ALERT RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE - Consolidated Thread
- Thread starter danielboon
- Start date
vector7
Dot Collector
“As it turns out…children…from 2 to 6-7 years old…carved up…like discarded waste…slaughtering them…they took organs…I heard about it but didn’t believe it…and when you see it…you won’t forgive…” -Russian Soldier
Is this what Politicians and Hollywood are protecting?
RT 1min
View: https://twitter.com/liz_churchill8/status/1619957066550091777?s=20&t=w1nUhjg-mPEhpQ65CK8dTQ
danielboon
TB Fanatic
Faytuks News Δ
@Faytuks
·
16m
According to Russian news outlet Vedemosti, China's foreign minister will visit Russia on the 20th of February. Putin's 'address' and the visit may happen on the same day.
@Faytuks
·
16m
According to Russian news outlet Vedemosti, China's foreign minister will visit Russia on the 20th of February. Putin's 'address' and the visit may happen on the same day.
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
We'll just have to disagree on the Dumitri prophecies and leave it at that.
vector7
Dot Collector
I'm no fan of KGB Putin...
But how long have we been on the wrong side of these issues.
These few bullet points (you could add 10 times more) just illustrates how bad the DNC/DS/WEF have become to western civilization.
wait-n-see
Veteran Member
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Truth spoken in Europe? This man needs to be sent the memo and get with the program, NOW!
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UK seems to be having problems with their own military, eh?
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1,2,3,4 ..... who are we really fighting for!!
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Keep on walking by ...... nothing to see here ..... Russia bad, US/NATO good .... Russia bad, US/NATO good
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Time does favor one side of this conflict.
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Here kitty kitty, here kitty kitty.
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Truth spoken in Europe? This man needs to be sent the memo and get with the program, NOW!
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UK seems to be having problems with their own military, eh?
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1,2,3,4 ..... who are we really fighting for!!
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Keep on walking by ...... nothing to see here ..... Russia bad, US/NATO good .... Russia bad, US/NATO good
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Time does favor one side of this conflict.
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Here kitty kitty, here kitty kitty.
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Cedar Lake
Connecticut Yankee
Hundreds of bodies of fallen soldiers are stored in refrigerated wagons in Transcarpathia, just a few hundred meters from the Hungarian border
Metropol came into possession of shocking information. Just a few hundred meters from the Hungarian border, in a carefully guarded and isolated part of a railway junction, the bodies of hundreds of soldiers are kept by the Ukrainian authorities in a refrigerated wagon specially designed for this purpose. The soldiers lost their lives several weeks ago, and in some cases more than a month ago, but their relatives have not yet been able to bury them.2023.01.22. 07:50
WAR CRISISUKRAINE
The issue of funerals is treated as the most serious political issue by President Zelenskyi 's war propaganda team. They even regulate when and at what rate relatives are informed of the news of a death, but they also carefully allocate the number of funerals allowed per day. Obviously, they are afraid of the panic due to the increasingly massive loss of life, the despair of the relatives, and the even more dramatic deterioration of the civil and military atmosphere.
That is why the special refrigerated wagons are needed, one of which is now standing just a few hundred meters from the Hungarian border, under the strictest military custody. These special vehicles were received by Ukraine a few months ago as part of foreign military aid, and they also have self-developed refrigerated trucks for transporting dead bodies.
According to the information that has come to light so far , each of these hearse wagons has a load capacity of 50 tons, i.e. it can store approximately 500 corpses each. So far, only Al-Jazeera television was allowed by the Ukrainians to show such a refrigerated wagon, but of course only when it was transporting the bodies of Russian soldiers.
In Transcarpathia, a maximum of four or five bodies are removed from refrigerated wagons per day, not always in the order of death. Burials are permitted taking into account political and ethnic reasons, as well as the age of the deceased.
In the absence of official data, there are of course no statistics for regions or nationalities. Thus, it is not possible to know how many Transcarpathians, including how many Hungarians, have sacrificed their lives so far. Viktor Mikita, the military governor of Transcarpathia, already spoke about "hundreds" of heroic deaths in the region in the summer. Not a day goes by that the Transcarpathian press does not report on a few deaths (and these are only the known figures), based on which the number of those killed was well over a thousand as the first year of the war approached. The local Hungarians, whose proportion before the war was 10-15 percent in the region, are no exception. January article of the newspaper Kárpáti Igaz Szóaccording to László Kuti, the consul in Ungvár mentioned the death of twelve Hungarian or Hungarian-related soldiers (the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs financially supports the families of all Hungarian victims), however, according to other estimates, their number may be closer to a hundred.
It is certain that most Hungarians serve in the 128th mountain hunting brigade in Münkacsi, which is usually deployed during the most intense battles. It is a cause for concern that, according to partially confirmed Russian news reports, the 128th brigade was recently "smashed" during the siege of Soledar in eastern Ukraine. According to the Russians, the loss of the Ukrainians in the battle was 20-25 thousand; this is unlikely, since such a - literally - bloodbath would have catastrophic war consequences, the signs of which are not visible.
Regardless of this, it is certain that both sides brought a blood sacrifice close to tens of thousands, probably together with the wounded. This is also confirmed by the fact that the 128th mountain hunting brigade in Münkac was finally withdrawn from the front line.
Many people are puzzled as to why Transcarpathian units are always sent to the fiercest battles.
This was the case before: the 128th brigade suffered heavy losses - among them confirmed Hungarians - in the infamous Debalcev fire pit in 2015. Since the outbreak of the war, they have been fighting there in the bloodiest battles, first at Herszon, then in the "meat grinder" of Bahmut and Soledar. This can partly be explained by their special training and the fact that even the Russians consider them to be one of the most capable formations. According to others, the fact that the Ukrainian military leadership prefers to send formations filled with national minorities to the front line also plays a role in this.
Kárpátalján százával tárolják hűtővagonokban az elesett katonák holttestét, a magyar határtól alig néhány száz méterre - Metropol
Az ingyenes Metropol napilap weboldala. Friss hírek, információk, videók, fotók itthonról és a nagyvilágból. Sport, sztárhírek, életmód, időjárás, programok.
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Ukraine Says Expedited Talks For F-16 Jets Underway As Germany Counters 'Not An Option'
The Ukrainian presidency's office is saying that it is already engaged in expedited negotiations with the US regarding the possibility of supplying Kiev forces with long-range missiles and military jets. This despite German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was key in the decision of Berlin and Washington to approve tanks, earlier saying that sending jets is not an option.Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelesnky, was cited in The Associated Press on Saturday as saying that "fast-track" talks are taking place for jets, and which also focus on long-range missiles "to drastically curtail the key tool of the Russian army" by providing the ability to attack weapons warehouses far behind front lines.
F-16 file image, US Air ForceSimultaneously, reports emerged in US media over the weekend signaling that a movement within the Pentagon is now gaining steam to press the Biden administration into signing off on jets for Ukraine.
"A contingent of military officials is quietly pushing the Pentagon to approve sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to help the country defend itself from Russian missile and drone attacks, according to three people with knowledge of the discussions," Politico wrote.
"As Ukraine prepares to launch a new offensive to retake territory in the spring, the campaign inside the Defense Department for fighter jets is gaining momentum, according to a DoD official and two other people involved in the discussions," the report described, and quoted a defense official as follows:
The White House meanwhile, has given the typical 'nothing off the table' response when asked about the possibility of transferring jets to Kiev:
But standing in the way will be Germany - though we should note that the Germans caved rather quickly when pressure from half a dozen or more influential NATO allies came to bear on the tank issue earlier this month.
There's also the question of US public opinion, which remains very much divided on just how far America's role in this mess needs to be pushed. The unhinged ravings of politicians like Mitt Romney are certainly not going to help the hawks' cause in the eyes of average Americans (but it's not as if beltway warmongers ever actually listened to the public will)...
Scholz said in a fresh interview as the jet debate emerges: "I can only advise against entering into a constant competition to outbid each other when it comes to weapons systems."
He insisted that Berlin will not be equipping Ukraine's military with warplanes. "The question of combat aircraft does not arise at all," Scholz stressed according to Politico. The only question that remains as a new round of pressure builds (similar to the way the tank issue played out), is whether Germany will hold out and stick to its (purported) principles this time.
Biden Says "No" To US Providing F-16 Jets For Ukraine (..For Now) | ZeroHedge
ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero
www.zerohedge.com
Don't miss the part of long range missiles (isn't that one of the things Russia told the west they were worried about) part to hit deep inside Russia. Up tick?
wait-n-see
Veteran Member
Polish MEP, no such thing as Russian gas... Finland blames Russia. Boris, Putin threatened me.
Runtime - 30:07
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Military Reality vs. Political Reality. Putin vs. The West
Runtime - 42:33
bw
Fringe Ranger
Actually, if Article 5 is triggered, all Russia has to do is sit and wait. NATO is toothless. The only feasible attacker is the US and our only means is nukes, so if it goes nuke it's because the US takes it there.
Hundreds of bodies of fallen soldiers are stored in refrigerated wagons in Transcarpathia, just a few hundred meters from the Hungarian border
Metropol came into possession of shocking information. Just a few hundred meters from the Hungarian border, in a carefully guarded and isolated part of a railway junction, the bodies of hundreds of soldiers are kept by the Ukrainian authorities in a refrigerated wagon specially designed for this purpose. The soldiers lost their lives several weeks ago, and in some cases more than a month ago, but their relatives have not yet been able to bury them.
2023.01.22. 07:50
WAR CRISISUKRAINE
View attachment 394272
The issue of funerals is treated as the most serious political issue by President Zelenskyi 's war propaganda team. They even regulate when and at what rate relatives are informed of the news of a death, but they also carefully allocate the number of funerals allowed per day. Obviously, they are afraid of the panic due to the increasingly massive loss of life, the despair of the relatives, and the even more dramatic deterioration of the civil and military atmosphere.
That is why the special refrigerated wagons are needed, one of which is now standing just a few hundred meters from the Hungarian border, under the strictest military custody. These special vehicles were received by Ukraine a few months ago as part of foreign military aid, and they also have self-developed refrigerated trucks for transporting dead bodies.
According to the information that has come to light so far , each of these hearse wagons has a load capacity of 50 tons, i.e. it can store approximately 500 corpses each. So far, only Al-Jazeera television was allowed by the Ukrainians to show such a refrigerated wagon, but of course only when it was transporting the bodies of Russian soldiers.
In Transcarpathia, a maximum of four or five bodies are removed from refrigerated wagons per day, not always in the order of death. Burials are permitted taking into account political and ethnic reasons, as well as the age of the deceased.
In Ukraine, war losses are considered a strict war secret, official information is rarely made public. Anyone who breaks the rule in any way, even with a social media post, can expect a prison sentence.
In the absence of official data, there are of course no statistics for regions or nationalities. Thus, it is not possible to know how many Transcarpathians, including how many Hungarians, have sacrificed their lives so far. Viktor Mikita, the military governor of Transcarpathia, already spoke about "hundreds" of heroic deaths in the region in the summer. Not a day goes by that the Transcarpathian press does not report on a few deaths (and these are only the known figures), based on which the number of those killed was well over a thousand as the first year of the war approached. The local Hungarians, whose proportion before the war was 10-15 percent in the region, are no exception. January article of the newspaper Kárpáti Igaz Szóaccording to László Kuti, the consul in Ungvár mentioned the death of twelve Hungarian or Hungarian-related soldiers (the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs financially supports the families of all Hungarian victims), however, according to other estimates, their number may be closer to a hundred.
It is certain that most Hungarians serve in the 128th mountain hunting brigade in Münkacsi, which is usually deployed during the most intense battles. It is a cause for concern that, according to partially confirmed Russian news reports, the 128th brigade was recently "smashed" during the siege of Soledar in eastern Ukraine. According to the Russians, the loss of the Ukrainians in the battle was 20-25 thousand; this is unlikely, since such a - literally - bloodbath would have catastrophic war consequences, the signs of which are not visible.
Regardless of this, it is certain that both sides brought a blood sacrifice close to tens of thousands, probably together with the wounded. This is also confirmed by the fact that the 128th mountain hunting brigade in Münkac was finally withdrawn from the front line.
Many people are puzzled as to why Transcarpathian units are always sent to the fiercest battles.
This was the case before: the 128th brigade suffered heavy losses - among them confirmed Hungarians - in the infamous Debalcev fire pit in 2015. Since the outbreak of the war, they have been fighting there in the bloodiest battles, first at Herszon, then in the "meat grinder" of Bahmut and Soledar. This can partly be explained by their special training and the fact that even the Russians consider them to be one of the most capable formations. According to others, the fact that the Ukrainian military leadership prefers to send formations filled with national minorities to the front line also plays a role in this.
Kárpátalján százával tárolják hűtővagonokban az elesett katonák holttestét, a magyar határtól alig néhány száz méterre - Metropol
Az ingyenes Metropol napilap weboldala. Friss hírek, információk, videók, fotók itthonról és a nagyvilágból. Sport, sztárhírek, életmód, időjárás, programok.metropol.hu
BOTH warring sides are barbaric! Families not having the knowledge of the deaths of loved one’s is barbaric! Such behavior is beyond the pale of acceptable behavior! Zelenskiy and Putin are politically driven filth, who are not interested in the lives of their own people!
If the United States, and its Allies, did not support this war, economics could. However, the US has never had a sane, uncorrupted foreign policy. Nope, this will not end well- for anyone.
OA
von Koehler
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I would think Russia is quite cautious about getting involved in a conventional war with NATO.
Old Soviet era and newer Russian equipment is inferior to modern NATO kit.
Russian losses would be enormous.
John Deere Girl
Veteran Member
At that point, it wouldn't be a conventional war, it will be nuclear, and no one wins in that scenario.
von Koehler
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Russia would lose in a conventional war.
Yes, no one wins in a nuclear war.
So it is a lose/lose situation for Russia and a win/lose for America.
bw
Fringe Ranger
Given a few thousand Russian tanks in defensive positions and a hundred NATO invading to deal out ~justice, I'd bet on Russia. If NATO invokes Article 5, Russia has absolutely no incentive to wade into eastern Europe.
jward
passin' thru
Shashank Joshi
@shashj
4h
Hard to disagree with these thresholds. What’s noteworthy is how permissive they are.
Mark Gubrud
@mgubrud
13m
Replying to @shashj
The red lines are comfortably distant from where we are. But this is the big pink danger zone we're wandering through--
View: https://twitter.com/mgubrud/status/1620139548159393792?s=20
Anton Barbashin
@ABarbashin
4h
Kortunov of @Russian_Council outlines what would consider direct -NATO military confrontation:
-participation of NATO military personnel in fighting;
-use of NATO airfields for attacks;
-attempts to establish a no-fly zone over part/all of Ukraine
Key remark from Kortunov for clarification here as well
View: https://twitter.com/ABarbashin/status/1620127787360325634?s=20
@shashj
4h
Hard to disagree with these thresholds. What’s noteworthy is how permissive they are.
Mark Gubrud
@mgubrud
13m
Replying to @shashj
The red lines are comfortably distant from where we are. But this is the big pink danger zone we're wandering through--
View: https://twitter.com/mgubrud/status/1620139548159393792?s=20
Anton Barbashin
@ABarbashin
4h
Kortunov of @Russian_Council outlines what would consider direct -NATO military confrontation:
-participation of NATO military personnel in fighting;
-use of NATO airfields for attacks;
-attempts to establish a no-fly zone over part/all of Ukraine
Key remark from Kortunov for clarification here as well
View: https://twitter.com/ABarbashin/status/1620127787360325634?s=20
jward
passin' thru
Fewer than 10,000 Russian troops currently present in Belarus — border service Fewer than 10,000 Russian troops currently present in Belarus — border service via @Yahoo
www.yahoo.com
Fewer than 10,000 Russian troops currently present in Belarus — border service
Today, there are only about 9,000 Russian servicemen on the territory of Belarus, the spokesperson of the State Border Service of Ukraine, Andriy Demchenko, said on Ukrainian national television on Jan. 30.
jward
passin' thru
Oliver Alexander
@OAlexanderDK
6m
Looks like Ukraine is getting the upgraded M2A2-ODS SA version of the Bradley rather than the M2A2-ODS.
The Situation Awareness upgrade includes several improvements over the M2A2-ODS including the driver camera and upgraded sights.
View: https://twitter.com/OAlexanderDK/status/1620143329634832386?s=20
The M2A2-ODS SA is very similar to the M2A3 version of the Bradley, the main difference being the lack of the Commander's Independent Viewer.
View: https://twitter.com/OAlexanderDK/status/1620143333418102784?s=20
@OAlexanderDK
6m
Looks like Ukraine is getting the upgraded M2A2-ODS SA version of the Bradley rather than the M2A2-ODS.
The Situation Awareness upgrade includes several improvements over the M2A2-ODS including the driver camera and upgraded sights.
View: https://twitter.com/OAlexanderDK/status/1620143329634832386?s=20
The M2A2-ODS SA is very similar to the M2A3 version of the Bradley, the main difference being the lack of the Commander's Independent Viewer.
View: https://twitter.com/OAlexanderDK/status/1620143333418102784?s=20
jward
passin' thru
jward
passin' thru
( kimmi's lil sis was back @ the podium w/ her best 'mean face' warnin' us to knock off those accusations- or else :: shrug :: )
marqs
@MarQs__
14m
"We also know that North Korea is providing military support to the Russian war efforts with rockets and missiles" - NATO's Stoltenberg
View: https://twitter.com/MarQs__/status/1620143472501227522?s=20
marqs
@MarQs__
14m
"We also know that North Korea is providing military support to the Russian war efforts with rockets and missiles" - NATO's Stoltenberg
View: https://twitter.com/MarQs__/status/1620143472501227522?s=20
jward
passin' thru
Jakub Janovsky
@Rebel44CZ
10h
Erdogan was told that buying S-400 will result in being kicked out of the F-35 program - he ignored those repeated warnings and paid the price.
And if he wants those F-16s, he needs to stop blocking Sweden and Finland from joining NATO.
View: https://twitter.com/Rebel44CZ/status/1619993803926142978?s=20
@Rebel44CZ
10h
Erdogan was told that buying S-400 will result in being kicked out of the F-35 program - he ignored those repeated warnings and paid the price.
And if he wants those F-16s, he needs to stop blocking Sweden and Finland from joining NATO.
View: https://twitter.com/Rebel44CZ/status/1619993803926142978?s=20
jward
passin' thru
France will consider training Ukrainian fighter jet pilots
Pressure is building on Western allies to supply Kyiv with combat aircraft after agreeing to send tanks.
France will consider training Ukrainian fighter jet pilots
Pressure is building on Western allies to supply Kyiv with combat aircraft after agreeing to send tanks.www.politico.eu
jward
passin' thru
Macron: The weapons we sent to Ukraine should not be used to strike Russian territory.
Macron: Sending fighter jets to Ukraine should not weaken the French army.
Poland could supply Ukraine with F-16 fighters, Kyiv suggests
Macron: Sending fighter jets to Ukraine should not weaken the French army.
Poland could supply Ukraine with F-16 fighters, Kyiv suggests
Ukraine official reports ‘positive signals’ from Warsaw – but Poland stresses it will only act in consultation with Nato allies
Poland could supply Ukraine with F-16 fighters, Kyiv suggests
Ukraine official reports ‘positive signals’ from Warsaw – but Poland stresses it will only act in consultation with Nato allieswww.theguardian.com
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I would have to agree that Russia would lose. And the reason 30 vs 1. And that's it.
Russia and NATO countries would all have to go on a war economy, manufacturing, men and material.
While Russia has always thrown a lot of men and material at a war effort, so has the west. There stuff is just as good as the west, it just doesn't look as good. All their stuff is ugly. LOL
And on an individual basis Russia would win, but 30 v 1 never.
They caught a break with Napolean and Germany due to winter, which gave them time to regroup, and make a come back, which they also did. But in both cases it was generally one on one. There were some other countries in the mix in both cases but not much.
With 30 to 1 you have to use something that will even the sides, and in my book that is nukes.
So again I just don't think it will go that far, even with upping the ante with F16's, and long range missiles. As noted in an article upthread posted today. Having the material and using it in a combat situation effectively are two different things.
Russia vs Ukraine. One on One. Russia will win every time.
And as my last holdout, the Bible. Russia has a role to fill in the last days, so they have to be here for that. Until that role is fulfilled, they will win every war they are in. Until that one. And this ain't it, wrong players.
LightEcho
Has No Life - Lives on TB
With what? I could see using radar-directed high speed cannons like the ZSU 23-4, but I had no idea it could take out artillery rounds. Airplanes, helicopters, drones, slow missiles... sure. Certainly they aren't using missile systems for taking out HIMARS?
jward
passin' thru
Faytuks News Δ
@Faytuks
2h
According to Russian news outlet Vedemosti, China's foreign minister will visit Russia on the 20th of February. Putin's 'address' and the visit may happen on the same day.
View: https://twitter.com/Faytuks/status/1620106545257394180?s=20
Amichai Stein
@AmichaiStein1
1h
#BREAKING: Israeli foreign minister @elicoh1 expected to visit Kyiv "soon"
Will be first visit by an Israeli official since the start of the war.
Iranian official: We will adopt a new approach against Kyiv, after hints of its role in the Isfahan attack.
@Faytuks
2h
According to Russian news outlet Vedemosti, China's foreign minister will visit Russia on the 20th of February. Putin's 'address' and the visit may happen on the same day.
View: https://twitter.com/Faytuks/status/1620106545257394180?s=20
Amichai Stein
@AmichaiStein1
1h
#BREAKING: Israeli foreign minister @elicoh1 expected to visit Kyiv "soon"
Will be first visit by an Israeli official since the start of the war.
Iranian official: We will adopt a new approach against Kyiv, after hints of its role in the Isfahan attack.
CaryC
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Cool!
But have to say without the super secret armor, being cool doesn't help with being hit. Stick a knife in and twist.
jward
passin' thru
News|Russia-Ukraine war
An apartment building damaged by a Russian missile in Kharkiv, Ukraine [Vitalii Hnidyi/Reuters]
Published On 30 Jan 2023 30 Jan 2023
Here is the situation as it stands on Monday, January 30, 2023:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDGZk0bJ61Y
Source: News Agencies
www.aljazeera.com
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 341
As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 341st day, we take a look at the main developments.An apartment building damaged by a Russian missile in Kharkiv, Ukraine [Vitalii Hnidyi/Reuters]
Published On 30 Jan 2023 30 Jan 2023
Here is the situation as it stands on Monday, January 30, 2023:
Fighting
- People gathered in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv to commemorate a British volunteer killed during a rescue mission in the eastern town of Soledar in Donetsk region.
- At least one person was killed in an air raid on Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv and three were killed in the southern city of Kherson amid renewed Russian shelling, Ukrainian officials said.
- Russia accused the Ukrainian military of deliberately striking a hospital in a Russian-held area of eastern Ukraine on Saturday in what it said was a war crime that killed 14 people and wounded 24 patients and medical staff. There was no immediate response to the allegations from Ukraine. Reuters was not able to independently verify the report.
Diplomacy
- Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to contact with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, though has no phone call scheduled with him, a Kremlin spokesperson said.
- Scholz, who last week approved providing Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, was quoted in an interview as saying he would speak to Putin again but the onus was on the Russian leader to withdraw troops from Ukraine “to end this horrendous, senseless war”.
- With the United States having decided to supply tanks to Ukraine, it makes no sense for Russia to talk to Kyiv or its Western “puppet masters”, the RIA news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Monday.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said allowing Russia to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games would be tantamount to showing that “terror is somehow acceptable”.
- Russia said it would not hold annual talks with Japan on renewing a pact that allows Japanese fishermen to operate near disputed islands, saying Japan had taken anti-Russian measures.
Weapons
- Expedited talks were under way among Ukraine and its allies about its requests for long-range missiles that it says are needed to prevent Russia from destroying its cities, a top aide to Zelenskyy said.
- German arms maker Rheinmetall was ready to greatly boost the output of tank and artillery munitions to satisfy strong demand in Ukraine and the West, and might start producing HIMARS multiple rocket launchers in Germany, CEO Armin Papperger told the Reuters news agency.
- Scholz again pushed back against demands in Germany and from Ukrainian officials for fighter jets to repel Russia’s invasion, urging Western nations not to join a “bidding war” for sophisticated weapons.
- Ukraine has been promised 321 heavy tanks by several countries, its ambassador to France said.
- Poland has pledged to send an additional 60 tanks to Ukraine on top of 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks, the Polish prime minister said in an interview with Canadian television.
- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged South Korea on Monday to increase military support to Ukraine, citing other countries that have changed their policy of not providing weapons to countries in conflict after Russia’s invasion.
Source: News Agencies
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 341
As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 341st day, we take a look at the main developments.
LightEcho
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Exactly how do you think like this? Where is any win for Amerika in any of this? We have already lost billion$$, political credibility, military strength, allies, technology advantages, strategic posturing, and all the while covering for evil people.
Half our military will soon be incapacitated by the poison shots or expelled from the military because of that requirement, never to return to the evil dictatorship.
We cannot manufacture our own weapons systems without relying on potential enemies.
And all this nonsense about Russia having to fight 30 countries is just silly. Name one country that will help America in any type of war when China & Russia hit the US. Name just ONE!!
Unfortunately, it won't be NATO vs Russia. Every little country with a bone to pick with <fill in the blank> is looking for the moment when they can take advantage of the opportunity for the world's enforcer to be preoccupied with Russia. North Korea, China, Iran, Yemen, ISIS, Pakistan, Somalia . . . You can't nuke everyone.
wait-n-see
Veteran Member
Would be interesting to see the stress levels, and how close they are getting to the critical limits, on the connections between the tank and the snorkel tube depending on tank speed, water speed and current direction.
I would not care to be the crewman driving that beast in a strong deep current.
WTSR
Veteran Member
I am guessing Ukraine as a Proxy using quad copters to attack IRAN, and then blaming Israel.
jward
passin' thru
Ukraine Claims Poland In Talks To Transfer Its F-16s
Thomas Newdick
Ukraine says it has received “positive signals” from Poland that indicate that the NATO country is willing to supply Kyiv with the F-16 fighter jets that it’s long been campaigning to get. Meanwhile, Polish officials have confirmed that they could send some of their F-16s to Ukraine, although it would have to be done as part of a coordinated effort with other NATO allies. Moreover, the advanced capabilities of these jets, in particular, and Poland’s own need for them, appear to make such a transfer at least questionable.
Andrii Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, provided the following statement on Telegram today:
“Work on obtaining F-16 fighters continues. We have positive signals from Poland, which is ready to pass them on to us in coordination with NATO.”
Telegram
“Tanks, fighter jets — a great combination for turning Russian enemies into fertilizer.”
“We will act in full coordination here,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told a press conference today, according to Ukrinform, Ukraine’s state information and news agency.
Morawiecki had been asked whether Poland would be willing to transfer some of its F-16s, which are the most sophisticated fighter jets it currently operates.
The Polish prime minister said that the country would be open to providing Ukraine with F-16s, provided that a more comprehensive framework deal was set up and then approved — this would require likely signing off among an alliance of NATO F-16 operators, as well as the U.S. government, as the original source of the jets.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki speaks at a press conference in Kyiv last year. Ruslan Kaniuka/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images
“Just as it happened a few months ago with MiG-29 aircraft, any other aircraft assistance [to Ukraine] will be coordinated, implemented and, possibly, transferred together with other NATO member states. We will act in full coordination here,” Morawiecki emphasized.
Morawiecki was pointing to previous plans to transfer Soviet-era MiG-29s from the Polish Air Force (and potentially other NATO operators) to Ukraine, although these came to nothing after a proposal to deliver the jets via the United States collapsed. The delivery of fighter jets has, at least until now, been widely viewed as a provocative move, as far as relations with Moscow are concerned. So far, only various helicopters have been supplied to Ukraine, as well as weapons and spare parts for its existing fighter jets.
A Polish MiG-29 (foreground) and F-16 perform for the camera. Polish Armed Forces
When asked, the Polish prime minister did not state how many F-16s Poland might be able to provide to Ukraine.
The Polish Air Force acquired 48 F-16C/D Block 52 jets under the Peace Sky program and these were delivered between 2006 and 2008, making them some of the younger — and most capable — Vipers available to NATO commanders in Europe. The fact that these jets are so modern would make them a highly surprising choice for transfer to Ukraine, not least because Poland still needs them for a wide range of frontline missions.
Able to be configured with conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), the Polish F-16s are armed with AIM-120C-5/7 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and AIM-9X Sidewinder that can be fired off-boresight using the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS). Offensive stores include the AGM-65 Maverick missile, AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), and AGM-158A/B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), as well as Paveway laser-guided bombs and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). The aircraft are fitted with Sniper targeting pods and can carry the DB-110 tactical reconnaissance pod.
Carrying a Sniper pod and with CFTs fitted, a Polish F-16C armed with AMRAAM and AIM-9X missiles ejects an infrared flare. Polish Armed Forces/Bartek Bera
If the transfer of some Polish F-16s to Ukraine was approved it seems likely that many of these weapons would not be included in the package. Above all, the impressively long range (around 330 miles in its initial AGM-158A form) and stealth characteristics of the JASSM would rule out its transfer to Ukraine. More realistically, the F-16s would be provided in an ‘austere’ configuration, with weapons only included if they were judged to be less escalatory.
Polish Armed Forces
Nevertheless, the statements from Warsaw and Kyiv today suggest that momentum could be building for a coordinated effort to send F-16s to Ukraine. This could parallel the same kind of international initiative that eventually secured Leopard 2 tanks for Kyiv.
As stated previously, a transfer of F-16s to Ukraine would require approval from the Pentagon and there are signs that that could be about to happen.
Last week, Politico reported that a group of U.S. military officials was “quietly pushing” the Department of Defense to sign off an F-16 package for Ukraine.
While Ukrainian calls for F-16s are nothing new, the landscape now appears to have changed, chiefly because of the previous approval of Patriot air defense systems and modern Western main battle tanks for Ukraine. Both these were seen as off-limits just months ago, much like modern fighter jets.
At the same time, the F-16 has become a higher-priority item for Ukraine, not least because Patriot missiles and tanks are now on their way. Meanwhile, Russia’s continued cruise missile and drone onslaught against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure demonstrate a continued need for more robust air defenses, including new fighters.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said over the weekend that fighter jets and long-range missiles were now being discussed as part of “fast-track” talks to get more arms to Kyiv’s forces.
Last week, Yuriy Sak, an adviser to Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov, reiterated that Ukraine was looking for different kinds of fourth-generation aircraft, not exclusively F-16s.
“If we get them, the advantages on the battlefield will be just immense,” Sak remarked. “It’s not just F-16s: fourth generation aircraft, this is what we want.”
However, as well as being the type most often mentioned by Ukrainian officials as well as Ukrainian Air Force pilots, the F-16 has also been mentioned by other European NATO members, including the Netherlands.
A Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 approaches a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker for refueling during a NATO exercise over Germany in 2020. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jessi Monte
The Netherlands, another NATO F-16 operator, announced earlier this month that it would look at any request to transfer its aircraft to Ukraine with an “open mind,” before apparently walking back on that statement, as you can read about here.
Since then, Denmark — also an F-16 operator — has been mentioned in the context of potential fighter transfers to Ukraine. A French government confirmed that unnamed Eastern European countries and Denmark were possible candidates but also didn’t rule out transferring aircraft from France’s own stocks.
Unlike the Polish fleet, the Danish and Dutch F-16s also mentioned in the context of Ukrainian arms transfers are much older jets, successively upgraded but now being withdrawn in favor of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter in both cases.
A Polish F-16, without conformal fuel tanks fitted, escorts a U.S. Air Force B-52H strategic bomber during a joint exercise in Polish airspace. Polish Armed Forces/Piotr Łysakowski
Again, the decision of the U.S. government would hold the key to Ukraine getting F-16s, from whatever country. Here, it seems that there could be growing support on Capitol Hill.
For example, Jon Finer the Deputy National Security Advisor for the Biden Administration, recently said that “We have not ruled in or out any specific systems.” On the issue of fighter jets, he noted that this issue would be “very carefully” discussed with Ukraine and its allies.
As well as the argument that Patriots and advanced tanks have set a precedent for the transfer of new types of weapons, there seems to be an increasing concern that Ukraine will soon require new fighter jets as a matter of urgency.
According to a Department of Defense official that spoke to Politico, the Ukrainian Air Force “will not be able to compete” once its stocks of Soviet-era missiles for its fighter jets and ground-based air defense systems are exhausted. Such a situation could threaten Ukraine’s continued ability to prevent Russia from gaining air superiority over the country.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have more recently begun to address the concerns that some have voiced about the practicality of introducing an advanced new fighter jet.
Students perform an aircraft inspection during an F-16 Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice Course at Sheppard Air Force
Sources in Kyiv and Washington have stated that up to 50 pilots are currently ready to start training on the F-16, all of these having sufficient command of English and combat missions on Soviet-era fighter types. The same sources claim that these pilots could be trained to operate the F-16 within three months, which sounds highly optimistic. On the other hand, the need to start some kind of training syllabus to prepare Ukrainian pilots to fly Western fighter jets is something that we have explored at length in the past.
A tweet from Oleksiy Danylov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Defense and Security Council, with a video showing an F-16 takeoff and the words “Soon in Ukraine”:
Now, according to reports, Ukraine is also looking at contractor providers in the United States who also might be able to offer flight training, to accelerate the process. At least one red air contractor in the United States is already operating secondhand F-16s, but integrating a cadre of Ukrainian pilots into a specially tailored training program would require a lot of work and infrastructure, and it’s highly unlikely that a contractor would be able to do this, especially at the kind of speed required.
Clearly, the F-16 remains very much at the center of discussions around supplying new fighter jets to Ukraine. At the same time, an increasing number of operators within NATO have effectively thrown their hats into the ring when it comes to setting up some kind of coordinated effort to make these aircraft available to Kyiv. Some of those candidates are more realistic than others, however, and transferring a portion of the Polish F-16 fleet would appear to be less likely than securing secondhand jets from NATO operators actively drawing down their Viper fleets.
At this point, almost anything is possible, although there needs to be a firm decision made in the Pentagon. At the very least, however, this looks like an issue that won’t be going away anytime soon.
Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com
Ukraine Claims Poland In Talks To Transfer Its F-16s
Poland says it's backing a collaborative effort to get F-16s into Ukrainian hands, but didn't specify if it could include its advanced F-16s.
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jward
passin' thru
It looks exactly like all the other covert actions Israel has been taking against Iran in this shadow war of theirs, so adhering to the KISS principal, I'm assuming it smells like SSDD because it is. :: shrug ::
..this time, at least. I suspect they're all letting the ambiguity of the situation work to their advantage so that Iran has long enough lists of people to suspect and reasons to wonder that the raising of the burners' temperature serves as an impressive leverage to the attack.
wait-n-see
Veteran Member
WSJ Admits Bakhmut Almost Cut Off, Russia Pushes Forward Vuhledar; US Military Wants End Ukraine War
Runtime - 57:26
(From comments)
TIME STAMPS
- Bakhmut 00:00
- Ugledar 10:04
- Zaporhizia 12:40
- Western response to deteriorating situation 17:40
- Britain army weakening 21:40
- Ukraine a drain on the West 27:00
- China massively benefited by US distraction WoT 29:30
- US war with China by 2025 31:40
- US overstretch in warp speed 37:00
- China response 40:50
- Impact on Europe 47:00
- Ukraine Outlook 49:00
- Scholz only voice of reason? 52:40