#1
Wonder if he would like us arming the Poles in the same manner?
Fear, Uncertainty, and Dread (FUD) is all a game. A lot of Karens out there running around like Chicken Little. Mutual Assured Destruction in still in play.
[Guardian] While the conflict with Russia heats up in the east, life for most Ukrainians is marred by corruption so endemic that even hospitals appear to be infected. Can anyone clean the country up?
Ukraine’s National Cancer Institute occupies three smoke-grey, six‑storey blocks in a residential district on the edge of Kiev. The external walls are tiled, with occasional scars where the bricks peep through. When Soviet workmen completed the facade, they built the date — "1968" — into it. Since then, maintenance appears to have been erratic. Nonetheless, business at the institute has always been brisk, and is getting brisker.
Half of Ukraine’s men, and a fifth of its women, smoke; the national diet is heavy with animal fat; the national drink is vodka. Radiation from the Chernobyl disaster spread thyroid cancers throughout the 1980s generation, increasing the incidence among children tenfold. There are few family doctors, which means that breast, prostate and bowel tumours often go undetected for months. Survival rates for these cancers are among the worst in Europe.....
Posted by: DooDahMan ||
10/16/2022 03:32 ||
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#1
Cause Joseph Stalin was such a warm cuddly humanitarian we backed him in WW2.
[IsraelTimes] SpaceX CEO reverses course after saying on Friday he could not continue funding program; he has become embroiled in public spat with Kyiv over suggestion to compromise with Russia.
Elon Musk on Saturday announced that his company would continue to pay for Starlink satellite internet in war-torn Ukraine, a day after suggesting he cannot keep funding the project.
"The hell with it," the world’s richest man wrote on Twitter. "Even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free."
Musk had said on Friday that SpaceX would not be able to pay for Starlink in Ukraine indefinitely.
And the US military confirmed it was communicating with the billionaire’s company about funding for the key network.
The discussions come as Musk has been embroiled in public spats with Ukrainian leaders who were angered by his controversial proposals for de-escalating the conflict, which included acknowledging Russian illusory sovereignty over Crimea.
Starlink, a constellation of more than 3,000 small satellites in low Earth orbit, has been vital to Ukraine’s communications as it fights against Russia’s invasion.
SpaceX has donated some 25,000 ground terminals to Ukraine, according to an updated figure given by Musk last week.
#3
And the Biden Gubbamint interference in SpaceX markedly diminishes.
Unexpectedly
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/16/2022 7:34 Comments ||
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#4
Two Russian military satellites recently launched. The race is on and Elon has to have military support here because he can't do it all alone. We have people here who might enlighten us here. This is a big deal. I however see this administration is completely inept. Biden destroys all he touches. Even our strategic oil reserve is down to twenty days.
#6
I suspect there were some back-channel talks between Musk and whomever that we are not privy too.
And the Biden Gubbamint interference in SpaceX markedly diminishes.
Like that, for example. We know the Feds have been annoying SpaceX with environmental lawfare - various environmental inspections, permits and such.
There are also rumors the Russians have threatened the Starlink satellite constellation, which may have led to the original decision. Or maybe it was the expense or the bad optics of a private individual/company funding a war in a foreign country.
#9
Ukrainian thugs put Musk on their “Kill List” — the one that includes 327 children and that features pictures of corpses, supposedly of their victims. Then Musk joked that he would fund Starlink again.
“It might be a joke, but the media is reporting on it as if it isn’t.
“Last week, Elon said he would stop giving them free access to this satellite internet service he owns because they were attacking and insulting him. The tweet saying he’ll continue to pay came after his tweets discovering that he was put on a kill list. Therefore, it must surely be a joke….”
[An Nahar] Russian President Vladimir Putin ...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances... has said Moscow is "doing everything right" in its nearly eight-month invasion of Ukraine despite a string of embarrassing defeats against Kyiv's forces, who will receive $725 million in new U.S. military assistance.
Putin's comments Friday hours after Kremlin-installed officials in the southern Kherson region urged residents to leave as Kyiv said its soldiers were advancing on the oblast's main city.
Moscow also hinted at the extent of the damage dealt to the Crimea bridge -- the sole land connection between its mainland and the annexed Ukrainian peninsula -- following a blast last Saturday, saying it could take many months to complete repairs. NO! Remember our trolls asserting it was fully operational the next day?
"What is happening today is not pleasant. But all the same, (if Russia hadn't attacked in February) we would have been in the same situation, only the conditions would have been worse for us," Putin told news hounds after a summit in the capital of Kazakhstan.
"So we're doing everything right," he insisted.
He did, however, acknowledge that Russia's ex-Soviet allies were "worried."
Putin said there was no need for further massive strikes against Ukraine at present and claimed the Kremlin did not intend to destroy its pro-Western neighbor.
"There is no need now for massive strikes. There are other tasks. For now," he said.
He spoke days after Russia unleashed a wave of missile strikes on cities across Ukraine that left at least 20 civilians dead.
Putin said the strikes were in retaliation for the earth-shattering kaboom on the Crimea bridge, which he has described as a "terrorist act."
The bridge is a logistically crucial transport link for moving military equipment to Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
- NEW U.S. MILITARY AID -
Washington on Friday announced an additional $725 million in military assistance to Kyiv, including more ammunition for the Himars rocket systems that have been used by Ukraine to wreak havoc on Russian targets.
The aid comes "in the wake of Russia's brutal missile attacks on civilians across Ukraine" and "mounting evidence of atrocities by Russia's forces," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
It brings the total U.S. military assistance to Ukraine to $17.6 billion since the Russian invasion on February 24.
"We will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence with extraordinary courage and boundless determination," Blinken said.
Separately, Elon Musk said his SpaceX would not be able to pay indefinitely for the Starlink satellite internet vital to Ukraine's communications in the fight against Russian invaders.
The US military confirmed it was communicating with the billionaire's company about funding for the key network.
Ukraine, which is clawing back territory in both the east and south, feted its first Defenders Day public holiday since the start of Moscow's invasion, pledging victory.
"On October 14, we express our gratitude... gratitude to everyone who fought for Ukraine in the past. And to everyone who is fighting for it now. To all who won then. And to everyone who will definitely win now," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address to mark the occasion.
"The world is with us, more than ever. This makes us stronger than ever in history," Zelensky said, referring to unprecedented Western aid.
Saudia Arabia announced $400 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine, the official SPA news agency reported early Saturday, adding that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ...Crown Prince and modernizer of Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists... had made a phone call to Zelensky.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/16/2022 00:00 ||
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#1
Putin has said Moscow is "doing everything right"
Professional liar and con man continues in his role as professional liar and con man.
[Pravda] Yurii Kerpatenko, principal conductor at the Kherson Music and Drama Theatre, has been killed by Russian occupiers in Kherson.
His death was announced on 14 October, said the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy.
The ministry said Yurii Kerpatenko had been rubbed out by the Russian military in his own home after he refused to cooperate with the invaders.
Journalist Olena Vanina was the first to report the conductor’s murder. She noted that it is now difficult to find out any details of the murder.
"Today it became known that the conductor of the Kherson Philharmonic has been shot by the occupiers. He had refused to cooperate with them, and they said they would be back. They showed up at his house and shot him right there", Vanina wrote on Facebook.
Vanina also noted that Kerpatenko had stopped contact with colleagues back in September.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/16/2022 00:00 ||
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#4
Skidmark — I’m shocked! Usually you look so innocent of such thoughts, and then you release this? Honestly, I was beginning to worry at your restraint.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] 23:09 Kiev is partially closed by an anti-drone dome - it protects especially important objects, said Yuriy Zozulya, an adviser to the mayor: "The drone dome already partially, fragmentarily exists in Kiev. You must be sure that every day an element of anti-drone appears in some place protection". He added that the construction of a full-fledged anti-drone dome will take about two years.
23:05 France will accept up to 2,000 Ukrainian troops who are to undergo military training within a few weeks, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said.
22:53 In the Belgorod region, at the training ground of the Western Military District, two citizens of "one of the CIS countries" committed a "terrorist act", the Russian Defense Ministry reported. According to official data, during a fire training session with "volunteers" preparing for a "special operation", "terrorists" fired small arms at the unit's personnel - 11 people died, 15 were hospitalized with injuries of varying severity. Two "terrorists" were destroyed by return fire.
Some Russian media reported that the shooting took place at a training ground in the village of Soloti. There were soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation who categorically refused to be sent to Liman. The military leadership tried for more than a week to persuade them to storm the city.
22:04 Zelensky said in an evening video message that active operations are continuing in different sectors of the front: "A very difficult situation remains in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Bakhmut direction is the hardest of all, as in previous days. We are holding positions. In general, in the east and south we do everything to make the occupiers feel: they have no prospects. Whomever they throw to fight against us, it will only end in defeat for them."
21:37 Elon Musk said he will continue to fund Starlink services in Ukraine: "To hell with it ... Although Starlink is still losing money, and other companies receive billions of taxpayer dollars, we will simply continue to fund the government of Ukraine for free."
20:50 Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Novosadovo in the Kramatorsk direction, Yakovlevka, Berestovo, Bakhmut, Bakhmutskoye and Experienced in the Bakhmut direction, Krasnogorovka, Nevelskoye, Pervomayskoye, Maryinka and Pobeda in the Avdeevsky direction, the General Staff said in the evening summary .
20:32 Scholz urged to reform and expand the European Union, as well as to abolish the principle of unanimity in decision-making. He supported Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on their way to join the EU.
20:29 The Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union adopted a final resolution in which it sharply condemned Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada reported. Despite Russian resistance, parliamentarians from 119 countries around the world unanimously adopted a document that provides a clear assessment and condemnation of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine.
20:16 The European Commission will present a financing plan for Ukraine in the coming weeks, said EC Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis following a meeting with Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko and European Investment Bank President Werner Hoyer.
19:10 Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis invited allied countries to jointly pay Ukraine's bills for Starlink if Musk SpaceX is no longer able to do this: "Connecting to the Internet in Ukraine is too important to be left in the hands of one private person. We will find way to form a coalition of Ukrainian allies to pay for Starlink or find an alternative supplier. Lithuania is ready to contribute."
18:49 Scholz called for the expansion of the EU to the east, because he believes that in this way the union will be able to better influence world affairs. At the same time, he noted that accession candidates such as Ukraine, Moldova, the countries of the Western Balkans and, in the future, Georgia, must meet the accession criteria.
17:50 Iran will supply the Russian Federation with new Arash-2 drones, journalist Boris Rozhin said, citing Iranian sources. According to him, the warhead of the Arash-2 drones is much larger than that of the version of the Iranian Geran-2 drones, which are used by the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine. Rozhin noted that Iran has many drones: reconnaissance, strike, kamikaze, and many of them have been tested in combat.
16:44 In Belgorod, a shell hit an oil depot, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
16:21 Yermak said that today he discussed with the new president of the Red Cross, Mirjana Egger, ways to advance on the issue of access to Ukrainian prisoners in Yelenovka: "I called on you to do everything possible to send a Red Cross mission to the colony in Yelenovka in the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region, where in at the end of July, more than 50 defenders of Ukraine were killed as a result of terrorist shelling by the Russian invaders.Ukraine is ready to contribute in every way to such a mission.Today is a critical moment.This war is a test for everyone: for Ukraine, for international organizations.I am convinced that on October 17, representatives of the Red Cross should arrive at the demarcation line in eastern Ukraine. This would be a very important step."
15:37 Eight countries that are not members of the European Union have joined the new package of EU sanctions against Russia, Borrell said. Among these countries are Ukraine, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. These eight countries "will ensure that their national policies are in line with the EU Council decision of October 6, and the European Union takes note of and welcomes this commitment."
14:26 DTEK reports that due to significant damage to the energy infrastructure, Ukrenergo introduces stabilization power outages in Kiev. Due to the complexity of infrastructure damage, outages can occur for more than four hours. The exact shutdown time will depend on the state of the power system and Ukrenergo's orders.
All residents of the city of Kyiv are encouraged to consume electricity moderately - turn on energy-intensive appliances in turn, minimize electricity consumption in the evening from 18:00 to 23:00. Businesses are asked to limit the use of outdoor lighting on the facades of offices, restaurants, shopping centers, etc.
14:15 Russia is running out of microelectronics, which is critical to its military-industrial complex, and Russian officials are worried that they lack foreign components. This was stated at the Ramstein-6 meeting by US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeemo, the press service of the department said. According to him, the two largest manufacturers of microelectronics in Russia had to temporarily stop production due to the lack of critical foreign technologies.
14:09 NATO will begin nuclear exercises on Monday, October 17, said alliance speaker Oana Lungescu: "These exercises help ensure that the alliance's nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective." The exercise will involve 14 countries and up to 60 aircraft, including modern fighter jets and US B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers.
13:51 In the Melitopol region, the Russians blocked the access of civilians to medical care. In Tokmok, residents cannot receive emergency and planned medical care, as the hospital is overflowing with wounded Russian soldiers, Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov said. "But there is good news in this: our Armed Forces are so successfully hitting the enemy in the Zaporozhye direction that the invaders no longer know where to send the wounded and liquidated military," he added.
13:28 In the de-occupied Kherson region, a Russian "military uniform" for children was found at the headquarters of the invaders. These things copied the clothes of the Russian invaders one to one and were intended for local residents as an encouragement to participate in the "referendum", the SBU reported.
13:02 In the Kiev region in the Buchansky, Vyshgorodsky and Brovarsky districts, planned mine clearance and disposal of explosive objects will be carried out, explosions can be heard, the OVA warned.
12:36 "Deputy head of administration" of the occupied Kherson region Kirill Stremousov said that Ukrainian troops are trying to launch an offensive in the region, one of the directions of the offensive is the Dudchany-Berislav road. Stremousov called on the residents of the region to "send their children on vacation to Russia" in order to "let them sort things out" with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian military correspondents report "heavy fighting" in the Kherson direction, but the Russians allegedly "rebuff."
12:20 The first echelons with Russian servicemen, who are part of the regional group of troops, arrived in Belarus, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus reported. The department emphasized that the decision to create a regional grouping of troops was made and is being implemented "exclusively in the interests of strengthening the protection and defense of the state border of the Union State on the territory of Belarus, and this decision was dictated by the ongoing activity in the border areas with us."
11:57 The Netherlands joined the INTERFLEX initiative - training of the Ukrainian military in the UK, said the Minister of Defense of the Netherlands Kaisa Ollongren: "The main aspects of the military support of the Netherlands are the supply of weapons systems, training of the Ukrainian military and the provision of food. In general, we do not disclose any specifics on supplies. An exception are howitzers, anti-aircraft missiles and training in the UK."
11:29 The head of the Kiev OVA, Oleksiy Kuleba, said that after the morning shelling of one of the communities in the region, there are serious consequences at one of the energy infrastructure facilities. There are no casualties among the population. Power engineers need the help of residents of the capital and the region to eliminate damage and emergencies. Kuleba urged every local resident today to limit the use of electricity as much as possible from 17:00 to 23:00.
10:57 Russia can "kill" the only communication system operating on the Ukrainian front, Starlink, Musk said: "There is a big difference between the communication of the world and the communication of the front. Starlink is the only communication system still working at the front - everyone else is dead. Russia is actively trying "Kill Starlink. SpaceX has committed huge resources to defense to protect it. But even so, Starlink could still die."
According to him, Starlink satellite communication in Ukraine costs the company $20 million a month: “In addition to terminals, we have to create, launch, maintain and replenish satellites and ground stations, as well as pay telecom operators for Internet access through gateways. We also had to to defend against cyberattacks and jamming, which are becoming increasingly difficult."
10:51 Russian telegram channels write about the beginning of a massive offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kherson region on Sukhanovo, Dudchany and Mylovoe.
10:43 British intelligence writes that contingents of mobilized Russian reservists have been transferred to Ukraine over the past two weeks - their average level of personal equipment is almost certainly lower than the already meager provision of previously deployed troops.
Many reservists will probably have to purchase body armor themselves, in particular the modern 6B45 body armor, which, in theory, should be issued to combat units as part of the Ratnik individual equipment program. The vest sells for 40,000 rubles (approximately $640) in Russian online stores, compared to approximately 12,000 rubles (approximately $190) in April.
In 2020, the Russian authorities announced that 300,000 sets of Ratnik bulletproof vests had been delivered to the Russian military, enough to equip the forces currently stationed in Ukraine. Pervasive corruption and logistical problems remain one of the main reasons for Russia's poor performance in Ukraine, analysts say.
10:37 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the enemy on the morning of October 15.
personnel - about 64,700 (+400) people liquidated,
tanks - 2524 (+3),
armored combat vehicles - 5179 (+7),
artillery systems - 1582 (+16),
MLRS - 365 (+3),
air defense systems - 186 (+0),
aircraft - 268 (+0),
helicopters - 242 (+2),
UAV operational-tactical level - 1210 (+11),
cruise missiles - 316 (+0),
ships/boats - 16 (+0),
automotive equipment and tankers - 3951 (+7),
special equipment - 142 (+0).
10:31 Since the beginning of the war, the Russian army has not done anything that would come as a surprise to Ukraine - all the actions of the invaders were predictable, Major General Kirill Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, said on the air of the telethon. He stressed that the Ukrainian military are among the best specialists in the world, as they have unique experience.
“After this war, a lot of military science, combat tactics, and strategies will definitely change based on how this war has progressed. Undoubtedly, the Ukrainian military is already one of the best specialists in the world. If only for the reason that this is the first after World War II is a fully conventional war, in which absolutely all available types of weapons are used - from air-launched cruise missiles to cruise missiles from submarines.Be that as it may, we are dealing with a fairly powerful enemy, but the Ukrainian army was able to withstand, moving forward, The counteroffensive is moving forward, and every day our victory is getting closer," Budanov said.
10:25 Over the past day, the enemy has been shelling Kharkiv and the settlements of Kharkiv, Izyum, Kupyansky and Chuguevsky districts, Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA, said. As a result of enemy shelling, one person was killed in the border community of the Kharkov region, and one person was wounded in the Kupyansky region. In the Chuguevsky district, a man was seriously injured when his car ran into an enemy mine.
10:16 As a result of a morning enemy strike on the Kiev region, an energy infrastructure facility was badly damaged, Ukrenergo reports. Specialists are already working to restore the reliability of power supply and the central region. At the same time, the company warns about possible applications of emergency shutdown schedules. Consumers are asked to conserve electricity, especially from 17:00 to 23:00.
10:09 Four powerful explosions occurred in Melitopol last night, followed by a detonation. According to preliminary data, there was a hit in an enemy military base, which the invaders are unsuccessfully trying to restore, said the mayor of the city Ivan Fedorov. According to him, after a series of explosions, the Russian military took out the liquidated equipment.
10:03 The new $725 million US military aid package will include:
additional ammunition for HIMARS;
23 thousand artillery shells of 155 mm caliber;
500 high-precision 155-mm artillery shells;
5 thousand 155-mm shells for remote anti-tank mining systems (RAAM);
5 thousand units of anti-tank weapons;
high-velocity anti-radar missiles (HARM);
more than 200 highly mobile multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV);
small arms and more than 2 million ammunition for them;
medical facilities.
09:32 Estonia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland sent proposals to the European Commission for the ninth package of sanctions, in which, in particular, they propose to introduce the same restrictions against Belarus as against Russia, Polish Radio reports citing the document.
08:49 In the Donetsk region over the past day as a result of Russian shelling, two civilians were killed - in Bakhmut. In addition, the bodies of six more civilians killed during the occupation were found in Liman. Six more people were injured yesterday, said Pavel Kirilenko, head of the OVA.
08:46 In the Nikopol district of the Dnipropetrovsk region, as a result of shelling from cannon artillery and MLRS in the city of Nikopol, two people were injured, said Alexander Vilkul, head of the Krivoy Rog CAA. More than ten multi-storey and private houses, a transport company, several shops, a garage cooperative and other civilian objects were damaged. In the Marganets and Krasnogrigoryevsk communities, an industrial enterprise and houses were damaged, without loss.
08:41 Over the past day, the Defense Forces have successfully repelled enemy attacks in the Donetsk region - in particular, in the areas of the settlements of Berestovo, Yakovlevka, Bakhmutskoye, Bakhmut, Poprosnoye, Ivangrad, Controversial, Nevelskoye, Marinka, Belogorovka, Terny, Novomikhailovka and Krasnogorovka, reports General Staff in the morning summary .
08:38 During the stabilization measures in the de-occupied settlements of the Kherson region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine discovered the arsenals of weapons of the occupying forces. In particular, more than 500 artillery shells, ammunition for Grad and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems, more than 100 anti-tank guided missiles and anti-tank mines, OK Pivden reported.
08:34 At night, the Russians launched four airstrikes with drones on Zaporozhye, and in the morning fired another ten S-300 missiles, said the head of the OVA Alexander Starukh. As a result of the Shahed-136 UAV attack in Zaporozhye, infrastructure facilities were damaged. There were fires, they were localized by rescuers. There were no casualties. After the morning strike by S-300 missiles, a number of energy and industrial infrastructure facilities were damaged. Information about the victims is being specified.
08:29 The Pentagon is discussing funding Starlink in Ukraine with SpaceX, US Department of Defense Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Sing said: "We can confirm that the Department of Defense has received a letter from SpaceX regarding funding for Starlink, their satellite communications product in Ukraine. We continue to communicate with SpaceX on this and other topics."
08:25 The Russians launched a missile attack on one of the communities in the Kiev region in the morning, the head of the OVA, Alexei Kuleba, said. Previously without casualties.
07:42 Saudi Arabia will allocate $400 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.
07:23 At midnight, the military from the Skhid air command destroyed five Shahed-136 enemy kamikaze drones over the Dnipropetrovsk region: three over the Krivoy Rog district, two over the Nikopol district, said the head of the OVA, Valentin Reznichenko.
07:16 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that Putin announced the end of partial mobilization in Russia in order to free up bureaucratic bandwidth for the regular autumn draft, starting on November 1, and create conditions for better preparation for autumn recruits. In his statement, Putin also spoke about the training that the newly mobilized forces allegedly undergo: 5-10 days of "primary training", 5-15 days of training with combat units, "then the next stage is directly in the troops participating in hostilities."
Analysts emphasize that even the 10 days of training that the mobilized may receive most likely does not consist of actual combat training. At the same time, many future instructors and officers were probably wounded or killed in Ukraine even before the start of mobilization. Russian training grounds are also likely understaffed.
As for Belarus, ISW, citing a statement by White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, reports that, despite controversial statements about strengthening the preparatory regime in Belarus, there are no signs that Belarusian troops are preparing to enter Ukraine.
07:08 The Russians fired missiles at Zaporozhye at night, infrastructure facilities were damaged, a fire broke out on the spot. Information about the victims is being investigated. According to preliminary information, air defense forces also worked, said Anatoly Kurtev, secretary of the City Council.
03:20 The prepared mobilization resource of the Russian Federation is up to about 2 million people, and Moscow intends to increase the number of those mobilized, said Lieutenant General Sergei Naev, commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He explained that the prepared mobilization resource is people who have recently been discharged from military service and participated in training and military training. At the same time, Naev stressed that Ukraine would still have an advantage on the battlefield if it received weapons from Western partners on time and in the required quantity.
02:18 The new package of American military assistance to Ukraine will include ammunition for HIMARS and artillery, the Pentagon said.
01:30 The UN called on the Kremlin not to interfere with the work of the Red Cross and to provide access to its representatives to all Ukrainian military who are in Russian captivity, according to a statement by the representative of the UN Secretary General Stefan Dujarric.
00:54 Biden announced the allocation of previously announced $ 725 million military assistance to Ukraine.
00:23 What is the danger of Iranian drones that Russia uses in the war with Ukraine, how effective they are and how Ukrainian air defense is learning to shoot them down - details in the material Why Iranian drones are dangerous for Ukraine.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[RIA Novosti] Ukrainian commanders in Mariupol threatened to shoot those who wanted to surrender, prisoners from the nationalist Azov regiment told RIA Novosti.
"Azovstal" ... if someone wants to escape or surrender there, they gave the green light, so to speak, to be shot. There was one with the call sign "Danson" who wanted to drop his weapon and run away, since he was from Mariupol. He was threatened that if you drop the barrel, we will shoot you," said Azov sergeant Mikhail Shvets.
According to him, the commanders warned their subordinates: "If you fall down, then you will get a bullet."
This information was confirmed by senior sergeant Vitaly Katranich.
"The commander told me: "Whoever comes out, they will be shot as deserters," he said.
Russian troops, together with the forces of the DPR and LPR, liberated Mariupol in mid-May after the underground facilities of the Azovstal plant, where Azov militants and the Ukrainian military were hiding, came under the control of the Russian armed forces.
[RIA Novosti] Ukrainian troops fired on evacuation groups taking refugees from Artemovsk and nearby settlements to the DPR, one of the wounded residents of the city of Maksim told reporters.
"We are walking, and they (Ukrainian troops. - Ed.) are dropping grenades from drones. We climbed into the basement, and the fighters are sitting there, and they began to cover us (the shelling began. - Approx. ed.). We sat, we sat, it seemed to stop, we ran further, but it got so bad, it was scary, I saw such deaths for the first time, ”he said.
A resident of the city specified that they were taken out by the fighters of the Wagner group. According to him, three people were killed during the strike on the evacuation group, including the Wagnerites who led the civilians out.
A resident of Artemovsk Tatiana, in turn, thanked the fighters for their help during the evacuation.
"They took us out, risking themselves. They took us out, then took us out in such wilds ... Do they need it? We walked for an hour and a half, dirty ... Thanks to the guys, they gave us shoes," she said.
A fighter of the "Bakhmut" group of the "Wagner" group explained to journalists that people were also being evacuated from the already liberated settlements adjacent to Artemovsk, and also under shelling.
“They took, it turns out, the civilian population, five or six people, they took them all, took them out, of course ... We also took the population out under fire. They (Ukrainian troops. - Ed.) did not shy away from anything, they didn’t care that they suffered, and that's it. The civilian population also suffered, "the fighter emphasized.
Earlier, an officer of the People's Militia of the LPR, Andrei Marochko, said that fighting was taking place on the outskirts of Artemovsk, Ukrainian troops were withdrawing to the western and northwestern parts of the city. Viktor Garbar, a spokesman for the administration of Pervomaisk, told reporters that the Russian military was evacuating residents of the areas under their control of Artemovsk, Soledar, and a number of liberated villages in that region.
As previously reported, Russian troops, together with the forces of the DPR and LPR, managed to take control of two settlements - Opytnoye and Ivangrad - about six kilometers from Artemovsk.
#1
If I recall correctly, then the ones who didnt fight to their death at Azovstal and were taken prisoner, their jail was targeted where a majority of these survivors were killed.
Kindly note that several entries in this article were removed because they included discussions of the grand strategic level.
[NewsFrontInfo] 21:58 In Berdyansk, on the territory of the hospital town, the road was repaired for the first time in many years
In the summer, due to a lack of bitumen, the work had to be postponed, but thanks to the bosses from the Tver region, the road repairs were completed.
19:32 along Kherson:
At the end of the day, the enemy did not manage to break through the defenses in the direction of Dudchany - Mylovoe.
The enemy got into a defensive crossfire, approximately two battalions with tank support were dispersed with the active work of artillery and aviation.
About 15 tanks and 20 other AFVs were destroyed, the loss of personnel is being specified.
Excellent well-coordinated work of the infantry, artillery and units of the Special Forces of the Russian Federation.
17:35 Residents of Kyiv are urged to save electricity.
14:03 Two air explosions thundered in Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region. Air defense systems are working, this was reported in the Telegram channel of the city administration.
13:58 The Russian Armed Forces in the area of the city of Zaporizhzhia with a precision strike destroyed more than 160 Ukrainian servicemen of the 65th mechanized brigade in three barracks, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Also on the night of October 14, Kyiv's preparations for a river landing operation in the area of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant were disrupted. More than 50 Ukrainian soldiers, five speedboats, and two barges were destroyed by strikes against a landing force in the bay of the Kakhovka Reservoir. Su-25 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was shot down by means of air defense in the Nikolaev region.
12:51 Due to a missile attack on an energy infrastructure facility in the Kiev region, residents of the Zhytomyr, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions are also being asked today to reduce electricity consumption - the authorities.
12:17 In the Krivoy Rog-Kherson direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched an offensive using attack aircraft.
In the Dudchansk direction, artillery and the Russian Aerospace Forces are working closely against the enemy.
12:15 An announcement about a vacancy for a pilot in the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine appeared on the Ukrainian employment site. The pilot is offered a full social package and a salary of $1,000 to $2,000.
The search for pilots for law enforcement agencies on the recruiting site only says that the defense departments of Ukraine have begun a shortage of personnel.
11:41 The enemy is advancing in the south, trying to break through to Berislav in the Kherson region:
▪️ In recent days, in the Berislav direction, the enemy has been accumulating forces and conducting reconnaissance in force, and also sent DRGs.
▪️ "Haymars" hit our positions, for some reason they tried to destroy the bridge in Mylovoe with them.
▪️ Ours continued to strengthen the line of defense on the line of the southern part of Dudchan - Novaya Kamenka - Ishchenko - Bruskinskoye - Sukhoi Stavok.
▪️On October 15, early in the morning, the enemy began artillery preparation and went on the offensive with up to two battalion tactical groups.
▪️One armored group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked positions near Novaya Kamenka from Novogrigorovka, the other is trying to move near Dudchan, but here ours have a strong defense.
▪️ Mobile groups of the enemy bypassed the stronghold in Novaya Kamenka and will try to cut the Dudchany-Mylovoe road, armored vehicles and the main forces are following them, trying to expand the breakthrough.
▪️The battle is led by landing, the 126th Coastal Defense Brigade and motorized rifles.
▪️ Our artillery is working from both banks of the Dnieper, a counter-battery fight is going on.
▪️Army aviation also helps ours to repel the breakthrough of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, attack aircraft and attack helicopters are working.
▪️ The reserves of the Airborne Forces and 126 are ready to enter or are already entering the battle.
▪️ The day before, the enemy also launched a series of attacks on the settlement. Dudchany, Pyatikhatka, Ishchenko, suffered losses and were thrown back.
▪️ Earlier, special forces of the RF Armed Forces carried out a series of attacks on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Sukhoi Stavka.
11:11 NATO has already been defeated in Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko said. It is connected with the collapse of the “anti-Russia” project.
09:56 Combatworkattack helicopters Ka-52 "Alligator" during a special military operation in Ukraine.
Helicopter crews successfully carry out combat missions, destroying armored vehicles and military infrastructure facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
09:25 In Zaporozhye, local authorities confirmed the strikes. The City Council reported that there is destruction of industrial and energy infrastructure.
08:26 An air alert has been announced throughout Ukraine. An explosion and a fire are reported in Kyiv.
08:26 A missile attack on one of the districts of the Kyiv region was officially confirmed by the head of the OVA Alexei Kuleba.
08:22 An air raid alert has been declared in Kyiv and in all regions of Ukraine - Ukrainian media.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFrontInfo] 23:31 On the operational lines of the DPR JCCC for October 15, received additional information on damage as a result of shelling of the VFU cities of the Republic:
n.p. Alexandrovka:
- st. Kirova, 83 - a private residential building was destroyed.
Information about the consequences of shelling continues to arrive.
21:23 Representation of the DPR: AFU fired at Donetsk and Novobakhmutovka from artillery and mortars.
19:15 Shelling was recorded from the side of the VFU in the direction: n.p. Netaylovo - Donetsk (Kuibyshevsky district): three rounds of 155mm caliber were fired.
18:45 On the operational lines of the DPR JCCC for October 15, received additional information on damage as a result of shelling of the VFU cities of the Republic:
Donetsk (Kyiv region):
- st. Krupskaya, 120, 122 - private residential buildings, the gas pipeline was damaged.
18:06 Shelling was recorded from the side of the VFU in the direction: n.p. Netaylovo - Donetsk (Kuibyshevsky district): three rounds of 155mm caliber were fired.
17:40 Air defense works in the rear cities of the DPR.
17:10 As a result of the shelling of the Lidievka microdistrict in the Kirovsky district, the glazing and concrete ceiling of the boiler room were damaged by a direct hit by a Ukrainian shell.
16:42 On the operational lines of the DPR JCCC for October 15, received additional information on civilian casualties in the cities of the Republic:
Donetsk (Kirovskiy district):
- a woman born in 1970 was wounded.
Received additional information on damage as a result of shelling of the VFU cities of the Republic:
Donetsk (Kyiv region):
- st. 50 years of Ukraine, 107 - a private residential building.
15:16 Shelling was recorded from the side of the VFU in the direction: n.p. Netaylovo - Donetsk (Kuibyshevsky district): three rounds of 155mm caliber were fired.
14:47 It is reported from the field that the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the northern sector of the Kherson direction was repelled. Russian artillery and aviation did not give the enemy a chance to approach our positions.
According to colleagues, now the infantry of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is cleaning up the forest belt near the padded and abandoned equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
14:43 On the operational lines of the DPR JCCC for October 15, received additional information on damage as a result of shelling of the VFU cities of the Republic:
Donetsk:
Kirovsky district:
- st. Tchaikovsky, 54/4 - a direct hit in a private residential building;
- st. Akhmatova, 14, 48 - private residential buildings.
Kuibyshevsky district:
De-energized 8 transformer substations, 2158 subscribers without power supply.
n.p. Gorlovka (Panteleimonovka village):
- as a result of shelling on the street. Mayakovsky scattered PFM "Petal«.
13:28 The shelling of the Kirovsky district took place again: from the n. Krasnogorovka settlement fired five rounds with a caliber of 155mm. This is evidenced by the SCCC.
13:00 In the Bakhmut (Artemovsky) direction, Russian missile forces and artillery worked out on enemy positions in Bakhmut, Opytny, Soledar, Kurdyumovka, Yakovlevka and Kleshcheevka.
In the Donetsk direction, Russian forces attacked the facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Avdiivka, Maryinka, Krasnohorivka, Bolshaya Novoselka, Vugledar and other settlements.
Ukrainian formations, in turn, again fired at the cities of the Donetsk agglomeration: a woman died in Donetsk, several more people were injured.
11:42 Kuibyshevsky and Kyiv districts of Donetsk are Armageddon. Silent for the moment. There are hits in the area of st. Bogatyrskaya. There were many arrivals, so far it is difficult to say exactly what and where. Also arrivals at st. Rabfokovskaya and near school 74. At the address of st. Ershova, 20 the house is on fire.
11:36 Stremousov: Ukrainian troops are trying to launch an offensive in the Kherson region, one of the directions of the offensive is the Dudchany-Berislav road.
11:27 The Russian Armed Forces occupied the dominant heights near Velikaya Novoselka in the west of the DPR. Fighting in this area has been going on for several months. The settlement has a convenient transport interchange and is an important fortified area for militants.
11:13 Kyiv, Kuibyshevsky, Kirovsky districts of Donetsk under enemy fire. By this time, one woman had died and two more people had been injured.
11:09 Direction Dudchany - Mylovoe. APU attack. Fierce fights. Approximately two battalions went on the offensive, holding the defense.
09:27 According to additional information, yesterday a man born in 1957 was wounded as a result of the shelling of the Petrovsky district.
09:15 Kulemzin: There was shelling of the Tekstilshchik microdistrict in the Kirovsky district. According to the JCCC, at 8:55 a.m. Krasnogorovka settlement fired three rounds with a caliber of 155mm. There is an injured woman, personal details are being specified.
09:11 Shelling was recorded from the side of the VFU in the direction: n.p. Krasnogorovka - Donetsk (Kirovskiy district): three rounds of 155mm caliber were fired.
08:28 Over the past day, from 08:00 on October 14 to 08:00 on October 15, one person was killed and 6 more civilians were injured as a result of shelling of the VFU in the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic - the Headquarters of the TerO DPR.
08:20 As a result of yesterday's shelling of the Kuibyshevsky district, the glazing was damaged in the gas station building, the facade and glazing were damaged in two apartment buildings - Donetsk Mayor Aleksey Kulemzin.
08:00 Air raid alert announced in Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region, air defense system is working - VGA
Commentary by Russian military correspondent Y. Kitten
[Chernovec] As I already reported, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched attacks in the Kherson direction today
That's what came of it.
From the front, the latest news, which is not even operational, but in principle cannot be seen on central television, is transmitted:
1) The direction of Svatovo is butting with the enemy. On the one hand, we recaptured Torskoye. On the other hand, Ukrainians came to the border of the Svatovsky district, bypassing, on the left side. Ours, to say that they rested and do not move at all, is impossible. But they are trying to maneuver counterattacks, which characterizes well the one who commands there.
2) Kherson direction - it is actively raining. Equipment stalled, the advance of the enemy was slowed down. They crumble UJkrainian soldiers in batches, but they still stick. Ours are well here. The Ukrainians have heavy losses. Compared to ours, they are big.
Well done - Commander of the Airborne Forces Teplinskiy. In the Kherson direction, he literally personally builds defenses in the trenches, builds them competently.
Surovikin is one of the most intelligent generals now. He began to quietly build defenses, digs.
3) Great joy - they finally began to burn the energy system of Ukraine. I hope that the next stage will begin to hammer on the bridges.
Following commentary by Russian military correspondent A. Sladkov
KHERSON. The situation gives cause for cautious optimism.
What is the reason? In the weakness of Ukraine or in the increase (including in the organization of command and control of troops) of our potential?
First, what is the setting? Yes, here you can get by with one word - they fought back, while they fought back. Although, according to combined data from various sources, the Armed Forces of Ukraine accumulated up to 60,000 people in the Kherson direction. It is said that two brigades and a tank battalion went forward. It already looks like a fist. Yes, they used the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the small flying detachments that yielded results near Liman at the junctions of our positions. And then past.
The enemy's advance has been halted, and it is difficult for him to retreat to his starting line. We used reconnaissance unmanned aircraft (early warning of the beginning of the enemy's movement), artillery, manned attack and strike unmanned aircraft.
What does it say? On improving the interaction of our types and types of troops. This is one of the steps to success.
Secondly, we successfully solved several tasks at once on the entire front line with different groupings: we repulsed the offensives in the Liman and Zaporozhye directions, continued to move forward near Donetsk and in the Artyomovsk region.
What does it say? In my opinion, this is the first result of reforming the command apparatus of the entire NWO. One leader, Army General Sergey Surovikin, a single hand of management - and here you have a clear coordination of actions.
Thirdly, our so far successful actions in defense are the result of harsh all-out strikes on the entire military infrastructure of Ukraine. That started but didn't end. The result could not appear instantly, we are talking about the difficulty of the operation of the rear and communications, and this does not pop up immediately.
Here fuel and lubricants did not come to the advancing, there the necessary ammunition was not delivered, here aviation cannot make landings. And in Kyiv, the backs of the heads were itching: isn’t the Armed Forces of Ukraine too zealously fulfilling Washington’s orders to take Kherson before the US Senate elections?
An offensive in the Kherson direction cannot be a reconnaissance in force or a test of strength. What about the meaning? The military command obtained permission from Zelensky to take the entire west bank of the Dnieper, starting from Kakhovka to the Black Sea, and then storm Kherson (as Ukrainian sources say). The bridgehead is not too large for the maneuver of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - however, it is inconvenient for us in terms of the transfer of reinforcements, provisions and ammunition across the Dnieper.
But after such a friendly work of aviation and artillery and the resilience of the ground forces, we have a neat optimism. The goal is to hold out until reaching the desired level of training and the arrival of reinforcements, until the productivity of our military-industrial complex increases.
And there, winter is not winter - no one has yet canceled the offensive. And in the cold, Europe will become more gutta-percha. We have time. We have a whole bunch of them, the main thing for us is to win.
[Pravda] Russia’s Defence Ministry has reported that two citizens of a CIS country have committed an "act of terrorism" at a training ground of the Western Military District in Belgorod Oblast.
During a fire training session with the "volunteers", who were training for the so-called "special operation" [as Russian propaganda calls the war against Ukraine], the "terrorists" fired on the unit’s personnel using small arms.
11 people died in the attack and 15 people were taken to hospital with wounds of varying degrees of severity.
The two "terrorists" were killed by return fire, the Russian Ministry of Defence reported.
According to the Russian "Ministry of Defence", 11 novice orcs died, another 15 were hospitalized
All this happened "during a fire training session with volunteers who were preparing for a special operation"
[ZeroHedge] Sweden has refused to join a joint international investigation into the recent attack on the Russian-owned Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, citing national security concerns.
According to Mats Ljungqvist, the Swedish prosecutor involved in the country’s criminal investigation of the leaks in the Swedish economic zone, the country will not join a Eurojust Joint Investigation Team, which would require them to share their findings with Germany and Denmark.
Days earlier, Sweden said they weren't willing to share information with Russia regarding their investigation.
More from The Epoch Times' Mimi Nguyen Ly,
FOUR LEAKS
A total of four leaks were detected on the Nord Stream pipelines—two on Nord Stream 1 and two on Nord Stream 2—in late September, sparking widespread suspicions and concerns, including by NATO, of sabotage. While both Nord Stream pipelines, which travel through the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, were not in operation, both were filled with gas that leaked to the surface of the water. Nord Stream 1 had recently stopped supplying gas and Nord Stream 2 never began operating.
The fourth leak, off southern Sweden, was reported by the Swedish coast guard on Sept. 29. The earlier three leaks were reported on Sept. 26. Nord Stream AG, the operator of the network, issued a statement that flagged the close timing of the three leaks. It told reporters: “The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented.”
Prior to reports about the three leaks, explosions were recorded along the Nord Stream pipelines. A first explosion was recorded by seismologists early Monday southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm. A second, stronger blast northeast of the island that night was equivalent to a magnitude-2.3 earthquake. Seismic stations in Denmark, Norway, and Finland also registered the explosions.
Chief of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service told the Russian TASS news agency on Friday that they have intelligence data on sabotage at the two pipelines, but did not elaborate.
Nord Stream 1 had been the main source of Russian gas to Europe until late Aug. 19, when Russian state-owned oil and gas firm Gazprom shut off the gas for maintenance. In early September, Gazprom announced it had abandoned plans to restart gas flows through the pipeline to Germany indefinitely, saying that an oil leak in a critical turbine was not yet fixed. Russia has blamed international sanctions over the war in Ukraine for deterring the pipeline’s routine maintenance.
Meanwhile, Nord Stream 2 never came into operation. Germany in February halted the certification of the gas pipeline shortly prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the time, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the refusal to certify the pipeline was in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of the independence of two Russian-backed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
[Jpost] Norwegian authorities have banned Russian citizens from flying drones in Norway.
A Russian-Israeli dual citizen was arrested in Norway on Tuesday after using drones to take photos in the country, according to Norwegian media.
The citizen, named as Vitaly Rustanov, had been in Norway since August and was arrested at the Storskog border crossing between Norway and Russia.
Police seized two drones and several electronic storage devices, according to Norwegian state news agency NRK.
Police asked for the suspect's arrest to be extended for two weeks.
The Norwegian Verdens Gang newspaper reported on that acquaintances of Rustanov have said that he is a long-time photographer and just a tourist.
"[He] is a photographer, he travels constantly and takes pictures everywhere," says Stepan Romanov, who works in a design agency in Moscow, to Verdens Gang.
Rustanov was reportedly carrying three passports, including an Israeli one, with Romanov stating that he was on his way to Israel.
Artyom Chernov, another acquaintance of Rustanov's, told Verdens Gang that Rustanov received Israeli citizenship last year.
"[He] is just an amateur photographer, sometimes he works as a freelance journalist. I'm sure he meant no harm and was just filming the beauty of Norway. I am sure he is not a spy," said Chernov.
Rustanov's attorney Jens Bernhard Herstad told Verdens Gang that the description provided by the acquaintances matches his impression of him and the information provided by police.
"If he had been a hardened spy, he would never have taken memory cards and equipment over the only border crossing between Norway and Russia," said Herstad, adding that while Rustanov still broke the law by flying a drone, if it was just for private purposes he may receive a lighter sentence.
The news agency also reported that it had gained access to a number of videos and photos shared by Rustanov and that they showed things like waterfalls, sheep in a field and sunsets.
Rustanov is also a member of a trade union for photographers in Russia.
SECOND RUSSIAN ARRESTED FOR FLYING A DRONE IN NORWAY
A second Russian national was arrested for flying a drone near Tromso Airport in northern Norway on Friday. He entered the country through the Storskog crossing on Thursday for a work visit and claims that he was only taking photos for private purposes, according to Verdens Gang.
The second suspect was also carrying a large quantity of photography equipment, including a drone and memory cards. Police have asked to extend his arrest for four weeks.
According to the report, authorities found photos of the airport in Kirkenes in northern Norway and a Bell helicopter belong to the Norwegian Armed Forces.
DRONE ACTIVITY OVER BALTIC SEA SPARKS CONCERNS
The arrests come amid alerts of unidentified drone activity near oil platforms in the North Sea and Baltic Sea and after an explosion targeted the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea.
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.
[Guardian] While the conflict with Russia heats up in the east, life for most Ukrainians is marred by corruption so endemic that even hospitals appear to be infected. Can anyone clean the country up?
[An Nahar] Russian President 
...Crown Prince and modernizer of 
[JPost] 
