Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
December 31, 2023
Ukraine Open Thread 2023-324

Only for news & views directly related to the war in Ukraine.

The current open thread for other issues is here.

Please stick to the topic. Contribute facts. Do not attack other commentators.

Comments

I wonder how effective F16s are on their own? In Desert Storm the initial forays into Baghdad were alongside F15s and military jets with jamming abilities plus radar search and destroy powers. Iraq was heavily defended with Soviet AD, and even properly supported F16s were shot down.

Posted by: Truthsayer | Dec 31 2023 13:45 utc | 1

‼️🇷🇺👉🇺🇳🏴‍☠️🇺🇦 The Permanent Mission of Russia to the OSCE is outraged by the silence of a number of high-ranking functionaries in the organization against the background of the shelling of Belgorod.
“We are outraged by the silence of OSCE functionaries, in particular the North Macedonian OSCE Chairman-in-Office Buyar Osmani and Secretary General Helga Schmid, regarding the deliberate shelling of residential quarters of Belgorod by the Kiev regime, as a result of which civilians, including children, were killed and injured. We call on the OSCE to respond in principle to this act of aggression,” the mission said in a statement.

Posted by: SlowSoft | Dec 31 2023 13:50 utc | 2

@2
Whining seems to be a state’s doctrine?
Their boss is the chessmaster of crybabies
U can’t impress ur „western partners“ (the enemy!) with generell whining attacks! 😁
Ur western partners only understand one language!

Posted by: SlowSoft | Dec 31 2023 14:01 utc | 3

re” SlowSoft | Dec 31 2023 13:50 utc | 2
The Permanent Mission of Russia to the OSCE is outraged by the silence of a number of high-ranking functionaries in the organization against the background of the shelling of Belgorod.
Methinks the Russians doth protest too much.

Posted by: Perimetr | Dec 31 2023 14:27 utc | 4

Why isn’t it possible to “see” drones (I mean with a camera — visible or IR — coupled to a automatic aiming device) in daylight and simply fire at them with hunting cartridges, throwing a cloud of lead (accuracy not needed) to these fragile birds.

Posted by: Yrr | Dec 31 2023 14:29 utc | 5

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231231/watch-group-of-retreating-ukrainian-soldiers-shot-by-barrier-troops-1115907212.html
This is the problem with trying to passively resist a tyrannical regime. They need armed opposition or some form of civil war but that contradicts the essence of running away. So, the mass march into demographic extinction continues.

Posted by: Eighthman | Dec 31 2023 14:29 utc | 6

Why isn’t it possible to “see” drones
Posted by: Yrr | Dec 31 2023 14:29 utc | 5

It is pretty easy. Expect many devices in 2024.
Build Your Own Drone Tracking Radar: Part 1 ==> https://youtu.be/igrN_wd_g74

Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 14:41 utc | 7

osted by: Truthsayer | Dec 31 2023 13:45 utc | 1 “I wonder how effective F16s are on their own?”
An F16 on its own, with NO AWACs, Ground or Sat support is what it is. A 50 year old single engine fighter jet.
An old Russian MIG 29 is a better fighter, can fly rings around it, and blast it from the sky. F 16s are nothing special.
Back in the day when F 16s were new. The USAF called them “Lawn Darts” Because the engines seized up from overheating and they fell out of the sky. It took about a decade to fix the problem.
Funny thing.. The US learned nothing from its single engine fighter problems. The F 35 suffers from engine overheating issues like all the others. Americas own “No Fly Zone”

Posted by: golddigger | Dec 31 2023 14:57 utc | 8

The Kharkov ‘retribution’ strike is gaseous. It was there all along. Good manners?

Posted by: Elmagnostic | Dec 31 2023 15:05 utc | 9

Não será o plano zionista acabar com a população ucraniana para ficar a tchernozion?

Posted by: Sergio dourado | Dec 31 2023 15:06 utc | 10

Western weapons generally have not been anything special, in any way.
I would be very surprised if the F16 should be an exception, in any form or shape!

Posted by: g wiltek | Dec 31 2023 15:06 utc | 11

It is pretty easy.
Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 14:41 utc | 7
That is a youtube clown. Why doesn’t he do it commercially then? It will bring him a minimum of $100m profit in first year.

Posted by: rk | Dec 31 2023 15:19 utc | 12

Back in the day when F 16s were new. The USAF called them “Lawn Darts”
Posted by: golddigger | Dec 31 2023 14:57 utc | 9
That’s funny. As long as 30 years ago I was working with a retired USAF firefighter. And even then they were calling them “Lawn Darts.”

Posted by: Phil R | Dec 31 2023 15:23 utc | 13

Why doesn’t he do it commercially then?
Posted by: rk | Dec 31 2023 15:19 utc | 12

He is doing it commercially.
Furthermore the reason SDR radar hasn’t gotten faster uptake is because the incredibly low priced devices undercuts the fat fat profits of the mil radar industry.

Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 15:30 utc | 14

Posted by: SlowSoft | Dec 31 2023 14:01 utc | 3
Whining? Formally complayning about the inaction and blatant hypocrisy of an organisation that usually condems actions as those used by the kiew regime, thus further showing to the rest of the world what fascists our western values truly are is not whining.
Russia does this by the book, but some idiots always say its whining and complaining.
Btw, isnt the west usually throwing a, tempertantrum when russia hits awie “civil“ building? Are they also always whining?

Posted by: Justpassinby | Dec 31 2023 15:42 utc | 15

After the great Russian retaliation strike on empty buildings, Zeli started the evening with Krasnoe village grocery (Belgorod region), one dead and one wounded. Deaths number for yesterday is now 24 tass.com/russia/1728431
@He is doing it commercially.
Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 15:30 utc | 14
Right… It costs $2 to buy a microwave radar and another 5$ to add a cpu to it. It sees motion thru thick walls and a few meters of air. It’ll make a great clickbait video for his little yt channel “Diy human radar!!”

Posted by: rk | Dec 31 2023 15:45 utc | 16

Two surprising leaks from the inner circles:
1.) Sneak peek of the secret peace negotations between Russia and Ukraine sans NATO:
Negotiating point 3: All debts, obligations, cessions by security etc. for the benefit of NATO-Countries or associated firms/organizations (Blackrock, IWF…) have vanished into thin air¹.
“Uh-uh, thin air sounds a bit shady. May we write instead: The debts have gone up in sweet-smelling smoke¹?”
“Да [Yes]”

Negotiating point 7: We would like Selenski’s head on a silver platter.
“Silver?? Where shall we get something precious like that, after the colossal pilferage of Kiew?”
“Oh, dear! Just take a big pizza plate or something like that”

Negotiating point 82, the penultimate: All anti-Russian renamings have to be annulled. All public toilets, rest rooms in railway stations, sewage treatment plants etc. (including future ones) have to be named after EU or NATO politicians of the appropriate shade of brown. The names Von der Leyen and Borrell can be used more than once, if really needed.
“ні² [Yes]”
¹Translation by amateur of German wordplay based on ‘sich in Luft auflösen’ versus ‘sich in Wohlgefallen auflösen’
²One of the very few Ukrainian words used on either side
2.) The real title of Zaluzhnyi’s PhD thesis: Selfmate³ in five moves for Dummies or Helpmate³ in three moves with a little help from NATO
³Actually genres of chess composition, less common than stalemate, Zaluzhnyi’s super-honest description of the military situation

Posted by: Cetzer | Dec 31 2023 15:57 utc | 17

Lodging formal complaints at the UN isn’t about whining, it’s about the larger information war being played out on a global scale. And if you’re an information consumer in the US or Europe you aren’t the target audience.
What has been clear from the beginning is that Putin has made a priority of being the anti-US when it comes to every facet of the Ukraine conflict. Not in the sense of going against the US but in doing things in a way that comports with the spirit of international law and the UN structure. Yes, yes, it’s a failed institution and all of that but it’s the only thing that everyone agrees on in principle and outside the bounds of the “rules based order”.
Why has Russia not leveled cities like Kiev to force Bankova to capitulate? Because the civilian casualties would be high and that’s what the US would do. In the capitols of the world people can see that the US says it avoids civilian casualties but doesn’t nor does it care; Russia makes sacrifices to avoid civilian casualties. We can argue whether Russia is making the right choice, for itself and and its short term goals. But there’s little to argue over when it comes to Russia’s long term goals which are to foster a multipolar world where nations act in their interests but within the bounds of agreed upon principles.
Demanding to talk about how third party weapons used to strike purely civilian centers then isn’t so much whining as it is making sure to highlight hypocrisy. Again though, if you’re in the US or Europe you’re not the target because you’ve been written off as a hypocrite.

Posted by: Lex | Dec 31 2023 16:54 utc | 18

Right… It costs $2 to buy a microwave radar and another 5$ to add a cpu to it.
Posted by: rk | Dec 31 2023 15:45 utc | 16

EVAL-CN0566-RPIZ … $2,787.60
https://www.analog.com/en/design-center/reference-designs/circuits-from-the-lab/cn0566.html
Perhaps inform yourself before jumping to conclusions.

Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 17:07 utc | 19

Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 17:07 utc | 21
Bah! that is way too much.
Anyone can build a targeting system for a drone out of heat sensors and a chip from an old cloths drier for free.

Posted by: golddigger | Dec 31 2023 17:20 utc | 20

@ golddigger | Dec 31 2023 17:20 utc | 22

How much costs a Kalashnikov AK-12? How much costs a Krasnopol 152mm shell?

Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 17:25 utc | 21

How much costs a Kalashnikov AK-12? How much costs a Krasnopol 152mm shell?
Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 17:25 utc | 23
I cant not tell the prices without research.
But
I can say for certain both weapons you asked about are cheaper, and more effective than their western counterparts.
The M4, and Excalibur.

Posted by: golddigger | Dec 31 2023 17:34 utc | 22

RE: anti-drone radar:
Radar is probably the wrong tool for defending against the small drones that are destroying armored vehicles and small number of infantrymen in the field. First of all, since it emits an active signal, it locates the target for the attacker. Second, any reasonably powerful radar is dangerous to be near, so carrying them around active is a non-starter for infantry- and that makes them pretty useless.
IR, AI visual discrimination, and LIDAR are likely the best solutions, having no or minimal active signals of their own, and thus the ability to be used constantly. I expect these are what will show up on the battlefield in 24.
Another technology, which the Russians have already deployed to some extent, is listening devices coupled to procesors that can hear approaching objects and determine their location the same way the biological ear/brain system does- but faster and more accurately. Miniaturizing this technology has many advantages over radar.

Posted by: Honzo | Dec 31 2023 17:46 utc | 23

Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 14:41 utc | 7
Snap, saw the same video yesterday, interesting material from an engineer who works at Analog Devices supporting their radio / radar products.
The price range he’s working in seems like a good match for an RF radio / radar sensor package that could be carried by smaller, cheaper, more numerous drones to provide a target mapping capability that’s lacking in all but the higher end military surveillance drones.
Most drones currently spot each other only by accident, cannot map local radio sources, cannot generate / detect RF radar signals, though, to be fair, most drones currently don’t even share their camera feed with an integrated surveillance network.
Yes on your take that low cost solutions in this area have been proactively ignored for all the usual reasons.

Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 31 2023 17:50 utc | 24

Posted by: Honzo | Dec 31 2023 17:46 utc | 25
I read on Rybar long ago early in this conflict. Russia was using cell phones mounted on tripods for counter battery response. They were able to triangulate from the sound signal strength. For a quick accurate response. Dont know if its true or not. But i see where it is possible. Audio signal counter battery has been around since WW 1.

Posted by: golddigger | Dec 31 2023 17:58 utc | 25

don’t even share their camera feed … low cost solutions in this area have been proactively ignored
Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 31 2023 17:50 utc | 26

The simplest cheapest EW force multiplier would be tethered drone repeaters. I can’t understand why they are not ubiquitous.

Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 18:01 utc | 26

Why isn’t it possible to “see” drones (I mean with a camera — visible or IR — coupled to a automatic aiming device) in daylight and simply fire at them with hunting cartridges, throwing a cloud of lead (accuracy not needed) to these fragile birds.
Posted by: Yrr | Dec 31 2023 14:29 utc | 5
I’ve been wondering the same thing. Simplicius’ latest post makes the point that FPV drones have become Ukraine’s most potent weapon against Russian attacks, as Ukie artillery munitions are depleted. Shotguns, or a small anti-drone that hones in on the attacking drone then goes boom a few meters away. Most of these small drones are copter drones, not fast at all. Seems like developing portable anti-drone systems is not a big leap, technologically. Maybe giant tennis rackets?

Posted by: Mike R | Dec 31 2023 18:05 utc | 27

Posted by: American Empiracist | Dec 31 2023 18:06 utc | 29
orc attack? do you live in a fantasy video game? no wonder i could not understand what gibberish you have written there. you play to much world of warcraft.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Dec 31 2023 18:09 utc | 28

Posted by: Honzo | Dec 31 2023 17:46 utc | 25
Passive directional mapping of radio and audio sources could be implemented with readily available hardware, audio especially so. Beyond the rapid adoption of hobbyists designs and technologies, there is still a significant delay in developing and deploying specifically military solutions like those mentioned. Lancet is an example of rapid ongoing development but it’s actually rather expensive on a parts and labour basis, where as the generic FPV drones are low cost but unsophisticated.
LIDAR is interesting for its ability to see through vegetation and many camouflage types, and multi-spectral LIDAR can allow better material identification.

Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 31 2023 18:12 utc | 29

Posted by: Justpassinby | Dec 31 2023 18:09 utc | 30
————————–
Should we give the poor dear, a lengthy list of the USA’s “friends” who got dumped & memory holed?
Meanwhile the RF armed forces after moderate loss are growing in something akin to wartime conditions. The AFU drafting cripples and trying to pry open half-empty barrels. Which will in due course be scraped.
Furthermore the main NATO armies continue their slow steady shrivel. With no hope of voluntery reversal.
Attempts to impose a draft, would of course be an utter fiasco.
The most avowd supporters of Biden, Sunak, Macron etc are not martial they’re chinkenhawks.
The demographics who could or would’ve fought in the past, are increasingly unwilling to die for these NATO regimes or even the country/polity itself. Simply because there nothing in it for them.

Posted by: Urban Fox | Dec 31 2023 18:29 utc | 30

3rd rate country england has dared wage war on Russia through Ukraine proxi is because Russia has not punished England by mass killing of english troops or bombing London to ashes. Or even hint of doing it. Instead Russia gives assurance that this or that action is not on the table! That is why Russia is being bombed!
Quote. “30 DEC, 16:17Updated at: 16:55
UK behind terror attack on Belgorod — Russian diplomat
The United Kingdom is inciting the Kiev regime to terrorist actions in coordination with the United States, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said
MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/. The United Kingdom is behind Ukraine’s attack on Belgorod, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS.”

Posted by: San | Dec 31 2023 18:30 utc | 31

@29
“The US never abandons or forgets its allies and will never stop supporting them until they liberate ALL Ukrainian lands—including Crimea.”
WTF??
Is this the Joke of the Day ????
That is the most preposterous empty headed statement I have seen here in a while.
Have you ever heard of a far off place called Afghanistan? Can you even find it on a map?

Posted by: golddigger | Dec 31 2023 18:34 utc | 32

Ukrainian official: Putin wanted to reach peaceful settlement with Ukraine in 2022
 28.12.2023 16:18
World
During the talks in Istanbul in the spring of 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin “wanted to reach a peaceful settlement with Ukraine,” one of the members of the then Ukrainian delegation, ex-deputy head said.
Who stopped the talk? England of course! The main enemy of humanity which must be crushed now.

Posted by: Sam | Dec 31 2023 18:35 utc | 33

Prompt severe retaliation for the Ukrainian attack upon Belgorod.
The article mentions the use of cluster munitions in the attack.
https://swentr.site/russia/589963-moscow-retaliates-ukrainian-terrorist-attack/

Posted by: morongobill | Dec 31 2023 18:35 utc | 34

Posted by: American Empiracist | Dec 31 2023 18:06 utc | 29
orc attack? do you live in a fantasy video game? no wonder i could not understand what gibberish you have written there. you play to much world of warcraft.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Dec 31 2023 18:09 utc | 29

And again.
I will say A BIG THANK YOU for keeping the forum as clean as possible.

Posted by: Naive | Dec 31 2023 18:40 utc | 35

The simplest cheapest EW force multiplier would be tethered drone repeaters. I can’t understand why they are not ubiquitous.
Posted by: too scents | Dec 31 2023 18:01 utc | 27

Agreed, it’s baffling. Tethered, flying or landing and lurking, a theatre / tactical mesh comms network seems like the logical response to UA’s Starlink access.
I suppose if one looks at it from a purely practical standpoint, how to make it all work and interoperate in the real world and be secure enough for military use would be nontrivial to say the least.
A lot of comms and drone tech used in SMO has limited or sometimes nonexistent security but the connection scope is almost always point-to-point so any breach tends to have very localised consequences.
A comms mesh that linked up and shared information across a much wider scope could be a disaster if it was compromised or inherently flawed.
Having stuff be off the “internet” or air-gapped has its advantages, even if it’s only due to the lack of a credible alternative.

Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 31 2023 18:42 utc | 36

Friendly fire:
https://t.me/rezervsvo/42883

Posted by: jared | Dec 31 2023 18:48 utc | 37

Posted by: jared | Dec 31 2023 18:48 utc | 41
Same here. Even using grenades.
https://t.me/ukr_leaks_fr/6788
Looks like the ukronazis are doing the work of the Russians. To the last Ukrainian.

Posted by: Naive | Dec 31 2023 18:57 utc | 38

Posted by: Yrr | Dec 31 2023 14:29 utc | 5
>Why isn’t it possible to “see” drones (I mean with a camera — visible or IR — coupled to a automatic aiming device) in daylight and simply fire at them with hunting cartridges, throwing a cloud of lead (accuracy not needed) to these fragile birds.
Very possible. Rapid fire automated anti-aircraft guns have long existed. Phalanx in USA, for example. So I’ve been waiting for a minuturized version of those guns every since this war began. But you’d need 100,000 to cover a 2000km front where these “drone-killer shotguns” are 50m apart, then add spares and depth defense and it’s like a million.
Coming from an engineering background myself, there are probably engineering managers on both sides hearing promises of “they’re almost ready for showtime, I just need another week” for months now.
Also, in addition to visual and infrared, there’s also audio detection. Electronics can hear and triangulate much better than human ear, so definitely audio useful. Radar is what doesn’t work because of small size and possibly plastic or wood construction.

Posted by: anonposter | Dec 31 2023 18:59 utc | 39

by anon2020 | Dec 31 2023 17:50 utc | 25
Interesting subject.
Most drones currently spot each other only by accident, cannot map local radio sources, cannot generate / detect RF radar signals, though, to be fair, most drones currently don’t even share their camera feed with an integrated surveillance network.
Ultrasonic sensor would work there for a closer detection, and also used for a low-terrain following.
Lancet style drones are now enabled to be guided from space, as it will get more of the Russian smart arty and missilery. Commercial drones will be always on predefined frequencies, firmware modified, still.
So, the video mixer might do the trick for integrated live feed, as it has to be centralized. One always combines as much data to avail, so more useful is IR and UV spectrum surveillance, as the only output needed is to provide target’s correct grid.
Yes on your take that low cost solutions in this area have been proactively ignored for all the usual reasons.
Yes, RF is doing it on the cheap. NVidia Jetson and some uBlocks embeded navi stuff and a good FPGA to be an inexpensive flight computer, so even if the electronics are around $5000+, its cost effectiveness is amazing, still and it is a peanuts for adding ‘a smart aspect’ of a drone. Engine and a safe launching system are the most expensive part of the whole package. “It has to work” philosophy is gaining momentum there, no doubt.
I wait to see a Chinese drone swarm multiple launch systems that were advertised as a ground breaking in mission sets.

Posted by: whirlX | Dec 31 2023 19:02 utc | 40

Maybe giant tennis rackets?
Posted by: Mike R | Dec 31 2023 18:05 utc | 28
That is brilliant. For a ball a grenade that the user can explode with a click remotely. A tennis racket needs no ammunition or energy. There has to be some system to help aim as soldiers arent Boris Becker.

Posted by: alek_a | Dec 31 2023 19:15 utc | 41

Four times the same, but different.
Ukrania: U.S. Army Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg is in Kharkov to discuss the war. Ukrinform
Russia: We bombed the hotel the general was staying. Picture of US general with bloodied head. Pravda
UK: The Russians deliberately bombed a hotel where foreign journalists stay London Telegraph
Wikipedia: mum’s the word. Wikipedia

Posted by: Passerby | Dec 31 2023 19:33 utc | 42

Posted by: Passerby | Dec 31 2023 19:33 utc | 42
great catch! im going to show this around at my workplace just to enlighten the people more about how propaganda works. or rather how our “lügenpresse” simply omits stuff etc.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Dec 31 2023 19:50 utc | 43

Looks like possibly third degree burns, or skin shaved off his neck and head.
Too bad for him, permanent disfigurement seems likely.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 31 2023 19:55 utc | 44

Thanks to all commenters discussing drone warfare, which sent me around the internet looking for background. One post is from PBS Newshour on December 13, “How drone warfare has transformed the battle between Ukraine and Russia.” Rising to the top is the comment that this war is being fought by engineers and economies.

Posted by: Pundita | Dec 31 2023 19:59 utc | 45

Passerby@42
Are they sure of the identification? The injured guy seems to have brown hair rather than grey/white. We can hope that the strike had some significant results, regardless. There have been quite a few claims with previous strikes but never with clear verification. Same as with aircraft losses and infrastructure strikes inflicted (claimed) by the UAF. Fog of war and disinformation limits the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of these actions.

Posted by: the pessimist | Dec 31 2023 20:09 utc | 46

” Why has Russia not leveled cities like Kiev to force Bankova to capitulate? Because the civilian casualties would be high and that’s what the US would do. In the capitols of the world people can see that the US says it avoids civilian casualties but doesn’t nor does it care; Russia makes sacrifices to avoid civilian casualties.
Posted by: Lex | Dec 31 2023 16:54 utc | 18 ”
This line of logic is getting stale. Putin had no problem utterly wasting Grozny to the ground. Was it because those were brown, Muslim people ? I doubt it, more likely, Putin is restraining the whole SMO for some reason leading all of us to ask obvious questions.

Posted by: Moonie | Dec 31 2023 20:22 utc | 47

How difficult is it to identify and then destroy the source of the electricity which, presumably, powers EW? No electricity, no EW? If this is a classic stupid layman’s set of questions, I have a pointy hat and corner to sit in.

Posted by: Cortes | Dec 31 2023 20:35 utc | 48

Passerby @ 42:
I looked up Michael D’Andrea’s entry on Wikipedia after seeing your comment. Ayatollah Mike is still being mentioned in the present tense.
Expect also James Kellogg to follow Ayatollah Mike into “retirement” and continuous portrayal in the present tense on Wikipedia.

Posted by: Refinnejenna | Dec 31 2023 20:40 utc | 49

Posted by: whirlX | Dec 31 2023 19:02 utc | 40
Yes, very interesting. I seem to remember seeing a drone that used ultrasound for short-range obstacle avoidance (works in the dark, unlike RGB cam). I think the range of ultrasound is too low for terrain following but probably good enough for low speed navigation in a building. Lancet apparently gets around GPS jamming by using optical terrain following like a cruise missile.
With extended range control of Lancet, this is just a guess but I got the impression that one of the bigger, longer range drones, like Orion, has been upgraded to carry and deploy a Lancet, and to then act as a satellite relay for the Lancet control signal. When Lancet hit a Ukrainian MiG recently it was interesting that it destroyed the target but seemed to drift off course for the last few seconds, like it was operating at the limit of signal coverage.
RF is doing the right thing by using commercial components to break through the artificial price barriers of military hardware in the same way Iran did with Gerans. Commercial components and custom software with designs that are easy & cheap to produce.
The new ZALA drone looks interesting. Motors are on the wings, not the tail, and it’s claimed to be short range and completely resistant to EW …. which leads me to suspect it’s wire guided (optical fibre?) like TOW missiles.
https://www.suasnews.com/2023/12/zala-product-55/
Always a pleasure to converse with you.

Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 31 2023 20:40 utc | 50

Sorry folks, in my comment @ 49, the general’s name is Keith Kellogg.

Posted by: Refinnejenna | Dec 31 2023 20:50 utc | 51

Posted by: Moonie | Dec 31 2023 20:22 utc | 47
>more likely, Putin is restraining the whole SMO for some reason leading all of us to ask obvious questions.
Putin doesn’t live in an MOA echo chamber where people mindlessly repeat that west is deindustrialized. Go look at world automotive manufacturing and add up all of North America, EU, Pacific Rim, other USA allies and compare with Russia. I’d guess it’s between 10:1 and 100:1. West is even more ahead of Russia in high tech. Russia cannot afford to wake this sleeping giant.
Now if you add China to Russia it’s another story, because China capacity is immense. But, for various reasons, China is not fully backing Russia. China still trades with the USA bloc, it hasn’t attacked Taiwan yet, it hasn’t sent Chinese troops to Ukraine, etc. Why doesn’t shadowbanned complain about China? China suffers of Russia collapses and USA moves in to occupy the far east.
Russia does have the option of escalating without Chinese support, by taking out satellites, attacking merchant shipping, nuking Europe, but this is very risky compared to slow and controlled attrition. Losing 100 civilians in Belgograd is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Probably that many people die each week in Russia as innocent victims of auto accidents.

Posted by: anonposter | Dec 31 2023 20:53 utc | 52

Posted by: Moonie | Dec 31 2023 20:22 utc | 47
Was it because those were brown, Muslim people ?
Brown? Why not cockroaches?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT0tCSaWZ9Q

Posted by: Naive | Dec 31 2023 20:59 utc | 53

Anti-drone drones are on the way and in some sense already exist with remote controlled Su and Mig aircraft. I would expect helos to be the best anti-drone platform as there are several videos of Russian helos hunting down and destroying Ukie drones.
I’d like to hype this report by a writer recently added to SCF’s roster, “Reintegration Is a Natural Process for Donbass’ People – Field Report”, which is a well done, anti-MSM, type of Manin the Street journalism that’s vanished from the West.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 31 2023 21:05 utc | 54

Look at Israel. They show no mercy to their enemies. They do not care about “opinions of global south”. They bomb, threat and destroy. In the end they have been winning since 1948.

Posted by: zorge | Dec 31 2023 21:17 utc | 55

anonposter | Dec 31 2023 20:53 utc | 52
What on earth do you imagine the significance of China not having sent troops to Ukraine could be?
Having them there would totally contradict the national re-unification aspect of the SMO which is of particular importance now that Ukrainians are waking up from the Bandera-ite nightmare.
As Karlofi @56 recommends “Reintegration Is a Natural Process for Donbass’ People – Field Report” at Strategic Culture explains what the SMO is about. And does it well.

Posted by: bevin | Dec 31 2023 21:19 utc | 56

It was mostly a stalemate year. At this pace it will take 75 years to clear the Donbass of the Ukrainian forces.
Territorial results of military operations in Ukraine in 2023.
According to the French OSINT Guerre d’Ukraine – the Ukrainian Armed Forces occupied 523 km² of territory (yellow), the Russian Armed Forces occupied 587 km² (blue).
https://t.me/DDGeopolitics/97162

Posted by: MiniMO | Dec 31 2023 21:22 utc | 57

Look at Israel. They show no mercy to their enemies. They do not care about “opinions of global south”. They bomb, threat and destroy. In the end they have been winning since 1948.
Posted by: zorge | Dec 31 2023 21:17 utc | 57
Yes. They have approval from the globalists. Note the mainstream media is propagandizing on their side while U.S. is sending weapons and naval ships to support it. Other countries, such as Turkey are fueling and supplying it. It is not being sanctioned either.

Posted by: MiniMO | Dec 31 2023 21:25 utc | 58

Posted by: Moonie | Dec 31 2023 20:22 utc | 47
If I was Xi, I would ask Russia to prolong the war in Ukraine and keep the US busy until China is ready.

Posted by: Passerby | Dec 31 2023 21:35 utc | 60

This line of logic is getting stale. Putin had no problem utterly wasting Grozny to the ground. Was it because those were brown, Muslim people ? I doubt it, more likely, Putin is restraining the whole SMO for some reason leading all of us to ask obvious questions.
Posted by: Moonie | Dec 31 2023 20:22 utc | 47
The SMO is just an operational theater of a global war against US Hegemony, most of which is being carried out (and won) in economic, diplomatic, cultural and propaganda spheres. The SMO is a ‘fixing attack’ that pins enemy forces and keeps them from seizing the initiative and projecting force in other places. If the Russians have any sense, and they appear to, they will continue the slow grind of the SMO and hang on to the moral high ground for as long as the west continues to ‘throw good money after bad.’ ‘Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.’ (Napoleon)
Every day the SMO goes on weakens the west and strengthens the Axis of Resistance. The same is true for the war in Gaza, unfortunately for the Palestinians who live there. The west injures itself in every sphere of the anti-hegemonic struggle the longer it pursues these brutal and hopeless policies.
Bashing Putin and Xi for not stopping the depredations of the west instantly, at the expense of winning the large conflict, is absurd, and getting tiresome. The only capability that either of them have for actually stopping the fighting in Gaza is nuclear war everywhere else. Please forgive them for forgetting to virtue signal.

Posted by: Honzo | Dec 31 2023 21:49 utc | 61

destruction of Ukro 750 KV infrastructure is an easy and bloodless way to solve many Russian problems.

Posted by: zorge | Dec 31 2023 22:15 utc | 62

Posted by: jpc | Dec 31 2023 21:30 utc | 59
————-
As expected: state meme, repeat meme, switch meme, repeat meme, regurgitate old meme, repeat…
They said the *exact* same things about Bakhmut, and I do mean *exactly* the same. Including the Great Z “visiting” the poor doomed f**kers left to get blown apart in the “fortress town” or run the gauntlet to resupply & reinforce it.
————
Yes. They have approval from the globalists. Note the mainstream media is propagandizing on their side while U.S. is sending weapons and naval ships to support it. Other countries, such as Turkey are fueling and supplying it. It is not being sanctioned either.
Posted by: MiniMO | Dec 31 2023 21:25 utc | 58
—————
Israel is a latter-day Outremer, It’s level of support is actually declining at the popular level in the CW even amongst Jews, and the rest of the world was never warm to start with.
This has corrosive long-term effects. Which can ultimately doom the whole project. The Zionists are well aware of this, which is why they’re ever more shrill & bloodthirsty.
It’s a display of weakness not confidence.
The Ukro-Nazis are even further along in derangement, they’re an outright suicide/death cult. Deep down they always knew they can’t win against Russia and even their whole premise of existence is BS.
So they’ll kill as many as possible on the road to utter defeat, Russians and particularly Ukrainians. That later point needs to be more widely understood, those people hate *themselves* above all others.

Posted by: Urban Fox | Dec 31 2023 22:18 utc | 63

Look at Israel. They show no mercy to their enemies. They do not care about “opinions of global south”. They bomb, threat and destroy. In the end they have been winning since 1948.
Posted by: zorge | Dec 31 2023 21:17 utc | 55
____
What a role model. A light unto the gentiles for sure. /s

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 31 2023 22:27 utc | 64

destruction of Ukro 750 KV infrastructure is an easy and bloodless way to solve many Russian problems.
Posted by: zorge | Dec 31 2023 22:15 utc | 62
____
How quickly could Russia restore power to those parts of Little Russia that will be returning to the Mother?

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 31 2023 22:29 utc | 65

@52
U re comparing Belgorod massacre with auto accidents???
WOW
Putin fan boys re dangerouse

Posted by: SlowSoft | Dec 31 2023 22:54 utc | 66

Moonie | Dec 31 2023 20:22 utc | 47
*** Was it because those [Chechens] were brown, Muslim people ?***
Chechens are whiter than many Europeans.

Posted by: Cynic | Dec 31 2023 22:56 utc | 67

Do the braindead assholes at Forbes, probably boiler-room operatives paid to churn out propaganda by the donut, fail to understand that Adviivka is gonna fall by March/April at the latest? With a whole boatload of crushed Ukie skulls.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 31 2023 23:07 utc | 68

Putin’s New Year message to Russian citizens provided a somewhat updated, simplified rationale for Russia’s actions that goes beyond those he specifies as the struggle is a national effort:
“Today I would like to appeal to our servicemen – to all those who are on the frontline of the struggle for truth and justice. You are our heroes. Our hearts are with you. We are proud of you and admire your courage.” [My Emphasis]

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 31 2023 23:36 utc | 69

“Look at Israel. They show no mercy to their enemies. They do not care about “opinions of global south”. They bomb, threat and destroy. In the end they have been winning since 1948.”
Yes, to set up their ultimate defeat in 2024.
Lo Shalom Ra.
And the wicked only fall once.
Thomas

Posted by: Thomas | Dec 31 2023 23:43 utc | 70

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 31 2023 22:29 utc | 65
Many people are unable to understand the difference between a Special Military Operation and a war. Isn’t it stupid?

Posted by: Naive | Dec 31 2023 23:49 utc | 71

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 31 2023 22:29 utc | 65
Or between a liberation operation and an annihilation war.
Or between a demilitarisation and a denazification and a genodice.
In the mean time, what is annihilated are the so-called “western-human-values”.
Now everyone can see what worth they are.

Posted by: Naive | Dec 31 2023 23:54 utc | 72

Ukrainians continuing to kill more in Belgorod and Donetsk
The enemy shelled the center of Donetsk immediately after the New Year.
Air defense is working. There are people injured.
PS. The 1st AK reports that 15 MLRS rockets were fired into the city center. Some of the missiles were shot down.
Consequences of the shelling of the center of Donetsk from the MLRS at 00:10 on January 1. 3 people died, 7 were injured.
https://t.me/WarInMyEyes/6039
Military correspondent Sladkov reported that a Russian journalist was killed and another was wounded during the shelling of Donetsk.
The head of the DPR, Pushilin, reported that 7 civilians were wounded as a result of the shelling.
In Donetsk, the Children’s Entertainment Center was damaged by shelling.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin/108095

Posted by: MiniMO | Dec 31 2023 23:57 utc | 73

Honzo | Dec 31 2023 21:49 utc | 61

The SMO is just an operational theater of a global war against US Hegemony, most of which is being carried out (and won) in economic, diplomatic, cultural and propaganda spheres. The SMO is a ‘fixing attack’ that pins enemy forces and keeps them from seizing the initiative and projecting force in other places. If the Russians have any sense, and they appear to, they will continue the slow grind of the SMO and hang on to the moral high ground for as long as the west continues to ‘throw good money after bad.’ ‘Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.’ (Napoleon)

economic
I have no idea where you live, but here in this world you can check the profits and losses andafter you check the firms you can judge the economy of the state.
go to https // tradingeconomics com and there you will find most of the companies with the profits and losses …
At the moment, the big companies are all earning very well (they had a big PARTY last year) The small and not so big firm have problems and the big firms slowly take the small firms.
If anyone lost something than are this the normal people evrywhere ( Russia, China, Europe US…. ) and the small, new firms.
Let us say it in short, Putin help the big firm to create mega firms, mega companies. YOU understand what this mean? you understand what you talk here? What are you?
diplomatic:
I do not know if you see the last trip from this naiv Kremeltalkmaster?
He fly with fighter aircraft? You understand what ths mean? this mean there is no diplomatic anymore. Nothing.
I hope you get not hysteric now, i dislike this fact too, but it is reality.The Kremeltalkmaster is naive or a very stupied man or betray us all ( betray the normal people from all over the world )
cultural
? Where live you ?
? What do you talk there ?
propaganda
oh yes

Every day the SMO goes on weakens the west and strengthens the Axis of Resistance

I only see that Russia get evry yaer weaker and weaker. Now they buy ammunition in Iran and Korea. If these russian neoliberals continue, the have soon to ask Kim if he can also help with satellites. Russia has already been overtaken by India and China. Now place 4 soon place 5 or 6 … this neoliberlas are the horror for this country and this SMO is a horror for the russian nation
happy new yaer from Germany

Posted by: theo | Jan 1 2024 0:15 utc | 74

Perhaps there’s something I don’t understand but why haven’t the soldiers on the front been issued a good number of shotguns to fire at these light drones? The ones from the countryside with hunting experience especially.

Posted by: Peter Fenton | Jan 1 2024 0:32 utc | 75

Posted by: Moonie | Dec 31 2023 20:22 utc | 47
Chechnyan’s are Caucasian.
Russia can’t level Ukraine, their military advantage isn’t big enough and they have no way to overfly Ukrainian territory which is the only way “to level” a country of that size.
Grozny was one city covering a very small area and surrounded. No AD. It ended up like every Ukrainian city where fighting has taken place. Bakhmut was leveled like Grozny as were dozens of other cities.
People are questioning Russian military actions because they are ignorant as to the realities of this war or are paid trolls.

Posted by: Eclavdra | Jan 1 2024 0:36 utc | 76

Posted by: golddigger | Dec 31 2023 18:34 utc | 32
Better still, ask him to find Kurdistan on a map.
The US were ‘steadfast’ and would do ‘whatever it takes’ to establish a Kurdish homeland.
Who are these clowns who still believe the empire of lies?

Posted by: Lev Davidovich | Jan 1 2024 1:02 utc | 77

Now Ukraine is shelling Donetsk for New Year’s. They are not even targeting military installations or infrastructure; they are just firing into the city killing civilians. What a stupid waste of missiles which are supposedly in short supply.

Posted by: bored | Jan 1 2024 1:03 utc | 78

**To the wingnuts @3 and 4..
They attacked innocent women and children with outlawed cluster munitions you cupid stunts!!

Posted by: bisfugged | Jan 1 2024 1:05 utc | 79

@Lex
“Lodging formal complaints at the UN isn’t about whining, it’s about the larger information war being played out on a global scale. And if you’re an information consumer in the US or Europe you aren’t the target audience.”
Agreed, whether listened to or not, whether effective or not, whether buried or not,
it goes on permanent record for history.

Posted by: Rain | Jan 1 2024 1:19 utc | 80

Some videos for today.
Russian Tornado-G MLRS pounds an enemy artillery firing position near Kupyansk:
https://rutube.ru/video/1850b71dae0ee9a6a7bba333268dd3a6/
Russian drone-corrected Grad strike near Soledar:
https://rutube.ru/video/3af126325a8af985d8ae5ef485753dfc/
Russian anti-tank gun strikes enemy position near Artemovsk:
https://rutube.ru/video/3e17e65a843cca1adfb8d298ea6c8442/
Russian Su-25 strikes enemy strongholds near Donetsk:
https://rutube.ru/video/5c04b67b16e4aa3e01b035477c891037/

Posted by: Nate | Jan 1 2024 1:48 utc | 81

Weeb Unions last video of the year:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0osuvxpZ5HE
And with that, the UAF completely lost all territory taken in the counter-muh-failfensive and got pushed back behind the first line of Russian defenses in Robotino.
That’s a nice thing my friends; total failure of Washington … snake eyes; pants shat; a complete fail.
Happy New Year to all the barflies, even the trolls 🧌!

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 1 2024 2:00 utc | 82

” Chechnyan’s are Caucasian.
Russia can’t level Ukraine, their military advantage isn’t big enough and they have no way to overfly Ukrainian territory which is the only way “to level” a country of that size.
Grozny was one city covering a very small area and surrounded. No AD. It ended up like every Ukrainian city where fighting has taken place. Bakhmut was leveled like Grozny as were dozens of other cities.
People are questioning Russian military actions because they are ignorant as to the realities of this war or are paid trolls.
Posted by: Eclavdra | Jan 1 2024 0:36 utc | 76 ”
Technically they are Caucasians, but we all know they arent the European variety, so I stand by my initial point. I also disagree with your assertion as in the initial stages the TOTAL might of the Russian military could have flattened Ukraine into a heap of rabble. Russia has been playing with one hand tied behind its back, the reasons why are mysterious at this point.

Posted by: Moonie | Jan 1 2024 3:18 utc | 83

” Moonie | Dec 31 2023 20:22 utc | 47
*** Was it because those [Chechens] were brown, Muslim people ?***
Chechens are whiter than many Europeans.
Posted by: Cynic | Dec 31 2023 22:56 utc | 67 ”
I was making a symbolic point. However, most can spot a Chechen a mile away and never confuse him with European, regular variety Caucasians. So no, they arent ” Whiter ” then most Europeans.

Posted by: Moonie | Jan 1 2024 3:25 utc | 84

” Posted by: Moonie | Dec 31 2023 20:22 utc | 47
If I was Xi, I would ask Russia to prolong the war in Ukraine and keep the US busy until China is ready.
Posted by: Passerby | Dec 31 2023 21:35 utc | 60 ”
If I was Putin I would tell China FU, I’m not sacrificing any more of my people while you play diplomatic footsie with the US. Additionally, when will China be ” ready” what are the metrics ? Dont forget, China is only looking out for itself, based on its actions so far. They need to put up or shut up, Russia has carried too much of the burden as is.

Posted by: Moonie | Jan 1 2024 3:31 utc | 85

If I was Putin I would tell China FU, I’m not sacrificing any more of my people while you play diplomatic footsie with the US. Additionally, when will China be ” ready” what are the metrics ? Dont forget, China is only looking out for itself, based on its actions so far. They need to put up or shut up, Russia has carried too much of the burden as is.
Posted by: Moonie | Jan 1 2024 3:31 utc | 85
Fortunately Putin is not an idiot. Russia and China have the highest level of cooperation that is possible, their strengths complement each other’s weaknesses, and neither wants nuclear war. Why should they? They are winning the conventional war, widening it only leads to more violence, not less, and possibly to extinction.
China is a ‘fleet in being,’ a force that constrains enemy action simply by existing. Battles are lost by committing your reserves too quickly, as Ukraine has just demonstrated.

Posted by: Honzo | Jan 1 2024 3:50 utc | 86

Well not to worry because China isn’t asking Russia to do anything like that. Im sorry specify the “burden” that Russia is carrying for China? what?

Posted by: Glen Andrew Bolderso | Jan 1 2024 4:10 utc | 87

Posted by: SlowSoft | Dec 31 2023 14:01 utc | 3

Russia does this by the book, but some idiots always say its whining and complaining.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Dec 31 2023 15:42 utc | 15
SlowSoft is both slow and soft. Pay it no heed.

Posted by: Activist Potato | Jan 1 2024 4:13 utc | 88

Honzo @ 350
Well stated. Good grasp of geopolitical reality.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 1 2024 5:03 utc | 89

@75
“Perhaps there’s something I don’t understand but why haven’t the soldiers on the front been issued a good number of shotguns to fire at these light drones? The ones from the countryside with hunting experience especially.”
Probably because they live in the real world not an idealised fantasy world.

Posted by: Yarpos | Jan 1 2024 6:46 utc | 90

Posted by: Moonie | Jan 1 2024 3:31 utc | 85
Years ago, I would be pulled over by Moscow Militsas for a passport check, because I supposedly looked Chechen, red beard and that. First sight of my navy blue passport with the kangaroo and emu immediately changed the interaction. If you can judge the ethnicity of most Russian citizens with any degree of certainty, then you’re a better man than me Gunga Din.

Posted by: Peter Williams | Jan 1 2024 7:10 utc | 91

In the recent past, there were reports of the Russian forces tunnelling under Avdeevka — has there been any news regarding this?

Posted by: chet380 | Jan 1 2024 7:11 utc | 92

Finally.
Shukhevych’s museum in Lvov got a visit, likely from Mr. Geran.
First real denazification step since the start of the SMO.

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Jan 1 2024 7:16 utc | 93

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Jan 1 2024 7:16 utc | 93
What’s Shukhevych’s museum?
Tell us more, tell us more
Did they break quite a lot?
Tell us more, tell us more
Is that all you’ve got?

Posted by: MiniMO | Jan 1 2024 7:54 utc | 94

Yarpus 90 Well I’ve seen drone footage where the drone is hit by automatic rifle fire, is that real enough for you? Re your charming personality, you have my sincere condolences

Posted by: Peter Fenton | Jan 1 2024 8:01 utc | 95

Off the shelf Chinese anti-drone radar sets ==> https://www.antennasarray.com/buy-uav_detection_radar.html
Looks like a good business for 2024.

Posted by: too scents | Jan 1 2024 8:47 utc | 96

🇺🇦🇷🇺 – The mayor of Lvov reported that Russia completely destroyed a museum of Ukrainian Nazi WW2 collaborator Roman Shukhevich.
https://twitter.com/Ramy_Sawma/status/1741740310261068190

Oh no, important part of national heritage gone.

Posted by: unimperator | Jan 1 2024 9:45 utc | 97

Ukraine sends this warrior to the trench . Note how he says they won’t give him a gun.
https://t.me/ResistanceTrench/22667

Posted by: Hankster | Jan 1 2024 11:13 utc | 98

I’m wondering why/how Russia seems unable to stop the shelling of Donetsk.
Is it difficult to see where the firing comes from, and then just flatten the area? Or are the attackers hiding in among the civilian population?
In any case, I think it is a disgrace that it has been possible to do this now for about 10 years.
When have the Russians got enough? I think they must be taken out, come hell or high water!

Posted by: g wiltek | Jan 1 2024 12:07 utc | 99

Ukraine sends this warrior to the trench . Note how he says they won’t give him a gun.
https://t.me/ResistanceTrench/22667
Posted by: Hankster | Jan 1 2024 11:13 utc | 98

Somebody, somewhere, even on the Ukie frontlines has some humanity.
A gun won’t help him or anybody else.
We can hope the poor guy won’t be ordered into battle.

Posted by: ChatNPC | Jan 1 2024 12:23 utc | 100