[Popular Mechanics] [WRONG!] Moscow sorely needs the new bomber, which would be its first in more than 40 years.
A new report claims Russia is making progress on a new nuclear-capable bomber, PAK-DA.
Moscow sorely needs the new bomber, its first in more than 40 years.
While Russia could field prototypes, full production remains uncertain as Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine will deprive Russia of technology it needs to build the aircraft.
Russia’s much-delayed PAK-DA strategic bomber—the country’s first large combat jet in decades—may finally be on track for a 2024 test flight. Still, despite more than a decade of intermittent progress, designers and engineers could see their hopes dashed for the new plane as a result of sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The failure of the bomber program could spell the eventual end of the Russian bomber fleet.
The PAK-DA program began in 2009, when Moscow held a competition to design a new long-range bomber. Tupolev, a Moscow-based aircraft design bureau with roots going back to before World War II, won the competition. Tupolev designed Russia’s entire fleet of heavy bombers, including the Tu-95 (NATO code name: "Bear"), Tu-22M3 ("Backfire"), and Tu-160 ("Blackjack") bombers.
[Newsweek via Gateway] Joe Biden, the US, and NATO gave Ukraine the OK to use NATO F-16 fighter jets to launch attacks inside Russia.
Joe Biden’s handlers are determined to launch World War III.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine has a right to use its Western-supplied weapons to defend itself against Russia, even if that includes striking targets within Russia’s borders.
"This is Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine, which is a blatant violation of international law," Stoltenberg told Radio Liberty during an interview on Tuesday.
"And according to international law, Ukraine has the right to self-defense. And it also includes strikes against legitimate military targets, Russian military targets outside of Ukraine. That’s international law, and of course, Ukraine has the right to do that to defend itself."
A NATO official confirmed with Financial Times on Thursday that Stoltenberg meant that Kyiv’s right to self-defense included striking Russian military targets outside of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned against Ukraine using its Western-supplied equipment to launch attacks on Russian territory, saying that doing so could risk escalating the conflict. The warnings had originally made allies like the United States hold off on supplying Kyiv with long-range weapons capable of reaching Russia, but NATO allies have since given Ukraine such arms.
It’s not the first time. Ukraine used the US Patriot air defense system to shoot down a Russian military transport plane while it was in Russian territory last month.
Putin said last month that Russian investigators found that a U.S.-made Patriot air defense system was used to shoot down an Ilyushin II-76 military transport plane while it was in Russian territory. Washington has provided Kyiv with several of the surface-to-air systems and additional artillery for the weapons.
#2
Imagine if you will the US reaction, if Russia began to deploy SS-20 missiles to Mexico (or Cuba) in support of a hypothetical US-Mexico/Contra conflict.
This business in Ukraine is rapidly spinning out of control.
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[GEO.TV] Ukraine's military destroyed a Russian A-50 surveillance aircraft, marking the second incident in just over a month.
"The A-50, known as 'Bayan,' has taken its final flight," Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk announced on the Telegram messaging app, emphasising Ukraine's resolute stance in countering sophisticated aerial threats.
Military sources, as reported by Interfax Ukraine news agency, detailed that the A-50 met its fate over Russian territory, precisely between the cities of Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar. The joint operation, orchestrated by the air force and the intelligence directorate, underscores Ukraine's strategic capabilities in neutralising Russia's advanced airborne assets.
Russian news agencies, quoting emergency services in the southern Krasnodar region, confirmed the incident. Fragments of the downed aircraft were discovered in marshland in Kanevskoy district, necessitating the swift response of firefighters to extinguish the resulting blaze.
The official report made no direct reference to the A-50, raising questions about the transparency surrounding the incident.
This event follows Ukraine's previous claim in January, where its air force successfully destroyed a Russian Beriev A-50 surveillance plane and an Ilyushin Il-22 airborne command post in the Sea of Azov.
The repeated targeting of the A-50, a substantial airborne early warning and control aircraft that is capable of scanning several hundred kilometres for enemy aircraft, ships and missiles.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence directorate, had previously disclosed to the Financial Times that Russia possessed eight A-50s a month ago.
Posted by: Fred ||
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Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[LB] Sumy, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Luhansk, and Kherson regions were also affected by the enemy's attack.
The Russians conducted eight shellings (41 explosions) in the Chernihiv region during the day. The enemy shelled the Novgorod-Siverskyi and Koryukivskyi districts with mortars and rocket salvo systems, and the arrival of an FPV drone was also recorded. No information was received about losses among the local population or damage to civil infrastructure. The data is being verified, says the summary from OVA as of this morning.
In Sumy at night and in the morning, the Russians carried out 11 shellings of border areas and settlements. 44 explosions from mortars and MLRS were recorded. The communities of Yunakivsk, Bilopolsk, Velikopysarivsk, Seredino-Budsk and Znob-Novgorodsk came under fire. In advance - without consequences. Yesterday, during the day, the Russians carried out ten shellings of border territories and settlements. 50 explosions were recorded. Bilopolska, Velikopysarivska, Seredino-Budska, Sveska communities came under fire.
In Dnipropetrovsk, five drones were destroyed by the defenders of the sky that night. There is an "arrival" on a nine-story building in Dnipro, the enemy also targeted the enterprise. Of the eight injured in the attack, two remain in the hospital. They are in a moderate condition. The rest will be treated on an outpatient basis. The search for people who may be under the rubble continues in the gutted building. The aggressor did not stop shelling the Nikopol district. Artillery fire covered the district center, Myrivska and Chervonogrigorivska communities. Two businesses and three private houses were damaged. Commercial buildings were broken. Caught power lines. People are whole. There were 20 attacks on the district yesterday. Most of them are kamikaze drones, as well as artillery fire. Explosions rang out in the district center, Marganetska, Pokrovska, Chervonogrigorivska, Myrivska communities. Municipal and industrial enterprises, ten houses, and three farm buildings were destroyed. Caught power lines. Almost 1,400 families are without electricity. People were not injured.
In Khersonska, the enemy fired 287 rounds (1,716 shells) during the day. It hit residential quarters in populated areas of the region, a cellular tower in Beryslav district, port infrastructure and an archival institution in Kherson. On the morning of February 22, the occupiers shelled Lviv, Beryslav district. One of the "arrivals" is at a residential building. A 59-year-old local resident who was in the yard received non-life-threatening injuries. In Beryslav, a local resident was hit by an enemy drone. The occupying forces dropped explosives from a drone on a 49-year-old man. He received a blast injury and shrapnel wounds to both legs. The victim was hospitalized. He is being treated. In the evening, the Russian army shelled Novotyaginka. A 72-year-old man was injured in the yard of his own home. He was diagnosed with a contusion, explosive and craniocerebral injuries, as well as a shrapnel wound of the shoulder. The victim was hospitalized. At night, the enemy shelled the central district of Kherson with anti-aircraft guns. Buildings and a civilian vehicle were damaged as a result of the shelling. There was no information about the victims. During the day, one person died, two were injured.
In Luhansk yesterday, the occupiers opened fire with various types of weapons around Makiivka and Nevsky. However, the local military administration still managed to bring a week's supply of bread to two villages. It was distributed to residents of Novolyubivka and Nevsky. Last day, the invaders hit 13 drones. The Russians attacked near Terny, which is south of Nevsky. During the day, the enemy fired 148 shots (518 shells) at the positions of our troops.
In Kharkivska, about 20 settlements were hit by enemy artillery and mortar attacks, in particular: Sinkivka, Dvorichna, Ivanivka. Around night, hits were recorded in the settlement of Mokra Rokytne. As a result of enemy drone fire, a private enterprise was damaged. Five locations of hits were identified: a silo pit; storage hangar; cowshed - 10-15 cows died; two hits - into the ground. There was no information about the victims. The data is being verified.
In Zaporizhzhia, the enemy has intensified attacks on front-line settlements - 401 strikes on nine towns and villages of the region were recorded. The Rashtists carried out 16 attacks with Robotyny salvo missile systems, and also attacked Gulyaipole, Malynivka, Robotyna, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, and Novoandriivka with 105 drones. 280 artillery shells fell on the territory of Gulyaipol, Orikhov, Robotyny, Novodanilivka, Novodarivka, Novoandriivka, Malynyvka and Pyatikhatok. 19 reports were received about the destruction of residential buildings and infrastructure facilities. Civilians were not injured.
In Donetsk under fire, the shards of the past era: Berdychi, Predtechyne, Kostiantynopolske, Umanske, Keramik, Druzhba, Severny, Kurakhove, Myrnograd, Poltavka. 23 residential buildings, the power unit building of the Kurakhiv TPP, ten civilian cars, two trailers, two trucks, two granary buildings, a boarding school building, 480 tons of grain, and a workshop were damaged. In the oblast per day: one person died and 19 were injured.
In Odesa, the enemy attacked the region at night with Shahed-131/136 type attack drones and Kh-31P and Kh-22 missiles. Three people died. Our air defense forces destroyed nine kamikaze drones, and the missiles lost their combat capability in the air. One of the drones fell on a civilian enterprise in the coastal zone of the city of Odessa. A fire broke out. The guard was freed from the damaged building, she was not injured. Also, during the elimination of the fire, the rescuers found the bodies of three dead people.
In Mykolaivska yesterday, enemy artillery shelling was recorded in the water area and Ochakov. There are no casualties. Also, yesterday and tonight, the enemy fired artillery at the settlements of the Kutsurub community. No casualties. That night, the enemy shelled the settlement of Halytsynivska hromada with artillery. There are no casualties.
In total, the enemy carried out three missile and 83 air strikes, carried out 152 attacks from rocket salvo systems on the positions of our troops and populated areas. As a result of Russian terrorist attacks, unfortunately, there are wounded and dead among the civilian population. High-rise and private buildings, as well as other objects of civil infrastructure, were destroyed and damaged.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title
[Korrespondent] 23:06 Defense forces shot down a Russian A-50 aircraft using a Soviet long-range S-200 air defense system, Ukrainskaya Pravda reported, citing sources in the Main Intelligence Directorate.
23:01 Over the past seven days, IAEA experts have recorded powerful explosions in the area of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, the agency reported. One of the explosions, recorded last Friday evening, February 16, probably occurred near the station itself. As experts note, they were unable to definitively determine the origin and location of the explosions, with the exception of yesterday’s, which was allegedly part of a “field exercise” without shelling of the station or any damage. Zaporizhzhya NPP separately informed the IAEA team that the day before, a mine exploded outside the perimeter of the site without causing damage or injury.
22:39 Russia attacked the Odessa region with attack drones, said Oleg Kiper, head of the OVA. As a result of the shelling, a residential building in Odessa was damaged and a fire started. Currently, two victims are known, they are in serious condition. Search operations and fire extinguishing are ongoing; there may be people under the rubble.
22:24 Support for Ukraine among Europeans remains broad, but almost two years after the full-scale invasion, only 10% believe in the victory of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the battlefield. More details in the material Europeans do not believe in Ukraine .
20:43 Zelensky will visit Armenia in the near future, reports the Armenian media Factor TV. According to preliminary information, the visit may take place in March.
20:57 The Main Intelligence Directorate clarified that the Russian A-50U aircraft was shot down near the city of Yeysk. We are talking about a new modernized version of the aircraft - an air command post that Russia used for long-range radar detection, control and guidance for missile strikes on Ukraine using strategic aircraft. The cost of such an aircraft, of which there are only a few left in the Russian Federation, is $350 million, the GUR added.
20:12 The air force shot down another Russian A-50 aircraft , said commander Nikolai Oleshchuk and thanked the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Moscow Defense Ministry “and everyone who ensured the result.” Public accounts write that the plane was shot down near Mariupol over the Sea of Azov.
19:30 The death toll as a result of a strike on a multi-storey building in the Dnieper has increased to two - rescuers discovered another body, said the head of the OVA Sergei Lysak.
19:24 North Korea has already sent Russia 1.5 million artillery ammunition, said Vadim Skibitsky, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. “But these ammunition are from the 70s and 80s. Half of them don’t work, and the rest require either restoration or testing before they can be used,” he added.
19:20 Canada announced new sanctions against Russia, in particular against ten individuals and 153 legal entities. The country's Foreign Ministry noted that these sanctions are focused on industries that affect the Russian government's ability to continue the war in Ukraine, and are also aimed at individuals and legal entities supporting the Russian army through finance, logistics and sanctions evasion.
19:17 On the eve of the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Presidents of the European Council Charles Michel, the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the European Parliament Robert Metzola issued a joint statement in which they assured that the EU will continue “its strong and unwavering economic, diplomatic and humanitarian support for Ukraine ".
19:11 After the capture of Avdiivka, the occupiers are trying to build on the success of the offensive in other directions. The Russian Army is attacking along the entire front line. A particularly dangerous situation, according to experts, may develop in the areas of Marinka and Kupyansk. Read more in the article Two dangerous areas .
18:24 The UN General Assembly met on the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and is holding a meeting on the issue “The situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.” Representatives of 64 states take part in the meeting.
18:02 Ukraine and Denmark will hold defense and investment forums, Zelensky said in an evening video message.
17:46 At night, the Russians launched a drone strike on the territory of an agricultural enterprise in the Kramatorsk district of the Donetsk region, said the head of the OVA Vadim Filashkin. 480 tons of grain seeds, which the enterprise prepared for sowing, were spoiled. Warehouses and a workshop were destroyed, and agricultural equipment was damaged. During the war, the enterprise suffered from shelling for the third time.
In total, since the beginning of the war in the Donetsk region, the property of 337 enterprises has been damaged - crop, livestock, processing, bakery, as well as elevators. According to preliminary calculations, the amount of damage caused is 4.4 billion hryvnia. As a result of the fighting in the region, more than 1.2 million poultry, 25.1 thousand pigs, 1,200 cows, 600 sheep, and 3,000 rabbits were killed. 3.5 thousand pieces of machinery and equipment were damaged or destroyed.
17:04 Danish Prime Minister Matte Frederiksen expressed hope that F-16 fighters could begin to be used in Ukraine by the summer of 2024.
16:53 Russia purchases parts for the production of tanks from Japan and Taiwan through China, writes Nikkei Asia. According to the publication, in China, a person associated with the government of Belarus opened the Shenzhen 5G High-Tech Innovation company to purchase components and import them to the Russian manufacturer. Through this chain, in 2023, parts of Japanese-made precision positioning sensors were exported to a Belarusian company.
16:48 In Dnieper, the body of one person was recovered from the rubble of a house destroyed by a Russian strike at night, and the search for another is ongoing, said the head of the OBA, Sergei Lysak.
16:15 From the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation to October 2023, at least 2,442 children were taken from Ukraine to the territory of Belarus, Radio Liberty journalists found out. A so-called “vacation” was organized for children from the occupied territories in 13 summer camps in Belarus. There, propaganda of Russian aggression is imposed on Ukrainian children and the political leadership of Ukraine is discredited, ridiculing the Ukrainian people and their struggle against Russian aggression.
According to investigators, two organizations are directly related to the movement of Ukrainian children to Belarus - the Charitable Foundation of the Belarusian Paralympian and motivational speaker Alexei Talay, as well as the Belarusian Red Cross Society. All this happens with the direct approval of Lukashenko. In addition, the Belarusian branch of UNICEF was involved in organizing the so-called “vacation” for children in 2022.
15:34 The Ukrainian defense industry announced that it has entered into an agreement with the Czech company Česká zbrojovka and a subsidiary of Colt CZ Group SE, according to which NATO standard rifles, in particular the CZ BREN 2 model, will be produced in Ukraine.
15:08 Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo said that his country will transfer F-16s to Ukraine by 2025. He assured that Belgium, within the framework of its EU presidency, “will do everything possible to further support Ukraine on the path to victory.”
14:46 Due to disagreement with certain wording, Hungary is blocking the adoption of a joint EU statement on the second anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion, said Rikard Jozwiak, European editor of Radio Liberty. According to him, in this regard, there may not be a statement in the proposed format, but, probably, there will only be a joint statement by the three leaders of European institutions - the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament.
14:19 Ukraine and Denmark signed an agreement on security guarantees , the Presidential Office reported. Denmark became the first country outside the G7 to sign such an agreement with Ukraine. According to the agreement, Denmark will guarantee the security of Kyiv for the next ten years, cooperate in the field of defense industry, help integrate F-16 fighters and build a fleet, and provide high-tech weapons. Danish military support in 2024 will amount to at least 1.8 billion euros. In addition, the Danish Fund for Ukraine has allocated 8.5 billion euros for ongoing support in 2023-2028.
14:03 Biden called on Congress to release aid to Ukraine: “History is watching. Failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will not be forgotten. Now is the time for us to stand strong with Ukraine and unite with our allies and partners. Now is the time to prove that the United States stands for freedom and obeys no one."
13:45 The “DPR” stated that the first residents of occupied Avdiivka have already received Russian passports.
13:37 The United States has introduced a large-scale package of sanctions against Russia for the war in Ukraine and the death of Navalny. Biden said the sanctions target individuals linked to Navalny's imprisonment, as well as Russia's financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders.
13:08 US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said that he arrived in Lviv: “I am leading this delegation to meet with Zelensky, to show the Ukrainians that America supports them, to show our NATO allies and European allies that we support them, learn about the weapons that are vital to Ukraine, and protect our democracy and national security."
12:54 The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander Syrsky, is conducting an audit of all Defense Forces, since during the two years of war there are units that have never been to the front, said the head of the Servant of the People faction, David Arakhamia.
12:47 Zelensky said that he was in Lviv, on the Field of Mars Lychakiv Cemetery, together with Danish Prime Minister Matte Frederiksen, they honored the memory of the fallen defenders of Ukraine.
12:30 Ukraine will be preparing a new counter-offensive in 2024, Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News: “Defending is task number one. Continuing our successful history in the Black Sea - we will do this. I will not go into details, but the Russians will get surprises ". The south is important. Defense of the east, where they have more than 200 thousand soldiers, is also very important. And, of course, we will prepare a new counter-offensive, a new operation. Of course, I am not saying that we will just stand. It depends on many things ". The President noted that even defense against Russia is a big task and challenge, since the forces are not equal.
12:08 The Verkhovna Rada adopted Zelensky’s bill on the immediate demobilization of conscripts.
12:05 The EU Council adopted the 13th package of sanctions against Russia. Restrictive measures are being introduced against another 106 individuals and 88 legal entities. In addition, the EU has introduced additional restrictions on the export of goods that, in particular, contribute to the strengthening of Russian industrial potential, such as electrical transformers. The 13th package of sanctions includes 27 organizations for supporting the Russian military-industrial complex. The list included companies from India, Sri Lanka, China, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Turkey.
The sanctions specifically target the military and defense sectors and their associated entities, including those involved in arms sales from North Korea to Russia, as well as members of the judiciary, local politicians and those responsible for the illegal deportation and re-education of Ukrainians. children.
11:58 Russia has fired about 8,000 missiles at Ukraine in two years, said Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat. During this time, air defense forces destroyed 25 out of 78 Daggers, 406 out of 843 Calibers, 1176 out of 1513 Kh-101/Kh-555 missiles. Also, about 1,000 ballistic Iskanders were fired across Ukraine.
11:33 Macron invited European leaders to a special meeting in Paris on Monday, February 26, to discuss strengthening cooperation in support of Kiev, writes Reuters. French officials say Macron is determined to make it clear to Moscow that there is no “Ukraine fatigue” in Europe, despite concerns about further US support.
10:59 President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa confirmed that his country will not transfer military equipment to the United States, which could then be provided to Ukraine: “To our surprise, the United States publicly announced that these weapons will be used in an armed conflict in Ukraine, and we do not want be part of it."
10:24 Zelensky showed a video of Ukrainian pilots training on F-16 fighters:
10:19 The Hungarian government issued a statement on the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, in which it called “both sides” for a truce and never mentioned the aggressor country. At the same time, the Hungarian government honors the memory of those killed in the war, expresses condolences to “hundreds of thousands” of widows and orphans and notes that Budapest is helping Ukraine care for the wounded and “supports, through the greatest humanitarian program in its history, millions of those who have lost everything or become refugees ", and also makes contributions to energy security and reconstruction of Ukraine.
"It is Hungary's firm belief that this conflict cannot be resolved militarily. The war must not expand and escalate and the war must end. Hungary supports an immediate ceasefire and peace negotiations and calls on the parties to act accordingly," the statement said. At the same time, the government notes that ensuring the sovereignty of Ukraine is in the interests of Hungary.
09:51 EU countries are trying to raise $1.5 billion in emergency funding to provide Ukraine with artillery shells from third countries, writes the Financial Times. The Czech Republic is the initiator of the purchase of ammunition outside the EU. Some EU members have already contributed, say officials familiar with the Czech scheme.
At the same time, European capitals continue to argue about the mechanism of military support for Kyiv. Germany is insisting that its €1.25 billion contribution be reduced because Berlin's military aid to Ukraine will total €7 billion this year. And France and Greece insist that they need to purchase weapons and ammunition only from EU manufacturers.
09:16 Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News that the war will end when the world realizes the threats posed by Putin: “He poses a threat to the whole world and wants to destroy NATO. And he will try to do this. So, when the world understands this, then everything will be done. At that moment the war will end."
09:03 On the evening of February 22, Russian drones struck the village. Mokraya Rakitnaya, Kharkov district. Five hits were recorded, a private agricultural enterprise was damaged. As a result of the attack, 15 cows were killed, no people were injured, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA.
08:39 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of February 23:
personnel - about 408,240 (+1000) people,
tanks - 6526 (+3),
armored combat vehicles - 12,410 (+37),
artillery systems - 9916 (+49),
MLRS - 999 (+2),
air defense systems - 682 (+2),
aircraft - 339 (+0),
helicopters - 325 (+0),
UAV of operational-tactical level - 7628 (+32),
cruise missiles - 1903 (+0),
ships/boats - 25 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 12,960 (+36),
special equipment - 1575 (+9).
08:23 Over the past 24 hours, 101 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report . In particular, in the Maryinsky direction, the enemy tried 43 times to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops in the Novomikhailovka and Pobeda areas of the Donetsk region. In the Liman direction, the Russian army attacked units of the Defense Forces 14 times in the Ternov and Yampolevka areas of the Donetsk region.
In the Bakhmut direction, the Defense Forces repelled 16 attacks in the areas of Andreevka, Bogdanovka, Ivanovsky, Kleshcheevka and Toretsk of the Donetsk region; on Avdeevsky - ten attacks in the Orlovka, Severny, Pervomaisky, Nevelsky districts of the Donetsk region. In the Kupyansk direction, the enemy tried to advance five times in the Sinkovka area of the Kharkov region. In the Novopavlovsk direction, Ukrainian defenders repulsed three enemy attacks south of Zolotaya Niva, Donetsk region; on Zaporozhye - five attacks west of Verbovoy and in the Rabotino area of the Zaporozhye region. In the Kherson direction, the Defense Forces are holding positions and repelled five attempts to storm positions on the left bank of the Dnieper.
07:48 Air defense at night destroyed 23 out of 31 Shahed-type UAVs , which Russia attacked from Primorsko-Akhtarsk and from the Crimean Cape Chauda, the Air Force command reported. The drones were destroyed within the Odessa, Nikolaev, Poltava, Dnepropetrovsk and Kharkov regions. In addition, the Russian Federation attacked with three S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles (Donetsk region), an Kh-31P anti-radar missile and two Kh-22 cruise missiles (the Black Sea).
07:36 The Russians attacked the Dnepropetrovsk region with drones, one of them hit a high-rise building in the Dnieper, said the head of the OVA Sergei Lysak. It is preliminary known that there are eight victims, and the search operation continues. Several apartments in the building were completely destroyed. A hit was also recorded at the enterprise.
06:12 At night, Russia attacked the Odessa region with Shahed-131/136 attack drones and Kh-31P and Kh-22 missiles - three people were killed, said the head of the OBA Oleg Kiper. According to him, air defense forces destroyed nine kamikaze drones, and the missiles lost their combat capability in the air. One of the drones fell on a civilian enterprise in the coastal zone of Odessa, resulting in a fire.
04:07 The losses of the Ukrainian military are five times less than the Russian ones, Zelensky said in an interview with the American Fox News channel: “We know that tens of thousands of people were killed. Tens of thousands of children were deported. If we compare the number of dead soldiers, I would say the ratio is one to five. For every Ukrainian soldier killed in battle, there are five Russian soldiers." The President clarified that these are approximate statistics.
Zelensky also believes that Trump will not be able to stop the war in Ukraine in 24 hours, as he promised if he was elected president of the United States. According to the Ukrainian president, he will invite Trump to the front line, where "he will explain everything, and he will explain what his thoughts are, maybe he has some ideas. I don't know." According to Zelensky, if Trump sees what is happening, he will change his mind, “and we will all understand that there are no two sides in this war: there is only one enemy, and this is Putin’s position.”
02:05 The United States will impose “hundreds and hundreds” of sanctions against Russia in a new package to be announced on the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said. According to her, the vast majority of the restrictions are aimed at further weakening Putin to close gaps in the sanctions regime that he was able to circumvent.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] The defense forces repulsed an enemy attack in the Robotinoye area of the Zaporozhye region
The defense forces repelled six enemy attacks in the area of the village of Ivanovskoye, Donetsk region.
Ukrainian soldiers hold positions on the left bank of the Dnieper, and also repulsed Russian attacks near Ivanovsky in the Donetsk region. This is stated in the evening report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, published on Friday, February 23.
The enemy actively uses aviation and FPV-type quadcopters and carries out assault operations with the support of armored vehicles. The operational situation in the east and south of Ukraine remains difficult. During the day, 58 military clashes occurred.
Kupyansk direction
The enemy made one attack on the positions of our troops in the area of the settlement of Sinkovka, Kharkov region. The enemy launched an air strike in the area of the village of Novoehorivka, Lugansk region. About 10 settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Dveletnaya, Sinkovka, Petropavlovka, Ivanovka, and Berestovo in the Kharkov region.
Liman direction
Our soldiers repulsed one enemy attack in the area of the village of Terny, Donetsk region, where the enemy tried to break through the defenses of our troops. The enemy launched an air strike in the area of the settlement of Makeevka, Belogorivka, Lugansk region. More than 10 settlements were damaged by enemy artillery and mortar shelling, including Nevskoye, Belogorovka in the Lugansk region and Torskoye, Serebryanka, Razdolevka in the Donetsk region.
Bakhmut direction
The defense forces repulsed six enemy attacks in the area of the village of Ivanovskoye, Donetsk region, where the enemy tried to improve its tactical position. The enemy carried out air strikes in the areas of the settlements of Klishchievka, Andreevka, Belaya Gora, Kurdyumovka, New York, Donetsk region. Also, more than 10 settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Vasyukovka, Bogdanovka, Ivanovskoye, Klishchievka, Andreevka in the Donetsk region.
Avdeevskoe direction
Our defenders repulsed nine enemy attacks in the areas of Lastochkino, Severnoe, and Pervomaiskoye in the Donetsk region. The enemy carried out air strikes in the areas of the settlements of Novobakhmutovka, Orlovka, Tonenkoye, Donetsk region. About 20 settlements were subjected to enemy artillery and mortar shelling, including Alexandropol, Novobakhmutovka, Ocheretino, Pervomaiskoye, Netaylovo in the Donetsk region.
Maryinsky direction
The defense forces continue to contain the enemy in the areas of the settlements of Novomikhailovka and Pobeda in the Donetsk region, where the enemy, with the support of aviation, tried 31 times to break through the defenses of our troops, but was unsuccessful. The enemy also carried out air strikes in the areas of the settlements of Krasnohorivka and Konstantinovka in the Donetsk region. Such settlements of the Donetsk region as Krasnohorivka, Pobeda, Novomikhailovka, Yekaterinivka came under artillery and mortar fire from the occupiers.
Novopavlovskoe direction
The enemy did not conduct offensive (assault) actions. The enemy launched an air strike in the area of the village of Vodyanoye, Donetsk region. About 10 settlements were subjected to artillery and mortar shelling, in particular, Ugledar, Prechistovka, Zolotaya Niva, Blagodatnoye in the Donetsk region.
Zaporozhye direction
The defense forces repelled an enemy attack in the Robotinoye area of the Zaporozhye region. The enemy carried out air strikes in the area of the settlements of Malaya Tokmachka and Robotino, Zaporozhye region. More than 15 settlements were subjected to artillery and mortar shelling, including Charivnoye, Malye Shcherbaki, Stepnoye, Lobkovoe, Pyatikhatki, Stepnogorsk, Plavnye in the Zaporozhye region.
Kherson direction
More than five settlements were subjected to artillery and mortar shelling, including the city of Kherson and Novotyaginka, Veletenskoye, Stanislav in the Kherson region. The enemy does not abandon his intention to dislodge our units from the bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnieper. During the day, seven attempts were made to storm the positions of our troops.
Enemy losses
During the day, defense aviation carried out strikes on six areas where personnel were concentrated and three on enemy anti-aircraft missile systems. Units of the missile forces damaged one control point, three artillery weapons, one ammunition train and two radars of the enemy Tor air defense system.
Let us note that on the morning of February 17, the Air Force destroyed three Russian fighters in the Eastern direction.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] Every Chechen family suffered from deportation, said participants in the Novolaksky district of Dagestan. According to them, the memory of the deportation of the Vainakhs and its victims is passed on from generation to generation.
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, on the 80th anniversary of Stalin's deportation of the Vainakhs, the public organization "Aukh" announced Muslim commemoration rites in the Novolaksky region of Dagestan. The local prosecutor's office warned the organizers against unauthorized actions, including rallies and pickets. The restoration of the Aukhovsky district, which was planned to be completed by 2025, has actually been stopped for many years, the resettlement of Laks and the construction of new houses have been disrupted, local activists said. At today's rally, residents of the Novolaksky district noted that they have to remind the authorities of the need for complete territorial and political rehabilitation of the Chechen people.
Eighty years ago, on February 23, 1944, Operation Lentil began, during which almost 500,000 Chechens and Ingush were massively evicted from the territory of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic to Kazakhstan and Central Asia. You can read more about these events and their consequences in the Caucasian Knot reference material “Deportation of Chechens and Ingush”. A translated version can also be found here
The deportation of the Vainakhs is directly related to the unresolved issue of the rights of the Chechens of Dagestan, who have been waiting for about 30 years for the restoration of the Aukhovsky region, as indicated in the “Caucasian Knot” certificate “The main thing about Aukh: what the Chechens demand from the authorities of Dagestan.”
More than 2,000 people took part in memorial prayers in memory of the victims of the deportation of the Vainakhs, the head of the Public Council of Chechens of Dagestan Arbi Batyrsultanov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
“We gathered in the village of Novokuli, Novolaksky district of Dagestan. At the time of the prayer there were about two thousand people, then after the prayer about 300 people came to us from different settlements. In total, there were more than 2,300 of us, maybe more. Employees of the Chechen representative office in Dagestan were present. After the prayer, the elders spoke, people who had experienced this tragedy themselves, told in detail how it happened and how they survived this tragedy. I gave a speech, talked about some episodes of this terrible tragedy, then reminded about the law on rehabilitation, the territorial program rehabilitation, that is, the restoration of the Aukhovsky district,” he said.
According to him, all Chechens have relatives who suffered from repression. "Many people in my family suffered. My older brothers and sister were born in Kyrgyzstan, in places of eviction. My father, mother, grandfather and grandmother were deported. They were all repressed. Thank Allah they all managed to return. But I also had other relatives who "We couldn't return. Every Chechen family today remembers the victims and makes duas. Children must be told about this tragedy so that no one will ever forget," he emphasized.
The story of 82-year-old Yakhmat, who became a victim of deportation at the age of two, touched many of those present. “She was expelled as a two-year-old child. Her mother died there in the hospital, and she was left alone. We just got there, and her mother died. She was adopted by a mediocre party worker. She grew up in this family, searched for her relatives and friends for a long time, and finally found them. Today she attended the meeting along with her two daughters,” her nephew Shamsudin told the Caucasian Knot.
According to him, Yakhmat has one desire - that this does not happen to anyone. "She told how it all happened, all the details of the tragedy. In the end, she wished that such tragic events would never happen again, so that we would live in peace and harmony. And so that this does not happen, we must always remember these events, honor the memory of the victims and try achieve rehabilitation," he said.
Sultan Shavkhalov said that the memorial prayer was organized and conducted at the highest level. "There was a mourning event dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the deportation of Chechens and Ingush. About 2,500 people gathered. Everyone honored the memory of those who died as a result of the repressions, expressed sympathy for those who survived this tragedy. The event was perfectly organized, everything went well, despite terrible weather. Local young guys ensured order. There were also representatives of law enforcement agencies. They didn’t interfere, they just watched from the sidelines,” he told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
Shavkhalov himself was born in the Kirghiz SSR in 1954. “When they started deporting, my father was already married, he had a son and a daughter. That is, they deported the father, his wife, son and daughter. On the second day of deportation, his one-year-old son died, they didn’t allow him to bury him, they buried him in the snow. Then four days later "The day my wife died. Four years later, my father got married and we came along. I myself was born in the Kyrgyz SSR. And we returned in 1958, when I was four years old," he recalled.
According to him, every Chechen family has a victim of repression. “Every year we remember them, the stories are passed down from generation to generation. The elders tell the younger ones. I tell my grandchildren now, they listen carefully, absorb. Usually on this day they arrange mawlid at home, make dua, remember the dead. It’s a pity, of course, that 23 February marks Defender of the Fatherland Day, and for us this day is a tragedy,” he noted.
In Chechen families, February 23 is a day of great tragedy, Umar agreed. “For us today is mourning, a tragedy, so many of our ancestors died due to repression and eviction. Many are against calling these events eviction, deportation, and I agree with them. The way it all happened, with what cruelty, this is not eviction, we need another word,” he told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
According to him, they remember this tragedy not only on February 23. “I am a representative of the third generation. Then my grandfather and grandmother were deported along with their families. Fortunately, they managed to return to their homeland, but not all of our relatives succeeded. We always remember this and always tell each other stories about the deportation. This is necessary “so that no one forgets and does not allow others to forget what happened to our people,” he emphasized.
Let us remind you that in 2022, in the Novolaksky region of Dagestan, commemorative events marking the anniversary of the deportation of the Vainakhs were prohibited. Representatives of the local Chechen community considered such actions on the part of the republican authorities offensive. Despite the ban, about 50 people still came out to the mourning rally.
In 2023, the authorities recommended that organizers of commemorative events marking the 79th anniversary of the deportation of Chechens and Ingush in the Novolaksky district of Dagestan not discuss political topics and problems of the Aukhovsky district at rallies, the organizers of the actions said.
Residents of the Novolaksky district at an action dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the deportation of the Vainakhs noted that they have to remind the authorities of the need for complete territorial and political rehabilitation of the Chechen people.
As the "Caucasian Knot" reported, on the 80th anniversary of Stalin's deportation of the Vainakhs, the public organization "Aukh" announced Muslim commemoration rites in the Novolaksky region of Dagestan. The local prosecutor's office warned the organizers against unauthorized actions, including rallies and pickets. The restoration of the Aukhovsky district, which was planned to be completed by 2025, has actually been stopped for many years, the resettlement of Laks and the construction of new houses have been disrupted, local activists said.
At a rally in the Novolaksky district dedicated to the anniversary of the deportation of the Vainakhs, the topic of restoration of the Aukhovsky district was raised, as follows from videos published on social networks.
Thus, in the video posted on the Instagram* account “Auh media”, the speaker recalled the problem of the Aukhovsky district, although he emphasized that this topic “in the format of today’s religious event” is not entirely correct. “What is happening today are all the consequences of those events that happened 80 years ago. But we are forced to periodically remind the government authorities that we must be fully territorially and politically rehabilitated. Only within the framework of the law. As in the Russian Constitution. then the Chechens have no demands. The people have the right to be equal, like everyone else in the republic. We do not want to forget what happened to our fathers and grandfathers, what they experienced - those who remained there, and those who returned. We hope that we "In the next generation we will acquire our homeland in full. And we will live equally with all the peoples of our multinational Dagestan," he says
“I want to say that we remember our ancestors, remember what happened in our history, about those relatives whom we lost,” said another participant in the action.
The video from the same rally, which was posted on the Telegram channel “ChP Grozny,” shows that hundreds of people gathered at it.
The administration of the Novolaksky district in its Telegram channel by 17.45 Moscow time did not comment on the anniversary of the deportation.
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[EngMilRu] Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (17 – 23 February 2024)
In the period from 17 to 23 February, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered 37 group strikes by long-range airborne precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles at facilities of Ukrainian military industrial complex, infrastructure of military airfields, arsenals, and POL bases.
Moreover, strikes were delivered at temporary deployment areas of AFU units and formations of nationalists and foreign mercenaries.
All the assigned targets have been engaged.
In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front lines and repelled 25 enemy counterattacks near Sinkovka (Kharkov region) and Terni (Donetsk People's Republic).
In addition, losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of the AFU 30th, 66th Mechanised brigades, 10th Mountain Assault Brigade, 25th Airborne Brigade, and 125th Territorial Defence Brigade near Chugunovka, Petropavlovka, Kislovka (Kharkov region), Yampolovka, Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Stelmakhovka, and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 390 Ukrainian troops, four tanks, 13 armoured fighting vehicles, 21 motor vehicles, and 25 field artillery guns.
In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces liberated Pobeda, took more advantageous lines, and struck AFU manpower and hardware near Belogorovka, Grigorovka, Krasnoye, Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, Razdolovka, Novomikhailovka, Nevelskoye, and Krasnogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
12 counterattacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade, 24th, and 42th Mechanised brigades were repelled near Georgiyevka, Leninskoye, Bogdanovka, and Novgorodskoye.
The AFU losses amounted to more than 2,560 Ukrainian troops, 12 tanks, 31 armoured fighting vehicles, 58 motor vehicles, 13 field artillery guns, and one Grad MLRS.
In Avdeyevka direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Avdeyevka (Donetsk People's Republic) and continued advancing to the west.
The Group's units supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on AFU manpower and hardware near Orlovka, Solovyovo, Semenovka, Tonenkoye, Yevgenovka, and Mirolyubovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
39 counterattacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 71st Jaeger Brigade, 47th, 53rd Mechanised brigades, 59th Motorised Rifle Brigade, and 3rd Assault Brigade were repelled near Berdichi, Latochkino, and Pervomayskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 2,900 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, four tanks, 37 armoured fighting vehicles, 90 motor vehicles, eight field artillery guns, and one 122mm BM-21 Grad MLRS combat vehicle.
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front lines and inflicted losses on AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade, 102nd, 108th, 127th, and 128th Territorial Defence brigades near Vodyanoye, Novodonetskoye, Staromayorskoye, Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Chervonoye, Priyutnoye, and Lugovskoye (Zaporozhye region).
Four attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 58th Motorised Rifle Brigade were repelled near Novodonetskoye and Shevchenko (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 1,195 Ukrainian troops, six tanks, six armoured fighting vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, and 16 field artillery guns.
In Kherson direction, the Russian troops captured Krinki, took more advantageous positions, and delivered strikes at manpower and hardware of the AFU 28th, 65th, 118th Mechanised brigades, 35th, 37th Naval Infantry brigades, 121st, and 126 Territorial Defence brigades near Malaya Tokmachka, Verbovoye, Orekhov, Sherbaki, Lugovoye (Zaporozhye region), Zolotaya Balka, Mikhailovka, Ivanovka, Tyaginka, and Zmeyevka (Kherson region).
In addition, three attacks of the AFU 82th Mountain Assault Brigade were repelled near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 460 Ukrainian troops, five tanks, six armoured fighting vehicles, 33 motor vehicles, six motorboats, and 14 field artillery guns.
Aviation and air defence units intercepted one MiG-29 fighter, one Mi-8 helicopter, seven Storm Shadow cruise missiles, one Patriot air defence guided missile, four S-200 air defence guided missiles converted to hit ground targets, three HARM anti-radiation missiles, six JDAM guided aerial bombs, 42 HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 652 unmanned aerial vehicles.
As a result of a group strike, Missile Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation eliminated one launcher, one tractor, one ammunition and transport-loading vehicle of the U.S.-made Patriot anti-aircraft missile system.
In total, 572 airplanes and 267 helicopters, 13,223 unmanned aerial vehicles, 473 air defence missile systems, 15,188 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,223 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,145 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 18,981 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:20 The Russian Armed Forces were able to significantlyadvancein Krasnoye, knocking out the enemy from the heights north of the settlement, and occupying several dozen more houses on the eastern outskirts of the city.
Progress is recorded in the park area at the intersection of Vostochnaya Street and Shkolny Lane, as well as on Sadovaya Street.
20:05 Russian Ministry of Defense published video of the destruction of the Patriot anti-aircraft gun in Ukraine
19:05 The village of Volfino in the Kursk region was shelled from Ukraine
There were no casualties or damage.
19:04 The most powerful arrival FAB-1500 aerial bombs on a brick factory in Krasnogorovka
Previously, Ukrainian Armed Forces equipment lived and hid at that plant.
19:03 Ukrainian channels report that after the capture of Stepovoy (Petrovsky), the Russian army continues to advance further.
18:06 A civilian was injured during an attack on the village of Zaitsevo in the DPR using a kamikaze drone, the republic’s representative office at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of Issues Related to War Crimes of Ukraine (JCCC) reported in Telegram channel.
17:22 Governor of the Kherson region Vladimir Saldo said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost about 200 militants in the area of responsibility of the Dnepr group
17:21 The main thing from the new briefing of the Russian Ministry of Defense:
-- Over the course of a week, the Russian Armed Forces improved the situation along the front edge of the Kupyansky direction and repelled 25 counterattacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
-- The missile forces of the Russian Armed Forces hit the launcher, tractor, ammunition and transport-loading vehicle of the Patriot air defense system.
-- The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kherson direction over the week amounted to more than 460 military and 14 field artillery pieces.
-- Following the results of the past week, Russian troops improved the situation along the front line in the South Donetsk direction.
-- Within a week, Russian troops in the Donetsk direction liberated the village of Pobeda and occupied more advantageous positions, repelling 12 counterattacks.
-- The Russian Armed Forces in the Avdeevsky direction continued to advance in a western direction.
-- Over the course of a week, the Russian Armed Forces carried out 37 strikes on military installations in Ukraine and places of deployment of Ukrainian Armed Forces and mercenaries.
-- Aviation and air defense of the Russian Armed Forces shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter and a Mi-8 helicopter within a week.
-- The total losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine over the week in the Donetsk direction exceeded 2,560 military personnel, 12 tanks and 31 armored vehicles were also lost.
-- Over the course of a week, Russian troops repelled four attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Novodonetsk and Shevchenko areas of the DPR.
-- The Russian Armed Forces in the Avdeevsky direction repelled 39 counterattacks, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost 2,900 troops.
-- The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost four tanks, 13 armored combat vehicles and more than 390 military personnel in the Kupyansk direction in a week.
-- Within a week, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 1,195 military personnel and six tanks in the South Donetsk direction.
-- The Russian Armed Forces repelled three attacks by the 82nd mountain assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Rabotino area of the Zaporozhye region.
-- Over the course of a week, Russian aviation and air defense shot down seven Storm Shadow missiles, a Patriot air defense missile system, four C-200 missiles and 652 Ukrainian Armed Forces drones.
16:23 They report that the Ukrainian Armed Forces completely abandoned the settlement. Stepovoye (Petrovskoye) and positions next to it
16:20 Lithuanian citizen Tadas Tumas, who fought on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, died on Ukrainian territory - Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas
15:13 They report that assault troops of the Russian army entered the territory of Krasnogorovka, the last populated area near Donetsk, which is controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces
15:09 A missile strike was launched on temporarily occupied Kramatorsk
15:08 They report on the work of air defense in the Rostov region
14:05 Massive attack on objects on the territory of Ukraine on February 23 - what is known by 13.30
Russian troops carried out massive attacks on enemy targets in several so-called regions. Ukraine, including using kamikaze drones "Geran-2" and cruise missiles.
This time, the targets of the Russian Armed Forces' strikes were objects of the military-industrial complex and water infrastructure.
-- Odessa: the bulk of arrivals were recorded in the north-eastern part of the city in the Suvorovsky district. Several UAVs hit the territory of the Odessa Nonwoven Materials Factory, where the BeKov service base was located. A fire broke out at the site of the impact.
There are reports of damage to port infrastructure facilities in Odessa and the region, as well as air defense operations in the area of Tairov and Nerubaysky. At the moment there is no more detailed information.
-- Dnepropetrovsk: the industrial territories of the state enterprise “Southern Machine-Building Plant named after A. M. Makarov” and OJSC “Dneprtyazhmash”, which carried out orders from Ukroboronprom, were affected. After the impact, a fire started at the site of the impact and a secondary detonation was recorded, accompanied by the emission of columns of flame.
-- Kharkov: the arrivals took place at warehouse premises in the village of Mokraya Rakitnaya near the local civil aviation airfield. The extent of damage to the plant is currently unknown.
-- The occupied part of the DPR: strikes were recorded in the Pokrovsky (Krasnoarmeysky) region. The territory of the Kapitalnaya Mine was hit by missiles.
-- There is also information about damage to residential buildings due to the operation of enemy air defense systems.
It is noteworthy that this time, within Odessa, there was no dense operation of the enemy’s air defense systems, as was the case in past attacks - mainly shoot down attempts were made using small arms. This indicates a shortage of missiles for air defense systems among the enemy due to a significant decrease in assistance from the United States and Western countries.
13:38 The city of Shebekino, Shebekino urban district, was attacked by the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the help of a UAV, which dropped an explosive device on a car parked next to a private residential building, Governor Gladkov said. There were no casualties.
13:09 Rockets are flying in the direction of Dnepropetrovsk
12:07 Personnel operation of the 122mm BM-21 BM-21 Grad MLRS crews against targets in the northwestern military zone
12:06 An air raid alert has already been declared in four regions of Ukraine.
According to the official resource for alerting the population, the first sirens started working in the Dnepropetrovsk and Kharkov regions. At 11:33 Moscow time, the Nikolaev region was in the red zone, at 11:36 Moscow time - the Kirovograd region.
11:25 Around 10:20 Moscow time, an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using an aircraft-type UAV on objects on the territory of the Russian Federation was stopped, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported
11:20 Air defense is operating in the sky over Kursk, Governor Starovoit said
10:35 By n.p. Krasnoye is further advancement in the settlement, writes Whisper from the front
10:34 The Zapad group destroyed nine drones of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kupyansk direction, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.
09:49 That night the enemy began to retreat to the village of Tonenkoye, reports Whisper from the front:
Entire platoons are fleeing from the village Severnyi. The mortars are covering. Once again the retreat roads are littered with retreating dead infantry.
09:48 The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost a rare engineering armored vehicle M1150 based on Abrams, secretly received from the United States
08:30 Summary on the morning of February 23, 2024
-- At night, the Russian Armed Forces launched missile strikes and Geranium UAVs against enemy targets in the Odessa, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, and Kirovograd regions. The work of Ukrainian air defense led to damage to civilian objects.-- In the Kherson direction, the destruction of the remaining enemy forces in Krynki continues, in the Dnieper riverbed there is fire on enemy boats and the actions of our and enemy infantry groups on the islands. However, they report a problem with the speed of the decision to inflict fire on identified targets.
The enemy’s resources have changed their rhetoric and admit that for several months now there has been no talk of creating a bridgehead for crossing the Dnieper and a full-scale attack. The enemy held Krynka at the cost of the lives of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers for the “information effect.”
-- On the Zaporozhye front, the fighting in Rabotino, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are conducting a maneuverable defense, transferring reinforcements to the Orekhov area, where our artillery and aviation are operating.
-- To the south of Mar'inka, fighting continues in the village. Victory, the assault on Novomikhailovka is underway. Yesterday our rocket artillery was working closely on the enemy, we are advancing towards the road to Ugledar.
-- In the Avdeevsky sector, the Russian Armed Forces advance in the direction of Orlovka and Lastochkino, advancing to a depth of up to 200 m.
-- Heavy fighting broke out near Ivanovsky (Krasny) in the direction Artyomovsk - Chasov Yar. Footage of our advancing armored vehicles being attacked by many drones has spread across the network, reporting that the Russian Armed Forces are advancing to the eastern outskirts of Ivanovo.
-- The Nazis continue to attack the civilian population of the Belgorod region. In Glotovo, Grayvoronsky urban district, two UAVs dropped charges on trucks, two civilians were injured. In Kozinka, Grayvoronsky urban district, a UAV dropped an explosive device near a grocery store. In the Bryansk region, the settlement of Borok, Pogarsky district, was shelled from MLRS with cluster rounds; an aircraft-type UAV was destroyed in the Surazhsky district. The enemy fired 104 rounds of ammunition in Donetsk, four civilians were wounded.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Two people may be involved in the murder of defector Maxim Kuzminov, who hijacked a Russian helicopter to Ukraine and was found murdered in Spain in February. This was reported by sources in the Spanish intelligence services, the newspaper El Pais wrote.
Today, due to the fact that the investigation is classified, no official data has been received on this issue. However, journalists managed to find out some details.
“The killers were two shooters,” the publication quotes sources as saying.
The newspaper's interlocutors also confirmed that the crime was being investigated in strict secrecy.
As Regnum reported, Kuzminov’s body with six bullet wounds was found on February 19 in the Spanish province of Alicante in the city of Villajoyosa near the police headquarters. According to investigators, it is possible that the Ukrainian special services eliminated him as an inconvenient witness.
The murder investigation in Spain has been classified. The press service of the Spanish Civil Guard said that the authorities of another state will report its details.
It also turned out that the documents found on the killed pilot did not correspond to his identity and belonged to a 33-year-old Ukrainian.
The media reported that Kuzminov, who deserted, entered Spain on February 13 with a fake passport, which he was issued on September 22, 2023. It followed from the document that it belonged to a native of Donetsk, born on September 15, 1990, that is, according to the passport, Kuzminov turned out to be five years older than he actually was. As a result, an investigation was launched in Spain to find who gave Kuzminov a false passport.
The Spanish publication El Mundo reported on February 21 that the defector could have secret political refugee status in Spain, as well as enjoy hidden state protection.
The newspaper El Pais reported on February 23 that the Spanish authorities themselves provided the defector with false documents.
The Spanish authorities themselves issued forged documents to the defector Maxim Kuzminov, who hijacked a Russian Mi-8 helicopter to Ukraine and was later found killed, the El Pais newspaper reported on February 23.
“Moncloa [the residence of the Spanish Prime Minister] provided him with false documents, but not protection,” the article says.
Earlier, on February 22, it was reported that the deserter Kuzminov entered Spain on February 13 with a fake passport, which he was issued on September 22, 2023. It follows from the document that it belongs to a native of Donetsk, born on September 15, 1990. So, according to his passport, Kuzminov turned out to be five years older than he actually was. As a result, an investigation was launched in Spain to find who gave Kuzminov a false passport.
The Spanish publication El Mundo reported on February 21 that the defector could have secret political refugee status in Spain, as well as enjoy hidden state protection.
Kuzminov’s body with six bullet wounds was found on February 19 in the Spanish province of Alicante in the city of Villajoyosa near police headquarters. According to investigators, it is possible that he was eliminated by the Ukrainian special services.
Kuzminov’s father said on February 22 that Maxim could have been “removed” by the Kiev authorities. According to him, his mother, who was recruited abroad, could have played a role in his son’s betrayal.
Former Russian pilot Kuzminov, against whom the FSB opened a criminal case for treason, stole a Mi-8 military helicopter in August 2023. He planted it in the Kharkov region. Because of the pilot, two crew members died, who did not know that Kuzminov was planning a crime. After landing they were shot. Kuzminov later said that he received $500,000 (48.7 million rubles) in Ukraine for hijacking a helicopter.
Commenting on the murder of the defector, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev used the expression “A dog’s death for a dog.” In turn, SVR director Sergei Naryshkin called Kuzminov a criminal who became a moral corpse even before his death.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Former NATO commander James Stavridis writes for Bloomberg about Russia's alleged threat to deep-lying cables.
According to a retired US Navy admiral, Russian submarines have the ability to descend to great depths and can allegedly disrupt very deep sections of cables.
There is a large flow of financial transactions through these communications, Stavridis said. He noted that their current level of protection is clearly insufficient, adding that submarine cables are a “vulnerable Achilles heel.”
As Regnum reported, at the end of last year the American publication Business Insider published material about the danger from Russian Yasen-class submarines armed with cruise missiles. NATO considers them a real threat to the West, the publication noted.
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on February 22 that Russia’s actions in 2024 towards the United States and European allies “ cannot be compared ” with those allegedly committed in 2022. He stated that at the end of January, Russian air defense forces allegedly threatened to shoot down French planes over the Black Sea.
Last September, Russian President Vladimir Putin recalled that Russia does not pose threats to any countries. He emphasized that the biggest threats are posed by the current ruling elites of the West.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] As usual, cool videos from military correspondent Andrei Filatov.
The first is dedicated to the decisive breakthrough in Avdievka, which led to the dissection of the group defending the city into two parts, which predetermined the rapid collapse of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ defense.
In the second video, a tour of the Avdeevsky coke plant, the main citadel of the enemy in the Avdeevsky direction, which he abandoned and fled so as not to be surrounded.
PS. And also in Avdievka.
1. Chelyabinsk took patronage over the city. Will help with recovery. The real restoration of the city will begin only after the front is moved further away.
2. Our troops advanced north of Lastochkino and in the Stepnoye area. Severny is also making progress. The enemy is gradually being pushed towards the Berdychi-Orlovka-Tonenkoe line. The assault on Krasnogorovka, north of Marinka, also began.
3. Names in the city were officially returned in the spring of 2014. Ukrainian names will be gradually eliminated. The monument to Bandera’s supporters in the city has already been eliminated.
4. Mine clearance and filtration in the city continues. The city is not safe - in recent days, FPV drones in the city have damaged 2 MTLBs and burned several cars.
#1
Avdievka and Avdeevsky coke plant old news. Russians advancing all over front lines and smaller areas beyond. Such a huge amount of territory no over extension being allowed. Krynky if I recall correctly has fallen to Russians. Avdievka has fallen after 10 years of NATO help building it up for major site. Fell fast. Donetsk was ongoing shelling target. Desire to run on to Dnieper river. Cooler heads prevail.
Text taken from the Telegram channel of Two Majors. Commentary by Russian military journalist is in italics.
[ColonelCassad] NATO railway for the war with Russia: Alliance countries are increasing logistics capabilities on the eastern flank
The Rail Baltica railway, which is under construction, which will pass through Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas, Warsaw and Berlin (length 870 km), is included in the EU Military Mobility project. This will make it possible to use the infrastructure of the Baltic countries in the interests of the unhindered movement of military cargo and military personnel across Europe.
Later, Finland will be included in the route, which will expand logistics capabilities to the Scandinavian region. In fact, this region is being included in the so-called “military Schengen”, which is being actively promoted by the leadership of the armed forces of NATO countries.
The implementation of the “Military Mobility” project intensifiedUkrainian railways converted to European gauge into the “military Schengen”
Such actions will significantly increase NATO's ability to move cargo from the military-industrial centers of Western Europe and the Balkans to the countries of the eastern flank, where the Rapid Reaction Force (NRF) is expected to be deployed in the event of a crisis and the application of Article 5 of the Alliance charter.
Thus, NATO functionaries, endlessly declaring Russia’s desire to “invade the EU,” are themselves openly moving NATO’s military infrastructure closer to the borders of Russia and Belarus, hypocritically hiding behind the imaginary “Russian threat.”
Streaming a Finland series, 'Arctic Circle'. Stark. Set in Lapland. English subtitles.
Bitter cold border traffic-ing of Russian prostitutes.
Binary STI virus found from Yemen, activated by pregnancy, kills mother and child.
Hidden genocide in abortions, still born births(?) and miscarriages.
Large promiscuous religious sect.
Conflict between local police, Fin Feds, virologist and Soviet believers.
[RT] Rodents damaging Western hardware in Ukraine – Le Figaro
Some of the military hardware supplied to Ukraine by the West has become inoperable after being damaged by rodents, Le Figaro has reported, citing a French fighter in the ranks of Kiev’s forces.
Eco-friendly weapons provided to the Ukrainian military by the country’s foreign backers are “sometimes unsuitable for the realities of the front” and “don’t come out well” in an actual conflict, the reported in an article on Thursday.
As proof of its claim, Le Figaro provided an account by an unnamed French fighter, who complained that “rodents ate the cables on some of the vehicles” used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“Some of the protective sheaths of electrical wires [in the Western-supplied hardware] are made of corn fiber,” which attracts mice and rats, he said.
Le Figaro stressed that “the phenomenon is marginal, but it tells the story of the confrontation of the Western military equipment with reality.”
“Western vehicles were designed as a technological showcase. But, in the mud and cold, they don't always work,” the French fighter is cited as saying.
Ukraine can’t maintain advanced US-supplied weapons – Pentagon
Read more Ukraine can’t maintain advanced US-supplied weapons – Pentagon
“Luckily, the Ukrainians still had a few crusts” in their arsenal, he added, referring to the old Soviet-made hardware.
In December, the UK Ministry of Defence warned that a mild autumn and an abundance of food from the fields left uncultivated due to the hostilities had fueled an increase in the rodent population in areas of conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The animals “are likely seeking shelter in military vehicles and defensive positions,” it said. According to London, the rodents “exert additional pressure on soldiers’ morale” and also “pose a danger to military equipment by chewing through cables.”
That same month, President of Russia Vladimir Putin remarked that “the myth of the invulnerability of Western military equipment has collapsed” during the fighting in Ukraine.
The statement followed the failure of a Ukrainian counteroffensive that continued for six months but couldn’t deliver any significant territorial gains for Kiev, despite heavily relying on German-made Leopard 2 tanks, US-supplied Bradley fighting vehicles and other foreign hardware.
Posted by: Grom the Reflective ||
02/24/2024 02:06 ||
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#6
I remember reading about an entire German armored division that discovered that most of their tanks were inoperative, mice eaten cables, for that reason. The Germans had dug the tanks in prior to to the winter freeze in nice straw lined bunkers... So not a new thing.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Viktor Lavrinenko
[REGNUM] News feeds are bursting with new statements from Western politicians broadcasting about a “possible attack by Russia” and, accordingly, about a war with it. However, in some places the voice of sanity is beginning to awaken.
In particular, high-ranking officials from the state apparatus of Poland and Finland almost simultaneously declared their reluctance to place American weapons on their territory, and the head of the Latvian army claims that the threat from Russia is not as great as everyone is saying. The explanation is simple: as they approached the edge of the abyss, some representatives of NATO countries bordering Russia began to open their eyes - and now they are trying to crawl away from this abyss.
HOW THE POLES AND FINNS CALMED DOWN AND STOPPED LOVING THE AMERICAN BOMB
The deployment of American nuclear weapons on Polish territory is the fixed idea of the Law and Justice party. Last year it lost power in Poland, but PiS’s successors, who are diligently eradicating its legacy in other areas, did not seem to disavow the idea of deploying nuclear weapons. And the other day, Polish General Jaroslaw Kraszewski said that Warsaw should receive nuclear weapons in a few years - as part of the NATO Nuclear Sharing program.
In response to the remark that maintaining such weapons is very expensive, the general noted that “security has no price.” Nuclear Sharing is a program by NATO member states to host and store the American nuclear arsenal in Europe. It provides that the governments of these countries may also participate in planning and exercises related to these types of weapons.
However, a few days after Kraszewski's statement, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Stanislaw Wzętek spoke out. “I would like this element (nuclear weapons – editor’s note) not to exist on the territory of our country,” he said.
From his point of view, the presence of nuclear weapons in Poland under current conditions would only “increase the level of threat.” According to Wziętek, the arrival of nuclear weapons will lead to “crossing a certain threshold” and Poland will “never feel safe.” He also expressed the hope that both Russia and Western countries would not want to use such weapons, because this would be the beginning of a war leading to total destruction.
“Perhaps Warsaw is impressed by the presence of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus,” says political scientist Georgy Bovt.
At the same time, the topic of nuclear weapons was raised in Finland, which officially joined NATO last year. A discussion broke out in the Finnish parliament's defense committee about whether it is permissible for it to appear on the territory of the state. So far, Finnish legislation and international agreements prohibit this.
However, representatives of the National Coalition, True Finns, the Swedish People's Party (these political organizations are part of the current ruling coalition), as well as the Center Party spoke out in favor of changing the laws and making the import of nuclear weapons possible. But this is vehemently opposed by members of the Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the Union of Left Forces.
The chairman of the parliamentary defense commission, Jukka Kopra (National Coalition), believes that this issue needs to be clarified “openly and widely.” In turn, commission member Mika Kari (Social Democratic Party) called Finland's current position as a country that abstains from nuclear weapons on its territory a “good basis” that should be adhered to in the future. According to Kari, placing American nuclear weapons near Russia would be unwise.
Finally, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who is also the head of the National Coalition, dotted the i's on this issue.
In an interview with the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, he said that Finnish authorities currently do not see an immediate threat of attack from Russia. At the same time, according to Orpo, “we must effectively deter Russia from aggression against Europe.” The Finnish prime minister assures that Russia “is a country that has changed deeply, has become extremely aggressive,” and “against such a threat we cannot rely only on US help.” Orpo added that his country is prepared for a potential conflict, because it can, if necessary, mobilize at least 800 thousand reservists.
“Finland has introduced a holistic defense model, including military security, as well as food, energy, and protection of key infrastructure,” boasted the head of the Finnish government. At the same time, Orpo emphasized that Finland does not intend to deploy nuclear weapons on its territory. In his opinion, nuclear weapons already deployed in other NATO countries are sufficient to ensure security.
ALL FOR THE SAKE OF MONEY “FOR DEFENSE”
Currently, the majority of Russian experts have so lost faith in the possibility of at least some pragmatic steps towards Russia on the part of NATO countries that they are trying to discern some kind of catch in these statements by the Poles and Finns.
Kaliningrad political scientist Alexander Nosovich recalls that at one time the Law and Justice party advocated for the transfer of US nuclear weapons from Germany to Poland, which at the end of last year went into opposition. In addition, Donald Trump spoke approvingly about this initiative during his presidency.
PiS and Trump, according to the political scientist, had a common goal - to create an alternative to German power and to weaken Germany’s position by strengthening Poland. The Civic Platform, which won the elections, is a pro-German party and sees the future of Poland in symbiosis with Germany. “American nuclear weapons in Germany are becoming another subject of fierce struggle within Poland, which is split in two,” Nosovich believes.
However, if you wish, you can find other statements by influential persons “from the other side”, sending not-so-disguised signals of a desire for de-escalation.
Thus, a commonplace in the reasoning of Western propagandists has become the thesis that “after Ukraine, the Baltic countries may be next.” In these countries themselves, the hysteria about the “Russian threat” reigns terrifying - if you believe the statements of the politicians there, “aggression” can begin almost at any moment.
And against such an emotionally charged background, the commander of the Latvian army, Leonid Kalnins, declares that he wants to “calm down” the general public of his state. Commenting on the increasingly numerous recent statements by NATO politicians about a possible Russian attack on the alliance in the future from three to ten years, Kalnins expressed his skepticism towards such prophecies.
He spoke quite openly in the sense that such “scaremongers” are voiced in order to scrape more money from the taxpayer’s pockets to support the Kyiv regime.
“All statements and forecasts about the possibility of war are aimed at mobilizing Western society, which is beginning to get tired of supporting Ukraine. “I would like to say to the people of Latvia: don’t worry, all these statements are intended to ensure that Western societies reorient themselves from post-Cold War relaxation to a willingness to invest in defense,” Kalnins said.
However, realizing that he had “gave away the base,” the commander immediately added: it is still necessary to invest in “defense.” However, he still did not calm down and returned to the key thesis: “I want to reassure Latvian society and say clearly: we talk too much about the possibility of war. In fact, the situation is no more threatening than it was ten years ago. We have always perceived Russia as a threat."
THE DESIRE FOR ESCALATION IS FADING
A little earlier, in December 2023, the Secretary of State of the Polish Ministry of Defense Pavel Zalewski made a similar statement.
According to him, “Putin, in his own way, is a rational politician.” According to Zalevsky, the Russian president “is not crazy and will not risk attacking NATO territory, the territory of the Baltic countries - especially considering that the military presence of the alliance on the eastern flank is growing and will strengthen.” The Polish official concluded that “Russia’s attack on NATO countries is impossible,” and these countries “must do everything to prevent Russia from winning the war against Ukraine.”
Zalewski's words fit well with Stanislaw Wzętek's recent statement that nuclear weapons are not required on Polish soil. In other words, Warsaw is ready to continue to fight with Russia through the hands of Kyiv, but only in such a way that this conflict continues to be limited in nature and in no case spills out beyond the borders of Ukraine.
According to Western media, one of the most striking moments of the recently concluded Munich Security Conference was the speech of US Republican Senator from Ohio James David Vance.
This 39-year-old associate of Donald Trump, as Reuters writes, “gave the audience something like a cold shower.” Vance accused the European Union of not being proactive enough to defend itself, but instead relying on the “American security blanket.”
Moreover, Vance said that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not pose an existential threat to NATO, and that the United States should shift its attention from Europe to what he believes is a much more worrying situation in East Asia.
While he said he still doesn't expect Trump to leave NATO if he returns to the White House, the senator stressed that Europeans will have to work much harder to become militarily self-sufficient. “It’s not just about the money spent. How many mechanized brigades can Germany field tomorrow? Maybe just one?” Vance asked the audience.
All statements of this kind confirm that the European Union’s desire to continue the conflict is slowly fading away. Many in both the EU and the US are seriously afraid of a head-on military confrontation with Russia and are trying to prevent it.
We can expect that such sentiments will grow in the near future and one day develop into concrete actions - especially if Donald Trump comes to power.
At some point, and it is possible that in the fairly near future, the West will agree to stop hostilities in Ukraine and begin peace negotiations. Simply because the continuation of the conflict is fraught with increased military risks for the West itself. But they are afraid to fight with a nuclear power.
#1
The explanation is simple: as they approached the edge of the abyss, some representatives of NATO countries bordering Russia began to open their eyes - and now they are trying to crawl away from this abyss.
You mean they don't want their cities to end up looking like Avdeevka?
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
02/24/2024 13:07 Comments ||
Top||
#2
They must understand that Biden wouldn't care.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
02/24/2024 13:08 Comments ||
Top||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The US Department of Commerce has imposed sanctions against 63 companies from Russia, two from Kyrgyzstan and eight from China, the US department reported on February 23.
In total, Washington introduced export restrictions against 93 foreign companies. Among them are also companies from Turkey, the UAE, India and South Korea. The sanctions list includes companies operating in the fields of foreign trade, electronics supplies, industrial equipment and tourism.
The sanctions included banks and credit organizations, including PJSC SPB Bank, Bank Avangard, Modulbank, RostFinance Bank and Morskoy Bank. The sanctions list included the Sukhoi Design Bureau, Uraltransmash, the Vega Plant, the Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau, Android Technology, Plant No. 9 and the Bryansk Wheel Tractor Plant (part of Almaz-Antey).
The United States has imposed sanctions against the automaker Aurus, the PIK group, Geopromining, Elbrus Capital, Pipe Metallurgical Company, Siberian Coal Energy Company, Yuzhuralzoloto (UGK), NOVATEK-Murmansk.
Among the individuals on the list are the Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov, the head of the military-civil administration of the Kharkov region Vitaly Ganchev, and the Chechen Minister for National Policy Akhmed Dudayev.
The United States blacklisted the Indian company Crynofist Aviation, which distributes aircraft parts.
The document notes that these companies allegedly provided significant assistance to the armed forces and/or the military-industrial complex of Russia.
As Regnum reported, on February 23, the Council of the European Union approved the 13th package of sanctions against Russia and published a list of companies and individuals subject to restrictions. In total, 106 individuals and 88 legal entities were subject to sanctions. The European Union also included companies from India, Sri Lanka, China, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Turkey in the new package of anti-Russian sanctions.
American President Joe Biden announced on February 23 that Washington would impose more than 500 sanctions against Moscow.
President Vladimir Putin said on January 11 that by the end of 2023, Russia had become the first economy in Europe. He emphasized that this is especially surprising given how they are trying to strangle the country from all sides. In February, the Russian leader said that sanctions had opened up new opportunities and sales markets had opened up for domestic companies.
Note: Russia has had anti-satellite capability since the days of Leonid Brezhnev.
[Regnum] The United States privately issued a warning to Russia about the inadmissibility of placing nucle£! ar weapons in space. The Wall Street Journal reported this on February 22, citing sources in the White House.
In particular, it is alleged that US President Joseph Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and CIA Director William Burns established communication channels with Moscow.
Sullivan contacted Yuri Ushakov, an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin on foreign policy, and Burns last week contacted the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergei Naryshkin.
In turn, a representative of the White House National Security Council confirmed information about contacts with the Russian side regarding the proposed deployment of anti-satellite weapons, but refused to provide specific information about sensitive channels of interaction with Moscow.
Earlier, Regnum news agency reported that the United States believes that Russia is potentially ready to deploy nuclear weapons in space as early as 2024. According to sources, there is allegedly a risk of a nuclear explosion, which could potentially affect about a third of the satellites and damage communications systems on Earth.
Washington warned allies about the threat allegedly posed by Russia, and President Biden said the Kremlin was allegedly developing anti-satellite space weapons that did not pose a direct threat to human life.
At the same time, on February 20, Russian leader Vladimir Putin recalled that Russia has always been a country that opposed the militarization of space, especially the deployment of nuclear weapons there.
Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov last week called reports of Russian plans to launch nuclear weapons into space a ploy by the US administration. He clarified that the United States has not yet approached Russia about joint work on the issue of anti-satellite weapons. According to Peskov, this is an obvious desire of the White House to get Congress to agree on a bill to provide financial assistance to Kyiv.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
