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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 10:05 schreef oheng het volgende: [..] Kilo aardbeien is deze week 5 euro bij de Lidl. En die zijn niet verrot.

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For private clients, prices are steep: a kilogram of strawberries retail - 550 rubles, raspberries - from 600 to 1000. Blueberries - up to 1800.

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Now only in a roundabout way through Turkey, which is twice as long and more expensive. "The delivery time from the Netherlands is now 14 days, not four, as before. Last year I ordered raspberries from Italy,

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 10:14 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Uit jouw artikeltje:
[..]
En iets later:
[..]
Dus die Hollandse boeren kunnen aardbeien naar Rusland sturen en ze voor daar dezelfde prijs verkopen als de Lidl hier. Ergo, we worden knetterhard afgezet hiero (en de Russen nog meer, want die kunnen 6 bakjes aardbeien per maand kopen en dan zijn ze door hun salaris heen.)

Nederlandse boeren

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The shortage of planting material also has an impact. There are no strawberry seedlings at all, farmers say. We have to ship from Europe, and there are more and more difficulties with logistics, explains Vyacheslav Plenkin. If previously it was possible to enter Belarus through Poland and Lithuania, now this route is inaccessible. Now only in a roundabout way through Turkey, which is twice as long and more expensive.
"The delivery time from the Netherlands is now 14 days, not four, as before. Last year I ordered raspberries from Italy, and instead of the stated three days, it took almost three weeks with a stop in Poland, 60% died on the way. This all increases the cost part and ultimately increases the cost of the berry for the consumer,” adds Mitnitsky.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 10:42 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Youtube weg in mordor.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 12:23 schreef oheng het volgende:
Het is enorm klote dat die russen nu urenlang handleidingen moeten doorworstelen om een probleem op te lossen, ipv naar een dude op Youtube te kijken die de oplossing in 3 minuten uitlegt, begeleidt door een kek deuntje.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 12:23 schreef oheng het volgende:

Er zijn ook allemaal documenten en technische handleidingen gelekt over de S-400.
RIP aan de kopers van dit systeem, en natuurlijk de verkoper.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 12:38 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:
[ afbeelding ]

De eerste F16's zijn gespot geloof ik

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 12:33 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Een beetje krijgsmacht had die gegevens al lang.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 13:25 schreef BEFEM het volgende:
Hoe zit dat met Turkije eigenlijk, zij kunnen toch de informatie die zij zouden krijgen van S400 doorspelen? Snap dat Rusland niet alle gegevens deelt met klanten maar je zal wel wat moeten delen.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 13:50 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
De Russen hebben export versies met andere specs.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 13:50 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
De Russen hebben export versies met andere specs.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 14:23 schreef BEFEM het volgende:
Ja, met die informatie die daarbij hoort kan het Westen eigenlijk niks tov de Russische eigen S400? Zijn die dan zo erg verschillend op dat vlak?

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Op woensdag 31 juli 2024 22:38 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Ukraine has confirmed that it has flown the first F-16 missions in an air defence role, though nothing has been added about the detail. Five have been confirmed as operational.

https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)v_ukraine_god_speed/
F—6 flying over Lviv Ukraine! God speed!
[ afbeelding ]

Het bewijs dat F-16s in Oekra�ne rondvliegen, er van uit gaande dat dat een F-16 is en de foto niet bewerkt is.

https://vgolos.ua/news/at(...)ilyanku_1408379.html
Het gaat zo te zien om dit gebouw in Lviv

Het stadshuis in Lviv.
https://lia.lvivcenter.org/en/objects/city-hall/

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 12:38 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:
[ afbeelding ]

De eerste F16's zijn gespot geloof ik

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Three US citizens imprisoned in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, are expected to be released on Thursday under a prisoner exchange deal.

Gershkovich, US Marine veteran Paul Whelan, and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva will be released under the deal agreed by the Biden administration, a senior US official confirmed.

...

The exchange will involve 24 prisoners held in Russia, the US, Germany and three other Western countries.

Although secret prison transfers are common in Russia, the multiple "disappearance" of well-known prisoners was unusual.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 14:23 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Ja, met die informatie die daarbij hoort kan het Westen eigenlijk niks tov de Russische eigen S400? Zijn die dan zo erg verschillend op dat vlak?

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 12:33 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Een beetje krijgsmacht had die gegevens al lang.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 17:23 schreef oheng het volgende:
F-16 gespot in een Oekrainsche (versterkte) hangar.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 18:40 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Snap niet waarom dat ze dat melden of foto's van maken. Luitjes die geilen op publiciteit.

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Russia updates T-72B3 tank modernization package

^{T-72B3M tanks shipped in July 2024. Photo with comparison: CIT}

The Russian military industry enterprise Uralvagonzavod has updated the modernization package for the T-72B3 main battle tanks.

The Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) reported on this.

The publication recently obtained footage showing an echelon of recently shipped T-72B3M tanks with a new modification. The researchers have tentatively designated it model 2024 (obr. 2024).

The photos show that a new element has been added to the factory upgrade: rubber and fabric shields designed to protect the rear of the turret and engine compartment.

Although there are additional modifications, they are not visible in this video.

“Nevertheless, this distinctive feature – the rubber-fabric screens – will make it easy to identify tanks produced from the summer of 2024 onward,” CIT wrote.

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These elements were not in the tanks sent as part of the last public delivery, announced in May 2024.

Identification of the new modernization will allow for a more accurate assessment of Russia’s capabilities in modernizing T-72B3M tanks.

Uralvagonzavod has already modified the T-72B3 tank several times since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In the fall of 2022, the first wartime modification, unofficially known as the T-72B3M model 2022 (mod. 2022), was introduced. It featured additional explosive reactive armor on the lower glacis plate, hull sides, turret, track shoulders, and gun mantlet, as well as a remote-controlled thermal sight shutter.

In addition, the armor was installed to protect the turret race ring, as well as an improvised roof screen aka cope cage. At the same time, the Russian defense industry faced a shortage of necessary components, including electronics. As a result, some tanks received a simpler 1PN96MT-02 thermal imaging sight instead of the Sosna-U multichannel stabilized sight.

^{Display of the 1PN96МТ-02 thermal sight in a T-62 tank at the Russian 103rd Armored Tank Repair Plant. March 2023б Russia. Frame from the video of the Russian media}

The Omsk Plant of Transport Engineering, which is upgrading T-80 tanks to the T-80BVM level, faced similar problems. Some T-72B3M tanks were missing weather sensors, and the Sosna-U sights sometimes lacked a remote-controlled sighting shutter. Some tanks also lacked dynamic armor on the sides of the hull, track, turret, and aft, rear lattice screen, and slat armor around the turret race ring.

^{Т-72B3M Model 2022 tanks with additional ERA, slat armor, and 1PN96MT-2 (left) and Sosna-U (right) sights. Photo with comparison: CIT}

This shortage of components persisted until 2023, as new modifications were introduced. The T-72B3M mod. 2023, as we will call it for convenience, had additional dynamic armor in the aft of the tank instead of protective screens. A standard cage was also added. By the fall of 2023, the issue with the Sosna-U sight seemed to have been resolved, although some tanks still had not been fitted with weather sensors, even in the same batch. In addition to the weather sensor, the rest of the new features are present in the model’s 2024 version.

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Russians paying bribes to escape from war. Open proceedings include cases from Chasiv Yar – intel
Among the more than 100 open proceedings, there are 38 cases concerning the military personnel of the 102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment, which is operating near Chasiv Yar in Donbas

Personnel problems are worsening in the Russian army: the number of those willing to leave the service and avoid death in the war waged against Ukraine is growing. Because of this, criminal proceedings are opened en masse in Russia, reported the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.

According to the DIU, such problems are evidenced, in particular, by the sharp outbreak of registered criminal proceedings over bribery in the Russian army.

As an example, intelligence officers cited the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces, where in five months of 2024, the number of open criminal cases for illegal dismissal from service due to health conditions and granting of illegal vacations tripled.

Almost half of such proceedings are being investigated against the soldiers of the 8th Combined Arms Army of Russia, the Defense Intelligence noted. Also, another 36% belongs to the 58th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Federation, the commander of which was arrested in the spring of this year on corruption charges.

The intelligence noted that more than 100 proceedings opened against officials of the military units of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces relate to bribery for granting leave from the combat zone.

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Including:
→ 38 cases concerning servicemen of the 102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment (conducting combat operations in the Chasiv Yar area);
→ 35 cases concerning the 71st Motorized Rifle Regiment (located on the border with Sumy Oblast);
→ 33 cases related to the 49th Brigade of the 49th Army.

Within another 43 proceedings, the fact of receiving bribes for recognizing the Russian soldiers as having limited fitness is being investigated.

"The level of corruption in the Russian army has always been high, however, earlier such cases of bribery were not paid attention to," the intelligence officers noted.

The DIU added that the recording of the relevant episodes may indicate an increase in the level of demoralization of the personnel of the occupying forces and a threatening tendency for Moscow to escape from the Russian army by any means.

On April 18, Bloomberg wrote that Russia is preparing to recruit more contractors to the Armed Forces in order to temporarily avoid mass mobilization, which could undermine support for the war among the population.

The article stated that the Russian Federation was using financial incentives to attract more people to the war. Since the beginning of 2024, regional payments to new contract servicemen have increased by 40%.

On July 26, a representative of Ukraine's military intelligence said that Russia is currently having serious difficulties with the implementation of the plan to recruit new contractors.

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Top Moscow Exchange Manager Drowns in Latest Mystery Death
Atop Russian financier has died after reportedly falling off of a ship into waters near Moscow.

Georgy Chibisov, the Marketing Director of the Moscow Exchange, drowned on July 27, after he fell from a cruise ship that was making its way down the Moskva River for a bachelor party.

Chibisov, 44, was reported missing by his wife, before his body was found in the river by authorities. According to Russian media, Chibisov was not originally considered missing by other party attendees. His body was found the following day on July 28.

Russian news outlet MKRU reported that "one of the vacationers neglected safety rules", and that Chibisov tried to use the diving platform alone before falling into the water. No passengers saw what happened to Chibisov, as no staff were nearby and the captain was driving the yacht.

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.

^{The Moskva River in Moscow, Russia. Moscow Exchange Marketing Director Georgy Chibisov died after falling from a yacht during a river cruise on July 27, 2024.}

Emergency services were alerted on July 27 to a criminal case of operation of water transport. The Western Interregional Investigative Department for Transport are currently investigating the situation as a potential death by negligence through operation of a water transport, which carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment.

Chibisov had lived in London for the past two years, only returning to Moscow in June to join a new team at the Moscow Exchange. Before that, he worked as a marketer.

Newsweek contacted the Interregional Investigative Department for Transport for more information on the case.

Unexplained deaths of high-profile Russians have continued throughout 2024, with Chibisov's being the most recent. Earlier this month, Defense Ministery official Magomed Khandayev's death was announced, though a cause was never given.

Similarly, two years ago a string of Russian businessmen fell to their deaths in identical circumstances. Ravil Maganov, Yegor Prosvirnin and Alexander Kagansky, were all found dead after falling out of windows. Maganov fell from a sixth-floor window of a Moscow hospital, following what officials described as "a serious illness."

Prosvirnin, the founder of nationalist website Sputnik and Pogrom, had predicted the collapse of the Russian Federation in the years before his death.

Likewise, two Russian doctors died and another was seriously injured after falls from hospital windows over a two-week period between April and May 2020. Reports said two of the doctors had protested working conditions and the third was being blamed after her colleagues contracted the virus.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 22:18 schreef ExTec het volgende:
[ x ]

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Rudy Giuliani's Ukraine Ally Runs for Office in Russia
Aformer Ukrainian MP who was accused of trying to harm the 2020 U.S. presidential bid of Joe Biden is seeking political office in Russia, it has been reported.

Andriy Derkach, who fled Ukraine for Russia, has become a candidate in the Astrakhan region for the Russian Federation Council, state news agency Tass reported.

Derkach is among three candidates in the southwestern Russian region who are competing to replace the senator, Alexander Bashkin, whose term in the government's upper house ends in September, the agency said.

The U.S. government had accused Derkach of promoting unsubstantiated narratives about Biden to American media and officials, including some close to former President Donald Trump. Newsweek has contacted Derkach for comment by email.

SPOILER

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.

^{Andriy Derkach, who fled Ukraine for Russia, has become a candidate in the Astrakhan region for the Russian Federation Council. In 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department said that Derkach had been a "Russian agent for more than a decade," which he has denied.}

He also met with Trump's then personal attorney Rudy Giuliani in 2019 to build a corruption case against Biden's son Hunter Biden, The Washington Post reported, Giuliani had not made any public comments on the meetings.

In 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department said that Derkach had been a "Russian agent for more than a decade," which he has denied.

In June 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said Derkach had been paid by Russian intelligence to create private security companies Moscow wanted to use to capture Ukraine in its full-scale invasion.

The Ukrainian government sanctioned Derkach for spreading Russian propaganda and stripped him of his citizenship in January 2023. He had served as a member of the country's parliament.

News of Derkach's candidacy for political office in Russia was carried by Ukrainian media outlets and social media users who noted the Giuliani connection.

"So Russian agent Derkach that Giuliani and others worked with, on behalf of Trump, to attack the 2020 US election will be appointed to a Russian government position," Olga Lautman, co-host of the Kremlin File podcast posted on X. "My shocked face."

Financial Times journalist Christopher Miller wrote on X, "Well look at that, Andriy Derkach, the Ukrainian ex-MP who helped Trump and Giuliani pressure Ukraine to smear Biden...has surfaced in Russia with Russian citizenship and is now seeking political office." Newsweek has contacted Giuliani's lawyers for comment.

Ukrainska Pravda noted how in 2023 Derkach was investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) "for treason and illegal enrichment."

He was accused of discrediting Ukraine on the global stage and worsening ties with the U.S. and stopping Kyiv's integration into the European Union and NATO, the outlet added.

The probe found that he received at least $567,000 from Russian law enforcement and intelligence agencies "for subversive activities against Ukraine," Ukrainska Pravda added.

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Moldova Expels Russian Embassy Staffer Following Spy Allegations
On the morning of August 1, Russian Ambassador to Chișinău Oleg Vasnetsov was summoned to the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and informed that a staff member of the embassy had been declared a persona non grata in the Republic of Moldova.

Following this, the Russian ambassador told the press that Moldova’s actions were "hostile" and that Moscow would respond accordingly.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chișinău clarified that the Russian diplomat has 48 hours to leave the territory of the Republic of Moldova.

The expulsion came immediately after searches conducted on July 31 by the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) and the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS) at the Moldovan Parliament.

After these searches, a parliament member and a border police officer were detained for 72 hours on suspicion of treason and conspiracy. According to the prosecutor's office, they were collecting and passing on information to a staff member of the Russian embassy in Chișinău that "damages the interests of the Republic of Moldova."

In July 2023, Moldova expelled 45 Russian diplomats and embassy staff, citing a pattern of hostile actions that undermined the country’s stability. The move came after reports surfaced about the Russian embassy in Chisinau operating 28 suspected surveillance antennas on its rooftop. These revelations heightened concerns about Russia’s interference in Moldova’s internal affairs.

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Exclusive-US Army stops paying soldier imprisoned in Russia, may prosecute him

The Army has stopped paying wages and allowances to a U.S. soldier sentenced last month to nearly four years in a Russian penal colony and may prosecute him if he returns to the United States, U.S. officials said.

Gordon Black, a 34-year-old staff sergeant, was convicted in Russia of theft and threatening murder. But he broke a series of Army rules first, traveling to Russia without U.S. military authorization, and flying through China to get there.

He was also having an extramarital affair - prohibited in the U.S. military - with a Russian woman named Alexandra Vashchuk, who he met during a deployment in South Korea. During leave from the military, Black followed her to Russia's far eastern city of Vladivostok, where she reported him to the police after an argument.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, drew a comparison to the case of U.S. Army Private Travis King, who last year ran into North Korea and was taken into custody there. Once the United States secured his release, King was charged in October by the Army with crimes including desertion.

"When Black is back in the United States, there will be probably consequences, just as Private King is experiencing consequences for essentially unacceptable behavior," the official said.

"So the Army is going to do the right thing in terms of punishing bad behavior."

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Black's case created another headache for U.S. officials already coping with several high-profile detentions in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

Russia's Foreign Ministry has said the case was not political and the U.S. military has not weighed in on the substance of the charges against Black in Russia.

Black was arrested in Vladivostok in May after he and Vashchuk had an argument, and on June 19 a Russian judge found Black guilty of stealing $10,000 rubles ($116) from his girlfriend's purse and threatening to kill her. He pleaded not guilty to threatening to kill Vashchuk but admitted he took the money and said he did so out of necessity.

His defense lawyer in Russia, who has said she will appeal the verdict, was not immediately reachable for comment.

The violations of Army rules present a quandary for the U.S. military, given the high-profile nature of Black's arrest and the fact he has a wife and daughter near Fort Cavazos in Texas who depended on benefits, including a portion of his housing allowance.

In May, the military quietly decided to stop paying Black his wages and housing allowance, Army officials told Reuters.

CONTROVERSIAL DECISION
An Army spokesperson told Reuters Black's status was now CCA, or "Confined Civilian Authority," and that he is being kept on active duty without pay or allowances. The Army is maintaining medical benefits and base privileges for Black's family members.

Franklin Rosenblatt, an associate professor at Mississippi College School of Law and former Army Judge Advocate General, suggested the decision to change Black's status to CCA would be routine, if he were detained in the United States.

But assigning that status to him in Russia could be controversial, Rosenblatt said.

"There's a concern here that we may be giving legitimacy to the proceedings conducted in Russia with how we reflect his duty and pay status," he said, when informed by Reuters about Black's CCA status.

The U.S. military is not providing Black with any special military counsel, the Army has said.

Black's wife and mother, in interviews with Reuters, have portrayed a sometimes violent relationship between Black and his girlfriend.

His wife Megan recounted a time that Black's girlfriend stabbed him during a drunken video-call from Seoul with his daughter back in Texas.

Black's mother, Melody Jones, said he had followed his girlfriend to Russia even though they "fought like cats and dogs."

In Russia, prosecutors said that during an argument at Vashchuk's apartment, Black had grabbed her by the neck before taking her money. Black argued that Vashchuk had drunk half a bottle of vodka that day, was aggressive and had struck him.

Rosenblatt said while the Army might want to prosecute him now, it may opt against doing so if Black were to end up serving his entire sentence of three years and nine months in a Russian penal colony.

"What happened to him there (Russia) and serving that sentence, it does not entitle him automatically to confinement credit, but ... that may be a strong reason to grant leniency," he said.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Additional reporting by Filipp Lebedev in London; Editing by Don Durfee and Daniel Wallis)

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EU and Ukraine Dismiss Hungary Oil Scare, Saying Transit is Fine
The European Union rebuffed concerns from Hungary and Slovakia over a decision by Ukraine to sanction a major Russian oil company and rejected for now their request for urgent consultations over the security of crude supplies.

European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis notified Hungary and Slovakia on Thursday that a preliminary analysis shows sanctions Ukraine introduced on Russia’s Lukoil PJSC in June don’t affect transit operations carried out by trading companies via the Druzhba pipeline as long as Lukoil isn’t the formal owner of the oil.

As the consignees of the oil, the traders involved in the transactions are considered by Ukraine to be the owners of the oil, according to two people familiar with the matter. One such company is Litasco SA, which is owned by Lukoil. Others are Tatneft-Europe AG, Blackford Corporation Ltd. and Normeston Trading SA.

Litasco isn’t under Ukrainian sanctions, Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s deputy economy minister, told Bloomberg.

In July, scheduled deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia where Litasco was indicated as the consignee were cancelled by the Russian side, the people said.

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Dombrovskis discussed the transit issue with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in a phone call Thursday after Hungary and Slovakia rang alarm bells over the sanctions slapped by Kyiv on Lukoil. The two central European governments raised concerns over the security of supplies and called on the EU to help resolve the situation.

A commission spokesperson said the bloc’s analysis shows no immediate risk to the security of supply for the two countries and that the commission is now waiting for more details from Hungary and Slovakia.

Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said that Ukraine hasn’t taken any steps to block transit of oil.

“Our partners need to know: Each dollar which Russia receives for gas and for oil, they contribute to the military machine, and of course for us it is important,” he said in a Bloomberg interview in Kyiv.

One issue that the EU’s executive arm is seeking to clarify is the status of the oil imported by the Hungarian company MOL. The trading firms selling the oil are considered the formal owners of the shipment.

“The commission services were informed that MOL set out in formal letters that Lukoil was indeed not the owner of the oil transported via Ukraine for the MOL Group. We would appreciate a confirmation from you that this is indeed the case,” Dombrovskis said in a letter to Budapest and Bratislava seen by Bloomberg.

He also noted that several member states asked about the availability of alternative supply routes for importing crude and “questioned why Hungary and Slovakia had apparently not explored alternatives so far.”

Hungary has been reluctant to diversify its oil supplies, claiming, without evidence, that costs would be significantly higher to import from alternatives like Croatia. Budapest’s reliance on Russian crude oil appears to have increased last year compared to 2021, according to Eurostat data.

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Reconstruction of "Okhmatdyt" with charitable funds: a little-known company was chosen as the contractor with twice inflated prices
BO "Okhmatdit Charitable Fund" chose "Bud-Technology" LLC as the winner of the selection of the contractor for the repair of the hospital building, which was damaged as a result of rocket fire in July, with the funds collected by benefactors.

"Okhmatdyta" reported that they conducted the tender not according to the rules of the law "On Public Procurement", but in the form of a private competition "for the purpose of open and fair use of the funds donated by citizens", writes Nashi rzli.

In total, 14 participants submitted applications for participation in this selection, their price offers ranged from UAH 41.79 million to UAH 645.25 million (here and below without VAT).

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As a result, the "Okhmatdytu" charitable fund chose the third most expensive offer from "Bud-Technology" LLC worth UAH 307 million.
More than ten other participants offered to perform the work much cheaper - from 41.79 to 286 million UAH. However, the customer did not even negotiate with them, without explaining his decision in any way. Although, of the ten cheaper bids, at least seven contained fully completed commercial proposals with prices for various types of work.

According to "Our Money" from the participants of the competition, the "Okhmatdyt" charitable foundation without explanation allowed the "DAK" company from the "Altis" group of Oleksandr Glimbovsky (with an offer of 310 million UAH) and "Bud-Technology" from the Sensar Zaporizhzhya group to the final stage of selection developer Mark Marchenko (307 million UAH) and "Mega Profit Group" of Oleksiy Lomakin and Yulia Kuzmenko (220 million UAH).

The customer's working group held online meetings with these firms. "Mega Profit Group" was rejected due to unknown suspicions about its tax documents. "DAK" was expelled due to the scandalous reputation of its owner, Glimbovsky, who was detained in July in the case of the legalization of a bribe to his son-in-law, former head of the State Security Service, Roman Nasirov.

In the end, the customer entrusted the private firm "Stolichna Pravova Fundatsia" to conduct a "legal analysis of the winner regarding integrity" and ultimately chose "Bud-Technology" as the contractor. This company's application also has flaws that the customer ignored for unknown reasons.

At the same time, the prices for building materials in the application of the winning company for the repair of the "Okhmatdyt" building after the missile attack are sometimes twice as high as compared to the offers of competitors.
The largest items of expenditure in the estimate of "Bud-Technology" fall on the repair of facade composite panels "Reynaers" (large panels of dark color in the photo of the case) and decoration of internal walls with HP-panels. Each of these positions in "Bud-Technology" is worth more than 100 million hryvnias. At the same time, the price of these works is twice as high as compared to the cheaper competitors.

A square meter of facade composite panels "Reynaers" from "Bud-technology" will cost 37.56 hryvnias, "Riola-modul ltd" offered to install them at 21.72 hryvnias per "square", and "Mega Profit Group" - at 17.53 UAH

The company "Riola-modul", which carried out the construction of this "Okhmatdyt" building, reported in its tender offer (179 million UAH) that after the rocket hit, it had already managed to repair the so-called "clean rooms" (operational rooms, etc.) free of charge. The wall and ceiling structures have already been partially replaced, the linoleum is damaged. This indicated that the amount of repairs with the money of benefactors may already be overstated.

What is known about the selected contractor for the repair of the "Okhmatdyt" building
LLC "Bud-Technology" with a charter capital of 5 thousand hryvnias is registered in Zaporizhzhya. This company did not participate in state tenders. To confirm the experience of performing similar works, the company uploaded a contract with "Kram-invest" LLC for construction works for a clinic in Zaporizhzhia on the street. 27, St. Mykolaiv Street. It is known from the public announcement about the construction of the Zaporizhia clinic "UniClinic" that it was implemented by the Zaporizhia developer company "Sensar" by Mark Marchenko.

Today, the owner and manager of "Bud-Technology" is Vasyl Kobyz, who is registered in the village of Bratske, Zaporizhzhia region. Previously, its manager was Olga Shalenna, the mother of Yevgeny Shalennoy, Mark Marchenko's long-time partner.

Since 2015, Mark Marchenko and Yevhen Shalenny have been developing the local branch of the Samopomich party in Zaporizhzhia, which was headed by the mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovy. In 2017, Marchenko was detained for fictitious acts of completed construction works in Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol in the amount of UAH 87 million.

Then "Samopomich" publicly defended the businessman, calling the case "pressure on political power." In 2022, it turned out that "Bud-Technology" and "Sensar" have land in a green suburb of Lviv, allegedly for the construction of a rehabilitation center for ATO soldiers. However, it turned out that 99% of the building area was to be occupied by a shopping and entertainment center.

In the last local elections before the invasion, Shalennyi, together with the director of Sensar Development, Olena Bartul, already ran for the "Servant of the People" party.

Read also: Austria promised Ukraine 600 million euros for hospitals: Not a single project has been started in two years

As reported, during the collection organized by the United24 platform and monobank, Ukrainian companies and ordinary Ukrainians collected 300 million hryvnias in 41 hours for the capital's Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital , whose buildings were damaged by the Russian missile attack on July 8.

In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers allocated UAH 100 million from the state budget for the restoration of the hospital, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyi promised to allocate an additional UAH 300 million of state funds for this.

On July 12, Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko said that together with state funds from all partners, more than 800 million hryvnias were deposited into the accounts of charitable funds and the "Okhmatdit" charitable account.

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Ukrainian Navy’s second Turkish-built ADA-class corvette Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi (F-212) has been launched in T�rkiye

^{The ceremony of launching the Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky (F-212). Source: Clash Report}

The Ukrainian Navy’s second Turkish-built ADA-class corvette Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi (F-212) has been launched in T�rkiye today.

Clash Report published the photos from the event.

The launching ceremony took place at the RMK Marine shipyard in Istanbul. First Lady Olena Zelenska, Minister of Defense Rustem Umierov, Navy Commander Oleksii Neizhpapa, CEO of Baykar Haluk Bayraktar, and Hero of Ukraine Mustafa Dzhemilev attended the ceremony.

The corvette was named in March 2024. The Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi was solemnly laid down last August at a shipyard in Istanbul.

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^{The ceremony of launching the Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky (F-212). Source: Clash Report}

Due to Turkish traditions, the ship was solemnly laid down only after the construction of some sections and the hull.

According to the Ukrainian Navy, all work on the construction of the vessel is being carried out according to the schedule set out in the agreement.

Due to the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, the entire ship will be built in T�rkiye.

On May 29, the newest Ukrainian corvette Hetman Ivan Mazepa (F-211) left the RMK Marine shipyard for its first sea trials.

The Ukrainian Ada-class corvettes are armed with a Super Rapid 76-millimeter naval gun manufactured by the Italian company OTO Melara.

^{Corvette Hetman Ivan Mazepa (F211). Source: en_balci}

A sea version of the Turkish Korkut 35mm anti-aircraft gun from Aselsan is installed above the helicopter hangar.

The company’s other product on Mazepa’s board are STAMP 12.7mm remote-controlled weapon stations, which are installed on the port and starboard sides of the ship.

The F-211 and F-212 are equipped with Thales Sting EO MK2 naval fire control and tracking systems, Aselsan satellite communications systems, ARES-2N electronic warfare systems, and Mk 36 SRBOC decoy launching systems, typical of Ada-class corvettes.

In addition, the corvettes are equipped with the ALPER tactical navigation radar, and a 3D SMART-S MK2 radar is installed to detect air targets.

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Kadyrov threatens to kill hijab opponents, including Putin — video

^{Kadyrov says he is ready to shoot opponents of hijab personally (Photo:Screenshot of the video from t.me/chtddd)}

The Kremlin’s puppet governor in Russian-occupied Ichkeria, Ramzan Kadyrov, threatened to kill opponents of the hijab during a meeting with his followers, according to a video shared by the Telegram channel ChTD on Aug. 1.

"Chechnya is only against the wearing of the burqa, but those who advocate the ban on hijabs should be killed," Kadyrov said.

"Whoever tells my daughter to take off her hijab, I will kill him immediately. I'll shoot him right away, no matter who he is. This is my personal enemy, the enemy of Islam."

One of the opponents of wearing hijabs in schools is Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

"There is nothing good in this," Putin said during one of his "direct lines."

"There are, of course, national peculiarities in some republics. But what you mentioned is not a national peculiarity. This is a demonstration of a well-known attitude towards religion. In our country, in Muslim regions, there has never been such a tradition."

Warlord Kadyrov is likely aware of Putin's stance on hijabs.

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Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade Destroys Russian Bomb Launcher in Kharkiv region

^{Russian RBU-6000 naval MRL on a tank chassis, August 2024. Photo credits: 3rd Assault Brigade}

The 3rd Assault Brigade used attack drones to destroy a Russian missile launcher based on the RBU-6000 Smerch-2 naval rocket launcher.

The news was made public by the brigade’s press service.

The unmanned systems battalion of the 3rd Brigade detected and destroyed a Russian self-propelled multiple rocket launcher system that was firing at Ukrainian positions in the Kharkiv region.

The battalion’s operators struck the vehicle’s chassis twice and hit the launcher. Judging by the absence of detonation, it appears that the vehicle managed to fire its ammunition before burning out after sustaining damage.

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� осійська � СЗВ на базі корабельного бомбомета � БУ-6000

In their report, the brigade soldiers mistakenly identified the chassis of the unit as an MT-LB tracked tractor. However, the specific features in the video indicate a tank chassis.

The six-pillar undercarriage and the emission control system, with gases exhausted to the port side glowing brightly in the thermal imager, unmistakably identify it as a T-72 tank launcher.

Ground-based Smerch-2
At the beginning of the year, Militarnyi reported that due to the shortage of classical multiple launch rocket systems, Russians began to install shipboard bombers on tank chassis.

The launcher, weighing 3.5 tons, was then installed instead of the turret of a T-80B tank. However, later analogs based on Ural-4320 trucks were also spotted.

The released footage shows the vehicle firing a 12-tube launcher at ground targets at one of the training grounds.

� осійський Т-80Б з бомбометом � БУ-6000 [Січень 2024]

The MRL uses 213mm rockets with RGB-60 depth charges weighing 113.6 kilograms, of which the explosive is 23.5 kilograms. They are comparable in power to ammunition for 122-mm Grad multiple launch rocket systems.

The RGB-60 is equipped with a UDV-60 fuze. The fuze is activated when the bomb enters the water and ensures that the warhead is detonated upon impact.

Two such MRLs on the chassis of Ural-4320 trucks were destroyed by the Ukrainian military in the spring 2024.

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Russia legalizes cryptocurrency mining as global sanctions rattle traditional finances
Russia’s government passed two laws on Tuesday that legalize virtual currency mining and pave the way for its central bank to use crypto for international payments.

The lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, has approved cryptomining for legal entities and entrepreneurs. Those interested need to submit their information to relevant Russian agencies so that they can be tracked, according to the new rules.

Individuals who stay within government-set energy limits can mine without registration. The government will also be able to ban mining in certain regions of Russia.

According to the law, miners will be required to report their activity to the local financial monitoring service and provide the addresses of their wallets to Russia’s security services.

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A separate crypto bill, expected to come into force in September, would allow Russia’s central bank to create an “experimental” infrastructure for using cryptocurrencies in cross-border payments. According to the current rules in place, the use of digital currency for payments is prohibited in Russia.

The new crypto regulation is being introduced as global sanctions imposed on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine continue to take a toll on Russia’s economy. The sanctions isolated Russian companies from the global dollar system and forced the Moscow Exchange to stop trading in U.S. dollars and Euros.

One of the authors of the crypto bill, Anton Gorelkin, who serves as deputy head of the committee on information policy, said that Russian authorities view cryptocurrencies “primarily as a tool for circumventing sanctions.”

Russia’s attitude toward cryptocurrencies has evolved over time and earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin called digital currencies "a very dynamic and promising direction of the modern economy."

“It is important for us not to miss the moment and promptly set up the legal framework and regulation, develop infrastructure, and create conditions for the circulation of digital assets, both within the country and in relations with foreign partners,” he added.

Many limits still prevent the local crypto industry from growing. The new law will not lift the existing ban on cryptocurrency payments inside Russia. Additionally, advertisements for cryptocurrencies and companies offering crypto services remain prohibited in the country.

Putin also blamed cryptominers earlier this month for the shortage of electricity in Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. Russia’s Ministry of Energy even proposed increasing tariffs for miners by five to ten times to avoid a deficit.

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The Omsk Oil Refinery belongs to Gazprom Neft and is one of the largest oil refineries in Russia . The company is one of the largest suppliers of motor fuels to the domestic market: it produces every sixth liter of Russian gasoline and diesel fuel of the fifth environmental class.

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The Dane came to Russia due to disagreement with Western values, and then signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense. But now he went to court, saying that he did not want to participate in the conflict, does not speak Russian and is being oppressed by the Nepalese

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Danish musician files lawsuit against Defense Ministry for sending him on military operation
The Dane came to Russia because he disagreed with Western values, and then signed a contract with the Defense Ministry. But now he has gone to court, saying he did not want to participate in the conflict, does not speak Russian, and is being harassed by Nepalese

^{Photo: lawyer Roman Petrov}

A Danish citizen signed a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry and "unexpectedly for himself" was sent to a combat zone for a military operation, after which he filed a lawsuit against the military department. His lawyer Roman Petrov told Danish publications Nyheder and TV2 about this. The lawyer told RBC the details of the case and provided documents.

The Dane is 33 years old, he worked as a musician, the lawyer asked RBC not to disclose his name. He came to Russia last summer because he did not agree with the values ​​of Europe and was unhappy with the "worsening political climate."

He received a temporary residence permit until October 19. When his legal stay in Russia was about to expire, he applied for an extension of the residence permit, but the process dragged on. To resolve the issue, he contacted the Ministry of Defense, believing that this would allow him to obtain citizenship and stay in the country. In January 2024, the man was notified of the extension of the residence permit, but by that time he had been sent to the combat zone.

RBC sent a request to the Ministry of Defense.

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The Dane assumed that he would be allowed to choose his position and that he would become a border guard in Siberia or an English translator, the man explained through his lawyer.

"I didn't understand that the treaty only covered the combat zone," he wrote. The Dane expressed support for President Vladimir Putin and the Russian army, expressed admiration for "Russian brotherhood," but expressed reluctance to participate in an armed conflict with Ukraine.

"I never joined the Russian army out of a desire to fight or make money. I was trying to find a way to legally stay in Russia while my residence permit was being processed," the Dane explained.

The lawyer and his client justify the demand for exemption from service by the rules of recruitment into the contract army: recruits must speak Russian. "A person who takes up arms and becomes a soldier in the Russian army must, of course, be able to fully understand the orders that are given to him," his lawyer explained the provisions of Russian laws. He recalled that since his client can only communicate in English and Danish, this contradicts the Federal Law "On Military Duty and Military Service."

The lawyer emphasized that his client did not fully understand what kind of document he was signing, and promised to take the case to the International Court of Human Rights (probably referring to the European Court of Human Rights - ECHR, whose decisions Russia stopped enforcing at the end of 2022. - RBC ).

But the military court rejected these arguments, and the claim is currently being considered on appeal in another military court. RBC has reviewed the court's decisions.

The contract stated that it was for one year. The man believed that he would return in October 2024, but only this summer he learned that it was impossible to terminate the contract during the mobilization period.

He was assigned to a unit specializing in launching drones. The Dane said he was first sent to Rostov-on-Don, and then to Lugansk in December. He complained that he was forced to drink vodka, had his phone taken away, and was suspected of spying for the United States and working for Denmark. The man said he trained with Nepalese, but they did not like him and ignored him or spat in his direction. One of his fellow soldiers, a former boxer, beat him up, leaving bruises around his eyes and blood coming from his nose, the Dane said. He admitted that he refused to go to hospital at the suggestion of his commander.

The Danish Ministry of Defence told reporters that it had been "informed of the incident and currently has no further information."

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Ukraine Launched More Long-Range Attack Drones Than Russia In July

^{Ukrainian drone fundraisers Serhiy Prytula and Serhiy Sternenko with Bobr ("Beaver") attack drones. SERHIY PRYTULA.}

For the first time, Ukraine is launching more long-range drone attacks than Russia. Published figures suggest that Russia sent 426 Shahed-type drones into Ukraine in July. Over the same period Ukraine hit back with over 520 drones.

Russia appears to be less effective at shooting down the attackers as the Ukrainian strikes appear to be causing greater economic damage on oil refineries and other targets. Ukraine may be gaining the advantage in the strategic war of long-range drone strikes – and President Zelensky promise more and better strike drones to come.

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Russia’s Drone Offensive
Russia ran through most of its stockpiles of ballistic and cruise long-range missiles in the first few months of the war. And while production has increased since 2022, Russia appears to be firing missiles at roughly the rate they are produced, around 120 a month. While missiles are important due to their destructive effects, as seen in a recent strike on a children’s hospital,, much of Russia’s long-range striking power is now in the form of drones. Their chief weapon is he Iranian-designed Shahed series, known in Russia as Geran, which are easy to produce and cost as little at $20,000, compared to a million or more for a missile.

Originally imported from in Iran, Shaheds are increasingly produced under a licensing deal at a giant new facility in Alabuga, east of Moscow. The design has been modified over the last two years but the basics are still much the same: a propeller-driven drone with an eight-foot wingspan cruising at around 110 mph and with a warhead of little over 100 pounds. Apart from low cost, Shahed’s major advantage is its range, which is over a thousand miles and possibly as much as two thousand.

^{On the night of July 30th Russia launched a wave of 89 Shahed drones, plus one X-50 missile, all of which the Ukrainians claim to have shot downAIR FORCE OF UKRAINE}

Russia typically fires waves of up to thirty Shaheds at a time. These are picked up by Ukraine’s array of thousands of networked microphones listening for the drone’s distinctive ‘lawn mower’ engine sound, and in the hours it takes for them to reach the targets, mobile anti-drone units with heavy machineguns and automatic cannon are moved into position. Many Shaheds are also brought down by surface-to-air missiles, while others are sent off course or crashing to the ground by customized electronic warfare systems.

There are a couple of other Russian long-range attack drones, but at present the vast majority of the incoming are Shahed types all are currently counted as Shaheds.

Ukraine typically claims to shoot down 90% of the incoming Shahed and sometimes 100%. There is no way of verifying this, and clearly Shaheds do still cause damage, but the threat does not appear to be growing. While there have been warnings that Shahed production would rise steeply this year as the Alabuga facility ramped up production, numbers have been relatively stable. Shahed Tracker, an analyst on X/Twitter who compiles data on Russian drone attacks, recorded around 380 Russian long-range drone attacks in both January and February, spiking up to 601 in March, then back to 290, 314, and 336 in June. The total for July was 426.

^{Shahed attacks by month, data from Shahed trackerDAVID HAMBLING}

Ukraine Strikes Back
In response, Ukraine has developed a wide array of different long-range attack drones – analyst HI Sutton has identified no less than 22 different models, from converted light aircraft to custom-made jet-propelled attack drones. Most, however, are designed to be as simple, cheap and effective as possible, without regards to appearance, like the Drainpipe Drone first seen in April. Some from known sources, mainly Ukrainian startups and groups raising funds for their projects, many are mysterious and known only from debris recovered in Russia.

In 2023 Ukraine was producing just “dozens” of Shahed-type drones per month according to defence industry officials. Attacks, though often high profile, were small scale. That has changed. Mass attacks are increasingly common, sometimes alongside strikes by Storm Shadow or other missiles supplied by Western allies.

All we know about Ukrainian drone attacks comes from Russian officials as the Ukrainians do not talk about them. No one body in Russia issues daily tallies the way the Ukrainian Air Force does with Shahed and missile attacks but statements are issued by local governors and military offices.

Over the last month , on the 5th July the Russian Ministry of Defense “confirmed that its forces destroyed 50 Ukrainian drones within Russian territory”, on 9th July there were 38, on 11th July it was 75, on July 18th, another 33 on July 20th it was 26, and on 22nd July they shot down 80 drones. There were another 20 on the 27th, 41 on the 29th and 19 on the 31st, plus smaller numbers on eleven other days.

These Russian numbers cannot be confirmed and may nor may not represent the total number of drones launched. While the rate of shootdowns claimed is even greater than the Ukrainian claims, there is no sign of the sort of coordinated counter-drone network of sensors and weapons seen in Ukraine.

With these caveats, based statements by Russian state bodies, Ukraine has launched over 524 one-way attack drones in July compared to under 200 in each of the previous two months. This looks like the first month where the Ukrainian total has exceeded the Russian one.

Precision Targeting
There is little information on what Russian drones are targeting, though reports of blackouts and electrical issues suggest that strikes on Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure continue. Ukraine is reported to have lost roughly half of its 18 Gigawatt capacity and there is an urgent program to rebuild before winter.

The Ukrainian campaign is multi-pronged, against a variety of high-value targets. One target set includes oil refineries and oil and gas storage facilities. Hits generally produce dramatic images and videos on social media making them easy to confirm. The overall damage to the industry is hard to assess but growing. Sanctions make it difficult to repair refineries and Russia may be forced to put up prices or ration supplies.

A second class of target are Russian military airbases. The exact ranges of Ukraine’s different strike drones are unknown, but a recent attack on Olenya airbase in Russia struck from over 1,100 miles / 1,800 kilometers away. This sort of range puts a huge number of Russian bases at risk. These strikes are hard to assess, as the only available damage information comes from satellite imagery which can be frustratingly indistinct. Ukraine claims to have destroyed a Russian Su-30M at Saky airbase and damaged a Tu-22M bomber at Olenya ins trikes on 27th July, but these are impossible to confirm.

Note that for both types of target a small drone warhead can inflict disproportionate damage. A single destroyed Russian fighter could pay for the cost of the entire drone campaign several times over. Some of the larger drones can carry much larger warheads though, up to several hundred pounds, holding a larger range of targets at risk.

Electric substations, which in Russia are cooled by flammable oil, are also targets for Ukrainian drones.

Writing on Twitter/X Mick Ryan, Senior Fellow for Military Studies at the Lowry Institute notes that one function of Ukraine’s drone campaign is to create dilemmas for Russian military planners. Pulling back air defenses from the frontline could help protect airbases but leave troops exposed to air attack. Focusing on air bases means vital oil storage facilities will burn at an increasing rate. Changing protocols to allow defenders to open fire sooner could increase the already terrible rate of friendly fire incidents.

Ryan notes that as well as economic and military effects, the drone campaign is a political weapon. Soaring gas prices and burning oil tanks bring home to Russians the true consequences of invading Ukraine.

Accelerated Production
The big question is just how many long-range attack drones Ukraine can produce, and whether July is a blip or a trend.

When I talked to drone makers Terminal Autonomy last December, they discussed plans for mass production of their AQ-400 Scythe. The drone’s wooden body can be made by the same facilities that cut flat-pack furniture, and it is easy to assemble by unskilled labor. They believed they could make 500 drones per month by mid-2024 but this would depend on receiving government backing. Other drone makers producing the Bobr, Lyuty and others could have similar capacity, again if they get sufficient funding.

^{Simple but effective long-range drones can carry out precision strikes at long range, and can be built in large numbers}

In December, Oleksandr Kamyshin, Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine, said he aimed to produce 10,000 strike drones with ranges in the hundreds of kilometers in 2024. That would be over 830 a month.

And last week, during one of his evening addresses, President Zelensky stated that “We are preparing steps to increase the number and quality of our long-range drones.”

One month of increased drone strikes may not be meaningful. Ukraine has not yet exceeded the total of 600 Shaheds launched by Russia in March and December. But July may mark a turning point in the strategic drone war, and the start of increasing problems for Russia.

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Translation:

"So that's how we fucking went to the fucking training grounds to shoot... Still smoldering... Everything is scattered around: wrenches, screwdrivers, so many tools... Need anything? Grab it, then... You got a bag or something? Anti-drone blocks laying around, didn't even help..."

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The aren't saying anything important.

Soldier: "Well, fuck, watch"

Operator: "Holy fuck. That's how we do our water. Easy, easy"

Soldier: "Why the fuck it's not working?" OR "Well, fuck, it's not working".

P.S. Unlike English, Russian is unordered language, so the meaning of his words depends on intonation, not the order of words.

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Russia's Largest Oil Refinery Caught Fire in Omsk
A fire broke out on the territory of an oil refinery owned by Gazprom Neft in Omsk, 112 reports.

According to sources, one of the AVT-10 oil refining units is on fire, and the fire area has reached 300 square meters.

The Omsk Oil Refinery is the largest in Russia. Its capacity is 22 million tons of oil per year, and the number of employees exceeds 3.5 thousand.

Videos circulated on social media show that the fire broke out at the AVT-10 primary oil refining unit, which has a capacity of 8.6 million tons per year, or 40% of the refinery's total capacity, Reuters writes. According to the agency's sources, AVT-10 must be shut down due to the fire.

The plant's press service confirmed the fire, although it said that the fire had already been extinguished and that the refinery itself continued to operate in "normal mode." The fire broke out "in an auxiliary room of the pumping station," and was extinguished by automated systems, as a result of which no one was hurt, Interfax quotes a representative of the enterprise.

In January-December 2023, the Omsk Oil Refinery processed 21.28 million tons of oil, which is 7.7% of all refining in Russia. The plant produced 5.07 million tons of motor gasoline (11.5% of production in Russia), 8.1 million tons of diesel fuel (9.2%), and 1.63 million tons of jet fuel (15%).

Since the beginning of the year, Russian oil refineries and oil depots have been attacked by Ukrainian drones at least 40 times, and a number of large refineries have been forced to halt production after fires and equipment damage.

According to Rosstat, gasoline production in Russia fell by 20% from January to May, and diesel fuel by 11% compared to late December levels. In early June, Russian authorities classified fuel production statistics, citing sanctions and the threat of market “manipulation.”

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Ukrainian Security Service Foils Russian Sabotage Attempt in Odesa

^{Security Service of Ukraine detaining a saboteur connected to Russian intelligence who tried to burn Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) transformers in Odesa. (Source: Security Service of Ukraine)}

The Security Service of Ukraine detained a saboteur connected to Russian intelligence who tried to burn Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) transformers in Odesa.

The military counter-intelligence of the Security Service detained a saboteur working the Russian military intelligence in Odesa, who was preparing a series of arsons at Ukrzaliznytsia facilities.

Among the main targets of the enemy were transformer substations and relay cabinets on the main railway lines of the region.

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To commit sabotage, the Russian special service involved a local construction worker who was looking for extra money on Telegram channels. He agreed to set fire to critical infrastructure in exchange for cash.

To do this, he scouted the location of the first potential target - a transformer near the railway track and then prepared a stash of three "Molotov cocktails" near it.

The person additionally involved his acquaintance, who, according to the received coordinates, was supposed to arrive on the spot and set fire to the electrical substation.

However, the Security Service prevented further arsons and detained the saboteur at the initial stage of his subversive activities.

During the search, homemade incendiary mixtures and a mobile phone, which he used to communicate with the aggressor, were found in his possession.

On the basis of the collected evidence, the investigators of the Security Service informed the detainee of the suspicion of preparation for sabotage committed under martial law.

The perpetrator is currently in custody. He faces life imprisonment and confiscation of property.

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Very serious. Dictator Nicolas Maduro announces the construction of two maximum security prisons for opponents. He adds that his objective will be to convert them into “re-education centers.”

He is talking about concentration camps for opponents. Terrible.

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Russia Says It Hit 3 Patriot SAM Launchers in One Day
The Russian Defense Ministry has claimed it destroyed several U.S.-made Patriot air defense system launchers in one day amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Russian forces hit three launchers of the U.S. Patriot air defense system on Thursday, 1 August, according to a statement from the Defense Ministry.

Russia used a combination of drones, artillery, and ground troops to target the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system.

Moscow also claimed to have shot down 14 rocket launchers manufactured by the United States and one MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System.

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The Patriot (Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target) is a highly sophisticated surface-to-air missile defense system, and it is considered one of the most advanced weapon systems in the U.S. arsenal.

The U.S. provided Ukraine with a Patriot air defense system to bolster the country's fortification against a barrage of Russian drone strikes.

Ukraine received its first Patriot battery from the U.S. in the first half of 2023 to protect the skies from heavy bombardments and constant shelling.

Ukraine is set to receive an additional $1.7 billion in military aid, U.S. officials said on Monday. The latest round of aid includes munitions for air defense systems, artillery, mortars, and anti-tank and anti-ship missiles.

The package includes $1.5 billion in funding for long-term contracts through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and $200 million in immediate military aid taken from Pentagon stockpiles.

The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system that utilizes an advanced aerial interceptor missile and high-performance radar system.

The system is used to intercept threats such as aircraft and ballistic missiles, it can also shoot down the "kamikaze" drones Russia has frequently deployed.

It comes as the Lockheed Martin-made F-16 fighter jets pledged to Kyiv arrived in Ukraine on Wednesday. The first batch of long-awaited F-16 jets were spotted in action in a watershed moment for the war-ravaged country.

The Kremlin said that the Russian military would shoot down U.S.-built F-16 fighter jets sent to Ukraine and claimed that the F-16s would have no significant impact on the course of the war.

President Joe Biden agreed in August 2023 for used F-16s to be deployed to Ukraine; however, the U.S. won't provide any of its own planes. Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway committed to gifting Ukraine with more than 60.

Peter Stano, EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told Newsweek: "Most of the claims coming from Moscow have no credibility whatsoever, are either propaganda or information manipulation or outright lies.

"While the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the accompanying info war conducted by the Kremlin continue, we as the EU, together with our partners, will continue supporting Ukraine to defend itself."

RUSI Military Sciences Director Matthew Savill told Newsweek: "Overall, the challenges for Ukraine in 2024 and potential answers remain the same as before this decision: resupply of equipment and ammunition, recruitment and training of personnel, and effective defences to prevent or slow down Russian ground advances. Deep strike is not a silver bullet."

A newly produced single Patriot battery costs over $1 billion, with $400 million for the system and $690 million for the missiles in a battery, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

The Patriot system was first used in live combat during the 1991 Gulf War, with batteries protecting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Israel. The highly advanced military warfare was also utilized during the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

It is a mobile system that usually includes a powerful radar, control station, power generators, launch stations, and ancillary support vehicles. The surface-to-air missile radar has a range of over 150 km (93 miles).

The system has different capabilities depending on the type of interceptor used. The PAC-2 interceptor uses a blast-fragmentation warhead, while the newer PAC-3 missile uses more advanced hit-to-kill technology.

Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Defence Ministry and the office of President Zelensky for comment.

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Explosions reported across occupied Crimea
Residents reported hearing multiple explosions across occupied Crimea overnight on Aug. 2, the Telegram channel Crimean Wind reported.

Residents in Sevastopol, Simferopol, and Yevpatoria heard explosions around 1:30 a.m. local time, according to local media reports.

According to Crimean Wind, local residents reported an alleged strike on a shipyard used to repair ships for Russia's Black Sea Fleet off the bay of Sevastopol, but the reports are still being clarified.

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-installed head of Sevastopol claimed that air defenses are operational over the city. He later added that occupied Crimea was under threat of ballistic missile attacks.

Photos of falling debris and small fires could be seen in Sevastopol, with reports of power lines damaged. Razvozhayev claimed that the falling debris was a result of downed missiles and drones.

Russian state-run TASS news agency later reported that air defenses had shot down at least four aerial targets throughout the attack.

The Kyiv Independent cannot not verify the claims, and Ukraine has not yet commented on the alleged attack.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has regularly launched attacks on occupied Crimea. Overnight on July 26, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed it had hit Russia's Saky military airfield in occupied Crimea.

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Russia's Gazprom net losses nearly double year on year
Russian gas giant Gazprom suffered net losses from January to June 2024 almost double those in the same period last year, the Ukrainian media outlet enkorr reported on July 31.

Losses in the first half of 2024 totalled 480.64 billion rubles ($5.5 billion), while those in the first half of 2023 totalled 255 billion rubles ($2.95 billion), according to Gazprom financial statements seen by the outlet.

Gazprom has had a turbulent time since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion – its revenue fell by 30% last year with a net loss of $6.9 billion, the largest in 25 years.

Moscow's war in Ukraine led to worsening relations with Europe, limiting the operations of the company.

The energy giant relied on European markets and failed to find alternatives after the EU moved away from Russian gas. While Gazprom found some success in other foreign markets, this only accounts for 5-10% of its European sales.

Moscow has heavily taxed Gazprom's revenues over the last two years and the company paid $28 billion to the government in 2023, accounting for 9% of the government's revenue last year.

In June, a report commissioned by the company said it would not be able to recover losses incurred from Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine for at least 10 years.

The company said exports to Europe are expected to average 50-75 billion cubic meters (bcm) annually by 2035, only a third of the gas monopoly's prewar exports.

The forecast is "grim," Elina Ribakova, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, told the Financial Times at the time.

"Gazprom is at a dead end, and they're very much aware of it," Ribakova said after reading the report.

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Op donderdag 1 augustus 2024 22:53 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

...knip.....

He was also having an extramarital affair - prohibited in the U.S. military - with a Russian woman named Alexandra Vashchuk, who he met during a deployment in South Korea. During leave from the military, Black followed her to Russia's far eastern city of Vladivostok, where she reported him to the police after an argument.

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On TikTok, Ms Vashchuck had referred to Mr Black affectionately as her "husband" and her pindos, a slur for American.

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 02:13 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.moscowtimes.e(...)i-npz-rossii-a138451
[..]
https://www.reddit.com/r/(...)k_russia_is_on_fire/
oil plant in Omsk, Russia is on fire

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 16:42 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Ja, ik zou ook janken als ik ineens vanuit spanje naar rus zou moeten.

[ x ]

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Explosions heard in several districts of occupied Crimea
In the temporarily occupied Crimea, explosions were heard in several areas on the night of August 2. Loud blasts occurred in Sevastopol, Balaklava, Saky, Yevpatoria, and Simferopol, according to Krymskyi Veter and governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev.

It is reported that explosions on the Ukrainian peninsula, occupied by Russian forces, occurred around 1:30 a.m.

Reports online indicate that a series of explosions were audible from Sevastopol to Balaklava.

"It was also loud in Saki, Yevpatoria, and even in Simferopol," according to a post by Krymskyi Veter on Telegram.

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Russians complain about a drone attack and a missile strike
Meanwhile, Mikhail Razvozhayev, a representative of the administration in Sevastopol, claims that air defense forces are actively engaged in the area.

He also mentioned a supposed ballistic threat and later stated on his Telegram channel that several aerial targets had been intercepted.

"According to information from the Sevastopol Rescue Service, a part of a downed missile has reportedly fallen at a pedestrian crossing on Khrustaleva Street. Debris has also fallen on Ostriakova Street, where, according to preliminary information, parts of a downed UAV are burning," he wrote.

The official added that fragments of intercepted aerial targets were reportedly found on Symonka Street and in Uchkuevka.

There is currently no information regarding any casualties.

There is video and photo evidence of the strike.

Possible damage to a ship repair yard
Additionally, there are reports online about a possible strike in Crimea near a ship repair yard.

According to Krymskyi Veter, the incident likely occurred in the area of the 13th Ship Repair Plant of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Kilen Bay, as mentioned by a resident. There is currently no confirmation of this information.

Shelling of Crimea
It should be noted that explosions frequently occur on the Ukrainian peninsula temporarily occupied by Russia due to strikes by Ukrainian Defense Forces on Russian military targets.

Earlier, it was reported that on the night of July 18, SSU drones attacked the Lake Donuzlav area, where the Russian Navy was conducting exercises. Satellite images later confirmed the strikes on this military base.

Additionally, on July 15, explosions were heard at an invader military unit near Cape Fiolent near Sevastopol, which was targeted by unmanned aerial vehicles.

At the end of July, satellite images revealed the aftermath of a Ukrainian strike on the Saky airfield used by the Russian army.

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Russia complains about drone strike on Kursk and strong explosions
Explosions were heard in the Russian city of Kursk last night, and air defense forces are currently active in the region due to a drone attack, according to the local Telegram channels and the acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexey Smirnov.

Local authorities initially reported a threat of missile strikes during the night of August 2. However, around 02:00, they announced that the threat had subsided, only to later report a danger of a drone attack in the Kursk region.

A Russian official also mentioned that air defense systems had been put on high alert to repel the aerial attack.

Additionally, reports in local Kursk communities indicate that explosions were heard in various districts of the regional center throughout the night, with some describing them as powerful.

^{Drone strike on Kursk and strong explosions in Kursk (photo: Typychnyi Kursk)}

At present, there are no reports on the potential consequences of the airstrike, including damage to objects or casualties.

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Drone attacks in the Kursk region
In Russia's Kursk region, there have been frequent reports of aerial attacks involving drones. Such raids have resulted in explosions and fires at various locations in the region.

Previously, it was reported that on July 31, following a drone attack in the Kursk district, a fire broke out at one of the sites. The Ukrainian General Staff later stated that Ukrainian forces had targeted an ammunition and military equipment depot near Kursk.

Additionally, we reported that on the night of July 28, explosions occurred in the Kursk region due to a drone attack, which resulted in a fire at an oil depot in the village of Polevaya.

Later, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced that the Ukrainian Defense Forces conducted a successful operation in Russia's Kursk region. They managed to attack an oil depot, with explosions also reported in the area of a substation.

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Russia's Crackdown on Migrant Workers Backfires
Apush by Russia's authorities to restrict immigration has reportedly caused supply chain problems for grocery stores as labor shortages continue to impact the country's wartime economy.

Russian business outlet RBC reported that X 5 Group, which owns the convenience store chain Pyaterochka and supermarket chain Perekrestok, did not have enough staff for its distribution center in the Yaroslavl region northeast of Moscow. This was partly due to the departure of migrant workers.

Images of empty store shelves in the cities of Yaroslavl and Rybinsk have appeared on social networks and local media, sparking customer complaints.

The Mash telegram channel published a video of empty shelves in Pyaterochka stores, which had not been restocked with bread, cereals, flour, spices or water since last week. Local news outlet 76.ru said that there are no water bottles in some stores.

Mash linked the empty store shelves to recent raids on deported migrants and said there was a shortage of 1,000 workers at the distribution center in Yaroslavl.

Russian authorities have stepped up scrutiny on the legal status of migrant workers after Tajik nationals were accused of carrying out of carrying a terrorist attack at a concert at Crocus City Hall in Moscow in March, which killed more than 140 people.

Facilities run by companies that traditionally employ immigrants have been reportedly raided by police, sparking concerns about a crackdown on citizens of Central Asian countries.

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"The recent departure and expulsion of migrant workers after the Crocus terrorist attack is exacerbating the situation and has already caused problems in trade," Boris Grozovski, an expert on Russia's economy, told Newsweek.

"Xenophobia is on the rise in Russian society, and the authorities are doing much to encourage it. But with a noticeable shortage of labor, I think the authorities will reduce their activity in expelling migrants from Russia," said Grozovski from the Wilson Center think tank. "Otherwise, the economy will have big problems.

X5 told RBC in a statement that it was looking to attract workers from neighboring regions and hoped that the staffing shortage would improve soon.

Newsweek reached out to X5 for comment.

Employers in Russia can be held liable for hiring migrants without the right documentation. On July 23, the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Yaroslavl region reported a raid on foreigners at construction, wholesale and retail sites in Yaroslavl.

"Some jobs cannot be easily automated, and some of them have been heavily relying on migrant workers since Russians are largely unwilling to take them up," Vasily Astrov, a Russia expert at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, told Newsweek.

"Retail trade is obviously one example, another one is construction. At least in the short term, these problems can hardly be solved, and these sectors may suffer as a result. But the anti-immigrant sentiments are just too strong currently, especially against Central Asians, economics plays a secondary role," Astrov said.

Russia is struggling with a shortage of workers due to high losses in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine compounded by an exodus of citizens fleeing the draft. Companies have been open about the shortage, which has spiked salaries and inflation, which Russia's Central Bank has tried to dampen down by raising the key interest rate.

"The unemployment rate is so low that there is simply nowhere physically to take the missing workers," said Grozovski, "They do not exist."

However, Astrov believed that it was significant that the wage share in Russia is still very low—40 percent of GDP, compared to around 60 percent in Western advanced economies. He said this means "there is still ample room for it to grow."

"The current growth model of the Russian economy could well be sustained for quite some time, a few years at least, especially if labor shortages give rise to investments into automatization and increased implementation of labor-saving technologies," he said.

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'Signs of escalation' on battlefield in Kharkiv sector, Ukraine's military says
Ukraine's military said on Aug. 1 that several observations on the battlefield suggest Russia could be escalating military operations in Kharkiv Oblast.

"The situation in the operational area of the Kharkiv Group of Forces remains difficult, tense and has signs of escalating," group spokesperson Vitalii Sarantsev said on national TV, in comments reported by Ukrinform.

Russia launched the offensive in the northern part of Kharkiv Oblast back in May. The push eventually ran out of steam as Ukrainian forces halted Moscow's advance.

Sarantsev said Russian forces observed in Kharkiv Oblast were conducting internal rotations and had increased their presence in border areas.

He also said there had been an uptick in sabotage and intelligence gathering operations.

Elsewhere, President Volodymyr Zelensky told French media on July 30 Moscow has began concentrating its efforts in the east, "throwing everything they have" in the Pokrovsk direction.

Ukraine's military acknowledged an increasingly difficult situation in the Pokrovsk direction as battlefield monitoring sites indicate steady progress of Russian troops westward.

"Today, they (Russian forces) are concentrating the largest number of personnel, the largest number of weapons and KAB bombs, everything they have, in the Pokrovsk direction," Zelensky said.

According to the president, Russia shifted its focus to the east after its failure to take Kharkiv.

Zelensky added that Russian forces also plan to advance in other directions in the east, such as Kostiantynivka, Toretsk, or Sloviansk, but at the moment, Pokrovsk remains the main focus.

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After missile strike on Crimea, fires broke out at invaders’ air defense positions

^{ATACMS launch. Photo credits: Office of Strategic Communications of the General Staff}

On the night of August 1 to 2, explosions were heard in the temporarily occupied Crimea. The Russian invaders claimed an attack with ATACMS ballistic missiles.

In particular, the objects of the Russian invaders near Sevastopol came under attack, the Crimean Wind Telegram channel reports.

The sounds of explosions were also heard at night in Simferopol, Saky, and Yevpatoriia. The occupation administration claimed that Russian air defense had been operating over the peninsula.

Later, it became known that NASA’s satellite fire monitoring system had detected fires at Russian air defense positions near Balaklava.

The time period from 1:57 a.m. to 2:20 a.m., when the fires were detected, coincides with the time of the missile attack on Russian facilities near Sevastopol.

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^{Satellite images from NASA’s fire monitoring service near Sevastopol. The night of August 2, 2024}

The Crimean Wind Telegram channel points out that the fires could have occurred both after the launch of anti-aircraft missiles and after hits on Russian air defense positions.

Вибухи в районі Севастополя. [2 серпня 2024]

After the first explosions in Crimea on the night of August 2, the so-called governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said that the air defense system had been working in the city.

The Russian invaders claimed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had attacked the temporarily occupied peninsula with ATACMS ballistic missiles.

The missiles were allegedly shot down over Sevastopol, which is why two streets were even closed until about 12:00 to collect all explosive items.

In addition, the occupation administration decided to evacuate the residents of one of the nine-story buildings to remove a part of the missile that allegedly pierced the roof and got stuck on the mechanical floor of the building.

As previously reported, on July 30, over 50,000 households remained without electricity due to a fire at power facilities in occupied Crimea.

У Криму стались пожежі на 4 електропідстанціях: Керч та передмістя знеструмило

Local reports indicate that the fires started almost simultaneously in the area of the 450th block. The pro-Kremlin Mash media outlet suggests sabotage as a possible cause of the fire.

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Een Russisch spionnenechtpaar uit Sloveni� dat gisteren onderdeel was van de grote gevangenenuitruil was zo diep undercover dat hun twee kinderen pas in het vliegtuig op weg naar Moskou te horen kregen dat ze Russisch zijn. Dat zei Kremlin-woordvoerder Peskov vandaag tegen journalisten.

Ze hadden een kunstgalerie en een ICT-bedrijf in de hoofdstad Ljubljana. Ze deden zich voor als Argentijnen en gebruikten de schuilnamen Ludwig Gisch en Maria Mayer. Met hun kinderen spraken ze thuis altijd Spaans, vandaar de Spaanse begroeting van Poetin.

https://nos.nl/l/2531462

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Latvia completes the construction of a fence on the border with Belarus

^{145 km of fence on the border with Belarus. Photo credits: Border Service of Latvia}

Latvia officially announced the completion of 145 km of fence on the border with Belarus.

LSM reported on this.

The main work has now been completed by the state-owned enterprise Valsts nekustamie īpa�umi.

The second stage will be the preparation of the necessary infrastructure, including patrol paths, pedestrian bridges and other solutions needed to protect the border, which will continue along the entire 173 kilometers of the border.

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https://mil.in.ua/wp-cont(...)JVHHSMMPJZY3LFYE.jpg
^{An officer of the Latvian Border Guard patrols along the fence on the Latvian-Belarusian border near Robe�nieki, Latvia, August 8, 2023}

As noted by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Rihards Kozlovskis, the fence was built professionally and on schedule.

Currently, Valsts nekustamie īpa�umi is also building additional infrastructure for border guards near the Daugava River and in the area around Lake Rychy, where the border fence is not being built.

The Latvian government noted that there was no border fence on the 16.7-kilometer section near the Daugava, where a dredging road and infrastructure around Lake Rychy were being built.

According to the plan, the company should complete its work by the summer of 2025.

^{Construction of a fence in Latvia on the border with Belarus. Photo from the media}

The total cost of construction of the Latvian-Belarusian border fence and infrastructure, as well as related services and works, is �125.35 million, including �3.6 million provided by the European Union.

As previously reported, constructing a 112-kilometer fence on the Belarusian border was completed in 2023.

Also, last year, a 30-meter tunnel was put into operation, which significantly facilitates border control in the area where the border crosses the railway line.

The plan to strengthen the eastern border and counter enemy troop mobility is part of the Baltic Defensive Line initiative, which covers the entire length of the Latvian border with Russia and Belarus.

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Four S-400 launchers destroyed in overnight missile attack on Crimea - social media
Four S-400 air defense launchers were destroyed during an overnight missile attack on Russia-occupied Crimea on August 2.
That's according to the Telegram channel Crimean Wind, Ukrinform reports.

"As we reported, according to preliminary reports, four S-400 launchers were destroyed in Crimea overnight," the post reads.

The previous post stated that Russia's S-400 Triumf air defense system was reportedly hit last night in Sevastopol, on the heights of Kaya-Bash, including four launchers based on a MAZ-543 truck and a 92N6 radar.

Earlier reports said that explosions rang out in several districts in temporarily occupied Crimea in the early morning hours of August 2. The sounds of explosions were heard in Saky, Yevpatoria and Simferopol, the loudest in Sevastopol and Balaklava.

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Ukrainian air defence shot down 11 Russian drones yesterday and at night
The Air Defence Forces destroyed 11 Russian drones over the past day and at night on 2 August.
This was reported on Facebook by the command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

"Over the past and current day, 11 UAVs of various types were shot down by air defence in the southern and eastern directions," the statement said.

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82nd Air Assault Brigade received Cougar armored vehicles

^{The Cougar armored vehicle is in service with the 82nd Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Photo credits: @Weapons_Illust in X}

Soldiers of the 82nd Air Assault Brigade have received American Cougar armored vehicles of the MRAP class.

Photos of the soldiers with these vehicles have been posted online.

The vehicles were handed over to the Ukrainian military as part of military assistance from the United States.

It was reported in March of last year that the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces had received Cougar armored vehicles.

Then the Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov published a photo of Western armored vehicles that had been transferred to the Armed Forces, including a Cougar.

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^{The Cougar armored vehicle in service with the 82nd Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, July 2024. Photo credits: @Weapons_Illust in X}

The transfer of a batch of these armored vehicles was announced in December 2022 as part of a large military aid package from the United States worth $1.85 billion.

^{Cougar armored vehicle in the Armed Forces. March 2023. Photo credits: Oleksii Reznikov}

At that time, the United States pledged to provide Ukraine with 37 such armored vehicles as part of the first delivery.

The Cougar MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) class is a family of armored vehicles manufactured by Force Protection Inc.

^{Cougar 4�4 armored vehicles of the MRAP class}

These vehicles are protected by a combination of design features and materials that protect both the crew and the engine compartment from a wide range of damage, including from an explosive device or small arms fire.

^{Cougar 4�4 armored vehicles of the MRAP class}

The Cougar has a V-shaped hull bottom that redistributes blast wave energy away from the crew. The armored vehicle can be equipped with a 4�4 or 6�6 chassis in different versions.

^{CG Haenel MK556 assault rifle}

The soldiers of the 82nd Air Assault Brigade also received Haenel MK 556 assault rifles, which were donated by the German government as part of international military assistance. The rifles were originally commissioned by the German Armed Forces, but due to patent infringements, the contract was canceled and the rifles were removed to storage.

Навчання 82 бригади ДШВ [Лютий 2024]

In addition, the 82nd Brigade was armed with Challenger 2 tanks provided by the United Kingdom and American M1126 Stryker wheeled armored personnel carriers with a remote-controlled machine gun.

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The Ministry of Defense authorized almost 20 samples of grenade launchers for operation

^{Fort-600 grenade launcher in service at NGU, October 2023. Photo credits: Special Purpose Battalion "Donbas"}

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nearly 20 models of grenade launchers have been codified and authorized for use in the Defense Forces.

The Ministry of Defense clarified that about a third of them are domestically produced.

Foreign models are represented by grenade launchers manufactured by defense companies from the United States, Germany, Turkey, Canada, and Sweden.

The combat capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been enhanced by under-barrel, hand-held, automatic and multi-grenade, semi-automatic grenade launchers of various calibers.

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^{A Ukrainian soldier with a Panzerfaust 3 grenade launcher. Photo credits: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine}

Most of these weapons are of 40 mm caliber.

However, there are also more powerful ones with a caliber of 84 mm, such as the universal Swedish Carl Gustaf grenade launcher.

^{Carl-Gustaf M4 grenade launchers, Kharkiv, 2022 Photo credits: AP/Andrew Marienko}

In particular, the Carl Gustaf grenade launcher uses a wide range of ammunition, including: HEAT, high-explosive, thermobaric, smoke and illuminating.

It is a versatile and effective infantry weapon against armored vehicles and enemy group targets.

^{Ammunition for the Carl-Gustaf grenade launcher}

Carl Gustaf grenade launchers are normally operated by two soldiers: a shooter and a loader. The grenade launcher can be fired from a prone position, kneeling or standing upright.

^{Mk 19 grenade launcher of the Armed Forces. Photo credits: ArmyInform}

Ukraine has also developed a tripod for firing the American Mk19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher from indirect fire positions.

^{Tripod for the Mk19 automatic grenade launcher unfolded. Photo credits: Facebook/MR Co. Ltd}

It makes it possible to use an American grenade launcher similar to the Soviet AGS-17 when the operator and service personnel are not in direct line of sight of the target. This significantly increases the safety of the soldiers.

^{Two brigades of Territorial Defense Forces received UAG-40.1 automatic grenade launchers as part of the Eye for an Eye 2 project, January 2024. Photo credits: The Come Back Alive Foundation}

In January this year, the Come Back Alive Foundation and the OKKO filling station chain handed over 40 Ukrainian UAG-40.1 automatic grenade launchers to the soldiers of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces.

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Ukraine uses guided ammunition for drones (photo)

^{Ukrainian BK-3OF high-explosive guided ammunition, August 2024. Photo credits: Telegram/VictoryDrones}

The Russian military reported the use of laser-guided bombs by Ukrainian bomber drones.

A photo of the drone and the ammunition was published by the VictoryDrones Telegram channel.

A Ukrainian heavy multi-rotor drone was shot down by the Russian occupiers over their positions while it was looking for targets.

A corrected bomb with an optical guidance system was found on board on one of the suspensions.

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^{A downed bomber drone and BK-3OF ammunition under it, August 2024. Photo credits: Telegram/VictoryDrones}

The body of the high-explosive munition bears the marking BK-3OF and a serial number, which may indicate serial production.

In addition to its name, the notch on the case also indicates its purpose, which affects the formation of fragments of the same size.

An optical guidance device is installed in the nose of the BK-3OF ammunition. According to the author of the photo, the projectile is guided by a reflected laser beam.

In the aft part there are four aerodynamic rudders, which are supposed to set the direction of flight when the projectile hits the target.

^{Ukrainian BK-3OF high-explosive guided ammunition, August 2024. Photo credits: Telegram/VictoryDrones}

It is known that the Ukrainian defense industry has long been working on adjusted ammunition to increase the effectiveness of drone bombers.

In particular, this type of weapon was developed as part of the innovative projects of the Brave1 military technology development cluster.

Currently, Ukrainian nighttime unmanned bombers remain one of the most effective means of destroying Russian equipment and personnel behind enemy lines. Depending on the modification, their range is 20-40 kilometers.

In addition to free-fall and now adjusted munitions, the bombers are also actively used for remote mining of roads in the frontline area, which significantly undermines the occupiers’ logistics.

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Estonia to introduce full customs control on border with Russia
Starting August 8, 2024, Estonia will implement full customs control on its border with Russia to prevent it from circumventing sanctions

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna made the statement.

"Starting August 8, Estonia will introduce full customs control on the border with Russia to better ensure that we do not feed the Russian war machine and do not help the aggressor to circumvent sanctions," the minister wrote.

He also emphasized the need to help Ukraine win and raise the cost of war for Russia.

On July 18, Estonia, following Latvia and Lithuania, banned vehicles with Belarusian license plates from entering the country.

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Ukraine returns bodies of 250 fallen soldiers
After identification, the bodies of the defenders will be handed over to their families for burial, the Coordination Staff said

^{Photo: Coordination Headquarters}

On August 2, as a result of repatriation measures, the bodies of 250 fallen soldiers were returned to Ukraine, reported the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

The bodies of the fallen defenders from the Luhansk, Bakhmut, Maryinka, Avdiivka, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia axes, as well as from the temporarily occupied Mariupol and Horlivka, and from morgues on the territory of Russia, were returned to Ukraine.

The Coordination Headquarters noted that the transfer of bodies of fallen soldiers is carried out in accordance with the norms of the Geneva Conventions. Repatriated bodies and remains will be transported to designated state institutions for examination and identification of the deceased.

After identification, the bodies of the defenders will be handed over to their relatives for a dignified burial.

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<sup>Photo: Coordinating Staff


Photo: Coordinating Staff</sup>

On June 14, Ukraine returned the bodies of 254 fallen soldiers. In particular, it was possible to repatriate the bodies of 221 defenders who fought in the Donetsk sector.

On July 31, Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets announced that he had written an urgent letter to the Russian ombudsperson regarding the death of Mariupol defender Oleksandr Ishchenko in Russian captivity.

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‘Hunting for F-16s’: Guerrillas Discover Russian Buk Missile System in Donetsk Region
Guerrillas suggest that the arrival of F-16 fighters in Ukraine may have prompted Russia to move additional air defense systems closer to the front line.


The Atesh guerrilla movement reported discovering a Russian Buk-M2 anti-aircraft missile system in the Volnovakha district of the Donetsk region, describing it as being “for hunting F-16s.”

The guerrillas provided coordinates and a photo of the missile system in their Telegram report: 47.5337226, 37.2052414.

“It seems that due to the new arrivals of F-16 fighters, the occupiers are forced to transfer additional air defense systems closer to the front line,” the report read.

The Buk medium-range anti-aircraft missile system is designed for point defense against various aerial threats, including aircraft, cruise missiles, and helicopters. The latest version, the Buk-M1-2, is estimated to cost around $100 million.

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Earlier, a Ukrainian military officer speaking anonymously to the Kyiv Post noted a recent trend of Ukrainian forces destroying Russian Buk missile systems using various attack methods, including UAVs.

Bloomberg reported that an unspecified number of Western F-16 multirole fighters have recently arrived in Ukraine. According to anonymous sources, the delivery was small and completed just before the end-of-July deadline. A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense declined to comment on the report.

The F-16s sent to Ukraine are likely equipped with advanced US air-to-ground weapons, such as AGM-88 HARM anti-radar air-to-surface missiles, JDAM extended-range guided bombs, and SDB (small-diameter bomb) precision munitions, as reported by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

The AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) is specifically designed to target any ground-based radar, including those used by the Buk and other air defense radars. When the HARM is used by the F-16, the pilot can see the radar using the missile to detect the target radar and decide how and when to employ the weapon, a capability unavailable when utilized by a MiG-29 or Su-27

The US will also provide AIM-120 AMRAAM active radar missiles and AIM-9X infrared (IR) missiles as standard air-to-air ordnance.

The advanced Western avionics of the F-16s are expected to enhance Ukraine’s capabilities against Russia’s more advanced air fleet. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Ukraine needs at least 128 F-16s to effectively ensure its air superiority.

Ukraine also faces challenges regarding the number of trained pilots and the protection of airfields where the new aircraft will be based. These airfields are vulnerable to Russian long-range missile strikes, making it crucial for Ukraine to address these issues to fully utilize the new capabilities provided by the F-16s.

In response to the arrival of the F-16s, the Kremlin announced that any F-16s delivered to Ukraine would be shot down and would have minimal impact on the battlefield. "Their number will gradually decrease; they will be shot down... But of course, these deliveries will not have any significant impact on the development of events on the front," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

For over two years, Ukraine has advocated for the US-made F-16s, considered the crown jewel of military hardware sought from Western allies. The F-16 is renowned for its precision, speed, and range, and Kyiv hopes its arrival will improve protection against Russian bombardment.

Several NATO countries have pledged to supply varying numbers of F-16s and have been training Ukrainian pilots and crews for months. Amid a severe Russian air campaign, President Zelensky has emphasized the need for improved air defenses in meetings with allies.

In a May interview with AFP, Zelensky disclosed that Ukraine needs around 130 F-16s to achieve parity with Russian aviation. However, Ukraine’s partners have promised fewer than 100 F-16s to date, with most of the planes expected to arrive over the coming years due to the extensive training required for pilots.

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 20:09 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://mil.in.ua/en/news(...)on-for-drones-photo/
[..]

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Exclusive: Russian hackers use fake luxury car ads to target diplomats
Russian military intelligence hackers have been embedding luxury car advertisements with credential-harvesting malware in a likely attempt to dupe diplomats, according to new research exclusively shared with Axios.

Why it matters: Targeting diplomats' devices can give Russian cyber spies access to state secrets and get ahead of any schemes designed to undermine the Kremlin's own agenda.

Zoom in: Researchers in Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 threat intelligence team have found evidence that a Russian hacking group has been using luxury car ads as a phishing lure to infect devices with malware.

• The new scheme started as early as March, and it likely targeted diplomats — although researchers don't know how many people may have been targeted.
• In one example, the hackers created an online advertisement for a 2009 Audi Q7 Quattro SUV for about 5,500 Euros.
• The post is advertising a "Diplomatic Car for Sale" and includes contact information and six images of the cars from various angles.
• The images and advertisement website are both hosted on legitimate services, making it harder for traditional cyber tools to flag them as malicious and for organizations to block access to these sites.
• Researchers attributed the attack to Fighting Ursa, which other cybersecurity firms refer to as APT28 or Fancy Bear, based on the online infrastructure and the malware used in the campaign.

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The intrigue: Diplomats are often sent on new assignments with little notice, meaning they're constantly looking to buy and sell cars with diplomatic plates as quickly as possible, Michael Sikorski, vice president of threat intelligence and chief technology officer at Unit 42, told Axios.

• This makes car advertisements a ripe target for malicious actors trying to targeting diplomats.

Between the lines: Russian hackers launched a similar hacking campaign last year against diplomats in at least 22 of the more than 80 foreign missions based in Kyiv, Ukraine.

• In that scheme, Palo Alto Networks researchers found that a different Russian hacking group — known as Cloaked Ursa, Cozy Bear or APT29 — had used fake BMW car ads as a phishing lure to potentially infect their devices with malware.
• The latest scheme doesn't appear to be related, but Palo Alto Networks says it shows how Russian state-sponsored hacking teams trade tactics and techniques.

Threat level: Fighting Ursa is known to recycle their tools and techniques, even after researchers report on them publicly, Andy Piazza, senior director of threat intelligence at Palo Alto Networks, told Axios.

"If they're still working, they're not going to go invest money somewhere else," Piazza said.

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 20:21 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Dure bom voor op een drone. Maar als ze toch niet werken kan je ze net zo goed zo gebruiken.

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A new drone shaped like a bird

Chinese developers have shown a new drone made in the shape of a bird.

Such an invention can turn the drone industry upside down. ParkutNews reports.

The drone is able to fly with the help of wing flapping like a real bird and looks the same.

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Its name is “Little Falcon” and the correct name for it is now ornithopter – flying with the flapping of wings.

“Drones are suitable for reconnaissance, surveillance and even precision strike missions in special operations,” Chinese media claim.

It is already considered a product – a game changer entirely.

Earlier, it was reported that the Ukrainian military may receive drones with mounted firearms from allies.

The USA may transfer Felon drones, which are equipped with a 5.56 mm machine gun.

They are also fitted with anti-tank missiles and modern surveillance equipment.

Video. There are two kinds of such drones, Felon 1.0 and Spike.

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Russia exaggerating numbers of contract soldiers, investigation claims
Russia is inflating the true number of new contract soldiers it is recruiting by one-and-a-half times, according to a joint investigation by Important Stories and the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) published on Aug. 1.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced in December that there were 640,000 soldiers serving under contract.

But citing data from Russian federal budget expenditures, Important Stories and CIT said only 426,000 Russians had received a one-time payment for signing a contract during the period from autumn 2022 to April 2024.

According to the outlets, this leaves a discrepancy of around 214,000 which cannot be accounted for by variations in how one-time payments are given out.

They also cited an anonymous source who claimed that in some regions of Russia, only 50-60% of recruitment targets were being met.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on July 31 ordered an increase in the sign-on bonus for new military recruits to serve in Ukraine to 400,000 rubles (over $4,600).

The presidential decree published on the government website effectively doubled the lump-sum payment of 195,000 ($2,260) rubles initially promised to recruits in September 2022.

Russia seeks new soldiers for its war as the full-scale invasion continues to take a heavy toll on its military's manpower.

All Russian citizens and foreigners who signed up for one-year service between Aug. 1 and the end of 2024 will be eligible for the increased bonus.

The document says that the payment is intended to provide "additional means of social support" for soldiers and their families. It also recommends that Russian occupation authorities in Ukraine offer an additional sum of 400,000 rubles.

Regional authorities across Russia have already begun offering other financial incentives for potential recruits.

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Ukraine estimates 700,000 people will leave country in 2024-2025
Ukraine expects 400,000 more people will leave the country in 2024 and 300,000 in 2025, according to the National Bank of Ukraine's (NBU) inflation report published on Aug. 1.

The NBU estimates the number of new emigrants from Ukraine will increase compared to its previous predictions in the April report.

Over 6 million Ukrainians remain abroad after they fled the country as a result of Russia's full-scale war, deepening the country's economic and demographic challenges.

According to the NBU's report, the main reason behind the predicted emigration surge is the difficult energy situation and associated insecurities about the upcoming winter, as well as the slow stabilization of economic processes due to safety risks.

According to the NBU's data, 200,000 people left Ukraine in 2023.

The NBU also said that Ukrainian refugees are likely to start returning to Ukraine in 2026.

The report's authors admit that it will be a slow process, expecting 400,000 returning citizens in 2026. The reasons for the limited numbers are difficult living conditions in Ukraine, primarily due to the power shortages, and the successful adaptation of Ukrainians abroad.

Deteriorating demographics have been a long-standing problem for Ukraine, going decades before the full-scale invasion.

The country's population went from its peak of over 50 million in the early 1990s to over 37 million by January 2024. According to one of the U.N.'s projections, the population could drop to 15.3 million by 2100.

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First F-35A Fighter Jet for Poland Assembled by Lockheed Martin

^{The first assembled F-35A fifth generation fighter for Poland. July 2024. USA. Photo credits: Lockheed Martin}

The United States has completed assembly of the first fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II multirole fighter jet for the Polish Air Force.

The aircraft rolled off the assembly line at Lockheed Martin’s plant in Texas in late July 2024.

The fighter jet, with the serial number AZ-01, has moved to the next stage of work, which includes applying a special stealth coating and final painting.

All work is likely to be completed in the coming weeks, with a presentation ceremony scheduled for August 28.

The Polish Air Force has officially named the fighter jet F-35A Husarz (Polish for “hussar”).

SPOILER

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Перший зібраний винищувач п'ятого покоління F-35А для Польщі [Липень 2024. США]

Production of the first combat aircraft of this type for Poland began in April 2023 in Georgia.

^{Start of construction of the first F-35A for Poland. April 2023. USA. Photo credits: Mateusz Moravetskyi}

Under a January 2020 agreement, Poland will receive 32 F-35As in the Block 4 version with the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) package, marking the most significant evolution of the F-35’s capabilities to date.

The first six aircraft are to be built in 2024-2025, with deliveries continuing through 2030.

Initially, the aircraft will be based at Ebbing Air Force Base in Arkansas, where Polish pilots will be trained.

The first Polish F-35A Husarz is expected to arrive in Poland at the Lask air base in 2026.

The contract is worth $4.6 billion and includes training for 24 pilots and 90 ground personnel.

^{F-35 simulator. Photo credits: Lockheed Martin}

In 2021, Poland began the process of training future pilots for the F-35A 5th generation multifunctional combat aircraft.

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 20:28 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Waar haal jij vandaan dat ze niet werken?

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HIGHCAT to Test Drone with Wired Control in Ukraine

^{HCX drone. Photo credits: HIGHCAT}

HIGHCAT intends to test the HCX unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAS) with a fiber-optic cable data transmission system, which is invulnerable to hostile electronic warfare systems.

This was reported by Forbes contributor David Hambling.

Representatives of the German company will travel to Ukraine in August to test their HCX reconnaissance drones capability in countering electronic warfare systems and, most likely, Russian EWs.

“Should the units want to test it on the frontline, this is possible,” says company co-founder Jan Hartmann.

The main feature of the HCX drone is its data transmission system, which uses fiber-optic cable instead of traditional radio transmitters. This provides the drone with a closed communication channel that is completely immune to radio interference.

“The technology was designed with the frontlines in mind, in particular, the current developments in Ukraine. We wanted to create a COTS [Commercial Off The Shelf] system that wasn’t jammable by enemy combatants,” says Hartmann.

SPOILER

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HCX FBF

During the flight, the cable is unwound from a special reel. Each reel contains 10 km of cable and weighs about 1.3 kg, while a reel twice as long weighs 2.2 kg. When in use, the cable is not stretched but rather thrown to the ground, which eliminates the possibility of tangling.

“The fiber is pretty strong – flying over trees and water is no problem. Flying in circles is also fine, and the drone can even fly backwards,” says Hartmann.

The drone itself is capable of lifting payloads weighing up to 5 kilograms, so this load is not excessive for it. Its payload is enough to carry a camera with 10x optical zoom and a thermal imager.

In addition to being immune to interference and the radio horizon effect, another advantage of the HCX communication system is its data transfer rate of up to 1000 megabits per second, which allows for clear, high-quality images to be transmitted throughout the flight.

Hartmann noted that this technology is extremely promising in the face of increasingly intense “cyber warfare.” However, it requires the development of new approaches.

“The fiber must not be too easy to unwind, otherwise it will pull itself out due to the downwash of the propeller,” says Hartmann. “Furthermore, the glass fiber must not twist during unwinding, otherwise it will break. The Fly-By-Fiber technology uses specially wound and coated glass fiber spools, which are installed in a special winding technique.”

HIGHCAT schedules to prepare the HCX for mass production in November, with plans to produce around 3,000 units per month in partnership with another German company—ODM GmbH.

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 20:52 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Zijn toch legio voorbeelden voorbij gekomen dat die gejammed worden? 5% (of iets dergelijks) van de Excaliburs die maar raakt etc.

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laser-guided bombs by Ukrainian bomber drones

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A corrected bomb with an optical guidance system

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An optical guidance device is installed in the nose of the BK-3OF ammunition. According to the author of the photo, the projectile is guided by a reflected laser beam. In the aft part there are four aerodynamic rudders, which are supposed to set the direction of flight when the projectile hits the target.

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It is known that the Ukrainian defense industry has long been working on adjusted ammunition to increase the effectiveness of drone bombers.

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 21:10 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Wat ik begrijp is dat Oekraine deze "optical guided bombs" zelf heeft ontwikkeld voor gebruik door drones. En dat een laser in de bom zelf voor de guiding zorgt. Hij is dus niet gebaseerd op bijvoorbeeld GPS.
[..]
[..]
[..]
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De drone kan gejammed worden. Maar als ik het zo lees de bom zelf niet. Die wordt gewoon boven de target gedropt, en zal zelf bijsturen wanneer nodig, en dus veel secuurder zijn.

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 19:00 schreef oheng het volgende:
Nu reddit en GitHub nog. Komop rusland, je kunt het!

Russia's YouTube Ban is WORSE than I thought

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 21:16 schreef Joppiez het volgende:

[..]
Apart dat ze YouTube blokken, een platform geinfesteerd met Russische kottrols.

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 21:13 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Ok, dat klinkt logischer. Hoewel dat laatste dan weer niet logisch klinkt. Die droppen ze vaak toch gewoon van recht boven of ze vliegen ergens tegenaan. Dan slaat je laatste alinea nergens op.

Of dit is heel iets nieuws.

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Ukrainian Security Services Training Tuaregs to Operate UAVs—Le Monde

^{Tuareg rebels in Mali (National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad). Photo credits: Attaye Ag Mohamed}

Ukrainian intelligence services are cooperating with Tuareg rebels in Mali, in particular by training them to operate drones.

This was reported by the sources of Le Monde.

According to one of the rebel commanders, “sharing” with the Ukrainian special services is indeed occurring to explore potential cooperation between both sides.

According to Le Monde’s sources, the Ukrainian government provides strategic information to the rebels in Mali and trains them to use drones.

“We have ties with the Ukrainians, but so do the French, the Americans and the rest,” admitted CSP-DPA spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane.

SPOILER

quote:

.

^{Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane (center). Photo from the Facebook page}

According to the source, some Malian rebels were trained in Ukraine.

As a reminder, recently, Tuareg rebels in Mali announced that they had killed 84 Russian mercenaries from the Wagner terrorist group and 47 Malian soldiers in three days.

According to the rebels, more than 30 enemy soldiers were wounded, and their military equipment, including tanks, weapons and vehicles, was captured or destroyed. Seven Wagner and Malian soldiers were taken prisoner.

^{Russian fighters from the “Wagner” formation were liquidated in Mali. July 2024. Footage from the video of the “National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad”}
Previously, a representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, Andrii Yusov, said that the rebels had received “information, and not only information,” which allowed them to defeat the Wagnerites in Mali.

He did not give any details, but assured that “it will continue.”

^{Andrii Yusov. Photo credits: Suspilne}

In addition, long before the defeat of the Wagnerites, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky outlined the main objectives for Ukrainian intelligence.

Among these was the directive to operate “everywhere in the world where there are and may be Ukrainian interests.”

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 22:16 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://mil.in.ua/en/news(...)erate-uavs-le-monde/
[..]

SPOILER

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Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance
In line with Russian propaganda

The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance has repeatedly made false claims regarding the war in Ukraine - always in the interests of the Kremlin. For Russia, the BSW is an important multiplier.

"Russia has no interest in invading Ukraine," said Sahra Wagenknecht on the ARD program Anne Will on February 20, 2022. "We can be very glad that Putin is not as he is portrayed: a crazy Russian nationalist who gets high on shifting borders." Her party colleague Sevim Dagdelen also spoke of "fairy tales from the US secret service" a few days before the Russian invasion. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin proved the opposite.

Even though Wagenknecht later admitted her mistake, this example shows how she and many other members of her party B�ndnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) were and are wrong in their assessments of Russia and the war of aggression in Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Wagenknecht made it clear yesterday that possible coalitions with the BSW would depend on the partners' stance on the war in Ukraine - and again spoke out against arms deliveries.

SPOILER

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False statements about the war in Ukraine
"There are various disinformation methods that are noticeable in Wagenknecht and her party members," says Klaus Gestwa, director of the Institute for East European History and Regional Studies at the University of T�bingen. False statements about the war in Ukraine are being spread without hesitation.

For example, Wagenknecht suggested on Maybrit Illner's ZDF political talk show that the Kyiv hospital Ochmatdyt was not shot down by a Russian missile, but was presumably hit by debris from a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile. It is considered fairly certain that the children's hospital was hit by a Russian Kh-101 (Ch-101) missile. This is one of the conclusions reached by the preliminary investigation by the UN Human Rights Office.

A short time before, the BSW had posted a graphic on Instagram with the sentence: "Government ignores majority: 72% of Ukrainians want negotiations instead of weapons!" This was also wrong. In the survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), which is referred to in the post, 72 percent of respondents were in favor of a diplomatic solution in addition to military aid - not instead of it. Another 23 percent even said that the war could only be ended militarily through a victory over Russia. The error was later corrected in the text of the post.

Defense spending lower than claimed
Wagenknecht also claimed on a political talk show that the German defense budget was 90 billion euros. This is also incorrect. The defense budget for the current year is 51.95 billion euros, plus 19.8 billion euros from the special fund for the procurement of military equipment. That makes a total of just under 72 billion euros.

However, as Wagenknecht said, these are not only spent on military equipment, but also on operating costs, for example for personnel. Operating contracts for the further development of the Bundeswehr and supply costs are also included. Although the German government told NATO that it was spending a total of 90.6 billion euros on defense and security, it was using mathematical tricks to help it : interest on pension payments and development aid expenditure are also included.

Furthermore, BSW party member Metin Kaya spread the false claim circulated by Russia that France had sent troops to Ukraine . There is no evidence for this either. The French Ministry of Defense has already denied this claim several times, including at the request of the ARD fact finder . Kaya has deleted his post, but it was previously defended by others in the party, including Wagenknecht herself.

"Wagenknecht and her party colleagues act like German amplifiers of the Kremlin narrative by picking up on such false information and thus giving it a special resonance and sustainability," says Eastern Europe expert Gestwa.

In line with the Kremlin
The BSW does not only use false claims to spread pro-Russian narratives, says Gestwa. With regard to the war in Ukraine, Wagenknecht and Co. repeatedly tried to sow doubts about topics that are unpleasant for them.

Wagenknecht not only questioned the official version of the attack on the Kyiv children's hospital and introduced other alleged variants into the discourse; the atrocities in Bucha were also at least relativized by some BSW members such as Thomas Geisel. The discursive smokescreens produced in this way are intended to prevent the obvious from being discussed and to protect Russia from serious but justified accusations, according to Gestwa.

Quotes taken out of context
The statements of members of the BSW are also in line with those of the Kremlin in other aspects. Individual quotes are taken out of context to support their own position. Wagenknecht has already claimed several times that the negotiations on a ceasefire in spring 2022 were allegedly torpedoed by the West . She bases this on statements by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and the head of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation, David Arachamija, among others.

However, the statements of both have been taken out of context. Neither Bennett nor Arachamija have blamed the West for the failure of the negotiations, but have given several reasons. Among other things, important questions remain unresolved , particularly the international security guarantees demanded by Ukraine to prevent future Russian attacks. In addition, the Bucha massacres have come to light. However, Wagenknecht and her party members always fail to mention this.

"In their cherry-picking, they look for a sentence that seems halfway appropriate, take it out of the actual interview context and use the distorted snippet of quote as evidence for their political message," says Gestwa. It is precisely the supposedly proven narratives that the West prevented an early peace agreement and is allowing the war to escalate continuously through its arms deliveries to Ukraine that ensure a reversal of the perpetrator-victim role, just as the Kremlin does in order not to appear to be the sole warmonger.

"Russian Dictate Peace Movement"
From Gestwa's point of view, the BSW's appeals for peace are therefore hardly credible. When Putin recently announced again that Ukraine would have to cede more than a fifth of its territory to Russia in order to reach a peace agreement, Wagenknecht spoke of understandable demands. Gestwa therefore explains: "If you want to call this alliance a peace movement, then it is a Russian dictate peace movement."

It was not only the widely spread narratives that showed a clear pro-Russian stance on the part of Wagenknecht and her party members. "What is also very revealing is what they do not address - the numerous atrocities committed by the Russian army and occupying forces against the Ukrainian population. These make it clear that Russia is not concerned with the alleged protection of its security interests, but with imperial land theft and the unconditional eradication of everything Ukrainian," says Gestwa.

The BSW does not say a word about the Kremlin elites' militant anti-Ukrainism and even adopts their erroneous view that Ukraine is not an independent political actor, but merely a puppet of the West. The BSW did not respond to a request from the ARD fact finder.

Wagenknecht interesting for Russian propaganda
This one-sidedness also ensures that Wagenknecht is an important player in Russian propaganda, says Julia Smirnova, senior researcher at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue Germany (ISD). "Sahra Wagenknecht's posts on Ukraine or, for example, the sanctions against Russia have a fairly wide reach." This is therefore very useful for Russia, especially in view of the blocking of Russian state media.

"There are definitely similarities in the arguments between Wagenknecht and pro-Russian media," says Smirnova. Russian propaganda channels therefore often resort to Wagenknecht's statements and spread them further. The boycott of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj's speech in the Bundestag by BSW and AfD was also widely taken up.

In addition, Russian state media reported mainly positively about the BSW and the AfD in the months before the European elections. "The aim was to further increase the alleged popularity of the two parties," says Smirnova. The BSW was portrayed as an anti-imperialist force that could, for example, offer a new home to disillusioned social democrats.

In the course of the covert doppelg�nger campaign , both the AfD and the BSW were supported with the help of ads on Facebook. "This is a continuation of the long-standing strategy of Russian propaganda to support populist, pro-Russian political forces in Europe, both left and right."

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Russia pulled back weapons shipment to Houthis amid US and Saudi pressure
Russia was preparing to deliver missiles and other military equipment to the Houthi rebels in Yemen late last month but pulled back at the last minute amid a flurry of behind-the-scenes efforts by the United States and Saudi Arabia to stop it, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN.

The Saudis, who were locked in a brutal war with the Houthis for years before the US helped to negotiate a fragile truce in 2022, warned Russia against arming one of their biggest adversaries upon learning of the plans, the sources said.

The US, which has been involved in several diplomatic efforts to stop the Russians from arming the Iran-backed rebels, separately asked the Saudis to help convince Moscow not to pursue the effort, two of the sources said.

The US-Saudi discussions and the imminent weapons transfer have not been previously reported. The Saudi Embassy in the US declined to comment and the Kremlin did not return a request for comment.

The US designated the Houthis as a global terrorist organization in January, following months of Houthi missile and drone attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea that killed several mariners and hobbled global trade. Despite several rounds of sanctions and US military attacks on Houthi weapons infrastructure, however, the rebels have continued to attack commercial ships in the crucial waterway.

A senior US official declined to discuss the specifics of Russia’s plans to arm the Houthis. But the official said that the US regards any attempt by a third party to bolster the Houthis’ weapons supplies “as antithetical to the goals we are pursuing” when it comes to achieving a lasting peace settlement in Yemen between the Houthis and the Saudis, and helping to stabilize the region. For the Houthis to engage in that kind of weapons transaction, moreover, “would demonstrate to us a lack of commitment” by the Houthis to peace talks, the official said.

Currently, the Houthis “appear to be drifting further away from a commitment to a negotiated peace in Yemen,” the official said.

SPOILER

quote:

Russian ships in the Red Sea
It remains unclear to the US intelligence community whether Saudi Arabia’s pushback was the key to Russia abandoning its plan to arm the Houthis, or whether it was just one of a number of factors that led Russian President Vladimir Putin to change his mind, the sources said.

The Russians have viewed arming and advising the Houthis as a way to retaliate against the Biden administration for its decision to allow Ukraine to strike inside Russian territory using US-provided weapons, officials said.

And while the imminent weapons transfer was pulled back, Russia did deploy military personnel to Yemen to help advise the Houthis over a three-day period in late July, the sources said.

US officials watched as large Russian ships made an unusual stop in the southern Red Sea, where the Russian personnel disembarked, were picked up by the Houthis in a boat, and ferried to Yemen, the sources said.

The Russians carried bags with them, but nothing that appeared large enough to carry weapons or weapons components, the sources said. It is not clear whether the Russian ships were carrying the equipment that Russia had been preparing to transfer to the Houthis before the Kremlin abandoned the plan.

Before and during the Russians’ visit to Yemen, the Houthis took the unusual step of issuing a notice to mariners, which alerts ships to potential dangers at sea. A US official said intelligence indicated that the Houthis had intended to conduct live fire exercises while hosting the Russians, but those plans appear to have been scrapped, too.

The Houthis began their near-daily attacks on ships transiting the Red Sea in November 2023, prompting the US and UK to conduct several rounds of airstrikes inside Yemen to try to eliminate their weapons infrastructure.

The strikes do not appear to have significantly impacted the Houthis’ stockpiles, and the rebel group even showed signs of being willing to sell some weapons to the Somali militant group al-Shabaab in June, CNN previously reported. But their supply is not infinite, particularly because the US has sanctioned several entities over the last few months — primarily out of China and Oman — believed to be supplying the group with weapons components.

The Houthis are also in particular need of new radar systems, which US Central Command forces have regularly targeted to try to blunt the Houthis’ missile attacks.

There have been indications as well that the Houthis’ primary patron, Iran, has had some concerns about the group’s attack strategy, whereas Russia has been critical of the US and UK attacks on the Houthis.

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 22:47 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://edition.cnn.com/2(...)di-arabia/index.html
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SPOILER

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Geen verassing natuurlijk dat Rusland deze terroristen bewapend. Net zoals ze grote vrienden zijn met Hamas, Hezbollah en natuurlijk Iran.

Iets zegt me dat de leveranties niet compleet gestopt zijn, maar nu gewoon geleverd worden via bijvoorbeeld Iran.

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“The Netherlands is struggling with a growing number of multi-resistant bacteria. This is partly due to the fact that Ukrainian military personnel are being treated in the country,” the publication reported.

SPOILER

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Translation, New month, new bullshit, points at the prisoner. I will tell you with confidence, all positions are being held. Robotine and outskirts are ours. Our boys are working and got steel balls. Trusting in ZSU, Slava Ukraini.

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Crimean Bridge could be destroyed in coming months, Budanov says
Ukraine is working on a "complex solution" that could destroy the Kerch Bridge in occupied Crimea in the coming months, Kyiv's Military Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov said on Aug. 2.

Speaking to national TV, he said "work is ongoing" to take out the structure which connects the Russian mainland with the peninsula, and has been a crucial supply route for the Russian military in Ukraine.

"Everyone is working on long-range strikes and (the destruction of the Crimean bridge),"he said in comments reported by Ukrinform.

"All this requires, let's say, a complex solution."

When asked if the bridge would be destroyed in the next few months, he replied: "There are chances."

The bridge was heavily damaged by Ukrainian strikes in October 2022 and July 2023, prompting Russia to take steps to further defend the structure.

A floating construction crane reportedly was spotted in the Kerch Strait last month, and the number of barges to protect the bridge from Ukrainian naval drones has increased.

Russian proxy authorities in occupied Crimea regularly shut down traffic on the bridge amid reports of explosions and drone strikes.

Ukraine's Navy said in June that destroying the Kerch Bridge in occupied Crimea would not have the same effect now because Russia barely uses it for military purposes anymore.

Vasyl Maliuk, head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), did not rule out that Russia may try to use the structure for weapons supplies again after it is fully restored.

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[Exclusive] "North Korea dispatches 500-strong technical support unit to Russia ahead of North Korea-Russia treaty"
[Anchor]
It has been confirmed that our government has discovered that North Korea has already dispatched approximately 500 technical and medical support troops to Russian-occupied Ukraine. It is also reported that the dispatch took place before North Korea and Russia signed the “automatic military assistance” treaty in June. This is the first time that North Korea has confirmed its dispatch of troops to Ukraine. This is

an exclusive report by reporter Hong Yeon-ju.

[Report]
After the North Korean and Russian leaders signed a treaty similar to “automatic military assistance” in June, Chairman Kim Jong-un discussed military cooperation with the Russian military delegation led by Deputy Defense Minister Alexei last month.

Korean Central TV (19th of last month)
“The two countries shared an understanding of the importance and necessity of military cooperation to protect each other’s security interests.”

However, it has been reported that our government has discovered that North Korea had already dispatched troops to Russian-occupied Ukraine prior to this.

A government official said, "We have been dispatching about 500 technical and medical support troops since before the North Korea-Russia treaty was signed," and "It is understood that the technical support troops are inspecting the artillery and missiles we provided."

The government believes that North Korea provided Russia with 5.2 million 152mm artillery shells and dozens of short-range ballistic missiles.

Jang Ho-jin / Director of the National Security Office (Yonhap News TV, last month, 13th)
"The more weapons North Korea gives to Russia, the more we will learn about North Korean weapons..."

However, it has been reported that the engineering unit for urban reconstruction that was scheduled to be dispatched this month is likely to be postponed due to the serious damage from the heavy rains in North Korea. This

quote:

Novosibirsk Mayor Says China ‘Ready’ to Help Develop Public Transport Network
A major state-owned Chinese construction company is prepared to help expand the public rail and road networks in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, the mayor’s office announced Thursday.

Novosibirsk Mayor Maxim Kudryavtsev said in a statement that his administration met with representatives from the China Railway Tunnel Group, a subsidiary of the government-owned China Railway Group.

The sides discussed “the design and extension of the Novosibirsk metro line, the construction of a new runway at Tolmachevo Airport, as well as the construction of the Southern Transit [highway project].”

Kudryavtsev said Novosibirsk would be willing to work with CRTG “if they offer a competitive price and quality.” If a construction deal is approved, the Novosibirsk city administration said it would be CRTG’s first time working on a project in Russia.

Beijing and Moscow have grown closer since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, with trade between the two countries surging to record highs last year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China in May on his first trip abroad after re-election and met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping again this month at a regional summit in Kazakhstan.

quote:

Drones attacked oil depot in Belgorod region
On the night of August 3, drones attacked an oil depot in the Gubkinsky district of the Belgorod region, Russia, according to Russian Telegram channels.

According to the region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the attack was carried out by the Armed Forces of Ukraine using drones.

He specified that the explosion at the oil depot resulted in the ignition of one of the tanks. However, firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze. There were no casualties as a result of the attack.

Night attacks on Russia
Drones attacked Russian territory that night. In the village of Zhylyna in the Oryol region, two drones struck a 16-story building. According to Governor Andrey Klychkov, there were no casualties from the attack, and the fire was contained.

Later, reports emerged of a drone attack in Morozovsk in the Rostov region. Preliminary information indicated that a military airfield was targeted, and judging by the explosions, an ammunition depot was on fire.

The governor of the region stated that warehouse facilities in the Kamensky and Morozovsky districts were damaged.

By early morning, Russian Telegram channels reported that fuel tanks were burning in the Kamensky district. According to residents, the attack targeted the Atlas plant, which supplies petroleum products to the Russian army.

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Ukraine downs 24 Russian attack drones overnight Sat
Ukraine’s air defense forces intercepted 24 of the 29 Russian kamikaze drones launched from Russia’s Primorsk-Akhtarsk and Kursk regions, as well as the occupied Crimean peninsula.

That’s according to the Ukrainian Air Force, Ukrinform reports.

“Twenty-four one-way attack UAVs of the Shahed 131/136 type were shot down over Kherson, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, and Zhytomyr regions,” the report reads.

Also, Russia launched two S-300 missiles from the occupied territory of Donetsk region and two Kh-31P anti-radar missiles from the airspace over the Black Sea, the report adds.

Mobile air defense groups, anti-aircraft missile units, and the Air Force were involved in repelling the air raid.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, an infrastructure facility was hit in Vinnytsia region amid an air raid alert overnight Saturday.

The local administration has not specified target of the Russian attack.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 06:17 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
Ik had deze al eerder gepost, maar nu heeft hij Engelse ondertiteling.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 06:41 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 22:37 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.tagesschau.de(...)ne-russland-100.html
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SPOILER

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Een aantal van die Russische talking points komen hier in dit topic ook regelmatig voorbij helaas. En ook is onze politiek er niet van verschoond.

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Op vrijdag 2 augustus 2024 23:22 schreef oheng het volgende:
Omdat het vrijdag is:

RIA: Telegraaf: in the Netherlands they fear that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will become carriers of superbugs

[..]

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 12:35 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Afijn, die vrijgekomen rus oppositie blijkt een heuse "aanwinst".

[ x ]

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 06:07 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://kyivindependent.c(...)months-budanov-says/
[..]

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 12:59 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:

[..]
De sancties werken niet en daarom doen ze de Russen pijn...

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Ja, maar de orcs zijn eigenlijk maar zie-lug, ze kunnen er helemaal niks aan doen dat die haatdwerg toevallig in het kremlin zit

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 13:19 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Nou, ik zeg: prima, pak eerste beste vliegtuig naar turkije, daarna vliegtuig terug naar orcistan. Gewoon crowdsourcen. Ik weet zeker dat er genoeg mensen wilen doneren. Kan je gewoon sterven in een vochtige cel. And nothing of value will be lost.

[ x ]

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 14:13 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Wie is dat?

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 13:03 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

[..]
Ik geloof er niks van dat ze serieus die brug weg willen. Hij is nauwelijks bruikbaar voor de Russen, en ondertussen doen ze een hoop moeite om hem te beschermen tegen aanvallen. Een perfecte situatie zo.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 13:03 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

[..]
Ik geloof er niks van dat ze serieus die brug weg willen. Hij is nauwelijks bruikbaar voor de Russen, en ondertussen doen ze een hoop moeite om hem te beschermen tegen aanvallen. Een perfecte situatie zo.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 13:03 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

[..]
Ik geloof er niks van dat ze serieus die brug weg willen. Hij is nauwelijks bruikbaar voor de Russen, en ondertussen doen ze een hoop moeite om hem te beschermen tegen aanvallen. Een perfecte situatie zo.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 15:27 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Wanneer zien we die F16's nou eens in actie? Ze zijn er toch?

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 15:53 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
En beelden van de F-16 in actie hoef je al helemaal niet te verwachten op het ogenblik. Tenzij deze door de Oekra�ense overheid zelf publiekelijk worden gemaakt.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 15:27 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Wanneer zien we die F16's nou eens in actie? Ze zijn er toch?

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 16:03 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Nou ja, je kan niet ontkennen dat ze niet gigantisch veel filmpjes maken voor de PR. /r/combatfootage staat er vol mee.

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The Ukrainian military survived after a missile hit the BPM Bradley
The Ukrainian military survived a direct hit on a Bradley BMP from a Russian Kornet PTRK.

A published video from a Russian drone shows Ukrainian military personnel leaving the hit Bradley on their own after the missile hit.

The crew and infantrymen inside the BMP survived a direct hit by a rocket from an anti-tank missile system.

The Russian drone was apparently tracking the BMP Bradley, it was correcting fire, and in an instant, a missile arrives.

There is a large explosive wave, fire that covers the armored personnel carrier, and thick smoke.

At the same time, the Ukrainian military was not injured; the infantry landed from the Bradley – they remained alive and left the combat vehicle on their own.

Earlier, a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle operated by the Ukrainian military defeated a Russian T-80 tank.

A precise shot from an anti-tank missile mounted on the Bradley turned the Russian tank into a heap of metal.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 16:24 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
De onderzeeboot is nu ook bevestigd door Oekra�ne zelf:
[ x ]
[ x ]

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Where Did the Allegations That Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif Was Trans Start? Russia’s Role In It

^{Imane Khelif of Team Algeria at Olympics 2024 (Source: Getty.)}

The International Boxing Association (IBA), currently under fire for its ties to Russia, is facing fresh scrutiny over its handling of allegations regarding female boxers' eligibility. Recent cases involving Algerian boxer Iman Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting have cast a shadow on the fairness of the sport.

Khelif, a successful boxer who was born female in Algeria, has been targeted at this year’s Olympics due to false accusations of her being transgender. Similarly, Lin Yu-Ting faced allegations at the Olympics despite a long history of competing in women's boxing. Notably, both boxers competed in the World Championships held last year under the IBA, an organization led by a Russian national and reportedly funded by Russian energy giant Gazprom.

SPOILER

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.

^{IBA's head, Umar Kremlev (a Russian national.)}

The issue is further complicated by the IBA's continued allowance of Russian boxers to compete under the Russian flag. Additionally, the lack of transparency surrounding the IBA's "sex testing" procedures raises concerns about the legitimacy of these allegations. IBA did not disclose what these tests are. Lin's case involved a revoked medal due to a failing "sex test," while Khelif faced similar accusations after defeating a Russian opponent Azalia Amineva. Interestingly, both accusations came after victories.

The IBA, already banned from the Olympics due to corruption and bias allegations, has pointed fingers at the Olympic Committee, claiming it allows "men pretending to be women" to compete in women's sports. However, the lack of disclosure regarding the nature of the "sex test" makes it difficult to verify these claims. Further muddying the waters, IBA's head, Umar Kremlev (a Russian national), publicly accused both Khelif and Lin of possessing male chromosomes, without providing any evidence. These allegations have been widely reported by Russian state media and subsequently picked up by international outlets.

^{Olympia, Paris 2024, boxing, featherweight, women, round of 16, Lin Yu Ting (l) from Taiwan fights against Sitora Turdibekova from Uzbekistan. (Source: Getty.)}

The IBA's actions seem aimed at undermining the credibility of Olympic standards, especially given Russia's exclusion from the Games due to doping scandals.

The IBA's close ties to Russian interests also suggest a broader strategy to cast doubt on the integrity of the Olympics. By challenging gender identity policies, Russia might question the fairness and legitimacy of Olympic standards, perhaps in retaliation for their exclusion.

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China claims its Ukraine peace plan has support of more than 110 countries
China's six-point plan for peace in Ukraine has the support of more than 110 countries, a Beijing official said on Aug. 2.

China officially declares itself a neutral party to Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine and has denied providing lethal aid to both sides, but Beijing and Moscow continue to develop closer ties, most recently with Russian President Vladimir Putin visiting his counterpart Xi Jinping in May.

Beijing has been trying to enlist developing nations to join its six-point peace plan, which China and Brazil laid out in May.

SPOILER

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The six-point plan calls for:

1. Non-escalation or provocations by either side.
2. An international peace conference accepted by both Russia and Ukraine, and which includes "fair discussion" of all peace plans.
3. An increase of humanitarian assistance to "prevent a humanitarian crisis on a larger scale," as well as an exchange of POWs, and no attacks on civilians.
4. All possible efforts must be made to "prevent nuclear proliferation and avoid nuclear crisis."
5. Attacks on nuclear power plants and other peaceful nuclear facilities "must be opposed."
6. Enhanced international cooperation on several issues in order to "protect the stability of global industrial and supply chains."

It makes no mention of Ukraine's territorial integrity or the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.

Speaking on Aug. 2 during a trip to Brazil, with which China jointly proposed the plan, Special Representative of the Government of the People's Republic of China for Eurasian Affairs, Li Hui, claimed international support for it was growing.

"China and Brazil jointly published the so-called six-point consensus on the promotion of a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis," he said in comments reported by Ukrinform.

"This statement has gained the support of more than 110 countries."

He did not specify which countries had pledged their support. In early June, China said the plan had the support of 45 countries.

The Chinese proposal has been presented as an alternative to President Volodymyr Zelensky's peace plan, which is backed by Kyiv's Western partners.

Zelensky's 10-point peace formula, a plan first outlined in the fall of 2022, calls for a complete withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine, punishing those responsible for war crimes, and the release of all prisoners, among other goals.

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Oil War: How Kyiv Outsmarted Hungary’s Viktor Orban
Ukraine has dealt a financial blow to Hungary’s leadership, but in doing so did not violate any points of its association agreement with the EU.

Ukraine's sanctions against the Russian company Lukoil have created a lot of noise in Hungary and Slovakia. The two central European countries are trying to maintain a more loyal course towards Russia than other EU members.

Landlocked, Hungary and Slovakia still use the Soviet Druzhba oil pipeline, which runs from Russia through Ukraine. In view of this, they were granted exceptions in the sixth sanctions package, which allowed them to exclusively continue importing Russian oil through Ukraine.

Ukraine's core position is to reduce oil consumption from Russia, which would otherwise be helping to support Russia’s economy, in turn financing its on-going war against Ukraine. At the same time, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister P�ter Szijj�rt�, Ukraine’s new package of sanctions has led to the suspension of oil transit, which “fundamentally threatens the security of energy supply to Hungary and Slovakia.”

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said: “Slovakia does not intend to be a hostage to Ukrainian-Russian relations, and the decision of the Ukrainian president means that the Slovak oil refinery Slovnaft, part of the Hungarian MOL Group, will receive 40 percent fewer oil products than it needs for processing.”

It got to the point that Fico threatened to respond to Ukraine’s alleged action of stopping transit, by ceasing the supply of Slovak-made diesel to Kyiv. This diesel equates to about 10 percent of Ukrainian consumption.

Let’s examine what’s really happening in more detail.

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Ukraine has not stopped transit
According to sources and experts interviewed by Kyiv Post, officials from Bratislava and Budapest are exaggerating. There is understood to be no shortage of oil supply, and Ukraine has neither stopped nor reduced transit.

According to Mykhailo Honchar, former deputy chairman of Ukraine’s oil transportation company Ukrtransnafta: “If Ukraine thought to do this, it would immediately warn the EU about it, following paragraph 26 of the association agreement with the EU. This did not happen, and the European Commission sided with Ukraine, simply because the amount of oil in the pipe did not decrease. Ukraine has not violated any agreements with either the EU or EU members.”

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stressed on the evening of July 31 that transit is taking place as agreed: “Ukraine remains a reliable transit country for all countries that value freedom and the rule of law. We are unquestioningly implementing the association agreement with the EU. This will continue in the future”.

The wrong oil: Kyiv's tricky move
The truth may lie in a circumstance that is little mentioned by all parties to the dispute. Kyiv imposed sanctions on the Russian company Lukoil, including on the transit of the company’s oil. However, the same sanctions were not imposed on two other Russian companies – Rosneft or Tatneft.

“The bottom line is that the transit network operator doesn't care whose oil goes through the pipe. It can be Lukoil, Rosneft, or even Lukoil Oil issued through another company,” Shmyhal said. “So, Ukraine does everything that needs to be done – Lukoil Oil has been replaced with other oil and it continues to flow to the EU.”

However, the devil lies in the detail. According to Kyiv Post sources, it was Lukoil's oil that generated the biggest discounts for Hungarian importers.

“This is a big discount, about 20 percent. There are also discounts on oil from other Russian companies, but not so large. The replacement of Lukoil's oil will lead to Hungary paying more than expected,” a Slovak oil trader said.

In other words, Ukraine dealt a blow to the oil transit of the company that had the most favorable agreements with Hungarian counterparties.

“The details of the contracts are closed, so it is difficult to say how much Lukoil's partners will overpay, but we are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars,” the source said.

Several experts interviewed by Kyiv Post say that, in this way, Kyiv has found a sore spot through which it is possible to put pressure on Hungarian President Viktor Orban and Fico, who are increasingly taking pro-Russian positions.

Fico strikes back
Fico's promises to cut off diesel supplies to Ukraine look intimidating because supplies from Slovakia cover more than 10 percent of Ukrainian consumption. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) also consumes a lot of diesel. But, according to Kuyun, the situation is not so problematic.

“Now we have a surplus in the market of 10-15 percent, which will cover the possible shortage from Slovakia. In addition, we have, thanks to the [AFU], the port of Odesa, so we can import oil from the sea. In addition, we can import fuel from Poland now the fuel market in Ukraine is diversified,” Kuyun said.

Honchar believes that there are no reasons to block supplies – transit has not stopped, and Ukraine has not violated its obligations.

“Hungary and Slovakia have their own alternative system for delivering oil from the Mediterranean region, called atria. It has long been said that it can be used, and these countries were given time until 2025 to abandon Russian supplies and finally stop financing the aggressor country. But judging by their actions and statements, they are not very eager to take this step,” Honchar noted.

Meanwhile, Shmyhal’s office reported that Ukraine is ready for consultations both with Hungary and Slovakia over the oil deal, but still – the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil is not open for discussion.

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Russian pianist and anti-war activist dies in custody during hunger strike

A Russian activist who went on hunger strike in a pretrial detention centre in the city of Birobidzhan in Russia’s far eastern Jewish autonomous region has died, Russian media outlet Vot Tak reported on Friday, citing pianist Olga Shkrygunova, one of the deceased’s childhood friends.

Concert pianist Pavel Kushner, 39, had been a soloist with the Birobidzhan Regional Philharmonic since 2023, but was arrested in May and charged with inciting terrorism for the anti-war views expressed in videos uploaded to his YouTube channel, to which just five people were subscribed, Vot Tak reported.

The director of prisoners’ rights organisation Russia Behind Bars, Olga Romanova, also confirmed Kushner’s death on Friday, saying that Kushner had gone on a dry hunger strike, in which the striker forgoes fluids as well as solids, and that “his body couldn’t take it”.

SPOILER

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“He was always unconventional and very keenly sensitive to injustice,” Shkrygunova told Vot Tak, adding, “He had to see everything through to the end. Once, when we were about 15, we bet that he would never bend to the system, and he didn’t, so he won.”

Kushner’s is the second death of an avowed opponenet of the war in Ukraine in Russian prisons this week. On Wednesday, it was announced that Ukrainian prisoner of war Alexander Ishchenko had died in a pretrial detention centre in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. The date and cause of his death have not been disclosed.

Ishchenko, who was 55 and married, joined the Azov Brigade, a detachment of Ukraine’s National Guard, as a military driver following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and had been defending the now Russian-occupied city of Mariupol when he was captured by Russian troops.

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FPV drone blows up TOS-1A Solntsepyok in the Zaporizhzhia region

^{Remains of the Russian TOS-1A Solntsepyok system in the Zaporizhzhia region. Ukraine. August 2024. Photo credits: Nikolaevsky Vanek Telegram group}

In the Zaporizhzhia region, a Ukrainian FPV drone completely destroyed a TOS-1A Solntsepyok heavy flamethrower system.

The Security Service of Ukraine said that the combat operation had been conducted by their drone operators.

During the reconnaissance, the SSU officers recorded the position of the system, which was equipped with full ammunition and ready to fire.

The Russian system was moving in the dark to avoid detection and damage by drones.

SPOILER

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На Запоріжжі FPV-дрон розірвав ТОС-1А "Солнцепёк"

However, the SSU is armed with the attack drones equipped with thermal imagers.

The drone operator managed to overtake the Russian system and hit the charged launcher.

^{The Ukrainian FPV drone hits the Russian TOS-1A Solntsepyok MRL in Zaporizhzhia. Ukraine. Frame from SSU video}

As a result, a munition detonated, which exploded the Russian TOS-1A Solntsepyok system with the crew.

“After a bright fireworks display, the crew disappeared along with the entire system,” the SSU said.

The occupiers actively use the Solntsepyok system to strike light armored vehicles, manpower, and to destroy fortifications.

^{TOS-1A Solntsepyok (June 2020). Photo: Russian media}

Solntsepyok uses MO.1.01.04M 220mm thermobaric projectiles, which are 3,700 mm long and weigh 217 kg.

These unguided rockets consist of a thermobaric or incendiary warhead, a fuze, and a solid propellant rocket motor.

^{MO.1.01.04M unfired thermobaric projectile from TOS-1A Solntsepyok in the Avdiiv sector. 2023. Ukraine. Frame from the video of the “Osvedomitel” group}

As a reminder, the Ukrainian military has repeatedly destroyed and captured these flamethrower systems and their transport and charging vehicles. Recently, ammunition for this heavy flamethrower system exploded in Shebekino, the Belgorod Oblast.

SPOILER

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 16:18 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
De F-16 kan ATACMS en Stormshadows afschieten,

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 18:23 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Die eerste betwijfel ik. De ATACMS is een ground 2 ground raket, gemaakt voor het leger, niet de luchtmacht, de eerste A betekent ook Army.

Maar ik kan het mis hebben

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 18:35 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Dus ik denk dat ik de ATACMS met iets anders in de war heb gebracht.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 19:31 schreef SillyWalks het volgende:

[..]
SCALP?

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 18:35 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Volgens mij heb ik het mis, ik dacht ergens gelezen te hebben dat dat kon, maar ik kan er nu niks over terug vinden. Dus ik denk dat ik de ATACMS met iets anders in de war heb gebracht.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 18:23 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Die eerste betwijfel ik. De ATACMS is een ground 2 ground raket, gemaakt voor het leger, niet de luchtmacht, de eerste A betekent ook Army.

Maar ik kan het mis hebben

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 15:27 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Wanneer zien we die F16's nou eens in actie? Ze zijn er toch?

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 19:42 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
JASSM zeker.

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Daarbij is de Storm Shadow/SCALP niet compatible met de F16. Dus eerst zien dan geloven, want waarom zou je gaan knutselen als de JASSM direct te gebruiken is.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 20:33 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Moeten ze die wel krijgen?
[..]
Eigenlijk verbazender dat dit spul standaard over en weer niet werkt. We hebben het over software aanpassingen.

Lijkt me wel handig als je nominaal allemaal in dezelfde aliantie zit. En: als jij een vliegtuig exporteert wat er mee overweg kan, naar niet aliantie genoten, hebben ze nog steeds de munitie zelf nodig om het te kunnen gebruiken.

Al met al geen reden om het niet overal te laten werken.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 20:33 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Moeten ze die wel krijgen?

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Eigenlijk verbazender dat dit spul standaard over en weer niet werkt. We hebben het over software aanpassingen.

Lijkt me wel handig als je nominaal allemaal in dezelfde aliantie zit. En: als jij een vliegtuig exporteert wat er mee overweg kan, naar niet aliantie genoten, hebben ze nog steeds de munitie zelf nodig om het te kunnen gebruiken.

Al met al geen reden om het niet overal te laten werken.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 20:44 schreef BEFEM het volgende:
Zelfde toch dat er iets van 10 soorten 155mm granaten zijn die niet verenigbaar zijn?

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Mijn fysio zei toevallig deze week dat hij 5.56mm patronen had die niet uitwisselbaar waren met elk land Jaar of 10 geleden.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 20:54 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Dat gaat meer om de typegoedkeuring behorende bij een bepaald wapensysteem, je kunt die granaten prima verschieten met alle systemen maar de nauwkeurigheid is dan niet gegarandeerd.
[..]
De 5.56 NATO standaard munitie kan gewoon door alle NATO landen gebruikt worden. Er bestaan echter wel meerdere soorten 5.56/.223 munitie.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 21:24 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
@:155, ok beter maar alsnog raar natuurlijk.

Hij had er in ieder geval problemen met Fransen (?), heeft iets van 10 jaar bij Korps Mariniers gezeten. Mogelijk dan te maken met wat jij aangeeft. Misschien dat wij standaard een andere soort bij ons hebben of iets dergelijks? En wat zijn die verschillen dan?

SPOILER

twitter

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 23:41 schreef havanagila het volgende:
Spoilers much?

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 23:39 schreef polderturk het volgende:
Wagner terroristen zijn mensen in stukjes aan het hakken in Mali met machetes en bijlen. Te walgelijk voor woorden. Wat voor mensen zijn dit?

Komt van een in beslag genomen telefoon.

WAARSCHUWING !!!

SCHOKKENDE BEELDEN !!!

SPOILER

[ x ]

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 20:45 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Niks moet natuurlijk.

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 12:10 schreef oheng het volgende:
Interessante analyse weer van Konstantin. Het eerste stuk over de zoon van Peskov even skipen, en afspelen op x1,25.
Exact dezelfde shit weer als in de soviet unie.

Russia Turning North Korea | Arrests, Economy Troubles, Inflation, Internet Shut Down And More

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 13:45 schreef icecreamfarmer_NL het volgende:

[..]
Waarom is hij nog niet opgepakt?

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 19:42 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
JASSM zeker.

Daarbij is de Storm Shadow/SCALP niet compatible met de F16. Dus eerst zien dan geloven, want waarom zou je gaan knutselen als de JASSM direct te gebruiken is.

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Ukrainian air defenses shoot down five enemy Shahed UAVs overnight
The forces and means of the mobile firing groups of the Defense Forces and EW units of the Air Force of Ukraine shot down five enemy Shahed-131/136 UAVs in the Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Ukrainian Air Force Commander, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk said this in a post on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

"On the night of August 4, 2024, the enemy attacked the Kharkiv region with two S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles, the Poltava region with two Kh-59 guided missiles from the airspace of the Kursk region, and launched five Shahed combat UAVs from Russia’s Primorsko-Akhtarsk," the post says.

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Ukrainian guided missile operators hit Russian submarine in Crimea – General Staff

^{B-237 Rostov-na-Donu submarine}

The Ukrainian Defense Forces have destroyed a Russian submarine and an S-400 air defense system in temporarily occupied Crimea.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on this.

It is reported that on Friday, August 2, units of the missile forces, in cooperation with units of the Ukrainian Navy, significantly damaged 4 launchers of the S-400 “Triumph” air defense system.

In addition, according to the Ukrainian military, a Rostov-na-Donu submarine of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was successfully hit in the port of temporarily occupied Sevastopol.

As a result of the hit, the enemy boat sank on the spot, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.

SPOILER

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.

Ukrainian analysts from the Dnipro OSINT with Pumpkin group have published satellite images capturing a missile hit to the site where the Russian submarine Rostov-on-Don has been undergoing repairs since June this year after being hit by Storm Shadow cruise missiles in September 2023.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that the B-237 Rostov-na-Donu submarine is one of four Russian Kilo-class submarines in the Black Sea capable of using Kalibr cruise missiles.

Rostov-na-Donu was commissioned on December 26, 2014. On September 13, 2023, a Ukrainian missile strike severely damaged the ship.

“The destruction of the Rostov-on-Don once again proves that there is no safe place for the Russian fleet in the Ukrainian territorial waters of the Black Sea,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasized.

This summer, on June 1, under the cover of night, tugboats moved the submarine from the dry dock of the Sevastopol Naval Shipyard to the 13th Ship Repair Plant of the Black Sea Fleet.

^{Russian B-237 Rostov-na-Donu submarine at the 13th Ship Repair Plant in Crimea, June 2024. Photo credits: “Krymsky Veter” Telegram channel}

The Rostov-na-Donu submarine was hidden in Kilen Bay between two floating workshops that were tightly covered with camouflage nets.

^{The damaged Russian Rostov-on-Don submarine in Sevastopol. September 2023. Photo from open sources}

This submarine was previously hit on the night of September 13 last year during a strike by the Ukrainian Air Force with Storm Shadow cruise missiles. At the time of the attack, the submarine was undergoing repairs in the dry dock of the Sevastopol Naval Shipyard. The published photos of the damage captured two large holes on the starboard side of the submarine with a diameter of several meters and another much larger one in the bow.

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The DIU together with the MFA organized the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from Lebanon

^{Evacuated citizens of Ukraine from Lebanon. August 3, 2024. Photo credits: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine}

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from Lebanon, where the security situation has sharply deteriorated.

The DIU reported on this.

On Saturday, August 3, a group of 30 Ukrainian citizens arrived in Poland, from where they will go to Ukraine.

The DIU expressed gratitude to SkyUp Airlines, which provided an airplane to transport the Ukrainians.

“Our compatriots, including 21 women and nine children, have already arrived in Rzeszow, Poland, and are safe. They were met by Ukrainian consuls and Defence Intelligence of Ukraine representatives – the evacuees are being provided with all the necessary assistance and escorted to our country,” the statement said.

SPOILER

quote:

ГУ� та МЗС провели евакуацію громадян України з Лівану

The DIU noted that Ukraine was one of the first countries in the world to successfully evacuate its citizens from Lebanon.

Ukrainian diplomats warned our citizens in Lebanon about the danger and recommended they leave the country in advance.

The DIU noted that it continues working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help Ukrainian citizens in Lebanon.

^{Evacuated citizens of Ukraine from Lebanon. August 3, 2024. Photo credits: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine}

They added that work is underway to further evacuate other Ukrainians who wish to leave Lebanon.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine previously recommended that Ukrainians refrain from any trips to Israel and leave the territory of Lebanon and Israel until the security situation in the Middle East stabilizes.

This is due to Iran promising to attack Israel in response to the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. And Israel, in turn, is preparing to counter this, and possibly strike back.

^{An unknown Iranian air defense system. Source: IDFOsint}

Recently, a new, previously unknown mobile anti-aircraft missile system on a truck chassis was spotted in the Iranian capital.

quote:

Paratroopers from the 77th Brigade destroyed an enemy Msta-S self-propelled gun

^{The moment of the Russian Msta-S self-propelled guns hit. Photo credits: 77th Airmobile Brigade}

Paratroopers from the 77th Airmobile Brigade destroyed a Russian Msta-S self-propelled artillery system.

The press service of the 77th Airmobile Brigade reported on this.

The enemy artillery system was destroyed in close cooperation with the unit’s aerial reconnaissance, which detected, identified, and transmitted the target’s coordinates.

Despite the enemy’s attempts to disguise the artillery system, the military managed to detect it, after which it was hit by an FPV drone.

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Знищення російської САУ Мста-С дроном 77 ОАемБр

According to the press service, the Russian Msta-S self-propelled artillery system was hit while loading ammunition.

Due to the presence of powder charges and high-explosive fragmentation shells in the artillery unit’s ammunition, a strong fire started, followed by a powerful explosion.

In addition to the self-propelled artillery system itself, a truck used by the enemy to transport ammunition was also destroyed.

The Msta-S self-propelled artillery system was hit in the Borova sector in the Kharkiv region.

^{Detonation of the Msta-S ACS ammunition. Photo credits: 77th Airmobile Brigade}

It should be noted that the enemy has recently begun to suffer significant losses in self-propelled artillery, as the number of FPV drones in the Defense Forces has increased significantly.

Militarnyi previously reported that the Ukrainian military and the invaders released videos and photos of at least 9 Russian military ACS destroyed in May-April.

It is worth noting that this number includes only artillery systems that were captured on video or photos in the public domain.

The main means of destruction were FPV strike drones that carry a powerful explosive charge.

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How Russian targets are destroyed: the first video of Storm Shadow launches from Ukrainian Su-24s

^{Launch of Storm Shadow/SCALP EG cruise missiles from Su-24. Photo credits: Ukrainian Air Force}

The Ukrainian Air Force released footage of the launch of French-British Storm Shadow/SCALP EG cruise missiles at enemy targets.

The video was posted on the Ukrainian Air Force’s official Facebook page.

This is the first official footage capturing a live launch of this type of missile.

The video is special because the first fragment shows a paired launch of missiles, carried out when the task is to break through enemy air defense.

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Пуски франко-британських крилатих ракет Storm Shadow/SCALP EG з Су-24

It should be noted that the suspension of the Storm Shadow/SCALP EG missiles was made possible by the British side’s transfer of universal firing devices used on British Panavia Tornado fighter-bombers.

^{Panavia Tornado with under-fuselage universal firing devices installed. Photo credits: Panavia Tornado Manual}

The firing devices were mounted on sub-console hardpoints. They were connected to the onboard power supply to enable all missile systems and launch.

The second part of the video shows missiles being launched at intervals of several seconds, which may indicate that they were launched at one target.

It should be noted that since the missiles were not integrated into the aircraft’s weapons control system, coordinate input, system preparation, and testing occurred before the aircraft took off at the airfield.

^{Salvo launch of Storm Shadow/SCALP EG cruise missiles from Su-24. Photo credits: Ukrainian Air Force}

The governments of the United Kingdom and France announced the transfer of this type of missile in May 2023.

In April 2024, Italy, which probably had been supplying missiles to Ukraine even before the official announcement, also joined the transfer.

The British government believes that the Storm Shadow/SCALP EG missiles have demonstrated incredibly high efficiency in Ukraine, and therefore plans to resume production, which was closed due to a lack of orders.

Storm Shadow missiles are assembled at the British company MBDA UK, located near the city of Stevenage.

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What a joke Stephen Fry made Zelenskyy laugh with

Famous British actor and comedian Stephen Fry has visited the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to Kyiv.

The comedian shared a joke with the Ukrainian leader, which he had previously told on an underground standup show.

The joke about Russian war criminals Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev also made the Ukrainian leader laugh.

“If Putin and Medvedev fell, who would hit the ground first? Do you know?” – Stephen Fry asked the Ukrainian.

The president replied that he did not know, so the artist continued, using foul language, “Who cares?”.

Fry presented a documentary called Stephen Fry into Ukraine on July 31 on his YouTube channel.

The film was shot in the fall of 2023, during his visit to Ukraine.

The film shows Fry discussing the war with Zelenskyy and interacting with wounded Ukrainian defenders.

He also experienced an air raid by Russian occupiers on Kyiv during the filming.

Stephen Fry into Ukraine

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Ukraine’s forces foil Russia’s attempt to advance near Hlyboke, spot Egyptian recruits in Vovchansk
In the area of ​​Hlyboke, the enemy unsuccessfully tried to attack Ukraine’s defense positions.
This was reported by the Kharkiv Grouping of Troops, Ukrinform saw.

"In Vovchansk, the enemy has intensified aerial reconnaissance and is maneuvering its personnel. The assault units of the 4th Volunteer Assault Brigade left certain positions in the northern part of the city after being replaced by units of the 153rd Tank Regiment, 47th Tank Division. The enemy deploys foreign volunteers, including Egyptians," the report said.

Also, the invaders made an attempt to attack Ukraine’s positions near Hlyboke.

"In the area of Hlyboke, the enemy deployed personnel in combat formation and unsuccessfully tried to attack our defense forces’ positions," the report said.

In total, six combat clashes took place in the past day.

The enemy launched a missile attack and five airstrikes in the direction of Ukraine’s defense positions involving nine KAB glide bombs.

The invaders also launched 39 kamikaze drones and shelled Ukraine’s defense positions 487 times.

Since day-start, four combat clashes have been raging in the areas of Hlyboke and Vovchansk.

Russia’s war casualties in the area amounted to 99 in the past 24 hours.

Also in this axis, the enemy saw 38 units of its military equipment destroyed including an armored combat vehicle, a tank, 11 artillery systems, six vehicles, three units of specialized equipment, and 16 unmanned aerial vehicles.

In addition, Ukraine engaged 56 enemy dugouts and an ammunition depot.

As reported, 140 combat clashes took place at the front in the past day, with the most intense fighting ongoing in the Pokrovsk axis. Russian troops were also active in Toretsk and Kupiansk axes.

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Russian attack damages railway infrastructure in Poltava region
An overnight Russian attack on the Poltava region has damaged the railway infrastructure, with a number of trains bound for Kharkiv running with delays.
Ukraine's state rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia announced this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

According to the post, the attack damaged the tracks, electricity network, catenary poles, etc. There were no casualties.

Restoration works have already been carried out, and some trains have been run with reserve diesel locomotives. The power supply has also been almost completely restored.

"The routes of several Kharkiv-bound trains were promptly changed to continue the movement, but because of this they are running with significant delays," Ukrzaliznytsia said.

Overnight into Sunday, August 4, explosions rang out in the Myrhorod district of the Poltava region.

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Ukrainian Air Force destroys over 8,000 enemy targets since invasion - Oleshchuk
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian Air Force has destroyed more than 8,000 enemy aerial targets, including hundreds of aircraft and helicopters and thousands of cruise missiles and drones.
Ukrainian Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk said this in a post on Telegram on the occasion of the Ukrainian Air Force Day, Ukrinform reports.

"'Victory on earth is forged in heaven!' I addressed the commanders of the air forces of the NATO countries with this slogan a year ago, urging my colleagues to create a strong aviation coalition. We talked about closing the skies over Ukraine and the need to bolster Ukrainian air defenses with our partners on the eve of the full-scale invasion, because everyone understood how important it is to hold the skies clean. That's why we took a lot of preparatory measures to withstand the blow and give a decent rebuff to the enemy's aerial attack," Oleshchuk said.

According to him, the battle for the sky continues. The enemy attacks Ukraine 24 hours a day with bombs and missiles, conducting aerial reconnaissance, and using strike drones every night. The Air Force, side by side with the air defense units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, repels the attacks.

"For the past two-and-a-half years, the Air Force has destroyed more than 8,000 enemy aerial targets: hundreds of airplanes and helicopters, thousands of cruise missiles and drones. Ukrainian pilots made more than 20,000 sorties, most of them for the combat use of air weapons. All this became possible thanks to powerful support from our Western partners. I thank them for their conscious position in protecting peace and democracy, our people!" Oleshchuk said.

According to him, Ukrainian Air Force soldiers showed considerable courage, heroism, professionalism and ingenuity by using modern Western weapons in a quality and skillful manner.

During the full-scale invasion, 4,475 Air Force service members received state awards for their personal courage and self-sacrifice in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and 47 of them became Heroes of Ukraine, including 25 posthumously.

"Today, I congratulate all service members and veterans of the Air Force on the 20th anniversary. I am thankful to everyone who is making every effort for our victory! I am thankful to partners, volunteers, civil society, everyone who helps us become stronger in the fight for peace and freedom for our Ukraine!" Oleshchuk concluded.

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F-16 Fighters Arrive in Ukraine, President Zelenskyy Announces Start of Combat Operations

^{The first arrived in Ukraine f16. Source: Zhenia Melnyk and Mykola Hrinenko for United24 Media}

A significant development for Ukrainian defense: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially confirmed the arrival of F-16 fighters in Ukraine on August 4, 2024. These advanced aircraft have already begun performing combat missions, marking a crucial step in enhancing Ukrainian armed forces and potentially altering the course of events on the front.

This achievement was made possible through the coordinated efforts and support of Western allies, including the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium, which have also pledged to supply Ukraine with F-16s. Details on the exact number of aircraft delivered remain undisclosed.

^{The first arriving f16s in Ukraine in Ukrainian airspace. Source: Zhenia Melnyk and Mykola Hrinenko for United24 Media}

President Zelenskyy expressed profound gratitude to all partner countries for their invaluable assistance. In his address, he emphasized the significance of this development for strengthening the country’s defense capabilities. Additionally, tribute was paid to the heroes who have fallen in the struggle for Ukraine’s independence. A pilot who tragically lost his life during a combat mission was posthumously honored. The name of the pilot the details of the mission remain confidential.

^{President Zelensky speaks against the backdrop of the latest F-16s. Source: Zhenia Melnyk and Mykola Hrinenko for United24 Media}

These aircraft are equipped with advanced radars and navigation systems, enabling them to effectively track and engage targets at long ranges with high precision. The presence of F-16s in Ukraine will significantly bolster the country’s defensive positions and improve its ability to respond to aerial threats.

Pilots operating the new fighters have undergone intensive training in Romania, Denmark, and the USA. This training has equipped Ukrainian pilots with the necessary skills to effectively utilize the F-16s in combat conditions, ensuring their readiness to handle complex missions.

Today, Ukrainian F-16s are already patrolling the airspace and actively participating in combat operations. This has been made possible through the prompt and coordinated efforts of Ukrainian aviation services and international partners.

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 15:27 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Wanneer zien we die F16's nou eens in actie? Ze zijn er toch?

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De Oekra�ense president Volodymyr Zelensky heeft bevestigd dat er F-16-gevechtsvliegtuigen zijn geleverd aan zijn land. De toestellen worden al ingezet in het luchtruim boven Oekra�ne.
"De F-16's zijn in Oekra�ne. We hebben het voor elkaar gekregen", jubelde Zelensky tijdens een bezoek aan een luchtmachtbasis. Daar ontmoette hij piloten terwijl er twee F-16-vliegtuigen rondvlogen.

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Christo Grozev: journalist Ivan Safronov and politician Alexey Gorinov were originally slated for exchange
Russian journalist Ivan Safronov and opposition politician Alexey Gorinov were originally going to be part of Thursday’s unprecedented East-West prisoner exchange, investigative journalist Christo Grozev has told the BBC.

A highly respected investigator for Bellingcat and The Insider who was involved in the negotiations with the FSB that led to 16 political prisoners being freed from Russian jails last week, Grozev said that Ivan Safronov, a journalist serving a 22-year prison sentence for treason, had been on the original exchange list.

Safronov, who previously worked for two of Russia’s best known newspapers, Vedomosti and Kommersant, was arrested in 2020 and charged with sharing classified information with the Czech intelligence services. He was found guilty despite the information he was accused of sharing being publicly available, with many believing the real reason for his long sentence was his 2019 reporting on Russia’s sale of fighter jets to Egypt.

The Russian side proposed replacing Safronov with political scientist Demuri Voronin, a dual German/Russian citizen who was sentenced to 13 years in prison in the same case, Grozev said. The fact that the German side “didn’t know about the existence” of Safronov before the negotiations was conclusive evidence that Voronin was not a spy, Grozev added..

Grozev also said that former Moscow local politician Alexey Gorinov, the former head of the Navalny LIVE Youtube channel Daniel Kholodny, and three imprisoned lawyers who represented the late opposition leader Alexey Navalny, were originally part of the carefully brokered deal, though exactly why they weren’t exchanged in the end, Grozev did not reveal.

However, Grozev did say that freed opposition politician Ilya Yashin had not originally been slated for exchange, largely due to Yashin’s own refusal to leave Russia under any circumstances. In the end, the Russian side likely insisted on Yashin’s inclusion in the 24-person exchange, Grozev said.

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 16:25 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Dit zou zomaar kunnen. Vind ik gevoelsmatig nog steeds eng. Want voor mensen die into that zijn, is er genoeg te zien voor geolocatie.

[ x ]

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 17:22 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 18:07 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Nice. Ze vervangen de HUD niet helemaal, het is meer een toevoeging, maar het bedienen van de systemen van een F-16 wordt er wel eenvoudiger op.

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 17:28 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Het zou alleen voor dit event kunnen zijn natuurlijk. Dus dat dit niet hun standplaats is.

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 18:45 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Sure, eens, tuurlijk. Maar dan expose je wel minimaal 1 plek waar F-16s naar toe uit kunnen wijken

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 17:23 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Er zullen binnenkort wel beelden komen.

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 13:45 schreef icecreamfarmer_NL het volgende:

[..]
Waarom is hij nog niet opgepakt?

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 18:56 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Denk dat dit het wel is. Het is immers ook niet alsof we nu topgun achtige beelden vanuit mig 29 cockpits krijgen.

We krijgen vanaf nu her en der nog wel beelden van een oekrainer op de grond die filmpt dat er een langs komt, zoals nu met migs ook gebeurt.

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 19:01 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Wel handig, dat de orcs zo butthurt zijn. Krijgen we tenminste uitleg van hoe of wat.

[ afbeelding ]

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HENSOLDT protects Belgian F-16 against missile attacks

Majority of European F-16 operators rely on MILDS F self-protection system

Munich, 13 February 2018 – HENSOLDT, the leading independent sensor house, will equip Belgian Air Force F-16 fighters with its proven AN/AAR-60 (V) 2 MILDS F missile warning system integrated into Terma’s weapon pylon PIDS+ (Pylon Integrated Dispensing System). With this contract the majority of the European F-16 operator countries (Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and now Belgium) are relying on HENSOLDT’s MILDS F to protect their F-16s.

"MILDS F with its very low false alarm rate and fast detection combined with automatic initiation of countermeasures relieves the pilot's workload in time-critical situations and ensures the safe return of both crew and aircraft", explains HENSOLDT CEO Thomas M�ller.

The AN/AAR-60 (V) 2 MILDS F (= Missile Launch Detection System, Fighter) is a passive imaging sensor detecting the UV radiation signature of approaching missiles. Several sensors linked to a Countermeasure Signal Processor provide full spherical coverage and rapid reaction. The system is designed to work in the harsh environment of fighter aircraft and allows flexible installation in either pylons, pods or in the fuselage. MILDS F considerably enhances the protection against anti-aircraft missiles such as shoulder-fired infrared-guided missiles, which cannot easily be detected by current warning systems.

The AN/AAR-60 (V) 2 MILDS F is using enhanced key components of the very successful MILDS AN/AAR-60 missile warner, which is in operational use as the standard missile warning device on helicopters and transport/mission aircraft world-wide, including Tiger, NH90, CH-53, CH-47 and C-130.

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Ukrainian Armed Forces Launch Massive Missile Attack on Enemy in Luhansk

^{A column of smoke after strike. Source: LUGANSK INCIDENT}
The Armed Forces of Ukraine launched a missile attack on enemy targets in the temporarily occupied Luhansk.

The relevant videos were posted on local Telegram channels.

According to local media reports, the attack was launched at around 4 p.m.

The means of destruction has not been officially disclosed, but in one of the videos from local residents, the sound of jet engines can be heard. It can be assumed that Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles were used.

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Удар по Луганську, 04.08.2024

The illegal “head” of the temporarily occupied Luhansk region claimed that there were 12 missiles – eight ballistic ATACMS and 4 Storm Shadow/SCALP.

The OSINT community “OSINT with Harbuz” identified the likely targets, including the Luhansk Higher Military Aviation School of Navigators (48.53061290767857, 39.38474015788692) and the Luhansk Machine-Building Plant (48.545722409660726, 39.320669727263784).

In addition, it is reported that the Donets plant (48.54768545231059, 39.31776553372352), which housed the base of the occupation forces, was struck.

Another OSIN community, CyberBoroshno, informs that the missiles also targeted the Trykotazhnyk plant (48.5736348, 39.4141076), which also housed the invaders’ base and ammunition depot.

^{Affected objects. Source: Google Earth}

Eyewitness photos and videos showing huge smoke and the sound of secondary detonation confirm that the strikes were aimed at warehouses that could have contained fuel and lubricants in addition to ammunition.

On July 19, Militarnyi reported a strike on the Luhansk Aviation School. It was targeted by ATACMS ballistic missiles.

On June 7, the Armed Forces struck a facility of the Russian military that was involved in repairing damaged equipment.

The attack was launched on a building used by the Russian military as a barracks. In addition, military equipment was spotted on the territory.

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Is Russia’s Announcement of a Drone to Monitor Nuclear Fallout a Veiled Threat?
Russian industrialist announced the production of a first-person view (FPV) drone to monitor levels of fallout following a nuclear attack as Kremlin’s nuclear rhetoric continues.

The Russian TASS news agency published a report on August 3 in which the CEO of the Center for Integrated Unmanned Solutions (CUS), Dmitry Kuzyakin announced its “doomsday” drone intended to monitor radiation levels in the event of the use of nuclear weapons. CUS is managing a program called the Khrust project which is aimed at producing a range of radiation monitoring equipment.

The drone is a first-person view (FPV) type equipped with systems for checking background radiation after an attack in order to safeguard military and civilian personnel. In addition to monitoring equipment the drone uses a camera that transmits real time images to allow it to be remotely controlled using virtual reality glasses, mobile phone or Tablet.

According to Kuzyakin, it is a small, compact drone that can be stowed alongside ground-based nuclear monitoring equipment. Flight time for the drone is up to 20 minutes, with an operating range of up to 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) depending on the terrain, signal conditions and level of contamination.

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He said “FPV drones are known for their agility and speed, and combined with the right piloting skills, they can navigate through buildings or industrial structures for reconnaissance, inspecting every corner. In this scenario, the drone carries either a sensor for toxic substances or a dosimeter, alerting the pilot when radiation levels exceed safe limits.”

Kuzyakin also spoke about the need for specialist training in the use of the drones saying, “There are specific challenges when operating from enclosed vehicles, especially in motion. The FPV pilot needs to have a basic understanding of the terrain and reconnaissance areas. Technically, it’s not enough to just attach a sensor to the drone. Methodological scenarios are necessary—even if specialists are given the equipment and instructions on its use, there will still be questions about the best practices in real environments.”

The announcement comes hot on the heels of months of escalating open and veiled threats from Putin and other Kremlin-linked individuals since the full-scale February 2022 invasion of the possible use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine, the US and NATO. These warnings have been accompanied by the transfer of non-strategic (tactical) nuclear weapons to Belarus and several months of nuclear-related training exercises in Russian border areas and in Belarus.

It is possible that announcing this new development is another veiled suggestion that Moscow is preparing for the use of nuclear weapons.

Kuzyakin told TASS that he was “confident that common sense will prevail, and the world will refrain from using nuclear weapons and our doomsday drone will never be needed. And yet we believe that it would a crime not to prepare for even the worst scenarios. Our specialists have developed the doomsday drone for monitoring background radiation and ensuring the security of personnel as part of the Khrust project.”

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Lithuanian FM responds to Russian opposition leader's proposal to sanction only "Putin regime"
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis responded to a statement by Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza, recently released as part of a prisoner exchange, about the possible easing of sanctions on Russia

Landsbergis posted his detailed comment on Sunday, August 4, 20224, in a thread on X.

"I would like to address the recurring question of those ‘ordinary Russians’ who ‘shouldn’t be sanctioned’. I hear talk of ordinary Russians’ innocence, but then I see ordinary Russians murdering ordinary Ukrainians. I see ordinary Russian mothers saying goodbye to their ordinary Russian sons and wishing them good luck with their ordinary Russian war crimes.I see ordinary Russians celebrating murder. I see ordinary Russian parents dressing up their ordinary Russian children in military uniforms and painting the letter Z on a cardboard tank costume. I see ordinary Russians coming together to make a huge Z formation in the town square," the Lithuanian Foreign Minister emphasized.

According to him, Russian society is sick and can only be cured after a military defeat from Ukraine. And this requires international financial and economic sanctions that "slow down Russia’s total war machine," Landsbergis added.

"Ordinary Russia is sick. Healing will be a long and gruelling process which can only start when Russia, not just Putin, is defeated. Without a defeat in Ukraine, Russia will just keep spreading," the minister concluded in a tweet.

Background
On Friday, August 2, Kara-Murza, who was released during a prisoner exchange between Russia and the West, complained about Western sanctions against Russia:

"I see the main focus of my activities in the international sphere as reminding people in democratic countries that Russia and Putin are not the same thing. Sanctions should be aimed at criminals and the Putin regime, not at citizens of the Russian Federation on the basis of citizenship."

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 22:25 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://global.espreso.tv(...)on-only-putin-regime
[..]

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Translation:

They fucking hit my plane, got lucky that there’s land below me. I’ll have to turn the GPS on now, no service here, it’s fucked. We didn’t even have fucking time to do anything, we were just gaining altitude and then….

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 22:37 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Als die Russische burgers de sancties zat zijn moeten ze naar het Kremlin gaan en Poetin opknopen.

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Op zondag 4 augustus 2024 22:53 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Waar vecht jij nou echt voor dan? Zien we jou op het binnenhof op potten en pannen rammelen als je het niet eens bent met Schoof? Of was je ook een wappie op het Malieveld?

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Op zaterdag 3 augustus 2024 19:34 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Dat is de Stormshadow.

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Mali cuts diplomatic ties with Ukraine over Wagner ambush claims
Mali says it has cut diplomatic relations with Ukraine, after a military official suggested Kyiv had played a role in deadly fighting near the Algerian border last month.

Dozens of Malian soldiers and mercenaries from Russia's Wagner group were killed in days of clashes with Tuareg separatist rebels and fighters linked to al-Qaeda.

Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukrainian military intelligence, said last week that the rebels had been given the "necessary information" to conduct the attacks.

A top Malian official, Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, said his government was shocked to hear the claim and accused Ukraine of violating Mali's sovereignty.

Yusov's comments "admitted Ukraine's involvement in a cowardly, treacherous and barbaric attack by armed terrorist groups" that had led to the deaths of Malian soldiers, Col Maiga's statement said.

Mali has decided to break off relations "with immediate effect", he said.

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Last week, Mali's army admitted it had suffered “significant” losses during several days of fighting earlier that erupted on 25 July.

The clashes took place in the desert near Tinzaouaten, a north-eastern town on the border with Algeria.

Reports say the Malian and Russian forcers were ambushed by Tuareg rebels and fighters from al-Qaeda affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin while waiting for reinforcements, after retreating from Tinzaouaten.

Neither Mali’s military nor Wagner - which has since morphed into a group called the Africa Corps - have given exact figures, but the estimated death toll for Wagner fighters ranges from 20 to 80.

The Russian mercenary outfit's losses are thought to be the heaviest it has suffered in Mali since it began helping the military government fight the insurgents two years ago.

Wagner has acknowledged that one of its commanders was killed and a Russian helicopter was downed in "fierce fighting", saying they had been attacked by around 1,000 fighters.

Tuareg-led separatists claimed on Thursday they had killed 84 Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers.

More than a decade ago, Mali's central government lost control of much of the north following a Tuareg rebellion, which was sparked by a demand for a separate state.

The country's security was then further complicated by the involvement of Islamist militants in the conflict.

When seizing power in coups in 2020 and 2021, the military cited the government's inability to tackle this unrest.

The new junta severed Mali's long-running alliance with former colonial power France in favour of Russia, in a bid to quell the unrest.

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Norway allocates $7.4 million for Ukrainian children
Norway is providing financial assistance to Ukraine to support children and their families. The amount is $7.4 million.

The Government of Norway has allocated $7.4 million for the programs of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine. This will help provide assistance to Ukrainian children and their families affected by Russia's armed aggression.

Norway is the fifth largest financial partner of UNICEF in responding to humanitarian challenges in Ukraine.

"Thanks to this partnership, Ukrainian children and their families receive support in the areas of child protection, education, health, social services, water and sanitation," the ministry said.

Norway's assistance to Ukraine
Norway is among the European countries that support Ukraine in the war with Russia. The country has provided military assistance to the Ukrainian army, including armored vehicles, ammunition, and other weapons.

The Norwegian Prime Minister said that Ukraine would receive six F-16 fighter jets, with deliveries to begin in 2024.

The Norwegian government will also allocate more than $92 million to support Ukraine's air defense.

Norway has supported Ukraine's steps toward the EU and NATO and supports the European Union's sanctions against Russia.

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A military car was set on fire again in Odesa

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 07:12 schreef Werkman het volgende:
Mooi. Gelijk het Kremlin bombarderen. Met de complimenten van de slachtoffers van MH17.

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 08:33 schreef mcmlxiv het volgende:

[..]
Ik zou beginnen met de Krim-brug, dat moet uitvoerbaar zijn.

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 10:18 schreef Cuendillar het volgende:
Eerst maar eens zorgen dat Rusland niet verder oprukt.

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 12:55 schreef oheng het volgende:
En die gekke russen hebben eindelijk mobieltjes verbannen lol.

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 12:56 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Kwam hier laatst niet een bericht voorbij dat dit weer terug gedraaid was?

Kan ook prima dat ik er naast zit en dingen door elkaar haar btw ben verre van zeker hier van

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 14:45 schreef Digi2 het volgende:

RUSSIAN Economic Disaster as Losses Accelerate & $22K Sign On Bonus Offered to Fight in Ukraine

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 16:52 schreef skysherrif het volgende:
[ afbeelding ]

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 16:52 schreef skysherrif het volgende:
[ afbeelding ]

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 16:54 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

[..]
Goeie kuil.

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 18:04 schreef Elan het volgende:
https://www.nu.nl/spannin(...)aiense-tekorten.html

Zoals de geschiedenis leert win je niet van Rusland.

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 18:04 schreef Elan het volgende:
https://www.nu.nl/spannin(...)aiense-tekorten.html

Zoals de geschiedenis leert win je niet van Rusland.

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 18:04 schreef Elan het volgende:
https://www.nu.nl/spannin(...)aiense-tekorten.html

Zoals de geschiedenis leert win je niet van Rusland.

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Resultaat Conventie van Alkmaar
Frans-Bataafse overwinning, Brits-Russische terugtrekking

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 18:04 schreef Elan het volgende:
https://www.nu.nl/spannin(...)aiense-tekorten.html

Zoals de geschiedenis leert win je niet van Rusland.

quote:

Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 19:13 schreef ETA het volgende:
iemand analyse van wat er nou precies gebeurd in het stuk ten westen van Avdivka? Rusland lijkt daar de laatste 2 maanden consistent relatief veel land te pakken, maar er lijkt hier weinig over te worden gesproken in de media.

Is het reden voor zorg of een gecalculeerde terugtrekking?

quote:

Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 19:13 schreef ETA het volgende:
iemand analyse van wat er nou precies gebeurd in het stuk ten westen van Avdivka? Rusland lijkt daar de laatste 2 maanden consistent relatief veel land te pakken, maar er lijkt hier weinig over te worden gesproken in de media.

Is het reden voor zorg of een gecalculeerde terugtrekking?

quote:

Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 19:13 schreef ETA het volgende:
iemand analyse van wat er nou precies gebeurd in het stuk ten westen van Avdivka? Rusland lijkt daar de laatste 2 maanden consistent relatief veel land te pakken, maar er lijkt hier weinig over te worden gesproken in de media.

Is het reden voor zorg of een gecalculeerde terugtrekking?

quote:

Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 19:24 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Er gaat ook gewoon heel veel door een censuurfilter hier in het Westen op dezelfde manier dat we niet meer RT kunnen kijken. Alle filmpjes van Oekra�ne kunnen we wel zien. En het is ook een beetje 'gewoon' geworden. Het is niet meer zoals in het begin. Of het een gecalculeerde terugtrekking of niet is weten we gewoon niet, maar het beeld is wel consistent met het feit dat Rusland er beetje bij beetje wat bij snoept elke dag.

quote:

Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 19:24 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Er gaat ook gewoon heel veel door een censuurfilter hier in het Westen

quote:

Curator zoekt kopers voor Russische vliegtuigen op Maastrichts vliegveld
Voor vier Russische vliegtuigen die op Maastricht Aachen Airport staan is een curator hard op zoek naar een nieuwe eigenaar. Door de oorlog in Oekra�ne en de daaropvolgende sancties is de Russische eigenaar failliet gegaan.

De airbussen staan al sinds 2019 bij vliegtuigonderhoudsbedrijf Samco in Beek, vlak bij Maastricht Aachen Airport. Ze stonden daar in eerste instantie in afwachting van een klant, zegt de directeur van het bedrijf Constant van Schaik. "De vliegmaatschappij die zou gaan vliegen met de toestellen, zag daar toch vanaf. Dus er werd een nieuwe klant gezocht. In de tussentijd stonden ze bij ons, dat gebeurt vaker met vliegtuigen."
https://nos.nl/artikel/25(...)aastrichts-vliegveld

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 18:37 schreef ipa84 het volgende:

[..]
Geschiedenis was blijkbaar niet je sterkste vak dan. Rusland is zelfs het enigste Europese land wat een oorlog heeft verloren van een Aziatisch land.

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 20:32 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
Nou dan heb je de slag om Singapore gemist eind 1941/begin 1942. Waarbij 36.000 Japanners op onderweg meegenomen fietsen het Britse leger van 85.000 man versloeg.

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 20:32 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
Nou dan heb je de slag om Singapore gemist eind 1941/begin 1942. Waarbij 36.000 Japanners op onderweg meegenomen fietsen het Britse leger van 85.000 man versloeg.

quote:

Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 18:04 schreef Elan het volgende:
https://www.nu.nl/spannin(...)aiense-tekorten.html

Zoals de geschiedenis leert win je niet van Rusland.

quote:

Ukrainian air defenses shot down all 24 enemy Shahed UAVs overnight
On the night of Monday, August 5, Ukraine's Air Defense Forces destroyed 24 Russian Shahed combat drones in seven regions of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Air Force Commander, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk said this in a post on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

"On the night of August 5, 2024, Russian invaders attacked [Ukraine] with Shahed-type combat UAVs from the areas of Russia’s Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk. The Air Force's radio engineering troops detected and tracked 24 combat drones," the commander said.

According to him, all enemy UAVs were shot down by mobile firing groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, anti-aircraft missile units and EW units of the Air Force in the Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

As Ukrinform reported, the air raid alert went off twice overnight in the Kyiv region.

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A French general wants to slash red tape to move troops faster across Europe

^{French Leclerc tank in the Estonian port. Photo credits: ERR}
A French general criticized the bureaucratic red tape involved in moving equipment and weapons to allied troops in Europe.

He wants to slash red tape to better prepare for the rapid movement and deployment of allied forces in the event of Russian aggression.

General Bertrand Toujouse said this in an interview with Politico.

In his opinion, European countries need to change their approaches to military logistics, which is not an easy task.

“If Europe wants to deter possible Russian aggression, it has to do a much better job of moving tanks, troops and ammunition across the continent,” said General Bertrand Toujouse, in charge of the French army’s newly created land command for Europe.

SPOILER

quote:

.

^{French VBCI infantry fighting vehicles in Romania to reinforce the NATO battlegroup. Photo credits: Vasile Dincu}

He noted that if Russia attacked a NATO country, European and American soldiers needed to reach the alliance’s eastern flank as fast as possible. But current obstacles to swift movement include lengthy and fragmented administrative processes to carry war materiel across borders; inadequate infrastructure — including bridges and tunnels — to move armored vehicles; and a lack of transport capacity such as rail cars.

“We discovered the extent of the administrative red tape. There’s a war in Ukraine, but customs officials explain that you don’t have the right tonnage per axle and that your tanks aren’t allowed to cross Germany. It’s just unbelievable,” a top French general said.

Bertrand Toujouse acknowledged that improving military mobility won’t be easy because transport and customs rules are largely a national prerogative.

He suggests starting with the railroad infrastructure. In his opinion, “railroads are still by far the most practical” way to move tanks around.

The French army general noted that the problems were not only in the bureaucracy, but also in the ability of the military and railroad to organize large-scale transportation of equipment.

^{Potential points of troop redeployment}

In June, it became known that NATO was developing numerous corridors to move troops and weapons to the eastern flank of the Alliance in the event of war with Russia.

Norwegian military. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Norway

Norway, Finland, and Sweden agreed to create a cross-border military transport corridor to facilitate the transfer of military equipment and personnel between the countries.

quote:

Russian officer convicted of murder returns to fight in Ukraine within weeks of verdict

^{Vladimir Putin and Irek Magasumov. Photo: Alexey Maishev, Rossiya Segodnya / kremlin.ru}

A Russian military officer who was found guilty of murdering an 18-year-old girl in Russian occupied Ukraine and sentenced to 11 years in prison in June returned to the front line just weeks after his conviction, Kazan-based news outlet Tatar-Inform reported on Saturday.

Lieutenant Colonel Irek Magasumov, who had been fighting in Ukraine since February 2022, was awarded the title Hero of Russia by Vladimir Putin last year, only to be accused of killing an 18-year-old woman in the city of Luhansk days later.

A Luhansk military court sentenced Magasumov to 11 years in prison for murder and hooliganism on 26 June, after which he was stripped of his Hero of Russia title, though he was allowed to retain his military rank.

SPOILER

quote:

Having announced that he planned to return to fight in Ukraine regardless of whether he was convicted by the court or not, Magasumov chose not to appeal his sentence and instead signed a contract with Russia’s Defence Ministry, which granted him early release from prison, Kazan-based news outlet Biznes Online reported.

Magasumov returned to the front on 19 July, just three weeks after he was sentenced, according to Tatar-Inform.

Magasumov had been with Senior Lieutenant Pavel Yaskevich when he met 18-year-old Daria Kiselyova and her friend in a caf� in the city of Luhansk on 11 August 2023, according to prosecutors.

In one version of events, the two women asked if they could fire the men’s guns, while according to another, the soldiers suggested it themselves. Shortly afterwards, Kiselyova was shot and badly wounded, and ended up dying in an ambulance on the way to hospital.

Yaskevich initially confessed to unintentionally killing Kiselyova, but subsequently withdrew his testimony. In court Magasumov’s defence team said that he, Yaskevich and the two girls had fired the pistol twice, but that both men had then left to help a comrade embroiled in an argument nearby.

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The Kherson region: Ukrainian drone hit a Russian Giatsint-S self-propelled gun

^{Giatsint-S self-propelled gun of the Russian military. Photo: Ministry of Defense of Russia}

ACS Artillery Kherson Region Occupants elimination UAV Ukraine War with Russia
Ukrainian troops hit a Russian Giatsint-S self-propelled gun in the Kherson region.

The Russian gun was destroyed by a drone that dropped munition on it.

The drone was piloted by Grom Group operator Roman Kostenko, according to the Nikolaevsky Vanek Telegram channel, which published the video.

A camouflaged position of Russian artillerymen with a Giatsint-S self-propelled gun was discovered by aerial reconnaissance among the trees.

At night, a Ukrainian Perun attack drone dropped several rounds of ammunition, which hit a Russian self-propelled gun.

SPOILER

quote:

Український безпілотник уразив САУ “Гиацинт-С” на Херсонщині [літо 2024]

In the morning, a Ukrainian drone flew to the site of the attack and recorded the result of a successful strike. According to the released footage, the Russian self-propelled gun caught fire.

^{A Russian Giatsint-S self-propelled gun was destroyed in the Kherson region. Summer of 2024. Frame from the video of the Grom group}

As a result of the successful use of a drone, the Ukrainian military destroyed a Russian Giatsint-S self-propelled gun.

The Ukrainian troops have repeatedly destroyed such Russian self-propelled guns. They have used a variety of weapons, including various drones and artillery ammunition or rockets.

In particular, soldiers of the 44th Separate Artillery Brigade “Hetman Danylo Apostol” destroyed a Russian Giatsint-S self-propelled gun in the Zaporizhzhia region.

The Ukrainian Shark drone detected the position of the Russian invaders and adjusted the strike of the Defense Forces’ firepower against them.

The UAV was purchased and handed over to the military aerial reconnaissance men at the expense of the first “EYE FOR AN EYE” project from the Come Back Alive Foundation and the OKKO filling station chain.

⚡ЗНИЩЕНО «Гіацинт-С» на окупованому Півдні

The operators of the 73rd Maritime Special Operations Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine aimed the HIMARS system at the Russian Giatsint-S self-propelled gun. The Russian artillery system was spotted during reconnaissance operations in the southern sector.

quote:

Russian-Linked News Outlet Fuels Violent Anti-Immigrant Riots Across British Cities

^{An anti-immigration supporter confronts riot police after scuffles broke out in Piccadilly Gardens during a Stand Up To Racism unity rally against anti-immigration supporters. (Source: Getty Images)}

Russian propaganda fake website is suspected of fueling anti-immigration riots in Great Britain by spreading false information, The Telegraph reported.

At the end of July, following a stabbing at a dance class in Southport, where 3 girls were killed and 11 injured, a 17-year-old boy has been arrested on charges of murder and attempted murder.

The fake website Channel3 Now, masquerading as an American intelligence agency, made up the name of the killer, 17-year-old Muslim refugee Ali Al-Shakati.

SPOILER

quote:

The news was shared by thousands of other accounts related to Russia, including Russian state media. The information was picked up by far-right activists, in particular, from the anti-immigrant English Defense League, which played an important role in inciting the riots.

The protests have spread across cities nationwide, including Liverpool, Bristol, and Manchester on Saturday. The unrest led to dozens of arrests, with shops and businesses being vandalized and looted, and several police officers sustaining injuries.

Police later said the name was fictitious. The real suspect is Axel Rudakubana, who was born in the UK to parents who emigrated from Rwanda, a nation that is more than 90% Christian.

It has also been revealed that the Channel3 Now YouTube channel, which was launched in Izhevsk in 2012, was rebranded in 2019 and began producing content focused on Pakistan.

Professor Stephen Hutchings from the University of Manchester stated that this is merely one example among hundreds of daily stories with a pro-Russian or anti-Western bias, intended to destabilize society in Britain.

quote:

Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 22:04 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]

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Russia Allegedly Urged U.S. to Stop Ukraine’s Planned Navy Day Attacks

^{Naval parade on the day of the Russian Navy. July 28, 2024. Russia. Photo: Administration of the Governor of St. Petersburg}
The Russian Defense Ministry asked the U.S. Department of Defense to persuade Ukraine not to hold operations on Navy Day in Russia.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov had personally called U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the issue.

Sergey Ryabkov added that the phone conversation between the two ministers allegedly had a positive result for Russia and helped avoid an escalation.

As the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized, “the signal from our military leadership and the Minister of Defense to our American counterpart must have had an impact.”

According to the Russian Federation, Ukrainian special services were preparing an attack in Russia on July 28, when Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Andrey Belousov were addressing a parade in St. Petersburg.

SPOILER

quote:

.

^{Andrey Belousov and Vladimir Putin during the parade on the Day of the Russian Navy. July 28, 2024. Russia. Photo credits: Administration of the Governor of St. Petersburg}

According to Ryabkov, Lloyd Austin was extremely surprised by this news but took it quite seriously.

After that, Washington allegedly contacted Kyiv and asked them not to do what was planned.

This information is also confirmed by the New York Times, which, citing three unnamed U.S. officials, wrote that during a telephone conversation, Belousov told Austin that Moscow had discovered Ukraine’s preparations for a “covert operation” against Russia.

The newspaper noted that it is still unclear whether Ukraine was actually planning the operation reported by Belousov.

According to the Russian diplomat, if the Ukrainian operation had been carried out, it would have led to an “unmanageable conflict” between Russia and the United States.

^{Ukrainian Liutyi UAV in the sky over the Russian Federation, March 2024}

At the same time, on July 28, on the Day of the Russian Navy, drones of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine successfully attacked various facilities in Russia.

On that day, an oil depot in the Kursk region was hit. The attack drones also reached an oil refinery in the city of Kstovo.

quote:

The head of Russia’s military park and a top Defense Ministry official are arrested for fraud
The director of an exhibition park showcasing Russia’s military might was arrested on fraud charges along with a top Defense Ministry official, part of a sweeping investigation into abuse of office in the top echelons of the military leadership.

Vyacheslav Akhmedov, head of the Patriot Park — sometimes called Russia’s “military Disneyland” — and Maj. Gen Vladimir Shesterov, deputy of the Defense Ministry’s innovations department, were detained, Russia’s Investigative Committee said Monday.

The committee, Russia’s top criminal investigation agency, said the two are suspected of embezzling government funds earmarked for the park, which opened in 2015.

Patriot Park features displays of weaponry and serves as a venue for their demonstration and battle reenactments. The sprawling facility also includes an air base along with a firing range, museums, a conference center and even has a Russian Orthodox cathedral devoted to the armed forces on its 5,400 hectares (over 13,300 acres).

The park, a pet project of former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, is designed to inspire patriotism in Russia’s younger generations. Patriarch Kirill in 2020 consecrated the massive, khaki-colored Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces, which features mosaics of Soviet and Russian soldiers. Russian President Vladimir Putin also personally donated money to commission the main icon for the church, according to the Kremlin.

The detention of Akhmedov and Shesterov follows a series of arrests of senior military officials who were part of the inner circle of Shoigu, dismissed by Putin soon after his inauguration in May to a sixth term.

Shoigu, who had personal ties to Putin, was given the high-profile post of secretary of Russia’s Security Council, but several members of his entourage lost their jobs and many of them were arrested, including top associate and deputy, Timur Ivanov, who was jailed on bribery charges in April.

Shoigu had been widely criticized for Russia’s setbacks on the battlefield in Ukraine and was accused of incompetence and corruption by mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who launched a brief mutiny in June 2023 to demand his dismissal.

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 22:20 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 19:13 schreef ETA het volgende:
iemand analyse van wat er nou precies gebeurd in het stuk ten westen van Avdivka? Rusland lijkt daar de laatste 2 maanden consistent relatief veel land te pakken, maar er lijkt hier weinig over te worden gesproken in de media.

Is het reden voor zorg of een gecalculeerde terugtrekking?

Battle for Ukraine’s New York: 24 hours before Russian invasion | Frontline | Daily Mail

quote:

Op maandag 5 augustus 2024 18:04 schreef Elan het volgende:
https://www.nu.nl/spannin(...)aiense-tekorten.html

Zoals de geschiedenis leert win je niet van Rusland.

quote:

Mortality in Ukraine in 2024 is three times higher than birth rate
A total of 87,655 children were born in Ukraine in the first half of 2024, which is 9% down from the same period last year. At the same time, 250,972 deaths were recorded during this period.

Source: Opendatabot, a Ukrainian open data platform

Details: Currently, there are three deaths for every newborn in Ukraine. In 2018-2020, this figure was two deaths per child.

The highest number of newborns and deaths was registered in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and the city of Kyiv.

For comparison, 132,595 children were born in Ukraine in the first half of 2021. This figure has now decreased by 1.5 times.

Since the beginning of 2024, Kyiv has registered the highest number of newborns (9,695), followed by Lviv Oblast (7,923) and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (6,962).

The lowest number of babies was born in the frontline oblasts: 221 in Kherson Oblast and 702 in Donetsk Oblast. No babies were registered during this period in Luhansk Oblast.

The highest number of deaths was recorded in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (26,374), Kharkiv Oblast (17,999) and the city of Kyiv (17,449). The lowest number of deaths was recorded in the frontline regions: 2,334 in Kherson Oblast, 5,753 in Donetsk Oblast and 5,422 in Chernivtsi Oblast.

The Ministry of Health stressed that the birth rate in Ukraine has been declining by about 7% annually since 2013.