ALERT RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE - Consolidated Thread

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Apex
@Apex_WW
17m

Kremlin: any fighter jets sent by NATO countries to Ukraine will be destroyed
The smart move now would be to make a show of aircraft landing at bases, then put out triple the number of decoys and let the Russians burn through munitions.
 
I bet there were some snarky newscasts which are still coming from that incident, too. The Rooskies have unsurprisingly dropped all pretense of respect for anything US and spend most of their time lampooning us. We've earned that in spades. I'm glad to not be working there anymore; I can see where it'd be open season (and closed doors) for American companies. It was a great atmosphere to work in while it lasted.

On the drone itself, I've only seen one image where there was clearly a damaged propeller blade + one missing one. Hard to tell if it was real or not. As for going after it, I'm sure there've been contracts signed for some stout ROVs either from Italy, northern Africa, the North Sea or - failing that - India or even Brazil. They can all be flown in as well and dropped onto the deck of a service vessel. Brazil is hard to get equipment out of the country which has been imported; they've kind of adopted the Rooskie stance on that sort of thing.

ETA: There's lots of deepwater service equipment in west Africa as well as Cyprus (Noble's Leviathan project), so there's no shortage of it around. The only one who might have equipment already in the Black Sea (if Russia doesn't) would most likely be Turkey; I don't think the Romanians, Bulgarians or Ukrainians have the water depths where they'd be needed but Turkey has issued some deepwater leases.

Thought you might find interesting. Edited to reply with relevant section

SITREP 3/16/23: Reaper Developments And Major Advances​


Simplicius The Thinker

21 hr ago

First thing’s first, some important updates on the ‘drone incident’. The US has now released their version of the footage, which can be seen here: VIDEO 1.


They appear to still be tenuously clinging to the claim that the plane ‘struck the drone’s propeller’, yet that is not evident in the video at all. Much more likely the plane merely bucked the drone from sheer turbulence and jet-wash, causing it to flip over—but I’m not discounting that the prop was clipped. It is strange that the drone camera continues to ‘malfunction’ each time the planes come close. Is the turbulence jostling the camera electronics too much, or the Su-27’s giving off some type of jamming signals at such proximity? Hard to know.


Some have pointed to this before and after shot, showing what appears to be like a deformed prop blade after the Russian fuel dump. However, props can look that way on cameras depending on the sync between the camera framerate and propeller speed, and there’s a chance that the propeller changed speed (perhaps due to slight throttling down by the operator, etc.) causing it to appear differently at that point on video. Maybe there are some better video experts that can chime in. But perhaps a chance exists that the ‘heavy’ fuel load ricocheting off the propeller at such squirted speeds caused it to deform. This would lead to eventual catastrophic failure of the prop due to vibratory forces in the uneven distribution of weight/aerodynamics, etc.

What we do know now however is that the MQ-9 Reaper is from one of the latest and most advanced Blocks, equipped with a highly advanced/sensitive ‘Gorgon’s Stare’ electronics suite.



Along with the Gorgon Stare, the drone had a variety of sensors which could do everything from record pinpoint video footage, thermal footage, Synthetic Aperture Radar snapshots of Russian bases/assets, record electronic emissions and signal data from Russian command HQ’s (C3), radar sites, and their positions. The Gorgon Stare itself, if you read the supplied wiki article, is run through a devious DARPA A.I. program called Mind’s Eye, which does all the things I once described in this article—basically: neural-network ‘smart’ analysis of recorded ground data where the AI can track/locate/assess/transmit targets on its own, all while geo-tagging them with various meta-data, etc. With these tools the drone is said to transmit many gigabytes of data per minute.

“The spy mission here is not even 100% visible, but 1000%. This is tactical reconnaissance - a fairly powerful high-resolution video camera and equipment that allows you to record the frequencies of radio stations, missile guidance stations, radar stations, determine the location of air defense systems, air defense systems, determine the location of headquarters, command posts and, due to visual reconnaissance, take pictures of a sufficiently high permission, ” explained Knutov.
Getting their hands on this Gorgon suite would be a huge boon for Russia. Which is why they have now positioned their ships and as of this writing are getting ready to lift the drone from what is said to be 900m depth.

American drone MQ-9 found at a depth of 900 meters. Above it, the duty of the Black Sea Fleet ships was established in order not to let anyone near the crash site. The issue of its rise is being resolved.
There is a ship in the Black Sea Fleet that is capable of doing this - the legendary "Kommuna" built in 1913. Rebuilt many times and having a huge track record of underwater work (including the recovery of several submarines, as well as aircraft and ships), it has deep-sea vehicles capable of operating at a depth of up to 1 km.
By the way, Kommuna has experience in lifting foreign equipment. In 1928, it raised the sunken British submarine L-55 in the Baltic, which was blown up by mines while evading Soviet destroyers.





The US however has claimed that they’ve done a ‘remote wipe’ on the Reaper’s data. This is questionable for a variety of reasons. Firstly, wiping data just once will never delete it, recovery specialists, particularly Russian ones which are likely the best in the world, can easily recover the data. But full industrial data-stripping takes many recurring passes of data writes to the memory chip over and over for it to be truly irrecoverable. But this takes time—time that the drone likely didn’t have as it was going down into the sea, at which point its batteries would have been flooded and likely any ‘data wipe’ operation stopped. So, the verdict is: data is probably recoverable unless the US has a special detonating self-destruct device planted on the data chip just for these types of circumstances.

To save face, John Kirby tried to pretend that US still has the ability to recover the drone. He hemmed and hawed and temporized when asked during a press conference if the drone can be recovered, stating that US “isn’t sure it can do it” in that region and at that depth, veiling the fact that the Russian fleet has already positioned itself entirely above the site and US isn’t even allowed to bring warships through the Bosporous as per the Montreaux Convention.

Satellite images of ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy near the crash site of the American MQ-9 Reaper UAV in the Black Sea.


Speaking of which—one very intriguing oddity should be mentioned. For the many months that US has flown its drones over the Black Sea, it has always strangely had to ‘go around’ Turkish territory.

https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb2debf6-6b76-47c0-9b42-e9aa90abcdc1_949x1280.jpeg
https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa7d62ab1-56d3-464e-a6b3-22ae34c17360_1200x678.jpeg
https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9ae944d7-5b04-4bc3-8302-25d16b65ac1a_1919x1079.jpeg

Notice how the direct flightpath is always broken up by a necessary rerouting to the north into Bulgaria, just around the tip of Turkish territory near the Bosporous. It’s clear that Erdogan does not allow US war assets to bypass his territory enroute to monitor Russian SMO.

===
.
 

Walrus

Veteran Member
Thought you might find interesting. Edited to reply with relevant section

SITREP 3/16/23: Reaper Developments And Major Advances​


Simplicius The Thinker

21 hr ago

First thing’s first, some important updates on the ‘drone incident’. The US has now released their version of the footage, which can be seen here: VIDEO 1.

They appear to still be tenuously clinging to the claim that the plane ‘struck the drone’s propeller’, yet that is not evident in the video at all. Much more likely the plane merely bucked the drone from sheer turbulence and jet-wash, causing it to flip over—but I’m not discounting that the prop was clipped. It is strange that the drone camera continues to ‘malfunction’ each time the planes come close. Is the turbulence jostling the camera electronics too much, or the Su-27’s giving off some type of jamming signals at such proximity? Hard to know.

Some have pointed to this before and after shot, showing what appears to be like a deformed prop blade after the Russian fuel dump. However, props can look that way on cameras depending on the sync between the camera framerate and propeller speed, and there’s a chance that the propeller changed speed (perhaps due to slight throttling down by the operator, etc.) causing it to appear differently at that point on video. Maybe there are some better video experts that can chime in. But perhaps a chance exists that the ‘heavy’ fuel load ricocheting off the propeller at such squirted speeds caused it to deform. This would lead to eventual catastrophic failure of the prop due to vibratory forces in the uneven distribution of weight/aerodynamics, etc.

What we do know now however is that the MQ-9 Reaper is from one of the latest and most advanced Blocks, equipped with a highly advanced/sensitive ‘Gorgon’s Stare’ electronics suite.


Along with the Gorgon Stare, the drone had a variety of sensors which could do everything from record pinpoint video footage, thermal footage, Synthetic Aperture Radar snapshots of Russian bases/assets, record electronic emissions and signal data from Russian command HQ’s (C3), radar sites, and their positions. The Gorgon Stare itself, if you read the supplied wiki article, is run through a devious DARPA A.I. program called Mind’s Eye, which does all the things I once described in this article—basically: neural-network ‘smart’ analysis of recorded ground data where the AI can track/locate/assess/transmit targets on its own, all while geo-tagging them with various meta-data, etc. With these tools the drone is said to transmit many gigabytes of data per minute.


Getting their hands on this Gorgon suite would be a huge boon for Russia. Which is why they have now positioned their ships and as of this writing are getting ready to lift the drone from what is said to be 900m depth.





The US however has claimed that they’ve done a ‘remote wipe’ on the Reaper’s data. This is questionable for a variety of reasons. Firstly, wiping data just once will never delete it, recovery specialists, particularly Russian ones which are likely the best in the world, can easily recover the data. But full industrial data-stripping takes many recurring passes of data writes to the memory chip over and over for it to be truly irrecoverable. But this takes time—time that the drone likely didn’t have as it was going down into the sea, at which point its batteries would have been flooded and likely any ‘data wipe’ operation stopped. So, the verdict is: data is probably recoverable unless the US has a special detonating self-destruct device planted on the data chip just for these types of circumstances.

To save face, John Kirby tried to pretend that US still has the ability to recover the drone. He hemmed and hawed and temporized when asked during a press conference if the drone can be recovered, stating that US “isn’t sure it can do it” in that region and at that depth, veiling the fact that the Russian fleet has already positioned itself entirely above the site and US isn’t even allowed to bring warships through the Bosporous as per the Montreaux Convention.



Speaking of which—one very intriguing oddity should be mentioned. For the many months that US has flown its drones over the Black Sea, it has always strangely had to ‘go around’ Turkish territory.

https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb2debf6-6b76-47c0-9b42-e9aa90abcdc1_949x1280.jpeg
https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa7d62ab1-56d3-464e-a6b3-22ae34c17360_1200x678.jpeg
https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9ae944d7-5b04-4bc3-8302-25d16b65ac1a_1919x1079.jpeg

Notice how the direct flightpath is always broken up by a necessary rerouting to the north into Bulgaria, just around the tip of Turkish territory near the Bosporous. It’s clear that Erdogan does not allow US war assets to bypass his territory enroute to monitor Russian SMO.

===
.
Tom, thanks for posting this - especially updating the estimates I'd made of ROV sources.

It's a great, illuminating bit of work. (I had no idea the Russians had built a submarine recovery vessel in the 20s!)

I had friends on the Hughes Glomar Explorer which began its career off Hawaii in the 70s; it was an incredible machine. I'm to this day still blown away by the hydraulics systems which compensated the entire lifting surface for vessel motion. It also had a huge morgue which was designed to hold the remains of the entire Soviet submarine crew, as if there would've been much left of them by then. The vessel was semi-retired in LA harbor - not far from Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose, actually - when the CIA was finished with it. Global Marine converted it to a drillship for a short period of time but the 4th and 5th generation drillship capabilities being built by GM competitors such as Transocean quickly vaulted past the Explorer's usefulness.

That's interesting about the drones' flightpaths. Obviously Erdogan has told them to stay out of their airspace and that's being honored. Bulgaria (as well as Greece & Romania) are the red-headed stepchildren of the EU who joined up because they were offered sweet financial inducements and they needed everything they could scrounge. Because of the strong mafia influence in the business culture, Bulgaria is still being denied entry into the Schengen zone and still must use its native currency instead of transitioning to the Euro.

Maybe that's a blessing these days.
 

jed turtle

a brother in the Lord
NATO nation's viewpoint: A update this year, 2023, is talk about a temporary ''Polish Protectorate''.

Polish television showed a map of the “partition of Ukraine”​

March 25 2022
Poland has been nurturing the idea of "returning" the western territory of Ukraine for a long time and is not averse to taking advantage of the current situation. NATO's refusal to participate in the adventure proposed by the Polish authorities still does not mean anything, Warsaw can create its own coalition of those wishing to participate in the "peacekeeping mission".
The fact that Poland does not intend to retreat from its plans and has already divided the neighboring country, annexing as many as five regions to itself, is evidenced by the display of the partition map of Ukraine on the air of the Polish TV channel TVP1.
It already includes Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Volyn, Rivne and Ternopil regions of Ukraine as part of Poland, Chernivtsi region goes to Romania, Transcarpathia - to Hungarians. The entire south of Ukraine, including Odessa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions and Donbass, was given to Russia by the generous hand of the Poles, while the central and northern regions of the country remained within Ukraine itself.

A map shown on a Polish TV channel. Everything that we have already talked about, and what the West is ready for

- Ilya Kiva, ex-deputy of the Verkhovna Rada, wrote about this.
View attachment 402938
Might be an outcome possibility until the first Polish MIG flies to ukraine’s defense.

Then, forget about it...
 

wait-n-see

Veteran Member

Russia Donbass Advance Bakhmut Defence Crumbles, Avdeevka Cauldron Develops; US Alarmed Kiev Losses​

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF0neMWgLaw

Run time - 1:08:06
Mar 17, 2023

(time line from comments)

TIME STAMPS

- Introduction - piracy 00:00

- Battlefield 01:39

--- Bakhmut seems to deteriorate 02:20

--- Wagner pushing Center and West 03:54

--- Chasiv Yar pincer developing? 06:48

--- Slaviangrad commentary: Wagner aiming for high ground 08:52

- NYT: Ukraine 'burns through' ammo - West unable to replenish - implications 21:50

- Conflicting advice to Ukraine re. counter offensive 30:01

--- Avdiivka 36:24

--- Krasnahorivka likely captured / New York in danger --- Marinka 41:05

- MIG jets have been delivered for a long time already 44:30

- Xi confirmed in Moscow Monday & Tuesday 52:38

- Australian submarines craziness 54:05
 

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Betting on the Russians being stupid doesn't sound like a good investment strategy.
There's of course more to it than just putting the decoys out, like more radio traffic, "leaked" information and simulated heat signatures....
 

danielboon

TB Fanatic
EndGameWW3
@EndGameWW3
7m

Update: Spokesperson for the International Criminal Court: Putin's arrest warrant came after an
investigation at the request of 43 countries.
That's at least 43 countries Putin can't go too.

Judges of the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin today. He is believed to be responsible for Russian war crimes in Ukraine, including the unlawful deportation of children and adults from Ukrainian to Russia.
View: https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1636757491320061957?s=20
1679089733695.png
 

jward

passin' thru
【C】
@AlertChannel
3h

BREAKING: "Russia will target HIMARS inside #Poland, if Warsaw deploys them to the border with the #Kaliningrad region - State Duma deputy Andrei GurulevV
 

jward

passin' thru

“Deadliest” F-16 pilot offers solution to Ukraine’s jet problem​


Source: Novynarnia.com​




“Deadliest” F 16 pilot offers solution to Ukraine’s jet problem

Dan Hampton. Photo from his FB

2023/03/18 - 01:59 • International
Dan Hampton, call sign “Two Dogs,” known as “the deadliest F-16 pilot” and one of the most experienced US military pilots, has proposed a solution to quickly turn the airspace over Ukraine into a no-fly zone for Russians. In a recent interview with the Voice of America, Hampton suggested that Western private pilots be allowed to pilot F-16s in Ukraine, and he even offered to defend Ukrainian skies personally.

During the interview, Hampton discussed the capabilities of F-16 aircraft and the challenges facing Ukraine and Ukrainian pilots in terms of the possible provision of these aircraft. While acknowledging that the training would be time-consuming and require Ukraine’s best pilots to go to the West, he proposed another idea that would allow Ukraine’s skies to be protected quickly. “A possible short-term solution for the Ukrainian government is to hire private contractors who are already F-16 pilots,” suggested Hampton. Although he admitted that it’s a policy issue that needs to be organized by governments, he believes it is “very possible.” Furthermore, Hampton is willing to defend Ukraine’s skies with F-16s if this option becomes available to private Western pilots.

In Hampton’s opinion, such a decision would help Ukraine buy time and ultimately win the war. “When the war is over, you can focus on sending your pilots abroad,” he said. He emphasized that Ukraine needs experienced military pilots “right now,” and every pilot sent to Arizona for training is one less pilot who can make a difference in the fight at present. He suggested that Ukraine arrange for the purchase of F-16s, which are the most affordable and already in Europe. Among the European countries that have these American aircraft in service are the air forces of Poland, the Netherlands, some Scandinavian countries, and the United States itself.

Hampton also emphasized the importance of surface-to-air missile systems and modern anti-aircraft weapons for the urgent defense of Ukrainian airspace. He believes that this, combined with private contractors piloting F-16s, would turn the airspace over Ukraine into a no-fly zone for Russians. “No one has ever won a war from the air,” he reminded, “but you can lose a war if you don’t control the airspace.”
Hampton concluded by saying that “there is access to such pilots” and enough American and European pilots would be willing to fly F-16s in Ukraine as private contractors. “This is a completely feasible option,” he assured, and he hopes the people in power in Ukraine will consider it.

Other notable points in his interview​

Russian Su-35s are “rubbish” Regarding the difference between the F-16 and Russian fighters, Hampton had critical comments on the Su-35. While acknowledging that it looks impressive with its beautifully painted exterior, he stated that it’s not really that good of an aircraft. In fact, he went as far as to call it “rubbish.” One of the main issues he pointed out is that it doesn’t have an AESA radar, considered an advanced electronic scanning radar 30 years ahead of the radar on the Su-35. He also mentioned that the Su-35 is a large aircraft with two smoke engines, making it an easy target for long-range missiles. According to him, the Su-35 is more suited for air shows than actual air combat.

Mentality matters When asked about the main challenge in training and air combat for Ukrainian pilots, Hampton emphasized the importance of mentality. Drawing on his experience of training foreign pilots, he stated that pilots from the Middle East often struggle to learn from their mistakes because they don’t think the way Western pilots do. In contrast, he felt that Ukrainian pilots would be more adaptable, especially when it comes to accepting criticism and learning from their mistakes. He mentioned an old saying in the US military that “whatever your military rank is, it is removed during the debriefing,” meaning that everyone, regardless of their rank, is expected to learn from their mistakes and take feedback constructively. Hampton suggested that Ukrainian pilots would fit into this mindset easily, unlike some Russian pilots he had trained with in the past.

The hardest thing about mastering an F-16 Finally, when asked about the most challenging technical aspects of F-16 training, Hampton emphasized the importance of mastering the weapon systems. While he felt confident that he could get a MiG-29 off the ground and back on it, he pointed out that controlling all the weapon systems on an F-16 is a different story altogether. He explained that the F-16’s weapons systems are connected to all the sensors, making it an incredibly complex aircraft to operate effectively. However, with the right training, F-16 pilots can become proficient in close air combat, dropping bombs, firing missile cannons, and even flying at night using infrared targeting systems. According to Hampton, it’s this level of capability that takes time and effort to master.

Who is “Two Dogs”​

Tags: F-16, fighter jet, USA
 

jward

passin' thru
News|Conflict

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 388​

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 388th day, we take a look at the main developments.

Ukrainian servicemen fire a M777 howitzer at Russian positions near Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine, on March 17, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Aris Messinis / AFP)

Ukrainian servicemen fire a M777 howitzer at Russian positions near Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine, on March 17, 2023 [Aris Messinis/AFP]
Published On 18 Mar 2023
18 Mar 2023

Here is the situation as it stands on Saturday, March 18, 2023:

International Criminal Court​


  • The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a war crimes arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, alleging that Moscow forcibly deported Ukrainian children to Russia. Russian authorities have presented the deportations as a humanitarian campaign to protect orphans and children abandoned in the conflict zone.
  • The ICC also issued a warrant for Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, for the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine.
  • Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the deportations constituted a policy of “state evil” and the ICC warrant would provide “historic accountability” for crimes committed against Ukraine by Russia.
  • The ICC arrest warrant obligates the court’s 123 member states to arrest Putin and transfer him to The Hague for trial if he sets foot on their territory.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic-NA6u-bp8&t=23s

Diplomacy​

  • Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Russia next week for a state visit after an invitation from Putin.
  • US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, White House National Security adviser Jake Sullivan and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley spoke of their “unwavering support” for Ukraine during a call with their Ukrainian counterparts on Friday.
  • The United Nations said it was “doing everything possible” to make sure a deal with Russia allowing the export of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports continues.
  • The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said its executive board authorised rule changes that would allow the IMF to approve new loan programmes for countries that face “exceptionally high uncertainty”, which is expected to pave the way for a new Ukraine loan programme.
  • Turkey’s parliament will start ratifying Finland’s accession to NATO, though it has held off on approving Sweden’s bid to join the defence bloc. Finland and Sweden’s applications for NATO membership were prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg hailed Turkey’s decision on Friday and said he was confident Sweden would join soon, too.
  • Moldova’s President Maia Sandu said she sees no danger of war in Moldova while Russia is fighting in Ukraine, despite what she said are Russian efforts to destabilise her country. “The Russian army cannot get here while Ukraine holds out … We are grateful to Ukrainians for their bravery and love of freedom,” she said.

Fighting​

  • Ukrainian forces in the east of the country continue to withstand Russian assaults on the now-destroyed city of Bakhmut, which has become Europe’s bloodiest infantry battle since World War II. Russian forces have captured the city’s eastern part but have so far failed to encircle Bakhmut and cut off Ukrainian troop supply lines.
  • The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said Russia carried out 19 air attacks and 26 rocket attacks against Bakhmut on Friday. Russian forces also conducted four air strikes on the front-line town of Avdiivka south of Bakhmut, the army said.
  • The US has resumed surveillance drone flights over the Black Sea region just days after Russian fighter jets intercepted a US Reaper surveillance drone and engaged in actions that Washington said caused the uncrewed aircraft to crash.
  • Prime Minister Eduard Heger said that Slovakia has approved sending its fleet of 11 retired MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. Slovakia is the second country to send warplanes to Kyiv after Poland said it would do so.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8AZewF9R8M&t=69s

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies
 

jward

passin' thru
EndGameWW3
@EndGameWW3
2h

The U.S. is trying to head off a potential proposal from Beijing for a cease-fire in Ukraine ahead of a Russia-China summit, saying suspending fighting now would help solidify Russia’s hold on Ukrainian territory
via @WSJ
View: https://twitter.com/EndGameWW3/status/1636914942879182848?s=20
 

Abert

Veteran Member

International Criminal Court​


  • The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a war crimes arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, alleging that Moscow forcibly deported Ukrainian children to Russia. Russian authorities have presented the deportations as a humanitarian campaign to protect orphans and children abandoned in the conflict zone.
  • The ICC also issued a warrant for Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, for the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine.
  • Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the deportations constituted a policy of “state evil” and the ICC warrant would provide “historic accountability” for crimes committed against Ukraine by Russia.
  • The ICC arrest warrant obligates the court’s 123 member states to arrest Putin and transfer him to The Hague for trial if he sets foot on their territory.
Well this has no impact on the possibility of Putin attending the G20 - India is NOT a member.
The 123 countries that are Parties to the International Criminal Court.
 

Heliobas Disciple

TB Fanatic
EndGameWW3
@EndGameWW3
2h

The U.S. is trying to head off a potential proposal from Beijing for a cease-fire in Ukraine ahead of a Russia-China summit, saying suspending fighting now would help solidify Russia’s hold on Ukrainian territory
via @WSJ
View: https://twitter.com/EndGameWW3/status/1636914942879182848?s=20


(fair use applies)


U.S. Seeks to Head Off Any Chinese Call for Cease-Fire in Ukraine
By pre-emptively criticizing potential proposal, U.S. wants to limit China’s support for Russia

By Charles Hutzler
March 17, 2023 1:58 pm ET

WASHINGTON—The U.S. is trying to head off a potential proposal from Beijing for a cease-fire in Ukraine ahead of a Russia-China summit, saying suspending fighting now would help solidify Russia’s hold on Ukrainian territory.

With Chinese leader Xi Jinping due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week, the White House expressed concern Friday about China’s deepening ties with Russia during the Ukraine war. That makes a potential call for a cease-fire a one-sided proposal to Russia’s benefit, said John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council.

“A cease-fire now is again effectively the ratification of Russian conquest,” Mr. Kirby said at a news briefing. Such a move, he said, would recognize Russia’s territorial gains and occupation of Ukrainian territory while giving Moscow a chance to entrench its positions and refresh its troops as Ukraine prepares for an anticipated spring offensive.

The pre-emptive criticism of a possible cease-fire proposal is apiece with a Biden administration effort to use public statements and disclosures to try to narrow Beijing’s room for maneuver with Moscow, according to former officials and foreign-affairs analysts.

In recent weeks, U.S. officials citing intelligence have publicly warned that Beijing is considering providing lethal weapons and capabilities to Russia, going beyond trade in goods like drones and jet parts that have both civilian and military uses. Mr. Kirby reiterated that concern, though he said the U.S. has no evidence China has done so.

Beijing hasn’t formally called for a cease-fire or offered a peace proposal. A position paper China’s Foreign Ministry issued last month on what it called “the Ukraine crisis” called for a political settlement and said all parties should work toward ceasing hostilities.

Last week, China brokered an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia for the two Middle Eastern adversaries to resume normal diplomatic relations, without the participation of the U.S., long the region’s major power. In announcing next week’s Moscow summit, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday that Mr. Xi’s visit will “be a trip for peace.”

“China will uphold an objective and fair position on the Ukraine crisis and play a constructive role in promoting talks for peace,” the spokesman, Wang Wenbin, told reporters in Beijing according to an official transcript.

If Beijing is interested in peace, Mr. Kirby said, Mr. Xi should speak directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The two are not believed to have spoken since Russia launched its full-scale invasion nearly 13 months ago, though Mr. Xi is expected to talk with Mr. Zelensky next week, as part of China’s push to be a more active mediator.

In contrast, Messrs. Putin and Xi have met dozens of times and their Moscow meeting will be their second in-person meeting in a half-year.

“We also hope that President Xi will reach out to President Zelensky directly because we continue to believe that it’s very important that he hears from the Ukrainian side as well and not just from Mr. Putin,” Mr. Kirby said.
 

LightEcho

Has No Life - Lives on TB

“Deadliest” F-16 pilot offers solution to Ukraine’s jet problem​


Source: Novynarnia.com​




“Deadliest” F 16 pilot offers solution to Ukraine’s jet problem

Dan Hampton. Photo from his FB

2023/03/18 - 01:59 • International
Dan Hampton, call sign “Two Dogs,” known as “the deadliest F-16 pilot” and one of the most experienced US military pilots, has proposed a solution to quickly turn the airspace over Ukraine into a no-fly zone for Russians. In a recent interview with the Voice of America, Hampton suggested that Western private pilots be allowed to pilot F-16s in Ukraine, and he even offered to defend Ukrainian skies personally.

During the interview, Hampton discussed the capabilities of F-16 aircraft and the challenges facing Ukraine and Ukrainian pilots in terms of the possible provision of these aircraft. While acknowledging that the training would be time-consuming and require Ukraine’s best pilots to go to the West, he proposed another idea that would allow Ukraine’s skies to be protected quickly. “A possible short-term solution for the Ukrainian government is to hire private contractors who are already F-16 pilots,” suggested Hampton. Although he admitted that it’s a policy issue that needs to be organized by governments, he believes it is “very possible.” Furthermore, Hampton is willing to defend Ukraine’s skies with F-16s if this option becomes available to private Western pilots.

In Hampton’s opinion, such a decision would help Ukraine buy time and ultimately win the war. “When the war is over, you can focus on sending your pilots abroad,” he said. He emphasized that Ukraine needs experienced military pilots “right now,” and every pilot sent to Arizona for training is one less pilot who can make a difference in the fight at present. He suggested that Ukraine arrange for the purchase of F-16s, which are the most affordable and already in Europe. Among the European countries that have these American aircraft in service are the air forces of Poland, the Netherlands, some Scandinavian countries, and the United States itself.

Hampton also emphasized the importance of surface-to-air missile systems and modern anti-aircraft weapons for the urgent defense of Ukrainian airspace. He believes that this, combined with private contractors piloting F-16s, would turn the airspace over Ukraine into a no-fly zone for Russians. “No one has ever won a war from the air,” he reminded, “but you can lose a war if you don’t control the airspace.”
Hampton concluded by saying that “there is access to such pilots” and enough American and European pilots would be willing to fly F-16s in Ukraine as private contractors. “This is a completely feasible option,” he assured, and he hopes the people in power in Ukraine will consider it.

Other notable points in his interview​

Russian Su-35s are “rubbish” Regarding the difference between the F-16 and Russian fighters, Hampton had critical comments on the Su-35. While acknowledging that it looks impressive with its beautifully painted exterior, he stated that it’s not really that good of an aircraft. In fact, he went as far as to call it “rubbish.” One of the main issues he pointed out is that it doesn’t have an AESA radar, considered an advanced electronic scanning radar 30 years ahead of the radar on the Su-35. He also mentioned that the Su-35 is a large aircraft with two smoke engines, making it an easy target for long-range missiles. According to him, the Su-35 is more suited for air shows than actual air combat.

Mentality matters When asked about the main challenge in training and air combat for Ukrainian pilots, Hampton emphasized the importance of mentality. Drawing on his experience of training foreign pilots, he stated that pilots from the Middle East often struggle to learn from their mistakes because they don’t think the way Western pilots do. In contrast, he felt that Ukrainian pilots would be more adaptable, especially when it comes to accepting criticism and learning from their mistakes. He mentioned an old saying in the US military that “whatever your military rank is, it is removed during the debriefing,” meaning that everyone, regardless of their rank, is expected to learn from their mistakes and take feedback constructively. Hampton suggested that Ukrainian pilots would fit into this mindset easily, unlike some Russian pilots he had trained with in the past.

The hardest thing about mastering an F-16 Finally, when asked about the most challenging technical aspects of F-16 training, Hampton emphasized the importance of mastering the weapon systems. While he felt confident that he could get a MiG-29 off the ground and back on it, he pointed out that controlling all the weapon systems on an F-16 is a different story altogether. He explained that the F-16’s weapons systems are connected to all the sensors, making it an incredibly complex aircraft to operate effectively. However, with the right training, F-16 pilots can become proficient in close air combat, dropping bombs, firing missile cannons, and even flying at night using infrared targeting systems. According to Hampton, it’s this level of capability that takes time and effort to master.

Who is “Two Dogs”​

Tags: F-16, fighter jet, USA
I would like to see this "hero" go try his magic against some S400s. Would pay to watch that video. Another moron working hard to move us into a nuclear war.
 

LightEcho

Has No Life - Lives on TB
  • The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a war crimes arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, alleging that Moscow forcibly deported Ukrainian children to Russia. Russian authorities have presented the deportations as a humanitarian campaign to protect orphans and children abandoned in the conflict zone.
  • The ICC also issued a warrant for Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, for the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine.
  • Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the deportations constituted a policy of “state evil” and the ICC warrant would provide “historic accountability” for crimes committed against Ukraine by Russia.
  • The ICC arrest warrant obligates the court’s 123 member states to arrest Putin and transfer him to The Hague for trial if he sets foot on their territory.
How dare Putin remove children (and adults) from a war zone and send them to a safe living area! He should have done what the allied Azovs did: shoot them.
 
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