Ukraine SitRep: Explosion in Khmelnytsky - Bakhmut Evacuation - Longer Range Missiles
In the early morning of last Saturday two large explosions (video) destroyed a large ammunition depot near the city of Khmelnytsky in west Ukraine.
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This picture shows the depot before the strike:
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The explosion destroyed the whole depot:
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The depot sat at a rail line some 5,000 meter west from the city center. It is likely that the explosion destroyed not only a large amount of ammunition but also a large number of windows in the city and caused some casualties.
The city of Khmelnytsky, which has a population of 270.000, is named after a famous Cossack hetman (elected military leader) who in 1648 rose up against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth that controlled the west of Ukraine.
While military operations continued inconclusively, and because Tatar support proved undependable at crucial moments, Khmelnytsky began to search for other allies.
He found those allies in Moscow:
Khmelnytsky secured the military protection of the Tsardom of Russia in exchange for allegiance to the Tsar. An oath of allegiance to the Russian monarch from the leadership of the Cossack Hetmanate was taken, shortly thereafter followed by other officials, the clergy and the inhabitants of the Hetmanate swearing allegiance. The exact nature of the relationship stipulated by the agreement between the Hetmanate and Russia is a matter of scholarly controversy. The council of Pereiaslav was followed by an exchange of official documents: the March Articles (from the Cossack Hetmanate) and the Tsar's Declaration (from Muscovy).The council was attended by a delegation from Moscow headed by Vasiliy Buturlin. The event was soon thereafter followed by the adoption in Moscow of the so-called March Articles that stipulated an autonomous status of the Hetmanate within the Russian state. The agreement precipitated the Russo-Polish War (1654–67). The definitive legal settlement was effected under the Eternal Peace Treaty of 1686 concluded by Russia and Poland that re-affirmed Russia's sovereignty over the lands of Zaporozhian Sich and left-bank Ukraine, as well as the city of Kiev.
The city is some 200 kilometer from the Polish boarder. The depot has likely held ammunition that was coming from the 'West' to go to the front line in east Ukraine. There are rumors that the depot held British ammunition for Challenger main battle tanks. The ammunition is filled with depleted Uranium. Some charts are circulating which claim to show a gamma ray spike in the area.
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However the relevant map does not load for me and I have no way to verify it. The chart seem to show an increase in Gamma radiation but that increase happened during May 11/12, not in the early morning of May 13 when the explosion happened. The increase is also very small and the total is normal and not dangerous. Flying in a commercial airplane will typically expose you to some 2,000 nano-Sievert per hour [nSi/h]. Small background radiation variances happen all the time so the chart does not really tell us anything.
In other news the Ukrainian army seems to abandon whatever is left of Bakhmut city.
In today's clobber report the Russian Defense Ministry reported the intercept by air defense of a British Storm Shadow cruise missile. This confirms that these are not some new wonder weapons. (The recent two Storm Shadow impacts in Luhansk city were against undefended targets and also accompanied by a U.S. delivered electronic warfare missile which probably can confuse air defense radar.)
Also taken down yesterday were seven U.S. HARM anti-radar missiles and ten HIMARS missiles.
The use of so many HARM missiles is unusual and points to a new campaign in preparation of the much hyped counteroffensive.
Posted by b on May 15, 2023 at 17:23 UTC | Permalink
next page »Safeguarding Your Mental Health from the Harmful Effects of Western War Propaganda – Ten Top Tips
from Prof. Geoffrey Roberts – one of the very best realist Soviet/Russian historians around and a voice for sanity in the present geopolitical conflict.
Very, very, highly recommended to all commenters here … ((and especially for “b”) Read on:
https://geoffreyroberts.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Ten-Top-Tips-.pdf
Posted by: Don Firineach | May 15 2023 17:27 utc | 1
Thank you for the perspective on the gamma measurement. Very correct. I left a similar comment on previous thread with no expectation anyone would hear. And had missed the dates. b is a close reader.
Posted by: oldhippie | May 15 2023 17:32 utc | 2
Perceptive and thought provoking as always "b". Happy I'm in before the "ALL is lost! All IS lost! All is LOST!" Eeyores.
Posted by: Drake Schroeder | May 15 2023 17:34 utc | 3
The advanced map works: https://remap.jrc.ec.europa.eu/Advanced.aspx .
And no, the spike is in no way exceptional. Looking at the data from April to May, there are a lot of highs and lows.
Posted by: SG | May 15 2023 17:47 utc | 5
I find it extraordinary that none of the big MSM outlets have reported this strike. NYT, WaPo, CNN, BBC, Guardian have all kept their mouths shut. How to interpret this? Have they been instructed by the US/UK governments to stay silent? Is it something to do with the poor "return on investment", ie. the high $ value of equipment destroyed which may make taxpayers angry? Or is that no one wants to talk about the impact of pulverised DU in the atmosphere?
Posted by: Chris Wolf | May 15 2023 17:49 utc | 6
Latest report from Bakhmut-Artyomovsk by Prigozhin's voice post, 1,6 Km2 left, 36 high rise buildings under Wagner, 12 left under Ukraine.
https://t.me/Prigozhin_hat/3340
Posted by: Paco | May 15 2023 17:50 utc | 7
Ukraine has become like a new ISIS, created to terrorize Russia but it will eventually start operations in Europe.
The delusional twits running the EU keep saying they are helping Ukraine to “protect” the citizens of the EU by sending all the money to be used to help the citizens to ammo manufacturing to be used in Ukraine. The opposite is true, that money is now wasted and they have no idea how much of that money and weapons are outright stolen or sold on the black markets. This makes the EU less safe.
When that new UKrainian ISIS starts terror in the EU, they will blame Russia. When will these rubes figure out it’s the US and UK crapping on the EU, not Russia. The US must pay them well to be traitors to their own people.
Posted by: Fudup | May 15 2023 17:55 utc | 9
Ukrainian channels seem to be fairly convinced that there were DU stocks in the Khmelnytsky warehouses, and the fact that both there and Tirnopol the Ukrainians sent robot firefighting equipment taken from nuclear plants may be more convincing that radiation monitoring. Whatever was in Khmelnysky was a lot. The explosion(s) apparently managed 3.4 on the Richter scale and the video that made it out to the public is pretty amazing. You have to figure hundreds of millions of dollars worth of munitions were there.
Posted by: Lex | May 15 2023 17:56 utc | 10
The great people of UK need to take a good, long look at what their war-mongering elites are doing. Sending DU tipped shells to the Ukrozazis? London is within range of conventional Russian weaponry - Washington DC is not. Do our hard-scrabbled and street savvy Brit mates believe the current ruling Globalist cabal in DC would do a damn thing if Russia sends some DU-flavored Kinzhals toward Merry Old England? Of course the Soros/Blinken/Nuland war pigs wouldn't. Nobody in DC is going to go Nuke for anyone but themselves. They don't give a shit. Obliteration of London will be a British problem. America's elites look at Brits, Euros and every cough cough "ally" in the World like Otter told Flounder in "Animal House" when they destroyed his borrowed family Cadillac: "Hey ... Ya fucked up, ya trusted us." Welcome to American foreign policy.
Posted by: Drake Schroeder | May 15 2023 17:56 utc | 11
Thanks for the posting b
I think that Russia is just waiting to decimate any attempts at the much hyped counteroffensive.
More before and after shots like this and maybe someone will "hear".
Posted by: psychohistorian | May 15 2023 17:57 utc | 12
Much appreciate what you do b.
"The city of Khmelnytsky, which has a population of 270.000, is named after a famous Cossack hetman (elected military leader) who in 1648 rose up against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth that controlled the west of Ukraine."
So called Ukraine is the part of Kievan Rus that came under Polish control. Belarus is the part of Kievan Rus that came under Lithuanian control. Galicia is the part of Kievan Rus that came under Austrian control.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 17:57 utc | 13
I should have added to that comment that what we watch is also catholic vs orthodox. At some point Galicia converted to Catholicism.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:00 utc | 14
Depleted Uranium doesn't emit gamma radiation. That's what depleted means. It emits alpha (which you can stop with a coat of paint) and the very occasional beta particle. If the gamma spike is real, then something else radiological was being stored there, and that would be a good reason for the Russians to decide to hit it now. DU ammo isn't radiological. DU is actually used for radiation SHIELDING, because it only emits alpha and blocks gamma effectively.
Posted by: Phelps | May 15 2023 18:02 utc | 15
quote: "The ammunition is filled with depleted Uranium."
That's troubling to be reading!
Hopefully it can be explained as something being lost in a translation?
Posted by: Up North | May 15 2023 18:05 utc | 16
Much history from Kievan Rus. The western woke are devoid of history. Lambs to the slaughter.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:07 utc | 17
Perhaps it was the transportation of the DU in close proximity to DU rounds? Either way, blasting military hardware, chemicals and metals would likely raise the readings regardless of DU present because of all materials having some degree of radioactivity.
Maybe what happened was a random spike that happens on occasion and the particles blasted in air kept it elevated.
So it would be bazaar if there was no discernable change after that much material yeeted into the sky.
Posted by: soledad 0'brien | May 15 2023 18:08 utc | 18
Phelps | May 15 2023 18:02 utc | 15
Those trying to whitewash DU. It is not an extinction event but it does reduce life expectancy. Those susceptible will suffer ill health.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:11 utc | 19
My predictions:
The counteroffensive wont start this month. Ukraine's failure to start an offensive will be casually covered up by a dramatic new supply announcement which could be more missiles, advanced tanks, and even be western fighters. The new narrative would be similar to what Zelensky already said recently: "We are winning and ALREADY prepared for a successful counteroffensive, b-but... we would be even MORE prepared if we would get MORE WEAPONS. By the way even now we are successfully wearing down the muscovites with SMALL-UNIT ACTION AND TACTICOOL SHAPING OPERATIONS. This DOCTRINE of warfare might make this UNPROVOKED war longer but it will lead to a greater victory."
Posted by: A200 | May 15 2023 18:15 utc | 20
Perhaps it was the transportation of the DU in close proximity to DU rounds?
soledad 0'brien | May 15 2023 18:08 utc | 18
I have trouble getting what is left of my brain around that one.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:15 utc | 21
AFAIUI, another problem with DU is that it's a toxic heavy metal, so it's like vaporizing lead, it will eventually fall to earth on the farmland and on school playgrounds where it can affect the mental development of children and so on. NIH says:
Chronic low-dose, or subacute, exposure to depleted uranium alters the appearance of milestones in developing organisms. Adult animals that were exposed to depleted uranium during development display persistent alterations in behavior, even after cessation of depleted uranium exposure. Adult animals exposed to depleted uranium demonstrate altered behaviors and a variety of alterations to brain chemistry. Despite its reduced level of radioactivity evidence continues to accumulate that depleted uranium, if ingested, may pose a radiologic hazard.
Posted by: BillB | May 15 2023 18:15 utc | 22
Reply to SG, #5: "And no, the spike is in no way exceptional. Looking at the data from April to May, there are a lot of highs and lows."
No, not correct. Each time you choose a date range, the y-axis changes range because of auto-fit. If you look at the entire date range from April to 15 May, you can see the spike for recent days. There is still a question of when the spike started vs the time of the explosion.
I question the explanation of multiple-munition-explosions, however. The video shows only one or two secondary ignitions after each strike, and the magnitude of the fireballs seems to me to verify the comment that the target contained missile fuel.
Posted by: EthanolPaul | May 15 2023 18:18 utc | 23
Like everyone else so far, let me thank you for the sanity and calmness. It's very much appreciated.
This comes at a time when German leaders declare: We're the second biggest Ukraine supporter. We're working on getting first place. (German-speaking NZZ behind paywall) and the Bundeswehr is putting up ads like What if we have to show strength again (page 6 in the linked, official pdf -- note the "again"!).
Posted by: Konami | May 15 2023 18:18 utc | 24
Thank you for the very cogent commentary rather than more of the hysterical shitting of panties that is so common in discussions about Depleted Uranium. I didn't notice that the increase in radiation levels preceded the attack on the depot. This doesn't disprove the assertions that DU ammo was stored at that depot.
Another commenter left a very cogent analysis that is well worth reading on the previous thread:
I have seen chernobyl, solar radiation, and its all alpha radiation being used as excuses/refutation of the background gamma radition graphs floating around the internet and telegram. As Elmer Fudd correctly states, ALL radioactive decay involves gamma rays and alpha particles/beta particles. I understand depleted Uranium is mostly U238 and with a lower than naturally occurring proportion of U235, but even this U238 decays. hence the background radiation increase from around 100 nSv/hr to 140 nSv/hr could well have resulted from depleted Uranium being blown up. In addition, whilst depleted uranium is relatively less harmful outside the body, it is dangerous if inhaled or ingested. The degree of risk would, I imagine, depend on who was paying for the investigation. You only have to understand that Polonium 210 also decays by emitting alpha particles and gamma radiation. The west never tires of emphasizing how dangerous this is if inhaled or ingested. U238 has a half life of 4.468 billion years. U235 - 700 million years, U234 250,000 years. Polonium 210 138 days. U235 is the one which can sustain a nuclear fission reaction (nuke explosion) if enough of it is concentrated in one lump. The critical mass is 47kg but the critical mass can be reduced by pressure and by deflecting neutrons back into the uranium lump. Hence the critical mass is probably less than 15kg (its a secret). So, if the graph is true, the explanation is consistent with radioactive decay of depleted uranium.
Posted by: Kaiama | May 15 2023 16:59 utc | 380
Just for a bit of context, I vividly recall but can not find several reports of increased radiation levels around Ukraine during the year prior to the Special Military Operation. The most credible reports to me were those that commented on the isotope ratios of various elements. The isotopes involved were common fission products. Since different isotopes of the same element have different half-lives, measuring the ratio between the two isotopes enables calculation of when the fission events that produced them occurred. At the time, I along with everyone else presumed that these fission events were the result of spontaneous recriticality incidents occurring in the melted down reactor at Chernobyl.
However; after the launch of the SMO I became aware of Zelenski's very overt threats during the 2021 NATO summit that Ukraine would acquire nuclear weapons if NATO didn't admit Ukraine as a member. I can not imagine anyone being stupid enough to make such a threat unless they were very close to acquiring nuclear weapons. As a result, I speculate that the previous spikes in radioactive materials were the result of Ukraine mining nuclear materials from the melted down reactor core of Chernobyl. Since that reactor was designed as a dual use reactor that could produce bomb grade Plutonium as well as power, that would be very successful.
This would explain why Russia seized and occupied the Chernobyl site at the beginning of the SMO. Evidence that such mining of nuclear materials was NOT occurring might have motivated Russia to stand down and withdraw. The fact that Russia has been so determined suggests that they did discover evidence of a nuclear weapons program.
Posted by: Elmer Fudd | May 15 2023 18:25 utc | 25
About depleted uranium: The main danger in DU is not it's radioactivity. The main problem is similar to heavy metals like lead, but much worse. It's inhaling the depleted uranium dust in to your lungs and digesting DU dust after it get absorbed by agricultural products or ends up lying in urban areas that makes DU extremely toxic. Heavy metals do much more to your body than "make you feel sick" they destroy the brain blood barrier and cause massive damage to the brain. They ruin the DNA of unborn fetuses which results in generation-wide genetic defects in society, they cause damage to many other parts and stay in the body forever. And heavy metals do not "degrade" they stay in the environment virtually forever, circulating and causing damage until quaranteed, like nuclear-power-plant waste (which is what DU is) is being stored.
Posted by: A200 | May 15 2023 18:25 utc | 26
Konami | May 15 2023 18:18 utc | 24
We watch the aggression of the western world but the majority have been sucked into the cult of dumbocracy.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:25 utc | 27
In today's clobber report the Russian Defense Ministry reported the intercept by air defense of a British Storm Shadow cruise missile. This confirms that these are not some new wonder weapons. (The recent two Storm Shadow impacts in Luhansk city were against undefended targets and also accompanied by a U.S. delivered electronic warfare missile which probably can confuse air defense radar.)
This completely misses the point.
One of NATO's plans for a decapitation first strike on Russia centers on an overwhelming cruise missile attack. Accordingly, if Russia's warning systems light up with a large salvo of ALCMs coming their way, they have to decide whether to launch a second strike or not.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING:
1) What kind of warheads are on those ALCMs
2) What kind of ALCM it is (there are characteristic radar signatures, but it is not as if they come with an actual label)
3) What the real range of the ALCMs is (it's classified for most strategic weapons)
4) What their targets are
This precise scenario has been endlessly discussed for many, many years.
Go through the decision tree after that:
Let's imagine that Russia assumes that the first large salvo fired by Ukraine towards Russia is conventional and just tries to shoot them down, destroys a large percentage, but the rest hits their targets with conventional explosives. What then?
First, this is completely unacceptable on its own, because a lot of those targets will be airfields and military bases, i.e. real strategic capability will be eroded.
Second, and most important, once you have accepted this, then you are inviting another salvo, but with the warheads swapped for nukes.
Why are so many people blind to these well understood for a very long time issues???
Posted by: shadowbanned | May 15 2023 18:27 utc | 28
Elmer Fudd | May 15 2023 18:25 utc | 25
There was a bit of radiation floating around. Russia sometime after announced their nuclear powered cruise missiles, so I assume testing gave those readings.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:31 utc | 29
#15 Depleted Uranium doesn't emit gamma radiation
This isn't true. Depleted uranium is not completely depleted - it still is 0.3% U-235. "Depleted" simply means that the level of U-235 is below the level of U-235 isotope contained in pure natural uranium (0.7%). Nuclear reactors can't make use of all of the isotope present, some is left after the fuel rods are no longer viable for heat production.
Whether the depleted uranium is aersolized into dust or intact in warheads would have no effect on radioactivity readings in the area in general (unless they're taken very close to either the dust or the warheads I would think). Conventional explosions aren't changing U-235 into a different isotope or element, like a nuclear reaction would. So the higher readings starting a couple of days before the missile attack could indicate when the DU munitions arrived at the depot - which would make sense. Presumably they would be broken out and transported to supply depots closer to the front line soon after arrival.
Posted by: expat-joe | May 15 2023 18:34 utc | 30
shadowbanned | May 15 2023 18:27 utc | 28 "This completely misses the point."
You need to go to a ladyboys parlor in Bangkok and chill out.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:35 utc | 31
Posted by: Lex | May 15 2023 17:56 utc | 10
Agreed ... and the thing is that whichever way you slice it there are a shitload of DU weapons in UA that are almost certainly going to end up being exploded at some point. Whatever wasn’t in Khmelnytsky is just lurking somewhere else.
Posted by: anon2020 | May 15 2023 18:36 utc | 32
I have trouble getting what is left of my brain around that one.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:15 utc | 21
The gamma measuring device is at the Khmelnytsky airport, appears to be within yards of tarmac on south end. We already know they are using Antonov cargo planes to ship stuff even some vehicles. It would make alot of sense they would use this airport because its not too close to combat.
It is already known that Russia has some big fans in Europe watching what stuff is being sent on planes so it is not too far-fetched the DU was driven right past the gamma meter & Russia made good on their very serious threat.
Posted by: soledad 0'brien | May 15 2023 18:36 utc | 33
“Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Posted by: HERMIUS | May 15 2023 18:37 utc | 34
expat-joe | May 15 2023 18:34 utc | 30 "So the higher readings starting a couple of days before the missile attack could indicate when the DU munitions arrived at the depot - which would make sense."
Good comment.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:38 utc | 35
soledad 0'brien | May 15 2023 18:36 utc | 33
Thanks for the reply. Interesting. I wait and watch.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:44 utc | 36
We can quibble - with good faith - about the toxicity of Depleted Uranium but in this particular conflict it's an overt escalation and provocation. And, given the way Ukraine is being destroyed with the expectation/dream it will someday be rebuilt by ... a victor ... it's an evil poison pill for the future of everyone involved.
Posted by: Drake Schroeder | May 15 2023 18:45 utc | 37
As promised, I did improve my "MoA Helper" Google Chrome extension yesterday and just uploaded it to a new Telegram channel:
The screenshots show the icon & popup menu in the toolbar of Chrome. There you can enable the whitelist / blacklist or disable filtering. When clicking on the button at the right of the title, you will be shown a settings page where you can edit the lists. That's all, very simple but effective.
If you don't have Telegram then you can also download it from here: https://www.filemail.com/d/tsadtlatknvfyni
The extension works on Google Chrome, Brave and other Chromium based browsers. If you are worried about your safety then please feel free to have a look at the unpacked files: they are readable with any text editor and the code is very simple, all in all it is not more than about 100 lines of code and you can understand it with just the knowledge of English. There's no magic.
Oh, and the extension only works on moonofalabama.org - it can't read any other things in Chrome nor access any other websites you're browsing (also not your history, cookies or anything else).
If you have any questions, suggestions or ideas then feel free to use the comments in the channel linked above – so we don't spam this thread here...
Posted by: Zet | May 15 2023 18:49 utc | 38
expat-joe
Yea, that's what I was thinking in my previous comment, Gamma rays loose 1/2 energy every 500ft at sea level (google says).
I believe Russia was watching for this specific shipment and made it a priority once it landed. They made some very serious threats; Russia isn't playing around with DU dust in their farmland. The readings are just too coincidental, although harmless, that level is a new recent record from what I can see past month and those spikes are usually spikes and go back down.
Posted by: soledad 0'brien | May 15 2023 18:51 utc | 39
thanks b... much appreciated...
regarding the depleted uranium.. it seems to me the uk is particularly toxic in its role in this conflict.. now whether that is because they are making sure the uk doesn't take a backseat to anyone when it comes to depravity -i am not sure.. either way, the uk is one messed up toxic motivated country at this point.. i guess the royal scam plays a role in it too..
Posted by: james | May 15 2023 18:54 utc | 40
Chris Wolf no. 6
Yes. Weird huh? They couldn't spin it, that's why.
Posted by: ThusspakeZarathustra | May 15 2023 18:56 utc | 41
From globalsecurity:
US intelligence confirmed that London intends to transfer an undetermined number of Storm Shadow missiles to Kyiv, along with British personnel to help with targeting.
More recent newspaper articles seem to have dropped the "along with British personnel to help with targeting". Yet with these few words a good deal of plausible deniability goes away: the UK is no longer merely supplying arms and looking the other way; the British are firing at targets inside Russia.
Posted by: Passerby | May 15 2023 18:56 utc | 42
james | May 15 2023 18:54 utc | 40 "i guess the royal scam plays a role in it too.."
You made a typo
"i guess the royal scum plays a role in it too.."
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:57 utc | 43
For those who happened to miss it, here is the initial explosion from Khmelnitsky. That supposedly caused the earth shaking.
https://twitter.com/ChuckCallesto/status/1657939235683409920
Posted by: unimperator | May 15 2023 18:59 utc | 44
About Gamma rays:
Gamma rays are produced during gamma decay, which normally occurs after other forms of decay occur, such as alpha or beta decay. A radioactive nucleus can decay by the emission of an α or β particle. The daughter nucleus that results is usually left in an excited state. It can then decay to a lower energy state by emitting a gamma ray photon, in a process called gamma decay.
The emission of a gamma ray from an excited nucleus typically requires only 10^−12 seconds. ...
Source: Wiki:Gamma_ray
And U-238 decay series:
U-238→Th-234, α dacay, half life=4.468·10^9 a
Th-234→Pa-234m, β− dacay, half life=24.10 d
Pa-234m→U-234, β− dacay, half life=1.159 min, chance=99.84%
Source: Wiki:Uranium-238
So it's normal for alpha particle emitters like U-238 to have gamma rays along with alpha/beta rays.
Posted by: Gleaner | May 15 2023 19:02 utc | 45
Posted by: Konami | May 15 2023 18:18 utc | 24
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:25 utc | 27
Again ... Florence Gaub is one of them, the German greens, silent as DU is shipped for near-certain environmental dispersal, are a whole bunch of them. The strange dullards of euro-renazification.
They need a flag, the blue swastika should do nicely ... Finland’s great and good claim it to be both innocent and innocuous, doubtless one of their snitches will be along to argue the point, who are we to judge!
Posted by: anon2020 | May 15 2023 19:04 utc | 46
Ingested or inhaled uranium dust post explosion would be far more dangerous from both radiation and chemical poisoning. JUst remember how polonium 210 also decays by alpha particles and gamma radiation. The west never tires of telling us how dangerous it is. It has a much shorter half life than U235 or U238, but you can google studies which show also how chemically poisonous it is apart from the radiation. The graph cannot be verified so it could be disinformation from either side.
Posted by: Kaiama | May 15 2023 19:06 utc | 47
unimperator | May 15 2023 18:59 utc | 44
Much boom bang but I cant help thinking about Russian nuclear forces being on full combat alert.
Britain will merge with doggerland and US will become a piece of glass artistry. Putin is not fxxking about.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 19:08 utc | 48
@ 43 peter au... yes - you're right, lolol... that is what i meant to spell!
Posted by: james | May 15 2023 19:10 utc | 49
Zelenskyy dismissed the heads of the Luhansk, Odessa and Khmelnytskyi RMA - Haidai, Marchenko and Hamalii
Source: https://censor.net/en/n3405928
Posted by: BonfireNight | May 15 2023 19:13 utc | 50
The great people of UK need to take a good, long look at what their war-mongering elites are doing. Sending DU tipped shells to the Ukrozazis? London is within range of conventional Russian weaponry - Washington DC is not. Do our hard-scrabbled and street savvy Brit mates believe the current ruling Globalist cabal in DC would do a damn thing if Russia sends some DU-flavored Kinzhals toward Merry Old England? Of course the Soros/Blinken/Nuland war pigs wouldn't. Nobody in DC is going to go Nuke for anyone but themselves. They don't give a shit. Obliteration of London will be a British problem. America's elites look at Brits, Euros and every cough cough "ally" in the World like Otter told Flounder in "Animal House" when they destroyed his borrowed family Cadillac: "Hey ... Ya fucked up, ya trusted us." Welcome to American foreign policy.
Posted by: Drake Schroeder | May 15 2023 17:56 utc | 11
Many people in Britain will not look at those war mongering pigs because they are zombified, i am disgusted by all our political parties and media who have gone along with this madness, many of the people in Britain don't have a clue whats been going on in Donbass and Ukraine, because they get their information from the BBC and SKY who are paid to lie.
Posted by: Englishman | May 15 2023 19:16 utc | 51
I see the English PM embrace the leader (Zelensky) of the Ukrainian Neo-Nazi regime as he flew into England, of course the English have form in embracing Nazi's with the now deceased Prince Philip attending a Nazi wedding and King Edward VIII (who abdicated) was well know for consorting with Nazi's.
Channel 4 news reported the attacks on the civilian areas of Luhansk by the Ukrainian Neo-Nazi's using English missiles, after Westminster gave assurances that missiles given to the Neo-Nazi regime would not be used against civilian areas.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | May 15 2023 19:17 utc | 52
" Britain will merge with doggerland and US will become a piece of glass artistry. Putin is not fxxking about.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 19:08 utc | 48 "
Thast assuming the US has no ability to retaliate with strikes of their own. Not to mention that France and England have Nukes also.
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | May 15 2023 19:18 utc | 53
Deplorable Commissar | May 15 2023 19:18 utc | 53
The information warfare agent strikes back.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 19:20 utc | 54
@ Chris Wolf | 6
@ ThusspakeZarathustra | 41
Chomsky explained how the corporate media's narrative gatekeeping works back in the late 80s: "correspondents" and "journalists" are selected based upon their ideological fervor and commitment to ideological solidarity. Or, IOW, the rank-and-file writers can only ever be hired if they are "true believers". Thus, the top-down narrative is pre-baked into the hierarchy of workers who only get promoted according to how well they reflect the preferred narrative.
Generally, these media hires are entirely ignorant of this process and sincerely believe that they are neutral, "objective", and "accurate". Those cynical enough to escape into the real world of what's actually happening are then offered significant sums by the intelligence services to "spin" the stories according to instructions from above.
Anyone who relies upon logical reasoning and fact-based reflections of events is either never hired, or never promoted ("shadow-banned", in current parlance) and kept indigent until they either quit or are fired.
The 90s made this situation abundantly clear with the NYTimes and WaPo both getting caught up in repeated scandals where featured and hotly-promoted "journalists" were discovered to be either plagiarists or simply outright liars who fabricated all of their sources.
Posted by: Pacifica Advocate | May 15 2023 19:24 utc | 55
Aren't there 14 or so uk tanks? How much DU ammo can you give to 14 tanks? Someone who knows that can estimate if the spike can be from that amount of ammo or something else or DU for a different weapon was stored there as well
I see that both fr and uk announced the training of pilots. If they admit the training now it probably started 6 months ago. They already can send groups of kamikaze in old junk f16s collected from all nato at almost zero cost for them.
Posted by: rk | May 15 2023 19:26 utc | 56
Re: Lack of reporting on this strike. The western MSM hasn't generally been reporting on any developments lately. I don't recall seeing the loss of the 4 aircraft in the aviation group in the news either. Maybe buried on page 12 of the NYT or Bezos Blog?
Re: The war in general and UK's involvement. I am guessing that the warmongers in the UK, US and Belgium have been war gaming a first strike nuclear attack on Moscow. I'm sure they always look at this contingency regardless of Ukraine, but the silence strikes me as the calm before a storm and they view the loss of Ukraine as a NATO forward operating base and the failure of the sanctions to force pain, let alone a regime change in Moscow put them in a very desperate position, especially considering the over-arching geopolitical/geoeconomic consequences of losing this war.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | May 15 2023 19:30 utc | 57
rk | May 15 2023 19:26 utc | 56
The Bradley auto cannon uses DU.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 19:30 utc | 58
ISIS was turned loose on the citizens of Syria the same year the neo-Nazis were turned loose on the citizens of Ukraine, 2014.
They were both proxies of the same country, the USA, backed by the usual suspects in the UK, and their methods of terror were similar.
I remember watching a video on YouTube, back around 2015 or so, of ISIS terrorists opening a box of ammo sold to them by Ukraine. I don't speak Arabic, but their rage at the condition of the weapons didn't need translation. The YT notes explained that the Ukies had left off important parts of the weapons, which the terrorists quickly realized.
It was actually a funny video. It's long since been scrubbed, obviously.
Posted by: wagelaborer | May 15 2023 19:31 utc | 59
wagelaborer | May 15 2023 19:31 utc | 59
US is the world sponsor of terrorism. Its so called war on terror was a war of terrorism. US is the state sponsor of terrorism. Freedumb fighters.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 19:39 utc | 60
Thast assuming the US has no ability to retaliate with strikes of their own. Not to mention that France and England have Nukes also.
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | May 15 2023 19:18 utc | 53
That’s assuming the US wishes to retaliate with strikes of their own.
Nordstream demonstrated that the US doesn’t have allies, it has financial interests. If it decides its financial interests are best served by not retaliating then it won’t retaliate.
British nukes can’t be launched without US say-so. As for France, do you really think they would launch on behalf of les rosbifs?
Posted by: West of England Andy | May 15 2023 19:40 utc | 61
Posted by: Fudup | May 15 2023 17:55 utc | 9
" Ukraine has become like a new ISIS, created to terrorize Russia but it will eventually start operations in Europe. "
Azov has been terrorising all over the planet for years now. Especially in Europe. Somebody will eventually prove beyond doubt they were behind the propaganda of the Poisoning drama of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury in the UK.
Posted by: Derek Henry | May 15 2023 19:44 utc | 62
Posted by: wagelaborer | May 15 2023 19:31 utc | 59
I think ISIS in Syria pre-dates the Maidan coup. 2012/2013 timeframe IIRC.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | May 15 2023 19:44 utc | 63
@Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:35 utc | 31
You need to go to a ladyboys parlor in Bangkok and chill out.Ha ha, I've had a haircut in one of those :-) Quite possible to chill out there.
Posted by: Norwegian | May 15 2023 19:45 utc | 64
The great people of UK need to take a good, long look at what their war-mongering elites are doing. Sending DU tipped shells to the Ukrozazis? London is within range of conventional Russian weaponry - Washington DC is not. Do our hard-scrabbled and street savvy Brit mates believe the current ruling Globalist cabal in DC would do a damn thing if Russia sends some DU-flavored Kinzhals toward Merry Old England? Of course the Soros/Blinken/Nuland war pigs wouldn't. Nobody in DC is going to go Nuke for anyone but themselves. They don't give a shit. Obliteration of London will be a British problem. America's elites look at Brits, Euros and every cough cough "ally" in the World like Otter told Flounder in "Animal House" when they destroyed his borrowed family Cadillac: "Hey ... Ya fucked up, ya trusted us." Welcome to American foreign policy.Posted by: Drake Schroeder | May 15 2023 17:56 utc | 11
The UK will not be struck conventionally, the first thing that will happen to it is most likely a complete wipe out strategic strike.
And the US will likely not launch in response -- why die over something that does not exist anymore? But it is not 100% certain...
There is a smaller possibility of a limited strike that completely disables the UK militarily, but that means there will be a retaliation sooner or later.
P.S. All of this hinges on the ability to tail and sink at least two Vanguard subs.
Posted by: shadowbanned | May 15 2023 19:45 utc | 65
There’s little doubt that DU munitions use has long-lasting effects.
https://consortiumnews.com/2023/05/02/using-poison-in-ukraines-depleted-hope-of-victory/
“The use of depleted uranium munitions in Ukraine amounts to a last-gasp of desperation and an attempt to contaminate territory Kiev knows it will not regain, for such weapons would not be supplied by Britain and used by Ukraine on land they were confident they would recapture.”
Posted by: DocHollywood | May 15 2023 19:46 utc | 66
All the DU scare talk might discourage sending more DU ammo. Right, wrong or indifferent, talk wise, less DU ammo would be a good thing.
That the Russians tracked it on arrival and destroyed it and other stored ammo in copious quantities sends a clear message.
There is no shortage of recipients in denial. Some thanks is owed to the Russians.
Posted by: Acco Hengst | May 15 2023 19:47 utc | 67
Looks like there were a number of explosions at different times and at different parts of that area - as shown at the end of the linked Youtube video and also a couple more shown here: https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1657417291691163651
Posted by: Brendan | May 15 2023 19:48 utc | 68
The propaganda of the Poisoning drama of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury in the UK. The photos of So called Russians going through security and walking around Salisbury.
My money is on them being UAF/ Azov in the photos. One day somebody will prove it. If they are not killed already in this conflict.
Posted by: Derek Henry | May 15 2023 19:49 utc | 69
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 19:08 utc | 48
----
I don't think it's yet at the "brink" you just shared.
But, we are too rapidly nearing the brink. Because, unlike during the Missile Crisis and during the Cold War, there is ZERO communication between the guys who can push the "button" in (Soviet) Russia and those who can do it in DC. Largely, because the POTUS/CinC is a drooling, zombie Alzheimer prospect and his minions are all Straussian war pigs who think they have bunkers available to start their New World.
Something has to improve here. My American Congress is still too drunk with MIC money to step up and grab back their Constitutional Article 1 MANDATE!
Glory Days. Yeah ... they'll pass you by. In the wink of a young girl's eye. Shit has to change.
Posted by: Drake Schroeder | May 15 2023 19:50 utc | 70
Norwegian | May 15 2023 19:45 utc | 64
You and james very much lighten the mood.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 19:50 utc | 71
Posted by: West of England Andy | May 15 2023 19:40 utc | 61
Nato is a myth. It works as long as it isn't exposed as paper tiger (get into real conflict with China or Russia). Article 5 is also shaped up as very voluntary in expression and words. It's a house of cards, but mostly managed through corruption among member state elites. A few cookie crumbs can buy them to act as traitors to national interests.
Also the thing idiot east Europeans don't seem to understand is that US army is relatively weak, and has in absolute terms committed token forces into eastern Europe countries. If they get in conflict with Russia, well, tuff luck, their on their own. Neither will US be sending nukes. US neocons will be cheerleading from the backrow and yelling insults through MSM while vassals get whacked and the 5 US soldiers in Europe are just there to serve as means to provoking a war between the vassal and Russia.
Posted by: unimperator | May 15 2023 19:50 utc | 72
Posted by: Fudup | May 15 2023 17:55 utc | 9
" Ukraine has become like a new ISIS, created to terrorize Russia but it will eventually start operations in Europe. "
This is true.
This is a total war, religious war of the insane and irrational Ukraine and The West against Russia that is the last citadel of rationalism.
We must not underestimate Ukraine ant their western backers. Take UK, there is a genuine joy among the British intellectuals when they talk about "Storm shadow" missals.
Posted by: srbin | May 15 2023 19:50 utc | 73
Posted by: Zet | May 15 2023 18:49 utc | 38
Excellent, thanks. MOA is a better place without Shadowbanned and his nonstop nuclear nonsense.
Posted by: GT Stroller | May 15 2023 19:54 utc | 74
Drake Schroeder | May 15 2023 19:50 utc | 70 "Glory Days. Yeah ..."
We watch and wait. My regards to you. So many good Americans.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 19:58 utc | 75
Posted by: unimperator | May 15 2023 19:50 utc | 72
---
The British and American "Empires" were always founded on Naval supremacy. And, with American air/space power added around and after WWII+
Neither was ever resourced to wage ground and pound land Wars against any peer that had superior industrial and military resource and planning in land battle. Say, like ... RUSSIA! Or Mainland CHINA! This descent into worldwide danger is insane and nobody in power seems to know ... or care ... how to stop it.
We need to stop this madness.
Posted by: Drake Schroeder | May 15 2023 20:05 utc | 76
Posted by: srbin | May 15 2023 19:50 utc | 73
The most ironic thing was the spread of British DU all over Khmelnitsky region causing potential cancer spikes in the medium term and next day Zelensky is in London giving hugs to Sunak.
Zelensky = zero sh#ts given about Ukraine or people there.
Posted by: unimperator | May 15 2023 20:07 utc | 77
Why is no one, especially here, asking who is doing the radiation testing? IAEA, USA military, NATO, Ukrainian govt, Poland, Russia, an NGO??? Is that "EU Commission" on the bottom of the radiation graph real??? Seems a very generic tag, you would think it would specify the exact agency responsible, that's usually how it works???
Besides Russia and some sort of NGO why would any of the others come clean on this, and why report on gamma radiation of all things which besides unlikely is not very relevant if a big pile DU got atomized? Dust laden with alpha or beta would be more important to warn about. What organization involved in radiation monitoring would release such news without a health warning?Seem like someone wants to hype the least likely but scariest thing.
Reporting from an independent NGO in wartime UKR is impossible, reporting from Ukraine govt or NATO makes no sense and would be self defeating propaganda. If there actually was DU then Russian psyops is possible. Having had time to think about it IMO it's likely the gamma radiation stuff is just made and set free to roam on TG either created by some pro Russian channel as freelance psyops, or someone grabbing for hits, or just trolling the universe, watching everyone repeat stuff you made up - "Paul is dead".
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | May 15 2023 20:08 utc | 78
Ukraine is nothing like ISIS. ISIS are incredibly brave and fanatical warriors, often blowing themselves up for their cause. They plan well, and each one is on level with modern special forces. Corruption is almost non-existent in ISIS, the real problem being ideological and localized power struggles.
Azov et al are cowards, sticking guns in the back of conscripts and forcing them to die. The conscripts are to be pitied, but Ukie leadership is to be despised. I doubt there is room in valhalla for corrupt cowards the like of Azov, and I doubt once Russia is done with Ukraine, you will hear vets talking about the tenacity of ukie conscripts, much less the nato stooges egging all this on frim dozens, if not hundreds, if not thousands of miles away.
If ISIS is ever crushed, it will not be said they were pussies, much like the respect the taleban and viet cong got for their struggles. No, the ukie defeat will be considered nothing more than a tragedy.
Posted by: UWDude | May 15 2023 20:08 utc | 79
@Zet | May 15 2023 18:49 utc | 38
Thanks! I tried it with Brave and it seems to work. That said, I prefer to read MoA in raw form, but it might come in handy when some of the persistent trolls forget to take their medicine.
Posted by: Norwegian | May 15 2023 20:12 utc | 80
Thanks b. for the sitrep.
I am also having a real problem reading the following:
Whaaaa!!! Radiation!!! Depleted Uranium will kill us all!and
There was a mini tactical nuke strike
on the very same ammo storage.
Some people here are very right on what they write about DU namely Phelps | May 15 2023 18:02 utc | 15 and A200 | May 15 2023 18:25 utc | 26
It is understandable and more than enough to know what it is and isn't.
To cut it to the proper information size, it was not anywhere near "the dirty bomb” NATO would like to see.
On the mini tactical nuke on the very same storage – not one of the camera's CCD would survive the smallest of the small nuclear detonation.
So walking a bit down along history lane.
If anyone still remembers a video of Kinzhal on Kiev's Retroville shopping mall?
Understand the video as the language RF was talking to the West and Zelensky then, and look at the reality on the ground now after almost a year and a half.
I remember Reddit brigades going nuts on the Article 5 and the other stupid stuff disseminated about.
At the time of the linked and forgotten video of 20th of March 2022, a mere 2 weeks since the start of SMO, Ukraine and the Combined West understood that they have no chance of winning anything, nor they did win anything ever since.
So, no some cranky old Storm Shadow batch of almost expired missiles that Brits want to get rid of or Leopard or Challenger or this and that will influence RF's language.
I really believe that RF withdrew its forces around Kiev out of a good will to finalize negotiation and end SMO as they still naively believed in a West's capability to negotiate and agree with.
That was prevented by the worst of the worst - Bojo and G7.
They wanted to take the shirts off together with Uschi von der Leyen(!) to show their pecks to counter Putin.
That was the primitive language they spoke.
It is not any different today.
Kinzhal video mentioned before is about tracking and mapping terrain feed to a launch operator, as it is seen on the screen, and then following a Grad MLRS to its rearming point.
Few minutes later, Kinzhal flies vertically in almost as a laser beam. It is a huge bang after all. Almost Khmelnytsky alike.
In that video, a bit too much is shown to the opponent, but I think it was done deliberately as a message. We know where you all are.
I think that Khmelnytsky was a not a one-off stunts and as offensive commences any minute, hour, day, or a month, we might see more of the same or even more of the spectacular stuff.
Posted by: whirlX | May 15 2023 20:12 utc | 81
Posted by: whirlX | May 15 2023 20:12 utc | 81
Khmelnitsky was a rear storage base, but it's possible and even probable that Nato didn't disperse their ammunition and munition storage into very many locations in western Ukraine. My guess is Khmelnitsky was basically a stockpiling point for pretty much all stuff coming in for Poland, and it might have been several months worth of accumulation.
Therefore, it's probable that losing one of the one or only few single locations will come back and bite Nato in the arse in the form of being unable to sustain any sort of large scale offensive operation, or multiple offensives at any single time.
Posted by: unimperator | May 15 2023 20:18 utc | 82
It's good that the conversation has become predictions fir when it turns to nuclear war.
Russia knows their enemy, but they would most likely save one 50 megatonner for the enemy's lapdog kingdom.
So we all know that Russia can't possibly accept defeat, but does everybody understand that America can't either. The empire of the 21st. century is at stake.
Posted by: Up North | May 15 2023 20:21 utc | 83
Wagner shows the mountains of corpses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the trenches near Kleshcheevka. These positions were left by units of the Ministry of Defense, and after that they were recaptured by the fighters of the Wagner PMC.
https://twitter.com/Spriter99880/status/1658146300213485568?cxt=HHwWgIDTncvR9YIuAAAA
Posted by: Derek Henry | May 15 2023 20:23 utc | 84
I can not speak with certainty the RF strategy, but my best guess is they got the edge with kinzhals. They know it, and they need to use it before that gap is closed. In the mean time, they keep NATO materiel pouring in to destroy it. It may be old and almost obsolete, but it still works, and when the real war breaks out, every NATO loss will be new and shiny materiel, with nothing to back it up for a long grind.
Furthermore, i am convinced RF is building a massive stockpile of khinzals. I believe it was 2017 when RF first announced they had them, and then it was about a dozen. In the years since, they must have made at least a thousand more. It is also not inconceivable, they, (and Iran) have over a million cruise missiles now. These little tiny strikes here and there are bevause Putin is no fool... ...rhe real war has not even started yet.
Posted by: UWDude | May 15 2023 20:26 utc | 85
When that new UKrainian ISIS starts terror in the EU, they will blame Russia. When will these rubes figure out it’s the US and UK crapping on the EU, not Russia. The US must pay them well to be traitors to their own people.Posted by: Fudup | May 15 2023 17:55 utc | 9
There's also the Epstein blackmail files that the US / UK / Israel have over the European leaders. There must be some really crazy stuff that was recorded in order to force them to jump off the cliff so willingly.
The great people of UK need to take a good, long look at what their war-mongering elites are doing. Sending DU tipped shells to the Ukrozazis? London is within range of conventional Russian weaponry - Washington DC is not. Do our hard-scrabbled and street savvy Brit mates believe the current ruling Globalist cabal in DC would do a damn thing if Russia sends some DU-flavored Kinzhals toward Merry Old England?Posted by: Drake Schroeder | May 15 2023 17:56 utc | 11
People are just too comfortable to do anything; even with increasing costs of living. Sure some will protests but none at the level of what France is going through right now. And even then the French politicians are refusing to do anything. Perhaps on an unconscious level, they probably prefer to sit tight and watch everything around them burn. Meanwhile the young foolishly prefer to protests online believing that it would bring about change.
Posted by: Ian2 | May 15 2023 20:36 utc | 86
Five explosions
There were not one, but five explosions. This video show two huge blast happening 17 seconds apart. The satellite photo shows five craters 30 to 40 meters across.
The explosions in Khmelnitsky were huge, but they were not the largest I have seen in Ukraine. In Pavlograd a few weeks ago the blast created a crater 50 meters across, which corresponds to about 4 kilotons of explosives.
Posted by: Petri Krohn | May 15 2023 20:37 utc | 87
We watch the aggression of the western world but the majority have been sucked into the cult of dumbocracy.Majority in the *western world*, as you say. Nowhere else, I hope.Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:25 utc | 27
Florence Gaub is one of them, the German greens, silent as DU is shipped for near-certain environmental dispersal, are a whole bunch of them. The strange dullards of euro-renazification.Lots of them. In a previous thread we discussed whether academics (can't use the word "intelligentsia" here) are worse in this regard. I think they are.Posted by: anon2020 | May 15 2023 19:04 utc | 46
unlike during the Missile Crisis and during the Cold War, there is ZERO communication between the guys who can push the "button" in (Soviet) Russia and those who can do it in DCHow do you know this? There were reports about military-level communication early after March 2022, I recall my relief about that and I'd think that goes on. I know that some people are obsessed with nuclear death but the military on either side is likely keen to avoid nuclear accidents and, if we're really lucky, maybe even intented armageddon.Posted by: Drake Schroeder | May 15 2023 19:50 utc | 70
Posted by: Konami | May 15 2023 20:41 utc | 88
So...Russian missiles or sabotage? We all seem to assume that no one in western Ukraine supports Russia. I think that is a bad assumption. Still, I'd bet on Russian missiles.
I haven't seen this event reported in western media. But I have seen an uptick--call it an avalanche--of new anti-Russia propaganda. Russia needs to close this out and, short of nukes, I don't care how they do it.
Posted by: Cesar Jeopardy | May 15 2023 20:42 utc | 89
great Col Macgregor analysis from two days ago on his youtube channel...Pepe Escobar thinks is brill
Posted by: Jo | May 15 2023 20:43 utc | 90
I should have added to that comment that what we watch is also catholic vs orthodox. At some point Galicia converted to Catholicism.Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 15 2023 18:00 utc | 14
That thought has crossed my mind as well. I wondered about Biden's visit to the Vatican and if I recall correctly, Pope Francis talked about the division of Christianity. This reminds me to finish reading Deschner's book.
Posted by: Ian2 | May 15 2023 20:46 utc | 91
Weeb Union latest:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K_ZDuZVrgAE
The UAF down to their last few blocks and bullets.
I wonder what the point of continuing to fight is? If the last road out is unblocked, they could maybe have a semi-organized retreat on the road leading NW out of the Citadel.
What was the point of expending 2500 men to free up the road if they’re still going to lose the others?
Armchair general, for sure. But seems likely this is a debacle for Zelensky and Syrsky.
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | May 15 2023 20:51 utc | 92
The γ spike likely came when the DU munitions came into the area, which would have been a day or two before the Russian attack. The amount of DU did not increase or decrease after the explosion. The material just dispersed, and now will go where the wind takes it. I am sure that the Russians were aware of the munitions transfer into those warehouses, and hurried to the attack.
Posted by: Clonal Antibody | May 15 2023 20:53 utc | 93
#39
"Gamma rays loose(sic) 1/2 energy every 500ft at sea level"
Discussions about DU are a certified treasure trove and there is always somewhat to learn from respected commentators here.
I just have to figure out what (comedy perhaps).
By the way, do you happen to know what Gamma rays are?
P.S.
A suggestion to the many radiation "concern trolls". Just check walls and foundations in your home and you will instantly stop caring about DU.
Posted by: MoaMetal | May 15 2023 20:53 utc | 94
Posted by: MoaMetal | May 15 2023 20:53 utc | 94
Will gamma rays turn me into the Hulk like it did Dr. David Banner?
Posted by: lex talionis | May 15 2023 20:58 utc | 95
@ Up North | May 15 2023 20:21 utc | 83
So we all know that Russia can't possibly accept defeat, but does everybody understand that America can't either.
The empire of the 21st. century is at stake.
Yes, it is true.
But RF has the leadership, intellectual and moral capacity to prevail, let alone military capacity and an external support by 2/3 of the planet.
Do you believe that Biden, Kamala, Nuland the hunk, Sullivan, and others are equal match to RF's leadership and have any capacity other than taking the military nuclear path to preserve it?
Posted by: whirlX | May 15 2023 20:59 utc | 96
about this "DU emmits no gamma" nonsens. every alpha and beta emitter also produces gamma as "bremsstrahlung". there is no radioactive element that dosent produce gamma. its more a question about how much gamma. but You can be shure, that DU will be detected by geiger-tubes and the like.
further: alpha emitter are the worst if they are in the body via food or air. the absorbation of the few cells around a hot-particle will absorb the full energy.
Posted by: NATO raus au .eu | May 15 2023 21:00 utc | 97
I think ISIS in Syria pre-dates the Maidan coup. 2012/2013 timeframe IIRC.
Syria was payback for Bill Browder and the hit Putin put on Safra.
Posted by: JackG | May 15 2023 21:03 utc | 98
With regards to the destruction of the warehouse full of weapons containing DU we must take into account the Coriolis Effect and the prevailing winds to see where any harmful side effects might occur. The Earth rotates in a anti-clockwise movement, and depending on which way the winds are blowing any fallout from the DU could be heading for Europe.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | May 15 2023 21:04 utc | 99
@GT Stroller #74:
Excellent, thanks. MOA is a better place without Shadowbanned and his nonstop nuclear nonsense.
What “nonsense”? Shadowbanned made a completely valid point in #28. Same point that has been made many times before by Putin, when he was talking about Aegis Ashore installations in Romania and Poland and how it would be impossible for Russia to tell conventional and nuclear-armed cruise missiles apart during a mass strike.
Also, “nonstop”? Two comments about nuclear issues in one thread are “nonstop” to you?
MoA would be a worse place without shadowbanned. Most of his/her comments are well-written, illuminating and factually correct. Case in point: his/her comment about USSR’s “reverse empire” in the latest Ukraine Open Thread.
Posted by: S | May 15 2023 21:06 utc | 100
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