The War in the Ukraine

[Fwiffo]

China vows not to sell arms to any party in Ukraine war

Speaking at a news conference with his visiting German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, Foreign Minister Qin Gang also blamed Taiwan for heightened regional tensions.

www.nbcnews.com

“'Regarding the export of military items, China adopts a prudent and responsible attitude,' Qin said at a news conference alongside visiting German counterpart Annalena Baerbock. 'China will not provide weapons to relevant parties of the conflict, and manage and control the exports of dual-use items in accordance with laws and regulations.'"

A prudent and responsible attitude from a prudent and responsible nation.

 

[Fwiffo]

EU rejects Ukraine grain bans by Poland and Hungary

The two countries say the measures are necessary to protect their farming sectors from cheap imports.

www.bbc.com

EU solidarity is stronger than ever.

 

[Fwiffo]

Putin and Chinese defense minister hail military cooperation in Moscow meeting

The visit was the first Li Shangfu has made to another country since he was appointed last month.

www.nbcnews.com

Not as close as Wang Yi and definitely not Xi Jinping.

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine war: US accuses Lula of parroting propaganda

Brazil denies its leader is spreading Russian and Chinese propaganda about the war in Ukraine.

www.bbc.com

"US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby accused Lula of 'parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda'.

Lula, who has pitched himself as a broker for peace talks to end the conflict, said over the weekend that 'the United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace'."

Wasn't he supposed to be better than the other guy?

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine war: Putin visits occupied Kherson region in Ukraine

It is the Russian leader's first visit to occupied areas of Ukraine since he travelled to Mariupol.

www.bbc.com

"He is quoted as telling the military meeting in Kherson that while he did not want to distract them from their duties, 'it is important for me to hear your opinion on how the situation is developing, to listen to you, to exchange information'."

Please tell me anything that you couldn't tell me over a conference call...

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine war: Russian warplane accidentally bombs own city

A dramatic blast which shook residents of Belgorod is being blamed on an accidental air strike.

www.bbc.com

Oops...

 

[Fwiffo]

U.S. to begin training Ukrainian troops on Abrams tanks

The decision comes as defense leaders from around Europe and the world are meeting in Germany in the ongoing effort to coordinate the delivery of weapons and other equipment to Ukraine.

www.nbcnews.com

"According to the officials, 31 tanks will arrive at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany at the end of May, and the troops will begin training a couple of weeks later. Officials said the troop training will last about 10 weeks. The training tanks will not be the ones given to Ukraine as it fights against Russia’s invasion. Instead, 31 M1A1 battle tanks are being refurbished in the United States, and those will go to the frontlines when they are ready."

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine in Nato: Orban casts doubt on long-term membership plan

"What?!" says Hungary's prime minister, in response to long-term plans to admit Ukraine.

www.bbc.com

"Jens Stoltenberg, said on Friday that 'all Nato allies have agreed that Ukraine will become a Nato member'"

 

[Dropbear]

Those sanctions really biting …

Russian billionaires see wealth rise to three-quarters of a trillion dollars in past year

Russia's richest people added $227 billion to their wealth over the past year, buoyed by high prices for natural resources and rebounding from the huge loss of fortunes they experienced just after the Ukraine war began.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Fwiffo]

Those sanctions really biting …

Russian billionaires see wealth rise to three-quarters of a trillion dollars in past year

Russia's richest people added $227 billion to their wealth over the past year, buoyed by high prices for natural resources and rebounding from the huge loss of fortunes they experienced just after the Ukraine war began.

www.abc.net.au

Working great here: Sanctions still blocking bank transfers for Canadians with no ties to Putin

But not so great here: Russian influx drives up rental prices in Dubai

An old co-worker just went on holiday there and he said it's Arabic and then the second language is Russian.

 

[Fwiffo]

 

[Fwiffo]

Zelensky holds first war phone call with China's Xi

Ukraine's president says his first call with China's leader since the Russian invasion was "meaningful".

www.bbc.com

"China confirmed the call, adding that it 'always stood on the side of peace'"

I'm guessing they won't be sending the Lu guy to negotiate peace after saying: “Even these ex-Soviet countries don’t have an effective status in international law because there was no international agreement to materialize their status as sovereign countries,”

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukrainians are ushering the Russian language out of their country at a rapid pace

"This month, Liubov Vorobyova, a lecturer from Irpin State Tax University north of Kyiv, declined a student request to switch into Ukrainian during an online philosophy class, saying it was hard to adjust after teaching for 35 years in Russian.

A video from the class was posted on social media, causing an uproar. The university said the lecturer was suspended and an investigation into the matter was ongoing. Reuters was unable to reach Vorobyova for comment."

Traitor! He was probably still calling it Kiev.

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine war: Bakhmut defenders worry about losing support

Lack of ammunition is hampering Ukrainian fighters as they prepare an expected major offensive.

www.bbc.com

"Volodymyr says supplies are coming from the Czech Republic, Romania and Pakistan. He complains the rockets originating from Pakistan are 'not of a good quality'."

Didn't know that the US wrangled Pakistan to supply ex Soviet arms too.

"'If we go on the offensive this year and retake our land, then we'll win,' he replies. 'But, if that doesn't happen, then we don't have the resources for the war to go on for another five to ten years.'

Volodymyr, the commander of the Grad, is even more blunt. 'The country is exhausted, the economy too,' he says.

And he fears that if Ukraine's action on the battlefield are not decisive this year then Western support may falter. 'We are also worried our Western allies are getting tired of helping us.'"

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine war: Nineteen dead as Russian missiles hit cities

Among those killed were a mother and her three-year-old daughter in the city of Dnipro, officials say.

www.bbc.com

"Twenty-one out of 23 missiles and two attack drones were shot down by Ukraine's air defence system, officials said in a post on the messaging service Telegram."

21 of 23...improving again.

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine war: Russia launches second pre-dawn missile attack in three days

The city of Pavlohrad, a logistics hub, was hit ahead of a much-anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive.

www.bbc.com

"Across the country, the Ukrainian army said it shot down 15 of the 18 cruise missiles that had been fired."

 

[Fwiffo]

Pope's 'secret' peace plan underscores NATO's lack of a political strategy on Ukraine

"Pope Francis spoke of a secret peace 'mission' involving Russia's war on Ukraine.

Francis offered no details but told journalists travelling with him that he's 'available to do anything' to bring about a negotiated settlement."

Why China's man for peace in Ukraine might be the 'best possible choice' for Russia

Li Hui, Beijing’s ambassador to Moscow until 2019, has decades of diplomatic experience in the then-Soviet Union and its remnants after it collapsed.

www.nbcnews.com

"He is now Beijing’s special representative for Eurasian affairs.

Li enjoys reading great Russian writers such as Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky, Maslov said, adding, 'He really understands the Russian soul, he understands the Russian psychology, the Russian mentality.'"

The Holy Father and Li Hui - who secures peace first?

 

[Fwiffo]

Kremlin drone attack: Russia accuses Ukraine of trying to assassinate Putin

Ukraine denies having anything to do with an apparent drone attack on the Kremlin in Moscow.

www.bbc.com

It's all your fault!
Rebuttal: "'Something is happening in RF [Russian Federation], but definitely without Ukraine's drones over the Kremlin,' Mr Podolyak said."

Nord Stream: Report puts Russian navy ships near pipeline blast site

A documentary reports Russian naval ships were located near the site of the Nord Stream explosions.

www.bbc.com

It's all your fault!
Rebuttal: "More recently, there were reports that intelligence pointed towards pro-Ukrainian operatives, although not the Ukrainian government itself."

 

[Fwiffo]

Yevgeny Prigozhin: Wagner Group boss says he will pull fighters out of Bakhmut

Yevgeny Prigozhin poses among dead mercenaries, blaming defence officials for lack of ammunition.

www.bbc.com

"'Shoigu! Gerasimov! Where is the... ammunition?... They came here as volunteers and die for you to fatten yourselves in your mahogany offices.'

'Because of the lack of ammunition, our losses are increasing exponentially every day,' Prigozhin said in the video. 'My lads will not suffer useless and unjustified losses in Bakhmut without ammunition.'"

Interestingly on the Ukrainian side in the same town, they talk about being rationed ammunition too and claim the Russians are the ones firing at will.

"In a separate move, Prigozhin appears to have hired an army general who was recently dismissed as logistics chief."

Russian Federation: You're fired!
Wagner: Back into the war you go...

 

[Dropbear]

Yevgeny Prigozhin: Wagner Group boss says he will pull fighters out of Bakhmut

Yevgeny Prigozhin poses among dead mercenaries, blaming defence officials for lack of ammunition.

www.bbc.com

"'Shoigu! Gerasimov! Where is the... ammunition?... They came here as volunteers and die for you to fatten yourselves in your mahogany offices.'

'Because of the lack of ammunition, our losses are increasing exponentially every day,' Prigozhin said in the video. 'My lads will not suffer useless and unjustified losses in Bakhmut without ammunition.'"

Interestingly on the Ukrainian side in the same town, they talk about being rationed ammunition too and claim the Russians are the ones firing at will.

"In a separate move, Prigozhin appears to have hired an army general who was recently dismissed as logistics chief."

Russian Federation: You're fired!
Wagner: Back into the war you go...

 

[Fwiffo]

 

[Fwiffo]

View attachment 46468

I finally saw this video. I don't know what warped reality he is from but I'm pretty sure paramilitary and militia do not get preference over the regular armed forces when it comes to arms and supplies. But what do I know.

 

[Dropbear]

Car bomb wounds pro-war Russian writer and kills his driver

Zakhar Prilepin, a writer known as an outspoken supporter of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was wounded in a car bombing that Russia blamed on Kyiv and the West.

www.reuters.com

Another IRA style car bomb attack on pro-Z blogger inside Russia.

(This reminded me of our bald-headed reading-comprehension-challenged old friend, now known as Deloser).

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine war: Russia launches 'biggest' kamikaze drone attack

Civilians are hurt in Kyiv, and one man dies in Odesa, where a Red Cross warehouse is hit, officials say.

www.bbc.com

"Kyiv's Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said nearly 60 drones had been launched by Russia, describing it as the 'biggest' such attack so far.

He added that all 36 drones had been destroyed over Kyiv, but five people had been injured by falling debris from downed drones."

36 of 60...

 

[Dropbear]

In todays victory parade, a single tank T34 tank rolled down the Moscow streets. 1,937 Russian tanks have been visually confirmed destroyed in Ukraine.

 

[Dropbear]

 

[Fwiffo]

In todays victory parade, a single tank T34 tank rolled down the Moscow streets. 1,937 Russian tanks have been visually confirmed destroyed in Ukraine.

View attachment 46493

Prigozhin called dibs on that one after the parade.

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine war: Jet pilots talk about the air war with Russia

Ukrainian and Russian pilots are fighting to control the skies. Could Western jets change the war?

www.bbc.com

In short:

F-16s will take 18 months to be operational
Ukraine's runways need to be extended.
There aren't enough pilots to swap out to do training whilst flying the current Mig-29s.
Russian air defence can still target F-16s.
Polish and Slovakian Mig-29s have the same limitations as the Ukrainian ones.

 

[Dropbear]

Prigozhin called dibs on that one after the parade.

Pretty sure he’s already on Telegram ranting about how the Red Guard refuse to share that tank with him and any failure on his part is solely due to Moscow’s refusal to let him have The Last Tank 🤣

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine war: Inside the fight for the last streets of Bakhmut

The eastern city is a crumpled, skeletal wreck. But Ukraine knows losing it could be costly.

www.bbc.com

"I ask if they're Wagner soldiers - the Russian paramilitary force which has been leading the assault. 'Yes,' replies Myroslav, one of the Ukrainian troops staring at the screen. 'They are fighting quite well, but they don't really care about their people,' he says. He adds that they don't seem to have much artillery support and they just advance in the hope that they'll be 'luckier than the last time'. His comrade, Mykola, interjects: 'They just walk towards us, they must be on drugs.'"

Even Wagner penal conscripts have improved.

"Yevhen displays that determination not to give up. 'The whole point of Bakhmut is to keep the enemy there,' he says. Ukraine's hope is that the fight over Bakhmut has blunted Russia's ability to conduct its own offensive operations, and exhausted its army and supplies."

The Ukrainian strategy is to bottle up the Russians and exhaust their supplies by effectively bleeding out in Bakhmut.

The Russian strategy is to tie up Ukrainians in Bakhmut and turn it into a slow war of attrition for which their superior numbers and supply will prevail. This is about as creative as Stalingrad.

 

[Fwiffo]

UK confirms supply of Storm Shadow long-range missiles in Ukraine

The Storm Shadow cruise missile will give Ukraine new capabilities in its conflict with Russia.

www.bbc.com

"They are fired from aircraft, so the longer range means Ukrainian pilots will be able to stay further from the frontlines."

 

[Fwiffo]

Maxim gun being used by a 61 year old at 2:45.

 

[Dropbear]

SA sanction busting:

US accuses South Africa of providing arms to Russia

Ambassador says weapons were brought to Russia on cargo ship from Simon’s Town naval base, local media reports

www.theguardian.com

 

[Fwiffo]

SA sanction busting:

US accuses South Africa of providing arms to Russia

Ambassador says weapons were brought to Russia on cargo ship from Simon’s Town naval base, local media reports

www.theguardian.com

India's Russia oil imports jumped tenfold in 2022, bank says

The country saved $5bn as it ramped up purchases following Western sanctions on Russia.

www.bbc.com

BRICS nations do not respect sanctions.

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine claims gains in Bakhmut after Russia denials

After months of slow Russian advances in the devastated city, the momentum seems to have shifted.

www.bbc.com

The battle over the piece of rubble continues.

 

[Dropbear]

Anyone taking bets on how long until Storm Shadow missiles hit the Kerch bridge?

 

[Dropbear]

Top 5 largest suppliers of tanks toUkraine

1: Russia - 543+
2: Poland - ~325
3: Germany - ~110
4: The Netherlands - 85
5: U.S. - 76

 

[Fwiffo]

Anyone taking bets on how long until Storm Shadow missiles hit the Kerch bridge?

According to the ex air marshal guy on Sky he said these missiles were due for retirement because there is a better version.

He was also not sure how it would be outfitted for Migs but said the news reports saying they were for tank busting are wrong as it is designed for buildings and structures.

 

[Dropbear]

According to the ex air marshal guy on Sky he said these missiles were due for retirement because there is a better version.

The Brits won’t be retiring them until 2032 and the French even later. I’m guessing they supplied the export version (range 150 miles) and not the one in service with a range of 350 miles. Still, that is a huge jump in range over HIMARS that now puts a bunch of supply depots, airbases, staging areas and repair facilities in range. And even the Kerch bridge! Russian generals will now be scrambling to redraw their maps with so many assets now vulnerable and needing protection or withdrawal.

He was also not sure how it would be outfitted for Migs

Looks like they figured that out and hit the repair facility in Luhansk on Thursday.

but said the news reports saying they were for tank busting are wrong as it is designed for buildings and structures.

It’s a 1,000lb bomb warhead.

 

[Fwiffo]

Russia air defense downs Storm Shadow missile, 10 HIMARS

TEHRAN, May 15 (MNA) – The Russian air defense units have downed one Storm Shadow missile and 10 HIMARS shells over the past day, the Defense Ministry said on Monday.

en.mehrnews.com

There goes 2M quid.