SPOILER

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:10 schreef over_hedge het volgende:
Nah. Drones op burgers kan ik nog steeds niet blij mee zijn.

Ja maar zij doen het ook is nooit een goed antwoord. Dus nu ook niet

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:16 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Eens, maar goed, conform die laatste discussie waar iemand het bestond om oekraine de schuld te geven van het executeren van PoWs, vanwege filmpjes, om die daarna om te buigen naar de algehele waanzin waar oorlogen altijd op uitdraaien, zijn oorlogen idd altijd een race to the bottom.

En dan eindige je qua schuldvraag vanzelf bij wie er nou eigenlijk begonnen is.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:10 schreef over_hedge het volgende:
Nah. Drones op burgers kan ik nog steeds niet blij mee zijn.

Ja maar zij doen het ook is nooit een goed antwoord. Dus nu ook niet

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:18 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Het zijn gewoon wrakstukken van neergeschoten drones die zulke schade veroorzaken.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:21 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

Maar als het wrakstukken zijn moeten we er wel blij om zijn of zo?

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:28 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Ik hou me buiten de politiek, dus daar geef ik geen antwoord op.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:21 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
[ afbeelding ]
Dit wrakstukken? Geloof er helemaal niks van

Maar als het wrakstukken zijn moeten we er wel blij om zijn of zo?

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:28 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Ik hou me buiten de politiek, dus daar geef ik geen antwoord op.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:29 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Oh oke. Maar die foto lijkt me geen wrakstukken?

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:10 schreef over_hedge het volgende:
Nah. Drones op burgers kan ik nog steeds niet blij mee zijn.

Ja maar zij doen het ook is nooit een goed antwoord. Dus nu ook niet

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:41 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Ok ok rustig aan met de virtue signaling. Burger doden bad

Zal ik anders ff wat foto's posten van Grozny, Aleppo, of Popasna? Zodat je weer weet hoe doelgericht en strategisch burgerdoelen bestoken eruit ziet.

Vannacht was trouwens een goed nachtje voor Oekra�ne.

Fire on oil pipeline in Orenburg region extinguished
One person died in a fire at a plant in Nizhny Tagil (= staalfabriek)
Debris from a downed UAV in the Tula region fell on a fuel and energy complex facility

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:41 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Ok ok rustig aan met de virtue signaling. Burger doden bad

Zal ik anders ff wat foto's posten van Grozny, Aleppo, of Popasna? Zodat je weer weet hoe doelgericht en strategisch burgerdoelen bestoken eruit ziet.

Vannacht was trouwens een goed nachtje voor Oekra�ne.

Fire on oil pipeline in Orenburg region extinguished
One person died in a fire at a plant in Nizhny Tagil (= staalfabriek)
Debris from a downed UAV in the Tula region fell on a fuel and energy complex facility

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:44 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Wat wil je nou zeggen met je post?

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 12:03 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Hier een foto van Vovchansk. Dit is hoe gericht burgerdoelen bestoken eruit ziet. Snap je het verschil?
[ x ]

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 12:05 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Ja ik snap het verschil. Heb je ik je voorbeelden ook niet voor nodig.

Waarom zit je zo passief agressief te reageren op me. Alleen omdat ik ja maar zij doen het ook argument zwak vind? En dat is precies wat er nu gebeurt.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:21 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
[ afbeelding ]
Dit wrakstukken? Geloof er helemaal niks van

Maar als het wrakstukken zijn moeten we er wel blij om zijn of zo?

SPOILER

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 11:31 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar de rookbommen die tankies hier altijd met verve loslaten werken 2 kanten op.

Dat ding kan ge-EW'ed zijn, waardoor die koers verloor. Hij kan beschadigd zijn door small arms fire. Hij kan ook gewoon een storing hebben gehad.

Wederom; openlijk burgerdoelen? Liever niet. Maar is dit bewijs dat oekraine daar mee bezig is? Nee.

Met ballistische raketten twv 1 miljoen USD+, die kinderziekenhuizen raken, is dat een andere som. Die zijn wat robuuster, hebben betere interne navigatie. Dat maakt de kans daarop een stuk kleiner.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 15:48 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Niemand mikt raketten op ziekenhuizen, kinderdagverblijven of woonappartementen. Oekraine niet en Rusland ook niet. Nog los van de moraal zijn die raketten veel te schaars om op een doel te mikken dat geen enkel militair voordeel biedt.

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On 5 July 2022, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Michelle Bachelet, reported that most civilian casualties documented by her office had been caused by the Russian army's use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas, calling it "indisputable".[12] By 30 June 2023, OHCHR assessed that 90.5% of all civilian deaths were caused by such indiscriminate attack, and that 84.2% of them were recorded in Ukrainian-held territory.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 15:52 schreef zuchtje het volgende:

[..]
[..]
https://en.wikipedia.org/(...)_invasion_of_Ukraine

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 15:58 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Dus?

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:03 schreef zuchtje het volgende:

[..]
Rusland mikt raketten op ziekenhuizen en appartementen.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:16 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Nee. Zonde van de raketten. Zoals ik al zei: het heeft niks met moraal te maken. Maar je gaat geen schaarse middelen inzetten tegen doelen die militair geen nut hebben.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 15:48 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Niemand mikt raketten op ziekenhuizen, kinderdagverblijven of woonappartementen. Oekraine niet en Rusland ook niet. Nog los van de moraal zijn die raketten veel te schaars om op een doel te mikken dat geen enkel militair voordeel biedt.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:16 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Nee. Zonde van de raketten. Zoals ik al zei: het heeft niks met moraal te maken. Maar je gaat geen schaarse middelen inzetten tegen doelen die militair geen nut hebben.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:20 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
In deze oorlog is het keer op keer bewezen dat Rusland dat juist wel doet. Zij vuren doelgericht op ziekenhuizen, scholen en zo. Zij vagen hele woonwijken en steden van de kaart.

Dat doen ze nu, dat deden ze ook in Syri�.

Er zijn meer dan genoeg voorbeelden hier langsgekomen dat Rusland doelbewust op burgerdoelen schiet.

https://www.attacksonhealthukraine.org/
Attacks on Health Care in Ukraine
A total of 1521 attacks on Ukraine’s health care system have been documented since February 24, 2022
773 attacks damaged or destroyed hospitals and clinics
234 health workers have been killed

[ link | afbeelding ]

Er was ook zo'n kaartje voor scholen en dat soort gebouwen, maar die kan ik zo snel niet vinden. Hij is hier wel langsgekomen.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:16 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Nee. Zonde van de raketten. Zoals ik al zei: het heeft niks met moraal te maken. Maar je gaat geen schaarse middelen inzetten tegen doelen die militair geen nut hebben.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:22 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Als je naar de schaal van de oorlog kijkt vallen er juist enorm weinig burgerslachtoffers in verhouding tot bijvoorbeeld Gaza.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:22 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Als je naar de schaal van de oorlog kijkt vallen er juist enorm weinig burgerslachtoffers in verhouding tot bijvoorbeeld Gaza.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:36 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Dat komt omdat de burgers in Gaza geen kant op kunnen. Er zitten veel burgers op een relatief klein stuk grond daar. Zij zitten als ratten in de val. Ook worden beide oorlogen op hele andere manieren gevoerd.

Het gaan om twee oorlogen die niet met elkaar te vergelijken zijn dus. En dat jij de oorlog in Gaza als argument gebruikt dat Rusland geen burgerdoelen aanvalt is wel heel slecht.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:37 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Nee. Mijn argument dat Rusland geen burgerdoelen 'target' is dat ze wel iets beters aan te vallen hebben, iets dat militair nut heeft.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 15:48 schreef LXIV het volgende:
Oekraine niet en Rusland ook niet.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:16 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Nee. Zonde van de raketten. Zoals ik al zei: het heeft niks met moraal te maken. Maar je gaat geen schaarse middelen inzetten tegen doelen die militair geen nut hebben.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:37 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Nee. Mijn argument dat Rusland geen burgerdoelen 'target' is dat ze wel iets beters aan te vallen hebben, iets dat militair nut heeft.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:37 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Nee. Mijn argument dat Rusland geen burgerdoelen 'target' is dat ze wel iets beters aan te vallen hebben, iets dat militair nut heeft.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 15:48 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Niemand mikt raketten op ziekenhuizen, kinderdagverblijven of woonappartementen. Oekraine niet en Rusland ook niet. Nog los van de moraal zijn die raketten veel te schaars om op een doel te mikken dat geen enkel militair voordeel biedt.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:49 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Dat is niet hoe Rusland oorlog voert. Een deel van hoe Rusland oorlog voert is terrorisme, het angst aanjagen van de bevolking zodat zij zich tegen de overheid keren om de oorlog zo snel mogelijk te stoppen. Het raken van ziekenhuizen, scholen en energie centrales vallen prima in dat plaatje.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 17:16 schreef Opnaarutrecht het volgende:
Ik ga met dit forum als getuige een dezer dagen rode verf kopen en over de Russische ambassade kieperen.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 17:49 schreef Pleun2011 het volgende: Wanneer je ontkent dat Rusland dit doelbewust en structureel doet, dan ben je dom of kwaadaardig. Combinatie van beiden valt niet uit te sluiten

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'Right to self-defense'. Netherlands allows Ukraine to use its weapons deep inside Russian territory
The Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Ruben Brekelmans, said that "the right to self-defense does not end at a distance of 100 kilometers from the border."

Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans has stated that Ukraine can strike military targets deep inside Russia using Dutch weapons, according to a report by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

"Ukraine has the right to self-defense. And if the country is attacked from border regions or from Russian airfields, then it can target military objects. The same applies to enemy missiles—they can also be intercepted by our weapons over Russia," Brekelmans said.

The minister noted that "international law has no distance limitations" and that "the right to self-defense does not end at a distance of 100 kilometers from the border." Therefore, Ukraine has no restrictions on the range of its operations, he stressed.

The Dutch defense chief clarified that the permission to strike Russian territory also applies to the F-16 fighter jets that the Netherlands will transfer to Ukraine.

Brekelmans called on other Western states to lift any restrictions on the use of weapons they supply to Ukraine.

Previously, the Netherlands had stated that it does not restrict Ukraine's use of F-16 fighter jets.

Additionally, by the end of the summer, Ukraine was expected to receive a batch of Leopard 2A4 tanks, which were purchased by Denmark and the Netherlands.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces will also receive a batch of Viking all-terrain vehicles from the Netherlands.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 17:45 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
[ x ]
[ x ]
[ x ]

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Kyiv Condemns Slovak PM Fico’s Comments on Nazis in Ukrainian Military
The spokesman of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heorhii Tykhyi, said that the latest statement by the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico [claiming Nazis are fighting in Ukraine] about the Ukrainian military contradicts the "level of trust and cooperation" between the two states.

“Ukrainian soldiers are defending their families, homes, and country, as well as the entire Europe and the free world, from Russian invaders marked with the letter "Z" - a symbol of modern Russia's fascist aesthetics. Countering Russian aggression, for Ukrainians, adds to the nation's history of resistance against totalitarian regimes over the last century,” Tykhyi wrote in a press release on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Tykhyi emphasized that Ukraine suffered massive losses because of the Nazis.

“In the twentieth century, the Ukrainian people suffered millions of losses in the fight against Nazism,” said Ukraine’s spokesperson. “Another tragic chapter in our country's history is the Holocaust, when the Nazis committed horrific atrocities against Ukraine's Jewish communities, killing approximately one and a half million Jews.”

He also confirmed Kyiv's readiness for further constructive dialogue, "in line with the traditionally warm and good-neighborly relations between the Slovak and Ukrainian peoples."

On Monday, September 9, PM Fico stated that there are military personnel in Ukraine allegedly connected to Nazi and fascist movements, but the international community does not react to it.

“The international community must recognize that troops who use Nazi names, who often behave like Nazis, cannot fight in Ukraine," he added, without specifying who he meant.

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President of UN General Assembly: We cannot force Russia to comply with international law
"The UN continues to hope and expect that Russia will fulfill its obligations," said President Dennis Francis

The United Nations lacks the tools and authority to compel Russia to comply with international law, according to a statement made by UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis at a press conference in New York.

"We act according to our values and beliefs, hoping that all member states of the United Nations will fulfill their obligations, including respect for the territorial integrity of other states," Francis said.

He noted that the UN continues to hope and expect that Russia will fulfill its obligations. However, the head of the General Assembly expressed doubts about whether the organization has sufficient means and authority to enforce Russia's compliance with the UN Charter and international law.

Francis also pointed out that each country makes its own decisions and expressed hope for the earliest possible end to the conflict.

He emphasized that the General Assembly has adopted "a number of decisive resolutions" calling on Russia to comply with the law and immediately withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

"I personally added the word 'immediately' to the resolution. This aggression by Russia is a gross violation of international law, and we cannot tolerate it," Francis stressed.

On April 3, 2024, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, St�phane Dujarric, condemned the attack by Ukrainian drones on targets within Russian territory.

quote:

Does Ukraine Still Have Bayraktar TB2 Drones?

^{Bayraktar TB2 of Ukrainian Air Force. Ukraine had several of them, but now they are not seen anymore. Image credit: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)}

And yes, as you can imagine, many Ukrainian Bayraktar TB2 drones were simply shot down. This is not some kind of military secret. The TB2 is an unmanned aircraft that is easily detectable by both radar and infrared sensors. The TB2 can be shot down fairly easily, just like other winged drones. Just as Ukrainians are destroying Russian drones, Russians are destroying Ukrainian drones. Ukraine doesn’t have as many Bayraktar TB2 drones as it used to, but that’s not the only reason why we don’t see them anymore.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, recently explained that TB2 drones are still in use. Ukraine still has them. But now, due to the strengthening of Russian air defences, TB2s are more often used for reconnaissance and adjusting artillery fire. In those old spectacular videos, the TB2 was seen attacking columns of Russian armoured vehicles while flying directly above them. This is impossible now. The drone would simply be shot down by a Pantsir, Tor, or some other missile as soon as it appeared above the Russian assets.

SPOILER

The Bayraktar TB2 worked well when Russian forces had no time to prepare air defence systems. Overly stretched columns of armoured vehicles were not covered under the air defence umbrella, as the air defence systems lagged behind the quickly advancing forces. Now the front line is more or less stationary and Russians are organizing their air defence better.

Meanwhile, many videos of small drones are being published online. This is because they are uploaded by soldiers and units. Many of these small drones have civilian roots and are controlled with simple remotes. Everything is in the hands of the operator.

The Bayraktar TB2 drones, meanwhile, are operated from large military bases rather than suitcases in fields. There is no memory card that a soldier can pull out and take home to upload a video to the Internet. Everything is much more controlled. Soldiers don’t even bring their smartphones into those TB2 control centres.

Ukraine has lost a large number of Bayraktar TB2 drones, and the remaining ones are used for reconnaissance and artillery adjustment. In addition, the data from these systems is much more easily controlled, giving the military command the ability to prevent the spread of information. Although Ukraine now has many different drone systems, the TB2 remains one of the most expensive drones, which is why it is guarded so carefully.

quote:

U.S. Factories to Produce Russian-Designed R-27 and S-300 Missiles for Ukraine

^{Ukraine's stockpile of R-27 missiles is running low due}

Despite receiving modern F-16 fighter jets, Ukraine continues to rely heavily on Soviet-designed aircraft like the MiG-29 and Su-27, which form the backbone of its air force.

Vital for Air Defense
To help Ukraine maintain its defense capabilities, Western nations have stepped in to assist with the production of crucial Soviet-era missiles, specifically the R-27 air-to-air missiles and S-300 air defense system missiles, according to WP.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that companies in Europe and the United States are working to produce new versions of the R-27 missile, which was originally designed in the 1970s.

These missiles are vital for Ukraine’s air defense as they are used not only in air-to-air combat but also for intercepting cruise missiles and drones.

With Ukraine's stockpile of R-27 missiles running low due to the prolonged war, this collaboration with the West ensures that Ukraine’s air force can continue to operate effectively.

Supply Nearly Depleted
Rather than integrating Western missiles into Soviet-era jets, experts found that producing updated versions of the R-27 would be a more efficient solution. These new missiles, enhanced with modern technology, will be fully compatible with Ukraine’s aging fleet, providing an essential lifeline in the fight against Russian forces.

In addition to the R-27, efforts are also underway to produce missiles for Ukraine’s S-300 air defense system.

The S-300, another Soviet-era weapon, remains one of Ukraine’s most important tools for defending against aerial threats. However, after more than two years of intense fighting, Ukraine’s supply of S-300 missiles is also nearing depletion.

Western factories will soon begin producing these missiles, potentially with upgrades that could improve their effectiveness.

quote:

Border guards received 42 trucks, components for UAVs, and electronic warfare equipment from volunteers

^{Trucks for border guards from the MHP company and the BGV Foundation. September 2024. Photo credits: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine}

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine received vehicles and supplies worth more than UAH 66 million from volunteers.

The MHP company and the BGV Charitable Foundation provided aid for the border guards.

In particular, 42 Iveco EuroCargo trucks and one front-end loader were transferred to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

Border guards also received drone components, whose purpose is not officially disclosed.

In addition, 50 sets of electronic warfare equipment and 46.4 tons of meat products were handed over to the border guards.

SPOILER

^{Trucks for border guards from the MHP company and the BGV Foundation. September 2024. Photo credits: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine}

Serhii Serdiuk, Deputy Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, noted that Iveco EuroCargo trucks will significantly increase the combat capability of border guard units, especially those on the frontline with the enemy.

^{Trucks for border guards from the MHP company and the BGV Foundation. September 2024. Photo credits: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine}

The vehicles will improve the logistics support system and deliver military equipment directly to the places of service.

He also thanked the company’s management and partners for their assistance and expressed hope for further support and cooperation.

Держприкордонслужба отримала благодійну допомогу на суму понад 66 млн гривень

Border guards published photos and videos of the transfer of this equipment in Kyiv.

Last month, the MK Foundation donated 100 cargo vans to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

^{Volkswagen vans handed over to the border guards by the MK Foundation. August 2024. Photo credits: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine}

These vehicles were transferred to strengthen the border guard units in the combat zone with the Russian invaders.

The transferred Volkswagen Transporter vans have a roomy body and high reliability. In some versions, the vans are equipped with all-wheel drive, which ensures good off-road performance.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:14 schreef AFA2022 het volgende:
Als je maar genoeg drones de lucht in schiet heb je altijd prijs lijkt het wel. Dit wordt wss de nieuwe manier van oorlogvoeren, effectief goedkoop en je kan ze en mass produceren. Zelfs een Droneshield kan verzadigd raken, zoals we bij Israel weleens zien.
Als een derde wereld land als Iran al massaal zulke drones kan produceren (die toch wel veel schade aanrichten). dan ben ik erg benieuwd naar hoever de Chinezen zijn op dit gebied.

quote:

German Eurofighter Typhoons Just Landed on Russia's Doorstep
German Eurofighter Typhoons conducted their first highway landing operation in Finland as part of the BAANA 2024 exercise, following a similar U.S. Air Force F-35 operation.


Summary and 5 Key Points You Need to Know: German Eurofighter Typhoons conducted their first highway landing operation in Finland as part of the BAANA 2024 exercise, following a similar U.S. Air Force F-35 operation.

The Eurofighter Typhoon: Any Aircraft, Any Mission

-The German fighters landed, refueled, and took off on a country road near Hosio, just 180 km from the Russian border.
-This exercise, closely monitored by Russia, demonstrated the Eurofighter’s ability to operate from austere environments, enhancing NATO’s readiness.
-Finland and Sweden have trained in such operations to keep their air capabilities intact, even if airfields are destroyed.
-The Typhoon, serving across multiple European air forces, combines lightweight composite materials and advanced engines for superior maneuverability and some limited stealth.

SPOILER

German Eurofighter Typhoons Land on Finnish Highway Near Russian Border
Just days after U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighters landed on a highway in Finland during the BAANA 2024 exercise, three German Eurofighter Typhoons also conducted a similar operation in the Nordic country for the first time. The fighters – from the 71st Tactical Air Wing – landed, refueled, and took off from a "country road near the Finnish village of Hosio, 180 kilometers from the Russian border," the German-based BILD reported on Sunday.

"Starting on Wednesday, several landing approaches with a short touchdown were practiced on the country road near Hosio before the planes came to a stop on the runway, taxied to the end and were refueled there with the engines running. After refueling, they took off again and returned to Rovaniemi Air Force Base," a German Luftwaffe (Air Force) spokesman told BILD.

The German-language news outlet also reported that given the distance from Russia, it was likely that the Kremlin's radar stations closely monitored the exercise involving the NATO militaries. Images of the German Eurofighter Typhoons landing on the country road have been shared across social media.

As reported by Bulgarian Military, the ability to operate from an austere landing strip would put the "European fighters in the same league as the F-35, Gripen, and F/A-18, which have previously proven such abilities," and added, "by enabling Eurofighters to land on regular roads, the German Air Force can scatter its aircraft across multiple locations, making them more challenging to detect and destroy."

Finland and neighboring Sweden, which officially joined NATO earlier this year, have long trained in roadway landings for just such reasons. Even if their airfields are destroyed, the fighter aircraft can operate from remote locations across the respective countries. In addition, it can reduce the travel time and distance from bases – allowing the fighters to strike targets deeper in an adversaries' territory (in this case Russia).

As with similar operations, it requires more than just landing a fighter on any clear section of road. Advanced preparation included the deployment of ground personnel from Germany.

"The entire relocation of 30 Bundeswehr soldiers and a total of five aircraft (three Eurofighters from Laage near Rostock and two A-400Ms from Wunstorf near Hanover) to Finland took less than twelve hours," BILD noted.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is now in service with the UK's Royal Air Force, the German Luftwaffe, the Italian Air Force, and the Spanish Air & Space Force. As of last November, a total of 592 of the advanced aircraft have been produced.

The twin-engine Typhoon features a canard-delta wing and an airframe that is constructed mostly from composite materials that are 30 percent lighter than more traditional aircraft materials. Just 15 percent of its surface is metal, making it difficult – albeit not impossible – to detect by radar.

The Eurofighter is powered by twin Eurojet EJ200 engines, which each utilize a single-stage turbine driving a three-stage fan and five-stage compressor with annular combustion with vaporizing burners, can provide 90 kN of thrust – with a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 The engines can log up to 1,200 flying hours before requiring unscheduled maintenance. It enabled cruise at supersonic speeds without afterburning. The Typhoon also employed a deliberately unstable aerodynamic configuration that provided superior maneuverability at subsonic speeds as well as efficient supersonic capability.

It is armed with an internal 27mm Mauser cannon and can carry a variety of ordnance including ASRAAM and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, as well as Storm Shadow and Brimstone air-to-ground missiles.

Ranking Every European Fighter Jet

quote:

Op zaterdag 7 september 2024 22:54 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
Hmmm, dat was ��n van de argumenten dat Wit-Rusland alleen maar aan het dreigen was aan de grens met Oekra�ne uit naam van Rusland. Dat er geen drone cages en zo ge�nstalleerd waren op hun materieel.

Blijkbaar zijn ze daar nu wat aan het doen. Niet dat ik denk dat Wit-Rusland daadwerkelijk gaat aanvallen natuurlijk. Dat zou het einde van Lukashenko kunnen betekenen. Het Wit-Russische leger stelt namelijk weinig voor en zou nooit door kunnen breken als de verdediging op orde is. Volgens mij is het nog steeds een poging om Oekra�ense soldaten en materieel die kant op te krijgen voor het beveiligen van de grens, en dus andere fronten te verzwakken.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 19:49 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://nationalinterest.(...)sias-doorstep-212657
[..]

SPOILER

German Eurofighter Typhoons Land on Finnish Highway Near Russian Border
Just days after U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighters landed on a highway in Finland during the BAANA 2024 exercise, three German Eurofighter Typhoons also conducted a similar operation in the Nordic country for the first time. The fighters – from the 71st Tactical Air Wing – landed, refueled, and took off from a "country road near the Finnish village of Hosio, 180 kilometers from the Russian border," the German-based BILD reported on Sunday.

"Starting on Wednesday, several landing approaches with a short touchdown were practiced on the country road near Hosio before the planes came to a stop on the runway, taxied to the end and were refueled there with the engines running. After refueling, they took off again and returned to Rovaniemi Air Force Base," a German Luftwaffe (Air Force) spokesman told BILD.

The German-language news outlet also reported that given the distance from Russia, it was likely that the Kremlin's radar stations closely monitored the exercise involving the NATO militaries. Images of the German Eurofighter Typhoons landing on the country road have been shared across social media.

As reported by Bulgarian Military, the ability to operate from an austere landing strip would put the "European fighters in the same league as the F-35, Gripen, and F/A-18, which have previously proven such abilities," and added, "by enabling Eurofighters to land on regular roads, the German Air Force can scatter its aircraft across multiple locations, making them more challenging to detect and destroy."

Finland and neighboring Sweden, which officially joined NATO earlier this year, have long trained in roadway landings for just such reasons. Even if their airfields are destroyed, the fighter aircraft can operate from remote locations across the respective countries. In addition, it can reduce the travel time and distance from bases – allowing the fighters to strike targets deeper in an adversaries' territory (in this case Russia).

As with similar operations, it requires more than just landing a fighter on any clear section of road. Advanced preparation included the deployment of ground personnel from Germany.

"The entire relocation of 30 Bundeswehr soldiers and a total of five aircraft (three Eurofighters from Laage near Rostock and two A-400Ms from Wunstorf near Hanover) to Finland took less than twelve hours," BILD noted.
[ afbeelding ]
The Eurofighter Typhoon is now in service with the UK's Royal Air Force, the German Luftwaffe, the Italian Air Force, and the Spanish Air & Space Force. As of last November, a total of 592 of the advanced aircraft have been produced.

The twin-engine Typhoon features a canard-delta wing and an airframe that is constructed mostly from composite materials that are 30 percent lighter than more traditional aircraft materials. Just 15 percent of its surface is metal, making it difficult – albeit not impossible – to detect by radar.

The Eurofighter is powered by twin Eurojet EJ200 engines, which each utilize a single-stage turbine driving a three-stage fan and five-stage compressor with annular combustion with vaporizing burners, can provide 90 kN of thrust – with a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 The engines can log up to 1,200 flying hours before requiring unscheduled maintenance. It enabled cruise at supersonic speeds without afterburning. The Typhoon also employed a deliberately unstable aerodynamic configuration that provided superior maneuverability at subsonic speeds as well as efficient supersonic capability.

It is armed with an internal 27mm Mauser cannon and can carry a variety of ordnance including ASRAAM and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, as well as Storm Shadow and Brimstone air-to-ground missiles.

Ranking Every European Fighter Jet

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Het einde van Rusland.

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With Ukrainian troops deep inside Russia, Belarus dictator Lukashenko sees direct threat to his regime
Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast challenges Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s ambition to tiptoe between supporting Russia and attempting to rebuild ties with the West ahead of the 2025 presidential elections in Belarus.

In the wake of a Ukrainian incursion in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko began to move his country’s Armed Forces closer to Ukraine’s borders.

And Ukrainian officials began to pay attention to those movements.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry warned that Belarus is "concentrating a significant number of personnel" and weapons along Ukraine's northern border, citing information gathered by the country's intelligence sources.

Most experts, citing open-source intelligence, have labeled Lukashenko’s recent statements as "information noise” aimed at demonstrating his loyalty to Moscow. But the increasing activity near the border highlights Lukashenko’s increasingly precarious position amid Russia's war against Ukraine, as he seeks to assert his relevance while avoiding deeper involvement in the conflict.

Lukashenko’s posture with respect to Ukraine shifted briefly in July.

After a series of escalations, he ordered the withdrawal of Belarusian military reinforcements from the border, sparking outrage from pro-war Russian bloggers. However, this de-escalation was soon overshadowed by multiple incursions of Russian drones into Belarusian airspace, which went unaddressed by Belarusian authorities.

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^{120th Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces (Battalion 120) of Ukraine conducted training exercises near the Belarus border in Chornobyl, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine, on March 16, 2024. (Gian Marco Benedetto/Anadolu via Getty Images)}

Ukraine’s incursion into Russian territory opens up avenues for Belarus to become more deeply involved in Russia’s war efforts through mechanisms of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Union State between Russia and Belarus.

Belarus is expected to continue supporting Russia through its military-industrial complex, supplying essential components for the Russian war effort. Nevertheless, experts say that it is still unlikely that Belarusian troops will become involved in the conflict at any point.

To maintain his grip on power in the upcoming 2025 presidential elections and restore his legitimacy, analysts say Lukashenko is balancing support for Russia with the efforts to reopen some lost diplomatic avenues with the West.

Lukashenko’s gamble
The Belarusian authorities remained silent about Ukraine's incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast for some time. However, Lukashenko made the claim that Belarus had downed over a dozen Ukrainian drones in Belarusian airspace that had been on their way to strike targets in Russia.

The claim was promptly refuted as “nonsense” by Belarusian Hajun, an open-source intelligence project. Yet it sparked a series of actions from the Belarusian authorities.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry summoned diplomats from the European Union and Ukraine and addressed both the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe regarding the alleged incursion.

On the same day, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin announced that Lukashenko ordered an increase in the military presence in Belarus’ southern Homel and Mazyr regions “to respond to possible provocations.” A week later, on Aug. 19, Maj. Gen. Andrey Lukyanovich, the commander of Belarus’ Air Forces, reported the movement of equipment and troops to the border.

In response, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhiy dismissed the allegations.

^{Ukrainian border guards walk past concrete barrier during patrolling of the border with Belarus in Volyn Oblast, Ukraine on Feb. 13, 2024. (Yevhenii Vasyliev/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)}

RFE/RL Belarusian service political analyst Valer Karbalevich described Lukashenko’s claims as “information noise.”

“It was an artificially created demonstration of allegiance to Moscow, as if to say, we (the Belarusian army) are holding the front here,” Karbalevich explained.

Still, any emergency akin to the Kursk incursion suggests increased risks for Belarus, suggests political analyst Alexander Friedman.

“There is always a possibility that Belarusian resources could be used by the Russians to patch up any gaps in their strategy,” Friedman said.

“It’s not necessarily about deploying the Belarusian army into Kursk; it could involve provocations against Ukraine on the Belarusian border. Given the potential for such situations, Lukashenko may feel compelled to imitate significant activity, despite the absence of any real threat.”

Playing it safe
The current escalation in Lukashenko’s rhetoric follows a brief thaw.

On July 13, after making a series of accusations against Ukraine for deploying its forces near the shared border, Lukashenko stated he had withdrawn troops from the border with Ukraine due to the stabilization of the situation.

This decision sparked outrage among Russian pro-war bloggers, who accused Lukashenko of betrayal, alleging that Ukrainian resources freed from patrolling the border had been transferred to Kursk.

Coinciding with the easing of Lukashenko’s stance on Ukraine, at least nine Russian Shahed drones entered Belarusian airspace between July 11 and July 31 while en route to Ukrainian targets.

^{Battalion 120 Territorial Defence takes part in training exercises near the Belarus border as the war between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for the last two years in Chornobyl, Ukraine, on March 16, 2024. (Gian Marco Benedetto/Anadolu via Getty Images)}

While some of the drones swiftly exited back to Ukraine, others flew over 250 kilometers into Belarus. Belarusian aviation monitored the movements of the Shaheds, but no interceptions were reported, and Lukashenko's officials have not acknowledged any of the incidents.

“Lukashenko has learned his place,” Friedman said. He argues that the incursions were not coincidental but served as a reminder to Lukashenko that Russia could use Belarus’ territory, despite the risk of retaliatory strikes from Ukraine.

“Russia has repeatedly shown that it considers Belarusian resources to be its own and is ready to exploit them,” Friedman said. “But the risks of destabilizing the situation in Belarus, basically Russia’s only real ally, are significant. That is why they have refrained from utilizing these resources so far.”

Analysts believe that July’s de-escalation, which quickly developed into renewed tensions at the border to put a strain on the already overstretched Ukrainian troops.

However, despite the new rounds of escalations, Lukashenko seems wary of doing more than absolutely required of him.

“It’s important for him to emphasize that even though he aligns with Russia, he’s trying not to participate in this (war),” Friedman told the Kyiv Independent. At the same time, in a bid to improve relations with the West, Lukashenko pardoned several of the regime’s 1,400 political prisoners and participated in a historic East-West prisoner swap, in which he released a German citizen who had been sentenced to death in Belarus.

It’s important for him to emphasize that even though he aligns with Russia, he’s trying not to participate in this (war)

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly called for a “constructive dialogue” with Belarus’ European neighbors.

In the recent interview with Rossiya TV Channel, aired as Ukraine’s incursion in Kursk was well underway, Lukashenko again called for talks “to end this scuffle.”

Lukashenko’s posturing as a peacekeeper in the region previously proved effective in breaking international isolation. The regime might bank on it again.

Minsk served as a neutral ground for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow between 2014 and 2020, with Western countries beginning to gradually lift the sanctions they had imposed against Lukashenko for his regular brutal crackdowns on political opposition.

Following the crackdown on public upheaval since 2020, the sanctions were largely returned.

As the 2025 presidential elections loom, Lukashenko is eager to bolster his image as a peacekeeper domestically while striving to restore connections with the West to balance the country’s increasing dependence on Russia.

“Lukashenko presents himself as a guarantor of peace,” RFE/RL political analyst Karbalevich said. “In all his speeches, the message boils down to the ‘fact’ that the treacherous West is trying to drag Belarus into war.”

Russia’s top military subsidiary
The Russia-led CSTO, established as an alternative to NATO by six post-Soviet states, said on Aug. 16 that it would not send troops to Kursk Oblast, as Russia had not officially requested assistance from its members.

The CSTO’s members have pledged to provide military assistance to any member state that is attacked. However, the assistance depends on Russian desires.

In January 2022, Russia sent a “peacekeeping” contingent to Kazakhstan at the request of its authorities to help suppress mass protests over a spike in gas prices. However, the organization did not come to the aid of its member Armenia in its conflict with non-member Azerbaijan.

Despite continuing to characterize its war against Ukraine as “a special military operation,” avoiding a declaration of war and martial law, Russia had over 1,200 square kilometers of its own territory occupied by a foreign power.

Experts are skeptical that Russia would seek help from the CSTO.

“The CSTO, as it stands today, is a defunct structure,” Friedman said. “Armenia does not participate in it anymore. And the other countries, apart from Belarus, remain decidedly neutral. That’s why Russia, I think, realizes that such a request will simply lead to the collapse of the CSTO and would significantly worsen relations with these other countries.”

However, in addition to the CSTO, Belarus has obligations under its membership of the Union State, the Russia-Belarus supra-national entity that, in its boldest iteration, envisioned a potential merger of the two states.

The military doctrine of the Union States, which Lukashenko signed in 2021, suggests that the two states consider an attack on one of them as an attack on both.

“The so-called Union State Military Doctrine suggests that in the case of a military conflict, which formally does not exist yet, as Russia is conducting a ‘special military operation,’ not a war, the entire Belarusian army becomes subordinate to the Russian General Staff,” Kobets noted. “In this situation, the Belarusian army effectively ceases to exist. It becomes a (military) grouping subordinate to Moscow.”

Pavel Latushka, a Belarusian opposition politician and a member of the shadow cabinet of exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, suggested on his YouTube Channel that Lukashenko is wary of sending Belarusian troops to Russia. To avoid that scenario, he sent Belarusian troops to the border with Ukraine.

^{Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko during a joint press conference after Russian-Belarusian meeting at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, on May 24, 2024. (Contributor/Getty Images)}

“I’m confident that’s what he has told Putin,” Latushka said. “(He’ll have said) ‘Belarusian society is strongly against the Belarusian army joining the war. I won’t be able to persuade them.’”

Analysts emphasize that any future involvement of Belarus in the war is likely to manifest differently than troop deployments to Kursk. Instead, they foresee the potential for provocations against Ukraine from Belarusian territory.

“It is much more important for Moscow not to get the unprepared and unmotivated Belarusian army involved, (...) but to use Belarus’ military-industrial complex, which was an assembly shop of the Soviet Union,” Kobets told the Kyiv Independent.

Kobets noted that the Belarusian military-industrial complex is working on two to three shifts to supply Russia with components, including optics for tanks and electronics for ballistic missiles, metal parts, uniforms, and even body bags. This support is more valuable to Russia than the participation of an untrained army, he said.

But should the conflict escalate to involve Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, or if there was a serious danger that Ukraine might gain control over the Kursk nuclear power plant, Friedman suggests, such circumstances might force Putin to set aside political calculations and request the deployment of Belarusian troops. Nonetheless, he emphasizes that such a scenario is purely hypothetical for now.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 17:49 schreef Pleun2011 het volgende:
De Nederlandse journalist Stan Storimans, die in 2008 om het leven kwam in Georgi�, was ook slachtoffer van de Russische strategie om burgerdoelen te bestoken. Wanneer je ontkent dat Rusland dit doelbewust en structureel doet, dan ben je dom of kwaadaardig. Combinatie van beiden valt niet uit te sluiten

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Russia proposes to set up UAV production in Uzbekistan

^{Russian Orlan-10 reconnaissance drones. Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation}

Russia has offered to set up drone production in Uzbekistan.

Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, announced this yesterday during the joint commission meeting at the level of the heads of government of both countries.

According to him, Moscow and Tashkent are considering the possibility of localizing the production of allegedly civilian unmanned aerial vehicles and their components in the country.

“We are studying the possibilities of organizing high-tech polymer production and localizing the production of civilian unmanned aerial systems and their components,” Mishustyn said.

At the same time, the Prime Minister of the aggressor country did not specify which allegedly civilian UAVs were involved.

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^{Lochin, Orlan, and other drones in the Uzbek army. November 2023. Photo credits: Office of the President of Uzbekistan}

It is reported that the Uzbek military is currently armed with an export version of the Russian Orlan-10E reconnaissance drone.

UAV production in Uzbekistan
It is worth noting that in 2022, Uzbekistan announced the launch of its own unmanned aerial vehicle called Lochin with the ability to take off and land vertically.

^{Lochin drone. Freeze frame from video}

It was noted that these drones can be used for both military and civilian purposes.

During the presentation of the Uzbek drone, it was stated that the Lochin drone could be used for reconnaissance, strikes, real-time surveillance, information gathering, and artillery fire control.

^{Lochin drone. Freeze frame from video}

UAVs are manufactured by the Research and Production Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, which was established by the State Defense Industry. The center is equipped with technological and special equipment and a test laboratory for unmanned aerial vehicles’ production, assembly, repair, and maintenance.

^{Bayraktar TB2 drones of the Uzbek army. November 2023. Photo credits: Office of the President of Uzbekistan}

Also, in November last year, it was reported that Uzbekistan had become an operator of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 attack drones by Baykar.

^{Wing Loong 1 drone of the Uzbek army. November 2023. Photo credits: Office of the President of Uzbekistan}

In addition, it purchased a large military reconnaissance and strike drone, the Wing Loong 1, from China.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 20:59 schreef oheng het volgende:
Schijnt dat er een VS delegatie onderweg is naar Oekraine om toestemming te geven voor ATACMS in rusland...

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 15:20 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

[ x ]

Kan ook met een telefoontje hoor.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 21:08 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
VS en UK delegatie toch? Ik hoop dat Oekraine toestemming krijgt zonder al te veel restricties.
[..]
Eerst zien dat er daadwerkelijk toestemming komt. Dan geloof ik het pas.

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Norway is monitoring Russia’s Ocean-2024 large-scale exercise

^{Corvette Storm on the background of a Russian amphibious assault ship. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Norway}

The Norwegian Armed Forces are monitoring the Russian Ocean-2024 naval exercise, which is taking place in the Baltic Sea.

The Norwegian Ministry of Defence reported on this.

“The Russian Navy has now launched the Ocean exercise. They will increase the activities of both the Northern and Baltic Fleets in our neighboring areas, in addition to long-range aircraft. We were prepared for this and planned to track Russian movements together with our allies,” says Vice Admiral Rune Andersen, chief of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters.

As part of the operation, the Norwegian Navy’s corvette Storm followed a group of three Russian ships heading west of Norway for several days in a row.

SPOILER

^{Ocean-2024 exercise. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation}

“The Norwegian Armed Forces always closely monitor the situation in the neighboring regions. We have a good overview of activity through our own operations and sensors in addition to cooperation with our allies. The situation is ensured through presence and patrols on land, in the air, at sea, underwater, and with the help of space equipment,” Andersen added.

The Ocean 2024 strategic command post exercise will take place in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Mediterranean, Caspian, and Baltic Seas.

More than 400 warships, submarines, and auxiliary support vessels will be involved in the exercise, lasting until September 16.

In addition, aviation and ground components will be involved – more than 120 aircraft and helicopters of the naval aviation of the Navy and Air Force, about 7,000 units of weapons, military and special equipment, and more than 90,000 personnel.

^{Ocean-2024 exercise. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation}

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the purpose of the exercise was to test the Navy’s readiness for the integrated use of high-precision weapons and advanced weapons.

In the first stage of the exercise, it is planned to practice the deployment of force groups at designated training grounds.

^{Ocean-2024 exercise. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation}

The second stage is “combat operations” to defeat strategic targets and forces of a conventional enemy, landing and protecting maritime economic activity, the Russian Ministry of Defense said.

Russia’s “partners,” including China, will also participate in the exercise.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 21:08 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
VS en UK delegatie toch? Ik hoop dat Oekraine toestemming krijgt zonder al te veel restricties.
[..]
Eerst zien dat er daadwerkelijk toestemming komt. Dan geloof ik het pas.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 21:11 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maand ofzo. Dan heeft rus genoeg tijd gehad om alles relevant verder naar het oosten te verplaatsen.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 21:15 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Ze hebben het ook netjes publiekelijk aangekondigd. Je wilt natuurlijk niet iemand ver(r)assen.

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Blinken to announce permission for Ukraine to strike deep into Russia in Kyiv
Joe Biden will discuss authorizing Ukraine to launch long-range strikes on Russian territory with the British prime minister on Friday.

This was announced by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken at a press conference.

The Secretary of State also announced sanctions against Iran over Russia’s supply of short-range ballistic missiles, reports said.

Anthony Blinken and the British Foreign Secretary will visit Ukraine this week.

It is reported that the visit will take place at the end of the week. At the same time, The Washington Post reports that the visit may take place as early as Wednesday.

The media report that the decision to strike with long-range weapons deep into the territory of the Russian Federation has already been made.

Bloomberg writes that the U.S. position on long-range strikes has changed because of Iran’s supply of ballistic missiles to Russia.

Axios journalist Juligrace Brufke writes in X that such information was told to her by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Michael McCaul.

“I talked to Blinken two days ago, and he is traveling with his counterpart from the UK to Kyiv to basically tell them that they will allow them [to hit Russia with ATACMS],” the journalist quotes McCaul as saying.

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US accuses China of giving ‘very substantial’ help to Russia’s war machine
In exchange, China is getting top secret Russian military technology.

Beijing is giving Moscow "very substantial" help to beef up its war machine, and in return Russia is handing over its closely guarded military tech on submarines and missiles, the United States' Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said Tuesday.

Speaking with a group of journalists, including POLITICO, after meetings with European Union and NATO counterparts in Brussels, Campbell upped the ante on Beijing. The U.S. previously focused on Beijing's supply of what's known as dual-use technologies — which can be applied for military or civilian purposes.

Now Washington is unambiguously saying that China is aiding the Russian military. With Moscow facing international sanctions, it desperately needs technology to boost its military production to be able to continue its war against Ukraine.

"These are not dual-use capabilities," Campbell said, referring to the latest materials China is giving Russia. "These are basically being applied directly to the Russian war machine."

SPOILER

"These are component pieces of a very substantial effort on the part of China to help sustain, build and diversify various elements of the Russian war machine," he added. "We're seeing efforts at the highest levels of both governments to try to both hide and protect certain elements of this worrisome collaboration ... Most of these activities have been driven underground."

China has frequently issued statements denying it is supplying Russia with arms to use in Ukraine, insisting it does not provide either side with weapons and has an "impartial position" on the war.

In exchange for Beijing's help, Russia has started giving China submarine, missile and other sensitive technologies. Historically, Moscow has been wary of giving Beijing its very latest military technology.

"The capabilities that Russia is providing is support in areas where previously they had been frankly reluctant to engage directly with China," Campbell said. "We are concerned about a particular number of military arenas where there appears to be some determination to provide China with greater support.

"That has to do with submarine operations, activities of aeronautical design, including stealth; that also involves capacities on missile capabilities," he said.

According to Campbell, the new technologies that Beijing is receiving will pose a danger not just to the U.S., but also to India, Australia, Japan and South Korea "if China was able to receive greater engagement from Russia in perfecting certain military capabilities."

The new revelation by Campbell came two weeks after U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan undertook his first trip to Beijing and met Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top officials.

U.S. authorities have been ramping up pressure on Europe to more assertively respond to Beijing's support for Moscow in the Russian war against Ukraine.

"We have made clear of our observation of financial activities and support for some of these efforts," Campbell said. "We think that Europe can speak out more about its particular concerns and we believe that simply putting certain financial institutions in a mode of being watched more carefully, and making that clear, will have significant consequences."

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The Russian Federation deployed the S-300V system near Chonhar

^{9A85 launcher/loader vehicle of the S-300V system in Crimea, September 2024. Photo credits: ATESH}

Russian troops deploy the S-300V air defense system near the Chonhar Bridge in Crimea.

The resistance movement ATESH reported on this.

The movement’s members discovered the position of a Russian S-300V system covering the strategically important Chonhar Bridge, which connects the peninsula with the mainland of Ukraine.

The photo captures the 9A85 launcher/loader vehicle in the process of reloading. It can be recognized by its characteristic winch for loading containers with missiles.

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^{9A85 launcher/loader vehicle of the S-300V system}

Its exact location was geolocated (here) near the village of Medvedivka, Dzhankoi district.

The elements of the S-300V air defense system battery cannot be at a significant distance from each other, so there must almost certainly be a command post, a radar station and self-propelled launchers nearby.

^{Location of the Russian S-300V system in Crimea, September 2024. Photo credits: Google Earth map}

S-300V SAM
The S-300V is a Soviet air and missile defense system. It is designed to defend groups of troops and the most important front and rear targets from massive attacks by ballistic and cruise missiles, strategic and tactical aircraft.

Despite its name, the system is actually completely different from other systems of the S-300 family. Structurally, it was divided into two parts, each of which was responsible for protection against aerodynamic or ballistic threats.

According to publicly available data, the system is capable of intercepting aerodynamic targets from a distance of 100 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 30,000 meters. At the same time, the anti-missile component is capable of intercepting a target at a distance of up to 30 kilometers and an altitude of 25,000 meters.

The basic unit of the S-300V is the division. It includes a 9C457 command post, one Obzor-3 and one Imbir radar, and up to four firing batteries.

The battery in a typical version includes a 9S32 missile guidance station, two 9A82 launchers and one 9A84 launcher/loader vehicle with two 9M82 air defense missiles. In addition, there are four 9A83 launchers and two 9A85 launchers with four 9M83 missiles.

^{9A83, 9A82, and 9S32 vehicles of the S-300V system composition}

Last week, the Ukrainian military struck a S-300V system with a combined strike.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:22 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Als je naar de schaal van de oorlog kijkt vallen er juist enorm weinig burgerslachtoffers in verhouding tot bijvoorbeeld Gaza.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 16:23 schreef Ronald-Koeman het volgende:

[..]
Jij gaat uit van iemand die rationeel handelt. Rusland handelt niet rationeel.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 15:48 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Niemand mikt raketten op ziekenhuizen, kinderdagverblijven of woonappartementen. Oekraine niet en Rusland ook niet. Nog los van de moraal zijn die raketten veel te schaars om op een doel te mikken dat geen enkel militair voordeel biedt.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 21:11 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maand ofzo. Dan heeft rus genoeg tijd gehad om alles relevant verder naar het oosten te verplaatsen.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 21:17 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Vliegtuigen zijn grotendeels al verplaatst. Maar er zijn genoeg militaire doelen die niet zomaar verplaatst kunnen worden.

Waaronder een aantal fabrieken. Al is het nog maar de vraag welke restricties Oekraine opgelegd krijgt natuurlijk. Het zou best kunnen dat fabrieken en olie/gas infrastructuur en zo niet geraakt mogen gaan worden.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 21:50 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:
Zoals ik hier reeds eerder schreef; de Russen begonnen bijv. de winteroorlog tegen Finland zonder oorlogsverklaring met het bombarderen van Helsinki.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 21:45 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 22:04 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Wat een idioot. Wit-Rusland is overal van uitgesloten.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 22:02 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
En vanuit de winteroorlog stamt de ervaring dat objecten met rode kruizen, ambulances, met prio onder schot werden genomen door rus. Finland was maar opgehouden met die dingen op ambulances verven.

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Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 22:07 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

[..]
Voetballen of het leger in is hier de keuze neem ik aan. Dan zou ik ook liever gaan voetballen.

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Geolocation:51.059279, 38.998462

"Drones attacked the warehouse on the night of Saturday, September 7. A satellite image taken on September 9, after the fire was extinguished, showed the exact location of the ammunition, the detonation of which was captured on vivid eyewitness videos and forced local authorities to evacuate several nearby villages." -Radio Svoboda(ru)(RFE) telegram channel

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Following revelations in 2017–2018 that hundreds of billions of dollars could have been laundered through Danske Bank’s operations in the Baltics, Bonnesen was asked by reporters if Swedbank had similar problems with ties to that scandal.

“The court concluded that two of the answers were incorrect or misrepresented facts in a way that they were misleading,” Presiding Judge Sven Johannisson told reporters in Stockholm after the verdict.

In the interviews that Johannisson referred to, Bonnesen claimed that there were “no suspected money laundering-ties to Danske Bank’s operations in Estonia,” and that Swedbank “had gone through everything” to make sure there were no problems in the bank’s operations in the Baltics.

But to mislead is not enough to commit swindling, Johannisson stressed. What made the difference is the financial damage that her misleading statements caused.

When Swedish Television’s investigative flagship “Mission: Investigate” later published leaked information showing suspicious clients funneling tens of billions of dollars through the bank, Swedbank’s share plunged on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, resulting in substantial losses for the shareholders.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 22:36 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Het zal me niet verbazen als Oekra�ne co�rdinaten van een aantal doelen in Rusland al heeft uitgezocht. Het zal me benieuwen hoe snel na het okay de raketten daar inslaan.

En we zullen eindelijk weten of ze de reguliere SCALP-EG/Stormshadows met 550km bereik hebben gekregen of de 300km export-variant.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 22:36 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Het zal me niet verbazen als Oekra�ne co�rdinaten van een aantal doelen in Rusland al heeft uitgezocht. Het zal me benieuwen hoe snel na het okay de raketten daar inslaan.

quote:

Op dinsdag 10 september 2024 14:26 schreef ach het volgende:
Niet zo slim van Rus om die drones boven bewoond gebied neer te halen

quote:

Brave1 Increases Defense Tech Grants to UAH 8 Million for Ukrainian Developers

^{Vepr Multifunctional Robot (KNLR-E). Photo credits: LinkedIn/BRAVE 1}

Developers at Ukrainian Defense Tech may receive an UAH 8 million grant due to the Brave1 Defense Technology Cluster, which has recently extended its support for them.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine reported on this.

From now on, Ukrainian developers may receive UAH 4 million and UAH 8 million for the development of defense technologies.

Ukrainian manufacturers whose development has undergone a defense examination and received an overall score of at least 7 points and an assessment of the current level of development readiness of at least 6 points can apply for a grant of UAH 8 million.

SPOILER

^{Ground combat drone of Ukrainian development. Photo credits: Brave1}

Manufacturers of UAVs, ground and naval drones, electronic warfare and cyber warfare systems, intelligence equipment, missile and artillery weapons, weapons based on unconventional principles of operation, weapons samples, and defense and security systems for troops will be able to apply for the new grants.

“Thanks to Brave1, we have created an environment where innovators and engineers can rapidly develop their ideas, and the military receives technologies at the front lines. The Defense Tech Cluster offers both expert and financial support throughout all stages of development. The grant program provides funds for R&D, scaling, and product development. Increasing the grants to UAH 4 million and UAH 8 million will enable us to develop more defense technologies and enhance the military with new solutions,” stated Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister for Development of Innovations, Education, Science and Technology and Minister of Digital Transformation.

Who can apply for a grant?
Ukrainian producers whose development has passed a defense expertise and received an overall score of at least 6 points and an assessment of the current level of development readiness of at least 5 points can apply for a grant of UAH 4,000,000.

In order to receive UAH 8,000,000, the overall score must be at least 7 points and the current level of development readiness must be at least 6 points.

“The grant program is one of our main tools to provide the military with the necessary technological solutions. By providing the manufacturers of the most promising solutions with financial resources, we will be able to make this process predictable and thus clearly plan the technologization of our Security and Defense Forces,” said Natalia Kushnerska, head of the Brave1 Defense Tech Cluster.

^{Ukrainian ground drones. March 2024. Ukraine. Photo credits: Brave1}

After the exam, the application goes through the stages of internal compliance, expert evaluation, pitching, approval by the Supervisory Board of the Innovation Development Fund, and the conclusion of a grant agreement with the developer.

The funds received can be used for R&D, product development, and the purchase of necessary equipment and components.

quote:

Serhiy Zhadan Hands Over Electronic Warfare Systems to National Guard Brigade

^{Serhiy Zhadan and 20 EW systems for the Khartiia Brigade. Photo credita: Serhiy Zhadan}

Writer Serhiy Zhadan had purchased 20 electronic warfare systems for his Brigade.

He reported this on his page on the social network X.

The systems were partially funded by the writer himself, and partially due donations.

“I bought 20 EW systems for the brigade. I spent UAH 1,200,000—my own and your money. We are now raising funds to purchase the next batch. Rebs save the lives of the soldiers, they are essential. We are grateful to everyone who supports our Khartiia!” said Zhadan.

The characteristics of the electronic warfare systems are not disclosed, but the presence of several antennas on each module suggests that each is designed to cover several different frequency bands.

On September 5, 2024, the Khartiia Brigade soldiers successful assault operations were conducted.

SPOILER

^{Soldiers of the Khartiia Brigade before the assault. Source: Khartiia Brigade}

As a result, the soldiers of the 13th Khartiia Brigade of the National Guard killed 34 and wounded 23 enemies, cleared 7 infantry positions and an ATGM firing position, destroyed a howitzer, and drove the enemy to the next line of defense.

The Khartiia emphasized that behind every minute of successful assault there are dozens of hours of planning and preparation. This assault was no exception.

“Success in battle depends on luck and preparation. We cannot influence luck, but we can influence the training and cohesion of our fighters and commanders, the ability to make decisions in the face of a lack of time, information and resources, and the ability to respond to changing situations on the battlefield,” says Colonel Ihor Obolensky, the brigade commander.

Previosuly, on August 3, 2024, a drone from the Charter Brigade helped a wounded Russian surrender.

The Khartiia soldiers found and helped a wounded Russian surrender using a drone.

The soldiers spotted a wounded Russian serviceman abandoned by his unit using a drone. The National Guard dropped water and a note with instructions to the invader, after which the Ukrainian drone pilot directed the Russian to our military.

quote:

Senior Republicans urge Biden to lift restrictions on Ukraine hitting targets deep inside Russia
A group of key House Republicans have written to President Joe Biden urging him to lift the restrictions on the use of US-provided long-range weapons systems and allow Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russia.

The letter, dated Monday, echoes repeated appeals from the Ukrainian government itself, including President Volodymyr Zelensky. It was sent ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to the Ukrainian capital Wednesday and as the Biden administration continues to assess Kyiv’s request to carry out strikes deeper inside Russia.

US officials expect Blinken, who is traveling to Ukraine with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, to gather information during his trip to Kyiv on how these longer-range strikes would factor into Ukraine’s broader battlefield strategy. The UK is also considering whether to allow Ukraine to strike deeper inside Russia with its own long-range system, the Storm Shadow.

Blinken said he expects the topic to be discussed when Biden and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet Friday in Washington.

“We’ll be listening intently to our Ukrainian partners. We’ll both be reporting back to the prime minister, to President Biden in the coming days. And I fully anticipate this is something they’ll take up when they meet on Friday,” the top US diplomat said in London Tuesday.

Asked later Tuesday if the US will lift the restrictions, Biden answered, “we’re working that out right now.”

SPOILER

Two US officials later told CNN that the Biden administration is not anticipating any policy changes when it comes to lifting restrictions.

“No change to policy,” one senior administration official said, adding that there is currently no openness to lifting restrictions. Another US official echoed this, saying despite the fact that American and Ukrainian officials discuss this issue with regularity, the administration is not anticipating policy changes on ATACMS.

The Republican lawmakers argue that the restrictions “have hampered Ukraine’s ability to defeat Russia’s war of aggression and have given the Kremlin’s forces a sanctuary from which it can attack Ukraine with impunity.”

“It is far past time the administration reverses course and lifts the remaining restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-provided weapons against legitimate military targets in Russia,” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter was signed by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Michael Turner, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, House Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Thomas Kean, and Helsinki Commissioner Richard Hudson. It hits out at decisions from the “Biden-Harris administration,” but stands in contrast to sentiments from the Republican presidential and vice presidential contenders, who have suggested they could stem assistance to Ukraine if elected. Former President Donald Trump has also repeatedly vowed to bring an end to the war.

Last week, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pushed back on the notion that lifting the restrictions and hitting deeper into Russia is a silver bullet, saying that “there’s no one capability that will, in and of itself, be decisive in this campaign.”

“There are a lot of targets in Russia — a big country, obviously,” Austin said at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Germany on Friday. “And there’s a lot of capability that Ukraine has in terms of (unmanned aerial vehicles) and other things to address those targets.”

A US official said “several hundred” ATACMS have been transferred to Ukraine “and Ukraine has used most of them.”

As with previous steps the US has taken to bolster Ukraine on the battlefield, there are concerns within the administration that allowing Ukraine to strike further inside Russia could escalate the conflict and cause Russia to further accuse the US of being a part of the war.

However, the Republican lawmakers argued that “the administration’s concerns about escalation have been consistently invalidated since Day One of the war.”

“Neither Ukraine’s use of U.S.-provided weapons in Russia nor its military incursion into Russia’s Kursk region – the first foreign occupation of Russian territory since World War II – have triggered a Russian escalatory response,” they wrote.

Debate ongoing with administration
The debate on Ukraine’s request is ongoing and some US officials expect the administration to green-light the Ukrainian ask, while others said it is possible the ultimate answer will be no.

A Ukrainian lawmaker told CNN that they hope that the transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia will be enough to tip the scales and shift the administration’s position. The US official noted that they had been tracking the expected delivery of the missiles for months and the US has “been accounting for it.”

Still, in London on Tuesday, Blinken indicated a willingness to change the US posture on the topic, saying that the US has routinely showed a willingness to adapt and adjust support for Ukraine based on “battlefield conditions.”

One objective of the trip will be learning from Zelensky “exactly how the Ukrainians see their needs in this moment, toward what objectives, and what we can do to support those needs,” Blinken said.

US intelligence assesses that more than 90% of Russian aircraft launching glide bombs and firing missiles against Ukraine are based at airfields that are at least 300 km from Ukrainian-controlled territory, putting them outside of ATACMS range, the US official explained.

“We expect this number to continue to increase. For example, Russia recently relocated its glide bomb missions from two airfields, which were located closer to the front, father east to airfields that are outside of range of ATCMS,” the official said.

In their letter, the Republican lawmakers argued that “there remain numerous other legitimate military targets in range in Russian territory.”

“The Institute for the Study of War assesses that, excluding airfields, there are over 200 legitimate military targets within range of U.S.-provided weapons to include military bases, logistics nodes, fuel depots, ammunition warehouses, and command and control systems,” they wrote.

Last month, senior Ukrainians presented US officials with targets they would like to strike in Russia during a visit to Washington. US officials reviewed their lists but did not ultimately give the Ukrainians a decision.

The US also has a limited stock of ATACMS available to provide Ukraine without impacting US military readiness, and using the weapons to strike far inside Russia would deplete Ukraine’s stockpile of ATACMS that could be used for other parts of their military campaign such as inside Crimea.

But the Ukrainians say there are weapons productions facilities that would be within reach of the ATACMS inside Russia that are worthy military targets, a source familiar with the Ukrainians position told CNN.

These discussions come as Ukraine has shown a willingness to possibly engage with Russia to begin talks to end the war. While US officials do not expect any talks to begin in the coming months, some are wary of Ukrainians going to the table with Russia before they are in the best possible position to begin those talks.

“It’s going to be up to President Zelensky if and when he wants to negotiate an end to this war, certainly a negotiated end is the most likely outcome here, but when that happens, and under what conditions and circumstances that’s going to be up to President Zelensky,” John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council, said on Tuesday. “The point that Secretary Blinken will make is that that we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that if and when he’s ready to make that decision, that he does so from the best possible position. And so that’s what, that’s what this trip is really about. It’s not arm twisting. It’s about learning.”

quote:

US imposes new sanctions on Iran for supplying ballistic missiles to Russia
The US recently confirmed Iran's transfer of these weapons to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has announced new sanctions against Iran in response to its ongoing military support for Russia, particularly the recent transfer of ballistic missiles for use in the aggressive war against Ukraine.

Sanctions have been imposed on ten individuals and six organizations based in Iran and Russia.

The restrictions also target four Iranian vessels that facilitate the transfer of weapon components and armament systems to Russia, including drones and ballistic missiles, according to the department.

Additionally, international partners have announced measures prohibiting the state airline Iran Air from operating in their territories.

Among the sanctioned individuals are officials from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).

Additionally, restrictions have been imposed on two employees of companies that helped facilitate the transfer of weapons to Russia. Ruhollah Katebi, an official representative of MODAFL in Moscow, played a role in preparing Russia to receive Fath-360 ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, Ebrahim Bahrami from Shahid Kharrazi Industries acted as a key contact for the Russian government and was involved in training Russian military personnel in Iran.

Previously, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that Iran had transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 09:05 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Nice

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 09:22 schreef Perrin het volgende:

[..]
Iedereen sloopt wel eens wat in zijn puberteit.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 11:17 schreef PluggieOD het volgende:

[..]
Je moet wel echt hersendood zijn om niet te zien dat dit een 39 jaar oude civiele UTair Mi-8T met een militaire waarde van 0 is.

Dan ook nog eens ergens in een autonome republiek 1000en kms van Moskou af in Siberie.

Waarbij beide jongetjes ook nog eens zware brandwonden op hebben gelopen.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 11:22 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Alleen 0 waarde als ze er niks meer mee deden.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 12:10 schreef PluggieOD het volgende:

[..]
Het leger vliegt al decennia lang niet meer met de Mi-8T

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 12:15 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar de focus is dus niet alleen het leger.

De rus staat wordt op kosten gejaagd, mbt vervanging. En de kans is dat natuurlijk zeer groot dat productie plaats vind in 1 van de fabrieken die ook wel door het leger gebruikte modellen maakt.

Of ze zien daar vanaf, in welke geval de effici�ntie achteruit gaat, van hetgeen ze hem voor gebruiken.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 12:18 schreef Nebelwerfer het volgende:

[..]
Tijd dat het Oekra�ense leger meer burgerdoelen aanvalt dan !

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 12:52 schreef Elan het volgende:
https://www.ad.nl/buitenl(...)n-heroverd~a93cbee3/

Drone op flat.

"Burgers boeit Zelensky niet"

Hypocrisie

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 12:55 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 12:55 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 15:51 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Ik snap hem niet. Dit is een exemplaar in de tardigrada taxa?

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 15:38 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Ah, duidelijk. Je hebt ze bijna niet meer? Nou, dan mag je ze van ons prima gebruiken om diep in rus toe te slaan!

x ]

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 16:17 schreef BEFEM het volgende:
Je hoort ook niks meer over de storm shadows, die zullen ook wel (bijna) op zijn.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 11:50 schreef MaxMark het volgende:
Tegenaanval van de Russen in Kursk vanuit Koronevo. Ze hebben Snagost' ten zuiden ervan terugveroverd en enkele POW's gevangen genomen (klik tweet voor meer foto's):
[ x ]
Dit lijkt allemaal bevestigd. De foto's zijn van dit stukje land.

Oekra�ners zouden daarentegen ten westen daarvan de grens proberen over te steken, om juist deze Russische units (en Koronevo?) te flanken:
[ x ]
Dit is nog onbevestigd.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 12:52 schreef Elan het volgende:
https://www.ad.nl/buitenl(...)n-heroverd~a93cbee3/

Drone op flat.

"Burgers boeit Zelensky niet"

Hypocrisie

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 16:19 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Of er zijn geen doelen meer binnen bereik en wachten ze gewoon tot er groen licht is om ze tot verder in Rusland te schieten.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 15:06 schreef MaxMark het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 16:17 schreef BEFEM het volgende:
Je hoort ook niks meer over de storm shadows, die zullen ook wel (bijna) op zijn.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 16:19 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Of er zijn geen doelen meer binnen bereik en wachten ze gewoon tot er groen licht is om ze tot verder in Rusland te schieten.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 17:48 schreef Joppiez het volgende:

[..]
Ze hadden best wel een kruisraket op de boot kunnen mikken.
Maargoed, escalatie he.
Mag best weer paar honderd Oekraieners het leven kosten, heb je in ieder geval niet geescaleerd.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 18:45 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Even over de Kaukasus vliegen en dan afschieten?

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 19:14 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Al hadden ze langs NY gevaren, dan nog hadden ze niks gedaan.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 19:19 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Wie? de VS? Volgens mij heeft Oekra�ne aardig wat wapens en munitie bestemd voor de Houthi's gekregen dat de US Navy in beslag heeft genomen.

Dus ik denk dat je hier de plank gewoon misslaat.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 19:24 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Ja whatever, de Kaspische Zee is toch niet te bereiken door Amerikaanse schepen, dus een vrachtschip tegen houden gaat zo niet. En een paar raketten in een Russisch schip in een Russische haven jagen is een oorlogsdaad.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 19:27 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Kelder je hem voordat die daar is.

Waar een wil is, is een weg.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 19:28 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Dan is het nog steeds een oorlogsdaad.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 19:30 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Tegen iran. /care.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 19:31 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Het schip vaart onder Russische vlag.

quote:

Ja, maar dat is een escalatie. En we moeten als het over is wel weer een goeie verstandhouding met rus op kunnen bouwen!

SPOILER

Ow, ik heb het graag mis he? Ik zou graag zien dat oekraine dat handjevol lange afstands-raketten dat ze nog hebben wel diep in rus mag afvuren.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:10 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
G A M E C H A N G E R

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 12:52 schreef Elan het volgende:
https://www.ad.nl/buitenl(...)n-heroverd~a93cbee3/

Drone op flat.

"Burgers boeit Zelensky niet"

Hypocrisie

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:17 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Die flat was niet het hoofd doel, bij Rusland zijn burgerdoelen wel het hoofddoel.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:21 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ze zijn heel erg braaf als je het vergelijkt met Isra�l. Kijk eens hoe veel burgerdoden daar zijn. Ik geloof best dat Rusland terreurbombardementen doet, maar ik kan er echt niet bij dat het het hoofddoel is. Als dat het doel was dan waren er al lang een honderdvoud afgeslacht.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:21 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ze zijn heel erg braaf als je het vergelijkt met Isra�l. Kijk eens hoe veel burgerdoden daar zijn. Ik geloof best dat Rusland terreurbombardementen doet, maar ik kan er echt niet bij dat het het hoofddoel is. Als dat het doel was dan waren er al lang een honderdvoud afgeslacht.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:21 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ze zijn heel erg braaf als je het vergelijkt met Isra�l. Kijk eens hoe veel burgerdoden daar zijn. Ik geloof best dat Rusland terreurbombardementen doet, maar ik kan er echt niet bij dat het het hoofddoel is. Als dat het doel was dan waren er al lang een honderdvoud afgeslacht.

quote:

Ukrainian air defenses down 20 Russian Shahed drones overnight
Ukraine's air defense forces shot down 20 Russian Shahed attack drones overnight into Wednesday, September 11.
The Ukrainian Air Force Command said this in a post on the Telegram messaging app, Ukrinform reports.

In the early hours of September 11, the Ukrainian Air Force's radio engineering troops detected and tracked 34 Russian aerial targets.

The enemy struck Ukraine with an Iskander-M ballistic missile fired from the Krasnodar region, two S-300 air defense missiles launched from the temporarily captured part of the Donetsk region, six Kh-31P anti-radar missiles launched from the airspace over the Black Sea in the direction of Serpent Island, and 25 Shahed strike drones launched from areas near Kursk, Yeysk, and Cape Chauda in temporarily occupied Crimea.

Combat aircraft, anti-aircraft missile forces, mobile fire groups and units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces were involved in repelling the aerial attack.

Ukrainian defenders shot down 20 attack drones.

Five enemy drones disappeared from radar in Ukraine (there were no reports of casualties and destruction).

Air defenses were activated in the Kyiv, Kherson, Cherkasy, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava regions.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:21 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ze zijn heel erg braaf als je het vergelijkt met Isra�l. Kijk eens hoe veel burgerdoden daar zijn. Ik geloof best dat Rusland terreurbombardementen doet, maar ik kan er echt niet bij dat het het hoofddoel is. Als dat het doel was dan waren er al lang een honderdvoud afgeslacht.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:32 schreef Joppiez het volgende:

[..]
Rusland bombardeert burgerdoelen om de bevolking haar wil te breken. Is gewoon haar manier van oorlogvoeren, maargoed, dat weet je ook wel.

quote:

Poroshenko transferred the Ai-Petri SV electronic warfare systems to the military

^{Ai-Petri SV EW systems. Photo credits: Petro Poroshenko}

MP Petro Poroshenko transferred two Ai-Petri SV electronic warfare systems to the military.

The MP reported this on Facebook and published a photo.

The Ai-Petri electronic warfare systems were transferred to the soldiers of the 112th Territorial Defense Brigade to protect the military on the front line from Russian drones.

“We are actively working to provide each of these sectors with the necessary equipment, drones, and high-quality protection against Russian UAVs,” Poroshenko added.

SPOILER

^{The Ai-Petri electronic warfare system and the Poseidon UAV were handed over to the 112th Territorial Defense Brigade. Photo credits: Petro Poroshenko}

Additionally, the military received a Poseidon reconnaissance drone with a good defense system against enemy electronic warfare systems.

The drone is able to quickly and efficiently transmit information to the headquarters, thereby ensuring the advantage of the Ukrainian military on the front line.

Militarnyi previously reported that the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration delivered assistance to the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

Drones, electronic warfare equipment, communication systems, and other items were delivered to the soldiers defending Ukraine from Russian invaders in the Zaporizhzhia sector.

Ai-Petri SV EW system
According to the developers, in addition to the basic communication jamming functionality, Ai-Petri SV is capable of detecting the position of a Russian UAV operator, disorienting FPV drones, and even interfering with the Russian guided bombs.

It is stated that the system consists of an electronic warfare station, a modern radar station, and a counter-drone system.

^{The Ai-Petri electronic warfare system and the Poseidon UAV were transferred to the 112th Territorial Defense Brigade. Photo credits: Petro Poroshenko}

In addition, the system includes pickup trucks, a command and staff vehicle on a truck chassis, secure communications equipment, and an autonomous power supply.

Previously, Poroshenko reported that he would be able to counter Russian UAVs at a distance of up to 20 kilometers.

quote:

UK imposes sanctions on 10 ships in crackdown on Russia’s shadow oil fleet
Tankers believed to be at heart of illicit operation transporting gas and oil to fund Moscow’s war effort

^{An oil tanker moored at Novorossiysk, Russia. Oil exports accounted for a quarter of Russia’s budget in 2023. Photograph: AP}

The UK has taken new steps to clamp down on Russia’s shadow fleet exporting oil and funding Moscow’s war machine, with the Foreign Office announcing sanctions on 10 ships that it believes to be at heart of the operation.

Russia has a large fleet of often unseaworthy and ageing tankers that transport Russian gas and oil products around the globe. Oil exports are Vladimir Putin’s most critical revenue source for funding the war in Ukraine, accounting for about a quarter of the Russian budget in 2023.

Speaking on his way to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian leaders, the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, said: “Putin’s war machine is funded by a dark and illicit economic system that this government is committed to destabilising.

“Today’s sanctions further undermine Russia’s ability to trade in oil via its shadow fleet. Alongside our partners, we will continue to send a stark message to Russia that the international community stands with Ukraine and we will not tolerate this illicit fleet.

“Russia has been forced to spend over $8bn amassing this shadow fleet. But with sanctioned tankers loitering and unable to load oil, we are determined to make Putin’s investment an expensive misstep for the Kremlin. Our action will help to counter Russian attempts to undermine and dodge economic sanctions.”

SPOILER

The ships targeted are all described as “high-volume offenders” – vessels operating around the clock to transport as much Russian oil as possible. These ships will now be barred from entering UK ports and will be refused access to the UK ship register.

Just three of the vessels targeted, Nikolay Zuyev, NS Asia and Zaliv Aniva, have collectively carried more than $5bn worth of Russian oil since Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

The large and recently developed shadow fleet has become the biggest loophole in western efforts to prevent Russia continuing to fund its war through oil exports.

In an effort to stop the revenue, but also prevent the price of oil skyrocketing, the G7 agreed to block insurance to any ship that sold oil at above a cap of $60 a barrel. The shadow fleet has grown to circumvent the G7 policy, but analysts have said a relatively small number of ships are at the heart of the operation.

The UK claims that previous sanctions against individual shadow ships have left vessels materially disrupted, with the vast majority of them idling outside ports, and unable to carry on their trade in Russian oil.

The latest announcement brings the total number of shadow fleet ships targeted to 25 and follows the UK’s “call to action” in July to bring a halt to the trade.

So far, sanctions have deprived Russia of more than $400bn worth of assets and revenues since February 2022. That is the equivalent of four more years of funding for the invasion. The UK has targeted more than 2,000 individuals and entities under its Russia sanctions regime.

The specified ships will be prohibited from entering a port in the UK, may be given a movement or a port entry direction, can be detained, and will be refused permission to register on the UK ship register.

quote:

St. Petersburg election observer given five days in detention for writing ‘no to war’ on ballot
An election observer in St. Petersburg has been ordered to spend five days in detention and to pay a fine of 30,000 rubles (�297) for writing an anti-war message on her ballot paper during the city’s municipal elections last week, local news outlet Rotonda reported on Tuesday.

Marina Popova, who was charged with “petty hooliganism” and “discrediting the army” for writing “no to war” in bright blue ink across her ballot paper, told Rotonda that a member of the local election commission denounced her for submitting her own ballot paper with an anti-war slogan on it.

The man who reported her asked not to be named, telling St. Petersburg news outlet Fontanka that he had felt it was his “civic duty” to report Popova’s actions.

Regional and municipal elections took place across Russia and in annexed Crimea from Friday to Sunday, with all 21 incumbent Putin-appointed regional governors who had been standing for re-election winning with comfortable majorities. The ruling United Russia party, meanwhile, won in all 10 regions where parliamentary elections were held.

Independent election monitor Golos reported almost 650 potential violations during the three-day vote, including incidents of alleged bribery, ballot-stuffing and online voting inconsistencies.

quote:

The 10th Army Corps received almost 100 EW systems

^{Electronic warfare and other equipment for the 10th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. September 2024. Photo credits: Come Back Alive Foundation}

Soldiers of the 10th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine received almost 100 electronic warfare (EW) systems and other equipment.

The Come Back Alive Foundation donated the systems.

This became possible thanks to a UAH 𝟏𝟓 𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝟎𝟎𝟎 donation from Ukrhydroenergo hydro power generating company.

The Foundation noted that the 10th Army Corps received the most necessary equipment that will help them be more effective and provide additional protection from enemy drones.

In particular, the military received 96 Synytsia and 2 Damba electronic warfare systems, as well as telecommunication kits, communications equipment, backup power, etc.

SPOILER

^{Electronic warfare and other equipment for the 10th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. September 2024. Photo credits: Come Back Alive Foundation}

“The transfer of electronic warfare equipment to the 10th Army Corps is an important component of ensuring effective protection of the military on the battlefield. Regular support for our defenders is crucial for our team,” Ihor Syrota, CEO of Ukrhydroenergo, stated.

The Come Back Alive Foundation thanked Ukrhydroenergo for its regular support of the Ukrainian military, which allows the Foundation to quickly meet the military’s most urgent needs.

“This is an inspiring example of business responsibility, because since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrhydroenergo has helped our heroes with UAH 𝟓𝟒 𝟐𝟔𝟎 𝟎𝟎𝟎,” the Foundation emphasized.

Previously, the Come Back Alive Foundation also purchased a new signal intelligence system from a NATO country. This system allows detecting and identifying enemy UAVs and tracking their route.

The Foundation stated the system had already been transferred to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU). The cost of the new effective electronic intelligence system transferred to the DIU is UAH 18,808,785.

"Повернись живим" передав розвідникам новий комплекс � Е�

Using this system, DIU specialists can identify which frontline areas the enemy is closely monitoring for potential future attacks and which areas receive less attention.

This enables them to operate unnoticed and cause various types of damage to the invaders.

quote:

Ukraine loses 5.6% of GDP due to mined territories
Ukraine needs $35 billion to demine all territories

^{Photo by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change}

Ukraine's losses due to mines and other explosive hazards amount to $11.2 billion annually, equivalent to 5.6% of Ukraine's GDP in 2021, according to a report by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), as reported by the Ministry of Economy's press service.

The greatest losses are due to reduced agricultural exports and decreased local tax revenues.

According to the Tony Blair Institute's estimates, Chernihiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv oblasts have lost over 20% of their regional GDP due to mined territories. In total, local authorities are losing more than $1.1 billion in local taxes.

SPOILER

^{Regional GDP losses due to mining}

The report states that mined territories directly impact Ukraine's loss of $4.3 billion in agricultural exports annually.

World Bank estimates suggest that Ukraine needs $34.6 billion to demine all territories. The report emphasizes that Ukraine could recover this amount in less than three and a half years after complete land clearance.

In 2022, $798 million was spent worldwide on demining, with Ukraine receiving almost 50% of this amount.

quote:

Ukrainian drones intercepted near Russia’s Northern Fleet base in the Arctic
Three Ukrainian drones have been spotted near Severomorsk, a city in the Russian Arctic’s Murmansk region, prompting the authorities to close airports in the area, Telegram channel Baza reported on Wednesday morning.

Murmansk Governor Andrey Chibis confirmed that “enemy drones” had reached the Murmansk region on his Telegram channel, later adding that all three drones had been intercepted.

Located some 2,000 kilometres away from the Ukrainian border, Severomorsk, a port town situated on the coast of the Barents Sea, is the main base of the Russian Northern Fleet.

According to Baza, one of the drones spotted near Severomorsk was seen flying from the direction of Norway, while the other two were flying from the southeast. Airports in the regional capital Murmansk and in the town of Apatity, have both been temporarily closed.

SPOILER

Though it did report on the Northern Fleet’s “search for enemy submarines in the Barents Sea” as part of scheduled drills in the area on Wednesday, the Russian Defence Ministry has not yet commented on the drone sightings.

This is not the first time Ukrainian drones have attacked the Murmansk region. A Ukrainian drone was reportedly shot down near the settlement of Vysoky, which houses Russia’s Olenya air base, in August, after which Chibis said that the regional authorities had taken “all necessary measures to raise security in the region”.

The same airbase was targeted by Ukrainian drones in late July, a Ukrainian military intelligence source told Ukrainska Pravda, adding that a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber had been damaged in the attack.

Pro-Russian Telegram channel Mash claimed in August that one of the drones that reached the Murmansk region in August was an A-22 Foxbat, an aircraft modified by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to serve as a kamikaze drone, and which can fly unmanned for distances of over 2,000 kilometres.

A light aircraft modified for use as a drone might have attacked a military facility in the central Russian republic of Tatarstan in early April, despite it being over 1,300 kilometres away from the Ukrainian border, the Kyiv Independent reported, adding that Ukrainian officials had “been open” about the production of long-distance drones without unveiling specifics.

quote:

Erdogan says returning Crimea to Ukraine is required by international law
Turkish president fails to mention Russia as the country occupying the peninsula and holding Crimean Tatar political prisoners

The return of occupied Crimea to Ukraine is a requirement of international law, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a video address to the Fourth Crimea Platform Leaders Summit, Anadolu Ajansı news agency reported.

According to Erdogan, Ankara's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence remains unchanged.

He emphasized that "the return of Crimea to Ukraine is a requirement of international law."

The Turkish president also expressed hope that Ukraine would take additional steps to strengthen the rights of Crimean Tatar Turks in the future.

Erdogan also said that Turkey sincerely wishes "for the war to end with a fair and lasting peace based on Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence."

The politician also mentioned the release of Nariman Celal, deputy chairman of the Mejlis, from three years of captivity, and expressed hope for the swift release of all Crimean Tatars, including brothers Hasan Ahmedov and Aziz Ahmedov

However, neither the Russian nor the Turkish versions of the address mention Russia as the country that occupied the peninsula and holds Crimean Tatar political prisoners hostage.

quote:

Russia Committed 137,000 War Crimes Against Ukraine, Says Zelenskyy
Russian military forces have committed 137,000 war crimes in Ukraine, stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United for Justice conference, which focused on attacks on civilian infrastructure.

"As of today, there are at least 137,000 reasons for us to continue this work and see it through to the end. This figure—137,000—represents the number of war crimes committed by Russia to date. These are crimes against peace and humanity, against our state, and against our people. It means that the number of verdicts must be no less," the President said in his opening speech.

In December 2023, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, over 102,000 war crimes committed by Russian military forces had been recorded.

"Every nation understands the cost of justice. In every state that truly respects human life and international law, there simply cannot be a lack of justice. I emphasize that in every state, regardless of how its national legislation is written, which international treaties it has ratified, or whether the Rome Statute is in force in that particular country, justice must prevail," Zelenskyy emphasized.

Russia has been accused of committing war crimes in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion in 2022. These accusations include deliberate targeting of civilians, civilian infrastructure and cultural heritage sites, deportation of children and executing prisoners of war.

quote:

Mayor: Russian shelling damaged 18 educational institutions in Kharkiv over four days
From Aug 30 to Sep 2, Russian shelling damaged 18 educational facilities, and the city is still repairing them despite “constant shelling,” said Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov at the session of the Regional Office of International Cooperation.

In total, during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russians destroyed or damaged more than 3,000 educational institutions of various types in the country. In Kharkiv Oblast, Russia damaged or destroyed over 600 of them.

Since the beginning of the all-out war in February 2022, 69% of schools, 57% of kindergartens, 46% of out-of-school educational facilities, and 44% of buildings of educational management organizations have been completely or partially destroyed in Kharkiv, Terekhov said.

“Four schools are destroyed to such a degree that it’ll be impossible to rebuild them. They need to be demolished, and the new ones will need to be built.” Terekhov says.

As of today, offline school learning was organized for about 6,680 students in Kharkiv City, according to the Department of Education and Science in Kharkiv Oblast representative’s commentary to GM.

Offline education is necessary, Terekhov believes, but “to [organize it] in usual schools is impossible because of the constant shelling.”

According to the Department of Education and Science, 50 educational facilities in Kharkiv currently provide offline education in a hybrid format (that combines offline and online learning).

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine’s order #1112 outlines the conditions for returning as many children as possible to offline education and improving the quality of remote learning for 2024-2025.

Those conditions include shelters in the schools or in close proximity to shelters (500m) and the material and technical support required for remote education.

quote:

Russian Su-30 Fighter Disappeared near Sevastopol

^{Su-30SM fighter. Photo from open sources}

Last night, a Russian Su-30SM fighter jet disappeared near Sevastopol.

Analysts from the ‘monitor’ telegram group, which tracks Russian aviation, reported that the Su-30SM tactical aircraft “disappeared” over the Black Sea at about 23:40.

The disappearance of the Russian warplane occurred after the launch of X-31P missiles in the Odesa region.

The Russian Su-30SM fired 4 missiles out of 6 available, after which it disappeared from the radar screen. The fighter jet was based at the airfield in Krymsk (Krasnodar Krai of the Russian Federation).

Today, rescue and search operations continue at the site of its disappearance (63 km from Zaliznyi Port).

SPOILER

^{The likely place of disappearance of the Russian Su-30SM aircraft according to the analysts of the Crimean Wind group}

“There was no information about the two crew members, and there is a possibility that both did not survive,” the analysts said.

According to the sources of the Crimean Wind group, Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters from the Russian Black Sea Fleet airfield in Kacha took part in the search operation.

The Russians launched a large-scale missile and drone strike against Ukraine at night.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russians hit Snake Island with six Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles from the airspace over the Black Sea.

^Kh-31P

Such missiles are used against radars as part of anti-aircraft missile systems and can also target other sources of radio radiation.

Despite the loss of Su-30s, Russia continues to manufacture this type of aircraft at its own facilities.

Recently, the Irkutsk Aviation Plant manufactured and handed over new Su-30SM2 multi-role fighters to the Russian Defense Ministry.

quote:

Mystery of Missing Russian Su-30SM: Mechanical Failure or Ukrainian F-16s?
Ukrainian sources suggest that the aircraft might have been shot down by a Ukrainian F-16.
A Russian Su-30SM fighter jet disappeared from radar screens amid a drone and missile attack on Ukraine.

Shot Down by F-16?
Ukrainian sources suggest that the aircraft might have been shot down by a Ukrainian F-16, though the exact details remain uncertain. In the area where the plane is believed to have crashed into the sea, an oil slick has been observed, and Russian helicopters are reportedly patrolling the vicinity, according to WP.

The Su-30SM, which was part of a mission to attack Odessa with Kh-31P missiles, was last tracked northwest of Crimea, about 75 kilometers from the Ukrainian coast. The aircraft successfully launched four of the six missiles it carried before its signal vanished.

The final known position was marked by a fuel slick on the water, and Russian Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters are reportedly searching for the aircraft’s two-man crew.

Could Be Mehanical Failure
While Russia has not confirmed the loss of the Su-30SM, Ukrainian reports suggest that it may have fallen victim to an F-16. Ukrainian F-16s, equipped with AIM-120C AMRAAM missiles, are capable of engaging targets at such distances, making this scenario plausible.

Maciej Szopa from Defence24 notes that an F-16 shootdown is just one possible explanation. Another possibility is the involvement of the Patriot missile system, which also has the range to destroy the Russian aircraft.

Additionally, the Su-30SM could have experienced a mechanical failure; after launching four Kh-31P missiles, a malfunction of the fifth missile during firing could have led to the aircraft's loss.

The Su-30SM is a versatile Russian fighter derived from the Su-30MKI, designed for the Indian Air Force. It boasts impressive maneuverability, advanced avionics, and a combat load capacity of up to eight tons. The aircraft features canards and thrust-vectoring engines, enhancing its agility in combat.

quote:

Russia Has Attacked Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure Over 1000 Times

^{The photo shows the destruction of the Tripolskaya TPP, the largest power plant in the Kyiv region, completely leveled by missile strikes. (Source: https://t.me/lachentyt)}

From October 2022 to September 2024, Ukrainian energy infrastructure has been targeted in 1024 attacks by Russian forces, according to Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko. All individuals responsible for these attacks should be held accountable, Galushchenko stated during the “United for Justice” high-level international conference.

He reported that no region or type of energy infrastructure in Ukraine has been spared from these assaults. The total loss of energy capacity due to attacks this year, which began on March 22, has exceeded 9 GW. The attacks have affected 18 GW of generation capacity, including hydropower plants, thermal power stations, and Europe’s largest nuclear plant, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Galushchenko highlighted the most severe attack occurred on August 26 of this year, when 236 drones and missiles of various types were used. This marked the first instance of ballistic missiles being deployed against Ukrainian substations.

The immediate impact of this attack resulted in approximately 4 million Ukrainians being temporarily cut off from electricity. This disruption affected 12 regions of Ukraine, and it took around 13 days to fully restore power supplies.

Galushchenko emphasized that these attacks aim to inflict direct harm on the civilian population of Ukraine, violating key principles of international law and the UN Charter. Additionally, targeting substations essential for nuclear plant operations undermines fundamental principles of nuclear safety.

quote:

Top US and UK diplomats pledge almost $1.5B in additional aid for Ukraine during visit to Kyiv
The United States and Britain pledged nearly $1.5 billion in additional aid to Ukraine on Wednesday during a visit to Kyiv by their top diplomats as Ukrainian officials renewed their pleas to use Western-provided missiles against targets deeper inside Russia.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced more than $700 million in humanitarian aid, while British Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed that his country would provide another $782 million in assistance and loan guarantees. Much of the effort was aimed at bolstering the energy grid that Russia has repeatedly pounded ahead of an expected difficult winter.

Blinken and Lammy traveled together to the Ukrainian capital on a rare joint tour to underscore their commitment to the country in its war. Two air-raid sirens sounded during the visit, causing delays in their schedule, including forcing them to cancel a wreath-laying ceremony.

Blinken said he would bring the discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the missiles “back to Washington to brief the president.” Blinken said U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will “no doubt” talk about the issue when they meet Friday in Washington.

SPOILER

“Speaking for the United States, we have adjusted and adapted as needs have changed, as the battlefield has changed. And I have no doubt that we’ll continue to do that as this evolves,” Blinken told a news conference.

The diplomatic visit unfolded as Russia’s bigger and better-equipped army bears down on Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and pounds the country with missiles, glide bombs and drones that claim many civilian casualties.

Lammy said the 2 1/2-year conflict is at a “critical” juncture following Ukraine’s daring incursion last month into Russia’s Kursk region, even as it tries to defend against its neighbor’s aerial attacks on cities across the country.

“We convey the deepest condolences for the shocking attacks that we have seen, over the loss of civilian life, particularly women and children — horrific, barbaric, unbelievable,” Lammy said.

But relations between Ukraine and its Western partners have been increasingly strained by Kyiv’s repeated appeals for the West’s authorization to use long-range weapons from the United States and other allies to strike targets deeper inside Russia.

That issue has become more urgent given Russia’s latest reported acquisition of ballistic missiles from Iran, but Western leaders have balked at the request, fearing that, if granted, it could escalate the war.

Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles across the border into Russia in self-defense, but has largely limited the distance they can be fired.

Zelenskyy said he hoped for changes to those limitations.

“Let’s count on some strong decisions, at least,” he said. “For us, it’s very important.”

He said he hoped to speak to Biden later this month, noting that U.S. military and financial support is crucial.

“We rely heavily on it, and frankly, we can’t prevail without it,” Zelenskyy said.

However, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last week pushed back on the idea that long-range strikes would be a game-changer.

“I don’t believe one capability is going to be decisive, and I stand by that comment,” Austin said at a meeting of allied military leaders in Germany. The Ukrainians have other means to strike long-range targets, he added.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told Lammy he hoped an agreement on using long-range assets “for strikes on the territory of our enemy” could be reached. “We hope for your help and support in this issue.”

Shmyhal described the meeting with Lammy in Kyiv as “intense” but gave no other details in his post on his Telegram channel.

A hard winter likely lies ahead for Ukraine. Its power grid is under severe strain after Russian missiles and drones knocked out around 70% of the country’s generation capacity.

Kyiv officials will also have to navigate the outcome of the U.S. election in November, which could produce important policy shifts in Washington. Former President Donald Trump said in a presidential debate Tuesday that he wants the war to end but did not clearly say he wants Ukraine to win.

“The bottom line is this: We want Ukraine to win,” Blinken said.

The latest American aid package includes $325 million in energy support to help repair and restore Ukraine’s power generation facilities, provide emergency backup power for critical services and strengthen the physical security of energy infrastructure.

Some $290 million will fund food, water, shelter, health care and education programs for Ukrainians in need in the country and refugees outside the country. The remaining $102 million will be used for mine-removal work. Late last week, the U.S. announced it would send $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air-defense missiles and artillery.

The British diplomats reached the Ukrainian capital by train from Poland. Blinken traveled from London, where he accused Iran of providing Russia with Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles, calling the move a “dramatic escalation” of the war.

Referring to those missiles, Shmyhal added: “Russia’s use of weapons from its terrorist allies to strike at Ukraine continues their genocidal war and terrorism on our territory. We must be able to respond to such terrorism in kind by destroying military targets on their territory to ensure greater safety for our citizens.”

Wednesday’s visit was, unusually, announced in advance — a public signal of American and British support for Ukraine.

As Blinken and Lammy arrived in Kyiv, the U.K. announced it would ban 10 commercial ships it accuses of illicitly transporting Russian oil in violation of international sanctions. The U.K. government said the vessels would be barred from British ports and could be detained if they enter.

quote:

Croatian Demining Company DOK-ING Opens Ukrainian Office

^{Demining machine of the DOK-ING company. Photo from the company's website}

The Croatian demining company DOK-ING has opened a representative office in Ukraine.

This was announced by Ukraine’s Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, following a meeting with Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic.

The company aims to help speed up the demining process by sharing experience and technology.

The private Croatian company DOK-ING was founded in 1992. Today, DOK-ING is considered the largest private demining company in Southeast Europe.

The company has two main divisions: production of equipment for mine detection and mine clearance.

SPOILER

^{DOK-ING factory. Croatia. Photo from the company’s website}

DOK-ING produces electric vehicles, unmanned multipurpose vehicles, and robotic systems.

From the very beginning, DOK-ING has focused on the maximum possible use of mechanical means in demining operations.

The current model range of the manufacturer includes 2 demining vehicles: MV-4 and MV-10.

In Ukraine, both models of unmanned demining systems from DOK-ING have been used for demining for a long time.

^{The MV-4 demining machine is assembled in Ukraine. Spring of 2024. Photo: Ministry of Economy of Ukraine}

Ukrainian company AZTECH-UKRAINE assembles and localizes Croatian DOK-ING MV-10 mechanized demining machines. In total, “A3Tech-UKRAINE” has the capacity to produce up to 60 MV-10 demining machines per year.

The DOK-ING MV-10 heavy demining machine is designed with a double working set: a chain mechanism and a cutter.

^{DOK-ING MV-10 demining system. Ukraine. February 2024. Photo credits: STSS}

It is used to clear areas of various types of mines and explosive devices. The machine is controlled by one operator using a remote control. The maximum depth of soil clearance is 60 cm.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:21 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ze zijn heel erg braaf als je het vergelijkt met Isra�l. Kijk eens hoe veel burgerdoden daar zijn. Ik geloof best dat Rusland terreurbombardementen doet, maar ik kan er echt niet bij dat het het hoofddoel is. Als dat het doel was dan waren er al lang een honderdvoud afgeslacht.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 21:50 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:06 schreef MaxMark het volgende:

[..]
Ik denk ook dat het gaat gebeuren, de "vrijgave". Ze zijn nu enorm aan het seinen naar Rusland dat het gaat gebeuren, zodat ze genoeg tijd hebben om een en ander buiten het bereik te verplaatsen (en de klap dus niet al te groot gaat worden.

SPOILER

Volunteer: Exit, exit from the car. He goes right here. A russian.

Civilian: russian?

Volunteer: Yes. Quiet, he's here. He goes right to us. Stay here.

russian soldier: What's the movement here?

Volunteer: Evacuation volunteers from Pokrovsk. Moving people away.

Soldier: Where are people?

Volunteer: There, in the basement. Civilians.

Soldier: Stop. Go here. Phones...

Volunteer: These, civilians, we're getting them out.

Soldier: Quickly load the people and get the fuck outta here.

Volunteer: Yes, yes, let's go, quickly, let's go.

SPOILER

"After another attack by the enemy, divers-sappers of the Mobile Rescue Center of the Rapid Response of the State Emergency Service pulled out a part of the drone from the Dnipro River.

Hearing the explosion, one of the eyewitnesses went to the scene, where he found huge metal fragments floating on the surface of the water. He quickly reported this to the 101 emergency response service.

Fortunately, there were no casualties

If you saw the debris of drones or missiles - do not approach and do not touch anything! Call 101 immediately"-State Emergency Service of Ukraine telegram channel

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:36 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]

Maar volgens mij heeft ook niemand dat gesteld, en is je wereldberoemd-op-Fok duim daar ook voor verantwoordelijk.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:16 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Wat valt er te verplaatsen? Je kunt geen oorlog voeren in Oekra�ne als je de commandocentra en munitiedepots achter de Oeral plaatst.

Stormshadows hebben een bereik van ~550km, en de vliegtuigen die ze lanceren kunnen een stuk Rusland invliegen, zeker als ze door F-16's worden begeleid en een Zweedse AWACS houdt de boel in de gaten. Dat betekent dat bunkers tot een km of ~600-650 van de grens in gevaar komen. Het is onmogelijk die allemaal ergens anders neer te zetten. De restanten van de Zwarte Zeevloot kunnen ook nergens heen.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:16 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Wat valt er te verplaatsen? Je kunt geen oorlog voeren in Oekra�ne als je de commandocentra en munitiedepots achter de Oeral plaatst.

Stormshadows hebben een bereik van ~550km, en de vliegtuigen die ze lanceren kunnen een stuk Rusland invliegen, zeker als ze door F-16's worden begeleid en een Zweedse AWACS houdt de boel in de gaten. Dat betekent dat bunkers tot een km of ~600-650 van de grens in gevaar komen. Het is onmogelijk die allemaal ergens anders neer te zetten. De restanten van de Zwarte Zeevloot kunnen ook nergens heen.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:25 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Dr gaat natuurlijk geen vliegtuig 100 km Rusland in vliegen om een storm shadow af ge vuren

quote:

Germany no longer wants military equipment from Switzerland
A letter from Germany is causing quite a stir. It states that Swiss companies are excluded from applying for procurement from the German armed forces.

^{The Bundeswehr does not want to buy multispectral camouflage equipment from Switzerland.}

A Swiss company wants to take part in a large German tender for 100,000 stationary multispectral camouflage equipment for the German armed forces. The catch: the company's production facility must be located on EU territory, the tender states.

A mistake, the company thinks. The European Free Trade Association EFTA with Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway has probably been forgotten. It turns to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support.

Then comes the sobering realization: the EFTA states have by no means been forgotten. The company consciously decided to have a production site in the EU and will not deviate from that.

SPOILER

Letter explains German “Lex Switzerland”
A short time later, a letter from Germany to the Federal Office for Armaments (Armasuisse) provided clarity, which was reported on by "Le Temps". The Federal Office, which is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Defense, announced that it wanted to avoid an effect similar to that of the ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank when procuring the weapons. A production facility in the EFTA states was deliberately ruled out. The multispectral camouflage equipment was one of the key technologies for the Bundeswehr. In addition, it must be possible to pass it on to a partner country in the event of war.

The German Federal Office's letter referred to the squabble between Germany and Switzerland over 12,000 rounds for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank. Germany wanted to pass them on to Ukraine. It had bought them in Switzerland and needed the country's blessing because of a non-re-export declaration. The country said no for reasons of neutrality.

The letter is proof that there is a "Lex Switzerland" in Germany: The country no longer buys arms products from Switzerland. Armaments chief Urs Loher put it bluntly in "Le Temps": "Germany no longer trusts Switzerland. In the German parliament, for example, 'Swiss Free' is apparently used in the same breath as 'China Free'."

The Dutch parliament has already decided not to buy any more military equipment from Switzerland. Similar considerations are also being made in Denmark and Spain. The VBS is not yet clear whether the German letter is a warning shot or just the beginning.

Citizens blame themselves
The situation is causing the bourgeois parties to blame each other. "We are in the process of definitively destroying the Swiss arms industry," says FDP President Thierry Burkart. The left has been working towards this for decades by tightening the War Material Act. "The SVP is now the executor of this law because it is preventing the transfer of arms from European states to Ukraine by misinterpreting our neutrality."

In 2022, Burkart submitted a motion demanding that a non-re-export declaration be waived entirely if the delivery is made to states that are committed to our values. "It has nothing to do with neutrality if other countries want to support each other with weapons that they bought in Switzerland years ago."

The SVP is passing the hot potato on to the centre. "The damage was caused by the tightening of the War Material Act," says President Marcel Dettling. "The centre is to blame for this with its back and forth: it tightened the law with the left, but wanted to go back after the war broke out." Without the tightening, the export authority would have remained with the Federal Council. "This policy lacks longevity."

The SVP was against tightening the law, but then did not want to make an exception for Ukraine because it was not prepared to deliver to war zones. "Now we are offering to ensure that countries that have bought military equipment in Switzerland are allowed to export it again after a period of five years."

The center is holding the government accountable. "The Federal Council can, on its own initiative, authorize the export of weapons purchased in Switzerland to other countries, based on Articles 184 and 185 of the Federal Constitution," says President Gerhard Pfister. "The general tightening of the arms export law still allows this. But the SVP-FDP Federal Council does not want to do this." And Parliament has so far not succeeded in finding a solution that can gain a majority.

Pfister counters the SVP accusation with a counter question: "Why is it now opposing the delivery of protective vests on grounds of neutrality, but wants to allow the re-export of weapons?"

The Swiss company now wants to produce in an EU country. (aargauerzeitung.ch/lyn)

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:30 schreef Nebelwerfer het volgende:

[..]
Ik dacht dat we het punt waarop we wonderen van de westerse wapens verwachtten wel een beetje gehad hadden..

quote:

Latvia to Provide Armored Personnel Carriers in New Military Support Package for Ukraine
On September 11, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa announced a new package of military support for Ukraine during a meeting in Kyiv with Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

Shmyhal announced that the provided Latvian package of military support will include armored personnel carriers.

Additionally, Shmyhal thanked his counterpart for the "Drone Coalition for Ukraine" initiative, the supply of drones for the Ukrainian soldiers, and the assistance with energy equipment.

Latvia plays a key role in the international drone coalition established to support Ukraine. The coalition, co-led by Latvia and the United Kingdom, aims to provide much-needed aerial technology to Ukrainian forces. Recognizing the critical role drones play on the battlefield, Latvia has pledged �20 million to the coalition this year, with over �10 million earmarked for purchasing drones directly from Latvian manufacturers.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:17 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Die flat was niet het hoofd doel, bij Rusland zijn burgerdoelen wel het hoofddoel.

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Freight train derailed in Belgorod region due to explosion on railway tracks

^{t.me/belpepel}

A locomotive and empty carriages of a freight train derailed in the Novooskolsky urban district of the Belgorod region, the region's governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported.

According to him, the incident occurred as a result of "illegal interference in the operation of railway transport." "There were no casualties. Passenger trains passing through this section have been sent on a detour. Information about the consequences is being clarified," Gladkov wrote on his Telegram channel.

As the Baza Telegram channel clarifies , the freight train derailed as a result of an explosion on the tracks. This happened on the Volokonovka-Novy Oskol section late in the evening of September 10. According to the Telegram channel's source, the train, traveling from Bataysk to Stary Oskol, ran over an explosive device planted under the rail.

SPOILER

The Western Interregional Department for Transport of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case on the terrorist attack (paragraph "b" of part 2 of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). According to the statement of the Investigative Committee, the diesel locomotive and 11 carriages derailed at the 697th kilometer of the Novy Oskol - Volokonovka section.

"Operational search activities are being carried out to identify the persons who committed the crime," the department said in a statement. Law enforcement officers are working at the scene, and an operational headquarters has been formed on the South-Eastern Railway to eliminate the consequences of the incident.

Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army, the number of sabotage incidents on the railways in Russia has increased. In May of this year, the carriages of a freight train derailed in the Volgograd region after "interference by outsiders in the operation of railway transport." No one was hurt.

In March, an explosion occurred on the Zvezda-Chapayevsk railway section in the Samara Region. As a result, the railway bridge over the Chapayevka River was damaged. The Kuibyshev Railway reported "illegal interference by outsiders." The FSB opened a criminal case under the article on sabotage.

In May 2023, saboteurs blew up a railway track in the Unechsky District of the Bryansk Region, causing a freight train carrying oil products to derail. The same thing happened in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:33 schreef Elan het volgende:

[..]
Hahaatjes.
Westerse propaganda genot.

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"We don't need colonels." Strelkov complained that he was twice refused to be sent to war

^{Sergey Kiselev / Agency "Moscow"}

The former Minister of Defense of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Igor Girkin (Strelkov) was twice denied a request to go to war in Ukraine. He himself reported this in a letter from the colony, which was seen by "Beware, News".

"I contacted the military registration and enlistment office representatives who visit the penal colony, but I was refused twice even to accept my application. Once, with the reasoning that 'we don't need colonels.' They didn't even mention the article as a reason for the refusal. So far, nothing has changed in this regard," Strelkov noted.

SPOILER

In this regard, he asked to officially refute the recent news that he was being sent to the front. The message about this was disseminated in early September by the Shot Telegram channel, which is close to the Kremlin, whose source claimed that the former commander of the Donetsk separatists had been replaced by service in the combat zone instead of imprisonment. In fact, this issue has already been resolved, only formalities remain, the Telegram channel's interlocutor said.

Before this, Strelkov himself asked to be sent to war, but according to the law, those convicted under "extremist" articles cannot serve in the armed forces. The case against him was opened because of two posts on Telegram: the first was about the possible surrender of Crimea, and the second - about non-payment of allowances to the military. Strelkov did not admit guilt.

Earlier, the lawyer of the convicted man, Alexander Molokhov, called the information that it was agreed to send the former DPR minister to war "rumors". At the same time, he claimed that one of the military units in the DPR expressed its readiness to appoint Strelkov as a platoon commander. According to Molokhov, his client could be sent to Ukraine if the sentence is overturned or if he is pardoned by the president. In the meantime, the convicted man is serving a four-year sentence in Penal Colony No. 5 for former security officials in Kirovo-Chepetsk, Kirov Oblast.

quote:

Statement by TVO’s Board of Directors regarding Russians at War
“We have listened to the Ukrainian-Canadian community and their thoughtful and heartfelt input.

TVO’s Board of Directors has decided to respect the feedback we have received, and TVO will no longer be supporting or airing Russians at War. 

TVO will be reviewing the process by which this project was funded and our brand leveraged.”

–            Chris Day, Chair, TVO Board of Directors

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Zelenskyy: Ukraine can double drone production, but needs funding
Zelenskyy shared with partners that Ukrainian companies are ready to increase UAV production

Ukrainian enterprises can produce more drones, but this requires additional funding from partners, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a briefing after the fourth summit of the International Crimea Platform.

According to him, the effectiveness of drones can be seen on the battlefield.

"The results are already visible, which is very important. When there's a significant deficit, non-delivery of certain packages, particularly 155 mm artillery shells, these drones are very helpful," Zelenskyy said.

He noted that drones primarily help save Ukrainian soldiers' lives.

"But we need money to increase our production volumes. We have these capabilities," he said.

Zelenskyy emphasized that he shared this information with partners, stating that Ukrainian companies are ready to double drone production.

"Some companies, especially private ones, are ready to do the maximum and even increase production fivefold. They're ready, but there's not enough money to do it," he added.

The president stated that Kyiv is turning to partners for funding assistance, as it's cheaper to manufacture drones in Ukraine.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:30 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Waarom niet? Een SU-24 haalt Mach 1,5. Dan doe je 100 km in 5 minuten. Een paar F-16's met HARM raketten en AMRAAMs erbij voor het geval iemand op de grond de radar van een S-300 aanzet of er een jachtvliegtuig wordt gedetecteerd. Lanceren, omdraaien en maken dat je wegkomt.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:32 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Grappig. Ik dacht dat we de reputatie van de ondoordringbare Russische luchtverdediging ook wat hadden bijgesteld.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:06 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Altijd bijzonder zo'n expert achter een toetsenbord die wel even vertelt hoe alles moet.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:08 schreef Ulx het volgende:

Mijn argument: Die vliegtuigen zijn germaakt om dat te doen.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:19 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Als ze F35's hadden gehad wel ja...

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:23 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Of als het drones waren geweest. Die vliegen er tenslotte ook dwars doorheen.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:40 schreef Nebelwerfer het volgende:

[

Een beetje neutrale blik op het slagveld ondertussen, geeft een heel ander beeld.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:29 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
[ x ]
[ x ]

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:52 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://news.liga.net/en/(...)on-but-needs-funding
[..]

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:23 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Of als het drones waren geweest. Die vliegen er tenslotte ook dwars doorheen.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:24 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Maar goed, dan vliegen ze de grens toch niet over. Kunnen ze slechts tot 500km in Rusland bunkers opblazen.

Wat jullie willen.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:49 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Drones hebben dan ook een klein radar reflecterend oppervlak. Dus wat dat betreft kun je die prima vergelijken met LO kisten.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:58 schreef Ulx het volgende:
En die worden niet gedetecteerd na 800-1000 kilometer met een slakkengang boven Rusland te hebben getuft?

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Je kunt me veel wijsmaken. maar sommige drones zijn omgebouwde Cessna-achtige toestellen. Daarmee even naar Moskou vliegen is onmogelijk.

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Op donderdag 12 september 2024 00:02 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Snelheid heeft niks te maken met de RCS.
[..]
Die niet idd. Die ga je wel zien. Maar de kleinere types merk je echt niet op. Je hoort ze niet, je ziet ze niet met het blote oog en als de RCS ook nog eens minimaal is ziet de radar ze ook niet.

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Op donderdag 12 september 2024 00:21 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Die kleintjes vliegen ook geen honderden kilometers.

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Op donderdag 12 september 2024 00:28 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Bv. een Shahed is slechts een dikke 3 meter lang en heeft een wingspan van zo'n 2.5 meter maar komt toch minstens 1000 km ver.

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Op donderdag 12 september 2024 00:31 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Maar die worden toch bij bosjes uit de lucht geschoten door Gepards?

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 20:21 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ze zijn heel erg braaf als je het vergelijkt met Isra�l.

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Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:31 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.watson.ch/int(...)mehr-aus-der-schweiz
[..]

SPOILER

Letter explains German “Lex Switzerland”
A short time later, a letter from Germany to the Federal Office for Armaments (Armasuisse) provided clarity, which was reported on by "Le Temps". The Federal Office, which is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Defense, announced that it wanted to avoid an effect similar to that of the ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank when procuring the weapons. A production facility in the EFTA states was deliberately ruled out. The multispectral camouflage equipment was one of the key technologies for the Bundeswehr. In addition, it must be possible to pass it on to a partner country in the event of war.

The German Federal Office's letter referred to the squabble between Germany and Switzerland over 12,000 rounds for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank. Germany wanted to pass them on to Ukraine. It had bought them in Switzerland and needed the country's blessing because of a non-re-export declaration. The country said no for reasons of neutrality.

The letter is proof that there is a "Lex Switzerland" in Germany: The country no longer buys arms products from Switzerland. Armaments chief Urs Loher put it bluntly in "Le Temps": "Germany no longer trusts Switzerland. In the German parliament, for example, 'Swiss Free' is apparently used in the same breath as 'China Free'."

The Dutch parliament has already decided not to buy any more military equipment from Switzerland. Similar considerations are also being made in Denmark and Spain. The VBS is not yet clear whether the German letter is a warning shot or just the beginning.

Citizens blame themselves
The situation is causing the bourgeois parties to blame each other. "We are in the process of definitively destroying the Swiss arms industry," says FDP President Thierry Burkart. The left has been working towards this for decades by tightening the War Material Act. "The SVP is now the executor of this law because it is preventing the transfer of arms from European states to Ukraine by misinterpreting our neutrality."

In 2022, Burkart submitted a motion demanding that a non-re-export declaration be waived entirely if the delivery is made to states that are committed to our values. "It has nothing to do with neutrality if other countries want to support each other with weapons that they bought in Switzerland years ago."

The SVP is passing the hot potato on to the centre. "The damage was caused by the tightening of the War Material Act," says President Marcel Dettling. "The centre is to blame for this with its back and forth: it tightened the law with the left, but wanted to go back after the war broke out." Without the tightening, the export authority would have remained with the Federal Council. "This policy lacks longevity."

The SVP was against tightening the law, but then did not want to make an exception for Ukraine because it was not prepared to deliver to war zones. "Now we are offering to ensure that countries that have bought military equipment in Switzerland are allowed to export it again after a period of five years."

The center is holding the government accountable. "The Federal Council can, on its own initiative, authorize the export of weapons purchased in Switzerland to other countries, based on Articles 184 and 185 of the Federal Constitution," says President Gerhard Pfister. "The general tightening of the arms export law still allows this. But the SVP-FDP Federal Council does not want to do this." And Parliament has so far not succeeded in finding a solution that can gain a majority.

Pfister counters the SVP accusation with a counter question: "Why is it now opposing the delivery of protective vests on grounds of neutrality, but wants to allow the re-export of weapons?"

The Swiss company now wants to produce in an EU country. (aargauerzeitung.ch/lyn)

Nadat Nederland blijkbaar aangegeven heeft geen Zwitserse wapens en zo meer te willen kopen is Duitsland de volgende. Ook Spanje en Denemarken zijn dit aan het overwegen.

Allemaal het gevolg van Zwitserland zijn neutraliteit en daardoor de weigering om toestemming te geven om wapens en zo van hun te mogen leveren aan Oekra�ne.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 06:27 schreef Aether het volgende:
Kremlin warns of escalation if US allows Kyiv to hit Russia with long-range missiles
https://www.reuters.com/w(...)e-russia-2024-09-11/

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 06:27 schreef Aether het volgende:
Kremlin warns of escalation if US allows Kyiv to hit Russia with long-range missiles
https://www.reuters.com/w(...)e-russia-2024-09-11/

quote:

The Guardian: Britain Already Decided to Allow Ukraine Strikes on Russia Using Long-Range Missiles
According to The Guardian, Britain has already decided to allow Ukraine to hit targets in Russia with long-range Storm Shadow missiles. However, this is unlikely to be publicly announced during the meeting of the US and Britain leaders on September 13.

Sources added that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy would not have visited Kyiv, on September 11, to meet with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy if there was no positive decision on the use of Storm Shadow.

“But it would be considered unnecessarily provocative to make a public announcement about long-range missiles in Kyiv,” wrote the Guardian.

On September 13, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden are expected to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ways to end it, as well as permission to fire long-range missiles at the Russian territory. Further talks on the issue are expected this weekend to inform key European allies of the outcome.

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TIFF stands firm on decision to premiere controversial Russians at War documentary

^{People protest outside of Scotiabank Theatre about the documentary Russians at War playing at the Toronto International Film Festival, in Toronto, on Sept. 10.}

The Toronto International Film Festival is standing firm on its decision to hold the North American premiere of Russians at War, one day after Ontario’s public broadcaster TVO, which helped fund the documentary, pulled its support and planned release of the production over an outcry from the Ukrainian community.

Shot in a fly-on-the-wall cin�ma-v�rit� style, Russians at War follows Russian-Canadian documentarian Anastasia Trofimova as she spends months following Russian soldiers from their homes to the front lines of occupied Ukraine, with many of her subjects revealing feelings of confusion and disillusionment with their government. The film has sparked intense backlash since its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month.

“In our view, in no way should this film be considered Russian propaganda. While we understand the concerns expressed by many, we believe, like the Venice Film Festival and other international festivals who have programmed the film, that this Canadian documentary merits a place in our selection,” the unsigned statement from TIFF read.

SPOILER

With organizers noting the “suffering of the Ukrainian people as the result of an illegal Russian invasion” and pointing to TIFF’s “Programming Statement for Peace” – a note that was released this past April calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the safe return of Israeli hostages taken Oct. 7 – the festival reiterated its position Wednesday that “as a cultural institution, we stand for the right of artists and cultural workers to express fair political comment freely and oppose censorship.”

“Because filmmakers, like all artists, work in dynamic engagement with their societies, we believe that our role as curators and presenters of film must stand for an unequivocal defence of artistic expression, and a commitment to provide safe, open spaces to engage, critique and reflect on artists’ work,” the statement said.

Ahead of TIFF’s launch, Ukraine’s consul-general in Toronto, Oleh Nikolenko, urged festival organizers to pull the doc from its lineup, alleging that it whitewashes the war crimes perpetrated by Russian troops. On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who has Ukrainian roots, told reporters that she had “grave concerns” about the film and the public funds that supported it. It is unclear whether either politician have seen the film, which will screen for the first time publicly in North America on Friday.

Other critics of the production have noted that Ms. Trofimova previously worked for the documentary arm of RT, the Russian state-controlled media company that is banned in Canada. After quitting RTD in 2020 because of what the filmmaker describes as the change in the organization’s “relatively liberal atmosphere,” Ms. Trofimova joined the CBC, working out of Moscow.

In an interview with The Globe over the weekend, Ms. Trofimova, who has noted that she “unequivocally” believes Russia’s invasion is unjustified and illegal, countered accusations that the film received funds or support from the Russian state.

“One hundred per cent, no. I’m trying to be calm, but I want to ask how the hell does anyone think the state would pay me to go to places where Russian state media is not even allowed?” the filmmaker said. “There’s a lot of criticism online because I worked for RT. We also have to understand that Russia is the world’s biggest country and RT is Russia’s biggest broadcaster. If you can make the stories that you’re not ashamed of, then you go for it.”

The documentary, a co-production between Canada and France, was financed in association with two Canadian public broadcasters, TVO and British Columbia’s Knowledge Network, and partly funded through the Canada Media Fund, a not-for-profit organization that receives its funding from the federal government and telecommunications companies.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Chris Day, the chair of TVO’s board of directors, said that the board had decided to distance itself from the project, and will undertake a review of the network’s funding practices.

As a response to that move, the film’s producers – who include Oscar-nominated Canadian Cornelia Principe (To Kill a Tiger) – released a statement that castigated TVO’s “heat-of-the-moment decision” by the network’s management that “sends a chill across the entire independent filmmaking community in Canada.”

Shortly after TIFF released its statement, the Documentary Organization of Canada issued a similar showing of support, noting that TVO’s action “risks setting a dangerous precedent and must be immediately reversed.”

The support from Canada’s artistic community follows a similarly strong defence from Alberto Barbera, artistic director of the Venice Film Festival.

“The major merit of the film consists in showing what the Russian propaganda tries to hide successfully: the Ukrainian war from the other side of the front, the one of the Russian soldiers that are sent to the front without knowing why,” Mr. Barbera said. “Very far from being an act of propaganda pro-Russia, it is an anti-war film, with a very sensible and touching human approach, as well a great artistic craftsmanship.”

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Israeli pleads guilty to shipping US-made avionics to Russia, violating sanctions
US Justice Department says Gal Haimovich sent aircraft tech, some of it with missile applications, worth $2 million to Russian customers, violating export controls amid Ukraine war

An Israeli national pleaded guilty Monday in a US court to charges that he illegally shipped American aircraft parts and avionics to Russia, in violation of export controls imposed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Gal Haimovich, 49, admitted to deceiving American companies about the destination of goods, including some that had missile technology applications, which he supplied to intermediaries en route to Russian customers, the US Justice Department said in a statement Tuesday.

Haimovich directed more than 160 shipments between at least March 2022 and May 2023 to companies in the Maldives and the United Arab Emirates, for ultimate delivery to Russia, the statement said.

The Israeli national hid from suppliers that he was ultimately working on behalf of Siberia Airlines, which he billed for some $2 million. He has now agreed to forfeit the money along with various aircraft parts.

The case is being overseen by the US Justice Department’s “KleptoCapture” task force to enforce sanctions and export controls on Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The task force was launched by US Attorney General Merrick Garland in March 2022, within a month of Russia’s invasion.

The United States also accused Iran this week of providing Russia with ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine, a charge that the Islamic Republic has denied but that Russia has not explicitly rejected.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Russia was also sharing technology with Iran, including on nuclear issues.

The US is set to impose new sanctions on Iran, including its airline Iran Air, Blinken said.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 06:27 schreef Aether het volgende:
Kremlin warns of escalation if US allows Kyiv to hit Russia with long-range missiles
https://www.reuters.com/w(...)e-russia-2024-09-11/

SPOILER

During the operation in the waters of the Black Sea, the soldiers of the special unit of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine destroyed a Russian Su-30SM combat aircraft with a MANPADS hit. The fighter that fell into the sea belonged to the 43rd separate naval aviation regiment of the Russian Air Force, which is based at the airfield of the city of Saka in the temporarily occupied Crimea. The occupiers lost contact with their warship on September 11, 2024 around 5 am. Roughly three hours later, the Russians launched a search and rescue operation involving the An-26 aircraft, as well as Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters. At lunch time, the invaders reported to the command about a characteristic stain from aviation fuel discovered in the sea, 70 kilometers northwest of Cape Tarkhankut, and soon they also saw the wreckage of the destroyed Su-30SM. The cost of such an aircraft is approximately 50 million dollars. The fight continues! Glory to Ukraine!

SPOILER

The SBU detained a Russian informant who was spying on the artillery of the Armed Forces near Chasiv Yar

The counter-intelligence of the Security Service detained another Russian agent who was operating in Donetsk region. The intruder was spying on the Ukrainian troops defending the Kramatorsk area.

First of all, the agent tried to identify the combat positions of the artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is keeping under fire control the assault groups of the invaders trying to capture Chasiv Yar.

The enemy was also interested in the locations of the largest concentration of military equipment and ammunition depots of the Defense Forces.

To collect intelligence, the occupiers remotely engaged a 52-year-old resident of Druzhkivka near the front.

To recruit the man, the Russians used an acquaintance of his, who left Ukraine for the Russian Federation in 2014, and later joined the operative assignment brigade of the Russian Guard.

Being in the temporarily occupied part of the territory of Donetsk region, the militant performed the function of "liaison" and passed on information to the Russians.

The security service promptly exposed the Russian agent in Druzhkivka, documented his criminal actions and detained him.

During the searches, his mobile phone and SIM cards, which he used to communicate with the aggressor, were seized.

On the basis of the collected evidence, the investigators of the Security Service informed the detainee of the suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (treason committed under martial law).

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

The investigation was conducted by SBU employees in Donetsk and Luhansk regions under the procedural guidance of the Donetsk regional prosecutor's office.

quote:

Exclusive-The identities of Wagner mercenaries lost in a Mali ambush revealed
Among the dozens of Wagner mercenaries presumed dead after a lethal battle with Tuareg rebels during a desert sandstorm in Mali in July were Russian war veterans who survived tours in Ukraine, Libya and Syria, according to interviews with relatives and a review of social media data.

The loss of such experienced fighters exposes dangers faced by Russian mercenary forces working for military juntas, which are struggling to contain separatists and powerful offshoots of Islamic State and Al Qaeda across the arid Sahel region in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

The Mali defeat raises doubts over whether Moscow, which has admitted funding Wagner and has absorbed many of its fighters into a defence ministry force, will do better than Western and U.N. troops recently expelled by the juntas, six officials and experts who work in the region said.

By cross-referencing public information with online posts from relatives and fighters, speaking to seven relatives and using facial recognition software to analyse battlefield footage verified by Reuters, the news agency was able to identify 23 fighters missing in action and two others taken into Tuareg captivity after the ambush near Tinzaouaten, a town on the Algerian border.The identities of Wagner mercenaries lost in a Mali ambush revealed

Several of the men had survived the siege of Bakhmut in Ukraine, which Wagner’s late founder Yevgeny Prigozhin called a “meat grinder.” Others had served in Libya, Syria and elsewhere. Some were former Russian soldiers, at least one of whom had retired after a full-length army career.

Grisly footage of dead fighters has now circulated online, and some of relatives told Reuters the bodies of their husbands and sons had been abandoned in the desert. Reuters could not confirm how many of the men it identified were dead.

SPOILER

Margarita Goncharova said her son, Vadim Evsiukov, 31, was first recruited in prison where he was serving a drug-related sentence in 2022. He rose through the ranks in Ukraine to lead a platoon of 500 men, she said. After coming home, he worked as a tailor but struggled with survivor’s guilt and secretly travelled to Africa in April to join his former commander, she said.

“He wanted to fly to Africa many times. I discouraged him as much as I could,” Goncharova said in an interview with Reuters. “I told him ‘fate has given you a once-in-a-million chance. You can start your life again, you’ve won such a crazy lottery’.”

The Russian Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Wagner did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

After Prigozhin died in August last year, Wagner employees were invited to join a newly created group called the Africa Corps, under the defence ministry, “to fight for justice and the interests of Russia,” according to the Africa Corps channel on social-media platform Telegram.

On the channel, Africa Corps says about half its personnel are former Wagner employees who it allows to use Wagner insignia. Wagner’s social media channels remain active.

The Russian government has not publicly commented on the Tinzaouaten battle.

Mali’s armed forces-led government said the defeat had no impact on its goals. The Malian Armed Forces “are committed to restoring the authority of the state throughout the country,” army spokesman Colonel Major Souleymane Dembele told Reuters.

Wagner has acknowledged heavy losses in the Mali ambush but gave no figure. The Malian army, which fought alongside the Russians, also did not give a toll. Tuareg rebels, who are fighting for an independent homeland, said they had killed 84 Russians and 47 Malians.

Reuters could not independently establish how many were killed in battle. One video, out of more than 20 sent to Reuters by a Tuareg rebel spokesman, showed at least 47 bodies, mostly white men, in military-style uniforms lying in the desert. Reuters verified the location and date of the video.

Mikhail Zvinchuk, a prominent blogger close to the Russian defence ministry, said on social media platform RuTube in August that the defeat showed Wagner fighters who arrived from Ukraine had underestimated the rebels and the Al Qaeda fighters.

MISSING IN ACTION
Wagner-linked Telegram accounts named two of the dead as Nikita Fedyakin, the administrator of The Grey Zone, a popular Wagner-focused Telegram channel with over half a million subscribers, and Sergei Shevchenko, who the accounts described as the unit commander. Reuters could not verify the identity of Shevchenko.

Reuters separately identified 23 Wagner operators missing in Mali via relatives who posted in an official Wagner Telegram chat group, checking the names against social media accounts, publicly available data and facial recognition software. All the relatives received calls from Wagner recruiters on Aug. 6 to notify them their men were missing in action, they said in the chat group.

Lyubov Bazhenova told Reuters she had no idea her son Vladimir Akimov, 25, who had briefly served in Russia’s elite airborne forces as a conscript, had signed up. She was angry with Wagner for sharing no further information about his fate or the whereabouts of his body. She said letters to the prosecutor’s office, defence ministry and foreign ministry had gone unanswered.

Facial-recognition software was used to identify another two men captured by Tuareg fighters, based on photographs and videos of the ambush site published by Tuareg sources. The Tuareg rebels posted videos and photos of the two captives on social media. Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesman for the rebel alliance, confirmed the men were in rebel captivity as of late August.

One of the missing fighters, Alexei Kuzekmaev, 47, had no military experience, his wife Lyudmila Kuzekmaeva told Reuters.

“Neither my hysterics, nor tears, nor persuasion – nothing helped. He just confronted me a month before he left home. He said ‘I bought a ticket and will be leaving.’”

Among the most experienced men was Alexander Lazarev, 48, a Russian army veteran who served in wars against Chechen separatists in the 1990s and 2000s, according to his wife’s posts in the Wagner channel.

She declined to comment. Lazarev appears in many photos on the Russian Facebook equivalent VKontakte wearing military uniform, with symbols linked to several army subdivisions.

PARASTATAL MERCENARY FORCE
Democratic governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger were overthrown in a series of coups since 2020 driven by anger with corrupt leaders and a near decade of failed Western efforts to fight insurgencies that have killed thousands and displaced millions.

The military juntas have kicked out French and U.S. troops and U.N. peacekeepers.

In Africa, Wagner emerged in Sudan in 2017 as the deniable face of Russian operations. Its enterprises soon ranged from protecting African coup leaders to gold mining and fighting jihadists. Wagner is also active in Central African Republic. It first appeared in Mali in late 2021.

Wagner’s fortunes rose and fell last year. In May, the group led Russia to its first significant Ukrainian battlefield victory in almost a year with the capture of Bakhmut. But after his criticism of Russian military leaders and his effort to lead a rebellion weeks after the Bakhmut victory, Prigozhin died in a fiery plane crash in August. The Kremlin has rejected as an “absolute lie” U.S. officials’ claim that Putin had Prigozhin killed.

Eric Whitaker, the top U.S. envoy to Burkina Faso until retiring in June, who previously served in Niger, Mali and Chad, said the Putin administration has achieved complete control over the Wagner brand in the post-Prigozhin era.

“Africa Corps earns (the Russian government) hard-currency payments from host governments for its services and also gains a significant sources of revenue from gold derived from its activities in the Sahel,” he said.

Russian mercenary activity soared in Mali after Africa Corps was formed, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a U.S.-based crisis-monitoring group. Based on media reports and social media documenting, the data shows violent events linked to Russian mercenaries rose 81% and reported civilian fatalities rose 65% over the past year, compared to the year before Prigozhin’s death.

Wagner does not publish recruitment figures. Jędrzej Czerep, an analyst at Warsaw-based think tank Polish Institute of International Affairs, estimated that around 6,000 Russian mercenaries serve in Africa, while three diplomatic sources said about 1,500-2,000 were in Mali.

“When Africa Corps started to promote and recruit, they were flooded with applications,” said Czerep.

“Being sent to one of the African missions was seen as far safer than Ukraine,” he said.

Tuareg spokesman Ramadane said the rebel alliance was preparing for more clashes.

Further losses could eventually drive Russia out, said Tibor Nagy, the top U.S. envoy to Africa in 2019, when Wagner withdrew from northern Mozambique months after around a dozen of its men were killed during a conflict with an Islamic State affiliate.

“They were out of there very quickly,” said Nagy.

Wagner has not publicly commented on its plans in Mali.

quote:

On board a lifesaving hospital train bringing Ukraine’s wounded soldiers to safety
Olga is running around the intensive care unit, constantly checking her patients’ oxygen levels, adjusting their medication and noting their vitals. She’s working fast, but even at her busiest, the nurse anesthetist doesn’t hesitate to pause to adjust a pillow or blanket, and make sure the injured soldiers in her care are as comfortable as possible amid the constant rocking and rumbling.

A sergeant in the Ukrainian military, she is attending to some of its sickest patients. It’s a busy job – and she is doing it on a speeding train.

CNN gained exclusive access to a medical evacuation train used by the Ukrainian army to transport the wounded from near the frontlines to hospitals around this large country. This infirmary on wheels – one of several crisscrossing the nation – is now a key part of Ukraine’s healthcare system, which has been highly depleted by two and half years of Russia’s brutal war. It is operating in complete secrecy, which is why CNN is not revealing its route or identifying its staff by their full names.

Most cities in eastern Ukraine are struggling to find enough hospital beds to accommodate the almost constant stream of casualties from the frontlines. But freeing up space requires that even the sickest patients, many of them unconscious, are transferred to far-flung places, often hundreds of miles away.

Long ambulance journeys are too risky for people in a critical condition, and flying a helicopter is too dangerous given Russia’s air superiority over Ukrainian skies.

The train is a lifesaver.

SPOILER

<sup>In the hospital on wheels, every procedure brings unique challenges. Ivana Kottasova/CNN


The evacuation train transports wounded soldiers from the frontlines to hospitals across Ukraine.</sup>

“We can do almost everything here. It’s a fully-fledged intensive care unit,” Oleksandr, who is a captain of the Ukrainian Medical Forces and the train’s chief resident, told CNN.

He explained that his field – combat medicine – mostly involves stabilizing and evacuating patients to safety, rather than carrying out treatment. His work on the train is just one part of a medical chain that starts the moment a soldier is wounded.

“The most difficult part is evacuation from the frontline,” he said. “Combat medics who work on the front are dying just like soldiers.”

Running an ICU unit on a moving train is a herculean task that involves dozens of people and presents a unique set of challenges.

Oleksandr said the vast majority of his patients, some 90%, have suffered multiple shrapnel injuries. Many have had amputations, and several are intubated, alive thanks to ventilators and other life-support machines. All have numbers written on their hands showing which car of the long evacuation train they need to travel on.

“We are very limited in our capabilities here… If something happens, I cannot call an outside consultant,” he said.

“There may be minor operations, to stop bleeding. We cannot perform abdominal… and chest surgeries. We have to be very careful when selecting the patients,” he added.

Yevgeniy was severely wounded in a drone attack just two days before he was selected for evacuation on the ICU unit of the train.

He suffered multiple shrapnel injuries. His head was bandaged and two huge scars on his chest and stomach were covered with fresh dressings. Breathing with the aid of an oxygen nasal cannula, Yevgeniy told CNN he was the lucky one, as the only survivor from the attack near Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. He said he wasn’t going to tell his family about his injuries until he was feeling better.

^{Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr said he was injured by shrapnel and lost hearing in one ear after a Russian drone attack. Ivana Kottasova/CNN}

Ukraine’s most important train
The railway hospital is an example of the kind of Ukrainian ingenuity that impressed the world in the early months of this conflict.

Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, the CEO of passenger operations at Ukrainian Railways, told CNN that Ukraine did not have any medical railcars when Russia launched its full-scale invasion on the country in February 2022.

“So what we saw is that the wounded soldiers were physically just forced through the windows (of regular trains). And we said something has to be done about that… and started retrofitting our regular railcars that in peaceful days would just bring tourists to the Carpathian Mountains,” he told CNN after overseeing the arrival of one of the medical trains.

To limit rocking, the vehicle travels at about 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour, which is about half the speed of a regular train. It also has priority over everyone else – including any special VIP trains carrying foreign dignitaries.

Even so, the ICU unit is constantly shaking. Every piece of equipment, every bed and every beeping machine needs to be anchored to the floor and the staff must take extra care when working on the patients.

<sup>The railway hospital is an example of the kind of Ukrainian ingenuity that impressed the world in the early months of this conflict. CNN has blurred part of this image for security reasons. Ivana Kottasova/CNN


The train provides a small window into the brutal cost of war. Ivana Kottasova/CNN</sup>

Ambulance trains were first used during the Crimean War in the 1850s, but they have come a long way since then. The modern Ukrainian versions come equipped with ventilators, life support machines, ultrasound scanners and portable air conditioners that help maintain stable temperatures even on the hottest days.

Each carriage is a self-sustained unit powered by generators – an important safety feature given the frequent Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Pertsovskyi said.

But it is the little touches that make these trains truly special.

Children’s drawings and Ukrainian flags are on display in every car, offering some comfort to the bruised and battered passengers. The blind brackets on every window are shaped as a trident, the country’s national symbol, placed deliberately in the eyeline of soldiers lying in their beds.

A tale of two deployments
The train provides a small window into the brutal cost of war. Experienced warriors and new recruits are traveling together, united by injury and pain.

Sitting quietly on his bed Oleksandr looked tired even before the long journey began. He told CNN he was hurt in a Russian drone strike.

“They dropped a grenade. I was stunned. I have shrapnel in my hands, on my shoulders and on my back,” he said, adding that the blast wave damaged his hearing.

An electrician and a father of two, the 35-year-old was mobilized 18 months ago and was serving as an anti-tank gunner in an infantry battalion in the Donetsk region. In all that time, he has spent just 45 days away from the frontlines.

“Morale is high, but people are very tired,” he said with a blank stare, as the train kept chugging along.

“At this point you realize that everything depends not on you, but on God. Or on luck. When the bombs fall, there is not much you can do about it.”

It was a sobering assessment from a man with the callsign “Positive.”

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has long admitted that the military is struggling to replenish its ranks, leaving exhausted soldiers without a chance to rest.

At a news conference last month, Zelensky said this effort to recruit more soldiers was gathering steam. “Some rotations have started. I can’t call it fundamental rotations yet, to be honest. But it’s a start, and that’s very important,” he said.

The fatigue is affecting frontline morale. CNN recently spoke with multiple Ukrainian commanders and officers who said desertion and insubordination is becoming a growing problem, especially among new recruits.

Sitting just a few beds away from Oleksandr was Stanislav, who enlisted voluntarily just three months ago. He was also wounded by a drone that dropped into his trench, leaving him with a punctured lung, broken ribs and other injuries.

Yet Stanislav appeared in a completely different state of mind to Oleksandr. “After I was wounded, my spirits didn’t dim. I got more motivated,” he told CNN with a smile.

Wearing a sports jersey and shorts, he was adamant Ukraine would win the war, despite being outnumbered and outgunned by Russia.

“They use quantity, and we use quality,” he said.

The incredible price of war
Nearly nine hours into its journey, the hospital train finally pulled into a railway station in one of Ukraine’s cities. In the darkness of the night, a long line of ambulances was awaiting the patients. The train’s voyage was over, but their road to recovery was only starting. Some will likely never fully recover.

Olga, the ICU nurse, was getting ready to hand her patients over to the medics on the platform. Her job was done for the day.

She joined the military as a civilian nurse in 2015, a year after the conflict between Russian-backed separatists and Ukraine started in the eastern parts of the country, and Crimea was illegally annexed by the Kremlin. She enlisted in the military in 2016 and – except for a short break in 2022 – has served ever since.

After her shift ended, she told CNN that seeing critically ill patients coming from the frontlines is the toughest part of her job.

^{Olga is a nurse anesthetist and a sergeant in Ukraine’s military who works in the train's ICU unit. Ivana Kottasova/CNN}

“But we have the opportunity to provide much-needed help to our defenders 24/7, and that’s the best part.”

When the ambulances departed and the train left the station, Pertsovskyi, the railway chief, was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. The medical train is thought to be a major target for Moscow and there have recently been several strikes targeting the vicinity of railway stations and other infrastructure.

Standing on the platform, just hours after he saw a train full of new recruits headed in the opposite direction, he reflected on the brutality of the conflict.

“In the morning, I see these kids who are saying goodbye to their dads who are heading towards the frontlines,” he said. “So, seeing those same guys coming back… unconscious or with amputations, it feels like the price of the war is incredible. It’s a conveyor belt.”

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:31 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.watson.ch/int(...)mehr-aus-der-schweiz
[..]

SPOILER

Letter explains German “Lex Switzerland”
A short time later, a letter from Germany to the Federal Office for Armaments (Armasuisse) provided clarity, which was reported on by "Le Temps". The Federal Office, which is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Defense, announced that it wanted to avoid an effect similar to that of the ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank when procuring the weapons. A production facility in the EFTA states was deliberately ruled out. The multispectral camouflage equipment was one of the key technologies for the Bundeswehr. In addition, it must be possible to pass it on to a partner country in the event of war.

The German Federal Office's letter referred to the squabble between Germany and Switzerland over 12,000 rounds for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank. Germany wanted to pass them on to Ukraine. It had bought them in Switzerland and needed the country's blessing because of a non-re-export declaration. The country said no for reasons of neutrality.

The letter is proof that there is a "Lex Switzerland" in Germany: The country no longer buys arms products from Switzerland. Armaments chief Urs Loher put it bluntly in "Le Temps": "Germany no longer trusts Switzerland. In the German parliament, for example, 'Swiss Free' is apparently used in the same breath as 'China Free'."

The Dutch parliament has already decided not to buy any more military equipment from Switzerland. Similar considerations are also being made in Denmark and Spain. The VBS is not yet clear whether the German letter is a warning shot or just the beginning.

Citizens blame themselves
The situation is causing the bourgeois parties to blame each other. "We are in the process of definitively destroying the Swiss arms industry," says FDP President Thierry Burkart. The left has been working towards this for decades by tightening the War Material Act. "The SVP is now the executor of this law because it is preventing the transfer of arms from European states to Ukraine by misinterpreting our neutrality."

In 2022, Burkart submitted a motion demanding that a non-re-export declaration be waived entirely if the delivery is made to states that are committed to our values. "It has nothing to do with neutrality if other countries want to support each other with weapons that they bought in Switzerland years ago."

The SVP is passing the hot potato on to the centre. "The damage was caused by the tightening of the War Material Act," says President Marcel Dettling. "The centre is to blame for this with its back and forth: it tightened the law with the left, but wanted to go back after the war broke out." Without the tightening, the export authority would have remained with the Federal Council. "This policy lacks longevity."

The SVP was against tightening the law, but then did not want to make an exception for Ukraine because it was not prepared to deliver to war zones. "Now we are offering to ensure that countries that have bought military equipment in Switzerland are allowed to export it again after a period of five years."

The center is holding the government accountable. "The Federal Council can, on its own initiative, authorize the export of weapons purchased in Switzerland to other countries, based on Articles 184 and 185 of the Federal Constitution," says President Gerhard Pfister. "The general tightening of the arms export law still allows this. But the SVP-FDP Federal Council does not want to do this." And Parliament has so far not succeeded in finding a solution that can gain a majority.

Pfister counters the SVP accusation with a counter question: "Why is it now opposing the delivery of protective vests on grounds of neutrality, but wants to allow the re-export of weapons?"

The Swiss company now wants to produce in an EU country. (aargauerzeitung.ch/lyn)

Nadat Nederland blijkbaar aangegeven heeft geen Zwitserse wapens en zo meer te willen kopen is Duitsland de volgende. Ook Spanje en Denemarken zijn dit aan het overwegen.

Allemaal het gevolg van Zwitserland zijn neutraliteit en daardoor de weigering om toestemming te geven om wapens en zo van hun te mogen leveren aan Oekra�ne.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:54 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 22:31 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.watson.ch/int(...)mehr-aus-der-schweiz
[..]

SPOILER

Letter explains German “Lex Switzerland”
A short time later, a letter from Germany to the Federal Office for Armaments (Armasuisse) provided clarity, which was reported on by "Le Temps". The Federal Office, which is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Defense, announced that it wanted to avoid an effect similar to that of the ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank when procuring the weapons. A production facility in the EFTA states was deliberately ruled out. The multispectral camouflage equipment was one of the key technologies for the Bundeswehr. In addition, it must be possible to pass it on to a partner country in the event of war.

The German Federal Office's letter referred to the squabble between Germany and Switzerland over 12,000 rounds for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank. Germany wanted to pass them on to Ukraine. It had bought them in Switzerland and needed the country's blessing because of a non-re-export declaration. The country said no for reasons of neutrality.

The letter is proof that there is a "Lex Switzerland" in Germany: The country no longer buys arms products from Switzerland. Armaments chief Urs Loher put it bluntly in "Le Temps": "Germany no longer trusts Switzerland. In the German parliament, for example, 'Swiss Free' is apparently used in the same breath as 'China Free'."

The Dutch parliament has already decided not to buy any more military equipment from Switzerland. Similar considerations are also being made in Denmark and Spain. The VBS is not yet clear whether the German letter is a warning shot or just the beginning.

Citizens blame themselves
The situation is causing the bourgeois parties to blame each other. "We are in the process of definitively destroying the Swiss arms industry," says FDP President Thierry Burkart. The left has been working towards this for decades by tightening the War Material Act. "The SVP is now the executor of this law because it is preventing the transfer of arms from European states to Ukraine by misinterpreting our neutrality."

In 2022, Burkart submitted a motion demanding that a non-re-export declaration be waived entirely if the delivery is made to states that are committed to our values. "It has nothing to do with neutrality if other countries want to support each other with weapons that they bought in Switzerland years ago."

The SVP is passing the hot potato on to the centre. "The damage was caused by the tightening of the War Material Act," says President Marcel Dettling. "The centre is to blame for this with its back and forth: it tightened the law with the left, but wanted to go back after the war broke out." Without the tightening, the export authority would have remained with the Federal Council. "This policy lacks longevity."

The SVP was against tightening the law, but then did not want to make an exception for Ukraine because it was not prepared to deliver to war zones. "Now we are offering to ensure that countries that have bought military equipment in Switzerland are allowed to export it again after a period of five years."

The center is holding the government accountable. "The Federal Council can, on its own initiative, authorize the export of weapons purchased in Switzerland to other countries, based on Articles 184 and 185 of the Federal Constitution," says President Gerhard Pfister. "The general tightening of the arms export law still allows this. But the SVP-FDP Federal Council does not want to do this." And Parliament has so far not succeeded in finding a solution that can gain a majority.

Pfister counters the SVP accusation with a counter question: "Why is it now opposing the delivery of protective vests on grounds of neutrality, but wants to allow the re-export of weapons?"

The Swiss company now wants to produce in an EU country. (aargauerzeitung.ch/lyn)

Nadat Nederland blijkbaar aangegeven heeft geen Zwitserse wapens en zo meer te willen kopen is Duitsland de volgende. Ook Spanje en Denemarken zijn dit aan het overwegen.

Allemaal het gevolg van Zwitserland zijn neutraliteit en daardoor de weigering om toestemming te geven om wapens en zo van hun te mogen leveren aan Oekra�ne.

quote:

Op woensdag 11 september 2024 23:49 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Drones hebben dan ook een klein radar reflecterend oppervlak. Dus wat dat betreft kun je die prima vergelijken met LO kisten.
[..]
Ze zullen niet verder vliegen dan de Russische luverd reikt. Op het moment dat er bv een S300 met een range van 200km 100 km van de FLOT staat dan zal de F16 de FLET tot 100km naderen.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 09:42 schreef Idisrom het volgende:
Ho ho, Zelenski. Scholz kan best wel een vredesplan maken, zonder vooraf goedkeuring van jou.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 09:42 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
Ho ho, Zelenski. Scholz kan best wel een vredesplan maken, zonder vooraf goedkeuring van jou.
Je kunt daarna als Oekra�ne onderhandelen over de punten van zo'n vredesvoorstel.
In mijn beleving ging het ook zo in januari 1973 met de Parijse vredesonderhandelingen over Vietnam. Frankrijk was toen ook geen direct betrokken partij, en de Amerikanen moesten toen heel wat van hun oorspronkelijke eisen laten vallen.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 10:52 schreef koffiekoekjes het volgende:
Dat hele Kursk avontuur lijkt ook einde

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 10:54 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
oh?

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 10:57 schreef koffiekoekjes het volgende:

[..]
Het front stond daar al een tijdje stil, nu beginnen de Russen stukken terug in te nemen dus zal het niet lang meer duren voordat ze de rest ook binnen hebben.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 10:57 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Ja die hebben we eerder gehoord

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 10:58 schreef koffiekoekjes het volgende:

[..]
Niveautje weer hier.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 10:52 schreef koffiekoekjes het volgende:
Dat hele Kursk avontuur lijkt ook einde verhaal en dat terwijl de Russen ten noordwesten van Donetsk gewoon nog doorstoten op meerdere fronten. Lekker kansloos...Een hoop hardware en troepen er tegenaan gegooid en uiteindelijk hebben ze er niks aan, ze hadden beter met drones dezelfde schaden kunnen richten.

Ben benieuwd of de Russen het gaan aandurven richting Sumy te trekken als ze de grens bereiken.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 11:01 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Ja het is idd niet best. Heb je bronnen oid? Of zuig je het uit je duim

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 11:04 schreef koffiekoekjes het volgende:

[..]
Als je geen mapjes er bij kan pakken zeg dan niks

Situatie Kursk 20 augustus
[ afbeelding ]

Situatie Kursk 27 augustus
[ afbeelding ]

Situatie Kursk 4 september
[ afbeelding ]

Situatie Kursk 11 september
[ afbeelding ]

Bron: https://map.ukrdailyupdate.com/

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 11:01 schreef zuchtje het volgende:

[..]
Ze hebben er wel iets aan gehad, maar dat is lastig meetbaar. Oorlog is meer dan het aantal m2 dat je van elkaar afpakt.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 11:06 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Dus jij post wat. Zonder enige uitleg. En dan moet ik zelf maar naar bronnen gaan zoeken voor wat je zegt? Zo werkt het niet

Maar dankjewel. Had dit bij je eerste post er bij gedaan en dan komen we ergens.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 11:08 schreef koffiekoekjes het volgende:

[..]
In de bron heb je een mooi overzicht met linkjes, neem ze eens door zou ik zeggen.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 10:58 schreef koffiekoekjes het volgende:

[..]
Niveautje weer hier.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 11:07 schreef koffiekoekjes het volgende:

[..]
Het gaat dan ook niet om de m2 maar om de hardware en troepen die ze daar zijn verloren. Zeker als je ziet dat Oekra�ne moeite heeft met het vinden van troepen.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 11:07 schreef koffiekoekjes het volgende:

[..]
Het gaat dan ook niet om de m2 maar om de hardware en troepen die ze daar zijn verloren. Zeker als je ziet dat Oekra�ne moeite heeft met het vinden van troepen.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 11:30 schreef LXIV het volgende:

[..]
Ik denk dat ze hoopten dat Rusland troepen uit Donetz terug zou trekken om daar in te zetten. De zogeheten 'divisionary attack'. Of in goed Duits: de Ablenkungsangriff.
Daar is Rusland niet ingetrapt, waardoor Oekraine het nu weer loslaat. Je hebt helemaal niks aan m2 inderdaad. Het kost enkel capaciteit om dat vast te houden en levert dus niks op eigenlijk

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 10:23 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Het lijkt me dat hun OK al in Kyiv ligt. En die van Frankrijk ook.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 12:11 schreef AFA2022 het volgende:
De rode lijnen worden steeds verschoven, Oekraine mag zelfs doelen in Rusland nu raken van het Westen etc...en ja heb nog geen nuke van de Russen rond zien vliegen.
Denken jullie dat er een moment komt dat het Westen ook met boots on the ground zal komen, mocht Oekraine aan het verliezen zijn?

quote:

NAVO worstelt met reactie op Russische drones die luchtruim schenden

quote:

Landen die grenzen aan Rusland en Oekra�ne overwegen steeds nadrukkelijker om Russische drones en raketten uit de lucht te schieten. Roemeni� is bezig met een wetsvoorstel dat het makkelijker moet maken om in vredestijd toch de luchtafweer in te zetten tegen drones en raketten.

Polen en Oekra�ne werken aan een plan om dit al boven Oekra�ens grondgebied te kunnen doen. De Poolse minister van Buitenlandse Zaken zei onlangs in een interview met The Financial Times dat Polen de plicht heeft om het eigen luchtruim te verdedigen en deze Russische wapens preventief uit de lucht te schieten boven Oekra�ne. Al benadrukte de Poolse regering dat dit nog niet het offici�le standpunt van het land is.

Binnen de NAVO zijn ze zeker nog niet zover. Voor de grote landen is dit vooralsnog een rode lijn, is achter de schermen te horen, omdat het een te groot risico op directe confrontatie met Rusland zou opleveren. Maar sinds het begin van de oorlog in Oekra�ne is gebleken dat rode lijnen flu�de zijn. "Op politiek niveau blijft het Westen terughoudend, omdat de bondgenoten Poetin geen mogelijkheid willen bieden om verder te escaleren", zegt Mateiu. "Maar ik denk dat dit moment uiteindelijk wel zal komen."

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 12:11 schreef AFA2022 het volgende:
De rode lijnen worden steeds verschoven, Oekraine mag zelfs doelen in Rusland nu raken van het Westen etc...en ja heb nog geen nuke van de Russen rond zien vliegen.
Denken jullie dat er een moment komt dat het Westen ook met boots on the ground zal komen, mocht Oekraine aan het verliezen zijn?

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 12:11 schreef AFA2022 het volgende:
De rode lijnen worden steeds verschoven, Oekraine mag zelfs doelen in Rusland nu raken van het Westen etc...en ja heb nog geen nuke van de Russen rond zien vliegen.
Denken jullie dat er een moment komt dat het Westen ook met boots on the ground zal komen, mocht Oekraine aan het verliezen zijn?

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 10:57 schreef koffiekoekjes het volgende:

[..]
Het front stond daar al een tijdje stil, nu beginnen de Russen stukken terug in te nemen dus zal het niet lang meer duren voordat ze de rest ook binnen hebben.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 12:27 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Boots on the ground is vanuit westers perspectief een red line. Als in, dan heb je ineens een heel ander verhaal uit te leggen aan je volk. Vooralsnog is dit een qua investering (in Euro's en belangrijker, mensenlevens) een verrekte goedkope manier om het Russische leger een paar decennia terug te zetten. Want er wordt met name afgeschreven voorraad heen gestuurd en de paar Europese mensenlevens die er sneuvelen zijn er vrijwillig heen gegaan. Dat wordt qua Euro's en mensenlevens een heel ander verhaal bij boots on the ground.

Het Westen kan m.i. het beste 1 ding doen en dat is de sluizen open zetten qua bevoorrading van het leger daar, zonder enige gebruiksbeperking ten oosten van Oekra�ne. Ik denk dat Oekra�ne met dat scenario een heel eind komt met het uitdrijven van de Russen.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 09:44 schreef icecreamfarmer_NL het volgende:

[..]
Ja logisch. Wel wapens verkopen maar ze vervolgens niet mogen inzetten. Daar heb je niets aan.

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 18:45 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]

quote:

Het Iraanse ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken heeft de Nederlandse ambassadeur in Teheran op het matje geroepen vanwege beschuldigingen dat Iran ballistische raketten zou hebben geleverd aan Rusland. Dat meldt de Iraanse justitiewebsite Mizan. Ook de ambassadeurs van Duitsland, Frankrijk en het VK zijn ontboden.

De Amerikaanse minister van Buitenlandse Zaken Blinken beschuldigde Iran er eerder deze week van korteafstandsraketten te hebben geleverd aan Rusland. Iran ontkent. Duitsland, Frankrijk en het VK kondigden desondanks sancties aan tegen Iran en Nederland voegde zich daar gisteren bij.

quote:

Russian Drone Strike on Konotop, Sumy Region, Injures at Least 13 People

^{Russian drone strike on Konotop, Sumy Region, September 12, 2024. (Source: State Emergency Services)}

On the night of September 12, Russian forces launched a massive airstrike targeting energy and civil infrastructure in the Konotop, Sumy region, resulting in widespread damage and injuries.

The Russian attack involved the use of Shahed-type UAVs, which were directed at various targets, including residential buildings, educational facilities, and medical institutions. As a result of the strike, 13 people sustained injuries of varying severity.

Many medical, educational, and residential buildings sustained damage, mainly broken windows.

Hospitals remain operational. Two men have been hospitalized, one of whom is in critical condition and in a coma. The man in a coma had been attempting to save others at the time of the strike.

The energy infrastructure in Konotop has been severely damaged, leading to a critical situation with electricity supply, according to the Military administration of the Sumy region.

SPOILER

^{A section of the tram track in Kinotop city center was destroyed, resulting in limited tram services. (Source: Artem Seminikhin / Facebook)}

Energy workers are working to restore power to essential services such as hospitals and the water supply.

“I hope that we managed to evacuate all the residents from their homes,” Mayor Artem Semenikhin said.

“Now we are launching backup power sources to supply the network with water, because there is not enough water to extinguish the fires.”

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Op donderdag 12 september 2024 18:45 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
[ x ]

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Russian woman serving 12-year prison sentence for ‘treason’ says security forces stole her cat

^{Nina Slobodchikova and her cat. Photo: Instagram}

A Russian programmer who was sentenced to 12 years in prison in June for “treason” after she was found guilty of transferring 5,000 rubles (�50) to a Ukrainian blogger has accused the Russian security forces of stealing her cat in an interview with independent news outlet Mediazona on Tuesday.

According to Nina Slobodchikova, her arresting officers in Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) promised to take care of her pedigree Scottish Fold cat while she was taken into detention, but ended up stealing him instead.

“They said they could not leave him alone in an empty apartment, and promised to hand him over to my relatives or friends at my request. But they didn’t keep their word,” Slobodchikova told Mediazona.

The 37-year-old programmer also said that the security forces had prevented a lawyer from visiting her in detention, did not allow her to send letters to friends and family, and illegally sealed off her apartment, forbidding her parents from entering it.

Explaining her decision to transfer the money, Slobodchikova told Mediazona that she had “transferred the money because I couldn’t not transfer it. At that moment, it seemed the only thing I could do to cope with the helplessness and guilt.”

“I saw this transfer as humanitarian aid. I understood there could be consequences if the situation worsened. But I thought it would be limited to a fine. Of course, I didn’t expect a treason case and a 12-year prison sentence.”

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Russia receives new Su-57 and Su-35S fighter jets

^{Su-57 fighter jet for the Russian Aerospace Force. September 2024. Photo: UAC}

The Russian Aerospace Forces has received a batch of modern Su-57 and Su-35S fighter jets.

The Russian United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) stated that the aircraft had already completed an entire cycle of factory tests and were tested by military pilots in various operating modes.

Judging by the published photos and videos, this refers to 2-3 Su-57 fighter jets. At the same time, Su-35S aircraft were not shown at all, so their number is unknown.

The manufacturer noted that the new combat aircraft flew to the base airfield.

The UAC also stated that the Su-57 fighter jet manufacturing plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur is updating its production line.

SPOILER

^{Su-57 for the Russian Aerospace Force. September 2024. Photo: UAC}

Construction and installation work on the new facilities of the flight test station has now been completed.

^{Su-57 for the Russian Aerospace Force. September 2024. Photo: UAC}

To expand the serial production of the Su-57, the construction of an additional building has begun, where the systems of these aircraft will be tested.

Russian Su-57 fighter jets are carriers of Kh-69 cruise missiles, which the invaders have recently begun to use more actively against Ukraine to hit various ground targets.

^{Satellite images of the damaged Su-57 fighter jet at the Akhtubinsk air base. June 2024. Photo credits: DIU}

In June, Russia acknowledged that Ukrainian drones had hit two of the latest Su-57 fighter jets at the Akhtubinsk air base in Astrakhan Oblast. The strike on the airbase of the aggressor country was carried out on June 8.

Su-57
The Su-57 was developed by the Sukhoi Company (part of the UAC) and is manufactured at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant (KnAAZ). It is a multi-role fighter aircraft considered to be the fifth generation in Russia. Its development was launched in the early 2000s, and its first flight was on January 29, 2010.

^{Su-57 fighter jet for the Russian Aerospace Force. September 2024. Photo: UAC}

At the end of 2020, Russia received its first Su-57 fighter jet. The aircraft with tail number 01 entered service with one of the air regiments of the Southern Military District of Russia.

It should be noted that in December 2019, the first production Su-57 fighter jet crashed in the Khabarovsk Krai. The incident occurred 11 km from the Dzemgi airfield. It was the first crash of this type of fighter jet. At the time, the aircraft had not yet been delivered to the military.

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Op donderdag 12 september 2024 13:25 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
Ik zag vanmorgen bij Military Summary een interessante analyse.
Aan de ene kant lijken de Russen weer terrein te heroveren aan de westkant van het door Oekra�ne veroverde gebied in Koersk.
Aan de andere kant denken de Oekra�ners dat daar de zwakke plek zit in de Russische verdediging. Ze proberen vanuit Obody (net aan de Oekra�ense kant van de grens) de grens over te steken naar de rivier Reka Seym, en dan richting Snagost om de Russen in te sluiten ten zuiden van die rivier. De Oekra�ners bombarderen al weken lang de bruggen en pontons over deze rivier plat, om de Russische toevoer naar ten zuiden van die rivier te blokkeren.

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Ukraine forces blow up railway in Russia's Belgorod region, paralyzing traffic – source
A train providing logistical support for Russian military personnel was damaged in the operation

^{Belgorod Oblast (Photo taken from the occupiers' media sources)}

On September 10, Ukrainian forces mined and detonated a section of the Stary Oskol – Valuyki railway in Russia's Belgorod region, as reported by a LIGA.net source in Ukrainian intelligence.

According to the source, the occupants' railroad explosion was a joint operation of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

As a result of the operation, a freight train supplying the logistical needs of Russian military personnel was damaged. After the explosion on the railway track, 11 cars and the locomotive of the freight train derailed and overturned.

The railway artery is paralyzed, and some trains have been canceled, the source said.

SPOILER

<sup>Photo: propaganda Telegram channel Baza


Photo: propaganda Telegram channel Baza


Photo: propaganda Telegram channel Baza


Photo: propaganda Telegram channel Baza


Photo: propaganda Telegram channel Baza</sup>

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Ukrainian Air Force receives unit operations centers from the Come Back Alive Foundation

^{The unit operations centers for the Ukrainian Air Force. September 2024. Photo credits: The Come Back Alive Foundation}

The Ukrainian Air Force received two unit operations centers to strengthen air defense.

The Come Back Alive Foundation donated them.

The unit operations centers were purchased with funds raised together with the Ribas Hotels chain as part of the “Love? Donate!” initiative.

These unit operations centers are designed specifically for the needs of Ukrainian defenders.

Within the project framework, the Foundation was able to purchase two such unit operations centers worth more than UAH 17,000,000, of which more than UAH 15 million was raised through the “Love? Donate!” initiative.

SPOILER

^{The unit operations centers for the Ukrainian Air Force. September 2024. Photo credits: The Come Back Alive Foundation}

The Foundation noted that these unit operations centers can speed up the response of air defense units from the moment a threat is detected to the command to destroy it from minutes to seconds. They have already been transferred to the soldiers of the Air Command “South” of the Ukrainian Air Force.

“Thanks to their mobility and complete energy and thermal independence, the unit operations centers are able to accompany air defense units in any circumstances and weather conditions. The unit operations centers receive information about the danger from the air and transmit it to them in seconds,” Oleh Karpenko, Deputy Director of the Come Back Alive Foundation, reported.

He noted that these are some of the main vehicles of air defense divisions, as no task can be performed without communication.

The last time, the Foundation transferred 10 unit operations centers to the Ukrainian Air Force to strengthen its air defense capabilities.

The total cost of the ten units is UAH 86,703,379.

This was done within the framework of the joint project “We Live Here: Mobile Communication Systems for Air Defense.”

^{Electronic warfare systems and other equipment for the 10th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. September 2024. Photo credits: The Come Back Alive Foundation}

Previously, soldiers of the 10th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine received almost 100 electronic warfare (EW) systems and other equipment from the Come Back Alive Foundation.

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Op donderdag 12 september 2024 13:25 schreef Idisrom het volgende:

[..]
Ik zag vanmorgen bij Military Summary een interessante analyse.
Aan de ene kant lijken de Russen weer terrein te heroveren aan de westkant van het door Oekra�ne veroverde gebied in Koersk.
Aan de andere kant denken de Oekra�ners dat daar de zwakke plek zit in de Russische verdediging. Ze proberen vanuit Obody (net aan de Oekra�ense kant van de grens) de grens over te steken naar de rivier Reka Seym, en dan richting Snagost om de Russen in te sluiten ten zuiden van die rivier. De Oekra�ners bombarderen al weken lang de bruggen en pontons over deze rivier plat, om de Russische toevoer naar ten zuiden van die rivier te blokkeren.

De hamvraag is nu, in hoeverre Oekra�ne bereid is om voor deze slag genoeg manschappen te willen inzetten.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Zelensky wil het veroverde gebied in Koersk gebruiken als onderhandeling en als ruilmiddel. Maar ook hiervoor geldt, in hoeverre Oekra�ne bereid is om voor dit bezette gebied genoeg manschappen te willen inzetten.
Anders heeft het geen zin als drukmiddel bij onderhandelingen.

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Op donderdag 12 september 2024 19:23 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Typisch weer dat ze bij dit conflict geen schuldige aanwijzen.

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Kazakhstan is repairing Russian fighter jets to bypass sanctions

^{Su-30SM at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, 2019. Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation}

Kazakhstan’s ARC Group is servicing Russian Su-30SMs in a way that bypasses sanctions, using French Thales and Safran equipment.

InformNapalm project reported this based on the results of its investigation.

Thanks to the documents and testimonies obtained, the intelligence project managed to uncover evidence that the Russian government uses the Kazakh company ARC Group to maintain its fighter jets.

As of 2024, Russia has up to 130 units of modernized Su-30SM fighter jets equipped with French-made avionics. They include:

• SMD55S and SMD66S multifunctional displays (Thales);
• TLS2020 radio navigation and landing system (Thales);
• TACAN-NC12 radio navigation system (Thales);
• HUD 3022 indicators on the windshield background (Thales);
• SIGMA 95NAA navigation system (Safran).

These components are critically important for the Russian aircraft industry, as they have no Russian analogs. Russians need to constantly maintain this equipment to continue operating the aircraft.

Long before the full-scale invasion, Russia launched the process of import substitution, which resulted in the replacement of French HUD 3022 systems on some aircraft with the Russian equivalent, the IKSh-1KI. However, dependence on foreign components remains critical.

SPOILER

^{On-board avionics of the Russian Su-30SM, May, 2024}

After the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia allegedly lost access to French military technology and maintenance services. However, according to the documents obtained, the Russian side found the necessary channel to circumvent sanctions in the form of the Kazakh company ARC Group.

Analyst Research Consulting Group is a distributor of the French Safran Electronics & Defense. Back in October 2021, it signed the first contract with Rosaviaspetscomplect, a narrow-profile Russian company that repairs, maintains, and supplies aircraft components.

After 2022, the Kazakh company continued to provide services to the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, which maintains the Su-30SM, presenting its activities for French suppliers as an intermediary with the Kazakhstani aircraft repair plant No. 405.

According to the documents obtained, in 2024, ARC Group signed a contract with Thales AVS France SAS for the maintenance of SMD55S/SMD66S multifunctional displays and HUD3022 collimator indicators on Kazakhstani Su-30SM fighters. In particular, the company requested the following:

ILM&OLM Test Benches with 3-year support;
development and supply of the Golden LRU;
preparation and supply of technical documentation for intermediate maintenance (ILM);
preparation and conduct of ILM training in France;
installation and commissioning in Kazakhstan.

The contract contains clear export control provisions with an express prohibition to transfer any goods to the Russian Federation.

^{Draft contract between ARC Group and Thales AVS France SAS. Photo credits: InformNapalm}

Nevertheless, almost simultaneously with this agreement, on June 26, 2024, ARC Group sent a commercial offer to the Russians for consideration and registration, totaling EUR 13,826,199.26.

By a strange coincidence, this agreement contains almost the same services as the contract between Thales and the Kazakh aircraft plant.


Activities on the territory of the Russian Federation
Judging by the seized working correspondence and other data, ARC Group provided maintenance services for French equipment in Russia at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant.

In October 2022, Rosaviaviaspetscomplect fully funded the necessary training and certification of the Kazakh company’s specialists in France at the Thales training center. In particular, the training on maintenance of SMD 55S/66S and HUD at the organizational level of maintenance (OLM) was mentioned.

The Head of the ARC Group informed the Russian agency about the training dates in a letter dated December 9, 2022. He explicitly states that “between January 16 and January 20, 2023, within the framework of our company’s contract with the French company Thales, it is planned to train our specialists in the maintenance of various avionics systems.”

The same letter specifies the first timeframe for the arrival of Kazakh specialists at Russian enterprises as February 2023. That is, immediately after completing the training.

Given the scope of equipment repair and maintenance planned by the Russians, this was not a one-time visit. Subsequently, a group of specialists, mostly of this composition, started to travel to the Russian Federation to carry out repairs. For example, two months later, in April 2023, a representative of the Russian company Hrytsenko informed the ARC Group director about a new stage of equipment diagnostics in May 2023.

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World Health Organization provides Ukraine with 23 ambulances
The World Health Organization provided Ukraine with the ambulances with the support of the German government and the USAID Foundation, reported the Health Ministry.

Since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion, many countries have provided Ukraine with ambulances and other vehicles to support the country’s healthcare efforts.

Health Ministry reported that the World Health Organization provided Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Sumy regions, and others with ambulances.

On August 24, the American firefighters, at the initiative of Albuquerque Mayor Timothy Keller, handed over an operational vehicle to Kharkiv.

According to Ukraine’s government official data , since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has damaged 1,646 medical facilities and destroyed another 215. Also, Russian troops have damaged 198 ambulances, destroyed 261, and captured 125.

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The Omsktransmash tank plant on fire in Russia

^{Large-scale fire at Omsktransmash, September 12, 2024. Photo: NEXTA Live}

In Russia, the Omsktransmash tank plant, the only enterprise specializing in restoring and modernizing T-80 tanks, is on fire.

Local media published footage of the fire.

At around 12:00 a.m. local time, one of the production shops at the JSC Omsk Transport Machine Factory Omsktransmash was on fire. Local residents reported a large column of smoke visible throughout the city.

“A localized fire of roofing material occurred on the territory of the enterprise during the repair. This incident will not affect production processes. No one was injured,” the company said, confirming the fire.

SPOILER

Масштабна пожежа на «Омсктрансмаш» [12 вересня 2024]

Firefighters managed to localize the fire around 3:00 p.m. According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, the open fire was extinguished at 3:22 p.m.

Based on photos and videos taken by local residents, Militarnyi managed to geolocate the fire source. It turned out to be one of the company’s production shops.

Satellite images of this building show tank hulls brought from the sumps, most likely of the T-80B series, which Omsktransmash specializes in.

Formerly a powerful Soviet-era tank-building enterprise, today, Omsktransmash has lost some of its competencies and is currently overhauling and modernizing tanks and producing TOS-1A Solntsepyok flamethrower systems.

^{The workshop of the Omsktransmash enterprise, where the fire allegedly broke out. Photo credits: Google Earth}

Restoration of Omsktransmash
Last September, Militarnyi reported that the Russian concern Uralvagonzavod is working on setting up production of Soviet Т-80 series tanks from scratch.

The production is planned to be established on the basis of the Omsktransmash armored plant, which in Soviet times manufactured tanks of the Т-80 series. Since 2017, the company has been overhauling tanks returned from storage bases and upgrading them to the Т-80BVM version.

In particular, at the beginning of the year, it was reported that the Omsk plant had shipped another batch of modernized T-80BVM tanks as part of a state order from the Russian Ministry of Defense.

^{T-80BVM of the Russian Armed Forces. February 2024. Photo credits: Russian mass media}

Subsequently, in September 2023, Russia initiated the resumption of production at the Kaluga Engine Plant of GTD-1250 gas turbine engines used in these tanks.

The start of orders for engine repairs for the modernized T-80BVM allowed the company to partially upgrade and establish production of the necessary components. Nevertheless, as of last year, a lot of manual labor was involved in production, and the output of new products was piecemeal.