SPOILER

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 19:33 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Nee, idd. Klinkt meer als een (cruise) missile oid.

Palianytsia: How Ukraine will look to use its new long-range missile drone

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 19:39 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
Het zou die nieuwe drone met straalaandrijving kunnen zijn. Half raket en half drone:

Palianytsia: How Ukraine will look to use its new long-range missile drone

quote:

Ukrainian manufacturers will be able to participate in drone coalition tenders for the first time

^{Illustration photo of FPV drone. Photo from open sources}

For the first time, Ukrainian companies that manufacture drones will be able to participate in tenders organized by the international drone coalition within the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine reported on this.

The series of tenders includes two lots: for producing advanced FPV drones and interceptor drones.

The defense ministry explained that manufacturers need to register on the UK Ministry of Defence’s website and submit their applications to participate in the tender.

Proposals for FPV drones will be accepted until October 14, and for interceptor drones, they will be accepted until November 11.

SPOILER

^{Illustration photo of FPV drone. Photo from open sources}

All submitted applications will be reviewed by members of the drone coalition, after which the winners will be selected.

It is stated that the companies that win the tenders will receive orders to produce drones for further testing and evaluation.

In case of successful test results, a large-scale order of FPV drones from the winning companies is planned.

‘The goal of this coalition is to ensure the industrial production of FPV drones to create a technological advantage over the enemy in the long term. It is important not only to scale up production in the West but also to support Ukrainian companies capable of producing such equipment. That is why we are engaging domestic producers to participate in tenders for the first time,’ Kateryna Chernohorenko, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, shared.

The Drone Coalition for Military Support of Ukraine was established in February 2024 during the 19th Ramstein meeting. This initiative was proposed by Latvia and is coordinated together with the United Kingdom.

^{Latvian-made drones for the Ukrainian military. August 2024. Photo credits: Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds}

The Coalition includes 16 partner countries that are already supplying Ukraine with drones. The �50 million accumulated will be used to purchase another 20-30,000 drones.

‘For the first time, Ukrainian companies will have a unique opportunity to join this process and contribute to ensuring technological superiority on the battlefield,’ the Ministry of Defence said.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 19:33 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://mil.in.ua/en/news(...)emlya-for-new-tests/
[..]

SPOILER

[ afbeelding ]
^{Abandoned military equipment on the island of Novaya Zemlya. Photo credits: Nixette}

‘The facility is ready to resume nuclear tests ‘at any time’ if the appropriate order is given from above,’ Sinitsyn noted.

It should be noted that Western countries are actively monitoring Russian activities at this test site, as evidenced by last year’s satellite images, which showed the activities of construction services.

‘The most important thing for us is not to disrupt the fulfillment of state tasks. If the task is set to resume testing, it will be completed on time,’ he added.

He also noted that the site, as well as the laboratory and testing facilities, are ready. The personnel have also been notified of the possibility of nuclear testing.

The Russian test site, located on the remote Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, was the place where the Soviet Union conducted over 200 nuclear tests, including the explosion of the world’s most powerful nuclear bomb in 1961.
[ afbeelding ]
^{Nuclear warhead layout. Photo from open sources}

The Russian media started publishing information about the readiness to conduct new nuclear tests after the West began to actively debate the possibility of using Western weapons to strike Russian military facilities in Ukraine.

At the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin also warned the West that he would directly fight Russia if Ukraine was allowed to strike Russian territory with long-range missiles made in the West and promised to take retaliatory measures.

Militarnyi previously reported that in the first year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there was a real risk of Russia using tactical nuclear weapons.

According to William Burns, Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, the sudden breakthrough of the Ukrainian military in the northeast has raised fears that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may take extreme measures, which in turn has led to a surge in diplomatic activity.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 19:44 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Lijkt mij wat te klein gezien de klap.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 19:33 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://mil.in.ua/en/news(...)emlya-for-new-tests/
[..]

SPOILER

[ afbeelding ]
^{Abandoned military equipment on the island of Novaya Zemlya. Photo credits: Nixette}

‘The facility is ready to resume nuclear tests ‘at any time’ if the appropriate order is given from above,’ Sinitsyn noted.

It should be noted that Western countries are actively monitoring Russian activities at this test site, as evidenced by last year’s satellite images, which showed the activities of construction services.

‘The most important thing for us is not to disrupt the fulfillment of state tasks. If the task is set to resume testing, it will be completed on time,’ he added.

He also noted that the site, as well as the laboratory and testing facilities, are ready. The personnel have also been notified of the possibility of nuclear testing.

The Russian test site, located on the remote Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, was the place where the Soviet Union conducted over 200 nuclear tests, including the explosion of the world’s most powerful nuclear bomb in 1961.
[ afbeelding ]
^{Nuclear warhead layout. Photo from open sources}

The Russian media started publishing information about the readiness to conduct new nuclear tests after the West began to actively debate the possibility of using Western weapons to strike Russian military facilities in Ukraine.

At the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin also warned the West that he would directly fight Russia if Ukraine was allowed to strike Russian territory with long-range missiles made in the West and promised to take retaliatory measures.

Militarnyi previously reported that in the first year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there was a real risk of Russia using tactical nuclear weapons.

According to William Burns, Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, the sudden breakthrough of the Ukrainian military in the northeast has raised fears that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may take extreme measures, which in turn has led to a surge in diplomatic activity.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 20:04 schreef Elan het volgende:

[..]
70 kiloton? Dat is wel heel specifiek gericht op inzet tegen strategische doelen, eerder dan massavernietiging.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 20:01 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

Deze warenhuizen lagen natuurlijk wel vol met allemaal explosieven. Waaronder de Iskander raketten en ook die van Noord Korea volgens wat ik gelezen heb.

��n rake klap op precies de juiste plek zou zo'n grote explosie veroorzaakt kunnen hebben.

quote:

Al heeft die raket drone een explosieve lading van een enkele tientallen kilos.

quote:

Maar het zou inderdaad ook de raket kunnen zijn waar ze het laatst over hadden, die zo goed als gereed zou zijn. De Hrim-2. Die heeft een explosieve lading van 500 kilo zie ik.

En dan is er natuurlijk nog de mogelijkheid dat Oekra�ne in het geheim toch toestemming heeft gekregen voor het gebruik van Amerikaanse/Engelse/Franse raketten.

Al zie ik wel dat het om een afstand van iets van 1000km gaat. Dan valt heel veel al gelijk af natuurlijk.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 20:16 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Dat was de laatste test die zij daar gedaan hebben in 1990. De zwaarste test die zij daar gedaan hebben was de Tsar Bomba, die was 50-58 megaton, al ging dat om een waterstof bom.

Er is voor zover ik kan lezen niks gezegd over de sterkte van een eventuele volgende test.

[b] Maar Rusland is al wel een tijdje bezig met blufpoker [/b,] met de hoop het westen af te schrikken van hun hulp aan Oekra�ne in deze oorlog. En het is al een aantal keren geopperd door Russische propaganda, maar ook door leden van het Kremlin om het Westen een nucleaire explosie te laten zien om dit voor elkaar te krijgen.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 20:24 schreef Elan het volgende:

[..]
Ik hoop het voor ons
Tsar Bomba was wel machtig, in een compleet andere regio getest.

Het is meer dat dat gebied geschikt is voor testen in die range van bomkracht.

quote:

Kremlin offended by NATO's dismissal of Putin's threats over long-range strikes on Russia
Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, has stated that NATO's refusal to take Vladimir Putin's statements seriously regarding the supposed consequences of allowing Ukraine to attack Russian territory with long-range Western weapons is "provocative and dangerous".

Source: Interfax-Russia; Kremlin-aligned news agency RIA Novosti

Quote from Peskov: "This ostentatious desire not to take the Russian president’s statements seriously is a completely short-sighted and unprofessional move."

Details: According to Peskov, "this position is extremely provocative and dangerous".

Background:
• Earlier, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said that giving Kyiv permission to use long-range weapons for strikes on Russia would imply the direct involvement of Western countries in the war.
• NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the decision to allow Ukraine to launch long-range strikes on Russian territory would depend on individual allies. He also stressed that there are always risks in war, but the biggest risk for Europe is a Russian victory in Ukraine.
• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also responded to Putin's threats, saying that it was the Russian leader who started the war in Ukraine and he could end it straight away.
• The EU stated that Putin's threats would not change the European Union's position on supporting Ukraine.

quote:

In Vovchansk, Ukrainian Armed Forces stop an odd MT-LB of the invaders

^{Russian MT-LB armored personnel carrier in Vovchansk. September 2024. Ukraine. A frame from the video Noem Intelligence}

In the Kharkiv region, in Vovchansk, Ukrainian troops discovered and neutralized a Russian MT-LB armored personnel carrier that was behaving oddly.

Noem Intelligence Telegram channel released a video from a Ukrainian drone that recorded the movement of this MT-LB.

The Russian invaders deployed one armored personnel carrier covered with protective screens.

The armored vehicle was driving down Soborna Street (formerly Lenin Street) and did not stop even when it was hit.

SPOILER

У Вовчанську ЗСУ зупинили дивну МТ-ЛБ окупантів

The Ukrainian military managed to stop the MT-LB only on the outskirts of the bridge that connects the two parts of the city across the Vovcha River.

It is possible that the Russian invaders were trying to send an unmanned MT-LB to Ukrainian positions, which was packed with explosives.

^{Movement of a Russian armored personnel carrier in Vovchansk}

This is not the first time that the Russian military has used unmanned armoured vehicles packed with explosives in the war.

Previously, the invaders placed OFAB-100-120 bombs and a mine-clearing line charge from an UR-77 mine clearing vehicle in the MT-LB to use it to explode on Ukrainian positions.

^{MT-LB armored vehicle of the Russian military, which was filled with explosives. February 2023. Ukraine. Photo from social media}

It is also believed that the MT-LB could have been heading to the aggregate plant, but the armoured personnel carrier’s driver was seriously injured and lost control of the vehicle.

Vitalii Sarantsev, spokesperson for the Kharkiv operational tactical group of troops, recently reported that as of September 17, Russian invaders were still at the Aggregate Plant in Vovchansk.

^{Vovchansk Aggregate Plant. Source: expres.online}

‘The day before yesterday, they tried to shell the city’s districts, locations adjacent to the aggregate plant. But they hit their own people. Currently, there are ongoing clashes there,’ Vitalii Sarantsev reported.

The Russian invaders have controlled the Aggregate Plant itself since the beginning of the Russian breakthrough across the border in May 2024.

quote:

Romania demands action from NATO over Shahed drone invasion

^{Illustration with Shahed drones}

Romania has called on NATO to take action over the intrusion of Russian Shahed drones into the alliance’s airspace.

Romanian Defense Minister Angel T�lvăr stated that NATO should take “powerful, coordinated” measures in response to such incidents when Russian missiles or drones fired at Ukraine enter the alliance’s airspace.

“The Bucharest Nine states are deeply concerned about the repeated intrusions of Russian drones and missiles into NATO airspace in Poland, Romania, Latvia, and the escalation of tensions on NATO’s eastern flank,” T�lvăr said.

The Bucharest Nine, founded in 2015, includes Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

T�lvăr added that it is necessary “to introduce a rotational model of air defense and integrated missile defense as soon as possible.”

SPOILER

^{Romanian Defense Minister Angel T�lvăr (left). Photo credits: Romanian Ministry of Defense}

The defense ministers of NATO’s eastern flank met in Bucharest on September 18.

Poland’s Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski stated that at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in October, the issue of shooting down drones that enter allied airspace will need to be considered.

“We have confirmed hybrid attacks on allies, as well as Belarus’ participation in Russia’s actions,” Zalewski said.

Russian Shahed drones have repeatedly flown into Romanian airspace and crashed there.

^{Debris at the crash site of one of Russia’s Shahed-136/Geran-2 attack drones in Romania. July 25, 2024. Photo credits: G4Media}

Because of these incidents, the Romanian Air Force has been forced to raise its fighter jets to monitor the air situation.

However, NATO says it has no evidence of a deliberate Russian attack on the Alliance.

^{The explosion of a suspected Russian Shahed UAV in Romania. September 4, 2023. Photo credits: Oleh Nikolenko/Facebook}

“NATO condemns Russia’s violation of Romanian airspace overnight. While we have no information to suggest that Russia deliberately attacked Allies, these actions are irresponsible and potentially dangerous,” NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană stated on September 8.

quote:

Skyranger 35 Air Defense System Now Mounted on Leopard 1 Chassis

^{Skyranger 35 on Leopard 1 chassis. Source: hartpunkt}

German defense company Rheinmetall has demonstrated the Skyranger 35 air defense system on the Leopard 1 chassis.

The photo was published by hartpunkt on his X.

This is the first time the Skyranger air defense system has been installed on a Leopard 1 chassis. Previously, in June, the system was demonstrated on a Leopard 2 chassis.

Mounting the advanced air defense system on a tank chassis enhances its mobility, enabling it to navigate rough terrain alongside other heavy tracked armored vehicles.

SPOILER

^{SkyRanger 35 air defence turret system on the Leopard 2 chassis, June 17, 2024}

This allows Skyranger to be classified as an army air defense system.

Skyranger 35
The Skyranger 35 system features a combat module equipped with a GDM-008 35mm gun capable of firing at a rate of 1000 rounds per minute. It can optionally accommodate a launcher for two FIM-92 Stinger or Mistral missiles.

The ammunition for the gun includes a variety of rounds, including shells with radio fuses, with a total capacity of 252 35mm shells.

The Skyranger 35 uses an AMMR multipurpose radar operating in the S-band, equipped with five antennas to provide complete 360-degree coverage for detecting small aerial targets.

^{SkyRanger 35 system on the Leopard 2 chassis, June 17, 2024}

Additionally, it features a passive Rheinmetall FIRST target detection system, which enhances the detection of small targets without emitting radar signals, thereby avoiding detection by enemy radio reconnaissance.

Rheinmetall Air Defence: Oerlikon Skyranger 35 – Mobile Air Defence System

One of the primary functions of the system, given current threats, is to target reconnaissance and attack drones, for which programmable 35-mm shells are considered ideal.

The range of the artillery system’s air targets is 4000 meters, as stated by the developer. In addition, if necessary, the system can effectively operate against ground targets.

As previously reported, Bj�rn Bernhard, Head of Land Systems at Rheinmetall, stated that Rheinmetall is currently assessing the possibility of equipping Leopard 1 tanks for Ukraine with the Skyranger 35 short-range air defense turret system.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 20:23 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Het is natuurlijk geen bunkerbuster.
[..]
Ja, maar dat is niet heel veel. Dat is vergelijkbaar met twee 155mm granaten.
[..]
Voorlopig blijft het speculeren maar we zullen er vanzelf wel achter komen.

quote:

How are the Hai Duong people in Russia now?
Nearly 2 years of war between Russia and Ukraine have caused many difficulties for Hai Duong people in Russia.

^{Mr. Tran Van Thuy, from Kinh Mon town, is selling goods at Liu market in Moscow, Russia (photo provided by the character)}

Tighten spending
In February 2022, the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, dealing a heavy blow to the global economy, which had been weakened over the previous two years by the Covid-19 pandemic. To date, the US and more than 40 other countries have imposed a series of sanctions against Russia. These are the most comprehensive and severe sanctions in history against Russia. The ruble's devaluation, soaring military spending, and persistent labor shortages have caused prices to rise and Russia to face high inflation.

Along with the community of about 80,000 Vietnamese people, Hai Duong people in Russia are also directly affected, their work and business are facing many difficulties. Having worked and lived in Russia for 18 years, Mr. Tran Van Thuy, from Kinh Mon town, has never had such difficulties as now. Mr. Thuy is selling goods at Liu market. This is one of the largest wholesale markets in Moscow, distributing goods nationwide. The market has about 3,000 Vietnamese people, of which about 600-700 are from Hai Duong, specializing in selling clothes, shoes, and are owners of garment factories, restaurants, garment workers, etc.

SPOILER

Mr. Thuy said that the Covid-19 pandemic had just ended when the war broke out, causing people to fall into a more difficult situation. The most difficult thing was that the ruble was falling in value and increasing and decreasing erratically. Before the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, the ruble was traded at around 70-75/USD. After the war broke out, there were times when it peaked at 120-130 rubles to exchange for 1 USD.

“The price of goods follows the USD price. When the USD price goes up, the price of goods is forced to increase, which means that the price of goods imported from China also increases by 20-30%. People sell goods at high prices, so interest rates decrease, the quantity of goods consumed is even less, there is no profit. Not to mention the rental price of business premises also increases. The reality is even more difficult than the Covid-19 pandemic. All goods increase in price because the shipping fee is calculated according to the USD exchange rate, so people's shopping demand has decreased sharply. Not only Vietnamese people but also Russians have to limit travel, shopping, and tighten spending,” said Mr. Thuy.

Similarly, after spending about 13 years in a Vietnamese shopping center in Voronezh City, Ms. Le Thu Giang, from Hai Duong City, also learned a few things: without a strong spirit, it would be difficult to survive nearly 4 cold winters. The area where Ms. Giang lives has about 1,500 Vietnamese people, nearly 100 people from Hai Duong.

Ms. Giang said that people were so economically exhausted that their purchasing power was almost gone. Ms. Giang and many others had to quit selling clothes at the market and work for restaurants to earn a living, because selling goods could not bear the costs and risks. Many elderly people chose to unload their goods to return to Vietnam. Many people who tried to stay put sometimes had nothing left. In the Chim market area, there are nearly 7,000 Vietnamese people doing business and trading in the same situation.

The war broke out, causing the supply of goods from other countries to be blocked, prices immediately increased by 30-50%, some items increased by 300-500%, causing workers' income to decrease by about half. Also living in Russia for nearly 20 years, Mr. Than Quang Phuong from Chi Linh City said that before, workers earned about 2,000 USD/month, but after the war, it was only about 1,000 - 1,500 USD/month. Rent, expenses, food and living expenses also increased, while income decreased by 20-30% due to the devaluation of the ruble, forcing them to tighten spending.

“For over a year now, I and many other Vietnamese people have stopped selling at Liu Market and switched to selling online to survive. Many people who stay at the market are also struggling to raise capital to maintain their businesses. Many have had to raise capital from relatives in Vietnam. Many Hai Duong restaurant owners have also had to temporarily close their stores. In general, it is very difficult, all because of the devaluation of the ruble,” said Mr. Phuong.

Hope peace returns soon
The Russia-Ukraine war has disrupted the lives of most Vietnamese people in Russia, but they have gradually adapted to the new situation. Their greatest wish now is for peace to return soon.

^{The ruble's devaluation, rising inflation, and rising prices have forced people in Hai Duong, Russia, to tighten their spending (photo provided by the character)}

Ms. Giang said that the economy is difficult and she lives in fear every day. This Tet, few people will return to Vietnam because airfare is expensive and they have to transit through several other countries. “For the sake of life, I have to make many sacrifices, especially being away from my husband and children. I hope the war will end soon so that life can return to normal,” Ms. Giang said.

Thuy's wife and son are in Hai Duong City. Although he misses his family very much, he cannot return to Vietnam this Tet. Thuy said that many people may not return because Russia is restricting the issuance of work permits. If they want to renew their work permits, the cost will be more expensive than before and it will not be easy. Thuy is staying in Russia to prepare to import goods from China to sell during the summer, and partly to wait for the ruble to increase in value to exchange for USD. "I hope that business will be as favorable as before. Although it is difficult, we will celebrate Tet together here and will make video calls to our family," Thuy said.

His wife and children are in Russia with Mr. Phuong, so he will not return to Vietnam this Tet. “I hope the war between Russia and Ukraine can end in 2024. That is my wish, but for us, no matter what, we will have to adapt. I hope the whole family will be able to celebrate Tet properly in Vietnam in 2025,” said Mr. Phuong.

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Ukraine to receive second SAMP/T air defense system from Italy by end of September,
In a recent statement, Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed that Ukraine will be supplied with a second SAMP/T air defense system from Italy by the end of September, according to RAI News.

"By the end of this month, the new SAMP/T system will be delivered to Ukraine, and we understand the importance of timely delivery," Crosetto emphasized during his speech at the European Trade Conference on Air and Missile Defense.

Earlier, Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that the Ministry of Defense is preparing to send the second SAMP/T air defense system to Ukraine.

Last year, Ukraine received its first SAMP/T air defense system from France and Italy. These systems are considered to have certain advantages over the American Patriot systems.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 20:01 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Maar het zou inderdaad ook de raket kunnen zijn waar ze het laatst over hadden, die zo goed als gereed zou zijn. De Hrim-2. Die heeft een explosieve lading van 500 kilo zie ik.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 21:40 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Waarschijnlijk geen ballistische raketten, want op sommige video's was een straalmotor te horen, die kwam overvliegen op een lage hoogte.

(Tenzij ze meer dan 2 wapensystemen hebben gebruikt)

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 20:59 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Er lag veel buiten opgeslagen zag ik op een foto.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 21:43 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Dat ene filmpje waarop een straalmotor te horen was, was een totaal andere aanval toch?

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 21:50 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Ummm ik meende van niet?
Maar nu twijfel ik ook. Er zijn ook zoveel aanvallen...

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 16:28 schreef skysherrif het volgende:

[..]
[ x ]

Grappige is dat dit een militaire basis bij bryansk was, die OOK vannacht geraakt is.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 21:57 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Tenzij je een ander filmpje bedoelde natuurlijk. Deze was eerst toegewezen aan de aanval op Toropets Tver regio.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 21:57 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Tenzij je een ander filmpje bedoelde natuurlijk. Deze was eerst toegewezen aan de aanval op Toropets Tver regio.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 22:06 schreef skysherrif het volgende:

[..]
https://t.me/russianocontext/4716

Deze, als je hem via TG kan openen was ook met zon geluid

quote:

Only 13 in Russia: Expert on significance of missile depot attack in Toropets
The strike on the missile depot in Toropets, Tver region, is a significant achievement for Ukraine. There are only 13 such depots near Russia, said former Ukrainian General Staff spokesperson Vladyslav Seleznov in a comment for RBC-Ukraine.

"We should consider this depot not just as one of the depots, but as one of the most important and capacious depots. There are only 13 depots of this level in Russia. Imagine the size of Russia, its army, and only 13 depots storing the same amount of artillery ammunition and mortar shells," Seleznov said.

He noted that the depot might have contained missiles for S-300/S-400 systems, as well as North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles and their Russian equivalents, Iskanders.

Seleznov mentioned that, based on this information, the depot was powerful. It had several dozen hangars and underground storage facilities where shells were stored. Some munitions were also stored outdoors.

“In any case, this is a serious success for Ukrainian defense forces. As for the consequences, I think we will know very soon. My forecast is based on the fact that until this depot is completely detonated and burned out, it is doubtful that anyone could enter it. The destruction is too extensive, with too many ignition points,” the expert said.

SPOILER

Importance of the attack
Seleznov emphasized that it is significant that Ukrainian drones successfully covered a distance of about 480 kilometers from the frontline and caused serious damage. There is also information about three Russian soldiers reportedly missing from the depot, but losses may be much greater.

He added that this depot was primarily intended to meet the needs of the Russian forces operating in the Kursk and Belgorod regions. Therefore, Russia may soon experience a shortage of artillery shells, mortar rounds, and certain types of missiles.

“This is also excellent news because the Russians have not learned to fight against Ukrainian armored vehicles with just their bare hands. What happened is bound to happen again. Especially since it is not the first time that large bases and arsenals on the territory of the Russian Federation have been targeted,” Seleznov noted.

The expert estimated that Ukrainian forces likely turned about 30,000 tons of ammunition into scrap metal, and even an earthquake was recorded near Toropets. Such a quantity of shells could have been intended for a long-term supply—6 to 10 months.

“Given that the Russians are currently nervously searching for artillery ammunition worldwide, losing such a large amount creates significant problems for Russian logistics right now. The Russian army largely relies on artillery for battlefield advantage,” he said.

Impact of the strike
Seleznov suggested that the tactical impact of such an attack might be minimal, as the enemy still has some operational-level ammunition reserves. However, in the coming days or weeks, the strike could have an impact.

“It is impossible to quickly transform logistics to support the occupiers, for instance, in northern Kharkiv region. Logistics need to be reconfigured, which takes time,” the expert emphasized.

Background
On September 18, explosions were reported in Tver region. Local residents complained about the attack.

Sources from the Security Service of Ukraine informed RBC-Ukraine that Ukrainian drones struck an ammunition depot in Toropets, destroying Iskander and Tochka-U missiles.

quote:

Military: North of Kharkiv region, Russian combat capability decreases due to food poisoning
In one section of the Kharkiv axis, near Hlyboke, Ukraine observes mass cases of food poisoning among the Russian military due to the poor quality of food, reported the “Kharkiv” group of forces.

Russia started its new offensive north and northeast in the Kharkiv region in May, but Ukrainian troops have stabilized the frontline in this section since. Now, heavy battles are ongoing in and around Vovchansk (three miles from the border, 46 miles away from Kharkiv) and near Lyptsi (six miles from the border, 12 miles from Kharkiv.)

The “Kharkiv” reported that in the Kharkiv direction, there is also a low quality of drinking water and a need for medicines. Nevertheless, the Russians are moving personnel to strengthen the front lines.

Near Lyptsi, the Russian army is building up personnel to regain lost positions, restoring communication systems and parts of the fortifications destroyed by the Defense Forces. The Russians have also replenished mortar shells, “Kharkiv” wrote.

In the Starytsia area, Russians remotely mined the ways to approach their positions and are evacuating the casualties.

The “Kharkiv” reported that, in Vovchansk, the Russians deployed small groups of two brigades to the frontlines and delivered medical supplies; evacuation is ongoing in the city, too.

According to “Kharkiv,” the Russian army lost 85 troops over the past day in the Kharkiv direction.

In the Kharkiv direction, the Russians also lost 59 pieces of weapons and military equipment over the past day, including eight artillery systems, nine vehicles, five units of special equipment, 56 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and 53 shelters for personnel.

quote:

A group of people who were trained in the Russian Federation were preparing a coup d'�tat in Armenia, - the Country Monitor
In Armenia, law enforcement officers uncovered a group of people who were engaged in the preparation of a coup d'�tat in the country.

As Censor.NET informs , this was reported by the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

According to law enforcement officers, 5 suspects are citizens of Armenia, and 2 more are former residents of Nagorno-Karabakh .

The investigator claims that those involved were recruited from the territory of Russia, promising a reward of 220,000 rubles per month to each. It is noted that at first they did not know about the true purpose of their training.

Initially, a group of recruits was invited to Rostov-on-Don, offering a three-month familiarization with the new heavy weapons. The extras were told that they would be able to return to Armenia and be on combat duty.

In Rostov-on-Don, recruits passed a lie detector test. The organizers of the conspiracy were interested in whether the "new recruits" were connected to the law enforcement agencies of Armenia.

Then they were taken to a military base called "Arbat" to undergo close combat training. Only then did they learn that the real purpose of their training was to seize power, law enforcement officers report.

Part of the group refused to participate in the coup.

So far, three suspects have been sent to custody, four have been declared wanted. Law enforcement officers are also identifying other members of the criminal group.

Earlier, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan stated that the Collective Security Treaty Organization poses threats to the security, existence and sovereignty of his country. Therefore, Yerevan froze its participation in the CSTO.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 21:50 schreef oheng het volgende:

Hier trouwens een interessante video over een Gepard/Cheetah die een drone neerhaalt. Let op de vrij gematigde reactie van de crew.
[ x ]

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 19:51 schreef oheng het volgende:
De soap in de scheiding van het Wildberries echtpaar (=russische Amazon) kabbelt voort.

Vandaag schoten de bodyguards van beide partijen elkaar overhoop buiten het hoofdkwartier.

[ x ]

Oja, en weer allemaal generaals opgeruimd opgepakt bedoel ik.

Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official Music Video]

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 20:33 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/09/18/7475652/
[..]

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 20:51 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://mil.in.ua/en/news(...)n-leopard-1-chassis/
[..]

SPOILER

[ afbeelding ]
^{SkyRanger 35 air defence turret system on the Leopard 2 chassis, June 17, 2024}

This allows Skyranger to be classified as an army air defense system.

Skyranger 35
The Skyranger 35 system features a combat module equipped with a GDM-008 35mm gun capable of firing at a rate of 1000 rounds per minute. It can optionally accommodate a launcher for two FIM-92 Stinger or Mistral missiles.

The ammunition for the gun includes a variety of rounds, including shells with radio fuses, with a total capacity of 252 35mm shells.

The Skyranger 35 uses an AMMR multipurpose radar operating in the S-band, equipped with five antennas to provide complete 360-degree coverage for detecting small aerial targets.
[ afbeelding ]
^{SkyRanger 35 system on the Leopard 2 chassis, June 17, 2024}

Additionally, it features a passive Rheinmetall FIRST target detection system, which enhances the detection of small targets without emitting radar signals, thereby avoiding detection by enemy radio reconnaissance.

Rheinmetall Air Defence: Oerlikon Skyranger 35 – Mobile Air Defence System

One of the primary functions of the system, given current threats, is to target reconnaissance and attack drones, for which programmable 35-mm shells are considered ideal.

The range of the artillery system’s air targets is 4000 meters, as stated by the developer. In addition, if necessary, the system can effectively operate against ground targets.

As previously reported, Bj�rn Bernhard, Head of Land Systems at Rheinmetall, stated that Rheinmetall is currently assessing the possibility of equipping Leopard 1 tanks for Ukraine with the Skyranger 35 short-range air defense turret system.

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 20:51 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://mil.in.ua/en/news(...)n-leopard-1-chassis/
[..]

SPOILER

[ afbeelding ]
^{SkyRanger 35 air defence turret system on the Leopard 2 chassis, June 17, 2024}

This allows Skyranger to be classified as an army air defense system.

Skyranger 35
The Skyranger 35 system features a combat module equipped with a GDM-008 35mm gun capable of firing at a rate of 1000 rounds per minute. It can optionally accommodate a launcher for two FIM-92 Stinger or Mistral missiles.

The ammunition for the gun includes a variety of rounds, including shells with radio fuses, with a total capacity of 252 35mm shells.

The Skyranger 35 uses an AMMR multipurpose radar operating in the S-band, equipped with five antennas to provide complete 360-degree coverage for detecting small aerial targets.
[ afbeelding ]
^{SkyRanger 35 system on the Leopard 2 chassis, June 17, 2024}

Additionally, it features a passive Rheinmetall FIRST target detection system, which enhances the detection of small targets without emitting radar signals, thereby avoiding detection by enemy radio reconnaissance.

Rheinmetall Air Defence: Oerlikon Skyranger 35 – Mobile Air Defence System

One of the primary functions of the system, given current threats, is to target reconnaissance and attack drones, for which programmable 35-mm shells are considered ideal.

The range of the artillery system’s air targets is 4000 meters, as stated by the developer. In addition, if necessary, the system can effectively operate against ground targets.

As previously reported, Bj�rn Bernhard, Head of Land Systems at Rheinmetall, stated that Rheinmetall is currently assessing the possibility of equipping Leopard 1 tanks for Ukraine with the Skyranger 35 short-range air defense turret system.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 09:43 schreef AgLarrr het volgende:

[..]
Moooh wat een mooi ding. @:AchJa Krijgen wij die ook?

quote:

Op woensdag 18 september 2024 21:40 schreef oheng het volgende:

[..]
Waarschijnlijk geen ballistische raketten, want op sommige video's was een straalmotor te horen, die kwam overvliegen op een lage hoogte.

(Tenzij ze meer dan 2 wapensystemen hebben gebruikt)

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 09:50 schreef sp3c het volgende:
persoonlijk verwacht ik een order voor meer cv90's en dat dan wat boxers met dit soort varianten gaan worden uitgerust

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:25 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:
een raket die via de ruimte reist? Wtf? Bestaat dat

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:22 schreef Ulx het volgende:
De Russen zijn wel stil over de explosie in Toropets. Dat vind ik opmerkelijk want je kunt zeggen dat ze een atoombom-zonder-straling op een doel in Rusland hebben gegooid. Als er werkelijk 15.000 tott 30.000 ton aan explosieven is ontploft is dat een knal ter grootte van -of groter dan- de atoombommen op Hiroshima en Nagasaki geweest. Maar niets over rode lijnen vanuit Moskou.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:28 schreef Red_85 het volgende:

[..]
Holy shit

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:25 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:
ik had geen idee wat een ballistische raket was, dus heb het even gewikipediaat, en dat is dus een raket die via de ruimte reist? Wtf? Bestaat dat

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:25 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:

[..]
ik had geen idee wat een ballistische raket was, dus heb het even gewikipediaat, en dat is dus een raket die via de ruimte reist? Wtf? Bestaat dat
Dacht altijd dat die dingen gewoon door de lucht vlogen. Mind blown

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:25 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:

[..]
ik had geen idee wat een ballistische raket was, dus heb het even gewikipediaat, en dat is dus een raket die via de ruimte reist? Wtf? Bestaat dat
Dacht altijd dat die dingen gewoon door de lucht vlogen. Mind blown

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 11:39 schreef Papierversnipperaar het volgende:

[..]
De enige militaire raketten die via de ruimte gaan zijn Inter-Continentale Ballistische Raketten.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:18 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Nemen "hostile takeover" wel erg letterlijk.

Gewoon met wat gewapende boeven de boardroom instormen en verklaren dat het bedrijf vanaf nu van mij is.



Wat dat betreft zijn de 90s dus alweer teruggekeerd.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:33 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
De munitie ontplofte natuurlijk niet allemaal tegelijk, dus de energie komt niet allemaal op hetzelfde moment vrij. Dat is wel een verschil.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 12:52 schreef Red_85 het volgende:

[..]
Nou ja, gezien die hele grote paddenstoel in de nacht waarbij duidelijk een grote schokgolf te zien was, was het wel een heule dikke boem.
Misschien niet alles tegelijk, wel spectaculair.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:28 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Ja, die bestaan. En men zegt dat er zelfs raketten zijn die naar de maan kunnen. Ik heb ook verhalen gehoord over hele ruimtestations die om de aarde zweven.

Het zijn bijzondere tijden. Ik denk dat we in het jaar 2100 vliegende auto's hebben.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:28 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Ja, die bestaan. En men zegt dat er zelfs raketten zijn die naar de maan kunnen. Ik heb ook verhalen gehoord over hele ruimtestations die om de aarde zweven.

Het zijn bijzondere tijden. Ik denk dat we in het jaar 2100 vliegende auto's hebben.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 11:53 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Je hebt nooit van de v2 gehoord? Bestaat als sinds ww2 Maar door de ruimte klinkt wel spannender dan het echt is.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 11:03 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Er wordt meer gerefereerd aan de baan die het aflegt. Altijd een boog zoals deze:

[ afbeelding ]

Ook pistool en geweer kogels leggen zo'n baan af, niet zo radicaal, maar toch; kogels uit een loop gaan eerst omhoog en dalen dan weer. En als je leest: wapen heeft een bereik van 3000M ofzo, is het dus ook dat na 3000M de kogel weer terug is op dezelfde hoogte als dat het uit de loop kwam.

Tegenovergestelde is een kruisraket, die na lancering naar hoogte gaat, dan het grootste gedeelte in een rechte lijn aflegt, en bij doel weer neergaat. Of een fictioneel laserwapen, daarvan gaat de straal ook rechtdoor, niet omhoog laag.

Meer dat zat ballistische raketten verlaten de atmosfeer nooit.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 10:22 schreef Ulx het volgende:
De Russen zijn wel stil over de explosie in Toropets. Dat vind ik opmerkelijk want je kunt zeggen dat ze een atoombom-zonder-straling op een doel in Rusland hebben gegooid. Als er werkelijk 15.000 tott 30.000 ton aan explosieven is ontploft is dat een knal ter grootte van -of groter dan- de atoombommen op Hiroshima en Nagasaki geweest. Maar niets over rode lijnen vanuit Moskou.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 09:43 schreef AgLarrr het volgende:
Moooh wat een mooi ding. @:AchJa Krijgen wij die ook?

quote:

Verwerving luchtverdediging op korte en middellange afstand in een project

De projecten van Defensie voor de vervanging van zowel de luchtverdediging op de korte als op de middellange afstand worden samengevoegd. De raketten en lanceerinstallaties voor beide systemen worden bij 1 leverancier verworven. Op die manier kunnen beide capaciteiten optimaal met elkaar worden ge�ntegreerd. Dat schreef staatssecretaris Christophe van der Maat op 5 juni aan de Tweede Kamer.

“De gecombineerde capaciteit moet bescherming bieden voor zowel manoeuvrerende eenheden, als vitale infrastructuur en gebieden. Beide capaciteiten worden zo ge�ntegreerd met elkaar dat ze naadloos en zonder kwaliteitsverlies samenwerken. Dat gebeurt in een draadloos en continu gesynchroniseerd netwerk”, zegt Van der Maat. “Eenheden kunnen daardoor op het moderne gevechtsveld mobieler, flexibeler en sneller optreden. De oorlog in Oekra�ne toont het belang van een zo kort mogelijke tijd tussen het detecteren van een luchtdreiging met de radar en het afvuren van een projectiel.”

Uit marktonderzoek blijkt dat maar 1 leverancier kan voldoen aan deze eisen. Het gaat om het consortium Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) uit Noorwegen, samen met Raytheon uit de Verenigde Staten. Ander voordeel is dat deze partijen al zaken doen met verschillende NAVO-partners. Dat verbetert de mogelijkheid om internationaal samen te werken.

De eerste nieuwe systemen voor de middellange afstand (tot 50 kilometer) zijn vanaf 2026 leverbaar. Dat betekent dat de huidige zogeheten Medium Range Air Defence (MRAD)-systemen tot uiterlijk 2027 in gebruik blijven. Vanaf 2028 zijn ook de systemen op korte afstand (tot 15 kilometer) beschikbaar. Dit zogenoemde Short Range Air Defence (SHORAD)-systeem wordt geleverd op het Armoured Combat Support Vehicle G5 (ACSV G5).

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 18:05 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Neen, vooralsnog niet.
[..]
[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 17:45 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
30.000 Ton munitie =/= 30.000 ton TNT natuurlijk.

Een NATO 155mm granaat weegt een kleine 45kg maar er zit maar zo'n 10kg aan explosieven in.

Als we de rekensom even doortrekken zou 30.000 ton aan RUS 152mm granaten in totaal zo'n kleine 700.000 granaten zijn. Ruwweg de Russische maandproductie.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 17:45 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]

Als we de rekensom even doortrekken zou 30.000 ton aan RUS 152mm granaten in totaal zo'n kleine 700.000 granaten zijn. Ruwweg de Russische maandproductie.

quote:

Germany Allocates �50M for Ukrainian Military Medical Treatment

^{Boris Pistorius with the Ukrainian military. Source: German Embassy in Ukraine}

The German government has allocated up to �50 million for the admission and treatment of wounded Ukrainian soldiers.

This statement is published on the German government’s website.

In the future, the costs of inpatient treatment of war wounded will be paid by the Federal Administration Office without bureaucratic procedures.

“For two and a half years now, people have been dying every day in Ukraine as a result of the bloody war unleashed by Putin. Many soldiers and civilians have been horribly injured. From the very beginning, it was clear to us that we would support Ukraine and the people who are experiencing incredible suffering. We have already evacuated 1,173 seriously injured and traumatized Ukrainian soldiers and civilians and provided them with treatment in German hospitals. This assistance is an imperative of humanity – and we continue to provide it with all our might,” stated Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser.

SPOILER

^{A wounded Ukrainian soldier. August 2022. Ukraine. Photo credits: Office of the President of Ukraine}

The German government emphasizes that Germany continues to stand firmly on the side of Ukraine and has therefore promised to accept the wounded for treatment in Germany in early 2022.

German clinics support the government’s decision and are doing an outstanding job using their expertise to treat Ukrainian soldiers.

According to the statement, the treatment of soldiers is an important contribution to supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.

“The admission procedure and the structure of assistance in recent years have led to a number of administrative difficulties and problems in processing for victims, hospitals and local authorities. These problems should be solved by a joint initiative of the federal government,” the statement said.

In August, Militarnyi reported that the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has commissioned Rheinmetall to deliver eight additional Forward Surgical Team stations for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

^{Forward Surgical Team station from Rheinmetall. Manufacturer’s photo}
The contract provides for the manufacture and supply of eight Forward Surgical Team stations (FST) from Rheinmetall to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

The order is part of the strengthening initiative (“Ert�chtigungsinitiative”) of the Federal Government of Germany. The delivery is expected to begin in 2024 and to be completed by the end of 2026.

The order comprises eight turnkey-ready systems, equipped with highly modern medical technology, among them an x-ray-container, an operating theater and a unit for intensive care on the standard of a modern hospital.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 18:27 schreef BEFEM het volgende:
Ik ben nog nergens tegengekomen dan Rusland ~8 miljoen granaten per jaar maakt. Zit meestal rond de 3 miljoen.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 18:27 schreef SillyWalks het volgende:
Rusland produceert 8,4 miljoen 152mm granaten per jaar? Dat klinkt als heel veel. Heb je daar een bron van?

quote:

Ukraine downs Russian missile, 42 drones
Ukraine’s air defense forces intercepted a Russian missile and 42 kamikaze drones overnight Thursday.

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

On the night of September 19, 2024, Ukrainian radars detected a total of 46 air targets in Ukraine’s airspace, the report reads.

The invaders targeted Kharkiv region with three S-300/S-400 missiles launched from Belgorod region, a Kh-59/69 guided air missile from the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region, as well as 42 Shahed-type attack UAVs (launch areas in Primorsk-Akhtarsk and Kursk).

A total of 42 attack drones and a guided missile were shot down.

Air defenses were activated in Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 18:45 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Bagger kwaliteit is 1 ding, maar denk dat een eerste jaars student aan een technische studie in het westen dit soort zwaar stupide fouten gemakkelijk kan voorkomen.

[ x ]

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 18:43 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
[..]
Herstel, wat ze verschieten in totaal per maand.

Verbeterd.

quote:

Russians start using a new mine analog of the PFM-1 Lepestok

^{New Russian mine. Source: Kharkiv operational tactical group of troops}

The enemy has started using new anti-personnel mines in the Kharkiv sector.

The press service of the Kharkiv operational tactical group of troops reported on this.

According to the information available to the operational tactical group of troops, these are pressure-operated mines. They have a 3D-printed body with a fuze and a charge of plastid inside.

The new mines are similar in terms of size and principle of operation to the PFM-1 Lepestok mine, which is banned by international conventions.

SPOILER

^{New Russian mine. Source: Kharkiv operational tactical group of troops}

Their small size and unpredictable nature make them highly insidious.

There is currently no reliable data on the scalability of the production of these mines in Russia.

The Kharkiv operational tactical group of troops suggests that this may result from a private initiative by individual producers.

These mines, despite their relative ease of manufacture, pose a serious threat to the lives of our defenders.

‘Due to the new danger, we call for increased caution in the combat zones and the liberated territories,’ the statement reads.

In early September, Militarnyi reported that the Russians had started using FPV drones to conduct remote mining.

^{FPV-mine. Source: Khorne Group}

Some of these mines were equipped with target sensors used on the POM-2 anti-personnel pull fuse mine.

Another part of the mines used a time-delay fuze (a mine fuze with a time-delay mechanism).

The soldiers inform that the demasking factor of such mines is the drone underneath them and the ‘squeak’ of its hardware component.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 18:05 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Neen, vooralsnog niet.
[..]
[ afbeelding ]

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 18:58 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Volgens mij halen ze die aantallen ook niet meer ik dacht iets van 10k 152mm per dag tegenwoordig.

Maar in ieder geval. Er is een hele hoop de lucht in gegaan.

quote:

Burya RWS and TerMIT tracked platform combined into a single combat system

^{The unified combat system of the Burya RWS and the TerMIT UGV. Source: Frontline}

Two developments by Ukrainian manufacturers—Frontline’s Burya remote weapon system with a grenade launcher and Tencore’s TerMIT ground platform—have successfully completed integration into a single combat system.

Militarnyi reports on this with reference to Frontline’s press release.

The new product will allow the Armed Forces of Ukraine to fire the Mk-19 grenade launcher from a distance without endangering themselves.

The TerMIT chassis has a range of 20 km, providing stable communication and maneuverability even in difficult conditions.

The Burya grenade launcher turret allows for 10 times more efficient firing and multiple targets, re-targeting in seconds on the operator’s command.

SPOILER

Бойова система «Буря» + «TerMIT»

The operator controls this system remotely using a remote control or laptop. To fire the gun, it is enough to specify a point on the map or enter the coordinates.

The built-in stabilization system allows for precision firing on the move at a distance of up to 1800 meters.

“The turret’s automatic guidance system works very accurately, even better than the operator, especially when firing at multiple targets. A big advantage is that the turret can remember the settings and quickly re-aim between targets, ensuring accurate hits within a 20-30 meters radius,” a military officer from the unit that tested the system commented.

The development of ground robotic systems is a priority for the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence. The combat system is currently at the pre-order stage and is ready for mass production.

^{The unified combat system of the Burya RWS and the TerMIT UGV. Source: Frontline}

‘Burya’
The turret weighs 47 kilograms and can be deployed manually on a tripod or delivered to the site using a logistics platform.

It is equipped with an automated guidance and fire control system that ensures rapid response to threats and accurate target engagement.

^{“Burya” RWS. Photo credits: Frontline}

Remote control, aiming, and firing take place at a distance of 50-100 meters, and drones or the Kropyva system can do targeting.

The sophisticated software also allows for convenient targeting using a laptop or tablet while in a shelter at a distance from the turret.

TerMIT
The platform, which is based on a tracked chassis, has a payload of 300 kilograms and a range of 20 kilometers.

^{TerMIT drone. Photo from open sources}

The drone can perform a variety of tasks: logistics, evacuation, mining, and strike missions.

quote:

UN finds "reasonable grounds" to believe energy infrastructure attacks violate humanitarian law
UN mission representatives visited power plants and cities struck by Russia

Russia's airstrikes on Ukraine's energy system may violate international humanitarian law, according to a report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

The report was based on observations of Russian strikes from March to August 2024. In total, UN representatives recorded nine waves of attacks on energy facilities.

"There are reasonable grounds to believe that multiple aspects of the military campaign to damage or destroy Ukraine’s civilian electricity and heat-producing and transmission infrastructure have violated foundational principles of international humanitarian law," the report states.

UN representatives wrote they visited seven power plants damaged by Russian strikes and 28 settlements. The report states that it will "take years" for Ukraine to mitigate the consequences of these attacks.

The document also states that such attacks pose a threat to water supply, sewage and sanitation systems, heating and hot water, public health, education and the economy.

According to the report, most homes in cities are connected to centralized heating and water systems. Mission members found that 95% of Kyiv's three million residents rely on centralized district heating.

"Without emergency electricity supply, millions of urban residents could be left without heat," the report says.

Experts from the UN Mission predict that in the winter of 2024-2025, Ukrainians will be without electricity for 4 to 18 hours a day. This summer, power outages were the second most common reason for citizens to leave the country.

quote:

Russians strike geriatric center in Sumy: one killed, several injured - photos
Over 200 elderly people were in the facility during the occupiers' attack

Consequences of the attack (Photo by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine)
On September 19, Russians struck the regional geriatric center in Sumy, as was reported by the head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, Volodymyr Artyukh.

As a result of the strike, one person was killed and nine others were injured. The head of the Regional Military Administration added that some of the victims are in serious condition.

According to him, over 200 elderly people were in the nursing home during the occupiers' attack, 87 of whom required assistance. Artyukh noted that the evacuation of people to other facilities is currently underway.

To help the victims, a headquarters has been set up on the spot.

UPDATE AT 6:10 p.m. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that the technical and fifth floors of the nursing home were partially destroyed. 147 people were evacuated from the building.

There are no people under the rubble. One person died, and 12 others were injured.

UPDATE AT 7:05 p.m. The Office of the Prosecutor General reported that the occupiers struck the geriatric nursing home in Sumy around 15:40. There were over 200 patients and 60 staff members present.

The occupiers also dropped another glide bomb on a garage cooperative. 15 garages and 10 cars were damaged.

Law enforcement officers have begun a pre-trial investigation into the violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder.

SPOILER

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 19:02 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
The new mines are similar in terms of size and principle of operation to the PFM-1 Lepestok mine, which is banned by international conventions.

quote:

Policy

The Russian Federation has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty.

quote:

Ammunition from India arrives in Ukraine despite Russia’s protests – Reuters

European countries have been supplying artillery shells from Indian arms manufacturers to Ukraine for more than a year. Despite Russia’s protests, India does not interfere with or stop the trade, Babel reports.

Reuters informs this with reference to 11 Indian and European government and defense industry officials, as well as customs data.

In general, Indian export rules stipulate that only the declared buyer can use the weapon. Otherwise, the country may stop further arms sales. However, according to two of the Indian officials interviewed by the agency, India has not taken any action to limit supplies to Europe.

SPOILER

Moscow has discussed these supplies with New Delhi at least twice, but without success. In particular, this was discussed at a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart. This, however, did not prevent the Kremlin from presenting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s July trip to Russia as a visit by a friend of Vladimir Putin.

Reuters sources claim that India produces only a small amount of the ammunition used by Ukraine. According to one Indian official, this is less than 1% of the total amount of weapons that Kyiv has imported since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

Indian ammunition is also sent to Ukraine by Italy and the Czech Republic, which is leading an initiative to supply Kyiv with artillery shells from outside the European Union. Indian manufacturers also exported ammunition components to Spain and Slovenia, which have already established supply chains for Ukraine.

According to customs data, ammunition of 155 mm, 120 mm, and 125 mm caliber can be supplied to Ukraine.

The supplies allow India to develop its nascent arms export sector. In addition, it allows India to show its partners in the West that it is not on Russia’s side in the Russian-Ukrainian war, Reuters notes.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 20:31 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Wat denken jullie? Heeft Musk dit gedaan of is die Deplorean vanzelf naar de kloten gegaan?

quote:

Kadyrov klaagt dat Musk zijn Cybertruck heeft uitgezet: 'Onfatsoenlijk'
41 min geledenin Buitenland

GROZNY - De Tsjetsjeense leider Ramzan Kadyrov beschuldigt techmiljardair Elon Musk ervan zijn Cybertruck op afstand te hebben uitgeschakeld.
Hij zei op berichtendienst Telegram dat onfatsoenlijk te vinden van de Teslabaas.

quote:

Beelden van Kadyrov in het voertuig gingen eerder nog de wereld over.
Hij deelde vorige maand een video van de Cybertruck, waar kennelijk een machinegeweer op gemonteerd zat.
Kadyrov heeft ook gezegd dat het voertuig is ingezet in Oekra�ne.

De krijgsheer, een bondgenoot van de Russische president Vladimir Poetin, had Musk eerder nog bedankt voor de wagen.
Hij sloeg donderdag een minder vriendelijke toon aan tegenover de miljardair. ,,
geeft dure cadeaus uit de bodem van zijn hart en zet ze vervolgens op afstand uit."

Musk heeft eerder ge�rgerd gereageerd op de berichten over de Cybertruck van Kadyrov.
,,Ben je echt zo achterlijk dat je denkt dat ik een Cybertruck aan een Russische generaal heb geschonken?" schreef hij vorige maand op X. ,,
Nog een voorbeeld van hoe hard de traditionele media liegen."

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 20:54 schreef skysherrif het volgende:
[ x ]

Om het barbarisme van de russen nog maar eens te benadrukken.

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 20:31 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Wat denken jullie? Heeft Musk dit gedaan of is die Deplorean vanzelf naar de kloten gegaan?

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 20:57 schreef skysherrif het volgende:

[..]
[ x ]

langere video/informatie

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 20:58 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Was gister ook al gepost.

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 21:28 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:
Ik zou nooit het leger in willen of kunnen. Maar zo lekker achter de computer met een drone op orcs knallen lijkt me dan wel weer lekker eigenlijk

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 21:28 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:
Ik zou nooit het leger in willen of kunnen. Maar zo lekker achter de computer met een drone op orcs knallen lijkt me dan wel weer lekker eigenlijk

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:03 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Ik zit eigenlijk te wachten tot ze dat gaan crowdsourcen.

"Heb je snelle verbinding? Ja? Kan je goed met controller overweg? Mag je naar deze website, aanmelden username password, en kan je lekker thuis vanaf de bank orcs opblazen "

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:06 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Of je doneert een drone

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:06 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Of je doneert een drone, in ruil daarvoor krijg je co�rdinaten en mag je zelf vliegen .

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 21:28 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:
Ik zou nooit het leger in willen of kunnen. Maar zo lekker achter de computer met een drone op orcs knallen lijkt me dan wel weer lekker eigenlijk

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:16 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ga naar Oekra�ne dan. Vast wel zo'n baantje voor je.

Doe je toch niet.

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:16 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ga naar Oekra�ne dan. Vast wel zo'n baantje voor je.

Doe je toch niet.

Eduard Khil - Official Trolololo

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:16 schreef Discombobulate het volgende:

[..]
Ga naar Oekra�ne dan. Vast wel zo'n baantje voor je.

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:23 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Ah gelukkig... daar is ie weer .
Net zo voorspelbaar als deze post .

Maar asjeblieft:

Eduard Khil - Official Trolololo

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 21:28 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:
Ik zou nooit het leger in willen of kunnen. Maar zo lekker achter de computer met een drone op orcs knallen lijkt me dan wel weer lekker eigenlijk

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:31 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Waarom?

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:38 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:

[..]
Omdat ze een ander land zijn binnengevallen en zich daar behoorlijk misdragen

SPOILER

volgens de Russen

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:38 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:

[..]
Omdat ze een ander land zijn binnengevallen en zich daar behoorlijk misdragen

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:42 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
omdat de Oekrainers zich behoorlijk hebben misdragen in donbas

SPOILER

volgens de Russen

waar maakt het dat voor jou als Nederlander leuk om mensen dood te schieten maar wil je geen soldaat worden?

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:46 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Impliceer je nu dat mensen het leger in gaan omdat ze het leuk vinden om mensen door te schieten?

[ afbeelding ]

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:46 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
nee de man op wie ik reageer impliceert dat

/insertmatiggifje

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:48 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Waar dan? Want dat zie ik echt serieus nergens staan .
Jij bent degene die hier mee komt .

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:48 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
ok

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:49 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Vervelend h�. Als je een punt wilde maken maar je schiet mijlenver over .

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:44 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar het gaat best ver he, op een knopje drukken, en iemand laat het leven. Ook al is het een orc-rat die het ruim verdiend.

Dat is niet voor iedereen weggelegd, zonder dat je mentaal een enorme klap krijgt.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 22:50 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
denk ik

maar volgens mij klopt het gewoon hier

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 19:04 schreef AgLarrr het volgende:

Ik las ook iets over lasers - of is dat nog in een meer experimenteel stadium?

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 23:38 schreef ExTec het volgende:
De spoiler was niet duidelijk.

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Op donderdag 19 september 2024 19:20 schreef AchJa het volgende:

[..]
Dat is dus niet waar aangezien Rusland de Ottawa Treaty niet heeft ondertekend. En over de PFM-1 hebben we het volgens mij al eens eerder gehad. Ook Oekraiene heeft ze ingezet.
[..]

quote:

The United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW or CCWC), concluded at Geneva on October 10, 1980, and entered into force in December 1983, seeks to prohibit or restrict the use of certain conventional weapons which are considered excessively injurious or whose effects are indiscriminate.

quote:

Protocol II: Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices
Protocol II on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices was amended on May 3, 1996, to strengthen its provisions and extend the scope of application to cover both international and internal armed conflicts. The protocol regulates, but does not ban, land mines. It prohibits the use of non-detectable anti-personnel mines and their transfer; prohibits the use of non-self-destructing and non-self-deactivating mines outside fenced, monitored and marked areas; prohibits directing mines and booby traps against civilians; requires parties to the conflict to remove mines and booby traps when the conflict ends; broadens obligations of protecting peacekeeping and other missions of the United Nations and its agencies; requires States to enforce compliance with its provisions within their jurisdiction; and calls for penal sanctions in case of violation.[2][8]

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Romanian President proposes to create a training center for Ukrainian marines

^{Landing of Ukrainian marines on the coast. May 2024. Photo credits: Ukrainian Navy}

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis addresses the parliament with a proposal to establish a training center in Romania to train Ukrainian marines.

Euractiv reported on this.

In a letter to the parliament, Iohannis emphasized the need for increased military assistance and diversified training for the Ukrainian military.

It was suggested that the center be created within the framework of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG, also known as the Ramstein group) to strengthen Ukraine’s maritime capabilities.

Romania will support the training of Ukrainian marines within its capabilities.

SPOILER

^{The landing of marines from Uisko landing craft on an unprepared coast. May 2024. Photo credits: Ukrainian Navy}

Contributions from the international community will help support the center’s work. In particular, the United Kingdom will provide full funding for its initial development stage.

It is noted that the center will operate for two years, subject to prior approval by military partners.

Romania also reserves the right to withdraw from the obligation at any time during the training process or at the end of the agreed period.

Defense Minister Angel T�lvăr and Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umierov stated on September 12 that a group of Ukrainian Air Force pilots begin training on F-16 fighter jets in Romania.

Back in June, it was announced that Romania would fund the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets at the Feteşti air base.

^{Ukrainian F-16 fighters. August 2024. Photo credits: Ukrainian Air Force}

The country will use the Ministry of Defense budget to cover the costs incurred by Ukrainian pilots and technical personnel while staying at the Romanian air base.

The center was created jointly with other allies and Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of these American combat aircraft. It meets the training requirements of NATO pilots.

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EU Parliament Passes Resolution To Remove All Restrictions on Ukraine’s Strikes in Russia
Western partners must immediately lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied weapons against legitimate military targets on Russian territory, according to a newly adopted resolution by the European Parliament.

The resolution, titled "On the Continuation of Financial and Military Support for Ukraine by EU Member States," was passed during a plenary session in Strasbourg, as reported by Ukrinform. The motion saw strong support, with 425 deputies voting in favor, 131 opposing, and 63 abstaining.

The MEPs emphasized that the insufficient supplies of ammunition and restrictions on their use "risks offsetting the impact of efforts made to date," and expressed regret about the decrease in the volume of bilateral military aid to Ukraine from the EU countries.

“MEPs reiterate their call for member states to fulfill their March 2023 commitment to deliver one million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine, and to accelerate the delivery of weapons, air defense systems and ammunition, including TAURUS missiles,“ the press release stated.

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SBU detains Kharkiv resident who allegedly directed glide bombs on Ukrainian forces’ locations within city
The Security Service (SBU) detained a Kharkiv resident who was allegedly an agent of Russian military intelligence. According to their data, the man directed Russian missile and bomb attacks on bases where Ukrainian troops participating in combat on the Kharkiv axis were located in the city, said SBU spokesman Vladyslav Abdula.

Since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 1,000 people in the Kharkiv Oblast have received a notice of suspicion in proceedings over treason, collaboration, and dissemination of information about the movement of the Armed Forces.

Vladyslav Abdula said that the priority targets of the Russian Federation were the temporary bases of Ukrainian troops participating in the combat in the Kharkiv direction.

According to SBU, the Russian secret service remotely recruited a 42-year-old unemployed man from Kharkiv to launch glide bombs and missile weapons at the locations of the Defense Forces.

Abdula says that the man came to the Russians’ attention through his pro-Kremlin posts on Telegram channels. There, a staff member of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (GRU) contacted him and offered to collaborate.

SBU reports that the man regularly walked around the city and covertly recorded the Defense Forces’ locations. Then, he marked the coordinates on Google Maps and sent them to his Russian supervisor via messenger.

According to Vladyslav Abdula, law enforcement officers exposed the man at the beginning of his work, so he did not have time to harm Ukrainian troops. During the search at his home, the SBU seized a cell phone that he allegedly used to take pictures of military facilities and communicate with the Russians.

The SBU gave the man a notice of suspicion and detained him to be held without bail. He faces life imprisonment and confiscation of property if found guilty.

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Russia’s Interior Ministry confirms plans to create national register of illegal migrants

^{Photo: Maxim Shipenkov / EPA}

Russia’s Interior Ministry is to create a register of foreign nationals who are in the country illegally, Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Gorovoy told state-affiliated business daily Kommersant in an interview published on Thursday.

Gorovoy said anyone appearing on the register would “be unable to drive a vehicle, use banking services, register property, get married or divorced, or enrol their children in kindergartens and schools”.

Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, approved legislation to create the register in mid-June, which was signed into law by Vladimir Putin in August. While the register is due to come into force at some point in 2025, Gorovoy’s comments represent the first time a high-ranking government official has mentioned the plan for some time.

State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said in July that foreign nationals whose documents had either expired or been annulled would be added to the register, as well as foreign nationals who had committed a criminal offence. He added that migrants who appeared on the register would be required to keep the police updated on their whereabouts.

Volodin also said that anyone added to the register would be expected to give a date and route for their planned departure from Russia, and that anyone failing to meet those requirements more than once would face deportation.

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Russians Reportedly Shift Military Equipment and Ammo from Crimea to Kursk
According to partisans, this transfer of equipment indicates a shortage of weapons in the Kursk sector, which is being compensated for by moving resources from currently less active frontline areas.

Agents of the Atesh partisan movement have reported that Russian troops are transferring weapons, ammunition, and military equipment from occupied Crimea to the Kursk region, releasing the corresponding photos.

“Our agents tracked the movement of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment belonging to the 810th Marine Brigade,” the report read.

The 810th Separate Marine Infantry Brigade, stationed near Sevastopol in Kozacha Bay, is part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet coastal forces.

According to the partisans, the Russians are actively repairing damaged equipment at repair bases in Crimea and sending it for further deployment to the Kursk region.

“This indicates a shortage of weapons in the Kursk sector, which they [Russians] are trying to fill by reallocating resources from less active areas, such as the Kherson sector,” the report said.

SPOILER

Atesh released photos showing military equipment being transported, allegedly including Soviet ZU-23 23-mm twin anti-aircraft guns, landing combat vehicles (of the second or third modification), and cargo military Kamaz trucks for transporting ammunition or personnel.

The partisans added that they continue to monitor Russian military movements and promptly share information with the Ukrainian Defense Forces (AFU).

In a recent report, Atesh agents discovered a Buk-M3 medium-range anti-aircraft missile system on the coast of the Gagarin district in Sevastopol. There was also a P-18 radar station used for early warning and targeting for the Buk-M3, enhancing the air defense capability to detect and destroy targets at greater distances.

Given that damaged Russian equipment is reportedly being repaired on the peninsula and then transferred to the Kursk front, it isn’t surprising that Moscow is making every effort to bolster the air defense of the occupied peninsula.

The Atesh movement previously reported that men from Russia’s Samara region are being mobilized and sent to the front lines in the Kursk region.

Guerillas’ investigation of the military commissariat in Syzran, Samara, revealed increased mobilization efforts. Newly recruited servicemen are being deployed to critical areas in the Kursk region as part of the 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, with some units having been previously transferred from the Pokrovsk sector, as per the report.

The partisans also claimed that Military Committee employees are working from underground offices due to fears of sabotage.

Russia’s defensive move to retake Ukrainian-held territory in the Kursk region has been “stopped,” according to a spokesperson from Ukraine’s military administration, following Russia’s claims of beginning to repel the surprise incursion.

Earlier this month, Russia announced it had reclaimed several villages in the region, where Kyiv has maintained control since its counterinvasion began over a month ago.

“They tried to attack from the flanks but were stopped,” said Oleksiy Dmytrashkivsky, a spokesman for Ukraine’s military administration in Kursk. “The situation has stabilized, and everything is now under control—they haven’t been successful.”

A Ukrainian official later downplayed the claim, saying, “The Russian operation in the Kursk region is still ongoing, so it’s too early to declare it a complete failure,” speaking on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, local governor Alexei Smirnov reported that Russia has ordered the evacuation of villages near the Ukrainian border in the Kursk region. The mandatory evacuation affects settlements within a 15-kilometer (10-mile) zone.

This move comes as Moscow intensifies efforts to reclaim territory lost during Ukraine’s counteroffensive, which began on Aug. 6. Over 150,000 residents have fled the region since Kyiv captured several villages and advanced deep into Russian territory.

quote:

IMF postpones Russia visit after heavy criticism across Europe
Trip to Moscow to review economy delayed indefinitely after protests it would ‘normalise relations with aggressor’

IMF postpones Russia visit after heavy criticism across Europe

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has indefinitely postponed a staff mission to Moscow this week to review the Russian economy for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine, after the move came under heavy criticism from several of Kyiv’s European allies.

After revelations in the Guardian of widespread condemnation, the IMF said it would spend more time gathering information for a “rigorous analysis”.

Officials of the Washington-based organisation were due to travel to the Russian capital and meet “stakeholders” before publishing an assessment of the economy.

The IMF said last week it was a “mutual obligation” to carry out an article IV annual review of a member country and the situation in Russia had become “more settled”.

SPOILER

On Friday, nine European countries protested against the IMF’s plans, saying it would damage the reputation of the fund to resume dialogue with a country that had invaded another.

Aleksei Mozhin, the IMF’s executive director for Russia, told the Tass news agency on Wednesday that the decision was taken on Monday, the day preliminary talks were supposed to start.

Critics said a first official visit since 2021 would be based on flawed data and provide Russia with a cloak of respectability.

In a letter seen by the Financial Times and signed by Poland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and non-EU members Iceland and Norway, ministers said there was a “reputational risk” to the IMF, and indicated a visit would “diminish donors’ efforts and actions in supporting Ukraine through IMF initiatives”.

The letter added that the visit “would be a sign for the international community that the IMF is ready to go back to business as usual, taking a step towards normalising relations with the aggressor”.

The Financial Times reported that IMF boss. Kristalina Georgieva. was involved in a heated discussion at the weekend about the planned trip during talks with EU finance ministers and central bankers in Budapest.

An IMF spokesperson said: “Article IV consultations with Russia have been postponed while we gather all the necessary data and analysis for a rigorous consultation.”

quote:

EU aims to cover 25% of Ukraine's energy needs in winter, von der Leyen says ahead of Kyiv visit
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit Kyiv on Sept. 20 to discuss Ukraine's energy needs with President Volodymyr Zelensky, she said on Sept. 19.

Speaking at a press conference in Brussels alongside International Energy Agency director Fatih Birol, von der Leyen said Russia "is trying to plunge the country into dark" as it destroyed 80% of Ukraine's thermal power plants and one-third of its hydroelectric capacity.

Zelensky said in his evening address on Sept. 19 that he is expecting "important talks" with von der Leyen in Kyiv regarding the energy situation.

Moscow has pounded Ukrainian energy infrastructure in numerous aerial strikes throughout the full-scale war, with the largest one being carried out on Aug. 26 with the use of over 230 missiles and drones.

"As Ukraine's friends and partners, we must do all we can to keep the lights on," von der Leyen said.

The EU executive arm's chief noted that Ukraine needs 17 gigawatts of power capacity for this winter and named three main vectors of the EU's energy assistance for the war-torn country.

These steps should cover around 4.5 gigawatts of capacity, which is roughly 25% of Ukraine's winter needs, von der Leyen said.

SPOILER

In the first step, the EU will assist Ukraine with repairing its energy infrastructure with the aim of restoring 2.5 gigawatts of capacity.

"As we speak, there is a full thermal power plant that is being dismantled in Lithuania and shipped piece by piece to Ukraine with our support," the EU official said.

The EU will also continue exporting electricity to Ukraine and improving energy connectivity. The bloc will supply 2 gigawatts of electricity this way, which is equivalent to the loss of power from the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to von der Leyen.

As the third point, the EU will boost decentralized and renewable production to stabilize the electricity flow in the country.

The EU will support Ukraine with 160 million euros ($178 million) ahead of winter to improve the country's resilience to Russian strikes, von der Leyen announced earlier today.

Around 60 million euros ($67 million) of the EU aid will go toward humanitarian aid such as shelters and heaters. 100 million euros ($111 million) will be spent on repairing energy infrastructure and developing renewable energy.

Speaking alongside von der Leyen, IEA chief Birol presented a 10-step action plan to help the country tackle the winter, which he said may be the "sternest one yet."

quote:

U.S. deploys soldiers, rocket systems to Alaska island as Russian military activity ramps up in region
The U.S. military has moved about 130 soldiers along with mobile rocket launchers to a desolate island in the Aleutian chain of western Alaska amid a recent increase in Russian military planes and vessels approaching American territory.

Eight Russian military planes and four navy vessels, including two submarines, have come close to Alaska in the past week as Russia and China conducted joint military drills. None of the planes breached U.S. airspace and a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday there was no cause for alarm.

"It's not the first time that we've seen the Russians and the Chinese flying, you know, in the vicinity, and that's something that we obviously closely monitor, and it's also something that we're prepared to respond to," Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a news conference.

As part of a "force projection operation," the Army on Sept. 12 sent the soldiers to Shemya Island, some 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage, where the U.S. Air Force maintains an air station that dates to World War II. The soldiers brought two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, with them.

SPOILER

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said the U.S. military also deployed a guided missile destroyer and a Coast Guard vessel to the western region of Alaska as Russia and China began the "Ocean-24" military exercises in the Pacific and Arctic oceans Sept. 10.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command said it detected and tracked Russian military planes operating off Alaska over a four-day span. There were two planes each on Sept. 11, Sept. 13, Sept. 14 and Sept. 15.

The planes operated in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, a zone beyond U.S. sovereign airspace, but within which the U.S. expects aircraft to identify themselves, NORAD said.

The Russian Embassy in the U.S. did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

NORAD has said the number of such incursions has fluctuated yearly. The average was six to seven intercepts a year. Last year, 26 Russian planes came into the Alaska zone, and so far this year, there have been 25.

Often in such encounters, the military provides photos of the Russian warplanes being escorted by either U.S. or Canadian planes, such as during a July 24 intercept of two Russian and two Chinese planes. However, none was released in the past week and a NORAD spokeswoman, Canadian Maj. Jennie Derenzis, declined to say whether jets were scrambled to intercept the Russian planes.

Also in July, the Coast Guard spotted four Chinese military ships north of the Amchitka Pass in the Aleutian Islands in international waters, but also within the U.S. exclusive economic zone.

The U.S. Coast Guard said Sunday its homeland security vessel, the 418-foot Stratton, was on routine patrol in the Chukchi Sea when it tracked four Russian Federation Navy vessels about 60 miles northwest of Point Hope, Alaska.

^{The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) encountered and shadowed four Russian Federation Navy (RFN) vessels 57 miles northwest of Point Hope, Alaska, Sept. 15, 2024. The Russian Surface Action Group consisted of a Severodvinsk-class submarine, a Dolgorukiy-class submarine, a Steregushchiy– class Frigate, and a Seliva-class tug.}

The Russian vessels, which included two submarines, a frigate and a tugboat, had crossed the maritime boundary into U.S. waters to avoid sea ice, which is permitted under international rules and customs.

Two years ago, a U.S. Coast Guard ship about 85 miles north of Alaska's Kiska Island in the Bering Sea came across three Chinese and four Russian naval vessels sailing in single formation.

In August 2023, the U.S. Navy sent four destroyers to the Alaskan coast after 11 Chinese and Russian warships were spotted patrolling in international waters within the Exclusive Economic Zone.

Ryder, the Pentagon spokesperson, said the recent spike is "something that we'll continue to keep an eye on, but doesn't pose a threat from our perspective."

Sullivan called for a larger military presence in the Aleutians while advocating for the U.S. to respond with strength to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"In the past two years, we've seen joint Russian-Chinese air and naval exercises off our shores and a Chinese spy balloon floating over our communities," Sullivan said in a statement Tuesday. "These escalating incidents demonstrate the critical role the Arctic plays in great power competition between the U.S., Russia, and China."

Sullivan said the U.S. Navy should reopen its shuttered base at Adak, located in the Aleutians. Naval Air Facility Adak was closed in 1997.

Russia has also ramped up its military presence in the Arctic. The expansion includes the recent unveiling of two nuclear submarines by Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling a major strategic shift in the region.

quote:

Ukrainian Drones Successfully Target and Destroy Russian Tank and MLRS in Semenivka

^{Strike FPV-drone of the 109th Territorial Defence Brigade. Photo from the Facebook page of the Brigade}

Ukrainian FPV drones managed to fly into the invaders’ rear and destroy a tank, artillery, and logistics vehicles in the Pokrovske sector.

The combat work was carried out by the MURAMASA unit of the 109th Brigade of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

In this sector in the Donetsk region, Russians deployed powerful electronic warfare systems to interfere with Ukrainian drones.

‘Despite this, we are good at cutting their logistics routes with drones,’ the military said.

SPOILER

У селі Семенівка українські дрони знищили танк та � СЗВ окупантів

MURAMASA unit operators successfully breached Russian electronic warfare defenses and flew their drones to the area near Semenivka village.

Inside the village and around it, the FPV strike drones targeted a Russian T-72 tank and a BM-21 Grad rocket system.

^{Destroyed Russian T-72 tank and BM-21 “Grad” rocket launcher near the village of Semenivka in Donetsk region. September 2024. Ukraine. Footage from the video of the MURAMASA unit}

The Russians installed protective grilles on the Grad launcher, which failed to protect it from the Ukrainian drone’s warhead.

The released footage also shows that the Russians were trying to equip their vehicles with electronic warfare systems that were installed on the roof.

However, the Ukrainian operators managed to quickly direct the attack drones at these vehicles.

^{A Ukrainian FPV drone hits a Russian UAZ car (“Bukhanka”), which is equipped with an electronic warfare system. September 2024. Ukraine. Footage from the video of the MURAMASA unit}

The most active areas where the enemy attempted to conduct assault operations yesterday were the Pokrovske and Kurakhove directions.

The Russians are trying to use mostly infantry groups of 3 to 10 soldiers, depending on the type of terrain and the tasks of the infantry groups.

^{Semenivka village in the Pokrovsk sector on the Deepstate map as of August 18, 2024}

First and foremost, they carry out assault operations, but some also aim to reach specific areas and establish a foothold.

quote:

Russian Troops Reportedly Mine Dams in Belgorod Oblast for Future Provocations

^{Illustration photo of servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Photo from open sources}

Russians are reportedly mining general and special-purpose hydroelectric facilities in the Belgorod Oblast.

Colonel Vitaliy Sarantsev, spokesman for the Kharkiv operational and tactical group of troops, reported on this.

According to Sarantsev, the Russians are not only actively building defensive fortifications around Belgorod, but are also mining the dams.

“This can be seen as laying mines for the future if, for example, the situation changes dramatically and the Russians have to blow up dams to slow down the advance of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, or we can assume that Russia is preparing provocations at hydroelectric facilities to blame Ukraine for environmental and humanitarian consequences in the future,” Sarantsev says.

SPOILER

^{Illustrative photo of servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Photo from open sources}

He added that such actions could be used to mobilize the population and divert attention from internal problems.

Sarantsev clarified that blowing up the dams could lead to large-scale floods, flooding of settlements, and environmental disaster.

Such actions are components of hybrid warfare and scorched earth tactics. Moreover, by mining the dams, the Russians could potentially stage a disaster and attribute it to Ukrainian forces, shifting blame for the resulting environmental and humanitarian crises.

On September 18, Militarnyi reported that Russia had prepared a nuclear test site on the island of Novaya Zemlya for new nuclear tests.

This was announced in an interview with Rear Admiral Andrey Sinitsyn, Head of the nuclear weapons testing facility, held by Russian media.

^{Testing of the T-5 nuclear torpedo on Novaya Zemlya. Photo: Ministry of Defense of the USSR}
During the interview, he noted that the facility is fully prepared to resume nuclear tests, which have not been conducted on the site since October 24, 1990.

The last test was the detonation of a 70-kiloton warhead at the A13-N tunnel site at a depth of 600 meters, after which the site was partially shut down.

The site, as well as the laboratory and testing facilities, are ready. The personnel have also been notified of the possibility of nuclear testing.

quote:

Why Russian Cringe Propaganda Painting the USA as the Main Enemy Is On the Rise in Russia

Douchebiden, Americ*nts, and the mysterious “Russian soul.” Russia’s propaganda has exploded in the past decade, fueled by a crackdown on media freedom. With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, this propaganda has surged, becoming central to media, culture, and government. Even with its low-budget, laughable production, calls for nuclear strikes “On Washington!” are growing louder from Moscow to Murmansk.

Russia has announced the release of a new series about U.S. President Joe Biden. The series is filled with chauvinism, ageism, and other traits typical of modern Russian propaganda.

In this series from the Russian channel TNT, President Biden makes a secret trip to Russia to decode the so-called “Russian soul”—a concept Russians use to rationalize their behavior and question why American sanctions seem ineffective. After losing his fake documents, he ends up staying with a “true patriot” in a cramped apartment and must pretend to be an English teacher to raise money for his return.

^{Dmitriy Dyuzhev in role of President Biden}

SPOILER

Biden is portrayed as an inept, elderly man who is guided on how to survive in Russia by the previously mentioned patriot, a physical education teacher. To grasp how Russians view Americans, consider one of the many episodes from the series:

Setting: Streets of Moscow. Inside a taxi.

The taxi drives through scenic parts of Moscow, and Biden gazes out the window.

Taxi Driver: “Where are you from?”

PE Teacher: “I'm from Turkey-land, and this one is an Americ*nt. Back home… Seems like there’s nothing to stuff their bellies with.”

Taxi Driver: “I wish Biden well from the bottom of my heart, honestly.”

Biden (automatically): “Thank you.”

Taxi Driver: “The longer this old fart is in power, the quicker America is doomed.”

The PE Teacher and Taxi Driver laugh.

PE Teacher: “That's right. But apparently, Douchebiden shouldn’t be in the Oval Office… but in a rectangular one… lying down.” (Laughs hysterically) “Get the joke, Grandpa?”

Biden: “Actually, things aren’t that bad in America.”

PE Teacher: “Grandpa, do you know anything about economics? Have you seen the U.S. national debt? This bubble will burst in a year or two.”

Taxi Driver (confidently): “Fact.”

As they drive past “Moscow-City,” Biden looks at the skyscrapers from the car window.

Biden: “Wow.”

PE Teacher: “You like it?”

Biden: “I didn’t know Russia was so beautiful!”

PE Teacher: “Moscow isn’t the real Russia. If you want to see the real Russia, come with me to Lobnya.”

Biden: “Can I?”

PE Teacher: “Of course. For the right price, anything goes.”

The camera pulls back, showing the taxi speeding away.

Navigator's Voice: “Route recalculated.”

This is not the first instance of Russian propaganda depicting U.S.-Russian relations through a Kremlin-centric lens. Such works, which began to portray America as the source of all Russia’s problems, have been a fixture since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

For example, in 2014, a movie titled “Russian Character” was released. Though it lacked strong cinematic quality, its re-uploaded version on YouTube has garnered over a million views and positive reviews.

The film’s simplistic plot features a Russian sailor named Maxim who arrives in Ukrainian Crimea and discovers that his childhood town is terrorized by a gang led by a Ukrainian named Vashchuk, funded by a fictional Ukrainian oligarch. Here, U.S. intelligence agents are pulling the strings behind Ukrainian efforts to “destabilize the region.”

Naturally, the protagonist heroically overcomes the Ukrainians and Americans, saving Crimea from U.S.-backed destabilization and rescuing the local population from Ukrainian bandits who, again, are backed by U.S. citizens. The film even won a local festival award in 2016.

While the earlier productions featured lesser-known actors, by 2024, such narratives have become mainstream. The role of Biden in the latest series is played by Dmitriy Dyuzhev, a prominent actor known from the cult Russian series about bandits, "Brigada."

Despite the poor quality of these propaganda projects, they resonate widely with the Russian population. Shaman, one of Russia’s leading contemporary artists, produces patriotic music including the song “I Am Russian,” and his overtly Nazi-themed imagery does not deter his many fans.

^{Shaman recently held a protest concert outside the U.S. Embassy.}

Support for Putin has permeated various segments of Russian society, including marginalized street cultures. At a recent concert by the far-right group Russian Banner, a song popular in neo-Nazi circles had its lyrics changed from “My grandpa was a Sturmf�hrer SS” to “My grandpa was a commander of Storm Z”—a brutal assault unit of Russian prisoners.

^{Ievgeniy Dolganov (Group leader of “russian banner”)}

Focus on youth
In recent years, growing up in Russia means facing near-daily propaganda from a young age. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova reported, “Since 2021, under the directive of the head of state, a federal project ‘Patriotic Education’ has been implemented. Its main goal is to reach at least 72% of children and youth aged 5 to 19 by the end of 2024, including through our all-Russian civic-state youth movement ‘Movement of the First.’”

According to Golikova, the education system covers nearly 80 million Russians. Students in every classroom are exposed to propaganda that portrays the Western world as an enemy and Russia as a bastion of traditional values.

From an early age, children are introduced to militarized, anti-Western culture. Recently, a school assembly featured a 1-Z class, where the letter Z symbolizes support for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Spread of hatred
Over the past decade, propaganda has appeared in various forms—cinema, music, activism, bloggers, civic organizations, and more. While earlier projects like “Putin’s Squads”—a group of elderly individuals condemning Western behavior on YouTube—were once seen as comical (though they do not present themselves as an entertainment project), today’s Kremlin propaganda initiatives are increasingly sophisticated and serious and are no longer viewed as jokes.

^{‘‘Putin squads’’ in action}

For instance, members of one of the largest far-right organizations, "Russian Community," recently carried out an action featuring slogans against illegal migrants. Under police supervision, they demolished fruit stalls run by foreigners. The self-proclaimed "vigilantes" detained nine vendors and allowed the goods to be distributed to passersby.

Many were eager to take the goods. “They said the seller ran away and didn’t want to join the army or register for military service,” said one local resident involved in the action. “So he is here illegally.”

^{https://www.currenttime.tv/a/33071771.html}

While violence against foreigners has been prevalent in Russia before, this is the first time it is happening systematically in cooperation with law enforcement.

Such raids have increased, especially after the Crocus Hall attack, as they added another reason—fighting terrorism. Although ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, Russia still blamed Ukraine.

Despite the weak and illogical nature of the propaganda, its support among the Russian population is growing, as evidenced by increasing actions such as the National Liberation Movement (NLM) marches, which regularly call for nuclear missiles to be aimed at Washington.

^{The NLM is on the march calling for nuclear missiles to be aimed at Washington}

quote:

North Korea Tests Super-Size Warhead Missile, Could Attract Kremlin’s Interest
Experts suggest that if it is confirmed that the missile and its 4.5-ton warhead perform as advertised, it could soon attract interest from Russia.

^{North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches missile launches. Photo: KCNA.}
North Korea tested new tactical ballistic missiles with super-large warheads and modified cruise missiles on Wednesday, Sept. 18, according to the KCNA state news agency.

The test occurred while North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was said to be pushing for the development of stronger conventional and nuclear capabilities. Kim, who oversaw the tests, said they were of necessity due to the severe external threats to national security. This follows reports from the South Korean military about North Korea’s second missile test in a week.

Wednesday’s tests featured the Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5 tactical ballistic missiles, which KCNA indicated are part of ongoing developments of short-range ballistic missiles. It was said to be equipped with a 4.5-ton super-large conventional warhead.

SPOILER

^{Images of the detonation of DPRK’s 4.5-ton super-large conventional warhead. Photos: KCNA.}

State media had previously reported partial success of similar missiles in July, and new photographs showed a projectile striking a target in a hilly area. On Thursday, South Korea’s military confirmed that two ballistic missiles had landed in a mountainous region in the northeast of the country.

Shin Seung-ki, head of military research at North Korea’s Institute for Defense Analyses, said that such a test, aimed at hitting inland targets, is likely unprecedented. North Korea usually conducts tests against targets at sea or on uninhabited islands.

Shin said that the Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5 missile, which is still under development, might soon attract interest from Russia if it proves reliable through further testing. He added that North Korea is likely eager to expedite this process.

Additionally, North Korea tested an upgraded strategic cruise missile, according to KCNA.

Reports suggest that some missiles used by Russia in the ongoing Ukraine war are North Korean-made, although both Moscow and Pyongyang deny any illicit arms trade or shipments.

In early January, U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reported that Russia had launched North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine on Dec. 30 and again on Jan. 2 and Jan. 6.

South Korea’s UN representative, Hwang Joon-kuk, stated that North Korea was using Ukraine as a “testing ground” for ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

On Jan. 11, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin announced that his office had obtained the first evidence of Kremlin forces using North Korean missiles in Ukraine.

However, North Korea denied US accusations that it had transferred ballistic missiles to Russia, calling them “baseless.”

By Feb. 22, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) confirmed documented cases of Russian airstrikes on civilian infrastructure using North Korean weapons. According to the investigation, Russian forces had fired over 20 North Korean-made weapons at Ukraine.

By March 14, the Kharkiv prosecutor’s office reported that Russia had launched approximately 50 North Korean Hwasong-11 missiles across six Ukrainian regions.

South Korean officials reported that since 2023, North Korea had supplied around 7,000 containers of ammunition and other military equipment to Russia. In July, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik revealed that North Korea had transferred more than five million artillery shells and dozens of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.

It was also reported that Russian troops had begun deploying North Korean Bulsae-4 anti-tank missile systems against Ukrainian defenders, as detected by the Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance.

This follows a defense pact signed in mid-June between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s leader, with the missile system appearing near the front line in southern Russia just weeks later.

The Bulsae-4 deployment could address Russia’s ongoing shortage of combat vehicles, providing increased speed, mobility, and protection. Details of the defense pact’s terms remain unclear, but it likely includes significant transfers of North Korean equipment.

Previously, North Korea covertly supported Russia with artillery and missiles, while South Korea supplied munitions to Ukraine. With North Korea’s open support for Russia, South Korea may consider enhancing its support for Ukraine.

SPOILER

How many other GRAU arsenals are there in Russia, like the one in Toropka

Good stuff defense-express

107 GRAU arsenal is one of the 7 large weapons bases in the European part of Russia. Analysts talk about 6 others.

📌 23rd arsenal of GRAU

It is located only 16 km south of the already destroyed 107th arsenal near the city of Toropets. This warehouse is about half the size of the already destroyed one. What kind of ammunition is stored on it is questionable.

But the fact that our special services hit the 107th shows its priority over the 23rd.

📌 13th arsenal of the GRAU

Further north in the Novgorod region near the village of Kotovo. It is about 680 km from the border with Ukraine, that is, about 200 km further than Toropets. This warehouse has a total area of about 3 square meters. km

📌 51st arsenal of GRAU

Situated to the east of Moscow near the city of Kirzhach, Vladimir region, so it can be a difficult target due to the density of air defense assets.

This is a rather large warehouse with a total area of about 3.5 square kilometers. The border with Ukraine is about 530 km.

📌 73rd arsenal of the GRAU

In the Vladimir region, next to the villages of Ivanovo, Krutovo and Eseno, which can be considered the largest, because it occupies an area of about 7 square meters. km

It also underwent global repair and modernization between 2018 and 2021, just like the 107th arsenal. This may indicate that it stores not only a lot of ammunition, but also quite expensive products. It is located 650 kilometers from the border.

📌 67th arsenal of the GRAU

But it can be considered one of the closest, located near the city of Karachev, Bryansk region - 114 km.

It is located close to a population of 20,000. At the same time, as of 2021, detailed satellite images show that part of the ammunition in this warehouse with a total area of about 3.5 square meters. km were stored in the open air.

📌 68th arsenal of the GRAU

It is the most remote, about 700 km from the front line, is the 68th GRAU arsenal near the city of Mozdok in North Ossetia. This is another updated warehouse with an area of 2.2 square meters. km

@pekhno_news

SPOILER

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 23:04 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Want in de basis zit er psychisch een steekje los als je er lol uit haalt. En vervelender, kom je er achteraf achter dat het een totaal andere game is in het echt en je nogal wat mental damage oploopt als je iemand gedood hebt. In het leger wordt je getraind om te doden. Maar de mensen die ik ken die er voor getraind zijn. Kijken er niet naar uit mocht het ooit nodig zijn.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 23:04 schreef bleiblei het volgende:

[..]
Nee.. ja.. ik zou vooral de link met "soldaat" eruit halen.

Want in de basis zit er psychisch een steekje los als je er lol uit haalt. En vervelender, kom je er achteraf achter dat het een totaal andere game is in het echt en je nogal wat mental damage oploopt als je iemand gedood hebt. In het leger wordt je getraind om te doden. Maar de mensen die ik ken die er voor getraind zijn. Kijken er niet naar uit mocht het ooit nodig zijn.

quote:

Op donderdag 19 september 2024 21:28 schreef Parafernalia het volgende:
Ik zou nooit het leger in willen of kunnen. Maar zo lekker achter de computer met een drone op orcs knallen lijkt me dan wel weer lekker eigenlijk

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 08:11 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Geen idee waar je op reageert tbh

Hij wil niet het leger in maar het lijkt hem leuk om met militair materiaal Russen te doden

Dan is waarom een voor de hand liggende vraag lijkt me

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 11:41 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

India wil al een tijd van van het Russische spul af, dat wisten we al. Ze vinden de prestaties van Russische tanks in de oorlog in Oekra�ne niet geweldig.

Dan is de vraag wie die tanks kunnen kopen. Rusland zelf? Lijkt me lastig, betalen is een issue en daarnaast zit je met allerlei sancties. Maar westerse landen zouden deals kunnen sluiten. Een hele grote ringtausch zou een optie kunnen zijn.

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 11:44 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Gewoon olie voor tanks met Rusland. Is niet zo ingewikkeld.

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 11:44 schreef BEFEM het volgende:

[..]
Gewoon olie voor tanks met Rusland. Is niet zo ingewikkeld.

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 11:47 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Hoef je toch geen tanks voor te geven? Ruwe olie uit Rusland kost geen drol meer.

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 12:10 schreef Aether het volgende:

Een tank redt onze dag, maar Coen krijgt een onverwachte 'klap'

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 13:04 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Ouch....Rusland was even vergeten dat de Duitse regering ook nog wel wat documenten uit die tijd heeft.

[ x ]

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 12:54 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

De laatste cijfers die ik hoorde was dat ze zo'n 16 stuks per maand konden bouwen voor een paar miljoen per stuk.

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 13:04 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Ouch....Rusland was even vergeten dat de Duitse regering ook nog wel wat documenten uit die tijd heeft.

[ x ]

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 14:26 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Aardig.

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 15:32 schreef Korenfok het volgende:

[..]
Ze zijn echt de hele geschiendenis aan het herschrijven, de wappies en Poetinpijpers geloven het blindelinks

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 13:04 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Ouch....Rusland was even vergeten dat de Duitse regering ook nog wel wat documenten uit die tijd heeft.

[ x ]

quote:

As individuals, all citizens of Poland enjoyed equal rights under the 1921 constitution; in practice, discrimination on the basis of nationality and religion greatly limited the Ukrainians’ opportunities. Although the Allied powers in 1923 accepted the Polish annexation of Galicia on the basis of its regional autonomy, the government in the early 1920s proceeded to dismantle the institutions of local self-government inherited from Habsburg times. Ukrainian Galicia, officially termed “Eastern Little Poland,” was administered by governors and local prefects appointed by Warsaw. A special administrative frontier, the so-called Sokal border, was established between Galicia and Volhynia to prevent the spread of Ukrainian publications and institutions from Galicia to the northeast. In 1924 the Ukrainian language was eliminated from use in state institutions and government agencies. In the face of economic stagnation, scant industrial development, and vast rural overpopulation, the government promoted Polish agricultural settlement, further exacerbating ethnic tensions. As Ukrainian nationalist activities quickened toward the end of the 1920s and in the ’30s, the regime resorted to more repressive measures. Some organizations were banned, and in 1930 a military and police pacification campaign led to numerous arrests, widespread brutality and intimidation, and destruction of property.

quote:

Op dinsdag 3 september 2024 13:45 schreef Elan het volgende:

[..]
En dat weet je vervolgens wel zeker want het komt jou goed uit.
Het komt niet in je op dat er misschien wel met die cijfers gesjoemeld is zodat wij gas blijven kopen.

quote:

Gazprom is postponing several major offshore exploration projects in the Arctic, the Interfax news agency reported, citing data from the state register of geological study of subsoil.

The move comes amid record losses, Western sanctions in response to the invasion of Ukraine and China's reluctance to sign a new contract for Russian gas.

quote:

The project, which has been under discussion for nearly a decade, would have allowed Russia to increase its gas supplies to China to 100 billion cubic meters per year. However, despite President Vladimir Putin's regular visits to Beijing, the pipeline has not received approval from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to the Financial Times, China only agreed to buy gas from the pipeline at domestic Russian prices -- around $60 per 1,00 cubic meters -- making the project financially unviable, according to analysts from the BCS Financial Group.

quote:

Revealed: Russia anticipated Kursk incursion months in advance, seized papers show
Exclusive: Documents contain months of warnings about possible Ukrainian advance and also reveal concerns about morale

Russia’s military command had anticipated Ukraine’s incursion into its Kursk region and had been making plans to prevent it for several months, according to a cache of documents that the Ukrainian army said it had seized from abandoned Russian positions in the region.

The disclosure makes the disarray among Russian forces after Ukraine’s attack in early August all the more embarrassing. The documents, shared with the Guardian, also reveal Russian concerns about morale in the ranks in Kursk, which intensified after the suicide of a soldier at the front who had reportedly been in a “prolonged state of depression due to his service in the Russian army”.

Unit commanders are given instructions to ensure soldiers consume Russian state media daily to maintain their “psychological condition”.

SPOILER

The Guardian could not independently verify the authenticity of the documents, though they bear the hallmarks of genuine Russian army communications. In late August, the Guardian met the Ukrainian special operations team who seized them, hours after they had left Russian territory. The team said they had taken Russian interior ministry, FSB and army documents from buildings in the Kursk region and later provided a selection to view and photograph.

Some of the documents are printed orders distributed to various units, while others are handwritten logs recording events and concerns at specific positions. The earliest entries are dated late in 2023, while the most recent documents are from just six weeks before Ukraine launched its incursion into the Kursk region on 6 August.

The documents mostly come from units of Russia’s 488th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment, and in particular the second company of its 17th Battalion.

Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk took Kyiv’s western partners and many in the Ukrainian elite by surprise, as planning had been restricted to a very small number of people. But Russian military documents contain months of warnings about a possible incursion into the area and an attempt to occupy Sudzha, a town of 5,000 residents that has now been under Ukrainian occupation for more than a month.

An entry from 4 January spoke of the “potential for a breakthrough at the state border” by Ukrainian armed groups and ordered increased training to prepare to repel any attack. On 19 February, unit commanders were warned of Ukrainian plans for “a rapid push from the Sumy region into Russian territory, up to a depth of 80km [50 miles], to establish a four-day ‘corridor’ ahead of the arrival of the main Ukrainian army units on armoured vehicles”.

In mid-March, units at the border were ordered to boost defensive lines and “organise additional exercises for the leadership of units and strongpoints regarding the proper organisation of defences” in preparation for a Ukrainian cross-border attack.

In mid-June, there was a more specific warning of Ukrainian plans “in the direction Yunakivka-Sudzha, with the goal of taking Sudzha under control”, which did indeed happen in August. There was also a prediction that Ukraine would attempt to destroy a bridge over the Seym River to disrupt Russian supply lines in the region, which also later happened. The June document complained that Russian units stationed at the front “are filled only 60-70% on average, and primarily made up of reserves with weak training”.

When the Ukrainian attack came on 6 August, many Russian soldiers abandoned their positions, and within a week Ukraine had taken full control of Sudzha. “They ran away, without even evacuating or destroying their documents,” said a member of the special operations team who seized the files.

During Moscow’s chaotic retreat, Ukrainian forces captured hundreds of Russian soldiers, many of whom were conscripts, who are not generally expected to face battle. The parents of one conscript soldier from the second company, featured in the documents, recorded a tearful video appeal in August, identifying him as their 22-year-old son Vadim Kopylov, saying he had been taken prisoner near Sudzha and calling on Russian authorities to exchange him.

The documents give an insight into Russian tactics over the past year, in one case speaking of the need to create decoy trenches and positions to confuse Ukrainian reconnaissance drones. “Models of tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery launchers should be created as well as mannequins of soldiers, and they should be periodically moved around,” reads one order.

It adds that a few soldiers should be sent to the decoy positions to light fires at night and walk around with torches, and that Russia should create radio chatter about the decoy positions, with the aim of having it intercepted. It is unclear if such positions were ever created; members of a Ukrainian unit flying reconnaissance drones in the area in recent weeks told the Guardian they had seen no evidence of such positions.

In March, the Russian documents note that there were increasing incidents of Ukrainian sabotage groups disguising themselves for work behind Russian lines by wearing Russian uniforms. “To prevent enemy infiltration into our combat formations … commanders are to implement the use of identification marker variant n6, made from materials 8cm wide, to be attached using invisible tape,” reads an order from that month.

Buried in the dry, meandering official language are signs of serious problems with morale at the front. “The analysis of the current situation regarding suicides shows that the issue of servicemen dying as a result of suicidal incidents remains tense,” reads one entry. It recounts an incident that reportedly took place on 20 January this year, when a conscript soldier entered the summer washing area at a guard post and shot himself in the abdomen.

“The investigation into the incident determined that the cause of the suicide and death was a nervous and psychological breakdown, caused by his prolonged state of depression due to his service in the Russian army,” reads the handwritten report of the incident.

To prevent further such incidents, unit commanders are instructed to identify soldiers who “are mentally unprepared to fulfil their duties or prone to deviant behaviour, and organise their reassignment and transfer to military medical facilities”.

Further instructions on keeping up morale come in an undated, typed document that explains that soldiers should get 5-10 minutes a day as well as an hour once a week of political instruction, “aimed at maintaining and raising the political, moral and psychological condition of the personnel”.

quote:

Border guards receive mobile thermal imaging systems from the EU

^{Mobile thermal imaging systems from the EU for Ukrainian border guards. September 2024. Photo credits: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine}

Ukrainian border guards received mobile thermal imaging systems from the European Union.

The press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported on this.

The transfer of the systems took place within the framework of the EU Support to Strengthening Integrated Border Management in Ukraine (EU4IBM-Resilience) project.

The event was attended by First Deputy Head of the State Border Guard Service Volodymyr Nikiforenko and EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katar�na Mathernov�.

The equipment handover ceremony also took place with the participation of project implementers, representatives of the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

SPOILER

Держприкордонслужба України отримала новітні мобільні тепловізійні комплекси від Європейського Союзу

“It is worth noting that within the framework of the cooperation established last year, border guards have already received radios, mobile X-ray scanners, and rehabilitation equipment for SBGSU personnel,” the statement said.

^{Mobile thermal imaging systems from the EU for Ukrainian border guards. September 2024. Photo credits: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine}

Volodymyr Nikiforenko thanked the Ambassador and international partners for their strong and consistent support in countering Russia’s military aggression.

And also for many years of successful cooperation and effective implementation of joint international technical assistance projects.

^{One of the EU’s mobile thermal imaging systems for Ukrainian border guards. September 2024. Photo credits: SBGSU}

For her part, the EU Ambassador expressed her support and readiness to intensify further development of cooperation with the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, as well as to introduce new joint projects and initiatives.

Previously, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine received vehicles and supplies worth over UAH 66 million.

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

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

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

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.

quote:

Ukraine participates for the first time in NATO’s counter-drone exercise

^{Training on combating UAVs by the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance. September 2024. Photo credits: NATO}

For the first time, Ukraine participated in NATO’s counter-drone exercise together with representatives of the private sector and the scientific community.

The NATO press service reported on this.

From 10 to 20 September 2024, over 450 participants from 19 NATO Allies and three partner-countries gathered in the Netherlands to test the ability of commercially available counter-drone systems to operate seamlessly together.

During NATO’s annual Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) Technical Interoperability Exercise (TIE), more than 60 counter-drone systems and technologies such as sensors, drone-on-drone systems, jammers and cyber interceptors were tested live.

Ukraine’s first active participation in the exercise is part of the NATO-Ukraine Innovation Cooperation Roadmap endorsed by Allied and Ukrainian Leaders at the Washington Summit.

“Exercises like the C-UAS TIE provide a unique opportunity to address pressing challenges together, such as drone autonomy and interoperability while also learning from Ukraine’s battlefield experience in countering small drones,” the statement said.

Integrating counter-drone technologies into NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) is important to the Alliance’s enhanced deterrence and defence posture.

SPOILER

At the 2024 Washington Summit, Allies took steps to further improve the readiness, responsiveness and integration of NATO IAMD.

They also agreed to support the design and implementation of an integrated air and missile defence architecture for Ukraine.

^{Obriy ANTIFPV BASE EW system of the company Obriy Miltech. Photo credits: Military}

As previously reported, a forum dedicated to the development of electronic warfare (EW) in the army was held in Ukraine.

The forum was told that the number of UAVs being used had been growing every month, as had been the number of their modifications. Today, the damage caused by drones reaches 60%.

Therefore, the development of electronic warfare systems, their maximum efficiency and supply to the army in sufficient quantities is an issue that needs to be addressed promptly.

quote:

NATO Chief Advocates for Delivering More Weapons to Ukraine to End the War
Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of supplying more Western-made weapons to Ukraine, noting it will aid in end Russia’s war sooner.

This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on September 19 at the German Marshall Fund event "Reflections on a Challenging Decade".

“The paradox is that the more weapons for Ukraine we are able to deliver, the more likely it is that we can reach a peace and end to the war,” Stoltenberg said. “And the more credible our long-term military support, the sooner the war will end.”

In his speech Stoltenberg dismissed the idea of lasting peace without sufficient backing for Ukraine, asserting that any future agreement must be supported by robust military assistance to Ukraine.

"We all want this war to end. The quickest way to end the war is to lose it. But that will not bring peace. It will bring Russian occupation," Stoltenberg stated.

NATO Secretary General also stressed the importance of Ukraine joining NATO.

“There can be no sustained security in Europe, without a stable Ukraine. And no lasting security for Ukraine, without NATO membership. NATO’s door is open. Ukraine will join,” he said.

Stoltenberg recently said that allowing Kyiv to launch long-range missile strikes deep into Russian territory would not be a red line that leads to escalation.

quote:

Over 70,000 Russian troops confirmed to have been killed in Ukraine since start of war
As the Russian military continues its so-called “meat grinder” strategy of sending wave after wave of infantry units to wear down Ukrainian forces, researchers using open-source intelligence have confirmed the deaths of over 70,000 Russian troops since the start of the war, BBC News Russian reported on Friday.

Working with Russian independent news outlet Mediazona, BBC News Russian said it had been able to identify the names of 70,112 Russian soldiers killed in combat in Ukraine by analysing obituaries and other Russian media reports, as well as information shared by the Russian authorities and relatives of the deceased, although it stressed that the actual number of deaths was likely to be “considerably higher”.

SPOILER

Around 20% of those killed since the start of the war were volunteers, most of whom were aged between 42 and 50 and came from small towns in areas of Russia where “stable, well-paid work is hard to find”.

The death toll of those who had enlisted voluntarily began to rise in October 2023, with over 100 volunteer recruits killed every week since then, BBC News Russian added.

Soldiers who spoke to the BBC attributed the rising volunteer deaths to Russia’s continued “meat grinder” strategy, whereby it sends large groups of soldiers to attack Ukrainian positions, often with “little or no equipment or support from artillery or military vehicles”.

Freed convicts, who previously accounted for more deaths than contract soldiers, volunteers, mercenaries, or mobilised reservists, now account for 19% of those known to have died in Ukraine, having been killed in particularly large numbers in early 2023. Mobilised reservists represented 13% of the total death toll, the BBC said.

Since illegal migrants detained in Russia have been routinely “promised they will not be deported and are offered a simplified route to citizenship if they survive the war”, according to the BBC, some 272 of those killed were citizens of other countries, half of whom were from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan.

While neither Russia nor Ukraine publish official data on their own combat losses, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the total number of killed or wounded soldiers on both sides had reached almost 1 million, with an estimated 80,000 Ukrainian troops and 200,000 Russian troops killed, and some 400,000 wounded on each side.

quote:

Russians form a mechanized battalion from the crew of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier

^{Admiral Kuznetsov. Photo from open sources}

The Russian Navy has formed a “Frigate” mechanized battalion from the crew of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier.

This conclusion can be drawn from the reports of OSINT researcher moklasen in X.

The researcher drew attention to a message asking for help to find men from military unit 78987 on the social media Vkontakte.

It is known that the “Fregat” battalion was initially located in the Kharkiv region, but was later redeployed to the Pokrovsk sector.

SPOILER

Earlier, in August, it became known about the disappearance of sailor Oleg Sosedov from the crew of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, who had gone missing on 23 July during the storming of the frontier village of Sotnytskii Kozachok in the Kharkiv region.

^{Oleg Sosedov. Source: moklasen/X}

It turned out that Sosedov had also been from military unit No. 78987.

The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, the only one in the Russian Navy, has been undergoing repairs for a long time.

The cruiser went under overhaul in 2017 after an operation on the Syrian coast. In October 2018, it was leaving the PD-50 shipyard of the 82nd Roslyakovo shipyard when it began to sink. The accident caused a crane to fall onto the cruiser’s deck and damage it.

^{Fire on the Admiral Kuznetsov cruiser, 2019. Photo from open sources}

The ship’s repairs continued, but a year later, a large-scale fire broke out on the Admiral Kuznetsov. At least 6 people were injured.

The ship was supposed to be repaired until 2024, but it is likely to continue.

The Russians are also forming infantry units from the Aerospace Forces members.

According to Russian propagandist Ilya Tumanov, such units are involved in the battles for Kursk.

quote:

Ministry of Defence: More than 5,000 km� cleared of mines in Ukraine

^{Illustrative image of the demining process. Photo from open sources}

Mine clearance Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Ukraine War with Russia
More than 5,000 km� of Ukrainian soil has been cleared of mines since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

This was announced by First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk.

The progress of demining was discussed at a meeting of the National Mine Action Authority.

According to Havryliuk, since 2022, state mine action operators have surveyed and cleared 5308 km� of Ukrainian territory.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministries of Economy, Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, the State Labour Service, the State Emergency Service, and other agencies and enterprises involved in mine action.

SPOILER

^{Meeting on issues of mine action. Ukraine. September 19, 2024. Photo: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine}

They discussed measures to implement the plans for humanitarian demining of the de-occupied territories of Ukraine for 2024 and for the survey of agricultural land from explosive hazards.

It is noted that since the beginning of the year, non-technical surveys had been carried out in 59 territorial communities and 235 km� had been identified as possibly contaminated.

Currently, humanitarian demining is being carried out on 282 sites with a total area of 17.5 km�, of which 88 sites with a total area of 7.23 km� have already been transferred to territorial communities.

In addition, 2059 km� of agricultural land has been surveyed and cleared of explosive hazards in accordance with the plan to clear it of explosive ordnance. This area was returned to productive use.

^{Illustrative image of the demining process. Photo from open sources}

“According to the results of the initial non-technical survey of areas affected by explosive ordnance, their area has decreased from 156,000 km� to 142,000 km�,” said Ivan Havryliuk.

During the discussion, attention was also paid to the demining of the Ukrainian sea. It is planned that next year Ukraine would receive three more demining ships. In addition to two existing ones.

In addition, the Ministry of Defense reported that the effectiveness of maritime demining had increased thanks to the support of Germany, which had provided special equipment for detecting and classifying explosive devices.

quote:

Shahed-236 demonstrated for the first time in Russia

^{Shahed-236 in St. Petersburg, September 19, 2024. Photo: RIA}

Russia has demonstrated for the first time a new Iranian Shahed-236 loitering munitions with an optical guidance system.

Footage of the drone was published by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti on 19 September.

During a visit to the Special Technology Centre in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin was shown new developments and existing Russian-made unmanned systems, such as the Zala Lancet and Orlan-10.

In particular, cameramen captured a black drone similar to the well-known Shahed-136 attack drone, but with a modified nose, which appears to have an optical system.

SPOILER

Shahed-236 в Санкт-Петербурзі [19 вересня 2024]

The Shahed-236, a promising Iranian strike drone, has a similar design, which, thanks to an optical station, is capable of autonomous target search and manual guidance by its operator.

At the beginning of the year, Militarnyi published a large-scale analysis of leaked files concerning technology transfer and drone trade between Russia and Iran. The files included, among other things, the intention to localize the production of a new product in Russia.

The drone was codenamed MC-236 in the published documents. It stated that the drone “with a target acquisition system and an internal combustion engine” had successfully taken off at night, had covered the distance to the target in accordance with the flight mission and had hit the target.

During the flight, an operator of the unmanned system chose one of four targets online (the targets were containers measuring 6�3 meters). The homing head successfully captured the target as directed by the operator. The target was hit with an approximate accuracy of 3-5 meters.

One of the presentations demonstrated the principle of using an unmanned system, which, in addition to the Shahed-236 itself, also includes a similar drone repeater and a control station. The specified range of such a system was 220 kilometers.

^{The principle of operation of the Shahed-236 attack drone. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

At the same time, the main technical characteristics of the new drone remain similar to the original “blind” Shahed-136. Without communication, it can fly about 2,000 kilometers and carry a warhead weighing up to 50 kilograms.

Like its predecessor, it is equipped with an internal combustion engine that drives a propeller.

^{Characteristics of the Shahed-236 drone. Photo credits: Militarnyi}

Records also mentioned the estimated cost of the drone (probably for the Russian Federation), which was about $900,000.This price is obviously overstated by several times, given that in 2022, such a Shahed-136 cost the Russians $193,000. This may be due to the associated costs of localisation or licensed production.

Earlier, the Iranian military released footage of a Shahed drone with an optical guidance system.

quote:

Ukraine restricts Telegram use for government, military, critical infrastructure
Ukraine's National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity on Sept. 20 restricted the use of the Telegram messenger app for government agencies, military, and critical infrastructure facilities.

Telegram remains one of the most popular social media platforms among Ukrainians. A September 2023 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology indicated that 44% of Ukrainians use Telegram to receive information and news.

The app is also actively used by Russia, its military forces, and intelligence services to undermine Ukraine's war effort and boost its own. Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, earlier called the messenger app "harmful" and a "threat to our national security."

During a recent meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, Budanov provided "substantiated evidence" that Russian intelligence services have access to Telegram users' personal correspondence, even deleted messages, and their personal data.

"I have always advocated freedom of speech, but the issue of Telegram is not a matter of freedom of speech, it is a matter of national security," Budanov said.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that Telegram is actively used by Russia for cyberattacks, spreading phishing and malware, establishing user geolocation, and adjusting missile strikes against Ukrainian cities and villages.

SPOILER

As a result, Ukraine's cybersecurity center decided to ban the Telegram app on official devices of government officials, military personnel, employees of the security and defense sector, and critical infrastructure enterprises.

The only exceptions will be those for whom the use of this messenger is "part of their official duties," according to the statement.

The popularity of Telegram in Ukraine skyrocketed after the start of the invasion in 2022, particularly due to its anonymous channels that mass-spread content to subscribers while preserving the full anonymity of the publisher.

Telegram CEO and co-founder Pavel Durov was briefly detained in France and later charged with "complicity in managing an online platform to allow illicit transactions by an organized group" and other crimes.

Russian-born Durov has claimed he is a pariah and has been effectively exiled from Russia, but on Aug. 27, it was reported he had visited Russia over 60 times since leaving the country.

quote:

Telegram Founder Durov ‘Not Interested’ in Talking With Russian Officials, Envoy Says
Telegram founder and executive chief Pavel Durov has not shown any interest in contacting the Russian authorities, Moscow’s ambassador to France told state media Thursday.

Durov, who is originally from Russia, was detained last month at Le Bourget airport near Paris and later charged with several counts of failing to curb extremist and illegal content on the popular messaging app.

He was granted conditional release after posting bail of five million euros and is required to remain in France, reporting to a police station twice a week.

“The French treat Durov’s case as one between their state and a citizen,” Russian Ambassador Alexei Meshkov said in an interview with the state-run broadcaster Vesti. “Durov has held French citizenship for several years.”

Durov obtained both French and United Arab Emirates citizenship in 2021.

Meshkov said the Russian Embassy in Paris had repeatedly contacted French authorities for “relevant materials” on Durov’s case, but those requests were denied. “They informed us that Durov shows no interest in contacting us.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russian diplomats are taking all necessary actions and have requested consular access.

Durov left Russia in 2014 after claiming he faced pressure to share users’ private messages from the social media website VKontakte with Russian law enforcement officials.

Despite his public break with Russia, the tech entrepreneur traveled to the country more than 50 times between 2015 and 2021, the IStories investigative outlet reported, citing leaked FSB data.

quote:

'Russian NATO' Loses Ground in Moscow's Former Backyard
Bogged down by its all-out war on Ukraine, now dragging through a third year, Russia is visibly losing its historic role as the key power broker in both Central Asia and the Caucasus.

Even as Russia stages a series of military drills with its allies in Central Asia, Moscow's hold over a region it considers its own backyard appears to be growing increasingly tenuous.

Bogged down by its all-out war on Ukraine, now dragging through a third year, Russia is visibly losing its historic role as the key power broker in both Central Asia and the Caucasus.

The fate of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), a military alliance of ex-Soviet states, highlights the challenges facing the Kremlin as it seeks to maintain and advance its geopolitical sway across Eurasia.

Often referred to as a "Russian NATO", the alliance was formed in 1992 to fill the security vacuum left by the collapse of the Soviet Union.

But three decades on, the bloc is struggling with "serious issues of competitiveness and viability," Armenian analyst Hakob Badalyan told AFP.

Yerevan is boycotting the organisation, though it has remained a formal member.

It accuses the CSTO -- and therefore Moscow -- of abandoning it amid conflict with arch-foe Azerbaijan.

It is not the first membership challenge faced by the CSTO, which comprises Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, alongside Russia and Armenia.

Baku left in 1999, alongside Caucasus neighbour Georgia. Uzbekistan followed suit in 2012.

Both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan ignored calls to rejoin the alliance last year.

SPOILER

- 'Fewer resources' -
Russia's difficulties across Central Asia and the Caucasus stand in contrast to its successes in forging and deepening alliances with the likes of China, India, Iran, North Korea and several African countries amid its invasion of Ukraine.

Badalyan sees those developments as connected.

"At war with Ukraine, Russia has far fewer resources to fully play its role as the CSTO's military-technical leader," he said.

The CSTO still has a role to play in the region, others suggested -- though the idea of it acting as a powerful Russian alternative to NATO is questionable.

For instance, the alliance intervened in Kazakhstan in 2022, where predominantly Russian "peacekeeping forces" helped quell deadly anti-government riots and stabilise President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's regime.

At the time, Russia and the CSTO positioned themselves as guarantors of stability for allied authoritarian regimes -- a scenario that now seems impossible to replicate.

The CSTO's role in the region has also shifted following the Taliban's military takeover in Afghanistan in 2021.

According to Vladimir Zharikhin, deputy director of the Russian Institute of CIS Countries, the group has helped by "ensuring the stability of Central Asian countries bordering Afghanistan" over the last three years.

"If there haven't been any serious conflicts involving Afghanistan and Central Asian nations, it's largely due to Russian military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan," he said.

Moscow and its closest ally Minsk hope military drills in Kyrgyzstan last week, and Kazakhstan next week, will show the alliance still has geopolitical relevance.

"By holding these exercises, we show the international community and all our enemies that we are ready to face any threat," Belarusian official Gennady Lepeshko said in the Kyrgyz town of Balykchy, where last week's drills took place.

But the alliance appears split even on the definition of who those "enemies" are.

While Russia sees the West as an existential threat, Central Asian states and Armenia are strengthening ties with the United States and Europe.

Aside from Belarus, none have backed Moscow's war on Ukraine.

And even Minsk -- financially, politically, economically and militarily reliant on Moscow -- does not recognise Russia's territorial claims over eastern Ukraine.

- 'Limitless Friendship -
Western countries are not blind to the possible geopolitical opening in the region.

This week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Central Asia, where his hosts urged him to invest in energy and transport infrastructure to connect the region to Europe, bypassing Russia.

In July, Central Asian states held their first joint military exercises without Moscow, while Armenia hosted joined military drills with the United States.

The region is also being courted beyond the West, including militarily.

Kazakhstan hosted special forces from Pakistan, Qatar, and Turkey for drills in September, held under the banner of "limitless friendship."

China is expanding its security influence in Central Asia, both through bilateral agreements and its own regional bloc, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Drawing on cultural ties with fellow Turkic-speaking nations, Ankara has also boosted arms supplies.

Sensing the challenge, there is little chance of Russian President Vladimir Putin simply accepting his country's diminished influence in a region it ruled over for decades.

"The time has come to begin a broad discussion on a new system of collective security in Eurasia," he said back in June.

quote:

First Ukrainian pilots complete training on Alphajet jet trainers in France

^{Completion of training for the first group of Ukrainian pilots on Alphajet jet trainers in France. September, 2024. Photo credits: French Armed Forces}

The first group of Ukrainian military pilots completed training in France on Alphajet jet trainers.

The General Staff of the French Army on Friday reported about this on September 20.

The training of Ukrainians has been going on since March this year. It is noted that the number of pilots who had completed the course met the operational needs of Ukraine.

Training of Ukrainian pilots is part of the defense assistance from France.

Future Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilots were announced to undergo an accelerated training course in France on Alphajet jet trainers in June 2024.

SPOILER

^{Completion of training for the first group of Ukrainian pilots on Alphajet jet trainers in France. September, 2024. Photo credits: French Armed Forces}

The details of the training were published in a report by the French newspaper Le Monde.

The journalists were the first to be admitted to an unnamed air base in southwestern France, where a group of young Ukrainian pilots is training.

The French Air and Space Force has pledged to train 26 Ukrainian pilots in two years. It is noted that some of them had never flown before, while others had experience flying L-39 Albatros training aircraft.

^{Training of Ukrainian pilots on Alphajet jet trainers in France. September, 2024. Photo credits: French Armed Forces}

After several months of training in the UK, including English language training, a group of Ukrainian pilots arrived in France in March of this year to begin their theoretical and practical training.

^{Ukrainian pilot in the Alphajet plane, June 14. Photo credits: Adrien Vautier}

The training of the Ukrainian military is based on a shortened program – only six months compared to the usual eighteen-month course.

^{A monitor with a flight simulator program displayed, on which Ukrainian pilots train, June 14, 2024. Photo credits: Adrien Vautier}

Training
Alphajet jet trainers are used for flight training. They are equipped with a dashboard that mimics that of F-16 fighter jets.

^{A Ukrainian pilot (left) and his instructor in front of an Alphajet plane, June 14. Photo credits: Adrien Vautier}

Immediately upon arrival, Ukrainian pilots were “put under a hood,” as a French officer put it. Even during the report, they were forbidden to talk to the press for security reasons. Only their ages were reported: 21 to 23 years old.

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 21:51 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:
Hier werd eigenlijk vanaf dag 1 al voor gewaarschuwd. Maar voor sommigen is dit het waard. Ofzo.

Maar ook Arestkvitsch ziet waar dit schip zal stranden.

[ x ]

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 21:51 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:
Hier werd eigenlijk vanaf dag 1 al voor gewaarschuwd. Maar voor sommigen is dit het waard. Ofzo.

Maar ook Arestkvitsch ziet waar dit schip zal stranden.

[ x ]

quote:

Russian arsenal in Toropets destroyed by 70 per cent

^{107th Arsenal in Toropets, September 19, 2024. Photo credits: Schemes}

Detailed satellite imagery has helped determine the extent of damage to Russia’s 107th Arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

The MAXAR, PlanetLAB, and Copernicus satellite images were released by researcher MT Anderson and the Schemes project.

Despite the slight cloud cover and smoke around the arsenal, the new images with a resolution of 0.5 meters allowed viewers to assess the real state of the facilities on its territory.

The least damaged was the complex of protected semi-underground ammunition storage facilities in the southern part of the arsenal. It has 42 isolated bunkers, each of which can hold up to 240 tonnes of ammunition.

Only 38 structures could be analyzed in the published photos due to cloud cover: 12 were completely destroyed, while another 7 were severely damaged without signs of internal detonation. The remaining 19 bunkers, mostly in the eastern part of the complex, are visually intact.

SPOILER

^{Completely destroyed, damaged and intact bunkers of 107th Arsenal in Toropets, September 19, 2024. Photo: x.com/MT_Anderson}

The part of the arsenal with above-ground storage facilities in the southeastern part of the arsenal suffered much greater damage as it was completely destroyed.

This part contained 22 above-ground structures, which were spaced 50-80 meters apart and isolated by earthen ramparts.

The photographs clearly show that they have completely burned out or have craters left by the detonation of high explosive munitions.

^{Completely destroyed, damaged and intact bunkers of 107th Arsenal in Toropets, September 19, 2024. Photo: x.com/MT_Anderson}

The southwestern part of the arsenal, which houses ground storage facilities and open ammunition storage, remains more difficult to analyze. It is located in a forested area and is obscured by clouds and smoke.

This is the most vulnerable part of the Russian arsenal, as the ammunition containers were stored in the open air, which made it possible to detonate them by any attack drone. Presumably, the first detonation with the subsequent domino effect began here.

Of the 40 or so zones that were conditionally identified as separate objects, up to 30 were destroyed, burned out or seriously damaged. The rest could not be analyzed at the time of the survey.

^{Ground storage of ammunition at the 107th Arsenal in Toropets, September 19, 2024. Photo credits: Schemes}

As a result of the large-scale fire, flying ammunition and its fragments, residential and transport infrastructure was also seriously damaged or completely destroyed.

The extent of damage to storage sites alone can be preliminarily estimated at 70%. Russia’s 107th Arsenal has suffered critical damage that will require a long time to repair, during which it will be inaccessible.

quote:

Chechnya’s Kadyrov sends two Tesla Cybertrucks to Ukraine as his own is disabled

Ramzan Kadyrov. Photo: Kadyrov_95 / Telegram

Brutal warlord and Kremlin-appointed Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov announced on Friday that he had donated two Tesla Cybertrucks to Russian troops on the front lines in Ukraine.

Kadyrov’s post was accompanied by a dramatic video showing two Cybertrucks, each equipped with a mounted machine gun on its roof manned by two soldiers, driving off road, before one of them shoots down a drone. “You won’t find a better ad for a Cybertruck. We definitely know how to use them,” Kadyrov wrote in his post accompanying the video.

On Thursday Kadyrov revealed that a Cybertruck he claimed had been a gift from Tesla CEO Elon Musk in August had been remotely disabled. “Elon Musk has behaved badly. First he gives you expensive gifts from the bottom of his heart, and then he disconnects them remotely,” Kadyrov wrote on Telegram.

SPOILER

^{Photo: Kadyrov_95 / Telegram}

Revealing that he had been forced to “tow the iron horse”, Kadyrov called Musk’s behaviour “unmanly” before asking, apparently in earnest, ‘How come, Elon? Is that what’s done?"

In August, Kadyrov posted a video of himself driving a Tesla Cybertruck with a machine gun mounted on its roof around his compound in the Chechen capital Grozny, praising the car and thanking Musk for gifting it to him. Kadyrov welcomed Musk to Grozny where he said he’d be welcome “as the dearest of guests”.

Though Musk responded to criticism of his apparent gesture by saying: “Are you seriously so retarded that you think I donated a Cybertruck to a Russian general?”, X users subsequently demanded to know why he had not had Kadyrov’s Tesla disabled, to which Kadyrov chimed in by imploring Musk not to pay attention to “unenlightened people and the corrupt media”.

Kadyrov Boosts War Against Ukraine Efforts with Deployment of Musk's Cybertrucks | Times Now World

quote:

Alle rode lijnen zijn overschreden", zei hij in een televisietoespraak

quote:

Armed Forces of Ukraine will supply with TAHA all-terrain amphibious vehicles

^{TAHA all-terrain amphibious vehicle. Photo credits: Ukrainian MoD}

The Armed Forces of Ukraine have been allowed to use a new domestic all-terrain amphibious vehicle, the TAHA.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said it had codified the vehicle.

TAHA is small in size and can turn around on the spot. This allows it to maneuver effectively in confined spaces.

The all-terrain vehicle can operate in swamps, marshes, deep snow and even when driving out of water on ice.

The pressure on the surface created by its tyres is less than that of a human foot, which allows it to move on loose and unstable ground.

SPOILER

^{TAHA all-terrain amphibious vehicle}

In addition, TAHA can overcome obstacles over 1 meter high and can carry up to 1 tonne of cargo or up to 10 passengers.

The vehicle’s speed on land reaches 40 km/h, and on water – up to 6 km/h.

The all-terrain vehicle has several fuel tanks and can operate for more than two days on a single refueling.

The Ministry of Defense noted that such vehicles were already in use at the frontline for evacuation, ammunition and food transport, where other military equipment could not pass.

^{Inside a TAHA amphibious all-terrain vehicle. Photo credits: taha-utv.com}

The manufacturer claims that TAHA can replace vehicles such as snowmobiles and hovercraft.

“The amphibious all-terrain vehicle can move on any terrestrial surface and is the only vehicle in the world that can move from water to ice,” the developers said.

^{Inside a TAHA amphibious all-terrain vehicle. Photo credits: taha-utv.com}

As a reminder, since 2023, the Ukrainian military has also been training outside the country on Bandvagn BvS 10 armored tracked all-terrain vehicles.

quote:

Ukraine expects to receive decommissioned Australian Abrams

^{Australian M1A1 Abrams tanks. Australia. 2018. Photo credits: Australian Army/Facebook}

Ukraine may soon receive decommissioned Australian Abrams tanks: Canberra is working on a plan with Washington.

Sources of the Australian newspaper Sydney Morning Herald reported that Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles had discussed with the Ukrainian government “a number of possibilities” for sending tanks.

“There are a number of possibilities that we are talking about with the Ukrainian government,” the official emphasized last month.

Peter Leahy, who headed the Austrian army from 2003 to 2008 and oversaw the introduction of M1A1 Abrams tanks, said that he had been “surprised” that Australia had not been willing to provide Ukraine with Abrams.

“Although we are decommissioning them, this is a very reliable tank, it should have been well maintained, it has spare parts… We have to load them on a ship and ship them there,” he added.

SPOILER

^{Australian M1A1 Abrams. Photo credits: Australian Defense}

Former Defense Ministry official Michael Shawbridge emphasized that the tanks were “in good shape.”

“Ukrainians are fighting a war for national survival, so we must get them there as soon as possible,” he added.

Ukraine has submitted a request twice, the first time in May 2023. Ukraine asked for the transfer of 14 tanks and crew training for these vehicles. The Australian government effectively rejected the request.

Australia initially said that the decommissioned tanks should had been sent to the United States for repair before being handed over to Ukraine.

Another argument was that the Abrams were supposedly going to be replaced gradually: first wait for new vehicles and then “decommission” old tanks.

^{Australian Abrams tanks in the United States. Source: t.me/btvt2019}

This refers to 59 M1A1 Abrams tanks that were written off in July this year, purchased from the United States in 2004 for 550 million Australian dollars ($340 million).

They will be replaced by improved M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks.

quote:

Russians start arming ships with machine gun remote weapon stations

^{Russian boat with Narval RWS, September 2024. Photo: Rostec}

The Russian Black Sea Fleet has received the first batch of Narval remote controlled weapon stations for heavy machine guns.

This was reported by the press service of the Russian Rostec state corporation.

The Russian NPO Electromashina, part of the Uralvagonzavod corporation, has handed over the first serial batch of Narval combat modules for installation on Black Sea Fleet boats stationed in Sevastopol.

Introduced to the public back in 2023, this module has only recently completed state trials on one of the vessels.

“The weapon was manufactured in a very short time. The promising module differs from the basic model in a wide range of functions and improved characteristics,” manufacturers said.

As a result of the upgrade, the adopted version is reported to have a new thermal imaging sight with a higher resolution and an improved control unit and computing module. In addition, the hull of the system has become more secure.

SPOILER

^{Narval RWS, September, 2024. Photo: Rostec}

The Narval is designed to be installed on light boats with a displacement of up to 20 tonnes as the main or auxiliary weapon system. The module provides search and engagement of lightly armored, surface and low-flying air targets.

In the photos, it is equipped with a KORD 12.7�108 mm machine gun. Despite being mounted on a rig, it retains the ability to be manually operated and the necessary controls.

To ensure accurate fire on a vessel, the module is equipped with a laser rangefinder, an optical system with a thermal imaging channel, and a gyroscopic stabilization system that compensates for the platform’s wobble on the water.

The manufacturers noted that they were actively working on re-equipping other vessels in the Black Sea Fleet. Obviously, the main incentive for this process is the threat of Ukrainian naval drones, which forced most of the Russian fleet to leave the occupied Crimean peninsula.

As of today, most of the Russian fleet’s vessels, especially large ships, do not have adequate artillery to defend against drones. Russian sailors tried to compensate for this by having crews on duty with light small arms, which, however, did not save the Caesar Kunikov landing ship.

Екіпаж ВДК «Цезарь Куников» намагається відбити атаку українських дронів

Last month, the Russian Navy’s Caspian Flotilla took commission of a new Project 22800 corvette, the Amur.

quote:

Ghanaian men lured to fight for Russia appeal for help from inside occupied Ukraine
The surviving members of a group of 14 men from Ghana who were lured into the Russian military to fight against Ukraine have appealed for help from Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, Ghanaian news outlet TV3 reported on Sept. 19.

Russia continues to try to fill the ranks of its army with foreigners and migrant workers to avoid another round of domestic mobilization as losses from its ongoing war in Ukraine mount.

According to TV3, the men arrived in Russia on Aug. 6 and were taken to Kostroma, a city in western Russia located 300 kilometers (186 miles) northeast of Moscow.

Another man from Ghana was reportedly responsible for luring the group, promising them well-paid jobs in Russia. The men said they paid for their own plane tickets and visas and were told they would get a job working in security, but would first undergo training from the military.

The men said they then signed a contract in Russian, a language none of the men speak, and their passports were later confiscated.

SPOILER

Three men from the group told TV3 that they are being held against their will in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast and that they believe they may be the only surviving members of the original group of 14.

Other members of the group were allegedly taken away to fight and one man escaped, but his whereabouts are unknown.

"We are presently in Ukraine...we have no fighting experience," one man told TV3. "We are pleading, we want to return home."

The families of the 14 men have appealed to the Ghanian Police Headquarters for help, TV3 journalist Godwin Asediba posted on X on Sept. 20.

Similar cases of foreigners being lured into the Russian army have been reported in India, Egypt, Nepal, and Cuba, despite efforts from these countries to clamp down on the smuggling rings and recruitment schemes that drive men to Russia.

Bloomberg reported in June that Russia was coercing African students and migrants to fight by threatening to take away their visas if they did not agree to join the military.

Indian media reported on Sept. 12 that 45 Indians tricked into joining the Russian military fighting in Ukraine have been released after the Indian government intervened, and Russian President Vladimir Putin met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July.

African POWs on fighting for Russia in Ukraine

quote:

Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 23:12 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Oh, en Rusland heeft bijna 2 jaar er over gedaan om zo dicht bij Pokrovsk te komen, vanaf ongeveer de eerste half jaar zijn zij niet echt succesvol meer geweest in deze oorlog.

SPOILER

""Everything burned down. Nothing survived. Everything was reduced to dust. It can't be restored."

"They completely burned down the exit to the 3rd company. It's a f*ck, what's going on here. They just burned down the entire landing. I don't know how the 3rd company is there now."

(Sent by a subscriber)."-Russianocontext

Source:https:// t . me /russianocontext/4742

quote:

Each month, 6,500 volunteers join Ukraine's Defence Forces through recruitment centres
Ukraine’s Defence Forces recruit an average of 6,500 volunteers each month through recruitment centres, says Oleksii Bezhevets, Ukrainian Defence Ministry’s representative on recruitment.

Source: Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence

Quote: "The Defence Forces are seeing an increase in recruitment every month. Every month, on average, 6,500 volunteers are recruited throughout the nation. It is people who make up the Defence Forces, and the Centre offers a chance to join them. Our recruiters are prepared to offer guidance and assist each person in finding their calling within the army."

Details: Bezhevets also mentioned that the defence forces in Ukraine have around 10,000 open positions, including those for cooks, mechanics, attorneys, UAV operators, and medics. The State Border Service, the National Guard, the Armed Forces, and the Security Service of Ukraine are all open for recruitment.

Over 17,000 citizens across all of Ukraine have used the network of recruitment centres, Bezhevets said. A team of specially trained civilian recruiters have provided them with expert assistance.

"No summonses will be issued in the recruitment centre or anywhere nearby as this is expressly forbidden by the regulatory rules," stated the Defence Ministry.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 08:40 schreef Ulx het volgende:
D'r gaat weer een logistieke hub de lucht in.

[ x ]

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 08:46 schreef Anton91 het volgende:
Zou toch wel erg mooi zijn als beide depots geraakt zijn door wapens geproduceerd door Oekra�ne en dat ze nu naarmate ze meer van die wapens produceren ze alles systematisch uitschakelen. Als het westen die wapens niet wil leveren, dan maar zelf ontwikkelen.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 08:51 schreef sp3c het volgende:
Damage control is sws niet echt een Russisch dingetje

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 09:08 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Die heb niet nodig als je rode lijnen hebt waar niemand overheen durft.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 09:25 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Euh ... Ok?

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Op vrijdag 20 september 2024 23:12 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Je hebt helemaal gelijk. Het westen moet gewoon de kraan open gaan zetten en Oekra�ne alles leveren wat zij zich maar kunnen wensen om de oorlog zo snel mogelijk te winnen. Dan moet Oekra�ne direct opgenomen worden in de EU en NAVO zodat Rusland dit nooit weer kan proberen.

Dan gooien wij nog meer sancties op Rusland tot zij de schade vergoeden die zij veroorzaakt hebben. En zelfs dan blijven wij Rusland de rug toe keren. Want met een land zoals Rusland wil je nooit meer zaken doen tenslotte. En ook willen wij daar nooit meer afhankelijk van worden. Sowieso niet zolang Putin en zijn trawanten daar de scepter zwaaien.

Oh, en Rusland heeft bijna 2 jaar er over gedaan om zo dicht bij Pokrovsk te komen, vanaf ongeveer de eerste half jaar zijn zij niet echt succesvol meer geweest in deze oorlog. Indien Pokrovsk valt is dat jammer, en het zal inderdaad een relatief klein deel van de Donetsk regio erg kwetsbaar maken. Maar ook dan moet er door Rusland gevochten worden voor elke meter. Het is niet zo dat zij binnen 3 dagen in Kiev staan na het vallen van dit stadje tenslotte.

Sinds het einde van 2022 heeft Rusland minder dan 1250km2 van het Oekra�nse grondgebied in kunnen nemen. Maar heeft dit wel meer dan 500.000 uitgeschakelde soldaten gekost. Dat is zo'n 400 soldaten per km2.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:13 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:
Je bent echt een hele grote idioot wanneer denkt dat Oekra�ne met een aantal duizend man waarvan er een groot gedeelte kapotgeschoten is, gaat doen wat Hitler en Napoleon niet lukte.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:14 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
rus moet gewoon oprotten uit oekraine niemand, behalve jij, heeft het over moskou bezetten.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:15 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Nee jullie hadden het over de Krim.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:14 schreef ExTec het volgende:
niemand, behalve jij, heeft het over moskou bezetten.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 13:52 schreef ExTec het volgende:
Dus munitie opslag depots zijn de nieuwe olie raffinaderijen.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:16 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Uiteraard. Dankzij de enorme corruptie tijdens de bouw zijn die makkelijk te pakken.

Misschien had Sullivan wel een punt toen hij stelde dat er weinig doelen over zijn waar Oekra�ne echt high-tech westers spul voor nodig heeft.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:15 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Wie is 'jullie'?

Overigens is krim van oekraine, dus klopt aardig.

Maar:
[..]

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:24 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Maar dat werd niet gezegd he.

Er werd gezegd: er zijn geen doelen, niet: er zijn geen doelen waar ze ons spul voor nodig hebben.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:13 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Wat een lap tekst. Maar je geeft wel mooi je prioriteiten bloot in de eerste zin. Oekra�ne moet volgens jou worden opgeofferd voor de westerse genoegdoening. Je bent echt een hele grote idioot wanneer denkt dat Oekra�ne met een aantal duizend man waarvan er een groot gedeelte kapotgeschoten is, gaat doen wat Hitler en Napoleon niet lukte. Of ga jij, of Nederland ze helpen met mensen om de wapens vast te houden. Nee h�? Al jaren gebeurt dit niet. En jij en ik weten stiekem wel waarom dat is.

Maar die waanbeelden zijn je eigen probleem en moet de westerse ezel zich gewoon 3x stoten aan dezelfde steen.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:29 schreef Ulx het volgende:

[..]
Oh ja, alles moet letterlijk worden genomen. Sorry, ik was je Jip-en-Janneke doctrine vergeten. Mijn fout.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:30 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Napoleon en Hitler vielen Rusland binnen. Rusland viel Oekra�ne binnen. Dat zijn twee hele verschillende dingen. Oekra�ne is bezig met een verdedigingsoorlog en vecht voor zijn bestaan.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:27 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:
ook al kost dit vele levens per dag.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:33 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Concern troll doet alsof'ie concerned is.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:37 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:
Geloofwaardiger dan jouw

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JA MAAR OEKRAINE MOET ZICH MAAR OVERGEVEN HOOR, WANT NU KOST HET ZOVEEL 'LEVENS'

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:39 schreef ExTec het volgende:

[..]
Nee, gewoon volstrekt niet.

Als het je om levens ging, richtte je je pijlen op die mongool in het kremlin, ipv hier zielig te janken:
[..]

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:41 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:
Moeten ze zelf weten.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:33 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Ik wist niet dat je gelovig was. Je wilt zeggen dat ze God dus aan hun zijde hebben en om die reden ook gaan winnen?

Iets anders dan semantics staat er namelijk niet.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:46 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Jij hebt het over iets doen dat Napoleon en Hitler niet lukte. De vergelijking slaat nergens op. Een betere vergelijking is iets doen dat Japan en Afghanistan ook lukten.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:33 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Ik wist niet dat je gelovig was. Je wilt zeggen dat ze God dus aan hun zijde hebben en om die reden ook gaan winnen?

Iets anders dan semantics staat er namelijk niet.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:46 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Jij hebt het over iets doen dat Napoleon en Hitler niet lukte. De vergelijking slaat nergens op. Een betere vergelijking is iets doen dat Japan en Afghanistan ook lukten.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:52 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Nee, die gaat nat buiten je semantics om. En hard ook.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:53 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Ok, en wat is het dan volgens jou wat Napoleon en Hitler niet lukten?

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:51 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Nee hoor, daar is geen geloof voor nodig. Dat kun je zien aan de acties van Rusland. In bezet gebied bijvoorbeeld is Rusland bezig met een genocide. Het uitwissen van de Oekra�ense cultuur.

Oekra�ense burgers worden massaal verscheept naar verre uithoeken van Rusland, hun cultuur en taal wordt verboden. Diegene die achterblijven worden verplicht om de Russische nationaliteit te nemen, anders hebben zij nergens recht op. Maar ondanks dat blijven het tweederangs burgers.

Oekra�ne heeft dus geen keus in deze oorlog, de enige optie die zij hebben is om te blijven vechten en om te winnen. Of om een vrede te bewerkstellen die zo gunstig mogelijk is voor hun. Maar dat kan niet met Putin, want die wil namelijk een totale overgave van Oekra�ne.

Als Rusland had willen winnen hadden zij dat in het eerste half jaar moeten doen. Toen zij nog grote successen hadden. Die hebben zij nu niet meer namelijk. Alleen nog maar grote nederlagen.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:02 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Vriend, ik snap hoe je denkt over wie er wel of niet gelijk heeft. Maar gelijk hebben en gelijk krijgen zijn 2 verschillende dingen. Nergens lees ik hoe dit op de grond vertaalt naar een Oekra�ense overwinning terwijl de situatie (door Oekra�ense strijdkrachten toegegeven) er slechter en slechter uitziet en hun tekort aan soldaten catastrofale proporties beginnen aan te nemen.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:53 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Ok, en wat is het dan volgens jou wat Napoleon en Hitler niet lukten?

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:19 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:
door te pogen Moskou te bezetten.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:19 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Het doel van Napoleon was natuurlijk de Russen militair verslaan en ze zo weer te laten dansen naar de Franse muziek in Europa. En Napoleon dacht dit te kunnen doen door de symbolische/politieke macht vleugellam te maken en zo te dwingen tot overgave. Dit werd geprobeerd door te pogen Moskou te bezetten.

Het plan van Hitler was in grove lijnen het opdelen van Eurazi� samen met Japan. Ging ook niet zo goed. Moet ik echt uitleggen waarom?

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:19 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Het doel van Napoleon was natuurlijk de Russen militair verslaan en ze zo weer te laten dansen naar de Franse muziek in Europa. En Napoleon dacht dit te kunnen doen door de symbolische/politieke macht vleugellam te maken en zo te dwingen tot overgave. Dit werd geprobeerd door te pogen Moskou te bezetten.

Het plan van Hitler was in grove lijnen het opdelen van Eurazi� samen met Japan. Ging ook niet zo goed. Moet ik echt uitleggen waarom?

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:12 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Jij baseert dit op ��n YouTube filmpje van een ex medewerker/adviseur van Zelenski, die nu in Amerika woont na Oekra�ne ontvlucht te zijn, die de ambt van president van Oekra�ne ambieert, en die door de Oekra�ense veiligheidsdienst ervan verdacht wordt mogelijk een Russische spion te zijn. En dan nog niet eens op het gehele filmpje (die 1 uur duurde), maar 5 minuten ervan.

Jij baseert dit op Russische propaganda die jij hier regelmatig plaatst.

quote:

Nergens lees ik hoe dit op de grond vertaalt naar een Oekra�ense overwinning terwijl de situatie (door Oekra�ense strijdkrachten toegegeven) er slechter en slechter uitziet en hun tekort aan soldaten catastrofale proporties beginnen aan te nemen.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:31 schreef Zwoerd het volgende:

[..]
Dan begrijp je hopenlijk ook dat dit niet is wat Oekra�ne probeert. Dus je eerste opmerking slaat nergens op.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:34 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Volgens jou misschien niet. Maar dat gevoel van je rust wederom op semantics.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:32 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Waarom ben je nou weer aan het wegduiken? Ik ontleed je hele argument, iedere keer, en vervolgens ga je weer een zijspoor op met iets volstrekt niet relevants als rookgordijn om je vorige fuck-up te verbloemen.

Goed, nog een keer:
[..]
..

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:34 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Volgens jou misschien niet. Maar dat gevoel van je rust wederom op semantics.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 14:41 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Ze moeten niet. Moeten ze zelf weten. Maar ik voorspel dat het gaat gebeuren met de steeds slechtere voorwaarden voor Oekra�ne en steeds minder Oekra�ners in leven.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:44 schreef Joppiez het volgende:

[..]
Oooh ok�, in dat geval hoef je je dus nergens zorgen om te maken. Doei dan maar?

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"Chronicles": More and more Russians support the withdrawal of troops from Ukraine
The research project "Chronicles" and the research group Extreme Scan conducted a survey among Russians on their attitude to the war in Ukraine. It was timed to coincide with the second anniversary of the start of mobilization in Russia.

The telephone survey, which was conducted from September 10 to 17, reportedly involved 800 respondents over the age of 18. The sample was random.

According to the researchers, 49% of respondents would support the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and the start of peace talks without achieving the military goals set by the country's authorities. 33% of respondents were against such a decision. 63% of survey participants spoke out in favor of a peace treaty with mutual concessions being concluded between Russia and Ukraine in the coming year.

32% of respondents stated their readiness to participate in the war by order of the Ministry of Defense, 30% stated their unwillingness to take part in military operations. 29% of respondents would support a new wave of mobilization.

Researchers note that the number of people in favor of the withdrawal of Russian troops and a ceasefire without achieving the goals of the war has increased by 9% compared to data from February 2023. Then, 40% of respondents supported such an initiative.

Respondents were also asked whether it was more important to push the Ukrainian army out of the Kursk region or to seize new territories in the Donbass. 53% of respondents were in favor of pushing the Ukrainian Armed Forces out of Kursk, 15% were in favor of seizing territories in the Donetsk region.

SPOILER

Extreme Scan also conducted an additional telephone survey of 5,500 people over the age of 18. They were asked whether the men around them were ready to go to war in the event of mobilization. 23% said they were ready, 38% of respondents said they were not ready, and another 19% thought it was 50/50. 57% of survey participants assessed the likelihood of a new mobilization as high, while 28% thought it was low. 51% of respondents were sympathetic to those who avoided participating in the war, while 27% condemned such people.

• In September 2022, the Russian authorities announced the so-called partial mobilization for the war with Ukraine. According to official data, about 300 thousand people were called up. The decree on mobilization is still in effect.
• In September 2023, the Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrei Kartapolov announced that there would be no rotation of mobilized personnel, meaning that those called up for mobilization would also be required to remain in the war zone until the end of the war. This caused a storm of indignation among groups of relatives and friends of those mobilized, who regularly appeal to the authorities with requests to return the military from the front and recruit new ones in their place.

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 16:40 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.svoboda.org/a(...)krainy/33128272.html
[..]

SPOILER

Extreme Scan also conducted an additional telephone survey of 5,500 people over the age of 18. They were asked whether the men around them were ready to go to war in the event of mobilization. 23% said they were ready, 38% of respondents said they were not ready, and another 19% thought it was 50/50. 57% of survey participants assessed the likelihood of a new mobilization as high, while 28% thought it was low. 51% of respondents were sympathetic to those who avoided participating in the war, while 27% condemned such people.

• In September 2022, the Russian authorities announced the so-called partial mobilization for the war with Ukraine. According to official data, about 300 thousand people were called up. The decree on mobilization is still in effect.
• In September 2023, the Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrei Kartapolov announced that there would be no rotation of mobilized personnel, meaning that those called up for mobilization would also be required to remain in the war zone until the end of the war. This caused a storm of indignation among groups of relatives and friends of those mobilized, who regularly appeal to the authorities with requests to return the military from the front and recruit new ones in their place.

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 16:29 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
[ x ]
Er zitten een paar filmpjes tussen die volgens mij nog niet langs zijn gekomen.

quote:

EU Defense Innovation Office opened in Ukraine
Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen opened the EU Office for Defense Innovation.

The Minister of Defense reported about this on Facebook.

“This is a new stage in our relations with the European Union in the field of defense technologies. The main focus of this cooperation is to join forces to strengthen defense capabilities. We pay special attention to joint developments in the field of IT and weapons production, which will be crucial for defeating Russian aggression.”

By strengthening Ukraine’s technological capabilities, the IT Coalition has already raised more than �70 million from 13 member countries, creating a secure IT infrastructure for the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

Our Drone Coalition of 16 member countries has secured more than �500 million in funding and donated thousands of drones to Ukraine.

What can we offer our European partners? Over the past 2.5 years, Ukraine has rapidly become a global leader in drone technology. Today, more than 500 Ukrainian drone manufacturers and thousands of developers create advanced solutions for combat operations. With an annual production capacity of up to 3 million drones, Ukraine has established itself as a true defense and technical center.

“Our country has a huge potential in defense technologies, and I urge our European partners to invest in Ukrainian producers. Together, we can significantly strengthen the defense capabilities of not only Ukraine, but the whole of Europe,” the minister said.

SPOILER

Defense and industrial cooperation with the EU
In March 2024, it became known that the integration and support of the Ukrainian defense industry had become one of the goals of the European Defense Industrial Strategy (EDIS). This was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

“The aim of the strategy is to strengthen the European defense technology industrial base so that the EU defense industry would be able to meet the needs of member states in a timely manner and in sufficient quantities,” the ministry said.

The strategy has already been allocated �1.5 billion from the EU budget for 2025-2027, with the possibility of expanding funding.

It was added that the impetus for the creation of the first-ever European Defense Industrial Strategy had been the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The document was created with consideration of the position of Ukrainian departments on defense and protection against Russia’s armed aggression, as well as the vision of the development of the European and Ukrainian defense industry.

In particular, the Strategy envisages that the EU will open a Defense Innovation Office in Kyiv. The aim is to ensure interaction between Union’s startups and innovators and Ukraine’s industry and the Armed Forces.

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 16:47 schreef over_hedge het volgende:

[..]
Vind het altijd wel mooi hoe goed je het verschil tussen de snelheid van licht en geluid ziet bij zulke grote explosies

quote:

Russia ‘fully ready’ for Arctic war with NATO
“The Arctic is not the territory of the North Atlantic alliance,” Kremlin Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warns.

Russia is “fully ready” for a conflict with NATO in the Arctic, the country's foreign minister warned.

"We see NATO stepping up drills related to possible crises in the Arctic," Sergey Lavrov said, according to Russian state media, in comments for a documentary series that were first reported Friday.

“Our country is fully ready to defend its interests militarily, politically and from the standpoint of defense technologies," he added.

His comments mark the latest round of saber-rattling by the Kremlin, which has repeatedly ... threatened ... to ... unleash ... nuclear ... war on NATO and its allies in recent years.

The Arctic is the northernmost point on Earth and includes territory belonging to eight nations: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Canada, the United States, Iceland and Russia. All except Russia are NATO members.

Finland joined NATO in April last year in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Sweden followed suit in March this year, becoming the alliance’s 31st and 32nd members, respectively.

Even so, Lavrov warned that “the Arctic is not the territory of the North Atlantic alliance,” and said other, non-Arctic countries, such as China and India, hold interests there.

One of Moscow’s top diplomats said last year that Finland would be “the first to suffer” if war broke out between NATO and Russia.

In February, Russia also suspended annual payments to the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum of Arctic nations, after the other members boycotted Moscow's participation following its invasion of Ukraine, though some cooperation has since resumed.

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 16:40 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
https://www.svoboda.org/a(...)krainy/33128272.html
[..]

SPOILER

Extreme Scan also conducted an additional telephone survey of 5,500 people over the age of 18. They were asked whether the men around them were ready to go to war in the event of mobilization. 23% said they were ready, 38% of respondents said they were not ready, and another 19% thought it was 50/50. 57% of survey participants assessed the likelihood of a new mobilization as high, while 28% thought it was low. 51% of respondents were sympathetic to those who avoided participating in the war, while 27% condemned such people.

• In September 2022, the Russian authorities announced the so-called partial mobilization for the war with Ukraine. According to official data, about 300 thousand people were called up. The decree on mobilization is still in effect.
• In September 2023, the Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrei Kartapolov announced that there would be no rotation of mobilized personnel, meaning that those called up for mobilization would also be required to remain in the war zone until the end of the war. This caused a storm of indignation among groups of relatives and friends of those mobilized, who regularly appeal to the authorities with requests to return the military from the front and recruit new ones in their place.

quote:

'We Laugh So We Win': The Wartime Missions Of Zelenskiy's Comedy Troupe

^{Kvartal 95 performs in Kyiv in October 2023, one of the troupe's first live concerts after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Photo: Andre Luis Alves (�)}

In one skit, Ukraine’s top spy, Kyrylo Budanov, is depicted apologizing to his wife for why they had to spend their vacation raiding the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula.

In another, a man who published photographs of a Ukrainian air defense unit is shown visiting a doctor with his cell phone stuck up his buttocks.

Yet another shows a man deciding to follow his female partner in selling nude photographs to raise money for the Ukrainian armed forces.

The skits were performed by Kvartal 95, a Ukrainian comedy troupe whose co-founder also happens to be the country’s wartime president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. As Russia’s war on Ukraine -- now in its 31st month -- drags on, the Kvartal 95 group’s leaders told RFE/RL that it has a special wartime mission.

“We laugh so we win,” Yevhen Koshoviy, one of the troupe’s leading members, said during one of the group’s first wartime performances.

Kvartal 95’s humor helped propel Zelenskiy’s rise to the presidency in 2019; the group created a widely popular TV series called Servant Of The People, in which Zelenskiy played a bumbling schoolteacher who accidentally becomes president. Zelenskiy’s political party, which has controlled the government since 2019, is called Servant of the People.

SPOILER

^{Some 2,000 packed into Kyiv's Zhovtneviy Palace for one of its shows in October 2023.}

The group, beloved for its mockery of politicians, continues to perform, even as its brightest star is the country’s president. Some complain it has become a vehicle for Zelenskiy boosterism, especially at a time when Ukrainians are exhausted by the war, but also unable to vote for a new leader due to wartime restrictions.

Kvartal 95 “has nothing to do with humor or even political satire” but is “just plain propaganda,” one political commentator, Vitaliy Portnikov, said in 2021.

Jokes For Soldiers
Kvartal 95 started out in Zelenskiy’s hometown of Kryviy Rih -- named after a neighborhood in a predominantly Russian-speaking city. It gained recognition in the late 1990s with its performances at KVN, a stand-up comedy competition that originated in the Soviet Union. The group rode that success to prominence in Ukraine’s entertainment industry.

In Ukraine, Kvartal 95 has long been seen as a barometer of society’s moods, even as some cultural critics have downplayed its brand.

Last October, at one of its first public wartime performances, some 2,000 people packed Kyiv’s Zhovtneviy Palace to watch a live show.

^{An actress dressed up as Kyiv’s Mother Ukraine gives her take on the country's decommunization policy.}

Among those in the audience was 12-year-old Milana Stupachenko, whose mother, Olena Chelcova, gave her the ticket as a birthday present. Stupachenko’s father was killed while fighting on the front lines, Chelcova said.

“She always dreamed of seeing Kvartal live, and I want to do whatever to take her mind off the pain she is going through,” Chelcova told RFE/RL.

“Our job is to make the dreams of girls such as Milana come true,” Koshoviy, who is the group’s current front man, told RFE/RL in an interview in January. “Many people have grown up listening to our jokes.”

After the full-scale Russian invasion, the group paused their performances, as Koshoviy and Oleksandr Pikalov, Kvartal 95's top scriptwriter, switched to volunteering in the war effort, helping civilians and soldiers in various ways. Later, the group’s members started performing for military units, as a way to boost morale.

“At some point, when we were visiting military units at the front line, the soldiers asked: ‘And what about you guys? Aren’t you doing anything? You should get back to work!’” Koshoviy recalled.

He said the group’s comedians have visited more than 100 units to perform gigs and concerts for them.

“Everybody should look into the eyes of those who defend us,” Koshoviy said.

"The jokes I most like are the ones I cannot say from the stage," Pikalov told RFE/RL before one performance. "It is a time of black humor. The soldiers have a great, dark sense of humor."

^{Oleksander Pikalov, Kvarta 95’s top scriptwriter, poses for a fan's photo.}

Both Koshoviy and Pikalov are Zelenskiy’s friends from Kryviy Rih; Koshoviy calls Zelensky “his best friend Vovan.”

The last time the three saw each other in the presidential office, Koshoviy said, they “discussed some professional issues” and “asked the president what else we can do.”

“We have a deal with the president. First, we visit soldiers to gauge their moods,” he said, and “to lift their spirits and then [Zelenskiy] visits for serious talks.”

“Or the other way around,” he added in jest.

'We Feel Proud'
Back in Zhovtneviy Palace, Kvartal 95’s wartime goal seemed clear: ridicule the enemy.

That includes prominent Russian cultural figures, such as Iosif Kobzon, a famous Soviet singer who, before his death in 2018, had backed Kremlin aggression against Ukraine.

In one sketch, Koshoviy impersonated Kobzon performing a concert for dead Russian soldiers in hell: “Please remember: Russia is to stay here forever!”

^{Yevhen Koshoviy, Kvartal 95’s current front man, plays Soviet singer Iosif Kobzon leading a choir of Russian soldiers performing in hell.}

“It’s cheesy, but I like it” said Illya Tyshchenko, a veteran soldier whose leg was amputated after shrapnel from a missile. “They put their souls into it.”

“They call a spade a spade,” said Vitaliy Dovbynya, 56, who traveled from the central Cherkasiy region to see the Kvartal 95 performance live. He recalls seeing Zelenskiy performing in the troupe’s early years.

The humor “isn’t as good as it was with Zelenskiy, but I don’t think he will ever get back to comedy,” he told RFE/RL. “He needs to go for the second term as president.”

Unlike in the past, Kvartal 95’s shows are now almost entirely done in Ukrainian -- except for the parts parodying Russians.

“The war has triggered subconscious patriotism in all of us; we are united against the enemy,” said Iryna Pikalova, Kvartal 95’s producer and also Pikalov's ex-wife.

Still, there are some who turn their noses up at Kvartal 95’s brand of humor. Some have criticized the group for sexism, vulgar language, or what they call political conformism.

^{Kvartal 95 actors dressed up as women take part in a skit about a new law that established women-only compartments in Ukrainian trains.}

Some of the Kvartal 95 Studio's shows are aired as part of a government-controlled, around-the-clock program called the Telemarathon, which is broadcast by the main television channels.

Last year, a scandal ensued when media reported that Kvartal 95 would receive public money for some of their planned productions. The country’s culture minister was soon dismissed as a result of the uproar, among other reasons.

The group came under fierce criticism in January after a skit that mocked a Ukrainian person displaced from Russian-occupied territory in the southern Kherson region. It poked fun at the Russian-speaking character, who had trouble switching to Ukrainian while on holiday in the western part of the country.

"I don't want to sound arrogant, but our critics are just jealous. Everyone should focus on unity now," Koshoviy said.

Kvartal 95’s shows aren’t all jokes and giggles. At a live show in Kyiv, the performance ended with a patriotic song that brought some in the audience to tears.

“The songs are something from within, something we want to convey to people,” Pikalova said. “When the audience, and especially the soldiers in the audience, listen to the last song with tears in their eyes, we feel proud.”

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Tale of Two Rivers: Cause of Fish Die-off Likely From Russian Factory
A Russian sugar factory just north of Ukraine is presumed to be the cause of a toxic pollution spike on the Desna and Seym rivers. Kyiv’s water supply was threatened

^{Beach worker looking for dead fish on the beach in Chernihiv. Photo by Kyiv Post}

In June of this year, some dead fish were found floating in the Seym River, which flows through Russia and across the border into Ukraine. On Aug. 20, reports of fish dying en masse in the river within Ukraine’s border regions began appearing on social networks.

The next day, the Sumy regional military administration banned swimming in rivers in several communities.

By Aug. 29, polluted water had reached the Chernihiv region and flowed into the Desna River, of which the Seym is a tributary. Local social networks and TV channels were flooded with videos of farmers removing dead fish from the water in industrial quantities. Over time, there were so many that the Environmental Inspectorate and the State Emergency Service had to intervene.

In just three weeks, more than 30 tons of dead fish were removed from the Seym and Desna (not counting other river organisms like snails), according to the Ministry of Ecology of Ukraine. Panic ensued on social media.

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^{Dead snails on Chernihiv beaches. Photo by Kyiv Post}

As ecologist and former First Deputy Chairman of the State Water Resources Agency Mykhailo Khorev notes, the state made a mistake by not immediately conducting the necessary tests and thus failing to inform the public about the source of the pollution.

^{Mykhailo Khorev. Photo by Jane Symkova}
“This is a bureaucratic process. Initially, the source was not searched for. When it became public, they started searching. They announced that it was organic pollution, but ‘organic’ is too general a concept. The necessary tests should have been conducted immediately, and the public should have been informed clearly,” Khorev told Kyiv Post.

According to Chernihiv ecologist Serhiy Tsybulya, Director of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Technologies of Chernihiv National Technological University, the analysis does not fully show the presence or absence of pollution.

“It was clear that the Seym was polluted from Russian territory, but tests on the 47 most likely indicators – for heavy metals, and so on – showed that everything was normal, although there are several thousand possible pollutants. Since the test results were generally neutral, no one could say with 100% certainty that there was no contamination,” Tsybulya said.

^{Serhiy Tsybulia. Photo by Suspilne}

In early September, the situation became so severe that even representatives of the Kyiv water utility, which draws drinking water from the Desna River, a tributary of the Dnipro flowing through Kyiv, began to warn that in the worst-case scenario, the centralized drinking water supply in Kyiv could be disrupted.

At the same time, the first test results were released. It was revealed that the main pollutant was organic compounds, likely from a Russian sugar factory on the Seym River near the border with Ukraine.

Contamination mechanism
According to Kyiv Post sources, the organic substances from the sugar factory – probably molasses – triggered a chain reaction in the river.

“There was oxidation of organic compounds in the water, which consumed the oxygen in it. This chemical reaction depleted the oxygen levels, dropping from 7 milligrams per liter to 0.2-0.4 mg per liter, whereas 4 mg per liter is already a critical level. As a result, the fish and other aquatic life began to die en masse from suffocation. The cause of the die-off in the Desna and Seym was not chemical poisoning but hypoxia,” Tsybulya said.

This was confirmed by the installation of aeration stations, which began to work on the river – fish that had survived began to gather near these stations. This saved part of the fish population.

However, according to other experts, the aeration plants made only a small contribution to the Desna River.

“The Desna is much more full-flowing than the Seym and has a faster current. Aeration plants are unlikely to cover such a large volume of water. In this case, self-cleaning occurs naturally,” said Yevhen Dykyj, a biologist and director of the National Antarctic Research Center.

^{Yevhen Dykyj. Photo by Hromadske}

Khorev added that the relatively slower and narrower Seym suffered the most.

By the time the pollution reached a few hundred kilometers from Kyiv, it had sufficiently diluted and oxidized to no longer pose a threat. There were no restrictions on water supply in Kyiv.

On Sept. 16, Deputy Chairman of the State Water Agency Ihor Hopchak stated in a national TV marathon that the oxygen levels in the water had been restored to within permissible limits.

“At the water intake point in Brovary [northeast of Kyiv], there has been a slight change in chemical oxygen demand, from 28.37 to 33.2 mg per cubic decimeter, with a norm of 30 mg per cubic decimeter. Dissolved oxygen is higher than normal, though it has slightly decreased from 6.22 to 5.4 mg per cubic decimeter. There are no risks to water intake. The pollution in the Desna River is now less concentrated than it was initially in the Seym River and at the water extraction points in the Chernihiv region,” Hopchak said.

^{Ihor Hopchak. Photo by State Water Agency of Ukraine}

At a final press conference, Serhiy Afanasyev, Director of the Institute of Hydrobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, said that the ecosystems of the Seym and Desna rivers could recover in two to three years.

Prime suspect
On Sept. 10, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal named a sugar factory in the village of Tetkino, in Russia, as the source of the waste that polluted the Seym and Desna.

^{Sugar factory in Tetkino, Russia, is very old. It was built by ukrainian "sugar king" Mykola Tereschenko in the middle of 1800-s}

During a press conference on Sept. 12, Volodymyr Osadchy, a hydrochemist at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, used satellite images to estimate that around 5,600 tons of contaminated water had entered the Seym River from the sugar factory in the Kursk region.

“This was evident not only because the sugar factory in Tetkino is located right on the Seym River, a few kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Satellite images showed that its aeration fields were empty, and the composition of the pollution indicated a structure typical of sugar factories. Each type of production has a distinct structure and composition of wastewater. You can easily distinguish the wastewater from a sugar factory from that of a dairy or meat processing plant,” Khorev explained.

^{Tetkino is situated directly close to the Russian-Ukrainian border with a sugar factory on the river Seym}

However, determining whether the discharge was intentional is difficult. Some experts argue that if it had been caused by military operations (the Russian side has repeatedly reported shelling in Tetkino), Russia would have publicized it heavily.

“Yes, Tetkino is in a border area near military operations. But if this were caused by Ukrainian shelling, Russia would have filed numerous criminal cases and made thousands of statements. Instead, there is silence. The Russian side has not commented on the incident,” a Kyiv Post source in law enforcement said.

Environmentalists believe that the more likely cause of the incident was a violation of safety regulations at the plant. Such incidents have happened at this plant before.

“In my memory, discharges from this plant have at least twice led to fish die-offs in the Seym, both since 2006. This plant has been involved in such accidents multiple times. The difference is that those were local events, while this incident has had much broader consequences,” Khorev noted.

Environmentalists say that the Desna and Seym, can quickly restore their biodiversity. As for the settlements along the rivers, water pollution has not affected Chernihiv, where the city water supply comes from wells, or other settlements, because well water is not connected to river water.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:41 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

[..]
Jij ontleedt helemaal niks. Jij zegt dingen zoals:

Ik wist niet dat jij gelovig was....
Jij bent echt een grote idioot als..
Waarom zou het Oekraine wel lukken als Hitler en Napoleon het niet gelukt is....

En dan noem jij mijn argumenten fuckups, en dat ik rookgordijnen gebruik om dit te verbloemen.

En jij baseert jouw andere argumenten op uitspraken van een bron die ik onderuitgehaald heb.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:44 schreef Joppiez het volgende:

[..]
Oooh ok�, in dat geval hoef je je dus nergens zorgen om te maken. Doei dan maar?

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Russian Strike on Kryvyi Rih Kills a Child, More Casualties Reported in Dnipro

^{Aftermath of the missile strike on a residential area in Kryvyi Rih. (Source: State Emergency Services)}

On the night of September 21, 2024, Russian forces launched a missile attack on a residential area in Kryvyi Rih, resulting in both fatalities and injuries.

According to local authorities, the head of Dnipro Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Lysak, and the head of Kryvyi Rih’s Defense Council, Oleksandr Vilkul, three people were confirmed dead, including a 12-year-old boy. Two women, aged 75 and 79, also lost their lives in the attack.

SPOILER

twitter

Emergency services responded swiftly, with search and rescue operations ongoing amid concerns that more people may be trapped under the rubble. In addition to the fatalities, three individuals sustained injuries: a 17-year-old boy and two men aged 31 and 50. All have been hospitalized in moderate condition.

The strike caused significant damage to private residential homes, with two houses catching fire, which were later extinguished by firefighters. More than 20 houses were damaged, and two were completely destroyed. Local infrastructure, including a school, a garage, and vehicles, also sustained damage.

Meanwhile, in Dnipro, the number of those injured from a Russian strike on September 20 has risen. According to Serhiy Lysak, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, a 53-year-old man sustained a fracture and is receiving outpatient treatment. Initially, it was reported that only one person was injured in the attack, which also partially destroyed an educational center.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:26 schreef sp3c het volgende:

[..]
Doel van Oekra�ne is de Russen het land uit te werken en lid te worden van de NAVO

Dat is half Europa inmiddels gelukt

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 17:40 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Er zijn vandaag de dag meer Russen in Oekra�ne dan een jaar geleden dus dat klopt niet.

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 17:35 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:
Mijn mening is nog steeds dat je een grote idioot bent als je denkt dat het Oekra�ense leger gaat doen wat Napoleon/Hitler niet lukte.

quote:

Namelijk het oversteken van de grens met Rusland en de gevestigde macht.

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Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 17:40 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Er zijn vandaag de dag meer Russen in Oekra�ne dan een jaar geleden dus dat klopt niet.

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 17:35 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Inderdaad. Mijn mening is nog steeds dat je een grote idioot bent als je denkt dat het Oekra�ense leger gaat doen wat Napoleon/Hitler niet lukte. Namelijk het oversteken van de grens met Rusland en de gevestigde macht.

Ik vermoedde dat je dat omdat zij volgens jou rechtvaardig zijn een goddelijke hand als hulpmiddel hadden. Maar blijkbaar niet.

Je daaropvolgende argumenten (jij reageert als eerste op mij) zijn fuckups omdat ze niet aansluiten bij hetgeen waarop je reageert. Iets wat je vervolgens poogt te verbloemen met n�g een rookgordijn van semantics. Dat werkt niet.

Maar je was nog niet klaar want nou is je argument dat wat arestovitsch zegt propaganda is omdat dit een fragment is. Terwijl het feit dat deze man vrij rondloopt in nota bene Oekra�ne zelf het tegendeel lijkt te zeggen. Naast de algehele trend waar het Russisch leger al langer de trend volgt dat zij meer en meer gebied innemen in gebieden wat internationaal (voorlopig nog) gezien wordt als Oekra�ne.

Maar ik geef toe, het is natuurlijk nog altijd mogelijk dat Oekra�ne de hoofdstad verplaatst naar Koersk en uiteindelijk doorgaat als een soort legacy-vrijstaat zonder uiteindelijk de facto erkend grondgebied te bezitten.

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Former Ukrainian presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych flees into exile, to challenge Zelenskiy for presidency
Oleksiy Arestovych is the former presidential advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy but more recently has fallen out of favour, fled the country, and intends to run against the president in the next elections, slated for later this year.

The split at the top of Ukrainian politics has grown wider as Oleksiy Arestovych, a former presidential advisor and one of the best known figures in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s administration, fled the country and has come out in open opposition to his former boss in what is expected to turn into a presidential bid.

SPOILER

Arestovych, who heads Zelenskiy’s Servant of the People Rada fraction, gave a controversial interview to Freddie Sayers, the founder of UnHerd, on January 15, where he sharply criticised Zelenskiy’s war strategy and the way he is running the country.

Moreover, Arestovych led the controversial peace talks delegation in Istanbul in March 2022 and again reiterated that a deal was agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite repeated denials from both Bankova and the White House that any deal was done.

Separately, Putin also confirmed in televised comments on January 16 that not only was a deal agreed that March, but that Arestovych signed the document only for Zelenskiy to “throw it in trash” the next day.

To date, a total of eight people, seven of whom were members of the delegation, have confirmed that a detailed deal was agreed in Istanbul that could have brought the war to an end within a month of its beginning. However, since then commentators have dismissed the claim as “Kremlin propaganda” despite the overwhelming evidence. Most recently Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba denied a deal was done, claiming that it was only a “conversation,” not an agreement.

Arestovych is famous for correctly predicting the war with Russia with stunning accuracy two years before the invasion and is almost as famous a face on social media as the president in Ukraine.

However, he has fallen out favour and recently fled to an undisclosed location in the US after two criminal investigations were opened against him, fuelling accusations that Zelenskiy is showing authoritarian traits. Arestovych decision to go into self-imposed exile comes at the same time several other high profile investigative reporters in Ukraine have had cases opened against them or been intimidated.

Just this week Ukraine's prominent investigative journalist Yurii Nikolov, who broke several corruption stories at Ukraine’s Defence Ministry under its previous leadership, said that he received a visit from unidentified people threatening him. Mediarukh, a Ukrainian media freedom movement comprising leading media outlets and watchdogs, has also appealed to Zelenskiy to protect journalists from state harassment.

In his nightly address on January 17, Zelenskiy briefly commented on the recent slew of leaked hidden camera videos and wiretapped calls of staff members of the investigative outlet Bihus.info, saying that “any pressure on journalists is unacceptable.”

Recent polls show that the population is growing increasingly tired of the upbeat propaganda pumped out by the state-controlled media with its constant positive message despite the stalemate on the battlefield and rising death toll, while more critical coverage of the war is apparently suppressed.

The split at the top was already apparent and growing at the end of last year after Ukraine’s top general Valery Zaluzhny caused a scandal by saying the war had come to a stalemate in an interview with The Economist. Bankova vehemently denied the comment.

Zaluzhny has seen his popularity in Ukraine surge and is also considered a potential presidential candidate in presidential elections that should be held on March 31 when Zelenskiy's five-year term expires. However, according to the Ukrainian constitution, elections cannot be held if martial law is in effect and currently there are no concrete plans to go ahead with the vote.

While the most recent polls show that Zelenskiy still commands the trust of the people, his popularity has begun to fall slowly as the war grinds on towards its second year.

During his Christmas press conference Zelenskiy announced the General Staff had asked for an additional 450,000-500,000 men be constricted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and a set of unpopular mobilisation laws were submitted to the Rada on January 12. The controversial law that would give the authorities wide powers to force people into service and harm Zelenskiy's popularity further was withdrawn at the last minute, with Zelenskiy claiming that he has not yet seen the final version.

Several reports published in the international media at the end of last year painted a picture of rising tension amongst Bankova’s elite as the war runs into a dead end and Western funding and arms dry up. Zelenskiy successfully rallied Ukrainians to the flag in the first months of the war, but questions are being raised 19 months later.

“I’m not so much a critic of President Zelenskiy himself, I criticise the Ukrainian system — a corrupt system, which, if it doesn’t change, means we can’t win this war. I am not in a personal war with President Zelenskiy; I’m criticising the system and his politics,” said Arestovych in the interview.

Pan-European peace deal
Arestovych’s most controversial statement in the interview was to suggest Ukraine give up territory to secure a ceasefire with Russia. Polls have shown that the vast majority of Ukrainians are against any territorial concessions at all and Zelenskiy’s position is recovering all the land lost to Russia, including the Crimea. Arestovych suggests that Donbas should be abandoned and the military efforts focused on retaking control of the Crimea.

“I think if we get into realistic policy, we have to say there’s no way to liberate Donbas. Maybe in five or ten years, even in Crimea, it could be possible. But the only goal we can have right now is not to give Russia more territory inside Ukraine, and to force Russia to give up this military way of dealing with Ukraine,” says Arestovych.

The former advisor proposed that the goal should change from a focus on territory to regional security and for that Ukraine needs a new post-Cold War pan-European collective security deal. Doing a deal directly with Putin is “impossible” he added.

“My main idea is that we don’t need Russian-Ukrainian negotiation, we need negotiation regarding all of Eastern Europe’s security. It could be multiple negotiations. We have to make a new system of security in Europe, because the previous Potsdam/Yalta so-called system, which was created in 1945, does not work at all,” said Arestovych.

Such a deal would have to take into account all sides of the problem; Russia does not feel itself to be secure; and neither do the Central European states and the Baltics, Arestovych said.

“We can laugh about this and say that we never had an aggressive approach towards Russia, but Russians think so. And they are ready to kill for this security question,” says Arestovych. “So we need a huge negotiation, with both sides, all Nato members, all EU neighbours, all natural states which are interested in the security in Europe, to create a new so-called Potsdam/Yalta system, because the alternative will be ten or 15 years of war,” he added.

Istanbul peace deal
Asked directly if a peace deal was agreed in Istanbul in March 2022, Arestovych, who led the Ukrainian delegation, once again confirmed a detailed deal was agreed.

“Yeah, I was a member of the Istanbul process, and it was the most profitable agreement we could have done. They concluded the two previous agreements that were extremely dangerous for Ukraine: Minsk one and Minsk two. This agreement even contained the question of Crimea,” Arestovych said.

Arestovych said the delegation was so happy and was asked if he thought they were concluded successfully.

“Yes, completely. We opened the champagne bottle. We had discussed demilitarisation, denazification, issues concerning the Russian language, Russian church and much else. And that month, it was the question of the amount of Ukrainian armed forces in peacetime and President Zelenskiy said, “I could decide this question indirectly with Mr. Putin”. The Istanbul agreements were a protocol of intentions and were 90% prepared for directly meeting with Putin. That was to be the next step of negotiations,” Arestovych said.

Then it all fell to pieces a few days later. “Mid-agreement in Istanbul we came to Kyiv and after [the Bucha massacre] we heard from the President that we had stopped the negotiations. The next meeting was to be on April 9 and on the second of April it was declined.”

Many have opined that the massacre of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha played a decisive role in Zelenskiy's decision to cancel the deal.

“The President was shocked about Bucha. All of us were shocked about Bucha. I was in Bucha on the second day when the Russian forces were repelled. Zelenskiy completely changed face when he came into Bucha and saw what had happened,” Arestovych said.

Others have suggested that former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson played a key role in dissuading Zelenskiy from doing a peace deal. Johnson has said on record that if Ukraine continued to fight the West would support it “one thousand%,” but he recently denied that he scuppered the deal. What remains unclear is what Johnson said about the West providing Ukraine with bilateral security deals that Ukraine was calling for in earlier peace talks held in Belarus.

Britain has since announced Ukraine’s first security deal with the current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on January 15, however, a few days later Sunak warned not to call the �2.5 ($3.2bn) arms supplies commitment a “security” deal as it includes no commitment by the UK to send troops to Ukraine to protect it against Russian aggression.

Arestovych sheds little new light on what was said between Johnson and Zelenskiy. “A lot of people say it was the Prime Minister Boris Johnson who came to Kyiv and put a stop to this negotiation with Russia. I don’t know exactly if that is true or false. He came to Kyiv but nobody knows what they spoke about except, I think, Zelenskiy and Boris Johnson himself,” Arestovych said. “Something happened in those five days [between April 4 and April 9 when the next round of peace talks were due to resume]. But the members of the negotiations group stopped any negotiations. When we asked how it could be restarted, the President said, “somewhere, sometime, but not now”.”

Arestovych has been accused by some commentators of being insincere in relating this tale as he is now in “open conflict” with Zelenskiy and aspires to be president himself. Other detractors believe that Putin was not sincere in the negotiations and only playing for a pause in the fighting so Russian forces could regroup. At the time of the Istanbul talks, Russian forces had been beaten back from Kyiv after its initial assault was rebuffed. But Arestovych insists that the peace talks in March 2022 were sincere but admits things have changed since then.

“The Russians showed their readiness for continuing the negotiations, and we declined. But now, after two years, I think it would be unreal to make an agreement this time. Putin has changed this Russian-Ukrainian war into an anti-colonial war, the Global South against the Global West. And the systemic oppositions between West and South are so huge. It includes the question of the Israeli-Palestinian war, the question of Taiwan. It could not be solved by an agreement between Ukraine and Russia. It needs to take place at a much higher level,” Arestovych argued.

Arestovych also takes issue with the idea that the war has created a new idea of Ukrainian statehood that was at best confused before the annexation of the Crimea in 2014. While a political identity has clearly been reinforced as the polls show that even the inhabitants of the Russophile eastern regions overwhelmingly want to remain Ukrainian, distinct from Russia, Arestovych argues that culturally the picture remains more confused and suggests that is adding to the AFU’s recruitment problems.

“I think Ukraine has to be one political nation but poly-ethnic and poly-cultural. Because if we want to hold Ukraine in its 1991 borders, even officially we have 58 nationalities here in Ukraine. Unofficially it’s more than 100: a lot of languages, a lot of different cultures, a lot of different histories, of regions. Ukrainian is a state which was created from the parts of great empires — Austro Hungarian, German, Polish and Russian — and we have absolutely different traditions. You can imagine, because for Great Britain it is easy to understand. It’s like Wales, Scotland, Ireland,” Arestovych said.

Russia has a similar confused religio-ethnic identity, but Putin, who has always been careful to laud Russia’s diversified population, also a Soviet tradition, has successfully rallied the people behind the idea of fighting for a “Great Russia,” says Arestovych.

“Ukrainian nationalism is the idea of less than 20% of Ukrainians. This is the problem,” he concludes, adding that the war has caused a linguistic bigotry where Russian-speakers have been relegated to second class citizens, which makes them reluctant to fight for the government.

Arestovych’s solution to this problem is to create a “fifth project.”

“We have had four political projects in Ukraine: Russian, Soviet, nationalist and euro-integration projects. My idea is to collect the best from all four projects and recreate a so-called Fifth Project, the main idea of which is to unite Ukrainians, to recognise all Ukrainians in our history, in our modernity, in our future,” he said.

US support
Arestovych criticised Ukraine’s reliance on US support, highlighting the conflict between Democrats and Republicans on continuing the financial support. But that support remains crucial to Ukraine’s war effort.

“The stopping of financial aid would mean we lose macro-economic stability. It would endanger social payments and pensions and the provision of social aid for our people. We have insufficient gold and currency deposits in our National Bank — we could face massive inflation. And on the frontline, it would mean we start to lose territory because Russians still have superiority in artillery shells, rockets, personnel, armoured tanks. We would face two forces against the building of a Ukrainian state: interior problems and Russian aggression. It’s a very dangerous situation,” said Arestovych.

“For me, one of the main mistakes of President Zelenskiy was to appeal to the West using an emotional argument. We will have to change this policy. We have to place a calculator between us and the collective West and start to think: what are the real profit calculations? For the United States, it’s mostly the titanium industry and lithium industry, which they were very interested in within Ukraine,” he added.

Conscription
Arestovych related that while in office he was told four and a half million men, around half of the whole fighting age male population of Ukraine, had avoided registering at the recruitment centre, before going to touch on the sensitive subject of the current recruitment drive.

“Now we are trying to recruit half a million troops using mostly a repressive campaign, not positive motivation,” said Arestovych, comparing the Ukrainian campaign with Russia’s much more successful recruitment drive. “We have to present a positive motivation to take arms. We should talk about principle. It has to be man-centric, human-centric. The recruitment has to be about how one person can change his fate by getting into the war. He has to be well-recruited, well-selected, well-trained and well-used on the frontline.”

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US orders equipment for maintenance of Ukrainian F-16s

^{F-16 maintenance in the USA. Photo credits: U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Vernon Cunningham}
The US Department of Defense has ordered equipment for the maintenance of F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine.

This is reported on the official website of the Department of Defense.

The contract was signed with Advanced Navigation and Positioning Corp, which will manufacture the equipment in Hood River, Oregon.

The signed contract, worth $14.3 million, is scheduled to run until 30 September 2025, after which the equipment will be transferred to Ukraine.

SPOILER

^{F-16 fighter jet of the Ukrainian Air Force. August 2024. Photo credits: Office of the President of Ukraine}

As part of this order, Ukraine will receive two transportable transponder landing instrument systems with associated Conex and trailers with spare components for the aircraft.

It should be noted that maintaining Ukraine’s F-16 fleet is very important, as it requires constant and high-quality maintenance and appropriate equipment.

The new equipment will allow for repair work, as well as inspection of aircraft systems at the airfield and repairs.

In addition to the United States, the Netherlands is providing spare parts and equipment for maintenance and repair of Ukrainian F-16s worth �80 million.

^{A transportable transponder instrument system of landing and traffic control. Photo credits: ANPC}

The quantity and specific names of materials in this transfer are not reported. “This is for operational security,” the minister explains.

The timing of the delivery of the aid is not disclosed, except for the intention to deliver it as soon as possible.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that Ukraine would receive another batch of Danish F-16 fighters by the end of this year.

The minister did not name the number of aircraft planned for delivery or the exact time frame due to security restrictions, but only outlined delivery dates.

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Armed Forces of Ukraine seize new Russian Buran armored vehicle in Kursk oblast

^{The Russian Buran armored vehicle captured by the Ukrainian military in the Kursk oblast. September 2024. Russia. Frame from the video Army TV}

In the Kursk oblast, the Ukrainian military managed to capture a new Russian Buran armored vehicle.

The Ukrainian state-run Army TV channel reported that the vehicle had been seized by the 61st Separate Mechanised Brigade.

The armored vehicle was captured without damage and immediately used against its former owners.

The trophy Buran ASV by RIDA is a military-grade off-road cargo vehicle.

Unlike its classmate, the GAZ-233014 Tiger, which has been adopted by Russia, the Buran armored vehicle has a body built on a four-wheel drive truck chassis.

SPOILER

^{The Russian Buran armored vehicle captured by the Ukrainian military in the Kursk oblast. September 2024. Russia. Frame from the video Army TV}

It was first introduced in 2017. The vehicle is based on the chassis of the GAZ-3308 Sadko truck.

Both vehicles are similar in size: Buran is slightly longer, by 685 mm, and the Tiger is 140 mm wider.

The vehicle has a reinforced frame and an upgraded suspension, which have improved the vehicle’s cross-country ability. The armored vehicle is also equipped with cameras and a monitor.

The absence of a standard armament turret is noteworthy, which may limit combat capabilities of the vehicle.

^{A Buran ASV armored vehicle of the company RIDA. Photo from the company’s website}

The manufacturer states that the level of protection corresponds to the 2nd according to STANAG 4569 – against 7.62 mm bullets, against some fragments and against a mine with a charge of 6 kg of explosive.

The vehicle is powered by a YAMZ-534 210 hp four-stroke engine, which allows it to reach speeds of up to 100 km/h.

^{A Buran ASV armored vehicle of the company RIDA. Photo from the company’s website}

Since the beginning of the fighting in the Kursk oblast, Ukrainian paratroopers have captured seven enemy tanks of various models.

quote:

Zelenskyy Refutes WSJ Claims on Ukrainian Casualties: “This is a Lie”
During a September 20 press conference, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refuted the Ukrainian military loss figures reported by The Wall Street Journal on September 17, asserting that the actual numbers are much lower.

“80,000? This is a lie. The real figure is much less than what has been published,” Zelenskyy asserted.

The initial report, published on September 17, estimated that combined Ukrainian and Russian casualties have reached around one million, with the Journal stating that 80,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 400,000 injured, while Russian casualties are said to be about 200,000.

Zelenskyy’s comments highlight ongoing concerns regarding the accuracy of casualty reporting in Western media. Recently, another outlet, Bild, faced criticism for claiming Ukraine was prepared to consider a “freeze” in hostilities, a narrative that Zelenskyy also described as a fabrication.

quote:

US supplied Ukraine with M2A4 demolition charges

^{An M2A4 explosive charge in Ukraine. September 2024. Frame from the ZAXID.NET video}

Engineer forces Military assistance Ukraine Ukraine - USA USA
The United States supplies the Ukrainian Defence Forces with M2A4 high explosive charges.

A Ukrainian soldier told ZAXID.NET about the use of these charges.

The 15-pound M2A4 shaped charge-based, demolition charge, which is designed to produce holes in reinforced concrete, armor plate, soils and other materials.

According to the US developers, the charge is intended to be placed and detonated in difficult terrain where the military plans to establish defensive positions.

SPOILER

^{M2A4 explosive charges installed on the surface. USA. Photo credits: ALAMI}

However, the Ukrainian military is adapting the M2A4 explosive charges to aerial munitions dropped from heavy drones.

“It can destroy bridges, fortifications and pierce concrete,” the Ukrainian military said.

^{An M2A4 explosive charge in Ukraine. September 2024. Frame from the ZAXID.NET video}

The M2A4 charge contains explosives in an olive-gray, conical-cylindrical glass fiber case.

A glass cone is inserted into the lower part of the case to form a cumulative notch when the case is filled with explosives, to retain the explosives and to protect the notch from mechanical damage.

An intermediate 50-gram detonator is inserted into the upper part of the charge through a hole in the upper plane, which has a channel for the detonator inside.

A wooden lens is placed between the intermediate detonator and the cumulative notch inside the charge, which is designed to ensure that the detonation is transmitted to the far end of the charge simultaneously with the central part of the charge.

^{M2A4 explosive charge}

A cylindrical fiberglass mold is attached to the bottom of the charge to ensure that the charge is positioned at the most favorable distance from the surface to be penetrated. When the charge is detonated, this mold acts as a charge support. A handle for transporting the charge is attached to the side surface.

In 2023, Ukrainian military engineers were supplied with M1A3 Bangalore charges to combat obstacles.

quote:

Ukrainian paratroopers stop major Russian mechanized assault in the Kurakhove sector

^{The Russian column is moving towards the positions of the Ukrainian paratroopers. Photo credits: 46th Brigade}

Paratroopers from the 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade stopped a major mechanized assault by the Russians in the Kurakhove sector.

This was reported by the brigade’s press service on Telegram.

The brigade notes that during the attempted assault on paratroopers’ positions, the enemy used 52 armored vehicles, which were supported by aviation.

On the eve of the assault, the enemy began shelling positions of Ukrainian defenders with adjusted aerial bombs, after which it launched a large-scale mechanized assault from several directions.

SPOILER

Відбиття 46 ОАеМБр великого механізованого штурму на Курахівському напрямку.

The enemy made active preparations for the assault and managed to advance to positions of paratroopers, who, in turn, were actively engaging enemy vehicles and infantry using FPV drones on the way up.

Artillery, a tank company, and assault units were also involved in repelling the assault to clear the area of enemy infantry.

Despite their good preparation, the Russians lost 8 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, 4 armored personnel carriers, one MT-LB and other equipment as a result of the counter-attack.

In total, Ukrainian paratroopers reported the destruction of 26 combat vehicles out of 52, as well as the loss of 72 invaders.

^{The moment of strike by an FPV drone to the enemy’s personnel. Photo: 46th Brigade}

It should be noted that during the assault, the military recorded 24 attempts by the enemy to seize paratroopers’ positions from different directions, using small groups of infantry.

The assault was repelled in the Kurakhove direction of the Donetsk region, where Ukrainian defenders were holding off the enemy’s attack.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that in early September 2024, paratroopers of the 46th separate airmobile brigade had repelled a massive mechanized assault by the enemy, which involved 46 units of equipment.

To repel the assault, paratroopers used the entire range of weapons available and destroyed 9 infantry fighting vehicles, 2 tanks, 2 armored personnel carriers and 2 motorcycles.

quote:

“African Corps” headquarters burned down in Russia

^{Fire at the base of Russian mercenaries from the "African Corps" formation in Molkino. Russia. September 2024. A frame from the MASH video}

A fire broke out at a base of Russian mercenaries from the “African Corps” in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai.

Militants said that several administrative buildings had caught fire, including the mercenaries’ headquarters.

This base, near the village of Molkino, belonged to mercenaries from the Wagner PMC formation until July 2023.

It is used by Russia to train its mercenaries, who are then sent to various conflict zones.

SPOILER

У � осії згорів штаб "Африканського корпусу"

Russian mercenaries carry out operations that the Russian Ministry of Defense cannot involve regular army units in.

After July 2023, the base began to train fighters from the so-called “African Corps”.

^{The base of Russian mercenaries in Molkino on Google Maps}

Russia is currently recruiting various mercenaries to replace Wagner PMC mercenaries on the continent in an attempt to expand its influence in Africa.

The “African Corps” will strengthen Russia’s military presence through a network of bases controlled by the Ministry of Defense.

Moscow wants to revive its Cold War influence on the continent at a time when the West’s influence is sharply declining.

It will also allow the Kremlin to consolidate control over its business network in Africa, including potentially lucrative mining interests.

^{Russian mercenaries from the “African Corps” formation. 2024. Photo: t.me/KorpusAfrica}

Also in May, it became known that Russia had created a special unit to recruit mercenaries in several African countries.

It is recruiting manpower in central Africa, in particular in Rwanda, Burundi, Congo and Uganda. Currently, a large number of citizens of Asian and African countries are fighting on the side of the Russian army.

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 16:24 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:
Waanzinnige monsterBIEMS trouwens

quote:

US to provide Ukraine with additional $375 million in military aid, Reuters reports
The U.S. will provide Ukraine with an additional package of $375 million in military aid, Reuters reported on Sept. 20, citing two unnamed U.S. government officials.

The announcement of the package is expected sometime next week, the officials said.

Foreign military assistance is crucial for Kyiv as the all-out war with Russia stretches past two and half years, with Russian forces pushing hard in Ukraine's east.

If confirmed, it would be the largest tranche of military aid the U.S. has sent Ukraine since May earlier this year, when a package worth $275 million was delivered.

The officials said the package would likely include patrol boats, ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), artillery shells, spare parts, and other military equipment. The exact quantities were not specified.

The previous day, Reuters reported that Congress and the administration of President Joe Biden are close to an agreement on a one-year extension of $5.8 billion in military aid for Ukraine before it expires at the end of September.

After the House of Representatives failed to pass a Republican-backed spending bill on Sept. 18 that did not include the PDA extension, the Democratic-led Senate said it would prepare a new bill to avert a shutdown.

The sources told Reuters that the Senate bill should include the prolongation of the Ukraine aid funds. It remains unclear whether Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who delayed a $61 billion aid bill for Kyiv for months earlier this year, will support it.

The $61 billion assistance package was eventually passed in April, allocating some $7.8 billion to the PDA and allowing the release of a number of defense aid tranches since then.

quote:

Evidence Confirms Russian Responsibility for Attack on Red Cross Humanitarian Convoy

^{On September 12, Russia’s shelling of Virolyubivka village in the Donetsk region killed 3 Ukrainian ICRC employees and injured 2 people. (Source: Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine)}

Ukrainian authorities have collected conclusive evidence linking Russia to the deadly attack on an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) humanitarian convoy in Donetsk Oblast. The strike, which occurred on September 12, resulted in the deaths of three aid workers.

According to the Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor General, the incident involved artillery fire and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) strike, specifically targeting the convoy as it distributed humanitarian aid in the village of Virolyubivka.

SPOILER

Investigators have confirmed that the attack was carried out using 152-mm fragmentation artillery shells and a Russian Lancet loitering munition. The Lancet UAV, which is equipped with a laser targeting system, is designed to independently locate and strike targets. The evidence gathered from the scene, including fragments of the artillery shells and drone wreckage, points to a deliberate assault on the Red Cross vehicles.

“This evidence not only identifies the weapons used but clearly indicates the intentional nature of the attack on humanitarian personnel and their vehicles,” stated Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin.

Further analysis of the site, along with damage assessments of nearby structures and vehicles, suggests that the artillery positions were located near the occupied village of Yahidne in Bakhmut district, Donetsk Oblast. Ukrainian intelligence indicates that Russian forces, specifically the 1065th Artillery Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division and the artillery units of the 200th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, were responsible for the attack.

In light of this incident, the Donetsk Regional Defense Council has imposed restrictions on the movement of humanitarian organizations within frontline communities. The new measures, introduced on September 18, aim to prevent similar attacks and ensure the safety of aid workers delivering essential supplies to civilians in conflict zones.

quote:

SSU destroyed Russian Buk SAM and guides HIMARS at MRL

^{9A317M TELAR of the 9K317M Buk-M3 anti-aircraft missile system with six 9M317M anti-aircraft guided missiles. 2018. Russia. Photo: Russian media}

Air Defense Europe MLRS Occupants elimination SAM Security Service of Ukraine Ukraine War with Russia World
The Security Service of Ukraine conducted an operation to destroy a Russian Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system and targeted the MRL with HIMARS.

A video of the destruction of the enemy equipment was published on the SSU’s official Telegram page.

During one of the combat missions, SSU officers detected an enemy Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system in a firing position.

Defenders used a Switchblade 600 loitering munition that successfully destroyed the Russian system.

SPOILER

Знищення співробітиками СБУ російського З� К Бук М-3 та � СЗВ

It should be noted that the Buk-M3 is the most modern version that uses missiles with an active homing head, which has significantly increased their effectiveness on the battlefield.

The system is built on a radically different element base, which makes it very different from older versions. In addition, the system has 12 9R31M missiles ready to fire.

In addition to the SAM, SSU officers also targeted a HIMARS missile system at a hangar housing a Russian MLRS based on the MTLB.

The Russian rocket launcher used guides from a Grad MLRS and was most likely upgraded in the field.

^{Russian Buk-M3 air defense system and MRL based on MTLB before destruction. Photo credits: SSU}

In addition, over the past week, the Security Service’s Special Forces of the Group “Alpha” used attack drones and other firepower to hit:

• 6 tanks
• 18 armored personnel carriers
• 19 artillery systems
• 3 air defense systems
• 204 vehicles
• 39 UAVs
• 128 enemy fortifications and firing positions
• 6 ammunition depots and 1 with fuel and lubricants
• 160 invaders were also destroyed.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces had destroyed a rare Russian Uragan multiple rocket launcher system on the chassis of a BAZ truck.

The enemy multiple rocket launcher system was destroyed by joint efforts of the M2 team of the “Alpha” Group of the SSU and army UAV pilots from the “Fight Club 92” of the 92nd Separate Mechanised Brigade.

quote:

Kyiv region hands over electronic warfare systems to 72nd Mechanized Brigade

^{Kvertus AD G-6+ anti-drone gun of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians. September, 2024. Ukraine. Photo: Ruslan Kravchenko}

The 72nd Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians has been reinforced with a batch of electronic warfare systems from Kvertus.

The Ukrainian electronic warfare systems were donated by communities and businesses in the Kyiv region.

The batch of aid worth UAH 14 million also included FPV drones and charging stations.

“I am constantly activating districts, communities of the Kyiv region and responsible businesses to continuously help our defenders,” said Ruslan Kravchenko, Head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration.

Kvertus AD G-6+ anti-drone rifles were handed over to the 72nd Separate Mechanised Brigade.

SPOILER

^{Transferred EW systems for the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade. September, 2024. Ukraine. Photo: Ruslan Kravchenko}

The manufacturer claims that the shotgun is effective against FPV drones using standard control frequencies, as well as against Mavic drones and budget models of Autel drones.

In addition to drone control channels, the shotgun blocks two satellite navigation channels.

The device is equipped with a non-volatile IP-1 field indicator, which allows its operator to quickly determine whether the device is causing radio interference in any conditions.

^{Kvertus AD G-6+ anti-drone gun of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians. September, 2024. Ukraine. Photo: Ruslan Kravchenko}

The military also received KRAKEN electronic warfare systems.

It covers frequencies used to control most FPV drones.

The device can create dome protection thanks to omnidirectional antennas, as well as directional protection thanks to a block of directional antennas.

^{An electronic warfare system (EW) of the KRAKEN family of the Kvertus company of the 72nd Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians. September, 2024. Ukraine. Photo: Ruslan Kravchenko}

The Ukrainian company Kvertus has recently demonstrated a mobile electronic warfare system based on the Volya-E tracked unmanned platform.

quote:

Ukraine says Russia is planning strikes on nuclear facilities
Ukraine's foreign minister said on Saturday that Russia is planning strikes on Ukrainian nuclear facilities before the winter, and urged the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog and Ukraine's allies to establish permanent monitoring missions at the country's nuclear plants.

"According to Ukrainian intelligence, (the) Kremlin is preparing strikes on Ukrainian nuclear energy critical objects ahead of winter," Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha wrote on X.

"In particular, it concerns open distribution devices at (nuclear power plants and) transmission substations, critical for the safe operation of nuclear energy."

Sybiha did not elaborate on why Kyiv believed such strikes were being prepared.

There was no immediate comment from Moscow.

SPOILER

The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Ukrainian president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, called for a swift global response to the purported threat of a strike on a nuclear facility.

"This is preparation for a possible nuclear disaster scenario. Russia is a terrorist," he wrote on Telegram.
"They must be stopped here and now. The countries of the West and the Global South must react harshly to preparations for terror."

Russia has been waging an aerial bombardment campaign on Ukraine's power grid since autumn 2022 after invading the country earlier that year.

It has damaged or destroyed most of Ukraine's thermal power generating capacity and has sometimes hit dams, but has not yet struck any Ukrainian-controlled nuclear facilities.

Ukraine has previously accused Russia of nuclear blackmail after Russian forces occupied the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, in March 2022, early on in the invasion.

Moscow denies that allegation.

Both sides have regularly accused each other of shelling areas next to the plant, which has on several occasions cut power lines to the plant, increasing the chance of a blackout that could cause a nuclear accident.

IAEA head Rafael Grossi has visited Ukraine and Russia several times throughout the war and has urged the sides not to engage each other near nuclear facilities.

"I think it is always a risk when there is a possibility of an attack on a nuclear power plant," he said on a visit to Kyiv at the beginning of September.

quote:

Kyiv hands over 550 Mavic 3T drones to Defense Forces

^{Transferring of a drone to the 23rd Infantry Battalion from the community of Kyiv. Frame from Vitalii Klychko's video}

The Kyiv community donated 550 Mavic 3T drones with thermal imaging cameras and 11 electronic warfare systems to the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

The Telegram channel of Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klychko reported on this.

“I visited our defenders in Donbas, where the situation is extremely difficult, and in the Kupiansk sector. I took and handed over 550 Mavic 3T drones from the Kyiv community (these are UAVs that work effectively at night, helping soldiers destroy the enemy),” he said.

In particular, the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade “Rubizh” of the National Guard of Ukraine received assistance in the form of 220 Mavic 3T drones, 10 electronic warfare systems and anti-drone rifles.

SPOILER

^{Electronic warfare systems from the Kyiv community for the Rubizh Brigade. Frame from Vitalii Klychko’s video}

The 5th Separate Assault Brigade received 250 Mavic 3T drones, and the 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade received 40 Mavic 3T drones.

^{Transferring of a drone to the 23rd Infantry Battalion from the community of Kyiv. Frame from Vitalii Klychko’s video}

The 23rd Infantry Battalion also received 40 Mavic 3Ts.

Assistance from Kyiv
This is not the first large batch of Mavic 3Ts that the Kyiv community has donated to the Defense Forces. At the end of August, it was announced that 1,310 MAVIC 3T drones with thermal imagers had been delivered.

On September 19, it was reported that the community of the capital had handed over a thousand FPV drones to soldiers of the 3rd Assault Brigade.

“In total, with this batch, since the beginning of this year, the 3rd Brigade has received 2,000 FPV drones and 410 Mavic 3T UAVs from Kyiv, which the city recently handed over. During the full-scale war, Kyiv has allocated almost UAH 600 million from the city budget to equip the 3rd Assault Brigade,” said the mayor.

In addition to purchasing aid for money from the city budget, the Kyiv administration is also actively seeking assistance from foreign partners. Thus, under a contract signed in September 2023 between Quantum-Systems CEO Florian Seibel and the mayor of Kyiv, 100 drones of various types will be donated.

The first batch of 28 Trinity drones was handed over to the border guards on July 31, 2024.

^{A Trinity F90+ drone. Photo from the network}

Thanks to the high-quality optics provided by the Japanese RGB camera Sony RX1, the drone operator can detect targets at long distances and with excellent resolution.

quote:

New strikes on Russian depots destroyed at least 2,000 tons of ammunition

^{Illustrative photo with ammunition}

Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the destruction of two Russian depots that stored ammunition, including from the DPRK.

The General Staff noted that it referred to the Tikhoretsk ammunition depot and a depot in the Tver region.

The Ukrainian forces hit Russia’s Tikhoretsk ammunition depot in Krasnodar Krai on the night of September 21.

“This facility is one of three largest storage bases in the Russian Federation and is one of the key ones in the logistics system of the invaders’ troops,” the military says.

SPOILER

^{A strong fire was recorded by satellites at the Tikhoretsk ammunition depot. Source: t.me/DniproOfficial}

According to the General Staff, at the time of the strike, another train was on the territory of the ammunition depot, delivering at least 2,000 tons of ammunition, including from North Korea.

In addition, the Podlet radar, which detected air targets in the direction of the ammunition depot, was attacked, the General Staff noted.

^{48YA6-K1 Podlet-K1 radar. Photo from open sources}

In addition, the Security Service of Ukraine struck the 23rd Arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation near the village of Oktyabrskoye, the Tver oblast.

According to some OSINT analysts, the 23rd Arsenal could be used by the Russians to store artillery shells coming from North Korea.

The fact of a severe fire at the arsenal at coordinates 56.359201802217775, 31.649876982142203 is also confirmed by NASA satellites used to record forest fires.

^{A strong fire was recorded by satellites on the territory of the 23rd Arsenal. Source: t.me/DniproOfficial}

“The Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine and other units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully completed combat missions in cooperation,” the General Staff said.

In July, it was reported that the DPRK had transferred more than 5 million artillery shells and dozens of ballistic missiles to Russia.

ракурс вибуху на 719-й базі артилерійських боєприпасів

Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, shared that military products from the DPRK affected the intensity of hostilities.

SPOILER

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 17:39 schreef Nyamuk het volgende:

[..]
Wie ben jij

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 15:03 schreef oheng het volgende:
Ach, de russische juichaapjes komen qua argumenten nooit verder dan "Russia stronk want 2e wereld oorlog"



Ondertussen, Tikhoretsk op FIRMS... Blijkbaar is dat vliegveld naast de munitieopslag ook geraakt.

En kijk hier eens, 10km ten zuiden van Toropersk...

Lmfao.

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 22:11 schreef spicymchaggis het volgende:

[..]
Zonder Amerikaanse steun aan de Russen hadden de Duitsers in WO II gewoon definitief af kunnen rekenen met het misdadige Russische volk. Als het aan Patton gelegen had was ieder nucleair wapen na de bombardementen op Hiroshima en Nagasaki meteen na gereedkomen overigens meteen op Rusland gesmeten, dus zelfs de Duitse nederlaag had een oplossing voor het Russische probleem niet in de weg hoeven te staan.

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 september 2024 17:15 schreef oheng het volgende:
Dus de helft van de russen is bereid tot een onvoorwaardelijke terugtrekking.

Nice.