Gpig

or as we might say today Russia is a plague infected rat, wrapped in a used Depends, stuffed into the rotting corpse of a Russian soldier left on the fields of Bakhmut.

“I have had to eat my own words many times, and I have found it a very nourishing diet.”
— Winston Churchill

Oh, sh....t. 3:30 of night now and next mass ballistic strike on Kyiv was 20 minutes ago. It was VERY loud and reportedly over left-bank districts of the city. About two dozens explosions. Preliminary Iskanders, launched from Klintsy area, Briansk oblast. Looks like all were intercepted. I think, more details will be at the morning. Well, I should try to sleep after THIS.

During Russian assault of UKR positions in Pervomaiske area (Avdiivka direction) Javelin operator of 59th mot.inf.brigade can't lock Russian tank on about 300 m, because LOS was closed by dust and smoke. Only when dust curtain scattered enough, operator could lock on target and launched missile
 

This night I could see interception of "Shakhed" over neighbour quarter - projector beams in the sky, machinegun traces, zzzzzzz - "Shakhed's" sound in the air, then flash (likely missile hit), light boom and debrices in flame, falling onto someone's yard. 
18 "Shakheds"were destroyed over Kyiv this night.  

Interesting detail of first successfull assault of 3rd brigade against Russian 72nd brigade on 8th of May: burning enemy BMP on known video (at 5:52 on video above) is a result of KS-19 AA gun work %) This gun supported assault and was towed by truck. Like a FLAK 88 ) 
First news about KS-19 in UKR service appeared in April 2023. Defense Express assumed that can be not only captured Russian guns (four were abandoned during Balakliya-Izium operation), but also guns from stocks. Recently wasn't unable to restore KS-19 because absense of ammunition. But likely Bulgaria pledged own OF-412 ammo for them.  
 
KS-19 in UKR service on the photo

Captured during Balakliya operation Russian KS-19 

First three seasons were enough good, but than further, than more and more terrible. My eyes can't watch last season with flights over Kyiv, standing on flat land %) Lagerta is really cool, but her taekwondo and BJJ-style fights in the movie looks strange %) 
"The Northman" is more cool from my re-enactor point of view  ) 

I have my fingers crossed so hard they hurt that that won't be the only upside surprise we see. Hopefully it won't be the most significant one either.

UKR post get hit. By chance a group of guts were all at a table that happened to not get flatterend by the slabs above. 
Dug out by their comrades,  eventually evacuated and now building up a mother company in the rear. 
"The most difficult 3 months of our lives". 
"The war continues..." 
 

🙏🤞🙏
 

My definition of a fully successful spring/summer offensive would be Ukrainian units controlling the rest of Kherson, the entrance to the Crimean peninsula and then eastwards to the point at which the Kerch Bridge is in range of UA fires. It would be sufficiently successful to ensure continued aid if the first two conditions were met because if Ukraine manages it, then Russia has definitively lost no matter what happens thereafter. Moscow would be facing a slew of unhappy strategic choices with few options to change the menu.

Ukraine today returned 44 POWs (including two civilians)
This guy didn't see apples very long time...

There is a point on the circle where the far-left and far-right meet and this is pretty close to it.  The mechanics are the same, connect a whole bunch of phenomena, many of them that are in isolation of each other - e.g. homelessness and MKUltra.  Then tie them together with logic strings to create a unifying construct - in this case Western Satan.
The problem is that 1) many of these phenomena are in fact disconnected as there are no star chambers just people being mean to other people - the red scare violations of human rights is not in the same bin as lynchings.  2) the fact that anyone has access to these historical examples and can openly cite them is proof against a massive oppressive western regime that spans generations, and 3) completely misses all the good and right these western systems have done, worse dismisses it as social background radiation when in fact it was the main effort.
This method is a sort of reverse social contrasting because all one is seeing are the lynchings, CIA plots, cop shootings and homeless.  If one stares at that long enough it is easy to believe that is the core and not indeed the background radiation of macro-social evolution in the western world.  There are societies where these sorts of activities were far more central to maintaining order and control as has been noted.  They do not complain about police brutality and cite internet stories to back them up in North Korea because they are living in a truly brutal dictatorship.
I have worked defence and security my entire adult life - there is not massive conspiracy led by the far [insert villain] trying to control you through a weird Goldberg-esque complicated scheme. There is a government trying to keep 300+ million primates wired for fear response from killing each other.  While at the same time trying to keep the other 7.7 billion scared primates from either killing you, or each other too fast.  The good news is that this “sinister and highly corrupt system” has essentially worked.  We are better off now than we have ever been in history.  Do not believe me?  Google stuff like child mortality or literacy, or healthcare.  You wanna talk “big unfair prisons” do some research on the 19th century legal system.  
People are not “seeing the matrix” in spite of nasty government control, they are seeing it because of government protections - as imperfect as they may be.

There'd have to be multiple rounds though, right? Karate in the first, a bare-chest off in the second, and finishing with sick burns in an improv comedy round.

Several kilomiters from Bakhmut. Stabilization point. Medics are working 24/7. This guy was returned back to life after his heart stopped.
 
 
 

After I’m flattened and scorched by the Alien meteor, you can both feast on my well done, gammy leg. Har!

Before or after he gets lightly incinerated in a smoky plane wreck?

hmm  does @Gpig taste like Gbacon?

AIr Forces report
Destroyed:
- UFO over Kyiv ) 

Amazing footage, some of the best we've ever seen I think.  The squad leader rolling out of the bunker to the left there shows how important taking the initiative/violence of action is.  He neutralized that Russian squad's attack with about a magazine from his M4.

47th mech.brigade with Slovenian M-55S and Bradley

And in the Holy Fudge category of combat footage, we have a new king:
POV guy shows great personal courage, head is on a swivel. Top notch NCO-ing going on.

Let’s hope it has its mother’s turret. 

Drone recon unit "Signum" adjusts with drone thermal camera 60 mm mortar fire of 93rd mech.brigade unit on Wagner group in Bakhmut.