Holien

Lot's of folk here not very happy with this either....
I am all for sending Ukraine everything we can from the Uk. No point in having it sat here in warehouses when we have a fire to put out in Europe.
I will be writing to my MP, not that I expect it will do much but it's something I can do.
Europe has realised that we shouldn't be dependent on foreign countries for energy and key commodities so we are on a trajectory to remove the strangle hold of OPEC and Russia.
If Ukraine can produce it's own weapon systems with European help, American Aid will become less important.
We need to keep you in the fight this year....
Ukraine needs to work out how to recruit folk to keep the front lines manned...
 

Lot's of folk here not very happy with this either....
I am all for sending Ukraine everything we can from the Uk. No point in having it sat here in warehouses when we have a fire to put out in Europe.
I will be writing to my MP, not that I expect it will do much but it's something I can do.
Europe has realised that we shouldn't be dependent on foreign countries for energy and key commodities so we are on a trajectory to remove the strangle hold of OPEC and Russia.
If Ukraine can produce it's own weapon systems with European help, American Aid will become less important.
We need to keep you in the fight this year....
Ukraine needs to work out how to recruit folk to keep the front lines manned...
 

Lot's of folk here not very happy with this either....
I am all for sending Ukraine everything we can from the Uk. No point in having it sat here in warehouses when we have a fire to put out in Europe.
I will be writing to my MP, not that I expect it will do much but it's something I can do.
Europe has realised that we shouldn't be dependent on foreign countries for energy and key commodities so we are on a trajectory to remove the strangle hold of OPEC and Russia.
If Ukraine can produce it's own weapon systems with European help, American Aid will become less important.
We need to keep you in the fight this year....
Ukraine needs to work out how to recruit folk to keep the front lines manned...
 

This news, though it was again from "anonymous source" summoned a huge wave of hate in Ukraine. Especially on background of today's heavy strike. 
Despite President's Office rejected US warned Ukraine to stop strikes we can see there are no strikes in about a week on Russian refineries. Also journalists of "Voice of America" Ukrainian branch officially asked White House to comment the article in FT. The answer was very blurred and contained the phrase "we don't encourage attacks inside the Russia" (well, I imagine 1941 and White House, which don't encourage Britain strikes inside Germany). 
I think, after today's disaster, we have to blow Russian refieries and energy infrastructure with double force. It's more and more opinions here that US doesn't want a victory of Ukraine. These limited weapon supply after the peak in December 2022 is just for "not allow Ukriane to lose", but not to "Ukrainian victory". Last speech of Sullivan, where he pointed out "victory conditions" for Ukraine - "if Ukriane keeps ittelsf as democracy state bla-bla-bla"... but without pointing out in what borders. 
What we can expect from the country which even can't do nothinbg with Huthi attacks and asking China to influence on them (!!!)

 
 

Scheme of today's missile strike. 
Red - Kh-101, purple - Kh-59, yellow - Shaheds, green - Kh-22, blue - Kinzhal, orange - ballistic (Iskander/S-300) 

It was strongest attack since the end of 2022 with heavy consequenses.
Russians used in mass those types of misisles, which can't be intercepted by more weak AD of eastern cities. 
This was posted here today, but I repeat if somebody skipped it:
63 Shaheds - 55 shot down
2 Kh-59 - 2
12 Iskander-M - 0
22 S-300 - 0
40 Kh-101 - 35
5 Kh-22 - 0 
7 Kh-47 Kinzhal - 0 (according unconfirmed info one Kinzhal, passing north of Kyiv oblast on route to Khmelnitskyi, was engaged with Patriot missile, but interception wasn't successful)
 
Most bad situation in Kharkiv - the city was hit with 20 S-300 missiles from Belgorod  and remained completely out of electricity
In Zaporizhzhia except GES-1 and GES-2 hit (GES-2 got heavy damages, GES - hydro energy plant), which were hit with 8 different misiles, about 450 private and multistorey buildings got different damages
On the photo - aftermath of missile impact in private cottages district of Zaporizhzhia

In Khmelnitskiy also missile and Shaheds caused destructions and civilain deaths 

Total number of victims - 5 killed, 3 missed, not less 30 wounded.
At the evening Russians launched one more Iskander-M on power infrastructure object near Odesa. So, in 8 oblasts of Ukraine there were partial electricity cutting off 
 
 

If America could only ween itself off Oil...
There is a pathway but too many on the right are against anything "green".
A topic not for this thread but it would help the world and stop Americans being held hostage to oil price pressure.
I wonder if Ukraine will listen to this advice from Biden or will take the Israeli position.
Europe really needs to up it's involvement as I despair of some Americans who hold power.
 

Looks like the AD did a good job if true?
Hopefully it didn't disturb our friends in Ukraine?

If America could only ween itself off Oil...
There is a pathway but too many on the right are against anything "green".
A topic not for this thread but it would help the world and stop Americans being held hostage to oil price pressure.
I wonder if Ukraine will listen to this advice from Biden or will take the Israeli position.
Europe really needs to up it's involvement as I despair of some Americans who hold power.
 

If America could only ween itself off Oil...
There is a pathway but too many on the right are against anything "green".
A topic not for this thread but it would help the world and stop Americans being held hostage to oil price pressure.
I wonder if Ukraine will listen to this advice from Biden or will take the Israeli position.
Europe really needs to up it's involvement as I despair of some Americans who hold power.
 

UKR soldier in anti-thermal sight poncho. By feedback from soldiers it really masks from thermal sights unveling and they several times could approach to enemy positions in the night unspotted until the last moment. Main issues - the fabric is too rustles during crawling and it damn hot in this poncho. 

The work of pyrotechnicians of State Emergency Service this morning in Kyiv - they loaded an unexploded Kh-101 warhead, moved it out of the city and blew up. You can watch a process. Settlers of this house can celebrete own second birthday
 

@Kinophile
This war showed many things, which considered before as impossible became real. There were several cases of cruise missiles downning with HMGs. Yes, if the missile flies with a speed 200 m/s under 90 degrees from your position, your chances are almost zero. But if missile incoming directly to you, your chances raise, especially when your HMG equipped with thermal sight. All question - to give mobile group a proper engagement point. Mobile groups as usual had PDA with "Virazh" AD info system, transmitting trajectories of missiles, so the group can move and take proper position. 
Also, pay attention, on this video you can see only HMG shooting and missile explosion, no incoming SAM, chasing the cruise missile and hitting it. 
Scheme of today's attack

Looks like the AD did a good job if true?
Hopefully it didn't disturb our friends in Ukraine?

It's because the attack was all directed on Kyiv with strongest AD shield in Ukraine. If each city had the same protection, the total result would be like this.
It was at 5:00 I heard two Patriots launches, then heavy boom so windows shaken. It was Kinzhal or Iskander interception - it came from NE direction, were my district is located, so interception of ballistic missiles add some adrenaline %) Then, since 5 minutes one more (aero)ballistic target was destroyed, but slightly further. Then I heard 2-3 distant booms - all other missiles flew from western direction and were intercepted there - it's too far from me. 
 But anyway, several Kh-101 were intercepted over the city and hit the ground in residental areas  - 12 citizens were wounded. Damaged several buildings, one workshop, kindergarden, church, local power substation. Several cars burnt. 
Here fragment of missile impacted on the street not far from one of specific object %) and damaged buildings around - probably warhead detonated. 


Here of course "underground command bunker was destroyed" )))

People of this house were really lucky...

... Because warhead of intercepted Kh-101 fell down directly near the building and didn't explode

Of course, Russian MoD made a statement "the strike, including Kinzhal missiles was performed on decision making centers - all targets were hit". Ok. 390 millions USD to nowhere. Rich country...

Ok as we are talking about Elections PR Stunts this popped up and worth a read...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulroderickgregory/2014/05/05/putins-human-rights-council-accidentally-posts-real-crimean-election-results-only-15-voted-for-annexation/amp/
The article is from May 2014. I know I know going back a bit but when did the war start...
So for those thinking there was mass support for the annexation the actual figures don't back that up...
 
 
 
Anyway all a moot point as any Russian election is just a PR attempt to dupe the world...
 

Czech Republic already supplied 300 000 artillery shells. This claimed Yan Lipavsky, minister of foreign afafirs of this country.
In own turn Ukrainian representatives says this number will allow to close sharp deficite for next month and we hope further supplies will grow up. Ukraine now produce 122 mm and 152 mm ammunition and from second half of 2024 will launch produce of 155 mm shells
Also WSJ claimed Ukraine month ago launched serial production of unnamed missile with 400 miles range. 
 

Unrelevant Russian TG writes on Engels-2 airfield in result of UKR strike slightly damaged two Tu-95 strategic bombers and four servicemen of airfield personnel were killed. This TG often considered in Ukriane as our PsyOps in Russian informatin space, so let it be, until satellite images appear. 
Though, locals write there wer four explosions - allegedly three drones were shot down, but fourth hit airfield and they have seen that something burnt on the territory of airbase.

This chap is doing fairly decent videos trying to explain attacks and the context of them.
His content on the incursion into Russia has been useful for me to understand exactly where the videos have been taken. 
His analysis is not military grade but by adding maps and context it is useful, to me anyway...
Looks like Russia might have lost some long range bombers? 
 

Gotta be honest, I am not even sure why this is still a topic of debate.  The posters who have come out and claimed that the last Russian election was “pure as new driven snow” do so with an agenda of heaping as much responsibility and culpability for this war onto the Russian population as possible.  Bizarrely, this means voicing support for the “democratic” process in Russia because it shows what they want it too - everyone in Russia hates Ukraine and supports this war.  We have seen zero actual evidence that this election was anything but a sham in the tradition of the NK election process, beyond the rantings of some very angry (old, I am guessing) Ukrainian men.  They are justified in that anger but not justified in pushing disinformation about the Russian election process, in my opinion.
We have seen and heard from both mainstream news media, and my own federal government that this last election was a complete sham.  The basic mechanisms for an open and fair election are missing or suppressed by the incumbent.  This was not a transparent mandate from the people, it was Putin voting for himself…and surprise…he won!
So what?  Well it basically means that we have little actual insight into how much Russian’s really support (or not) Putin, nor do we really have insight on support for this war based on this last bit of theatre.  We do know that it is not zero, but it is also not “110%”.  Nor has it led to answering the real question: how does support turn into opposition?  Instead we get the usual pre-genocidal nonsense of “only good Russian is a dead one” and hand wringing from the sidelines.

This chap is doing fairly decent videos trying to explain attacks and the context of them.
His content on the incursion into Russia has been useful for me to understand exactly where the videos have been taken. 
His analysis is not military grade but by adding maps and context it is useful, to me anyway...
Looks like Russia might have lost some long range bombers? 
 

Ok as we are talking about Elections PR Stunts this popped up and worth a read...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulroderickgregory/2014/05/05/putins-human-rights-council-accidentally-posts-real-crimean-election-results-only-15-voted-for-annexation/amp/
The article is from May 2014. I know I know going back a bit but when did the war start...
So for those thinking there was mass support for the annexation the actual figures don't back that up...
 
 
 
Anyway all a moot point as any Russian election is just a PR attempt to dupe the world...
 

This struck me at the start of the article..
 
So they make more from the crude and Ukraine is not targeting that production.
Certainly Russia is going to see more fuel shortages for its internal market but it is not clear cut that the drone attacks will do enough to shut down the energy market for Russia.
As the author says (he wrote article I guess before the 26th Jan) we will have to see how effective the repairs are.
 
I am hoping they are not as effective as Ukraine was in recovering from the attacks on their power grid.
It could be the smartest use of drones by Ukraine so far and perhaps have the biggest payback. (And Ukraine is already at genius level for use with the ships sunk...)
Fingers Crossed...

I am hoping this will be the case and the Western Powers can't stop Ukraine from using home grown weapons doing whatever they wish..
In fact I think Macron might even be fully behind this now to end the war quickly...
As I keep asking "ARE WE THERE YET!!!!"
God do I hope so....

Not really a radio grog but I've taken a few E&M classes...
Back in the day, most of the internet wasn't encrypted, either.  It cost computing power to do that, and it's relatively recent that everything travels with TLS/SSL.
Most of the drones on both sides seem to be either consumer drones or built with consumer parts, and there has mostly not been a lot of incentive to make the video feeds encrypted.  Strong encryption requires computing power, and that takes energy from the battery that could be used to fly longer.  And at the start of the drone war it's likely that that neither side had a lot of people or equipment available to eavesdrop on drone transmissions.  March 2002 was like the beginnings of WWI aviation where enemies could just wave at each other, or maybe fire a pistol.  
Even adding some relatively weak encryption (that maybe requires less compute) would probably be sufficient for tactical security as long as the keys are unique and random for every flight - it only has to be secure against being broken in an hour or so to keep eavesdroppers from seeing what it's doing in realtime.  A reasonably capable attacker could record all the encrypted signals and break them later to look for patterns, but that doesn't help them dodge any FPV right now.

This struck me at the start of the article..
 
So they make more from the crude and Ukraine is not targeting that production.
Certainly Russia is going to see more fuel shortages for its internal market but it is not clear cut that the drone attacks will do enough to shut down the energy market for Russia.
As the author says (he wrote article I guess before the 26th Jan) we will have to see how effective the repairs are.
 
I am hoping they are not as effective as Ukraine was in recovering from the attacks on their power grid.
It could be the smartest use of drones by Ukraine so far and perhaps have the biggest payback. (And Ukraine is already at genius level for use with the ships sunk...)
Fingers Crossed...