroughly controlled by the military system.

Ryu Hyun-woo / Former Acting North Korean Ambassador to Kuwait
"All the soldiers belonging to Namgang Construction Company had their own ranks. For example, the president of Namgang Construction Company in Kuwait was a colonel."

This is interpreted to mean that North Korea's 'dispatch of troops' to Russia, which is at war, is imminent after President Putin and Kim Jong-un signed a treaty that is virtually 'automatic military intervention'.

Han-Beom Cho / Senior Research Fellow, Korea Institute for National Unification
"(Russia) is facing a worsening labor shortage due to deaths in combat, conscription, and those who evaded conscription. An institutional foundation has been created between the two countries for various cooperation, including military cooperation."

A government official said, “Soldiers of the engineer units dispatched will earn an income of about $800 per month,” and “From North Korea’s perspective, it is also a means of earning foreign currency.”

quote:

Aftermath of strikes on oil depot in Russia's Adygea on June 20 – satellite photos
The tanks with fuel were not damaged, as seen in the images

Journalists from the Russian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty have published satellite images from the Republic of Adygea, where on June 20, Ukrainian Security Service drones struck an enemy oil depot.

"The photos show that at least one building was destroyed, and a nearby hangar was damaged. The fuel tanks themselves were not affected," the journalists wrote.

Наслідки ударів по нафтобазі в Адигеї 20 червня

On the morning of June 20, Russia reported a drone attack that hit the Lukoil oil depot in the village of Enem in the Republic of Adygea. Later, a source from law enforcement told LIGA.net that the SBU drones struck the fuel and lubricants storage facility of Tambovnefteprodukt JSC and the Enemskaya oil depot of Lukoil.

See also: Shahed launch site, three oil refineries attacked at night by Ukraine's SBU and Armed Forces drones

quote:

Germany arrests 3 men for spying on Ukrainian target
A Russian, an Armenian and a Ukrainian are accused of shadowing a person from Ukraine.

Three men were arrested in Frankfurt on suspicion of espionage, the German authorities said Friday.

The three suspects — a Russian, Arman S.; an Armenian, Vardges I.; and a Ukrainian, Robert A. — travelled to Germany to gather information for a foreign intelligence service, according to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.

The trio, who were arrested on Wednesday, are accused of surveilling a person from Ukraine and staking out a caf� in Frankfurt where their target was meant to be. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office did not reveal which country’s intelligence service the men were allegedly working for.

European governments and spy-catchers have grown increasingly concerned about an uptick of espionage in the bloc since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. From France to Bulgaria, Russian snoops, often working under diplomatic cover, have been expelled en masse.

Last week, the foreign ministers of eight EU countries wrote to the bloc’s top diplomat asking that Russian diplomats and their families be restricted from moving freely in a bid to “significantly narrow operational space for Russian agents.”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also pledged to crack down on Russian spies, including imposing “tighter restrictions on Russian intelligence personnel across the alliance.”

The arrests in Frankfurt come days after Estonia sentenced a Russian university professor to six years imprisonment for spying for the Kremlin.

quote:

Sweden reports Russian radio interference against Astra satellites
The Russian jamming signals, which began after Sweden joined NATO, are to be discussed at an ITU meeting next week.

The Swedish state supervisory authority for postal and telecommunications services (Post- och telestyrelsen) has officially complained to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva about disruptions to northern European satellite communications. This is reported by the US news website Bloomberg , citing a private letter from the Swedes to the ITU. According to the report, the Swedish authority contacted the ITU on June 4, after having already confronted the Russian government with the allegations on March 21. According to the Swedes, the disruptions began a few days after the country joined the NATO defense alliance on March 7. As a UN body, the ITU monitors the allocation of radio frequencies worldwide, both terrestrial and for satellite communications.

The radio interference affects the network of television satellites of the Luxembourg company SES, which is represented in Scandinavia by its subsidiary SES Sirius. Specifically, it appears to be the two satellites Astra 4A and SES-5, which are also often referred to as Sirius 4 and 5 and provide all of Central Europe with satellite television at the 5� East position. The exact nature and origin of the interference is not known at this time, but it appears that only northern Europe is affected. According to Bloomberg, the Swedes have asked for the interference to be put on the agenda of an ITU meeting that begins next Monday. This is likely to be an upcoming meeting of the ITU's Radio Regulations Board in Geneva , which is responsible for reports of radio interference. France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg have apparently also lodged complaints; a Kremlin spokesman has meanwhile told Bloomberg that they knew nothing about the problems.

SPOILER

quote:

The radio war extends into space
Since the Russian invasion of western Ukraine in spring 2022, a radio war has been raging in Eastern Europe. Not only are military frequencies on Ukrainian soil being disrupted, amateur radio operators are also jamming various frequencies inside and outside the conflict zone, such as the frequency of the well-known Russian military radio system UVB-76 (also known as "The Buzzer"). Propaganda messages are often spread, especially on shortwave. Insults and verbal battles between Russians and Ukrainians also occur again and again. This has been happening regularly, especially on the 40-meter band, since Russia's annexation of Crimea. The American Association of Amateur Radio Operators (ARRL) reported on this in 2020 .

Recently, satellite communications also seem to be affected more and more often. Disruptions to navigation satellites - especially the US GPS system and the Russian GLONASS satellite, but also the European Galileo and Chinese Beidou satellite radio - have been increasing since the beginning of the year . Amateur radio operators refer to this phenomenon as the "Baltic Jammer". The Finnish airline Finnair recently had to suspend flights between Helsinki in Finland and Tartu in Estonia for weeks because of this . The German Amateur Radio Association (DARC) also reports GPS disruptions in the Baltic region . In return, amateur radio operators are repeatedly observing how the frequencies of the Russian military's Meridian communications satellites are also being disrupted.

quote:

Nigel Farage claims Russia was provoked into Ukraine war
Farage, who has long been accused of being a Putin apologist, tells BBC Moscow was given excuse by EU and Nato eastern expansion

Nigel Farage claims Russia was provoked into Ukraine war

Nigel Farage has said the EU and Nato “provoked” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by expanding eastwards, as the Reform UK leader was challenged over a series of policies and beliefs in a sometimes combative TV interview.

Speaking to BBC’s Panorama on Friday evening, Farage also said Brexit would have benefited the UK economically if he had been running the country, and that many of the Reform candidates criticised for saying offensive things had been “stitched up in the most extraordinary way”.

Challenged on his beliefs over the invasion of Ukraine, and his stated admiration for Vladimir Putin, Farage said he disliked the Russian president personally but “admired him as a political operator” because of the extent of his control over Russia.

On why Putin invaded Ukraine, Farage said: “I stood up in the European parliament in 2014 and I said: ‘There will be a war in Ukraine.’ Why did I say that? It was obvious to me that the ever-eastward expansion of Nato and the European Union was giving this man a reason … to say: ‘They’re coming for us again,’ and to go to war.”

He added: “We provoked this war. Of course it’s his fault, he’s used what we’ve done as an excuse.”

SPOILER

quote:

The Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats have long accused Farage of being an apologist for the Russian president.

James Cleverly, the home secretary, criticised Farage’s comments, saying he was “echoing Putin’s vile justification for the brutal invasion of Ukraine”, while the former defence secretary Ben Wallace said the Reform leader was voicing “sympathy” to someone who “deployed nerve agents on the streets of Britain”.

John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, called the comments “disgraceful”, adding that Farage has “shown that he would rather lick Vladimir Putin’s boot than stand up for the people of Ukraine. That makes him unfit for any political office in our country, let alone leading a serious party in parliament.”

Earlier this year Rishi Sunak said it was “clearly ridiculous” to blame the west for the war.

Elsewhere in the interview, one of a series hosted by Nick Robinson with party leaders, Farage accepted that a claim he made saying the UK had moved from being the “world’s seventh-biggest exporter to the world’s fourth-biggest exporter” after Brexit referred only to services.

Asked why exports in goods had not similarly benefited, Farage blamed net zero policies, saying they had “de-industrialised Britain”. On the economic effects of Brexit, he said: “If you put me in charge it’d be very, very different, but of course they didn’t do that did they?”

Challenged over his support at the time for Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-budget, Farage praised it for having “a lot of things here that were pro-growth and pro-business”, while saying it was undermined by not including matched cuts in spending.

Asking about Reform’s own fiscal plans, set out this week in the party’s manifesto, Robinson seemed unconvinced by Farage’s explanations as to how the party would cut public spending enough to make mass tax cuts.

“Well, number one, we will get people off the unemployment register into work,” Farage said. Robinson replied: “That’s not going to raise you �140bn a year. You were on I’m a Celebrity – you should have been on Fantasy Island.”

Discussing migration, Farage repeatedly said that people arriving in the UK could bring their mothers with them, which is not the case. On net zero, asked if he still believed King Charles was “an eco-loony”, Farage replied: “He wasn’t the king then, and I can’t speak ill of the monarch obviously.”

Robinson also questioned Farage about comments from a series of Reform’s election candidates, including one who said the UK should have taken Adolf Hitler’s “offer of neutrality” instead of fighting the Nazis.

Reform has since blamed a vetting company it employed for failing to check what candidates had said. But Farage appeared to play down the seriousness of many of the comments, saying: “We’ve also had an awful lot of candidates being stitched up in the most extraordinary way with quotes being taken out of context.”

Robinson replied: “So, you can’t run vetting but you could find �140bn in public spending savings?”

Asked if Reform attracted such people because of his own views, Farage called this “cobblers, absolute cobblers”, quoting Martin Luther King and saying he believed in meritocracy.

Asked why he once praised Enoch Powell and criticised Rishi Sunak by saying he “doesn’t understand our culture”, Farage said this simply referred to the prime minister being “too upper-class”.

quote:

Netherlands teams up with another country to supply Ukraine with Patriot missile system
The Netherlands and another country are going to supply Ukraine with a Patriot system. Outgoing Defense minister Kajsa Ollongren announced on Friday that they succeeded in collecting parts that can then form a complete system.

She would not reveal the other country helping supply the system. She thinks the country involved should announce that. She had been working on accomplishing this for some time.

Patriot systems are important weapons that can shoot enemy rockets out of the sky. Ollongren stated that air defense is crucial to Ukraine, which has been able to resist many Russian attacks in this way.

She thinks it is "very good news" that Romania announced they would supply a Patriot system this week. The minister also added that the United States is also working on helping the Ukrainian war effort more. Last week, at talks in Brussels, another inventory was drawn up to help Ukraine with its air defense systems. The minister said, "All the pieces of the puzzle" were on the table.

In the past, the Netherlands has provided essential components for the Patriot system, like rockets and launchers. Ukraine has said that they need another seven Patriot systems. Germany has also pledged to supply more systems.

This does not bring the number of Patriot systems to seven, but Ollongren thinks every extension is welcome "because the Russians are continuing and even intensifying the air strikes." She would not share when the Patriot system is going to Ukraine because she did not want to give the Russian military any information.

quote:

Russia May Be Behind Attack on Diehl Arms Plant in Berlin Last Month – Bild
“Concrete evidence” of Russia's involvement in the fire at the plant was passed on to Berlin by a foreign intelligence service.

Russian agents may have been involved in the fire at the Diehl Metall in Berlin in early May, Bild reports.

Evidence of Russian involvement in the fire was passed on to the German Cabinet of Ministers by a foreign intelligence service, Bild reports.

Seven weeks after the fire, Diehl's management stated that the cause of the fire was a technical malfunction.

The plant is part of the German concern Diehl Defense, which produces, among other things, Iris-T air defense systems for Ukraine. However, Diehl's Berlin division was exclusively engaged in metal processing, for example, for cars, and not in weapons production.

Berlin is currently studying the intelligence. But as Bild writes, it is still unclear why the metallurgical rather than the military Diehl plant was chosen.

The plant in southwestern Berlin caught fire on May 3, and the entire western part of the capital was then enveloped in toxic smoke. Rescue services reported that four floors of the building had completely burned down, and part of the building had collapsed.

SPOILER

quote:

In 2022, the company, with the assistance of the German government, transferred its IRIS-T to Ukraine for the first time.

There have been a string of fires at arms and ammunition factories this year.

An explosion took place at the Mesko arms plant in Poland that produces the kinds of weapons and munitions in use with the Ukrainian military on Monday, June 10, with casualties reported.

In April, Kyiv Post reported an explosion at a BAE Systems weapons manufacturing site in South Wales.

The day before the BAE Systems fire, firefighters responded to a fire at the ammunition manufacturer General Dynamics, in Scranton Pennsylvania due to a fire that reportedly had started along the production line of the aging US factory.

In November 2023, the owner of Bulgarian arms manufacturer Emco accused Moscow of staging multiple explosions at his facilities over the years.

A recent investigative report by The Insider established that a couple in Czechia, employed by Russian intelligence, was involved in coordinating the ammunition depot explosions in 2014 in Czechia among other high-profile espionage cases.

quote:

Biden's words about Ukraine joining NATO provoked Putin into war, says Trump
US presidential candidate Donald Trump accused Biden of allegedly provoking the war with his statements about Ukraine joining NATO

President Joe Biden's rhetoric about Ukraine's possible accession to NATO allegedly provoked Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump said during a conversation on the All-In Podcast channel.

"For 20 years, I heard that if Ukraine goes into NATO, it's a real problem for Russia. I’ve heard that for a long time. And I think that's really why this war started. ... Biden was saying all of the wrong things. And one of the wrong things he was saying, 'No, Ukraine will go into NATO,'" Trump said.

The former US president believes that the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022 was allegedly triggered by Ukraine's aspiration to join the North Atlantic Alliance.

"When I listened to him speak I said, 'This guy is going to start a war," Trump added.

Trump reiterated that if he were the US president, the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine allegedly would not have started.

"But if you look at the rhetoric from Biden, he was saying the opposite of what in my opinion you had to say. The things he was saying, and he's still saying it, he's saying things that are so crazy," added the US presidential candidate.

SPOILER

• 2 cars;
• reference point;
• block post;
• PMM composition;
• excavator;
• customs warehouse;
• car checkpoint;
• storage.

quote:

Mediazona confirms identities of over 56,800 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine
Through open-source research, Mediazona, a Russian independent media outlet, together with BBC Russia, confirmed the names of 56,858 Russian soldiers who had been killed since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Since Mediazona's last update at the end of May, the names of 2,677 Russian soldiers have been added to the list of casualties.

The journalists note that the actual figures are likely significantly higher, as their verified information comes from public sources such as obituaries, posts by relatives, regional media reports, and statements from local authorities.

Since Russia began its all-out war against Ukraine, over 3,600 officers, with 424 holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or higher have been killed in combat in Ukraine.

To date, Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov, Russia's deputy commander of the Southern Military District, is the highest-ranking Russian military official to have been killed during the war.

The analysts note that at least 11,463 Russian inmates have been killed on Ukraine's eastern front.

On May 25, the total number of Russian losses surpassed 500,000 military personnel according to Ukrainian estimates. The numbers are seemingly in line with the estimates of the U.K. and France, which said earlier in May that the overall Russian losses are set to be around 500,000, including 150,000 deaths.

As of June 21, 2024, the Ukrainian military estimates Russian combat losses at 531,980 troops.

On Feb. 24, in a joint study with independent Russian media outlet Meduza, Mediazona reported that at least 83,000 Russian soldiers had been killed in Russia's war. President Volodymyr Zelensky also claimed in February that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have also been killed.

Both estimates have likely grown significantly higher as Russia launched its spring offensive in Kharkiv Oblast.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 02:42 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.heise.de/news(...)elliten-9773494.html
[..]

SPOILER

[..]

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 09:01 schreef ach het volgende:
We moeten tegenwoordig al door 2 pagina's aan artikel dumps scrollen zo te zien

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 06:14 schreef stavromulabeta het volgende:

[..]
Waarom post je een Engelse google-translate vertaling van een Duits artikel op een Nederlands forum? Post dan of het origineel of gelijk naar het Nederlands.

quote:

Op vrijdag 21 juni 2024 18:56 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Maar wel beter dan hetgeen ze vervangen.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:07 schreef Nebelwerfer het volgende:

[..]
Zeker, maar de meeste taken zullen met de huidige vliegtuigen ook prima te doen zijn. Uiteindelijk zal Oekra�ne meer gebaad zijn bij kwantiteit dan kwaliteit.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 03:04 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/34662
[..]

SPOILER

[..]

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:13 schreef Chadi het volgende:
Mensen die uit Oekra�ne gevlucht zijn, hebben een totaal ander verhaal. Ook begrijpen ze niet waarom hun regering niet aan tafel gaat zitten en laten steeds vaker geluiden horen dat ze de VS ervan verdenken de oorlog in stand te houden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:13 schreef Chadi het volgende:
Mensen die uit Oekra�ne gevlucht zijn, hebben een totaal ander verhaal. Ook begrijpen ze niet waarom hun regering niet aan tafel gaat zitten en laten steeds vaker geluiden horen dat ze de VS ervan verdenken de oorlog in stand te houden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:13 schreef Chadi het volgende:
Mensen die uit Oekra�ne gevlucht zijn, hebben een totaal ander verhaal.
...

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:13 schreef Chadi het volgende:
Mensen die uit Oekra�ne gevlucht zijn, hebben een totaal ander verhaal. Ook begrijpen ze niet waarom hun regering niet aan tafel gaat zitten en laten steeds vaker geluiden horen dat ze de VS ervan verdenken de oorlog in stand te houden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:55 schreef AgLarrr het volgende:

[..]
Je bedoelt mensen die door Rusland uit Oekra�ne ontvoerd zijn denk ik? Want verder zie, hoor, lees of spreek ik die mensen he-le-maal nergens.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:13 schreef Chadi het volgende:
Mensen die uit Oekra�ne gevlucht zijn, hebben een totaal ander verhaal. Ook begrijpen ze niet waarom hun regering niet aan tafel gaat zitten en laten steeds vaker geluiden horen dat ze de VS ervan verdenken de oorlog in stand te houden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 13:09 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Energievoorziening lijkt het wel lastig te hebben. Komen die raketten soms beter door dan ten opzichte van eerder?

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 13:09 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Energievoorziening lijkt het wel lastig te hebben. Komen die raketten soms beter door dan ten opzichte van eerder?

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 13:17 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Bedoel je met eerder 2 winters geleden toen dat hele land in het donker zat?

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 13:13 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
De Russische energie infra bedoel je? Die krijgt al maanden harde klappen.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 13:35 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Als je nou gewoon even het nieuws volgt snap je het wel, https://nos.nl/artikel/25(...)oor-russische-aanval

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 13:46 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Dat doe ik, geen zorg, maar dit heeft nu eenmaal zijn ups en downs.

2 winters terug had je werkelijk elke morgen wel zo een als deze:

[ afbeelding ]

En nu niet. Dus niet: er komt meer door! maar: rus vuurt nu weer meer af.

Voor de rest is het idee dat je dit wel oplost door proberen alles af te vangen natuurlijk gewoon stupide, iedereen snapt dat je de bron aan moet pakken, en voor de rest komt er gewoon altijd wel wat doorheen.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 15:13 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Het is moeilijker om drones in de Zee van Azov te krijgen. Dus begrijp ik de Russen wel. Die willen de restanten van hun vloot natuurlijk niet verliezen. En in de Zwarte Zee zijn ze vogelvrij.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 15:21 schreef Hyperdude het volgende:

[..]
Geef de Oekra�ense Luftwaffe F-14 en F-18. Nieuwe Russische duikboten tot aan de horizon.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 15:24 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
F-14? Die antieke toestellen zijn alleen nog bij Iran in gebruik.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 15:30 schreef Hyperdude het volgende:

[..]
Nou en?
Zien er tof uit.

Anyways, de Oekra�nse Navy moet de 2e Luchtmacht worden daar in de regio na de Oekra�nse Luchtmacht.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 15:30 schreef Hyperdude het volgende:

[..]
Nou en?
Zien er tof uit.

Anyways, de Oekra�nse Navy moet de 2e Luchtmacht worden daar in de regio na de Oekra�nse Luchtmacht.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 17:20 schreef Adrie072 het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 17:24 schreef Cuendillar het volgende:

[..]
Waarvoor wordt het ding gebruikt?

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 17:20 schreef Adrie072 het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:13 schreef Chadi het volgende:
Mensen die uit Oekra�ne gevlucht zijn, hebben een totaal ander verhaal. Ook begrijpen ze niet waarom hun regering niet aan tafel gaat zitten en laten steeds vaker geluiden horen dat ze de VS ervan verdenken de oorlog in stand te houden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:13 schreef Chadi het volgende:
Mensen die uit Oekra�ne gevlucht zijn, hebben een totaal ander verhaal. Ook begrijpen ze niet waarom hun regering niet aan tafel gaat zitten en laten steeds vaker geluiden horen dat ze de VS ervan verdenken de oorlog in stand te houden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 17:38 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
Praat geen poep. Je kent geen enkele Oekra�ner, laat staan dat je er met een of meerdere gesproken hebt. Dat was al heel lang duidelijk.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:05 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb het afgelopen jaar meer oekrainers gesproken dan jullie allemaal in dit topic. Ik werk op een locatie waar oekrainers geplaatst worden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:06 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
Sim city telt niet.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:09 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Virtuele oekrainers die jullie spreken ook niet

quote:

Op maandag 11 maart 2024 21:59 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik werk sinds kort met Oekra�ners. Christus wat een bagger volk zit daar tussen zeg. Claimen alles alsof ze er al jaren voor gewerkt hebben. Het is dat er ook gezinnen tussen zitten die echt hulp nodig hebben anders was ik ermee gestopt.

quote:

Op zondag 14 april 2024 10:25 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik werk in de zorg en kom dagelijks dit soort sneue figuren tegen die overal recht op eisen en nergens aan hebben bijgedragen.

quote:

Op dinsdag 15 september 2020 09:06 schreef Chadi het volgende:
En dan willen ze mij verplichten om me te vaccineren. Nou dan geef je me gewoon ander werk en zet je wat vacatures open doe toch nooit gevuld worden. Ik laat me echt niet vaccineren omdat ik in de zorg werk.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:13 schreef Chadi het volgende:
Mensen die uit Oekra�ne gevlucht zijn, hebben een totaal ander verhaal. Ook begrijpen ze niet waarom hun regering niet aan tafel gaat zitten en laten steeds vaker geluiden horen dat ze de VS ervan verdenken de oorlog in stand te houden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 12:13 schreef Chadi het volgende:
Mensen die uit Oekra�ne gevlucht zijn, hebben een totaal ander verhaal. Ook begrijpen ze niet waarom hun regering niet aan tafel gaat zitten en laten steeds vaker geluiden horen dat ze de VS ervan verdenken de oorlog in stand te houden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:05 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb het afgelopen jaar meer oekrainers gesproken dan jullie allemaal in dit topic. Ik werk op een locatie waar oekrainers geplaatst worden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:05 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb het afgelopen jaar meer oekrainers gesproken dan jullie allemaal in dit topic. Ik werk op een locatie waar oekrainers geplaatst worden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:05 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb het afgelopen jaar meer oekrainers gesproken dan jullie allemaal in dit topic. Ik werk op een locatie waar oekrainers geplaatst worden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:22 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
En ik werk op de Zuidas en heb dit jaar al miljoenen verdiend

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:25 schreef Starhopper het volgende:

[..]
Ik werk bij de WEF en ik help mee aan het cre�ren van een wereldmacht dmv nep pandemie�n.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:28 schreef Hyperdude het volgende:

[..]
Ik werk bij McDonald's.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:05 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb het afgelopen jaar meer oekrainers gesproken dan jullie allemaal in dit topic. Ik werk op een locatie waar oekrainers geplaatst worden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:32 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Enige waar ik ze tegen kom is de supermarkt en ze halen heel vaak alcohol.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:32 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Enige waar ik ze tegen kom is de supermarkt en ze halen heel vaak alcohol.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:34 schreef sp3c het volgende:
Omdat je het wil hebben

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:34 schreef Raw85 het volgende:

[..]
Tja en ze zien jou dan weer standaard een komkommer + vaseline afrekenen

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:35 schreef Starhopper het volgende:

[..]
Een jas en helm waarin iemand gestorven is. Leuk om te hebben ja

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:37 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Dan koop je het toch?

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:14 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
[..]
[..]
[..]
Leugenaar. Dat ben je.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:35 schreef Starhopper het volgende:
Een jas en helm waarin iemand gestorven is. Leuk om te hebben ja

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:40 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik zorg misschien wel voor oekrainers... Maar dat is natuurlijk geen optie voor je omdat je dan moet toegeven dat ik er dagelijks meer zie en spreek dan jij tot nu toe gezien of gesproken hebt.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:17 schreef Starhopper het volgende:

[..]
Heb je dit van Thierry gehoord? Ga eens met Oekra�ense mensen praten
Oohnee, doe eigenlijk maar niet, dan maak je ze alleen maar boos en verdrietig.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:43 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Maar je hebt geen voorbeelden die wij ook kunnen lezen?

Want op deze manier kan niemand hier iets mee natuurlijk @:straatcommander. weet niet hoeveel jij er spreekt want niemand weet waar je werkt en jij weet niet hoeveel @:straatcommando. er spreekt want niemand weet waar hij werkt

Dan kan ik in mijn hoofd gaan zitten rekenen maar mijn conclusie is dan niet zo interessant als deze discussie

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:43 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Maar je hebt geen voorbeelden die wij ook kunnen lezen?

Want op deze manier kan niemand hier iets mee natuurlijk @:straatcommander. weet niet hoeveel jij er spreekt want niemand weet waar je werkt en jij weet niet hoeveel @:straatcommando. er spreekt want niemand weet waar hij werkt

Dan kan ik in mijn hoofd gaan zitten rekenen maar mijn conclusie is dan net zo interessant als deze discussie en @:starhopper zijn koopjesjacht op marktplaats

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:45 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Wat wil je dat ik je vertel? De waarheid ben je niet in ge�nteresseerd. Je zoekt gelijk dingen om te ontkrachten dat ik met ze werk in de hoop om zo ook mijn opmerking te ontkrachten. Het ligt misschien genuanceerder maar ik kom ze bijna niet meer tegen die zo gemotiveerd waren als in het begin

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:27 schreef michaelmoore het volgende:

[..]
ik ga je vanaf nu ieder keer melden , laat ze die onzin van jou maar eens een poosje blocken je zit alles te vervuilen


G a maar naar Sjerrie toe vragen wat je verdient hebt

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:47 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Waar heb jij het nou weer over

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:42 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
"The actual coat worn by admiral Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805 with the hole in the shoulder caused by the musket ball that killed him"

[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Russian military spending to rise & rise
Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy — written by Alexandra Prokopenko and Alexander Kolyandr and brought to you by The Bell. Our top story this week is a look at why Russian military spending is set to rise as discussions begin over this year’s budget. We also look at why the government is acting to weaken the ruble.

Five reasons why Russian military spending will grow
The Russian government this week began discussing next year’s budget. In last year’s budget, the assumption was that the situation would already be returning to “normal” by this point in 2024 and it expected that military spending would drop almost by a third in 2026. However, as the war in Ukraine drags on, this seems highly unlikely. Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no sign of backing down militarily, or politically, and Russia’s economy is fast becoming entirely dependent on record levels of military spending.

SPOILER

quote:

What’s going on?
Russia passes annual budgets covering a three-year period, and discussions about this year’s budget (which will cover 2025, 2026 and 2027) began this week in the government.

Last year’s budget envisaged that total revenue in 2025 would be 33.5 trillion rubles ($368 billion) and that there would be 34.3 trillion rubles of spending (which meant a deficit of 0.83 trillion rubles). Since then, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has said that another trillion rubles will need to be spent in order to carry out the pledges Putin made in his state-of-the-nation address earlier this year. And that’s unlikely to be the only unplanned expense. We don’t have up-to-date figures, but there are lots of reasons to think the 2025 spending figures will have to be drastically revised in this year’s budget.

Last year’s budget also assumed there would be a reduction in military spending in 2025. Expenditure on “national defense” was supposed to drop a third in two years: from 10.3 trillion rubles this year to 8.4 trillion rubles in 2025, and then fall to 7.36 trillion rubles in 2026. Expenditure on “national security and law enforcement” was supposed to remain at 3.2 trillion rubles a year for the entire three-year period.

Even if Russia sticks to last year’s plans, expenditure on the army and security services will account for about a third of total spending. However, this is extremely unlikely to happen. It’s far more likely that the military will require more money. We have identified five reasons why we think Russia’s defense spending has a long way yet to rise:

1. The war continues
The war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending. Kyiv is currently taking delivery of $61 billion worth of U.S. military aid signed off by Congress in April, and Europe is still approving weapons shipments. Neither analysts nor policymakers anticipate a swift end to the fighting. If Putin wants Russian military success, this will require funding.

In one example of the costs of war, military salaries are rising rapidly. The Defense Ministry recruits about 30,000 soldiers a month, and their salaries are skyrocketing. At the start of the war they were on about 200,000 rubles a month, whereas now they can get up to 400,000 rubles a month. In addition, regional authorities are hiking the one-off bonus payments they make to new recruits. In St. Petersburg, the authorities are currently offering a 1.3 million ruble sign-on bonus. “The Ministry’s spending on salaries for servicemen, which was estimated at 1.5 trillion rubles… is now likely to be close to 2 trillion,” an official told The Bell.

2. Defense spending drives growth
The Kremlin has doubled-down on using the defense sector to drive Russian economic growth. For example, between January and April, manufacturing grew 5.2%. A significant part of that growth stems from defense and related sectors, including finished metal products, computers and optics, and vehicles from aircraft to ships and trucks.

For defense sector spending to be an effective driver of growth, there needs to be demand. Obviously, a drawn-out war in Ukraine provides this demand. Even after the war finishes, though, Russia will need to continue spending in order to replenish its stockpiles.

This suggests that military spending will remain high well beyond 2025. At some point, domestic demand will dry up. One way to compensate for this could have been export, but this is unlikely to be an option for Russia. As their output increases, Russian enterprises will need to replace equipment: Russia is already scouring China for second-hand machines. The parts needed for hi-tech military manufacturing are also scarce due to sanctions: chips, semiconductors and circuit boards are a problem. As a result, given a choice between exporting items or producing them for use by its own military, Russia countries will prioritize domestic needs.

3. Inflation and a tight labor market
Rising spending will also be driven by inflation, and high labor costs. Both high interest rates (currently at 16%) and reduced imports due to Western sanctions will push inflation higher. And there’s no sign of a slowdown in the growth of credit, or consumer demand, which means inflation could remain at present levels or rise even further. Between January and May, state spending was up 18%. Salaries in March increased 21.6% year-on-year in nominal terms, and 12.9% in real terms. Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov estimated in February that, in the defense sector, some salaries were up as much as 60%. A sales manager at a defense ministry contractor can earn up to 1.6 million rubles a month, according to a vacancy on Headhunter, Russia’s leading online recruitment site.

Unemployment is currently at a record low of 2.6%, with defense enterprises leading the way in hiring, and turners, machine operators and mechanics able to boost their pay by as much as 70,000 rubles a month if they switch to the defense sector. In addition, the defense sector promises staff additional benefits: increased overtime, bonuses for working with classified information, preferential loans, healthcare packages and vacations. Of course, the mobilization of 300,000 men in 2022 and 2023 negatively impacted the labor market. Moreover, the high cost of labor reduces the profitability of the military industry.

4. Inefficient command economy
Russia’s defense sector is a long way from operating along free market lines. This is due to several factors: a persistent Soviet management mentality, opaque pricing, and complex cross-subsidization within holdings (leading to chronic debt, and corruption). “Almost every factory has a boiler house, railroad tracks, a couple of sanatoriums and a bunch of real estate that has no value for production, storage or admin purposes. The company has to maintain all this, and it costs a huge amount,” said a source familiar with defense production.

State defense conglomerate Rostec estimates its profitability at 2.28%, but company head Sergei Chemezov has complained it should be as high as 10%. Without direct funding for R&D from the Defense Ministry, he said last month, factories are “on the brink of survival.” However, Chemezov also admitted that companies have little incentive to increase productivity, or reduce production costs.

5. Rise in global military spending
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, global military spending was up 6.8% last year to a record $2.4 trillion. Russia’s military spending was above average – growing 24% to $109 billion. The total military spending of NATO countries in the same year was $1.3 trillion — 55% of the world total. Of NATO’s 32 members, including newcomers Finland and Sweden, 23 countries met the requirement to spend at least 2% on defense, according to the alliance. That’s the highest number of NATO states to meet that requirement since it was introduced in 2014. Putin likely believes this shows his enemies are arming, and that means it is unlikely that he will reduce his own military spending.

Why the world should care
Under the slogan of “all for the front, all for victory” the state is flooding the inefficient defense sector with cash, driving itself into the trap of increased military spending. This has interesting consequences. The mostly-market nature of the Russian economy means a bloated defense sector causes “Dutch disease” – i.e. it gobbles up all the available labor and capital, to the detriment of other sectors. The lack of effective management and built-in inefficiencies compound the issue, much like what happened in the late Soviet Union.

And we even know how some of this increased spending will be financed: this week, the State Duma passed a tax reform bill on first reading. More than 1.6 trillion rubles will be generated when corporate income tax goes up by 5 percentage points. It’s likely that this money will go directly to the defense sector.

Russia seeks to weaken ruble as imports fall
Russia relaxed Friday a requirement obliging leading exporters to sell foreign currency earnings. The order was first imposed in December 2023 as the ruble fell.

• The decision was made “taking into account the stabilization of the exchange rate” and “achievement of a sufficient level of foreign exchange liquidity,” according to a government statement. The Central Bank had always opposed compulsory sales, but in April, when the order was last extended, it failed to convince Andrei Belousov (deputy prime minister at the time), who regarded the sell requirement as a vital means of stabilizing the currency.
• This comes after the U.S. imposed sanctions on the Moscow Exchange earlier this month, and the Exchange was obliged to end trading of U.S. dollars and euros. This week, the ruble has strengthened, gaining 5% against the U.S. dollar and almost 7% against the yuan. Admittedly, it pared some of these gains starting Thursday.
• According to analysts, one reason for the rebound is sanctions. Part of the external balance of payment, unconnected to foreign trade, was closed due to an outflow of rubles. Now that process is complicated by difficulties withdrawing rubles and obtaining U.S. dollars for them. This is apparently a temporary problem.
• Another is problems with trade. The threat of secondary U.S. sanctions has frozen payments for Chinese imports, which were down at least 10% year-on-year in the winter. Russian state media reported that after Putin’s visit to China earlier this year, many small, regional Chinese banks started to work with Russian clients. However, this means higher commissions, which also hamper imports – and the U.S. is also trying to threaten smaller banks. This payment problem is clearly not yet fixed.
• In addition, a paradox has emerged: relative to the U.S. dollar, the yuan is cheaper in Russia than anywhere else in the world. Apparently this is due to the yuan’s novelty factor as a means of saving, and there is an excess supply of Chinese currency. However, as with any market imbalance, this will soon cease to be profitable.

Why the world should care
Most of the factors behind the ruble rebound seem to be temporary and, in many cases, resemble a scaled-down version of the period of ruble strengthening in 2022 after the full-scale invasion led to disruption to imports and capital outflow routes.

Figures of the week
In the week up to June 17, weekly inflation in Russia increased to 0.17% . Annual inflation ran at 8.46%. The latest Central Bank report on consumer price dynamics noted that the seasonally adjusted monthly rate of price increases was 10.6% and the current rate in May was “significantly greater” than the previous year. The bank believes that high domestic demand is the key inflationary factor.

Banks are prematurely curtailing lending under the preferential mortgage program, which will cease to operate on July 1 (for more on why that’s important, see here). From June 21, state-owned Sber will stop accepting applications for discounted mortgages at 8% and will stop issuing IT mortgages. Bringing an end to the current preferential mortgage set-up is a long-standing aspiration of the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank.

The Central Bank increased its prediction for the growth of household funds held in bank accounts this year to between 14% and 19%. Previously, the prognosis was between 8% and 13%. Expectations for businesses remain the same. By the end of 2024, lending is expected to increase sharply in all sectors: the issuance of consumer loans will be up as much as 12%, corporate loans by up to 13% and mortgages up to 12%.

The Central Bank increased its forecast for the net profits of Russia’s banking sector in 2024: now the expectation is between 3.1 trillion rubles and 3.6 trillion rubles. If this happens, banks could match the record profits they enjoyed in 2023 (3.3 trillion rubles). In 2025, the regulator expects another successful year (up to 3.1 trillion rubles of profits).

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:42 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
"The actual coat worn by admiral Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805 with the hole in the shoulder caused by the musket ball that killed him"

[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:48 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Oeps 😂. Was een lange werkdag.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:40 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik zorg misschien wel voor oekrainers... Maar dat is natuurlijk geen optie voor je omdat je dan moet toegeven dat ik er dagelijks meer zie en spreek dan jij tot nu toe gezien of gesproken hebt.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:57 schreef Raw85 het volgende:

[..]
Wat voor zorg dan?

quote:

Ik werk sinds kort met Oekra�ners. Christus wat een bagger volk zit daar tussen zeg. Claimen alles alsof ze er al jaren voor gewerkt hebben. Het is dat er ook gezinnen tussen zitten die echt hulp nodig hebben anders was ik ermee gestopt.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:32 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Enige waar ik ze tegen kom is de supermarkt en ze halen heel vaak alcohol.

quote:

11 Russian military helicopters arrived in Belarus

^{Russian Ka-52 helicopter on the territory of Belarus. June 2024. Frame from the video of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus}
Two groups of military helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces arrived in Belarus from Russia.

The Belarusian Hayun monitoring group said that the helicopters had landed at the Machulishchy military air base in the Minsk region.

The arrival of the helicopters is likely to be connected with participation in the parade to be held in Minsk on July 3.

One group consisted of five Ka-52 attack helicopters, which were actively involved in the war against Ukraine.

The second group consisted of five Mi-28 attack helicopters, which Russia has also been using in the war since 2022.

SPOILER

quote:

До Білорусі прилетіло 11 російських військових гелікоптерів

The group was accompanied by a single Mi-26 multi-purpose transport helicopter, which was likely carrying cargo and equipment for Russian pilots.

Also, on June 19, 16 aircraft of the 116th Guards Assault Air Base of the Belarusian Air Force arrived at the Machulishchy military air base to take part in the parade.

According to analysts of the Belarusian Hayun monitoring group, a total of 18 Russian aircraft are currently on the territory of Belarus.

The current state of the Russian Aerospace Forces aviation group in Belarus is as follows:
• Lida air base – 1 Su-25 jet aircraft;
• Baranovichi air base – 2 Su-24MR aircraft;
• Baranovichi air base – at least 4 Su-30SM fighter aircraft;
• Machulishchy air base – 11 helicopters.

^{Groups of Russian Ka-52, Mi-28 and Mi-26 military helicopters in Belarus. June 2024. Frame from a video by the Belarusian Defense Ministry}

In Belarus, Russian Su-30SM fighter aircraft and Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft are being deployed to fulfill the tasks of the “Joint Regional Air Defense System.”

In February 2022, Belarus became a springboard for the invasion of Ukraine, and Russian military aircraft took off from Belarusian airfields and struck Ukrainian territory.

As previously reported, the militaries of Russia and Belarus are conducting a new stage of tactical nuclear forces exercises.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:40 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik zorg misschien wel voor oekrainers... Maar dat is natuurlijk geen optie voor je omdat je dan moet toegeven dat ik er dagelijks meer zie en spreek dan jij tot nu toe gezien of gesproken hebt.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:08 schreef Loverboii het volgende:
Ik kom ze ook wel tegen in de supermarkt. Ze gedragen zich daar als koningen te rijk (breed lopen, luid praten,..)

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:19 schreef michaelmoore het volgende:

[..]
nog zo een idioot, heeft sjerrie een rijtje bots losgelaten ?/

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:20 schreef Loverboii het volgende:

[..]
direct schelden
ben je dronken?

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:32 schreef Starhopper het volgende:
WTF! Een Russische jas en helm met kogelgat op Marktplaats? Waarom zou je zoiets kopen?
https://www.marktplaats.n(...)trusting-uit-ukraine

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:08 schreef QAnonn het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:08 schreef QAnonn het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:08 schreef Loverboii het volgende:
Ik kom ze ook wel tegen in de supermarkt. Ze gedragen zich daar als koningen te rijk (breed lopen, luid praten,..)

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:08 schreef QAnonn het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Three Killed and 38 Injured in Russian Strike on Kharkiv
Russian military launched four strikes on a residential area of Kharkiv on the afternoon of June 22nd, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.

“Four strikes hit Kharkiv, targeting a densely populated residential area,” Terekhov stated. He confirmed that two people were killed, and 18 injured, as a result of the attack on a residential building.

The strikes, preliminarily using precision-guided munitions, caused significant damage in the targeted neighborhood.

Update: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that as of 16:44, there were 19 injured and three dead. The search and rescue operation is ongoing, and all necessary services are on site.

Update: According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine as of 17:00, three people have died and 29 others have been injured today due to a Russian strike on Kharkiv.

From the onset of the strikes at various locations, over 250 rescuers and police officers have been deployed. Public utility workers and volunteers are assisting in clearing debris and providing aid to the injured.

Update: According to the Head of the Regional State Administration, the number of injured has increased to 38, two of them children. Medical personnel are fighting for the lives of four patients — two women and two men — who are in critical condition.

Editor’s note: This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:24 schreef Joppiez het volgende:

[..]
De NAVO is alleen een bedreiging tegen de Russische expansiedrift, en dat zit ze niet lekker natuurlijk. Anders dan dat is er geen dreiging, dat Rusland haar capaciteit aan de Finse grens afschaalt en verplaatst naar Oekra�ne is daar een van zovelen voorbeelden van.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:00 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

[..]
Ik mag toch hopen dat iemand die
[..]
Zulke dingen zegt niet in de buurt van ze te vinden is.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:08 schreef QAnonn het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:34 schreef Starhopper het volgende:

[..]
Is dit vreemd dan? Ik zie ook elke keer als ik boodschappen doe Nederlanders met kratten bier bij de kassa.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:35 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Nee, maar ´t zijn altijd wel typisch die Slavische types met hun doos vol halve liter blikken en goedkope wijn.

quote:

Has US Placed Restrictions That Prevent Kyiv From Hitting Russian Airfields?
Unnamed Ukrainian officials say that Washington has restricted Ukraine’s use of its donated weapons against Russia, effectively confirming a new “safe space” from which Russia can pummel Ukraine.

The US is still applying a range limitation to the use of its weapons by Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to a Washington Post report citing two anonymous Ukrainian officials. Given the restrictions, Russia would continue to benefit from a safe space created for the aircraft bombing Ukraine.

According to the Washington Post’s sources, the US has imposed a 100-kilometer (62-mile) cross border limit on the use of its weapons. Asked to comment on the claims, US officials suggested that was inaccurate, without indicating whether they have imposed distance-based limitations on Kyiv’s freedom to attack targets in Russia.

SPOILER

quote:

On May 30 President Joe Biden approved the use of US weapons to hit Russian forces that were threatening Kharkiv. Although this seemed to trigger other Western capitals to give Kyiv the go ahead to hit targets in Russia, statements coming out of both the Whitehouse and the Pentagon, ever since then, are opaque at best and often contradict each other.

On June 17, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told PBS that Ukraine could use American weapons to fire at Russian military installations not only near the border with Kharkiv, but also in any border regions where there is a direct threat. He said: “This is not about geography. It’s about common sense. If Russia attacks or plans to attack Ukraine from its territory, it makes sense to allow Ukraine to retaliate against forces that attack it from abroad.”

US officials confirmed this to Politico on June 20 but categorized it as “clarification,” not a substantive change of US policy. There was still, however, no clear definition of what “border region” means but the same officials reiterated the US policy prohibiting Ukraine from launching long-range strikes inside Russian territory.

In response to this latest “revelation” on US limits, Pentagon spokesman Major Charlie Dietz said: “The US has agreed to allow Ukraine to fire US-provided weapons into Russia across where Russian forces are coming to attempt to take Ukrainian territory. It’s not about geography or a certain radius. If Russia attacks or is about to attack Ukraine from its territory, Ukraine has the right to retaliate from its territory.”

He added that Ukraine was also allowed to use US-supplied air defense systems to strike Russian aircraft if they “intend to open fire into Ukrainian airspace.”

The relaxation of the previous prohibition on cross border fire allows counter-battery fire or attacks on Moscow’s ground troops forming up for an assault as most Western supplied artillery outranges those held by Russia. The current major threat faced by Ukraine’s military and civilian locations in its own border regions are from aerial delivered guided bombs – “glide bombs.” These are launched from around a 60 -70-kilometer (40 plus miles) stand-off range, allowing them to operate totally from within Russian air space and deploy from airfields well beyond any 100-kilometer restriction.

If there is a range-dependent limitation, such as the Washington Post article suggests, it does in effect confirm to Russia that it can still launch attacks from a “safe space.” If the US could categorically come out and say that there is no such prohibition, then it would considerably complicate Russia’s strategic plans as they would be exposed to long-range threats from HIMARS (480 kilometers /300 miles) or ATACMS (190 kilometers / 300 miles).

This would force them to move their aircraft, command posts and logistic storage further back from the border. Bombers launching glide bombs would be in the air longer, becoming exposed to long range air defense weapons and its resupply lines open to further interdiction. It may only be a matter of time before the US wakes up to the obvious logic of the situation.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:35 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Nee, maar ´t zijn altijd wel typisch die Slavische types met hun doos vol halve liter blikken en goedkope wijn.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:35 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Nee, maar ´t zijn altijd wel typisch die Slavische types met hun doos vol halve liter blikken en goedkope wijn.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:37 schreef Loverboii het volgende:

[..]
Bij mij was het een net gezinnetje. Ik zie hier ook wel dikke SUV's rondrijden met Oekra�ense nummerplaten.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:40 schreef Raw85 het volgende:

[..]
Welk punt probeer je te maken?

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:40 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Ja, communisme maakt meer kapot dan alcohol goed kan maken.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:23 schreef Raw85 het volgende:

[..]
Hoe weet je dat het Oekra�ners zijn dan en geen Polen/Roemen/Bulgaren?

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:40 schreef Raw85 het volgende:

[..]
Welk punt probeer je te maken?

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:45 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ik weet wel hoe de taal klinkt.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:29 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]
Farage is een beroepsleugenaar, met z'n miljoenen voor de NHS. Niet serieus te nemen die charlatan.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:45 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ik weet wel hoe de taal klinkt.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:49 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Uh huh. Jij hoort het verschil tussen rus en oekrains, bv.

quote:

Ukrainian defense industry presented the Fury PRO drone in Paris

^{Ukrainian Fury PRO drone by Drone Squa at the Eurosatory 2024 exhibition. June 2024. France. Photo credits: Focus magazine}

At the Eurosatory exhibition in France, visitors were shown the Ukrainian Fury PRO drone.

The Drone Squad company told Focus about the peculiarities of using these UAVs in combat conditions.

The drone provoked considerable interest at Eurosatory 2024.

The developers said that no one abroad had ever thought before that anti-tank mines, which are usually placed on the ground or on roads, could be dropped from a drone.

“There are already positive results thanks to networking and interesting potential partners who would like to do something together,” the developers said.

SPOILER

quote:

^{Ukrainian Fury PRO drone by Drone Squa at the Eurosatory 2024 exhibition. June 2024. France. Photo credits: Focus magazine}

According to the project’s representative, Fury PRO drones are now being used in almost all areas of the front line.

Fury PRO drone is used to discharge 120-mm mortar shells and TM-62 anti-tank mines.

The Fury Pro drone is capable of carrying 15 kg (120 mines) for 6.5 km, or 10 kg (three 82 mines) for 10 km.

Specifications of the Fury Pro UAV:
• size – 100*100*75 cm;
• payload – 3 mines of 3 kg each;
• flight range – up to 10 km;
• maximum flight altitude is 1 km;
• camera – FullHD 1080p GPS + compass;
• engines – Hobbywing X8;
• water resistance standard – IPX7.

quote:

Ukrainian Fury PRO drone by Drone Squa at the Eurosatory 2024 exhibition. June 2024. France. Photo credits: Focus magazine

“There are very successful cases of mining, when an anti-tank mine is brought in at night and dropped on the road, and in the morning an enemy buggy explodes on it,” the publication was told.

Military units that use Fury Pro drones constantly send feedback or provide new information. Thanks to this, engineers are constantly improving the drones.

As previously reported, a new Ukrainian attack drone, Bulava, was also presented for the first time at the Eurosatory 2024 international exhibition in Paris.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:05 schreef Chadi het volgende:

[..]
Ik heb het afgelopen jaar meer oekrainers gesproken dan jullie allemaal in dit topic. Ik werk op een locatie waar oekrainers geplaatst worden.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:37 schreef Loverboii het volgende:

[..]
Bij mij was het een net gezinnetje. Ik zie hier ook wel dikke SUV's rondrijden met Oekra�ense nummerplaten.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 18:22 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
En ik werk op de Zuidas en heb dit jaar al miljoenen verdiend

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 17:43 schreef michaelmoore het volgende:

[..]
klets niet, er is met Poetin niet aan tafel te zitten , dat weet jij ook, die heeft geen enkel belang om te stoppen
je weet zelf ook welke voorwaarden hij stelt

gewoon volledige overgave


wat de USA betreft is die oorlog morgen afgelopen, maar er is geen stop en er zal geen stop komen, ukraine vecht door tot de laatste man en vrouw

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 20:02 schreef MatthijsDJ het volgende:

[..]
Omdat die gasten ook best slim zijn, merendeel van de kennis in de Sovjet-Unie kwam uit Oekra�ne. Dus die hebben gewoon goede banen. Vooral in de IT.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:37 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Het wordt gewoon een Noord & Zuid Korea scenario.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:50 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Alsof dat zo moeilijk is.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 20:18 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Ja, dat is voor NL'ers bijna niet te doen.

Wij zijn veel blootgesteld aan germaanse en latijnse talen, dus daar snijden we vaak wel wat hout van, maar het voor ons niet te doen om zoiets als pools van roemeens of hongaars te onderscheiden.

Maar ik weet het; trollen die pro-rus zijn en graag oekrainers zwart willen maken zijn 1 voor 1 struk voor stuk natuurlijk allemaal talen wonderen, die dat onderscheid prima maken, natuurlijk zonder ook maar 1 van die talen daadwerkelijk te spreken.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 20:18 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 20:20 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Pools, Hongaars en Roemeens zijn 3 totaal verschillende talen. Roemeens lijkt zelfs op Latijn.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 20:21 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Niet debiel gaan doen. Ga gewoon normaal discussi�ren ipv altijd zo hoog in je emotie.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 20:07 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:

[..]
Drink je ook wel eens samen met beter gesitueerde vrinden bier in een Haerlemse kerk?

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:08 schreef QAnonn het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 20:24 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar als jij zonder enige aanwijzingen alle 3 hoort, kun je ze dan identificeren?

Meneer de filosoof hier, natuurlijk wel.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 20:24 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar als jij zonder enige aanwijzingen alle 3 hoort, kun je ze dan identificeren?

Meneer de filosoof hier, natuurlijk wel.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 21:52 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Die drie klinken heel anders aangezien ze tot drie verschillende taal(sub)groepen behoren, maak je er 3 slavische talen van dan wordt een stuk lastiger. Bijvoorbeeld Pools, Slowaaks en Tsjechisch...

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 21:52 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Die drie klinken heel anders aangezien ze tot drie verschillende taal(sub)groepen behoren, maak je er 3 slavische talen van dan wordt een stuk lastiger. Bijvoorbeeld Pools, Slowaaks en Tsjechisch...

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 19:22 schreef StateOfMind het volgende:

[..]
Zo goed als nieuw, slechts ��n keer gedragen

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 22:29 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Bosnisch, Kroatisch, Servisch kan ik ook prima onderscheiden. Een taal onderscheiden die je niet zelf spreekt is echt niet zo moeilijk.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 23:32 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Dan ben jij heel bijzonder, de gemiddelde Nederlander kan dan niet met talen waar ze vrijwel niet mee in aanraking komen.

quote:

Op zaterdag 22 juni 2024 22:29 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Bosnisch, Kroatisch, Servisch kan ik ook prima onderscheiden. Een taal onderscheiden die je niet zelf spreekt is echt niet zo moeilijk.