Oorlog in Oekra�ne #1019 Een rood kruis is geen legitiem doelwit

SPOILER

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

quote:

Vinnytsia transferred 2000 FPV drones to the Ukrainian Defense Forces

^{FPV drones from Vinnytsia for the 3rd Assault Brigade. September 2024. Photo credits: Interregional Humanitarian Coordination Center}

The Vinnytsia community transferred a batch of aid consisting of 2,000 FPV drones to Ukrainian soldiers.

The Interregional Humanitarian Coordination Center announced this on September 12.

The Ukrainian Defense Forces will use these drones to engage the invaders’ equipment and manpower using various combat units.

It’s worth noting that Vinnytsia regularly sends drones and other equipment to the Ukrainian military on the front line.

This applies to drones used for combat missions, reconnaissance, and artillery fire adjustment. The Defense Forces also receive vehicles from time to time.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Lithuania calls on NATO to shoot down Russian drones over the Baltic States

^{Illustrative image of Shahed 136. Image from open sources}

Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas called for a review of the algorithm of NATO’s Baltic air policing mission after the recent downing of a Russian drone in Latvia.

He was quoted by the Lithuanian national broadcaster LRT.

According to the Minister, the Alliance’s aircraft “should not only patrol but, if necessary, if time permits, shorten the decision-making chain at the NATO level so that they can take off immediately and destroy the drones.”

Kasčiūnas believes that if a threat of a drone violating NATO airspace is detected, information about it should be quickly transmitted to the headquarters of the North Atlantic Alliance.

“NATO Headquarters assesses the situation, whether there is sufficient evidence that it is an enemy drone and not some other lost aircraft, and then a quick decision is made to deploy air police aircraft. This is a certain algorithm, and it needs to be accelerated,” the Lithuanian Minister said.

At the same time, answering a question about Lithuania’s response in the event of an enemy drone violating the country’s airspace, Kasčiūnas said that it should be a collective decision by NATO.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Moscow importing western aircraft tyres despite ban, says Ukraine agency
Exclusive: Michelin, Dunlop, Goodyear and Bridgestone products have found way to Russia via intermediaries

More than $30m (�23m) worth of aircraft tyres made by western manufacturers including the French firm Michelin and Britain’s Dunlop were imported into Russia last year via intermediaries despite attempts to ban the trade, according to a Ukrainian government agency.

Russian aviation is critically dependent on foreign-made tyres and, according to the available customs records, the vast majority imported into the country in 2023 were produced by companies headquartered in France, Britain, the US and Japan.

After Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the US and the EU imposed a ban on the sale of aviation tyres to Russia in February and April 2022, respectively. The UK brought in specific restrictions in December 2023 while Japan acted in July of that year, but customs records indicate widespread and successful attempts to circumvent controls.

Tyres from the French manufacturer Michelin accounted for the largest share of imports last year (70%), worth $28m. The products sold included a type of tyre used on the airbus used by the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov. But supplies were also said to have been received of products made by the US company Goodyear, the British company Dunlop and Japan’s Bridgestone.

According to an internal report by the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, seen by the Guardian, most western supplies that entered Russia last year arrived via China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and central Asian countries, but there was also evidence of tyres arriving directly from the west.

The direct exports were carried out by companies registered in third countries, which the NACP said “may indicate the use of false transit schemes or change of destination and recipient at transit points after the goods have been shopped [bought] from such countries”.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Michelin, Goodyear, Dunlop or Bridgestone.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Zelenskyy calls China-Brazil 'peace plan' destructive
Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the initiative of China and Brazil a political statement that was not discussed with Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the initiative of Brazil and China to resolve the war in Ukraine, calling it destructive.

In an interview with Brazilian channel Metr�poles, Zelenskyy recalled his meeting with Brazilian President Luiz In�cio Lula da Silva, expressing hope that Lula understood his position.

"I was very upfront with him. What I was looking for was an understanding from his experience of what's really happening, not just a push for political compromise," he said.

The Ukrainian leader rejected the proposal to negotiate with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 20:14 schreef Idisrom het volgende:
Vandaag zijn er 1.217 Russische militairen uitgeschakeld. De Oekra�ners beginnen nu aan schijnnauwkeurigheid te doen.

quote:

A trial begins for lawyers who once represented the Kremlin’s late foe Alexei Navalny

^{Former Navalny’s lawyers Igor Sergunin, left, Alexei Liptser, center, and Vadim Kobzev, right, appear in the cage during a court session in Petushki, Vladimir region, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)}

Three lawyers who once represented the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny went on trial Thursday in Russia, part of the Kremlin’s unrelenting crackdown on dissent that has reached levels unseen since Soviet times.

Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin and Alexei Liptser were arrested in October 2023 on charges of involvement with extremist groups, as Navalny’s networks were deemed by authorities.

The case was widely seen as a way to increase pressure on the opposition to discourage defense lawyers from taking political cases.

At the time, Navalny already was serving a 19-year prison term on several criminal convictions, including extremism. That charge stemmed from a 2021 ruling that outlawed his organizations — the Foundation for Fighting Corruption and a network of regional offices — as extremist groups.

That ruling, which exposed anyone involved with the organizations to prosecution, was condemned by Kremlin critics as politically motivated and designed to stifle Navalny’s activities.

According to Navalny’s allies, authorities accused the lawyers of using their position to pass information from him to his team.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Russian Federation fired at an airplane, mistaking it for a drone

^{BRM Aero Bristell NG5 light aircraft. Illustration photo}

Russians fired at a civilian light aircraft in the Murmansk region, confusing it for a Ukrainian attack drone.

Baza Telegram channel reported this, citing its own sources.

A pair of ATEC 321 Faeta (RA-3363G) and BRM Aero Bristell (RA-2661G) light sport aircraft were fired upon during a routine flight in the Murmansk region.

Five minutes after takeoff, the pilot of the first aircraft reported problems with the second plane and sent a MAYDAY signal. The crew of the Bristell NG5 reported that small arms fire had been opened in their direction.

The pilots of both aircraft requested a change of flight plan: the first decided to land at the Apatity airfield, and the second decided to return to the place of departure. As a result, their flight lasted about 20 minutes.

According to the Baza channel’s source, after landing, Bristell’s commander reported that bullets had damaged the wing and headlights of the plane.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Ukraine resumes production of ammunition for small arms

^{5.45�39mm cartridges of Ukrainian production, September 2024. Photo credits: t.me/prozbroyu}

The Ukrainian defense industry has launched the production of 5.45�39 and 5.56�45mm ammunition for the Ukrainian army.

The Pro Zbroyu Telegram channel published the photos of the ammunition.

The blog authors published a photo from the range where they fired 5.45�39mm ammunition of Ukrainian production. According to the information on the packaging, it was manufactured in June of this year.

According to the labeling, the ammunition is equipped with a 4-gram full metal jacketed bullet. Its tail part has a rounded conical shape, which should positively impact ballistic characteristics and shot accuracy.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Over 150 miners trapped underground at Donetsk Oblast mine due to Russian attacks
One hundred and fifty-one miners have been trapped underground at the Dobropillia mine due to a blackout caused by Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast, Mykhailo Volynets, chairman of the Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine, reported on Sept. 12.

The city of Dobropillia, with a pre-war population of about 28,000 people, is located in the Pokrovsk district of Donetsk Oblast, nearly 20 kilometers (13 miles) north of Pokrovsk, which has been a key target of Russian forces over the past few months.

Russian strikes have cut off power to Dobropillia and nearby settlements, including coal mines. The blackout caused gassing and flooding of the mines. There is also a threat of flooding of mining equipment, according to Volynets.

The chairman added that the situation in the region remains "difficult."

At least one person was killed, while six others were injured due to Russian strikes in Donetsk Oblast over the past day, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported on Sept. 12.

The number of attacks and casualties increased in the Donetsk sector of the front line after Russian forces intensified their offensive in the area.

Russian troops recently slowed down their assault on the city of Pokrovsk but advanced in the areas of Vuhledar and Kurakhove.

quote:

Putin's Top Priest Suddenly Falls Ill While Ranting Against the West
The invasion-supporting leader of the Russian Orthodox Church needed medical treatment after giving a speech condemning the West.

Known for his close ties to the Russian president, Patriarch Kirill has been internationally criticized for providing a religious justification for Vladimir Putin's war on his neighbor and refusing to unequivocally condemn the killing of people in Ukraine.

In March, he approved a document deeming the full-scale invasion a "Holy War" during a congress of the World Russian People's Council at the site of Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

^{Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill at the State Kremlin Palace on November 28, 2023, in Moscow, Russia. He fell ill during a speech in St Petersburg, Russian media reported on September 12, 2024}

SPOILER

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

quote:

Ukraine has made a request for decommissioned Italian equipment

^{A storage base for decommissioned Italian military equipment near the city of Vercelli, Italy. 2015. Photo credits: lespresso.it}

Ukraine has expressed interest in receiving decommissioned military equipment from the Italian Defense Ministry’s stockpiles.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha discussed this issue with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

“A friendly conversation with Antonio Tajani. I thanked Italy for its strong G7 presidency and support for Ukraine. We discussed accelerating the next package of military assistance to Italy and strengthening Ukraine’s air shield,” Andrii Sybiha said.

One of Europe’s largest storage sites for decommissioned military equipment is located in Italy near the city of Vercelli.

In 2015, it was reported that the base housed over 3,000 units of decommissioned military equipment.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 20:14 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Denk je nog steeds dat Hongarije een uitzondering is?

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 20:49 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:
Vraag me af wat Oekra�ne nu met Koersk gaat doen nu het de soep in loopt. Heeft het zin om te blijven vechten? Of trek je je terug om naar de Donbass te gaan? Wat was het strategische belang �berhaupt?

quote:

First Russian textbook teaching school children about drones published

^{Russian school children study a drone. Photo: donetsk-news.ru}

Russian drone manufacturer Geoscan has partnered with Russian educational publishing house Prosveshcheniye to publish the first textbook on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) — better known as drones — for school children, according to a press release issued by Geoscan on Tuesday.

The textbook, which is aimed at school children in the eighth and ninth grades (aged 14–15), will be used as part of technology lessons in Russian high schools, which have been introduced starting this academic year, Geoscan said.

“It is important to guide students towards making an informed choice of engineering professions. All the necessary conditions have been created for this — today most schools in the Russian Federation are equipped with modern teaching methods, advanced material and technical equipment, including classrooms for conducting classes on studying unmanned aerial vehicles,” said Victoria Kopylova, vice president for publishing at Prosveshcheniye, which means “enlightenment” in Russian.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Defence Intelligence of Ukraine blows up Russian soldiers involved in torturing Ukrainians

^{Russian policemen at the scene of the explosion, September 11, 2024. Photo credits: DIU}

In Russia, soldiers of the National Guard of the Russian Federation, who were involved in organizing torture camps in the occupied territories of Ukraine, were neutralized.

The press service of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported on this.

On September 11, an explosion occurred in Yekaterinburg near the checkpoint of a military unit where soldiers of the National Guard of the Russian Federation are based.

An explosive device with a total weight of 6 kg was used for sabotage, and it was placed near the checkpoint.

It is reported that the detonation resulted in the deaths of Russian military personnel involved in war crimes and torture in the occupied territories.

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine conducted the operation in cooperation with “representatives of the resistance movement acting against the Putin regime on the territory of the aggressor state.”

SPOILER

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

quote:

Op donderdag 12 september 2024 20:55 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Nou ja dat is dus de grote vraag.

quote:

Ukrainian military hit Russians with cluster munitions


The Ukrainian army has launched a missile attack on a large gathering of Russian military personnel on Russian territory during an attempt to force a river.

Russian units were preparing for an assault on Ukrainian positions, but did not manage to engage.

Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance spotted the Russians’ movements and tracked them, then passed the coordinates to the artillerymen.

The Russians tried to operate under the cover of night, but the drone’s thermal imaging camera tracked all their actions.

The Ukrainian military then fired several rockets with cluster warheads from HIMARS multiple rocket launchers.

The fired missiles covered a large area where Russian units were concentrated.

After the first strike, the Russians began to flee, but all this time the AFU controlled their movement.

When they concentrated at a new point, the Ukrainian military launched another missile strike.

The published footage clearly shows metal fragments flying over a large area, hitting the Russians.

The cluster part of the warhead contains thousands of sharp tungsten fragments.

According to preliminary estimates, the Russian casualties could amount to more than a hundred people.

quote:

Putin Warns West Risks ‘War’ if It Backs Ukraine Long-Range Strikes
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Thursday that letting Ukraine use longer-range weapons to strike targets inside his country would put NATO "at war" with Russia.

The stark warning came as U.S. and U.K. officials discussed Kyiv's demand for them to ease rules on firing Western weapons into Russia, more than two and a half years into Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow meanwhile also claimed to have recaptured a swath of territory in its western Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces had made advances in recent weeks.

Putin spoke after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised that Washington would quickly review Kyiv's long-standing request for more leeway to use Western-supplied weapons to strike Russian targets.

"This would in a significant way change the very nature of the conflict," Putin told a state television reporter.

"It would mean that NATO countries, the U.S., European countries, are at war with Russia," he said.

"If that's the case, then taking into account the change of nature of the conflict, we will take the appropriate decisions based on the threats that we will face."

Speaking at a press conference in Warsaw on Thursday, Blinken said the United States would "adjust, we'll adapt as necessary, including with regard to the means that are at Ukraine's disposal to effectively defend against the Russian aggression."

SPOILER

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

quote:

HIMARS Destroys Russian Zemledeliye Minelaying System in Kursk Oblast

^{Russian Zemledeliye minelaying system. Photo from open sources}

The Ukrainian military managed to detect and destroy a Russian Zemledeliye minelaying system in the Kursk oblast.

The footage of the attack on the Russian position was shared by Special Kherson Cat on the social media “X”.

The Russian vehicle was detected by Ukrainian drones near the pontoon crossing of the Seym River. The Ukrainian military used the American HIMARS system to destroy the Russian unit.

“The 413th Battalion, together with the 78th Airborne Assault Regiment “Herts”, destroyed a rare state-of-the-art minelaying system near the Russian pontoon crossing on the Seim River,” the military said.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Ukrainian Pilots Start Training on F-16s in Romania

^{F-16 Fighting Falcon of the Air Force of Romania. August 2020. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Romania}

A group of Ukrainian Air Force pilots begin training on F-16 fighter jets in Romania.

Following a phone conversation with Romanian Defense Minister Angel T�lvăr, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umierov stated on September 12 that “there would be more F-16s in Ukrainian skies.”

According to Umierov, Ukraine will soon receive a new Patriot air defense system from its Romanian partners. The minister also added that he plans to visit Romania.

Having received the first F-16 fighter jets, Ukraine is preparing for the further deployment of new squadrons.

However, in addition to technical problems, the country also needs to address human resources issues, including training new pilots for these aircraft.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Ukrainian Paratroopers Destroy 15 Russian Vehicles in Massive Assault Repelled by 46th Brigade

^{Russian IFV in FPV sights. Source: 46th Brigade}

Paratroopers of the 46th Airmobile Brigade repelled a massive mechanized assault by the enemy, which involved 46 units of equipment.

The brigade’s press service reported on this.

It is reported that the Russians divided the assault operation into four waves, during which 46 units of equipment in total attacked the paratroopers’ positions.

The Russians began the assault on September 12 at 05:45 a.m., and it lasted until noon.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Petro Poroshenko Sends Batch of EW Equipment and Drones to Pokrovsk

^{Electronic warfare systems and drones for the Ukrainian military. September 2024. Ukraine. Photo credits: Petro Poroshenko}

Petro Poroshenko has sent electronic warfare systems and drones to the Defense Forces in the Pokrovsk sector.

The Ukrainian MP said that the new batch of aid also included ATVs capable of evacuating the wounded.

In total, the Defense Forces will receive 1,800 FPV drones, Mavic, 15 ATVs, trench electronic warfare equipment and charging stations.

“Last week we were in Pokrovsk and now we are going to Pokrovsk again. These are 15 ATVs, they are very effective. That’s why we have equipped everything we could buy and are urgently going to Pokrovsk,” Poroshenko said.

FPV drones from this batch have undergone modernization, which should increase protection against Russian electronic warfare systems.

SPOILER

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

SPOILER

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

SPOILER

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

SPOILER

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

SPOILER

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

quote:

RAF jets scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft near UK as Navy shadows Kremlin boats
The RAF jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian aircraft 'operating near the UK' , the MoD confirmed, just days after the Royal Navy followed submarines which had entered the English Channel

^{A photo from the MoD shows the Russian plane}

RAF jets were quickly scrambled to intercept a Russian aircraft 'operating near the UK', the Government has confirmed.

Two Typhoons were scrambled from the RAF air base at Lossiemouth yesterday, supported by a Voyager from RAF Brize Norton. The Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the the aircraft had been deployed to intercept two Russian Bear-F aircraft found flying near the UK.

The RAF jets were launched under NATO command, and the aircraft continued to be monitored as it passed through international airspace. Typhoon fighters escorted the aircraft out of the UK’s Flight Information Region and "at no time did the Russian aircraft enter UK sovereign airspace", said the MoD.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Op vrijdag 13 september 2024 06:08 schreef 3rr0r het volgende:

[..]
Is dit wel de echte? De echte zou aan het uiteinde zitten en de hele lengte van de tafel als bufferzone aanhouden tegen covid, mpox en andere ongein.

quote:

Russia expels 6 British diplomats amid spat over long-range weapons
Russia has revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats and accused them of spying on Moscow, it emerged Friday, a fresh geopolitical escalation that was publicized in Russian state media just as London and the US consider allowing Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia.

Moscow’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed without providing evidence that it had detected “signs of intelligence and subversive work” by the diplomats, and said it considered their actions “threatening the security of the Russian Federation.”

Britain later said the expulsion occurred last month, and described the accusations as “completely baseless.” The diplomats left Russia weeks ago, and the British government is in the process of replacing them.

The move was revealed hours after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Washington DC for meetings with US President Joe Biden about easing restrictions on Ukraine’s ability to strike Russian territory with Western weapons.

Russia claimed Britain’s Foreign Office had transformed since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine into a body whose “main task is to inflict a strategic defeat on our country.”

SPOILER

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

quote:

TIFF suspends screening of film on Russian soldiers after threats
Russians at War screenings paused over 'significant threats to festival operations and public safety'

^{Protesters take part in a demonstration against a screening of the documentary Russians at War at the Toronto International Film Festival on Tuesday. TIFF announced on Thursday that the film's public premiere has been cancelled.}

The Toronto International Film Festival has announced it will pause all upcoming screenings of the film Russians at War.

The first-person documentary by Russian Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova spurred protest from Ukrainian officials and community groups who say the film amounts to propaganda. The feature was set to have its North American premiere at the Scotiabank Theatre at 2:30 p.m ET Friday. Additional screenings scheduled for Saturday and Sunday will be paused.

The move is a reversal for the festival, which said earlier this week the film was "in no way" Russian propaganda and that screenings would go ahead as planned.

Organizers on Thursday blamed "significant threats to festival operations and public safety," in a statement.

"This is an unprecedented move for TIFF," they said.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Russia Discharges 45 Indians Led to Fight in Its Army Against Ukraine
Approximately 45 Indian nationals have been discharged from the Russian army, with ongoing efforts to secure the release of an additional 50, according to a spokesperson for the Indian Foreign Ministry.

During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Moscow in July, Russia had pledged to release any Indians who were misled into joining its military and forced into active combat in Ukraine.

Several fighters of Indian nationals have been confirmed dead while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

In May of this year, India’s federal investigation agency announced the arrest of four individuals associated with a human trafficking network. They were accused of enticing young men to Russia under false pretenses of lucrative employment opportunities or university admissions.

quote:

SBU nabs Russian accomplice spying on HIMARS, air defense systems in Zaporizhzia
The Security Service of Ukraine detained in Zaporizhzhia a Russian informant, who turned his apartment into an "observation post" to spy on Ukraine’s Defense Forces.

That’s according to the agency’s press service, Ukrinform reports.

"Counterintelligence thwarted the attempts by Russia’s military intelligence to obtain sensitive data on Zaporizhzhia defenses. As a result of a special operation, a Russian informant was detained, who had been spying on Ukraine’s Army units," the statement reads.

The culprit is a local IT expert who had been recruited by Russia’s military intelligence and set up on their instructions an “observation post” in his own apartment to covertly monitor the movement and locations of Ukraine’s military and equipment.

To this end, the perpetrator purchased and installed high-zoom tactical binoculars, a rangefinder, and a compass in his apartment located in a local high-rise block.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Russia to invest over half a billion US dollars in its battle against VPN usage
The current system lacks the power to effectively block VPN apps

Russia wants to boost its censorship infrastructure and plans to spend almost 60 billion rubles (around $650 million) over the next five years to update its internet-blocking system.

This is the strategy outlined in the federal project 'Cybersecurity Infrastructure' as reported by Forbes. The Russian censor body, Roskomnadzor, aims to build a more effective filtering system for blocking VPN services in particular.

The Kremlin has long been battling against VPN usage across the country. That's because a VPN (virtual private network) is security software that encrypts internet connections and spoofs user IP addresses, granting access to otherwise geo-restricted content – exactly what Russian authorities seek to prevent.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Air defense forces shot down 24 of 26 enemy Shahed UAVs overnight
The Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed 24 enemy Shahed attack UAVs within the Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions on the night of September 13.

The press service of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.

“On the night of September 13, 2024, the enemy attacked [Ukraine] with 26 Shahed UAVs (launch areas: Russia’s Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Crimea’s Chauda),” the report says.

The Air Force, anti-aircraft missile troops, the units of mobile fire groups, and EW capabilities of the Ukrainian Defense Forces were involved in repelling the enemy air attack. As many as 24 attack UAVs were shot down over the Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Russian army’s total combat losses in Ukraine from February 24, 2022 to September 13, 2024 reached nearly 631,420 troops, including 1,220 invaders killed or wounded in the past day.

quote:

Japan scrambled jets after Russian military aircraft circled country
Japan scrambled fighter jets after Russian military aircraft flew around the archipelago for the first time in five years, Tokyo said Friday.

From Thursday morning to afternoon, two Russian Tu-142 aircraft flew from the sea between Japan and South Korea toward Okinawa Prefecture, according to a Defense Ministry statement.

They then went northward over the Pacific Ocean to finish their journey off northern Hokkaido, it added.

The planes did not enter Japanese airspace but flew over an area subject to a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia, an official said.

"In response, we mobilized Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets on an emergency basis," the ministry statement said.

The last time Russian military aircraft circled Japan was in 2019, a ministry official said on Friday, but that incident involved bombers that did enter the nation's airspace.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Russian central bank hikes rates to fight inflation fuelled by military spending
Russia’s central bank hiked interest rates to their highest since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine more than 2 1/2 years ago, a step aimed at combatting the inflation fuelled by massive government outlays for the military — and by robust spending from Russian consumers in shops.

The bank raised its key rate to 19%, just below the level from late February 2022. Then the policy rate reached an unprecedented 20% in a desperate bid by the bank to shore up the ruble and ward off a financial collapse amid sanctions imposed by Western governments.

Today’s situation is different: inflation is a sign of an economy overheating from government outlays and consumer demand that are outpacing the economy’s capacity to produce goods and services.

Muscovites shopping Thursday on Bolshaya Dorogomilovskaya Street in western Moscow were well aware of the pace of price increases.

“I wish wages would grow as much as prices in stores,” said Natalya, who like others declined to give a last name. “Everything is expensive. Eggs, bread, flour, sugar, salt, everything is expensive.”

Andrei said that “half of the salary goes on food alone. And if you take into account that 70 percent of ordinary people have a mortgage and large consumer loans in the form of car loans and so on, so the people, one could say, are starving.”

“What to do?” said Irina. “I do not know what to do, it is not my business to decide what to do. They need to stop the prices increase and, perhaps, stop some political actions that entail inflation.”

SPOILER

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

quote:

SOF operators ambushed invaders in the Kursk region


^{Operators of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine. Frame from the video of the Ukrainian SOF}

A Ukrainian unit of the Special Operations Forces ambushed Russian soldiers in the Kursk region.

The press service of the SOF of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released footage of combat operations.

A group of Russian infantrymen were moving through the woods when they came under the fire of small arms of operators of the SOF.

One Russian soldier was killed in action and two were wounded.

SPOILER

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

quote:

‘Dragon-Bear’: How China and Russia’s spy operations overlap in Europe
Beijing is recruiting agents among EU politicians who have demonstrated fealty to Moscow, underscoring their alignment, according to a senior European intelligence official.

^{China's President Xi Jinping and Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced a “no limits” friendship for their countries. | Pavel Volkov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images}

China and Russia’s “no limits” friendship is getting a trial run in Europe.

Beijing and Moscow's spy operations, including the recruitment of agents, are increasingly overlapping within the European Union, a senior European intelligence official told POLITICO, as security analysts point to growing attempts by Beijing to influence EU affairs.

The two powers, which have pledged a far-reaching partnership, but aren’t formally allies, share similar aims of undermining the West, weakening support for Ukraine and dividing liberal democracies, said the official, Michal Koudelka, head of the Czech Republic’s domestic intelligence agency.

“It is not a coincidence that the same entities might serve the interests of both the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China,” said Koudelka in written responses to questions from POLITICO.

There was evidence that the two nations were looking to recruit agents from the same pool of fringe anti-Western politicians in Europe, added Koudelka — though formal collaboration between their intelligence agencies remains limited.

“However, the reason behind this is not collaboration and coordination of intelligence services of these countries, but simply the fact that they are both antagonistic to the 'collective West' of today,” he said.

POLITICO did not receive any response to requests for comment from the embassies of China or Russia in Belgium.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Russia chooses 60-year-old SVD rifle instead of the latest SVCh

^{Dragunov sniper rifle. Photo from open sources}

Russia is increasing the production of Dragunov sniper rifles, forgetting about the latest developments and the promising SVCh rifle.

The news was made public by the Russian concern Kalashnikov.

The company’s press service announced the shipment of all Dragunov sniper rifles ordered this year and the conclusion of the first contracts for 2025.

The concern said that production volumes of SVD rifles would be increased several times, which might indicate a growing demand from the warring Russian army.

The SVD is a 7.62x54Rmm sniper rifle developed by Soviet designer Yevgeny Dragunov in 1958-1963. At the same time, it was put into mass production at the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant and is still in production today.

Despite its inherent potential, the rifle is considered obsolete, so in 2017, the Russian concern Kalashnikov introduced its successor, the Chukavin sniper rifle (SVCh).

SPOILER

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

quote:

American Hawkeye howitzers are already in Ukraine

^{2-CT Hawkeye in service with the Ukrainian Defense Forces, spring 2024. Photo credits: AM General}

The Ukrainian military is already using the American 2-CT Hawkeye experimental artillery system.

A photo of the artillery system was published by the Tyschok news agency.

For the first time, the American Hawkeye 105 mm self-propelled howitzer, which was previously reported to had been delivered to the Ukrainian military, was seen in service with the Ukrainian military.

The artillery system was handed over by the American company AM General back in April of this year, but the actual confirmation of this has only now appeared.

Development manager Mike Evans noted that it had taken two weeks to train the crew of the artillery system.

“We recently delivered a 105mm system to Ukraine. We shipped it in April. This system is destined to become one of the first soft recoil systems in combat. It’s going into combat to test on live targets,” said Mike Evans.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Berlin signs agreement on permanent deployment of German brigade in Lithuania

^{Leopard 2A5 of the Bundeswehr during exercises, September 2010. Photo from open sources}

Lithuania and Germany sign an intergovernmental agreement on the permanent deployment of German troops on Lithuanian territory.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense reported about this on Friday, September 13.

The agreement was signed in Berlin by Lithuanian National Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. However, it still needs to be ratified by the parliaments of both countries.

The agreement on defense cooperation between the two countries regulates the legal status of German military forces, civilian employees and their families in Lithuania, as well as the provision of civilian services such as health care, transportation and education for children of military personnel.

The document establishes the procedure for the use of designated military territories, the procedure for the arrival and departure of German armed forces, and their movement in the Republic of Lithuania. It also sets out rules for the distribution of jurisdiction, security measures, and the possibility of establishing educational institutions for the German armed forces in Lithuania. As well as the possibility for German soldiers and civil servants to receive medical services, etc.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Op vrijdag 13 september 2024 18:47 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
De Dragunov is dan ook een prima wapen, heb er wel eens mee geschoten, niks mis mee.

En nogmaals, hoe oud iets is zegt niet zoveel over de effectiviteit, de M2HB is in WW1 ontwikkeld en nog steeds volop in gebruik.

[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op vrijdag 13 september 2024 19:39 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Heb je al een filmpje van Russen die triomfantelijk de vlag hijsen in Snagost gezien? Ik niet. Ik zie ook nergens foto's. En goed nieuws lijkt me wel handig voor het thuisfront.

quote:

UAV Attack by Ukrainian Military Hits Russian Oil Train in Zaporizhzhia Region

^{The burning of a damaged train with oil products. Photo credits: Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief}

The Ukrainian military struck a train carrying oil products in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region near Tokmak using a UAV.

This was reported by the Telegram channel of the self-proclaimed “Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Zaporizhzhia region.”

“In Chernihiv district, officials of the Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of the Russian Federation extinguished the fire of three oil tanks as a result of UAV strikes,” they said.

“52 specialists and 18 units of equipment were working at the scene. … A fire train was involved [in the firefighting].”

SPOILER

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

quote:

RT running covert military supply operation for Russian forces, State Dept. says
The state-backed media outlet has been sending weapons to Russian units, including sniper rifles and suppressors, body armor, night vision equipment and drones, according to State.

The State Department on Friday accused RT of having transformed from a state-backed propaganda outlet into a sophisticated arm of Russian intelligence, secretly operating a vast military procurement network to supply Russian forces in Ukraine.

RT, formerly Russia Today, has been pulling this off by using a large online crowdfunding platform, promoted through social media, to buy military equipment and then channel it to Russian units in Ukraine, according to the State Department. The administration said the operations were administered by RT deputy editor-in-chief and head of international broadcasting for Sputnik Anton Anisimov and had avoided detection by importing small orders of weaponry and supplies.

That shopping list, according to State, includes sniper rifles and suppressors, personal weapon sights, body armor and tactical clothing, night vision equipment, drones, radio equipment and diesel generators.

New evidence from the State Department also linked some of the equipment — particularly recon drones — directly to China-based entities. The department also alleges that RT is facilitating production in coordination with the Russian Ministry of Defense.

“I’ve instructed U.S. diplomats around the world to share the evidence that we’ve gathered on RT’s expanded capabilities and the ways it’s being used to target individual countries and the information ecosystem that we share,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a Friday briefing.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Sweden, Finland will not prohibit Ukraine from striking Russia with its weapons amid Putin's threats to NATO
Helsinki and Stockholm declared on Sept. 13 that they would not prohibit Ukraine from attacking Russia with their weapons amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent threats against NATO.

The day before, Putin said that Ukraine's use of Western long-range weapons against Russia would mean that NATO countries were directly involved in the full-scale war. According to Putin, allowing Ukraine to use such weapons would change the "nature of the conflict," meaning that NATO countries would be fighting against Russia.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, during a joint press conference with her Swedish counterpart Maria Malmer Stenergard, said that the only restriction for Ukraine is that Western weapons supplied by Finland must be used in accordance with international law, the media outlet YLE reported.

Malmer Stenergard echoed Valtonen's stance, adding that the use of Swedish-provided weapons is not limited to the territory of Ukraine and can be used to strike Russia.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who held a press conference on the same day, said that Canada "fully supports Ukraine using long-range weaponry to prevent and interdict Russia's continued ability to degrade Ukrainian civilian infrastructure" and kill civilians, the Canadian public broadcaster CBC News reported.

"(Putin) is trying to extremely destabilize the rules-based international order that protects all of us, not just in every democracy in the world, but in every country in the world," Trudeau said.

Ukraine has received shipments of long-range U.S.-made ATACMS and U.K.-made Storm Shadow missiles, but the two countries have not permitted their use inside Russian territory so far.

While Western countries eased restrictions on the use of certain arms just across the border after a Russian offensive in Kharkiv Oblast in May, limits on long-range strikes deep inside Russia remained in place.

Multiple Western outlets, such as Politico and the Guardian, recently wrote that this position may be shifting as U.S. and U.K. officials are preparing plans to ease the restrictions further.

quote:

Ukraine Receives 1,400 Senator Armored Vehicles Since War’s Outset

^{Roshel enterprise. Canada. Photo from the company's website}

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has received 1400 Senator armored vehicles.

Roman Shimonov, Founder and CEO of Roshel Inc., told this in his interview with Army Recognition during MSPO 2024.

“As I said, we have delivered fourteen hundred vehicles to Ukraine,” he said.

The transfer of these armored vehicles first became known on April 13, 2022, when the Canadian government announced $500 million in aid to Ukraine. The first contract was for only 8 vehicles.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Poland to Fund �100M Loan for Ukrainian Equipment Repairs and Purchases

^{Repair of armored vehicles in Poland. Photo credits: polska-zbrojna.pl}

The Polish government has offered Ukraine an intergovernmental loan of more than �100 million for the purchase and repair of equipment.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that the offer pertains to equipment that can be repaired at Polish defense companies.

“The finance ministers have already agreed on the loan. The loan can be used at any time,” Sikorski emphasized.

According to the head of Polish diplomacy, “to date, Poland has handed over about 400 T-72, PT-92 and Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, which are defending Ukraine’s eastern borders, and some of them are involved in operations in the Kursk region.”

Warsaw also handed over nearly 50 Krab self-propelled tracked gun-howitzers, Piorun man-portable air defense systems, and air defense systems to Ukraine.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Is 'Russians at War' propaganda? We asked 7 people in film who saw it
The filmmakers behind “Russians at War” have argued that a lot of the negative press surrounding the documentary comes from people who haven’t seen it. We asked the opinion of people in the film industry who have.

^{Director Anastasia Trofimova attends the photocall of the movie 'Russians at War' presented out of competition during the 81st International Venice Film Festival at Venice Lido, on Sep. 5, 2024. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images)}

The documentary “Russians at War” has sparked controversy since its debut on the festival circuit, with many accusing it of whitewashing Russian soldiers and their crimes in Ukraine.

Canadian-Russian director Anastasia Trofimova has defended the film, calling it “anti-war.”

After facing backlash, the Toronto International Film Festival pulled screenings of the film, with both the festival and filmmakers citing concerns over potential violence. Toronto police said they were not aware of any serious threats, according to Canadian media reports.

The filmmakers behind “Russians at War” have argued that a lot of the negative press surrounding the documentary comes from people who haven’t seen it.

The Kyiv Independent requested a press copy of the film for review, but we were not provided with one, so we asked the opinion of seven people in the film industry who attended screenings of “Russians at War.”

Some testimonies have been shortened and edited for clarity.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Vance Describes Plan to End Ukraine War That Sounds a Lot Like Putin’s
Former President Donald J. Trump would tell the Russians, Ukrainians and Europeans to “figure out what a peaceful settlement looks like,” Senator JD Vance, his running mate, says.

Senator JD Vance outlined a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine. But objectively, it sounds a lot like Vladimir Putin’s.

Mr. Vance’s critics immediately said he had described a Russian victory, while his supporters said he had offered the only realistic path to peace.

In an interview with “The Shawn Ryan Show” that was posted on Thursday, Mr. Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, was asked about former President Donald J. Trump’s plans to end the war.

Mr. Vance said Mr. Trump would sit down with Russians, Ukrainians and Europeans and say, “You guys need to figure out what a peaceful settlement looks like.” He went on to outline what he thinks a deal would entail: The Russians would retain the land they have taken and a demilitarized zone would be established along the current battle lines, with the Ukrainian side heavily fortified to prevent another Russian invasion.

While the remainder of Ukraine would remain an independent sovereign state, Mr. Vance said, Russia would get a “guarantee of neutrality” from Ukraine.

“It doesn’t join NATO, it doesn’t join some of these sort of allied institutions,” Mr. Vance said. “I think that’s ultimately what this looks like.”

SPOILER

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

quote:

France to deliver 19,000 t of railway rails to Ukraine
As part of bilateral cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the French Republic, Ukrzaliznytsia JSC will receive 19,000 tonnes of railway rails to upgrade 150 kilometers of its railroad tracks.

The relevant statement was made by the Ukrainian Communities and Territories Development Ministry, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Joint projects on Ukraine’s recovery were discussed by Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic for Ukraine’s Relief and Reconstruction Pierre Heilbronn and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration - Communities and Territories Development Minister Oleksiy Kuleba. In particular, the parties spoke about the development of railway infrastructure, cooperation in the field of air transport, reconstruction efforts in the Chernihiv region, etc.

“According to the preliminary agreement, the French side will deliver 19,000 tonnes of railway rails, allowing for 150 kilometers of tracks to be upgraded. The first shipment has been scheduled for January 2025,” the report states.

Within the framework of the Grant Agreement with the French Republic, a total of EUR 200 million is expected to be provided through the Fund for the support of critical infrastructure and priority economic sectors of Ukraine.

Kuleba emphasized Ukraine’s interest in continuing the implementation of two joint projects: water supply in the city of Kyiv and cooperation in the field of air transport. In particular, the Ukrainian side is interested in supporting the restoration of the air navigation system and expanding the personnel training programme of Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise (UkSATSE).

In his turn, Heilbronn noted that all joint projects were progressing dynamically and constantly developing. In terms of bilateral cooperation, France is focusing on providing support for Ukrainian regions and local self-government development, as well as specific critical infrastructure projects.

A reminder that Ukraine and France determined the key areas of cooperation as part of the EUR 200 million Grant Agreement, focusing on the restoration of Ukraine’s energy sector and critical infrastructure.

quote:

In Belarus, the native language is vanishing as Russian takes prominence
When school started this year for Mikalay in Belarus, the 15-year-old discovered that his teachers and administrators no longer called him by that name. Instead, they referred to him as Nikolai, its Russian equivalent.

What’s more, classes at his school — one of the country’s best — are now taught in Russian, not Belarusian, which he has spoken for most of his life.

Belarusians like Mikalay are experiencing a new wave of Russification as Moscow expands its economic, political and cultural dominance to overtake the identity of its neighbor.

It’s not the first time. Russia under the czars and in the era of the Soviet Union imposed its language, symbols and cultural institutions on Belarus. But with the demise of the USSR in 1991, the country began to assert its identity, and Belarusian briefly became the official language, with the white-red-white national flag replacing a version of the red hammer and sickle.

But all that changed in 1994, after Alexander Lukashenko, a former Soviet collective farm official, came to power. The authoritarian leader made Russian an official language, alongside Belarusian, and did away with the nationalist symbols.

Now, with Lukashenko in control of the country for over three decades, he has allowed Russia to dominate all aspects of life in Belarus, a country of 9.5 million people. Belarusian, which like Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, is hardly heard on the streets of Minsk and other large cities anymore.

Official business is conducted in Russian, which dominates the majority of the media. Lukashenko speaks only Russian, and government officials often don’t use their native tongue.

The country depends on Russian loans and cheap energy and has created a political and military alliance with Moscow, allowing President Vladimir Putin to deploy troops and missiles on its soil, which was used as a staging area for the war in Ukraine.

“I understand that our Belarus is occupied. … And who is the president there? Not Lukashenko. The president is Putin,” said Svetlana Alexievich, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize for literature and lives in Germany in effective exile. “The nation has been humiliated and it will be very difficult for Belarusians to recover from this.”

SPOILER

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

quote:

Ukrainian Presidential Brigade Repels Russian Assault

^{Destroyed Russian BMP-2 by the 4th Mechanized Battalion. Photo credits: Ci4 Team}

A unit of a Separate Presidential Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled a Russian assault in the Kupiansk sector.

The press service of the Ci4 Team published the video of the repulsion of the assault on Telegram.

The 4th Mechanized Battalion was involved in repelling the assault, and its aerial reconnaissance detected the advancing enemy in time.

For the offensive, the enemy allocated two BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, which were equipped with additional protection against drones with ammunition and FPV drones.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Air defense forces shoot down 72 of 76 Russian kamikaze drones overnight
On the night of September 14, the Air Defense Forces shot down 72 Shahed attack drones launched by Russia at Ukraine.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said this in a post on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

Russia attacked Ukraine with Shahed attack drones on the night of September 14.

In total, the Air Force's radio engineering troops detected and tracked 76 drones launched from Russia’s Kursk and Yeysk directions and Cape Chauda in temporarily occupied Crimea.

The Air Force, anti-aircraft missile troops, mobile fire groups, and EW units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces were involved in repelling the enemy air attack.

As many as 72 attack UAVs were shot down over the Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Poltava, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Donetsk, Zhytomyr, Dnipro, Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, and Sumy regions.

The Air Force added that it lost track of two more drones on the territory of Ukraine, while two more returned to Russia.

As reported by Ukrinform, debris fell on the territory of a utility company in the Obolonskyi district of Kyiv during a Russian drone attack on the city on the night of September 14.

quote:

Ukraine Welcomes Back 103 POWs in Latest Exchange

^{Ukrainian POWs returned from Russian captivity. 14.09.2024. Ukraine. Photo credits: Volodymyr Zelensky}

Ukraine has secured the return of 103 more prisoners of war from Russian captivity.

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War stated that the list includes Ukrainian soldiers of the National Guard, the Armed Forces, Special Forces, the State Border Guard Service, the State Transport Special Service, the State Emergency Service, and the Police.

All of those released this time are men: 82 soldiers and sergeants, and 21 officers.

Among those released this time are: 38 soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine, 28 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (two of the Kraken Regiment, two of the International Legion, three of the Special Operations Forces, and one of the Territorial Defense Forces).

Eight border guards, four policemen, twenty-one sailors, three representatives of the State Transport Special Service, and one representative of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine were released.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Ukrainian Paratroopers Repel Russian Airborne Forces Assault in Kursk Oblast

^{Explosion of an airborne infantry fighting vehicles on an anti-tank mine, Kursk region. Freeze frame from the video of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces}

On September 13, 2024, units of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces repelled a mechanized assault by the Russian Airborne Forces in the Kursk oblast.

The Ukrainian Air Assault Forces shared this news on its official Telegram channel.

“The troops of the aggressor state are making desperate attempts to push out the Ukrainian Defense Forces from the Kursk region,” stated the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces.

The enemy engaged 14 units of military equipment, including two tanks, eleven airborne infantry fighting vehicles, and one armored personnel carrier. The vehicles were also equipped with additional protection against drones.

SPOILER

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

quote:

Russia’s Medvedev threatens to turn Kyiv into ‘giant melted spot’
UK and US are deliberating giving Kyiv permission to use Western weapons against targets deep inside Russia.

Moscow on Saturday threatened to reduce Kyiv to a "giant melted spot" if Ukraine is allowed by its allies to use Western long-range missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia.

The threat by Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, came as the U.S. and the U.K. are deliberating giving Kyiv permission to use Western weapons to attack strategic targets farther into Russian territory.

Medvedev, who likes to rattle nuclear sabers, said the Kremlin already has "formal" grounds to use nuclear weapons after Ukraine's cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk region, but could instead utilize newer technologies to create a "giant melted spot" on the site of the Ukrainian capital.

Moscow has been "showing patience," Medvedev said in a post on Telegram. "However, the pompous Anglo-Saxon imbeciles do not want to admit one thing: any patience comes to an end."

At the same time, Medvedev said "a nuclear conflict is really not needed by anyone," adding that: "It is obvious that a nuclear response is an extremely difficult decision with irreversible consequences."

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Joe Biden, at a meeting in Washington on Friday, deliberated over Ukraine’s possible use of British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles on Russian soil, without announcing any decision.

Ahead of that meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin late Thursday said giving Kyiv such permission would put NATO countries “at war with Russia." Biden dismissed the threat, telling reporters: “I don't think much about Vladimir Putin."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday renewed Kyiv's pleas for expanded use of Western weapons. "We are making progress on the battlefield. But we need permission to use long-range weapons," Zelenskyy said. "I hope that the U.S. political community understands this clearly and that the relevant decision will be made.”

Speaking after Friday's meeting with Biden, Starmer said no final decision had been taken on the Storm Shadow missiles. He suggested that further developments may follow at the gathering of the U.N. General Assembly later this month.