The War in the Ukraine

[Fwiffo]

Russia launches one of its largest attacks on western Ukraine

Zelensky condemns attack, saying Putin is not serious about talks to end war

www.theglobeandmail.com

"A U.S. electronics plant near the Hungarian border was also struck, according to Andy Hunder, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. The Flex factory is one of the biggest American investments in Ukraine, Hunder told The Associated Press by phone.

At the moment of impact, 600 nightshift workers were on the premises, and six of them were injured, Hunder said. Russian attacks on Ukraine since it launched its invasion have damaged property belonging to more than half of the chamber’s approximately 600 members, he added."

American interests are at stake!

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukrainian held in Italy over blast mystery of Nord Stream gas pipelines

German prosecutors say the man was in a group that planted explosives in the Baltic Sea.

www.bbc.com

We can finally put to bed the mental gymnastics of Russians sabotaging their own pipeline that they used to sell gas to Europe so they can fund their war.

 

[Fwiffo]

Vance says Russia has made 'significant concessions' in Ukraine talks. Has it?

The Kremlin has pushed back on key subjects, including security guarantees, since the Trump-Putin summit. But there may be subtle signs of flexibility, one analyst told NBC News.

www.nbcnews.com

Nothing like Meet the Press with JD Vance *AND* Sergei Lavrov.

 

[Fwiffo]

European troops sit in their bases in the relative safety of western Ukraine. Ukrainians hold a line. International peacekeepers in the front line facing Russia.

....uhh which country is going to donate their troops for peacekeeping the no man's land that is 1000km long?

 

[Fwiffo]

Vladimir Putin thanks Kim Jong Un for North Koreans fighting in Ukraine

Thousands of North Korean soldiers are thought to have died while fighting for Russia during its war in Ukraine.

www.bbc.com

"If there is any way we can assist Russia, we will certainly do it as a fraternal duty."

 

[Fwiffo]

Inflatable tanks and flat-pack guns - inside Ukraine's decoys war

Both Russia and Ukraine are using blow up dolls and plastic decoys as tricks on the battlefield.

www.bbc.com

The decoy war.

 

[Fwiffo]

Poland shoots down Russian drones in its airspace

Russia’s violation marks first involvement from a NATO country and heightens concerns Russia’s war on Ukraine is escalating

www.theglobeandmail.com

Another red line broken.

 

[Fwiffo]

Kyiv can win all of Ukraine back from Russia, Trump says

The US president says Ukraine can win back land with support from Nato and Europe, marking a major shift in his position.

www.bbc.com

Does that include the 1991 borders? aka Crimea

 

[Fwiffo]

How Zelensky’s Charm Offensive Reversed Trump’s Skepticism on Ukraine

"Zelensky showed on Tuesday that he has learned from the disastrous meeting with Trump in February. He has smartened up his attire after criticism from Trump supporters and, seated next to the U.S. president ahead of the Tuesday meeting, repeatedly thanked him for his support, praising his efforts to end the war while talking up the performance of the Ukrainian army on the battlefield."

Who knew dressing well would get you places.

 

[Fwiffo]

Indian student allegedly fighting for Russia captured by Ukrainian forces

Gujarat’s Sahil Majothi joined the Russian army to avoid jail over alleged drug charges.

www.bbc.com

The armed forces of the Russian federation - truly cosmopolitan and inclusive.

 

[Dropbear]

It has been 21 weeks since Trump gave Putin two weeks to end the war in Ukraine

 

[Fwiffo]

How Trump-Zelensky meeting turned acrimonious over demands for territorial concessions

Unnamed sources? We need to see it unvarnished on TV again including the throwing around of Ukrainian front line maps and the President cursing.

 

[Dropbear]

Ukraine buying 150 JAS 39 Gripen E jets, because the US were unreliable under untrustworthy on F16 promises. It’s a good choice, but they should’ve made that commitment two years ago

 

[Fwiffo]

Were the States supposed to give their F16? I was under the impression it was the Western European countries who were moving off to F35s that were going to give them their older F16 models? The US was responsible for training but there was a queue (of lesser non NATO allies).

If memory recalls of the first half dozen, one was lost when the pilot attempted to land and the other I forget why. There is no wunderwaffe that will win the war with the tactics they are using which seem to be WW1 style trench lines with strong points/city fortresses and small unit probes to find a breach all whilst being peppered by drones. Armour, if available, floods the breach so you gain your 50m. Unless manpower bleeds out this could go on forever.

 

[Fwiffo]

South Africa says 17 citizens trapped in Donbas after joining Russia-Ukraine war

It is unclear whether the citizens were fighting on behalf of Russia or Ukraine.

www.bbc.com

"Ukraine has previously said that it was holding citizens of various countries - Somalia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cuba and Sri Lanka - at prisoner-of-war camps."

More meat for the grinder.

"Ukraine has also previously come in for criticism for trying to recruit foreign nationals, including Africans, to fight on its side"

Freedom fighters of the world... Unite!

 

[Fwiffo]

Could Ukraine’s corruption crisis ‘lead to military defeat’ against Russia?

Corruption scandal threatens Zelenskyy's presidency, Kyiv's global reputation and its battlefield chances, experts say.

www.aljazeera.com

How many of the "good guys" have been sacked or exiled because of corruption?

 

[Fwiffo]

US military officials in Kyiv as Europe warns against reported Russia peace plan

Reports suggest the US and Russia have prepared a peace plan which features major concessions from Ukraine.

www.bbc.com

Summary of the 28 points: Just give up everything and submit and it'll all be over.

 

[fxh]

US military officials in Kyiv as Europe warns against reported Russia peace plan

Reports suggest the US and Russia have prepared a peace plan which features major concessions from Ukraine.

www.bbc.com

Summary of the 28 points: Just give up everything and submit and it'll all be over.

Yeah - Let Russia win and then wait 3 years before they advance again from a better front.

 

[Fwiffo]

Andriy Yermak: How Zelensky's right-hand man fell from power

A widening corruption scandal has forced the resignation of Ukraine's second most powerful person.

www.bbc.com

So a few months ago Zelensky was going to fold Nabu and Sapo under the presidential umbrella because:

A. His aides told him to do it to protect themselves and he unwittingly complied.
B. He knew these investigations were getting closer to him and the inner circle so he proactively wanted to stop it.
C. All of the above.

 

[Fwiffo]

Donald Trump Attempts Two Peace Plan Negotiations at Mar-a-Lago

Volodymyr Zelensky: We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework, which includes, and we have great achievements, 20-point peace plan, 90% agreed, and U.S.-Ukraine security guarantees, 100% agreed. U.S.-Europe-Ukraine security guarantees, almost agreed. Military dimension, 100% agreed. Prosperity plan being finalized, and we also discussed the sequencing of the following actions. And we agree that security guarantees is a key milestone in achieving lasting peace.

I remember project managers at work who have their projects in yellow or red keep going on and on about % complete like this.

 

[Fwiffo]

Trump says Putin will not attack Ukraine cities during cold week

Ukraine's Air Force said regions near the front line had been targeted by drones and a ballistic missile overnight.

www.bbc.com

The peace deal has devolved into a week of ceasefire on the capital.

 

[Fwiffo]

Russian general Alexeyev shot several times in Moscow attack

Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev is a senior figure in the main directorate of Russia's military general staff.

www.bbc.com

Who wants to be promoted next?

 

[Fwiffo]

US wants Russia and Ukraine to end war by June, says Zelensky

The Ukrainian leader says difficult issues remain, as Russia carries out further strikes on energy facilities.

www.bbc.com

Knock it off before the mid terms…

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine's ex-energy minister arrested while attempting to leave country

His detention comes as he faces legal proceedings after being dismissed in a corruption scandal.

www.bbc.com

"Galushchenko was briefly justice minister, a post he held when he was told by Zelensky to resign in November, having served as energy minister for three years prior to that. His successor, Svitlana Hrynchuk, also resigned after being implicated in the scandal."

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine faces missile shortage due to Middle East war, says Zelensky

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, the Ukrainian president says Putin wants a "long war" between the US and Iran.

www.bbc.com

"America produces 60-65 missiles per month. Imagine, 65 missiles per month is is about 700-800 missiles per year, produced each year... And on the first day in the Middle East war, 803 missiles were used."

 

[Fwiffo]

Russian drones attack downtown Lviv in broad daylight

One person was killed and 11 reported injured after the attack on the historic city in western Ukraine.

www.nbcnews.com

Drones during broad daylight.

 

[Fwiffo]

Russia launches 948 drones at Ukraine in largest attack over a 24-hour period

Cities across Ukraine were hit, with local officials reporting at least eight people killed and dozens injured.

www.bbc.com

Numbers Iran could only dream of.

 

[Fwiffo]

Ukraine signs deal with Saudi Arabia offering drone expertise

Volodymyr Zelensky says the Gulf kingdom faces the same type of attacks from Iran that Kyiv has been resisting.

www.bbc.com

“Media reports suggest that the US is now considering diverting arms meant for Ukraine to the Gulf because of the war with Iran, making a drone deal even more crucial for Ukraine.”

“Zelensky said that in exchange he would be looking for assistance in defending Ukraine against the ongoing Russian invasion.

‘We would like Middle Eastern states to also give us an opportunity to strengthen ourselves. They have certain air defence missiles of which we don't have enough. That's what we'd like to reach a deal on,’”

The US is diverting missile defence to the Gulf away from Ukraine. Zelensky is asking the Gulf to give him missiles. What would the Gulf defend themselves with then?

At the end of the day unless he gets S300, S400, Israeli (doubtful), or Chinese defence missiles he is drinking from the same well.

 

[Fwiffo]

Russia and Ukraine agree to truce for Orthodox Easter

Vladimir Putin announced the truce, which will last from Saturday afternoon on 11 April through Easter Sunday.

www.bbc.com

I thought the Ukrainians switched to the Gregorian calendar in protest.

 

[Fwiffo]

North Korea: Kim Jong Un praises troops who 'self-blasted' to avoid capture

It confirms suspicions that North Korean soldiers are being told to detonate their grenades to kill themselves.

www.bbc.com

"Their self-sacrifice expecting no compensation, and the devotion expecting no reward... This [is] the definition of the height of loyalty of our army,"

North Koreans for Novorossiya!