Billy Ringo

I shot a Hyundai gig last week, 6 days. On D5 afternoon it was pouring rain and 35-50km winds up by Newmarket. We were shooting in carrot farm country, so extremely little hedge/tree growth near us. In addition to the U-Crane car and a truck-rigged RED Komodo, we had a drone unit, "DRONE BOY" from Toronto, shooting with their FPV "Beast" drone.
"Beast" as a name is a bit of overhype...it's a perfectly good drone, well operated, but anything above 35km is almost unusable. Gusting is the worst, with rain being the nail in the coffin - you can't protect the lens much on a drone like you (somewhat) can on a rigged or craned camera. The drone could also easily flip (despite top/bottom rotors) and faceplant itself in a carrot patch.
In later casual conversation with the drone guys, I asked was anything in development to handle these kind of wet, windy conditions. Basically, no, becuase - Physics is a bitch.  Essentially, the problem is the physical format of a camera-carrying drone - it's a horizontal, wide frame that in higher winds is fundamentally prone to turning into a wing and flipping itself. Your engines are fighting that uplift constantly, which drains the battery quicker than a teenager empties their parents wallet. To help you can increase the weight of the frame, but now your engines need even more power, etc, etc - Oh hello, engineering design death spiral...
By the time you've got a drone designed to where it can smoothly and easily handle this weather and above then you might as well get a proper helo.
Situations like this (sorta rough weather but totally workable in), which overwhelm your average size+* drone are why there will still be blank spots in the tactical ISR of any battlefield.
It implies also that good infantry will make better use of bad weather to penetrate enemy positions, especially if they bring a few disposable drones.
 
*I cant speak to MIL-specific designs, maybe they can handle rough weather better but...physics doesn't care if you're a civvy or a sergeant...

This is a unique video for me. At 10.21 minutes of the video, I see people with whom I took refuge in the basement of the clinic after my apartment was left without windows. Later, I corresponded with a guy who is standing with a child in his arms, he said that they were evacuated on March 08. I offered them to go out with me on March 05, When the hospital staff decided it was time to evacuate but they refused and spent three days in the basement without electricity and water.
The video shows moments a few days after the start of active fighting for Irpin. By that time, evacuation corridors had already been organized. People knew in advance when and from what place the evacuation would be organized. I left Irpen on the fifth of February. Then there was no organized evacuation, no one understood exactly where the enemy was, where the safe route was. Everyone went to the bridge in the way that he considered correct. And some paid for their mistake with their lives. I went to the bridge alone on foot and I think I was lucky.
War brings people together. In the face of danger, everyone strives to do something to help others. Pharmacies distributed medicines to everyone for free, shops distributed food, a lot of volunteers appeared ready to help others. From the second day of the war, I was constantly in the local clinic. We unloaded humanitarian aid and food, carried the wounded (a point was set up at the polyclinic to stabilize the wounded before sending them to a military hospital). The victims, whom the doctors could not save, had to be buried right in the courtyard of the clinic, as the road to the cemetery was shot through.
 
Most of the wounded were civilians. I remember two cases in particular. In one, a man and a woman brought a dead child of 5 years old with a gunshot wound to the hospital. They tried to leave Bucha to the west, their car was fired upon by Russian soldiers. In the second case, a pregnant girl with a damaged spine was brought to the hospital. She and her husband were in their apartment when the shell hit their home. The husband died on the spot. she got a spinal injury. Unfortunately, as a result of this injury, her child also died. She lost her most loved people in one day.
 

I must say that my current life is a paradise compared to what it was at the end of February, beginning of March. Then, in the current situation with electricity, I am daily exposed to artillery shelling and air bombing. I was in my apartment and just moved away from the window, when a 152-mm shell fell right in front of my window, at a distance of about 100 meters. They threw shards of glass at me, later I found one of the shards in my apartment. Miraculously, I didn't come back. But this is a trifle. It all happened so suddenly that I didn't even have time to get scared.
Air bombardment of senior artillery. When you sit in the basement and hear the rapidly growing whistle of a Russian jet engine. With this blood in your veins, you literally freeze with fear, you understand that now he will drop bombs and, perhaps, you will find yourself under the rubble. When the FAB-500 bomb explodes a kilometer away from you. A building in the basement that literally shakes like an earthquake.
But I experienced the greatest fear when, in the conditions of street fighting, I traveled from Irpen (I had the stupidity to wait until the last, hoping that the Russians were not going to my city, because the bridge to Kyiv had already been blown up). As I was walking towards the bridge along the main street on the next street, literally 200 meters away from me, a heavy firefight broke out. I saw tracers flying across the intersection that I had to cross to get to the bridge. I waited until the Russian turned the fire in the other direction, and with all my might ran across the intersection. Despite this, thanks to adrenaline, I had more energy than ever. I ran a mile and a half with large and heavy bags. Normally I wouldn't be able to do this.
 

No comment needed here. Great news!
 

Maybe it's just me, but I cut Kraze some slack.  Because if my country was being raped, devastated, killed, kidnapped, tortured, etc. I'd probably be little biased and bigoted also.   But very thankfully I haven't had to experience any of that during my lifetime.  Walking in someone else's shoes and all that...

Maybe it's just me, but I cut Kraze some slack.  Because if my country was being raped, devastated, killed, kidnapped, tortured, etc. I'd probably be little biased and bigoted also.   But very thankfully I haven't had to experience any of that during my lifetime.  Walking in someone else's shoes and all that...

Maybe it's just me, but I cut Kraze some slack.  Because if my country was being raped, devastated, killed, kidnapped, tortured, etc. I'd probably be little biased and bigoted also.   But very thankfully I haven't had to experience any of that during my lifetime.  Walking in someone else's shoes and all that...

Maybe it's just me, but I cut Kraze some slack.  Because if my country was being raped, devastated, killed, kidnapped, tortured, etc. I'd probably be little biased and bigoted also.   But very thankfully I haven't had to experience any of that during my lifetime.  Walking in someone else's shoes and all that...

During the last 2 days, the enemy also led the "consolidated" BTG of the 15th and 21st Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Guards. CAA unsuccessful defensive battles on the eastern outskirts of c. Makeevka (Lugansk region). Let's just say that he failed to hold his positions, "hooking" on the eastern outskirts of the village ... In two scattered groups, he was forced to retreat to the village. Kovalevka and towards Novonikolskaya - Milovatka.
After the forward units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine advanced towards Svatovo in the Stelmahovka area, the enemy was forced to leave the area of the village of Myasozharovka, two significantly "shabby" motorized rifle companies (probably from the 15th or 21st Motorized Rifle Brigade) withdrew to the area south of Kolomiychikha.
Let's summarize (a few general remarks regarding the current and further development of the situation in the Svatov direction)...
1. It is obvious that the main goal of all these counterattacks northwest of Svatovo, mainly on both sides of the R-07 road (Kupyansk - Svatovo), as well as tough "oncoming" battles southwest of Svatovo, is the desire of the enemy command to keep the city of Svatovo. And it is no less obvious that he, to put it mildly, "doesn't work." The advanced units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are confidently advancing from two sides into the city and have actually reached its near approaches.
2. Also, no less obvious is the fact that the command of the enemy troops, to put it mildly, rather strangely distributed their forces and means for conducting defense, both in the Svatovo region and in the Kremennaya region ... Yes, I mean exactly between the so-called "northern" and "southern" parts of their "West" grouping. It is clear that the "northern" (Svatovo) part is noticeably inferior "in volume" to its colleagues from the "southern" (Kremennaya - Rubizhnoye). It follows from this that it is much more important for the command of the enemy troops to keep the Kremennaya area than Svatovo ...
3. At first glance, this may look somewhat strange, but in my opinion, in this case, the Russian command made a completely correct and logical decision ... Why?
 
The answer is in my morning messages. In short, it is obvious that the breakthrough of the Armed Forces of Ukraine through Kremennaya and Rubizhnoye north of Severodonetsk (essentially bypassing it from the north) towards Novoaydar or Starobelsk (with subsequent access to the GKU, for example, in the Gorodishche area) is much more threatening than protracted defensive battles in the area Svatovo, or even Belokurakino or Novopskov ... Which, by and large, do not pose a significant threat to the Russian troops, or difficulties in terms of some kind of bypass maneuvers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or hypothetical "breakthroughs" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the rear of the Zapad grouping ...In this case, the Russians can conduct stubborn, deterrent defensive battles in this part of the Lugansk region (Svatovo - Starobelsk), thus exhausting the advancing Ukrainian troops, and at the same time gradually withdraw as if on their own territory (while maintaining a very real threat to the Armed Forces of Ukraine of going on the counteroffensive on a broad front), and to the south, gradually building up their forces along the Kremennaya - Novoaidar - Alekseevka - Gorodishche line ...
4. Therefore, proceeding precisely from these considerations, I believe that the fate of the northern part of the Lugansk region will be decided not in Svatovo, but in Kremennaya and Rubizhne, which the enemy will strive to keep under any circumstances.
Moreover, the fate of Lisichansk and Severodonetsk will largely depend on who and how will control the area of Kreminnaya and Rubizhnoye, as well as the "triangle" Shipilovka - Privolye - Novodruzhesk and the LNPZ area.

Maybe it's just me, but I cut Kraze some slack.  Because if my country was being raped, devastated, killed, kidnapped, tortured, etc. I'd probably be little biased and bigoted also.   But very thankfully I haven't had to experience any of that during my lifetime.  Walking in someone else's shoes and all that...

Maybe it's just me, but I cut Kraze some slack.  Because if my country was being raped, devastated, killed, kidnapped, tortured, etc. I'd probably be little biased and bigoted also.   But very thankfully I haven't had to experience any of that during my lifetime.  Walking in someone else's shoes and all that...

Maybe it's just me, but I cut Kraze some slack.  Because if my country was being raped, devastated, killed, kidnapped, tortured, etc. I'd probably be little biased and bigoted also.   But very thankfully I haven't had to experience any of that during my lifetime.  Walking in someone else's shoes and all that...

Maybe it's just me, but I cut Kraze some slack.  Because if my country was being raped, devastated, killed, kidnapped, tortured, etc. I'd probably be little biased and bigoted also.   But very thankfully I haven't had to experience any of that during my lifetime.  Walking in someone else's shoes and all that...

I was born and grew up in former Yugoslavia (not Serbian) which does make me quite partial to Ukrainians. I checked with my former coworkers of Ukranian origins and they fully endorse the following:
https://www.patreon.com/uaexplainers
21 HOURS AGO
9 things people still don’t get about Ukraine
Thoughts from a bunch of stubborn Ukrainians after eight months of the invasion. Feel free to share this with people who still find it hard to understand why Ukrainians think or act in certain ways.
1. Ukraine will never surrender.
This is an existential war for Ukrainians. If we stop fighting, our homes will be turned into rubble, our children will be taken away, and our people will face mass terror. Every place that experienced Russian occupation in Ukraine has a similar story to tell: a story of mass graves, torture chambers, filtration camps, and forced deportations.
All that means that Ukrainians are prepared to fight no matter how long it takes – because they are fighting for survival. Nobody “makes” Ukrainians fight – not the government and most certainly not the Western arms. With or without military or political support from the democratic world, Ukraine will keep on resisting – because we are fighting for our right to exist.
For us, the reality of perpetual military resistance is more acceptable than the reality of the Russian occupation.
2. None of us is okay – even if we say we are.
In the first weeks following the February 24 invasion, Ukrainians were in a state of shock and terror. The shock passed, but the collective trauma never started to heal. Every day people across Ukraine keep dying from Russian shelling. Every week new stories of horror of Russia’s genocidal campaign emerge. Each week brings a new little catastrophe – and every week a little part of us quietly dies inside.
This has become the new norm Ukrainians are learning to navigate. So, when you ask a Ukrainian friend or colleague whether they’re okay, keep in mind that this question has lost its meaning to most of us. We are not okay and we don’t know if we’ll ever be okay again.
But we keep holding on. In a way, trying to be okay as Ukrainians is the final act of resistance against Russia’s attempt to wipe out everything that is Ukraine.
3. Ukraine is fighting against Russian colonialism, not just Putin.
Putin may have pulled the trigger, but the root of the invasion lies deeper than the current regime in Russia. For centuries, Russia has led colonial conquests from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Far East. It conquered and assimilated multiple indigenous peoples – and exterminated those who resisted.
Russian colonialism remained largely under the radar this whole time, and its crimes are much less studied. As a result, the Russian imperial worldview has remained unchecked and unchallenged – and has expressed itself in multiple invasions since 1991: Transnistria, Ichkeria, Chechnya, Georgia, Ukraine, and Syria.
The war might be paused when Putin’s regime implodes, but Ukrainians know all too well that a lasting peace is only possible with a decolonized and disarmed Russia that rethinks its past and future.
Until then, the untamed beast of Russian colonialism will seek to continue its imperial conquest in Ukraine and elsewhere.
4. Russian-speaking Ukrainians are not “more Russian.”
Yes, most Ukrainians are bilingual. Yes, 26% of Ukrainians are Russian-first speakers and 27% speak an equal amount of Russian and Ukrainian in their daily lives. But do you know why?
While some foreigners still believe that it has mostly to do with ethnicity and political ideology, the widespread use of the Russian language in Ukraine is mostly the result of centuries-old Russification policy.
Since the 19th century, Ukrainians were deliberately banned from using their language in education, labor, and public spheres of life. The Russification process prevailed throughout Soviet rule. As a result, millions of Ukrainians switched to Russian and deliberately hid their Ukrainian traces. And Ukraine learned to exist successfully as a nation of bilinguals.
So, if you meet Ukrainians who speak Russian in their daily lives, do not assume they are “more Russian” than any other Ukrainian or that they support Russia in any way. They probably have a more interesting story to tell about language and identity – just ask them.
5. Ukraine never had a Nazi problem.
Not only Nazis in Ukraine had nothing to do with Russia’s invasion, but the entire notion of Ukraine being run by the far-right is and always has been ridiculous.
The story of a “dangerous Nazi regime in Kyiv” has always been nothing more than a Russian propaganda myth. The idea of “Banderites” running amok was first voiced on Russian state TV when Ukrainians went to the streets to protest against a corrupt dictatorship in 2013. As Russia invaded and destabilized parts of Ukraine in 2014, it kept weaponizing and feeding the Nazi myth thus justifying its involvement and legitimizing the occupation.
Ukraine’s far-right movements have always been marginal and never had more than 5% of public support combined. Unlike many European states that do have a problem with far-right populism or Russia – a country running on aggressive fascist ethnonationalism for decades – Ukraine never really had a Nazi problem.
There is nothing humane or intellectual in trying to justify a brutal genocidal campaign by parroting propaganda claims crafted by the Kremlin. At this point, anyone trying to counterbalance Russian war crimes by appealing to the “Nazis in Ukraine” narrative is either a paid Russian shill or just a useful idiot. There is no point talking to these people anymore – we just need to stop providing them with a platform for spreading fascist propaganda.
6. Ukraine is a democracy. Zelensky acts as our representative.
Ukraine is not perfect. The issues with social trust, corruption, and poor state management have persisted for decades and hurt our country in various ways. But Ukrainians always fought back whenever authoritarianism loomed over: they protested in 2004 after a rigged election, and overthrew a corrupt wannabe dictator in 2014.
And yes, Ukraine still has a lot to improve – which would have been a lot easier if we didn’t have to constantly defend ourselves from Russia’s territorial aggression since 2014. But despite an external threat, Ukraine remained devoted to democratic values and reforms.
Not many people understand that Zelensky – a President who received 73% of the public’s vote in 2019 – always speaks and acts on behalf of the Ukrainian people. Following the full-scale invasion, Zelensky’s actions received praise and support from 91% of Ukrainians.
There has never been such a clear connection between the President and the people in Ukraine – and there are probably not a lot of examples of such political unity in modern-day democracies. All notions of Zelensky forcing anything onto Ukrainians are completely out of touch with reality.
7. We will not shut up. Not anymore.
For too long, the Ukrainian perspectives were silenced by Russia and pro-Russian sentiments around the globe. Like many other nations colonized by Russia, Ukraine had to shut up and, at best, politely debate whatever Russians had to say.
This colonial legacy has stayed long after 1991. Ukrainians were consistently denied agency: their pro-EU and pro-NATO choices were explained through conspiracies about the “US and NATO aggressive expansion.” Discussions about Ukraine often happened without Ukrainians themselves but with well-established carriers of the Russian colonial views on Ukraine.
All of this must remain in the past. We will not shut up and listen to another round of Russian imperial bull****, casual tone-deaf Westsplaining, or another Russian state-sponsored gaslighting campaign.
As the genocide against our people continues, we will remain unapologetically Ukrainian – and we will make sure our voices are loud and clear from now on.
8. Yes, we think all Russians are responsible for the war.
Ukrainians do not blame just Putin or the elites for the war – we blame the entire Russian nation. Putin and his cronies do not personally launch high-precision missiles at residential buildings. They don’t torture and mutilate civilians living under occupation. They don’t take away Ukrainian children and don’t try to “re-educate” them. They don’t loot, rape, and murder us. They don’t attack Ukrainians abroad or online. Ordinary Russians do all those things. All while the rest of them are silently and passively going along with the genocide for 8 months – or running away from their country and responsibility.
Those who fight against Putin’s regime carry the burden of responsibility as well. Even if they tried to make it right – they failed, and that’s just a fact. They failed as a state, as a society, and now millions of Ukrainians are suffering from genocide because of this ongoing collective failure.
Until Russians recognize and own this political responsibility, there is nothing for us to talk about. Ukrainians have the right to a safe space without Russians – without their point of view, narratives, or offers to help. And there’s nothing hateful about that. It’s a matter of personal safety and healing trauma.
Keep in mind that, unlike most people around the world, Ukrainians have lived close to Russians for centuries. We speak and understand their language – and we can follow their conversations on social media and in real life. We know how xenophobic, chauvinistic, and cynical the average Russians are. And we perfectly realize how their imperial attitudes have made this war possible in the first place.
9. Ukrainians are afraid of what comes next. But we won’t surrender to our fears.
Some people think that Ukraine’s stubbornness may lead to a full-blown world war or a nuclear catastrophe. What these people fail to understand is that Ukrainians want peace more than anyone in the world. It’s our homes getting pillaged. It’s our children being murdered.
The only country that tries to occupy a sovereign state all while blackmailing the rest of the world with nuclear catastrophe is Russia. Like it or not, the genie is out of the box – Russia is already a fascist dictatorship on nukes that invades its neighbors. It is already a threat to global security – and this has nothing to do with the way Ukraine resists. The entire notion that Ukraine can “escalate” the war by defending itself from an invasion within its internationally recognized borders is just absurd victim-blaming.
Ukrainians are afraid every night as we go to sleep and every morning while reading news of more death and destruction. But if we let our fears consume us, Russia will most likely win, and its illegal invasion, genocide, and nuclear blackmail will be rewarded. And this outcome is exactly what leads to another world war.
As Dmytro Kuleba recently said on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, “It’s absolutely normal not to have fear, yet to be afraid.” And that is exactly how it feels to be Ukrainian these eight months.

Here are some interesting numbers regarding public support for Ukraine in US. I don't think these were brought up here during the discussion about it's future after midterms:
Original study: Few signs of "Ukraine Fatigue" among American public
 

The video that was aired last night on The NBA on TNT.  It may not be informative or add to this discussion, but maybe something we can each share with others to inform and remind them of what's at stake.  The simple fact that this very popular show carved out this much time to dedicate to this message is important, that the subject is important.
 

The video that was aired last night on The NBA on TNT.  It may not be informative or add to this discussion, but maybe something we can each share with others to inform and remind them of what's at stake.  The simple fact that this very popular show carved out this much time to dedicate to this message is important, that the subject is important.
 

Grow up, mate.

The NBA on TNT just did a long gut wrenching piece with follow-up commentary on the War in Ukraine.  (For the non-Americans, it is a very popular NBA pre-game show featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neill, etc.  Large audience that probably doesn't spend much time reading up on this war.)   It featured one of O'Neill's former teammates who is Ukrainian and joined the fight.  At the end, they listed a fundraising site to donate.
This is the type of exposure that helps fuel American support for the Ukrainians.   To keep the war front and center in the minds of the American taxpayer--the voters.  It was a welcome site to see.  I'll post a link to the video if I can find it.
 
 

The video that was aired last night on The NBA on TNT.  It may not be informative or add to this discussion, but maybe something we can each share with others to inform and remind them of what's at stake.  The simple fact that this very popular show carved out this much time to dedicate to this message is important, that the subject is important.
 

I just find the catastrophizing hard to stomach.
"OMG the Republicans are going to take over the House and everyone will be forced to go to church, have babies, own a gun and get a job!!"
or
"OMG the Democrats are going to take over the House and everyone will be forced to burn their church, kill their babies, turn in their guns and lose their job!!"
So if we look at the numbers, a whopping 57 out of 438 representatives voted against the spending package for Ukraine. That only accounts for 13% of the ENTIRE house and 26% of the House Republicans. 150 House Republicans have voted steadfastly for Ukraine. The latest polls predict a shift of 13 seats to the Republicans. 13. Now I'm not a mathemagician but I fail to see how 3% of the House is going to persuade the other 84% to totally change their views and voting. Especially when it has been pointed out the the majority of the citizenry is in favor of supporting Ukraine. And if 74% of Republicans are already voting for support, at that ratio it just adds 10 in favor and 3 whole votes against. That puts future votes at about 378 to 60. 
So maybe, just maybe people can take a deep breath, self medicate with their chosen medicine, relax and wait to see if there is any effect at all to the support due to this massive political upheaval that we will all be so overwhelmed by.
Personally I think the biggest threat to future support for Ukraine will be how the economy goes. It is already going to be tougher and tougher in Europe with their energy crisis and looming industrial crisis stemming from it. If the US economy really tanks it will be hard for the elected officials (NO MATTER THEIR POLITICAL PARTY) to continue support at very high levels and neglect their constituencies. 

The NBA on TNT just did a long gut wrenching piece with follow-up commentary on the War in Ukraine.  (For the non-Americans, it is a very popular NBA pre-game show featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neill, etc.  Large audience that probably doesn't spend much time reading up on this war.)   It featured one of O'Neill's former teammates who is Ukrainian and joined the fight.  At the end, they listed a fundraising site to donate.
This is the type of exposure that helps fuel American support for the Ukrainians.   To keep the war front and center in the minds of the American taxpayer--the voters.  It was a welcome site to see.  I'll post a link to the video if I can find it.
 
 

The NBA on TNT just did a long gut wrenching piece with follow-up commentary on the War in Ukraine.  (For the non-Americans, it is a very popular NBA pre-game show featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neill, etc.  Large audience that probably doesn't spend much time reading up on this war.)   It featured one of O'Neill's former teammates who is Ukrainian and joined the fight.  At the end, they listed a fundraising site to donate.
This is the type of exposure that helps fuel American support for the Ukrainians.   To keep the war front and center in the minds of the American taxpayer--the voters.  It was a welcome site to see.  I'll post a link to the video if I can find it.
 
 

The NBA on TNT just did a long gut wrenching piece with follow-up commentary on the War in Ukraine.  (For the non-Americans, it is a very popular NBA pre-game show featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neill, etc.  Large audience that probably doesn't spend much time reading up on this war.)   It featured one of O'Neill's former teammates who is Ukrainian and joined the fight.  At the end, they listed a fundraising site to donate.
This is the type of exposure that helps fuel American support for the Ukrainians.   To keep the war front and center in the minds of the American taxpayer--the voters.  It was a welcome site to see.  I'll post a link to the video if I can find it.
 
 

The NBA on TNT just did a long gut wrenching piece with follow-up commentary on the War in Ukraine.  (For the non-Americans, it is a very popular NBA pre-game show featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neill, etc.  Large audience that probably doesn't spend much time reading up on this war.)   It featured one of O'Neill's former teammates who is Ukrainian and joined the fight.  At the end, they listed a fundraising site to donate.
This is the type of exposure that helps fuel American support for the Ukrainians.   To keep the war front and center in the minds of the American taxpayer--the voters.  It was a welcome site to see.  I'll post a link to the video if I can find it.