September 4, 20232 yr Ukraine’s TB-2 Drones Are Back In Action. That’s An Ominous Sign For Russia. Months after virtually disappearing from Ukraine’s skies, the Ukrainian armed forces’ Bayraktar TB-2 drones are back in action. Vi deos that appeared online on Sunday depict the 1,500-pound, propeller-driven drones—which can range hundreds of miles—striking a Russian patrol boat and supply truck in occupied southern Ukraine. That TB-2s are venturing south into nominally Russian-controlled air space implies two things: that Kyiv has managed to rebuild its TB-2 force, nine months after Russian air-defenses badly attrited the 70-drone force. The TB-2’s dramatic reappearance also points to the steady degradation of Russian air-defenses across swathes of southern Ukraine as Kyiv’s 2023 counteroffensive grinds into its fourth month—and Ukrainian brigades make slow but steady progress along two main axes in southern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk Oblasts. The Turkish-made TB-2—a 21-foot-long, satellite-controlled drone with day-night optics and hardpoints for small, five-mile-range missiles—was an early icon of Russia’s 19-month wider war on Ukraine. After recovering from air and missile strikes that destroyed some of their 20 TB-2s on the ground on day one of the wider war, the Ukrainian air force and navy sent the drones into action in north-central Ukraine and elsewhere. Russian brigades were rolling toward Kyiv. But every mile they advanced stretched their supply lines as well as the air-defense coverage that protected both front-line and rear-area formations. The TB-2 operators exploited that over-extension. First, the drones went after the short-range air-defense systems protecting Russian tank battalions and supply convoys. In just the first month of the wider war through mid-March 2022, the TB-2s plinked no fewer than 10 Russian surface-to-air missile launchers, including Buks, Tors and a Pantsir. "Once they were free of Russian air-defenses, the Ukrainians ... began deploying their TB-2s for their other two important tasks—for reconnaissance and for close air support,” wroteTom Cooper, an author and expert on the Russian military. Stripped of their air-defenses, Russian tanks and supply trucks were easy pickings. "In the Kyiv area, they have mauled many of Russian armored formations,” Cooper reported at the time. "In the south, they have directed massive and precise artillery barrages on the Kherson airport and the [Russian] units besieging Mykolaiv.” TB-2s also fired missiles at several field headquarters. The effect on the Russians was profound. "TB-2s are also wrecking the Russians’ nerves,” Cooper wrote. "We’ve seen several videos showing entire Russian [battalions] turning around and fleeing after losing only a few vehicles to TB-2s.” The Russians fired back, shooting down at least a dozen TB-2s in the first six months of the wider war. A steady supply of fresh airframes from Turkish firm Bayraktar—at least 35 in the first year of the conflict—kept the TB-2 force in the fight. It wasn’t cheap. A TB-2 unit with control hardware and six airframes can cost as much as $100 million. After the invaders retreated from Kyiv—and, six months later, also quit Kharkiv Oblast in northeastern Ukraine and northern Kherson Oblast in southern Ukraine—the front line stabilized. The Russians hurried to reinforce their air-defenses along the 600-mile front. The slow-flying TB-2s couldn’t survive in this environment. "Once the Russian military got its act together, it was able to down many TB-2s," Samuel Bendett, an analyst with CNA in Washington D.C., told Insider. By now the Russians have shot down or destroyed on the ground no fewer than 24 TB-2s—a third of the fleet. Late last year the Ukrainians pulled back the TB-2s, mostly relegating them to reconnaissance missions on the Ukrainian side of the line of contact. That kept the drones out of harm’s way, for the most part. For more dangerous missions directly over Russian battalions, the Ukrainians began using small, explosives-laden first-person-view racing drones—each costing just $5,000. But an FPV drone ranges just a few miles from its operator. And it pretty much is a single-use system. For deeper and repeated strikes, the TB-2 still is the better drone. But it wasn’t until this month that the conditions were right for the rebuilt TB-2 force to resume offensive operations. The attack on the Russian KS-701 patrol boat, which the Sunday video depicts in gruesome detail, is particularly impressive. The TB-2 watches from high overhead—quiet and unseen—as Russian sailors and troops on the shore unload supplies from the 29-foot boat. The Russians don’t know they’re being watched until the missile strikes the KS-701, damaging it and obliterating some of the people aboard it. It’s not hard to understand how the TB-2s regained their operational freedom. Since launching their counteroffensive on June 4, Ukrainian forces firing precision munitions—artillery, bombs, rockets and FPV drones—steadily have been eroding Russian air-defenses across southern Ukraine. On the southern front alone, the Ukrainians have knocked out at least 13 SAM launchers that independent analysts can confirm. It’s possible the same dynamics that loosed the TB-2s on Russian battalions around Kyiv in February and March 2022 are in play in southern Ukraine today. TB-2s work best where enemy air-defenses are most stressed. That TB-2s again are firing missiles at Russian troops is a strong indicator that Russian air-defenses in the south are in trouble. The danger, for the Russians, is a TB-2 feedback loop—whereby the Ukrainian drones exploit gaps in Russian air-defenses in order to target the air-defenses that still are intact. So on and so forth until the SAM umbrella over whole oblasts collapses, giving the TB-2s even greater freedom to crisscross occupied territory and strike Russian battalions and supply convoys at will.
September 5, 20232 yr Intercepted phone calls reveal Russian frontline troops complaining of heavy losses, poor supplies https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/intercepted-phone-calls-reveal-russian-frontline-troops-complaining-of-heavy-losses-poor-supplies/ar-AA1ggl90 Quote "They are f---ing us up," one soldier, Andrey, told his wife on July 12, according to Reuters. "No f---ing ammunition, nothing.... Shall we use our fingers as bayonets?" "We're like beggars. It's like 1941 with one rifle between five soldiers. Nothing's changed," he added. The difference is not only are the suffering, you are the a-holes in the story.
September 5, 20232 yr Cuba claims citizens trafficked to fight for Russia in Ukraine Cuba has uncovered a human trafficking network that recruits Cubans to fight for Russia in its war in Ukraine, Havana's foreign ministry claimed on Monday. Quote "The Ministry of the Interior has detected and it is working to neutralize and dismantle a human trafficking network that operates from Russia in order to incorporate Cuban citizens living there and even some living in Cuba, into the military forces that participate in military operations in Ukraine," the ministry said in a statement. The statement provided few details, but said criminal proceedings have been initiated against those involved. Quote "Cuba is not part of the war in Ukraine. It is acting and it will firmly act against those who within the national territory participate in any form of human trafficking for mercenarism or recruitment purposes so that Cuban citizens may raise weapons against any country," it said. The Russian government has not made any immediate response to the allegations. Some context: Havana has previously defended its former Cold War era ally Moscow during its war against Ukraine. In a rare interview in May, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel told Russian state-controlled network RT that Cuba condemned "the expansion of NATO toward Russia’s borders," echoing a talking point used by the Kremlin to justify its brutal invasion. He also blasted US economic sanctions on Russia, while heralding Russian "projects of cooperation and collaboration" under development in Cuba.
September 5, 20232 yr Russian-appointed official injured in apparent assassination attempt An official in the occupied Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine has been injured after an explosion at his house. The blast is being described as an assassination attempt by both Ukrainian and Russian sources, but there are conflicting reports on Yuriy Afanasievsky's condition. Russian state news agency TASS reported Afanasievsky was "not seriously injured,” but added his son was hospitalized. "His son is in the hospital, not him. But the terrorist attack, most likely, was directed specifically against Afanasievsky,” officials in the so-called Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) told TASS on Tuesday. Ukrainian officials, however, suggested Afanasievsky’s condition was more serious. "Let's look at the severity of his injuries,” the Ukrainian head of the Luhansk regional military administration Artem Lysohor wrote on Telegram Tuesday. "The house of Yuriy Afanasievsky, who headed the 'state customs committee,' was blown up in the ‘LPR’.” Lysohor accused Russia of being behind the assassination attempt, without providing any evidence. "Another collaborator did not meet the expectations of the Russians,” he wrote. CNN could not independently verify Lysohor’s claims. It comes as authorities backed by Moscow pushed local elections in four Ukrainian regions that were illegally annexed last year, including Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Russian forces held similar elections last year, which are illegal under international law.
September 5, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, Toastrel said: Intercepted phone calls reveal Russian frontline troops complaining of heavy losses, poor supplies https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/intercepted-phone-calls-reveal-russian-frontline-troops-complaining-of-heavy-losses-poor-supplies/ar-AA1ggl90 The difference is not only are the suffering, you are the a-holes in the story. 39 minutes ago, JohnSnowsHair said: Don't worry, the great Russian army is getting its supplies soon. They are not losing the war of attrition! North Korea’s Kim Jong Un may meet Putin in Russia to discuss arms deal, US says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may travel to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin for discussions on a potential deal to supply Moscow with weapons for its war on Ukraine, according to the US government. The National Security Council warned Monday that arms negotiations between Russia and North Korea are "actively advancing,” after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang in July in an attempt to convince it to sell artillery ammunition to Moscow. "We have information that Kim Jong Un expects these discussions to continue, to include leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia,” the council’s spokesperson, Adrienne Watson, said in a statement. Watson did not say when and where a potential meeting between Kim and Putin in Russia might take place. But South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said Tuesday it is "closely monitoring… the possibility of Kim Jong Un visiting Russia soon.” CNN has asked the Russian embassy in Washington for comment. The Kremlin declined to comment on the claim. "We have nothing to say on the subject,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists during a call on Tuesday. As discussions advance, the US and its allies are concerned about the technology North Korea is seeking from Russia in return for weaponry, according to two US officials. North Korea is seeking technology that could advance their satellite and nuclear-powered submarine capabilities, officials said, which could significantly advance North Korea’s capabilities in areas that the rogue regime has not fully developed. Just last month, North Korea’s second attempt to launch a spy satellite into orbit failed, a report from the state-run Korean Central News Agency said. North Korea does not currently have any nuclear-powered submarines, according to an assessment from Nuclear Threat Initiative, a think-tank focused on reducing nuclear threats. The New York Times first reported the potential meeting between Kim and Putin in Russia, saying it is expected to take place this month. According to the report, the meeting may take place on the campus of a university in the eastern port city of Vladivostok, where the Eastern Economic Forum is scheduled to be held from September 10 and 13. In 2019, Kim made his first trip to Russia as the leader of North Korea and traveled from Pyongyang to Vladivostok on an armored green train. Going by train is the preferred mode of travel by the reclusive North Korean leader. Kim’s possible visit to Russia comes as the US has expressed increasing concerns about North Korea’s military assistance to Russia’s war effort in Ukraine – a move that would be in breach of US sanctions. Earlier this month, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on three entities it accused of being tied to arms deals between North Korea and Russia. Since Shoigu’s July visit, a second delegation of Russian officials have visited Pyongyang for further discussions on a potential deal, while Putin and Kim have exchanged letters "pledging to increase their bilateral cooperation,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters last week. North Korea delivered infantry rockets and missiles into Russia for use by Wagner forces late last year, and the potential deal being discussed would provide Russian troops with much more weapons, according to Kirby. "Under these potential deals Russia would receive significant quantities and multiple types of munitions form the DPRK, which the Russian military plans to use in Ukraine,” he said. "These potential deals could also include the provision of raw materials that would assist Russia’s defense industrial base,” Kirby added, pledging that the US would take direct action to sanction any entities involved in a potential deal and urging Pyongyang to cease the negotiations. The Biden administration has routinely declassified intelligence about the support Russia is receiving – or is planning to receive – in an effort to deter countries from providing support for Moscow’s war effort. Apart from North Korea, Russia has also received drones and artillery from Iran. Chinese state-owned defense companies have sent technology and equipment to Russia, but US officials say they have seen no signs so far that China has provided weapons or lethal military aid to Russia. On Monday, Shoigu, the Russian Defense Minister, said Russia was also discussing holding joint military exercises with North Korea. "We are discussing it with everyone, including the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Why not? These are our neighbors,” Shoigu told reporters, referring to North Korea by its official name. "You don’t choose your neighbors, and it’s better to live in peace and harmony with your neighbors,” he said, citing an old Russian saying. Russia has been holding the annual Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok since 2015 in an attempt to encourage foreign investment in the Russian Far East. China, Russia’s closest diplomatic partner, has often sent high-level delegations to the event. Chinese leader Xi Jinping attended the forum in-person in 2018, while top legislator Li Zhanshu, the third-ranking leader of the ruling Communist Party, attended last year. Beijing has not announced which official will lead its delegation this year. The forum will partially overlap with the Group of 20 leader’s summit in India. China’s has indicated that Xi will skip that summit for the first time since he came to power.
September 5, 20232 yr Author Relying on NK for weapons. Thought this crap was supposed to take 6 weeks.
September 5, 20232 yr 2 minutes ago, DaEagles4Life said: Relying on NK for weapons. Thought this crap was supposed to take 6 weeks. Abra said us notzee lovers using our flawed western math are proof of the Vatican's hold on the english crown. did i get that right @Abracadabra
September 5, 20232 yr 1 minute ago, Alpha_TATEr said: Abra said us notzee lovers using our flawed western math are proof of the Vatican's hold on the english crown. did i get that right @Abracadabra Da, comrade, your pravda looks to match dogma.
September 5, 20232 yr Don't forget that the Queen (now the King I guess) also owns US Social Security. 🤣
September 5, 20232 yr imagine being such an incel, that russia is the subject you dedicate your trolling to.
September 5, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, Alpha_TATEr said: Abra said us notzee lovers using our flawed western math are proof of the Vatican's hold on the english crown. did i get that right @Abracadabra In part. All European colonialism is under the auspices of Roman papal bulls beginning in the 1100s. Bristish, Belgian, Spanish, French etc. were set up as overseers for the Church. Your Not-Z math notwithstanding.
September 5, 20232 yr 22 minutes ago, Abracadabra said: In part. All European colonialism is under the auspices of Roman papal bulls beginning in the 1100s. Bristish, Belgian, Spanish, French etc. were set up as overseers for the Church. Your Not-Z math notwithstanding. you're like a moth to the light. let me guess, you were an altar boy ?
September 5, 20232 yr 2 hours ago, Abracadabra said: In part. All European colonialism is under the auspices of Roman papal bulls beginning in the 1100s. Bristish, Belgian, Spanish, French etc. were set up as overseers for the Church. Your Not-Z math notwithstanding. This is the Russian propaganda strategy of saying ish and expecting the populace to accept it just because it is said, right? A brief bit of religion-colonialism history for you that refutes your monolithic papist nonsense. Roman Catholicism: · Spain: Brought Catholicism to much of Latin America, the Philippines, and parts of Africa. · Portugal: Evangelized in Brazil, parts of Africa (like Angola and Mozambique), and parts of Asia (like Goa in India). · France: Brought Catholicism to parts of Canada, West Africa, Southeast Asia (like Vietnam), and the Pacific. Protestantism: · England (later the United Kingdom): Established the Anglican Church (Church of England) in territories like North America, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Africa. Also, various Protestant denominations (like Methodists and Baptists) accompanied British colonization, especially in Africa. · The Netherlands: Introduced Dutch Reformed Christianity in territories such as Indonesia and South Africa. · Germany: While late in the colonial race, Germany still established Protestant missions in its colonies like Namibia and parts of East Africa. Orthodox Christianity · Russia expanded eastward and, while it's not colonialism in the same way Western European nations practiced it, the Russian Empire did spread Eastern Orthodox Christianity to Siberia and other regions.
September 5, 20232 yr Cuba says it uncovered a human trafficking ring that sends Cubans to fight with Russia against Ukraine https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/cuba-uncovers-trafficking-ring-sending-cubans-fight-russia-ukraine-rcna103461 Russia is looking for a few warm bodies, and frankly does not care how it gets them.
September 5, 20232 yr 38 minutes ago, Toastrel said: Cuba says it uncovered a human trafficking ring that sends Cubans to fight with Russia against Ukraine https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/cuba-uncovers-trafficking-ring-sending-cubans-fight-russia-ukraine-rcna103461 Russia is looking for a few warm bodies, and frankly does not care how it gets them. That's crazy!
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