All things Russia and Ukraine...

The KEY Kai is not to get angry, get even...

 

I know, I know...

 

My earlier words were much harshers. Hammurabi, Putin, and a spoon. The man who never started a war. Time to d,,,

 

I do think that adding Finland and Sweden to NATO is a good thing. I am all for the US supporting the Ukraine in its fight with Russia with weapons, munitions, intelligence, training, etc. Apparently, the Ukraine has huge numbers of troops in training for a counterattack once the time is right. Russia is even recruiting prisoners to bolster their numbers. Presently, not many have volunteered or been accepted. Male citizens of the Donbas are being rounded up and impressed into military service, in support of Russian forces, despite age or medical issues, given minimal kit and virtually no training, then sent into the assault. The Ukrainians are using ingenious tactics for their limited number of HIMAR's systems to negate Russia's last big advantage, tons of artillery (conventional, rocket and missile) and huge stockpiles of ammunition. I don't think NATO should send ground troops or air power to aid Ukraine, that would give Putin the excuse to use tactical nukes. None of us wants the conflict to devolve into a nuclear exchange. I am also for forward deploying US troops and air power to the NATO countries that border Russia and Ukraine in case the latter falls, though I doubt Russia would have the power to push any further west.

So, chill brother, we can't control the future we can just be prepared to face it. We all gotta die sometime, I just choose to do it on my feet, not my knees and as a free man not a slave.

 

Ukraine has informed us that they received the first M270 rocket firing system to their country.

Russia has announced open recruitment to create 270 new battalions of men to army in Crimea.

 

Ukraine war: Iran plans to supply Russia with combat drones, US warns

Ukraine war: Iran plans to supply Russia with combat drones, US warns

Iran plans to supply Russia with potentially hundreds of drones for its war in Ukraine, some with combat capabilities, a US official has said.

 

Remember the good old days, when we were worried about Russia selling arms to Iran...

 

Iran said they are gonna speed up the production. So Russia is runnig low on such items. And the Iranese even need to teach how to operate those drones. Ohhoh.
.

 

Kai,
More good news for you from Britain, here is a 28 June 2022 speech by the UK's Chief of General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders. He gets it and is ready to go "balls deep" to focus on defending Europe from Russian aggression.
Chief of the General Staff Speech at RUSI Land Warfare Conference - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

He also makes reference to NATO over-reliance on the US and how that may not be an option going forward.
"Given the commitments of the US in Asia during the 20s and 30s, I believe that the burden for conventional deterrence in Europe will fall increasingly to European members of NATO and the JEF. This is right in my view: taking up the burden in Europe means we can free more US resources to ensure that our values and interests are protected in the Indo-Pacific."

The House approved $100 million in funding to train Ukrainian pilots to use U.S. aircraft as part of the National Defense Authorization Act it passed 329-101 this week.
House authorizes training for Ukrainian pilots to use U.S. aircraft (yahoo.com)

Some stuff you don't normally see: From a Russian source, you'll have to use Google translate to read, but a good read it is!
Special operation "Z". Dilettante's Answers (topwar.ru)

Why hasn’t Russia exploited its airpower advantage?....The original question, as related by Fedorov, wondered how it is that the Russian Air Force does “not hang over the heads of the enemy for days.” The answer states succinctly that NATO radar aircraft (AWACS) are “hovering like vultures near to Ukraine around the clock,” providing real-time intelligence on all Russian aircraft sorties, including from the time they leave their Russian bases. With this kind of tracking, Ukrainian air defense systems can operate with their own radars turned off — making them much harder to detect. By turning on their fire control radars only at the last moment before engagement, the Russian target aircraft have “minimal time to make evasive maneuvers.”

Why hasn’t Russia succeeded in deploying large, mobile forces?....“We are talking about an offensive along the Lutsk-Lviv-Uzhgorod line from the territory of Belarus. On the map it turns out very beautifully — the troops [deploying] from north to south with a swift motion along a 500- to 700-kilometer march.” Yet the possibility of launching such a parachute or heliborne strike is quickly dismissed, given the vast amount of intelligence information that NATO is sending to Ukraine. Fedorov explains: “In general, in any military operation, the factor of surprise plays … a key role, which, unfortunately, the [Russian] forces are deprived of at the strategic level. [Therefore, we would require] a 3- to 4-fold advantage in manpower and equipment.”

My comment: As we have seen Russia lacks the manpower to replenish the losses to units it has sustained in the fighting. Units that were understrength in infantry when initially deployed before the fighting. Plus, most sources say Putin has deployed 80%+ of his military, there's not much left.

Despite some good news on the military front, there are some areas where vulnerability is showing. There are cracks starting to show in Europe's resolve over Russian Sanctions and support for the Ukraine long term. Plus, how long can Ukraine continue to resist without significant economic aid? The US has so far sent $4.2 billion in economic aid with another $6.2 billion to be delivered between now and September, for a total of $10.4 billion. This is on top of the monetary costs of the US providing the lion's share of the weapons sent thus far. The EU, in April, pledged Euros 9 billion but has thus far only sent Euros 1 billion. The rest is tied up in disputes over what form the aid should take. Going back to the US bearing an inordinate percentage of the NATO costs, how is it fair for the US to have thus far sent 80% of the economic aid, and IF the EU sends what it promised, the US will still be providing over half the relief? If the united support by the EU countries for the Ukraine starts to fracture, I can guarantee the US taxpayers will question why we spent/spend so much money on European defense.

 

Unfortunately, I think, there are countries, like Germany, that decided to give up nuclear power and instead depend on Russian gas. As Russia has cut the gas line recently things are turning complicated. Also Hungary , I think, is against cutting the gas line.
Dropping helping Ukraine, we know where it leads to. NATO collapse will give Putin all he wanted. I am not there to decide but we will not gve up,

 

Two different horses. AFAIK, natural gas in Germany is primarily used for heating, as opposed to generation of electricity. Unfortunately, turning the nuclear plants back on would not solve this problem.

The closure of Germany's nuclear industry was a knee-jerk reaction to the Fukushima disaster of 2011, which sparked large protests of the German nuclear industry. Also, it was a response to Merkel's sagging popularity during the protests.

 

I did not know this, good info!

 

Anyway,
Since 2014 Europe has started preparing its armies again, and due to co2 problem for some years non-carbon means have been planned much more quickly, and after the Ukraine war Russian gas/oil usage has been planned to be stopped by the end of 2022. Is it possible? Who knows.

 

Suddenly due to enviromental problems since a couple of years ago all carbon-releasing energy methods have been planned to be removed. I have had a feeling since the Russian war that even Germany has been thinking about keeping nuclear power in use for longer. What other way is there? Inflation is 7.8%, oil and Food prices are soon doubled, and when Winter comes there are plans there will be cuts of one hour at times in electric receivement just to start things.

 

We must talk and keep hands together. If Russia can separate us from each other Putin has reached his goal.

 

Oops...who pays who and how much?

Ukraine war: Zelensky suspends security chief and top prosecutor

President Volodymyr Zelensky has suspended the head of Ukraine's spy agency (SBU) and the prosecutor general, citing many cases of treason in the two powerful organisations.

Bite the hand that feeds?

He said more than 60 former employees were now working against Ukraine in Russian-occupied areas.

 

Lavrov says they are not satisfied with Eastern Ukraine alone- they want more. So more dead Russians.
And no peace discussions in Turkey. Erdogan, your last straw??

 

Erdogan. Do you get Ukrainian wheat and that's it. You pay for stolen goods. Happy endings.

 

Kai-Petri,

More good news on the military front, Britain is sending an additional 1.1 billion in military aid, to include 20 M-109 SP Howitzers.

"Weapons that the ministry said will be delivered shortly to Ukraine include more than 20 M109 155mm self-propelled guns and 36 L119 105mm artillery guns."

I served in Mike Btty, 4th Bn 14th Marines for a couple of years at the end of my reserve time. They had M-109A3 SP Howitzers. They're a good piece of equipment, can shoot and scoot and are long ranged. Norway donated Ukraine 22 M-109A3GN's in May, 2022. Now Britain sends an additional 20 (Britain doesn't currently operate the M-109 and it appears they bought and refurbished 20 M109A4BE from Belgium, who do not operate them as well).

Additional equipment from Britain: "It will also be sending counter-battery radar systems and more than 50,000 rounds of Soviet-era artillery ammunition. More than 1,600 anti-tank weapons will be sent in the coming weeks as well as drones, including loitering aerial munitions, it said."

The L-119's are shorter ranged lighter artillery, but at least will give the Ukrainian's more tubes. The HIMAR's, MLRS, M777's and M-109's outclass the Russian stuff.