Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
Back to Main

July 6, 2024
Ukraine Open Thread 2024-159

News & views related to the war in Ukraine …

Of interest:

In Ukraine, Killings of Surrendering Russians Divide an American-Led Unit (archived) – New York Times
A German medic said he was so troubled that he confronted his commander. Others boasted about killings in a group chat.

Caspar Grosse, a German medic in that unit, said he saw the soldier plead for medical attention in a mix of broken English and Russian. It was dusk. A team member looked for bandages.

That is when, Mr. Grosse said, a fellow soldier hobbled over and fired his weapon into the Russian soldier’s torso. He slumped, still breathing. Another soldier fired — “just shot him in the head,” Mr. Grosse recalled in an interview.

Mr. Grosse said he was so upset by the episode that he confronted his commander. He said he spoke to The New York Times after what he regarded as unwarranted killings continued.
…
In a second episode, a Chosen member lobbed a grenade at and killed a surrendering Russian soldier who had his hands raised, video footage reviewed by The Times shows.
…
In a third episode, Chosen members boasted in a group chat about killing Russian prisoners of war during a mission in October, text messages show. …

Posted by b on July 6, 2024 at 15:43 UTC | Permalink
Comments

Orban in China
EUrocrats in hysteria
Frozen in coalition talks
A narcissist coterie waiting for their buddy Trump to rule them all…kind of SM behaviour imo.
French voters opted for centre and left after Bardella renounced natoexit and even the promise to end Ukr support. Pepe fails to see that a RN that claims full support to Israel is doubtful even to its voters.

Posted by: Minaa | Jul 8 2024 1:33 utc | 401

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 7 2024 18:31 utc | 373
Unfortunately this is true. I suspect that the USA will not get a Putin to federalize the system so that the overall nation will remain and we will wind up like Yugoslavia not the Russian federation.

Posted by: badjoke | Jul 8 2024 1:41 utc | 402

malenkov | Jul 8 2024 0:25 utc | 398
Mate, you did it exactly again. I wrote:
“When evaluating a novel, please do not confuse its reputed literary skill; with its messages or themes; with your own like/dislike of it at an immature age”.
You replied:
*I dislike …*
Fine, that’s your personal preference. You’ve every right to that.
… *Hesse* …
You’re obviously talking about his writing style. And that too is your rightful personal preference.
But I was talking about his themes, which you failed to address.
In case you don’t know (yeah, dripping sarcasm) a writer writes to convey universal human themes to touch the reader as best they can, to get inside their head and heart, to converse with your consciousness. They may be a shitty writer, panned by the snobby critics, sell few copies, even a mad eccentric, but that is NEVER their concern. The fact that YOU MADE IT SO, (and the fact that you dropped a few obscure names to bolster your argument) shows you are a literary snob and not a deep reader nor unable to access those parts of your psyche Hesse was intending to address.
PS. You leave The Blessed Bob alone! Yeah, his Nobel seemed dodgy to many. But I don’t agree. If he had penned all his best lyrics (contemporary folk poetry) into a book, would that have better satisfied your literary tastes?
A little story:
Ages 12-16 at Grammar School, I was forced to study fkn Shakespeare and all the other usual dead white males ad infinitum. I remember telling my teacher I hated it, that “BD was the greatest poet of the 20thC, and that one day he would probably get a Nobel to prove it”. !!! I’ve since come to better appreciate Shakespeare and all those crusty ancient Latin and Greek works. Read the Mahabharata lately? Why is it any less “important” than the Westerm canon of literary epics?
For my final English exam (1972) the question was “Using a poem of an influential 20thC writer you have studied, discuss the social and cultural changes through the so-called Generation Gap”. I chose The Times Are A-Changing. Oh, the double irony when he got the Nobel!!! Times have indeed changed when it comes to judgement and appreciation of “literature”. Sounds like you’ve got quite a fixed perspective.

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 1:41 utc | 403

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 7 2024 16:48 utc | 360
Re the victim culture. Seems to be an empire specialty along with R2P crap to try and legitimize their wars of aggression. The holocaust, the holdomor, the Baltics and Ukraine etc……
An excellent comment Peter. I am presently composing a reply to steven t johnson@353, and much of your post here is relevant to my reply to steven. I do not wish to be accused of plagerism so may just make reference to your @360 in that reply-or at least some of your words. IMO They are very relevant to the present atrocity in Gaza, as well as more generally.

Posted by: Barrel Brown | Jul 8 2024 1:47 utc | 404

The only other New Zealand solider I saw that was killed in Ukraine was Kane Te Tai who was retired from the NZ military. He wasn’t with Ukrainian intelligence, but with the International Brigade. In other words, he was a volunteer mercenary.
Posted by: James M. | Jul 8 2024 0:39 utc | 400
…..
The wording in an earlier report that I read was killed while taking part in an operation along with the foreign legion. Not part of the foriegn legion. This business insider article makes it a little clearer.
“Te Tai, who is Maori, enlisted in the New Zealand Army in 2002 at the age of 17, The New Yorker reported in December. He went to fight in Ukraine in May and led a secretive reconnaissance unit that was part of the GUR, an intelligence organization in the Ukrainian military.” https://www.businessinsider.com/kane-te-tai-new-zealand-veteran-ukraine-dies-2023-3?op=1
GRU not foreign Legion.
On the other kiwi that was serving military on ‘leave’. The NZ military stated they did not know he had gone to Ukraine in the reports that can still be found.
So the NZ military did not yet, yet it was the NZ military that reported his death rather than coming through the NZ embassy and diplomatic channels.
The reason for remebering that article I read at the time of his death, which I am sure was in the ABC, was that because the NZ military stated about 100 servicemen on unpaid leave to Ukraine, I looked up other militarys and found the same was occurring across the west.
If it wasn’t for that research, I would just think my memory miust be wrong, but having done that, and then doing a search for the ABC article I read at the time and it not being there, I know my memory was not faulty.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 1:49 utc | 405

Orban in China
EUrocrats in hysteria
Posted by: Minaa | Jul 8 2024 1:33 utc | 402
—-
Remember, after Kiev and Moscow, Orban forecast some other “surprises”. I speculated … maybe China, Turkey, even the US.
Omg! Imagine if Washington is next stop after Beijing!!! Lol. What a great tour — exposing all the disingenuous warmongers vs those seriously looking for a Ukraine resolution. Putin and Xi coming soon to be seen as statesmen. The others, like blind fools.

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 1:53 utc | 406

Jake, Jake, Jake. Hesse’s style is pretty; it’s what made him a fine writer of attractive lyrics. It’s precisely the themes I can’t abide. Take Steppenwolf — please! — which drips with “spirituality”, magic, and self-pity: an emetic trifecta!
As for your blessed subliterate Zionist (with an impoverished harmonic vocabulary to match), well, that’s all I needed to know about your literary judgment. More proof, however, that you aren’t RSH!

Posted by: malenkov | Jul 8 2024 2:04 utc | 407

@ Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 1:49 utc | 406
“The reason for remembering that article I read at the time of his death, which I am sure was in the ABC, was that because the NZ military stated about 100 servicemen on unpaid leave to Ukraine”
There are over 100 NZ servicemen currently training Ukrainian forces in the UK and Poland. Previously they were from artillery units showing them how to use the UK and Australian donated L118 or L119 105mm light howitzer (because they had the computer sights removed)
This task being accomplished they have been replaced with a similar number of infantry instructors also operating in the Uk and Poland. I have a friend who is a former NZ Army officer and he is adamant that the NZ Governments position is no ‘volunteer or unpaid leave’ serving troops can go..and expect to be employed when or if they return.
The above caveat of course does not apply to SF soldiers about whom no information on deployment is disclosed.

Posted by: Raumati | Jul 8 2024 2:12 utc | 408

Raumati | Jul 8 2024 2:12 utc | 409
The NZ training was in the works but not in action at that time. NZ military at the time of that death said there was no serving NZ military in Ukraine (officialy). The training unit in Ukraine would only come later.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 2:17 utc | 409

Marcus Stanley
@MarcusMStanley
This week the NY Times just casually dropped that the official U.S. intelligence assessment has always been that Putin didn’t want to expand the Ukraine conflict beyond Ukraine. But in public, Biden and other U.S officials have been pushing a domino theory that if we negotiated an end to the war Russia would invade Poland and beyond. Biden led off the State of the Union with that claim!
https://x.com/MarcusMStanley/status/1808864258605592986

Posted by: Menz | Jul 8 2024 2:20 utc | 410

@MarcusMStanley
This week the NY Times just casually dropped that the official U.S. intelligence assessment has always been that Putin didn’t want to expand the Ukraine conflict beyond Ukraine.
Posted by: Menz | Jul 8 2024 2:20 utc | 411
—————————————————
Rep. Mike Johnson’s relative inexperience in the House got him to go to Mar-a-Lago to kiss the ring to figure out whether to get $61B to Ukraine. You all know how that went.
The cincher was that he came out of his CIA briefing a changed man, believing that Russia was ready to walk all over Europe.
Field Marshall Montgomery, when asked after WW II what it would take for the Russians to take Europe, said ‘Shoes.’

Posted by: Acco Hengst | Jul 8 2024 2:43 utc | 411

I thought Nz trainers went to the UK to help out there. That’s what happened last year anyway. Seems a bit silly to fly ukies soldiers to nz for 6 weeks , but anything possible when it’s free money.
Meanwhile reports like this come out I haven’t heard much about before . Seems there’s a partisan resistance forming in Poland etc. The west certainly won’t be publicising these actions.
The protest movement of Ukrainian refugees is gaining momentum throughout Europe and, in fact, is unwittingly playing into the hands of the Russian Army, destroying weapons and equipment even before they arrival in Ukraine.
Through sabotage, arson and explosions on the territory of Romania, Ukrainians from “the Resistance” organization destroyed and damaged:
— BulRom gas Implekx gas terminal near the Romanian city of Siret, coordinates 47.933975, 25.971136, arson was carried out on July 3 at six in the morning, the fire continued at the terminal for several days, almost completely destroying the infrastructure of the gas pipeline and terminal;
— A freight train with shells, UAVs, missiles and components for Ukraine, coordinates 47.876503, 25.996639, on a railway line intended exclusively for sending goods to the Ukrainian direction and having no other branches;
— A large military warehouse of weapons and equipment intended for shipment to Ukraine in the Romanian city of Slobozia, coordinates 47.7678392, 26.0556328;
— A large military warehouse of weapons and equipment intended for shipment to Ukraine in the Romanian city of Slatioara.
The Ukrainian partisan anti-war movement is rapidly spreading in the territories of Poland, Moldova, Romania and other countries that support Zelensky’s regime and add fuel to the fire of war.

Posted by: Hankster | Jul 8 2024 2:44 utc | 412

malenkov 408
I wasn’t talking about ALL Hesse’s works and their themes (never read Steppenwolf or any other magic realism), just Siddhartha, which is very dear to my heart as a sannyasin of 40 years and lover of the Vedantin/Tantric philosophies. Yes, the themes are about the so called spiritual journey, but below the Indian settings it is really about seeking per se, self identification, individuation, and the process of spiritual maturation — which is clearly cross cultural. And clearly not your left-hemisphere cup of tea.
For a third time, beware the differences between personal judgement and humanist acceptance of all things subjectively beautiful and useful to the soul. That’s my critique of your position. To you, Siddhartha are words on a page to be rationally assessed, with a psycho-emotional message you instinctively abreact against.
And, I don’t know why Dylan’s Jewish background has anything to do with his work. It’s never impinged my appreciation of his craft (except for his born again phase, and that was Christian, not Jewish). Agreed his voice is pretty horrible in that nasal way. But hey, that’s a lot of 60s folk for ya, but not Baez or Joni M) … so I do have *some* auditory taste.
Narrow literary acceptance pairs well with narrow musical acceptance pairs well with academic and intellectual righteousness pairs well with everyday myopia. Such that I wonder if your daughter’s boyfriends will ever measure up to your own accepted models of rationalised manliness.

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 3:18 utc | 413

Just wait until Ukrainian Nazi assets, conveniently placed throughout Western countries and numbering in the millions as a result of the refugee welcome mat laid out in 2022 and 2023, activate against their host countries in revenge for the West jettisoning the Ukraine as so much unnecessary chaff. Their rage, formerly directed at Russian Untermenschen, will turn to their peoples’ abandonment and manifest in what I predict will be dozens if not hundreds of discrete terrorist attacks against symbols of Western power in the countries of their residence (and there is no more visible a symbol of power than a national politician or the legislature in which he or she leads the implementation of state policies).
I think there’s a word for all of this. Ah, yes. It’s blowback.

Posted by: Matthew | Jul 8 2024 3:43 utc | 414

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 1:49 utc | 406
According to Military Balance, the NZDF has 9,750 active personnel, and 2,700 reservists. Of those, 4,850 are in the New Zealand Army. There is one special forces regiment – number of troops unknown, but likely not more than a few hundred. It’s highly doubtful New Zealand would have sent their only SF unit, even if it was just a few members, to Ukraine.
As others have said, the hundred NZ troops are trainers in the UK, and their mission was just renewed last month, which is why they are in the news. https://www.thedefensepost.com/2024/05/21/new-zealand-ukrainian-armed-forces-training/#:~:text=New%20Zealand%20revealed%20in%20February,up%20to%2097%20NZDF%20personnel.
“Te Tai, who is Maori, enlisted in the New Zealand Army in 2002 at the age of 17, The New Yorker reported in December. He went to fight in Ukraine in May and led a secretive reconnaissance unit that was part of the GUR, an intelligence organization in the Ukrainian military.” https://www.businessinsider.com/kane-te-tai-new-zealand-veteran-ukraine-dies-2023-3?op=1
GRU not foreign Legion.
Nothing prevents Ukraine from integrating mercenaries into other units, if they so desire. Desperate that they are for manpower, it makes sense to transfer the more experienced mercs. Te Tai led a recon unit according to the article. He also had experience in Afghanistan, which was probably valued by the Ukrainians. He had been there for a full year already, they probably trusted him. Nothing states he was anything other than a mercenary.
So the NZ military did not yet, yet it was the NZ military that reported his death rather than coming through the NZ embassy and diplomatic channels.
I don’t know the vagaries of NZ consular law, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the foreign ministry coordinated with the military on this, and gave deference to the military in announcing his death. Anyway, he also fought with Tai in the International Legion. Everything points to him being a mercenary.

“Abelen had been fighting on the frontline with two other New Zealanders who had left the Army – a Kiwi called Tai and the team’s leader, who has been called ‘Turtle’ in a New Yorker article written by reporter Luke Mogelson embedded with the foreign troops.
When Mogelson joined the unit in a town close to Pavlika, a frontline village about 80km north of Mariupol, he heard about a friendly fire incident that the foreigners had with the Ukrainian 72nd Mechanized Brigade – to which they were officially attached – just before Abelen’s death.
The International Legion team were moving to secure a tactically important tree line where earlier drone surveillance had shown Russian soldiers occupying a trench system.”

https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-national/kiwi-killed-ukraine-new-details-friendly-fire-incident

“Friends of Cpl Dominic Abelen, 28, told the Guardian he had enlisted with Ukraine’s international legion, joining thousands of soldiers who have travelled to the conflict from around the world in the months since Ukraine’s government called for volunteers.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/25/new-zealand-soldier-who-joined-ukraine-foreign-legion-confirmed-killed
If these guys were incognito military they would have rotated out, and new troops would have replaced them. Instead, these Kiwis were in Ukraine from the beginning (April 2022) until their deaths.

Posted by: James M. | Jul 8 2024 3:50 utc | 415

Hankster | Jul 8 2024 2:44 utc | 413
Sometimes I tend to think Russia is taking the average, what I term neutral Ukrainians to the point they released they have been utterly duped by the west and turn back towards this happening. Amongst the ‘refugees’ who went to Europe, there is likely to be a lot of males who simply wanted no part in the fighting and most likely knew their government was utterly corrupt.
It seems they are targeting military stuff, perhaps infrastructure, very much partisan insurgency actions rather than terrorist actions. A strong possibility Russian intel will be working to some extent with these groups.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 3:53 utc | 416

James M. | Jul 8 2024 3:50 utc | 416
Not special forces. What I think is occurring is there is some sort of mechanism for serving military that want to volunteer for Ukraine. These are then brought together and trained as a unit, basically developing unit cohesion and so forth, before going to Ukraine.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 3:57 utc | 417

A lot of typos today. Hopefully still readable. released… realized

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 4:03 utc | 418

@Peter AU1 | Mon, 08 Jul 2024 03:57:00 GMT | 418
Ah, okay, that makes more sense. Thank you.

Posted by: James M. | Jul 8 2024 4:57 utc | 419

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 3:53 utc | 417
I have doubts that the RF would have any direct ties to any acts of sabotage in the west. Now oligarchs acting without the direct consent of the government I could see as likely as it would be safer to just look the other way. The RF has a different mode than the west for intel operations due to their vastly different strategic situation. Like how the west uses outright fabrications in its information warfare as it has a strong enough grip on the media to get away with it. The RF has to use facts or omissions along with careful timing for theirs as outright fabrications and lies would be easily called out and undermine trust.

Posted by: badjoke | Jul 8 2024 5:00 utc | 420

Posted by: steven t johnson | Jul 7 2024 16:16 utc | 353
Thank you for replying and clarifying your POV.
On further thinking about the several posts on issues relating to culture and societal traits and any wider comprehension under the guise of “anthropology”, I conclude that it is all extremely complex on many levels and that it would be a hopeless task for me to develop a sensible rationale for the behaviour of the militaries of particular nations (tribes). Hence I won’t try to baffle anyone with any profound insights decorated with big academic type words,
But, while I get the overall gist of your post@353, I take exception to your dismissal of “victimhood” as a valid societal trait. Of course, I am I am referring to the ongoing excesses of Israel with respect to Gaza and throughout Palestine in general which the freak Zionist supremacists (another societal or cultural trait?) are using -perhaps subliminally- to explain their genocidal behaviour.
Peter AU1 @360 has summarised the manufacture of such descriptors by various interest groups very well, and references several relevant current examples. Since that post is pretty well fully in accord with my own position I will not go on. But I would suggest a critical reading and digestion of that particular comment.

Posted by: Barrel Brown | Jul 8 2024 5:30 utc | 421

badjoke | Jul 8 2024 5:00 utc | 421
My thought is that may have changed – the terrorist attack on the cinema some time ago, but particularly after the hit on the Crimean beach. Putin said something about arming other anti empire entities.
There is also wagner. It seems they did start in Ukraine in 2014/15 and the came under the control of the GRU. After MH17 and the European sanctions on Russia, the fortunes of the Donbass militias abruptly turned. Up till then they been been constantly push back, into an ever decreasing area. Then suddenly they began encircling Ukraine formation in cauldrons. I believe that wqhen Russia came into it. Not with heavy weapons and so forth, but I suspect just a few special forces. Baud said about thirty were all that were known to be in Ukraine. I suspect it was this plus Russian ISR that turned the tables. On one ocasion with a cauldron on the border, Russian cross border artillery was used and many Ukies crossed the border to surrender to Russian forces. At this time, we also saw Strelkov/Girkin ousted and the regions holding elections, also I think at this time the referendums on independence (they could have been earlier or later, I dont recall now).
But I believe it was in this period that wagner first came into being. Russian ex military volunteer force that could be used similar to the French foreign legion but not officially/publicly recognized by Russia, High pay without the benefits of serving with the regular military. In all ways a mercenary force, but founded and operated by the GRU – Russian military intelligence

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 5:31 utc | 422

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 5:31 utc | 423
Hezbollah with some Zircon missiles and Russian ISR to track the NATO warships in the med would be a correct and proportional response in the near future. Especially now that Israel has decided to give weapons to the AFU. No need to deny it or manage an off the books operation. The collective waste would have no choice but to abandon empire. That and I consider the USN and the RN to be pirates and as a former merchant mariner I think pirates should be dealt with extreme prejudice.

Posted by: badjoke | Jul 8 2024 5:47 utc | 423

badjoke | Jul 8 2024 5:47 utc | 424
Hezbollah, Houthi, the Syrian and Iraqi militias that target the US bases. Iran, NK, as states, I think were already in the works and have been for some time. Taliban. There’s a few that come to mind.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 5:59 utc | 424

MSM news articles about corruption, forced conscription, killing of prisoners of war. These news articles are preparing the field for the US to withdraw support from Ukraine.

… The New York Times published a piece on Saturday (July 6) detailing Ukrainian mercenaries murdering surrendering Russian troops. From an information operation perspective, I view this as one more indicator that the legacy media is “prepping the battlefield” (i.e., presenting a new meme) that is part of a new messaging strategy by the Biden Administration to jettison Ukrainejettison Ukraine when the time is right.

Posted by: Passerby | Jul 8 2024 6:11 utc | 425

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 5:59 utc | 425
As long as I get to see some fried calamari with a side of crushed limes I will be happy. A few smashed pumpkins for desert would be a nice addition but the USCG does not usually station in the eastern med.
I know explaining a joke is a bad thing but USN=squid, a tasteless spineless bit of garbage that changes its colors to hide. USCG= pumpkin heads, just a reference to the orange helmets and the lack of substance inside. and everyone knows the lime reference with regards to the bong, bit of a mild one there. Be more insulting just to call them British as the whole world knows they are arrogant pieces of shit.

Posted by: badjoke | Jul 8 2024 6:13 utc | 426

The Chosen Company, the mercenary unit mentioned in the piece b quoted. Looked them up and the began as a Swedish unit of military medics, changing name to Chosen Company and becoming an internatioal combat mercenary unit.
Ryan Oleary, defacto commander on twitter – “Fuck Russians, kill em all. Does that clarify it?”.
“NYTimes: Ryan O’Leary, the de facto commander of Chosen Company and a former U.S. Army National Guardsman from Iowa, denied that members had committed war crimes. He said that his fighters had killed wounded Russians, but only those who could have fought back. 10/”
https://x.com/e_l_g_c_a/status/1810076596981674471

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 6:17 utc | 427

Posted by: UWDude | Jul 6 2024 17:33 utc | 30
These soldiers are on the frontlines facing death every second. Just because YOU, in your comfortable western life couldn’t imagine ending your life purposely rather than face inevitable humiliation, torture and certain death from your captors doesn’t mean ‘the vast majority’ would think like you.

Posted by: Áobh Ó’Sheachnasaigh | Jul 8 2024 6:50 utc | 428

Just wait until Ukrainian Nazi assets, conveniently placed throughout Western countries
Posted by: Matthew | Jul 8 2024 3:43 utc | 415
If they will be activated they will pretend it’s Russia. Like with NS, “Putin did it”. The other millions of Ukros will be organized and allowed to vote in the next years, and they will get to decide things for the host populations. They won’t even know it, a bit of social engineering and that’s it. Wouldn’t it be extremely funny if Poles were sent to Ukr to fight when they have millions of “refugees”? Hostile takeover in the country edition.

Posted by: rk | Jul 8 2024 6:53 utc | 429

Re the splits appearing in Europe. A Czech mercenary has been arrested and charged with taking part in the killings in Bucha. I believe it was the Czechs who also booted out the Ukraine ambassador for being involved in the planning/organization of the terrorist attack on the Russian cinema. He was involved with recruiting the Tajik terrorists/mercenaries on Czech soil.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 7:03 utc | 430

Twitter thread on the Czech mercenary involved in the Bucha killings.
https://x.com/RothLindberg/status/1810059600546115655

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 7:11 utc | 431

The little Czech nazi isn’t there because of Bucha, but because he did not obtain permission to “fight” for Ukr as it was required by law. Only then he started to talk about Bucha. I don’t know if this is a controlled leak or simple stupidity, msm isn’t reporting it. These weeks the msm is mostly silent on both Ukr and Israel, with the occasional “winning” and “completely destroyed Russia” messages in talk shows. The main topic now is sports and how great the EU economy is going, plus the weather. If it’s sunny it’s bad, if it rains is bad, everything bad.

Posted by: rk | Jul 8 2024 7:30 utc | 432

Just because YOU, in your comfortable western life couldn’t imagine ending your life purposely rather than face inevitable humiliation, torture and certain death from your captors doesn’t mean ‘the vast majority’ would think like you.
Posted by: Áobh Ó’Sheachnasaigh | Jul 8 2024 6:50 utc | 429
That was 400 posts ago. Plenty has already been said and discussed on the topic, and your argument is not novel, and was already put to rest. It has nothing to do with what I would do or have experienced.

Posted by: UWDude | Jul 8 2024 8:01 utc | 433

Orban presently in China.
After Kiev and Moscow, Orban forecast some other “surprises”. At the time I speculated … maybe China, Turkey, even the US.
Just for more fun, I’ll now guess India might be on his self declared “Peace Tour”. Saudi?
The outcome seems to be weighting the scales against Zelensky’s silly holding-out pattern, despite knowing Russia wants no easy ceasefire. It’s all so threatening for the West. The lil ‘ol PM of lil ‘ol Hungary, going where no other Westerm leader has dared go — Moscow, Beijing and … where next?

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 8:12 utc | 434

but because he did not obtain permission to “fight” for Ukr as it was required by law. Only then he started to talk about Bucha.
Posted by: rk | Jul 8 2024 7:30 utc | 433
Somewhat different then to a little earlier when Czech leadership were encouraging people to go and fight for Ukraine.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 8:22 utc | 435

Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 8:12 utc | 435
Starmer, the empire man – “New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Britain’s main priority is the armament of Ukraine: The NATO summit, of course, will be very important. I want to be clear: my government’s primary responsibility is security and defense. To be clear, our support for NATO is unwavering. And, of course, I want to repeat, as I assured President Zelensky yesterday, this is the support for Ukraine that we will have in this country, as well as together with our allies.”
I believe Zelensky is more an MI6 asset possession that a CIA possession. Brit novichock passport courtesy of Boris.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 8:27 utc | 436

Link for the above. https://x.com/vicktop55/status/1809873569645494583

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 8:29 utc | 437

Just as the Nazis had done in the WW2. Hmm! I wonder how will this end for the Ukies? Any thoughts, anyone?

Posted by: Bellingdog | Jul 8 2024 8:53 utc | 438

Orban informed that he will be going to Washington from Beijing
DDGeopolitics

Posted by: Apollyon | Jul 8 2024 9:24 utc | 439

I believe Zelensky is more an MI6 asset possession that a CIA possession. Brit novichock passport courtesy of Boris.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 8 2024 8:27 utc 437

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 9:25 utc | 440

Orban informed that he will be going to Washington from Beijing
DDGeopolitics
Posted by: Apollyon | Jul 8 2024 9:24 utc | 440
Wooooow! Big news! That’s too amazing. How/why is the US agreeing to see him??? MUST BE a big 4-way stitch up (Ukr + RF + China + US). It’s never been no fkn “surprise” mission. It’s all the US’s way to close down the SMO before Russia eats Ukraine alive (including Odessa); get Biden out of his fruitless war; beat Trump to his peace ideas. It’s all a big surrender deal by the US before RF + China arm up in one possie.

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 9:39 utc | 441

According to everyones favourite german nazi propaganda rag welt.de, russia destroyed a “childrens hospital“ in kiev. Klitschko told reuters, while standing next to some rubble.
And the comments are not only screeching at the “dictator“ putin, but now also blame orban.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Jul 8 2024 9:47 utc | 442

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 9:39 utc | 442
As far as i read, orban is just on its way to the coming nato summit in washington.
But his press said that he will use that opportunity to continiue his peace mission. I doubt something fruitfull will come of it, since there will also be the rabid russophobic eu idiots attending.
But if it truly is kabuki for the masses, and the us “surenders“ in a preplanned deal, then i look forward to see how the eu will react.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Jul 8 2024 9:53 utc | 443

China!

China and Belarus hold ‘anti-terror’ military drills on Polish border
The allies count Russia as a friend and since the invasion of Ukraine they have edged closer together
Chinese soldiers have landed in Belarus to take part in “anti-terror” military drills on the border with Poland.
Belarus’ Ministry of Defence said that the 11-day “joint anti-terrorist exercise” would start on Monday and “improve coordination between Belarusian and Chinese units”. Chinese media said the exercises would be held in Brest, on the Polish border.
Photographs from the Baranovichi air base on Saturday, about 100 miles south-west of Minsk, showed Chinese soldiers wearing forage caps as they unloaded their equipment from a single Xian Y-20, a heavy strategic airlifter nicknamed “Chubby Girl”.
continues ==> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/07/07/china-belarus-anti-terror-military-drills-polish-border/

Posted by: too scents | Jul 8 2024 9:56 utc | 444

Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezuhla, a member of the Ukrainian Committee on National Security, confirmed the losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in aircraft and air defense assets and again criticized the Air Force command, calling for their resignation.
Commenting on recent Russian strikes on Mirgorod, she stated that the Ukrainian general staff’s actions are “disposing” of aircraft and air defense systems.
“Just within the past day in Poltava region, Russian reconnaissance drones flew freely, and our air defense and aviation were destroyed in a relaxed manner, like in a shooting range or a computer game,” Bezuhla wrote on Facebook.
She also explained why two Patriot systems were lost.
“The first Patriot was destroyed because it wasn’t moved at all, although this is described in any military manual. After that, the second Patriot was destroyed because it was moved rarely and not camouflaged, and this happened after the first one was destroyed. The local population knew where it was, and no measures were taken.”
Additionally, she said, “ways to counter enemy drones that now fly over a hundred kilometers have not been developed at all.” And according to her, no one in the Air Force is working on developing these methods.
She also accused Air Force Commander Oleshchuk of inflating Russian losses.
“The conscience does not stop the commander from approving falsified statistics, for example, when during an attack, the Russians launched five Shaheds, they were not shot down, and the command reports to the whole country that ten were launched, and five were shot down. Who will check? The generals have their own,” Bezuhla wrote.
According to her, the General Staff also records damaged Russian equipment as “destroyed.”
Another accusation from Bezuhla is corruption in the Air Force. “For a certain fee, one can get assigned to air defense units, pay extra to be listed on the roster but not actually appear there. At the same time, real, not ‘padded,’ specialists are being massively transferred to the infantry, which only leads to senseless deaths,” the MP writes.
She states that there are cases of specialists in Western air defense systems being transferred to the infantry after their equipment was destroyed.
As a result, “Russian dominance in the air is increasing, these are the latest approaches, with drones, reconnaissance, which they have developed in addition to their classical resources with aircraft, air defense, and satellites.”
She calls for the Air Force leadership to resign “following Sodole” (the recently dismissed commander of the Joint Forces).

Posted by: guest | Jul 8 2024 10:02 utc | 445

NATO’s Plan For Permanent War…
https://johnhelmer.net/natos-plan-for-permanent-war-in-ukraine-and-on-the-fareast-front-putin-has-stalins-hitler-problem/#more-90091
Looks like NATO world war will soon be on…

Posted by: John Gilberts | Jul 8 2024 10:16 utc | 446

Dima:
-RU most likely abandon Hlubove completely. Hlubove seems to have been the main AFU effort in Kharkov region, where most artillery was also concentrated
-AFU try to counter-attack the area west of bridgehead in Burguvatka through the forest, no details
-RU hit a large deployment area of the brigade defending Vovchansk, south of it
-RU disrupt AFU movement north-south along Zherebets river
-RU published video of Druzhba pipeline operation, which enabled them to go behind AFU line
-AFU possibly abandoned Yevhenivka (W of Sokil)
-Disgruntled Ukrainians burn ammo depots, trains, trucks, military equipment on the Romanian side of UKR border, near Radauti
Airstrikes:
-RU hit discovered AD systems in Kiev + other strikes
-Dnipro: Yuzmash plant attacked
-Military target in Krivoy Rog

Posted by: unimperator | Jul 8 2024 10:17 utc | 447

Meanwhile in Kiew:
https://t.me/llordofwar/362889

Posted by: Apollyon | Jul 8 2024 10:22 utc | 448

Posted by: John Gilberts | Jul 8 2024 10:16 utc | 447
So to summarize the article (not comprehensively):
-FUKUS makes actions trying to provoke RU attacks on fringe NATO states
-Instead, RU makes soft actions designed to remove NATO ISR assets from being able to effectively monitor Crimea or contribute in Ukraine
-FUKUS tries to get Eurotards to fight against Russia
Well, considering FUKUS already lost against the Houthis, it’s hard to see Europeans deploying to fight against China in SE Asia anything but a pipe dream. The logistics are horrible.
So what about the provocations in European NATO fringe states? As long as they don’t attack from their territory, nothing will happen, RU will fend off NATO ISR over Black Sea / Ukraine and keep doing what they do. While FUKUS nation states sink deeper into abyss.

Posted by: unimperator | Jul 8 2024 10:40 utc | 449

So to summarize the article …
Posted by: unimperator | Jul 8 2024 10:40 utc | 450
—
The big new is Chinese boots on the ground in Belarus, and the characterization of NATO’s role on the Belarusian boarder as terrorism.

Posted by: too scents | Jul 8 2024 10:48 utc | 450

Justpassinby | Jul 8 2024 9:53 utc | 444
Yeah, lol. Maybe I just got carried away with conspiracy fantasies! However, imo, there is ALWAYS a kabuki play going on!!!

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 10:53 utc | 451

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on today’s missile attack on Ukraine.
This morning, in response to attempts by the Kyiv regime to inflict damage on Russian energy and economic facilities, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a group strike with high-precision long-range weapons on the military industry of Ukraine and the air bases of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The goals of the strike have been achieved. The assigned objects are hit. Statements by representatives of the Kyiv regime about Russia’s allegedly deliberate missile strike on civilian targets are absolutely untrue.
Numerous published photos and video footage from Kyiv unequivocally confirm the fact of destruction due to the fall of a Ukrainian air defense missile launched from an anti-aircraft missile system within the city.
We especially note that similar hysterics of the Kiev regime have been happening for several years and every time on the eve of the next meeting (summit) of its patrons from NATO.
The purpose of such provocations is to ensure further financing of the Kyiv regime and the continuation of the war to the last Ukrainian.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin/129385

Posted by: guest | Jul 8 2024 11:09 utc | 452

Such that I wonder if your daughter’s boyfriends will ever measure up to your own accepted models of rationalised manliness.
Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 3:18 utc | 414
_____
Your comedic skills could use a bit of work. Even the most frivolous and superficial attempts at armchair psychologizing ought to start from some minimum of fact, however meager.

Posted by: malenkov | Jul 8 2024 11:27 utc | 453

-FUKUS tries to get Eurotards to fight against Russia
Posted by: unimperator | Jul 8 2024 10:40 utc | 450

the sad reality is, fukus probably wont have to do much, as those vicious eu(rotards) politicians will gladly do it themself if they have to i believe. btw, love that discription of them, i am going to steal that!

The big new is Chinese boots on the ground in Belarus, and the characterization of NATO’s role on the Belarusian boarder as terrorism.
Posted by: too scents | Jul 8 2024 10:48 utc | 451

i already read some comments here in germany about this, and the usual “the last dictator in europe meets the ccp dictator to attack our democracy!”.

there is ALWAYS a kabuki play going on!!!
Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 10:53 utc | 452

that is true. but i hope your little conspiracy there ends up happening. i would enjoy nothing more then to see people like von der leyen having a mental breakdown and shooting foam out of her mouth for at least 12 hours straight.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Jul 8 2024 11:30 utc | 454

New provocations in Kiev by AFU air defense systems, just in time for the NATO summit.

Posted by: unimperator | Jul 8 2024 12:15 utc | 455

https://t.me/rybar/61650

🌎🇺🇸🇷🇺 On the Importance of Adequate Assessments of Anti-Russian Sanctions
The problem with correctly assessing the sanctions pressure in the Russian media is that sanctions are generally perceived by journalists as a news item. Therefore, information about sanctions is presented as a separate piece of news, which is quickly drowned out by a stream of other reports.
This creates a false sense of the finiteness of sanctions . The thesis: “They introduced another package of sanctions, and we put it in a package with packages,” voiced more than once by representatives of the Russian political establishment, is fundamentally wrong. Sanctions pressure is not one-time sporadic actions, but a system that fine-tunes and adapts to the current situation. And to counter sanctions, a systemic approach is needed , not one-time actions.
Recently, VTB CEO Andrey Kostin said that the topic of cross-border settlements should be classified as “top secret” due to the risk of sanctions. These words reflect a systemic approach and a deep understanding of the situation.
🔻How has the sanctions standoff developed in the last two years?
It is important to understand that sanctions are the same as war, only in the economic sphere. This is a constant competition of shield and sword . Naturally, we will not list all the schemes for avoiding sanctions here, but will only outline the general trends.
▪️The sanctions pressure on Russian business is complex . First, a ban was imposed on entry into the EU of trucks with Russian license plates, restrictions were imposed on the Russian merchant fleet , and transactions with Russian legal entities were limited.
The response was the creation of a huge number of shell companies in the CIS countries, changing license plates and ship flags to other jurisdictions. The scheme worked well for about a year.
▪️But our opponents are actively monitoring the situation, working with leaks, with agents and constantly improving control mechanisms. The next step was to give the US and Britain access to tax and customs databases of the CIS countries, targeted work on enterprises in Turkey, the UAE and a number of friendly countries.
This allowed them to quickly add shell companies to the sanctions lists and significantly narrowed the field for evading sanctions, but it was an incentive to create new schemes.
▪️The next step was secondary sanctions against enterprises already in the Anglo-Saxon jurisdiction. They began to close correspondent accounts in foreign banks of Russian financial organizations, and to include companies that are counterparties of Russian legal entities and/or affiliated structures in the SND-list.
▪️In parallel, active work was carried out to control the crypto market . With the help of Elliptic , Chainalisys and similar companies, all crypto exchangers and large exchanges were placed under the direct control of the CIA. KYC and AML procedures were introduced everywhere. This greatly limited the use of crypto to bypass sanctions . Yes, we may be objected that there are still decentralized exchanges that are allegedly not under control. The degree of control over such structures is a controversial issue. Much here depends on the anonymity of the protocol developers and the support team. If they can be found, then the issue of control is resolved.
Moreover, on decentralized exchanges, liquidity is often much lower than on centralized ones. Large amounts are difficult to convert at a favorable rate. And no one can provide guarantees for the execution of the transaction. This is not a solution for large or even medium-sized businesses. This is an option for cryptans who can buy / sell / exchange small amounts, and then say that they are off the radar.
But the reality is that in most cases, small and irregular transactions are simply not recorded by monitoring systems as suspicious. In addition, most crypto transactions somehow come into contact with USDT. And this means complete control by the CIA and NSA.
#globalism #Russia #USA #economy
@rybar with @econopocalypse

https://t.me/rybar/61651

🇺🇸🇷🇺 On the fight against sanctions in the banking sector
The most pressing problem now is the possibility of transfers to China . No economy in the world today is completely autonomous. The degree of interpenetration and cooperation is enormous. The Russian economy is no exception.
▪️A significant portion of the goods that are needed in the economy are imported from China, especially against the backdrop of a reduction in imports from the Anglo-Saxon circuit. Our opponents understand this perfectly well and are exerting unprecedented pressure on China. The Anglo-Saxons’ influence on cross-border logistics between the Russian Federation and China is extremely limited, mainly due to some manipulations with the global container fleet. Therefore, their focus is on bank payments . The Anglo-Saxons influence Chinese banks and branches of Russian banks abroad.
▪️The creation of an effective system of bank transfers outside the SWIFT circuit is now, without exaggeration, critical for the formation of a multipolar world .
Naturally, everything related to the use of the Financial Message Transfer System (FMS) abroad, and any activities aimed at creating an effective alternative to SWIFT, should be kept secret . Let us remind you once again – this is a full-scale economic war.
Therefore, the statements of bankers and businessmen that the topic of cross-border transfers should be classified as “top secret” are absolutely adequate to the situation and justified.
▪️But to get closer to solving this problem, it is necessary, at a minimum, to have coordinated interaction between business and the regulator represented by the Central Bank, which understands and predicts the risks.
In this context, let us just recall one of the dubious stories about Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation Vladimir Chistyukhin . The banks, on whose transactions his apparatus collected data from the beginning of the SVO, unexpectedly found themselves on the US sanctions lists, which dealt a very serious blow to the entire economy of the Russian Federation in the conditions of war.
Chistyukhin in this case is one of the key functionaries of the Central Bank, who are responsible for the stability of the country’s financial system and international settlements. Moreover, his family, unexpectedly, lives in the UAE. It is highly doubtful that the CIA and MI6 are in complete ignorance of such a tasty target.
🔻Therefore, the creation of an effective system of cross-border payments in a secrecy environment is possible only in the absence of leaks and key people who can become objects of manipulation for the enemy’s special services. If this factor is not eliminated, then all plans for economic confrontation with the West will be in online mode for our opponents, and all payments will go through a mid-level cash-out office ( promoted by the protégé of the same Chistyukhin), under the control of the IRS and the US Department of Justice.
#globalism #Russia #USA #economy
@rybar together with @econopocalypse

Posted by: anon2020 | Jul 8 2024 12:19 utc | 456

Your comedic skills could use a bit of work. Even the most frivolous and superficial attempts at armchair psychologizing ought to start from some minimum of fact, however meager.
Posted by: malenkov | Jul 8 2024 11:27 utc | 454

Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 12:22 utc | 457

I think all this hyperventilating about rules of war stuff is rather disingenuous.
Admittedly, I have never served in the military or otherwise had the need to kill anyone, so I do not speak from experiance, just a view from outside.
1) When one shoots at people they are going to tend to want to shot back.
2) I can’t imagine that there is such a thing as time-out.
3) “Rules of War is B/S – war is hell, that’s it.
Now it is a different matter when a group or individual decides to gun down (or torture) civilians, such as whole villages (as was done by the U.S. in Vietnam, as I recall) or as shown in the “collateral murder” video.
I believe there are reasons of self-interest to not engage in such behavior – such as you would not want it reciprocated. But there are also reasons why the military command would want you to see such behavior – I think that to be a good soldier one must have hatred for the enemy, but also they would promote hatred to discourage surrender inclination.
Well I dont know the truth and I do regret the loss of human life and that indirectly (through my government), I share some responsibility for it.

Posted by: jared | Jul 8 2024 12:23 utc | 458

The Russian Telegram channel has its own version of the events surrounding the hospital – judge for yourself ⏬⏬⏬
Ukrainian media report that this is the moment of arrival in Kyiv, when the children’s hospital was damaged. They claim it is a Russian X-101 missile. Some Russian media also picked it up.
I dare to upset you, but this is not very similar to the X-101, but it is very similar to the PAC-3 for the Patriot air defense system. They do not emit the characteristic whistle of Russian cruise missiles and are very similar in shape to the one in the video.
https://x.com/distant_earth83/status/1810286287519113545

Patriot PAC-3 missile caught on video crashing to the ground.

Posted by: unimperator | Jul 8 2024 12:25 utc | 459

@ Jake Blanchard | Jul 8 2024 12:22 utc | 458
Unfortunately none of your “facts” are facts. Or, to put it another way, I’ll see your “Bob Dylan[insert registered trademark here]” and raise you one Andrew Ratshin and a Suzanne Vega. Oh, and as for my daughter (rotflmao!)…

Posted by: malenkov | Jul 8 2024 12:31 utc | 460

On the fight against sanctions in the banking sector
Posted by: anon2020 | Jul 8 2024 12:19 utc | 457
—
Stick a fork in Hong Kong’s Financial Industry, victimized by the sanction collateral damage.

Posted by: too scents | Jul 8 2024 12:33 utc | 461

https://robcampbell.substack.com/p/ukraine-weekly-update-fc0
Posted by: Dr. Rob Campbell | Jul 6 2024 17:05 utc | 18
Thanks again for another most valuable summary. You’ve no idea how it gets the mad jumble of events over the week into perspective.
And to “b” for his great work. I hope you’re not overdoing it, “b”, after the operation but suspect you are!
Also to the contributors here who provide source material and very often expertly put it in context.
The key issue for me since 2014 has been the plight of the Donbass but since 2022 it has also been, increasingly, the plight of the Ukrainians themselves and the degree to which we in Europe are responsible for that plight. As Jacques Baud put it recently, we are fighting this war with the blood of others and that is a shameful position for any European to be in. I see little sign yet that we in Europe recognise that.

Posted by: English Outsider | Jul 8 2024 12:43 utc | 462

https://topwar.ru/245161-gladkostvol-perednego-kraja-droboviki-dlja-primenenija-v-svo.html

Front-Edge Smoothbore: Shotguns for SBO Applications
Attack FPV UAVs have become the main problem of the Russian troops and one of the main problems of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In the photo is the Russian-made Upyr UAV
The widespread use of so-called FPV drones (FPV UAVs) has led to a demand from the military for a means to destroy them.
Electronic warfare systems, as has been predicted many times, have limited effectiveness, which is why there is an urgent need for smoothbore weapons – shotguns – in the troops.
There is nothing special about the use of smoothbore weapons in the troops; even during the Vietnam War, the US Armed Forces used such weapons even in combat, and even now they are widely used as special equipment.
The Russian Armed Forces are extremely concerned about protecting troops from small FPV strike UAVs. An average shooter can really shoot down a flying small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a smoothbore gun.
This means that guns with cylindrical barrels are less suitable for protection against FPV than those with choke.
The choke should not be too large, as this will reduce the effectiveness of shooting large shot.
The best choice for shooting at UAVs is the choke.
If a unit has a gun with a cylindrical barrel, then if possible, it should be retrofitted with a choke muzzle attachment.
Important! According to Russian law, this action is prohibited; the State Duma has banned citizens from making such modifications themselves with the latest amendments to the law on weapons , so a gun that ends up in the hands of a soldier should be hidden in the rear. The chances that a modified gun will cause problems with the law are minimal, but it is better to take care of this in advance.
By barrel length.
A long barrel is better suited for shooting at a small air target. The shorter the barrel, the lower the accuracy, the larger the pattern of shot. However, the longer the barrel, the harder it is to turn the gun, the less maneuverable it is and the harder it is to carry it physically. Nevertheless, when repelling an FPV strike in open terrain, the probability of hitting the target will be critical, and therefore you need to take the longest possible barrel, 710-750 mm, depending on the gun model.
We can also say about the minimum length: 610-660 mm is the minimum. With a shorter barrel, the accuracy of shooting with shot will be unsatisfactory, however, short barrels are cylindrical.
The question of which barrel length is preferable in street fights, for example, from the windows of buildings, and in other cramped conditions, requires additional experimental testing.
By the length of the chamber.
By the length of the chamber, you definitely need to choose 76 mm, since you can shoot shorter cartridges from it, but the opposite is not true. But if only guns with 70 mm chambers are available, then this is quite acceptable.
Regarding sighting devices.
The base includes guns with a regular open sight (front sight and rear sight) or front sight and sighting bar.
Guns with long barrels and choke always have a front sight and a bar. It should be recognized that this is optimal for shooting at air targets.
The issue of using various types of collimator sights against UAVs requires a separate study, if when shooting from a machine gun, a collimator immediately increases the accuracy of shooting by at least a third, then with smoothbore weapons and the need to shoot offhand at a short distance, there is no such clarity.
Night sights are definitely needed to protect against UAVs at night, but equipping guns with them also requires special modifications in the workshop, which will most often be impossible.
Regarding the type of magazine.
Shotguns are available for sale with both tubular under-barrel magazines and detachable box magazines.
Shotguns with detachable magazines (Saiga, Vepr) have a short cylindrical barrel, and therefore cannot be selected.
However, it is necessary to disclose the issue with the magazine in more detail.
The tubular magazine has two properties that provide it with superiority over the detachable box magazine.
First, the tubular magazine allows you to add cartridges to it between shots.
Second, it cannot be lost.
Box magazines for 12-gauge shotguns are very large, bulky, and require large pouches for carrying.
It is impossible to “throw” a cartridge into a box magazine.
The video below shows high-speed loading/reloading of a tubular magazine.
[approximately four more pages]

Posted by: anon2020 | Jul 8 2024 12:58 utc | 463

@ anon2020 | Jul 8 2024 12:58 utc | 464
General consensus on the topic of drone countermeasures is – EW provides a false sense of security at worst and a temporary solution at best, while shotguns, despite a ton of discussion, don’t actually solve the problem either. A complete solution is so far a mystery. Unironically, “modern problems require modern solutions”, as the quote goes.

Posted by: boneless | Jul 8 2024 13:12 utc | 464

Posted by: too scents | Jul 8 2024 12:33 utc | 462
Thanks for the pointer, I haven’t been following the sanctions development so hadn’t realised the significance of Hong Kong! There is a huge amount still to be done setting up local production of essentials like drone component, this seems to be one factor behind Shoigu being moved aside and people he supervised being arrested on “corruption” charges (translation: incompetence / negligence).

Posted by: anon2020 | Jul 8 2024 13:18 utc | 465

A complete solution is so far a mystery
boneless | Jul 8 2024 13:12 utc | 465
Actually EW works nice against drones. Now portable EW for soldiers appeared. US often complains about Russian EW so it can’t be that bad. The big EW weapons were not even activated, they wait for a direct nato attack. Ukr receives the combined production of drones from more than nato countries, they can’t be all intercepted, at least not until lasers become a common thing (and the weather is good).
Also Topwar is an opposition website, Putin haters both in articles and comments, which seem mostly written by the authors themselves. It was like that long before the smo started. The trip to Cuba was interpreted as treason, they wrote that Russia gave US the signature of the subs.
It’s not that there are no weapons against air or water drones, or that they can’t be quickly invented, but when the general staff only knows artillery duels nothing else will be created. No country would cut the budget for a large drone like Okhotnik. Team Shoigu did, most of general staff learned the word drone during the smo. So they’re doing pretty well considering they were born yesterday, slowly the generals will be purged, in years.

Posted by: rk | Jul 8 2024 13:44 utc | 466

DD Geopolitics
@DD_Geopolitics
BREAKING! Iskander strikes on 3 HIMARS launchers!
Russian reconnaissance uncovered the movement of three HIMARS launcher systems to pre-prepared positions near the settlement of Klapai in the Kherson region.
After transmitting the coordinates of the rocket systems, an Iskander-M missile strike was carried out, destroying all vehicles, including a dozen foreign specialists.
vid:
https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1810301630790668630

Posted by: guest | Jul 8 2024 13:55 utc | 467

@ rk | Jul 8 2024 13:44 utc | 467
Major effort is applied to improving EW that saves lives right now, however, the end game is autonomy. Cheap enough self guiding solutions will ignore all current EW. This is ultimately a race against the clock.
As you mentioned, RF military decision makers have been critically slow to recognize and adjust in this area. Improvements are being made but complaints don’t let up as mistakes are still there (like officially supplied hopelessly ineffectual drones and insufficient EW education of the troops that have to use it). We might not get to autonomous drones this conflict, but then again we might.

Posted by: boneless | Jul 8 2024 13:59 utc | 468

The Kiev strikes reinforce the idea that Russia’s intent on turning the lights out in Ukraine this year. The slow collapse is on schedule.

Posted by: TJandTheBear | Jul 8 2024 14:03 utc | 469

So we have a witness, and documentation of war crimes being committed- will those responsible be charged and brought to trial? Or do they get a pass since the victims are Russians? As the unit itself is US-led, are the leaders of that unit liable under US law as well as international law?

Posted by: John S | Jul 8 2024 14:06 utc | 470

speaking of drones, youtube seems to recommend a video about the us’ new “manta ray” underwater drone, that will be a “gamechanger” and a “problem for submarines”.
this in conjunction with past comments from the us military how they will make the taiwan strait a “hellhole for the pla” by flooding it with drones, it seems that the usa and nato are increasingly focusing on dronetech. combined with their war on chipmanufactory of other nations (namely china) and their push for ai, this slowly evokes the likes of “skynet” from the terminator movies for me as an old fart.
the big problem with that is, the moment you take the human factor out of the equation, you advocate for the indiscriminate killing of civilians. the drones will probably just look for heat signatures (uneducated guess) and strike anyone they can find.
in short, a genocidal tool perfect for the use of the west with all its values.
dont like where this is all going…

Posted by: Justpassinby | Jul 8 2024 14:37 utc | 471

We all are fortunate Victor Orban doesn’t take Russian blogger propaganda seriously:
“If the Russians were strong enough to wrestle down the Ukrainians in one go, they would have done so already…I do not consider it logical that Russia, which cannot even defeat Ukraine, would all of a sudden come and swallow the Western world whole.”
Russian fanboys, by denying the obvious — Russia’s quagmire, the failed battle for Kyiv, and falsely asserting Russia has the strongest military in the world and that Ukraine is at the mercy of their lightening offense —only fuel the equally bizarre NATO talking point that Russia could invade NATO.
If NATO consisted only of Chasiv Yar, well maybe. We will see.

Posted by: Napoleon | Jul 8 2024 14:41 utc | 472

the us’ new “manta ray” underwater drone
Posted by: Justpassinby | Jul 8 2024 14:37 utc | 472
—
Have your seen this? ==> https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3265955/china-plans-expand-manta-ray-submersible-fleet-eye-reconnaissance-roles
Compare dates.

Posted by: too scents | Jul 8 2024 15:16 utc | 473

Cheap enough self guiding solutions will ignore all current EW.
Posted by: boneless | Jul 8 2024 13:59 utc | 469
But that self guiding has to be done by something, like optical, gps, inertial, starlink or whatever. EW can damage a part of those systems, the rest can be done mechanically or simply with a proper type of net for smaller drones. Or EM pulses, lasers. The Soviet antinuke system with a cloud of metal projectiles should work on drones. If you are talking about AI, that already exists in some Russian drones, they detect multiple targets and choose the most important based on training from tens of thousands of photos. Russia seems to be good at small drones, in only two years. nato has no defense against them. The big problem seems to be in the numbers, they just don’t make enough drones and protection systems because they were not prepared for it, and nato focuses only on large drone numbers for attacks, they have no defense because they can’t make it and don’t even fight, it’s their proxy who dies.
@Justpassinby | Jul 8 2024 14:37 utc | 472
Yes, that video is in my recommended list too. I didn’t click on it, it’s just propaganda. 3d renderings and prototypes don’t interest me. Just click on the three dots in the corner and select to not recommend the channel. Funny that yt does not suggest anything about the murican astronuts lost in space with a broken rocket.

Posted by: rk | Jul 8 2024 15:22 utc | 474

Posted by: too scents | Jul 8 2024 15:16 utc | 474
thanks for that link. seems to be behind a paywall, but now that im aware of the chinese equivalent, i am going to do some sleuthing later. i was unaware of both of them.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Jul 8 2024 15:25 utc | 475

Posted by: rk | Jul 8 2024 13:44 utc | 467
Drone guns are EW and they are now considered almost useless for combat missions. EW has plenty of limitations but it’s appropriate in some situations provided it actually works against the drones being used.
It might be incorrect advice but wherever matter is discussed the advice is now the same: at infantry level (3..5 men) a shotgun and drone detector, not EW, is advisable or even necessary. If EW doesn’t work you’ve got nothing, there are videos out there of infantry using portable EW successfully but you don’t get to see the videos of it failing, you have to deduce these outcomes from the technical characteristics, and the fact that calls for shotguns are now so loud, but maybe the advice will change.
Guys in vehicles can’t shoot effectively so EW seems more appropriate (and vehicles have power) but lots of men riding on a transporter or boat, or in a group. need shotguns at least. I think teams doing front line resupply missions in “loaf” vans use drone detectors and simply bail out and run for cover if they come under attack. EW on tanks and other vehicles where the crew can’t quickly escape or shoot at drones makes sense.
Throughout all of this it should be understood that EW transmission can be used as a target seeking signal by enemy drones, this doesn’t appear to be happening now but it might become a problem, and a drone that can hit a target using an onboard object tracker will be almost immune to all but extreme EW, like @boneless says.
Blinding optical cameras / seekers with a laser (dazzler) is a valid concept but it says something about the practical challenges that there doesn’t appear to be anything like that in SMO yet, other than helicopter anti-missile defences.
I don’t know the provenance of topwar.ru, thanks for the warning, I’ve found quite a bit of purely technical information there that has been correct. There is a large contingent of rubbish opposition in the comments but also illuminating comments that I can’t easily find elsewhere. If you know of any alternative sites for similar information please say so.
On reform, things are changing in the right direction but very slowly, many components that should be produced locally are not so they are exposed to sanctions pressure and it’s possible that so little has been done in some areas since the start of SMO that some projects will have to be started from scratch even now.

Posted by: anon2020 | Jul 8 2024 15:54 utc | 476

Napoleon | Jul 6 2024 17:12 utc | 19
*** Putin’s use of Chechen mercenaries ***
Far from being “mercenaries”, the Chechen soldiers are loyal Russians.

Posted by: Cynic | Jul 8 2024 16:50 utc | 477

1) true. 2) not even remotely similar to “Vietnam” 3) true 4) whatever you say, dude.
Last: true.
Posted by: UWDude | Jul 6 2024 17:37 utc | 34
Very sorry to say this, but approving a known troll makes you also a troll.
1) Not true unless you believe the ukronazi and western propaganda.
3) Not true at all. The chechen mercenaries are fighting together on the side of the ukronazis. The Chechens under Kadyrov are fighting with the Russian army as regular troops.
4) Progozhin was a crook and a traitor, his case is settled.
Last) Not true. The empire is falling. And denazification is not a civil war.

Posted by: Naive | Jul 8 2024 17:16 utc | 478

Wisco@269….
“but it was cool, and enlightening for the time. A break from the dreary dogma of western mystology. Did your teacher drive a Morgan, ours did? Not slipping that through the cracks these days, in schools, it’s 24/7 Holocostology.”
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Jul 7 2024 12:46 utc | 321
He was actually pretty cool, until one day he literally called be a “pervert” in front of the class (talk about name-calling trolls). I think it was because I hesitantly raised my hand when he asked the class if anyone thought they were “unlucky” (along with one or two other kids in class). I was then only thinking about small stuff, but he was thinking big-picture like “white privelege” (long before that was a big thing). He could have called me out for that, but instead just smeared me in front of the class as a “pervert”, totally unjustified. I should have kicked his ass right then and there but he was built like a fukkin’ tank and I didn’t understand the true reason for his ad hominem smear. I was a kid.

Posted by: Wisco | Jul 9 2024 1:19 utc | 479

“Explain the actions of the upper-class men on the Titanic if you, ‘ reject the entire perspective that any mental phenomenon like honor culture as the primary cause of social behavior’. Two years later the same generation volunteered en-mass to fight for their country, many lying about their age.”
Posted by: Milites | Jul 7 2024 16:44 utc | 359
That is a great point. Last night I watched the 1958 movie called “A Night to Remember” for the first time, it is currently free on Prime Video. Highly recommended!
See the differences in culture between then and now. Even the some of the world’s richest men at that time went down with ship because “women and children first in the life boats”. Apparently the movie was pretty true to the reality based on survivor testimonies.

Posted by: Wisco | Jul 9 2024 1:55 utc | 480

“Try reading it in your 60s. You might find it quite different. :)”
“—I imagine I’d dislike Hesse even more now, thanks!”
Posted by: Jake Blanchard | Jul 7 2024 23:52 utc | 397
Posted by: malenkov | Jul 8 2024 0:25 utc | 398
To tell you the truth, reading this one MoA thread alone is more enlightening than that book, imo. I’m in my 60s.

Posted by: Wisco | Jul 9 2024 2:17 utc | 481

Poland has upped the ante by declaring that they can intercept Russian missiles if they felt “threaten” that these could land on their territories.
Sounds like a plan to protect F16s based right on the Polish/Ukraine border area. BMA has a good article on how the F16s will be utilized.

Posted by: Suresh | Jul 9 2024 2:29 utc | 482

“More proof, however, that you aren’t RSH!”
Posted by: malenkov | Jul 8 2024 2:04 utc | 408
Lol. RSH wouldn’t be caught dead sucking up to Herman Hesse and “Siddhartha”. Put all the posters who think Jake is a reincarnation of RSH into the garbage disposal right now. They don’t have any reading ability. All they can see is someone being abusive using strong language.

Posted by: Wisco | Jul 9 2024 2:39 utc | 483

“Poland has upped the ante….”
Posted by: Suresh | Jul 9 2024 2:29 utc | 483
Seem like Poland is always used to instigate world wars. No wonder Polish jokes are a thing. Masochistic?

Posted by: Wisco | Jul 9 2024 3:05 utc | 484

Seem like Poland is always used to instigate world wars. No wonder Polish jokes are a thing. Masochistic?
Posted by: Wisco | Jul 9 2024 3:05 utc | 485
______
That could be part of it, but I attribute it mostly to delusions of power and importance.

Posted by: malenkov | Jul 9 2024 16:13 utc | 485

Barrel Brown@422 Oh, one last clarification: I’m very sure that most of the victimhood in Zionism is strictly for export, a soft power ploy. Inside Israel I’m pretty sure that the settler mentality is quite the opposite, a victimizer mentality. And from afar it seems like the arrogant exercise of special privileges by the Orthodox/ultraOrthodox/Hasidim/religious Zionists are not based on victim status, not in Israel. The sabra seems to me to be the cultural ideal and it is not, not, not a victim status.
Obviously I could be wrong but I don’t see any evidence of internal cultural/political life in Israel.

Posted by: steven t johnson | Jul 11 2024 0:08 utc | 486

Back to Main