How Hot is Ukraine Gonna Get?

[Kinophile]

 

 

[Haiduk]

1 minute ago, Kinophile said:

 

 

Mi-24

 

[Haiduk]

This night next Russian oil refinery was hit - in Slavyansk-on-Kuban', Krasnodar region. Cameraman says about seven UAVs hit the refinery and in this time eighth flies over his head and hit refinery. It's good to see a fractionating column is burning and some other object on the refinery territory

This is not a large refinery with production capability about 4 mln. tons for a year. 

 

Edited March 17 by Haiduk

[Haiduk]

Russian officials claimed 39 UKR UAVs tried to attack nine Russian regions, including Moscow oblast. Of course, "all were shot down/supressed". As we can see above - oil refinery successfully shot down all UAVs buy itself. 

Here is attack of UKR UAV on Domodedovo airport near Moscow - it hit at some storage facility

 

[Haiduk]

"Liberty for Russia Legion" and some pro-Ukrainain Chechen unit took over control Gor'kovskoye village on the border in Belgorod oblast

Russian milbloggers in hysteria write "this is Photoshop, because since 2018 there is no Gor'kovskoye village settlement (like has written on the table, as if teared off from administrative building), it was transfrmed into Gor'kovskoye village territory (it includes five tiny villages around and Gor'kovskoye is an administrative center), so the table in hands of LRL fighters either old or just photoshoped. Of course, when video was released they came to next study - anger. 

 

Edited March 17 by Haiduk

[billbindc]

4 hours ago, cesmonkey said:

 

I don't have a Telegraph sub so I can't read the article but while Macron's shift is surprising...LePen's is far more surprising still. If I were a betting man, I would throw some kopecks on the square that says that the French government came into possession of some information regarding Moscow's efforts to undermine the government that shocked and that information exposed the LePen and her cohorts in such a way that they had to make a swift and decisive choice. 

Watch this space. 

 

[The_Capt]

38 minutes ago, billbindc said:

I don't have a Telegraph sub so I can't read the article but while Macron's shift is surprising...LePen's is far more surprising still. If I were a betting man, I would throw some kopecks on the square that says that the French government came into possession of some information regarding Moscow's efforts to undermine the government that shocked and that information exposed the LePen and her cohorts in such a way that they had to make a swift and decisive choice. 

Watch this space. 

 

[Holien]

BBC had a page on Macron and his volt face...

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68575251

Quote

European elections are approaching, and the hard-right of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella looks set to trounce the Macronites.

 

So is Emmanuel Macron using Ukraine to create a fault line between his side and the opposition, setting a contrast between his own lucid belligerence and Ms Le Pen's turbid complicity with Moscow in the past?

 

Edited March 17 by Holien

[Battlefront.com]

2 hours ago, Haiduk said:

"Liberty for Russia Legion" and some pro-Ukrainain Chechen unit took over control Gor'kovskoye village on the border in Belgorod oblast

Russian milbloggers in hysteria write "this is Photoshop, because since 2018 there is no Gor'kovskoye village settlement (like has written on the table, as if teared off from administrative building), it was transfrmed into Gor'kovskoye village territory (it includes five tiny villages around and Gor'kovskoye is an administrative center), so the table in hands of LRL fighters either old or just photoshoped. Of course, when video was released they came to next study - anger. 

 

And look at the very nice hole in the roof of the admin building.  That certainly isn't Photoshop

Steve

[chrisl]

1 hour ago, billbindc said:

I don't have a Telegraph sub so I can't read the article but while Macron's shift is surprising...LePen's is far more surprising still. If I were a betting man, I would throw some kopecks on the square that says that the French government came into possession of some information regarding Moscow's efforts to undermine the government that shocked and that information exposed the LePen and her cohorts in such a way that they had to make a swift and decisive choice. 

Watch this space. 

 

I don't have a sub either, and it let me see the whole article.  If there's a monthly limit try using a private browser window or clearing your cache.

[Haiduk]

The drone, launched allegedly from Odesa oblast hit not operational Mi-8 helicopter in unrecognized Transnistria, Tiraspol airfield. 

Transnistria had 5 Mi-8 and 6 Mi-24 helicopters, but as claimed Moldova they are all in poor conditions.

So, what a sense to strike broken helicopter it's unclear - either this was "false flag", but what consequenses after this? Transnistria will attack Odesa? It's ridiculous. Or this was probe of Budanov to see reraction. About year ago unknown drone already attacked some object in Transnistria, but nothing apocaliptic happened.   

 

Edited March 17 by Haiduk

[Holien]

Latest Perun video and nothing we don't know, Russian Arms Exports are in the toilet being flushed down the swanny...

Quite a good analysis and some detail about the deals with India and China.

 

 

[Haiduk]

UKR soldiers point out about captured BMP-3 that is a good IFV, with powerful weapon, but... 100 mm shells and charges for them make this IFV deadly dangerous for crew and squad because of it too easy and often coocks off after impacts. 

 

Edited March 17 by Haiduk

[chrisl]

3 hours ago, Haiduk said:

The drone, launched allegedly from Odesa oblast hit not operational Mi-8 helicopter in unrecognized Transnistria, Tiraspol airfield. 

Transnistria had 5 Mi-8 and 6 Mi-24 helicopters, but as claimed Moldova they are all in poor conditions.

So, what a sense to strike broken helicopter it's unclear - either this was "false flag", but what consequenses after this? Transnistria will attack Odesa? It's ridiculous. Or this was probe of Budanov to see reraction. About year ago unknown drone already attacked some object in Transnistria, but nothing apocaliptic happened.   

 

Non-operational aircraft can be useful for spare parts to keep others running.  This one not so much anymore.

 

[ASL Veteran]

Solving the manpower crisis

 

[Haiduk]

"Lyberty for Russia Legion" and "Syberian battalion" claim they control Kozinka village

 

Edited March 17 by Haiduk

[billbindc]

5 hours ago, The_Capt said:

In a potentially kinetic environment, who would you prefer to have your six: 

1. Germany

2. France

3. UK

(edited choice 1)

 

Edited March 17 by billbindc

[Kinophile]

 

 

[Kinophile]

 

Putin remains a master strategist. 

[Kinophile]

Yet more? 

 

[dan/california]

22 minutes ago, Kinophile said:

Yet more? 

 

It is amazing what happens when you pay cash in hard currency. 

Edit: And the Czech President deserves a top job at NATO or the EU for getting this one edit: done! In midst of and endless blathering panic he has gotten shells on trains and headed to the front.

Edited March 17 by dan/california

[Joe982]

12 hours ago, cesmonkey said:

 

Pay wall.  So, what did Macron say?

[chrisl]

7 minutes ago, Joe982 said:

Pay wall.  So, what did Macron say?

Here are the key parts.  Basically Scholz may come across as waffling on materiel support to Ukraine, Germany is the second largest supplier after the US and Macron doesn't want to be shown up.  I think this gets Germany a handful of get-out-of-bashing-day cards.

Quote

“This is a serious moment. A new era is dawning, and we’ll be there,” Mr Macron said after the three men locked hands for the cameras. “To support the Ukrainian peopleto the end is a strength for us, our peoples, our security and our Europe.”

Mr Macron, who has a fondness for disruptive grandstanding, is engaged in a power struggle with the more cautious Mr Scholz that is throwing a spanner in the Franco-German “engine” of European policymaking.

At the heart of the battle is the French president’s sudden transformation from Ukraine dove to hawk.

Mr Macron’s comments about the possibility of sending European troops into Ukraine at a hastily-convened Paris summit in February represented an astonishing about-turn for a president who once warned against humiliating Moscow and insisted on keeping diplomatic channels with Putin open.

To understand the reasons behind this unexpected volte-face, The Telegraph spoke to numerous sources in the Elysee and the Bundestag.

They paint a picture of a leader desperate to be seen as the dominant power in Europe amid a shifting political landscape, both internationally and at home.

Germany has repeatedly made it clear it does not think that France, the EU’s major military power, is pulling its weight on weapons supplies – a view reportedly shared by the US.

When Mr Scholz gave a speech in February urging European allies to step up their “insufficient” efforts to supply Ukraine with crucial arms, it ruffled French feathers.

Mr Macron responded by recalling Germany’s initial derisory offer of helmets to Kyiv two years ago when the Ukraine war broke out. He has also highlighted French donations of long-range Scalp missiles and urged Mr Scholz to follow suit with its Taurus missiles, considered one of the Bundeswehr’s most modern weapon systems.

The German chancellor, who has a track record of dithering over arms to Kyiv, has repeatedly refused for fear of escalating the conflict, with the Bundestag this week voting down the third proposal so far this year.

Berlin sources point out that Germany, unlike France, does not have nuclear weapons, making it more exposed to Russian retaliation.

 

[Fenris]

Latest 3rd Assault Brigade video. Can turn on English subs.

 

With a bit of a recruitment pitch at the end.

Edited March 17 by Fenris

[poesel]

Btw, Putin won the election. With twice the candidates and the age of the candidates 20 years younger (on average) than the US election, it must have been more democratic and better.