@Featherless, and that is why I stated it as MAY occur, I did not say WILL occur! But the jury is still out on that one.

Posted by: Firefly | May 17 2023 21:51 utc | 103

The Russian Embassy in the US is trolling the US by posting memes about their Patriot air defense system destroyed by the “Dagger”.
Against the background of the recognition of the defeat of the “invincible” air defense system, shares in Raytheon (an American company producing aerospace electronics and missile systems) are expected to fall, the media write.
The share prices will soon show whether it was known!

Posted by: mo3.1 | May 17 2023 21:58 utc | 105

Oops before!
Hopefully the media in Germany won’t get carried away…
Where all politicians deny that ER has already shelled or left Donbass before!

Posted by: mo3.1 | May 17 2023 22:03 utc | 107

Posted by: Dave Oneil | May 17 2023 16:52 utc | 6
E

U Chief “Ukraine needs at least 1,000 shells a day just in the Bakhmet area alone”
Germany commits the largest ($3 Billion dollars) aid package to Ukraine and the UK
giving long range missiles.

Dear friend -listen & think:about:
The current war between RF & UKR Army locally stationed anythere on RF-Verified areas, is not a matter of a newly supported UK-United Kingdom (Finace sector in London)- or elsewhome Nazi-Like govs. now !”
Repulse every UAF so-called “Counter Strikes” is a daily job for any of RF + Wagners.
Beside, more real effective Air-Strikes may follow – despite the Super-US Pattriots ..
Only think about that “the Storm Shadows” by UK, .. but RF will havve a more effective answer, also possibly destroying Kiew’s Governowrs buildings at all, by penetrating/ destroying the super Patriot-.Systems … Scholz: Wait for Your Sniper …

Posted by: spare_truth2 | May 17 2023 22:06 utc | 109

Young @ 67
You know I agree with every bit of your comment here. Basicaly its over.
Time to pay the bill.
We come at this from our own different backgrounds but have reached the same conclusion.
I don’t think Europe will be a main target. England will be gone in a flash, no warning. At the same momment The USA will get a first hand seat at a reality disaster movie of this own making. No warning. Coast to coast conflagration.
The games over.
Your a religious person, I’m an atheist. That’s not a problem for me in anyway. I believe in good over evel. I view the bible as metaphorical. That just me.
Thanks and big respect to you.

Posted by: Mark2 | May 17 2023 22:06 utc | 111

the Patriots might do ok against incoming weather balloons. totally worth all the billions against a balloon force attack.

Posted by: pretzelattack | May 17 2023 22:10 utc | 113

Posted by: karlof1 | May 17 2023 20:32 utc | 82
——————————————————
The Patriot missile battery is not a generic AD, against all inbound threats. The Saudis were sold by the US that it was. Their well demonstrated experience is that it is not.
Simplicius, The Thinker’s Lyceum, has offered the best analysis of the role of the Patriot and the need for integration with other AD weapons to cover the wide spectrum of a variety of airborne threats. The Russians have successfully integrated a variety of defensive AD weapons, he argues.
Worthy of a good read.

Posted by: Acco Hengst | May 17 2023 22:13 utc | 115

Dear customer,
Don’t panic! It was the training. Or lack thereof. *That* is why the product was withdrawn from service.
Our products kick ass. Unless manned by noobs.
Therefore, a new upcharge added to your FY2024 invoice will cover training.
Regards,
Your friendly neighborhood SAM salesman

Posted by: natokraine | May 17 2023 22:17 utc | 117

Also, that was a response video,
Why would zulunsko
accuse Trump
of meddling in Ukraine
“before” he was elected?
Is z going crazy?
Cause watched it many times and seems very amateur to say but Trump is a businessman in the hotel business with zero political experience or even financial dealings. Made public all relationships, mandatory for office in the USA! If readers didn’t know, it’s not as crocked as Ukraine.

Posted by: Thomas G Franklin | May 17 2023 22:19 utc | 119

@ anon2020 | May 17 2023 18:58 utc | 38
Is there a coherent picture of what was attacked in Kiev in the same night? Was the Patriot battery the main target or something that had to be disabled before going after more important targets? Kinda mportant target in its own right and just after the ambush of RF jets and copters so could be retaliation … but, still.
I think it a combination. It is also a language that Putin speaks to the West. RF obtained all there is to know about Patriot system, also under the table, shared by Saudis and Yemenis, and have been studying it for years, in general.
RF develops a tactical planning on the basis of accumulated data, created models and simulations and applies it successfully. Science.
Also RF speaks from the position of power, slowly starting to scare honest military professionals in NATO and Pentagon.
Thinking of which, they enabled stupid NATO’s mistake to place it so close and on the open field where there was nothing before last time RF checked. Also not imagining that RF has an amazing, self-developed, computer vision library for terrain recognition and analysis. One can speculate that it is a deliberate ‘stupid’ move to start abandoning the project, washing hands.
And also good percentage goes to a revenge for any sting NATO makes on RF.
4 airframes and 9 pilots is a big loss and ‘how-dare-you?’ moment.
So a just pointing out issues RF has with the West combines many things at once.
Tit for tat however is not really equal there.
So all in all = a kinetic speech by RF, communicating to the West.
Kiev is a pearl of a Russian soul, and important and proper Russofiliacs inside Russia will never allow destruction of the old city. So RF got those top tier AA things before Ukraine caves in and decides to position those on a city square.
We will see who is running the victory lap after Artimovsk is done with and how and what it will be reported worldwide.
Is Odessa next?

Posted by: whirlX | May 17 2023 22:29 utc | 121

The grain deal looks bad but is the least bad option for Russia. Russia’s problem with it is that it was supposed to allow export of Russian agricultural products but secondary sanctions have kept them from market. So combined with the personal favor to Erdogan (the least bad option from the Russian perspective), there’s geopolitical reasons for continuing to negotiate the grain deal in good faith.
In some ways the deal has actually favored Russia as the rest of the world saw it advertised as necessary for “starving” Africa and again the west was lying. The way the deal has worked is unpalatable and a net negative for Russia. But it has to be continued for other reasons. In the medium term it likely hurts Kiev as planting and harvests are going to be way down this year, but as much will be exported as possible to pay foreign debts. Which means higher prices and greater misery for Ukrainians.

Posted by: Lex | May 17 2023 22:31 utc | 123

Does the US/UK sponored Patriot AD systems really works properly ..?
I do not rhinkk so.
UAF has fired minute-by-minute via Patriots from local area positions between the Kiew’s house blocks (!) .. What do you expect what may come “NEXT” .. against Civilians on stage.. ..?
Pls. send some Snipers to the persons either in EU-vonDen Liars, Scholz_As A Leader of EU,
in die
“Fresse gehauen” einfach so , das verstehen “DIE” dann schon. Oder ..
Denken hilft immer … auch beim CIA …MI6 …

Posted by: spare_truth2 | May 17 2023 23:00 utc | 125

@ natokraine | May 17 2023 22:08 utc | 117
oh, but i beg to differ! cheers..

Posted by: james | May 17 2023 23:12 utc | 127

Dan Farrand | May 17 2023 20:54 utc | 87
Requires: more “representation” / participation of western ukr in the sloSMO.
Here’s young men in Kiev. Most respond with the prescribed platitudes re the Great Sacrifice of their fellow citizens.
None seem concerned they could be pressed into a military uniform…
2024: Holomodor. Redux via a Grain Deal, negotiated on terms favourable to the west. (History repeats)
Harvests= down; Exports= as per contract; Foreign debtors = paid. Ukrainian babuskas (who haven’t fled)= hunger (again).
Cynic | May 17 2023 23:02 utc | 133
Thanks😂. You earnt your moniker with that one.

Posted by: Melaleuca | May 17 2023 23:16 utc | 129

Posted by: Up North | May 17 2023 19:09 utc | 45
Ugh, sucks to read this as a person witnessing the attack on Canadian governance… sounds like Trudeau lite.

Posted by: Arcticman | May 17 2023 23:24 utc | 131

STOP PRESS
If you read nothing else today or tomorrow read this: An excellent piece on Julian McFarlane’s subtrack – especially on Wagner
Prigozhin and War Theater
https://julianmacfarlane.substack.com/p/prigozhin-and-war-theater
Very, Very Highly Recommended.

Posted by: Don Firineach | May 17 2023 23:41 utc | 133

Posted by: mo3.1 | May 17 2023 16:28 utc | 2
You’re assuming that Hersh’s info is true. I find it all extremely doubtful. I think he’s been fed some kind of US psyop.
Fucking Hersh. That’s all he ever does: write stuff he can’t/won’t verify through open sources. It’s no better than the “… anonymous inside sources say …” used in the MSM everyday.

Posted by: The Dolphin | May 17 2023 23:42 utc | 135

Posted by: The Dolphin | May 17 2023 23:42 utc | 142
Mai Lai happened. that’s my test. did the event he is reporting on happen. tell me what he’s gotten wrong. I don’t think it’s much. yeah he uses sources in the intel community. but he checks them, unlike the anonymous sources the msm parrots. the people who claim there are no nazis in Ukraine or Saddam was about to use his wmd’s or that we are fighting for freedom in Ukraine.
this the final word on the subject? — naw, but I’m going to take Hersh seriously because of his record.

Posted by: pretzelattack | May 17 2023 23:48 utc | 137

I am guessing that the patriot sub components are cabled together using the fiber optic option to avoid potential issues operating in a hostile EW environment, and that this limits the ability to disperse the components. The necessity to use active RADAR for targeting is the Achilles heel of all such AD systems, and without adequate means to protect the installation it is rather vulnerable.

Posted by: the pessimist | May 17 2023 23:54 utc | 139

Why is ClownZ still on his Great European Cities tour?
Back home in Kiev, Kuleba is meeting with the Chinese.
Surely ClownZ should be in town for the meet n greet?
Remember ClownZ’s tears when the Chinese went to Moscow, and he couldn’t even get a phone call?
Now the Chinese have actually travel to Kiev… and he’s in ……Estonia?
https://twitter.com/Spriter99880/status/1658875861506859008
Something is keeping the Koke Kid out of Kiev.
Is it connected to Zaluhzny? What does the petition for a Hero of Ukraine award indicate? Is it someone trolling ClownZ? Or is Zaluhzny eligible for a posthumous award?

Posted by: Melaleuca | May 18 2023 0:12 utc | 141

I’m American, I love it Ukraine loosing, needed.
Saw a bumper sticker on highway in USA it said “F*** ukraine”

Posted by: Thomas G Franklin | May 18 2023 0:23 utc | 143

Just finished watching Martyanov’s video on the Kinzhal hit. His main point is perhaps 4X the number of missiles wouldn’t have stopped the attack. There were a few other items of importance he noted, one is this article published on the 14th in Ria Novosti, “Revenge: The West has been preparing for war with Russia for thirty years”, which of course is in Russian. The thesis is very potent and sure to gain advocates within Russia that weren’t already. Here’s one excerpt giving a hint:
“Revenge for the military and political defeat, for the fact that Germany turned into ruins and ashes, and the German nation experienced all the emotions associated with humiliation, Kohl and Genscher took in Paris. Where in 1990 a conference was held, which “put an end to confrontation and marked the beginning of a new stage in the construction of a modern system of European security.” The solemn signing, more than three dozen countries, the common joy that the Cold War is over.”
Here’s the much longer, somewhat scrambled thesis (it’s probably more coherent in Russian):

USSR, realizing that the days of the “red project” were numbered, negotiated to end the Cold War without being a loser. It is not necessary today to exaggerate the naivety of Gorbachev and his advisers, as well as diplomats – the people there were experienced. But they were just playing chess, and thimble-riggers were sitting in front of them. And the leaders were not only and not so much the Americans (at that moment) as the leadership GERMANY. Yes, those same good grandfathers Kohl and Genscher, Chancellor and Foreign Minister. Remembering the monstrous defeat in the war, the division of the country and the division of the historical capital of the state, Kohl and Genscher, like all post-war leaders of the Federal Republic of Germany, had an obsession and obsessive fear.
The idea was to reunite Germany and tear down the Berlin Wall, and the fear was that Russian tanks could prevent this.
Therefore, Kohl and Genscher and, in fact, those who then wanted to get friends with them, needed to get consent from the USSR by any means to the first, and after that practically force them to the next step: the withdrawal of the ZGV grouping (Western Group of Forces of the Warsaw Pact countries) from the territory that would have already become all-German. Today it is time to admit that, on the one hand, speaking of a “policy of mutually beneficial cooperation” and giving cheap loans worth billions of Deutsche Marks Moscow, the then official Bonn methodically, slowly, but very persistently took revenge for the defeat in World War II.

Now that’s a tale having a high degree of internal logic especially when we look at today’s Germany and its actions. The above thesis is followed by this hammer that pounds in the nail:
“More than thirty years ago, our trust was betrayed. For our openness and sincerity, we paid with the loss of power. During these decades, they tried to mislead us, and as soon as we declared that we demanded security guarantees, we were accused, of course, of ‘aggression and revanchism’.”
And that’s 100% correct. Unfortunately, the article essentially ends there with no further discussion or attempts to prove the thesis. Martyanov comments just a little about it, but not enough for my liking. IMO, this thesis is very powerful and carries lots of potential for both good and bad. The way Germany’s acting fits the thesis well, particularly the reaction to the Nord Stream bombings and much else. The same can be said for the EUrofascists (typo intended).
Yes, we have a new spin on the SMO.

Posted by: karlof1 | May 18 2023 0:32 utc | 145

the pessimist | May 17 2023 23:54 utc | 146–
Yes, and that’s why other radars are used to direct the launchers, not their organic sets if at all possible. The whole idea of net-centric is to allow for multiple target acquisition devices to feed into weapon systems. The need to tie-in the system with cable defeats the purpose of net-centric, unless you have several miles of cable to deploy. But even then, there’s still the issue of trying to intercept the Kinzhal with Martyanov saying the probability is likely 0.0001. Having multiple radars increases the chance of survivability for some unless you can redeploy rapidly after you illuminate.

Posted by: karlof1 | May 18 2023 0:48 utc | 147

Since Jan.2022,the Russia currency is down 4% compared to Dollar.
Currency value has a direct correlation of Gov. interest rates.
Before Feb invasion, Russian Gov. rates were 8.5%…Now 7.5%
Before Feb invasion, USA Fed rates were O.25%…Now 5.25%
Higher Fed rates tend to strengthen a country’s currency. Considering Fed rate changes since Jan. 2022…
Russian rate dropped 1%. USA Fed rate climbed 5%.
The Russian currency has performed well against the Dollar.

Posted by: Ramsey Glissadevil | May 18 2023 0:57 utc | 149

Re The Grain Deal …
Posted by: Lex | May 17 2023 22:31 utc | 130
Grain movement is only one part of the matter. Noone seems to be talking about the rest.
*Yes, Russia and Ukraine enjoy moneys coming from grain sales transported out of the Black Sea.
* There are enormous PR wins and losses for both sides. Both want to be seen to be “helping to feed the poor countries”.
* The deal is in fact just a crooked slimey way to enforce import/export-gating sanctions on Russia … of all goods.
*But, imo, the biggest issue is Black Sea shipping security. Before the deals, Ukraine mined the Sea, and Russia was patrolling and threatening every UKR ship in and out and blocking all their ports. If/when the deal stops, it will go back to that to prevent UKR weapons imports.
* In times of war, Turkish Law prevents ANY SHIPPING passing through the Bosphorous. Just imagine US ships arriving there to make trouble. Erdogan is in fact protecting Russia from naval complications. Imagine if the US-friendly candidate gets in. Pressure will be on to open the Sea for US access.
* Long term, geopolitically, Russia wants to make the Black Sea essentially theirs. The USNATO will do anything to thwart this. “Grain Deals” are just a leverage weapon.
There’s always many more layers beneath the obvious and spoken about.

Posted by: The Dolphin | May 18 2023 1:26 utc | 151

@karlof1 153
thx for the link
only along the here quoted part (I ought to read the entire txt that you linked, but lack time right now)
I dont say my info necessarily contradicts, since I am speaking of the 1950/60s –
FRG under Adenauer and until 1969 and its “Ostpolitik” was on a hostile path towards USSR neglecting any detente, de-nuclearisation and any re-unification offers coming from Moscow or the East (Rapacki-Plan) since it would simultaneously demand neutrality which was hated MORE than a divided Germany.
This tit-tat was going on until the 1961 Wall came and Brandt found the modus vivendi, which made the officially regretted division of Germany a historic truism and fact-beyond alteration, devine so to speak, and theoretic long-shot to change.
This happened in stages.
1948 Truman in order to push through Congress various laws to increase military spending, not least of all to save US aviation industry, was inventing the War Scare against the USSR that very year. This war scare of course took hold in the FRG too.
The US alleged that Stalin was about to attack.
The US internally knew very well that opposite was true, naturally.
(I would assume Geman secret services would´ been aware too.)
This was followed by NATO, which was heavily opposed by the then pre-Brandt Social Democrats.
(SPDs-pre-war labourism was one reason they lost out on major elections and which eventually led to the rise of “modern” Brandt-SPD)
In 1953 we know of the very late Stalin´s notes for reunification of Germany which were bluntly ignored by Adenauer. He hated them, barely read them. So did the US.
Adenauer in fact hated any Soviet attempt of rapprochement.
If re-unification had indeed been THE German goal there had been missed opportunities enough.
Missed with intention however.
In 1954 Molotov came forward with the suggestion of Russia joining NATO.
This too was laughed at by the FRG.
This too could have meant re-unification.
Until 1961 Khrushchev tried disarmament and again detente. He was ignored.
The US WMD stockpiles were hundreds of times larger than those of the USSR throughout the 1950s.
US StratCom knew they would most likely be able destroy RU/CHINA without poblems.
So RU started build up. Only after the Cuba stunt did the US somehow agree on disarmament and ABM (not without secretly increasing its capablities via SSBNs on a new level while RU was still operating on old-style ICBM strategies.)
The US-RU NPL-Treaty of the late 1960s was heavily blocked by the German conservatives and thus by the Russians (quid pro quo) to increase pressure upon Moscow.
The Germans in fact were not unhappy after the Berlin Wall since it would end the domestic discussions and close a gateway for criticism from the left who demanded a different foreign policy that would make re-unification realistic.
So re-unification was okay with German power elites but only on their unipolar terms which they knew very well would be nearly impossible to achieve.
So here I would stick to the Mearsheimer school (which in many instances I consider nonsense), which would not be about some immaterial idealism by Bonn but solely based on economic interests and viability in the post-war powerhouse FRG.
A serious re-unification agenda would have put latter into jeopardy.

Posted by: AG | May 18 2023 1:30 utc | 153

Yes! The Patriots were so successful that they had to suspend the use of them. Logical, if you’re an idiot. I’ve taken “savant” off our collective leaders’ title long ago. Anyway, hardly anyone I talk to ever mentions Ukraine. Most of us plebs in the US have more important issues, like how to pay the bills and also eat on occasion. Many wonder if the money could be put to better uses. Cheers! Until it’s not.

Posted by: Immaculate deception | May 18 2023 1:45 utc | 155

Posted by: karlof1 | May 17 2023 22:58 utc | 131
Does NATO perform field tests for its AD systems? Or is it that those systems were designed to defeat aircraft and missiles that no longer exist, their replacements not recognized as far superior?
—————————————————————
Can’t speak for NATO. US DoD writes RFPs. Integrated systems design is not doable in US procurement. I refer you once again to Simplicius where that topic was covered by another author, far more familiar with DoD procurement of weapons systems.
The Feds mostly try to refrain from thinking and hire it done. RAND is just an example.
I have the highest respect for the Russian mathematicians and engineers, having worked with many in the US. The Russkie techs also care about Rodina, not just the RFP.
NATO disappearance, agreed. Never should have come to pass, but hysterics work. As a teen, heard the F-104s breaking the sound barrier over the North Sea, useless for dogfighting at Mach 2 for the USAF but vital for European NATO members. Lockheed even bribed Prince Bernard of the Netherlands.

Posted by: Acco Hengst | May 18 2023 2:11 utc | 157

Firefly, @92, and all other “On the Beach’ believers
You do know that air burst nuclear weapons do not produce “fallout” such as a ground burst, correct? So the “One the Beach” scenario of world wide LD-50 and above wouldn’t happen unless almost all nuclear hits were ground bursts. As someone who has lived 250-300 miles done wind from 150 U.S. ICBMs until they were removed under one of the nuclear treaties with the Soviet Union circa 1990+, I took learning about fallout in a very serious way.
If a warring party wanted maximum blast effects from a nuclear weapon, especially in a population killing mode, they would use air bursts. The initial radiation release in such bombs are generally within the thermal and blast effects radii, so people so exposed would probably die from those issues before radiation sickness. The people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki who died of radiation sickness were typically sheltered in some manner from the thermal and blast effects of those weapons.
But you all believe what you want to believe.

Posted by: DakotaRog | May 18 2023 2:13 utc | 159

@148, Melaleuca clown Z is on what we used to call back in the day, “the couch tour”. A lot of my musician friends would stay on someone’s couch in between gigs. Or until they got tired of you.

Posted by: Immaculate deception | May 18 2023 2:15 utc | 161

I was thinking about this earlier. The US/West doesn’t have the mental/emotional strength to think this through. They are running on an inflated image of themselves as the greatest ever, which they think will somehow carry the day, not real resources and capabilities. Why would the US commit itself to a fight, using Ukraine as its proxy, if it wasn’t willing to follow the escalatory ladder as far as necessary to see it to its conclusion? The reason is because the US’s inflated view of itself led it to believe that their proxy war couldn’t possibly come to this, after all, this is America.
Russia meanwhile played it slow and carefully, only escalating as a response to Western escalation. If it had gone in hard early then NATO may have jumped in with near total commitment. Now, both the US and NATO are exhausting their stocks of weapons, to the point where it would be difficult to mount a full scale NATO attack. Now the western military brass are seeing that their ammo supplies are dwindling to a level that protection of their own borders is at risk, and the less deluded among them see that Russia has been able to ramp up production of nearly everything. The West believed its own delusions, while Russia slowly chipped away at their military capabilities. Reality is slowly dawning on these fools while the frog is slowly boiled. Sucks to be them.
Posted by: Mike R | May 17 2023 18:37 utc | 31

Way too much credit is given to US/West thinking. This thinking boils down to a few simple concepts.
The Neocons want to weaken Russia, but their skillset only extends to destabilization. They can only create the conditions for war to happen.
The Defense Industry is only interested in profiting. It doesn’t even matter if their products are good. All that matters is moving product. We’re dumping tons of material to Ukraine, in no particular strategic order, just to get funding to make more. The initial materials were the oldest and most useless.
The State Department and financial players are only interested in owning everything of value in Ukraine. They do that by funding the Defense Industry with dollars that Ukraine is being loaned. When that bill comes due, whatever is left of Ukraine is owned by the west by way of debt. Top leadership in Ukraine will get rich, the rest will be poor or flee.
The politicians have two goals. Get re-elected, and reward donors (Defense Industry). The extent of their strategy is in timing and spinning the eventual defeat.
Absent from this list are people who can create a winning battle plan and execute it. Their is no military strategy from the US/West.

Posted by: Will | May 18 2023 2:28 utc | 163

The question is, the military planners in the West must have known that it would come to this, so why did they even bother? Clearly they knew the patriots would be found and destroyed by Russia’s highly capable counterbattery apparatus, so why put on such an embarrassing display for all the world to observe?
Posted by: Intelligent Dasein | May 17 2023 17:12 utc | 9
—————————————————————–
Remember the infamous quote by former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
“You go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you might want or wish you had at a later time.”

Posted by: Ed | May 18 2023 2:44 utc | 165

The Dolphin | May 18 2023 1:26 utc | 159
Grain Deal: “more layers beneath the obvious and spoken about.”
Yes. Here, Larry J or similar I read the “grain deal” is the *only* direct contact between Russia and TheWest. So now the “grain deal” talks are doing a lot of extra lifting. All sorts of talks and bargaining are being packaged and bundled, given cover by “grain deal” umbrella.
Immaculate deception | May 18 2023 2:15 utc | 169
Outstaying one’s welcome….. I did note with amusement the look on Macron’s face, caught briefly, while performing the ostentatious welcome…… it was exactly that long-suffering look of a well-off relative having the poor, uncouth cousins call by unexpectedly, unannounced and obviously on the scrounge again.
Aussies (and kiwis) here of a certain vintage will have dinner party anecdotes of backpacking and couch surfing their way around the UK and Europe.
I spent 2years in youth hostels, and on a carousel of couches of mate’s mate’s cousin’s neighbour’s “rellies” in England/Ireland.
I became more than fleetingly familiar with The Look (usually on a female countenance) of “Why the fuck are you still here?” I like to think the experience taught me the life skill of never being the last to leave a social occasion.
Macron’s micro-expression was every bit of: Fuck, how long is he staying and what the fuck does he want now, and we still have a carpet stain (cigarette burn) from the last time he was here…
Immaculate deception | May 18 2023 2:40 utc | 172
ClownZ looking very ruff. He doesn’t have a long life expectancy.
He can join Mikheil Saakashvili in the jail/ “health” sanitarium. Saakashvili is almost crippled now.
Or maybe join Venezuela “president by proclamation” Juan Guaido.
Or Jair Bolsonaro. Last seen slumming it in a Miami airport lounge.
So many second career opportunities….

Posted by: Melaleuca | May 18 2023 2:58 utc | 167

Re: Sanctions Blowback; the gift that keeps on giving
Chinese Tourists shun EU. Cause for alarm in some countries
https://app.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/tourismus-chinas-touristen-bleiben-fern-so-reagieren-europas-ferienregionen/29154534.html

Posted by: Exile | May 18 2023 3:03 utc | 169

from The Telegraph, some (expected) chucks as the world changes. . .s/
American Patriots nailed Putin’s hypersonic Kinzhal missile. The world has changed
. . .”Story by Lewis Page”

There’s much excitement around the world following the events of Monday night, in which Ukrainian air defences armed with US-made weapons reportedly neutralised a heavy Russian missile attack against Kyiv. . .All six were reportedly stopped by US-made Patriot air defence interceptors, though a Patriot installation was apparently damaged – perhaps by debris from a downed Russian weapon.. . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | May 18 2023 3:18 utc | 171

@Posted by: Exile | May 18 2023 3:03 utc | 177
Europe is a decaying garbage dump. There are so many better places to visit in the world. Soon they will have to kidnap people to get them to come to Europe.

Posted by: FVK | May 18 2023 3:32 utc | 173

Posted by: karlof1 | May 18 2023 0:48 utc | 155
Based on what Martyanov said, that the Patriot system is spread out over perhaps 100 meters circumference, and that the Kinzhal or whatever missile hit it would have a blast radius of at least 100 meters, almost certainly at least one radar was destroyed or damaged and probably at least one launcher. The real question is whether the command truck was hit. If that’s hit, the whole system is useless. My guess is the geniuses put the command truck right in the middle to ease the cable layout in a star formation – and that’s probably where the missile hit given its precision hit capability.
As Brian Berletic said, it’s almost certain that whatever is left of the battery can’t be fixed by Ukrainians and will have to be shipped back to Poland for repair, if any is possible. Berletic also pointed out that Patriot missiles are in short supply and they wasted 30 of them in this one attack. If Martyanov is right, 100 of them wouldn’t have helped even against Iskanders or Kalibrs.
Bottom line: scratch one Patriot. One more “wonder weapon” fail. Looking forward to seeing burnt out Abrams and downed F-16s.

Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | May 18 2023 4:11 utc | 175

@ morongobill | May 18 2023 1:11 utc | 158
thanks for that…

Posted by: james | May 18 2023 4:22 utc | 177

@Elmer Fudd Comment 186

Simplicius has a new article, “Anatomy of MIM-104 Patriot Destruction + Primer on Kinzhal Hypersonic Missile.”

One of the best articles I’ve read during this war.

Posted by: Mike Hampton | May 18 2023 4:39 utc | 179

Posted by: Don Bacon | May 18 2023 3:18 utc | 179
Story by is right.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | May 18 2023 4:41 utc | 181

@Immaculate deception | May 18 2023 2:40 utc | 172

It’s sort of sad. Zelensky believed the Empires’ lies. “You fucked up, you trusted us”. Does anyone think that he’ll live long enough to spend all of his ill gotten gains? Somehow, I think that his foreign accounts will be plundered as they claw back the piasters. Just my opinion.

His fate is illustrated perfectly in this picture
https://postimg.cc/yJBhRB5y
The fact that he didn’t learn from recent history, says all there is to say…

Posted by: Norwegian | May 18 2023 5:52 utc | 183

👉Bakhmut. The ammunition is replenished and things are moving.
According to my information, the road to Khromovo and on to Chasov Yar from Bakhmut (Artemivsk) is under our control. The entire private sector of the town. “WagnerA has stormed a considerable amount of the city space in three days, the Ukrainian military has fled. It remains to take the outbuildings behind Jubilee, going in the direction of Ivanovskoye. PMC assault units stand in front of two five-storey buildings – onwards the end of Bakhmut. The last sector of the Nest.
Barely replenished and Wagner’s ammunition, as its storm troopers, picked up the former high rate of advance, the assistance of the Ministry of Defense units from the flanks played a role, the freed PMC forces returned to the city and joined the assault.
The remaining AFU units in Bakhmut are in a very difficult position. Using the Smelchak (240mm) precision-guided weapon system, the Ministry of Defence’s artillerymen, the Far East units attached to Wagner, have crushed all the defended Ukrainian positions, the enemy is retreating and blowing up houses behind them.
One house was not blown up in time, the PMC’s bomb squad detected and defused a huge explosive charge by the AFU. It is expected that the Ukrainian military will retreat and set up their defensive positions on the eastern outskirts of Ivanovskoye, trying to hold this line, the enemy’s forces there are not very large. The 200th motorized rifle brigade of the Northern Fleet is stiff there, they fight nicely, successfully. Proactive and competent management of this brigade is noted. On the defence lines of our three other formations and one other unit the flanks have sagged and the Wagner detachments returned to some areas to stabilize the situation and did the job.
The Ministry of Defence and PMC artillery is firing heavily at the enemy, shells are available. Kleshcheevka is a tense place, but Wagner firmly controls the heights, and one can confidently expect that these guys will not retreat. Otherwise the enemy will start to break through from the south to the road from Opytnoye. This will greatly complicate the situation of units of the Wagner PMC and units of the Ministry of Defense. But the Far Eastern 57th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade stands there with dignity, standing firm, in the best traditions of the Russian infantry.
I really like the alliance of PMCs and the MoD in this brutal place. It is certainly productive.
Bakhmut is not Ukrainian, Bakhmut is ours.
👉Alexander Sladkov

https://t.me/sitreports/8831

Posted by: Down South | May 18 2023 6:04 utc | 185

As per Russia MoD.
“Kinnzhal hypersonic missile system hit and completely destroyed a multifunctional radar station (https://t.me/mod_russia_en/7451) as well as five launchers of U.S.-manufactured Patriot surface-to-air missile system in Kiev.”
I tend to take Rus MoD reports as the most accurate until proven otherwise. Six Kinzals or just a Kinzal for the radar then drones or cruise missiles for the launchers? No doubt the system would have been spotted on sat imaginary but it seems enough decoys were sent in to light everything up. Much analysis done just on the basis of one short piece of video from the limited view of one security camera.
The other thing is terminal speed of the Kinzal. I think it is the Bastion that has a subsonic cruise and maneuvering mach 3 terminal. That the Kinzal’s terminal speed would be below its cruise or ballistic speed is stretching things. The Russian’s don’t make American crap.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 18 2023 6:12 utc | 187

Norwegian | May 18 2023 5:52 utc | 191
Perhaps better than those pics is the term freedumb fighter. They are simply consumables brainwashed into some form of ideology. The best pic is Bin Laden and Co sitting in the whitehouse with Reagan.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 18 2023 6:18 utc | 189

Both could, of course, be completely wrong. However, to me this represents the thin edge of dawning realization in the west that NATO has stepped on its dick and is about to fall ignominiously on its face.
Posted by: Mark | May 18 2023 6:15 utc | 196
Nato is the US. The US is the corporations that sponsor US politicians. Plenty of consumables to be burned.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 18 2023 6:31 utc | 191

Dima had a vid upcoming about now …. then ‘Video unavailable’ on YouTube’ !!!!
@Julian McFarlane
Keep up the good work.

Posted by: Don Firineach | May 18 2023 6:53 utc | 193

💥All night long, Russian Forces ‘worked’ on Ukraine using a wide range of weapons
— Missile strikes were carried out on Odessa and its suburbs. Warehouses and industrial facilities where weapons and equipment were stored were hit.
— After the missile attack, Geran drones and decoys were used, explosions were heard in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions.
— A new missile strike hit targets in Kharkov, Kramatorsk, Pokrovsky district of the DPR, Kirovograd and Cherkassy regions.
— At 2 am, air-based missiles were launched from strategic bombers, hitting targets in the Poltava and Vinnitsa regions.
— Guided air bombs were used on targets in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions.
— In the morning (at about 04:00) “Calibers” were launched on targets in the Khmelnytsky, Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions.
The end of the air raid sounded only at 6 am (MSK).
Two Majors TG Channel
—————
From late evening until early morning new strikes were inflicted on ammunition depots and places of concentration of manpower of the AFU, including Kiev where Patriot no longer helps. At least 4 warehouses in Odessa and oblast took off into the air, also one barrack for 450 people of terdefence. The missiles went first under the guise of decoys, and the air defense let them all fly. Two strikes hit the warehouses in the port, then 120 Shaheds attacked the artillery depots with shells that just arrived from Turkey. Thanks to Erdogan for the radio beacons inside the 155mm shells.
#obrazbuduschego
https://t.me/denatofication/5666
Lots of hits.

Posted by: unimperator | May 18 2023 7:14 utc | 195

Elmer Fudd at 186
Ever heard of boundary layer cooling?
The effect is used in the heated blades of gas turbines where nimonics would otherwise melt. Also similarly, for super cavitating torpedos, which ‘fly’ through the water on a cushion of air to reduce their skin friction.
I saw an early picture of a hypersonic missile and the above was my conclusion.
I may be wrong but the Russians have good engineers!
Cheers, Oldengineer

Posted by: Oldengineer | May 18 2023 7:23 utc | 197

“by: HERMIUS | May 18 2023 0:55 utc | 156”
Just curious about one part of your theory. How did the Patriot radar pick up the swarm of drones before the Patriot radar was activated?

Posted by: Dalit | May 18 2023 7:45 utc | 199